Fordham Observer - Issue 3

Observer the

FEBRUARY 26, 2015 VOLUME XXXIV, ISSUE 3

www.fordhamobserver.com

Depression On the Rise in College Students

Photo Feature

By ADRIANA GALLINA News Editor

More Fordham students are seeking out help from the Office of Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS)-a pattern consistent with a nationwide study that shows an increase in depression among college students. From the 20112012 academic year to 2013-2014 academic year, the number of Fordham students who have sought out counseling and psychological services has increased by 2.6 percent, according to data provided by CPS. Since the 2011-2012 academic year there has been an over 7 percent increase in the number of clinical appointments scheduled in CPS. A study released by the Higher Education Research Institute found that an overall 9.5 percent of incoming college students on a national level frequently reporting feeling depressed, a more than 6 percent increase over the last five years.

“I wasn’t at all surprised to see that finding,” Jeffrey Ng, director of CPS, said. “We’ve seen here at Fordham and certainly nationally other institutions of higher education there have been reported moderate increases in depression as well as in anxiety.”

Ng defined depression as a sizable shift in mood or behavior for a significant amount of time that compromises a person’s day-to-day functioning. He defined a significant time to be anywhere from two to three weeks. Though, he noted that the medical definiton for a substantial amount of time is actually six to eight weeks.

“Depression can look really different for different people,” he continued. “The most prominent mood is sadness, something that is persistent and seems to not remit when things go on around us that might be considered positive.”

As for shifts in behaviors, Ng listed a variety: from changes in sleep patterns, changes in appetite, decreased concentration, decreased motivation, changes in self-care to see DEPRESSION pg. 3

EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER

Our photographers were inspired by the passion for fashion that overtook the city during this years Fall/Winter NY Fashion week.

Simultaneous Registration Made Official

By JENNY MCNARY Layout Editor

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC) College Council announced that all Fordham undergraduates will be registering simultaneously for fall 2015, which tentatively begin on March 23. The last time both campuses registered was for Fall 2014, when the My.Fordham site crashed.

This year, Fordham’s Information Technology (IT) team is more confident that it can handle the increase of student logins. “There are going to be two different places for you to log on to register. Two different places will reduce this bottleneck,” Elizabeth Cornell, IT communications specialist, said.

Other precautions were taken in order to ensure that the site will not crash this time around. “They have in fact hired an outside firm that does load testing for systems, they simulate the demand on the servers from the sorts of things that would happen during registration,” Robert Moniot, associate dean of FCLC, stated. “They came up with a number for how many simultaneous actions that the server could handle.”

This testing will ensure that the servers will be able to handle the increased number of students this year registering at the same time.

Last year, the number of students was accounted for, but IT did not anticipate that students would be logging in on multiple devices.

Students logged onto multiple de-

vices so when one of their devices, “did not give them a quick response they would go to the other one,” according to Moniot. “By doing this, they basically tripled the numbers of requests … IT wasn’t prepared for triple the load.” IT has now accommodated the system to handle this many students, but Moniot urges students not to log in to more than one device. “You have to understand that by doing that you are adding to the load on the system and increasing the odds that it will break down for registration.”

This procedure will be a great improvement to last year’s spur of the moment decision to have some of the deans register students through their own banner that did not crash along with the students.

This was started by Rev. Vincent DeCola, S.J., who was then dean of freshmen but is now the dean of Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC). Other deans were soon to help once the students were lined down the hall.

To accommodate the increase of students registering at the same time, “there is going to be a breakdown of credits,” Moniot explained.

The deans have not yet decided on an official number of the credit separation, but there will be two groups of students for each class grouping of credits that will registering on two different days.

IT and Moniot are confident that no problems will occur. If any problems do occur, IT “will be watching closely for problems so we can see REGISTRATION pg. 2

Inside

FEATURES

SPORTS

ARTS & CULTURE

No More Jansport

Fordham Baseball Preview

Ballet Hispanico En Pointe

Jansport isn’t very Jesuit

Can the Rams be A10 Champs

Salas connects to his roots through dance

The ethics behind vaccination necessity

Page 12

PAGE 15

PAGE 10

PAGE 7

THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER

OPINIONS

Vaccines for All

2

News

News Editor Adriana Gallina — agallina@fordham.edu

February 26, 2015 THE OBSERVER

Registration Shift for Campus Equality REGISTRATION FROM PAGE 1

respond quickly if anything goes wrong, however we don’t anticipate any problems,” Cornell assured.

The official procedure for a site crash during registration has still not been agreed upon. If there is a serious system failure, Moniot wants to cancel registration for the day and have registration postponed for that particular class until the next day. Moniot stated, “Then Fordham IT will get on the job and get it fix[ed], so that they will be ready to open up the gates for the next day.”

Simultaneous registration is helping bring the two campuses together, which has been a goal of the University since its restructuring.

“We were all told one university, two campuses, one department ...”

Gwyneth Jackaway, associate chair of the communication and media studies program at FCLC said, “so it seems that our registration policies should reflect that vision.” When people apply to Fordham University, they are told that they will be able to apply to classes at both campuses. Simultaneous registration

MICHELLE QUINN/THE OBSERVER

will allow an equality between the campuses for courses.

There are mixed feelings about this form of registration as students are skeptical of whether or not IT can pull through. “There’s really no point for simultaneous registration considering how it turned out last year,” Brianna Rivera, FCLC ’17. “They should know that it is just going to be another headache for them,” she said. Other students have more confidence in Fordham IT. “I think that if Fordham is prepared to handle simultaneous registration, I have confidence in their ability to handle it,” Jonathan Olmez, FCLC ’17, said. “I just hope what happened last year doesn’t happen again.” Both Olmez and Rivera had to wait in line at the deans office last year, and are wary about Fordham IT pulling through.

“Last time they tried this the computer system crashed so everyone is going to be holding their breath, and see if that doesn’t happen this time,” Jackaway said.

Moniot urges students to check their email as registration tentatively begins March 23.

IT assured College Council that it has systems in place to cope with the increased logins.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR

Registration Woes: The morning of freshmen registration last year culminated in a line outside the office of Rev. Vincent DeCola’s, S.J. then freshman dean, which was at least 75 students deep by 8:00 a.m.. Around 10:00 a.m. Jason Toledano, FCLC ‘ 17, attempted to lighten the situation by handing out free bacon to his peers. “My first instinct when leaving was ‘I gotta get them something.

What can I buy in bulk in the cafeteria?,’” he said. “I almost bought people sushi but remembered that the sushi here is, let’s say, sub-par.

Then I saw the bacon and was like, ‘BOOM. Who doesn’t want bacon?’”

ADRIANA GALLINA/THE OBSERVER

Students kept busy with homework, social media and chatting as they waited--some for at least an hour.

Measles Outbreak: The Controversy Behind Vaccinations

By JUSTIN REBOLLO Assistant News Co-Editor

Measles outbreaks across America, including one at Disneyland, have highlighted the growing issue surrounding parents not vaccinating their childrens. Students in New York are allowed to enroll in and attend school without vaccinations, such as the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. At Fordham University, where, last year there was an outbreak of 27 mumps cases, according to past Observer reporting.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2014 had the most measles cases since 2000. One dose of the MMR vaccine is around 93 percent effective against at preventing measles and two doses are around 97 percent effective against measles.

New York State law requires students attending a postsecondary institution to prove that they have immunity to measles. The state also provides two exemptions, religious or medical, for immunization to students.

A student can claim a religious

exemption if they “holds genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the practice of immunization. The student requesting exemption may or may not be a member of an established religious organization,” according to the New York State Department of Health’s website.

A medical exemption can be given, according to the New York State Department of Health’s website, if a “student has a health condition which is a valid contradication to receiving a specific vaccine, then a permanent or temporary exemption may be granted.”

Students who do not get vaccinated or who do not get an exemption can be barred from attending their institution. Also, a court case from last year “upheld a New York City policy that bars unimmunized children from public school when another student has a vaccine-preventable disease,” according to the New York Times.

“Once a school realizes that there are people who have measles in the district they then have the ability to say if you haven’t been vaccinated for measles you need to stay home,”

EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER

Last year, there were 27 cases of Mumps throughout Fordham.

Bruce Berg, associate professor of political science, said.

Berg outlined the nature of vaccine exemptions: “Every state has religious exemptions and a number of states also have philosophical exemptions as well as medical exemptions.”

Many people do not get vaccinated for religious and medical reasons and there is a growing number of people who oppose vaccines, known as anti-vaccers.

Vaccines, or at least the idea of vaccines, “goes back hundreds or possibly thousands of years,” according to Alexander van Hoogenhouck-Tulleken, Helen Hamlyn Senior Fellow and M.D.. The fear surrounding vaccines stems from trust issues between parents and those who maintain that vaccines are beneficial toward people’s health according to van Tulleken.

To get people less scared to vaccinate people: “You have to create much better vaccine information.

You have to not give people dogma.

You do have to give people the freedom in choosing to vaccinate their children,” van Tulleken said.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER February 26, 2015

News

3

More Students Continue to Seek Out CPS DEPRESSION FROM PAGE 1

expressions of hopelessness, helplessness, death or suicide.

So, what’s causing this increase in depression? “I don’t think anyone of us could say with pinpoint accuracy what the one reason is,” Ng said.

Ng thinks one part of the increase is because of a rise in reporting cases of depression due to a slight destigmatization of mental illness and mental health care. “Despite the fact that there is still stigma and shame around reporting mental health difficulties and challenges ... it has decreased during the past 10 to 15 years.”

Ng also attributed increased academic, financial and social pressures on students as factors that may be contributing to the rise in student depression. The study released also showed a 7.5 percent national increase of freshmen feeling overwhelmed by school work and other commitments.

CPS reported that 87 percent of Fordham students felt overwhelmed by all their obligations in the past year.

“Pressure to do more to be ‘successful’ takes away time to do other things that might inoculate students from becoming depressed.” Different elements of self-care Ng listed were: “sleeping well, eating well, taking time to laugh and play and spending time with friends.” He continued, “Those are all really important things for our mental health and wellness.”

Ng attributed one last thing to the rise in depression: social media. Two downsides to social media Ng sees are a decrease in face to face communication, as well as exposure to “a sort of glorified, airbrushed version of people’s lives,” Ng said. FaceTime, Instagram, Facebook and other various forms of screen mediated interactions don’t give the Limbic system-what is essentially responsible for mood regulation as well as interpersonal contact characteristics like empathy and compassion-the same stimulation as real face time, according to Ng. “We all have imperfections and bad days, but you don’t generally see

PAYTON VINCELETTE/THE OBSERVER

CPS reported that 87 percent of Fordham students felt overwhelmed by all they had to do.

that in people’s profiles and posts,” Ng said. “It leads people to compare themselves to unrealistic standards which can lead people to have mental health problems.”

The Office of CPS offers several avenues where students can get help and learn more about mental health.

All students are offered 10 free counseling sessions per academic year, but that number is not as cut and dry as it sounds. “We provide short-term treatment, which could range anywhere from literally a session or two,

which is what some students would need, to a semester which is around 15 to 18 weeks. We really try to customize the length of the treatment to the needs of the student,” Ng said.

To start their sessions, students can visit the office on the second floor of McMahon or call 212-636-6225 and schedule their preliminary interviews.

In addition to individual counseling, CPS also offers different psychotherapy groups that do no not count towards the estimated ten sessions

promised to each student. Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) currently offers a gender and sexuality group, women’s group, men’s group, international student group and, lastly, mindfulness group. These groups are subject to change from year to year.

On the week of April 7, CPS will be hosting a mental health awareness week at Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) which will include various events like faculty held TED talks, guest speakers and workshops. While

these events are being held at FCRH, FCLC students are welcome to attend.

More immediately, students can take a free online simulation to learn more about recognizing the signs of depression, how to support fellow students and if necessary refer them to CPS. The simulation can be found at www.kognitocampus.com/login, creating an account with the enrollment key: fordham718.

2015 Guide to On Campus Housing

By ALEX MERRITT Contributing Writer

The housing process has officially begun at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC). Whether you’re a freshman and this is your first time at the rodeo, or you’re an upperclassman checking up on Residential Life (Res Life) policies, here is the basic information you need to know to stay on track: Tuesday, Feb. 3 kicked off the housing process when students received a preliminary email alerting them of the impending process and initial housing deposit. The $200 deposit for housing was due on Feb. 13, 10 days following the notification of the payment.

Another note for freshmen to keep in mind is that McMahon rates run higher than those for McKeon.

The rate for a single room will be $17,605 per semester for the 20152016 academic year. The rate for a double room will cost $15,065 per semester, costing $3,180 more than a double or triple room in McKeon Hall, which will cost $11,885. These rates are subject to change, though the Office of Residential Life doesn’t anticipate these rates changing for the 2015-2016 year.

Both new and returning residents to McMahon have been placed in Overflow Housing if they failed to meet the deposit deadline. Jenifer Campbell, director of Residential Life, explained that in addition to students who failed to meet the deposit deadline and any who may fail future deadlines, “any student who didn’t participate in core programming or [has] sanc-

EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER

Any missed deadlines will result in Overflow housing placement.

tions relative to the student conduct process” will be placed in Overflow Housing. Students in Overflow Housing are unable to personally select their rooms or roommates, though they still participate in an online lifestyle survey and are still guaranteed housing for the 20152016 year. “We assign [housing to] those students normally around the middle of July,” Campbell added.

“We try to do the best match.”

Phase Two of the housing pro-

cess began on Feb. 18. During this time, students completed an online housing application available at my.fordham.edu. Through the application, residents sign a housing agreement and provide basic personal information such as graduation year. As noted in the housing manual sent to students, this phase concluded on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m.

Phase Three is the group formation process. Beginning on Mon-

day, March 2 and lasting until the following Friday, March 6, residents must make the decision of whom they want to live with for an entire academic year. This process is new for rising sophomores, who, for the most part, had been assigned roommates by the Office of Residential Life.

In the event that students find themselves in a position of not knowing who they want to live with, there will be a roommate mix-

er. Campbell explained that “it’s an opportunity for folks to mix and mingle and figure out if they can be roommates and form a group.” The roommate mixer will take place on Thursday, February 26.

Also during phase three, students must also designate which type of apartment they wish to live in. Offered in McMahon for the 2015-2016 year are, as outlined in the housing manual, three-person single apartments, four-person double apartments, four-person partial apartments (one double and two single rooms) and sixperson double apartments. As a way to streamline the process, each group will designate a group leader who will create a group page on my.fordham.edu, adding group members and designating that group’s desired room.

Phase Four of the room selection process begins Monday, March 9 and is the the actual room selection process, in which groups are able to select the actual rooms they will be living in. It is important to note that this process isn’t available to freshmen until March 12. As Jenifer Campbell explained, “This last phase basically goes through according to class standing from rising seniors, then juniors, then sophomores.” This means that the rooms available to the Class of 2018 will be those left over following the room selections of upperclassmen.

Groups will either luck out and receive their first choice of room or, due to either room or group conflicts, will be placed by the Office of Residential Life over the summer.

4

News

February 26, 2015 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

USG Wants More Student Participation

By DYLAN PENZA Sports Editor

Many of the members of Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC) United Student Government (USG) agree that the club is in need of a larger amount of student participation for the organization’s programs and meetings. This is especially important as the club prepares for its planned bid with the USG at Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) for Fordham to host the 2016 Presidential Debates.

Only 13 students from FCLC and one student from Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) were in attendance for USG’s weekly meeting on Feb. 19, the most recent meeting as per publication. Every student at the meeting was either a member of the executive board of the club or one of the club’s elected class senators.

All students within the Fordham community are not only allowed to, but also are encouraged to participate in these weekly meetings according to USG Treasurer Leighton Magoon, FCLC ’17. “I know that the majority of, if not all, of the general meetings are posted on OrgSync and all students are allowed to come to these meetings.”

“We always say that all students are part of USG and try to make it a point to advertise that everyone is welcome,” Magoon said. “That being said, I don’t think we’ve done an effective job of letting students know that.”

Jacob Azrilyant, Vice President of Operations of USG and FCLC ’16, denied any problems regarding participation within USG. “Those who want to [attend] show up. The doors are open and everyone knows where it is. People who have issues come freely. We can’t force people to show up.”

He also denied that USG does not advertise enough. “We do literally everything we can. The board is right by the cafeteria. If people don’t want to show up, we can’t drag them there.

It’s their free will.”

Magoon has plans to spread information about USG through more channels. “I know that we could probably advertise more through

JESS LUSZCZYK/THE OBSERVER

Leighton Magoon, FCLC’ 16, on his way to the USG Office.

social media and flyers, but the fact is that we have just not advertised enough that anyone can come to these meetings.”

Regardless of attendance in the club’s general meetings, USG will most likely need a larger amount student support in anticipation of its attempt to bring a 2016 Presidential Debate to Fordham, according to Sophomore Senator Douglas Pardella, FCLC ’17. “[USG] simply does not have enough support from the student body to have the Presidential Debate.”

The plan to bring these debates to the University were outlined by Azrilyant. “We are trying to get a petition circulating with all senators tabling instead of having office hours to get

signatures this week. We are also trying to get more support from the university potentially because it will cost the host institution a large amount of money to bring the debates there.”

Earlier this year, FCLC’s and FCRH’s USG tried a similar tactic to bring a debate between New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, FCRH ’79 and Fordham Law Professor Zephyr Teachout to campus that did not succeed. However, Azrilyant does not believe that this failure was because of a lack of student participation, but instead a rushed plan and a lack of interest from Cuomo himself. “The Governor did not want to debate so that was a lost cause, so he wasn’t even considering having a debate. We will also be tabling for

the week instead of the one day stunt that we tried to pull because we were only informed two or three days before.”

Azrilyant says that the lack of direct student body participation within USG’s general meetings will not affect participation in the bid.

“In terms of getting a petition, it’s very different signing a piece of paper than committing an entire year to being a senator. The two are not even related.”

USG President Louise Lingat, FCLC ’15, believes that the organization does do a good job of getting the student body to participate in the programs it sponsors. “USG hosts Winter Ball and Under the Tent and [it] has done a good job in getting

large numbers of students to attend.”

However, she does admit that USG has issues attracting students for leadership positions. Lingat continued, “In terms of participation within USG, we’ve always struggled with that. That’s been an ongoing thing. This year, however, we do hope to have competitive elections.”

Lingat remains cautiously optimistic that the club’s extended advertising will provide USG with the student signatures needed for the petition. “We need 700 to 800 signatures to come from Lincoln Center.

That’s the goal. We’re hoping to at least get as much as we can. I’m not sure if [tabling] has been working more, but we’ll see what happens.”

NY Times Access Scales Back for Commuters

By CONNOR MANNION Assistant News Co-Editor

As commuter students have likely noticed, the Office of Student Leadership and Development (OSLCD) policy of providing hard copy newspapers outside of the office of student affairs room 408 has stopped, while McMahon residents continue to receive hard copies of The New York Times.

Additionally, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) resident students have access to hard copies of The Wall Street Journal, which was offered via free subscription during the beginning of the year to students in the Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) and continues to be mistakenly delivered McMahon Hall instead of McKeon Hall, where all resident business students at Lincoln Center reside.

Delivery and receival issues have troubled both of the hard copy newspapers, according to Keith Eldredge, dean of students at FCLC, leading to a push for digital subscriptions to both of the papers.

In past years, there have been many problems keeping The New York Times hard copies exclusive to undergraduates, according to Eldredge. “One of the things that we noticed that it was challenging to have the newspapers outside of 408 and keep them exclusive to commuting students … we would see employees, faculty and administra-

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

Residents have access to free digital and hard copy, while commuters only have access to digital.

tors picking up the newspapers,” he said.

As a result, the hard copies outside of 408 were removed in favor of an online subscription program, marketed specifically toward commuter students. “We tried to encourage this program for commuters at commuter orientation and in the newsletter … it’s not something

we’d announce at resident floor meetings per se,” Eldridge continued. “Residents are welcome to use the online passes if they wish.”

As a result of this new program, hard copy subscription numbers have been cut in half. “We have around 80 [hard copy] newspapers delivered to McMahon … in previous years, it was around 160, 80 in

McMahon and another 80 outside of 408,” Eldridge continued. “We purchased additional online subscriptions this year as well to compensate for the change.”

According to the New York Times website, “Colleges that purchase bulk newspaper copies for a New York Times daily readership program receive a number of NY-

Times.com Academic Passes at no additional charge.”

“We were already receiving an equivalent number of digital subscriptions with the paper subscriptions,” Eldredge said.

Eldredge explained the digital copies as a kind of daily pass system, where users log in and “take a digital pass for the day, then 24 hours later you have to do it all over again … if 160 people logged in every day, there’d be a chance of being blocked out in theory, if 160 people logged in at the same time,” he said. “However we’ve come nowhere near close to maxing that out.”

In regards to The Wall Street Journal deliveries, Rev. Vincent DeCola, S.J. and assistant dean of Global Business at Lincoln Center, said, “I had to send out an email offering the online only editions, since we were having issues with the print editions’ delivery.”

Caroline Stewart, GSBLC ’18, explained how the process of physical delivery of The Wall Street Journal led to her cancelling her subscription. She said, “First it was getting delivered to McMahon and I wasn’t getting it [at all].” She then recounted that it was delivered to the mailroom where “it would stuff up and block our mailboxes,” she said.

Stewart continued, “We started getting notified by the package room like they were packages, but they would be old editions.” This ultimately let to Stewart cancelling her print subscription.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER February 26, 2015

News

5

College Council Talks Registration, SEEQ Decrease and FYE

By CONNOR MANNION Assistant News Co-Editor

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC) College Council met to discuss multiple topics, including the approved motion for simultaneous registration between FCLC and Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH). Registraion will tentatively begin for both campuses on March 23, the day classes resume following spring break, according to Rev. Robert Grimes, S.J., dean of FCLC. Robert Moniot, associate dean of FCLC, said “IT has prepared for the possibility of 2400 simultaneous logins … the main issue has been, according to IT, that students are logging in multiple times on different computers and laptops.”

Grimes acknowledged the difficulty of having students comply with being asked to not register early. “We asked students not to register for classes [at Rose Hill] when they weren’t allowed to, but they went and registered anyway.”

Gwenyth Jackaway, associate chair of the communication and media studies program at FCLC, raised a concern among her faculty “that academic advising would be taking place during midterms … this seems like it would be really stressful.” Grimes agreed, and while “midterms have not been officially rescheduled, you can ‘play it by ear’ and use discretion in scheduling exams,” he said. “But grades are necessary for advising purposes.”

For rising seniors, registration dates have been split into two days.

Seniors with 83 or more credits will be able to register on March 23, while seniors with 60 or more credits may register the following day.

These dates and credits are subject to change.

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

Father Grimes announced SEEQs are accessible to all students via MyFiles, which resulted in complaints from the present faculty.

Other topics included a poor response rate for the electronic Summary of the Students’ Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQs). “For some of the more popular majors, the response rate is hovering around 50 percent, which is nothing to champion,” Grimes said.

“Past SEEQs results are available online for students, however I’m not sure where,” Grimes continued.

Jackaway agreed, she said “I wasn’t even aware they are available

online for students to look at.”

Past SEEQs results are available online, through the MyFiles feature of my.fordham.edu. However, there has not been any recent attempt to publicize this, as there has been in the past.

Leighton Magoon, FCLC ’17 and treasurer of United Student Government (USG), asked “Maybe professors or the administration could email us a link to past SEEQs … it probably be a little better than

RateMyProfessor if it’s publicized enough.”

The final major order of business was a proposal from Dean Grimes on the future of First Year Experience (FYE) and how it may be restructured completely in the next few years.

“The idea would be that Eloquentia Perfecta I [EP1] would be separated entirely from freshman academic advising … and that freshman advising itself would become a

one credit class.”

FYE’s restructuring comes from the introduction of McKeon Residence Hall to FCLC. “McKeon was designed to solve the problems of resident students hiding in the ‘fortress’ of McMahon,” Grimes said.

“As a result, the integration of freshman commuters and residents is not a much of a problem anymore, and [FYE] is designed to fix an issue that isn’t really there, because of McKeon.”

Advanced and core classes in every discipline Musical Theatre and Humanitarian Action electives Live and work on campus • Enjoy summer in the city

Learn more at fordham.edu / summer

Summer Session 2015 May 26-June 25 | June 30-August 4

Opinions

Rachel Shmulevich — Opinions Co-Editor rshmulevich@fordham.edu Dylan Reilly — Opinions Co-Editor dreilly17@fordham.edu

STAFF EDITORIAL

A

students that they will actually have a chance to enroll in before they fill up.

Not to mention, this system makes the registration process equal for everyone so that one campus will not have a higher advantage than the other.

“One campus will not have a higher advantage than the other.”

For rising juniors, this idea may lead to stressinduced spasms and traumatic memories of the last attempt at simultaneous registration that lead to hoards of first-time registrants lined up outside the Deans’ offices trying not to burst into tears as they watched their academic

Observer the

A POSSIBLE END TO REGISTRATION WOES fter months of trying to figure out a way to register Fordham College at Lincoln Center and Fordham College at Rose Hill students that makes everyone happy, the administration has finally reached a solution: simultaneous registration.

As chaotic as our previous experience with simultaneous registration was during the fall semester of 2013, IT and the administration are finally confident that the system can handle whatever number of students come its way.

While there are no guarantees whether or not the system will actually cooperate until registration days arrive, the bright side is that Lincoln Center students can finally register for classes at Rose Hill without being barred till Rose Hill students have to register. This opens a whole new world of exciting class options to Lincoln Center

February 26, 2015 THE OBSERVER

hopes for the semester fade with the seconds ticking by on the clock.

For outgoing seniors, this may cause disappointment that IT and the administration was never able to pull this system together while they were struggling to fill their elective spaces with things that would still hold their attention while senioritis drives them to checking their Facebook pages for the thousandth time in an hour.

If everything goes as smoothly as predicted for this upcoming registration, this will completely change the way Rams register in the future. The Class of 2019 (that’s right, the incoming freshmen are already the Class of 2019, feel old yet?) will never have our old registration woes.

Here’s to hoping registration is a success and Fordham’s old bi-campus system finds itself enrolling in an easier future.

Editor-in-Chief Tyler Martins Managing Editor Kamrun Nesa News Editor Adriana Gallina Asst. News Co-Editors Justin Rebollo Connor Mannion Opinions Co-Editors Rachel Shmulevich Dylan Reilly Asst. Opinions Co-Editors Tyler Burdick Alexa McMenamin Arts & Culture Editor Ramona Venturanza Asst. Arts & Culture Editors Joseph Rametta Loulou Chryssides Features Editor Alanna Kilkeary Asst. Features Editor Hansi Weedagama Literary Co-Editors Meredith Summers Mark Lee Asst. Literary Editor Nina Bergbauer Sports Editor Dylan Penza Copy Editor Meredith Summers Asst. Copy Editor Terry Zang Layout Editor Jennifer McNary Asst. Layout Editor Elodie Huston

REDACTION In issue 2, page 2, The Observer printed an article stating that the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice at Fordham College at Lincoln Center created a new organization, referred to as ‘The Coalition to End Racial Injustice’ in response to the non-grand jury indictments of Officer Darren Wilson and Officer Daniel Pantaleo at the end of last year. The article, by contributing writer Dean Fryn, also referenced this ‘Coalition’ as a ‘working group.’ The Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice was also cited as a conference for the purpose of discussing racial injustice and how to prevent it on college campuses. This information is incorrect. Dorothy Day’s Social Justice Leaders are divided into three working groups. One of these working groups is dedicated to ‘community organizing’ which chose to focus on police brutality in August 2014. The “FCLC Coalition to Combat Racial Injustice” is a Facebook page created by members of this working group but was not sponsored by Dorothy Day. The page was to share information about different demonstrations with the Fordham Community that were in response to the non-indictments and has been inactive since December 2014. Lastly, the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice “is an annual gathering for members of the Ignatian family (Jesuit institutions and larger church) to come together in the context of social justice and solidarity to learn, reflect, pray, network, and advocate together.”

The Observer apologizes for the misinformations and misrepresentations.

CLUB SPOTLIGHT Brought to you through a partnership between the United Student Government and The Observer, the “Club Spotlight” will feature a club at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) that has shone throughout the month through their events and programming. This month’s Club Spotlight will feature:

The Commuting Students Association The Commuting Students Association (CSA) spent the start of the spring semester planning Commuter Student Appreciation Week, which was held February 9-February 13. The week consisted of 3 off-campus events to the movies, Serendipity 3, and a magic show along with 3 on-campus events such as Game Night, a Speed-Dating Coffee Break, and UrbaNight. The week was a huge success enjoyed by commuters and residents alike. UrbaNight is CSA’s largest event of the semester and the theme this year was “Tunnel of Love.” Attendees were able to enjoy student performances, a candy bar station, fake tattoos, a photo booth, dancing, and lots of prizes. CSA was thrilled to host a wonderful evening to culminate CSAW. A big trend for CSA this semester is to become more interactive with their members and the general Fordham community. To do so, CSA now plays games at meetings, polls students on the plaza with questions like “You Know You’re A Commuter When...,” and plans for the E-Board to have office hours in their office on the 2nd floor. CSA is off to a great start this semester and looks forward to the rest of its events!” Christina Dellaporte, FCLC ‘15.

CSA meets every Thursday at 11:30 am in room 502.

Layout Staff Kathleen Kirtland Jackson Landry Payton Vincelette Photo Editor Jessica Hanley Asst. Photo Editors Jess Luszczyk Ben Moore Online Editor Ben Moore Business Manager Victoria Leon Faculty Advisor Prof. Elizabeth Stone Faculty Layout Advisor Kim Moy Faculty Photo Advisor Amelia Hennighausen Faculty Multimedia Advisor Roopa Vasudevan Faculty Literary Advisor Amy Benson PUBLIC NOTICE

No part of The Observer may be reprinted or reproduced without the expressed written consent of The Observer board. The Observer is published on alternate Thursdays during the academic year.

Printed by Five Star Printing Flushing, N.Y

To reach an editor by e-mail, visit www.fordhamobserver.com

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES • Letters to the Editor should be typed and sent to The Observer, Fordham University, 113 West 60th Street, Room 408, New York, NY 10023, or e-mailed to fordhamobserver@gmail.com. Length should not exceed 200 words. All letters must be signed and include contact information, official titles, and year of graduation (if applicable) for verification.

• If submitters fail to include this information, the editorial board will do so at its own discretion.

• The Observer has the right to withhold any submissions from publication and will not consider more than two letters from the same individual on one topic. The Observer reserves the right to edit all letters and submissions for content, clarity and length.

• Opinions articles and commentaries represent the view of their authors. These articles are in no way the views held by the editorial board of The Observer or Fordham University.

• The Editorial is the opinion held by a majority of The Observer’s editorial board. The Editorial does not reflect the views held by Fordham University.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER February 26, 2015

Opinions

7

The American Dream: Chopsticks or Forks?

SHERRY YUAN Staff Writer

Based on the memoir of chef and writer Eddie Huang, ABC’s “Fresh off the Boat” proudly proclaims that it’s a show where, yes, Asian people are the main characters.

In an effort to get his restaurant off the ground, the dad relocates the family from Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Fla. The struggles the family faces in this significantly whiter community revolve around the viewpoint of the 11-year-old son, Eddie, who is both the narrator and the main character. Here, we’re talking about a chubby kid who’s repping Biggie and Nas on his shirt. In his first lines, he says, “If you’re an outsider, hip hop is your anthem—and I was definitely the black sheep in my family.” You quickly get the sense that Eddie is “mature beyond his years.”

Before any lines were even spoken, I was surprised by the feeling I got seeing familiar faces on screen.

When I say familiar, I mean faces with recognizably Asian features.

That, in and of itself, showed me how accustomed I’ve grown to the lack of Asian representation in mainstream media.

The title of the show has been controversial: “fresh off the boat” (FOB) was and still is used as a derogatory term to describe Asians, as well as other immigrants who have just come to America.

As an American-born Chinese (I wonder if ABC knows it has another acronym), in my mind the term “FOB” conjures up a picture of

JESSICA HANLEY/THE OBSERVER

someone who evidently has not “assimilated” into American culture.

To be more specific, I would use “FOB” to describe Asian kids who only seem to hang out with other Asian kids, who look “super-nerdy,” or have 25 keychains hanging off their Chanel bag. I’m speaking for myself when I say I have used the term in this way to label and judge

people, in order to differentiate myself from them.

In grade school, I thought it was funny to call myself a “banana,”—to say that I’m yellow on the outside, but white on the inside. Disturbing? Yes, but not as hurtful as when (non-Asian) people use “chinky” to make fun of their eyes in photos. These words most likely won’t

go away. Can we all better use, or even avoid using these words so as to avoid perpetuating racial stereotypes? Certainly. I’m excited to see how the show will continue to represent “fresh off the boat,” keeping in mind that it’s only a representation.

Notably, Eddie says the Huangs are an “American family,” not a Tai-

wanese-American family.

Much of the concern and criticism directed at the show has to do with whether the show will represent Asian culture or if will it be an Americanized version.

Of this, I believe the generation gap does a great job in illustrating that it’s not about choosing between a pair of chopsticks and a fork. Oftentimes Eddie’s mother, a stereotypical “Asian mom” who doesn’t buy into white culture, and Eddie, who actively tries to shed his Asian identity, struggle to meet in the middle. We can’t forget that the show also portrays what it was like growing up as an Asian kid in a white community. In one episode, Eddie throws out his homemade lunch because other kids were repulsed by something they’d never seen before. Several people I know, myself included, have experienced similarly traumatizing incidents; in having to feel ashamed of the food we ate because it looked weird or smelled bad to other people.

As this is the first Asian American family sitcom to appear on network television in 20 years, the network can stop worrying about how to market a show featuring Asian people as the main cast to white people. It will only serve to undermine the show itself, which definitely has a lot of content to work with.

Furthermore, members of the Asian community will need to be mindful of their expectations for the show to “justice” for Asian people, because we already know that this means different things for different people.

The success of the show, for me, will come with actively challenging its own mixed cultural associations.

Snuff Films: When Freedom of Speech Goes Too Far ALEXANDER PARTRIDGE Staff Writer

ISIS has become infamous across the world for its ruthless killings of hostages and recording it all on video. In late Dec. 2014, Jordanian pilot First Lt Moaz al-Kasasbeh crashed in ISIS-controlled territory and became their next victim. When demands were not met by the Jordanian government, al-Kasasbeh faced an incredibly gruesome death: being set on fire while locked inside of a

cage. This horrific act was captured in a 22-minute video and shared by the terrorist group. When U.S. news networks were notified of this execution and its video, they all chose not to share the gruesome footage.

Well, except for one of them: Fox News. On Fox News’ website, the video was made accessible with a warning that stated it was very graphic in nature. Fox’s Executive Editor John Moody stated, “We decided that giving readers of FoxNews.com the option to see for themselves the barbarity of ISIS outweighed the legitimate concerns

about the graphic nature of the video.” With its reputation of fearmongering and sensationalizing the news, it is not very surprising that this was the network that chose to share the video.

When ISIS records these videos, they are hoping to reach as large of an audience as possible, so why would Fox play into this? One can believe that al-Kasasbeh was burned to death without sharing the gruesome images. It is important to report the news and use freedom of speech to speak out against injustice, but it is tasteless to share a video of

a dignified man being murdered in such a despicable, undignified manner. This is very disrespectful to alKasasbeh and his loved ones.

It is true that video footage of murders can raise awareness and make people really get up and speak out, which is what the cell phone video capturing Eric Garner’s death did in New York last year. Millions of people saw what many police did not want them to see: an excessive use of force that killed an innocent man. In the case of al-Kasasbeh, however, the video was shared by the culprits themselves to show that

they are ruthless killers. This was their way of bragging that they are willing to do anything to take out the enemy.

By sharing this sadistic video, Fox News has effectively expanded the terror organization’s audience.

Fox is also catering to sick individuals who take pleasure in snuff films and putting at risk many children who can easily gain access with just a few clicks. What if the video was of somebody being raped? Would that make its way to Fox News? Some events can be described in text, and we’ll still get the picture.

Choosing Not to Vaccinate Puts Everyone at Risk CATHERINE ATHERTON Staff Writer

In Dec. 2014, seven cases of measles were reported at Disneyland, California which quickly escalated to 121 cases in 17 different states and the District of Columbia, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Feb. 9, 2015.

Given the highly contagious nature of the disease and the threat that it poses to national health, lawmakers across the U.S. have finally started pushing for legislation that mandates vaccinations for children and eliminates belief exemptions for parents who choose not to vaccinate. Seeing as Fordham experienced a mumps outbreak in the spring 2014 semester and still allows students to fill out vaccination waiver forms before entering the school, I hope the Fordham administration and New York will push for similar legislation to be passed. Since most vaccinations are not 100 percent effective, all individuals must be vaccinated in order to decrease the likelihood of outbreaks. Any law mandating vaccinations is critical to the health of our nation because unvacci-

COURTESY OF MEL MELCON/LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA TNS

nated individuals put everyone at risk for diseases, not just themselves.

Though I am a firm believer of allocating power to the people to make their own decisions, I don’t believe that vaccinating should be optional.

While some individuals are exempt from vaccines because of health risks, I cannot simply wrap my head around the fact that some parents willingly choose not to vaccinate their children, or themselves, for whatever reason.

The fact is that the anti-vaccination movement is not based in fact: at its

very core, especially with prominent advocates like actress and television host Jenny McCarthy, it’s fear-mongering.

Although some non-vaccinators argue that vaccinations are not necessary because certain illnesses are rare, the truth is that these illnesses are rare because of the continued and widespread use of vaccines. Vaccinations save 2.5 million children from diseases each year and have decreased measles in the United States by 99 percent, according to the CDC. On the

flip side, since the anti-vaccination movement gained traction, from 22 percent of parents refusing or delaying immunizations in 2003 to nearly 40 percent in 2008, “the U.S. saw outbreaks of diseases like measles, mumps, and whooping cough [for the first time in decades],” according to National Geographic.

Another common line of reasoning behind choosing not to vaccinate is that these illnesses are “not so bad,” although 43 of the reported cases of measles this year lead to hospitalization, which I would not consider to be “not so bad.” Not to mention, the CDC has called measles “[t]he most deadly of all childhood rash/fever illnesses.” Third, while certain vaccine ingredients pose a concern for some people, most specifically aluminum, babies are actually exposed to more aluminum from breast milk than from any type of vaccination.

And finally, for those who believe that vaccinations are linked to Autism, stemming from Andrew Wakefield’s fraudulent 1998 study (that arguably caused the birth of the anti-vaccination movement) it’s worth knowing that not only was Wakefield’s research completely discredited, but he was stripped of his

medical license. The thousands of men and women who put themselves, their children and others at risk are rallying behind a theory which has absolutely no truth to it and is propagated by a man with no professional credentials.

Given the poor—contrary to science, facts and any kind of tangible evidence—reasoning behind vaccination waivers based on belief, the U.S. government and Fordham must eliminate these exemptions to improve the health of our school and nation. As the mumps outbreak on campus proved to us, diseases spread quickly once introduced into a community, especially one in which students and teachers alike are in close quarters, not to mention the fact that more than half of the Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) population commutes home every day, putting tens of thousands at risk and being put at risk themselves. In order to prevent a disease outbreak from occurring again, Fordham must push for the elimination of immunization waivers because the benefits of vaccinations exceedingly outweigh the dangers, and allowing individuals to enter into the Fordham community who are not vaccinated puts the whole student body at risk.

8

Photo

February 26, 2014 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

FASHION WEEK IN NYC Observer photographers took photos of fashionistas during Fashion Week, where models wear the current styles of the season at Lincoln Center.

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

JUSTIN REBELLO/THE OBSERVER

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

MICHELLE QUINN/THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER February 26, 2014

Photo

9

FASHION WEEK IN NYC

EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER

KIRSTIN BUNKLEY/THE OBSERVER JESSICA LUSZCZYK/THE OBSERVER

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

PAYTON VINCELETTE/THE OBSERVER

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor Ramona Venturanza — ramonaventuranza@gmail.com

February 26, 2015 THE OBSERVER

Poets Present Surreal Imagery at ‘Poets Out Loud’

Alicia Ostriker, Eduardo Corral and Caroline Hagood Read Unpublished Poems at ‘Poets Out Loud’

By SRI STEWART & RAMONA VENTURANZA Contributing Writer & Arts & Culture Editor

Three poets from different generations share something in common: their inspiration for writing stems from deeply rooted memories, experiences and views of the world.

At Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC) “Poets Out Loud” on Feb. 17, Alicia Ostriker, Eduardo Corral and Caroline Hagood read poems dealing with cultural and political topics that intrigued and inspired them.

Ostriker focuses her poetry on her experiences. But moreover, Ostriker also includes her own views of relevant issues into her poetry.

According to Professor of English Heather Dubrow, director of “Poets Out Loud,” “[Ostriker’s work] is impelled by ethical and political concerns.”

“I write as a feminist in my poetry that has certain obsessions, views, feelings, emotions and thoughts,” Ostriker said. “As a poet, I write from a radical women’s point of view; that means many things, like religion, politics, motherhood, the body. All of my life, I have written poems about areas that were taboo - I’ve always wanted to break those taboos and speak what has been unspeakable in literature.”

Ostriker’s poetry of politics and religion stems from her identity as a Jewish woman in New York. In the poem from her new book, “The Wind that Blows Through Me,” evidence of her feminist identity is clearly shown. In “They Speak of Race,” Ostriker’s politics of the equality of race is also revealed.

At the event, she presented poems from her latest book, “The Old Woman, the Tulip, and the Dog,” which, she said, was quite different from anything she has ever done.

“Every poem is a trialogue with three characters; each character has something to say about. The dog almost always has the last word, and it’s a punch line. These poems are light in character, but they’re also deep as well as comical,” Ostriker said.

Ostriker also read some unpublished poems about her experiences

JUSTIN REBELLO/THE OBSERVER

Eduardo Corral read poems from his book, “Slow Lightning.”

in New York. “My husband and I just recently purchased an apartment in the city, so exploring the Upper West Side neighborhood has given me rise to poetry about the neighborhood,” she said.

Like Ostriker, Corral’s poems in his book, “Slow Lightning,” and more recent unpublished poems are meant to treat readers and audiences with beautiful imagery, as well as insight into his own experiences. For instance, in a collection of poems that have the same title, “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,” Corral mixes his own experiences with surreal imagery. “[These poems] have to do with surreal, lyrical and magical landscapes,” he said. “I like reading those poems because of the title; you have a title, and the

poem does not sync up with what your expectations are.”

Corral draws much of his inspiration from growing up as a gay Latino from a small town in Arizona.

“I was born and raised in southern Arizona, in a small town called Casa Grande; the town is about two hours away from the Mexican border. My landscape in Arizona is the desert - the dryness, floral and heat of the desert is all in my work,” he said.

In addition to the landscape, Corral also focuses his work on the people of Arizona. “In my neighborhood, there were a lot of Mexicans and Dominicans; [my poetry] also focuses on their struggles. A lot of people there would cross the border from Mexico to the United States undocumented; I talk about people

who are border crossers, who work their way from the desert to the city.”

The third poet to present, Hagood, read narrative poems from her second book, “Making Maxine’s Baby.” According to Dubrow, “[Hagood’s] work contains dreams and a stream of consciousness.”

Hagood said her inspiration came from growing up in New York City and riding the subways. “I wondered what life down there in the tunnels might be like,” she said.

As a result, she created the character of Maxine who is traumatized from an abusive childhood. Maxine deals with her experiences and pain through poesis in also a biological way; she needs to create a baby.

Maxine recognizes “how close won-

der is to horror,” and in this way she may find that beauty is behind her pain.

Both Ostroker and Corral hope to strike a chord amongst all audiences with their poetry. Ostriker said, “I hope [that my poems], for any audience, will make them laugh, cry, think and feel. I want them to think about what the poems say and how they respond to what the poems say. How does it apply in their life and what they encounter?”

For Corral, he hopes that his poetry sticks with readers and audiences. “Poems are not meant to be puzzles,” he said. “I would be happy if the audience would enjoy a word or an image; I want something from my poems to linger with the audience. I think that’s quite stunning.”

The Comma Interrobang

Birthday Cake

By NINA BERGBAUER Assistant Literary Editor

It’s true: I’ve never been much of a “birthday person.”

When I was younger, I so dreaded hosting birthday parties that I often wished I often was a twin so I could at least share the party and avoid being the sole center of attention.

When you’re a kid, you’re supposed to be excited about birthdays and all they have to offer - growing taller, getting (or feeling) smarter, gaining independence – and for those reasons I did enjoy my birthdays. It was the other, more self-centered aspect of birthdays that always left me feeling uncomfortable – the part that requires you to feel “special” or deserving of extra attention simply because you managed to wake up that certain morning. Needless to say, as

I grew older, it felt liberating to be able to care less about my “special day.” I scoffed at the idea of a Sweet 16, and if a friend ever happened to throw me a party, I made it explicitly known that I had nothing to do with it whatsoever.

It wasn’t until the passing of this year’s birthday, though, that I realized how much I’d taken that special attention for granted. When my mom asked me to meet her and my father at my grandparents’ house in New Jersey celebrate with a “birthday dinner,” I begrudgingly accepted. The day finally came, however, and a winter storm completely derailed the plan. While relieved at first, I grew sad and anxious that night and couldn’t understand why. An image of

an old photograph kept popping into my head; it pictured me, clutching a stuffed cat and sitting next to a pink-frosted cake (my yearly request). I went to bed that night hungry not for the sweetness of the cake, but for the inexpressible excitement I always felt about knowing it would be made every year, just for me. I still can’t say I’m a “birthday person.” But I think I’ve realized that this oddly vain desire we often have to receive special attention on our birthdays might not from a place of selfishness after all. Perhaps instead it’s an expression of some nostalgic yearning for our foregone childhood, when birthdays meant you could have your cake and eat it too.

See how fun The Comma is? observercomma@gmail.com

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER February 26, 2015

Arts & Culture

10

COURTESY OF OMAR Z ROBLES

Dancers at Ballet Hispanico bring Latin American culture to audiences around the world.

Dancing with Ballet Hispanico

By JOSEPH RAMETTA Asst. Arts & Culture Co-Editor

Not all college students get an experience like Alvin Ailey/Fordham BFA student Daniel Salas, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’16, who is one of the youngest dancers to sign with Ballet Hispanico, one of the leading contemporary dance organizations in the city for Hispanic dance. The ballet brings Latin American culture to audiences around the world, through roots in ballet, contemporary and character movements. Being a Latino himself, Salas has the opportunity to continue his passion while keeping connection to his Hispanic roots.

According to the organization’s website, its mission is to display and preserve the Latino cultures around the world through the art of dance.

Salas found his own cultural connection through Ballet Hispanico. “As a Latino, I was really excited to find

an institution like this that directly links my culture to my passion. It’s a place where I feel like I belong, both culturally and artistically,” he said. “My father’s side of the family is Mexican, a culture which played a huge role in my upbringing.”

Salas’ career in dance began in high school, when he made the choice to pursue the art as a career.

“I started dancing when I was six years old at a really small school in California. Although I always thought I was pretty serious about it,” he said, “it wasn’t until I began studying in the Ballet Division of Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Massachusetts where I realized the professional possibilities and potential in this art form.”

It was not only his own growing passion for dance that made him decide he wanted to pursue the art as a career.. His mother’s interest in dance, especially ballet, also inspired him to take this career path.

“While my mom was pregnant with me, she would attend ballets, as a close friend of hers was a professional dancer. She loved the ballet - I feel like I was born loving it from her,” he said.

Despite his Latino background and dance experience, it wasn’t until seeing Ballet Hispanico in person at New York City’s Joyce Theater, Ballet Hispanico’s main recital hall, that put it on his radar. “About a week before classes started back up for me in the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program last fall, I heard about the Ballet Hispanico audition in an email blast from a dance publication and went to it on a whim.”

That whim eventually would become a signing contract as he would go on to get the position. His success within his first season at Ballet Hispanico landed him another position for the second season that is currently underway. The reason behind his current success, Salas said, “has al-

ways been [ambition]. I started auditioning at a young age, for big things and small things, things I thought I could get and things I thought I had no chance at getting. But for me, it was all about taking pleasure in that fear of the unknown and not letting a rejection letter discourage you.”

With the rigor of the Ailey curriculum combined with the Fordham workload, Salas juggles dancing Ailey and Ballet Hispanico with school. “It’s definitely a challenge trying to juggle Ailey, Fordham and Ballet Hispanico - but it’s not impossible. It’s all about taking things one step at a time and not trying to do everything at once,” he said. “When I’m in rehearsal, I have to be 100 percent there and not be worrying about a paper I have to write or how much work I have to get done. And when I’m in class, I can’t be thinking about choreography or the performance I have this weekend.”

That being said, one can say his

passion for dance is certainly innate.

“It was always something that was a part of my life in some way, whether I knew it or not. When I started dancing, something just felt right,” he said. “There is nothing quite like losing yourself in your dancing while finding yourself all at the same time.”

Of all the performances Salas has done with the company, he said, “My most memorable piece has been entitled ‘Tango Vitrola,’ choreographed

by Alejandro Cervera for the first company. I dance the French duet in it with a female dancer and it is a piece where I feel I can really be someone other than myself. It’s dark and alluring but still extremely technical, and partnering is one of my favorite aspects of dancing.” While continuing his college studies at Ailey and Fordham, Salas gets to pursue an opportunity that connects his culture and passion in one.

“Fresh Off The Boat” Hits Home for Asian-American Fordham Students

By LOULOU CHRYSSIDES Asst. Arts & Culture Co-Editor

“Fresh Off The Boat,” a sitcom about a family of Taiwanese immigrants raising their family in the U.S., premiered Feb. 4 and continues to capture the attention of television audiences and critics. This show was seen as a breakthrough for the Asian-American community because it is the first one in contemporary times to feature a predominantly Asian cast. Students at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) who identify themselves as Asian-American have had positive reactions to the program since it began.

“Fresh Off The Boat” revolves around the Huang family; a family in which the parents are Taiwanese immigrants and the children are first-generation Americans. The family moves from Chinatown in Washington, D.C. to a suburban, predominantly white neighborhood in Orlando, Fla. Each individual member of the family has his or her own set of difficulties in terms of adapting to a new set of cultural and social norms.

According to Jennifer Clark, assistant professor of communica-

MARIA KOVOROS/THE OBSERVER

Students at FCLC enjoyed watching “Fresh Off The Boat.”

tions and media studies, the show is interesting because it balances two commitments in network television. “‘Fresh Off the Boat’ is trying to entertain and sell products - it is trying to keep the viewer longer and sustained until she or he will watch the advertisement. [The show] needs to deliver what it imagines an audience would be interested in seeing, without alienating any part of that audience,” she said.

Secondly, the show is trying to appeal to a greater audience. “We have people here in America who want to see people who have not been represented in television.

[Network television shows] have been largely a monolithic, white, middle and working class culture,” Clark said.

Furthermore, “Fresh Off the Boat” has the burden of being one of the first shows to represent Asian-

American culture. “There are so few representations of Taiwanese, Chinese-Americans on television. It bears such a particular weight, because it is the only voice that is being presented,” Clark said. “‘Fresh Off the Boat’ bears a heavy burden because of the unfairness and inequality of television programming.

It is scrutinized in a way, that other programming on network television aren’t.”

According to Randolph Lee, FCLC ’16, Asian-Americans can easily identify themselves with the members of the Huang family. “I can definitely relate to the show, especially from watching the first or second episode when the other nonAsian kids make fun of the son’s lunch - that happened to me when I started attending a high school that was eight percent Asian,” he said.

However, there are some students who think otherwise. “I like the show - it’s funny and it’s a good start to Asian-American representation, but there are a lot of other stereotypes in that show; sometimes it seemed more washed out for white viewers to me,” Vice President of the Asian Pacific Alliance Coalition (APAC) Peony Tam, FCLC ’15, said.

Despite the mixed views of the

show, students are glad that AsianAmericans are being more represented in television. Karman Chao, FCLC ’16, said, “I think it’s great that there is finally a show on a popular channel that centers around Asian-Americans. [The show] dives right into the issues Asian-Americans face in a white-dominant society, such as trying to assimilate into white-American culture and rejecting our own to be socially accepted.”

Chao recognizes that there is a lack of Asian protagonists on American television. “The only time you will see Asian-Americans on TV is when they are a secondary or side actors and they are usually always playing into Asian stereotypes,” she said.

Evelyn Ng, FCLC ’16, further asserted this view. “It is nice to see people of color being represented in the media. Asian-Americans are underrepresented in primetime TV as there are barely any shows with Asian-American leads, with the exception of Lucy Liu in the show ‘Elementary,’” Ng said. “Other AsianAmerican actors have a hard time being casted in shows in general and don’t want to be confined to only a ‘nerd’ [role].”

Features

Features Editor Alanna Kilkeary—alannamartine@gmail.com

February 26, 2015 THE OBSERVER

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

A student works hard in one of the study lounges in McMahon Hall

Study Habits For Aceing Classes And Midterms

By SHAHEEN TOKHI Staff Writer

Ready or not, midterms are coming. Prepare yourself for full libraries, the late nights and the extra caffeine. Finding the perfect way to study may not be fun, but it’s the secret to acing exams and boosting that GPA. Looking for study ideas to get you through midterms? A few Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) students shared their favorite studying tips and even some of their most productive on-campus hideaways. From the quirky to the conventional, they’ve covered it all.

Marcela Alvarez, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ’18, noted that during her study time, [she] “really likes to use a whiteboard, especially for math problems instead of writing them down on paper. I feel like I can see it better, and I can write bigger and erase things when I need to.” Alvarez also suggested getting a white board

with a cork strip for pinning notes.

Not doing a math problem? She has her own unique way of writing papers too. “When writing an English paper, I’ll write it out on paper first and then transfer it to my computer.”

It’s an extra step, but it can make all the difference when trying to plan out that perfect paper. What’s her favorite study spot? The Law School Library, perfect for quiet and concentration.

For Amanda Ritchie, FCLC ’16, taking the longer way to do things can really pay off. Ritchie said, “I recopy all the notes that I take throughout the semester in a separate notebook because writing helps me remember things as opposed to typing.” Ritchie also has a memory trick of her own: “I use lots of colored sharpies. I’ll divide the different sections and categories by color, so that I’ll remember them by their color.” She called the Law School Café the perfect balance of quiet for studying. Her quirkiest study habit?

Ritchie said, “I also sometimes study

in the shower. I laminate pages and I stick them up in the shower and I study because there’s no one to bother me in there and I can focus.”

Keeping track of your workload is the key to some students’ success.

Craig Appel, FCLC ’17 said, “I write everything down [including assignment due dates] so I know how much I can push [studying] off to. And usually I push it off to the very last minute, but at least I know it exists.

That’s the most important thing, always know what’s going on.” Appel’s advice was simple and honest. He said, “Pick your focus when you’re studying. There’s so much that you have to do. The likeliness of you covering it all is slim.” As for his favorite study spot, Appel likes the quiet study rooms in the Law School Library.

Who knew that in an age of technology that so many students would enjoy studying the old fashioned way? Overall, paper and pen remained the most popular study tools. A little silence, a lot of focus

and some visual aids can go a long way.

Fordham Professor of Theology, Comparative Literature and Women’s Studies Ben Dunning offered a few tips of his own. “Every course is different. In the core, it’s really important to get as clear an idea as possible from the professor so students aren’t wasting time,” Dunning said.

When you’re unsure, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification from your professor. Dunning said, “Think consciously and carefully on how you’re going to avoid distraction.” Dunning suggested putting your phone in a different room or turning off the wireless on your laptop during study time.

His second major tip? Study in increments. “Rather than trying to power through do stints of 20 minutes with a five-minute break in-between and do something fun during that break,” Dunning said. He also suggested setting study goals. This type of studying helps you stay motivated and stops you from potentially

overworking your brain.

Study hard, because you can’t fake a solid understanding of the material. “Go back and read the texts again so you are as familiar as possible. I think that studying in groups is beneficial for some types of studying (memorizing vocabulary terms), but I’m not sure that working in groups is the best way to prepare for an essay. You can get together and discuss the material, but it’s no substitute for really immersing yourself in a text,” Dunning said. He understands that cramming for exams happens and admitted that it was once a part of his own college experience. That being said, exams tend to go better for students who study more in advanced.

Dunning’s last piece of advice was: “I do actually think that people learn in different ways. If you’re a freshman or a sophomore and still getting the hang of things, you should try a bunch of different ways and see what works for you.”

The JanSport Dilemma: Should Fordham Stop Selling JanSport Products?

By Marissa Legnini Contributing Writer

As Fordham students, we are taught to cultivate our lives around habits of moral reflection and critical thinking through our Jesuit education. For many students, myself included, buying clothing items in the bookstore has not always spurred an ethical dilemma for me but as of recent, it’s got me wondering.

Since 2013, the United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) organization has been campaigning for universities to require brands producing college-logo apparel to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. This is a legally binding contract between workers unions and brands promising greater protection for workers and a voice for unions in addressing deadly working conditions. This campaign is a result of the tragedy in Bangladeshi garment factory, Rana Plaza, that killed over 1,000 workers. According to the USAS, over 100 brands have signed

the Accord. Notably missing from this group that includes Arcadia Group, American Eagle Outfitters and Adidas is the VF Corporation.

The VF Corporation owns JanSport apparel and is Fordham’s supplier of college-logo apparel.

JanSport and the VF Corporation choose to remain as participants under the Alliance for Bangladeshi Worker Safety (AFBWS). The contract is similar in its written goals to that of the Accord on Building and Fire Safety but is very different in its processes and stipulations for brands.

Unlike the rules under the Accord that join employee representatives and companies together in cooperation for safety initiatives, AFBWS is an unilateral corporate initiative that is governed solely by the corporations. Safety inspection practices are also remarkably different under the Alliance. As part of the Accord, safety inspections are done by independent parties fully-versed in new and improved Bangladeshi Building codes every nine months whereas under the Alliance, inspections are not done independently so that

brands as companies retain complete control over the inspection process.

The urgency of this issue is something that the Fordham community cannot deny. Fordham Assistant Professor of African and African American Studies Aimee Cox, weighed in, “As a professor at Fordham who takes very seriously the charge to teach to the whole person, issues around human rights are a frequent topic in all of my classes.

Human rights, as we are taught in the Jesuit tradition, are not just evinced through theoretical ideals but actualized through concrete actions that impact the lived, material realities of peoples’ lives across the globe. It is our responsibility as ethical citizens of Fordham University and the world to take action when we can that is morally sound and creates more life-affirming options for those who are most vulnerable in our transnational society. Terminating our contract with the VF Corporation which owns the JanSport apparel sold in our bookstores would be one small, but very powerful, step in this regard.”

COURTESY OF ROSS HAILEY/ FORT WORTH STAR- TELEGRAM VIA TNS

A classic Jansport backpack that is often sold in school bookstores.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

February 26, 2015

Features

13

#MyWeirdRamRoommate: Communication Complications

By JESSE CARLUCCI Staff Writer

Before the start of each school year, students anticipate the stranger(s) with whom they will be living with for the next nine months.

Here at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), living in New York City can be weird enough, but having a roommate with even weirder habits only adds to the experience. Recently, on Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night Hashtags segment, he created the tag #myroommateisweird, resulting in thousands of responses. In order to flesh out the true oddities amongst OUR community, I asked around for weird roommate experiences, so as to offer advice to those in similar situations.

This week’s results brought up some interesting topics worth discussing when it comes to roommate etiquette. McKeon resident Bob*, FCLC ’18, remembers when one of his roommates skipped town for the weekend, without telling any of his suitemates. “He disappeared to Mexico for the weekend, and didn’t answer his phone,” Bob stated. “We were really worried.” However, once his roommate returned, it became clear the situation was not as serious as expected. “He told us he was stressed and just needed a weekend in paradise,” Bob said casually. “And since he comes from a good amount of money, this wasn’t out of the ordinary for him. I just wish he had told us.” Worrying about a roommate is never a good feeling, as it is natural to fear the worst if one does not answer after one or two days. Sure, we’ve all had those roommates who come back

JESSICA HANLEY/THE OBSERVER

Don’t let your roommates tune you out!

the next morning after a night out, but spending two days away without warning is a cause for concern. If you plan on going away, be courteous enough to let your roommate know, even if it’s just a quick text. This way, they know you are safe and sound, and that there is no need to file a missing persons report.

McMahon resident Daisy*, FCLC ’16, braved a somewhat awkward experience with one of her roommates.

“One time when she was talking to

me after getting out of the shower, her towel fell down a little bit, and she didn’t even fix it,” Daisy stated with a look of disgust. “It made me very uncomfortable.” Not only this, Daisy said, but “she also almost always walked around in just a bra and underwear.” There is a fine line between comfort and nudity, and when living with someone, it is best to know your roommates’ tolerance for this. While some may be fine with their roommate walking around the

room as they please, others may find themselves uncomfortable being exposed to nudity and loungewear such as only underwear. This is best to address at the outset of the relationship, so no one finds themselves in an unwanted situation. It is imperative to respect our roommate as best as possible and simple communication, though some topics may be awkward to discuss, is the most effective way in ensuring a positive roommate experience.

While they are two entirely different situations and circumstances, the same treatment is effective: communication. Communication between roommates is key for those good colleges times we all desire, so whether it’s about addressing clothing habits or letting your roommate know that you won’t be around for a couple of days, it is imperative to speak out to the one you live with here at FCLC.*ASTERISKS DENOTE THAT NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TWEET US @THEFORDAMOBSERVER WITH YOUR STORIES !!

14

Features

February 26,2015 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

Take time for power naps! They’ll keep you healthy and energized.

Nap Nooks: The New College Craze

By MARTIN NUNEZ-BONILLA Staff Writer

At Fordham and other colleges around the United States, students aren’t sleeping enough. According to a study conducted by Brown University, 73 percent of the college students surveyed admitted to having trouble with sleep. On average, according to the University of Georgia health center, college students get six hours of sleep, which is less than the Center For Disease Control and Prevention recommended seven to eight hours. Schools like New York University and the University of Georgia highlight lack of sleep as an

issue that needs to be talked about, and have whole pages dedicated to the education of students in regards to developing better sleeping habits, as well how sleep affects the student.

James Madison University (JMU) in Virginia has also hailed the rest of students as a priority; what did they do? They created the Nap Nook. The Nap Nook is a term coined by JMU in order to refer to a place on campus that has been created specifically for students to catch up on sleep. According to the JMU Nap Nook website, “ … the Nap Nook provides students a place to ‘recharge their batteries’ in a healthy manner. Along with walk-

ins, students have the unique option to reserve a bean bag in advance for a forty minute nap.” JMU has created the first ever “designated student napping center in a university setting.” Should Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) follow in JMU’s footsteps?

“Yes! It would be so helpful for commuters,” Jennifer Georges, FCLC ’17, said when asked about the idea of a Nap Nook at Fordham.

Other students similarly responded with a resounding “Yes” when asked about the Nap Nook idea, but there are people at Fordham who disagree. “Nap nooks would not be useful at Fordham [Lincoln Center]

… they would most likely not even be used for napping. Plus, they are really unsanitary and if anything, the school should invest in toilet seat covers.” Rachel Yan, FCLC ’18, said.

“As a commuter student, I am often on campus all day, sometimes with a four or five-hour gap between classes. Residents have the opportunity to go back to their dorms and nap if they want, but commuters are stuck in the caf or one of the lounges. I think sometimes it would be helpful to have a place to take a quick nap, especially when I have a lot of time to kill and don’t have work to do,” Christina Napolitano,

FCLC ’18, said.

Paula Castillo, FCLC ’15, weighed in, “In my experience, I’ve had times where I was studying or doing an assignment but it was taking longer than I estimated therefore had to stay at school.

Sometimes taking a nap in the tiny library chairs were a better option than taking the MTA home at midnight when all the lines are under construction and your commute takes twice as long as it regularly does. There are also moments when students have long breaks in between classes and a taking a nap wouldn’t hurt them.

Fordham Bucket List: 5 Fordham Events You Should Attend Before Graduation out Spring Weekend! Think of it as Fordham’s Coachella. It takes place over an entire weekend in March or April at Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) and features various different musical acts. There are plenty of parties to go along with this and it is a great opportunity to relax with your friends.

By HANSI WEEDAGAMA Asst. Features Editor

It’s that time of year again, where spring break is just around the corner and we’ve finally reached the halfway point of the semester. So if you’re stressed over midterms and are looking for something interesting to do or you just want to know what events there are to look forward to this semester, check out these five Fordham events below:

4. GLOBAL OUTREACH – If you’ve

been at Fordham for a while, you’ve probably heard a lot about the service program called Global Outreach. This program lets you travel to different places in the U.S. and abroad to get involved in various different service projects. It’s a great opportunity to travel and form a bond with people that share the same interests as you. Summer projects coming up include: New Orleans, Navajo and West among others.

1. FORDHAM’S RELAY FOR LIFE

This event benefits the American Cancer Society and it is currently Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC’s) largest student-run philanthropy. This year’s event will take place on April 18– all members of the Fordham community can register. It is a day full of fundraising, food, music and games – and all for a good cause. You can create a team of friends or join one that has already been created, by going to relayforlife.org/fulcny.

2. FORDHAM’S AMAZING RACE –

Are you a fan of the Amazing Race?

Have you always wanted to join but never wanted to skydive onto a football field or race on a NASCAR racetrack? Well then, check out Fordham’s Amazing Race! It’s slightly less terrifying and you can

5. MIDDAY/MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST – Right before finals take

MARIA KOVOROS/THE OBSERVER

Write down your bucket list in your daily planner to keep you inspired every day of the week.

team up with your FCLC pals on a race around the city. Just sign up with United Student Government (USG), fill up your Metrocard, cre-

ate a team of three or four people and get ready to race around the boroughs, answering clues to win.

This event usually takes place at the

end of March or in early April at FCLC. 3. FORDHAM SPRING WEEKEND – If you love concerts, check

place, Fordham offers a midnight breakfast for students. If you’re stressing over finals, check this event out. Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University, is usually in attendance as well, serving students breakfast along with other faculty members.

Sports

Sports Editor Dylan Penza - dpenza@fordham.edu

February 26, 2015 THE OBSERVER

Fordham Baseball Preview for the 2015 Season

BY JENNY MCNARYAND KATIE KIRTLAND Layout Editor and Staff Writer

Fordham University’s 2015 baseball season started in Georgia on Feb. 13. The team ended their 2014 season with 24 wins and 30 losses, a record which helped them make the 2014 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championships. Unfortunately the team didn’t make it as far as they would hope and ended their run with one win and two losses in the championships. After several interviews with coaches and players, we gained some more insight into what the team is hoping for this season.

The team believes they have a great shot at winning the 2015 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championships.

When asked about his goals for the team this season, Head coach Kevin Leighton, in his fourth year with the team, stated, “We want to finish in first place in the regular season, and from there win the conference tournament. It is something we have talked about as a group and we feel we’re capable of doing.”

Ryan Carroll, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’15, in agreement with his coach, wants “to be over .500, because we’ve never been over .500 since I’ve been here.”

Some of the other players expressed in interest in brightening team morale this year. Brett Kennedy, GSBRH ’16, expressed a desire to “stay more consistent as a team, and knowing we can go and beat any team at any point.” Overall, “we need to be resilient and not get down if we lose a game or lose a series,” Jimmy Murphy, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’16, said. Looking at the team this season, it seems they have high-reaching goals, and if they can keep team morale up, then they should be able to achieve them.

A major change that should improve the team this season is that the players as a whole are more experienced on the field, as the 33 player roster only includes eight are freshmen. “This is the first year that I’ve been here that we haven’t started a freshman,” Carroll said. The higher level of experience in this year’s starting players should lead

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORDHAM SPORTS

With an experienced team and a smart coaching staff, the 2015 Fordham baseball team looks poised to succeed and possibly bring home an Atlantic 10 Championship.

to a more sophisticated approach to each game, allowing them to bring home more wins.

In addition to the team’s maturity, there is a lot of confidence placed upon the pitching staff this season.

“I mean this is the best I have ever felt about a pitching staff, top to bottom,” Leighton said. Pitching is essential to a team’s success. “We have a couple of pro-prospect type pitchers,” Carroll said. Though the team may be at its best, every player has something he feels he needs to focus on this season. “I’d say my defense because our pitching is really good this year, so if everyone plays better defensively then we’ll be in more games and able to win more games,” Joe Runco, GSBRH ’16, said.

Despite constant assurance from teammates and coaches, the team’s

pitchers know they can still improve. Kennedy hopes “that I can battle the other team’s best pitcher to win these big games.”

Fordham’s team has had a history of injured players, which plays into some of their goals for the season. “Personally, stay healthy. I’ve gotten hurt every single year. I’ve had four surgeries,” Carroll voiced.

In addition to Carroll’s two hand surgeries and two elbow surgeries, Jimmy Murphy was out for the entirety of last season. His goal for this season is “to stay healthy and pitch deeper into games and get the team a chance to win.” While sports injuries are common for baseball, the whole team hopes to keep injuries at a minimum and retain use of all their players.

The team had their first games in Georgia on Feb. 13 and 14. In

looking forward to this weekend, assistant coach Rob DiToma expressed that “we have an idea about what our strengths and weaknesses might be, but you really don’t know until you are playing against a different jersey.” The team came out of the weekend with one win and two losses. They lost to Georgia State on Friday, then split a doubleheader against Georgia Tech on Saturday.

When asked how they thought the weekend went, the players had very positive things to say. As annual competitors for the College World Series, beating Georgia Tech was a big upset, and Carroll believes the weekend “showed we can compete with some higher level teams.”

However, there were some problems over the weekend that the team will have to address. “We have to focus right off the plane and start hitting,”

Should the Nets Trade Brook Lopez?

By MATTHEW MCCARTHY Contributing Writer

With the trade deadline looming, the Brooklyn Nets are looking to relieve themselves of Brook Lopez’s contract, worth $16.7 million in 2016.

Despite struggling on defense over the past two seasons, Lopez still has trade value as a center capable of playing at an All-Star level on the offensive end of the court. Just over a month after owner Mikhail Prokhorov announced he would sell the team, the Nets must rebuild to appeal to potential suitors. Ridding themselves of maximum contracts and costly stars, such as Lopez, should be the first step of that process.

Due to having career highs in both points per game and field goal percentage two seasons ago, Lopez should attract teams in need of a star player. One team that has been rumored to have interest in the AllStar center is the Denver Nuggets.

ESPN reported the Nuggets offered young stars JJ Hickson and JaVale McGee in addition to a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. Though they should pursue a trade involving more draft picks, this has been the best offer the Nets have received thus far. Alex DiMisa, Fordham College

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE LUIS VILLEGAS/SACRAMENTO BEE VIA TNS

Brook Lopez remains a productive center for teams in need of one.

However, it is time for the Brooklyn Nets to move away from him.

at Lincoln Center ‘18, an avid basketball fan, agrees. “The Nets need to rebuild by freeing up salary cap space and acquiring more draft picks. That starts with trading Brook Lopez.” If Prokhorov is looking to sell the team

before next season, it would be in his best interest to free up as much cap space as possible in addition to adding younger stars. The Nuggets offer allows the Nets to acquire two productive, upcoming players at a cheap-

er price while adding a first round pick for the new owner.

With the race for the playoffs heating up and the trade deadline quickly approaching, the decision regarding Brook Lopez must come swiftly. The Denver Nuggets’ trade should have been accepted upon being offered. JJ Hickson and JaVale McGee can fill the void left by Lopez while adding youth to an aging roster. With the team currently spending $13 million over the allowed team salary, the Nets need to create cap space for the upcoming offseason and the trade would accomplish that goal. With Kevin Garnett contemplating retirement after the season and new ownership ready to take over, Brooklyn will be looking to spend big this offseason.

At this point it is clear Lopez creates more troubles than benefits. His whopping $16.7 million salary will consume more than a quarter of the Brooklyn’s allowed cap space. In addition to depleting much needed funds for free agents, Lopez’s production has also been declining. He only appeared in 17 games in the 2013-2014 season and was benched earlier this season in favor of Mason Plumlee. This season, Lopez is averaging career lows in minutes played per game and points per game. De-

Runco said, “This was the first time we got to field ground balls on a dirt field. We’ve been stuck fielding ground balls on a basketball court.”

Focusing on this issue will help the team with the season’s remaining away series.

Looking forward to the rest of the season and the end goal of winning the Atlantic 10 Championship, Fordham’s team may have all the skills necessary to excel this season.

Conference play does not start until March 27 in which they will play a series at the University of Richmond, giving them plenty of time to fine-tune their game. While the beginning of the season is exciting, Murphy affirms, “We have to keep the same intensity from this weekend when it’s 35 degrees in March and we’re playing a conference game.”

Despite having a career year two seasons ago, it is clear that Lopez is declining, especially in the Nets’ present situation. spite having a career year two seasons ago, it is clear that Lopez is declining in production, especially in the Nets’ present situation.

The current NBA playoff standings place Brooklyn on the outside looking in. This is a familiar position for a Nets team that has only made the playoffs twice in the last seven years and has had seven different head coaches in that time span. New ownership may want to start fresh again with their own head coach and general manager, so providing a young roster and a handful of draft picks will be crucial for Prokhorov as he looks to sell the team. The Nets need to start the rebuilding process for the 20152016 season and that begins with ridding themselves of large contracts for declining talents like Brook Lopez.

16

Sports

February 26, 2015 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Which Quarterback Should Go First in the NFL Draft?

POINT

The Case for Jameis Winston as the #1 Overall Pick in the Draft Dan Ferrara

Still, there is no denying his talent as a quarterback regardless of his behavior.

When teams in the NFL evaluate players, talent is all that really matters at the end of the day.

Everyone knows that Winston comes with baggage, but he’s more of an NFL quarterback than Mariota is. As ridiculous as Mariota’s statistics were from a year ago, there is a growing suspicion that his game will not translate well into the NFL unless he is in the right situation. And by the right situation, that means playing for former-Oregon head coach Chip Kelly in Philadelphia.

That scenario can become quite likely if Mariota falls to the Jets on draft day, as the Eagles can offer some combination of Nick Foles, other players and draft picks to land their man. In that scenario, Mariota can

Why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should select Marcus Mariota Over Winston Thomas O’Callaghan

Staff Writer

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers “earned” the number one pick with their putrid 2-14 record in 2014 and clearly need a quarterback, leaving only two options: Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota.

The two quarterbacks couldn’t be more different. Winston has a big arm and is mostly a pocket passer, whereas Mariota relies on his legs and supercharged Oregon offense to overwhelm opposing defenses.

Both are effective, but Mariota had – by far – a better season last year. Nothing about 42 touchdowns and just four interceptions scream NFL bust, but Winston should still be the number one pick.

COUNTERPOINT

Staff Writer

STEPHEN M DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL

Jameis Winston may have behavioral red flags, but the former Seminole may be the most skilled prospect in the draft.

definitely succeed. On the Bucs, however, Winston has to be the guy.

Although they were just 2-14 last season, Winston will be gifted some major offensive playmakers from day one. Wide receivers Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans are both big receivers who are serious deep threats to opposing secondaries. The Bucs offer Winston the greatest chance to succeed out of any other in the top 10.

Plus, keeping him in Florida would be an added bonus. Last year, the Houston Texans could have selected hometown hero Johnny Manziel with the number one pick but elected to draft Jadeveon Clowney instead. Clowney has since had microfracture surgery on his knee and Manziel checked himself into rehab following his lone season in Cleveland.

There is no denying that there are legitimate questions about Winston’s character and decision-making off the field. He has been caught shoplifting crab legs and is currently facing rape allegations, which could make prospective NFL teams terrified of selecting him.

Still, there is no denying his talent as a quarterback regardless of his behavior.

When teams in the NFL evaluate players, talent is really all that matters at the end of the day. Neither Winston or Mariota is a lock in this draft – they could both wind up being terrible. But if the Buccaneers are going to take a flyer on one of them, Winston has a better shot to make the leap to the pros as long as he grows up a bit.

The top quarterback in this year’s NFL draft is almost too close to call between Florida State University product Jameis Winston and University of Oregon QB Marcus Mariota. Both are Heisman winners that come from winning programs, and both could realistically be the top pick in the draft. During the 2014 season for the Oregon Ducks, Mariota threw for over 4400 yards and 42 touchdowns, compared to only four interceptions. He completed almost 70 percent of his passes, and his passer rating has improved every season. Mariota is trending upward, while the Seminoles’ QB has been trending the opposite direction. Winston threw for

While Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were both excellent college quarterbacks, Mariota is the safer pick of the two. Mariota has improved in all of his collegiate seasons, while Winston’s performance dropped off in the 2014 season.

just over 3900 yards, 25 TDs and a whopping 18 interceptions. For these and other reasons, Mariota is the safer pick.

While on-field performance is very important, off-field issues also have a strong bearing on a player’s future. Despite Johnny Manziel’s solid playing career, the shenanigans in his personal life have put his NFL career in jeopardy. Personal issues are a concern with Jameis Winston, and they

JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINEL VIA TNS

There may be questions regarding whether Marcus Mariota’s skill set will translate to the NFL, but he is still a top prospect.

might cost him the number one pick. Mariota has kept his personal life out of the headlines, while Winston has been the center of several controversies. There have been allegations of shoplifting, sexual assault and other examples of misconduct that make his character a question mark. A player’s talent is often overshadowed by his personal problems, and Winston’s reckless behavior off the field can transfer to his ability to perform on the field.

While Mariota might be the safer pick at number one, there is talk that there is mutual interest in his getting to the Eagles. There are reports that that Chip Kelly and the Eagles will “do whatever it takes” to pick Kelly’s former QB from Oregon. For this to occur, the Eagles would need to trade up in the draft from their current position at number 20.

Mariota has also expressed interest in playing for the Eagles, but unless he has a very poor showing at the Draft Combine this year, he will probably be out of Philadelphia’s reach.

In order to land Mariota, they would need to trade up to a top six pick, which is unlikely.

While Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were both excellent college quarterbacks, Mariota is the safer pick. Mariota has improved in all of his collegiate seasons, while Winston’s performance dropped off in 2014. The Ducks’ quarterback has kept his personal life private, while Winston has had several off-field problems that could impact his performance. While they are both solid QBs at this point, Mariota seems to be a safer pick in the long run.