The Signal
Vol. LIII, No. 8
https://www.tcnjsignalnews.com/
February 2, 2024
Serving The College of New Jersey since 1885
Mice make themselves at home in residence halls
Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone
The rodent issue has unsettled students across the affected residence halls. By Matthew Kaufman Managing Editor Emily Delmonaco came back from winter break and decided to take a quick nap in her New Residence Hall dorm room before class. When she woke up, she found an unpleasant surprise under her pillow. Mouse droppings and urine. “I was so disgusted and didn’t know what to do,” said Delmonaco, a sophomore elementary education and sociology major. “My roommate and I ended up sleeping at our friends’ places for the night while we figured things out.” It seems that more than just students have moved into the College’s residence halls this semester, as mice have been reported in several dorms across campus,
forcing several students to move rooms or buildings after just a week on campus. Students living in New Residence, Eickhoff, Cromwell and Wolfe halls, along with Townhouses East, have all reported sightings or evidence of rodents in their rooms or common areas, according to Luke Sacks, the College’s head of media relations. Five rooms in New Residence Hall were affected by mice, with nine students requesting to be moved to other residence halls. Community Advisors in these buildings have been advising their residents to avoid leaving food out and to place towels on the floor to prevent mice from slipping under doors. But Annabelle Mason, a resident of Eickhoff Hall, said that she has taken
numerous precautions and has still encountered mice. Her room is next to the trash room on her floor, and Mason said that Facilities workers have installed a door draft stopper to block the area underneath the door and have come in multiple times to seal around the air vent. “We’ve put down four traps and [the mouse] keeps eating the bait off of it and not actually getting trapped,” said Mason, a sophomore secondary education and history major. Mason said that she caught eight mice in her room last semester. Facilities provided her with glue traps, but she elected to install lethal traps because she did not want to see the mouse struggle. Sacks said that the administration has been actively working with an
exterminator to resolve the issue. “Facilities continue to work with our exterminator to do walkthroughs and inspections to find and correct any building issues that could allow the mice to enter any building,” Sacks said in an email. “The exterminator deploys an aggressive program of trapping and removing mice from all buildings.” The rodent issue has unsettled students across the affected residence halls, even those who have not personally witnessed one of the critters. Haylee Schmick, another resident of New Residence Hall, said that she and her roommate have also had to take inconvenient precautions, such as buying and installing a door draft blocker, along with placing all snacks in bins above their wardrobes. “I pay thousands of dollars to go here and dorm and can’t even live without fearing rodents are going to eat all of my stuff,” said Schmick, a sophomore elementary education major. Sacks said that any student who sees evidence of mice in their room should submit a facilities ticket and continue to take precautions. “We also encourage the entire campus community to clean up thoroughly when preparing food in kitchens, to promptly dispose of food waste and not to leave food out,” Sacks said. Delmonaco and her roommate have decided to extend their stay in Eickhoff, hoping to avoid any future encounters with the tiny residents. They were unaware that mice had already made themselves at home in their new residence hall as well.
Suzanne McCotter to begin Interim President Bernstein breaks 18-month tenure as provost down LIONS initative in interview By Rebecca Heath News Editor Dr. Suzanne McCotter has been selected to serve as the College’s interim provost for an 18-month term beginning Feb. 5, according to an email sent to the campus community by Interim President Michael Bernstein on Tuesday. McCotter joined the College’s administration in 2017 as a professor and Dean of the School of Education. In 2022, she transitioned to the role of Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education. “Dr. McCotter has been an outstanding leader for TCNJ and has demonstrated a commitment to advancing initiatives which support our students, faculty, and staff — and which have consistently worked to advance and refine the college’s mission,” Bernstein wrote. “Dr. McCotter’s efforts in building a foundation for our work in continuing, graduate, and professional studies are critical to the future successes we will realize in this area.” The appointment comes days after Jeffrey Osborn, who had served as provost since 2020, officially stepped down from the role. In an email sent to the campus community on Dec. 13, Bernstein
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announced he and Osborn “mutually agreed he will conclude his responsibilities as provost and vice president for academic affairs on Jan. 22.” “Jeff’s many accomplishments as provost serve as a strong foundation for our work ahead,” Bernstein wrote. In the Jan. 30 email, Bernstein shared that there will be further communication with the campus regarding new leadership in the Graduate and Continuing Education division “in due course.”
Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone
McCotter’s term begins Feb. 5.
Student parking
page 2
This semester, many commuter students have raised concerns about a lack of available student parking on campus.
OPINIONS
By Victoria Gladstone Editor-in-Chief By Matthew Kaufman Managing Editor When Interim President Michael Bernstein sent out a campus-wide email on Dec. 6 listing his vision for ensuring the College’s future success, the reaction among students, faculty and staff was a mix of cautious optimism and outright worry. In addition to several initiatives aimed to grow revenue, the email detailed several “efficiencies” that Bernstein would like to seek — ways to conserve funds in an era where the College faces significant fiscal uncertainty. These plans are collectively known as LIONS, which stands for “Linking Innovation with Operational Nimbleness and Sustainability.” In another campus-wide email sent on Jan. 22, Bernstein said that his administration will begin the process of researching and implementing the initiatives listed in the December message. “The groups I have mentioned will meet in earnest over the coming weeks to develop blueprints and clear timelines
Joel Embiid’s scoring
page 5
Joel Embiid’s historic scoring season may not lead to all of the success that people may think.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
and metrics for the achievement of our budgetary and operational targets,” Bernstein wrote in the email. In an interview with The Signal in December, Bernstein emphasized that most of what he outlined in the email are ideas that should be further examined— not concrete actions that will take effect immediately. “My message to all of these constituencies has been to say…‘Here’s generally what I’m seeing and here are what I think are some of the opportunities,’” Bernstein said, adding that all of his ideas are made in collaboration with other members of the administration. “I’d be more than happy to hear alternative ideas.” The interim president, who holds a doctorate in economics, said that his shortterm objective is to reduce the deficits currently plaguing the budget, while his long-term goals are to raise revenue to a point that allows the College to “rebuild.” “The first step is to make the budget stable, which is to say, balance it and reduce the bleeding,” Bernstein said. “And then, how do we make it sustainable? How do we eliminate these structural deficits?” see LIONS page 2 page 9
Reneé Rapp’s evolution
At just 19 years old, one East Coast native transformed from idolizing Broadway actors as god-like beings to becoming one herself.
SPORTS
page 12
Swimming, Diving teams victory
The men’s team walked away with a 181114 win over the Red Hawks to bring their regular season record to 7-2.
page 2 The Signal February 2, 2024
Commuters express frustration with crowded parking lots
Students reported being late to class due to parking difficulties. By Tristan Weisenbach Managing Editor This semester, many commuter students have raised concerns about a lack of available student parking on campus, especially during busier times of the day. Some students have highlighted that they often spend upwards of 20 minutes circling parking lots before finding a spot, causing them to be late to class on occasion. “In order to make it to my 11:00 class, I usually leave my house between 10:20 [to] 10:30 to find a spot,” said Janna Sawyer, a junior anthropology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major who lives off-campus two minutes away. “Even then, I’ve still had instances where I get
Photo by John Bonacci
unlucky and end up running late to class.” Last spring, the College conducted a parking study that examined many parking conditions, such as the total number of student parking spots, how many spots are available in each student lot during peak hours and the total number of student parking decals that were distributed. The study indicated that there are a total of 2,699 student parking spots on campus. However, this number includes spots that are available to commuters along with spots restricted to residential students. There were 3,246 student parking decals issued last spring, according to the study. This is slightly higher than the number issued this semester, which was made up of 2,135 commuter decals and 975 residential decals, totaling 3,110,
according to Luke Sacks, the College’s head media relations officer. This amounts to 411 more decals distributed this semester than the total number of student parking spots available on campus. “We look at actual utilization and availability of spaces to determine the appropriate number of permits to issue,” said Sacks in an email. “While a student may not always find parking in their preferred lot, the parking study confirmed there are ample spaces available for all categories of permit holders.” The study examined the average number of available spaces in student parking lots during peak hours of the day, which range roughly between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The data in the study was collected each day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. between March 27 and April 7, 2023. During peak hours, the study indicated that an average of 417 student parking spots were available across all six student lots. However, the availability varied for each lot: lots five, six, 11 and 17 had zero spots available, whereas lot 13 had 186 spots available and lot seven had 231 spots available. Sacks said that most of the available spots in lot seven were on levels three and four, which are restricted to on-campus residents and Campus Town residents, respectively — commuters are allowed to park on levels one and two only. According to Sacks, “parking in locations not assigned to commuters is subject to ticketing.” Sacks suggested that commuters or residential students who are unable to find
available parking should park in the upper levels of lot 13. “The parking situation is terrible, unless you arrive to class during off hours, you absolutely cannot get a spot in a location to make it to class on time,” said Adam Juraga, a senior business major. Juraga has stopped driving to campus during peak hours this semester and instead walks to campus from his house, as he says it’s faster. Sacks said there are currently no plans to create additional parking spots for students or faculty. He also did not comment on any impacts that future residential housing developments may have on parking, stating there are “too many hypotheticals to answer.” “I think there needs to be more parking access for us and possibly less space [given] to the faculty and staff,” said Aiyana Tran-Carroll, a freshman nursing major. “We struggle to find a spot while they have extra space.” The end of the parking study outlined recommendations that the College could take to improve the parking situation, including incentivizing faculty and students to park further away from the center of campus, printing designated lot numbers directly on decals and designating lot 13 as “economy parking” by charging a reduced fee for parking in this lot compared to an increased fee for parking in “premium spaces.” Sacks said that some recommendations are currently being considered by the College, but none have been implemented yet.
LIONS / Bernstein outlines potential plans SFB discusses funding issues with orgs Continued from page 1
In presentations to faculty members last month, Bernstein said that, if enacted, his cost-saving and revenue-generating initiatives could eliminate the budget deficit through FY2026, though it would return in FY2027. In the interview, the interim president said that this would be a smaller and more “stable” deficit that future budgeters can account for. Bernstein said that he believes the best way for the College to increase revenue in the future is through the establishment of the School of Continuing Education and Professional Studies. This new school would grow the College’s graduate offerings and expand to new audiences including part-time and non-degree seeking students. The leader said that he expects a business plan to be mapped out for the new school throughout the spring semester, with an anticipated launch by the fall. There may also be a reorganization of academic schools and class requirements to ensure the College is not “at a dramatic disadvantage” compared to the required classes at other institutions in New Jersey, according to Bernstein. He proposed reevaluating specific departments including foreign language and writing, adding that he expects some larger classes as a result of the changes. Faculty across campus have been apprehensive of these changes as it may increase their teaching load and require a renegotiation of the MOA 62 agreement, which is an agreement between the faculty union and the College dictating how many classes faculty can teach each semester. “I know there are some people who are pretty upset about the questions I have raised,” said Bernstein. In another attempt to generate revenue, Bernstein noted, the College could fill oncampus housing vacancies by partnering with local institutions like Mercer County
Community College. As for the future of on-campus living, the interim president hopes to see renovations of certain buildings to stay current with this generation’s needs. While Bernstein acknowledges the “fondness” past students may feel regarding the Travers and Wolfe Towers, he feels that the College either needs to replace them with more updated housing or do extensive work to modernize them. “The towers are not out of life,” said Bernstein, “they’re in another life at this point.” As the campus re-opens for the spring semester and the administration begins looking into the interim president’s suggestions, the future of the institution stands unclear. The College currently does not have a permanent treasurer and will need to find an interim provost following the sudden announcement of the departure of Jeffrey Osborn. Vice Provost Tim Clydesdale will be overseeing the office of Office of Academic Affairs until an interim provost is chosen, according to the Jan. 22 email. “The college is here forever,” said Bernstein. “That’s the goal. We’ve got to make sure that its foundations and its sustainability are all in place for the longer term future.”
Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone
As the College re-opens for the spring, the future of the institution is unclear.
By Mike Sherr Former Editor-in-Chief
There are over 230 recognized student organizations at the College, each of which fights over allocations from the limited Student Activity Fee (SAF). The Student Finance Board (SFB), which oversees the distribution of the SAF, has long been the focus of angered clubs whose funding requests were denied. Near the end of last semester, SFB Executive Director Antigone Antonakakis, a senior public health major, met with student representatives of various cultural and religious organizations to discuss these issues as well as any possible solutions. “I really want to hear from everyone in this space,” Antonakakis told the group. “This is really a space for you all and for us to learn from each other and to hear what’s working, what’s not working, and to find those resolutions.” Most of the discussion focused on food and the funding application process. Before the 2022-2023 fiscal year, SFB would fund food at events if it was “considered beneficial to the event and the program is open to all students.” SFB changed this policy during the 20222023 fiscal year and placed a $10 per student limit on food requests. For cultural organizations, where many of their events include ethnic or cultural food, this limit can be frustrating. “I will be the first to acknowledge that $10, especially in this context of cultural foods, is not always accessible,” Antonakakis said. Student leaders like Romy Zemer, copresident of Chabad, the College’s Jewish student org, and junior nursing major, pointed out that cultural foods specifically tend to be more expensive. Whether because of a lack of commercial caterers that carry cultural food or the overall higher price of cultural food, organizations may have a harder time meeting that $10
limit. “For cultural foods and for kosher foods there’s an additional cost that often makes it difficult to work within the $10 limit,” Zemer mentioned at the meeting. “Most of our events have to be on campus, and to have the food funded you can’t really have foods that aren’t commercially bought brought into campus.” Other students expressed that high costs due to inflation further limit the amount of food an organization can actually order. “I think [SFB] should be aware that some of their guidelines are ridiculous,” Faiza Hoque, treasurer of the Muslim Student Association and a senior computer science major, told The Signal. “With food at $10…inflation is a huge concern.” Some solutions to these problems that were discussed included raising the perstudent cap to $15 or limiting student organizations to a few events per semester with food fully funded. “It won’t change tomorrow, but as we start to engage in conversations about the policy, I’m interested to learn from you all and hear what you think the solution to this could be,” Antonakakis said. “Obviously you are not the only organizations on this campus,” she added. “There are growing numbers of organizations.” Antonakakis pointed out that to have food successfully funded for an event, it should be integral to the event itself. Many student organizations across campus use food and snacks as a way to market an event to students; Antonakakis explained that there is not enough money in the SAF to fund every event with food just to attract attendees. “I wish that things could have been a little different, but it’s just sort of what we are working with,” Antonakakis said. Read more on our website!
February 2, 2024 The Signal page 3
Students raise security concerns after ResEd removes DAs
Photo by Shane Gillespie
Hausdoerffer and Phelps currently have no student workers covering the front desks. By Mike Sherr Former Editor-in-Chief When residents in on-campus dorms return from late night studying or a quick C-Store run, they are often greeted by a Desk Assistant waiting to let them in. From 8 p.m. to midnight, residents have to either quickly show their student IDs or sign their guests into the building. As of this semester, however, there will no longer be a DA checking IDs in Hausdoerffer and Phelps Halls. Hausdoerffer and Phelps, which mostly house upperclassmen, provide apartment-style housing for about 200 students. The residence halls currently have no student workers covering the front desks, leaving students and guests to walk in freely after swiping into the
building. “They’re completely gone,” said Keya Chatterjee, a junior marketing major and resident in the apartments. Michelle Forbes, an associate director in the Office of Residential Education and Housing, sent an email to residents informing them of the change on Jan. 22, a day after students had already moved into the buildings. “I am reaching out to notify you that there will no longer be Night Desk Assistants in your buildings,” Forbes wrote in the email. “Moving forward, you will not need to sign in your guests, however if you plan to host nonresidential guests, the expectations of you as a host remain the same.” DA duties will not be picked up by any other employees, but CAs will continue to sit
in one of the offices in Hausdoerffer or Phelps while on duty. CAs will also continue to patrol the buildings as usual, according to Luke Sacks, head of media relations at the College. Sacks noted that the need for desk staffing has decreased since upperclassmen sign in less visitors. “When we originally built and opened Phelps/Hausdoerffer, there were no front desk workers, which is also the case for the Townhouses,” Sacks told The Signal via email. “Juniors and seniors tend to be more mature and do not require an additional level of oversight.” The policy change comes after offices around the College reduce student worker hours due to budget cuts. While the DAs from the apartments were moved to other locations, this reduced overall possible hours student workers could sign up for. Delaney Smith, president of the Residence Hall Association and junior journalism and professional writing major, told The Signal that she was “absolutely worried about student jobs.” “What’s to stop them from taking the DAs out of other buildings?” Smith said. “I feel like it’s not the first place that the budget cut should have affected because this is student safety we’re talking about.” When asked if the College was planning on removing DAs in other residence halls, Sacks responded “not at this time.” General reactions from residents verge on the side of disinterest, however, with some saying that the DAs did not do much in the first place. “To me, it’s not like a huge difference,” said Kate Clifford, a junior nursing major who is
also a resident in the apartments. “When they were there, you would quickly flash your ID for a second, but they never looked up long enough to actually see the sticker that you lived in [the residence hall].” Chatterjee agreed, saying that she “personally did not care.” Students still hold some concerns about the security of the buildings, however. Chatterjee noted an incident last semester regarding a college aged man who repeatedly spent time in a Phelps Hall lounge searching for a place to stay. Witnesses told Campus Police that the intruder mentioned an intention to “meet girls.” Clifford agreed, saying that she was “a little bit” concerned about the future security of the apartments. “I feel like it was more the idea that they were there that would prevent people from trying to come in,” Clifford said. “If word gets around that there’s nobody blocking people from getting in and out of the building, I feel like that’s what concerns me. But them actually being there doesn’t really make much of a difference.” Even though students have these concerns, Sacks reassured The Signal that Hausdoerffer and Phelps are as safe as ever. “Campus Police will still monitor the security cameras and conduct patrols per standard protocol. Campus Police may also sit at the front desk and check IDs as staffing and conditions allow,” Sacks told The Signal. “As always, we encourage residents to report suspicious behavior to Campus Police immediately.”
Praxis removal leads to uncertainty College fundraising for ‘TCNJ By Kate Zydor compensate for these vacancies with no pay Staff Writer
Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a bill to eliminate the Praxis Skills Test required for aspiring N.J. teachers to receive their certification through alternate route programs without passing the exam. Murphy announced this legislation on Nov. 27, conveying his desire to increase teacher recruitment and ease staffing shortages. The Praxis Skills Test consists of two major categories: Praxis core tests and Praxis subject tests. Praxis core exams are designed to measure a teacher candidate’s overall skills in reading, writing and math, whereas Praxis skills exams measure subject-specific knowledge. According to NJ.com, Gov. Murphy’s bill will completely remove the requirement for education majors to pass this exam if they have not already received adequate SAT or ACT scores. Interim School of Education Dean Tabitha Dell’Angelo, however, said the future of the requirement remains unclear. “The Department of Education still must read, interpret and create the legislation into a policy, and state who it will impact,” Dell’Angelo said. “It’s possible that the [Department of Education] will say it’s only for alternate route programs.” According to Dell’Angelo, the recent bill seems to apply only to candidates for a Certificate of Eligibility (CE). “The Certificate of Eligibility is given to an individual who has not completed a teacher preparation program but meets the basic requirements for certification, including academic study and applicable test requirements,” as stated by the N.J. Department of Education. In recent years, the view that the N.J. Department of Education should do away with these exams has become more widespread. This is in part due to the statewide teacher shortage among K-12 schools. “Because being a teacher has become so difficult due to Covid-19 and today’s social climate, many teachers are quitting their jobs, leaving the remaining teachers to
increase,” said Aydan Goldstein, an early childhood special education and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major. In addition, President of the New Jersey Education Association Sean Spiller says eliminating this exam can help recruit more teachers. “We’ve got to get people into the profession and we want to get a diverse workforce as we do it,” said Spiller. “But we’ve really got to focus on retention. What we’re seeing in the data is that educators are not staying until retirement, which they traditionally did in the past.” The Educational Testing Service, which administers the Praxis, has argued that although there is a current shortage of teachers, the removal of the exams will result in diminished quality of the individuals graduating from education programs. Dell’Angelo, however, disagreed with this assertion. “We do have a real teacher shortage right now, and if we are making it harder for students to become teachers, it’s not going to help the pipeline,” Dell’Angelo said. “There is no evidence that the quality of teachers will be diminished.” Other arguments against the Praxis Skills Test include its time constraints and the fact that it has hindered many high-achieving students’ ability to become teachers. With the cost of these exams ranging from $90$160, this requirement may unfairly burden those of lower socioeconomic status. “If the objective is to show that students have the knowledge to teach the subject they want to teach, [colleges] already have exams that demonstrate content area expertise,” Dell’Angelo said. “If a student is accepted to college and is doing well, clearly they have basic skills. Taking this test is an unnecessary hurdle…and there is no data to support its efficacy.” With this, the College’s School of Education is tracking the progress of this new legislation and working to understand its implications for education majors. In the meantime, faculty members are recommending students take either the SAT or ACT exams in high school.
Pavilion,’ could open by 2026
Graphic courtesy of Maggie Greco
The TCNJ Pavilion will serve as a performance venue and event space. By Matthew Kaufman Managing Editor The College has launched a fundraising campaign for the construction of a new pavilion that would serve as an outdoor performance venue and event space. The fundraising campaign will last 12-18 months, with construction slated to be completed as early as 2026. Dubbed the TCNJ Pavilion, the venue would “provide an ideal space in which the TCNJ community and others can gather for everything from musical and dramatic performances to lectures and debates to ceremonies and presentations,” according to the College’s crowdfunding site. “This new venue will address the need for additional space for the music program, double as an outdoor theater and provide additional classroom space that will be available for use by any academic school at the college,” said Luke Sacks, the College’s head of media relations, in an email to The Signal. “The space also will be available for approved use by students.” The project will
be fully funded by donations and is estimated to cost $3 million, Sacks said, which includes the cost of the construction in addition to the technology within the theater. While the fundraising website only states that the pavilion will be located in a “centralized location on campus,” Sacks said it will be built somewhere between the Social Sciences Building and Kendall Hall, with the exact location to be determined later. The Pavilion includes a retractable, garage-like door that separates the main, indoor event space from an outdoor, covered seating area. The fundraising site notes that the space will be used year-round. “Naming opportunities will underwrite various aspects of programming provided through the Pavilion,” another web page detailing the space states, “including but not limited to recurring programs and initiatives, student organizations’ use of the space, lecture series and scholarly panels, visiting artists, and scholar-in-residence fellowships.” As of Dec. 19, the project had received donations from three individuals.
page 4 The Signal February 2, 2024
Seven students struck by pellet guns in Campus Town
Photo courtesy of Campus Police
A still from a security camera showing the van and two suspects of the incident. By Briana Keenan the street in the same direction they were News Editor walking. Two students from the College were “I suddenly felt something hit my struck by pellets in Campus Town on the forehead,” one of the students said. “I just night of Jan. 21, according to a Campus stopped in my tracks and was like, ‘what?’” Police emergency alert, but did not require One student was struck in the middle of medical attention. The perpetrators were their forehead and left side of their face and in a white van traveling south on the main the other student was struck on their lower boulevard. It was later revealed that five left cheek, almost by their chin. other students also reported being struck “I could definitely hear [the shooting] after receiving the emergency alert. a couple times because that’s what alerted Two of the students, who requested me to look up,” the second student said. anonymity for their safety, said that they “I thought it sounded like a rattling noise; were leaving Panera and walking to that’s what made me alarmed in the first RedBerry when they were struck. After place.” crossing the street by the urgent care in Right after being struck, the second Campus Town, both students were hit, student called the police. The first student with the van driving parallel to them on said that they tried to make out a license
plate, weapon or follow where the vehicle went, but it was difficult since the vehicle was speeding except for when they were struck. Campus Police met the two students outside of RedBerry about five minutes after they were called. “The cops were very helpful,” the second student said. “We talked to a bunch of people about it, but I feel like they were taking it really seriously.” The students reported that they primarily interacted with one officer, but four others also met them outside of RedBerry, totaling five responding officers. Two details that the students remembered were that there were people hanging outside of the vehicle’s sliding door and that the tip of the weapon was orange. No further details have been revealed by Campus Police about how many people were in the vehicle nor the weapon used. “I don’t know what we were hit with,” the second student said. “They searched the ground for any bullets where we were, but they didn’t find any.” The student also said that Campus Police officers looked a second time and on the other side of the sidewalk, but no pellets were found. However, they later recovered a plastic pellet that “appears to be consistent with those used in Orbeeztype guns,” according to Head Media Relations Officer Luke Sacks. To their knowledge, the students did not have any bystanders to the incident. “There were other pedestrians, but I don’t think we reacted enough that anybody really noticed what happened,” the first student said.
Looking back on what happened, the students said that they felt shocked and confused. “Bewildered is the word I’ll use,” the first student said. “The police kept asking us questions about identifying the car, but I think both of us were so confused at that moment that we didn’t process what was going on.” “You don’t expect that, and thank God it wasn’t anything like a serious injury, so that’s why we were able to remain calm about it,” the second student said. Any student with information regarding the incident can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
Muha said. Muha said the Co llege’s “out of home” advertising campaign is mainly focused on billboards, NJ Transit bus ads, Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Google Search, and Google Display, in addition to some SEPTA and NJ Transit train ads. The College’s advertising is mostly focused around New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The annual marketing budget limits the messages’ reach. The advertising budget for 2023 wa s $725,000, compared to the previous years’ budget of $900,000. “Our budget limits what we can do geographically as well as the frequency,” Muha said. “I think that given our limited resources, we’ve been able to generate a high
return on investment.” Admissions for colleges is “highly competitive,” Muha said, “as there are fewer collegeage students coming up through high schools.” However, the communications chief said the College has not seen any indications of a decline in its enrollment. Preliminary data indicates that the College’s advertising efforts are working, with applications up 30% compared to 2022, according to Muha. Despite a smaller budget compared to the previous year, the College is still seeing an increase in applications. The marketing team hopes that they will have an even greater budget this year so that they can continue to grow the College’s campus community.
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TCNJ’s extensive marketing is working, communications chief says
Photo courtesy of Campus Police
The College has significantly increased its marketing efforts. By Myara Gomez Staff Writer Ma rketing is an essential tool for many organizations, creating a need among consumers for a product. In recent years, the College has significantly grown its marketing efforts, spending thousands of dollars on billboards, bus posters and social media ads. In an interview with The Signal, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Dave Muha said the College has two marketing goals: raising awareness of the institution and increasing enrollment. Behind the scenes, Muha has an entire marketing team behind him along with an agency, Avoq, previously known as Subject Matte r+Kivvit. The agency has been working with the College for about four years, handling some tasks that pertain to strategy, media buying and campaigns. The College’s in-house marketing team handles smaller-scale tasks such as
the social media accounts, website, recruitment publications and email marketing campaigns. “With respect to enrollment, the goal of the advertising has been to drive attendance at open houses because we know that students who visit campus are more likely to apply and enroll,” Muha said. “We’ve been measuring the success of thes e efforts by metrics that include traffic to our open house and visit webpages, as well as registrations for the open houses.” The advertising efforts have made an impact, according to Muha. “This fall, traffic to the open house webpage was up 37% over 2022, he said. “In 2022 it was up 61% over 2021.” The College has also seen increased open house registrations and enrollment. “A p rospect wrote on a campus tour evaluation that she first learned about TCNJ through a TikTok ad and that because of the tour, we were now her top school,”
Joel Embiid’s historic scoring is not a sign of change for the 76ers
Photo Courtesy of Flickr
Philadelphia 76ers’ center Joel Embiid. By Eddie Young Sports Editor
On Jan. 22, Joel Embiid continued his spectacular regular season thus far with a 70-point performance in a win over the Charlotte Hornets. The Philadelphia 76ers’ center became the ninth player ever to score 70 points in a game, and the third to do it since the start of 2023. The 70-point, 18-rebound stat line from Jan. 22 helps to build Embiid’s
already strong Most Valuable Player case for this season. He is currently leading the NBA in points per game for what would be the third season in a row, and he has scored more than 30 points in his last 22 games. As of Jan. 26, he is averaging 36 points per game, and if he can hold that pace for the rest of the season, he would join James Harden, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan as the only players to average more than 35 points per game in a season since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. What Embiid is doing as a scorer this season is historically great and rarely seen. However, while Sixers fans may be enjoying the chance to watch Embiid terrorize the league with his scoring, history has shown that it does not necessarily translate to success in the playoffs — success which has eluded the Sixers for much of this century. Only five players in NBA history have won the scoring title and the NBA finals in the same season, and only two have done it since the NBA-ABA merger. Jordan completed the feat in all six of his championship campaigns, and Shaquille O’Neal did it in the 1999-2000 season. Since then, no scoring champion has been an NBA champion in the same season. A lot of great players have won scoring titles and championships. LeBron James led the league in scoring in 2008 and has won four titles, but that scoring title came before any of his NBA titles. Stephen Curry also has four titles and has led the league in scoring twice, but in those two years, he lost in the finals and lost in the
play-in tournament. Curry is one of two players, with Allen Iverson being the other in 2001, to win a scoring title and make the finals in the same season since O’Neal did it. Many of those other scoring champions lost in the early rounds of the playoffs. Often, when a player leads the league in scoring, it is not always a testament to how great they are. Many times, it is a sign that a really good player is on a team that is not so good and is relied on more to carry the offense. When Harden scored 36.1 per game in 2019, the team came in fourth in their conference and was a second-round exit. The team had no other great scorers, as Harden scored more per game than the next two players on his team combined. When Bryant scored 35.4 per game in 2005-2006, his team was seventh in their conference and was a first-round exit. As the focal point of the offense, he took 27.2 shots per game, which is the second most in a season since the merger. He was only second to Michael Jordan in 1986-1987, when he averaged 37 per game and snuck his team into the playoffs as an eight seed, but ended up getting swept in the first round. Every time someone has put up the scoring numbers that Embiid is putting up this season, they end up as an early-round playoff exit. With Embiid as the Sixers’ offensive focal point, the team has never gone that far in the playoffs. Since he rose to stardom in the 2017-2018 season, Philadelphia has made the playoffs every year, but they have never gotten past the second round.
They have surrounded Embiid with many different stars, with Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler and James Harden being the most notable names, and have also given him three different head coaches to work with. However, no matter what configuration of people the 76ers put together, a secondround exit always seems inevitable for them. Many Sixers fans have claimed that this might be their year, though, and things may be different. They were able to get rid of Harden, who showed little interest in playing for the team, they hired a championship-winning head coach in Nick Nurse and they have an emerging young superstar in Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging 25 points per game of his own this year. On top of all of that, Embiid is having one of the greatest scoring seasons of all time and is looking to win his third straight scoring title and back-to-back MVPs. Everything is looking up for the Sixers. However, as history shows, it does not look like anything should change for the 76ers. It is rare for a leading scorer to win an NBA championship, and the more points a player scores in a season, the earlier their loss in the playoffs will be. While many scoring leaders do not have a teammate who can score like Maxey, Embiid’s offense is likely to mask flaws in the rest of the team during the regular season. Come playoff time, those flaws will be exposed, leading to another second-round exit for the Philadelphia 76ers.
‘C’s get degrees’ is a dangerous mentality The transition back from winter break can be a struggle for students at the College for college students
Photo by Brielle Zimmer
Students study diligently at the library. By Kate Zydor Opinions Editor
“C’s get degrees” is a phrase that you’ll often hear around college campuses. In other words, with minimal effort and average grades, one can still finish four years of college with a paper diploma. My question is this: Are we here to get a piece of paper to say that we came to college or are we here to become masters of the subjects that we came to study? If you spent $5,000 on Super Bowl tickets, would you leave at halftime just to say that you went; or would you want to get every penny’s worth of that $5,000 in enjoyment of the game? The same is true for college. Students should have a well-rounded college experience, including involvement in extracurricular activities, a strong social life and designated self-care time. However, the problem emerges when students choose to place academics at the end of their list of priorities, and by doing so, they sell themselves short of living up to their true potential. By no means am I arguing that every student must achieve an “A” in all of their classes. Some course subjects are undoubtedly more difficult than others. However, if students go into their classes
believing that “C” grades are sufficient, they limit their belief in themselves to obtain a better outcome. I myself am a strong proponent of facilitating success by taking advantage of the opportunities that the College provides. By increasing your usage of resources such as the Tutoring Center, you not only boost your likelihood of academic achievement but also train your brain to go above and beyond what is required. This is a skill that holds immense value post-graduation. “C’s get degrees” does not exist in the professional world. To be successful within any field, you first must be willing to devote time, effort and energy to the work you are responsible for. When applying for competitive jobs, the applicants who stand-out from others are those who possess a desire for self-improvement and the betterment of the company itself. By holding yourself to high standards of academic achievement, you not only improve your future prospects, but you also contribute to creating a campus community that is driven towards excellence. Currently, return on investment is a hot topic surrounding institutions of higher education. Students want to ensure that the experiences they glean from their chosen university or college will set them up with future career prospects. With all the focus on the cost of higher education, it stands to reason that if we are going to put ourselves in thousands of dollars worth of debt, we would want to leave with every benefit and every ounce of knowledge we could gain. When I write that monthly check toward my student loans someday, I want to know without a shadow of a doubt that it was worth every penny.
By Briana Keenan News Editor “Stepping back onto campus after a month of not being here was relieving. Being home was nice until a certain point, as I am a person who thrives off having a daily routine that the College provides. However, not all aspects of this transition have been easy for me. I can’t say for sure since it has only been a week of classes, but it seems that my workload has significantly increased since the fall semester. Plus, I started my new role as news editor for The Signal, and while I am very eager, I have anxiety about finding a balance. While the time off allowed me to see friends from high school, spend time with my family and relax after my first semester, the start of this semester has made me find comfort in a routine. Yet, anxiety about how much I have on my plate still lingers. Being back from break has reminded me that I must continue to take care of my mental health while transitioning back to campus life. As college students, everyone has their own responsibilities that require time and dedication. However, I have to be careful not to spread myself too thin to avoid facing burnout. Several days last week, my day started at 6:30 a.m. and ended at midnight. If I wasn’t in class, I was in the library doing homework or in a meeting. Not only was this physically and mentally exhausting, but it was a shock to me compared to how much I was working last semester. I am a diligent student, and I like to complete assignments as soon
as possible and with my full effort. However, this transition back has made me feel somewhat lost as I am trying to get back into a routine that I longed for when I was an hour-and-a-half away over break. I have faced anxiety and depression for years and they were at their peak last year, so when these feelings came up for me during this transition, I was worried. Those who are close to me were worried, too. I didn’t see my friends as often due to classes, and often couldn’t make it to lunch or dinner with them; my boyfriend comforted me and encouraged me to take a step back and my mom has sent me several concerned text messages about how I am doing. Nonetheless, I have found several positive moments in my transition being back. I have been going to the gym in Campus Town consistently and it has helped me feel better physically and mentally. I have seen the gorgeous campus sunrises that I missed dearly when I was home, and I have still managed to get all my work in while balancing extracurriculars and spending time with my friends. Often, I don’t give myself enough credit for what I am doing, and I think that the same applies to this transition. Students must remember to take care of themselves and utilize the Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) on campus if they find that beneficial. I know that the spring 2024 semester is going to be a great one; it’ll just require some adjustment throughout the transition and caring for my mental well-being.
Editorials Bernstein’s LIONS plan creates worry, not reassurance, amidst financial trouble By Tristan Weisenbach Managing Editor
At the end of last semester, Interim President Michael Bernstein outlined a comprehensive plan called LIONS, which stands for “Linking Innovation with Operational Nimbleness and Sustainability,” to the College’s Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and academic leaders groups before sharing a condensed version of the initiative in an email to the campus community on Dec. 6. The purpose of the plan is to address the worsening financial crisis plaguing the College. In total, the College faces nearly $340 million in debt. Bernstein’s proposition is wide-ranging, consisting of ideas such as “academic reorganization,” “significant” reductions in the number of adjunct faculty, developing some three-year bachelor’s degree programs, partnering with community colleges to provide them with on-campus housing at the College and creating a new School of Continuing, Extended and Professional Studies, among other things. During the in-person presentations, Bernstein’s plan was equipped with financial budget projections through FY2028 and listed individual expenses and revenue earnings for many aspects of the LIONS plan, such as the SCEP, increasing faculty vacancies and academic reorganization. By having these somewhat formalized budget summary outlines, it seemed like Bernstein and the College administration had a concrete plan in their hands. The interim president also used many “we will” statements in his email, allowing students and faculty to come to an understanding that Bernstein’s plans were already set in stone. The LIONS plan is not something minute either; it would likely reshape nearly every aspect of the College, from altering academic requirements to potentially eliminating large numbers of adjunct faculty. To present such a
Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone
The LIONS initiative has little concrete substance behind it. comprehensive plan so quickly is alarming, chaotic and, to some, perhaps even scary. However, based on an interview with the president and a subsequent follow-up email from Bernstein on Jan. 22, it is clear that there currently are little to no formalized plans; these initiatives are just ideas, based on his findings from a listening tour he conducted across campus throughout the fall 2023 semester. The LIONS initiative, from the time it was announced in December through today, has little concrete substance behind it. It would be unreasonable to expect Bernstein and his administration to create a fully comprehensive plan ready to be implemented in just one semester’s time. The issue with the LIONS initiative is that it is a set of ideas presented in a way that comes across as developed, solidified plans that will be implemented, when that isn’t necessarily the case. One of Bernstein’s larger parts of his plan is the creation of a new School of Continuing, Extended and Professional Studies. In an interview with The Signal in December, Bernstein recognized that it would not be possible to implement this new
school without first ending the hiring freeze instituted last summer, which currently has no specified termination date. “You can’t have a hiring freeze forever, especially if you’re going to try to do new things…so of course we’re going to have to hire personnel,” he said in the interview. Bernstein said he hopes to design the new school throughout the spring and summer to finalize and implement it at the start of the fall 2024 semester. But with no end in sight for the hiring freeze, the likelihood of this occurring in line with his timeline is slim. Bernstein also noted “academic reorganization” in his email, which is a broad plan that involves many components. One of the suggestions he made in this section of the email was examining higher teaching loads for academic faculty, which he stated would “require a renegotiation of local contractual agreements such as ‘MOA 62,’” an agreement between the faculty union and the College that dictates how many courses faculty can teach per year. When asked during the interview what specific aspects of MOA 62 he intended to renegotiate and what that process would look
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like, Bernstein did not have a set answer. “I don’t have some detailed blueprint that I’m handing over to the Union,” he said. “That’s not my place.” The Signal inquired about numerous other aspects of the plan that were listed in his email, such as reconfiguring writing and world language requirements, new oncampus housing developments, reducing adjunct faculty and developing some three-year bachelor’s degrees. However, Bernstein indicated that these initiatives are all suggestions and would need to be further analyzed before they could be developed and implemented. In his Jan. 22 email to the campus community, Bernstein followed up on the LIONS plan that he introduced in December, stating that his goal for the spring is “the implementation of the key elements of the financial plan.” However, Bernstein also wrote in the same email that “working groups,” which are being created to develop aspects of the plan, will be meeting in the coming weeks to achieve the goals of the initiatives — implying once again that the ideas of the LIONS plan are not yet solidified, not guaranteed and may be subject to significant change depending on further examination. It is important to grasp just how dire the College’s financial situation truly is. Bernstein’s current LIONS initiative only temporarily alleviates budget deficits through FY2026 before they return in FY2027. While we commend Bernstein’s efforts towards completing a listening tour of campus and showing us that he is serious about wanting to conquer budget shortfalls, the way that administration has gone about presenting the plans to the campus community has only exacerbated the sense of uncertainty, rather than providing the strong sense of reassurance that we had all hoped for.
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POLICIES The Signal is published bi-weekly during the academic year and not financed by the Student Activity Fund but solely by advertisement revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The Letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. The Signal willingly corrects mistakes. If you think we have made a mistake, contact us signal@tcnj.edu.
New Year, new FAFSA: Changes to the 2024-2025 federal student aid form
Despite recent updates to the FAFSA, problems still remain. By Rajika Chauhan Staff Writer The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a fixture in any prospective or returning college student’s financial planning, and is often subject to complaint and frustration. With a slew of changes being introduced by the Department of Education for the 20242025 form, the hope from the federal government is to make the application process faster and more efficient for all students, while increasing the likelihood of eligibility for aid. The FAFSA is a free application handled by the federal government, which collects information regarding a student’s financial condition to
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determine their eligibility for federal aid. The resulting information is sent to the schools which a student is applying to or attending, and determines the financial aid package they will receive. It is recommended that both firsttime and returning students fill out the application each year, including students who believe their family income may be too high to warrant federal aid, according to the Federal Student Aid website. According to AP News, the new changes are reflected in the 20242025 form, which was released in late December as the Department of Education finalized revisions and modifications. Typically, the form opens prior to the start of the college
application season in November, so that students are able to receive their financial award information alongside early college acceptances in December and January. Changes to the form range from technical advances to different rules in determining aid eligibility. The hope is that this updated form will bring the FAFSA closer to its goal of effectively supporting students in their path towards higher education and careers of choice. “Most students and families will be able to complete the process in less time and we’ll see more students qualify for need-based aid,” said Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. A major change in the form is that it is now mandatory that any individual who must provide financial information on the student’s form create their own ID. Previously, only the student and one parent or guardian was required to save an ID, according to The Washington Post. The form now also features an updated method of calculating the amount of aid a student is eligible for, with the former Expected Financial Contribution being replaced with the Student Aid Index. The two are separate formulas, both of which consider the income and assets of students and parents. However, the Student Aid Index does not provide any concessions to families supporting multiple students in college, according to AP News. Another major change is the required use of the IRS retrieval tool, which
automatically inputs an individual’s tax records from their IRS forms into the FAFSA. While the tool was previously optional, it is now mandatory to utilize it to provide financial information, with any objectors being unable to qualify for student aid. In spite of these changes, the form has continued to be subject to complaints within the first few days of its launching. AP News reports that the early release suffered from multiple issues with glitches and inaccessibility, and made calculations of financial capability based on inflation data from April of 2020, rather than 2023. “Adjusting these inflationary numbers is the right thing to do, and should have been done from the beginning. Unfortunately, because the Department is making these updates so late in the financial aid processing cycle, students will now pay the price in the form of additional delays in financial aid offers and compressed decisionmaking timelines,” said Draeger in a press release. As a result of the need to update for recent inflation values, the form will not provide colleges with financial aid information until late January at the earliest, leaving a shorter window for families to make college decisions on the basis of cost. Whether the Department of Education’s efforts at overhauling the FAFSA will improve aid eligibility and ease of access is yet to be seen, and students in the ongoing application cycle appear to be the test case.
NJ Transit proposes fare increase Turkey approves Sweden NATO membership By Shaim Akhtar Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
NJ Transit is proposing a 15% fare increase. By Leah Cruz Transit has used 80% of that fund with the Staff Writer intention of maintaining full service levels, according to the NYT. The COVID-19 New Jersey Transit has announced a fare relief fund, however, is expected to run out adjustment proposal that would increase by the 2025 fiscal year. bus and train fares by 15%, the agency’s For many who rely on the NJ first increase in nearly a decade. Transit system as an affordable mode of The proposal was announced as part of transportation, the proposed fare increase a plan to close the agency’s $106.6 million would impact the affordability of many budget gap, according to AP News. passengers’ daily commutes. “This proposed fare adjustment, along “Driving to the city is not an option with NJ TRANSIT’s internal efficiencies, — there’s no parking and it’s expensive… savings and revenue enhancements would you’ve got to pay tolls and gas. There’s no allow for a fully funded FY25 operating better option for us than the train,” Modiha budget that avoids reducing service levels,” Bhatti, a long-time NJ Transit customer, the agency said in a statement. told the NYT. In addition to the 15% fare increase, With a 15% increase, an adult one-way the proposal would include an annual fare train ticket from Princeton Junction to New increase of 3% and the removal of the York Penn Station would increase from FlexPass, a customizable ticket option that $16.00 to $18.40. A ticket from Philadelphia allows passengers to plan their commutes at to Pennsauken would rise from $4.25 to a discounted price, according to the NYT. $4.85, according to the NJ Transit website. NJ Transit has reported that its ridership The agency will be holding 10 public is entering its fifth consecutive year that will hearings from March 4 to March 8 and will be below the revenue it had pre-pandemic. be accepting written comments online at Thus far, the agency has seen a $2 billion www.njtransit.com/hearing. reduction in farebox revenues. A public hearing will be held at Trenton Since receiving $4.4 billion in federal Transit Center on March 6 from 10:00 a.m. aid as part of a COVID-19 relief fund, NJ to 12:00 p.m.
Over the past few days, Turkey’s parliament voted to approve Sweden’s NATO membership, marking the culmination of about two years of policymaking and negotiations involving the countries and the United States. In 2022, Sweden applied to NATO to establish a deterrent against Russian aggression, as observed in the conflict in Ukraine. However, Sweden must adhere to NATO’s Article 10, which mandates unanimous approval from all NATO countries for potential members to join, leading to multiple negotiations with reluctant members Turkey and Hungary. The negotiations with Turkey were prolonged due to Sweden’s criticism of the Turkish government for past human rights abuses. Turkey insisted that Sweden take a stronger stance against Kurdish separatist groups within its borders and expressed interest to ratify fighter jet purchases from the U.S. Following numerous agreements during the negotiations, Turkey’s parliament approved Sweden’s membership due to Sweden’s commitment to tightening anti-terrorism legislation. Moreover, President Joe Biden’s assertion that Turkey supporting Sweden’s membership would facilitate the ratification process for purchasing fighter jets in Congress played another significant role, as reported by DW News. Upon receiving the news, multiple government leaders have expressed their reactions to Turkey’s approval. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson released a statement on the pivotal event, stating, “Welcome Türkiye’s approval of the ratification
of Sweden’s NATO accession. With this, a key milestone has been reached in Sweden’s path towards NATO membership.” Following a meeting with Turkish President Recep Erdoğan, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg released a statement saying, “Good to speak with President Erdogan, to welcome Türkiye’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership. Türkiye’s legitimate security concerns have been addressed, and Sweden, Türkiye, and NATO will all be stronger with Sweden as an Ally.” However, Sweden faces another hurdle in its NATO membership bid as Hungary delays the process for unclear reasons, in which the senior politicians from the ruling Fidesz party theorize the delay is caused by Swedish criticism of the Hungarian democracy, as reported by the Guardian. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Stolenberg, in response to Hungary being the sole member delaying Sweden’s NATO membership, which provided optimism for all parties involved . “Just finished a phone call with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg. I reaffirmed that the Hungarian government supports the NATOmembership of Sweden,” Orban said. “I also stressed that we will continue to urge the Hungarian National Assembly to vote in favor of Sweden’s accession and conclude the ratification at the first possible opportunity.” There is no doubt that Sweden is one step closer to becoming a NATO member through Turkey’s approval. Nevertheless, whether the Hungarian parliament ratifies Sweden into NATO remains to be seen.
page 8 The Signal February 2, 2024
Trump-Biden rematch increasingly likely after first primaries
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Iowa and New Hampshire primaries foretell Trump-Biden rematch in 2024. By Gauri Patel Staff Writer A sweep of the first two nominating contests in the 2024 presidential primaries season left Former President Donald Trump in a strong position to seize the Republican party nomination, making a rematch with Joe Biden increasingly likely. Trump secured a record-setting victory in the Iowa Republican caucuses on Monday, finishing with 51 percent of the vote with 99 percent of the votes counted, according to The Associated Press. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won just over 21 percent, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley was close behind at 19 percent. Trump’s win marked the largest margin of victory in a competitive GOP race in Iowa history. “We want to come together, whether it’s Republican or Democrat or liberal or conservative,” he said in his victory speech, offering a message of unity. “We’re going to come together. It’s going to happen soon.” About 110,000 voters participated in the 2024 caucuses due to the
frigid weather and dangerous driving conditions, falling well below the high expectations for this year’s turnout. The voters who participated accounted for just under 15 percent of the state’s 752,000 registered Republicans, according to CBS News. Trump is currently facing a defamation case against writer E. Jean Carroll, just one of multiple legal challenges facing the former president. According to interviews conducted with Iowa caucusgoers by CBS News, most people largely dismissed Trump’s legal controversy, saying he would still be fit for the presidency regardless of whether he was convicted of a crime. After coming in fourth place with eight percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses, Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the presidential race and announced his endorsement for Trump. Ramaswamy, who, at 38 years old, was the youngest Republican candidate in the race, launched his campaign in February 2023. The businessman’s approach was very similar to that of Trump, campaigning on an “America First” platform, pushing to limit American involvement in foreign
affairs like the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars. He leaned heavily into conspiracy theories towards the end of his campaign, suggesting that the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot was an “inside job” and raised questions about the 9/11 attacks, according to CBS News. In his campaign, Ramaswamy positioned himself as an heir to the MAGA movement, often telling voters on the campaign trail that the “deep state” would not allow Trump to be the Republican nominee and promoted himself as the alternative. “I go so far as to say if you want to save Trump and his legacy, but save Trump, the man himself, I’m gonna ask you to vote for me,” Ramaswamy told a crowd on Jan. 10. “And I know that’s counterintuitive, but that’s what this country requires.” In a similar move, DeSantis dropped out of the election and endorsed Trump as the Republican nominee for president. DeSantis entered the 2024 presidential contest with major advantages as suggested by early primary polls, amassing a political fortune in excess of $130 million, according to The Associated Press. He boasted a significant legislative record on issues important to many conservatives, like abortion bans and restricting the teaching of race and gender issues in schools. After suffering a 30-point loss and coming in second place in the Iowa caucuses, the decision marked the end of the race for DeSantis, who was once thought to be a legitimate threat to Trump’s supremacy in the Republican Party. Ramaswamy’s and DeSantis’ decisions leave Trump and Haley as the last major Republican candidates to participate in the New Hampshire primary. New Hampshire also held the first in the nation primary on Tuesday, culminating in victories for Trump for the Republican Party and incumbent Joe Biden for the Democratic Party.
Despite Haley’s defeat, Tuesday’s vote offered evidence of the strong competition in the general election this fall. According to The Associated Press, Trump did not carry key groups of swing voters, and Haley beat Trump among primary voters who identify as moderates, as well as independents. There are also concerns from about half of New Hampshire Republican primary voters being very or somewhat concerned that Trump is too extreme to win the general election compared to about one-third saying the same about Haley, according to AP VoteCast. Biden, though not officially running in the state due to a party decision, won through write-in ballots. The Democratic National Committee broke tradition this year in favor of South Carolina holding its first primary of the year on Feb. 3, but New Hampshire went ahead with its vote due to a law requiring it to go first, according to NPR. As a result of the dispute, New Hampshire’s delegates will not be seated at the Democratic National Convention in August, and the results will not count toward Biden’s official nomination. According to AP VoteCast, roughly 8 in 10 Democrats approve of his handling of the economy. However, about half say that he is too old to run for president again at 81, and about half disapprove of his handling of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. After the results of the New Hampshire primary, it appears more likely that Trump will be the Republican Party nominee for president once again and face a rematch with Biden. In a statement on Jan. 23, Biden thanked “all those who wrote my name in this evening in New Hampshire. It was a historic demonstration of commitment to our democratic process.” “It is now clear that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee,” Biden added. “And my message to the country is the stakes could not be higher.”
Gen-Z Democrats endorse Kim in NJ Senate primary race despite party pressure By Mike Sherr Former Editor-in-Chief New Jersey officials are known for having strong influence over election and endorsement proceedings across the state. County party chairs alone can determine almost every political aspect of localities; who runs for office, how much money they receive from the party and even where their name is physically placed on the ballot. Some academics argue that physical location on a ballot and support from the party are major factors that determine the level of success of primary candidates. The College Democrats of New Jersey, a political activist group in the state, was preparing to endorse a candidate against the party line when a youth activist for the State Democratic Committee made a call to the group that made them feel politically threatened. Incumbent Sen. Robert Menendez (DNJ) has declared that he will be running for reelection in 2024, but was indicted last September with multiple corruption charges. Soon after, both Democrat Rep. Andy Kim and New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy declared they would seek to oust Menendez. The June 4 primary will most likely produce the next New Jersey senator as the state has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972. The CDNJ was preparing to announce its endorsement for Kim when Keely Magee, a junior at Rutgers University and
youth coordinator for the Democratic State Committee, an affiliate of the Democratic Party, made multiple calls to the group in order to persuade them to stay neutral. “I think if you endorse this early on, it would only hinder you in the long-run in terms of your organization,” Magee told leaders of the CDNJ. “And I would be worried about that.” In her final call to the group, which CDNJ recorded, Magee made further comments about funding from the party and the future careers of the group’s leaders. “If Tammy Murphy does somehow win being Senator, I’d be careful about ever getting a job in that office or anything like that,” Magee said. “At least for the first few years of her term until her staff turns over.” Nate Howard, a junior at Princeton University and vice president of CDNJ, shared the recording of the final call with Magee with The New York Times and Kim’s campaign. Jared Williams, a junior political science major at the College and political director for CDNJ, declined to comment on the situation. Aria Chalileh, also a junior political science major and Central Jersey regional director for CDNJ, did not respond to a request for comment. The incident comes after an internal poll done by Kim’s campaign showing Murphy trailing by 23 points despite having much greater support from established Democrats.
Andy Kim was endorsed by the College Democrats of New Jersey. In a later interview with The New York Times, Magee said that while she was not asked directly by the Murphy campaign to persuade the CDNJ, she was in contact with Dave Parano, a political consultant for the First Lady. “Would a call from Tammy help?” Magee said she asked. Magee offered to set up a town hall between the group and Murphy as well, according to The Daily Princetonian. Murphy apologized to the CDNJ and emphasized that Magee had no direct affiliation with her campaign. Despite these pressures, the CDNJ and the College Democrats of America announced their endorsement for Kim. The College Democrats of America soon after called on the Democratic National
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Committee to investigate the incident. “The Dem party will lose credibility in criticizing Trump and others about efforts to subvert democracy if some leaders in our own party seek to put their thumb on the scale of our elections in NJ,” Kim posted on X. “We seek fairness in our democracy and must not deviate when it advantages us.” As the primary campaign heats up, candidates will continue to bid for young votes, possibly pitting the Democratic Party against itself. “If they’re threatening us, who else?” Howard told The Daily Princetonian. “If they’re threatening college students who are by no means power brokers, what are they doing to people who actually have power?”
Artist Spotlight: Reneé Rapp’s evolution from Broadway star to pop sensation
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Reneé Rapp is taking the entertainment industry by storm one performance at a time. By Jasmine Lee Staff Writer At just 19 years old, one East Coast native transformed from idolizing Broadway actors as god-like beings to becoming one herself. After gracing the Broadway stage as Regina George in “Mean Girls,” Reneé Rapp set out to make a large impact in the entertainment industry. You may recognize her from various projects, such as the series “The Sex Lives of College Girls” or the “Mean Girls” 2024 film adaptation. Regardless of where you’ve encountered her, Rapp, now 23, is unquestionably a shining star, showcasing
her versatile talent in film, theater and music. Her journey began humbly when she clinched the Jimmy Awards for Best Actress in 2018. It was in this same year that screenplay writer Tina Fey adapted the renowned chick-flick and teen-comedy “Mean Girls” for the big Broadway stage in 2018, according to Playbill. Little did Rapp know her major breakthrough would come in June 2019 when she would be cast as the iconic Regina George on the Broadway stage. Rapp could be seen dominating that stage with powerful vocals and a killer attitude. Truly no one was more fitted for this role. It was only after a month of
performances that Rapp, who became the permanent Regina, had to walk off the Broadway stage because of Broadway’s shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Vanity Fair. Despite the Broadway shutdown in the pandemic’s wake, Rapp’s career didn’t waver. In 2021, she took on the role of Leighton Murray in “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” displaying a character with both attitude and a heart of gold. Through these two instances alone, Rapp demonstrated her ability to captivate any audience, whether under the stage spotlight or in front of rolling cameras. Playing Murray, she infused the character with a specific depth and humor crucial for preventing it from falling into the clichéd “rich-girl stereotype.” Murray held significant personal meaning for Rapp, extending beyond being merely a character on a television show to becoming a part of her identity, according to Rapp in an E! Insider interview. This was evident in the portrayal of Murray’s coming out as a lesbian in the first season, a storyline that resonated deeply with Rapp, reflecting her own experiences and feelings. Rapp is publicly bisexual and has discussed how “The Sex Lives of College Girls” helped her in her journey to coming out and welcoming her sexuality. When not in front of the camera, Rapp dedicated her time to recording music. In 2022, she produced her inaugural album, “Everything To Everyone,” featuring standout tracks like “Too Well” and “In the Kitchen,” which gained popularity within the music community. Infused with soul and R&B elements, her music also incorporates subtle hints of pop. Despite the diverse mix, Rapp’s music connects with her audience by being emotionally charged and occasionally offering upbeat and danceable tunes. Furthering her musical journey, Rapp
persisted with her well-received 2023 album, “Snow Angel,” delving into the emotions, experiences and challenges of young adulthood. The album takes listeners on a rollercoaster ride through songs that strike a chord with her audience, forming a chamber of emotions complemented by powerhouse vocals. All of these tracks are encapsulated by an album cover featuring a captivating static-haired aesthetic. While she navigated through her music career, an opportunity was presented to her that brought everything full circle. Rapp seized the chance to portray Regina George anew as she took on the role in the 2024 big-screen adaptation of “Mean Girls.” The film’s release at the start of the new year has stirred excitement among fans of theater and teen comedy alike. This propelled Rapp from being recognized by a few to becoming a widely-known talent. Alongside the film, she collaborated on the track “Not My Fault” with Megan Thee Stallion, a song that continues to gain popularity with the increasing viewership of the film. Rapp made her latest appearance on the first episode of “Saturday Night Live” in 2024, serving as the musical guest for the night. She impressed the audience with her formidable vocal talent and even participated in a few comedy skits. Jacob Elordi, the host for the evening and an actor from the recent film “Saltburn,” shared the stage with her. Regardless of where you’ve encountered Rapp, she has made an indelible mark on the entertainment industry and the music scene at large. Her voice possesses the power to send shivers down anyone’s spine and deeply touch the hearts of her devoted fans. Furthermore, her abundant talent for performance is evident. In an industry where authenticity is often rare, Rapp stands out for being unapologetically herself both on and off the stage.
Newly released ‘Mean Girls’ film is without the mean By Lake DiStefano Staff Writer
As of late, the film industry has had an ongoing trend of adapting musicals into films, with marketing strategies hellbent on covering that fact up — 2023’s “Wonka” being among the most recognizable examples. The most recent instance of this odd branding is the new “Mean Girls” film, which was released on Jan. 12. It featured minimal singing in its trailers, and instead focused on advertising itself as a modern version of the original 2004 film. When I first noticed this about the project, I assumed it was done for purely monetary reasons. The word musical is the quickest way to scare off audiences, so it seemed reasonable to me that this tagline of a new “Mean Girls” was simply to draw in potential viewers. However, after watching the film, I must concede that this is certainly a modern “Mean Girls.” Confusingly and unfortunately, this version of “Mean Girls” attempts to be two separate things: a modern version of the original movie, as well as a film adaptation of the Broadway show. Unsurprisingly, it fails at both. To the film’s credit, it bends over backwards to make this a reality. It awkwardly positions its fragments of plot in a feeble attempt to make this hybrid version of the story work. It does this by sacrificing many iconic
scenes for the musical numbers, as well as cutting many songs from the original stage production in favor of more spoken-word scenes. This lends itself to a non-committal feeling, in which the two halves of the film are at odds the entire runtime. There’s not enough musical, and there’s not enough movie, leaving the viewer feeling unsatisfied no matter which half they prefer. As for how each half fares in isolation, there is not much quality to find there either. For example, the parts of the film attempting to be a modern version of the original struggle because of the sheer impossibility of the idea. “Mean Girls,” with all its nowoffensive jokes, is a period piece. It is a story that only works under the context of early 2000s America. Attempting to reconstruct that, while adding new aspects to help it blend in with the now, comes off as disingenuous. The inclusion of TikTok within the film, as well as social media as a whole, feels more tacky than it does original. I found myself rolling my eyes at these scenes, along with the present — albeit not too egregious — product placements. It also doesn’t help that some of the jokes from the original were removed and censored. These include iconic lines like “that is social suicide,” which was changed to “socially ruinious.” All the fat-jokes and slut-shaming from the original are either neutered beyond belief or removed entirely, with their
replacements sounding more corny and elementary than anything. This leads into one of the worst problems with the film: the “Mean Girls” just don’t feel mean enough. The “Mean Girls” are supposed to be terrible people. The film’s ironic humor is in the idea that they don’t even hold up to the same standards of morality they weaponize against each other. It’s both a smart and funny commentary on how pointless high-school brutality between women is. It’s exactly why the scene where the girls all confess to being less than saintly hits. Almost everyone in the original film has some sort of overblown vice — even the supposed good guys like Janis and Cady — which makes them more interesting and complex characters. This leads to further issues with the film, such as Regina feeling significantly less threatening and Cady’s transition into being a plastic happening entirely through a montage, as opposed to a slow corruption. As for the musical aspects of the film, they end up feeling either underwhelming or downright annoying. There were multiple points where I internally groaned, as the characters began to sing. “Stupid With Love” felt particularly grating. Not only was it musically uninteresting, it also wasn’t shot in a very compelling way. Its inclusion feels especially shallow when other songs, such as “Meet the Plastics,” had multiple verses cut.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
The music note indicates it is a musical.
Despite the film’s many blunders, Reneé Rapp’s “World Burn” is a truly great moment. The opening drums are placed throughout the film’s background ambience, almost like a brewing storm, foreshadowing Regina’s breaking point. Rapp’s powerhouse vocals really shine through here, and for a brief moment, I recognized the Regina George we all learned to fear back in 2004. 2024’s “Mean Girls,” while a valiant effort, fails to accomplish anything it sets out to do. You’d be much better off spending your ticket money on renting the original instead.
page 10 The Signal February 2, 2024
Swifties unite, defend Taylor Swift from explicit deepfakes
By Isabella Darcy Arts & Entertainment Editor
Taylor Swift’s fans came to her defense last week after sexually explicit, artificial intelligence generated deepfake photos of the 34-year-old singer went viral on some social media platforms. Swift’s fans, commonly known as Swifties, are notorious for their eminent support of the singer. When the explicit deepfakes began circulating the internet, many Swifties jumped to essentially create a task force against the images. The deepfaked images especially gained traction on social media platform X, with “Taylor Swift AI” trending on the platform on Jan. 24. A single post featuring deepfaked photos garnered upwards of 47 million views on X, according to Billboard. Users searching for “Taylor Swift” on X could find the explicit images for days until X ultimately took away the ability to search for Swift’s name on the platform. Those who attempted to search for the singer’s name would be met with an error message reading, “Posts aren’t loading right now. Try again.” In between the time when the images first appeared on the platform and the actions taken by X, Swifties worked to make the deepfakes as inaccessible as possible. Some fans reported posts containing the deepfakes, as well as accounts that interacted with the photos. X removed many accounts and posts that spread the images
P L E A S E P L E A S E P L E A S E P L E A S E P L E A S E P L E A S E P L E A S E P L E A S E Taylor Swift has an exceptionally supportive fanbase. from its platform. her voice used in an altered version P L E A S E Swifties also moved to fill X of “Starboy,” a song by her former search results for “Taylor Swift” boyfriend, The Weeknd. L E A S E by flooding the platform with posts “Scary,” the 31-year-old singer P containing the words “Protect Taylor wrote in the story post. L E A S E Swift” accompanied with positive, Drake also took to his Instagram P Photo courtesy of Flickr
real images of Swift. By Jan. 25 “Protect Taylor Swift” was trending on X. As of Tuesday morning, the ability to search for Swift’s name on X has been restored, according to Bloomberg. Swift is not the only celebrity who has been affected by AI. Much like deepfake images, AI can convincingly replicate a person’s voice. Some singers have experienced their voice being utilized without their permission. In August 2023, Selena Gomez took to her Instagram story to address an AI generated rendition of
story in April 2023 after an AI rendition of his voice was used to cover Ice Spice’s “Munch.” “This is the final straw AI,” the 37-year-old artist wrote in the story post. With AI currently being largely unregulated, virtually anyone can create deepfakes of a person’s voice or being. This poses a risk of people, particularly well-known celebrities, being portrayed in a misleading manner. Because of the lack of regulations on AI, in Swift’s case, her fans protected her more than any legislation.
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Coachella experiences slowest ticket sales in 10 years
Coachella takes the stage in the Coachella Valley. By Ally Uhlendorf Arts & Entertainment Editor Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the country held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, is typically an instant sell-out. The festival consists of two weekends full of live music and entertainment, taking place this year on April 12-14 and 19-21. Between the popularity of the attendees and influencers at the festival and the overall hype surrounding the Coachella season, the festival is normally a hit. The festival was founded by music promoters Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen in 1999, and is run by Goldenvoice. This year, the public is not thrilled with the lineup, causing the festival’s sales to decline in comparison to previous years. According to SFGate, tickets went on
Photo courtesy of Flickr
sale Jan. 19. As of this week, almost two weeks later, tickets are still not sold out for both weekends — for the first time in a decade. In previous years, purchasing tickets for Coachella was an almost impossible process. Tickets typically sold out immediately, and fans would wait for hours in the queue to attempt to purchase a wristband. Between 2014 and 2022, tickets sold out in a window ranging from 40 minutes in 2015 to 4 hours in 2022. Last year, the tickets sold out within days — although the ticket sales were “sluggish” compared to previous years, taking days instead of hours to sell out. However, as of Jan. 23, the 2024 sales have fallen behind 2023’s sales for the festival. For the first weekend, tier three General Admission tickets (starting at $599) and tier two VIP tickets (starting at
$1,269) are still available. For the second weekend, all tiers for General Admission tickets (starting at $499) and VIP tickets (starting at $1,069) are available. On Jan. 16, Coachella posted the official 2024 lineup on Instagram — and fans were not very pleased with the festival’s picks. The festival will be headlined by Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator and Doja Cat, and includes additional performances by Sabrina Carpenter, Ice Spice, Lil Uzi Vert and many more. Many fans are claiming across social media that the setlist is “underwhelming” and that it is one of the “worst Coachella lineups ever.” The comments on the official lineup announcement are flooded with hatred against the choice of performers. However, this is not a new complaint that the festival has heard. Last year, Coachella faced criticism following Frank Ocean’s controversial set. The artist, as well as the festival, were labeled as scammers after Ocean delivered a rather lackluster performance and dropped out of the second weekend performance, leaving fans extremely dissatisfied. There were some positive comments regarding this year’s lineup, though. Some fans of Lana Del Rey and Sabrina Carpenter were elated to see their favorite artist taking the Coachella stage. According to InEvent, “Coachella is estimated to have generated over $1.5 billion in revenue for the local economy, with much of that coming from ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorships.” Although Coachella has dealt with lackluster lineups and disappointed fans in the past, this year’s sale speed has raised more concern as to how long this disappointment will last and how it may impact the future of the festival.
The Signal
Editor’s Coachella Lineup Alena: Taylor Swift Aliyah: Harry Styles Ally: J. Cole Briana: Louis Tomlinson Eddie: Clairo Izzy: Phoebe Bridgers Kate: Pitbull Liz: Drake Matt: Miley Cyrus Mike: The Backseat Lovers Rebecca: Olivia Rodrigo Tori: Lana Del Rey
First place women’s basketball continues to roll
Freshman guard Greace Kowalski with the ball. By Joseph Caruso Staff Writer The College’s women’s basketball team continued their hot stretch with two dominant wins this past week. They defeated Rowan 73-56 on Jan. 24, and Montclair State 68-55 on Jan. 27. Going into their home affair against the Profs of Rowan, the College had won back to back games of conference
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone
play to sit atop the NJAC. The Lions looked to make it three in a row against a Rowan team that has struggled on the road, going just 1-5 up to this point in the season. The College got off to an early lead, opening up a seven point cushion after just one quarter of action. Led by leading scorers Julia Setaro and Nina Branchizio, each with 19 points, the College kept the Profs away and won the game easily by 17 points, extending
Club men’s hockey has tough weekend against NYU, William Patterson
Club hockey during their one of their games. By Joey Bachich Staff Writer The College’s club hockey team was back in action over the weekend with a double header against New York University and one game against William Paterson University. They looked to return to the win column after dropping their game against Rutgers University after almost a two month layoff. Senior goalie Michael Bussanich continued to be a bright spot for the Lions all season, racking up over 30 saves in most of the games this season. NYU came into the double header posting a record of 8-5-3 and William Paterson University came in at 13-11-1. The College opened their double header against NYU at home. The Violets came out strong with 13 shots on net in the first period and scored halfway through. The Lions had their chances, but could not convert on their early power play. The second period was closer in shots, with the Lions having nine to the Violets’ 11. However, this did not amount to much goalscoring, as NYU doubled their lead closer to the end of the period. The Lions were stretched in the third period and ended up losing the first of their three weekend games 2-0. The College then traveled to NYU to complete the double header while looking for a win. The first period saw more power
Photo courtesy of Eric Houwen
play issues for the Lions as they did not convert on two more one man up scenarios, and the first period ended all square. Not taking advantage of the power play haunted the Lions in the second period as they dropped five unanswered goals throughout the period, with one of those being shorthanded. In the third period, the Lions let up two more goals, while scoring one on the powerplay late for their pride as they dropped both games against NYU and had to quickly get ready for William Paterson the following night. In their third game in three days, the tight schedule showed in the first period, losing the shooting battle 21-3 and letting up two goals within 40 seconds of each other. The penalty kill in that period did its job, halting two of the Pioneers power plays and keeping the game within reach. The second period saw the Lions wake up and score a goal to bring them back within one, looking to strike a comeback. However, the period ended with just one goal and a total of 25 shots between the two clashing teams. The third period saw the Lions’ run out of energy as they gave up two goals, one being an empty netter that sealed the Lions’ fate going 0-3 in a tough run of games. The Lions are back Friday, Feb. 2 against Temple University at home looking to close out the season strong with just three games remaining.
their win streak to three. Setaro, a senior, has been the Lions leading scorer this year, averaging 14.8 points per game and hitting double digits in 14 of the Lions’ 20 contests so far this season. Branchizio, a junior, is averaging double digit points this season as well, with 10.8. The College followed up their win against Rowan with a trip to Montclair State for a matchup with the Red Hawks, who found themselves at 5-7 in conference play prior to their game against the Lions. Yet again, the College jumped out to an early lead, going into the locker room at halftime up thirteen points. The Redhawks would not get any closer, as the Lions secured this road win 68-55 to grab their fourth straight victory. The College had a three-headed monster of Setaro, freshman Grace Kowalski and Branchizio, who scored 21, 18 and 17 points respectively. The Lions, who have found themself winners of four straight, are in a threeway tie for first place in the NJAC with Kean and Stockton. With just five games to go in the season, every matchup is crucial. Two of the College’s remaining five games are “must win” affairs, but these next few games may be the deciding factors in the season. The next two games are against the aforementioned Kean and Stockton, when they host Kean on Jan. 31, and face off against Stockton at home one week later on Feb. 7.
February 2, 2024 The Signal page 11
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Men’s basketball suffers two conference losses
Freshman guard David Alexandre with the ball. By Aidan Mastandrea Staff Writer The College’s men’s basketball team dropped both of their games this past week against Rowan and Montclair State. Headed into the week, the College sat atop the NJAC rankings while riding a three game winning streak. The first matchup on Jan. 24 came against highly touted Rowan University. The two teams played a tough battle in Glassboro earlier in the season that ultimately saw the College coming out on top by a score of 82-72. However, this game was a bit different. Rowan got out to a large lead early and was able to hold on. The Lions never went away throughout the course of the game. They went into halftime with an 11 point deficit, and the Rowan’s lead even ballooned to 15 points, but the College was able to cut it to five late in the second half. Rowan ended up holding on, though, winning 92-83. Senior forward Ja’Zere Noel led the way for the Profs with 33 points on an efficient 15-21 shooting, while also adding 12 rebounds and four blocks to his statline. The College had a chance to get back in the win column against a
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Gladstone
very talented Montclair State team a few days later on Jan 27. The Lions came out of the gates hot offensively, shooting 60 percent from the field in the first half, but they still entered the locker room at halftime trailing by points four due to the three point shooting of the Red Hawks. The shooting regressed to the mean in the second half for the College, as they shot a measly 38 percent in the half. They were not able to make a run late in the game, and ultimately lost 88-76. Sophomore guard Nick Koch and junior forward Matthew Okorie both scored 15 points for the Lions in the loss, and junior guard Anthony Milligan scored 16 of his own off the bench, hitting seven of his nine shots in 16 minutes of action. Despite the two losses, the College is still firmly in the race to win the New Jersey Athletic Conference. They currently sit in fourth place in the conference, but only one game back of the three teams tied for first place. With five games remaining, the Lions will look to steady the ship before the NJAC tournament whihc begins on Feb. 17. The Lions will take on William Paterson University on the road on Feb. 3 to look to turn things around.
Men’s, women’s celebrate Senior Day against Montclair
Photo by Elizabeth Glafdstone
Swimming and Diving celebrated their Senior Day in the final meet of the regular season. By Brenden Kelley Correspondent The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams celebrated their 2024 senior class Saturday afternoon in a dual meet against Montclair State University. The men’s team honored seniors Ethan Dong, Ethan Laible, Jack Marble and James McChesney. The women’s team honored seniors Sarah Burton and Mackenzie Wall. The No. 12 men’s team looked to follow up a dominant win over Rowan and continue their strong season in the final dual meet of the season against the Montclair State Red Hawks. Junior Ethan Wiess set a new program record for the 3-meter six dive
with a score of 381.23, beating a 12-year record held by TJ Burns. Wiess also scored the top marks on the 1-meter six dives with a score of 330.98. The 200 yard medley was won by the quartet of seniors McChesney, Dong, Marble and Dixon Kahler, recording a time of 1:35.96. Junior Ryan Higgins had a dominant meet, winning the 1000 yard freestyle with a time of 9:51.95, 28 seconds faster than second place. Higgins also won the 200 yard backstroke with a time of 1:51.91. The Lions were able to sweep the 200 yard freestyle and the 100 yard freestyle by placing first, second and third. The 200 yard freestyle was won by sophomore Gavin
Formon with a time of 1:45.32. Junior Shawn Kushner came in second with a time of 1:46.76, followed by fellow junior Ryan Vandeveen who recorded a time of 1:47.93. The 100 yard freestyle was determined by tenths of a second and was won by sophomore Richard Park with a time of 48.04. He edged out fellow sophomores Andrew Kidchob and Brian Bull, who recorded times of 48.42 and 48.65, respectively. The men’s team walked away with a 181-114 win over the Red Hawks to bring their regular season record to 7-2. The women’s team had a strong showing despite their loss. Sophomore Beth Evaldi scored the top marks on both the 3-meter six dives and the 1-meter six dives. Freshman Lilliana Kuball had a strong meet. She placed first in the 100 yard breaststroke, recording a time of 1:08.22. Kuball also placed second in the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 55.56. Senior Sarah Burton also had an impressive meet, placing in the top three on three individual events and getting second in the 400 medley freestyle with a time of 3:57.81. Burton also placed second in a 400 individual medley exhibition event, recording a time of 4:58.91. Ultimately, the Red Hawks came out on top 160-126 to bring the Lions record on the regular season record to 1-6. With the regular season now over for the Lions, the next meet for both the men and women will be the NJAC Championships at the University of Maryland from Feb. 1518. The Lions have high hopes for the meet, aiming to continue their dominant season.
No. 13 wrestling defeats Ithaca 20-15
Junior Nick Sacco in one of his bouts. By Cameron Burns Correspondent The Lions’ wrestling took care of business on the road this past weekend, improving to 8-4 this season. The College won their second dual meet in a row, this time against the Ithaca Bombers. The Lions went into this matchup with a 7-4 dual meet record, earning them the No. 13 spot in the Division III rankings. To kick off the action, the College started off the day firing on all cylinders. The No. 18 Division III wrestler at 125 pounds, Matthew Griffin, displayed a dominant effort
Photo by John Haddad
while also awarding the Lions five points. Griffin was victorious over the Ithaca 125-pounder Cosmo Damiani via tech fall in a 21-2 commanding showcase. The Lions built off this momentum and were victorious in the next two matches. The Lions’ 133-pound wrestler Kyle Nace pinned Ithaca wrestler Francisco Muriel about a minute into the second period. After that, the College’s Sam Kotch was victorious in a decision against Matt Haycook. This put them out to a strong 14-0 lead. Next up on the schedule were the 149 and 157-pound matchups. The Lions fell in both of these matchups;
however, they were very close, hard-fought matches. The College’s 149-pound wrestler Mayson Harms lost a narrow 7-3 decision against the Bomber ’s Matthew Beyer. Then, the Lions’ wrestler Ryan Datz lost a razor-thin 4-2 match on points. The Lions still held on to a commanding lead of 14-6. The College found its way back on track in the 165-pound matchup. The Lions’ Nicholas Sacco defeated Konrad Parker in an extremely hardfought 6-5 victory. The College extended their lead to 17-6. Sacco entered the meet as the second ranked 165-pounder in the Division III wrestling rankings. He has been consistently outstanding all season, posting an impressive 13-0 record in dual meets. The Lions came up short in the next 3 matches. The bombers won the 174, 184 and 197-pound matchup by points, and climbed back into the match to give their team a chance in the final match of the meet. The biggest match of the day would be between the two heavyweights: the Lions 285-pound wrestler Peter Wersingner and the Ithaca 285 pounder wrestler, Jeremy Mazzella. This would be the deciding match for the meet. The match was extremely close and ended up needing more time than regulation to decide. Wersinger won during the end of the first sudden victory period, but more importantly gave the College an incredible, dramatic victory. The Lions’ next meet is a quad meet in Cortland, New York at SUNY Cortland this Saturday, Feb. 2.
TCNJ Athletics Schedule Club Ice Hockey Friday, Feb. 2, 8:45 p.m. Home vs. Temple University at The Lawrenceville School Wrestling Saturday, Feb. 3, 1 p.m. Away at SUNY Cortland for Quad Meet Women’s Basketball Saturday, Feb. 3, 1 p.m. Away at William Paterson University Men’s Basketball Saturday, Feb. 3, 3 p.m. Away at William Paterson University Club Ice Hockey Sunday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. Away at Princeton University at Baker Rink Women’s Basketball Wednesday, Feb. 7, 5 p.m Home vs. Stockton Univerity Men’s Basketball Wednesday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m Home vs. Stockton University Wrestling Friday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. Home vs. No. 10 Stevens Men’s Basketball Saturday, Feb. 10, 1 p.m. Away at Ramapo College Women’s Basketball Saturday, Feb. 10, 3 p.m. Away at Ramapo College Swimming and Diving NJAC Championships Thursday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 15 Away at University of Maryland Track and Field NJAC Indoor Championships Monday, Feb. 19, 4 p.m. Away at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, NYC Spring Sports Opening Days Women’s Tennis Saturday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m. Home vs. Stevens Women’s Lacrosse Saturday, Feb. 24, 1 p.m. Away at Moravian University Softball Sunday, Feb. 25, 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Home doubleheader vs. DeSales University Baseball Thursday, Feb. 29, 2: 30 p.m. Away at Ursinus College