Kylie McGovern, Editor
On Saturday Nov. 13 Homecoming events were in full swing. The day began with a bus trip from La Salle’s campus to historic sights in Philly for visiting families to enjoy the gems the city has to offer. Next the Women’s Basketball team kicked off the double header with a win and more can be found on both the women’s and men’s basketball games in our sports section. The festival on the quad commenced at 12:30 p.m. Fellow alumni, faculty, staff, parents and students gathered on the Hansen Quad to enjoy food, drinks and music. Attendees of age were able to enjoy the beer garden on the quad. In addition, La Salle Ambassadors set up games like ring toss and skee ball with candy prizes. La Salle Ambassador Andrew Plunkett ‘23 said homecoming,“was a super fun time! Seeing the alumni come back to campus and enjoy playing our games was very exciting and I was happy to be a part of the festivities. Even though the weather wasn’t ideal, we made the best of it and I think everyone enjoyed some well-deserved fun.” Despite the rain, those coordinating the event moved the festivities inside and everyone enjoyed the afternoon.
On Saturday afternoon, The La Salle University Art Museum was also open for tours to present the “Beyond 2D: Surface Play with Paper” exhibit. The Hideaway Tent was also open for business before the Homecoming men’s basketball game. Opening at 2:30 p.m., The Hideaway Tent was open until tip-off as a gathering place for basketball fans just outside of TruMark Financial Center. The Hideaway was once a local bar where La salle students could enjoy a beverage with some friends off campus. This tent commemorates the tradition while creating a new one. Food and beverages including beer and wine were available for purchase. The Explorers Express food truck served sandwiches to those looking for a quick snack before the game. After the game, families headed over to Deke’s BBQ to enjoy a post-game happy hour with family, friends and alumni. Saturday’s festivities concluded with “Live from La Salle” Family Trivia and Improv 101 Performance which you can read more about in the features section.
On Sunday morning, families, students and those celebrating their 50th reunion gathered for mass at 11 a.m. in the De La Salle Chapel. Mass was celebrated by La Salle’s Father Frank. Following mass, two seniors: Eleanor Mancini and Jude Roche gave reflections about their families and the families they have found at La Salle. After mass and the reflections, the Alumni Association held a champagne luncheon to celebrate the Classes of 1970, 1971 and 1972 with a Golden Medallion presentation for their 50th Reunion. All those families at mass enjoyed a brunch at the Blue and Gold Dining Commons. Hundreds of people participated in this year’s La Salle Homecoming and Family Weekend — marking a major return to campus following the previous semesters which were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Header Image: Search Engine Journal
Kylie McGovern, Editor
On Oct. 29, David O’Brien, ‘24 began spearheading a podcast project by meeting with communication Professor Dr. Mark Lashley about using the WEXP radio room to record podcasts. Throughout the past school year, the Collegian staff has been brainstorming a podcast component of the weekly newspaper. O’Brien’s vision for the podcast is for it to be an extension of the newspaper and discuss topics from the newspaper, ranging from business to features. The podcast will also have a similar function as the features section of the newspaper where the hosts will bring guests and discuss clubs, topics and other aspects of La Salle and the student in general.
According to the podcast host, “a podcast is a series of spoken word, audio episodes, all focused on a particular topic or theme… You can subscribe to the show with an app on your phone and listen to episodes whenever you like on your headphones, in the car or through speakers.” The Infinite Dial conducted a survey exhibiting that 55 percent of the U.S. population had listened to a podcast ever; 37 percent had listened within the last month and 24 percent had listened within the last week, showing that podcasts are a form of media rapidly rising in popularity. Podcasts growing as a media industry are motivating O’Brien to start the podcast.
In speaking with O’Brien, he explains, “I am so excited about starting the podcast with one of my best friends. I am doing the podcast because I am interested in pioneering something to make an impact as the managing editor. I want the Collegian to be adaptable to more formats in addition to our website and newsletter. I think the longevity of any student organization or publication is fluidity and adaptability. I know that podcasts are especially popular among college-aged people, and I think that the La Salle student body will not only benefit from getting news and interviews via a podcast, but will also be entertained by this new platform.”
The podcast team hopes to record, edit and post the podcast in the coming weeks. After the first introduction episode, O’Brien plans to post the following episodes when the newspaper is published.
Kylie McGovern, Editor
On Nov. 2 La Salle University’s department of Housing and Residence Life announced an amended visiting policy via email. The email noted that, in general, students have observed compliance with the public health expectations outlined by the University in La Salle’s health and safety guidelines.
Beginning Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 5 p.m., La Salle University’s visitation policy will be revised to allow all residential students to accept enrolled non-residential or commuter students as guests at their residences. All guests must continue to be registered online through the established guest registration process. This new policy will be reviewed on an ongoing basis by La Salle’s COVID-19 Response Team, who will be monitoring the number of campus COVID-19 cases, student conduct cases and the impact of contact tracing.
Each residence hall must abide by different numbers of guests. Including the host or hosts, up to four students can be in a residence hall room, up to six students can be in an apartment and up to 10 students can visit any given townhouse at a time. In addition, face masks are required in residence hall rooms any time guests are visiting. While visiting, the guest must be escorted by their host at all times.
Although the acceptance of commuter guests opens visiting to a new group of people, if students want to host family members or other visitors who are unaffiliated with La Salle University, they may visit campus outside of residential communities and in publicly accessible, open-air spaces.
Sophomore and commuter Danielle O’Brien says she is “very excited about the new changes concerning the guest policy as a commuter. For a time it felt unfair that commuters — a large percent of La Salle’s student population — were being excluded from visiting dorms. I, like many other computers, have trouble finding things to do in between classes, and visiting friends’ dorms would be a perfect way to accommodate this.
“Broadening the guest policy to commuter students such as myself is a great opportunity to make connections and friends that you wouldn’t otherwise, and I’m very excited to plan new activities with friends who are dorming and their dorm mates. Not to mention broadening the guest policy to commuters can entice commuters to rethink on-campus housing as it was made clear to me that those dorming at La Salle clearly have a community of their own within their building.”
Kylie McGovern, Editor
On Thursday, Oct. 14, the Philadelphia City Council passed a bill to affect the way police make traffic stops. This bill is called the Driving Equality bill and its goal is to close racial inequities in a city where people of color are 3.4 times as likely to be pulled over than white people. The Driving Equality Bill was passed by a large 14-2 by the City Council.
The bill categorizes certain code violations as “primary violations,” so officers can pull people over in the name of public safety, and “secondary violations” that don’t meet the criteria for a lawful traffic stop. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas’ office wrote the bill making Philadelphia one of the first major U.S. cities to ban police from stopping drivers for low-level traffic violations. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas was motivated to draft the Driving Equality bill to combat the racial profiling he has both witnessed and personally experienced on the streets of Philadelphia.
Thomas says, “being pulled over by law enforcement is a rite of passage for Black men. It’s something we all know that we’re gonna have to go through. I’ve been pulled over so many times that I’ve actually lost count.” Once, Thomas was pulled over because his tail light was out. However, when Thomas took his car to be fixed the next morning, the mechanic told him there was nothing wrong with the tail light.
The Driving Equality bill will take effect 120 days after Philadelphia Mayor and La Salle University alum Jim Kenney signs it into law. Kenney’s office reported that the bills were signed on Oct. 27. The mayor’s administration plans to implement the legislation through executive action by Nov. 3. Once the Driving Equality Bill is officially signed into law, the Philadelphia police will work on amendments and necessary training to implement the new law. Max Weisman, a spokesperson for Council Member Thomas, said the police department has exhibited support for the bill and has negotiated in “good faith.”
Kylie McGovern, Editor
Header image: Philly Voice
A few weeks ago I began to ponder the different newsworthy things I had heard about in recent days both at La Salle and the greater area of Philadelphia. What came to mind made me sick: the news about a woman who was raped while riding on a SEPTA Market-Frankford train at the 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby. There is immense controversy about whether there were bystanders who took cell phone videos without calling the police or physically intervening but, frankly, my greater concern is the fact that a woman cannot ride public transportation without fear of literally being sexually assaulted.
I know that I, among other La Salle students, use SEPTA frequently. This injustice that occurred to this woman shakes me to my core. I am frankly disgusted that we live in a world where women cannot even travel on or use resources like SEPTA without being endangered. I fear for my female classmates, my friends, my sisters, my aunts, my mother and my grandmothers who all use SEPTA. I am disgusted that females cannot even exist without being hurt.
This issue is bigger than just SEPTA. The world does not protect its women. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “most cases of femicide are committed by partners or ex-partners, and involve ongoing abuse in the home, threats or intimidation, sexual violence or situations where women have less power or fewer resources than their partner.” Furthermore, in a survey reported by the BBC, a third of respondents thought it was acceptable for men to hit their partners. These facts further emphasize the vulnerability women face today based on their gender.
A woman should not have to fear taking the train home from work. A woman should not have to fear walking home at night. A woman should not have to fear being talked down to by her coworkers or classmates. A woman should not have to fear seeing her perpetrators walk away unscathed. Women should not fear living, but they do — I walk across 20th street alone fearing being catcalled out of someone’s window and as they drive away laughing, I feel uncomfortable and ashamed.
Now I have to fear taking the train. I am terrified for the women around me and myself. Simply terrified. I am afraid for every woman I either know or do not know. I hope and I pray that this disgusting act of femicide, among the other situations myself and the women I know face every day, will one day disappear.
The elected officials and their positions via @lasallesga on Instagram
Elections for the Students’ Government Association (SGA) for the 2021-2022 academic year election were held from 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 22 until 6 p.m. Voting for the student government was conducted using an online survey, which each student received via email. On each screen of the survey, the voter clicked the photo of the student they wanted to represent for the executive board position. The offices up for election were student body president, student body vice-president, secretary of academic affairs, secretary of business affairs and secretary of public affairs. Isabelle Pope, Emily Dorr, Emily Gaboriault, Junie Mertus, Mia Mattingly and Nikki Aquino all ran for the various positions. Candidates made election campaign videos that @lasallesga posted on their Instagram account.
The results of the election were announced on Oct. 23. The members elected were Isabelle Pope as student body president, Emily Dorr as student body vice-president, Junie Mertus as secretary of academic affairs, Mia Mattingly as secretary of business affairs and Nikki Aquino as secretary of public affairs.
President Pope said “It was a good race and I am glad that people took the initiative to run for positions after a difficult year with COVID. I am also really excited to see how a group of strong women in SGA leadership positions is going to impact our year this year! We still need to officially appoint a chief of staff and deputy chief of staff, as well as a director of diversity, equity and inclusion and I’m confident that with a full e-board we will be able to accomplish more this year, now that we are on campus.” Mia Mattingly also said she is “super excited to take on this new role in student government as secretary of business affairs because I feel like in this position I can help take initiative within the association and lead it in a direction for more student engagement all while helping with the financial aspects behind the scenes.” The Students’ Government Association will be holding class senator elections on Oct. 29.
A United States delegation met with Taliban representatives in Doha on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11 — in the first in-person meeting since American forces were pulled out of Afghanistan. This meeting was to discuss humanitarian assistance and efforts to help American citizens out of Afghanistan while keeping the Taliban accountable for its commitment to not allowing terrorists to use Afghan soil to threaten the security of the U.S. or its allies.
In addition, according to the State Department, the United States urges the Taliban “to respect the rights of all Afghans, including women and girls, and to form an inclusive government with broad support.” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has explained the Taliban’s goals for these meetings in that “[our] aim is to have further meetings with the Americans and also with European delegates in the days to come so that we can discuss and have their views and suggestions about the current situation in Afghanistan. We have told them time and again that a weak and an unstable government in Afghanistan is not in the interest of no one.”
The U.S. representatives included the State Department’s Deputy Special Representative Tom West and USAID humanitarian official Sarah Charles. On the Taliban’s side, cabinet officials attended the meeting. American spokesperson Ned Price explained that the two sides also discussed the U.S.’ provision of robust humanitarian assistance directly to the Afghan people. The discussions were candid and professional with the U.S. delegation reiterating that the Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words.
Timothy O’Shaughnessy at the virtual Honors Convocation
On Thursday, Oct. 7 nearly 800 La Salle University Students were honored for their academic achievements at the Honors Convocation. Students who achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.50 and above with a minimum of 24 credit hours as of the start of the Fall 2021 semester were celebrated on Thursday. Qualifying students and their families were cordially invited to attend this year’s Virtual Honors Convocation on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m. via email by the Provost.
The convocation started with a welcome from the interim provost and vice president of academic affairs Steven Sicnolfi, Ph.D. Next, Father Frank Berna, Ph.D. of the religion and theology department led a prayer and invocation celebrating the accomplishments of the La Salle students during the particularly challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The interim president Timothy O’Shaughnessy made his remarks welcoming friends, families, special guests, and students to the convocation to honor the students. President O’Shaughnessy ‘85 explained that “we are proud to gather today to honor our students who have achieved extraordinary academic success in the Lasallian community.”
In addition to honoring students this year, La Salle University conferred an honorary degree to a distinguished Lasallian, Nelson J. Perez, Archbishop of Philadelphia. Archbishop Nelson J. Perez explained that he is filled with great joy to be able to celebrate the academic success of the La Salle students. Archbishop Nelson J. Perez also explained how he was inspired by the environment at La Salle in his time teaching theology and psychology here at La Salle.
Following the presentation of the degree to Archbishop Perez, Steven Siconolfi, Ph.D. presented the distinguished faculty. Mary Wilby, Ph.D., MSN, CRNP, ANP-BC, R.N. of the school of nursing was presented with the 2021 Distinguished Lasallian Educator award. Then, Susan Dixon, Ph.D., an art professor, received the faculty distinguished scholar award. Following that award, Dr. Thomas Blume Ph.D., LMFT, LPC received the faculty distinguished service award. Dr. Catilin Taylor Caitlin Taylor, Ph.D. was then presented with the De LaSalle institute distinguished teaching award for full-time faculty. Following Dr. Taylor’s award, Reg Kim was presented with the De LaSalle institute distinguished teaching award for part-time faculty. Finally, Dr. Jennifer Kleinow Ph.D., CCC-SLP received the 2021 Lindback distinguished teaching award.
Next, each school and its dean were recognized. First, the School of Arts and Sciences dean Pamela E. Barnett, Ph.D. presented the students in her school being celebrated. Then dean Yusuf Joseph Ugras, Ph.D. presented the School of Business’s recognized students. Lastly, the School of Nursing and Health sciences dean Kathleen Czekanski, PH.D., R.N., CNE those Nursing and Health sciences students being recognized. Dr. Steven Sicnolfi then gave a brief conclusion followed by the alma mater.
On Thursday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. the Explorientation team hosted an event for all sophomore students on the Hansen quad called S’mores With Sophomores. On Thursday evening, sophomores were invited to gather around the quad to make s’mores together. This was a special opportunity for the class of 2021 who missed out on some first year engagement activities on campus due to the last school year being primarily online. Therefore, this event gave the current sophomores one of their first chances to safely gather as a collective class amidst the pandemic. This event’s goal was to give students the opportunity to mingle and meet each other in an in-person and on campus environment.
The Explorientation team set up fire pits to roast marshmallows throughout the quad. La Salle University sophomores participating in the event were provided with everything they needed to make the s’mores including marshmallows, graham characters, chocolate, and sticks to roast marshmallows. Students then made their s’mores and spent time together under the lights of the Hansen quad. One sophomore who particularly enjoyed her experience at the S’mores with Sophomores event is Emily Beals. On Thursday evening, Emily, some other sophomore friends and her roommate set out to make some s’mores and to socialize with some other members of the class of 2024. Upon arriving at the event Emily noticed how nice the quad was set up for the event. She commented on the event saying, “it was super cute and great to both hang out with friends and see all different people I know from my year!”
Emily’s experience at this event was similar to many sophomores who enjoyed the event’s opportunity to meet members of their class and to enjoy a classic campfire snack of s’mores.
The La Salle Collegian 