Breaking news, blogs, and more at TCNJSignal.net. Vol. XXXX, No. 3
February 5, 2014
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By Tom Kozlowski News Editor Taking a sabbatical at the College is considered a chance to improve one’s scholarship, a period for research, development and implementation. In the past, such an opportunity has been funded by a reduced sabbatical salary. This often puts the squeeze on professors juggling finances and projects, but that cut is about to be vastly offset. On Wednesday, Jan. 29, President R. Barbara Gitenstein and her husband, Donald Hart, announced the “Gitenstein-Hart Sabbatical Prize,” a $100,000 award given annually to one professor. The endowment is designed to expand the College’s scholarship and facilitate individual research, a big boost in faculty support from the administration. “With this gift, we can expand the opportunity for generations of faculty in early or mid-career to engage in the kind of sustained deep scholarship that will profoundly shape not only their careers but the College,” provost and vice president for Academic Affairs Jacqueline Taylor said. According to her speech, Gitenstein noted how strenuous it can be to balance academics, family and finance all at once, particularly for a professor early in his or her career. She and Hart experienced these struggles firsthand, but their endowment aims to ease the burdens that complicate a professor’s research. This year’s recipient is associate professor of physics Nate Magee.
Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor
Employers look for students with a combination of good grades and related extracurriculars. By Courtney Wirths Opinions Editor
During the start of the spring semester at the College, students are not only getting used to a new set of classes, but also submitting last-minute internship applications and preparing for interviews. Seniors are getting ready to begin their first career. On a résumé, students are told to present their academic successes, as well as practical experiences. When it comes to the interview, however, rarely do we know which is weighted more. The answer is that it is not only a balance, but it also depends on the employer and the particular position. “Certainly they want to see a student that has that GPA standard that they are looking for, but also that you are balancing it with things you are doing on campus,” said Debra Klokis, employer relations specialist for the College.
She explained that within the School of Business, accounting firms tend to be the most particular when it comes to GPAs, followed by financial companies. “Above that 3.0 mark is a good place to be — it’s a good goal to strive for,” she said. Grades are an area in which a student can differentiate themselves from a stack of applicants. If a company is looking for a particular GPA, it will be specified in the qualifications portion of the job posting. “A strong GPA shows discipline,” senior finance major Ryan Dolan said. Dolan was recently offered a full-time position at PMT Food Consulting Inc. and has interned in the past. He attributes his success largely to his internships and business experience more than his academics.
College’s campus is lacking in diversity see PRIZE page 3
see GPA page 2
universities are created. “TCNJ has a lot less diversity than my high school,” Crawford said. “It’s something I’m not accustomed to.” Serving over 2,000 students from five different districts, it is a known fact that Rancocas Valley High School, which Crawford attended, is a melting pot consisting of kids of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations. And the numbers are there. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost half of the students at Rancocas Valley are minorities. Compare that to the College’s 34 percent, and it becomes clear why making the transition from high school to college was a noteworthy change for Crawford. Of the 34 percent of minorities, Hispanic/Latino students make up 10.2 percent, Asians 8.9 percent and Black/ African American only 5.6 percent, with the rest comprised of Native Hawaiian, Native American and race/ ethnicity unknown students. “I think the diversity of the students at Rancocas Valley made me a more tolerant and accepting person,” Crawford said. “It made me realize that not everyone is the same or has the same experiences, so I think I definitely benefited from it.”
Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor
Compared to other campuses and high schools, the College’s campus is not a diverse melting pot. By Kim Ilkowski Correspondent
For many students, it seems like the College has it all. With its colonial-styled buildings, extensive curriculum, dedicated sports teams and a variety of clubs and organizations, what could possibly be missing? One student thinks she knows the answer.
INDEX: Nation & World / Page 5 The Signal @TCNJsignal
“Diversity,” freshman psychology major Cailin Crawford said. She may be on to something. The College has been in the news recently as the 41st smartest school in the United States and the second smartest in New Jersey, according to Lumosity, a neuroscience research company. The College often makes the cut for other prestigious lists, but it is rarely mentioned when compilations of the most diverse
Editorial / Page 6
Basketball Lions in the middle of NJAC dogfight See Sports page 24
Opinions / Page 7
Features / Page 9
see DIVERSITY page 3 Arts & Entertainment / Page 12
Nap Time Napping the right way can be beneficial See Features page 9
Sports / Page 24
Wired Students participate in 24 hours of acting See A&E page 12