Remembering Tom Behnke
By Brittany Aufiero
It is with great sadness that The Meridian announces the passing of Thomas “Tom” Behnke, who died of a heart attack at the age of 59 on Aug. 10. A talented writer and poet, Tom was the former Editor-in-Chief of The Meridian, involved in several student organizations on campus, and was a cherished member of the Lehman community.
Tom was born Feb. 9, 1963 and graduated summa cum laude from Lehman this past May with his Bachelor’s in Honors English, specializing in creative writing. Tom had a strong passion for the arts and humanities, which led him to become heavily involved with the student publications on campus. He became a regularly contributing staff writer for The Meridian in Sept. 2017, and served as the News Section Editor for the paper for over a year. In 2018, he was elected Editor-in-Chief of the paper before stepping down to prioritize his studies and continue honing his talents as a creative writer. In Aug. 2022, Tom joined Obscura, the literary and arts magazine of Lehman College, as an intern and stayed on as a student editor until he graduated.
Tom (center) with friends Yenick Gonzalez, Rafiana Martinez, and Jasmine Gonzalez at Lehman College’s 54th Annual Commencement on May 26, 2022, celebrating the Class of 2022.
Prior to beginning his studies at Lehman, Tom had poetry and essays published in small press magazines including Talebones, Connections, and Gathering Darkness, as well as a story published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Gratitude. His poems “Lightning,” “Orphan,” “Lull: A Bye, and “Love and Numbers” were featured in Volume 11 of Obscura in Spring 2020. He often performed his poetry at Obscura’s semi-annual open mic nights. Tom’s play, Volts and Ohms, was showcased at Lehman’s Studio Theater in the 9th annual New Voices: The Student Playwriting Festival, which ran from Oct. 27 - 31, 2021. At the time of his death, Tom had been working on a screenplay and had plans to continue developing his English Honors Thesis project “Saying Goodbye” into a full-length novel. He had hoped to pursue his MFA in creative writing.
Not only did Tom strive to improve his own writing abilities, but those of his peers as well. In Sept. 2021, Tom was hired as a writing tutor for Lehman’s Tutoring Center (LTC) through the Instructional Support Services Program (ISSP). In this role, he worked one-on-one with students to assist them with their papers and other class assignments.
Tom was a cornerstone of the Lehman community who made a strong, positive impact on everyone who met him. He was quick-witted, kind, generous, encouraging, and supportive to his classmates. He loved dogs, art, cooking, baking, and playing bass.
On Friday, Aug. 26, Tom’s friends and faculty gathered for a potluck memorial at Van Cortlandt Park to celebrate his life and legacy.
Lehman College English Honors Awards Ceremony 2021 — recorded by Tom Behnke
In Memorium
I had the great luck to first meet Tom in spring of 2021 as a student in my Playwriting class. Tom was a warm, gentle, and funny human, and an incredibly gifted and generous writer. Although playwriting was a new form for him, he quickly became passionate about the craft, and by the end of that semester, he’d finished the first draft of a hauntingly lovely short play. Tom’s, Volts and Ohms, would go on to be workshopped and produced under my direction, for Lehman’s 2021 New Voices Student Playwriting Festival. A talented fiction writer, Tom had a unique gift for creating finely observed characters, who lingered in the imaginations of their audience long after the lights dimmed. He was truly a natural. At the end of Volts and Ohms, the main character Lizzette stands alone in the dark, gazing skyward from the yard of an upstate home, waiting for an unlikely glimpse of the Aurora Borealis. In the final minutes of his play, Tom gives them to her, and also to us, so that we might walk out into our own nights, a little more open to hope, and beauty. I so wish he’d had more time. He had so much more to give.
— Professor Stephanie Stowe, Lecturer
Department of Music, Multimedia, Theater, and Dance, Lehman College
I had the privilege of meeting and working with Mr. Thomas Behnke when he was Editor in Chief of Lehman College's Newspaper, The Meridian, which I had joined on Spring 2018.
I can still remember the first edits I received from him on April 4, 2018. A month later, during a meeting he announced he would cede his role to another interested editor, as he needed to focus in his studies. He was happy and encouraged fellow editor Shaiann Frazier, and she then took the lead. His words inspired me to pursue a section editor role. I doubted myself at first, but when hearing him I thought to myself, if he can believe in me, then I should go on; and so I became News Editor that year.
I learned so much from him in that little time we worked together, and he was so supportive of everyone in the paper, even when no longer working there. I would always run into him in Carman Hall and recall him being so pleasant, kind, and funny at all times. I probably had the least interactions with him compared to much people at Lehman, but I will always treasure these memories.
May his soul rest in peace, and might his family and loved ones receive comfort.
— Perla Tolentino, Lehman Alumna
Tom joined ISSP as a writing tutor a year ago. I am still shocked and sad this was the end of the road for him. He was tutoring for us this summer and had just purchased a new laptop: after graduating, he was determined to keep writing, and last I heard had a screenplay underway.
Tom was a kind and generous tutor whose insights and intuitions about his fellow students' writing were always astute. But Tom of course was much more than a tutor; he was part of many communities on this campus, especially in the arts.
I hired Tom during the pandemic. He worked online, and I never met him outside the frame of a Zoom or Blackboard screen. But he had a large presence and I feel as if we've met in person. I'll remember especially his voice and laugh, his quick wit and his empathy.
— Lisa Estreich, Writing and Literacy Coordinator
Lehman Tutoring Center (LTC), Lehman College
I had the privilege of teaching Tom when he enrolled as an undergraduate in my graduate writing workshop last fall. He not only held his own in the class, but he also emerged as one its most intelligent, generous, and perspicacious voices.
- Professor Allison Amend
English Department, Lehman College
Don't Say Gay
By Kilah A St. Fort
On Tuesday, March 8, 2022, the controversial Florida “Don’t Say Gay” bill was passed on Florida Senate’s floor. The last barrier for this legislation to become a law is dependent on whether Governor Ron DeSantis signs it.
Officially titled the Parental Rights in Education Bill, this bill specifically prohibits the teaching of LGBTQIA+ topics to kids enrolled from kindergarten to third grade. Another aspect of the bill is that LGBTQ lessons, according to the state’s standards, are considered not age or developmentally appropriate for students. Thus, parents would have greater chances of taking successful legal action against educators who violate the bill.
Supporters of the bill believe that young students are being harmed by the discussion of LGBTQ+ topics. They are being misinformed about their gender identity and sexuality , claim several Florida parents. At the same time, bill opposers are concerned about the safety of students who are LGBTQ+.
Alison Mercure, a senior at Lehman College said, “It's a disappointment that the bill has been passed. Part of having a classroom is having safe discussions on what's going on and educating one another.”
Other Lehman students question the effectiveness of such a bill, especially in the context of a virtually interconnected world.
Freshman Gurleen Atwal said, “To me it seems like a bill that is trying to prevent something from being part of the school curriculum. It seems like [the bill] wants to stop [LGBTQ+ topics] from being spoken about, but is that really possible? As high schoolers or as middles schoolers, can you say that you weren’t becoming aware of people who are queer or understanding your own identity?”
Familiar sentiments were echoed by Mercure, “Nowadays, we have advocates and organizations that educate people about LGBTQIA+ history so it wouldn't necessarily stop kids from learning about it.”
Both students began to recall moments where they were first exposed to LGBTQ+ topics. Mercure couldn’t remember how she became aware of it, but she cites the military policy “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the start. Atwal attributes her first encounter to a reality tv show.
“I remember seeing Jazz from I am Jazz on TV when [the main character, Jazz] was first speaking about transitioning and her identity as a child,” said Atwal, “but I feel as though I learned more from conversations with peers and social media.”
Although this bill would only immediately affect Florida’s school systems, there is a possibility of a ripple effect. Other states may begin increasing parents’ control over their children’s education by limiting what can and can’t be taught.
“If this bill were to be passed in NYS, everyone would be pissed off. This reminds me of the current Mayor Adams and his administration, where some of his appointees are anti-LGBTQIA+ so for a bill [like this] to be passed, [there] would be a serious outrage,” commented Mercure.
When asked what could be done instead, Atwal offered the suggestion of a specially crafted LGBTQ+ curriculum that involves parent-teacher communication.
Lehman College’s Post-Pandemic Graduation
By Rebekah Gamble, Lifestyle Editor
Lehman College will have its first in-person graduation since the 2020 shutdown of on-campus activity in response to COVID-19. The graduating class of 2022 will be able to sit with their departmental major and wait for their moment to stand up and move their tassel. News of the in-person event came as a surprise to students and alumni.
Daniel Santiago, a Senior Computer Science major, stated he’s ready to move onto the next phase of life. “I’m ready for the next step and I would go to graduation,” he said. “I don’t have any feelings about the ceremony at this point.”
Senior Exercise Science major Astrid Jimenez is excited to not only graduate but also looking forward to taking a breather, after spending half of her college experience remotely and now only being offered in-person courses to finish her degree, “I’m ready to graduate,” she said. “I’m most excited to have a break from school and I look forward to taking a vacation over attending a ceremony.”. After missing out on opportunities to make friends, bond with teachers, and maximize the college experience, graduation is bittersweet.
The college has released information regarding the ceremony on its campus website. All attendees will be able to bring up to 3 guests and all guests must be fully vaccinated in order to gain access to campus. The details regarding how vaccination will be submitted remains unknown. The campus will be transformed similar to previous semesters, and it has alumni wondering if they would be invited back to stand with their major.
Spring 2020 Social Work graduate Keila Santana stated that she would love to be invited to the ceremony. “So much time has passed,” she said. “I don’t know if I would take a day off from work to stand with a different cohort, but an invitation would be nice.”
The class of 2020 and 2021 worked tirelessly to get to the finish line only to be sent off with a virtual event. Students graduating with honors were presented in a format which simply just included photos that sped across the screen in the order of rank. By the end of the program, the cohort was justified in feeling jipped.
Denny Santos, Chair of the Commencement Committee sat down to speak with the Meridian. “We’re really excited to welcome our graduates and their families and friends onto campus for the first in-person commencement since the pandemic began. What we can confirm right now is that in an effort to reduce density on campus to a safe level, all graduates may invite no more than three vaccinated guests to the ceremony. This safeguard is put in place due to an expected crowd of 12,000 on our campus. A commencement safety plan has been prepared and once our plan is approved, it will be posted on the website.”
As of March 7th Lehman College has become a mask optional campus. It brings attention to whether the campus will have any other COVID-19 protocols in place besides the ongoing vaccine mandate.
This means that Lehman College students will have to stay tuned for more CUNY updates when it comes to how each campus will handle their first in-person ceremony since the pandemic began.
Note: Graduation is set to take place on Thursday May 26, 2022 at 10:00 AM in the Southfield area of the campus. May 2022 graduates have from now until March 19, 2022 to apply for graduation on CUNYFirst. For more information, inquiries and questions regarding graduation, students can visit lehman.edu/commencement or email Student Affairs at Student.Affairs@Lehman.cuny.edu.
(Lack of) Mask Mandate
NY Ends Mask Mandate For Schools and Indoor Dining
By Rebekah Gamble, Lifestyle Editor
On Sunday, February 27th, headlines announced New York State would be ending its mask mandate in anticipation of a steady decline in Covid-19 cases. In mid-January alone, there were more than 70,000 people who contracted COVID-19 compared to a mere 2,400 by the end of February. A New York Times article stated, “Ms. Hochul [the New York Gov.] announced on Sunday that a statewide mask mandate for schools would be lifted on Wednesday, leaving mask policy to local school officials after that.” This news has left parents and students confused on what the future of schooling and the pandemic will look like.
The surge in variants, beginning with the Delta variant in March of 2021, sparked enough fear in CUNY leaders that the original vaccine mandate was put in place by the CUNY Chancellor. On July 12th, 2021, it was announced that the Covid-19 vaccine would be required for the following semester’s hybrid and in-person classes. The mandate was later updated on January 6th, 2022. As the Omicron variant raged through New York and most of the country, students were informed that the booster would be required to attend on campus courses.
To begin in-person classes for the Spring 2022 semester students needed to present proof of their second or third shot, or risk having their classes dropped and registration blocked. The start of the semester was to be full of air ventilated classrooms, foodless and contactless cafeterias as only grab and go menu options existed, and masks. Now with the public school mask mandate being lifted, it brings to question what will happen in the CUNY system.
The most recent update included requiring the vaccine shot for online classes, which would make the majority of Fall 2022 enrolled students vaccinated. Yet, with mask policies lightening, students wonder if the vaccine mandate will as well.
Nokuthula Linda, a first semester student at Laguardia Community College and mother to two children in public school, expressed disappointment at the change, “It doesn’t make any sense. Why would they remove masks when masks are the reason why the cases are low? I’m telling my boys to keep their mask on.”
Similar feelings were expressed by senior Exercise Science majors Silma Preldakaj and Efua Anane. Preldakaj said, “As much as I can’t wait for things to return to a degree of normalcy, I feel like the mask mandate being lifted seems a bit rushed.” Anane agreed, “The mask mandate is better because the infection rate is significantly lower, especially in children 5 years old and younger. Why take away the one precaution that is almost proven to work?”
We asked Nicaury Suarez, a John Jay Alumni if the trend of booster shots and the lack of mask mandate would impact her future academic career. She stated “I don’t mind the vaccine mandate but the frequency of the booster shots are worrisome, especially because they might be our new reality. The removal of masks in class worries me due to the lack of ventilation and spacing, we might undue all of our hard work.”
While the fate of the pandemic in the hands of CUNY is unknown, all Lehmannites and CUNY students should still take their own precautions when it comes to staying safe.
Limited Food Options as More Students Return to Campus
By Jeffrey Perdomo, Staff Writer
As campus reopens, the typical college experience returns after a two-year long hiatus. Students are taking in-person classes, participating in sports, as well as accessing the library and taking advantage of the opportunities that were lost during the pandemic. Yet the highlight of any college experience has always been the food.
Prior to the Pandemic, the college offered The Underground Lounge in the Lower Level of the Music Building. According to the College website, it offered a variety of food for students ranging from salads, sandwiches, pizzas and even Asian cuisines. The lounge sat up to 800 students, giving it a more traditional college cafeteria feel for students to hang out. The college also offered the Carman Cafe located in Carman Hall, allowing students to buy pastries and coffee.
The Lehman community usually get notifications from the Business Office with images of two flyers sent to their campus emails. Pictures of muffins, empanadas, sandwich wraps, and smoothies littered across the message. There is also much needed information such as hours and where these treats are located on campus. This semester is no different.
On campus this semester, students only have three options to choose from. They can visit the returning World Cup at Harmony Cafe located in the Music Building and try the baked empanadas, salads, soups and sandwiches with a free bag of Lays chips. The Cafe now offers limited seating but primarily is seen as a grab-and-go option for students.
Students can also try out the special Farmer's Fridge vending machine, not to be confused with the regular vending machines around campus. Located in the lobby area of Shuster Hall, it provides healthy options for students, including salads, snacks, and tofu that are packed in 100% recyclable jars.
Lastly, students can choose The Little Hot Dog Wagon every Wednesday behind the Fine Arts Building.
The wagon offers not only hot dogs but also a wide variety of burgers, grilled chicken and their homemade specialty kraut. The business is owned and founded by Dawn Demery, a former CUNY employee who lost her job due to budget cuts. Since the Wagon’s inception back in 2018, it has been featured on Thrilliest.com and has been featured in a video to promote the NYC Small Business Services’ ‘Avenue NYC Commercial Revitalization Grants program.
While these options sound great, many students have run into some issues. One freshman student named Cindy said she wishes she had more options to eat on campus. This would lead students to leave campus to enjoy a meal. Others like Hypathia, a junior, don’t have that luxury. Since her schedule has in-person classes three days out of the week, she doesn't have the time to travel off-campus to get food between classes. With so few options, she and many others are stuck with what is available.
Another student named Dayna commented that she preferred off campus food to the choices on campus.
“The prices are okay,” she said, “but a little excessive,” she added in reference to a recent purchase she made at the Cafe.
Another complaint was about the newfound experience of eating on campus. A freshmen student named Justin said there should be more staffing at places like The Harmony Cafe. He believes there should be at least two registers in order to keep traffic moving with no long lines.
According to the Assistant Vice President for financial operations Gina Harwood, the college doesn't have a vendor to provide full-time food service operations at this time. She added, “Our former contract expired during the pandemic and we will need to bid to obtain a new one.”
Normal cafeteria options for students won’t return unless the campus reaches a deal with an outside vendor to help serve students. Hardwood says she hopes to have food options available as soon as possible. She also added that students should expect to see The World Cup expanded to Carmen Hall soon.
In the meantime, students will have to exhibit patience, as the campus works to expand food options for students in the near future.