Fall '23 Issue No. 5

The Signal

Vol. LIII, No. 5

https://www.tcnjsignalnews.com/

November 3, 2023

Serving The College of New Jersey since 1885

Faculty, staff endure three months without a contract, demand resolution

By Rebecca Heath and Ally Uhlendorf News Editors

Over the past three months, the College’s branch of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has engaged in ongoing state negotiations in an effort to secure a fair and equitable contract.

Members of the union, which includes faculty, adjunct faculty, librarians and professional staff, have been working without a contract since July 1, according to biology professor and AFT President Matthew Wund.

While AFT members have continued to receive their paychecks and health benefits amid this “demoralizing” period of uncertainty, Wund said the union is especially frustrated with the lack of cost-of-living increases despite rising inflation.

The AFT operates in conjunction with the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, which comprises every N.J. public college and university with the exception of Rutgers University and New Jersey Institute of Technology.

While some terms are negotiated with each institution’s respective administration, the council

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

Faculty and staff have been working without a contract for the past three months.

works collectively to negotiate health benefits, pay structure and employee disciplinary processes, in addition to other terms, in a statewide contract every four years.

At the College, the AFT holds general membership meetings and executive board meetings once a month, as well as professional staff meetings various times throughout the semester. The professional staff includes members from student account services, ARC and program assistants, in addition to other positions.

The union has been meeting with the state one to three times per month since February.

Representatives from each of the state colleges meet to discuss the changes to the contract they plan to ask for and to create proposals. The state is represented by the head of the Office of Employee Relations.

During the meetings, which take place at Thomas Edison State University, proposals are passed back and forth between the state and each college, after which the state discusses them for one to two weeks before returning a response.

Currently, there are two separate contracts being negotiated: the adjunct contract and the full-time contract. The adjunct contract only covers adjunct faculty, while the

full-time contract includes faculty, librarians and professional staff members.

According to interdisciplinary business professor and union member Susanna Monseau, the AFT has been advocating to compensate adjunct faculty equitably, implement paid maternity leave provisions and provide all union members with pay increases “to bring us at least in the direction of making up for the ground that we lost during the pandemic,” as part of their negotiation efforts. see UNION page 3

ARC experiences unexpected issues due to abcenses of staff Women’s cross

By Kate Zydor Staff Writer

The Accessibility Resource Center, located in Roscoe West Hall, has recently experienced staff vacancies that have caused issues in communication between itself and the College’s students and families.

“Accessibility Resource Center collaborates with students, faculty, staff and guests to advance access within the campus community and to further extend both the mission of the College of New Jersey and the mission of the Division of Inclusive Excellence to persons with disabilities,” said James A. Felton III, vice president for inclusive excellence.

The support services ARC provides include testing, classroom, housing, religious, and meal accommodations.

To apply for such accommodations, students must

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fill out an online form describing their needs, detail any previous accommodations and upload documentation from a licensed professional validating the need in question.

“The office also sponsors the Lion Plus Program, a fee-based holistic student support program for students with documented disabilities that extends beyond legally mandated (ADA) accommodations, which are free of charge,” Felton said.

This past spring, ARC experienced unexpected staff vacancies that altered the structure of the department.

“First, there was the retirement of Meghan Sellet, former AVP for Accessibility Resources in June, followed by the resignation of Kyla McCool, former Accessibility Specialist who accepted a new position at Princeton University in August,” said Felton.

In the interim, the College has hired two temporary specialists, working alongside both Felton and Davis to manage student caseloads. Dr. Crystal Maldonado, director of equal employment opportunity and workplace compliance, has also stepped in to oversee new and existing employee accommodations.

“Obviously, the sudden departures of Sellet and McCool resulted in some bumps in the operation during this period of transition,” Felton said. “We received a little over a dozen complaints from students and families out of the 1300 students who utilize ARC’s services.”

Most of these complaints were regarding how long it took ARC staff to process academic accommodations for the semester. However, some expressed concerns about meal modifications and housing assignments. see ARC page 2

country wins championship

By Isabella Darcy Opinions Editor The College’s cross country teams achieved high rankings at the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Cross Country Championships on Oct. 28.

The women’s team claimed first place, winning the conference championship for the second year in a row, and the men’s team finished second, a single point behind Rowan University.

Stockton University hosted the championship, during which nine women’s teams competed in a 6K race, and seven men’s teams competed in an 8K. The College’s women’s team emerged victorious in their race; the Lions’ first five athletes to finish scored a total of 50 team points, beating Stockton University by one.

see CROSS COUNTRY page 16

Check out our website for these stories, campus news, sports, student opinions and more!

page 2 The Signal November 3, 2023

ARC / Unexpected vacancies Continued from page 1 “I think it’s important for the department to be transparent with students and ensure that they are aware of the resources that are available to them,” said freshman political science major Andrew LoMonte.

With ARC’s recent staff vacancies, necessary adjustments have been made to the office’s layout. However, its current staff has continued in their efforts to maintain and provide the resources guaranteed to all of the College’s students.

“Despite these challenges, ARC has been able to process over 1,250 requests over the course of a three-week period,” Felton said.

The staffing problem was discussed by the Board of Trustees at their most recent meeting on Oct. 17. Trustee Elanor Horne, who sits on the Inclusive Excellence Committee, reported on ARC’s recent staff vacancies.

“We talked quite a bit about the difficult job that staff in [ARC] are facing. They are now serving 1,300 students with three vacancies on that staff,” Horne told the Board.

“And so if you think your jobs

are very hard, think about your colleagues who are working in [ARC], and we thank them for their tremendous efforts and hope that those positions can be filled very quickly.”

Due to the recent vacancies, current staff of ARC are burdened with a tiresome workload in an attempt to manage 1,300 students. As students struggle to communicate with staff members, they may not be able to access the resources that will aid in their success at the College.

This has and will continue to impact students and staff, but also faculty members who must be made aware of any accommodations that a student requires in order to be successful.

Moving forward, miscommunication between all parties will undoubtedly impact students’ achievement and sense of comfort at the College if these positions are not filled swiftly.

Although this issue impacts only a fraction of the student body, it is one that pertains to the integrity of the College and its promise of accessibility.

Student Government general body meeting ends in heated debate

By Leah Cruz Correspondent Student Government (SG) held a weekly general body meeting on Oct. 25 to discuss a number of topics, including new clubs becoming recognized student organizations, proposals to improve dining at the College and a heated debate about the responsibilities of the delegate cohort.

The meeting began with Lions Fencing and Kalyani both presenting their clubs to SG in hopes of becoming a recognized student organization (RSO).

Becoming an RSO allows clubs and organizations to receive active oversight from the College and offers access to benefits such as funding from the Student Finance Board, storage space for equipment and advertising.

Members of the Lions Fencing Club presented the club as a way to bring the campus community to-

gether and promote physical wellness, in addition to teamwork and collaboration. Kalyani is a club that aims to showcase south asian music and global performances to create a space for south asian musicians on campus.

The motions to recognize both clubs were passed.

The first thing discussed among the open floor agenda items was the Student Activity Fee (SAF) Reserve project ideas, presented by Aria Chalileh, a junior political science major and vice president of student services. SAF works to financially support different student events and programs on campus. The massage chairs in the student center, the fitness and basketball courts and the digital display wall have all been created through the SAF Reserve project initiative that aims to enrich the student experience using leftover SAF funds not used during the academic year.

Chalileh is actively working with Vice President of Student Affairs

Photo courtesy of Ayden Isibrian

Vice President of Student Services Aria Chalileh presents to the general body.

Sean Stallings to determine what other projects students want to see come to life on campus.

Chalileh also presented several plans to improve dining at the College. She proposed allowing students to use meal equivalency on the weekends, increasing the number of swipes used with meal equivalency, incorporating an online app for pre-ordering food, addressing the lack of options for students with dietary restrictions outside of Eick and the price markups for items at the C-store.

Strongly advocating for the betterment of the student experience, Chalileh explained that even though it will be hard work, changes must be made to improve dining on campus.

When a student raised concerns about the potential rise in tuition as a result of the aforementioned changes, Chalileh responded saying, “the focus should not be profit, it should be the student experience.”

Jordan Shyi, director of intercultural affairs, spoke to SG about the department’s upcoming initiatives to create a more inclusive environment on campus through a diversity summit that fosters connections between alumni, employers, students and faculty. He also advertised the number of inclusion training workshops that the Department of Intercultural Affairs will be offering to

clubs and student organizations to promote critical thinking and inclusivity.

SG then moved on to discuss the new business on the agenda that included items to be voted on at the next meeting. This included three clubs: the Rebel Arts Movement, TCNJ Democrats and the Sikh Student Association.

Catherine Lillja, a student government delegate, and Vice President Jared Williams presented a resolution for a pilot program that would place dispensers stocked with free menstrual products in bathrooms. There are dispensers already installed in Roscoe West and the Education Building; the aim of the proposal is to provide free menstrual products in high-traffic areas on campus, such as the Brower Student Center and the library.

While the resolution does not guarantee this idea will be implemented, student government sponsors are actively figuring out the logistics and ways to make it happen.

Sophomore biology and public health major Shayaan Makki, the head of the delegate cohort, proposed a bill to increase the responsibilities of the delegate cohort and allow its members the same voting rights as elected members.

Read more on our website!

November 3, 2023 The Signal page 3

UNION / Faculty and staff face uncertainty as contract negotiations stall Continued from page 1 “They’ve been progressing, but really slowly and we’ve been hopeful that we would have a contract much sooner,” Wund said. “There are just times where we would hope the state would be moving faster on some of our proposals — I’m sure they probably feel the same way about us. But I think we’re trying our best to meet their demands without necessarily giving up lots of important things, and it’s just frustrating.”

While a number of N.J. state colleges, including the College, have recently faced significant financial challenges, Wund said he’s hopeful the council and state negotiators will ultimately settle on a “better” contract than in previous years, as the state is not currently in the midst of a “financial crisis.”

“I’ve never experienced what I would consider a good contract in the sense of even keeping up with inflation, so hopefully this one will be better,” Wund said.

Four years ago, faculty and professional staff members worked without a contract for two years, sparking demonstrations held on campus by a group of faculty. Union members marched around Green Hall chanting and banging on lockers, making as much as an effort to

get their voices heard as possible.

“We just want to do our jobs and we tend to be well behaved, we don’t want to harm the institution,” Wund said, regarding the previous strike.

“But it got the point where we were so frustrated that we were having campus demonstrations, people just got really angry.”

They worked without receiving various benefits for two years, such as cost-of-living increases and health benefits. There were no attempts by the state to negotiate these benefits and reach a formal agreement, according to Wund “That seemed like a bad precedent was set where for two years we were working entirely without a contract and without any clue when we would get one,” Monseau said.

“It was really demoralizing to have no way for two years having an increase in your salary to be accumulating years of service but not getting that credit, not getting cost of living increases while you’re still paying for your healthcare and healthcare costs are going up,” Wund said.

The uncertainty of working without a contract can detrimentally affect the teaching environment for professors. Despite working without a contract, professors continue to go above and beyond, due to their ded-

ication to the College.

“Collectively, we all work well beyond what we’re expected to do,” Wund said. “And we keep doing that because we’re dedicated employees and we love this institution and we love the students and we care about each other. And so in a sense it hasn’t so much affected us because we keep doing our job, but it’s also demoralizing.”

“Our working environment is your learning environment, and I want to make it as good as possible,” Monseau said. “I love teaching and I really want to make it a good environment for students — and a good environment for me. Because I think we’re all happier when we feel we’re being respected and compensated.”

As part of their efforts to spread awareness about the issue and expedite the process, members of the union have been hosting tabling events around campus. Members handed out flyers providing information about what has been happening, as well as talking to people walking by. As of right now there is no plan to authorize a strike at the College.

“I would hope that we wouldn’t have to do what we did last time: authorize a strike,” Wund said. “But that would be if the next negotiations

seem like we’re just not getting to a place where we can be comfortable, then that would escalate. But there’s nothing pending where that would be a step — it’s not the next thing.”

With the state recently reaching agreements with Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), which are two other employee unions at the College, spokesperson David Muha believes a finalized contract with the AFT is on the horizon.

“We are encouraged by the fact that agreements have been reached with the leadership of two of our unions — CWA and IFPTE — and are hopeful that the state is close to an agreement with the AFT,” Muha said.

As the AFT’s negotiations remain ongoing, Wund encourages members of the campus community to reach out to the administration and state representatives to show support.

“You can communicate to the administration, to the board of trustees or to the governor or the state legislature, just to let them know you’re paying attention,” he said. “If you empathize with us, just let us know.”

Cop Shop: Patriots outburst, ice cream vandalism and Eick streaker

By Liz Ciocher Arts & Entertainment Editor The Signal and Campus Police work together on a weekly basis to inform the campus community about crime on and around campus. All records given to The Signal are public records and do not contain personal information. Some information provided may be triggering for some students.

The following instances have all occurred in the month of October, maintaining fright for students and faculty of the College. All incidents are listed in order chronologically.

Sept. 19 & 21: Parking lot hit and runs Two separate instances of parked car hit-and-runs were reported to Campus Police, both with credit to an anonymous eyewitness.

The first crash, which occurred on Sept. 19 in the Education Building garage, was the fault of two female drivers. According to security footage, the perpetrator’s vehicle was seen driving on the wrong side of the road before pulling into a parking spot. In an attempt to back out of the parking spot, the perpetrator’s vehicle backed into the car parked in the neighboring spot. There were documented rear bumper and fender dents, scratches and paint transfers. The perpetrators drove away without taking any responsibility for the accident.

The second crash, Sept. 21 in Lot

7, was the fault of one woman driver.

Security footage demonstrates three separate attempts of the driver pulling into a parking spot, the third attempt resulting in a side-swiping of the vehicle in the neighboring parking spot.

The perpetrator also drove away without taking any responsibility for the accident.

When both owners of the parked vehicles returned to their cars later in the day, both found anonymous crash notes depicting the incidents of the accidents on their cars. After calling Campus Police, the perpetrators were identified, confessed to their crimes and were written tickets for careless driving.

Oct. 2: Centennial Hall reported theft and backpack dismemberment At around 2 p.m., one of Centennial Hall’s resident directors reported theft to Campus Police on behalf of one of their residents.

The student reportedly left their backpack in the residence hall’s lounge before taking a quick trip to the library.

Upon returning, the student found some of their belongings missing, while the remaining contents, including homework assignments and ziploc sandwich bags of medication,

were pasted to the wall.

Video footage of the lounge was unsuccessful in identifying the perpetrator.

Oct. 5: Lactose-related damages to Mayo Concert Hall After some suspicious activity, Mayo Concert Hall’s manager called Campus Police to report some “criminal mischief.”

Damage was found on two of the pianos: one had a missing key and the other was found victim to an ice cream spilling.

The damages w e r e done within 24 hours, but it is unclear if both acts were conducted by the same perpetrator.

Both pianos needed hundreds of dollars in repairs, but are safely up and running.

Oct. 15: Student curses out law enforcement on behalf of the Patriots A seemingly usual case of public intoxication turned personal after a student yelled obscenities at policemen and EMT services, all because of an NFL loss.

Campus Police arrived in Wolfe Hall after a community advisor reported a drunken and troublesome student causing a scene and being carried to his room.

Responding officers knocked on

the student’s door to find him, as he immediately bursted into tears.

“I’m tired of watching [the New England Patriots] lose every single year,” the student said between sobs, according to the police statement.

The student also claimed to have not been drinking, but along with the intense display of emotion, was walking in circles around the hallway and could not stand straight up.

After an attempt to contain the student back in his room, the student shouted “I want nothing to do with you motherf***ers.”

The student then continued to shout obscenities at the policemen and community advisors, including calling them “F***ing cruel,” before the EMTs arrived, which raised the severity of the situation to the student.

He turned physical at their arrival, lunging at them and foaming at the mouth as he shouted, “I f***ing hate you. I’ll f***ing kill you.”

The student was transported to Capital Health Regional Hospital in a four-point restraint strapped to the ambulance’s stretcher.

The following day, the student reported to the Campus Police Station to be written up for underage drinking, assigned a ‘B’ summons for disorderly conduct and to deliver a hand-written apology letter.

Read more on our website!

page 4 The Signal November 3, 2023

Trenton police under Justice Department investigation

By Rajika Chauhan Staff Writer

In the 11th investigation of its kind since 2021, the U.S. Justice Department has opened a probe of the Trenton Police Department after allegations of unlawful conduct and excessive use of force against residents. The New York Times reported that the inquiry is categorized as a “pattern or practice” investigation. This type of inquiry seeks to identify whether police officers are g​​uilty of unconstitutional abuses of power, while targeting the weaknesses in the department’s training and disciplinary programs that may be responsible for malpractice.

Complaints of injustice in police behavior have been voiced in Trenton for several years. The Department’s attention has been brought specifically to traffic stops and searches being conducted without probable cause, with such interactions often escalating into excessive abuses of force. Incidents have been recorded with officers using force in retaliation for individuals questioning the purpose of or filming police interactions, with many such unlawful stops progressing into arrests, according to The Trentonian.

Minorities and individuals suffering from mental health episodes have been particular targets for mistreatment.

Assistant Attorney General Kris-

ten Clarke gave a statement explaining the issues that had alerted the Justice Department’s attention at a press conference, stating: “We reviewed information suggesting that officers may have unnecessarily escalated situations with Trenton residents, resulting in problematic uses of force including against people experiencing mental health crises.”

The probe is expected to last approximately one year, in which time Justice Department officials plan to conduct a comprehensive review of the police department and civil records of misconduct, as per USA Today. The Department will seek first to identify whether there is sufficient evidence of a systemic problem in police conduct, referring to body-camera footage, statistics and court records, as well as taking input from community panels and forums. Information will be collected from a five-year window of incidents and arrests.

Trenton has been faced by a deluge of widely-publicized police brutality incidents in the past several years. In July, 2020, 64-year-old Joseph Ahr Sr. was pepper-sprayed on his porch while speaking to officers and died 18 days later. The city of Trenton also paid $1.9 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Stephen Dolceamore, a 29-year-old man who died in April of 2020 following a struggle with

officers, his official cause of death being listed as “methamphetamine intoxication with physical restraint and chest-wall restriction.” In February of 2022, 29-year-old JaJuan Henderson was shot in the arm after reaching for iced-tea while speaking to officers in his car, and is now paralyzed from the chest down. The Department has stated that the investigation was not prompted by one incident, but rather a general trend of complaints and abusive conduct by the Trenton Police.

The Department has not made allegations of racial discrimination in its criticism of the Trenton Police.

The Trentonian cites, however, that pattern-or-practice investigations have been linked to issues of racially motivated police misconduct in the past, with a high-profile review taking place within the Minneapolis Police Department following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Inspections of this kind began in 1994, almost two years after riots were sparked in L.A. following the acquittal of officers who were charged with the unlawful beating and arrest of Rodney King.

While only one pattern-or-practice investigation was opened under the Trump administration, several more have been conducted during Biden’s time in office, as reported

by The Times. The Justice Department claims it has been spurred to focus on Trenton given the success

of similar inquiries in rehabilitating practice in other police departments across the country, with Seattle noting a 60% drop in excessive force following an investigation and remediation.

USA Today reports that if the probe finds proof of a systemic issue within police department practices, it is likely to prompt a federal consent decree. This would put the Trenton Police Department under federal oversight, having to meet specific goals and adhere to established practices until the watch is lifted. Some officials have had issues with the effectiveness of decrees, claiming that they are costly and demanding of time without bringing forth sufficient improvements.

Phillip R. Sellinger, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, noted that evidence from community meetings had been particularly influential in the bringing of the investigation. He cited a note he received from a resident during a meeting in a church last month, which stated: “We’re scared of the law because they don’t like us.”

The investigation marks the first step in a longer path towards accountability and remediation for the Trenton Police Department, with continuing hesitations from both residents and officials on the potential for adequate reform.

Loss of professors in the School of Science worries students

By Rachel Lea Correspondent

As students prepare to register for classes next semester, the School of Science is experiencing a significant faculty turnover.

Many of its departments are losing professors, making both students and the remaining faculty worried about the upcoming semester and the school as a whole.

“It has been endemic,” said junior biology major Aayush Gandhi. “And it has been a consistent thing where [I have

heard], ‘Oh, these guys are leaving’…in the three years I have been here.”

Sunita Kramer, the dean of the School of Science, told the Signal that seven professors from the School of Science have left the College since the start of the summer. Among them, two were retiring and another three were visiting professors only employed to teach at the College for a few years.

“I cannot comment further on personnel matters,” Kramer said.

“But I can say the departures are

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone

Seven professors from the School of Science have left since the start of the summer.

unrelated and no positions have been eliminated.”

At least another four professors are set to leave this December, including biology professors Zaara Sarwar and Howard Reinert, and chemistry professors Lynn Bradley and David Hunt.

Hunt is one of the few professors in his department that teaches organic chemistry, a requirement for many science students. But after teaching for nearly nineteen years at the College, Hunt has decided to retire.

“I could stay here and teach forever,” Hunt said. “I love it here so much, but…I think it is time to give someone else a chance to do this.”

Personal circumstances seem to be the main drive for the turnover, but Hunt also believes the College’s finances are playing a role. Although professors continue to get paid, resources are also being diverted to create more graduate programs. The College hopes to attract and retain more students with these programs, allowing it to gain more revenue without raising tuition.

According to Hunt, however, many professors have expressed wariness towards teaching

graduates. Not only will these programs add to their workload, but it will also take time away from undergraduates.

“I think the School — and the College at large — is losing its aim,” Hunt said. “Originally, it was supposed to be an example for an exclusively undergraduate education. Now faculty are going to have to teach courses to graduate students in addition to undergraduate students. You are taking away from one program to build the other one, and I think that is a mistake.”

This clash in beliefs may cause some professors to find work that aligns better with their preferences.

Additionally, there may be aspects of working in the School of Science itself that are contributing to the rapid loss of faculty members. Sophomore chemistry major Vincent Artuso, for instance, noted the School struggles with communicating important information to professors. Not knowing what is going on at one’s own jobs may add additional stress to a professor’s life, and he may resign from his position to alleviate this.

Read more on our website!

Features

The Eick Challenge: Trying food from every station

By Lee McGowan Correspondent

I entered the Eickhoff dining hall with a big task at hand.

“Eick,” as it is referred to by students, regularly receives highly mixed reviews. Instagram and Snapchat accounts dedicated to “Eick Fails” are common on campus, but there are also students who will eat there for every meal.

That’s where I come in–to try food from every station and truly get to the bottom of the long lasting debate: Is Eickhoff good?

I brought support for my cause, senior journalism and professional writing major Riley Eisenbeil.

She and I worked together to try foods, making sure none of it went to waste. Once we found a table, we got down to work.

We started with cheese pizza and tortellini with marinara sauce from Ceva Pizza and Pasta. The pizza was great; it didn’t taste like it was from a true pizzeria and brought me back to high school cafeteria pizza. The bread wasn’t burnt or too doughy, and the sauce tasted perfect. I am always under the impression that it’s impossible to mess up pizza, and Eick proved me right.

The tortellini was more disappointing. Ceva has a self-serve pasta station, meaning the same pasta sits in the warmer until it needs to be refilled. This led the sauce to be dry, and the whole dish was lukewarm. The tortellini was cooked well, but the dry sauce that had no seasoning in it

The Eickhoff Dining Hall

made the entire dish quite bland.

Next up was a hearty beef stew from Green Farm Salads. The soup immediately brought Eisenbeil back to home cooked soups from her mother. The beef was tender, and the pairing with beans, celery and carrots led to a perfect stew. Then I tried a salad, which was also great! There are times when I steer clear from the station due to dirty vegetables, but that day they were all fresh and full of great taste.

We moved onto rotisserie chicken, a baked potato, squash and zucchini from the Rotisserie.

I was given two pieces of chicken; one was very pink, so I put it aside. The other was cooked very well and had great seasoning.

Next was the baked potato. I am not usually a fan of potatoes, but that one was soft and buttery—it didn’t even need more seasoning.

The squash and zucchini tasted exactly alike. They were marinated in oil and pepper, which was essentially all that I could taste. It was a solid meal, though not nec-

Photo courtesy of Shane Gillespie

essarily one I would crave.

After the Rotisserie was Quimby’s, Eickhoff’s micro-restaurant that offers a new menu item each day. The choice for the day was pork, macaroni and cheese, and a bok choy salad. The pork was tender and well marinated, and the macaroni and cheese tasted great, which was expected.

“The mac and cheese is one of my favorites here, so it’s gonna be good,” Eisenbiel guessed before her bite. It was followed quickly by, “I was right!” once she finished.

The bok choy salad was new for both Eisenbiel and myself. It looked soggy from afar, but ended up only tasting like the wasabi it was seasoned with. It was a fine taste, but left us wondering what it would be like with less wasabi.

C Street Grill was our last stop for entrees during our trip. I tried the hot dog, while Eisenbiel chose a turkey burger. I found the hot dog fine, it tasted no different from any hot dog I have eaten elsewhere. Eisenbeil enjoyed her

turkey burger, though she thought it tasted more like chicken than turkey.

“If it was warm, I think it would taste like the crispy chicken sandwich from Wendy’s,” she said. We both shared the fries, which were crispy and salted to perfection; we didn’t even need ketchup.

We ended our feast with melon from Green Farm Salads, along with a brownie and M&M chocolate chip cookies from Bliss Bakery. The melon tasted fresh and was super juicy, receiving a thumbs up from Eisenbeil and I. The cookies got the same review–chewy and similar to a home-baked chocolate chip cookie. The brownie was where Eisenbeil and I finally disagreed. We both agreed it was very moist and dense, but I found the brownie had too much fudge on it. Eisenbeil felt the fudge was the perfect addition to the brownie, so I will recommend trying them only if you are a fan of a lot of chocolate.

After our busy day, Eisenbeil and I came to the same conclusions. The main problem we had was the temperature: warming the food more would help. The food was well seasoned, though, and had a good taste overall.

I typically do not enjoy the food at Eick, but was pleasantly surprised on this day. Overall, I suggest having an open mind when visiting Eick. If you make your way through the hall before giving up, you are sure to find a hidden delicacy.

Off-campus students use their autonomy to practice healthy eating habits

Healthy food

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

By Kayla Del Correspondent When college begins, many eager freshmen anticipate the independence that living on their own grants them, but some of these freedoms are only easily accessible for off-campus upperclassmen. For first-year students constrained by meal plans and without the convenience of a kitchen or a car to go to the grocery store, developing a healthy lifestyle can be difficult.

As students progress through

their college years, many decide to live off-campus, providing them with more freedom in their eating habits and overall health.

The kitchen serves as the epicenter, a place for off-campus students to prepare nutritious meals, a privilege not afforded to students who live in dorms.

By escaping the monotony and limitations of the dining hall menus, students are able to personalize their eating habits. Jenna Fitzgerald, a junior nursing major, shared how her transition from on-campus to off-campus housing has impacted her ability to make healthier choices.

“My eating habits have changed since I began to live off campus because I have more autonomy over my food choices since I am cooking for myself,” Fitzgerald said.

Junior accounting and kinesiology double major Giannis Rakkou shared the sentiment that the

freedom that comes from living off-campus empowers students to take charge of their lives and practice self-control.

“I rarely eat out and have more freedom in satisfying cravings while still adhering to my diet, which has assisted me with eating much healthier and cleaner,” Rakkou said.

The students named the freedom to create grocery lists and meal ideas that align with their personal preferences as the catalyst for living a healthier lifestyle.

“If I don’t buy too much unhealthy food, I won’t eat it,” Fitzgerald said. “I try to limit myself to one or two sweet foods when I go to the grocery store and try my best to find healthy snack options.”

For off-campus students, intentional grocery shopping plays a vital role in healthier eating habits. Limiting excessive unhealthy purchases by finding nutritious al-

ternatives and allowing some indulgences promotes balance—the key to healthy living.

While the autonomy of off-campus living can be alluring, along with it comes more responsibility. Although students gain more control over their meal choices, they also have to go grocery shopping, cook and clean on their own.

These added responsibilities put another task on the to-do list of already-busy students.

Despite these challenges, many off-campus students find that this freedom fosters healthier eating habits, empowerment and a sense of enjoyment.

“A diet is more feasible and enjoyable when you can prepare higher quality meals that you enjoy,” Rakkou said.

This lifestyle shift entails more than just healthier eating; it focuses on autonomy, ownership and choice, all of which are important to college students.

page 6 The Signal November 3, 2023

New Wind Orchestra joins the Bands program, harmonizing community and talent

By Isabella Darcy Opinions Editor

There are currently over 150 students in the College’s Bands program, and until this semester, there were only two ensembles to host them all. With that ratio, practices and performances would become too crowded, a close community would be difficult to foster and students would not get enough individual attention. The program needed another ensemble.

In hopes of improving the Bands program, the director and assistant director of bands, Dr. Eric Laprade, and Professor Adam Warshafsky, respectively, collaborated to create the College’s newest ensemble, the Wind Orchestra, which Warshafsky directs.

“We were so happy to see so many students interested in being a part of TCNJ Bands that we needed to create a third ensemble so that we could best serve all of the students,” Warshafsky said.

The addition of the Wind Orchestra has allowed for a more even distribution of students throughout the ensembles. There are approximately 65 students in the Concert Band and 45 students in both the Wind Ensemble and the Wind Orchestra.

The Concert Band would have had over 110 students this semester if the Wind Orchestra had not been created, according to Warshafsky. Fitting over 110 students on a stage would be physically difficult.

A larger ensemble also makes it harder to foster a close community. The Wind Orchestra has al-

ready fostered a fun and trusting community, according to Warshafsky.

“We work really hard and we have a culture of trust and support for each other, but we also have a lot of fun,” Warshafsky said. “If there’s a rehearsal where there’s no laughter, then something’s not right.”

The distribution of students throughout ensembles is still uneven, with the Concert Band having about 20 more students than both the Wind Ensemble and Wind Orchestra. This is because wind ensembles and orchestras are typically made up of 45 people organized in certain sections.

The College’s Wind Orchestra consists of a woodwind section, brass section, percussion section and string bass.

Any student at the College who has any level of experience playing an instrument can join the Wind Orchestra by enrolling on PAWS. Both music and non-music majors can join, and an audition is not required. The ensemble counts as a four-credit class that students can complete to fulfill the Literary, Visual or Performing Arts graduation requirement.

“We’re trying to provide fulfilling, enriching, creative experiences for students,” Laprade said.

Students join the Wind Orchestra for a number of reasons. Some want a community to make music with, others are fulfilling a graduation requirement and some are working their way up to the Wind Ensemble.

The Wind Ensemble is the most advanced of all the groups in the

College’s Bands program and requires an audition to join.

Junior kinesiology and health sciences major Alex Brenner is a trombone player in the Wind Orchestra and aims to be in the Wind Ensemble. Brenner auditioned for the Wind Ensemble but fell short of making it in, so he joined the Wind Orchestra instead.

“It’s been great being in Wind Orchestra,” Brenner said. “We’ve had some more challenging pieces, which has allowed me to progress more as a musician.”

Brenner is far from the only hard-working student in the Wind Orchestra.

“The students are incredibly motivated and responsible and take a lot of ownership over what happens in rehearsals,” Warshafsky said. “The students spend a lot of time outside of rehearsal practicing and preparing their parts so when they show up to our rehearsals, they can play their parts.”

The Wind Orchestra rehearses in Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall on Mondays and Thursdays from 7 p.m. until 8:20 p.m.. During rehearsals, students and Warshafsky collaborate to make artistic decisions about how they want to interpret and play repertoire. This includes discussions about the ensemble’s speed, how certain sections of the music should be phrased and what type of balance they are looking for.

“That’s a very exciting collaborative process we have together,” Warshafsky said. “Like they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

It really goes fast. Eighty minutes happens in a blink.”

Kendall Hall

Photo courtesy of Shane Gillespie

The ensemble also uses rehearsal time to collectively prepare for performances. The Wind Orchestra is projected to have two performances per semester. Its first performance was on Oct. 14, after having 11 total rehearsals as a group.

“It’s pretty impressive to hear what they’re able to do after only being together 11 times,” Warshafsky said.

The concert, “Poetics!,” included separate performances from both the Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. Some of the pieces, in both ensembles’ performances, were musical interpretations of poems, inspiring the concert’s name.

“At the concert, we pulled it together and it was a pretty solid performance for both Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble,” Brenner said.

The students making up the Wind Orchestra may be of different ages, majors and backgrounds, but a new musical community has brought them together.

“The culture of music making and creativity is thriving at the College,” Laprade said, “and our doors are open.”

The international student experience

Photo courtesy of Albert Nunez

Center for Global Engagement

By Nicholas Steinhauser Staff Writer While the College is mostly home to students from New Jersey, there are also a handful of international students.

Being one of few international students often means getting extra attention.

“Some people looked at me as a trophy and only found me interesting for my international status,” said Gréta Soós, a senior English/publishing and editing

major who lived in Hungary before attending the College, but had traveled to the U.S. regularly prior. “People also educated me on stuff I already knew about America, believing that I didn’t know about the basics in America which isn’t true if they would get to know me well.”

Soós said that being viewed as “different” has sometimes led to positive experiences, however.

“Many people were actually interested in me being different and wanted to learn about my stories from Hungary,” said Soós. “They treated me like one of them, but my experience depended on the person I talked to.”

Soós added that the College was more open to different backgrounds than her home county.

“When walking around, you can be whoever you want on campus, but this wasn’t the case in Hungary,” said Soós. “There are some lifestyles that are actively repressed there, so it’s great to

see people embracing themselves in America.”

Some aspects of the U.S. require particular adaptation as an international student.

Anushka Pradhan, a sophomore international studies major from Singapore, said that it can be especially difficult to learn subjects that pertain directly to the U.S. and were not taught in the countries they grew up in.

“I especially had trouble understanding American history and macroeconomics, which teaches about the American economy,” said Pradhan.

Outside of adjusting to a foreign school, international students also have to adjust to living in the U.S. in general. Depending on where they grew up, they might not speak English as their first language, which can make it even more difficult to adapt to the new way of speaking.

“The lingo was the hardest part for me to understand about Amer-

ica when first coming here,” said Pradhan. “Back in Singapore, we never said phrases like ‘hi, how are you?’ which is a common American way to greet someone.

It took some time getting used to this form of communication.”

Another aspect of the U.S. that international students must adapt to is the (often limited) public transportation system of the area.

“Public transportation is huge in Europe, but not in the U.S. It’s very difficult to find public transportation here,” said Soós. “As someone who doesn’t have a license, I find it a struggle to get where I need to be at times.”

It may be frustrating trying to meet new people and adapt to new customs. However, the experiences that they gain here can be very impactful.

“I actually became more attached to my friends here than at home, and I will genuinely miss them when I finish up my time here at the College,” said Soós.

The College is embarrassingly behind on environmental education

By Mike Sherr Editor-in-Chief

The society of the future is clearly green. Climate change is ravaging the globe and there needs to be vital changes. Colleges and universities throughout the world recognize this and have for decades aimed to educate students to work in environmental fields. While the College does have programs and classes dedicated to environmental topics, they miss a larger specialized educational opportunity.

Ever since my freshman year, I have been trying to essentially make my political science major be an environmental policy major. I picked up the environmental studies minor that year and have since been trying to supplement my required classes with environmentally focused ones that will fulfill my major’s requirements.

Finding these classes have been somewhat difficult, and have partly left me feeling unfulfilled in my environmental education.

I realized that while the class-

cultural research center. Much more recently, Rowan University created its School of Earth and Environment in 2015 specifically recognizing the importance of environmental careers.

The College has been home to Sustainable Jersey, a leading quasi-government environmental group that attempts to aid municipalities and schools in becoming more sustainable, since at least 2009. If you walk around campus though, you will not see many students that even know it exists.

The new Masters of Public Policy program at the College has crePhoto courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone The College is behind other institutions in providing education about the environment. ated a fellowship with the group, es I have taken talk about envi- ies next fall, especially because but this is after years of little opronmentalism in their respective the faculty involved included portunities for students.

I understand that the College’s fields, there is no coordinated some of my favorite professors. main programs will always be edpath that leads to a higher un- Only time will tell whether the derstanding of the environment. major will solve the problem I ucation and nursing, but modern I have recognized my personal faced, but I have confidence that institutions need environmental degree options in order to be need to go on to pursue a graduate it will. degree in an environmental field.

What is embarrassing though, competitive in the growing green Looking back, knowing the is that it has taken the College economy. While the new environcareer path I now want, I would this long to get to this point. Rut- mental studies degree is a start in have never come to the College. gers’ School of Environmental the right direction, a greater focus I was excited to hear that the and Biological Sciences, former- and more resources are needed to College will be starting a Bache- ly known as Cook College, was make the environment an institulor of Arts in environmental stud- established in 1864 as an agri- tional priority.

College is less stressful than high school was

Photo courtesy of Albert Nunez

Students may be busier in college, but that does not mean that they are more stressed.

By Catherine Gonzalez Features Editor If asked to describe my life as a sophomore in college, I would say that new commitments keep flying at me on a whim, I have to constantly make rapid-fire decisions about my next moves and my workload is much heavier than ever before. This is all on top of the fact that I am also far busier than ever before.

So why am I less stressed out now than I was in high school?

When I envision high school, my mind is confined to a singular school building filled with

people that I have seen over and over again for years. Sure, I went to a relatively large school with a graduating class of roughly 370 people, but there was a redundancy to these people and our overall values that made me feel claustrophobic, trapped even.

And honestly, I didn’t even realize this until I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders during our year online. I felt free of the pressures that the high school environment placed on my mind.

Let me put it this way: in high school, everybody took the same sort of classes and generally had the same options for extracurric-

ulars. Students kept tabs on what other students were doing, and there was constant discussion about who was on which honors tracks, and which people were involved in the most leadership positions.

The small, unvarying environment encouraged more competition.

Top this uber competitiveness onto the fact that many of us had the same end-goal after high school: college.

Going to high school with the same people who have the same goal kind of just forced me to focus on having the best appearance possible within my confines so I could reach the socially-generated image of an “ideal student,” an image that I thought I would be utterly ruined without.

And when I faltered within those confines, I felt like a failure.

So fast forward to college.

Everybody has various different goals, be that to go on to law school after completing their undergraduate degree, head straight to the workforce as a teacher or just explore the field that makes them happy. Whatever you want to do, you are on a specialized track to make that happen, and it is the same way for the students

that you spend time with, making it much more difficult to compare what you’re doing to what other students are doing.

Each person following their own specific path creates a much healthier, more supportive environment where we see other people’s strengths as an asset and not a threat.

Additionally, because there are so many more ways to get involved and our schedules are each so different from one another’s, we can better view ourselves as individuals on our own journeys.

Seeing ourselves as individuals also makes it feel less like the world is coming to an end if we falter. Whenever I screwed up in high school, I just heard voices around me talking about how well they were doing, and whether they were doing better than the next person, making me feel like I was falling behind and would be unable to catch up. I don’t feel that way anymore.

College is an incredibly busy time and never short of surprises, be they good or bad. Feeling more like an individual has helped me grow and accept the unexpected in ways that I never could in high school, shaping me into the person I am today.

page 8 The Signal November 3, 2023

Fall serves the best fashion every year

Photo courtesy of Aimee Bulger

Fall on campus brings out the best fashion of the year.

By Aimee Bulger S t a f f Wr i t e r Cycles of fashion pass season to season like leaves on a tree. Each is distinct by the clothing and trends within e a c h t i m e o f t h e y e a r. H o w e v e r, f a l l c o n t a i n s a rg u a b l y the best set of fashion of the four seasons.

The sweaters, the layering,

t h e a c c e s s o r i e s a l l o ff e r s o many more options than the w a r m e r o r c o l d e r c o u n t e rp a r t s . Wi t h f a l l , o n e c a n b e more expressive and creative with their outfits as there is more to play with.

Fall is a fickle season, esp e c i a l l y i n N e w J e r s e y. T h e weather changes frequently f r o m d a y t o d a y, h o t t o c o l d .

This allows for the options of both warmer and cooler clothes to be worn throughout the season without any discomfort. Being able to wake up and decide between jeans or sweats, a sweater or a t - s h i r t i s o n e o f t h i s s t a t e ’s gifts or curse to the indecisive, depending on how you look at it.

Wa l k i n g a r o u n d t h e C o l l e g e ’s c a m p u s s o f a r t h i s f a l l , I ’ v e n o t i c e d a w o n d e rful variety of expression through fashion, especially as the weather begins to cool down. When it is hot out, the options for comfortable c l o t h i n g a r e l i m i t e d , s i m i l a rly to when it becomes colder in the winter months. Fall is the perfect balanced season,

allowing for total autonomy over outfits, not having to conform to extreme heat or chill. Whether you are walking to class, carving pumpkins or picking apples, there is an outfit option for all tastes and styles.

Chunky sweaters, jeans, hoodies, cute tops, skirts and so much more are all perfect options for a fall outfit. The ability to wear both a crop top and a heavy sweater within the same month allows for such a fun closet to be built. I tend to lean towards a sweater and jeans with a fall classic pair of Doc Martens. The combinations and comfort is endless in this perfect time of t h e y e a r.

Accessories for fall are also endless, adding to the fun and fashionable combinations that can be made.

F r o m j e w e l r y, t o h a t s , t o scarves, layers and pizzazz are added to an outfit. Boots are also a staple for fall, and my personal wardrobe as well. Every color is in season as well, and nothing is

too bright or too dark for the ever changing weather of autumn.

Not only does fall fashion provide numerous ways t o b e s t y l i s h , t h e w e a t h e r, deemed by many as “sweater weather” is the perfect time for those who desire comfort over style. Hoodies and sweats can be worn daily without sweating. This season is the perfect time for one to melt away in the fabric of their favorite hoodie.

Being able to pull your favorite sweaters and cardigans out of storage to pair with the perfect pair of ripped jeans is unmatched by any other seasonal trend. The colors, accessories, layers and endless combinations all combine to make fall fashion the best seasonal fashion of t h e y e a r. B e f o r e i t g e t s t o o c o l d , a n d r i g h t a f t e r i t ’s t o o hot, a perfectly structured and layered outfit is born.

Paired with the perfect playlist and pumpkin flavored drink, the fashion of fall is the most individualized and a d o r a b l e o f t h e w h o l e y e a r.

Silence is OK–Stop filling it with TikTok

By Matthew Kaufman Managing Editor

All around me, I see people filling a second of silence with bite-sized videos.

Any lull in a conversation is an excuse for people to whip out their phones and begin s c r o l l i n g t h r o u g h Ti k To k o r Instagram Reels.

These apps, with their infinite scroll and addictive nature, have made it so that we open them completely m i n d l e s s l y. I n a n y m o m e n t of stillness, our brains have been rewired to pick up our phones.

I think this has created a sense of absentmindedness in our generation. The e n d l e s s s c r o l l i n g o f Ti k To k mirrors the endless pulling of the handle on a slot machine; we’ve become drones where all free time must be occupied by some cheap form of media.

A n d i t ’s n o t l i k e t h i s t y p e of bite-sized content gets us to think about anything; some of the most popular c o n t e n t o n Ti k To k i s s o m e one playing a game like Subway Surfers while they tell a story or browse Reddit.

Have our attention spans really been ruined to the point

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Social media apps, with their addictive nature, have made it so that we open them completely mindlessly.

t h a t w e c a n ’t l i s t e n t o s o m e one speak without a pretty video to stare at?

I d e l e t e d Ti k To k a f e w years ago, but I still find myself opening Instagram compulsively and losing track of time as I scroll t h r o u g h t h e h y p e r- p e r s o n a l i z e d c o n t e n t t h a t ’s d e s i g n e d to keep me scrolling for as long as possible.

Compulsive and addictive use of social media, specifically short-form video platf o r m s l i k e Ti k To k a n d I n s t a gram Reels, has noticeable e ff e c t s o n u s e r ’s l i v e s . O n e study found that short video addiction reduced motivation to learn and had an

o v e r a l l n e g a t i v e e ff e c t o n participants’ moods.

Vi s h a l K a r u p p a s a m y, a high school student in Nevada, described in a piece for the San Francisco Chronic l e h o w h e t u r n e d t o Ti k To k to avoid dealing with the stress of real life, eventually spending six hours a day on the platform. He began researching the psychology behind the platform and found that its nature is similar to a drug. This phenomenon has a term: “escapist addiction.” “ W h i l e Ti k To k i s d e signed to show you what you want to see and keep you on the app for hours, I

realized I had my own reasons that were fueling this cycle of addiction,” Karuppasamy wrote. “Rather than be mindful of the pressures that were weighing me down, I was using the app to avoid all of the things in my life I did not want to deal with.”

I’m not saying that everyo n e s h o u l d d e l e t e Ti k To k o r Instagram. There are positive aspects to these platforms, such as providing users access to broader communities that they otherwise would not know about.

Instead, I would challenge you to act intentionally when using these platforms.

If you catch yourself openi n g u p Ti k To k w i t h o u t e v e n t h i n k i n g a b o u t i t , a s k y o u rs e l f i f t h e r e ’s s o m e t h i n g better you could be doing.

Set time limits to avoid going down rabbit holes.

Our phones and the platforms on them are supposed to serve us–not the other w a y a r o u n d . We h a v e t o b e the ones to choose when and how to use our apps. The all-powerful algorithms cannot dictate how we live our lives, dumb us down or turn us into mindless drones.

Editorials

ResEd’s potential first-year residential requirement is the worst possible decision

By Tristan Weisenbach Arts & Entertainment Editor

At a recent Residential Education and Housing meeting, representatives outlined a potential new policy that the College may implement in the future that would require all first-year students to reside on campus.

While there were a few noted exemptions to this policy that would likely be included, such as financial need, health conditions and students who live with their parents or guardians within 10 miles of campus, the idea itself is still likely to turn away prospective students.

At the ResEd meeting, David Cruz, associate director of housing, stated that one of the main factors that prompted administration to explore this policy was that half of commuter students at the College are not a member of a co-curricular activity, according to a recent survey ResEd conducted.

While it is a striking statistic, forcing nearly all first-year commuter students to live on campus as a way to remedy this is not the most beneficial way of doing so.

There are many ways for students to get involved on campus without residing here. The College is home to over 230 recognized student organizations, and the fact that half of commuters say they’re not involved in any is not a result of living offcampus. It’s a result of unawareness.

At the beginning of each semester, students have the opportunity to attend an involvement fair where nearly all student organizations are represented.

However, one opportunity per year during the first week of classes is not enough.

The first week of classes for firstyear students, especially commuters, can be a stressful time — at least it was for me. Finding my classes, adjusting to the increased workload of college classes and figuring out how much time to give myself to drive to campus so I made it here on time were all more important to me that first week than finding clubs to join.

Having more involvement fairs throughout the semester so that students have ample time and opportunities to get involved would likely increase the involvement of commuter students.

The first-year requirement is not only a bad idea in terms of solving the low campus involvement of commuter students though. Now that the College is facing increasing financial struggles and a decreasing number of student applicants each year, forcing first-year students to live on campus — and pay the extra thousands of dollars each semester to do so — will only worsen these issues.

Besides the fact that I believe the College provides a well-rounded education, one of the main reasons

why I chose to attend the College to further my education was because it was relatively affordable compared to the other schools I applied to. Being able to commute to campus while living at home, just a 25 minute drive away, was convenient and financially affordable for me.

If the College had a first-year residency requirement in place when I was a first-year student, I likely would not have committed here simply because it would have been unaffordable. Room and board, along with a required meal plan, would cost an additional $6,000 per semester or more.

Adding the costs of room and board and a required meal plan to the cost of tuition and textbooks would effectively double the total cost of attending the College each semester for me.

One thing that I believe many people may overlook regarding this potential policy, however, is the current state of first-year residential buildings. In February 2022, former President Kathryn Foster sent an email to the campus community stating that the Travers and Wolfe Towers would be phased out over the next two years and were scheduled to be closed entirely in the fall of 2024.

In the email, Foster stated that the College was “aggressively pursuing the development of new residences,” but these plans now seem up in the air.

In a later interview with The Signal

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in March 2023, Foster stated that the plans for replacing the Towers turned out to be more challenging than expected. The Towers are now expected to remain open until new first-year housing is constructed, which has been extended to the fall of 2026.

Travers and Wolfe Towers, along with other first-year residential halls like Centennial, do not have air conditioning. Earlier this semester, some students needed medical attention due to the extreme temperatures inside their dorms.

The living conditions for firstyear students are not ideal, and with plans to close the largest first-year dorm buildings next year with no announced plan from the College yet on replacing them, mandating firstyear students to live on campus is not an appealing policy that’s going to attract prospective students to want to attend the College.

A policy that would force firstyear students to pay a high cost of room and board for dorms that are not appealing or attractive is not a good idea. Additionally, this policy is not the best way to encourage commuter students to get involved on campus.

The College should be spending more time and effort to provide resources and opportunities for students to get involved rather than essentially forcing them to — and taking thousands of dollars more per student each year while they’re at it.

Isabella Darcy Opinions Editor Eddie Young Sports Editor Aliyah Siddiqui International Editor

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Mike Johnson becomes House Speaker after weeks

By Brenden Kelley Correspondent

The search for the new Speaker of the House ended after three long weeks. On Oct. 25, House Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson (RLa.) to become the new Speaker. In the days since Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the Speakers office, House Republicans made slow progress in the search for a new Speaker. According to the New York Times, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) lost a secret vote to remain as the G.O.P. nominee for Speaker.

This comes after failed attempts by Jordan to gain the position of Speaker.

Jordan hoped to rely on his longtime support of former President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress to carry him to the position of Speaker.

Several Republicans who had refused to support Jordan were reported to have received credible death threats due to not supporting Jordan’s bid for speaker. While Jordan had denounced these threats in a social media post, the damage done by these threats eliminated any chance of Jordan becoming the Speaker.

Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) who had originally supported Jordan stated, “When the pressure campaigns and attacks on fellow members ramped up,

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

After weeks of debate, Republicans elected Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House.

it became clear to me that the House Republican Conference does not need a bully as the Speaker.”

Johnson was one of nine Republicans who had announced they were running for Speaker of the House following Jordan’s removal as the nominee. The other nominees included Rep. Tom Emmer (Minn.), Rep. Kevin Hern (Okla.), Rep. Pete Sessions (Texas.), Rep. Austin Scott (Ga.), Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.), Rep. Jack Bergman (Mich.), Rep. Dan Mueser (Pa.) and Rep Gary Palmer (Ala.).

Johnson was an unlikely candidate to assume the role of House Speaker.

Johnson has a record of being a hardliner for conservative issues. According to the New York Times, Johnson

has been an outspoken opponent of abortion care and called homosexuality “inherently unnatural.” Johnson was also one of the key figures in the efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 Presidential Elections.

Trump also supported Johnson, stating that he would be “fantastic speaker” and that he had not heard “one negative comment about him.

Everybody likes him.”

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats continued to support Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as their nominee for House Speaker. Jeffries, the current House Minority Leader, has said there were no serious discussions with Republicans about forming a coalition to elect a new Speaker.

One possible solution that was proposed during the search that would have allowed Congress to return to their normal duties was to give the Speaker Pro Tempore, Rep. Patrick Henry (R-N.C.), the ability to bring legislation to vote. The Speaker Pro Tempore was created following security concerns raised by the 9/11 attacks in the event that the Speaker of the House was killed or unable to fulfill their duties. Henry interpreted this role as only allowing him to carry out elections for the next Speaker, and according to the New York Times, most Republicans were against the idea of giving Henry the power to bring legislation to the floor.

Without a Speaker, the House was put at a standstill, preventing important legislation such as the White House’s request for a $105 billion aid package for both Israel and Ukraine to help with their ongoing conflicts, from being passed.

With the search for Speaker of the House at a close, it is uncertain what the division displayed by House Republicans during the election process means for the future of their party. With the election of Mike Johnson as the new Speaker of the House, it is clear that Republicans have been moved significantly further to the right.

Mass shooting in Maine leaves 18 dead, 13 injured

By Gauri Patel Staff Writer

A gunman fatally shot 18 people and left 13 wounded after opening fire at two locations in Lewiston, Maine. After an extensive two-day manhunt, the sole suspect, identified by officials as 40-year-old Robert Card, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to CNN. The multi-state manhunt began on Wednesday night after gunshots rang out at a local bowling alley and again at a nearby restaurant and bar, where several victims had been competing in a cornhole tournament. Police received a 911 call at around 7:00 p.m. from the Just-in-Time Recreation bowling alley, where six men and one woman died of apparent gunshot wounds. Just over ten minutes later, police were called to the scene at nearby Schemengees Bar & Grille where eight people were killed. Three more victims died in nearby hospitals after the deadly rampage, according to CBS. The attack was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States this year, and the worst shooting since the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 stu-

dents and two teachers at a school.

The oldest victim in the Lewiston shootings was a 76-year-old man, Robert E. Violette, and the youngest was a 14-year-old boy, Aaron Young, who was bowling with his father.

Police said the gunman fled after the shootings and was considered armed and dangerous.

The search prompted a shelter-inplace order and the shutdown of schools and businesses as more than 300 members of law enforcement searched several towns for the gunman, according to NPR. Authorities searched the bowling alley and restaurant for evidence; additionally, teams of divers planned to use sonar technology to scan the Androscoggin River for evidence near where Card’s white Subaru was found.

Authorities uncovered a multitude of weapons during their search for Card and believe he had legally purchased his guns, including a high-powered rifle found in his Subaru. It has not been confirmed whether the rifle was the same weapon he used to carry out his attacks in Lewiston, according to CNN. At a news conference on Saturday, state Public Safety Commis-

sioner Michael Sauschuck made the announcement that the shelter-in-place order had been lifted after Card was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near a recycling plant in Lisbon Falls from which he had recently been fired. While it is unclear what the suspect’s motive was, Sauschuck said that officials received information indicating the suspect was hearing voices in his head and felt as though people were talking about him.

“I think clearly there’s a mental health component to this,” Sauschuck said at the conference.

“We still need to do some research around trying to get access to certain records and things of that nature.”

Card, an Army Reservist, had supposedly been experiencing mental health issues, including hearing voices, and had threatened to shoot up a National Guard base in Saco. A U.S. Defense Department official confirmed to ABC News that while he was deployed over the summer at the Camp Smith Training Center in upstate New York, officials became concerned with his erratic behavior.

Law enforcement was contacted by garrison staff, and Card was

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine.

transported to Keller Army Community Hospital at the U.S. Military Academy for medical evaluation, according to the official.

President Biden issued a statement following the news of Card being found, commending the law enforcement officers for their work in the intense search over two days. He also renewed his call upon Republicans in Congress, who largely oppose restrictions on gun ownership, to pass legislation banning assault weapons and enacting universal background checks.

“I once again call on Republicans in Congress to fulfill their obligation to keep the American people safe,” Biden said. “Until that day comes, I will continue to do everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic. “The Lewiston community – and all Americans – deserve nothing less.”

November 3, 2023 The Signal page 11

Putin shows support for Xi Jinping in Beijing visit

By Leah Cruz S t a f f Wr i t e r

R u s​​s i a n P r e s i d e n t V l a d imir Putin visited China on Oct. 17 in a show of support f o r t h e n a t i o n ’s l e a d e r X i J i n p i n g ’s e ff o r t s t o e x p a n d its economy and influence overseas, reported AP News.

Xi welcomed a number of representatives, including Putin, to the Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing.

The Belt and Road Forum is a showcase of the Chinese l e a d e r ’s i n i t i a t i v e t o b u i l d new infrastructure and exp a n d t h e n a t i o n ’s d i p l o m a t i c global influence. This initiative, according to AP News, began a decade ago and has s i n c e s t r e n g t h e n e d C h i n a ’s ties with many countries in A s i a , A f r i c a a n d L a t i n A m e rica and helped create roads, power plants, railroads and ports in many of the participating countries.

X i ’s i n i t i a t i v e , h o w e v e r, has left many poorer countries in debt due to their ina b i l i t y t o a ff o r d t h e c o s t s necessary for the infrastructure projects completed t h r o u g h C h i n a ’s p a r t n e r s h i p .

P u t i n p r a i s e d X i ’s B e l t and Road initiative in an interview with Chinese state m e d i a , a c c o r d i n g t o A P. “ Ye s , w e s e e t h a t s o m e people consider it an attempt

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Putin met Xi in a show of support at the Belt and Road Foum in Beijing.

b y t h e P e o p l e ’s R e p u b l i c o f China to put someone under i t s t h u m b , b u t w e s e e o t h e rw i s e . We j u s t s e e a d e s i r e f o r cooperation,” he told China C e n t r a l Te l e v i s i o n , a c c o r d ing to a transcript released b y t h e K r e m l i n o n M o n d a y.

Putin attended the forum at the Great Hall of the People as the chief guest, standing to the right of Xi in group photos. This meeting further emphasizes a remark

by Putin prior to his trip that describes the Chinese leader as his friend.

“Chairman Xi Jinping calls me his friend, and I call him my friend,” Putin told Chinese state media.

P u t i n ’s t r i p t o C h i n a c o m e s a f t e r a n a r r e s t w a rrant was issued for him by the International Criminal

Court (ICC) amidst accusations of illegally deporting Ukrainian children, according to Reuters.

The warrant allows for P u t i n ’s a r r e s t a n d t r a n s f e r to The Hague, Netherlands, t h e t r i b u n a l ’s h e a d q u a r t e r s , for trial if he steps foot in any one of the 123 member states of the court. China a n d K y rg y z s t a n – t h e t w o n a tions Putin has visited since the warrant was issued–are not members of the ICC. P u t i n ’s t r i p t o C h i n a h i g h l i g h t s t h e t w o n a t i o n ’s s u p port for each other as Russia continues to receive diplomatic support from China, its most important ally in the war against Ukraine.

The two leaders have found ideological common ground in defying the United States

as the international domin a t i n g p o w e r.

For example, in opposit i o n t o B i d e n ’s s u p p o r t o f Israel in the Israel-Hamas conflict, China and Russia refuse to condemn Hamas and both criticize the treatment of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli forces, calling for international mediation, according to The New Yo r k Ti m e s .

While the two nations continue to support each o t h e r ’s e c o n o m i c a n d d i p lomatic interests, China has made it evident that the country remains focused on its own issues, independent of its informal alliance with R u s s i a . M o s t r e c e n t l y, m e m bers of the Chinese governm e n t h a v e b e e n i n a p o l a rizing debate about ways to move forward in reviving the economy in the face of a downturn that has left millions without jobs and has driven global investors out of China, according to Reuters.

“It has become very clear that China does not want to stand on the same side completely with Russia on all issues,” said Xiao Bin, a researcher for the Institute of Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies.

“China has its own practical problems to solve.”

Mars: What we now know about Earth’s neighbor

By Aneri Upadhyay Staff Writer

Mars is one of eight planets in our solar system, and although it is one of Earth’s neighboring planets, there is still much to be discovered about its properties and liveability.

Last week, major discoveries were made, changing the way astronomers and scientists will look at the planet forever.

Mars has many craters, but recent evidence suggests that these craters used to be filled with rivers, according to Phys.org. Benjamin Cardenas, assistant professor of geosciences at Penn State, was the lead author on the paper announcing the discovery and commented on his research.

“We have everything to learn about Mars by better understanding how these river deposits can be interpreted stratigraphically, thinking about rocks today as layers of sediment deposited over time,” he said. “This analysis is not snapshot, but a record of change.

What we see on Mars today is the

remnants of an active geologic history, not some landscape frozen in time.”

River deposits are extremely important for life cycles, so river deposits on Mars could hint at a time on Mars when life forms would have been able to live on it.

Looking to the future, scientists have found more evidence for the habitation of Mars with the recent discovery of buried ice.

As reported by NASA, buried ice would serve as drinking water and rocket fuel for the first astronauts to step on Mars. This would eventually evolve into drilling into ice cores to look for microscopic evidence of life and the history of Mars’ climate. This is extremely important because Mars’ atmosphere is too thin for liquid water to be in a stable state.

NASA’s Subsurface Water Ice Mapping project, dubbed SWIM, is exploring potential hotspots on Mars with ice. The key is to be north enough for there to be ice but as close to the equator as possible.

Sydney Do, JPL’s SWIM project

manager, touched on the importance of being close to the equator.

“If you send humans to Mars, you want to get them as close to the equator as you can,” Do said.

“The less energy you have to expend on keeping astronauts and their supporting equipment warm, the more you have for other things they’ll need.”

The map SWIM is building will help scientists understand other disparities within Mars, such as why some parts of Mars have more ice than other spots.

Along with the river deposits and buried ice, scientists have also recently discovered that Mars is made up of molten rock. As reported by Reuters, seismic waves recorded by NASA’s InSight lander show that there is a layer of molten rock around the planet’s core.

The molten layer is 90 miles thick and is at the bottom of the planet’s mantle. The waves were due to a meteor impact on the other side of the planet than where the lander was located.

Planetary scientist Amir Khan

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

New discoveries on Mars.

of ETH Zürich in Switzerland is the lead author on one of the papers publishing these new findings. He spoke about the meteorite crash and why this is a new discovery.

“The importance of the far side impact was to produce seismic waves that traversed the deep interior of the planet, including the core,” he said. “Previously, we had not observed any seismic waves that had transited the core. We had only seen reflections from the top of the core.”

Although the past few weeks have been exciting for Mars, the research is only beginning and there is bound to be more in the near future.

The College’s planetarium: A unique resource for students and the community

By Alyssa DeSantis Correspondent

This Halloween weekend appropriately featured a blood moon partial eclipse, and what better way to have seen it than through a captivating dome screen? For students interested in all things astronomy, the physics department is available to give students a closer look at the night sky with a planetarium located right on our campus.

Located on the fourth floor of the physics building, the planetarium is unbeknownst to most students, except those taking astronomy classes. For students not in these classes, the physics department hosts monthly shows.

“None of my friends have this same ability,” said Jules Morris, a junior marketing student who attended a show on Oct. 27. “So I think it’s really fun and interesting that we have access to these resources on our campus.”

To students and the surrounding community, all of whom are able to visit, the planetarium is regarded as one of the most special and distinctive parts of the campus.

Used for Lions Day tours, the yearly Star Party hosted by the Physics Club every spring, and

“I’ve always thought astronomy was interesting because I like astrology and constellations, but I never really knew how to learn more about it,” Jules said. “It’s really cool that this opportunity is available to us.”

For students in astronomy classes, including PHY162 and PHY163, the planetarium is an asset and an important teaching tool in core classes introducing astronomy, solar systems and stars, and galaxies, Dr. Lanz said.

“The planetarium is a special tool, which is not common on college campuses, and provides a unique 3-dimensional view of the night sky. It allows us to speed Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone The planetarium is located on the fourth floor of the physics building. up or slow down time,” Dr. Lanz occasionally Alumni weekend and to look at the night sky through said. “We can also change our per“Take Your Child to Work Day,” the immersive dome screen. The spective, looking at the Earth from the planetarium holds a special shows feature not only close-up the Moon or zooming outwards to place in our campus community. images of solar structures like see where we are within the Milky “The planetarium also allows us Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and the Way as a whole. We can also add to share our passion for astronomy moon, but information about what overlays showing coordinate sysand show members of the commu- composes different constellations tems or teaching students how to nity…many of the really interest- and their origin stories that ancient find constellations and measure their positions in the sky.” ing and fascinating aspects of the astronomers would have told.

The next two planetarium shows night sky,” physics professor LauThe show is not just entertaining, ranne Lanz said. “So all in all, it is but educational as well. Things will be on Nov. 17 and Dec. 1 and a special tool that we hope we can like supernovas, nebulas and black are available to all students and the share with many on campus via our holes are described in an accessi- surrounding College community. classes and planetarium shows.” ble way for people who may only Students who are interested in atThe planetarium technicians use have a basic understanding of con- tending can RSVP to a showing on the department’s website. a website called Stellarium Web cepts in astronomy.

‘The Stuff of Dreams’: A stellar performance by the College Choirs

Photo courtesy of Alena Bitonti

The choirs united their voices in the uplifting “I Sing Because I’m Happy” by Charles H. Gabriel to conclude the concert.

By Alena Bitonti Staff Writer

Family, friends and students gathered in Mayo Concert Hall on Oct. 20 to enjoy the combined voices of the College’s Choral Ensembles.

The fall concert, titled “The Stuff of Dreams,” incorporated music inspired by reaching for the stars, both literally and figuratively.

The show began with College Choir and Treble Ensemble’s rendition of “Modimo,” composed by Michael Barrett. “Modimo” is a song of celebration and praise from South Africa, and their rendition

featured improvised percussion by Xzavier Jimenez and traditional Sesotho melody. The performance echoed throughout the hall and set the scene for an enchanting evening.

The prestigious Chorale, directed

by Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities John P. Leonard, followed the performance with two pieces: “Ad Astra,” by Jacob Navarund, and “In Remembrance,”

by Eleanor Daley.

The first arrangement included a driving piano part played by pianist Hehsun Chun-Smith. The musical descent towards the stars

radiated a sense of hope and empowerment, followed by a deeply moving piece about remembering the dead through the beauties of the world.

The Treble Ensemble, directed by Heather Mitchell, performed “Never One Thing,” by May Erlewine.

Under the guidance of conductor Nyah Charles and accompaniment

by Jack Bonica on the conga, the Ensemble sang a powerful narrative of personal revolution.

The College Choir then told a sailor’s journey through the sea shanty “Blow the Candles Out,” composed by Michael Richardson, followed by Chorale’s ethereal rendition of “Sure on This Shining Night,” by Morten Lauridsen.

“True Light,” composed by Keith Hampton, was delivered by the combined voices of College Choir and Treble Ensemble. The spiritual song includes the opening phrases of the traditional “This Little Light of Mine.” Two solos in the middle of the piece were adapted and sung

by Andrew Holt and Ava Milsom.

The Chorale returned with two more pieces, “Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine” composed by Eric Whitacre and “Precious Lord”

by Thomas Dorsey.

The first piece tells the tale of Leonardo DaVinci working on his

plans to create the world’s first machine to carry a human through the sky. It featured sopranos Alyssa Cuccurullo, Ella Anzuini and Amelia Phillips, altos Nyah Charles and Sarah Granholm, tenor Samuel Regen, along with Marin Cowell, Maxwell Mahaffey and Ryan Whitmore on percussion. The performance breathtakingly captured the essence of dreaming and pushing boundaries of human capability.

The second piece, a gospel hymn, took the audience on a different emotional journey and demonstrated the Chorale’s true versatility.

At the close of the memorable evening, Leonard delivered a speech with heartfelt gratitude.

“These musicians bring Heather and I such joy,” he told the audience. “How lucky are we to be able to work with them? They have displayed amazing energy and enthusiasm this semester at every rehearsal.”

Leonard gave recognition to collaborative pianists Stefanie Watson and Akiko Hosaki, who were unable to be at the concert.

It is safe to say that the audience enjoyed the exceptional performance. The final uplifting song was a fitting end to a night filled with joy and a celebration of dreams.

November 3, 2023 The Signal page 13

The one where we lose a friend: Matthew Perry dead at 54

Photo courtesy of IMDb

“Friends” actor Matthew Perry passed away at 54 years old.

By Olivia Harrison Staff Writer

Actor Matthew Perry has died at 54.

Best known for playing Chandler Bing from the 90’s

sitcom “Friends,” Perry was found dead in his Hollywood home on Oct. 28 at 4 p.m.

Police reported to the LA Times that Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub.

The investigation is currently ongoing, but there is no sign of foul play. His autopsy records were released to intimate family members on Oct. 30.

Matthew Perry was born in Williamstown, M.A., on Aug. 19, 1969. In 1979, Perry’s career began taking off with a small part in the show “240-Robert.” He then moved to Los Angeles and continued to audition as a child actor.

His breakthrough came in 1991 where he starred as a guest on “Beverly Hills 90210” and ABC’s “Home Free.”

On “Friends” he played the

well-loved character Chandler Bing, alongside fellow co-stars Courtney Cox, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc, for a total of 10 years. He was the youngest actor of the cast.

Although Perry had many highlights of his career, there were dark ones as well. Perry found himself in and out of rehab struggling with alcoholism, a vicodin and meth addiction, as well as other mental health issues. His fellow co-stars on “Friends” even knew what was going on; there was an instance Perry remembered specifically where Aniston walked into his trailer and claimed she could really “smell the alcohol.” In his 2022 memoir, Perry wrote that her statement “hit him like a

sledgehammer.”

Perry had recently published an autobiography, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” a memoir about his life and career. He was an advocate for those struggling with addiction, lobbying Congress for support of drug courts as well as opening his own halfway house, “The Perry House.”

Perry will be missed and remembered by millions of people worldwide and his friends and family. Admirers from around the world came to Chandler ’s New York apartment and adorned it with flowers and sweet messages, mourning him.

He will be fondly remembered by those around him for his work on “Friends,” as well as his beautiful humor.

Shakespeare 70 shows “Julius Caesar” at the College

Photo courtesy of Shane Gillespie

Kendall Hall, home of the blackbox theater.

By Sarah Klemm Correspondent With a simplistic setting and a cast of eight talented actors, Shakespeare 70’s production of “Julius Caesar” directed by Curt Foxworth was a wonderful and creative rendition of a classic play.

Shakespeare 70 is a small acting group based in Ewing that is not affiliated with the College. The troupe performs a multitude of different plays each season. Some of their

other shows this season include “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller, “The Minutes” by Tracy Letts and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare.

At the start of the play, the small stage was set with multiple chairs arranged in a circle, and the actors were all preparing to begin the show. The production took place at the Don Evans Black Box Theatre at the College, and it ran from Oct. 18-22.

The small, intimate environment

of the performance space added to the overall atmosphere of the show, and made the audience members feel much more involved and invested in the actions of the play–almost as if they were a part of it.

In fact, the role of Trebonius, one of the characters in “Julius Caesar,” was actually an audience member chosen from the crowd and gestured to each time that the name Trebonius was mentioned. It was a comedic bit that continued throughout the entirety of the play and never failed to make the audience laugh.

Another one of the most well-received scenes was right at the beginning of the plot to kill Caesar when the lights suddenly went out.

The show started out with all the lights in the theater on, which created a casual and simple atmosphere.

By the time that the show started to take a darker turn and the characters began to plot the murder of Caesar, the room suddenly went dark and gasps could be heard from the audience. It was these simple, yet effective, moments that had such an impact on the way that the show as a whole was received.

The simplicity of these scenes, combined with the casual costumes

and the set of a few folding chairs, added to this modern and creative take on the play.

Freshman elementary education major Tyler Steinmetz said, “I think it was interesting how they portrayed the characters in more of a modern way. They had almost modern emotions when it came to how they were acting around the events.”

Another impressive scene took place when the character Brutus (Jake Burbage) has a vision of the spirit of Caesar after murdering him. This scene was paired with one of the characters playing the guitar and singing in the background while the stage became dark and the light shined only on the vision of Caesar.

The music added to this hauntingly beautiful scene and was a wonderfully creative touch which added to the play as a whole.

The talented actors of Shakespeare 70 and the many creative directing choices throughout the play shaped this performance of “Julius Caesar” into something enjoyable for both Shakespeare fans and those who are just looking for a unique and impactful show.

Frontman and singer Mick Jagger dominates song after song with piercing, emotional vocals and that trademark rasp. His long-time writing partner, guitarist Keith Richards, lays down some catchy riffs that will make air guitarists out of the most static of listeners. With guest appearances by Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga and others, it’s a don’tmiss get together of all-stars.

Drummer Steve Jordan takes on the near-impossible task of replacing the late Charlie Watts on drums.

With the exceptions of “Mess It Up”

and “Live By the Sword” (recorded

by Watts in 2019), Jordan drives the band with his skillful chops. He fills some mighty-big shoes quite well.

The album opens with the heavy, anthem-like “Angry,” which the album’s attitude, drive and punch summed up in one song. However, the two tracks that follow break the momentum “Angry” builds up.

The question that lies in the minds of many fans is an obvious one: “Is this the last Stones album?” That question has yet to be answered.

Read more on our website!

‘Hackney Diamonds’: A powerful piece of modern rock ‘n’ roll

By Liam Simonelli Editorial Cartoonist

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

“Hackney Diamonds” has gritty guitars, delicate piano and bluesy harmonica.

In 2005, The Rolling Stones released their last studio album containing original material for what would turn out to be 18 years. As the years piled on, fans increasingly asked, “what’s next?” Well, “Hackney Diamonds” is here, and it doesn’t fall short.

From beginning to end, the sound is signature Stones. It has all you would expect: gritty guitars, delicate piano and bluesy harmonica.

page 14 The Signal November 3, 2023

Riley Green’s album delivers timeless country essence Riley Green’s latest album, “Ain’t My Last Rodeo,” transports country music fans back to the very essence of their country music origins.

Released on Oct. 13, “Ain’t My Last Rodeo” contains 12 tracks and features collaborations with beloved country artist Luke Combs and rapper Jelly Roll. Green’s sincere and steadfast approach to his craft forms the foundation of this album. It effectively conjures the Photo courtesy of Apple Music cherished authenticity of classic “Ain’t My Last Rodeo” authentically chancountry music that excels at evoknels the heart of country music origins. ing genuine emotions and relatabilBy Jasmine Lee ity in its listeners.

Staff Writer Since the debut of Green’s self-titled EP in 2018, he has been capWith a genuine, no-frills approach tivating country music enthusiasts, to songwriting and a timeless spirit, prompting them to raise a glass,

shed a heartfelt tear and, most importantly, revel in their roots. He is most known for his chart-topping hits like the platinum-certified “There Was This Girl” and the double-platinum tearjerker “I Wish Grandpas Never Died,” according to his website.

Among my favorite songs from this album are “Different’ Round Here,” “Ain’t Like I Can Hide It,” “My Last Rodeo” and “Ain’t My Damn to Give.”

For both devoted fans and newcomers alike, “Ain’t My Last Rodeo” offers an unforgettable musical journey, making it an album not to be missed in the realm of country music.

Read more on our website!

Offset’s new solo album, ‘Set It Off,’ is a breath of fresh air album, “Father of 4,” back in 2019.

“Set it Off,” which was released on Oct. 13, features 21 songs, including collaborations with Cardi B (who is also his wife), Travis Scott and Don Toliver to name a few.

The inspiration for this new song collection can be attributed to Michael Jackson. The album’s cover, featuring Offset wearing one white glove, is one of the ways this becomes obvious.

Photo courtesy of IMDb Inspiration for this new song collection “Creativity — I wanted to push can be attributed to Michael Jackson. myself there,” Offset said in an

By Chiara Piacentini interview with Associated Press.

Staff Writer “And I’m in my Mike bag now.”

The album starts off with “On the Offset’s long-awaited second al- River,” where Offset talks about his bum, “Set It Off,” is finally here fol- wealthy lifestyle; it’s a mild introlowing the release of his first solo duction to the album considering

that Offset lost his bandmate and cousin, Takeoff, in a Texas shooting last year.

But “Save My Grace” sets a more somber tone with Offset contemplating his unlucky lot in life.

He starts asking, “Why I lose my brother to bullets?” —which may be a tribute to Takeoff—followed by, “Why I lose my grandmother to cancer?”

Later on in the album, Cardi B and Offset make a risqué duet, “Jealousy,” and their raunchy words leave nothing to the imagination. Offset starts off the song with an incredibly fast and fiery verse, and Cardi B’s response does not fail to impress.

Read more on our website!

WTSR

NEW NOISE

This week, WTSR highlights some of the best new music that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 WTSR, puts into their weekly rotation.

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

Band Name: Truth Club Album Title: “Running From The Chase” Release Number: 2 Hailing From: Raleigh, NCGenre: Y2K Indie Rock Label: Double Double Whammy

This album has a great combination of fun hits and chill vibes. Truth Club’s vocals create a mixture of classic and indie rock with a hint of Y2K, leaving a feeling of nostalgia when listening to the album. Their vigorous use of electric guitar and drums builds an intense, entertaining melody, making you feel like you are living inside an 90’s/early 2000’s movie. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the production of this album, and I highly recommend tracks 2, 3, and 5!

Reviewer: Chloe Peterson

Scholastic separates controversial books, then reverses decision

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Scholastic Book Fair creates a separate, closable shelf for diverse books.

By Aimee Bulger Staff Writer The Scholastic Book Fair recently decided to implement a separate bookcase for books about diversity, which was created as an optional display for schools to open or close at the discretion of the educators.

After the company faced scrutiny for this decision, it reversed this decision and removed the option.

As reported by ABC News, Scholastic recently decided to place books about diversity, predominantly those about people of color or the LGBTQ+ community, in a separate and optional case, titled “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice.”

This case would have included many books that discuss topics of diversity

or display diverse or disabled characters.

This decision provoked claims of censorship, as there are 64 titles included in the case. According to the Washington Post, some of the books included Andrea Davis Pinkney’s “Because of You, John Lewis,” Colin Kaepernick’s “I Color Myself Different” and “I Am Ruby Bridges,”

by Ruby Bridges.

“Because Scholastic Book Fairs are invited into schools, where books can be purchased by kids on their own, these laws create an almost impossible dilemma: back away from these titles or risk making teachers, librarians and volunteers vulnerable to being fired, sued, or prosecuted,” Scholastic said in a statement following the decision.

Poet Amanda Gorman proclaimed her despair from this decision. Her book, “Change Sings,” had been placed in this separate case. Gorman took to Instagram to state that while she understands the basis of which this decision stems from, she believed it was the wrong approach to take, as authors and companies alike should be working against these laws, not complying with them.

Gorman’s approach seems to be

felt by like-minded individuals, as a librarian in Louisiana has canceled her school’s involvement in the fair for this year and is now in search of an alternative book sale.

Debates are rising around the country about what books can and cannot be used in a school setting, specifically in states like Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah and South Carolina, prompting this reaction from Scholastic. However, the fear of many authors is that this move from Scholastic will help to solidify more of these laws and regulations to be placed into action.

Scholastic has further stated that “all children need to see themselves in stories, and it is extremely unsettling to consider a world in which they don’t.”

Amidst the commotion and disapproval of this choice, Scholastic has, as of Oct. 25, removed this case.

Scholastic said that this decision was “a mistake to segregate diverse books in an elective case.” The case will be removed for the upcoming book fair season in January. The company is now in search of an alternative approach to these literary restrictions, while also remaining inclusive.

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

Band Name: FRENSHIP Album Title: “Base Camp” Release Number: 3 Hailing From: Los Angeles, CA Genre: Indie pop, Alternative Label: ONErpm

FRENSHIP is making a comeback with their second EP Base Camp.

This duo is the perfect combination of indie, pop, and alternative music, making for an all-around enjoyable album. The first 3 tracks are the focus songs on the album, Copenhagen being my personal favorite. Out of the 6 songs on this album, I’m submitting 5 to be automated and played on the radio. Overall, I’d give this EP a solid 8/10. With catchy beats and a fun sound, these songs are guaranteed to stay stuck in your mind.

Reviewer: A.O.

November 3, 2023 The Signal page 15

Men’s basketball head coach looks forward to upcoming season off a trip to the Division I Final Four last season, is the preseason No. 13 in the AP poll and one of the best programs in the country.

Miami came out on top in a one-sided game, with a Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone final score of 111Head Coach Mathew Goldsmith talking 54. The almost-inevitable defeat to his team. is one that will not worry the LiBy Aidan Mastandrea ons. The opportunity to play one Staff Writer of the best teams in the country in a large arena is something that the It has been a few years since whole team will never forget. the College’s men’s basketball Coming into this year, experiteam celebrated in Packer Hall ence is a large question mark for after winning the NJAC tournathe Lions. The college has lost ment. High expectations have All-Conference players in Anbeen placed upon the program thony Dicaro and Danny Bodine since the 2020 championship, and to graduation and starting point while the team has been competguard, Pat Higgins, in the transfer itive, they have not been able to portal. Goldsmith and the rest of climb the mountain once again. the coaching staff will be looking But that does not mean expectafor new players to carry the load tions change for head coach Matfor this team. thew Goldsmith and the Lions. As Two massive contributors will the season opens and many new be sophomores Nick Koch and faces look to contribute, a chance Matt Solomon. Both were treto add to the trophy case is very mendous in their opportunities as much in play for the College. freshmen last year and will now This season just began in an look to take their play to the next unprecedented way for the Lions. level. Solomon started 17 games On Oct. 29, the College took a trip last year and averaged six points to play the University of Miami in and five rebounds a game. an exhibition game. Miami, fresh “I expect these two guys to play

like upperclassmen,” said Goldsmith about Koch and Solomon in an interview. The two budding stars continued playing well on the team’s summer trip to Greece a few months ago.

Another new face for the Lions will be business analytics major James Beckwith. While he has not logged any minutes in a Lions uniform, he does not lack experience; the 4-year-starter from Emerson transferred to the College for his last year of eligibility.

“He’s a great shooter and understands the game so well,” said Goldsmith. “He is going to be a fun guy to watch.”

With all of the personnel turnover, fifth-year senior and kinesiology & health sciences major Jason Larranega will bring maturity and wisdom to the team. Larranaga is the lone remaining player from the 2020 championship season. The guard has started over 40 games for the Lions and will be someone that Goldsmith can rely on.

The NJAC is always competitive, and this year will be no different. Rowan and Stockton have risen to the top in recent years, both reaching the Sweet 16 of the national tournament a season ago.

The College knows what it takes to reach that level and Goldsmith, and the Lions look to gain back their dominance in the NJAC.

“Our expectations dont change; we expect to be competing for the NJAC championships year in and year out,” said Goldsmith There will be many new faces doing the playing for the Lions this year, but fans can also look forward to a new play style this year from the College.

Without divulging too much information, Goldsmith described the new look offense. Seemingly, there will be less of his patented “four out, one in” and, as he described it, “more freedom to make decisions” on the court for the players.

As far as the defense is concerned, changes are coming as well.

“Things will be much different defensively” said Goldsmith.

When asked for more details, Goldsmith smirked.

“You know I can’t give too much away,” he said.

Fortunately, the wait to see the new look Lions in action is almost over. The guys are ready to go and have their eyes on an NJAC championship come march. But that is a long way away. For now, the focus will be put on one opponent at a time.

The season kicks off in just over a week as the College will take on Goucher College on Nov. 8th in Packer Hall.

Football defeats Gettysburg 30-13 in their Homecoming game ritory, but missed a field goal attempt. Gill totaled 10 receptions for 152 yards on the day, seeming to be senior quarterback Trevor Bopp’s go-to target. Bopp also had a tremendous day, ending the game with a Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone 135.8 passer rating, nearSenior quarterback Trevor Bopp. ly 300 yards passing and two touchBy Cameron Burns downs.

Correspondent After the missed field goal, Gettysburg turned the ball over again after The College started a winning showing some promise on offense. streak after getting a 30-13 win on On a play-action rollout, junior deHomecoming weekend against Getfensive back Amir Vick intercepted a tysburg. The Lions are now 3-4, depass, later amassing two interceptions spite starting out 1-4. and a pass breakup in a standout deAfter shutting out Kean University fensive performance. on the road in a 27-0 dominant effort, Both offenses struggled early in the College’s stifling defense did not the first quarter to finish drives. Getget complacent. They forced four first tysburg got the ball down to the Lions half turnovers, including three inter17-yard line and elected to go for it ceptions and a fumble. Their offense on fourth and 3, but was unsuccessful was given plenty of opportunities to on a pass attempt and turned the ball get the ball in the endzone. over on downs.

To kick off the turnover frenzy, Later in the game at the start of the Gettysburg fumbled on their first second quarter, the College’s defense drive after the College deferred the got another interception. This time coin toss. The Bullets completed a it was senior defensive back Jacob pass but the ball was jarred loose and Maurice who got the pick, taking the fifth-year defensive back Cole Groball down to the 34-yard line. schel recovered it, putting the Lions The College’s offense capitalin a good position to score. ized on the new opportunity. The The Lions drove down after some Lions capped off a six play, 66-yard key catches by sophomore wide retouchdown drive with a one yard ceiver Ryan Gill into the Bullets ter-

rush up the middle by junior running back Jayson Schmidt to make it 7-0.

Schmidt accumulated over 100 yards on the ground and two touchdowns to help his team get a pivotal win.

The Lions’ defense would get another fourth down stop. They got the ball back and scored to make it 140. Bopp went 8/8 passing this drive and threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Malin Jasinski. Jasinski scored the first of his two touchdowns on the day on this drive.

To end the first half, Gettysburg drove down to the College’s 29-yard line and elected to go for a fourthand-11 with 30 seconds remaining.

Sophomore defensive lineman Dylan Patscher had a sack on third down to back the bullets up on fourth. The Bullets’ pass was intercepted by junior defensive back Amir Vick for his second of the half. This marked six consecutive shutout quarters for the Lions’ defense.

The Lions received the kickoff to open the second half and drove down to score a touchdown. The drive had a 43-yard catch by Gill on a post route.

It concluded with a 16-yard receiving touchdown by Malin Jasinski for his second of the game. It was now 21-0 in favor of the College.

After a couple of drives that ended in punts, Gettysburg was able to punch the ball in the endzone with a

24-yard passing touchdown for the first time of the day. The Lions led 21-7 with about one minute to go in the third quarter, and Gettysburg chose to punt on fourth down on their own four yard line. They muffed the snap and the ball went out of the endzone, leading to a safety for the College, which awarded them two points.

The Lions now led 23-7.

After a short punt that went just four yards, Gettysburg had the ball at the end of the third and hit a big play for a touchdown. A 49-yard touchdown made the score 23-13 Lions.

Later, in the fourth quarter, the Lions defense made a critical stop with a pass breakup on the Bullets offense to prevent a fourth and 22 conversion.

To end the game, the College ended a 13-play drive with a 25-yard touchdown run by Jayson Schmidt, while running off practically all the time remaining. The final was 30-13, and the Lions wrapped up an important win for their season.

After the game, Gill, who played a pivotal role in the victory, reflected on his team’s bounce back from a four game losing streak to a two game winning streak.

“The keys were just staying as a team and playing well,” Gill said.

“All we got to do is execute and that’s what we did this game and the other game.”

CROSS COUNTRY / Women win NJAC Men’s soccer captures a win on senior night The men’s team ended with 34 points, claiming second place.

Sophomore Brandon Chen, who was named NJAC Rookie of the Year, was first to cross the Photo Courtesy of Derick Zelaya finish line for the Lions. He placed The Lions during the national anthem. fourth with a time of 26:13.5.

Continued from page 1 Junior Matt Granizo and senior Freshman Naesha Gadie was the Brian Micco were right behind first of the Lions to finish, placing Chen, earning points for the Lions in fifth overall with a time of 23:47.8. fifth and sixth place.

Also finishing early enough to Just 10.1 seconds after Micco earn team points for the Lions were finished, junior Michael Rodriguez senior Cassidy Quinn in seventh became the Lions’ fourth athlete place, senior Katherine Rice in 11th, to cross the finish line. Rodriguez senior Emily Hoegler in 12th and se- placed eighth. nior Salini Iyer in 15th.

“Our performance at the conferIyer’s 15th-place finish was cru- ence championship meet on Saturcial to the championship. The Col- day demonstrated the level of comlege and Stockton were tied, 35-35, mitment we all have to this program by the time four athletes had crossed and to each other,” Rodriguez said. the finish line for each school. The “I’m certain that everyone repretitle winner would be decided based senting the College gave everything on which of the schools’ fifth ath- they had and that we wanted the win letes finished first. above all.”

Iyer crossed the finish line with a The fifth and final athlete to score time of 24:33.9, securing the win for team points for the Lions on Satthe College as Stockton’s fifth fin- urday was sophomore Kevin Matisher ended with a time of 24:44.6 in thews, who finished eleventh. sixteenth place.

“Despite the result we are looking Both the women’s and men’s forward to pursuing our final goal of teams had six athletes finish in the the season in winning the Metro Retop 20 in their respective races. gion Championship.”

By Joey Bachich Staff Writer

The Lions pulled out a 2-1 victory on senior night against the Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors. Their hard-fought win gave a sweet ending to the College’s season.

Rutgers-Camden rolled into Ewing on senior night to face off against the Lions. It has been a rough year for the College, who entered the game 3-12-2, with seven of those losses resulting from only one goal. Rutgers-Camden came in at 8-6-3 and was looking for a win before playing in the NJAC tournament.

The Lions recognized three seniors, starting with public health grad student Dante Bettino who plays defense. He started 87% of games and was a staple at the back over his three year career.

Next was goalie and finance major Julian Franco, who has started every game since sophomore year and has fantastic save totals, making 245 saves in three years.

Finally, there was forward marketing major Luke Pascarella, who has from day one has been the midfield playmaker for the Lions, acquiring

an All-NJAC honorable mention his sophomore year.

The Lions came out in this game on their back foot with Franco making a steller sliding stop in the first couple minutes of the game.

After putting out the fire, the Lions would settle into the game and get their first goal around the 20-minute mark, after a ball was spilled in the box right in front of freshman mechanical engineering major Matias Hornos.

Shots after the first half slightly favored the Lions 1311. The second half was more of the same with both teams being fairly even and neither dominating possession for a long stretch of time.

Freshman finance major Chris Meder doubled the lead around the 1-hour mark in the game, which gave the Lions some breathing room after the Lions caught Rutgers-Camden on a counter attack, with Meder putting away the second goal. Rutgers-Camden got one back with just 9 minutes to play.

The Lions fought off the pressure for the remainder of the game, giving them a win in their final game of the season.

No. 15 women’s soccer takes down No. 20 Montclair State to advance to NJAC Final to move into the semifinals.

The College started off the game on the right foot. They were able to hold the majority of possession for the first half, and got two goals out of Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone it, both assisted by The Lions before their game. junior defender Ava Curtis.

In the 12th minute, fifth-year

By Eddie Young forward Ava Garay slotted away Sports Editor the first goal of the game for the The College’s women’s soccer Lions. In the 23rd minute, fifthteam defeated No. 20 Montclair year forward Emma Pascarella got State 3-2 in the New Jersey Ath- a goal of her own, giving the Colletic Conference semifinal, giving lege a comfortable 2-0 lead that them a trip to the final to compete they took into halftime.

The Lions looked to be in control for the NJAC championship. This early in the second half, as Montvictory marks the second time this season the Lions have gotten the clair State was unable to string tobest of the Red Hawks, with their gether enough passes to get themregular season game on Oct. 14 in selves deep into the opposing half.

Montclair having ended as a 4-1 However, this lead Red Hawks sophomore forward Kylie Prenderwin.

As the second seed in the NJAC, gast to take matters into her own the Lions earned a first round bye feet, as she dribbled around the deand the right to host this semifinal fense of the Lions and curled a shot game. Montclair State, the third into the bottom right corner of the seed, defeated Stockton on Oct. 28 net, capping off a nice solo run and

cutting her team’s deficit to one.

For a moment, it seemed as if momentum was shifting towards Montclair State, but the College quickly took back control of the game as they began to dominate possession and keep the ball in the attacking half.

The Lions were almost able to increase their lead off of a header from a corner taken by Pascarella, but a goal line clearance held their lead at 2-1.

However, 15 minutes later, Garay was able to get her second goal of the game, tapping the ball into the net off of a perfectly placed cross from Pascarella. This gave the College room to breathe with a two-goal cushion and gave Pascarella her 14th assist on the season, the new single season record for the school.

The third goal proved necessary, as in the 87th minute, a takedown in the penalty box led to a converted penalty kick for the Red Hawks.

This made the score 3-2 and incited some hope in Montclair State for the final few minutes of the game.

The hope did not take them very far, though, as the Lions were able to keep possession of the ball and

waste time effectively, leading them to pulling out the hard fought 3-2 victory.

After possibly ending Montclair State’s season, the College will now travel to Glassboro to take on Rowan University for the NJAC title. Rowan was the regular season champion, thanks in large part to a 1-0 victory over the College, which gave them the one seed in this tournament and home field advantage for every game. They also won the NJAC tournament last year as the two seed and beat the College in the semifinal on their way to the title.

“Our mindset is just staying calm and composed when stepping out on the field Friday,” journalism major Pascarella said about the title game. “Everyone who steps out on the field in this upcoming game is going to give it their all and work hard for each other.”

The Lions will look to avenge their loss against Rowan from earlier in the season and claim the NJAC title and the automatic berth to the NCAA championship that comes along with it. The championship will take place on Nov. 3rd at Rowan at 5 p.m.