Observer issue #6

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APRIL 21, 2016 VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE 6

Council Voices Concerns on CUSP

By CONNOR MANNION News Editor

Early in April, Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University, released a draft of the Continuous University Strategic Planning Committee’s (CUSP) discussion document on the continuing strategy for growing and cultivating the University as a whole. The committee itself is chaired by J. Patrick Hornbeck, associate professor of theology, Debra McPhee, dean of the Graduate School of Social Service (GSS) and Peter Stace, vice president of Enrollment Services.

However, this 11-page draft document left Fordham Lincoln Center’s College Council confused on what the specifics of the plan may entail.

When the floor was opened for comments from the faculty present, many professors voiced their departmental and individual concerns.

Mainly, they expressed frustration with the perceived vagueness of the CUSP document, which outlines strategic priorities for Fordham moving forward.

“It all feels very vague, and we’ve seen documents like this before that don’t seem any different,” Gwenyth Jackaway, associate chair of communication and media studies, said in response to the document. “I genuinely wonder what purpose these documents actually serve.”

Carey Kasten, associate chair of the modern languages and literature department, said, “There were a lot of mentions of research, undergraduate research and service learning, and I’m just wondering what is the support for the faculty that undertake these cases.”

Christopher Maginn, professor of history, said, “The historians spent some time on this, and we noticed there is an emphasis on performance and media, and it seems like a relegation of the humanities to a certain extent.”

Martin Di Grandi, assistant professor of chemistry, pointed to section 1B2 of the document. “There has been talk of a new science building ever since I was an undergraduate see CUSP pg. 2

FEATURES

Underground Poetry at LC Amateurs and experts welcome

Page 12

SPORTS

Bramble is No Gamble Safety commits to Fordham Football

PAGE 19 ARTS & CULTURE

Rotating Artists at Idiko Senior students work on display

PAGE 8

OPINIONS

Have a Heart, New York Organ donations are desperately needed

PAGE 6

ANDREA GARCIA/THE OBSERVER

Breiner, one of the youngest college football coaches at age 31, plans to continue his enthusiastic approach to practice for the whole season.

New Coach Leads On and Off the Field Coach Andrew Breiner hopes to continue the success of Fordham Football

By MOHDSHOBAIR HUSSAINI Asst. Sports Editor

If he could go back and tell his college self anything, it’d be, “to be excited for what’s going to happen in the next 10 years. Have a more distant view and not always look at what’s right in front of your face.”

Fast forward a decade, and he’s the Head Coach of Fordham University’s football team. This man is Andrew Breiner.

At the end of the fall semester, Dave Roach, Fordham’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, was busy preparing for the big announcement to the Fordham community: Andrew Breiner was promoted from Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach to Head Coach. In his statement, Roach said, “We believe that he is one of the bright young coaches who has

“ [Breiner] has been a big part of the program’s recent success and we are confident that Andrew will be able to maintain and build that success.”

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done a great job guiding the recordsetting offense over the past four years. He has been a big part of the program’s recent success and we are confident that Andrew will be able to maintain and build upon that success going forward.”

Breiner replaced former Coach Joe Moorhead, who resigned in order to take up an Offensive Coordinator position at Pennsylvania

DAVE ROACH, Fordham Director of

Intercollegiate Athletics

State University. When asked about former Coach Moorhead’s departure, Breiner responded, “First and foremost I was happy for him as a friend that he was getting this new and exciting opportunity. I was sad, personally, because he was such a friend. It was strange to go to work and not see him every day.” After all, the two had worked together for seven years as members of the

coaching staff, starting at the University of Connecticut, and then moving down to Fordham. For Breiner, the new position meant an opportunity to fulfill his dream as a head coach.

In his youth, Breiner was always taught to seize the moment. “I was taught by my father when I was very young to never assume people know what you want.” Therefore, when Moorhead resigned and the opportunity arose, Breiner took it.

“I reached out to Mr. Roach and let him know that I would be interested in the position if he was interested in talking to me. I did not waste time making sure he knew I was interested,” Breiner said.

When reflecting on the impact that football has on his life, he recalled the memories of his first see COACH pg. 18

Fordham Drops Sodexo for Aramark

By STEPHAN KOZUB Asst. News Co-Editor

Starting July 1, Aramark will replace Sodexo as dining service provider across the University.

The email announcement, sent from the office of Jeffrey Gray, senior VP of student affairs, stated that Aramark “was chosen by a committee comprised of students and administrators, headed by [Gray] with support from the consulting firm, which specializes in food service management.” The Request for Proposals (RFP) process began in December, with the final three choices being Sodexo, Aramark and Chartwells/Compass.

Deming Yaun, Dining Services contract liaison, said in a

statement, “Fordham is very appreciative and has much respect for Sodexo and its employees and the services they provided here on campus for the last 38 years. Aramark did an outstanding job during the RFP process and we are looking forward to working with them to move Fordham Dining forward.​” Leighton Magoon, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’17 and United Student Government (USG) President, said that “after 30 plus years, change is good. They seem to be open to working with faculty and students.

We’ll have to wait and see but they seem to be like a good vendor to work [with].”

Dean of Students Keith Eldredge cautioned students that

“change takes time.”

“I think we’re going to see some change by the start of the fall semester,” he said. “Exactly what that’s going to look like, I don’t know. Aramark has presented some wonderful plans.”

He said, “I don’t want to say Sodexo is terrible and that we’re getting rid of them and bringing in someone who knows what they’re doing. Not at all. Sodexo was moving and had been improving satisfaction on campus and I think Aramark’s going to come in with a fresh perspective and look at things differently. “ Sandy Pope, a business manager with Teamsters Local 810, the union which represents the University’s dining service employees, said that “we’re feeling confident

THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM LINCOLN CENTER

that it’ll be a smooth transition.”

“We had a conversation with [Aramark] in which they reassured us that they were planning to hire all of our people, keep their seniority intact and their job classifications ... understanding that of course the configuration of the operations could be different,” Pope said.

“Sodexo has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Fordham University,” John Azzopardi, Resident District Manager for Onsite Service Solutions at Fordham University for Sodexo, said. “We wish the students, staff, administration and campus community continued success.”

Check back to fordhamobserver.com for updates.

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News

April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

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Fordham Compared Against Peers

Middle States comparison to other universities reveals Fordham’s strengths and weaknesses

By STEPHAN KOZUB Asst. News Co-Editor

Students have been comparing Fordham to other universities since they first considered attending. As a part of the accreditation process, Fordham University also took up this practice through comparing itself to its peer and aspirant institutions.

According to Robert Grimes, dean of Fordham College at Lincoln Center, “The idea of peer and aspirant institutions was an idea that was introduced 10 years ago when we were putting together the strategic plan that just finished.”

Grimes, however, “had some difficulty with the notion of peer and aspirant institutions, mainly because it’s so hard to compare one institution with another.”

“Does Fordham College at Lincoln Center, in its planning and its strategic outlook, want to be looking to NYU? No,” he said. “As students said early on in this discussion 10 years ago, ‘We came here because we didn’t want to go to NYU.’ And the two institutions were so completely different.”

As a part of the peer institutions discussion, “We actually started thinking here about—not for Fordham University, but for Fordham College at Lincoln Center—who would be our peer school,” he said.

“And for the peer school, what you do is you look at it and you say what are they doing right, and maybe we should be doing something like what they’re doing.”

Currently, Fordham is undergoing the accreditation process, administered by the Middle States Association of the Commission of Higher Education, of which Fordham is a member.

The University recently received the Middle States Visitation Team’s report, which includes suggestions regarding diversity and resources.

The University will receive the official statement from Middle States in June, which will state the status of accreditation for Fordham for the next eight years.

As a part of the process, Fordham compiled a Middle States Reaccreditation Self-Study and Decennial Review, which is available through the my.fordham.edu portal. In the Self-Study, Fordham’s peer institutions were listed as George Washington University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Syracuse University, Loyola Chicago and Villanova University. Its aspirant institutions were listed as Northwestern University, the University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, Boston College and New York University.

As a part of this comparison, the study drew attention to the institutions’ rankings regarding Peace

Corps member production, federal work-study funds spent on service and community service participation and hours served. The sources consulted for indirect evidence to compare the institutions were the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the National Survey for Student Engagement, the ACJU Fact Files for 2008 to 2014 and the Washington Monthly 2014 College Rankings survey.

The study also included that “The task force sought appropriate benchmarks for service and engagement but was hampered by the lack of direct evidence” from both peer and aspirant institutions.

Jonathon Crystal, assistant vice president of Academic Affairs in the Office of Provost, said that the comparison to the peer and aspirant institutions is “a way for us to benchmark ourselves.”

“Fordham is unique, but looking at other schools can help us to figure out what we need to improve upon—what we’re doing well, what work remains to be done,” Crystal said. “So we have a list of schools that we can compare ourselves to as peers and as aspirants, one’s that we’re aiming towards.”

Regarding the peer institutions of Fordham as a whole, Grimes said that the University is similar to Loyola Chicago.

“They’re not as highly rated by U.S. News as we are, but if you just look at the basic structure, Loyola Chicago is quite similar to Fordham in that they have two campuses— a traditional campus in the north part of the city and a less traditional campus right smack in the middle of downtown Chicago,” Grimes said. “The big difference is Loyola Chicago also has a medical school.

They have that third part to it.”

“But for the rest of the university it’s probably about the most similar.

Although in all of the U.S. News things we’re usually ranked well ahead of them.”

According to Grimes, the college that Fordham College at Lincoln Center is the most similar to is Barnard.

“We’re actually Barnard with men,” Grimes said.

“But if you look at the two schools, we’re about the same size; we’re both in major Manhattan institutions; we’re both liberal arts colleges with a couple of very strong performing arts programs; and our faculty teach predominantly in a liberal arts institution. But they can also there go across the street and teach at the graduate school at Columbia, and here we can go to Rose Hill and teach at the graduate school,” Grimes explained. “And so there were an awful lot of similarities.”

GRAPHICS BY STEPHAN KOZUB/THE OBSERVER

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics on tuition and student debt show that Fordham students typically have the least amount of debt compared to students at the University’s peer institutions, while Fordham has the median tuition among the seven universities. Data from the Washington Monthly 2014 College Rankings survey, which was included in the Middle States Self-Study, shows how Fordham compares on spending of federal work-study funds on service (data for Villanova University was unavailable).

College Council Members Criticize CUSP Document Professors see CUSP as redundant, lacks clear planning CUSP FROM PAGE 1

at Fordham,” Di Grandi said, who graduated from Fordham Rose Hill in 1984 and says this has been a part of planning documents with no forward motion for some time.

Section 5B2, which states that the University should strive to “substantially increase the enrollment, retention and graduation rates of students from underrepresented and underserved populations and provide sufficient financial assistance to assure they can attend and thrive at Fordham,” raised a number of concerns with the members of College Council.

This pledge to support diversity at Fordham has been a part of many other previous strategic planning documents, the wording of which has not changed in the intervening time between CUSP and the previous strategic planning documents, according to Tom De Luca, professor of political science and director of the international studies program.

“What I’d like to see is an affirmative action policy. I don’t mean just a statement about diversity or equal opportunity. The question is now, do we have an actual policy?

The introduction of a diversity officer is good, but I think we need a

firm policy,” De Luca continued.

It has been previously reported

by The Observer that low-income students—those from families with a household income of $50,000 or less—do not receive a higher percentage of financial aid from Fordham to cover expenses. The Office of Enrollment has maintained that this is not the case.

However, there were many other parts of the draft document that individual professors did not like, including the pledges for better technology and science programs at Rose Hill.

“I think it’s fair to say that this

campus is not a leading campus in technology, so we need to be aware of that going forward,” Jackaway said, reflecting the concerns of the department of communication and media studies The members of the natural science department present at College Council were displeased with the language used in the draft document. “Not surprisingly, I’m concerned about the wording of section 2B. [It] seems to focus only on the Rose Hill campus,” Mark Botton, Ph.D., professor of biology and codirector of the environmental science program, said.

Section 2B’s stated priority is to “significantly invest in engaged science education at the Rose Hill campus.”

“I’m not taking anything away from the departments at Rose Hill, but to specifically relegate STEM fields to one campus does a disservice to our college,” Botton continued.

During the discussion, Robert Grimes, dean of FCLC, took note of all the concerns and objections to specific language in the draft document. He promised it would be relayed to CUSP at a future meeting.

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THE OBSERVER April 21, 2016

News

3

USG Supports Robert Moses Plinth

By CONNOR MANNION News Editor

On April 14, Leighton Magoon, president of United Student Government (USG) and Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ‘17, signed a resolution recommending that the University retains both the name of the Robert Moses Plaza and plinth dedicated to Moses. The resolution was co-signed by Yint Hmu, president of the USG Senate and FCLC ’17.

“We’ve been having conversations with faculty and students for a few months, and we decided after the Robert Moses event [on April 6], it would be beneficial for the Fordham community for the plinth to remain on the plaza,” Hmu said.

“By having the plinth present on the plaza, the Fordham Lincoln Center student body, current, past and future, can engage in substantive dialogues about Robert Moses and his effects on both this campus and New York City as a whole,” the resolution reads.

“Discussion regarding the plinth had been ongoing throughout the year. We were in communication with people who thought it should come down and those who thought it should stay up,” Magoon said.

“What USG felt after that event on the history of Robert Moses was that keeping the plinth on campus while simultaneously having an engraving or plaque that acknowledges the communities affected by [Moses’] urban planning would be most appropriate,” he continued.

Magoon stressed the point that this would further dialogue between members of the Fordham community. “It still encourages dialogue about what was on our campus before we got here,” he said. “It highlights the history of the campus while also reminding us of the human effect.”

The resolution also states that USG recommends that “an additional plaque or engraving be placed on the plinth. Such a plaque would

JESSICA HANLEY /THE OBSERVER

The plinth has been covered since students protested its new location on the plaza outside of McKeon Hall.

the many communities that were displaced by Robert Moses through his urban planning.”

Hmu stressed that this did not mean ignoring the controversial impact Robert Moses had on minority communities throughout New York City. “Without him this campus would not exist at all, but we need to recognize the negative consequences of his actions as well,” he continued.

“Since this is an academic community, we thought it would be best to keep it up to continue to educate students. If we were to remove the plinth, we’d just be sanitizing history,” Hmu said.

The USG Against Racism Committee, chaired by Hmu and Daniel Wilson, FCLC ’17, intends to make this plaque a priority. “Our next focus will be to get the plaque on [the plinth], and have a fruitful debate on the language on the plaque. We will be consulting multiple groups on campus to do this as well,” Hmu said.

“We’d reach out to the Dorothy Day Center, USG Against Racism Committee and any other members of the Fordham community interested in working on the wording. We know it has to be appropriate and respectful in addressing the com-

munities that were affected [by LC’s construction],” Magoon said.

According to Magoon, USG is waiting to hear back from administrators on the proposal before they move forward. “If the next step for us is deciding what the wording is, it is important because the writing on the plaque would likely be here for many decades to come, so we understand the importance of the wording of it.”

The resolution is already being shared with the University community, including members of Fordham President’s Cabinet. “We’ve sent it to a member of Father McShane’s cabi-

net who responded almost immediately, thanking us for our hard work, and he guaranteed that it would be brought to the attention of the President’s Cabinet.”

The Fordham President’s Cabinet consists of Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University, Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., provost, and a number of senior vice presidents and vice presidents that oversee most offices and administration of the University. “McShane was aware of the discussions around the plinth, and he has been wanting to hear what student reaction would be on it,” Magoon said.

Fordham Political Expert Weighs in on 2016 Election the ability of an outsider candidate, like Trump or Sanders, to break through?

By GUNAR OLSEN Staff Writer

With both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions looming over the summer break, it appears that anything could happen during this presidential season.

The Observer spoke with Christina Greer, associate professor of political science, to determine what may happen in this primary season.

CG: I don’t think that democracy is

OBSERVER: Compared to other Democratic primaries you’ve followed in your lifetime, where does this one stand?

THE

CHRISTINA GREER: Well in the

past I have to say, even in 2008, I can’t say the election was this exciting.

In 2008, we were essentially going state by state between Clinton and Obama, and there was sort of a different division obviously in how they wanted to get things done but not necessarily in what they wanted. Yes, there were conversations about war, whether or not Obama supported the war—he did not because he wasn’t even in the Senate at the time of the vote. And so that was sort of the biggest issue there.

This year it seems as though there’s a much larger core of ideas and how to implement them and some real divisions within the larger party about what the direction should be and what a Democratic candidate should look like. Hillary’s someone who’s not going to essentially look like a Republican half the time and really go for what Democratic ideals should be. So we’re actually at more of a division than many people anticipated, largely because

JESSICA HANLEY/THE OBSERVER

Sanders campaigned heavily for the New York primary, but Clinton took the state with 129 delegates.

many people did not anticipate Bernie Sanders even making the inroads that he has.

THE OBSERVER: What is your take

on Sanders in the Democratic Party or a third-party run?

CG: I think what this race is really

showing us is that the labels we are using are in many ways inaccurate.

In the old days, Sanders would be a Democrat, Clinton would be a Republican, and then the Republicans would just be off the pond. We have no idea where they would be because they have shown themselves to be so extremist on the presidential level.

We know that Obama is not a liberal. He’s a centrist Democrat, and

that’s, in the past, who we’ve tended to elect to be our president: centrist Democrats. So when it comes to the comparisons of the Obama era and today, we also have to be real about why and how we voted for Obama, and for some people, with the excitement of voting for Obama, they weren’t paying attention to some of the rhetoric. It was quite clear that they weren’t paying attention.

THE OBSERVER: So what advice

would you give to the Democratic campaigns?

CG: For many people, if Sanders is

their first choice, they are making the argument for themselves, saying, “Well, he probably won’t win, so I’ll

just vote for my second choice,” and that’s what happens quite a bit. If he can convince people to vote for their first choice, I think he’s got great momentum.

Similarly, though, for Hillary Clinton, I think she needs to convince people that she needs to be judged as 21st-century Hillary Clinton. If she can convince people that she has the CV that no one else in the world has, and that we should trust her, even though we’ve known her for so many years, then I think she can make those inroads.

THE OBSERVER: Since you teach a

course on campaigns and elections, how would you design a primary system to either maximize or minimize

setup to minimize people. I think if the public speaks, then we should listen. My issue is that it’s only a small percentage of the public speaking.

I really wish we could figure out a way to get more people involved. We know that there are costs to voting, not just $2.75 to take the subway to your polling station but trying to find childcare and healthcare and get off of work if you’re working two minimum wage jobs and you could lose your job if you leave early to go vote. So we really need to think about the strategies that other countries utilize that are really effective [like] where they have weekend voting on a Saturday and a Sunday.

Some people argue that it shouldn’t be easy to vote, but we make it pretty difficult for people and it’s a pretty complex system.

We’re a highly educated people, and I talk to my students all the time, and they’re even still confused about where they should register. They’re really confused about the dates. In New York, we’re voting in April for the presidential primary, in June for the congressional primary, in September for the state legislature, and then November for the general election. Many people don’t understand what all these dates mean, and so it’s a larger education process that also needs to explain to American voters what all these different levels and layers of government mean, because they don’t really know who they’re turning out for.

Opinions

Tyler Burdick — Opinions Co-Editor tburdick1@fordham.edu Areeg Abdelhamid— Opinions Co-Editor aabdelhamid1@fordham.edu

STAFF EDITORIAL

T

the other humanities majors here, such as history, theology and the many modern languages.

The goal that states we should “significantly invest in engaged science education at the Rose Hill campus” also diminishes the

“The final document must be more detailed than the broad brushstrokes of suggestions...” achievement of our natural science majors. Many LC graduates go on to medical school and prestigious graduate programs, in spite of the fact that our science labs are not as equipped as those at Rose Hill.

Fordham Lincoln Center is a diverse academic community and Fordham is a complex university with semi-independent cam-

Observer the

CUSP: TWO COLLEGES OR TWO UNIVERSITIES?

he draft document of the Continuing University Strategic Plan (CUSP), which was released to the Fordham community in early April, intends to “[discern] the principles at the heart of our shared enterprise, to motivate program development, and to modify decision-making systems,” according to the Fordham website. The final document intends to inform administration and faculty on how to create a better Fordham for the entire community.

At only 12 pages in length, however, the document currently outlines vague goals for the University moving forward, while simultaneously undermining the achievements of each campus and submitting to the stereotypical personas associated with them.

One of the goals states “the Lincoln Center campus should be a powerful magnet for the arts, business, culture and media.”

This downplays the very real accomplishments of

April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

puses. The Middle States commission noted that this works in our favor as a university in terms of our one University, two campuses dynamic.

The final CUSP document should fully reflect the complexity of each respective campus. There are many goals currently outlined in the draft document, but what is missing are actionable and specific steps to achieve them moving forward. Brevity should not come at the expense of practicality, especially for a document integral to the future development of academic programs at each campus.

The final document must be more detailed than the broad brushstrokes of suggestions that it currently describes. It should not relegate each campus to its perceived type: arts for Lincoln Center and science for Rose Hill. The final CUSP document should serve to unify our campuses academically, not divide them. Lest we remember what happens to “a house divided.”

Editor-in-Chief Adriana Gallina Managing Editor Ben Moore News Editors Connor Mannion Asst. News Co-Editor Stephan Kozub Reese Ravner Cecile Neidig Opinions Co-Editors Tyler Burdick Areeg Abdelhamid Asst. Opinions Editor John McCullough Arts & Culture Co-Editors Rachel Jarvis Ana Fota Asst. Arts & Culture Co-Editors Elena Ciotta Morgan Steward Features Co-Editors Alanna Kilkeary Hansini Weedagama Alysha Kundamal Literary Co-Editors Jessica Vitovitch Erika Ortiz Asst. Literary Co-Editors Kay D’Angelo Connor Mannion Sports Editor Matthew McCarthy Asst. Sports Editor Mohdshobair Hussaini Copy Editors Brianna Goodman Tyler Burdick Erika Ortiz Layout Editor Elodie Huston Asst. Layout Co-Editors Sabrina Jen Katie Maurer Multimedia Producer Jesse Carlucci

Keep watching here for previews of our upcoming multimedia content.

Photo Co-Editors Jessica Hanley Jess Luszczyk Hana Keiningham Asst. Photo Editor Andronika Zimmerman Online Editor Ben Moore Business Manager Victoria Leon

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THE OBSERVER April 21, 2016

Opinions

5

Put Our Safety First; Protect the Right to Leave KATHY YOO Staff Writer

When Donald Trump triumphed in seven states in the Super Tuesday Republican contests, many Americans were taken aback. According to Mashable, Google searches for “How to move to Canada” spiked 1,150 percent, and the topic “Move to Canada” was “higher than at any time in Google’s history.” Cape Breton, an island in Nova Scotia off the coast of Maine, has made worldwide news and gained over 700,000 hits online with its resident-made tourism campaign to attract Americans to permanently relocate there. The island’s website includes various education opportunities and describes Cape Breton as a place “where women can get abortions, Muslim people can roam freely, and the only ‘walls’ are holding up the roofs of our extremely affordable houses.”

Today, Donald Trump does not have as large a gap between him and his closest rival, Ted Cruz, as he did back on Super Tuesday. Still, Politico reports that Trump is leading Cruz 744 delegates to 559, and, at the time of the publication, he is projected to do very well in the New York primary. Regardless, Cruz himself has proven not to be much better than Trump, often echoing much of his rhetoric and even claiming that police need to patrol neighborhoods in our own country known for “radical Islam.” It’s easy to simply label those who want out of such a bleak-looking future to be “un-American,” but Americans, particularly minorities, shouldn’t compromise the safety and happiness of themselves and their families to fight for a country they no longer recognize, especially when such viable alternatives lie within our reach.

Trump’s presidency would have tremendous domestic and global effects, but many of his proposed policies concentrate specifically on

minorities. International Business Times reports that in addition to the colossal wall and deportation of illegal migrants, Trump committed to a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” in a statement released in December 2015.

By doing so, Trump would not only perpetuate the long-standing alienation of Muslims in the United States, but also prohibit an entire community of people on the basis of religious discrimination. He also plans to eliminate child tax credit, which Quartz reports “helps temporary resident families—most of which are poor and Latino—financially support their children.” The child tax credit is essential for survival for many Hispanic families living in America, where young Latinos earn 54 cents to every dollar earned by caucasian males, according to The American Association of University Women (AAUW). Furthermore, as a pro-life opponent of Planned Parenthood, Trump will set back decades of progress in women’s rights. Evidently, these adjustments will reshape America into a hazardous nation, where its citizens no longer feel protected under the law. The lives of minorities in particular are so largely impacted that their sole obligation should not be to endlessly fight for an indefinite future; they need to prioritize finding a safe environment for themselves and their families.

These changes will evidently affect immigrants, but will also significantly change countless natural-born Americans’ lives.

As the elected leader of the free world, Donald Trump promises to tighten immigration, protect gun laws, repeal Obamacare and build a multibillion-dollar impenetrable wall at the Mexico and U.S. border. CNN reports that in spite of the several recent mass shootings and President Barack Obama’s plans to tighten gun control, Trump vowed to “unsign” the current president’s executive plan to expand “background checks

COURTESY OF ALLEN J. SCHABEN/ LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA TNS

Donald Trump’s right-wing anti-establishment rhetoric has made him the Republican frontrunner.

on gun sales.” In addition, Trump’s immigration reform to remove 11 million undocumented immigrants within two years can risk unintended deportation of legal citizens.

The Washington Post discloses that multiple reports estimate a one percent error out of total apprehensions, which would still result in the accidental deportation of 100,000 U.S. citizens. Overall, The Center for a Responsible Federal Budget calculates that Trump’s policies would cumulatively “add between $11.7 and $15.1 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years.”

For others, allegiance to America is the priority. The increasing interest to move up north prompted Americans to criticize fellow citizens for their cowardliness and lack of loyalty.

Bill Scher, founder of LiberalOasis. com, published a book titled “Wait!

Don’t Move to Canada: A Stay-andFight Strategy to Win Back America” about revitalizing America instead

of abandoning the country. The U.S. Representative for Florida’s 9th congressional district Alan Grayson asked Americans to choose to fight for their country; Grayson commented that he wants to stop seeing people searching for an escape to Canada, but instead to witness Americans “searching for information on how to vote for progressives and how to help progressive campaigns.”

Admittedly, Donald Trump may not be the next President of the United States. His victory is not inevitable and therefore neither is the future of America. Nevertheless, we cannot overlook the real possibility that Trump, the front-runner in the GOP, may become the president of one of the strongest nations in the world. Furthermore, Trump is supported by countless Americans who share the potential president’s appalling ideals. Even if there is a revolution against Trump’s oppression, the dangers facing these individuals can

have severe consequences, particularly for minorities. The vast majority of Americans are immigrants who left their country, family and friends to provide themselves and their children with the American Dream: a vision of opportunities for education, jobs and safety. When this vision vanishes and the United States can no longer offer these opportunities for immigrants, but instead threaten their safety and happiness, it is rational to seek refuge. Under Trump’s vision, 11 million migrants will be deported, 11.3 million Americans will be denied health care, guns will remain prevalent and the government will sink further into debt.

In this state of chaos, patriotism is certainly not of significant importance. Whether they want to escape to Canada, Australia or Britain, Americans should not feel obliged stay in any country to desperately fight for progress by putting their safety, security, and happiness at risk.

The Panama Papers Prove Change is Necessary JOHN MCCULLOUGH Asst. Opinions Editor

On April 3, the international community was rocked by a massive leak of 11 million documents—belonging to the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca—which point to tax evasion and money laundering on a global scale. Among those implicated are numerous world power players including celebrities, athletes and politicians like rightwing Argentine President Mauricio Macri and the Prime Minister of Iceland Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson.

Gunnlaugsson has since resigned in the face of the largest protests in the history of his country.

The strategy of service providers like Mossack Fonseca is to create a “shell company”—essentially a fake corporation pretending to do business while serving as a massive piggy bank—to secretly hold assets in a country with a far lower tax rate than the place of one’s residence.

This means more wealth going to businessmen and less wealth going into the public coffers. Something that may be surprising about these leaks is how few Americans have been implicated in their wake.

While this may seem like a good thing, it is not that this variety of tax evasion is not occurring in the United States, but that it is so simple for businesses to circumvent our tax laws that they do not need to jump through as many hoops. It is for this reason that only 211 Americans are mentioned in the multimillion-document leak. If Americans wish to

get around tax laws, they can look to tions to problems caused by an elite closer havens: places like Delaware class far removed from the interests and Nevada. of the average person is illustrative Here at home, the Washington of this.

Examiner reports that the Clinton The most dedicated acolytes Foundation has established no less of the free-market system insist than five shell companies all at the that the issue lies in government same address, 1209 North Orange itself—that if taxes, labor laws and Street, in Wilmington, Delaware. regulations were done away with This kind of disregard for the public on a global scale, we would not good can be need to fear seen in nearly the fraternal It is so simple for every major seat relationship beof power across tween business businesses to the world. and the state. circumvent our tax Corruption on Most American such a masliberals would laws that they do not sive scale only tell you that the further proves need to jump through system needs the point that to be reformed, as many hoops ... If governments that actions worldwide are be taken Americans wish to get must firmly in the to see that tax grip of the richaround tax laws, they law is written in est few. From a manner that can look to places like prevents these the shells used by the Clintons of shell Delaware and Nevada. kinds all the way companies from to those used forming. Howby the associever, no matter ates of Vladimir Putin in Mossack how many lines are drawn restrictFonseca, there is a blurring of the ing the ability of individuals to hide line between the interests of those in away their wealth in tax havens, one government and those in the owner- cannot escape the fundamental root ship class. How can governments be of the inequality and corruption expected to govern in the interest of that dominates our world today: the the people when those that comprise capitalist system itself. Capitalism them not only come from and are intrinsically requires that a select supported by said ownership class, few acquire massive concentrations but are willing to exploit every loop- of wealth from a labor force which hole they can find to retain their receives barely enough to provide status at the expense of society as a for itself. With this concentration of whole? Reform is needed, and the wealth, the ownership class also has worldwide rise of both left and right the means of seizing political power populists who offer their own soluwith an almost total domination

COURTESY OF THE INTERNATIONAL CO . VIA TNS

The law firm of Ramón Fonseca has been the center of the controversy.

that Marx referred to as “the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.” Recent leaks only reflect this collusion. Before serving as President and Mayor of Buenos Aires, Macri made his fortune as Director of Fleg Trading.

Before ascending to 10 Downing Street, British Prime Minister David Cameron made a healthy sum off of shares in his father’s investment firm. As long as the few are capable of holding on to this political power, any attempt to implement piecemeal reforms will be temporary at best—

and doomed at worst.

In order to transfer this power from the elite to a democratic majority, radical change is necessary.

We must imagine an economic system run in the interest of society as a whole, in order to protect the livelihoods and dignity of the individuals therein. The fact of the matter is that the wealthy and their friends in government will never capitulate to the demands of the working class until there is an existential threat to their power and privilege.

6

Opinions

April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

New York Needs More Organ Donors MARIAM MOUSTAFA Staff Writer

April is National Donate Life Month: a time to encourage people to register as eye, tissue and organ donors and appreciate the lives that such gifts have already saved. However, the sad situation of the present day is that, according to the New York State’s Department of Health’s official website, “More than 10,000 New Yorkers are on waiting lists as the need for organ donations far exceeds the supply.” Because of this, New York state currently ranks last in the amount of organs donated. Popular health insurance company Blue Cross Blue Shield has also reported “Approximately 1,500 New Yorkers have been on the waiting list for five years or longer.” It is time to change that.

One of the major reasons why New York ranks last in organ donation is the lack of public awareness.

Until recently, I personally didn’t even know that April is National Donate Life Month. In fact, LiveOnNY is one of the only organizations responsible for promoting awareness, and even then such events seldom get appropriate coverage from popular media outlets.

The remedy for this is to work with the Department of Health to plan public, visible events in schools, universities, hospitals and libraries to encourage New Yorkers to register as donors. Most know the importance of organ donation and how it can save lives, but they do not know much information about the process.

These campaigns are important in helping to put an end to many of the doubts when it comes to

COURTESY OF ANTHONY AGIUS VIA FLICKR

Though organ donation is essential to saving lives, misinformation makes many reluctant to sign up.

“When most people die, nothing good comes out of it. But donors’ families say that the only comfort that comes out of their loved one’s death is the knowledge that through their death they have saved other lives.”– NIGEL HEATON, Professor of Transplant Surgery, King’s College Hospital

organ donations. According to The Atlantic, “Studies have also shown that the less people trust medical professionals, the less likely they are to donate.” The American Transplant Foundation states that some of the major doubts that plague potential donors include questions like, “If I register to

become a donor and I survived an accident and went to the hospital in a bad condition, will the doctors and hospital staff try as hard to save my life?” Another question is: “Can they announce that I died to take my organs before I actually die?” The answer to these questions is simple—the doctors’ main

mission is to save everyone’s lives.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit medical practice and medical research group founded in 1889, “People who have agreed to organ donation are given more tests (at no charge to their families) to determine that they’re truly dead than are those who haven’t agreed to organ donation.” We need public awareness campaigns in order to build trust between doctors and patients so they feel more comfortable registering as donors.

The increase of public awareness will also help to clarify several misconceptions around the organ donation process. One of the major misconceptions is age requirement.

If you type “myths about organ donation” on Google, you will find age requirement on each link you

click: including websites of organ donation organizations, medical centers and hospitals, and newspaper articles. People think that there are certain age requirements to become a donor. However, that is not true. There are no age requirements determining who can be an organ donor. According to LiveOnNY, “Individuals who were 92 years old have donated their livers in the United States.” In addition, individuals who are younger than 18 years old can be donors as long as their parents authorize that decision. Your age does not matter—it is your health condition and medical history that matter. Even cancer patients can be donors; they can donate corneas.

Eight hundred words is not enough to clarify all the misconceptions about organ donation, but at least it can be an encouragement for the readers to think about that issue. There are lucky New Yorkers who find their needed organ quickly; others spend years on the waiting list, fighting for their lives. We see them on our subway rides and we walk by them in the streets, and we may even know them personally. At the end of the day, it is a personal choice whether to donate or not. Nigel Heaton, a professor of transplant surgery at King’s College Hospital in London, said: “When most people die, nothing good comes out of it. But donors’ families say that the only comfort that comes out of their loved one’s death is the knowledge that through their death they have saved other lives.” On average, 22 people die per day due to a lack of available organs, according to the American Transplant Foundation.

It is our obligation to do all we can to help them.

Arts & Culture

Rachel Jarvis–Arts & Culture Co-Editor rjarvis2@fordham.edu Ana Fota–Arts & Culture Co-Editor afota@fordham.edu April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

“American Psycho” Takes a Stab at Broadway Benjamin Walker is Bloody, Bloody Patrick Bateman

By ANA FOTA Arts & Culture Co-Editor

A loud noise and flashing lights scare the audience straight into their seats. The room goes dark and quiet, building suspense. Hearts start racing as theatergoers wait to be taken on a ride riddled with money, greed and blood. From the hardwood floor rises a verticallyplaced tanning bed, and on the bed a man, goggles on, his muscles drawing attention away from his white underwear. There he is, in all his homicidal glory: Patrick Bateman. Investment banker by day and serial killer by night, he has become a household name over the years, known simply as the “American Psycho.”

Yes, that’s right. The musical, which transferred to the Great White Way after a sold-out run in London’s West End, has found a new home across the pond in Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. It opena on April 21.

Although your first instinct might be to cringe at the idea of a story about a misogynistic serial killer, do not be so quick to judge.

The sight of a knife—or the occasional chainsaw—might frighten you, but the techno music, futuristic staging and the ensemble’s robotic routines will keep you entertained. The show’s star-studded cast and creative team, as well as the acclaim it received in London, set the bar penthouse-high.

Starring Benjamin Walker in the title role, the show reunites “Next to Normal”(2008) alumnas Alice Ripley, who won a Tony Award for her role as the mother, and Jennifer Damiano, who was only 17 when she was nominated for a Tony Award in the Best Actress category, for portraying Ripley’s overachieving daughter.

Damiano plays Patrick’s secretary, Jean, the only kindhearted character to set foot on that stage, while Ripley acts as the voice of reason in the role of Patrick’s mother. With a score by Duncan Sheik and a novel

by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, one thing is certain: you can run, but you can’t hide.

It all started with the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, later adapted into the 1999 movie starring Christian Bale. Now, it is up to Benjamin Walker to strut on stage in Patrick’s designer suits and bloody shoes.

Walker is no stranger to the Great White Way, having previously starred as the title character in the critically acclaimed “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,”(2006) and starred alongside Scarlett Johansson in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ” (2013).

Patrick is an investment banker working in mergers and acquisitions on Wall Street, but his social life is the focus of the show. He is not portrayed as a businessman, but as another guy trying to figure out what makes him happy. His obsession with infamous serial killers such as Ted Bundy is made clear throughout the show. He advises his secretary Jean to start wearing heels and skirts because, as he puts it, she’s “prettier than this.”

Although the audience learns as the plot progresses that she is secretly in love with him, that storyline is not followed through.

When Patrick is not reciting his soliloquies, he is accompanied by beautiful women, dapper co-workers or both. Whether at parties, in the club or at the beach, they are all dressed to the nines. Song after song, they share about their love of expensive clothing. The all-female

RACHEL JARVIS /THE OBSERVER

The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre will become the scene of Patrick Bateman’s latest crimes on April 21.

performance of “You Are What You Wear” features a techno beat and dancing around the stage. The first act ends with Patrick’s most gruesome killing scene. A clear wall was lowered from the ceiling to keep the blood from splashing the audience.

Although the rest of the characters were portrayed just as void of human emotion as him, the audience was somehow still supposed to believe that Patrick was worse than the rest of them. It is true that he liked to spend his free time in a particular, more deranged way, but the rest of the characters enjoyed the superficial happiness that came from material possessions just as much. Except for Jean, no other secondary character showed real human emotion. Although Ms. Bateman made a short appearance trying to persuade Patrick into marrying, her character came and went as still another face in the background.

It is natural that by the end of the two hour and 30 minute show, one might feel like they know exactly how Patrick thinks. That does not mean that his actions become predictable—the suspense remains high throughout the thriller musical. Walker does a magnificent job of making you unconsciously root for him to be happy, even though it might mean the deaths of other salesmen. Still, so much emphasis is put on Patrick that none of the other character arcs are explored.

The score left much to be desired. Although the opening tune “Selling Out” was catchy, it did not make up for the lack of diversity throughout the rest of the soundtrack. The following songs blended together in a swamp of techno beats and repetitive lyrics.

The staging is spectacular, transporting audiences into the world of Patrick Bateman. White hardwood floors, high-end furniture and designer suits paint the color. less picture of a cruel world. With minimalistic props and gray shades scattered across the walls, the setting seems like a glimpse from the future, although the 30-inch television set and walkman remind the audience of the 1980s timeline.

Flashy L.E.D. lights and graphics projected over panels set in the background remind of an experimental production at the Cherry

Lane Theatre. For Broadway, it is edgy and unconventional. Walker’s abs might capture your attention, but his acting will peak your cu-

riosity. Soon, this production will develop a cult following of its own.

Be part of the tribe and go see for yourself.

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THE OBSERVER April 21, 2016

Arts & Culture

8

Adjunct Professor Releases His First Feature Film

By SRI STEWART Staff Writer

Imagine wanting to be someone else because you don’t seem to live life to the fullest. You just diligently do what you’re supposed to do, and you’re in a relationship that is of mere complacency. You finally begin to take risks, and now you’re on an adventurous high with a new, mysterious partner. This is the story of “Someone Else” (2015)—a new film written and directed by Nelson Kim, adjunct professor of communication and media studies at Fordham College Lincoln Center.

The film has recently been released on DVD and Video On Demand, alongside its premiere in Los Angeles. The main character of the film, Jamie, takes on the charismatic persona of his cousin when he comes to New York to work at a law firm. However, things spiral out of control and Jamie’s life begins to feel like a nightmare. This Romance/Drama Thriller blurs reality

with delirium. In a recent interview with Kim, he discussed the process and his inspiration behind the film.

“Someone Else” is Kim’s first feature film. He described the process as a satisfying experience both personally and professionally. “Artistically, personally, I feel satisfied with it. Overall I’m happy,” Kim said. “It’s a very unusual film…I love the performances: all of my collaborators—to the composer to the cinematographer to the editor.”

Kim also explained how this film serves as a good start towards his next projects. According to him, you ask yourself, “How do you get the next film made? I think this movie is a good calling card. This is the kind of thing I want to make in the future, and in that respect, I think it’s a good sort of representative of who I am as an artist.”

Before “Someone Else,” Kim only made short films. Regarding the whole process, it was more difficult since he had to shoot longer than he is used to. Filmed over the

MAX MOVISH/THE OBSERVER

Kim’s film is now on iTunes and will be on Amazon Prime later this year.

course of 18 days, Kim acknowledged that that was relatively short for a feature film, but not necessarily for him. He usually would

only require a few days to shoot his short films.

The most difficult part about the film was its low budget. “Raising money took a better part of the year,” Kim said. “One of the challenges of low budget filmmaking is that you never have enough money for anything. You have to call up for a lot of favors…extremely tight budgeting leads to a very tight schedule.”

With a tight schedule, sometimes the process was physically punishing. Kim explained that for some scenes, there was no time to do multiple do-overs. The pressure to a get a good scene done quickly and effectively could also be emotionally exhausting. It makes sense that Kim would describe the making of a feature film as a marathon.

The crew is running to make a short film, but the run is longer and more intense for a feature. Also, post-production took two years.

The inspiration behind the film came from an old French movie,

“Les Cousins” (1959). “A kid comes to Paris from the provinces and falls under the spell of his playboy cousin…Something about that plot idea turned a key in my brain where I sort of borrowed that plot skeleton. I injected it full of things that I wanted to explore, things that were important to me,” Kim said.

The themes Kim wanted to explore are universal: “A lot of it has to do with exploring masculinity, competition and social ambition and how that plays out between young men. It’s described as an Asian-American film…but the themes that we wanted to explore in the film are not culturally specific but more universal: dealing with loss, heartbreak, male ego and competitiveness.”

“Someone Else” recently premiered in Hollywood’s Arena Cinema. Released April 1, the film is also available on DVD and Video on Demand on iTunes, Amazon Instant and VHX. It will be on Amazon Prime later this year.

New Exhibits Come to Ildiko Butler Gallery

By IREM SINDEL Contributing Writer

The 2016 Senior Exhibition Series is continuing to impress in the Ildiko Butler Gallery. From fashion designs and sketches, to photography and watercolor paintings, the displays of each artist will be featured for a limited time. The exhibits will alternate every week and a half to allow each aspiring artist to present their creations to the students at Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC). The rotating series will be running through May 22 on the first floor of Lowenstein.

The Senior Exhibition Series is a rotating collection of each student’s enthusiasm, talent, experience, research and criticism. Each display has its own story and the committed artists are very excited for their projects to go public.

From April 17 to 28, the gallery will showcase the works of James McCracken and Zhiyi Zhou. McCracken will display his intimate collection of black and white portraits ranging from conservative Virginians, to outgoing Brooklynites, to refugees. This exhibit is special to McCracken because this project has allowed him to capture personal moments with strangers who he now considers friends.

“You’ll be able to see in these photographs that there’s a connection between the subject and the photographer,” McCracken explained. “It’s more of a collaborative effort between two people, rather

than the standard portrait photography that maybe isn’t as personal when it’s done in the studio or on the street.”

Liz Saco, whose “Corporeal Landscape” exhibit of human body drawings will be on display from May 11 to 22, notes how significant these exhibitions are for the artists.

“We all put a lot of time and effort into creating our work and making it perfect for the gallery. Everything we do, we do on our time, like setting up a reception and installing the art itself.” Saco went on to explain that “it’s a lot of individual work, which makes it more personal and professional.”

The exhibits are not just a manifestation of the students’ creativity.

Eavan Schmitt, whose fashion designs were on display from April 4 to 16, explained that the unruly craziness of youth and anxiety provides inspiration. Schmitt compared the process to the madness of Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland: “All the characters complain that she has lost her muchness. I wanted to lean into the wildness of the implied ugliness of feelings in our culture and embrace that ugliness and wildness for what it is, which is something that can be quite beautiful.”

The process of creating each individual exhibit reflects an artist’s own field of study or personal interest. Danielle Serigano will be displaying her showcase of artwork that represents her passion for social and ecological values from April 29 to May 10. “For me the

creative process is a little bit different, as it is heavier on the research end. As someone with an environmental studies and architecture background, my project is based on systems research about infrastructure policy and socioeconomic wellbeing of a community.”

Serigano hopes that her exhibit will shine a light on social and environmental aspects of localized food systems. She is excited to be able to symbolize the globalized consolidated food industry through photo-

graphs, watercolor illustrations and wood palette constructs.

To be featured in the gallery, each hopeful artist had to submit a portfolio and thesis to the Visual Arts department. After being accepted, the students critique each other’s projects and input creative revisions. The featured students come from an array of distinct concentrations, including photography, architecture and graphic design among many others. At the end of the semester, the Visual Arts fac-

ulty finally chooses a special group of students through a very selective process to display their hard work in the Lipani gallery. The chosen group of students are grateful to be able to share their research and creative process in the bustling Lowenstein lobby.

Ildiko Butler Gallery will be featuring the works of James McCracken and Zhiyi Zhou from April 17 to 28, Danielle Serigano from April 29 to May 10 and Liz Saco and Emily Stone from May 11 to 22.

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IREM SINDEL /THE OBSERVER

The senior exhibits will be rotated weekly through May 22.

CONNOR MANNION/THE OBSERVER

10

The Comma

April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Close Encounters of a New York Kind

By NICOLE NERUP

“Please! No! I want to! I see! No! Stop!”

A child-like wail interrupts the pleasant buzzing of leisurely shopping. I turn to see an old woman putting up an impressive fight against three security guards, who attempt to sit the woman down in a wheelchair. Her words are broken and unintelligible, but her panic is clear. In the struggle, the collection of elbows zig and zag like a cinematic rendering of Picasso’s Cubist phase. The woman, despite the degrading circumstances, is dignified in dress. As she clings to the arms of the wheelchair to hold herself up, her pantyhose and conservative heels peak out from underneath her velvet skirt and shirt set.

It’s Sunday. She must be dressed up in her Church best, yet I doubt this was the kind of blessing she intended to receive today.

The floor-to-ceiling windows of the mecca of consumerism that is the Time Warner Building blind me from capturing the details of her face. But I’m glad I can’t fully grasp her features or her hands or her pain.

Anywhere else, such an event, steeped as it is in a heavenly glow, would seem a mirage, but in New York City, a woman’s public reveal of the darkest corners of her mental landscape is no deterrent from, say, the allure of the windows of Hugo Boss. Other loiterers peek up from their phones to stare at the scene. Some even walk closer.

Tourists glance up, down, and all around wondering, “Why did my guide tell me to visit this place? A) There is nothing exciting here, and B) this place is getting scary.”

Others burst inside from the revolving doors and rush by.

Maybe they are meeting someone important, or maybe they just really want their $9.99 Super Greens Juice from the Whole Foods below, or maybe they don’t want to see the ugliness. I give them the benefit of the doubt.

I was raised in the Midwest, and despite living in NYC for almost four years, I am still unfailingly polite. Actually— I take that back. I have publicly conveyed my frustrations to a couple of rude strangers. One cut me in line, and the other was practically breathing down my neck, non-verbally telling me to hurry up, at a self-checkout in CVS. It was all completely justified, right? Anyway, in this particular situation, I try to find the balance between staring (i.e. invading privacy) and ignoring her distress. I deem the most respectful response is to acknowledge the woman and move on. I pause and exit through the side doors away from the scene.

As I leave the building with its false sense of brightness and warmth, I confront the biting winter air, which quickly paints my cheeks pink. Like massive competing conductors, the skyscrapers orchestrate the swirling wind. It wooshes and whirls and whips my long brown hair in front of my face. I now look like a shrunken wookie wearing a beanie, but I can’t move it aside because my hands are full of grocery bags (yes, I am a hypocrite and shop at the Whole Foods I make fun of.

It is a sanctuary for a broccoli sprouts and medjool dates enthusiast like me. Whole Foods is like my sibling; I can make fun of it and love it all the same). The near-blinding effect of my hair and the uncharacteristically clear streets remove any ground level distraction. I am forced to think about the woman again. I know she will inevitably fall into a special file folder in my mind entitled “Odd and Unfortunate Encounters in NYC”—many of which I have misplaced and subsequently (and thankfully) can no longer recall. But now this faceless woman persists, and I can’t help thinking, “Man, if I stay here for 40 more years, that might be me.”

Luckily, the wind dies down, my hair settles, and a man walking his prancing Chihuahua is crossing the street opposite me. Tickled, I return to a recurring thought: “If I had a dog, life in New York City would be so much better.” Even though I am the person who, upon an invitation to come over, hangs out with the dog instead of the human, I am aware that this thought runs parallel to the hopeless idea that “If we had children, our marriage would be so much better.” A child or a dog does not fix a broken relationship. My partner, in this case New York City, will not change if I have a dog; it will only smell infinitesimally more like urine. And the false bandage, the poor dog, will never see a piece of grass that isn’t manicured.

New York is a slice of the world condensed and sped up. The prancing Chihuahua, politely picking up its feet, avoids the cold concrete that will be someone’s bed tonight. As I walk further along, a kiss and a “get the fuck away from me” are exchanged on the same corner. As I cross the street, my lungs are choked with the cigarette smoke of the person in front of me while my ears are drunk on the jazzy flair of a street saxophonist.

In New York, the paradoxes intrinsic to life are spit up on your face, and frantically I and the rest of New York seek a shield of ignorance—an ignorance that is easy to maintain in another place where the suits and the denim don’t hold the same handrails and a person isn’t a star in the morning and irrelevant by the evening. Those who look away from the panicked woman seek ignorance of her pain. But those who stare seek ignorance as well. They want to see this person as “crazy” and far-removed from themselves. Maybe my relationship with New York is the kind that is harmful but not for lack of love. I’m not sure.

And I’m not sure I want to wait forty years to find out.

LISA SPITERI/OBSERVER ARCHIVES

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER April 21, 2016

The Comma

11

Untitled

By EMILY SITNER-MEDVEDOVSKY

As he stares at his reflection in the murky fountain, The sound of a penny hitting the water creates a ripple amongst his glasses.

A little girl runs back to her mother, exclaiming, “Mommy, I wished that I would have ice cream for dinner!”

A faint smile dances around his lips, for he knows that if you articulate a wish aloud, it will not come true.

Because that’s what they said.

Eat your vegetables, they said. It’s good for you.

Drink your milk, they said. It will help build strong bones.

Do your homework, they demanded. Don’t you want do well in school?

Sit up straight. Pay attention. No talking in class. Pick up a sport. Practice harder on the piano. Do whatever necessary to ensure a good future, they said.

But then, that innocence that the little girl so fiercely breeds, was robbed.

They said, don’t tell your mother about this.

It’s taken care of.

You don’t need to cry.

Just focus on school.

But the screams got louder, the doors slammed harder, and strange things started happening during the night.

Whispers, echoes of past of resentment began to come alive.

And come alive it did.

Whispers strengthened to words Words blended into objects that fused with skin.

Skin blended into color, color that runs deep in roses but should never have come out from underneath.

He’s weak, they said.

But what they don’t know is, He’s not giving up.

He’s just giving in.

PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER

a portrait of a dancer on a Friday morning

By ELIZABETH SHEW

Infant rays of sunlight pierce through the slats in the blinds. It’s mostly dark when the alarm goes off. She rolls over. All five of her lumbar vertebrae attempt to grind against each other, eliciting a rapid-fire series of pops which reverberate up her spine. Her hand extends from beneath the blanket, groping blindly for her phone. Her elbow cracks.

A fingertip silences the alarm. She uncurls her hamstrings reluctantly, toes searching for the cold floor. Her left ankle wobbles beneath her weight and resolves itself with a sudden, vehement snap.

Contact lenses first, one bleary eye after the other. Hair swept into a neat bun, eyeliner, mascara, chapstick, earrings. Yogurt and fruit, hot tea, honey. A few careful stretches after the heating pad. She pulls on a black leotard and pink tights, the spandex clinging uncomfortably to every surface of her body, a second skin. To cover it up, she layers her limbs in jogger pants and zip-up hoodies, and slips her feet into hundred-dollar walking shoes, the firm soles cradling bruised arches. She tilts her pelvis sideways until her femurs crack in their hip sockets. She needs a song. Young the Giant. My body tells me no, but I won’t quit, ‘cause I want more. She takes a deep breath and opens the door.

Outside there’s sunshine and an errant breeze, taxis fighting with pedestrians, men in suits dodging five-year-old girls, and a pack of enthusiastic dogs. She navigates the crosswalks absentmindedly. Her joints warm to the ideas of weight and movement, momentum shifting the body through space.

But her calves curl rebelliously into her knees. By the time she arrives, her Achilles tendons have been pulled taught.

Bodies lie sprawled throughout the hallway outside the studio. The dancers press their limbs against the floor and the walls, using the weight of gravity to create spectacular shapes. Everyone’s hair is immaculate, flattened against the scalp with water or fresh hairspray. She closes her eyes and suspends herself parallel to the floor, abdominal muscles activating suddenly, like a douse of cold water. She slips her foot past her shoulder and tries to find the carpet with the back of her knee. Her hamstrings protest. She ignores them and holds her breath.

Seconds tick by. The hamstrings release in microscopic amounts, like raindrops sliding down a sticky windowpane. Slip. Slip. Slip. At last they loosen,

and she sinks into a deep split, the tiny muscles around her hip elongating like rubber bands. It’s uncomfortable. The body is tired.

The door bursts open without warning and plunges the hallway into chaos. Sweat-slicked men and women exit the studio in a rush, their leotards clinging to their bodies, carrying backpacks and shoes and armfuls of clothing. They pile into the elevator, heading for their next class. There is little chatter, but she trades a few sympathetic smiles with her friends. Then she collects her shoes, backpack, and water bottle, slings her coat over her shoulder, and enters the space. It’s muggy and smells like sweat. She finds a spot at the barre and piles her things into the corner where they won’t get stepped on. Then the layers come off, one after the other, until she stands spandex-clad before a wall of mirrors, ready to begin.

At first, it’s awful. Nothing responds when she asks it to. She bends her knees, but it feels like trying to do a set of squats at the gym, where there’s too much weight on the bar and it’s suddenly impossible to stand up. The leotard makes her claustrophobic. She feels stuffed into the scrap of clothing, like a woman wearing a child’s shirt. Her ankles ache and the muscles in her back are so tightly wound that it’s hard to turn her head. She does not feel delicate.

She does not feel beautiful, and she can’t possibly look graceful.

But then the piano takes a deep breath. A handful of notes spiral into the air, fireflies released into a summer night. The notes sink into her veins and fill the spaces between her red blood cells, crawling into her heart like poetry, like friendship, like a kiss that lingers before a good-bye. Her uneasiness melts into the floor. There is no time for uneasiness, she thinks, as her spine pops and her sternum arches toward the ceiling, her hand suspended above her head. The body cannot dance forever. She is lucky to have the floor beneath her feet and music in the air, her limbs whole and uninjured and capable. She has been given the chance to create meaning with movement. It is like staring at a waiting microphone on an empty stage, or at a black pen against blank paper. Her stiff ankles flex into wordless language, humbled. Later, there will be time for whining, for homework and a brunch date and a laugh over drinks with friends. But for now she bends her mind to the task before her, and with a breath, begins to dance.

BRIANNA GODSHALK/THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER April 21, 2016

Features

“ There’s something about

being an amateur that facilitates the special human connection that I don’t think you can really have once it’s got the polished veneer and is meant for consumption on the market.”

–

ADAM FALES, FCLC ‘17

event twice,” another member, Samantha Norman, FCLC ’18, told the Observer. Norman remembers her first few times sharing her personal work at Poetry Collective and how the experience inspired her to submit her work for publication and competitions. “I probably would not have felt as confident in my work and voice without the community of poetry collective,” she said.

In regards to joining the club, all are welcome via the open Facebook group that any Fordham student is able to request to join, on which Fales announces the meeting places and times. Admins of the Facebook group also share events such as other open mic nights, book signings or lectures with the 154 current members of the group — most from the Fordham community and a few others from other universities in the city.

Regarding its structure, perhaps one of the most unique aspects of this group is that there is no hierarchy. It is specifically a collective — not a club — because there is no constitution, nor are there any leadership roles. Everyone is an equal. It is not an official Fordham group; there is no affiliation with Campus Activities Board (CAB) or the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development (OSLCD), and there is no funding for it.

When creating the Fordham chapter of the Collective, Fales decided to mimic the setup he was already familiar with from Lawrence.

“So we have a lot of ideals that we borrow from anarchism, but we’re hardly anarchists. I mean, when I say this, I’m speaking for me. There’s a bunch of people who don’t even realize what the word “collective” means and just come every week,” Fales explained with a laugh.

“I’m pushing an agenda, but it’s very subtle,” Fales joked. The Collective functions as a space purely for expression. “There’s something about

being an amateur that facilitates the special human connection that I don’t think you can really have once it’s got the polished veneer and is meant for consumption on the market. There’s like a huge history of amateur culture that’s really great and has all these ties in with punk culture and anarchism and stuff like that,” Fales said.

“ It is a beautiful

intra-personal melt of creative potential & impetus; a written tide that we pull into being, that wages weekly wriggling lines on a blank white shore.”

–

HEATH HAMPTON

FCLC ‘17

It’s not just the interest in and enthusiasm for poetry that serves as the most intriguing aspect of this group. Perhaps, instead, it’s the depth of emotion shared amongst the group, as the space is celebrated to be a respectful and judgement-free zone. “I’ve read stuff before and broke down crying in the middle of it. I know no one is going to mock me if I’m crying at this stupid

poem,” Fales noted of the unique space.

Alex McCauley, FCLC ’17, also spoke fondly of the incredibly supportive atmosphere as well, adding, “Everyone applauds at every piece. People don’t lie to you and tell you your poem was life-changing or even good, there’s just a mutual respect among amateur artists.”

Like Fales and McCauley, Casey Bivens, FCLC ’18, finds comfort in the nonjudgmental and open-minded environment. “I personally found it to be a really cozy and inviting space, where the floor is open to absolutely everyone and people are free to share what they choose, without judgment, be it something they wrote or something they stumbled upon,” she said. “It forces you to make time for yourself, something that’s really hard for students to do nowadays.”

Sophia Noulas, FCLC ’17, characterizes the space as, “A creative support system where you can share your latest works and thoughts without fear of being booted out.” This mentality encourages new attendees to share their own personal work as well as older members with stage fright to feel comfortable speaking in front of their peers. “Even if you don’t know anyone in the room, as long as you know someone in a book, you’re in,” Noulas said.

It is quite clear that Poetry Collective serves students far beyond that of a weekly club meeting just for routine’s sake. The Collective is a microcosm in the name of art and expression itself. It is an escape from both the monotony and stress of early adulthood. Simply and eloquently put, Hampton captured the essence of the Collective better than any onlooker ever could: “It is a beautiful intra-personal melt of creative potential and impetus; a written tide that we pull into being, that wages weekly wriggling lines on a blank white shore.”

13

12

Features

April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

The

www.fordhamobserver.com

Underground Poetry Collective:

Kept

Perhaps the Best

Secret Of

Fordham Lincoln Center WRITTEN BY Alanna Martine Kilkeary & Alysha Kundanmal Features Co-Editors PHOTOS BY Andronika Zimmerman Assistant Photo Editor

Every Thursday night at around 10 p.m., a group of students gather in a McMahon apartment. Some bring tea while the others rely on coffee to keep their minds awake for the reading about to take place. “Who’s got stuff?” the club’s co-founder, Adam Fales, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’17, asks. This question prompts all the attendees to peruse through their notebooks, poetry anthologies and iPhones to prepare to read some poetry aloud. Once someone responds to Fales’ question, that week’s edition of Fordham’s underground poetry club, The Poetry Collective, begins.

What began as an alternative open mic space for underaged poetry enthusiasts on the roof of a parking garage in Lawrence, Kansas, turned into one of Fordham Lincoln Center’s best-kept secrets. The original group, started

by a few residents of Fales’ hometown in Lawrence, was created because the group was not old enough to attend a 21+ open mic night at a neighborhood jazz club.

Once he arrived at Fordham, Fales teamed up with former Fordham student, Nick Rago, and the two decided to start another chapter of the Poetry Collective at Lincoln Center— paying homage to his hometown one. Now roughly two and a half years old, “It’s more of an excuse to bring people together than it is an event itself,” Fales joked of the Collective.

“Most people are there just to share something about themselves, which is what I really think is so special about it.”

An expressive and convivial gathering of a group of college students indulging in poetry on a Thursday night doesn’t seem like your average college get together. In fact, the mag-

nitude of the meeting is quite astounding, as every week members read selections of their own personal poetry or works of others that resound with them. “It can be something you wrote — I’ve been reading a lot of essays and poetry by other writers who are actually published that I just really admire,” Fales noted of his participation as of late.

“The Collective creates, obviously, a community of artists,” Heath Hampton, FCLC ’17, one of the club’s original members said. “It allows people to discover that in what they’ve done there has always been art, and putting it side-by-side the work of others every single week gives us the sort of constant third person perspective needed for improvement.”

And it seems as if these workshop-esque exercises have done the students involved well. “Poetry collective is never the same

14

The Comma

April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

SCIENTIST Our lords and saviors.

“Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.”

GENERAL Amen.

But you do realize I am death?

SCIENTIST Not necessarily.

SCIENTIST Dead?

GENERAL For our intents and purposes it is. Cut the smallest, destroy the biggest.

It’s rather poetic.

GENERAL No. Death.

You know, death incarnate.

Personified.

The grim reaper.

SCIENTIST Who says we aren’t artists?

GENERAL The way I see it, Science is the paint and war is the canvas.

SCIENTIST Yes, I love it!

War and Science are soliloquies, By themselves, But together, they create verse dialogue.

GENERAL Iambic pentameter or dactylic hexameter?

SCIENTIST Whatever Shakespeare wrote in.

I like to think we’re Romeo and Juliet.

GENERAL

SCIENTIST That is not possible.

GENERAL It is so doctor, I am death.

SCIENTIST No, there were more than two.

Seven billion in fact.

GENERAL Now you’re being pedantic.

SCIENTIST Perhaps.

GENERAL How about this?

You can be life, And I’ll be death?

That’s rather poetic.

SCIENTIST It is.

I like it.

But it must be dull after a while.

Life and death.

Life and death.

Life and death.

I am certainly not life.

Selection from Legacy

GENERAL Nuclear fusion is where we smash two atoms together and form a new one. Nothing is smaller than a atom and nothing is more powerful.

How about Jesus and J. Robert Oppenheimer?

By BENJAMIN STRATE

SCIENTIST The surface temperature of the sun is 5,778 degrees Kelvin. In Fahrenheit that’s 10,000 degrees, which is chilly compared to the 27 million inside the sun’s core.

www.fordhamobserver.com

GENERAL Want to be Jesus instead?

I can be Muhammad.

SCIENTIST Well, that can’t be….

GENERAL Don’t be absurd doctor.

SCIENTIST That’s just blasphemy, We don’t want to get him mad.

We’ve had enough judgement for one day.

SCIENTIST I am not.

GENERAL Has it only been a day?

GENERAL After all, there cannot be two deaths.

SCIENTIST Who knows?

What do we do now?

ZANA NAJJAR/OBSERVER ARCHIVES

wrap your arms around and pull me in, hand in the curve of my back, holds me in place, pressing firmly against my skin; that day the earth stopped turning. I couldn’t stop writing letters, you would never let me go.

By FRANCESCA ATON

Safe Zone

Think small, shove your body through the gap, our wrists press, pushing and pulling against. Dot the spaces I held dear, plan to mark them, add a line. Hold your breath and count infinitely, the number of times my heart skipped a beat looking into yours. Destination reached:

Walk out the door and find your way back in, again and again, I nestled myself deep down in your light blue eyes, as you thanked me, as if I had done you a favor, as if I would never stop being enough. You made me

feel vital, the epicenter of your world.

There’s not a moment I would miss. We giggle through the pauses, facing downward at our feet, but this isn’t a scavenger hunt.

It looked different, and so did you, it must be the shift in location. Point to the cuts and tell me when this will stop being enough. I fell for the overlap, dots of our collision, an old man staring me blankly in the face, the candle sticks mismatched. You’re building, adding on, forcing changes from the opposite direction, another time zone—throw up the yellow tape and proceed again. You’ll pretend I don’t exist tomorrow. Examine old receipts and papers to remind myself, the curve of your smile and that hand in my back, paint your name on paper, the faintest trace will do. She details your lives with color, I stand there absorbing the shock, breathing, unable to react to, with other than a smile. I pull together.

She found her way meandering through valleys and mountains build and I’m here waiting for you to approach.

SHERRY YUAN/OBSERVER ARCHIVES

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER April 21, 2016

The Comma

15

To My Child

By ISABELLE GARREAUD

I see the way you smile at the world when you think no one is looking. I see the way your eyes light up over the littlest things in life. I see the happiness that spreads across your face throughout the day for no reason. That is why I don’t have the heart to tell you. I don’t want to see your face become empty. I don’t want the spark in your eyes to go out, leaving you in the dark. You have to understand that I want to protect you forever. I see in you who I used to be, the person I couldn’t save. But I can save you and shield you from the troubles of this world. Please, keep the happiness you have glowing on you. Keep the fear, the anger, the despair locked away, even if it means housing it myself. Promise me, though, that you will keep on smiling, on loving, living even if they come out. It’s that glimmer of happiness, of innocence, of hope in your eyes that this world needs, what I need. No matter what happens, stay the person you are now. Even if the world shows you its true colors, you have the strength to keep on smiling.

I will protect you as long as I can because it is your hope and faith, your positivity that is keeping me alive.

Just Want To

By CAROLYN GUERRERO

I just want to cry; you make me just want to cry.

How can a person feel so many things so Deeply, and another have no clue of it?

Shouldn’t you be able to tell?

Shouldn’t you know?

I’m just saying. Why can’t you tell that I feel all of these things so Deeply for you? Or, Do you know? And if so, are you choosing to Ignore the feelings that you know exist within me.

Because if that’s true, then you are cruel. You are hurtful— you are so Perfect. In all the ways that you’re not, you Are. And that is the cause of the Deep feelings. And that is the cause of the Hurt. And that is the cause of the Cry. For not only do I want to cry— I Do. I cry imagining those words in a thousand scenarios. I cry imagining those words in one scenario.

I cry just thinking about you.

Why can’t you tell? Can you? Do you—?

Ignore it? If you do, and if you don’t, I just want to cry.

You make me just want to cry because for the first time I Feel you.

ANGELA LUIS/OBSERVER ARCHIVES

CONNOR MANNION/THE OBSERVER

Features

Features Editors Alanna Kilkeary—alannamartine@gmail.com Alysha Kundanmal— akundanmal@fordham.edu Hansi Weedagama — hweedagama@fordham.edu April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

The Growing Trend of International Students at Fordham

By TERRY ZENG Staff Writer

Nights before her trip to Japan during spring break, Yiwen Li, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’17, finished up her midterm paper for her Philosophical Ethics class. Rather than procrastinating until the last minute like she used to do for her first philosophy class, she started this paper early, and finished up the night before it was due.

Li is a sophomore international student from Nanjing, China. Like others who study abroad, Li has had to adapt to new ways of living. She goes to the writing center and meets with her professors like other students do. But this new way of learning under the unfamiliar American education system didn’t come easily.

In Li’s high school in China, students receive an A with an average of 80. Coming to the United States, Li realized that the education system is very different.

“I screwed up the first semester at Fordham very badly,” Li said.

“After a semester, I realized that it’s not high school anymore. I need to work harder and I think I am making a really good progress.”

According to Fordham University’s Open Doors Report, the percentage of growth in the international student population from 2010 to 2015 was 161.8 percent, increasing from a total of 1,064 to 2,772 international students. Of the 2,772 students, 70 percent study in FCLC. As more international students have made their way to Fordham in recent years, their academic performances have become a concerning issue among students, faculties, administrations and parents. Their adjustment to the new academic environment and how the administrations and faculties are helping have become topics of discussion.

Salvatore Longarino, director at the Office for International Services (OIS), expects an increasing trajectory of international population for the next academic year.

“It [the international population] will break over 3,000. There is no indication it will get lower,” Longarino said.

In response to the increase, Patricia Peek, Ph.D., director of Undergraduate Admission, said that the increasing trend of international presence is not limited to Fordham, but also other institutions. “For many years our focus was growth throughout the U.S. We

ANDRONIKA ZIMMERMAN /THE OBSERVER

Andrea Arzneka, FCLC ’17, originally from Caracas, Venezuela.

have been building on the success of these national efforts in more recent years to expand internationally,” said Peek. “This is not a trend specific to Fordham. Many institutions are also increasing their international presence.”

According to the Office of Admissions, there has been an increasing demand of international students to obtain their education in the U.S. Similarly, domestic students also seek a global experience in studying abroad and in the pursuit of fellowship. By accepting international students in the U.S., Fordham promotes interaction of both student bodies to enrich the campus community.

In order to receive guidance and support once they are in the United

States, all freshman international students are required to attend a week long orientation program called Global Transition run by the OIS in the beginning of their fall semester. Global Transition includes socialization, Jesuit tradition and cross-cultural communication sessions to address concerns on new culture, plagiarism and academic culture. An English exam called Fordham English Language Test (FELT) is also given to test the international students’ English proficiency.

Mikako Tsukazawa, FCLC ’16 and global transition assistant, is an international student from Tokyo, Japan. She had not only attended Global Transition, but also helped coordinate the program for her fel-

low international students.

“That week allowed me to prepare and gave me time to get used to the new environment,” Tsukazawa said. “When New Student Orientation (NSO) came around, I already had a solid group of friends.”

Besides being a Global Transition Assistant, Tsukazawa attends Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC), Fordham retreats and other school events to get involved with native students on campus.

“I feel like I belong here more than before,” Tsukazawa said. “I started joining clubs and then I got more involved. Now I feel like I am a part of Fordham.”

Besides running Global Transition, OIS also invites tax experts and immigration attorneys to in-

form students on taxes and green cards. On health and insurance, OIS requires international students to sign up for an affordable insurance with school. OIS works with the organization, One-to-World Program, to create outreach activities and educational services to connect Americans with international students.

Though the number of students participating in these programs is low, they are run throughout the academic year to serve the student body. Longarino said, “our goal is having these opportunities open to them, whether they take it or not.”

Li recalled an incident in the emergency room. She successfully filed the incident and the insurance covered most of the $5000 medical fee, while she only had to pay $300.

On the other hand, Tsukazawa encountered troubles filing the insurance and wished that OIS was more approachable in terms of helping international students’ needs.

“Fordham is trying to integrate more international students, and that’s great, but I just don’t think that facilities for them are set up yet,” Tsukazawa said. “I think they need to expand and they need to hire more staff. They should have a go-to person in case international students have any questions.”

According to Longarino, OIS only has five staff members serving the needs of 2,772 international students at FCLC. Li also thinks that more guidance and support specifically provided for international students is necessary.

“The school doesn’t provide much information, especially on renting an apartment and grocery shopping,” Li said. “I think there is a lot of things that Fordham needs to improve in this area especially when there are more and more internationals coming to the school.”

The biggest academic barrier for international students is English language proficiency. Students can sign up for free English lessons at Fordham’s Institute of American Language and Culture.

On other academic assistances, Li and Tsukazawa are both not aware of specific help for international students. Even though the Writing Center and subject tutoring are available for students’ needs, the services provided are utilized by both native and international students, treating the two types of students as if on the same academic level. .

Bold and Beautiful: A Look at the 2016 Muslimah Fashion Show

By KATHLEEN-MAE RAMAS Staff Writer

With a mixture of bold textures, bright colors and high fashion, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) took the Fordham community by storm. MSA hosted their 2016 muslimah fashion show on Monday, April 18 as the kickoff event to celebrate muslim women here and around the globe. Titling this week “Muslimah Appreciation Week,” their goal is to highlight the many contributions of strong muslim women to the community, society and the world.

The show was a welcome mix of modern and traditional, backed by the stylish minds of hijabis—or, women who wear hijabs—on campus. With two walkthroughs displaying a variety of outfits, the show received positive feedback from the audience members. Those able to attend were able to experience the beauty, grace and empowerment of both Muslim women and others who wanted to aid in their endeavor by

“ We had some girls who never wore the hijab

before and they felt confident when they wore it too. They were able to break that stereotype that just people who wear hijabs can’t be fashionable or pretty.”

– showing their support and love. Syeda Sanjida, Fordam College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ‘16, and president of MSA spoke happily about the outcome of the show. “The purpose of the event in general was to represent all the different Muslim women in the world … we’re doing all things surrounding Muslim women and all things appreciating them.”

The first walkthrough on the runway had multiple models walking in traditional Muslimah attire, with flowing fabrics and elegant colors. A mixture of styles from dif-

THANIA HUSSAIN, FCLC ‘16

ferent countries helped to further diversify and simultaneously unify on image, not just different women from different places, but of the image of a powerful, strong, and confident muslimah. But the beauty wasn’t just in the fashion.

Thania Hussain, FCLC ‘19, raved about her experience as a model in the show, being able to walk down the runway and feel confident in both her culture, her femininity and status as a Fordham student. “I just feel like events like this always brings us as Fordham, as a family,

together,” Hussain stated.” Events like this can definitely make [students] feel like they have a place.”

The second walkthrough was a modern and edgy take to the muslimah style, incorporating traditional pieces with a contemporary flair. By mixing the old and the new, they were able to break through any lingering doubts about the ability for hijabis or muslim women to feel fashionable or chic. The models were the image of confidence, and seeing girls appreciate cultures apart from their own was a huge point of success for MSA’s executive board.

“We had some girls who never wore the hijab before and they felt confident when they wore it, too, and they were able to break that stereotype that people who wear hijabs can’t be fashionable or pretty…we like it when people share that experience because that’s how we feel every day,” Hussain said.

Sanjida also spoke about a larger issue that she hoped the show would spread wisdom about, which is the generalization of and bias against

muslim women and hijabis. “We were trying to dispel stereotypes I guess, because you have this image of what a muslim woman looks like based on the news and whatnot,” she stated. The show tried to highlight the prejudices many muslim women experience on a day to day basis largely due to misunderstandings that many people have about the choices they make. The idea of enlightening others and showing them how to appreciate the hijab and traditional pieces in the sense of fashion was at the heart of the show, and their efforts to do so were praised with standing ovations. Sanjida is proud to say that “to do things like this where everyone is appreciating the fashion behind it and they love it and it’s something new but also beautiful to them, it really strengthens my own confidence.” With the introduction of more events like these in the Fordham community, their hope is to not only strengthen confidence in themselves or in one another, but also in those with open minds who are willing to learn.

Sports

Matthew McCarthy - Sports Editor mmccarthy80@fordham.edu April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

Breiner’s Coaching Goes Beyond Football Coach Breiner shares his journey of becoming the head football coach

COACH FROM PAGE 1

-football practice as a fourth grader in Garland, Texas. He even recalled the memories of watching football games on television. He specifically said, growing up “I didn’t watch a lot of cartoons. I probably watched a Dallas Cowboys versus New York Giants Monday Night football game on VHS a hundred times.”

Breiner has traveled a long journey to reach this point and credits his past experiences for his success.

“I’m in this position because of all the incredibly wonderful people I’ve worked with,” he said. He first started at Lock Haven as a player. Then, he worked through the ranks at Allegheny, UConn and with Coach Moorhead at Fordham. “They have certainly shaped who I am as a coach and a person. I owe all the credit to the people I have been around,” he continued.

As a college football player at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, Breiner always knew his calling was to be a coach. Having suffered a career-ending injury in his senior year, he was disappointed.

However, he attested that “the injury accelerated [his] start into the coaching world.” Breiner said, “I knew my next step was to take off the pads and grab a hat and whistle.” From that point onward, Breiner was granted the opportunity to start something he passionately wanted to do.

Breiner was offered his first coaching chance at Allegheny College by then-coach Mark Matlak.

Humbled by the prospect of an assistant coaching position, he gave it his all, but quickly learned that coaching isn’t just about X’s and O’s.

He described the experience, saying, “When I got to Allegheny, I was fresh out of college and excited to be a college football coach. I didn’t really have a full grasp of what it was all about.” He soon learned that “coaching is not just a job, but a profession.”

At the University of Connecticut, he worked under Coach Randy Ed-

sall and then-Offensive Coordinator Joe Moorhead. Breiner learned the “attention to detail, the accountability, the discipline and the consistency that it takes on a daily basis to truly be successful.” And so this was the model that him and Moorhead brought to Fordham. Evidently, it worked and boosted Fordham’s football program among the best in the Patriot League and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Coach Breiner emphasized that being the Head Coach is even more than profession. He articulated, “Coaching is a lifestyle. Everyone around me, my wife and daughter, our families have to understand that this profession is a lifestyle. There are no days off. There is no time to relax or stray from your fundamental values.” In fact, he mentioned, “I darn near missed my sister’s wedding a couple of years ago because of a playoff game.”

Part of this lifestyle includes one’s personal life as well. When asked about this, he stated, “Being a father has taught me patience and to be more positive. I think in those ways, my personal experiences have made me a better coach.” Another part of this is being a leader both on and off the field. He reminds his players that “the decisions they make now will affect the next five, 10, 15, 20 years of [their] lives.” As a result, Breiner always looks to keep the best interests of everyone on his mind, whether it’s star athletes Chase Edmonds and Kevin Anderson, one of his fellow coaches, his wife Kelly or his one year-old daughter Abigail.

So, how will Fordham football differ with Coach Breiner? “They’ll hear some different voices, which is a good thing. What’ll be the same is that our offense is not changing.

What we’re doing schematically will remain the same.” This should be no different than any other Division I football team, which strives to improve on the previous season’s performance. When asked how the team can improve, Breiner replied, “We went back and evaluated the tape and what we did well and what

“ I knew my next

step was to take off the pads and grab a hat and whistle.”

ANDREW BREINER , Fordham University Head Football Coach

we didn’t do well. We still have a lot of developing to do and we need to give ourselves a chance to be successful next season.”

As for his message to the Fordham community, Breiner expressed tremendous gratitude. “My message is to thank them for the support they give the football program. I thank [the community] for the support I’ve received since getting the new position. They should be excited for Fordham football. We’re at a time that is arguably the most successful point in Fordham football in the modern era.” He finished by saying, “We will continue to make a positive

ANDREA GARCIA/THE OBSERVER

Coach Andrew Breiner addresses his team during practice (Top).

Breiner leads an offensive session during preseason workouts (Middle).

Fordham football prepares for its upcoming season during spring practice (Bottom).

impact on the Fordham community not just on the football field, but with what we do inside the classroom and on campus.”

Now, as the new season approaches, he can witness the fruition of his efforts as he stands on the sideline not as an assistant, but as

the Head Coach. Most importantly, Breiner’s confidence and dedication is what drives his success. He finished with, “The reason I was given this opportunity is because I believe in how we have done things here. I believe it to be the way to produce results.”

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER April 21, 2016

Sports

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The Controversy Behind Native American Mascots Fordham Students Weigh in on the Use of Offensive Mascot Names

“ Since there is such

By ALEXANDER DIMISA Staff Writer

From the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL and the Cleveland Indians of the MLB to the Washington Redskins of the NFL, Native American team names can be seen in almost every major professional sports association in the United States. Even though this has been an issue since the 1960s, it has recently wdeveloped into front page news on publications from ESPN to CNN to The Atlantic. These teams are refusing to move away from their use of Native American-themed mascots.

The controversy surrounding Native American mascots first came into the public eye during the 1960s Native American Civil Rights movement, where the use of these mascots was criticized for being offensive. Since then, there have been consistent protests against these teams with many specifically targeting the use of the term “Redskins,” used by Washington, and the “Chief Wahoo” logo from the Cleveland Indians. According to NBC News many Native American groups, such as the Apache and Cherokee, have labeled these and other similar mascots as derogatory and demeaning slang terms.

This issue gained more recent attention when the Oneida Indian Nation launched messages against the Redskins’ name in 2013. Since then, much of the scandal has focused on the Washington Redskins with many calling for a name change.

Team owner Dan Snyder, however, has refused to budge. Many high profile individuals have commented on the situation including several members of Congress, athletes and even President Barack Obama, who, according to the Washington Post, said, “If I were the owner of the team and I knew that there was a name of my team — even if it had a storied history — that was offending a sizeable group of people, I’d think about changing it.”

While professional mascots, like the Redskins and Blackhawks, are

a wide variety of mascots, there’s no need to keep a name with such tenuous history.”

KATHERINE TRACY, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ‘18

PHOTO BY RODGER MALLISON/FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM VIA TNS

The Washington Redskins have been one of the teams facing scrutiny for their choice of mascot.

the focus of media attention, they are not the only examples of Native American-themed mascots.

According to a nationwide study

conducted by FiveThirtyEight, there were over 2,100 uses of Native American mascots by teams in the United States ranging from the

professional level to high schools and colleges. While Fordham is not one of these schools, it is still important to see how this issues affects

our community, and how our classmates view this issue.

Many sides of the debate came to the forefront. Some of these opinions included those that noted changing the mascots isn’t enough.

Nicholas DeVelo, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) ‘18, stated that “using Native American names is racist, changing the team names will not change the underlying racist ideas in America.” He went on to further state that “nothing would change because the business end of the issue isn’t financially smart for owners.”

Tate Miller, FCLC ‘18, disagreed, “I don’t mind the use of names like the Braves or Indians, but I do believe the only truly offensive mascot is the Redskins.” Finally, Katherine Tracy, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ‘18, attempted to put the issue into perspective when she said that she is not “a strong advocate either way,” but believes “since there is such a wide variety of mascots, there’s no need to keep a name with such a tenuous history.”

Because this controversy has wide reaching impacts on all levels of sporting in the United States, it is not surprising that it is such a contentious issue. How do you stand on the matter? Visit the fordhamobserver.com/the-controversybehind-native-american-mascots/ and voice your opinion.

Bramble Embodies What Fordham Is All About

By MATTHEW MCCARTHY Sports Editor

“I just want to go out there and give it my all in everything I do.”

That may seem like a generic statement from an athlete, but it’s truly how Jesse Bramble approaches football, school and his community.

Bramble, a senior at Tottenville High School in Staten Island, will be playing safety for the Fordham Rams in the fall. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Bramble at the National Football Foundation’s “Elite Eleven” reception where he was being honored as one of the top 11 high school football players in New York City. The award goes beyond just the gridiron as recipients are determined based on their combined achievements on the field, in the classroom and for their leadership contributions in their communities. Based on that criteria, Bramble exemplifies what it means to be an “Elite Eleven” award recipient.

During my time with him, Bramble made it clear that his love of football has existed since birth.

He explained, “When I was born, my mom used to hold me in the cradle as she kept stats for my dad while he was a high school coach.”

Bramble accentuated his football background when he talked about his passion and dedication to the game. “My goal is to go and be the best I can be and contribute to the team in anyway possible. At

“ My goal is to go and be the best I can be

and contribute to the team in anyway possible.

At the end of the day, I just want to be the best teammate I can be.”

–

JESSE BRAMBLE, Class of 2020 Recruit

the end of the day, I just want to be the best teammate I can be.” This drive to compete and be beneficial to the team is exactly why Fordham recruited the 6’0, 180-pound safety.

This offseason, new Head Coach Andrew Breiner emphasized wanting to add players with SPEED, an acronym for Superior Preparation, Effort, Execution and Dominance.

A hard worker on and off the field, Bramble stressed the importance of being determined and a good teammate. Bramble strives to not only better himself, but also those around him.

Whether he’s playing football or in class, Bramble tries to emulate his favorite player: Patrick Peterson.

Peterson, a talented safety for the Arizona Cardinals, works tirelessly in his community to help those less fortunate while being a standout player on the gridiron. Bramble said if he could play with any player in history, it’d be Peterson. Bramble explained, “He’s not only one of the best football players, but also a good

guy.” Bramble attempts to follow Peterson’s lead with his dedication in the classroom and commitment to his teammates. The holistic approach to being a college football player fits perfectly in with Fordham’s Jesuit teaching of “cura personalis,” meaning care for the whole person.

In addition to being named an “Elite Eleven” recipient, Bramble has received numerous other accolades for his play this season. Bramble was the unanimous choice for the Al Fabbri Award, which is given to Staten Island’s best football player, was named second team ALL-USA New York and was selected 2015 First Team All-City. Consequently, since he is a New York native, coming to Fordham felt just right.

While he succeeds on the field, his work doesn’t end there. So while it may be a generic response to his hard work with his teammates and dedication in the classroom, Bramble truly goes out there and gives it his all in everything he does.

ANDREA GARCIA/THE OBSERVER

Jesse Bramble will be joining the Fordham football team next season.

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Sports

April 21, 2016 THE OBSERVER

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