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Advocacy group joins state campaign to rescue bees ERIC WECK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The yellow-and-black insects that keep flowers blooming each year are dying — but a group is working to keep them alive. The New Jersey Public Interest Group has started a campaign to save the bees across New Jersey. The Rutgers—New Brunswick chapter’s campaign is led by Ansley Kunnath, a School of Arts and Sciences first-year student who holds positions as both a chapter board member and the campaign coordinator of NJPIRG. The campaign focuses on saving pollinator bees, who are dying in record numbers each year, Kunnath said. “Thirty to 40 percent of bees are dying across the country every year, which is a big issue,” she said. The death of bees is a critically important subject that really needs to take the public interest spotlight because they pollinate a majority of our food supply, Kunnath said. “About 70 percent of our food is pollinated by our pollinators … without bees, we won’t have food,” she said. “Of 100 crop species that provide 90 percent of our global food supply, 71 are bee-pollinated,” according to CNN. In the United States alone, these foods bring in a profit valued around $16 million each year. NJPIRG is asking the EPA to cast an instant moratorium on a certain
type harmful pesticide, called neonicotinoids, which have been linked to the decline of bees, she said. In order to demonstrate the public’s interest in the issue, NJPIRG has been working within the University and in surrounding areas to gain support, she said. “We’re getting endorsements from restaurant owners, scientists, professors, beekeepers,” she said. “We’re also getting petitions from students who care about the issue.” Although the ban would be temporary, she said, it would encourage further research into the connection of neonicotinoids to the bee decline, which will hopefully bring light to the situation and halt the bee epidemic. “As of now, they’ve stopped accepting new applications for this pesticide, so it doesn’t seem that unrealistic to expect them to stop all of them,” she said. Many restaurants, a few states and even entire countries have even banned these chemicals, but a U.S. federal moratorium is necessary to make truly instrumental change in this country, she said. With the organization holding Save the Bees campaigns at both Rutgers—New Brunswick and Rutgers—Camden, as well as an online petition, they has been very successful over the course of this semester, she said. SEE BEES ON PAGE 5
Students rated different public figures on whether they believed them to be feminists or not based on their public remarks and past actions. This was part of a course discussing women’s rights, where students also visited the United Nations. SUSMITA PARUCHURI / DESIGN EDITOR
Course ends semester with student showcase highlighting feminism SUSMITA PARUCHURI DESIGN EDITOR
Poster boards decorated with magazine clippings, testimonials from New Brunswick women scrawled on napkins and Douglass women sharing findings with their peers crowded the Douglass Student Center on Monday as the students showcased their semester’s worth of work. Feminist Advocacy for Women’s Rights through the United Nations, an upper-level class taught by Elmira Nazombe, a part-time lecturer in
the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, spent the spring discussing women’s rights in a variety of contexts. “The main idea of the class is that they spend some time going to the UN, attending the Commission on the Status of Women, and learn what the U.N. is doing,” Nazombe said. “The students try to learn what feminist advocacy is really about.” From reproductive rights to media representation, each student presented her research, explaining them in both global and local contexts. Topics also included the
definition of feminism, sustainable development within New Jersey, child brides and coerced abortion as violence against women. The front table included a pile of magazine clippings and a blank poster board, enabling students to tell their own stories by using the clippings. Next to it, another board featured faces of celebrities and politicians with stickers surrounding their photos. “Our group is doing media representation and empowerment, so we SEE FEMINISM ON PAGE 5
Study discovers number of bed bugs increasing in New Jersey FAITH HOATSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A study performed by professors from different institutions, including Rutgers’ Changlu Wang, found that nearly half of all residents in apartments infested by bed bugs did not know. While most of the victims reported pain, only a few reported other symptoms. GRAPHIC BY RAMYA CHITIBOMMA
When it comes to bed bugs, New Jersey is a highly infested state, said Dr. Changlu Wang, a professor in the Department of Entomology and researcher at Rutgers. Reported bed bug infestations are on the rise in recent years, according to the study conducted by Narinderpal Singh, Changlu Wang and Richard Cooper, published in the Oxford University Journal of Medical Entomology. New Jersey, in particular, has numerous bed bug infestations. The cities near New York City are prime spots for bed bugs to thrive. The study used a combination of interviews with residents, combined with community-wide inspection for bed bugs to provide an accurate assessment of bed bug prevalence within low-income apartment housing communities, according to the study. The research team still approached the experiment sites with two purposes in mind. First, they
wanted to answer research questions. The study ran resident interviews, visual inspections and utilized Climbup Insect Interceptors, Wang said. Second, they wanted to provide service to help eliminate bed bugs. The study examined 2,373 low-income apartments in 43 buildings, across four cities. The overall infestation rate in the buildings was 12.3 percent. About 49 percent of the infestations were in apartments with residents who were unaware of the bed bug activity, according to the study. “First, we would visually check the bed and the sofa areas,” Wang said. “If we found any signs, but cannot confirm (beg bugs), we would place a monitor in the apartment and then come back after one or two weeks.” The Climbup monitors would be placed under the furniture, he said. Then, the bed bugs would tend to crawl into the monitor and get stuck.
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Campus Calendar WEDNESDAY 4/27 University Career Services presents “Stress Management: Interviewing and Networking” from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Gateway Transit Village on the College Avenue campus. The event is free and open to the public. The Rutgers University Student Employment Office and the Office of Financial Aid presents “2016 Part-Time and Summer Job Fair” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the College Avenue Student Center. The event is free and open to the public. Rutgers Discovery Informatics Institute, RDI2 presents “Communicating Data Using Visualization: Recent Work, Challenges and Possibilities” from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Computing Research and Education Building (CORE) on Busch campus. The event is free and open to the public. The Department of Entomology presents “Karl Maramorosch Seminar” at 11:30 a.m. at the Marine Sciences Building on Cook campus. The event is free and open to the public.
The Department of Human Ecology presents “Re-routing the Mississippi River to Sustain the Louisiana Coast” from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Blake Hall on Cook campus. The event is free and open to the public. University Career Services presents “Get Ahead: Successful Career Fair Tips” from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gateway Transit Village on the College Avenue campus. The event is free and open to the public. The Department of Landscape Architecture presents “RULA Common Lecture” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Cook/Douglass Lecture Hall on Cook campus. The event is free and open to the public. Mason Gross School of the Arts presents “Rutgers Symphony Band: Songs for Band” at 7:30 p.m. at the Nicholas Music Center on Douglass campus. Ticket prices can be found online. The Rutgers University— Newark Office of Student Life presents “World’s Fair” from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Rutgers—Newark campus. The event is free and open to the public.
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April 27, 2016
UNIVERSITY
Page 3
School celebrates Earth Day with activities, screenings MADHURI BHUPATHIRAJU CORRESPONDENT
Leading up to Earth Day, organizations at Rutgers held different events as a part of the RU Earth Week Festival. Each day, different environmental clubs hosted an event such as a film screening, trail clean up or game night. Students for Environmental Awareness (SEA) screened two of their films during the week. One of the films, “Antarctic Edge: 70° South,” is a film directed by Dena Seidel, a former filmmaker at Rutgers, and co-produced by Xenia Morin, a senior associate dean of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and the National Science Foundation. Ashley Sidhu, a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences senior and vice president of SEA, discussed the film and the Earth Week festivities. “The film discusses research in Antarctica, conducted by a team of researchers many of whom included Rutgers faculty staff,” she said. The club featured a second film focusing on the solar industry, called “Catching the Sun.” It is a documentary discussing the solar industry’s socioeconomic impact, she said.
The film focuses on how poverty stricken people can positively benefit with increased solar power in the country because it can promote lots of job growth as well as the international implications of the solar industry, she said. “(The Earth Week festival) was meant to be a week of awareness for the student body to learn about issues that the planet is
“Even though we have been working with the University a lot, we didn’t want to lose touch with the students and the community.” RACHEL DISCIULLO School of Arts and Sciences Senior
currently facing, and solutions to it as well,” she said. “We wanted to open up a platform for discussion on environmental problems, so this was meant to engage the student population.” On Earth Day itself, many environmental clubs came together to organize a march from Douglass campus to the College Avenue campus. The march was a collaboration between the Rutgers Veg Society, the Rutgers
Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign and SEA. Alexander Toke, a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences senior and president of the Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, said the club has been organizing marches through New Brunswick for Earth Day for many years now. “It’s kind of a call to action for not only the University to make good on its promises to become more sustainable, but also calling on the Rutgers community and New Brunswick community to get more involved in environmental issues and develop an understanding of how people’s actions affect the world around them,” he said. He hopes that it will get people out of their comfort zone and more involved in activities, “because there’s certainly a shortage of activism on campus,” he said. Rachel DiSciullo, a School of Arts and Sciences senior and treasurer of the Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, was one of the main organizers of the Earth Day march. She said the march is a way of connecting with the students. “Even though we have been working with the University a lot, we didn’t want to lose touch with the students and the community. We wanted to remind everyone we’re still here and we’re still
Different student groups recognized Earth Day with a week’s worth of activities, which included clean-up events to remove litter. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE COFFMAN / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR committed to the cause,” she said. She also added that Earth week was a really good time for all the environmental groups on campus to come together and support each other’s campaigns. Many students are not aware of the advocacy work being done on campus, she said. The marchers hope to gain attention by marching passed classes and around campus. One of their main goals is to attract people who are not normally involved but would like to do something.
Rutgers is a environmentally conscious and very sustainable public university and is one of the top producers of solar energy of universities across the world, she said, but she still encourages students to work on the next big step. “Having every student see us and see what we’re protesting for is really important in terms of getting people together,” she said. “We have a thousand signatures on our petition for fossil fuel divestment and that only happens because of things like this.”
Page 4
April 27, 2016
BUGS Average of 12.3 percent of apartments in 4 cities, 49 buildings have bed bugs, study finds CONTINUED FROM FRONT
“We were able to find a lot of apartments with a high population density of bed bugs. So, we were able to carry out a lot of different experiments in different cities, and so we obtained a lot of data,” Wang said. Generally, bed bugs thrive in apartment buildings where people move a lot, and also in low-income housing, Wang said.
Other pests are also typically found in the experiment site. Residents who have bed bugs tend to also have have cockroaches, rodents and other pests. “You will be amazed that some people are very tolerant to insects. You can find tens of thousands of insects in their homes, and people are not necessarily concerned,” Wang said. Bed areas typically trapped more bed begs in traps than sofas
or upholstered chair areas, according to the study. Symptoms of bed bugs var y. Of the subjects, 90 percent of reported pain, 20 percent reported itchiness, 13 percent reported welts and 8 percent reported insomnia, according to the study. Some even report psychological distress. The experiment tackled many challenges. Accessing the sites to search for bed bugs was one of the issues in the experiment. To find the sites where the bed bugs are can be difficult because many do not want you to go through their apartment, Wang said. People do not like other people coming into their apartment
to search through their furniture for the pests because it takes a lot of time.
“We were able to find a lot of apartments with a high population density of bed bugs.” CHANGLU WANG Professor in the Department of Entomology
People also may not always follow the experiment’s protocols prior to the researcher’s arrival, he said.
Some may have bed bugs but cannot afford the treatments offered, he said. They lacked the resources to hire top-tier pest control services, had ineffective pest management plans and dealt with a lack of cooperation within the community, according to the study. Compliance was made easier with building-wide surveys, mandating bed bug control. This allowed the research team access to the survey, Wang said. “The apartment managers have an internal policy for bed bug control, and everybody had to comply. That means that everyone needs to allow us to go in,” Wang said. Despite these mandates, some residences still had their own locks and the team may not always be allowed in, he said. But overall, the residents were very accommodating to the researcher’s experiment. Bed bugs are a social problem, Wang said. Sometimes those burdened with bed bugs are denied service at health care providers or other public services, out of fear, according to the study. “It is very important for us to educate the people to reduce pest problems, but also to invest time and effort to help those people to reduce pest problems,” Wang said.
CRIME APRIL 26 NEWARK — Alexis Carthens admitted in federal court to selling fake driver’s licenses for $150 each. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with authentication features and one count of conspiracy to defraud the government. Abraham Corcino and Ricardo Rosario, both of Jersey City, also helped operate the illegal businesses with the domain names “fakeidstore.co” and “fakedlstore.com.” Buyers paid for their fake identification cards with the virtual currency, bitcoin, or prepaid payment cards. The defendants now face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. APRIL 26 NEWARK — Jason Megariotis, 35, of Paterson, was arrested after trying to bring a loaded gun through security at Newark Liberty International Airport. On his way to a flight to Aruba, a Transportation Security Administration agent found a .32 caliber handgun, with five hollow-point bullets and one in the chamber, tucked into his backpack. Megariotis was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and was released on $30,000 bail. APRIL 26 GLOUCESTER TWP. — Alleged shoplifters stole more then $5,000 in merchandise from the Gap store. The men took out large, white Bed, Bath & Beyond tote bags, and then filled the them with merchandise. The police are now looking for them, and anyone with any information should call the police department’s anonymous crime tip line at (856) 842-5560.
April 27, 2016
Page 5
BEES Bees pollinate 70 percent of food, feeding up to 90 percent of global population, according to CNN CONTINUED FROM FRONT
“We’ve scheduled a meeting with the EPA in their Philadelphia office, so we’ll be going over there and giving them our 6,000 petitions and 65 endorsements and just talking to them about the issue,” she said. There is still much more work to do, she said. “We’re trying to get 20,000 petitions across New Jersey, which would be one for each bee colony in the state,” she said. As far as how Rutgers students can get involved, just signing the petition or planting flowers that bees can pollinate will help the campaign greatly, Kunnath said.
“There are beekeepers on Cook campus. There’s actually a beekeeping course at Rutgers ... and then there are a lot of community gardens in New Brunswick and the nearby area, so it’s definitely an area that will be affected,” she said. This is not just an issue being faced in New Jersey, she said. Multiple national environmental movements are working to ban neonicotinoids. Consequences could be severe if these pesticides continue to be used. “Our whole agricultural industry is supported by bees,” she said. “Just pollination — if we had to do it by our hand — it would cost billions of dollars.”
FEMINISM 543 people were trafficked in New Jersey in 2015, Echeverry says CONTINUED FROM FRONT
ask this question of, ‘do we think all these celebrities and politicians are feminists?’” said Swati Dontamsetti, a School of Arts and Sciences senior. “So far, Mindy Kaling, Donald Trump and Chris Christie are the only ones who are unanimous.” The other faces, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Emma Watson, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Beyonce and Rihanna were swayed one way or the other. The only personality with an almost equal number of
stickers on both the “yes” and “no” sides was Kim Kardashian. But the issues covered ran deeper than media representation. Chante Dyson, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, covered abortion as violence against women in her research. “Economics and debt play a big role in this,” she said, describing the situation for women living in China. “This woman, for example, owed 40,000 won … because of that, she had to get a forced abortion because she did not pay her debt. If she had paid her debt, she
CYCLING CITY New Brunswick residents took advantage of clean streets for the annual Ciclovia, which encouraged biking on April 24. EDWIN GANO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Neonicotinoids are not the only factor at play, but their leading role in the decline of bees is undeniable, she said. “There are definitely other reasons — like, the varroa mites, for example. They are also affecting the bees, but this is just an incremental change we can have towards, like, a bigger goal of finally helping bees,” Kunnath said. To have NJPIRG reflecting the public interest in an environmental issue that is directly affecting society is really important, she said. It is very probable for the moratorium to be passed, she said, due to the widespread pressure from countless companies, advocacy groups and policy makers. “We think we’re on the brink of change right now,” she said. “It’s really cool to be part of something that’s a nationwide movement — a bunch of students working on national issues and actually making progress on them.”
would have been allowed to have a second child, through the policy.” Race and culture also play a part, she said. In Israel, Jewish people from Ethiopia are forcibly injected with sterilizing drugs to keep them in the minority. In Lima, Peru, feminist activists are working to ban a dictator’s daughter from becoming the next president, because she never addressed that when her father was in power, he advocated for forced sterilization. But these injustices also hit close to home. Pregnant women in New Jersey detention centers are routinely shackled during labor, said Claire Linegar, explaining her locally focused project. In January, Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) was asked to sign a bill stopping this practice, but he refused to sign it. His assistants claimed Christie wanted time to
Bees are essential to human survival, but in recent years nearly half of all colonies have not survived through winter. GRAPHIC BY RIDDHI JAIN AND SUSMITA PARUCHURI
consider it, the School of Arts and Sciences senior said. “We just think it’s really important to bring a global perspective … because most people don’t think that human trafficking is a
“Most people don’t think that human trafficking is a local problem.” JESSICA ECHEVERRY School of Arts and Sciences Senior
local problem,” said Jessica Echeverry, a School of Arts and Sciences senior. Echeverry and Linegar also included real stories from women in
New Brunswick experiencing this very issue. The students flipped through a stack of napkins with these stories written on them. One woman wrote about how she had been put on methadone when she was pregnant, and was handcuffed to other pregnant woman as she was transported to the methadone clinic on Suydam Street in New Brunswick. While many perceive human trafficking to be an international problem that overwhelmingly affects those in poverty, this is not necessarily true, Echeverry said. In 2015, 543 people in New Jersey were trafficked. “This happens all the time,” Linegar said. “This is happening right here, and we’re talking about how these injustices are happening very close to home.”
OPINIONS
Page 6
April 27, 2016
Be unapologetic about who you are
A
couple days ago, a friend of mine told me that I have a “heightened sense of self.” The original question was YVANNA SAINT-FORT whether or not I was stuck up, and while we both concluded that I wasn’t, the idea of me floating just a little bit above the rest came into vision. He assured me that there was no problem with this. But even if there was, I’m not sure I would care. While his comments likely had nothing to do with my race, class or gender, my “heightened sense of self” stems directly from that. My struggles and my accomplishments make me exactly who I am. Every misstep and leap I’ve taken have come together as jigsaw pieces to form the larger puzzle of my life. I’m a black woman from a middle-class family with a myriad of financial struggles. This identity is exactly why I hold myself to a higher standard, one that’s most assume to be far beyond my reach. No matter what I’ve achieved, there has always, always, always been someone telling me I could have done better. At first it was my father. I would get a 100 on a test and he would say, “Good job yes, but maybe you would have gotten extra credit if your penmanship was better.” Of course he meant this in a caring way, he just wanted the best for his child. But then in middle school, when I started out-performing my peers on tests and projects, that was because I “had no friends.” That maybe if my parents “let me hang out with other kids, I wouldn’t do so well in school.” Then in high school, according to a guidance counselor, who was not my own, I was selling myself short by not applying to any of the Ivies and would be destined to a mediocre existence. And then, according to my high school “friends,” I only got into all seven of the colleges and universities I applied to and received over $30,000 in scholarship money because I was black. When I transferred I was being foolish, and when I chose to double-major and minor I was being presumptuous. Even now that I’ve signed a contract to work at an elementary school that I absolutely love — before taking or passing my final exams and graduating — I could still do better. I heard, “Well you know if you worked
CHARGED UP
“I’m over it. I’m tired of letting people steal my magic. Every time I reach the apex of a treetop, someone is standing beside me with a smooth bladed machete, prepared to cut me down to size — the size they chose for me.” at this school in this town then you’d make more money.” and “Those schools have a high turn over rate so you’ll probably be out after a year.” I’m over it. I’m tired of letting people steal my magic. Every time I reach the apex of a treetop, someone is standing beside me with a smooth bladed machete, prepared to cut me down to size — the size they chose for me. I can say without a doubt that my intersectionality has something to do with it. Women are expected to be submissive and black people are expected to be unintelligent. The combination of these two social identifiers are the exact opposite of everything that I am and everything that I stand for. Whenever I receive praise, it comes with acknowledgment of a failure or shortcoming. Joyous celebrations are all too often turned into a conversation where I’m being scolded, so I learned not to care and most certainly not to apologize. While this is my last column, I didn’t intend for it to be a goodbye column. Yet looking back over my time at Rutgers and my work at The Daily Targum both as a columnist and an opinions editor, this is exactly where I found my magic. Through writing about a host of issues from black women being marginalized, to acting white, mass incarceration and everything in between, I found myself. I’ve never had a problem expressing my opinions, but I used to shy away from stating them with verve. Yet after writing scores of columns and editorials, I found my voice and never looked back — I became unapologetic. So maybe I do have a “heightened sense of self,” but is that really a bad thing? The way I see it, if you’ve worked for something, then you’ve earned it. Of course I do not have the right to act or treat anyone as if I’m better than them, because I’m not. But my “heightened sense of self,” only exists because my entire being is the antithesis of what society expects me to be. As cliche as it sounds, if there’s one thing that I’ve most definitely learned at Rutgers, its to be unapologetic — or you’ll get screwed. Don’t let anyone steal your magic. Yvanna Saint-Fort is a School of Arts and Sciences senior majoring in political science and journalism and media studies with a minor in public policy. She is a former opinions editor of The Daily Targum. Her column, “Charged Up,” runs on alternate Wednesdays.
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
EDITORIAL
Be critical, but stay open to other ideas Artwork depicting Jesus on dartboard was quickly removed
B
ruised and pierced, Jesus is sprawled on a pious lens, and the depiction means that people don’t crucifix. This is one of the most commemo- take religion seriously enough — people around the rated images that billions of Christians pay world still continue to play games (the dartboard) deference to. Crucifixion was the cruelest form of through sinful acts, and it pains the person (Jesus) punishment during the Roman era, and Jesus was who has defended and suffered for them the most. subjected to this penalty as he died on a cross for all In all, it’s up to the individual to assess the unique meaning the piece can provide them. of humanity’s sins. But, the artwork was quickly labeled as disrespectJesus was also sprawled out in the same form at the Art Library on the College Avenue campus, but ful to the Christian religion, and dismissed. This instead of being held on a crucifix, he was on a dart- instance of censorship wasn’t necessary, because board. And where the nails had penetrated his skin many people who were Christian passed by the piece and bones was where darts were placed instead. without qualms and second thoughts. The work And right in the middle of the board was Jesus in might have been offensive to some, but just because a sorrowful form, the target for all the people who it offends someone doesn’t mean it should be ushered away and removed. wanted to play. And for those who are concerned, this piece What does this rendition mean? It’s not yet clear, couldn’t have been a display and like with many works of hate against Christians of art, maybe it never will “But when artwork is censored and the Christian religion. be clear. But before people Although there’s somewere given the opportunity or taken away before thoughtful times a blurry line between to look at it and ponder, the analysis, then everyone else freedom of expression and artwork was taken down afis bereft of the message that hate-speech, this case isn’t ter a few days due to comone of them. The “Vitruvian plaints from students. The could’ve been conveyed.” Man” is ambiguous enough image was taken down beto be interpreted a multifore it could give people an plicity of ways rather an undeniable and one-way opportunity to take away a meaning. At a passing glance and with an ephemeral analy- understanding that this is solely attacking the Chrissis, the piece could seem appalling especially to those tian religion. The artwork could have been overtly who are deeply religious. However, art is intended to gruesome, malicious and hateful than it actually was, make people think. The controversial piece, the “Vit- because expressing sentiments of hate is easy, but ruvian Man,” should force one to reflect on beliefs presenting a thought-provoking piece is not. Emphatically telling in its placement in the Univerand how society functions in order to take away an idea. But when artwork is censored or taken away sity’s Art Library, the piece has already been recogbefore thoughtful analysis, then everyone else is be- nized as art. It was placed in a library — a structure that holds a plurality of ideas within its artwork and reft of the message that could’ve been conveyed. There are a million ways to think about this piece. books. Just because people can’t agree with the piece On one hand, it could be understood through an right away doesn’t mean it should be removed. As atheist lens, and therefore being laid out across a people who have matriculated into the University dartboard could be interpreted as a depiction of the seeking an education, students must become more frivolity of religion, hence the permissibility of play- open to all ideologies, even if it challenges their own. ing games with an iconic religious figure. On the Students should remain critical, but censoring isn’t other hand, it could also be understood through a always the right conclusion. The Daily Targum’s editorials represent the views of the majority of the 148th editorial board. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.
April 27, 2016
Opinions Page 7
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Hold all leaders equally accountable, that includes Obama To The Editor: As it has now been known, Barack Obama will be the 2016 commencement speaker on May 15. It is not only unprecedented for a sitting president to speak at a Rutgers commencement, but it is also momentous for him to do so during Rutgers’ 250th year of existence. This is an indication of the importance of Rutgers as an academic institution, something our community should be proud of — the first black president will be speaking at the most diverse university in the nation. However, the greatness of our school derives just as much from its moral character as it does from its academic prowess and cultural make-up, thus as previous politicians invited to speak (Condoleezza Rice in 2014) were held politically accountable by the students and faculty so should the current president. President Obama in his two terms has accomplished quite a bit, he has stabilized the economy, passed the Affordable Care Act, struck the Iran nuclear deal, normalized U.S.-Cuba relations, amongst a list of others. However, the president too has many grievous failures to his
name. He did little to heal racial tensions in the country and failed to support the Black Lives Matter movement, he has sidelined immigration reform and instead deported more immigrants than any previous president, he has not closed the Guantanamo Bay detention center as was promised, he has increased the use of Predator drones in Pakistan and Yemen leading to the deaths of hundreds of innocent people in collateral damage further exasperating the local sentiments against the U.S., after his predecessor destroyed Iraq this president abandoned it directly leading to the current chaos of ISIS and, lastly, instead of truly helping the people of the Middle East during the Arab Spring the president chose the failed interventionist-regime changing policies of yore resulting in the complete and utter destruction of Libya and Syria alongside the massacre of hundreds of thousands of its people. So yes it is immensely significant for the President of the U.S. to speak at the 2016 commencement, but it must not be at the behest of tarnishing our moral credibility. It would be entirely hypocritical if we were to judge those previously invited to speak differently than this time around. We must hold all leaders equally accountable. Shabbir Abbas is a graduate student in the Department of Religious Studies studying religion and conflict.
Diversity needed in tech for innovation, not just statistics Early this week, I was watching a local news station and during its technology segment, it covered a hot new tech product. It was the Owlet Smart Sock, which monitors a baby’s vital signs and sends that information to a mobile phone so that parents can monitor their bundles of joy in a 21st-century style. I found this product to be incredibly innovative and endearing. It packs hospital technologies like a pulse oximeter into something cute, practical, wearable and easy to use. The product tagline says it all: “A little help for the hardest job in the world.” Owlet Baby Care, Inc.’s press release states that “Owlet Baby Care, Inc. was founded in 2013 by a team of passionate parents who wanted to bring themselves — and other parents around the globe — peace of mind and assurance by developing a monitor that tracks a baby’s breathing and heart rate.” Specifically, the company was founded and is led by five Brigham Young University students and recent graduates. Together they have brought an excellent tech product to market that meaningfully helps people in their personal lives. This product and its story were beautiful examples of why diversity in the technology field is critically needed. The men who
launched this product are the exception, not the rule. So many of our tech idols made their claims to fame at a young age creating an innovative product or service that appeals to other young people or people on the cutting edge of tech. It’s not very likely at all that a single young man at my age would think of a product like Owlet, or even bother to target parents and their infants as a specific market for his tech products. This means that a wide array of audiences aren’t being serviced by the technology field because the majority of innovators in the technology field aren’t thinking about such different audiences. As much as diversity and cultural sensitivity training might enrich such employee’s lives, it can’t guarantee that they will ever innovate in the name of new and varied groups. The simplest way to cater to new and more diverse crowds is to get more diverse people into the technology field: People that come from different backgrounds and are experiencing different life situations. To do this, more people need to be exposed to technology development during their educations, and tech companies need to actively hire more diverse, qualified employees. When the tools of technology are put in the hands of more people with more varied life experiences, it is far more likely that incredible new innovations like Owlet will be realized. Diverse technological innovations are what will bring the benefits of the Digital Age to every community. Brandon Diaz-Abreu is a School of Arts and Sciences junior majoring in computer science.
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April 27, 2016
FOOD & DRINK
Dig in to some delectable Spanish food filled with love
Get a taste of Spain by enjoying a variety of Spanish foods from empanadas to tapas. SAMANTHA CASIMIR / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
LAURA DENGROVE CORRESPONDENT
Over at Barca City Café and Bar, the good times truly keep on going and the tapas keep on flowing. At what I believe to be one of the best restaurants in the New Brunswick area, they serve a wide variety of cold beer for the thirsty consumer. Let’s not forget about the amazing choices of tapas so you can eat your hearts out. The atmosphere of the mini-restaurant adds to the resplendent feel once you walk through the door, as the scenery of this small little wonder fills you
with glee. Once you walk through the door, you will immediately notice that this isn’t some large and obscene club that makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into a trippy wonderland. The place is filled with small tables that give it a feel of uniqueness compared to the other eateries in town. While they do have larger tables to fit a bigger party if needed, I always prefer the small tables with cushion-like seats that make me feel as if I have traveled the world. So to speak, this place can easily, and will easily, become my safe haven in a world full of finals and papers that appear to
overpower me as the due dates become nearer and nearer. The lighting and airy feel of the room gives you a sense of ease, welcoming you to sample all of the delectable treats they have waiting for you on the menu. The music played in the background is a stark contrast and a breath of fresh air compared to other bars and eateries that contain all of the latest and notso-greatest hits of today’s generation. They play a mix of indie hits, both new and old. The plethora of older songs gives you a feel of being in an old time club back in the 1940’s. When I heard them playing “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone, I nearly leapt for joy as I realized this wasn’t going to be a usual place that would just immediately play the Michael Buble cover. The friendly service continued to add to my highly recommended experience as the staff was speedy and welcoming, greeting my guest and I frequently with questions and answers to all of our eating and food needs. It made me feel as if I were truly welcomed there and not just another person throwing money at
the food industry. This is actually a rare occurrence in the town of New Brunswick, since the services at other places tend to be rushed and a bit less friendly. It feels as if this lifestyle tries to follow you everywhere you go, like a shadow, but at Barca City Café it feels as if it is immediately shut out of this little piece of
“If chicken isn’t your forte, then you could also opt for beef or a vegetarian option.” heaven on earth. The dishes that I always seem to fall on as my go-to favorites are the chicken empanada dish and the “tostones” tapas. The chicken empanada dish came in a cute little basket and was blissfully hot and spicy as you bit into it. It was served with three mayo-like dipping sauces that made the dish extra delectable. The flavors bursted into my mouth — as the savory sauce is cooked into a hard shell mixed in with the chicken to add the
perfect crunch. As a woman who isn’t a fan of spice, this dish has just the right amount of kick. If chicken isn’t your forte, then you could also opt for beef or a vegetarian option. A basket of empanadas can be a tad pricey, but it is totally worth it in the end. You have an option of getting three for $5.99, five for $7.99 or seven for $9.99. The “tostones” dish is served with an exquisite lime juice that truly brings out all of the succulent flavors in this little number. The dish consists of fried green plantains and mojito sauce all for $4.49. It kind of tastes like a “healthier” version of french fries. Squeeze some lime juice on top and you will be reminded of summer as soon as it hits your taste buds. The meals are quickly served before your stomach even has a chance to rumble, and before you order more food you will regret later. These little dishes leave you satisfied with a smile plastered on your face. This is definitely a place you should try before your Rutgers career is over. This is the place to go to if you are in the mood for a relaxing night out with a few close friends.
April 27, 2016
Pearls Before Swine
DIVERSIONS Stephan Pastis
Horoscopes
Page 9 Nancy Black
Today’s Birthday (04/27/16). Pursue what you love this year. Take time to play after 5/9. Act on financial plans after 8/13. Balance work and health over a two-year phase beginning 9/9. New romance after 9/1 leads to group changes and transitions after 9/16. Find passion. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Over The Hedge
Non Sequitur
T. Lewis and M. Fry
Wiley
Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Professional changes have your attention. Fulfill a fantasy, if the opportunity presents. Test your theory or be tested. Try a friend’s suggestion. Take photos and document progress.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 5 — Implement household changes that you’ve been considering. Focus on home and family, and settle an irritating issue. Talk it over. Draw up your fantasies. Invest in shared desires.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 6 — You’re making a good impression. Explore new terrain, preferably off the beaten track. Find the weakness in an argument or theory. Write down your discoveries and share.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Do the research to back up your case. Write your story, and share it far and wide. Raise the level of a larger conversation. Tap into hidden assets. Connect allies to each other.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 6 — Keep the money rolling in. Collaborate with your partner to make financial goals and deadlines. Take action on shared priorities. Cheer each other on and go farther.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — There’s extra income available. Reach out your basket for an unexpected windfall. Keep track of what’s coming in and going out. Feed your crew a feast.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Collaboration gets through where solo efforts falter today. Spur each other to greater creativity. Get promises in writing. There’s market demand for what you have for sale.
Lio
Mark Tatulli
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — Monitor your health and wellness for growth. Choose diet and exercise routines that work for you. Balance work with rest ... physical activity with stillness. Discipline pays juicy dividends here. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Fun and romance entice. Happiness is key for health and to maintain work energy. Play games that you love with interesting people. Bond with friends and family. Follow your heart.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — The solution to a puzzle is becoming clear. Adjust your attitude to see further. Try a new view. For freedom, stop repeating negative stereotypes. Make bold declarations. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 5 — Get into peaceful planning mode. Consider where you’d like to be five years out. Imagine getting things done. Find answers to your innermost questions by asking and listening. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Take extra time to encourage teamwork and invite participation. Find out what others want, and apply the possibility you see to that. Keep the big picture in mind. Hold meetings and parties.
©2016 By Nancy Black distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Sudoku
©Puzzles By Pappocom
Solution to Puzzle #46 04/26/16 Solution, tips, and computer program at www.sudoku.com
Page 10
April 27, 2016
DEFENSE
spring game, which he claimed to be for “precautionary” reasons. A participant in “above 80” percent of the spring season, Scarlet defense allowed just 81 total the West Patterson, New Jersey, yards, 3 first downs last Saturday native believes are on the right path, but as Ash has said multiple times, including in his post-game CONTINUED FROM BACK he said. “Me, (seniors) Darius press conference Saturday, the The leader of the defensive (Hamilton), Quanzell (Lambert), Knights are nowhere near where line on the night, just as he was (junior) Sebastian (Joseph), they need to be to find success. “If you would have told me throughout the spring, was se- those guys, we’ve been talking nior Julian Pinnix-Odrick, who about how we’re going to attack in January that I’d be out here tallied a team-high six tackles, this summer, especially starting in the spring tackling and doing live periods five of which and stuff like were solo. that, I wouldn’t Knowing “I think the starting 11 on defense is getting clearer have believed his unit was every single day we go out.” you,” he said. complimented “I think we’re by Ash mulCHRIS ASH getting bettiple times Head Coach ter and at this — a bit of an point, that’s all anomaly thus you can hope far in his short tenure — Pinnix-Odrick takes this Monday, regarding knowing for is that we take the right steps pride in knowing where his room the plays, knowing what we need forward every day. I think we’re stands. But with great power to do, developing our bodies, de- on the right track. It’s going to Senior third baseman Jordan Whitley is second on the Knights in comes great responsibility, so he veloping our minds and being be a process, and like Coach batting average, currently hitting at a .322 clip at the dish. and his fellow linemen are already the position group we need to be Ash tells us all the time, we’re SAMANTHA CASIMIR / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2016 looking ahead to how they could for the team, because we can’t not where we need to be yet, but be 10 strong without the (defen- we’re getting there.” continue their development. “We’re gonna take that and sive) line.” For updates on the Rutgers footHamilton, who missed all but we’re gonna take all the responsibility that we need to take in one game last season due to a ball team, follow @briannnnf and RU looks to extend 6-game streak with terms of that being our room,” knee injury, was left out of the @TargumSports on Twitter.
BROOKLYN
2nd win over LIU Brooklyn on season CONTINUED FROM BACK
Head coach Chris Ash was impressed with the defensive unit’s performance in the Scarlet and White game, saying it played a clean game. MICHELLE KLEJMONT / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2016
innings pitched and flaunts an Spartans and Wolvernies, head ERA of 3.51. Sobieski also recorded a total coach Jay Nelson still preaches to his team the importance of of 111 strikeouts and is probably going to get the revenge nod in looking at one game at a time. “One game at a time,” Nelson the circle against the Knights. Sobieski pitched seven innings said. “That’s the way we take it. One game at a time, we don’t in the first game when these two teams met look at what allowing 2 runs we did in the over seven past, we look “I think that we all knew innings pitched. towards the LIU also future of the we were on the brink boasts five next game. We of something ...” hitters batting look to focus over the on what we’re JORDAN WHITLEY .300 mark supposed to Senior Third Baseman with Victoria do to execute. Z a m o r a That’s what leading the we’ve preached all year long. I said let’s carry this team with an average of .375. But that shouldn’t bother the over to LIU and to Michigan State, and they go ‘let’s sweep, sweep, new and improved Rutgers pitching sweep,’ I said ‘nope, we never staff that upgraded mightily over think sweep we think one game.’” the past five games allowing an The main workhorse for the average of 2.2 runs per game. Plus facing many ranked Blackbirds is Er ynn Sobieski, who has cumulated 173.1 opponents earlier in the season and ranked conference opponents throughout the season is part of the recent success, junior right-hander pitcher Shayla Sweeney said. “Our conference is tough to begin with,” Sweeney said. “I think the first couple weeks playing top-10 teams helped us where we are today. It all prepares us for the wins.” With the Knights record showing them at three games under the .500 mark, they have a chance to build a winning record with seven games remaining. But reaching the .500 mark or over doesn’t seem to be the goal right now. “I think that we all knew we were on the brink of something,” said senior third baseman Jordan Whitley. “I felt like we were pulling things together each series, and things were getting better and we were improving. We were just taking it one pitch at a time, and turns out the last few series it went our way. So we’re just gonna try and keep that momentum moving into the next couple series.” For updates on the Rutgers softball team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
April 27, 2016
Page 11 MEN’S LACROSSE CHRISTIAN TRASOLINI IS 4TH ON RUTGERS IN SCORING
Junior embraces position change to midfield for Knights ERIC MULLIN ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
Having too many capable players at one position is a problem that any head coach would welcome with open arms. That predicament, in regards to the attack unit, faced head coach Brian Brecht as the No. 16 Rutgers men’s lacrosse team was preparing to embark on its 2016 campaign. Last season, the Scarlet Knights’ attack was the strongest unit on its team, with its 10.33 goals per game average finishing third in the Big Ten and in the upper half of teams in the country in the regular season. All three of the Knights’ starting attackers scored more than 20 goals, with then-junior Scott Bieda leading the way with 30, then-sophomore Christian Trasolini trailing right behind with 26 and then-freshman Jules Heningburg with 21. With each player having an added season of starting experience to build off of, the attack unit was poised to be a strong component for Rutgers this season as well. That promising attack unit got even deeper with the inhouse addition of freshman Adam Charalambides, who was coming off a redshirt season due to a surgically repaired knee. With only three starting spots available and four starting-caliber players vying for them, a decision had to be made as to who would be the odd-man out up front for the Knights. Bieda, Heningburg and Charalambides began the season on Rutgers’ attack, but, rather than being on the bench, Christian Trasolini was on the field with the starting midfield unit. Instead of simply letting the four attackers compete for three spots and rotate the other in throughout games, Brecht utilized his depth on the attack to make the rest of the his team stronger.
Junior Christian Trasolini has 10 goals and four assists in his first season as a midfielder. In his first two seasons as an attacker, he scored 53 goals total. EDWIN GANO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2016 Adding a lethal goal scorer like Trasolini to the midfield has made an already blistering Knights attack even more dangerous this season, and while the numbers have expectedly gone down for the New Hyde Park, New York, native, the impact on the offensive end hasn’t wavered. “I think he’s adapted real well to it,” Bieda said of Trasolini’s move to midfield. “I think that he understands that he’s gonna draw the pull, he’s gonna draw the double team every time. ... People are nervous about him, people are scared about him when he’s coming down the alley. So when he understands that when he plays
in an offensive role and he plays as a team and he’s drawing double slides, someone’s gonna be open like Charalambides.” In lacrosse, moving from an attacker to the midfield changes the responsibilities of a player. For starters, rather than being confined to the attack area, midfielders are free to roam the entire field. Trasolini starts the game alongside two other midfielders and is subbed in and out of the game with other midfielders and the rope unit situationally, earning most of his time when Rutgers has the ball in its offensive zone. But Trasolini said there has not been any major adjustments
in changing positions, stating that he just has to be a leader for the younger players. It also didn’t hurt that he had some prior experience beforehand to help smooth the transition to the midfield. “I did have experience playing midfield in high school,” Trasolini said. “Fun fact — my brother was actually a midfielder, always trained me as a midfielder from an attack standpoint. So I definitely had a background with it, so I wasn’t really thrown into the waters without having any experience. I was up for a challenge and I think I’ve handled it well this year.” The biggest change for Trasolini has come on the stat sheet.
Playing around the crease as an attacker in his first two seasons on the Banks, he scored 53 goals on 128 shots on net. Now as a midfielder, he’s scored 10 goals — which is tied for fourth most on the team — on just 28 shots on net in 13 games. As Trasolini has stepped back to the midfield, the Knights attack hasn’t skipped a beat from the season prior, catapulting to the No. 11 slot in scoring offense at 12.85 goals per game. But that high scoring clip hasn’t just come from Rutgers’ three-headed goal scoring monster up front, as the midfielders adding secondary scoring, led by Trasolini, has elevated the offense. “The balance between our attack and our midfielders, starting to get up the points, it’s great,” Trasolini said. “Our attack, one of the best in the country, we’ve produced over 90 points combined. It’s unreal what (Charalambides) has done, what Jules Heningburg has done, what Scott Bieda has always been doing. It’s a good balance that we have going on and I think it’s gonna carry us far.” Charalambides and Heningburg will headline what should be another lethal attack unit next season, but the Knights will have big shoes to fill with the loss of Tewaaraton Award hopeful Scott Bieda. Chrisitan Trasolini certainly has the credentials to step into the vacant spot left by the departure of Bieda. But if Rutgers carries its success into 2017, it doesn’t matter to Trasolini where he is playing, nor how many goals he’s scoring, as long as he’s on the field contributing. “I could score 1 to 2 goals the entire season, if we’re winning every game, I don’t really care as long as I’m helping out as best I can in the field,” he said. For updates on the Rutgers men’s lacrosse team, follow @EricMullin_ and @TargumSports on Twitter.
SPORTS
TWITTER: @Targumsports WEBSITE: DailyTargum.com/sports BLOG: Targumsports.wordpress.com
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY—NEW BRUNSWICK
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I could score 1 to 2 goals the entire season, if we’re winning every game, I don’t really care as long as I’m helping out as best I can in the field.” — Junior midfielder Christian Trasolini
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016
ONLINE AT DAILYTARGUM.COM
SOFTBALL RUTGERS-LIU BROOKLYN, TODAY, 4 P.M.
RU reconnects with Blackbirds in Brooklyn BRET LEVINSON STAFF WRITER
The Rutgers softball team is hoping to extend its winning streak to a total of six games on Wednesday as the Scarlet Knights hit the road for a rematch against LIU Brooklyn (22-24). Though there will be one thing that’s different from the first time the Scarlet Knights (23-26) matched up against the Blackbirds — there will be no sunny setting with palm trees surrounding the stadium. Their first meeting was played in Boca Raton, Florida, at the Florida Atlantic Tournament, where Rutgers took the game by a score of 2-1. Since then, LIU has earned a 16-9 record, dominating through conference play with a 10-2 record. But the Knights are playing the best ball all season. Although Rutgers is just two games over the .500 mark at 16-14 since playing LIU, after sweeping two conference opponents in Maryland and Indiana in the past week, the Knights are feeling unstoppable. But even though Rutgers clinched a spot in the Big Ten Tournament and Wednesday’s game is the last non-conference opponent all year before heading to Michigan to face the Junior pitcher Shayla Sweeney said the Knights playing against top teams at the beginning of the season has helped them at the tail end of the year. Sweeney leads Rutgers in ERA at 4.43 and is second in wins. SAMANTHA CASIMIR / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2016
SEE BROOKLYN ON PAGE 10
FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART PRACTICALLY DECIDED FOLLOWING SPRING
Knights’ defense dominates in spring BRIAN FONSECA SPORTS EDITOR
Senior defensive lineman Julian Pinnix-Odrick led the Scarlet defense at the spring game with six total tackles. MICHELLE KLEJMONT / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2016
The biggest story of the first spring game since Chris Ash became the head football coach at Rutgers continued to be the same as the final spring game of former head coach Kyle Flood’s tenure on the Banks — a quarterback competition between junior quarterbacks Chris Laviano and Hayden Rettig. Both players pleaded their cases to start behind center next Fall in the game, each showing flashes of brilliance and moments of inconsistency against the second and fourth string defense of the White team. But the best performance of the night came on the other side of the ball for the Scarlet team with the first team defense, a unit led by a defensive line returning 4 of 5 starters from last season. The experience was evident in its performance as it held the White side to just 3 points during the 60 minutes of regulation after it was spotted 17 points to begin the contest. After noting the improvement that must be made on the offensive side of the ball in his post-game press conference, Ash praised his first-team defense. “I thought defensively, overall, our ones played a pretty clean football game,” he said.
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HALLEY BARNES,
senior attacker, was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week following her career-high 6 goal performance in Rutgers 13-12 upset win over No. 15 Ohio State. Barnes earned her 100th career point with her third goal of the contest.
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“We ran to the ball well, I thought we tackled pretty well for the most part and I’m excited to watch the film on them and continue to see the progress they’ve been making over the course of the spring.” The numbers put up by the Scarlet defense were impressive regardless of the level of the opposition. The offense led by sophomore Giovanni Rescigno and redshirt-freshman Michael Dare was only able to muster 82 yards of offense split straight down the middle in rushing and passing yards, reaching the first down marker just 3 times on the night. The performance may not have changed Ash’s mind but it did help him confirm his decision on who tops the defensive depth chart heading into training camp in August. “I’m really pleased with the D-Line right now. Our secondary, I think is starting to come together, at least the first unit. The linebackers, I think you saw who probably’s going to be our one unit tonight,” Ash said. “The depth chart, the reps they took with the Scarlet team, I think the starting 11 on defense is getting clearer every single day we go out.”
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