Breaking news, blogs and more at TCNJSignal.net. Vol. XLIV, No. 10
April 6, 2016
Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885
Trouble brewing for Campus Town Immigration
Building project not all it’s hyped up to be Monologues fight off stigma By Elizabeth Zakaim Staff Writer
Many students have had unresolved problems with their new apartments.
By George Tatoris Sports Assistant
Cold bedrooms, flooded bathrooms and jackhammer alarm clocks: three unmentioned features of the Campus Town apartments, which an nj.com article from August 19, 2015, described as “luxury apartment living.”
For a semester and a half, the 446 student residents of Campus Town have been turning the brand-new apartments into a home away from home. “When they first released the floor plans for the apartments, I kind of knew what I was getting — full kitchen, my own bedroom and sink, bathroom I share with only
residents, “really nice housing, since it was brand new and because there was so much talk about it,” Arguson said. Her new apartment met most of her expectations, but there was a rocky start. During the first week, there was confusion about her room assignment that
How many of us living in this country grew up without electricity? How many lived in a home without running water? How many of us had to skip a meal for lack of food? These were questions raised at the Immigration Monologues held on Tuesday, March 29, in the Business Building Lounge. The event was organized by a group of Bonner scholars from the College who volunteer to teach English as a Second Language classes at El Centro, a learning center in Trenton, N.J. One Bonner scholar, sophomore deaf education and sociology double major Yuleisy Ortez, proposed the idea for the event after hosting a similar one last year that helped dispel stereotypes associated with immigrants. “We had a great turnout (last year) and wanted to continue to bring the issue of immigration to light on our campus,” Ortez said. “I proposed that we do Immigration Monologues to give a face to the stories of immigration that many of our students either have experienced themselves or have some experience with.”
see TOWN page 3
see IMMIGRATION page 17
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
one person,” junior interactive multimedia major Michael Lore said. However, some students are encountering small problems they didn’t expect so soon after Campus Town’s inauguration. When junior interactive multimedia major Angela Arguson moved into Building 200 in August, she expected, like most
Throwers lack PhiAD ‘Braves the Shave’ for cancer event coach By Michael Battista Sports Editor
Following any sporting event, coaches usually gather their players around and give them a talk. They discuss how to improve, what they did well and what to tweak for the next event around the corner. However, while every varsity sport at the College has a head coach, track and field lack coaches that specialize in certain events. Track and field, as the name implies, is more than just running. There are a number of events that athletes can train for and participate in, all of which take time and dedication to master. The throwers at the College have faced some difficulties during the current season, though, as they lack a coach that specializes in the throwing events. Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor “We’ve been without a coach since (the Brothers of the fraternity shave their heads to raise money for St. Baldrick’s. end of last season), which is frustrating because each of us puts in time and effort into By Melissa Natividade held their annual fundraising event to aid getting better,” sophomore thrower Daniel Staff Writer victims of and support research for pediatNason said. “But the potential is capped when ric cancer on Friday, April 1, in the Decker Taking razors to their full heads of hair, Social Space. The “Brave the Shave” event see COACH page 25 the brothers of Phi Alpha Delta fraternity marked the culmination of an awareness
INDEX: Nation & World / Page 8 Editorial / Page 9 Islam Awareness Week Follow us at... Campus events highlight religion The Signal See Features page 17 @tcnjsignal
Opinions / Page 11
Features / Page 15
week for pediatric cancer. Phi Alpha Delta raised over $20,000 for the cause. Organized by sophomore business major Brendan Harshman and junior business major Tim D’Armiento, the “Brave the Shave” event raised a total of $21,098 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. According to its website, the volunteer-driven charity funds more childhood cancer research grants than any other organization besides the U.S. government. “I was really impressed and surprised with how easy it was to raise money and how much people wanted to support the cause,” sophomore business management major and Phi Alpha Delta member Brian Ely said. “We just shouted out to friends and family and got money almost instantly. We raised over $20,000 when our goal was really only to meet last year’s $6,000.” Fifty people, including returning alumni, such as 2013 graduate Ed D’Armineto, officially signed up for a shave — almost twice as many as last year, when the fraternity first held the event on campus. The actual number of shavees this year, however, surpassed this number as members of the community both on and off see BALDRICK’S page 15
Arts & Entertainment / Page 20
Sports / Page 32
Damien Chazelle Oscar-winning director speaks at College
Softball Lions win four games straight
See A&E page 20
See Sports page 32
page 2 The Signal April 6, 2016
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 3
Town / Students seek solutions to several issues PRC responds to Campus Town criticism and critiques
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Many residents have complaints about the condition of their new apartments.
continued from page 1
led her to not have a key, she said. Arguson also discovered that her bedroom, located above a drafty walkway, is much colder than the rest of the apartment. This issue has still not been resolved. Arguson isn’t the only student experiencing problems with Campus Town. Multiple apartments had to have their bathtubs re-caulked. Lore’s was re-caulked several times. At the start of the semester, several apartments were outfitted with handicapped showers that flooded the bathroom when used. The showers were designed to allow access for the wheelchair-bound. There is only a drain and a small, rubber lip separating the shower from the rest of the bathroom, according to Greg Lentine, vice president of Sales and Marketing at the PRC Group, Campus Town’s developer. However, in some showers, the lip was removed or never installed, resulting in flooding. This lasted for about a month. In Building 700, above the new gym, junior philosophy major Alina Ahsan and her roommates were told by a maintenance worker they were not allowed to use one of their bathtubs. Apparently, it was leaking into the gym below. Ahsan and her three roommates were told they could only use one shower until the leak was fixed. They said it would only be a week, but it went on for about a month, according to Ahsan, during which time Ahsan and her roommates received no word from management. “A month later, no one had come to fix it and we were pretty annoyed because we’d been sharing a bathroom between the four of us,” Ahsan said. Frustrated by the lack of communication, they started to use the leaking shower again, which was fixed shortly after. Lentine said that it “could take some time” to find a leak because it could be coming from anywhere in the pipe system. In a similar miscommunication, junior criminology major Samantha Kennedy and her roommates had to wait a month for their washer to be fixed. “Without a washing machine in our apartment, we had to drag all of our clothes to our friend’s apartment who lives in a different building,” Kennedy said. “It was incredibly inconvenient.” The broken washers were a manufacturer problem affecting a small number of apartments, according to Lentine. In response, Campus Town bought new washers and will be using different models in the new buildings. “We actually went out and bought additional ones so they could be swapped out fast,” Lentine said. “It took a little time to figure out what was wrong with them.” Out of 130 washers, only “three or four”
broke, Lentine said. Campus Town is aware of the problems facing residents, Lentine said, but the number of problems is very small in comparison to the number of people living there. Residents were asked if they liked living in Campus Town via a survey sent in November and December. “Overwhelmingly, everyone’s happy,” Lentine said of the results. One of the biggest problems for students who answered Campus Town’s survey was slow response times to issues like Ahsan’s and Kennedy’s. To address this, Lentine said Campus Town is hiring a new manager. In spite of these problems, Kennedy, as well as Ahsan, Lore and Arguson, are all pleased with what Campus Town has to offer.
“I didn’t expect everything to be 100 percent perfect... Most of the issues have been resolved and Campus Town is still improving.” —Angela Arguson
junior interacitve multimedia major
“The apartment itself has definitely lived up to expectations,” Ahsan said. “The bedrooms are a great size, the semi-private bathrooms with the sinks outside are great and I love the kitchen with the dishwasher.” Lore said that the apartments are “definitely nicer” than campus housing. As interactive multimedia majors, Lore and Arguson have an added bonus: the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building (AIMM) is located just across the street. “I can roll out of bed and get to (AIMM), so that’s a plus,” Arguson said. Arguson was forgiving of the issues she has had at the still-evolving Campus Town. “I didn’t expect everything to be 100 percent perfect,” Arguson said. “Most of the issues have been resolved and Campus Town is still improving.” That improvement can be seen as a canopy of cranes overhead erecting new buildings just down the road. Since late January, two new restaurants — Panera Bread and Piccolo Pronto, the faster cousin of the beloved Ewing establishment Piccolo Trattoria — opened to the general public. Two more buildings will add 166 beds to Campus Town and bring the total number to 612 by the Fall 2017 semester.
The construction will ideally make students like Lore, who were disappointed by the lack of retail and restaurants when Campus Town first opened, happy. “I thought that more restaurants would be open by now,” Lore said. “It kind of seemed that the management were hinting at a lot of places opening up in the fall semester or when the spring began, but only a few have opened so far.” Though disappointed initially, Lore noted his excitement for the new retailers, as did Kennedy. “I love my apartment and several stores and restaurants are beginning to open up in the buildings, which makes the campus town experience that much more enjoyable,” Kennedy said. For Lore and Kennedy, the construction offers a glimpse at what Campus Town will become. But for others, the construction is just another nuisance. At Campus Town, students on their way to class cross paths with construction workers regularly. “There was a lot more construction going on than I expected,” said junior interactive multimedia major Kathleen Fox, who has been woken up “obnoxiously” by construction at odd hours. Lentine said housing students was more essential than making sure all the retail was fully constructed. “If they didn’t have a coffee shop, that wouldn’t be a crisis,” Lentine said. Construction is not allowed to start until 8 a.m. in Campus Town, according to Lentine, which is a special provision on the project. Normal construction projects in Ewing are allowed to start earlier, but Campus Town delayed construction with the students in mind. “Truth is, (Campus Town is) still a construction site,” Lentine said. “And until everything (is completed), unfortunately, construction’s going to make some noise.” Opening stores and restaurants is part of the second phase of construction, according to Lentine. He said they hope to draw consumers during school breaks. As of now, retail slows when campus closes. Like Lore, Lentine also expressed dissatisfaction with the speed at which retail has been opening. “We were hoping more retail would be open by now, too,” Lentine said. In addition to new stores opening up, residents will see the price for rent go up next year from $5,462 per semester in fourbedroom apartments to $5,655. The two- and one-bedroom apartments cost quite a bit more. This year, two-bedroom apartments go for $6,003 per semester and the one-bedroom, $6,544. Next year, those prices will rise to $6,215 and $6,810 per semester, respectively. The rise in price was written into Campus Town’s pro forma — a business document that forecasts prices. “Supply and demand” was also a big issue
according to Lentine — almost all the spots in Campus Town are taken, so the price increases. Inflation on costs for labor and materials were also included in the increase. “We believe our product is worth it,” Lentine said. Lore was forgiving of the price. “When they said what the price was going to be, I was a little surprised that it was so steep, but hey, it’s new, it’s fancy, whatever,” Lore said. The only cheaper options than living in Campus Town for those looking to live in an apartment setting are Hausdoerffer and Phelps halls, off-campus college houses and living off campus entirely.
“Campus Town’s cost is almost as much as a monthly mortgage... It’s obscene. We’re college students. It shouldn’t cost that much.” —Kathleen Fox
junior interactive multimedia major
“I only have limited experience with the upperclassmen campus housing since I’ve never lived in them, only visited, but from what I’ve seen, Campus Town is definitely nicer,” Lore said. “Of course, you get what you pay for.” Many students seem to think what they get is worth it. Not Fox. “Campus Town’s cost is almost as much as a monthly mortgage or as much as my aunt’s apartment in Brooklyn each month. It’s obscene. We’re college students. It shouldn’t cost that much,” said Fox, who will be living in an off-campus apartment next semester. Fox is among a minority of students that will not be returning next year. Between the management hiccups and the construction, Campus Town is trying to find its sea legs. Lentine said that given the number of students that live there, they’ve received few complaints. They have also addressed some issues. Originally, all parking in Campus Town was for retail. They have since relaxed that rule, installing 15-minute loading and unloading parking outside the buildings. In addition, the stairwells, which were once only fire exits, now have scanners to allow students in with their access fobs. “Things come up and you try and address them the best you can,” Lentine said.
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Though many criticize Campus Town, others enjoy living in the complex.
page 4 The Signal April 6, 2016
Choir shares stage with tsunami survivors Thief rides away with mountain bike By Hannah Fakhrzadeh Correspondent The College’s choir had the opportunity to sing alongside Japanese tsunami survivors on Tuesday, March 29, at New York City’s Lincoln Center to benefit the survivors. Music Department Chair, Associate Professor and Director of Choirs John Leonard led the choir during its performance in the center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, which seats 1,300 spectators, according to rosecompanies.com. In an nj.com article from Tuesday, March 29, Leonard said that around 90 of his students joined 130 Japanese teenagers on stage to sing during the concert. Among the students from the College that sang on stage was sophomore music education major Ryan Price. “We sang Gustav Mahler’s second symphony, otherwise known as the ‘Resurrection Symphony,’ as well as Mozart’s ‘Ave Verum Corpus’ and the ‘Hand in Hand Theme Song,’” Price said. The choir performed with high school students from Fukushima, Japan, according to sophomore violin music education major Lorena LiMato. A little over five years ago, “the Great East Japan earthquake shook the country’s pacific coast, causing 133foot tsunami waves and a slew of death and destruction,” according to the same nj.com article. As with any concert of this magnitude, there was a lot of preparation. “It was a little monotonous at first — going to extra rehearsals, amongst
all of the other classes I’m taking as a music major,” LiMato said. “But I feel that the week before the concert, we started getting more excited because it was more tangible.” LiMato described the experience of being able to work with the Japanese students in person. “Once the Japanese students came and we ran through it with them, it got more intense because we finally got to meet and work with them face-toface,” she said. “Even though there was a language barrier, there was definitely a sense of camaraderie amongst everyone because we all felt strongly about this performance.” The concert not only paid respect to those whose lives were affected by the earthquake and tsunami, but also allowed for both the College and Japanese students to form friendships through a shared talent. “This concert was just one of many that united American and Japanese students together to bond and make friendships over music, which has no cultural or linguistic boundaries,” Price said. “These Japanese students have probably seen more terror and pain than any of us will ever see. These students are from the region of Japan that suffered from earthquakes and tsunamis and watched family members (get) washed away. Yet they were so enthusiastic and excited to sing with us. This performance connected us in a way that no other medium of expression could ever do.” The choir was excited to perform at a such an iconic place like Lincoln Center
with friends from the College and new friends from Japan, freshman history major Kyle Elphick said. “It doesn’t get much bigger than performing at Lincoln Center and I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to sing on such a stage,” Elphick said. Along with excitement came a lot of nerves, as the choir knew the pressure was on. “I was most nervous about making sure our pieces sounded professional,” Elphick said. “Our group, of course, had the ability to master the notes and rhythms, but I hoped that we would sound like we belonged at a venue like Lincoln Center. We definitely met that challenge.” In addition to the prestigious venue, part of the song, “Hand in Hand,” was in Japanese. “I was definitely most nervous about the diction,” LiMato said. “It was a little intimidating to make sure I knew all the correct words and syllables and how they fit into the rhythms of the musical phrases.” Overall, junior music education major Joanna Ju believes the concert was a great success and opportunity. “Despite the language barriers, Japanese and American students were able to work together and create beautiful music,” Ju said. “I think that says a lot about how powerful music is in bringing people from diverse backgrounds together. These types of experiences create a sense of unity, which can give people the hope and strength they need to move forward.”
By Chelsea LoCascio News Editor
• An employee reported a theft from Kendall Hall to Campus Police at approximately 10:25 a.m. on Tuesday, March 22. Upon arrival, an officer met with the caller and was brought to the Main Stage’s control board, where an unknown person removed an Apple Mac mini, monitor, keyboard and a NETGEAR Wi-Fi router, according to police. The caller said he last saw the items on Wednesday, March 16, at 2 p.m. and he had not been in the building again until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 22, when he noticed the equipment missing. The Mac mini and its components are valued at $1,000 and the router is valued at $200, police said. • A victim of theft went to TCNJ Police Headquarters on Friday, March 25, to report a stolen bike. He said he secured his green Road Warrior six-speed mountain bicycle on a bike rack in front of Cromwell Hall at approximately 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, according to Campus Police. Upon returning to the bike rack around 1:50 p.m. on Friday, March 25, an unknown person had removed his bike, but left the lock on the rack, according to police reports. The victim told Campus Police that no one else knows the combination to his bike lock and no other bikes appeared to be missing. The bicycle is valued at $100, according to police reports. Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
SG discusses upcoming renovations to student center
By Alyssa Sanford Web Editor
Brower Student Center Manager Seth Zolin and Assistant Campus Architect Mark Kirchner visited Student Government’s (SG) Wednesday, March 30, general body meeting to brief members on the student center’s renovation process. According to Zolin, the project is currently in Phase One, which included the recent installation and opening of the Traditions restaurant, as well as ongoing renovations to the north face of the building. Phase Two will include renovations to the south face of the building, and Phase Three, set to take place in 2017, will include the installation of the new north entrance to the building and an atrium that will allow more natural light into the building, Zolin said. “The goal was to stop the ‘bunker’ feel to the student center,” Zolin said. Both Zolin and Kirchner, who managed the design aspect of the project, said that the process is “quite complicated,” given that each phase of the project contains multiple phases. “It’s actually like six phases,” Kirchner said. On Friday, April 15, the Lions Den will close to accommodate for the construction of four new grab-and-go food stations that will include pasta and salad stations, a grill area and a sub sandwich station, Zolin said. Zolin also announced that given the fact that the Lions Den will be
closed for construction until the beginning of the Fall 2016 semester, T-Dubs will be available for meal equivalency during the week. Due to the heavy amount of construction taking place both inside and outside of the student center, Zolin announced that no further student events will be held in the atrium for the rest of the semester, adding that it was a decision based on the unpredictable nature of the construction environment. “We’re excited,” Zolin said. “The project is coming along… By the time you guys come back (in the fall, the Lions Den) should be open.” Kirchner spoke about the changes to the student center’s exterior. In the fall, the patio next to Traditions is scheduled for completion, which will add about 80 seats to the restaurant’s capacity, Kirchner said. The original structure of the student center, which was completed in 1976, had a lot of “weird nooks and crannies,” as Kirchner put it, that will be filled in this summer. For instance, the entrance to the student center closest to Lot 5 will be moved closer to the sidewalk, and should be completed by the end of the summer, Kirchner said. Other changes to the building’s exterior include the future installation of the “art wall” that currently sits outside the student center, and an outside plaza, Kirchner said. As for office space on the building’s second floor, which will become available by late May or
early June, Zolin said that “the College made conscientious decisions” about assigning spaces to organizations on campus. “I think you guys have all heard about the (College’s) commitment to diversity and supporting different populations on campus,” Zolin said, before announcing that the cultural organizations on campus — PRISM, Union Latina, Women’s Center, Black Student Union and Asian American Association — and the governance organizations — Inter Greek Council, College Union Board, Student Finance Board and Student Government — have all been allotted office space in the student center. Zolin also spoke about the future installation of three lounges, two of which “will have distinct focuses,” as one is called the Global Corner and another is referred to as the Media Corner. The Global Corner, which will be in the building’s northeast corner, will feature “mounted displays” and TVs that show global news, Zolin said. “They are to encourage global communication and talking about what’s going on in the world,” Zolin explained. The Media Corner, located near the current first floor bathrooms, will feature “booth-type seating that curls around” with tables that allow students to plug in their laptops and project their screens onto a larger screen at the table, which will be useful for group project meetings, Zolin said. Finally, there will be couches set up facing the Art and Interactive
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
SG learns about the three lounges coming to the student center.
Multimedia Building for “soft seating,” Zolin said. Zolin is the primary contact for questions about the renovation, as President Casey Dowling reminded the general body. After the presentation, Dowling asked for feedback on the Enterprise car share service at Campus Town, per the request of Vice President of Student Affairs Amy Hecht. “What she’s been hearing from Enterprise is that a lot of students aren’t using it,” said Dowling, who then asked the general body to submit recommendations for either keeping or eliminating the service on campus. “Our word isn’t the end word,” Dowling said, but mentioned that the feedback was important, regardless. General body members cited problems with Enterprise’s advertising, saying that it might be useful to market the service directly to freshmen during Welcome Week, since their target demographic is students without access
to a car on campus. Other general body members mentioned that with TCNJ Rideshare and Strivr, both free services that students can access through an app and request rides or coffee delivery, there doesn’t seem to be much of a need for a car share service. However, when Executive Vice President Javier Nicasio clarified that the service costs $1 to sign up and $5 per hour of use, plus a $5 tax, general body members expressed interest in keeping the cost-effective service on campus, albeit with more efficient marketing strategies in place. Sophomore class President Kelsey Capestro reminded general body members of the upcoming Spring Back event that will be held on the T/W lawn on Saturday, April 16. Freshman class President Carly Mauro spoke about the class’s New York City bus trip, which is still scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 9.
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 5
SFB approves funding for cherry blossom festival
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Members discuss funding for Union Latina’s COPA Night. By Roderick Macioch News Assistant
During its weekly meeting on Wednesday, March 30, the Student Finance Board (SFB) granted funding for several events, many of which promote diversity at the College. The first event proposed was Union Latina’s COPA Night, after its request was tabled in a previous meeting due to Union Latina’s failure to include price quotes in its proposal. As stated in Union Latina’s request, the event’s purpose is to “spread Latino awareness throughout the campus community by presenting traditional Latino music… via a live performing band. By incorporating a live Latin band throughout (the) event, attending students will be able to experience and appreciate the vivacity and infectious rhythm of Latino music.” The board voted to fund the event in the amount of $4,489.42 to cover the cost of a photo booth, food and beverages, a disc jockey (DJ) and a Latin band. The event will take place sometime on the evening of Tuesday, April 19, in the Decker Social Space. French Club then requested funding for a bus trip to New York City. Students who attend will have the choice of visiting either the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Afterward, the group will visit the French market, Le District. These experiences will “enable students to see and learn about French art and food in ways that they would not be able to do on campus,”
according to the request form. When the time came to vote, the requested $1,298.06 was granted, which will pay for the buses. The all-day trip is scheduled for Saturday, April 16, and is open to all students. The Hellenic Society then requested funding for its annual Greek Fest. This event would “be a multicultural experience with the purpose of lifting the spirits of students during the stressful weeks leading up to the end of the semester,” according to the request form. Specifically, the event was planned to feature traditional Greek food, dances and music, according to the form. In all, the society requested $3,427.05. However, since the society had advertised the event prior to receiving funding — a violation of board protocol — the board had no choice but to zero fund the request, in accordance with the SFB manual. “Programs receiving SAF (Student Activity Fee) funding cannot be advertised prior to approval,” the manual states. “Any program publicized prior to approval that cannot occur without funding will not be funded.” The Society for Creative Endeavors requested funding for its trip to the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival: the annual cherry blossom viewing festival held in the District of Columbia around mid-April, according to the request form. This festival of Japanese culture is, according to the form, “a spectacular event
that really is something difficult to truly experience outside of Japan. It is a great deal of fun in addition to teaching about all sorts of things about Japanese culture, from arts and crafts, to judo, taiko, kimonos, legends and more.” The board voted to fully grant the society’s request in the amount of $3,718. The all-day trip is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 16. The trip is open to all students and requires a $5 deposit from attendees. Chi Upsilon Sigma proposed “Paint Your Stress Away,” co-sponsored by the Unified Greek Council. The event will feature painter Louie Blaka, who will host a night of painting, “providing the audience with the tools necessary to create their own masterpiece. Students will be able to de-stress while creating their own piece of art,” according to the request form. Full funding in the amount of $1,460 was granted to cover the costs of hors d’oeuvres and Blaka’s fee. The event will take place on Tuesday, April 26, in the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building, at a currently unannounced time. The Association of Students for Africa (ASFA) requested funding for its Akwaaba Celebration, co-sponsored by the Haitian Student Organization, the Black Student Union and Union Latina. Akwaaba, which translates to “welcome,” will include “a variety of African-inspired performances,
food and music,” according to the request form. Additionally, “this event will showcase to the (College) community that AFSA has arrived and is fully operating to bring a taste of the African culture to the campus, (and) will foster the appreciation for diversity on this campus,” according to the form. The board voted to grant ASFA’s request in the amount of $2,380 to cover the costs of the DJ and food. Requested funding for decorations and acrobats were tabled in hopes that lower prices will be reached for these components of the proposal. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 23, from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m in the Decker Social Space. The final order of business was Lambda Theta Alpha’s “Self-Love 101,” cosponsored by Union Latina and Women in Learning and Leadership. This workshop will be led by alumna Eliana Reyes (’08) and will give the College community a chance “to be more confident as they practice self-care,” according to the request form. The board’s motion to fully fund the event was passed, and the requested $2,570 to cover refreshments and Reyes’s fee, was granted. The event will be held on Thursday, April 14, at 8:30 p.m. in room 115 of the Education Building. *Even though SFB agrees to finance certain events, there is no guarantee these events will take place. The approval only makes the funds available.
‘Paint Your Stress Away’ is granted funding by the board.
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Barbara Meyers Pelson lecture showcases research Faculty and students collaborate on undergraduate work
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
A faculty member discusses research.
By Jake Mulick Staff Writer
The first annual Barbara Meyers Pelson ’59 Chair in Faculty-Student Engagement Lecture on Wednesday, March 30, in room 212 of the Education Building, provided an in-depth look at the research performed by undergraduate students at the College. The lecture featured a panel of three faculty-student teams from the School of Education that shared their research results and perspectives on conducting research as an undergraduate. “Undergraduate research is a hallmark of the TCNJ
experience,” said College spokesperson Dave Muha, who was one of many present at the lecture. Also in attendance were esteemed members of the off-campus educational community, as well as a myriad of professors and prominent figures at the College. Among those present was College President R. Barbara Gitenstein, who emphasized the importance of recognitions such as this. The Barbara Meyers Pelson ’59 Chair is the awarding of $35,000 for different research projects, as well as promoting professor-to-student relationships. Gitenstein remarked on the importance of the relationship between professor and student at the College. “These mentor relationships add an increased emphasis on research that helps to transform disciplines,” Gitenstein said. She further explained that these mentormentee relationships are what enable the research in education that this lecture highlighted. The Barbara Meyers Pelson ’59 chair was awarded to biology Department Chair and Professor Janet Morrison, who is the first person to ever receive the honor. Morrison received this important recognition for her research in diseases and how they relate to plants in their natural population, and non-native invasive plant species, as well as her faculty-student relationships. Morrison introduced the panel to Associate Professor of Education Ruth Palmer’s and junior English and secondary education dual major Anna Gracey’s work on “Undergraduate Research for All: Course-Integrated Research Options.” In addition, Professor of elementary early childhood education Blythe Hinitz and alumna Jillian Manzo (’15), who worked on “Dr. Montessori’s
Legacy — 21st Century Peace Education,” were also introduced. Assistant Professor of elementary and early childhood education Lauren Madden and senior early childhood education and psychology double major Jennifer Liang researched “Growing Green Thinkers.” These projects ranged from contrasting different teaching styles amongst children to the implementation of environmental education in a young child’s curriculum. These presentations helped to explain the overall goal, which is implementing educational research into the existing School of Education’s curriculum. The panelists went on to explain how educational research sets the College apart from many other competing education programs in the area. The education program was ranked second in the entire North for undergraduate teaching by U.S. News and World Report. Gitenstein remarked that she attributes this ranking and prestige to the professor-student relationships like the ones showcased at this lecture. This prestigious recognition was made possible by a $1 million donation by alumna Barbara Pelson. This donation will allow Morrison to receive six faculty-weighted-hours per year of reassigned time and an estimated $35,000 for research and activities that promote a strong student-tofaculty relationship. The College has a 13:1 student-faculty ratio that makes this feasible, according to tcnj.edu. The panel also highlighted the importance of the Mentored Undergraduate Summer Experience (MUSE) provided here at the College throughout the lecture. The MUSE program occurs for eight weeks during the summer and allows students to participate in research with faculty.
page 6 The Signal April 6, 2016
Announcing the NEW African American Studies Major!
Enroll Now for Fall 2016
TCNJ’s Bachelor of Arts degree in African American Studies is intended for undergraduate students who wish to pursue a wide range of careers including education, journalism, social work, civil service, medicine, business, state government, urban planning and policy, etc. The skills taught in this major are also well suited for students interested in graduate programs in many disciplines. The AAS major is not only an ideal complement to professional majors and programs at TCNJ, but also to Premed programs in New Jersey and beyond. This major provides students with the cultural competency needed to flourish in an increasingly diverse workforce and is designed to accommodate minors, second majors, and international travel.
Major Core: • AAS 179 / HIS 179: African American History to 1865 • AAS 180 / HIS 180: African American History 1865 Present • AAS 378 / HIS 378: AfricanAmerican Literature 19201980 • CoRequisite in Methods/Statistics • AAS 495: Senior Capstone: Independent Research Any Questions? Email Dr. Piper Kendrix Williams at williamp@tcnj.edu
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April 6, 2016 The Signal page 7
Wellness Expo helps students THRIVE
Kimberly Ilkowski / Arts & Entertainment Editor
Attendees learn the importance of eating healthy. By Alyssa Apuzzio Correspondent
The lounge between Travers and Wolfe halls was buzzing on Tuesday, March 29, during the third annual THRIVE: Wellness Expo. Over 25 vendors volunteered at the event, providing health and wellness techniques and education. Among the vendors were Dining Services, Health and Exercise Science Club and Active Minds. Dining Services Registered Dietician Aliz Holzmann, who helped organize the event, said that she thinks the expo will help enlighten students. “I think students will be surprised how many components are involved in wellness,” Holzmann said. “There are physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, environmental and occupational components that are a part of wellness.” One of the most popular stands was run by Attitudes in Reverse, a non-profit program that creates awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. Attitudes in
Reverse brought three therapy dogs with them to the Wellness Expo, including a Pomeranian and an Old Scotch Collie. “Looking at a dog releases oxytocin (known as the love or bliss hormone) and petting a dog releases serotonin (a mood stabilizer),” said Tricia Baker, the founder of Attitudes in Reverse. Baker said that she and other volunteers for Attitudes in Reverse visit public schools and other events, educating people about suicide prevention and mental stress. “We have spoken to 25,000 students over the past five years,” Baker said. “Only 40 percent of people with mental health problems get help. We don’t want people to suffer in silence.” The College’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) also promoted mental health at their stand. Visitors colored in intricate images with the basket full of colored pencils laid out on the CAPS tables. “Studies have shown that coloring reduces stress and art has been known to have therapeutic qualities,” CAPS Licensed Professional Counselor and Coordinator of Outreach Robbin Loonan said. “We like to introduce things to students that are fun and engaging.” Another crowded area was the Office of Campus Police Services’s stand, with one activity where students wear beer goggles and try to walk in a straight line. Officer Scott Leusner explained that the beer goggles “simulate a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .07 to .10 and distort your vision as if you were impaired.” The College’s Human Education Resource Officer (HERO) Campaign for Designated Drivers also emphasized the importance of not drinking and driving. The campaign seeks to end drunk driving accidents nationwide by promoting the use of safe and sober designated drivers. “The HERO Campaign has been around for 10 to 15 years, and 2015-2016 is the first year TCNJ has adopted the program,” said junior elementary education and iStem double major Annie Goodwin, who was chosen to be one of the College’s Heroes, a designated driver, along with sophomore psychology Grace Hawruk. In addition to intellectual and emotional health, many areas were designated for physical health. Executive
Chef for Resident Dining Lauren Franchetti provided a tasting sample of her Tunisian vegetable stew and offered recipe cards to onlookers. Next to Franchetti’s stand was Spice Things Up, which provided the health benefits of spices. Various spices were on display in bowls for students to smell, such as ginger, cumin and sage, and add spices to their own popcorn. BodyZen Massage Therapy set up multiple massage chairs and offered complimentary massages to visitors. The chairs were constantly filled with a look of satisfaction across participants’ faces. There were also raffles for free prizes, such as yoga mats, a Whole Foods gift card and a Fitbit. In addition, free water and fruit were offered, along with body oil testing from dōTERRA Essential Oils. “I like all of the free stuff,” sophomore early education and English double major Emily Schwartz said. “There are a lot of cool things here.” Overall, students enjoyed the expo. “It was really interesting to see the research behind things, like how coloring relieves stress,” senior business major Carlie Schwartz said.
Kimberly Ilkowski / Arts & Entertainment Editor
Students play with therapy dogs.
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page 8 The Signal April 6, 2016
Nation & W rld
Bombing in Pakistan park on Easter Sunday
By Zahra Memon Correspondent
On Easter Sunday, March 26, in Lahore, Pakistan, families of all ethnic backgrounds mingled at the eminent Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, one of Lahore’s local parks, for a day filled of cricket, rides and boating. Little did these families know that a calamity was to arise. That afternoon, a suicide bomb was set off, killing over 70 people and injuring hundreds more. These bombs served a purpose. According to National Public Radio (NPR), the group responsible for this attack was a Taliban faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, residing in Pakistan. Ehsanullah Ehsan, a member of the Taliban faction, stated that the group’s objective was to hurt the Christians in Pakistan. Although Pakistan is a predominantly Muslim country, the nation still has over 2 million Christians residing there, according to Geo News. “We want to send this message to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that we have entered
Lahore,” Ehsan said. “He can do what he wants, but he won’t be able to stop us. Our suicide bombers will continue these attacks.” Moments after the bombs deployed, ambulances were sent to assuage the scene. The government ordered all parks to be shut down and sent out the Punjab troops and armies to protect the park visitors and locals, the New York Times reported. At this time, hundreds of individuals residing in Pakistan headed over to the hospital to donate blood to help those who were severely injured and hurt. Facebook initiated its “Safety Check” tool to affirm people’s safety. A series of technologies were used to bring comfort and safety back into the country. Police Chief Haider Ashraf told the Associated Press that this explosion took place while families we exiting the park, around 6:30 p.m., hitting near the children’s rides. Reuters reported that a majority of the casualties were women and children. Kamran Bhatti, 34, from Britain, brought his daughter, 7, to the park for family time. Currently, his daughter is overcoming a leg
Christians from Pakistan mourn their losses on the holy holiday. injury because she was running as swiftly as possible, trying to avoid the bomb, when she rolled over and injured herself. “I wish I hadn’t brought my daughter to the park today,” Bhatti told the New York Times. “This is the only recreation we can afford for her. What is her fault?” Shehbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab and the brother of the country’s
AP Photo
prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, condemned the attacks of the terrorists. “Those who targeted innocent citizens do not deserve to be called humans,” Sharif said. Pakistan has been incessantly facing terrorist insurgency for decades, however, this was the one of the deadliest attacks after the 2014 school massacre in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Georgia governor rejects discriminatory bill By Jahnvi Upreti Staff Writer
On Monday, March 28, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced that he had vetoed the discriminatory bill that would have hindered the rights of Georgia’s LGTBQ community. The Free Exercise Protection Act, formally known as House Bill (HB) 757, would have allowed religious and faith-based organizations to openly deny their services to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning. When questioned about his designs on Monday, Deal stated that he “(did) not think we have to discriminate anyone to protect the faith-based community of Georgia, of which (he) and (his) family have been a part of all of (their) lives.”
Deal received much praise from the LGTBQ community, as stated by Matt McTighe, the executive director for Freedom of All Americans, when he said, “The governor understands that while our freedom of religion is of critical importance, it doesn’t mean there’s a need for harmful exemptions that can lead to discrimination.” Georgia faced much pressure from the business industry not to pass HB 757, for many of Georgia’s companies and organizations warned that jobs would be unnecessarily lost. AT&T, Bank of America, and hundreds of other companies had protested Georgia’s HB 757, even taking out full-page newspaper advertisements, as reported by the LA Times. Disney Studios was particularly vocal about their stance on
HB 757, NBC News reported. Threatening to cut Georgia as one of their major filming locations, Disney made it clear that they disapproved of the discriminatory act. Georgia would have taken a hit with the loss of Disney, for the state is the main filming site for two of Disney Marvel’s upcoming films: “Captain America: Civil War” and “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2.” On the other hand, Georgia Republican Sen. Mike Crane expressed his displeasure with Deal’s veto. As stated by CNN, Crane called for a special session in order to override the veto, believing it is an example of how “corporations and lobbyists buy influence with political class.” Crane is looked for a three-fifths majority in the House and Senate, which is the requirement to conduct a special session, and an override requires a
two-thirds majority in both chambers. CNN reported that the bill lacked just one vote in the Senate and 16 in the House necessary to veto the bill. According to a poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, Georgians are almost evenly divided on the issue. The poll also notes that about two-thirds of Georgians desire laws that protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination in the workforce, according to the LA Times. HB 757 follows the implementation of South Carolina’s bill, also noted to be discriminatory against the LGBTQ community. Though people are actively petitioning the government of South Carolina to call on a judge to view the bill as unconstitutional, many businesses in South Carolina have also expressed their displeasure with the new law.
CNN notes that a number of Christian and Evangelical organizations are vocally expressing their outrage. Timothy Head, executive director of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, issued a statement defending the bill, saying it “simply protects pastors, churches and faith-based organizations from being forced to violate their religious beliefs. ... We are confident we will ultimately prevail in protecting the free speech and religious expression of all Georgians.” Deal, however, stands firm in his decision, which he stated to CNN, was “about the character of our state and the character of our people. Georgia is a welcoming state. It is full of loving, kind and generous people. ... I intend to do my part to keep it that way. For that reason I (have vetoed) House Bill 757.”
Syrian forces take historic city back from ISIS
Palmyra is home to treasured artifacts.
AP Photo
By Danielle Silvia Staff Writer
On Sunday, March 27, Syrian forces recaptured Palmyra, a city that had been taken over a few months prior by the Islamic extremist group ISIS, according to CNN. As of Saturday, April 2, a week after the city was liberated, a mass grave was discovered with bodies that show signs of
torture and beheading. It contained more than 40 people, mostly women and children, that were likely among the hundreds ISIS killed when they first took over Palmyra, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported, according to CNN. Back in May 2015, ISIS gained control of Palmyra and haphazardly destroyed many of its ancient ruins, many of which are treasured by the city’s citizens and known to be some of the world’s most prized and well-known ruins, CNN reported. The Syrian forces obtained the Palmyra Castle from ISIS and then helped militants flee very quickly, eventually taking hold of explosives left behind by ISIS, CNN reported. The Syrian forces were able to successfully gain access and control over the entire city of Palmyra, according to Fox News. “This victory helps in further tightening the noose around ISIS terrorists,” the Syrian army told the news agency. Syria’s government had to be justified in its action, according to government officials, as Syrian forces strategically organized these events to force ISIS groups out of the city. The Russian Air Force played a major part in the plan. It helped to take Palmyra back and, in addition, helped restore the city. Since July 2015, historic sites, such as the old Arc of Triumph and the Temple of Baalshamin, had been completely
destroyed. According to CNN, both of these ancient ruins were about 2,000 years old and their destruction were considered war crimes. ISIS spoke about having control over Palmyra earlier in the week before Syrian forces recaptured it, according to Fox News. They claimed responsibility for damages done to the city over the last several months. ISIS even released a video showing Palmyra’s empty streets and land slots, as well as the various captured and corrupted monuments. There was also a scene of an ISIS militant operating a tank while exclaiming that any other force that intends to enter the city will be destroyed. These events, especially this most recent capture of Palmyra, mark many of Syria’s forces becoming more powerful, as in the past few months, much of Syria’s rivalry with ISIS has been particularly harsh. With this recent capture of the city, reporters expect conditions to harden even further, proposing many more complications. Irina Bokova, the director-general of the UNESCO said “As soon as security conditions allow, UNESCO is ready to go to Palmyra with those responsible for Syrian antiquities on a mission to evaluate damage,” Fox News reported.
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 9
Editorial
Dining Services neglects early risers on weekends
The Dining Services website is a montage of links and pictures. One banner advertises spring catering specials and the new fresh fruit stations scattered around Eickhoff Dining Hall. But there is one link on the site that I find noteworthy. It asks, “What’s Open Now?” The link brings you to a page with list after list of dining location hours for Eickhoff, Traditions, the Convenience Store (C-Store), the Lions Den and more. But with all these open hours and dining options, I can’t help but notice a huge gap in dining locations open at a certain time on Saturdays and Sundays: the morning. For early birds, student-athletes and those with early morning weekend plans, the lack of morning dining options is frustrating. The Atrium at Eickhoff doesn’t open its doors until 10 a.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays. The Lions Den and Education Café don’t open their doors at all. In fact, the only dining options available before 10 a.m. on the weekends are the C-Store and the new restaurant, Traditions, which opens for brunch at 9 a.m. While both of these places offer early food options for students., they are limited in what they serve and require students to use points instead of unlimited swiping in Eickhoff Dining Hall for those with carte blanche meal plans. For sophomore communication studies major Jessica Stevenson, the late weekend opening of Eickhoff Dining Hall is especially challenging. As a softball player on the College’s team, she is often required to meet early in the morning before a day of games. Sometimes, Stevenson skips breakfast on these days because the dining hall isn’t open early enough. “We have set times to be in the locker room, so we don’t get the opportunity to eat sometimes,” Stevenson said. She often relies on other teammates (who live off campus) or her parents for food before these early game days. “You need energy to play. It’s vital to eat something before practice and before games and sometimes I don’t get that,” Stevenson said. Student-athletes aren’t the only ones who struggle with the lack of morning dining options. While I can’t deny that some Sunday mornings I am definitely not getting out of bed until noon, there are other times when I am up early to do homework — and I wait two or three hours to eat in Eickhoff Dining Hall. We are lucky to have a wide variety of dining options on campus. From the popular sushi at the Lions Den to our favorite Starbucks drinks at the Library Café, the assortment of locations is definitely great. But assuming every college student snoozes in late on the weekends is just wrong. The Atrium at Eickhoff should open earlier on the weekend to cater to student needs and to allow students to swipe in for breakfast before their games or morning study session. It’s never smart to skip the most important meal of the day, after all. — Jackie Delaney Review Editor
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Since the Atrium at Eickhoff Hall doesn’t open until 10 a.m. on the weekends, many students are left without an early morning meal option.
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“Despite the language barriers, Japanese and American students were able to work together and create beautiful music... I think that says a lot about how powerful music is in bringing people from diverse backgrounds together.” — Joanna Ju, junior music education major
“I think it’s important that we, as artists, work really hard to reflect the diversity of our communities so that we don’t have another all-white Oscars... Our society is so wonderfully diverse, with all types of people.”
— Jennifer Little, adjunct professor for Lyric Theatre
“We chose peace as a theme because we want everyone to know that the heart of Islam is peace.” — Heba Jafri, senior chemistry major and MSA president
page 10 The Signal April 6, 2016
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April 6, 2016 The Signal page 11
Opinions
Bernie Sanders: a lunatic in lunatic’s skin
Bernie Sanders might have a large following because of his oversimplification of issues. By Paul Mulholland Bernie Sanders is right on some issues, but on the issues that he is wrong, he is very wrong. His proposed economic policies are so outrageous that no thinking person should take him seriously. A $15 federal minimum wage would dramatically reduce the demand for labor, particularly for poor people and the youth. His hostility to international trade undermines his own goal of reducing inequality. On Wednesday, March 2, a blog post was published on The Signal’s website entitled “We the Campus: Trump, Sanders and Framing the Right Message,” by Jonathan Taylor. It claims Bernie is above appealing to fear, despite his many appeals to anti-corporate hysteria. Taylor makes the thoughtful argument that Trump and Sanders are “polar opposites” for no apparent reason other than the fact that the author clearly likes Sanders and dislikes Trump (this would indeed make them opposites). When you listen to Bernie “with a critical ear,” as the author encourages, you will hear a message very similar to Trump’s. I will offer some brief notes on what makes Sanders a decent candidate. He is very good on civil liberties and opposes unconstitutional domestic spying. He also endorses the legalization of recreational marijuana. He is right when he said that illegal immigrants should have an opportunity to be Americans. He takes the bold position that police who murder people should be imprisoned. He also could offer Hillary Clinton some ideas on foreign policy, as I wrote about in an earlier opinion piece on Tuesday, Feb. 23. It really is a shame that Bernienomics is complete garbage. There is perhaps a short list of high-wage cities that could cope with a $15 minimum wage, although none that are likely to benefit from it. The nation as a whole would certainly suffer from it. It is true that modest increases in the minimum wage rarely lead to significant job losses. However, a $15 minimum wage is not a modest increase. Sanders would roughly double the minimum wage in most states. And since it is a federal minimum wage, it would apply to all businesses in the country engaging in interstate or international trade, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The first common argument against increases in the minimum wage is that it will increase prices for consumers. According to The Economist, the poor are disproportionately vulnerable to expensive consumer goods because they spend more of their income on them. The second argument is that it will lead to layoffs and delayed hiring of low-wage workers. In other words, a $15 minimum wage will hurt the people it is meant to help. Businesses will not readily lower their profits, so in response to such a dramatic increase in labor costs,
AP Photo
they will take other measures to reduce costs, such as automating labor-intensive jobs (labor-saving machines improve the lives of most people, but not for those who are replaced by them) or businesses will raise prices. Either of these would harm poor Americans in particular. The sheer size of this increase will make labor effectively impossible to pay in some parts of the U.S. because many businesses will not be able to afford the new legal wage. When this happens, the infamous black market argument begins to apply to poor wage-laborers. Many workers will be paid below the $15 mark, off the books, and will lose all their legal labor protections as a result. A minimum wage this high would outlaw an entire economic class of Americans. What America needs in order to increase wages is more competition in the market. If this were to happen, employers would have to compete with one another for employees and bid up wages, and they couldn’t readily increase prices to counter this because they would also have to compete against one another for consumers. A $15 minimum wage would ruin competition in the market because only large businesses could even hope to comply with it, driving small businesses out of the economy. This point on competition also helps to explain why Sanders is wrong on international trade. According to his Website, Sanders has historically opposed all free trade agreements, especially the larger ones such as the North
American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He claims, like Donald Trump, that various Asian and Latin American countries are taking advantage of free trade to take our jobs. Most of the evidence is to the contrary. Free trade makes all those nasty corporations compete against foreign businesses, forcing them to raise wages or risk losing their trained workers, and maintain affordable pricing or risk losing market share. If Toyota wants to hire Americans (they currently employ over 30,000 Americans), and sell quality cars to them, why shouldn’t they be allowed to? Trade also allows Americans to buy cheaper and more diverse goods from abroad, and when goods are cheaper, Americans are effectively richer. Bernie also offers a new order of fear mongering and corporatophobia. Every issue from global warming to poverty can be blamed on money in politics according to Sanders. He, like Trump, claim to be immune to special interests. Their crazy ideas are entirely their own. Trump and Sanders both peddle the same anti-modern drivel and target the same audience. According to the Washington Post, both are wildly popular with blue collar workers and white men. According to BBC News similar dynamic exists in France, where the Socialists and the neo-Fascist National Front party compete for the same voters. If Trump and Sanders are “polar opposites,” as Taylor suggests, why do the same demographics support them? Don’t let all Bernie’s free gifts and undeliverable promises cloud your good judgment. He is a lunatic in lunatic’s skin. On top of not knowing how to manage the economy, Sanders presided over arguably the largest scandal in the history of the Veterans Association’s (VA) health system. According to The Daily Beast, dozens of Veterans died waiting for care at Phoenix Veterans Health Administration, and over 100,000 waited for over nine months for care, all on Bernie’s watch. Instead of looking for a solution, he stood up for the VA claiming in a May 2014 interview with Nation Magazine claiming that the VA provides quality care, and that the whole scandal, like all the nation’s problems, was created by the Koch brothers and “money interests.” And this is to say nothing of Bernie’s plan to tax the U.S. to death and expand a Social Security program which, according to its own trustees, is already running a deficit and will be insolvent by 2035. Like Taylor said, “It is vital that the public take a long, hard look at what their candidate is really saying before casting their ballots.” Expect for most Americans to get significantly poorer under a Sanders Presidency. But that’s another thing he has in common with Trump: he will never be president.
Sanders is wrong on economic issues, such as taxes and the minimum wage.
AP Photo
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page 12 The Signal April 6, 2016
Pop quizzes block students from success By Alyssa Gautieri
We’ve all experienced the moment of panic when a professor told your class to clear your desks. We regretted that we only skimmed the reading last night or that we forgot to read at all. Sometimes, even when we read the assignment completely, suddenly, every single word of the chapter has escaped our memories. This fear-stricken moment was probably followed by a pop quiz, a method of evaluation that is not an effective way to test student ability. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “fair” as “treating people in a way that does not favor some over others.” Following this definition, I would have to say that pop quizzes can be considered fair because they provide each student with an equal advantage in the sense that no student was warned prior to the quiz. But ultimately, is a pop quiz more effective than an announced quiz? While pop quizzes may be considered fair because they test your ability to recall information from readings or previous lectures, pop quizzes are not a good indicator of a student’s full potential. For some students with a strong short-term memory, pop quizzes on the previous night’s reading may be beneficial for their grade, but for students who normally rely heavily on studying before a quiz, pop quizzes may tend to lower their overall grade. For some students, preparing for a quiz means hours of studying — stripping students of the opportunity to put forth the effort and work in pop quizzes that they normally would before a quiz seems ineffective. Students deserve the right to plan
On-the-spot examinations do not reflect a student’s true knowledge on a subject. and prepare their schedules in advance. Especially at the College, students do not strive for mediocrity on quizzes. I’ve known many students who willingly put forth many hours of studying for quizzes. Pop quizzes are not a good measure of a student’s potential because the questions are typically based on one’s ability to remember specifics from the readings, in order to test whether or not they read the material. However, just because a student has read the assignment does not mean they have memorized all specific details that the professor might ask on a pop quiz. Like professors, students have lives outside of the classroom and they should not be expected to be 100 percent prepared every single day. Some students may do better on a pop quiz one day but the next, not do as well,
depending on their personal lives and work load of that week. Everyone has hard nights or falls behind from time to time, meaning pop quizzes at the wrong time can punish a student who is having one bad day out of a lot of untested, good days. Knowing about a quiz for a few weeks, or even a few days, gives students no excuse for not being able to study that information, whereas students who are spontaneously tested on a reading assignment from the night before may not have had the time to read due to a valid excuse. In addition, knowing a pop quiz may or may not be coming can give students anxiety. According to a study conducted by Missouri Western State University’s Department of Psychology, “without fair warning (of a pop quiz), participants will
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have higher anxiety levels, which can interfere with their performance and lead to lower quiz grades.” When students are worried about the possibility of a pop quiz, they are typically less focused on the current lecture the professor is giving. Students tend to spend the majority of the period distracted and obsessing over the idea of having a surprise quiz at the end of class rather than actually paying attention. While pop quizzes may technically be “fair,” they are not an efficient way to test students knowledge and ability to learn. They do not give students the opportunity to study or prepare. They test basic knowledge rather than applied knowledge. They may not produce consistent grades depending on the time of the examination and they can cause students unnecessary anxiety.
Terror attacks in Turkey deserve attention Media should show sympathy for victims By Zahra Memon On Tuesday, March 22, the city of Brussels was reduced to shambles. While the news about Belgium was being broadcast worldwide, every station was discussing the attacks. Every news anchor gave his or her reflections and prayers and the entire world was in a state shock and
grief. No one was able to fathom what had just happened. Within a few moments of the attacks, my phone was blowing up with CNN notifications of the constant reports of the number of injured, as these numbers were steadily increasing. A couple of hours later, ISIS took full responsibility for the suicide bombs they had plotted, according to a New York Times article from Tuesday,
AP Photo
The Sunday, March 13, terror attack in Ankara left 37 people dead and roughly 100 injured.
March 22. Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds were inundated with pictures of Belgium and hashtags such as #PrayforBrussels and #PrayforBelgium were trending all over the internet. Facebook even created a tool to set up a temporary profile picture to show solidarity with countries going through hardships — but did Facebook create one for Turkey? I did not see it. Two days before the Brussels attack, ISIS took responsibility for a suicide bomb that went off in the streets of Istanbul. Prior to that, a Kurdish militant group detonated an car bomb on Sunday, March 13, in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, leaving 37 dead and approximately 100 civilians injured, according to a mic.com article from Tuesday, March 22. Why didn’t the world show solidarity for Turkey? We changed our profile pictures for the people of Paris and we posted our prayers and condolences on social media to the people of Belgium. We all mourned the losses in both of these countries, but what about Turkey? The media did little to cover the attacks in Turkey and we just sat here and dismissed the news or we grieved for some time and moved on with our lives. The media has a tendency to not cover events that we should know about. It is a shame to see that stor ies about Europe are easily accessible to read — every social media platform has a trending hashtag, but a country such as Syria gets zero attention, despite the fact that the nation faces tumultuous circumstances all the time. When the explosions occurred in Turkey, I did not see a trending hashtag. Every day, Syria and Iraq are combating their own battles. People’s lives are taken away on a daily basis in the Middle East, but how much have we actually heard about the struggles these brave individuals are trying to overcome on the homepage of Fox News or CNN? We should all take a moment to pray — not only for Belgium, but for the world.
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 13
Students share opinions around campus Are you feeling the Bern?
Are pop quizzes fair?
“The student in me says no... But as a future teacher... I say yes... But currently, as a student, I would say no, overall.”
“I don’t really (follow) politics... (But) I do believe that he’s for the people and he’s the lesser evil (of all the candidates).”
Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor
Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor
Carlos Duarte, freshman electrical engineering major.
Chloe Yelle, sophomore urban education and English double major.
“I’m a fan... I think that he genuinely stands for his beliefs compared to (Hillary Clinton).”
“Yes... As college students, we are excepted to keep up with our assignments.”
Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor
Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor
Ryan McClean, junior history major.
Danielle Silvia, freshman communication studies major
The Signal asks... Is it still appropriate to celebrate April Fools’ Day?
Carlos: “Honestly, as long as its not too bad, (it’s appropriate).” Chole: “Yeah... It’s my dad’s birthday, so he always feels like it’s an important part of his day... So (there’s nothing wrong with) a good joke or two or four.” Ryan: “Yes... Because it’s a funny holiday... I don’t see a reason why not to (celebrate it).” Danielle: “It’s a one-day holiday (so for that one day), its fine.”
Rob Birnbohm / Cartoonist
Shenanigans and hijinks at the College reach their height on April Fools’ Day.
page 14 The Signal April 6, 2016
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 15
Features
Baldrick’s / Fraternity raises $21,000 for cancer Students shave heads for annual charity event
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Left: Members of Phi Alpha Delta shave their heads as part of Baldrick’s Week. Right: Part of the money raised will help fund cancer research. continued from page 1 campus caught wind of the event. Freshman psychology major Hannah Lemke saw the event posted on Instagram and rushed over to join the cause, while Ewing, N.J., resident Selina Schlegel brought her son in for a shave after learning about the event on the St. Baldrick’s website. “Having a niece diagnosed with thyroid cancer, the St. Baldrick’s cause is near and dear to us,” Schlegel said. “We try to support
it as much as possible, so this event was perfect for us.” Participants such as Schlegel and her son are what make getting this event on campus so worthwhile to the brothers of Phi Alpha Delta fraternity, who have been working with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for six years now, according to senior biology major and Phi Alpha Delta member Luke Pasick. “We used to travel down to a firehouse in North Plainfield that already hosted the
same event,” Pasick said. “So it was a lot more complicated to get all of the brothers to join in, not to mention everyone else who might not know about the cause but would be interested if they did.” This was the last event that finished out Phi Alpha Delta’s weeklong fundraising and awareness efforts. Baldrick’s Week also included a “Bumps for Baldrick’s” volleyball tournament, a lifting competition and the “Crazy Cuts for Cancer Research” event, where the fraternity brothers
were all given outrageous haircuts a day before they were to shave it all off. “The Crazy Cuts event is why some of us still have these crazy looking things on our heads,” Harshman said. “In that event alone, we raised over $250. We know that childhood cancer is something that affects a lot of people, but because a lot of times people don’t know that childhood cancer is completely different from other cancers, it’s extremely underfunded and that’s why the cause is so important to us.”
College celebrates Russian culture and cuisine By Erin Cooper Staff Writer
If you’re planning to attend a Russian pancake holiday celebration, here’s a word of advice: Get there early. The pancakes go fast, as they did on Tuesday, March 22, when the Russian program at the College celebrated the popular Russian Mardi Gras holiday known as Maslenitsa. The week-long festival was celebrated from Monday, March 7, to Sunday, March 13, and welcomed spring to the country known for its long, brutal winters. The star attraction of the holiday is blini, a crepe-like pancake that is as delicious as it is thin. “It’s a pre-Lent celebration,” said Geoff Cebula, the College’s Russian program coordinator. “The name comes from the word for ‘oil’ or ‘butter.’ You eat a lot of delicious food before Lent starts.” Although the celebration is now a part of Lent, it had its beginnings in early pagan Russia. “It’s a celebration that has very deep cultural roots. It’s been around for known cultural history. A lot of Orthodox Christians celebrate (it) as part of the Lent calendar,” Cebula said, but it is not a purely religious holiday. “Having a big family cooking thing is a nondenominational thing. It’s a big national event.” It was also a big event in Forcina Hall, with a higher attendance than expected, as students crowded around the table laden with
AP Photo
Children in Russia enjoy blini, a traditional crepe-like pancake, during Maslenitsa. Russian delicacies and descended on the blini. One of the many people responsible for the blinis’ disappearance was junior psychology major Elena Allen. “I ate like 15 of them,” she said through laughter. “They’re so good.” Allen is one of the College’s students of Russian descent. “I was actually born in Russia and I was adopted when I was a year old,” she said. Allen heard Russian for the first year and a half of her life, but was too young to truly know the language. “I would say ‘da’ and ‘nyet’ and that’s it.” Allen said she chose to study Russian at the College to reconnect with her heritage.
“It was a great opportunity to learn it in a setting with other kids... I think the language is really beautiful. Once you start learning it phonetically, it really sounds gorgeous.” Fortunately, for any late-comers who missed out on blini, there were a number of other Russian foods and beverages available. Adjunct Russian instructor Emily Wang was happy to describe them to anyone unfamiliar with Russian food. Wang pointed out the colorful bags of pryaniki — Russian honey spice cookies and sushki crackers. The slightly sweet, round sushki were even multipurpose. “They look like rings, and in the olden days, people used to make necklaces out of them and wear them,” Wang said.
Anyone without a sweet tooth could try fish and cheese with brown bread or a Russian salad called vinegret, which is made with beets and other cubed vegetables. For a drink, there was kvass, a beverage made from fermented bread that tastes vaguely like root beer and mors, a sweet cranberry juice. Wang is not of Russian descent, but an interest in Russian literature inspired her to study the language in college and she never stopped. Wang wants to show people a side of Russian culture that may be missing from the headlines. “It’s easy to think of aspects of Russia that are more intense,” she said, but then there is the food and the fun and, more importantly, the people. “There are a lot of people
of Russian and Slavic heritage here at TCNJ. Russian culture’s also one of the most important cultures in the world.” Cebula agrees. “It’s a massive, incredibly important culture,” he said. “A lot of people might be more interested if they knew more about it.” The Russian program here at the College aims to not only provide a place for students of Russian heritage to connect and speak Russian, but to also reach out to the broader campus community with events like this one. For those who missed Maslenitsa this year and want to experience Russian culture, there are other options available. “I would recommend Bell’s Market (in Philadelphia),” Wang said. “It’s an enormous Russian grocery store.” Wang also recommended visiting Bear and Birch, a Russian spa in Freehold, N.J., or taking a trip to the Brighton Beach neighborhood of New York City. “It’s really fun,” Wang said. “It’s kind of like a miniature version of Russia.” Russian culture can be experienced without leaving campus, too. “We have a number of film screenings (on campus). Every Wednesday, we show Russian films,” Cebula said. The Russian program also offers intensive Russian language courses and will be offering a class on the history of Russian film in Fall 2016.
page 16 The Signal April 6, 2016
: Nov. ‘05
Campus Style
Local man sets self on fire
JG: Do you prefer to shop online or to go shopping in-store? AV: In-store, definitely. JG: What’s your favorite accessory? AV: My circle sunglasses. JG: What color scheme do you gravitate toward most? AV: Neutral and pastel colors. JG: What article of clothing can’t you live without? AV: My Victoria’s Secret leggings — they’re life-changing.
Elise Schoening / Features Editor
Students living off campus were witnesses to a disturbing scene.
Every week, Features Editor Elise Schoening hits the archives and finds old Signals that relate to current College topics and top stories. Living off campus doesn’t always have its perks. In November 2005, a group of students living in an off-campus house in Ewing, N.J. were traumatized after watching their neighbor set himself on fire. The man survived the attempt of a death by suicide and was brought to Temple University Hospital to be treated. Several off-campus students of the College were alarmed by the shrieks of a man yelling from self-inflicted pain after he doused himself with gasoline and then set himself ablaze near their apartment on the 600 block of Parkway Avenue. On Nov. 13 at 6:20 p.m., Ewing Police Officer Joseph Paglione arrived at the students’ neighboring house to find Daniel Parisien, 34, on fire and face down on the lawn with a car in the driveway, according to a Ewing Police press release. “I was sitting at my computer when I heard someone screaming like someone was being murdered,” Megan Augustitus, junior communications studies major and resident of the neighboring house to the scene, said. “One of the girls who lives upstairs said there was a fire on our lawn.” The screaming was actually coming from Parisien’s girlfriend, who was trying
to get help. According to the press release, Parisien told Paglione that he wanted to kill himself. Despite his desire to die, two nearby residents came to the man’s rescue. “One of the neighbors threw a blanket on him,” Shonnel Haynes, senior health and exercise science major, who lives in the apartment above Augustitus, said. After police subdued the man, he was taken to a nearby hospital and later flown to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia for treatment of burns that covered over 90 percent of his body, according to the press release. “As far as I know, he’s still alive,” Ewing Police Sgt. Greg Smith said Nov. 22. However, his exact condition remains unknown, Smith said. Apparently, Parisien had second thoughts about killing himself because, according to Haynes, “he was running around, trying to out the fire,” which ignited the lawn. The man ran around his Jeep waiving his arms around and screaming while his girlfriend was crying and yelling for help, Haynes said. The man then began removing his burning clothing, which ignited his Jeep, according to the press release.
Celebritease
Youtube.com
Taylor Swift wasn’t pranking fans when she posted her new commercial for Apple Music to social media on Friday, April 1. The recently-crowned iHeartRadio female artist of the year has shifted her opinion on Apple’s streaming service after her public letter of disdain toward the company last year. The commercial features Swift preparing to go on a run on the treadmill as she uses the service to stream the Drake and
Valentin dresses to impress with JG: What would you say is the worst fashion crime a person can commit? her favorite circle sunglasses. AV: Showing hot pink bra straps — per-
By Jillian Greene Columnist
fect your straps, please.
Name: Amanda Valentin Year: Sophomore Major: Nursing JG: What are you wearing? AV: A Free People shirt, Lord & Taylor sweater, Nordstrom leggings and Steve Madden booties. JG: How would you describe your style? AV: Always dressed to impress! JG: What inspires your fashion sense? AV: I follow a lot of fashion gurus on Instagram. I also spend a lot of time on Pinterest. You can get great ideas from these two sites alone. I also stalk the Free People website to see how they style their clothes. JG: What stores do you shop at the most? AV: Free People, Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor are my favorite places to shop.
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Valentin draws her fashion inspiration from Free People.
: Taylor vs. treadmill
The Apple music ad featuring Swift has gone viral.
By Mackenzie Cutruzzula Columnist
Photo Courtesy of Jillian Greene
JG: What is your favorite kind of shoe: flats, heels or sneakers? AV: I prefer flats — particularly booties.
Future song, “Jumpman.” As she begins to rap and literally jump to the song, Swift goes flying off the treadmill. The star didn’t wait long to shake it off, though. Swift headed to California’s Disneyland on Saturday, April 2, with bestie Lily Aldridge and Adridge’s daughter, Dixie. The real star of the model’s Instagram post from the Radiator Springs Racer ride, however, was the straight-faced man behind the trio. He has allegedly been identified as the ladies’ bodyguard. The photo has since
gone viral due to the man’s expressionless face and apparent disdain, despite being at the happiest place on earth. Swift rocked the iHeartRadio Awards with her boyfriend, Calvin Harris, but they aren’t the only couple that has been heating up the red carpet recently. “Game of Thrones” veterans Kit Harington and Rose Leslie officially debuted as a couple when they attended the Olivier Awards on Sunday, April 3, in London. The couple had been reportedly dating since their characters first shared scenes on the popular HBO show, but the rumors were never confirmed. While there is still no official word on the fate of Harington’s beloved character, Jon Snow, fans can watch to see if he is resurrected on the season premiere Sunday, April 24. Until then, fans can rest easy knowing that the lovers are at least together in one universe. Adam Levine recently showed off his wife Behati Prinsloo’s pregnancy by posting to
Instagram. The Victoria’s Secret model was pictured donning a red bikini and a Los Angeles Lakers hat. In the photo’s caption, Levine mentioned that the photo featured his two favorite Lakers fans. The caption also included baby, bottle and basketball emojis. “The Voice” coach and soon-to-be father married the 26-year-old model in July 2014. The Kardashian clan has made the headlines once again. The famous family took a field trip to the Los Angeles County
Museum of Art on Saturday, April 2. The Kardashian-West family was joined by North’s aunts, Kendall Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian, along with Kourtney’s daughter, Penelope. Snapchat quickly blew up with pictures from the museum’s intensely colored “Breathing Light” and “Rain Room” exhibits. The family has recently been seen bonding more and it seems it is only a matter of time until the whole family reunites for some more epically-photogenic snaps.
AP Photo
Leslie and Harington make their debut as a couple.
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 17
Immigration / Monologues shed light on issue
David Colby / Photo Assistant
Students listen intently as their peers share their stories. continued from page 1
One speaker, a sophomore international studies major, is a native, or “indio,” of Costa Rica and has chosen to remain anonymous in the retelling of his story. “Indio means I am descended from Amerindian — in my case specifically, the Bribri-Talamanca tribe,” he said “There are many differences between Latinos and Indios, as Indios are often forgotten when talking about Latin American countries.” He described his house, a banana-leaf shack, and how his childhood pastimes included climbing mango trees and playing “pass the dirt,” his version of hot potato. “As I look back at growing up there, I cannot think badly of my experiences. If I am honest, I don’t believe my particular circumstances have made me any stronger than anyone else,” he said. “People sometimes have a preconceived notion that third world hardships and second world hardships are worse than first world ones, but in living in these two different conditions, I can say that the first world still experiences poverty, violence, disease, trauma and disaster.” The Costa Rican native was six when
he came to the United States. “Assimilating was and still is difficult, as a part of my being is in love with American culture, while the other half resists and tries to honor my roots,” he said. “I miss the warmth of my home there, the fresh food, the community-oriented people and the general acceptance of the people in my society. I would say, though, that however much I miss those things, I am and will forever be an American.” Assimilation is a hardship all immigrants have to face. Junior communications major Natasha Piñeiros spoke to the audience about the challenges that she and her family faced while emigrating from Ecuador. “It was really tough,” Piñeiros said. “I was used to my parents being really involved in my school affairs. My family was well-known in my town and never did I have to think about people having different cultures or languages. It was navigating through the airport in the U.S. where I began to realize how my life was taking a 360.” Because she spoke the most English in her family, Piñeiros had to take on a lot of responsibility that would normally fall on her parents.
“I translated for my parents all the time. It all began as soon as we stepped out of the airplane. I (would) translate documents for them, attend doctor appointments with them and I’m really the only person who has had contact with our landlords over the years,” Piñeiros said. “It has helped me mature so much. You don’t have 13-year-old kids talking about tax returns, lease or permanent residency paperwork. But I had to pick it up, and quick. This helped me think differently about my identity.” Senior business management major and Bonner scholar Talia Martinez helped coordinate the event and also spoke at the monologues. Martinez shared the story of how her mother was deported back to Mexico when Martinez was 11 years old and said that her family is still coping with the loss. “I spent many days traveling to many different lawyers, trying to see if we could find some way to bring my mom back,” Martinez said. “Holidays were very tough and my family had to overcome being physically apart.” Martinez said that until recently, it was hard for her to open up and tell her story to others. Hearing an insensitive joke
about immigrants from a peer, however, changed her perception of her past. She then realized that she should be sharing her story with others who can listen and relate to her hardships. “I started to think about all the jokes I’ve ever made and how real they actually are,” Martinez said. “In the beginning, when my mom was first deported, I kept it a secret because I didn’t want people to judge me. I later realized that she did nothing wrong. She had not hurt anyone, so why be ashamed? Now I take it as an opportunity to inform people about immigration (and) the sad side to deportations.” The Immigration Monologues not only gave students who have emigrated from outside the country a platform with which to share their experiences, but also allowed their peers to learn from these personal stories. “It is important to hear these perspective because this is a human issue and those who aren’t directly affected (by) it do not know about the process and how hard and difficult it can be to immigrate,” Ortez said. “These monologues open the minds of those attending and give the audience a different perspective from the eyes of the speakers.”
David Colby / Photo Assistant
The Immigration Monologues are held for the first time this year.
MSA promotes the peaceful nature of Islam By Olivia Grasing Correspondent
There’s one word that the members of the College’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) want you to remember this week: salam, or peace. This was theme of MSA’s Islam Awareness Week, which spanned from Tuesday, March 29, to Friday, April 1. The four-day celebration of Islam included a variety of events, such as a poetry slam, art gala, basketball tournament and prayer service. The awareness week kicked off with a night of poetry, during which Muslim and non-Muslim performers were invited on stage to recite original poems that reflected powerful and introspective thoughts on religion. Those who spoke about Islam expressed their desire for others to relate to their religion through peace and happiness, since that is what they believe the Islamic faith is truly rooted in. “We chose peace as a theme because we want everyone to know that the heart of Islam is peace,” senior chemistry major and MSA President Heba Jafri said. “What
Artist Faraz Khan shares his work, which is inspired by the beauty of Islam. people see on the news unfortunately takes away from the true meaning of religion. We want to spread awareness of the core of Islam and that is peace.” As the poems went on, it became clear that many members of MSA don’t feel Islam is to blame for secular problems. They debunked Islamic stereotypes through their words and advocated for Islam as a religion that promotes peace, not violence. “With the hateful rhetoric spoken about Muslims in the media,
I think it’s very important for people to gain knowledge about Islam,” Jafri said. “People often misunderstand or misjudge Muslims because of the what they hear or see, and I think Islam Awareness Week is a great opportunity for people to see what we are like and to learn about the religion and its values.” The following day featured an art gala displaying the work of Faraz Khan, an artist-in-residence with the Arts Council of Princeton. Khan showed off his work and
Youtube.com
spoke eloquently about how color, beauty and inspiration are what Islamic art is all about. Khan explained that he uses his work to demonstrate that art has substance and a pleasing aesthetic. His pieces usually contain Arabic calligraphy, which he says adds character and depth by creating patterns and conveying messages through the use of bold colors and alluring details. “If it’s not beautiful, it’s not Islam art,” Khan said, as he showed off his artwork to a room full of
onlookers. His passion signified the ability of art to both uplift and inspire people. Through fine works, such as poetry and art, MSA was able to share Islam with the college community and challenge stereotypes regarding the religion. Later in the week, the group held a “Hoops for Hope” event in tribute of the three Muslim victims of the devastating shooting that took place last year in Chapel Hill, N.C. Students were invited to play a game of basketball in their honor. “(MSA) is an organization that brings out the best in me,” sophomore biology major and MSA Public Relations Chair Yaseen Ayuby said. “It’s really a tightknit community and I’m grateful for that.” The group put on a successful week of programming that brought people of all different religions together to celebrate the Islamic religion. Islam Awareness Week also allowed MSA to educate other members of the College about Islam and to share their passion for what is at the heart of the religion: peace.
page 18 The Signal April 6, 2016
FALL 2016 REGISTRATION APPOINTMENT PERIOD Initial Registration Period for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Tuesday, April 5 Through Friday, April 15
Your enrollment appointment reflecting the first time you will be eligible to register for the Fall 2016 semester can be accessed via your PAWS account. To view your scheduled enrollment appointment, visit the Enrollment Appointment section in the PAWS Student Center. Once eligible, students remain eligible throughout the registration period. Undergraduate students who do not register by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 17, will be subject to a late registration fine. Graduate Students have until Friday, July 15: Late Registration Fine Undergraduate: $150 Graduate: $125
The Fall 2016 Schedule of Classes is available on PAWS and can be viewed by using the Search for Classes button. Both Winter 2017 and Summer 2016 registration are also open along with Fall 2016 registration. Check PAWS frequently for any updated winter/summer course offerings and consult with your advisor for appropriate course selections.
Visit the PAWS HELP website for complete information on how to log-in to PAWS, search for classes, browse the Course Catalog, view your Holds, add courses to your Shopping Cart, and register for classes: http://pawshelp.pages.tcnj.edu/
Use the Validate feature directly from your PAWS Shopping Cart to check for potential pre-requisite issues before registration! For more information on the Validate feature, visit: http://pawshelp.pages.tcnj.edu/files/2011/07/validate.pdf
Check PAWS early and frequently for Holds that will prevent you from registering. All Hold Flag information can be viewed under the Holds section in the PAWS Student Center.
Access your Academic Requirements Report on PAWS to view your degree requirements via the Advising Tools link.
Make an appointment to see your advisor to discuss your Academic Requirements Report. Your advisor’s name and email address can be located in your PAWS Student Center.
Double-check call numbers and course sections prior to your registration appointment for schedule changes and periodic updates.
Graduate Students: If you are a non-matriculant who is applying for Fall matriculation, you should not register during this timeframe. If accepted for matriculation, you will be invited to register during the Graduate Orientation summer orientation sessions.
THE OFFICE OF RECORDS AND REGISTRATION Green Hall 112, M-F 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 19
Lecture discusses role of women in business
By Gabriella Hill Correspondent
Prominent male feminist Michael Kimmel came to the College on Wednesday, March 30, to speak about women in business and the role of men in the fight for gender equality. Kimmel is a professor of sociology at Stony Brook University in New York, where he founded the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities in 2013. He is also the founder and editor of the academic journal “Men and Masculinities.” Sponsored by the College’s Women in Business Club, Kimmel discussed the role of gender both in and out of the workplace. He also spoke about how and why men should be supportive of gender equality. “We know that we cannot fully empower women without the support of men and boys,” Kimmel said in his opening line. He then went on to describe the ways in which men typically think about gender equality and
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Kimmel explains that gender equality will benefit both men and women. women’s oppression. Kimmel said men as a whole could be broken into five groups, ranging from those who understand that gender equality is right and fair but who do not actively fight for this equality to those who outwardly resist gender equality. According to Kimmel, the latter group does not understand women’s oppression and, as
such, rejects the notion that there is still work to be done in order to achieve gender equality. Unfortunately, Kimmel said most men fall into this category, which he attributed to the fact that gender is largely invisible to men. “Privilege is invisible to those who have it,” Kimmel said. His lecture aimed to make men understand the need for
gender equality and just how beneficial it can be for both women and men. In addition to workplace inequality, Kimmel also discussed the changing dynamics in households. It used to be that men would go to work while women stayed home and took care of the children. Today, however, women are not solely responsible for
childcare. Instead, more and more women are joining the professional field. According to Kimmel, the key to a successful marriage is creating an atmosphere where both the men and women in a household feel that the workload is equal and that they are working together to ensure fairness. “The more equal a marriage is, the more likely it is to survive,” Kimmel said. In fact, men who share household chores with their wives have happier and healthier wives and children. They are also able to achieve higher levels of marital satisfaction, according to Kimmel. “Balancing work and family is the only way men can get the life (they) want,” Kimmel said, before explaining that gender equality in and out of the workplace is a win-win for both men and women. In his concluding remarks, Kimmel said, “Gender equality is not only about women, it is about everyone.”
Sorority provides students with self defense skills
David Colby / Photo Assistant
Left: After learning a new move, students practice on one another. Right: A professional instructor from Mercer Bucks Muay Thai leads the class. By Zack Pastore Correspondent The sisters of Chi Upsilon Sigma sorority invited other women on the College’s campus to join them for a martial arts class in the Social Sciences Building on Wednesday, March 30. “Just in general it’s always a good idea to give girls the option (to defend themselves),” said Genesis Arteta, senior sociology major and president of Chi Upsilon Sigma. Two instructors from Mercer Bucks Muay Thai, in Levittown, Pa., led the event. Together, they trained the roughly 20 students in multiple self defense moves. The almost exclusively female group of students had never taken a self defense class before, but many said they believed it was important to attend the event. “(It is important) that women should not surrender to unwanted attention and these skills provide women with some tools on how to escape dangerous situations,” Areta said. “Attacks can happen instantly and hopefully with this seminar we have provided women with different options in defending themselves.” Some of the moves that were taught were a “bear hug escape,” a move where a person would break the grip, drop their weight and
push back on an attacker. Another move that was discussed was the “stand up escape,” in which a person stands up and escapes from being tackled.
“Women need to understand that they are powerful beings and this seminar was to do just that, empower them.” —
Genesis Areta
senior sociology major and president of Chi Upsilon Sigma Roger Doobraj, one of the instructors at the event who has 18 years of experience training Muay Thai, also talked about where on the body to strike when defending yourself. The fourth and final skill of the night was “verbal cues,” which can be used to let
a possible attacker know that a person sees them as a threat. Another factor taught in the seminar was situational awareness, which is being aware of the situation you are in, as well as having an awareness for what is going on in it. One factor for situational awareness is pre-incident indicators, such as charm, type casting, loan sharking, unsolicited promise and discounting the word no. Doobraj also discussed intention assessment, which is figuring out what the other person’s intention is. This is an important skill that helps you determine potential attackers. “Over 70 percent of the victims know the attacker,” Doobraj said. He went on to say that it is important for college students to learn martial arts so that they can access their “inner voice,” which can help prevent them from ending up in any uncomfortable, and more importantly, unsafe, situations. Following each demonstration, students then broke themselves up into groups and practiced the moves they had just learned for themselves. “It was easy to see (that they learned something)... maybe they did not do (it) perfect, but they escaped, they survived… they learned,” said Damien Chojnowski, one of the instructors with 17 years experience in Muay Thai.
Participants also learned to not be intimidated by their opponents — regardless of their size. “It’s not just about the size of your opponent when in danger, but the tricks you can use that may just save your life,” Areta said. “Women need to understand that they are powerful beings and this seminar was to do just that, empower them.” The elements of the Muay Thai style of fighting include tactics from Jiu-Jitsu, Filipino Arts, Indonesian arts and street fighting applications. Some of these elements are feints and counter attacks. Misleading your opponent is also a beneficial thing to do, which is where you lead them into thinking you are doing one thing and then you go on to do something else in a surprise attack. Chojnowski said that cell phones create the biggest distraction, giving attackers the opportunity to strike. “Avoid the situation… the cell phone is the biggest enemy,” Chojnowski said. “If I’m walking down the street and I see someone coming and I don’t like what they’re doing, I’m going to (cross) the street… treat everyone as a threat.” — Tom Ballard, opinions editor, contributed to this report.
page 20 The Signal April 6, 2016
Arts & Entertainment
Hollywood’s core player visits the College By Benjamin Zander Staff Writer The opportunity to meet the director and writer of an Oscarwinning film is a rare one, unless you live in Hollywood — or go to the College. On Monday, March 28, Damien Chazelle, the director and writer of the 2015 Academy Award best picture nominee “Whiplash,” came to the College for a screening of the film, as well as a question and answer session with students. “Whiplash,” which stars Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, tells the story of a young jazz drummer and his experience as the new student in a class led by a tyrannical instructor who uses unorthodox and abusive methods of teaching. The film won three Oscars, including best supporting actor, best sound mixing and best editing, and received five nominations including best writing (adapted screenplay). At the session following the screening, Chazelle spoke about his early career, when he would write and sell scripts to pay the bills. “The only thing I could get people to pay me to write were sequels (or) horror movies,” Chazelle said. But when he wasn’t writing to survive, Chazelle spent his spare time writing the kind of material that he enjoyed. “This was just stuff I wanted to guard for the miraculous day in the future when I’d get to actually make it, and one of those things was ‘Whiplash,’” Chazelle said.
Simmons gives Chazelle new hope in his ‘Whiplash’ script.
The path “Whiplash” took to get to the big screen was a bit circuitous. Before being made into a feature-length film, it was made into a short-film that premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Utah. “The first iteration of (‘Whiplash’) was a feature-length script that I wrote and was basically the movie that you saw,” Chazelle said, “But no one in Hollywood really wanted to make it, or at least didn’t want to let me make it, so we made a short as a way of a sales tool.” Chazelle attributes Hollywood’s hesitation to two factors. “They didn’t trust me as a director because I hadn’t really done anything and I’m young,” Chazelle said. “And they didn’t trust the idea that a movie about jazz drumming, of all things, could be at all exciting.”
One thing that helped get the short off the ground was having well-known actor Simmons play the lead role as music teacher, Terrance Fletcher. “One of the producers was friends with J.K. and had worked with him and said, ‘What do you think about J.K. Simmons? I might be able to get him to do a favor for us and do the short.’” Chazelle laughed as he told students at the College that he was excited to have an actor that he could recognize. Simmons went on to win the Academy Award for best actor in a supporting role for his performance in “Whiplash,” but Chazelle admitted that at first he didn’t think Simmons would be right for the role. “He felt not scary enough to me, and I felt like I had seen him too many times as the insurance
AP Photo
commercial guy,” Chazelle said. “He was J. Jonah Jameson, Juno’s dad. I thought he would turn everything into pure comedy.” Chazelle’s mind changed the very first moment of shooting the short, when Simmons’s character started screaming. “I thought, not only is he right for the role, but no one else can do this role,” Chazelle said. “It has to be him.” Chazelle told students that he considers “Whiplash” to be the most personal thing he’s ever written. Back in high school, he, too, was in a jazz band taught by a tyrannical teacher. “It was weirdly easy to write because it was either stuff that happened to me or stuff that happened to people I knew,” Chazelle said. “I was in a program where failure on stage, in front of an audience, was worse
than death — like being in a battle and shooting your friend.” After the question and answer session, Chazelle spent time taking selfies with students and answering their questions one-on-one. Freshman communication studies major Tyler Law had the chance to tell Chazelle about a video-essay he had made about “Whiplash” for class, and much to the excitement of both parties, Chazelle told Law to send him the video. “I was genuinely surprised he asked me to see it,” Law said. “I just hope he enjoys watching it as much as I enjoyed making it.” Senior psychology and communication studies double major Adam Oppenheimer greatly appreciated the time he spent talking to Chazelle, as well. “I got to talk with him one-onone and he gave me great advice on getting started in the business,” Oppenheimer said. “Chazelle was a great guy who came across as humble and genuine and knowledgeable about filmmaking.” Before making “Whiplash,” Chazelle had been trying to make a bigger movie, called “La La Land,” which, again, Hollywood was not interested in making. That all changed following the success of “Whiplash.” “After ‘Whiplash’ came out, people who said no before suddenly went ‘Oh, sure, we want to make that now,’” Chazelle said. “It’s like becoming popular in high school — you don’t really change, it’s just that the reaction of the people around you changes.” “La La Land,” which stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, hits theaters in December 2016.
‘Empire’ returns with high stakes and drama By Joe Passantino Staff Writer
When “Empire” burst onto the scene last January, its frenetic pace and shocking plot twists ballooned its ratings to astounding levels. The novelty surrounding the show has worn down in a year’s time, but “Empire” has plenty of excitement left to offer its millions of viewers. Season two’s mid-season premiere aired on Wednesday, March 30, with episode 11, “Death Will Have His Day.” The new episode opens with several new character directions, giving the show plenty to explore over the next few weeks. The decision to kill off Andre and Rhonda’s baby is a good, creative choice, and the show’s handling of this situation is powerful. When viewers see the pregnant Rhonda, bloody and struggling on the floor of her home, it encapsulates the darkness of “Empire’s” world. Her struggle to believe in God has been a huge part of Andre’s recent development. We had seen religion as the only thing keeping his bipolar character together — if he follows Rhonda in losing his belief, he might go over the edge. It’s not a pleasant outcome, but one that should prove fascinating to watch.
As far as the identity of who pushed Rhonda down the stairs, I hope it is not Anika. The episode did a good job leading us in that direction, as it made clear the pregnant Anika’s possible motive (wanting her son to be Empire Entertainment’s heir). Nonetheless, it is often more impactful when a mystery results in an unexpected culprit. Certainly, “Empire” has become known for its twists, so it would make sense for Anika to be a red herring here. I liked seeing Hakeem’s development throughout the episode, following his ousting of Lucious as Empire CEO. Hakeem was desperate to get out of his father’s shadow last season and now it seems he’s finally done it. Of course, he’s also made an enemy of a former ally in his mother. Throughout “Empire’s” run, we have seen different members of the family feuding with one another — in this case, Hakeem seems to be on a side of his own. This is quite interesting, given that he seems to be in over his head against Cookie and Lucious. Lucious is as aggressive as ever, albeit from a different position — he is now on the outside, trying to reclaim his throne. This is a refreshing departure from his usual role as the man in power. Where
Lucious once was on the defensive against threats to his company, he is now desperate to ensure that his life’s work was not in vain. While family is the core of the show, it has long been evident that Lucious views his musical accomplishments as just as important as his biological ones — perhaps more. We see this during a dramatic final scene, in which Lucious threatens to kill Hakeem, but offers his son the chance to kill him first. This was perfect
in keeping with both characters — Lucious knew Hakeem could not do it and Hakeem showed that he is all bark and no bite. When Lucious ends the episode by saying that he keeps his promises, I certainly believed he would try. Overall, this episode was a very good start to the season’s second half. Several developments promise to have an impact lasting beyond “Empire’s” usual scope and, as always, it will be fun to watch what happens next.
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Hakeem will be in over his head if he goes against Cookie and Lucious.
‘Reign’ starts strong but falters
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 21
By Kayla Whittle Staff Writer
Darkness — that’s all Luna has ever known. After an eclipse overtook the sun, the world was left with only one hour of sunlight each day. In the new young adult novel “Reign of Shadows,” by Sophie Jordan, the kingdom of Relhok realizes that legends of beasts living underneath the earth are true. These strange, man-eating creatures lurk everywhere, hungry for their next meal. Luna has always been safe in her tower — protected, warm and healthy. When she decides to prove that she can hunt in the forest on her own, she meets three strangers who turn her comfortable world into chaos. “Reign of Shadows” is the first book in a duology retelling of the tale “Rapunzel.” This version is much darker, though, with much of the kingdom dead before the book even begins and all the survivors have been living in 17 years of darkness. Although there is hope that the sun will return one day, as it is the only thing the night creatures fear, no one knows when, or if, that will happen. What “Reign of Shadows” does best is immerse readers entirely in this bleak atmosphere. This building of the fictional world isolates the reader, making you feel just as trapped as Luna is, until strangers enter the book and bring the outside world along with them. Slowly, you begin to explore more of it, but this version of “Rapunzel” is anything but cheerful or charming. The monsters that Luna encounters are true nightmares. Fowler is a stranger brought to the tower by Luna after she discovers him and saves his life. He’s the typical tall, dark and brooding hero often seen in young adult novels. Unfortunately — maybe because he narrates half of the book while Luna overtakes the other half of the chapters — “Reign of Shadows” begins to lose its intrigue. Instead, it becomes a love story so painfully rushed, it’s surprising the two don’t declare their love for one another as soon as they first notice each other in the woods. To be fair, Luna has never met anyone else her age, but Fowler spends about two-thirds of his narration bemoaning the fact that he’d promised himself he would never get close to, much less love, anyone again. In
This week, Nelson Kelly, WTSR assistant music director, highlights some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.
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The book takes on a few too many cliché tropes.
the cliché way of romance stories, Luna is of course the one to effortlessly break through that tough exterior. Toward the end of the novel, the plot begins to set itself up for the second book. Unfortunately, with the pacing of “Reign of Shadows,” I was left thinking that it all could have been condensed into one much more interesting novel. Apart from the threat of the monsters, there’s an underlying plot conflict of political intrigue and treason. That is hardly touched upon for most of the narrative, until it’s convenient to dangle something in front of readers to keep them interested to buy the next book. By the end, “Reign of Shadows” has many interesting ideas, but doesn’t execute them in the best way. While Luna is a fantastic main character and the beginning chapters may have readers excited for a new retelling of “Rapunzel,” the conclusion of this book is bland and unmemorable, leaving readers unexcited for the next installment.
Prose proves powerful at slam
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Fuentes will turn his winning poem into a spoken word piece.
By Kelly Vena Staff Writer
The Bliss Hall Lounge was overflowing with excitement and an array of students on Friday, April 1, for INK’s biannual Slam Down the Walls poetry reading competition. Four writers braved the stage and recited three original poems apiece for the audience, as well as for randomly selected judges, who scored each poem, and it was senior English major Zachary Fuentes who was chosen as the winner for his assortment of work. One of his competitors, freshman journalism major Olivia Dauber, was the first performer of the night. She chose to read three personal poems. “Do Not Fall in Love with Me” depicts Dauber as a dedicated girlfriend. In “I Found an Old Diary,” she challenges negative stereotypes surrounding feminism and embraces her own feminism, while “If I Don’t Do This, Someone I Love Will Die” empowers
readers to believe in their own identity and personal strength. “I write about what I feel,” Dauber said of her poems. “I write about what I’m going through, what I’ve been through… my thoughts.” Fuentes took the stage next with poems entitled “To Our Future President,” “Standing in Line” and “Thoughts on Fools.” The third poem was written specifically for the slam since it happened to fall on April Fools’ Day, Fuentes told the audience before he read it aloud. Up next was junior interactive multimedia major Ravin Mehta. His poems, “No Bars on Me,” “Hit Me in the Feels” and “Paint Thin Trees,” discussed the topics of unrequited love, helping depressed individuals and appreciating nature. Such weighty topics entranced the audience members, who silently listened to Mehta speak with rapt attention. “There were definitely some poignant, vital works recited at the slam,” INK’s treasurer and junior biology major Kyle
Siegel said. “The audience took pretty well to the poems and seemed to understand the emotions and legitimacy of each.” The final competitor of the night, freshman English and secondary education dual major Catherine MacQueen, wrapped up the slam competition nicely with her powerful pieces. “They Say” discussed the irony of cliché advice. “Moment” centered around suffering from and fighting inner demons. “Within,” her final poem, focused on her need to end a relationship, despite the physical temptation. MacQueen, as well as Dauber and Meadow, were first-time competitors in the Slam Down the Walls competition. “I’ve actually done stuff like this before,” Dauber said. “I was a debate kid in high school. We weren’t allowed to recite original work in debate spoken words, so this was the first time I’ve ever read personal pieces. It was scary but exciting.” Siegel could not agree more with Dauber. “It’s good to break out of your comfort zone,” he said. “In a low-stress, highgain atmosphere like this, you can really practice your public speaking.” After all was said and done, the audience and competitors alike waited eagerly for the judges to crown a winner. At long last, it was revealed by Siegel, the emcee of the night, that Fuentes was determined the winner of this semester’s slam. Fuentes received a certificate, as well as the opportunity to record his highest-scoring poem and turn it into a spoken word piece. As for attendance, the INK executive board could not have been more pleased with the turnout of this semester’s slam. “The slam is always well-attended,” Siegel said. “We are very thankful and happy to support fellow readers performing literary arts.”
Band Name: Baby Jesus Album Name: “Baby Jesus” Hailing From: Halland County, Sweden Genre: Psychedelic Garage Punk Label: Yippee Ki Yay Baby Jesus’s debut is a huge sendup to all things garage and all things ’60s. Imagine a Ty Segall album with the organ riff from “I’m a Believer” droning away in the background. Now, promptly pinch yourself to ensure that you are not, in fact, having the best dream ever. These presumably Swedish dudes sound like a Steppenwolf tribute band that writes original music that doesn’t suck, which is saying something. Filled with huge, distorted guitars, crashing drums, droning organ and snarling vocals, Baby Jesus throws back to the roots of rock and roll with fast-paced, catchy songs with giant choruses and triumphant guitar solos. Every song sounds similar, but this band’s sound is so cool, you won’t even mind. Must Hear: “Nothing’s For Me,” “Trembling Away,” “Haven’t Seen the Light,” “Don’t Want You,” “Cry, Cry, Cry” and “Deep Blue Delay”
Band Name: Soft Skulls Album Name: “Soft Skulls EP” Hailing From: Denver, Colo. Genre: Rock Label: Self-released With a sound that’s equal part Tom Petty and equal part Cracker, it’s hard not to enjoy Soft Skulls’s heavy yet melodic tunes. For a band just over a year old, Jim McTurnan (vox, git-box), Tyler Campo (bass, git-box) and siblings Madison (skins) and Robin Lucas (lead git-box) have already made considerable progress. A year of gigging and recording comes to fruition in the form of this EP, a mere taste of what Soft Skulls has in store for us. Smooth vocals over distorted guitar are a shoo-in to please fans of classic rock and modern rock alike. Must Hear: “Let’s Roll,” “Can’t Sleep” and “Alone in the River”
page 22 The Signal April 6, 2016
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENT APPRECIATION WEEK APRIL 4–8
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
Attenti
Aromatherapy & Yoga Intro with the Humanitarian Yoga Club 4–5 p.m. Brower Student Center, 210
grad uate stud ents
on
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 Cupcakes and Conversation with Faculty, plus raffle prizes! 4–5 p.m. Education Building, Room 205
THURSDAY, APRIL 7 Resume Reviews 1:30–3:30 p.m. Career Center, Roscoe West Hall
For more information or to RSVP, see www.tcnj.edu/tcnjgrad
THINKING ABOUT SUMMER ALREADY?
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Try Something New This Summer Experience Seton Hall
REGISTRATION OPENS MARCH 14 - Online and on campus - Accelerated and full term - Credits are easily transferable
Come on over to our campus, or meet us online.
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toward your degree, or explore a new interest.
Visit our bustling downtown, and when school is out, grab a train to the shore or NYC.
It’s all happening at The Hall this summer.
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April 6, 2016 The Signal page 23
Theater productions lacking any diversity Lyric Theatre aims for more representation By Erin Cooper Staff Writer The #OscarsSoWhite boycott shook the entertainment world this year, sparking dialogue in media outlets worldwide about diversity in casting. At the College, one production this year had its own casting controversy. When the roles for Lyric Theatre’s spring production of “Company” were being cast last semester, the group wanted to update the 1970 play about relationships. The LGBTQ community has made many strides since the play premiered 46 years ago, so the decision was made to change one of the play’s married couples — Susan and Peter in the original script — to a lesbian couple. “Company,” however, is a play that comes with conditions. It is the policy of Music Theatre International (MTI), the agency that owns the rights to the play, that “no one in the play can be gay,” according to Jennifer Little, an adjunct professor responsible for Lyric Theatre and staged musical productions who directed “Company” during its campus run on Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27, on the Kendall Hall Main Stage. “Company” is the story of Bobby — a single man struggling with commitment. Since the play’s early days, directors have wanted to interpret Bobby as a gay man trying to fit into a straight world. The playwright, George Furth, who was gay himself, was against that interpretation, stating that the play was not about sexuality, but commitment. Times have changed, but MTI policy has not. Furth passed away in 2008, so he could not be asked for permission to make alterations in the cast. Instead, Little reached out to lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim through his lawyer. The man behind the music of “Sweeney Todd” and “Into the Woods” is one of
the luminaries of musical theatre, so Little was surprised when he personally replied to her email. She explained the changes she wanted to make and Sondheim was on board, with enthusiasm. “He changed Peter’s name to Petra and started working on a new concept,” Little said. Before his new concept could progress, MTI wrote to refuse permission to include gay characters in the play. When a play’s script describes a character in specific terms, MTI can enforce faithfulness to it. “Technically, if you don’t cast someone matching show description, you are in violation,” Little said. MTI could not be reached for comment. “They said it would open a can of worms,” Dean of the School of Arts and Communication John Laughton said. “Even Stephen Sondheim couldn’t change the rules.” Violating the rules comes with a price. “We would have been fined. It would have been a mess,” Laughton said. Sondheim was unable to overturn MTI’s decision, but Little had nothing but praise for him and his involvement. “He was very gracious and very patient and wonderful,” Little said. The students were informed that they would be forced to change their production. “When we found out that MTI wouldn’t allow us to have a lesbian couple, we were all pretty upset, seeing as we had already picked which couple would be lesbian and who would play the roles,” junior voice education major Nicole Myers said, who played the role of Joanne in the production. “It was a little chaotic because we had to reassign roles and ask more men to join us in the middle of putting the show together.” This incident may have been specific to “Company,” but the larger issue is not. As well as teaching at the College, Little is the artistic director and one of the founders of Strength Out of Shadows, a grassroots theatre company in
Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor
Lyric Theatre reaches out to Sondheim on its potential casting switch. which actors of color predominate. In her experience, diversity is a problem throughout the theatre world. Actors of color are often typecast or passed over. Transgender and physically disabled actors may find themselves without any roles at all. “I think it’s important that we, as artists, work really hard to reflect the diversity of our communities so that we don’t have another all-white Oscars,” Little said. “Our society is so wonderfully diverse, with all types of people.” Little tries to practice what she calls “diverse conscious casting.” It isn’t color blind casting, but thoughtful, meaningful casting. As an example, Little pointed out Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical “Hamilton.” According to Little, it was Miranda’s intention that “the face of immigrants today should be reflected in the cast.” In February, “Hamilton” won the
Grammy for best musical and inspired Twitter outrage when some objected to Miranda, a Latino actor, portraying Alexander Hamilton. “I’m glad you didn’t pay too much attention,” Little said of the complainers. “Your mind would have been blown if you realized (the musical’s) Washington was black!” The cast of the College’s “Company” was diverse, featuring actors of various backgrounds, and Little, who joined the faculty in August, plans to continue her conscious casting in her work with Lyric Theatre. “One of my personal goals is to rebuild the program and to make it a bigger, more thriving program,” she said. She hopes to open auditions next year, so that anyone can join this diverse group. “There’s more work to be done,” Little said. “There’s always so much to be done.”
Video game offers realistic yet plagued world
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‘The Division’ is so lifelike, the characters will close car doors that are left open. By Sean Reis Production Manager
An evolved strain of smallpox has intentionally been placed into one of the world’s busiest cities: New York City. What started with a few minor cases has quickly erupted into an epidemic and the city has been forced to close all borders. While the rest of the country sits
in fear from the virus, Ubisoft’s 1:1 scale recreation of Midtown Manhattan has been left to struggle for survival. However, an organization known as The Division has arrived to help the apocalyptic concrete jungle that once operated as the epicenter of the world. In “Tom Clancy’s The Division,” you play as a member of The Division organization,
called to save those suffering from the disease and save the city. Released on Tuesday, March 8, across all platforms, the game was the first I have ever purchased for multiple devices — PC and Xbox One. I was that excited and I wanted to play with as many friends as possible. Ubisoft might not have included every detail of Midtown Manhattan, but built on a 1:1
scale, “The Division” has been one of the most realistic video games I have ever played. The map may not have been as large as most had anticipated, but whenever I played the game I actually felt like I was walking through New York City — only the city was dangerous and decaying, so it is not quite the New York City we know. The realistic world was not the game’s only positive aspect, though, and I found the gameplay to be especially smooth. As an avid gamer who would likely choose to play another first-person carbon copy “Call of Duty” over any third-person shooter, I have enjoyed “The Division” despite an unfamiliar perspective. The controls, both for the Xbox One and the computer, were easy to learn and I felt comfortable playing the game. Nonetheless, with an expansive world and great gameplay, as well as a rich and well-written story, “The Division” has been fun to play overall. However, I do regret purchasing the game for more than one platform. While many may argue that
there was not enough story to reach the maximum level, I have to disagree. I have yet to reach the level cap with either friend group that I’m able to play with and I doubt I will anytime soon. The Dark Zone, an area set aside for player versus player content, does not have that competitive edge at lower levels, but at endgame, the area transforms and I wish I was able to experience that sooner. “The Division” does not have to be “World of Warcraft,” with hardcore grinding, and I do not want to dedicate countless hours to get to the game’s best part — twice. I doubt I will even create more characters because I imagine the story will likely lack replay value due to the time required to level. At the end of the day, although I may regret that I bought two copies, “The Division” has been fun, despite the fact that I have yet to beat the game. I highly suggest that when you have the time to truly dedicate after the semester ends, you purchase “The Division” (but maybe only once).
page 24 The Signal April 6, 2016
Sports
Track and Field
College performs well as senior sets record By Nicole DeStefano Staff Writer
The women’s and men’s track team proved they are headed on the right track this season by posting numerous personal best performances this past weekend, Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, at Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Va. The meet was highlighted by senior Tyler Grimm’s performance in the 10,000-meter race. Grimm took his starting stance on the track, wearing a purple wristband that reads “Keep the Turnover Going,” in support of his former assistant coach, Chris Curto, and his success in battling cancer. “To ‘Keep the Turnover Going’ means to keep moving fast, even when the times get tough,” Grimm said. “Ever since sophomore year, I’ve worn this wristband and it has served as a reminder to never give up, even in the hardest races, like the 10,000-meter.” There is no doubt that Grimm followed this advice throughout his race — he finished with a time of 31:57.69, landing him on a list of the College’s “Top Five Performances Since 2000” for the 10,000-meter event. “Upon crossing the finish
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The men keep pace against multiple NCAA programs, including some from Division I.
line and realizing my time, all I could feel was pure elation and happiness,” Grimm said. “As a freshman, I can remember looking up at the list as it hung on our locker room bulletin board, feeling that those times were unattainable for me... This put things in perspective for me, as if my training had come full circle from freshmen to senior year. I think it serves as
a great example that if you set your goals early and work hard enough to get them, nothing is out of reach.” Freshman Matt Saponara contributed to the success on the distance side by clocking a 15:25.28 finish in the un-seeded 5,000-meter race, placing eighth out of 33 competitors and improved his personal best time by nearly five seconds.
Saponara wasn’t the only freshman to step-up big for the Lions. Noah Osterhus finished 12th out of 34 runners in the 800-meter race, crossing the finish line in 1:53.52. Senior Laron Day put forth a tremendous effort in the 400-meter hurdles, sprinting to a 54.86 finish and placing 15th out of 55 opponents. The Lady Lions showed their
March Madness
dominance on the track, as well. Freshman Erin Holzbaur topped all of the Division III competitors and placed 16th overall in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:15.94. Freshman Natalie Cooper added to the women’s success in the distance events when she placed 26th out of 47 runners in the 5,000-meter event. Cooper ran a personal best of 18:50.10, improving her previous time by 20 seconds. In the 1,500-meter race, two personal bests were run. Freshman Madeleine Tattory and Abigail Faith placed 24th and 50th place out of 61 runners, respectively, with Tattory clocking in at 4:51.28 and Faith finishing at 4:59.77. On the sprints side, senior Joy Spriggs ran a time of 26.18 to take 69th place out of 106 runners in the 200-meter dash. Spriggs returned to the track to finish 55th out of 102 competitors in the 400-meter race, clocking in at 59.53, followed by a personal best finish of 59.72 by sophomore Emily Mead. “It was really exciting watching so many individuals run personal best times,” Mead said. “The whole team performed well and it’ll be fun to see how we perform on our own track at our first home meet next weekend.”
Baseball
LTV vs. Signal — Final Lions strike out in three A champion is crowned
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
AP Photo
Villanova University beats the University of North Carolina in Houstan, Texas. ESPN BRACKET STANDINGS (As of Sunday, April 3) 1: EJ Paras (LTV) Points: 860 Percent Correct: 82% 2: Sean Reis (The Signal) Points: 850 Percent Correct: 80.8% 3: Otto Gomez (LTV) Points: 580 Percent Correct: 30% 4: Michael Battista (The Signal) Points: 480 Percent Correct: 12.3%
And now, a word from our champion, the Media and Public Relations Director of LTV, EJ Paras: “Always trust the Tar Heels! I’ve been a Tar Heels fan since I was a little kid – Vince Carter was a huge reason for that. For nostalgic reasons, I usually pick them to win it all when it comes to making brackets, and this year was no exception! I wish Oklahoma wasn’t humbled as much as they were in the Final Four against Villanova, but they still really had an impressive run in the tournament. It was a valiant fight, Mike and Sean, but as Otto knows already, #LTVisFun and #LTVWins! @LionsTelevision and @EJ_Paras on Twitter and Instagram!”
Senior pitcher Volpe throws.
By Sean Reis Production Manager
After an 11-game winning streak, Haverford College dished the Lions their second loss of the season last Wednesday, March 31, in the team’s final game before starting New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. The Lions started sophomore pitcher Matt Curry on the mound, who threw his season’s first loss before freshman pitcher Dylan Crowley gave a stellar relief performance with only one earned run in five and two-thirds innings. Junior pitcher Patrick McCarthy also came out of the bullpen to close, striking out two batters, but McCarthy allowed two unearned runs to reach home, as well.
The final score, 10-1, came after Lions’s senior outfielder John Rizzi scored on an RBI ground out dealt by the bat of senior outfielder Patrick Roberts. The Lions then began conference play with a doubleheader against Kean University on Saturday, April 2. The team may have lost two tight games in its NJAC opening weekend, but the team played well overall. The Lions went into extra innings before losing, 2-1, in the first game, before falling again, 7-4, later on. In the team’s first nail-biting loss, senior pitcher Steven Volpe started the doubleheader in a pitching duel against Kean’s fierce starting staff. Both tossed scoreless ball games through the first five innings until the Cougars scored an unearned run in the sixth. The Lions quickly responded with a run of their own, though, when Roberts led off the top of the seventh inning by hitting his third homerun of the season. Neither the Lions nor the Cougars scored another run as long as Volpe and Ferguson were on mound for their respective teams, but following 10 innings with only one unearned run and one walk, Volpe called it a day. And in the bottom of the twelfth inning, Curry allowed a walkoff single to rightfield to bring a Cougars runner home and the final score to 2-1. The Lions will hope to bounce back into their season’s winning groove with back-to-back NJAC games against Stockton University on Thursday, April 7, and Friday, April 8.
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 25
Coach / Team looks to improve on season continued from page 1 there isn’t a coach to instruct us and make improvements that make us better.” Throwing events are contested in both the indoor and outdoor seasons of track and field. During the winter months, athletes participate in the shot put and weight throw events — events that have implements that will not travel as far, and thus, can be performed indoors. During the outdoor season, the weight throw is left out of the lineup and athletes can participate in the shot put, as well as the discus, hammer and javelin throws. Throwers are awarded points by comparing how far their implement was thrown compared to the other event participants. In any part of track and field, whether it be the throwing group or any of the four other events athletes train for at the College, having someone with expertise is always a benefit, according to junior throwing captain Billy Castore. “When you make a mistake, there’s four other people trying to tell you what to do and we all think we’re right,” Castore said. “But if someone was a coach… he would kind of be the authoritative person to tell you, ‘This is what you need to do, this is what you’re doing wrong.’” The technique-heavy aspect of throwing, according to Nason, is one of the key reasons why having a throwing coach would be highly beneficial. “The throwing events rely heavily on technique, so having someone who knows what to look for can really help us not only throw
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Junior throwing captain Billy Castore helps lead the team.
farther, but also give us a better chance at placing and helping the team,” Nason said. “A coach does more than just know the technique, however. A coach also inspires his or her athletes to do their best and makes the athletes excited to come out and compete every day, whether in practice or at the meets.” The College’s head track and field coach, Justin Lindsey, echoed that sentiment. “Well, ideally the challenge is working on the technical aspects, and that’s definitely the biggest challenge,” Lindsey said. “That’s the reason we’re looking to get a new coach in... and we’ve discussed that with the group every other week. The biggest challenge is not having someone there to correct the technical mishaps.” And not having the finances as a team with as many specialized events such as track and field has can add to that challenge. “Where we are as a program financially, it makes it challenging,” Lindsey said. “This is not just our program. There’s a lot of programs
around, even in Division I, that struggle with getting all the events covered with a quality event coach given the finances and resources at their disposal.” Even when the group is able to practice, Castore said the different events that are a part of throwing also pose an issue. “With throwing, you basically have to be watched a lot because that’s how you get fixed,” Castore said. “With running, the coach is watching you run the track because they’re timing you, and with throwing events, someone needs to be looking at you full time. It was kind of hard, even when coach Anthony (San Fillippo) was here, because javelin is all the way across the field, discus is over here, shot (put) is over there. So you would need three coaches at once to fulfill his role.” While the lack of an event coach has hampered the group, the Lions continue to improve in the throwing department. The group had a disappointing start to the 2015-16 season, as they faced tough opponents like Princeton
and Monmouth universities. At the Metro Holiday Season Opener on Saturday, Dec. 5, the group’s first meet without an event coach, both the men and women struggled. Sophomore Joseph Ratner placed 16th out of 37 in the men’s shot put and was the highestplaced member of the men’s group. The women didn’t fare much better, as sophomore Megan Nugent placed 31st out of 37 in the women’s shot put. Nugent and senior Allison Ruszczyk placed 20th and 22nd, respectively, out of 25. Since then, the group has improved in every subsequent meet, finishing higher each time. Nason feels the continued improvement since then is a testament to the team’s ability. “I think a lot of it can be attributed to the character of the throwers and their ability to continue to work hard in spite of not having an (event) coach to guide us,” Nason said. “The fact that we are still improving shows that we are putting the work in to get better outside of just the sport. The strength and conditioning coach, Addison Savela, designed a program specifically for our event group that helped us, as well, getting in better condition for the season.” Nason thinks that while the team can still improve this season, they are also looking forward to the outdoor track and field season once this current one is over. “Hopefully we can continue this success into the upcoming outdoor season by continuing to work hard and improve each day so we can help the team bring home a conference title at the end of the season,” he said. However, Nason believes that in
spite of not having an event coach, the group hasn’t made one of its own players an impromptu coach. The men’s team is composed of three sophomores and one junior, Castore, while the women’s side has two freshmen, one sophomore and a senior, Ruszczyk. “I don’t really think any one person could be attributed with the title ‘coach,’” Nason said. “So far, we’ve just tried to use our collective knowledge of each event to help improve each other’s technique. By this point, everyone has had at least some experience in each event, so we know what to look for and try to correct it by watching and recording throws in practice to work out the kinks. That being said, the upperclassmen have stepped up in the leadership role. Both Billy and Allison try to help us in our events and motivate and encourage us to work hard to improve.” Nugent also praised the upperclassmen of the group. “I mean, Billy’s captain and Allison is a senior, so I feel they’ve been helpful and coaches almost,” Nugent said. As the outdoor track and field season continues up until late May, the event group may be getting a coach soon. The Sports Information Desk has posted, as of Wednesday, March 2, information on the NCAA website trying to hire a new throwing event coach. “(The) desired candidate will design and implement a full training program for the throwers, recruit competitive athletes for the program and fulfill other duties as assigned by the head coach,” the announcement said.
page 26 The Signal April 6, 2016
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April 6, 2016 The Signal page 27
AROUND THE
DORM 5 3
Otto Gomez “The Ref”
George Tatoris Sports Assitant
Sean Reis
Production Manager
Sydney Shaw
Managing Editor
In this week’s edition of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Otto Gomez, asks our panel of experts three questions: Where does Steph Curry stand historically after this season? Who will be the top picks in the upcoming NFL Draft and what team will step up in MLB during the 2016 season?
1. How does Steph Curry’s season and career stack up historically after another record-breaking year? George: Curry has basically cemented himself in basketball history. Right now, he’s got the most three-pointers in a single season in the history of the NBA. And the second most three-pointers in a season in 2014-2015. And the third most in 2012-2013. The only player who can beat Curry is, well, Curry. In 10 years, there will probably be a “Space Jam” reboot starring Curry. Twenty years from now, collectors will be on the lookout for Steph Curry basketball cards. Ten years later, with earth’s resources minimal, President Curry will face a roided Emperor Putin II in a one-on-one shootout to prevent WWIII. The Game to End All Games. Curry will win, of course, but it won’t be enough. The nukes are launched. In 2000 years, a scavenger finds buried beneath the ash, a play-by-play of the game. Worshippers flock to what will be known as the Holy Bible of Curry. Curryists practice the Sacrament of the Holy Three-pointer: “Peace for all,
AP Photo
Love for all, Basketball for all.” Sean: While it may not be fair to compare Curry to players of the past, it is necessary because today’s players will still go down in history with the greats. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Curry — these are talented players who should not be forgotten. Especially
Curry with the shot because “Chef Curry with the pot” has cooked up quite the career. As of Sunday, April 3, Curry has made 369 three-pointers this season and for the greatest shooter of all time to surpass 400 is not off the table yet. Yes, you read that right, I called Curry the greatest shooter of all time.
A bold statement, but Curry has not only set the record (for the third time) — but this time, Curry shattered the record like Shaq and a backboard. Before Curry first broke the record, Ray Allen and Dennis Scott were the top two with 269 and 267 three-pointers made, respectively. With 100 more threepointers made and still counting, I no longer doubt that Curry’s career will stack up historically as the greatest shooter of all time. Sydney: I’m rooting for Curry all the way, and I think he’s already measuring up with the LeBrons and Kobes of the NBA. He put forth an excellent performance this season and throughout his career and is widely considered one of the best shooters in basketball history. Curry is the first player in NBA history with 300 threes in a season. Now, with a championship under his belt, Curry’s is on the path to becoming one of basketball’s alltime greats. Next season’s showing should speak volumes about his future career, but I think it’s already safe to say that we can continue to expect great things from the Warrior.
Sydney gets 3 points for future growth. Sean gets 2 point because Curry is a whole lot more than just a shooter and George gets 1 point because Ball is Life, always.
AP Photo
2. Who are your projected top three picks in the upcoming NFL Draft? George: Tennessee is going to go for offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Titans need someone to keep Marcus Mariota safe in the pocket and Tunsil would do an excellent job. He would
also pair well with left tackle Taylor Lewan. No. 2 overall will be quarterback Carson Wentz. After sacking Johnny Manziel, the Browns are going to need another young quarterback (QB) to fill the void, and Wentz is the best choice. The guy’s arm is NFL-level strong, which is
something a pro QB needs. Jalen Ramsey will go next, assuming the Titans don’t get him first. He’s certainly got the skill — in three years he was a three-time All-American, broke up 23 passes and intercepted three more, forced three fumbles and recorded five sacks. Sean: “With the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will read. “Laremy Tunsil, offensive tackle, University of Mississippi.” Tennessee needs a top tier tackle to protect their franchise quarterback, Mariota, because that kid got beat week after week last season. “With the second pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Jared Goff, quarterback, University of California, Berkeley.” Definitely a toss up between Goff and Wentz, the other top QB in the draft. For whatever reason, my gut here is telling me Goff, though, but whoever Cleveland drafts will do well. These two kids are smart, literally the opposite of “Johnny Football” and
I like both. “And with the third pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select Joey Bosa, defensive end, The Ohio State University.” Lastly, San Diego will likely be the first team to pick defensively for the draft and it is obvious because Bosa is a BEAST! Sydney: It might seem like I’m jumping on the bandwagon by picking Ole Miss’s Tunsil as the top pick, but he’s No. 1 in the polls for a reason. Tunsil has ideal height and bulk for the left tackle position and he is explosive in the passing game. For the No. 2 pick, I’m going with Florida State’s Ramsey. He has the perfect combination of aggression and ballhandling skills to really make his mark during games. He’s also proven to keep his cool in high-pressure situations. His versatility suits him for the safety position and I’m excited to see his performance. Finally, I’m rooting for Ohio State’s running back Ezekiel Elliott. Once he finds his momentum, there’s no stopping this 6-foot, 225-pound machine.
George gets 3 points for noting the current favorites, as much as I don’t like them. Sean gets 3 points for including Joey Bosa and Sydney gets 1 point because the Browns need a QB. 3. With the baseball season getting underway, what is your bold prediction for the season? George: I want the Chicago Cubs to win a World Series. Here’s a list of things that have happened since they last won in 1907. Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union. The Arizona Diamondbacks were created and won a World Series. The U.S. won two world wars and a Cold War. Leninist communism was conceived, tested and then fell apart. The Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire were destroyed. It’s not like they’re talentless. They got to the National League (NL) Championship last year. If Chicago doesn’t win a World Series in the next 22 years, their losing streak will have lasted for half of America’s existence. But hopefully that won’t happen. Sean: I am going to keep this short and sweet like that Skoal Xtra Rich Blend chewing tobacco that the players can’t even pack inside the New York stadiums anymore! My bold prediction for the 2016 season is that the Cubs will win the World Series. Chicago looked great last season until the New York Mets dominated them in the NL Championship and
to be quite honest, I have to predict that the Cubs will land back on their paws this season. Chicago’s best lineup in decades is looking even better and more experienced this year: Ben Zobrist, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, alongside one of the best outfields in the league with Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward and Jorge Soler, plus an improved bullpen. That lineup is about to finally lift the city’s curse. Sydney: The Cubs are going to win it all. It’s certainly a bold prediction to root for the longtime losers to go all the way. The team hasn’t won a World Series in the last 107 years or even appeared in one in the last 71. Last season, though, the Cubs showed a new side. With one of the MLB’s youngest squads, the team won 97 games before falling in the league championship round of the postseason. The Atlantic wrote that a Cub’s World Series win in 2016 would “further solidify the sport’s new doctrine, one that values flexibility over outdated brawn,” and I couldn’t agree more. With the addition of players such as Heyward, who arguably plays the best right field in baseball, and Zobrist, World Series, the Cubs are my pick.
George, Sean and Sydney all get 2 points for picking the odds-on favorite on the season and not a bold pick.
Sean wins Around the Dorm 7-6-6.
AP Photo
page 28 The Signal April 6, 2016 Cheap Seats
Tennis splits between top team, goes 1-1 By Connor Smith Social Media Editor
The men’s and women’s tennis teams battled harsh winds and tough opponents in last week’s Division III (D-III) matches. Both teams went 1-1 on the week, as they continue to test themselves against top ranked opponents. Both teams hit the road on Saturday, April 2. The women’s team traveled to Swarthmore College, while the men’s team sought revenge against a familiar foe in Fredericksburg, Va.: the men’s team earned their 6-3 win over New York University (NYU), while the women’s team beat Swarthmore College, 8-1. The men’s team matched up well against NYU on Wednesday, March 30. With the heightened stakes of a rivalry game, the doubles competition looked bleak for the College. While juniors Jack August secured an 8-1 win on court one, the Lions were met with tough opposition on courts two and three. Freshmen Matt Puig and Tim Gavornik faced match point, down 5-7 on court three, as senior Pierce Cooper and freshman Mitchel Sanders were locked in a tie game on court two. “Matt kept saving all those match points,” Gavornik said. “I knew I just had to give him a break-point chance.”
The freshmen duo rallied to win four straight games, bringing home the set, 9-7. With the news of a 2-0 lead in the back of their minds, Cooper and Sanders rallied through a tiebreaker to win 9-8 (8-6). “The atmosphere was unbelievable,” Puig said. “Every time we saw them get a big shot, we got pumped up and vice versa.” The Lions clinched the win with victories on courts four and six. Stanley (6-3, 6-1) and Gavornik (6-0, 6-1) translated momentum from doubles into the match-clinching victories in singles competition, while sophomore Chris D’Agostino tacked on a win in straight sets (6-5, 6-1) on court five to end the match 6-3 in favor of the College. “They’re our northeast rivals, so to do it against them is huge,” Gavornik said. “It was a great, overall team win.” The players on the men’s team weren’t the only ones who faced fierce doubles competition. Freshman Grace Minassian and sophomore Maddy Stoner found themselves tied at eight on court one against Swarthmore College on Saturday, April 2. “First and second doubles fought through tough matches,” head coach Scott Dicheck said. “Everyone really stepped up.” In the end, the College netted all three wins in doubles, winning the tiebreaker on court one 9-8 (7-4).
Connor Smith / Social Media Editor
The men’s team faces fierce competition and comes out with a win. Seniors Emma Allen and Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette won 8-5 on court two, while junior Anna Prestera and freshman Alyssa Baldi won 8-3 on court three. “We played some of our best singles all year,” Dicheck said. “Emma just dominated — every time she went to swing, you knew something good was coming off her racquet. You knew she could hit a winner at any time.” The College lost its shutout to a third set tiebreaker on court four, but earned major wins in straight sets on every other court.
Meanwhile, the men’s team dropped their first D-III match of the year on Saturday, as they fell, 6-3, to University of Mary Washington, the team that eliminated the College from the NCAA D-III Tournament last May. “We had our chances in the doubles,” Dicheck said. “The truth is, they were just a little bit better.” On Sunday, April 3, the women’s team hosted Skidmore College with a renewed sense of confidence while facing a team that has bested them often in recent years.
The Lions dropped courts one and two by narrow margins (8-6 and 8-4). Prestera and Baldi put the team on the board with an 8-5 win on court three. Unfortunately for the College, Skidmore clinched the victory with singles wins on courts one, two, five and six, ending the match, 6-3. Meanwhile, the men’s team is still on the hunt for an NCAA DIII Tournament seed. “We obviously had fun beating NYU,” Puig said. “Now we need to look forward.”
Cheap Seats
Golden State Warriors may be losing the fight
Curry is currently the most reliable player on the team.
By Matthew Ajaj Staff Writer
Scandal’s 1984 song “The Warrior” begs the question, “Who’s the hunter, who’s the game?” This inquiry finds its way into modern relevance, since the reigning-champion Golden State Warriors are starting to show signs of weakness as the playoffs draw near. In a nail-biting Friday night fight to the finish, the Warriors fell to the Boston Celtics on Friday, April 1, in their home court, Oracle Arena, effectively ending the title defenders’ NBA record 54-game home win-streak for the regular season. Golden State was plagued by turnovers all night long, producing an uneven effort that made for its sloppiest affair of the season. The Celtics looked much more determined and poised, causing the ordinarily aggressive and unstoppable Warriors to appear timid
AP Photo
and vulnerable. First and foremost, the Warriors deserve a congratulatory pat on the back for such an implausible run — they had not lost a home game since January 2015. Since then, the team has won a championship and reigning MVP Stephen Curry has developed into almost inarguably the best basketball player in the world. With an NBA-best 68-8 record, Golden State is still sitting pretty at the top of the Western Conference. There remains the strong possibility that the team surpasses the best regular season record of all-time, an achievement currently held by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who were led by the great Michael Jordan to a 72-10 record. Yet, despite all of this success, there seems to be trouble brewing in Golden State’s basketball paradise. This is not the same Golden State
team that started off the season 24-0. Since losing sixth man Andre Iguodala from the bench due to an ankle injury in mid-March, the team’s play has visibly faltered. They are not blowing opponents away like they did earlier in the season and are instead letting teams stick around until the game’s final minutes before squeaking out their victories. Their “struggles” were emphasized in the Thursday, March 19, loss to their most formidable foe, the San Antonio Spurs, as the Warriors only managed a meager, season-low 79 points. Ian Clark and Brandon Rush — the primary inheritors of Iguodala’s missed minutes — are simply not filling in the sixth man’s shoes well enough. Another noteworthy deficiency has been power forward Draymond Green’s play since head coach Steve Kerr fully recovered from surgery and took back his coaching duties from the interim man Luke Walton in late January. Green was a dark horse candidate for the MVP in the early going, but simply has not played to the same effectiveness since. Of course, these revelations are somewhat underwhelming seeing how the Warriors are the NBA’s best team regardless. Iguodala will be back before the playoffs begin and Green has still been playing like an All-Star although to less of an extent than before. Still, a championship repeat will be tough. It sounds crazy considering that the Warriors have only gotten better since last season, but winning a title this year will be much tougher for the Warriors than it was for them in 2015. One factor for this tough time is the fact that they were a lucky team last year. The Warriors were fortunate to not experience any injuries down the stretch
in 2015, while many of their adversaries found themselves hobbled and hampered. It can be argued that the Warriors created their own “luck” in the sense that management had assembled a younger, historically-healthier team. However, it cannot be debated that the Warriors lucked out with an easy playoff schedule. Thanks to some strange upsets, they managed to avoid both the Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers — conceivably their two biggest threats. The good fortune factor was most evident in the NBA Finals, where the healthy Golden State team managed to overcome the Kevin Loveless Cleveland Cavaliers — the Cavs were also without Kyrie Irving after Game 1 of the series due to another injury. By the law of averages, one may figure that the Warriors’s injury and competition luck will have to run out soon enough. The opposition will undoubtedly be better in 2016-2017. The Warriors appear poised to face either the Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, two teams that are arguably the most capable to push the Warriors into a deep series. If Golden State faces off against Cleveland in the Finals once again, it is unlikely that Love and Irving will not be on the court. However, the greatest threat to Golden State’s championship defense run is themselves. The tension is mounting as the young squad tries to make NBA history with the best regular season record of all-time and, at the same time, meeting the nationwide expectation for them to win it all once again. The Warriors have a target on their backs as every playoff team will be eager and on the prowl to take down the former champs. If they become caught up in the pressure, the Warriors might soon find themselves shooting at walls of heartache.
April 6, 2016 The Signal page 29 Cheap Seats
Zack Ryder lives his dream at Wrestlemania By Michael Battista Sports Editor Wrestlemania 32, World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) biggest event of the year, not only blew away the fans, but also the seating record in the event’s 31year history, with an announced attendance of 101,763 people. But while I could talk about the amazing card, matches like Charlotte / Becky Lynch / Sasha Banks for the newly-created WWE Women’s Championship — which is replacing the WWE Divas Title — and Shane McMahon vs The Undertaker in Hell in a Cell, I won’t. Instead, I want to focus on the match that kicked off this year’s event — The WWE Intercontinental (IC) Title ladder match. This match broke me. My friends and I watched it together via Skype, but I was behind, due to our beautiful college’s internet. A message broke the silence. “Oh my God! That finish!” Twenty seconds later, screams and shouts of “Oh, my God” echoed from my open window, as I collapsed to my knees in shock and joy. Seven men had entered the ring to compete in this match. There was Kevin Owens, the defending IC champion and fanfavorite heel, or bad guy, whose sarcastic tongue could only be matched by his in-ring talent. Then there was Sami Zayn, the extremely talented and well-liked
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Zack Ryder holds the WWE Intercontinental Title high after his Wrestlemania 32 win. young man from WWE’s developmental program NXT. He had been described as “the heart and soul of NXT” by many in the company and looked to start a feud with Owens. The others included The Miz, the former WWE Champion whose ability to piss people off is almost unfathomable, Dolph Ziggler, another fan favorite whose former World Title win left fans craving more as time wore on, Sin Cara, whose high flying skills and current tag team
with United States Champion Kalisto have brought him back to relevance with fans, and Stardust, the strange character billed from the 5th Dimension whose polka dotted Wrestlemania attire paid tribute to his late father, wrestling great Dusty Rhodes. And then there was Zack Ryder, the “broski” from Long Island, N.Y. Ryder, who hadn’t won any title in WWE since 2011, seemed almost as though he didn’t belong in the match. His charismatic attitude and
genuine determination to achieve success in the company has always garnered him support, especially after his self-produced internet show “Z! True Long Island Story” took off in 2011 and showed how charming a character he could be. But as he stepped into the ring, Ryder almost seemed out of place. His sudden placement in the match screamed replacement to me, especially after Neville, the high flying “man that gravity forgot,” injured himself a few weeks back in a match against
Softball
Chris Jericho. Even still, part of me wished to see him win. Just over 11 minutes into the match, the entire ring and surrounding area was covered in the bodies of beaten competitors and broken ladders. The Miz had found himself atop the ladder in the middle of the ring, sitting and gloating as he reached for the title. A single hand emerged from behind him, shoving him off into the ring below. Ryder quickly climbed the ladder and snagged the belt from its swimming perch to the shock, amazement and joy of the crowd. His theme music played and Ryder held the white belt high in accomplishment. He was quickly joined in the ring by his father, who had always been by his son’s side during his wrestling career, as the two embraced in a hug. Ryder, who didn’t seem like he belonged at the match’s start, left AT&T Stadium as champion. I think he said it best in a post-match interview. “I just wanted to hear my (theme) music play at Wrestlemania,” Ryder said. “But I won the ladder match, I became the Intercontinental Champion, my dad came in (the ring), it was sick... This is everything I worked for. My whole life has lead up to this moment. If I retired today, I’d be a happy man for the rest of my life. I did it, I lived my dream. Woo woo woo, you know it.”
Lacrosse
NJAC / Conference win Tie / Lions keep pace
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Senior pitcher Katie Hourihan. continued from page 32
an ousting 15-1 victory next game. The Lions’s offense highlighted the match with a whopping 12 hits. Junior infielder Colleen Phelan led the offense with three runs batted in (RBI). Meanwhile, Lions ace sophomore pitcher Sam Platt picked up her seventh victory of the season by holding the Cavaliers to three hits and striking out six. “We win as a team and lose as a team. These past few sweeps would not have been possible if everyone did not contribute,” senior infielder Deanna Utter said. On Saturday, April 2, the Lions competed against their first NJAC opponent of the season, the William Paterson Pioneers with 4-2 and 3-1 wins. Similar to their last matchup, the Lions conceded two runs in the first inning off of throwing errors. Despite the rocky start,
pitcher Katie Hourihan set the tone by hurling six scoreless innings and permitting three hits. The Lions tied the score at two when Utter and Vuono scored off a single. In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions gained a 4-2 lead when sophomore outfielder Madison Levine and freshman outfielder Gaby Bennett both scored off a double from senior catcher Jamie Purcell. Afterward, senior pitcher Ashtin Helmer sealed the victory. The Lions followed up with a 3-1, lowscoring victory. In a pitcher’s duel, the Pioneers and Lions’s sophomore pitcher Sam Platt withheld each other’s offenses. The Lions marked the scoreboard first when Bennett scored off of Levine’s single. The Lions later extended their lead to three when Bennett scored again on a single from Purcell. In the midst, Sam Platt pitched six scoreless innings while only conceding five hits on her way to her eighth win on the season. As of Saturday, April 2, the Lions currently have a 15-8 record and Bennett leads the Lions’s offense with 25 hits and a .397 batting average. On the mound, Platt leads the pitching staff with an 8-2 record. The Lions hit south of the Garden State Parkway to Glassboro, N.J., for a doubleheader against the 17-5 Rowan University Owls on Tuesday. The Owls are currently in a 12 game winning streak. “We have to stay within ourselves and prepare our game. To compete against the Profs, we are going to have to play the game we are capable of playing and come out hungry for both games,” Utter said. Later on Saturday, April 9, the Lions compete against the New Jersey City University Gothic Knights in a doubleheader.
Team looks past loss
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Sophomore attacker Emily Kratz scores three goals for the College. continued from page 32
up four, the second most. “The (ground balls) I had to fight for changed the momentum of the game by getting the ball into our attacking while stopping their advancement,” Morrison said. By the end of the game, the Lions had 18 ground balls, almost twice as many as Cabrini’s 10. Those ground balls helped the Lions maintain control of the ball and score. Natalicchio led the offense with four goals and two assists. Kratz scored the first goal of the game and tied it up after the Cavaliers bombarded the goal early in the first period. Less than 30 seconds into the second half, Kratz scored a third goal off an assist from Natalicchio, another example of teamwork displayed on the field by
the Lions. The College had four assisted goals out of 10 overall — almost half — while the Cavaliers had only one. The Lions are 8-1 on the season after Tuesday’s win. The team’s only loss this season came just last week at the hands of the top-ranked State University of New York at Cortland. “It was a much needed win, it gave us our confidence back and just proved to ourselves that we are very capable of playing strong and together,” Natalicchio said. Harvey said the Lions found their footing again after last week’s loss. “We aren’t going to allow that previous loss to bring us down the rest of the season,” Harvey said. “We are learning from the mistakes made in that game and plan on playing even better than we were playing before.”
page 30 The Signal April 6, 2016
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April 6, 2016 The Signal page 31
Students enter CGC’s online ‘League’ tournament By George Tatoris Sports Assistant
Freshman biology major Jared Wilson spent the morning of Saturday, April 2, in his dorm room in Brewster Hall, packing his red suitcase. He heaved it across campus to the Business Building and unpacked its contents — a desktop gaming computer. Most players brought laptops to the event, but Wilson’s couldn’t run the game. “My laptop is really weak,” Wilson said. He joined a legion of other College students and alumni gathered in rooms 104, 105 and 106 for the Competitive Gaming Club’s (CGC) third annual “League of Legends” Tournament. Over the next eight hours, Wilson, senior biomedical engineering major Jeffrey Lawrence, junior finance major Chris Roberts, freshman history major Jackson Kim and sophomore accounting major Bobby St. Pierre dominated their competition, coming out on top in the eightteam tournament. The eclectic champion team met that same week and had very little time to practice together. “We played, like, three games yesterday,” said Lawrence, who learned about the tournament from a flyer in the engineering building. The ragtag bunch ploughed through their competition. It wasn’t even close. St. Pierre says the win came
from “individual raw skill.” Everybody knew how to play their roles and dominate their lanes. In “League,” the map has three lanes — top, middle lane (mid) and bottom lane (bot) — as well as a jungle in between. With five players per team, each player has their lane-specific role that they perform to fight through three towers per lane. After the team destroys the towers and reaches its enemy’s base, the team must destroy two more towers and then the “Nexus” to win the game. Wilson was the attack damage (AD) carry, whose job was to “farm” in the bot with the support player. They usually deal the highest damage late in the game, but are weak early on. Lawrence was the support, a role meant to help out the AD carry in the bottom lane with stat buffs. They are usually weak, but very vital to the team. Roberts was the midlaner, normally played by an assassin or mage, an ability power-based character that uses ranged magic spells, champion. In one of two solo lanes, they attack the enemy minions to farm the mid lane. St. Pierre was the top laner, a tank character whose role is to absorb damage. Since these characters are so hard to kill, they can go without support. Finally, Kim was the jungler whose job is to clear out the “jungle,” which is filled with neutral, non-player enemies. It was a long eight hours. By the start of the final game, the recycling
Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant
Players battle it out in the online game in the hopes to win prizes. bin in the back of room 105 was filled with plastic bottles once containing water, Gatorade or — most importantly — caffeinated drinks. The group had a stack of pizza boxes filled with a cheesy meal for the hungry gamers. Once the last game started, the frenzied sounds of mouse clicks and keyboard taps were only interrupted by the voices of the 10 players communicating amongst themselves. After 20 minutes — a bit short for a “League” game — it was all over. Since its release in 2009, the popularity of “League of Legends” has exploded. Senior interactive multimedia major Yuki Takahashi, the intercollegiate organizer at the CGC at the College, has seen the sport grow from “dozens of people in a basement to selling out Madison Square Garden” in
August last year, when the Garden hosted the regional “League of Legends” championships. “(ESports) as a whole are starting to become more accepted,” Takahashi said. Takahashi attributes the rise in popularity to accessibility. When he used to play tennis, buying specialized equipment was expensive, he said, but with “League,” the only thing truly needed to play is a computer, which most people already have for work or school. Downloading the game is free. “Anyone can download it and anyone can play it,” Takahashi said about “League.” As eSports gained popularity in the U.S., it also found an audience at the College, leading to the founding of the CGC in Fall 2014. Takahashi’s job in the club is to form teams to compete in an intercollegiate gaming league called the Collegiate Star League (CSL).
The club has two “League of Legends” teams in the CSL, an A-team and a B-team. The B-team was one of the eight to compete Saturday. The players won their first game, but had to forfeit so they could play in the CSL semifinals, which happened to fall on the same Saturday. They won and are heading to the finals. They didn’t even need to leave campus to compete. “We wanted to finish the CStar stuff because we put so much effort into that,” sophomore computer science major and future CGC President Beau Lamanna said. Lamanna hopes that events like this tournament will attract even more attention to the world of eSports and give casual players a chance to compete in a friendly atmosphere. “These events are pretty much the backbone of what this club is about,” Lamanna said.
Swimming
Shangle / A dream comes true Want to be on the Want to be on the other other side of this paper? side of this paper?
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Shangle swims his way to the Olympic time trials. continued from page 32 At the NCAA Championships in Greensboro, N.C., Shangle, who had to qualify with a time of 1:03.69 at most, was just one of three out of 100 swimmers to make it to the trials. Although Shangle has been a consistently dominant swimmer for the Lions and has had a successful career at the College, he almost left the sport for good. But a change of thought kept the swimmer in the water. “My sophomore year, I really wanted to quit swimming and I remember being in (head coach Brian Bishop’s) office telling him that I wanted to quit and that the only thing stopping me was him and the team,” Shangle said. “This group of people supported me in so many ways other than in the pool and I really would have quit that year if I was not with this team or with this coach.” That decision to stay led Shangle to four school records and 14 All-American
honors with the Lions. Although Shangle has worked hard to make his dream a reality, he has a group of people that he is thankful to have as his support system. When he emerged from the water and saw the time, he couldn’t help but think of everyone who has been with him every step of the way. “At that moment, and still now, I felt like it is a gift from my family, coach and team to get that time — a gift from everyone to get to go,” Shangle said. “I feel that it is a gift from my talented coach, who paid attention to me to reach my fullest potential; a gift from my parents, who came to all of my races and supported me in every way possible; and a gift from my very talented teammates, who motivate me to be the best I can be. There are some things I think I earned in this sport, but this was something I could not have done without my coach, parents and team.”
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Senior qualifies for Olympic time trials
Sports
Lions pounce on their opponents
By Jessica Ganga Sports Editor Senior James Shangle was sure that a dream had just come true. After touching the wall, he looked up at the clock. Did the time allow him to qualify? Did he make it to the Olympic time trials or not? He had. Though there was no announcement, his childhood fantasy became a reality in that moment With a time of 1:03.64 in the 100-meter breaststroke, the veteran swimmer qualified to swim in Omaha, Neb., for the Olympic time trials starting Sunday, June 26. At first, Shangle wasn’t sure if he had qualified due to the fact that the announcer never said his name. “I was pulling myself out of the water, pointing at the time, yelling at my disappointed coach, ‘Hey that’s a pretty fast time,’ over and over, secretly thinking and knowing that the announcer had made a mistake and that I had just barely qualified,” Shangle said. “I met my coach five seconds later at the side of the pool, both of us unsure if I did it, until my mother screamed down from the balcony 20 feet away, ‘You did it!’” For Shangle, this has been an eighth grade dream in the making. With his hard work and determination throughout his four seasons swimming for the College, he has always remained focused and trained his hardest. Training for the trials will not be any different. “I’m doing everything I can to do my absolute best,” Shangle said. “I’ve been in the water every day since NCAAs and I intend to be in the best shape of my life when I get on the block.”
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Platt helps keep William Paterson’s offense at bay during an NJAC rivalry game.
By Miguel Gonzalez Sports Assistant
The Lions dominated their opponents during the past week with back-to-back doubleheader sweeps. On Wednesday, March 30, the Lions defeated the Cabrini College Cavaliers in a close 5-4 matchup and followed up with a 15-1 victory. During the weekend on Saturday, April 2, the Lions beat New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opponent see SHANGLE page 31 William Paterson University Pioneers,
with 4-2 and 3-1 victories. Looking to brush aside their home opener losses, the Lions claimed a 5-4, close victory against the Cavaliers. Senior pitcher Katie Hourihan endured a shaky start in the first inning as she walked three batters, allowing the Cavaliers to score two unearned runs. In the top of the fourth, the Cavaliers extended their lead to four when junior outfielder Amber Dietrich and senior shortstop Kaitlyn Cooper scored individual runs off of
Lions throwing errors. The Lions then snatched the win in the bottom of the seventh inning. Down, 4-3, senior infielder Steph Vuono landed on home plate from a single. With two outs, bases loaded and the score tied, sophomore outfielder Madison Levine hit a clutch single to send senior outfielder Kristen Fitzsimmons home for the game-winning-run. The Lions then proceeded to dismiss the Cavaliers in see NJAC page 29
Lacrosse team gains confidence after intense win
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The Lions offense has a strong showing against the Cabrini College Cavaliers. By George Tatoris Sports Assistant
A single point separated the
Lions’s Lineup April 6, 2016
I n s i d e
College’s lacrosse team from the Cabrini College Cavaliers six minutes and 30 seconds into the first period. The Cavaliers had
just answered the Lions’s goal with two of their own. They were close to a third tally when freshman midfielder
Erin Harvey caused a turnover in the Lions’s end zone during the game on Tuesday, March 29. “We needed to stop any momentum they were gaining, and regain control of the game,” Harvey said. “Getting the back check was great because the attacker wasn’t expecting it, but I was really just happy that Emily Kratz was able to capitalize on the eight meter once we got down field.” One minute, 11 seconds. That’s how long it took the Lions to move the ball from a Cavalier stick to the Cavaliers’s goal. After two fouls on Cabrini, sophomore attacker Emily Kratz scored on a free position shot. The game was tied. The Lions went on to take home a 10-4 win. “We came together as a team and worked on playing as one. The team played strong and worked well together,” senior midfielder/ attacker Cortney Natalicchio said.
The Cavaliers were swift, like horseback riders. Only 11 seconds separated their first two goals. In order to beat Cabrini, the Lions had to be cohesive. As Cabrini attacked the goal, the Lions’s defense would regain possession, then turn the ball over to the offense for a Lions goal. “Once (Cabrini) got it out, they were a fast team and we had to work hard to slow them down and get the ball back,” sophomore defender Elizabeth Morrison said. Ground balls were essential for this strategy to work — each one is a coin toss that could change the momentum of the game or keep the momentum going. Morrison had six ground balls last Tuesday, the most of any player on the field — Lion or Cavalier — while freshman midfielder Kathleen Jaeger picked see TIE page 29
46 53 Around the Dorm page 27
Baseball page 24
Track and Field page 24
Cheap Seats Page 28