Fall '23 Issue No. 3

Environmental Club joins NYC fossil fuel protest

https://www.tcnjsignalnews.com/

Michibata wins men’s tennis regional tournament

By Eddie Young Sports Editor

By Karla Fonseca Staff Writer

The College’s Environmental Club attended the New York City March to End Fossil Fuels on Sept. 17. The environmental club, with the guidance and support of Anthropology Professor Miriam Shakow and Bonner Community Scholars Program Manager Katie Khan, organized 18 TCNJ students to attend the NYC March to End Fossil Fuels.

The president of the Environmental Club and secondary education biology major, Bryan Wood, said, “We partnered with the

Food and Water Watch network to provide public transportation into the city where we marched across twelve blocks, demanding a just transition away from fossil fuels.”

The march took place the weekend before the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit on Sept. 20. This summit took place in New York and protesters of the march called on the Biden Administration to move away from fossil fuel-related projects.

“Over 75,000 people attended the march in NYC and rallied in front of the United Nations as they prepared for the Climate Ambition Summit,” Wood said.

Along with the Environmental Club of the College, many organizations contributed to the success of the historic March. This environment fostered a sense of collaboration and inspiration among the groups.

“There were a lot of local organizations at the event with a lot of people giving speeches,” said Kirthana Krishnamurthy, junior biology major and vice president of the environmental club. “There were a lot of college groups there also. They were sharing information, for collaboration and things to do in the future.”

Sixth year nursing major Matt Michibata claimed the 2023 ITA Northeast Regional Division III Men’s Tennis single’s championship last weekend, while also winning the 2023 ITA Northeast Regional Men’s Tennis double’s championship with his partner, sophomore finance major Harrison Maitland-Carter.

“It feels incredible and surreal, but at the same time, it didn’t come as a complete surprise,” Michibata said. “After our experience at the NCAAs in Florida, we realized we had what it took to beat any team in the nation if we stuck to our game and executed well enough.”

Michibata was purely dominant during his championship run in the singles tournament. He won his first and second round matches 8-5, and from the round of 16 on, when the matches switched from one set to best of three sets, he did not drop a single set.

see TENNIS page 16

The College says it’s prepared for emergencies, students disagree

By Tristan Weisenbach and Riley Eisenbeil Arts & Entertainment Editor and Staff Writer

Fully informing every single student on a college campus of what to do in an emergency situation can be a hard mission, if not impossible. The total population of students, faculty and staff at the College — with full-time undergraduate students alone making up over 7,000 people — makes this task even more challenging.

The first step in bringing awareness to campus safety is to talk about campus safety. Having discussions regarding the different types of emergency situations that may arise and what resources are available to provide guidance on how to respond to them is essential. But how much is safety talked about at the College?

“It’s not really talked about unless the issue is currently

happening,” said Taylor Szumloz, a sophomore kinesthesiology health science major. “I feel like it’s not talked about enough here,” said Jasmeet Singh, a sophomore psychology major. Angelina Odato, a junior communications major, only transferred to the College at the start of this semester, but in terms of campus safety, she “[hasn’t] heard anything so far.”

However, in an interview with The Signal, Vice President of Operations Sharon Blanton disagreed with these students, saying “clearly it is talked about on campus…in many venues.”

Blanton said that each year, the College conducts a safety walk that all students are invited to participate in. According to Blanton, students and staff walk throughout the campus to point out areas where improvements could be made, such as identifying pathways where there may be a need to “trim back some shrubs” or recognizing ar -

Students feel ill prepared for on-campus emergencies. eas where “there’s some lighting that would be helpful.” She also stated that it was because of the conversations with students during a prior safety walk that two new crosswalks were added on Metzger Drive.

“It’s patently, patently untrue that safety is never discussed on campus,” Blanton said.

Active shooter situations are one type of emergency that has become increasingly common on school campuses across America. According to the Washington

Post, there were 46 school shootings in the U.S. in 2022 — more than any year since at least 1999.

Many students are taught how to respond to active shooter situations in elementary, middle and high school. Chris Nitti, the associate director of Campus Police services, said in an interview with The Signal that mandatory safety training is also conducted at the College for all residential students.

see EMERGENCY page 2

Students from the College participate in the NYC March to End Fossil Fuels.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone

Photo courtesy of Kayla Oliveira

EMERGENCY / Students express concerns over safety training and resources

“If there is a live incident and campus police is actively working that incident, they’re going to be sending out communications to the campus regarding instructions what to do,” Blanton said. “So they’re probably not necessarily going to be available to be answering phone calls during the height of an incident.”

Presentation,” that touches on the “run, hide, fight” principle. The video was uploaded on March 10 of this year and currently has 72 views.

Continued from page 1

According to Nitti, this training consists of a mandated residential floor meeting that covers active shooter awareness, amnesty and other topics.

However, The Signal spoke with 30 students, most of whom live on-campus in various residence halls, and all but one student stated they have never received any mandatory safety training from the College.

Caslie Jean-Francois said she only received mandatory training since she is a Community Advisor (CA) at the College. She explained that last spring, all CAs were required to attend an active shooter training session held by Campus Police. In that one-time session, they showed the group a few videos and explained the steps on how to respond if there was an active threat.

“As a CA, I need to be able to take care of my residents,” she said. “But if I were just a regular resident on campus, I don’t think I would feel prepared or have any knowledge about it.”

Many students expressed concern about their lack of preparedness in knowing what to do should there ever be an active shooter on campus. Overall, 21 out of the 30 students indicated they felt unprepared.

“In high school you do these drills, but once you get to college, I feel like it’s something that’s brushed under,” said senior mathematics major AJ Tortoriello.

Another student, sophomore sociology and Spanish double major Kayley Totka, recalled last semester when there was a nearby threat to the College.

“Nobody that I was friends with had an idea of where we would go — what we would do either,”Totka said.

Kelly Booth, a sophomore communications major, criticized how the College performs fire drills — the one type of safety training that she says she did participate in.

“You just get out of the building. There’s no sense of urgency, you just kind of leave the building when you can,” Booth said. “I

think if there was an emergency, then everyone would just act how they do during a drill, and I don’t think that’s very safe.”

Members from the College’s administration declined to comment on whether they thought most students would have indicated that they feel prepared to respond to an active shooter situation or not.

Currently, the College has an emergency preparedness website which provides a few safety resources that are accessible to everyone. Some of these resources include the College’s Emergency Response Guide, the Campus Alert Policy and information on fire safety.

However, students agreed that some of these resources contain language that is unclear or contradictory. For example, the home page of the emergency preparedness website reads: “The most recent available information related to ongoing critical incidents at TCNJ will be posted to tcnj.edu as quickly as possible and will be updated whenever appropriate. Please refrain from calling TCNJ Campus Police during critical incidents, unless you are reporting an emergency or providing information that could help resolve an ongoing situation.”

When asked whether students could potentially interpret this statement as discouraging them from contacting Campus Police during a “critical incident,” Blanton stated that she did not think so.

“No. I mean, why would someone read that into it?” she said.

Angelina Solano, a sophomore marketing major, thought otherwise. She believes this statement could have been worded differently.

“I feel like whoever wrote it could’ve done a little bit better because I feel like someone might view an incident as critical but might refrain [from calling] because it doesn’t seem to be really critical,” Solano said.

Blanton explained the reasoning behind the wording in this statement, saying it is to prevent Campus Police from being inundated with phone calls during an emergency.

Within the College’s Emergency Response Guide, there are 12 specific emergency situations that are outlined, including step-by-step instructions on how to respond to them if they were to occur. Some of the situations that are mentioned in the document include Bomb Threats/Found Devices, Power Outages/Infrastructure Failures and Active Shooter.

Students agreed that the wording in the Active Shooter section of this document, under the section titled, “When Law Enforcement Officials arrive,” is also contradictory. It lists seven steps to follow, with step seven stating: “Do not stop to ask officers for help or for directions when evacuating.”

“Then who am I supposed to ask?” Solano said. “It kind of seems like they’re telling you to fend for yourself,” said Elizabeth Gross, a freshman nursing student. “Don’t stop and ask them for directions or what to do? That seems kind of like a first instinct — they’re police officers, they know what to do,” said junior biology major Ellen Norris.

The Emergency Response Guide also utilizes a campus map from 2013. This map contains many former names of buildings that have since been changed, such as Loser Hall, which is now called Trenton Hall, and Holman, which is now called STEM Building.

“I don’t know why that map hasn’t been updated,” Blanton said.

Daniel Posluszny, emergency preparedness and fire safety manager, said he plans on updating the map soon.

“I got a couple other things pending that are more, I don’t want to say more important — they’re more critical right now, but I’m going to try and update this and review this,” Posluszny said.

He also stated the College is currently finalizing a mandatory online training program for students, faculty and staff. He said the training program would allow the College to upload its own videos and content to the platform and would allow administration to track who has completed it. The program is slated to be implemented by the end of this semester or in the early spring.

In addition to the training that is currently being developed, Nitti explained that Campus Police has a 45-minute YouTube video linked on their website, titled, “TCNJ Response to an Active Shooter

Blanton also recognized that Campus Police provides, by request, specific in-person trainings for departments and divisions, which can be set up by calling Campus Police directly. She recommended that students utilize this training, as it is specific to individual geographic locations across campus.

Many students suggested ways the College could improve its active shooter training. Katie Berger, a junior public health major, suggested that it would be helpful to make it “a required portion of those freshman year classes you have to take.” Tortoriello suggested implementing safety training into the major-specific 099 orientation courses.

“Just having a presentation where they have the game plan and areas where to go to congregate or areas to disperse to,” said Evan Cresci, a sophomore psychology major. “I just think them giving us more of a structured plan and a tangible [idea] of what to do would help.”

Blanton said that some of the student suggestions were potentially viable options and could be further explored.

Some students also suggested that communication with text alerts could be further improved.

“We get texts, but not everyone gets texts because not everyone checks their phone,” Booth said. “I think that aspect is lacking.”

However, some students told The Signal that they felt more prepared in responding to extreme weather events than active shooter situations, in part because of the increased number of alerts that the College sends out regarding weather hazards.

“They’re always sending out alerts when there’s a hurricane or flooding,” said Kayla Brockmeyer, a junior nursing major. Overall, only 11 out of 30 students stated that they felt unprepared in regards to responding to extreme weather (compared to 21 for active shooters).

Overall, most students The Signal spoke with acknowledge that additional mandatory training, more up-to-date and clear safety resources, and increased communication would all help to better prepare them in a wide range of emergency situations.

“You have to remember that every single incident is unique,” Blanton said. “It’s not possible for us to write an individualized policy for every imaginable scenario because you can’t imagine all of them.”

Students acknowledge the lack of safety training for emergencies.

Photo courtesy of Shane Gillespie

Kappa Delta misses recruitment season due to suspension

By Ally Uhlendorf News Editor

As the fall recruitment season kicks off at the College, one sorority will be conspicuously absent from the regular proceedings. Kappa Delta has been suspended for the entire upcoming fall and spring recruitment seasons due to alleged violations and hazing. While eager freshmen and potential new members arrive on campus in search of their ideal sisterhood, they are met with the absence of Kappa Delta’s presence on campus due to a 12-month suspension from recruitment and activities.

On Feb. 22, the National Office of Kappa Delta received hazing and alcohol violation allegations relating to the Zeta Theta chapter of Kappa Delta at the College. On May 10, Kappa Delta National Headquarters placed the Zeta Theta Chapter on National Probation Status, which includes a full suspension of activities for a minimum of 12 months. The chapter and its members are prohibited from holding and participating in any activities and events.

“The chapter and/or members are prohibited from holding or participating in any activities, including but not limited to chapter meetings, council meetings, social

events, continuous open bidding, primary recruitment, new member activities, service activities, philanthropy events, or rituals,” according to the College’s official Greek Life Instagram page.

The College’s Office of Student Life, Office of Student Conduct & Off-Campus Services College and Kappa Delta’s National Office staff conducted investigations, during which the chapter on campus was given a cease and desist by the College for all new member-related activities. The national organization also placed a restrictive status on the chapter while the investigations were in process.

“[The College] simultaneously conducted their own investigation of the organization in response to the hazing allegation. At the conclusion of the conduct process, the chapter took responsibility for the charges against them, and [the College] placed them on probation effective May 10, 2023, through May 15, 2026,” Aimee Wardle, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life at the College, said.

The probation places “the recognized student organization on notice that any further violation of College policy during the specified period of time may result in more serious sanctions including suspension or revocation

of recognition,” according to the Recognized Student Organization Privileges and Responsibilities.

“Kappa Delta members are expected to treat each other with dignity and respect, and the chapter’s actions ran directly counter to that, putting member safety at risk,” said Heather Matthews, director of marketing and communications at Kappa Delta National Headquarters.

The sorority also received educational sanctions in addition to the probation, which will need to be completed by specific deadlines in order for the probation status to be lifted after the timeline has elapsed.

“For fraternities and sororities, the College usually works with the national organization to utilize the same or similar sanctions or

to incorporate sanctions from the national organization into what [the College] includes so expectations for the students and chapter are clear,” Wardle said.

“We are always deeply disheartened when we must take this step, but when a chapter is not committed to providing a safe environment and members fail to uphold the values and expectations of the Sorority, it is necessary,” Matthews said.

Members of the Zeta Theta Chapter have repeatedly denied requests for a comment.

During the probationary period, if the organization does not follow the restrictions and guidelines, it may result in suspension or expulsion from the campus.

Student co-founder of Split Ticket partners with Politico

By Kate Zydor Staff Writer

Harrison Lavelle, a junior political science and international relations double major, has partnered with political news organization Politico to create an interactive game titled, “You Be the Campaign Manager,” where users can manage their own political campaigns.

Lavelle, who is currently studying abroad at Die Freie Universitaet in Berlin, Germany, is a co-founder and partner of Split Ticket, a website for election mapping and modeling as well as political forecasting work. Since its inception, the site has taken a datadriven approach to the political articles, ratings and models that it publishes.

Alongside his colleagues, Armin Thomas and Lakshya Jain, Lavelle started the political website in Nov. 2021. As part of his current role in Split Ticket, he coordinates the website’s House coverage, writes about a variety of electoral topics and produces political maps.

Prior to the formation of Split Ticket, both Lavelle and Thomas had worked for another election website known as “Elections Daily.” However, they wanted to start their own site where they could make the executive decisions.

“Our goal was to create a source for non-partisan electoral analysis, focused on the importance of data in supporting logical conclusions, informing the general public about elections and civics more generally,” Lavelle said. “We also wanted to combat misinformation and common misconceptions.”

“I’d like to think we’ve succeeded in…building our institutional credibility in the election forecasting [and] predicting community,” Lavelle said. “Despite our political differences, we keep doing good non-partisan work that attracts readers from both sides of the aisle.”

As of May 2023, Split Ticket began its partnership with Politico, a leading political news outlet that reports on politics and policy in power centers throughout the world where access to reliable information and nonpartisan journalism inform those who are intrigued by politics.

“You Be the Campaign Manager” allows players to manage a presidential campaign, however, in this game, there are only two months until Election Day 2024. Players must make choices on where to invest their resources and which regions to target in order to campaign effectively. Additionally, they must convince potential voters and turn out their base, referring to

voters already affiliated with the candidate’s political party. This game enhances understanding of the electoral dynamics across America and demonstrates how voter turnout could impact election outcomes.

“We created a clustering algorithm to group counties into a handful of groups, each of which was characterized by a series of identifiable characteristics,” Lavelle said. “Based on their choices in the game, the player can see potential 2024 election outcomes and can learn more about demographic and regional differences in political coalitions.”

Players are able to choose whether they will campaign for a democratic or republican candidate. Following this decision, there are eight demographic clusters or groups each leading to a different election result.

“I think this is a great game because it gets the younger generation involved with politics and helps them learn more about the election process,” said freshman civil engineering major Preet Patel.

By creating an interactive game, Split Ticket and Politico have created a product that markets to a younger population that otherwise would not show an interest in politics.

“Since a majority of college

students are over 18 and can vote in elections, they should be well-informed about the policies that impact their country, their communities and themselves,” Patel said.

“You Be the Campaign Manager” is laid out in an easy-to-understand format that is simplistic yet well thought out.

“The last few months were spent theorizing, programming, writing and conferring with the editorial team at Politico to maximize the quality of the final product,” Lavelle said.

Split Ticket and Politico have also co-written an article titled, “The 8 places that will decide the 2024 election.”

With the work that Split Ticket and Politico have released and the various other enterprises that Split Ticket is constantly developing, Lavelle has high expectations for the future of this site.

“I hope that more people can get interested in elections and civics,” Lavelle said. “It’s important to have an informed and active electorate that isn’t afraid to take part in the process and answer questions when others have doubts. I hope that our Politico project goes a long way in getting new readers involved in the system.”

Kappa Delta was nationally founded in 1897, and was installed at the College in 1991.

Photo courtesy of Shane Gillespie

Features

Five fun things you can fit into an afternoon out in Princeton

By Lilly Ward Staff Writer

Fall is the perfect time to have a casual Saturday adventure. When the cloying humidity is replaced by crisp air, going out and exploring the local area no longer sounds like such a bad idea. Maybe you have exhausted your options in Campus Town and yearn for new flavors, or you are looking for something different to do this weekend with your friends.

With the loop bus schedule starting next Saturday, now is the perfect time to plan a trip to Princeton. Here are five fun things to do on your next afternoon out.

1. Princeton Garden Theater

Location: 160 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542

A small but quaint theater, the Princeton Garden Theater first opened its doors in 1920 as a performance venue for the university’s Triangle Club (for students interested in Musical comedy.) Since then, it has been known for its specialization in foreign films, as well as documentaries, while still showing box office hits. At $10 a ticket for all college students with a student ID, it is a great way to spend an afternoon. This week they are showing a film about the famed writer Joyce Carol Oates: “A Body in the Service of Mind,” along with “Barbie” and a film about the artist Vermeer. You can also look out for showings of films selected by Princeton professors.

2. The Princeton Art Museum’s Bainbridge Art Gallery and the

Hulfish Gallery

Location for Bainbridge: 158 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542

Location for Hulfish: 11 Hulfish St, Princeton, NJ 08542

Although the Princeton Art Museum will not reopen to the public until 2024 due to the construction of a new museum, that does not mean that there are no opportunities to engage with the work of contemporary artists.

These two galleries, which regularly feature new exhibitions, are free and open to the public. The Bainbridge Gallery is currently showcasing Victor Ekpuk: Language and Lineage. In this exhibit, Ekpuk, a Nigerian artist, mediates on Nsibidi, an ancient system of communication from southern Nigeria and northwest Cameroon which utilizes ideographic script. In the Hulfish gallery, the work of old masters is rediscovered through innovations in photography in their exhibit,

“Art about Art: Contemporary Photographers Look at Old Master Paintings.”

3. Labyrinth Books

Location: 122 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542

Looking to catch up on your reading? Labyrinth books offers a wide selection of literature in over 60 subject areas, so there’s something to read for everyone.

They have the newest fiction bestsellers and a collection of antiquarian books. Out front there is always a selection of books at a discounted price, from poetry to cook books. They also have a discounted section in the lower level of the store where you can buy rare books or even literature on art and architecture. Books are not the only literary items they sell. You can also buy socks with a quote from your favorite novel, notebooks and fun tote bags.

4. Jammin’ Crepes

Location: 20 Nassau Street,

Princeton, NJ 08542

Jammin’ Crêpes is always reliable for a quick bite to eat on a budget. They offer a variety of flavors from sweet to savory. The “Caramel Apple Toasty A La Mode” and the “Lemon lavender crêpe” are personal favorites that never disappoint.

All of the ingredients are sourced from local farms in NJ, as well as local eateries such as the ice cream from The Bent Spoon or coffee from Small World Café. The farmhouse-inspired decor creates a warm atmosphere within the restaurant and is perfect for brunch. You can even sit at the counter and watch as they prepare your crêpe.

5. Bent Spoon Location: 35 Palmer Square W, Princeton, NJ 08542

If you go to The Bent Spoon, there may be a long line that winds down the block, but the ice cream is well worth it. A popular destination for Princeton students and locals, The Bent Spoon offers flavors that are classic, unique, and even controversial.

Some new recent flavors include Turkish coffee, strawberry elderflower and even ricotta. During a cicada swarm in 2021, they even served cicada ice cream. The Bent Spoon prides themselves on their innovative flavors, so do not get too attached to one flavor, it just might be gone the next time you are there! The ice cream is made from produce from local farms, so there are always new flavors to look forward to in the next season.

The lessons learned through summer internship experiences

and enhanced through meaningful relations with alumni, employers and representatives of postgraduate education.

Many students at the College with differing career aspirations and interests immersed themselves in internship opportunities this past summer.

“Independent research in the Biology Department and my involvement in our ALPFA and SACNAS chapters allowed me to make the most of my internship and gave me the opportunity to return to Merck for a full-time position in January following my degree completion,” Siverio said.

finance major, found professional value in her work as a Commercial Lending Intern, partially because she was able to apply what she learned at the College to scenarios in the workplace.

By Kaitlyn Harms Staff Writer

Internships play a critical role in shaping the trajectory of students’ careers and allowing them to gain the experience needed for a job after graduation. Optimal student collaborations are built

“As a Global Clinical Data Integration Intern at Merck this summer, I learned that the people you meet and how well you can apply your transferable skills will shape your career trajectory,” said Belmarie Siverio, a senior Biology major at the College.

“Proactively building lasting relationships with professionals will benefit you in the long run.”

The College prepared Siverio for this internship because of the opportunities it afforded her within her major.

While each student had a unique experience throughout their internship, they also left with a better understanding of how to use their best qualities to their advantage inside and outside of the classroom.

“[The College] has given me the ability to take the theoretical knowledge from my classes and my major and put them to use in a corporate setting,” said Abigail Varga, a senior applied mathematics major at the College.

Kristen Afacan, a sophomore

“After finishing up my eleven-week program at Provident Bank, the most valuable thing I learned was the importance of communication with management,” Afacan said. “I can fully credit [the College] to having the ability to voice my thoughts, as the class size and participation environment that this school offers can’t be found at larger schools.”

When applying for internships for next summer, students can use what they have learned here to take advantage of experiences in the fields that they are interested in.

Photo courtesy of Lilly Ward Princeton Garden Theater

Photo courtesy of Marceline Hale Center for Student Success

A closer look at Danny Blank, the College’s new women’s soccer coach

ditional division three school, Blank is coming to the team with tons of experience.

“The level of play was very high,” he said.

Thankfully, Blank’s transition to the College has been “seamless” since he didn’t have to move. He moved to Hamilton Township back in 2018, while his family lives in Florida.

Some fun facts about him are that when Covid-19 hit, he says he “would have gone insane” if it weren’t for his two dogs Utley and Rio. They are beagle-terrier mixes and sisters, but Blank says they look nothing alike.

National Championship.

When asked about his techniques and what he’s changed, he had this to say: “From what I understand, I’m very different than the coach who was here last season,” Blank said.

This year, the team is focusing more on defense since that was their main problem last season.

“There weren’t a lot of broken parts to this program,” Blank said. “It’s a very player driven program. So half of my job has been just staying out of their way.”

By Isabel Batista Correspondent

Danny Blank, the new women’s soccer coach, was six years old when he first kicked a ball.

“I fell immediately in love with the game,” Blank said. “I was the kid who slept in my uniform on Friday nights.”

Before coming to the College, Blank was head coach at Widener University for two seasons, spent five years at the University of Georgia as associate head coach and was an assistant coach at Ole Miss.

With the University of Georgia team being a “power five school” and Widener being more of a tra-

Coming to the College, Blank is pleased with the athletes he’ll be working with, saying that his players are “a group of high achievers.”

They were disappointed on how their last season went and are now “very focused” and intent on improving themselves. Their objective is to play for the

Aside from tending to his dogs and coaching, Blank has many other hobbies. He has previously written several books, including one children’s book, “Thigpen McThwacket’s Incredible Racket,” and many coaching or soccer related novels, including “Everything Your Coach Never Told You Because You’re a Girl.” He also enjoys fishing, cooking and riding his bike.

Roscoe West transformation: building for the future

By Karla Fonseca Staff Writer

Roscoe West, formerly the College’s library built in 1968, is as a pillar on campus for student advising and success located across from Quimby’s Prairie. Renovations have begun to restore this historic building.

Construction crews are presently renovating the second floor.

“The second-floor renovations include rooms that were left unoccupied during the last renovation to Roscoe West Hall, which will house the relocated tutoring center and a student commons,” said Maggie Greco, the Senior Director of Planning, Design and Construction.

Additionally, the second floor is being painted a light shade of blue, contrasting the white it previously had.

“The construction is nearly complete and we are hoping to be able to open the tutoring center in its new location this fall,” Greco added.

Renovations will begin slowly this year as the construction staff works through the building. Greco stated the goal is to start lower-level construction in April 2024 and have it finished by Dec. 2024. The first floor will be renovated during the summer of 2024.

Greco states, “The firstfloor work … will update the mentoring, retention, suc -

cess programs area and the career center, and will renovate the former tutoring center as the new institutional advising support center.”

The new Academic Advising Center will increase the advising capacity of the college and improve academic advising. It will directly advise specific student populations and provide advising support to academic departments.

The ground floor will also undergo renovations to add classrooms and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

“With the help of a grant from [the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education] we will be able to reimagine

the lower level of Roscoe West to house much-needed additional classrooms and to create a home for the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,” Greco said.

Presently, the ground floor of Roscoe West is unoccupied. The Career Center, the Tutoring Center, and the Student Success & Mentoring are located on the first floor. The Intercultural Center, the Sarnoff Collection, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) are on the second floor.

Students of the College hope that Roscoe West can continue to be a space where students can seek help and guidance, notwithstanding

its current renovations.

“I think that Roscoe West has so many necessary centers and programs for students, especially students who are minority students who require extra accessibility through ARC,” Meghna Harinath, a junior biology student, said.

“It’s always great to improve upon things that could perhaps benefit more students but as long as they maintain those spaces for POC (People of Color) and marginalized communities, as well as students who require disability and tutoring, I think that the renovations seem like a good idea in order to expand those opportunities for people.”

Photo courtesy Elizabeth Gladstone

Coach Danny Blank with Assistant Coach Fran Schmutz

Photo courtesy of Brooke Zevon

Roscoe L. West Hall

Book-to-screen adaptations are valuable to readers

By Catherine Gonzalez Features Editor

There is so much stigma around spending time on a screen. Watching a television show or a movie is often seen as a passive, mindless activity that appeals only to the senses and not to the mind.

Specifically, watching a movie or miniseries that is based on a book is often viewed as the “simple” way to digest a book’s material, a means to destroy literacy in the face of an increasingly technologically reliant society.

I see things differently.

What if, in this increasingly technologically reliant society, book-to-screen adaptations are the best way to connect people with literature? Moreover, what if they even intellectually challenge a person’s understanding of the text?

Book-to-screen adaptations provide the world with opportunities, not hindrances.

Personally, I am more drawn towards books that I know have not only one screen adaptation made based off of them, but several. A person’s relationship with a book can strengthen so much when they have interacted with other people’s interpretations of it, and adaptations provide viewers with those interpretations.

For instance, I have seen so many adaptations bring out a certain motif, feeling or theme from a book in immensely creative ways, ways that challenge my initial reading of the book and genuinely make me want to read it again.

Oh, and do not even get me started about characterization. The fact that one

character can be portrayed in so many different ways, yet still be so rooted in the text, is mind-boggling to me.

Anya Taylor-Joy’s calm, calculated portrayal of Emma Woodhouse in the 2020 “Emma” adaptation is a far cry from Romola Garai’s boundlessly energetic one just 11 years earlier. What is so wonderful, though, is that they both have the same character at their core; a spoiled, overly confident, yet well-meaning young woman who learns to take her opinion of herself down a peg.

Another aspect of book-to-screen adaptations that I love is the music. Like the cinematic and narrative-based choices in what aspects of the book an adaptation emphasizes, the soundtracks capture an interpretation of a book’s world.

The 2006 “Jane Eyre” adaptation has mysterious, dreamy music that emphasizes the enigma of Thornfield Hall and Jane’s imagination, while the 2011 “Jane Eyre” adaptation has a melancholic, yet elegant soundtrack that emphasizes how tragic Jane’s life is. I sometimes envision soundtracks from different adaptations of the same book at different points while I read a text.

To me, book-to-screen adaptations are similar to academic papers on a particular literary work because of the discourse that they create about a text. An adaptation is, in itself, an analysis of a text because of what it chooses to emphasize and how it chooses to emphasize it, making book-to-screen adaptations a valuable tool for those who wish to explore a book further.

The power of practicing gratitude

By Victoria Gladstone Managing Editor

Life is hard as a college student. I will not lie! My feelings have been all over the place recently after becoming a senior and coming close to the dreadful post-graduate life. To combat my sometimes overwhelming emotions, I have started practicing gratitude and thinking critically about how I react to the things around me.

You may not realize it, but your self-talk and general thoughts play a large role in your overall mood and mindset. Your brain processes these things and it actually alters your state of mind, according to Brain Balance.

Also, there is research to back this up! Within the last decade, studies have shown

that college students who show their gratitude are less likely to fall ill to common health problems.

“In one study, a group of college students who wrote about things they were grateful for once per week for 10

weeks reported fewer physical symptoms (such as headaches, shortness of breath, sore muscles, and nausea) compared to two other control groups,” stated a Mindful.org article.

While I am not 100% sure you will never experience

health issues if you follow these methods, I do know that your overall mood will improve over time.

In light of this information, I truly think everyone here on campus would benefit from a little self-care and reflection. My favorite practice of gratitude that takes only a few minutes pertains to writing a small list throughout the day of four good things that happen. Whether it’s the fact you made your bed, you went for a walk or simply the fact that you got out of bed, that’s a small win that should be celebrated.

This exercise teaches you to appreciate the little things throughout the day and it will quickly start to become an unconscious practice in your life.

Moral of the story: be nice to yourself and tell someone you appreciate them.

Gratitude starts with apreciating the little things.

Book-to-screen adaptiaions keep on being made.

Photo courtoisy of Flickr

Photo courtosy of Flickr

NJ politics has a long history of corruption, ignoring it is hypocritical and embarrassing

By Mike Sherr Editor-in-Chief

As a political science major, I have learned a lot about civics, the role of government and the importance of independent election agencies. I could confidently say I am rather educated on politics and the American political system. I therefore can not stay quiet about the continuous, embarrassing circus that is New Jersey politics.

Political machines found their platforms in the early 1800s, and the most notable one, Tammany Hall in New York City, operated well into the 1960s. In exchange for campaign donations and voter drives, political machines gained favors from candidates that turned into profitable zoning laws, public contracts and literal bribes.

New Jersey’s political corruption, however, is long rooted in our governing system. During our time as a colony, the state’s governor Lord Cornbury was accused of accepting bribes, embezzlement and fiscal mismanagement.

Frank Hague, the mayor of Jersey City from 1917 to 1947, died in 1956 with an estate estimated to be worth $5 million after only making $9,000 a year for his 30 years in office.

Former United States Senator for New Jersey Harrison Williams was caught by a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation

in the early 1980s where agents pretended to be wealthy sheikhs attempting to buy political favors.

In the late 1990s, the chief of staff and chief of police of Newark were convicted on corruption charges. Sharpe James, the Mayor of Newark from 1986 to 2006, was also found guilty on corruption charges, but not until years later in 2008.

An investigation that started out looking into black-market kidneys and fake Gucci handbags turned into indictments for

44 individuals in 2009. The list includes the mayors of Hoboken, Ridgefield and Secaucus, two members of the New Jersey Assembly and the deputy mayor of Jersey City.

Many New Jerseyans can remember Bridgegate, where Former Governor Chris Christie closed two lanes of traffic on the George Washington Bridge for political reasons.

And of course, just recently, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and his wife were indicted, again,

on bribery charges claiming he received envelopes of cash and gold bars. Gold. Bars. Menendez rejoined a very long list of New Jersey politicians and officials that embarrass the Garden State.

It is disgusting and a disgrace that officials in this state continuously engage in unethical behavior, regardless of whether it is technically “legal” or not. In order to start changing our system, we have to realize it is capable of allowing corrupt individuals to lead.

From Chaos to Calm: I love weekend serenity on campus

gate. Something as simple as grabbing food at the dining hall or walking from building to building can become an ordeal.

Anyone spending time on-campus during a weekend does not need to worry about crowding. Walkways are mostly vacant, which means folks can walk as quickly or leisurely as they please without worrying about keeping up with the flow of traffic.

somewhere clean to sit.

By Isabella Darcy Opinions Editor

There is a noticeable discrepancy in the amount of students on the College’s campus during weekends compared to weekdays. Between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, many students pack up their belongings and go home for the weekend. With a fairly

empty campus, the College is a great place to spend a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

Students who frequent the College on weekends know that there are perks available on Saturdays and Sundays that are not always available on weekdays. When most students are on-campus during the week, places become crowded and can be difficult to navi -

Dining locations are also fairly empty, which means the wait-time to get food is significantly reduced or even completely eliminated. Less foot traffic also makes for cleaner seating areas, especially in Eickhoff Hall. During the week, Eickhoff tends to experience rushes at popular meal times. During rushes, there are few empty seats available and workers are often too busy dealing with the influx of people to clean between tables. On the weekends, when there are no rushes, it is easy to find

The library is another building where seating is easier to find on weekends. The building reaches higher capacity during the week, which can negatively affect studying if the only available seats are in a distracting environment. On weekends, when there are only a few people in the library, distractions are less likely to be an issue. Plus, there is a chance that a study room, which are usually elusive, will be free.

For students who stay on-campus but want to explore surrounding areas, a loop bus runs on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. The loop bus is free and stops at Hamilton Train Station, Quaker Bridge Mall, Nassau Park Pavilion, Market Fair and Princeton. This is an amenity only available on weekends.

The College does not offer classes on weekends, but it does offer a chill environment where students can study, hang out or just vibe.

Harold W. Eickoff Hall.

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez’s, D-NJ, indictment is a political embarrassment.

Photo courtoisy of Elizabth Gladstone

Photo courtosy of Flickr

We can revitalize local news by strengthening student media

By Matthew Kaufman and Victoria Gladstone Managing Editors

With each passing year, more and more local media outlets are shuttering their doors, leaving communities without a trustworthy source of news. There is no one to hold local governments accountable and no one to explain to citizens the importance of local issues.

We believe that student media can fill that void and begin a new wave of journalism.

The collapse of local media can be an opportunity for campus media to expand its reach. College newspapers can expand coverage of local government and events. And since WTSR’s radio broadcasts are accessible to the greater Mercer County area, this presents a golden

opportunity to reach an audience outside of the College’s small campus.

Last month, The Signal reported that Trenton Public Schools were sheltering in place after an emailed threat to the district. Our story was online and posted on social media long before any other media outlet mentioned the situation.

On the horizon is a new beginning for student media at the College. This week, members of The Signal, WTSR, Lions Television, Lion’s Eye, Ink and Deviate Magazine met to discuss means of collaborating, hopefully strengthening all of our content and reach on campus.

While we are still discussing the specifics of what collaboration between our groups may look like, we can share that the results of this work will appear

in student media very soon. From WTSR album reviews and playlists appearing in print to Signal writers appearing on LTV, there are so many avenues that we want to go down. Students need to know where their tuition is going, or if their academic program will survive the next round of budget cuts.

This collaboration is crucial in a moment of great financial uncertainty and leadership changes at the College. With so much unsettled business, we hope the campus community can turn to their student news organizations to give them the answers they so desperately need.

https://www.tcnjsignalnews.com/

Email: signal@tcnj.edu

Business Email: thesignalbusiness@gmail.com

Editorial Staff

Mike Sherr Editor-in-Chief

Victoria Gladstone

Matthew Kaufman Managing Editors

Ally Uhlendorf

Rebecca Heath News Editors

Liz Ciocher

Tristan Weisenbach Arts & Entertainment Editors

Catherine Gonzalez Features Editor

Isabella Darcy Opinions Editor

Eddie Young Sports Editor

CLARIFICATION

An article in the Sept. 22 issue included a statement that implied that Interim President Bernstein and President Foster both benefit from a college-funded home and amenities. These benefits were provided to President Foster while she was president and are no longer provided to her.

POLICIES

The Signal is published bi-weekly during the academic year and is not financed by the Student Activity Fee but solely by advertisement revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal.

The Letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. Letters should not exceed 300 words and be sent to signal@tcnj.edu. All Letters must be signed with the name and phone number of the author. Anonymous Letters will be published on a case by case basis.

The Signal willingly corrects mistakes. If you think we have made a mistake, contact us at signal@tcnj.edu.

Aliyah Siddiqui International Editor

Administrative Staff

Elizabeth Gladstone Multimedia Coordinator

Shane Gillespie Photo Editor

Ela Kirimca

Social Media Coordinator

Jenna Weldon Web Editor

Donald Trump found liable of fraud

By Shaim Akhtar Staff Writer

The Supreme Court of New York has found former Republican President Donald Trump liable for fraud by deceiving banks and insurers by overvaluing assets used in business and loan deals. After being found liable, the court has set a civil trial in New York that will determine major financial and legal penalties in the coming months. The court’s actions mark a significant chapter in United States history, as Trump is the first president ever to be found liable in a civil case.

In 2022, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil case against Trump, accusing him, Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump Organization of a decade-long pattern of misrepresenting asset values and Trump’s net worth with the alleged purpose to receive favorable loan terms and lower insurance costs, as reported by Reuters.

One specific instance involved the misrepresentation of the value of the three-story Trump Tower penthouse located in Manhattan, which was deceivingly valued at $327 million, a figure over three

times the actual size and worth of the property.

Fast forward to today, Trump’s court orders carry significant legal consequences: multiple business licenses are to be rescinded, the authority on strategic and financial decisions over key New York properties are to be denied, five defense lawyers are to be fined $7,500 and Trump potentially may be fined $250 million for countless charges.

According to the AP, Trump has faced multiple indictments over the past year in connection with the 2020 presidential elections, the Capitol insurrection and the

alleged acquisition of classified government documents. Furthermore, the Trump Organization was found guilty of tax fraud last year, with executives failing to pay taxes on apartments and cars, resulting in the company being fined $1.6 million and the finance chief being sentenced to jail.

Trump and his attorneys responded in a statement to being found liable for fraud.

Regarding the case, Trump stated, “My civil rights have been violated, and some Appellate Court, whether federal or state, must reverse this horrible, un-American decision.” He also

called the court’s actions “a very sad Day for the New York State System of Justice.”

Moreover, Trump’s attorney, Christopher Kise, believes that the actions of the court are “completely disconnected from the facts and governing law.”

In response to the court’s ruling, Trump has filed a motion to an appeals court in order to delay the case, aiming to potentially mitigate some of the financial consequences he may face if the trial proceeds.

If the trial proceeds as scheduled, Trump potentially faces hefty fines that could amount to $250 million and consequential rulings on properties owned in New York, leading to significant financial and ownership concerns.

The significant developments within the trial raise considerable financial and ownership concerns for the former president, underscoring the profound impact of the legal battle behind business ethics utilized in key loan and insurance deals. Yet, Trump being found liable for fraud serves as a precedent that even former presidents are not barred from legal challenges after their time in office.

White House announces American Climate Corps

By Brenden Kelley Correspondent

The Biden-Harris Administration announced the creation of the American Climate Corps on Sept. 20. The American Climate Corps is inspired by a New Deal Era program called the Civilian Conservation Corps that helped put millions of young American men to work during the Great Depression, according to AP News.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was one of the most popular programs of the New Deal Era. The CCC existed from 1933 to 1942 and employed millions of young men aged 18 to 25. According to the National Park Service’s website, the CCC was responsible for much of the infrastructure within the National Parks along with important conservation projects and environmental management.

Activist groups such as the Sunrise Movement have claimed the passing of the American Conservation Corps as a massive victory for combating climate change.

Varshini Prakash, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, said “after years of demonstrating and fight-

ing for a Climate Corps, we turned a generational rallying cry into a real jobs program that will put a new generation to work stopping the climate crisis.”

The White House has not stated exactly how much the program will cost except that it would be a joint effort between multiple government agencies. The White House projects that there will be 20,000 recruits within the first year of the program’s launch. The American Climate Corps plans to train young Americans in skills related to clean and renewable energy.

The promotion of the American Climate Corps comes at a time when Biden is pushing for more youth turnout in the 2024 presidential election. According to NBC News, a poll conducted in July found that 57% disapprove of the administration’s handling of climate change while only 40% approve.

The idea of a civilian climate corps has received significant pushback in the past. In 2022, a last-minute attempt to attach the program to the Inflation Reduction Act was voted down overwhelmingly by Senate Democrats.

Despite this, the New York Times reported that House and Senate Democrats sent Biden a letter on Sept. 18 urging him to establish the American Climate Corps.

According to NPR, the current iteration of the program is much smaller than the original proposal in 2022. According to a press release by the White House, the planned size of the American Climate Corps is 20,000, significantly smaller than the originally proposed 300,000 in 2021.

Republicans in the House and Senate have overwhelmingly come out against the new program, claiming that it is a waste of money and will take jobs away from an already needy job market. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the program “pure Socialist wish fulfillment.”

“Why would we think people are going to suddenly jump at doing really, really hard, dirty, dangerous work because we offer them $15 an hour?” Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-O.R., stated. “That’s not going to happen.”

Democrats, such as Sen. Ed Markey, D-M.A., have argued that this program will help reinforce

communities negatively affected by climate change and provide needed skills to young people. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-C.O., also commented on the new program.

“Today, I join Coloradans and communities across the country in applauding the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to mobilize Americans in response to the climate crisis, creating a twenty-first century climate-focused workforce that will prepare a new era of workers for good paying jobs in a clean economy,” Neguse said in a press release.

Moving forward, it is unclear how successful the American Climate Corps will be in combating the climate crisis, but it sends a clear message that the Biden-Harris administration wants to do more to curb climate change.

The Supreme Court of New York has found Trump liable for fraud.

Biden-Harris Administration build ACC.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Venezuelan migrants allowed temporary protected status

By Nicole Trinkl Staff Writer

As New York City shelters continue to grapple with the influx of migrants, the Biden Administration announced that it would provide nearly half a million Venezuelan migrants temporary protected status, granting them the ability to legally work and live in the United States.

According to The New York Times, this mandate would allow about 472,000 Venezuelan migrants who arrived in the United States before July 31 the ability to work legally for 18 months while they wait to receive employment authorizations. By doing this, Venezuelan asylum seekers will be temporarily protected from removal and have the ability to work.

Biden’s announcement comes after New York City Mayor Eric Adams intensely advocated for Congress and the Biden administration to take action in helping the city deal with the exceeding numbers of migrants entering the city shelter systems since the beginning of the crisis when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started bussing migrants to New York.

According to Reuters, Abbott first announced that he would be sending buses carrying migrants to New York City in Aug. 2022. The overwhelming responsibility Texas has had to solely deal with the increasing numbers of migrants crossing the border may be what pushed Abbott to send these migrant-filled buses to different, mainly Democratic, sanctuary cities.

According to AP, as of Sept. 23, more than 116,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since the

Nipah

spring of 2022. Sixty thousand migrants are currently in New York City, one-fourth being from Venezuela.

According to The New York Times, asylum seekers, under federal law, have to wait about six months after they file for asylum before they are able to apply for work authorization. As a result, migrants have had to wait a very long time to start working. Many migrants have had to rely on the city for support, which has strained the city’s resources and shelter systems. Some migrants have even illegally entered the workforce without work authorization.

At a town hall meeting on the Upper West Side prior to Biden’s announcement, Adams expressed his concerns on the lack of federal support New York City is getting to deal with this crisis, detailing that approximately 10,000 migrants a month have come into the city, which is estimated to cost the city around $12 billion.

“We’re getting no support on this national crisis” Adams said. “Every community in this city is going to be impacted. We got a 12 billion dollar deficit that we’re going to have to cut. Every service in this city is going to be impacted.”

Adams has long advocated for asylum seekers to get work authorizations. Just last month, Adams and Labor leaders rallied together to call on the Biden Administration, Congress, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help and grant work authorizations to asylum seekers.

“We must ensure our newest Americans can work lawfully and build stable lives,” Adams said. “We

must grant expedited work authorization. We must make sure that we extend temporary protective status for Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, South Sudan, Cameroon and other nations. Let them work. Let them work. Let them work,” the crowd chanted.

According to the New York State official website, Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has also long advocated for granting migrants work authorizations, announced on Sept. 25 that New York State would deploy an additional 150 New York National Guard members to help assist the city with responding to the ongoing migrant crisis. There are currently 1,900 National Guard personnel in New York providing support to asylum seekers statewide across 51 hotels and two New York City Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers. More will be assigned in the future to assist in case management as well.

Hochul has also directed other state resources in helping Venezue-

lan and other asylum seekers fill out the needed paperwork to be able to receive legal work status. More than 50 DHS personnel are currently helping process work authorization paperwork.

Abbott visited New York City on Sep. 27 and gave a speech at the Manhattan Institute in which he addressed his thoughts on the national migrant crisis affecting both Texas and New York City. Abbott did make clear, in his remarks, that Texas is not solely responsible for the influx of migrants in the city of New York.

“Texas has bused 15,800 [migrants] to New York. … The lead importer of migrants to New York [is] not Texas, it’s Joe Biden,” Abbott said. “We’ve sent about 10 percent of the migrants that you have [in New York].”

As the Biden Administration starts to grant Venezuelan asylum seekers temporary protected status, it is unclear if more migrants will continue to enter the U.S.

virus outbreak in India causes lockdown in Kerala

By Aneri Upadhyay Staff Writer

Although the United States is still living in a pandemic, many people have considered this past year to be a “post Covid-19” world, with masking mandates lifted and events opening back up. However, in India, a new virus outbreak has changed the way people are living once again.

Kerala, a state in South India, has been on lockdown since the spread of Nipah virus. The Nipah virus spreads between people and animals according to the CDC. The virus is very dangerous because it can cause the brain to swell, a symptom known as encephalitis. Other symptoms include vomiting, difficulty breathing, seizures, confusion and coughing.

Death occurs in 40-75% of cases. Long term side effects include personality changes and convulsions.

There are almost annual outbreaks of Nipah virus in parts of Bangladesh and India, with Kerala being one of the latest victims to the virus.

As reported by NPR, schools, offices and public transportation have been shut off in Kerala to prevent the transmission of the virus.

Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of Kerala, gave a statement on the plan for decreasing transmission.

“More people could be tested ...Isolation facilities will be provided,” he said.

Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George spoke more on the plans for dealing with the virus.

“We are focusing on tracing contacts of infected persons early and isolating anyone with symptoms,” she said.

This is Kerala’s fourth outbreak since 2018. The strain found there has been confirmed to be the same as the one previously found in Bangladesh.

The virus can be tested by swabbing the nose. There are, however, two strains of the virus. The Bangladeshi strain has a fatality rate of 75%, and this is the strain currently affecting Kerala.

Health authorities have created 43 containment zones and advised the public to wear masks. Epidemiologist Raman Kutty, research director at the Amala Cancer Institute in Thrissur, Kerala, spoke on the cautionary use of masks.

“There’s no rationale for masking up, since the Nipah virus does not spread through the air,” he said. “Health authorities are just being very cautious.”

Although this is not Kerala’s first outbreak, it is still concerning, according to Rajib Ausraful Islam, a veterinary physician at the International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

“Each outbreak is a concern,” he said, according to Nature. “Every

outbreak is giving the pathogen an opportunity to modify itself.”

The disease is less likely to spread from person to person than with Covid-19. Danielle Anderson, a virologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, believes that the Nipah virus will not have the same effect as Covid-19.

“I would not expect that it would spread globally,” she says. “Nothing to the extent of what we’ve seen with Covid-19.”

Regardless, Kerala is treating the virus with caution in hopes of decreasing transmission and stopping the outbreak once again.

Adams advocated for Congress and Biden to help with the numbers of migrants.

Health professionals plan to fight Nipah.

Photo coutesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Sen. Bob Menendez indicted on bribery charges

By Ally Uhlendorf News Editor

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were charged with bribery as a result of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars and gold bars in exchange for power.

According to an indictment filed in the Manhattan federal court that was made public, Menendez and his wife agreed to use their power and influence to protect, as well as enrich, three New Jersey businessmen and benefit the Egyptian government. The bribes “included cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle and other things of value,” according to the indictment document.

Through search warrants investigating the Menendez’s home in 2022, it was discovered that the couple was holding more than $480,000 in cash, hidden in envelopes, clothing, closets and a safe, as well as more than $70,000 in Nadine Menendez’s safe. Gold bars worth thousands of dollars were also found in the senator’s home that was provided by Wael Hana and another businessman, Fred Daibes. All three businessmen were also charged.

“Agents also allegedly discovered a Mercedes-Benz convertible worth more than $60,000 that New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Jose Uribe

gave to Menendez’s wife in exchange for the senator’s interference in a state prosecution of Uribe’s associate and investigation into an employee whom Uribe referred to as a relative.”

As a result, Menendez was forced to relinquish his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Fellow Democrats, such as New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, have called on Menendez to resign from Congress. Menendez rejected their statements, saying that people were “rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat.”

This is the second indictment in eight years against Menendez. In the first indictment, in 2015, he was charged with illegally accepting favors from an eye doctor in Florida, including flights on a private jet, three nights at a five-star hotel in Paris and more than $700,000 in political contributions for his party.

The current set of allegations against Menendez states that he interfered in criminal investigations; he consistently pushed to install a state prosecutor that he believed could be influenced in a criminal case against a businessman. The senator continuously abused his power to get involved in the investigation conducted by the New Jersey Attorney General’s office.

Additionally, Menendez repeatedly used his power to benefit the government of Egypt, despite the fact that the U.S. government holds doubts over the country’s human rights record – which has recently prompted Congress to create restrictions on aid.

According to AP News, Menendez’s “efforts include ghostwriting a letter to fellow senators encouraging them to lift a hold on $300 million in aid to Egypt, one of the top recipients of U.S. government support, as well as transmitting nonpublic information to Egyptian officials about military issues, the indictment says.”

According to the indictment, Menendez and his wife arranged a meeting with Egyptian military officials in 2018 at the senator’s office in Washington, D.C. Later, Menendez sought private information regarding the number and nationalities of persons working in the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt. This was considered highly confidential information due to the fact that it could

create security concerns if the information was made public.

Menendez then texted the information to Nadine, without informing any of his staff or the State Department. Nadine then forwarded the information to Hana, who then forwarded it to an Egyptian government official. Nadine also conveyed a request seeking assistance from an Egyptian official to Menendez to edit and draft a letter persuading other U.S. senators to support U.S. aid to Egypt.

Menendez secretly edited and ghostwrote the letter on behalf of Egypt seeking to convince senators to release a hold on $300 million in aid to Egypt, according to prosecutors. He sent the letter to Nadine via his personal account, who then forwarded it to Hana, who sent it to Egyptian officials. Both Menendez and Nadine deleted the email that requested the letter to be written.

In response to these allegations, the senator argued “for years, forces behind the scenes have repeatedly attempted to silence my voice and dig my political grave.”

Nadine, has denied criminal accusations and is prepared to fight the charges in court. If convicted, the couple will have to forfeit “to the U.S. any and all property, real and personal, that constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the commission of said offenses.”

Iran fortifies Islamic dress code after Mahsa Amini’s death

By Lilly Ward Staff Writer

A year after Mahsa Amini’s death, protesters in Iran are still chanting her name.

Her name has become synonymous with the slogan chanted by protestors, “Woman, Freedom, Life.” Since Amini’s death, her image has appeared emblazoned on the signs of protestors at rallies in Iran, and it is not just in Iran that her image is famous. In July, the artist Rodrigo Pradel, featured Amini in a mural in a Washington, D.C. alley. Characterized as shy and kind by relatives, Amini was from Saghez, a small city in a Kurdish province in northwest Iran.

In an interview with the New York Times, her uncle described Amini as an “innocent and ordinary young woman.” The head of Forensic Medicine of Tehran said Amini died from underlying medical issues, but her father denies those claims in an interview with the BBC, stating that she had been killed by the police. His belief was supported by an image of Amini in a coma in the hospital, suffering from injuries. Her death was a transgression that many Iranians could not forgive, resulting in a rise of anger towards the Islamic regime.

Just days after the one year anni-

versary of the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, Iran’s parliament has approved a new Hijab and Chasity Bill that delineates stricter punishments for failure to adhere to the Islamic dress code. Those with more than four violations of the dress code could face up to 10 years in prison. This bill mostly pertains to women, in wake of the year long protests sparked by 22 year old Amini’s death. Amini died while in custody of the morality police, on allegations of violating the hijab law. Her death resulted in a tidal wave of defiance from protesters in Iran who chanted Amini’s name and called for the end of the Islamic republic. In the months following Amini’s death, protestors refused to don head scarfs.

“By approving this bill, the Islamic Republic’s parliament has put a massive lock on the bodies of Iranian women,” Hossein Raeesi, an Iranian human rights lawyer, said in an interview with The Guardian. “Iran was already an open prison for the women of Iran, but now they’ve extended the brutality with which they will crack down on women by giving serious powers to those implementing it on the streets.”

According to the latest version of the legislation, the bill prohibits “revealing or tight clothing, or clothing that shows parts of the

body lower than the neck or above the ankles or above the forearms” for women. For men, “revealing clothing that shows parts of the body lower than the chest or above the ankles, or shoulders,” is banned.

Failure to comply with these regulations will result in a number of financial penalties for hijab violations, which could result in prison time if found to be done in an organized manner and in contact with “foreign governments, networks, media, groups or organizations.” These restrictions appear to stem from an attempt to quell the continuing protests.

So far, in an attempt to squash dissent, security forces have arrested thousands and killed at least 500 protesters, including children and teenagers. Seven protesters have been executed, and relatives of demonstrators have been targeted..

On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters swarmed 47th Street and Second Avenue in New York just outside of the United Nations General Assembly, irate at the presence of Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, criticizing him for his record of human rights abuses. Protestors set up gruesome displays of the 1988 executions and photos of those killed during protests over the past few years.

The United States and its Western allies have also imposed sanc-

tions on Iran over its abuse of human rights. According to Amnesty International, the Iranian government is responsible for “[firing] live ammunition, metal pellets and tear gas and subjected protesters to severe beatings. Thousands more sustained injuries for which many did not seek medical care due to fear of arrest.”

In his speech at the United Nations, Raisi dismissed concerns about the deterioration of women’s rights, its nuclear program and crackdown on criticism of the Islamic regime. Despite the government’s refusal to address its track record of brutality and silencing of voices of dissent, protesters refuse to back down.

“We want freedom. We want democracy,” said Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington Office National Council of Resistance of Iran in an interview with CBS News. “We want a republic form of government based on separation of religion and state.”

Menendez was charged with bribery.

Protests in Iran after Amini’s death.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Arts & Entertainment

All College Theater’s ‘Birthday Candles’

people she meets.

The show also starred freshman education major David Amarosi (Matt/William), sophomore psychology major Anna Holland (Alice/Madeline/Ernie), freshman psychology major Lauren Goldsborough (Joan/ Alex/Beth), sophomore undeclared major Matthew Sudnick (Billy/John) and sophomore mathematics and secondary education major Aidan Hulse (Kenneth).

were only six actors, with four of them playing multiple roles. This allowed for a solid continuation of the storyline told through Ernestine’s memories.

By Olivia Harrison Staff Writer

All College Theater put on their production of “Birthday Candles” by Noah Haidle from Sept. 28 to Sept. 30 in the Don Evan’s Black Box Theater.

The show centers around Ernestine Ashworth, played by sophomore communications major Olivia Ayala, beginning on her seventeenth birthday. The show then showcases each year of her birthday up to age 90, as well as the pitfalls and triumphs of life. We are also introduced to the supporting cast, who portray her family and

“Birthday Candles” covers serious topics such as mortality, Alzheimer’s, mental health and generational trauma. The 90-minute show took the audience on an emotional journey from start to finish. The show left audience members in tears, savoring every moment and aspect.

“It’s hard to describe how emotionally powerful the show is,” said Valerie Hyunh, a member of the audience. “The cast did an amazing job showing heart and love towards each other.”

One of the unique aspects about the play was that there

“Everyone did fantastic portraying their characters,” said audience member and sophomore sociology major Inbar Strauss-Kirshner. “The six personalities blended well, and only six actors made a continuous storyline. Nothing really leaves and it always came back in a new fashion”

Over the three weeks of production, the six-personality cast became very close together, sharing their own intimate thoughts as well as learning how to act out sensitive topics on stage.

“My character (Billy) is one of the rare characters that stays for a while and then transforms into a different character,” said Sudnick. Sudnick portrayed two characters, a major one who the audience saw develop over the course of teenagehood to Alzheimer’s, as well as a minor character at the end of the play.

Additionally, the cast was very close to the director Scott Glading, an alum who was welcomed to All College Theater and TCNJ Musical Theater as an artistic director.

“The cast could see who I was and they immediately trusted themselves with me,” Glading said. “Because I am so open and vulnerable, they responded to that.”

“Birthday Candles” had a complex plot, requiring a lot of dedication from the cast and crew, who were able to put together the show in three weeks.

“It started in August and was such an exhilarating experience,” said producer Oliver Eloe, a junior history secondary education major. “This cast was a dream come true and a lot of us are still in shock that this was the end. We are all so proud of each other and I couldn’t imagine a different group of people to work with.”

With the end of ACT’s first fall show comes the anticipation for their next. For more information on ACT, visit their Instagram @allcollegetheater.

Revisiting “Rogue One” before the release of “The Creator”

By Eddie Young Sports Editor

On Friday, Sept. 29, director Gareth Edwards’ new original film, “The Creator,” will be released in theaters. It is the first movie he has directed since “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” came out in late 2016, almost seven years ago.

The movie, a science fiction film about a war in 2060 between humans and artificial intelligence, has been garnering a lot of buzz and praise from the early reviews that have been released, very similar to how “Rogue One” was received when it first came out.

Seven years ago, Edwards had a blockbuster in “Rogue One.” The movie earned over $1 billion in the box office, and according to movie websites like IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd, it is generally regarded as the fourth best “Star Wars” movie behind the three from the original trilogy.

The financial success of “Rogue One” was expected by many, with it being a part of the Star Wars franchise, but the praise it received from fans and critics alike was a pleasant surprise to many. Being released in the midst of the sequel trilogy, “Rogue One” may be the only “Star Wars” movie from the past 10 years that constantly re-

ceives positive publicity.

A big part of why Edwards’ last film has become beloved by many moviegoers is due to its successful approach at installing its overarching theme of hope. The word itself is said 12 times during the movie and is the final word uttered before the end credits hit, leaving you pondering about hope as you think about the movie you just watched. In a world driven by odds and numbers, “Rogue One” reminds everyone just how far hope can take you.

Now, all “Star Wars” movies play with the idea of hope in some way or another. Every one of their movies, in their simplest form, is about a tiny rebellion having to fight against a big evil empire. In these kinds of scenarios, the characters are always searching for hope.

However, in “Rogue One,” Edwards leans into this idea by using a bunch of unexpected heroes to portray the movie’s hopefulness. Jyn Urso was a fighter but usually worked alone, Cassian Andor was a captain in the rebellion, Bodhi was a defector, Galen Urso was a man held hostage by his work for an evil empire he disagreed with, and Chirrut and Baze were poor people who had recently lost their main source of work.

Every single one of these characters had some trait that viewers

could relate to. None of them had any special powers or mastery of the force, yet they ended up working together and committing many heroic acts that ended up saving many lives. They were just a group of ordinary people fighting for the greater good led by their belief in their abilities and hope that their missions would succeed at any cost.

With the theme of hope being represented in characters that are like the average person instead of some lightsaber-wielding, powerful Jedi who seem to be a tier above all other people, it is easier to get the theme to reach an audience made up of normal people.

With the beauty of hope and how far it can take you being shown in superpowerless characters, viewers end the movie feeling inspired, with a bit of that aspirational feeling being sparked inside of themselves. This newfound hopefulness may not be leading any viewers to try to take down an evil empire, but it can help them tackle any challenge life has been throwing at them.

In a movie that contains a lot of death and sadness in its final act, Edwards was still able to get his audience to feel joyful as “Rogue One” comes to an end, eliciting motivation in everyone who

watched.

With Edwards’ seven-year directorial break coming to an end with the release of “The Creator”, movie lovers can only feel excitement. After his massive success with directing “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Gareth Edwards gets to create his own science fiction story without the constraints of an already established “Star Wars” universe.

He was able to direct a movie based on one throwaway line in the original “Star Wars,” so with nothing holding him back, his creativity should be able to build a wonderful new universe.

It will be interesting to see what he does with all of this freedom and if the theme of hope plays a large part in this movie, as it did in his last.

Photo courtesy of Oliver Eloe

Photo Courtesy of Flickr / Chris Lexow “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” was released in December 2016

From left to right: Aidan Hulse, Lauren Goldsborough, Olivia Ayala, David Amarosi, Matthew Sudnick, Anna Holland

The fall film queue you need to weather this season

By Bailei Burgess-Simmons Staff Writer

This time of year, the days are growing shorter and the evenings are getting colder. Long gone are the days of late summer nights spent outdoors at the shore or venturing the city.

With so little to do and so much time spent inside, how is one to remain occupied? Here, I have just the cure for you — or rather, the queue.

Below, I have curated a list of some of my favorite films to binge watch this season; a list of films intended to scratch every itch and induce a plethora of feelings and emotions. Ranked in no particular order, the list is as follows:

1. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons”

To kick off this list, I choose “The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons” starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. The film observes the very unordinary Benjamin Button throughout his very unordinary life. Buttons, you see, was born an old man — or at least in the body of one. He started his life completely blind with cataracts, arthritis, to match that of our great grandparents, and skin like leather. Doctors did not expect him to live, but he did. If the case couldn’t get more miraculous, as Benjamin’s life progresses, it becomes clear that he is aging backward. So, with every day that he is technically growing older, he looks younger and younger. The story is that of a grand life lived, full of love and loss; it is sure to break your heart in all the right ways.

2. “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”

This timeless adventure story is the perfect break from what can oftentimes be a heavy season. It is quite literally an escape from the world. “The Chronicles of Narnia” starts when four kids, sent away from home during the blitz of World War II, walk through a wardrobe and into the fantasy land of Narnia. As with any adventure story, the call to action comes when they learn that they are meant to free Narnia, with the help of a talking lion. Enjoyable for all ages, this film is sure to invoke your imagination.

3. “Call Me By Your Name”

As someone who falls more in love with this film everytime I watch it, I envy the person watching it for the first time. “Call Me By Your Name” tells the tale of a love that dare not speak its name. The film tracks the short lived but

Steven Sanchez: ‘Angel Face’

realm of classic pop- and rockstyle music, piquing the interest of music industry professionals with his debut single, “Lady By The Sea,” released in 2021, according to Songwriter Universe.

intense romance between Elio, played by Timothée Chalamet, and Oliver, played by Armie Hammer, over the course of a summer in late-20th-century Italy. It is fit with beautiful Italian scenery and a harsh, but accurate, account of what it meant to be queer in that time.

4. “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

What movie list is complete without at least one Wes Anderson film? “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is one of his greatest films, notable for its grand scenery, flowery dialogue and perfect comedic timing. In Wes Anderson style, the movie is both figuratively and literally colorful and nonsensical in the best way possible. The film takes place in the 1930s at a popular ski resort, the Grand Budapest hotel. There, Gustave and his protege take pride in serving their guests and running a perfect hotel with top of the line service. That is,

until Gustave becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a hotel guest who is also one of his lovers.

5. “Eat, Pray, Love”

If we’re going to be binge watching films, I of course had to include one rom-com. “Eat, Pray, Love,” however, is hardly a romcom. Instead, it’s a story of courage and self discovery. The film tracks Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts, as she embarks on a journey to find herself again. Unhappy with her marriage, her career and ultimately her life, Liz makes a choice to divorce her husband. Another failed relationship later, Liz decides to go on a trip spanning a year, spending fourth months each in Italy, India and Bali. With each new destination comes a new goal, all with the objective of finding herself and maintaining happiness and balance.

6. “Whiplash”

Last but definitely not least is “Whiplash.” Let me start by saying that this film is neither cozy nor nostalgic. In fact, it’s sure to induce anxiety like no other film on this list can–perfect for fans of “The Black Swan.” Ambitious to a fault, the young, aspiring jazz drummer Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) pushes himself to limits beyond imagination. It is made worse under the pressure of his teacher, Terence Fletcher (J.K Simmons), who will stop at nothing to produce the next jazz star. The pair are just short of cataclysmic. Nothing can prepare you for this whirlwind of a film, which is sure to stay on your brain for months afterward.

By Jasmine Lee Staff Writer

Stephen Sanchez guides his listeners through a journey, weaving a love story inspired by Romeo and Juliet that ultimately culminates in a heartrending tragedy on his latest album, “Angel Face.”

Sanchez’s third album, comprising 13 tracks, debuted on Sept. 22 and features a collaborative song with Laufey. Sanchez has garnered recognition in the

“Until I Found You,” the sixth track on the album, was released as a single in 2021. NME reported that this ballad has been streamed over 700 million times on Spotify. This triumph allowed Sanchez to perform with Elton John at the Glastonbury Festival this year. Instead of performing one of his songs with Sanchez, John decided to play piano for him, allowing him to take the spotlight at one of the world’s most famous festivals.

“Angel Face” tells the fictional love story set in the 1950s between star-crossed lovers, Troubadour Sanchez and Evangeline, a narrative that Sanchez embarked upon after the release of “Until I Found You.”

Read more on our website!

By Jenna Rittman Correspondent

Pop singer Kim Petras, who released her first studio album “Feed The Beast” earlier this year in June, surprised her fans by releasing her originally-shelved album “Problématique.” The album, released on Sept. 18, is Petras’ second studio album.

Petras is a singer-songwriter who mainly releases pop, EDM and dance-pop tracks. She re -

leased her first EP “One Piece of Tape” in 2011 and her first single “I Don’t Want It At All” in 2017. In 2022, Petras released the song “Unholy,” a collaboration with fellow singer-songwriter Sam Smith. This single went viral on TikTok and hit number one on the music charts in multiple countries after its release.

In February, Petras and Smith won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Unholy.” According to Billboard, this made Petras the first transgender woman artist to win a major-category Grammy.

The path to the album “Problématique” being released was not an easy feat. According to Billboard, in August 2022, Petras confirmed the rumors that “Problématique” was being shelved in response to a fan tweeting a picture of a gravestone that had the name of the album, the lead single and the years 2020-2022 on it.

Read more on our website!

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Photo Courtesy of Apple Music Sanchez aimed to capture love’s full spectrum in this album.

This time of year, the days are growing shorter and the evenings are getting colder.

Photo Courtesy of Apple Music This album was originally supposed to be her debut album.

Kim Petras: ‘Problématique’

Peter McPoland makes his New Jersey debut

prepped the set list and practiced his dialogue between songs by talking to his wall the night before.

During both the interview and the performance, McPoland showcased a raw side of himself. Between pointing out fans wearing his merch in the room, saying hello to familiar faces in the crowd and sharing stories and laughter, the show had a really intimate feel.

“I really loved how much he interacted with the crowd,” said senior speech language pathology major Shelly Bennett. “He was so kind and down to earth.”

other, titled “To The Big Sleep,” which he had removed from Spotify a couple of years ago during his pursuit of a record deal.

“This song doesn’t really ever get played so you might not know it,” he said. “You probably won’t, but dammit if I didn’t love it at one point.”

As a nod to his beginnings on TikTok, McPoland surprised the audience with a slowed, acoustic version of Dua Lipa’s “Levitating,” the cover featured on his first video on the app.

By Riley Eisenbeil Staff Writer

The College Union Board’s Alternative group, or “CUB ALT,” kicked off the semester with their first concert featuring headliner Peter McPoland and opener Loveseat Pete.

Approximately 180 students filled room 225E in the Brower Student Center for the free indie, alternative concert on Sept. 19. Doors opened at 7 p.m. but a line started forming about an hour before.

Loveseat Pete performed eight songs, including seven originals and one cover. Formed in Asbury Park amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the group started with a song they dropped in July titled “Polly.” Following that, they treated the audience to all four songs from their debut EP “God Damn, Give Up,” released in 2021, along with a few singles.

“You guys really brought the

crowd with you,” said lead vocalist Vinny Nigro. “We’re ecstatic about that.”

Their crowd-pleaser was a lively cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone.”

After their performance, the band sold merchandise and handed out free stickers at the back of the room.

Following a 15-minute intermission, McPoland walked on stage to play his first-ever New Jersey show.

“This is me if you boiled down everything, this is all I am,” said McPoland at the beginning of his set. “This is a really primitive set, you gotta bear with me, everyone put on a brave face… We’re doing deep tracks all night.”

During an interview moderated by CUB ALT Event Coordinator Theresa Lubitsky, a junior public health major, McPoland revealed that he performs best when it’s a “manic, last-minute attempt to put anything together.”

So naturally, he explained that he

Horror flick ‘It Lives Inside’

tic representations of South Asian Americans. When we do, the perspective is normally very narrow. We often get narratives surrounding ambitious scholars, arranged marriages and model minority tropes. However, “It Lives Inside” was different because these typical tropes were sidelined.

During the interview, McPoland mentioned that when he used to perform at 18 years old, it was just him, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica, and that’s what he was bringing out on stage.

“It’s not me anymore, but it’s kind of a sweet throwback,” he said.

During the opening set, Nigro joked about McPoland resembling a character from “Finding Nemo.” The crowd loved it when McPoland emerged with a harmonica resembling Darla’s headgear.

Throughout the night, McPoland debuted unreleased tracks at the show and revisited a few past releases like “Elouise” and “(Here’s to the) Prom Queen” while sharing insight into what the songs meant to him.

“I loved how he talked about the story behind so many of his songs,” said Bennett. “I think songs have so much more of an effect on people if we are able to interpret their meanings.”

McPoland also delivered a performance of a song he claimed to have played more frequently than any

When the video was brought up in the pre-show interview, McPoland said he initially had no plans to include a cover in his set, but he later reconsidered and decided to treat the crowd to this unexpected rendition.

As his set neared its end, he performed one of his most popular songs, “Romeo & Juliet,” a track that holds special significance since he taught himself how to be a producer with it.

“Every time I play it I get tears in my eyes,” he said in the interview. “I love it so much, I love it like a baby.”

In 2022, McPoland went on tour for his album “Slow Down,” and just a few months afterward he had the opportunity to open for Twenty One Pilots. As excitement builds, McPoland is set for tour again in October to showcase his newest album, “Piggy.”

“I’m very much looking forward to the tour,” he shared in the preshow interview. “I think I was made to be nomadic, I think I should just never stop moving.”

Netflix ‘Murdaugh Murders’ Season 2

dropping just the day before the suspected Alex Murdaugh’s trial began.

By Bailei Burgess-Simmons Staff Writer

Despite what sometimes feels like an oversaturation of indie horror films, “It Lives Inside” stands apart from the bunch because of its unique and often underrepresented perspective.

Very rarely do we get authen -

Sam’s ethnic identity added depth to her character but did not take away from the plot; it was not her entire story. Her culture was properly and authentically represented but it was not the center of the story. This allowed for an immersive, plot-focused experience and the Indian mythology was a great break from the normal Hollywood themes.

All this said, the film should have been our new favorite horror film with its diverse cast and its twist on the perfectly traditional horror film tropes. But, it just wasn’t.

Read more on our website!

By Liz Ciocher Arts & Entertainment Editor

When the Netflix original docuseries “Murdaugh Murders: Southern Scandal” was originally released back in February, I was all for it — the drama, tragedy and unethical behaviors of the case were documented so well. The timing of its release was the most impressive thing about it,

Now, six months after his guilty conviction, a second season of the show has been released to provide a much needed follow-up. While I was very excited for this release, it was clear to me within the first 20 minutes that it was not nearly as compelling as the first season.

There were some returning people from the first season, which I was most excited for, as a lot of them were what made the first season so emotional. But there was a substantial switch between this season from the first; season one had a strong focus on Paul Murdaugh, and this season had the spotlight on Alex. I felt like these voices weren’t necessarily as needed here as they were in the first season, and there were different people I would have rather heard from.

Read more on our website!

Photo courtesy of Jessie Bodnar

Photo Courtesy of IMDb

A great first season, disappointing second.

Peter McPoland was the headliner of CUB ALT’s September concert event.

Image courtesy of IMDb It Lives Inside Released Sept. 22.

Men’s soccer drops two games against NJAC play

The College falls 2-1 against Kean University

The College fell to Kean University in a tightly contested NJAC matchup. Kean came into the match unbeaten with a record of 5-0-3, but came out slow in the game, and the Lions quickly found footing.

A lot of pressure forced Kean back, and senior marketing major Luke Pascarella slotted the first goal early in the game for his second of the season.

heartbreaker for the College, as they lost by one again to an NJAC opponent.

The Lions led the game in shots and shots on target, but William Paterson’s goalie put up six saves across the whole game and four in the second half alone. The Lions let up back to back goals in the late second half window almost five minutes apart.

By Joey Bachich Staff Writer

The College’s men’s soccer team lost two home games last week, the first to Kean University and the second to William Paterson University, both by a score of 2-1.

Men’s soccer came into the week 3-5-1 and have had a tough time finding an identity so far this season. Against Penn State Abington and New York University they scored a combined seven goals, but against Stevens Institute of Technology and RPI they con -

ceded a combined eight goals.

Statistically, the Lions are not far off the competitors, but are lacking on the shots on goal percentage stat that sits at .453 while their opponents register .556 against the Lions.

Senior finance major Julian Franco has been really solid in net, stopping 73% of shots on goal. Freshman finance major Chris Meder leads the team in goals with three this season and has an outstanding shots on goal percentage at 46%.

Field Hockey defeats Albright College in 5-0

By Victoria Gladstone Managing Editor

The College’s field hockey team hosted Albright College on Sept. 27, ending with a 5-0 victory for the Lions.

After coming off of a win defeating Arcadia University on Sept. 23, the team pushed to keep the positive momentum and took a more offensive approach on the field throughout the entire game. The team attempted 22 shots overall and 15 shots on goal, according to TCNJ Athletics.

The game started off strong as the players made attempts early on to score. Junior Carly Cole was able to score within the first seven minutes of the game and was assisted by junior Claire Engebreth during the play. After scoring during a corner penalty shot, Cole went on to score another goal and ended up taking seven shots overall.

Junior Rayhanah Ahmed put up a good fight as she went on to score during a corner penalty shot, with another assist from Engebreth. With this, Engebreth was able to claim her first multi-assist game at the College.

Ahmed made strong attempts to come in contact with the net but ultimately assisted Cole in completing the third goal of the game, within the first half.

As the game progressed, other players started to act more aggressively on the field and were able to raise the overall score for the Lions. Freshman Karlie Warner scored her first career goal with the Lions, assisted by Junior Bella DiNardo. In addition, sophomore Emily Dvorsky scored the final goal of the game during a penalty shot.

After riding on another impressive win, the Lions look ahead to continue playing in the New Jersey Athletic Conference through the month of October.

Kean grew with confidence as the game continued on and finally broke through, scoring on a free kick late in the first half. Julian Franco again was a wall with a ton of pressure at the end of the first half from Kean; he kept the Lions from letting up back to back goals. Kean picked up where they left off and scored quickly into the second half. The Lions could not capitalize on late chances.

The College loses a close match 2-1 against William Paterson University

This game was another

Pressure is something the Lions put on their opponents, but the defense was overwhelmed at several points in the game, which happened for the second game in a row. Sophomore accounting major Colin Kenville got the College back within one and piled on the pressure for the rest of the game, but it was not enough as the Lions dropped another close game in conference play.

What’s next for the College

The Lions will get a break in conference play as they travel to Washington College in Maryland Oct. 4. After that, it’s back to NJAC action where they play Rutgers-Newark on Oct. 7 and Stockton on Oct. 11.

Field Hockey upsets rival Rowan

headed to halftime, the score was deadlocked at 1-1.

Rowan came out in the second half just as they did at the start of the game. A deflected pass resulted in a goal for Rowan’s Sidney Pavlishin. Another one-shot period for the Lions, and they were down 2-1 with just 15 minutes left of play.

By Aidan Mastandrea Staff Writer

The College’s field hockey team defeated No. 12-ranked NJAC rival, Rowan University, on Sept. 30. This win improved the Lions to 6-3 on the season.

Rowan came out of the gates quick and scored the first goal early in the game, however, it did not take the Lions long to answer. Junior nursing major Carly Cole was able to deflect a shot past the Rowan goalie to even up the scoring as the first quarter came to an end.

The Profs had four shots on net compared to the Lions one in the second period, yet neither team was able to find the back of the cage. As the game

Until Saturday, the College had lost their previous three matchups with the Profs, and it was looking as if the streak would extend to four. That was until the Lions got a spark. Junior biology major Giavanna Downs was able to score off a rebound.

The College was not done. The tie was broken as junior nursing major Rayhanah Ahmed scored off an assist from junior computer science major Claire Engebreth, with only two minutes remaining. There was not enough time for the Profs to respond, as the Lions won the game 3-2.

After starting the season 3-3, the College has closed out September on a three-game winning streak. They will look to add to the streak as play in the New Jersey Athletic Conference continues.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone

The College in one of their home games.

Freshman forward Jadyn Huff with control of the ball.

TENNIS

/ Michibata wins singles and doubles regional tournament with Maitland-Carter

al doubles championship for the college.

“It was pretty cool to learn that we were the school’s first to win this tournament,” Maitland-Carter said. “We played super well all weekend and the semifinal matchup was tough, but once we were able to get through that it almost felt as if there was no pressure going into the final.”

Cool students read The Signal

Continued from page 1

On Oct. 2, he was able to claim his singles title as he defeated Okada Tsubasa of RPI in the championship in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5.

“Singles was even more rewarding to win because it was always something I was much less confident in,” Michibata said about his tournament win. “Seeing everything finally come together in my singles game has given me so much confidence and satisfaction.”

As he was commanding the singles tournament, Michibata also teamed up with Maitland-Carter to make a championship run in the doubles tournament. The duo entered the weekend as the top seeded doubles pairing in the region, and their play proved that ranking

correct. They handled business in their first three rounds, winning 8-2, 8-0 and 8-3, respectively.

A pair from Vassar provided a scare to Michibata and Maitland-Carter, but the College’s duo was able to pull out a nail-biting 8-7 (7-5) victory to send them into the finals. In the final on Sunday, Oct.1, the two Lions were able to knock off a duo from RPI in straight sets, winning 7-6 (3), 6-3, officially earning them the doubles championship.

Michibata is the first member of the College to win the regional singles championship since Matthew Klimchak won it as a senior 16 years ago in 2007. Michibata and Maitland-Carter also became the first pairing to win the region-

Michibata and Maitland-Carter will be able to continue their fall season, as they will travel to Rome, Georgia to compete in the ITA Division III Cup, which will begin on Oct. 12. This will be the second appearance in the ITA Cup for Michibata, as he qualified for the singles tournament in 2020 when he lost in the regional finals. This will be Maitland-Carter’s first ITA Cup appearance.

These titles, along with an appearance in the ITA Cup, add to an already impressive resume for Michibata in his six years at the College. His run over the weekend gave him his 72nd doubles win, which broke Klimchak’s record of 69 wins. The win in the singles championship was his 135th win in singles and doubles matches, which is fourth all time at the college.

“Overall, it feels incredibly rewarding to finally see the results of my hard work paying off, even if it took six years at the college,” Michibata said.

Signal Join The Signal

Women’s soccer dominates in back-to-back wins

and one loss for the season.

The games on Sept. 27 and Sept. 30 add to the team’s impressive record, showcasing excellent offensive skills and an overwhelming defense.

son, D’Imperio and O’Keefe both claimed their 25th goal of their respective collegiate careers.

Fifth year forward Emma Pascarella assisted many of the goals, tallying three over both games and scoring one goal of her own against Kean.

reflect in our Lions.

These games were the official beginning for the College’s women’s soccer conference play, leading their statistics strong with a 2-0-0 record.

By Liz Ciocher Arts & Entertainment Editor

The last two games played by women’s soccer here at the College had spectacular results, blowing the two competing universities completely out of the water.

With their only loss occurring in the first game of the season, our women’s soccer team has brought their record to a 7-1-1 status last week. That’s seven wins, one tie,

Both competing universities, Kean and William Patterson, crumbled under the pressure of our Lions, who maintained a goal count of zero for the duration of both games. Scores were finalized at 5-0 and 8-0, respectively.

Two particular players, junior midfielder Victoria D’Imperio and fifth year forward Lindsay O’Keefe, filled up the stat sheets against both universities, with each girl scoring three goals over the duration of the two games. In their time against William Patter -

The College’s women’s soccer head coach, Danny Blank, previously told The Signal that he had intended to put a stronger focus on defense, as it was their biggest struggle last season. The performance of our players have come to put this statement to fruition, demonstrated especially in last week’s achievements.

Both games were hosted by the opposing team, therefore housing mostly fans from the competitors. Each field had a different range of headcount, with Kean’s stands filling with 200 spectators and William Patterson holding 73. However, the intimidation of the fans and unfamiliar field failed to

In a stunning resemblance, each game’s first goal was scored within nine minutes of its start. Kean managed to muster up four shots during their playtime, while William Patterson had none in its entire runtime.

The next three women’s soccer games will be held at Lions Stadium, including a game against Rutgers-Newark. The Lions will take on the Scarlet Raiders on Oct. 7 at 11 a.m.

The women will not hit the road again until their match at No. 10 Montclair State University on Oct. 14.

Based on the Lions’ performance so far this year, the rest of the season should be exciting to watch.

Photo courtesy of Elizabth Gladstone

Photo Courtesy of Albert Nunez

The College’s tennis courts

Defender Caroline Rebele (13) and midfielder Victoria D’Imperio (6).

SOnly the coolest students write for The