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The Rutgers softball team played one game against Stony Brook yesterday due to darkness, and they lost, 7-6, despite drawing 17 walks.
BY JEFF PRENTKY STAFF WRITER
After announcing a lawsuit filed in the Middlesex County Superior Court, several N.J. organizations held a press conference Tuesday at Brower Commons on the College Avenue campus demanding the Middlesex County Board of Elections allow Election Day voter registration (EDR). In New Jersey, voters must register at least 21 days before Election Day, which affects many residents who are registered in a different New Jersey county or relocate to New Jersey from another state, said Frank Askin, director of the Rutgers Constitutional Litigation Clinic. The Rutgers School of LawNewark Constitutional Litigation Clinic, the American
University discontinues Rutgersfest
Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, New Jersey Appleseed Public Interest Law Center, the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA), the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey, New Jersey Citizen Action and six disenfranchised N.J. residents filed the suit to strengthen Americans’ right to vote. “We think this is a very important day for New Jersey, particularly for college students in New Jersey, including Rutgers students,” he said. “We hope this will have a tremendous impact on increasing voter participation in New Jersey.” EDR enables voters to register and vote on Election Day, he said. Nine states and Washington, D.C. allow EDR and have significantly higher
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BY AMY ROWE ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
KEITH FREEMAN / PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Director of the Rutgers Constitutional Litigation Clinic Frank Askin explains the difficulties young N.J. voters face yesterday on the College Avenue campus.
Board aims for fair funding distribution ANASTASIA MILLICKER ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
With more than 350 student organizations and $1 million a year to allocate, the Rutgers University Student Assembly Allocations Board divides more than $500,000 in funding per semester using a secret internal formula. The Rutgers University Student Assembly Allocations Board is a separate entity from the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) and receives funding through RUSA, said
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Janaki Shah, former RUSA Allocations Board Chair. The RUSA Allocations Board receives $5.45 from school fees from each student in the professional schools per semester and $27.25 from each School of Arts and Sciences student per semester, said Shah, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. “The reason we operate separately from RUSA is to avoid any bias, and with the funds fairly allocated, no student organization is given priority over another one,” she said. “We look at each group and their events
individually, based on what they are requesting for and what they need.” The RUSA Allocations Board applies an internal formula to all budgets to ensure funding for all organizations is completed fairly and efficiently, Shah said. “I can’t disclose that formula or that would give groups an unfair advantage, and groups would figure out ways to beat the system,” she said. “We go by our guidelines, which state fundable and non-fundable items, which organizations are made aware of when they apply for allocations.”
Groups apply once a semester and can receive funding for two programs, but organizations can make an appeal for more once per semester at the weekly appeals meetings, Shah said. RUSA allocations cannot fund t-shirts or giveaways. “This is because the student fee is collected from every student, and it’s not fair or efficient to purchase items given away to other students,” she said. “Items like t-shirts can be purchased through generated revenue which
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Scholar encourages Islam awareness BY SEHAR MUGHAL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
UNIVERSITY More than 500 events for all ages will take place at Rutgers Day.
OPINIONS Gov. Chris Christie’s penchant for straightforward speech has some people upset.
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The Muslim Students Association (MSA) and the University’s Center for Islamic Life hosted an event featuring Oxford University Professor Tariq Ramadan, who spoke to students about Islam in the United States. The event, “Religion, Radicalization and the Quest for Pluralism,” was a stop on Ramadan’s university tour across the country and took place in the Cook Campus Center Multipurpose Room. Ramadan touched on issues facing Muslims in both the United States and Europe and encouraged students to be involved in society. “As students in the United States, you need speak out for justice, dignity and equal rights,” he said. Ramadan also cautioned Muslims to be careful of how they represent their faith to others. “Muslims today yell and that only shows that they have lack of
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APRIL 20, 2011
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Today: T-storms
Groups fight for later NJ voter registration
WEDNESDAY
ASHLEY ROSS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Tariq Ramadan, an Oxford University professor, talks about the importance of religious pluralism in the United States last night in the Cook Campus Center.
University administrators decided to cancel Rutgersfest, the annual end-ofthe-year concert and carnival sponsored by the Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA), due to the violent activity that ensued in New Brunswick on Friday following the concert. University President Richard L. McCormick sent an email to all students on the New Brunswick campus yesterday, explaining the large crowds consisting of many non-University students that descended upon New Brunswick’s 5th and 6th wards after the concert created too much disorder that even an additional police presence could not contain. “Many streets were congested with people and there were multiple reports of disruptive conduct,” he said in the email. “Near the College Avenue campus there were many rowdy student house parties, incidents of public intoxication, littering, and vandalism and several altercations among students and other individuals.” Even though the four non-Universityrelated individuals who were shot in three separate incidents Friday night did not sustain life-threatening injuries, McCormick said he is concerned about the danger to students and New Brunswick residents. “We cannot risk further danger or the possible loss of life,” he said. “The problems that occur following Rutgersfest have grown beyond our capacity to manage them, and the only responsible course of action is to cancel the event.” Director Peter Mangarella of the New Brunswick Police Department (NBPD) respects the decision made by McCormick and the University regarding the cancellation of Rutgersfest, said Lt. J.T. Miller of the NBPD, which with the Rutgers University Police Department on Friday evening had 40 extra officers on duty. Ana Castillo, president of RUPA, said though her organization is disappointed with the decision, she understands why it was made. “I expected it, and I don’t think the University had any other choice,” said Castillo, a School of Arts and Sciences senior. “We’re all kind of a little shocked because the decisions came so quickly after it happened.” Out of the 200 activities RUPA sponsors each year, Castillo said they would tr y to find a way to make up for Rutgersfest’s cancellation. “They don’t want to put something there to replace it, [it won’t be] another large-scale concert,” she said. “If RUPA was going to do another spring festival, it would be a much smaller event. Maybe we’ll have more concerts or some outdoorsy events in spring.” Castillo said even if they limited Rutgersfest admission to University students, it could not have prevented the behavior after the concert. “Logistics is an excuse. The real issue is that it’s just not the problem that needs to be solved,” she said. “It’s not going to stop people from
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