“Chronicle” Page 8
THE
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RAMAPO NEWS
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Kennedy Jr. Lectures at Ramapo College 10.6.2011
A Publication by the Students for the Ramapo College Community
Advocate Speaks to Full Crowd for Disability Awareness Month
Violence Awareness Activities Empower Students
XLII No. 4
By ALEXIS LOPEZ and CANDANCE MITCHELL Staff Writers
photo by Sandy Stucki
Ted Kennedy Jr. praised Ramapo Collegeʼs committment to accessibility for disabled students. Kennedy Jr., whose family has been “touched by disability,” suffered a disability himself, losing his leg to cancer at age 12. By KAITLIN McGUINNES S Web Editor
On Tuesday Ramapo College celebrated Disability Awareness Month by inviting Ted Kennedy Jr. to speak to the campus community in the Sharp Theater. Tickets to see the disability advocate and descendant of famed statesmen were sold out, but students, faculty and staff were able to watch his lecture “Facing the Challenge” live on campus computers. The Office of Specialized Services (OSS) has invited a special speaker to Ramapo College for Disability Awareness Month for the last 15 years. Cheryl Schwartz, an academic counselor in the OSS office, is the coordinator of all disability awareness events. “I was pleased with the turnout. The students were very engaged,” Schwartz said. Schwartz explained that Ramapo College has a long history of disability advocacy. The academic buildings were originally designed to be interconnected and include automatic doors in
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order to be accessible to the disabled. “Ramapo was a front-runner,” Schwartz noted, “before architectural accessibility became the law.” The 338 seats in the Sharp Theater were sold out, and there was a waiting list to attend Kennedy Jr.’s lecture. Due to this demand, the media office streamed the event live. The Center for Student Involvement provides OSS with funding each year to bring speakers to campus, and the Office of the President provided extra funds this year to host Kennedy Jr. The Ramapo College Foundation held a reception for Kennedy Jr. after the event. President Mercer was in Trenton, unable to attend, but Provost Beth Barnett welcomed the special guest in his stead. Many students and faculty attended the event. Professor Susan Eisner brought her entire Managing Organizational Behavior class to hear Kennedy Jr. speak. Ally Selvaggio, a junior in the class, elaborated on how the subject
EATHER FRI
of the presentation pertained to what they had been studying. “We learned a lot about equal opportunity employment in class,” she said. Professor Eisner explained what her students could learn from Kennedy. “I think to any person, Ted Kennedy Jr. inspires a pathway to leadership; that passion, personal commitment and vision can take anyone to success in any area,” she said. “It’s just a positive experience to see people who have lived through adversity to find a way to giving.” Kennedy Jr. comes from a legacy of public service. He is the son of Congressman Ted Kennedy, brother of Congressman Patrick Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy. He also inherited a history of advocacy for the disabled. “My family has been touched by disability,”
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The annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event presented by the Women’s Center and the Bergen County Rape Crisis Center Clothesline Project were held at the campus on Tuesday to raise awareness against sexual and intrapersonal violence. Passersby watched as participants of this Violence Awareness Week event marched around campus chanting their messages and as several male contributors sported women’s high-heeled shoes in an effort to support the cause. “I think the event can bring the subject that isn’t always easy to talk about to the forefront,” Corey Chichizola, senior, said. “Something that may seem foreign is brought to their attention and illustrates how many people
see WALK on page 2
photo by Stephen Fallon
Students march to promote healthy relationships.
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THE RAMAPO NEWS
Page 2 The Ramapo News
Robert A. Scott Student Center 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430
(201) 684-7842 rcnjnews@ramapo.edu Megan Anderle Editor-in-Chief
Nicole Alliegro Elyse Toribio News Editors
Diana Stanczak Danielle Reed A & E Editors
Andrew Gould Sports Editor
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Walk, Display Impress Strong Messages on Students
Thursday, October 6, 2011
continued from page 1
are affected by intrapersonal violence.” Austin Savill, senior, says that the event was created to break the silence and raise as much awareness and prevention as possible. “Making sure a voice is heard for people who might not have a voice of their own,” he said.
“One in 33 men are victimized in their lifetime, and one in four women are assaulted before their eighteenth birthday.” -Tina, prevention coordinator for the Bergen County Crisis Center
Students like Jill Grimaldi, a senior and publicist for the Women’s Center, agree that the lack of voice behind these issues is often a problem. “People don’t speak out enough,” she said. “Some people take that silence as condoning rape and sexual violence.” Several spectators joined in on the “Walk a
Mile in Her Shoes” march, which began and ended under the Arch and traveled past the Student Center towards Laurel Hall. Seeing men in heels grabbed people’s attention. “Men literally put themselves in women’s shoes,” Jack Nesmith, a sophomore said. “It’s a real role reversal.” Savill agreed that seeing men in high-heeled shoes isn’t something seen regularly. “It was silly,” he said. “You see guys in heels and of course it brings attention.” The Clothesline Project also captured the attention of observers. T-shirts displaying various messages made by sexual and intrapersonal violence survivors were hung from a clothesline under the Arch. Tina, the prevention coordinator for the Bergen County Rape Crisis Center who requested to go by first name only, said for a lot of students and non-students the messages may hit close to home. She was right--- the T-shirts left impressions on students who saw them. “Some T-shirts were hopeful and others were more driven by anger and rage over what they encountered,” Chichizola said. “Some were truly inspiring and others were upsetting.” Rosmery Veras, sophomore, explained how she was personally touched by The Clothesline Project, especially the messages on the T-shirts.
“I feel like they touched my heart,” Veras said. “They put out such a powerful message and raise awareness that this does happen.” Tina spoke about the growth of The Clothesline Project in recent years, noting that with every year the event is held, more shirts are added by violence survivors who are ready to share their experiences. “We are up to 1,800 shirts now,” Tina said. She went on to explain why sexual and interpersonal violence are important issues to bring to the attention of college students. “One in 33 men are victimized in their lifetime,” she said, “and one in four women are assaulted before their eighteenth birthday.” Veras said that sexual violence does happen and can be difficult to discuss, but good can come from speaking out. “I feel like these events show what a strong community Ramapo is and how we are truly united,” Veras said. “It proves how we can come together and raise awareness on an important issue.” alopez3@ramapo.edu
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POLICY
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 e-mailed to rcnjnews@ramapo.edu. The Ramapo News reserves the right to edit viewpoints for content, style and space. Anonymous viewpoints will not be accepted. Paid advertisements are accepted at the sole discretion of The Ramapo News staff and are due no later than the Monday of that weekʼs issue. Rates are available by contacting the editorial staff by phone or e-mail.
photos by Stephen Fallon
As part of Violence Awareness Week, the Womenʼs Center partnered with the Bergen County Rape Crisis Center to host The Clothesline Project, which displayed T-shirts made by sexual and intrapersonal violence survivors under the Arch on Tuesday.
Declaring, Switching Majors May Prove Problematic By JULIE CANDIO S EKEL Staff Writer
Students at Ramapo are encouraged to declare their majors before junior year, but can switch between majors as many times as they want throughout college. For biology students, however, changing majors does not just require simple paperwork. Ramapo College and the Center for Academic Advisement and First-Year Experience (CAAFYE) hosted a Majors Fair on Oct. 4, wherein representatives from the College’s five schools and various offices on campus provided information for the students in attendance. Freshmen were required to attend, and many rotated throughout the room asking questions and signing up for e-mail lists. The reason many first-year students participated in the event was simple. As Emmanuel Ojo, an undeclared freshman, said, “I’m confused. I don’t even know if accounting is the right thing for me.” According to the Office of the Registrar, 162 major and minor changes have been made on
average each month over the last year. Dr. Michelle Johnson, Interim Director of CAAFYE, says the process of switching majors is easy: students meet with the convener of the major they want to apply for, get assigned a faculty advisor, and hand in the necessary forms to the Office of the Registrar. The most popular majors at the College are psychology and business. Switching majors is fairly convenient and will not elongate a student’s stay in college, Johnson explained, although it is more difficult to change majors after reaching junior status. Currently, about 80 Ramapo students have 64 credits or above and are undeclared. “At that late in the game maybe that might delay them a little,” Johnson said. Typically students take general education courses in their first few semesters and can make up credits during winter and summer sessions. However, for those applying for the biology major, which already encompasses 343 students, making the switch may not be so simple. According to Eddie Saiff, dean of Theoretical
and Applied Sciences and a Health and Safety Committee member, explained that students interested in the biology major may not be accepted into the program. This is due to the renovations of the G-wing, which has compromised lab space, limited the times that labs can be open, and left a insufficient number of faculty available to monitor these labs. “We’re operating at bare bones in the labs,” Saiff said. “We can’t have students in a room with chemicals.” Santiago Castro, sophomore, applied to Ramapo as an undeclared student, but contacted the school the summer before his freshman year to inform them he wanted to declare biology as his major. “They told me I'd be able to do so once classes began,” Castro said. “Little did I know this was a complete lie.” Castro said the school told him he could not declare the major due to the limited seating in science classes, which theoretically would not be a problem for him because he has priority
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Thursday, October 6, 2011
THURSDAY’S CHILD
William Butler, instrumentalist for the indie rock band Arcade Fire, turns 28 today.
TODAY IN HISTORY
On this day in 1927, the first prominent talking movie, “The Jazz Singer,” premiered in theaters.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“So, New Jersey, whether you like it or not, youʼre stuck with me.” Chris Christie, on his decision not to run for president in the 2012 election
Limited Seating Causes Major Issues for Biology Students
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registration. “Regardless, I'm currently still considered an undeclared student,” Castro said. “But I plan, and hope, to finally have a legitimized [biology] major and [chemistry] minor by this month.” P.J. Pimpinelli, a student in the 3+3 program, said he had to declare his biology major prior to entering Ramapo. The 3+3 program allows students to spend three years at Ramapo studying biology before completing three years of graduate study at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). Now a first-year graduate student, Pimpinelli said he had to apply to the program at the end of his sophomore year. “I was taking a gamble because I was not guaranteed a seat in the class and could have gone to other schools for their Physician’s Assistant programs as a freshman, already being accepted into their programs,” Pimpinelli said. While at Ramapo, Pimpinelli said he noticed the biology major was in “high demand,” and that a limited number of seats, especially in lab classes, provided a challenge for students. For those in the 3+3 program, limited seating posed an especially significant problem. “When registering for classes it was sometimes difficult, especially earlier on, because classes would fill up and I would have difficulty registering for them, even though it was mandatory to take them in this three-year time period,” Pimpinelli said. When discussing the obstacles for biology majors, Johnson asserted that labs are restricted in the number of students they can serve due to safety. With 40-year-old laboratories, the college cannot currently allow a large number of students to work within them. With an upcoming renovation planned for the G-wing, however where the labs are located, this may become easier. Although the overall process of changing majors is the
photo by Stefanie Mauro
Faculty representatives from every school at the College were present at this yearʼs Majors Fair on Oct. 4, hosted for students by the Center for Academic Advisement and First-Year Experience.
same for all subjects, sometimes factors regarding major changes reside with the students. According to Johnson, specific classes like precalculus are the backbone of upper level courses in biology and need to be mastered before a student may advance. “If you can’t do [precalculus], I can’t place you as a [biology] major,” Johnson said. “I’d be setting you up to fail.” For students like Pimpinelli, less biology majors means less competition when registering for classes. To Johnson, this means students get individual attention and proper safety in labs.
In Johnson’s opinion, these dilemmas appear to be a biology problem, but are actually problems in psychology, law and society, and every other major. Ramapo and CAAFYE continue to seek solutions to these issues with students’ interests in mind. “We are definitely working on making sure everyone who wants to be a biology major can and will be a biology major,” Johnson said.
shows. Users have the capability to share what they are doing on other media content sites such as Spotify and Netflix and it will be displayed through the Ticker. From here, users can click on the update and go directly what another friend is doing. However, the Ticker does not only show external media content. It also serves as a constant flowing news feed, which some users find repetitive. “It’s like watching Facebook in Facebook,” said senior Justin Grasso. “I don’t like the change at all,” said junior Sam Saffer. “It’s too much.” Saffer continued to express discontent regarding her privacy because of the newly added “Places” application as well. “I don’t like when people post a status, it says ‘near Mahwah’ or wherever they are,” Saffer said. “That’s creepy and makes me feel like people can hunt you down.” However, others think the privacy issue is in the user’s hands. “As far as privacy is concerned, I don’t think anything has really changed,” said junior Maureen Scully. “I looked up information about it when I heard people getting scared, and it is basically the same situation as before; if you don’t pay attention to keeping what you want private, then there will be too much [information] getting out. But I have set all my
privacy blocks the way I want them, so I am not concerned.” Senior Rachel Peterson said that she likes the “Places” feature on Facebook, but thinks the new changes make it hard for some users to keep up with. “I feel like Facebook is trying to compete with Google+ and it’s bothering a lot of its routine users because people get uses to how Facebook is, and then they change it.” But users beware, there is still more change to come. Another one of newly announced features, the Timeline, in a general sense, will be an alternate form of user profile that is in chronological order and allows the option for users to determine what they share and how it is organized. Currently, the Timeline dates as far back as possible and is also organized in a timely fashion, with the most current stories receiving the most display and the later ones limited to what are deemed “major” events in the user’s life story. These features will be rolled out gradually to the masses so that developers can upgrading apps to integrate with them for seamless real-time updates and so users can adapt gradually to a very different-looking Facebook. Interestingly enough, all the students interviewed about the recent changes to Facebook agreed on one thing: they will continue to use the site.
jcandios@ramapo.edu
Another Facebook Update Shakes Up the Social Networking Scene By DAN MORRELL Staff Writer
In the wake of the recent changes made to Facebook, and even more plans for future modifications, users are left with mixed feelings. At F8, the annual Facebook developer’s conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a few major changes that will drastically alter the layout and functionality of the site. These changes include a new homepage design, Open Graph, which allows users to share an activity that goes directly into a new limited news feed feature called the Ticker, and Timeline, which seeks to transform profiles into the “story of your life.” The new homepage layout will be the first change that users will notice. Users will now be required to press a button to update a status rather than the constantly displayed text box that has been at the top of the news feed. However, this change allows more space to be dedicated to Top and Recent Stories. Users will also notice that there is a secondary news feed in the upper right corner of the homepage; this is the Ticker. It functions as a “lightweight news feed,” said Zuckerberg during F8. It works with Open Graph to help users discover new media content such as news, music, movies, and TV
dmorrell@ramapo
Bergen Goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Page 4 The Ramapo News
By JULIE CANDIO S EKEL Staff Writer
Ramapo College and its surrounding communities will support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by raising funds and increasing knowledge through events planned for October. The college will “paint the campus pink” by holding activities sponsored by the Women’s Center, Greek organizations, sports teams, community service groups, and philanthropy clubs. Bergen County businesses will also contribute with fundraisers specific to their industries. Ashley Beaton, president of Colleges Against Cancer, said she believes Ramapo students in particular are interested in involvement related to causes like breast cancer awareness. “Ramapo students, as a whole, are the type of people who want to change the world and make some kind of difference,” Beaton, a junior, said. “Participating in cancer-related events is one way for us to do that, right here on campus.” Beaton’s organization will host its third annual Pink Tie Formal next Friday, which is “a dance geared toward raising awareness about breast cancer and raising funds for the American Cancer Society.” Beaton anticipates a good turnout and is anxious to familiarize the community with the issue. Senior Maggie Scarpelli, chairperson for the Home Run Derby, is eager for students to attend her organization’s event on Sunday. Co-sponsored by Theta Phi Alpha and the baseball team, the second annual Derby will raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for a Cure. The event is “very competitive,” according to Scarpelli, who is enthusiastic to “get the whole campus involved.” Scarpelli describes the Derby as a “mini festival,” with a homerun competition, hot dog-eating contest, dizzy bat race, hula-hoop contest, professional face painter, DJ, food and
Thursday, October 6, 2011
pink feather hair extensions for sale. “Everyone has something they can enjoy at the Derby this year,” Scarpelli said. “Last year we raised a lot of money for this great cause, so we are hoping to surpass that this year.” The Women’s Center is also supporting the Home Run Derby and Pink Tie Formal as parts of its campaign throughout the month in honor of breast cancer. Additionally, as Ashley Cummins, program coordinator, confirmed, the center has organized a bra collection table at Octoberfest and a film screening with a speaker from the American Cancer Society. The Women’s Center is also endorsing Theta Phi Alpha’s cut-a-thon, Omega Phi Chi’s annual banquet and Couture for the Cure fashion show, and a treatment and accessibility program being hosted by Beta Kappa Sigma and Lambda Theta Alpha. Students like Danielle DeLucia, senior, appreciate the campus’ participation in raising awareness for breast cancer. A breast cancer survivor herself, DeLucia advocates for early detection and participates in many events throughout the year, including the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk. She will be featured on the cover of the NFL catalogue this month as part of the league’s breast cancer awareness campaign. “It was a lot to go through,” DeLucia said of her battle with breast cancer. “But that definitely changed my life and made me much more aware of my body and that it can happen to anyone.” DeLucia looks forward to captaining a team at Making Strides Against Breast Cancer with her sorority on Oct. 16. Sigma Delta Tau and Alpha Phi Omega will also be participating in the Bergen County walk. Other opportunities are available throughout the Bergen County area for those interested in the cause. The Shops at Riverside in Hackensack are “painting the mall pink” with
“a combination of educational displays, health fairs, special events, retailer offerings and a variety of other pink elements,” according to their website. Panera Bread is bringing back the Pink Ribbon Bagel in eight Bergen County stores, the Fair Lawn Patch reported. Panera will donate 10 cents to the Cancer Institute of New Jersey for each bagel sold. Students can also satisfy their sweet tooth with the purchase of a Pink Velvet Cake From Carousel Cakes in Ridgewood this month. Two dollars per cake will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. If students are not available for Theta Phi Alpha’s cut-athon event, they can visit Straight A Head Salon in Ramsey, where pink hair extensions are being offered for $10 each. Proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society. To Beaton, it is important funds are donated for research, but also that people realize they can make a difference by sharing knowledge with others. “Raising awareness is the first step toward finding a cure,” Beaton said. For DeLucia, the search for a cure cannot be confined to one month. While she feels “the extra emphasis that the media and others place on these specific cancers really jump start and heighten the awareness at least for one month,” DeLucia said she thinks people should be conscious that organizations for specific causes exist year-round. When people actively participate in cancer awareness for more than one month a year, according to DeLucia, a cure will be found. “I am proud to be part of this cause,” DeLucia said. “And I dream about the day when there is a world with no cancer. I will see it in my lifetime. I promise!”
Veteran NYT Journalists Recount Vivid Sept. 11 Stories By ELYS E TORIBIO News Editor
With all of the politics and warfare that surrounded the days, months, years following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, it’s easy to forget how much of the day wasn’t about the sudden threat of suicidal extremists and foreign enemies. It was about the selfless acts of kindness by average Americans and the lives they touched after an unimaginable tragedy. It was, according to Thomas Lueck, associate professor of journalism and coordinator of “The Real Ground Zero” panel on Sept. 30, “what happened on a glorious late summer morning at a very specific place in Lower Manhattan 10 years and 19 days ago, on the ground and in the towers.” The panel included “New York Times” reporters Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn, co-authors of the best-selling book “102 Minutes,” which details a minute-by-minute account of what happened at the World Trade Center between the time the first plane struck the North Tower, and when that same tower fell less than two hours later. Together with Thomas Franklin, a photojournalism professor and videographer for NorthJersey.com, who shot the famous “Raising the Flag at Ground Zero,” the panelists shared their memories of Sept. 11 and the role they played in making sure that no one would ever forget the heroes of that fateful day. For Franklin, those who risked their lives to document what happened on on Sept. 11, those “Witnesses to History” as he refers to them in his documentary, are heroes. The documentary features Franklin, other professional photographers who were down at Ground Zero, and civilians who just happened to take a picture at the right moment. “There was so much great work done that day by photographers,” Franklin said, as he explained his reasoning for putting together such a documentary. “That was the story of our lifetime. That was imminently clear the entire day.” Covering a story that personally affected the lives of countless people was no simple task for journalists and photographers. Even when time had passed and they were interview-
photo by John Church
Jim Dwyer (above) and Kevin Flynn, journalists from “The New Times,” discussed how they reported and wrote “102 Minutes.”
ing victims’ families for their book, Flynn and Dwyer had some difficulties keeping their emotions at bay. Flynn found that for the most part, he was able to com-
jcandios@ramapo.edu
pose himself during interviews with survivors and family members — it was their moments for release, for catharsis, not his. Still, though, even people that told their story to journalists multiple times got choked up occasionally. “You realize that there would be moments when they were telling the story, like when the towers collapsed, that they would, even in the tenth telling, they would begin to tear up, or they would have to stop and pause,” Flynn said. “You realize that the power of the event to them, no matter how many times they’ve told the story, still had an emotional grip on them.” To put it simply, Jim Dwyer explained, the duty of journalists to report on such sensitive stories is similar to that of a doctor. “For us to do what we do, we have to maintain emotional distance,” Dwyer said. “It ain’t always easy. I would find myself having a difficult time hours afterward.” Though he managed to keep it together during interviews, Dwyer shared a particularly tender moment he had on Sept. 12. In a phone interview with an Irish radio station, he learned that the Irish president had been on air just before him, pledging the nation’s solidarity with the U.S. “I fell apart,” Dwyer said. Franklin encountered a different reaction from Americans as he traveled the country, something he took personally. “9/11 was very personal for the East Coast,” Franklin said. “Everyone knew someone who died, or knew someone who knew someone who died. People in the Midwest didn’t seem to care as much.” For a tragedy that touched the lives of these journalists so closely, telling the stories of survivors, victims, and their families wasn’t even a question. “[9/11] was a great chapter in the history of human life,” Dwyer said. “What happened [at the towers] is a response to war that people made with acts of kindness.” etoribio@ramapo.edu
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Kennedy Jr. Urges Students to Support Disability Advocacy continued from page 1
he said. Kennedy Jr. explained that his aunt Rosemary Kennedy was intellectually disabled and that this prompted his family to get involved in the movement. Another one of his aunts, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founded the Special Olympics, which Kennedy Jr. described as “not just an athletic organization, but a social and political organization” in a time when ignorance about disability was widespread. “[Kennedy Shriver] was told it was dangerous for the disabled to do exercises,” he said. “They said kids with Down syndrome would sink to the bottom of the pool.” Kennedy Jr. himself lost his leg due to cancer at age 12. He explained that he had internalized societal prejudices about disability despite his upbringing, and after his amputation he felt shame about his personal appearance as well as a sense of social isolation. “I couldn’t imagine living life with a disability — even though I had been brought up in this family that had been inculcated and imbued with these ideas [about disability],” he said. This experience led him to dedicate his life to spreading awareness and fighting for the disabled. In college and law school, he became involved in disability law and advocacy and has been active in the movement ever since. He founded the Marwood Group, a financial services firm, and is on the board of directors of the American Association of People with Disabilities. Kennedy Jr. commented that through his work in the field, he was aware of Ramapo’s commitment to accessibility before he was invited to speak on campus. “Ramapo College is one of the leaders nationwide,” he continued, but he also added that there are also areas in which Ramapo can improve. Kennedy Jr. began his presentation with a discussion of the history of the movement for the rights of the disabled. He explained that since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 (ADA), the movement has had successes and failures. One area he considered a “tremendous success” has been removing physical barriers and moving towards universal access with ubiquitous architectural accommodations such as ramps and accessible bathrooms, which were not present before the passing of the ADA. “I think we’ve failed in really all of the other barriers facing people, such as in employment,” he said. “People with disabilities should have the same rights and opportunities as everybody else,” he continued, and explained that this entails more than just removing physical barriers, but also establishing equal opportunities and removing societal barriers. For years, he explained, having a disability was seen as tragic and pitiable and a culture developed of excluding the disabled from general society. Stereotypes were perpetuated of helpless handicapped people who needed to be secluded and assisted. “We need to alter, in my opinion, the charity-based approach and replace it with a rightsbased approach,” he said.
The nature of disability, he explained, is too often evaluated from a medical perspective rather than a social perspective. In the past, the focus has been on what people are able to do unassisted, but Kennedy Jr. said he feels that the focus should be on what people with “characteristics beyond their control” can achieve when they do receive assistance. He observed that Ramapo has adopted this social model rather than a “medicalized” one. “It’s not a person’s physical or mental condition that creates the handicap, it’s society,” he said. “Most people with disabilities do not want to be pitied, they do not want charity, they want equal opportunity and equal rights.” Kennedy Jr. sat down with “The Ramapo News” for an exclusive interview. He mentioned that he was glad that the bipartisan effort to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act happened when it did, because he does not believe lawmakers could reach across the aisle to pass such legislation today. During the reception after his speech, he mentioned that this divisiveness in Congress today is one of the reasons he has not followed other members of his family into public office, along with other considerations such as his children. “Democrat, Republican — neither party has a monopoly on good ideas,” he said. Today, however, “even if a person had a good idea like that, neither team wants the opponent to score any points,” he said. Kennedy Jr. took questions from the audience after his lecture, and he was very interested in speaking to students after the event, particularly students interested in disability law or becoming special education teachers. He commented that disability law is “very exciting” because it is very current and constantly changing. Kennedy Jr. also maintained that becoming a lawyer or special education teacher is not the only way students can make an impact in the movement. He said that he learned from his father and brother in Congress that after only five letters from constituents about a particular subject, that issue is “suddenly on the radar screen.” “As college students…ask candidates what they are going to do to expand opportunities for people with disabilities,” he said. He also encouraged positive reinforcement for public officials, saying that if they are recognized for promoting disability rights, they will continue to do so. Kennedy Jr. said that people with disabilities can also very effectively advocate for themselves. “I obviously come from a family that believes people can make a big difference,” he said. After the presentation, Kennedy Jr. added that advances in disability rights do not just come from the federal level. The individual states, institutions like Ramapo College, “and even local communities and campuses are laboratories” for change, he said. When asked how Ramapo could improve its commitment to the disabled, Kennedy Jr. mentioned that increased opportunities and recruitment of students with disabilities could improve Ramapo’s already strong performance. “I think they’re doing a good job right now,” he said. kmcguinn@ramapo.edu
!Attention Student Leaders!
Apply now to be considered for inclusion in the 2011-2012 edition of
Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges Application Deadline: Monday, October 17th 2011 at 4:00 PM Eligibility Requirements:
1. A minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 as of the date of application. 2. Junior or senior class standing (at least 64 earned hours) as of August 2011. 3. Must be an undergraduate student working on your first degree at Ramapo. 4. Active participation in the programs, services or activities of the College. 5. Demonstration of leadership experience/contributions (e.g., participation on executive boards of organizations, coordination of a conference, organization of a new club, manager or captain of a team, etc.)
Applications and instructions can be downloaded from the Student Affairs website by going to the following address: http://ww2.ramapo.edu/administration/provostoffice/studentaffairs.aspx : Under important documents Please return all applications to Rachel Marko, Student Affairs Office, room C-212 by the October 17th deadline.
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VIEW POINTS
Thursday, October 6, 2011
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.
Coyotes on Campus: Who Knew?
By JULIE CANDIO SEKEL Staff Writer “Did you hear about the coyotes?” I heard this question on Monday morning, but had yet to hear about the coyotes I assumed were roaming the backwoods of the campus. I had not seen the signs on my trek from my Village apartment to A-wing. While it is the closest building on campus to my apartment, I know the walk would have seemed much further had I been notified of the wolf-like creatures possibly lurking feet away. I sent a text message to my roommate, who was also in class and had not heard the news or seen the signs. So Ramapo College: Where was our Alert Me Now notification? The funny thing about just hanging signs on the academic building doors is that the people who see them face no imminent danger. Students who are in the academic buildings are not in the Village, the location of the sighting. While it is great to ensure students leaving class are vigilant, it would be even better to guarantee safety for residents actually living in the Village. In the summer of 2010, two coyote attacks were reported within days of one another in Rye, NY, a mere 45 minutes from our Ramapo campus. While the victims of the attacks were young children, I certainly began to be more aware of my surroundings while I lived on campus that
summer. It is no surprise to students that the college is home to a variety of wildlife, but there is a difference between seeing a chipmunk and a coyote. Ramapo sends Alert Me Now notifications through email, text messages, and phone calls in the case of threatening weather and emergencies regarding safety. Is a sighting of three to four coyotes not a matter of safety? While the posted flyer reports that the animals were not acting in a menacing way, is it not common courtesy to properly notify students who are in a close proximity to them? I am glad signs were posted on the doors of the academic buildings in regard to the coyote sighting, but I demand better from Ramapo for the safety of its students. Advising a Community Assistant (CA) in the Village to notify students through an e-mail would take minutes. My inbox is swamped with messages from CAs about Monday Night Football, but how about sending a message warning that coyotes are just behind our living area? Ramapo has taken such precautionary measures to ensure safety with new guest and alcohol policies. It would truly be a shame for a student to fall victim to violence unrelated to these policies that could be avoided with a simple e-mail to the residents. jcandios@ramapo.edu
To the Editor:
In “Ramapo Students: Get Interested, Informed, Involved”, Jake Hyman says that students need to get more involved in politics. However, he does not express any methods of doing so. If he would like to do a follow up, reminding people that there are clubs on campus for political activism, either myself or Justin Musella (heads of the College Republicans) would be glad to sit down with him and give him information. Chris Gabbett V.P. of the College Republicans
Dear Editor: In response to the article, “WRPR Suffering from Renovations, Lack of Student Awareness” by Alexis Lopez; efforts are in effect to provide a more successful advertising campaign for WRPR. As for the delays, this unfortunately is out of the students’ control, and only time will fix this set back. I have been a DJ at WRPR for the last hree semesters. The past two seasons of my show, “Morgan’s Ramapo Ramble,” have been focused on promoting and marketing “The Ramapo News.” When I read this article, it struck a chord. I’ve advertised and marketed my radio show heavily, by surveying the student body to find the best time for my show. I have flyers posted around campus. I have a Facebook group that I update regularly with my show as well. I’ve taken extreme measures to promote my show and WRPR. I do agree with the article; there needs to be a better advertising campaign for WRPR, so in an effort to change this I have volunteered to be promotional publicist on E-Board.
The renovations have been extremely inconvenient, and DJs as well as our listeners have been severely impacted. I am very bothered by the priority list the college seems to have. There were rumors that the student center bathroom would be revamped this summer and ready in time for the fall. I question why that renovation was a priority to begin with when there was nothing vital to change. The fact that students are unable to participate in their organization’s activities due to construction is unacceptable. Broadcasting production has been set back several weeks. Whatever renovation projects that needed to be done should not interfere with the student’s opportunities to become more involved on campus. Considering Ramapo College has had such complicated issues attempting to get students more involved on campus, this particular set back is absurd. If in fact these renovations were necessary, the college should do whatever they can to make sure the project is complete before the semester starts. Sincerely, Morgan Weinstein
What’s Your Number?
Autumn Loving Megan Anderle reviews some of the best pumpkin brews fall has to offer. Page 9
Christina Ferrante reviews the latest romantic comedy starring Anna Faris. Page 10
‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold’ Brought to Life 10. 6. 11
El Repertorio Español Acts Out Nobel Prize-Winning Novel
By ADRIANA CAPPELLI Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Sept. 28, community members and students came together to welcome the well-known Spanish Theater El Repertorio Español to the Berrie Center’s Sharp Theater to perform one of the most famous novels in Spanish literature, “Cronica De Una Muerte Anunciada, or “Chronicle of a Death Foretold.” It was published in 1981 by Nobel Prize Winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The current production is being directed by Jorge Ali Triana. “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” takes place in a small town in northern Colombia. After a wildly festive marriage, a groom rejects his bride on their wedding night when he finds out that she is not a virgin. Humiliated and beaten by her mother, Angela Vicario, the bride, blames a man named Santiago Nasar. Angela’s twin brothers, Pedro and Pablo, swear to avenge their sister’s honor and dignity by conceiving a brutal plan to kill her “lover” with pig-slaughtering knives. Everyone in the town knows Santiago Nasar’s fate, yet no one stops it. Garcia Marquez begins the novel with the deceptively simple line: “On the day they were going to kill him, Santiago Nasar got up at 5:30 in the morning to wait for the boat the bishop was coming on.” From that sentence until the end, Santiago’s death at the hands of Pedro and Pablo Vicario is guaranteed. When the attack begins there are many witnesses, yet no one intervenes. Santiago’s cries echo as the Vicario brothers stabbed him. After the final stabs, Santiago rises, enters his mother’s house, and falls.
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
Steve Jobs died yesterday at age 56.
photo by Stefanie Mauro
On Sept. 28, the Spanish Theater El Repertorio Espanol performed “Chronicle of a Death Foretold,” a play based on Gabriel Garcia Marquezʼs Nobel Prize winning novel, “Cronice De Una Muerte Anuncada.”
In the end, the question of whether Santiago Nasar actually deserved his fate remains unanswered, leaving one with a strange sense of inevitability and passions gone terribly wrong. “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” is a difficult piece to stage because multiple set pieces are constantly reused and moving,
but everything came together wonderfully: the lights, costumes, set and mostly the actors. The costumes were beautifully designed and the set was decorated in the fashion of a typical Spanish town. During the entire show the lights were dimmed, an effect utilized to create the tense mood in the play. The play is very rich and musical.
The Spanish actors made the set vibrate throughout the entire show with all the Latin rhythms and dances. The actors were able to keep the audience’s attention between the musical scenes and definitively through the play’s drama. acappel2@ramapo.edu
Remembering the Face of Apple
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., died yesterday at the age of 56. Jobs had been serving as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the iconic company since his resignation as CEO on Aug. 24 due to health concerns that stemmed back to a leave of absence this past January. Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook said that a celebration of Jobs’ “extraordinary life” is planned for all Apple Inc. employees. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories or condolences, email rememberingsteve@apple.com.
Celebrity Twitter Tributes
@apl usk (Ashton Kutcher): “I never thought I could be so busted up about the loss of someone I never met. #stevejobs” @RyanS eacrest (Ryan S eacrest): “‘Have the courage to follow ur heart & intuition. They already know what u truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.’ – Steve Jobs”
@HowardS tern (Howard S tern): “Steve Jobs was a true original. So Sad. A tremendous loss.”
@Ji mmyFal l on (Ji mmy Fal l on): “Thank you, Steve Jobs, for all of the fun and amazing ways you made our lives better….Sent from my iPhone.”
Comedian Shows Ramapo Students That ‘Sex Rules!’
Page 9 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Maria Falzone Uses Humor to Teach Audience About Safe Sex
By JULIANNE BRANDA Staff Writer
On Friday night, Maria Falzone kicked off Ramapo’s OctoberFest weekend long event with her comedy show Sex Rules! Usually scheduled during Welcome Week, but moved due to Hurricane Irene, 2011 marked her seventh consecutive performance at the college. Sex Rules! is not the typical raunchy com-
Sex Rules! is not the typical raunchy comedy act, although it had no shortage of dirty jokes.
edy act, although it had no shortage of dirty jokes. The point of the self proclaimed “sexpert’s” show is to impart “sex rules” to her audience, but also to assure them that sex does “rule!” Falzone uses comedy to teach young people about safe (and fun) sex. The show begins with Falzone pointing out that parents are often afraid to talk to their kids about sex, which is sometimes a starting point for ignorance and fear of physical expression. Falzone believes that by starting to teach young children about their bodies they are being taught to respect themselves and to know themselves. Falzone pointed out that these rules are especially important on college campuses, where sexu-
photo by Ian Mauro
Maria Falzone entertained students while informing them about safe sex in her program Sex Rules!
al assault is unfortunately common and where it is especially important to practice safe sex. Throughout the show, Falzone dished out some helpful and fun safe sex tips. However, with her edgy and candid style, Falzone presents a more compelling and convincing case for safe sex than most high school sex-ed
teachers. To demonstrate myths like “it doesn’t fit,” Falzone took a volunteer from the audience, blew up a condom and fit it on his arm, while another volunteer put a condom over her head. Falzone not only imparted small advice for making one’s sex life safer and more interesting, she also used her own personal experi-
exploded over the years. Pair them with comfort food, like chili and fried chicken or bar food, like buffalo wings and mozzarella sticks. Here‚ Äôs our take on a few of the known (or lesser known) pumpkin ales out there: Ri ver Horse Pumpki n Al e River Horse Brewing Co., in Lambertville, N.Y. Taste: Subtle spices, not overpowering. Balanced, overall. Pretty heavy, filling beer. This is the ale‚ Äôs biggest drawback. Nice amber color. Aftertaste: Very little, if any. Rating:
brewery. Aftertaste: Surprisingly, despite its sweeter taste, this ale is not offensive. Rating:
ence to educate the audience. As someone who suffers from herpes, she knows the consequences of unprotected sex firsthand. This makes her advice even more valuable, as she is unafraid to share private aspects of her life in order to enlighten others. Falzone thanked students for attending the show and urged them to visit her website (sexrules.org) for sex tips. “It’s an awesome show, especially how Falzone teaches us how to make sex better,” senior Laura Arias said. Following the show, Falzone answered questions students had and to just talk oneon-one. Like every year, Falzone made a positive impact on students. She was praised for her honestly and hilarity, which sets her act apart from the standard sexual education. “I’ve seen Sex Rules every year since I was a freshman, and I love it every time,” senior Katie Branagan said. “It’s good that nothing is taboo, because people are often ashamed of sex and don’t want to talk about it. She made a great point that we need to start talking to kids earlier.” If you are bummed you missed out on Sex Rules! this year, Falzone will more than likely be returning for the Spring and next year’s Welcome Week, as per tradition.
Celebrate the Fall Season With These Pumpkin Ales
By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief
As breezy autumn gusts lure vibrant leaves off tree branches to crunch under our feet, cravings for pumpkin, apple and spice everything will start to set in, as people trade sweet summer corn for flavors that evoke feelings of warmth and coziness. Fall gives home cooks across the globe a chance to integrate rich flavor into their dishes, arguably making fall, over winter, ‚Äúthe most wonderful time of the year‚Äù for those who choose to experiment. To meet this demand, breweries and microbreweries have celebrated the classic gourd with originally concocted pumpkin ales, satisfying the taste buds of beer lovers and football viewers alike. According to ‚ÄúSaveur Magazine,‚Äù legend has it that Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were brewing pumpkin ales‚Äîusing diced pumpkin, beer, liquor, and a combination of cream, eggs and sugar‚Äîback when America had colonies rather than states. Pumpkin can make, mask and enhance certain flavors, all at the same time, which makes pumpkin ales milder and less filling than regular ales. Despite that some pumpkin ale recipes don‚ Äôt call for actual pumpkin, just the spices, most breweries use chopped pumpkin to give the ale a natural flavor. The final product is a beer that is slightly more orange, and if you get a good one, subtle in flavor rather than overpowering. Breweries have experimented with everything from raspberry to chocolate beer, so it comes as no surprise that pumpkin ales have
jbranda1@ramapo.edu
Imperi al Pumpki n Al e Weyerbacher Brewing Co., Pennsylvania Taste: Over spiced. Too heavy and concentrated. Tastes like pumpkin pie gone wrong; too sweet and nutmeg-y rather than have subtle, complementary flavors. Would not recommend. Aftertaste: Strong, unpleasant aftertaste. Rating:
S mal l Patch Pumpki n Harvest Al e Tommyknocker Brewery, in Colorado Taste: Great balance of nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of clove. Easy going down; medium-bodied. This does not taste sweet or like pumpkin pie; the spices complement the beer perfectly. Dark amber color. Slight carbonation. Aftertaste: Subtle, pleasing aftertaste. Rating: Vermo nt’ s Own Wo l av er’ s Pumpki n Al e Wolaver’s Fine Organic Ales, Vermont Taste: Tastes more like pumpkin pie than pumpkin spice, so it’s a bit sweeter than other pumpkin ales. Slightly heavy ale. It’s organic, made in a very small
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
photo courtesy of Fllickr Creative Commons
Imperial Pumpkin Ale has 8 percent ABV.
This brew contains 5 percent ABV, with hints of earthly pumpkin, maple syrup and nutmeg. Tommyknocker, the producer, makes it with subtle flavors. manderle@ramapo.edu
Trailer Misrepresents Movie 5 $0$3 2 5(9, (: True Story About Cancer Inspires Tearjerker ‘50/50’ Page 10 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 6, 2011
By ELIZABETH ODERMATT Staff Writer
By MAUREEN S CULLY Staff Writer
Based on the true story of Seth Rogen’s friend and executive producer Will Reiser, “50/50” tells the tale of 27-year-old Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who struggles to cope with learning he has cancer. Anjelica Huston is typical as Adam’s overbearing and at times hysterical mother while Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard), Adam’s girlfriend, is the kind of character you love to hate. What makes that unfortunate is that from the moment she is on screen, you know how it is going to end. The film requires no patience for you to realize this and it takes some of the fun out of it. The endless previews of him trying to sleep with women do not help either.
The film’s indie-feel sucks you into Adam’s life and that is all thanks to Seattle’s cityscape...
Anna Kendrick’s naive portrayal of Katherine, a soon to be doctor working on her dissertation, while trying to help Adam through chemo, offers a nice foil to snarky and bitter Adam; two young people being thrown into situations they find themselves unprepared for. It would have been a real treat to see them interact more because they share the best on-screen chemistry. The supporting cast does exactly what they were asked to do—depict unveiled, depthless portrayals of people handling cancer—and nothing more. Seth Rogen plays, well, Seth
Often, psychological thrillers get mixed up in the horror movie genre; this is the case with Morgan Creek’s new film “Dream House.” The previews present the movie in a manner that make it seem more like a horror Rogan. Insert any character from any of his movie than a thriller. However, viewers of the previous films and you know what to film will find an entirely different experience. expect. The supporters that really shine are Mitch (Matt Frewer) and Alan (Philip Baker Hall), two fellow cancer patients that guide and support Adam through chemo with wit and wisdom. The film’s indie-feel sucks you into Adam’s life and that is all thanks to Seattle’s cityscape and a soundtrack to rival that of the movie “Juno.” Pearl Jam and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes mixed with the Emerald City’s dreary skyline gives you the ambiance this film needs: sad, but not too sad. What truly keeps “50/50” afloat is GordonLevitt. His honest and at times raw, vulnerable portrayal of Adam is engaging from the moment you see him waiting at a Do Not photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons Cross sign (when there is no traffic in sight) Daniel Craig plays novelist Will to his final moment on screen. This film Atenton in this new psychological rests on his inevitably frail and slumped thriller. shoulders with a performance that will subdue any naysayers who claim a lack of “Dream House” fits perfectly into the psychological thriller genre with its twisting longevity in his career. If you are looking for 99 minutes of laugh- story. Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) moves ter, search elsewhere. “50/50” has well from the big city to the small suburbs with thought-out comedic relief, but you may his wife and two children so he can focus on miss some of the jokes because of all the his novel. However, Will soon learns that his tears in your eyes. new home was the crime scene of a terrible murder that occurred five years ago. When his children begin to see a man lurking around their home, he believes he is the murderer and decides to investigate exactly what happened at his new home. As Will investigates the tragedy further, he mscully@ramapo.edu uncovers a truth that he is nowhere near prepared to accept. This truth, however, comes
RATING:
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rather early in the film and leaves the viewer confused as to how the film will continue. It may be enough to some viewers to completely kill the film for them. However, to those who make it to the end a not-so-shocking secret is revealed and it makes the film more depressing than anything. Moreover, the remainder of the film is rather confusing and viewers may be unsure as to what is actually happening. Still, the director deserves credit for trying something new. He is clearly trying to take a new spin on an old idea, which is always good to see in Hollywood. However, the director probably should have gone back to the drawing board with this idea. Another large problem of the film is that much of the plot seemed to be revealed during the previews, making the plot twists not as shocking. “It’s not what I had expected going into it but that being said it was still a good movie,” junior Emma Ruddick-Ferrat said. “I just wish the trailers had been more truthful to the actual genre and maybe revealed a little less.” It is hard to say whether or not “Dream House” is a good or bad film, as many viewers will have different opinions on it. Some will appreciate its creativity while others will be turned away by the recycled story parts and odd ending. For those looking for a good scare from a new film, they should stay away from this house.
RATING:
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Romantic Comedy Seems Promising, Lacks Laughs
By CHRIS TINA FERRANTE Staff Writer
“What’s Your Number?,” based on Karyn Bosnak’s frothy book, “20 Times a Lady,” is a romantic comedy, starring Anna Faris (“The House Bunny,” “Scary Movie”) and was supposed to be one of those films that rivaled the summer blockbuster “Bridesmaids,” but unfortunately fell short. Very short. The film was made somewhat bearable by Faris, the cheesy and silly plot only leaves you wondering what it would be like to see her in a really, really funny film that was really smart. Set in Boston, Faris plays the character of Ally, a young, single woman who is desperate to find a man worthy of marriage. Down on her luck after being fired from her job in marketing, Ally reads in “Marie Claire” magazine that the number of men she has slept with – 20 – is about twice the national average, and to make matters worse, that the higher a woman’s number is, the less likely she is to get married. And if
unemployment and too many sexual encounters weren’t enough, her younger sister is getting ready to tie the knot.
Ally, keen on not wanting to increase that number and desperate to lower her staggering odds, decides she will look up all her past loves to see if she can find her future soul mate among them.
The film was made somewhat bearable by Faris, the cheesy and silly plot only leaves you wondering what it would be like to see her in a really, really funny film that was really smart.
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons Anna Faris stars as Ally in the new romantic comedy “Whatʼs Your Number?”
You really do feel like they’re checking off a list, working hard to get through all the exes. With 20, there are a lot of them and some encounters are surprisingly funny, including the once-fat, now-slim ex (Chris Pratt), the doctor (Thomas Lennon), the former boss (Joel McHale), the magician (Mike Vogel), the puppeteer (Andy Samberg) and the cliché perfect one, both handsome and available, played by Dave Annable. Thankfully, we’re only required to catch up with roughly nine of them.
But could she be secretly in love with the annoying yet sexy guy who lives across the hall (Chris Evans) who’s also had a revolving door of one-night stands? He and Ally meet the midst of mutual avoidance of their latest bedfellows. They soon develop an arrangement of sorts — he helps track down her exes and she lends him her apartment to hide out in from all his sketchy morningafters. The film, directed by Mark Mylod, co-producer of HBO’s “Entourage,” yields some laughs but if it wasn’t for Faris, “What’s Your Number?” would fall flat.
RATING:
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cferrant@ramapo.edu
Food-tasting Promotes Cultural Stereotype Awareness
Page 11 The Ramapo News
By S AMANTHA MUCHA Staff Writer
Have you ever thought about food as a stereotype? On Sept. 28 at 10 p.m., Eliminating Racism and Sexism Everywhere (E.R.A.S.E) held a food tasting in J. Lees called Food for Thought. There were foods from various cultures. Arroz con gandules, which is rice and beans, comes from Puerto Rico. Asian kimba roll was also served,
photo by Stefanie Mauro
Food for Thought, a food-tasting program sponsored by E.R.A.S.E., strived to promote awareness about cultural sterotypes.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
which resembled sushi, but was made with sausage. Musaca, which originates from Greece, was served, and is made like lasagna but consists of potatoes, eggplant, sauce and
When E.R.A.S.E. raised the question of why people are afraid to try new foods, the answer was almost unanimous that everyone was too scared.
cheese. The popular Mexican dish flan was served for dessert. E.R.A.S.E chooses a theme every month to focus on and discuss. This month they looked into food from various cultures. E.R.A.S.E made conveyed the message that people associate culture with food. In a group exercise that E.R.A.S.E did, each member put his or her favorite food in a hat and tried to guess whose was whose. It was then very clear that people are stereotyped by what they eat. By realizing this, members of E.R.A.S.E decided to spread awareness of this and try to get students to try new foods. “I haven’t tried many things before,” Freshman Deon Lappin said, “but they were all good.” Lappin wasn’t the only one that liked everything, many people in the group agreed
photo by Stefanie Mauro
Students learned about foods from differnt cultures, as well as the stereotypes that come with them.
that trying new foods was a positive experience. E.R.A.S.E made a positive impression on most of those who attended the food tasting. “I’ve never heard of it [the club] before and I like it. I might actually join!” freshman Amy Heater said. It was also agreed upon that people were
scared because of how they were raised. Next time the opportunity to try new foods appears; go for it, you might be surprised.
smucha@ramapo.edu
Page 12 The Ramapo News
LIFE & CULTURE
Thursday, October 6, 2011
FiveFingers Shoes: Helpful or Harmful to Your Feet?
BY KATIE CURL Staff Writer
Next time a jogger passes you on the sidewalk, take a look at their shoes: are they wearing traditional running sneakers, or shoes that look a lot like toe socks? FiveFinger shoes, a concept originally marketed by a company called Vibram, are running shoes designed to mimic the foot’s natural shape. While the shoes may look strange to many people, they are actually groundbreaking in the running world and claim to improve posture and foot strength. But do FiveFinger shoes actually prevent wear and tear on the body? Recent studies by the American Council on Exercise tested 16 healthy joggers ages 19 to 25 and discovered new facts about the controversial footwear. After researchers analyzed the form and patterns of their feet while wearing the shoe while running, the results were split down the middle between positive and negative. The study showed that half the women who changed their shoe to the Vibram FiveFingers failed to adjust their form and pattern, which in turn causes more harm than good to the body.
Knees are found to bend less while using the shoe; therefore, it will increase complications while running.
When wearing a traditional running shoe, landing on your heels is standard. Vibram FiveFingers claims the customer needs to ample time to adjust to the shoe before running how they routinely do. The pattern one’s foot should take is by landing on the ball of your foot when wearing a pair of
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
FiveFinger shoes are promoted as beneficial to runnersʼ posture and strength, but studies have proven that these shoes can cause knee injuries as well.
FiveFingers. Continuing to land on your heel, as if wearing a traditional running shoe, is unsafe while wearing this type of footwear. Studies also found that knee injuries are associated with FiveFinger shoes. Knees are found to bend less while using the shoe; therefore, it will increase complications while running. Runners using typical running shoes should monitor their running too; another study proved that running shoes can cause excessive pronation, or side-to-side movement of the foot, potentially causing injury. Junior Chelsea Teixeira, an avid runner, doesn’t buy into
Magenta’s Meals
BY LAUREN MAGENTA Staff Writer
Cooking a potato may seem simple, mainly because it is! If you want to take the potato one step further here is how you make it a complete meal. Meat and potatoes is a common phrase and an extremely simple dinner. To cook the potato set your oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the potato with cold water, dry and poke 6-10 deep holes with a fork. Place it on the lowest rack and set the timer for one hour. You want to bake until the skin is crisp and the potato feels soft. Often accused for being fattening, the potato is actually a great side for a dinner, both filling and full of nutrients. A potato itself has approximately less than one gram of fat. Now pair the potato with a bowl of soup or a serving of meat or salad and you will be more than satisfied. The few steps took to make the baked potato gives you enough time to write a paper, shower after the gym, or sit on Facebook and waste a sufficient amount of time. You have 45 minutes to waste until you have to cook the meat. Meat ingredients Oil Salt and pepper Thinly sliced steaks “club steaks” 1 round onion
the FiveFingers hype. “I have always used a traditional running shoe and don’t plan on changing that. There is no need to run differently at this time in my life right now,” she said. While the benefits of the shoe are controversial, many people are willing to spend $80 or more on a pair of FiveFingers.
Horoscopes
Aries (March 21-April 19) Miracles of all shapes and sizes happen every day. This weekend you may experience some sweet relief from the grind.
A true new chapter is starting in your life. You may come to love this energy before long however because it is in place to also help secure the new way.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) There has been something that you have been wrestling with and a part of you wonders if something or someone will ever change. A shift followed is headed your way.
Sagittarius (November 22December 21) Somewhere in your relationship world you too have been struggling. This weekend you will recover a feeling or connection you thought was gone for good.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Something that has been wearing on you, may very well find a way to a resolution this weekend. This weekend, the impossible is possible.
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
Baked potatoes can be topped with vegetables or cheese and are a nutritious addition to any meal.
Put the pan over a medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cut up the onion and add it to the pan, If you are cooking 1-2 steaks for yourself 1/2 or even1/4 of the onion should be fine. Then after the 4-5 minutes of cooking the onions it is time to cook the meat. Within minutes they can be flipped and will be finished just as the timer goes off for the potato. Leaving you with a filling, healthy and delicious dinner. lmagenta@ramapo.edu
kcurl@ramapo.edu
Cancer (June 21-July 22) This week is about striking that perfect balance between your head and your heart This will give you an opportunity to heal something that you have been beating yourself up over for years.
Leo (July 23-August 23) Timing is everything. This weekend, it is time to talk, time to share, time to heal and time to forgive. Say what you need to say and all will turn out right!
Virgo (August 24-September 22) This week your own personal values are in high focus. You are in position now to put first things first in your life, which includes your health, physical and otherwise. Libra (September 23-October 22)
Scorpio (October 23-November 21) When healing happens on the inside, then your world can go on, on the outside. This week, you have an opportunity to finally leave the past where it belongs.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You hold your ground and one of your greatest challenges is to expose those greatest vulnerabilities. This week, someone will be at your door to lend an ear or extend a hand. Aquarius (January 20- February 19) Recently, you have wanted to be liberated from something that has kept you feeling chained to your past. Remember, challenges will all be well worth the blood, sweat and tears.
Pisces (February 20-March 20) This weekend, you will break free from a certain drowning feeling or situation. Find whatever energy you can now to work all the way through to the end of something.
SPORTS
Ramapo Sweeps Invitational Tournament Field 10 . 6 . 11
Women’s Volleyball Spikes Record Up to 12-4
By RYAN BUCHANAN Staff Writer
It’s about time for Ramapo students to discover that the women’s volleyball team is 12-4, second place to the defending New Jersey Athletic Conference 2010 Champions, Richard Stockton College. Ramapo opened October by winning all three of their matches in the second Ramapo Quad Tournament of the year. Despite the team’s recent performance, the registered attendance for the first match was 60 people. The team duplicated their three-win performance that they had in the previous Ramapo Quad Tournament held on Sept. 17. The team racked up victories in this tournament versus Centenary College, Mount St. Vincent and SUNY Plattsburgh. Ramapo won nine out of their 10 total sets. The first victory against Centenary College came in three sets and featured 14 kills by team captain and 2010 NJAC player of the year Michelle Ferrari. Centenary went 1-2 in the tournament. Junior Julia Tuzio added two service aces. Senior Tiffany Fischer had 17 assists and sophomore Caity Whitman had 12 in the contest. Senior Elizabeth Steck led the team in digs with 23. In the second victory against Mount St. Vincent, captain Ferrari had 12 kills and 16 digs in three sets. Mount St. Vincent went 0-3 in the tournament. Sophomore Alexandra Kratochvil posted 10 digs. Tiffany Fischer posted 16 assists and Caity Whitman had 14 assists. The last victory versus SUNY Plattsburgh was the toughest. It featured sets that went to the
photo by Stephen Fallon
The Roadrunners won three straight matches on Saturday.
29th point and to the 27th point that were both won by Ramapo. SUNY Plattsburgh came out victorious in the first set and Ramapo won the next three. SUNY Plattsburgh went 1-2 in the tournament. With the additional set, the posted individual stats for the match-up ballooned. Michelle Ferrari had 25 kills and 31 digs. Fischer had 47 assists and 10 digs. Elizabeth Steck posted 27 digs with a perfect serving percentage. Junior Julia Tuzio had 11 kills and freshman Deandra Black had nine kills and seven digs.
The 14th point of the second set featured a diving pancake bump by SUNY Plattsburgh Junior Rosi Cummings to keep the volley alive and win the point for SUNY Plattsburgh, but in the end, they lost. Senior Andrea Kalter of SUNY Plattsburgh was discouraged by the defeat. “We played our hardest, but in the end, Ramapo was just more consistent,” Kalter said. Returning seniors Ferrari, Fischer, Steck and Allison DiAngelo plan to continue their consistency and pave the way for the future of Ramapo volleyball. “The new girls are adjusting well to the quicker pace,” Ferrari said. “Playing three games in a row is exciting, but also tiring.” Freshman Deandra Black led the incoming freshmen, posting 20 kills in the three wins. Sixth-year coach Robert Pichardo has experimented with ways to utilize his freshmen players. “This year has been game to game. We have been changing our rotation almost every set,” Pichardo said. “We are working out our new players often, trying to get them some exposure.” Pichardo saw room for improvement despite an overall positive performance. “We served and hit very well today, but we kept coming out flat until the end of each set,” Pichardo said. The team has a home game tonight in the Bradley Center at 7 p.m. versus the 13-11 NYU Polytechnic Fighting Blue Jays. rbuchana@ramapo.edu
Cross Country Runs at Paul Short Invitational
By VICTORIA AHLERS Staff Writer
English, Shanley Lead Way for Ramapo
The men’s and women’s cross country teams completed their fourth meet of the season last Friday at the Paul Short Run hosted by Lehigh University. The men took 17th place finish while the women finished 10th overall. Colin English continued to shine for the team, finishing first for Ramapo and sixth overall out of a field of 357 competitors with a time of 26 minutes and 24 seconds. There are high hopes for English as the championship meets approach; he has the potential to be the first runner from Ramapo to qualify for the Cross Country Nationals in Oshkosh, Wis.
Colin English continued to shine for the team, finishing first for Ramapo and sixth overall out of a field of 357 competitors with a time of 26 minutes and 24 seconds.
Following English was junior captain Tim Paziora, finishing 54th overall in 27:46. Freshman Peter Tuohy clocked in at 28:33, taking 104th place. Coach Mike Jackson said that the men’s team has been getting increasingly stronger as the season has progressed.
“They did very well, but we’re looking to close the gaps between the top three runners,” Jackson said. The girls were led by junior captain Taylor Shanely, who finished 39th overall with a new personal best of 24:43. She was followed by freshman Kristen Gray, who came in at 25:18 for 73rd place, and finishing just five seconds after her was sophomore Courtney Schofield with a time of 25:23. The girls improved their finish from the 2010 Paul Short Run by eight places. “We did a solid job with recruiting this year.” Jackson said. “A lot more girls chose to run this year than last year.” Jackson also accredited the women’s increasing success to assistant coach Ken Goglas. “He coaches distance, and he’s done a great job,” Jackson said. At the end of October the Roadrunners will head to the New Jersey Athletic Conference championships at Stockton College, but for now their focus is on their next race, the UAlbany Invitational on Oct.15. Coach Jackson expects a top three finish for both the men and women’s teams in the conference. vahlers@ramapo.edu
RAMAPO SPORTS THIS WEEK
Thursday:
Women’s Volleyball vs. Polytechnic University at 7 p.m.
Saturday:
Field Hockey at Mercy College at 1 p.m. Men’s Soccer at Stockton College at 1 p.m.
Monday:
Women’s Tennis vs. John Jay College of Criminal Justice at 1 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. John Jay College of Criminal Justice at 4 p.m.
Tuesday:
Field Hockey at Kean University at 7 p.m. Women’s Volleyball at Rowan University at 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Men’s Soccer vs. Rowan University at 4 p.m. Women’s Soccer at Rowan University at 7 p.m.
Field Hockey Ends Losing Streak with Win over Keystone Page 14 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Roadrunners Earn Sixth Win of Season in 5-2 Victory Against Giants
By MELIS S A FALCONE Staff Writer
The Roadrunners landed a win over
Keystone College Saturday with a final score of 5-2. After starting the season off strong with a record of 5-0, Ramapo dropped to 5-3 with losses against Fairleigh Dickinson, Florham, Rowan University and Montclair State University. They turned it around and brought in a win against the Giants to end the losing streak. “Starting off with a 5-0 season was a great accomplishment for us,” junior Katie Bruno said. “Unfortunately being undefeated didn’t last, but we played some hard teams and put up great fights.” The first half began with Jayne Manigrasso, senior midfielder, scoring her fourth goal this year to put Ramapo in the lead. It didn’t take long for senior forward Amanda Barretta to score another goal with the assist by Aimee Herbert, senior midfielder, to take a 2-0 lead. The Keystone Giants settled for a penalty stroke at the end of the first half and came back to tie the score at 2-2 in the second half. Then, Ramapo earned a penalty stroke, followed by Bruno scoring her sixth goal of the season, assisted by Victoria Ahlers, jun-
ior forward. “We really needed this win to help lift us up from losing the past three games and I think it will carry over and help us play even better in our upcoming games and the rest of the season,” Bruno said. After the first half, the Ramapo Roadrunners knew they had to continue to knock down goals to preserve their lead. “We knew we were more skilled than them, and we were controlling the tempo of the game,” Ahlers said. “We really needed the win too to get ourselves back up from losing three in a row. There was no way we
were going to let them come back. We knew what we had to do.” In the second half, Manigrasso scored again with the help of Barretta. Shortly after, Nicole Kaspar, freshman forward, tallied Ramapo’s fifth goal with an assist by Rebecca Penhaker, senior defender, to make the final score 5-2. Goalkeeper Rebecca Elliot, junior, recorded four saves in the game as well. “We have been working pretty well together so far,” Ahlers said. “We’ve been working on switching field and using each other for support at practice, and I think we do a good
photo by Daniel OʼLeary
Midfielder Aimee Herbert distributed an assist to forward Amanda Barretta in Ramapoʼs 5-2 victory over Keystone College on Saturday.
job getting the ball up the field.” As the girls started the season at 5-0, they saw a few New Jersey Athletic Conference teams, which had an effect on them, bringing the team to 5-3. The win against Keystone College was well deserved at this time in the season.
“There was no way we were going to let them come back. We knew what we had to do.” -Victoria Ahlers, forward
“It was a little bit of a wake up call for us. We realized that victories weren’t going to be handed to us,” Ahlers said. “We just had to work on the things we did wrong in the games we lost and re-thought some strategies.” More than halfway through the season, the field hockey team will continue to face NJAC opponents on their path to hopefully reach the conference championship. “We have continued to work together and play as a team to face the upcoming NJAC teams,” Bruno said. “I really think we can finish in a good place in the NJAC if we keep up our hard work and intensity.”
Braves, Red Sox Miss Playoffs After September Collapses
mfalcone@ramapo.edu
Rays Eliminated in First Round, Cardinals Tied 2-2 with Phillies in Best-of-Five Series
By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer
In the end, it doesn’t matter how well a team has played during the hot days of summer; if they’re not playing well in September, they won’t be going to the playoffs. For the Atlanta Braves in the National League and the Boston Red Sox in the American League, their legendary collapses were completed on Sept. 28, and they ended up watching the MLB Playoffs from the same position the rest of us are: at home. Summer was kind to both teams; the Braves went 17-9 in both the month of June and the month of August while the Red Sox went 16-9 in June and 20-6 in July. Boston, who had gotten off to a slow start to the season, traded the AL East division lead with the New York Yankees for most of the season. By Aug. 28, the Red Sox held a two-
MLB Playoffs Schedule: Thursday: Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees - Game 5
Friday: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Game 5 Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Game 5
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
Carl Crawford was unable to make a diving catch to stop Baltimore Orioles second baseman Robert Andino from hitting the game-winning single that knocked the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs.
game lead over the Yankees, while the Tampa Bay Rays had fallen far behind both teams. On Sept. 3, Boston led Tampa Bay by nine games in the AL Wild Card race. Although the Braves were behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East the entire season, they had a 10.5-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the Wild Card spot on Aug. 24 and an 8.5-game lead on Sept. 1. But in the following weeks, they had separate losing streaks of three, four and finally five to end the season at 89-73. By the final day of the season, there was a
tie for the AL and NL Wild Card spots. The Cardinals, who had gone 17-8 during the month, won easily over the Houston Astros by the score of 8-0. The Braves had to win a home contest over the Phillies to force a one-game playoff. They led 3-2 in the ninth inning, but with a man on first and one out, rookie closer Craig Kimbrel surrendered consecutive walks. A sacrifice fly by Chase Utley tied the game and a blooper Hunter Pence single in the 13th inning drove in the winning run. Boston led 3-2 over the Baltimore Orioles,
who finished last in the division, in the seventh inning, but were forced into an 86minute rain delay. At that time, down in Florida, the Yankees led the Rays, 7-0. But when the rain stopped, the Rays had reeled off six runs in the eighth inning thanks to a walk, two hit-by-pitches and a three-run home run by Evan Longoria. Dan Johnson hit a solo shot in the ninth to tie the game. The Red Sox held their lead in the ninth with Jonathan Papelbon in to close the game. One strike away from the save, he gave up back-to-back doubles to tie the game, and then a single by Robert Andino scored the winning run for Baltimore. The Rays clinched their playoff berth moments later in the 12th inning with another home run by Longoria, who hit the ball just over the left field wall. While the Red Sox lost a larger lead, the 1964 Phillies lost a 6.5-game lead with only 12 games to play, so it’s difficult to agree which was the worst meltdown. Boston fired manager Terry Francona after the season and is trying to decide whether or not to let General Manager Theo Epstein go as well. Despite their near-miraculous playoff run, the Rays lost to the Texas Rangers in four games in the ALDS on Tuesday night. The Cardinals are tied with the Phillies at two wins apiece with Game 5 of the NLDS to be played Friday night. jkelly7@ramapo.edu
Giants Rally Past Cardinals Page 15 The Ramapo News
Jets Fall; Eagles, Cowboys Blow Big Leads
By NICK BOWER Staff Writer
The New York Giants scored 21 fourth-quarter points to erase a late 10-point deficit to defeat the Arizona Cardinals, 31-27, raing their record to 3-1. Leading the Giants was Hakeem Nicks, who hauled in 10 catches for 162 yards and one touchdown, and Eli Manning, who completed 27 of 40 passes for 321 yards and two passing touchdowns. The game was not without controversy, as late in the fourth quarter Victor Cruz caught a pass from Manning, fell without being touched and left the ball on the turf. It appeared to be a fumble that cost the Giants the game. However, the officials ruled that Cruz gave himself up and made no attempt to advance, therefore ending the play. Manning connected with Nicks on the next play for the game-winning touchdown. In the Sunday night game, the New York Jets fell to the Baltimore Ravens in a defensive battle, 34-17. There was six touchdowns scored in the game, and only one of them, a Ray Rice 3-yard run, was offensive. A 107yard kickoff return from Joe McKnight and a David Harris interception return accounted for the only Jets touchdowns. Quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez were a combined 21 for 66 with 282 yards and two interceptions. The Jets, who fell to 2-2, have now lost seven straight games against the Ravens. Earlier in the day, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles both blew late leads. The Cowboys, who led 27-3 in the third quarter, allowed the Detroit Lions back into the game
due to two Tony Romo interceptions returned for touchdowns. Calvin Johnson scored his second touchdown of the game with less than two minutes remaining to give the Lions a 34-30 win and a perfect 4-0 record. The Eagles, who were up 23-3 in the third quarter, allowed three unanswered San Francisco 49ers touchdowns, two Alex Smith touchdown passes and a Frank Gore rushing touchdown. The Eagles, who wasted a 416 passing yard and 75 rushing yard performance from Michael Vick, fell to 1-3 while the 49ers improved to 3-1. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester and Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers both re-wrote the record books. Hester ran for his NFL record 11th punt-return touchdown and Matt Forte ran for 205 yards as the Bears defeated Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, 34-29. Rodgers became the first player in NFL history to throw for more than 400 yards, throw four passing touchdowns and rush for two in the same game as the Packers remained unbeaten, dismantling the Denver Broncos 49-23. Also on Sunday, the Houston Texans defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 17-10, the Buffalo Bills suffered their first loss of the season to the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, and the New England Patriots defeated Darren McFadden and the Oakland Raiders, 31-19.
NFL
Andrew Gould
Last Week (4-2) Season (9-3)
NYJ @NE TEN @ PIT PHI @ BUF TB @ SF GB @ ATL CHI @ DET
nbower@ramapo.edu
5
WEEK
Jeremy Kelly
Last Week (2-4) Season (7-5)
Fantasy Football: Start/Sit
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Play Newton, Bench Schaub, Big Ben Sit:
By ANDREW GOULD Sports Editor
Start:
QB Cam Newton – The Saints will score plenty of points against the Panthers, which means that Newton will throw often and pile up the fantasy points while Carolina is down by a large margin in the fourth quarter. Newton has averaged 409.3 passing yards in their three loses and is a legitimate top-10 fantasy football quarterback.
RB Darren S prol es – The Panthers surrendered 205 rushing yards last week to Matt Forte, who is usually implemented more in the passing game. Sproles, also a threat as a runner and receiver, could exploit Carolina for some big plays. He is especially a good play in leagues that award points for receptions. WR S antoni o Hol mes – Although coach Rex Ryan insists that the team will return to establishing a strong running game, it would be wise for them to try that strategy another week. The Patriots have allowed a league-worst 368.8 passing yards per game. Holmes could match his season totals of 13 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown this weekend.
QB Ben Roethl i sberger – The Steelers defense may be the Steel Curtain, but their offensive line looks like it was assembled with cheap material from a dollar store. Rashard Mendenhall is not expected to play this week, and the underrated Titans defense has allowed 212 passing yards per game and has only given up four passing touchdowns in four games. Look for the Steelers and Titans to play a low scoring, physical game that will do little for fantasy owners. QB Matt S chaub – With star wide receiver Andre Johnson sidelined, the Texans will likely hand the ball off to Arian Foster, who looked completely healthy last week and gets to run behind the league’s best offensive line. RB James S tarks - The Falcons only allow 97.3 rushing yards per game but are much more susceptible to the pass, ranking 24th in passing yards allowed per game. Look for Aaron Rodgers to dominate Atlanta’s secondary without establishing much more of a running game. WR Mari o Manni ngham – Sloppy route-running caused Manningham to be benched in favor or Victor Cruz Sunday against the Cardinals. agould1@ramapo.edu
STAFF PICKS
Ryan Buchanan Last Week (4-2) Season (8-4)
Nick Bower
Sean Ritchie
Last Week (3-3) Last Week (N/A) Season (N/A) Season (7-5)
Diana Stanczak Last Week (2-4) Season (6-6)
a
SPORTS 10 . 7 . 10
G I AN T K I L L E RS ! 10 .10 6 .. 11 7 . 10
Field hockey beats Keystone College 5-2. photo by Daniel O始Leary
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