Skip to Main Content
The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

RUBY GARA

RUBY GARA, News Editor Emerita

Ruby Gara, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’21, is a journalism major and became a staff writer for The Observer during her freshman year. She then became the assistant news editor her second semester at Fordham and has been the news editor since August 2018. Budapest-born, Ruby is half Cuban and half Hungarian and speaks five languages (English, Spanish, French, Hungarian and German). Her hobbies include seeing plays in addition to exploring the hidden gems of New York City.

All content by RUBY GARA
Former presidential candidate Austin Tong proposed major changes to USG, and voters questioned the likelihood of their plausibility.

They Were Elected Into Power, But What Can USG Officers Do?

April 9, 2019
Dean of Students Keith Eldredge said that USG is at its most influential when members are united, sharing responsibilities and convictions.
Veer Shetty, FCLC '21, joins the fight for SJP to be recognized on campus.

Sophomore Joins SJP’s Legal Battle Against Fordham

March 6, 2019
For now, SJP remains at a standstill. “We’re still not seen as legitimate, which makes it very hard to organize,” Shetty said. SJP isn’t privy to basic club privileges, such as advertising their club and events on campus, or invite guest speakers.
Juuls are a common sight on Fordham's campuses.

Juul Popularity Soars on Campus

March 4, 2019
Sophia Mazurowski, FCLC ’21, warned of the dangers of Juuling that are not immediately obvious. “The way I started, and the way it seems most people start, is that it seems fun and harmless at first,” she said. “If you’re not careful, it’s easy to become addicted.”
The Word Between the Sheets: FCLC Sex Stats

The Word Between the Sheets: FCLC Sex Stats

February 12, 2019
Over the past month, The Observer conducted an anonymous survey about sexual activity and health among undergraduate students on campus.
With a directorial crew that consists of a trans woman, a cis woman and a non-binary person, "Monologue Q" aims to bring inclusivity to the traditional "Vagina Monologues."

‘Monologue Q’ Sets Stage for Empowerment

February 12, 2019
"The Vagina Monologues" quickly turned into an award-winning play that inspired women’s empowerment. However, its lack of diversity prompted three Fordham students to start their own production.
Members of Black Student Alliance discuss their programming agenda for Black History Month. (AMINA VARGAS/THE OBSERVER)

Black History Month Blooms at Fordham

February 6, 2019
This year will be the first time in two years that the club has actively worked on promoting Black History Month.
SAGES members Margaret Cohen, FCLC '20 (left), and Connor Sick, FCLC '18 and GSS '19 (right), discuss the collective nature of the website which ensures transparency in the Fordham community. (ZOEY LIU/THE OBSERVER)

New SAGES Website Preserves Fordham’s Past

January 22, 2019
“Hopefully the website will be a popular source for information about anything that Fordham admin don't advertise to students,” Cohen said. “Ultimately I hope that it can move organizing and student power forward and build on the work of previous students.”
The Social Innovations Collaboratory offers an environment for students to build change-making skills. (CELIA PATTERSON/THE OBSERVER)

Social Innovations Collaboratory Provides Space for Social Change

December 7, 2018
Thanks to a new gift from Gabelli alumnus Brent Martini, GSB ’86, the collaboratory's assets and resources are finally being brought to the attention of FLC students.
If a female student wants to report a Title IX case on campus, her options are almost exclusively male. (GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ESME BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER)

Title IX Gender Disparity Raises Concerns

November 14, 2018
With a predominantly large presence of male staff members heading the Title IX process, questions about its contribution to the number of unreported sexual assault cases seem to emerge.
The Student Organization of Latinos (SOL) continues to plan for the club's revival after its semester-long inactivity last spring.

[Photo] With New E-Board, SOL Rises Again

By RUBY GARA October 24, 2018

The Student Organization of Latinos (SOL) continues to plan for the club's revival after its semester-long inactivity last spring.

University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane addressed the question of "Who is the Fordham community?" in an email on Oct. 15.

In Recollection of 15-Year-Old’s Death, McShane Defines Fordham’s “Mission-Centric” Community

October 18, 2018

On Oct. 15, University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., addressed the Fordham community in an email revisiting the June 20 death of 15-year-old Lesandro Guzmán-Feliz. Otherwise known as Junior,...

On Oct. 2, Campus Ministry and university officials ran and attended Rose Hill freshman Nicholas Booker's memorial service.  
(RUBY GARA/ THE OBSERVER)

Memorial Mass Offers Healing as Campus Grieves

October 10, 2018

On the afternoon of Oct. 2, members of the Fordham community mourned the loss of 18-year-old Nicholas Booker at the candlelit memorial mass in the University Church at Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH). University...

University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane addressed the question of "Who is the Fordham community?" in an email on Oct. 15.

Fordham Receives “Mixed” Rankings

September 26, 2018

“I am writing to report that it has been a mixed week for Fordham in the rankings,” began a Sept. 10 email from University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J. addressed to the Fordham community....

The Fordham University Church at Fordham College at Rose Hill.
(LAUREN MACDONALD/THE OBSERVER)

Rose Hill Student Collapses, University Gathers To Pray for Recovery

September 26, 2018

On the morning of Sept. 25, an email from the Office of the President shocked the Fordham community. Fordham College Rose Hill (FCRH) freshman, Nicholas Booker, reportedly collapsed at Lombardi Fieldhouse...

Members of SAGES gathered on Sept. 7 to inform freshmen about resources they weren't provided with during Orientation. (Lena Rose/ The Observer)

SAGES Hosts First “Fordham Disorientation”

September 12, 2018

On Sept. 7, members of the Students for Sex and Gender Equity and Safety (SAGES) Coalition hosted an unprecedented “Fordham Disorientation” in a law school lecture room at Fordham College at Lincoln...

Greer tweeted an apology for her comment on Aug. 22. “Yesterday I said something flippant that was unintended,” she wrote. “Mollie Tibbets [sic] was a promising young woman who lost her life. My hope is that her family will find peace & justice and that her murder is not used to justify a discriminatory immigration policy.”

Professor Faces Backlash After Remark on MSNBC

September 12, 2018

On Aug. 21, a comment made on MSNBC’s live segment by Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) Associate Professor of Political Science, Christina Greer, Ph.D., sparked outrage across social media and...

WFUV’s studios offer Fordham students the opportunity for hands-on experience with broadcast journalism, as many then pursue a career in media. (KATARINA MARSCHHAUSEN/THE OBSERVER)

WFUV Lands 13th Spot as ‘Best College Radio’

August 23, 2018

The WFUV public radio, licensed by Fordham University, appeared among Princeton Review’s annual ranking of the 20 best college radio stations. In a list of 20 universities, Fordham University’s Voice...

University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane addressed the question of "Who is the Fordham community?" in an email on Oct. 15.

President Condemns Pennsylvania “Predator Priests”

August 23, 2018

University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., addressed the Fordham community on Aug 16 with a statement on Pennsylvania’s attorney general’s report. He stated that “as a Jesuit, Catholic university,...

Fordham Faculty United protesting low wages at the Rose Hill campus in September 2016. (ANDREA GARCIA/THE OBSERVER)

Adjunct Union Ratifies ‘Historic’ First Contract

August 3, 2018

On July 17, the union of contingent faculty ratified their first contracts for full-time and part-time professors following a year-long process of negotiations. The three-year agreement with the Fordham...

Signage of bathroom located near the lobby of McMahon Hall was changed to just say “Restroom” in 2017. (ASEAH KHAN/THE OBSERVER)

Fordham Restroom Signs Shift to ‘All Gender’

July 11, 2018

Fordham University has taken an important step regarding gender inclusivity on campus by changing the signs on single-occupancy bathrooms: the signs will now state “All Gender Restroom” instead of...

Faculty and students rallied to protect faculty benefits. (COURTESY OF ADRIANA BALSAMO-GALLINA)

Vote of No Confidence by Faculty Senate Hits One Year Mark

May 7, 2018

April 19 marked the one-year anniversary of the Fordham faculty vote of no confidence against the leadership of University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane S.J. In the year since the vote, negotiations...

Faculty members convened to form a committee on freedom of speech and accountability at Fordham (JON BJÖRNSON/THE OBSERVER)

Ad-Hoc Committee Fights For Change on Campus

May 7, 2018

The idea of attaining guaranteed free speech on campus has spurred many actions from members of the Fordham community this academic year. Controversies surrounding protest and free assembly inspired a...

WABC-TV news anchor Bill Ritter sits down with the Observer's staff. (COURTESY OF BILL RITTER)

News Anchor Bill Ritter Speaks to The Observer

May 7, 2018

As he spoke to a room full of aspiring journalists on the evening of April 23, WABC-TV news anchor Bill Ritter opened a discussion about his own career, as well as covering local and international news...

David Axelrod, former advisor to President Barack Obama, was a guest speaker at Fordham on April 9. (RUBY GARA)

Former President’s Senior Adviser Discusses Politics on Rose Hill Campus

April 18, 2018

“I’m really thrilled to be here because all of you are the makers of change…you all have the ability to make a real difference in the future” David Axelrod said, his voice echoing through the auditorium...

(barnyz VIA FLICKR)

Fordham London Centre Opens New Space in Clerkenwell

April 4, 2018

The year 2018 will be significant for Fordham’s memorabilia. This August will see the opening of Fordham University London Centre’s new building in Clerkenwell and will be home for multiple study abroad...

After the film, the director Laurent Cantet, as well as his translator, sat for a brief Q&A and instructive discussion about “L’Atelier.” (RUBY GARA/THE OBSERVER)

Film Lives Here: Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2018

April 4, 2018

The 23rd edition of “Rendez-Vous with French Cinema”  made its annual return to the screens of the Walter Reade Theater on March 8. The 10-day film festival, hosted by The Film Society of Lincoln...

Sasha Alexander, Membership Director at Sylvia Rivera Law Project. (LYNDSEY AGUÉ/THE OBSERVER)

The Positive II Hosts Organizer’s Toolbox Workshop

March 14, 2018

On Feb. 28, The Positive II, a student-run organization primarily fighting for gender and sexuality equity on campus, hosted an workshop-style event led by Sasha Alexander, a panelist at a Fordham event...

The handbook listed scenarios that indicate students have failed to fulfill certain responsibilities, namely the one that “create[s] a volume of noise that prevents members of the University from carrying on their normal activities,” as well as “employ force or violence, or constitute an immediate threat of force or violence.” (COLIN SHEELEY/THE OBSERVER)

Past Student Protests Prompt New Demonstration Policies

February 28, 2018

Fordham University has made alterations to the Student Handbook’s demonstration policies following the controversy surrounding school administration and a student group seeking official club status. The...

Dr. Clark stated that “for the University to function, you have to take care of its people.” (JOSE EMILIO VALCARCEL/THE OBSERVER)

Speaking His Language: An Interview With Andrew Clark

February 25, 2018

The moment you enter Dr. Clark’s office, you will presumably notice the amount of books surrounding his desk, almost reaching the ceiling of his office. French dictionaries, English novels, Hegel’s...

Following myriad contentious situations, students and faculty question the university’s responsiveness.

Fordham University Ranked in FIRE’s “10 worst colleges for free speech” for Second Year in a Row

February 12, 2018

Fordham University appeared for the second year in a row on the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)’s “10 worst colleges for free speech” list which was posted Monday, Feb. 12 on...

SJP suit

Students of SJP Await Court Decision

January 24, 2018

Over a year ago, the members of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) were denied permission to start their club, whose main objective was to essentially promote and advocate for equal human rights for...

The second season of "Stranger Things" lived up to the hype.
 (COURTESY OF NETFLIX)

Fleshing Out the Upside Down in “Stranger Things 2”

November 18, 2017

The weekend before Halloween may have been the most anticipated one for those viewers fascinated with the fictional small town of Hawkins, Indiana and the murky alternate dimension that is undeniably evil...

The shop is famous for its cookie dough scoops. (ERIKA ORTIZ/THE OBSERVER)

NYC Eats: Dō

November 16, 2017

Cookie dough. To some, it is the predecessor to the cookie itself. To others, perhaps most of us, the heavenly taste of it encapsulates a delicious childhood memory in which the day would instantly become...

park

Strollin’ Through Central Park

October 12, 2017

Living in the Big Apple often inspires a craving for adventure. New York is our campus, and Central Park is a slightly enlarged version (843 acres) of the plaza at Fordham Lincoln Center. Central Park,...

Load More Stories