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10.7.2010
THE
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RAMAPO NEWS
Performance
A Publication by the Students for the Ramapo College Community
photo by Elyse Toribio
Spiritual Center Open for Students to Find Inner Peace President Mercer looks on as Ramapo Lenape Nation Chief Dwain Perry performs traditional blessing ritual.
By ELYSE TORIBIO Staff Writer
President Peter Mercer and various administrators at Ramapo College welcomed Larry and Theresa Salameno, among several other benefactors, on Tuesday afternoon for the Salameno Spiritual Center dedication ceremony. Initially proposed by distinguished professor Anthony Padovano in 2001, the construction of the spiritual center broke ground in the summer of 2008 and was completed in the spring of this year. Cathleen Davey, executive director of the Ramapo Foundation and vice president of Institutional Advancement, welcomed guests to the ceremony and shared the goals of the trustees and capital improvement committee for the spiritual center once it received board approval. “It was trustees like Peter McBride and Emily Mann who said, ‘We are going to do this right,’” Davey said during her welcoming remarks. “This building must be one of the most prominent on our campus, to reflect both the symbolic and personal nature of how we
meditate, worship and reflect.” Davey believed the center should be built in an area with high student traffic. “It need to be located where our students traveled often, and yet where one could find peace and tranquility,” Davey said of the spiritual center, located on a half acre at the edge of Kameron Pond. Speakers at the dedication ceremony expressed their sincere gratitude for the generous donations made by the Salamenos, as well as Anthony and Theresa Padovano, Pamela and Peter McBride, Anthony and Gail Marino and Sam and Emily Mann. Renowned theologian and religious historian Dr. Martin Marty was present to give the inaugural lecture. “We believe that this is to be the first building on a public college campus that construction costs were fully funded by private giving,” Davey said. Mercer explained in his opening message how liberal arts schools today continue to struggle to find a place for spirituality in such a secular system. “[Students] explore the essentials of arts and sciences, the ethics of technology, environ-
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mental and social issues,” Mercer said. “The notion that by reframing these issues around the subject of spirituality we can evoke new and thoughtful inquiry is welcomed here. The intensity of spiritual interest of our college, particularly in our students, is undeniable.” Provost Beth Barnett introduced Dr. Martin Marty following Mercer’s remarks. Marty, a well-respected theologian and author in the academic community, also emphasized the need for such a center to be a part of a college campus. “Take seriously and authentically the searches for everybody,” Marty said when asked for his opinion about students challenging their spirituality when they come to college. “It is real agony for a [student] when they want their world to come together and it isn’t coming together.” Marty encourages students to experience spirituality in addition to intellect. “The spiritual center provides a roof over our heads and space under the sun to have experiences, not read about them,” Marty said. see SALAMENO on page 6
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XLI No. 4
Ramapo Reacts to Rutgers Incident
By SAMANTHA ULLRICH Staff Writer Homophobic targeting has been linked to five teenage suicides over the past 20 days in the United States. Most recently, Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University freshman from Ridgewood, committed suicide after his roommate secretly taped and broadcasted his intimacy with another man online. Clementi’s death stunned many throughout the country and has alarmed nearby campus communities, such as Ramapo. “When I first heard about this, it hit really close to home,” Queer Peer Service Coordinator, Shane Hoff said. “The Women’s Center has a banner everyone is signing and we are going to deliver it to the Lesbian Gay Bi Transexual Center at Rutgers just giving our condolences.” Ramapo students have voiced their opinions on the recent incident and are hopeful that similar conduct will not occur here. “I thought it was disgusting of them; it was no one’s business but his own what he does in his free time,” sophomore Kelly Moeller said. Cyber bullying is surfacing now more than ever. The World Wide Web makes it very easy to write feelings, post statuses and “bully” without face-to-face interactions. “It’s almost like they’re afraid to bully someone to their face now, so they do it online,” Moeller said. A glow light vigil was held for Clementi in NYC’s Washington Square Park last week, which attracted hundreds of people who strive to put an end to homophobic bullying. Hoff was in attendance that evening, and anticipates a remembrance ceremony to be held at Ramapo in the near future.
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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
Keri Ann Flaccomio Managing Editor Amy Fezza News Editor
Diana Stanczak A & E Editor Andrew Gould Sports Editor
Stefanie Mauro Photo Editor
Michelle Angelino Web Editor Adam Panella Business Manager Dan Sforza Technical Advisor
INSIDE
Around the Arch Page 3
Viewpoints Page 7
A&E Page 8
Sports Page 13
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, prepublication review of any article, quote or editorial is not allowed. Viewpoints may be dropped off at SC218 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.
New Guest Policies to be in Effect this Month
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Unidentified Guests Subject Ramapo Students to Stricter Policies
By DEANNA DUNSMUIR Staff Writer Last Friday, Associate Vice Presidents of Student Affairs Pat Chang and Miki Cammarata sent out a mass e-mail outlining the new guest and alcohol policies that will take effect over the course of this month. The e-mail was sent in response to recent increases in violations as a result of unidentified guests on campus and underage drinking. Chang explained that recent incidents have led to the stricter prolicies by forcing the administration to take action for the well being of the students. Many students are unaware of why the new
“After a background check, records show the guest had been recently released from jail for murder; he was a gang member.” -Pat Chang, vice president of student affairs
policies are being implemented this year as opposed to previous years. In 2009 there were 27 alcohol violations, as of late September. As a result of the new alcohol-based energy drink Four Loko, there have been 19 hospitalizations, four emergency room trips and three blood alcohol levels of .3 and .4. In an effort to reduce hospitalizations, the drink was banned from campus.
“All [of the hospitalized students] were found in lounges and on the ground, with no one to take responsibility for them,” Chang said. “The one with a .4 blood alcohol level was close to being in an alcohol-induced coma and not waking up.” In recent weeks there have been multiple unidentified guests being found on campus, some charged with assault. Some feel that the lack of respect for both Public Safety and Mahwah police officers has become more apparent in the past month than ever before. The blame is believed to lie more with the campus guests, rather than actual residents of the campus, Chang said. An incident occurred in which a former Ramapo student came back to campus with a friend, searching for parties in the Village. The guests asked a current campus resident if they could stay in her dorm, but the answer was no. This reply led to an incident of illegal trespassing and theft. “They asked if they could stay with her and she said, “No,” so they went into one of the lounges to sleep it off. The former student was robbed of his iPod and wallet while asleep, and visited Public Safety to find out who had done it,” Chang said. “After viewing the tape, it was his friend who had robbed him. After a background check, records show the guest had been recently released from jail for [on probation] murder; he was a gang member.” Once this incident became known on campus,
other students added that they had heard of similar incidents due to off-campus intruders. “One of my sorority sisters was out front of PayCaf and this guy, who was way older and not from campus, was asking her inappropriate questions and making her feel uncomfortable,” junior Brittany Pitts said. “She had to go to Public Safety and report him and remove him from campus.” With similar stories surfacing around campus, the administration has implemented changes that include registering guests by 6:30 p.m. and locking the south gates by 11 p.m. so that all visitors have to pass through the security booth at the main gate of the college. “I think the new policy is better, but I think the time limit is not okay. Other schools have stricter guest policies and it’s okay, they check IDs too,” Pitts said. “How do we know that our guests will be staying overnight by 6:30 p.m.? We’re in college, not elementary school.” Students seem to agree that there must be more security implemented on Ramapo’s campus in order to avoid certain occurrences. “I agree with the [south] entrance being closed so security can keep track of who comes onto campus,” junior Alexandra Bendriss said. An open forum will be held from 4-5 p.m. today in the Alumni Lounges, giving students a chance to voice their concerns to the administration.
Ramapo Receives $1.6M for New Biology Wing
By MATTHEW DANKO with MELANIE ORINSKI Staff Writers
Over this past week, Ramapo received a $1.6 million grant to update its biology department. Funded by the National Science Foundation as part of President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, it was made possible by Dr. Angela Cristini, Director of the Master’s of Science in Educational Technology program, who wrote the grant for the proposal. “Ramapo College was one of 20 schools to receive this award out of 100 other schools that applied,” Cristini said. “It was really an honor to receive this grant. It reflects the great quality of the faculty, as well as the students.” This grant will serve to improve the undergraduate research infrastructure for Ramapo through construction and renovation in science classrooms. “This is very exciting news and hopefully will spearhead a campaign to renovate the teaching labs for the rest of the biology program,” Professor of biology Rena Bacon said. With the new renovations, there will be an open design that will encourage faculty and student experimentation and research. “This is a great opportunity to collaborate research through faculty-to-faculty interaction and faculty-to-student interaction,” Cristini said. Student Ken Rodenheiser, a junior nursing major, also sees the importance of the renova-
photo by Stefanie Mauro
Visible imperfections throughout the G-Wing will undergo construction beginning in the fall of 2011.
tions to the biology labs. “It would have been beneficial because some experiments in the book could not be done due to a budget,” Rodenheiser said.
“This will result in students that are prepared to move seamlessly into research environments.”
-Angela Cristini, director of the Master’s of Science in Educational Technology program
The current biology wing consists of several floors for conducting research. This new renovation, which will begin operation in fall 2011, will provide a common area for all research. This includes a cold room, tissue culture rooms,
ddunsmuir@ramapo.edu
an imaging room and a microbiology prep room. “This will result in students that are prepared to move seamlessly into research environments in industry or graduate schools because they have experience with the technology and methods that are in common use in these settings,” Cristini said. Undergraduates will be able to conduct experiments involving protein purification, cloning, microbial gene expression and tissue culture. Even though this new wing will be beneficial to biology majors, other science departments do not find the grant fair. “I just wish this grant would help the entire science department,” senior chemistry major Alex Ucci said. “It makes sense that they gave money to the biology department because there are a lot of biology majors, but it would be nice for chemistry to get some money too.” This grant is part of a national competition of colleges and universities and is highly competitive. “The college has no graduate programs in science. However, 23 percent of Ramapo’s students are in TAS,” Cristini said. “Science faculties have actively involved undergraduate students in research.” Some students at Ramapo see the importance of the new upcoming renovation and how it may benefit all undergraduates in the program. “It will help classes be able to get a more helpful ‘hands on’ experience,” Rodenheiser said. mdanko@ramapo.edu morinski@ramapo.edu
Thursday, October 7, 2010
THURSDAY’S CHILD
Thom Yorke The lead singer of rock band Radiohead turns 42 today.
TODAY IN HISTORY
New CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected California governor in 2003.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Sarah Silverman “Dear America, When you tell gay Americans that they canʼt serve their country openly or marry the person that they love youʼre telling that to kids too.”
Octoberfest Kicks Off With Autumn-Themed Activities Event Features Concert, Carnival, Hayride and Bonfire
By MANDY S AFFER Staff Writer
The sun came out to shine during the first weekend of October for students at Ramapo College to celebrate Octoberfest. The fourth annual event lasted all weekend long with activities, games, prizes, food, music and fun. “This year is such a success,” Allison Snyder, senior and Student Government Asssociation coordinator said of the event. “There are anywhere between 2,000 and 3,000 students here, and it is so awesome to see them having a good time.” The weekend-long event started on Friday with a concert in the Bradley center. Light Resolve opened for headliners Saves the Day and Cartel. Saves the Day performed favorites, including “Bye Bye Baby,” “Anywhere With You” and “Firefly,“ while Cartel thrilled the crowd with its popular hits “Runaway,“ “Deep South“ and “Say Anything Else.” Read about how Cartel jammed on page 8. On Saturday, students were invited to take a hayride around campus. The tractor towed students to and from different events, allowing them to enjoy the sunny weather. Near the main entrance, the Bandshell was transformed into a carnival with free games and activities available to all students. To read more about carnival fun, check page 11. From 2 to 6 p.m., rock climbing, mechanical bull riding, laser tag and a human wrecking ball were the popular inflatable games. Students were invited to compete against one another to see who could climb to the top of the rock tower fastest, test their strength to see how long they could last on an electronic bull and enter a space ship to fight one another in laser tag matches. Balloon darts, basketball, airbrushed T-shirts and a photo booth were also available, along with a snow cone machine, cotton candy, candy apples and other free food. “The free food is awesome,” said junior Anthony Yodice. “It’s great coming here and knowing you don’t have to pay anything for the food and all the giveaways.” Cheesesteaks, mozzarella sticks, sausage and pepper sandwiches and cheeseburgers were offered, along with free soda and water bottles. SGA class council representative Olivia Hanz ordered all the day’s food from Nicky’s Pizza in
photo by Jake Edinger
Students gathered for inflatable games and enjoyed the sunny weather on Saturday at Octoberfest.
Suffern, NY. Octoberfest T-shirts were a hit, as 1500 students sported the green tees. Students were lined up the entire length of the Bandshell field, a half hour before they were distributed. “I love the T-shirts,” junior Kelly Fedynich said. “The green this year is the best color they’ve had. It was totally worth waiting in line for.”
“This year is such a success. There are anywhere between 2,000 and 3,000 students here, and it is so awesome to see them having a good time.” -Allison Snyder, coordinator of Octoberfest
After the carnival came to an end, students were invited to Potter’s Field for a large bonfire from 7 to 9 p.m. “The bonfire is by far the best part of Octoberfest,” sophomore Carolyn Kane said. “Everyone comes together to hang out and sit and relax by the fire. It’s a great place to de-
stress and really enjoy your time with friends.” Grease-truck style sandwiches were given to students, with four different options named after members of the organization. Octoberfest came to a close on Sunday with a Powderpuff football game. Four women’s teams competed for the title of Powderpuff Champions. Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority competed against SGA in the first round, while the Ramahoes went head-to-head with the Pink Ladies. In the fight for top spot, the Ramahoes beat tri-Sigma to be named champions. Each team member from all four teams donated a dollar to play in the tournament, and the winning team was able to choose a charity that would receive the collection.
“Everyone comes together to hang out and sit and relax by the fire. It’s a great place to de-stress and really enjoy your time with friends.” -Carolyn Kane, sophomore
“The Ramahoes [the women’s field hockey team] participate in a charity called Friends of Jaclyn,” senior player Christine Lafferty said. “Our team adopts a girl who is suffering from a disease, like brain cancer, and we make her a member of our team so she will be able to know what being part of a team feels like.” Lafferty explained the events the team planned, such as summer barbecues and making videos for the girl, to lift her spirits and keep her going. First-year student Stephanie Boehm feels the fourth annual Octoberfest was a great success. “It was so much fun. This was the first event of the year that my friends and I really had a lot of fun with,” Boehm said. “There was a lot to do and I can’t wait to come back again next year.”
photo by Jake Edinger
Light Resolve bassist Luke Daniels jams with his band, opening for Saves the Day and Cartel.
asaffer@ramapo.edu
Healthy Steps to Stay Over the Weather, Rather than Under Page 4 The Ramapo News
By SAMANTHA ULLRICH Staff Writer
It’s that time of year again when the leaves change colors, the air becomes crisp, girls are allowed to break out their UGGs and just about everyone gets sick. Illnesses may not be completely preventable, but there are ways to decrease your risk of adopting your roommate’s whooping cough. Take these few tips with you throughout the day and perhaps you’ll feel a bit over this weather, rather than under.
Keep Your Hands Clean
This may sound elementary, but wash your hands. It may be easy to “forget” to wash them after you sneeze, use the bathroom or blow your runny nose, but germs from these activities are left lingering on your fingers that you then rub your eyes and eat food with. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Keeping hands clean is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infection and illness.” So next time you skip the 20 seconds it takes to wash your hands, think about the dreadful days of being sick you may encounter very soon due to lack of hygiene.
Sanitize Workout Equipment
You can pick up germs anywhere, and a very common place to do so is the gym. Gym-goers have to remember that the machine they may be using wasn’t made for them and only them. Equipment that is used frequently over a short period of time, such as dumbbells, pull-up bars and seats accumulate germs and are said to be the highest risk
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areas, according to ABC News. Gym-goers who forget to wash their hands or sanitize the equipment before use risk catching sicknesses or infections. Ramapo’s Bradley Center gym is now equipped with sanitizing cloths to wipe down equipment before and after use.
For many college students, this tip may be the most difficult to follow: sleep. Eat Healthy, Boost Immunity
Eating healthy can keep you healthy. Immune-building foods are necessary around this time of year to keep your insides on the right track. Vitamin C is an immune booster, so oranges, nectarines and orange juice are sufficient ways to get your daily intake. Can’t get to the food store to pick up oranges? Check out the PayCaf’s selection. Most days they sell a variety of fruits, including oranges. Vitamin D also plays a very important role in the immune system and helps activate T-cells, which are dormant immune cells used to fight off infections. Try to eat yogurt that has added vitamin D, or drink milk daily to build calcium. Other foods such as meats and peanut butter all contain zinc, another immunity booster. Zinc helps increase white blood cell growth, which fights off infections and common colds.
Get Enough Sleep
For many college students, this tip may be the most difficult to follow: sleep. According to Mayo Clinic, your body “releases proteins called cytokines. These substances increase in the presence of an infection, inflammation and stress.” So when you don’t get the recommended amount of sleep, these proteins are not released, and when your body encounters an infectious germ, you are more likely to get sick. To make that short, get some sleep and your body will thank you.
Schedule Your Flu Shot
Although the flu epidemic is not nearly as publicized as it was last year, the common flu is still prominent. Ramapo’s Health Services are offering a flu shot clinic this month for all students. A shot is $15 and you must have an appointment to get one. Getting this shot is extremely convenient and could save you a week of feeling miserable. Although the common cold can be caught at any time of year, it is most rampant at this time of year. People tend to stay indoors more due to the change of weather, and windows are kept shut, causing rooms to get stuffy. Taking a few, quick precautions could save you from having to carry around a box of tissues everywhere you go. sullrich@ramapo.edu
National Day Without Stigma Educates Ramapo Students Active Minds Urges Students to Look Beyond Stereotypes By STEPHANIE NODA Staff Writer
The Active Minds organization at Ramapo College celebrated National Day Without Stigma last Monday in order to educate the general public about mental health issues and alleviate the negative stereotypes associated with them. Active Minds set up a booth in the Fishbowl and handed out information on anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Their goal was to show students that mental illnesses are not a rare occurrence, and these diagnoses happen more frequently than one may think. Mental health issues can take shape in many different forms in today’s society. Certain cases such as depression, bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder are just a few of them. Social stigma can start to surround those who suffer from these illnesses and cause others to view them differently. Active Minds Vice President Dave Orris said these issues are important to address now more than ever, “especially with what’s been going on with college campuses … with the amount of suicide instances” that result from a lack of knowledge about resources available to help students. “One in four college students has been diagnosed with mental illness,” junior Erin McGorry said. “It’s an important day because the stigma associated with mental illness is a negative one. We’re trying to change that and have people realize that it’s somewhat normal. It’s an everyday occurrence that people shouldn’t be ashamed of.” The stigma associated with mental illnesses may cause those suffering from them to become discouraged from trying to seek help in fear of being judged. According to one of the pamphlets distributed by Active Minds, “50 million Americans experience a mental health disorder in a given year, but only 25 percent receive the necessary mental health treatment they deserve.” It’s important to make sure these people receive help in order to avoid tragic circumstances, such as self-harm and suicide. “If someone has mental issues that nobody is willing to help address, there’s a good possibility that someone could lose their life and that’s not okay,” Orris said. Active Minds is an association on college campus that educates the public about various health issues and the importance of recognizing when a person may be suffering from these illnesses. The organization has spread nationwide, with numerous colleges developing chapters within their schools. Active Minds first began with the efforts of a college student. “It was started at UPenn by a student whose brother committed suicide,” Rachael Datz,
photo by Stephanie Noda
Members of Active Minds celebrate National Stigma Day on Tuesday.
staff advisor to the Active Minds Ramapo chapter, said. “She wanted to raise awareness of mental health issues on college campuses and also try to reduce stigma.” The National Day Without Stigma is just the beginning of the efforts Active Minds hopes to bring across campus to educate people. “This year we have a whole lot of people and hopefully we can move forward because it really is a powerful club,” Datz said. “We’re really just trying to get people to talk about it because people just don’t seem comfortable talking about mental health issues.” snoda@ramapo.edu
Page 5 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Salameno Ceremony Strives to Create New Spiritual Traditions
Facebook Connects First-Year Students
Page 6 The Ramapo News
continued from page 1
“There’s a difference between reading a book about love, and having someone say ‘I love you.’” With those words, participants of the dedication ceremony were led outside to the spiritual center for the new rituals being performed on Ramapo’s campus. Junior Kyle MacCloud provided music on a sitar as people walked in, setting the mood for the event. The CantaNova chorale group, led by music director Lisa Lutter, followed MacCloud and performed various pieces of music throughout the ceremony. The ceremony’s program highlighted the purpose of the spiritual center: to cater to people of all different faiths and denominations. The Rev. Vernon Walton gave a dedication blessing before honored guests performed a water ceremony, pouring water from Kameron Pond onto a rock. “We ask that this be a place where joy can be celebrated, where our hurts can be healed and where love can be shared,” Walton said. Though the rain began to fall, CantaNova sang “My Heart’s Friend” and the ceremony’s attendees continued the dedication by participating in a moving candle
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lighting. Before the final blessing from the director of campus ministries and the acknowledgement of the noted benefactors, Mercer welcomed Chief Dwaine Perry from the Ramapough Lenape Nation to perform a traditional and symbolic ceremony. Guests were invited to participate, as well as encouraged to give their well wishes for the spiritual center. “May those who come here find what they need,” one participant said as he performed the ritual, pouring tobacco into a bowl. With the completion of the Salameno Spiritual Center, Mercer hopes to provide for students, and all of those who visit, a place dedicated to an important purpose. “It’s long been a function of higher education to facilitate cultural and religious awareness and understanding,” Mercer said. “With so much unwarranted spiritual and cultural division apparent today, these are intellectual traditions that we strive to emulate at Ramapo College.” etoribio@ramapo.edu
By NICOLE ALLIEGRO Staff Writer
It’s almost midnight and my roommate and I are both on Facebook. She’s lying in her bed with her laptop, and I’m at my desk, procrastinating as usual. We’re each on our designated sides of the room, doing our own things in peace. Though as freshmen we’ve only been living with each other for a month, we feel and act like old friends living together. We’ve come to learn each other’s quirky habits; we make ourselves laugh with inside jokes, and we’re both comfortable in complete silence sometimes. It’s funny to think that we first met through a medium as impersonal as Facebook. Like so many other first-year students today, my roommate and I connected using Facebook, the popular social networking website that now has more than 500 million users. Just as Facebook has been said to have “revolutionized” the workforce, politics and the media, it has also changed the firstyear college experience drastically. “Hey!” the inbox message read. “Are you excited for Ramapo?” This was the start to the first conversation — if you can even call it that — between me and my roommate. We were both trying to get in touch with other incoming freshmen online, so we made small talk by Facebook messaging back and forth. But we soon realized we had a lot in common. Strangely enough, though our friendship was forming strictly over the Internet, I was feeling good “vibes” about her. So when she requested to live together for the year, it was easy to accept. My parents were thrilled that, by reaching out online, I found a roommate and had opened the lines of communication with her months before we moved in together. My
mom could never seem to remind me enough that “back when she went to school,” she met her roommate on the very first day of college. But today, it actually seems more common for roommates to get in touch with one another virtually. This has become so common that many have expressed concern when the opposite situation occurs. My friend worried for weeks about her two other roommates, simply because she could not get in touch with them. “They’re not on Facebook,” she told me anxiously, “and neither of them are answering my e-mails! What are they going to be like?” I did my best to assure her that her roommates would prove to be normal girls, but she didn’t want to believe me until she heard back from each of them. Facebook allows its users to join networks and groups, which link students with common interests together, and enables them to interact on discussion boards and other web pages. Just by skimming recent postings, freshmen can find their floor neighbors, others with the same major and those interested in participating in various clubs, sports and school activities. To all of us freshmen, Facebook is more than just a tool for procrastination. It is a way to broaden our literal “social networks” — a way to reach out to others and meet people with similar interests and interact with our peers. And as part of the first-year college experience, as I’m sure any student can attest to, Facebook simply helps to form friendships, an essential part in adjusting and adapting to a completely new environment.
nalliegr@ramapo.edu
Roadrunner Football Could End “Suitcase School” Rep By Anna Kathari ne Mi ehe Staff Writer
Close your eyes. It is a cool October weekend; the leaves have just changed to vibrant colors. Students are spilling out of the bleachers decked out in maroon and white. Everywhere you turn you see groups of happy students supporting and cheering for their football team. This is where college memories are made. Now, snap back to reality; where is Ramapo College’s football team? Why is it that we don’t have one? And, if we did have a football team, would it help keep Ramapo from being stereotyped as a “suitcase school?” As fall comes around, I can’t help but wonder whether Ramapo would be a better school experience if it had a football team. When discussing this issue around campus, I have come up with the general conclusion: if Ramapo were to have a football team, it would increase school spirit immensely, keep more students on campus on the weekends and would serve as a way for the Ramapo community to bond. Then why is it that our administrators and staff won’t give its students what they desperately want? In fact, Ramapo had a football team since the beginning of the college up until 1992, when it was disbanded due to financial reasons. So, is there a possibility that Roadrunner football will ever come back? Freshman Chelsea Clark, who is also a member of Ramapo’s track team, mentioned that she was slightly dis-
appointed in the lack of school spirit here on campus. “I do think Ramapo lacks school spirit up to a certain degree,” Clark said. “As a member of the track team, we try to support other sports, but usually there are not a lot of other people [at the events.]” Later, we discussed whether this lack of school spirit stems from the fact that there is no football team She and her friends wish that there was something fun to do on the weekends that would bring the school together. Junior Mohammad Bidas said that he feels like he has missed out on part of the college experience by not having a football team. He said, “I played football in high school, I wasn’t a superstar, but I did it to stay in shape, if we did have a team, I’d love to try out to play. However, if I didn’t play, I’d love the opportunity to watch the games.” Bidas also commented saying, “I think football is one of the top sports people enjoy watching. I think people would stay on weekends to watch the games and support the Roadrunners Football team.” Even Athletic Director Gene Marshall has expressed an interest in Ramapo organizing a football team and even put in a proposal to bring back the football team in his first year. However, Marshall explains that the main reason why Ramapo does not have a football team is due to financial costs. “If we were to bring back the football team, it would be a $20 million investment over a five to 10 year period.” He
goes on to mention that this price would include start up costs for facilities, equipment, uniforms, supplies, coaching staff, lights, officials, and game type stuff. However, Marshall is still an advocate for the idea of a football team. “I do believe football would keep students on campus for the weekends and evenings, and I do believe it would be great for school spirit because it would reinforce a sense of community,” Marshall said. “With all these positives being said, we have a responsibility to all the students to try to do what’s right for them,” Marshall continues. “With what President Mercer is trying to do with the college by moving it forward academically, socially, and athletically, $20 million at this particular time may not be the best way to spend that money.” Unfortunately, according to Gene Marshall, he does not see Ramapo organizing a football team in the near future, unless there were to be a generous donation to start up the program. However, Ramapo students should never give up on the idea. If the student body wants a football team badly enough, we will have to voice our opinions. amiehe@ramapo.edu
VIEWPOINTS
MSU Costs Students $37K in Minaj Scam
Thursday, October 7, 2010
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
Two weeks ago, Montclair State University students found out that they had been scammed by an illegitimate booking agency for $37,000 after the agency claimed it would send famous rapper Nicki Minaj to perform at the school’s annual Fall Fest. Minaj was supposed to perform on Oct. 8 as the headliner of the celebration; students anxiously camped overnight to get tickets at $20 and $40 a pop, but found out it was a hoax on Sept. 22, after Minaj responded to a Twit Pic from a fan. “What is this I’m hearing
about an MSU concert?” the rapper asked. “Where and when is this concert supposed to be? I feel so bad for people who were scammed.” The faux event was organized by the Montclair State Student Government Association, which booked the concert through Romarick Hough of Premiere Talent Agency. This particular scam with Minaj has taken advantage of other universities, as well. When something appears too good to be true, it usually is. This scam reflects how quick students are to throw money away without doing background checks. In this day and age, our generation is too trusting of businesses. The Montclair SGA, in particular, was extremely ignorant to push boatloads of money at an artist to get her to come to campus. If the SGA at MSU did a sim-
ple Google search prior to booking the artist, it would have found that many other colleges were duped as well, such as Jacksonville State University. According to a report in “The Montclarion,” MSU’s studentrun newspaper, the booking agency required a $27,000 check, and then insisted on receiving $10,000 in cash on the day of the concert. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see this as a red flag. These are two clues that SGA should have picked up on prior to dropping more than $30K. And, no offense to MSU, but what makes students think a rapper as hot as Minaj would come to an average-sized state school, rather than a more recognized school such as Penn State University or University of Rhode Island? Minaj has been featured on several Lil Wayne Singles.
The rapper’s hit singles have received a lot of airplay, and her album “Pink Friday” isn’t scheduled to drop until November. She performed at the MTV Video Music Awards in early September, as well. Based upon Minaj’s popularity, what makes MSU students think they’re so special that a rapper who hasn’t performed at any other colleges would want to come their school first? The SGA Programming Board refunded students out of its budget for the 900 tickets sold. Investigators have not yet recovered the $37,000. Once again, this could all have been avoided if MSU students were smarter about who they booked their artist with. Now, students might distrust future events that SGA sponsors.
and I have so much debt. The trend of switching majors seems to be growing as students react to the economy and try to best prepare themselves for the job market. Channel 69 News featured an article about a 37-percent increase in college freshmen receiving career counseling, and websites such as topix.com producing forums dedicated to insecure undergrads looking to switch to more financially secure majors. As a result of my anxiety, I decided to forgo a summer vacation and register for anatomy and physiology and pre-calculus, planning to switch my major to biology in the fall. I told myself that I could do well in science and get a job that will offer me a salary substantial enough to make sense of my college investment. After doing well in my classes I felt that my summer without relaxation, and with nearweekly heart attacks, was going to be worth it. However, when the fall semester
approached I began to feel extremely depressed. An overwhelming feeling crept upon me and I knew I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. I missed writing, I missed my professors and I missed learning more about what I loved. Sixty percent of new college graduates are in debt — an average of $22,700, according to Forbes — and starting salaries with a bachelor’s degree can be as low as $25,000 a year. These statistics alone are enough to make students feel insecure about their majors, but I would just like to tell them: don’t. I hope to save everyone else a few grand by letting you know that ditching the major you love is not the right decision. I have never felt surer about anything than switching back to my journalism major and political science minor. It took a long, strenuous summer to realize that college is about taking your strengths and passions and learning how to hone your skills — not comparing yearly salaries and
forcing yourself to be something you are not. According to Clifford Peterson, professor of political science at Ramapo, there are plenty of alternatives to completely ditching your major. “Students can take on a second language and couple that with study abroad to make themselves more marketable,” he said. Having a second language and cultural experience is a great way to show employers you have a lot to offer. Even during my short experience as a biology major, I quickly discovered that medical schools want students who have broad experiences, not just the student who sat in class and got straight As. There is a world of advice out there to give you a competitive edge on your choice of major. Talk to your advisors or visit the Cahill Center to discuss opportunities with a peer career advisor.
Student Says Stick with Major You Love By DEANNA DUNSMUIR Staff Writer
With more than 9 percent national unemployment and tuition skyrocketing, college students face a life-altering decision: what major should I choose to get the best return on my college investment? As the spring 2010 semester drew to a close and fall registration approached, I asked myself that same question. I had always defended my communications major to my parents, explaining to them that journalism is what I am passionate about, but for the first time I began questioning myself. I pay for my own college tuition through loans in my own name, and I pay off the interest myself every month. As the debt started stacking up and my weekly paychecks disappeared to Stafford Loans, I began to think differently about my choice of major. Entry level jobs for journalism majors are statistically lower than those of other majors, such as science and business,
manderle@ramapo.edu
ddunsmui@ramapo.edu
To the Editor,
I am writing to you concerning the article “Students Expect School Spirit, Hopes Fall Short” written by staff writer Elyse Toribio, from the September 16, 2010 issue of “The Ramapo News.” I am currently a sophomore at the school and I would just like to say thank you for finally writing an article about Ramapo’s school spirit, or lack thereof. I completely agree with you, and I believe students should have recognized this long ago. Although we are a small school, we still have decent sports teams, and I just wish students would care more and show their support. I’m not only talking about our sports teams, I’m talking about school spirit in general, and showing to others that we actually care for the institution we spend so much time attending. Thank you, Kimberly Graney To the Editor,
This is in response to Jason Krisza’s response to the new RA/CA role in the last edition of “The Ramapo News.” He states in the article how RAs/CAs “aren’t police officers,” which I fully agree with, but what I am severely disappointed in is the lack of support that he shows to Residence Life staff members. As SGA president you are supposed to support all of the student body, which includes — but is not limited to — the undergraduate students who are employed as RAs and CAs. As RAs/CAs, we are responsible for living up to the contract we signed. With the additions to our contract we have become more visible to the general campus, but that doesn’t make us police officers. The term Resident Assistant or Community Assistant has the word “assistant” in it because that is our general purpose — we are here to help, whether that be with Public Safety or with the residents. We consistently are given a bad reputation, and I feel it is unwarranted. Most people come to us for lockouts and when their neighbors are being too loud, but what people fail to recognize is that’s just the surface of what we do. In my own personal career as an undergraduate Residence Life employee, I have dealt with rape, domestic violence, roommate conflicts, depression and, well, the list goes on. No RA/CA is looking for an article to be published every time he or she helps a student, but it would be nice if the person who is supposed to be unbiased and represent the “whole” student body would be more informed and supportive of the more than 60 students on this campus who work day in and day out to help. I would like to add that if there is a general student concern that SGA feels the need to address in regard to Residence Life, I suggest going through the proper channels to address those concerns rather than commenting in an article and further “alienating” a group of students. Devil’s Advocate
Submit a letter to the editor: editor.rcnjnews@ramapo.edu
MOVIE REVIEW
OCTOBERFEST CARNIVAL
Jeremy Kelly reviews latest vampire flick, Let Me In Page 11
Danielle Reed recaps Saturday’s festivities. Page 11
Cartel and Saves the Day Rock the Bradley Center 10 . 07 . 10
BY S EAN RITCHIE Staff Writer
Octoberfest started off with a bang on Oct. 1 when Cartel and Saves The Day teamed up to perform in the Bradley Center at Ramapo College. Lights Resolve was the opening act and played an energetic 45-minute set. The band established the tone for the evening with its upbeat style and lively performance. Lights Resolve is an indie rock band formed in New York in 2006. The band has made appearances at concerts such as Bamboozle and Warped Tour. Lights Resolve is a three-man band consisting of Matthew Reich (vocals/guitar), Neal Saini (drums) and Luke Daniels (bass/vocals). The Bradley Center really came to life when Saves The Day, fronted by lead singer Chris Conley, began to perform. Conley received a wild reception from an audience that was very familiar with his work. The set lasted a little over an hour and included some of their most mainstream songs. They opened up with “Anywhere With You” and closed with their most wellknown song, “At Your Funeral.” They definitely made their mark with the audience, and student Dan Roman praised Conley saying, “Chris Conley stole the show.” Dennis DePrimo, another student energized by the performance, said, “The amalgamation of raw emotion and power from Saves The Day left me speechless.” Saves The Day is a local band from Princeton, N.J. that was formed in 1994. Since their inception they have released six albums and have another set to be released in 2011. They are a four-man band comprised of Chris Conley (lead singer), Arun Bali (guitars), Rodrigo Palma (Bass) and Claudio Rivera (drums). Conley is the only original member of the band. Saves The Day had a powerful performance and set up the stage nicely for the headlining band Cartel. After a short intermission Cartel, led by lead singer Will Pugh, took the stage. The pop-rock band was clearly the crowd’s favorite, as audience members were crowd surfing during parts of their performance. The band played a wide array of songs from its first album, “Chroma,” and its second self-titled album, “Cartel.” To the surprise of the crowd, they also covered “Wonderwall” by Oasis. The crowd appreciated the throwback performance along with some of the latest tracks. Sophomore Francesca Mucatello said, “It was great to hear many of the songs off Cartel’s first album, ‘Chroma.’ It took me back.” Cartel originated in Georgia, and formed in
Lights Resolve kicked off Octoberfest with a performance at the Bradley Center on Oct. 1. 2003. The band is made up of five members: Will Pugh (lead singer), Nic Hudson (rhythm guitar), William Lett (base/backup vocals), Joseph Peppers (lead guitar) and Kevin Sanders (drums). It was a great night all around, with both Saves The Day and Cartel regularly thanking the crowd throughout each of their sets. Lights Resolve, the opening act, actually joined the crowd after its set to enjoy some of the remaining concert. Even though the Bradley Center was not completely packed, there was still a good turnout. “It was awesome,” Pugh said. “Definitely a top-ten college show, and we play a lot of college shows.” The concert seemed to be the kicking off of two tours, as both Saves The Day and Cartel are set to travel to opposite sides of the country to perform. “We are going to be touring around the east coast with Hey Monday in the fall,” Pugh said. On the other hand, Saves The Day will be traveling out west to team up with Say Anything and Motion City Soundtrack. sritchi1@ramapo.edu
photo by Jake Edinger
Audiences “Like” Fincher’s Facebook Movie Page 9 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 7, 2010
BY ERIK GAVILANES Staff Writer
The ultimate irony of our lifetime may be that the man responsible for connecting half a billion people together through the invention of a social network that thrives off of users being “friends” with each other is actually socially inept and incapable of being friends with anyone. “The Social Network,” directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, is a tale about the rise of Facebook and the legal battles surrounding its questionable origins. The film starts with Mark Zuckerberg (played by a sensational Jesse Eisenberg) as an undergrad at Harvard having a drink at a local bar with his girlfriend, Erica. We are dropped into the frantic mess of a conversation as Erica tries to keep up with Mark’s sudden topic changes and condescending barbs at her less-than-Harvard education. Erica reaches her breaking point with Mark, and what ensues is a theme of the entire film: conversational warfare. Biting wit and near-sociopathic logic pours out of Mark before Erica lights the fire that would soon set the whole world in flames. She calls him an “A-hole” and storms off, effectively ending their relationship, leaving Mark to take to the Internet in a booze- and rejection-fueled escapade. To anyone who’s ever updated his or her status, liked a picture, made a friend request or consulted a relationship status, you have the fragility of a lover scorned to thank for the countless hours spent refreshing your profile. The story of Zuckerberg co-founding Facebook is intercut with scenes from two separate deposition hearings. In one, he faces off with Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and Mark’s roommate/best-and-only friend. Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) provides the start-up capital to launch Facebook in its infancy, before being deceptively pushed out of the company once he is deemed unnecessary. He acts as the only source of sympathy in the film as he is brutal-
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
Jesse Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, in the recent film “The Social Network.”
ly taken on several times by Mark and company. The other hearing is with Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (both played by Armie Hammer), a pair of world class crew rowers from a family of privilege who recruit Zuckerberg to help them start “The Harvard Connection,” which they claim was the basis from which Facebook was created. In both cases we see Zuckerberg act like a man who has been socially alienated his entire life, but who has recently fallen into a great deal of wealth and power. Sorkin’s script provides the kind of linguistic bravado that
makes almost every scene captivating and thrilling, and we occasionally see the cracks from which his feelings of social resentment stem. When someone questions Mark about why the Winklevoss twins are upset with him, he responds with, “The Winklevoss twins are upset because for the first time in their entire lives, things aren’t going their way.” The beginning of Zuckerberg’s ousting of his best friend Eduardo from the company can be traced back to the introduction of Napster founder Sean Parker (played by Justin Timberlake). Timberlake wows the audience in his role as the hubris-filled Parker who plants seeds in Mark’s mind as to how he (and not Eduardo) should be running his company. “The Social Network” is an overall very good film. The dialogue is transfixing, the acting is excellent across the board and its two hours skate by at a perfect pace. It’s not a film for anyone looking for happy endings or people playing nice. Instead, it’s for those among us who have ever done as the protagonist does at the end of the film: sit and refresh the Facebook profile of the person that broke up with him. It’s only fitting that the founder of the world’s leading maker of “friends” sits in front of his computer, in the same scenario he has placed so many in: socially disconnected.
RATING:
####$ erikgavilanes@yahoo.com
Page 10 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 7, 2010
A Classic Vampire Remake Worth Watching
Page 11 The Ramapo News By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer
What happens when American audiences are entranced and impressed by a great foreign horror movie? They choose to make it their own with a remake. Enter “Let Me In,” a remake of the 2008 Swedish romantic horror film “Let the Right One In,” which is an adaptation of the John Ajvide Lindqvist novel of the same name.
Indeed, young Abby is a creature of the night, and no, she does not sparkle in the sunlight or befriend werewolves.
The setting is snowy Los Alamos, N.M., and the year is 1983. A 12-year-old boy named Owen (Kodi SmitMcPhee) lives with his mother in a dingy apartment building, and he is bullied regularly at school. One day out of the blue, a girl his age named Abby (Chloë Moretz) moves in next door with a man who appears to be her father (Richard Jenkins). Owen and Abby first meet at a jungle gym. Abby tells the boy that they shouldn’t be friends. Owen shrugs; who says he wanted to be her friend? But of course, neither can stay away from each other. At least, not when the sun goes down. Even if one is unfamiliar with horror movies, the signs are apparent. Abby does not go outside in the daylight, and she is vague about how old she is. She drinks blood. That last statement probably gave away the secret. Indeed, young Abby is a creature of the night, and no, she does not sparkle in sunlight or befriend werewolves. She never actually calls herself a vampire, but states that she
Thursday, October 7, 2010
“needs blood to live.” But of course, the symptoms are there. It’s not as if vampirism is a minor inconvenience — it’s a sickness and a cruel fate for anyone. Just as an alcoholic is dependent on alcohol, Abby is permanently bound to the taste of blood. The man who lives with her is not really her father, but more like her caretaker and provider. His methods of providing consist of killing whoever he can find, draining their bodies of blood and feeding it to Abby. Photos reveal that they have been stuck in this routine for a long time. Owen quickly learns that there’s a heavy price to pay for being Abby’s friend, and must decide whether he will remain loyal to Abby despite her situation. He wonders how he could possibly turn her in when she’s the only friend he has. While Smit-McPhee realistically portrays Owen’s innocence and depression, it’s Moretz who steals the show as Abby. Comparing her performance in “Let Me In” to her performance earlier this year in “Kick-Ass,” Moretz has proven that she can take on many different roles, and may have a promising Hollywood career ahead of her. Although director Matt Reeves plays it smart by keeping much of the focus on Owen and Abby, there are some questionable decisions. The police detective introduced early on has confusing motives. Owen’s mother is basically nonexistent. The bullies that harass Owen seem more like cardboard cut-outs. The film’s slow pace may also turn viewers away. Those who have seen the original may be biased, but as its own movie, “Let Me In” has some very good aspects. The most important part is probably that it makes vampires creepy again, and not in a humorous way. Despite the positive feedback, “Let Me In” grossed only $5.3 million in its opening weekend, finishing eighth behind “The Social Network” and “Case 39,” two other movies that were successful in their opening weekend. But
photo courtesy of Flickr creative commons
“Let Me In” is an American remake of the 2008 Swedish romantic horror film “Let the Right One In.”
it’s a movie that shows a new layer to Chloë Moretz, and it returns vampires to their horrific roots. Somewhere in his grave, Béla Lugosi, the actor who played the original Count Dracula, is smiling.
RATING:
Carnival Captures Students’ Interests
####$ jkelly7@ramapo.edu
By DANIELLE REED Staff Writer
This past Saturday, Ramapo’s Student Government Association sponsored its fourth annual Octoberfest carnival at the Bandshell from 2-6 p.m. Octoberfest is a weekend-long event that is considered to be the highlight of the semester at Ramapo College. The carnival, usually held on Saturday afternoons, is just one of the events that students attend to get their fill of free food, prizes, games and rides. Many incoming students were excited to see what Octoberfest was all about. “I thought there would be a lot of activities,” said firstyear student Magdalena Lukaszek. “There were more people than I thought there were going to be. [It has been fun] talking with friends and meeting new people and [getting to know the people in] SGA.” Crowds of students began lining up around 1:45 p.m. for a chance to get a free green “Octoberfest 2010” T-shirt. Students were also given food vouchers for their choice of a cheeseburger, cheese steak or mozzarella sticks brought in from an outside vendor. There were also “carnival-style” foods to choose from, including snow cones and cotton candy. Campus organizations and outside vendors also provided students with opportunities to get free things and have fun. Students were able to get a free airbrushed hat or Tshirt, take pictures with their friends in an authentic photo booth set up in the middle of the field and pick pumpkins from a pumpkin patch. A DJ was also on hand, blasting music from the stage on the Bandshell.
Students enjoyed free food and games during Saturdayʼs Octoberfest carnival.
Octoberfest also provided many opportunities for students who were more interested in physical activities. There was “The Corral,” complete with a mechanical bull that students could ride and see how long they could hang on, and a rock wall where students could race their friends to the top. There were also several inflatable attractions, including a basketball game in which people could try to beat their friends in free-throws and a laser tag arena. Students could
photo by Jake Edinger
also take a hay ride across campus for most of the day. “I had a lot of fun,” sophomore Bat-El Miller said. “I’ve been working with the [airbrush] T-shirts, [but] I definitely want to try out the mechanical bull.” Activities continued late into the evening with a bonfire, a showing of “Toy Story 3” and late night events that included henna tattoos and free candy. dreed1@ramapo.edu
Reality TV Star Reveals Behind the Scenes Secrets Page 12 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 7, 2010
BY DIANA STANCZAK A&E Editor
DS: Did you have to compete for camera time? JM: Definitely. Whenever you go on a show like that, whether it’s a competition show or not, if you want to be one of the main players on the show you have to stand out. You cannot keep your mouth shut for one second. Because whatever personality [the producers] met prior to filming is exactly who they want on the show, times 100. And they tell you that. The more overdramatic you are and the crazier you are, the more camera time you’re going to get.
Love it or hate it, reality TV is taking over. New shows are constantly competing with each other, and it seems like the more dramatic and over the top, the better. But just how real is a reality show, exactly? Twenty-three-year-old actress/singer Jaqueline Madden, who, this past summer, starred in VH1’s hit reality series, “You’re Cut Off,” revealed what it’s really like to live life in the spotlight. “You’re Cut Off” was a show about nine wealthy girls who believed they were going to be on a show called “The Good Life” and spend their summer partying, when in fact they were faced with their worst nightmare: being financially cut off.
Diana Stanczak: How did you end up on the show “You’re Cut Off”? Jaqueline Madden: I was working for a casting director in New York City while I was going to school at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. [The casting director] found out about the show, which at the time I thought was called “The Good Life.” I also did not know what network it was on yet. So he found out what the show was about, and basically they were looking for spoiled, privileged girls who all think that they’re princesses, and he thought that it would be a really good idea for me to go audition for the show. DS: And did the casting director know what the show was really about? JM: No, he did not know. Nobody knew until I was in L.A. and they started filming. And exactly what you see on TV is exactly how I found out!
DS: That must have been quite a shock. How was the audition process? JM: It was! And the auditions were a long process. The summer prior to this one was when I started auditioning. The first step was to send in your headshot and your resume. You write a little bio letting them know who you are and what you’re about, and then from there one of the producers from the show ended up calling me back. They were like, “We really like you, now we need you to fill out all this paperwork,” and it was like 20 plus pages of every question about your life that you could ever possibly imagine. From there, you send that in to them and then you do phone interviews. I probably did phone interviews with about three or four different producers for the show. And
photo courtesy of jaquelinemadden.com
Jaqueline Madden, of VH1ʼs reality series “Youʼre Cut Off,” revealed what itʼs like behind the cameras.
then from there, if they really like you, then they came from L.A.
DS: They came all the way from L.A. to see you? JM: Yes. I met them in Englewood in this little boutique, where I guess they were meeting any girls that they were interested in from New Jersey. Obviously they were auditioning girls from all over the country but I met them there; that was the first on-camera interview. After the first oncamera interview they were like, “We really love you, we want to come to your house tomorrow.” DS: So they came the very next day? That’s really soon. JM: Yeah, it was pretty quick. I mean they kind of let me know in person that they liked me and they would be coming. So the following day they came to my house; it was a huge long thing, they filmed the cars, they filmed me in different clothes and in the hot tub. It was a lot of fun, and I felt like, “This was the first step, let’s see how it goes from here.”
DS: If you weren’t in the entertainment industry, what would you be doing? JM: Well I really can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s really one of those things where I almost feel like I’m not working, you know, even though I’m working beyond full time. You know how people say if you love what you do you never work a day in your life? That’s how I feel. I really can’t imagine doing anything else. I’ve worked my whole life to get to be where I am and then to be in this business, and it’s not just about the fame and the money, it’s about loving what you do and being passionate about it.
DS: What do you for fun when you’re not working on your career? JM: I go out with my girlfriends, of course. The city’s right here, and the nice thing about being pretty is you don’t have to worry about getting in anywhere, you don’t have to worry about paying for drinks, you go out to the city, and everything’s taken care of so that’s a nice thing [laughing]. Other than that, during the summer I love the beach and I love to travel. DS: You seem very down-to-earth; it’s almost surprising and very refreshing to see. JM: A lot of people on reality TV definitely overdo it. But at the end of the day, you can tell. The reason why it’s called reality TV is because it’s supposed to be real, and people want to see real. Yeah they want to see the drama, but they also want to see that you’re a real person with real emotions. They want to see you break down and cry, and they want to see you at your best and at your worst.
DS: Let’s talk about the actual show itself. Was anything staged? JM: Not at all, surprisingly enough.
dstancza@ramapo.edu
Queer History Month Comedian Entertains Students
BY STEPHANIE NODA Staff Writer
Comedian Marga Gomez visited Ramapo College this Monday in order to kick off the beginning of Queer History Month, which takes place during October. Known for being one of the first openly gay Latina comedians, Gomez brought many laughs to the audience with her witty observations and quick comedic timing. “I’ve seen some of her sketches and she is a very funny comic,” said Shane Hoff, queer peer coordinator for the Women’s Center. “I’m hoping the Ramapo community appreciates her as much as I do,” he added. Gomez started off the night by recounting her life growing up in Washington Heights in Manhattan and talking about the trials and tribulations of growing up as an only child in a Cuban/Puerto Rican household. She lamented that her parents would give
her toys she couldn’t actually use, such as a see-saw and a Frisbee, and how being an only child made her unable to interact with young children later on in life. An example of this occurred when she tried to make funny faces at a child who was upset and was screaming at her mother at an airport. “I get up and I look at the mom,” Gomez said. “She looks down at the kid and says ‘Keep crying! She’s going to take you!’” Gomez also discussed how her parents decided to send her to a Catholic school during her teenage years, in order to keep her out of trouble due to the rough neighborhood she lived in. Gomez loved all the fancy aspects of the school, such as the incense, the stained glass and the rosary. “I don’t know if God exists, but I love his accessories,” Gomez joked. Gomez’s Catholic school days also involved instances where the students, most of who were Latino, sang traditional Irish songs. This led to a hilarious interpre-
tation by Gomez of how these Irish songs sounded when being sung in a heavy Hispanic accent. The comedy routine then turned towards discussing popular culture, which involved her cameo role in an old science fiction movie called “Sphere.” Her character in the movie, a member of military personnel, spent much of her screen time giving food to the rest of the crew; Gomez humorously commented how she was sure her character didn’t “spend eight years in military school to serve muffins.” During her popular culture sketch, Gomez also commented on the recent coming out of pop sensation Ricky Martin. “I am very thrilled as a queer Latina, this is the year that we have big exciting news,” Gomez said. “Ricky Martin came out of the closet. Ricky Martin came out of the closet on Twitter. He came out in a Tweet. How gay is that?,” she joked. One of the last topics the comedy show
touched upon was Gomez’s five-year relationship with her partner and their wide age gap, which is sometimes looked down upon in society. In a more serious tone, Gomez told the audience that she believes that if two adults have chemistry, age should never matter. She then immediately went back to her comical retorts by proclaiming “the important thing is as long as they have money,” which gave the audience a huge laugh. Gomez’s anecdotes were full of clever one-liners and humorous observations that resulted in an engaging and enjoyable comedy show. Her standup is definitely not one to be missed.
snoda@ramapo.edu
RAMAPO SPORTS
Women’s Tennis Extends Win Streak to Four By TOM BABCOCK Staff Writer
The Ramapo women’s tennis team had little trouble defeating the City College of New York on Saturday. The 9-0 shutout is their fourth win in a row and improves their season record to 52. It was an all-around team effort as solid performances were turned in by all of the Lady Roadrunners. Laura Strandberg and Nicole Pitts got it started by recording an 8-0 victory in first doubles. Jywel Almirante and Stephanie Abrecht picked up where they left off, defeating CCNY’s Sherada Bogle and Johanna Uquillas with another 8-0 win in second doubles. To complete the doubles shutout-trifecta, Maegan Heaney and Mengxi Chen won 8-0, giving Ramapo an early 3-0 lead. Strandberg, a 2009-2010 NJAC First Team AllConference selection, continued to be in control throughout first singles winning 6-0, 6-0 over LaPortia Hackworth. “My first serve percentage was really high,” Strandberg said addressing her success. “I was able to dictate the points.” Almirante matched Strandberg’s shutout performance with her own 6-0, 6-0 win to clinch the victory for Ramapo, putting them up 5-0. She attributed her win to strong focus and not
overlooking an opponent who is 1-7. “I take all my matches seriously no matter who I am playing — a weaker team or a stronger team,” Alrmirante said. “I look at all my opponents the same way, and that keeps me playing competitively.” Third singles was more of the same as the Roadrunners’ Nicole Pitts finished off opponent Natalie St. Eloie 6-1, 6-0. The Ramapo momentum continued to roll even as freshmen Katelynn Wintz, Abrecht, and Heaney rounded out the lineup, having no problems recording victories. Abrecht did well keeping the ball on the court. “My strokes were consistent and I kept the ball in play as well as I could,” she said. Despite being freshmen, Abrecht, Wintz, and Heaney are relaxed on the court. “No one likes to lose and no one wants to let the team down,” Wintz said. “All of the girls are so supportive.” Heaney topped off the perfect day with a 6-1, 6-0 victory to end singles play, rounding out a 90 win for the Roadrunners. Ramapo, now with four victories in a row, will look to keep the streak going with two pivotal conference matchups versus William Paterson on Friday and rival Stockton on Saturday. These matches will determine if the Roadrunners fin-
ish second in the NJAC behind The College of New Jersey for a second straight season. While it may not be the conference title every team aims for, Ramapo would not mind taking the runner up position behind TCNJ, who has placed first in the NJAC in 28th consecutive seasons. It may all come down to the visit to Stockton this weekend. If that is the case, it should help add that much more drama to a matchup that is already considered a rivalry.
“No one likes to lose and no one wants to let the team down.” -Katelynn Wintz, freshman
“Stockton is our rival school so everyone is stoked to play them,” Wintz said. “I’ve been told it’s always a very close match. William Paterson and Stockton are both conference matches so if we could win them both, it’d be a huge deal for our conference record.” tbabcock@ramapo.edu
Field Hockey Picks Up Win Against Keystone Ramapo Defeats Keystone 2-1 In Second Home Game of Season
By RYAN BUCHANAN Staff Writer The Ramapo Roadrunners field hockey team edged out the Keystone College’s Giants 2-1 on a beautiful Saturday at the Athletic Center. Ramapo improved their record to 5-4 with the win, and Keystone moved down to 5-5 after the loss. Katie Bruno and Jenna Whyatt scored the two goals for the Roadrunners. Katie Darling scored the goal for Keystone College. The skies were as blue as they could possibly be with no precipitation and minimal wind on the Saturday afternoon of the victory. “It’s nice to play at home, especially on a nice day like today,” Head Coach Concetta
“Our passing came together really well.” - Samantha Gardner, Midfielder/forward
Valerio said. “If we all work as one cohesive unit, we will come away with the ‘W’.” Whenever we support each other, things just seem to go our way.” And that they did. The Roadrunners scored on their first successful corner eight minutes into the game on a combined team effort where Katie Bruno got an open look at the net after the goalie was drawn to protect the near
“If we all work as one cohesive unit, we will come away with the ʻW.ʼ Whenever we support each other, things just seem to go our way.” - Concetta Valerio, Head Coach
side of the attack. The second goal came 20 minutes into the game when freshman Jenna Whyatt squeezed the ball past a defender off the assist from Rachel Seidman. A goal could have been scored as early as 53 seconds in to the game, however, when junior Amanda Barretta swerved through four defenders to put a perfect pass out to the far corner of the net that was retrieved a blink of an eye too late. Coming out on top, Barretta, who leads the teams with 10 goals and 21 points on the year, attributed the win to great communication. “We were talking a lot in the backfield,” she said. In field hockey, a goal counts as two points in individual statistics. The win was most definitely a team effort and sophomore Samantha Gardner noted an improvement in passing.
“Our passing came together really well,” Gardner said. Keystone College’s goal came on a penalty stroke which is similar to a penalty shot in hockey or soccer. Katie Darling scored on a blast of a shot towards the lower right corner of the net on Rebecca Elliott, who earlier in the game made a spectacular diving save nine minutes into the game. Elliot recorded three saves on the day to increase her season total to 70 saves.
“We supported each other. We finally started to mesh as a team.” -Concetta Valerio
Valerio can only hope that the team efforts continue. “We supported each other,” Valerio said. “We finally started to mesh as a team.” Montclair State University defeated Ramapo by a score of 4-2 on Tuesday to drop the Roadrunners’ record to 5-5. Ramapo will look to pick up a win against Gwynedd-Mercy College in Pennsylvania on Saturday before beginning a three-game home stretch. rbuchana@ramapo.edu
Thursday, October 7, 2010
This Week in Ramapo Sports
Friday:
Women’s Tennis vs. William Patterson at 6 p.m.
Saturday:
Women’s Soccer Alumni/Family Day at 11 a.m. Men’s Soccer Alumni/Family Day at 1 p.m.
Women’s Tennis @ Stockton College at 1 p.m.
Field Hockey @ GwyneddMercy College at 3 p.m.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country DeSales Invitational at Center Valley, PA
Monday:
Women’s Soccer vs. Landcaster Bible College at 4 p.m.
Tuesday:
Women’s Tennis vs. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania at 3:30 p.m.
Field Hockey vs. The College of New Jersey at 4 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball vs. Rowan University at 7 p.m.
Wednesday:
Women’s Soccer vs. Rowan University at 4 p.m. Men’s Soccer @ Rowan University at 7 p.m.
Giants, Jets Both Tie for Division Lead After Earning Victories Page 14 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 7, 2010
By ALMERRY MARTINS Staff Writer
Week four in the National Football League seems to be the deciding point of the season for commentators and fans to give a fair judgment on where each team stands. It may be because playing four teams shows the strengths and weaknesses of each team. It could also be that it is one-fourth of the scheduled season. At the end of it all, some questions were answered while others still remain. After winning back-to-back games against opponents in their division, the New York Jets traveled to Orchard Park, NY to stampede the Buffalo Bills in a 38-14 victory. The win put them in first place in the AFC East with a 3-1 record. With rain coming down, the Jets decided to fly low with their rushing attack, even though Mark Sanchez completed 14 of 24 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Their running game was not stopped, totaling for 250 yards of ground. LaDainian Tomlinson may be the reason the Bills to felt jetlag the next day, as he rushed past them for 133 yards and two scores. Tomlinson had the 47th 100-yard game of his 10-year career and his first since he ran for 105 yards on Oct. 26th, 2008. Another team that attempted to fly high was the Philadelphia Eagles. Facing their former quarterback, now Redskin Donovan McNabb, the Eagles lost 17-12 in perhaps the most anticipated game of the week due to McNabb returning to his home of ten years to face Michael Vick. McNabb walked onto a field with applause and cheers until
he threw his first and only touchdown pass of the game. McNabb’s 125 yards and a rushing touchdown from backup Ryan Torain was all the Redskins needed on offense. Vick sustained chest and rib injuries that forced him to leave the game. After losing the job to Vick after suffering an injury during week one Kevin Kolb took over, completing 22 of 35 passes for 201 yards and one interception. With Vick possibly out for a few weeks the Eagles find themselves again with Kolb as their starting quarterback. A team that had much to prove was the New York Giants as they hosted the undefeated Chicago Bears. It appeared to be bear hunting season in East Rutherford after the Giants sacked their way to a 17-3 victory. A
mediocre offense was lifted by the defense, which recorded a record nine sacks in the first half. Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck had three a piece. Jay Cutler was not able to finish the game as he was sidelined with a concussion. Eli Manning completed 18 of 30 passes for 195 yards. The only two scores came from Brandon Jacobs on a 2yard run and a 3-yard score from Ahmad Bradshaw, who tallied 129 rushing yards along with the touchdown. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh with 32 seconds left to give the Pittsburgh Steelers their first loss in a 17-14 win for the Ravens. Recently signed 46-year-old kicker John Carney helped the New Orleans Saints keep the Carolina Panthers winless with three
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 133 yards and scored two touchdowns in the New York Jetsʼ victory against the Buffalo Bills.
field goals in a 16-14 victory. Matt Bryant’s winning field goal lifted the Atlanta Falcons over the winless San Francisco 49ers by a score of 16-14. Peyton Hillis’ 102-yard game and score got the Cleveland Browns past the Cincinnati Bengals in a surprising 24-20 upset. Kyle Orton’s 6-yard touchdown to Correll Buckhalter with 1:33 left got the Denver Broncos past the Tennessee Titans in a 2620 win. Top pick Sam Bradford had another big game helping the St. Louis Rams defeat the Seattle Seahawks, 20-3. Houston Texans’ Arian Foster had a 74-yard run and a 10-yard catch in the second half to give the Oakland Raiders their third lost of the season. Antonio Gates made history, becoming the seventh tight end in history with 500 catches. Two of his catches on Sunday were receptions of 33 and 26 yards, helping the San Diego Chargers romp the Arizona Cardinals 41-10. Charles Woodson’s returned interception for a 48-yard touchdown may have been the difference in the Green Bay Packers 28-26 win over the Detroit Lions. New England Patriots returner Brandon Tate’s second half return for a 103-yard touchdown and Miami Dolphins’ Chad Henne’s three interceptions led the Patriots to a 41-14 victory. The Kansas City Chiefs, who had a bye week, are the only team remaining with an undefeated record.
NFL WEEK 5 STAFF PICKS
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Week 5 Matchups
Tom Babcock Last Week (3-3) This Season (7-11)
Chris Arndt Last Week (N/A) This Season (7-5)
Almerry Martins Last Week (4-2) This Season (12-6)
Sean Ritchie Last Week (3-3) This Season (10-8)
Jeremy Kelly Last Week (3-3) This Season (9-9)
Jake Edinger Last Week (3-3) This Season (9-9)
GB @ WAS
Redskins
Packers
Packers
Packers
Packers
Packers
KC @ IND
Colts
Colts
Colts
Colts
Colts
Colts
TEN @ DAL
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Titans
Cowboys
Titans
TB @ CIN
Bengals
Bengals
Bengals
Bengals
Buccaneers
Bengals
MIN @ NYJ
Vikings
Jets
Jets
Jets
Jets
Vikings
NYG @ HOU
Texans
Texans
Texans
Giants
Texans
Giants
Ramapo Women’s Volleyball Continues to Serve Up Victories Page 15 The Ramapo News
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Roadrunners Improve Record to 13-2 After Winning Seven Consecutive Matches By RYAN BUCHANAN Staff Writer
Ramapo’s women’s volleyball team won its fourth consecutive game against Montclair State on Thursday. The home crowd of a few hundred fans cheered on Roadrunners from start to finish as the game offered a variety of different reasons to cheer. The Roadrunners took the first set by a score of 25-16, followed by wins of 25-13 and 25-14. Montclair State kept many points alive, only to have them taken away with ferocious kills by Michelle Ferrari and Maura Burke or well placed bumps by Julia Tuzio and Megan Taege. Everyone contributed to the win. The crowd frequently roared with enthusiasm because the players were noticeably in top form and worked as a team. “We had really good communication and our passes were on target, and great sets come with great hits,” freshman Ashley Vandenbulcke said. Most of the assists came from junior Tiffany Fischer, who is already second alltime on the school’s assists leaders list. Fischer leads the team with 404 assists this season. The confidence of the home team was evident and with good reason. Leading up to
their win against Montclair, the Roadrunners won three straight matches against three different teams during the Baruch Invitational at Baruch College. “We’re very confident right now,” Head Coach Robert Pichardo said. “We made a lot of great changes and it’s really working for us right now.” With the victory against Baruch, Pichardo earned his 200th career win as a women’s volleyball coach. Pichardo won 100 games
“It’s not just me,” Pichardo said. “It’s the coaching staff and the players too. The number is just a number to me.” With the win, Ramapo moved to 10-2 and Montclair State dropped to 2-15. They followed the win with two more shutout victories on the road Saturday against Mount Saint Vincent and St. Joseph’s College and then defeated York College at home Monday night to improve to 13-2. Ramapo managed to set the tone in the majority of their matches this season. They racked up 572 kills while allowing a mere 258 kills. Their teamwork is demonstrated by 496 assists. Opponents have earned a total of 237 assists against the Roadrunners.
- Robert Pichardo, Head Coach
“Confidence wins are important. The stuff weʼve been working on is really paying off.” - Robert Pichardo
“Weʼre very confident right now. We made a lot of great changes and itʼs really working for us right now.”
at Ramapo while the other 100 of his victories came previously at the City College of New York. Associate Athletic Director Eugene Marshall and all in attendance honored him at the end of the first set. Pichardo insisted that he could not singlehandedly take the credit for the milestone.
Ramapo has won its last seven games since losing to first seed Stockton
“We had really good communication and our passes were on target, and great sets come with great hits.” -Ashley Vandenbuckle, Outside Hitter
University. The team gained confidence from the winning streak, which has Pichardo believing in his squad. “Confidence wins are important,” Pichardo said. “The stuff we’ve been working on is really paying off.” Ramapo will look to extend their winning streak against Rowan University Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
Follow Ramapo College Athletics on Facebook rbuchana@ramapo.edu
MLB Playoffs: Slim Margins Decide the Big Playoff Matchups By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer
The Major League Baseball regular season lasts 162 games and spans six months every year. But incredibly, the matter of which teams play through October and whom they play against can be decided by only a few games. The American League and National League Divisional Series of the 2010 MLB Playoffs began on Wednesday, but it was not until the last day of the regular season on Sunday that all the matchups were decided. Some of the division races went on for most of the season, and only at the very finish did certain teams break through. Despite the fact that the San Diego Padres had control of the National League West for most of the season, a late-season slide left them on the outside looking in. The San Diego Padres trailed the San Francisco Giants by one game after beating them twice. A win by San Diego would have forced a one-game playoff at Petco Park in San Diego to decide the division winner. The loser would have then traveled to Atlanta to play another one-game playoff to decide the NL wild card team. All that was put to rest, however, when the Giants blanked the Padres 3-0. The Giants, who finished 92-70, achieved their first division title and playoff birth since 2003. Their opponent, the Atlanta Braves, won their last game against the Philadelphia Phillies on
photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
Roy Halladay threw the first no-hitter in a postseason game since Don Larsenʼs perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
Sunday to take the wild card spot in manager Bobby Cox’s final season. The Braves and the Giants begin their series tonight at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Derek Lowe will pitch for Atlanta against Tim Lincecum for San Francisco. The AL East was also decided on the final day of the regular season. Amidst controversy over manager Joe Girardi’s decision to rest starters, the New York Yankees fell to the wild card spot. The defending World Series champions finished 95-67, but a loss to the Boston Red Sox in the last game of the year put them one game behind the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Yankees are now matched up with the Minnesota Twins, champions of the AL Central. The Yankees took game one in Minnesota on Wednesday by the score of 64. Carl Pavano will attempt to even the series when he faces Andy Pettitte tonight. The Philadelphia Phillies, who played behind the Braves for much of the season, finished with the league’s best record at 9765 to earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The two-time defending NL champions face the NL Central champion Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are making their first playoff appearance since 1995. Their playoff birth was clinched on Sept.
28 when outfielder Jay Bruce hit a walk-off home run against the Houston Astros. In game one at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter to lead the Phillies to a 4-0 win. Halladay become the second pitcher to throw a no-hitter in a postseason game. Bronson Arroyo will pitch for the Reds in Game two on Friday while Roy Oswalt is scheduled to start for the Phillies. The Phillies hope to represent the NL in the World Series for the third consecutive season while the Reds look to win their first championship since 1990. Arguably the most surprising playoff team this season is the Texas Rangers in the AL West. In their 50th season in existence, they have made the playoffs for only the fourth time ever, and their first since 1999. They face the Tampa Bay Rays, who took the season series against the Rangers four games to two. Texas won game one 5-1 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. on Wednesday. James Shields will pitch for the Rays in game 2 on Friday while C.J. Wilson will pitch for the Rangers. Each division series is a best-of-five series, which means the margin for error for each team is very slim. The World Series is tentatively scheduled to begin on Oct. 27. The National League representative will have home field advantage in the World Series. jkelly7@ramapo.edu
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