Daily Targum Spring 2017 Perspectives

May 1, 2017

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Campus Calendar Monday 5/1 The Department of Genetics presents “ Department of Genetics: Seminar” from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Life Sciences Building on Busch campus.

This event is free and open to the public.

The Mason Gross School of the Arts presents “ BFA Thesis Exhibition II: ‘Catawampus’ “ from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Civic Square Building on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public.

The Mason Gross School of the Arts presents “ Rutgers International Pianists: Weill Recital Hall Preview” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Marr yott Music Building on Douglass campus.

This event is free and open to the public.

The Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences presents “ Diurnal rhythms in phytoplankton physiology and marine snow export observed from a Wire Walker autonomous platform” from 3:45 to 5 p.m. at the Marine Sciences Building on Cook campus.

The Mason Gross School of the Arts presents “Rutgers University Choir: A Spring Awakening” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Nicholas Music Center on Douglass campus. This event is $5 for students and $15 for the general public.

Rutgers University Libraries presents “Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken!: New Jersey in the Great War” from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. at the Alexander Library on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public.

The Center for Women in the Arts and Humanities and Douglass Residential College presents “Women, Gender and Creativity House” from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Douglass Library on Douglass campus. This event is free and open to the public.

The Counseling, TUESday 5/2 Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program and Psychiatric Services presents “Mindfulness Meditation” from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Busch Student Center on Busch 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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CORRECTIONS The Daily Targum promptly corrects all errors of substance. If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, send an email to eic@dailytargum.com.

May 1, 2017

University

Page 3

Anti-Muslim poster found outside Paul Robeson Center

A few weeks after police responded to reports of an American Vanguard poster on the wall of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, The Daily Targum found a striking similarity between a white supremacy group’s flyers and one posted on behalf of the Rutgers Conservative Union. FACEBOOK

Alexandra DeMatos

the PRCC, and the University’s goal is to make sure all students feel comfortable and supported in Rutgers’ diverse environment.

On Feb. 13 the Rutgers UniverThe University mandates that sity Police Department (RUPD) only Rutgers-affiliated student responded to a report of a flyer organizations and departments that read “Imagine a Muslim-Free are authorized to America,” below post or distribute an image of the printed materiTwin Towers on “Our goal is to make sure all of our students feel comfortable and supported in our diverse campus als, and advertisthe wall of the environment and we take this kind of speech very seriously.” ing must comply Paul Robeson with “the UniverCultural Center Karen smith sity non-discrim(PRCC).

University Spokesperson ination policy,” Located on according to the Busch campus, Conservative Union’s group the placing of the posters on the Student Center website. the PRCC offers a designated held later that week.

Rebranding the “Make RutPRCC, which he said his organiAslam said that he would be bared the same logo. prayer room for Muslim students, In an interview with Dylan zation had nothing to do with, was gers Great Again” organization to shocked and surprised if the flyer according to the RUPD. the “Rutgers Conservative Union” Marek, the president of the Rut- an act of free speech.

The flyer was connected to was put up by a Rutgers student.

In a statement to The Daily was to give members a platform to Weeks later, The Daily Tar- gers University Conservative an anti-immigration campaign run by a white supremacy group gum reported that the Rutgers Union, he told The Daily Targum Targum, University spokesper- promote conservative and Ameriknown as the American Vanguard University Conservative Union that the flyer, in which 30 percent son Karen Smith said officials can nationalist values on campus, that posted similar flyers on other created a flyer for their group that of the wording was identical to the condemn the original flyers on Marek said.

Editor-in-Chief

college campuses, according to NJ Advance Media.

Kaiser Aslam, the Muslim chaplain at the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University (CILRU), requested increased security at the PRCC for an event being

had a strong resemblance to a flyer found on the American Vanguard’s website.

The information bar on the bottom of both the flyer on the PRCC and on the flyer that was seemingly a template for the

American Vanguard’s, “was an organizationally-sponsored poster.”

The School of Arts and Sciences first-year student said that his organization, comprised of 80-90 students, has no affiliation to the white supremacy group and that

May 1, 2017

Page 4

1,000 protesters took part in #NoBanNoWall Kira Herzog News Editor

On Feb. 1, more than 1,000 Rutgers students gathered on the College Avenue campus for the #NoBanNoWall protest. Participants marched from Voorhees Mall to Old Queens and for the first time in the University’s history, President Robert L. Barchi attended and spoke at the rally.

The event was organized in response to President Donald J. Trump’s recent executive order, banning individuals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the country.

“I commend the leaders of our Muslim student groups who have organized this demonstration and those at all of our Rutgers locations who are protesting the recent executive order on immigration, which, among its major flaws, failed to take into account the impact that it would have on American higher education and its communities,” Barchi said.

“Nothing about the recent executive order changes Rutgers’ policy affirming our students’ right to privacy and safety.”

For the entirety of the march, the weather was below freezing, but students did not disperse until around 8:30 p.m. They carried signs with phrases such as, “Syrian but not a terrorist,” “This is what democracy looks like” and “Refugees welcome.”

Adeel Ahmed, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore and a primar y organizer of the

protest, said he did not originally expect the event to draw such a large portion of the student body. When he mentioned the idea to some of the Muslim organizations on campus, they had in mind a small gathering of 100 to 200 students.

“Planning for this protest didn’t happen until over the weekend when Trump announced his executive order,” Ahmed said.

“A lot of Muslims and people from the seven countries that he banned weren’t allowed to come home and the protest gained traction quickly because the American people are frustrated.

They had this fire inside of them to speak up.”

Ahmed said he was in disbelief when thousands of Rutgers students and people outside of the Rutgers community expressed interest in the event through Facebook. What had begun as a simple idea, a single sentence to his friends had grown into something more influential than anyone could have hoped for, he said.

But the popularity of this protest was not an outlier, he said.

The minority communities united have become the new majority.

“As you can see, what Trump supporters and the alternative right think is that people are just being frustrated and they will give up over time. But this is something bigger,” Ahmed said.

“I have not seen this many protests and marches in my life. This is a movement.”

The #NoBanNoWall protest drew more than 1,000 students and featured a speech by University President Robert L. Barchi. The purpose of the march was to push back against travel ban, which had been announced earlier that week. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Rutgers Dance Marathon broke $1M in donations Chloe Dopico Associate News Editor

After more than 24 consecutive hours of dancing, it was revealed that the Rutgers University Dance Marathon (RUDM) had managed to fundraise more than $1 million for the Embrace Kids Foundation. JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR

For the first time in the Rutgers University Dance Marathon’s 18-year history, the event raised more than $1 million for the Embrace Kids Foundation.

This year, nearly twice as many dance captains participated, braving the dance floor for 12-hour shifts.

Seventy-six different patient children were paired with over 70 fraternities, sororities and other student organizations, said Shannon Chang, a School of Arts and Sciences senior and a member of the central planning team.

Dance Marathon requires each dancer to raise a minimum of $350 in order to dance. Money can be raised through various fundraising efforts, such as canning.

Organizations participating in Dance Marathon are paired with a child to support through the Embrace Kids Foundation. The Embrace Kids Foundation fundraises for children with blood disorders and cancer. The organization visits the children in hospitals, hosts birthday parties for the kids or simply provides the children with support while they undergo treatment.

“Rutgers University Dance Marathon is such an amazing event that means a lot to those

participating, but more importantly to the families. As RU4Kids liaison for my sorority, Sigma Kappa, it is amazing seeing the kids we support at DM having the time of their lives. They make me see how the pain of standing so many hours is nothing compared to what these children go through every day. Breaking $1 million was just the icing on the cake of such a life-changing event,” said Danielle Blumenthal, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore.

For Dance Marathon, the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) transforms into a dance floor. A stage is positioned on the court, with dance mats taking up the remainder of the court. Behind the stage, there was a section for games, including life-sized Jenga, popular arcade games and board games.

On the other side, there was a food station that provided dancers with lunch and dinner for the time they were in the RAC dancing.

Dance Marathon also featured various performers, as well as Zumba and other fun activities to keep students motivated throughout the night.

“Rutgers breaking $1 million is incredible,” said Jimmy Hogan, a School of Arts and Sciences senior and Rutgers football player.

“That’s credit to everyone that goes to Rutgers University, this place is beautiful.”

Page 5

May 1, 2017

RBS career fair turned away 40 students for dress code violations ChloE Dopico Associate News Editor

In February, multiple Rutgers Business School students were denied access to the annual career fair due to alleged dress code violations.

The majority of students were denied access because they wore blue shirts, blue suits or brown shoes. Rutgers Business School sophomore Tyler Farnsworth said he was denied access because he was wearing suede shoes.

“I was in contact with a campus recruiter for (a company) that I was supposed to meet at the fair,” Farnsworth said in an email. “After being denied entry I contacted her, and she replied saying, ‘It was disappointing for us to miss out on the opportunity to speak with students like yourself as a result of the dress code policy.’”

The dress code policy stated students were to wear “clean, polished dark dress shoes,” but

“The administration at Rutgers Business School apologizes to the students who were turned away from the Feb. 10 job fair because of a dress code policy.”

Official Statement The Rutgers Business School Administration

no sneakers or boots. It required men to also wear black or dark gray professional suits.

Senior Associate Dean Martin Markowitz said the reason behind

the dress code of only black or charcoal gray suits was in place was to ensure companies would be willing to hire Rutgers Business School students. In the past, students would not be hired from the University because of how they presented themselves.

After the career fair, a change. org petition was started asking Rutgers Business School Director of Career Management Staff Eugene Gentile to issue an apology to affected students, as well as revise the dress code, citing that navy suits are the most popular among Wall Street employees.

As a response to backlash caused by students, Rutgers Business School Dean Lei Lei issued an apology shortly after the incident.

The Office of Career Management in New Brunswick and Newark contacted affected students to

After students were denied entry to the Rutgers Business School’s annual career fair for dress code infractions, the school’s administration released a public apology. JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR aid them in contacting recruiting businesses that were present at the job fair.

The statement, in part, read “The administration at Rutgers Business School apologizes to the students who were turned away from the Feb. 10 job fair because of a dress code policy …

In addition, the deans at Rutgers Business School are scheduled to meet with the affected students next week. A review of the dress code is already underway and will be revised to ensure that it does not exclude students from opportunities to meet with employers in the future.”

Debasish Dutta chosen as next Rutgers chancellor Stephen Weiss Associate News Editor

The Rutgers Rise party, headed by current President Evan Covello, dominated the Rutgers University Student Assembly’s (RUSA) spring elections. Since the board assumed office, RUSA voted to make bystander intervention training mandatory for funded organizations. JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR

U. student assembly holds spring elections, passes new resolution Stephen Weiss Associate News Editor

This past March, the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) held its annual elections where the Rutgers Rise and Knights for Change tickets competed for office.

Rutgers Rise — led by current President Evan Covello, an Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy junior and Vice President Christie Schweighardt, a School of Arts and Sciences junior — triumphed over School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Vladimir Carrasco and the rest of Knights for Change, and were sworn into office on April 6.

Both tickets campaigned on the prevention of sexual violence, increased college affordability and the de-stigmatization of issues surrounding mental health, according to the Rutgers Rise and Knights for Change websites.

Rutgers Rise additionally campaigned on the platforms of addressing the student organization

funding crisis, advocating for a University holiday on Election Day, getting a student vote on the University Board of Governors and demanding that the University test the water supply for lead, Covello said in an interview with The Daily Targum.

Considering the Rutgers Rise ticket’s previous experience in leading RUSA, Covello said that they were more qualified for office than the Knights for Change candidates.

Prior to the elections, Covello was RUSA’s vice president, Schweighardt was the chief of staff and current treasurer Shannon Chang, a Rutgers Business School junior, already had a full year of experience at that position under her belt.

“The difference is not all of (the Knights for Change candidates) have always had experience lobbying (and) … actually fighting for students (and) testifying before senate committees,” Covello said during the campaign.

Ninety-five percent of the Knights for Change’s ticket was comprised of students who

identified as a member of a racial or ethnic minority, Carrasco said of what made his ticket unique.

“We believe that by electing those who have experienced oppression, we change the status quo for minorities. Our team recognizes the intersectionality of these issues, which is what grants us a new perspective and vision in our approach to RUSA,” he said.

In their first weeks in office, the newly elected RUSA leaders passed a resolution requiring student organizations that receive $1,000 or more in funding from RUSA Allocations to have at least two of their officers complete bystander inter vention training.

The training, going into effect September 2018, will be carried out by the Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA), and the logistics of the resolution’s implementation will be tasked to the Sexual Assault Prevention Committee, an entity of RUSA that addresses sexual violence.

This year was Richard L. Edwards’s last as chancellor of Rutgers, and beginning July 1 he will be replaced by Debasish Dutta, the former provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs at Purdue University.

Dutta was selected out of 100 potential candidates for the job from all across the United States.

In an interview with The Daily Targum, Dutta said that the school’s diversity was one of the primary reasons he took the position at Rutgers, and that he plans to utilize this attribute to build a foundation for his future initiatives at the University.

Dutta has extensive experience in higher education, with a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Purdue, a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Evansville and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Jadavpur University in India, according to a University press release.

Additionally, he served for three years as acting director of the Division of Graduate Education at the National Science Foundation.

“I believe in the importance of inclusiveness in campus climate and

so forth, so that will be very important. Equally important is academic excellence,” Dutta said. “That is what I am here for. Now academic excellence in my way of framing has two parts: faculty excellence and student success. I combine both of these. Students come here for an excellent education so I will be paying a lot of attention to thinking about initiatives where the Rutgers faculty can develop new areas of scholarship, new modes of pedagogy, helping the students to be the productive graduates of Rutgers and be successful.”

President Robert L. Barchi told The Daily Targum that upon assuming his position, Dutta and his wife will move into a house at the end of College Avenue, which had previously been home to a former University president, to effectively assimilate into the campus culture.

Chancellor Edwards said in an interview with The Daily Targum that he is positive that Dutta will continue to improve and build upon the greatness of Rutgers.

“I am absolutely confident that the new chancellor is a person that will be a great addition to Rutgers when people find out who he is and his background, and I know personally that individual and what kind of human being he is, and he’ll be a great person here,” he said.

In April, the University announced that Debasish Dutta will take over as chancellor or Rutgers—New Brunswick in July. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / PHOTO EDITOR

Page 7

May 1, 2017

Rutgers Hillel holds grand opening for new facility on College Avenue Christian Zapata Correspondent

The University’s transportation master plan calls for the implementation of bus and bike lanes along College Avenue to decrease congestion. ANA COUTO

Transportation plan takes steps forward Chloe Dopico Associate News Editor

The Rutgers Department of Transportation (RUDOTS) “University Master Plan” took significant steps forward this semester.

In addition to closing the Cooper Dining Hall bus stop in January, RUDOTS also announced plans to revamp College Avenue by adding bus and bike lanes, which were originally slated for completion before the end of the spring semester.

Originally, the plan included a bike lane on the side of College Avenue closest to Voorhees Mall, and a buses-only lane on the other side of College Avenue, University President Robert L. Barchi said in an email to students in January.

“I am excited about the benefits that these changes will bring to Rutgers students, both making College Avenue more pleasant for pedestrians and bus riders and encouraging more members of our community to use bicycles,” Barchi said.

The New Brunswick Parking Authority covered over 50 parking meters on College Avenue to clear the way for the transportation plan changes.

“The temporary plastic barriers along College Avenue by Scott Hall will be replaced in the coming weeks by an attractive, permanent fence that will run from Scott Hall to Ford Hall with gaps at crosswalks,” Barchi originally said.

But, in April, the plan was revised to implement a “quasi-bus lane,” as opposed to a full bus lane, said Senior Director of the Department of Transportation Jack Molenaar. The “quasi-bus lane” will resemble more of a bus shoulder, he said.

Molenaar said that the only way to make a bus lane that is entirely dedicated to buses — which would be the ideal option — would be to construct a physical barrier between where the buses drive and where the cars drive, which would be called a “dedicated right of way.”

The plan is also set to include multi-directional bike lanes, to encourage students to utilize other modes of transportation, he said.

“It’s what we do to make the buses operate a little more efficiently, how we do it with less bus stops, all these things,” he said. “If the buses move more efficiently, say, with

the exact same resources and it’s helping to meet the mission, that’s what the master plan’s really looking at and how to meet that.”

This semester, students from different denominations of Judaism and members of the Rutgers community were welcomed into the facility equipped with a café, student study areas and prayer rooms.

Rutgers Hillel is a diverse Jewish community dedicated to exploring Judaism and ever ything it means to be Jewish. It ser ves as a branch for The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, which looks to provide opportunities for Jewish students at more than 500 colleges worldwide, according to their website.

Hillel Student Board President and School of Arts and Sciences senior Samantha Brandspiegel said after years of having a building on the College Avenue cam-

pus the organization decided it was time to expand their reach and move into a larger facility.

The goal of Rutgers Hillel is to make the organization more available and accessible to students by providing a home away from home, Brandspiegel said.

They encourage all members of the community to come in and interact with daily activities.

“Some of the events we have planned are Shabbat dinners that take place ever y Friday night for groups up to 350 people. With our many new offices we are able to expand leadership roles to new heights and develop programs, speakers and activities like challah baking for Shabbat,” she said.

Events held throughout the semester have included a performance by Safam, the Jewish folk band known for their various performances throughout Rutgers prior to their hiatus. Mem-

bers include lead singer, Dan Funk, son of Rabbi Julius Funk, the founder of Rutgers Hillel, Brandspiegel said. The return of the group is momentous for the community and adds to the overall excitement stirring over the new building.

The staff-organized events paid tribute to the new building and thoroughly shows in the excitement on people’s faces as they neared their official opening on March 10, Brandspiegel said.

“We see ourselves as a place for students of all different backgrounds to come and engage in Jewish life here,” said Rabbi Esther Reed, senior associate director of the Hillel Center. “Events like our interfaith programs really integrate the religious community in times like this and promote student learning from one another through religion.”

DIVERSIONS

May 1, 2017

Mark Tatulli Horoscopes

Lio

Page 11 Eugenia Last

Happy Birthday: Let your imagination lead you into unfamiliar territory this year. Embrace life and make a point to focus on your dreams, hopes and wishes. The future looks bright. A little effort will take you a long way. Don’t feel the need to share your plans with anyone before you are ready. Once you feel comfortable and confident, your presentation will be well received. Your numbers are 1, 5, 13, 24, 32, 39, 42.

Over The Hedge

T. Lewis and M. Fry

Non Sequitur

Wiley

Pearls Before Swine

Stephan Pastis

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Curb any emotional feelings until you have time to consider all the ins and outs of a situation. The less impulsive you are, the better. Stay focused on your responsibilities and refuse to let excessive spending take over. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll be prone to take on too much if you don’t take the time to consider what’s actually in your best interests.

Make careful decisions and don’t be impulsive. A physical challenge will help clear your mind. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are in the zone and ready to take on the world. Embrace life and make adjustments to your lifestyle that will accommodate your plans. The future begins now, so stop procrastinating and start turning your dream into a reality. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Investigate your options and you’ll discover a way to turn something that interests you into a viable solution to any foreseeable problem that you might encounter along the way.

You’ll attract unusual input from someone you least expect. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Before you take charge, make sure your motives are honorable. Charm alone will not get you what you want. An intelligent backup to your plan will help you seal any deal you want to negotiate. Don’t let your emotions interfere. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Emotions and finances won’t be a good mix. You won’t be thinking clearly when dealing with children, money or personal contracts. If you want change, consider altering your appearance or your lifestyle. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Calm down and make the most of your day. Getting upset over something you can’t change is fruitless. Put your energy into work, productivity and creative solutions. Simple acts of kindness will encourage more of the same. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t venture too far from home.

You’ll get more done if you take care of domestic responsibilities. Venturing out and interacting with others will result in unnecessary financial and emotional costs. Avoid making impulsive decisions that can cause problems with institutions. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you must make changes, do so for the right reasons. Common sense, not emotional madness, should be behind every move you consider. Overreacting and making assumptions will put you in a predicament that could be difficult to back out of. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Get rid of emotional debt. Let go of whatever is stifling your desire to explore new beginnings. Rely on your intelligence to help you make choices that will improve your personal life. Reliability and moderation will keep you moving forward. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Fast talk will get you into trouble. Don’t be too willing to say “yes” to a plea for help until you find out exactly what’s expected of you and why. Being put in a compromising position will detract from your personal progress. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Trust your intuition and question what others tell you. Avoid anyone showing signs of inconsistency or looking for someone to take over his or her responsibilities. Offer help to those in need, not those trying to use you. 5 stars

©2017 By Eugenia Last distributed by Universal Uclick

Universal Crossword ACROSS

60 Earlier in time, a long time ago

1 Vanilli’s lip-synching partner

61 Any ball-shaped object

6 Causes of bad air days

62 Source of a neighbor’s

11 Clingy seed shell (var.)

child’s envy?

14 Chinese or Filipino

68 Chinese chairman, once

15 Not in the same place

69 Coffee go-with, sometimes

16 Geisha’s waist tie

70 George W.’s first lady

17 Plaything that gets blamed

71 Cleverly crafty

for everything?

72 Puts a picture on a wall

19 Like the virgin in “Silent Night”

73 What a ticket permits, often

20 Common street-lining tree

DOWN

21 Almost sing

1 Gaping pie-hole

22 Melancholy

2 Suffix meaning

23 Street lighter of old

“approximately”

27 Taps in the kitchen

3 33-Across minus 950

29 Necessity for a rock guitarist

4 Place for a pin

30 Signals to those waiting

5 Positioned correctly

in the wings

6 “___ Antonio Rose”

32 Succeed with a pitch

7 Car’s rate of speed

40 Company with Wile E. Coyote’s address

33 One way to write 1,002

8 Mild ones are not obscene

42 Something tested with a little hammer

34 Standing straight

9 Clusters or bunches

45 Weird, irregular stain

36 Fizzy drinks

10 Flummoxes or baffles

47 Frighten

39 Old burner used in labs

11 Participants in a play war?

50 Mexican Mrs.

41 Shortstop’s wild throw, e.g.

12 World war sub

53 High school galas

43 Sorvino who won an Oscar

13 Thick fruit skins

54 Ear- or hearing-related

44 Brings into harmony

18 Put in prison, in law

55 Elder statesman

46 Some blown instruments

23 Things people play

57 Car with plenty of room

48 Grade A thing

24 Good relations

63 Hound about trivial things

49 Mischievous little rascals

25 Lad in a revolving door?

64 Ambulance letters

51 It may take a bow

26 Members of nobility

65 What you are when

52 Bitterly regret

28 Grab (with “onto”)

caught off base

53 Like many basements in the ‘80s

31 Extremely gaunt one

66 Boston’s Bobby, the

56 Student assignments?

35 Poisonous

58 Toupee, in slang

37 Dispute

59 Palindromic name among artists

38 Ones known for wisdom

hockey legend 67 Small amount of sun

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Page 12

May 1, 2017 SOFTBALL SCARLET KNIGHTS CONTINUE TO AIM FOR POSTSEASON SPOT

Rutgers pushes for Big Ten Tournament as season closes Jordan Farbowitz Staff Writer

Heading into this season, the Rutgers softball team had middling expectations.

The Scarlet Knights were coming off a season in which they finished with a 24-33 record, went 8-15 in the Big Ten and lost to Ohio State in the first round of the conference tournament.

And with a roster mostly made up of underclassmen, it was expected that they would take a small step back this season. And as it stands now, that’s exactly what has happened.

The Knights are currently 13-33 with a 4-14 record in Big Ten games. If the season ended today, they would finish in 13th place, missing the 12-team conference tournament.

“So far it’s been kind of a disappointing season in the sense that we don’t have the wins that I think we should have,” head coach Jay Nelson said. “But in another sense, we’re learning and getting better. Right now we’re playing the best ball we can, and if we step it up, who knows?”

With nine players on the team that are either freshmen or sophomores, Nelson admitted that he expected some growing pains at the beginning of the season. And those fears came to fruition, as Rutgers lost 17 of its first 21 games.

But he said that as the season has progressed, the rookie mistakes, especially when it comes to communication, have gone down.

“We’re learning how to be in the right position at the right

Freshman infielder Taryn Atlee is emerging as a star for the Knights and leads the team in batting average, hits and runs this season as the leadoff hitter. JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / APRIL 2017 time,” he said. “Some of our losses early on were because we were out of position. As that gets better, we feel more

comfortable about how we play.

Learning how to play the game at this level is the biggest thing for us.”

And these improvements have not been lost on the players, especially the seniors.

“We knew that this would be a challenge, but our focus this year has been getting better every game,” said junior infielder Rebecca Hall.

The Knights have had a lot of standout performances this year from multiple players. At the top of their lineup is freshman Taryn Atlee, who has been one of the team’s top producers in her rookie year. She leads the team in batting average, hits and runs, and was named as one of 15 finalists

for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Freshman of the Year Award.

Behind her are the power hitters that have been the core of Rutgers’ lineup. Hall leads the team with 11 home runs, 44 RBIs and a .692 slugging percentage.

Junior catcher Sierra Maddox has the second-most home runs on the team with four. Freshman shortstop Nicole Bowman is second on the team with 34 RBIs, is tied for third with three home runs and leads the team with 12 doubles.

And when it comes to the circle, there is one pitcher who sees more action than any other.

Senior Shayla Sweeney leads the staff with a 4.83 ERA, nine wins, 136.1 innings pitched and 10 complete games. After her comes sophomore Whitney Jones, who Nelson praised for her progress over the season.

“She’s getting to be a top pitcher here,” he said. “She’s pitched well this season.”

As for the season as a whole so far, the Knights have experienced some memorable moments. One that stood out for many was last Sunday’s win against Penn State, the first time they beat the Nittany Lions since joining the Big Ten. The Knights were down by two in the seventh, but rallied with 4 runs in the frame for a 6-4 win.

“We had each other’s backs through everything,” Sweeney said.

Performances like that show that the Rutgers is not done yet, even if it’s down in the standings.

It has shown fight all year and has a lot of players who can make a big impact on a game. The script is not finished, and it’s up to the Knights to write the final page.

“We’re just going to take it pitch by pitch and keep a positive attitude towards everything,” said senior pitcher Aubrie Levine. “We know we’re not out yet.”

For updates on the Rutgers softball team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

May 1, 2017

Page 13 WOMEN’S TRACK RUTGERS TRIES TO REBOUND FROM POOR INDOOR SEASON

RU strives for improvement following lackluster indoor season Kevin Stapleton Staff Writer

Coming into its third year within the Big Ten Conference, the Rutgers women’s track and field team had admittedly tempered expectations for the 2017 indoor and outdoor seasons. Recruiting has been only moderately successful over the past several years, and the team has yet to effectively make the transition to becoming a steady competitor against its peers within the Big Ten. In the Big Ten, it’s easy to see where the “big dogs” are on the totem pole — and where the Scarlet Knights are not. One only needs to rewind to late February in Geneva, Ohio, where Rutgers competed in its third Big Ten Indoor Championship.

In 2015, entering its first year in the Big Ten, the Knights earned a respectable 12th place at the Big Ten Indoor Championship with 24 team points, placing just ahead of Iowa. The following year, Rutgers progressed for 25 team points, good for 10th place overall.

This season though, the Knights failed to qualify for a team placement for the first time in its nascent Big Ten history.

The team was led at that meet by Bryanna Grant and senior Sarah Robbie, who both placed 10th in the 800-meter and triple jump, respectively — the only top-10 efforts from Rutgers of the championship meet.

This year’s champion, Penn State, earned three titles for 96.5 team points after place in third place the previous two years.

Despite the performance in Geneva, the indoor half of the season saw some individual success from athletes such as graduate athlete Paige Senatore, senior Sarah Robbie, junior Bria Saunders and sophomore Rhonda Rogombe — all Knights who had earned new personal bests. Saunders highlighted the group by setting a school-record at the Beantown Challenge in the 300-meter and was the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Indoor Championship’s Most Outstanding Performer.

In the outdoor portion of the 2017 campaign, the Knights have continued to see further concrete progression and grittiness out of both track and field athletes.

Rogombe battled back from an injury that sidelined her for over a month after a productive indoor season, where she set a personal-best in the long jump. She most recently took the high jump at the Metropolitan Outdoor Championships and qualified to jump at the historic Penn Relays.

Senior Katherine Johnston is a student-athlete who personified the Knights’ tenacity this season.

After several straight top-three efforts in the javelin throw, she most recently took home two consecutive javelin titles, including a personal-best, in two separate

meets and, like Rogombe, qualified to throw at the Penn Relays.

The team highlight of the outdoor season was undoubtedly the 2017 Metropolitan Outdoor Championships, where the Knights took the team championship for the first time since 2012. Rutgers earned a commanding 190 team points, ahead of last year’s champion St. John’s, who placed second with 162 team points.

For head coach James Robinson, the team’s development process has been what’s most important for making a competitive product in the Big Ten. “As the year has progressed, (the team) has gotten better. Athletes are progressing, PR-ing, and breaking school records. We’re looking for people to rise up, and hopefully rise to the top of the conference. We’re looking to see some of those hopes come to fruition,” Robinson said. “I think everyone has PR’d in at least one event, thus far. Every year, that’s what we look for. I can’t worry about the outcome, because I know the process is good. (We’re) plugging away at it and getting better each time.”

Robinson detailed his high expectations for the Knights over the next few seasons, as he hopes the team continues to make its presence felt within the Big Ten and beyond.

“In the next couple of years, we want to get to the middle of the pack at least in the Big Ten.

We were at a disadvantage coming into the conference (initially), but we’ve already proven we can produce in conference championships,” he said.

Ultimately, Robinson realizes the need for sustained recruiting is a factor that will make or break the team going forward.

“It’s a matter of pulling together more talented athletes. You need athletes who can come in and make an immediate impact in the Big Ten Conference. It takes a little bit of time to build our brand.

Having that Big Ten exposure now has definitely helped us with

recruits, but we have ways to go,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to reach the middle of the conference in the next two or three years. From there, we can think about competing for a Big Ten team title. For now, we can compete and win individual events and relays. We have a lot of positions to fill across the events. We have some answers here right now, but we sure need a whole lot more in order to be consistent.”

For updates on the Rutgers women's track and field team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

Junior Bria Saunders finished 23rd in the 100-meter at the Penn Relays and continues to be a standout athlete for the Knights.

JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2017

TENNIS RUTGERS EARNS FIRST 2 BIG TEN WINS EVER UNDER ROOKIE HEAD COACH HILARY RITCHIE

Ritchie leads Knights to first ever Big Ten conference wins Nick Bove Staff Writer

Leading the Rutgers tennis team, head coach Hilary Ritchie, in her inaugural season, led the

team to two Big Ten wins over Penn State and Wisconsin and effectively changed the culture of the team in just one short season.

Expectations for the season were limited for the young team with a

rookie head coach, but it’s clear that the future is bright for the Scarlet Knights.

The team prepares to say goodbye to two senior leaders on the team in Farris Cunningham and

Senior Farris Cunningham led the team in Big Ten individual victories and was a key cog on a team that won its first two Big Ten matches in program history. JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / APRIL 2017

Ksenija Tihomirova. Rising juniors Mingxiu Du, Chloe Lee and Lee Levy will now assume the leadership roles on what will be an incredibly young team. Cunningham and Tihomirova will be greatly missed, especially due to their production.

The two combined for eight Big Ten singles wins. Cunningham led the team with ten total wins on the season. She tagged with freshman Jacqueline Cochrane in the doubles and scored eleven wins for the Knights. The experience and leadership will translate to their teammates and hopefully next year.

As students and coaches refine their skills and tactics, they prepare to make next season better than this year. Ritchie is the coach that these girls wanted and needed to succeed. They trust Ritchie to continue to elevate this program and its players to the next level.

“I was super excited when she became the head coach. She took this program to another level not only getting the first Big Ten wins but simply the way she trains and makes us work out. She's the reason why I was able to improve,” Cunningham said.

The future is bright for the team. The new recruits coming in have already come to support the team and made their presence known. They will play an integral part in the success of Rutgers next year just as this year's freshman did.

This year's freshman Jacqueline Cochrane, Katherine Muzik and Kyra Yap were extremely important for this team.

Cochrane along with Cunningham won nine doubles sets.

Muzik along with Du was able to get six doubles wins. Muzik also ranked second on the team with seven singles wins.

Muzik and Cochrane tied on the team for third for Big Ten singles wins with one each. If that kind of production can be found in next year's recruits, the Scarlet Knights will take a huge leap forward.

“The team will be playing more tournaments in the fall. They're going to be working out even more and the recruits coming in have a lot of potential,” Cunningham said.

While this season did not result in a Big Ten Championship berth for the Knights, they were not far off from that goal. If the Knights picked up just one more win this season, they would have been playing this week in the Big Ten Championships. One extra Big Ten win next season is not impossible especially for a team that is consistently improving.

“We wanna be the best academically and athletically. This team has goals and the potential to reach and exceed every one of them,” Cunningham said.

For updates on the Rutgers tennis team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

May 1, 2017

Page 14

YEARS Scarlet Knights hope to continue season when NCAA Tournament field is chosen continued from back sloppy turnovers that cost the team the game.

And with the long history of disappointment surrounding Rutgers athletics, it seemed that the Knights would “Rutgers” its chance at an upset and lose to the Buckeyes and miss out on the postseason.

But freshman Kieran Mullins had other ideas, as he scored the

game winning goal with 2:19 left in the first overtime period to give No. 13 Rutgers (10-4, 2-3) arguably its biggest win in program history and sending the seniors off in dramatic fashion with a 1211 triumph over the Buckeyes (12-3, 3-2).

With the victory, the Knights have positioned themselves very well for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, likely moving themselves into the top-10 of

the RPI, a resume aspect that the committee will have a hard time turning down.

And no one is more confident in Rutgers’ chances of an at-large bid than head coach Brian Brecht who spoke at length on how his team is deserving of a spot in that 17-team field.

“There’s no one’s resume that is better than ours right now for an at-large bid. Our numbers, our win-loss record, strength of schedule,” he said. “We have a body of work from the start of the season through April, we have two great Big Ten wins in the month of April. You wanna watch and see how good we are, you can turn on the TV. You wanna look

Sophomore Casey Rose leads Rutgers midfielders with 21 goals on the season while ranking third on the team. He scored twice in the team’s win over No. 4 Ohio State. HENRY FOWLER / APRIL 2016

at the numbers, the numbers are right there.”

And anyone who watches lacrosse understands how crucial faceoffs are.

The Buckeyes boast Jake Withers, one of the best in the country.

On the other side of the “X” is Joe Francisco for Rutgers.

He had a lackluster ef for t last week against Penn State, but was able to hang tough with Withers through nearly three quar ters, keeping the Ohio State stud five percent under his season average.

But late in the third quarter, Withers came out and was replaced by Christian Feliziani.

Francisco took advantage of that and took the game over. The Clark, New Jersey native won 4-of-5 in the fourth quarter and won the all-important overtime faceoff, which led to the game-winning goal.

“It started with JoJo Francisco,” sophomore midfielder Casey Rose said of the team’s focus. “He had a rough game last week but he’s been huge for us.

We believe in him and showed up to play today against a ver y, ver y good face-off guy. He was locked in and it echoed through the team.”

And when the beneficiary of Francisco’s overtime faceoff win was asked about his performance, Kieran Mullins had one word to describe it.

“Unbelievable,” he said.

In fitting Senior Day performances, Rutgers got big games from midfielder Jeff George (3 goals), attacker Connor Murphy (2 goals, two assists) and defender Chris Groel (two ground balls, one caused turnover).

And while those three have been notable starters this year, Brecht did touch on two less-

known seniors who had important days.

“Charlie Nicklaus, senior, huge stop in the ride to get us a possession in the fourth quarter.

Obviously Chris Peters in the man-down unit,” Brecht said. “You look and you see what our seniors were able to do. Certainly proud of them and certainly excited for what they’ve been able to do for the program.”

Late in the game, with the Knights clinging to an 11-9 lead, Ohio State star-freshman Trey LeClaire took the game into his own hands. With the Buckeyes not having scored in over 12 minutes going back to the third quarter, the long-range tactician scored his 31st and 32nd goals of the season, the second being with three minutes left, to tie the game up at 11.

And although many fans thought that Jeff George had won the game at the buzzer for Rutgers on its final possession, it was a shot that hit the side netting and sent the game to overtime.

With the season on the line, Brecht had one more opportunity to put his players in a position to win.

After the game, Mullins revealed what Brecht said to the team before the highest-ranked win in program history.

“He said ‘You’re in control, keep playing hard. We’re gonna win this thing.’ He actually said that and we believed it and we knew it was gonna happen.”

The Knights will now use the win over the Buckeyes as momentum as they hopefully prepare for the NCAA Tournament, which starts in mid-May. For updates on the Rutgers men’s lacrosse team, follow @griffinwhitmer and @TargumSports on Twitter.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE RUTGERS CONCLUDES SEASON WITH BEST RECORD SINCE JOINING BIG TEN

Knights close season with best Big Ten record to date Coby Green Staff Writer

It has been quite the year for the Rutgers women’s lacrosse team, such that the future looks brighter than it ever has since Rutgers joined the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights finished the season with an 8-8 record, their best record and most wins since 2014, when the team went 9-9 in its last season in the Big East Conference.

“We’re obviously disappointed in the way our season ended and wish we were still competing at this point in the season,” said head coach Laura Brand-Sias. “I think we have made significant progress this year and over the last couple of years in the Big Ten. The foundation is strong, so we are really focusing on the positive things that came out of this year.”

Since joining the Big Ten during the 2014-2015 season, the Knights struggled from the get go. In its inaugural season, Rutgers went just 2-16, including just one conference win over Michigan, a team in just its second season ever. Although the Knights improved last year, they still were substantially under .500, going 6-12, but they did pick up two conference wins, both over ranked Ohio State teams.

This season, in just their third year in the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights raised their level of play significantly. The Knights added another two conference wins, while also taking down then-No. 18 James Madison in non-conference play.

“Barring some injuries that we wish hadn’t happened, we were in a good spot throughout the season, so it’s just unfortunate that things ended the way that they did,” Brand-Sias said.

Rutgers certainly had its shares of highs and lows throughout the season, but overall should be happy with the progress it showed.

The Knights kicked things off in February, going 2-2 in the month by picking up hard fought wins against Monmouth and Lafayette, while taking losses from Temple and Delaware.

March was by far the hottest time of the year for the Scarlet Knights, who went 5-2 in the month, including winning five of the last six games. Both losses came to ranked opponents in then-No. 10 Penn and No. 9 Penn State, while picking up the ranked win over JMU and their first conference win of the season against Ohio State.

The month of April held two significant things for the Knights' season, a swan song for their graduating senior class and their

toughest five game schedule to date. Rutgers suffered losses to three ranked opponents in that span, including to No. 1 Maryland, who made light work of the Knights on Senior Day. Rutgers ended its season losers of four of its last five, inevitably missing out on the 2017 Big Ten Tournament with a loss in the final game of the season to Johns Hopkins.

The Knights certainly had some highlight performances over the year, seemingly mixed between all different graduating classes of the team.

“I feel that of the last four years here, this was one of our best seasons,” said senior midfielder Kristina Dunphey. “To see this program go in an upward spiral is a really cool thing to go through. Even though we didn’t get the result we wanted, we have a lot of ups to look at this season and will be a building season for next year.”

Dunphey paced the Knights this year, leading the team in overall points with 43 points, which combined her team-leading 31 goals and her 12 assists. Dunphey didn’t always start games, sometimes being used as a spark off the bench, but she certainly knew how to finish them.

Dunphey joined the 100-point club this year, along with fellow

senior team captain attacker Amanda Turturro. Turturro led the Knights in assists this season with 18 and was second in total points with 38.

“The team will keep moving in the right direction,” Turturro said. “We have great girls that will fill the spots of girls who are graduating.”

Rutgers has a strong returning group that are already preparing for next season, led by junior Nicole Kopyta, who was second in

goals for the Knights this year with 24.

Additional familiar faces returning are juniors Kerri Puckhaber, Bianca Dente and Paige Paratore, sophomores Abbey Brooks and Dakota Pastore and freshman Samantha Budd.

“I have faith that we will move in the right direction,” Turturro said.

For updates on the Rutgers women's lacrosse team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

Senior attacker Amanda Turturro led the team in assists and scored her milestone 100th career point in her final season.

JEFFREY GOMEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / JANUARY 2017

Page 15

May 1, 2017 MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD RUTGERS LOOKS TO CONTINUE OUTDOOR SUCCESS AS ACADEMIC YEAR ENDS

RU hopes to see more records fall in outdoor season Libby Hur Staff Writer

The level of preparation any college track athlete goes through before and after the cry of the starting gunshot, is almost unimaginable. The athletes’ tension likely reaches its peak in the midst of the crowd’s silence at the stadium before the start of a race or the stance before a big throw.

Throughout the 2016-17 track and field season, the Rutgers men’s team has been roadblocked with various weather, travel and just momentum lacking obstacles, but still maintaining to keep the pitfalls and losses a distant memory before their next obstacle.

Just this past weekend, junior javelin thrower Christopher Mirabelli and graduate jumper Emeka Eze both broke school records at the 123rd Penn State Relays.

Despite the rush of thousands of other athletes ranging from high school to the professional and Olympic levels competing on the same soil, both Mirabelli and Eze were not hindered from fulfilling their goals.

Mirabelli took home the javelin event title with his personal and school record breaking distance of 251’ 6” on his final attempt, rewriting his close second-place finish during last year’s Penn Relays.

“I was the second to last thrower, and Michael Shuey from Penn State was in first place so far and had already beaten my personal record. But on my last throw, I surpassed that and won it for the team,” Mirabelli said.

Especially in the track and field world, anything could happen within the last throws of any throwing event, indicating the unexpected thrills of this sport, along with how a hair of a second makes all the difference in the world.

“Penn State was the biggest competition I had there for javelin. For other events such as sprinting, there were some big name schools like Oregon competing as well,” he said.

Eze was also another athlete the audience kept an eye on this weekend. He broke out this year, sprinkling many personal records and school record-breaking performances throughout this season alone. During the Metropolitan Championships, Eze was able to end a five-year holding record made by Adam Bergo with his 15.92-meter triple jump, with Bergo in attendance to watch it.

At the Penn Relays, Eze broke yet another school record for the same event with a leap of 16.14-meters on his fourth attempt during this triple jump campaign, surpassing his 15.92-meter mark that beat Bergo.

“This was my third Penn Relays throughout my track and field career. This one was my first one with a completely healthy season, with no injuries, and I seeded top 2 for both long and triple jump events. The dynamic during this meet was really different, but I came into it wanting to break more records,” Eze said.

And that is exactly what he did.

As his final season of eligibility for college track soon comes to a close, Eze hopes to tackle the bigger meets such as the Big Ten

Outdoor Championships, NCAA Championships and national qualifications, all of which taking place within the next 2 months.

“I will still be involved with the team next year while finishing grad school, and just helping my coach in places he needs me,” he said.

The Knights have been preparing themselves for some of the biggest endeavors harboring at the end of the outdoor season, and all hoping for a shot at Nationals.

Looking back at all the improvement made from the indoor season to the outdoor, they have indeed been receptive to their coaches and long term setting goals starting from day one.

“This year I needed to get a lot stronger, I needed to gain my strength back that was lost during the off-season. I also had to improve on the technical parts of my throws, which is not perfect yet, but every day at practice, I wanted to see at least a small improvement. But this season for me really showed a lot of personal growth,” Mirabelli said.

Other star athletes such as Izaiah Brown made huge headlines this season as well.

At the Big Ten Indoor Championships back in the winter, sophomore sprinter Izaiah Brown took the crown in that event with a time of 45.32, beating his school and Big Ten Conference record once again since his time of 45.67 at the Spire Indoor Invitational.

Although sophomore sprinter Izaiah Brown suffered a leg injury that unfortunately pulled him out of concluding his indoor season at NCAA Indoor Championships, he was able to finally make his outdoor debut and reclaim his 400-meter title.

Brown stepped back onto the first place podium with his finish in the 400-meter at 46.50, an understandable 1.23 seconds over his personal record after his multiple-week absence, a strong way to start of his outdoor career.

With all the athletes striving to qualify for nationals, practices and meet results are crucial at this point in time. Athletes will have to make the top-48 mark in the countr y and finish within the top-12 at their coast

conference at regionals to qualify for Nationals.

For the upcoming school year, four recruits in distance runner Genaro Anzalone, distance runner Patrick Walsh, distance/ sprinter Eric Barnes and jumper Malachi Davis are signed on to joining the Rutgers men’s track and field team.

The transition will be significant, but one of the most successful athletes of this season, Mirabelli provided wise words to the rookies.

“There is a huge learning curve especially during freshman year that I remember,” Mirabelli said. “I would tell them to try and stay positive even when things are looking down, keep working at it with classes and track, and stay optimistic even through the toughest practices. It is definitely worth everything.”

For updates on the Rutgers men's track and field team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

Junior Christopher Mirabelli won the javelin event at the historic Penn Relays this past weekend while also setting another personal record. THE DAILY TARGUM / APRIL 2016

RUTGERS EYES 1ST NCAA BERTH IN 13 YEARS

Griffin Whitmer Associate Sports Editor

Although the academic year is coming to an end at Rutgers, the same cannot be said of the Rutgers men’s lacrosse team’s season.

The Scarlet Knights (10-4, 2-3) sit on the bubble of the National DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / PHOTO EDITOR Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament following an overtime victory over No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday.

In a triple-overtime loss to Maryland two weeks ago, Rutgers missed countless game-winning opportunities and had numerous See years on Page 14