The Fordham Ram

As Volume 99 comes to a close, we at The Fordham Ram reflect on this past calendar year and situations we have encountered as student journalists at this institution and how the nature of journalism has changed.

This year proved to be heavy in news and controversy. With Donald Trump coming to office, we at The Ram witnessed the polarization of our country along with both attempted and implemented policy changes that continue to marginalize minority groups in our country. We witnessed several mass shootings which occurred within just a few months of one another. We witnessed the takedown of several Hollywood male celebrities who are now renamed as sexual predators. We continue to witness Puerto Rico in utter shambles from Hurricane Maria.

With the nation’s tune changing, so did that at Fordham. Polarizing issues drove a further divide within the student body and especially between the students and the administration. There was miscommunication and misguidance, whether it be through Roger Stone’s invitation by the Fordham College Republicans or the mishandling of the RA training on sexual assault.

With such a violent and polarizing year for our nation and campus alike, we must remember the resistance fought on both scales this year. Those on campus were still increasingly active in attempting to change our campus, with last semester’s USG election having the greatest turnout in history. Dozens of Fordham students protested for unionizing the Fordham faculty. We resisted the changing tides of our country as well, with our attendance of the Women’s March and participation in the #MeToo campaign. We are a part of the resistance against the violence that plagues our nation and that at our school.

With these changes, we at The Fordham Ram had a special role in attempting to take such polarizing topics into an objective view. We attempted to show all viewpoints of Fordham, even those unpopular. We worked to provide for our campus in informing and providing a voice for students, faculty and administration.

The staff of Volume 99 of The Fordham Ram implore students and faculty to continue to support student journalism. It is a difficult time for American journalists at the moment, with the truth being questioned at every turn in our political sphere. It is important for us to continue to do our jobs with the support of the Fordham community, in our continued fight for fairness and speech on Fordham’s campus.

We wish the best of luck to our Volume 100 staff, and we encourage the rest of the Fordham student body to continue the resistance into the new year.