THE DAILY TARGUM
Volume 141, Number 59
S E R V I N G
T H E
R U T G E R S
C O M M U N I T Y
S I N C E
MONDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2009
1 8 6 9
Today: Showers
WEEKEND FROM HELL
High: 50 • Low: 47
Within the last 48 hours, Syracuse embarrassed the Rutgers football team 31-13, the men’s basketball team lost 77-71 to Vermont, and the women’s basketball team lost the game to Georgia and perhaps its starting point guard.
Meal program decision ignites burning debate BY ARIEL NAGI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
“Businesses which are [Urban Enterprise Zone] members … pay only half the sales tax and [that] money is set aside in a fund the city can tap in order to pay for extra services,” Bray said. These extra ser vices include litter clean ups, which cost more than $300,000 of UEZ funds and extra taxes for downtown businesses to pay for street cleaning, he said.
Members of the Rutgers University Student Assembly, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the general student body debated Thursday whether the PCRF should have been granted the semi-annual meal sign-away plan this fall. Concerned students and a few RUSA members argued that the international group, which was recently granted the meal sign-away program, is highly political — and for students to sign away their meals to this group would be controversial. “There are many other organizations that provide purely humanitarian relief for children in the Middle East, and I would have no problem with one of those organizations,” said Tali Rasis, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. “But [the PCRF] is a politically oriented organization with a questionable past.” While no vote was made, RUSA members are expected to decide today if the PCRF will keep the meal sign-away program. After the meeting, members from both sides argued with one another, some shouted the issue was a result of racism, while others shouted that the PCRF was anti-Israeli. RUSA member Avi Scher said some comments PCRF President and Founder Steve Sosebee made on his blog made a few students think Sosebee stood for combining armed struggle with humanitarian help. The quote taken off MilitantIslamMonitor.org was: “‘I thought this is a good way to contribute to the struggle and provide a humanitarian service at the
SEE LITTER ON PAGE 4
SEE DEBATE ON PAGE 4
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Food wrappers and plastic bottles line many New Brunswick streets, and officials say there are not enough funds to clean every city block. But a new clean-up program calls for residents and commuters to take action and follow guidelines for garbage disposal.
Litter concern sparks city cleanup initiative BY NEIL KYPERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In an effort to clean up the city, New Brunswick is turning to its residents to do their part in keeping litter off the streets. The city is trying to get everyone to be accountable because New Brunswick is such a diverse community where people are constantly coming and going, said City Spokesman Bill Bray. University students are a major issue because many are just
beginning to understand what renting a property entails. “When they move off campus and live on their own, they have to take responsibility, because if they do not set up a program with their housemates, [trash] does not get taken care of,” Bray said. The city does clean certain areas, but the funds are not there to clean up every street in New Brunswick, which is when it becomes the residents’ responsibility, he said.
INDEX UNIVERSITY A year after being established, Rutgers Against Hunger has been hugely successful. Find out the ways that the University’s fight continues to put food on the table during the holiday season.
OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING Students confront many challenges while looking for off-campus housing, look inside to find tips on how to deal with potential issues. UNIVERSITY . . . . . . . 3 OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING . . . . . . . . .6 OPINIONS . . . . . . . . 8 DIVERSIONS . . . . . . 10 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . 12 SPORTS . . . . . . BACK
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Student-run team floats on passion for swimming BY AMBIKA SUBRAMANYAM STAFF WRITER
For most members of the University club swim team, swimming is more than a hobby — it is a way of life. The dedication paid off at its first, large-scale invitational Saturday at the Princeton University Invitational, where the team placed third out of nine. Three members — School of Arts and Sciences junior Kyle Madison, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy sophomore Andy Sheu and School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Sam Corbett — finished in the top five of their respective races. The meet was an important milestone for the relatively new club team, said Madison, the team’s president. Although the team has been to a few small meets, this large invitational helped put it on the radar. “Even though we’re such a new team, we have incredibly dedicated and hardworking members,” Madison said. “They definitely deserve this.” Madison and alumnus Daniel Castellanos founded the team last semester.
RAMON DOMPOR/ ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Men’s club swimming member Kevin Wang swims butterfly at the Sonny Werblin Invitational in October. The team formed last semester so students could compete despite not having a University varsity team.
“We knew that there was no more varsity team, but we still wanted to swim and compete,” Castellanos said. The team hosted its first home meet in October, Madison said. The University’s team placed second overall. Club teams from The College of New Jersey, University of Connecticut and
Princeton University came to the University to compete. The team also placed first at a meet in Villanova University and fifth in a meet at the University of Maryland. While competition is a good motivator for the team members, most of them use their hour-long practices as a way to unwind, said Public
Relations Officer Corey Herbst-Gervasoni. “All my days are filled with classes, studying and more studying. The one thing I get to look forward to is that one hour I get to be in the pool,” Sheu said. Herbst-Ger vasoni, a Rutgers College senior, said the Rutgers men’s swimming
team would be cut when he started at the University, but thinks the club swim team is a better way to continue his passion for swimming, he said. Members of the team love to swim, but they do not feel the pressure associated with being members of a Division I team, Herbst-Gervasoni said. Another advantage to the club is that it is student-run, so there are no coaches putting pressure on participants, said Hollyn de Vries, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore. “Personally, I love that it is a stress-free zone, where you can make a lot of friends and be involved in something great,” she said. Different team members have different reasons for joining, De Vries said. “People come to practice every day because they want to swim, not because they have to because of scholarships, or their parents or coaches,” Madison said. About 90 percent of the team’s members swam in high school teams, Sheu said, and one-third swam in club teams in high school.
SEE TEAM ON PAGE 4
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NOVEMBER 23, 2009
DIRECTORY
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
WEATHER OUTLOOK Courtesy of the The Weather Channel TUESDAY HIGH 54 LOW 43
WEDNESDAY HIGH 54 LOW 45
THURSDAY HIGH 55 LOW 47
TODAY Showers, with a high of 50° TONIGHT Showers, with a low of 47°
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141ST EDITORIAL BOARD JOHN S. CLYDE . . . . . . . . . . EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ANGELINA Y. RHA . . . . . . . . . . MANAGING EDITOR CAITLIN MAHON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWS MATTHEW STEIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPOR TS ANDREW HOWARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PHOTOGRAPHY MATT STEELE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DESIGN MARGARET DARIAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INSIDE BEAT MEGAN DIGUILIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPINIONS ADRIENNE VOGT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COPY SARA GRETINA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNIVERSITY HEATHER BROOKHAR T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . METRO LAUREN CARUSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSIGNMENTS AMOS JOSHUA SANCHEZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ONLINE DAN BRACAGLIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MULTIMEDIA RAMON DOMPOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY CARISSA CIALA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE DESIGN KYLE FRANKO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE SPOR TS SAM HELLMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE SPOR TS AMANDA RAE CHATSKO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE COPY TOM WRIGHT-PIERSANTI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE INSIDE BEAT JOHNATHAN GILDAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE ONLINE MARY DIDUCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE NEWS ARIEL NAGI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ASSOCIATE NEWS
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CORRECTIONS In Friday’s front-page article “Students stand up for U.S. health care reform,” Legislative Affairs Chair for the Livingston Student Council Adam Helgeson was inaccurately attributed as saying he was denied coverage because he had a preexisting condition.
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
UNIVERSITY
PA G E 3
Coffeehouse RAH still bakes against hunger after 365 days traffics local attention to global issue “It’s ... a huge benefit BY ARIEL NAGI
ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
BY KELLY HOLECHEK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Human trafficking is a serious issue, with more than 200,000 women and children sexually exploited in the United States. The Douglass Campus Center buzzed with poets, musicians and students to address the issue Saturday night at the Rutgers University Campus Coalition Against Trafficking’s coffeehouse. “The main goal of this event was to raise awareness and to teach students about the very real issue of modern-day slaver y, something most people don’t even know exists,” said RUCCAT Co-President Natalie Blanc, a School of Arts and Sciences senior. There are 100 million child laborers worldwide and millions more caught in debts they will never be able to pay off, said RUCCAT Co-President Devangi Patel, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. Women in some strip clubs are increasingly held as sex slaves, where dollars go into the hands of violent pimps, rather than the women themselves, Patel said. “The number one way to prevent slaver y is education,” Patel said. “Being aware of your actions and the situation is key.” Students can help decrease trafficking by only buying fair trade products, which ensure that workers are earning fair wages and children are not working under negligent conditions, she said. Students can also avoid the purchase of clothing from companies using sweatshop labor. RUCCAT takes notice of the hundreds of thousands of women and children who are forced into modern-day slavery, Patel said. It was founded in 2006 by Alexis Kennedy and is sponsored by the Institute for Women’s Leadership. RUCCAT hopes to teach students how they can be part of the solution and fights trafficking through fundraising for grassroots organizations, Patel said. Through events like the coffeehouse, Patel said RUCCAT hopes to bring out students to a dynamic environment and learn about the issue. “I wanted to go to the coffeehouse to suppor t my friend’s [performance] and to learn a little more about the trafficking,” said Jeff Foster, a Mason Gross School of the Arts junior.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Rutgers Against Hunger, University Recreation and student volunteers came together yesterday to bake pies to help fight hunger in New Jersey at the Third Annual Great University Bake Sale. The Busch Dining Hall College Bake Shop was filled with volunteers as they stood in a circle around tables and prepared a variety of pies for baking. The pies were ordered in advance and sold for $8 each, said University spokeswoman Sandra Lanman. All proceeds will be used to purchase gift cards for Shop Rite, Lanman said. The gift cards will be given to the Middlesex County Food Organization, which will then distribute them to needy families. “[The families] will be able to go buy their own groceries for the holiday,” RAH Coordinator Julie Sylvester said. The event is beneficial for everyone involved, said University
Recreation Special Events “They’re becoming pretty popCoordinator Kristen Pettis. ular,” Sylvester said. “It’s definitely a huge benefit Since September, MCFOODS for the people purchasing the has struggled to provide food for pies, because not only do they needy families, she said. The organhave a great pie on their ization sent RAH several e-mails Thanksgiving table, but they asking them to help due to the risknow all that ing poverty levels money is going to in New Jersey. help people,” Having this Pettis said. bake sale is not for the people Among the only helping the organizations parcommunity and purchasing the ticipating were the fighting hunger in National Residence pies ... all that New Jersey, but it is Hall Honorary and a great dessert money is going to also Iota Phi Theta frato add to a holiday ternity. dinner, she said. help people.” This year they “The great KRISTEN PETTIS sold 280 pies, 40 thing is, if you University Recreation Special percent more than know you’re going Events Coordinator last year, Lanman to a dinner for said. More than Thanksgiving and $2,000 is going to you’ve been asked be used to buy the gift cards. to bring a dessert, you already have “Next year we’re hoping for this one and it’s done, it’s beautiful more,” Lanman said. and all your money is going to a The pies are ordered a week great cause,” Sylvester said. before Thanksgiving, Sylvester said. National Residence Hall Faculty, staff, students and some Honorar y member Ryan members of the New Brunswick Harrington volunteered because community ordered pies this year. he knew it was for a good cause.
“It’s a great way to get volunteer[s] and help [families] on Thanksgiving,” said Harrington, a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences sophomore. Along with the baking event, RAH is also celebrating its first anniversary and recognizing the success in its Adopt-A-Family campaign, where it adopted 200 families, Lanman said. RAH also raised 27 tons of foods and $107,000 in a year. The Adopt-A-Family campaign was organized last month, and students, staff and faculty collected food, personal items and small gifts for needy families, according to a press release. The University collaborated these efforts with 13 other non-profit organizations. “[The Adopt-A-Family campaign] is something new that a university has never done,” Lanman said. RAH will continue to fight hunger and hopes to have more successful years to come, she said. “Hunger is a very insidious problem,” Lanman said. “For someone to put food on the table, there’s a lot that has to happen.”
U. PRODUCES GUIDELINES FOR REMODELING IN NEW JERSEY The Rutgers Center for Green Building, a part of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, released “New Jersey Green Home Remodeling Guidelines Version 1.0” last week at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities 94th Annual Conference in Atlantic City. The document serves as a guide for homeowners and remodeling professionals that they can incorporate into common home remodeling projects, according to a University Media Relations press release. “The case studies that feature New Jersey green home remodeling projects are one of the most exciting features of the
guidelines,” said research project coordinator at the Rutgers Center for Green Building Maren Haus. “They bring the guidelines to life, providing concrete examples of how green home remodeling strategies can be healthy for occupants, easy on the environment and save money.” Some of the areas addressed in the guidelines include health and safety, green home maintenance and housekeeping, case studies, and green products and services, according to the press release. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided funding for the guidelines, and the center
developed the document with input from an expert advisory group. This group included residential building and remodeling professionals, interior designers, landscape architects and experts in the field of green building and energy-efficient design. The guidelines can be downloaded at www.greenbuilding.rutgers.edu. The center serves as an umbrella organization for existing and proposed initiatives from the Bloustein School, the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, the School of Engineering and other units of the University, according to the release. — Heather Brookhart
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NOVEMBER 23, 2009
U NIVERSITY TEAM: Club is open to all students despite skill level continued from front “Since we’re peer-coached, we get to learn even more since everyone has a different swimming style and coaching background,” he said. Although most members do have a background in competitive
LITTER: Block captains can conduct street cleanups continued from front In an attempt to raise awareness around the city, a poster contest was held throughout district schools with a bicycle as the first place prize, said Recycling and Clean Communities Coordinator Donna Caputo. These posters will be distributed to local businesses and schools in an attempt to prompt the entire community to support this initiative, she said. “The ‘Stop, Think, Go Green’ poster [has been] made into metal signs and [will] be hung in our parks and at our schools … in English and Spanish,” Caputo said. Residents are able to find these signs all around the city in the forms of banners or decals on the backs of city vehicles as well, she said. After a street has been cleaned up, a door hanger will be left at every house in order to show the residents that someone has been here and cleaned, with the hope that the hangers will get those residents to be mindful of their property, she said.
DEBATE: PCRF members deny allegations of terrorist ties continued from front same time,’ Sosebee said about the Palestinian struggle to end Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.” Scher said this quote shows that Sosebee is biased and his organization is political. But the President of the PCRF’s University Chapter Ghadeer Hasan said this evidence is not accurate, and the sources are not reliable. “These quotes that were said by Steve Sosebee, none of them were documented, none of them were substantial, and if anything, they were taken out of context,” said Hasan, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. There were also accusations that the PCRF was linked to terrorism, because they had previous connections with the Holy Land Foundation, which funded Hamas, one of the largest terrorist groups in the Middle East, Scher said. The foundation tried to transfer money to the PCRF. “I am not saying that the PCRF is a terrorist organization, but what I am saying is that they’re clearly linked to terrorist organizations,” said Scher, a School of Ar ts and Sciences sophomore. Hasan said the quotes and allegations should not be looked at as a reason to not fund the group, because its main goal is to provide humanitarian aid to children from the West Bank and Gaza, who are battered as a result of the war. She said the only relation the PCRF had to the Holy Land Foundation was to help a child years ago.
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M swimming, the club is open to people of all levels, Madison said. For Madison, it is the drive of competition that has him addicted to swimming. “That’s the reason I come out every day — I need to get better,” Madison said. All the members are good friends, with no cliques or special groups dividing them, HerbstGervasoni said.
“Every practice is a good time, every meet is filled with really funny memories,” he said. The team practices Monday through Thursday, from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center pool on Busch campus. “We’re here because we love swimming,” De Vries said. “[We] welcome anyone else who shares our passion.”
“We are trying to do a comprehensive outreach program with a repetitive message that people will see,” Caputo said. The city is going to have to cover the cost for the education and outreach programs, along with refuse bags, trash receptacles and two new sanitation inspectors, she said. “New Brunswick Tomorrow provided $10,000 in funding for the outreach material,” Caputo said. This was a joint effort throughout the community, with both residents and the New Brunswick Environmental Commission being integral parts of getting the initiative started, she said. In the community, block captains will be responsible for organizing residents in their area to pick up litter, Bray said. “We will still have our clean ups, [but] these block captains could organize mini-clean ups along their block … and get their neighbors engaged in a more routine basis to go out and clean their own properties,” he said. Part of the problem is that people will take trash with them onto the streets and just toss it aside when they are finished with it, Bray said.
“Statistically, they say that if people see litter present, [they] find it more acceptable to add more litter to it,” Caputo said. Bray said if people spent some time picking up the litter on their block, they would have a better understanding of the importance of keeping the community clean. Although the program is seeking to change the community, some city residents have doubts. “It would be really nice if they could get it to work, but it will be really hard to get people organized,” said School of Arts and Sciences junior Brianna Harney. College students have a hard time keeping their own places clean, so it will be difficult to extend that to the entire street, she said. “It will be really great if everyone cleans up their property,” said School of Arts and Sciences junior Diana Fernandes. “I would love to see Louis Street clean.” Caputo said she would like to see everyone in New Brunswick care about litter and keep their own premises clean. “I challenge people to not let a red Solo cup drop to the ground again,” she said. “And if it does, pick it up.”
“I don’t see any controversy over bringing a child over and giving them a surgery they would not have access to in the West Bank or Gaza, where they’re living under a military occupation, where their living under siege,” Hasan said. The organization may have some political ties — but the children do not — and it is not their fault their in the middle of a political situation, Hasan said. “Maybe the word Palestine is political, but that isn’t the point,” she said. Some members at the meeting argued the organization is also political in the sense that it is providing medical services to only Palestinian children. But Hasan said although the organization started as a group to help children in Palestine, it has expanded to help children in other countries in the Middle East, such as Lebanon. “No sides are being taken; we’re simply providing medical treatment to children,” Hasan said. “Whether it’s Arab children, whether they’re Muslim, whether they’re Jewish, whether they’re Christian — it doesn’t matter. The fact of the matter is that they’re children, and that’s why we’re here.” New Jersey PCRF Chapter President Nora Whisnant said the accusations were an attempt to refuse aid to Palestinian children. Thousands of children are assisted through the PCRF, she said. “Nobody in the Second World War would deny German children the right to medical care,” Whisnant said. “This is a different agenda trying to deny Palestinian children medical care, but in terms of Steve Sosebee, look at his work, not his blogs.” School of Engineering senior Avi Gilboa said he does not think anyone is making claims that
Palestinian children do not deserve and need humanitarian service, but the PCRF has questionable ties and allegations. “There are plenty of other organizations that have a squeaky-clean slate. Why not choose from there, because this is such a controversial and political issue?” he said. Vice President of the PCRF’s University Chapter Ekjot Grewal said he was shocked to hear allegations that the PCRF was linked to terrorism. He was surprised to hear it from the University community, because it is so diverse. “At Rutgers, the major slogan for everything is ‘Jersey Roots, Global Reach,’” said Grewal, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. “Now what we’re trying to do here is take Rutgers mission to somewhere where there really are bad hospitals and things like that. I do not see Rutgers students having a problem with signing a meal away to a kid who got his leg blown off.” A few years ago, the PCRF brought a child to the U.S. to receive a surgery because the child was born with his bladder outside of his body, he said. “I could say, quite clearly, after meeting this kid, this kid is not a terrorist, he is not attempting to be a racist or the next Hitler,” Grewal said. “He’s simply just a kid wanting a chance for a better life.” Cook College junior Laura Silverman said allowing the PCRF the meal sign-away program would divide the University community, because the issue is so personal and controversial. “No one is claiming that any Rutgers student is a terrorist,” she said. “I think the problem here is with RUSA being able to stand with something that stands behind the entire community, and I don’t think that this does that.”
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
CALENDAR NOVEMBER
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The Livingston Campus Council meets at 7:30 p.m. in Room 113 of the Livingston Student Center. It holds weekly meetings. The SEBS/Cook Campus Council holds its weekly meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Cook Campus Center. The University College Council meets from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Camp and Skull Room in the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus. The Engineering Governing Council meets ever y other Monday at 8:10 p.m. in the Busch Campus Center in Room 116.
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The Douglass Governing Council meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Trayes Hall A of the Douglass Campus Center. The Busch Campus Council meets in Room 120 ABC at 7 p.m in the Busch Campus Center. It holds meetings every other week.
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Be thankful: No classes today.
Gobble gobble! Happy Turkey Day!
DECEMBER
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Join the Zimmerli Student Advisory Board and the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum as they celebrate the end of the fall semester and begin enjoying the holiday season for the last “Art After Hours” of the semester. Come to the art museum on the College Avenue campus at 6 p.m. to enjoy delicious holiday treats, hot chocolate, cider and participate in the fun and festive activities.
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The Mason Gross School of the Arts Department of Dance presents works by distinguished faculty and guest choreographers in “DancePlus Fall.” Part of a semiannual series, “DancePlus” will be at the New Theater today through Sunday, Dec. 6. Each of the three concerts presents the work of four to six faculty members and frequently includes world premieres. Performances are Dec. 3, 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 5 and 6 at 2 p.m. For more information about any Mason Gross event, visit http://masongross.rutgers.edu or call the Mason Gross Performing Arts Center Ticket Office at 732-932-7511. The Recreation Activities Crew holds a co-ed “Kickball Tournament” at the Livingston Recreation Center. The entrance fee is $10, which will go to the Adopt-A-Family they adopted for the holidays. Teams of five to eight University students may register. Coed ratio is at least 5:2. The winning team takes home a free outdoor trip from the Recreation department as well as T-shirts. Call Mr. O’Connell (732) 445-2398 or email koconnel@rci.rutgers.edu with any questions.
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Do you enjoy listening to beautiful, harmonious music? Then come to the Queens Chorale’s Winter Concert! The Queens Chorale is the oldest student-run choir on campus, which invites women, including graduate students, from the entire University community to join us. Hybridizing a choral group with a mellow sorority, we cultivate a relaxed social atmosphere where we can enjoy singing as a group. Known for singing traditional University music, QC also sings a variety of music at our biannual concerts. Come out enjoy the music at 8 p.m. at Kirkpatrick Chapel on Old Queens campus. Students pay $5 and general admission is $10.
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The Rutgers University Campus Coalition Against Trafficking hopes to get many students out to participate in the club’s eating contest at 2:30 p.m. in Room 411 of the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus. All money raised will be donated to the Polaris Project, a New Jersey-based, anti-traf ficking organization.
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“Our Children,” a semi-documentary film featuring child Holocaust survivors playing themselves, will be screened at 7 p.m. at the Student Activities Center on the College Avenue campus for University students and the general public. Shot on location at a Jewish orphanage outside of Lodz in 1947, the film was banned by the Polish government as being “too Zionistic” and was then lost for more than 30 years. For more information contact Alexandra Casser at casser23@rutgers.edu or (201) 788-5570.
To have your event featured on www.dailytargum.com, send University calendar items to university@dailytargum.com.
U NIVERSITY
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
5
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING
PA G E 6
Tenants ask landlords to turn up heat BY ASRAA MUSTUFA STAFF WRITER
As the temperature outside grew colder last month, Douglass College senior Regina Benford turned on the heat in the house she rents with three other students on Bar tlett Street. But days later, her house was still cold. A plumber came in to fix the problem after she called her landlord but later that day, Benford’s roommate discovered huge puddles of water in her room because of a broken pipe. The plumber then came back to turn off the hot water so he could fix it again, she said. “It only works when it wants to, it’s not completely fixed,” said Douglass College senior Rachel Simms, Benford’s roommate. It only reaches a certain temperature downstairs, Simms said. “It cost us a lot of phone calls and time and annoyance, but it didn’t cost us any money,” Benford said. It’s a scenario that may be familiar to students living off-campus, especially those living in single-family houses divided into multiple units. Many of these houses occupied by students are on average about 100 years old, City Spokesman Bill Bray said. Benford said her house is so old that each bedroom has its own fireplace. Landlords are required to supply heat from Sept. 15 to May 31 in New Brunswick if heat is included in the tenant’s rent or lease, Chief Housing Inspector Michael Mahony said. Fur thermore, if the temperature outside falls below 50 degrees, landlords are responsible for maintaining a temperature of at least 68 degrees between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. and a temperature of 65 degrees at night, he said. Mahoney said if a tenant’s heat is not working, they should
contact their landlord. If the He gets the most complaints problem persists, tenants about heating in the fall, usually should call housing inspectors because the water in the radiator at (732) 745-5075. has settled over the summer and The of fice of inspections there is too much air in the syswill send someone the same or tem. In such cases, Ostergren next day to investigate the said he simply needs to replace problem and will tell the land- an air valve, which costs only a lord that they have 24 to 48 few dollars. hours to supply heat, Mahoney “It’s a combination of old said. If the landlord still does houses, old heating systems and not comply, they could be sum- crusty old boilers, and college moned to cour t and possibly students who have never used a fined up to $2,000 per day. radiator before may not realize Landlords must also supply that you can solve it yourself,” the required fuel he said. and energy, and Ostergren “We pay a lot of maintain the heatsaid sometimes ing system in good problem is money to live here the conditions, accordmore serious. ing to the Rutgers and yet don’t get the He has spent University Of f$4,000 to basic amenities, Campus Housing replace a boiler Ser vice Web site. entirely four or such as heat.” Tenants can also five times in the ALLYSON MUCCI send their landlord last 11 years. Rutgers College senior a written notice via “As a landcer tified mail, notilord, I want my fying them that tenants to call their heat is defective. If the me if there’s a problem,” he landlord does not fix the prob- said. “It’s my responsibility to lem in a reasonable amount of have it fixed.” time, usually within five to 10 Ostergren said he responds days, tenants can hire their to heating complaints within a own repairman to have it fixed day or even sooner if it is and deduct the cost from future an emergency. rent payment, said Nels Rutgers College senior Lauritzen, an attorney whose Allyson Mucci lives in a house primar y area of on Hardenberg Street that is practiceis New Br unswick divided into two units. The thertenant representation. mostat is located on her neighBut this would be a last bor’s side of the house, where resor t option, and tenants seven tenants live. should consult legal ser vices Mucci said her unit houses before taking this course of eight tenants, and their third action, Lauritzen said. floor has no heating. Her two “We’re headed into winter roommates living on the third now, so heating is not some- floor have resorted to buying thing you can play around with,” space heaters. Lauritzen said. “Tenants should “We pay more for the heating square away heating concerns and fuel bill, [but] we can’t even now because it’s only going to set our own temperature,” get colder.” Mucci said. Many of the older houses in She said her landlord has New Brunswick use radiator heat, not taken any steps to resolve said landlord Steve Ostergren, who either problem. rents out eight properties to about “It’s a shame that landlords 75 students in New Brunswick. take advantage of their tenants
so often,” Mucci said. “Since Rutgers housing can’t accommodate us, we are forced to live of f-campus. We pay a lot of money to live here and yet don’t get the basic amenities, such as heat.” The city understands and recognizes the needs for new of f-campus housing built and designed for students, Bray said. The city is doing what it can through redevelopment projects and by fostering private projects. The city granted variances for two projects on Union Street, built by the private sector and designed for students, Bray said. One opened this semester and one is going to begin construction soon. A third project is under constr uction on Easton Avenue, he said. “Cer tainly a 100-year-old house doesn’t have the infrastructure — [it] wasn’t built to handle a dozen students living in three different apartments,” Bray said. “New housing needs to be built for students … to meet the demand and to provide students the amenities that go hand in hand with the modern university experience.” He said another problem may be that landlords turn of f power to a fur nace during times of the year when it won’t be needed, and it simply hasn’t been turned back on yet. Bray’s advice to students living in older houses is to call their landlords and take on the responsibility to build a relationship with them. “If there’s an issue that needs to be resolved and they believe their landlord is responsible for it and they are not being responsive, then they need to call the city and we will make sure they’re responsible,” he said. “When brought to our attention, we can take ver y quick and ver y ef fective action.”
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
ANNUAL ‘SIGN SHOPPE’ TO BE HELD For an interactive experience, students can make their own street signs at the OffCampus Student Association’s “Sign Shoppe” Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the International Lounge of the Busch Campus Center. “You can make personalized signs that say ‘Your parking only’ or ‘So and so’s cool place,’” said OCSA Treasurer Kristina Dmytriv, the organizer for the event. “Why wouldn’t you want one?” While the event is an activity planned for off-campus students, Dmytriv said anyone can attend and are encouraged to do so. The “Sign Shoppe” is an event held every year by OCSA, which Dmytriv said is very popular. She expects anywhere from 50 to 100 people to show up. Any Excuse for a Party is providing 200 signs, so she expects students will be able to make more than one. For $1 each, students can keep any signs they make. The “Sign Shoppe” is one of several hands-on workshops planned by OCSA. In March, they plan to host a chocolate factory and an airbrushing event where students will be able to personalize their own hats. For more information, visit http://ocsa.rutgers.edu or join their Facebook group. — Brett Wilshe
STUDENTS TO GET HANDS-ON WITH DUCT TAPE To show students how to make various arts and crafts out of the common household fix-all, the Off-Campus Student Association is hosting a “Duct Tape Night.” The workshop takes place Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. in room 407 of the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus. “You’ll learn how to make things like flowers and wallets. It’s more of an artistic thing, but very interesting,” said OCSA Vice President Chris Mango, a Rutgers College senior. Pamela Imhof, who has experience with the craft, is expected to lead the event. In the past, she has shown students how to make a variety of crafts with colored duct tape. The event, which in the past has attracted up to 40 people a night, is open to all students. The OCSA will provide drinks and free pizza. The event runs about an hour and participation is free. OCSA Secretar y Juliana Piccirilli, who is organizing the event, said there will be plenty of multicolored duct tape for students to use. “It’s a good way to have people get together and have fun. You’ll get to be involved, meet people and make friends,” said Piccirilli, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. “And it’s not every day you can make a purse out of duct tape.” — Brett Wilshe
OFF-CAMPUS
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
HOUSING
7
Representatives offer advice to students moving off campus
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Students living off campus in areas like Division Street, above, encounter problems with everything from security deposits to conserving energy. BY MATT REED STAFF WRITER
Students living in off-campus housing may face a barrage of unexpected issues. Before signing a lease for the year, here are a few things to keep in mind. Use the Off-Campus Housing Service Web site to your advantage Of f-Campus Housing Ser vice Representative Mike Diorio suggests that students looking to live of f campus should check the housing listings often on the OCHS Web site, located at http://ruoffcampus.rutgers.edu, because landlords post listings on a daily basis. Diorio, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, said students should be vague in their search criteria in order to yield as many results as possible. “December is a better time to search for housing, since a lot of landlords are tr ying to get
leases signed at that time,” Diorio said. He said when performing a housing search, an often overlooked part of the search is the “posted on or after” field. “If you’re checking every day for [the] best house, then fill that field out,” Diorio said. “That way, you’re not going to be looking at all the houses, you’re just going to be looking at the new ones.” Yet simply looking at the listings online is not a sufficient way of determining if a house is suitable. “The only real way to find out if a house is bad is to go there and check it out,” Diorio said. “We don’t flag houses or tell anyone how good or bad the houses are.” OCHS Supervisor Bill Sarras said tenants can find legal resources and checklists on the Web site, which they can print out to use when signing their lease and moving in.
Students can also post a free housing or roommate listing on the Web site. “If someone [does not have] roommates but they’re looking to get off campus, don’t worr y, because there are a lot of other people looking, too,” Sarras said. Be sure to understand the terms of a security deposit; know what factors can affect cost A common problem for many tenants is not receiving their security deposit back at the end of the lease, or not receiving the amount they expected. Students may be confused because they feel they have done nothing wrong. This is something Diorio said tenants should inquire about with their landlord beforehand. Tenants should understand exactly what their landlord is expecting when they move out and the practical reasons as to why they may not receive their deposit, Diorio said.
“Sometimes there might be just a couple scratches on the wall, but that’s enough for the landlord to keep the deposit,” Diorio said. “Another thing is to make sure that your deposit is no more than one and a half times the amount of your monthly rent.” He said when considering the cost of rent, proximity to College Avenue is usually a determining factor. “More people at first want to grab the closest house to College Avenue,” he said. “The farther you go back from College Avenue, the cheaper it is, and you actually get more house for your money,” Diorio said. Take small actions to cut down on energy costs Students should also consider the costs of heating and electricity. Energy Service Corps Campus Organizer Heather Plante said there are several steps students can take to reduce their energy costs this year.
“We ask that students change their old light bulbs from candescent to compact fluorescent,” she said. “Changing them actually saves about $35 over [a light bulb’s] lifetime.” She suggested that tenants turn off power strips when electronics are not in use, and that they turn down the heat when they leave the house. In addition, the refrigerator and freezer should be set to the correct temperature to save energy. The refrigerator should be between 36 degrees and 42 degrees Fahrenheit, and the freezer should be between minus 6 and 6 degrees Fahrenheit, she said. Students can also have an Energy Service Corps volunteer come to their home and give them a basic energy audit for free, a service that would normally cost about $300, Plante said. An auditor will examine the home and is available to any student living off campus in New Brunswick. Inquiries can also be directed to Heather Plante at heather@njpirgstudents.org.
OCSA TO HOLD TRANSPORTATION INFO SESSION The Off-Campus Student Association hosts a “Transportation Info Session and Meeting” tonight to give students the opportunity to learn about transportation concerns and voice their ideas in the process. The event, in room 407 of the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus, is also a OCSA general body meeting and on-campus students are encouraged to attend. University Director of Transpor tation Jack Molenaar will be present at the event. While managing one of the nation’s largest campus bus system is often a difficult task, he welcomes feedback.
“These meetings help me as well as the group holding it,” he said. “I do get a lot of ideas.” In August, Molenaar worked with commuters to lower the cost of parking for certain lots. This was one of many changes, including modified bus routes and an increased number of buses running during exams, he said. The Department of Transportation Ser vices also runs a shuttle system, works with NextBus for the GPS tickers, manages bicycle and pedestrian thoroughfares, issues permits and reconciles parking
issues for the burgeoning College Avenue campus, Molenaar said. Students can take the chance to learn more about the future of campus transportation as major construction to modify College Avenue looms on the horizon, he said. “At most meetings, people just want to know about this bus or that bus or ticket prices,” Molenaar said. He encouraged students to think of solid questions for an open discussion. — Brett Wilshe
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
OPINIONS
PA G E 8
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
EDITORIALS
When does satire go too far?
T
he old saying goes that in every joke there is an ounce of truth. There is also a fine line between funny and offensive. The Fairfield University newspaper learned the hard way about crossing that line. The controversy erupted over a satirical column in the Sept. 30 edition of The Mirror that poked fun at female students who agree to one night stands. The “He Said” column described a female’s “walk of shame” leaving a male’s dorm and used words like “pounding” and “hood rat” to talk the guys through the morning after consensual sex. The independent student publication is now facing harassment charges before the School Conduct Board. The column was a highly distasteful piece of material, and though it was written as satire and was meant to be funny, the writer succeeded in offending a lot of people. Calling girls who participate in the one night stands “victims” is one place where the column took a wrong turn from succeeding in being funny. Even though it is a column that comes out annually, The Mirror really did push the limits on what people could find funny or offensive. There should be some creative elements because it was supposed to be satire and it was written in the opinions section, but there needed to be more editing and discretion shown by the editors. The entire paper is not meant to be satire; it still publishes news and should feature things written in a professional manner. The fact that it is an independently funded paper should be considered when the school is getting involved. The university is not giving any money to the paper to be published, so there should be no interference or censorship. The paper as a whole has responsibility for what was published, not just the writer. There was a team effort in getting this column into the paper, and it went through a series of editors who all found it fit for publishing. Nothing drastic should be done to punish the paper. It was one article, and one lapse of judgment. Editors should suspend that column from being run in the future. That, or the paper should elect new editors. When publishing something that could be seen as controversial or offensive, better judgment needs to be used.
‘Twilight’ sends wrong message
T
he “Twilight” hysteria has started again with the release of the second film in the saga on Friday. “New Moon” premiered to die-hard fans everywhere, topping the box office this weekend. The fantasy film about vampires and werewolves, which had more plot and action than the first, engaged audiences with its Romeo and Julietesque story of forbidden love between a high school girl and her vampire boyfriend. While the movie is entertaining, the negative relationship qualities it displays to its die-hard tween fans cannot go without notice. The relationship between the ever emo Edward Cullen and Bella Swan develops in the first book/movie and displays signs of an almost abusive relationship. The girl cannot go anywhere without being followed. This expands into the second book/movie, where she keeps seeing visions of him telling her what she can and cannot do. While team Edward is controlling, team Jacob is no better. This relationship deals with more physically abusive elements and aggressive men. But because they are vampires and werewolves and it is a fiction story, we deem these aspects acceptable. What needs to be remembered about these books and movies is that young girls are reading into what is actually going on and forming ideas about how they would want a relationship to be. These stories are setting unrealistic standards for relationships while also telling girls that it is the male’s undying love for you that is keeping him lurking outside your bedroom window and controlling your every move. The idea that a girl needs a boy to validate herself and have a happy life is also portrayed throughout the story. Even when Edward is not in the picture, Bella needs Jacob Black to move on with her life. Instead of sitting and sulking and moping about, she should grow up and start living for herself instead of concerning herself with what Edward or Jacob are going to do for her. It may be quite ridiculous to think that young girls are reading that much into the plot line, but how many bumper stickers on Facebook and T-shirts are there hanging in stores about how Edward Cullen is the ideal boyfriend? Ideas about how relationships should be come from movies in general, and when girls are younger they look into what the movies are telling them to set the standards for what their ideal relationship should be like. The “Twilight” series also has such a large following of fans who really take the story seriously, so this issue should be looked into just a little bit. It needs to be understood that it is only a story and that not every man sparkles, but really girls should-
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I challenge people to not let a red solo cup drop to the ground again, and if it does, pick it up.” Donna Caputo, the Recycling and Clean Communities coordinator, on trash in city streets STORY ON FRONT
MCT CAMPUS
America’s new trend
I
dents who were “disapn recent times, due to pointed with such insensiunknown causes, peotive opinions.” The nature ple have become of any such reader is to rather sensitive to opinionimmediately jump to conated articles. The topic is clusions rather than to of no concern, considering address given points. If the fact that there will always be someone who is ALEKSI TZATZEV one were to look at America today, its nature left “utterly speechless” or and its right is to get is “disappointed with such harsh words.” These readers of the opinions offended by anything remotely controversial, and page consider themselves experts on any topic I do not disagree with that right. The problem, due to the fact that they are capable of accessing though, is that the oversensitivity to particular the Internet and immediately finding the Google actions or publications is largely affected by the bar simply to type in the given matter. Perhaps popularity of negative opinion, the disagreeing their feelings are bruised due to the fact that majority. If one were to look at former President they only superficially read the article, picking George W. Bush’s presidential agenda and points against which they could argue rather accomplishments, he or she — “she,” because I than reading the entirety of the piece and grasp- am afraid a feminist organization might read this article wrong — would immediateing the concept. In any case, politily find his faults. This is the man cal writings are heavily commented “In essence, that had an 86 percent approval on and least understood, and they public opinion rating after the tragedy of Sept. 11. therefore get a lot of hits on newsAt that time, no one was to speak paper websites. still remains the against him, no one was to quesSince the current idea is that President Barack Obama is the right strongest opponent tion his methods and no one was to question the passing of the man for the job, readers must find of logical writing.” Patriot Act. Eight years later, socithe smallest concern with any writety unabashedly criticizes his ing based around our president’s actions and approves of “change,” image and standing. Undoubtedly, his strong words and brazen opinions speak favor- a change in which “we believe [in].” Approval of any article against a Nobel Prize winably in the minds of most Americans, but the public seems to stop at that. Nothing of further study ner, therefore, should not be sought. Perhaps the is of any importance due to our inability to get past public has not reached for the Google search bar and what it is that bothers or enthralls us. Anything only looks up the recent Gallup polls that reflect the said to counter the popular opinion should not be job Obama has done since stepping into office. That said or is offensive. I had written an opinion piece will come only after reading this article. The rating last week which took facts from a widely known will fall as society follows its own footsteps. Obama’s newspaper, USA Today, and formulated a position rating might only stand on hope — how audacious. In essence, public opinion still remains the that did not seem to stand right with many readers. The plethora of people who responded to my strongest opponent of logical writing. So insensiarticle seemed to be offended at the fact that tivity is affected by the bourgeois’ tendency to folalong with my treatise on Obama, I had called into low each other. Perhaps our president’s faults question issues relating to aiding Native were not meant to come out as soon as they did. Americans. Automatically, anything that deals His only option, therefore, of getting reelected is with segregated groups or impoverished societies appeal to the public opinion and attempt not to is untouchable. The overly sensitive majority of offend too many sensitive souls. I hope not to the University seemed to overlook the general offend anyone, rather to express the truth using idea of my opinion and the fact that the question of blatant stupidity. I may not be ver y well liked, but Native Americans was taken from both sides. The I am willing to bet that my popularity — or unpopintelligence of said readers is not at question, but ularity in this case — will die down as public opintheir sensitivity in recent times has become an ion switches sides. obstacle to reading a piece correctly. Aleksi Tzatzev is a School of Arts and Sciences In review of the responses to this apparently controversial article, I found professors and stu- sophomore majoring in English and political science.
Dadaist Anecdotes
Due to space limitations, submissions cannot exceed 750 words. If a commentary exceeds 750 words, it will not be considered for publication. All authors must include name, phone number, class year and college affiliation or department to be considered for publication. Anonymous letters will not be considered. All submissions are subject to editing for length and clarity. A submission does not guarantee publication. Please submit via e-mail to oped@dailytargum.com by 4 p.m. to be considered for the following day’s publication. The editorials written above represent the majority opinion of The Daily Targum Editorial Board. All other opinions expressed on the Opinions page, and those held by advertisers, columnists and cartoonists, are not necessarily those of The Daily Targum.
OPINIONS
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
9
People should not live in fear Donate meals to PCRF Forum STEPHAN LISZEWSKI
O
ccasionally on the evening news — or for some Comedy Central — you will hear about the IsraeliPalestine peace process. After three wars, countless attacks and multiple armed engagements, this unsolved conflict looks like it was meant to remain in deadlock for eternity. So to some it may feel like I am beating a dead horse. Unfortunately, some of us this year have been eagerly watching developments in the Middle East only to be disappointed — again. Earlier in the year with the reelection of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came the promise of reconciliation. After he took office, Netanyahu outlined a process for working toward a settlement to the conflict and the possibility of a demilitarized Palestine alongside Israel. After President Barack Obama in Cairo challenged the world to a “new beginning,” it looked as if Netanyahu would oblige. It would seem like such a noble cause, and a little peace in the Middle East could finally begin. Regrettably, during all these years, the greatest minds with the best of intentions have been unable to broker a peace. The United States has pursued negotiations with the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas. But the Palestinian Authority has been divided between two distinct political factions, Hamas in Gaza Strip and
the U.S.-backed Fatah of the West Bank. The United States’ backing of Abbas against the terrorist-like Hamas has just worked to deepen the divide between the two parties. It doesn’t help that the United States is on the losing team. Hamas has been gathering local support over the years with a simple strategy: They take action. Whether it is terrorist rocket attacks, organizing local communities or creating opportunities for youths, they understand the need for action and resistance. In some kind of twisted way they have created a misguided YMCA for the youth of Gaza. In contrast, the U.S. allies have been stuck in the quagmire of political tape, legal action and state sovereignty. Our handle on the situation, Abbas, is threatening to resign out of frustration. Even if he doesn’t his power is fading. Our other allies in the Middle East have also invested themselves in a peaceful resolution, but with future bloodshed brings more opportunities for loonies to take power. Christiane Amanpour of CNN released a documentary entitled “Generation Islam,” which had a section that focused on the children of Palestine. It showed a child crying in his school yard, calling out not for his parents but for the Hamas militia. This is a child scared by violence his parents cannot protect him from. He is just another boy in a generation lost in violence. But is it too late now to turn back the clock? Ever y day through blockade, congestion and war the Gaza
Strip diminishes further into poverty. Closed in on a strip of land not meant to contain so many “refugees,” these people live in limbo. Battling sanitation difficulties in the war torn providence is a task in itself. Drinking water has to be imported into Gaza, as local water conditions can be considered a catastrophe. The area’s poor have to decide to rebuild from Israel’s assault into the region or use their meager resources to eat. People are not meant to live in this way, and as a result terrorism can progress. It is not fair to name call without a basis. The word terrorist has been thrown around very loosely. But you need a reason to call someone a terrorist. Terror is defined as “violent acts which are intended to create fear, perpetrated for an ideological goal.” An early terrorist in the 19th century was the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins, who understood that there is no means to an end in terrorism. This holds true. Terror is perpetrated by the weak to vocalize their cause. Abbas’ regrettable choice to step down will be seen as a major setback, as he is one of the few remaining ties the West has. Hamas, with its misguided but effective measures, will need to suffice for Palestine and the world. While the Gaza Strip is degrading further every day, it’s time for the West to pucker up and accept Hamas because there will be no peace till Palestine. Stephan Liszewski is a School of Arts and Sciences junior.
Letter AVI SMOLEN
T
o be the recipient of Rutgers University Student Assembly’s meal sign-away program is coveted and sometimes controversial. This semester, the winner is the University chapter of Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Some claim that PCRF is a poor choice because it is exclusive and only helps Palestinians when there are many others who need help. Others claim that PCRF’s record is tarnished with the connection to The Holy Land Foundation, which was shuttered by the U.S. Treasury for alleged connections to groups that the U.S. considers terrorist. Some also complain that rhetoric of the president of PCRF is anti-Israeli. It is good to be concerned who the meal-swipe program will assist, but there is more to the story. First, PCRF does great humanitarian work, providing medical care to Palestinian children who lack access to or cannot afford medical care. Second, it is endorsed by major world leaders like Nobel Peace Prize recipient Desmond Tutu and former President Jimmy Carter. Third, PCRF complies with U.S. law and does not fund terrorism or anything like it. The only controversy in its funding is who has supported it. It is true that the Holy Land Foundation was shut down by the U.S. Treasury for suspected connections to groups like Hamas. However, it should be noted that Hamas has many branches, and many countries recognize Hamas’ militant wing as a terrorist group,
but not its civil/humanitarian wing. HLF was supporting a group that provides medical supplies and other necessities to Palestinians, and because the U.S. lumps the different branches together and calls them all terrorist, the foundation was closed. In terms of exclusivity and funding only Palestinians when there are so many to help, the sad reality is that there are so many people to help in this world, we could forever put off helping one group until others had been taken care of. No one group is more deserving of aid than any other, and we should help anyone in need when we can. As to the PCRF’s Founder Steve Sosebee, his speeches have been given to organizations and at events that support the creation of a Palestinian state, a desire supported by many in the Middle East and in the rest of the world. His talks have not disparaged Jews and therefore are not anti-Semitic. He has spoken about the desire for and struggle to attain a Palestinian state, but this is not anti-Israeli either. He has not spoken about the destruction of Israel, only of the creation of Palestine. There are people in need all over the world, and Rutgers’ students have done an excellent job of concerning themselves with the local community in New Brunswick, as well as those farther away. I commend RUSA for supporting PCRF as the winner of the meal sign-away competition, and I hope that it will benefit from Rutgers’ support. Avi Smolen is a University alumnus.
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
DIVERSIONS
PA G E 1 0
Horoscopes / LINDA C. BLACK
Pearls Before Swine
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
Stephan Pastis
Today’s Birthday (11/23/09) Invest in your own success this year. Don’t wait around for somebody else to do it. You’re the only one who knows exactly what’s best for you. Let others participate in your decision, but keep ahold of the purse strings.To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 6 — A visit with friends is highly recommended, but drive carefully. Looks like there’s at least one complication to deal with between here and there. Don’t push yourself. Relax. Stay over if necessary. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 6 — Go through the checkbook again, just to make sure you’ve got it right. There might be a deposit you forgot. If you haven’t received it yet, ask again. Now’s a good time to get money you’re owed. Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is a 7 — Send your partner on an errand and don’t feel the slightest guilt. She or he will get through effortlessly where you’d have a massive struggle. Make it easy on yourself. Cancer (June 22-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Keep working, and put up lots of provisions for a rainy day. Gathering dry goods is not that expensive. And you can live on rice and beans, if you didn’t already know. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — By now, somebody’s had a change of mind and moved over to your side. With an ally, you’re much more confident. It’ll still take a while to convince the others. Put together a team. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 6 — A home remedy solves a problem at work. It’s old-fashioned common sense. You’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it before. Haven’t thought of it yet? Keep pondering.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Ask questions and you’ll get a straight answer now. This should work out well, even on a sensitive topic. Once you understand the motivation, the whole thing makes sense. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Invest in a household improvement you’ve been thinking about. You may not be able to get the best, but you sure can get adequate. Don’t get flimsy; you’re never happy with that. Get substantial. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — By now, the pressure should be easing. Hide out and read a good book. The more you learn, the more optimistic you’ll be, because you have a good plan. Don’t be rudderless; be prepared. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — Recycling is a good way to get the most out of everything. After it’s served one purpose, use it for another. If you can make a few bucks on the deal, so much the better. Cash in your coupons, too. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Gather with friends who share your values. You can come up with a plan to make a big difference somewhere in the world. You love it when this happens. Participate. Contribute. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 6 — Your next advancement toward your goals comes through the grapevine. Ask a person who’s close to a person who’s close to the top. You’ll find out what’s going to happen next. That’s always helpful.
Dilbert
Doonesberry
Happy Hour
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SCOTT ADAMS
GARY TRUDEAU
JIM AND PHIL
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
Last-Ditch Ef fort
Get Fuzzy
D IVERSIONS JOHN KROES
NOVEMBER 23, 2009 11
Pop Culture Shock Therapy
DOUG BRATTON
DARBY CONLEY
Non Sequitur
WILEY
Jumble
H. ARNOLD & M. ARGIRION THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME
Unscramble these four Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.
Peanuts
Charles Schultz
JOANB ©2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
PAKKO
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MEEDER
NEW BIBLE Jumble Books Go To: http://www.tyndale.com/jumble/
by Mike Argirion and Jeff Knurek
SUTTOM Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.
Print answer here: TO Yesterday’s
Sudoku
© PUZZLES BY PAPPOCOM
Solution Puzzle #20 11/20/09
Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com
“
”
(Answers Monday) Jumbles: TITLE BRASS BREACH LIQUID Answer: What a pink slip will give you — THE BLUES
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S PORTS
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
13
Knights fall one point shy of sweep BY ALEX JANKOWSKI CORRESPONDENT
In the second match of a young season, the Rutgers wrestling team had a golden opportunity to upset one of WRESTLING the preRUTGERS 17 m i e r wrestling PENN STATE 18 s q u a d s in the nation, No. 17 Penn State. Their match in the first round of the Sprawl and Brawl Duals Sunday in Binghamton, N.Y., went down to the wire, but the Nittany Lions (4-1) held onto an 18-17 victory. The Scarlet Knights (3-1) avenged their opening round loss by defeating Sacred Heart 42-6 and Northern Iowa 25-10. “[Today] was a step in the right direction,” said head coach Scott Goodale. “We wrestled hard all day long and this is a good spot to be at this point in the season.”
RU jumped out to an early 7-3 lead over Penn State when sophomore Trevor Melde earned a 14-5 major decision over Adam Lynch in the 141-pound match. The Knights dropped the next three matches however, falling to Penn State wrestlers who were all nationally ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes. “We knew that was where [Penn State was] going to get their points,” Goodale said. “I asked my guys to stay strong with them and they did that. Unfortunately they were able to seize momentum.” Redshirt freshman Dan Rinaldi brought RU back to within three, 14-11, after he dominated the 174-weight class bout with a 15-5 major decision over Michael Lorenzo. When RU’s No. 10 heavyweight Dominick Russo entered the circle against No. 19 Cameron Wade, the deficit was 18-14.
RAMON DOMPOR/ ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR/ FILE PHOTO
Sophomore point guard Khadijah Rushdan left yesterday’s 49-48 defeat at Georgia with a suspected knee injury.
Rushdan injures knee in road loss to Georgia BY STEVEN WILLIAMSON SENIOR WRITER
On the road against No. 16 Georgia, the Rutgers women’s basketball team needed a big performWOMEN’S BASKETBALL ance to s t a y RUTGERS 48 close in GEORGIA 49 Athens. While they got the showing they needed, the Scarlet Knights came a hair short of the upset, falling to the Bulldogs 49-48. Sophomore forward April Sykes threw up the final shot for RU, a three-pointer that bounced off the rim as time expired, dropping the Knights to 0-3 on the Bulldogs’ home court. With 7:15 to play, the Knights had amassed a 12-point lead, but a 15-2 run pushed Georgia back on top, fueled by 29 RU turnovers on the day. “In a game like this, we needed to reduce a lot of things, especially the turnovers,” said head coach C. Vivian Stringer to the Associated Press. “It would have helped a lot if we had had a point guard.” The Knights may have lost something more important than the game. With fewer than four minutes to play, sophomore guard Khadijah Rushdan went down with an apparent knee injury. Rushdan had to be carried off the floor and would not return in the game, according to the press release. The loss overshadowed a career day from senior center Rashidat Junaid. Though her jersey reads No. 43, Junaid stepped on the court yesterday and gave a performance worthy of No. 15 — that of her former teammate, Kia Vaughn. Junaid finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and a steal — her first doubledouble since her sophomore year. Junaid’s 11 boards marked a game high for both teams.
“One key for this team all year is going to be rebounding,” Stringer said going into yesterday’s matchup. “There’s no question that we have to rebound and not turn the ball over, and we have to make sure we’re not getting hurt in transition.” The Knights pounded the Bulldogs on the boards, outrebounding Georgia by a whopping 45-31 margin. The team finished with 11 blocked shots and were able to hold Georgia to only 49 points on an abysmal 25.4 shooting percentage. While the defense kept them in it, turnovers proved to be RU’s downfall. The Scarlet Knights’ 29 turnovers led to 29 of the Bulldogs’ points — over half of their total scoring. Freshman forward Monique Oliver continued her strong start to the season, finishing just shy of a double-double of her own with 11 points and seven boards. Up 16-11 with just over seven minutes to play in the first half, RU could not hold their lead. The Bulldogs surged back, going on a 14-5 run to close out the period and enter halftime with a 25-21 advantage. The Knights continue their road trip with three games in the Virgin Islands to compete in the Paradise Jam. But the stretch serves as no vacation for RU, who will meet by two ranked opponents in No. 10 Texas and No. 25 Mississippi State. The Knights tip off against Southern California on Thanksgiving Day. The tournament, which runs from Thursday through Saturday, has the team playing three straight games on consecutive days with no rest in between. The game against Mississippi State on Friday marks the first time the two teams face one another. Texas holds a 6-5 all time series lead over RU, while the Scarlet Knights hold a 4-2 edge over the Trojans.
RAMON DOMPOR/ ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR/ FILE PHOTO
Sophomore Trevor Melde, top, earned a major decision against Penn State and toppled a ranked opponent against Northern Iowa.
Russo responded with a 6-0 decision, but that only gave the Knights three points, leaving them one short of the upset. For Melde, his major decision over Penn State was just the beginning to a successful weekend. Against Northern Iowa, the Hewitt, N.J., native went head-tohead with Trent Washington — a wrestler ranked in the top-30 of the 141-pound weight class, according to Wrestling Report. “It was all about wrestling hard,” Melde said. “I just put everything I had into the match, and I was successful.” RU handled the Pioneers of Sacred Heart much like it did in its first meeting, recording five pins and only dropping one match. Goodale rested many of his starters in anticipation of a tight match with Northern Iowa, so wrestlers such as redshirt junior Sean DeDeyn and freshman Dan Seidenberg stepped up and earned victories. “They got the opportunity and they just ran with it,” Goodale said. “We are always preaching that it’s all about the next guy in and they took advantage.” The Knights rounded out the event with a convincing victory over a Northern Iowa team who is consistently among the best in the country. Junior transfer Bill Ashnault, who pinned his opponent, Joey Lazor, in the 133-pound match, set the pace early for an RU squad that never relinquished the lead. Russo earned another big victory for both the team and his individual ranking, besting No. 15 Christian Brantley by a score of 8-3. The team has a full plate this Thanksgiving holiday when it travels to Lewisburg, Pa., for a Friday night fight with Bucknell and No.1 Iowa. The Hawkeyes are two-time defending NCAA champions and return all starters from last year’s national championship squad. “[Iowa] is as good as it gets in wrestling right now,” Goodale said. “Bucknell is another great test too. I’m not looking for two victories, but I am going to see what our team is made of this upcoming week.”
14
S PORTS
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
Thursday triumph again yields embarrassing debacle I f “catastrophe” is too harsh of a word, then “letdown” is far too light of one. Yet as with the Rutgers football team’s season to date, there is no happy medium. The Scarlet Knights went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in nine days. After owning South Florida last Thursday and making it seem like the Knights had finally moved past the “work in progress” stage, everything that went wrong possibly could have at the Carrier Dome. Freshman quarterback Tom Savage took nine sacks — nine! — for 88 yards from the worst defense in the Big East, and the Knights’ offense managed a grand total of 130 yards. The Big East’s top-ranked defense — yes, that would be RU — gave up 213 rushing yards to an Orange attack that had been the worst in the conference. RU was admittedly unprepared, came out flat and basically laid an egg in a game they were probably looking right past. Dismal does not even begin to describe the Knights’ effort. “A loss is never solely on [Rutgers head coach Greg] Schiano,” said senior captain Devin McCourty. “We as players have to take responsibility for what we did out there. When we lose, we lose together. It was everybody’s efforts today that didn’t get the job done.” Top-25 ranking? Gone.
Mind of Stein
MATTHEW STEIN Chance at an undefeated road record for the first time since 1978? Not anymore. And with Notre Dame falling to Connecticut in overtime — opening the possibility for the Big East teams moving up a notch in terms of Bowl berths — RU’s chances at an upper-echelon postseason game just blew right out the window. “It reminds me so much of a week ago, except we’re on the other side of it,” Schiano said. “We just bought what we’re going to get for the rest of the year, so we’ve just got to get prepared for it.” Perhaps more puzzling is that this is not even the worst — or first — time this has happened in the past four seasons. Ever y time the Knights win at home on a Thursday night in the middle of the season, they follow it up with such indescribable letdowns. Pandemonium in Piscataway, 2006, the Knights topple No. 3 Louisville at home to move to 9-0 for the first time since 1978. What happens the next week? No. 7 RU troops into Cincinnati and gets embarrassed 30-11, loses
its national title hopes and eventually falls to the Texas Bowl. In 2007, the Knights triumphed over their highest opponent ever, No. 2 South Florida, only to drop a 30-3 decision the next weekend to West Virginia. Now this. “We should’ve kept focus better,” said senior tackle Kevin Haslam. “There are a lot of things I’m sure we could’ve done differently, and I think after coming off such a big win like South Florida we just needed to focus on this week. We weren’t really in the moment.” That’s an understatement. Something isn’t right. It can’t be because RU is taking a team too lightly, because all three teams were Big East opponents. But what doesn’t make sense is the Jekyll and Hyde component to this team. Every time RU is thought of as a lowly, underachieving unit, it comes back and rattles off eight straight wins like last season. But whenever the Knights are given too much credit, vaulted into the national rankings or have the potential to go to a top Bowl game, one game that should never have been as close or never have been lost serves as an immediate reminder that RU is still not an elite team. The debacle — there’s the appropriate medium — against Syracuse was just the latest reminder. — Matthew Stein accepts comments and criticisms at steinma@eden.rutgers.edu
NOTEBOOK: Brown
CONFUSED: Brutal
sits atop Rutgers record book continued from back senior Greg Paulus or sophomore Ryan Nassib — they kept a rhythm to total 424 yards. They ran more options and reverses than usual and made the Knights look unprepared. Head coach Greg Schiano took the blame for the performance, but his players disputed that. “You can’t put everything on coach,” said senior linebacker and captain Ryan D’Imperio. “We’re the players and we have to make the plays.” The defense tightened up in the second half, but it was too little to late as they were already trailing by 14. A 60-yard, fourth quarter touchdown run by Syracuse’s Averin Collier sealed the Knights’ fate in the 31-13 loss at the Carrier Dome.
SENIOR
WIDEOUT
TIM
Brown set a Rutgers school record when he caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from freshman wideout Mohamed Sanu. It was Brown’s 18th career receiving touchdown, placing him first on the all-time RU list, passing Kenny Britt and Chris Brantley. But on the first play of the second half, Brown injured his ankle when run-blocking. Anthony Davis, the 6-foot-6, 325-pound junior left tackle, fell on Brown, who is listed at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds. “I could run straight, but the cutting hurt,” Brown said. “Once I stopped that’s when the pain started coming. I’ll get treatment and we’ll see.” Brown is day-to-day.
THE RUTGERS LOSS, COUPLED with Connecticut’s double-overtime victory over Notre Dame, throws a monkey wrench into the Big East Bowl situation. With the Fighting Irish set to finish their season at ranked
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano screams at officials after missing a running-into-the-kicker call, injuring sophomore San San Te.
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Senior wideout Tim Brown hauls in his 18th career touchdown catch, passing Kenny Britt and Chris Brantley atop the Rutgers all-time list.
Stanford, it is most likely Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will take the Bowl Championship Series Bowl and the Gator Bowl. The best possibility for the Knights is the Meineke Car Care Bowl, but if it loses to West Virginia, a pre-Christmas trip to St. Petersburg is most likely in the cards.
SOPHOMORE
KICKER
SAN
San Te injured his leg when a Syracuse player ran into his fully extended leg following a field goal attempt in the final minutes of the first half. Te returned to make a 25yard attempt with 11:41 remaining in the half, but his future status is in doubt.
FRESHMAN
WIDEOUT
MARK
Harrison did not travel with the team after failing to recover, as
expected, from an injury suffered against South Florida. Harrison emerged as the third wideout, so junior Julian Hayes and redshirt freshman Keith Stroud played significant minutes in his stead.
THE KNIGHTS
TRAVEL TO
Louisville Friday to take on the Cardinals. It is the third short week of the season for RU, but it could not come at a better time to put the Syracuse loss out of mind. “We have to do what we have to do to move forward,” Munoz said. “We can’t dwell on this loss, we have to move forward and get ready for Louisville.” Louisville is 4-7 on the season, with its lone Big East win coming against Syracuse in a 10-9 game. Both Will Stein and Adam Froman play quarterback for the Cardinals.
for a safety Lefeged could get the offense out of the mud. Paulus took advantage with a performance nets third defeat short touchdown pass that capped off a 62-yard drive. continued from back The Knights finally took advantage of Mohamed Sanu’s skills as a RU’s brutal play in the first former quarterback, after an onsides quarter gave the Orange a kick recovery by cornerback Billy chance to, for the third year in a Anderson, when the true freshman row, build a 14-0 lead over the threw a perfect spiral 38 yards on a Knights. The Syracuse offense reverse to wide receiver Tim Brown. managed a pair of quick touchRU had a shot to cut the then downs with a series of intricate 24-10 lead before halftime, getting running plays. it to the Orange 15-yard line with The first of the two scores from less than a minute left, but a series Syracuse came on a 14-yard endof unblocked pass rushers and around by running back Antwon penalties pushed the Knights all Bailey, and the second came up the way to 3rd and 45. the middle from five yards by runRU managed to get back into ning back Delone Carter. field goal range, but sophomore Between the use of both forkicker San San Te mer Duke point missed the 46-yard guard Greg Paulus “Rutgers was not kick and immediand Ryan Nassib at quarterback and ready to play today. ately went down in pain after getting an extensive use of You only have one hit and falling awkthe option, the Trainers defense was simguy to point to and wardly. had to help Te off ply confused, said senior linebacker that’s myself. I take of the field while an irate Schiano beratRyan D’Imperio. the responsibility.” ed the referees for “They changed not calling a penalthings around, GREG SCHIANO ty on the play. things that we Head Coach Lefeged gave weren’t ready for, the Knights a things that we hadbreath of life with his second n’t prepared for all week,” said blocked kick of the game, preD’Imperio, who had a careerventing a three-score lead for RU, high 14 tackles in the loss. but Schiano opted to settle for a What allowed Syracuse (4-7, 1field goal on 4th and 4, six yards 4) to build up steam more than away from the touchdown. anything else, however, was the RU (7-3, 2-3) got a last shot, ineffective play of the RU offense. driving with five minutes left, but The Knights’ first three drives when Savage hit Sanu right in the included a total of one first down, hands, the ball bounced up and a net of negative-five total yards, Syracuse free safety Mike two punts and Savage’s third Holmes picked it off. interception of the season. A 60-yard run through the “I don’t know if it [had an defense by the Orange’s Averin effect on] Tom’s composure,” Collier five seconds later added Schiano said. “Physically they insult to injury for the Knights. rushed him and they sacked him. “You have to have your team Tom’s not Superman. I thought ready to play,” Schiano said. he did a good job staying alive. I “Rutgers was not ready to play don’t know how well he did with today. You only have one guy to his reads.” point to and that’s myself. I take Not even a 50-yard kick return the responsibility.” by McCourty or a blocked punt
S PORTS
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
15
Familiar defeat offsets Drexel escape BY KYLE FRANKO ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
T
he Rutgers swimming and diving team finished second at the Harvard Invitational this weekend, behind Harvard but ahead of five other teams. Senior captains Catherine Whetstone and Erin Saunders each earned first-place finishes for the Scarlet Knights. Whetstone took first place in the 100-yard backstroke — the event she won a Big East title in last season — for the third straight meet. Saunders took first place in the threemeter dive and second in the one-meter event. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of freshman Brittney Kuras, senior captain Shayna Longacre, sophomore Brianne Lindblad and freshman Melanie Gaffey finished second in the race. Kuras and Longacre also finished second and third in the 200-yard medley.
THE
RUTGERS
MEN ’ S
cross countr y team finished sixth in the IC4A Championships Saturday in a 24-team field. Graduate student Taylor Burmeister paced the Knights with his fifth-place finish and junior Nick Miehe finished 12th. In the 204-runner field, no RU runner finished below 120. Senior Simon Gordonov, a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, was not chosen as a winner.
THE
TOP NINE COLLEGE
football teams in the nation — Florida, Alabama, Texas, Texas Christian, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh and Ohio State — remained the same in the latest Associated Press poll. With Rutgers falling out of the top 25, Pitt is the only Big East representative other than the Bearcats.
JIMMIE JOHNSON
MADE
history yesterday, winning his fourth consecutive NASCAR championship. Johnson is the first driver to win four consecutive titles and moves into a tie with Jeff Gordon for second on the alltime list. Only racing legends Dale Earnhardt (3) and Richard Petty, who each won seven titles, are ahead of Johnson.
THE DETROIT LIONS
ARE
feeling good about their first round draft picks right now. As time expired, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford hit rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew for the game-tying score. Jason Hanson’s extra point with no time on the clock gave the Lions the 38-37 win over the Cleveland Browns.
T HE N EW J ERSEY N ETS lost to the New York Knicks 98-81 Saturday for their 13th straight loss to start the season. The Knicks then lost to the Boston Celtics 107-105 yesterday on a Kevin Garnett jumper that beat the buzzer in overtime.
After willing itself to a victory Friday night against Drexel, it seemed like the Rutgers men’s basketMEN’S BASKETBALL b a l l e a m VERMONT 77 tstar ted RUTGERS 71 to take a step in the right direction. But then there was yesterday, and it was back to same old Rutgers. Vermont for ward Marqus Blakely, a Metuchen native, shook off an eye injury to spark a second half comeback for the Catamounts. The Scarlet Knights dropped yet another game at the Louis Brown Athletic Center to a mid-major opponent, this time a 77-71 decision in the second game of the Legends Classic. “You can’t really describe it,” said Blakely, who finished with 17 points in 24 minutes of his return to Piscataway. “My last game as a high school player was in this gym, so coming back here senior year to get the win and [for my team to] hold down the fort when I wasn’t able to be on the floor is something you admire. Everyone on our team deserves a round of applause.” As jubilant as Blakely felt, the loss felt a little bit too much like the previous three seasons for RU. “A little bit,” sophomore guard Mike Rosario said when asked if the way the team lost bothered him. “It’s the first loss we’ve taken and there’s nothing we can do but move on and get better from it. We’re trying not to make losing a thing and we’ll see how the team has changed over the year.” Blakely said he was feeling a little under the weather and went out with 8:28 remaining in the first half and didn’t return until the 12:44 mark of the second half, but shortly after his return the Catamounts went on an 11-0 run to grab a 60-55 lead with just under seven minutes left to play.
RAMON DOMPOR/ ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Sophomore forward Gregory Echenique used his left hand to lay in the game-winning shot Friday night against Drexel as time expired, lifting Rutgers to a 58-56 victory over the Dragons. Rutgers head coach Fred Hill Jr. said that stretch in the second half, where his team gave up the 11-0 run, was the point where the game was lost. “We’re not rebounding and we had about a five-minute stretch where we lost our composure,” Hill said. “Look at the new guys on the floor and we had a lot of turnovers. We kind of got caught up in the emotion of the game.” Vermont (2-1) outrebounded the Knights (2-1) 37-32, 16 of those were on the offensive glass. “Our guys got to get tougher,” Rosario said. “We have to start bull guarding people and just forcing our way to get more rebounds. That’s how you win games — turnovers and rebounds — and that is something we really have to work on as a team.”
They also turned the ball over 20 times, none more costly than freshman forward Dane Miller’s errant pass with 14.8 seconds to play. With RU down three after a free throw from Blakely and two more from Maurice Joseph, Miller tried to pick out Rosario, but his poor pass allowed Vermont the chance to ice the game from the line. Joseph made both free throws sealing the Knights’ fate. He finished with 17 points while forward Evan Fjeld led the Catamounts with 19. Quiet for his standards through the first two games of the season, Rosario turned in his best performance finishing with 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting. For all the heartbreak yesterday, the Knights won in
thrilling fashion Friday night with a 58-56 buzzer-beating victor y over Drexel. Sophomore forward Gregory Echenique took the inbounds pass at the elbow with 1.9 seconds remaining, dribbled once and spun a left-handed layup off the glass and in. “I was supposed to get it a little closer to the basket. To be honest, I thought I was going to have a little bit more time,” Echenique said of the final play. “I’m not going to lie to you and say I new what I was going to do when I got it, but I had a play in my mind and chose to go to my left hand because it was working today. “The guy guarding me was a little bit slower than me and I used that to my advantage, and thankfully it went in.”
Terrible foul shooting thorn in RU’s side “Mike Coburn did a very good job for us, but you can’t turn the ball over, even if you’re playing fast,” Hill said. “[Junior guard James Beatty] didn’t have a great floor game tonight and you can’t have that many turnovers out of our backcourt.” Coburn led the team with five assists, while Beatty and sophomore forward Patrick Jackson each turned the ball over four times.
BY STEVEN MILLER CORRESPONDENT
The Rutgers men’s basketball team free throw shooting this weekend looked like that KNIGHT of two different NOTEBOOK teams. Against Drexel Friday night, the Scarlet Knights took 35 foul shots, but made just 16. They missed 16 of their last 20 attempts, failing to ice the game when sent to the line. “We’ve taken over 2,000 free throws at practice and we make 81 percent, because if we don’t shoot 80 percent we run,” said head coach Fred Hill Jr. after the game. “Ever ything about this game is contagious, and when you miss them it’s contagious [and] when you make them it’s contagious. It’s a mental thing, and tonight we were on the bad side of contagious.” The 77-71 loss against Vermont yesterday saw an improvement, although there were significantly less opportunities. RU made 13-of-19 from the foul line, but missed two in the critical final two minutes.
DURING
THE SECOND MEDIA
timeout against Vermont, RU honored former Scarlet Knight Phil Sellers. Athletic Director Tim Pernetti presented the twotime All-American with a framed picture at midcourt. As part of the Legends Classic, Sellers represented RU as a “Legend of the Game” and sat courtside with former teammate and Philadelphia 76ers coach Eddie Jordan. The duo led the Knights to the 1976 Final Four. ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
The Scarlet Knights missed 16 of their final 20 free throws down the stretch in Friday’s two-point escape over Drexel.
AFTER
AN
ASSISTS-TO-
turnover ratio of 19-to-11 in the season opener, the Knights turned the ball over more than they dished out assists in the two games since.
Against Drexel (0-3), RU won 58-56, despite only seven assists and 15 turnovers. The Scarlet Knights assisted 11 times against Vermont, but turned it over 20 times.
RU
CONTINUES
THE
Legends Classic this weekend when it faces Massachusetts Friday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Barring the outcome of Friday’s games, the Knights face either Florida or No. 2 Michigan State Saturday to conclude the tournament.
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
SPORTS
PA G E 1 6
RUTGERS SYRACUSE
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
1 2 0 10 14 10
3 0 0
4 3 7
Final 13 31
DAZED AND CONFUSED Scarlet Knights manage only 130 yards in trouncing at Carrier Dome after poor preparation, inability to protect Savage BY SAM HELLMAN ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Head coach Greg Schiano said during the week that he didn’t talk to his team about falling FOOTBALL behind Syracuse the last two times the Orange played the Rutgers football team. Maybe he should have, because for the Syracuse Orange, the third time was the charm. This time, when the Scarlet Knights allowed a pair of quick scores, the Orange effectively squeezed RU’s throats, embarrassing 25th ranked Rutgers 31-13 Saturday at the Carrier Dome. “We didn’t coach very well and we didn’t play very well,” Schiano said. “We didn’t play like a team that was ready to play a Big East football game, nor did we coach that way.” The loss squashes the Knights’ hopes of going to any higher-tier bowl game this season and sends them back to Piscataway with the greatest let-down game since Cincinnati in 2006 hanging over their heads. “It starts with yourself,” said junior safety Joe Lefeged, who blocked two kicks in the loss. “You have to look yourself in the mirror and see what you didn’t do during the week as far as preparation and practice. It’s a reality check for us. We’ve got to look ourselves in the mirror and ask some tough questions.” True freshman quarterback Tom Savage, in his first dome game since the Army AllAmerican Game, severely struggled, getting no help from his offensive line. The porous unit allowed nine sacks for a loss of 88 yards on the day, including three consecutive sacks with three minutes left in the game, forcing RU to punt on fourth and 44. Savage threw two picks for the first time in his career and did not throw a touchdown, completing just 7-of-17 passes for 66 yards. “It was just a bad read on my part,” Savage said of his first pick. “But I didn’t really let the interception get to me that much. That wasn’t the reason why I was out-ofwhack. I just think that the way I performed was just terrible.”
GAME 10
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
The porous Rutgers offensive line surrendered nine sacks for 88 yards, including five sacks in the last two minutes of the game. Rattled true freshman quarterback Tom Savage (7) had his worst statistical day in a Rutgers uniform, completing only 7-of-17 passes for 66 yards and two interceptions.
BIG EAST GAMES Connecticut Notre Dame
Louisville South Florida Next week: Rutgers at Louisville No. 19 Miami at USF Syracuse at UConn No. 8 Pitt at West Virginia Illinois at No. 5 Cincinnati
KEY STATS 33 30 F/OT 22 34
KNIGHT NOTEBOOK BY STEVEN MILLER
LEADERS PASSING GREG PAULUS, SU 13-16, 142 YDS, TD RUSHING ANTWON BAILEY, SU 16 CAR, 77 YDS, TD RECEIVING TIM BROWN, RU 4 REC, 67 YDS, TD
SEE CONFUSED ON PAGE 14
RUTGERS SYRACUSE
Total Yds 130 424
Pass 104 211
Rush 26 213
EXTRA POINT True freshman Tom Savage had the worst performance of his Rutgers career Saturday at Syracuse. The quarterback went 7-of-17 for 66 yards and two picks, but took nine sacks for a combined loss of 88 yards. Syracuse’s defense -— statistically the worst in the Big East — held the Rutgers offense to 130 total yards.
9
CORRESPONDENT
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Damaso Munoz strapped on his helmet while chasing after Syracuse tailback Antwon Bailey on a secondquarter, 17-yard Orange gain after a timeout. The Orange snapped the ball before the Rutgers football team’s defense even lined up for a play that epitomized the 25th ranked Scarlet Knights’ game.
They were always a step behind. “They caught us off guard,” Munoz said. “But we have to fix that, play better and not let them catch us off guard like that.” In the third quarter, trailing by 14, there was an injury timeout. With a stream of RU players running on and off of the field, the Knights called a timeout of their own. The Orange changed quarterbacks 21 times, but — whether it was
SEE NOTEBOOK ON PAGE 14