WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2, 2024 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan VOLUME 117 | ISSUE 4
STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916
Embracing Deaf Culture with True Biz
A Villanovan’s Guide to Voting: Answering Important Voting FAQ
Kalyani Halsband
Staff Writer
On Monday, Sept. 23, Falvey Library hosted an event on Deaf culture to celebrate September as Deaf Awareness Month. The event, a panel discussion on Sara Nović’s bestselling Deaf culture novel, True Biz, took place in the Speaker’s Corner of Falvey Library. Panelists Michelle Foran, Neil McDevitt, Amy Vadakin and Dominic Gordine led the discussion. The event was co-moderated by Communications professor and ASL, or American Sign Language, Area Coordinator Dr. Heidi Rose and Special Education Professor and Disability & Deaf Studies Program Director Dr. Christa Bialka. There were three interpreters for the panelists and the audience. Foran is an ASL Professor at Villanova University. McDevitt is the Executive Director of the Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre and the mayor of North Wales, Pennsylvania. He is the first Deaf person to be elected mayor of a municipality anywhere in the United States. Vadakin is an ASL Professor at Villanova. Gordine is a Board Member of the Pennsylvania State Association of the Deaf and an advocate for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The panel covered panelists’ thoughts on the novel, their own experiences and educational journeys, their perspectives on cochlear implants and the role of advocacy in informing their identity as a Deaf person. Themes including language, community, identity, belonging and acceptance were explored throughout the event. The panelists began with a discussion of True
On Campus residents can vote at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts come November 6th. Brian Luppy / Villanovan Photography
Isabella Balian Political Columnist
There are many decisions to make and actions to take when it comes to voting. Will I vote in person? Will I vote by mail? Where is my polling place? Will I vote in my home state or in Pennsylvania? Does it matter where I vote? What is the difference between state representatives and federal representatives? Which policies are important to me? Will my vote count? Before answering these questions, it is important to decide where you will vote and make sure you are registered to vote. It is also
important to understand the different races you are eligible to vote in. As college students, we have the right to vote where we reside. How do I register to vote? If you have never registered to vote, visit the site below and choose “New Registration.” If you want to change your voter registration to Pennsylvania, choose “New Registration.” If you are previously registered to vote in Pennsylvania but moved off campus or to West Campus, choose “Change Your Address.” Who you can vote for can change even with a move to another building. See the QR code on page three for
more. Can I register at the polls? No. It is important to know that one must register to vote before Oct. 21, 2024. That is the last day to register to vote. The election is on Nov. 5, 2024, which means the deadline to register to vote is roughly two weeks before the election. Should I vote in my home state, or will I vote in Pennsylvania? As college students, we have the right to vote where we reside. Pennsylvania is a swing state, which means that Republican and Democratic candidates have similar levels of support, and voter outcomes can
play a large role in these states. In contrast to a state like Massachusetts, that has historically voted for Democratic presidential candidates since 1988, Pennsylvania is usually unpredictable. In addition to Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina and Wisconsin are also swing states. Where is my polling place? According to your address, you are given a specific location at which to vote. Students who live on campus are allowed to vote at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts, across from the Commons. Students who live off
Continued on p. 3
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report Released Emma Cahill
Content warning: Mentions of domestic violence and rape. On Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m., the University’s Department of Public Safety released the 2024 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASR) to all students. This report, distributed every year, is mandated by federal law to be shared with all students and employees. The report features
the University’s Crime Statistics, which are shared in compliance with both federal laws and Pennsylvania state laws in two respective charts. The definitions of crime differ between the two different charts, and so the distribution differs statistically among the two. The crimes listed on these charts are recorded as the year the incident was reported, not necessarily the year the incident occurred. The report features
statistics about various crimes on campus, breaking down the different categories of crime. Within the statistics themselves, the numbers appear to be extreme in some categories, but are actually influenced by one continuing incident that took place over a couple of years. Otherwise, the numbers are fairly standard when compared to previous reports. When referencing the breakdown of this year’s statistics, Villanova Director
of Public Safety and Chief of Police, David Tedjeske explained the deviation in the numbers from previous years. The Villanovan spoke with Tedjeske, as well as Title IX Coordinator Ryan Rost, to give context to the unusually high number of incidents. The reports for the categories of “rape” and “domestic violence” are significantly higher than in previous years: the incidence of rape increasing times six,
NOVAdance Hosts Annual Fall Awareness Week p. 3
Students Partner with “Let’s Vote ‘Nova” to Boost Registration p. 4
Fresh Check Day Event Spread Mental Health Resources to Students p. 7
Villanova Values Mean Investing in Armenian Advocacy p. 9
From Parents to Family: A Weekend of Togetherness p. 12
IfYoureReadingThis: You Are Not Alone p. 13
The Heart of the Matter: A Mother’s Touch p. 14
Shelf Care: They Wish They Were Us p. 15
Volleyball Starts BE Play, Defeating Georgetown and Seton Hall p. 18
Field Hockey Goes 1-1 on the Weekend p. 19
Continued on p. 14
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Continued on p. 5