Perspectives Spring 2015

PERSPECTIVES The Daily Targum reviews the top stories of the Spring 2015 semester.

Celebrated social icons visit Rutgers DAN COREY ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

George Takei, former Star Trek and Heroes actor, Ava DuVernay, director of the Oscar-nominated drama “Selma” and Sarah Koenig, host and executive producer of the hit podcast “Serial” visited the University this semester in order to engage the student body.

Among other topics, Takei discussed overcoming social injustice, along with his career highlights such as calling a former Arkansas school board member a “total douchebag,” enduring Japanese internment camp and discovering his sexuality.

“From the time I was about 9 or 10, I was able to star t to realize that I was dif ferent in more ways than just my SEE ICONS ON PAGE 8

COLIN PIETERS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / MARCH 2015

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Campus Calendar MONDAY 5/4 The Mason Gross School of the Arts presents “Rutgers University Choir” from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Nicholas Music Center on Douglass campus. Admission is $5 for students, $10 for alumni, employees and seniors and $15 for the general public.

The Department of Genetics hosts “Genetics Department Research Seminar: Dr. Ellen Wijsman” from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Life Sciences Building on Busch campus. The event is free and open to the public.

TUESDAY 5/5 Counseling, ADAP, & Psychiatry Services (CAPS) hosts “Mindfulness Meditation” from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Busch Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY 5/6 Digital Classroom Services presents the “2nd Annual DCS Showcase: Unplugging from the Podium” from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Tillett Hall on Livingston campus. The event is free and open to the public.

Rutgers University Libraries presents “Medicinal Plants: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Facts” from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Alexander Library on the College Avenue campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures presents “85th Annual Declamation Contest” from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Brower Commons on the College Avenue campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The Zimmerli Art Museum hosts “Study After Hours.” The museum will be open for nearly 24 hours to provide Rutgers students with an additional study location during finals week.

If you would like to submit an event for the Campus Calendar section, please email Copy@Dailytargum.com. For more information please visit www. dailytargum.com.

Due to space limitations there is no guarantee that your event will be listed.

Events can run for no more than three days: two days prior to the event and the day of the event.

Weather Outlook TODAY TONIGHT

May 4, 2015

Source: Weather.com

High of 86, mostly cloudy, winds up to 15mph Low of 59, partly clear skies, winds up to 10mph

Tue

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Hi 86 Lo 59

Hi 73 Lo 51

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May 4, 2015

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DDoS incapacitates Perpetrator targets U. network, servers in November taunts community with Twitter FRANCESCA FALZON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In light of recent issues affecting the RUWireless and RUWireless Secure networks, the University moved class registration dates to better accommodate affected students, said Julie Traxler, dean of first-year students for the School of Arts and Sciences.

The most recent attack was not the first to affect University servers this semester, according to The Daily Targum. Between March 27 and March 30, the University network was afflicted by a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, in addition to one that occurred during class registration during the Fall 2014 semester.

A DDoS occurs when a hacker remotely controls thousands of com-

puters and instructs them to overwhelm a specific target server. This is what happened during Fall 2014 and March 2015, effectively forcing staff to shut down the University network for protection.

During the March DDoS attack, an email account associated with The Daily Targum received two emails from an anonymous source claiming that the sender was responsible for all attacks on the University network.

According to The Daily Targum, the emails were forwarded to the Rutgers Office of Information Technology (OIT).

The emails could potentially be genuine considering how closely they were sent to the attack, said Don Smith, vice president of OIT. No personally identifiable information was acquired by the hacker.

NIKHILESH DE CORRESPONDENT

University ser vers were taken down multiple times this past year after being targeted

by Distributed Denial of Service attacks.

DDoS attacks occur when a user forces thousands of computers to request information from a server at once. The attack can render the server completely helpless, which forces administrators to take it down in order to protect it from damage.

The University hosts several ser vers that allow students access to the Internet and its own ser vices.

Many services were unavailable during the attacks. During two of the network disruptions,

first-year students were unable to register for classes, further inconveniencing the University’s newest members.

The alleged attacker used Reddit and Twitter to taunt the University and its students, claiming to release private information online and telling the community what and how they were attacking. Though not officially confirmed, the alleged perpetrator’s tweets and the network attacks coincided exactly.

Due to the nature of the attacks, no student’s personal information was at risk of being discovered or shared on the Internet, according to The Daily Targum.

Two emails were also sent to The Daily Targum by the alleged attacker. These emails claimed

responsibility for the November attack and predicted a second attack in early March.

They were deemed credible

by Don Smith, vice president and chief intelligence officer for the University’s Office of Information Technology, after an attack occurred at the predicted time.

The OIT originally said the fourth disruption was caused by “technical difficulties,” but later stated, on Facebook and through email, it was a Denial of Service.

Nikhilesh De is a School of Engineering sophomore majoring in mechnical engineering with a concentration in aerospace engineering. He is a correspondent at The Daily Targum. Follow him on Twitter @eagleraptorjsf for more stories.

Athletics loses more than $1 each minute DAN COREY ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

University servers were taken down multiple times this past year after being targeted by Distributed Denial of Service attacks, which occur when a user forces thousands of computers to request information from a server at once. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Rutgers Athletics lost more than $36 million in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, a deficit more substantial than losing $1 every second of a calendar year, according to a March 2015 report by the University Senate’s Budget and Finance Committee.

The University lost nearly 50 percent of its expenses last fiscal year after spending $76.7 million on Athletics, a figure that represents lost money supplied entirely by University discretionary funds and student fee allocations, according to the report.

“To try to do any sugarcoating of the magnitude of (this) financial loss is just not being honest,” said Thomas Prusa, chair of the Department of Economics. “We’re No. 1 in financial losses ... by a mile, we lose more money than any other University on athletics.”

Neutralizing the University’s athletic spending deficit is an extensive

process that cannot be hastened, University President Robert L. Barchi said during an April 8 interview with The Daily Targum.

The University’s increased global presence from Big Ten membership increases revenue to do what is necessary to prevent tuition hikes, Barchi said.

“We raised a record number of dollars last year for athletics,” Barchi said. “Athletics, over the course of our campaign, is close to 10 percent of the total revenue that we raised — ($100) million — and we expect to see that go up.”

The University ended up on the wrong side of history because of a decision that was made to channel money into athletics instead of academics, said Richard Vedder, director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity.

“There’s a tendency (that) once you get into something big and you start spending lots of money on it, you don’t want to admit defeat ... that’s human nature.”

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May 4, 2015

Students criticize anti-cheating software ProctorTrack DAVID TADROS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In Januar y, the Mason Gross School of the Arts was the first to adapt Proctortrack, a ser vice that uses a webcam to scan student faces, IDs and knuckles in order to prevent cheating on online exams.

Proctor track requires a $32 student fee in addition to the mandated $100 convenience fee.

The program claims to be the “only fully automated remote proctoring solution,” utilizing webcams to maintain the integrity of online exams.

Colleges and universities with distance education programs are required to enforce the usage of programs like Proctor track in order to adhere to the United States Depar tment of Education’s Higher Education Oppor tunity Act of 2008, said E.J. Miranda, director of media relations at the University.

Proctor track, a tool Miranda called af fordable, versatile and compliant with the Americans

with Disabilities Act of 1990, has raised concerns from both students and faculty.

In a response to the student controversy, the University administration released an announcement stating Proctortrack does not have access to files on a student’s hard drive except for the audio, video and screenshots recorded during an exam, nor are any videos live streamed to anyone.

After student data is captured and uploaded to Proctor track’s secure ser vers, algorithms identify any possible anomalies or breaches to test policies, according to the announcement, and the information is analyzed automatically.

While implementing these new standard may take time, the University stands behind the security Proctor track of fers students, according to the announcement.

For more information about this story and for news updates, visit The Daily Targum online at www.dailytargum.com and follow @Daily_Targum on Twitter.

The Mason Gross School of the Arts was the first school within Rutgers to adopt ProctorTrack, a service that uses a webcam to scan student faces, IDs and knuckles in order to prevent cheating on online exams. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY YVANNA-SAINT FORT / OPINIONS EDITOR

Rutgers University Dance Marathon 2015 participants raised a record breaking final total of $692,046.67 for the Embrace Kids Foundation. TIAN LI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2015

Dance Marathon 2015 shatters former record AVALON ZOPPO ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

After dancing for 30 hours straight, the Rutgers University Dance Marathon par ticipants raised a record breaking final total of $692,046.67 for the Embrace Kids Foundation.

“What I see is so beautiful and spectacular,” said Glenn Jenkins, executive director of Embrace Kids Foundation. “I see student leaders who have given so much ... I see (patients’ families) that are dealing with so much, and yet carr y themselves in such a great way.

What I see is a community.”

But the grand reveal was only one por tion of the 17th annual two-day event.

The opening ceremonies kicked of f RUDM and set the tone for the rest of the event, said Ema Poni, assistant director of Corporate Relations.

The children and their families strutted down a red carpet and onto the stage in front of more than 800 dancers.

A variety of bands played live music in order to foster excitement and keep dancers on their

feet for 30 hours. The bands Nine Deez Nite and Jimmy and the Parrots were invited back to the RUDM stage, along with the band Countr y Comfor t for the rodeo-themed hour.

During “Family Hour,” dancers, patients and parents danced in a conga line to popular hits like Icona Pop’s “I Love It” and Rihanna’s “We Found Love” as well as the entire floor flooding with dancers sharing in a collective “Cupid Shuf fle.”

Families and children par ticipated in a procession down the Louis Brown Athletic Center after event organizers discussed the significance of RUDM funds to assisting the non-medical needs of cancer and blood disorder patients. Students also of fered to donate their own locks of hair to cancer patients.

“I think it’s kind of meaningless if you’re just fundraising and it goes into space ... there’s no face value to it,” Poni said.

“That’s what matters –– (that) the money’s going to someone I have a connection with, as (opposed) to some anonymous child somewhere else.”

May 4, 2015

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Rutgers sits 33rd out of 50 schools for fastest growth of ‘sugar babies’

Patrisse Cullors, one of the three founders of #BlackLivesMatter, said the creation of which aligned with efforts to change the national and international dialogue surrounding racism.

Rutgers as a whole ranked 33rd out of 50 schools for the fastest growth of “sugar babies” on SeekingArrangement.com, the “world’s largest sugar daddy dating site.” PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

ANKITA VETA / APRIL 2015

KATIE PARK NEWS EDITOR

#BlackLivesMatter founder comes to U. NATASHA TRIPATHI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Patrisse Cullors, one of the three founders of the “#BlackLivesMatter” hashtag, visited Rutgers in April, where she said she saw a shift in power from the state to the people with the growing presence of social media.

The creation of “#BlackLivesMatter” aligned with efforts to change the national and international dialogue surrounding racism, she said.

Social media is a powerful tool because it provides people, particularly black people, with a solid platform to change the narrative of various news reports regarding the arrests or deaths of minorities, Cullors said.

Citing the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen who was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri last August, Cullors said social media allowed civilians greater agency to alter Brown’s image in the media.

In the case of South Carolina’s Walter Scott, whose body was shot and accessorized with false evidence by a white officer, Cullors said the role of a cellphone camera became vital.

Martese Johnson, a University of Virginia junior, sustained head injures that were captured via cellphone by a crowd of

nearby students while police officers were arresting him in March, according to The Washington Post. “(The video recorders) become empowered to tell the stor y about the people who are disempowered,” Cullors said.

Preceded by the University of Texas, Arizona State and New York University, Rutgers ranked 33rd out of 50 schools for the fastest growth of “sugar babies.”

Angela Bermudo, public relations manager at SeekingArrangement.com, the “world’s largest sugar daddy dating site” and a platform for “’mutually beneficial relationships,’ in which young women shower men with attention in exchange for “the finer things in life,” said the University’s presence on

W

SeekingArrangement.com grew by 80 new sign-ups in 2014 or a 32.13 percent increase.

An interaction arranged through SeekingArrangement. com is not a traditional relationship, she said. Both players in the interaction arrange a relationship or structured relationship that fits into their lifestyles.

“The average amount (sugar babies) receive is about $3,000 per month,” Bermudo said. “It could be a monetary amount or it could also be a combination of (paying for) rent, books and credit card fees.”

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Bermudo attributed the rapid growth of “sugar babies” to the rising cost of education — since 2006, the number of student “sugar babies” multiplied by 12.

Lawmakers continually say it is a priority for them to deal with the enormous student debt we have in the United States, but unfortunately, not enough is being done, she said.

“We’re breaking records with how many students are applying to university and college, but unfortunately, as prices increase, students are struggling to find out how they’re going to afford it,” she said.

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May 4, 2015

Rutgers welcomes first ‘HackHers’ hackathon SHAZIA MANSURI STAFF WRITER

More than 200 students gathered on Busch Campus Center for HackHers, a 24-hour hackathon aimed at increasing female participation in technology on Feb. 7 and 8.

Julie Duncan, a student organizer and president of Women in Computer Science (WICS), hoped this event would address the lack of women in technology and provide a welcoming atmosphere for them to become a part of the community.

The hackathon also gained support from top companies such as Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs and Colgate-Palmolive that sponsored the event and networked with attendees.

Some of the tech talks featured covered gender-based issues in the tech world such as imposter syndrome and salar y negotiation, led by Elaine Zundle, dean of The Douglass Project for Women in Maths, Science and Engineering, and Karen Alexander, associate dean of the Douglass Residential College.

Although eighty percent of the attendees had no prior coding experience, several students took home prizes for their innovations.

Rosheen Chaudhry, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, took home the award for best web application for “FemInformed,” an app that would gather and organize information about feminist issues daily.

HackRU Spring 2015 generated a crowd of more than 1,000 college and high school students intent on participating in the 24-hour hackathon competition on April 18 and 19. TIANFANG YU / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2015

‘HackRU’ hosts 24 hours of ongoing coding for more than 1,000 students NATASHA TRIPATHI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

More than 200 students gathered at the Busch Student Center for HackHers, a 24-hour hackathon aimed at increasing female participation in technology on Feb. 7 and 8. COLIN PIETERS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / FEBRUARY 2015

Spring’s edition of HackRU generated a crowd of more than 1,000 college and high school students, intent on participating in the 24hour hackathon competition on April 18 and 19.

HackRU was first organized four years ago with an attendance of 50 students and has now garnered interest from hundreds of students from nearby institutions.

Michelle Chen, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, said the organizers never set a

goal for number of attendees, but they have been excited about the growing numbers.

She also said with growing numbers comes greater competition amongst the attendees, which tends to distract from the overall message of collaborative innovation from creative ideas.

In addition to the programming competition, HackRU also provided karaoke, cupstacking, trivia games, a Super Smash Bros. tournament and human-sized hamster ball races for the attendees.

Although there was a focus on learning and collaboration, several attendees took home

awards for the creative products they developed.

Sandile Keswa, Vuk Petrovic, Dan Cadden and Ryan Yurkanin took home first place for “Litecase,” an app that converts video to ASCII code using text to form an image of what the camera processes.

Chris Leung, William Browder-Little and Brad Totaro were awarded second place for “CloudFish,” a system created with 3D-printers and Raspberry Pi that allows users to remotely feed a fish.

Daniel Bordak won third place for “Share.el,” an app that allows users to share code straight from text editors to email or text messages.

May 4, 2015

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About 4,700 employees secure fairer working contracts NATASHA TRIPATHI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

In April, nearly 4,700 fulltime faculty and graduate student employees at the University ratified a new contract, said Sherr y Wolf, lead organizer of the Rutgers American Association of University Professors-American Federation of Teachers (AAUP-AFT).

After months of bargaining and directing a handful of campus-held protests, more than 97 percent of faculty members covered under the agreement voted to ratify the contract, which was negotiated by

the faculty union AAUP-AFT, Wolf said.

Faculty and staf f have been fighting for a new contract since 2010, when University administrators instituted a salar y freeze, Wolf said. Staf f and faculty unions joined forces to “Reclaim Rutgers” after the salar y freeze.

The “subject to” clause enabled University management to impose salar y freezes based on contingencies or special conditions.

The new contract, which runs through June 30, 2018, will protect AAUP-AFT members from salar y freezes and health

care rate hikes, guarantee 8.25 percent wage gains on average through the life of the contract, provide raises to faculty at the lower income levels and of fer 7,000 graduate student employees a substantial Professional Development Fund.

Faculty at the bottom income levels will receive 43 percent raises, and the minimum wage for 910 non-tenure faculty members increased from a salar y of $39,000 to $57,000, Wolf said.

“Together, faculty, staf f and students petitioned, rallied and protested to win better terms,” she said.

Nearly 4,700 full-time faculty and graduate student employees at the University ratified a new contract in April after months of bargaining and protesting. TIANFANG YU / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APIRIL 2015

U. chooses Bill Nye as commencement speaker 2015 DAN COREY ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

William Sanford Nye, popularly known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” was announced as the New Brunswick campus’ 249th Anniversary Commencement Speaker at a April 2 Board of Governors meeting. COURTESY OF RACHEL BERNSTEIN

As the Rutgers–New Brunswick Class of 2015 prepares to enter the professional world, graduating seniors will catch a glimpse of childhood one last time at commencement.

William Sanford Nye, popularly known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” was announced as the New Brunswick campus’ 249th Anniversary Commencement Speaker at the April 2 Board of Governors meeting at the Newark campus.

“Bill Nye is a mechanical engineer who wants the world to know

the passion, beauty and joy — the (peanut butter and jelly) — of science,” said Lora Fong, a University Board of Trustees member. “Nye hopes to raise awareness on climate change and the value of critical thinking, science and reason.”

Known for his 30-minute and 18 Emmy award-winning program, “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” in which he donned a bowtie and white lab coat, Nye used comedy to teach science to children, Fong said.

In response to online rumors regarding this year’s commencement speaker, Rachel Bernstein and Natalia Del Rio, School of Arts and Sciences seniors, launched the

“#BowTie4BillNye” social media campaign to encourage seniors to post about why they want Bill Nye to speak during commencement.

For the campaign, seniors took pictures of themselves wearing bowties and uploaded them to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag “#BowTie4BillNye,” Bernstein said.

Nye will speak Sunday, May 17 at 12:30 p.m. at High Point Solutions Stadium on Busch campus.

“With the memories of these last four years at college, I feel like having Bill Nye (speak) would be the cherry on top,” Del Rio said. “It’s kind of nostalgic.”

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May 4, 2015

ICONS DuVernay talked about awards, trials, tribulations of directing movie about Martin Luther King, Jr. CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Matt Panconi, a Rutgers Business School junior, was elected president of the Rutgers University Student Assembly for 2015-2016 by winning with 52 percent of the vote, which translates to 1,304 votes. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2015

Matt Panconi emerges as student assembly president for 2015-16 NOA HALFF CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Matt Panconi was elected president of the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) for the 2015 to 2016 academic year.

Panconi, a Rutgers Business School junior, won with 52 percent of the vote, or 1,304 votes, against opponent Justin Lucero, a School of Arts and Sciences junior.

Brianna Battle, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, was elected vice president. She won 61 percent of the votes, or 1,518 votes, against opponent Luke Svasti, a School of Arts

and Science junior. Vishal Patel was elected treasurer. All winners were members of the Rutgers Students United (RSU) ticket.

Lucero, of the Rutgers Alliance ticket, wanted to enhance student services like Counseling and Psychological services and increase co-sponsorships between RUSA and other organizations. In past semesters, he helped pass the preferred-name policy and advocated for cheaper textbooks.

Panconi, a former chair of Student Affairs (2014-2015), said he wants to continue to hold monthly meetings with leaders from a wide

range of student organizations in order to openly communicate.

His aim as president is to achieve shared governance, create a connected student body, lower the cost of tuition, increase public safety and unite different organizations on campus.

RUSA has goals to decrease tuition by increasing state funding.

They also plan to engage with the student body more, Brianna Battle, vice president of RUSA, said.

Panconi and Battle are focusing on incorporating students into decision making by actively engaging them to receive their input.

Japanese face,” he said. “The other boys were getting all excited by pretty girls … what really excited me was cute boys.”

DuVernay talked about the awards, trials and tribulations of directing the only major motion picture about Mar tin Luther King, Jr. and the struggle for the Voting Rights Act. “Selma” was released on Christmas Day nearly 50 years after hundreds of black protestors were attacked by state troopers while marching from Selma to Montgomer y, Alabama.

DuVernay wanted to incorporate King’s rumored infidelities throughout the movie because it would be historically inaccurate not to do so, she said.

“For me, it was about deconstructing King, just tr ying to get to the root of who he was as a man,” she said. “(Rumored infidelities) were par t of the conversation about him, so I felt it was disingenuous not to engage in that.”

Koenig shared her podcast’s re-investigation of the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, a Mar yland high school student, for “Serial” lovers looking for the scoop on what went into building the podcast

that went on to become a pop culture underdog.

“In these stories, there aren’t contradictions or idiosyncrasies,” Koenig said. “There aren’t good people who do bad things. In ‘Serial,’ we wanted to create a stor y that didn’t feel fake in any way.”

During their presentations, Takei and DuVernay both stressed the impor tance of activism and taking the initiative to curb social injustice in contemporar y society.

It is unfair to compare contemporar y Eric Garner and Michael Brown protests to the Civil Rights Movement 50 years ago because people, particularly students, need to understand how march to Montgomer y and #BlackLivesMatter protests occurred during different times, with dif ferent tools and dif ferent tactics, DuVernay said.

But contemporar y activism is only ef fective if it influences political decisions that dismantle institutionalized inequality, Takei said.

“We have issues like Ferguson where (young people) come out to demonstrate,” he said. “But (whether) they come out to vote really counts. That’s why we have the politicians (that) we have.”

Former “Star Trek” star George Takei discussed overcoming social injustice, along with his career highlights, such as calling a former Arkansas school board member a “total douchebag.”

COLIN PIETERS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / MARCH 2015

May 4, 2015

Page 9

Sexual assault survivor criticizes student code KATIE PARK

RUPD strongly encourages anyone who believes he or she was a victim of a crime to report the A student that was sexually incident to RUPD. Since then, the two maintained assaulted twice in a year by a former boyfriend is voicing disbelief a relationship without having sex after The University’s Office of until Oct. 11, when she said she Student Conduct chose to sus- slept in his bed with him as she pend her perpetrator instead of had done several times prior with the mutual understanding that expelling him.

According to documents nothing sexual would happen.

During the night, she was amassed by University investigators during the case and provided awakened by the man rubbing her to The Daily Targum by the wom- shoulders who asked the woman an who requested anonymity, within the hour if “she would let the sexual assaults occurred and him have sex with her,” to which were reported in February 2014 she recalled saying “okay” or nodding her head affirmatively, and October 2014.

The University declined to although she said she nodded speak about the specific case in more out of a desire to remain compliance with a federal priva- compliant. The man avoided eye cy act in an inter view with The contact with the woman during Daily Targum in late Februar y intercourse, finished and said, “I but addressed the way reports can’t believe I did that.”

Four days later on Oct. 15, the of sexual assault are handled with the Code of Student Con- woman sent the man a series of text messages around 5 a.m. exduct and Title IX. “What happened in Febru- pressing her disgust and fear at ary was rape,” the woman said. the incident.

“And maybe I will never be “(He) and I talked about it, but it did not become real to me at able to have a healthy sexual rethat point because neither of us lationship because of you?” she wrote. “Doesnt used the word that seem un‘rape.’ He exfair? (sic)” pressed how The man sorry he was “I just destroyed you. responded and how he I raped you.” with his own felt ‘out of conseries of texts trol’ and did about three not know what ANONYMOUS hours later. was wrong Former Rutgers Student “I just dewith him.” stroyed you,” a The womsentence from an stopped one of his texts contacting the man for several weeks after the read. “I raped you.”

In the coming months, invesincident and contacted the Rutgers University Police Depart- tigators found the man responsiment about three weeks later ble for two violations under the where she said police officers Code of Student Conduct: sexual told her how long the process assault or non-consensual sexual could be and that it could take contact and relationship violence.

With these violations in several years to bring about a prison sentence. When the mind, administrators decidwoman coupled what the offi- ed to readmit the man after a cers said with the low national three-semester suspension, alrates of conviction for sexual as- lowing him to come back May sault perpetrators, she felt dis- 2016 or the time when the womcouraged and stopped pursuing an would have already graduated from the University. criminal charges until October.

“Felicia McGinty, the vice Although the woman did not pursue the case through the chancellor of Student Affairs, said criminal process, University (suspension) was an appropriate spokesperson E.J. Miranda said punishment,” the woman said.

NEWS EDITOR

After being sexually assaulted twice in a year by a former boyfriend, a Rutgers student is appalled that the University’s Office of Student Conduct chose to suspend her perpetrator instead of expelling him. YINGJIE HU / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Albert Nigrin co-founded Scarlet Paws Animal Welfare Network, a non-profit organization composed of faculty, staff and students working together to promote the humane treatment of abandoned animals found on Rutgers campuses. LUO ZHENGCHENG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

U. instructor rescues stray cats living in City of New Brunswick AVALON ZOPPO ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Albert Nigrin has been rescuing abandoned cats on campus for the past 15 years, in which time he found homes for more than 200 strays.

Nigrin co-founded Scarlet Paws Animal Welfare Network, a non-profit organization composed of faculty, staff and students working together to promote the humane treatment of abandoned animals found on Rutgers campuses.

If a cat is too wild for adoption, Nigrin traps, neuters and releases the cat, a method known as TNR. “I absolutely neuter every cat I capture in order to keep the population down,” said Nigrin, a part-time

lecturer in the Department of Cinema Studies.

Cat overpopulation is not unique to Rutgers, he said. There are large quantities of stray cats in most large cities, urban areas and college campuses.

The large stray cat population at Rutgers may be the result of “irresponsible owners.”

Many college students take in strays during the school year that they cannot afford to care for and then move back home in the spring, leaving the cat behind, Nigrin said.

“It’s no accident that there is an influx of strays on campus every May,” he said.

Forming “cat colonies” is another method to control the population of

stray cats on campus.

A “cat colony” is formed when a member of the community provides regular feeding, proper shelter and spay/neuter services to a group of feral cats that congregate in a specific location.

Eventually, the caretaker captures the cats, neuters them and releases them back to the colony’s location, Nigrin said. After being spayed or neutered, cats living in colonies tend to gain weight, live healthier lives and will not reproduce.

“The old modus operandi for stray cats was if they were too wild, you put them to sleep,” he said.

“That’s something I never did. Unless the animal is sick, I try to find a home for them.”

Page 10

May 4, 2015

Rutgers levies party ban against greek organizations KATIE PARK NEWS EDITOR

A party ban enforced by Rutgers’ Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs in early April threw members of the University’s greek community into an uproar shortly following the sanction.

The decision, which was announced the evening of April 1 in a meeting with Rutgers of ficials and the presidents of all 86 fraternities and sororities

at the College Avenue Student Center, discussed the negative publicity encircling the school’s greek life.

“The decision our advisors made is not a punishment for our community,” said Erin Kearns, president of Rutgers’ Panhellenic Association. “It’s a yellow light to allow us to reflect on how and what we can do to be a better greek community.”

Although the ban will prohibit greek organizations from

hosting parties at their lettered houses, greek organizations will be allowed to hold formals and events arranged off-campus where third-party vendors ser ve alcohol.

Emily Gibbs, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore and a member of service sorority Omega Phi Alpha, spoke in general agreement of the move.

“I feel we need a moment to reflect and have a silence to really understand what we’ve been

doing wrong,” she said. “Rutgers has such a great reputation academically, and it needs to have the same reputation off-campus.”

Although the ban will only last about three weeks, Gibbs said her friends, some whom are seniors in social greek organizations, viewed the ban as a buzzkill while their college careers come to a close.

But Gibbs remained adamant in her views on how the ban will recollect the greek

community and improve the University’s image, especially in the wake of a slew of incidents that led to investigations, suspensions and removals of various greek organizations.

“Rutgers shouldn’t have bad publicity, especially because we’re in the Big Ten now,” she said. “We should have students wanting to come to Rutgers, and I feel like all this bad controversy is causing students to maybe second-guess coming to Rutgers.”

University community celebrates lives of deceased students ERIN PETENKO STAFF WRITER

As students prepare for summer vacation, they also recall classmates and friends who have died over the course of the 2014 to 2015 academic year.

A total of 16 students passed away since September: Osei-Kwame Afriyie, Patrick Awosogba Jr., Joshua Cooper, Amr Gabale, Yoshitaka Inomato, Paul Kim, Nexhmi Klobucista, Caitlyn Kovacs, Franciso Martinez-Holsey, Michael Murray, Neha Musipatla, Aniesh Patel, Darsh Patel, William Ouch, Maneesha Singh and Caroline Yoshimoto.

Along with those students, Rutgers-Newark alumna Marisa Eve Girawong was killed in the Nepal earthquake while working

for a mountain guide service, according to The Daily Targum.

In April, the University commemorated the deaths with a memorial service on campus. While the “Rutgers Remembers” event is held each year, this semester’s event represented a more formalized gathering, according to The Daily Targum.

Rutgers–New Brunswick Chancellor Richards L. Edwards spoke at the event. Rutgers also rung the Old Queens bell as students held candles in memory of their former classmates.

The students came from a variety of backgrounds. Michael Murray, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, was a transfer student working toward a computer science degree, according to The Daily Targum. Aniesh Pa-

tel was a fourth-year pharmacy student who loved movies and rescuing bugs.

These losses took a collective toll on fellow students, said Jewel Daney, senior case manager for the Of fice of the Dean of Students.

“One loss is one loss too many,” Daney said. “(They’re) young people ... (they) feel invincible, but things can happen to you and sadly, things do happen regardless of our ages.”

While students noticed an increase in emails signifying a Rutgers death, Daney said 16 deaths, though tragic, were expected in a University of this size.

“We’re a big city, and so things happen ... We’re not out of the range of the probability of this happening at a large University.”

Mourners somberly stand to celebrate the life of Amr Gabale, a deceased Rutgers student, on October 21. EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / OCTOBER 2014

OPINIONS

Page 12

May 4, 2015

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EDITORIAL

‘Diversity’ at U. not cutting it anymore Cultural immersion needed to understand, enjoy Rutgers

A

ll too often, “diversity” is used as a monolith- each culture or group of students has to offer, really ic, all-encompassing word, used to quantify make the University diverse? Does walking past peowhat happens when people from different ple who don’t look like you or sitting next to someone who openly displays their religion or sexual preferbackgrounds interact with one another.

Looking back on this semester, and this school ence mean that you understand their experience? year in general, Rutgers has used its diversity factor Not at all. The second definition of diversity reads: as the answer to almost every question. From organi- “The quality or state of having many different forms, zations protesting the deaths of unarmed black men, types, ideas.” It’s nearly impossible to know what othto students reacting to Islamophobic comments, er individuals or groups of people have to offer if you the members of the student body have unceasingly never talk or interact with them. How would we know voiced their concerns. But, the University adminis- what members of the Rutgers community offer just tration and students have used diversity to dismiss by looking at them? Two women wearing hijabs do the notion that injustice occurs at Rutgers, simulta- not think the same thoughts, just as two men wearing neously dismissing the concerns of student activists. fraternity letters do not think the same thoughts. Yet, The idea then becomes: If we can so easily notice the these are the assumptions that we as a community diversity across all five of the New Brunswick and make day after day. There are so many people on campus and yes, we do all look Piscataway campuses, then different, but if we assume that it must be impossible for two people who look similar hatred or discrimination to “Diversity at Rutgers is think the same way too, then exist here. This couldn’t be seeking out, understanding we’re selling ourselves short. farther from the truth. and reveling in that difference.”

Existing together isn’t There is no denying that enough and ultimately means it’s easy to see diversity at nothing unless we make a conRutgers. According to Merriam-Webster, the term “diversity” has two different scious effort to understand the differences that make meanings, both of which apply to the University. The each and every one of us unique. Therefore, diversifirst is exactly what happens here on campus: “The ty isn’t enough. All members of the University must state of having people who are different races or who take hold of the diversity that exists and immerse have different cultures in a group or organization.” themselves in it.

During the spring semester, and especially Walking down any street or through any building, spotting different groups of people is expected. We throughout April and May, the opportunities to culsee people with different skin colors, individuals rep- turally engage with the Rutgers community are endresenting various religions and pairs speaking differ- less. Caribbean Day, Holi, Gaypril events, Unity Day ent languages. We acknowledge our differences, for and the Latin American Festival are only a few of the the most part we are tolerant of the dissimilarities events hosted by student organizations that offer the and on occasion, we praise the idiosyncrasies that ev- chance for all University members to immerse themeryone has to offer. Yet, understanding the diversity selves in the hundreds of cultures that we boast here that exists on-campus is not as simple as looking at it at Rutgers. Go to these events, take part in the celebration, learn something new. Diversity at Rutgers and recognizing its presence.

It’s great that we’re all here, we all take the same is not having our students, faculty and staff looking classes and eat at the same dining halls. But does ex- different: Diversity at Rutgers is seeking out, underisting in the same space, without really knowing what standing and reveling in that difference.

The Daily Targum’s editorials represent the views of the majority of the 147th editorial board. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.

May 4, 2015

Opinions Page 13

Advice on how to be editor-in-chief of ‘The Daily Targum’ FRONTLINE ALEXANDRA R. MEIER

S

omewhere, deep within Facebook’s graveyard of forgotten posts, there’s a picture of me, smiling, with a Targum in hand. Nothing in the background is distinguishable but Targums –– layers upon layers of Targums –– looking like waves of ink and paper ready to crash down on my unsuspecting body. It was taken on my 22nd birthday, after my roommates decided it would be funny to cover my entire side of the room with that day’s issues. Today, I look back at this picture and reflect on how perfectly it epitomizes my college career: At times, Targums flooded every nook and cranny of my life, but somehow, I didn’t drown. Instead, I look back, smiling.

I began working for The Daily Targum in the fall of my sophomore year, after my friend convinced me to attend a writers’ meeting. She called it quits after writing her first article. I guess you could say that I stayed a bit longer. In the following months, I climbed up the masthead, beginning as a contributing writer, advancing as an associate news editor and finally reaching its peak when I assumed the position of editor-in-chief in February 2014. Three editorial boards, three 17-hour caucuses and three Rice-related scandals later, I’m still afloat. I’m eligible to graduate. I haven’t killed anyone and/or had anyone attempt to kill me. I’m (relatively) sane, and all of my internal organs are still intact. I made it through the most challenging years of my young life, and it was both a pleasure and a chore. But if someone like me –– who’s

lost about a dozen of her debit cards, who’s been hospitalized after falling off an LX bus (sober), who still thinks poop jokes are among the upper echelons of comedy –– can survive being editor-in-chief of the Targum, I believe that any of you can too.

Here’s how.

Number One: Stand up straight, shoulders back. In order to be initiated into the role of editor-in-chief, you must first be voted into office by the majority of editors from the incoming and outgoing boards.

This process is called caucus, a Targum tradition that is, somehow, simultaneously boring and terrifying. During caucus, the candidates for each position must stand in the front of the room and answer ques-

warned when a building catches on fire, or let’s say, when someone attacks Rutgers’ entire operating system. Therefore, you’ll need to be quick on your feet and know how to use the tools around you.

I realized resourcefulness was integral after my first-ever interview. My source was calling me as I was doing homework in Hardenbergh, and I had no idea what to do. Without a recorder, I opened up FaceTime on my laptop, and frantically blurted out each prepared question, trying not to stutter. Resourcefulness came in handy when I used Twitter to track down the #RU4BlackLives protesters last December, when I somehow scored an interview with author Junot Díaz and when I

“Thank you to the Board of Trustees for your guidance, and thank you mom and dad for the support. Thank you readers for giving my job a purpose. Thank you all for keeping me afloat. Thank you for allowing me to look back and smile.” tions about this position asked by each of the attendees. When it’s someone else’s turn to go, enjoy the free food and try not to fall asleep. But you, as editor-in-chief, will go first, and you’ll need to stand up straight, shoulders back. Be confident in your demeanor, and in turn, you’ll be respected. This posture must persist even after telling a roomful of editors when the Targum was founded (1869, by the way).

Stand up straight when you’re wrongfully accused of bias. Keep your shoulders back when managing a reporter who’s misquoted her source. With the right posture, it’ll be nearly impossible to be pushed down.

Number Two: Be resourceful. The news never sleeps, and you’ll never be

successfully tricked the student body into believing Rutgers was building a monorail (for the Mugrat, of course).

Number Three: Smile. One of the most important things you can do as editor-in-chief is smile. Smile when a grumpy alumnus is calling to complain about your coverage of the football team. Smile when you need to stay up all night laying out a wrap and writing a paper for class. Smile when you come home at 3 a.m., realize you locked yourself out and go back to the office and sleep in a chair. Positivity reminds both yourself and the team that at the end of the day, everything will be okay as long as you know you’ve tried your very best. But more importantly, smile be-

cause the people you work with deserve it. The Targum brings in a hodgepodge of students from radically different walks of life. These may be people you would have never met otherwise, but when you all are working toward sending the paper to print on time, you find moments when your stories and interests overlap. You will learn from them, and you will form amazing friendships with them, so open yourself to the people around you with a smile.

As much as I would love for every one of you to be hungrily vying for the position of Targum’s editor-in-chief next February, I understand that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But to me, serving as editor-in-chief was more than a job, it was the experience that, as New York Times’ David Brooks puts it, helped me find my calling within my career. On career choice, he writes: “Some people have experiences that turn a career into a calling. These experiences quiet the self. All that matters is living up to the standard of excellence inherent in their craft.” I want to thank everyone who’s helped me listen to this calling. Thank you Board 145, Board 146 and Board 147 for your hard work, dedication, lessons on Illustrator, lessons on relationships, karaoke sessions, pitchers at Corner Tavern and of course, friendships. Thank you to the Board of Trustees for your guidance, and thank you mom and dad for the support. Thank you readers for giving my job a purpose. Thank you all for keeping me afloat. Thank you for allowing me to look back and smile.

Alexandra R. Meier is a School of Arts and Sciences senior majoring in journalism and media studies with a minor in anthropology. She is a former Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Targum.

Sports editor says goodbye to paper that changed his life FRONTLINE GREG JOHNSON

S

aying goodbye to The Daily Targum is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

I knew the day was coming, but somehow the first week of Februar y still managed to sneak up on me. My term as sports editor of our 146th Editorial Board was nearing its expiration, and in some ways, I probably should have felt relieved.

For two semesters, my life consisted of days when I barely ate and nights when I hardly slept — all the while putting in countless hours designing and editing at 26 Mine St., reporting on Rutgers football and men’s basketball as a full-time student. Yet, all I could think about was how quickly the time had passed — how unforgettable this three-year rollercoaster ride was, while coasting toward the finish line.

I didn’t exactly wear my heart on my sleeve in that office. Some days I was quiet and kept to myself. On rare occasions, I might have looked like I was ready to hit someone if I was going through a rough time juggling the many phases of life, even though I loved ever yone in that room. The truth is, I never wanted to leave. I started to tear up in my apartment bedroom on Livingston campus just thinking about the inevitable. Although I would continue

writing through the end of the men’s basketball season in March, I knew it wouldn’t be the same. The Targum became a second home for me, and it changed my life forever.

When I first came to Rutgers in 2011, I never really wanted to apply myself.

I knew that I loved sports and could best express that passion through writing, but walking into a newsroom full of strangers was something I was willing to procrastinate more than homework.

Throughout my youth, I’ve dealt with lingering social anxiety and stuttering and

Barto’s faith in me is something I will always be grateful for.

All I ever wanted was a shot, but what proceeded from that day for ward exceeded anything I could ever have imagined.

It wasn’t easy at first. Balancing inter viewing, writing and deadlines with schoolwork made for a challenging transition. Losing my dog of 13 years in May 2013, just a few months after I first started coming into the office to train for associate sports editor, was excruciating to swallow, making the process even more difficult.

“The Daily Targum gave me the platform to reach for my dreams — to remind myself that anything is possible when someone is willing to dedicate everything they are to them.” confidence issues, but I knew I couldn’t let those things stop me from pursuing my boyhood dream of becoming a sports journalist.

My parents kept pushing me to get involved, and after struggling to get a previous sports editor to follow up with me as a freshman, I gave it one more shot at the start of my sophomore year. The new head of the sports desk, Tyler Barto, who works now at MLB.com, assigned me the Rutgers golf beat in September 2012.

I still remember how excited I was that day to tell my parents, even if it was the bottom of the Targum sports totem pole.

But I stuck with it, because this was my dream. Failure at my job was never an option, and the result was by far the most fulfilling experience I’ve ever had.

After working my way up to sports editor last year, I had the privilege of leading the desk into Rutgers’ inaugural season in the Big Ten. Along the way, I went through surreal times traveling with coworkers across the countr y — from Seattle, to Annapolis, to Columbus, to Lincoln, to East Lansing, to College Park and to Detroit — while covering football. And I got plenty of first-class reporting experience to set the foundation for my future.

But I think what I’m going to cherish most about these past few years is 26 Mine St. At the Targum, it’s not all about you and your accomplishments. It’s about contributing to a greater cause. It’s about upholding the traditions of the nation’s second-oldest college newspaper.

Most of all, it’s about being part of a supportive, loving family.

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from or what you look like.

The Targum has a place for ever yone.

The connections I’ve made here and the times I had in that office will always have a unique place in my heart — even the embarrassing times I sang karaoke after finally finishing a jam-packed work day in the wee hours of the morning.

Whatever your passion may be, it’s crucial you find a place to harness it in college, to truly make the most of your four years. It goes without saying that in 2015, experience means ever ything in ultimately attaining a successful career.

The Daily Targum gave me the platform to reach for my dreams — to remind myself that anything is possible when someone is willing to dedicate ever ything they are to them.

I never wanted to say goodbye to this place, but leaving Rutgers, I graduate as an infinitely more confident person because of it.

Greg Johnson is a School of Arts and Sciences senior majoring in journalism and media studies with a minor in psychology. He is a former Sports Editor of The Daily Targum.

YOUR VOICE The Daily Targum welcomes submissions from all readers. Due to space limitations, letters to the editor must not exceed 400 words. Guest columns and commentaries should be between 500 and 700 words. 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 email to oped@dailytargum.com by 4 p.m. to be considered for the following day’s publication.

Page 14

DIVERSIONS

May 4, 2015

May 4, 2015

Diversions Page 15

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

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May 4, 2015

Page 19 MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR GREG LEWIS

Rutgers big man shows progression amid turbulance in program SEAN STEWART CORRESPONDENT

Progression doesn’t happen overnight.

It takes time, ef for t and a willingness to consistently improve with each passing day, regardless of how much raw talent someone has at their disposal.

Junior center Greg Lewis epito-

mizes how hard work and determination eventually has its payoff.

The Daily Targum’s Most Improved Player didn’t garner nearly as much recognition as his fellow tri-captains in seniors Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack, but his game showed vast improvements from a year ago.

In the 2013-14 season, Lewis played in all 32 games but started in just one, averaging 1.5 points per

game and 2 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.

This season, the Baltimore, Maryland, native again made 32 appearances — only this time he started in every single one, making him and Mack the only Scarlet Knights to play and start every game this season.

His minutes also spiked to 23.8 per game while averaging 5.3 points

Junior center Greg Lewis was one of two Knights to start every game in 2014, averaging 5.3 points and finishing third on the team in total rebounds with 143. TIAN LI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / FEBRUARY 2015

and finishing third on the team in total rebounds.

Out of context, the numbers appear to be miniscule improvements.

But considering Lewis is only two years removed from arthroscopic knee surgery that kept him out for an entire season, the 6-foot-9 big-man’s game is headed in the right direction.

In fact, during Rutgers men’s basketball media day, head coach Eddie Jordan told the press that it was the first year Lewis was starting 100-percent healthy.

But, staying fit wasn’t the main reason for Lewis’ refinement as a player.

The knee injury had still taken its toll with Lewis admitting at media day that he wasn’t the same athlete he once was.

Instead, Lewis had to concentrate more on his technique rather than relying on his athleticism, studying little things like positioning and tendencies to help improve his game.

Changing a playing style is a dif ficult transition for any athlete, especially for one tr ying to adapt in the highly competitive Big Ten Conference.

But Lewis managed to make those adjustments, thanks in large part to his work ethic — with Jordan consistently praising him as the team’s most consistent player in practice.

While Lewis was far from consistent in games this season, when at his best, he showed fans the player he can be for the Knights.

In Rutgers’ home finale against then-No. 10 Maryland, Lewis

scored a career-high and kept the Knights afloat with a team-high 14 points in a 60-50 loss.

In two games against an NCAA Tournament team in Indiana, he averaged over 11 points with 14 total rebounds while shooting over 50 percent from the field.

His success came mostly from shots out near the perimeter, showing the ability to stretch defenses with a consistent baseline jumper.

The problem was Lewis received limited touches on the offensive end, taking double-digit shot attempts just twice this season — both of which he finished scoring in double-digits.

With this year’s seniors departing, Lewis will be the lone Knight remaining from the Mike Rice era and the main captain of a young roster.

Though naturally soft-spoken, Lewis has grown into his leadership role these past two seasons and with Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack gone, will likely need to be a larger contributor on the offensive end.

Jumping from below six points per game to a consistent offensive threat might be seen as asking too much from a player.

But, it happened with Jack back in 2013 when the 6-foot-9 for ward jumped from 5.7 to 14.3 points per game.

Given Lewis’ ability to stretch defenses and near identical work ethic to Mack and Jack, it could be Lewis who makes the leap come 2016.

Page 20

May 4, 2015 MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR LEONTE CARROO

Wide receiver dazzles in sensational junior season KEVIN XAVIER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

He doesn’t possess the powerful 6-foot-6, 235-pound frame of Calvin Johnson, nor does he excite NFL scouts with raw athleticism like the Tennessee Titans’ 2015 second round draft pick and former Big Ten wideout from Missouri, Dorial Green-Beckham.

But what he lacks in flash, he compensates for in production.

Where other wide receivers at the collegiate level show promise, senior wide receiver Leonte Carroo is polished.

After a monster junior season for the Rutgers football team in 2014, he also proved to be explosive, leading the nation with 19.7 yards per catch. Along with his team-leading and school record-tying 10 touchdowns and Big Ten second-best (24th nationally) 1,086 receiving yards, Carroo’s collective ef forts made it easy to crown him The Daily Targum’s Male Athlete of the Year.

And it didn’t hurt that the sure-handed receiver led the team in catches with 55.

The Edison, New Jersey, native didn’t wait long to make a statement in 2014.

On the Scarlet Knights’ first play from scrimmage of the season at Washington State in Seattle on Aug. 28, Carroo captivated Rutgers fans with a 78-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Gar y Nova, an auspicious sign of things to come.

However, Carroo’s path to Piscataway wasn’t bereft of bumps and bruises.

In high school, his family had to transport him an hour and a half, one-way, to Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, in order to give Carroo a chance to play with some of the state’s most gifted football players and to help him improve for a college scholarship push.

The hard work paid of f.

“Leonte (Carroo) is a ver y talented football player,” head coach Kyle Flood said after the Knights’ 41-20 win over Nor th Carolina in the Quick Lane Bowl back in December.

Carroo now stands third in program histor y with 19 career touchdowns with his multiple games scoring three touchdowns in 2014, setting a new standard for Rutgers receivers.

The cherr y on top of his breakout season this past fall: He will be back in 2015.

“This team is a special team, a special group of guys,” Carroo said after the Quick Lane bowl victor y and his announcement of his plans to return to Piscataway.

“It hurts to lose some of my close friends on the team — you know, Gar y (Nova) and (Michael) Burton and guys like that. But I’m still here with the people I came in with, my class, and I’m ver y excited about the oppor tunity we have (in 2015).”

Carroo could have easily crushed the hopes of a Big Ten Championship run in 2015 and declared himself draft eligible after a dazzling junior season, but he opted instead to return to the banks to fur ther hone his skill set.

Carroo captured the hear ts of Rutgers fans with his decision, one that he felt was something of a no brainer.

“The love and suppor t that I’ve gotten from Rutgers and from all the fans and ever ybody — and just talking to my family, it was just a smar t decision to come back for another year,” he said.

As for Flood, he couldn’t help himself from beaming at the thought of another year with one of the greatest wide receivers ever to don the scarlet and white.

“I’m excited about it,” Flood said of Carroo’s decision to return. “The fact that Leonte is coming back makes us a better football team.”

Last year will be tough to top for Carroo, but his coach believes even the best and brightest can improve.

“With another year in the system,” Flood said, “… He’s a dominant football player right now, but ever ybody can get better and we’ll make sure we have a plan to make sure he gets better.”

Junior wide receiver Leonte Carroo was named First Team All-Big Ten after leading the nation in yards per catch (19.7) and recording 10 touchdown receptions. TIAN LI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / NOVEMBER 2014

May 4, 2015

Page 21 CO-FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR JACKIE BATES, BETNIJAH LANEY

Senior athletes shine for respective teams in final season GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR

It was so close that a singular winner could not be chosen.

Historical seasons over the past year by Jackie Bates and Betnijah Laney ultimately led to the pair of athletes sharing The Daily Targum’s Co-Female Athletes of the Year.

While Bates enters the final leg of her senior year patrolling centerfield for the Rutgers softball team as the Big Ten Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, looms on Thursday, Laney’s career season has been in the books since March.

Over the span of the Rutgers women’s basketball team’s 2014-15 campaign, the Scarlet Knights compiled a 23-10 overall record with a 12-6 mark in their first year as a member of the Big Ten. Laney was the biggest pillar for the Scarlet Knights’ success.

After seeing gradual improvement throughout each of her first three years, Laney broke out to leave a lasting legacy in her final season on the banks.

The 6-footer did it all for the Scarlet Knights, averaging a double-double in 32 games at 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

She was second on the team in scoring behind junior wing Kahleah Copper’s 16.3 points per game, while leading the way for Rutgers on the glass despite being relatively undersized compared to most of the opposing players she met in the post.

Delving deeper than the averages, Laney posted 20 double-doubles on the year — 10th in the nation — and surpassed the 1,000-point mark, ending her four years in scarlet and white with 1,401 career points to rank 14th on the program’s all-time list.

When factoring the numbers into the time Laney spent out on the floor with a team-high 36.2 minutes per game for the Knights, her worth is obvious.

But no statistic speaks louder than her will to win.

When Rutgers needed her most, Laney was there. She battled her way through a nagging thumb injur y midway through the season, refusing to come off the floor as she continued to grab boards, dive for balls and muscle her way to the rim to give her team a boost.

Her best performance came when a top-10 program entered Piscataway in then-No. 6 North Carolina. The Knights went on to drop the 96-93 double-overtime thriller to the Tar Heels, but not before Laney racked up an astounding 24 points and program-record 24 rebounds.

When all was said and done, the achievements began to pile up.

Laney earned an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention, was named to First Team All-Big Ten and found herself selected in the second round of the WNBA Draft with the 17th overall pick by the Chicago Sky.

Senior wing Betnijah Laney grabbed 20 double-doubles on the year, averaging 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Knights.

TIAN LI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / MARCH 2015

While the possibility of the postseason remains, senior centerfielder Jackie Bates has already shattered the program’s single season home run record. EDWIN GANO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2015 The accolades speak for themselves, but the show that Bates has been able to put on for the Rutgers softball team has been equally impressive in its own way.

Entering the spring, Bates’ abilities were no secret. As a junior last year, the Lincroft, New Jersey, native posted a team-high .390 batting average with career-highs in virtually ever y single statistical categor y.

Bates managed to ascend beyond reasonable expectations in her senior season. Through 45 games, Bates had already matched her hit total from last season.

After totaling 18 home runs over the course of her first three years in Piscataway, Bates broke out for an unreal 21 homers in 2015, crushing the program’s season and alltime records set by former Knight Britney Lindley (2009-12) who had previously held both marks.

The at bats for Bates became a matter of whether or not opposing pitchers would give her anything to hit in the strike zone.

LIU-Brooklyn did not receive the memo.

At the RU Softball Complex on April 28, Bates smashed three home runs — a solo shot, two-run

blast and a grand slam — as the Knights went on to rack up 18 runs and bury the Blackbirds in what was easily the Lincroft, New Jersey, native’s most impressive individual performance of the year.

As Rutgers (29-19, 11-12) winds down its season, its hopes of attaining an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament are dwindling.

But if the Knights have any faith of getting there, they can place it in Bates — just as the Rutgers women’s basketball team rode the leadership of Laney on the court into the second round of NCAAs to end the season.

Page 22

May 4, 2015 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR ANTHONY ASHNAULT

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR GARY NOVA

Grappler earns top-accolades TYLER KARALEWICH CORRESPONDENT

When the Amateur Wrestling News publication announced its 2015 All-Rookie Team on April 28, only one member of the Rutgers wrestling team was selected.

With three newcomers to the Scarlet Knights lineup in the 2014-15 season, the lone Rutgers wrestler that stood out was redshirt-freshman 141-pounder Anthony Ashnault.

Along with the national recognition for being one of the top-30 rookies in the country, The Daily Targum named Ashnault Rookie of the Year.

Ashnault started out the 2014 season as well as anyone could have expected. After redshirting his first year in college — winning the National Collegiate Open, going 15-3 unattached and winning the 2014 Asics University Freestyle National Champion at 65 KG — Ashnault had big expectations going into the season.

“I don’t need to put any more expectations than (what) he puts on himself,’’ said head coach Scott Goodale prior to the season. “He wants to win National tournaments and Olympic medals and World medals. I believe in all those expectations, I believe in the hype. I haven’t seen anybody work harder. He’s going to have a great career. We have certain things we’ll expect when he takes the mat, but man, he has some lofty goals, and I wouldn’t bet against him, that’s for sure. He’s pretty darn good.”

With his expectations high for the season, Ashnault did not disappoint.

Ashnault finished his inaugural campaign with an eighth-place, All-American finish at the 2015 National Tournament in St. Louis, Missouri. Ashnault went 3-1 in his first four bouts before injuring his hamstring midway through his fifth match against Oklahoma’s Dean Heil.

Redshirt-freshman Anthony Ashnault earned All-American honors after posting a 29-8 record for the Knights in the 2014 season.

EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / JANUARY 2015

Ashnault went on to lose the bout along with a medical forfeit in his final match, ending his tournament in eighth place and duplicating what junior 157-pounder Anthony Perrotti did at the 2014 NCAAs. As pleased as Ashnault was to be named an All-American, he would have liked to finish third at NCAAs and join elite company.

While eighth place at the National Tournament is respectable, Ashnault wanted more and expects more from his career down the line.

“It’s great to be an All-American, it’s just eighth is kind of like the bottom of the totem pole of All-Americans,” Ashnault said after being finished with the 2015 NCAAs. “It’s good, I’m grateful and I’m proud of myself. I’m happy, but I think I’ve got a lot more potential in me.”

During the regular season, Ashnault solidified the lower weight classes and was a solid force in the starting lineup for the Knights.

The South Plainfield, New Jersey, native finished his season 29-8 and ended up with a team-high 19-2 record in the dual-meet season. Ashnault earned rankings as high as fifth in the nation during the season, bestowed upon him from Intermat earlier in the year.

The only freshman All-American in Rutgers wrestling program history, Ashnault also placed the highest at the Big Ten Tournament for the Knights notching a fifth-place finish.

When it comes to new faces for Rutgers Athletics, Ashnault takes home the crown for best rookie in this year’s Daily Targum Sports Awards. Ashnault will aim for bigger and better laurels in the 2015-2016 wrestling season for the Knights.

Senior quarterback Gary Nova set career highs in passing yards (2,851), passing efficiency (145.3) and total touchdowns (25).

TIAN LI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / SEPTEMBER 2012

Nova stages colossal comeback for Knights GREG JOHNSON CIORRESPONDENT

There were many places Gary Nova could have — and some fans thought he should have — resorted to after being benched as quarterback for the Rutgers football team’s final three games in 2013.

But running for the hills or even burying himself under a boulder were never among the options for the Elmwood Park, New Jersey, native.

“A lot of people in his shoes probably would’ve just went to go hide underneath a rock somewhere,” said wide receiver Leonte Carroo this past November. “I’m his close friend, so I’ve seen it all with him — death threats and things like that, and people just really giving him a hard time — and Gary never let it affect him. He’s one of the most mentally tough people I know.”

Those words defined The Daily Targum’s Comeback Player of the Year, who responded to adversity in every way during his senior season with the Scarlet Knights.

Nova, who started 28 straight games prior to the benching, first had to stay calm during an open quarterback competition during 2014 spring practice. With that came an understanding he developed over three years that nothing is handed nor comes easy at arguably the most high-profile position in college sports.

“I’ve been here long enough, I’ve seen everything,” Nova said last April. “I’ve dealt with the good and the bad. You know that’s part of the job when you sign up as a quarterback. You know everybody is going to be eyes on you and you roll with the punches.”

Roll with them he did.

Despite remaining by far Rutgers’ most talented player at the position, Nova deferred some first-team reps to Chris Laviano and Mike Bimonte last spring. He started the team’s Scarlet-White spring game, but it wasn’t until the first week of training camp that head coach Kyle Flood officially named him a starter again.

Nova, who tossed 10 interceptions in a five-game span in 2013, had to find a way to reinvent himself and improve his decision-making as a signal caller.

With the help of then-offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen, Nova made a mechanical tweak to his throwing motion that placed less stress on his arm. It increased the velocity, but more importantly, the balance and accuracy on his throws.

“Coach Friedgen pointed out that I was on my toe on my back foot when I was planting to throw,” Nova said in August. “He said, ‘Like a pitcher, you want to have your whole foot in the ground to really generate enough power in your hips to transition to the ball.’ I started doing that and the ball came out a lot harder and it felt better.”

The result was his most productive statistical season in Piscataway.

Nova set career highs in efficiency rating (145.3), passing yards (2,851) and total touchdowns (25), despite attempting 61 fewer passes than in 2012.

Those three figures all ranked in the top-three among Big Ten quarterbacks.

He also became the school’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (73), eclipsing the team’s current graduate assistant, Mike Teel, for the top spot on Sept. 27 against Tulane.

At the end of it all, Nova finally went out a winner with his first postseason victory Dec. 26 at the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, passing for 184 yards, two touchdowns and zero turnovers.

According to an nj.com report, Nova accepted an invitation Saturday night to the New York Giants’ rookie minicamp next weekend, where he will have a chance to vie for a backup spot to two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning.

He still faces plenty of doubt and adversity in terms of ultimately making an NFL roster, but his former head coach knows Nova’s resolve is leaps and bounds ahead of what it once was after a rewarding senior season at Rutgers.

“That position — there’s going to be a lot of scrutiny,” Flood said in November of Nova’s development. “And learning to handle that and then learning to overcome it and move past it and continue to get better and perform better, it’s a tremendous statement, I think, about what Gary has done his senior year.”

Page 23

May 4, 2015 TEAM OF THE YEAR RUTGERS WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM

COACH OF THE YEAR KYLE FLOOD

RU impresses peers in Big Ten GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR

When Glenn Crooks stepped down in late July of last summer, the winningest coach in the Rutgers women’s soccer team’s history left the program with more questions than answers.

After 14 years and 200 wins as the head coach of the Scarlet Knights, Crooks stepped down and Mike O’Neill stepped in.

Despite spending all 14 years alongside Crooks on the staff as an assistant — 10 years as the associate head coach — who could tell what was in store for the rookie head coach and his team as it entered the nation’s premiere women’s soccer conference in the Big Ten? But by the season’s end, O’Neill and the Knights put any doubts to rest. Rutgers made a splash in the Big Ten and sent shockwaves throughout the country, soaring to a ranking as high as No. 14 in the nation with a 13-61 overall record.

Behind the guidance of the firstyear head coach, clutch play in key

moments and a defense that blossomed as the season progressed to become a virtually impenetrable wall, the Knights pieced together a season that earns them The Daily Targum Team of the Year for the 2014-15 sports year.

Aside from losing their veteran head coach just over a week before reporting to preseason training camp, the Knights opened a four-way competition for the starting goalkeeper gig before freshman Casey Murphy ultimately seized the position.

But when the Knights took the field, they let their play answer every single question that could have been thrown their way.

But the true test began when Big Ten play started — and at first, things didn’t carry over.

After dropping its Big Ten opener at Maryland, 2-0, Rutgers went on to win seven of its next eight matches — six of which were shutouts — on its way to catapult itself into elite status.

Entering hostile territory against a No. 6 Penn State team that sat atop the Big Ten stand-

Facing a rigorous Big Ten schedule with a rookie head coach, the Knights finished their 2014 campaign with a 13-6-1 record.

THE DAILY TARGUM / OCTOBER 2014

AWARDS Mack redefines leadership, loyalty during final season running point at Rutgers CONTINUED FROM BACK experienced much more adversity than the typical college athlete would during a four-year career.

That came courtesy of the Mike Rice scandal, which plastered a scarlet letter on the Scarlet Knights’ basketball program.

But as other teammates left for greener pastures and to avoid the relentless media criticism, Mack’s mind never wavered, electing to stay with the Knights simply because he loved representing his home state.

His reward for staying was not an NCAA Tournament berth — which would have been the programs first since 1991 — nor was it even a single winning season.

Instead, Mack will go down as one of the greatest players to ever don a Rutgers basketball jersey.

The Paterson, New Jersey, native ends his career as a Knight as fourth all-time in assists, seventh in scoring and second in steals behind only current head coach Eddie Jordan.

Coming from national powerhouse St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, where he went 33-0 and

won the New Jersey state championship as a senior, Mack joined Rutgers as part of a strong recruiting class that ranked 12th nationally by Rivals in 2011.

That season, he helped the Knights upset Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario and No. 10 Florida, 85-83, in what Mack said was his favorite moment.

Mack scored 14 points that game and finished his freshman year second on the team in scoring with 9.8 points per game.

Back then, the likes of Eli Carter, Gilvydas Biruta and Dane Miller were there to help shoulder the load and despite finishing the year 14-18, things were looking up thanks to their young core.

But by Mack’s senior year, his former teammates had all departed leaving Mack and senior Kadeem Jack to bear the brunt of the scoring load against an unforgiving and deep Big Ten Conference.

The 5-foot-9 Mack averaged 35.4 minutes per game in his senior season — third most in the Big Ten — and led the team in points, assists, steals and free throw percentage.

Unfortunately for Mack, his impressive numbers were not enough

ings with an undefeated conference record, the Knights faced their tallest task of the season.

Rutgers didn’t blink.

Ninety minutes of action later, the Knights had dethroned the Nittany Lions in a 1-0 shutout.

“This was definitely my favorite year by far. We exceeded a lot of expectations — no one expected us to do what we did this year,” said senior forward Stef Scholz after the season. “… To finish fourth and then beat Penn State and then be one of three (Big Ten) teams to advance in the NCAA Tournament just shows that Rutgers had a really big impact in the Big Ten this year.”

Despite suffering a 1-0 overtime loss on Senior Day to a lowly Northwestern squad, Rutgers was almost unstoppable on its home turf with a program-record 9-1 mark at Yurcak Field.

Rutgers suffered an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament with a first round defeat at the hands of Iowa, but found its way into the NCAA Tournament with their second consecutive at-large bwid.

After handling LaSalle at home, 2-0, the Knights put up a fight against No. 4 Virginia with a scoreless first half. But the Cavaliers proved why they led the nation in goals per game, breaking through in the second period with three quick goals to end Rutgers’ season in the second round of the tourney.

But looking back on how far they had come, O’Neill and his team had no regrets. “(The players) were so eager to learn,” O’Neill said at the end of the season. “When we look back and were picked to finished eighth or ninth in the Big Ten and we finish third … when (the players) look back on the year, I think they realize the successful year they had. With the work habits and the discipline and the brand of soccer they played, it was pretty special.”

to prevent the Knights from dropping 15 straight games to end the season — one loss away from tying the program’s record of 16 set back in 1987-88.

His senior season wasn’t all negative though.

On Jan. 11, Mack helped Rutgers defeat eventual NCAA runner-up Wisconsin, 67-62, at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in what stands as the program’s biggest win in history.

Mack played 39 minutes that game and scored a team-high 21 points in the Knights’ last win to date.

But despite the ups, the downs and the accolades that came in his time at Rutgers, Mack has no regrets on his decision to stay despite the boatload of opportunities he had to leave.

As for his legacy, when asked following his final game for the Knights at the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago, Mack again took the selfless route. “(I want to be remembered) as a great teammate,” he said. “I always just want my teammates to do better and be great guys on and off the court and just play as hard as they can.”

It was a fitting answer for a player who has always put his teammates and program first, even at the expense of losing, something Mack admitted bothered him greatly throughout the season.

Head coach Kyle Flood led Rutgers to an 8-5 record in 2014 for the Knights first year as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

TIAN LI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / DECEMBER 2014

Coach quells critiques, earns postseason win GREG JOHNSON CORRESPONDENT

Kyle Flood was never going to publicly acknowledge it, but for his own sake, the bigger picture surrounding the Rutgers football team’s win over Indiana on Nov. 15 could not be understated.

Yes, the Scarlet Knights became bowl eligible for the ninth time in 10 seasons. And yes, it served as a fitting sendoff at High Point Solutions Stadium for Rutgers’ seniors.

But more than anything, it reassured that The Daily Targum’s Coach of the Year isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

“I feel nothing but support from the people in the decision-making positions here at Rutgers,” Flood said after the Indiana game regarding his job security.

“And that’s ultimately the most important thing.”

Critics came at Flood in full force as Rutgers limped to the finish line of a mediocre 6-7 campaign in the American Athletic Conference, dropping four of five to close out 2013, including a 29-16 loss to Notre Dame in Pinstripe Bowl.

Even after the third-year head coach signed a two-year contract extension through 2018 in September — doubling his buyout clause — pundits and fans still questioned Flood’s long-term viability.

For starters, Flood wasn’t hired into this job. The longtime assistant was promoted into an interim position once former head coach Greg Schiano departed for the NFL in 2012.

Ultimately, former Athletic Director Tim Pernetti stuck with Flood after a coaching search that lasted less than a week.

Flood proved himself in 2012 by earning Big East Coach of the Year honors, guiding Rutgers to a 7-0 start and a top-25 national ranking. But a three-game losing streak to end the season, after the

Knights came within one win of an outright Big East title and the program’s first-ever BCS berth, left more to be desired.

After all, his early success came with Schiano’s recruits at his disposal. And as Rutgers plunged to its second losing season since 2004 the following year, multiple four-star recruits flipped on their verbal commitments to Flood.

Still, his players never lost faith in the man many Knights consider a genuine player-first coach. “(In 2013) I didn’t feel like we performed at our best, and I think Coach Flood took heat for that even though a lot of it was out of his control,” then-senior defensive end David Milewski said after Flood received his contract extension in September. “People don’t really understand the intricacies of a football program and how fragile seasons can be.”

Flood implored Piscataway to keep sight of the bigger picture given the abundance of youth within the program, and by almost every account, he delivered in 2014.

Rutgers’ 45-23 win against Indiana all but assured Flood would be coaching in a bowl game for the third straight year. It was all the more impressive that the Knights reached six wins in their inaugural Big Ten campaign, sweeping their four-game non-conference slate and exceeding virtually all expectations when pundits pegged Rutgers to finish dead last in the conference.

A 25-point comeback for the ages at Maryland over Thanksgiving weekend and a Quick Lane Bowl victory — Flood’s first postseason win as a head coach — capped a respectable 8-5 season, firmly keeping critics at bay.

“I’m not naive to it. I don’t live in a bubble,” Flood said in November of outside perceptions. “But I feel really good about the support I’ve been given here, and I think the program feels that.”

TARGUM SPORTS AWARDS SEAN STEWART CORRESPONDENT

During the final home game of a college sports team’s season, it is customary to honor the home team’s senior athletes before or after the game in what will be their final time wearing their school’s home uniform.

This yearly tradition is done to recognize the student-athletes who usually dedicated four or more years of their lives to a program as a commemorative parting gift.

No senior was more deserving of that recognition this season than Rutgers men’s basketball guard Myles Mack.

The Daily Targum’s Senior of the Year SEE AWARDS ON PAGE 23

EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / NOVEMBER 2014