Volume 97 issue 4

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 97, Issue 4

FordhamRam.com F dh R

February F b 11 11, 2015

Reeling From Budget Cuts, Clubs Regroup

Journal From Abroad

By JOE VITALE and LAURA SANICOLA

CAILIN MCKENNA/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Unity in Jordan After Terror Attacks In Amman, where several Fordham students are studying, a recent attack by ISIS has shaken many city residents.

Rather than giving into fear, the city has responded with a renewed sense of pride. SEE JORDAN, PAGE 2

Faculty Press Admin to Revoke Degree

Lux Housing To Reside on Arthur

By LAURA SANICOLA

By MICHAEL CHARBONEAU

NEWS EDITOR

When the report from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence brought the issue of torture to the public sphere in Dec. 2014, Professor Orlando Rodriguez was reminded of the talk at Fordham in May 2012.

He recalled the protests, the petitions and the polarization of faculty and students surrounding the decision of Fordham’s president to extend an honorary doctorate to John Brennan, President Deputy National Security Advisor for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security, FCRH ’77, and to invite him as official commencement speaker for the graduating class.

Despite a 2012 petition with 202 signatures, Brennan still received the degree and delivered his speech on Edward’s Parade to several turned backs from the audience.

In September 2014, Brennan also SEE BRENNAN, PAGE 3

in this issue

Opinion

Page 7

The Future of Financial Aid: More Harm than Good?

Culture

Page 11

FDM Raises $41K for B+ Foundation

Sports

Page 24 Women’s Basketball Hits Two Game Winning Shots

Michael Bilotti, FCRH ’15, and Benjamin Shull, FCRH ’16, are at a loss. As the presidents of the College Democrats and College Republicans, respectively, the two imagined spending their spring semesters booking political speakers. Last spring, the College Republicans invited Larry Kudlow, host of CNBC’s Kudlow Report, to speak on campus in April.

The Democrats, who were allocated less than $50 due to a misfiled form on budget, managed to bring New York City Councilman James Vacca. As an elected official, Vacca could not accept speaking fees. This semester, both groups made sure every form was filled out correctly and handed in on time.

Still, each received $100 for the semester. For the first time in several years, no money was allocated for political speakers. They were shocked.

“Bringing in political speakers

is the main thing that the political clubs do,” Bilotti said. “Going into budget day this year I had no idea things would be this bad. I didn’t know every single political speaker would be cut.”

Follow the Money An ongoing series covering the 2014-15 budget process and its effect on student life at Fordham.

“[Political speaker events] have generally been some of the best events on campus, and I’m speaking about the College Democrats, too,” said Shull. “Fordham’s whole cura personalis is really exemplified in these speaker events.”

Along with a large number of other non-referendum clubs, the two must move forward with substantially smaller budgets.

“Last semester we knew going in that we were going to have two speakers and we knew the dates,” Shull said.

SEE BUDGET, PAGE 4

STAFF WRITER

The demolition of an abandoned bakery has been completed at 2409 Arthur Ave., the future site of a new student housing project. According to the developer, AB Capstone, construction of the actual building will take place throughout the coming months. Completion is scheduled for the summer of 2016.

In a clear gesture to Belmont’s ethnic heritage, AB Capstone has christened the new building Artù Viale, which means “Arthur Avenue” in Italian. It will rise six stories, including retail space on the first floor, community space on the second floor and four floors of student housing. Contrary to reports earlier this fall, the building has not been designated as a community center and will be constructed in accordance with the R6 zoning laws for the area. Joseph Zanzuri, who is spearheading the project for AB Capstone, said that the company had hoped to partner with Fordham in order to gain the community center designation and build higher, but the university declined to participate.

“We would have loved to affiliate ourselves with Fordham University,” he said, “but Fordham did not agree to be part of the program.”

Regardless, the company is forging ahead with the $30 million project. When completed, the Artù Viale will offer a number of ameSEE HOUSING, PAGE 6

JOE VITALE/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Biologists recently mapped microbial life in New York City and found over 637 types of bacteria on subway stations.

On New York Subway, Scientists Find A World Brimming with Microbial Life

By JOE VITALE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The New York City subway carries more than 5 million riders on any given day.

It is crowded, it is dirty and, regardless of how many passengers are in any given subway car, teeming with microbial life.

Scientists have known this for some time, but a recent scientific study of the subway’s microbial system organized, synthesized and even mapped the findings.

The team of scientists, led by Dr. Christopher Mason of Weill Cornell Medical College, combine big data analytics, microbiology and urban research to conduct the study.

Published in Cell Systems, the study shows that it is not only possible, but useful to develop a "pathogen map" — nicknamed a "PathoMap" — of a city with a crowded transportation system.

The majority of the 637 known bacterial, viral, fungal and animal species detected were non-pathogenic and represent normal bacteria commonly found on humans, though half of the sequences of DNA they collected could not be identified.

Still, nearly 12 percent of the bacterial species sampled showed an association with disease.

The group of researchers, which ranged from graduate students to volunteers, sampled thousands of

surfaces in the system, including turnstiles, trashcans, wooden and metal benches, stairway hand railings and kiosks. They also collected samples from the inside of trains. In all, they covered every open subway station in 24 subway lines in five boroughs.

The study entered a largely unexplored field. But its contribution was sizable, scientists say, offering an analysis of more than 10 billion fragments of biochemical code.

The Bronx, researchers found, is the most diverse borough in terms of microbial species. Brooklyn was second, followed by Manhattan, Queens then Staten Island.

In the nearest subway station to SEE SUBWAY, PAGE 2

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Feb. 3 Women’s Locker Room 10 a.m.

A female student left her clothes and iPhone on a bench in the women’s locker room. She went for a swim, and when she returned an hour later, she discovered that her phone had gone missing. She disabled the phone and reported the theft to Public Safety.

Feb. 6 Loyola Hall 6:30 p.m.

Fourteen students entered the elevator in the lobby, which then stalled out on the 2nd floor. The car had been overloaded. Public Safety was notified, and responded with the elevator company. The elevator company got all 14 students out safely, and put the car back into service.

Feb. 7 Fordham Road 4 a.m.

A female student was returning to campus when she was pushed to the ground by a male assailant on Fordham Road. The male fled in an unknown direction. The NYPD is investigating.

Feb. 7 O’Keefe Commons 11:30 p.m.

A female student who had attended the Fordham Dance Marathon returned to the coat room at the conclusion of the event to find her wallet missing from her purse. The wallet contained a credit card. The card was cancelled and no fraudulent charges were made. She filed a report with NYPD. Feb. 8 Howl at the Moon Bar 2 a.m.

A dispute broke out between students waiting to get into the bar and a student who cut in front of them in line. The dispute quickly became physical, and one student received a punch to the face. The punch resulted in a bruise under his left eye. He refused further medical aid. There was no serious injury and the matter has been referred to the Dean of Students.

—Compiled by Cailin McKenna, Assistant News Editor

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

February 11, 2015

Fordham Accused of Mishandling Assault Study Maps dent in 2013.

Hailey’s case is used to reinforce the article’s key point: rape allegations at NYC schools often result in “little or no action,” a statement Al Jazeera backs up with the statistic that “only 43 percent of sexual offenses reported on New York City’s college campuses [are] met with some form of discipline. Only 27 percent [are] referred to NYPD.” After Hailey reported her alleged rape, the article said Dean of Students Christopher Rogers “dismissed the allegations and said nothing could be done,” in his decision letter, which noted that “the reports and the information gathered in the investigation were not sufficient to hold the student responsible for violation of Fordham University’s policy on sexual offenses at this time.”

He did, however, reportedly issue a no contact order on Hailey and her attacker.

Hailey was apparently unhappy with the results of the case, especially with the fact that her alleged attacker was allowed to keep his job as a campus tour guide.

By KATIE MEYER MANAGING EDITOR

As national conversation turns to sexual assault on college campuses, many schools have come under fire for allegedly mishandling sexual assaults and subsequent investigations. Fordham is no exception.

Last week Al Jazeera America ran an article entitled “Crime Logs Show NYC Schools Mishandle Sexual Assault Complaints,” that called sexual assault policies at Fordham University, Columbia University, New York University and Pace University into question.

The article is based on “a threemonth investigation of campus crime logs.”

Of the universities named, Fordham has the most reported assaults, with 62 in the past four years according to Al Jazeera. It was also one of the more heavily featured schools in the article.

The piece opened with an anecdote about a freshman student referred to as Hailey, who brought a rape charge against a fellow stu-

“He would bring tours through my building every week,” she is quoted as saying. “I’m like, ‘You can’t get this guy out of my building?’...I have to be out of my dorm or staying in my dorm in these hours because I know he’s giving a tour right through my floor.”

This paints a picture that makes Rogers, and more generally Fordham’s sexual assault policies, seem like they neglect the needs of victims.

But Rogers, when reached for comment, disagreed with that conclusion.

“Fordham takes action in response to every case of sexual misconduct reported to school officials; no complainant is ever simply dismissed,” he said in an email.

He also took issue with the way Al Jazeera reported the story.

“The university wasn’t asked about any of the specific allegations made in the article,” he said.

“The most troubling thing about this piece is that its inaccuracies might discourage students from reporting sexual misconduct.”

Journal From Abroad

Jordanian Pride After ISIS Attacks

By HANNAH BUCKLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

AMMAN—Individuals who are more monster than human do horrific things to undeserving people and then broadcast the acts of brutality with the intention of frightening the world into submission. Sometimes that strategy works, but sometimes it does not. Sometimes it has exactly the opposite effect. This was the case in Jordan last week.

Last week, Daesh, also known as ISIS, released a video that includes a rant against the U.S.-led coalition fighting the group and shows captured Jordanian pilot, Lt. Moath alKasasbeh, burning in a cage.

Some friends and I were studying at a cafe on Tuesday night after the video was released, when we received a text from our program director saying that, as a precaution, classes had been canceled the next day and that we were not to leave our homes. My roommate and I had a very tense cab ride home. We were not sure what the reaction would be to three young women, two of whom were foreign, on this particular night. Once home, we watched the news with our host mom for the next few hours and I was able to call my family to reassure

them that everything was fine.

When I woke up the next day, I was not sure what the atmosphere would be like. Would we be unable to leave our homes during the weekend?

Would the Jordanian government’s reaction incite riots? Would we have to be evacuated? I was afraid of what would happen. I was playing right into Daesh’s plan, and I knew it.

My worry was all for nothing. The reaction here in Amman has been to stand together behind the king and fight for the memory of Moath al-Kasasbeh. On Wednesday, everyone who owned a Jordanian flag was flying it. During Friday prayers, the words of Imams who denounced Daesh’s actions as un-Muslim were broadcasted on television and from local mosques. The sight of F-16s flying overhead brought feelings of pride rather than fear. King Abdullah II, already a popular figure, has been lifted to a place in the public consciousness where he is considered the man who will lead Jordan through the darkness.

Jordanians have always been proud to be Jordanian. Jordan has gone from being a creation of Winston Churchill to placate revolutionaries who had just fought off the Ottomans to being the most stable Arab state. Jordanians consider themselves to be wiser

and more level-headed than citizens of other states. Their government is taking steps to listen to the will of the people, nominally at least. Now, the pride of the Jordanian people is palpable. After Friday prayers this week, Queen Raniya led a mass march in downtown Amman to stand together against Daesh’s actions. Cries of, “Long live King Abdullah!” are more now common than ever before.

The pride of the Jordanian people is also contagious. When I see F-16s flying over Amman, I wish them luck.

When I see the king speak on television, I sit with rapt attention. I want to show Daesh that they picked the wrong people with whom to mess. I am not Jordanian, so I will never truly understand the pain that people felt after seeing their fellow countryman murdered in such a way. However, I can appreciate the unity that came in its wake and show my support however possible.

What will defeat Daesh is not the relentless airstrikes, but rather the strength of the people who are most affected by Daesh’s actions. The solidarity of Jordanians is not at all surprising, but it is wonderful to see.

There is something amazing about people standing together to stare down those who threaten them.

Microbes in City Subway FROM SUBWAY, PAGE 1

campus, the Fordham Road Station, which serves as a hub for the B and D trains, researchers identified 49 unique types of bacteria.

After swabbing MetroCard Vending Machines and a bench, the researchers found 49 unique bacteria at this location including species associated with urinary tract infections, Italian cheese, sepsis and toxic clean-up, among other species, according to a Wall Street Journal infographic. Sergios-Orestis Kolokotronis, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Fordham, was among the study’s co-authors.

“I expect people to be naturally curious about their surrounding,” Kolokotronis said. “This is part of a large effort beyond scanning the city for pathogens — with obvious implications for public health and biodefense — that extends to establishing a baseline understanding of life as it evolves and adapts to highly urbanized environments.”

Kolokotronis was among several New York City-based professors, including those from New York University and the State University of New York, Downstate. He participated in the data collection, analysis and writing of the study.

The study was not just conducted to gross subway riders out. The findings and subsequent sampling, the report found, could be used for disease surveillance, bioterrorism threat mitigation and health management for the city.

The study was widely covered in city newspapers, though many city health officials publicly denied the findings.

Kevin Ortiz, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, told The New York Times in an email that the study was “deeply flawed” and misleading. “As the study clearly indicates, microbes were found at levels that pose absolutely no danger to human life and health,” Ortiz said.

Scientists who conducted the study say there is no reason to be worried.

"Despite finding traces of pathogenic microbes, their presence isn't substantial enough to pose a threat to human health," Mason said in a press release regarding the study.

"The presence of these microbes and the lack of reported medical cases is truly a testament to our body's immune system, and our innate ability to continuously adapt to our environment.”

This Week at Fordham Thursday Feb. 12

Friday Feb. 13

Friday Feb. 13

Friday Feb. 13

Virunga Screening

Ram’s Got Talent Audition

The Brokenhearted Open Mic

Free Pizza Sketch Comedy Show

McGinley 234 4 p.m.

Alumni House 8:00 pm

Blackbox Theater 8:00 p.m.

Rodrigue’s Coffee Shop is celebrating heartbreaks this Friday. An open mic will be held for all those willing to share their poems, songs, thoughts or other talents about about love and heartbreak. Signups will be at the door.

The live-action sketch comedy troupe, Free Pizza, will perform this Friday and Saturday at the Blackbox Theater. Fordham’s only comedy troupe will perform an hour of original student-written sketches. There will be a second show on Saturday.

Freeman 103 8 p.m.

React to Film plans to screen the environmental documentary entitles Virunga. The critically acclaimed film deals with a group of individuals who build a better future for mountain gorillas in the Congo. The film is produced by Leonardo Dicaprio.

The Commuting Students Association is organizing an event, “Ram’s Got Talent.” All those interested are invited to audition in the McGinley Center.

For more campus events, visit FordhamRam.com

Saturday Feb. 14 WAC Love Pies at Pugsley’s Puglsey’s Pizza 1:00 p.m.

The Weekend Activities Committee through CAB is organizing an event with the owner of Pugsley’s Pizza.

Fifteen couples will be invited to make heart shaped love pies with Sal himself.

NEWS

February 11, 2015

Page 3

Faculty to McShane: Revoke CIA Alum’s Honorary Degree FROM BRENNAN, PAGE 1

received the Brien McMahon Award for Distinguished Public Service from Father McShane.

Three years after Brennan was awarded the degree, Rodriguez and seven other Fordham faculty members are calling for its revocation. The faculty group, under the name Fordham Faculty Against Torture (FFAT) have made public a petition that “call[s] upon the university to exercise its moral leadership and reaffirm its guiding principles.” The petition has a threefold purpose: (1) revoking the honorary degree awarded to Mr. Brennan; (2) promoting reflection within the Fordham community on how our university can better live up to the values espoused in its mission statement; and (3) initiating a public dialogue on how, in the wake of the human rights violations committed by our government, we can advance the cause of restorative justice.

“Mr. Brennan is complicit with the war crimes and human rights abuses documented by the Senate,” reads the petition, which has garnered 186 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.

Such “war crimes” include promoting the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, which include acts such as waterboarding, hooding, sleep deprivation and forced stress positions on the grounds that they will yield information vital to national security.

The petition then references a 6,700page report based on the analysis of over 6 million pages of internal CIA documents in which the Central Intelligence Committee concluded that the U.S. torture program had produced no intelligence of any value to national security, which would falsify Brennan’s claim to the contrary.

The office of Father McShane currently declines comment.

“The Fordham Board of Trustees has been advised that a petition is

being circulated and is awaiting its delivery,” said Bob Howe, Fordham Director of Communications.

“Fr. McShane has been very gracious and civil to us so far, quite in keeping with the man I have known for 22 years,” said Dr. David Myers, a member of FFAT and professor of history at Fordham. “We disagree with the university’s decision strongly, even vehemently, but we recognize that we are all part of the Fordham community, and we have a stake in it together” Also in public circulation is a letter to Father McShane from FFAT dated Jan. 29 as a follow-up to a meeting a week earlier.

“This petition is one step toward redressing the wrongs of this situation and educating ourselves and our community about it,” FFAT states.

The letter is signed by Dr. Orlando Rodriguez, professor of sociology and anthropology, Dr. Jeanne Flavin, professor of sociology and anthropology, Dr. Jeannine Hill Fletcher, professor of theology, Dr. Glenn Hendler, associate professor and chair of English, Dr. Bradford Hinze, professor of theology, Dr. James Kim, assistant professor of English, and Dr. David Myers, professor of history.

According to Myers, FFAT met with Fr. McShane after sending him the letter and a draft of the petition.

He proposed to the faculty that he wanted to invite Brennan back to Fordham, but that Brennan would not feel welcome in the face of a petition that called for a revocation of his degree.

“The suggestion was that we hold back on the petition until Mr. Brennan could appear,” Myers said.”

But FFAT was unrelenting. “Our answer was that, while we were and are willing to hear Mr. Brennan and engage in a constructive dialogue with him — we still are! — to have him return without public recogni-

tion of the controversy and conflict surrounding the honorary degree would be more of a celebration than a frank discussion in the name of restorative justice,” Myers said. “So we wrote Fr. McShane to that effect and he responded that he would withdraw the idea.”

“After considerable reflection, we concluded that the kind of dialogue we seek would not be enhanced by Mr. Brennan’s presence,” the letter continues. FFAT seeks to initiate “an extensive academic conversation on such matters as the history of torture, the psychology of torture, the sociology of torture, the politics of torture, theological views on torture and cultural representations of torture” in light of the December CIA torture report.

Among the events planned is a viewing of the film In Our Son’s Name on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m. in Keating First Auditorium. The film depicts the lives of Phyllis and Orlando Rodríguez, parents of one of the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. It also includes a series of “teach-ins” starting on March 24 that will examine how Fordham can uphold its tradition and mission statement in teaching and furthering the cause of human rights.

These events will be spread throughout the semester and will set the stage for greater reflection in the fall.

“Only by acknowledging the fact that harm has been done can a community begin to repair its moral fabric…only by acknowledging the fact that our university erred in awarding an honorary degree to an advocate of torture can Fordham restore its moral integrity,” FFAT expressed to McShane.

During a forty-five-minute news conference in the days following the release of the report, Brennan stated that “CIA officers’ actions did comport with the law and policy should

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Faculty have petitioned for the revocation of Brennan’s honorary degree.

neither be criticized nor conflated with the actions of the few who did not follow the guidance issued.”

“There were no easy answers,” Brennan continued, “and whatever your views are on [enhanced interrogation techniques], our nation and in particular this agency did a lot of things right during this difficult time to keep this country strong and secured.”

But this answer did not fly with Fordham faculty and students.

“John Brennan lost my respect when he abused the power of his office in trying to hide and mislead the senate oversight committee,” Mark Attanasio, GSB ’15, said. “He didn’t follow the law. The CIA should be held accountable to elected civilian leadership.”

FFAT is explicitly concerned with Brennan’s use of the phrase

“enhanced interrogation” in place of torture, “extraordinary rendition” in place of “state-sponsored kidnapping.”

“When things are not called by their proper names, clear reasoning becomes impossible; right and wrong become hopelessly confused, and the pursuit of truth is doomed to fail,” the letter states. “Our petition aims in part to remedy this situation by restoring things to their proper names and clearing a path for fruitful academic inquiry.”

“Our goal, our duty, is to call Fordham back to its mission statement,” said Myers.

“Fordham is committed to research and education that assist in the alleviation of poverty, the promotion of justice, the protection of human rights and respect for the environment.”

Fordham In The Bronx

Fordham Reacts to the Bronx’s Rising Star

MIKE GROLL/ AP

Carl Heastie, a representative of the Bronx , became the Speaker of the New York State Assembly on Feb. 3.

By JEFF COLTIN BRONX CORRESPONDENT

It’s a storyline straight out of a political thriller. The long-serving, well-connected New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was arrested on corruption charges. The State’s lower house was thrown into speculation for less than a week before a media-shy Bronx accountant rose above the other candidates like the clock tower over Grand Concourse.

Just like that, Carl Heastie of Baychester took one of the most powerful seats in New York in an internal vote in Albany on Feb. 3.

That is big news for Bronx native Matt Schwalbenberg, FCRH ’15.

The economics major grew up in Pelham Manor, mere blocks away from Heastie’s district.

“Just to see another person from the Bronx, from that kind of area [being elected] is pretty cool,”

Schwalbenberg said.

In many ways, Heastie (prounced “Hasty”) seems like the anti-Silver.

While the former speaker’s district covered the ultra-powerful and rich Financial District, Heastie represents a solidly middle-class portion of the northeast Bronx with a large African-American population.

Heastie is the first Bronxite and the first African-American to serve as Assembly Speaker.

Schwalbenberg thinks this is good news for his home borough.

“The Bronx never gets equal representation with the other boroughs, so this should help,” he said.

But do not expect it to help too soon, warned Dr. Bruce Berg, professor of political science at Fordham.

“In terms of what he can do for the Bronx as speaker, the Bronx is probably going to have to wait for a while until he solidifies his power base and people are sure he’s going to be there for a while,” Berg said.

Holding the seat could be difficult. Although the 105 Democratic members of the 150-seat Assembly elected Heastie with overwhelming support, some lawmakers have shown reservations about Heastie’s finances.

According to a New York Times Op-Ed, he racked up the third-highest per-diem and travel expenses in the Assembly last year, despite not being a major leader. Additionally, his finances are “at best, sloppy,” with tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt and further tens of thousands of dollars of non-itemized expenses listed in campaign filings.

Despite Heastie’s own troubles, many Capitol-watchers are seeing his election as an opportunity for ethics reform in an Albany long

plagued by scandals, including those of Governor Andrew Cuomo, FCRH ’79.

“Obviously, the Governor appears to be reinvigorated by the Silver debacle,” Berg said.

Cuomo is even threatening not to sign this year’s budget unless Heastie and the Republican Senate Majority Leader, Dean Skelos, LAW ’75, can reach an agreement. But, Berg is not sure the new Speaker is the best man for the job.

“It’s not the Heastie wing of the Assembly that’s traditionally pushing for reform,” he said. “It’s probably the folks who supported somebody other than Heastie for Speaker.”

Still, Bronx politicos are eager to have their man in power. Tim Bouffard, FCRH ’16, works at political fundraising firm Dynamic SRG and attended a Bronx Democratic Party event at Michaelangelo’s the week before Heastie’s election to Speaker.

Bouffard said it was more crowded than in past years, “because of the buzz about Heastie rising to the speaker position, people wanted to see him, people wanted to hear what he had to say.”

Bouffard met the speaker briefly at the event and left optimistic.

“I hope he does well. I hope he gives the Bronx a good name. I’m sure he will.”

NEWS

Page 4

February 11, 2015

Coping with Cuts, Some Clubs Plan for Spring Semester FROM BUDGET, PAGE 1

“But right now we’re really in a period of uncertainty.”

Shull has considered searching for an elected official as a speaker since elected officials cannot accept honorariums. He said it would have been nice just to have something to work with.

“I understand if there’s a lack of resources, and I know we asked for a lot, but to completely gut some clubs,” Shull said. “I don’t understand how that’s necessary.”

Looking for Answers Bilotti is not only the president of the Democrats but serves on the Budget Committee as well. He was present when the decision was made to cut political speakers.

“Usually we get $16-18,000 to play around with,” Bilotti said. “But we had to cut arbitrarily this semester. It is the first time in a number of years not a single political speaker will be paid to come to campus because there was absolutely no money for it.”

As to where the additional money brought in from the increase in the student activities fee this past year went, Billotti named three factors: Fordham University Emergency Medical Services receiving an extra $10,000 this semester, Campus Activities Board receiving more money in the spring semester and the addition of 10 new clubs requesting money. 89 clubs requested Spring 2014 and 77 clubs requested Spring 2015.

“Clubs have gotten better at asking for money,” Bilotti explained.

“They tend to inflate the amount of money they will need for the semester, knowing they will only need a fraction of the amount. The Student Activities Fee increase helped but wasn’t as big as was needed.”

When Bilotti brought up the decision to cut political speakers at the Student Life Council, the decision was not contested.

“Nobody even glanced at it. Nobody even cared, and that’s a shame for the university,” Bilotti said.

Despite the fact that 10 clubs were not allocated funds due to misfiled forms, at the end of the night the budget committee still faced a $45,000 deficit.

“In the end we had to start making arbitrary decisions to cut across the board,” Bilotti said. “If the marketing association wanted to send a group of kids to New Orleans to compete in a competition, we had to cut the number of people allowed to go. We had to cut tee-shirt requests. We cut

in half every single food request for a cultural club. And we cut all political speakers.”

Doing the Math Last week, The Fordham Ram reported some of the data revealed by the Budget Committee’s Report for Spring 2015. In all, more than $759,000 was requested, while there was only $413,890 to distribute.

Of all the requests submitted by almost 80 campus clubs and organizations, 55 percent of requests were approved for Spring 2015.

In Fall 2014, only $222,000 was requested, with nearly 70 percent of all requests being approved by the budget committee, which consists of nine students and a non-voting chair.

This year’s chair is Kara Norton, FCRH ’15. The voting students on the committee include Thomas Roemer, GSB ’16, Anisah Assim, FCRH ’16, Melanie Falk, GSB ’15, Michael Billotti, GSB ’15, Aric Sethre, GSB ’18, Cara O’Brien, GSB ’18, Daniel Stroie, GSB ’17, and Michael Akon, GSB ’17.

The last time the request total surpassed $350,000 was in Spring 2012, when clubs requested nearly $490,000.

Then, in 2012, when the Student Activity Fee was $15 less, only a third of requests received approval.

Grappling With Cuts Fordham Experimental Theatre is one of several groups that did not receive any funding, along with Fordham Flava, Fordham University South Asian Entity, Images, Operation Dreamcatcher, Polish Cultural Exchange, Project Sunshine, Sláinte: Fordham Irish Dance and the Satin Dolls.

FET originally requested $2,318 and was sanctioned 3 percent. It was eventually allocated 0 percent of its requests, according to the budget.

It is one of 12 performing groups on campus, which requested a total of $48,754 for the semester and was approved $34,162, or about 69 percent it requested.

Other groups include Mimes and Mummers — a referendum club that requested and was approved $15,000 — and Ramblers, which requested $3,300 and received nearly 100 percent of that.

“We received an email at the beginning of the semester saying that our budget was approved, but when we went to look at OrgSync, it had been denied for every event,” said Abigail Gibson, FCRH ’16, a member of Fordham Experimental Theatre. “We

have been emailing the budget committee since the beginning of the semester to sort this out, but have yet to be funded.”

“We will be pulling money out of our revenue fund for our one slot show, A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” said Gibson, referring to the fund supported by money received through donations from students and alumni.

“We have begun collection donations at our shows, which have, until now, been free,” she said.

“The group may have to front a lot more money than we usually have to to be able to continue putting on the quality productions we always have,” Gibson added.

Still, she continued, the group plans on going through the appeals process as soon as possible.

Other performing groups, including Fordham Flava and The Satin Dolls, also received no money. They requested $5,550 and $3,484, respectively.

Mimes and Mummers received 44.11 percent of all funding for the 12 performing groups.

Another member of FET, Madeline Hoepf, agreed that running a performance group can be difficult without the necessary funds.

“Working with inconsistent budgets have been difficult at times,” she said.

“We don’t always know if the shows the FET community votes to produce will require hundreds or thousands more than the amount approved,” said Hoepf.

Time for Appeals Some groups already have been proactive about appealing to the budget committee, which hosts weekly meetings where groups can make appeals for additional funding for programs and events. ASILI, Fordham’s black student alliance, requested $735 during the first meeting in February and received the entire sum.

Other groups were not as successful. Circle K was denied funding for two events (the report cited “event does not exist” as reason for denial).

Other groups, including Psychology Club, Ski and Snowboard Club and Students for Environmental Justice and Awareness also were denied funding.

Some clubs, though they received some funding, are still looking for ways to have a successful semester after getting minor cuts to their budgets.

“Last year our budget was actually less than what we were given now, but right now we still have to make up a large sum in order to have our major event in the Spring,” said Marian Asuncion, GSB ’16, president of Fordham University PhilippineAmerican Club.

“I assumed that we would be given around 90 percent this semester as well,” she added.

FUPAC, which requested just under $1,600 for the semester, received 60 percent. One of 11 cultural groups on campus, FUPAC has regular meetings but also puts on an annual spring event, Asuncion said.

At Dagger John’s, Brews Return

This year it is Barrio, a play that club members will write, cast and produce.

“We even tried to include even more documentation and we are currently trying to figure out what funds we can reallocate to our spring event,” Asuncion added. Like FET, the group has decided to reach into its self-generated funds and is beginning efforts to host fundraisers so that it can continue providing authentic cuisine at its events.

“Because it costs a great deal of money to create this authentic Filipino environment, we tend to generally use all of our funding,” Asuncion stated.

Figuring it Out Even so, for some clubs, 60 percent would be a welcome sum.

Slainte: Fordham Irish Dance, which requested $1,575, was not allocated any money for the semester.

“I knew we wouldn’t get a lot in our budget, but I was definitely surprised when we got absolutely nothing,” said Kayla Slattery, FCRH ’16, a member of the group.

The group is one of 20 “special interest” groups on campus. These groups earned a 27 percent chunk of the total Spring 2015 budget.

“We are very disappointed that we weren’t allocated any funding when we specifically pay a fee in our tuition for club purposes,” she said.

“That money should be allocated more evenly to benefit all students and clubs.” Slattery said.

-Katie Meyer contributed reporting.

CHRISTIAN WILOEJO/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Residence Hall Association, RHA Alumni and the Class of 2014 hosted a beer tasting in Dagger John’s on Tuesday, Feb. 10. 70 people attended the event and enjoyed beer trivia along with 5 varieties of beer and one cider.

Campus Briefs & Bites The Legacy of Malcolm X Adressed at Black History Month Conference

OSCLD Announces New Process for Flyer Submission

In honor of Black History Month, the African and African-American studies department cosponsored an event about the personal and social life of Malcolm X on Saturday, Feb. 7. The daylong conference titled “Liberation & the Legacy of Malcolm X Policing, Mass Incarceration and Justice in the 21st Century,” focused on Malcolm X’s experiences in the prison system, and his involvement in and commitment to education and justice. The event, which was held at the Shabazz Memorial Education Center on 165th Street, consisted of keynote speaker James H. Cone, a professor of systematic theology at Union Theological Seminary, and two panel discussions. The panel discussions focused on Malcolm X and the impact of mass incarceration and the liberatory action and politics of the 21st century especially in regards to recent racial issues in the media.

The Office of Student Leadership and Community Development recently announced a new submission process for flyers for clubs and on-campus organizations. Previously, club leaders were required to bring alreadyprinted copies of flyers to the office for approval. OSLCD made the announcement to Fordham clubs through OrgSync on Feb. 6. Club leaders are now required to submit a digital copy of their posters online for approval. After the flyer is approved, a representative of the club must stop by the OSLCD office in McGinley 204 to pick up a printed copy of the stamped flyer. Club leaders will receive a confirmation email once the flyer has been approved, printed and stamped.

Flyers can be submitted through OrgSync through the “Flyer Submission Form.” Club events must already be made as an OrgSync

event to be eligible for the flyer submission.

Prior to approval, the flyer must contain the name of the organization, the title of the activity, admission cost and the date, time and location.

Fordham Students to Participate in Leadership Study The Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) is conducting a study to measure the current paradigm of college student leadership development. To date, MSL is one of the largest college student leadership studies to exist. Fordham University is participating in the study and, as a result, emails have been sent to students from Alanna Nolan, assistant dean for Student Leadership and Community Development, regarding this one. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and consists of questions that will help researchers have a better understand-

ing of leadership roles and development on college campuses. Specifically, the survey addresses the educational needs of students and identifies the elements of different colleges and universities that facilitate the development of leadership and confidence in students. Fordham is currently participating in MSL’s new three-year data collection plan. The data collection will end in the year 2018. Every five days of not completing the survey, the same email relaying the same information is sent. Participation in the survey results in automatical eligibility for $5,000 in prizes including drawings for two $500 gift cards,10 $250 gift cards at $250 and 15 $100 gift cards. In addition, students from Fordham University will put in a drawing for an iPad Mini or $100 Gift Card.

- Compiled by Cailin McKenna and Erin Shanahan, Assisitant News Editors

NEWS

February 11, 2015

Page 5

Seven Athletes Inducted into Fordham Hall of Fame

By AKASH BHATIA STAFF WRITER

Seven new athletes were inducted to the Fordham University Hall of Fame at a ceremony that took place on Saturday. The athletes will join an exclusive group that includes Vin Scully, Frankie Frisch, Peter Harnisch and Vince Lombardi.

The new Hall of Fame inductees included Erin Brooks, GSB ’04, who played softball, Dominique Liguori Damian, FCRH ’09, who played tennis, and Marcus Stout, GSB ’08, who played basketball. Kevin Sullivan, GSB ’74, who played water polo, and Marcus Taylor, GSB ’07, who played football were also honored. In addition, two former track and field runners, Mark Porcaro, FCRH ’04, and Matthew DiBuono, FCRH ’09, were inducted.

The ceremony began with a short introduction from the Director of Athletics Dave Roach and Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., President of the University. They announced other notables who were present at the ceremony. This included Robert Fairfield, director of athletic development and associate director of athletics, members of the Hall of Fame selection committee and members of the Student-Athlete Advisory committee.

The master of ceremonies was Michael Kay, play-by-play broadcaster for the New York Yankees and host of “The Michael Kay Show.”

Kay began the ceremony simply, saying that, “Seven people that have played for Fordham will now forev-

er be part of the Hall of Fame.”

The first person to be inducted was Matt DiBuono, who won five Atlantic 10 titles and set the school record for hammer throw and 35 lb. weight throw. DiBuono was unable to attend, so Tom Dewey, the track and field coach, accepted the award on his behalf.

Next was Erin Brooks, who “excelled on and off the field,” as she was awarded Academic All-American honors twice. Brooks set the Fordham record for runs scored in a season as she led the Fordham softball team to its first ever 30-win season in 2003.

Third was Dominique Liguori, who had a 57-4 career singles record, including an unbeaten streak during her final two years. She was also First Team All-American in 2007 and 2009. Kay said “To make this even more special, Bette-Ann and Dominique Liguori just became the first mother-daughter in the Fordham Hall of Fame. That is some strong Fordham DNA.” The next athlete to be inducted was Marcus Stout, who is sixth on the Fordham all-time men’s basketball scoring list. Stout was also a twotime team captain.

Kevin Sullivan was a valuable member for both the water polo and swimming squads. As described by Kay, “Despite not having played the sport before arriving at Fordham, Sullivan led the team to four straight Eastern Championship appearances.”

Marcus Taylor was described as a top defensive player for the Ford-

KELLYN SIMPKINS/THE FORDHAM RAM

This past Saturday, Feb. 7, seven fomer Fordham athletes were honored and inducted into the Fordham Hall of Fame.

ham football team. Some of his accolades include 2006 All-American and Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year. He was a team captain for two years as well. Taylor brought up both of his beautiful daughters to the stage with him as he accepted the induction in a touching moment.

The final player to be inducted was Mark Porcaro, who was the team MVP four times. Porcaro holds the Fordham 400m indoor record. Porcaro was asked to speak for the entire inductee class.

“How grateful and honored I am to be here today and represent this talented group of individuals,” Por-

caro said. “I really speak for all my inductees when I say Fordham is home to us.”

Many athletes thanked their families. Taylor said his mother always supported him, as she told him, “Family first. Treat everyone how you want to be treated and never stop competing.” Dominique Liguori also had kind words for her mother, saying she “Recognized my talents at an early age and guided me.”

Others wanted to thank their teammates, coaches, and most importantly. “The Fordham Jesuit principles, especially men and wom-

en for others, gave me the direction and courage I needed,” Brooks said.

“The people I met at Fordham were truly a gift from God. They prepared me for the steps ahead,” Sullivan said.

“We all have a gift to don the black F and set the world on fire. We will always be welcome home and proud to be rams,” Porcaro said.

Following the ceremony, the Hall of Famers attended the men’s basketball game between Fordham and Saint Louis, a game that was televised on NBC Sports network. The Hall of Fame class was introduced to the crowd at halftime.

‘Bronx Bankers’ Head to International Competition

KELLYN SIMPKINS/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Four Gabelli seniors are headed to the Risk Management Challenge to compete against teams from around the globe.

By CAILIN MCKENNA & ERIN SHANAHAN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS

Four Gabelli School of Business finance majors are headed to Minneapolis to defend their title as international champions of the Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA)’s Risk Management Challenge.

“The Bronx Bankers” — Chris McCloskey, GSB ’15, Blake Rodriguez, GSB ’15, Neal Suhkia, GSB ’15 and Stephen Hearn, GSB ’15 — will compete on March 6 with five other

teams from around the globe.

The goal of the PRMIA Risk Management Challenge (PRMC) is to provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to solve real-life business problems with a risk management focus. The competition aims to develop and strengthen professional and social relationships between students and members of the professional community.

PRMIA allows students to sign up for a yearly membership and attend meetings, webinars and other learning and networking opportunities. As a freshman, Rodriguez joined

PRMIA on his own. After learning about the Risk Management Challenge, he and his three teammates decided to give it a shot and signed up under the name “The Bronx Bankers.”

The challenge has offered the team opportunities from beyond the traditional setting of a classroom. “We have been able to meet some amazing people, hear the perspectives of leading risk-focused academics and learn from a different perspective than the norm,” Rodriguez said.

Before the team could qualify for the championship for a second time they had to win a regional final. “The

Bronx Bankers” submitted a twopage summary of how they would approach a case focused on the China Risk Finance organization (CRF).

Their job was to outline the major issues that a business such as CRF could face in the Chinese market.

This included issues such as macroeconomics, the Chinese saving market, predictive outputs and a system for implementation.

Once their summary was accepted, the team formed a comprehensive recommendation for CRF and presented its solution at the New York regional competition. Each of the 18 teams that competed in the Jan. 24 regional competition made a twenty-minute presentation followed by a ten-minute Q&A session.

“The Bronx Bankers” came out on top and secured their spot in the international challenge.”

The regional event posed some difficulties for the team, which they say will better prepare them for the March 6 challenge. Many of the topics were completely beyond the realm of daily coursework and internships, and required the team to improvise, Hearn said. The final regional presentation was delivered to over 100 industry professionals and students, which has prepared the team for their upcoming international presentation.

These Gabelli undergraduates are the first from Fordham to make it to the international level of competition. However, MBA and MS in Quantitative Finance teams have competed at the regional level.

Both the regional competition and last year’s international competition provided the team with experience outside of the Gabelli curriculum.

“The topics of the competition were completely foreign to us, so it was a great experience to learn about something that we have limited experience with already,” Hearn said.

“As fourth years, variety is very much welcome,” he added.

Additionally, the opportunity to meet and learn from the industry leaders and professionals about many of the most important issues in the market continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of the competition for the team.

“The Bronx Bankers,” whose team name is a reference to the New York Yankees, hope that they can stand as a reminder of the success that can sprout from the Bronx. They also hope to share their unique experiences in and outside of Hughes Hall with other business students. The experiences the team has had in the classroom rival the extracurricular opportunities they have been afforded.

“We have all been fortunate enough to hold various outside internships and have competed in multiple case competitions of this sort,” Suhkia said. “We have found the combination of these experiences with Gabelli courses to be incredible.”

In Minneapolis next month, the team is hoping for an intriguing case and to maintain its title as international champions. Teammates also hope to use their experiences from the classroom at this competition to spread the Gabelli name.

“This is an incredible opportunity to represent the Gabelli School of Business. We look forward to the opportunity to meet competing students and further the Gabelli name,” McCloskey said.

NEWS

Page 6

February 11, 2015

Luxury Housing Set to Reside On Arthur Ave FROM HOUSING, PAGE 1

nities, including a gym and rec room, a 4,000-square-foot outdoor terrace and even “specialized vending machines” stocked with fresh food, Zanzuri said. In addition, the company is investing in a $400,000 security system for the building. Apartments will range from studios to three-bedroom units, and all will be completely furnished.

“It’s strictly student housing. It’s luxurious,” said Zanzuri.

“We’re bringing something fresh and vibrant to students.”

Although the actual pricing is still undetermined and subject to shifts in the housing market, Zanzuri said that rents should be comparable to the current rents of other apartments in Belmont — about $850-$1000 per bed.

Before beginning the project, AB Capstone completed extensive market research on the housing stock in Belmont. Although Artù Viale represents the company’s first foray into student housing, they concluded that a brandnew development for students in the neighborhood would be a feasible venture.

“We realized that Fordham University needs it,” said Zanzuri. “There’s enough students off campus that they need something a little bit safer, a little bit more secure, a little bit newer, so that’s what we’re offering.”

In addition to new student residences, Artù Viale will also create more retail space and bring in new businesses as a result.

Although some businesses have already expressed interest in moving into the space, AB Capstone has not confirmed any tenants yet. Zanzuri stated that the company will try to rent to businesses that fit the unique character of Arthur Avenue.

“We don’t want to create bad competition for our neighbors,” he said. “The neighborhood needs to be able to support it.”

The community reactions to Artù Viale have been positive so far, especially since it will replace a long-abandoned building on Belmont’s main thoroughfare.

“The entire community has been very, very happy to see that building go,” Zanzuri said.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Anna Cutugnino, who works at Tino’s Deli, across the street from the project. “I think it’s going to be good also for the business … but not only for Tino’s Deli, I think for all the businesses and for the neighborhood itself. It’s going to look more inviting.”

Students, too, have expressed excitement about the project.

For Kate FitzSimons, FCRH ’17, the idea of an off-campus building where students can gather — both those who live there and those who don’t — sounds ap-

MATTHEW MOORE/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Artù Viale, a new housing project, plans to offer Fordham students luxury housing on Arthur Avenue.

pealing.

“It’s kind of like a school away from school that’s not actually affiliated with your school, and I see that as being really attractive,” she said. “There’s nothing really around here that I can think of off the top of my head that’s like that.”

Gaby Gutierrez, FCRH ’15, points out that many students’ attitudes toward Belmont are changing, making them more likely to move off campus into something like Artù Viale.

“Generally, the neighborhood

is getting safer, or the perception at least is changing,” she said.

Artù Viale may also have a ripple effect on the local housing market. Currently, many landlords and management companies market their buildings to students. Rafael Labour, a real estate agent at LandSeAir Real Estate Group on Arthur Avenue, points out that the many amenities the new development will offer could cause other landlords to update their units to stay competitive.

“It’s going to bring up the caliber of units that you see in this

KELLYN SIMPKINS/ THE FORDHAM RAM

For Gabelli sophomores, a yearlong integrated project concluded with the annual “Consulting Cup,” in which the team representing Ralph Lauren took first place.

Team Ralph Lauren Secures Gabelli Consulting Cup

By AKASH BHATIA STAFF WRITER

A team representing Ralph Lauren won the finals of the Consulting Cup on Wednesday. The Consulting Cup is an event in which sophomores give presentations in which they provide solutions to major business challenges faced by various Fortune 500 companies. Only six teams were left in the final round of competition.

The winning team included Hugh Lagrotteria, GSB ’17, Luke Ariotto, GSB ’17, Kirk Haynes, GSB ’17, Natalie Malicki, GSB ’17, Rachel Myers, GSB ’17, and Allie Pushkarsh, GSB ’17.

All finalists were competing for a chance at $1000 in prize money and the opportunity to become a part of Fordham history. This year also saw the introduction of a physical cup on which the names of the winners from this year and the previous

three years will be engraved.

All teams impressed judges with polished, well-rehearsed arguments and slideshows. “One of the biggest goals I had for this semester was to improve my public speaking. Professor Ball totally revolutionized how I speak and I fed off my teammates’ enthusiasm and energy,” Lagrotteria, who was voted Best Speaker overall and the MVP of the winning team, said.

Each group also did an excellent job of reminding the audience of the dangerous waters its company was in. The winning team, which was assigned Ralph Lauren, began its presentation with teammates looking at their wrists as if they were checking the time and with a clock ticking in the background. They were demonstrating how the lack of Ralph Lauren’s presence in the Chinese luxury goods market was costing the company every second.

Some teams presented with flair.

The McDonald’s team used bold and dramatic statements, such as “the golden arches are starting to tip,” to warn the audience about the company’s pitfalls.

Other groups made an effort to be socially conscious in their presentations. One of the two groups that presented on Mattel provided statistics on the childhood obesity trend in America to illustrate the need for a product that combines activity and video games. The presentation on Coca-Cola included chilling facts about water shortage as they suggested the Company should have a product that combines Coca-Cola products and a Keurig. “We are trying to be equally socially conscious, as [well as] economically conscious,” Nazifa Nasim, GSB ’17, a member of the Coca-Cola team, said.

All groups made a distinct effort to account for changes in the marketplace. The other Mattel team em-

phasized that the early maturity of children due to electronics required the company to incorporate technology into their products. The McDonald’s team acknowledged the millennial generation’s obsessions with technology and called for an app that allowed customers to order with customization and sustainability in mind.

The team that represented Staples focused on accounting for the new technological landscape.

They wanted to counteract their company’s declining revenue and stock price by creating a presence in the 3-D printing industry. “It was a journey getting to that idea. We had reached a dead end with a lot of other ideas until Connor found an article about 3-D printing in the medical field and we wanted to explore that further,” Julia Cassano, GSB ’17, said.

Students claimed that the competition also provided them with

neighborhood,” he said.

With rents and the cost of building skyrocketing across the city, affordable Bronx neighborhoods like Belmont represent a golden opportunity for developers like AB Capstone, and Zanzuri noted that Belmont may see more new buildings in the near future.

“Development is going to continue for one main reason: because people have no other place affordably to buy something,” he said. “So you are going to see a lot of things going on in the next couple of years.” team-building experience. “Natalie Malicki had the idea of doing a team pyramid for our first picture.

That set the tone for friendship first and classwork second. We had great chemistry the whole semester and that allowed us to critique each other,” Lagrotteria said.

Both Lagrotteria and Cassano emphasized how being close friends with their teammates allowed them to be honest with each other and critique freely.

It was not all fun and games, however. “We decided to have a goal and map out what we would accomplish before our meetings. This was especially important for our team, since we were all student-athletes, and scheduling was tough,” Lagrotteria said.

Other groups had a similar mentality. “We set up meeting times early in the semester. We orchestrated a weekly meeting; it kept everyone on the same page,” Cassano said. “We would discuss current and future plans. Setting that initial meeting time set us on a good path.”

The judges announced the top three finishers. RUD Mattel finished in third place, RUI McDonald’s was second and RUA Ralph Lauren won the competition.

Team members also voted for the MVP of their team. Hugh Lagrotteria, FCRH ’17, was MVP of RUA Ralph Lauren. Julia Cassano, FCRH ’17, was MVP of RUK Staples.

Marco Congello, GSB ’17, was the MVP of RUD Mattel. Finally, Vinson Lai, GSB ’17, was voted MVP of RUI McDonald’s. RUI Coca-Cola had two winners, Beatrice Craycraft, GSB ’17, and Nazifa Nasim, GSB ’17, as did RUL Mattel, whose MVPs were Nicole Avella, GSB ’17, and Sanford Hoang, GSB ’17.

The audience was given the opportunity to electronically vote for the best speaker, and chose Lagrotteria of the winning Ralph Lauren team.

February 11, 2015

OPINION

Page 7

The Fordham Ram

College Ratings System Skews Toward the Elite

By TYLER J. DIKUN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

How often have we been reminded about the rising cost of attending a four-year university?

An annual six percent increase in tuition has created the sad, yet commonplace problem of graduates having to work off thousands of dollars in student loans at a time when landing a well-paying job has become increasingly difficult.

Now, more than ever, picking the right college requires knowledge of the potential return on investment. Parents, as well as those students who must foot the bill themselves, must be assured they are not simply paying for a meaningless degree.

This need is especially evident in cases like the lost generation of the late 2000s (the height of the recession) in which 60 percent of college graduates could not find a full-time job in their career fields.

They did not invest over $200,000 to come out of college waiting tables. At the tail end of this great recession, President Obama has now called for a new ranking system for American colleges and universities.

Just last month, the Obama administration made public its plan to measure the strength of a university based on graduation rate, debt after graduating and postgraduation success. Those schools

REED SAXON/AP

A potential college rankings system should take the needs of disadvantaged students into consideration.

that receive a high rating will be granted more student aid than those who receive a low rating.

The president’s intention is clear: the American people need to be well-informed in all aspects before making such an expensive decision. After all, the average American begins preparing for their child’s college education years before deciding on a school. Just as a collegiate athlete might choose the program he or she believes will best propel him or her into the professional ranks, the average

student must think in this exact manner. Quite simply, it is no longer enough to just earn a college degree; the world is far too competitive. The new rating system proposed by President Obama fills an existing void in the decision process for millions of prospective college students nationwide. The problem lies in the logistics of this new plan.

As president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, Michael J. Lomax alludes to some of the problems in his Op-ed titled

“A Proposed Federal College Rating System Could Hurt Disadvantaged Students.” According to his article, it is fundamentally wrong to group all of the more than 7,000 American colleges into one category for comparison. A college with a student body made up of disadvantaged students cannot be compared with an elite college of students who are more privileged.

The government does not have the right to reduce financial aid to a university or college for accepting students who may have been born

into a difficult environment.

This then manifests the need for colleges and universities to raise admission standards and ultimately drive out the less fortunate. In a time when the gap between the rich and poor is expanding, the president’s rating system appears to be adding fuel to a growing economic disparity.

As students of Fordham University, we understand too well the cost of going to a top-tier university. Yet, we also understand that being situated in New York City, with all of its teeming opportunities, is priceless.

I would surmise that if this new rating system goes into effect, Fordham would be minimally affected as a high-ranking university.

It is those schools that are comprised mainly of disadvantaged students that may lose vital financial aid. America’s higher education system is flawed, but the answer does not lie in punishing those institutions whose statistics are reflected as less than favorable based on those who attend them.

Earning a college degree is crucial in our present-day society if we want to climb the economic ladder.

Taking this privilege away from anyone is not the solution.

Tyler J. Dikun, FCRH ’18, is undecided in his major from Wycoff, New Jersey.

Ban on Hard Liquor Flimsy Shot at Curbing Sexual Assault

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE FORDHAMRAM

The enactment of Dartmouth’s new rules would ban hard liquor everywhere on campus, including Greek houses.

By OLIVIA BALSAMO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Jan. 29, Dartmouth College President Philip J. Hanlon made waves with his announcement to begin curbing dangerous behavior on campus, beginning with a ban on hard liquor, forbidding pledging at fraternities and sororities and requiring all students to undergo a four-year sexual violence prevention program.

In addition to Hanlon, senior media relations officer Amy Olsen has offered her perspective, stating, “policy and enforcement are highly correlated with a substantial reduction in consumption and many fewer negative consequences,” and administrators “are especially concerned with the high risks posed by over

consumption of hard alcohol and believe this is a responsible step to deal with this risk.”

When you graze the surface of this ban, it seems as though this is a valiant attempt on Hanlon’s part to keep students safe. Dig a little deeper, however, and its hypocrisy is increasingly clear.

The recently elected president introduced these sweeping changes at a rather convenient time, as Dartmouth is one of many schools currently under investigation by the Department of Education for a failure to properly combat on-campus sexual assaults.

In his supposed effort to ignite conversation about sexual violence, President Hanlon has unintentionally unveiled a dirtier question: why are college admin-

istrators only beginning to care about sexual assault now that they have been caught doing nothing about it?

Hanlon’s ban on hard liquor and his administration’s feigned concern are useless attempts to curb sexual assault.

The ban has a host of problems, the first being that students will always find access to plenty of resources besides hard liquor to intoxicate themselves. Secondly, students will without a doubt never follow the ban’s regulations — and why should they ever be expected to?

In the award-winning documentary “The Ivory Tower,” director Andrew Rossi highlights one of the most pressing issues in American universities: their presentation. On Dartmouth’s web-

site, the school boasts prestigious opportunities for education, successful legacies and millions of dollars in endowments. However, that is not the only aspect of college in which students are interested. Students have become less interested in academics, and more interested in achieving what has been dubbed “the college experience:” wild nights, drunken parties, sexual experimentation, and best of all, freedom from a parent’s watchful eye.

New York Times writer Richard Péréz-Peña notes, “despite Dartmouth’s prominence as a member of the Ivy League, experts say not to expect many institutions, if any, to follow its lead,” for a multitude of reasons. Students will seek other places to consume hard liquor, such as binge drinking off campus.

Secondly, and most important, is the ever-pervasive concept that “kids will be kids” — the expectation that once you are in college, you are bound to drink yourself into oblivion. Therefore, university administrators might as well make campus as safe as possible so students can do just that.

Alcohol has become an advertising lure for universities across the U.S., including Fordham.

“Colleges do advertise their party scene to you, but do it somewhat subtly,” says Cory Huff, FCRH ’18. “Rather than blatantly stating that they have a lot of drinking, they might advertise that students ‘get really into their sports,’ or ‘re-

ally love supporting their school.’

Come on.”

Additionally, she states that Fordham is one of those schools that has chosen not to advertise the option of sobriety on campus: “There are not many options for students who choose not to drink. What about the people who just want to dance? Or have 50s themed movie nights? People who want to cook? You can do those things, but you’re on your own with it.”

Huff continued, “Alcohol may make sexual assault perhaps more of a possibility, because of the victim’s or assailant’s altered state, but alcohol is not the reason that sexual assault occurs. Ultimately, campuses will remain the same.”

Fellow classmate Kate Burns, FCRH ’18, agrees, stating “a ban on alcohol and drug consumption will not alleviate problems at all, and sexual assault will more than likely continue as well.”

The problems that Hanlon is trying to conquer are not entirely the consequences of alcohol consumption — the problem is with administrators for placing the blame of sexual assault on the drinking culture, for ignoring bad behavior until they fall under scrutiny, and for expecting radical change to occur country-wide, when the repercussions are on their shoulders.

Olivia Balsamo, FCRH ’18, is an English major from Ridgefield, Connecticut.

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.

FordhamRam.com Advertising: (718) 817-4379 Executive: (718) 817-4380 Fax: (718) 817-4319 theram@fordham.edu Fordham University - Station 37 Box B Bronx, NY 10458

Editor-in-Chief Joe Vitale Managing Editor Katie Meyer Copy Chief Robert Frerich Assistant Copy Chief Sydney Keen Executive Copy Editors Katie Nolan Max Prinz Michael Cavanaugh Canton Winer Kelly Kultys News Editor Laura Sanicola Assistant News Editors Erin Shanahan Cailin McKenna Opinion Editor Margarita Artoglou Assistant Opinion Editor Kristen Santer Culture Editors Nicole Horton & Amanda Giglio Sports Editor Anthony Pucik Assistant Sports Editors Sam Belden & Drew Casey Photo Editor Casey Chun Assistant Photo Editors Kellyn Simpkins Christian Wiloejo Layout Editor Mae Drucker Digital Editor Blaine Kaniewski Anna Carey Amanda Maile Business Director Mike Krzysko Business Staff Ryan Chand Faculty Advisor Dr. Beth Knobel Editorial Page Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorials and ramblings are selected on a weekly basis and reflect the editorial board’s view on a campus issue.

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

February 11, 2015

From the Desk | Christian Wiloejo

High Ram Van Costs Detract From Fordham’s Allure Fordham University is located in one of the most prominent cities in the world. With a campus located in the Bronx, on Fordham Road, and another in Manhattan, on 60th Street near Lincoln Center, Fordham University created an inter-campus transportation system for students called the Ram Van. Many students at the campus in the Bronx want a convenient way to go into the city. The Ram Van transportation service is the solution.

However, the quality of the Ram Van is not as good as expected. The vans they use are old fashioned, not maintained properly and lack comfort. Students are given tickets for Ram Van rides to classes at opposite campuses or college-credited internships.

However, other students who want to use this service have to pay a fee of $3.50 per trip.

Considering the amount of money we have to pay for tuition as students, the trip to the city should be free, or at least cheaper

than the current price. This is especially relevant to international students like me, because many can not receive any scholarships, unlike a large number of our peers.

According to USAToday, “Nationally, regular unleaded gasoline currently averages about $2.12 a gallon, down 46 cents from just four weeks ago and $1.01 cheaper than year-ago levels.” As gas prices go down, the price of a Ram Van ticket should do the same.

There is no reason for Fordham to keep the price of its intercampus transportation as high as it is currently.

As more and more students want to travel between the Bronx and Manhattan, Fordham must realize that intercampus transportation is something it has to prioritize.

The necessity derives from the fact that having both a traditional campus and a close proximity to the city is part of Rose Hill’s allure. Fordham consistenly re-

minds us of this through their repetition of “New York is my campus. Fordham is my school.”

How can we enjoy our campus, as the slogan states, if our limited budgets as students prevents us from exploring it?

Furthermore, considering that there are better transportation options that students are able to use, such as the subway and the Metro North, the university should try to make the Ram Van the best possible method of transportation to and from Manhattan by improving the quality of service. The Metro North, in comparison to the Ram Van, is much more comfortable and the price is not that much different.

Looking at that alone, the Metro North is a better option for students to use to go to the city.

Considering all this, the university should consider making the Ram Van free for students. If that is not possible, due to the high cost of operating the Ram Van service, Fordham should at least make the price of tickets cheaper.

Fordham Univeristy is one of the most expensive colleges in the United States and should share the wealth from the profits gained from students’ tuition.

If Fordham refuses to step up its game when it comes to intercampus transportation, it could lose its appeal of having the best of both worlds.

Prospective and current students alike could be turned off by the high cost and lackluster quality of the Ram Van in its current state. Indeed, it should be a top priority.

Editorial | CIA

Taking a Stand Against Torture In response to the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Torture Report, a group of Fordham faculty members has called on the university to revoke the honorary degree it granted to Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Brennan, FCRH ’77, due to his involvement with, and defense of, government torture programs.

The petition specifically calls for the revocation of the honorary degree, as well as further dialogue regarding the relationship between Fordham’s mission statement and human rights issues. At press time, it was signed by over 215 faculty members, and the number will likely grow in coming days.

It is no secret that the United States government detained and tortured prisoners illegally following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Still, members of the Fordham community —

including students, professors, administrators and alumni — should not take lightly the Senate report that confirmed these truths, as well as the program’s connection to a prominent Fordham alumnus.

The report links Brennan to what it called “enhanced interrogation techniques.” The types of torture the government used, ranging from water-boarding to sleep deprivation, forced stress positions to hooding, are all forms of dehumanizing treatment that violated the basic human rights of detainees. Brennan, along with other members of the government who were in support of such practices, supposed that torture would yield information necessary for national security.

But the Senate report released in December — along with many critics of the practice — argues otherwise: torture has provided little information of use to the

government.

The fact that the CIA engaged in these practices, skewed the facts and continues to defend such practices should trouble every American citizen. It also should trouble every member of the Fordham community that one of the main figures behind such a program received an honorary degree from the university.

Along with the petition, the group released a letter it sent to Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, following a meeting with the president regarding the topic. McShane, the letter said, suggested that the group propose a dialogue about the issue before calling on the university to take back Brennan’s degree.

The administrators they met with suggest that the petition “would obstruct academic dialogue.”

In the letter, however, faculty

Ramblings Earlier this week, Harvard formally banned sexual relations between professors and students.

The ban has received mixed responses from the Ivy League school’s student body and the staff. While some believe that this is a necessary step in preventing inappropriate behavior, some believe that Harvard is overstepping its boundaries and that the students’ and profesors’ private lives should remain as such.

The ban itself seems unnecessary, as there is already an unspoken taboo against professors engaging in sexual activity with

students in their classes.

However, after a course has ended, it does not seem to be within the rights of a university to limit the personal relationships of legal adults.

Students in college are usually above the age of consent. In addition, colleges, especially one like Harvard, which is exempt from religious affiliations, has no basis for enforcing a moral code on its students and staff. This is not to encourage sexual relations between teacher and student.

Rather, it is the principle of the ban that is worrisome. Rules like

these set a precendent that have the ability to lead to a slippery slope when it comes to the authority of an institution to make decisions on behalf of those it employs and enrolls.

Student-professor relationships are not a problem at Harvard. The ban clearly infringes on a basic liberty, no matter how inappropriate it may be.

While colleges may enjoy coddling the student body, they must recognize and respect the choices that its students and faculty make, regardless of the decisions’ suitability.

members reject this suggestion, saying they plan to proceed with a dialogue while pursuing a revocation of the degree. We support this response. The petition can and will facilitate further dialogue about the issue and encourage students to take part in a campus discussion, to whatever magnitude that is.

For the most part, the documents released by the group are scant on details in terms of what a school dialogue would entail.

They suggested it would include an “extended ethical discussion” covering a range of fields that deal with torture.

Whether this entails speakers or presentations, department events or protests, students should put pressure on as many faculty members as possible to further this cause and encourage other students to support an academic dialogue regarding the pressing issue.

Have an opinion about our editorial?

Send an email to fordhamramletters@ gmail.com Your response may be in our next print issue.

— The Editorial Board

OPINION

February 11, 2015

Page 9

Warren: Good for Country (and Clinton)

By CANTON WINER

Who is Responsible for Twitter Trolls?

STAFF WRITER

I am not ready for Hillary.

Don’t get me wrong: I’ll almost definitely vote for Clinton, should she win the Democratic nomination.

But, I’ll also almost definitely avoid voting for her in the Democratic Primary — and it is beginning to look like I am not alone.

A growing number of Democrats are not sold on Clinton, and understandably so. She has essentially been running for president for over a decade, yet her supporters have yet to articulate why anyone should support her, besides her supposed “inevitability.”

Inevitability is not enough. If you’ll remember, Clinton was also the “inevitable” Democratic nominee in 2008 — and we all know how that turned out.

In fact, a viable Democratic alternative to Clinton is already emerging.

In recent months, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s name has been blazing upon headlines across the nation. Wielding her signature straight-talking style, Warren is reshaping the political landscape, putting forward her bold, fresh, progressive vision for our economy.

Warren’s strong advocacy for the middle class — she is one of a small collection of prominent politicians actually talking about how to combat income inequality — has earned her a small but growing following. While she has repeatedly denied that she is planning to run in 2016, Warren is facing increased calls from progressives around the nation to run.

Warren is gaining an impressive amount of clout. The Wall Street Journal attributed her influence to the surprisingly progressive tone of President Obama’s 2015 State of

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP

Senator Elizabeth Warren and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton might face off in the 2016 elections.

the Union Address last month. In fact, the Journal has even suggested that Warren’s focus on middle- and working-class interests has made Republican presidential contenders (including Rand Paul, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Scott Walker) “eager to test-drive a middle- and workingclass economic agenda as they hit the campaign trail.”

If Warren’s ideas are so powerful that even leading Republicans are starting to emulate them, then why are establishment Democrats so scared?

In a nutshell, Warren is showing that Clinton is not nearly as “inevitable” as the Democratic Party establishment would have you believe.

Talking heads around the country want you to forget that they were wrong in 2007 and hope that you will sleepily accept that they are correct today. Political commentators like to say that the parties have become more polarized, that the Democrats have shifted to the left and the Republicans to the right. This is patently false.

In reality, the Democrats and the Republicans have both shifted economically toward the right and to-

ward Wall Street (though the Republicans generally cozy-up much more aggressively to moneyed interests).

As of late, both parties have failed to address the growing problems of average Americans. If Warren runs for president, she can reorient the national conversation so that both parties will work to address runaway income inequality.

Clinton supporters will try to argue that Warren has no chance. According to a February Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll, 56 percent of likely Iowa caucus-goers name Clinton as their first choice. Only 16 percent name Warren as their first choice. (Keep in mind, Warren has repeatedly said she does not plan to run, and her numbers would likely swell if she declared.)

Still, Warren was the only Democratic candidate who made gains in the latest Des Moines Register poll.

Furthermore, at this point in the 2008 nomination process, a Times Union/ Siena College Poll placed Clinton’s support at 45 percent and Obama’s at 12 percent. The sands can shift quickly and decisively in national politics.

Clinton supporters will also claim

that a contested primary will damage the eventual Democratic candidate, no matter who emerges victorious.

This is incredibly deceptive. Contested primaries can actually benefit the party by forcing the candidates to persuasively communicate what they believe in and why voters should care.

Currently, the only solid reason to vote for Clinton is because… well, who else is there?

A Warren presidential run would force Clinton to articulate her platform, which would actually benefit Clinton, and would likely encourage Clinton to shift away from Wall Street and other Big Money clubs and begin advocating for average Americans.

“Hillary the Inevitable” was a headline from 2007. Unless Clinton can prove her progressive mettle, this headline will be as wrong in 2016 as it was eight years ago. “Elizabeth Warren for President” may be the best headline Clinton supporters could hope for.

Canton Winer, FCRH ’15, and former Managing Editor of the Fordham Ram, is an American studies and sociology major from West Palm Beach, Florida.

Does ‘Fifty Shades’ Glamorize Domestic Abuse?

By MARGARITA ARTOGLOU OPINION EDITOR

Fifty Shades of Grey is the movie of the moment that everyone is talking about. The film is set to come out on Feb. 13, although it is being marketed as a Valentine’s Day film.

Unfortunately, there is a lot to this so-called love story that is not romantic at all. The book on which the movie is based, which was a bestseller, has been praised for helping women to own their sexuality. At the same time, the series has come under fire for romanticizing and normalizing domestic abuse. So which is it? Is Fifty Shades a love story or a dangerous misconception of love?

According to a study published in the Journal of Women’s Health, 25 percent of survey participants who admitted to reading Fifty Shades of Grey were found more likely to have engaged in an abusive relationship.

Experts believe that the behavior displayed in the book influenced the acceptance of real-life abuse. Professor Amy Bonomi of Michigan State University notes that the main character and narrator of the saga, Anastasia, “begins to manage her behavior to keep peace in the relationship, which is something we see in abused women. Over time, she loses her identity [and] becomes disempowered and entrapped.”

These findings are troubling. Fifty

Kathryn Wolper

JEFFREY M. BOAN/AP

Fifty Shades of Grey’s author, E.L. James, did not foresee the controversy.

Shades of Grey is being marketed as the biggest romance of the year, but manipulation can be seen throughout. Anastasia often does not initially consent to the advances made

by Christian Grey, her love interest. Though she clearly says “no,” Christian presses on, until Anastasia comes to the conclusion that she really did want it after all.

Everything about this kind of exchange is toxic. It feeds the “she just needs to be convinced” mentality and detracts from the “no means no” message that sexual educators have been trying to instill. It validates the behaviors of rapists who carry on with unwanted advances even after getting a clear “no” and blurs the

lines of what domestic abuse looks like.

When some scenes of dialogue from the books are isolated, it seems impossible that Christian is being hailed as the romantic lead of the century. Protesters of the film have been using Twitter to post snippets of conversations and quotes from Christian that exemplify the way a rapist or abuser might speak to a victim. He yells at Anastasia, calls her names, hurts her feelings, buys her things in lieu of an apology and insists she take his name when they marry despite her wishes to keep her own name. When she gets a new job, Christian buys the company to ensure he can always keep an eye on

her. These are classic signs of abuse.

Fifty Shades of Grey had the potential to be a sex-positive book, but when evaluating the story as a whole, not just the sex scenes, it becomes clear that the relationship the story centers on is filled with abuse.

It glamorizes unhealthy relationship practices by completely disregarding the idea that people in a relationship should solve their problems by communicating. Instead, Anastasia takes the blame for all their issues and takes it upon herself to fix them.

“While Christian and Anastasia’s relationship is being cast as sexually liberating for women,” Bonomi says, “in fact, it is entrapping them further through the abuse standards being perpetuated in the book.”

Social media campaigns have been inspired, including #50dollarsnot50shades, which urges potential movie-goers to donate money to a women’s shelter rather than spend it on seeing the film in theaters. Despite the efforts of boycotting campaigns, however, people are going to see Fifty Shades of Grey, and millions of people have already read the books. Fans of the books and film should be cautious not to confuse romanticized violence with actual romance.

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

Most Twitter users are aware of the prevalence of “trolls.” Twitter abuse ranges from incessant tweets by users begging celebrities to notice them to harmful sexist messages and death threats. Twitter’s existence as a public forum connecting users of all ages, genders and races makes for tension among the various groups.

In February, The Verge obtained a memo from Twitter CEO Dick Costolo in which he claimed full responsibility for the hostility. Costolo committed himself to resolving the problem. Costolo’s commitment to improving the online environment for Twitter users raises interesting questions. Are executives, users or both responsible for the elimination of abuse on a given platform?

Part of Twitter’s failure to curb abuse and threats has to do with its cumbersome reporting tools. Once Twitter improves those tools, the onus of reporting is on users. To make Twitter a better environment for everyone, users should carefully consider whether questionable tweets are abusive or simply expressing disagreement. Users who witness threats must take them seriously to protect what Costolo calls “core users” from trolls who decrease the quality of interactions on the platform.

That abuse is an issue on Twitter indicates the way in which users engage in conversation on the platform.

However, the intentionally harmful comments made by abusive users undermine the value of these meaningful conversations.

Costolo’s comments are a promising entry in the ongoing struggle against cyberbullying. This message was echoed on Super Bowl Sunday in an ad by Coca-Cola, which urged Twitter users to respond to negative tweets with #MakeItHappy. However, irresponsible use of Twitter hurt the campaign when Gawker hijacked the service and created a Twitter account with the intention of using the #MakeItHappy tag to turn passages from Mein Kampf into positive images. Similarly, the Super Bowl ad by Always that launched the #LikeAGirl campaign was met by sexism that aimed to delegitimize the conversation about gender equality. These messages hearken back to the dialogue about race that started when no indictment came from the grand jury hearing in the Michael Brown case.

Many tweeted #BlackLivesMatter, and many others tweeted #AllLivesMatter. The variations in hashtags speak volumes about the miscommunication that can occur in 140-character exchanges on Twitter. Meaningful dialogue can easily devolve into petty fighting when people, in a culture that values instant communication, do not take the time to consider opposing viewpoints with respect.

The failures of Coca-Cola’s #MakeItHappy campaign and Always’ #LikeAGirl campaign demonstrates that putting Costolo’s words into action is a formidable task. In addition, users must also report spam and abuse responsibly. Although campaigns by Always and Coca-Cola have been criticized, they brought attention to the issue of Twitter abuse.

OPINION

Page 10

Cate Carrejo

February 11, 2015

Addressing the Mounting Writing Crisis

The Prolonged Struggle for Marriage Equality Same-sex marriage was approved in Alabama Monday as the Supreme Court denied a request from the State of Alabama for a delay on the approval. Although the Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) verdict should clearly make the decision irrefutable, the probate judges in Alabama have been boldly ignoring federal law by refusing all day to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, enraging the couples who are trying to have their marriages legally recognized in their home states.

I’m not sure how SCOTUS thought that was going to work out.

Alabama is the “Land that Time Forgot” — since the turn of last century, the state has established itself as socially hyper-conservative in every major civil rights issue. Alabama still has active Klu Klux Klan chapters and sororities at the University of Alabama (which is a public, federally-funded university) have openly admitted to discriminating membership by race. So, when did SCOTUS say that Alabama did not have the right to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples?

I grew up in Houston, which tends to be a very liberal city. But, outside of Texas’ major cities, the overwhelming majority still remains firmly against same-sex marriage. Texas will never approve same-sex marriage by popular vote, and any federal court decisions will be fought tooth and nail until the Obama administration gets it together and introduces sweeping, permanent legislation to approve and support the marriage of same-sex couples.

President Obama ran his 2008 campaign with the repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act solidly on his platform. While it is true that Obama has done more than any president before him to secure rights for same-sex couples across the nation, one has to believe that he and his administration could be doing more.

According to polls taken in September and October 2014, following the legalization of same-sex marriage in a number of states, the majority of the American public now supports samesex marriage. So, what is the hold up on federal legislation?

Furthermore, with the election cycle quickly approaching, any qualified Democrat or Independent who comes out in strong support of pushing federal legislation before the end of the Obama Administration could position himself or herself as a key figure for the 2016 race. Swing states like Florida and Pennsylvania, which now permit same-sex marriage, will be essential in winning the next election, and the issue of same-sex marriage could be a huge deciding factor in those states supporting a candidate.

Should a member of Congress become public and powerful in drafting and pushing new legislation onto the floor in the next year and a half, like the Respect for Marriage Act by California Senator Dianne Feinstein and New York Representative Jerrold Nadler, he or she may find himself or herself with an eye toward the Oval Office in 2016.

KELLYN SIMPKINS/THE FORDHAM RAM

Students at Fordham University are coming to college insufficiently prepared to write at a college level, necessitating repetitive core classes.

By KRISTEN SANTER ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR

When I first began the mandatory Composition II class at Fordham, a course designed to improve writing and analytical reading skills, my professor discussed how to develop a thesis, use proper grammar and effectively organize papers. I was surprised that we had to go over such elementary concepts, ones that had been ingrained in my head since junior high. Apparently, my teacher found it necessary to repeat these concepts even after she had read our essays, while my classmates took notes and asked questions regarding these topics, seemingly acquiring new information.

I was perturbed. Students still did not understand the fundamental skills involved in writing a scholarly essay. When we were asked to edit other students’ papers, I was astounded by the lack of clarity and strength that I found within them. True, there are some majors that do not require strong writing skills, but I find it difficult to understand how years of English classes could not have made a lasting impression.

There are only so many times I can correct “you’re” to “your” before I wonder why students have not picked it up yet.

According to Bloomberg News, teachers have been reporting that, compared to five years ago, there has been a decline in vocabulary, grammar, writing and analysis. In

addition, Dr. Azadeh Aalai of Psychology Today wrote an article last year about a noticeable decline in the quality of writing turned in by her students.

Although Aalai is a psychology professor, she believes that she is becoming an English instructor.

“So much of my feedback on these papers is focusing on such basic writing skills, that the coherency or theoretical merit behind the content is getting lost in the shuffle,” Aalai states.

Professors should not have to resort to teaching fundamental writing concepts to college students, especially when their course is not geared towards the humanities. These poor writing skills disrupt the curriculum and consume valuable time from professors and teachers.

I relate this to a lack of emphasis on English and other liberal arts courses, something that many studies also suggest. A 2010 study from Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa found that students with extensive liberal arts backgrounds have higher critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing skills.

Regardless of these statistics, Business Insider reports that humanities only receive a fraction of federal funding that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) programs receive.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the arts and humanities have experienced huge cuts in funding over the past five years, and there are no definitive plans for increasing federal support in

2016.

There has always been a disparity between the sciences and humanities, with the former receiving most of the support and praise over the last couple of decades.

However, we are now seeing the results.

In 2012, the U.S. Department of Education published “The Nation’s Report Card: Writing 2011,” which stated that only 24 percent of high school seniors were proficient in writing. As of 2013, the statistic has remained static, with no indication of progress. Students are graduating high school without the ability to write, hindering their success both in college and in the workplace.

Colleges are attempting to prevent the deterioration of writing skills with remedial freshman writing courses. While colleges try to fix the problem, students applying for jobs soon realize that positions demand clear and adept writing from their employees.

However, the lack of funding and support limits universities’ abilities to provide a solid base for its students.

Since students are not properly taught how to write, they begin to hate it. Students hate writing so much that plagiarism has become progressively popular and problematic. They become masters at enlarging their essays through tactics such as choosing the largest acceptable font and increasing the size of punctuation marks. If students had a firm foundation of writing skills, essays would

come much easier to them and would not be as much of a hassle.

Personally, writing essays seems more appealing than memorizing facts that I will not likely use or remember after I have completed the test.

If the humanities were taken more seriously, students would benefit from advanced writing skills and the ability to construct coherent arguments. We need to rearrange our priorities if we wish to make advances in the next few years, and catch up to other developed countries in terms of education.

There are many ways to teach students how to write, either through traditional learning methods such as vocabulary drills, or more eclectic and free-ranging methods that allow students to have more liberty. Regardless of the methods, nothing will improve unless we place a greater importance on funding and support for the humanities.

The skills students acquire in liberal arts courses are crucial for a successful career in the future.

They should have a sound infrastructure and knowledge of writing that is useful and necessary in all fields and aspects of life. We need to encourage high school and college students to improve their writing skills if they want to be taken seriously in any sort of professional field.

Kristen Santer, FCRH ’17, is a communication and media studies major from Stamford, Connecticut.

Do opinions run through your veins?

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

February 11, 2015

CULTURE

Page 11

The Fordham Ram

At Dance Marathon, Students Jive to $41K

By AMANDA MAILE DIGITAL EDITOR

On Saturday, Feb. 7, RHA hosted its second annual Fordham Dance Marathon, or FDM, in O’Keefe Commons. From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., students danced and played games to raise money for The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, an organization dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer. This year, RHA set a goal to raise $30,000 for the B+ Foundation, and it exceeded its goal and raised a total $41,522.02.

“This event was started last year through the work of the former RHA President, Sarah Hill, who graduated last year, as kind of an event to bring the Residence Halls Association more in line with the mission of the university, which is to be men and women for others,” said Nick Sawicki, FCRH ’16, vice president of USG. Last year’s FDM proved to be a success, and this year’s event improved upon that accomplishment.

With one marathon under its belt, RHA used its knowledge and experience when planning this year’s marathon.

“Last year, it was a little less formal. We were trying to feel it out and see where we stand. People were a little more hesitant to get on board with an event that hasn’t happened before. This year we were able to say, ‘Look, this is how much

we raised, this is the attention we attracted and this is where your name will be,’” said C.J. Cacace, GSB ’15, executive vice president for RHA and the philanthropy chair of the Fordham Dance Marathon.

With increased sponsorship and knowledge of FDM, Cacace and the rest of RHA expanded the dance marathon and helped it grow.

This year, the entire marathon was scheduled with different events every 15 minutes. Aside from dancing, students could take photos, play Wii Sports or design their own mug or water bottle.

The communications director for RHA, Lucy Koehler, GSB ’17, said the scheduled events and activities were meant to help students “stay involved, stay interested and stay longer.”

Such events and activities included a pie-eating contest, a performance by the Satin Dolls, a pushup contest with the football team, a game of Simon Says and much more. At the top of every hour, students and RHA members alike performed the “Morale Dance.”

This choreographed dance to songs like “Shake It Off ” by Taylor Swift and “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson was meant to boost morale and keep students dancing for the full 12 hours.

“My favorite part was Simon Says. It’s pretty funny and it’s kind of nice to feel like a kid again,” said

PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH CURRAN-GROOME/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham students dance and play games, maintaining their energy to help raise funds for a worthy cause, The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation.

Noelle Starr, GSB ’16.

While dancing and playing games motivated students throughout the day, a fellow Ram showed them the impact of their efforts. Dur-

ing FDM, Kimberly Ragone gave a heartfelt speech about how the B+ Foundation helped her family when her daughter, Rachel, was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in

2013. Today, Rachel is a freshman at Fordham.

“I’m so proud that you’re all here today, and a little bit of help from everybody will change the future for the next generation of children diagnosed with cancer,” Kimberly said during her speech.

Like Rachel, Fordham’s hero, Lexington, helped students stay motivated and inspired to keep dancing. Through the B+ Foundation, Fordham was able to sponsor Lexington and spend time with him during FDM. When asked what he most enjoyed doing with Fordham students, Lexington said, “Everything.”

The marathon exemplified the Jesuit mission that resonates throughout Fordham’s campus.

Students came together to support a greater cause and help others.

When asked about her hopes for the future of FDM, Cacace said, “Growth, definitely… Increased attendance, increased fundraising, I’d love to see more of a relationship with the kids. It’s hard to always coordinate, and health is the number one priority, but having Lexington be our Fordham matched hero and having him come out is so nice to connect and have that relationship.”

All money raised from Fordham Dance Marathon goes directly to families affected by pediatric cancer.

Performers and Social Issues Take Stage at Grammys

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Newcomer Sam Smith was one of the night’s biggest stars. He won four Grammys and performed his hit single “Stay With Me.”

By NICOLE HORTON CULTURE EDITOR

The 57th annual Grammy Awards were held on Feb. 8 at the Staple Center in Los Angeles, CA, hosted

by LL Cool J for the fourth consecutive year. There were certainly some memorable moments, whether it was heartfelt acceptance speeches, first-time Grammy winners, superb performances and priceless audience reactions.

L.L. Cool J quickly kicked off the show by announcing a performance

by AC/DC, which was an unexpected choice since the Grammys does not generally feature metal bands. Prior to the Best New artist

award, L.L. Cool J. made a “Highway to Hell” joke saying, “It will only get better from here.” Not only did viewers at home probably feel uncomfortable for him, it did not elicit any audible laughter from the audience. If it makes him feel any better, his often present page boy hat seemed to inspire AC/DC’s accessorizing.

Iggy Azalea and Sam Smith were chosen by many as the frontrunners for the Best New Artist award. In the end, Smith’s impressive, heartfelt vocal styling and equally stunning live performances beat out Azalea, who has quickly become a formidable female in the hip-hop world.

Smith’s Best New Artist award was

the first of four wins for the British newcomer, similar to Adele’s triumph in 2012.

Two other awards presented earlier in the show were Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album. In the first category, some expected Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” to win, but I thought that Sia’s hauntingly beautiful song “Chandelier,” which showed off her stunning vocal register, would win. Instead, voters could not get Pharrell Williams’ infectious tune “Happy” out of their heads. Even Williams seemed to be surprised as he repeatedly called his acceptance speech “awkward” and walked the wrong way off of the stage.

Not surprisingly, Smith beat out pop hit-makers Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran to win Best Pop Vocal Album, once again proving he was a force to be reckoned with for this year’s awards. Smith made a heartfelt speech about persevering with music he believed in as he looked to achieve success in the music industry.

Another expected win was Beyoncé and Jay Z’s Best R&B Collaboration for “Drunk in Love.” In a short and sweet speech, she made a few loving remarks about her husband and “Bey Hive.”

There are certainly many riveting solo performances to discuss, whether it was artists performing popular hits or debuting new songs.

Miranda Lambert’s “Little Red Wagon” epitomized country sass with a rock edge that many music fans could appreciate.

Kanye West made his return to the Grammys stage after six years, performing his touching collaboration with Paul McCartney for the first time. Similar to when he performed “Blood on the Leaves” for the MTV Video Music Awards, West sang “Only One,” a homage to his mother as he embraces fatherhood, alone on stage under a single spotlight. Although it was not visually stunning, West’s fans would appreciate his intimate performance.

Usher paid tribute to Stevie Wonder with his performance of “If It’s Magic,” which showed a softer side of Usher as he was accompanied by a pianist and harpist. Won-

der surprised the audience by coming out towards the end to conclude the song on his harmonica.

Sia’s performance of “Chandelier” featured her vaulting vocals, practically identical to the recording, along with Kristen Wiig and “Dance Mom” star Maddie Ziegler’s interpretive dancing.

Following her exciting Super Bowl half-time show, Katy Perry took the stage to sing “By the Grace of God.” Prior to her performance, President Obama appeared in a recorded video to promote the “It’s On Us” campaign which aims to help domestic violence victims in the U.S. As her introduction, a domestic violence survivor gave an impassioned speech about love saying, “Authentic love does not devalue a human being.” Coupled with the powerful introduction, Perry’s strong vocals and evocative lyrics created one of the most touching moments and best performances of the night.

Another social statement was made in the closing performance.

First, John Legend and Common performed the Oscar nominated track “Glory,” from Selma. Then Beyoncé, in an elegant white dress, showed off her vocal range in an emotional rendition of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” a gospel song favorite of Martin Luther King Jr. However, I thought that having these two performances following presenting Record of the Year, posthumous dedications and a message against free online streaming and ilSEE GRAMMYS, PAGE 17

CULTURE

Page 12

February 11, 2015

Black History Month Marks Struggles and Progress

By JUNGSUH KIM STAFF WRITER

Black History Month is an annual observance that commemorates the history and role of Black Americans in U.S. history. It is a celebration of their achievements and is celebrated in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The origins of Black History Month dates back to 1915, 50 years after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. In September 1915, Harvard history professor Carter Woodson and prominent minister Jesse Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). This organization was dedicated to researching and cataloging achievements made by black Americans. The ASNLH sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, selecting the second week of February because of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays. This inspired many different schools and communities across the country to celebrate and remember the achievements of black Americans.

As a result of the national Civil Rights Movement and a growing awareness of African American identity, Negro History Week transformed into Black History Month in the late 1960’s. President Gerald R. Ford publicly recognized Black History Month in 1976. Ever since Presi-

COURTESY OF TOCHI MGBENWELU

ASILI, the Black Student Alliance on campus, is having multiple events this month in celebration.

dent Ford’s endorsement, Americans have continued to celebrate Black History Month. Each February, Black History Month is designated a specific theme endorsed by the president.

Last year’s theme was “At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington. “ The theme for this year’s Black History Month is “A Century of Black Life, History and Culture,” which will celebrate the major influences black Americans have had in music, art

Behind the Ghostlight | Richard Bordelon

Marketing on Broadway There is only one way that Broadway shows make money: putting people in seats in the theater.. Shows depend on press, marketing and advertising agencies to spread the word about the show.

In recent weeks, two different Broadway productions have dumped their press agencies. Press agency Boneau/Bryan-Brown resigned from Honeymoon in Vegas, which stars Tony Danza, after the show’s gross ticket sales have been fair at best. Earlier that week, press agent Rick Miramontez resigned, albeit amicably, from the Harvey Weinstein-helmed Finding Neverland, which opens this spring. This move was made after Weinstein was displeased with Miramontez’s marketing strategies for the show.

The shake-up of the press agencies for these productions clearly illustrates that marketing is as important as ever. Many shows are competing with each other for ticket buyers. While other shows, particularly those without an A-list Hollywood star, have taken to nontraditional strategies when it comes to filling their theatres.

The best example of this is the Tony Award-winning show, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.

Their marketing team has opted to promote the show with funny advertisements that focus on the show’s signature event — the death of eight members of a family, all of whom are played by a single actor (the hilarious Jefferson Mays).

Their marketing team has released videos and advertisements that feature this entertaining aspect of the play, including a video of Jefferson

Mays singing each of the Grammy nominees for Best Record while portraying a different character that he plays during the show. This strategy seems to have served the show well so far, as it is still playing to over 80-percent-filled houses, even in the usually slow weeks of January and February.

Two new Broadway shows, Something Rotten! and Hand to God, are following the lead of Gentleman’s Guide, trying to woo audiences with a comedy-based marketing campaign and seeking to differentiate themselves from the traditional Broadway fare. Something Rotten!, a new musical set in the time of Shakespeare about the creation of the first musical, has played up the “rotten” aspect of the show by featuring rotten tomatoes and slogans like “All actors promise to memorize most of their lines” on the marquee and their marketing materials.

Hand to God, a new play opening on Broadway after two off-Broadway productions, has focused its marketing on the fact that it has “No movie stars, no London transfer, no film adaptation,” and asks the viewer to “pray for us.” The play, which earned critical acclaim off-Broadway at the MCC Theater, is hoping that its past success will transfer toBroadway, a tough hope in a season in which Helen Mirren, Matthew Broderick, Tyne Daly, Larry David and Matthew Morrison are all performing.

Only time will tell if these new marketing strategies will pay off, as these shows have placed their hope in the fact that hilarious and sarcastic marketing will be enough to intrigue audiences to buy tickets.

and literature that are appreciated by the global community. This year, Americans are acknowledging the many cultural gifts given to the U.S. by the black community like jazz, poetry and an appreciation for African-American art. Black Americans have also dominated both individual and team sports including baseball, track-and-field, football, boxing and basketball.

In terms of celebrating cultural achievements, there is no better achievement than that of the Harlem Renaissance. This was a cultural, social and artistic explosion that took place at the end of World War I. The movement included many new cultural expressions across urban areas in different regions of the United

States.

To celebrate Black History Month there is a plethora of different types of events all across New York City.

The Resorts World Casino New York City will hold special shows this month. On Feb. 11, Black Spectrum will play a tribute to Marvin Gaye and on Feb. 25 there will be another tribute to Aretha Franklin. The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will also hold special exhibits and programs for the month of February, such as “From Dapper to Dope: The Exquisite and Enduring Style of Harlem Men” on Feb. 12, “American Policing: Lessons of Resistance” on Feb. 18 and Film at the Schomburg: An African City on Feb. 19.

The New York Historical Society located on Central Park West will showcase a powerful photo exhibit by Stephen Somerstein this month. The photo exhibit is titled “Freedom Journey 1865: Photographs of the Selma to Montgomery March,” featuring historical images from the Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights March of January, 1965. For all movie lovers, Selma is still in theaters and ranks 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Selma follows the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the efforts he and his followers put into advocating for the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This is a great way to become more informed about the Civil Rights Movement.

Although Black History Month has been celebrated for decades, many people question whether its purpose is still relevant. People have called into question the need to highlight current challenges facing the black communities rather than only focusing on the achievements of the past. It is definitely important to recognize the major milestones and key figures in black history; however, it is just as important to look beyond the successes.

Issues like unequal school systems, institutionalized poverty, health-care disparities and job discrimination are proof that we as a nation must continue to protect and fight for the rights of all citizens.

Black History Month serves to connect Americans to the vast achievements and struggles the black community has overcome. It is addressing the great progress we have made as a country, while at the same time acknowledging that we must continue to progress.

Editor’s Pick | Chicago Fire

Firefighters Bring Drama to TV

By DREW CASEY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

NBC’s “Chicago Fire” is a mustwatch drama. If you haven’t seen the weekly television show, then I suggest that you block out your schedule on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. You won’t be disappointed.

The show, in its third season, traces the lives of the firefighters of Firehouse 51 in the Windy City when they are on and off duty. It not only shows the civil servants in action, but also presents an in-depth look at the personal lives of many of the characters. With so many storylines, the show is always intriguing, because it is truly impossible to predict what will happen next. The shifting plot requires a dedicated audience member, but the drama is to die for.

Jesse Spencer, who formerly appeared on “House M.D.,” leads the cast, starring as Lieutenant Matthew Casey. Taylor Kinney, who has appeared on “The Vampire Diaries,” plays Lieutenant Kelly Severide and is brilliant throughout the series.

Monica Raymund, who has received an Imagen Award for her performance as Gabriella Dawson, is also one of the show’s stars.

The drama also does a great job of representing the city of Chicago. Chicago is Firehouse 51’s city, and the cast does not leave this up for debate.

If you’re a sports fan, specifically a supporter of the Chicago Blackhawks

COURTESY OF NBC

Chicago Fire is on Season 3, while Chicago PD is a spin-off of this original.

or Chicago Bears, then you’re in for a special treat. Throughout the series, references are made to these sports franchises, and some episodes even feature player appearances. Firehouse 51 also has a genuine concern for the people it serves, appearing at various community events and opening its doors to the people of Chicago.

The drama has also led to a spinoff, “Chicago P.D.” “Chicago P.D.” characters often appear in “Chicago Fire” both as part of the plot and as free promotion for the spin-off. “Chicago P.D.” is now in its second season and is beginning to develop its own identity as a hit show. I recommend this drama too, but you have to start

with “Chicago Fire.”

Interestingly enough, NBC appears to be modeling “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.” off of two of their hit shows from the ’60s and ’70s.

“Emergency!,” featuring Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe, profiled Station 51 in Los Angeles, while “Adam-12” highlighted a Los Angeles police precinct.

Overall, I’m not usually one to offer television advice, but at your next free moment, you should tune in to “Chicago Fire.” If you have more than a moment, then you should also check out “Chicago P.D.” Finally, if you have a lot of time, then you should watch “Emergency!” and “Adam-12.”

CULTURE

February 11, 2015

Page 13

Rocking Out at the Grammys, With Style

By SARAH HARTNETT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Chanel, Prada, McQueen, oh my! The Grammys are the most important night in music, and every year the fashion trends get even more exciting. People love to see their favorite stars strut down the red carpet. You never know who is going to look terrible or who is going to outdo him or herself.

Nicki Minaj sported a showstopping look. We are used to seeing her in avant-garde outfits, but this year she stepped onto the red carpet in a stunning black Tom Ford gown. While it still showed off her curves, it showed us a newer, classier side of Nicki Minaj.

With understated accessories that allowed the dress to make a statement, she is definitely a contender for best dressed.

Another star that we always have our eyes on is Gwen Stefani. While this woman does it all, she always finds time to look effortlessly fabulous. Stefani was rocking an Atelier Versace jumpsuit. The top of the jumpsuit brought back memories of her days singing “spiderwebs”.

And of course, we could not forget about the queen herself, Beyoncé. Not only does she take over the Grammys with her incredible talent, but she also takes over the fashion world. Beyoncé is never one to disappoint and of course at this year’s Grammys she looked like perfection. Beyoncé was wear-

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLICKR

Beyonce and Gwen Stefani were some of the best dressed of the night alongside Kanye West and Nicki Minaj.

ing a black long-sleeved, low-cut gown by Proenza Shouler with intricate lace and beaded detail. She also exchanged her short hair for her older, longer, wavy hairstyle.

Why should any of us be surprised?

Beyoncé always kills it on the red carpet.

Not only did the women rock it at the show, but the men did as well. Let us start out with Nick Jonas, who definitely stood out among the men. He looked dapper in a grey, black and yellow plaid suit

by Armani. And, of course, no one can ever predict what Kanye West is

going to wear or say. He debuted his new Adidas line during one of his performances. But, what really made jaws drop the most was his blacked-out velour Balmain look. It is not surprising Kanye West is a contender for best-dressed: he always looks hot.

While we love to see the amazing fashions, we also love to see who looks the worst. While Rihanna is usually breathtaking on the red carpet, her Giambattista Valli Haute Couture selection was definitely not a crowd-

Review | Movie

Whiplash Hits the Right Notes

By AMANDA GIGLIO CULTURE EDITOR

If I had seen this movie before naming my Oscar predictions, I would have given every category to Whiplash. The film is centered on a promising young drummer, Andrew, and his dreams of becoming the best drummer at a cutthroat music conservatory. When he is chosen by the most intimidating and influential mentor, Fletcher, at the school, Andrew is worked near to death to gain the position of core drummer in Fletcher’s jazz ensemble.

The film keeps your attention as Andrew tries to balance his family, which disapproves of his art, a girlfriend and drumming, which quickly takes over his whole life. Fletcher physically and emotionally scars Andrew with hazing and verbal abuse to try to drive Andrew out of selfsatisfaction and into hard work for the sake of drumming. The movie ends with an amazing scene of Andrew taking his drumming and possible future career into his own hands and impressing not just the fictional audience in the movie, but the audience in the theater watching the film.

Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons are both amazing in their respective roles as Andrew and Fletcher. Teller’s last couple of roles have been more comedic, but acting in a drama has solidified his talent. Simmons, up for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards, played the menacing mentor with such gusto that I was completely amazed. The music itself was beautiful. The fact that Whiplash is set in the present day and shows how jazz music

COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSIC

Miles Teller amazes in his dramatic role in Whiplash.

can still evolve and is prominent in today’s society was refreshing.

Whiplash shows the dynamic between wanting to be great and remembered, but also dedicating your whole life to something and sacrificing for that art. It made the audience wonder whether living the dream is worth it. I am not sure how accurately the train-

ing process is portrayed, but the drumming was incredible, and the ending blew me away. Damien Chazelle, the writer and director, did an astounding job with this film. Just as the critics promised, Whiplash is electrifying and exhilarating and made me beg for an encore.

pleaser. Her dress would be best described as resembling a loofa.

For those who see Meghan Trainor as a bubbly pop singer, they would be disappointed to see her in such a horrid, morbid-look-

ing dress. She was wearing a sheer black Galia Lahav gown. She was all about that lace, and it was not her best pick.

Chris Brown showed up to the red carpet looking sloppy. It looked as if what he had on was not fitted well. It is also hard to see Ed Sheeran in the same exact outfit at every award show in the form of a skinny tie and vest.

Seeing all the celebrities’ fashions, we got a glimpse of the overall trends. We saw ultra-embellished metallic gowns on many of the stars such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rita Ora. Low cuts were also seen on Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian, Madonna and Ashanti. Miley Cyrus, Chrissy Tiegen and Ariana Grande sported dresses with cut outs. The men’s trends were mostly all-black and velour suits.

Those were just a few of the many ladies and guys who rocked it out on the red carpet. The Grammys are always full of vibrant, new fashions. While this night is about music, it also is a very important night in the fashion world.

Binge Guide | Nicole Fiorica

House of Cards At a glance: Genre: Political Drama Seasons/Episodes: 2/26 Avg Episode Length: 50 minutes Available on: Netflix What it’s about: After helping Presidential candidate Garrett Walker (Michel Gill) win the election, Congressmen and House Majority Whip Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey, American Beauty) expects to be made Secretary of State in return.

However, he soon finds out that the president intends to back out of the deal. With the help of his wife Claire, (Robin Wright, Forest Gump), his Chief of Staff Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly, The Adjustment Bureau) and a naïve but eager journalist Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), Frank vows to take revenge on the people who have slighted him.

Why it’s so good: Both seasons of “House of Cards” have garnered tremendous accolades including Emmys, SAG and Golden Globe nominations and wins for acting and directing.

The hype is not misplaced: Spacey and Wright are seemingly both ruthless and lovable, working together as an unstoppable power couple. Meanwhile, the show’s direction involves the kind of beautiful cinematography normally reserved for movies, not television.

There are so many political dramas on TV right now, but few capture the cutthroat nature of the American political system in quite the way “House of Cards” does, and politically minded viewers will find themselves sucked in immediately.

Why you should binge it: The entire third season of “House of Cards” will be released

on Netflix on Feb. 27. Whether you’ve watched it already and could use a refresher, or haven’t seen a single episode, now is the perfect time to start watching.

The seasons are short and while the pacing will occasionally slow down, it is only to give viewers a breather before the events that are soon to follow. Season 2 of “House of Cards” contained several shocking twists, and my advice is to catch up and be ready for Season 3 in order to avoid any potential new spoilers.

Standouts: Obviously Spacey and Wright have garnered most of the accolades for “House of Cards,” but it is evident almost immediately that the entire cast is incredibly well chosen. Kelly’s Doug Stamper starts off as just another member of Frank’s team, but quickly becomes more distinct as a powerhouse of his own, displaying almost the same degree of moral ambiguity as his boss. Congressman Peter Russo (Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris) is compelling for a set of entirely different reasons as he struggles to overcome his personal demons in an attempt to live up to Frank and Doug’s high hopes for his future.

Potential Pitfalls: There are a few slower episodes — such as “Chapter 8,” the cleverly titled eighth episode of the first season, where Frank is recognized at his alma mater — but, at the end of the day, all of the episodes are relevant to the overall story in some capacity. Your enjoyment is going to be affected by your interest in politics, and if watching Frank round up votes for new bills every other episode seems repetitive or uninteresting, then “House of Cards” may not be so easy to watch.

Page 14

ADS

February 11, 2015

Don’t Forget to Recycle

The Ram

CULTURE

February 11, 2015

Who’s That Kid? | Rebecca Sutcliffe

Advice to Live By | Catherine Kastberg

Finding a Career, and Community, at Fordham

By ANTHONY PUCIK SPORTS EDITOR

Rebecca Sutcliffe was unsure of what she was going to do when she came to Fordham, but she’s certainly making the most of her opportunities.

The junior from Chicago started in the Gabelli School of Business as a freshman, but wasn’t set on a major path at that point. She knew she wanted to get involved, so she ended up going to the club fair and signing up for the Fordham Marketing Association. “I had zero interest in marketing coming into freshman year,” Rebecca said, but that didn’t stop her from signing up for the club. “I just stuck around, the meetings were interesting and I felt like I was learning stuff that I could use,” she said. “It was kind of unexpected.”

She ended up becoming the Vice President of Development for FMA as a sophomore and traveled with the club to the American Marketing Association International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans.

They have received awards each of the past two years. Now, as the current president of the club this year, Rebecca is looking to win again.

“I’m used to being in positions where I can hopefully make a difference,” she said. “Fordham used to be known for marketing. It was ranked third at one point and that’s fallen, so I feel like I’m just bringing more attention to the marketing field of study.”

Rebecca hasn’t just taken leadership roles in clubs at Fordham. She is also a first-year Resident Assistant in Tierney Hall. After attendinng a small all-girls high school, and then spending her freshman year in Queen’s Court and sophomore year in Tierney, she wanted to stay within tight-knit communities. “I was used to having a good community around me,” she said. “I really wanted to be able to give that back, because I

Page 15

COURTESY OF REBBECA SUTCLIFFE

The Freshman 15 As much as we all try to play it off as a joke, the “freshman 15” is in fact a real thing. Not only is it a real issue, but it is a problem many of us have encountered face-to-face.

Gaining weight and college seem to go hand-in-hand. Since we are a now in the second semester of this year, everyone is probably well aware of the struggles we all face in the cafeteria. It does not help that the pizza buffet is one of the first things you see, followed by french fries and the Mexican station in the near distance.

You definitely have to make a conscious effort to eat healthy.

The buffet-style arrangement of food also does not help, since you can go up and pick up as much food as you want.

Eat everything in moderation! That’s the key. If you want a cookie, then eat a cookie. If you deprive yourself of the things you really want, then at some point or another you are going to lose it.

The excessive drinking and endless beer calories are no help either.

Alcohol plays a huge role in weight gain the first year of college.

Not only is it the empty calories, but the next day hangover encourages lazy behavior which is usually accompanied by poor eating. If you are aware of this fact and make even a small effort, such as taking a walk around campus, I promise it will make a difference.

We have all heard of that awful place called the gym. It can be an intimidating place, filled with athletes and upperclassmen who have developed a routine that appears to work perfectly. Finding the right time to go is very important. One minute, the gym is a barren desert and, a second later, it is so packed that any hope of getting on a treadmill is lost. Try going in the morning. I have found that any time before 2 p.m. is usually best.

The freshmen 15 is completely avoidable. As long as you make a conscious effort to eat healthy, consume junk food in moderation and develop a gym routine, you will be fine.

If you end up a little off-track, who cares, you can always refocus yourself. You are never going to learn if you do not make these little mistakes, and trust me, most of us are still making some of these mistakes.

Rebecca is a leader both on campus and off, frequenting a variety of school events.

would love for people to have the great experience that I had.”

Rebecca has also made the most of Fordham’s study abroad program, spending the past two summers in London. But, similar to her experience with FMA, she had no intention of studying abroad before coming to the Bronx. “London is amazing,” she said. “It really just makes you consider things you didn’t before.”

She’s also said she’s even considered working there long term. “It’s made me really think about all my options,” she said. “It opens up your mind to all the availability or all the options that Fordham gives us.

It’s nice to be able to consider all of

them.”

With all of these options, Rebecca has gone from a woman with tons of questions to one who has a concrete plan, all thanks to her experiences here at Fordham. She is a business administration major in the Gabelli School of Business with a primary concentration in marketing and a secondary concentration in management, and has a very good idea of what she wants to do.

“I want to get my MBA in the five year program here,” she said. “After that, I want to work for Disney.

Hopefully get into the corporate side of things with them and hopefully do that through their marketing department.”

CHRISTIAN WILOEJO/THE FORDHAM RAM

Although often crowded, going to the Ram Fit Center is a great way to stay healthy.

Review | TV

Comedy Changes Format, Yet Maintains Signature Humor

By BAILEY BARNETT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After eight months of anticipation, “Portlandia” fans were ready to see what Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein had in store for them during the show’s fifth season. The season premiere featured one of the audience’s favorite duos, Toni and Candace, and utilized the episode’s full half hour to tell the backstory behind the founding of their business, the Women and Women First Bookstore.

Such a shift from the show’s original episode format of 30 minutes of various skits may have come as an unpleasant surprise to some viewers, but others saw it as a much-needed and welcomed change. While some fans of the

show have complained about the absence of skits to break up the presence of intentionally exaggerated characters, others see a lot of opportunity in the show’s new direction.

Armisen and Brownstein have set up multiple strong character pairings throughout the past four seasons, and full-length episodes will allow characters to be even further enhanced through deeper storylines. A single storyline for each episode will also allow for a closer audience familiarity with individual characters’ goals, making the storylines slightly more investing while still maintaining “Portlandia’s” signature lighthearted feel and odd antics.

After four seasons on the air, it seems as though “Portlandia” has discovered the changes it must

COURTESY OF FLICKR

‘Portlandia,’ a parody of life in Oregon, succeeds in switching it up from sketch comedy to full-length, character-driven episodes.

make in order to stay fresh and entertaining for faithful viewers without abandoning its original characters or tone. The show has continued this formatting change

in the other six episodes that have aired for Season 5 thus far. Only time will tell if this format will stick for the remainder of the season. For now, however, it seems

as though converting “Portlandia” from a skit-comprised show format into a series with more focused episodes and plot lines seems to be a move in the right

CULTURE

Page 16

February 11, 2015

In Love or Not, Enjoying Valentine’s Day in New York

By MEGAN BRONNER STAFF WRITER

Valentine’s Day is this Saturday, so whether you are single, madly in love or somewhere in between, Saturday is a great day to go out in NYC and be with your friends or your significant other. No matter what your relationship status is or your sentiments towards Valentine’s Day, here are some fun ideas to kindle that romantic flame or have so much fun with friends that you forget you ate a box of chocolates by yourself last night.

Single in the City…

Fear not — being single on Valentine’s Day is not about sulking and feeling lonely anymore. “Galentines Day” and “Bachelor Bros” have become popular phrases for singles who want to have fun on Valentine’s Day too.

Karaoke Try: Karaoke Duet 35 Singing at the top of your lungs is always a great way to decompress after a long week. Hit Manhattan, grab some friends and a mic and sing some empowering break-up songs or fun karaoke classics. Karaoke is always best suited for a large group, and not in the fanciest of locations, so you will probably be able to avoid large hoards of couples.

Work it Out 305 Fitness is having a Valentine’s Day event for the singles out there called “FCK LOVE: Me, Myself and I,” which reminds

us, who else is more deserving of love on Valentine’s Day then yourself ? The $45 fee gets you an hour-long dance cardio class followed by some spa treatments and dinner.

Meet-up Maybe Valentine’s Day seems like an opportune time to get out and meet the man/woman of your dreams. There are a lot of singles parties located all around the city, so if you are seriously “single and ready to mingle” RSVP to one ASAP. Keep in mind that for most of these meet-ups you must be 21 or older.

Crazy in Love Looking for a fun date idea this Valentine’s Day? Lucky for you, we are in New York City and there are always last minute plans and date ideas. These following date ideas are not limited to couples and will probably be just as fun with your group of friends.

Ice-Skating Bryant Park All you will need is $15 for a skate rental and someone to struggle with you through ice-skating.

As winter is slowly drawing to a close, and this rink closes March 1, this is one of the last opportunities you will have this winter to get out and go ice-skating.

Downtown Walking Tour Looking to get to know NYC better with your loved one? If this date idea seems a little touristy, just remember it is Valentine’s Day, which is already corny enough, so it does not matter.

KELLYN SIMPKINS/THE FORHDAM RAM

Even if you think Valentine’s Day is cheesy, there are plenty of fun, inexpensive opportunities to take advantage of in the city.

This tour highlights Soho, Little Italy,and Chinatown. So instead of aimlessly walking around NYC, it might be a good idea to try an organized event.

Ice-Skating Standard Hotel If you are looking for a more unique location to ice-skate, try the ice rink at the Standard Hotel. Also a $15 dollar skating and rental fee, this rink is located right on the edge of the Highline, affording you the perfect opportunity to go for a leisurely walk before or after.

Haunted HouseTry: Blood Manor If you and your significant oth-

er are seeking a thrill, than what better way to get close to your special someone than an haunted house? Reopening specially for Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day, it will be sure to give you a memorable Valentine’s Day. Top of the Rock Probably one of the best views of NYC open to the public the Top of the Rock observation deck is sure to be a romantic setting for a perfect Valentine’s Day (especially during sunset). Aside from the stunning views of NYC, this location also lends itself quite well to Instagram opportunities.

Cheap Date

Having a fun Valentine’s Day does not necessarily mean spending a lot of cash. There are a lot of fun things to do in NYC that are still romantic but easy on the wallet. For instance, walk to Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge and find a nice quiet spot to watch the sunset over Manhattan. Or, swipe your metro card and hop on the Roosevelt Island tram and get ready for some quality views of the city that never sleeps. Another option is to cruise the New York Harbor for free by way of Staten Island Ferry; this cruise offers views of Manhattan, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

At Grammys, Artists and Issues Share the Same Stage CONTINUED GRAMMYS, PAGE 14

legal downloads, was poor planning because many viewers probably assumed the show was over.

Meanwhile, following a Halloween-worthy red carpet outfit, Madonna performed “Living for More” from her new album Rebel Heart.

Despite the fun dance rhythm and the fact that Madonna levitates from the platform (albeit on strings), the song is best described as a cliche empowerment song about maintaining originality; it is reminiscent of her hit “Express Yourself.”

Another solo performance that fell flat was Pharrell Williams’ performance of “Happy.” Toward the end of his performance, he and his back-up dancers wore black hoodies (in connection to what Trayvon Martin was wearing when he was shot by a neighborhood watchman) and threw up their hands in a “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” protest gesture, which was a refrain heard in the protests over the death of Michael Brown. Although some may call the performance dramatic or socially relevant, I thought that the interpretation strayed from the bouncy, feel good tempo and lyrics of the song. On a lighter note, Williams switched from last year’s much-buzzed about Canadian Mounty hat to a bellhop outfit — complete with the hat and a buttondown black ensemble.

As far as duets go, there were plenty of exciting new pairings and old friends coming together in a way that exemplifies how the Grammys

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Usher performed a sentimental rendition of “If It’s Magic” to honor Stevie Wonder.

celebrates artistry. Of course, there were some that were more entertaining than others.

Ed Sheeran brought on John Mayer for a rendition of his new single “Thinking Out Loud.” Sheeran’s rich vocals in conjunction with Mayer’s backup vocals and impressive guitar skills made for an enjoyable duet.

This collaboration definitely made sense stylistically.

A second ideal collaboration was “The Voice” coaches Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani, who took on

the Maroon 5 song “My Heart is Open.” The two have collaborated in the past, which may have contributed to the success of this emotional ballad.

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett teamed up yet again for “Cheek to Cheek,” bringing an enjoyable jazz classic to the show. The two even adorably danced cheek to cheek during a dance break. Mary J. Blige joined Sam Smith for a memorable, soulful version of his hit single “Stay With Me.” Another highlight was

Andrew Hozier-Bryne’s hit “Take Me to Church” paired with Annie Lennox’s commanding rendition of “I Put a Spell on You.” Of course, there were several collaborations that did not mesh well together. Jessie J. and Tom Jones were a mismatched duo when they took on the classic song “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” Jessie J. is known for having a strong voice, which overpowered the aging Tom Jones, who seemed to be “speak singing” at times.

Paul McCartney, Kanye West and Rihanna debuted their collaboration “FortyFiveSeconds.” Rihanna’s vocals stood out, but the physical presentation and chemistry was off as she and West were more mobile and McCartney remained in the corner at a standup microphone while playing guitar. In addition, at one point there was a technical issue that affected McCartney’s microphone. Although some viewers enjoyed the performance, I do not think this song highlighted each artist’s strengths.

Since many of the night’s biggest awards were given out at the end of the show, the best drama was yet to come. Sam Smith would go on to win Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Stay With Me.” In a humorous moment, he dedicated the hit to the man he loved, “Thank you so much for breaking my heart because you got me four Grammys.”

Both music critics and fans thought that Beyoncé’s self-titled surprise release album would re-

ceive the distinction of Album of the Year. Instead, Beck’s Morning Phase beat out Beyoncé, setting both her “Bey Hive” and ultimate defender Kanye West into a frenzy. As Beck nervously gathered his thoughts, West went onto the stage before quickly turning around and going back to his seat.

Some wondered if West was merely poking fun at his past Grammys controversy since he seemed to be in good spirits throughout the night, but afterward he said, “The Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us,” he told his sisterin-law Khloe Kardashian during an E! News after-show interview. “We aren’t going to play with them no more.”

Although it is important to note that he did not ruin Beck’s moment like he did Taylor Swift’s in 2009, artists like Beyoncé and West have garnered countless accolades over the course of their careers. It is difficult for West to argue that their endeavors are not being supported.

Beyoncé has always handled both her wins and losses with grace, and Beck humbly admitted that he thought she deserved the award and praised West’s achievements. Beck’s album received critical acclaim and he has not won a Grammy in 15 years (he won three prior to this year), and his win is a classic example of how everyone can predict and analyze the categories, but there will always be Grammy surprises and upsets.

February 11, 2015

SPORTS

Page 17

The Fordham Ram

Softball Begins Season 2-3 in Arizona

By ANTHONY PUCIK SPORTS EDITOR

The reigning Atlantic 10 champion Fordham softball team began its 2015 campaign in Tempe, Arizona, this past weekend at the Kajikawa Classic.

The Rams’ first game of the season on Friday, Feb. 6, was against the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. The two teams were scoreless until the bottom of the second, when Fordham broke through for three runs on an RBI single by sophomore Lindsay Mayer and a two-RBI single by freshman designated hitter Madison Shaw off Nevada’s freshman starter Chase Redington to make it 3-0 Fordham.

The Wolf Pack picked up a run in the top of the fourth off Ram senior ace Michele Daubman, but sophomore center fielder Sydney Canessa’s RBI single answered in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-1 Rams.

Fordham held that lead despite Daubman getting into some trouble in the fifth and sixth, but it all unraveled in the seventh inning. Back-toback walks and catcher’s interference loaded the bases and led to a threerun double by Nevada senior second baseman Karley Hopkins to tie the score at four. The Wolf Pack scored two more runs on a fielder’s choice and sacrifice fly, and Fordham fell 6-4.

Daubman suffered her first loss of the season after giving up five runs, four earned, in six plus innings

JOSHUA KIM/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Rams will take on St. John’s, Tennessee, Florida Gulf Coast, South Florida and Detroit in Tampa, Florida this weekend.

pitched, while Redington earned the victory for Nevada.

The Rams followed that game with a game against the Fresno State University Bulldogs where they struggled to find their offense. Bulldog junior catcher Paige Gumz had an RBI single off Fordham’s senior starter Rachel Gillen in the bottom of the first, and that was all they would need. Fresno State added another run in the third, five in the fifth and one in the sixth to defeat Fordham 8-0. Gillen suffered her first loss of the season, pitching 4.2 innings and giving up five runs, only two earned, and six hits while striking out five. Fresno State’s junior starter Jill Compton pitched four innings of

one-hit ball to earn the victory.

The Rams next game was on Saturday, Feb. 7, against the University of the Pacific Tigers. Daubman struggled for Fordham in the first inning, allowing three runs on four hits and only lasting one third of an inning before being relieved by Gillen. After that, the Rams took over.

An RBI single by Mayer in the bottom of the inning made it 3-1 Pacific, and another in the bottom of the third made it 3-2. In the bottom of the fifth, Rams’ senior third baseman Kayla Lombardo hit a two-RBI single off Pacific starter Dani Bonnet that put Fordham up 4-3.

Gillen was able to shut the door for the rest of the game, going 6.2

scoreless innings and surrendering only three hits and two walks, while striking out eight and giving Fordham its first win of the season. Gillen went to 1-1 on the season, and the Tigers’ Bonnet fell to 1-2.

The Rams’ second game of the night was against the California University Golden Bears, where Fordham once again struggled offensively. California picked up a run in the bottom of the first and second inning off sophomore Lauren Quense, and that is all it needed. The team added another run off Quense in the fourth and three more off Fordham junior pitcher Patti Maloney to take a 6-0 advantage. Fordham was only able to muster up four hits and also

committed four errors, falling to 1-3 on the season after being shutout 6-0. Quense suffered her first loss of the season for the Rams, giving up three runs, two earned, on six hits while striking out one over four innings, while sophomore Stephanie Trzcinski struck out two and walked three in seven innings for the Golden Bears.

The Rams finished up their trip in Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 8, against the Portland State Vikings. The game was a pitcher’s duel between Gillen and Portland State’s junior starter Kristen Crawford. Crawford was relieved after four innings of two hit ball for sophomore Meagan Hendrix.

Hendrix pitched another scoreless inning before Fordham finally broke through in the top of the sixth. A two-run homerun by Daubman put the Rams up 2-0. They tacked on another six runs in the top of the sixth on a two-RBI single by sophomore second baseman Amy Van Hoven, an RBI single by Mayer and a threerun homerun by senior outfielder Brianna Turgeon, taking their final game of the weekend 8-0. Gillen picked up her second win of the season, going seven shutout innings on five hits, one walk and seven strikeouts. Hendrix suffered the loss for Portland State, her first of the season.

Fordham will spend next weekend down in Tampa, Florida, at the USF Presidents Day Weekend Tournament. Its first game is on Friday, Feb. 13, against St. John’s at 9 a.m.

Women 3rd, Men 4th at Metro Championship

By BRYAN KIEL STAFF WRITER

Following a successful week with school records and Atlantic 10 Conference accolades, the Fordham track team went into the Metropolitan Indoor Championship on a high note. Senior captains Titi Fagade and Lester Taylor both earned A-10 co-performers of the week after setting school records and career best times in Boston during the Terrier Classic on Jan. 30. Fagade and Taylor both led their squads to another strong showing at the Mets. The first day of competition took place at the Lombardi Fieldhouse on Friday, while the second day of competition took place on Saturday at the Armory Track and Field Center in Manhattan.

The Rams had their first competitors on Friday in the field events.

Senior Austin Ruiz placed eighth and scored one point in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 13.97m.

Sophomore Hailey Serrano and senior Caitlin Hart just missed scoring in the women’s weight throw, with marks of 12.85m and 12.23m, respectively. Freshman Ryan Riviere also scored for Fordham, with a personal best 4.35m in the men’s pole vault, placing fifth overall and scoring four points.

“Coming into the Mets last week, I was determined to break my PR [personal record],” Riviere said.

“This past meet marked not only my first PR as a college athlete, but it was also the first time I placed top 10 as a college athlete.”

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE FORDHAM RAM

After a week of top performances, the Indoor Track squad did not miss a beat at the Metropolitan Championship.

The second day of competition at the Armory featured most of the team members and some of their best performances of the year. Fagade lead the Rams once again with a win in the 500m, adding 10 points to the women’s team score with a time of 1:13.26. Junior Danielle Rowe and senior captain Kristen Stuart joined Fagade in the top five, adding eight and five points respectively with times of 1:14.72 and 1:14.97. Senior Melissa Higgins ran a career-best 2:58.37 in the 1000m in third place, while fellow senior Mara Lieberman took third in the mile, coming in at 5:01.10. Freshman Merissa Wright took fifth in the 800m, adding four points to the team score with a time of 2:15.84.

The Rams showed their scoring depth in long-distance competition as well. Sophomores Ariana Bottalico and Brianne Roche as well as

freshman Shea Williams scored in the 3000m with times of 10:32.18, 10:34.33 and 10:38.36, respectively. In the 5000m, seniors Brianna Tevnan and Sarah Glockenmeier both scored with times of 17:29.48 and 18:30.35. Tevnan lowered her career time in the 5000m by over 90 seconds, while Glockenmeier competed in her first race of the winter season. The relay teams ran well too, taking first, second and third in all three events. The 4x800 team took first with a time of 9:09.49, a season-best. The distance medley relay finished second in 12:25.14, while the 4x400 team took third with a time of 3:55.80.

“The 4x800 team is gearing up for this year,” Higgins, a member of the relay team, said. “We’ve qualified for ECACs and hoping to defend our indoor title.”

The men’s team had a strong

meet as well, with an additional four event winners. They were led

by Taylor, who won the 1000m run with a time of 2:29.91, adding 10 points to the team score. Both sophomore Ryan McGann and freshman Fritz Heinrich joined Taylor in the event, finishing fifth and sixth with times of 2:34.43 and 2:35.25, respectively.

Freshman Thomas Slattery won the mile run with a time of 4:15.68, and junior Mike Turi won the 5000m event in 14:42.15, an IC4A qualifying time. Freshman Nik O’Brien and senior Jonathan Annelli took fifth and sixth in the 5K run with times of 15:03.31 and 15:24.94. The 3000m run featured junior Quincy O’Connor and sophomore Jake Duckworth, who both ran career-best times of 8:35.86 and 8:46.01, placing fourth and sixth, respectively.

The men’s relay teams also had a strong day. Up first was the distance relay team, which won the event in a time of 10:14.41. Senior Ian Williams, who ran on the relay team, competed in his first indoor event of the season since winning Defensive First Team All-Patriot League in football. The 4x400 relay team placed eighth with a time of 3:33.25, while the 4x800 relay team qualified for the IC4A competition with a time of 7:51.79, good for second place in competition.

Overall, both squads finished in the top five in competition. The women’s team garnered 85 points and finished in third place overall, behind Rutgers and St. John’s. The finish places the team in a similar position to where it was a year ago.

Still, the team sees a stronger lineup that will carry it to even better places in the future.

“I think we have more depth in the shorter distances now thanks to the freshman class,” said Roche.

“The distance group in the 3K ran pretty well. [The meet] showed us what we can work on as we head into the last few meets of the season.”

The men’s team also finished in the top five in competition, coming in fourth overall with 82 points.

With some great times and IC4A qualifications, the men’s team showed its freshman class can contribute in many different events.

The track team will continue its indoor season in Boston, where it will run in the Valentine’s Day Classic on Feb. 13 and 14.

Page 18

ADS

February 11, 2015

Dear Readers, The Fordham Ram will soon be sending out a weekly newsletter.

Want to get in on the action?

Email us at

fordhamramonline@gmail.com

It’ll be a blast.

SPORTS

February 11, 2015

Sam Belden MLB Offseason Recap The experts agree: this MLB offseason has been one of the wildest in recent memory. There were blockbuster trades, massive contracts and plenty of suspense and intrigue throughout. Teams were more willing to pull the trigger on trades that could be considered risky, which led to more player mobility than in the past.

These developments are most evident when you’re making predictions for the 2015 season. Five of the MLB’s six divisions contain at least one non-playoff team that made unexpectedly significant gains over the course of this offseason. The Blue Jays, Red Sox, White Sox, Marlins, Cubs and Padres have all retooled with game-changing players. In addition to other, smaller moves, each of these teams signed or traded for at least one marquee name over the past few months. The front offices of these organizations expect to watch their teams make the playoffs this season.

They believe that it is their time to strike and that to fall short would be a failure.

Meanwhile, the Athletics, Rays, Phillies and Braves were sellers. All four traded away established AllStars in exchange for young talent, signaling that the front offices of these organizations have their sights set on a title in 2017 or 2018. Furthermore, several teams that qualified for the 2014 postseason have made improvements, making it that much more difficult for the up-and-coming teams to break in. The Nationals, Cardinals, Dodgers and Giants are good examples.

What accounts for the recent spike in offseason activity? Part of the reason is that competitive balance in the MLB is at an all-time high. The implementation of revenue sharing and the general growth of the game have allowed small-market teams to make more money and spend it on quality players. As a result, it is easier for these teams to nudge themselves into the playoff picture; the playing field is as level on the diamond as it is in the front office. When so many teams are competent, every win counts, so teams are more likely to do what they have to do in order to score or prevent just a few more runs. In addition, the implementation of a second wild card in each league has made the playoffs more accessible to more average teams. Aggressive moves are a by-product of these developments.

The rebuilds of teams such as Oakland and Atlanta are akin to tanking NBA teams. While they won’t actually attempt to lose any games, they are similar in concept. Front offices have realized that there just isn’t much value in mediocrity. If your team isn’t qualifying for the playoffs, then you might as well make sure that you’ll be getting a high draft pick next year.

Ironically, being terrible for a few seasons in order to amass a slew of young stars is often a better practice in attempting to field the best team possible every year. Just ask the Nationals, Pirates, Orioles or Royals. Five years ago, these teams were four of baseball’s worst, but thanks to young talent, all made the playoffs in 2014.

Thanks to all of this, teams scrambled to move and acquire players like never before. Many teams are still a mystery at this point, but it will be fun to watch how this season unfolds.

Page 19

Sarah Skelton: The Third Skelton

By ABIGAIL KONOVODOFF

Company in the 1,000 Win Club

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Sarah Skelton is the third Skelton to attend Fordham University. A freshman on the volleyball team and a sophomore when it comes to classes due to her graduating high school early, Skelton enrolled in last spring semester and jumped right into training with the team.

The transition was relatively easy, as Skelton stated, “I am a very social person, so being able t o make friends right off the bat surely helped. I was very nervous, and could not have done it without the amazing people I met and have continued to develop great friendships with, especially my teammates.”

Skelton sat back and laughed, “I basically had 10 guaranteed friends before I even got to campus.”

Ultimately, Sarah chose to attend Fordham for the opportunity to play volleyball. But, Fordham has been a part of her life since 2006, when her oldest brother, John, GSB ’10, first attended Fordham.

“My family never once pushed me to come here,” Sarah said, “I definitely kept my options open, but at the end of the day I knew Fordham was where I wanted to be.”

Skelton was enticed further by Fordham due to the happiness and success she had seen both of her brothers have. Her brothers John and Steven, GSB ’11, both played football here for the Rams, and even went on to compete at the highest level possible, the NFL. Seeing the success Fordham brought her brothers helped Sarah Skelton narrow down her collegiate choices, but she never expected it to be like this.

“I see Fordham in a much different light now that I am a student,” Sarah stated. “I was only in junior

CASEY CHUN:/THE FORDHAM THE RAM

Sarah Skelton is making a name for herself at Fordham.

high when my brother attended, so I didn’t exactly understand how much of a great opportunity attending Fordham was for them.”

Sarah Skelton was welcomed to the volleyball team with open arms.

“I would say she [Sarah] wasted no time adapting to the college level of play, and from the time she started playing her freshman year she was able to be a strong presence on the court and make a noticeable difference during her rotations.” Sophomore middle blocker Kristen Ostach stated. Being one of her closest friends, Ostach smiled and said, “I can’t wait to play with her in the years to come.”

Sarah was not pressured to pursue a family legacy here at Fordham, but she has created waves on her own.

Although the Fordham volleyball

team had a rough season (3-11 conference, 3-25 overall), Skelton was able to make a positive difference in each match.

As a freshman in the world of volleyball, Sarah Skelton played in all 27 matches this season, as well as starting in 18.

Her teammates applaud her aggressiveness and trust her when she is on the court calling for the ball.

The volleyball team is hoping to change its luck next season with the addition of three, potentially four more girls. As for Sarah Skelton, she is hungry for more.

“For me, this season hurt my pride,” Skelton stated, “But all those losses reminded me why I really play the game. I love this sport, and I’m determined to not let this horrible season ruin that.”

Men’s Tennis Falls to Bucknell

By DAVID BALICK STAFF WRITER

The Rams lost their second straight match to start the spring season when they were defeated 6-1

by Bucknell University at Queens College Saturday afternoon.

Fordham dropped to 0-2 on the season with the loss, while Bucknell jumped out to a 3-1 start.

The day started with the men failing to grab the early doubles point.

They lost both of their doubles matches by the score of 6-3.

New head coach Mike Sowter remained optimistic about the doubles teams. “I would like us to be more aggressive in doubles,” he said,

Drew Casey

“but as long as we continue to put in the effort the wins will come.”

The lone bright spot on the day for Fordham came from freshman Pol Giraldez. Giraldez defeated Bucknell’s Octavio Canibe in a three-set match that tested both players’ will and endurance. In the end, Giraldez had the most left in the tank. He lost the first set 7-5, but showed perseverance by battling back to take the second set 7-5.

“I tried to be patient against a player that hardly didn’t miss any balls,” Giraldez said after the match.

“When he got tired, everything was easier.”

In the final set, Giraldez was able to out-duel his opponent and closed

ALLY WHITE/THE FORDHAM RAM

Despite some hard fought matches, Fordham could not earn the victory.

out the match with a 10-7 victory.

“Pol is continuing to get acclimatized in college athletics and playing indoors,” Sowter said, “but he showed a lot of fight and was willing to come forward and put pressure on his opponent which showed in his victory.”

Things unfortunately did not go well for Fordham in the rest of its singles matches, as it would go on to lose the next five.

Senior captain J.J. Tauil was defeated 6-1, 6-2 to Bucknell’s Nick Bybel, who was the Patriot League Player of the Year last year as a sophomore. Senior Max Peara fought hard in two competitive sets, but lost 6-4, 7-6 (10-5).

Freshman Joey Brander similarly battled to make it close, but likewise was unable to come out on top. His result was 6-3, 6-4. Lastly, junior Pedro Alonzo and freshman Joseph Kavaloski were outmatched in their games and fell to Bucknell opponents in straight sets.

From a coaching standpoint, Sowter was pleased with his team’s performance overall. “The match went well, despite the loss,” he said.

“Everyone is working hard and continuing to improve every day so I’m really happy with the progress we have made over the last three weeks.”

The Rams will look to continue this improvement this Saturday in the Life Time Athletic Center in Harrison, New York.

Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has company. He is no longer the only NCAA men’s coach to win 1,000 games.

Herb Magee, in his 48th season as the head men’s basketball coach at Philadelphia University, notched his 1000th win on Saturday afternoon with a 80-60 victory over Post University of Waterbury, Connecticut.

Following the victory, the Division II school unveiled a banner above its scoreboard, recognizing the coach’s remarkable accomplishment.

“One thousand wins is a lot, even 999,” Magee said. “But 1,000 is a lot different than 999.”

Known as a great shooting coach, Magee is one of 60 college coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and only the third NCAA coach to win 1,000 games.

Legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summit is the only coach to reach the millennial mark in NCAA women’s basketball.

When asked about how it felt to reach the milestone, Magee gave both an unusual and expected answer.

“Relief. I don’t make that up,” Magee said. “That’s the way I felt.”

Like a true gentleman and representative for his team, Magee wanted to get the win out of the way so his team could focus on playing its best.

“I’m proud of the way the guys played today,” Magee said after the team’s 15th win of the season.

Philadelphia is now 15-6 and 9-3 in the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference.

Despite the 1,000 win mark, the more impressive number for Magee might be his 398 losses. His 72 career-winning percentage as a head coach is truly remarkable, especially at a Division II school that is not usually able to recruit top players.

Over the past 56 years, Magee has emerged as a legend in “The City of Brotherly Love.” He set the school’s scoring record during his playing days and did not pursue an opportunity to play with the Boston Celtics so that he could become an assistant coach at his alma mater.

He became the team’s head coach in 1967, and quickly led the team to a National Championship in 1970. Throughout his career, he has racked up 31 20-win seasons and 27 NCAA tournament appearances.

Magee could not be happier with his decision to stay for all this time.

“It’s my school,” Magee said.

“They gave me an opportunity to play here, and they created a position for me to be an assistant coach.

I have had no desire to ever leave.”

Things like this never seem to happen anymore. Very few people consciously remember where they came from. Even fewer people decide to commit themselves to the organization that first gave them an opportunity.

Magee has done this, and many couldn’t be happier for him. The coach even thanked the students and fans over the public address system after the game for creating a true home court advantage.

My hat goes off to Herb Magee, a truly incredible basketball coach but an even greater gentleman. Cheers to 1,000 more.

ADS

Page 20

February 11, 2015

fordhamram.com

Follow Us! fordhamram.com @thefordhamramonline facebook.com/theram

THE FORDHAM RAM

SPORTS

February 11, 2015

The 2015 NHL Draft class is being hyped as one of the deepest in recent league memory. Headed by center Connor McDavid, whom many experts believe to be the next great generational talent, this draft features many budding superstars who would definitely be in consideration for the number one pick any other year. Center Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin are two of these additional prizes for teams who find themselves at the bottom of the standings. Simply put, it is a good year to be bad. The question is: should teams that are positioned near the middle of the standings, with no hope of making the playoffs, intentionally tank in order to land one of these top picks?

Tanking can be frustrating in the short run — no fan wants to see their team at the bottom of the pack as the league’s laughing stock — but extremely beneficial in the long run.

It comes down to this important question: would you be satisfied with having your team in the middle of the pack, competing for the playoffs every year but never quite reaching the promised land? At least each season would be competitive and entertaining to watch. However, it is very tough to improve through the draft in this situation since these teams only receive mid-level draft picks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have benefitted from tanking perhaps more than any other NHL team. It can be argued (and has been by some) that the Penguins would not have any Stanley Cups without tanking at opportune times. They finished low in the seasons previous to the 1984 and 1990 drafts, in which they took Mario Lemiuex and Jaromir Jagr respectively, who led the Pens to two consecutive Stanley Cup victories. They also finished very low for a period in the early 2000s. In fact, they received top three picks from 2003 to 2005, in which they drafted Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby respectively. All three helped the Pens win their third Stanley Cup and establish their recent league supremacy.

Whether the Penguins were intentionally tanking to receive these players is up to debate, but it definitely demonstrates that tanking at the right time can lead to great results in the future.

Just because a team tanks and receives a top draft pick, however, does not ensure success in the future.

Take the Edmonton Oilers. They have been tanking for over half a decade. From 2010 to 2012 the Oilers had three straight number one picks, drafting Taylor Hall, Ryan NugentHopkins and Nail Yakupov respectively. In addition, they received the 10th overall pick in 2009 and the seventh pick in 2013. None of their low finishes and high picks have resulted in any success on the ice, as they continue to be perennial bottom dwellers.

From these two examples, it is clear that tanking has its risks but can lead to even bigger rewards. The Penguins were lucky enough to be bad right before amazing draft classes, while the Oilers have been stuck with some mediocre ones over the past few years. Luckily, for the Oilers, Sabres and Hurricanes this year, the upcoming draft class looks to be stacked beyond belief, making the act of tanking a harsh but necessary evil.

Pat Costello

Varsity Scores & Stats

Matt McCormack

To Tank or Not to Tank?

Page 21

Men’s Basketball Massachusetts 35 43 78 Fordham 41 31 73 (MASS) T. Davis 26 pts (FOR) E. Paschall 17 pts St. Louis 29 36 65 Fordham 33 50 83 (SLU) D. Roby 16 pts (FOR) C. Sengfelder 22 pts Women’s Basketball St. Bonaventure 17 34 51 Fordham 20 34 54 (SB) I. Outlaw 14 pts (FOR) H. Missry 15 pts Fordham 24 32 St. Joseph’s 19 27 (FOR) E. Tapio 16 pts (SJ) N. Cloud 16 pts

56 46

Softball Fordham Nevada

4 6

Fordham Fresno State

0 8

Fordham Pacific

4 3

Fordham California

0 6

Fordham Portland State

8 0

Men’s Tennis Fordham Bucknell (FOR) P. Giraldez 1-0

1 6

Men’s Track Metro Championship

4th

Women’s Track Metro Championship 3rd Men’s Swimming St. Francis Fordham

81 127

Women’s Swimming St. Francis 68 Fordham 126 Squash Colgate Fordham

0 9

NYU Fordham

5 4

Athletes of the Week Lester Taylor

Lindsay Mayer

Senior

Sophomore

Track

Softball

Taylor’s win in the 1,000m at the Metropolitan Championship was just the latest result of what has been a torrid streak. In his previous two outings, he had another win at the Metro Team Challenge and set a school record for the 800m at the Terrier Classic.

Mayer, a transfer from the University of Virginia, started her Fordham career in fine fashion. She batted .385 over the team’s first five games and led the team with four RBIs. Her contributions helped get the Rams two wins.

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 •

Two Make College Sports Madness Preseason All-Conference Team Baseball players Joseph Runco

•

senior Emily Tapio was named an Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week. She averaged 14 points, 13 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in a pair of wins over St. Bonaventure and St. Joseph’s en route to the honor. In the latter game, she scored a go-ahead layup with eight seconds left and blocked a potential gamewinning shot at the other end to seal the victory. She shares the award with Jonquel Jones of George Washington.

and Brett Kennedy were named to the College Sports Madness Preseason AllConference Team for the A-10. Runco led the conference in stolen bases last season, while Kennedy was the top pitcher for the Rams. Baseball kicks off its season this weekend with a game against Georgia State on Friday and one against Georgia Tech on Saturday.

•

Student-Athletes Honored at 12th Annual Breakfast for Champions On Sunday, 348 Fordham student-athletes were honored for their athletic skill as well as their academic prowess at the 12th Annual Breakfast for Champions in the McGinley Center.

The athletes in attendance were those that maintained a 3.0 GPA. 65 percent of Fordham’s student-athletes were honored.

Speakers included Athletic Director David Roach and Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of the university.

Tapio Named A-10 Co-Player of the Week On Monday, women’s basketball

•

Sengfelder is A-10 Rookie of the Week Basketball’s Christian Sengfelder was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for games played from Feb. 2-8. His highlights included grabbing 16 rebounds against Massachusetts, as well as a 22 point performance against St. Louis. In all, he averaged a double double. This is Sengfelder’s third time winning this award and the fifth time that the honor has gone to a Ram this season.

— Compiled by Sam Belden

Where Culture and Basketball Merge For the first time since 1998, the NBA All-Star game is back at Madison Square Garden. Only three players from that last game remain active today: Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant. There are many stories surrounding the All-Star game that have nothing to do with the players, though, the first of which is that MSG is relevant again. In its heyday, MSG was as much of a cultural pillar as Broadway or The Met, but recently, this hasn’t been the case. The only sellout the Garden has had this season was for a college game between St. John’s and Duke. Luckily for fans and New Yorkers alike, the All-Star game is restoring MSG to the social prominence it so rightly deserves.

For the second time in its history, the All-Star game will be in a separate arena from the surrounding festivities. These events, such as the Dunk and Three-Point Contest, will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This will be the first time since 1982 that the Nets will be participating in an All-Star Game event, but the Barclays Center will remain one of six arenas to not hold the game itself. The MTA is also releasing special Metro Cards featuring the All-Star Weekend design. The card sports the All-Star logo along with “2015” written in the style of subway bullets. The hope behind these new cards is that they will encourage fans to travel by subway between the two hosting venues.

The most interesting aspect of the entire weekend is the jerseys that each side will sport for the game itself. For the first time since 2003, the jerseys will be clean and simple, a nice change from the gaudy, flashy uniforms they have worn for the past decade. The East will wear white and the West will wear black. The fronts of the jerseys are very modest, with only the players’ number on the chest. Paul Lukas of UniWatch, a site dedicated to uniform aesthetics, gave his view in a recent ESPN column.

“The minimalist jersey designs, with nothing but a number on the front, are supposed to pay tribute to the style of basketball played on New York City blacktops, but they really evoke the feel of basketball from the ’30s and ’40s, when many pro and amateur teams just wore numbers on their chests,” wrote Lukas. He goes on to talk about how many fans do not like the jerseys because they are too minimalist, but how he appreciates the toned-down jerseys as opposed to those worn in seasons past.

The coolest part of the jerseys is the accompanying patch on the left shoulder. The small star has Jerry West in the middle and five different designs in each point of the star.

The designs are meant to represent the five boroughs of New York.

Manhattan’s design is a checkered pattern, similar to what cabs used before 1999. The pattern for the Bronx looks like a vinyl record as a nod to the old school hip-hop that started here. Brooklyn’s pattern is classic brick, which represents the signature Brownstown houses. Queens’ design looks like the Unisphere designed for the 1964 World’s Fair. Finally, the design for Staten Island is simply ripples in water.

The cultural aspects of this AllStar game are so prominent that they nearly make the players seem like an afterthought. New York City is relevant again in professional basketball, if only for a weekend.

ADS

Page 22

February 11, 2015

Want to take photos for The Fordham Ram?

Have you voted for Fordham yet?

Shoot us an email!

Take The Princeton Review Survey at:

survey.review.com

fordhamram photos@gmail.com This is your opportunity to show the nation that Fordham University is one of the best colleges in the country!

Official Travel Supplier For Fordham University

Vacation Travel

Business Travel

Cruises Group Tours Exotic Vacations Honeymoons Luxury Travel

Omega World Travel brings 43 years of travel industry knowledge and expertise to you, combining personalized service and advance travel technology solutions.

• Vendor and Sourcing Support • Executive Travel Programs • Travel Policy Consulting • Risk Mitigation • Mobile Technology • Corporate Travel Solutions • Duty of Care • Global Capabilities • Data Consolidation and Analytics • 24/7 Support • MICE Support & Management ONE OF THE INTERNET'S LARGEST CRUISE SPECIALISTS

1271 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 4300 • New York, NY 10020 646-693-7404 • OmegaTravel.com

1271 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 4300 • New York, NY 10020 646-693-7404 • OmegaTravel.com

SPORTS

February 11, 2015

Men’s Squash Splits Regular Season Finale, Women Defeat NYU

Page 23

By ANTHONY PUCIK SPORTS EDITOR

By ALEXANDRIA SEDLAK STAFF WRITER

The men’s varsity squash team finished up the regular season this past weekend at its home courts.

It was an exciting day at the Lombardi squash courts, with the players fighting hard and staying quick on their feet on the court, while also supporting their team members off the court. They split the results, with a 9-0 win over Colgate and a 4-5 loss against New York University. This leaves the team with an overall 10-5 record for the regular season. The women’s club team was also on the courts this weekend, playing some important matches against NYU. Closing out their first match against Colgate with a 9-0 sweep, the Fordham Rams played consistently and competitively. Many of the matches were completed quickly, with three of the matches won in three games and five won in four games.

The sole match that posed a struggle was at the seventh slot, with Fordham freshman Jimmy Shinnick facing Colgate’s Reed Schultz. This went to five games, with Shinnick winning the first two and Schultz coming back to take the next two. In the end, Shinnick pulled through to win the final game, completing the 9-0 victory over Colgate.

Fordham’s next match against NYU became both mentally and physically intense, with the majority of the matches going to four or five games. Sophomore Alex LaVersa and Junior Paul Monaghan, at the sixth and fifth slots, respectively, scored two wins for the team, both in four games. Shinnick and junior Matthew Crowe both fought hard in their matches but lost to NYU.

Crowe’s match went to a full five games, and he lost with a score of 8-11 in the final game.

The next match at the second slot was freshman Peter Yuen against NYU’s Andrew Fu. Yuen played for the win in a four set match. Finally, at the number one slot was Fordham junior Kincade Webster facing NYU’s Max McAfferty. This match went out to five sets, with Webster persisting to win the challenging fifth set, scoring a fourth win for Fordham. Although NYU came out on top this match with a 5-4 win, the Fordham team played some of its best squash, keeping the games fast-paced and competitive throughout and did not, even at the bitter end.

The women’s club team faced NYU at the same time. Although NYU was down a few players due to injury and illness, it was still a tough matchup with close games. Sophomore captain Lauren McGowan played spirited squash but lost with a score of 1-3. Players Catherine Oliver, Olivia Micci-Smith and Laura Madelein Wright each stepped up their games to secure wins for Fordham. In the end, this gave the Fordham women’s club team its first win over NYU. Overall, this was a huge weekend for Fordham squash. With tight matches and a double header against NYU, the courts were always full of action. The gallery was also filled with many student supporters, parents and families who came to cheer their team on.

At the close of the matches, coach Bryan Patterson said it was “a really good day and one that Fordham squash should be proud of.”

When Derek Jeter started his website, The Players’ Tribune, he aimed to give professional athletes a voice that they may not have had before. It allows fans to bring themselves closer to the game and to the athletes in general. Having read a few of the posts on the website I saw what Jeter was trying to do, but none of the pieces moved me as much as Brandon Prust’s “Why We Fight.”

Prust, on the Montreal Canadiens, is known around the NHL as an “enforcer” who pesters the other team, and stands up for his teammates when players from other teams are going after them. These players are sometimes referred to as “goons,” or “instigators” and some just consider them downright dirty.

Sometimes, it does seem that way in the game. However, Prust provided an insight into the life of a fighter and enforcer that I don’t believe many people - myself included - fully understood. If you haven’t gotten a chance to read it, you should.

Prust didn’t start out as a fighter, but he realized he had to try to stand out in order to get noticed down in juniors because he wasn’t the most skilled scorer. He started hitting and checking as much as he could, but that ended up getting him into fights he couldn’t really compete in. He turned to his teammate and friend Chris Bane, who started teaching him how to fight and sparred with him after practices. Prust didn’t fight because he wanted to fight. He fought in order to stand out and make himself a worthy member of his team.

Despite his efforts, he was cut, but three games into the season, he was given an opportunity to show what he was made of, and was never sent down again.

As Prust made his way up the ranks of the hockey world, he continued to create the image of himself as a tough guy and an “enforcer,” and he has made a career out of it. The reason he was signed to a four-year, 10 million dollar contract by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2012 is the same reason that many

teams sign players like Prust: to keep their teams and the game of hockey safe.

Allowing players to stop in the midst of gameplay, drop their gloves and punch each other in the face seems a bit unnecessary and almost barbaric, but for players like Prust it serves a purpose. On the surface, it just seems like two guys that are really angry with each other, but Prust discusses the idea of strategy and build-up that leads to a fight. He talks about how it can swing momentum in your team’s favor, or send a message to opponents. Prust makes a point that one rarely fights for fighting’s sake, and I think lots of people who look at hockey from the outside don’t realize that.

I also gained a newfound respect for Prust after he discussed an incident that occurred in last year’s Eastern Conference Final.

The Rangers, Prust’s former team, played against his Canadiens in the ECF, and the Rangers were leading 2-0. Prust knew he needed to make a big hit or get under the skin of Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in order to change the course of the series for his team. He didn’t know how he could do that when most of the players on the team were his former teammates and friend. Eventually, he ended

up catching Rangers’ center Derek Stepan going up the ice and leveled him, breaking his jaw.

When it happened, it appeared Prust didn’t seem to care. Not knowing the back story, it looked like Prust just wanted to injure anyone to make a point for his team, which made me lose a great deal of respect for him. I felt that his hug with Stepan at the end of the series on the handshake line wasn’t genuine at all and that he did it just to save face. After reading his take on it however, I completely changed my mind. Prust talked about how he texted Stepan immediately after the game to see how he was and that Stepan understood he wasn’t trying to injure him at all; he was just trying to do his job as the enforcer of the Montreal Canadiens.

Reading that, it made me completely change my outlook on Prust, a player who I used to love watching when he played for the Rangers. When a player like Prust isn’t on your side, he appears to be a thug and a ruthless animal only looking to injure your team’s players. But in reality, these players are making their living by sticking up for their teammates and playing a pivotal role in momentum shifts throughout a game.

As Prust says, “That’s hockey, man. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Known to be an enforcer, there is more behind the life of a fighter like Prust.

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY

Thursday Feb. 12

Friday Feb. 13

Saturday Feb. 14

Tuesday Feb. 17

Wednesday Feb. 18

Saint Joseph’s 2:30 p.m.

George Mason 7 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

Rhode Island 2 p.m.

Dayton 7 p.m.

Valentine’s Day Classic Georgia State 4 p.m.

Baseball Softball

Georgia Tech 2 p.m.

A-10 Championship Davidson 5 p.m.

Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis

Kennesaw St. 1 p.m.

USF Presidents Day Weekend Tournament

Swimming

The men’s team finished the regular season with a 10-5 record.

Monday Feb. 16

Men’s Basketball

Indoor Track

ALLY WHITE/THE FORDHAM RAM

Sunday Feb. 15

St. John’s 11 a.m.

Binghamton 5 p.m.

SPORTS

Page 24

February 11, 2015

The Fordham Ram

Men’s Basketball Wins First A-10 Game

By MAX PRINZ STAFF WRITER

The men’s basketball team picked up its first Atlantic 10 conference win of the season this past Saturday, defeating Saint Louis 83-65. The Rams had superlative performances from a pair of freshmen and snapped their nine-game losing streak.

“It feels really good; I’m not going to lie to you,” head coach Tom Pecora said after the Rams’ win. “I’m really happy for them.”

The team’s first conference win was not the only milestone the Rams managed to hit this week. Fordham’s 78-72 loss to UMass on Wednesday was Pecora’s 100th defeat at the helm of the Rams.

Fordham managed to hang with UMass all the way to the final buzzer.

The Rams entered halftime with the lead, but a four-minute slump in the second allowed the Minutemen to score 10 straight points and to steal the game.

“There was a stretch there in the second half where we went from up six to down six and that was the game right there,” Pecora said following Wednesday’s loss. “In the second half, that four-minute stretch killed us.”

With the loss, Pecora reached the

MICHAEL REZIN/THE FORDHAM RAM

Jon Severe and the Rams will look to build on their first conference win in their final eight regular season games.

century mark in just his fifth season at Fordham. Still, he remained positive and refused to allow his team to give in.

“I told them, ‘We’re right there,’” Pecora said. “I said, ‘Don’t you dare lay down, don’t you dare quit’.”

The Rams’ perseverance finally paid off against Saint Louis. They played perhaps their best basketball of the season against the Billikens, shooting an even 50 percent from the field for the first time since their last

win on Dec. 31. Fordham also tallied a season-high 39 free throw attempts, something Pecora said he emphasized heading into the game.

“We talked about dominating the paint,” Pecora said. “I think the guys really played under control and did a great job scoring in the paint.”

The Rams dominated right from the opening tip, jumping out to a 12-0 lead in the game’s first five minutes and never looking back, something they had failed to do in previ-

ous contests.

“We didn’t back down,” Pecora said. “We continued to compete for those last 20 minutes.”

The second half was a particularly great example of competitive Fordham basketball. Fordham shot 66 percent from the field and scored 50 second-half points against Saint Louis, the highest total since the Rams’ season opener. The offense was humming, using a combination of hard screens and nice passes to cre-

ate good, open shots.

The Rams were led, as they have been all season long, by freshmen Eric Paschall and Christian Sengfelder. The young Rams each scored 22 points, with Paschall making a game-high eight free throws and Sengfelder connecting on all three of his attempts from long distance.

“I was in the gym early, working out,” Sengfelder said. “When I’m out there and I’ve got a shot that’s open, I take it.”

Paschall said the win meant a lot to him and the team.

“I’ve been wanting to win since I came here,” Paschall said. “Winning is a great feeling; it’s not fun to lose.

All I want to do here is win.”

Pecora was visibly proud of his two underclassmen.

“It’s nice to have two freshmen sitting next to you coming off a win like this,” Pecora said. “I keep telling them ‘I believe in you’ and you just have to continue to believe in yourself.”

To express his happiness, Pecora pulled both Sengfelder and Paschall in the game’s waning minutes. Both freshmen received a standing ovation as they exited the floor, their first A-10 victory in hand.

“Hopefully it’s the first of many,” Pecora said.

Women’s Basketball Wins Two Close Ones

By MATT ROSENFELD STAFF WRITER

Conference play can be a grind.

Since the calendar turned to 2015, Fordham’s women’s basketball team has had a game every four or five days in Atlantic 10 play.

While the Rams have had mostly good weeks during conference play, none have been as exciting as this past week. Fordham claimed two victories, the first over St. Bonaventure 54-51 on Thursday and then a last second victory in Philadelphia against Saint Joseph’s, 4847.

“This week was definitely a crazy one,” senior Emily Tapio said.

“We look forward to every game and have been focusing on playing with urgency leading up to the tournament. I’m happy we have had close games; they prepare us mentally for the challenges ahead and help us mature as a unit.”

Fordham hosted the Bonnies for the two teams’ second meeting of the year. The Rams took care of business 72-62 in Olean, New York back on Jan. 11, but February’s matchup proved to be much closer.

Three Fordham starters provided the bulk of the offense this time around. Sophomore Hannah Missry led all scorers in the game with 15 points. Junior Samantha Clark scored 14 of her own and Tapio was right there with 13 points in the game.

Notably absent was graduate student Tiffany Ruffin, but she would have her time.

Fordham led for most of the game. After a Missry three-pointer just 87 seconds into the game, the Rams held a lead until the waning minutes. Fordham’s advantage

ALLY WHITE/THE FORDHAM RAM

After a pair of close victories, the Rams have the week off and are back in action Sunday at Rhode Island at 2 p.m.

was as high as 11 in the first half, when it led 20-9 with just 3:09 left until halftime. However, St. Bonaventure closed the half on an 8-0 run, bringing the score to 2017 at halftime.

The two teams traded buckets for much of the early part of the second half. The Rams steadily maintained a six to eight point lead, even extending it to 10 with just under eight minutes to play.

The Bonnies would not go away, and eventually turned momentum to their side. Following the under-eight media timeout, St. Bonaventure went on a 10-1 run to take its first lead of the game with 3:11 left to play and put a game the Rams had controlled most of the way in jeopardy.

The Rams and Bonnies fought each other for the lead in the final minutes. St. Bonaventure claimed

as much as a three point lead with 2:21 remaining, but Fordham fought back to take a one point lead after a successful free throw attempt from sophomore Danielle Burns with just 19 seconds remaining.

Enter Tiffany Ruffin.

With a chance to win the game in the final seconds, St. Bonaventure’s freshman guard Imani Outlaw lost the ball to Fordham’s point guard Ruffin, who promptly was fouled and hit two free throws, giving the Rams the 57-54 advantage they did not relinquish.

Not to be outdone, Fordham’s win over Saint Joseph’s was an even closer call.

In a reverse of the St. Bonaventure game, Fordham trailed for the majority of the game at Hagan Arena in Philadelphia. The visitors could not get going offensively, shooting just 28 percent.

However, Fordham’s usually tough defense held Saint Joseph in check as well, and the Rams only went into the locker room trailing 27-20.

“We knew we were still in the game with our defense,” Tapio said about the team’s demeanor at half. “We always have confidence in each other and we knew we had 20 more minutes to battle.”

The Rams made a strong effort to chip into the lead early in the second half. They cut the lead to four just five minutes into the second, but the Red Hawks answered quickly to push the lead up to 10, 39-29 with 12:15 remaining in the ball game.

After trading scores to make it 41-31, the Rams made their push.

They ripped off a 15-6 run led by six points from Tapio and a three pointer by freshman guard Asnate Fomina, and cut the deficit to one

point, 47-46 with only 1:21 to finish the comeback.

Saint Joseph’s ensuing possession saw the Fordham defense stand tall, with Tapio blocking a second-chance effort by Saint Joe’s. The Rams held the ball with 16 seconds left, trailing by one.

After getting its initial shot blocked, Fordham took a timeout under the hoop with 10 seconds left to win the game.

From underneath the basket, Tapio found her way free and laid the ball in off an inbounds play with seven seconds left to give Fordham its first lead of the game. Saint Joseph’s best player, senior Natasha Cloud, drove for their own game-winning basket, but was denied by the hero of the game: Emily Tapio. Final score, Fordham 48, Saint Joseph’s 47. “[The last play] was drawn up and went exactly to plan,” Tapio said. “It couldn’t have worked better. Like I said before, we just believed we were going to win. We practice special situations every day at practice so we were cool and collected. If you just keep believing, you never know what will happen, as was evidenced by the only lead us having all game was at that moment.”

The dramatic win boosted Fordham’s record to 17-7 overall, 9-2 in the A-10, which is good enough for second place. Not only that, but the win against Saint Joseph’s was also head coach Stephanie Gaitley’s 80th win at Fordham, moving her into second in school history.

The Rams look to continue their hot streak on Sunday, Feb. 15 in Kingston, against the University of Rhode Island. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.