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Poetry reading Page 8

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10.14.2010

THE

A&E A&E

A Publication by the Students for the Ramapo College Community

XLI No. 5

Students Pack Forum on New Alcohol and Visitation Policies

photo by Jake Edinger

President Peter Mercer and Associate Vice Presidents of Student Affairs Patrick Chang and Miki Cammarata listened as students expressed their concerns about the new policies last Thursday

President Mercer Takes on Student Questions

By SAMANTHA ULLRICH Staff Writer

More than 300 students gathered in the Alumni Lounges to voice their opinions, support and ask questions about the new guest and alcohol policies that Ramapo has recently put in place. President Peter Mercer and both Associate Vice Presidents of Student Affairs, Pat Chang and Miki Cammarata were in attendance to answer whatever questions students had regarding the policies.

Student Government Association President Jason Krisza and SGA Secretary of Student Affairs Amy Fezza began the forum by informing the audience that this was a chance for them to speak directly to the administration and gain feedback on their concerns.

“These are prominent issues on

campus that students have been very passionate about and as an official in SGA it was my job to create something that would be able to utilize their issues and concerns in a professional way,” Fezza said.

Krisza was shocked by the overwhelming attendance at the event.

“I think this might be one of the best attended events in the history of this college,” Krisza said. “I think this attendance really is indicative that students want to be part of a conversation and I just want to reiterate again that we are here to voice our support and concerns of the purposed policies and I want everyone to keep it professional.”

Mercer told the student body his concerns and the reasoning behind the new policies.

“The major concern I have as the

president is the health and safety of our students. Now you may disagree with the way in which I’ve gone about protecting that, but that is my number one concern,” Mercer said. “The new policies are not meant to be a kill-joy. We have also come here with an open mind in those areas where we can afford to be flexible. But like I’ve said, there are certain areas where we cannot.”

Following Mercer’s address, several students argued that the deadline to file guest policy paperwork should be extended later than 6:30 p.m. One student athlete’s concern is that she never knows when her friends will want to stay over after a game on the weekend.

“There’s no way for me to have them stay over and legally be on see FORUM on page 6

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W EEKEND W EATHER FRI

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Ramapo Students took the age-old saying and literally walked a mile in her shoes. Read about how the men strutted their stuff on campus Tuesday on page 2.

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SAT

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SUN

THE RAMAPO NEWS

Page 2 The Ramapo News

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

“Walk a Mile” Kicks Off Violence Awareness Week Thursday, October 14, 2010

Male Students Strut in Heels Around Campus for a Cause

(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.

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Male students in heels walked around Ramapoʼs campus to promote awareness of violence against women this past Tuesday.

By STEPHANIE NODA Staff Writer

On Tuesday afternoon, a crowd of male Ramapo students strutted across campus in high heels and other women’s footwear. In an effort to raise awareness of violence against women to Ramapo, this protest against sexual violence was the kickoff of Violence Awareness Week and is the first of many events that will be held in order to bring this issue to the public light.

The “Walk a Mile in her Shoes” campaign was launched about four years ago to have men literally walk a mile in women’s shoes, to symbolize their comprehension of the issues of sexual violence and sexism that many women face.

“Wearing high heel shoes is just one of those gender expectations that our society has,” Men’s Outreach Coordinator Travis Nicol said. “This is a way for men to stand up and say ‘I’m not going to tolerate violence in my life; I’m not going to tolerate discrimination against women in my life.’ They walk a mile in women’s shoes to understand the inherent pain that sexism inflicts upon women.”

According to a survey by the Women’s Center on campus, 25 percent of women at Ramapo have been victims to some form of interpersonal violence. In addition, over 70 percent of people know someone that is close to them that has been a victim of violence as well. The issue of sexual violence is not limited to just women on Ramapo campus. However, five percent of men reported in the survey that they too have been victims of violence.

“A lot of times people don’t think of this as a men issue,” Katherine McGee, assistant director of student development and coordinator of the Women’s Center said. “It’s always thought that sexual violence and rape is a women’s issue. That’s very much not the case; there are a lot of men who are survivors as well.”

This event was co-sponsored by the Bergen County Rape Crisis Center, which is an advocacy group that aids survivors of sexual assault. Thr have a 24-hour hotline that victims of violence can call for support. Also, the members of the Rape Crisis Center help bring victims to various locations they need to heal.

“We accompany survivors when they go to the hospital, police station, and court,” Angelae Wilkerson, coordinator and advocate educator for the Rape Crisis Center said. “We’re there with them throughout the whole entire medical and legal process.”

The Rape Crisis Center also held an additional event with the “Walk a Mile in her Shoes” campaign, the “Bergen County Clothesline Project.”

Around 30 T-shirts, decorated with messages from victims of violence, were hung on clotheslines surrounding the Arch.

see WALK on page 6

photo by Stefanie Mauro

More than 50 men walked a mile in womenʼs shoes to symbolize their understanding of the issue and stand against sexual violence.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

THURSDAY’S CHILD

Usher R&B icon Usher turns 32 today.

TODAY IN HISTORY

End of an era In 1980 Bob Marley performed his last concert.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Sergio Gonzalez “Before they are heroes, they are victims. These people who are coming out of the mine are different people,” on the Chilean Minersʼ rescue

Rama-No T-shirts: Statement-Making or Insulting?

Ramapo Students Invent Idea to Amp School Spirit

By REBECCA PENHAKER Staff Writer

With the recent changes in school policies, students may feel as though their complaints and concerns are falling upon deaf ears.

However, juniors Elliot Luty, James Gibson and Alec Clark want to be able turn this unfavorable circumstance into a humorous one.

“We’re not going against the policies, or trying to do anything to get in trouble,” Luty said. “We just don’t want our campus to become anti-social. We want everyone to have a good time being here, and we’re just trying to poke fun at the situation.”

Luty, Gibson and Clark were inspired to sell the T-shirts when they saw a forum on Facebook criticizing the amended alcohol and guest policies, with someone referencing Ramapo as ‘Rama-No.’ Gibson was then able to create the shirt’s slogan, as well as the design and color scheme with the choices of a maroon shirt with white lettering or grey shirt with maroon lettering-pure Roadrunner pride.

In order to gain attention from their peers, they created a Facebook group called ‘Rama-NO’ where they posted pictures of the shirt, as well as explaining how to purchase one.

“Bring the money in an envelope with your name and phone number. Knock, we probably won’t answer so just slide it under the door and we will get it for you. We will contact you when your order is ready,” are the instructions given by the creators to any customers interested in purchasing a shirt.

However, the main goal of the shirts is not to be against Ramapo, but primarily it is more about students becoming more involved on campus.

“It’s more about pushing school spirit and to promote Ramapo,” Clark said. “And we just hope everybody realizes we are just doing this for fun.”

Although they have been selling the shirts for a little o

photo coutesy of Facebook

The purpose of the “Rama-No” t-shirts is to promote school spirit, the t-shirt creators said.

a week, there has been a decent amount of planning involved focusing on ways to make sure that their shirts would not offend anyone.

The boys hope it is clear that they are not criticizing Ramapo’s policies, they are highlighting the fact that both the administration and the student body have been overreacting to the changes.

“There was an overreaction on both sides. The policies are not too extreme from what other schools have, but it was a big change at Ramapo,” Clark said. “The policies for the majority of the students here were not necessary. But once the policies were put in place, there was a huge overreaction from the students.”

The boys understand it is a controversial issue, so not everyone is going to be supportive of their shirts. However, they have been getting mostly positive feedback from their peers and have many students vocalizing their appreciation and their witty take on the situation.

“I think it’s really funny and it’s a great way to get our statement across without it being rude,” sophomore Katie Bruno said. “People went to the open forum, and nothing has changed. So now the only thing you can do is poke fun at it all.”

Rachel Seidman, a junior, was able to convince her roommates to each purchase a shirt because it is a great way to, “lighten the mood on something that is so serious.”

However, Christina Urciuoli, a junior, does not want to see the humor of the shirts making light of the dissatisfaction of the student body.

“I hope administration realizes even though we’re making a joke about it, we’re still mad about the policies.”

Luty, Gibson and Clark hope that they will be able to reach all demographics at school not just their friends. These three students want Ramapo to steer away from being a suitcase school, and hope that their humor will bring about more school unity and pride.

Green Dot Project Fosters Education, Opposes Societal Views

rpenhake@ramapo.edu

Students are Encouraged to Take Action in Addressing Violent Issues

By ELYSE TORIBIO Staff Writer

Imagine a couple fighting in the lounge of your residence hall. Their voices get louder, and they start to push each other. You watch for a bit, and then walk away. That’s a red dot.

Now picture yourself passing through the Fishbowl. You see someone get pushed and called a “faggot.” This time, you step in and help the victim. That’s a green dot.

The Women’s Center sponsored a Violence Awareness Week from Oct. 11-15 to help spread green dots all over campus through various programs, events and campaigns.

“The Green Dot project prevents violence and directly challenges attitudes that allow violence to continue,” Kat McGee, coordinator of the Women’s Center said.

Red dots represent different acts of intolerance, violence and inaction in our community.

The goal of Violence Awareness Week is to encourage Ramapo students to take a stand against negative interpersonal behavior on campus.

The event focuses on raising awareness for power-based violence, which can range from domestic violence to child abuse, stalking or even seemingly little things, like the use of negative vernacular such as “wife beater” to describe a white tank top.

Making certain jokes among friends can encourage the continued use of violent language and behavior. Coordinators of the Green Dot project want to motivate people to take small but positive actions, like calling out a peer for telling a rape joke.

“I would encourage people to tell their friends that they don’t find those jokes funny,” Jill Grimaldi, junior and publicist for the Women’s Center said. “I also tend to tell people that those jokes make me uncomfortable and then remind them that they could be telling those

jokes to someone who survived a sexual assault and not even know it.”

By taking these bits of advice, students at Ramapo can help to spread their “green dots”

“I hope that the discussions that we have had this week will inspire people to take action into their own hands and continue addressing this issue in their daily lives.”

-Jill Grimaldi, publicist for the Women’s Center

across other communities.

“I hope that the discussions that we have had this week will inspire people to take action into their own hands and continue addressing this issue in their daily lives,” Grimaldi said.

Violence Awareness Week will wrap up on Thursday with the traditional “Take Back the Night” march, in which both male and female participants walk around campus and speak out in an effort to bring awareness and an end to sexual and relationship violence.

McGee, explained that the ultimate goal of the week-long program is to teach students that every little bit helps when it comes to ending interpersonal violence.

“One person isn’t expected to do everything, but everyone can do something.” etoribio@ramapo.edu

Ramapo Contributes to Breast Cancer Awareness Page 4 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 14, 2010

By ALEXIS LOPEZ Staff Writer

Breast Cancer Awareness Month has started and so have Ramapo’s efforts that contribute to finding a cure. Colleges Against Cancer, an organization on campus, works daily to raise awareness among the campus community.

About one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over her lifetime. Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. More than 1 in 4 cancer cases in women are breast cancer. Thanks to generous donations and the high level of awareness of this disease, breast cancer-related deaths have been decreasing since 1991.

October is one of the organization’s most active months.

“We want to raise awareness by hosting a lot of events, having tables full of information; and just being seen,” Colleen Steel, a Colleges Against Cancer member said.

Steel and her fellow CAC members were enthusiastic when speaking about the second annual Pink Tie Formal will be held this Sunday evening. The event will include dancing and music in order for students to raise money for the American Cancer Society in efforts to help women with breast cancer. Both male and female students are encouraged to wear something pink to show their support.

“Our goal is to raise as much awareness as possible; have fun but keep our overall mission in the forefront.”

-Christina Urciouli, treasurer

“Our goal is to raise as much awareness as possible; have fun but keep our overall mission in the forefront,” Treasurer of Colleges Against Cancer Christina Urciuoli said.

Although helpful, Urciuoli went on to say students don’t necessarily have to donate their funds in order to play an essential role in raising awareness.

“Raising awareness can be just further educating yourself or being more conscious overall and not ignoring the issue at hand,” Urciouli said.

Awareness has been spread not only by events, but also by snacks offered in various dining services on campus throughout the month. Chocolate cookies with pink M&M’s are available at Ramapo to promote sweet insight on this serious issue.

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

CAC utilizes the month of October to help raise breast cancer awareness.

“They are super delicious, they just looked so good; then I saw the sign correlating them to breast cancer,” first-year transfer, Shannon Lam said. “I think raising awareness in anyway among college students is important and keeping us aware with multiple mediums, including our food is a genius way of getting the point across.”

Among other organizations on campus, Theta Phi Alpha is also raising money and awareness this month. Both the sorority and baseball team will be hosting the annual “Home Run Derby.” The event will include raffle prizes, a DJ, carnival games such as dizzy bat, as well as offering carnival themed foods throughout the day. Snapple will also sponsor the event and all proceeds will be donated to breast cancer research.

“This is our first time doing the Home Run Derby event, and we’re all super excited about it,” junior and member of Theta Phi Alpha, Kelly Fedynich said. “It’s a great way to raise breast cancer awareness by bringing students together and having fun.”

Throughout the month, organizations and the student body plan to support and rally for those who are currently fighting this disease and honor those who have conquered it. The Ramapo community plans to take action and many organizations look to help any way they can. alopez3@ramapo.edu

Ramsey Businesses Utilize Web Tools to Gain Customers

By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief

With the popularity of the Web in a digital-everything culture, many restaurants in Ramsey are turning to online ordering and Facebook to boost their sales and cater – no pun intended — to the convenience of customers.

Digitally savvy customers who order online are able to track orders using the Domino’s applications on iPhones and check promotions on restaurants’ Facebook pages easily.

Now more than ever before, restaurants are utilizing the Web and social media to promote their businesses, and many businesses that aren’t online already are considering following suit.

“I think making a website would be a great idea,” Benny Elloutani said, a Lettuce Inn employee. “We could use it to promote our sushi, which we just started a week ago. No one comes in for breakfast. We could also promote that.”

Domino’s has profited considerably since allowing customers to order online, The Bergen Record reports.

Since the food giant launched online ordering in late August, online ordering accounts for 20 to 25 percent of all orders, according to the Dayton Daily News.

“It seems like the majority of our customers order online,” an employee, at the Domino’s on Main Street in Ramsey said, who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s the future of the restaurant business.”

Ever since Madeline Coloma, owner of Jersey Burgers, heard of the successes online ordering has given the restaurant industry, she’s been looking into installing it on Jersey’s website. Her restaurant has a Facebook page, Web site and recently aired a commercial.

Though these forms of publicity have been an investment of time and money, she realizes the growth it has brought to her business and potential it could continue to bring.

“My husband created our website, but we’re looking to professionalize it with someone who specializes in Web,” Coloma said. “It’s hard to distinguish which is bringing us the most business, especially with the commercial out.”

photo by Amy Fezza

Jersey Burgers uses the web to gain publicity.

Jersey’s Facebook page has more than 150 friends. The page contains their hours and a link to their website, Jerseyburgers.net, which has their menu, a review of the restaurant in The Highlands Fling, the school newspaper at Northern Highlands High School and a clip of their commercial. The next step is online ordering, she said.

By contrast, Michael Sims, manager of Badland’s Tacos, said that his restaurant has a website but is not considering online ordering, because online ordering still cannot replace normal phone conversations.

“There are a lot of special orders, and if a customer wants something special, they’re going to want to talk to someone on the phone,” Sims said.

The Web site contains a regular and catering menu, directions and a contact form, but Sims said the Web site’s traf-

fic has yielded “miniscule, if any, extra business.”

The AT&T store on Mainstreet in Ramsey has seen substantial growth since making a Facebook page. Owner Rob Tilton utilizes the “Events” feature to publicize promotions and events.

“We made our page eight months ago,” Tilton said. “Since we put Ramsey Day on our Events, it has helped us a lot.

Especially with the market and our demographic, Facebook is a great tool.”

Director of Marketing and Communications Anna Farneski agrees that Facebook is a powerful marketing tool.

“It’s important to meet customers where they are,” Farneski said. “At Ramapo, we have a Facebook and Twitter page because it’s what students are using. We found social media to be very popular.”

The Ramsey Corner Café, which has “been around forever,” according to Owner John Sideri, uses the cafe’s Facebook page to attract a younger crowd.

“We’d like to give this place a younger vibe,” Sideri said.

“We have this promotion where you get something if you post the best comment. We created the page to get with the times, but hope to have a basic site within the next two months.”

Because of his hectic work schedule, Joel Occhiuto, owner of Joel’s Italian Ice has not been able to publish anything on his business’s Facebook page. However, he wants to create a following on the Web and looks toward a prosperous future.

“I haven’t had time to update the page,” Occhiuto said. “But of course it will bring me business. Everyone looks at Facebook. Everyone’s been telling me to make a page. I am enthusiastic about Facebook, and I am definitely going to do it.” manderle@ramapo.edu

Page 5 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Dear Students, We sincerely appreciate that you have selected Ramapo College for your undergraduate and/or graduate education. We are aware that you and your families expect Ramapo College to foster your personal and academic growth. Within that expectation, you have placed in the College a great level of trust and, in turn, it is our responsibility to honor that trust by ensuring that your experience with Ramapo contributes to your development as an educated and responsible citizen.

It goes without saying that your health, well-being, and safety are critical to your success as a student and your development as a person. That is why we take the issues of alcohol abuse, unwanted guests, and public safety so seriously. In recent weeks the actions of a few have eroded the on-campus environment of mutual respect and civility that so many of us value. In response, some key changes are needed. President Mercer’s State of the College Address on Wednesday outlined a number of those changes and they are enumerated below in more detail. These are in addition to the policies and procedures that already exist, as outlined in the College Code of Conduct and the Guide to Community Living.

Guest Policy Effective October 12th, the Overnight Guest Policy will be renamed the Guest Policy. The requirement to obtain a Guest Pass will change from having guests past 2 a.m. to having guests past quiet hours (11 p.m.). The procedure for procuring a Guest Pass is as follows: 1. Requests must be made for a Guest Pass at the resident’s Hall Office before 6:30 p.m. (weekend passes must be requested by Friday at 6:30 p.m.).

2. Names of guests will be checked against the Banned List and the host will be notified if their guest is ineligible to be in the residence areas.

3. The Guest Pass will be a quadruplicate form where the host must identify the names of all guests attending (limit 2 guests per resident). The Guest Pass will reiterate that residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests and that disciplinary action can and will be taken for any behaviors that pose a threat to individuals or to the stability and/or continuance of normal College functions.

4. The host will receive one copy of the pass.

5. The remaining copies of the Guest Pass will be picked up by Public Safety from each respective residence hall/area office by 8 p.m.

6. Passes will be kept at the main booth for distribution to guests who will sign for and receive two copies of the Guest Pass. One copy will be displayed on the guest’s vehicle and the other copy will be retained by the guest if asked for guest identification by a Public Safety officer or college official.

7. Once residence hall desk attendants are in place (see item 2 under Additional Security Measures), residents and their guests must show proper identification and their guest pass to the attendant in order to gain access between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The complete Guest Policy can be found in the Student Handbook and the Guide to Community Living.

Additional Safety Measures 1. Effective October 4th, the South gate will be closed and secured at 11 p.m. and the Bradley Center gates will be lowered - redirecting all traffic during the hours of 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. through the main gate. A 10-15 minute “delay” will be programmed into ID cards to prevent “re-swiping” for entry.

2. Plans are underway to staff all residence halls (Pine, Mackin, Bischoff, Laurel, Linden and the Overlook) with desk attendants. Desk attendants will check identification of residents and their guests, in accordance with the revised Guest Policy, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

3. Plans are underway to install surveillance cameras in the Village, College Park Apartments and the Salameno Spiritual Center.

Alcohol and Other Drug Policy 1. Effective October 1, caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks (i.e. Four Loko) are banned from campus.

2. Residents holding a gathering in their living unit where an alcohol violation is taking place are considered the hosts. Effective October 12, hosts of a gathering where underage students are served alcohol may be immediately suspended from the residence areas, pending adjudication and a finding in the Office of Judicial Affairs (see section I of the Code of Conduct).

3. Effective October 12, students who are interim suspended for hospitalization due to alcohol consumption will not be permitted access to the residence areas for a minimum of forty-eight hours from the time that the suspension occurs.

4. Alcohol allowed housing privileges will be immediately revoked for any living unit found in violation of the Alcohol in College Residence Areas (living units) policy. Final status of the living unit will be determined following a disciplinary proceeding in the Office of Judicial Affairs.

5. Effective October 12, alcohol violation fines will double and the drug violation fine will increase.

6. For Fall 2011, all residents assigned to alcohol allowed housing shall be required to participate in a host education program before being eligible to host gatherings where alcohol is being served.

Students should also be reminded of The Good Samaritan Policy, which exists so that students will do the right thing and seek medical attention for themselves or others without fear of judicial outcomes. This policy can be found in the Student Handbook and the Guide to Community Living.

Ramapo College is not distinguished by the alcohol or public safety challenges here - they are present at many colleges and universities - nor by the specific remedies we are proposing, many of which are in place at our sister institutions. What distinguishes Ramapo College is our commitment to understanding these issues and ameliorating them to the best of our ability. We look forward to your support and encourage your continued suggestions.

Please refer to the following resources for more information: - Guide to Community Living (www.ramapo.edu/students/reslife/guides.html) - Student Handbook (www.ramapo.edu/students/reslife/guides.html) - Public Safety Web site (www.ramapo.edu/facultystaff/publicsafety/alcohol.html) - Resident Life Web site (www.ramapo.edu/students/reslife/guides.html) - Health and Counseling Services Web Site (www.ramapo.edu/students/chc/index.html) We are available to meet with any student or groups of students who wish to discuss these policy changes. Please feel free to email us or to call 201-684-7456 if you wish to schedule an appointment.

Sincerely, Miki Cammarata (mcammara@ramapo.edu) and Patrick Chang (pchang@ramapo.edu) Associate Vice Presidents for Student Affairs

c: Ramapo College Faculty and Staff

Forum Draws Large Turnout Among Students Page 6 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 13, 2010

photo by Jake Edinger

Students searched for answers by addressing views and concerns on the new policies with higher officals last Thursday afternoon in the Alumni Lounges.

Continued from page 1

campus because I wasn’t psychic enough to know by 6:30 on Friday that they were coming,” a student who actively participated at the forum said. “It kind of puts a damper on our entire weekend here for a school that we were trying to prevent from being “go home on the weekend” type school.”

Another issue that was addressed was the cancelation of the shuttles to nearby bars. Administration said the shuttles are "not altruistic" because the bars are only transporting students for a profit, and do not care about student’s safety.

However, senior Andi Necaj said that Ramapo is not being altruistic either in the doubling of alcohol violations.

“The administration has doubled the monetary fines of alcohol violations and is making much more of a profit off of alcohol then the bars and clubs,” Necaj said. “Prohibition did not work in the 1900s throughout the United States, and

Continued from page 2

it is not going to work at a college where half the social aspect is partying.”

Still, some students said that these new policies are necessary.

“Clearly there have been issues with the guest policies, Four Loko and underage drinking and the new policies are the administration's ways of doing exactly what they can,” Brittany Shann, a Ramapo student said. “I think the students need to realize the responsibility and reputation that the administration has to uphold.”

First year students also spoke out about the new policies.

“College is supposed to be about going out and having fun with your friends but with public safety constantly following your every move, it makes me feel like I can't even go out,” freshman Sarah Kauffman said. “I know I shouldn’t be drinking but let’s be honest, everyone in college experiments at one point or another.”

“These T-shirts represent a small portion of what we have,” Wilkerson said. “We have over 1,800 t-shirts and they are made by survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, rape and incest. They use this as a healing tool and a way to express themselves since they’ve had this violence touch their lives.”

Once the men put on the women’s footwear, a crowd of over 50 men and women marched through the campus pathways. Chanting phrases such as “Join together, free our lives; we will not be victimized” and “Gay, straight, black, white; all united for women’s rights,” these participants created a powerful demonstration, which had caught the attention of many on looking students.

“I think this is a great program and it should keep on happening every single year,” junior Jorge Ruiz said. “Everyone should be aware of what’s happening.”

“We have policies which are clear, we have responses and protocols which are clear and our main goal is to create a safer environment and fewer issues with unwanted guests and hospitalization of students who are heavily intoxicated,” Cammarata said. “Hopefully these procedures will get us there.”

In reply to the many questions and concerns that students proposed, Mercer, Chang, and Cammarata assured the audience that they plan to form a student committee to further hear students concerns and suggestions for events and programs on campus.

“Anything is open for some discussion, as long as it’s not an issue of law,” Cammarata said. “I think the president wants to make it clear that students can have access to him through these discussion groups to offer their thoughts and opinions.” sullrich@ramapo.edu

Ebony Women for Social Change Host “Pillow Talk” Event on Tuesday Night

snoda@ramapo.edu

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Pillow talk encourages students to talk about their relationship issues. Students gathered on the floor in the Alumni Lounges to talk in the informal forum.

VIEWPOINTS

Chilean Miners Rescued, World Watches

Thursday, October 14, 2010

New Policies Don’t Reflect the Student Perspective

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

By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief

The media focuses on the bad and the ugly fairly often, but the fact that more than 1,000 reporters showed up at the Chilean mine last night shows that the press is not adverse to good news.

As a journalism student and aspiring reporter, I am proud of the fact that writers and photographers waited for hours in anticipation of the miners’ safe release from the Chilean mine, after the miners survived beneath 700,000 tons of rock for 68 days.

Many individuals who speak negatively about the media argue that journalists only

cover negative events. While it’s true that not every newspaper is fair and unbiased, journalism as a whole has reported on a wealth of positive events.

The trapped miners are one example of the positive coverage provided by the media.

The coverage on their extraction has been thorough; it’s breaking news for every Web, print and broadcast source these past few days. It is front page for every newspaper I’ve seen, and there are countless videos of the miners’ extraction online.

In fact, so much media descended upon that keeping track of international reporters was difficult for authorities,, according to “Washington Today.”

“The interest appeared to overwhelm authorities managing media at the mine site,” the news source reported.

“They ran out of international

media badges and began issuing hand-labeled IDs to reporters arriving from as far afield as China and Turkey.”

For us “newsies” who are concerned about the future of journalism, it’s great to hear about all the outlets of media that were present for this event.

Sixty eight days is the longest anyone has ever survived underground, the Associated Press reported, and the miners endured more than two months without fresh air or sunlight. They survived 17 days with only 48 hours worth of rations, until rescuers were able to send down food.

I commend the writers who reported positively on such an important story. This is a good example of how fair journalism still exists.

Even Japan, a country with a government that had heavy controls on the media in the past, covered the Chilean suc-

cess.

“Japan’s major television networks offered live coverage, complete with profiles of the 32 Chileans and one Bolivian, who survived their first 17 days before making contact with rescuers by rationing emergency supplies,” “Washington Today” reported.

Millions of users and viewers logged in and tuned in, respectively, to read and hear the miners’ stories, all of who are able to celebrate with Chile.

While journalism will continue to depict death, destruction and other tragedies, they certainly do not neglect to include heartwarming and positive events. manderle@ramapo.edu

Christie Is on Track with Education Reform

Tenure Changes Will Improve Quality of Education

By CHARLES TRUCILLO

Governor Chris Christie has recently started solidifying plans to reform New Jersey’s public education system.

These initiatives could change the number of teachers employed each year.

The governor has stated his plans to undertake a reformation of the state’s system of tenure, hoping this will improve the quality of education.

In today’s school systems, tenure is granted to an educator after three years and a day of employment in the same school system. Many of NJ residents have tenure, which secures a teaching job and protects a teacher or position from termination without “just cause.” Inadequate educators have abused this privilege.

Christie has started plans to make tenure, as well as salary increases, based largely on stu-

dent test score results.

Proponents of the governor’s plans feel that this improved system will hold educators more accountable for students’ future successes or failures in their careers.

At the opposite end of the

Christie has started plans to make tenure, as well as salary increases, based largely on student test score results.

argument, from a teacher’s perspective, tenure provides vital job security in often uncertain employment.

Arguably, one can indeed see the importance of freedom within the sphere of student education, but to what degree does the freedom of teachers to instruct their pupils infringe

upon the right of students to learn through effective instruction? Though many teachers in NJ are learned, talented and effective, many are also tired, stale and unproductive. The use of stricter teacher evaluations will ultimately improve the quality of education provided throughout the state.

At a town hall meeting in Old Bridge, the governor said: “I have no patience for a system that says ‘that’s good for me, but depending on your zip code, that doesn’t work for you.’ You won’t have the same opportunity to be governor that I had,” referring to the gaps present in many school systems across the state.

So what does this mean for Ramapo students who have chosen to pursue careers in education? This means you will be thrown into an even more competitive arena to attain public teaching jobs after graduation. The future of a career in education will not

rely on your degrees, networking or connections alone, but rather your inherent abilities to instruct others.

Education will no longer be a free ride for those charged with being its caretakers.

Combined with changes to the state’s pension system, a job in education will quickly lose its illustrious status if measured in dollars and cents. It will instead rely on a love for teaching and educators will soon realize that the state can no longer bear the burdens of its ineffective employees.

It has been said that education is among the great callings and responsibilities in our society. It is important that the future generations of our state’s citizens receive quality education from dedicated, effective educators. ctrucill@ramapo.edu

By MITCHELL GORBUNOFF SGA Vice President

On Oct. 7, I witnessed something great; something that I have not seen in my four years at Ramapo College. What I saw at the open forum with President Peter Mercer was an example of mature, well-informed adults who had legitimate and wellarticulated grievances with the policies recently enacted by administration. Because of you, the student body, we are on the right course for negotiation and eventual compromise.

However, we, as SGA, have failed you and for that I apologize. We did not effectively advocate your interests as the new policies were written. How did this happen? It was not because SGA did not understand your beliefs. In fact, many of the grievances and possible solutions students made at the open forum have been suggested by several SGA members recently.

The reason that student input was not included in the policies is because SGA was not afforded the opportunity to be involved in the discussion or able to voice their concerns or opinions before the policies were put together.

Due to a mutual lack of communication and understanding, SGA was informed of the new policies and asked how we can relay them to the students instead of asked to help create them.

In response to this, SGA President Jason Krisza and I are meeting with Dr. Mercer to sign the Memorandum of Understanding. This document was created last year by the former SGA president, Tom Ng. Essentially, it guarantees in writing that Dr. Mercer will include students in all pertinent committees, and that we in turn will inform him of student concerns and issues. By signing this document, students will have more of a voice in the formation of school policies that affect us, and hopefully this will lead to more effective policy making.

If you have any questions or comments about SGA or the Memorandum of Understanding, I encourage you to email us at SGA@ramapo.edu or stop by the office, SC-223. Thank you very much.

SGA@ramapo.edu

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

Fashion Focus

MOVIE REVIEW

Julianne Branda discusses Fall Footwear Page 9

Sean Ritchie reviews Disneyʼs latest film, “Secretariat” Page 9

Poet Nick Flynn Speaks at “Readings” Series 10 . 14 . 10

Flynn Showcases Work, Gives Advice to Students

BY DANIELLE REED Staff Writer

Yesterday, as part of the ongoing Readings at Ramapo series, students had another opportunity to learn about a contemporary poet and participate in a Q&A session at 4 p.m. in the Trustee’s Pavilion.

Author and poet Nick Flynn visited Ramapo to answer student and faculty questions before a poetry reading at 7 p.m.

Flynn is best known for his memoir “Another Bullshit Night in Suck City” and several poetry books. He recently published his second memoir entitled, “The Ticking is the Bomb.”

About 30 people attended the Q&A session that began with an interview conducted by James Hoch, professor of creative writing, followed by the Q&A session with Flynn answering questions from audience members. “[When we were 12, I] convinced a friend of mine that we should write a mystery,” Nick Flynn said. “I always wrote. I always sort of liked writing,” he added.

During the interview he talked about whether writing served a purpose for him or if he wrote just because he was passionate.

One of the questions addressed by Hoch was whether writing also helped him let go of past events. “[I feel] that the more you look at an event or situation, it becomes more abstract,” Flynn said.

Many audience members asked about the writing process, his advice for writers and the effect of writing his memoir had on him. “[I really liked when he said poets] spend one hour to write a poem,” freshman Jessica Donovan said, “It kind of made me laugh because it’s true.”

One faculty member asked a question about the meaning of some of his works that were being discussed in her class.

“A reader has to participate in [discovering the] meaning,” Flynn said. “Exactly what I hope for for everything I do is for readers to come to different conclusions. It allows [for] infinite possibilities.”

Many students who attended the reading for experiential class credit heard about Flynn from their professors and wanted to see what the author who entitled his book “Another Bullshit Night in Suck City” was like.

“He [Professor Hoch] spoke really well things [about] the author,” freshman Jillian Scelzo said.

“The title of the memoir…really draws you in,” Donovan said.

The Q&A session lasted for about an hour and was followed by a poetry reading by Flynn. The poetry started off with another introduction of Flynn by Hoch and a thank you to the school administrators and organizations who helped and sponsored the poet

Ramapo Students Visit Dodge Poetry Festival

BY DANIELLE REED Staff Writer

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Contemporary poet Nick Flynn visited Ramapo yesterday as part of the ongoing Readings at Ramapo series.

ry reading. “[I only heard about Flynn] in my poetry class,” junior Carlie Hoffman said. “I real ly liked Marie Howe and every time she [my professor] recommends someone, I like them.”

At the poetry reading, Flynn read a poem that will be in his new, soon to be released poetry collection, several poems from his book “Some Ether” and excerpts from both of his memoirs.

“I never read any of his poetry before; I had just read ‘Another Bullshit Night in Suck City’ in creative writing class,” junior Gina Pietropaolo said. “I thought it was interest-

ing that he linked his memoirs and his poetry.”

While on stage, Flynn made some jokes and even took requests from some students. “I liked that he was humble about everything that he went through,” Hoffman said.

After the poetry reading, Flynn signed books for students and audience members. dreed1@ramapo.edu

This past Friday, Ramapo College students headed to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark where the 24th bi-annual Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival was held.

The Dodge Poetry Festival is a four-day event, running from Thursday to Sunday and is considered to be the largest poetry festival in North America. From across the nation, poets gather to run workshops and perform at poetry readings. “[The Dodge Poetry Festival] presents this idea of poetry as a living tradition,” said Yvette Kisor, literature professor. “[The festival helps students see that] poetry is living, changing, and happening now [and not just about] readings in the classroom,” she added.

About 20 Ramapo students went on the Dodge Poetry Festival trip. For many of the students, this was their first time attending the Dodge Poetry Festival and had a lot of expectations.

“I expected a big warehouse with poets reading everywhere,” freshman Julianne Branda said.

Instead of a large warehouse, the NJPAC provided the setting for the poetry readings and workshops. Several buildings that are located in the surrounding area, including the NJ Historical Society Building and Trinity and St. Philip’s Cathedral, also hosted several of the workshops and poetry readings throughout the weekend.

While there, visitors saw poetry readings from many well-known contemporary poets including Bob Hicok, Matthew Dickman, Amiri Baraka, Claudia Rankine and Kay Ryan. Authors were available to sign books and many were willing to answer student questions.

“I never knew this whole world of poetry existed,” Branda said, who admitted to associating poetry with well known names like John Donne, Emily Dickenson and Shakespeare. “I really like Bob Hicok. He was really relatable,” Branda commented.

see FESTIVAL on page 11

Uggs: Fashion Faux Pas or Winter Weather Staple?

Page 9 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 14, 2010

BY JULIANNE BRANDA Staff Writer

Certain fashion trends seem timeless.

Sometimes this can be a good thing, as in the case of the little black dress; sometimes it can be a bad thing, as in the case of legwarmers and blue eye-shadow.

“I know they’re not cute, but comfort wins over the look.”

-Katie Curl, sophomore

However, there are certain trends that are so polarizing that everyone is unsure of whether they are awesome or awful. Ugg boots, ever since Pamela Anderson and Britney Spears first wore them in the 99 degree Los Angeles heat, have been a fixture on the feet of celebrities and Ramapo students alike.

Though the success of the Ugg trend has been stable for almost a decade now, the Australian-manufactured footwear, made out of sheep skin, has become a “love it or hate it” item over the years. While Ugg supporters are faithful to their pair for their practicality and comfort, others have come to call them “Fugg boots” and animal

photo courtesy of Flickrʼs Creative Commons

Althought not the most stylish footwear, Ramapo students turn to their Uggs for comfort and warmth as the weather grows cooler. enthusiasts have protested Uggs for their use of sheep’s hide.

With winter rapidly approaching, students have begun reaching for their Uggs in place of their flip-flops. When asked about

their feelings about Uggs, it turned out most students were indifferent on the subject. However, some decried the expensive price tag and overall volume of Uggs seen around campus. Also, as junior Jalissa

Allen pointed out, “It’s annoying when people wear them when it is hot out.”

Even proponents of Uggs admitted they have their shortcomings, mostly in the price area and in style. However, they praised the comfort and functionality that Uggs offer. “I know they’re not cute, but comfort wins over the look,” sophomore Katie Curl admitted. Likewise, junior Erich Buchman said, “I have two pairs. I know some people think they’re too trendy, and they are made out of suede ... but they keep my feet warm and cozy.”

Senior Nicole Parenti summed up the general consensus: “They don’t look nice, but they’re comfortable.”

Overall, the Ugg boot trend seems to be here to stay. In a society where women are often strapping on high heels and other forms of fancy footwear, owning a pair of Uggs offers comfort and warmth through the frigid winter months.

Although Uggs are expensive and aren’t exactly the pinnacle of high fashion, they still offer functionality, which seems to be enough for most Ramapo students. jbranda1@ramapo.edu

“Secretariat”: Disney’s Latest Feel Good Film

BY SEAN RITCHIE Staff Writer

“Secretariat” is a thrilling film about an amazing horse that storms onto the competitive racing scene from the unlikeliest of places. The film is based on a true story and is an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you near tears one moment, and with chills running down your spine the next.

Diane Lane, who plays Penny Chenery, Secretariat’s owner, stole the show. She gave a powerful performance that captured the viewer’s interest.

“Lane’s portrayal of Penny was really good,” junior Giuliano Rizzola said. “It had me rooting for Secretariat.”

The only problem with Lanes’ performance is that she stays stunningly beautiful throughout the entire movie and shows no signs of aging. This seems unrealistic, considering that the movie spans over a time period of about ten years, beginning when Penny takes control of her father’s farm and following her to the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown is a series of three prestigious thoroughbred horse races.

Penny deals with the overbearing pressure of adversity; not everyone believed she was capable of owning a successful horse farm.

The plot of “Secretariat” takes time to develop, yet once the action builds it is truly exciting and entertaining.

However, the movie has many clichés. There are constant references to phrases such as “running our race” and “overcoming the odds.” It also follows Disney’s typical feel-good formula.

“Secretariat” is equally a story about the horse as much as it is about the people behind him. The tribulations of the owners, while sad at parts, do not hit as hard as they could have.

Randall Wallace, the director, had the challenge of maintaining the suspense of a well-known story. Wallace achieved this brilliantly by unveiling all the twists at just the right times.

Wallace filmed the movie differently from how most Disney movies are shot. He regularly switches to first per-

son camera angles, as well as actual clips of the original Secretariat’s races.

“The director definitely brought you closer to the action

“Secretariat” is an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you near tears one moment, and with chills running down your spine the next. when he switched from real life footage back to the movie,” Rizzola said.

John Malkovich, who plays Secretariat’s trainer Lucien Laurin, was almost on par with Lane’s performance. He regularly delivers witty comments that leave the audience in stitches. However, he frequently switches to French throughout the movie and there are no subtitles, which could leave the audience confused.

“Secretariat” had some stereotypical characters, such as the outspoken Miss Ham, played by Margo Martindale.

Ham had a loud mouth but was the shoulder to cry on most of the movie. Eddie Sweat, played by Nelsan Ellis, was the conventional farm hand. He had some great lines, but once again they were too cliché.

The movie depicted few scenes of horse racing footage. It featured several races, but at times it felt as if they were more focused on Lane rather than the horse.

“Secretariat” is a traditional family movie from Disney.

No parts of the movie are offensive or crude. It leaves you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart. It is a good movie to go see on a rainy day, but a viewer could also wait for it to come out on DVD. sritchi1@ramapo.edu

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Disneyʼs latest film “Secretariat” hit theaters last Friday.

RATING:

###$$

Page 10 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 14, 2010

GRADUATE AND

Make graduate school part of your future.

PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL DAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010 12-2:30 p.m.

Student Center-Friends Hall Representatives from over 50 graduate and professional schools describe their programs and admissions requirements.

No pre-registration required.

Sponsored by The Cahill Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services Room C-209 http://ww2.ramapo.edu/cahill/careerServices/gradschoolday.aspx

To request disability-related accommodations, please call 201.684.7444 at least 48 hours in advance.

An Unforgettable Night at Madison Square Garden Page 11 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Former Pink Floyd Member Celebrates “The Wallʼs” 30th Anniversary

By ERIK GAVILANES Staff Writer

You may have been to a good concert recently. You may have seen a band that was particularly energetic and lively on a given night. You may have even witnessed a special guest appearance or a rare song played live. But when was the last time you went to a show? A performance you would classify as a “spectacle?”

..It’s fair to deem “The Wall” as not a success, but as a triumph in modern theatrics.

When Roger Waters performed the entirety of his brainchild of an album, “The Wall,” as part of a tour celebrating its 30th anniversary last Tuesday and Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, now that was a show.

What’s the difference between a concert and a show, you ask? Most concerts usually have some sort of colored lights and, occasionally, a fog machine. A show has stage props like this one did — a 36-foot high wall built brick by brick, progressively, throughout the night that doubles as one of the world’s largest screens, flashing original animations across it.

Waters, the 67-year-old, former Pink Floyd member, took the stage to greet the audience before donning a long black cape that bore an authoritative seal of crossed hammers.

Men waving flags ushered him in as they stood on the par-

tially built wall, while red pyrotechnics launched out of dozens of spots along the wall to the heavy guitar riff that opens “In the Flesh?” At the song’s conclusion, an almost inconceivable amount of sparks sprayed out of various fixtures, until a prop airplane crashed into the far right side of the wall and ended in an orange burst of flames, a cinematic start to a show that knows no other way.

Throughout the night, the audience witnessed some deranged-looking giant puppets; a gangly school teacher during “Another Brick in the Wall, Pt.2,” and an armscrossed, overbearing mother during “Mother.” A 20-foothigh inflatable pig flew around the arena as a symbol of big business, while the video projections displayed an army bomber airplane dropping images of dollar signs, Shell and Mercedes logos, among others. At one point, Waters touched the now fully constructed wall, and the video projections erupted into a truly magnificent swirl of shapes and colors that left everyone saying, “wow” in a little-boywatching-fireworks-kind-of way.

Any big time rock reunion has its drawbacks though. A pair of floor seats can set a viewer back upwards of $500.

“I think he’s just a greedy guy and everything he’s doing is just for the money,” senior John Fraze said. “David Gilmour (Waters’ former band mate) doesn’t come off like that. He seems like he’s comfortable with the money he’s made and isn’t doing tours like these.”

In its original run, “The Wall’s” live tour played in only four cities worldwide and lost money on every show. In its 2010 adaptation, with audience members selected by lottery months in advance and with several waves of shows added by sheer demand, it’s fair to deem “The Wall” as not a success, but as a triumph in modern theatrics.

“Life as We Know It” Offers Predictable Ending

By ASHLEY DRAPKIN Staff Writer

“Life as We Know It” is a romantic comedy that revolves around Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl), an up-and-coming caterer, and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel), a promising network sports director, who are set up on a date by mutual best friends. The friends think that the two would be a perfect match; however, they couldn’t be more mistaken. The two have nothing in common and don’t even get to leave Holly’s place before they cancel the date.

A few years later, Holly and Eric are brought together after a horrific accident. The mutual friends who originally tried to set them up on a date die in an unexpected accident, and Holly and Eric are left as guardians of their orphaned child, Sophie. Suddenly, the two are forced to put their differences aside and move in together in order to raise Sophie.

Of course, this is the perfect recipe for conflict. At first, there is a great amount of tension between the two. Holly adds to it by going on a date with Sophie’s pediatrician, causing Eric to feel jealous.

However, as the year goes on, the two start to fall for each other because they begin to see qualities in each other that they failed to notice on the first date.

They grow closer as they experience the hardships that it takes to raise a child.

Even though the movie’s direction is somewhat predictable, it is definately well worth your money. adrapkin@ramapo.edu

photo courtesy of Flickr creative commons

“Life as We Know It” is a romantic comedy about two people brought together by tragic circumstances.

RATING:

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photo courtesy of Flickr creative commons

Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters delivered an incredible performance that left the audience with lasting memories.

“The Wall” deals with themes like isolation and alienation.

At the end of a show, the wall, which is symbolic of isolation, is torn down, leaving the cast and crew to take a welldeserved bow.

This was a concert audience members will remember having fun at, and a show they’ll just, well, remember.

Festival

erikgavilanes@yahoo.com

continued from page 8

Students were also able to attend a part of the festival called “Poets on Poetry” where one poet or a group of poets who were doing a reading of their work would offer a discussion and question and answer session with festival attendees.

Several students attended a workshop with contemporary poet Billy Collins. In his presentation, Collins read some of his own work and discussed different ways to write and look at poetry. At the end of the session, he took questions from audience members about their own writing process and about the best method for studying contemporary poetry.

Another big part of the festival was the Open Mic Reading that gave students and festival attendees the chance to read their own writing. “[There was a really] impressive 17 year old [who] retold a poem by Daniel Beaty called ‘Knock, Knock’,” said sophomore Kathleen Capiroso.

The final part of Friday’s portion of the Dodge Poetry Festival was a Poetry Reading from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. with eight contemporary poets reading their poetry. Included in these readings were poets Amiri Baraka, Matthew Dickman, Rigoberto González, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Marie Ponsot and Joseph Millar.

The Dodge Poetry Festival was an excellent event that helped to show students the aliveness of contemporary poetry and will hopefully continue to do so for years to come.

dreed1@ramapo.edu

Roadrunners Top Chargers To Earn Fifth Win of Season Page 12 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 14, 2010

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Ramapo women始s soccer shut out Lancaster Bible College 5-0 to improve their regular season record to 5-8.

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Freshman Rachael Viscusi fired three shots on goal during the Roadrunner始s win on Monday.

RAMAPO SPORTS

Women’s Soccer Tops Lancaster in 5-0 Shutout

By RYAN BUCHANAN Staff Writer

Ramapo College’s women’s soccer team enjoyed a 5-0 victory against the Lancaster Bible Chargers of Pennsylvania on October 11. The non-conference game marked the team up to a 5-8 overall record this season.

Melanie Pupo, the team’s captain, led the way for the Roadrunners with a goal and two assists, giving her a total of four points to add to her team leading 18 points. In Division III women’s college soccer, a goal counts towards individual statistics as two points and an assist counts as one.

The first goal for the Roadrunners came off the foot of freshman Katie Popowych 12 minutes and 43 seconds in to the match after a pass from Pupo. Pupo scored the second goal of the match eight minutes later.

Just before the 45-minute half ended, freshman Liz Samimi tallied a point when she assisted Brittany Harraka for her third goal of the season. Ramapo took a total of 12 shots in the first half while Lancaster attempted four.

Nine minutes into the half, Alison Arnold and Brittney Harraka added two more goals.

Arnold scored first, knocking a header into the back of the net off of a corner kick from Pupo.

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Caitlin Hess battles for the ball in Ramapoʼs 5-0 win against Lancaster Bible College on Monday.

This was followed a goal by Harraka off an assist from Kimberly Bruno. Goalie Alyssa Krall stopped the one additional shot Lancaster had in the half to secure the shutout victory.

“We were on a high from our last game,”

senior Kimberly Bruno said. “We played as a team. It feels good to win.”

Bruno’s sister Katie, who plays for Ramapo’s field hockey team, was in attendance to show her support.

“I’m proud of my sister. I admire her leadership,” Bruno said.

Head Coach Arnie Ramirez found the game to be interesting.

“We passed better and we shot better,” he said. “It was like they let us.”

Ramirez is now in his twelfth year as head coach and has great knowledge of all Ramapo’s opponents, four of which are top 25 teams in Division III. Ramapo faced off against one of those four teams at their next home game against 22nd ranked Rowan College yesterday. Ramirez stated that Rowan has one of the top goal scorers in the nation on their team in Jess Babice. She proceeded to score a hat trick to give Rowan a 5-0 victory.

The Roadrunners are now 5-9 overall for the year and will face Stockton College on Saturday.

Cross Country Runs at DeSales Invitational

rbuchana@ramapo.edu

Upperclassmen Look To Provide Leadership For Young Women’s Team

By S EAN RITCHIE Staff Writer The Ramapo women’s cross-country team is coming off two promising showings at the Brooks Paul Short Run and the DeSales University Cross Country Invitational. The Roadrunners are a young team building for the future.

Even with their youth they have their eyes on finishing as a top three team in the New Jersey Athletic Conference at the end of the season, as well as finishing in the top 12 at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Regional meet.

“We learn more from the bad races than we do from the good races.”

- Carlin Keil, senior

Carlin Keil, a senior on the team, said, “The team wants to place top three in the NJAC meet on October 30, and then we would also like to place in the top 12 at the NCAA Regional meet on November 13.”

Head Coach Mike Jackson centers the season around culminating the success and failures of the earlier races and implementing the lessons learned on the postseason.

“Our coach focuses our entire season around the conference meet and regionals,” Keil said about Jackson. “But like he told us Saturday, we learn more from the bad races than we do from the good races.”

Keil’s leadership only solidifies an already good chemistry among this young team. The fresh faces are not only participating but they serve a vital role to the success of the team.

Freshman Elecia Cole posted her personal best, as well as her team best with a time of 25:12 for a 96th place finish overall at the Paul Short. She continued her success with another team best 25:46 for a 46th place finish overall at the DeSales Invitational.

Lena Johnson, another freshman, also stepped up with a time of 27:29 at the Paul Short and 28:13 for a 113th place finish overall at the DeSales Invitational.

“Elecia has definitely become a huge part of the top five, as has Lena,” Keil said. “Both are really stepping up and becoming irreplaceable on the team.”

The Paul Short was a difficult race due to poor weather conditions. On top of the unfavorable environment it was one of the biggest races in NJAC history as it was the first time all schools in the NJAC were running in the same race. These obstacles did not seem to affect the Roadrunners since many of their athletes, including Keil and Cole, posted personal bests.

“The whole team went into that race not thinking about personal bests or anything,” Keil said. “The weather was really bad, and the course was extremely beaten up. We all just went out there to have some fun and see what happens and a lot of us ended up running personal bests.”

“We all just went out there to have some fun and see what happens and a lot of us ended up running personal bests.”

- Carlin Keil

With the youth stepping up and filling big roles for the team, the future is looking bright for the Roadrunners. Yet, the team has areas they have to improve on.

“We are still learning a lot about running with each other and pushing each other,” Keil said. “But things are going really, really well for us.”

The team already has great chemistry off the track and they hope it will soon matriculate onto the course. The Roadrunners continue their season away at the Connecticut College Invitational on Saturday. sritchi1@ramapo.edu

Thursday, October 14, 2010

This Week in Ramapo Sports

Thursday:

Field Hockey vs. Scranton University at 4 p.m.

Women’s Tennis vs. Mount St. Mary College at 6:30 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball vs.

William Patterson University at 7 p.m.

Friday:

Women’s Tennis vs. New York City College of Technology at 4 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball at Saint Joseph’s Invitational

Saturday:

Men’s Soccer vs. Stockton College at 1 p.m.

Women’s Soccer @ Stockton College at 1 p.m.

Women’s Tennis vs. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania @ 1 p.m.

Field Hockey @ GwyneddMercy College at 3 p.m.

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Connecticut College Invitational

Midnight Madness

Tuesday:

.

Field Hockey vs. Kean University at 4 p.m.

Wednesday: Women’s Soccer @ Stevens Institute of Technology at 7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Western Connecticut State at 4 p.m.

No Clear Favorites Emerge in League With Plenty of Parity

Page 14 The Ramapo News

Thursday, October 14, 2010

By CHRIS ARNDT Staff Writer

This week’s National Football League matches featured some close battles and shocking blowouts.

The Lions put up a remarkable 44 points in a rout over the Rams, who seemed to be on track behind rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. Shaun Hill of the Lions threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns and rookie Jahvid Best led the rushing attack with 67 yards on 18 carries. The Lions defense also looked impressive, holding powerhouse running back Stephen Jackson to zero touchdowns on the day.

The Ravens continued to roll on Sunday, posting a 31-17 thumping of the Broncos behind former Rutgers standout Ray Rice.

Rice has been a threat out of the backfield since his entrance into the league and Sunday was no different; he rushed for 133 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Complimentary back Willis McGahee also added 67 yards and a score. A bright spot for the Broncos on Sunday was the play of quarterback Kyle Orton, who continued his stellar season throwing for 314 yards and two touchdown passes.

Some experts predicted the Chiefs to stomp the Colts and improve to 4-0 on the season, but three-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning had other things to say. In a 19-9 win Manning threw for 244 yards and relied on former Michigan star Mike Hart to lead

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Ray Rice ran for 133 yards and scored two tocuhdowns to lead the Ravens to a 31-17 victory against the Broncos.

the rushing attack after starter Joseph Addai left the game with a shoulder injury.

Hartcarried the load for the Colts, averaging 4.5 yards a carry along with a touchdown.

The Chiefs, unable to find rhythm on offense, came back to Earth this week but look to rebound next week against the now struggling Texans.

The Giants beat the Texans 34-10 in a statement game that might have kept Head Coach Tom Coughlin off the hot seat. Eli Manning had an excellent game, throwing for 297 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Brandon Jacobs returned to

NFL

Tom Babcock Week 5 (2-4) Season (9-15)

BAL @ NE KC @ HOU ATL @ PHI DAL @ MIN OAK @ SF IND @ WAS

6

WEEK

Andrew Gould Week 5 (N/A) Season (3-3)

form, running downhill all the way to the end zone for 67 yards and a score. The once dominant Texans now fall to 3-2 on the season and with the injury bug plaguing them they will look to quarterback and team leader Matt Schaub to have a big comeback game next week against the Chiefs.

On Monday night the Jets topped the Vikings 29-20 behind the continued successful play of the resurgent LaDanian Tomlinson and a more confident Mark Sanchez. Brett Favre and the Vikings look to avoid sliding further down in the standings against the Cowboys, who are also

struggling after losing 34-27 to the Titans.

The number one ranked offense in the NFL could not get the job done this week. The San Diego Chargers fell to the Oakland Raiders in a 35-27 shootout. Despite Phillip Rivers’ 417- yard, two-touchdown game, the Chargers defense appeared suspect against the Raiders, who looked surprisingly above average on Sunday.

Another surprise this week was the Buccaneers defeating the Bengals 24-21. The Bengals, once the division favorite, now look sloppy on offense and quarterback Carson Palmer no longer looks like the franchise leader he once was. The Bucs seem to be improving each week behind second year starter Josh Freeman, who completed 20 of 33 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown.

To wrap up the week, the Falcons beat the Browns in a lackluster game, 20-10, with both teams playing mediocre football. The Redskins surprised the Packers in a 16-13 win in overtime. The Bears rebounded this week against the winless Panthers while the Jaguars improved their record to 3-2 after beating the Bills 36-26.

The defending champion Saints look human again after losing to the Cardinals, 30-20. Quarterback Kevin Kolb returned to the Eagles to rally them to a 27-24 win against the 49ers on Sunday night. carndt@ramapo.edu

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Yankees, Phillies Advance Past First Round of Postseason Page 15 The Ramapo News

By ALMERRY MARTINS Staff Writer

Out of 30 teams, only eight move on to the postseason in Major League Baseball. After 162 regular season games, a team needs 11 more victories to get crowned champions.

In the American League, the 2009 defending champions the New York Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins, and the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in five games.

The Philadelphia Phillies, the 2009 National League Champions, swept the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves in four games.

The Yankees needed just three games to advance to the American League Championship Series. Their pitchers went out and answered the many questions and doubts on how their starting rotation would perform. The mound belonged to C.C. Sabathia and Francisco Liriano in Game 1, and Sabathia won after allowing three runs over six innings. Mark Teixeira hit a home run in the seventh inning to lead the Yankees to a 6-4 victory.

In Game 2, playoff veteran Andy Pettitte allowed two runs over seven innings against ex-Yankee Carl Pavano. Lance Berkman hit a double in the seventh inning to help the Yankees win 5-2. Phil Hughes pitched

Thursday, October 14, 2010

seven scoreless innings in Game 3 to secure the win and series for the Yankees.

The Phillies also needed just three games to advance to the next round. Roy Halladay’s first postseason appearance turned out to be history. Halladay threw the first no-hitter in a postseason game since Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

After the 4-0 win, Bronson Arroyo and Roy Oswalt dueled in Game 2. After an early 4-0 lead, the Reds looked poised to even the series until they committed four errors and hit three batters to lead to five unearned runs. The defining moment came in the seventh inning, when Jay Bruce lost the ball in the lights and allowed Philadelphia to score two runs and win 7-4.

For a third straight year, the Philadelphia Phillies are headed back to the NLCS after a shutout victory from Cole Hamels in Game 3. Hamels pitched a five-hitter over nine innings with nine strikeouts.

The Giants beat the Braves in a series dominated by pitching. Tim Lincecum struck out a team playoff record 14 batters in a two-hit shutout to out duel Derek Lowe and earn the Giants a victory in Game 1.

Game 2 called for extra innings, in which the Braves Rick Ankiel’s clutch home run gave them the lead in the top of the 11th inning. The Braves Kyle Farnsworth got the win after pitching the last 1.2 innings of the game.

Game 3 was lost not by a pitcher, but by Atlanta’s second baseman Brooks Conrad.

Conrad tied a postseason record by recording three errors on the night, allowing one run to score in the first inning and another one in the ninth. Even though Sergio Romo gave the Braves what would have been the winning run, he got the win after the Giants capitalized in the top of the ninth to win 32. After another 3-2 victory in Game 3, the Giants are headed to the NLCS. Giants Cody Ross homered and singled in the seventh inning with two outs to bring in the goahead run to help his team pick up the victory and bring Bobby Cox’s career to an end in Atlanta.

With help from Bengie Molina and Nelson Cruz’s bat, Cliff Lee won Game 1 against David Price. Lee allowed one run over seven innings and stroke out ten batters in a 5-1 win. Michael Young’s three-run home run in the fifth inning and C.J. Wilson’s two hits over 6.1 innings lifted the Rangers in Game 2. The Rays showed resiliency by winning the next two games in Texas. In Game 3, John Jaso’s single to center untied the game in the 8th inning, and a three-run top of the ninth gave Tampa a 6-3 win. In Game 4, the Rays stung again to force Game 5.

Price had another shot at redeeming himself, but Lee threw another gem. Lee pitched a complete game, striking out 11 batters and allowing one run in a 5-1 victo-

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Pitcher C.C. Sabathia helped the Yankees sweep the Twins.

ry.

The ALCS is set to kick off in Texas on Friday at 8:00 p.m. where the Rangers will host the Yankees. The NLCS will kick off in Philadelphia on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. when the Phillies host the San Francisco Giants.

Only two teams will get the opportunity to advance to the 2010 World Series. martins814@yahoo.com

Moss Returns to North Side of NFL After Trade to Minnesota Star Receiver Reunites With Old Team After Vikings Make Shocking Trade with Patriots

By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer

It normally seems that at some point, we all end up back where we started.

For over a decade, National Football League wide receiver Randy Moss has been widely discussed as one of the best athletes of his generation; former teammate Chris Carter once referred to him as “the most unbelievable athlete [he] has ever seen.” New England head coach Bill Belichick called him the “smartest receiver he has ever been around.”

Now, the thirteen-year veteran is returning to where his career began in 1998.

In a shocking and unexpected move by the New England Patriots, Moss, in the final year of his contract, was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Minnesota’s 2011 third round draft pick.

The move came just two days after the Patriots’ 41-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins. It was the first game since Moss was traded to New England in 2007 that he failed to catch a pass.

Word of a possible trade first erupted before the season even began. Prior to New England’s first game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Moss told CBS Sports that he “did not feel wanted” in New England. Moss had not been offered a contract extension by the Patriots. It was after the game that Moss requested a trade.

Vikings fans are bound to be encouraged

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Randy Moss caught a touchdown in his first game back with the Minnesota Vikings.

by the news. The injury to top receiver Sidney Rice left them struggling in the passing game thus far; quarterback Brett Favre put together dreadful numbers in comparison to his 2009 campaign.

Moss took the NFL by storm in his rookie season with Minnesota in 1998. Opposite legendary wide receiver Chris Carter and piloted by a revitalized Randall

Cunningham at quarterback, Moss posted 17 touchdowns on the season, a record for rookie wide receivers. The Vikings went 15-1 and advanced to the NFC Championship Game.

Throughout the next five seasons, Moss put together outstanding numbers; he had 100 receptions in back-to-back seasons in 2002 and 2003, and he made four more trips to the Pro Bowl to go with his initial trip in 1998.

But it was in 2004 that Moss’ issues with team management first appeared. In Minnesota’s final game against Washington, in which the Vikings were still fighting for a playoff spot, they trailed 2118 with two seconds left, and set up for an onside kick. Moss surprised many by walking off the field into the locker room. He was naturally criticized for, as some said, quitting on the team.

One week later, Minnesota traveled to Green Bay for a playoff matchup with the Packers. Moss scored two touchdowns as the Vikings won, 31-17. However, after his second score, Moss went to the goal post, turned away from the crowd and mimicked the action of pulling his pants down and mooning them. FOX announcer Joe Buck called the act “disgusting” and Moss was soon after fined $10,000.

Following the 2004 season, Moss was traded to the struggling Oakland Raiders.

After two unproductive seasons, Moss was traded to the Patriots on the day of the 2007

NFL Draft. He posted his best numbers since 2003 and broke Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice’s record for touchdown receptions in a season by hauling in 23 scores.

He signed a three-year contract with the team following the season. Despite solid numbers in the following two seasons, Moss reportedly wanted out.

Brett Favre originally attempted to get the Green Bay Packers to make a deal for Moss in 2005, but both sides couldn’t come to an agreement. Favre was quoted saying, “There is no one in this league who puts fear in people more than Randy Moss.”

In Minnesota’s first game of their second tenure with Moss against the New York Jets on Monday night, Moss caught one touchdown pass. However, the Vikings lost, 2920. It was Moss’ second road game this season against the Jets, the first coming in week two with New England.

Brfore the trade, Moss caught nine receptions for 139 yards and three touchdowns.

Fans are bound to wonder just how big a part of the Minnesota offense Randy Moss will be. The team has an All-Pro running back in Adrian Peterson, and when Sidney Rice returns to playing, the ball will spread out a lot more. But for Vikings fans who had been mourning Moss’ departure since 2005, they will be excited to see their man return. jkelly7@ramapo.edu

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photo by Stefanie Mauro