The Daily Targum 03.24.17

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Prize-winning female poet presents work at U. CHRISTIAN ZAPATA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Shani Mootoo spoke at Alexander Library on Thursday for ‘Bodies, Boundaries and Borders.’ The event showcased her work and explored themes like intersectional feminism and LGBTQIA rights.

JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR

The Rutgers Advanced Institute for Critical Caribbean Studies (RAICCS) held an event last night that gave an in-depth look at Indo-Caribbean literature.

“Bodies, Boundaries and Borders” took place at Alexander Librar y on the College Avenue campus and focused on the multimedia work of award-winning poet, novelist and visual artist Shani Mootoo.

With a specific focus on her Man Booker Prize-nominated novel, “Cereus Blooms at Night,” the

event began with a reading from her novel followed by a visual presentation of her latest project integrating photography with writing and ending with a Q&A session.

Kr ystal Ghisyawan, a postdoctoral research fellow for the Rutgers Advanced Institute for Critical Caribbean Studies, said the event was organized in an attempt to bring Caribbean literature to the forefront of the Rutgers community as it had not been done in years.

As one of the most prominent current female writers, Shani SEE POET ON PAGE 5

Human rights leaders hold forum at Rutgers DANIEL ISRAEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Prominent human rights leaders gathered at Rutgers this past Wednesday for an open forum and discussion regarding the state of civil liberties during the presidency of Donald J. Trump.

During the town hall titled “Moving Forward: Defending Civil Liberties and Human Rights,” civil rights advocates called on the Rutgers community to continue in their fight for equality.

Undergraduate Academic Affairs (UAA) partnered with the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL), the Africana Studies Department, the Department of American Studies, the Department of Latino and Caribbean Studies and the Department of Women’s and

Gender Studies to host the community gathering on March 22 in the Rutgers Academic Building on the College Avenue campus.

Moderated by Radhika Balakrishnan, a professor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, and faculty director at CWGL, “Moving Forward” provided a platform for the Rutgers community to speak directly about current civil rights issues with the select group of leaders from human rights organizations across the country.

“It is an incredible honor for me to be here,” Balakrishnan said. “Not only because these are the leaders of the human rights movement in the country and the world, but also because they happen to be my very close friends. That’s actually SEE FORUM ON PAGE 5

An estimated 400 Rutgers students arrived at the Cook Student Center on Wednesday night to hear Bassem Youssef discuss what it was like to produce a satirical television show in Egypt following the Arab Spring. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef speaks on campus for film screening NIKHILESH DE CORRESPONDENT

Leaders from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) contributed to a public forum on Wednesday at Rutgers. HENRY FOWLER

Nearly 400 members of the Rutgers community turned out to hear Egyptian television personality and comedian Bassem Youssef discuss hosting a satire talk show during a time of political upheaval in the Middle East.

Youssef was hosted by the Arab Cultural Club in the Cook Student Center on Wednesday night. His presentation intended to inform guests about his experiences advocating for free speech, and to discuss his new documentary “Tickling Giants,” which explored the history of his comedy show.

“He’s just such an inspiration and I just know he is an inspiration to my friends as well, almost a quarter of the Egyptian population used to watch his show in cafes — it wasn’t just a show, it was an event,” said Nourin Abubaker, president of the Arab Cultural Club and a School of Arts and Sciences senior. “We had to turn down a lot of people because we’d reached capacity and we weren’t able to sell more tickets.”

Youssef, who was originally a heart surgeon, began satirizing Egyptian news programs and the government after the Egyptian Revolution in 2011 with a YouTube show. A national television network

­­VOLUME 149, ISSUE 29 • UNIVERSITY ... 3 • OPINIONS ... 6 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ... 8 • DIVERSIONS ... 9 • SPORTS ... BACK

picked him up, creating “Al Bernameg,” “The Show,” later that year.

The comedian continued the program with three different networks until he was forced off the air by political pressure.

In 2014, Youssef left Egypt after a court ruled he owed 100 million Egyptian Pounds to one of his former networks for contract violations.

The documentary’s director, Sara Taksler, began the project in 2012, visiting Youssef in Egypt while his show was still on the air. She said the purpose behind “Tickling Giants” is to launch a conversation about how SEE FILM ON PAGE 4

March 24, 2017

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Campus Calendar FRIDAY 3/24 The Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education presents “Roadside and Right-Of-Way Vegetation Managment” from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cook Student Center on Cook campus. This event is free and open to public.

The Off-Campus Living and Community Patnerships presents “Knights’ Watch Academy” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Livingston Student Center on Livingston campus. This event is free and open to public.

This event is free and open to the public.

University Career Services presents “Recruiter in Residence Program” from, 10 a.m. to 3:55 p.m. at the Busch Student Center on Busch campus. This event is free and open to the public.

Rutgers National Community Pharmacists Association presents “Busch Campus Blood Drive” from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Busch Campus Center on Busch campus. This event is free and open to the public.

The Department of Animal Sciences presents “Functional Consequences of Altered Gene Expression in Endometriosis” from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Foran Hall on Cook campus.

This event is free and open to the public.

University Career Services presents “Searching for International Jobs ‘Going Global’” from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Gateway Transit Village on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public.

The Zimmerli Ar t Museum and the Developing Room presents “Reinventing Documentar y Photography in the 1970s” from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Zimmerli Ar t Museum on the College Avenue campus.

The Department of Entomology presents “The Importance of Serendipity in Research: A Personal Journey” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Thompson Hall on Cook campus. This event is free and open to the public.

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.

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March 24, 2017

UNIVERSITY

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Students in OrphanSporks explore, compose a capella music KELLY KIM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Rutgers’ diverse student population continues to give rise to new and creative organizations. OrphanSporks, an a capella group, has found its niche in the realm of performing arts at Rutgers.

OrphanSporks is one of many a capella groups on campus, but is one of only a few with no cultural affiliation. It was established in the late 90s after a member found personal inspiration.

“The founding members had a band in high school called ‘The OrphanSporks.’ When they came to college, the band didn’t pan out, so they started this a cappella group and it just stuck,” said Iris Goldman, treasurer of the club and a School of Arts and Sciences junior.

Goldman and 15 other students make up OrphanSporks. In past years, some of the members have been music majors, but according to Musical Director and Rutgers School of Health Related Professions junior Amy Kim, the group currently does not consist of any music majors.

Despite its lack of music majors, the musical arrangement process is not affected. Every member has the opportunity to compose their own pieces with the collaboration of their fellow members if needed, she said.

“We have a lot of people who are involved and are interested (in the arrangement process).

This year, the people with more experience and musical theory background were paired with others who have less experience,” Kim said.

As musical director, Kim is responsible for everything related to music. She leads the rehearsals, delegates more practiced members to newer members and comments on technicalities like tone and range.

Tone and range are crucial for a cappella arrangements, but more importantly for the auditions, she said. Auditions are held over the course of five days in the first week of the fall semester.

“During audition nights, people come in, sing a scale so we can hear their range, sing a solo piece and then we cut that number down,” said David Blyd, the club’s business manager and a Rutgers Business School junior.

It is a rigorous process because a cappella is different from a traditional choir, Kim said. Choirs focus largely on overall musical technique, whereas a cappella groups must also consider having unique individual voices.

With such a specific skill set in mind, audition judges eventually narrow down the 30 to 40 students auditioning per day to a select few, depending on what parts the group is in need of.

OrphanSporks is one of the four contemporary a cappella groups at Rutgers. Although it does not maintain a strict musical time era, a majority of its songs are modern pop, with a few throwbacks from earlier OrphanSporks generations.

Throughout the year, OrphanSporks performs at concerts and gigs, both on and off campus.

Many on-campus events involve OrphanSporks in conjunction with similar groups, such as Deep Treble, a fellow co-ed a cappella organization, Goldman said.

“If an organization is hosting an event and wants some musical performance as an opener or as an intermission, we can get invited to — last year we got invited to the Rutgers TED Talk. As for concerts, we have our own concerts as well as concerts with other a cappella groups,” she said.

Kim said that in addition to their usual schedule of twice a week rehearsals and performing at events, the members of

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The name OrphanSporks was originally the name of a founder’s band in high school. The organization was established in the late 90s and continues to act as a place of musical exploration and growth for students passionate about a capella. FACEBOOK OrphanSporks are in the midst of recording their own CD. This will be the first CD in roughly six years that OrphanSporks will have released, she said.

It is projected to have 12-13 original OrphanSporks arrangements spanning the era since the last CD.

“It’s a big project, and it’s huge for us because it’s releasing our sound (to the public). People will review us as a public entity, so (listeners) are reviewing to show other people if we’re worth listening to in the acapella world,” Kim said.

Each a cappella group has its own

unique presence in the musical environment. Blyd said that OrphanSporks has one that is eccentric.

“We have an eccentric, but really creative performance style and colorful wardrobe too,” he said. “We bring our own brand of fun into the Rutgers community.”

Fall 2017 Pre-Registration Schedule begins Sunday, March 26th at 10:00 pm - 2:00 am for undergraduate students with 90 or greater degree credits and most graduate students.

For registration schedules and additional information, please access: http://nbregistrar.rutgers.edu/undergrad/f17prereg.htm

or email questions to: gradreg@rci.rutgers.edu reghelp@rci.rutgers.edu

March 24, 2017

Page 4

Professor analyzes how GOP health care plan will affect U. EMMA FLETCHER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With Congress set to vote on a Republican alternative for the Affordable Care Act today, some members of the Rutgers community are sharing their opinions on what this means for students and staff alike.

Distinguished Professor Joel Cantor is speaking out on what the GOP’s replacement health care plan could mean for members of the Rutgers community.

As a distinguished professor in the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Cantor has been analyzing New Jersey’s health care system and serving as an advisor to the state for many years.

Naturally, the long-standing Republican campaign promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has garnered much of his attention as a professional, and he said such changes may have serious impacts on our country.

Cantor said that the problem with broad repeal and replace is that there is no consensus about what to replace it with, even among Republicans in Congress.

“There are a lot of ideas on the table from various parties in Congress and from the Trump administration, none of which meet the stated goals of making sure people don’t lose coverage under whatever changes are implemented,” he said. “There’s a huge risk that if they start unwinding parts of the law, without having a solid replacement ready, that it’ll cause more problems than we have now.”

The bill significantly restructures Medicaid and allows states to require able-bodied adults to work if they want to be eligible for the program, according to CNN. The GOP bill still includes some pieces of Obamacare, including protections for people with pre-existing conditions, though insurers would be allowed to charge higher premiums to individuals whose coverage has lapsed. The bill also remains to let children stay on their parents’ insurance plans until the age of 26, according to CNN.

Cantor said while the ACA certainly has its imperfections, it is, in many ways, unfairly blamed for not fixing problems such as high premiums in the United States health care industry that has long predated the ACA itself. It also had impact on former President Barack Obama’s election.

Critics of the GOP replacement plan continually point to the positive effects of the Medicaid expansion. For example, around 10 million people gained coverage that otherwise would not have been able to afford health insurance.

“Medicaid is the program for low-income people, and under the Affordable Care Act, the states were in effect given the option of expanding Medicaid eligibility to many more people, low-income people. Some in the GOP just want to repeal that, but there are more than 10 million people who gained coverage, “ Cantor said.

Other Republicans have discussed potentially retaining some aspects of the ACA and doing away with parts of it that they believe are unfavorable.

David Chapman, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers in the Department of Music, and the secretary of the part-time lecturer’s chapter American Association of University Professors American Federation of Teachers (AAUP-AFT), said that to only keep certain aspects of the ACA is unacceptable and will lead to a collapse of the entire system.

“It’s a carefully crafted piece of legislation. If you remove the mandate, then nobody has to buy insurance, and then no one’s covered, and premiums will skyrocket. If you take away other parts of it, about tax breaks and things of that nature, that’s going to also affect the way that it’s paid for. If less people can access the pool, then it’s not going to be affordable anymore,” Chapman said.

He said the GOP has failed to propose anything that would effectively address the real problems within the American healthcare system.

“Although it does have some problems, I think that abolishing the ACA would be a terrible idea, especially with a replacement

FILM Bassem Youssef spoke in front of 400 students after being invited by Arab Cultural Club CONTINUED FROM FRONT individuals can stop the abuse of power, whether it is at a local or national level.

While the protests which forced former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to resign and the coup which overthrew former President Mohamed Morsi are vastly different from the protests against the United States President Donald J. Trump, there are common signs with both, she said.

“Egypt and America are very different countries with very different histories, and the U.S. is lucky to have a long history of free speech which is valued by people all over the political spectrum,” she said. “But if you watch ‘Tickling Giants’ and don’t see some warning signs, I don’t know what

movie you’re watching, because, to me, there are a lot of very loud hints that we are on a path where power is being abused and free speech is being limited.”

Abubaker said the United States’ legal protections make protests within America different from those in Egypt.

Media outlets in Egypt are heavily censored, and Youssef’s program was the first to criticize the government, she said. Abubaker lived in Egypt in 2013, near the time of the military coup.

“I feel there is definitely a similarity in people rising against something they believe in and voicing their opinion, but it is a ver y different context,” she said. “In one place it’s organized, it’s safe, there’s police, in the other people could lose their

Joel Cantor, a professor in the Department of Public Policy, said repealing the Affordable Care Act will have a direct and immediate effect on students and faculty at Rutgers. He said this is particularly important given the number of part-time lecturers at the University. REUTERS plan. If we could just fix a few problems in it, it would probably be better for the country,” said Neil Mullengada, a Rutgers Business School first year, and a member of the Rutgers University Democrats E-board.

Cantor said health care is extremely critical for college students and Rutgers students will

“I don’t think the ACA has solved the affordability problem, but it made a huge dent in it. ” JOEL CANTOR Professor in the Department of Public Policy

certainly feel the effects of the ACA repealed and replaced.

“Serious mental illness, for example, tends to manifest in early adulthood, and the ACA, for the first time, requires health insurers to cover mental health care.

There’s research that shows that

lives. We have a judicial system — I think that’s the hardest part in comparing the protests, we have law and justice.”

Taksler said Youssef’s method for making his voice heard differs sharply from protestors and may have been more effec-

“... People were killing each other to have their opinions heard, and by telling a few jokes, Bassem had a much louder voice ...”

SARA TAKSLER Director of “Tickling Giants”

tive because it was able to reach more people.

“The thing that I find interesting in Bassem’s story is a few blocks away in Tahrir Square, people were killing each other to have their opinions heard, and by telling

this has been a hugely important thing for young people, to have early access to treatment to mental health services, as it can prevent a lifetime of disability,” Cantor said.

Cantor also said that for those students without a parent who has an employer-sponsored policy that they can receive coverage from, health care costs could be very low or even free under the Medicaid expansion or the ACA, which would then be a non-option if the GOP moves forward with its plans to dismantle the ACA. For many part-time lecturers, like Chapman, and part-time employees at Rutgers who rely on the ACA, broad changes to the system pose daunting threats to their future coverage, he said.

“Currently part-time lecturers teach 30 percent of the courses at Rutgers. And a lot of those parttime lecturers are either not insured because they can’t afford it, or are covered through the ACA,” Chapman said. “Not just part time professors, but other types of part-time workers in general. If you’re not insured, if you’re not taking care of your health, you’re

sick not going to get better, you’re often contagious – it’s just bad public policy all around.”

The defunding of Planned Parenthood, a highly controversial focal point, also presents threats to Rutgers students and staff, primarily low-income women for whom it is a valuable resource of quality reproductive and sexual health care.

“The money going to Planned Parenthood doesn’t go to abortions, it goes to birth control, screenings, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and it’s really essential health care for a lot of women. The kind of defunding that is being talked about is going to create huge barriers to women’s health care,” Cantor said.

Cantor said the ACA helped cover about 20 million people that would otherwise be uninsured.

There are absolutely fair critiques that the ACA does not solve the affordability problem because it is still very expensive, Cantor said.

“I don’t think the ACA has solved the affordability problem, but it made a huge dent in it. The proposals on the table would reverse a lot of those gains as opposed to fixing them.”

a few jokes, Bassem had a much louder voice,” Taksler said. “Yelling and screaming and fighting might feel necessary, but I don’t think that will change things. If people can find a funny sign, to me, that’ll read louder.”

The movie has been positively received so far, she said.

“One thing that’s really been hopeful to me, the movie has resonated not just with liberals, but with conservatives and libertarians and people with views different from my own,” Taksler said. “Because it is about a different country, it’s easier for people to not come up with their own political biases because they don’t know the history of the country really well.”

The Arab Cultural Club hosted Youssef as part of an educational event, Abubaker said.

The group is a non-political, non-religious organization which seeks to raise awareness of the culture of Middle Eastern countries, she said. They host various events through the year, including their annual street festival.

While they do not always host a speaker in the spring semester, Abubaker said it was important for the group’s members to do so this year to educate the community after the last election.

“With his show, which revolves around propaganda, fake news, all of that is very relevant to us in America today,” she said. “I think it was the perfect time to bring him – even if we brought him two years ago it wouldn’t have the same effect as it did today.”

Taksler said she hoped people who watched the movie would learn more about refugees from nations like Egypt — Youssef, along with most of the people in the documentary, are refugees, but they are still people.

“I (also) hope everyone who watched the movie tries to find their own creative, non-violent way to stop the abuse of power and fight for free speech,” Taksler said. “I never could have imagined that this movie would be so relevant to my own country. When I was making this, that never crossed my mind.”

Page 5

March 24, 2017

FORUM

were surprised,” he said. “At the ACLU, we were more prepared for a Trump presidency by taking everything he said seriously and literally. In June and July of the summer, we prepared a very early legal analysis of all of Trump’s promises as a candidate.”

Romero said Trump’s own words on the campaign trail ultimately resulted in a victory for the ACLU in regards to the first immigration executive order. He said that in characterizing the immigration order as a “Muslim Ban” during the campaign, Trump sank his own policy by relabeling it as a “travel ban.”

groups. It’s in that context that our immigration work has happened. And when it comes to these immigration issues, there is always a coinciding foreign policy issue at hand.”

Yet Warren said the biggest threat the United States faces today is not an external threat but an internal one.

“The rhetoric of criminalization surrounding immigrant and minority communities is so deeply hurtful and dangerous,” he said.

“It is essentially enabling and empowering a massive set of deportation mechanisms. It has

way that rounds off all ills into something that still valorizes life, Ghisyawan said.

It is important that students see the novel as something unique to itself, as gender fluidity is equally foreign to Indo-Caribbean culture. The feelings

are real, Ghisyawan said. Students should keep the environment in mind as they read these human connections and the involvement in their social and personal interactions.

“I think that’s what resonates with people the most is that you

only important to them, but to us as well. Sometimes starting the conversation is the hardest part of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was integral the battle.”

During the town hall, Balin preventing enforcement of Trump’s ‘Travel Ban’ akrishnan said that giving students access to the leaders of there were outrageous lies being these civil liberties organizaCONTINUED FROM FRONT spread on the campaign trail that tions is a key part of affecting positive change in the surroundhow I got them to agree to come we were not necessarily able to directly refute.” ing community. here together.”

Huang describes the Amnesty “Moving Forward” was intendThe panel of three included cived to bring the Rutgers communiil rights organizers Executive Di- USA campaign as a proactive way ty together through civil political rector at Amnesty USA Margaret of responding to threats against discourse, he said.

Huang, Executive Director at the human rights while maintaining According to UAA, it was met American Civil Liberties Union a neutral stance in American polwith incredible success as the (ACLU) Anthony Romero and Ex- itics. She said the campaign’s goal event sold out. ecutive Director Many rallies, at the Center for “The rhetoric of criminalization surrounding immigrant and minority communities is so deeply hurtful and c o n f e r e n c e s Constitutional and town halls Rights (CCR) dangerous.” have been held Vince Warren. in the wake of BalakrishVINCE WARREN the election nan began the Executive Director at the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and on March evening by 25, Rutgers will introducing Romero said the president is happened before and if we’re not host the Women’s Leadership the honored guests and th- was to remind American citizens of the values they hold by sharing making his job easy by tr ying vigilant, it can happen again.”

Conference, with hopes of coneir accomplishments.

Afterward, she held a conver- pictures of themselves with fellow to pass blatantly unconstituBalakrishnan discussed the tinuing the conversation started tional laws. sation with each leader regarding Americans that they believed in. importance of hosting events by Balakrishnan.

Warren discussed fighting on like “Moving Forward” at RutWhile the initial effort was “In terms of Rutgers, it is the current state of affairs within their respective organization. designed to play a part on the the front lines of the immigration gers during the Trump era. She important that we were able to During the discussion, Huang campaign trail, Huang said the debate. He said the CCR has been said that it is astounding how bring the conversation to our described the current status of campaign has remained active fighting Trump’s executive or- UAA was able to bring three community,” she said. “When to support people speaking out ders since the second they were leaders of the most monumental we host influential leaders here Amnesty USA. “Amnesty launched the ‘Amer- against human rights abuse during filed. Warren said that while the civil rights organizations of this in New Brunswick, we are exica I Believe In’ campaign last the Trump administration. Rome- CCR might not win every case country together alongside the panding the discussion to include the Rutgers community. summer because of the events ro echoed Huang’s words and said in regards to immigration, he be- Rutgers community. and rhetoric during the election,” that the ACLU has been compiling lieves in success without a victory.

“These leaders have never It is essential that students “At the CCR, we fight power, been on a panel together before,” and faculty have a way to make Huang said. “As an international its legal opposition against Trump especially the egregious power Balakrishnan said. “The fact that their voice heard to the leadhuman rights organization, we in the wake of the election.

“After the election, many in the we see today,” he said. “But we we could get them to speak to- ers at the forefront of the Civil have a very clear policy about impartiality. Because of this, establishment, including myself, also build power with movement gether for the first time was not Rights Movement.”

POET Shani Mootoo was nominated for Booker Prize for her novel ‘Cereus Blooms at Night’ CONTINUED FROM FRONT Mootoo takes a look at Indo-Caribbean women, along with same-sex desire and complicated discussions of the diaspora, making her a great guest for this event, Ghisyawan said.

Her discussions focused on a wide array of topics from sexuality and gender to feelings of home — all-encompassing aspects of the Caribbean studies program here, Ghisyawan said.

While some students, such as Ghisyawan, focus on subject matter like LGBT rights in Trinidad, others focus on dif ferent conceptions of space and belonging.

“The RAICCS has a lot of ongoing projects such as this. We constantly have scholars and professors visiting along with a multitude of events in our depar tment. Just today we had a professor, Patricia Mohammed, visit from the University of the West Indies and Trinidad that discussed mapping with myself and another professor,” she said.

Anjali Nerlekar, associate professor of Indo-Caribbean literature, said that in teaching courses on Indo-Caribbean literature she was exposed to “Cereus Blooms at Night” as the most consistently requested novel among all of her classes. With assistance from Ghisyawan, the two were able to connect with Mootoo and have her present for students.

Mootoo has managed to complicate the idea of the Indo-Caribbean identity by integrating

it with queer identities — something ver y few writers have been able to accomplish, Nerlekar said.

Her presentation was originally anticipated as a reading, but also showcased visual elements from her latest writing as an added surprise.

The use of multi-media platforms throughout her work has especially helped highlight this notion of hybridity when discussing post-colonial literature, Ghisyawan said. It gains a new resonance when she talks about moving across new genres, media and genders.

“We were talking before and she said how she didn’t want to settle into these notions of a post-colonial Trinidadian writer that settles into a stor y about being displaced and then gets acclimated for something that has been done before. She wants to destabilize herself and not to get comfortably being ghettoized by moving onto new media,” she said.

The concepts discussed by Mootoo find success in the hopeful undertone to an otherwise dark stor y about violence and devastation, Ghisyawan said. It is these topics about the world and human life that resonate with students and gives her writing that young appeal.

When reading her novel one can only feel the situations endured by the characters are impossible to come away from, yet in the end, there is a full circle moment where you feel as though ever ything is alright.

She writes these horrors in a

don’t have to share the gender anxieties of the author, you don’t have to share the background or ethnicity. There is a certain thematic core to her work that can speak to many different ages and backgrounds of students,” Ghisyawan said.

OPINIONS

Page 6

March 24, 2017

Lahren’s suspension is good for conservatives

E

arlier this week, political commenTORY TIME tator and notorious Facebook celebrity Tomi Lahren was suspended by ANDREA VACCHIANO The Blaze after she had appeared on The View and said she was pro-choice. Lahren, who has become famous for taking part in four-minute long rants on Facebook in which she complains and yells about various current events, most famously about Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the pledge of allegiance, was discussing politics on The View. When the topic of abortion came up, Lahren said that it was hypocritical to support limited government and be pro-life, stating that “I’m someone that is for limited government, so I can’t sit here and be a hypocrite and say … that I think that the government should decide what women do with their bodies.” This was shocking — not just that someone on Glenn Beck’s payroll would sit at a panel with Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar and validate their views on abortion, but especially that Lahren would make this dramatic shift in opinion, after Lahren had called the pro-choice movement “baby killers” in a previous video three months earlier. After making these comments, Lahren was been suspended for a week by The Blaze, and her Facebook show remains temporarily inactive. It is unclear how long Lahren will stay at The Blaze, and although it was never explicitly stated why she was suspended, it is obvious why.

The Blaze should be applauded for its decision — Lahren’s statements in general reflect a deep misunderstanding of conservatism, especially her comments about abortion. Once one believes that human life begins at conception and thus the fetus deserves the right to live, there is nothing intrusive about the government preventing abortions from happening. In fact, many pro-lifers believe that it is the government’s responsibility to protect those lives. To the pro-lifer, saying that it is “hypocritical” to be pro-life is like saying it is “hypocritical” for the government to ban murder — allegations of hypocrisy misunderstand the beliefs that pro-lifers have, which is that a fetus is a human life and thus deserves the right to live. There is nothing about that belief, when framed with respect to understanding the philosophy behind it, that is hypocritical. Unlike pro-life conservatives, Tomi Lahren has actually been hypocritical. Not only has she explicitly said that the pro-choice movement was made of baby killers, but for the past several months, she has supported various statist positions while also calling herself a “libertarian.” While she is adamant about the government being overbearing, she has supported President Donald J. Trump staunchly and has not appeared to criticize any of his biggovernment actions yet.

For the most part, the news of her suspension made liberals (and conservatives alike) relieved. But the few leftists that still support free speech (although they seem to misunderstand it) were quick to accuse The Blaze of hypocrisy for suspending Lahren, although she had evidently polarized her coworkers and brought negative attention upon her organization. Although Lahren has said outrageous, polarizing things like “Black Lives Matter is the new KKK” and even though leftists concede that Lahren’s rhetoric is annoying, there are still complaints from the Left. The Daily Show host Trevor Noah claimed that he was offended by the alleged hypocrisy of The Blaze’s decision, saying that people who criticize “special snowflakes” for not wanting to hear different opinions should not fire one of their own for voicing an unpopular view. But there’s nothing hypocritical about Lahren’s suspension. It would be shocking if someone who came out publicly to support something that their bosses equate to genocide then kept their job, and only if Lahren’s commentary was valuable before this incident happened, would it be wrong to suspend her. Even though in the real world, one should avoid publicly implying that their bosses and coworkers are hypocritical, it would be unfair to suspend her only under the assumption that the commentator was intelligent and had thoughtful opinions — which is inapplicable to Lahren.

Tomi Lahren’s suspension will be good for conservatism. When I scroll through Facebook for the rest of this week, I’ll be enjoying the peace and quiet, but I will also be appreciating that more conservatives are beginning to recognize which commentators are best for our cause and which ones are not. From this point forward, hopefully the Right can get more informed commentators to be the symbol of conservatism, much like we had through the 1960s and 1990s with William F. Buckley Jr. There is nothing hypocritical about thinking the government should be small and also that the life of the unborn should be protected, and there’s nothing hypocritical about The Blaze removing (temporarily or not) a commentator for actively damaging conservatism.

Andrea Vacchiano is a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore doublemajoring in history and political science. Her column, “Tory Time,” runs on alternate Fridays.

UNIVERSAL UCLICK

EDITORIAL WEEK IN REVIEW: Laurels and Darts WINNERS AND HEROS

SPILL THE BEANS ON OIL SPILLS

Three University students and one alumna have become the first Rutgers team to win the regional Hult Prize competition. They won the not-forprofit’s competition with their idea to address the problem of transportation in refugee camps around the world.

The plan involved electric-powered rickshaws that would first be implemented in Pakistan. We laurel these students and alumna for not only winning such a prestigious award but also for creating an idea that benefits those in need.

Nicole Fahrenfeld is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering who is researching the long-term effects of oil spills. Previous studies did not account for a recent shift in microbes caused by an unconventional oil and gas wastewater spill. But so far, studies are suggesting that high levels of antibiotic resistance, which are being indicated by the oil spill, are linked to clinic infections. We dart oil spills and those who cause them for creating a negative impact on the environment.

NOT ON SCHEDULE

SPREAD THE HEALTH

Rutgers students felt their stress levels go up as the Rutgers Degree Navigator tool became temporarily unavailable to students. This happened Wednesday, four days before course registration. The inaccessibility was said to be part of a software issue. Although the Office of Information Technology apologized for the inconvenience, we dart the software issue for creating more stress for students who were attempting to use the tool to help plan their schedule for the next semester.

Rutgers University has a community ser vice organization known as Healthy Kids of New Brunswick, which promotes healthy lifestyles for underser ved kids in New Brunswick.

It hosts fitness and nutrition classes. At these classes kids do a series of games and exercises. They are also provided with small, healthy snacks. We laurel Healthy Kids of New Brunswick for creating a positive environment for youth of their community.

STUDIES ON WOMEN STUDIES

STOP THE HATE

According to USA Today College, student interest in women’s and gender studies programs is growing each year at universities across the nation. Rutgers is one of these schools where women’s and gender studies is the only unit of social sciences and humanities that has shown consistent growth over the past five years. These students usually are interested in race and class issues as well. We laurel this expansion and the fact that more students are becoming more interested and involved in social issues regarding minorities.

A New Jersey district has been the spot of many hate-based and discriminator y incidents in the recent month. Besides a mock slave auction for fifth-grade students and an assignment to create posters for a slave auction, students have used racist and derogator y language in class. Racist, sexist and anti-Semitic graffiti was found in a student bathroom that included a swastika. We dart this New Jersey district for having recurring acts of discrimination and not effectively fixing these issues.

The Daily Targum’s editorials represent the views of the majority of the 149th editorial board. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.

Opinions Page 7

March 24, 2017

Republicans are morphing into enemies they once derided THE PRINCIPLED MILLENNIAL MICHAEL PIQUERO

T

hroughout the year I have often used my column to voice my discontent with various aspects of the American political scene. Last year was a year of change and 2017 is shaping up to exhibit the tangible results of those changes. At this point, it is impractical to assert which direction our country is going in as a result of these changes. However, if someone turns on the news or talks to a politically-obsessed friend or colleague with strong inclinations, they may believe the world is burning. Although there have been many things that have confounded me about the election and the current administration, I do not buy into the partisan hysteria that is projected by the media onto the populace. From my perspective, partisan hysteria — a tactic used by both parties and channeled through the media — is merely a symptom of polarization, which I have written about extensively. Recent history shows the disruptive tactics used by Republicans to block worthwhile efforts by the previous administration, and today we see those same tactics being employed by Democrats against the current administration. Hypocrisy cuts both ways in politics.

As I have tried to show in the past, this toxic atmosphere merely promotes division, discourages unity and makes compromise impossible and politically damaging. Caught in the crossfire of this virulent backdrop is the average American who feels no particular ideological attachment to either side. To those individuals, the Republican and Democratic impasse is morally, ethically and rationally reprehensible. Public confidence in governmental institutions is at an all-time low because both sides have simply failed to converge and agree on virtually any major issues. In short, both major parties have

Americans, that both sides of the political aisle are engaging in partisan hysteria to fuel anger in their respective camps. This counterintuitive strategy actually enhances the powers of the party while simultaneously limiting the power of the average citizen.

The Democrats have embraced the unofficial mantra of “the resistance” which they hope will symbolize their outright contempt for the president and his agenda. This is sure to include constant personal and political attacks and bitter opposition to the governing party’s initiatives. The Republicans, on the other hand, have proven they

“This is the same type of political trickery used by the Democrats in 2010 to pass the Affordable Care Act.” abandoned the center and given voice to their most ideologically entrenched members and never looked back. A large portion of President Donald J. Trump’s support came from disaffected voters who view him as the only plausible alternative to government-as-usual. To them, Trump represents a political grenade that will intentionally alter the political system in a way that benefits them, not special interests.

In my personal opinion, there have been some encouraging aspects about his administration, as well as a handful of discouraging ones. Instead, I am attempting to show what is clear to me and many informed

are on equal footing by rushing the Affordable Care Act replacement bill, renamed the American Health Care Act, through GOP-dominated congressional committees in hopes that it will pass Congress before the public truly understands its contents.

In its current form, the bill will not garner a single Democratic vote and potentially numerous Republican votes. This is the same type of political trickery used by the Democrats in 2010 to pass the Affordable Care Act. The cycle continues, and as political partisans in Washington, D.C. have fun playing around with the nation’s well-being, it is the American worker that suffers.

Moderating influences have simply vanished altogether in Washington, as members of both political sides feel vulnerable if they stray too close to the center. The optimist in me wants to believe that many members are more centrist than their proclamations would suggest, however the pessimist in me often uses history as a guiding factor. Actions speak louder than words, and many of Congress’s recent actions fall well short of many of my most optimistic beliefs. I am ashamed as a conservative to see my party fail so miserably on health care reform, promoting a bill that has garnered widespread public and intra-party criticism, without even consulting either the Democrats or the Senate. House Republicans need to look in the mirror and see that they are morphing into the enemy they once derided. I am equally ashamed at the Democrats for posturing themselves as the “resistance” party, brazenly antithetical to 46 percent of the voting public’s will.

I can envision a utopia (if you can even call it that) where both sides join together to fix the failures of the Affordable Care Act and create a bill that both liberals and conservatives can agree on without falling into the temptation to appease the most vocal elements of their parties.

We’ll have to keep waiting.

Michael Piquero is a School of Arts and Sciences junior majoring in political science and history. His column, “The Principled Millennial,” runs on alternate Fridays.

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March 24, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Elsa Nilsson Trio shakes up norms of typical jazz shows KAI KIERNAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At INC Restaurant on Wednesday night, Elsa Nilsson played a bass flute, an instrument with a 180-degree cur ve in the head joint. Her solo involved ever y member of her trio, and the night started off with a forewarning: This was not a usual night with The New Brunswick Jazz Project.

Long notes filled the air, where everything is cool and soaked in a beautiful tone. The music is slow in the beginning, but it’s far from boring.

Bassist Alex Minier played long sustained notes. At first it felt like things were off — it didn’t

feel like the typical walking bass line or ballad-like playing that is so common in bar jazz. It was a wonderfully woeful and wobbly odd time.

Once I collected that this was not a going to be a typical bar jazz show, I leaned back, closed my eyes and absorbed everything that was happening.

Minier laid down long notes like railroad tracks, connecting each part of the song together like stations. Guitarist Jeff McLaughlin did not just play chords like a standard guitarist — he played in textures that would be more easily found in a dream pop record than in a jazz song.

The bassline set the course for the music, and the guitar was a

first-class train riding the rails from station to station with efficiency, flavor and style. The conductor was no one other than Elsa Nilsson, herself. She took the melodies on each song and brought the songs through their routes.

In synthesis, the trio were set for a great trip with stops you might not typically expect.

Don’t be fooled, the songs are beautiful and well played, but they are not meant to comfort you. While looking around the crowded bar and restaurant, I saw people who seemed absorbed in their dinner conversations turn their heads to see what was happening. And it happened every time the band changed things up.

It’s difficult for any artist to captivate an audience that isn’t there solely to see the performance, but that didn’t seem to be a problem last Wednesday night.

Every time part of the music changed, people turned and listened. It seemed that the only constant in the Elsa Nilsson Trio’s music was that everything was bound to change. It was a constant improvisational goldmine, with ears and eyes captivated like a miners eyes on silver.

There was one song that stuck out to me more than any other.

The very rhythm of the song is best described as the sensation of a record skipping. It sounded as if it was some sort of auditory mistake —a scratch in the record or where chunks had been removed.

It forced your ears to listen.

The song was fast and the melody whizzed by like a freight train, which is a comparison that typically isn’t associated with flutes. The trio went through sharp turns where the guitarist

doubled the melody and harmonized with it, but all while going through the wild little ride where the beat wasn’t where it was expected to be.

From the perspective of a musician, you can easily see how listening to a fast song with odd rhythms and complicated melodies is kind of like watching a locomotive going down a track that’s shaped like a lightning bolt. You expect crashing or mess or at least to some, a less than peaceful ride.

But Elsa Nilsson and her trio did not play that way that night.

It was a solidly tantalizing, sensational, captivating experience that I definitely encourage others to hear.

Elsa Nilsson and her band will be releasing a new album called Salt Wind on March 26. There also will be videos of selected songs released with the album available on Nilsson’s YouTube channel. Pre-orders are available now.

Sofar Sounds comes to New Brunswick with new student rep DEANNA DILANDRO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Elsa Nilsson Trio composed of bassist Alex Minier, guitarist Jeff McLaughlin and flutist Elsa Nilsson captivated the patrons of INC Restuarant last Wednesday with a night of untraditional jazz tunes and melodies. JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR

Waking up one morning as a first-year living in Tinsley Hall on College Avenue, I remember picking up a copy of the New York Times from the lobby and flipping straight to the arts section, scanning the bold print for a headline that would inspire me to read on.

“Intimate Concerts in Secret Locations,” was the headline that swayed me to snag the arts section and read its content while sitting on an LX bus headed to class.

It was on that bus that I was introduced to Sofar Sounds, a live music experience unlike any other.

Founded in London in 2010 and now based in more than 300 cities around the world, Sofar Sounds is a global network of artists, hosts and guests, all with the goal of cherishing live music. From apartments to warehouses and marine ships, Sofar Sounds shows happen all over the place — if you can get in.

Half the adventure of Sofar is the surprise of where and who you will be seeing at a gig, and the other half is getting the chance to attend a live music event catered to an intimate experience with the music and the audience.

Two years later, Sofar Sounds is making New Brunswick a part of their global network. Current Rutgers first-year student and Tinsley Hall resident Amanda Leifer has attended countless Sofar shows and wanted to bring Sofar Sounds to an already thriving music scene.

“When I was coming to Rutgers I already knew that I wanted to do musical things,” Leifer said.

“I knew that I wanted to be a part of something musical within Rutgers, I learned so much about the basement scene here, and I thought, having gone to so many Sofar shows, what would be a better way to bring people into place where they can listen to more music? And I thought New Brunswick was that perfect place.”

Through attending Sofar shows, Leifer realized her ability to curate personalized shows in the city she is living in. The New Brunswick Sofar Sounds team has begun hosting shows throughout the city, including, but not limited to Brunswick’s basements.

“We plan to host more shows in diverse locations throughout the community, and we’re really excited for audience members to find out where we are hosting gigs,” Leifer said.

Not only is Sofar Sounds shedding light on sharable spaces within the community, but it is also opening up the scene to a wide range of musicians who apply to play gigs with Sofar Sounds in New Brunswick. Musicians who apply to play Sofar shows come from all over the world, creating a diverse live music experience in an already diverse city.

“Being a part of the music community is what brings together the music geeks and band nerds together,” Leifer said. “Sofar Sounds makes a big school seem smaller.”

DIVERSIONS

March 24, 2017

Mark Tatulli Horoscopes

Lio

Page 9 Eugenia Last

Happy Birthday: Look around and you’ll discover that you are not alone.

Getting involved in organizations that can bring about change will give you a platform to raise questions and form an alliance with like-minded people.

This will be a year of unity and looking out for one another. Become part of the big picture and you will make new friends. Your numbers are 3, 10, 22, 27, 33, 40, 46.

Over The Hedge

T. Lewis and M. Fry

Non Sequitur

Wiley

Pearls Before Swine

Stephan Pastis

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Express your feelings and follow through with your plans. Personal gains can be yours if you are forthright about how you want your life to unfold. A partnership will bring you closer to achieving your lifelong goals. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Partnerships can be dealt with if you are willing to share and compromise. Make plans to do something nice for someone you love. Family get-togethers or doing something with children or elders will promote good relationships.

Romance is encouraged. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Be helpful and compassionate. How you treat your peers will reinforce the types of relationships you develop with the people you deal with each day. Try to get along with others and you’ll avoid gossip and criticism.

Work hard and play hard. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep an open mind when dealing with emotional situations at home. A partnership will be difficult if you can’t come up with alternative plans that will suit everyone involved.

Show how much you care by taking positive action. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Deal with authority figures if necessary.

Show everyone what you have to offer and do whatever it takes to get ahead. Don’t fold under pressure or let anyone stand between you and success. Celebrate your victory with someone you love. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Share your feelings, emotions and plans and you will get the response you are looking for. Much can be accomplished if you join forces with someone who shares your aspirations.

Make love, romance and important relationships your priority. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Improvements that will make your living space more efficient and comfortable are featured. Stick to a budget and be sure to ask for approval to avoid getting into a spat with someone you live with. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Emotional tactics will be used against you. Getting involved in a situation for the wrong reasons will be regretful. Uncertainty and doubt should be a warning sign to reconsider your plans. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put more time, energy and effort into important partnerships. Getting along with others will make it much easier for you to get the help and backing you need to reach your goals. Travel, socializing and relationships should be your priorities. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Professional options will open up. Consider what you enjoy doing most and you will find a way to turn it into a moneymaking endeavor. Trust in your judgment and make a commitment to help make the world a better place. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Gather facts and question a proposal that sounds too good to be true. Try your best to work alone to reach your set goal. Impulsive or unpredictable people should be kept at a distance.

Channel your energy wisely. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A partnership opportunity should be looked at carefully. Consider the motives behind the offer and your reasons for entertaining the possibility. Take your time and base your decision on a series of conversations, not one thing alone. 3 stars

©2017 By Eugenia Last distributed by Universal Uclick

ACROSS

Universal Crossword equipment

1 Blossom’s friend, on TV

54 A definite article

4 Male sailor

57 What pessimists expect in

10 Big gulp

random 60-second increments?

14 Playfully modest

59 Molder

15 Not sage at all

60 Comedy legend Dick Van ___

16 Be sought after, in a kid’s game

61 More ridiculous and silly

17 Piercing tool

62 “Stat” attachment

18 What either male twin on

63 Formerly married couple

Wilshire Blvd. has?

20 “The Little Red Book” chairman

64 Abbr. title for a group of gentlemen

21 Like beer and some fountain drinks 65 School fund-raising org.

22 Thing taken at a diner

DOWN

23 Sanctimonious person

1 Con

25 “... ___ home and native land”

2 Important American caucus state

(“O Canada”) 26 Question of magnitude to a milliner?

31 One who works with numbers and books

3 Certain percussion instruments 4 Sends in, as payments 5 Make livid 6 Way off base 7 Catcher’s equipment

34 Worshiped things

8 Messy, as a hearth

35 Nickname for Ireland

9 “Her maiden name was” word

36 Business name abbr.

10 Bake eggs in their shells

37 Ruler’s creation

11 Moving air

38 Wintour and Moffo

12 Currently doing nothing

39 Intentionally fail to include

13 Drive or reverse

40 Country club payments

19 Sporting romp

41 Writer of flowery verses

24 Audible breathing sounds

42 Carny barker or salesperson’s

25 Unknown persons

delivery 43 Bad ___ (German spa)

26 Diacritical mark 27 Hate and disgust

44 Weeping sound from a bird hybrid? 28 It’s a gas 46 Combine in a blender

29 Like a trident

47 Parts of true blackjack hands

30 A Muse

48 Recurring theme

31 Sunday funny

51 Make updates to factory

32 Nosy Parker

33 In a suitable manner 36 Small, tight thicket of trees 38 Highest point 42 Public and private groups

Yesterday’s Solution

44 LP player 45 More self-centered 46 Silent performers 48 Constructed 49 Banded chalcedony 50 Little nipper 51 Alphabetic symbol of yore 52 Fraternity letters or cockpit

Yesterday’s

guesses 53 Boggy, swampy places 55 Owl sound 56 Lab burner of old 58 Frontal attachment for “bus” or “rod”

Solution

March 24, 2017

Page 10

PREP Knights will play 1st game in program history as No. 1 ranked team in country CONTINUED FROM BACK three straight ranked teams. But even when the opponent isn’t ranked, they will be treated as if they were.

“We pride ourselves in preparing and taking each team seriously,” said junior midfielder Christian Mazzone. “Doing extra film, extra work after really learning our opponent. It (starts) with Delaware and rolls into Big Ten play.”

And despite the new No. 1 ranking to their name, the Knights will continue to play out this season as motivated as ever.

Senior defender Chris Groel has not only seen his position group develop into one of the best in the country but has seen his team do

the same. He has seen Rutgers go from a mediocre Big East team, to Big Ten bottom feeder, to the top team in the nation.

Knowing where this program was just a few years ago has helped Groel and the rest of the team remain humble and hungry.

“Our mentality is always having a chip on our shoulder,” he said.

“We know how low (we’ve been), how dark times have been for us in the past that we always see the next game as a challenge.”

That mentality will help prepare for a Delaware team that already has six wins on the year and has shown that it can make some noise with a strong attacking unit.

The Blue Hens boast an attack that is led by three underclassmen

Junior midfielder Christian Mazzone is part of a midfield unit that has contributed much more to scoring than in the past.

DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / MARCH 2017

who all attended high school in New Jersey. Freshman Charlie Kitchen and sophomores Andrew Romagnoli and Joe Eisele make up a unit that is scoring over 7 goals per game for a team averaging 12 per game.

Despite this, Brecht remains confident in his experienced group that knows what it takes to handle its business on the road, “This is a mature group, this is an older group that’s had a lot of experiences on the road, at home, in postseason play,” he said. “They know what needs to be done. It’s a challenge now being the number one (team). So it’s just another task for us to be able to handle as we go about our business.”

With the top ranking in the country and six games left in the regular season, the Knights will need to be prepared to take the best shot each of their opponents has.

In seven weeks of rankings, only one team, Maryland, has kept the top spot for consecutive weeks.

This speaks to quality of lacrosse all over the nation and there are no teams to be taken lightly. The last team to hold that spot, Denver, was recently blown out by No. 3 Ohio State, a team Rutgers will host in its season finale at home.

The Knights will not look past the Blue Hens this Saturday, as Delaware is all they have on their minds and is all they have been preparing for over the past week, as there is no doubt they will get the Blue Hen’s best effort.

“We know that we earned that and we want to keep that ranking,” Mazzone said. “We know people are gonna give us their best and we’re gonna be ready.”

For updates on the Rutgers men’s lacrosse team, follow @ griffinwhitmer and @TargumSports on Twitter.

START Rutgers will try to get out of 1st slump of season at USC Upstate in Spartanburg in almost every offensive and pitching category such as batting played against ranked opponents average (.253 versus .301), runs and going 1-8 in those games — scored (95 versus 165), hits (170 Rutgers knew it would be a tough versus 210), walks (75 versus 96), strikeouts (146 versus 110) and beginning to the season.

Litterio, who made the sched- earned run average (7.54 versule two or three years ago, us 4.12).

To win, the Knights are going couldn’t have known it would be to need to reverse these numthis tough.

Regardless, he is sticking to bers, and fast.

“I think overall we need to his guns with playing good teams, and when asked whether going clean pretty much everything up against good teams is simply up,” Folinusz said. “But I’m happy for exposure or to secure some that guys are going out there and doing their best to grind it out.” wins, he chose the latter.

One player who has impressed “No, I’m looking to win those games,” he said. “I’m looking to so far this season and done more show our guys what it takes to than grind it out is freshman right be a ranked team. Obviously I hander Joe Neglia.

In six innings of work spanput that schedule in place with a larger senior class and I’m ex- ning over six appearances, Neglia pecting them to understand what has a 1.50 ERA, giving up just two hits and one we’re going earned run. up against and He has walked to be able to five batters and compete with those guys and “I think overall we need struck out six.

Usually I think in Mito clean pretty much coming into ami and Virgineverything up.” the game in ia we did it for the later inhalf games…

CHRIS FOLINUSZ nings to either I want to beJunior Catcher stop the bleedcome one of ing or help those teams, with a save, and to become Neglia has one of those tried to remain teams you got to learn how to beat those teams.” calm in his first year on a collJunior catcher Chris Folinusz ege mound.

“I’m definitely just staying reknows his team has gotten off to a slow start, but doesn’t blame the laxed, having trust in all the guys schedule and thinks his team will behind me to do well and do their jobs,” he said. “Coach Gaynor begin to pick up momentum.

“We’ve definitely had a tough has been teaching us really well, schedule so far, but going for- working hard in practice and ward I think we’ll be fine and I’m that’s pretty much it.”

Rutgers is going to need some not really worried about the record. We’ve definitely showed a of its pitchers to step up as Neglia lot of fight and a lot of those ball has so far this season if it wants to games were definitely winnable win. But for now, the Knights are so hopefully going forward we still underachieving.

“I’m expecting a lot more out pick up some of those wins that of this team the rest of the season should be wins.”

It seems like the Knights are so underachieved would be the close to where they want to be, word I would use right now,” Litbut haven’t managed to put it all terio said. together. And the numbers on the For updates on the Rutgers season don’t lie.

So far this season, Rutgers has baseball team, follow @TargumSbeen outpaced by its opponent ports on Twitter.

CONTINUED FROM BACK

Head coach Joe Litterio made a point of scheduling difficult games for Rutgers but still expects the Knights to win them.

DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2017

March 24, 2017

Page 11 FOOTBALL KNIGHTS OPEN UP SPRING WITH SEVERAL CHANGES ON COACHING STAFF, ROSTER

Rutgers’ early spring practice marked by movement JON SPILLETTI SPORTS EDITOR

A black banner reading “The Hunt” is taped on the wall of the Indoor Practice Bubble, risen high enough for any player, coach or trainer on the Rutgers football team to take in the mantra head coach Chris Ash set in when he first came to the Scarlet Knights.

Thursday began the second season of the Ash era, as the first spring practice of the year came underway, but the energy under the dome suggested it isn’t much of a second season. A second first, maybe, with all of the movement that has uprooted the coaching staff and the depth chart in the months leading to Thursday.

Out went Drew Mehringer and in came offensive coordinator Jerry Kill.

Kill, who leads the quarterbacks, took to the turf Thursday in the wake of Mehringer’s absence, guiding returning starter Giovanni Rescigno and backups Tylin Oden and Zach Allen in their drills.

And on the field, mixing and matching to fill dearths of talent at certain positions has led to new homes for players like fifth-year senior Myles Nash, who takes the reins at tight end for his final year.

All of this shifting though hasn’t stunted the growth of his players, says Ash. “You talk a lot about player development, that’s a phrase a lot of

Head coach Chris Ash leads his Knights into a season amid multiple coaching and roster changes off of a 2-10 first season at the helm. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / NOVEMBER 2016 people throw out there that’s really important to us,” he said. “I think we have seen a lot of development that has taken place from this time a year ago to this time now — that’s physically, that’s mentally, that’s maturity.”

That offseason development came to fruition during Thursday’s practice, one Ash touted as “clean” and “efficient.”

Virtually the entire roster made it out for the first practice, including many who were questionable heading into spring camp because they were nursing injuries and prior surgeries.

One of those players was Janarion Grant.

The senior wide receiver, whose season ended with an ankle injury in Rutgers’ loss to Iowa in late September last year, returned to Rutgers football Thursday, stretching and jogging with the rest of the team as many had expected.

But there was question as to whether Grant would be running routes and making cuts just two months after a January surgery, and he did exactly that.

“The fact that he can get out and do anything right now — run-

ning some routes and catching some balls — is a benefit to him and to us,” Ash said. “He’s come a long way from the surgery and where he was at in January.”

Another who surprised a few with an appearance was sophomore wide receiver Jawuan Harris, who is in the middle of baseball season as a two-sport athlete.

Ash held that Harris will continue to participate in spring activities, given his baseball schedule permits, as that is his priority at the moment.

Harris spent much of the afternoon receiving punts, many of

which were launched by backup kicker Jared Smolar.

Others coming back from injury took to stretching and walking up and down the sidelines on Thursday, as it was hardly the most urgent atmosphere with still five months removed from the first game of the season in August.

Regardless, Ash has already marked improvements in a squad he has only seen marginally since the early winter, one that needed a lot of direct coaching this time last year as a result of Ash’s first few days at the helm.

And even after a paltr y 2-10 record, Ash calls upon that player development within the months removed from the season, signaling a major shift in the way him and the rest of the staf f went about Thursday’s practice.

He wasn’t micromanaging the team, and this presents the greatest difference from a year ago.

More room for substance.

“We’re not coaching the little things like alignments and stances as much as we were a year ago,” Ash said. “I really like where a lot of the players are at right now from a player development standpoint.”

For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @jon_spilletti and @TargumSports on Twitter.

TWITTER: @TargumSports WEBSITE: DailyTargum.com/section/sports

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY—NEW BRUNSWICK

SPORTS

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I’m expecting a lot more out of this team the rest of the season, so underachieved would be the word I would use right now.”

— Head baseball coach Joe Litterio

FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017

ONLINE AT DAILYTARGUM.COM

MEN’S LACROSSE RUTGERS-DELAWARE, TOMORROW, 1 P.M.

No. 1 RU uses extra rest in Delaware prep GRIFFIN WHITMER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

Saturday marks the first time in history the Rutgers men’s lacrosse team will take the field as the top-ranked team in the country. The No. 1 Scarlet Knights (8-0) will take a short trip south to play Delaware (6-3) on what looks to be a warm and sunny afternoon.

Coming off a 10-6 win over NJIT that was way too close for comfort — although it is worth noting they were playing on one day of rest after a battle against No. 13 Princeton — Rutgers will know to treat the Blue Hens like any of the many ranked teams it has faced this season. “(We are) approaching each game like it’s a ranked team,” said head coach Brian Brecht.

“Approaching each game with the attitude of being humbled as far as where we are but also respecting our opponent.”

With over a week of preparation for Delaware, the Knights will be well-rested and they will have had plenty of time to prepare and put themselves in the best position to win.

Rutgers has used tactical game-planning to help roll through a difficult non-conference schedule, featuring five teams that have been ranked at one point in the season as well as Senior defender Chris Groel leads the Scarlet Knight defense in ground balls and has seen the unit progress over the years into one of the best defenses in the country. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2017

SEE PREP ON PAGE 10

BASEBALL RUTGERS-USC UPSTATE, TONIGHT, 6 P.M.

Knights look to shake off cold start ROBERT SANCHEZ STAFF WRITER

‘Underachieved’ is the word head coach Joe Litterio used to describe his team 20 games into the season.

Don’t let the record fool you, though. The Rutgers baseball team isn’t too worried about its start to the season as it gets ready to hit the road once again, this time to play USC Upstate in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Make no mistake, the Scarlet Knights (614) aren’t happy about their slow start, but they understand it’s a long season with peaks and valleys.

Rutgers is currently in one of those valleys as it has dropped five consecutive games and nine of its last 12 contests after a 3-5 record to begin its season.

The Knights’ most recent loss came at home to Rider (7-10), a game Litterio feels they should have won.

“Coming home (Tuesday) and doing what we did losing to Rider, and Rider’s a good team this year, but I just thought we didn’t show any passion, any heart,” he said. “It kind of left a sour taste in my mouth a little bit.”

Owners of the seventh toughest schedule in the country to date — with nine games Sophomore outfielder Jawuan Harris recently moved into 10th place all time in Rutgers history for career stolen bases and will be key for the Scarlet Knights progressing this season. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2017 NHL SCORES

KNIGHTS SCHEDULE

EXTRA POINT

New Jersey Toronto

2 4

Philadelphia Minnesota

3 1

Columbus Washington

1 2

Tampa Bay Boston

6 3

Arizona Florida

1 3

Carolina Montreal

4 1

AJ BLAZEK,

offensive line coach, was promoted to assistant head coach by Chris Ash, announced Thursday at the opening press conference of spring practice

by Ash. Blazek is entering his second year as a member of the Rutgers coaching staff.

SEE START ON PAGE 10

SOFTBALL

BASEBALL

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

MEN’S LACROSSE

at Indiana

at USC Upstate

at Ohio State

at Delaware

Tonight, 5 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.

Tonight, 6 p.m., Spartanburg, S.C.

Tonight, 7 p.m., Piscataway, N.J.

Tomorrow, 1 p.m., Newark, Del.