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RUTGERS UNIVERSITY—NEW BRUNSWICK
WEDNESDAY APRIL 17, 2019
RUSA starts initiative for mental health awareness
Strike is averted, union receives new faculty contract
NICOLE WOOTTON-CANE CORRESPONDENT
BRENDAN BRIGHTMAN NEWS EDITOR
The Rutgers American Association of University Professors and American Federation of Teachers (AAUPAFT) announced they had reached an agreement on a new contract with the University and would not go on strike, according to an AAUPAFT press release. “We made histor y today. For the first time in the union’s nearly 50-year histor y, we won equal pay for equal work for female faculty, SEE CONTRACT ON PAGE 4
ONLINE AT DAILYTARGUM.COM
Rutgers and the faculty union have agreed to terms on a deal that evaluates salary equity. The contract for part-time lecturers is still being debated. GARRETT STEFFE / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
The Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) has recently launched an initiative called “The Bandana Project,” which will show solidarity with students suffering from mental illnesses. The project distributes green bandanas to students on campus, which can be tied to backpacks as an open demonstration of support for those suffering from mental illnesses. The bandanas will also serve as indicators that the wearer is carrying resource cards with information about mental health resources on and off-campus. The resources on the card include Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program and
Psychiatric Services (CAPS), Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD), Scarlet Listeners, Rutgers University Dean of Student Offices, National Suicide Prevention Hotline and Do Something. There are currently several representatives from RUSA wearing these bandanas across campus. The initiative is headed by Chairwoman of RUSA’s Health and Wellness Committee Hinita Patel, as well as sponsored by RUSA’s Executive Committee. “The presence of mental illness has significantly risen on college campuses. Suicide is the second leading cause of death, after traffic accidents, among college students,” SEE AWARENESS ON PAGE 4
Student who began as 10-year-old graduates APARNA RAGUPATHI CORRESPONDENT
Ross Brown knew he loved mathematics from a young age, but decided when he was 10 years old to take a philosophy class at Rutgers because he was also interested in logic. He then took The Theory of Knowledge and Introduction to Number Theory afterward. COURTESY OF ROSS BROWN
Last semester, Ross Brown, 20, graduated from Rutgers with a double major in math and computer science. Unlike most students though, he has been taking classes at the University for almost a decade. Brown enrolled when he was 10 years-old through the Rutgers Summer and Winter program, which he said is very involved in encouraging young students to take courses at the University. His first course was Philosophy 201: Introduction to Logic. “I wasn’t really ready to take math classes at Rutgers at the time. I was still 10, but I knew I was pretty
interested in logic, so when I saw Philosophy 201, I decided to take it. I had a lot of fun in that class,” he said. From a young age, he knew that he loved mathematics and saw it as something he could always enjoy learning. “Being exposed to math, being told that I could learn it, and understanding that there would always be more that I cared to learn in that subject, I felt that math presented itself as a subject that I could always be interested in,” he said. Both Brown and his sibling did extracurriculars related to mathematics and eventually, he SEE 10-YEAR-OLD ON PAGE 5
New Jersey ranks in middle tier nationwide for gender wage gap MIA BOCCHER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
New Jersey’s wage gap between women and men ranks 25th nationwide and 51st for the wage gap between Latina women and white men. Elaine Zundl, research director for the Center for Women and Work (CWW), said the ranking comes from the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC). “Essentially, the ones with the lowest pay gap are ranked highest.
So if you have the lowest pay gap in the group, you are ranked first,” Zundl said. New Jersey pays women $0.80 overall to ever y dollar paid to a man, according to the ranking. Black women roughly make $0.57 to ever y dollar paid to white men, and Latina women roughly make $0.42 for ever y dollar paid to white men. The state’s figures are lower than the national level’s, with Black
women typically receiving $0.61 and Latina women receiving $0.53. Zundl said comparatively, New York is higher-paying for Latina women at $0.56 and Pennsylvania is even higher at $0.57. There is no clear explanation for why New Jersey has a bigger gap than the neighboring states for Latina women. But the pay difference between white women, SEE GAP ON PAGE 5
The New Jersey State House is the capitol building for the state. It continues to be used for legislative purposes, such as signing the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. RUTGERS.EDU
VOLUME 151, ISSUE 47 • UNIVERSITY ... 3 • OPINIONS ... 6 • INSIDE BEAT... 8• DIVERSIONS ... 9• SPORTS ... BACK
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April 17, 2019
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Campus Calendar WEDNESDAY 4/17 Students for Environmental Awareness and Rutger Take Back the Tap present “’Mann v Ford’ Film Screening (SEA EARTH WEEK)” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Douglass Student Center on Douglass campus. This event is free and open to the public. Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics presents “April is National Social Security Month: What Everyone Needs to Know About Social Security” from noon to 1 p.m. at Food Science and Nutritional Sciences Building West on Cook campus. This event is free and open to the public. THURSDAY 4/18 Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program presents “Dr. Doug Zemeckis ‘Investigating the Movements, Stock Structure, and Mortality of Marine Fishes Using Electronic Tagging’” from 4 to 5 p.m. at Marine Sciences Building on Cook campus. This event is free and open to the public. Institute for Research on Women presents “Whose Lives Matter? Drugs, Criminalization and Social
Justice” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Ruth Dill Johnson Crockett Building on Douglass campus. This event is free and open to the public. FRIDAY 4/19 Rutgers University Libraries presents “Visualizing Difference: The Art and Architecture of Alterity” from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Alexander Library on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public. Rutgers Athletics presents “Rutgers Baseball vs. Purdue” at 2 p.m. at Bainton Field on Livingston campus. This event is free and open to the public. Center for Human Evolutionar y Studies presents “Lecture: Sex Differences in Cognition Among Hunter-Gatherers” from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Ruth M. Adams Building on Douglass campus. This event is free and open to the public. SATURDAY 4/20 Mason Gross School of the Arts presents “BFA Senior Dance Concert” at 7:30 p.m. at Victoria J. Mastrobuono Theater on Douglass campus. This event is $10 for students.
If you would like to submit an event for the Campus Calendar section, please email marketing@dailytargum.com. For more information please visit www.dailytargum.com. Due to space limitations there is no guarantee that your event will be listed.
CORRESPONDENTS MATTHEW HOWE, ALEXANDRA FABUGAIS-INABA, ROBERT SANCHEZ, COBY GREEN, CLARISSA GORDON, JAKE MCGOWAN, EAMONN O’NEILL, NICOLE WOOTTON-CANE, APARNA RAGUPATHI, MADISON MCGAY, CHRIS TSAKONAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS CASEY AMBROSIO, CURSTINE GUEVARRA, MICA FINEHART
CORRECTIONS The Daily Targum promptly corrects all errors of substance. If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, send an email to eic@dailytargum.com.
April 17, 2019
UNIVERSITY
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Rutgers implements Bollywood, cycling classes CINDY XIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Recreation centers at Rutgers have recently implemented two new fitness classes: Bollywood dance and virtual cycling. Manahil Chaudry, a building manager at Sonny Werblin Recreation Center, said the process of adding a new class consists first of someone recommending a new approach to fitness. Then, they would need to get certified in what they are teaching, do a recording and send it to the training board. If they are approved, they can then implement the classes into a fitness schedule. Teaching the new Shiamak Bollywood dance class is Vinita Hazari, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. Bollywood dancing is a style of dance that was born out of the Indian film industr y, and has been formed by combining decades of dif ferent styles and genres from Hollywood, hiphop and urban choreography. Hazari said, though, that there were also elements of Indian classical dance, giving it a more distinct style, so she thinks of it “more like an Indian-hop or Bollywood hip-hop.” The new class was recently added to the Rutgers fitness schedule at the beginning of this semester. Taught only at the
Livingston Recreation Center, the class consists of a 15 to 20-minute workout to a Bollywood song. Then, the steps used in the workout are introduced and implemented into the choreography, which makes up an entire routine during the rest of the class’s duration, Hazari said. Some students, such as Fan Zhang, a graduate student specializing in computer science, like the combination of both dance and a workout routine in the class. “I joined Bollywood dance class because the class combines dance with a workout and the time of the class was okay for me,” she said. Students are not the only ones taking the new class. Rutgers faculty members come as well to learn Bollywood dance, such as Colleen Lord, a senior program coordinator at the School of Management and Labor Relations. “I came (to) Bollywood dance class because I was excited to try a new kind of dance. This is my first class. And I’m also trying to get back into working out, so I came for fitness, fun and spend(ing) time with my friends (to) just do something different,” she said. The second newly introduced class to Rutgers Recreation is virtual cycling, which combines the traditional spin class with technology. Virtual cycling was also implemented at the
Bollywood dancing is a style of dance that fuses together aspects of Hollywood, hip-hop, urban choreography and Indian classical dance. Classes are held every Friday from 2 to 2:50 p.m. at the Livingston Recreation Center. COURTESY OF CINDY XIE beginning of the semester, and classes take place at Sonny Werblin Recreation Center. Chaudry said the class was keeping up with the digital age and was also convenient for both instructors and students. “We are in a digital age, (so) a lot of people who do take the classes would appreciate more
of an approach to technology. Also, virtual fitness classes allow more to be done since fitness centers don’t have to rely on someone’s availability to teach the classes,” Chaudr y said. “It allows for more openness in the schedule along with more of an appeal and sense for the people who take the classes.”
There are typically 15 to 20 people per class. “For virtual cycling, it was assumed to be a regular spin class. Spin was one of the popular classes, so we did need more openings for that, which is one of the reasons why we allowed for the virtual fitness class,” Chaudry said.
At the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center, located on Busch campus, people will now be able to take virtual cycling classes. These classes differ from traditional fitness classes because participants will be instructed by technology, not an in-person instructor. THE DAILY TARGUM
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April 17, 2019
CONTRACT Graduate employees will receive salary raises from $25,969 to $30,162 CONTINUED FROM FRONT
faculty of color and for faculty in the Newark and Camden campuses. We won significant pay raises for our lowest paid members, our graduate employees who will see their pay increase from $25,969 to $30,162
over the course of the contract,” said Deepa Kumar, president of AAUP-AFT and associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, in the press release. Graduate employees and nontenure track (NTT) faculty also won greater job security, said
The AAUP-AFT also received who make $5,178 without health David Hughes, a professor in the Department of Anthropology, protections against the conversion care, Hughes said in the release. The negotiations for in the press release. the contract for part NTT faculty will enjoy time lecturers continues, multi-year contracts to “Nearly 3,000 part-time lecturers still he said. terms up to seven years “Nearly 3,000 partand will for the first await a contract, fair salaries time lecturers still await time have a grievance and healthcare.” a contract, fair salaries procedure with binding and health care,” Hughes arbitration. DAVID HUGHES said in the release. The University’s “noProfessor in the Department of Anthropology A press conference green card” policy was will be held today at 10 also revised, and Rutgers a.m. on 11 Stone Street will now sponsor NTT faculty for full-time residency, of those in teacher assistant in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Hughes said in the release. positions into part-time lecturers, according to the release.
AWARENESS Bandanas will serve as banners for people who carry mental health resource cards CONTINUED FROM FRONT
Patel said to The Daily Targum. There are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses annually in the United States before graduation. One in 10 students will have considered suicide and 1 in 4 of those students will not seek help or treatment, Patel said. “The stigma around mental health prevents those who struggle with mental health issues from seeking treatment, and approachable students spreading awareness of resources for their fellow students with mental illnesses can help to fight and end that stigma,” she said. Patel was inspired to undertake the project after hearing about its
success on other Big Ten campuses like the University of Wisconsin— Madison. It distributed 6,000 bandanas on campus for the Fall 2018 semester, she said. “I did some research on the other Big Ten universities that participated in this project and I thought it would be a great initiative to bring to Rutgers considering the fact that this is a huge school with countless students affected by mental health issues,” Patel said. She said she believes Rutgers students recognize the importance of mental health, and their willingness to stand in solidarity with their fellow peers with mental health issues will be both touching and impactful.
For the Bandana Project, which was launched by the Rutgers University Student Assembly, students will tie green bandanas to their backpacks to demonstrate support for those suffering from mental illness. COURTESY OF HINITA PATEL
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April 17, 2019
10-YEAR-OLD Brown says his favorite college memories come from study sessions CONTINUED FROM FRONT
also developed an interest in computer science by way of robotics kits. Before matriculating to Rutgers as a first-year, Brown took Theory of Knowledge and Introduction to Number Theory, which are both offered by the University. He also took a number of AP courses and courses at his local community college. The credit, he said, definitely helped. He was able to finish the double major in mathematics and computer science in 3.5 years, which he attributed to taking advanced courses of study beforehand and having a clear plan of what he wanted to do. Brown also had more space to explore and choose classes, even while taking on a double major. Since he first took Philosophy 201 a decade ago though, Rutgers, Brown said, hasn’t changed much. “There’s been a lot of construction. But Rutgers stays very much the same at a core level. Rutgers has always existed
to be a space that does its best to be open to educate anyone who wants to learn.” While news outlets like USA Today have called Brown a prodigy, Brown said the title has more to do with passion than talent. “All prodigy really means is that you found a subject that you really love at a young age. It’s great that I managed to find math at such an early age and to know that I was so enthralled. But, I think that even if you don’t manage to find your passion at an early age, as long as you do find it and you keep pursuing it, that’s all you really need,” he said. While in college, Brown said he pursued math and computer science by participating in the Rutgers Undergraduate Math Association, HackRU and HackHERS, as well as reaching out to professors. “When I really enjoyed a professor’s class, I went up and talked to the professor about taking more classes
with them or taking graduate classes with them. A lot of the time, even if you don’t have the prerequisites for the next class they’re teaching, if you’re really interested in the subject and you’ve shown them that you’re willing to keep up, they’ll let you take high-level graduate classes with them. That’s a lot of fun,” he said. Some of Brown’s favorite college memories, he said, come from group study settings. “For my algorithms class, a group of us got together and reviewed the material at the end and it was a lot of fun just hanging out in a group talking about a subject we were all passionate about,” he recalled. Ever since he recently attended a panel on math education, he said, Brown has been thinking about the value of studying in groups. “There was a study where they analyzed one of the biggest determining factors for people failing calculus and they found that if you study alone, you’re much more likely to fail than if you study with your peers and you help each other out. I think that applies to a lot more than just calculus.” Brown is currently applying for jobs and hopes to pursue a career in computer science.
While Ross Brown was studying mathematics and computer science at Rutgers, he participated in clubs such as the Rutgers Undergraduate Math Association. COURTESY OF ROSS BROWN
GAP Latina employees make roughly $0.42 for every dollar white males do CONTINUED FROM FRONT
Black women and Latina women is explainable. “Latina women and Black women tend to work in industries that are lower-paying,” Zundl said. “So that’s why the gap is higher for them.” In a recent release of information by the CWW, Latina women in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania traditionally pay Latina women the least. Another struggle for women workers is the mommy tax, which is “where women who have children or have a lot of caregiving requirements, or maybe not even children but aging parents or elderly
Paying for childcare is another issue for women, she said. “Childcare is so expensive that most of the time women will take time out of the work force or take a part-time job because they simply can’t find enough affordable childcare to cover all the hours that they need,” Zundl said. This childcare cost is a burden on everyone, not just women, she said. New Jersey’s Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act mandates that in a job, men and women need to be paid equally according to their background and experience at the job. Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) signed the act on April 24, 2018. It
“Childcare is so expensive, that most of the time women will take time out of the work force or take a part-time job.” ELAINE ZUNDL Research Director for Center for Women and Work
Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) signed the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act on April 24 of last year. The bill mandates that in a job, men and women need to be paid the same amount according to their background and experience. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
grandparents taking care of their grandchildren, end up needing more flexibility in their work,” Zundl said. This pushes women toward jobs that give them that flexibility, and these jobs tend to pay less. There have been some efforts at the national level to pass some paid leave or family leave, but the only leave people can take from the federal government is the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which is unpaid, Zundl said. New Jersey’s policy, Family Leave Insurance, allows people to take time off to care for someone and pays the worker for their time. It also allows for the worker to keep their earnings more stable, even if the work flexibility is needed, Zundl said.
requires employers to submit the payment and hours each employee completes and gives employees who may be discriminated against the right to seek legal advice. “It’s not just about gender, it’s about almost every equal equity category. It’s about ethnicity, race, religion and sexual orientation,” Zundl said. There has to be no reason why one gender or ethnic group in the firm is being paid a more disparate number than the other in this act, she said. Yet, the Diane B. Allen Act does not address the pay gap entirely, only the pay gap at the job level. It additionally does not help with the mommy tax or with childcare costs, she said.
OPINIONS
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April 17, 2019
First-year gives lessons on survival, freedom
M
e: “Honestly, we can still go to the party if we really wanted to.” Friend: “You get off of work at YVONNE OLAYEMI 1 a.m., the party ends at 2 a.m., there is no way you can make it in time for it to be worth it.” Me: “If it is as lit as everyone is making it out to be right now, then it probably will not end on time. So, I can get in a good hour and a half at least.” Friend: “Mhm … Do you not remember, Yvonne? 2 a.m. is when everything has to end so that the seniors and fraternity guys can go on their regular prowl for the straggling freshmen girls. We are old news now. You cannot just pull up to the house like it is still freshman year.” This is a brief, somewhat paraphrased excerpt from a conversation between my friend and me this past weekend. We were discussing the series of social events that had occurred and were occurring that day and were enticed by the various Instagram stories and positive testimonials pertaining to these events. I jokingly asked her if I should treat myself and go out as well. The last statement slyly made by my friend — as seen above — is my inspiration for this week’s entry. On Saturday, two prominent fraternities on campus held a day party and a subsequent “after-wave,” basically permitting — or more accurately, encouraging — students to come and let loose from approximately 1 p.m. to 2 a.m. Unfortunately, many of my friends and I either had to work or study, so we could not attend what could be deemed as one of the more glorified events of the semester thus far. But, thanks to Instagram and Snapchat sleuthing, I got the gist of how much fun it really was. Later in the evening, a few friends and I were casually talking about whether we could realistically still stop by the party. It was in this conversation that my friend made her statement, causing me to revisit some age-old questions: Why are freshmen girls so preyed upon in college? Are both parties just as culpable for this? Is this a phenomenon that we should continue to consider as a standard part of going to college, or is it an issue worth addressing more seriously? I am comfortable being transparent about my many mistakes and naiveties as a first-year. I began my college career with a friend group of about 12 girls, all of whom were as eager as I was to explore what it meant to be free and not under surveillance in a school as populated as Rutgers. It did not take long — literally no more than that first weekend of our first semester — for us to see that as first-years, we were hot commodities, especially among the upperclassmen males. Within the first month, we had been consistently given personal invitations from fraternity brothers to attend kickbacks at their fraternity houses, with the reasonable expectation that we would attend as the large friend group that they had become accustomed to seeing. At the time, we felt a sense of pride that we were “cool” or “mature” enough first-years to capture the attention of these upperclassmen. We believed that we were just so darn charismatic and personable that these guys were willing to overlook the gap in age and wisdom just to be friends with us. Consequently, as soon as these “friendships” formed, it became clear that there was intricate strategizing taking place on their end to quickly cross over the boundaries of friendship into something far more scandalous. Now, one may logically ask: “Since you guys noticed that there were ulterior motives behind their kindness and generosity, did you stop hanging out with them?” The answer is that we absolutely did not. We could still be seen religiously at the same parties, kickbacks and hangouts, with the same people, getting ourselves into messes that we realistically saw coming a mile away. These trends are apparent as each academic year introduces a new set of fresh faces. The truth is, first-years tend to come into college with a “down-for whatever” mentality, and I do not use that term to necessarily mean sexually. I believe that among both males and females, the excitement to experience the pseudo-adulthood that college provides — along with the desire for the ever-commercialized “college experience” — often overcomes higher inhibition. This explicit character trait is what I feel attracts upperclassmen. In my friend’s statement, she said that we are “old news.” I laughed when she said it because the sheer fact that we are no longer first-years has drastically shifted the ways we are regarded in circles with the same individuals who were once pressed for our time. Aging out of that stage of our undergraduate career entails growing up enough to realize that surface-level perks like a car to get rides in, apartment to chill in and/or free alcohol to indulge in are not enough incentive to linger in no-substance relations with guys we barely knew. What comes with being old news is that we have lost the wide-eyed nature that once stifled our ability to recognize and grow tired of the games and manipulations used to keep us around. We have experienced enough and have gained enough wisdom to combat the power play tactics used by older guys. They are tactics that, more often than not, tread on being predatory. Brothers and sisters, I am not shaming your game. The first-year frenzy seems to be a phenomenon that dates far before my time. My friends and I often laugh about how far we have come. Now, as a junior, I can realistically look back and think to myself: “Why the hell did we think that any of these grown men were interested in friendship with our young, fresh-out-of-high-school, clearly overzealous college selves?” And more importantly: “Why was I jobless enough to entertain such blatant rubbish?”
LIFE AT RU
Yvonne Olayemi is a School of Ar ts and Sciences junior majoring in biological sciences. Her column “Life At RU,” runs on alternate Wednesdays.
UNIVERSAL UCLICK
EDITORIAL
NJ law banning conversion therapy remains Supreme Court declined to take case challenging law protecting progress
T
he fields of medicine and science are not therapy is still not federally prohibited. The American immune to the manipulation of prejudice. Psychiatric Association (APA) has condemned the Etched into our American history are medi- practice as being “based on the assumption that hocal practices targeting certain groups under the guise mosexuality per se is a mental disorder.” In the U.S. alone, approximately 698,000 LGBTQ of scientific justification. Without a wholesale rejection of empiricism, there must be an acknowledge- Americans have undergone some form of conversion ment of the reality that implicit and explicit biases therapy to change their sexual orientation or gender can drive scientific conclusions to legitimize horrific identity. Some states have taken the mantle of rights acts of degradation, dehumanization and social harm. and justice, passing legislation prohibiting the practice. New Jersey passed a law in 2013 forbidding reIn this nation of liberty and prosperity, the barbarism of coerced sterilization was written in our legal frame- parative or conversion therapy for minors. Former work and condoned as “federally funded sterilization Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.), recounting the studies programs took place in 32 states throughout the 20th and statements of the APA, justified the measure as a century.” The eugenics crusade in America ascended means of constraining a practice that “can pose critifrom obscurity to mainstream acceptance by the 1920s. cal health risks including, but not limited to, depresUnder the rhetoric of improving society and the sion, substance abuse, social withdrawal, decreased human species, eugenics was taught in schools, cele- self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.” Conversion therapy is at best ineffective and at its brated by academics and preached from the pulpits. States across the country passed laws allowing for eu- worst, terribly harmful to the individual. This has led many advocacy genic sterilization. organizations to conThe United States front the persistence quickly became “Crude theories of human heredity were of the practice in a bastion of peradorned as masks to cover the ugly and national culture. In secution and sa2015, New Jersey distic “genetic” destructive prejudice that feeds on fear and became the home of cleansing that propeddles hate.” the first consumer vided the model fraud lawsuit, Fergufor Nazi Germany. son v. JONAH, that American racism and institutional indoctrination of eugenics influenced successfully shut down a conversion therapy organiAdolf Hitler as he had recognized, “There is today one zation as the Southern Poverty Law Center set out to state in which at least weak beginnings toward a better make an essential step of legal action to eliminate the conception (of citizenship) are noticeable. Of course, it is immoral practice. This past Monday, April 15, the Supreme Court denot our model German Republic, but the United States.” We do not need to look far in our nation’s history clined to take the case challenging New Jersey’s law to witness the shameful practices of sterilization. It banning conversion therapy therefore allowing the was discovered in recent years that California pris- law to remain as a settled protection of the LGBTQ+ ons had authorized the sterilizations of nearly 150 fe- community in the state. “In rejecting this case today, the Supreme Court male inmates between 2006 and 2010, many of whom claimed they were coerced into it. California was a recognized what every sensible and compassionate leader of eugenics sterilization as one of the many person across New Jersey and this country knows: anstates that adopted legislation. New Jersey was also ti-LGBTQ conversion therapy is dangerous, discredited malpractice,” said Christian Fuscarino, Garden among the states to pass similar laws. Crude theories of human heredity were adorned as State Equality executive director in a statement by the masks to cover the ugly and destructive prejudice that largest LGBT advocacy organization in New Jersey. The challenge to the New Jersey law must be takfeeds on fear and peddles hate targeting those deemed either dangerous to values or undesired intrusions in en as a reminder that the civil rights protections of the LGBTQ+ community is constantly under siege in our society. Those masks are still worn today. Though medically discredited and understood as America. Whether the state is blue or red, the threat immorally harmful, in 2019, gay-to-straight conversion to LGBTQ+ rights in America continues. The Daily Targum’s editorials represent the views of the majority of the 151st editorial board. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.
April 17, 2019
Opinions Page 7
Right to return of Palestinians must be preserved, upheld COMMENTARY STUDENTS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE
I
nternational law recognizes the right of refugees to return to their homes after displacement. Therefore, the right of return is non-negotiable for Palestinians as it is the crux of the struggle for freedom from occupation. The concept of Palestinian right of return calls for the return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to their homeland. It serves as the bedrock of the struggle against the vicious eviction of an indigenous people from their homes. The Palestinian refugee population is the world’s largest, with approximately 7 million around the globe. To understand the Palestinian struggle, it is imperative to recognize the reality of how the Israeli state was established. One of the many tactics used to hasten the removal of Palestinians was the execution of Plan Dalet. This particular military campaign ordered Zionist terrorist groups Stern, Haganah and Irgun to slaughter Palestinian inhabitants and destroy their villages. After many other concentrated campaigns formulated by Zionist paramilitaries, villages were left depopulated, bulldozed and later renamed. As previously mentioned, international law affords refugees the inviolable right to return to their respective homelands. This was formally established by the United Nations in 1948 when it adopted Resolution 194, which was addressed as follows: “Refugees
wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or equity, should be made good by the governments or authorities responsible.” Created in response to the growing number of Palestinian refugees in the midst of the numerous massacres committed by Zionist paramilitaries, Resolution 194 was intended to compensate for the lives and lands stolen by occupying forces. But, even today, this resolution is neither enforced nor respected by the state of Israel.
and implementation of apartheid. We have reached an important point in global affairs where everyone must ask themselves, why are Palestinians continuously treated as exceptions to the international law meant to protect human rights? March 30, 2019 marked the one-year anniversary of the Palestinian Great Return March. Every week for more than a year now, Palestinians in Gaza took to the “border” to assert their right of return in protest of Israel’s siege and occupation. It prevents Palestinian refugees both internally displaced as well as abroad from returning to their cities and villages of origin, many of which were depopulated in the 1948 Nakba. This “border” is a system of electric fences
“Israel continues to ... oppose international law through its continued construction of illegal settlements on indigenous lands and implementation of apartheid.” When Don Stevenson of the American Friends Service Committee asked the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Eliahu Elath, if Israel would accept the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes, Elath responded by saying, “Israel would commit suicide if she took back all the refugees.” Israel continues to disregard and wholeheartedly oppose international law through its continued construction of illegal settlements on indigenous lands
that imprisons millions of Palestinians in Gaza within enclosed enclaves lined with barbed wire. It is a key part of the frustrations that led grassroots activists, civilians and political groups to mobilize for their return. The Israeli government has been swift, absolute and brutal in its repression of these demonstrations. This extends even to murdering more than 271 Palestinians mostly in response to the Great Return March protests over the past year, including
more than 50 children and injuring no less than 10,000. Additionally, many more have been injured due to the inhalation of tear gas, which instigates the nervous system, causing such problems as uncontrollable muscle spasms. In firing tear gas canisters and live rounds of ammunition upon crowds of peaceful protestors, Israeli Defense Force (IDF) militants are responsible for these casualties. In May of last year, Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously rejected a motion by six human rights groups to change its regulations which allow IDF militants broad legal leeway to open fire upon unarmed civilian protesters. This practice has been allowed to continue with impunity to this day. In any other context, such an act would correctly be considered a war crime. This decision, along with the Israeli policy of refusing to recognize Palestinians’ right of return, has cost far too many lives and continues to put many more in a state of never-ending peril. The question of Palestinian right of return is simply not a question at all. It is their right according to international and humanitarian law. But, the world overlooks Israel’s continuous human rights abuses at every level of Palestinian life, attempting to suffocate and erase them by depriving them of resources, shooting live rounds at protesters and denying them return to their homes. Students for Justice in Palestine is a recognized student organization at Rutgers University—New Brunswick.
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April 17, 2019
More than music: Rutgers' DIY scene expands to comedy JORDAN LEVY FEATURES EDITOR
When talking about DIY events at Rutgers, it’s easy to instantly connect it to the underground music circuit. But last Saturday, there was an outlier. Instead of music, this was a comedy show, hosted by the Rutgers Comedy Club (RCC). You’d be forgiven for thinking that they’re associated with Rutgers due to their name, but they're actually an unaffiliated student organization. If you had the good fortune to be at the show, you’d understand why. The night was full of raucous humor that no university could publicly sign on to. The night was billed as the “RCC Semester Show: get off my lawn and into my basement,” and was held at “The Giggle Gazebo,” i.e. an unnamed house near College Avenue. Like any good comedy show, there was an improv group to open things up. Welcomed to the stage — that was really just a cleared space near the front of the basement — by the host Eve Heinrich, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, the College Avenue Players Improv Group kicked the evening off with a series of spontaneous scenarios. Wide-ranging and completely random, the rapid-fire improv was based off of words suggested by the audience. There were many
suggestions, with some notable requests for skits about abortion, helicopters and, inexplicably, eggplant. The improv troupe ended up settling on topics like long plane rides, Georgia and a mildly disturbing situation involving infants and chloroform. The College Avenue Players got the crowd laughing, and set the stage well for the main event: six stand-up comedians. Each comedian had roughly 15 minutes to make their mark
on the night, so it’s not exactly a Netflix special. Then again, they all had to brainstorm these jokes in between classes, so it’s quite understandable. Some forged straight ahead, getting through as much material as they could in their time. Others seemed more leisurely, using age old stand-up techniques like callbacks and light audience participation. Some standouts were two comedians who went back-to-back
The Rutgers Comedy Club, which is understandably unaffiliated with the University, hosted its only show for the semester last Saturday. Hopefully, there are more shows to come. INSTAGRAM
in the middle of the lineup, Christopher Michael, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, and Devon Hall, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore. Michael’s set was largely about being half-Egyptian, and the complexities that come with being a white-passing African American, a term he always used in a questioning manner. Hall came out of the gates firing and didn’t let up, ending his set with the funniest story of the night, one about the joys of parenthood and intramural basketball. To put it plainly, the show was not for the faint of heart. Like much comedy, it went right at controversial topics that would leave many students clutching their pearls. Basically everything was on the table, from suicidal thoughts to issues around race and gender. That being said, it seemed like everyone was trying to push the same envelope. The reason Michael and Hall stood out is because they were able to comment on touchy subjects about identity from places of personal experience, even though every comedian had a take on issues that are widely deemed “identity issues.” That leads to another critique, which is that the lineup was quite homogenous. This could be entirely due to who’s involved with the RCC, but the stand-up performers were all men, which is
a stark difference from what the comedy world actually looks like. Still, the show was a unique experience, since comedy in New Brunswick is nearly exclusive to the Stress Factory Comedy Club. Also, it was refreshing to hear stand-up that is more in-tune with how younger people actually communicate, as most popular comedians of the day are at the very least in their 30's. When a large chunk of comedians pay their bills making fun of Millennials and Gen Z, it’s a pleasure to actually hear from the generations who are always under the gun. Tyler Farnsworth, a Rutgers Business School senior who was in attendance, said that the show was “very funny” and appreciated the tight sets for each comedian. With roughly 30 to 40 people in the crowd, he also wished there were seats, which were a product of the packed house. I’d like to believe that the basement was packed for a reason, because the Rutgers community is starved of high-quality, relatable comedy for cheap. It would be great to see more DIY comedy shows, and the only way they could improve is if the participants truly represented what the Rutgers community looks like. One only hopes that the RCC can expand its reach and influence, and keep offering fresh, funny perspectives.
Not beloved, not canceled: Explaining 'problematic faves' CLARISSA GORDON CORRESPONDENT
Whether due to a controversial comment, an offensive creative choice or simply an embarrassing cheating scandal, chances are, your favorite celebrity has been canceled. In a digital age where we regularly experience information overload, combined with a sense of courage or authority we get from typing from an alias behind a screen, a ruthless “cancel culture” has evolved. It seems as though no one is safe from this boycott culture, as everyone from the seemingly-harmless Bill Gates to typically unproblematic actors like Chris Evans have been canceled. Justin Bieber practically gets canceled whenever he dares to say something publicly, even if it’s just for an April Fool’s Day Instagram joke. As a public figure, it’s practically inevitable to get canceled one way or another, as all it takes is one offended Twitter user to announce your cancellation. If your favorite celebrity hasn’t been canceled yet, it’s probably just impending. And then there’s problematic favorites, who lie in limbo between the average glorified, universally loved and never-messy celebrities and those who are absolutely
canceled for essentially unforgivable offenses. Problematic favorites seem to fly under the radar of the hypercritical internet, as their cringeworthy mouth farts or questionable past behaviors can be overlooked simply because sometimes, the pros just outweigh the cons for us. Take Cardi B, for example, who recently got some negative attention for an incriminating threeyear-old Instagram Live video that resurfaced in which she shamelessly admitted to drugging men in attempts to steal from them when she was a stripper. While the rapper attributed her controversial past to a lack of resources, she was not immune herself from Twitter's wrath, doled out through the satirical #SurvivingCardiB hashtag that emerged after the video made its rounds. Although some critics tried to get the hashtag trending as a means of “cancelling” the star, arguing that we should hold the female artist accountable in the same way we would R. Kelly or Bill Cosby, Cardi B’s reign remains unbothered. No stranger to stirring controversy with his unfiltered commentar y, Kanye West regularly makes Twitter’s canceled list, but the scarlet letter seems
irrelevant whenever another one of his projects become popular or his sneakers sell out. For this, West is the poster child for problematic favorites. YouTube stars like Jeffree Star and Logan Paul have had their share of PR nightmares, but continue to have a massive following. Who, then, is worthy of being a problematic favorite? If cancellations are temporary, is anyone really canceled at all? To answer the latter, sometimes. Television personalities like Bill O’Reilly and Roseanne Barr have literally been canceled, as public pressure virtually forced networks to pull their shows off the air. YouTuber Olivia Jade’s involvement in the infamous college admissions scandal cost her dozens of big deals and co-signs from billion-dollar brands like Sephora. But for the most part, cancellation is ultimately relative to what a famous person did, and how many people are still going to support them. The term “canceled” is merely conceptual, and rarely universally accepted. Therefore, most of the celebrities Twitter decides to cancel just end up “problematic faves.” Even the publicly-scorned R. Kelly — whose music has been pulled from countless radio stations,
whose tours have been regularly shut down and who is now drowning in legal drama — is a problematic fave to a generally large demographic of hardcore fans who refuse to cancel him. Clearly, cancellation lies in the eye of the beholder. Although internet trolls will never stop ostracizing those they
deem deserving, the power of cultural cancellation is debatable, and unless a celebrity does something truly unfathomable, to be canceled is just subjective cultural rhetoric. But since any publicity is good publicity, being a problematic favorite might not be so bad. For Cardi B, that is. But R. Kelly? Still cancelled.
When it resurfaced that Cardi B had drugged and robbed men when she was a stripper, many thought she'd thrown away the bag. Instead, she became America's problematic fave. TWITTER
DIVERSIONS
April 17, 2019
Mark Tatulli Horoscopes
Lio
Page 9 Eugenia Last
Happy Birthday: Live and learn. This is a year of growth, opportunity and achievement if you make the effort and are open to learning, updating and expanding your skills, knowledge and quality of life. Be willing to cut back where you can to make room for the people, activities and goals you want to embrace, and you’ll get good results. Your numbers are 4, 17, 21, 29, 30, 38, 44.
Over The Hedge
T. Lewis and M. Fry
Non Sequitur
Wiley
Pearls Before Swine
Stephan Pastis
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take care of your responsibilities first, and move on to more enjoyable tasks. Don’t let the past cause anxiety when you should be putting your time and energy into living in the moment and preparing for the future. 3 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Emotions will be difficult to control, especially if someone you feel responsible for or live with causes a fuss. Physical exertion will help to ease stress and give you a healthier perspective on whatever situation you face. 3 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A passionate approach to life and to the way you handle personal matters will pay off. Patience, moderation, knowledge and being secretive until you have everything in place will be a remedy for success. 5 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Listen to suggestions, but when it comes to time to take action, do what’s best for yourself. A joint venture will lead to problems and disagreements regarding money matters. Work alone, but when it comes to relaxing, share with someone you love. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Lighten up and do something that will ease stress and get you moving in a healthy and happy direction. A creative outlet will encourage you to try something different and put an end to relationships that drain you. 5 stars CANCER (June 21-July 22): Physical preparation is encouraged if you want to avoid emotional stress. Rely on people who have never let you down, and the changes you want to make will be easier to obtain. Don’t let moodiness set in and ruin your day. 2 stars LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Travel and communication are favored. Update your credentials or your skills. Learning something new will motivate you to make changes to the way you earn your living or how you handle your money. Positive communication will improve an important relationship. 4 stars VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Emotional spending won’t help your situation, but investing in your future will. How you handle your personal funds or who you get involved with financially should be looked at carefully. A close relationship will need an adjustment. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t give in to pressure tactics or let someone bamboozle you into something without giving you the facts. You are better off making personal changes that will not affect others but will make you feel self-sufficient and happy with your life. 4 stars CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): An opportunity will be too good to pass up. Make adjustments that allow you enough time to explore the possibility of making a long overdue change to where or how you live. New beginnings based on old dreams look inviting. 5 stars AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put time, effort and energy into personal improvements. A change at home made for the right reason will benefit you as well as the people you care about. Speak from the heart; you will get the support you need to proceed. 3 stars PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Flesh out any problems you foresee before you make changes. A discussion with someone you love will give you the confidence to move forward with your plans. Stick to a budget and honor any promises or commitments you’ve made. 3 stars
©2018 By Eugenia Last distributed by Universal Uclick
Universal Crossword ACROSS
it up, fuzzball!”
1 Manufacturer’s payback
64 San Diego County resort city
7 “The School of Athens” painter
68 Time-sensitive
14 Wears down
70 Affixed, as a patch
15 By hand
71 Even a kid can beat one
16 Anglo-___ (early British people) 72 November 11 honoree 17 Goes from vote to veto? 18 Employ
73 Head honcho, or a hint to the starred answers
19 “James and the Giant Peach” author
DOWN
21 Explosive stuff
1 Start again
22 Former TV host Griffin
2 Deleted
24 Abominable snowman
3 *Underwear choice
26 Broad neck scarf
4 Fuss
30 Lemon of the ‘50s
5 Care for, as a garden
32 French red wine
6 The New Yorker piece
34 Rake relative
7 Sprinted
35 Celsius scale measure
8 Art school subj.
37 iPhone assistant
9 *Looking for a fight
38 Pint parts, briefly
10 Red deer stags
39 On a grand scale
39 Freudian self
11 ___ mode
40 Fence entryway
41 Greeted with deference
12 Horror film street
42 Cross word?
43 Damp
13 Fleur-de-___ (var.)
47 Job announcement letters
44 Mini golf average
15 *Sam Spade’s quest in a
50 Favorable vote
1941 film
52 Treating cruelly
46 Took to court
20 Edge of a shirt
53 Novelist Susan
48 “The Addams Family” cousin
23 Geese formation
55 By oneself
49 Soothe
25 Terse confession
57 Explode
51 Appears
27 *Dunce
60 Irrational art movement
54 Activist Chavez
28 Radiate, like charm
62 Peter, Paul and Mary, e.g.
56 “Fish Magic” painter Paul
29 Exam
64 Western ___ (coll. course)
58 McFlurry cookie
31 *Person you have chemistry with 65 Smelter’s need
45 Edith who sang “La Vie en Rose”
59 Inc., overseas
33 Food scraps (hidden
66 Decompose
61 Golf course ride
backward in “minestrone”)
67 Put on
63 Solo who said “Laugh
36 Work incessantly
69 Econ. health statistic
Yesterday’s Solution
Yesterday’s Solution
Page 10
April 17, 2019 TENNIS BEST WINS IN 5-YEAR CONFERENCE HISTORY
Ranking Knights’ 4 Big Ten wins ALEX FABUGAIS-INABA CORRESPONDENT
Four Big Ten match wins — that is the amount of victories the Rutgers tennis team has under
Junior Kat Muzik won the No. 4 spot over Wisconsin in 2017. MICA FINEHART / JANUARY 2019
its belt since joining the Big Ten in 2014. The Scarlet Knights (9-10, 1-8) have gone three seasons — 2015, 2016 and 2018 — where they remained winless among their conference opponents. Rutgers’ 2017 stint and current season are the best seasons the Knights have played, with two Big Ten wins apiece. It’s wor th noting that head coach Hilar y Ritchie’s first season leading Rutgers was in 2017, when the Knights won their first two Big Ten matches in program histor y. Although Rutgers couldn’t catch a break the following year, the Knights are hitting their stride again with the possibility of adding a third or even four th victor y this season. Here are the greatest (and only) Big Ten wins in Rutgers’ histor y.
GAME Rutgers running backs group impresses, Sitkowski shows signs of improvement CONTINUED FROM BACK “One thing we did differently this spring was we practiced longer,” Ash said. “We got a lot of reps in, a lot more teams reps in. I think the players benefited from it.” As Rutgers relaxes until summer training camp, here are several takeaways from the Scarlet-White Game: One area where the Knights have a significant amount of depth is at the running back position, a unit that averaged more than 134 yards per game this past season. With the departure of senior running back Jonathan Hilliman, who scored the most touchdowns (six) on the ground, Rutgers returns three main rushers in rising junior Raheem Blackshear, rising sophomore Isaih Pacheco and fifth-year senior Charles Snorweah, each with their own strengths. Snorweah’s performance was arguably the most impressive of the day, totaling 134 yards on
the ground and rushing for two touchdowns. Last season, he only carried the ball five times — four of which were in the Knights’ win over Texas State — but could expect some more play in the backfield in the fall. It is not uncommon for some tailbacks to occasionally split out wide in certain offensive sets, acting as a hybrid running back that can also play as a receiver. Such is the case for Blackshear and Pacheco. Blackshear, who is one of Rutgers’ offensive captains along with senior offensive linemen Zach Venesky, has been a consistent option as a slotback and a tailback. Last season, he averaged the most yards per game both as a running back (48.8) and as a wideout (30.6). Last Saturday, Blackshear rushed 8 carries for 67 yards, with his longest run of the day coming on a speedy 45-yarder that broke right through the White team’s secondary. Without Hilliman, who took the majority of the Knights’ snaps
HIGHS Diverse set of workout programs has been key to evolving rowing program CONTINUED FROM BACK Wolverines in the closest race of the day, and one that senior Sarah Johanek hopes to even out if the two teams are to meet again in the Big Ten Championships. “I feel like that race was the epitome of what rowing’s about. We were stroke for stroke, bow ball against bow ball … and at the end of the race neither of us knew who won,” Johanek said. “I’m super excited race them
again at Big Tens because they will not be getting us by 0.3 seconds then.” The team’s path to avenging that loss in the postseason will follow the same path that Price has used to get them to their historically high performance thus far this season: a personalized and rigorous training routine that targets each necessary facet of rowing performance. “Our consistency in training is by far the most important part
PENN STATE (APRIL 2, 2017)
After two entire seasons of remaining winless in the Big Ten, the Knights finally made their name known, securing a conference victory against the Nittany Lions (52). Junior Jaci Cochrane teamed up with alumnus Farris Cunningham for a 6-4 win that helped Rutgers get the early doubles point, heading into singles action. Adding to the Knights’ sweep of the top two column spots, junior Kat Muzik came together on the back half of the match to upset Penn State at the No. 4 spot (3-6, 6-2, 6-4) to secure her first Big Ten win in her collegiate career.
WISCONSIN (APRIL 21, 2017)
In Rutgers’ 2016-2017 season, it raked in another Big Ten win, this time over the Badgers (4-3), who sat at the bottom of the conference. Highlighting the compe-
tition was Cochrane, who notched a dominant 6-2, 6-0 singles win at the No. 5 spot and a 6-3 doubles win with Cunningham. But, the Knights would lose the early lead, not before a comeback time in singles action. Sweeping 4 of the top 5 spots in the column, Muzik recorded her own match win at the No. 4 with another close matchup 7-6 (2-0), 7-6 (3-0), adding to Cochrane’s victory.
PENN STATE (FEB. 1, 2019)
It wouldn’t be until this season where Rutgers would score its first conference win in almost two years against none other than the Nittany Lions (4-3). The Knights struggled to close their doubles matches and wound up losing the early lead, but came back tough and ready to go in singles. With a new and improved team, Rutgers claimed the top three spots
with sophomore Maya Jacobs controlling her 6-2, 6-4 match at the No. 1 position. Freshman Tess Fisher lost the first set 6-4, but made a huge switch that sent Penn State with a pair of 6-3s in the final two sets.
NEBRASKA (APRIL 7, 2019)
Writing in a second conference win for this season, the Knights edged out the Cornhuskers 4-3 where the doubles point was the key to Rutgers’ victory over the last placed team in the Big Ten. Jacobs and Muzik claimed the top doubles spot in a 6-4 win to Nebraska while freshman Sydney Kaplan and Fisher added another victory for the 1-0 lead. Singles action was split where the Knights claimed the No. 2, 3 and 4 spots on the column. The deciding matches came down to the freshmen in their third and final sets. Fisher knows how to close and did so in a final tally of 2-6, 7-6 and 6-3.
in the red zone, Blackshear will likely emerge as the power back. Like Blackshear, Pacheco has also been a consistent option as a hybrid tailback. As a freshman last season, he rushed for three touchdowns. “The whole backfield, we bring our own special talent to the group,” Snorweah said. “We’re not really focused on who’s starting. Everybody’s trying to get better every day.” After commanding a Maryland defense that ranked in the top 50 FBS last season, new defensive coordinator Andy Buh hopes to improve a Rutgers unit that gave up an average of nearly 215 yards per game to opposing running backs. Redshirt freshman linebacker Deion Jennings was present all over the field in his first spring game after sitting out the season before. He made six tackles and secured the only interception against Sitkowski, returning it for 34 yards. Without defensive backs senior Blessuan Austin and fifthyear seniors Isaiah Wharton and Saquan Hampton, Buh will need new faces to emerge as leaders of the Knights’ secondary. For updates on the Rutgers football team follow @SchmiedJake and @TargumSports on Twitter.
Rising sophomore quarterback Artur Sitkowski threw for 216 yards in the spring game last weekend. He took snaps with the first team. CURSTINE GUEVARRA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2019
of what has allowed us to have success,” Price said. “It comes down to building our fitness and building our endurance … we never come in and try to hit a home run it’s just about being consistent every day.” A large portion of rowers on the roster did not do the sport in prior to college and were introduced to it at the University. This circumstance makes the Knights unique in that it’s a Division I Big Ten program comprised of athletes that made the roster without experience in the sport. This also makes the training program that much more central to the performance of the team, as fitness, endurance and “grit,” according to Johanek, are the
qualities that can compensate for a lack of experience in the sport. The training regime is comprised of three different routines, only one of which takes place on water. Much of what has gone into achieving the national ranking during and prior to the season has been what the team practices in the weight room. “We have three main types of workouts … now that we’re in season every morning, we’re out at the boat house doing water workouts. Mondays and Wednesdays we’ll be at the Hale (Center) lifting and then Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons we’ll be at (the Rutgers Athletic Center) doing erg workouts. Friday’s either just water or erg,” Pekdemir said.
Rutgers will lean on the results of that workout routine as it prepares for another big meet closer to home than their trip to Ohio. Price will be taking his team right down route one next weekend for a three-team meet in Princeton. The Knights will be taking on conference rival No. 11 Wisconsin, instate rival No. 7 Princeton and another Ivy League foe in Columbia. Wins over the Badgers will be the highest priority for Rutgers, as those races will play heavily into the team’s qualification for NCAAs. But victories over the Tigers can cement Price’s rapidly-evolving program as the premier program in the state for rowing, despite Princeton’s reputation and resources.
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April 17, 2019 MEN’S LACROSSE EDELMANN CAN CARRY RUTGERS TO BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Edelmann rises to national elite status CHRIS TSAKONAS CORRESPONDENT
There’s nothing quite like being a lacrosse goalkeeper. Picture yourself standing in front of a net for 60 minutes, tasked with keeping lacrosse balls from getting past you by throwing your body — and stick — directly in the path of 40 shots per game, each traveling at 90 miles per hour. That’s just a normal day at the office for fifth-year senior goalie Max Edelmann, who has cemented his status as one of the best goalkeepers in college lacrosse this season. In nine games this season, Edelmann is averaging 15.5 saves per game and is saving 60% of shots faced. Edelmann’s story begins on the campus of the Community College of Baltimore County, where he spent the first two years of his collegiate career playing junior college lacrosse. When it came time to transfer, Edelmann committed to transfer to the Rutgers men’s lacrosse team, finding a home for himself very quickly. “Making the transition from junior college to Division I lacrosse was a challenge, especially in the Big Ten,” Edelmann said. “But we had good leadership from guys like Scott Bieda and Jules Heningburg, and it was awesome to have the guys be so helpful and welcoming once I joined the program.” Another critical figure in Edelmann’s development was the coaching staff at Rutgers, and he cited head coach Brian Brecht as a “role model” to look toward for guidance throughout his career. “Coach Brecht has been there every step of the way, whether it’s on or off the field, he’s been there for every aspect of our lives,” Edelmann said. “(Whether it’s) professional development in the classroom or just leading us on the field, he has had a great influence on my life.” This is Edelmann’s third season as the starting option between the pipes for the No. 19 Scarlet Knights (6-6, 1-2), and that experience has earned him a valuable role as a mentor for the rest of the defense.
In addition to being an elite shot-stopper, Edelmann thrives at communicating with his defensive line, filling a role as a vocal leader who keeps the backline focused on staying aggressive, causing turnovers and collecting ground balls. The season started out rough for Edelmann, who missed the first two games of the season with an injury. Rutgers got an unexpected preview of life after Edelmann, and true freshman goalie Ben Pounds got the start between the pipes against Lafayette and St. John’s. While sidelined, Edelmann remained an active leader for the team. “I just told (Pounds) to play his game and be comfortable, and whenever I could find little pointers that I could help out with, (I told him),” Edelmann said. “He stepped up, he got us two very big wins and I was very proud of him.” While Edelmann is currently focused on bringing Rutgers to the Big Ten Tournament next month, he’s also getting ready for life after lacrosse. As a graduate student in Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, Edelmann is pursuing a career in human resources after graduation, and has an internship this summer with IBM. While his playing career may soon be coming to an end, it’s clear that the game that has given Edelmann ever ything will still be a big par t of his life after graduation. Edelmann will be honored prior to the Knights’ game against Michigan, Saturday, as part of the senior day festivities. He has a .585 save percentage on the season and boosts a 4-6 record. “I’m always going to have lacrosse in my life, whether it’s coaching, playing or just getting involved in the community, I think the game is growing a lot now,” Edelmann said. “And wherever I can be and whatever (my role) may be, I’m going to keep it in my life.” For updates on the Rutgers men’s lacrosse team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
Fifth-year senior goalie Max Edelmann leads the nation with 15.5 saves per game. On Saturday, he will be honored for Rutgers’ senior day. VIVEK VIDYARTHI / MARCH 2019
SPORTS
TWITTER: @TargumSports WEBSITE: DailyTargum.com/section/sports
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY—NEW BRUNSWICK
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’m always going to have lacrosse in my life, whether it’s coaching, playing or just getting involved in the community.” — Fifth-year senior goalie Max Edelmann
ONLINE AT DAILYTARGUM.COM
WEDNESDAY APRIL 17, 2019
ROWING RUTGERS TAKES FIVE RACES AT BIG TEN DOUBLE DUAL
Training regiment pushes RU to program highs JACKSON THOMPSON SPORTS EDITOR
When head coach Justin Price took over the Rutgers rowing team in 2017, he inherited the University’s largest roster of Division I women athletes. Coming to the east coast from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Price, in one year, molded that group of women into the program’s highest-achieving team ever with program bests at the Big Ten Championships. Now in his second season at the bow, Price’s team has already set the program record for highest win total and earned its first-ever national ranking, currently No. 16. “When he first came in, he just looked at what he was working with, what this team was. From there he took that information and was able to kind of cater a program for us,” said junior Merve Pekdemir. At this past weekend’s Big Ten double dual in Columbus, Ohio, Price’s personalized touch on the team manifested in five wins over conference foes Michigan State and No. 5 Michigan. These wins will help push the Knights into the NCAA tournament picture as the season continues. Rutgers had a chance to sweep the Varsity 8 event, but finished 0.3 seconds behind the SEE HIGHS ON PAGE 10
The Rutgers rowing team competed against conference foes Michigan and Michigan State at the Big Ten double dual this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio. The Knights won five races at the event. COURTESY OF RUTGERS ATHLETICS
FOOTBALL SPRING GAME NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Takeaways from Knights’ spring game JAKE SCHMIED ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
With four months left until the start of training camp, the Rutgers football team concluded its spring practices with the traditional Scarlet-White Game this past Saturday. In a simulated game that featured the likes of alumni and former Scarlet Knight standouts like Tim Wright, Steve Longa, Leonte Carroo and Michael Burton as honorary coaches, the annual spring game provided fans with a glimpse of what the team would look like come August. The Scarlet team, featuring the offensive players, impressed early in the game. Along with sophomore quarterback Artur Sitkowski, last season’s starter, head coach Chris Ash inserted true freshmen quarterbacks Cole Snyder and Johnny Langan behind center. Rutgers has not earned a winning record in the Ash era, its last time being with former head coach Kyle Flood at the helm for an eight-win season in 2014. With the Knights finishing last season with an overall record of 1-11 and zero conference wins, Ash made sure to increase the number of reps this spring. Rising senior running back Charles Snorweah rushed for a 75-yard touchdown in the annual Scarlet-White spring game. He played in seven games last season. CURSTINE GUEVARRA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2019
KNIGHTS SCHEDULE
EXTRA POINT
JORDAN PAGANO,
fIfth-year senior on the wrestling team, was granted a sixth year of eligiblity and will wrestle next season on the Banks. He missed a significant portion of the last two seasons due to injury. Pagano has 59 wins in his career.
SEE GAME ON PAGE 10
MLB SCORES
BASEBALL
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WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
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