Volume 97 issue 14

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham dh University Community Since 1918 Volume 97, Issue 14

FordhamRam.com

September 23, 2015

Working to Pass New Consent Law

Fordham Prepares for Papal Visit

By CAILIN MCKENNA

By YASMIN MERCHANT

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

The much-awaited moment for millions of Catholics is finally upon them: Pope Francis arrived in Maryland from Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, with no shortage of media coverage.

He is preparing for a busy week in the United States, travelling to Washington D.C., New York and Philadelphia. The pope will make several appearances, including one at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. He is also visiting important cathedrals in all of the cities, and will meet with President Obama, Congress and the United Nations.

As the Jesuit University of New York, with a large and active theology department, Fordham University has prepared extensively for this papal visit. Campus Ministry began planning the Faith, POPE & Love campaign back in July “to animate and engage the university community at different levels — academic, pastoral, spiritual,” said Father Salazar, executive director of Campus Ministry.

The Fordham faculty is also playing a big role — most notably Dr. J. Patrick Hornbeck, chair of the theology department. Hornbeck will be serving as a commentator for the Al Jazeera America news network during the pope’s visit. “I’ll be ... providing live analysis during many of the pope's speeches

Rams Clinch Liberty Cup at Homecoming Game

ZACK MIKLOS/ THE FORDHAM RAM

The Rams defeated the Columbia University Lions to win the Liberty Cup and the Homecoming game. See our full game coverage, Page 24

Racial Bias Incidents at Fordham: How Have We Responded?

By LAURA SANICOLA & JOE VITALE NEWS EDITOR & EDITOR IN CHIEF

The halls of Martyrs’ Court Lalande have been the focus of the Fordham community’s attention over the past weeks following two separate incidents in the freshman hall.

The first occurred on Sunday, Sept.

13, when an African-American student notified a resident assistant that a racial slur had been scratched into the door of his room. The NYPD and the Department of Public Safety both responded, according to a university-wide email.

The door writing was preserved until the NYPD responded and conducted a preliminary investigation. In

addition, the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force assigned detectives to follow up any leads in the case and have been seen in the building by students.

The second incident occurred on Sunday, Sept. 20, when, according to Public Safety, a student notified university officials that he saw “a crude, backwards swastika approximately two inches across” scratched into a stairwell wall in the same residence hall.

Adminstrators were notified, as were Public Safety and the NYPD, and the vandalism was classified as a “suspected bias crime.” An update to all students that same day reported that the NYPD Hate Crimes

Task Force deemed the vandalism “to be a non-bias criminal mischief case, pending any new information.”

In response, the community has, in many ways, leaped into action.

Public Safety, the Office of Residential Life and university administrators, for example, have been releasing statements about the efforts to investigate the two incidents. Students and student groups have been active as well.

Fordham University, like many college campuses, is no stranger to these types of incidents. Within this decade, there have been similar incidents involving racial and homophobic slurs.

SEE BIAS, PAGE 6

SEE POPE, PAGE 2

Papal Visit Schedule New York, Sept. 24-25 Sept. 24 6:45 p.m.

Pope Francis is kicking off his New York City visit with evening prayer at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Five hundred people will meet him at the cathedral steps after a short procession down Fifth Avenue, and another 2,500 will be inside.

Sept. 25 8:30 a.m.

The Pope will head to the United Nations for a meeting with World Leaders.

11:30 a.m.

There will be a multifaith service at Ground Zero, in the 9/11 Museum. After arriving by golf cart, Pope Francis will meet with a group of first responders, survivors and families on the plaza. Then he will attend a memorial service in the museum.

4 p.m.

Next stop is Our Lady Queen of Angels, an elementary school in East Harlem.

The Pope will meet with students, then meet with immigrants and refugees.

5 p.m.

The Pope will lead a procession through Central Park. Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets.

6 p.m.

In the biggest event of the day, Pope Francis will end his time in New York with a Mass at Madison Square Garden, in front of an estimated crowd of 20 thousand people.

Rev. Everett Parket, 1913-2015

Professor and Civil Rights Advocate Dies at 102

By JOE VITALE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Rev. Everett C. Parker, an advocate for civil rights in the media who used the communication office of the United Church of Christ as a platform for spearheading reforms in broadcasting in the 1960s and 1970s, died on Thursday in White Plains, New York. He was 102.

A member of Fordham University’s Communications department well into his 90s, Parker’s voice was powerful in effecting formidable changes in broadcast media standards throughout the country.

Parker, while serving as a minister and director of communications for UCC, began to survey radio and television stations in the southern United States in the 1960s, the same time the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum. He targeted

a television station, WLBT-TV in Jackson, Mississippi, for consistently violating the civil rights of its black viewers by neglecting to cover civil rights news and airing content that referred to black people disparagingly. Parker filed a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deny the station a license renewal for not serving the public interest, as required by law.

The petition was dismissed for a lack of standing, but Parker appealed, protesting that, “the public did have ‘standing,’ and an economic interest, because they owned radios and television sets.”

The appeal was recognized, but WBLT was issued another license, leading to a second appeal.

In 1969, Judge Warren Burger, who later served as chief justice of the United States, ruled that the FCC’s record in the case was “beyond repair” and ordered that SEE PARKER, PAGE 5

Across college campuses, the issues of sexual assault and prevention are raising concern among students and administrators.

A recent study, for example, conducted by the Association of American Universities, which drew responses from 150,00 students, found that one in five female college students were victims of sexual assault and misconduct.

Such statistics are resulting in increased activism for anti-sexual assault movements.

At Fordham, Monica Sobrin, FCRH ’17, has taken a vocal stance on the issue of sexual assault on college campuses. This summer, Sobrin worked with New York state legislators on a bill to change college policies on affirmative consent and sexual assault.

An active member of Progressive Students for Justice: Women’s Empowerment, Sobrin first found out about the legislation through affiliates of the “Know Your IX” and “Carry That Weight” groups at Columbia University. These organizations reached out to clubs and organizations involved with antisexual assault activism across the New York City area. Students from over 20 schools, including Fordham, met to share resources, organize events and create a network for anti-sexual assault activism.

These student activists were contacted by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, FCRH ’79, about a piece of legislation to combat sexual assault on college campuses across the state. The bill, known as ‘Yes Means Yes,’ would amend the state education law, requiring “all colleges and universities in the State of New York to implement uniform prevention and response policies and procedures relating to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.”

Following the charter of the bill, The Associated Press published an article on July 8, 2015, about the current affirmative consent laws in place. “New York’s public uniSEE ‘YES MEANS YES’, PAGE 5

in this issue

Opinion

Page 7

Hidden Inequalities in a College Classroom

Culture

Page 11

Recap: Fashion Week in New York

Sports Page 24 Fordham Wins Liberty Cup and Homecoming Game

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

September 23, 2015

Fordham Prepares for the Pope

Journal From Abroad

FROM POPE, PAGE 1

Sept. 15 Queen’s Court 8 p.m.

During a fire drill in Queen’s Court’s knife with a three-inch blade was found on a student’s desk. This weapon is in violation of the University Code of Conduct and as a result, it was turned over to public safety and an incident report was written to the Dean of Students.

Sept. 17 Parking Garage 10 a.m.

A student left a key in the Rose Hill Garage for another student to pick up. The student placed the key on a watering can in the roof area of the garage, but when the second student arrived in the afternoon to pick it up, the key was gone.

Sept. 18 Lombardi Fieldhouse 9:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

A student in the Lombardi Fieldhouse during the President’s Ball lost a wallet containing $40, a driver’s license and credit cards.

He left the wallet on a table, returned about an hour later and discovered it was gone. The student did not wish to file a police report.

Sept. 20 Arthur Avenue.

2 a.m.

Several students were baking cookies early one morning.

The cookies burned and began to smoke. The Fire Department responded and the building was evacuated. The room was vented, the alarm was reset and the fire department discussed cooking safety with the residents. There was no damage.

—Compiled by Erin Shanahan, Assistant News Editor

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

ROBERT FRERICH/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Finding Home in My Homeland

By EMILY SULLIVAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

DUBLIN — Fewer than five million people live in Ireland today, an island country famous for its sense of humor, literature and beer. This number is far less than the more than eight million people that once called it home before the “Great Famine” struck from 1845 to 1852, leading to the tragic deaths of over one million people and a mass-emigration of over two million Irish men and women.

On the 2010 general census, 34 million Americans, nearly 11 percent of the American population, self-identified as Irish-American.

Nostalgia for Irish culture is quite present throughout the United States, particularly in the Northeast, and has been especially present in my life.

Both sides of my family can trace their heritage to exact villages and towns along the south coast of Ireland, and I grew up in a part of New Jersey nicknamed the Irish Riveria, due in part to having the highest percentage of IrishAmericans living in one area in the United States. My childhood home is scattered with Claddaghs and Celtic crosses, and my Catholic upbringing and brood of five brothers, James, Owen, Kieran, Liam, and Declan, have always made me feel classically Irish.

When I departed for my semester in Dublin this August, I received many warm wishes of good luck in

the “home country.”

This past weekend, I completed a homestay with a lovely family in the small market town of Gorey,, in County Wexford, Ireland. It was a memorable weekend, and a few stereotypes proved true: every person in the town knows each other (as my host parents drove me about, they waved at each and every person we passed), there was a cup of tea waiting for me in each home that I entered, and the town’s pubs filled with loyal sports supporters as different games aired throughout the weekend.

My host parents, Helen and Aidan, were the two most welcoming and cheerful people I have met in my life, and were keen on discussing how I was finding Dublin, and the Irish-American identity. They expressed disdain for descendants of the Irish diaspora who appropriate Irish stereotypes and customs without knowing anything of actual Irish culture.

The problem they cited was not that being a third or fourth generation Irish-American makes one “less Irish,” but that wearing green on St. Patrick’s day (a holiday that is celebrated here with much less pomp and public urination arrests than it is in New York City) and loving Guinness does not make one Irish.

The Irish people I have met during my time here view that sort of “Irishness” as a misty, outdated sentiment, held by those tenuously clinging to a heritage they

fail to understand. Understanding the turbulent history of Ireland and the complex struggles of the Irish people is more important than occasionally breaking out an Irish sweater purchased in the U.S. What is more relevant than how many pints of Guinness one can put back is how generous someone is to his or her neighbors, how lighthearted one is in times of trouble, how skilled one is in having the craic with a group of new friends.

Many Americans claim the identities of their ancestors who immigrated generations ago, something that is natural, I think, after all of the melting-pot narratives we are presented with in grade school.

Yet, despite my own claims to my Irish heritage, I have experienced a cognitive dissonance between how pop culture presents the Irish experience and the way of life I have come to know here in my “home country.”

The idea of an old, conservative Ireland has been an emotional touchstone for my family and millions of other Irish-Americans, but after meeting so many kindhearted people, so many bright minds and reading so many of the great Irish authors, it seems ridiculous to distill Ireland’s myriad cultural accomplishments to pouring the perfect beer. Instead, I will take away kindness, empathy, altruism, lots of breakfast meat and humor as the true essence of what it means to be Irish.

and liturgies and also doing my best to sum up the importance of what will be happening,” he said.

According to Hornbeck, Fordham faculty members have been quoted in more than 30 stories in the media about the pope and his visits to Cuba and the United States. In addition, Fordham theologians and many others are contributing by lending their personal expertise on a variety of topics.

Prayer cards, bookmarks and wristbands inscribed “Faith, Pope & Love” were also distributed at President’s Ball, the Homecoming Weekend Mass and the Masses of Anticipation on the 20th to raise student awareness of the campaign. These will also be given away at designated Campus Ministry viewing rooms where papal addresses and events will be live-streamed.

“The campaign has been spearheading by Conor O’Kane, the director of Campus Ministry in Rose Hill,” said Father Salazar, “Other departments from Theology, IPED/IHA, the Center for Religion and Culture, the Curran Center and the Dorothy Day Center, have been in from the start as co-sponsors of events, or to offer their own programs,” Students have also been aiding in the preparations. Three Fordham communications majors are accompanying Professor Hornbeck as interns, and will be helping out in various ways during the Papal visit, including making posts on Hornback’s social media accounts for him. In addition, about 60 student leaders attended a day-long student leadership training program, hosted by Campus Ministry, that feature a keynote talk on Pope Francis.

A full slate of Campus Ministry activities on all three campuses can be found on the university website. There will be a variety of pre-visit, visit and post-visit activities, ranging from serious panel discussions, lighthearted campaigns, like Flat Francis, prayer services and learning practical service skills like building houses with Habitat for Humanity. Students can keep an eye on Fordham’s and the Theology Department’s Twitter accounts (@fordhamnotes, @fordhamtheology) to read the latest about what faculty and others are saying about the papal visit.

This Week at Fordham Friday Sept. 25 Vegetables Vibes: Turnip the Beet St. Rose’s Garden 7 p.m.

Fordham’s St. Rose’s Garden will help kick off Sustainability Week and host a concert. The event will also feature produce from the garden, brief gardening and composting demo’s, and a chance for students to check out the CSA.

Friday Sept. 25

Monday Sept. 28

Verbal Essences Show

Dirt, Plants and Food

Blackbox Theater 8 p.m.

Campbell Commons 5:30 p.m.

The spoken word poetry team Verbal Essences is back. The group will perform their first show of the year featuring their three new team members Rowan Hornbeck, Shaun Chaudhry and Alejandra Rodriguez. Admission is free.

Fordham Sustainability Week’s continues with an event on the topics of food, climate, water and environmental degradation. Students will plant basil and tomatoes and engage in discussion about global food production and sustainability. This event is hosted by USG.

Monday Sept. 28

Tuesday Sept. 29

Cinevents Presents: Cinderella

Kerygma Koffee: Papal Visit Edition

Keating 1st 9 p.m.

St. Ignatius Room 8 p.m.

Campus Activities Board will host a presentation of Cinderella. This modern twist on the classic fairy tale was released last winter. All are invited to attend.

For more campus events, visit FordhamRam.com

This panel, sponsored by Campus Ministry, will include Father Lito Salazar, S.J., executive director of Campus Ministry, and Kallie Aultman, who represents the Holy See at the UN. Free trade coffee and snacks will be served at the event.

NEWS

September 23, 2015

Page 3

West Wing ILC Gets Redesign

By KEN ISELHART CONTRIBUTING WRITER

What started out as an integrated learning community for students interested in political science is now developing into a community of residents interested in living out the Jesuit values of service and intellectual exploration.

Just this year, the West Wing ILC, located in O’Hare Hall, has hosted a variety of events and service projects. On the National Day of Service, Saturday, Sept. 12, the West Wing, in alliance with the Dorothy Day Center and a nonprofit group called The Bronx is Blooming, spent over four hours rehabilitating Mullaly Park.

“It’s bigger than ourselves,” said Bridget Brennan, FCRH ’16 and resident assistant of the West Wing ILC. “We’re men and women for others.”

The West Wing will also help to serve meals to about 1,500 people in need at Saint Francis Xavier High School in Manhattan. In December, the ILC plans to sing Christmas carols at Murray-Weigel Hall and converse with Father O’Hare, specifically about public service from the perspective of a Jesuit priest.

Each week, residents of this program attend a one credit class that consists of lectures, guest speakers or book readings. This semester, the book residents are reading and dis-

cussing is “In Good Company: The Fast Track from the Corporate World to Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience”

by Father James Martin, S.J. Later in the semester, West Wing residents will also have the opportunity to meet with the author at a dinner colloquium. Students must participate in at least two service projects and make presentations about identifying public policy problems and creating solutions.

But this program did not develop overnight. The learning community was started in 2009 by former Dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill, Dr. O’Donnell, and professor Dr. Panagopoulos. It served as a response to the lack of extracurricular outlets for politically inclined students. At the time, integrated learning communities were a new concept for Fordham.

“It was kind of an experiment,” said Robert Parmach, freshman class dean, who started working with the ILC soon after its initiation. “We were just trying to get a lay of the land, find out what students wanted.”

At this time, the ILC mainly consisted of just one civically engaged lecture a month.

Brennan applied to live in the West Wing her sophomore year, after hearing about it through an upperclassman. On the program in its developmental stages, Brennan stated, “There was a lack of community.”

“There was less of an explicit Ignation connection” Parmach agreed.

Showing a strong enthusiasm for the West Wing, Bridget Brennan took charge as an informal student leader of the ILC. “I didn’t have a title at that point, I was just helping them out.”

This leadership position eventually led to Brennan becoming an RA in the West Wing, where Brennan, Parmach and Dr. Hume, current chair of the Political Science Department, would spearhead the West Wing’s metamorphosis into the unique ILC it is today. “The interest was there, and we felt we had to rise to the occasion, too,” said Parmach.

Since coming under strong leadership within the last few years, the West Wing has made great strides. “I think a lot of it has to do with leadership from both Bridget and Dr. Hume,” said Parmach, whose presence as the program’s academic administrator must also be underlined.

Much of the development of the West Wing was influenced by the Manresa program, which aims to expand students’ academic, intellectual, spiritual and social growth. Parmach said, “We’ve tried to build the West Wing based on some of the successes with Manresa.”

The Manresa Program and the West Wing, however, do have their differences. Manresa consists of 125 students, while the West Wing

ZACK MIKLOS/ THE FORDHAM RAM

O’Hare Hall is home to the West Wing ILC, focused on political science.

houses only around 40 students. The Manresa program requires a course that fulfills freshmen’s Eloquentia Perfecta 1 attribute, while the West Wing is a supplemental 1 credit program.

Despite these differences, it is not surprising that most of the West Wing’s residents are alumni of the Manresa Program. This year, as a testament to the bond between the two learning communities, there will be many opportunities for co-programming between Manresa and the West Wing. The West Wing continues to evolve as an ILC. Parmach hopes to add more “on the road” types of service programs.

He would also like to connect undergraduates with current young Fordham alumni, and further strengthen the participatory aspects of the West Wing’s lecture based classes.

Those involved in the program are proud of its development, said Parmach. “We’re very pleased at where we are right now,” he said.

Brennan also expressed pride at the progress the ILC has made.

“It definitely has come a long way in just a year and a half,” she said. Her hope is that one day , there will be a school of public service at Fordham.

“It’s right on the peak of being something super important here on campus,” Brennan said.

Education Chancellor to Teach at Fordham

By SIMEK SHROPSHIRE & KATIE MEYER CONTRIBUTING WRITER AND MANAGING EDITOR

CASEY CHUN/ THE FORDHAM RAM

College Mentors For Kids is a new group started on campus by Carolyn Allain, Samantha Czertak and Margaret Curran.

Rose Hill Welcomes Mentoring Program

By MARIANYS MARTE STAFF WRITER

“A mentor means being a role model and trying your best to pass on any positive qualities you possess to anyone around you,” said Carolyn Allain, FCRH ’17. You might want to remember that name. Allain has started the Fordham chapter of College Mentors for Kids, a oneon-one mentoring program focused on helping children understand the importance of education while in a group setting. The national club is going on 20 years of service with kids and will be starting its first year at Fordham this fall. Its mission is to connect college students, with the most, to kids who need it the most.

The program will be comprised of first to fourth graders mostly from Sacred Heart School in the South Bronx.

Allain will be joined by Samantha Czertak, FCRH ’17 and vice president of fundraising, and Margaret Curran, FCRH ’17 and vice president of programming, as well as

about 40 other Fordham students who will serve as the mentors.

Throughout the year, the children will be focusing their time with their mentors on higher education and careers, community service and culture and diversity. There will be weekly hands-on activities and guest speakers which will aide the children, referred to as “little buddies,” in taking advantage of the resources available to them on a college campus.

“Most of these kids are potential first generation college students and they have no role model who has been to college,” said Allain. The goal is to inspire the little buddies to know that going to college is most definitely an attainable goal.

The organization promotes showing the “little buddies” ways to give back to their community. Fordham is providing the “little buddies” with transportation to and from campus, which means that fundraising will be vital for the function of the club.

“My role consists largely of coming up with the extra funds needed,”

said Czertak. Allain and the rest of the team are taking on 40 little buddies this year, but hope to expand to 80 by next year. The kids are broken down into groups of 10 known as “buddy families” according to their grade levels but will be paired with one mentor. While working one-onone with their mentor, mentors will also work together on activities.

While the number one goal of the program is to change the way the “little buddies” think about education, it is also important to Allain to emphasize the importance of diversity and “change the way Fordham regards the Bronx.” “I think it’s important to bring that diversity and engaging with it by mentoring children in this area,” she said. Curran agreed and said, “Part of what makes Fordham such a unique school is its location in the Bronx. I want to welcome members of the Bronx community to Fordham through College Mentors for Kids because I believe that they can teach us lessons about service and justice that students cannot learn in the classroom.”

Dennis M. Walcott, former chancellor of New York City’s Department of Education and New York City deputy mayor for Education, is joining Fordham’s adjunct faculty for this fall semester.

Walcott, 64, is teaching in the Graduate School of Social Service, a school with which he is personally familiar, having earned his Master’s degree in social work there in 1980.

Before beginning his public service career, Walcott taught kindergarten for ten years in his home borough of Queens. Then, in 1975, he left teaching to found the Frederick Douglass Brotherto-Brother program, an organization that mentors young boys.

From there, he went on to serve as president of the New York Urban League, an advocacy group with the self-stated mission of helping disadvantaged New Yorkers “gain access to equal opportunity in employment, education, [and] financial and technological literacy.” He also worked for a time as an adjunct professor of social work at York College, a senior college in the City University of New York system located in Jamaica, Queens.

In 1993, Walcott was appointed to the New York City Board of Education (the predecessor agency to the current Department of Education) by then-mayor David Dinkins. In 2002 he became the Deputy Mayor for Education under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an office he held until 2011, when he was promoted to New York City Schools Chancellor, the highest office in the city’s Department of Education.

Walcott was well known dur-

ing his tenure as Chancellor for his support of Bloomberg’s political agenda, as well as his strong push to close low-performing public schools citywide. Much of his work under Bloomberg was focused on growing New York’s charter school system and raising the public school system’s typically-low test scores. Walcott left office at the end of Bloomberg’s tenure in 2013. He was succeeded by the current Chancellor Carmen Farina, who was appointed by Bill de Blasio at the start of his tenure.

Apart from his new Fordham professorship, Walcott is currently leading a team of educational experts in an attempt to reform Rockland County’s troubled East Ramapo school district. The East Ramapo school board recently came under fire after it was discovered that the board had been pulling money away from the public schools, creating a financial crisis for the district.

Walcott and two other experts are slated to monitor the school district’s financial and academic movements, as well as offer recommendations to East Ramapo’s school board over the next few months, according to The New York Times.

Walcott also holds an honorary doctorate from Fordham, which was awarded in May 2015 prior to the announcement that he would serve as a professor in the School of Social Service. Fordham’s announcement of the degree credits Walcott with “ushering [NYC public schools] through major changes,” which resulted in “higher graduation rates and more college enrollments, particularly for disadvantaged students of color.”

NEWS

Page 4

September 23, 2015

Fordham In The Bronx

A Lens into the Past: Harding Park

By MICHAEL DOBUSKI BRONX CORRESPONDENT

Harding Park, a small neighborhood in New York City, lies at the end of the Bx19 bus line. Harding Park, an approximately one square mile, about 20 city blocks, region in the Clason Point section of the south Bronx, is remarkable not for its cuisine, its nightlife or even its culture, but for its silence.

To better understand this unique area, let me share a brief history of Harding Park. Thomas Higgs was an amusement park owner in the early twentieth century. His family owned the one hundred acre section of beachfront property that, by the 1920s, was ripe for development. Higgs saw an opportunity to capitalize on New York’s prosperity during a time of major development by creating a beach getaway for rich Manhattanites, tucked away in the Bronx. The place would act as a sort of mini-vacation destination: a way to escape the rush of New York without ever actually leaving the city limits.

His project was modeled off of places like Cape Cod and Nantucket, both in Massachusetts, complete with colorful bungalows and tiny streets. Being the industrious patriot that he was, Higgs

MIKE DUBOSKI/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Harding Park, located in the Clason Point section of the south Bronx, is remarkable not for its serene atmosphere. decided to name his new neighborhood “Harding Park,” after the president at the time, Warren G. Harding.

It was all for naught, though. The Great Depression effectively left this vacation development empty, considering many were in financial distress and in jeopardy of losing

their actual homes. Throughout the majority of World War II, the neighborhood lay forgotten, its colors fading, its streets crumbling. After the war, many of Harding Park’s beach bungalows were renovated and expanded, some to almost double their original size, as the neighborhood became a per-

CASEY CHUN/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham Road Festival 2015

On Sunday, Sept. 20, over 7,000 people enjoyed the first ever Fordham Road festival. Fordham Road was shut down to host perfomances, carnival games, food, a car show and more.

manent residence for over 250 families who were victims of a housing shortage that was occurring at the time.

The “little neighborhood that could” persisted into the 1970s and 80s, surviving both a demolition attempt by New York’s Master Builder, Robert Moses, and the infamous “the Bronx is burning” arson fires of the 1970s. The latter did take its toll, however, damaging or destroying a significant portion of the residential buildings in Harding Park. In 1982, residents formed the Harding Park Homeowners Association, making Harding Park the first low to moderate income neighborhood in the city to become cooperatively owned.

It is still far from the utopia that Higgs envisioned. Today, 20 percent of the Harding Park population lives below the poverty line, the streets regularly flood and there is only one school nearby. The Homeowner’s Association, while landmark for its creation, elicits mixed opinions among residents.

There are signals of a turnaround, however, or at the very least the beginning of one. Harding Park’s population is over 80 percent Hispanic and Latino, the New York Botanical Gardens oversees a small but flour-

ishing community garden and the nearby Soundview Park is undergoing a $9 million restoration of its salt marsh.

What strikes you when you step off the bus at the Harding Park is the quiet. We become accustomed to all sorts of ambient noise in New York City: horns honking, people talking, music blaring. Even at Fordham, it is rare not to hear a distant siren or rumbling truck. It is a cacophony that we are made aware of only when we do not hear it, and one that is especially noticeable once the Bx19 clatters away and you are left wondering where all the people are. That is another thing that is odd about this place.

The streets are all but empty. Admittedly I was there on a workday, but there was really nobody out, which is more than a little eerie in New York City.

Every two or three minutes a plane flew overhead, comically low, on its final approach to LaGuardia.

There is a rocky beach, of sorts, in Harding Park, which provides an excellent view of Manhattan’s skyline. You can also see Queens, if you look in the right place on a clear day. What affects you more than anything, though, is this area’s silence and tranquility. This is New York City, and it is library-quiet. It really is peaceful, and it is a peace that sticks with you.

One wants to believe that Harding Park is in a state of transition, but it is too early to tell. Maybe one day this place will return to its roots and become some Wall Street executive’s summer escape, but I cannot help thinking that it would lose something important in the process.

Harding Park is a place defined by its past: a low income reality wrapped up in a man’s incomplete dream of a 1920s luxury beach town. To forget that would be to dismiss almost a century’s worth of struggle, adaptation and perseverance.

So let us take it for what it is: a unique and colorful corner of the Bronx that was left behind by its target market, and instead became a story of persistence, community and quiet inspiration.

Campus Briefs & Bites President of Namibia Gets Honorary Degree

High Voter Turnout for RHA

Cab Driver Targeted on Belmont Avenue

Fordham Road BID Hosts Festival

His Excellency Hage G. Geingob, FCRH ’70 and president of the Republic of Namibia, received an honorary doctoral degree of humane letters from the University on Tuesday, September 22. Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, spoke at the event in Duane Library as well as Patrick J. Ryan, S.J., Laurence J. McGinley professor of religion and society. Geingob was born and raised in Namibia, previously known as South West Africa, and played a major role in its independence movement. Geingob received a teaching degree in 1961. He then travelled to the United Nations to represent the South West Africa People’s Organization. After this visit, he decided to continue his education in politics at Fordham University. He was honored by the University for his lifelong efforts to bring freedom, justice and prosperity to the Republic of Namibia.

Residence Hall Association announced an increase in voter turnout this year. “There were about 600 people who voted this past week, which is a little more than last year,” RHA Secretary, John Casey, FCRH ’18, said. “The races in Queen’s Court, O’Hare, Finlay, and Tierney were hotly contested this year. There was actually a tie in Queens Court for programmer,” he added. A special election was held as a result this past Monday, Sept. 21. RHA held its first general board meeting this past Sunday, Sept. 20.

There, new members learned about attendance policy, established weekly meeting times and learned about the RHA retreat, which will run from Saturday, Sept. 26 through Sunday, Sept. 27. After this retreat, the general board will begin planning programs in the halls as well as their first fullboard event: The Trick-or-Treat Trot.

At the intersection of East 189th Street and Beaumont Avenue, a cab driver was found dead in his vehicle due to gun shots at approximately 1:35 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 21, 2015. The green Boro Taxi was believed to have been moving southbound on Beaumont Avenue. An unknown passenger rode in the cab. When at the intersection of East 189th Street, the cab crashed. The driver was revealed to be shot, an investigation by the NYPD revealed. It is presumed that the unknown passenger, who fled the scene, is responsible for the victim’s death. EMS personnel pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Although NYPD officers could not find the person responsible after a canvas of the area, detectives from the 48th Precinct are currently conducting an investigation.

No members of the Fordham community were involved in the shooting.

The Fordham Road Business Improvement District (BID) hosted its first Fordham Road Festival. The event was held on East Fordham Road from Creston Ave and East Kingsbridge Road on Sunday, Sept. 20. The festival provided attendees and visitors the chance to participate in carnival games and prizes. A DJ played live music for festival-goers and there were also magicians and other entertainers. Attendees were able to visit the ticket booth and obtain tickets for demonstrations, the car show and prizes.

Over 7,000 people attended the event, and the Fordham Road BID plans to make the festival an annual event for Fordham Road residents.

The event was sponsored by JetBlue airlines, St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx Lebanon Hospital, United Healthcare, and Affinity Health.

— Compiled by Cailin McKenna and Erin Shanahan, Assistant News Editors

NEWS

September 23, 2015

Page 5

Student Advocates for New York State ‘Yes Means Yes’ Bill FROM ‘YES MEANS YES’, PAGE 1

versities adopted the ‘yes’ means ‘yes’ policy last year, shortly after California passed a similar law for all schools receiving state money for financial aid,” the article stated.

However, now these same policies will be law for both public and private colleges across the state.

“I jumped on board because I thought it was a great opportunity to contribute to the broader movement taking place outside of Fordham’s gates and to achieve long-lasting, far-reaching change,” said Sobrin.

The bill was expected to be part of the state budget, but after some consideration it was pulled from the state budget and placed on the floor of both legislative bodies.

Throughout February, student activists worked with the Governor’s office conducting research and proposing amendments.

A group of students, including Sobrin, travelled to Albany over spring break to lobby legislators for their support of the bill. “I did a great deal of research and advocacy on the affirmative consent standard,” she said. “It’s exciting to see some of that language make it into the final bill.”

The chaptered bill will be effective Oct. 5, 2015 and require all colleges and universities in New York State to adopt a statewide affirmative consent standard. The definition of affirmative consent, according to the law, is that consent is active and not passive and that a lack of “no” does not equal the presence of “yes.” The definition also states that silence or lack of resistance does not constitute consent to sexual activity.

Additionally, an individual who gave consent prior to sexual activity does not waive the need for consent in the present and can

withdraw consent at any point. As a result of this new law, students and administrators of colleges across the state will have a unified definition for affirmative consent.

For many students under the influence of drugs or alcohol, there is a fear of further discipline for violating school policies which may result in an unwillingness to come forward with information about sexual assault. “This legislation requires schools to establish an amnesty policy to grant those reporting incidents of sexual violence immunity from other campus policies, such those pertaining to drug and alcohol use,” Sobrin said.

The legislation also includes a Student Bill of Rights to be adopted by all New York State colleges, which will inform students of their legal rights and resources available on and off campus.

Under the bill, students can report an assault to campus authorities, and proceed with an internal investigation, or law enforcement, who investigate through a criminal justice system. The Bill of Rights ensures that victims and survivors remain involved in their situation by allowing them to choose where to report the assault.

As part of the new law, colleges must submit annual aggregate data on reports of sexual violence to the State Education Department, which will be made available online for prospective students.

The law also establishes a State Police Sexual Assault Victims Unit and Hotline for victims and survivors seeking information and support.

Fordham’s current consent policy is defined in its Campus Assault and Relationship Education (CARE) brochure as “all people in a sexual encounter agree to the sexual activity.”

Parker, pioneer in the media, dies at 102 FROM PARKER PAGE 1

WLBT’s license be revoked.

“All we’ve ever wanted to do is make it possible for people to express themselves through the system of broadcasting,” Parker told

The New York Times in 1983. “If broadcasters are to serve the public interest, they need to be reminded that they serve all the publics.”

Several years later, alongside other religious and civic groups, Parker

MIKE GROLL/ AP

Monica Sobrin, FCRH ‘17, worked with state legislators such as Governor Andrew Cuomo on the ‘Yes Means Yes’ Law.

“Fordham already has an affirmative consent policy and a clear consent definition that can be found in the CARE brochure and online,” Christopher Rodgers, dean of students, told The Fordham Ram in January. “We will work to assure that our wording meets the standards set by the state when the new law passes.”

Since the bill was passed into law, Sobrin has received a positive response from the Fordham administration, which already provides a Student Bill of Rights, Notification of Rights at the First Time Disclosure, and Affirmative Consent Standard, Transcript Notation and more in the CARE Brochure for students.

“Fordham University stands with any person who has been sexually assaulted, and is committed to the safety of its students, faculty, staff and guests,” said Bob Howe, senior director for communica-

tions, in a university statement.

“The University fully supports Governor Cuomo’s “Yes Means Yes” law on sexual consent, and the similar policies regarding consent that were in place at Fordham prior to the measure becoming law.”

Howe discussed the extensive training and orientation programs for first year and transfer students provided by the Student Affairs division.

“In the last few years, during New Student Orientation, the University has incorporated information and language similar to the affirmative consent definition and the guidelines provided by the new law,” he said. “Additional modifications to existing policies will be made in the near future to reflect changes in the law, in accordance with the timelines set forth in the legislation. Fordham’s Campus Assault and Relationship Education (CARE) brochure and page has

also been updated.”

Howe commended Sobrin for her work as an effective and vocal supporter of Governor Cuomo’s campaign against campus assault.

“The university encourages anyone who has experienced or witnessed any form of sexual misconduct to report it to the appropriate officials so they may offer that person assistance, and inform them of their options including counseling, support and other resources,” Howe said.

For Sobrin, the ‘Yes Means Yes’ should spread beyond college campuses into primary and secondary health cirricula.

“This law has the potential to change the way that we talk about consent, sex, relationships and assault,” Sobrin said. “When implemented properly, it will help bring about the culture of consent that will prevent aassaults from occurring.”

continued to press television and radio stations on broadcast content and other issues regarding minority representation.

Parker was born in Chicago in 1913, graduated from the University of Chicago in 1935 and worked in radio in Chicago and New Orleans. He then worked for the Works Progress Administration and later opened an advertising agency in Chicago, before attend-

ing the Chicago Theological Seminary, where he received a divinity degree in 1943. In 1939, he married the former Geneva Jones, who preceded him in death in 2004.

He is survived by his three children, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

When he finished his work at NBC, Parker taught at the Yale Divinity School until 1957. He went on to produce numerous television programs and films, until he led the Office of Communication at the United Church of Christ.

He later became a member of Fordham University’s Communications department, where he lectured well into his 90s.

Faculty were quick to recall their experiences with Parker, whose influence and guidance affected many members of the department.

Faculty members, including Gwyneth Jackaway, recalled Parker’s compassion and ferocity in fighting for progress.

“I was lucky enough to have the chance to chat with Everett each week when he'd come to teach his class,” said Jackaway. “One day I asked if I could take him to lunch.

Looking back on this today, I’m amazed that this very busy man made time for such a young colleague.”

Recalling the conversation at Pete’s Diner on Fordham Road, Jackaway added: “The spirit of his

response has stayed with me to this day.” Calling him an “incredible inspiration,” she said, “It was an honor to know him and call him a colleague.”

His legacy continues beyond the Fordham community, as he continues to be hailed as a champion for civil rights in the media, and his testimonies before Congress and the FCC continue to serve as a template for equal treatment practices in the media and other related fields.

When asked in 2012 by the website Broadband & Social Justice how he would like to be remembered, Parker remarked: “I want them to remember that I was a guy who fought like the devil for the rights of minorities.”

"Everett Parker was witness to the very evolution of media in the 20th and 21st centuries, an embodiment of how to call out communications industries when they weren't performing on their highest ethical plane,” added Fordham Professor Paul Levinson, a member of the department. “When I was chair [of the department, from] 20022008, there wasn't a term that went by when students were not knocking on my door, asking if they could get into Ev's course, already filled.”

“He was in his 90s then,” Levinson said, and he “had more energy than many faculty [members] half his age.”

COURTESY OF YOUTUBE

Dr. Everett Parker, who lectured as a Fordham professor, died last week in a hospital in White Plains, New York.

Page 6

NEWS United Student Government Updates

September 23, 2015

Responding to Racial Bias Incidents on Campus 2012-2013

Students Respond to Recent Events

On Feb. 7, 2012, Melissa Wright, a resident assistant in Walsh Hall, came home to her dorm to find the n-word written on her door in black permanent marker. Wright reported the incident to Residential Life staff and Public Safety, and her door was covered.

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, Kimberly Russell, assistant dean of students and director of residential life, wrote in an official statement that “all Fordham students know…our community does not tolerate this kind of language.”

Two days later, a university widestatement was emailed by Office of Student Life Vice President Jeffrey Gray. “We expect the members of the University community to continue displaying the same decency and respect they have always shown [emphasis mine] to one another,” the email stated.

That Tuesday, Walsh Hall held a non-mandatory hall meeting in response to the incident, which was attended by only two students who were not RAs, according to the paper.

On Feb. 27, a homophobic slur was sighted in the hallway of Fordham Lincoln Center’s McMahon Hall. A second statement was released from the Office of Student Life, which read: “There is no room at Fordham University for bigotry of any kind.”

On March 2, the n-word was found carved into concrete in Martyrs’ Court Goupil, which was the third incident of its kind in under a month.

Floor meetings about the incident in Martyrs’ Court were made mandatory, and the Office of Student Life promoted a Concerned Students of Color and Anti-Racist Allies Vigil, which took place on Thursday, March 8.

Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, issued a statement regarding the incident.

“Each of these despicable slurs is a stain on the Fordham community, and on each of its members,” McShane said. “I hold out the greatest contempt for anyone who would intentionally inflict that pain on another human being. Disgust, in fact, is what I feel in contemplating these attacks.”

Student responses to each incident varied, though the incidents were publicized by media covrage in New York City. Nearly 1,500 students signed a petition online calling for an end to the bigotry, and many said these incidents did not reflect the tone on campus.

A campus dialogue ensued, and a Healing Vigil, publicized by university spokesman Bob Howe, was held at Rose Hill in March of 2012.

More than a year later, in Nov. 2013, another incident involving a potential hate symbol (a “crude, backwards swastika” as seen etched on Martyrs’ Lawn) prompted a similar response from McShane.

“If indeed this turns out to be a deliberate act, it is both saddening and repugnant that anyone would sink to the use of that symbol,” McShane said. “Such behavior would be even more shocking at a Jesuit university, and stands against every ideal we hold dear.”

The incident was publicized, but the student response was mild.

Rose Hill students have wasted no time responding to the recent pair of incidents in Lalande Hall.

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, the Black Students Alliance (ASILI) held an open dialogue in response to the racial slur, though the turn out did not please all students.

“I’m really saddened by recent events but more so by the lack of reaction from a majority of the student body,” said Nish Baig, FCRH ’17, who attended the event. “I really wish more students showed up to the open dialogue hosted by Asili last week. We need administration to listen and institute change, but the students need to care about it and cause change.”

Throughout the week, ASILI, USG and other student groups have posted their own responses and statements on social media.

Individual students have also used social media as a platform to voice their responses to the Sept. 20 incident.

Hans Lueders, FCRH ’16 and president of ASILI, wrote an article for Slant News entitled “At Fordham University, Racism 101 is in session.”

“If I am hated, abhorred, or marginalized by color, my skin tone, no one has ever been brave enough, or cruel enough, to come to my face and challenge my existence in this broken world at Fordham University,” Leuders wrote. “To the human being who defaced that door with your sharpened chisel to say what you said, to brand your fellow student [as the nword,] I only say this: Regardless of your motivations, your actions have rippled in ways you cannot imagine.

If your intention was to intimidate your victim, or state your disgust for him and all like him, you have failed.”

At Lalande Hall, one resident observed a change in culture in the building.

“As of late, people [in the hall] start looking at each other and try to figure out people’s qualities to wonder if they’re related in the crimes,” Robert Strazzeri, GSB ’19 said. “In essence, people have become slightly less friendly and more closed off.”

At the Fordham Homecoming game on Saturday, Sept. 19, a group of about 30 students rallied in protest, while holding a sign that read “We Belong Here Too!” and chanting “black students matter.”

Students created a Facebook page entitled “Fordham Students United” on Sept. 20 in response to the incident that occurred a week earlier in Lalande Hall.

A description of the page reads: “Fordham Students United is an intersectional coalition of student leaders, activists, faculty & alumni.

We are united to bring social justice on campus by empowering our communities.”

“Right now we are working on the issue of race on campus because many students feel unsafe and silenced because of the recent hate crimes on campus and administration’s ineffective responses to them,” said Monica Cruz, FCRH ’16. “We aim to inspire long lasting policy and institutional changes in how issues of race and privilege are handled on campus.”

So far, the posts on the page have concerned both the racial bias incident and the criminal mischief inci-

FROM BIAS, PAGE 1

Mr. John Carroll, VP for Public Safety John Carroll fielded questions about bias-crime incident and discussed details and process regarding the actions taken on the investigatory end. In addition, he discussed the wording of “bias-crime incident.”

Carroll expressed that the NYPD as well as the Task Force were consulted when making this word choice decision. Finally, Carroll urged USG and the student body to please come forward with any information regarding the incidents as soon as possible.

Request for Co-Sponsorship: Gift of Life Chapter Samantha D’Angelo, FCRH ’18, asked USG to help sponsor a drive to collect data for for bone marrow transplants. D’Angelo plans to host drive during a weekday in near future. The motion passed unanimously.

bachelor’s in International Political Economy and theology. Chaparro hopes to create a newsletter in order to bridge the disconnect between the upper echelons of the university bureaucracy and the student body.

Class of 2019 Senator Election Results Special Elections Continued Frank Chaparro, FCRH ’17, won the special election for the Class of 2017 Senate. Chaparro is a New Jersey expatriate currently residing on Arthur Avenue in the Belmont section of the Bronx while pursuing his dent.

“A week after the N-word was written on a black student’s door, a swastika was discovered written on a stairwell wall in Lalande. Fordham, we are so much better than this. Let’s speak out and be active in ending racist hate on our campus,” the page administrators posted on Sunday evening.

For Hannah Buckley, FCRH ’16 and president of Fordham University’s Jewish Student Organization (JSO), this is the second time in two years she has had to respond to a swastika symbol on Martyrs’ Lawn.

“With regards to the NYPD changing the status of the alleged hate crime, we have to respect the NYPD’s decision because they’re the experts,” Buckley said.

“But it doesn’t change the fact that we, Fordham’s Jewish community, were confronted with an alleged hate crime,” she said. “And it doesn’t change the fact that for the second time in a week, this school has had to confront the ugly truth that things like this happen at Fordham and are much more common than we care to admit. The conversation has been sparked. “ On Sept. 22, students packed a lecture hall in Freeman for “Race and Privilege On Campus: A Dialogue,” sponsored by Women’s Empowerment, Progressive Students for Justice, ASILI and JSO. The students then relocated to Edward’s Parade for a “Peaceful Conglomeration of Students Against Hatred.” For almost four hours, students voiced their concerns and wishes for community response to the incidents.

“My hope for the future is that Fordham extends its resources to the community outside the gates so that there is less of a division,” said Matthew Vazquez, FCRH ’18.

Others, such as Edilenia Rojas, FCRH ’16, used the event to critique university “dismissive response” of the administration.

“Although they did send out an email to the students, it showed a language that encouraged their faculty and students to think about the events and discuss issues like racism, but it didn’t do anything to promote permanent change,” Rojas said. “One of the biggest things that Father McShane put in my heart was to go set the world on fire...that fire that’s with-

This week, After a two day long elction period, the Senators for the Class of 2019 were elected. The FCRH Senators this year are Sanders Bennett, John Kuyat and Jasnaam Grewal. Sara Brown and Robert Strazzeri were elected from the Gabelli School of Buisness.

in me is really pushing me to want to make changes in the world, but more importantly at this school.”

Admin Responds to Recent Events The first response to the Sept. 13 vandalism incident came after the incident was described to students in an email.

“It goes without saying that such behavior is antithetical to the values of Jesuit education. Such slurs injure not only their intended targets, but the entire Fordham community,” Public Safety said in its universitywide email sent on Sunday, Sept. 13.

“If the person who committed the act is identified, he or she will face University disciplinary proceedings in addition to whatever criminal charges are filed.”

Christopher Rodgers, dean of students at Fordham, provided a statement to The Fordham Ram on the incident.

“Building a culture of civility and respect for the dignity of others requires ongoing and persistent work at all levels from everyone in our community — and there will be some setbacks,” said Rodgers. “Our staffs in residential life, student involvement, multicultural affairs, public safety, campus ministry, counseling center and the dean’s office have been meeting and coordinating response with colleagues from around the University since this report was received.”

“While we share a tremendous sense of revulsion at the weekend’s report from this freshman hall, we

are mindful that the campus is not a bubble — we are not isolated from the continuous struggle against racism in our larger communities,” he continued. “We are committed, however, to continuing this work with our students, student governments and student organizations and through bodies like the Bias Incident Resource Group.”

McShane addressed the student body on the evening of Friday, Sept.

18.

“I am angry that one cowardly, bigoted person has inflicted such great pain on so many members of a community that I love deeply and that I feel blessed to serve,” McShane said in the email. “As for my frustration, I feel frustrated that I was not able to protect people whom I love from the forces of evil and intolerance.”

On Sept. 20, Public Safety described in another email the second incident of vandalism at Lalande Hall, stating, “It is impossible to ignore the fact that its discovery comes just a week after a racial slur was found carved into a student’s door in the same residence hall, and comes in the midst of the Jewish high holy days, compounding the hurt offered to the University community.

Such racist and anti-Semitic actions, freighted with a history of violence, are repellent to any civilized person, and certainly the opposite of what Fordham University expects of the members of its community.”

— Cate Carrejo and Caillin McKenna contributed reporting.

RAM ARCHIVES

The incidents occurred within a few days in Martrys’ Court Lalande.

September 23, 2015

OPINION

Page 7

The Fordham Ram

MTA Updates Leave Much to Be Desired

By ANDREW SANTIS STAFF WRITER

My relationship with the New York City subway is, well, complicated, but it is the 7 train in particular with which I have a love-hate relationship.

I am from Flushing, Queens, and I have patronized the 7 train for the past 20 years of my life. The 7 train has been my go-to ride to get to the city, doctor appointments, parties, my internship and even college. Just like the D is Fordham’s line, the 7 is my line.

The 7 train was in the spotlight recently when its new terminal at 34th Street and 11th Avenue opened almost two weeks ago. The 1.5 mile extension of the line, which cost $2.4 billion, was seven years in the making, and was greeted with fanfare and excitement from many New Yorkers.

Except from me. I strongly believe that the opening of the new station was too premature.

You see, the 7 line was extended because of the Far West Side development project. When the Hudson Yards area is completed in 2018, the 7 line will serve as a connection to the rest of Manhattan. As of today that neighborhood does not yet exist, so technically, the Hudson Yards station is unnecessary.

More importantly, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) should have focused on improving the 7 train service and in-

frastructure first, especially since the agency expects the new station to become the busiest single station in the system.

Currently, the 7 line is severely impacted by subpar service, decaying infrastructure and increased ridership. Anyone who has taken the 7 train before will know what I am talking about. The AM rush hour on weekdays can be a nightmare: there are never trains ready to depart from Flushing-Main Street, express trains magically become local trains, delays always occur at Mets-Willets Point and trains do not run frequently at all.

The PM rush hour is not any better.

The 7 train platform at Times Square-42nd Street, the busiest station in the entire system, overflows with people on a daily basis. By the time trains reach stations like Grand Central or Queensboro Plaza, there is no room for passengers to even squeeze into a car. Do not get me started on the weekend service changes for the never-ending “improvements.”

On top of the service struggles, a study published last week by the Citizens Budget Commission found that the 7 train’s 52nd Street — Lincoln Avenue station in Woodside was the worst station in the system with 79 percent of its structural components in bad shape. An additional 37 percent of the 7 train’s other twenty stations were not in a “state of good repair.”

MARK LENNIHAN/AP

The 7 train underwent several changes last week, including a brand new station at 34th street and 11th avenue.

Ridership is also up across the line, specifically in Long Island City, another one of New York’s up-andcoming neighborhoods. There, two stations experienced double digit increases in ridership between 2013 and 2014.

Keeping all of this in mind, my question to the MTA is: Can the 7 train handle additional riders from the 34th Street-Hudson Yards station?

The 7 train is not the only line in the system that could use some help from the MTA. The C train is consistently ranked as the worst subway

line. It needs to replace its fleet of tin-can subway cars from the 1980s, paint the elevated tracks in the Bronx where the 2 and 5 trains run, repair tracks in order to avoid more subway and commuter train derailments, update the Long Island Railroad’s antiquated signal system (which has caused headaches at Jamaica station and the East River Tunnel) and provide countdown clocks on all of the lettered subway lines. Now is not the time to be opening up climate-controlled stations with digital advertisements.

The MTA needs to get its priori-

ties straight and focus on modernizing the city’s transit system instead of trying to complete ambitious, costly and delay-causing projects, like East Side Access or the 2nd Avenue subway. The authority needs to address the system’s issues now and not push them off to the side.

Here is to hoping the MTA can get its act together for once and actually do something about its decrepit system before it opens station number five hundred.

Andrew Santis, GSB ’16, is a marketing major from Queens.

Republican Candidates Stumble Through Debate

ANDREW HARNIK/AP

Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Jeb Bush attended the debate last Wednesday night.

By MARGARITA ARTOGLOU OPINION EDITOR

I was on my high school debate team. I coached the team last year and I teach at debate camps over the summer. I really like and respect debate.

So I was really interested in watching the Republican Debates. I have read about the Republican candidates and their many slip ups, and I was ready to see them first-hand.

My verdict? I have witnessed middle schoolers debate with more grace and knowledge.

The Republican debate was very reminiscent of debate rounds in

which a few overly-confident novice debaters would try to out-do a few overly-tired varsity debaters.

Although manners are never at the forefront of any political debate, Donald Trump in particular seemed out of place. He acted like he was in the boardroom of The Apprentice, instead of at a podium. He spoke over everyone, called them by their first names and rolled his eyes every other minute. At least the other candidates respected everyone else’s right to speak.

But politeness was the least of my worries during the Republican debate. Instead, I was appalled at the lack of actual discussion that took place.

One of my pet peeves as a debater was when judges would be swayed by good rhetoric that lacked support from evidence. Rhetoric is exactly what these candidates specialized in during the debate.

Trump, in particular, refused to offer any supporting evidence or specific policy plans (probably because he does not have them). However, he was not the only one guilty of supplying very little information.

Overall, many of the candidates seemed to be unprepared to actually discuss the issues. Instead, quite a few of them preferred to rant about problems without providing solutions. The candidates who appeared

prepared, like Carly Fiorina, offered seemingly well thought out responses that ended up being factually incorrect. For example, she challenged Democrats to watch a video that, according to her, shows “a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says, ‘We have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.’” This video does not exist.

Despite the disapproval of factcheckers, many media outlets hailed Fiorina as the winner of the debate.

Still, at least she came prepared with a semblance of specifics, unlike some of the other candidates.

Marco Rubio brought up his immigrant family whenever he could, even if it was not relevant to the question.

Chris Christie made his experience as U.S. attorney for New Jersey a talking point. Ben Carson and Rand Paul, who both have medical backgrounds, were given an opportunity to attack Trump’s claim that vaccines cause autism (which has been disproven) but instead suggested that maybe vaccines should be more spread out over time.

Another moment that showed a lack of preparedness was when the candidates were asked which woman should be put on the ten-dollar bill.

Five candidates named a woman who was either a member of their family or not an American. The Republican party is already infamous for not getting the female vote. Being uninformed about female issues, and, apparently, females in general, is the reason why.

A popular theme in the race for

the Republican nomination is the desire for a candidate who is a so-called “outsider.” In other words, Republican voters are tired of professional politicians, hence the allure of candidates like former Hewlett-Packard CEO Fiorina, neurosurgeon Carson, and real-estate mogul Trump. Perhaps this is the real reason why so many of the candidates declined to provide specifics in their answers: if the American people say they do not want a seasoned politician in office, then maybe what they really mean is that they do not want political answers.

At least, I hope that this is why so many of the candidates shied away from any real discussion. The other possibility, that they really did not have answers, is more depressing, but still plausible.

Indeed, Trump is ahead of everyone else in the polls, and he is the worst offender when it comes to making outlandish and unfounded claims. So the tactic is working, at least for now.

My advice for the Republican candidates is that convincing rhetoric will only take you so far. After constantly hearing the same outlandish claims and unfounded proposals, the American people will eventually realize that they need a candidate who can cite facts and provide a platform with feasible policies.

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

OPINION

Page 8

R Serving 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 10,000. The Fordham Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

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September 23, 2015

From the Desk | Casey Chun

The Importance of Continuing Racial Dialogue We, as “men and women for others,” are taught that New York is our campus and Fordham is our school.

As a native New Yorker, I find that there are few experiences that can parallel those found within the five boroughs. I often find that other New Yorkers are almost never silent when injustices plague the community. As a Fordham student, however, I find that these gates separate us from our so-called “campus.” In this microcosm, we are shielded from discussions, dialogues and debates regarding racial issues, thereby providing an ideal environment for culture apathy and silence.

The recent “bias incidents” that occurred on campus ironically spoke volumes of students’ dispositions on campus. Though several student groups hosted events that opened opportunities for discussion, there still remains a culture of apathy among students. Is it because students simply do not care or is it because students believe we live in a post-racial society? Almost 69 percent of students at Fordham identify as Caucasian, which indicates our student

population’s relative homogeneity.

The university consistently reassures students that diversity comes in many forms. While diversity can be classified into categories such as socioeconomic status or geographic origin, it cannot be used to replace the experiences associated with race.

When it comes to these discussions, the question of race always comes up: “Why do you always have to make it about race?” The polarities of being color-blind and color-conscious are difficult spaces to navigate.

The idea of being race or color-blind is, in itself, a paradox. To be colorblind, one must be color-conscious to be able to discern oneself. There are studies on how race impacts experiences of growing up in America.

Race determines experiences and when we open these experiences up to discussion, they are often met with criticism. As political and social comic Hari Kondabolu puts it succinctly, “Telling me that I’m obsessed with talking about racism in America is like telling me I’m obsessed with swimming when I’m drowning.”

When students finally talk about

race on campus, however, the discussion is often minimalized and reduced to a black-white dichotomy.

This dichotomy excludes many students from the discussion. To people who are excluded, this situation often begs the question: Where do I belong in this discussion? It is important to acknowledge and address the forms of marginalization affecting different communities, such as Asian American/Pacific Islanders and Latinos.

Likewise, it is just as important to acknowledge and address the forms of privileges reaped by those communities. While these discussions occur, it is important to recognize that certain experiences are unique to a specific community. The point is not to try to figure out which community “has it worse.”

Within these gates, our education does little to prepare students for our multi-faceted society. The course offerings are limited and catered to a Euro- and Ameri-centric view. In recent years, the administration has put significant effort in promoting racial awareness on campus, but these attempts should go beyond making to-

kens of students of color. While New York may be our campus, it is also one of the most segregated cities in the United States. Being in New York should not be seen as an excuse to refrain from discussing issues of race.

Within these gates, students’ silence and demand for complacency serve to reinforce the existing issues and power structures. Beyond bromides of the importance of diversity and how it exists in New York, the silence on these issues associated with racial identity serves to be our school’s most pervasive form of obliviousness and indifference.

Editorial | Papal Visit

What We Hope to Hear From Pope Francis Pope Francis’ presence in the United States this week will be felt by everyone. After three days in Washington D.C., he will spend two days in New York, including stops at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, United Nations Headquarters, the 9/11 Memorial, Our Lady Queen of Angels School, Madison Square Garden and Central Park before traveling south to Philadelphia.

He will talk with American leaders at the Capitol and will address religious clergy at the site of the 9/11 Memorial. He will also meet with marginalized Americans, including inmates, refugees and immigrants.

The events will draw news buzz and headlines. His speeches and messages, undoubtedly Jesuit in spirit and action, will relay a compassion not seen from the Church in some time — a compassion that will likely lead to a surge in his favorability among Americans, particularly those on the left.

There is no doubt that his remarks have drawn ire with many Republicans, who have long opted to align themselves with the Church’s doctrines on issues ranging from gay rights to contraception. With Pope Francis as head of the Church, though, that default option may be backfiring.

From climate change to income inequality, the Democratic Party and its sitting president, Barack Obama, have found an ally in the Pope, and are attempting to use his remarks as they prepare for the upcoming presidential election.

There is little information about what specific issues the Pope will discuss during his time here, but considering where he will be stopping and the people with whom he will be spending time, it is not difficult to guess some of the issues he will be addressing. Here are some things we hope to hear.

Gay and Transgender People and The Church Pope Francis will celebrate Mass at numerous churches in the U.S., including St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington D.C., and Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. As central parishes of their cities, they are a focus for the treatment of gay and transgender members of their respective communities. Though marriage equality was verified by the Supreme Court of the United States in June 2015, the sweeping decision is still receiving pushback.

Equal protection in the workplace is not guaranteed in every state, and some federal employees, like Kim Davis, continue to believe it is a violation of their religious liberty to do their government job. In addition, many Catholic Americans who identify as gay continue to face disillusionment from their parishes. While here, Pope Francis should make note of their rejections by the church, and welcome them as full members to the Church.

Birth Control The Pope has somewhat softened the Church’s tone on contraception, but the Church generally remains opposed to access to birth control. This is largely in line with other Church institutions, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as many Catholic hospitals, schools and universities. Yet, many Catholics (78 percent according to a 2014 poll that surveyed 12,000 Catholics in 12 countries) support contraceptives. A lifted ban on birth control — or at least a nod toward supporting its expansion — will be a major step for the Church, and a confirmation of its willingness to listen to its sup-

porters, who have expressed support for the use of contraceptives.

Prison Reform While in Philadelphia, Pope Francis will visit the CurranFromhold Correctional Facility, the largest prison operated in Philadelphia, and meet with about 100 inmates and their families. Paul Morrissey, one of the Catholic chaplains there, wrote in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Pope Francis believes that the Christian Gospel calls us to imitate Jesus, who reached out especially to the marginalized, the outcasts in society, the lost sheep.”

Pope Francis’ visit to a federal prison will follow that of President Obama — the first president to do so — and will be seen as an acknowledgement of the crippling effects of our broken justice system. With millions imprisoned, close to 100,000 inmates in solitary confinement and outrageously long sentences for non-violent sentences, it is time for American officials to act with mercy when it comes to criminals in our society. They must enact policy that eases our federal laws for nonviolent crimes, requiring more humane treatment in federal and state prisons and offering more opportunities for clemency.

Global Environment While in New York, Pope Francis will stop at the United Nations Headquarters where he will meet with various world leaders.

In D.C., he will stop at the Capitol, where he will speak before various leaders and dignitaries.

While the issue has long been one supported mostly by liberals in America, the issue became a heated topic following Pope Francis’ latest papal encyclical, “Laudato Si,” a damning piece regarding our collective responsibility to

leave a clean and safe planet for our descendants. “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth,” Francis declares in the encyclical, released during the summer. “In many parts of the planet, the elderly lament that once beautiful landscapes are now covered with rubbish.” With an upcoming conference of world leaders in Paris this December, more eyes than ever will be paying attention to this issue. The encyclical was generally received coldly by many on the right, but further discussion of this issue may push more Americans toward supporting legislative action to fight climate change in the coming months and encourage leaders to become more conscious of collective responsibility regarding the planet.

These are not the only issues worth mentioning, but they are among the most important ones.

After all, the visit comes at a time when just about everything — especially religion — is politicized. But it also comes a time when religion — especially Catholicism — has a significant presence in government.

Two-thirds of the Supreme Court justices are Catholics, Joseph R. Biden Jr. is the nation’s first Catholic vice president and 31 percent of the members of Congress identify as Catholic.

Seven of the current presidential candidates identify as Catholic, and nearly 70 million Americans are Catholic. No president since 1972 has won the popular vote for president without the Catholic vote as well.

Pope Francis will only be here for a week but, with so many eyes and ears tuned in, he has the opportunity to leave a lasting imprint on millions of Americans.

We trust that he will not disappoint.

OPINION

September 23, 2015

Page 9

‘Dear Fat People’ Took Shaming Too Far

By JACLYN WEINER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

YouTuber Nicole Arbour posted a video entitled “Dear Fat People” in early September. The video quickly went viral and has amassed more than six million views.

The video started as an open letter to fat viewers. The opening was immediately followed by acknowledging that people are probably already offended and went on to taunt those people. “What are you gonna do [fat people]? You gonna chase me? Really? You gonna chase me? It’s going to be like f------ Frankenstein. I can get away from you by walking at a reasonable pace. Frankenstein…not so fast,” said Arbour.

She goes on to claim that there is no such thing as fat-shaming.

Fat-shaming can be defined as the unkind, generally public criticism of overweight individuals.

Arbour claims that fat-shaming has been invented by fat people themselves. She called fat-shaming a race card, without the race.

Not only did she say that fat-shaming is an illegitimate claim, but she also described it as a brilliant way of shaming people who have bad habits to “f------ stop.”

She then shared stories of experiences when overweight people have inconvenienced her life.

An example being when a “TLCspecial” fat family that had a natural aroma of sausages, cut her in a long line at the airport, causing her to not have time to get Starbucks before her plane took off.

She ended the video with these words: “The truth is, I will actually love you no matter what, but I really, really hope this bomb of truth, exploding into your face, will act as shrapnel that seeps into your soul, makes you wanna be healthier, so that we can enjoy you as human beings longer on this planet.”

The response to the “Dear Fat People” video was overwhelmingly negative. It was considered to be widespread bullying and extremely insensitive. Additionally, due to this topic being brought up on such a wide-scale, research on the subject of fat-shaming has been more widely spread. Research shows that fat-shaming is much more likely to cause people to gain weight, develop psychological problems and suffer from eating disorders.

Arbour disabled the comments on her video and then went on to tweet, “If I disable comments

on something, it doesn’t mean I’m scared, it means I don’t give a f--- what u [sic] have 2 say. #TrollTheTrolls #TrollGate.”

With social media being so prevalent in society today, it has become easier to gain a following.

Knowing this fact, many people have been trying to become famous by making something that will go “viral.” Many people have tried to accomplish this by talking about sensitive, topical issues in controversial lights. Basically, they will do whatever they can to get attention online, even if it means making themselves the villain.

Two of Arbour’s tweets, posted within three days of the uploading of her “Dear Fat People” video provide some proof of what she was trying to accomplish by making this video: “I got 1,000 new subs in the last hour” and “When you set a trap for trolls and white knights and they fall right into it.”

One of Arbour’s counterarguments to the criticisms she received was that she is a comedian and her video was just satire. This claim brings up the question: when is a joke just a joke?

Widely spread content across all media platforms can potentially have social ramifications. More

people are aware of that today than ever before. This can potentially put content creators wondering whether something will be received as offensive in an awkward position.

On the other hand, offensive humor is also a part of our culture that can be well-received. Shows like South Park and comedians like Louis C.K. get away with jokes that can be deemed politically incorrect and offensive. Why is it that some content of this nature is received well and other content, such as Nicole Arbour’s video, is not?

There is no exact science, but most of the time it comes down to intent and timing. Arbour’s video came off as mean-spirited and aggressive, while also talking about a subject that is particularly sensitive.

Even with those things considered, Arbour’s video may still have been received in a less negative light if it was actually funny. There is nothing redeemable about an offensive joke that is not delivered well.

Jaclyn Weiner, FCRH ’18, is a communication and media studies major from Wantagh, New York.

Sanders’ Social Platform Lacks Conviction

By BAILEY HOSFELT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With a large majority of United States university students identifying as liberal, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is rapidly gaining support from individuals within the 18-22 age demographic. While he is not affiliated with either political party, Sanders is running on the Democratic ticket alongside Hilary Clinton. As he begins to surpass Clinton in polls that track the favorability ratings of candidates, the question arises: Why is Bernie Sanders so popular among college students?

The answer revolves mainly around Sanders’ progressive views.

Many of the topics highlighted in his list of presidential priorities coincide with those discussed passionately on college campuses nationwide.

Because Sanders dedicates himself to ensuring racial justice, women’s rights, job creation and affordable higher education, his platform closely aligns with prevalent beliefs of college students. For this reason, many politically-conscious and sociallyaware Millennials have welcomed his campaign with open arms.

Characterized by the media as a Democratic socialist, some question the validity of Sanders’ governmental approach, for his far-from-moderate politics seldom align with the Democratic party. In other words, Sanders is a political outlier, and his campaign thus far reflects his different method of politics. While many candidates build their campaigns around foreign policy or fiscal strategy, Sanders focuses primarily on social matters.

However, his rise in popularity confirms that many young voters find his forward-thinking strategy highly appealing, especially in a time when our nation is questioning our societal ethos due to recent racial tensions in Ferguson and Baltimore. Therefore, his chances of gaining the Democrat-

JIM MONE/AP

Bernie Sanders may have won the affection of college students across the country — but can he win the Presidency?

ic nomination are increased.

Among the many reasons to like Bernie Sanders, his personal history of stability is most noteworthy. Sanders boasts an impeccable record free from the type of scandal Clinton’s campaign is working tirelessly to overcome.

Additionally, his voting record remains impressively consistent: his early support of marriage equality can be traced back over three decades to a 1983 vote in favor of Burlington, Vermont’s first pride parade. This example shows that Sanders has not changed his personal and political ideals simply to appear more attractive and gain the support of additional voters. Rather, he firmly believes in remaining authentic and honest with his constituents.

In a time when candidates rely heavily on political action committees, commonly referred to as super PACs, to raise large, unlimited sums of money to fund their campaigns, Sanders’ refusal to accept big offers from billionaires is refreshing. He is instead taking a minimalistic fundraising approach consisting of do-

nations through his website, which average at about 40 dollars each. This strategy is certainly commendable and frankly unheard of in an era when campaigns are frequently dominated by those within the top tier of wealth.

Despite the fact that Sanders is the oldest candidate, he has a sense of allure considering his political experience during periods of governmental triumph and also extreme hardship.

Based on the positive turnout at his recent campaign rallies and speaking events, one notices that Sanders is reaching a wide demographic consisting of both the young and old. As polls indicate, students newly eligible to vote in the 2016 election are eagerly joining his campaign after learning that his progressive and advantageous political approach parallels their primary social concerns.

In consequence to Sanders’ popularity among the young population, when looking at the reality of the situation, I do not believe that he is the proper fit for our next president. Yes, his viewpoints are refreshingly progressive, but a candidate who does not clearly identify as left or right

wing can be easily seen as quite the presidential gamble.

His speeches often reiterate the idea of an unflawed society filled with utmost justice and equality, which is clearly what we all hope for as nation.

However, a political blueprint solely emphasizes social matters will not find success in our current government filled with large amounts of gridlock. By avoiding the presentation of a sound strategy for foreign policy, Sanders overlooks a crucial hot topic: the recent passage of Obama’s Iran Nuclear Deal and the inevitable backlash from Republican politicians that will follow.

Bernie Sanders’ political campaign is certainly one of theoretical promise and prosperity, but one that ultimately lacks the element of powerful tenacity.

It fails to clearly convince the population that Sanders could serve a presidential term in which he successfully progresses our nation.

Bailey Hosfelt, FCRH ’19, is undecided in her major from Wheeling, West Virginina.

Marcelle Meyer The War on Self-Confidence A few months ago, I shared a video on Facebook titled “Stop Telling Women to Smile,” that was about cat-calling and street harassment. About eleven or twelve people liked my post, and it received no comments.

We, as a society, seem to be just fine with people saying that street harassment is wrong — that is, as long as you do not feel good about yourself while saying it.

In a culture where the vast majority of my generation agrees that women have been put down by misogynistic rules for far too long, it is astonishing how much backlash a woman still receives for calling herself beautiful in an article. This recent media frenzy is just a symptom of a much larger societal war on female independence that has been cloaked in false feminism for too long.

Female liberation is a theme of the 21st century, but every movement has its flaws, and we are certainly not close to where we need to be.

The only means through which feminism has become accepted into the mainstream is through the same lens of misogyny that has been oppressing women for centuries. Women are allowed to vote, work in more industries and be independent and powerful, but the problem lies in the way in which these rights are referred: they are “allowed.” As a society, we still only “allow” women to do things, while men can act without permission.

A woman saying that she has toned calves or beautiful eyes is no different than a woman saying that she is intelligent or talented, except that the former statement is not yet accepted by society.

I see no reason why, in a time when people encourage acceptance and self-love, this acknowledgement should be considered harmful or arrogant.

Recognizing one’s own beauty should not be viewed as pompous. Self-confidence is not a crime. In fact, women have been known to lack confidence about their appearances, so when a woman claims that she is beautiful, it should be cause for celebration.

Women may be liberated, but only to the extent that society does not feel uncomfortable or challenged by their liberation.

They must do it on someone else’s schedule.

Feminism is not about making people feel comfortable, and it is not about compromise. Feminism is about pushing the boundaries of what people believe is acceptable and making those people question their own role in further marginalizing the marginalized.

It is about forcing people to ask themselves why we are so appalled by a woman writing about her own physical beauty.

And, most importantly, feminism is about unapologetically thinking whatever you want about yourself, regardless of how “cocky” it may seem.

OPINION

Page 10

September 23, 2015

Can Demographic Disparity Justify Academic Failures?

Cate Carrejo Checking White Privilege

By COLLEEN FAHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Debates have recently surfaced throughout the United States regarding whether college courses are structured in favor of certain social groups over others. In a country that boasts over 4,000 colleges and universities and stresses the incredible value of a higher education, its prospective students have become very critical of how this education system is run.

One hot topic that has surfaced recently is the argument that lecture-style classes taught in colleges and universities are catered toward upper-middle class, white male students who will, as a result, obtain better grades than African-American minority students or lower-class female students.

Those who support this view claim that racial minorities and certain socioeconomic groups may immediately feel behind in the material because of a worse opportunity to attend a prestigious high school.

Another argument made is that, by nature, certain racial minorities could feel outnumbered by white students in the classroom and therefore feel intimidated to speak up for fear of social isolation. These were some points outlined in an opinion article by Annie Murphy Paul published online

by The New York Times on Sept.

12, 2015. The article, “Are College Lectures Unfair?” discusses the disadvantages of lecture-style courses and instead offers advantages toward minority groups of smaller, “active-learning” classes.

But can personal grades and academic achievement be based on something as arbitrary as race or gender?

Personally, I do not like lecture-style courses. In my case, while studying at Fordham, the word “lecture” has always implied walking into a class that I did not choose or desire. Rather, I chose the class as a way to fulfill parts of Fordham’s core requirement (think Intro to Astronomy and Foundations of Biology for a very unscientific, foreign-language

DAVID MCFADDEN/AP

An article by The New York Times revealed that women and minorities tend to fall behind in lecture classes.

loving communications major like myself ). I agree that many times the classes are impersonal, and I am spoken at rather than encouraged to speak with my professor. I feel almost lost in a big group of people, but at the same time, I do not quite see what they could be considered “unfair” or “biased” toward one group or another.

Many would believe that I fall under the criteria of the upper middle class, the “privileged” white majority group toward which certain courses are catered.

The one criterion I do not meet for this favored student is that I am a woman. This sets me in the middle of the issue and allows me to speak honestly on various classroom formats from personal experience.

Paul’s article argues that grades improved considerably among women, minorities, low-income and first-generation students while in “active-learning” courses where students are given lowstakes, frequent assignments in class and are encouraged to engage in the conversation in a more intimate setting.

One of the possible reasons for this improvement was the lack of “a high-pressure atmosphere that may discourage them from vol-

unteering to answer questions, or impair their performance if they are called on” that is fostered in a lecture-style course. One thing I can say for certain is that I relate to this feeling of being too intimidated to offer up new ideas in class because of the “high-pressure atmosphere” created by a need to fit in and win group approval.

I am very self-conscious in this way, as are many other students, and prefer to stick to contemplative note taking for the one hour and fifteen minutes that I am in class.

However, I have never felt that this obstacle stems from the fact that I am a woman (one of the outlier groups discussed in this debate). This is just who I am. I will never be the girl who sits in the first seat of the first row in class and shoots her hand up the second the teacher asks a question, but I still realize I need to make the most of my classes in whatever way I can. My class preference has less to do with the way it is taught and more to do with what is taught.

It is all a matter of how much effort you put into a class, whether it be a moderate-structure course which entails “ungraded guidedreading questions and in-class active-learning exercises in addi-

tion to the graded online assignments,” as Paul writes about in her article, or the low structure, lecture-style format which many college courses follow today.

Paul suggests that smaller assignments, such as questions to accompany nightly reading, allow for better retention of information. This may be the case for some, perhaps those who learn best by repetition and the action of physically writing down information to get it to stick in their minds.

But what about those who consider themselves more visual learners: those who feel most comfortable looking at diagrams, charts and lists on a PowerPoint presentation while they are read back by the professor? Or the auditory learners who benefit most from hearing information said out loud in a lecture setting?

Learning is an incredibly individualized process. We all learn in our own ways, but I do not think we can put the blame for our failings or our successes on something like economic standing or gender.

Colleen Fahy, FCRH ’17, is a communication and media studies major from Newton, Connecticut.

Do opinions run through your veins?

Call a doctor, and then email fordhamramopinions@gmail.com to sign up as a writer.

Last semester, I was assigned a project which involved finding documents from my ancestors. Many of my classmates were immediately excited about discovering century-old information about their families. Left out of the excitement, I wondered whether any of them recognized how lucky they were.

My dad was born in a Texas border town, the third of eight children.

He lived with his grandparents and went to school while his parents and the rest of his siblings traveled as migrant farmers for much of the year.

He earned a full scholarship to the University of Dallas and became the first person in his family to ever go to college. In 1987, he enlisted in the United States Navy and has served in the military for the past 25 years. He now holds a Masters in social work and numerous professional certifications, helping veterans and active military members with combat-related mental stress. It is an amazing story, almost like a ready-made Hollywood movie: fighting out of the depths of poverty to achieve success and a better life for your children is the American Dream.

But my whole life I barely heard anything about it. I grew up with only a vague, disconnected sense of my family history and how I belonged to it. My dad never wanted to teach my brothers and me about Mexican culture and never spoke about his childhood.

For a long time, I was angry that I knew so little about my heritage.

But really, who can blame my dad for not being proud of his past? Pride in Hispanic heritage is not exactly encourage in American society. We are reduced to stereotypes: the drug dealer, the “sexy mamacita,” the illegal immigrant. In order to avoid these harmful and limiting stereotypes, we are forced to blend in with the white ideal and leave behind our cultural history. My culture has been erased and reborn so many times that I’m sure it would be impossible to trace my family’s history back even half as far as many European people can.

Access to that history, that sense of connection and identity that comes from knowledge of your ancestors is a white privilege that many, if not most, people of color don’t have.

Unfortunately, privilege is the kind of thing you often cannot see unless you don’t have it. Getting your privilege checked is not an attack or an insult, it is a gentle reminder. When people of color speak out about privilege, we are reminding everyone that we have a place on this campus, and we have experiences and perspectives that are different than the white narrative perpetuated at this school.

Clearly, something is not working.

Microaggressions by peers, faculty and administrators are far too common. The racial breakdown of the student population is overwhelmingly white; 77 percent is far too high, especially when the national average is 60 percent. The question is whether the student body and administration are actively committed to making the university a more inclusive, safe space for minority students and creating effective policy changes to make this school a better place .

September 23, 2015

CULTURE

Page 11

The Fordham Ram

New York Fall Fashion Week Finds Its Stride

By LUCAS BAKER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With a record number of over 125,000 attendees and a revenue of $900 million, New York Fashion Week returned this fall in full force. It was an eventful week with countless shows, parties and celebrity appearances. It can be difficult to stay up-to-date on all of the week’s happenings, so I am here to recap the most interesting and entertaining moments of New York Fashion Week Fall 2015.

Moving from the familiar Lincoln Center venue, Fashion Week shows this year were dispersed throughout Midtown and downtown Manhattan.

This made for a slightly more hectic transit from show to show as celebrities, fashion insiders and fans hurried through New York. The change of location also took away the ease that Fordham students once had in attending New York Fashion Week.

The change of scenery, however, did not harm attendance numbers. Stylish city-goers flocked to the streets, donning their most on-trend outfits.

Among the innumerable attendees, a few trends stood out on the sidewalks of New York City. A Neo-Victorian influence was evident in many outfits throughout the week. Musical artist Nicki Minaj displayed her love for this trend in a long Givenchy leopard-print dress that she appropriately wore to the Givenchy show. Other trends seen on the street for women included slip dresses and classicly tailoring blouses and denim. Additionally, the street-wear influence on high fashion remains strong as women and men alike mixed skate brands with high fashion labels.

If you are looking to get ahead of the crowd, a few trends seen on the runway are sure to get you there come spring. The bohemian-inspired hippie chic trend was evident in many of the shows. With suede and loud prints, some of the models would look as at home at a summer music festival as they did on the runway. Incorporating fringe into many of the looks, designers are aiming to keep this trend intact through the new year and into the spring. This style is more appropriate for the spring and summer months; however, with the right degree of stylish subtlety, it can be incorporated into a fall look by layering or throwing a large coat on top. Additionally, with designers Diane Von Furstenberg, Victoria Beckham and Jeremy Scott leading the way, color-blocking was alive and well on the runway. Incorporating one loud color-blocking piece into an otherwise minimalistic and monochromatic outfit is the proper way to execute this trend without looking out of place. One of the stranger runway trends of late, facial accessories, popped up in the collections of several designers. If you are looking to be the center of attention, this trend will do just that.

With so many shows it can be hard to keep up, but a few shows this year stood out from the rest. The Proenza Schouler show, based on a red, white and black color palette, featured beautiful shapes and symmetry in every look. Head designers Lazoro Hernandez and Jack McCollough presented restrained, voluminous shapes in many of the show’s looks, featuring some of the week’s most-talked about dresses and shoes.

Collaborating with artist Maya Lin,

COURTESY OF ANDY KROPA/AP

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian pose before attending the Givenchy show.

designer Phillip Lim celebrated the 10th anniversary of his namesake in stylish fashion. Lin created mounds of sculpted soil as props for the runway to enhance the earthy vibes present in many of the looks. Thom Browne was consistent as ever this season, presenting the looks of his show inside the frame of a seemingly Midwestern-style 20th century school building. This atmosphere went hand-in-hand with the school uniform-influenced aesthetic

that Browne is known for.

A few other noteworthy shows included Opening Ceremony’s theatrical performance, in collaboration with the New York City Ballet, and Public School’s elegant yet minimalistic athletics-inspired presentation. Influenced by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Opening Ceremony’s looks presented natural designs that attempted to be one with their surroundings. Designers David-Yi Chow

and Maxwell Osborne impressed critics once again with refined, sporty looks. Sitting front row for the show were stars such as NBA star Blake Griffin, rapper Common and fashion editor Anna Wintour.

The most talked-about and exciting show of the week came from Riccardo Tisci’s Givenchy. Presented on Pier 26 in Chelsea, the Parisian label made the move from Paris to New York for Fashion Week. The show’s artistic direction and execution were the products of the collaboration with Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic, who managed to create an extravagant setting with the help of the sunset over the Hudson River and the two beams of light issuing from the site of the World Trade Center in remembrance of 9/11. Taking place on the night of the 14th anniversary of 9/11, Tisci delivered a beautiful presentation. Many celebrities were in attendance including Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, and David and Victoria Beckham.

West also made a separate appearance at fashion week, presenting his second collection in collaboration with Adidas. Like the first, this collection featured many athletic-inspired, postapocalyptic looks with dark hues and draping silhouettes. West also debuted his new line of sneakers, another collaboration with Adidas. As always, the shoes were the most talked-about part of the collection. In support of West, many friends and family were present, including most of the Kardashians and Jenners, rappers Drake and 2 Chainz, Anna Wintour and singer Miguel.

As usual, New York Fashion Week 2015 offered new trends, the return of some classic styles and celebrity front row support.

Striking a Note with the Fordham Ramblers

By KATHERINE KELLY STAFF WRITER

The Ramblers, Fordham’s all male a cappella group, is the oldest active club on campus, and they have been serenading students with song since 1893. The Ramblers recently held their annual fall auditions on Sept. 8 and 9 in the McGinley Music Room.

This year 29 hopefuls auditioned and six new members were chosen, giving the Ramblers a total of thirteen songbirds.

“We really pride ourselves on being a great group of friends who also happen to share the common goal of making music and entertaining people,” said senior and President Anthony Tantillo, FCRH ’16. “I honestly can’t say what my college experience would have been like without the Ramblers, but I know these guys have made Fordham a really incredible place for me, and it’s crazy to think the friendships we’ve made singing together will last a lifetime.”

Every fall and spring, the Ramblers dazzle audiences with performances.

As the Ramblers take their posi-

FORDHAM RAM ARCHIVES

In spring 2014, the Ramblers performed for a Mental Health Awareness Week event.

tions in an a cappella style horseshoe and the beatboxer takes hold of the mic, the audience perks up in their seats, ready to be entertained. Song selections include everything from “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” to “Rivers and Roads.”

The audience cheers as different featured soloists show off their talent with every song. It is hard to forget Habin Lee’s, FCRH ’17, “Ride My Pony,” which made the audience chuckle as the Ram-

blers teasingly thrusted their hips in unison. Another fan favorite is Justin “Skitch” Barker’s, FCRH ’17, solo to “American Girl.”

While Barker belted his heart out, the Ramblers bopped around on stage, making the audience happily jam in their seats. At the end of every show, it is tradition to invite all former Ramblers who are in the audience to join the current members onstage.

Together, Ramblers past and

present sing “It’s Too Late To Turn Back Now” before met with uproarious applause by the audience.

In addition to the spectacular singing at Ramblers’ shows, the audience loves the video clips weaved in between every few songs. The charismatic and sometimes goofy guys appear on screen in footage related to their show’s theme. This past spring’s show kicked off Spring Weekend with a Shrek-themed concert, where the Ramblers reminded the audience, “it’s never ogre.”

Last fall, the Ramblers chose another film favorite as inspiration for their theme, entitling the show “Indiana Jones: Ramblers of the Lost Ark.” When not singing on stage, the Ramblers can be seen at other performance groups’ shows, such as Expressions Dance Alliance, and heard at school-wide fundraisers and events, such as ASILI’s Taste the World, Mental Health Awareness Week Concert and Autism Speaks’ Light it Up Blue. The Ramblers also make special appearances on campus for holidays. During the Christmas holiday season, everyone knows that “the best way to

spread cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” The Ramblers did exactly that this past December as they entertained those who passed through McGinley. The sound of angelic voices and the scent of cocoa made it hard not to stop and listen before entering The Marketplace. And let us not forget the Ramblergrams that playfully interrupt classes every Valentine’s Day. Friends, boyfriends, girlfriends and professors cannot escape being ambushed with song in lecture halls and hallways.

In addition to Fordham performances, the Ramblers have taken their talents to the public as well.

In recent years, the Ramblers have become a hot commodity at weddings. The Ramblers have performed at the weddings of a Fordham alumna in 2010, Tantillo’s sister’s wedding in May 2014, and member Frankie Caruana’s, GSB ’16, cousin’s wedding this past summer. Sharing their talent with family and friends makes for a particularly special gift.

If you have not yet attended a Ramblers performance, doing so should definitely be added to your Fordham bucket list! The Rambler’s fall showcase will be held Dec. 4.

Page 12

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September 23, 2015

Don’t Forget to Recycle

The Ram

CULTURE

Page 13

September 23, 2015

Viral Videos Taking Over Cultural References

By AMANDA GIGLIO CULTURE EDITOR

Whether it is live tweets and photos from an award show, movie scene GIFs before the film hits theaters or YouTube videos about cats, we live in a society that is fast-paced and ever-changing in regards to social media and the internet. One of the biggest social media trends is viral videos. When YouTube was founded in 2005, the internet changed drastically. Everything from music and shows to silly videos and how-to’s are uploaded each day and shared with billions of people all around the world. When one video becomes popular in the U.S., it soon finds it way to the rest of the world and vice versa. This phenomenon of sharing videos influenced the way we live our daily lives, as viral videos became a way to communicate with others and share talent or funny pranks. While YouTube continues to grow, it was not until a few years ago that viral videos yet again made an appearance in the way we get information across to one another.

In 2013, an app called Vine was

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“Why You Always Lying,” created by NIcholas Fraser, recently became one of the most talked about vines. It sparked a new meme as well as more videos.

created as a short-form video sharing service where people can share six-second-long looping video clips. This new form of social media blew up and everyone began downloading the app and trying to create more funny videos than the next person. When a funny video gets released on YouTube or Vine, it is then shared on all other so-

cial media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. What first became one of the most-used video sharing applications on the market within a couple of months has now become an exclusive platform for a select few famous vloggers to post about their daily lives, as well as create laugh-worthy videos that get absorbed into daily activity.

Vine has attracted many different uses, including comedy, music performances and stop-motion animation. Relating to everyday society, Vine has been used for journalistic purposes, like in February of 2013, when a Turkish journalist used Vine to document the aftermath of the United States embassy bombing in Ankara. Companies and celebrities have taken to Vine to promote their work. Daft Punk revealed its album Random Access Memories via Vine, and Dunkin Donuts used a single Vine as its television advertisement. When it comes to musicoriented videos and pranks, Vine dominates in simple videos that turn into international hits. In July 2013 a Vine with a group of women twerking to “Don’t Drop That Thun Thun Thun” went viral and generat-

ed tons of response videos, leading to the song reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Not only have songs been overplayed and remixed to the point where you do not know the original source, but Vine has also influenced the way we speak and the pop culture references we know best.

After a Vine of some kids dancing and yelling, “yeet” became a slang word to use to express excitement or psych someone out. The video “Do It for the Vine,” has become the mantra for Vine users, as anything goes when it comes to trying to create the next viral hit. Most recently, a Vine where a man walks up to a police officer who is wearing weird shoes and yells “what are those!?” towards them has become the latest thing to say and do when hanging out with friends. This Vine also warranted many remakes, each funnier than the last. Songs like “Mr. Steal Your Girl,” have led to a bunch of viral videos where kids go around stealing their friends girlfriends. A man named Ryan McHenry even made a series of vines titled “Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal,” which caught the attention of Gos-

ling, who contributed to the series.

The strange thing that came out of viral vine videos is the amount of popularity certain people have gotten. Young users such as Nash Grier, Cameron Dallas, Jerome Jarre and Lele Pons have received recognition for their videos and YouTube channels to the point where they are invited to award shows, viral video events and meet-and-greets. Celebrities, including Josh Peck, Page Kennedy and Will Sasso, each garner over a million followers on Vine for videos showing their daily lives and funny outtakes.

Something that started as a simple way to post funny videos turned into a phenomenon that brought about famous video posters. Now, most people do not even own a Vine account, finding it more enjoyable to watch the six-second videos through Facebook pages, YouTube compilations and Twitter. It is more likely for you to watch or hear of a Vine through a friend or on a different form of social media than from Vine itself. This proves that viral videos are taking over as a way to interact with others from around the world and share experiences.

Culture Shock | Claire Kim

Editor’s Pick | I Love Lucy

Haze’s Heartfelt Release

A Show Across Generations

Angel Haze’s newest project Back To the Woods is dark, brooding and beautiful. Since the release of her previous album in 2011, Haze has overdosed and has been sent to a psych ward twice. Following the highly publicized breakup with her girlfriend Ireland Baldwin, Haze’s successful return to the music scene became ever more questionable. As an artist who has used the medium of music to share and release her past issues with sexual and physical abuse, depression and suicide attempts, it was even more disheartening to see her seemingly sink back into the pains of her past.

Contrary to these worries, Haze has shown extreme resilience and reminded her audience of her raw talent and passion for music through this new project. Haze’s experiences in the past few years have given her a new and more deeply resonate voice. The poetic core of her lyrics has been bolstered by an invigorated layer of self-knowledge and openness to share her most exposed self. The thirteen tracks on Back To The Woods alternate between harsh and emotionally raw pieces that follow a similar style to her previous works and a newer, more delicate sound that highlights Haze’s singing voice. Both styles, although very different, showcase a slew of lyrics that confront loss both familial and romantic.

The beautifully crafted, softer beats that are showcased in, “The Woods” and “Moonrise Kingdom” are a new genre of sound for Haze, and yet they both are created with mastery. “The Woods” recounts Haze’s home and past. It includes bittersweet reminiscing to a place of comfort and belonging. The melancholy lyrics trap the listener in the shoes of a hopeless and heartbroken protagonist. “The Woods” is described as a place of extreme solitude where “...everything is lonely, like everybody else...,” and yet it is equated to a secure haven for Haze. This juxtaposition of a

comforting shelter with a location of solitude shows the reality of Haze’s life. “Moonrise Kingdom” plays like a love song with a gothic twist. Again, the motif of the woods returns in this song, as a place of safety that two lovers are running away to find. This location is also inevitably destroyed, proving that “moonrise kingdom” does not exist. Haze’s singing voice, which had not been prevalently shared in previous tracks, proves to be a potent addition to her talents.

Crawling in with deeper notes, Haze shares another side of her musical talent through these pieces.

Of course, Angel Haze shines the brightest in her dominant and striking rap. Pointing her sharp lyrics at the past, society and people, Haze demands to be heard. Her first full song on the album, entitled “Impossible,” strikes listeners as she spits, “I’ve got my middle finger up to white America for trying to whitewash my blackness.” At a time when not only Fordham University, but also American society is unveiling unacceptable and horrific incidents of racially charged crimes, Haze adds her own response to the growing dialogue. The hook of this song is especially relevant as she expresses her exhaustion within this particular conversation. Listeners are simultaneously stunned and vitalized, only wanting more of this feeling to fill themselves up.

Angel Haze’s songs are not only created for an audience to sing along to, but are also crafted to hit a listener and push through his or her core with weight and lasting vehemence.

To listen to Back To The Woods is to be given the opportunity to dive into the mental psyche and personal past of the artist and the listener. This dual experience offers listeners a path into their own past like nothing else. Back To The Woods, with it’s fine balance between vulnerability, tragedy and powerful declarations, exposes the continuously intricate and complicated mind of Angel Haze.

By NICOLE HORTON CULTURE EDITOR

It was recently announced that Cate Blanchett would be taking on the role of iconic comedic actress Lucille Ball, who starred in “I Love Lucy” from 1951 to 1957 with reallife husband Desi Arnaz, in an upcoming biopic. Famed screenplay writer Aaron Sorkin, whose credits include The Social Network and Steve Jobs, is tasked with writing the script. The biopic also has backing from Ball’s children, Lucie Arnaz Jr. and Desi Arnaz Jr. who may add additional insight into thier mother’s private life.

The 1991 Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter received a 38 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Lucy, the most recent attempt in 2003, was reviewed

by The New York Times with the headline: “Lucy, a Woman Wronged.”

This upcoming movie may be the best Lucille Ball biopic to date, which heavily focuses on her marriage to Desi Arnaz and “I Love Lucy” fame.

Sorkin and Blanchett can only provide a glimpse of the magic of “I Love Lucy” and the show’s true impact on entertainment and popular culture.

As a self-proclaimed movie buff, I have always enjoyed watching movies from the early to mid-twentieth century. However, I did not stumble upon “I Love Lucy” on TV or online.

Instead, the show has been a shared viewing experience for my family.

My grandma watched every Monday night and she introduced the show to my mom through TV Land reruns.

My mom kept the tradition going and did the same thing for my brother and me. It is one of the few TV shows that we can sit and watch together, since we all have different tastes (and a Netflix account).

So you may be asking, why “I Love Lucy?” Even though the show first aired over 60 years ago, the “I Love Lucy” humor is timeless. The interac-

COURTESY OF YOUTUBE

“I Love Lucy” had six seasons, never lacking in humor or heart.

tion between the Ricardos and their neighbors, and best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz, shows the still relatable humor in everyday life. A few scenarios include when Lucy is trying to prove her marriage is not out of the honeymoon phase or when the men and women have a contest to see who can avoid gossiping.

“I Love Lucy” was filmed in front of a live studio audience, so it is fun to see how the actors recover from bloopers. For instance, some of Ricky’s humorous mispronunciations were really Arnaz flubbing his lines. Fun fact: “I Love Lucy” was also the first TV show to use a threecamera format.

Many people would agree that one of the funniest scenes of this TV show is when Ricky does drills to prepare for the impending birth

of their child, but falls into hysterics, bumping into everyone and speaking in Spanish when Lucy announces, “This is it.” Ball is considered one of the most talented physical comedians of all time, whether she is stomping grapes or wrapping chocolates on a conveyor belt.

Aside from the humor, it is interesting to see the different social customs, such as dressing, dancing or smoking cigarettes. In 2015, with movies like 50 Shades of Grey, there is something funny about watching a married couple wearing plaid pajamas while sleeping in twin beds separated by a nightstand.

If you could not tell by now, for these reasons and many more, “I Love Lucy” is both a great source of entertainment and social commentary that any TV fan could appreciate.

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Page 14

September 23, 2015

A SOLDIER OF FAITH Captain Lukasz Willenberg, a Catholic chaplain with the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division, knew from a young age that he had been called to a life of service in the Church. But it was only recently that he felt called to serve within the U.S. Army.

While it was a change for him, he still values the new way he’s exercising his calling by serving Soldiers.

“I feel blessed and possess this overwhelming peace and joy, which reassures me that I am doing what God wants me to.“

FILLING A GREAT NEED In recent years the civilian priestly ministry has been facing a human resource shortage, which directly impacts the ministry in the Army.

With fewer qualified clergy to recruit, there are fewer Catholic priests to help serve the needs of Soldiers. It was this shortage that initially inspired Father Willenberg to consider the Army.

“In 2010, I met [Maj.] Father Paul A. Halladay. He was the one who actually told me about working with the Soldiers and about the great need [for] chaplains in general, but especially Catholic priests.

I always had a desire to serve where I am needed the most. After learning about [the] shortage, I took it as a sign as to where I should be.”

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE Although Father Willenberg has been serving as an Army chaplain for a short time, he has already distinguished himself by earning the Bronze Star, the third-highest recognition in the Army, for his contributions to his unit during his deployment in Afghanistan. But for Father Willenberg, the most important thing is the work he does with other Soldiers. One program that helps him make a positive impact is Strong Bonds, where Father Willenberg plans workshops for Soldiers, couples, and military families off base. During the workshops, he helps Soldiers tackle difficult life questions, strengthen their faith, reintegrate into civilian life, and more. “[Strong Bonds is] a wonderful resource for us as chaplains. … I love doing it. I have a chance to get to know the Soldiers, get to know the families during the workshops. And … going outside of post, going out to eat together — that’s where you build relationships with them.”

Outside of workshops, he has organized several events for Soldiers in his unit and congregation.

In fact, one of his greatest logistical undertakings was creating and organizing an officially

CAPT. LUKASZ WILLENBERG U.S. ARMY CHAPLAIN

sanctioned version of the Boston Marathon run in Afghanistan. But above all, he finds his best work is done by being a part of Soldiers’ lives.

“The ministry of presence, that’s such a powerful tool. When you just spend time with Soldiers, doing physical training, going on road marches, when you eat with them at the dining facility … you experience what they experience and automatically you are one of them. That’s where the ministry happens.

The Soldiers know that they can trust you, and that you are there for them. You build those relationships so then when they need you as a chaplain, they know where to go. [They] know that I’ll be there for them. That’s what I’m trying to do.

That’s my ministry. My battalion commander, (Lt. Col.) Brian C. North, told me once to ‘just take care of my Soldiers.’ That’s what I try to do every day.”

THE JOYS OF SERVICE While focusing on being a part of the Soldiers’ everyday lives, Father Willenberg cherishes the bonds he’s made with his fellow servicemen and women.

“You keep giving of yourself, but at the same time the ministry is so rewarding. [It’s in] those small things. Those small words of appreciation from the Soldiers mean much more to me than the formal recognition. From time to time, [a Soldier] says, ‘Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for your encouraging words.’ It’s the biggest reward that you can get.”

If you’d like to know more about serving Soldiers as a chaplain in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, visit goarmy.com/au34

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CULTURE

Page 16

Who’s That Kid? | Nishat Baig

Advice | Catherine Kastberg

Hosting & Visiting Friends

September 23, 2015

Inspired By Culture and Community

By CAILI N MCKENNA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Question: How would you go about balancing spending time with your on-campus friends and visiting out-of-state friends while not falling behind on your school work?

Well first, let’s state the obvious. The main problem here is time management. Many students can agree that since you only spend a few hours in class a day, there is enough time in the mornings and evenings to complete assigned schoolwork. With this in mind, it is important to stay organized and keep a schedule. It is also important to create a schedule that you will actually follow.

If you have an internship, most places require that you work twice a week and you may find that you have no time for homework. Always bring homework to work. You never know if you are going to have a slow day, so be proactive and capitalize on this time. Also, depending on your method of commute, you may have a lot of idle time. The Ram Van usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour, which allows plenty of time to catch up on readings for your classes.

When planning a trip, focus on major events that are happening on your friend’s campus. Go visit your friend at a big state school for a football game. Events like this allow large groups of people to get together.

You may even want to bring some friends from school to introduce to your life-long friends, so that your social circle can expand! Your friends from school can meet new people and make new memories. Things like football games, concerts or even a Yankee game can bring unfamiliar groups together. If you are having friends visit you from out of town, bring them down to River Avenue to watch the playoff-bound Yankees, or see a concert in Manhattan.

Fordham has something a lot of schools do not: easy access to all of New York City. When hosting long-time friends, take advantage of the proximity to the city and bring both groups. The distance to the city allows you and your friends to get there in a reasonable amount of time, so this should not interfere with your homework schedule. Make reasonable decisions when making plans so that you leave yourself enough time to finish a paper or study for an exam before going out for a night on the town.

Try to create a designated area that allows you to remain focused and get your work done. Obviously, the library is a great place to seclude yourself and be productive.

Be proactive and take those trips every once in a while. Keep in mind that not only do you have to keep track of schoolwork, but you also have to budget your expenses! You should make these trips special so that they can be something to which you can look forward. It cannot be an every weekend thing because of money and time, but getting away every now and then can be a nice way to clear your mind, see old and new friends and relax.

From multi-cultural groups to fashion magazines, Nishat Baig, FCRH ’17, shares her passions for music, art and social justice with the Fordham community.

A communication and media studies major with minors in visual arts and marketing, Baig was born in Hyderabad, India, but moved to Minnesota as a baby.

Since then, Nishat has lived in countless places, including California, Illinois and Switzerland, where she attended high school for two years. Now she calls New York home.

Nishat gravitated to New York in order to pursue education at a liberal arts school and ultimately pursue a career in communications. In high school, she took a class on media literacy and current events that piqued her interest in how media affects society.

She is an active member of Fordham University South Asian Entity (FUSE), who has hosted the popular Holi: Festival of Color event on Martyr’s Lawn the past two years. “Holi always brings a positive response, and it’s nice to see the Fordham community come together for such a cultural event,” Baig commented.

This year, FUSE hopes to hold a cultural show during the fall semester with food and dancing.

Cultural events allow students of all backgrounds to come together and learn about new cultures.

“Multi-cultural groups provide minorities on campus with a voice without which we might feel mar-

COURTESY OF NISHAT BAIG

Nishat uses her global and arts perspective in her work as a communication major.

ginalized,” said Nishat. “Being able to form multicultural groups and clubs is also our way of showing the Fordham community that we do exist and we are a part of the community.”

Baig hopes students can learn from multicultural groups and embrace the diversity of the Fordham community and the neighborhood. “The diversity issue on campus starts with the mentality people have coming to Fordham,” said Nishat. “[I believe] that orientation for freshmen should focus more on diversifying students and their cultural exposure to the Bronx.”

Additionally, she is a member of the Muslim Student Association and works on Fordham’s campus fashion magazine Mode Magazine. She has also worked

as a photographer for BLOK New York, a fashion company.

This semester she is working as an intern and contributing writer at Source Magazine. On a day-today basis, she writes articles about events that happen across the entertainment, music and fashion industry. “[The] most rewarding part of my internship is probably the events I go to,” she said. “I’ve got to meet legends like Nas and that’s basically made my life.”

“Honestly New York has opened my eyes in so many ways.

I would not have had the internship opportunities that I’ve been fortunate enough to have had I not come to New York,” she said.

“I would not have been exposed to such a diverse places and so many different mentalities if I wasn’t [here].”

La Dolce Vita

When In Rome: Living and Eating the Italian Way

By PASQUALE GIANNI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do!” Well, here I am. As if it weren’t enough that I will be spending the next year in one of the most fascinating living museums that the world has to offer, there is also spectacular cuisine at every step, sophisticated people, a global political epicenter and oh yes, did I forget to mention that tiny city-state where Pope Francis resides called Vatican City?

It should come as no surprise that Italy has long been at the forefront when it comes to just about everything we love in this wonderful world of ours: architecture, art, automobiles, science, athletics, food, fashion, invention — the list is endless. Rome, the capital, is the political, geographical and cultural center of Italy. It is also important to point out that it was once home to the greatest empire in history, and responsible for the large-scale spread of saniPasquale Gianni, FCRH ’17, is sharing his time abroad in Rome.

tation, clean water access, infrastructure, education and civic life to much of the world. Remnants of that empire miraculously remain scattered throughout what is today a well-functioning, modern city. A walk through the city center, far preferable to the sometimes unreliable public transit system, is a journey through time and a scene out of a romantic movie. Magnificent structures, often thousands of years old, such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and St. Peter’s Square will leave you in awe. While roaming through Rome, it is as if there is always sweet, symphonic music playing in the background, and sometimes, when you turn a corner, there actually is.

But Rome is about so much more than history and aesthetic beauty; it is about La Dolce Vita, which in English means “the sweet life.” And there is perhaps nowhere on earth where you can find people who do life better than they do it in Rome. For some, that might mean shorter work-weeks, more vacation time and lengthy

meals. What that amounts to, ultimately, is a longer life expectancy and lower risk of developing heart disease when compared to the U.S. Romans are warm, affectionate, sophisticated about nearly everything and above all passionate.

Beyond having a good time, they really care about whatever it is that is occupying their time, whether it is food, sex, sports or politics. In fact, it would not be uncommon to spot two Romans arguing on the street over something as simple as whether it is better to use pancetta or guanciale (two pork variants similar to bacon) in their recipe for pasta carbonara. Now that is something to be admired.

In the Eternal City, the food is not to be believed. One would be surprised to discover the degree to which Italian cuisine, along with just about everything else, varies from region to region. Be sure not to miss Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe, which is a simple, yet divine, dish containing only three ingredients: pasta, pecorino romano cheese and fresh-cracked black pepper.

When made correctly, these flavors combine to make a taste that

PASQUALE GIANNI /THE FORDHAM RAM

Cacio e pepe is a simple, tasty Italian delicacy for a pasta-lover.

will leave you with a feeling of utter bliss. Just think of it as an Italian version of mac n’ cheese, something that warms the soul.

Make sure to try it for the first time at a Roman Trattoria (informal cafe) in a piazza and sitting outside — it will make all the difference. Pair it with local wine, which is often inexpensive and delicious, and finish it off with the quintessential Roman dessert – Tiramisu. Everything in the cuisine defines elevated simplicity. All the flavors seep through in

everything you eat: the freshness of the tomatoes and mozzarella, the saltiness of the prosciutto and the authenticity of the local ingredients in each dish.

In the end, one can only look on with wishful wonder at the breathtaking interplay of everything Rome has to offer. The ancient and the modern mix together almost, as nicely as the food and the wine. Here, it is the eternal gift of Roman life, simple things, which will call you back again and again for more.

CULTURE

September 23, 2015

Page 17

The Numbers Game of Modern Dating City, comparing 140 women to 100 men, meaning that there are 1.4 women for every one man. Once 60 of those women and 60 of those men pair off and get married, the gender ratio among the remaining single populations becomes 80 to 40, or 2 to 1.

“If you’re just starting out (about to graduate from college) and you have some flexibility geographically — I’m not going to suggest that gender ratios should be your main concern — but if you do want to get married one day, the dating markets are going to be more woman-friendly in San Jose, California or Seattle than Miami or Los Angeles,” said Birger.

Birger believes that online dating hurts the dating game because many people approach it like picking a car, being too specific with their wish lists. This applies to not only a prospective match’s education, but also limits someone to a particular physical type.

“I think online dating has made this worse,” said Birger. “If you click

By NICOLE HORTON CULTURE EDITOR

“Date-Onomics” by Jon Birger uses demographics, statistics and number-crunching to analyze the dating game for 20 or 30-somethings.

If you are a woman and feel like your life is depicted in the movie He’s Just Not That Into You (minus guys who look like Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper), you are mistaken. It is just that there are not enough men out there.

Birger, who was a writer at Fortune and Money magazines, was inspired to write a numbers-related dating guide while working at these magazines and interacting with his female co-workers.

He details that both staffs were disproportionately made up of women, and most male employees were in serious relationships or married, like him.

“They had stories and dating histories that made little sense to me,” Birger told The Fordham Ram. “They had a lot going for them.”

He mentioned a friend, Sarah, who was in her late 30s and dating a forty-five-year-old man for about two years. She thought that they had a future together, but he broke up with her because he was not ready to settle down.

Birger and his wife would occasionally play matchmaker, but they stopped when they reached their 30s and they only had single female friends.

“It’s not just a statistical problem for women,” said Birger. “The lopsided numbers infantilize men to delay settling down and play the field. It gives college-educated men an incentive not to settle down because every year their dating pool gets better.”

In regards to dating in college, Birger said, “College campuses tend to be semi self-contained dating

Binge Guide | Nicole Fiorica

Doctor Who Birger’s “Date-Onomics” predicts changes in dating trends and gives advice.

pools.”

He says that the female to male ratio at Fordham (55 to 45) is not as lopsided compared to other colleges like our neighbors at NYU, where it is at 61 to 39. Birger also references two similar universities: UNC Chapel Hill at 60 to 40 and Boston University at 62 to 38.

Birger said that Ivy League universities like Columbia, Brown, Vanderbilt and Williams have started “accepting men at higher rates in order to balance the gender ratio.”

Once students graduate from uni-

versities with uneven ratios and move to a less-contained setting, Birger said, “Obviously if there is an undersupply of men in the college educated dating world, there’s going to be an oversupply in the working place dating pool.”

“For college educated millennial women, if you delay getting serious about dating, the dating math will be worse in your mid-30s than your mid-20s,” said Birger.

Birger detailed the problematic male to female ratio in New York

Review | Film

A Jarring Genre Shift For Villeneuve

By EILEEN MCLEAN STAFF WRITER

Sicario is a film starring Emily Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow), Josh Brolin (Inherent Vice) and Benicio del Toro (Traffic). It is directed by Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners) and was written by Taylor Sheridan. The story follows an FBI agent (Blunt) and her immersion into the DEA’s investigation of drug cartels, both in the U.S. and over the border into Mexico.

In the film’s first moments it informs the audience that sicario is the Spanish word for “hitman.” This serves as a warning for the violence that comes almost immediately at the beginning of the film. The film is very cynical about the nature of the war on drugs in Mexico and the southern states. While I enjoyed Sicario very much, the almost overwhelming pessimism displayed in the film may not be every filmgoer’s cup of tea. French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve has proven himself again to be a great new filmmaker,

with them and they’re interested, it’s not going to matter initially if that person went to college or not.”

He suggests that women should widen their dating pools to include working-class men. Birger believes that there will be a rise in “mixedcollar” marriages due to the fact that there are more college-educated women than men. This would also provide less leverage for college-educated men.

Birger predicted this change in dating trends despite the fact that he also says, “Over the past 50 years, Americans have become more rigid about dating across socioeconomic lines.”

Aside from tackling the numbers game of dating, Birger also gave advice as a long-time married man.

“For somebody who has been married for twenty plus years, all good marriages involve compromise. This notion that there’s a perfect person out there who’s perfectly compatible with you in every way, that’s not a realistic goal in terms of finding your life partner.”

At a glance: Genre: Sci-Fi Seasons/Episodes : 8/116 (reboot) Avg. Episode Length: 42 minutes Available on: Netflix What it’s about: The doctor, an alien time lord, travels through time and space with his human companions in this fifty-yearold sci-fi adventure. As he encounters various forms of alien evils, the Doctor saves the universe again and again with little more than his policebox shaped spaceship, sonic screwdriver and, of course, his wits.

Why it’s so good: “Doctor Who” has all of the elements that make the sci-fi genre so lovable, from time paradoxes to clever aliens to every kind of distant planet you can imagine. At the same time, it also contains a huge amount of heart,and is really about the relationships between the doctor and his friends. At its center, the doctor is a fiercely complex hero, driven by an innate sense of adventure but also harboring secrets wherever he goes.

This complexity only increases with every one of the doctor’s “regenerations,” the secret behind the show’s tremendous longevity on television.

Every time the doctor dies, he regenerates a new body, played by a new actor, which has happened twelve times over the last fifty years. It can be a lot to keep track of, which is why the principle issue isn’t if you should watch “Doctor Who” but how you should watch it.

Sicarrio has briliant cinematography and an intriguing story for all audiences.

with a distinctive visual style and pacing. The always-brilliant cinematographer Roger Deakins (who worked with Villeneuve on Prisoners) makes every shot look gorgeous. The acting is also top-notch. Brolin is dependably very good, and del Toro demonstrates a nice return to form. Blunt delivers a star-making performance; a very talented actress like her deserves her time to shine. The story is very solid

if somewhat simple, and the greatness of the film lies within the way the story is told, with the acting, filming, editing and its commentary on its subject matter. There was a somewhat jarring genre shift towards a more Death Wish-esque, vigilante justice type film in the end scenes, but it ultimately works for the film. I would very much recommend Sicario.

How you should binge it: There are two main ways to watch “Doctor Who.” First, you can start all the way in 1963 with the “Classic Who” episodes. On Netflix, you can find episode selections from each of those first eight doctors, although it would take some ingenuity to find the hundreds of other classic episodes that aired in those first twenty or so years. The second way to watch “Doctor Who” is the way I would

recommend: starting from the BBC reboot of the series in 2005. These eight — going on nine — seasons of the show, all on Netflix, start with the Ninth Doctor and include some of the series’ most beloved characters to date, while still providing a pretty lengthy binge.

Standouts: With hundreds of episodes and a constantly revolving door of doctors and companions, there are so many highlights for which to look out. The series’ Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) is the longest running and perhaps most iconic of all the doctors. However, it is the reboot’s Tenth Doctor (David Tennant, “Broadchurch”) who is almost universally considered to be the most loved regeneration of the character, and whose endearing charisma often conflicts with his superiority complex. As far as companions go, it’s hard to beat the downto-earth Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), the beloved first companion of the reboot series. For viewers who are overwhelmed or on the fence about binging the series, start with the terrifying and iconic stand-alone episode “Blink” from Season 3, featuring guest-star Carey Mulligan (The Great Gatsby). Other favorite standalones that are highly regarded for their beautiful storytelling include Season two’s “The Girl in the Fireplace” and Season five’s “Vincent and the Doctor.”

Potential Pitfalls: A show with so many constant changes in characters means a lot of goodbyes. No matter who your favorite doctor is, it is always difficult adjusting after a regeneration. Even worse is saying goodbye to companions, who often leave in heartbreaking ways, usually after only a few seasons. The writers of the show have been notorious for breaking the hearts of the viewers time and time again, but fans of the show have only increased as it has made its way into new territories.

Page 18

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September 23, 2015

SPORTS

Page 19

The Fordham Ram

Men’s, Women’s Cross Country Take First

By ALEXANDRIA SEDLAK STAFF WRITER

On Saturday, Sept. 19, the men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the LIU Post Invitational in Brookville, New York. The meet was mainly for freshmen, but some upperclassmen middle distance runners were involved as well.

The Fordham men and women were the only Division I athletes there, guaranteeing them first place finishes and team titles.

“Today went great for the team,” freshman Kate McCormack said. “I am looking forward to a successful season.”

The women’s team competed extremely well on Saturday, with multiple finishers in the top 20 spots for their 5K race. With a time of 20:19.15, Fordham freshman Laurel Fisher came in nineteenth behind senior Rachel Picard, who came in thirteenth with a time of 19:55.92.

A number of runners from St. Thomas Aquinas, Pace University and New York Institute of Technology finished in the eighth to 12th place spots, behind Ram freshman Kieran Hanrahan, who came in seventh with a time of 19:07.03.

McCormack was the second Ram to cross the finish line, with a time of 18:38.91, putting her in fourth place. Though first place went to New York Institute of Technology’s Sarah Jerotich, Fordham grabbed second with a strong run by freshman Angelina Grebe, who crossed

SHANNA HEANEY/ THE FORDHAM RAM

The men’s and women’s cross country teams placed first this past weekend at the LIU-Post Invitational in Brookville, NY.

the finish line just one second after Jerotich with a time of 18:07.01.

The men’s team also yielded great results from their 8K race. Sophomore Fritz Heinrich came in thirtieth out of over one hundred runners with a time of 29:07.41. Sophomore Michael Campbell finished 25th with a time of 28:25.15, while freshman Jerome Vessichio at 28:12.39 came in 21st. Rounding out the top 20 was sophomre Byrne Cro-

nin, who finished 16th with a time of 27:57.65. Sophomore Phil Robbins, coming in 13th with a time of 27:50.23 and freshman Patrick Dineen, ending in 11th place with a time of 27:34.52. Junior Ryan McGann finished in the top 10, with his time of 27:17.57 placing him in ninth.

Sophomore Louis Santelli was the first Ram to cross the finish line with a time of 26:25.48. He came

in fourth behind two runners from Molloy College and one runner from Dominican College.

Overall, the invitational was a successful one for Fordham. The freshmen runners were competing in a collegiate race for the first time. This was the perfect meet to get them started and prepared for the rest of the season. In the long distance races the runners tended to run in groups, which allowed the

Fordham team to support each other and push each other for a good portion of the race.

“I am looking forward to a great season with the team. It was great running with teammates for the first half of the race; we really carried each other through,” freshman Kieran Hanrahan said. “The team did great, and we were all happy to get our season started.”

The Fordham cross country team has been practicing for all their meets and events, and will continue to do so. However, this meet gave the freshmen a glimpse of the future, and allowed them to see how much hard work and dedication pay off.

They now know what to expect, and how to push themselves even farther next time.

“The meet at LIU Post went very well, with Fordham taking home the win. It was definitely a confidence boost for the team, and will make us work even harder toward succeeding in future meets,” freshman Angelina Grebe said. “I managed to beat my previous personal best by 33 seconds, which felt almost unreal and made me feel as though all my hard work had paid off. I’m looking forward to our upcoming meets so Fordham cross country can continue to demonstrate the great strength of its program.”

The Fordham men’s and women’s cross country teams return to action on Sept. 25 at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown, which is in Franklin Park in Boston.

Women’s Soccer Preps for Conference Play

By LEIGHTON SCHNEIDER STAFF WRITER

The Fordham Women’s Soccer team split its matches against Columbia and Hofstra this past weekend, to move to 6-3-0 on the year. On Friday night, the Rams traveled to Columbia and came back with a 1-0 win.

On Sunday, the team traveled out to Long Island and dropped a 3-1 decision. Graduate student midfielder Jessica Widmann continued her hot streak to start the season scoring both of the goals in the games.

In a game that featured 19 shots, but only four that went on goal between the two teams, Fordham had the lone shot that found the back of the net. That goal came in the 68th minute from Widmann with an assist from redshirt senior forward Kristina Maksuti.

The goal was set up by a give and go between the two. Widmann got the ball following a pass from junior forward Nicole Natale. Widmann then took a touch before passing it off to Maksuti, who immediately gave it back to Widmann. She then got around a Columbia defender and shot the ball over the goalkeeper into the right side of the net.

Women’s head coach Jessica Clinton is impressed with Widmann’s start and the expectation is that she is one of the best on the field.

“Versus Columbia [my staff and I] thought that she ran the show when it came to the game,” said Clinton.

“She controlled the midfield against them and they couldn’t stop her.”

THE RAM ARCHIVES

Entering Sunday’s game against the Hofstra Pride, the women’s soccer team had won four straight games since Sept. 4.

Columbia was almost able to tie the game up in the 81st minute, but junior goalkeeper Megan Fitzgerald made a diving stop near the right post.

“I think [Megan] was terrific,” said

Clinton. “She came up huge with that save. That’s a next level save and Megan allowed us to win that game.”

Fitzgerald earned her fifth win on the year, to go along with her third shutout.

On Sunday, the Rams lost 3-1 to Hofstra.

The team quickly fell behind as the Pride scored a goal in the fifth minute. Hofstra junior midfielder Jill Mulholland scored her fourth goal of

the year with the assist from senior forward Leah Galton.

Hofstra made it 2-0 in the 24th minute on a goal that was credited to Emily Agudelo after Fitzgerald misplayed a shot on goal from Agudelo.

In the 47th minute, Hofstra made it 3-0 after a free kick after it deflected off a Fordham defender’s head and into the goal for an own goal.

The Rams finally netted one home in the 80th minute. Junior defender Rachel Myers passed the ball to the middle of the box, where Widmann was able to finish for her seventh goal of the season. Widmann is tied for 18th in the NCAA for goals on the season.

Fitzgerald finished with five saves in net.

The Rams finished out their outof-conference schedule with six wins for the second consecutive year.

Even with the loss Coach Clinton believes the team will be ready when their A-10 schedule starts up.

“Hofstra has a similar style or is similar team to what we could see in maybe the top half of the A-10,” said Clinton. “It preps us even further taking the loss. They were able to expose some things that we’re working on getting better. I was happy with the response in the second half and I think the girls were able to see a glimpse that they can be successful in the A-10. We just need to play a complete game.”

The Rams open up their A-10 schedule on Thursday, Oct. 1st against the University of Rhode Island at 7. p.m.

SPORTS

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Men’s Tennis Starts Strong

By TOM TERZULLI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham Men’s Tennis team began its Fall 2015 season in solid fashion, winning two matches in a row this past weekend away from the friendly confines of Fordham’s Hawthorn and Rooney Courts.

The action began on Saturday, Sept. 19 in Loudonville, New York, with a 5-2 win over Siena College. The doubles portion did not start positively for Fordham, as the teams lost two out of three matches and, in turn, lost the doubles point. The lone victory came from the duo of senior Pedro Alonzo and sophomore Joseph Kavaloski, who trounced Siena’s Peter Galante and Alexander Read by the score of 6-3.

After an unimpressive start, the Rams stormed back to take five out of six singles points.

“We played very well in singles against Siena,” second yard head coach Michael Sowter said.

Sophomore Joey Brander took Fordham’s first point of the season, holding Galante to one win in 13 games, winning in dominating fashion 6-0, 6-1. Alonzo and Kavaloski both stayed undefeated on the day. Alonzo drubbed Siena’s Diego Lebron in straight sets 6-4, 6-1, and Kavaloski did the same to Alessandro Sagila 6-3, 6-4.

Cameron Poscillo had a tougher time in his match against Siena’s Alexander Reed. He lost the first set 6-3, but rallied to win the next two sets 7-6, 6-4. It was the only Ram victory that did not come in straight sets. The fifth and final point came from freshman Mikolaj Borak, who defeated Jace Kortez 6-4, 7-5. Fordham’s only blemish in solo competition came at the hands of Evan Nierman, who routed Ram sophomore Harris Durkovic 6-3, 6-2.

The Rams could not celebrate the spoils of their victory for long, as they headed to Larenceville, New Jersey, the very next day for a date with the Rider University Broncos. The result was much of

the same for Fordham, who won 5-2. The result of the doubles point, on the other hand, was different.

Coach Sowter was pleased with the result.

“We did a nice job of controlling the tempo of the doubles matches against Rider,” he said.

The Rams took the point in impressive fashion, beginning with the duo of Durkovic and Brander shutting out Rider’s Matthew Begley and Agaazi Berhane 6-0.

Posillico and Borak clinched the point, besting the Bronco pair of Brandon Gildea and Jermey Van Herwade 6-2. Even the Rams’ defeat in doubles was a close encounter. Kavaloski and Alonzo fell to Chris Popso and Deigo Delgado in a 12-game match 7-5.

The Rams were not quite as dominant in singles competition, but were solid nonetheless, taking four out of six points. Every Fordham victory was in straight sets.

Alonzo thwarted Popso 7-6, 6-1, Kavaloski defeated Van Herwade 6-1, 6-4, Brander trounced Berhane 6-1, 6-2 and Boark topped Gildea 6-0, 6-3. The two losses came courtesy of Delgado and Ryan Ciaccio. Delgado topped Posillico 6-0, 6-3, and Ciacco bounced freshman Christopher Caroli 6-1, 6-3.

According to Coach Sowter, these two matches gave a small sample of what he has been trying to bring to Fordham since he took over the job last year.

“We have spent a lot of time trying to increase intensity and competitiveness,” he said. “It really showed in these last two matches.”

Both teams could not have had more opposite starts to their seasons. The Broncos have limped out of the gate to an 0-3 start, compared to Fordham’s 2-0 start.

The Rams next travel to Long Island to play in the Hofstra Invitational on Sept. 25 to 26. Sowter believes these wins could be a great “confidence booster” before the all-important first tournament of the season.

September 23, 2015

Volleyball Adds Two More Wins

By DEVIN ADAMS STAFF WRITER

Fordham Volleyball traveled down to Jersey City, New Jersey, on Sept. 15 to face the Saint Peter’s University Peacocks. The Rams dropped one set to the Peacocks and won the game 3-1. Sophomore Nicole Freeley had six blocks and sophomore Emily Fronk had a team high 20 assists. Freshman Breanna Jones led the team with 13 kills, three aces and 11 digs.

The Rams then traveled to Loretto, Pennsylvania, from Sept.

18 to 19 to participate in the Red Flash Classic, hosted by Saint Francis University. This was the final weekend tournament before the Rams open up play against conference opponents. The first opponent for the Rams was the host team, St. Francis. The first set went back and forth with both teams going on short scoring streaks, but ultimately the Rams dropped the set 27-25. The Rams came out fast in the second set, jumping out to a 10-2 lead and never relinquishing it, winning the set 25-23.

After three more competitive sets, the Rams emerged victorious, winning the match 3-2. Jones again led the team in kills with 17, and Fronk also contributed 48 assists.

Senior Brennan Delsing led the team with 22 digs, freshman Olivia LaPorta had three blocks and freshman Natalie Martinez led the team with five aces.

Fordham then went into its second day of competition, and its first opponent of the double header was the Coppin State University Eagles. The Rams were unable to continue their momentum from the day before. After holding on early in the first set, Fordham was down 13-11. The Eagles then overwhelmed the Rams and won the set 25-15. The Rams came out for the second set and fell behind early. Although they showed some fight with a couple of their own scoring streaks, they lost the set 25-21.

After dropping the first two sets, the Rams came out strong in the third set, stepping on the gas early and never letting up winning the set 25-16. The Rams continued their fight into the fourth set but this time the Eagles answered back, and after the two teams traded scoring streaks throughout the set, Fordham dropped the set 25-22, and Copplin State took the match 3-1. Sophomore Clarissa Cartledge led the team with three aces, Jones had 13 kills and LaPorta contributed a block. Fronk led the team with 45 assists and Delsing led the team with 22 digs, each doing so for the second consecutive game.

The Rams final opponent of the weekend was the High Point University Panthers. The Panthers came into the game undefeated on the weekend and, unfortunately for the Rams, they continued

THE RAM ARCHIVES

The volleyball team opens up Atlantic 10 play on Friday as it hosts Davidson.

their dominance. The Rams lost in straight sets 25-23, 25-16 and 25-17, dropping the match 3-0 to the Panthers. Fronk pitched in 28 assists, marking the fourth straight match she led the team in the category. LaPorta led the team with one ace and three blocks, Martinez contributed 13 digs and Jones led the team with eight kills, joining Fronk by leading the team in a category for the fourth straight match.

Following the Red Flash Classic, Fordham was next in action at home against Stony Brook University on Sept. 22.

“With this being our last nonconference match before Davidson, I am looking forward to seeing the girls take care of the ball on our side of the court,” head coach Gini Ullery said prior to the match. “I look forward to us winning those long rallies and battling all the way until the end.”

Fordham was swept at home Tuesday night by Stony Brook 2520, 25-18, 25-22, bringing their record to 6-10 on the season.

The Rams begin A-10 Conference play against Davidson on Friday, Sept. 25.

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The men’s tennis team began the fall with a pair of wins this past weekend.

Stop by McGinley B-52 next Monday, 8 p.m.

We’ll show you the ropes.

SPORTS

September 23, 2015

Varsity Scores & Stats

Brendan O’Connell

Can the Houston Astros Hang On? The Houston Astros are crashing back down to earth.

In one of the season’s most pleasant surprises, the Astros are in the midst of a turnaround year, battling for their spot in the postseason after nearly a decade of destitution.

After six consecutive years of below-.500 baseball — including three straight seasons with fewer than 60 wins — and several fifth and sixthplace division finishes, as well as a transition from the National to the American League and another revamped uniform look, Houston is back to its winning ways of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Led by a strong young core with players like Cy Young Award contender Dallas Keuchel, Rookie of the Year candidate Carlos Correa, reigning AL batting champion Jose Altuve, the dynamic George Springer and more, the team rocketed out to a 16-7 record and five-game lead in the American League West by the end of April and has held the division lead for practically the entire season.

As recently as Aug. 2, the Astros led the division by four games over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and eight over the Texas Rangers.

According to the MLB.com postseason probability projections at the time, Houston had a 95 percent chance to reach the postseason, LA a 66 percent chance and Texas just a 10 percent chance.

Since then, the Astros have struggled to maintain their prominence.

Their division lead has decreased steadily, and while the Angels fell off pace too, the Rangers surged. After a four-game sweep by the Rangers last week, the Astros finally relinquished their lead, falling into second place, 2.5 games behind the Rangers.

Nevertheless, the season is not lost. While Texas now has a 93 percent chance of reaching the postseason, the Astros still have a 78 percent chance of doing the same — just not via a division title.

The Astros now find themselves in second place in the AL Wild Card standings, in position to reach the playoffs along with the New York Yankees. The Yankees and Astros are 5.5 games and 1.5 games ahead of the Angels, respectively, with only about two weeks left in the regular season.

Under the new postseason format implemented in 2012, the division winners are guaranteed a best-offive series, whereas the two wild card winners must play an elimination game at the outset of the postseason to reach the divisional series.

Prior to the format change, only the top wild card team would advance to the postseason to play a divisional team, but now the expanded format features the top two in an all-ornothing first-round affair.

The Astros would still make the playoffs if they started tomorrow, but would have to beat the Yankees in the Bronx to advance to a best-offive series.

This is what makes winning the division so important. As it stands now, the Rangers get an entire series to advance, but the Astros must play in a win-or-go-home game.

Will Houston have an explosive finish, or will this season’s atmospheric climb end in a sharp plummet out of postseason contention?

The entire league is watching.

Page 21

Football Columbia 0 10 14 0 24 Fordham 7 14 7 17 44 (COL) Mornhinweg 187 yds (FOR) Anderson 5 TDs Men’s Tennis Fordham Siena

5 2

Fordham Rider

5 2

Volleyball Fordham Saint Francis

3 2

Fordham Coppin State

1 3

Fordham High Point

0 3

Stony Brook Fordham

3 0

Men’s Cross Country LIU-Post Invitational 1st 8K L. Santelli 4th- 26:35.48

Women’s Tennis Quinnipiac Invitational (FOR) Sato 2-1 Golf Hartford Hawk Invite 12th

Women’s Cross Country LIU-Post Invitational 1st 5K A. Grebe 2nd- 18:07.01

Men’s Soccer Fordham Fairfield Bazzini (FOR) 28’, Bitterman (FOR) 72’, Wignall (FAIR) 79’, Penfold (FOR) 84’, Marshall (FAIR) 90’ Women’s Soccer Fordham Columbia Widmann (FOR) 68’ Fordham Hofstra Mulholland (HOF) 5’, Agudelo (HOF) 24’, Team (HOF) 47’, Widmann (FOR) 80’

Athletes of the Week Kevin Anderson

Angelina Grebe

Junior

Freshman

Football

Cross Country

In just the third start of his college career, Anderson delivered an absolutely terrific passing performance.

The Florida native completed 22 of his 30 passes, throwing for 330 yards and five TDs. He also added 70 rushing yards in the Rams’ decisive win over Columbia.

Running in her first event as a Ram, Grebe made a big impact at the LIU-Post Invitational. Her time of 18:07.01 in the 5K was good for second place overall and helped lift Fordham to its first title of the season.

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

News & Notes • Golf Ties For 12th in

Connectciut Out of a crowded field, Fordham Golf finished in 12th place at this week’s Hartford Hawk Invitational in South Kent, Connecticut. Sophomore Matt Schiller led the way for the Rams, opening with a two-under 70 before going on to post rounds of 75 and 77 en route to a tie for 26th place.

Connecticut won the tournament by 13 strokes, while Kyle Buschmann of Bryant was the medalist. The team will see its next action at this weekend’s Quechee Club Collegiate Challenge in Vermont.

• Loebe is A-10 Rookie of the

Week

On Monday, Men’s Soccer freshman Janos Loebe was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week. The midfielder recorded three assists over the course of two games on the week and has now contributed to five of Fordham’s six goals this season (one goal, four assists). Additionally, his four assists lead the conference, while his total of six points is the best among the Rams.

• Volleyball Takes on Stony Brook On Tuesday, Fordham Volleyball hosted the Stony Brook Seawolves and lost in straight sets. The Rams challenged in each of the three sets but were ultimately defeated in each one, giving them a 6-10 record on the season. Freshman Olivia LaPorta led Fordham with 10 kills, while freshman Natalie Martinez recorded nine.

Volleyball will play next at home against Davidson.

•

Baseball Adds Pinkman to Coaching Staff Last Friday, Fordham Baseball head coach Kevin Leighton announced the hiring of Pat Pinkman as the Rams’ new pitching coach. A former Freshman All-American at Virginia Tech, Pinkman was the vice-president and lead instructor at the Pinkman Baseball Academy for nine years before serving stints as pitching coach for Washington University in St. Louis and Marymount University.

– Compiled by Sam Belden

Jack McLoone

3 2

1 0

1 3

Step Your Name Up Fantasy football has become part of the Sunday experience, and it’s easy to understand why. It’s a great way to stay connected with friends from home and get interested in games you otherwise wouldn’t care about, but most importantly, it’s a prime avenue for trash talk. The thing is, you might be opening yourself up to unrelenting smack for a simple reason: having a bad team name.

A good team name is actually more important than the players on your team. It seems counterintuitive, I know, but it’s been shown that a bad team name can cause a team to score an average of 5.2 less points per matchup. I found this after combing through the data, realizing I actually didn’t have any data and then arbitrarily making up that number. Honestly, if you have a bad team name, you should lose points.

“But Jack,” you say, “my team name is super witty and interesting and please validate me!” No, your team name is bad. Yes, yours. But what is a bad team name? There are more bad than good, but here are some to avoid: One of the most frequently used and absolutely detestable gimmicknames is the “Player Name Pun.” Oh, you drafted Rob Gronkowski? Good for you. But if you name your team “Gronkey Kong” you deserve to lose that pick. Same with “You Play Like a Gurley,” “Over Dwayne Bowe,” “Turn Down for Watt,” “Le’Veon A Prayer” and every other name you find by Googling “funny fantasy football team names.” There are two problems with these team names.

One is that you probably did not come up with it yourself, which is deplorable and cheap. The other is that they are almost never funny, which is even worse.

Another category of names that is overused and almost never funny is references to FXX’s fantasy football TV show “The League.” Blatantly stealing names from the show, like “Password is Taco” and “Bobbum Man,” once again shows a lack of creativity. I hope your password actually is taco so I can change your team name to “I’m Not Funny,” drop your entire team and pick up players who retired three years ago as punishment.

“How about NFL scandals? Those could be good names, right, Jack?”

Probably not, because “I Spygate” or “Deflated Ballz” are terrible team names and not funny at all.

The only thing worse than these?

Not changing your team name at all.

If you’re in a league where your name is “Team (Last Name),” you should be kicked out of the league on the spot, for that just shows a lack of dedication and creativity.

Basically, the rule of thumb should be to never, ever Google “good fantasy team names.” I did just that to find most of these examples, and you never want to be the guy who Googled his team name. It’s just a bad look.

So, how does one get a good team name? Well, it isn’t easy. You can’t go wrong with making fun of league mates. Does your friend have an insecurity that he doesn’t like to talk about? That’s a safe bet for a good name. Or references to the 90’s.

Honestly, just be yourself. Just don’t be the Internet.

The key to a winning season is a winning name. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.

SPORTS

Page 22

Sam Belden

September 23, 2015

Stephen Fragano

Senior Profile | Ivana Lahcanksi

By LEIGHTON SCHNEIDER STAFF WRITER

The Grandy Man Can, and Has For the New York Mets, the 2015 season has been a long one. Poised to post the team’s best record in ages, this year’s squad has enjoyed some incredible highs, like an 11-game winning streak in April and mid-summer sweep of the Washington Nationals, and lows, the botched trade for exBrewer Carlos Gomez and news of team captain David Wright’s degenerative back condition.

However, through it all, the Mets have been able to keep winning and are now six games in front of Washington in the National League East.

With a postseason berth now basically guaranteed, we can at last take some stock of the real differencemakers for the team this year. Young starters Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey have been excellent, while the midseason acquisitions of Yoenis Cespedes, Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe reinvigorated a floundering lineup and transformed it into an offensive juggernaut. Since the nonwaiver trade deadline, the Mets have been scoring 5.72 runs per game, the best clip in the majors.

Despite all of these big names, though, none of them have been the biggest reason for the Mets’ surprising success in 2015. That distinction belongs to outfielder Curtis Granderson.

Granderson would have once been considered a longshot to become a true New York icon and one of the faces of Big Apple baseball.

Anything can happen, however, and in the winter of 2009 the longtime Detroit Tiger was shipped to the Yankees as part of a blockbuster deal that also included the Arizona Diamondbacks. Names like Max Scherzer, Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy were also moved as part of that deal, but none of them have accumulated as much value as Granderson has over the years.

After four seasons with the Yankees, Granderson defected to Queens and signed a four-year deal with the Mets. Although his tenure in Flushing got off to a disappointing start in 2014, he has been tremendous this year, parlaying 23 home runs and an OPS+ of 125 into 4.7 WAR, the highest mark on the team.

In addition, Granderson’s .364 OBP has allowed him to perform solidly in the leadoff role, and his 11 stolen bases are his most since 2011.

Granderson is more than just an athlete, however. One of the MLB’s few remaining African American ballplayers, he has been vocal in his support of reviving baseball in America’s inner cities. In the last 29 years, the percentage of African Americans in MLB dropped from 19 to less than seven.

In an effort to help soften this decline, Granderson donated millions of dollars to fund a stadium at the University of Illinois-Chicago, his alma mater. Curtis Granderson Field hosts Little League and high school games and is gearing up for the Chicago public school championships.

Still, Granderson’s life is baseball, and he looks more ready than ever to make a run at his first ever World Series. Whether he gets it or not — and helps end an almost-30 year title drought for the Mets — he’ll continue to be one of the true consummate professionals of New York sports.

Ivana Lahcanksi is a midfielder and defender for the Fordham Women’s Soccer team out of Rochester, NY. She played 14 games as a freshman, started seven in her sophomore campaign and started all 18 games this past season while posting a career-high three goals and seven points.

The Fordham Ram: When did you start getting serious about playing soccer in college?

Ivana Lahcanski: In high school I was on an elite club team and that was a transitional moment, where I decide to go play D-1. With all the traveling we did and the teams that we were playing, it was really setting me up to play at Fordham, because of the high caliber of teams we were playing and the high caliber of soccer we were expected to play.

TFR: What was your recruiting process?

IL: My brother and sister played sports in college, so my parents knew what they were doing when they got to me. What we did was make little information cards and hand them out to coaches on the sideline that were coming to my game. They would be able to see my schedule for that weekend, the position I played and a couple of little facts about me.

I would then follow up with a lot of emails, be very persistent.

TFR: How did you decide on going to Fordham?

IL: Ultimately, Fordham was in the top bracket of the schools that I wanted to go to. They had a great location, which was a key for me.

What they had to offer with the business school and the Division I program was very enticing to me

A Tale of Two ‘Citis’

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Lahcanski is one of four seniors on the Women’s Soccer team.

and it ultimately won me over.

TFR: What are your goals for the season, either as a team or as an individual?

IL: At the beginning of the year we set a lot of team goals that we wanted to accomplish. We really want to make it into the A-10 tournament. We’ve really been pushing each other hard at practice. We want to have all home wins in conference play, we want to have that home field advantage and give the fans who support us a good show.

TFR: Have you taken a bigger leadership role this season?

IL: I think that our senior class has done a really good job at getting the team together and unifying them. We’re all on the same page of making it into the A-10s. As one of the seniors, I really take it upon my self to push other people at practice. I make sure that each practice

doesn’t fall below a certain standard because, we know that it will set us up better for the A-10 tournament, especially when we play harder and harder teams.

TFR: How has the team changed since your freshman year?

IL: I think the culture of the team has changed. I think everyone is more unified with the same goal and pushing each other. There is a more positive atmosphere.

TFR: What’s your favorite nonsoccer thing about Fordham?

IL: I think the proximity to the city. I like to go into the city and shop around, and see my friends.

My sister and brother live there so I like to pop in and meet up with them. There’s so much to do.

TFR: What are your plans after graduation?

IL: I will be joining JP Morgan in their prime brokerage division.

Women Compete at Quinnipiac Invite

By VINCENT DeBELLIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham Women’s Tennis team was in action for the second consecutive weekend, this time competing in the Quinnipiac Invitational from Sept. 18-20.

Junior Mayu Sato reached the championship in the A flight with wins over Lea Winkler of Drexel (6-3, 2-6, 10-5) and Alana Prinos of Providence (6-2, 6-2). In the finals, Sato was defeated by Rhode Island’s Galina Chernykh (6-2, 6-4).

Also competing in the A flight, junior Estelle Wong fell to Thandy Kangwa of Seton Hall in her first match (6-0, 6-3). She bounced back in the consolation draw by taking down Sacred Heart’s Lindsey Post, (8-4) before taking a loss to Fairfield’s Nicole Aragones, (8-5).

In the B singles flight, freshman Alexis Zobeideh and junior Hannah Drayton both represented the Rams.

Zobeideh defeated Drexel’s Erin Bowsher (4-6, 6-0, 10-5) and Connecticut’s Summer Walker (6-3, 6-7, 10-5) before losing to Julia Keenan of Seton Hall (6-4, 6-4).

Drayton began the tournament with a loss to Zaina Zaki of Connecticut, (7-6, 7-5), placing her in the consolation bracket, where she took home the consolation title by defeating Taylor Gurda of Sacred Heart, (8-2) Meghan Zimmer of Fairfield (8-4) and Drexel’s Erin Bowsher (85) in the consolation championship.

The C singles flight featured juniors Destiny Grunin and Gianna Insgona. Insgona defeated Karen

McKeough of Fairfield (6-2, 6-1) and took a loss to Kendra Bunch of Drexel (6-4,6-1).

Grunin opened with a loss to Shea Flanagan of Connecticut (6-2,6-1) then defeated Sacred Heart’s Olivia Podsiebierski (8-5) before being defeated by Providence’s Brooke Burnside (8-3).

In D singles, freshman Whitney Weisberg opened with a (6-4, 6-1) defeat at the hands of Drexel’s Fiorella Coria. In the consolation bracket, Weisberg reeled off three straight wins over Courtney Connors of Fairfield, (8-2), Sacred Heart’s Tori Oates (8-2), and Claudia Ruiz of Sacred Heart, (8-3), giving her the consolation crown.

In doubles competition, Drayton and Sato, fresh off an undefeated

doubles run at Quinnipiac last weekend, were not as successful this time around, losing to Connecticut’s Summer Walker and Shea Flanagan (6-3) in the first round of A flight doubles. Also competing in A flight doubles were Wong and Zobeideh, who lost to Seton Hall’s Thandy Kangwa and Luize Strike (6-4).

In B flight doubles, Grunin and Insgona won their opening match over Brooke Burnside and Katherine DeNucci of Providence (6-3), before falling to Providence’s Hannah Zangari and Nicole Zytarski, (7-5).

The Rams are back in action for the third consecutive weekend at the Army West Point Invitational, taking place in West Point, New York, from Sept. 25 to 27.

RAM ARCHIVES

The team picked up a few wins, but did not come away with any titles.

Well, it’s been quite the year for baseball in New York City. As the curtain is starting to fall on Major League Baseball’s 2015 regular season, some interesting events are lining up for the Yankees and Mets.

For the Mets, it has truly been a “Tale of Two Citis.” And yes, the typo is, in fact, on purpose. Citi Field has seen some of the best baseball it has ever seen. At the time of publication, the Mets were six and half games up in first place with 12 games left to play, so it seems highly likely that Mets fans will be enjoying some playoff baseball for the first time since 2006, and Citi Field will be selling its first ever postseason ballpark franks.

For the Bronx Bombers, it’s the same city but a different tale. They find themselves three and a half games out of first place, but four games up as the first wild card. The Yanks are not playing bad ball. The club is fifteen games above .500, but the powerhouse Blue Jays make it hard to gain ground. It isn’t impossible for the Yankees to snatch a division title, but their fate is partly up to Toronto.

What happens in the last two weeks of play may or may not produce some outcomes that either team has not seen in several years.

Everything is speculation, but speculating is one of the most entertaining things a fan can do.

If the Bombers fail to capture the AL East title and either drop out of wild card contention or lose in the one-game wild card playoff, it would be the third straight season of missing the playoffs. The last time that happened was from 1982-84. Though the team then continued to fall short of the postseason until 1994, 1984 is technically the last time the organization had a three-peat of postseason absences coming off a year in which they participated in fall ball. I personally would not count the Yankees out of wild card contention given their current lead, but anything is possible in a one-game playoff.

The reasons for the Mets’ surging season and the Yankees’ average season are up in the air. In my opinion, the Bombers have been streaky, going on stretches of wins and losses while the Mets, for the most part, have been relatively consistent. In addition, trades played a large role in the Mets’ above average season.

Yoenis Cespedes helped bolster the team from Queens.

The Yankees were a bit quiet on that front, but did refuse to trade Greg Bird and Luis Severino, which was a good decision given the rookies’ contributions to the team.

Statistically speaking without any partiality, the Mets have everything to gain from their great season, and the Yankees risk not living up to the team they were in the late ’90s and ’00s.

The fact of the matter is that both New York teams need to finish the season in a winning fashion and will need to muster up an even greater level of play in the playoffs if they hope to fend off teams like the AL’s Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals, or the NL’s St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers. The stage is set.

The rest will be determined by the players.

SPORTS

September 23, 2015

Page 23

Blue Jays Flying High

By MATTHEW MICHAELS STAFF WRITER

Rarely will a team that is 50-51 on July 28 make the playoffs, let alone be World Series favorites.

However, the Blue Jays have done just that. There are a number of reasons why the Toronto Blue Jays are World Series favorites, and here I present a few of the most important.

1. The power bats. It is wellknown that scoring decreases for all teams during the playoffs, resulting from factors that range from the quality of pitching to colder weather. However, as Ben Lindbergh noted in his terrific article for Grantland last year about playoff-related myths, teams that rely on power will not see the same decline in productivity as “well-balanced” offenses do.

Think of the 2009 Yankees, who had a home run-happy lineup that continued its offensive dominance into the World Series against great Phillies pitchers. Teams with powerful hitters will continue to mash in October, while more pesky players are not as valuable.

Luckily for the Blue Jays, they have plenty of power. They have hit an MLB-best 209 home runs but are actually seventh in reliance on homers for runs according to Baseball Prospectus. That, however, is because of their historic run production, which has netted more than 100 runs more than the Yankees, who have the secondmost runs scored.

2. The trade deadline. Usually a team hovering around .500 at the trade deadline should not be buyers, but General Manager Alex Anthopolus has no contract for next year, so he went all in.

Anthopolus made many shrewd trades over the offseason, including swapping this year’s AL MVP Josh Donaldson for the perpetually disappointing Brett Lawrie. By mid-year, he was still not happy with the team. On July 28, AA pulled off a heist by getting Troy Tulowitzki and Latroy Hawkins for Jose Reyes and others. Hawkins is 42 and will retire at the end of the season, but can pitch in high-leverage situations.

Tulowitzki immediately improved the Blue Jays on both sides of the ball despite struggling with the bat. Although the oft-injured Tulowitzki is out for the remainder of the regular season, he should

contribute in the postseason. On July 30, the Jays fortified their glaring weakness, starting pitching, by acquiring David Price. The lefty slots in nicely as the team’s ace, and, after his arrival, all the other pitchers on the staff started playing better. The next day, the Jays bolstered their outfield with speedster Ben Revere.

3. Marcus Stroman. The Blue Jays were my pick to win the AL East in the preseason. However, Marcus Stroman tore the ACL in his left knee, requiring him to have surgery. After, he was presumed to be out for 2015. I re-evaluated Toronto and dropped it from playoff team to also-ran due to the absence of the pitcher I predicted to break out. However, Stroman had an extremely successful and rapid recovery. He returned to the majors on Sept. 12 and beat the Yankees. Along with Price, Stroman gives the Jays a pair of reassuring options for crucial playoff games instead of relying on wash-outs R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle and the infuriating Drew Hutchinson. Stroman’s injury looked like a potential death blow for the 2015 Blue Jays, but his recovery may be key for a long playoff run.

4. History. The last two years, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals ended long playoff droughts. Currently, the Blue Jays’ run of missing the playoffs every year since 1993 is the longest active streak in the league. That will soon end (sorry Mariners) as the Jays will again make the postseason. As most expansion teams do, the Blue Jays struggled in the early years of the franchise, starting in 1977. By the mid-80s, the Blue Jays became dangerous but couldn’t make it to the World Series until 1992. That season was the first of two consecutive championships for Toronto but they have failed to reach the postseason since 1993. Fan excitement is back north of the border and the organization has lost time to make up for.

5. The playoffs are up for grabs.

Last year, the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals were both underdogs that faced long odds to reach the playoffs.

Even though Toronto may have the best odds to win the World Series right now, they can easily be eliminated in the first round. They still face an uphill climb, but I like their odds.

By DREW CASEY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

It’s hard to believe that preseason games in the National Hockey League began on Sunday, and that it’s been nearly 100 days since the Chicago Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup in six years.

It’s that time of year again for hockey fans, but I wonder if that will ring true for the fans in the New York metropolitan area.

The New York Rangers have performed well in recent memory, but don’t have a championship to show for it. The New York Islanders’ young talent has shown promise, but the team now has a new home in Brooklyn, at least for the near future. The New Jersey Devils have started over from scratch as they look to find their dominance once again.

What does this all add up to for the 2015-16 season? In short, the Rangers and Islanders should make the playoffs, but I don’t see either team advancing past the conference semi-finals. The Devils will likely not have a chance at the playoffs.

Relevant to their roster and their expectations, the Rangers have overperformed the last two years. I don’t think anyone expected the Blueshirts to nearly make the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive years.

Yes, the Rangers clearly had one of the best goaltenders and one of the best defenses in the league the past two seasons, but the team didn’t seem to have any sort of “wow” factor or anything that would necessarily catch the eye during any given game.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, the Boston Bruins, the Washington Capitals and the Montreal Canadiens, on the other hand, were all teams that seemed to have that sort of buzz around them at various points in the last two years.

Entering this season, the Rangers look a little different. They don’t have backup goalie Cam Talbot or forward Carl Hagelin, but they still have their foundation in goalie Henrik Lundqvist and star forward Rick Nash. These two and others, including Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, should pace the team to a moderately successful season, barring any substantial injuries.

As I mentioned before, I think

the Rangers will get into the playoffs this year and host a first round series before being ousted in the second round. With the way the last two seasons have gone for New York, this would certainly characterize as finishing below expectations. There are only so many more years that Lundqvist will give the team a legitimate shot to make their season last into mid-June.

As for the newcomers to New York City, the Islanders will likely do the same in terms of qualifying for the playoffs. The team has an overwhelming amount of young talent that I can’t imagine will be largely subdued by opposing teams.

With 22-year-old Ryan Strome, 23-year-old Brock Nelson and 25-year-olds John Tavares and Anders Lee on offense alone, the sky continues to be the limit for the newest Barclays Center tenants. The four players amassed 80 goals in the regular season last year as the team lost in the first round of the playoffs in seven games to the Capitals, and I’d venture to say that the four will up that total into the triple digits this season.

The big concern for the Islanders, as it was last year, is their defense and their goaltending. While the defense now has some recognizable names, like Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk, the group is too inexperienced. Young scorers are great, but

the learning curve for young defensemen always seems to be much greater in the NHL. Aside from Boychuk and veteran Marek Zidlicky, the remaining Isles defensemen are all 27-years-old or younger.

As for between the pipes, I’m very skeptical of starter Jaroslav Halak.

Halak turned in what seems like an exceptional season last year, winning the fifth most games of any goalie in the league. But I would categorize it as decent at best. He ranked 23rd in the league in goals against average, allowing 2.43 scores per game, and was aided by 3.07 goals per game, the third-best offensive production per contest in the league.

The last local team that I normally would give equal consideration given their franchise history is the Devils. Jersey’s team this year, though, will likely not make the Garden State proud. Cory Schneider and a young defense are intriguing pieces to the organization, but the team simply won’t be able to score. Travis Zajac, Adam Henrique and Mike Cammalleri do not constitute a first line in the NHL. They could make up a pretty good third line and a middle of the road second line.

Get ready for a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 losses Devils fans and more than a couple of sighs for the situation that Schneider has found himself in. But, perhaps the new regime can make something out of very little. I tend to doubt it, at least at first.

BRIDGET SAMUELS:FLICKR

Can Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers finally grab the elusive Stanley Cup?

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY

Thursday Sept. 24

Friday Sept. 25

Saturday Sept. 26

Football

Monmouth 1 p.m.

Men’s Soccer

NJIT 7 p.m.

Water Polo

MIT/Conn 2 p.m.

Cross Country

Battle in Beantown

Volleyball

Davidson 7 p.m.

Sunday Sept. 27

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Josh Donaldson is one of the many hot hitters in the Blue Jays’ lineup.

Women’s Tennis

Tuesday Sept. 29

Lehigh 7 p.m.

Harvard/Brown 11 a.m.

VCU 1 p.m.

Golf Men’s Tennis

Monday Sept. 28

Hofstra Invitational Army West Point Invitational

Wednesday Sept. 30

SPORTS

Page 24

September 23, 2015

The Fordham Ram

Football Retains Liberty Cup, Wins 44-24

By ANTHONY PUCIK SPORTS EDITOR

After a close loss to No. 2 ranked Villanova at home last weekend, the Fordham Football team welcomed back its alumni, as well as members of the Fire Department of New York, for Homecoming and the 14th annual Liberty Cup matchup with the Columbia Lions. The matchup remembers over 80 Fordham and Columbia alumni who lost their lives on Sept.

11, 2001, and has been a tradition ever since. Adorned in jerseys with the American flag on the shoulder pads and helmets with FDNY, New York City Police Department and Port Authority Police Department on the back nameplates, the Rams were able to retain the Liberty Cup for a sixth straight season in what could be the final time the two face off in a 44-24 victory.

“I tip my hat to coach [Al] Bagnoli and his staff,” head coach Joe Moorhead said. “Columbia is a much improved football team. They did some very good things on both sides of the ball.”

Junior quarterback Kevin Anderson started the game off on a sour note with his first interception of the season, but a missed 41-yd field goal

by Lions kicker Cameron Nizialek kept the game scoreless. Anderson redeemed himself two possessions later when he hit senior tight end Phazahn Odom for a 28-yd touchdown pass to put the Rams up 7-0.

The Lions got on the board in the second when junior transfer quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg, out of

MIKE GROLL/ AP

After starting the season 1-1, the Rams blasted Columbia 44-24 on Homecoming in front of a sold out crowd at Rose Hill.

the University of Florida, completed a 12-yd touchdown pass to junior Cameron Dunn to tie the score.

Fordham responded on the next possession when freshman Austin Longi caught an Anderson pass from three yards out to put the Rams back up seven. A 31-yard field goal from Nizialek brought Columbia back to within four, but a last minute drive from Fordham ended in an incredible one-handed touchdown catch from junior Robbie Cantelli that gave Fordham a 21-10 lead heading into the half.

“It was an awesome play,” Anderson said. “I had to lead him a lot more than I’d like to and I kinda missed my spot. That was all Robbie Cantelli.”

The Rams got on the board first in the second half when sophomore running back Chase Edmonds broke a 73-yd run down to the Lion one yard line on the first play from scrimmage, and then punched it in for the touchdown to make it 28-10 Fordham. Columbia quickly responded with a 98-yd kick return touchdown from junior Alan Watson to cut the Rams lead to 11. The Lions were the next to score after a 15 play, 80-yd drive ended in a Mornhinweg oneyard touchdown run, making it 28-24 Fordham.

In the fourth, the Rams scored on their first drive when Anderson found Edmonds in the end zone from three yards out, but a missed

extra point from junior Makay Redd kept the lead at 10 for Fordham. After a defensive stop, Fordham scored through the air again, this one a 41-yd touchdown to Odom to make it 4124. A Redd 34-yd field goal late in the fourth gave Fordham a 20-point lead that they would not relinquish. An interception by junior Marcus Fulmore sealed the victory for the Rams with 2:09 to play in regulation, and Fordham retained the Liberty Cup and improved to 2-1 on the season. Since Moorhead took over the program three years ago, Fordham has not lost two games in a row.

Anderson’s early interception was his only mistake, as he went 22-30 on the day for 330 yards and five touch-

downs, while also adding 70 yards on the ground. The performance earned Anderson Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors.

“Kevin did a great job,” Moorhead said. “He’s got a tremendous work ethic, a great skill set and when you combine great preparation with great effort and execute well, these are the kind of days we’re capable of seeing.”

Edmonds got off to a slow start, but picked it up in the second half and ended with 125 rushing yards and a touchdown, along with 45 receiving yards and a touchdown. Mornhinweg looked extremely comfortable behind center for the Lions as well.

Splitting time with sophomore Anders Hill, Mornhinweg was 21-25 for 187 yards and picked up two touchdowns on the ground.

Bob Ahrens, executive producer of WFUV Sports, was the honorary coach for the game and was given the game ball, the first honorary coach in three years to receive the honor.

Despite the victory, there was some concerning news on the Fordham side. Senior guard Garrick Mayweather was slow to get up early in the first quarter of the game due to a lower leg injury and did not return, but was seen testing the injury out on the sidelines throughout the game.

Sophomore safety Caleb Ham was also injured in the game and did not return.

Fordham moved up two spots in the FCS Coaches’ Poll to 16 in the country after the victory. The Rams look to make it two in a row when they host Monmouth University on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m.

Men’s Soccer Edges Fairfield For First Win

By TARA CANGIALOSI STAFF WRITER

While Fordham students and alumni spent Saturday at the homecoming festivities, the Fordham men’s soccer team traveled to Fairfield University to take on the Stags at 7 p.m.

In the first meeting between the two Jesuit schools in 18 years, the Rams edged the Stags 3-2 in a close match-up against head coach Jim McElderry’s alma mater. It was the first time McElderry faced off against Fairfield, where he played as an undergraduate and served as an assistant coach for ten years before making the switch to Fordham.

After playing two double overtime games last week against Lafayette and Army — both of which ended in draws — the Rams looked to bounce back on the road.

The scoring began in the 28th minute, when Fordham earned a corner kick. Freshman Janos Loebe sent the ball across and sophomore defender Christopher Bazzinni connected with his head for the finish to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.

It was Bazzinni’s first goal of the season, and the third of his collegiate career after starting all 21 games as a freshman last season.

“As a defender, you only get a few opportunities a game to contribute offensively,” Bazzinni said. “I don’t really expect to score any goals so I was just really happy that I was able

ZACK MIKLOS/ THE FORDHAM RAM

After starting the season 0-3-2, the men’s soccer team edged Fairfield 3-2 on Saturday behind two late second half goals.

to score in such an important game for our team.”

The score would remain 1-0 going into the second half, but Fairfield almost got back in the game in the 53rd minute. After a scrum in the box, the Stags were awarded a penalty kick.

Fairfield’s Dominic Marshall took the kick, but Fordham’s freshman goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu came up with a dynamic save by diving to the lower corner.

“At that time we were leading 1-0, and if they equalized, the game could have easily changed,” Nuhu said.

“Saving the penalty, I think I got my team going.”

Fordham increased their lead to 2-0 in the 72nd minute off of another corner kick, this one coming from a solid team effort by players in the box.

Graduate student Gabe Stauber sent the ball in, where sophomore Matthew Lewis got the first shot off.

It went wide, and sophomore Eric Ohlendorf raced to pick up the loose ball. He then crossed it back into the center, where senior Kyle Bitterman headed it home for his first goal of the

season.

“It’s nice to know that the hard work that I have been putting in is paying off by scoring that goal,” Bitterman said.

Minutes later, Fairfield cut the lead to one. Sophomore Jonathan Uy slid a pass through to fellow sophomore Ben Wignall, who netted it behind Nuhu to make it 2-1.

The Rams regained their two-goal lead in the 84th minute. Again, it was Janos Loebe on the assist, as he raced down the field with red-shirt senior Andres Penfold on a two on one

advantage. The freshman forward crossed it from the left side, and Penfold finished it for the 3-1 lead.

The Stags fought until the end, as they netted a second goal with only 35 seconds left in the game. Rebounding from his missed penalty kick, Marshall took advantage of a misplay in Fordham’s eighteen-yard box and headed his fourth goal of the season past Nuhu.

Despite the late goal, the Rams would hold on for the 3-2 win. Noah racked up seven saves, while Fairfield’s Matt Turner had six.

The win was Fordham’s first of the season, bringing the team’s record to 1-3-2 on the season, while Fairfield fell to 1-2-3.

“Since we’ve gotten our first win, now we have released some pressure off our shoulders,” Nuhu said.

“We worked for one another and we played with confidence.”

Bitterman agreed with his keeper, but says the Rams still have work to do. “We are still not where we want to be,” Bitterman said. “We just have to keep trying to improve everyday in practice and in games.”

The match against Fairfield demonstrated the tremendous promise that the squad has this year. Finally connecting on offense with three goals, the Rams look to bring this momentum into their upcoming matches.

“The Rams will next see action on Wednesday, Sept. 23 when they host the Columbia University Lions on Jack Coffey Field at 7 p.m.