Cannabis Research Government should make examining marijuana less difficult
Food & Drink Break down the pros and cons of utilizing dining services this semester
SEE opinions, page 6
Football Wide receiver Janarion Grant announces his return for a fifth year
SEE sports, back
SEE food & drink, page 8
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Jury finds Timothy Puskas guilty of murdering former Rutgers student minna kim staff writer
The trial of Timothy Puskas concluded this morning, with the jury finding the 40-year-old New Brunswick resident guilty of the murder of William McCaw, as well as weapons offenses and hindering charges. On Feb. 15, 2014, McCaw, who had recently transferred to Kean University, was walking to his home alone after attending a party at a Rutgers fraternity house around 3 a.m., according to NJ Advance Media. The next morning, a neighbor spotted the 22-year-old victim’s body in the backyard of a house on
Hartwell Street, 900 feet from Puskas’ home on Plum Street. A jury comprised of seven women and seven men reached their verdict after hearing closing arguments from Puskas’ attorney, Joseph Mazraani, and closing statements from Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Bina Desai on Jan. 6, according to MyCentralJersey.com. Jurors requested to rehear testimonies and recorded phone calls, NJ Advance Media reported. They re-watched video surveillance, which allegedly showed Puskas in the early hours of Feb. 15, 2014, wandering the streets nearthe site where the victim’s
body was discovered. The defendant’s attorney argued during his three-hour closing statement that there was no physical evidence linking Puskas to the murder. “There’s no motive for him to do any of this,” Mazraani said during the trial, according to the same report. “He doesn’t even know the young man.” In March 2014, authorities charged Puskas with counts related to McCaw’s murder. At this time, Puskas was already in custody at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center in North Brunswick for an unrelated See student on Page 5
The New Jersey state Senate presented Rutgers with an honorary resolution, commending the University’s global reputation and diverse opportunities. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
New Jersey State Senate resolution honors U. Christina Gaudino contributing writer
In December, the New Jersey state Senate presented Rutgers with a resolution saluting the University as a “globally esteemed educational institution in the Garden State.” Written by Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Rutgers alumnus and Senator Bob Smith (D- N.J.), the resolution recognized the year-long celebration of Rutgers’ 250th anniversary. These festivities culminated Nov. 10, 2016, on the anniversary of the establishment of Rutgers. “The 250th-anniversar y celebration of the founding of Rutgers University highlighted accomplishments of the University’s alumni, which includes governors, senators, and members of the New Jersey Court, as well as revolutionar y thinkers who brought discoveries in science and the humanities that have changed our world,” the resolution said. University President Robert L. Barchi traveled to Trenton on Dec. 19 to receive the honor. “We’ve been here longer than the state of New Jersey. It’s nice to have the Senate recognize this milestone. I’m pleased to see they are proud of the University and expressed that pride by issuing a statement like this as we commemorate our 250th anniversary,” Barchi said. The resolution said Rutgers has fulfilled its goal of providing a world-class education for students. It said the University has grown from its “humble beginnings” of
20 students, into a dynamic and diverse culture with over 67,000 students from various countries. “Recognition of Rutgers’ excellence by the State Senate really cements how important the University is to New Jersey,” said Evan Gottesman, a School of Arts and Sciences senior. “It is a reminder that right in the center of the Garden State we have, not only a major employer, university, and hub of intellectual life — we have something that we are respected nationally and internationally for. Whenever I travel outside of New Jersey, people are always impressed with my alma mater.” The New Jersey Senate’s resolution included a focus on the educational opportunities available to students at Rutgers. Gottesman said Rutgers is unique because of the variety of experiences available due to the wide array of majors, and the opportunity to intern for credit or even teach courses. Laura Kershaw, a first-year student in the School of Engineering said the diversity of the student body also contributes to the quality of education at Rutgers. “The true distinguishing feature of Rutgers is how it makes such a large school seem small,” Kershaw said. Reflecting on the recent developments at Rutgers, Barchi said he was particularly pleased with the new Honors College, which opened last year. See resolution on Page 5
On Tuesday, a jury convicted Timothy Puskas of beating former Rutgers student, William McCaw, to death with a crowbar. Puskas was charged for the murder in 2014 after McCaw’s body was found near Easton Avenue. MIDDLESEX COUNTY
TedxRutgers prepares to expand annual on-campus conference gabriela amaral staff writer
Each year, TedxRutgers hosts a conference for students, alumni and local thought-leaders in the Rutgers community. The TEDx Program is a branch of the TED company that supports independent organizers to create their very own event. TEDxRutgers carries out the companies mission of sharing “ideas worth spreading” on campus through organized speeches and information sessions. TedxRutgers has organized speaker-based events where students can deliver presentations about ideas that have inspired them, he said. This includes the event “Speechcraft,” which takes place in November each year.
The chapter is one of many at universities around the country, said Shazia Mansuri, director of marketing of TedxRutgers and a Rutgers Business School junior. “What we do is organize a couple of events based on stor y-telling, sharing ideas, inspiration and what people in the Rutgers community and alumni are working on. Like really cool research or really cool thought-leadership,” Mansuri said. In preparation for the main conference in late March, TEDxRutgers is working to expand the event, Mansuri said. Hersh Patel, the technical director of TedxRutgers, said the group’s recent focus has been on reaching out to successful Rutgers alumni.
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“We wanna make sure a lot of students come out and support the idea of TED and are inspired by ideas in the Rutgers community,” the School of Arts and Sciences sophomore said. “We want to inspire the Rutgers community the way they have been inspired when they were students at Rutgers.” They are also working to increase awareness by encouraging discussions between students through blog posts. Their goal is to organize more events to create momentum, said Tanvi Parikh, vice president of TEDxRutgers and a School of Ar ts and Sciences sophomore. See conference on Page 5