The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 October 22, 2025
TheFordhamRam.com
Volume 107, Issue 18
President Tetlow Discusses Restructuring, Rebranding and Campus Unity
Joshua Somrah Hired as Assistant Director for Student Leadership and Engagement
By NORA MALONE
By JACK MCDONALD
Fordham University President Tania Tetlow met with members of The Fordham Ram and The Observer on Oct. 16. The conversation included discussion of the Arts and Sciences Restructuring, Fordham’s upcoming Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) offerings, the University’s updated brand and more. The meeting began with a discussion of Fordham’s Arts and Sciences restructuring and Tetlow’s desire to further unify the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. “ I’m hoping to never hear again within a few years from a Lincoln Center student at their graduation that it’s the first time they’ve been to Rose Hill, or from Rose Hill students that they’ve never been to Lincoln Center,” she said. Previously, four deans led the school of Arts and Sciences, none of whom answered to each other. According to Tetlow, this
Fordham’s community values. “[The event] brought back a lot of nostalgia and it made the night feel alive,” CamanoLucero said. Camano-Lucero also explained why she enjoys homecoming weekend and events like the President’s Ball. “I think the importance of homecoming weekend is really for the school as a whole to acknowledge its special qualities of togetherness and family like energy,” she said. “These types of events help all students feel that they are part of the Fordham community.”
Joshua Somrah, FCLC ’20, was recently hired as assistant director for Student Leadership and Engagement. A New York native, Somrah attended Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in international studies and political science. He was also a resident assistant during his time at Fordham University. Somrah graduated from St. John’s University in Flushing Meadows, New York, with a Master’s of Arts in government & politics in 2021. Prior to his employment at Fordham, Somrah worked as a resident director at Gonzaga University, a Jesuit institution in Spokane, Washington. Somrah shared that he served on a fouryear contract, which was up this past summer. He was hired by Fordham in September and his official start date was Sept. 29. “I enjoyed working as a Residence Director because it allowed me to work collaboratively with different offices
SEE CELEBRATE, PAGE 5
SEE SOMRAH, PAGE 4
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SEE PRESSER, PAGE 4
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
RAEANN GOPAUL FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Annual events bring students together for President’s Ball, tailgate and football game.
How Fordham Celebrates Community at Homecoming Weekend By RAEANN GOPAUL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus came alive on Oct. 17 through 19 as students gathered for the annual Homecoming Weekend, a celebration that transformed the Bronx campus into “a small village having a celebration in the middle of the Bronx,” according to Heidi Camano-Lucero, FCRH ’26. The weekend’s events kicked off Friday night with the President’s Ball, followed by Saturday’s 5K Ram Run, tailgate festivities and the homecoming football game. For many
students, the events offered more than just entertainment. “They provided a sense of belonging and community which is central to Fordham’s mission of cura personalis, or care for the whole person,” said Clovis Decarvalho Jr., FCRH ’26, a student employee for the Office of Student Involvement, who organizes the events. Camano-Lucero attended her first President’s Ball as a first-year and returned for her final one this year. Though she wished she could have attended every year, CamanoLucero said she appreciated how the weekend reinforced
Fordham Completes Mission Priority Examen Process
By NORA MALONE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM
The AJCU asses Jesuit universities around the world every seven years.
2 News 11 Opinion Fordham Archives Protestors Win The Quiet Room Where Fordham’s History is Kept Alive
By NORA MALONE
Fordham University has hired a new Dean of Students and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Kevin Williams, Ph.D., effective Nov. 3, 2025. Williams will be replacing former Dean of Students Christopher Rodgers, who has held the position since 2006. Rodgers was promoted to associate vice president for Strategy and Operations in May, and will now fully transition to his new role. Williams previously served as the senior associate dean of students at Cornell University. He has also held positions
at The New School, Temple University and Oberlin College. “Dean Williams brings to Fordham extensive experience overseeing residential communities and student engagement initiatives that foster belonging and support academic success, leadership development, and personal growth,” said Director of Media Relations and Deputy University Spokesperson Jane Martinez, in a statement to The Fordham Ram. Williams received his bachelor’s degree from Siena Heights University, his master’s degree from the University of Michigan and his Doctorate of Education from Temple University.
16 Culture Spooky Season
24 Sports MLB Postseason
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
After an 18-month Mission Priority Examen (MPE) process, Fordham University has had its Jesuit and Catholic identity and mission confirmed. The process is spearheaded by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) and assesses Jesuit universities around the world every seven years. “It’s a very important moment for us, it underscores how Fordham belongs to a much larger Jesuit world of schools,” said John J. Cecero, S.J., vice president for Mission SEE MISSION PAGE 5
Fordham Announces New Dean of Students
The Fight for Freedom in Nepal’s Youth-Led Revolution
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