Ramapo College Newspaper September 16, 2010

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9.16.2010

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A publication by the students for the Ramapo College community

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XLI No. 1 XLI No. 1

Ramapo Remembers Nine Years After 9/11

Village Incident Draws Scrutiny from Officials

photo by Stefani Mauro

Flags representing each victim killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001 were displayed at Ramapo Collegeʼs Arch as the nation looked back on how the world has changed over the past nine years.

By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief

Masses of students and visitors congregating outside of the Village warranted 52 alcohol and noiserelated violations on Aug. 31, officials said. Mahwah Police arrived at the scene, to disband groups and deal with a few unruly students. President Peter Mercer issued a statement the following day via email, threatening to make the campus dry.

Administrators are talking to students to figure out what is best for the community as a whole, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Patrick Chang said. Moving forward, Mercer said on Sept. 7 that he doesn’t foresee Ramapo becoming a dry campus, despite the e-mail he sent on Sept. 1.

“I don’t think we’re going to change any of our policies,” Mercer said. “If there was a significant increase in this sort of behavior, we would establish it in new policies, such as making residences dry if things deteriorated.”

The policy that currently stands is that underage drinking is not permitted, nor is alcohol allowed on designated “dry” areas of campus. Fines and other

consequences increase with each violation. After three violations, students are suspended from campus and parents are notified.

“There’s always an issue of underage and public drinking in every school year,” Mercer said. “It’s not unrealistic. It occurs at virtually every other college.”

But to administrators and Public Safety, the most alarming aspect of the night wasn’t just that alcohol was involved; it was the sheer number of people in the Village – an estimated 400, according to Vincent Markowski, director of Public Safety.

“I’ve never seen that number of people in the Village at night before,” Chang said, who has worked at Ramapo for more than twenty years.

“Every parking spot was filled.”

Eight Mahwah Police officers arrived by midnight on Aug. 31, as there were not enough Public Safety officers on duty to control the crowds.

Mercer said he hopes to keep the lines of communication open with students in wake of the incident.

“I sent a broadcast email (to the community), met with students and am having SGA come over for dinner to let everyone know that we take these

3-Day Forecast Fri High 74 Low 55 Sat High 74 Low 55

photo by Jolie Lang

An estimated 400 people were in the Village the night of the incident.

Sun High 77 Low 51

see VILLAGE on page 6_

Local Farmers Market Promotes Sustainable Living

Page 2 The Ramapo News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

“Historical Location Brings Back Original Farming Community”

By S TEPHANIE NODA Staff Writer

Gone are the days when one can walk down the street to the corner market and pick up a carton of milk from the nearest mom-and-pop store. In a nation where suburbia dominates, all the essential food and products that we consume comes from distant, monopolizing chain supermarkets. Instead of buying into this globalized market, other options are available. Ramsey’s Farmer’s Market is an alternative way to buy your daily necessities from local producers.

Ramsey’s Farmer’s Market is located next to the Ramsey Train Station on Main Street every Sunday until Oct. 31.

The Farmer’s Market brings in 27 different vendors that offer a variety of locally produced food and products. The location of this market was chosen to support the farming community.

“I was the president of the Ramsey Historical Association and one of things we wanted to promote is the link with the town which was once a farming community,” market manager Nancy Boone said. “When the train station came to Ramsey, the farmers in local towns would bring their crops to the train station, so I thought ‘wouldn’t it be nice to keep on promoting the history of this farming community and have a farmer’s market?’”

Ramsey’s Farmer’s Market promotes the idea of sustainable living. Antoniette Koshykar, owner of Buena Vista Soapery, specializes in making homemade shampoos and soaps that don’t use plastics. Her “Solid Shampoo” comes in the form of a bar of soap but provides buyers with a salon-quality product without the need for wasteful plastic bottles.

“You’re reducing your carbon footprint by buying locally,” Koshykar said. “Then you’re reducing your carbon footprint further by buying from business that manufacture locally. It’s nice to see small business that can flourish and thrive, especially in this environment.”

All the products and food sold at the Farmer’s Market are produced by their vendors at numerous stands. The food sold at the market not only includes fruits and vegetables but homemade baked goods as well. Tables of homemade bread, chicken pot pies, quiches and even goats’ milk cheese can be found throughout the market. All of the food

photo by Stephanie Noda

Out of 26 different vendors, Farmer Jim Matarazzo awaits market on-goers to purchase his crop.

has been produced locally, and all proceeds go directly to the individuals that produced the food.

“When you go to the supermarket, half the produce comes from China or Mexico,” Farmer Jim Matarazzo said.

“Food in supermarkets might be a week to ten days old before it gets to the customers. If you go to farmer’s markets, it keeps your own farming community thriving and the food is also much fresher. Most of this stuff we picked yesterday and brought it here today. It’s just healthier for you.”

Ramsey’s Farmer’s Market takes advantage of this thriving community to help the less fortunate members of the communiy. The Farmer’s Market regularly donates nonperishable items to the Center for Food Action, an organization that brings food to the poor. Many farmers also donate fresh produce that has not been sold throughout the day.

“Every Monday morning, we receive from the Ramsey’s

Farmer’s Market fresh produce as well as grocery items,” Jim James, site manager of the Mahwah Center for Food Action facility, said. “Generally, we don’t get fresh vegetables on a daily basis, so we get this once a week from the Ramsey’s Farmer’s Market. We can service to about 15 families in a day; on Mondays, we can service as many as 20-22 families. It’s an added treat that we generally don’t have in our food packages when we distribute them.”

“One of the concepts I had was the idea was paying it forward,” Boone said. “If you’re doing well, why not be able to share your good fortune with others? It’s all about giving back and spreading the word.”

To find out more about Ramsey’s Farmer’s Market, visit http://www.ramseyfarmersmarket.org. snoda@ramapo.edu

THE RAMAPO NEWS: STAFF, CONTACT & POLICY Contact us at:

A publication by the students for the Ramapo College community

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Amy Fezza

Keri Ann Flaccomio Managing Editor

Adam Panella

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Telephone: (201) 684-7842 Advertising: (201) 684-7842 Fax: (201) 684-7939 E-mail: rcnjnews@ramapo.edu

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The Ramapo News Robert A. Scott Student Center 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430

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Staff: Erik Gavilanes, Jeremy Kelly, Almerry Martins, Stephanie Noda, Sean Ritchie, Elyse Toribio, Samantha Ullrich

Whenever necessary, The Ramapo News will publish corrections or clarifications in the following issues. All corrections must be brought to the attention of the editor as soon as possible. The Ramapo News strives for accuracy. In keeping with journalistic standards, pre-publication review of any article, quote or editorial is not allowed. Viewpoints may be dropped off at SC-218 or emailed to rcnjnews@ramapo.edu. The Ramapo News reserves the right to edit viewpoints for content, style and space. Anonymous viewpoints will not be accepted.

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Students Expect School Spirit, Hopes Fall Short

By ELYS E TORIBIO Staff Writer Admitted students are encouraged to pose for a picture with Ricky the Roadrunner on their orientation day. Throughout the summer, the soon-to-be freshmen visit the campus and stock up on Ramapo gear from the school bookstore.

Come move-in day at the end of August, families cheer on first-year students as they pass through the arch and shake hands with President Mercer, a Ramapo College tradition.

So why does all the school spirit seem to fizzle out once our Roadrunners cross the arch?

“All that Welcome Week stuff, I got three pamphlets about it, it was just thrown at me,” freshman Suzanne Hochberg said. “But once Welcome Week ended, I don’t really know what’s going on on-campus. The enthusiasm for getting people to go to stuff just faded out.”

Countless events are organized and promoted by Student Affairs throughout the semester. An entire wall of the Student Center is dedicated solely to reminding students about upcoming events, in addition to the activities calendars that are distributed across campus.

“Through technology, social networking, Facebook and everything, the most impacting way of getting people out is still word of mouth,” Pat Chang, associate vice president for Student Affairs, said.

Getting the word out about different events on campus does not seem to be the issue. Instead, Chang said he believes the problem of poor school spirit may lie in the increasingly popular belief that partying and drinking is the

Thursday, September 16, 2010

photo by Elyse Toribio

Freshmen Cara LaPolla and Cara May are among many other freshmen with similar concerns.

Ramapo has not been what she expected. Donovan said, “I true college experience, when a better alternative is getting wasn’t so much disappointed as surprised at the amount of involved in clubs and extracurricular activities. craziness at night. But then again I’ve never been to col“When we’re talking about school spirit, let’s talk honlege, so I guess that’s to be expected.” estly,” Chang said. “If you’re talking about the opportunity to drink and then create damage, then this is not the One freshman did not even consider Ramapo as an instiplace for you and no, we don’t have that kind of spirit tution with a lot of school spirit before even arriving on here.” campus.

For freshman Jessica Marie Donovan, who has wanted to Jon Burns said, “To be honest, I didn’t see it as a school attend the college since her junior year of high school, that’s really invested in stuff like that.”

Shuttle Terminated Due to Costs and Unruly Behavior “Students are Left to Come Up With An Alternative form of On-Campus Transportation”

By S AMANTHA ULLRICH Staff Writer Ramapo College’s on-campus shuttle service will no longer be available to students starting this semester due to costs, environmental impact and educational concerns, officials said.

Ramapo College’s Public Safety Department sent out a mass email on Sept.

1 informing students of the cancellation of the nightly shuttle service. School and student leaders, including Presidential Cabinet, Public Safety, and the Student Government Association decided to cancel the service

“It was really nice because then kids weren’t resorting to driving drunk across campus when it gets as cold as 5 degrees outside.”

-Brian Luba, senior

because of the lack of money available, increases in the college’s carbon footprint and students’ class schedule.

“The campus shuttle was started initially as a student run initiative. Over time, student drivers proved unreliable and the staffing was then transferred to our department of Public Safety,” Dorothy Echols Tobe, chief planning officer, VP Admin &

Finance said. “This was not a practical solution because our public safety officers’ main responsibility is to protect the safety of our students.”

The college has sustained state aid reductions year after year. This decrease has made the college reevaluate the services that might be candidates for cutbacks or eliminations.

“The total cost associated with this service is about $25,000 per year,” Echols Tobe said.

The costs linked with running the service covered staffing, maintenance of the vehicle and overall cost of Public Safety having to drive the vehicle when scheduled drivers did not show up.

Additionally, there have been discussions with student leaders about student learning and education on campus. The college’s class schedule affects a student’s leisure hours.

“As it is now, there are no alternatives. Public Safety won’t staff it and the school seems like it is trying to cut ties with the shuttle.”

-Jason Krisza, SGA President

Ramapo offers fewer classes on Wednesday and Friday mornings, which

allows students more free time on Tuesday and Thursday nights. According to the oncampus shuttle ridership statistics from 2009 to 2010, Tuesday night provided trips for 3,362 riders and Thursday night racked up 3,002 riders. The other days of the week only reached a total of 1,800 combined.

“I think that there are significant courses students naturally take that allow them to have Fridays off, so in a sense the schedule does lend itself to increase activities on Tuesday and Thursday nights, primarily Thursday nights, because students aim to have those Fridays off,” SGA President Jason Krisza said.

The shuttle also causes excess pollution that the American College and University President’s Climate Committee (ACUPCC) strives to have its members reduce.

College President Peter Mercer signed the ACUPCC in November 2007 and has since taken immediate action in reducing greenhouse gases and increasing environmental awareness on campus. Since then, Ramapo College has been looking for ways to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce the environmental footprint.

“We’ve been talking over the past two or three years with environmental interest people about its impact and rider ship so that was a major thing,” Chief Vincent Markowski, director of public safety said.

“And cost, again, looking for ways that we had to look at where were spending money.”

At least one student is going to miss the shuttle service.

“It was really nice because then kids weren’t resorting to driving drunk across campus when it gets as cold as 5 degrees outside,” Senior Brian Luba said.

While Public Safety does not see the shuttle service returning in the future, Echols Tobe and Markowski met with Krisza to discuss transportation alternatives.

“This was not a practical solution.”

-Dorothy Echols Tobe, VP administrator

Krisza said this might be something students would want to take over again.

“As it is now, there are no alternatives.

Public Safety won’t staff it and the school seems like it is trying to cut ties with the shuttle. I think the next and only logical step would be for students to staff it,” Krisza said. “It would also prove students actually want this service.” sullrich@ramapo.edu

Semi-Annual Club Fair Encourages Students To Get Involved Page 4 The Ramapo News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

“Clubs Overcome Fiscal Economic Year”

By DEANNA DUNS MUIR Staff Writer

More than 100 students congregated under the C-wing overpass to learn about different clubs available on campus at the semi-annual Club Fair.

Though many different organizations on campus have fizzled, club fairs are the vehicle for some to maintain their following over the years. Through pamphlets, flyers and other informational tools, clubs are able to promote their values.

“We may be one of the longest standing clubs,” Co-President of Campus Crusade for Christ Lauren McDonald said. “We allow freshmen to continue their faith as they make the college transition to living on a campus.”

Organizations are finding other ways to reach out to students.

“Our leadership training program has all of the clubs get together and use OrgSync,” SGA Commuter Council Speaker, Jeremy Dela Cruz said. “Club turnout was pretty good this year.”

photo by Deanna Dunsmuir

Students explore different oppurtunities the club fair has to offer.

The OrgSync website is a student accessible tool in which clubs register and update their profiles with regard to upcoming events. SGA contributes club success to the website and therefore encourages others to make use of it as well.

However, certain budget cuts for this fiscal year may have some club officers worried about expected upcoming events.

“Last year we went to Boston, the hotel and food were paid for by the college. We visited Massachusetts Museum of Modern Art,” John Bonacolta, treasurer of the Visual Arts Society said. “This year we are hoping to do the same.”

Among new and emerging clubs is the Music Entertainment Industry Student Association, who said they would feature

events to help them gain exposure, such as Battle of the Bands, a national event, and scholarship opportunities.

The organization spotlights educational and networking opportunities to students aspiring to be a part of the music industry.

Members’ career goals range from performing artists to producers.

“This year our focus is on getting recognized and raising awareness of our club”, Vice President Rosanna O’Brien said.

“A lot of people want to make it in the music industry, but as we are in college it is continuously changing, new business models are discussed at our meetings with the acknowledgment of copyright issues and the rapid growth of music downloading,” MEISA member Jeff Lambert said.

Although clubs’ budgets are declining, Club Fair still shows promise.

Eager CAAFYE Adviser is Up for the Challenge

ddunsmui@ramapo.edu

“Newest Addition Jennifer Kim Shares Her Goals and Expectations for the Community of Ramapo”

By NICOLE ALLIEGRO Staff Writer

Jennifer Kim is the newest Ramapo faculty member, joining the Center for Academic Advising and First Year Experience (CAAFYE) team as a professional adviser.

After spending eight years in Boston, Kim said that when she was ready to return back to her home state of New Jersey this year, Ramapo College was a perfect fit.

In addition to Ramapo’s liberal arts curriculum and the school’s accessibility as a state-funded public college, Kim said there are many things that attracted her to the position.

“It still feels like a small environment,” she said of the campus community.

She said that getting to know the students and faculty has been a “true pleasure.“

“I will try to find my niche. I’m looking forward to understanding the Ramapo student.”

-Jennifer Kim, CAAFYE adviser

“Joining the CAAFYE team has been a great experience.”

Kim said As Kim has only been working at Ramapo for less than a month, she said there is still a great deal she needs to learn and experience.

“I’m really eager to get to know my colleagues a bit more,” Kim said.

She also hopes to get involved on campus more and interact with the students, since she feels this is the core of Ramapo College.

“I will try to find my niche. I’m looking forward to understanding the Ramapo student.”

Kim wants to encourage students to take advantage of study abroad programs, experiential learning and any other opportunities that are offered to enhance their college experiences.

Jennifer Kim is happy to be apart of a well-rounded community such as Ramapo.

Before Ramapo, Kim attended Mount Holyoke in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she studied media and society.

After earning her Master’s degree in sociology at Brandeis University, Kim stayed at the school, acting as assistant director of academic advising, coordinator of Interdisciplinary Majors and cofounder of the Sophomore Year Experience.

Here at Ramapo, however, Kim is eager to take on new responsibilities. Apart from the general duties of advising, including assisting students with their course selections, graduation requirements and career goals, Kim said that all advisers will now be following a group of first year students until each declares a major. Kim believes she can bring an interesting outlook to this initiative and will be able to

photo by Nicole Alliegro

relate to her students. “I’m looking at this experience as a first year student and also a transfer student,” she said.

All in all, Kim said she feels that Ramapo is well-rounded and is happy to be a part of the community.

“There’s some really outstanding classes and faculty that are here to support students,” she said. “We really are here to support [students] in any way we can. We take their feedback seriously.” nalliegr@ramapo.edu

Page 5 The Ramapo News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Ramapo Climbs U.S. News Rank to #25 Page 6 The Ramapo News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

By REBECCA PENHAKER

Staff Writer

Ramapo College continues to earn respect from surrounding schools, being ranked number 25 by U.S News and World Report for the Best Regional Universities, North category.

Competing against the top schools in the region, like Villanova University, The College of New Jersey and Quinnipiac University, Ramapo stands out in the ranking criteria for its small class sizes and offering “hands-on experience,” according to the Princeton Review.

“During my first school tour, (as a prospective student) I took great notice of the small class size. I knew, for me personally, I didn’t want to be in a 300 person lecture hall. I don’t think I would be as involved as I am if I went to a bigger school,” Valerie Canubas, SGA senator-at-large said.

Ramapo is no stranger to being ranked at the top of America’s best colleges list. In 2003 Ramapo was ranked number two for the Top Public Comprehensive Colleges in the North. Then in 2006, it attained that sought after number one ranking.

When Ramapo was moved into a different category in 2007 since adding more graduate degrees to the school’s program, there was slight hesitation and concern as to how Ramapo was going to measure up to the other leading schools.

“We were a little scared of being with the big boys. It was a whole new ball game,” Associative Vice President for Student Affairs, Patrick Chang said.

However, with Ramapo consistently climbing in the standings of being one of the premiere colleges, the future for Ramapo is looking more promising each day.

“Ramapo is a special place, and I don’t think we realize yet how great we are,” Chang said. “For such a young school it feels great to get this kind of recognition.”

One of the pressing questions Ramapo encounters is being asked when they plan on becoming a university. However, administration does not see that for Ramapo’s future any time

photo courtesy of Ramapo.edu

Due to vaious qualities, Ramapo College stands out from other New Jersey schools.

soon.

“We have no intention to become a university. We know we can be a really good college,” Chang said.

When calculating, the college rankings are broken up into five weighted sections: Faculty resources (20 percent), student selectivity (15 percent), financial resources (10 percent), graduation rate performance (7.5 percent; for National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges only) and alumni giving rate (5 percent).

With Ramapo’s student to faculty ratio of 18 to 1, students are able to develop a more intimate and personal relationship with their professors.

“Next year I’ll be graduating. Junior year is an important year. You have to start asking for recommendation letters for internships and future job opportunities, and I feel like my

52 Violations Were Warranted in the Village Continued from page 1 things seriously,” Mercer said.

“My ultimate concern is the students.”

Student Government Association President Jason Krisza, who has met with Mercer on a few occasions to discuss the issue, said he wants to represent the students as best he can.

“SGA is extremely proactive,” Markowski said. “We talk to them on a regular basis to try to figure out how to deal with this. Our concern is to keep our students happy and safe.”

Krisza said he understands how students felt that night as they were corralled out of the Village.

“From a students’ perspective, the measures taken were unwarranted and excessive,” Krisza said.

“From a law enforcement perspective, they were necessary. Most students believed they weren’t doing anything wrong.”

Senior Cara Smith did not feel she was doing anything wrong.

“A few of my friends actually got in trouble Tuesday night; not because they were underage, but because I was standing outside and apparently I wasn’t even allowed to stand outside,” she said. “It was ridiculous how everyone was getting in so much trouble for even standing outside.”

Another issue is a small group of disorderly students ruining the

“From a students’ perspective, the measures taken were unwarranted and excessive.”

-Jason Krisza, SGA President

night for everyone, Senior Gina Anselmi said.

“The next day after getting an email I talked to one of my roommates and she said that there were fireworks going off in the first quad. I couldn’t believe that people were being that stupid,” she said.

Though Public Safety asks for Mahwah police’s reinforcement often, the reason why they came on Aug. 31 was out of the ordinary, Mercer said. Markowski said that the groups were cooperative once police arrived.

“It was not an unruly group,” Markowski said.”There was no disciplinary action taken, but most of the residents don’t want them there – they waited four years to live there. There are people living there who have to get up in the morning,” Another issue administrators face are the guests who visit campus, many of who were in the Village last week, posing a safety threat.

“Certainly a lot of the misbehavior is by non-students,” Mercer said. “I don’t know if it’s an issue of them getting invited on to our campus, but certainly the perpetrators are often not part of our community.”

Markowski encourages students to take some responsibility when they invite guests to stay with them and to do their part in making the campus safer.

“We need the students to partner with us,” Markowski said. “Part of the security and safety comes from the students themselves.”

Although the beginning of the semester has caused a lot of hubbub, Chang said that the campus is “far calmer” than in past years.

Both Krisza and Mercer attribute the sizable number of loitering students to the warm weather and friends reconnecting after three months apart. Classes and extracurricular activities also hadn’t started yet.

“As the weather gets cooler and students get back into the swing of things, this will cease to continue,” Krisza said. *Ashley Drapkin contributed to this article. manderle@ramapo.edu

teachers know me well enough to be able to write a letter like that for me,” Junior Alyssa Tummillo said.

The one-on-one teaching technique is what separates Ramapo from the competition.

“The most important thing about Ramapo is that the faculty wants to teach you, which is so rare in higher education,” Chang said. “The faculty at bigger institutions does not want to teach.

They are rewarded for doing research and publishing-not teaching undergraduates.”

Ramapo still has faculty and staff that have been around since the college opened their doors in 1969.

“That says a lot about an institution when people keep coming back,” Chang said.

Chang and his wife have lived on campus for the past 21 years, maintaining an open door policy to faculty and students alike.

“We expect students to have fun, explore, be responsible, and to be good citizens,” Chang said. “We are all here for the students to experience and learn.”

Canubas views this new rank as a great opportunity for Ramapo to gain more respect not just as a school, but for the state of New Jersey as a whole.

“When people see Jersey Shore, they automatically assume all of New Jersey is like that. This shows that the media doesn’t always match up to reality,” Canubas said.

Ramapo’s main goal is to be the ultimate support system for its students. And regardless of outside pressures to change the mission of Ramapo, it will continue to remain true to its small school mentality.

Canubas admires Ramapo for being able to progress and gain more respect without losing sight of what the school represents.

“Ramapo doesn’t try to be anyone else. It’s not trying to be Rutgers. It is unique in its own self. Ramapo rises to its own expectations.”

Most Ramapo Students Feel There Isn’t School Spirit rpenhake@ramapo.edu

Continued from page 3

“I know a lot of the schools down south that have a lot of school spirit, everybody paints their chest and stuff,” he said. “I didn't expect that here, but I did expect a certain degree of spirit.”

The real issue here may not be that there’s a lack of opportunity to get involved and support the school, it may be that a majority of Ramapo students view school spirit a bit differently than others.

etoribio@ramapo.edu

photo courtesy of Ramapo.edu

School spirit leaves freshmen worried about their time spent at Ramapo.

VIEWPOINTS

Ground Zero Mosque: A Question of Controversy

Thursday, September 16, 2010

SGA Wants to Represent You

Campus views are the sole opinion of their respective authors, submitted to The Ramapo News and in no way reflect the views of either The Ramapo News or Ramapo College of New Jersey.

By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief

The imam said he wouldn’t have proposed placing a mosque near where the World Trade Center fell if he knew it would cause as much controversy as it has.

How is it possible that the imam was truly unaware of the controversy this would create? Talk of the mosque’s construction prompted Florida Pastor Terry Jones to threaten burning copies of the Quran, sparking even greater controversy across the United States.

Nine years after the 9/11 attacks, Americans are still mourning the loss of their loved ones. It’s been less than a decade — the effects are still reverberating — and the imam has the audacity to say he didn’t see this one coming.

“I would never have done it. I’m a man of peace. I mean, the whole — the whole objective of peace work is not to do something that would provoke controversy,” Imam Feisel Abdul Rauf said.

It’s clear the imam likes the media attention and was fully aware of the repercussions of his proposal.

How could he not be? His modest proposal makes America a target to Muslim extremists who may consider the building’s construction a cue to attack again.

Soon after the imam’s claim that he didn’t realize the uproar the mosque would cause, he said that the area is not hallowed, provoking responses from officials like the state GOP leader.

“It is absolutely disingenuous as many have said that that block is hallowed ground, with strip joints around the corner with betting parlors. Let’s clarify that misperception,” Rauf said.

Is he serious? Almost 3,000 lives lost; one of America’s greatest tragedies, and he denies ground zero as “hallowed land.” He had to have known what he negative press attention he would receive when he made that comment.

Soon after, the imam made a statement that implied that ground zero is in fact a hallowed land, contradicting himself.

“To me it is a cemetery. I would never think of building something on top of a cemetery,” Sullivan said.

But he did “think” of building over a cemetery – For those that are returning, I he’s been rallying for the building’s construction for would like to welcome you back to awhile now. He even refuses to relocate the mosque another year at Ramapo. For new elsewhere. He needs to pick a side; either stick to his students, I would like to welcome convictions and press for the mosque near ground you to the Ramapo community. My zero or stop making ignorant comments. He must name is Jason Krisza, and I am the like the attention he receives.

Student Government Association While refusing to pitch a different location, the (“SGA”) President. imam claims to remaining “open-minded” about the The SGA serves to be the persistent issue. voice of the students to administra“We are exploring all options. Everything is on the tion. This column is a conduit for

By JASON KRISZA table,” Rauf said. me to speak to the campus body at If he doesn’t want the mosque in another location, SGA President large about the issues facing the what other options are there? What else is on the school, and hopefully get them engaged in the solution. table? Either it’s built or it isn’t. A strong leader While this may be the first edition of the paper and the semester is quite would stick to his convictions, but the imam seems young, we have not been without significant excitement over the past few to be having second thoughts. Or he’s just trying to weeks. Both the student body and the administration alike seem to be keep the cameras on. The latter is a more likely rea- focused on the issue of alcohol. In the wake of these incidents we as stuson for why he would make so many contradictions. dents ask, why is this year so different from previous ones? What is causWhile many find the most important issue to be ing the administration to be so concerned? What is going to happen next about whether the mosque is built or not, a point of in terms of on campus policy? concern is that the imam is representing his viewOver the past few weeks I, along with other members of SGA, have met points with statements that are either absurd or with administration, including President Mercer and Chief Vincent wishy washy for the sake of press attention.

Markowski and asked them. I have ascertained that there are two major issues facing the campus this year that differentiate it from the past: the manderle@ramapo.edu number of serious alcohol-related hospitalizations and the number of serious incidents involving off campus visitors.

In my opinion, this issue is larger than what is going on at Ramapo. I don’t think that this has anything to do with a “rowdy” freshman class or weak policies in place. I think that this is a culmination of economic and social conditions, which have resulted in a situation that has a detrimental effect on campus life as a whole.

With regard to the severity of underage binge drinking, it has been noted

by Professor Nabil Nahra, that in times of economic recession the American people consume more alcohol. According to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, “binge drinking increased substantially during economic downturns.”

It can be noted that we are currently experiencing the greatest economic decline since the Great Depression. As these trends show, this specific issue is not one that can be solved by introducing stricter policy. Rather, I believe the proper application of our current policies will result in a positive outcome for all.

I believe that the number of issues involving off-campus guests are escalating due to increased guest volume rather than a decline in guest quality.

It is my assumption that this escalation can be attributed to the high levels of unemployment among recent college grads, a problem striking the entire nation.

As a result of my meetings, the administration is already looking at ways to more stringently monitor the flow of traffic in and out of the campus.

I can assure you that our concerns as students have not fallen on deaf ears and I will continue to fight for our rights. While there have been rumors of the administration enacting sweeping changes, such as making the campus dry, President Mercer has assured me that this is not the direction he wants to take. However, if these incidents continue to occur President Mercer will be forced to enact significant changes.

The administration and SGA are continuing to work toward a practical solution that benefits both parties in this matter. If you would like to part of this discussion, please feel free to attend SGA meetings on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. pm in the Alumni Lounges, stop by the office — SC 233.

Have an opinion?

Make your voice heard.

Send a letter to the editor: editor.rcnjnews @ramapo.edu

Monday and Wednesday nights at 7:15 in SC-218.

jkrisza@ramapo.edu

ARTS

&

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Alex Masket: A Young Artist with a Fresh Perspective

Thursday, September 16, 2010

BY GEOFF KIDDOO

Staff Writer

Remember making art in the first grade? It was a new form of expression, with young minds taking full advantage of the lack of rules. 23-year-old Alex Masket still lives in that world. Currently, the Berrie Center is displaying his work in the exhibition entitled “Alex Masket: A View with a Room”.

The show continues through Oct. 6.

Even though Masket’s body has evolved into that of a grown man, he has retained

his childlike sensibilities, allowing his art to effectively ignore the boundaries of the creative world. Although he is severely autistic and barely talks, Masket’s artwork speaks volumes.

New to the art scene and completely selftaught, Masket held his first exhibition just last year. Now his pieces can be found in a number of galleries in New Jersey and New York.

One can see that Masket has found his niche, and within that niche he’s incredibly versatile. Using colored duct tape, bits of paper, Legos, and numbered and lettered stickers, he transforms canvases into his personal playgrounds.

On one wall, there is a progression of canvases decorated with lettered stickers, with thick coats of paint on top and underneath the letters. Up above are the works with “warm letters” in which oranges, reds, pinks, and yellows are used liberally. The viewer’s eyes then work their way down the canvases to the cool letters, consisting of blues, grays, dark greens and deep purples. The final piece contains black letters on a black canvas.

Each work has a unique life of its own, which can reveal itself differently depending on the viewer’s distance from the canvas. The viewer should take a few steps back to look at the wholeness of his pieces.

From afar, one can see the patches of paint, the solid duct tape in geometric shapes and the

Photo by Anya Kougasians

Alex Masket: A View with a Room will be on display in the Berrie Center until Oct. 6.

overall form. Seen from a new perspective, the overwhelming details coalesce into a fairly simple framework.

There is one separate room in the exhibition, clearly set apart from the rest of the pieces. Walking into this room feels like walking straight into the mind of Alex Masket. The walls are covered in luminescent duct tape, with no particular design structure. It is comparable to a New York City sidewalk with its boldness and lack of self-consciousness.

Containing only approximately thirty pieces, the exhibition is an easy walk.

Since the Berrie Center is never overrun with people, there’s enough space to get lost in the art.

Un by an art world that can be cruel and unforgiving, Masket makes art solely for the joy of creating. For those looking to gain exposure to modern expressionistic art, the exhibition is a great place to begin.

The Event

own job, Meghan works to discover who killed the victims of the accident that wrecked her career. Her investigation forces her to reexamine her own life and the relationships that her career-oriented ambition has destroyed. “Body of Proof” airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on ABC, the premier date has not yet been announced.

As the Weather Cools, Networks Turn Up the Heat this Fall Photo by Anna Kougasian

Masket uses unique mediums to express himself through his artwork.

By DANIELLE REED Staff Writer

As fall approaches, it is time to take a look at the new shows premiering this season across all the major networks.

Covering a range of genres, there is likely to be something for every viewer. Here is a sneak peek at some new series making their debut in the upcoming weeks.

Hellcats

The newest show on the CW, “Hellcats” demonstrates what happens when cheerleading and academics are forced together in the life of one average college student.

Marti Perkins (Aly Michalka) is a pre-law scholarship recipient, attending Lancer University in Memphis, Tennessee. A down-to-earth girl from a working class family, Marti is dramatically impacted when her scholarship is canceled. Without the scholarship, Marti realizes that the only way to continue her academic dreams is to earn another scholarship by becoming a member of Lancer’s renowned cheerleading squad, the Hellcats. Using her “retired”

gymnastic skills, Marti easily makes the team, but soon realizes she must learn how to survive the competitiveness on and off the mat to keep her spot. Also staring Ashley Tisdale, Matt Bar, Heather Hemmens, and Robbie Jones, “Hellcats” premiered on Sept. 8 and airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on the CW.

S#*! My Dad Says

Based on a popular Twitter feed and a book of the same name by Justin Halpern, “S#*! My Dad Says” is a highly anticipated comedy coming to CBS this fall. This show details the opinionated ideas of foulmouthed father Ed Goodson (William Shatner). Often politically incorrect, Ed voices his opinions to anyone around, including his two sons Henry (Jonathan Sadowski) and Vince (Will Sasso). When Henry can no longer pay his rent, Ed offers him a place to stay, leading to the complicated relationship of this father and son duo. Also staring Nicole Sullivan, “S#*!

My Dad Says” premiers Sept. 23 and airs Thursdays at 8:30p.m. on CBS.

“What will you believe?” is the central idea of the upcoming thriller series “The Event”. A group of strangers cross paths as Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) unknowingly unearths a government conspiracy while searching for his missing fiancée Leila (Sarah Roemer). As more and more evidence of the conspiracy is uncovered, multiple lives are affected by the information, including U.S. President Elias Martinez (Blair Underwood) and the leader of a mysterious group of prisoners, Sophia Maguire (Laua Innes). “The Event” premiers Sept. 20 and airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Body of Proof

“Body of Proof” is a perfect combination of mystery, suspense, and medical drama.

Dr. Meghan Hunt (Dana Delany) is a talented neurosurgeon soaring to the top of her field. When a car accident destroys her career, Meghan returns to work as a medical examiner, determined to uncover the truth behind what actually happened.

Blurring the lines of detective work and her

gkiddoo@ramapo.edu

Running Wilde

“Running Wilde” is a series about the reunion of two childhood sweethearts.

Steven Wilde (Will Arnett), is an immature wealthy playboy who is focused only on using his money to get what he wants. In strong contrast to his materialistic lifestyle is his former sweetheart, Emmy Kadubic (Kerri Russell), who leads a life as a liberal humanitarian who is focused on her 12year-old daughter, Puddle. When Wilde’s Oil, Steven’s family owned company, begins planning an expansion that threatens her home, Emmy steps up and attempts to change Steven’s ways.“Running Wilde” premiers Sept. 21 and airs Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m on Fox. dreed1@ramapo.edu

HerCampus.com aimed towards Ramapo“Collegiettes” Page 9 The Ramapo News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

By JULIA NELSON Staff Writer

Last Tuesday, Ramapo College launched its own branch of the hit online magazine Hercampus.com. HerCampus is targeted towards college-aged women and features entertaining and informative articles about everything a girl needs to know about college life. Now that Ramapo has its own page on the [photo courtesy of hercampus.com site, students are able to read HerCampus is an online magazine for women that has partnered with “Seventeen fun, fresh and exciting articles Magazine” and New Balance. written by RCNJ students.

Windsor Hanger and Annie page on HerCampus, said, The articles on Wang. The three met at Harvard “Writing for HerCampus is very HerCampus.com cover a variety it all.”

Megan Anderle, a junior, is the University while running the informal, and you can really of topics such as style, health, Campus Correspondent for the campus lifestyle and fashion bring your personality into it love, dorm life, career and Ramapo page on HerCampus. magazine. When they expanded and have fun with the articles world. The stories are written Like the founders of the online the magazine online, they you write. Each week we cover with passion and witticisms that magazine, Anderle felt that givreceived huge waves of readers six topics, which range from are “laugh-out-loud” hilarious; ing college women an online and were offered partnerships Spotted on Campus, which is it’s very easy to lose track of from several companies. something interesting that catchtime on HerCampus.com thanks outlet for reading about relative and contemporary college topics Kaplan stated, “We realized we es your eye at Ramapo, to to the engaging style of the artiis necessary and were hitting on an unmet needCampus Celebrity, someone you cles. compelling. She decided to for an online hub for college know who has accomplished Samantha Ullrich, a junior and bring HerCampus to Ramapo women, and a career launching something great.” writer for the magazine stated, point for the nation’s top student As Kaplan stated, “I think it’s great that Ramapo is students in order to broaden her writing experiences and to give journalists- and we sought to HerCampus.com is a getting involved with women tips about college life. address this need on a broader, “Collegiette‘s guide to life.” She HerCampus.com. It’s almost Anderle said, “I want them to be national scale.” said, “We hope women will gain like a Vogue magazine cuseducated, like I put an article up Kaplan, Hanger and Wang won a valuable resource through Her tomized by gender, age range a business plan competition at Campus, as well as a source of and campus. Whatever a college about recipes; I want them to use my recipes. I’m looking for Harvard with their idea and offi- entertainment and procrastinagirl needs to know about fashthem to be entertained and get cially began HerCampus.com in tion! ion, fitness, cuties, must-haves, information out of it.”

September 2009. and more, HerCampus.com has HerCampus was originally creFreshman Kristen Garafano, jnelson3@ramapo.edu ated by Stephanie Kaplan, another writer for the Ramapo

Lettuce Eat Healthy

By MAGGIE SCARPELLI Staff Writer Want a healthy bite to eat not too far from campus?

The Lettuce Inn, a popular café in Ramsey, offers a variety of nutritious options.

Located in the center of Ramsey’s business district, The Lettuce Inn is just eight minutes from campus.

Surrounded by great stores and salons such as Lush Salon, Sunset Tan, Nail Galaxy and Starbucks, the café will turn your quick lunch into an enjoyable afternoon outing.

The setup is similar to that of Subway: you select your meal — either a breakfast sandwich, salad or wrap — and wait on the ordering line. As you make your way down the line, you choose from a supply of fresh toppings and ingredients. All of the selections are quickly made to your liking.

Breakfast is a new addition to the menu. You can build your own breakfast wrap from your choice of

eggs or egg whites and any three toppings, all wrapped up in a 12-inch tortilla.

The Lettuce Inn is a great way to start off your day on the right track. Their breakfast wraps are such a yummy way to eat healthy first thing in the morning and get you going for the day ahead.

The café’s lunch and dinner options are my personal favorites. Building your own salad or wrap is so easy and you get to be in control.

You pick from one of four kinds of lettuce: iceberg, mesclun, romaine or spinach; then four crisp toppings: avocado, bean sprouts, broccoli, carrots, chickpeas, Chinese noodles, croutons, crumbled egg, cucumbers, olives, red onions, sesame seeds, tomatoes, walnuts and many more; then pick a tasty dressing: balsamic vinaigrette, blue cheese, Caesar, Italian, parmesan peppercorn, ranch and many more.

Additional toppings — so

flavorful that you might just want them all — are available for 50 cents or more.

They also have a great section on their menu called “Lettuce Wrap It,” with a variety ranging from a California Wrap, to an Oriental Chicken Wrap, to a Vegetarian Wrap. My favorite is the scrumptious California Wrap, which includes romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, smoked bacon, tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella cheese and ranch dressing.

Whether you’re looking to sit down for a meal or grab a quick snack, you’ll be able to find something at the café to suit your needs.

You can either dine in the “green” environment or bring food back to campus when you’re on the go.

Like to write?

Come to our meetings Monday and Wednesday nights in SC-218.

Fashion for the Fall Season

ByJULIANNE BRANDA Staff Writer

The change of weather always introduces new fads to the fashion scene, and with fall quickly approaching there will be no shortage of cute trends to warm up the cool autumn nights ahead.

While flipping through an issue of “Vogue” or “In Style” may incite reactions of “Who would actually wear that?”, the truth is anyone can! The key to rocking a trend is to adapt it to your own personal style and remember to incorporate only the things that you feel comfortable in. mscarpel@ramapo.edu To kick off the season, make sure you invest in some basics like skinny jeans and plain longsleeved t-shirts that are versatile and can be dressed up for either a day

of classes or a night out.

Then you can move on to some of-the-moment pieces that may eventually go out of style for a little bit (but if you love it, wear it! Don’t feel constricted by the so-called “rules” of fashion).

Animal prints, which have been a staple on the runways for several seasons now, were once again spotted all over Milan runways. While not everyone may feel comfortable drowning themselves in animal print from head-totoe like Rihanna, cheetah print in small doses is still chic and fashionable. Try a leopard print bag or scarf to spruce up your classic look.

The retro-look was displayed on runways in pretty much every fashion capital for fall. Designers like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Marc Jacobs all took cues

from the AMC series “Mad Men” and presented full skirts, tailored jackets, chunky knits, cat-eye glasses and straight-legged pants. If Sandy from “Grease” is not your style, you can still add a skirt with some volume to a tight t-shirt and a belt to rock this look. Or you can pair a fitted blazer with skinny jeans, a t-shirt and some cute accessories to look polished yet edgy.

Whatever your style mantra may be, there is something for everyone this fall. But if you prefer not to be a slave to the fashion gods, wear whatever you would like, just make sure that it is “you”.

jbranda1@ramapo.edu

Page 10 The Ramapo News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

The 2010 MTV VMA’s: Pop-Culture History in the Making

By ERIK GAVILANES Staff Writer

The commercials leading up to the 2010 MTV VMA’s promised viewers an unforgettable moment in history. They promised that every year something instantly memorable and shocking would happen, leaving everyone talking the next day. What viewers got instead was a reaffirmation of who the heaviest hitters are in contemporary pop music.

Lady Gaga took home a total of eight Moon Men, including Video of the Year for “Bad Romance”, but more importantly, she firmly established that she is the single most important name in pop at the moment. The elaborate and frequent costume changes, the political and social stands she made with the troops accompanying her (several men and women discharged for their homosexuality), announcing the title of her next record on stage (Born This Way, belted out at the top of her lungs). All of it was welcomed by the adoring public as we hung on to every word she uttered and ever stoic glance she gave.

Justin Bieber, winner for best new artist, was the other name at the forefront of the awards. Also a performer of the night, Bieber arrived at the outdoor stage to screaming throngs of age-appropriate (and some not) fans as he took the stage and went through a medley of his own work before capping it off with a drum solo.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Justin Bieber was popular with fans of all ages at Sundayʼs award show.

The Jersey born Chelsea Handler hosted the show and mostly fell flat on her face.

Her opening monologue was especially rough to watch if you aren’t a fan of her work as she mostly just touched on popular subject matter rather than telling jokes. The low-point for Handler was an elaborate set up for a bit which referenced last year’s Kanye/Taylor debacle that ended with her simply punching a stagehand/prop in the chest and screaming “My award!”

Elsewhere, the combination of Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj presenting the best male video and best hip hop video awards was a charismatic treat. Eminem opened the show with “Not Afraid” and “Love the Way You Lie” which featured special guest Rihanna. Usher gave a very lip synced performance of “OMG” before a dazzling light show, while Florence and

the Machine was a very welcome change of pace with a performance of “Dog Days Are Over.” Kanye closed the night with the premiere of a new song “Runaway Love” that was masterfully executed with a lone keyboard in the center of the circular stage.

The highpoint of the night had to involve the current queen of culture, Lady Gaga. We were treated to a surprise presenter, an “If I Could Turn Back Time” outfit wearing Cher who went on to say that she used to get thrown off of MTV for wearing outrageous costumes, a clear indicator of the times and foreshadowing the inevitable outlandish outfit that Lady Gaga would be wearing as she took the stage to accept the award. So, as Gaga walked up the stairs wearing a dress made of meat, we got to witness the past and present of musical provocateurs. It

Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Lady Gaga walked away with eight Moon Men at the 2010 MTV VMAʼs.

wasn’t the shocking or interrupting moment we had planned on not planning for, but it was a historic moment at the end of another Video Music Awards that gave us our yearly glimpse into the culture of popular music.

erikgavilanes@yahoo.com

From the Streets to the Stage, the Illz is a Hip-Hop Sensation

By ALMERRY MARTINS Staff Writer From the streets of Hudson County, N.J. to the stages of local venues, new hip-hop artist The ILLZ arrives to make his mark on the contemporary music scene.

As an adolescent, the now-24-year-old Delgis Jose Mustafa Rodriguez developed a passion for hip-hop, drawing inspiration from artists such as AZ, Mobb Deep, Nas and Wu-Tang Clan.

Unsatisfied with the music world at the time, ILLZ decided it was best to cut himself off from the scene completely.

After a much-needed vacation, ILLZ — with a new perspective and a new encyclopedia of music — and music stumbled upon each other, once again.

“The Pursuit LP,” an 11-track digital album, was

Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Delgis Jose Mustafa Rodriguez, also known as The Illz.

The Illz performing at a local venue.

released on Dec. 15, 2009 and presented by two major music blogs, 2DopeBoyz.com and DJBooth.net.

ILLZ worked nonstop both in and out of the studio to make it a warmer summer for his fans this year, releasing new material from his latest production, “In Between Video Series,” weekly up until July 27.

Attempting to prove that simplicity is the highest form of sophistication, ILLZ teamed up with Hot Mop Films and director Kristopher Rey-Talley to bring this eighttrack series to life, using vivid video content to accompany each song.

The project was digitally packaged and made available for download on Aug. 24, via TheILLZ.com.

ILLZ’s dedication to his art is what makes this project much more unique than his previous one and others surfacing on the Web. Song after song, bar after bar, ILLZ belts out relatable lyrics filled with emotion.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

His ideals and morals are clear in songs such as: “Dreams of Life & Beth,” in which he says, “I’m the one that decides/ when everything is finished. So when tough times roll in/ and everything’s against me/ I promise Imma give it all I got/ until I’m empty/ And when I see all hope is dying/ I won’t stop I promise to keep trying.”

Listeners can experience his music for themselves on Oct. 4 as Jabari and Good*Fella Media present Tonite…Rap Rocks! at Crash Mansion, located at 199 Bowery, New York, N.Y. When all is said and done, ILLZ puts on the type of show that leaves you wishing you’d own the venue, just to personally ask him for an encore. martins814@yahoo.com

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Page 11 The Ramapo News

Apple Unveils Latest Upgrades, Introduces New Software

By NICOLE MAZEWSKI Staff Writer

Have you noticed a change in your iTunes? Along with the launch of iTunes 10, Apple has just released updated versions of their most popular products.

Apple’s iPod Nano is revamped- sporting a new sleek design and all touch screen front, allowing users to easily view their music collection. This player is slightly bigger than a shuffle and is able to clip onto clothing, perfect for the new pedometer and Nike + iPod features, which is separately sold software that tracks workout information to the iPod. The iPod Touch was unveiled with two built-in cameras, perfect for the new FaceTime application. This great feature allows users to smile at friends living in other states, or blow a kiss to significant others studying abroad. Through a Wi-Fi network, users create accounts and chat with others, right on their iPods.

The iPod Shuffle has been updated to include the new VoiceOver feature. This announces the current song and artist,

playlist menu and the remaining battery life. Both the Shuffle and the Nano are offered in five colors: silver, blue, green, orange and pink.

According to an Apple Store employee at the Garden State Plaza, the ultimate college tool is still the thirteen inch MacBook Pro. Over the summer, the Apple Store ran a cross promotion, offering a free printer and iPod Touch with a purchase of a computer. Many students took advantage of this offer, especially with all the software capabilities and new updates.

Betsy Klein, a sophomore Visual Arts major, said that her professors recommended that she get a MacBook for her contemporary arts classes. “I got my Mac BookPro last summer, and I love it. I haven’t encountered any problems with it so far.”

Wondering what “Ping” is on your iTunes? Apple has developed the “Facebook of the music world.” Ping is, according the Apple site, “A social network for music that lets you follow your favorite artists and friends to discover

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Ping is a social networking application specifically designed for music.

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Last week, Apple released the new touch screen iPod nano.

what music they’re talking about, listening to, and downloading.” Simply create your own free profile on Ping to get started. Users are able to access Ping as a social network site, and continuously feed off of the Recent Activity Page.

This page shows what your friends are listening to, anything they have just downloaded, and any other posts they share. Artists post on Ping too; they can post pictures, updates on shows and new music and recommend things to their fans.

You don’t have to worry about downloading another app for your iTouch or iPhone either; Ping is built right into the iTunes app. Want to see what music your

favorite artist is listening to? Ping allows you to see their favorites and makes recommendations based on your style. This new feature puts the public out there even more; but in today’s not-so private world, this app is a popular trend. Users are essentially building a community out of their music styles and choices.

nmazewsk@ramapo.edu

Colbert Offers Warm Reception For Troops With Two-Night Special

By ERIK GAVILANES Staff Writer

Stephen Colbert spared no expense last week to provide a warm welcome for his studio audience of troops recently returning from Iraq. After President Obama announced the end of combat forces in Iraq late last month, Colbert announced his twonight special that aired on September 8th and 9th to honor the services of men and women in the military. From the onset, in which Colbert arrived in a tank and was played out by the Army Fields band that were live in studio, the whole show echoed the same basic statement throughout: the celebration of America’s returning troops.

“Been there: Won That: The Returnification of the American-Do Troopscape,” the special’s full title, featured a hot dog vendor serving the troops who revealed himself to be Vice President Joe Biden, a “Conflict Analyst” in former New York Yankee great Yogi Berra, wait-

resses serving cold beer, and green grass for the troops to rest their feet on after such a long time spent in the arid middle east.

The returning troops were clearly the

Viewers were asked time and time again to simply recognize the sacrifice made by these men and women, a sacrifice so few of Americans have, or would ever, make.

main focus, but a good portion of the show was made to emphasize the remaining noncombat troops left in Iraq and those still stationed in Afghanistan. A side-by-side live feed of both non-combat troops in Iraq and combat troops in Afghanistan was shown to the audience as Colbert joked, “If you can tell the difference between a noncombat troop and a combat troop, then you’re the president of America.”

A regular segment on the show, The Word, also focused heavily on the 50,000 troops

still in Iraq, and the idea that all of our troops have been asked to win the war over and over again, going as far as calling this the “War that Cried ‘Over’,” before moving back to the idea of sacrifice. Viewers were asked time and time again to simply recognize the sacrifice made by these men and women, a sacrifice so few of Americans have, or would ever, make.

Vice President Biden also pushed the idea that we must recognize what our troops have done for America in serving overseas.

“If you know someone that served or is serving, mow their lawn, babysit for them, do anything, just show them that you understand,” Biden urged the viewer.

In the interview with General Ray Odierno, the U.S. military commander in Iraq, he reveals that the troops in Iraq are still receiving a combat pay.

Biden was not spared questions regarding the troops still overseas and acknowledged that “This is a significant milestone, but we’re not there yet.”

In all, the message of the night was clear.

Americans should be rewarding returning troops with appreciation and understanding, while not being satisfied with calling this a true and definitive “end” to this war. Katie Sutton, a sophomore at Ramapo College, said “What made me happy was seeing that the troops were happy. I think it’s important that we recognize and reward what they’ve done,” in reference to the special episodes.

The occasion was perhaps best summed up by Colbert himself, “I’m not going to debate this war” he said in his crazed pundit character before declaring in a more sincere tone, “Tonight is for the troops.”

erikgavilanes@yahoo.com

Craigslist Says It Has Permanently Taken Down U.S. Adult Services Ads Page 12 The Ramapo News

By CECILIA KONG Washington Post Staff Writer

WASHINGTON - Under pressure from law enforcement and Congress, Craigslist said Wednesday it had permanently taken down its adult services ads on its highly popular classified site in the United States.

The move is the first of its kind for a company that has become not only a place to buy used furniture and find apartments, but also a symbol of a free-speech, no-limit Internet. Yet even Craigslist ultimately yielded to the complaints of advocacy groups who say the firm’s websites are being widely used in the global sex trade of women and children.

The San Francisco company complied, but not without hinting at what the actions of government officials could portend for the future of the Web. After state law enforcement officials asked Craigslist to eliminate adult ads earlier this month, the company replaced those listings with a single word: “censored.” It later dropped the label, but not before prompting protests from free-speech advocates.

Craigslist officials, who testified Wednesday at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on child sex trafficking, did not address calls to shutter adult services ads on some Craigslist sites outside the United States, where they continue to run.

Still, the company’s decision was applauded by advocacy groups that said Craigslist had become a massive online marketplace for sex predators.

These groups and state law enforcement officials said

Thursday, September 16, 2010

they focused on Craigslist because it is the largest classified site in the world. They added that other, smaller online ventures should be pushed to follow Craigslist’s lead.

“Websites escape liability when an ad on their site results in rape, prostitution and even death,” Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., said. “Our priorities are out of balance and perpetrators are taking advantage.”

Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, noted that each year about 100,000 boys and girls become prostitutes. “Internet services have made it possible to pimp these kids, offering them to prospective customers with little or no risk,” he testified.

But Craigslist officials warned that blocking the ads would only push the sex trade further into the shadows.

“Those who formerly posted adult services ads on Craigslist will now advertise at countless other venues,” said William “Clint” Powell, a director of customer service and law enforcement at Craigslist. Though they were invited to the hearing, the firm’s chief executive, Jim Buckmaster, and its founder, Craig Newmark, did not attend.

Unlike most of Craigslist’s classifieds, which are free, the firm charged for adult ads, which gave it the ability to hand over credit card information to law enforcement when crimes occurred. Craigslist had made about $30 million off adult listings so far this year, said a report released before the hearing by the Advanced Interactive Media Group.

Powell noted in his testimony that in a White House meeting earlier in the summer, Obama administration officials said they considered Craigslist to be a model compared to “the countless other venues that currently host

photo by Anya Kougasian “A View with a Room” exhibit will be on display at the Berrie Center until Oct. 6.

unmoderated adult content, do not assist law enforcement and do not engage in best practices.”

Craigslist is shielded by the Telecom Act of 1996, which absolves it of liability for the content on its sites. Some legal experts say, for instance, that Craigslist could not be held liable for the actions of a New England man who killed a woman he had contacted through the site.

But some lawmakers questioned whether the need to protect children overrides the need to protect free speech.

“Speech in the form of postings that incite violence against children is not protected speech,” Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., said.

photo by Stef Mauro Ramapo womenʼs tennis picked up their first win of the season against the John Jay College of Criminal Justice team.

RAMAPO SPORTS

Women’s Soccer Wins Jersey City Tournament

By S EAN RITCHIE Staff Writer

The Ramapo women’s soccer team is poised and ready for another successful year.

The season may not have started as they would have liked; they posted a 1-3 record through the first four games. Yet this did not deter their goal to be one of the top teams in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. They followed up the sluggish start with a good showing in the Jersey City Tournament, where they evened their record to 3-3.

Head Coach Arnie Ramirez is a firm believer of playing tough out of conference teams before reaching in conference rivals.

“I always like to play difficult teams before we start the NJAC,” Ramirez said.

“If we play teams that were really good we are going to learn something from those games. If we play teams like Old Westbury that we beat 11-2, we are not going to learn anything.”

In the midst of tough competition, Ramirez is getting contributions from many of the team’s senior leaders.

“The girls that are supposed to be scoring are scoring now,” Ramirez said. “Kimberly

Bruno is scoring, Melissa Demko is scoring, [and] Melanie Pupo is scoring.

Saturday we play the number two team in the nation, but I think we are going to be ready for them because playing the tough teams is definitely going to help.”

Melanie Pupo is leading the team with five goals and two assists. She is followed

by Demko with four, Bruno with three, and Britney Harraka with two goals. All of these players are seniors, which is a real attribute to the leadership on the team.

The senior leaders are not the only players that are stepping up this year, as the team is filled with a lot of youth as well.

“They are doing great,” Ramirez said.

“Annmarie Paskovich is starting for us at right full-back. Jennifer Stone as a stopper is doing an excellent job. Stephanie Andolino is really stepping up as well.”

Ramirez is looking ahead to a bright future. Many of the top teams that they could not keep up with in the past are now on their radar.

“I think we can keep up with these teams now,” Ramirez said. “I think we have the players that can keep up with The College of New Jersey, Rowan, and Richard Stockton. Those teams went to the NCAA’s last year. I think we can compete

with them now.”

Ramirez also believes that one of the keys to winning is team chemistry.

“The team chemistry is excellent. We picked four captains (Demko, Bruno, Pupo, and Alison Arnold), who are really trying to keep the team together because that is so important to the on the field play.

One of the reasons why Spain won the World Cup, besides playing good soccer, is because they all got along so well.”

With the season off and running the Ramapo women’s soccer team is looking towards a bright future. The team seems to be coming together at just the right time as NJAC play approaches.

“I am really satisfied,” Ramirez said. “I think we have a good combination of freshman, sophomores, a couple of juniors and the seniors that are doing really well.”

The team returns to action at home Saturday, where they will start NJAC play against TCNJ. They continue NJAC play Wednesday, where they will go back to Jersey City to face New Jersey City University.

“If we play a full 90 minutes, we can play with anyone.”

when they are on the field. A great factor in their success is their ability to communicate with each other on the field.

Nobody ever seemed to be out of position, and if so there was always someone to put them in the right spot. This team is going to be dangerous all season long and will be able to keep up even with the toughest of opponents.

Ramapo defeated SUNY Westbury at home yesterday to improve their record to 5-1. They will look to improve to 6-1 when when they face The College of New Jersey Saturday.

sritchi1@ramapo.edu

Men’s Soccer Suffers First Defeat of Season

By CHRIS ARNDT Staff Writer

Ramapo’s men’s soccer team suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors by a score of 2-0.

The first half of the game was dominated by the Roadrunners, who kept the Warriors on their toes with a vicious offensive attack. The game remained scoreless at the half, but Ramapo seemed to have an edge over ECS. However, junior keeper Carl Appel led a strong Warriors’ defense with nine saves to shut down Ramapo’s offense.

Both teams appeared to be well conditioned but executed different styles of play.

The Warriors were a defensive minded team who remained as a unit and swarmed to the ball, while Ramapo used an attack first mentality to try to strike first.

Early in the second half, sophomore Cory Tobler slipped a goal past freshman keeper Stephan Monaghan to put the Warriors up 1-0. Later in the half freshman midfielder Luke Capezzone found the net and cemented the Warriors victory.

Eastern Connecticut’s win improved their record to 4-0.

This loss marks the first time this season that the Roadrunners were shut out and the first time that star forward Rob

DJ Pinton, Head Coach

Santaniello, who leads the team with 9 goals, did not score.

Head Coach DJ Pinton saw some positive signs for his team despite the loss.

“If we play a full 90 minutes, we can play with anyone,” Head Coach DJ Pinton said. “ECS was a good test for us. They are a regionally ranked team, and I felt like we had a very productive first half.”

The Roadrunners are led this year by captains Jim Clemente and Francis Carr, who set the tone both in practice and on the field.

“Practices are intense this season; people are fighting for spots every day,” Carr said. “We have good chemistry as a team and we expect to win every game no matter who the opponent is.”

Even though they suffered their first loss, Ramapo has still had an impressive start to the season. The Roadrunners already have a lot to be proud of after winning the first four games of the season. The roster is full of talented players from top to bottom, which is evident

“Practices are intense this season. People are fighting for spots every day. We have good chemistry as a team and we expect to win every game no matter who the opponent is.”

Francis Carr, Midfielder/Forward cardnt@ramapo.edu

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Women’s Tennis Serves Heat to Earn Win

By JUS TINA S LACHTA Staff Writer

It is that time of the year again.

School mode begins and the love of a racket and a net come into play. For many, tennis is just a game, but it’s more than just that for Ramapo College women’s tennis.

The Ramapo women’s tennis squad held their third home game this past Friday against John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The Roadrunners took home a 9-0 win to improve their record to 1-1.

The goals and expectations are set high for the Roadrunners. The women’s tennis team at Ramapo has been working hard through the preseason to build team bonding, team morale, and physical conditioning. Even though some players from last year have left, Head Coach Raza Baig puts an emphasis on having a solid team that is growing stronger. With two good additions to the team, he hopes to see a winning record this season.

Ramapo women’s tennis strives to keep working hard in order to achieve their goal of winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

However, getting there will not be easy. Rival The College of Nersey has a sound foundation and are working just as hard to achieve the same goal.

Baig touched on the importance of stamina. No matter how good a player is, it will put a burden on their skills and abilities if they cannot keep up. Therefore, he is stressing to improve the stamina of the players. If they can achieve that, having a good season will be a greater possibility.

The Ramapo women’s tennis have a lot to look forward to practices, games, and the conference. They will look to keep their momentum going at home against Rutgers-Newark on Monday.

jslachta@ramapo.edu

Opening Week in NFL Offers Plenty of Surprises, Controversy Page 14 The Ramapo News

Thursday, September 16, 2010

By JAKE EDINGER Staff Writer

The National Football League season kicked off Thursday with a rematch of last year’s NFC championship game between the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings. The Saints won 14- 9, holding Vikings quarterback Brett Favre to 171 yards and containing All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson to 87 yards on the ground. The Saints, led by quarterback Drew Brees, look to get back to the Super Bowl and proved Thursday night that they have the fluent offense and turnover-happy defense to do just that.

Five years ago the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl two years in a row, and they took a step to returning to their previous success by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 38-24. The Bengals, who added wide receiver Terrell Owens to join Chad Ochocinco as one of the more dominant receiving duos in football, were picked by many to make it to the Super Bowl. However, they were out played by the Patriots’ defense and embarrassed by Tom Brady’s offense.

Patriots’ wide receiver Wes Welker returned from a season ending knee injury in 2009 and looked like he was never injured, catching eight receptions for 64 yards and two scores. The Patriots looked as fluent as they were during their recent championship year as the Bengals still struggle to be a consistent threat in the American Football Conference.

Much like the Bengals, the Indianapolis Colts are also in the discussion of Super

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Wes Welkerʼs quick return from a knee injury inspired the New England Patriots to start the season with a convincing victory over the Bengals.

Bowl contenders, but they were derailed by the young Houston Texans. The Colts were 15-1 against the Texans going into Sunday yet where unable to stop running back Arian Foster, who ran for 231 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in Houston’s 34-24 win.

The Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears also played Sunday in what proved to be a devastating loss for the Lions. After losing quarterback Matthew Stafford with a shoulder injury during the first half, they lost the game in controversial fashion.

With seconds left backup quarterback Shaun Hill threw what seemed to be a game winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson, but the play was

reversed as replay showed that Johnson did not have possession after he hit the ground in the back of the end zone. The Bears won the game 19-14.

Fellow NFC north rival and Super Bowl contender Green Bay Packers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20. Although Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions after only throwing seven in 2009, the Packers defense stayed hard-nosed and contained the dangerous Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who replaced starter Kevin Kolb after he left the game with a concussion. Even though running back Ryan Grant will miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury, the Packers still have enough talent

to keep up their torrid pace.

Entering the season as favorites in their respective divisions, the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers each were upset by division opponents.

The New York Giants also showed why they could be a force in the NFC by pounding the Carolina Panthers in the first regular season game in the New Meadowlands Stadium. Hakeem Nicks caught three touchdown passes to neutralize Carolina’s defense. Dropped passes from the Giants’ receivers made the game close, but Panthers’ quarterback Matt Moore threw three interceptions to bail out the Giants. Moore’s poor decisions could lead to rookie second round draft pick Jimmy Clausen taking over signal calling duties.

Monday night’s game featured the Giants’ roommates - the Jets. After much hype from their HBO television show Hard Knocks the Jets looked to bully Rex Ryan’s former team, the Baltimore Ravens.

However, the Ravens proved that they are a forced to be reckoned with, beating the Jets 10-9 in a defensive standoff. New wide receiver acquisition Anquan Boldin proved to be a valuable addition for Baltimore by grabbing seven receptions for 110 yards in his debut.

The Jets look to face the Patriots next week, which should be a classic AFC East battle. Week one has been controversial as well as exciting, and the best part is there are 16 more weeks to go.

NFL WEEK 2 STAFF PICKS

Week 2 Matchups

Tom Babcock

Chris Arndt

Almerry Martins Sean Ritchie

NE @ NYJ

Patriots

Patriots

Patriots

NYG @ IND

Colts

Colts

HOU @ WAS

Redskins

BAL @ CIN

Bengals

PIT @ TEN

Titans

SEA @ DEN

Seahawks

jedinger@ramapo.edu

Jeremy Kelly

Jake Edinger

Jets

Jets

Patriots

Colts

Colts

Colts

Colts

Texans

Texans

Texans

Texans

Texans

Ravens

Bengals

Ravens

Bengals

Ravens

Titans

Steelers

Titans

Titans

Titans

Broncos

Broncos

Seahawks

Seahawks

Seahawks

MLB Playoff Contenders: Yankees, Phillies... and the Reds?

Page 15 The Ramapo News

By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer

While the National Football League has gotten underway again, the Major League Baseball season is winding down. However, the playoff picture is quite muddled and uncertain, with several unexpected teams emerging as the frontrunners in their respective divisions.

When looking at the New York Yankees, it’s not surprising to see them in first place in the American League Eastern Division. Coming off their 27th World Series championship in 2009, the Bronx Bombers have the league’s best record of 88-57. However, their playoff spot is far from secure. They are currently only one-half of a game behind of the Tampa Bay Rays, who were the AL champions in 2008. The Rays past the Yankees in the standings after beating them last night.

In the National League East, the Philadelphia Phillies, despite claiming the title of National League Championships two years in a row, have been fighting an uphill battle with the Atlanta Braves for most of the season. But after a summer trade with Houston for ace pitcher Roy Oswalt, the Phillies are 29-13 since August 1 and are currently two games ahead of Atlanta. Their remaining games are against divisional opponents, but the winner of the NL East could very well be decided on Sept. 20-22 when the Phillies host a three-game series against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

For nearly a decade, the Cincinnati Reds have

Thursday, September 16, 2010

been a prime example of MLB ineptitude. They had not had a winning season since 2000, and have not made the playoffs since the strikeshortened 1995 season. The Reds expanded their lead on the Cardinals after a good stretch in August in which they went 19-8. This allowed the Reds to rise six games ahead of their division rivals. However, the Reds have lost eight of their last 12 games. Their upcoming road trip that stretches nine games and goes through Houston, Milwaukee and San Diego makes it possible for plenty to go wrong to Dusty Baker’s team.

For most of the early part of the season, the San Diego Padres have had a decent lead over

,Joey

the San Francisco Giants for first place in the NL West. They had a 6.5-game lead on Aug. 25, but that lead has quickly slipped. After the Padres went on a ten-game losing streak that stretched from the end of August to early September, they lost three out of four to the Giants. The Padres now have a one game lead over the Giants in the division.

Also in the West, the Colorado Rockies are only two games back, and they host both San Francisco and San Diego in the final weeks of the season. With these facts in mind, it’s virtually anyone’s guess on who will come out on top in this division.

In the AL West, the Texas Rangers haven’t

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Vottoʼs powerful bat has put the Reds in good shape to earn a rare postseason appearance.

been successful for the majority of their 49-year history. They have had only three playoff births, and have never advanced past the first round. It wasn’t until 1996 that they finally reached the postseason, but they have not been back since their last appearance in 1999. Now they can finally be poised for a playoff run. The Rangers went 21-6 in the month of June, and following a six-game winning streak, the Rangers are currently nine games ahead of the next-closest club, the OaklandAthletics.

The Minnesota Twins have christened their new home, Target Field, with a run for a second consecutive division title in the AL Central.

Despite playing alongside, as well as behind, the Chicago White Sox for first place, the Twins have turned up the heat in the final weeks of the season. They went 18-10 during August, and have won 11 of their last 13 games to ascend to a seven-game lead over the White Sox. Yet with a three-game series in Chicago beginning on Wednesday, the momentum may shift.

The playoffs begin on either Oct. 6 or 7, and the World Series will begin on Oct. 27. It will be the first time since 2001 that a team from the National League will host the World Series, and in a season that’s been filled with unpredictability, there’s no telling which teams will rise and which teams will fall with the Fall Classic coming our way. jkelly7@ramapo.edu

Locker Risks NFL Fame and Fortune to Return for Senior Year

By ALMERRY MARTINS Staff Writer

Jake Locker had everything on the table any young athlete may dream of.

The chance to go pro before graduating college, the multi-million dollar contract, the top rating in his quarterback position in this year’s NFL Draft, potential endorsements, and the fame.

He also had options that led to a tough decision that would take many of us much more time than it took Locker to decide on. With a month in advance to his deadline to declare for the draft, Locker drove himself to the football offices to inform Coach Steve Sarkisian and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier that he had unfinished business to take care of in the University of Washington.

After informing his coaches, he released a press release through the Washington athletic department on that led to high season-tickets request. All of Huskie nation was glad to have their main canine back, even if it was for one more year. While there are many who doubt his decision, Locker firmly stands behind his choice.

Born in Bellingham, Washington, he’s had the ‘W’ that’s on his helmet imprinted on his life since birth. Six miles north of his hometown, in Ferndale, would be where Locker would begin to build his football resume. As a senior in 2005 he led Ferndale High School to the Class 3A State Championship after a

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Jake Locker turned down a chance to make a multi-million dollar contract in the NFL to return to the University of Washington for his senior year.

14-0 season in which he threw for 1,603 yards and 25 touchdown passes with three interceptions.

Ever since then, he’s earned merits such as Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (2007), Freshman All-American (2007), and Honorable mention All-Pac 10 (2009).

Closing out the season last year vs.

19th ranked California, Locker completed 19 of 23 passes for 248 yards and three touchdown passes and ran in two scores, giving the Huskies a 42-10 grand finale and maybe an edge on his decision to

return.

After his decision was made public, Dave Mahler of 950 KJR in Seattle interviewed Jake’s father, Scott, who approached Locker’s quick decision as a positive.

“I think it’s great, especially from Jake’s standpoint just so you know the questions can be done and people can quit speculating about what he’s going to do,” Locker said. “And everyone will know and I think it will be easier for him to focus on the task at hand getting

ready for the season, with his guys knowing that he’s going to be back to help them get to where they want to be.”

When asked why Locker “decided to pass up on the instant millions he would have earned next spring had he entered the NFL Draft, Locker supported his son.

“Every time it gets to the subject of money, I tell people he’s not about that,” Locker said. “I know it’s hard to believe when you’re talking millions of dollars, but he’s never been about that.”

In the first two games of his senior season, Locker is 1-1, completing 42 of his 70 attempts for 555 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, with a rating of 150.18. Saturday will be a showdown between the Huskies and the University of Nebraska Huskers.

If Locker goes out and performs the way he did against Syracuse for the remainder of the season, the talk of him being a Heisman Trophy candidate will only continue to grow. Everything that was on the table before his decision will still be there, only this time he will be able to do it with his graduating pack behind him.

The ‘W’ on his helmet will stand for much more than Washington, and all his peers will regard him as the warrior that came back to win for them. am artins5@ram apo.edu

SPORTS RAMAPO 9 . 16 . 10

SMOKIN’ ACES

Ramapo womenʼs tennis has high hopes for fall season.

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