The Signal: Spring '18 No. 5

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Breaking news and more at TCNJSignal.net. Vol. XLVIII, No. 5

February 21, 2018

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Project’ Vagina Monologues empower women ‘Whiteness prompts racial talks By Heidi Cho Arts & Entertainment Editor

V is not for Valentine. V is for vagina, violence and victory. V is for the play presented by Women In Learning and Leadership inspired by hundreds of interviews with women. Kendall Hall Mainstage Theater hosted the College’s annual production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” on Friday, Feb. 15. “It’s all about breaking the silence,” said Samantha Franz, a director for the production and a junior communication studies and English double major. The goal of many monologue events is to raise awareness for an issue — in this case, atrocities committed against women, according to Franz. Franz hoped that “The Vagina Monologues” would spark conversation among audience members and encourage them to leave with a different perspective on feminism than when they entered the theater. All proceeds from the event — from tickets to the chocolate

By Kaitlyn Njoroge Staff Writer

a round of applause, even a wolf whistle, as she left the stage. Two acts later, Zamlout told the audience “A Not So Happy Fun Fact” — that more than 200 million girls and women have been subjected to female genital mutilation. This, in contrast to her upbeat routine, left the audience silent.

Filmmaker Whitney Dow shared his interactive documentary, “Whiteness Project,” with the campus community on Thursday, Feb. 15 to prompt discussion amongst the campus community about what it means to be white. Before showcasing the project itself, which is a culmination of video interviews of white people talking about their racial identities, Dow told the audience how he got to this point in his career. “I didn’t just arrive here fully formed,” Dow said. “Like everyone, I have a history.” Dow was raised by academic liberal parents in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His father was an ethnographic filmmaker. When Dow was young, he spent a summer working as a counselor at a local YMCA, where most of children were black or Puerto Rican. One day, Dow decided to take his friends from the YMCA on a trip to a public swimming pool in the north

see SKIT page 13

see VIDEO page 2

The monologues spark conversation about women’s rights.

vagina pops on sale at the show — were donated to WomanSpace, ProNica’s Acahault Women’s Clinic and the Frontline Resistors Fund. In these ways, the play can help achieve the ultimate goal of the global V-Day movement: ending violence against women. The monologues ranged from peppy, light and humorous to dark, serious and heart-breaking, leaving

audience members reeling from the impassioned performances. Nicole Zamlout, a freshman English major, made her performance upbeat. Zamlout told the audience “A Happy Fun Fact” — the clitoris has twice the number of nerves as the penis. “Who needs a handgun when you have a semiautomatic?” Zamlout said with a smile. Zamlout’s comment prompted

Kim Iannarone / Staff Photographer

Office of Student Diversity seeks to promote inclusivity By Michelle Lampariello Managing Editor

Various social movements, campaigns and trends on campus throughout the years have strained the College’s relationship with diversity and the promotion of inclusion. From last year’s Trenton Hall controversy to this year’s rumblings about transgender bathroom rights, students have made it clear that while we have come a long way when it comes to tolerance and acceptance of all, the College still has a great deal of progress to make. Don Trahan Jr. joined the campus community in September 2017 as the College’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Since the start of his tenure here, Trahan has put multiple efforts into motion to create an environment that breeds diversity and inclusivity. Through the Office of Student Diversity, Trahan plans to launch a campus-wide diversity summit on April 9 to educate the campus community about acceptance of people and groups different from how they personally identify. The Office of Student Diversity is also developing a social media campaign titled #IAmTCNJ, which Trahan hopes will encourage students to post content that celebrates individuality and diversity. Trahan has also created opportunities for students to share their thoughts on inclusivity at the College in a series of forums titled

“Critical Conversations.” Trahan believes that providing students with the chance to have raw, unfiltered discussions about difficult and often emotional topics will create a more tolerant culture on campus. “Critical Conversations has provided students with a brave space to ‘be,’ which I believe has definitely impacted their voice at TCNJ,” Trahan said. “I am confident that our campus will continue to learn how to approach difficult discourse and abandon the binary mindset of right and wrong.” Trahan’s primary concern is ensuring that students who belong to groups that are often marginalized feel as though they are equally as empowered to succeed as any other student at the College. Lucy Brice, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and a junior finance major, recognizes the challenges of leading an organization that advocates for a minority population. “Being a historically black organization on a predominately white institution there is often a lack of knowledge amongst many within the campus community regarding the legacy, impact and relevance of our sorority and the Unified Greek Council,” Brice said. While college campuses tend to be progressive and tolerant environments, the sheer numbers make Trahan’s inclusivity goals more challenging. A 2015 survey of the College’s student

INDEX: Nation & World / page 6 Editorial / page 7 Sigma Lambda Beta Follow us on... Fraternity hands out flowers to students The Signal See Features page 11 @tcnjsignal

Opinions / page 8

Miguel Gonzalez / Sports Editor

Students of color advocate for an accepting campus environment. body recorded that only 10 percent of students identify as Hispanic, and only six percent of students identify as African-American or black, according to collegeportraits.org. The College’s vision statement makes it clear that the school aims to “serve as a national exemplar of public higher education, and we will do this while being committed to accessibility and affordability.” In its mission statement, the College says that it “empowers its diverse students, staff and faculty to sustain and enhance their communities both locally and globally.” Features / page 11

But the College’s relationship with the local community, specifically the neighboring city of Trenton, has lately been a controversial subject. In the fall 2016 semester, the TCNJ Committee on Unity, a self-proclaimed social justice organization, cropped up on campus. By the following spring, the committee engaged in a sit-in to protest the former namesake of Trenton Hall, Paul Loser and the proposed closure of the TCNJ Clinic. see TRENTON page 5

Arts & Entertainment / page 13

Sports / page 20

Student Soloist Night Students showcase their talents at Traditions

Club Ice Hockey Lions win conference title

See A&E page 13

See Sports page 15

page 2 The Signal February 21, 2018

Mysterious female attempts to extort student Campus Police catches students drinking underage By Brielle Bryan News Editor

Student sends pornographic video to stranger On Feb. 7, at approximately 1:30 p.m., a male student arrived at Campus Police headquarters to report a female who was extorting him for money, police said. The male student told police that a female added him on Facebook on Feb. 5. On Feb. 7, she contacted him via Facebook Messenger. After starting a casual conversation with him, she asked the male student to add her on a separate messaging app so they could video chat, according to police reports. Once they switched over to the other messaging application, she requested that he send a video of himself masturbating. After he sent the video, she told him she had recorded the it and would send the video to his Facebook friends unless he paid her $3,000, police said. The female individual also sent the male student a URL link to a YouTube video of him masturbating. While at Campus Police Headquarters

filling out the police report, the male student kept receiving video calls from the female individual. One of the officers answered the video chat and the caller hung up, police said. The caller kept trying to reach out to the male student by messaging him. Upon Campus Police’s request, the student blocked and deleted the individual from the messaging app and from Facebook.

Water bottle filled with vodka pushes student too far On Feb. 10, at about 12:25 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Travers Hall regarding an underage intoxicated male. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with the community adviser who reported that a student said that his friend had been drinking and needed medical assistance, police said. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with the intoxicated student, who was sitting on the floor holding a small trash can. He reportedly drank vodka from a water bottle, according to police reports. He did

not say how much was in the bottle. TCNJ EMS arrived and provided patient care and evaluation, police said. The male student was not issued a summons because his friend called for assistance, an act permitted under New Jersey’s Lifeline Legislation. Backpack thief strikes Packer Hall On Feb. 8, at 4:50 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Campus Police Headquarters on a report of a theft. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with a male student who advised that on Feb. 7, between the hours of 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., he left his backpack on the couch by Packer Hall’s weight room and went into the trainer’s room, according to police reports. The male student advised Campus Police that he was in the trainer’s room for about half an hour and when he returned, and his backpack and belongings were gone. A search of the area was conducted

with negative results, police said. At this time there, are no suspects or witnesses. The male student filled out a stolen property report and a victim notification form.

Intoxicated student heads to hospital On Feb. 11, at around 1:27 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to New Residence Hall regarding an intoxicated student. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with a female student who reported that her friend had become intoxicated after drinking an unknown amount of vodka, police said. The female student said she called Campus Police after her friend began vomiting. Ewing Township EMS arrived and provided patient care and evaluation, according to police reports. The intoxicated student was transported to the hospital for further treatment. A summons was not issued due to the New Jersey Lifeline Legislation, police said. Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at (609) 771-2345.

Video / Documentary sheds light on racial dialogue

Filmmaker shares journey of self-discovery and ethnic identity

Miguel Gonzalez / Sports Editor

Dow uses film to change students’ perspectives.

continued from page 1

end of Boston. Before the children could even dip their feet in the pool, a group of men surrounded the children and told Dow that if those kids went in the pool, they would get hurt. “And they didn’t use the word ‘kid,’” Dow said. This triggered Dow’s self-described “racial epiphany,” when he realized that the narrative he told himself clashed with reality. “I think that a lot of faculty could relate to that moment of epiphany,” said Susan Ryan, an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies. “Those moments when you realize ‘Oh, the world is not what I thought it was.’” Dow’s eye-opening moment started his transition from a career in advertising to one as a documentarian, which is how his linear storytelling documentary, “Two Towns of Jasper,” came to fruition. Dow tackled this film with his black filmmaking partner, Marco Williams. They decided to shoot

two different films, one with an all-white crew who would live on the predominantly white side of town, and the other with an all-black crew who would live in the predominantly black side of town. Dow’s film starkly contrasted Williams’, and the final film was created by interweaving the two together. The filmmakers felt like that was the only way to create scenes that accurately reflected reality. Dow made it clear that he was not trying to argue that white people are only capable of understanding the white perspective, and that people of color are only able to understand the black perspective. Dow wanted people of different ethnicities to engage in a discussion about how race affects them every day. Dow never thought he had a racial identity. It wasn’t until a seventh grader asked him what he had learned about his racial identity after working with Williams for so many years that Dow realized he had one. He described it

as his “red pill in the Matrix moment, where I could suddenly see how my race was impacting all of my social situations.” From that moment, the Whiteness Project was born. Dow wanted to ask white people questions about racial identity that they had never been asked before. Dow then asked if a member of the audience could choose one of the video interviews to watch. The audience chose to watch a video of a 22-year-old man named Wade. The video’s thumbnail depicted Wade, complete with his long dreadlocks, piercings and ear gauges, staring directly into the lens, thanks to Dow’s use of a camera called EyeDirect, which came equipped with a series of mirrors that reflected a face in front of the lens. By filming the videos this way, Dow was able to maintain eye contact with the person throughout the interview, by getting them to look directly into the camera instead of off to the side. “Somehow, it’s even more intimate than talking to somebody in person, because you’re really focusing on their eyes,” Dow said. Dow posed a question for his audience after the video played. “Is having a discussion on whiteness beneficial? Or is it elevating a voice that’s already elevated?” Dow asked. A member of the crowd who identified herself as a woman of color, believed that a discussion on whiteness was not only beneficial, but important because of its ability to humanize people. The majority of people who participated throughout the presentation were people of color. Dow saw this pattern during his every presentation he has given on college campuses. “I would like to have more white people talking, but I think

that it’s really hard,” Dow said. “If you’re a person of color, then you’re in the right in the conversation. If you’re white, and you haven’t thought about it, there’s a good chance you’re going to say something stupid. In the social environment of a college, that’s a big risk to take.” One white male, sophomore communication studies major Johnny Arnao, did raise his hand to speak. “See how all of you just turned to me when I rose my hand?” Arnao said. “Now I’m the minority in the room, because all of you are looking at me. The white people in the room, we will never understand what it feels like to be in the minority or black.” After the event, Arnao confessed that this was the first time he had participated in a controlled discussion about race. He expressed his discomfort about how the conversation would settle with his peers.

“I can guarantee you that I’m not going to go up to my group of white friends and say, ‘Hey everybody, be thankful you’re white,’” Arnao said. “It’s just not something that I’m going to say. Dow is currently a professor at Columbia University, focusing on teaching oral history, documentary and visual storytelling, according to the university’s website. He is also working on a film for documentarian Alex Gibney. What Dow has already produced for the Whiteness Project is only the beginning. Besides the two towns featured on the website, Buffalo, New York and Dallas, he’s taken his crew to other places with a predominantly white populations such as Battlecreek, Michigan and Richmond, Virginia. “I like the places to have some sort of a narrative themselves,” Dow said. “They give me an organizing principle around why I’m there.”

Miguel Gonzalez / Sports Editor

Dow prompts a discussion on how race affects daily life.

February  21,  2018  The  Signal  page  3

SG  investigates  mistreatment  of  Sodexo  employees

Randall Carrido / Staff Photographer

/HIW 6* GLVFXVVHV 7&8¡V VRFLDO MXVWLFH FRQFHUQV 5LJKW $ Ă€QDQFLDO OLWHUDF\ SLORW FRXUVH LV LQ WKH SUHOLPLQDU\ VWDJHV RI GHYHORSPHQW By Grace Gottschling Staff Writer Student Government discussed concerns over Sodexo’s DOOHJHG PLVWUHDWPHQW RI LWV HPSOR\HHV D PRGLĂ€HG /HDUQLQJ $VVLVWDQW SROLF\ DQG WKH GHYHORSPHQW RI D QHZ Ă€QDQFLDO OLWeracy course during its weekly meeting on Feb. 14. SG is investigating rumors that Sodexo, the College’s dining facilities provider, is mistreating its employees by reducing their hours to avoid the legal obligation of providing KHDOWKFDUH EHQHĂ€WV IRU WKHP 7KHUH KDYH DOVR EHHQ rumors of stark racial disparity between employees and management staff. 7KHVH FRQFHUQV KDYH EHHQ EURXJKW XS E\ WKH 7&1- &RPPLWWHH RQ 8QLW\ ZKLFK ZDV UHVSRQVLEOH IRU PXFK RI WKH FRQWURYHUV\ DERXW WKH 7&1- &OLQLF DQG WKH UHQDPLQJ RI 3DXO /RVHU +DOO WR 7UHQWRQ +DOO ODVW \HDU 7&8 DQG 6* DUH FXUUHQWO\ FRQFHUQHG DERXW ORZ ZDJHV reduced breaks and the lack of an established union for Sodexo employees. Sodexo also invested in the remodeling of the Brower 6WXGHQW &HQWHU DQG KDV VLJQLĂ€FDQW WLHV WR WKH &ROOHJH WKDW ZRXOG EH GLIĂ€FXOW WR EUHDN LI WKHVH DOOHJDWLRQV RI LPSURSULHW\

DUH FRQĂ€UPHG DFFRUGLQJ WR 6* SG is attempting to get more information on shift lengths and employee responsibilities, as well as any statistics on the percentage of entry-level workers compared to those ZLWK EHQHĂ€WV SG said that it is focused on fostering a welcoming and caring environment for every employee that works at the College, and stressed that the College’s relationship to the 7UHQWRQ FRPPXQLW\ DQG WKH FDPSXV FRPPXQLW\ LV RI WKH utmost importance. Earlier this month, the Steering Committee sent a memorandum to the Committee on Academic Programs regarding the consideration of D /HDUQLQJ $VVLVWDQW SROLF\ LQ UHJDUGV WR WKH peer-to-peer teaching courses that are currently offered in the psychology, physics and biology departPHQWV DW WKH &ROOHJH 7KH VXJJHVWLRQ IRU WKH SROLF\ ZDV given by Matthew Wund, chair of the School of Science Curriculum Committee. “While the College prides itself in not having teaching assistants, it seems appropriate to consider ways in which undergraduates can assist effectively in the classroom and can learn from this experience,â€? the Steering Committee

0HPRUDQGXP VWDWHG ´7KH H[SHULHQFH IRU WKH XQGHUJUDGXDWH /HDUQLQJ $VVLVWDQW PD\ EH FRQVLGHUHG DQDORJRXV WR WKDW RI DQ\ RWKHU LQWHUQVKLS +RZHYHU WKH XVH RI /HDUQLQJ $Vsistants also impacts the students in the classroom.â€? $ /HDUQLQJ $VVLVWDQW SROLF\ LV QRZ EHLQJ FRQVLGHUHG E\ CAP, which is discussing a mandatory inclusion in the sylODEL RI HYHU\ FODVV ZLWK DQ /$ 6WXGHQWV LQ FODVVHV WKDW KDYH /$V ZLOO EH DEOH WR NHHS WKHLU JUDGHV DQG *3$ FRQĂ€GHQWLDO IURP WKH /$ $ Ă€QDQFLDO OLWHUDF\ SLORW FRXUVH LV DOVR LQ LWV SUHOLPLQDU\ VWDJHV ZLWK QR FXUUHQW WLPHOLQH RI LWV GHYHORSPHQW 7KH course would be a voluntary option for students to learn PRUH DERXW Ă€QDQFHV DQG ZRXOG FRYHU WRSLFV VXFK DV PRUWJDJHV KRZ WR Ă€OH WD[HV EDODQFLQJ D FKHFNERRN EDODQFLQJ D EXGJHW DQG SD\LQJ ELOOV DQG ORDQV 7KH SLORW FRXUVH LV VHW to be a hybrid learning course, which is a combination of in-person and online sessions. If you are a Sodexo employee or have any clarifying information to offer SG, please email them at: sg@tcnj.edu. If requested, your name and identifying information will not be included LQ DQ\ RIĂ€FLDO SDSHUZRUN DV WR QRW HQGDQJHU \RXU HPSOR\PHQW status or relationship with Sodexo or the College.

Professor  creates  political  commentary  through  art By Erin Kamel Staff Writer 0XOWLPHGLD DUWLVW -R\FH <X -HDQ /HH presented footage of her art installations, which exemplify how visual culture shapes notions of truth and the “otherâ€? RQ )ULGD\ )HE LQ .HQGDOO +DOO DV SDUW of the College’s Brown Bag series. /HH ZKR WHDFKHV DW 1HZ -HUVH\ &LW\ 8QLYHUVLW\ DQG WKH )DVKLRQ ,QVWLWXWH RI 7HFKQRORJ\ KDG QR SODQV WR EHFRPH DQ artist in her early life. She attended the 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 3HQQV\OYDQLD DV D GRXEOH major in communications and psychology with plans to work in fashion marNHWLQJ 7ZR ZHHNV DIWHU VKH UHWXUQHG WR school from her summer internship in 1HZ <RUN &LW\ VRPH RI 3HQQ¡V :KDUWRQ School of Business alumni who worked DW WKH :RUOG 7UDGH &HQWHU ZHUH NLOOHG GXULQJ WKH DWWDFNV 7KLV FKDQJHG WKH ZD\ /HH VDZ WKH ZRUOG ´,I , GLH WRPRUURZ ZLWK QR ZDUQLQJ ZKDWVRHYHU ZKDW GR , ZDQW WR EH LQ WKH PLGGOH RI GRLQJ"Âľ /HH UHFDOOHG DVNLQJ herself at the time. /HH WXUQHG WR DUW WR SURFHVV ZKDW ZDV KDSSHQLQJ DQG PDNH VHQVH RI WKH LQĂ X[ of information and images coming from the media following the 9/11 attacks. 7RGD\ /HH LV KLJKO\ VHOHFWLYH LQ WKH way she consumes news. She does not ZDWFK RU RZQ D WHOHYLVLRQ /HH EHOLHYHV our relationship with the media has a profound impact on the way we understand society and view others. “While contemporary media washes over us, we can sometimes get lulled to sleep and we don’t realize what’s happenLQJ Âľ /HH VDLG She encouraged the audience to pause DQG FRQVLGHU KRZ PHGLD LQĂ XHQFHV WKHLU perspective of the world around them.

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page 4 The Signal February 21, 2018

Februrary  21,  2018  The  Signal  page  5

SFB funds CUS’ therapeutic yoga session provided to board. “The purpose of this event is to celebrate and educate the campus community about the Jewish holiday of Purim,â€? the proposal stated. “Often considered the most festive and joyous holiday on the calendar, it commemorates the miraculous survival of a persecuted people.â€? The Black Student Union was partially funded for its “Black Excellence Ball,â€? which will be held Tuesday, Feb. 27 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in Decker Hall. SFB funded BSU $2,450.30 for the costs of decorations, drinks, serving tools, food, a serving wall and the band Soulful Sounds. After the event was tabled at SFB’s Feb. 7 meeting, BSU provided further jusMeagan McDowell / Photo Editor WLĂ€FDWLRQ IRU WKH FRVW Chabad and Hillel receive funding for their Purim holiday celebration. of Soulful Sounds. By Eric Preisler the costs of the Empower Yoga Students who attend the session The band’s perStaff Writer rental fee and supplies needed to will be able to make pamphlets formance was free in past years make informational pamphlets with nine different yoga positions when its members, who are Chi Upsilon Sigma, Chabad for attendees. and mantras, which will allow alumni, attended the College. and Hillel and the Black Student At the hot yoga session, there people to include their personal“We really like the way they Union, were funded for their will be a yoga instructor who will ized goals, the proposal stated. sound. We connect with them events at this week’s SFB meet- be able to work with both beginChabad and Hillel were fully well. We think it’s important to ing on Feb. 14. ners and experienced “yogies,â€? funded $700 for the costs of a use the same people over and The College’s chapter of according to the proposal packet. caricature artist, jester and balloon over again,â€? said Anisa Douglas, CUS, a national Latin sorority, “We’re doing yoga exercises man for its Purim event in the Ed- treasurer of BSU and a sophowas fully funded $220.20 for its and practicing different tech- ucation Building Room 212 from more early childhood education event “Be A Yogie,â€? which will niques,â€? said Dianelis Mendoza, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 1. and psychology double major. be held on March 6 from 8 p.m. treasurer of CUS and a junior SFB funded these previously “Since they are a business now to 10 p.m. at Empower Yoga in nursing major. “We’ll also be tabled expenses after costs were we think it’s important for them Campus Town. providing education and provid- reduced from $1,000 and further to be properly compensated for The funds provided will cover ing services.â€? MXVWLĂ€FDWLRQ RI WKHVH FRVWV ZHUH their time.â€?

Trenton / Diversity integral to campus to one group of people,â€? Fiore said. “Many people think they are unwelcome in the Even after Loser Hall was renamed, organization, until we talk to them. It does students organized a peaceful protest dur- help that we have a diverse executive board ing Homecoming 2017 outside Trenton to help show people that we represent mulHall. As students knelt on the ground with tiple groups.â€? WKHLU Ă€VWV TXLHWO\ UDLVHG LQ WKH DLU D PHVFiore considers NAACP’s cultural apVDJH ZDV VHQW WR FDPSXV RIĂ€FLDOV WKDW HI- preciation events, like its upcoming Meltforts to establish a better relationship with ing Pot Talent Show, to be just as important Trenton and encourage inclusion needed as political advocacy. to continue even after immediate prob“Our campus chapter strives to make lems were solved. sure people know that our organization is Several student organizations seek to for everyone,â€? Fiore said. “We try to do minimize this marginalization and give this with events that (raise) awareness students a chance to feel comfortable about certain groups.â€? enough to express themselves in an incluTrahan has combined the resources of sive environment. Multicultural Greek or- WKH &ROOHJH¡V 2IĂ€FH RI 6WXGHQW 'LYHUVLW\ ganizations like Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity ZLWK LWV 2IĂ€FH RI ,QVWLWXWLRQDO 'LYHUVLW\ WR and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, as well as conduct professional development trainthe Black Student Union and the College’s ing sessions for the campus community, NAACP chapter, seek to give students who as well as local residents. belong to minority groups a chance to celBrice and the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alebrate their culture and advocate for social pha are happy to see the College’s progress justice issues. in its efforts to honor the school’s relation“We also are politically active and try to ship with Trenton and celebrate diversity raise awareness about politics with events on campus. regarding elections, voter registration and “The renaming of Loser Hall to Trenton absentee ballots,â€? said Vanessa Fiore, cur- Hall, the formation of the Advisory Comrent president and founder of the College’s mission on Social Justice, continuous critiNAACP chapter and a senior international cal conversations, sustained dialogues sesstudies major. “I would say our overall sions and the plethora of culturally based goal on campus is to create a campus that is student organizations and clubs on campus inclusive of different people and politically all attest to TCNJ’s efforts to promote diveraware of what is happening in the country.â€? sity and foster inclusion for all students on Fiore believes that political advocacy campus,â€? Brice said. is a key element of the organization that Trahan acknowledged that the College allows it to improve students’ college still has room to grow in its promotion of experiences. She also explained that stu- an inclusive atmosphere, but is proud of dents often misunderstand NAACP’s mis- all that students, faculty, staff and commusion — to support all groups of people, nity members have done to foster a sense of not just African-Americans. pride in diversity at the College. ´:H IDFH GLIĂ€FXOW\ ZLWK PDQDJHPHQW “My goal is to continue moving our because many people think that we are the campus forward, with diversity and inclusame as BSU, but we are much more po- sion being embedded across all facets of the OLWLFDOO\ DFWLYH WKDQ %68 DQG QRW VSHFLĂ€F institution,â€? Trahan said.

The purpose of this event, which is held in honor of Black History Month, is to honor speFLĂ€F VWXGHQWV IDFXOW\ DQG VWDII IRU their achievements that represent the community in a positive light, the proposal explained. The Association of Students for Africa’s event, “Akwaaba,â€? which would be held in the Brower Student Center Room 100, was tabled due to increased costs from last year, according to SFB. “The purpose of our club is to celebrate, promote and express the African culture to the TCNJ community,â€? said Oreoluwa Nubi, President of ASFA and senior public health major. “At this banquet, this is where we really show our African culture with performances, attire, clothing and food.â€? Akwaaba exposes students to African culture and unite people of all cultures, the proposal stated. The event will be representative of various African cultures and subcultures by serving both East and West African dishes, explained Ifeanyichukw Adibemma, treasurer of ASFA and a sophomore health and exercise science major. The proposed main performance would be the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, which is musical group that consists of drummers, dancers and masquerade soloists.

Vital Signs: It’s not too late for a flu shot

continued from page 1

Flickr

Vaccinations prevent further spreading of the virus. By Anna Kellaher Columnist

Minimize the spreading of germs by not sharing food, drinks, lip balm or anything else that touches your mouth. Sharing is Between classes, clubs and sports, the FDULQJ EXW WKH Ă X YLUXV LV FRQWDJLRXV IRU last thing any college student needs is to hours before symptoms appear, so you’re EH NQRFNHG RXW IRU WZR ZHHNV IURP WKH Ă X better safe than sorry. 7KLV \HDU WKH LQĂ XHQ]D YLWash your hands often. Hand rus is particularly active and has sanitizer is a convenient option, but lead to high numbers of hospitalit’s not as effective at killing germs izations and deaths. Flu season as soap and warm water. Wash for can be intimidating, but here are at least 20 seconds –– about as long some easy ways to stay healthy as it takes to sing “Happy Birthdayâ€? during the remaining weeks: in your head twice. *HW D Ă X VKRW <RX PD\ IHHO Keep your immune system like you’re late to the game, but strong by getting enough sleep, Ă X VHDVRQ FDQ H[WHQG DV ODWH DV eating healthy and exercising May. This year’s vaccine will reduce your regularly. Minimize your stress levels ULVN RI JHWWLQJ WKH Ă X E\ DERXW SHUFHQW –– long term stress can weaken your imaccording to the Centers for Disease Con- mune system. trol. While the vaccine is less effective 5HFRJQL]H V\PSWRPV RI WKH Ă X LQFOXGthis year than it has been in the past, any ing fatigue, body aches, chills, coughing level of protection will help keep the virus and a sore throat. If you think you have at bay. WKH Ă X FRQWDFW \RXU KHDOWKFDUH SURYLGHU Flu shots are available on campus at or Student Health Services and try to stay Student Health Services or off campus at away from others as much as possible to CVS, Walgreens and ShopRite. prevent spreading the infection.

page 6 The Signal February 21, 2018

Nation & W rld

Bus wreck kills 19 in Hong Kong By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer

Hong Kong suffered its deadliest traffic-related incident since 2003 on Feb. 11, when a double-decker bus crashed and overturned in a rural area of the city, killing 19 and injuring 65, according to The New York Times. Hong Kong’s public transportation system is generally considered to be safe. Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam has created an independent panel led by a judge to examine traffic safety, according to The New York Times. The bus was traveling from its stop at the Sha Tin horse-racing track when the bus came to a turn near Tai Po Tsuen and toppled onto its side, according to The South China Morning Post. The bus was speeding downhill at an estimated 42 mph when it approached a turn in the road. The appropriate speed for the turn is 25-30 mph, according to the Morning Post. Vice-Chairman of the Federation of Bus

Industry Trade Unions, Henry Hui Hon-kit, recalled situations where aggravated passengers distracted the driver, according to the Morning Post. “Basically almost every day bus drivers come across this situation of being scolded by passengers while driving,” Hon-kit said. “My highest record was being scolded three times during the same journey.” The bus was packed with approximately 140 seated and standing passengers, according to CNN. The driver, 30-year-old Chan Ho-ming, worked part-time as a driver for the Kowloon Bus company, according to Channel News Asia. Ho-ming was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and may face further charges of manslaughter, according to the Morning Post. Concerns have arisen over the combination of long working hours and low wages for bus drivers in the wake of the accident. Regulations established in 2010 limit drivers to working days of no more than 14 hours, with a maximum of 11 hours

A new independent panel aims to increase traffic safety.

behind the wheel, according to The New York Times. “It is a question of how we can ensure the bus operation is safe in Hong Kong, which

AP Photo

requires not only regulation on the part of the government, but also full support and cooperation of the bus companies,” Lam said, according to The New York Times.

White House releases federal budget plan

Trump hopes to fund tighter border security.

AP Photo

By James Wright Correspondent

The Trump administration unveiled its planned budget for the 2019 fiscal year on Feb. 12, just three weeks after a brief government shutdown. The proposed budget plan amounts to $4.4 trillion in spending and $1.5 trillion in tax cuts, increasing

deficits in an attempt to advance economic growth, according to The Wall Street Journal. Despite President Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric, which focused on a conservative approach to the deficit, the budget proposal put forth by the administration would add at least $7 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, according to The Washington Post. The proposal, titled “Efficient, Effective, Accountable: An American Budget,” most notably plans to increase military spending and set aside large amounts of money for border security with the hopes of funding a Mexican border wall, according to NPR. The bill also includes cuts to social programs including Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps, according to The Washington Post. The cuts would amount to $3 trillion over the next 10 years, but fail to balance the budget due to lost tax revenue and increased spending on other programs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Despite optimistic outlooks by the White House, the budget still fails to make up for the revenue lost by the $1.5 trillion tax cut that President Trump approved in December 2017. Tax receipts will be $314 billion lower in 2018 than in 2017, and $400 billion lower in fiscal 2019, according to The Washington Post. The presidential budget predicts that the economy will grow

about three percent annually over the next decade, in part due to the tax cuts, which contrasts with the projections of most economists. Federal Reserve officials, for example, claim that the economy will only grow about two percent over the same time frame, according to The Wall Street Journal. “Budgets are aspirational documents and seldom have a real impact on spending,” said Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina in The Washington Post. Meadows is also chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. He admired the budget’s support of the military, as well as the $17 billion allocated to fight opioid abuse. “Certainly I applaud the president’s willingness to address our military, veterans and many suffering from the opioid abuse epidemic,” Meadows said. Democrats are not pleased with the Trump administration’s plan. “These cuts to critical federal investments are so extreme they can only reflect a disdain for working families and a total lack of vision for stronger society,” said Rep. John Yarmuth of Kentucky, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, according to The Washington Post. This debate between congressional Democrats and Republicans adds to the high partisan tensions, as midterm elections in November will determine which party has control of Congress.

British charity faces sexual misconduct allegations By Jada Grisson Correspondent

The prominent British charity Oxfam apologized in a statement on Feb. 12 in response to allegations of sexual misconduct and prostitution within its Haitian unit, centered on events following the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010, according to The Washington Post In 2011, Oxfam as one of the humanitarian organizations with a presence in Haiti following the destruction of the earthquake. Though Oxfam admitted in September 2011 that staff members had left the organization due to allegations of misconduct, it did not confirm whether the misconduct was of a sexual nature, according to The Times. Further investigation into Oxfam’s report revealed Oxfam’s Chief Official for Haitian Relief, Roland van Hauwermeiren, was involved

in the misconduct, according to The New York Times. Oxfam conducted an internal investigation and issued and a report to the Haitian authorities at the conclusion of the investigation. The details of what was reported as well as the result have not been made transparent by Oxfam, according to The New York Times. On Feb. 4, Oxfam fired four people, including van Haumwermeiren. Three others resigned, such as Deputy Chief Executive Penney Lawrence, who was the program director at the organization when the alleged offenses took place, according to The Washington Post According to the results of the internal organization reported by The Times, drivers of Oxfam officials involved would frequently be asked to pick up prostitutes and take them to the official’s homes. “It cannot be ruled out that any

of the prostitutes were underaged,” stated the confidential report Oxfam issued in 2011, according to The Times. Oxfam is facing severe backlash. In one weekend alone, approximately 1,270 direct debit donations were cancelled as opposed to Oxfam’s average cancellation rate of 600 per month, according to BBC. A statement, written by Chair of Trustees Caroline Thomson and published by the organization on Feb. 11, apologized for the misconduct and pledged to stop such sexual abuse from happening in the future, according to The Washington Post. “In the words of our Chief Executive Mark Goldring, we are ashamed of what happened,” wrote Thomson in the statement. “We apologise unreservedly. We have made big improvements since 2011 and today I commit that we will improve further.” Brand ambassadors also stepped

Benefactors cancel donations in light of the scandal.

down as allegations came out. Actress and ambassador Minnie Driver was “nothing short of horrified” by the allegations, according to BBC. Lan Mercado, Oxfam’s regional director in Asia, spoke candidly to BBC about allegations from 20092013 involving staff in the Philippines, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Twitter

“Haiti has taught us we need to do a lot more,” Mercado said. “You know the funny thing about cases like this is that we always see them as reputational risks. But the way to manage reputational risk is not to keep silent … we need to be thinking about the reputation of the sector as a whole.”

February 21, 2018 The Signal page 7

Editorial

Healthy homework habits are essential to success

Much to the chagrin of my peers, I don’t do any homework after 8 p.m. Though I’m proud to say it, I know it makes me an outcast in a fastpaced college environment of strung-out caffeine addicts. We millennials wear our sleeplessness proudly, our eye bags and wan complexion unapologetically visible as we drift disorientedly into our first class of the day. We socialize with classmates and form friendships partly on the basis of how tired and stressed we are. Despite our different majors, backgrounds or where we come from, the one thing we all seem to agree on is how sleep is both fiercely revered and terribly inconvenient. I used to belong to this school of thought. Last semester, in the midst of changing my major and dealing with an existential crisis, I decided something needed to change. My high school habit of starting homework after dinner had been rendered obsolete by the strict deadlines my classes required. Every night, I would sit among the carnage of cramming, glance abysmally at the clock in the corner of my MacBook’s screen and feel my heart sink. Though I am a high-strung individual who literally organizes her closet to relieve stress, I resolved to change my ways for the rest of the year. I decided to not treat homework like an afterthought, to prioritize the regularity of an evening routine, to keep my textbooks and notebooks in a drawer out of sight and to stop doing homework after 8 p.m. It’s been nearly four months, and I could not be happier. Luckily for me, it was a natural transition. I began to remember what it was like to look forward to an empty evening, to sit down with friends or family and tend to life’s more heartfelt elements. Perhaps it has something to do with my English-Irish heritage, where drinking tea and having a chat is both a national pastime and a sacred evening ritual. Breaking habits is not easy, and this was no exception. I bought an alarm clock. I abandoned late nights of watching movies or listening to music in bed. I start working on homework before breakfast, and usually work through lunch. Despite the tough period of adjustment I suffered through, I have enjoyed every minute of it. The days seem longer and regularly paced. I feel more confident in my ability to get work done. I talk to my family more often, and I don’t feel as homesick. Undeniably the best part of my day, and the result I least expected, is that I get to watch the sky darken over Lake Sylva every single night. I would suggest this method to anyone who is willing to get in touch with themselves again. Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once wrote, “When I let go of who I am, I become what I might be.” This has been a guiding principle for me since I changed my lifestyle four months ago. Leaving time for myself in the evening has allowed me to catch up with life’s unforgiving pace, become closer with the ones I love and rekindle an appreciation for the little things. For me, life has become more vibrant and much less overwhelming. I am more excited than ever for what the future has in store. — Breeda Bennett-Jones Nation & World Editor

Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo, Sports, Review and Social Media editors and the Business and Production managers, unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.

Setting a schedule for homework can help eliminate stress.

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Quotes of the Week tcnjsignal.net Email: signal@tcnj.edu Telephone: Production Room (609) 771-2424 Business Office (609) 771-2499 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu

Editorial Staff Thomas Infante Editor-in-Chief infantt1@tcnj.edu Michelle Lampariello Managing Editor lamparm2@tcnj.edu Brielle Bryan Elizabeth Zakaim News Editors bryanb2@tcnj.edu zakaime1@tcnj.edu Miguel Gonzalez Malcolm Luck Sports Editors gonzam23@tcnj.edu luckm1@tcnj.edu Lily Firth Features Editor firthl1@tcnj.edu Heidi Cho Arts & Entertainment Editor choh2@tcnj.edu Emmy Liederman Opinions Editor liedere1@tcnj.edu Breeda Bennett-Jones Nation & World Editor bennett4@tcnj.edu

Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Forcina Hall The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Nadir Roberts Reviews Editor robertn5@tcnj.edu Meagan McDowell Photo Editor mcdowem4@tcnj.edu Julia Marnin Production Manager marninj1@tcnj.edu Heather Haase Web Editor haaseh1@tcnj.edu Maddi Ference Kristen Frohlich Social Media Editors ferencm2@tcnj.edu frohlik1@tcnj.edu Emilie Lounsberry Adviser lounsber@tcnj.edu Thomas Munnia Business/Ad Manager tmunnia@gmail.com

“My goal is to continue moving our campus forward, with diversity and inclusion being embedded across all facets of the institution.” — Don Trahan Jr., The College’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion

“If you can’t love yourself, you can’t give love to others.” — Cesar Cruz

Senior biology major and vice president of Sigma Lambda Beta

“If I die tomorrow, with no warning whatsoever, what do I want to be in the middle of doing?” — Joyce Yu-Jean Lee

Artist and professor

“I was sitting backstage the whole time going, ‘I hope they get it, I hope they get it,’ and they get it and it’s so good. — Samantha Franz Vagina Monologues co-director and junior English and communication studies major

page 8 The Signal February 21, 2018

Opinions

US needs gun control reform

Protesters advocate for stricter firearm regulations. By Ariel Steinsaltz Mass shootings in the U.S. have produced a staggering number of victims in the last decade. No place seems exempt, from the 20 Newtown, Connecticut first grade students and faculty members in 2012 to the 58 concertgoers in Las Vegas last October, and now the 17 people at a Florida

AP Photo

high school on Feb. 14. It is disturbingly common to turn on the news and hear about yet another tragic mass shooting creating innocent victims. After each incident, politicians and gun lobbyists say that it’s too soon to talk about gun control. It’s not too soon — it’s too late. Every time a shooting occurs, it is because we have waited too long

to take the necessary measures to stop it. These tragic stories are far from the only gun violence happening in this country. Large-scale gun violence has escalated in recent years — of the 30 deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history, 19 have happened in the last decade, according to CNN. While there is no official definition for what exactly constitutes a mass shooting, a general definition is a shooting where at least four people are shot or killed. According to this standard, there have already been 30 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2018, according to ABC. Mass shootings are not the only issue — most gun-related deaths in the country are suicides, and there are many accidental gun deaths each year, according to BBC. All forms of gun violence need to be stopped. Opponents of gun control often cite the Second Amendment of the Constitution and its infamous statement about the right to bear arms. Guns owners and supporters often

ignore the full text of the amendment, which states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The first clause is a precursor to the second — since a “well regulated militia” is no longer a part of our country, the right to bear arms is no longer necessary. The founding fathers were envisioning the primitive pistols and rifles of the time, and legislators need to take modern advancement of firearm technology into account when addressing gun control. Banning fully-automatic assault rifles seems like the most basic and necessary step towards solving the mass shooting epidemic in the U.S. Those who use guns for hunting would still be able to do so with a semi-automatic gun, and those who want to use a gun for self defense certainly don’t need a military-grade rifle to defend themselves. Gun licenses, background checks and safety courses should also be required, and people with

severe mental illnesses should not be allowed to purchase guns. There are those who claim that such regulations would be ineffective, as they believe people kill people, not guns. Yes, people kill people, but they most often do it with guns. This country has a serious gun obsession. Nearly half of all civilian-owned guns in the world are in the U.S., according to CNN. In the U.S., there have been 1,843 shooting deaths in 2018 alone, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Almost as many people die from gun violence as car crashes, with an average of 27 people dying from firearm homicides in the U.S. every day. Other wealthy Western countries come nowhere near as close to this number of deaths — the second-highest country, Canada, has five gunrelated deaths per day, according to The New York Times. We as a nation need to do something about this problem — there is no telling who the next victim of gun violence will be.

Transgender students deserve federal protection By Thomas Ballard I have always believed that the field of education should advocate for future generations. It should not just teach algebra and geography — it should incorporate the importance of social inclusion. It is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that all students have access to a quality education in an environment that is both welcoming and productive. The Department of Education’s Feb. 12 decision to no longer investigate civil rights complaints from transgender students prohibited from school bathrooms that match their gender identity is not just deeply concerning — it’s unacceptable. This is not the first step the department has taken to roll back protections of transgender students. Last February, The Trump administration revoked federal guidelines that stated transgender students have the right to use public school restrooms that match their gender identity, according to The Washington Post. After this decision, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice signed off on a letter to public schools regarding its decision to rescind the protections granted under the Obama administration. The department justified the action by stating that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which protects against discrimination on the basis of sex, did not apply to gender identity.

Emmy Liederman / Opinions Editor

Gender-neutral bathrooms are an inclusive addition to public spaces. The letter goes on to state that this action did not “leave students without protections from discrimination, bullying or harassment,” and promised that the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights will continue to hear all claims of discrimination. A year later, another promise has been broken and the Department of Education continues to disregard fundamental protections for all students. This recent addition to the litany of wrongs committed by the department is especially troubling. Not only has it taken away support for transgender students, it has taken away their

rights to be heard and to simply have their claims of discrimination be investigated. By stating that it is the job of Congress or the courts to determine whether or not gender identity is included under the guidelines set forth in Title IX, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her department forfeit their responsibility to ensure that our schools provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students. While the administration contends that this action does not promote discrimination, bullying or harassment toward students because of their gender identity,

there is no way that I can see that being the case in actuality. By taking away these students’ right to bring about their concerns to the department, whose mission is to foster “educational excellence and ensuring equal access,” the administration invalidates its own claims of valuing equal access to education. Inclusion of transgender students becomes dependent on whether or not state or local school boards wish to afford them that support. The Trump administration tells transgender students, who only seek to be the person that they see themselves as, that being who they are is not a right, but a privilege — something that can be confiscated with little, if any, notice. By taking away their right to report these instances, the administration is saying that this issue is a local matter, and not a civil right. Acceptance in a school should not depend on a zip code. If the Department of Education is committed to providing school environments where all students can strive for educational excellence, it must first ensure all students that they will be accepted in an educational environment. The actions taken over the past year by the administration dismantles, rather than reaffirms, this goal. DeVos and her department must reconsider their actions to ensure that all students can become their best selves while attending American public schools.

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The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via email to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office. Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 300 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs. The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or email us at signal@tcnj.edu.

February 21, 2018 The Signal page 9

Students share opinions around campus “How can mass shootings be prevented in the US?”

Emmy Liederman / Opinions Editor

Emmy Liederman / Opinions Editor

Rajbir Toor, a freshman economics major.

Emerson Pentecost, a freshman mathematics major.

“If the shooter had mental health issues, why was he able to get a gun? We need background checks.”

“We need to have proper background checks and at least highly regulate the most deadly weapons.”

“Should transgender rights be protected under Title IX?”

Emmy Liederman / Opinions Editor

Caleb Septoff, a freshman international studies major. “Transgender rights deal with gender discrimination, just in a different sense.”

Emmy Liederman / Opinions Editor

Ryan Engels, a freshman psychology major.

“Transgender people have the same right to be protected from gender discrimination.”

The Signal’s cartoons of the week...

CHANGING MAJORS? CHANGING MAJORS?

page 10 The Signal February 21, 2018

The School of Engineering is accepting change of major/program plan applications for TCNJ students (including current engineering majors) interested in the following programs: Biomedical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Engineering Science (Management and Policy & Society specializations) Mechanical Engineering Technology Education iSTEM Change of Program/Plan (Change of Major) forms are available online http://recreg.pages.tcnj.edu/forms/

Completed applications are due by Friday, March 2, 2018 in Armstrong 181 or STEM 232 Acceptance depends on available space and previous academic performance. Decisions will be available to students by March 9, 2018 For more information about our programs, visit www.tcnj.edu/~engineering Questions? Please call 609.771.2779

February 21, 2018 The Signal page 11

Features

‘Family Reunion’ creates night of festivities

Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor

Left: A buffet stocked with comfort food satisfies hungry students. Right: Students have fun socializing and celebrating black culture. By Alexis Bell Staff Writer The typically tranquil Social Sciences Atrium was bursting with loud laughter, rap music and cheerful vibes on Feb. 12. What appeared to be a lively gathering of friends was actually a “Family Reunion,” a commemoration and tribute to Black History Month hosted by the brothers of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The goal of the Family Reunion was to have a gathering for all of the multicultural fraternities and sororities on campus in a casual and comfortable atmosphere resembling reunions or parties held by their own families. “The purpose of this event is to have a program for our fraternity to honor Black History Month, but we want all people to come ... and enjoy themselves,” said Dejon Ricketts, vice president of Alpha Phi Alpha and a junior

urban elementary education and history double major. “We have food and games, so I hope everybody has a good time.” Heads Up, Scattergories, giant Jenga and Monopoly were just a few of the games students enjoyed at the event. “I like having a safe and relaxing social event to go to with my friends and the other multicultural Greeks,” said Cidney Robinson, a member of Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority and a sophomore interdisciplinary business major. “Events like this really bring us together when it comes to socializing and playing games.” The table of food was swarmed with students vying for the last of the mac and cheese, hamburgers, hotdogs and other snacks. “The food is really good and this whole thing is a really good idea,” said Nakyiah Horne, a sophomore criminology major. “I thought it was a great way to

get people out and get them to mingle. When you’re at school, a lot of time you don’t get enough time to interact with other people, but this is a good turnout. It was a really great idea to get people to be more social.” Loud music blasted from portable speakers as the students sang and danced along to popular rap songs. “Good friends is what made me come. It’s going amazing and it’s a great turn out,” said Sam Serrato, a member of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity and a junior Spanish and African American studies double major. “It’s something so simple that brought all people from different walks of life together.” The liveliness of “Family Reunion” could be felt upon walking into the room. There was nothing but positive energy as people from all different ethnicities, cultures and backgrounds came together for a night of leisure, friendship and entertainment.

Sigma Lambda Beta encourages self-love

By Alyssa Louis Staff Writer

Students beamed as they received red carnations, courtesy of the brothers of Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity and the College’s Counseling and Psychological Services, on Feb. 14 in the Brower Student Center. This Valentine’s Day marked the fraternity’s fourth annual “Operation: Beautiful” event. “This event is designed to spread positivity and mental health awareness,” said Michael Rojas, a junior mechanical engineering major and the president of Sigma

Lambda Beta. A red carnation, the fraternity’s flower, was given to anyone walking by the brothers’ table in the Student Center. The faces of most of the recipients immediately lit up with joy and gratitude when offered the flower. “I knew when I walked by that they were giving out flowers for free, but it still made me so happy when they told me ‘Happy Valentine’s Day,’ and I couldn’t help but smile,” said Lee Smith, a freshman elementary and special education double major. Valentine’s Day can serve as a magnifying glass on relationships

–– or lack thereof –– but the fraternity is trying to change the negative stigma associated with the holiday by implementing the simple act of kindness to make students on campus feel special. “Handing out these flowers is a great way of spreading positivity, and they can spread the love to their significant other or anyone,” said Cesar Cruz, a senior biology major and vice president of Sigma Lambda Beta. Stress and anxiety often consume those with or without a significant other on this annual day dedicated to celebrating love. According to a Forbes article by

Brothers of Sigma Lambda Beta give out carnations to students.

Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor

Johns Hopkins University professor of public health Bruce Y. Lee, the holiday can make people question the relationships they are in, summon painful memories of past relationships and overwhelm and sadden single individuals. “For the first time, the fraternity paired up with CAPS to make more of an impact,” Rojas said. “The expectations that accompany Valentine’s Day, the holiday intended to celebrate love and romance, can lead people into a cycle of depression,” Rojas explained. Social media contributes to the high-stress Valentine’s Day culture, according to Smith. “Sometimes while scrolling through social media it almost feels like everyone is just competing with each other to prove how amazing their girlfriend or boyfriend is,” Smith said. On the other hand, many people also used the holiday to show their love and appreciation for other important individuals in their lives –– including themselves. “Though I saw a lot of couples posting on Instagram, there were a lot of people simply celebrating friendship and self-love which is pretty awesome,” Smith said. The fraternity hopes their actions can raise spirits while encouraging fellow students to love themselves. The relatively simple gesture

“Handing out

these flowers is a great way of spreading positivity, and they can spread the love to their significant other or anyone.” —Cesar

Cruz

Vice President of Sigma Lambda Beta of distributing flowers is CAPS’ and Sigma Lambda Beta’s attempt to combat the negativity and despair affiliated with Valentine’s Day, while simultaneously delivering a meaningful declaration of compassion and tenderness toward members of the campus community. “If you can’t love yourself, you can’t give love to others,” Cruz said as he unwrapped the carnations, eager to distribute them to classmates. “It makes me feel good to make others feel good.”

page 12 The Signal February 21, 2018

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Jan.‘88

Campus Style

Scholar lectures about black history

Photo courtesy of the TCNJ Digital Archive

Black culture and history are celebrated throughout February.

Every week, Features Editor Lily Firth hits the archives and finds old Signals that relate to current College topics and top stories. During the month of February, we celebrate the contributions black Americans have made to our society, and how they persevered through a traumatic history of oppression. In 1998, an AfricanAmerican scholar lectured at the College to inform students about achievements of Africans throughout time in honor of Black History Month.

Ivan Van Sertima, eminent anthropologist and Egyptologist, lectured at Trenton State College on Tuesday, February 16, on the topic of the contributions of Africans to early European history. His lecture was based on a book he edited in 1985 titled “The African Presence in Early Europe.” Van Sertima said his lecture was an attempt to give a different vision on the African because the role of the African as perceived in Europe is that of a slave, servant or other “lowly role.” He explained, “most of the concentration in history and anthropology reflects a primitive or semiprimitive African. It is impossible to get a true sense of a civilization or an accomplishment and achievement of a people by focusing on their least important aspects.” Van Sertima went on to state quite emphatically that the African people were responsible for all the major elements, both political and religious, that were to become important in the later dynasties. One of the more remarkable things the archaeologists found was the beginning of the hieroglyphics alphabet. Van Sertima also said an efficient calendar was developed by the early Africans in Europe. The Africans adjusted the calendar

by deducting the 5 1/4 days. The result was a 360-day calendar with 12 months having 30 days each. Studies from Oxford University, the University of Hawaii and the University of California at Berkeley revealed that the first of man’s direct ancestors was born in Africa. According to Van Sertima, that is not new information. “What is new information,” he said “is that of the six stages of man, the last stage in the evolution of man, homo sapiens, has been found in Africa. As a matter of fact, evidence shows that the last stage of man moved out of Africa to Europe and Asia.” The studies also revealed that about 55,000 years ago the pigmentless, Caucasian type of homo sapiens emerged from the African race. Van Sertima said Africans gave birth to albino types, whose pigmentation was altered by solar ultraviolet radiation in the tropics and subtropics. He stated that it was a disadvantage to have black skin while living in the icy areas. Black skin is more sensitive to the cold. He said there was a change in pigmentation affecting the color of skin, eyes and hair and explained that a narrow nose is more effective in warming cold air. “You have contracting features in the ice and expansive features in the tropical area,” he said. According to Van Sertima, studies show that all homo sapiens can be traced to one black woman who lived 140,000 years ago. Van Sertima, who is fluent in Hungarian and Swahili, is the author of many books, including “Caribbean Writers” and “African Presence in Early Europe.”

The Culinary Club Presents...

Lions Plate

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Left: Dress shirts with colorful accents add personality. Right: Modest pencil skirts add a feminine touch to a professional outfit.

By Lexy Yulich Columnist

Whether you are applying for an internship, interviewing for a job or working as a student teacher, professional attire is a key component of any college student’s wardrobe. Despite the common misconception that business clothes can’t be stylish, there are easy ways to look professional while still being trendy and feeling like yourself. The first thing you will need is a comfortable and professional-looking suit or suit separates. I tend to favor dress pants over a suit skirt, but as the weather becomes warmer, a modest pencil skirt is useful. Stores like J.Crew, Banana Republic, Kohls and most department stores will have a large selection that allows you to pick colors and materials that work best for you. A tailored black suit is a classic, but charcoal and navy-colored suits are becoming more popular as well. After you have your basic suit, you can begin to explore dress shirts, blouses and sweaters. Generally, it is helpful to have shirts with different materials to accommodate the weather. For example, in the summer I prefer to have a lighter cotton blouse as opposed to silk or satin, but in the winter, wool sweaters and heavier dress shirts keep me warm. As for the color of the shirts, I begin with neutrals and then add a few

colorful pieces, such as a pale pink or light blue dress shirt. Once you have a few dependable outfit options, add accessories. A classy statement necklace, a dainty bracelet or your favorite watch can really elevate your outfit. Accessories are important because they allow you to add a personal style to any basic professional outfit. Having a professional-looking tote or purse is also helpful. Try to find a bag that is both functional and stylish. TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack have a wide selection of purses and totes that can fit your wallet, laptop and other belongings, but are still affordable and cute. The last step to creating your stylish professional outfit is shoes. Dress codes will vary between offices, schools and job interview settings, but for the most part, having a pair of classic black heels and a comfortable pair of flats will be more than enough. The great part about shoes is that they can also help you personalize a professional outfit. If you like a particular print, you can purchase a printed heel or flat to complement a neutral outfit. Remember to purchase shoes that are comfortable, and if you choose a heeled pair of shoes, make sure that you are able to walk in them. It is important that you look stylish and put together, but the office isn’t a place to show off your runway-ready shoes.

Mac and cheese in a mug

Left: Fresh ingredients make this mac and cheese tastier and healthier. Right: Macaroni in a mug is a faster alternative for busy students. By Julia Dzurillay Columnist If you hate washing dishes as much as I do, meals in a mug can be your best friend. From Lions Plate’s decadent french toast to our gooey chocolate cake, there are so many culinary shortcuts for students like us — food lovers who don’t always have time to cook. Lions Plate is here with another meal in a mug that will save you a trip to the grocery store. This recipe for mac and cheese in a mug takes Easy

Mac to the next level. Ditch the powdered cheese and use fresh, real ingredients to give this recipe a richer flavor that will leave you cheesin’ for more. Ingredients: 1/3 cup elbow pasta 1/2 cup water 1/4 milk (preferably whole) 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 tablespoon butter Salt and pepper, to taste

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Directions: 1. In a mug, combine water and elbow pasta and stir well. 2. Microwave for two minutes. Remove from microwave and stir. Place in microwave and heat for an additional two minutes. Remove from microwave and stir until the water has been absorbed by the pasta — reheat if necessary. 3. Add milk, cheese and butter to the pasta and stir. Microwave for an additional 30 seconds. 4. Add salt and pepper for taste, if desired. 5. Enjoy!

February 21, 2018 The Signal page 13

Arts & Entertainment

Skit / Monologues share message of strength

Kim Iannarone / Staff Photographer

Left: Performers take a stand against oppression of women. Right: Blanchard takes command of the stage with her astonishing recital. continued from page 1

As the play went on, performers sat down on the bleachers situated in the back of the stage as they finished their acts. Although most of the performances were solo acts, the group of onlookers gave a sense of solidarity and silent encouragement for acts that required emotional intensity and bravery. One actress, Sydney Blanchard, a freshman communication studies major, entered the stage decked in dominatrix black, portraying a female sex worker. Blanchard made the most use of the stage, dropping down low one second and standing with her hands on her hips the next. She then began to act out the different kinds of

moans her character has heard before, and the audience didn’t hold back their laughter, especially when she demonstrated the improvised “college moan.” “I really should be studying,” Blanchard said. “I really should be studying. I’m going to miss meal equiv!” The strong performances could be shocking and off-putting to the audience, but are necessary to illustrate what the danger that exists in the reality of women today. “It was a heartfelt look at women and what they go through in our society,” said William Braberman, a junior physics major. Fellow audience member Andrew Cenci, a sophomore elementary education and math double

major, agreed. “It was very powerful,” Cenci said. “It was very well performed. It left kind of a lasting impression to help stop violence against women.” Kate Augustin, a sophomore elementary education and psychology double major, performed the piece that left the most impact on Cenci, “The Little Coochi Snorcher that Could.” Augustin felt inspired to act in the annual production after she attended the monologues as an audience member during her freshman year. “Just to know that this is what women have gone through and no one has stopped it, especially the violence to little girls, it (lit) a fire under me,” Augustin said. Augustin felt satisfied to be a

part of the production. “It was such a learning and supportive experience,” Augustin said. “The directors are so kind-hearted, and they want you to succeed.” It all clicked, when Franz, one of five directors of the play, watched from backstage as the door opened and all of the cast filed in on Thursday, Feb. 15, for dress rehearsal. Franz’s voice swelled just thinking about the 500 hours she poured into the performance, along with all the work she and her peers have put into the production since auditions in November. “I was sitting backstage the whole time going, ‘I hope they get it, I hope they get it,’ and they get it and it’s so good,” Franz said. One monologue, titled “Six Year

Old Girl,” was a back-and-forth dialogue between a six-year-old girl and an interviewer who asked the child to personify her vagina. Both the interviewer and the little girl, portrayed by Gabbi Petrone, a freshman psychology major, asked and answered each question with perfect execution. Petrone accurately mimicked the confident, answers of the child without hesitation. Alyssa Cosio, a sophomore communication studies major, took a moment to digest a question asked of her, “What would your vagina say?” After a moment of thought, Cosio answered that her vagina would say, “Thank you. It feels good not to be alone.”

Student soloists astound audience with strong vocals By Heidi Cho Arts & Entertainment Editor

Students enjoyed a night of laid-back beats and powerful vocals at the first Student Soloist Night of the semester, hosted by the College Union Board in the Traditions Lounge on Feb. 13. The first performers were juniors Dylan Brigden, a psychology major, and Derek Arnheiter, an engineering major. Arnheiter sat atop his cajón, a boxy percussion instrument, while Arnheiter played guitar and sang covers of “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, “Location” by Khalid and “December” by Neck Deep. Arnheiter’s foot tambourine came into play during “Mr. Brightside” and other songs, adding another level of depth to the instrumentation. The percussion and guitar gave the songs an acoustic feel, even when the vocals picked up in volume and energy in the latter verses. The two were incredibly synchronized, alternating seamlessly between guitar and percussion and showing off the six hours of practice they put into the ensemble. Unlike the other performers, Brigden and Arnheiter played original songs like “Summer Fling” and “Otherside.” The latter song was heavily influenced by reggae, a genre Brigden started listening to only over the past few years. Most of Bridgen’s repertoire was inspired by the music he listened to growing up — ’90s punk and alt rock bands like Nirvana and Sublime. Lomonte performed next with her ukulele. It was the first time Lomonte had performed publicly. “I was super nervous before performing, but afterwards, I felt really happy,” Lomonte said. Lomonte started by covering two songs that naturally translated from one string instrument to another, “I’m Looking Through You” by the Beatles and “Brazil” by Declan McKenna. “Sweater Weather” followed “Brazil,” where Lomonte went from strumming consistently in the previous songs to barely at all, an unexpected but welcome change.

Lomonte covers “Brazil” with her ukelele.

Lomonte’s voice shone through most when performing “Cosmic Love” by Florence and the Machine, as her ukulele played second fiddle to her stunning voice. Julia Nemec, a senior psychology major, was impressed by all of the performances, but especially with Lomonte’s. “Her voice is beautiful and I thought her voice was very soulful,” Nemec said. “She sang from the heart.” Tess Marsh, a senior psychology major, performed last. Without any accompanying instruments, Marsh stood in the center of stage, hands casually in her cardigan pockets, as she belted out “Praying” by Kesha without any introduction. For her next song, “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse, Marsh invited the audience to sing along with her. No one took her up on her offer, but Marsh’s powerful voice carried through the Traditions lounge just the same. The upbeat tempo of “Valerie” contrasted the somber tone of Marsh’s next song, “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles. As the song played out, Marsh jokingly told the audience, “You can be happy now.” Marsh closed out the night by singing “At Last” by

Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor

Etta James, a song Marsh said she sang frequently in high school. Ki-Ana Rivera, a junior English and communication studies double major, commended the singing selections Marsh made. “The songs she chose… had fond memories associated with it,” Rivera said. “She had an incredibly beautiful voice.” Morgan Lubner, a junior English major and CUB Alt co-chair, looked forward to going to the event she helped organize. “I’m excited to hear all of them because I never experienced any of them play before,” said Lubner. Rivera finds that CUB Alt events like these bring students together through live musical performances. “It’s close and intimate, and you get to meet students you otherwise wouldn’t have met,” Rivera said. Student Soloist night united the audience through music, and exposed students to their peers’ talent that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

page 14 The Signal February 21, 2018

Lamar curates fierce ‘Panther’ soundtrack By Nadir Roberts Reviews Editor

Before fans were able to see the highly anticipated and critically acclaimed “Black Panther” film, they were gifted with “Black Panther: The Album.” The 14-song soundtrack was made with love, seasoned with Lawry’s, then slow cooked with culture — and it came out perfectly. The project features several members of Kendrick Lamar’s Top Dawg Entertainment record label, a variety of A-list artists and some lesser known artists, creating a dark, mystical sound that musically encaptures the essence of the “Black Panther” universe. Lamar, the album’s curator, puts his best foot forward in this album, showing off his versatility as an artist by incorporating a range of musical tastes. The album includes western flows from TDE artists like AbSoul and Schoolboy Q, as well as well-versed southern trap music from Future and Travis Scott and the melodic vocals of Khalid, The Weeknd, Jorja Smith and SZA. More obscure artists featured on the album enhanced the music to its fullest extent, making listeners feel as if they were living in Wakanda, reveling in their technologically advanced lifestyle.

The album pays homage to black history.

The combination album and soundtrack to the movie was released Feb. 9, giving fans a solid week to bump to their favorite tracks before the movie came out on Thursday, Feb. 16. The album sonically represents what the movie theatrically showcases — a surfeit but appreciated amount of cultural references, black love, black struggle, black excellence and most importantly, black royalty. Lamar opens the album with “Black Panther,” with lyrics full of references to characters and plot points from the movie. The album’s first song tells

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the story of the power and status T’Challa has, as Lamar puts it, the “king of the shooters, looters, boosters and ghettos poppin’, king of the past, present, future, my ancestors watchin’.” Lamar rapped the lines from the point of view of T’Challa. The album goes back and forth between T’Challa and Killmonger, the antagonist of the film. The track “King’s Dead” tells the story of how Killmonger challenged Black Panther’s kingship from Killmonger’s perspective. “Who am I? Not your father, not your brother, not your reason, not your future,” Lamar rapped.

It is also possible that Lamar was rapping about the idea that he is the king of rap in the first track, which could be true, given his impressive run at the 2018 Grammy Awards. After Lamar won five out of seven nominations including best rap song, best rap album and best rap performance, Lamar was chosen to curate this incredible album, and he did so masterfully. For Ryan Coogler, the director of “Black Panther,” selecting Lamar must have been a no-brainer. Lamar is one of the biggest names in not only hip-hop, but within the black community and American society in general. It makes sense that Lamar should lead the melanated march of any moviegoer that listens to the soundtrack on the way to the theatre. For one to truly understand the many concepts, messages and meanings in “Black Panther: The Album,” they must see the movie. The movie and soundtrack go hand-in-hand and complement each other perfectly, tying up any loose ends that the listener had while scrutinizing each track prior to seeing the film. “Black Panther: The Album” captured the accuracy of the Marvel comics it’s based on and made it modern and culturally enriching. The film and soundtrack just hint at what is truly in store for 2018 for film, music and black empowerment.

‘Fifty Shades Freed’ fails to live up to hype By Asia de Lande Correspondent In the much-anticipated finale of the “Fifty Shades” film trilogy, readers may be left piecing some scenes together while moviegoers who have not read the books may be intrigued by the suspenseful elements of “Fifty Shades Freed.” The last film differentiated itself from the first two as a thriller that broke away from expected romantic and sexual themes. The first two films presented the initial iterations of the main characters — a quirky and awkward Anastasia Steele and a closed-off and haunted Christian Grey. The plot follows their love story and coinciding character growth. The final movie illustrated a bolder, more mature Steele on an equal footing with the seemingly open Christian Grey, though this was not as well-portrayed in the film as it was in the books. Grey finally learns to love and lets go of his traumatic childhood, while Steele comes into her own, becoming more confident and not allowing Grey to dominate their relationship. A true fan of the series would know that author E.L. James practically develops all of the distinct film script from the book. The text consists mainly of dialogue and extremely visual, thought-provoking content that easily translates onto the screen. However, this made the instances in which the source material was depicted poorly even more disappointing to those who can pinpoint when important scenes and elements were replaced with fluff. Some viewers may be satisfied with “Fifty Shades Freed,” yet leave the theater feeling as though the films did not match their expectations. Whenever a book is adapted to film, there is often a great deal of disappointment when directors and screenwriters stray from the book to make the movie more entertaining or mainstream.

This week, WTSR’s Nelson Kelly and Brian Marino highlight some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.

Band Name: tUnE-yArDs Album Name: “I Can Feel You Creep Into My Personal Life” Release Number: 4th Hailing From: New England Genre: Indie Art-Pop Label: 4AD On this fourth release by Merrill Garbus, we are treated with a work that is far more electronic and ambitious than any of Garbus’s previous albums. The album has very strong lyricism and attempts to tackle political and personal issues such as white guilt in the U.S. Garbus does a good job of creating some songs with powerful lyrics, while still making some beats that people can dance to, though the album does get a bit too eclectic at times. While it is not the most accessible album, it is certainly a beautiful work and deserves a listen. Must Hear: “Coast to Coast,” “Heart Attack” and “Hammer”

Band Name: Bell’s Roar Album Name: “We Carry Us” Twitter Release Number: Debut Steele grows more confident than ever in the final film. Hailing From: The Bronx In an attempt to create suspense, the first and Grey. It is only acceptable at this point Genre: Lush Synthy Post-Rock Pop and second films purposefully ended with since they have played the roles from the Label: Self-released cliffhangers. The first film ended with an series’ beginning. elevator “goodbye” that mirrored the end Although there were many flaws in the Bell’s Roar is making a big splash on the of Grey and Steele’s first scene together. acting, the organization of the scenes from indie music scene with their debut LP “We The second film’s ending scene was in- book to film was well thought out. While the Carry Us.” The album is full of catchy synth strumental in setting up the third film’s first two films left major additives and sec- hooks, beautiful vocal melodies and crescensuspense and the next storyline, when Jack tions out of their respective books, the third dos galore. The bandcamp biography gives Hyde put out his cigarette on a photo of and final installment did the most to follow the audience more background, “The name Grey and his family. its corresponding novel. bell’s roar symbolizes the focus and attitude The first two films left the audience with Throughout all three films and books, the held in Sean Desiree’s solo project. This is a unanswered questions that built up anticipa- two main characters are expected to experi- reference to feminist writer, Bell Hooks, who tion between films. This theme of ambiguity ence growth both as a couple and as individu- speaks of intersectionality and solidarity in is perhaps the greatest commonality between als, and the films do not deliver. their work. Being a queer, gender nonconall three films. The fantasy and romance series almost be- forming person of color, Sean cannot isolate When viewing “Fifty Shades Freed,” the comes comedic from its presentation. Dedi- forms of oppression. The roar represents the audience can tell that this film was the most cated “50 Shades” enthusiasts will likely still fight to not be silent and to use their creative faithful to the book, which was very satisfy- stand in line for the third movie — perhaps a voice to stop ongoing domination.” ing. When it came to the acting, however, shorter line than those for the first two installJohnson and Dornan — once again — of- ments. Otherwise, most will say good riddance Must Hear: “Celebrate,” “Echoes from fer a lackluster representation of Steele or chuckle while watching the last film. Below” and “You Call Me Cold”

February 21, 2018 The Signal page 15

Sports Club Ice Hockey

Lions freeze opponents to take CSCHC Cup By Michael Battista Staff Writer The College’s club ice hockey team entered the Colonial States College Hockey Conference playoffs as a fourth seed and left as the conference’s first ever two-time champion with a 14-5 win over second seed University of Scranton, on Sunday, Feb. 18 in the conference final. The team continued its victory streak after advancing past West Chester University, 4-1, in the quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 16, and overcame the University of Pennsylvania in an overtime thriller, 7-6, on Saturday, Feb. 17. With the win, the Lions advance to the American Collegiate Hockey Association Southeast Regional tournament as the 12th seed. “It means a lot,” said head coach Andrew Ducko. “This year, I think the guys really bought in and worked hard … We had to face a lot of adversity with injuries and there was points in the season where we were three or four games below .500 and we weren’t even thinking of the championship. So it was really cool to have everyone come together.” Seven Lions shot pucks past Scranton’s goalie, with two players, junior forward Peter Hansinger and freshman forward Daniel Martin, earning hat tricks. The Lions got on the board five minutes into the game thanks to a goal from sophomore defender Marc Tietjen, which was soon followed up by goals from sophomore forward Kris Hastings, Hansinger and senior forward Michael Lisciandro. Hansinger scored on a diving shot as the clock hit zero in the first period. The team’s puck control and ability to convert chances gave them the lead. The team had 12 shots after 20 minutes, with one

out of every three shots passing the goalie. Despite two more goals in the second period from Martin and senior forward Brian Ely, Scranton took control after a goalie switch and an extended break following an injury on the ice. After a penalty, the College’s defense countered and scored four unanswered goals, with three of them coming within two minutes of play. Following the spree of goals, the Lions pushed late into the second period. A two-on-one attack allowed Martin to snipe a shot to the top corner of the net. With the score back to a three goal lead, 7-4, the team never allowed Scranton to come any closer than that. Martin says the comeback was somewhat typical of the sport. “Hockey is a game of momentum,” Martin said. “They just seemed to grab the momentum. A couple of their good players grabbed a couple of nice shots … we’ll score a lot and then they’ll score a lot.” Third period goals from Hansinger, Lisciandro, Martin, Tietjen and junior forward Ryan Anderson added up to form the conference’s largest margin of victory in a championship game. To reach the game against Scranton, the Lions began with a match against West Chester University on Friday. Neither team was able to take control for a majority of the game, despite both sides having plenty of chances. High intensity and speed aided the Lions in the first 10 minutes of play, but West Chester got the puck back and made multiple shots on goal. Junior forward Ryan Anderson opened up scoring for the team by the 13th minute, but West Chester

Lisciandro scores against West Chester University.

Photo courtesy of Carli Ducko

The Lions outlast West Chester, UPenn and Scranton to win the cup. was never far behind. West Chester punched in their own goal in the ninth minute after a series of shots deflected off the goalpost, power plays and defensive maneuvers. With the game tied at one, West Chester failed to capitalize on multiple chances for the remainder of the game. The momentum shifted immediately after the goal and the Lions not only regained control, but held the lead with a goal from freshman forward Matthew Lojewski. In the net, freshman goalie Will Guttman saved all but one of the shots. Ducko was impressed by Guttman’s saves. “(He) made a lot of saves he shouldn’t have,” Ducko said. Guttman’s presence in the net helped provoke West Chester to

Michael Battista / Staff Photographer

aggressive play, which the Lions took advantage of as West Chester accumulated multiple penalties. “We are more of a speed skill team,” Guttman said. “But that doesn’t mean we can just let them do whatever they want to us. If I see a player on their team push or crosscheck a player on our team then I have to do something about it.” West Chester’s aggression reached a boiling point in the third period with the Lions leading, 3-1. In the midst of foul play in which an opponent made physical contact with a referee, the Lions added two more goals from Hansinger and Lisciandro. A player was penalized following a call of too many men on the ice, and responded by charging and putting his hands on the referee before being pulled back. His outburst, which included banging his hands on his helmet while screaming, added him to the ejection list while the Lions added two more goals added from Hansinger and Lisciandro. In the College’s next game against the University of Pennsylvania in the semifinals, the team was outmatched by its opponent for most of the game. The Lions’ best chances came early when they were on a power play or breakaway, while UPenn was quicker and more effective at pressuring throughout. It took UPenn only five minutes to score in the first period, and did not rest until the second period was nearing conclusion. The Lions’ only goal came from sophomore forward Andrew Lem while the team was still trailing, 3-1. “We came out sleeping,” Lisciandro said. “We got a lot of young guys. We came into the locker room saying … ‘play our position and everything

will go right.’” The Lions’ chances improved in the second period. Despite being down, the team’s defense picked up and carried the offense. The team seized more opportunities than UPenn, whose offense slowed down and could not convert chances into results like it had in the first 20 minutes. The next two periods of regulation followed Martin’s momentum philosophy. Sophomore defender Kevin Guns, Hansinger and Lisciandro scored goals to tie the game, 3-3. Tietjen and Martin then both netted goals to put the Lions in the lead with eight minutes to play in the third quarter. But with three minutes to go, UPenn caught up and sent the game to overtime. Lisciandro got a breakaway three minutes into overtime and sniped a shot that not only sent his team to the finals, but also sent every member of the squad onto the ice to celebrate with him and the fans against the rink’s glass. “I kind of blacked out there,” Lisciandro said. “The puck just popped up to me, took it down and badda-bing, badda-boom — goal … I just looked up (and) shot it.” Lisciandro added, while still hanging back from the postgame adrenaline, that his team fought hard for its victory. “We played phenomenal the entire game honestly and we deserved it,” Lisciandro said. “It was a team effort and I think we played unbelievable.” The team plays against ninthseeded University of Maryland on Friday, Feb. 23 at Liberty University in Lynchburg,Virginia and is currently taking donations, which have already surpassed $1000, on its Facebook page to help fund the trip.

page 16 The Signal February 21, 2018

Fun StufF Who’s on which team? Match these NBA 2018 All-Stars to their correct teams James Harden

Lebron James

Kyrie Irving

Stephen Curry

Joel Embiid

February 21, 2018 The Signal page 17 Swimming and Diving

Splash / Women’s team earns third overall

Left: Menninger sets a personal record in the 500-freestyle. Right: Lawler places fourth in the 200-breaststroke. continued from page 20 place at the 200-freestyle with a time of 1:40.83. Senior Chris O’Sullivan saw success at the B-Final 100-breaststroke and won the race with a time of 58.03. In the 100backstroke, Skoog claimed second place and clocked in at 50.07. Soukup was competitive at the 1-meter event, as he finished in fifth place and scored 400.40 points. Meanwhile, the women’s team was chasing after Long Island University for second place. Fosko started the second day by finishing in seventh place at the 400-individual medley with a time of 4:42.39. In the next event, VanDeVeen, Thayer and senior Debbie Meskin qualified for the B-Final 100-butterfly by finishing within the top 20. Menninger went beyond to earn second

place and set a personal record at the 100-breaststroke with a time of 1:06.00. During the final day of the competition, the men squared up against the United States Merchant Marine Academy for second place. USMA just barely took second with 1208 points, with the Lions finishing closely behind with 1207 points. Keane started off with a fourth place finish at the 1650freestyle, clocking in at 16:18.96. Skoog was on top of the scoreboard at the 200-backstroke, winning the race with a time of 1:49.45. Gregory and sophomore Derek Kneisel also finished within the top 10 of the race. Yi then claimed seventh place at the 100-freestyle with a time of 46.90. Maquet continued his dominance at the pool as he earned second place at the 200-butterfly and finished under two minutes with a time of 1:52.26. After a series of contentious races, the Lions’ fate was

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

ultimately sealed at the 400-freestyle relay. The team completed the relay just 29 milliseconds behind USMA for fourth place at a time of 3:03.95. USMA’s third place finish gathered enough points to put the team ahead of the College. On the same day, the women earned third place overall. Menninger had another impressive performance at the 1650-freestyle, earning fifth place while setting a personal best record time of 17:55.99. Following Menninger, Denicola and Ballard claimed seventh and eighth place with times of 18:18.01 and 18:25.55, respectively. At the 200-butterfly, sophomore Samantha Askin, freshman Jamie Bowne and Meskin all finished within the slate of 20 competitors. The women were also competitive at the 200-breaststroke, where Lawler and Fosko placed fourth and fifth with times of 2:26.56 and 2:26.92, respectively.

Cheap Seats

Nagasu lands latest competitive triple axel jump

Nagasu is the first female American to land a triple axel in the Olympics. By Sumayah Medlin Staff Writer Ever since I saw the movie, “I, Tonya,” I’ve been obsessed with figure skating — particularly the triple axel jump. The movie, which came out just before this year’s Winter Olympics, chronicles the victories and mishaps of Tonya Harding, the first American woman to land the triple axel jump in competition and the second in the world, in 1991.

What distinguishes the axel jump from all other figure skating jumps is that it is the only forward jump, meaning that the skater is moving forward rather than backward in the air. It takes a while to distinguish between the axel and many similar jumps because the jump happens quickly. In most backward jumps, the athlete is skating forward and then turns backward abruptly. The forward motion of the axel makes the maneuver more difficult

AP Photo

because it adds a half turn, making the triple axel three and a half rotations in total. In contrast, the triple Lutz has three rotations. On Feb. 11, Mirai Nagasu made history when she became the first female American Olympian to successfully complete the triple axel jump at this year’s Winter Olympics. Only two other women before Nagasu have completed the jump during any Olympic games — Japanese figure skaters Midori Ito in 1992 and

Mao Asada in 2010. Following Nagasu’s historic jump, I began to reflect on previous women’s triple axels, and how each jump’s speed, height and audience reaction varied. At the 2015 European Figure Skating Championships, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva became the first woman to land four triple jumps in a short program. I hate to value her jump less than other athletes’. I do like her routine and how peaceful it is, but I think her triple axel was slow and I didn’t have that big of a reaction when she landed it in comparison to other triple axels I have seen. I also regret criticizing Rika Kihira, because her impressive jump happened when she was only 14 years old during the 2016 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Her age aside, her jump did not get the height that I would prefer. At 2002 Skate America, Yukari Nakano’s jump made her the first woman to land the triple axel in 10 years. Her fast jump did not get much height compared to others. Her jump did not take up that much space, which made it seem small, but she did get more height than Rika’s 2016 triple axel. Following Yukari’s performance, Ludmila Nelidina performed a triple axel of her own at 2002 Skate America. I don’t have any complaints about the height or speed, but I think she looked

stiff, which makes her jump not as fluid or graceful as it had the potential to be. However, her landing was very stable compared to others. Mao’s triple axel in Sochi, Russia during the 2014 Winter Olympics, and Mirai’s triple axel in PyeongChang, South Korea this year were both astonishing due to their swiftness and gracefulness. I simply cannot favor one over the other — they are equally amazing. Tonya Harding’s routine at the 1991 U.S. Figure Skating Championships is my absolute favorite of any triple axel performance. Tonya’s routines were always fun and dance-like, which is sometimes absent in figure skating. She knows how to engage a crowd, especially when she executed the triple axel swiftly and smoothly. Her amazing reaction to successfully completing the jump also makes it stand out that much more. Midori Ito’s jump at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada is equally as remarkable because of her height and movement in the air. She seems to move across the rink in seconds with the force of her jump, and continues to make it look graceful. Overall, all the triple axels mentioned are amazing, even the ones that I am not particularly fond of. I may not be an expert on figure skating, but I am eager to see more triple axels from future skaters.

Fun Stuff

page 18 The Signal February 21, 2018

It’s that time of the year again...

Playing with Innovation at

Summertime and the Living is . . PLASTIC!

Interested in news? Sports? Entertainment? Why not trying writing for

?

PVC and the Creation of a Summer Toy Industry February 21, 2018 7:00 - 8:00 PM The Sarnoff Collection Roscoe West Hall, Room 201 The College of New Jersey Join us as historian Angela Cope (York University, Toronto) tells the slippery story of how plastic– in particular, polyvinyl chloride - became so ubiquitous in childhood. As part of the Playing with Innovation: The Games of Joseph Weisbecker exhibition, Cope’s lecture will trace the rise of vinyl inflatables - plastic toys that formed such an important part of postwar childhood - and their contribution to the creation of a summer toy industry.

Contact us: signal@tcnj.edu Located in room 204 in Forcina Hall. Meetings every Sunday at 5:30 p.m.

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February 21, 2018 The Signal page 19

LIONS AROUND

D RM

Michael Battista “The Ref”

Mark Fitzpatrick ATD Correspondent

Malcolm Luck Sports Editor

Miguel Gonzalez Sports Editor

In this week’s edition of Around the Dorm, “Ref” Michael Battista asked our panel of three experts — Mark Fitzpatrick, Malcolm Luck and Miguel Gonzalez — three questions: 1. With All-Star break passing by, which NBA teams are prepared to be the No. 1 conference seeds? 2. Who has been most impressive at the halfpipe in the Winter Olympics — Shaun White or Chloe Kim? 3. Who will be the NBA rookie of the year?

1. With All-Star break passing by, which NBA teams are prepared to be the No. 1 conference seeds? Mark: Despite neither team currently possessing the top seed in their respective conference, I believe the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors are the most prepared to be the top seed in their conferences. In the East, the Celtics are competing mostly against the Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but are in a better position than both teams to clinch home court advantage. While the Celtics struggled heading into All-Star break, that could be a result of tired legs due to their front-loaded schedule. A handful of young players who play major minutes for them may not have been fully acclimated to the long NBA season. This is a team that spent most of the first half as the number one seed and even went

on a 16-game winning-streak earlier in the season when they were fresher. The rest they will get from the All-Star break could be exactly what they need to start another streak to capture the top seed. For the Warriors, there is no doubt that when they focus, they are the best team on the planet and clear favorites to win the title. The Houston Rockets, who have exceeded all expectations this season, are only slightly ahead of the Warriors in the standings. As a result, I see it much more likely that the Rockets hit a rough patch over the next two months as Golden State will become more focused and prepared to defend their title with home court advantage. Malcolm: In the West, I have to go with Golden State. They’re so deep and they have way too many scorers to finish in any spot other than first. Houston is

solid too but the team relies too heavily on Harden and while he is a legitimate MVP candidate, a team isn’t usually in a position to claim the top spot without depth. In the East, I think it’s the Celtics. Toronto is wildly inconsistent and is pretty weak on the road — it’s tough to sustain a great record with lopsided splits like that. The Cavaliers’ new lineup impressed in their few games together but it’s a small sample size. They are also 6.5 games behind in the conference which is a pretty significant deficit. The Celtics statistically have the best defense in the Eastern Conference and can still put up points when Kyrie is healthy and is getting 30 plus minutes a game. They’ll overtake the Raptors for the number one seed. Miguel: It’s definitely going to be another Cavaliers-Warriors

AP Photo

matchup in the finals. LeBron and the Cavaliers will be storming the Eastern Conference after a slow start to the season. While the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors are top contenders, they are no

match against LeBron’s ambition to return to the NBA finals. Meanwhile, the Warriors will trudge through the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference.

Malcolm gets 3 points for mentioning Toronto’s inconsistency. Mark gets 2 points for talking about Boston’s early success and Miguel gets 1 point for not answering the question.

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2. Who has been most impressive at the halfpipe in the Winter Olympics — Shaun White or Chloe Kim? Mark: Although Shaun White has been exceptional at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Chloe Kim has been the more impressive of the two at the halfpipe during these games. Shaun White, a 31-year-old and three-time Olympic gold medalist, has set a certain standard of excellence that we can expect from him. However, Chloe Kim has come out of nowhere to shock the world as the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal with her gold medal winning performance at just 17 years old. She also received attention for tweeting during the Olympics about how she was “hangry,” which shows that she was competing but also having fun during the most important week of her life. All the attention she received for her tweets came because of her outstanding performance, as she was the perfect modern day storm of athletic excellence and social media attention, making her the more impressive of the two.

Malcolm: I think Shaun White has been more impressive just because of his age. This guy is 31 years old and winning gold medals against guys half his age. Yes, composure and experience come with age, but so do back aches and sore legs. Don’t get me wrong, Kim is still impressive. With her gold medal, she became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal, but I think it’s less impressive solely because in general, athletes are obtaining success at earlier ages in seemingly all sports. It takes a lot of heart to do what she’s doing at such a young age, but White’s halfpipe accolades are more impressive. Miguel: While I do admire Chloe Kim’s enthusiasm and natural talent, Shaun White is one of a kind. I thought White was coming into Pyeongchang, South Korea as a slow, aging snowboarder. Boy, I was wrong. White shredded the halfpipe like it was 2010, and claimed another gold medal for Uncle Sam. White is already a once-in-a-generation type of Olympian, but Kim will soon become one herself.

Mark gets 3 points for discussing Kim’s fun personality. Miguel gets 2 points for praising the legendary White and Malcolm gets 1 point for downplaying Kim’s success. 3. Who will be the NBA rookie of the year? Mark: If he can successfully lead his underdog Utah Jazz into the Western Conference playoffs, the new NBA slam dunk champion Donovan Mitchell will take home the NBA rookie of the year award as well. Coming into this season, the Jazz had limited expectations after the departure of George Hill and Gordon Hayward in free agency, both crucial parts to the team in the past. To add insult to injury, the team’s next best player, Rudy Gobert, injured his knee in a game against the Boston Celtics, seemingly destroying any chance the team had to reach the postseason. However, Mitchell unexpectedly stepped up to average 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season to lead his team. This season, Mitchell already has more 20-plus point games than Hall of Famer Karl Malone had as a rookie and has two 40-plus point games, the most by a rookie since current NBA star Blake Griffin’s rookie of the year award winning season. Griffin also won the NBA slam dunk contest in his rookie year. Although Ben Simmons is a strong candidate for rookie of the year, he seems to have more help on his team in All-Star Joel Embiid and a supporting cast of other talented, young players. Mitchell, on the other hand, has fought and

destroyed every low expectation we had for this seemingly decimated team and currently has them on an 11-game winning streak and in possession of the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Thanks to his hard and persistent work, the Jazz are now just 1.5 games behind a playoff spot. Malcolm: I think it’s Ben Simmons — a lot of people forget he’s a rookie. Donovan Mitchell is an excellent athlete and scorer, but that’s it. His dunks are impressive and he’s fun to watch, but in terms of value, Ben Simmons means more to his team. Among rookies, Simmons is first in assists, rebounds and steals per game, second in points per game and third in blocks per game. Mitchell only edges out Simmons in scoring, considering Simmons is also a better defender. I’m also willing to bet that Simmons would be first in scoring if it weren’t for him playing next to Embiid, who is averaging over 17 shots a game. It’s a close race but Simmons deserves it more. Miguel: Lonzo Ball without a doubt. The dude has the size, speed and strength to outlast the rest of the rookies in the NBA. Make no mistake: Ball will be a future Lakers legend like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

Miguel gets 3 points because the Big Baller Brand always comes out on top. Mark and Malcolm both get 2 points for praising the rookies.

AP Photo

Winner’s Circle Tom wins 9-5-4 Mark winsATD ATD 7-6-6

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”Faccus “I’m not superstitious, but I am repe a little stitious.”

Signal

Sports

Lions end regular season with win

Byrne contributes 23 points for the team’s 20th win of the season. By Malcolm Luck Sports Editor

While Rutgers University-Newark celebrated senior night on Feb. 14, the Lions celebrated their 20th win in the regular season finale, 57-41. The win marks the first time the women’s basketball team achieved 20 wins since the 2008-09 season, in which the Lions advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four. The Lions’ dominance came in quarter-long spurts, beginning in

the first 10 minutes of the game. Sophomore forward Jen Byrne opened things up for the College with three consecutive field goals while displaying her range and scoring creativity. The first basket came from a layup down at the paint, followed by a three-pointer and a mid-range jump shot. Byrne’s early baskets were quickly supported by her teammates. On the heels of several points from freshman forward Shannon Devitt, junior forward Samantha Famulare and senior

Miguel Gonzalez / Sports Editor

guard Charlotte Schum, the Lions found themselves with an early 15-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. While the Lions clamped down on the defensive half of the court in the first quarter, Rutgers-Newark found its way to the basket in the second. The College peppered their opponents with more layups and jump shots, but the Lions were outscored due to a breakdown in the paint. 16 of the 20 points scored by RutgersNewark came from the paint in the

second quarter. Despite the strong effort by Rutgers-Newark, the Lions never found themselves in a deficit and maintained a 28-26 lead at the half. Rutgers-Newark fought with pride in the third quarter, but Schum and senior forward Nikki Schott carried the Lions to victory. Schum opened the Lions offense by draining a three-pointer and banking in a layup on back-toback offensive possessions. Schott contributed with an impressive performance, adding two points and three rebounds along with two blocks and a steal on defense. The Lions again refused to surrender the lead, finishing the quarter up by one, 39-38. With just 10 minutes left in the game, the Lions tapped into their vicious playoff mentality. The fourth quarter was a team effort, highlighted by the stinginess of the Lions’ ferocious defense. Rutgers-Newark went 1-for-12 from the field, with its only basket coming from a layup with 34 seconds remaining in the game. The Lions also forced five turnovers, attesting to the team’s late surge of tenacity under pressure. Head coach Chessie Jackson attributes the fourth quarter spark to

the team’s leaders. “I think that a strong finish against Rutgers-Newark just showed the determination of our leaders,” Jackson said. “We have had a handful of games this season in which our opponents have stayed in it until the final quarter, and I think our leaders simply have a ‘we are not losing’ mentality that tends to kick in. Knowing that it was the final regular season game and that it would be our 20th win on the season was extra fuel on the fire.” Despite the closely contested second and third quarters, the College outscored Rutgers-Newark 18-3 in the fourth quarter. The Lions’ win sent them off to the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament with a commanding close to an exceptional regular season. Next up is conference rival Stockton University. Jackson believes that the team’s game plan and work ethic should mirror its attitude that made the Lions successful in the regular season. “We are absolutely approaching this one the same way we have approached every game this season,” Jackson said. “Our process has worked for the last four months, so we’re going to keep trusting it even with more on the line.”

Swimming and diving teams place third at METs By Miguel Gonzalez Sports Editor After a memorable regular season, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams put forth their best effort at the Metropolitan Conference Championships from Friday, Feb. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 18 at Rutgers University. For head coach Brian Bishop, the team’s main priority is to qualify for the NCAA Division III championships. “Our first goal at (the championships) is to qualify as many athletes as possible for NCAA’s and the second goal is to win,” Bishop said. Sophomore Harrison Yi and junior Sam Maquet started the first day at the 500-freestyle, where they placed in fourth and fifth with times of 4:35.95 and 4:39.50, respectively. In the B-Final 500-freestyle, freshman James Keane raced his way to ninth place and recorded a time of 4:41.66. Afterward, freshman Kai Michaud and sophomore David Madigan finished within the top 20 at 15th and 16th places respectively. At the preliminary 200-individual medley, junior John Gregory nearly qualified for the B-Final, claiming second place with a time of 1:52.58. In the B-Final 50-freestyle, junior Alex Skoog closed in on third place with a time of 20.78. Freshman Griffin

Lions Lineup February 21, 2018

I n s i d e

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Skoog claims first place in the 200-meter backstroke.

Morgan was not far behind as he finished in 15th place. At the diving board, freshman Jay Soukup was the runner-up at the 3-meter dive with a score of 483.10. Sophomore Zachary Volm earned seventh place with a score of 301.30 points. Heading into the Metropolitan Conference Championships, head coach Jennifer Harnett was confident that the team would

Ice Hockey page 15

be successful against the tough opposition. “There are going to be some really strong teams at the meet,” Harnett said. “We just need to stay focused, have fun and not let other teams get in our heads. We have been a solid team that has really supported and pushed each other throughout the season. That is always a good recipe for success.” Sophomore Annie Menninger earned

Cheap Seats page 17

sixth place at the B-Final 500-freestyle while improving her personal record at the event with a time of 5:11.23. Freshman Kelsey Ballard, junior Gabi Denicola and junior Hailey Thayer all claimed spots in the top 20. Freshman Melanie Fosko achieved her personal best record at the B-Final 200-individual medley, where she got fifth place at a time of 2:11.85. Following Fosko, seniors Marta Lawler and Jillian Galindo and freshman Darby VanDeVeen all placed within the top 20. Afterward, freshman Elise Fraser earned 11th place in a competitive 50-freestyle with a time of 24.63. Senior Hannah Raymond led the slate of opponents at the diving board, where she won the 1-meter event with a score of 448.85. During the second day, the men stood at second place with a total score of 883 points. The College’s most notable performance was at the 400-individual medley. Maquet, senior Logan Barnes and Gregory claimed second, third and fourth place with times of 4:03.57, 4:04.73 and 4:05.11 respectively. Seven seconds later, Keane came in seventh place, clocking in at 4:12.52. In the 100-butterfly, freshman Andrew Thompson snatched fourth place with a time of 50.50. Yi also finished in fourth

Swimming and Diving page 17

see SPLASH page 17

Around the Dorm page 19

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