Ramapo College of New Jersey Student Newspaper

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11.18.2010

RAMAPO NEWS

Club Arch Page 8

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Men’s Basketball Page 13

Ramapo Celebrates 41st Birthday

A Publication by the Students for the Ramapo College Community

$2 Million Donated to Ramapo for Nursing Facility

SPORTS

XLI No. 10

By ELYSE TORIBIO Staff Writer

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Mike and Elaine Adler, dear friends to the college have donated $2 million dollars for Ramapo to add a new nursing facility to its growing campus.

By STEPHANIE NODA Staff Writer

A gift of $2 million will go towards building a new nursing facility on campus, as announced yesterday at a Board of Trustees press conference on the second floor lounge of the Anisfield School of Business.

Mike and Elaine Adler, friends of Ramapo, made the sizable donation.

Cathy Davey, the vice president for Institutional Advancement and the executive director of the Ramapo Foundation introduced the Board of Trustees. Davey said she was honored that this new step in Ramapo’s history was occurring on Founder’s Day, helping recognize 41 years of Ramapo tradition.

“It’s rather gratuitous that we have this opportunity to celebrate another historic moment in the college’s history,” Davey said. “The announcement we will make today about compassion, leadership, generosity, and vision. It’s also about linking two individual lifetime commitments of outreach and caring for those in need.”

President Peter Mercer took the stand to share the news with the audience and what it will mean for the future of Ramapo College.

“In gratitude for this very generous gift, the

Ramapo Board of Trustee has been pleased to announce today the naming of the new facility: The Adler Center for Nursing Excellence,” Mercer said.

Mercer’s words incited cheers and enthusiastic applause from the audience. The audience at the press conference wasn’t the only ones who wished to express their gratitude. During the announcement of the new Nursing Center, a gathering of nursing students wearing scrubs entered the lounge holding a large banner with the words “The Adler Center for Nursing Excellence” with Ramapo’s official school colors, maroon and white.

The philanthropy of Mike and Elaine Adler is not something new to Ramapo College; the couple has been a driving force for many years in the development of Ramapo College as an accredited institution. Their generous donations in the past have inspired the college to name a theater in the Berrie Center the Adler Theater in 1999. This new nursing facility further demonstrates their dedication to the progression of Ramapo College.

“Many organizations have benefited immeasurably from the community service and the generous philanthropy of Elaine and Mike,” Mercer said. “The student, faculty, and pro-

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grams at Ramapo College have been greatly enhanced by their thoughtful intentions.”

Mike and Elaine Adler themselves came to the press conference to speak with the audience, which was met with a thunderous standing ovation from individuals all around the lounge. The whole audience was on their feet as the couple made their way to the front of the room.

“I’m so proud of Elaine,” Mike Adler said.

“Elaine has been involved with Ramapo College for over 25 years. Together, we have watched it grow. My father was a doctor. I know that he would be very proud to have the Adler name grace this building.”

On behalf of the nursing program at Ramapo, Kathleen Moskin, a member of the nursing faculty and Ramapo alumni of 1997, presented the Adlers with an honorary lab coat.

“It’s kind of you to honor us,” Elaine Adler said. “We feel blessed to have so many wonderful friends. Mike and I feel that a school of nursing has no boundaries. Our up-to-date school of nursing with its new labs, equipment, and simulators will lead the way. Ramapo will become a leader in the field.”

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snoda@ramapo.edu

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Esteemed guests, alumni, members of faculty and student leaders were invited this Wednesday to join President Mercer and other administrators in celebrating the 41st anniversary of Ramapo College’s founding.

Festivities for this year’s Founders Day included a luncheon at the Trustees Pavilion, followed by a panel discussing the values of a Ramapo education.

The panel, moderated by Pat Chang, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, included Jason Krisza, President of Student Government Association, Dr. Paul Elovitz, associate professor of history, Kathy Zeno, assistant professor of marketing, Dr. Denise Sawyer-Johnson, assistant director career advisor for the Anisfield School of Business and Dr. Mitch Kahn, director and professor of the social work program.

The diverse demographic of the panel allowed for a broad and interesting range of answers to questions about the best aspects of Ramapo, why they were initially attracted to the school, and what they hope to see for the institution in the future.

Kahn, who began teaching at Ramapo in the fall of 1971, explained what made Ramapo so unique among other state schools in New Jersey.

“The whole philosophy of Ramapo was that it was going to be something different,” he said.

“We all had the desire to learn from each other. We weren’t just going to teach our students.”

Kathy Zeno agreed, and emphasized that what set Ramapo apart from the very beginning was its focus on communication between faculty and students, something

see BIRTHDAY on page 6

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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 Viewpoints Page 3

A&E Page 7

Sports Page 8

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.

Campus Promotes International Education, Diversity

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Roukema Center Sponsors Week of Cultural Appreciation

By REBECCA PENHAKER Staff Writer

The Roukema Center for International Education is hosting a week’s worth of events from Nov. 15-21 to support International Education Week.

According to the International Education Week’s website, IEW is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide; it is a joint project between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S Department of Education to promote programs that prepare students for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences in the United States.

“We wanted to offer diverse events to raise awareness to support the international pillars of learning.”

-Ben Levy, director of Study Abroad and OffCampus Programs

The Roukema Center for International Education is collaborating with student groups on campus to provide the Ramapo community with a plethora of events to attend throughout the week, from a film screening to lectures, informal study abroad sessions, international dance and music festivals and a Cultural Bazaar.

“The international education agenda is a campus agenda — it is

a collaborative effort,” Ben Levy, director of Study Abroad and OffCampus Programs said. “We wanted to offer diverse events to raise awareness to support the international pillars of learning.”

To start off the week of appreciation and understanding, the Center and PRIDE sponsored the screening of John Scagliotti’s documentary “Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World,” which was followed by a discussion with students and the director/writer himself. This featurelength documentary explores the changes that occurred for gays, lesbians and transgender individuals living in the Global South.

“At least 20 people came to each screening,” Levy said. “We had two screenings on purpose because we wanted to get to as many people as possible. There was a fascinating discussion and students were very engaged. The film is now available in the library.”

The study abroad session on Tuesday was co-sponsored by the Center and the Latin American Convening Group. Levy hopes this informative meeting will show students how Latin America is an important place to study, regardless of their majors.

The office of Student Development is sponsoring a series of salsa dance lessons on Nov. 11, 16 and 18 in the Bradley Center dance studios, Q-228, at 1 p.m. Lucian Stanila, an instructor from the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Ridgewood, is thoroughly impressed with the students who

have taken his class so far.

“They are very talented and have been doing very well. They catch on very fast, and this is not an easy dance to learn,” Stanila said.

Kathleen Capiroso, a sophomore, has always wanted to learn how to salsa dance, so when she saw the lessons advertised at Roadrunner Central, she took immediate interest.

“The crucial piece is the collaboration. We need to have visibility and awareness building on campus.”

-Ben Levy, director of Study Abroad and OffCampus Programs

“This has been going great — it’s very enjoyable,” Capiroso said. “I would love to have a class like this here,” she said.

The Center and the School for American and International Studies sponsored the Russian Culture and Exchange on Wednesday, where student Anna Baranovskaya and visiting Professor Kubyshkin spoke about Russia, allowing students to discuss the advantages of studying abroad there.

“30 Mosques, 30 Days,” sponsored by the Center, Model UN, Campus Ministries and the Salameno Spiritual Center, will be featured in the H-wing auditorium tonight at 7 p.m. This documentary follows two men as they travel throughout the United States during Ramadan, stopping each evening to break their fasts at a dif-

ferent mosque in a different state.

Their journey explains what it means to be Muslim today in America.

The Cultural Bazaar will be held in Friends Hall from Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Center and Cultural Survival and is a campus and community affair.

“Over 20 indigenous artisans are flying in from around the world to show their craft in handmade art, jewelry, clothing and more,” Levy said. “This would even be a great opportunity to get some early holiday shopping in.”

The success of the events thus far has been due to the teamwork that has taken place with the student groups, allowing more people of diverse backgrounds to be informed.

“The crucial piece is the collaboration. We need to have visibility and awareness building on campus,” Levy said.

Although International Education Week will end Sunday, Levy wants the student body to know the Roukema Center for International Education is always expanding and finding new ways to keep the student body informed of the benefits of international, intercultural, interdisciplinary and experiential learning.

“This is a federally recognized week, but we will be doing events all the time.”

VeganThanksgivingServesUpEnvironmentalAwareness

rpenhake@ramapo.edu

photos by Stefanie Mauro

Vegan Thanksgiving is an annual event, co-sponsored by 1STEP and the Womenʼs Center, held to raise awareness about environmental and social lifestyles, according to senior Jessica Roffe who organized the event. The celebration gave students a chance to try new food, including vegan chili, tofu and “meat dishes without meat.” Roffe said this yearʼs event, with a turnout of more than 250 people, reminded students that the environment can benefit from even small contributions.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

THURSDAY’S CHILD

Rachel McAdams Best known for her role as Allie in romantic drama The Notebook, turns 32 today.

TODAY IN HISTORY

“I am not a Crook” speech President Richard Nixon lively broadcasts speech referring to allegations made about his invovlement in Watergate scandal.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Graeme Taylor, 14, stood up for gaydefending teacher “He did an amazing thing. He did something that's inspired a lot of people. And whenever I have a teacher stand up for me like that, they change my eyes. I support Jay McDowell and I hope you do too.”

Café Demos Promotes Civic Engagement For the Greater Good

By DEANNA DUNSMUIR Staff Writer

Café Demos, a semi-annual event sponsored by the American Democracy Project, held Civic Engagement: Student Prospectives on Tuesday afternoon to discuss var-

ious issues in daily life.

The American Democracy Project is a committee made up of faculty, staff and students.

Karen Booth, coordinator of Service Learning, and Ellen Kaiden, professor of Reading and Education, helped put together the event along with other students.

“We put together one or two of these events per semester,” Kaiden said. “It is members of the community coming together to talk about important issues of the day.”

Kaiden moderated the event, which featured four Ramapo students discussing their personal experiences through civic engagement. Sarah Cipolli, Brianna D’Amato, Laura Hahn and Irene Zampetoulas each presented personal projects elaborating on roles they’ve played in different engagements.

“A morally and civically responsible individual recognizes himself or herself as a member of a larger social fabric and therefore considers social problems to be at least partly his or her own,” Kaiden said.

The first student speaker, D’Amato, spoke about her participation in the Sustainable Living Facility and the organic garden behind the CPAs, which offers organic plants such as broccoli, lettuce and spinach in the hopes of cutting out food processing, packaging, distribution, sodium and MSG. Ultimately, the project will cut down on carbon dioxide omissions. “[The project] shows students can make an impact no matter how miniature it is; it’s just a greener way of living,” D’Amato said.

Cipolli touched upon her work at the Community Service Center as a means of her contribition in civic engagements.

“We are currently in the middle of Homelessness Awareness Week, and three men from street soccer USA are coming to speak,” Cipolli said.

Hahn, a member of ADP, shared her broad range of experiences, naming Colleges Against Cancer as one of the rewarding organizations that she is apart of.

“The Relay for Life event is very well attended, it is a good thing to get involved with at some point — everyone knows someone who has been involved with cancer,” Hahn said.

Finally, Zampetoulas talked about her previous internship with a senator, her past experience in the Republican Club and her upcoming internship with Fox News.

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Students gathered to talk about how they were engaged civically, through philanthropies, internships and other commitments. The event was held on Tuesday in the Pavillion.

“I have to thank the Cahill Center for providing these opportunities,” Zampetoulas said. “It is very exciting to be a young American right now, even with the host of concerns.”

Students in attendance were then prompted to discuss their own involvement in civic engagements.

Freshman Jessica Waldron talked about a charity dance she had put together while she was a teenager.

“It is incredibly beneficial to students and it brings out hidden talents,” Waldron said. “I was only 13 when I organized the dance and I found out that I have great organizational skills and people skills, which helps for job interviews.”

Ivana Rivadeneira, a commuter at Ramapo, stressed how some civic engagements cannot be forced.

“I am a commuter; I can’t be on campus and take part in some of these events. It can’t be forced onto somebody to help other people out — some people need to help themselves before they can help somebody else,” Rivadeneira said.

Relay for Life Committee Begins Early Development

ddunsmui@ramapo.edu

By STEPHANIE NODA Staff Writer

The stairwell of the Student Center was decorated with various purple ribbons, stars and balloons as promotion began for Relay for Life 2011 last Thursday. A number of tables were set up next to the Ramapo bookstore in order to inform students about Relay for Life, and about how signing up for this event will help fight cancer.

Relay for Life is an annual event that started at Ramapo College four years ago, which allows students to raise money for the American Cancer Society. It consists of an overnight event where students walk the night away, as well as participate in various activities in order to raise both awareness about and money for cancer research.

“The basic idea of Relay is that there is a track set up and one person from each team is supposed to be walking at all times,” Ashley Beaton, vice president of Colleges Against Cancer said. “There are also little side events. There’s music and food all night long and we do Miss Relay, where the guys dress up as girls for a beauty pageant. We also have Relay Idol, which is like American Idol. They are just little things to get people involved and keep them going all night.”

“We’re going into our fifth year of Relay,” Jackie Katz, committee co-chair of Relay for Life, said. “It’s a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society – they spend the money on research, care for patients and information for communities. It’s just grown exponentially in the four years it’s been

photo by Stephanie Noda

Relay for Life widely advertised their upcoming event through purple ribbons and balloons, as well as through informational pamphlets, to encourage students to fight against cancer.

at Ramapo.”

Thursday marked the kickoff of promotion for this event to get students to sign up for teams and start raising money for the actual Relay for Life overnight event in the Bradley Center on March 25 and 26.

“Every year we get more teams, more people to sign up,” Jamie Moy, online chair for Relay for Life, said. “It spreads

awareness and it’s a great cause because it raises a lot of money for research. We remember survivors and honor them. We also honor the lives of those that were lost to cancer.”

Members of the Relay for Life committee had see RELAY on page 6 another table set up with

Helping Hands Across America Comes to Ramapo Page 4 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Non-Profit Organization Provides Support and Information to Families in Need

By SAMANTHA ULLRICH Staff Writer

The Center for Food Action of New Jersey distributed nearly 50,000 emergency food packages in 2009, with 1,621 of them in Mahwah alone.

Ramapo College’s Dining Services, better known as Sodexo, welcomes and encourages students, faculty and staff to participate in the annual Helping Hands Across America food drive. Helping Hands Across America is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support and information to families in need.

“There are many less fortunate people out there who don’t have all that we may have. We want to directly impact the impoverished by helping out with something as simple as a food drive.”

-Michelle Ha, Tri Sigma member

The food collected will be donated to the Center for Food Action (CFA) in Mahwah, N.J., a local food bank. This is a way in which Ramapo can help and support the local Bergen County families.

“We want to do it as Ramapo College, not Sodexo, not athletics, not a fraternity or a sorority, but as the Ramapo community as a whole,” General Manager of Sodexo Jeff Dannhardt said.

This is Sodexo’s third year organizing this food drive, and the company is hoping for its best turnout yet. Two years ago, 228 pounds of food were collected, followed by about 450 pounds last year. This year, Sodexo implemented a food drive competition in order to motivate individuals, clubs and organizations on campus.

“The incentive is to get your club or group together to donate, and if your club raises the most, you get a free breakfast catered by Sodexo at either Birch or Pav,” Student Promotions Coordinator Yaslie Pared said.

“Let’s make it a competition, and let’s see if we can get the largest single donation. Of course the primary aspect is doing something for the local community,” Dannhardt said.

The sorority Sigma Sigma Sigma used this opportunity to come together as a group and offer help to the local community.

“Partly, it is due to the fact that our sorority has to meet some sort of community service each month. But also because, with the holiday seasons pending, we feel that it is a good time to appreciate and recognize our blessings every day by giving back to others,” Tri Sigma member Michelle Ha said.

Students are also encouraged to use their Flex dollars to buy canned goods and nonperishable items from the C-Store. Conveniently, there is a donation box at the register, as well as a donation box at the entrance of the Birch Tree Inn. “We look at it this way: if every person brought in a one-pound box of food, that’s 3,000 pounds of food. It’s really not that much to ask,” Dannhardt said.

Sodexo strives for this to be a campuswide effort, and to continue the company’s mission of giving back to communities they serve through the Helping Hands Across America program.

“There are people in and around this area who are underprivileged, especially around the holidays, and many people don’t realize that. Any little bit that can help is a positive,” Pared said.

“There are many less fortunate people out there who don’t have all that we may have. We want to directly impact the impoverished by helping out with something as simple as a food drive. It’s something small, but it could make a big difference,” Ha said.

“There are people in and around this area who are underprivileged, especially around the holidays, and many people don’t realize that. Any little bit that can help is a positive.”

-Yaslie Pared, student promotions coordinator

There is still time to donate to help underprivileged families in the local area. For more information, contact dining services or stop by the office next to the Birch Tree Inn. Even just one food idea can make a world of difference for member of the local community.

“It’s something we’d like to get everyone together to participate; instead of little groups doing little donations, let’s do one big donation,” Operations Director David Carreras said.

Two Sure-Fire Recipes to ‘Wow’ Your Relatives on Thanksgiving

sullrich@ramapo.edu

By SAMANTHA ULLRICH Staff Writer

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what and who you have. It is a time to celebrate, kick off the holiday season and enjoy good company, good times, and good food.

Aunts, uncles, cousins and friends all bring appetizers, side dishes and dessert to add to the already immense amount of food presented on the table. This year, why not “Wow” the family with desserts everyone will love? Apple pie and chocolate chip cookies: These two easy traditional holiday favorites are sure to make their way onto everyone’s plate.

I made these two recipes last week, and I will keep them forever. They are both, hands down, the best traditional apple pie and chocolate chip cookie recipes I have ever used.

I got this chocolate chip cookie recipe from a book called Baking: From my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan.

I usually use the recipe right from the back of the Toll House chocolate chip bag, but I like this recipe better!

My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 3/4 cup sugar (the recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, and 2/3 cup brown sugar, but I like to use more brown than regular sugar) 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

at the edges and golden at the center.

Let cool for about a minute and transfer to a wire rack.

This apple pie is so simple to whip up and tastes delicious!

The butter syrup mixture thickens on the stove to make a homemade caramel that gets poured over the crust. I love this pie because it never gets watery and the crust always has a perfect crunch.

photo by Samantha Ullrich

Easy recipes make for delectable treats throughout the holiday season.

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda and put aside. With a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for about one minute, until smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another two minutes or so, until well-blended. Beat in the vanilla.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in three portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated.

Hand mix in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheets, leaving about two inches between spoonfuls.

Bake for about 7-8 minutes (the recipe calls for 10-12 minutes, but I needed less time), or until the cookies are brown

“American” Apple Pie 1 package double pastry pie crust 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp cinnamon 6 apples (Granny Smith are recommended)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel, slice and core apples. Toss apples with the cinnamon.

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to thicken. Add white sugar, brown sugar and water and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer for five minutes.

Place the bottom crust in a nine-inch pie pan. Fill with apples. Cover with basket weave crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter syrup over the crust, making sure to cover entire pie but not drip off the edge.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy and have a happy Thanksgiving! sullrich@ramapo.edu

Page 5 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

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Page 6 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Ramapo’s Birthday Allows Students and Faculty to Reflect on College’s Success continued from page 1

that still exists today.

“You will be challenged here,” Zeno said. “It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true here. There is empathy and caring here that you won’t get anywhere else.”

The panelists and the luncheon’s guests seemed to agree that despite the changes Ramapo has seen over the years, its sense of community and inexplicable attraction has never wavered.

“I got the feeling that Ramapo wanted me to be here,” Jason Krisza said as he reflected on when he first visited the school. “I’m really part of a family here, and I treasure that.

I’ve never had a question that wasn’t answered, an idea that was shot down.”

Looking back at the history of Ramapo and its recent developments and achievements, Krisza has high hopes for its future.

“More and more people are talking about Ramapo, and I think it has a lot to do with what we’re doing here,” he said.

Paul Elovitz, a longtime faculty member, hopes to see a return to the original goals of the school.

“We should aspire to do what we set out to do. We shouldn’t aspire to be bigger, but better.”

The afternoon’s events concluded with another tradition: the induction of this year’s Quarter Century Club members.

This honor is given to faculty members who have served or have been associated with the Ramapo community for 25 years. Eight faculty members were inducted this year, including Miki Cammarata, associate vice president for Student Affairs, Patricia Keeton, longtime professor of Communication Arts and Murray Sabrin, professor of finance. Recent retirees and emeritus faculty were also recognized.

Those who were unable to attend the luncheon or panel were still able to partake in the Founders’ Day festivities by engaging in the various activities held by SGA in the

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Ramapo commemorates 41 years of higher education and looks toward the future for continuous academic success.

Student Center on Wednesday afternoon.

In addition to the ubiquitous t-shirts distributed during Ramapo events, students also enjoyed cotton candy and complimentary pictures from a photo booth and caricature artist.

“We try to keep the event similar to the previous year,” Noelle Nocera, SGA member and main coordinator of the event said. “It’s familiar to students, staff, faculty and administration.”

Nocera also explained the importance of celebrating the anniversary of the fairly young institution.

“I think a relatively new school can benefit students because traditions are in place such as Founders’ Day or

Relay Team Encourages Students to Begin Fighting For a Cure in the Earlier Months continued from page 3

netbooks in order to allow students passing by to easily sign up to be a part of the organization.

“We’re trying to get a lot of people to know about relay,”

Christina Urciuoli, member of the team development com-

mittee, said. “We want to get people signed up and try to get the whole campus involved because we want faculty, staff, and the students to be involved too.”

In addition to informing students about how to sign up for

Relay for Life, a table was set up to inform students about

various cancer facts and how students could protect themselves.

“A lot of people are surprised that men get breast can-

cer,” Beaton said. “During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that was a big thing that people didn’t know.”

“We’re going into our fifth year. It’s grown exponentially in the four years it’s been at Ramapo.”

-Jackie Katz, committee co-chair

Many students eagerly gathered around the netbook

table to sign up for this great cause and contribute their

own individual efforts to help eliminate cancer from their lives.

“I have family that has cancer,” junior Debra Quevedo

“We remember survivors and honor them. We also honor the lives of those that were lost to cancer.”

said. “Cancer is very serious and more people should

The table itself was lined with pamphlets with various

ed in doing it again because it’s really fun. Everyone

-Jamie Moy, online chair

cancer information, balloons, and a collage of pictures from different relays in the past. A “Fact or Myth?” game

was also present in order to allow students to test their knowledge on cancer while simultaneously teaching them

information that the general public does not necessarily know about certain types of cancer.

know about it. I want more research to be done to find a cure.”

“I did it at my high school last year and the year before

that,” freshman Audrey Zabohonski said. “I was interest-

knows someone that’s affected by cancer. It’s one of the only things you can really do.”

To sign up and find out more about Relay for Life, visit

www.relayforlife.org/ramapocollege for more information.

snoda@ramapo.edu

Octoberfest,” Nocera said. “But it is not so old that it does not listen to students and take their input into consideration.”

The day wrapped up on Wednesday evening, with a small celebration and cake cutting at Founders’ Day Late Night, held in the Pavilion.

“For future celebrations, it could be interesting to extend the celebration and have a ‘Founders’ Week,’” Nocera said.

“This could consist of some ways to link the founders and founding faculty members with current students and alumni.” etoribio@ramapo.edu

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Media Distortion Portrays Greek Life Guilty

Two months ago, a shooting broke out at a house party near Seton Hall University in East Orange. A young man, who refused to pay a

By MICHAEL CRISTANIELLO cover charge at Kappa Sigma Vice President the door of the party , returned later in the night with a handgun and opened fire.

The party was described as a “typical college frat party” and the chaos that erupted after the first few shots was described as “hell.” One Seton Hall University female student was killed, and four other people were left severely injured. I am rarely the type of person who outwardly shares my opinion about anything, however, the negative comments made about college fraternities in the news reports covering this event left my blood boiling.

Fraternities have obtained an unfortunate reputation for as long as I can remember. As the vice president of Kappa Sigma, I am continually bothered by the community’s poor perceptions of college Greek Life as a whole. The modern day “frat boy” is stereotyped as being irresponsible, loud and rarely sober. We’re

judged based upon the way the media represents a “frat boy lifestyle” in television shows and in movies such as “Animal House” and “Old School.”

In contemporary society, people tend to only focus on the negative aspects of Greek Life and judge fraternities only based upon the drunken accidents they occasionally hear on the 5:00 news. Despite opinions and rumors, the horrifying event that took place at the party in East Orange actually had nothing to do with the fraternity brothers that lived at that house. It bothers me that people believe the shooting only happened since it was deemed a “typical frat party.”

Binge drinking and violence occur in all facets of society. They have only been magnified in fraternities since Greek Life comprises the largest student organizations across the nation.

If the troubled young man pulled the trigger at the fraternity house, don’t you think he would have had the same intentions had he been denied access to a wild party down the street hosted by the university’s student government?

Another thing that bothered me were the articles with the words “Frat Party” in their headlines. In my opinion, the addition of the word “frat” is completely insignificant to this story’s headline since the fraternity was not involved.

It makes you wonder if the headline would have

read “Frisbee Team Party” given different circumstances – probably not. It’s the minor things such as these that add to the unfair preconceived stereotypes that fraternities face.

By all means, I am not preaching that every Greek chapter in this country is perfect. I recognize better than anyone that a few of the fraternities across this country do have the wrong intentions and exist to promote and encourage the wrong things. If the news media want to show negativity regarding a fraternity they should at least focus longer on a story that the fraternity was directly involved with.

Additionally, there is a lot more to being a member of Greek Life than the news chooses to report. The philanthropic efforts and endless community service hours often go unnoticed and underappreciated.

I offer my prayers to anyone directly affected by the events that happened at Seton Hall. It is unfortunate that we live in a society that is quick to place blame on a fraternity before ever hearing the complete story. I only hope that one day these terrible stereotypes will be lifted since people deserve a better understanding of the positive aspects of Greek Life. I guess I should start writing a movie about it.

Submit a letter to the editor: editor. rcnjnews @gmail. com

Miles Apart, Close at Heart: Sisters Bond Despite Distance

How many times have you traced your hand on a piece of construction paper, cut it out, and decorated it to look like a turkey for a Thanksgivingthemed craft? I did that just the other day for my R.A.’s floor bulletin board. While I was

By NICOLE ALLIEGRO working, she asked me what I Staff Writer was thankful for, a question everyone hears ad nauseum around this time of year. But, as I aimlessly scribbled down an answer, I began to reconsider my cliché response.

As I wrote on my turkey, I am always thankful for my family and friends. But my first semester at college has made my appreciation for them grow even more. Being away from the comfort of home, and the familiar faces of my everyday life has made me realize just how much I cherish all of the relationships I have, especially the one with my sister.

My younger sister and I have always been extremely close.

My other friends envied our relationship — we rarely fight, we share clothes and we like the same music and TV shows.

Whether we’re just hanging out at home watching a movie, or grabbing lunch and driving around during the summer, we never run out of things to gossip about or do together.

But my relationship with my sister goes beyond just these superficial things. She and I truly enjoy spending time with each other. We can confide in each other and take each other seriously, but at the same time, our multitude of inside jokes

can leave us in tears of laughter. I love her like a best friend, but our bond is even more special because we’re sisters.

Not surprisingly, because we have such a close relationship, my departure for college was hard on us. But this year is also a time of change for both of us. My sister Danielle, who is four years younger than me, is also a freshman — in high school. Her transition is equally as stressful, scary and overwhelming as my new start to college is at times. And

“Whether we’re just hanging out at home watching a movie, or grabbing lunch and driving around during the summer, we never run out of things to gossip about or do together.”

although I wish I could be there for her physically to help her through whatever freshman year will bring, I am realizing that being apart has actually made our bond stronger.

Deborah Tippett, a professor and head of the human environmental sciences department at Meredith College, offers her opinion on the family help blog, TriangleMom2Mom. She wrote, “Many siblings actually improve their relationship when the older one leaves for college,” citing e-mail and text messaging as means of communication which foster relationships.

Now, rather than catching up when we get home from school, my sister and I call and text each other when we have free time. Admittedly, we are both busier with new

mcristan@ramapo.edu

activities, new friends and a new workload. But, whenever I hear from her, she brightens my day and permanently puts a smile on my face. She fills me in on her teachers, friends and weekends, and I share with her all of the latest college news.

Paige Herrick found in her Master of the Arts thesis for Baylor University that a key turning point in sibling relationships occurs when one sibling goes away to college. A survey she conducted showed that “a majority of siblings indicated an actual strengthening of intimacy and closeness within their sibling relationships when physical distance increased.” Herrick’s survey reported that the distance encouraged more deliberate communication between the siblings and renewed their appreciation for their relationship, as well.

Personally, I have been able to “step back” from my relationship with my sister while at college, which has proven Tippett’s and Herrick’s points. Being away from my sister has allowed me to actually miss her and has reminded me never to take her for granted.

Quite appropriately, I’m looking forward to going home for Thanksgiving and seeing my sister. We’ve already planned things to do together, and on Facebook she has even reminded me to “pick out a cute outfit” so we can take new “sister pictures” for our frames. By this, she is referring to designated picture frames we have of each other, a small token of our friendship to keep with us wherever we are. Her picture frame sits on my bedside table at school, reminding me every day of what I am truly thankful for. nalliegro@ramapo.edu

Man on the Moon II

Poet BJ Ward

Erik Gavilanes reviews Kid Cudiʼs sophomore album Page 10

Danielle Reed recaps Ramapoʼs Final ʻReadingsʼ session Page 11

SGA Offers On-Campus Entertainment for Students Friends Hall Transformed Into “Club Arch” 11 . 18 . 10

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Students enjoyed a night of dancing at Tuesdayʼs Club Arch, an SGA sponsored “dance party.” Hosting the nightʼs festivities were award winning DJs Joe Oh and Kris Andrew. About 200 students showed up for the event, which lasted until 2 a.m.

BY DIANA S TANCZAK High heels, flashing A&E Editor lights, loud music and dancing bodies - this was the scene of Ramapo’s Club Arch on Tuesday night.

Club Arch, sponsored by SGA, was a free event that aimed to provide on-campus fun for students. According to the official facebook page for the event, the goal was to transform Friends hall into “The best dance party to hit this campus.”

Award winning DJs Joe Oh and Kris Andrew of Elite Entertainment and Project 64 hosted the night’s festivities that started at 10 p.m. and ended at 2 a.m.

Over the course of the night, about 200 students passed through Friends Hall, dressed up and ready to have a good time.

Water and soda was provided to keep every-

one hydrated.

“[Club Arch] turned out really well. If it didn’t rain, we would have had a much better turnout.”

-Allie Snyder, VP of SGA Senate Despite the dreary weather on Tuesday night, SGA members felt that the event was successful. “[Club Arch] turned out really well. If it didn’t rain, we would have had a much better turnout,” Vice President of SGA Senate Allie Snyder said.

However, some members of the student body were skeptical about the event and did

not attend at all for various reasons.

“I didn’t attend because none of my friends were going,” junior Amanda Falconcino said.

Others who attended enjoyed the evening, but felt as if a larger turnout would have improved the evening.

“I’m having a good time, but I wish there were more people here,” sophomore Tim Paziora said.

“It was a really fun event, but it would have been better if more people actually came out.”

-Clare Peragine, sophomore

Sophomore Clare Peragine agreed.

“It was a really fun event, but it would have been better if more people actually came out,” Peragine said.

“I thought a lot more people would have shown up, but when I went there was a bunch of people awkwardly standing around. A larger turnout would have made it more fun,” junior Anthony Yodice.

However, for the first event of its kind, Club Arch had a satisfactory showing and left many attendees feeling satisfied.

“I think it will happen again next semester. Most people will definitely come,” Snyder said. dstancza@ramapo.edu

Nicki Minaj Hits Rap Scene with Upcoming Album Release

Page 9 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

S t ep

BY MAGGIE S CARPELLI aside Lil Staff Writer ‘Kim - there is a new queen bee of hip-hop in town, ready to take over the top spot on the charts permanently. This driven female rap star goes by the nickname Nicki Minaj and was just an unkown music lover from Southside Jamaica, Queens until her talent was discovered on MySpace. Minaj grew up involved in music and learned many of her now famous skills at New York City’s Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art. Minaj was not your average teenager; her voice and drive set her apart from her class-

“Her wigs, weird faces, big butt and crazy voices...are just some of the reasons why she is so unique and why she has become so popular.”

-Sean Mihansky, senior

mates.

Minaj’s eagerness lead her to find the best underground rappers in the city. She began singing background vocals for local rappers and was able to grow as an artist with each experience she was challenged with. At such a young age, Minaj’s resume was full so she decided to take her talent to the next level and share it with the world, doing what many aspiring artists in search of a big break do: she uploaded her music to MySpace. This was the most important move Minaj could

photo courtesy of Flickrʼs Creative Commons

Female rap star Nicki Minaj releases her first album entitled “Pink Friday” tomorrow. do at this time.

What set her apart from other fame hungry MySpace users was her distinctive rap technique and unique style. As her MySpace success grew, so did her need to continuously push the envelope with her provocative rhymes in her raps and her fierce sexuality in her appearance.

Ramapo senior Sean Mihansky believes her status grew because of “her wigs, weird faces, big butt and crazy voices she makes.”

Mihansky believes those are “just some of the reasons why she is so unique and why she has become so popular.” Minaj’s sexually charged lyrics and sexed up Barbie style was the perfect combination for a star to be born.

All the attention Minaj was gaining on her MySpace page lead her to become part of a successful rap group. Dirty Money Entertainment CEO Fendi discovered Minaj’s music on MySpace and immediately

alerted hip-hop megastar Lil’ Wayne about Minaj’s sexy looks and talent. Minaj then joined Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment and was taken under the wings of hip-hop’s biggest stars. She was given the chance to work with top hip-hop artists including Lil’ Wayne, Ludacris, Drake, Jay-Z and Kanye West, and was successful with each collaboration. Minaj helped make hit after hit for Young Money Entertainment and this was just a jumping point for which her solor career could take off from.

Minaj had made mixtapes in the past but is now ready to release her debut album titled Pink Friday next Friday.

“People are anticipating ‘Pink Friday’s’ release - whether they’re Nicki fans or they just want to see how good or bad her stuff actually is,” senior Kevin Isabelle said. “I think she set the stakes pretty high for herself - we just got to wait and see if she lives up to her own hype.”

This is Minaj’s chance to take over and set the bar high for female rappers following her.

Ramapo senior Roxy Smyk said, “Can’t wait for her new album Pink Friday. It’s the perfect gift right after Thanksgiving.”

The world will see if Minaj will be able to hold the throne as the queen bee of hip-hop or if her crown will fall quickly on November 22. Pick up her album and judge for yourself!

The Beatles and iTunes Finally ‘Come Together’

BY JULIANNE BRANDA Staff Writer

iTunes is the foremost online music store in the world. The Beatles are the most renowned rock n’ roll band of all time. But, these two music giants were at odds with each other for years.

It has long been debated if the music of The Beatles would be on sale on iTunes. However, this was finally resolved on Tuesday, opening the Fab Four flood-gates—yes, The Beatles are finally available on iTunes.

The dispute that prevented John, Paul, George and Ringo from becoming acquainted with Steve Jobs was a common name: Apple.

The Beatles management company is called Apple, as is the computer/phone/overall technology machine run by Jobs. The companies argued for years over their common names which deterred ten years of defining music from hitting iTunes. Luckily, in 2007, the companies were able to reach a compromise that allowed both the rights to the name “Apple,” which prompted many to believe that the Beatles would soon been available on iTunes.

Three years later, Beatlemania has finally arrived, better late than

never.

“Everyone is on iTunes nowadays, so I’m surprised that it took The Beatles this long to finally get onto iTunes,” freshman Anthony Gramulgia said. “Maybe they just don’t have good taste.”

Freshman Erica Prinzo was also shocked at the delay.

“Well I think it’s long overdue, The Beatles are a major band and having them on iTunes would have made a lot of money for Apple and for the Beatles.”

“Everyone is on iTunes nowadays, so I’m surprised that it took the Beatles this long to finally get onto iTunes.”

-Anthony Gramuglia, freshman

Junior Danielle Reed was also enthused about iTunes’ latest and greatest addition.

“I think it’s awesome that The Beatles are finally on iTunes. Now it’s easier for me to download their songs, which I’m very excited to be able to do that.”

Early projections have The Beatles selling well—some of their

mscarpel@ramapo.edu

hallmark albums, including Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, A bbey R oad, and The White Album, have already reached the top 25 iTunes album list.

However, since it took so long for the Beatles to be sold on iTunes, its likely that they won’t sell as well being that many fans already resorted to buying their albums on CD or just using an alternative online music source such as Rhapsody.

Whatever the case, the gaping hole in iTunes’ catalogue has finally been filled, as the greatest rock n’ roll band has finally graced it with its presence. It seems almost petty that The Beatles were thwarted from iTunes for so long over fruit—but we can now revel in Fab Four glory. Hopefully now that the Apple vs. Apple dispute has finally been put to rest, new Beatles fans can discover their music with greater ease and diehard Beatlemaniacs can enjoy the soundtrack of a generation. jbranda1@ramapo.edu

photo courtesy of Flickrʼs Creative Commons

After a long wait, fans can finally purchase The Beatles music on iTunes as of Tuesday.

Legend of Mr. Rager Offers Deeper View into Cudi’s Lifestyle Page 10 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Last year, Kid Cudi’s official debut, Man on the Moon: The End Of Day, introduced us to his brand of misanthropic stoner rap, where he told tales of his days as a reclusive young boy that gave way to insomnia and mushroom trips.

BY ERIK GAVILANES Staff Writer

This year we get the follow up, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager sees Kid Cudi playing the role of Mr. Rager, a jaded, more hardnosed Cudder after a year of people not only encouraging, but rewarding the self destructive streak he lets permeate his persona.

“What up? How is everyone doing?” Cudi asks in the first lines of the album’s opener, “Scott Mescudi Vs. The World,” before erasing any shred of humility. “You are now in the world I am ruling.”

This year we get the follow up, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, which sees Kid Cudi playing the role of Mr. Rager, a jaded, more hardnosed Cudder.

Photo courtesy of Flickrʼs Creative Commons

Last week, Kid Cudi released his sophomore album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.

We’re taken on a guided tour of Cudi’s life after he preps us for the “fun and enchantment” of clubs filled with models, flights to Australia and the certainty that, “These are more than just words, these are facts from a winner.” CeeLo Green handles the chorus, which looks at life as “A journey into the horizon” and hopes that “We can meet on the other side.” The track serves as the general blueprint for the album as a whole. The bottle-service filled half of Mr. Rager’s life gives way to all of the self-hatred that keeps him trapped in his own head.

Cudi sticks to the theme of contrasting skyscraper highs and devastating lows on tracks like “Don’t Play This Song,” “Wild’n Cuz I’m Young,” and “GHOST.” Most of the songs follow this pattern, which makes the full 17 tracks a bit of a bore based on narratives alone. Luckily for us, narratives take a breather on tracks like “Ashin’ Kusher,” which is high-energy, boastful Cudi at his best, belting out wolf howls in the chorus and showing the brash, top of the world side of his life that almost makes the self-loathing and drug addictions seem like a fair trade-off.

Showcasing his new love of rock and roll, the first single “Erase Me” is a simple and straightforward synth-rock break up song featuring Kanye West, which puts to task Cudi’s flimsy singing voice, but will find its way into the recesses of your brain only to surface in the shower or your morn-

Cudi sticks to the theme of contrasting skyscraper highs and devastating lows.

ing commute.

“Marijuana” is a piano loop driven R&B love ballad to his plant of choice; “Mr. Rager” is a dialogue with himself backed by an arena-ready stomp and “MANIAC,” which features St. Vincent and Cage, sees Cudi embracing the darkness that his life has become, saying, “It is my cloak, it is my shield, it is my cape.”

The closing track, like on Man on the Moon I, is meant to be the uplifting song Cudi hopes will help the listener cope with both the troubles in his or her life and the overexposed, bastardized version of those troubles that Kid Cudi represents. But where “Up, Up, and Away (The Wake and Bake Song)” from his debut felt like a confident rallying cry, “Trapped In My Mind” comes off like a forced routine of self-reassurance, with lyrics like “Hey, I’m not that bad at all,” possibly being as therapeutic to Cudder as the blunts he burns.

In all, Man on the Moon II is filled with a great collection of tracks which fuse atmospheric hip-hop and rock sensibilities, and even if Cudi’s themes get to be repetitive (My life is cool but I hate myself. Plus I love weed.), it’s a fitting follow up for one of music’s brightest young stars.

RATING:

####$ erikgavilanes@yahoo.com

Skyline’s Storyline Fails to Enthrall Audiences

It’s the most

BY JEREMY KELLY familiar of all Staff Writer storylines: aliens from outer space descend upon the Earth. Whether they come in peace or to attack, we’ve seen them depicted in all shapes and sizes. But it’s not good news when all you want is to see the aliens destroy everyone else in the movie.

Skyline opened in theaters last Friday, bringing up some top-notch special effects and a very interesting premise.

But the praise stops there.

Skyline opened in theaters last Friday, bringing us some top-notch special effects and a very interesting premise. But the praise stops there.

The basic plot for this film is that bright blue lights descend from the dark Los Angeles sky, and anyone who makes eye contact with it is irresistibly attracted to it.

From there, they are sucked up into the sky to face whatever fate awaits them. Sounds scary, right?

Well, it doesn’t look like the characters got that memo. One of the most important aspects of any sci-fi thriller is that we, as an audience, are supposed to believe what’s happening. We’re supposed to empathize with these characters and feel just as on-edge as they do. That doesn’t happen with this movie. It seems like the actors didn’t realize they were supposed to be taking this seriously.

It doesn’t help that no one in this movie is very interesting. They hardly seem to care about what’s happening throughout the film.

They are all preoccupied with their own personal problems; this little alien invasion is just a minor inconvenience.

One character, Candace (Brittany Daniel) gets all pouty when she finds out her boyfriend (Donald Faison) is cheating on her.

Our leading lady, Elaine (Scottie Thompson) finds out she’s pregnant by leading man, Jarrod (Eric Balfour). Should we have a reason to care? Do we know who these characters are supposed to be?

This is where the lack of a decent script also sinks Skyline. It’s uninspired, boring and idiotic. It’s advisable not to play a drinking game with how many clichéd lines we hear during the movie; it would be extremely hazardous to one’s health. “There’s some-

If something dangerous is right outside your door, do you stay inside and hope it doesn’t find you, or do you make a run for it and risk getting killed?

thing down there,” “Stay here,” “We’d better check it out,” are just some of the movie’s winning lines. Other characters are introduced briefly and then die two minutes later.

We also get a scene where the characters attempt to escape a high-rise building by taking the elevator down. I guess they never learned that you’re not supposed to use in the event of an emergency.

It can be a smart technique to keep the action in one location throughout most of the movie. To the film’s credit, we do feel a certain isolation within Skyline, as well as a very difficult set of circumstances. If something dangerous is right outside your door, do you stay inside and hope it doesn’t find you, or do you make a run for it and risk getting killed? It would be interesting if it weren’t for the fact that this conflict is

brought up over and over again.

Skyline was directed by Greg and Colin Strause, better known as the Brothers Strause. They’re primarily known as special effects artists who have worked on many movies such as Titanic, The Day After Tomorrow and 300. This is their second directorial project, the first was Aliens vs.

Predator-Requiem. They’re definitely more fit for special effects, which are spectacular in this film. But can awesome special effects ever make up for what a film’s script lacks?

RATING:

#$$$$ jeremykelly7@ramapo.edu

Students Win Big at Ramapo’s Annual Casino Night Page 11 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

By DANIELLE REED Staff Writer

playing.

“I feel that there should have been more blackjack tables and no limits [on betting],” Carey said. Many people who came later in the evening searched for tables with available seats so they could place their bets.

Ramapo College’s Annual Casino Night offered students the chance to play real casino games without ending up in real debt. Last Friday, cheers of excitement and groans of disappointment echoed throughout the Alumni Lounges.

“I was hoping there would have been slot machines...I didn’t start playing until the very end but I had fun.”

“I had a lot of fun and I thought it was a well executed event.”

-Jennifer McAndrew, freshman

-Julianne Branda, freshman

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. I was expecting card games,” freshman Julianne Branda said. “I had a lot of fun and I thought it was a well-executed event.”

Games offered included blackjack, Texas Hold’em, roulette and craps. Free food was served to participants, including pigs in a blanket, pizza and soda.

Students had high expectations for the night. After being given $3,000 in fake bills at the doors, students were left to find a seat at one of the tables and begin turning their money into chips.

The more money a person won, the more raffle tickets they could collect. These tickets could be used in a raffle that included a $25 gift certificate to Mahwah Bar and

photo courtesy of Flickrʼs Creative Commons

Last Fridayʼs Casino Night gave students the chance to play games like blackjack, Texas hold ʻem, roulette and craps.

Grill and Moe’s bucks. Originally, participants were given one raffle ticket for every $500 they had.

To make the raffle fair to those who were not winning as much at the games, the amount was cut down to $200 for every raffle ticket.

“It was exciting [and] I had fun,” sophomore Haley Carey said. “And I won [during the games].”

On the tables, there was a $1,000 limit placed for betting to prevent one person from having control over the table and to help make the games more fair for those

“I agree with [Carey about] more blackjack [tables],” Branda said.

Chips were counted at around 10:30 p.m., a half hour before the event’s end. With the cost of raffle tickets lowered, many people were able to cash in big, with several people walking away with prizes.

“I was hoping there would have been slot machines,” freshman Jennifer McAndrew said. “[But] I had fun. I didn’t start playing until the very end but I had fun.”

Though the availabiity of too few tables was a common complaint, many people walked away with a little more knowledge about the games and no less money in their pockets. dreed1@ramapo.edu

Poet BJ Ward Wraps Up Readings at Ramapo Series

By DANIELLE REED Staff Writer

On Monday afternoon, students and community members heard a local poet read his work as part of the Ramapo Readings series in the York Room at 1 p.m.

BJ Ward is a local New Jersey poet who has had three books of

photo courtesy of Flickrʼs Creative Commons

Last Monday, New Jersey native BJ Ward visited Ramapo to read some of his poetry.

“I think his poetry is phenomenal, but I’m not a big fan of his reading style.”

-Robin Netanel, sophomore

his poetry collection published: Landing in New Jersey with Soft Hands, 17 Love Poems with No Despair and Gravedigger’s Birthday. For these books, he has won such awards as the Pushcart Prize for Poetry along with fellowships from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey State Council of the Arts.

“BJ Ward is famous for a lot of reasons. One [is] being a New Jersey poet,” Ramapo Creative Writing Professor James Hoch said in his introduction. “BJ Ward is not only famous for being a poet in New Jersey, but for being a premier professor in New Jersey.”

Beside winning awards for his books, Ward has won several awards for his work as a teacher

,including the State of New Jersey’s Governors Award in Arts Education. He has also been named Teaching Artist of the Year by the New Jersey Playwright’s Theatre. He is currently an associate professor in the creative writing program at Warren County College, where he has been the recipient of the NISOD Excellence Award.

“It’s really a pleasure to read here to friends, former students and people I don’t know,” Ward said before beginning his readings. “I love reading in New Jersey because you all know what the Star Ledger is.”

included “Emperor,” “The Star Ledger,” “Roy Orbison’s Last Three Notes,” “New Jersey,” “Aubade,” “Thanksgiving,” “The 18th Poem” and “Upon Being Asked Why I Dedicated My First Book to My Mother When There’s Not a Single Poem in There About Her.” “I think his poetry is phenomenal, but I’m not a big fan of his reading style,” sophomore Robin Netanel said. “His words are so great, but his tone takes away from that.”

Many of his poems discuss his life and living in New Jersey, making his work relatable for

“It’s really a pleasure to read here to friends, former students and people I don’t know. I love reading in New Jersey because you all know what The Star Ledger is.”

-BJ Ward, poet

Ward read poems from each of his books as well as some of his new poems. The poems he read

audience members.

“I liked it. I felt like I connected to it because he’s from Jersey and

writes about Jersey,” junior Lauren Santaniello said. “It spoke to the ‘Jerseyean’ in me.”

Throughout the reading, Ward told jokes and even had the audience sing part of the song “Oh, Pretty Woman” when he talked about the poem “Roy Orbison’s Last Three Notes.”

“I thought he was fantastic, his poems were really good,” junior Ashley Rockhill said. “I wasn’t the biggest fan of the way he read because he had a spooky movie voice and it fit really well for the first poem [“Emperor”], but then it didn’t fit really well for the rest of the poems. However, I would definitely go hear him again.”

Ward is the final poet of the semester’s “Readings at Ramapo” series. For more information on local poets coming next semester, check out the School of American and International Studies’s website on the Ramapo webpage, or contact Professor Hoch. dreed1@ramapo.edu

Women’s Basketball Earns Win over St.Elizabeth College Page 12 The Ramapo News

By JUSTINA SLACHTA Staff Writer

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Roadrunners Begin Regular Season With Decisive 60-43 Victory

The Roadrunners started off the season with a win against St. Elizabeth College by a score of 60-43.

Senior Danielle Beam gained 16 points and ten rebounds for the team and sophomore Alexa Ryan earned ten points and five assists. Tiffany Osorio, Lindsey Gripenburg and Brittany Hoffoman also tailed points to lead the team to victory.

With high expectations and a motivated team, Head Coach Michael Eineker is pumped for another season.

“Our expectations are to work as hard as we can and play as smart as we can every night,” Eineker said. “By setting the bar high now, the Roadrunners plan to advance to postseason play.”

However, with any team, improvements are always in the making. Eineker emphasizes areas where the squad can progress.

“We need to improve our ability to take care of the basketball on offense and defend better near the basket. If we can improve those aspects of the game we might give some teams trouble.”

“Our expectations are to work as hard as we can and play as smart as we can every night. By setting the bar high, the Roadrunners plan to advance to postseason play.”

-Mike Eineker, Head Coach

Eineker feels that team unity is strong, which will improve their play and allow them to cause trouble for other colleges.

Playing for the Roadrunners are veterans as well as rookies. The women will be in action on Friday to host the Roadrunner Tip-Off Tournament in the Bradley Center at 5:30 p.m.

“We need to improve our ability to take care of the basketball on offense and defend better on defense. If we can improve those aspects of the game we might give some teams trouble.”

- Mike Eineker

photo by Justina Slachta

Senior Danielle Beam led the Roadrunners with 16 points in their 60-43 win over St. Elizabeth College on Saturday.

jslachta@ramapo.edu

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Runs at NCAA Division Tim Paziora and Taylor Shanley Lead Men and Women in Race at SUNY Oneonta

By ANDREW GOULD Sports Editor

In the last meet of the season, the men’s cross country team earned 20th place while the women finished in 29th place at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Cross Country Regionals at SUNY Oneonta on Saturday.

Sophomore Taylor Shanley was the first to finish in the women’s meet for Ramapo with a time of 25 minutes and 15.4 seconds. Freshman Elecia Cole and senior Carlin Keil trailed Shanley by spotting in 159th and 163rd place, respectively.

St. Lawrence University finished in first place after senior Wendy Pavlus edged out the rest of the competition by running the race in 21:11.9. Five of St. Lawrence’s runners finished in the top 26 out of 236 athletes.

Sophomore Tim Paziora led the way for Ramapo’s men, finishing in 51st place out of 268 runners with a

“I think the team really came together aside from the last race. As a team we got closer and our compression got better.

-Tim Paziora, sophomore

time of 26:22.5. Senior Andrew Capizzi finished 95th overall and second for the Roadrunners with a 27:02.9 time and Colin English followed close behind at 27:36.7.

SUNY Geneseo won the men’s race behind top finishes from juniors Lee Berube and Eddie Novara.

Paziora came into the race with the right mental state, which he described as “having proper strategy and the ability to race through pain.” Paziora credited his eating selections before the meet as a key to his success.

“We’re a really young program. It’s going to progress really well over the next couple of years.

-Tim Paziora

“I was really pumped,” Paziora said. “[I received] proper nutrition the night before and day of. Behind mental state, it’s probably the most important thing.”

Despite his individual success, Paziora felt that the team as a whole did not run to their full potential.

“It was just a tough day for the team,” Paziora said.

Paziora still saw noticeable progression from the runners throughout the season.

“I think the team really came together aside from that last race,” Paziora said. “As a team we got closer and our compression got better.”

With each team only consisting of two seniors, Paziora is part of a young core of runners that hopes to continue to bolster Ramapo’s success in cross country.

“We’re a really young program. It’s going to progress really well over the next couple of years.”

Paziora hopes for the Ramapo community to pick up his excitement for the team and show the same spirit he saw at Regionals from other schools, whose fans showed up in bunches with flags and their bodies painted with their college’s colors.

“There’s one thing I would like to see, and that’s a big-

ger fan base.”

Although the cross country season is over, many of its members, including Paziora, will resume action for Ramapo’s track and field squad, which is also led by Head Coach Mike Jackson. The first event for track and field will take place on Dec. 5 in a short-distance race at the Collegiate Track Conference Relay Carnival at Yale University.

“There’s one thing I would like to see, and that’s a bigger fan base.”

- Tim Paziora

Follow Ramapo College Athletics on Facebook agould1@ramapo.edu

SPORTS 11 . 18 . 10

Big Shots Give Men’s Basketball First Victory Ramapo Defeats York College 70-60 in Regular Season Opener

By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer

The Ramapo Roadrunners men’s basketball team made the big plays on Monday night, which took them to a 70-60 home victory on opening night against the York College Cardinals. Junior Ahmad Hassan led the Roadrunners with 19 points on 8-19 shooting.

Ramapo led throughout the entire game, but couldn’t stop York from keeping the deficit close. Although the Roadrunners led by as many as 12 points in the second half, the Cardinals hacked the deficit down to three points with less than seven minutes to play.

Ramapo answered with jumpers Hassan, junior LaQuan Peterkin and sophomore Travis Conyers to make the score 67-56 with two minutes left. York did not threaten for the remainder of the game.

The Roadrunners are looking to build off a successful 2009-2010 season where they finished with an overall record of 18-9 and a conference record of 7-6. They were the number three seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament back in February, and lost their second contest to William Patterson University. The win against York is their third straight dating back to 2008.

“Once we can focus, we’ll be a better basketball team.”

-Chuck McBreen, Head Coach

“Our game plan was to get the game going up and down and have them play at our tempo,” Head Coach Chuck McBreen said. “The number one area we need to improve with is focus.

Once we can focus, we’ll be a better basketball team.”

The game began very evenly matched until a 14-0 run by Ramapo made the score 19-5 less than six minutes in. The run featured two

Ramapo Sports This Week Friday:

photo by Mike Jagendorf

The Roadrunners shot 36 percent from the floor and got to the free-throw line 23 times in their first win of the season.

three-pointers by Hassan, who led the team in three-pointers in the 2007-2008 and 20082009 seasons.

At that point, however, the Roadrunners struggled with making shots and keeping players out of foul trouble. Hassan picked up three fouls in the first half, and Ramapo had two apiece from Peterkin and sophomore Stephon Treadwell. The Cardinals were able to shrink the deficit back to single digits before long, but still trailed 38-33 going into halftime.

Peterkin, who led the team in scoring last season and was named the team Most Valuable Player, pulled down 12 rebounds and had a pair of blocks.

Although Ramapo shot just 31.3 percent from the field in the second half, they got two more three-pointers in the first two minutes of the half. One came from Hassan, and another came from junior Garrett Thiel, who had nine points for the Roadrunners. He later buried a

photo by Mike Jagendorf

Ramapo overpowered York on the boards, grabbing 21 offensive rebounds in their 70-60 victory on Saturday.

jumper that put the Roadrunners up 51-39 with 13:25 to go. He was forced to sit down over a minute later after picking up his fourth foul.

A York jumper was followed by a layup by

“Our game plan was to get the game going up and down and have them play our tempo.”

-Chuck McBreen, Head Coach

Conyers, who had 10 points and eight steals off the bench. But York then went on an 11-2 run, with seven of those points coming from Marcel Esonwune, to cut the deficit to three.

Esonwune led all scorers with 21 points on 715 shooting, and also had 13 rebounds.

However, the Cardinals were done in by poor shooting, as they shot 7-24 in the second half.

The Roadrunners stay at home this weekend for the Roadrunner Tip-Off Tournament and are set to play Yeshiva University on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. They will be on the road on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. to play against Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., and will then return home on Nov. 30 to face Rowan University at 7:00 p.m.

This team has been tabbed as the favorite by NJAC head coaches to win the 2010-2011 NJAC Men’s Basketball Championship.

McBreen has said that a NJAC championship is their goal for this season, as well as a run in the Division III NCAA Tournament. With a strong nucleus of players on this squad, they have a great opportunity to become a force to be reckoned with this season. jkelly7@ramapo.edu

Roadrunner Tip-Off Tournament: Women’s Basketball vs.

Medger Evers College at 5:30 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs.

SUNY

Saturday:

Women’s Basketball Consolation Game at 1 p.m. or Championship Game at 3 p.m.

Roadrunner Tip-Off Tournament: Men’s Basketball vs.

Salve Regina University or SUNY Maritime College at 5:30 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs.

Yeshiva University at 8 p.m.

Sunday:

Men’s Basketball Consolation Game at 1 p.m. or Championship Game at 3 p.m.

Tuesday:

Women’s Basketball @ College of Staten Island at 5:30 p.m.

Men’s Basketball @ Manhatanville College at 7 p.m.

Quarterbacks Steal Spotlight to Push Teams to Division Leads Page 14 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Vick Delivers Huge Performance to Lead Eagles in Rout Over Redskins

By ALMERRY MARTINS Staff Writer

In Week 10 of the National Football League, several teams made big statements while others found ways to barely escape with a victory.

This past week the NFL Network began to broadcast games on Thursday nights. The Atlanta Falcons hosted the Baltimore Ravens in a nail biter in which Matt Ryan connected with Roddy White for a 33-yard touchdown to win the game, 26-21, after blowing an early lead. With just 1:05 left in the fourth quarter, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw a 9-yard touchdown to tight end Todd Heap. Ryan and White both had record setting performances. Ryan set a record for 32 completions without an interception against the Ravens’ defense. White became one of four players in the last 15 seasons to have at least 12 receptions, 130 yards and two touchdowns in a home win.

Braylon Edwards and the New York Jets

The 59-28 victory tied the Eagles for first place in the NFC East with the New York Giants.

traveled to Cleveland to take on ex-Jets head coach Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan’s twin brother, defensive coordinator Rob, of the Cleveland Browns. Even though kicker Nick Folk missed three field goals, includ-

ing a 47-yarder in overtime, the Jets were able to remain perfect on the road with their fifth victory away from the Meadowlands.

Their second consecutive victory in overtime came when Mark Sanchez threw a 37yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes to win 26-20.

After an embarrassing loss to the Browns last week, the New England Patriots bounced back in Heinz Field against the Pittsburg Steelers. They did the shaming this time, beating one of the league’s top defenses by a score of 39-26. Brady threw three touchdown passes to rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski and ran one in. Without throwing an interception or getting sacked, Brady completed 30 of 43 passes for 350 yards. This gave him his sixth career game with at least 350 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions, tying him with Peyton Manning for second most alltime.

Monday Night Football should have been called “Michael Vick Football” after a dominating performance. The Philadelphia Eagles faced the Washington Redskins, who signed quarterback Donovan McNabb to a five-year, $78 million extension right before the game. On the first play from scrimmage for the Eagles, Vick connected with an 88-yard pass to receiver DeSean Jackson to begin one of the most memorable nights in football history. Vick became the first player in NFL history to have at least 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, throw for four touchdowns and rush for two

NFL

Tom Babcock Week 10 (2-4) Season (30-24)

NYG @ PHI HOU @ NYJ TB @ SF CLE @ JAC OAK @ PIT IND @ NE

WEEK 11

Andrew Gould Week 10 (2-4) Season (16-14)

in one game. The 59-28 victory tied the Eagles for first place in the NFC East with the New York Giants.

A Hail Mary pass from David Garrard was tipped by Houston Texans cornerback Glover Quin into the hands of Mike Thomas to give the Jacksonville Jaguars a 31-24 win in the last play of regulation.

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

In a historic performance, Michael Vick accumulated a total of 413 yards and six touchdowns.

After a 0-8 start for the Buffalo Bills, running back Fred Jackson’s two scores and a season best 133 yard rushing yards helped them defeat the Detroit Lions to earn their first win of the season. Vikings’ Brett Favre threw three interceptions and allowed the Chicago Bears’ Jay Cutler to capitalize by throwing three touchdowns with 257 yards in their 27-13 win. Held without a touchdown for the second time this season, the Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning was assisted by the Colts’ defense in taking advantage of the Cincinnati Bengals’ five turnovers to give them the 23-17 win.

The Miami Dolphins needed their third string quarterback Tyler Thigpen to cement the 29-17 win over the Tennessee Titans after Chad Henne left the game with a left knee injury. Josh Freeman led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to another victory with two touchdowns over the Carolina Panthers by a score of 31-16.

The Denver Broncos’ Kyle Orton’s four scores helped rout the Kansas City Chiefs in a 49-29 final. Interim head coach Jason Garett and Jon Kitna led the Dallas Cowboys to their second win of the season by passing for 327 yards and three touchdowns. New starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Troy Smith threw for 356 yards with a score to beat the St. Louis Rams in overtime with a 29-yard field goal from Joe Nedney.

STAFF PICKS

Almerry Martins Week 10 (2-4) Season (34-20)

Sean Ritchie

Week 10 (2-4) Season (29-25)

Jeremy Kelly

Week 10 (4-2) Season (27-27)

martins814@yahoo.com

Jake Edinger

Week 10 (4-2) Season (35-19)

Ranking the Top Candidates for NFL’s Most Valuable Player Page 15 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Michael Vick and Phillip Rivers Look to Dethrone Peyton Manning for Prestigious Award

By S EAN RITCHIE Staff Writer

With the National Football League season half way over, several players have emerged as candidates for the Most Valuable Player award. Headlining the list is the most improbable of candidates, Michael Vick.

The list comprises some well-known names, but also has a few surprise performers as well.

Mi chael Vi ck: The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is more likely known for his actions off the field than on. With all that aside, Vick is currently evolving the position as we know it. Vick leads the league with a 115.1 passer rating and 11 touchdowns with no interceptions. His unbelievable performance on Monday night greatly strengthens the chances of bringing home the award. Vick threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns, rushed for 80 yards and ran for two touchdowns. He is the only quarterback in league history to have such a performance.

Peyton Manni ng: Manning is a perennial member of any current MVP list. The season that he is putting together may not be the greatest statistically, but the injury problems the Colts are dealing with are not inhibiting the wins at all. The Colts are 63 and are in first in the AFC South divi-

sion. Manning has 16 touchdown passes with four interceptions and 2,663 passing yards. This is all happening with Joseph Addai injured and virtually no running game in his place. He is even dealing with one of his most trusted receivers, Dallas Clark, out for the year. Despite these set backs Manning has been able to shred defenses and allow the Colts to compete in every game.

Tom Brady: The Patriots have been a dynasty for the better part of a decade and, along with Bill Belichick, Brady is the main reason for their success. Brady has thrown for 17 touchdowns, four interceptions and 2,176 passing yards. He is bene-

fiting from the great return of Wes Welker, who still is not back to old standards, yet he also was not phased the tumultuous situation of Randy Moss. Moss was an enormous component of the Patriots offense in recent years and even with that dynamic down field threat missing, Brady finds a way to adapt. The return of his old friend Deion Branch has started off slow, but this veteran tandem is sure to heat up. The Patriots are tied for the AFC’s best record and are definitely playoff contenders.

Phi l l i p Ri vers: The Chargers, who are known to have slow starts, find themselves 4-5 and are one game behind in the AFC West. Rivers has a NFL-leading 2,944

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons Tom Brady made his case to win Most Valuable Player with 350 passing yards and four touchdowns in a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

passing yards and 19 touchdowns. The Chargers are without LaDainian Tomlinson, the former face of the franchise. Rivers is leading the league in passing yards with 312.4 per game. Besides Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates, the wide receiver core is not glamorous. Rivers is single handedly making Malcolm Floyd into a future ProBowler. The duo of rookie Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles in the backfield is not bad either.

Cl ay Matthews: The Packers are 6-3 and are tied for the lead in the NFC North.

Matthews provides a major threat to any offensive line. This third generation NFL player is leading the league in sacks with 10.5 and is severely altering the opponent’s game plan. His combination of speed and strength solidifies Green Bay’s defense and takes some pressure off quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Packers are definitely contenders to be in the hunt for the playoffs.

Honorabl e Menti on - Ari an Foster: Foster leads the league with 920 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He torched the division rival Colts for 231 yards and three touchdowns. He followed it up with four other hundred yard games. Foster brings a power running game to a team that has lacked a personality.

sritchi1@ramapo.edu

Rangers Poised For Playoff Spot in NHL While Devils Struggle

By ANDREW GOULD Sports Editor

While some of the top teams in the National Hockey League have maintained their position at the top of the standings, other teams have surprised the league with strong starts.

Despite playing most of their games without star right-winger Marian Gaborik, the New York Rangers currently hold the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 10-71 record and 21 total points. Center Brandon Dubinsky leads the team with 10 goals and 17 total points while right winger Ryan Callahan has passed out a team-leading 11 assists. After just missing the playoffs last

year, the Rangers look to win their first championship since 1994.

“After signing a massive 15year, $100 million contract in the off-season, rightwinger Ilya Kovalchuk has scored four goals and is a large part of New Jersey’s underwhelming 5-11-2 start.”

As the Rangers exceed expectations, the New Jersey Devils have gotten off to a dis-

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Alexander Ovechkin scored 13 goals this season for the Washington Capitals, who are currently first place in the Eastern Conference.

appointing start. After signing a massive 15-year, $100 million contract in the offseason, right-winger Ilya Kovalchuk has scored four goals in 18 games and is a large part of New Jersey’s underwhelming 5-11-2 start. Kovalchuk’s season can be symbolized by a key error in a shootout where he lost control of the puck and failed to even attempt a shot.

The Washington Capitals have continued their regular season success, leading the East with a 14-4-1 record and 29 points.

Although star left-winger Alex Ovechkin is often viewed as the top scorer in the NHL, right-winger Alexander Semin leads the team with 13 goals scored, trailing Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos for the league lead.

Maintaining their momentum from an unlikely appearance in the Stanley Cup last year, the Philadelphia Flyers soared to a 125-2 start that places them three points behind the Capitals for first place in the East. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky ranks sixth in the league with an average of 2.07 goals allowed per game.

On the other hand, the Chicago Blackhawks have started the season with a .500 record after winning the Stanley Cup last season. With seven goals, 21-year-old right-winger Patrick Kane has yet to get in a groove, scoring seven goals.

The Detroit Red Wings regained their position on top of the West with a 12-3-1 record behind strong play from 40-year-old defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, who has tallied 15 assists this season.

The Los Angeles Kings trail the Red

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Marian Gaborik returned to the Rangers after missing 12 games with a shoulder injury.

Wings with a 12-4 record behind outstanding play from goalie Johnathan Quick, who is 10-1 with a .940 save percentage.

There is still plenty of hockey to be left in this regular season, but past postseasons has proved that the top teams in the regular season often fall in the playoffs. agould1@ramapo.edu

SPORTS 10 . 7 . 10

11 . 18 10 .. 10 7 . 10

VICTORY

Men’s basketball powers past York College in season opener Page 13

photo by Mike Jagendorf

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