The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck.
Did the clock move back one hour, or three? #seasonaldepression
We write Stevens history VOLUME CXX No. 10
HOBOKEN, NJ | NOVEMBER 11, 2022
www.thestute.com Instagram @thestute facebook.com/stevensthestute NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904
New bill hopes to codify Central Jersey BY QUENTIN JIMENEZ, STAFF WRITER The New Jersey Legislature has recently introduced a bill that would officially recognize one of the most controversial parts of the state, Central Jersey. The bill would make Central Jersey an official part of the state’s tourism map, while also allocating funds to promote the region through advertisements and marketing campaigns. Lawmakers are hopeful that the bill would bring more meaning to the name Garden State by promoting “agritourism” in the region, including “visits to farms, craft beverage makers, farm-to-table restaurants, farmers’ markets, and agriculturally themed festivals.” Andrew Zwicker, a State Senator and sponsor of the measure, believes that New Jersey tourism focuses too much on the waterfront, and should put more emphasis on the “quaint river towns and canal villages, scenic byways, harvest festivals, craft beverage makers, and Revolutionary War sites.” He hopes that an increase in tourism to the area will boost the state’s tourism
SEE NJ PAGE 3
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JEFFERY VOCK
SDS Fall Production of Play On! BY EVAN PAPAGEORGE, STAFF WRITER Last weekend, the Stevens Dramatic Society (SDS) put on their fall production: Play On! by Rick Abbot. There were four performances: one in the evening of Thursday and Friday, Saturday after-
Dia de los Muertos tote bags hosted by DEI BY NICOLE GIARDINO, STAFF WRITER On November 1 and 2, the annual holiday Día de los Muertos, also known as The Day of the Dead, was celebrated. This is a Mexican holiday where it is believed that the border between the spirit world and the everyday world opens. Because of this, families are able to welcome back the souls of their relatives who have since passed on, with a reunion that consists of food, refreshments, and celebration. Families create
ofrendas (offerings) to honor and show respect to these family members. This year on November 2, the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and the Intercultural Space hosted an event to celebrate and recognize this holiday, where students could decorate tote bags. Students were allotted to create whatever design they wished on their bags while also listening to light music, eating cookies, and drinking hot chocolate and coffee from Dunkin’. As stated by Liliana Delman,
SEE DEI PAGE 2
PHOTO COURTESY OF LILIANA DELMAN
NEWS (2-3)
SCIENCE (6)
Does Central Jersey exist? A new bill says it does For all the Central Jersey skeptics, prepare to be disappointed.
How does AI shape our reality? Read more about AI writing software and how it can be used in society.
FEATURE (4-5)
Ways to stay safe both on and off campus Read more about learning if your drink has been tampered with, important phone numbers to have, and self defense
PULSE (12)
Read answers from the Stevens community to our weekly Roving Reporter, plus solve our weekly crossword puzzle and sudoku
noon, and the last Saturday night. The show included a cast of ten students, ranging from first-years to graduate students, and a crew of students, with two professionals as the stage manager and director. The play follows a local community theater putting on a production. The show they are producing is Mur-
der Most Foul, by a new playwright. Problems arise with the author continually rewriting the plot, arguments, affairs between the players, a technical nightmare of a dress rehearsal, and a disastrous opening night. SDS’s crew put together a fantastic collection of modern outfits and Victorian evening wear, an early 20th-century style
manor parlor, and sound and light designs by Stevens students. The cast and crew have been working since the middle of September to put the show together. The Stute had the opportunity to reach out to some of the cast and crew of the show to get their perspectives on the play. Luke Magette was the show’s Assistant Stage
Hoboken Stevens Hindu YUVA throws Diwali celebration continues BY CLAIRE HANNAN, lighting the streets with di- building yas (clay lamps with oil and NEWS EDITOR cotton wicks) and bursting crackers.” Now to honor its flood On October 28, 2022, origins, Diwali is celebrated the Hindu YUVA at Stevens with lights and firecrackers defenses (HYaS) threw a Diwali celebration in the Gallery inside the University Center Complex (UCC) South Tower. The event was successful, with about 50 attendees enjoying prayer, games, and food throughout the night. HYaS, a student-led, religious organization for graduate students, is open to all students of any background. Diwali, also known as Deepavali is “the celebration of the return of Prabhu Shri Raam (seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu) to Ayodhya (his kingdom). The people of Ayodhya celebrated the return […] by
PHOTO COURTESY OF SUMEDH HABBU
to show the victory of good over evil. The President and co-founder of HYaS, Sumedh Habbu, a graduate student studying Information Systems, says the main problem facing the event was that, as a religious organization, HYaS does not receive any funding from the school. To compensate, they had to come up with creative solutions to supply the event such as having attendees donate snacks and drinks. All monetary funding for the club comes from
SEE YUVA PAGE 2
BY EVAN PAPAGEORGE, STAFF WRITER
Manager and a student here at Stevens. He says, “It’s always such a moment of pride to share so many hours of work with an audience and to hear they’re receiving it well. Much like the play itself, the show built up to quite the explosive conclusion, and I wouldn’t have it any other
SEE SDS PAGE 3
What’s the pay? NYC salary transparency law goes into effect BY OZ AGUINAGA, NEWS EDITOR
In recent years, as climate change continues to negatively impact many aspects of life, super-storms and flooding have become detrimental issues for many low-lying and coastal areas. Specifically, in Hoboken, flooding is a serious risk to property, infrastructure, and human life. Hoboken has an average elevation of 23 feet above sea level. For reference, most of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway would be underwater with surf reaching up to Washington Street in some areas. With the increase in severity and occurrence of super storms like Irene, Sandy, Isaias, and Ida, the city of Hoboken and the state of New Jersey is investing in infrastructure that can protect against storm surges. Sadly, another risk to Hoboken is the rising tides due to the polar ice caps melting. Under current models, 50% of Hoboken
Companies of all kinds have closely guarded the prospective pay for their job opportunities for years, preventing employees from learning whether their coworkers earn more money than they do and keeping applicants in the dark about possible earnings. But for New York City, one of the largest job markets in the world, that practice will no longer exist! A new city law that went into effect at the start of November will require companies with at least four employees to post salary ranges for openings, even if the jobs involve remote or hybrid work. According to the law, when a position is published on an internal job board, as well as external websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, or other job search platforms,
SEE FLOOD PAGE 3
SEE PAY PAGE 3