The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck.
Was your Spotify wrapped too embarassing to share?
We write Stevens history VOLUME CXX No. 12
HOBOKEN, NJ | DECEMBER 2, 2022
www.thestute.com Instagram @thestute facebook.com/stevensthestute NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904
Stevens launches newly rebranded website BY TODD BECHTEL STAFF WRITER On November 16, Stevens announced that after a 17-month process, the stevens.edu website was upgraded and launched for everyone to use. Beth McGrath, the Vice President for University Relations, and Tej Patel, the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, sent an email to the Stevens community along with the launch of the new website. The goals described in this email were to improve the functionality and user experience of the website, while still keeping an appealing design. This rebranding process took the feedback of many people involved in the Stevens community. The email stated that over 100 stakeholders, alumni, and prospective students gave insight into the new website that helped contribute to the product being released to the public. Over
time, the website will also be updated to improve the experience for users, and the analytics of the new version will be monitored in order to ensure the website is working as smoothly as possible for those who use it. One of the main focuses of the rebrand is on the Stevens community. The main landing page features photos and videos from a variety of Stevens events and locations highlighting the institution. It also includes news articles focusing on the achievements of students, staff, and alumni, as well as a calendar for upcoming events on campus. The new website also includes the updated Stevens logo, which, similarly to the site, was redesigned earlier this year. Stevens continues to modernize their branding both on campus and beyond, as the new logo is prominently featured on the University Center Complex and the fountain that can be seen when entering campus from 9th Street.
SCREENSHOTS FROM NEW STEVENS.EDU WEBPAGE
Change in Stevens’ campus masking policy BY ADVAIT DANTULURI, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 initiated a necessary policy requiring masks on Stevens’ campus. These masks helped Stevens maintain some degree of normalcy as students started returning back to their classes and reuniting with their friends and teachers. According to Sara Klein, the Vice President for Student Affairs, prior to November 2022, masks had to be worn at all times during classes, in the Stevens Shuttle, and at Student Health Services (although instructors or presenters in class were allowed to take off their mask to speak clearly, given that there was a reasonable distance between them and the masked students). Starting in November 2022, masking became optional (though strongly encouraged) in most places on campus sans Student Health Services. That being said, masking is still required for anyone that has tested positive for COVID-19 or has come into some form of exposure to the virus according to guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control
and the Student Health Services. However, anyone that wants to wear a mask for extra safety is welcome to do so. In addition, no one should make assumptions about anyone choosing to wear or not wear a mask, nor should anyone wearing a mask be pressured to remove theirs. What prompted this change? Klein explains that Stevens’ leadership carefully monitors the local and national positivity rates and recommended practices from public health experts as well as our own health advisors. The low positivity and death rates, as well as the availability of vaccines and treatments, prompted Stevens to revise its policy on wearing a mask. Stevens now places the responsibility and decision on wearing a mask on you, as an individual. To combat COVID-19, you should stay up-to-date on vaccines and booster shots, such as getting your bivalent COVID dose as soon as it becomes available The most recent campus COVID update, sent on Novemebr 30, states that “7 students and 2 employees reported cases of COVID-19 in our on-campus community of 9,779 students, faculty, and staff members.”
NEWS (2-4)
SCIENCE (6)
Hoboken unveiels mural to celebrate the World Cup Mayor Bhalla, local artist Daniel Azceta, and local bar-owner Paul Dawson pictured
Read more about the Artemis I launch, the science of attachment, and how low frequency leads to more dancingw
FEATURE (5)
PULSE (12)
With the holidays around the corner, here are some expert trips on how to prepare for the season of giving!!!
Read answers from the Stevens community to our weekly Roving Reporter, plus solve our weekly crossword puzzle and sudoku
Stevens Awards Gala returns in person, honors and celebrates alumni achievement
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU
BY CHARLES BEALL, OPINION COLUMNIST On the evening of Saturday, November 12, various members of the Stevens community gathered at the Plaza Hotel in New York City for the 2022 Stevens Awards Gala. Honoring the achievements of outstanding alumni, the ceremony marked the first time in three years of the Gala being held in person.
Seven awards were given over the course of the evening, with recipients being selected by a committee of Stevens alumni. In true awards-ceremony fashion, awardees gave acceptance speeches upon the announcement of their accolade, as attendees, dressed in gowns and tuxedos, dined and socialized. The event also had its fair share of performative flair, with entertainment
from the Axel Tosca Trio, featuring Distinguished Artist in Residence Carlos Alomar; alumna Kameelah Samar Majied ‘00 M.S. ‘08; and the President’s Ensemble. The last group made up a subset of a large group of current student leaders who were invited to the Gala. The accomplishments honored in the awards were as impressive and diverse as the awardees themselves. This year’s Interna-
tional Achievement Award was received by Hermes O. González-Bello ‘89 M.S. ‘95 for his spearheading of projects to ensure clean water in communities and workplaces around the world. In his speech, González-Bello spoke on his immigrant experience growing up and his acceptance into Stevens’ Technical Enrichment Program (STEP) despite the
SEE GALA PAGE 2