The Signal: Fall '14, No. 12

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Vol. CXXIX, No. 12

November 19, 2014

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

College students Aikido booted from wrestling room volunteering to give medical info

By Courtney Wirths Features Editor

Inside the Trenton Rescue Mission’s Emergency Shelter, away from the windy and cold fall day, volunteers from the College provided free medical care and information to clients of the shelter.

The event, “Delta Clinic,” was organized by Delta Epsilon Psi – the southeast Asian fraternity on campus – along with the help of other organizations such as the Student Nurses Association, Hygiene Project, Hilltops at 25, Union Latina, New Jersey Department of Health, Lions EMS and Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX).

At the end of the day, the students had provided medical information to a total of 120 individuals and taken 55 blood pressures.

“We saw a need,” said senior political science major and president of the fraternity Hasan Siddiqui. “We wanted to all get together on one day and provide help and information to lowerincome families.”

This is the fraternity’s third year hosting the event, but its first year at the Trenton Rescue Mission.

A few rows of tables lined the sides of the small room before the Mission’s lounge, each covered in pamphlets and small items to be given to clients of the shelter that passed through.

Kimberly Ilkowski / Review Editor

Senseis work with limited space on the Rec Center tennis courts.

By Kimberly Ilkowski Review Editor

At the beginning of each practice, members of the College’s storied Kokikai Aikido Club dress in proper attire, set up mats and go through a series of stretches and warm-ups. The Senseis discuss see CLINIC page 10 what will be addressed in practice before

students work on their training, technique and form, just like they have for the last 28 years — with one crucial difference.

For the first time in the club’s history at the College, the Aikido Club is practicing in the Rec Center tennis courts rather than the Packer Hall wrestling room.

This has been a source of conflict and tension between the wrestling program and

Aikido Club, which has been offering free defensive martial arts classes since 1986.

Aikido — a form of self-defense that protects the attacker from injury — is overseen by psychology professor Arthur Hohmuth, and the club has been practicing on the same days and times for years, with hundreds of students and faculty members.

“It’s not only about the community for me, now it’s the love for the art itself.

The things I’ve learned in Aikido have become guiding principles for my own life,” class of ’11 alumnus Lloyd Woods said. “I walked in my freshman year and saw the amazing things people could do to others twice their size.”

The Aikido Club may be permanently prevented from returning to the wrestling room, though, as the wrestling team’s concern with skin rashes has become more pronounced under head Coach and Assistant Director of Athletics Joseph Galante.

After being relocated to the Rec Center, the club was allowed to keep its Monday and Wednesday practice schedule from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. But when intramural basketball season started and the groups’ practice times overlapped, Aikido was forced to change yet again to accommodate another organization. This resulted in unworkable scheduling conflicts for the Aikido club, preventing a fifth of its members from being able to attend meetings, according to Hohmouth. The club also lost the instruction of beloved Sensai Anchuing “Chewie” Wang, class of ’06 alumnus and see AIKIDO page 3

Blinder analyzes 2008’s Great Recession Prince Zuko

By Tom Kozlowski Managing Editor

When the 2008 financial crisis threatened the survival of the American economy, the ideology of many Americans conflicted with their pragmatism. Those who maintained a Reagan-era commitment to limited government and free-market reign began asking the government to intervene, a political about-face that traded principles for action.

Americans got what they wanted: The Obama administration, fresh in office, delivered a series of policies to fight unemployment and bail out a capsizing banking industry. But according to famed economist and Princeton University professor Alan Blinder, what Americans initially asked for became what they ultimately railed against, a paradox that has loomed over the Obama administration ever since.

AP Photo

Blinder analyzes and discusses the financial crisis.

“There’s a lot to say about the backlash against what were generally well-executed policies by the government,” Blinder said.

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 7

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Editorial / Page 8

“They were bold, comprehensive and effective policies that were highly interventionist, but Americans, despite asking for Opinions / Page 9

them, largely didn’t like them.”

Taking a retrospective look at the 2008 financial crisis and the interaction between government policy and public response, Blinder spoke to the College on Wednesday, Nov. 12, approving of the government’s actions but criticizing how effectively it persuaded the public those actions worked.

Blinder, one of the most prolific economists of his generation, served on President Bill Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers and as vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from 1994 to 1996. His most recent work has focused heavily on monetary policy and central banking, with contributions appearing regularly in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other major publications.

actor calls for Asians in arts Colleen Murphy News Editor

Some recognized his voice as the title character of “American Dragon: Jake Long” while most others remembered him as Prince Zuko from “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” If it wasn’t the voice that people knew, it was the face — either as the redmohawked Rufio, the leader of the Lost Boys from “Hook,” or Ramos, a boy from detention, from “Take the Lead.” But regardless of how they knew of him, students came to see a crowd-pleaser in the Education Building on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Dante Basco, an actor, dancer and poet, spent some time during his talk “geeking out”

see BLINDER page 5

Features / Page 10

see BASCO page 13

Arts & Entertainment / Page 13

Sports / Page 24

Spoken word poetry Poet Mike Rosen performs in the Rat

‘Hollyword’ Taylor Swift pulls her music from Spotify

Keep on scoring Women’s soccer wins NCAA opener

See A&E page 15

See Features page 11

See Sports page 24

page 2 The Signal November 19, 2014

Pokémon and robots are coming to campus

Jen Rén Alford / Staff Photographer

The Competitive Gaming Club’s mission is to ‘create a community for passionate gamers to participate’ in tournaments.

By Sydney Shaw Opinions Editor

The College now has more opportunities to host tournaments on campus, whether it be one robot pitted against another or Kirby vs. Charizard in a match of “Super Smash Bros.,” as the Robotics Club and Competitive Gaming Club were officially recognized by Student Government

at the general body meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

The Robotics Club, headed

by Dean of Engineering Steven Schreiner, aims to help students develop skills in engineering by teaching them to build and program robots.

Schreiner has already provided a few Nao (pronounced “now”) robots for the club. Nao is a humanoid robot about two

feet tall, developed by the French company Aldebaran Robotics.

“They can talk and interact with each other,” junior Robotics Club president Sarah Dresher said.

Dresher explained that the club plans to engage the College community by having talking robots at different events around campus.

“We want to have the Nao robots at Accepted Students Day,” Dresher said. “We can program them to give prospective students a tour of Armstrong Hall, for example.”

If designing tour-giving robots sounds like an overwhelming project, have no fear: The club hosts special workshop meetings to inform students who might not be so savvy regarding microprocessors, IR sensors — which measure distance — and other information necessary to construct and use their own robots.

“There are firefighting robot competitions where robots are programmed to find a candle in a maze and extinguish it,” Dresher said. “In

the robo-waiter competition, the robot has to deliver a tray of food.”

The club has competed in the Micromouse Competition before, during which small robot mice solve a 16 squareinch maze.

Governmental Affairs found no weaknesses with Robotics Club and voted unanimously in favor.

Competitive Gaming Club serves to create a community of passionate gamers to participate in “League of Legends,” “Super Smash Bros.,” “Starcraft” and other tournaments.

President Mitch Vaughn plans to analyze and teach game strategy during club meetings.

“We want to provide gamers the opportunity to test their skill against their friends and other students at tournaments,” he said. “‘Super Smash Bros.’ is incredibly popular on campus right now.”

Vaughn wants to add Pokémon to the list of tournaments once the club is up and running.

Competitive Gaming Club did

not seek out club status to obtain Student Finance Board funding, but wants to use its new recognition to book rooms for meetings and tournaments and to advertise with flyers around campus.

Governmental Affairs voted all in favor with one abstention.

Later in the meeting, Vice President Mike Chiumento announced that Dean of Recreation Rob Simels will be speaking next week about the recreation organization. On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Simels is hosting a Wellness event at 6:30 p.m. in Roscoe 201, at which people will be sharing personal stories and connecting with others.

Vice President of Equity and Diversity Javier Nicasio announced that PRISM’s World AIDS Day Vigil will be held on Monday, Dec. 1. First held in 1988, World AIDS Day is an opportunity for individuals worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for those living with the virus and to remember the more than 3.5 million people who have died from the disease.

Urine big trouble if you keep your door open

By Peter Fiorilla News Editor

• Campus Police were dispatched to the third floor of Travers Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 3:50 a.m., in response to a report of an intoxicated student. They found a student seated on the floor by the elevators being attended to by Lions EMS. The student said he consumed various kinds of alcohol earlier in the evening, according to Campus Police, and that while looking for a friend in Travers

Hall, he had accidentally walked into another room. The room’s residents told Campus Police they had left their door unlocked when they went to sleep and were awoken by the sound of the door opening. One of the residents said the intoxicated student “entered the room, sat on her desk chair and began urinating on the chair and floor.” Both residents told the student to leave, and he told them to “go back to sleep.” The intoxicated student

was charged with consumption of alcohol in a public place.

• A student met with Campus Police on Monday, Nov. 10, at 2:45 p.m., to file a report on a forged check. The student said a check from the College, issued in Sept.

2013 for about $4,000 had been forged and cashed without his authorization, and he had not reported it stolen since. Campus Police are conducting an

ongoing investigation.

• A student told Campus Police on Monday, Nov. 10, that $40 had been stolen from his wallet on Friday, Oct. 31, at around 5 p.m. When the student left his room to use the bathroom, his wallet — which he left on a desk — contained $42 as well as a $10 Canadian bill. When the student returned, he said $40 was missing. The victim does not wish to file criminal charges and has been advised to contact Ewing Court if he wishes to file at a later date.

Students debate topics in biannual ‘War of the Words’ The argument of the week: kittens vs. mittens

By Ellie Schuckman News Assistant

There were several fierce debates between the College’s Society for Parliamentary Debate and members of the Philosophy Society at the fifth biannual “War of the Words.” There were some serious topics, but most debates centered on funny topics, including the highly anticipated kittens vs. mittens.

The event, which took place in the Social Science Atrium on Monday, Nov. 10, saw heated arguments in favor and opposed to topics such as pride vs. humility, atoms vs. void and talent vs. effort.

“It is better in such a debate setting and in such a confined timeframe to debate something silly, because you don’t need to actually go in-depth, you just throw out a few reasons on both sides, then see who can rebut them better,” said Joey Worthington, a sophomore history major who argued in favor of mittens. “You are given the opportunity to just have some fun, make some jokes and try to win the audience.”

Following the debates, winners

for the best arguments were announced, each of whom received a $25 gift card. Participants had two minutes each to discuss a view initially and then make a new argument after the other had spoken. Of the invited speakers, junior history and philosophy double major Steven Rodriguez and Worthington took the top crowns, while junior history and classical studies double major Zachary Bradley Elliott, junior philosophy major Kimberly Feldman, sophomore chemistry major Marc Casale and junior biology major Mitch Vaughn won from the floor. “(The topics) were very interesting,” Vaughn said. “It is a challenge picking two things barely related and comparing them.”

The topics were contrived by both the debate and philosophy societies and ultimately selected by John Sisko, professor of philosophy, religion and classical studies and the moderator and judge of the debates.

In the two and a half years that the debates have taken place, the setting has always been more relaxed, with the “look of a pop-up

Kyle Bennion / Photo Editor

Sisko moderates the comical yet heated debates at the fifth biannual ‘War of the Words.’

event,” thus encouraging more individuals and those simply passing by to partake in the discussions, Sisko said.

“It’s about placing important emphasis on oral skills,” he said.

In the talent vs. effort debate, questions arose on whether the

two can exist without each other, with the debaters questioning the legitimacy of what the other had to say.

“It is hard to really justify why talent or effort, humility or pride, or atoms or void is more important, since they require the other to

be useful at all,” Worthington said.

“Neither of those is particularly useful on their own, so it becomes difficult to really have a good argument to justify one of them being better than the other.”

The event had about 60 students in attendance, according to Sisko.

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 3

Aikido / Organizations struggle to compromise

Kim Ilkowski / Review Editor

The Aikido Club goes through a series of warmups before practice. continued from page 1 third degree black belt, who can no longer lead practices around his work schedule.

“The basketball team has to share the courts, the swimming team has to share the pools,” Wang said. “The wrestlers own the mats, but not the room.”

When the Aikido Club asked the wrestling team what caused this change in policy, they were told “times have changed” — in other words, the priorities of the wrestling team had been adjusted since longtime head coach Dave Icenhower retired in 2011.

“Coach Icenhower was here for 35 years,” Galante said. “He was a wrestling coach. He was also assistant director of athletics, and a wrestling coach gets competitions — they sign you up, they train the guys, go to the competitions, come back, train them again and on and on and on. This is a different job now: It’s about making money, reaching out to alumni and making sure that everyone is involved, so I kind of understand the pieces a little bit differently than he understood them.”

Due to the alleged health risks of having an outside club in the space, Galante is not sure “if they should have been in there in the first place.” Before the Aikido Club began using the mats which the Student Finance Board purchased for them, they were using wrestling mats purchased by the team itself, which posed a question of safety and cleanliness for Galante. “(We’re) mopping the mats at eight each morning, Sunday through Saturday,” Galante said. “At the beginning of prac-

tice, we hold skin checks where the wrestlers form a line, take off their shirt, hold out their arms to both sides (and) we check their skin for any open cuts, lesions or bacterial infections. After practice we mop the mats again at 6 p.m.”

The club had seen a steady incline in membership over the past several years until this semester, when numbers dropped.

Thirty-one students signed up for the first interest session following the fall activities fair, only to be met with three practice mats and insufficient space to allow everyone to safely participate.

“The wrestling room is much bigger and allows them to do much more and go into more complicated techniques,” said Hohmuth, who has been practicing Aikido for more than 40 years.

The Aikido Club has been joining forces with other organizations to promote self-defense techniques. The club already held two self-defense courses with sororities in the past, and on Wednesday, Nov. 12, they held an open invitation with the TCNJ Off-Campus Student Organization and the Brazilian Ju Jitsu club on-campus.

“With the school’s ongoing concerns with the safety of their students, you would think they would know the importance of mixed martial arts training,” said Rachel Alderman, the club’s secretary.

Along with the previously stated precautionary measures, the wrestling team also has a trainer in practice each day to stop, clean up and cover any bleeding that occurs, as well as high-power, high temperature washers that are used each day to clean the teams practice clothes.

“It is an NCAA violation if you were

to wrestle with any type of skin infection and we do have these skin checks everyday and along with these skin checks if we go out on a mat and have a skin infection we automatically get disqualified and not allowed to step on the mat,” sophomore wrestler Patrick Schinder said. “Is this Aikido Club going through the same process?”

Due to the room only being used by wrestlers this semester Galante said, “ringworm, MRSA, infantigo, staff — we don’t see issues with that nearly as much as last year.”

“If we’re fundraising and making the dollars, and if our dollars are going into what we’re doing, we’re a little more apprehensive of just inviting someone in if it’s going to cost us possible health problems.”

However, the Aikido Club was caught off guard by the skin allegations, as Hohmuth said there have been no recorded skin rashes in the club’s history.

“First and foremost, we aspire to (have) a clean, safe environment to practice, from the mat to uniforms and clothing, personal hygiene, including covering cuts or abrasions, clipping nails and limiting offensive odors as well as perfume,” said Bryan Gibbons, the lone remaining Aikido instructor at the College. “If blood is found on the mat or a uniform all practice stops, all students are checked, cleaned, covered and mitigated.”

This is not the first time the group has been disallowed from using the wrestling room. For an entire semester in 2011, the group lost access to the room without warning. Members were forced to scavenge for any open areas on campus to practice, like the Sundial Lawn, Hausdoerffer and Ely, Allen and Brewster lounges — all places that were not properly equipped and were considered a safety hazard.

“When we were previously in the wrestling room, we were able to sweep and mop to our hearts content,” Gibbons said.

“We had the perfect practice space. Then ousted and eventually moved to the North Gym, we were confronted with carpeted mats used by the cheerleaders, dance and anybody else that walked in. There was no oversight with all sorts of outdoor traffic and debris on the mats with no program for properly cleaning them.”

A lack of proper communication between organizations may be to blame for the inconsistent cleaning policies of both groups.

“For 25 of the 26 years that we used the wrestling room, the room was swept and disinfected prior to each class,” Hohmuth said. “In the summer of 2013, Coach Galante told us not to disinfect, that he

would take care of that if we would sweep.

I don’t know why he did not want us to disinfect, but last year we did not.”

With Galante’s new measures, concerns of cleanliness arose for the Aikido Club.

“In 2013, back in the wrestling room … our biggest issue with cleanliness continue(d) — outdoor shoes on the mat,” Gibbons added. “Now unable to clean them, we face a reality that there are others using these mats with outdoor shoes — and in this case, shoes that have likely walked from the locker room via the bathrooms.”

In response to the Aikido Club losing access to the wrestling room, Rob Simels, head of the Office of Recreation and director of Club Sports and Intramurals, said, “I’m a big safety, risk management person personally, so to me right now it’s best.”

At the moment, he cannot help them directly because he only oversees athletic clubs.

It is unclear whether both organizations will be able to compromise on the issues at hand.

“I would not mind working with Aikido or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on coming up with the correct skin procedures and policies,” Galante said. “Does that mean that even if they have them I’m just going to allow them to come right back into the room or ask them to come right back into the room? No, because I still think they should be using their own mats, still think they should be following their policies and procedures, and if we’re not there to monitor those, its going to be very, very difficult.”

Kim Ilkowski / Review Editor

The Aikido Club’s slogan.

‘Mayday Parade’ approved for $35,370.50 Jonathan Edmondson Arts & Entertainment Editor The Student Finance Board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12, featured one high-volume request and four new clubs hoping to become funded through the Student Activities Fund.

The first request came from the College Union Board, which proposed for its annual Welcome Back Concert. The organization sent out a survey to the campus community asking which bands and artists they would like to see perform at the College. According to CUB, over 3,000 students took the survey, and the organization

was able to brainstorm ideas based on both student requests and the typical budget allocated to the Welcome Back Concert.

CUB aims to get Mayday Parade as a headliner with Misterwives opening. Other possible headliners include Ingrid Michaelson, Nico and Vinz and Say Anything. Options for openers also include Four Year Strong, Ace Enders and This Century.

The event was allocated funds of $35,370.50 and is scheduled to take place sometime between Thursday, Jan. 29, and Saturday, Jan. 31, in Kendall Hall.

The first club to request

recognition from SFB was the Student New Jersey Education Association (SNJEA). As stated in its constitution, the purpose of the club “is to bridge the gap between the many education groups on campus and provide them with resources that all education majors can use in their daily and professional lives.” In the past, they have offered events such as iPad workshops and panels on special education. With funding, they hope to do more of these events to benefit the campus community.

Following its presentation, the club was picked up as an SAF-funded organization.

The second club was Net Impact, whose purpose is “to foster and inspire a new generation of students who use their education to tackle the world’s toughest p r o b l e m s ; to apply their business skills to make a difference in every sector of business … and promote Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.”

Net Impact was picked up as an SAF-funded organization, as well.

The Students for Disability

Awareness (SDA) club was also recognized as an SAFfunded organization. Its purpose is to raise awareness of “the harmful social and medical constructs associated with people who have disabilities” to both the students of the College and the members of our community.

Finally, The Society of Creative Endeavors — which strives to create a “fun, interesting and educational environment for those interested in the pop culture of Japan, including anime, manga and video games” — was the last club to be picked up as an SAF-funded organization at the meeting.

page 4 The Signal November 19, 2014

Getting politically active while in college

By Gabrielle Beacken News Assistant

Young Democratic leaders of New Jersey gathered together to form a discussion panel for the event “Forging the Future: Stories of Success from New Jersey’s Young Democratic Leaders” on Wednesday, Nov. 12, to discuss the critical participation of young people in politics. The event was hosted by the College Democrats and College Democrats of New Jersey.

“Political engagement is at the core of building a better future,” said Sam Fogelgaren, junior history and urban studies double major and president of TCNJ College Democrats. “College occupies a unique period of time in our lives in which we are strongly encouraged to constantly question, develop and learn.”

The moderator, Jeannine LaRue, introduced the panel, including Daniel R. Benson, Tennille McCoy, Milly Silva, Chris James and Vin Gopal.

“I really wanted to be the change I talked about,” said LaRue, reminiscing about the beginning of her long political career. The purpose of the event was to teach young students how to get involved in politics to create the type “of change that you want to see,” LaRue said.

LaRue’s long political resume includes serving as deputy chief of staff for former New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine.

“There are so many areas ... where

you can make change,” LaRue said.

“There are so many things, so many options.” LaRue stressed that running for political office is simply one path to generating change.

“At the end of the day, I want to do something, not just be something,” New Jersey District fourteen Assemblyman Daniel R. Benson said.

Benson, former member of Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Hamilton Township Council, depicted the inception of his political career as knocking on doors and making phone calls.

“You see a campaign you don’t like?

Speak up,” Benson said. Benson emphasized that calling citizens on the phone for hours a day is extremely significant, as “you are asking people to make an investment in you.”

“Putting in the time and getting rejected — it’s just part of the business,” Benson said. “It’s getting through it.”

Tennille McCoy, who has worked under four governors, agreed with Benson.

“It’s not something easily done,” McCoy said. “But at the end of the day, I agree with the sentiment.”

McCoy has learned that “it’s really about knowing the opportunity and what you’re able to do.”

If someone asked Milly Silva if she would run for public office a year ago, she would’ve responded with a clear “no.” However, now she says, “never say never.”

AP Photo

Benson, the third from the left, stands behind Christie as he signs a bill.

Silva celebrates a victory with Buono as her supporter.

Barbara Buono chose Silva as the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the 2013 New Jersey Governor election.

“Each and every one of us has an opportunity to identify that space where we can come together,” Silva said. “You have to feel passionate about something — you can’t fake it.”

After over 20 years of experience building various organizations, Silva has interacted with a wide variety of people who wish to make New Jersey a better place to live.

“You connect with people from where they stand, not where you think they stand,” Silva said. “Whatever you do, take advantage of what you’re going to learn from it.”

Chris James, executive director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, suggested that students look into the issues in their area, find what interests them and then reach out to their legislators.

Growing up in politics, James initiated his interests by volunteering, which he suggested students to do the same.

“If you don’t try and are not willing to take a little bit of risk — you won’t get a lot of reward,” said Vin Gopal, chairman of Monmouth County Democrats and co-owner of My Community Publications.

Panels, like this one, offering advice to students interested in politics is a great networking opportunity, Gopal said.

The panel, as a whole, expressed that connecting and interacting with the community is a central step in the process of change.

AP Photo

“At the end of the day we’re all people, and we’re all looking for similar things: access to opportunities, kind treatment by others and a sense of purpose,” said Fogelgaren, who has been involved in several Trenton political campaigns such as that of current Mayor Eric Jackson and Congresswoman-elect Bonnie Watson-Coleman. “I believe community involvement is the key to a better future because it is our best fight against ignorance.”

“I learned that you should start young, regardless of experience or major,” junior marketing major Missy Bove said. “Start young if you want to make a change.”

Many students studying political science who wish to enter the political arena found the panel helpful, according to sophomore international studies major and College Democrats secretary Ambica Avancha.

“Also, the panelists were really cool and inspiring,” she said.

Fogelgaren encouraged students to become involved in the Trenton political community and disregard their preconceived notions of the state capital. According to Fogelgaren, there are numerous organizations that produce good work that are understaffed are in need of help.

“The idea behind the panel is: let’s get college students to hear the voices of passionate young leaders, so that this experience and the information presented can question their beliefs,” Fogelgaren said. “But that’s just the beginning.”

Breaking down the midterm election results

By Annabel Lau Web Editor Republicans have won big in this year’s midterm elections, but it’s not as surprising as many pundits contest, according to political science professor Daniel Bowen.

Bowen delivered a timely lecture, “The 2014 Midterm Elections: What Happened, Why, and Where Do We Go From Here?” on Tuesday, Nov. 11, as the final installment of the Political Science Department’s semester-long politics forum.

“It’s very likely that the GOP will control more seats in the House in any time since Hoover was president,” Bowen said. “What this means is the Republicans control more House seats than nearly any time in American politics.”

In addition, the Republicans have won many seats in the Senate as well as state legislatures.

“The states are where the action is,” Bowen said. “The GOP

picked up 11 legislative chambers, and what this means is that they have unified control of 23 state governments when you add in the states that were able to flip the governor’s office.”

This might pose a challenge for Democrats in state governments, Bowen said.

“Democratic-controlled states dropped down to seven,” Bowen said. “Now the Democrats don’t have the ability to really push policy. They’ll have a few states where they can, but in many of the large states where they would be traditionally looking for policy innovation … they’re not going to be able to do that.”

The GOP now controls approximately 4,100 of the nearly 7,400 state legislative seats — “the greatest number of seats that Republicans have controlled in a state legislature since 1920,” according to Bowen.

But despite the major Republican gains this year, the results

are neither surprising nor concerning, Bowen said, who identifies as a moderate.

“These historic numbers (aren’t really surprising) because Republicans had just an amazing year,” Bowen said. “It’s really about consolidating gains over the last couple of years. They did really well in 2010. They didn’t lose that much in 2012.”

He also attributes the election results to two well-known theories in political science: referendum voting and “surge and decline.”

Explaining the theory of referendum voting, Bowen said that “if times are good and people like the president, then his or her party will do better in midterm elections.”

“The president’s party in Congress sees a surge during election years, because the president, in order to run a national campaign, needs to get this big, broad coalition together that has high mobilization efforts,” Bowen said. “(The president

has) an advantage in the presidential year and then (has) a disadvantage in the following midterm election.”

Despite the GOP’s big wins this year, Bowen doesn’t believe there will be major changes to federal policy.

“Republicans aren’t going to be able to pass any substantive policy to the Senate without a large number of Democrats helping them,” Bowen said.

And regardless of what is portrayed by the media, Bowen is not shocked by the results.

“I think this is a boring midterm election where the president’s party loses seats,” Bowen said. “They lose seats because of the reasons why the presidential party always loses seats in the midterm election. They don’t have the mobilization effect of the president on the ballot and the strength of the economy and the presidential approval, (which) weighs down those congressional

Democrats, in this case.”

Junior international studies major Nick Macri appreciated Bowen’s balanced explanation of the election results.

“You hear a lot of things in the news about how it was a landslide and (about) low voter turnout,” Macri said. “You hear a lot of stereotypes and media panic. Usually there’s not a lot of basis to it, so it’s cool to see what really happened.”

Although the Republican victory was no surprise to senior international studies major Theja Varre, she still questioned the implications of the election results.

“Even though (Bowen) said that the results from this past election aren’t surprising, there’s something unnerving about the fact that the last time something like this happened was around the Great Depression,” Varre said.

Still, Bowen thinks it was a victory that was waiting to happen, so the results should come as no surprise.

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 5

Applying behavioral economics to drinking US and French students’ alcohol consumption

By Shellen Arora Correspondent When many students think of college, they imagine parties with endless amounts of beer, “jungle juice” and hard liquor.

Colleges’ notorious image of drinking and partying perpetuates the notion that it is easy to access and obtain alcohol. The easier access there is to alcohol, the easier it can be to engage in binge drinking as well. Students’ consumption of alcohol has adverse effects like hangovers, legal sanctions, fatalities and can inhibit one from making smart decisions. Nevertheless, the consequences of drinking can be curbed with the study of behavioral economics: how alcohol price relates to consumption.

In Dr. Margaret P. Martinetti’s talk, “From Dollar Bud Bottles to Cristal Champagne: Behavioral Economics of Alcohol Consumption in American College Students,” she explored the relationship between price and alcohol consumption using collegeage subjects at the College and Université de Picardie in France.

Her sabbatical research project consisted of running two

experiments. One experiment that was administered tested Alcohol Purchase Talk (APT) — asking students how many drinks they would purchase if each drink costs “x amount” of dollars — for American and French college students separately. There was another APT given to these students for nonalcoholic beverages. Additional measures like Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Drug Use Questionnaire (DUG), consumption score and dependence score added to the significance of comparing the drinking patterns of American and French college students.

The results of the first experiment reveal that U.S. students consume more alcohol and use more marijuana. The access to non-alcoholic beverage alternatives mitigates the alcohol demand, and that APT may be effective for examining the overall alcohol demand in France. Additionally, cross-cultural differences — drinking in America versus drinking in Europe — display that Americans exhibit less sensitivity to the price of alcohol. In other words, American students would display more persistence

to buy expensive alcohol than French students would.

Martinetti’s second experiment entails the replication of the basic APT findings in U.S. and French samples, specifically aiming to evaluate patterns of drinking, cigarette use, drinking motives and family history of alcohol problems. A similar sample to that of the initial experiment was utilized. Demographics, basic APT, Daily Drinking Questionnaire, Family Tree Questionnaire and Drinking Motive Questionnaire measures were administered to assess the sample.

According to the results, Americans consume more alcohol on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Meanwhile, French students consume more alcohol on Fridays, Saturdays and Thursdays. Additionally, females within the American student population smoke more while males within the French student population smoke more. The overall study of alcohol consumption in relation to its price reveals that American students would pay more — $6 on average — for alcohol than French students —

Studies examine college students’ drinking behaviors. $5.25 on average.

Martinetti’s study demonstrated the application of behavioral economics to determine how college students’ change of drinking pattern can be influenced by the mere change of its price. A slight increase or decrease in price can spur a remarkable increase or decrease in the demand of the product.

AP Photo

Thus, when alcohol becomes more expensive, college students will feel less discouraged to purchase the product, reducing the measured consequences of drinking.

These principles of behavioral economics could potentially alter drinking culture and patterns of college students for the future.

Blinder / Making sense of government backlash Americans unfairly hammered Obama policies

AP Photos

Left: Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy in 2008. Right: Many Americans blame Obama for bad policies. continued from page 1

Now, with his latest book “When the Music Stopped,” Blinder has turned his attention to the recession and its sluggish recovery, bringing his own distinct analysis to the College. To guide his analysis of the crisis, Blinder offered a three-pronged approach to understanding the responses of both government and polity: first, the policy paradox that followed the crisis; second, the multifaceted backlash to the policies the Obama administration helped spearhead; and third, some lessons to be learned from the government’s Keynesian experiment.

In the economic boom of the middle Bush years, Blinder, along with many of his colleagues, believes the free market ran

amok. The financial industry thrived off toxic derivative sales and faulty loans while the housing bubble inflated. There was a fundamental “abdication of regulatory authority,” according to Blinder. But when the bubble burst and the proverbial roof fell in, the financial industry, a traditional advocate of laissez-faire economics, turned to the government for help.

This presented an even larger rift among the public, which wanted the government to fight rising unemployment and economic instability while simultaneously staying out of the free-market. Blinder recounted how one citizen embodied the paradox perfectly, standing before a town hall meeting and proclaiming, “Keep your government hands off my Medicare.” The example represented a broader American consensus, though, one

committed to a conservative, if not neoliberal ideology but desirous of government support.

“Ideologically, they were an anti-government populous. But pragmatically, they were pro-government,” Blinder said.

As a result, Americans transferred their economic frustrations to a backlash against the Federal Reserve, Congress, the Democratic Party and Obama himself. Former President George W. Bush, whose administration presided over the crisis’s origins, “got out just in time,” according to Blinder.

But no matter which party was in charge at the time of the collapse, Blinder predicted that the government would inevitably receive the brunt of public anger.

In response, the government employed a number of highly experimental Keynesian policies in order to stimulate the economy,

but Americans correlated these measures to big government and big spending. House Majority Leader John Boehner (OH-R) went so far as to repeatedly call them “jobkilling government spending.” But Blinder found these accusations absurd.

“The government can either buy things from businesses, which they did in massive quantities that I believe were effective, or they can spend money to stimulate the economy,” Blinder said. “These do not kill jobs.”

Americans remained unpersuaded. Rising budget deficits and unorthodox monetary policy by the Federal Reserve fed into the lasting backlash, one that the Obama administration failed to control when it was implementing its post-crisis policies.

Moreover, Blinder believes Obama took on too many social issues too soon, such as healthcare and education reform, amidst the “mandatory need for action” in the tanking economy. Because of both ill explanation and a stretched agenda, the government faced what Blinder called “massive confusion in the body politic and lots of inchoate anger.”

Looking forward, Blinder offered several steps to combat the next, perhaps inevitable financial crisis — but from a public relations standpoint. He suggested the government stick to a concise agenda, explain their actions and persuade the electorate, use down-to-earth language, set expectations low, be mindful of the public’s perception of fairness and, to be safe, repeat these steps as many times as possible. These communicative measures may not prevent a financial collapse, but they can ease the government’s task of picking up the pieces.

page 6 The Signal November 19, 2014

Fair admits HS students to historically black colleges

By Mylin Batipps News Assistant

Students from almost a hundred high schools in New Jersey accepted scholarships and were admitted on-site to institutions during the Iota Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity’s 10th annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Fair.

Representatives from 40 different historically black institutions attended the fair, which was held on Sunday, Nov. 16, in the Brower Student Center. The College’s Iota Gamma Chapter partnered with several organizations to plan the fair, including the New Jersey Department of Education, Wells Fargo and PNC. “Over 500 students benefitted from the fair,” said Edward Bannister-Holmes, communications studies major and president of the Iota Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Admissions were determined by the students’ transcripts and test scores they brought to the fair.

For 10 years, the College’s chapter incorporated two of its four cardinal principles to the planning and implementation of the HBCU Fair: “Scholarship” and “Uplift.” The Iota Gamma Chapter has aimed to spread advocacy for education, in addition to helping students achieve education by presenting opportunities for aid and admission.

Virginia State University awarded $112,000, $40,000 and $20,000 scholarships to high school students during the fair, according to Angela Diggs, senior counselor of recruiting for the university. Representatives of the university also

admitted some students on-site.

“We really just wanted to spread the word about what we have to offer from each individual institution,” Diggs said.

Jaré Amolé, a representative from Tuskegee University in Alabama, said that the College is just one of many colleges and universities that he and representatives of different institutions attend.

“We travel between New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania,” Amolé said. We recruit about a little over 15,000 students to attend historically black colleges and universities from all over the country. It’s a great opportunity for kids to get a look at schools that they may never have the opportunity to go to or may have no interest or even knowing about.”

Parents accompanied the students to the fair and benefitted almost equally from the experience, according to Bannister-Holmes.

“It was such an honor to hear pleased parents talk about how much they’ve learned about the college entry process, hear students discuss which colleges and universities that are their top choices, and hear recruiters happily educating so many people about their schools,” he said.

After around a million dollars being awarded to students, one could say the 10th annual HBCU fair was a success.

The Omega Psi Phi looks to continue the tradition for as long as it can.

“At the end of the day, we just want to give students and parents valuable learning tools that are crucial for scholars seeking post-secondary education,” Bannister-Holmes said. “We are greatly looking forward to next year.”

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November 19, 2014 The Signal page 7

Nation & W rld

Rosetta probe successfully lands on comet

By Roman Orsini Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Nov. 12, a space probe launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully landed on Comet 67P after a 10-year mission to study it’s makeup. The Rosetta probe is the first spacecraft to orbit a comet and has travelled four billion miles to do so, according to the New York Times.

Rosetta was launched in 2004 from French Guyana.

The solar-powered probe travelled past Jupiter and the asteroid belt before it lost contact with the sun and began to hibernate in 2011. After 31 months, operators in Darmstadt, Germany reactivated Rosetta. According to the ESA, the probe began orbiting Comet 67P in September and is now three times Earth’s distance from the sun.

The probe was named after the Rosetta Stone, an ancient Egyptian hieroglyph, which dates back to 200 B.C. The stone contained writing in ancient Egyptian and Greek and was key to understanding those languages after it was discovered in 1799. Today, the Rosetta probe travels through space with a microdisc containing

an archive of languages.

Comet 67P was discovered in 1969 by two Russian scientists, Klim Churyumov and Svetlana Gerasimenko, after whom it was named. The comet is two-anda-half miles wide and has an irregular shape. Located just outside of Jupiter’s gravitational reach, 67P makes an orbit around the sun every six-and-a-half years. The Rosetta probe will continue its orbit into next year and record changes in the comet as it approaches the sun.

The landing craft to make contact, named Philae, attached to the soft surface of the comet with harpoons, according to NASA. On Friday, Nov. 14, after taking samples and recording data, Philae’s solar cells lost power amidst the dark surface of the comet. Scientists hope to revive the lander next year, as the comet comes closest to the sun.

According to the ESA, comets “are the oldest, most primitive bodies in the Solar System, preserving the earliest record of material from the nebula out of which our Sun and planets were formed.”

The purpose of the mission is to learn more about the makeup and origins of comets. Scientists hope to

AP Photo

Scientists celebrate in the control room after the Rosetta probe lands on Comet 67P.

examine samples of 67P’s surface to determine what elements they contain. It has been theorized that comet impacts during Earth’s formation brought water and life supporting elements. The Rosetta mission may offer a glimpse into the role of comets during the formation of the solar system, as well as life on Earth.

WVU suspends all Greek activities after death

AP Photo

Alex Burch attends a vigil for her brother, Nolan, who died after collapsing at a fraternity party.

By Candace Kellner Staff Writer

West Virginia University officials have suspended all Greek activities on campus after the death of a freshman who was found unconscious at a fraternity house. Nolan Burch, 18, of Williamsville, New York, was found unconscious at a Kappa Sigma fraternity house in Morgantown, West Virginia.

According to officials, he died two days later in the hospital.

CNN that the university is taking the time to reexamine its Greek organizations.

“Is this just a couple of bad apples?” Farris said. “We don’t know. We are taking a pause to examine if there’s some sort of pattern on campus.”

The national chapter of Kappa Sigma Fraternity reported that it was also investigating Burch’s death.

“This proves difficult, as the operations of this chapter have been suspended since mid-October, due to previous, unrelated violations of Kappa Sigma’s Code of Conduct,” the fraternity said in a statement.

Subsequently, the chapter and school were notified on Monday, Nov. 10, prior to the event in question, that the group’s charter had been withdrawn and its operations had been closed. Kappa Sigma declined to further comment on the ongoing investigation.

Farris told CNN that Kappa Sigma’s national office had informed the university that it pulled the fraternity’s charter.

“No reason was given, but we were told they’d follow up with an official letter,” he said.

Although WVU has not received the official letter, it has decided to suspend the fraternity until 2019.

Around the World: Tunisia

The NJ Report

Tunisia readies for presidential elections

AP Photo

Gas prices in New Jersey drop for the ninth straight week.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas in the state on Friday, Nov. 14, was $2.76, down 2 cents from last week, acccording to AAA Mid-Atlantic. This is much lower than last year’s price when drivers were paying $3.11 per gallon.

This marks the ninth straight week that gas prices have fallen in New Jersey.

All information from AP

The university and Morgantown police are investigating what had happened the night paramedics rushed to the fraternity “where a catastrophic medical emergency was in progress,” according to a WVU statement. The university has not provided details about the circumstances of Burch’s death, and Morgantown Police Department declined to comment on the issue, according to CNN. A joint statement made by West Virginia University, the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council stated that all Greek activities at the university, including “all chapter social and pledging activities,” have been suspended “until further notice.”

Corey Farris, dean of students at the college, told CNN that Burch’s death came a week after a “disturbance” involving a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. The police are also investigating this incident, he said.

The Sigma Chi chapter was suspended by its national chapter and the university prior to Burch’s death after 19 fraternity pledges were abandoned in a residential neighborhood and ordered to find their way home, according to CNN. The suspension on Greek activities will remain in effect until at least the end of this semester. Farris told

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Campaign posters and banners for next week’s presidential elections have covered the walls of Tunisia’s cities and towns, papering over the flaking posters from the parliamentary elections just three weeks ago.

The presidential campaign, featuring 25 competitors, kicked off in early November and it’s the first time since Tunisians overthrew dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011 that they will choose their head of state through universal suffrage.

If no candidate wins a majority Nov. 23, there will be a runoff between the top two vote-getters on Dec. 28.

Alone among the countries that experienced the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, Tunisia’s transition has remained on track.

The favorite to win is Beji Caid Essebsi, an 87-year-old veteran politician who served under Ben Ali and his predecessor Habib Bourguiba, and whose party won the most seats in parliament — 39 percent — in the October elections.

After 3 1/2 years of a stormy transition marked by high unemployment and terrorist attacks, Tunisians voted for Essebsi’s party Nida Tunis

AP Photo

A man walks past electoral posters for the upcoming presidential elections in Tunis, the nation’s capital.

(Tunisia’s Call) hoping to bring back stability and prosperity.

Essebsi started his campaign in Bourguiba’s coastal home town of Monastir and evoked nostalgia for this towering figure of Tunisia’s history who won independence from France and created a modern state defined by a well-educated middle class — albeit with little room for dissent.

The possibility of an old-regime politician and his party controlling both the presidency and parliament has raised some concern.

“There are many fears of the return

to the one-party state, of course,” said Michael Ayari, Tunisia analyst at the International Crisis Group.

“There is a fear of returning to centralization, a single ‘pater familias’ (head of the household) who will become an omnipresent figure.”

Despite his age, Essebsi has been campaigning vigorously all over the country to packed stadiums, and Saturday night was no exception in the Tunis neighborhood of El Menzah, where a giant screen was set up for the many supporters who couldn’t enter the thundering stadium.

page 8 The Signal November 19, 2014

Editorial

Priority registration for athletes undermines others

In the wake of the College’s decision to grant student athletes priority registration, other busy students are crying foul.

Countless students on campus suffer with time conflicts between classes and obligations to clubs, organizations and jobs. By allowing students who participate in athletics to register for classes early, it overlooks the contributions of non-athletes at the College.

Members of Student Government, for example, have multiple committee meetings and a general body meeting to attend at set times each week. Shouldn’t those students who provide such an important service to the campus community be allowed to schedule their classes around their pre-existing responsibilities?

Cast and crew members in productions organized by TCNJ Musical Theatre and All College Theatre have hours of rehearsal every week that often conflict with class times. Are their contributions to the College less important because they are not performing on a field? Or perhaps it is because their ticket sales do not generate as much revenue for the College as football, basketball and field hockey games do.

Members of the College Union Board, Art Society, Synergy Dance Team and even The Signal suffer from time conflicts with classes, as well.

The most distasteful part about this new policy is the fact that priority registration was recently taken away from students with disabilities. Comments on the change.org petition “Reconsider the Priority Registration for Varsity Athletes,” penned by Danielle DeGraw, state that the College thought the practice was unfair. But now, transferring that privilege to athletes is somehow justifiable.

An argument in defense of priority registration for athletes is that their performance reflects that of the College. If students can schedule every class to fit perfectly around their practice and competition schedule, the team is more likely to be present, focused and successful.

One respondent on the petition pointed out, however, that honors students do not receive priority registration. A high number of students taking honors classes reflects even more highly on the College than a strong athletic program. In fact, every organization on campus reflects highly on the College, not just sports.

I enrolled at the College knowing it would help me advance academically and prepare me for a career in my field. I knew before I started as a freshman that the College is a Division III school, and I did not expect this to be a heavily sports-oriented campus. Having school spirit is incredibly important, but not to the point where athletes are held at an elitist status over non-athletes. Academics should always be priority over athletics.

Registration is already a nightmare. As a sophomore, I registered on the seventh day to find that not a single section required for my major or minor was open. I managed to pick three liberal learning classes, but did not enroll in any of the very few open classes remaining that could satisfy requirements because they conflict with other organizational commitments. Giving priority registration to athletes just makes the registration process even more difficult for non-athletes, who make up a majority of the campus community.

Athletics should do its best to conform to academics, not the other way around. When younger students are able to enroll before upperclassmen simply because they participate in a sport, it makes a patent statement that non-athletes are less important and do not deserve the same privileges.

— Sydney Shaw Opinions Editor

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Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Athletes of all years line up to register for classes before other students, sparking debate about what kind of message the College is sending with the new policy.

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“Political engagement is at the core of building a better future. College occupies a unique period of time in our lives in which we are strongly encouraged to constantly question, develop and learn.”

— Sam Fogelgaren, junior history and urban studies double major and president of TCNJ College Democrats

“We are here for the individuals who don’t have an alternative.”

— Aime Maier, Trenton Rescue Mission’s Support Services manager

“There are so many areas ... where you can make change.

There are so many things, so many options.”

— Jeannine LaRue, deputy chief of staff for former New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 9

Opinions

Elite Daily reinforces gender stereotypes

Photo courtesy of Elite Daily

Posts on Elite Daily are harmful to women and dating culture.

By Sydney Shaw Opinions Editor

Elite Daily, an online news media platform, claims to be “The Voice of Generation Y.” It is a selfdescribed group of young people writing for young people about things young people care about, so I figured I would peruse the site and see what advice it offers a college-aged woman.

The first thing I stumbled across was Paul Hudson’s “11 Things That Are Supposed To Happen On Real Dates That Don’t Anymore,” published on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Step two caught my eye right

away: “You’re supposed to spend too much time getting ready.” The author provides us some valuable insight, finally uncovering why relationships fail. “Both partners stop trying to impress the other,” Hudson wrote. “We get too comfortable and feel that going that extra mile has no value. We already have our prize, so why continue pursuing it?”

That’s right, ladies. Always strive to impress your partner. Always wear makeup. Always put on a classy outfit. Never wear sweatpants if you want to be loved.

Hudson goes on to remind us that “You can always lose the

person you love. Just because you have them now doesn’t mean that you’ll have them tomorrow.” Isn’t that a little harsh? To avoid the heart wrenching pain of breaking up, though, always dress — and act — to impress. Just be perfect, or, according to Hudson, “it won’t go anywhere.”

Number eight reminds us that the guy should pick up the tab on the first date, “because guys take girls on dates to treat them.”

A man paying for his date’s dinner is undeniably a kind gesture. My problem with this passage is the way Hudson goes on to frame women as gold digging and selfish: “Unfortunately, there are many women out there — you know who you are — that take advantage of this.”

“Many women” do this. Did Hudson perform a survey to obtain this data? It’s what he says next that truly turned me off from Elite Daily altogether.

“If you’re a guy and find yourself paying for dinner every single time, I hope you’re at least getting laid. If you’re not then, I’m sorry, but you’re a schmuck. If she’s using you, you should be returning the favor,” he wrote.

In other words, if a woman uses

you for your wallet, you should use her for sex.

Another article penned by Dan Scotti on Tuesday, Nov. 11, called “10 Things Women Think Men Are Doing Vs. What They’re Really Doing,” reveals the inner workings of a woman’s psyche — from a man’s perspective. When a man’s phone goes straight to voicemail, for example — while he is innocently at his friend’s house without a charger, mind you — his girlfriend thinks he is participating in a giant orgy.

When a boyfriend doesn’t text his girlfriend, “Good morning, sunshine” — even though he texted her “Goodnight, babe. I love you” just hours earlier — that means, “You no longer love her; she’s no longer your sunshine, and you’ve already cheated (at least once) since last night.”

And when a man doesn’t want to have sex in the morning? The woman thinks, “the sex was so pitiful the night before that you can’t even bear to look at her again in the morning, let alone have sex a second time.”

Scotti’s piece frames women as untrusting, over-jealous neurotics who wake up desperate for sex every morning. It portrays women as

incapable of being understanding or of thinking rationally.

And I haven’t even gotten to the exhausting overgeneralizations, yet. “If you don’t feel nervous, then you’re not excited about the date,” Hudson’s article states.

“As human beings, it’s pretty much embedded in our genetic code to prepare for, or at least to expect, the worst in every situation imaginable,” Scotti wrote.

He thinks “if you have sex on the first date, no matter what you’re looking for, he will assume it’s only sex.”

These statements are blatantly untrue and incredibly unfair. An overwhelming number of articles on the site are derogatory toward women and reinforce negative stereotypes about the gender, which is why it is alarming to see such a growing number of female college students sharing articles from Elite Daily on social media. Readers should not blindly believe the information posted on the site. Individuals need to realize that so many of the posts are not what they claim to be — “tips,” “advice” and what “should” happen — but rather harmful to women and dating culture in general.

Net neutrality doesn’t allow for competition

By Alyssa Sanford Barely one week after Republicans crushed Democrats in the midterm elections, President Obama tried to pick up the pieces by personally introducing a polarizing issue: net neutrality.

It’s a divisive issue, but not just for Democrats and Republicans. Broadband companies and Internet-based corporations were also drawn into the fray following Obama’s announcement on Monday, Nov. 10, that he is working with the Federal Communications Commission to prevent broadband companies like Verizon, Comcast and TimeWarner from slowing certain websites’ download speeds or increasing prices for consumers.

Obama is pro-net neutrality, meaning that he believes the Internet should be a protected medium, free from strict regulations from powerful broadband companies. He, like many of the issue’s proponents, believes that these companies are monopolizing the market.

“For almost a century, our law has recognized that companies who connect you to the world have special obligations not to exploit the monopoly they enjoy over access into and out of your

AP Photo

Senator Ted Cruz recently announced his strong opposition to net neutrality.

home or business,” Obama said in an official White House video. “It is common sense that the same philosophy should guide any service that is based on the transmission of information — whether a phone call or a packet of data.”

According to the Washington Post, Obama wants the Internet to be regarded as “a public utility as essential as water, phone service and electricity.”

However, there are plenty of opponents to net neutrality. The Washington Examiner reported that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) spoke out against the policy on Twitter, remarking that net neutrality is “Obamacare for the Internet.” Broadband companies were

equally inflamed. Verizon issued a statement, claiming that net neutrality is counteractive, saying it “would apply 1930s-era utility regulation to the Internet” and would ultimately “threaten great harm to an open Internet, competition and innovation.”

While I agree that the Internet shouldn’t be completely controlled by large corporations, I think that some competition is warranted. If Comcast wants to raise prices on its services, it’s up to the customer to decide whether or not to continue paying for those services. Under this model, companies with cheaper prices or faster download speeds rise to the top. Or Comcast can simply upgrade

its services so that consumers can justify spending more money. It’s a free market economy: why not take advantage of it rather than burying it in paperwork and red tape?

Perhaps the root of the issue is that net neutrality proponents believe that the Internet is an “essential public utility.” I’m just not convinced that this is true. Smartphones and wireless Internet access are signifiers of relative prosperity in this country. Certain regions in the United States have insufficient access to water, electricity and other necessities, so to suggest that the Internet must be treated as such simply makes no sense.

If this net neutrality policy moves forward, it could be destructive. Thousands at broadband companies could lose their jobs. The free market economy that Americans have become accustomed to might falter. Even more distressing, another piece of pointless legislation will hold up more important issues from being resolved in Congress.

So, is net neutrality worth it? Unless the policy’s proponents can produce convincing evidence that broadband companies are monopolizing the Internet, I’m firm on my stance.

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page 10 The Signal November 19, 2014

Features

Campus joins Theta’s Phight against hunger Sorority raises money for Trenton soup kitchen

By Chelsea LoCascio Features Assistant While some sisters wrapped utensils for the soup kitchen, others sold sweets with a smile – all in the pursuit of combatting hunger.

The Theta Phi Alpha sorority’s “Theta Phights Hunger Week” took place from Monday, Nov. 10, to Friday, Nov. 14, with a different event happening each day with the same goal throughout: to raise money for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.

“One of our national philanthropies is called The House that Theta Phi Alpha Built,” junior deaf education and histroy double major Brittany Pare said. “Its more of a idea that encourages Theta Phi chapters to support hunger and

homelessness in their communities so we chose TASK because it supports that ideal of giving back to the community where you live.”

The week started with a bake sale on Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Brower Student Center. In addition to the treats, members of the sorority and any willing volunteers wrapped utensils for TASK. Theta Phi Alpha has helped TASK beyond fundraising and wrapping, though.

“I volunteer sporadically (at TASK) throughout the semester,” said Kailey Aiosa, a senior English and secondary education double major. “But we try to have someone there every week.”

Members of Theta Phi Alpha take trays of food from the servers

Courtney Wirths / Features Editor

TASK provides meals to the homeless and low-income citizens in the Trenton area.

to the hungry patrons, as most of them are physically unable to get the food themselves, according to sophomore elementary education and iSTEM double major Kate Arbadji.

“Phishing with Theta Phi” was then held outside the Student Center on Tuesday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., where a small, blue pool was set up for students to hook a floating, plastic duck and win a treat, such as coffee or doughnuts. Students were also encouraged to buy something as part of the fundraiser. “(We’re) hoping to raise awareness … people are going hungry in this area. We are so fortunate for people to help out with this cause,” said junior management and psychology double major Lauren Hill.

Theta Phi Alpha’s next event was an all-day Piccolo’s fundraiser on Wednesday, Nov. 12, where 10 percent of every group purchase was donated to Theta Phi Alpha and its philanthropy, according to philanthropy week co-chair and senior biomedical engineering major Christina Rabolli.

The whole week led up to the final event, the “Canstruction Competition,” on Thursday, Nov. 13 in the Brower Student Center. To participate, each organization needed at least 10 food cans, which they used to create a design that best represented their organization, according to Rabolli. Originally, the top three organizations won a prize, but only two participated. The winner, Delta Tau Delta, won a gift card to Applebee’s while Theta Phi Alpha ended up with more than 30

Courtney Wirths / Features Editor

Theta Phi Alpha’s national philanthropy encourages fighting hunger and homelessness in communities such as Trenton.

cans to donate to TASK. “We do this because we want to give back to the community,” junior graphic design major Michelle Kozak said. “The reason I joined was because the people had the same morals as I did.

When we’re together, we have a positive impact on each other …

I felt a connection.”

Kozak said Theta Phi Alpha previously held a race where members competed to see who could make the most peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the soup kitchen in a given amount of time.

What Theta Phi Alpha does for the community goes beyond just aiding TASK. They also raise money for the Don’t Stop Believing Fund in which proceeds go to the family of a sorority sister, Stephanie Coonan, who died in 2009 from stomach cancer, according to Arbadji.

Theta Phi Alpha also donates to the B+ (Be Positive)

Foundation for children with cancer, said Arbadji.

According to the Theta Phi Alpha website, its mission is “to create close comradeship, to advance educational, social and philanthropic interests and leadership training; to encourage spiritual development and adherence to the highest moral standards; and to promote lifelong bonds of friendship.”

This mission persuaded Arbadji to join, as she had seen this message transcend a mere oath and become a reality. “(I joined) because all the girls are really different … it’s not really cliquey. Everyone supports each other, everyone is down to earth,” Arbadji said. “And I do it for the community service. It’s a really rewarding feeling at the end of the day when you know you did something good. Even if it’s once a week for an hour, it still makes a difference.”

Delta / Campus comes together for Clinic

Photos courtesy of Dhruv Maisuria

Brothers of Delta Epsilon Psi pass out hygiene information.

continued from page 1

Single, homeless male and female citizens can take advantage of the 100-yearold shelter and rescue center.

“We are here for the individuals who don’t have an alternative,” Support Services Manager Aime Maier said.

The first table was sponsored by the Hygiene Project, an organization based out of Secaucus, according to sophomore biology major Shinal Kalia. In addition to pamphlets about the importance of handwashing and tips on maintaining personal hygiene, there were also hygiene kits donated by the sponsoring organizing.

“We packed the kits with small towels, a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, conditioner, bandaids and Vitamin C packs,” Siddiqui said.

One table down, VOX was providing those who walked through the clinic with information on Planned Parenthood and handing out free condoms to promote safe sex.

The organization had two students at the table, sophomore psychology and criminology double major Sarah Melamed and senior psychology major Melissa Carter.

“We’ve already passed a lot of things out,” Melamed said.

Additionally, there was a booth sponsored by High Tops that was devoted to distributing condoms and information on HIV/AIDS prevention and testing.

The New Jersey Department of Health also came to the event, for the third year in a row, to offer information on the local and national services available to New Jersey citizens.

Nursing students at the College and members of the Student Nursing Association, along with Lions EMS, took blood pressure, vitals and offered breast exams, according to senior nursing major Shruti Patel.

“Because it’s not mandatory, because

people can walk in – we may be able to get blood pressure for someone who normally would not want to,” Emergency Services Manager Joyce Williams said.

Where the shelter offers incentives to visit, it also encourages the shelter’s clients to take better care of themselves on their own.

Photos courtesy of Dhruv Maisuria

Volunteers check blood pressure of shelter clients.

The Hollyword : Bye-bye Judge Jackson

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 11

Campus Style

By Heather Hawkes & Jordan Koziol Columnists

This week we caught up with junior political science major Catherine Tung, who is studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic!

Q: What do you wear on a typical day in Prague?

A: Usually dark wash jeans, paired with low-ankle booties and a large knit sweater with a warm vest. Scarves and layers are also slowly becoming essentials, as temperatures drop in Central and Eastern Europe.

AP Photo

Jackson, the last judge standing from the original trio, is finally leaving the long-running TV show ‘American Idol.’

By Johnanthony Alaimo Columnist If you were still a country music star, I’d say “hold your horses, Taylor Swift,” but I guess that won’t do. The “Shake It Off” singer shook more than people expected, shaking off a partnership with Spotify. Swift has pulled all of her music from the online music streaming service, saying that she’s “not willing to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that (she doesn’t) feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists and creators of this music.” Listen here, Swift. Spotify is not an experiment. An experiment is something whose results are unknown, like testing a new drug or giving Rosie O’Donnell a variety show.

You’re playing with the unknown there.

But when it comes to Spotify, that’s a known science. In fact, staying on Spotify would have netted Swift an extra

$6 million dollars. But that’s chump change for a girl who makes millions a week. As for now, you’ll have to get Swift’s music the old fashion way: piracy. Or if you’re a real old timer, buy it on iTunes.

In other music news, Randy Jackson is finally leaving “American Idol” after producers figured out he was still on the show. At least, that’s the only reason I could think of. Honestly, why Jackson was still a figure on the show is a mystery. Was he accidentally locked in the studio six years ago and didn’t know how to leave? Was he scared that Paula Abdul was waiting for him outside?

Simply perplexing. Now that Randy Jackson is stepping down from his, um, wheely chair, he can pursue other unique endeavors that he is talented at.

Like being the next American Idle.

Finally, to round this week off, let’s end on a positive note: Nicki Minaj is

Q: How do native students dress for class?

A: Definitely a lot more fancy and stylish than American students. Customfitted coats and cropped blazers are very popular, and everything is tailored perfectly to their bodies. You’ll never see someone stroll into class wearing a baggy top and loose sweatpants.

Q: Are there any definite faux pas in Europe that Americans wear?

A: It’s super easy to spot out Americans. There are certain “trends” that Europe would never adopt, such as men in basketball shorts and running shoes or women in light-wash ripped jeans and flip-flops. Americans are far more casual and careless in how they dress themselves.

Q: Out of the places you have traveled to so far, which city is the most stylish? being accused of anti-Semitism. Oops, nevermind. Apparently, the rapper/ ass enthusiast used Nazi-inspired imagery in her latest lyric video for her song “Only.” The lyric video showed an army, complete with a red armband infamously worn by the German forces during World War Two. Although the swastika was absent, the Young Money

Photo courtesy of Catherine Tung

Layers are becoming essential as temperatures begin to drop abroad.

A: That’s a tough one, because all of Europe is so fashion-forward. But, if I had to choose one, I’d definitely say Paris. The city’s style is elegant yet effortless – or better known as “Parisian chic.”

Q: What would you recommend a student pack for studying abroad?

A: If there’s one thing to overpack, it’s clothing. But fashion aside, definitely pack a nice camera or a GoPro. iPhones suffice in emergency cases, but to really document your experiences abroad (because trust me, it flies), professional photos and videos are the way to go. symbol was used in its place. Minaj has since apologized to those offended, saying she would “never condone Nazism in (her) art.” How heartening to hear that in the 21st century, an entertainer is finally stepping up to the plate and saying “no” to Nazism. I can’t wait until Taylor Swift says “no” to communism and Madonna says “no” to ageism.

India: the nation with most sustainable food Environment

By Neha Vachhani Columnist

On a global scale, people are generally consuming less environmentally harmful foods, such as meat and bottled water, and are eating more locally grown and organic produce, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Although there has been an increase in consumption of environmentally sustainable food, it is not enough to make a significant improvement. The National Geographic Society conducted a Greendex Survey that measures the eating habits of multiple nations as whole and then proceeds to rank them from the most environmentally sustainable the to least.

Coming in at number one, India takes the lead with the most ecologically friendly consumer habits. This is due to many cultural factors that tie into the dietary restrictions, such as the prominence of vegetarianism throughout the country for solely religious reasons. The consumption of beef is very low in India, also for cultural

India takes number one for environmentally sustainable consumer habits. reasons. Since cows are ranked as the most environmentally harmful livestock, this low overall average of meat consumption puts the country at the most environmentally sustainable.

Russians and Hungarians are among those who eat the most locally, but unlike Indians, this is because they are more in-

formed about the food they consume. Although there has been an overall move toward sustainable consumerism since the last Greendex Survey in 2012, only 34 percent of people believe that they are aware of where their food comes from and whether or not it is safe, organic or locally grown, according to

AP Photo

National Geographic. They key to further improving statistics concerning sustainable food consumption is becoming more informed on the matter.

The most interesting piece of data that came from the Greendex Survey was the correlation between the culture and different foods and how they

compare across the board. Similar to the way that India ranked number one, Mexico comes in at dead last, primarily due to the population’s high amount of beef and chicken in its diet. Japan is low on the ranks as well, due to the high of fish consumption.

The United States falls on the lower end of the scale near Japan and Mexico. Although Americans are the most culturally diverse and are among the leaders of ethical vegetarians, they remain low on the environmentally sustainable scale when it comes to food production because of just that — the amount of food that is produced. The market for food within the United States is unlike any other. There is a higher intake of processed and packed foods than fruits and vegetables throughout the nation.

While Americans are the most informed about the detrimental effects that meat production and GMO’s have upon the environment, they are not making enough changes to make a positive impact on the world.

page 12 The Signal November 19, 2014

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 13

Arts & Entertainment

Basco / ‘Avatar’ voice actor visits the College Prince Zuko brought to life during lecture

Michael Cort / Photo Assistant

During a meet and greet, Basco poses with three students. continued from page 1 over his role as the Fire Nation’s prince with the audience, some of whom were wearing “Avatar” shirts or holding Prince Zuko figurines. But Basco’s main reason for speaking to students was to discuss the lack of Asian Americans in the media and how that can be changed in the event sponsored by the Asian American Association.

Basco, a Filipino-American, has been an actor for over 30 years, and in those years, he has played all sorts of ethnicities, including Latino, Native American and a slew of Asian roles. He doesn’t consider Hollywood racist, though. Instead,

he looks at it like a business that aims to fit its actors into ethnic boxes. And so, Basco was cast into roles in which he could ethnically pass off.

“We’re not really these characters,” Basco said. “We’re just a character in the storytelling.”

He did point out, however, that for every 100 roles a white person can play, there is only one an Asian can play.

It is Basco’s goal to get more Asians Americans in the media because they “need to try telling more stories.”

“When you’re in (the industry) for a few decades, you start to realize, ‘Wow, it’s time for us to start to figure out what we’re going to do for this next

generation (of Asian American artists),’” Basco said.

And according to Basco, it is on the Asian American community itself, not Hollywood, to help employ the next generation of its artists. In fact, Basco’s idea for a movie geared toward Asian Americans was shot down by a company because, as they put it, Asian Americans have already assimilated, meaning everything the company promotes to America’s white majority, Asians will buy.

“So why do we need to promote to them? Why spend another dollar on a community we already have?” Basco was asked.

Basco said he realized the man was right, and since then, he’s made it his mission to employ the rising generation of Asian-American artists. To do so, he created “We Own the 8th,” a conglomerate of production companies which releases new media — both traditional and digital media — on the eighth day of every month in hopes that an Asian genre will form.

“We are the arbitrators of taste for ourselves,” Basco said.

“Why is it important to have a voice? Because our stories are just as important as (anybody else’s) stories. We are part of this fabric that is America and it’s on us to tell those stories.

Is it (for us by us)? No, it’s by us, for all.”

Sophomore physics and secondary education double major Brianna Santangelo — a huge fan of Basco’s work, especially as Jake Long, Prince Zuko and General Iroh from “The Legend of Korra” — said it was interesting to hear his thoughts on making a system for Asian Americans.

“I honestly loved the talk,” Santangelo said. “His ideas for bringing old and new school media together are well thoughtout and definitely seem like it will cause a lot of change in the entertainment industry.”

Jessica Perez, a senior applied mathematics major and the president of the Asian American Association, said that Basco was the perfect speaker to have. Not only does he regularly advocate for more

Asian representation in the media, but he also appeals to a wide audience. As such, Perez believes what Basco had to say was important to hear.

“Asians are underrepresented in today’s media, and many times, when they appear in mainstream media, they are heavily stereotyped,” Perez said. “Media can greatly affect people’s perspectives on different types of people, so it’s important that there be more positive representation of Asians.”

Most of all, it seems as though Basco’s efforts to encourage more Asian Americans to enter and continue in the arts are working.

“It’s very hip to be Asian in America right now,” Basco said. “It’s happening.”

Michael Cort / Photo Assistant

Basco discusses the lack of Asian Americans in the media.

‘Dear White People’ focuses on stereotypes Film gives commentary on modern racism

By Brooke Schmidt Staff Writer

“Dear White People” is a very divisive film, but it’s one that we need now more than ever due to its polarizing but satirical take on an urgent topic. Focusing on four AfricanAmerican students at a predominantly white Ivy League school, the film attacks everyone with a satirical gaze. It makes fun of people who are too quick to blame everything on racism, people who deny racism still exists, people who perpetuate the stereotypes and people who recognize its presence but won’t do anything to fix it.

In “Dear White People,” the four main characters are Sam White (Tessa Thompson), Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P. Bell), Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams) and Colandrea ‘Coco’ Conners (Teyonah Parris). Each character represents a different stereotype that black people face: the overly radical activist, the popular guy who gets along with everybody, the nerd and the preppy queen bee who wants the spotlight.

Why does the film highlight these characters? They are all involved, in some way, with the heinous “ghetto” themed party held on their campus.

In Feburary 2010, the University of

California-San Diego held a “ghettothemed” party. Yes, you read that right.

They had a party where they told people to come as their personal depiction of what it means to be “ghetto.” At this party, there were copious amounts of people in “blackface” – where they painted their faces to look dark-skinned – and had stereotypically African-American themed cocktails and drinks. That may sound like something straight out of the

1950s, but such parties happened at several well-known universities throughout the next few years, such as Penn State and Dartmouth.

The aforementioned party was displayed on screen, and it was one of the most repulsive scenes on film this year. Before then, I didn’t think anybody could be so racist today, but the blackface and grills adorned by these privileged Ivy League students proved otherwise. The crux of the film focuses on

AP Photo

‘Dear White People’ shows a satirical take on a pressing social issue.

the mystery of who was involved in the party. As it turns out, everyone in their own way supported or influenced the party through subtle means or more conniving strategies.

Related to this issue, the filmmakers touch on the oversight and nonchalance of school administrations in regard to important issues. After the past few years of administrations being called into question about issues of sexual misconduct and race relations, this topic has never been more relevant.

These four students are the center of the film as they interact with each other and with the school community in humorous yet meaningful scenes. The trailer alone showed how funny this film was going to be, but I don’t think anyone in the theater was prepared for the raucous laughter created by a few scenes.

While the filming was slightly subpar and some of the acting was only alright, the film itself made a lasting impact. When critics talk about this film, they don’t criticize or praise the makeup of the film but of the social tones instead. The only reason such a film succeeded was due to the satirical take on a pressing, normally very serious issue. Take the time out of your day to see “Dear White People” in order to educate yourself on still-present issues and to have a good laugh along the way.

page 14 The Signal November 19, 2014

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 15

Mike Rosen leads slam poetry reading in the Rat

By Mackenzie Cutruzzula Arts & Entertainment Assistant

With every table filled, three undergraduate students warmed up for headliner Mike Rosen at the Rathskeller for a spoken word poetry reading presented by CUBRat and INK on Friday, Nov. 14.

Junior English major Rachel Friedman kicked off the night with a set of slam poetry that dealt with issues close to heart, including pancreatic cancer awareness and questions of faith. Following Friedman was sophomore English major Alena Woods, whose set of poems had lingering themes of summertime and sweet nostalgia. The last opener was Andrew Edelblum, a junior psychology major. His poetry was filled with high energy and humor, reading about topics like his “awkward existence” and being the typecast “funny, nice and smart” guy.

Headliner Mike Rosen, an award-winning, N.Y.C.-based poet, took the stage with a vibrant spirit that juxtaposed his often-somber themed poetry.

“You could have been anywhere in the world tonight, but you chose to come listen to poetry,” Rosen said, exciting the crowd. “And that’s the greatest thing in the world.”

Rosen, a New York native, pulls inspiration for his fast-talk slam poetry from the hip-hop genre.

Like hip-hop, Rosen uses his poetry to highlight issues facing youth

Samantha Selikoff / Staff Photographer

Left: Rosen recites heartfelt verses. Right: Edelblum shares his original work. in both inner cities and around the world. He wants his poetry to spark a dialogue that will lead to change. He feels his art is a way to give a voice to the voiceless.

“You can’t stop the war, but you can inspire and make better decisions,” Rosen said in one poem.

Rosen admitted that he doesn’t write a lot of celebration poems.

Poetry is more therapeutic to him,

and he uses it to work out the negative in his life. Rosen took on a variety of deep topics including 9/11, domestic violence and eating disorders. The most notable theme throughout his set was his connection to New York City, particularly the unity New Yorkers displayed during the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. He wrote an entire poem about how the “gray, gridlocked,

concrete jungle” was the only place for him.

One moment that stood out in his life and his poetry was Sept.

11, 2011. He dedicated an entire poem to talking about what he saw that day and how he views the war it sparked today. He feels that the war was started by those so far removed from the effects of 9/11 that they couldn’t even

understand it. He believes it wasn’t their war to start.

“Under that rubble was not your country, it was our city,” Rosen said. “Your war doesn’t bring back the bodies (we search for).”

Surprisingly, Rosen left the city for four important years to study and write poetry at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. A dramatic contrast to the grayscale city of New York, he felt at home in the small town atmosphere that surrounded him while away at school.

“Wesleyan had no fear of being weird,” Rosen said. “That’s what was so great about it.”

Although he doesn’t have any plans to move out of the city that inspired lines such as “birthing so many lovers, but not so much love,” he has a lot of friends living in Minneapolis and might want to check out the Bay Area someday. Rosen, however, is focused on living in the moment and what stories are important to him.

Rosen is very conscious of storytelling and the perspectives therein. He strives to only give truthful accounts in his poems about his life, but emphasized that everyone’s personal narrative is important. Rosen wanted the students in the room to leave with a different perspective than the one they came in with, and his poems definitely gave the audience reasons to reflect.

‘Whiplash’ hits theaters with pulsating passion

By Alex Holzman Correspondent

“Seemed to me that drumming was the best way to get close to God,” said Lionel Hampton, so nonchalantly, as if to suggest his statement’s obviousness. Less obvious is what type of god.

Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” answers quite simply: an angry one.

Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) is a passionate and single-mindedly ambitious jazz drummer at a New York City-based music conservatory, one of the best in the nation. There, Andrew is selected for studio jazz by the infamous Terrence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), a genius instructor with “unorthodox” teaching philosophies.

Make no mistake, though, Fletcher is no Jaime Escalante or John Keating. He is nothing short of fascistic and utterly abusive. He is a teacher who, during Andrew’s first class, whips a metal chair at his head for not keeping tempo. In an age of gratuitous praise, Fletcher argues,

he is the compressive stress that forms a diamond, that crushes insecurity and arrogance alike into unbridled genius. “Whiplash” thrives on the relationship between this professor-student duo: the classical unbreakable object and the unstoppable force dichotomy.

Predictably, this film relies completely on its leads’ performances. Miles Teller of “The Spectacular Now” and “Divergent” is nothing short of excellent. His nebbish appearance and open-mouthed gape conceal an absolutely vicious interior, in more ways than one. Teller, 27, has been drumming recreationally since he was 15, and performed much of the film’s intense drumming sequences himself. During multiple scenes, Andrew drums so savagely that he bleeds, tearing apart scabs and skin and sinew, spattering his kit with gore. As it turns out, only a few of these sequences used effects. For most of them, Teller actually drummed until he bled. For an actor as unfamiliar as Teller, his commitment speaks volumes.

AP Photo

Miles Teller performs much of the film’s brutal drumming sequences.

His role demanded a formidable mixture of silence and volume, of cold disconnect and incendiary rage. Teller resoundingly captures all the negativities of ambition: spite, sadness, sacrifice, pain and loss. Hopefully this will be a metamorphic role for Teller, allowing him to widen his appeal into a more spotlighted arena. Regardless, his performance is worthy of very little criticism.

That being said, it’s almost unreal that Simmons’s performance categorically outstrips Teller’s. Simmons comes out of Farmer’s Insurance commercial fame to deliver an absolutely flooring Terrence Fletcher. The way Simmons captures Fletcher’s contained rage is thrillingly palpable, and when he finally unleashes it, he does so with a ferocity that puts even the likes of DeNiro and R. Lee Ermey to shame.

Fletcher is a man of passion – both dark and light – and Simmons embodies it entirely. In a scene where Fletcher shows glimpses of vulnerability – softened tone, wistfulness, tears – Simmons remains utterly believable despite the character’s aboutface. The underlying intensity is never lost, and Simmons never falters. This may well be a career-redefining performance. For a respected but very low-key character actor to suddenly and so dramatically take charge of such a competent and lauded film is Cranston-esque. Expect to see Simmons’ name come award season.

In a movie of breakouts, director Damien Chazelle is no exception. “Whiplash” is his feature length debut, and if it’s any indication of what he has to offer, then his name is one to both remember and seek out. The direction of “Whiplash” is stylish, tight and remarkably contained. Chazelle keeps his actors – the film’s obvious centerpiece – in unyielding focus, with only a few very minor extraneous characters. Stylistically, Chazelle’s youth shows through, as his

inspirations are sometimes more apparent than his own visions. Certain scenes will be strikingly similar to anyone familiar with Aronofsky or Fincher, with the gratuitous close ups and an almost fetishistic attention to detail. But being compared to two of modern cinema’s most respected auteurs is hardly an insult.

It will be extremely interesting to see where his vision takes us as he matures.

Credit must also be given to Tom Cross and Sharone Meir, the editor and cinematographer, respectively. The intoxicating energy of “Whiplash” is a product of their individual talents and their combined synergy with Chazelle and one another. The finale in particular is quite possibly the most thrilling (this reviewer’s viewing companions were visibly shaking) scene of the decade, due solely to the sublime interplay of direction, composition and editing.

“Whiplash” is a movie of extremes in characters, talent and execution. It jams on the razor’s edge, and if it faltered on any vital level, it would crash in a heap of melodrama and cynicism. Yet it never misses a beat, and it always keeps tempo. Fletcher’s philosophy of pushing, pushing, pushing and pressing, pressing, pressing until a diamond appears is vindicated by the film’s mere existence and prowess. From the simple, raw cliché carbon of a teacher-student movie a perfect crystal emerges, thanks to the intense heat and pressure of actors and director alike.

This is the most intense, thrilling, satisfying music movie ever made, equal measures style and substance. I reserve full five-star ratings only for movies which touch me personally and resonate with me in some profoundly subjective sense. This movie touches like a kickdrum and remains with you long after the final beat.

page 16 The Signal November 19, 2014

Sports

Women’s basketball in Cancer Classic

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Kelly Coughlin enjoys participating in Coaches vs. Cancer.

By Anthony Caruso Staff Writer

The College’s women’s basketball team tied its record at 1-1 at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at York College, P.A. on Sunday, Nov. 16. The Lions defeated Cazenovia College, 88-52, in the consolation game.

This is the first time that the Lions played in the Coaches vs.

Cancer Classic. They previously played in the White Rose City

Classic in 2010.

“Being part of a Coaches vs.

Cancer is always a rewarding experience,” senior guard Kelly Coughlin said. “It’s a reminder that we have the privilege to be playing the game we love when some have much tougher battles to face. It’s always nice seeing teams and fans wearing pink to show their support.”

Both Coughlin and junior guard Angelica Esposito led the Lions attack with 15 points each.

Senior forward Jess Goldbach added 14 points. Sophomore guard Kim Dana came off the bench to score a career-high 11 points, while freshman Cindy Napolitano contributed nine points.

“We are a team where many different people can score for us in each game,” Goldbach said. “(Sunday) we did a great job at sharing the ball and moving the ball inside, outside and around their zone. This allowed our shooters to be open outside and knock down shots.”

Cazenovia had only one player in double figures, as Mary Salo scored 12 points. Junior Erin O’Malley added nine points, while freshman Megan Plahanski had seven points in her college debut.

The Lions led by as much as 36 points in the second half. They had 30 points in the paint and scored 30 points off turnovers.

“We mix up our defenses during the game to keep the other team from being too comfortable,” Goldbach said. “So our defensive stops helped us to push the ball forward and get some easy baskets at the other end.”

The Wildcats only had eight

Cheap Seats

points off of turnovers and 22 points in the paint.

The Lions led 12-9 before going on a 17-0 run to make it 29-9 with 6:36 left. At halftime, the College led 41-27.

Both teams lost on Saturday, Nov. 15, in the tournament, as the Lions lost to Ursinus College, while Cazenovia College lost to host York College. The College lost 63-52 to Ursinus on Saturday afternoon.

Coughlin led the Lions with 19 points. Fellow senior forward Jessica Goldbach added 11 points, and sophomore guard Kim Dana was a bucket away from being the third in double figures with eight points.

“I was able to score 19 points because my shot felt natural, meaning I wasn’t thinking about it, and this was because my teammates were giving me great passes and setting hard screens,” Coughlin said. “We worked the ball in and out of the paint a lot, and I was able get to an open spot to shoot.

As much as scoring can feel great and can fuel the offense, I’d take a win with scores across the board any day instead of scoring a ton of points in a loss.”

Wrestling

Junior forward Jessica Porada led the Bears with 17 points.

Sophomore guard Gianna Pownall added 14 points, while junior guard Alyssa Polimeni and junior forward Caroline Shamrock contributed 10 points each.

Ursinus had 28 points in the paint and 20 points off of turnovers.

They also had 15 bench points and 10-second chance points.

The Lions were held to 18 points in the paint and eight points off of turnovers with 13 bench points and 10-second chance points.

“Turnovers mean empty possessions, and that’s how a team can lose a lead or extend a gap when they’re losing,” Coughlin said. “I think turnovers hurt us because it allowed Ursinus to do what they want, which is run up the floor and push ahead in transition. Limiting our turnovers is key for maintaining our confidence and having more opportunities for time of possession to run our offense.”

The Lions led by five at halftime, 30-25. They increased the lead to 36-29 before the Bears used a 22-11 run in the final 15 minutes to win.

Overcoming odds One win, but two losses Back with a 1-2 record

By Kevin Luo Staff Writer

Playing basketball growing up, coaches would always tell me that I had to learn how to dribble and finish with both hands, properly align my guide hand and shooting hand when taking jump shots.

I wonder what Zach Hodskins thought when his coaches gave these instructions to his teammates growing up. Hodskins was born with only one hand, but he doesn’t use that as a crutch or excuse on the court, and he hasn’t allowed it to stop him from reaching his basketball dream.

This past Friday, Nov. 14, Hodskins’s basketball dream came true when he made his debut for the seventh-ranked Florida Gators in their season opening win against the College of William and Mary.

The freshman walk-on came into the game with about two minutes left and missed his only shot attempt, yet after the game he said that it was an amazing experience, and he hopes to build on the performance. He also said that he didn’t necessarily expect to get in the game, but he was glad he did and happy he was able to achieve his dream.

Seeing Hodskins play is a pretty cool sight, but he’s more than just a gimmick. He’s an incredible basketball player. If you don’t believe it, check out his YouTube videos.

They’re quite impressive. They show his picture-perfect jump shot along with some of his other skills.

Along with being a great shooter and fairly skilled, he also has good

size at 6’4” and was a dominating high school player.

As a junior at Georgia’s Milton High School, he averaged 11 points per game and became known as a remarkable sharpshooter. He also had player profiles on most of the top college basketball recruiting networks and earned the designation of being a two-star recruit by a few of the networks.

Florida coach Billy Donovan offered Hodskins a preferred walk-on opportunity after his junior year of high school after hearing about his story and seeing some of his highlight tapes. But Hodskins isn’t just looking for handouts. He’s determined to earn everything he gets and prove critics wrong. He said that one of his favorite things is when he plays pickup basketball with new people, gets picked last and then finds that everyone is in awe of his talents.

Hodskins’s story is truly inspirational to people trying to reach their dreams despite the odds. One of the coolest aspects of his story is that he tries to inspire other athletes on Twitter who are battling the odds.

One of the most notable cases involved a Twitter conversation between him and a young player who made his Division III college team at a height of 3’9’’. They talked about how they inspired each other, and Hodskins even said he wanted to meet the player.

Hodskins’s on-the-field story is incredible and inspirational, but what he does off the court to help his game while also inspiring others is truly exceptional.

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Junior Antonio Mancella excells for the Lions.

By Matt Bowker Production Manager

The Lions wrestling team finished off a busy day with a 1-2 record in its three matches at York College on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Three Lions led the way for the College with standout performances. Senior captain Nathaniel Leer, junior Antonio Mancella and junior Doug Hamann each went a perfect 3-0 on the day.

Hamann is now a perfect 8-0 on the season, including a title at the Ursinus Fall Brawl.

“I’m just trying to go into each match and execute what I know, and continue to make adjustments each day,” Hamann said of his early success.

The College opened the day’s competition with a match against host York College at noon. Mancella, wrestling in the 157-pound

weight division, earned the Lion’s lone win by fall against York, making quick work of his opponent in 1:04. Leer, Hamann and freshman James Goldschmidt also picked up wins for the team, but it was not enough, as the Spartans took down the Lions 27-16.

The College bounced back from its defeat just a few hours later with an impressive victory over Division II Shippensburg University. Again, Leer, Mancella and Hamann picked up individual wins, with Mancella and Leer pinning their opponents.

The Lions also received key contributions from the underclassmen in the win over Shippensburg. Goldschmidt, in the 125-pound class, earned his second win of the day, while sophomore Jesse Thorsen, 174 pounds, and freshman Kyle Lynch, 184 pounds, both won by decision.

As team captain, Leer sets the tone for the rest of the team, especially the with the less experienced underclassmen.

“I try to set an example by working hard in the room every day,” Leer said. “I’m not the most vocal leader, but as a veteran starter on the team, I know it is important to show the younger guys what it takes to be a successful college wrestler.”

The team was not able to carry over its momentum into the day’s final match against an undefeated Waynesburg University, dropping a tough battle 18-16. Hamann, 165 pounds, Leer, 197 pounds, and Mancella continued their dominant day with three victories apiece, each by decision. Goldschmidt was edged out of joining the trio with a perfect record due to a tough 5-4 match. Lynch earned his second win of the day, topping his opponent, 3-2. Sophomore Nick Herring contributed a win of his own with a huge 6-0 victory.

In total, the Lions finished 1-2 on the hectic day, with seven different wrestlers earning wins for the team.

Looking forward, the Lions will have their first home match of the young season on Wednesday, Nov. 19, when King’s College will visit Packer Hall for a 7:30 p.m.

The College will then look to recover from its slow start at the Fall College Open match on Saturday, Nov. 22, in the Rec Center.

4 6

LIONS

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 17

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Matt Bowker “The Ref”

Sydney Shaw

Kyle Bennion

Opinions Editor

Photo Editor

Kevin Luo

Staff Writer

In this week’s Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Matt Bowker, asks our panel of experts three questions: Will the 76ers win more than nine games this year or set the record for most losses in NBA history, who is the favorite to win the Super Bowl at this point in the season, and which team currently not in the top four of the NCAA Playoffs has the best chance to get in?

1. Will the 76ers set the league record for most losses in a season?

Kyle: The 76ers are looking like the worst team the league has seen in a long time and will likely set the league record for losses in a season. Pseudo-star player Michael Carter-Williams needs further development before he’s a force in the league, and his lackluster supporting cast will likely make it so Carter-Williams is predictably “the shot taker” for the Sixers. This team will not turn this season around and will likely have a high chance at the number one pick next offseason.

Sydney: The Nets hold the record for most consecutive losses in the beginning of the season: They went 0-18 at the start of the ’09’10 season. The 76ers are at 0-9 right now, and I don’t foresee them stealing the Nets’ record this year. Philadelphia has several tough games coming up, but the team should be able to handle at least a few of them. On Saturday, Nov. 22, the Sixers play the Knicks, whose terrible defense and slow speed might

AP Photo

be an asset for their opponents. To avoid tying the Nets’ 2009 record for losses, the Sixers would have to at least beat the Minnesota

Timberwolves on Wednesday, Dec. 3, but I don’t think it will come down to that.

Kevin: I do think the Sixers will break the

NBA record for losses this year. The team is simply not talented enough to win games on even a semi-regular basis. Even a pretty big basketball fan probably can’t name half of the Sixers roster. Not only have they not won yet this season, but they’ve lost by an astounding 16 points per game. This past offseason, they drafted two players who probably won’t play much, if at all, in the first round in Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. They also traded away their best player, Thaddeus Young. The organization and the team both know the team will be no good. Most of the players are only going to be in it for their own numbers in an attempt to make it out of the NBA albatross that is Philadelphia and get a contract somewhere else. The organization is obviously stockpiling future assets while racing to the bottom of the league to continue acquiring early first round picks in the hope of landing a star. Winning games now is not an important part of the team’s current plans, and it definitely won’t be this year.

Kevin gets 3 points for calling the players rightfully selfish. Kyle gets 2 points for calling Carter-Williams a pseudo-star and Sydney gets 1 point for giving the Sixers a chance to win.

AP Photo

2. With no clear best team in the NFL, who is your favorite to win it all?

Kyle: Call me a homer, but I like the New England Patriots as the favorites for Super Bowl champions this season.

Ever since the disastrous Bengals game, the Patriots have had by far the most prolific offense in the NFL, led by 37-going on-27 year old quarterback Tom Brady.

Not to be outshone, the patchwork New

England defense has moved into the upper half of the league in yards and points allowed. With the confidence and swagger of Brady and Belicheck, you can never count New England out when it’s late November.

Sydney: It kills me to admit a team other than Pittsburgh might win it all, but I have to pick the Broncos. Denver are 7-2 now, losing bids only to New England and Seattle this season. The Broncos have weapons like Demaryius Thomas, who showed off a record-breaking performance in Week 5. He racked up the most receiving yards (226) in franchise history, and they have Peyton Manning, of course. If they can strengthen their run game, I think they will win it all.

Kevin: My favorite to win it all is still Denver. I think they’re the most talented team in the NFL and probably more talented than the team that made

it to the Super Bowl last season. They still have an array of explosive weapons for Peyton Manning on offense, adding Emmanuel Sanders this offseason. They also added Demarcus Ware, T.J. Ward and Aqib Talib to this defense, adding a much-needed physicality to this team.

Lastly, one of the best pass protectors and pass rushers returns to its lineups after missing the playoffs last season in Ryan Clady and Von Miller. I also think the Broncos have two things going for them in terms of intangible advantages.

They have something to prove after getting embarrassed last year in the Super Bowl. Also, I think the Broncos see their potential championship window closing with Peyton inching toward retirement every year, as well as many of their star players becoming free agents in the near future, most notably Demaryius and Julius Thomas this offseason.

Kevin gets 3 points for looking at the Broncos’ redemption. Kyle gets 2 points for not counting out Brady, and Sydney gets 1 point for praising Thomas.

3. Which team currently not in the top four of the NCAA Football playoffs has the best chance of getting in?

Kyle: With a dominant top four already existing in college football, I would look for Ole Miss to crack the playoffs this college football season. The eighthranked Mississippi team is playing in the unanimously perceived hardest division in college football, the SEC, and remains at 8-2. Look for the Mississippi vs. Mississippi State matchup on Saturday, Nov. 29 to be the game that Ole Miss wins to crack the top four in college football.

Sydney:I have hope that Baylor will rise in the ranks soon. The team has been criticized this week for failing to elevate into the top four, but the team didn’t drop in ranking either. Remaining idle for one week doesn’t mean Baylor doesn’t have a chance. Baylor’s defense is led by defensive tackle Andrew Billings and potential All-American defensive end Shawn Oakman. The team is stronger than ever. On the offense,

coach Art Briles implemented a version of the spread that won the Bears a Big 12 Conference title in 2013. I think it will serve them well this season, as well.

Kevin: The obvious choice to this question is Alabama since they just beat No. 1-ranked Mississippi State, so they’ll obviously be in that top four in the upcoming poll and control their own destiny to stay there. Therefore, the team other than Alabama that I think has a good chance of getting in the top four is Baylor. They have the ability to put up jaw-dropping offensive numbers which could impress the committee, as they’re averaging about 50 points a game, tops in all of Division I. The team have another big “resume-booster” game on the schedule against Kansas State, and it currently owns the tiebreaker against TCU, which is currently in the top four of the polls. If Baylor wins out, it’ll be the Big 12 Champion, which should hold some weight when considering who makes the top four in the final playoff poll.

Kyle gets 3 points remembering that Ole Miss is very good. Kevin gets 2 points for looking ahead at Baylor’s schedule, and Sydney gets 1 point for crediting Baylor’s defense.

Kevin wins Around the Dorm 8-5-3

AP Photo

page 18 The Signal November 19, 2014 page 24 The Signal November 5, 2014

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November 19, 2014 The Signal page 19

ports Week In Review The Horizon For

By Gabe Allen Staff Writer Week 11 of the Lions League of Legends is in the books, and while the race for the playoffs is still very much open, the Polaroid that is the league’s postseason picture is rapidly developing. After cruising to a blowout victory versus Andrew Grossman’s “G-Unit,” my “Gridiron Gang” sits atop the standings at 10-1.

Next we have Anna “Prestera’s Pals,” who squeaked out a win against the playoff hopeful Chris Molicki “Cowboys Suck” squad, and because the Chris Springerowned “Tickle Monsters” got trampled by the Pierce Cooper-run “Stallions R Us,” “Prestera’s Pals” has regained sole possession of second place. Meanwhile, the win from “Stallions R Us” keeps them in the playoff picture one game ahead of the Matt Modica-managed “Blood and Gore,” which was the only 5-5 team that earned a Week 11 win. With only two weeks left, “Prestera’s Pals” and my “Gridiron Gang” are the only two teams that have officially clinched a spot in the playoffs, but one more win gets the “Tickle Monsters” in.

Still, the “Tickle Monsters” currently lead the league in overall points and would likely still claim a playoff spot even if Springer were unable to earn a win in Week 12

Sports

or Week 13. So basically we’re down to one final playoff spot that’s up for grabs.

“Stallions R Us” has a tough matchup versus “Prestera’s Pals” in Week 12 of the season, which he’ll likely have to win in order to keep hold of their one-game lead on “Blood and Gore” for the final playoff spot. This year in fantasy football, besides the recurring injury story that exists year-to-year, the story is the rookie wide receivers: Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Matthews and Sammy Watkins. These guys have all been having unbelievable rookie seasons in the NFL, and seem destined for long, successful careers in both fantasy and reality football. I actually drafted two of them (Benjamin and Cooks) and picked up Matthews off the waiver wire, and while Cooks and Matthews are on my team’s bench most weeks since I typically start Benjamin and Broncos wide receivers DeMaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, Sanders’s status is doubtful after being diagnosed with a concussion on Sunday (following an absolutely jaw-dropping but legal hit), Cooks or Matthews may be thrown into my starting blender this week. The league’s playoff picture is becoming more and more clear every week, but there are still plenty of teams in contention for the final playoff spot.

Men’s Basketball November 19 at Western Connecticut State, 7:30 p.m.

November 22 vs. Montclair State, 3 p.m.

Wrestling November 19 vs. King’s College, 7:30 p.m.

November 22 TCNJ Fall College Open, TBA Women’s Basketball November 18 at Moravian College, 7 p.m.

November 22 vs. Montclair State, 1 p.m.

Field Hockey November 22 vs. Middlebury College, TBA Women’s Soccer November 22 Misericordia University, 1:30 p.m.

Women’s Swimming and Diving November 21-23 Rutgers University Invitational, TBA

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS HISTORY On Nov. 22, 1925, Red Grange played his final footbal game at the University of Illinois. Grange decided to sign with the NFL — something that college players did not typically do at the time — and became one of the NFL’s all-time great players. Without Grange, it is likely that the NFL would not have not succeeded.

This week’s picks from the staff Staff

(NHL) Lightning vs.

Islanders

(NFl) Lions vs.

Patriots

(NBA) Spurs vs.

Cavaliers

ST U D E N T AT H L E TE O F

THE WEEK

Julie Kayzerman

Jessica Goldman Women’s Soccer Scored the game winning goal in the double overtime

Andrew Grossman Pete Fiorilla

Freshman Jessica Goldman tallied the Lions’ game-winning goal to advance to the third round of the NJAC Tourament. The Lions defeated the reigning national champions, William Smith College, 2-1, on Goldman’s goal just five minutes into the second overtime period.

Matt Bowker

?

Signal Trivia

?

How did NCAA basketball’s “March Madness” get its name?

AP PHOTO

Last Week’s Trivia Answer : St. Louis Cardinals’ legend Ozzie Smith has won the most golden gloves among shortstops in MLB history. “The Wizard” won 13 consecutive golden gloves for the Cardinals and is known as the greatest defensive player in baseball history.

page 20 The Signal November 19, 2014 Men’s Basketball

Men’s basketball splits weekend games 1-1 record at weekend Tip-Off Tournament

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Bobby Bracket leads the College with points at Virginia Wesleyan.

By George Tatoris Staff Writer

The men’s basketball team competed against two other Division III teams at Virginia Wesleyan’s Marlin Tip-Off Tournament this weekend. They lost to the host school 91-60 but managed to beat Delaware Valley College in the consolation game 67-57, resulting in a record of 1-1. There were a total of four teams at the Tournament.

Virginia Wesleyan, which has qualified for the NCAA championship for the past four seasons, boasted a strong offense that

dominated the court on Saturday, Nov. 15, scoring 14 three-point goals and heralding a 30-point lead at the first half.

“Virginia Wesleyan is a very good team, and they shot the ball very well against us,” junior forward Bobby Brackett said. “It’s hard beating any team when they have a shooting night like that.”

The score was tied 7-7 in the first half when a 20-5 run from Virginia Wesleyan sent them into the lead. Freshman guard Eric Murdock Jr. managed to score a layup afterwards, but that was not enough to curb things in the College’s favor.

At the end of the first half, Virginia

Wesleyan led 56-26.

Despite the difficult opponent, the College managed to claw back in the middle of the second half, rallying in the first eight minutes for a series of impressive runs that would cut the deficit to 6045.Ten of the 19 points scored in those minutes were made by Brackett.

But this valiant effort was not enough to thwart the VWC offense, which followed the Lions’ surge with an 11-0 run which snared them a victory.

Brackett was the top scorer and rebounder of the night, with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Senior guard and co-captain Jayson Johnson also broke into the double digits with a total of 15 points and three assists.

In spite of the defeat, the College swung around and beat Delaware Valley College on Sunday, Nov 16.

Delaware had a 13-8 lead at the beginning of the first half, but the Lions quickly tied it up. A significant 18-6 run at the end of the first half brought the Lions into the lead.

A three-pointer from Johnson, a longdistance shot from senior forward and cocaptain Skyelar Ettin and a jumper from sophomore guard Eric Klacik, who also converted all his free throws after he was fouled, helped propel the Lions to a 42-30 lead over the Delaware Valley Aggies at the break.

Brackett noted Johnson, Ettin and Klacik’s importance in Sunday’s game.

“Without all three of them playing that well, we don’t win the game,” Brackett said.

Midway through the second half, Delaware Valley scored 10 unanswered points that narrowed the gap to just six points, but a three-pointer from Klacik stifled their progress. A series of free throws clinched the win for the Lions.

Klacik, Ettin and Johnson all got doubles: Klacik got 17 points, Ettin got 16 and Johnson got 12.

Brackett attributed the success Sunday to experience and strong defense.

“Playing great defense and rebounding the ball is what gets us going on offense,” Brackett said. “Once we all realize that, I think we can have a very good season.”

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Johnson pressures the opponent.

Women’s Soccer

Cross Country

XC denied spot to Nationals NCAA / 3-0

win for Lions

By George Tatoris Staff Writer A wall of spectators barricaded 41 cross country teams onto the Genesee Valley Park course this Saturday, Nov. 15. Over 500 runners competed at the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional Championships for the chance to go to Nationals. Unfortunately, the College did not make it.

The women’s team placed 10th, but only the top two teams receive automatic bids to Nationals. Senior Megan Stack placed 23rd at 22:35.9, the first Lion across.

The large crowd did not intimidate Stack “because there is always so much energy around you to keep you motivated,” she said.

Behind Stack, junior Carly Martz finished 58th with a time of 23:18.1. Freshman Allison Fournier and senior Jillian Manzo crossed the finish line in tandem: Fournier finished 68th with a time of 23:25.3 and Manzo finished 69th with a time of 23:25.9.

The men’s team placed 13th with sophomore Andrew Tedeschi placing 23rd with a time of 25:47.7. Tedeschi also relished in the excitement of the crowd.

“It was extremely loud during the race,” Tedeschi said. “Our whole team came down to cheer. (It) really got the adrenaline going.”

Senior Jeremy Garrell crossed 64th with a time of 26:31.1. Sophomore Brandon Mazzarella placed 70th, posting a time of 26:39.9.

Behind them, junior Scott Savage

continued from page 24

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

As XC ends, Lions look on to upcoming track and field season. posted a time of 26:47.6, placing 80th; junior Tyler Grimm posted a time of 26:48.9, placing 84th; and freshman Dale Johnson finished with 26:53.5 on the clock, placing 86th.

Because of the small size of the course, the runners had to get into good position before the first bend, lest they get caught in the back and it becomes

harder to move up.

Most of the runners will be able to try for Nationals again in the indoor track.

But with winter track and field ahead in the distance, the focus is on that for now.

“It’s my senior year, so I am going to miss running cross country,” Stack said. “But I am excited for track season to begin.”

But, the Lion’s were charged with a penalty midway through the first, leaving senior defender Brenna Kincaid able to sink her first goal of the season off a penalty kick at 28:40.

The half continued on with more of the same — the defense continued keeping the shots to a low count and each team kept getting chances at each other. The Lions were trying to get something started, but not before the 45-minute mark was reached.

The second started off almost the same, but with both team’s playing even harder on defense.

Both teams were able to take more shots in the second compared to the first, but it was the College that was able to sink the important goal.

The star of the last game, Levering was able to come through again and tie the game with a goal, her 15th of the season, from the far left sideline at 83:35.

With the score tied 1-1 at the end of the second, the game headed into overtime. These shorter periods were all Lions, as they had more shot attempts than William Smith in both the first and second overtimes.

Particularly in the second, where in the span of five minutes after its start, the team had three shots with one of them being the all-important one.

Freshman Jessica Goldman was able make a shot from a corner kick, which slid in for the game winner at exactly 105:00.

With that, the Lions are moving on to the third round. Their next game is Saturday, Nov. 22, and they will be playing at Cole Field in Williamstown, MA at 1:30 p.m. against the Misericordia Cougars.

November 19, 2014 The Signal page 21 Ice Hockey

Ice hockey splits weekend home games Lions’ top offensmen consistently succeeding

Julie Kayzerman / Sports Editor

Junior Steven Czachor dumps the puck up the ice.

By Julie Kayzerman Sports Editor

It was junior captain Salvatore DiBrita who the Lions ice hockey team relied on heavily as they split games this past weekend. DiBrita dominated on the offense, picking up six points by assisting every goal of the weekend and scoring once himself —

a performance that pushed him to the top of the team’s point list with a season total of 20.

DiBrita’s play sparked the attack when the Lions rolled over local rival Princeton University, 4-0, at the Loucks Ice Center on Friday, Nov. 15, commanding for a full 60 minutes.

DiBrita scored while the Lions were shorthanded and Collins

added a goal in the win, racking up 10 points for their line, while defensemen Matt Martin and Gary L’Heureux added an assist each during the night.

However, the night’s performance also highlighted two goals by sophomore Dylan McMurrer. The former defenseman was moved up to the first offensive line, playing alongside DiBrita and sophomore Kevin Collins, and has continuously proven to be a vital player on the ice.

“We were looking for a little spark to get our offense going a little bit and we thought that by moving (McMurrer) up it settled some of the lines,” coach Joseph Cucci said. “Dylan is Dylan, so anywhere you put him, he’s going to produce and he’s going to execute.”

The team skated around the Tigers all the way through, outshooting them 50-22 and earning the shutout for senior captain and goalie David Laub, who saved 22 shots in the win. “(There were) a lot of good things,” Cucci said. “We played a solid overall game. We had a good commitment to defense.

We limited their shots. We won puck races, and when you do that and you give an honest effort

with no shortcuts, you’re going to win more than you lose.”

But on Saturday night, the Lions took to their home ice again to play West Chester in an important league game that ultimately ended with a tough loss, 4-2.

While junior forward Tyler Viducic fired up the offense scoring both goals for the Lions, one on the power play, the College succumbed to unforeseen injuries on the bench.

Early in the first period, McMurrer and senior captain Alex D’Alessio went down with injuries from hard hits, forcing the

two to leave the bench for the rest of the game — a tough loss of key players that the College couldn’t come back from.

“It was a very important two points that we really wanted,” Cucci said. “It was an important game, but I thought we’ve been playing some very good hockey, maybe it doesn’t show on the record but we’re building as a team.”

The Lions return to the home ice at the Loucks Ice Center seeking to redeem themselves over rival, Rider University on Friday, Nov. 22, after falling to the Broncs earlier in the season, 2-0.

Julie Kayzerman / Sports Editor

McMurrer pressures Princeton’s defensive zone.

Men’s and women’s teams fall to NYU Swimming and Diving

By Jessica Ganga Social Media Editor It was a tough weekend for both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams. The teams fell to New York University on Saturday, Nov. 15, making it the men’s first loss of the season and the women’s second loss in a row.

But, even with the women’s team afflicted by illness and injury, causing changes in the roster, the women still fought hard against a strong NYU. The men’s team equally proved that they wouldn’t give up, even though they couldn’t get the win.

The men’s team came out of the water strong in the beginning of its meet by opening up with an 11-point victory.

In the men’s first event — the 200-yard medley relay — seniors Alexsander Burzynski and Brett Pederson, alongside juniors James Shangle and Joseph Dunn, just barely beat out the NYU swimmers, touching the wall at 1:34.96, only 0.24 seconds ahead of their competition.

Pederson and Dunn were able to help their team win the men’s 400-yard freestyle relay at the end of the meet, this time swimming with sophomore Andrew Nesbitt and senior Brian Perez. The men started out just behind the NYU swimmers at the beginning of the race, but with a burst of energy, they were able to outswim the Violets and take the top spot in the event.

Even with the loss, the men still were able to post impressive numbers and swim at their best. In the men’s 200yard freestyle, Nesbitt swam at a time of

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Swimming and diving performs well despite weekend loss.

1:43.90 — touching the wall two seconds ahead of his NYU competitor. The Lions were able to go one and two in this event, with sophomore Scott Vitabile coming in one second behind his teammate to take second place.

The men were able to take first in

two more events and improve upon previous times in the men’s 100-yard backstroke and men’s 100-yard breaststroke.

Shangle, who has been impressive all season, was able to beat his time from the last meet in the 100-yard breaststroke.

He swam at a time of 57.74, beating his

previous time of 58.43.

Sophomore Jin Roh was also able to beat his previous time and was even able to move up a spot in the 100-yard backstroke. In his last meet, Roh took second place with a time of 53.71. Against NYU, Roh took first place with a time of 52.85, beating the second place NYU swimmer by 0.05 seconds.

The women’s team was unable to take the win against NYU and only took first place in four of their events, but like the men, still swam strong. Some of the freshman rookies were able to help the team post some winning numbers, showing that they are a vital part to the team.

In the women’s 100-yard butterfly, the College went one, two and three, coming in just seconds behind one another.

Freshman Debbie Meskin swam at a time of 1:05.42 — helping her team gain nine more points to its total. Junior Noelle DeLusant touched the wall one second after Meskin, followed by freshman Tatiana Greiner — both posting times of 1:06.61 and 1:06.91, respectively.

Freshman swimmers Ali Huber and Emily Rothstein — alongside senior Summer Thomas and junior Lauren Rothstein — were able to finish out the night by working together to put up an impressive time of 3:43.99 in the women’s 400-yard freestyle relay. The women were able to end the night on a high note, yet fell 19498 to the imposing NYU team.

Both the men’s and women’s team have a chance to redeem themselves when the College hosts its annual, threeday invitational from Friday, Dec. 5, through Sunday, Dec. 7.

page 22 The Signal November 19, 2014

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DR. michael rubenstein, assistant professor of english stony brook university This program is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.

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November 19, 2014 The Signal page 23

Fun Stuff Thought of the day:

I’m feeling pretty hungary

for a turkey dinner. but first i’ll need some greece...

a text message with john doe

tic tac toe

SOLVE THIS RIDDLE!

what occurs twice in a week, once in a year but never in a day? (answer at bottom of page)

can you spot the differences?

ANSWER OF RIDDLE: The letter ‘e’

Signal

Sports

Field hockey off to VA for semifinals Hatch’s goal sends Lions further in NCAA

By Otto Gomez Staff Writer

In their first game of the NCAA Division III Tournament, the Lions faced off against SUNY New Paltz at Lions Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16. This was another game in which they were not able to get off to a fast start, missing opportunities on the offensive side of the ball that could have produced a couple of goals.

It was not until there were about 10 minutes left in the first half and the Lions got a good look at the net when senior and leading goal scorer Lindsey Hatch was able to bypass the keeper and put up a shot, only for it to be deflected by Hawks defender Colleen Roemer.

But the game was blown wide open in the second half, when Hatch was finally able to get on the board with 20 minutes left in the game. She intercepted a pass, allowing her to knock in her 30th goal of the season.

“I think we just started playing our game and communicating more,” Lions coach Sharon

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Two weekend wins send the field hockey team to compete in Virginia.

Pfluger said. “Once we started doing that, we started to have more opportunities to have an attack.”

In the next 10 minutes, the Lions found a way to score three more times — once more by Hatch, one by sophomore Danielle Andreula and the third by senior Erin Healy, off a feed from sophomore Lexi Smith.

With the final score at 4-0, the Lions began to prepare for their next game versus Catholic University.

The following day, the Lions scored with 11 minutes left in the first half to advance in the tournament, beating Catholic 1-0.

The goal came off a beautiful pass from Smith, finished with a laser shot from none other than

Hatch. This was the second of two very good opportunities the Lions had to score, the former coming from a shot by sophomore Jaclyn Douglas that hit the cross bar.

Often overlooked because of the Lions’ high-powered offense, Schlupp has been fantastic protecting the net this season and showed it particularly in the closing minutes

of the quarterfinals game.

With Catholic having been awarded five corners in as many minutes, the Cardinals were bound to get a shot on goal.

While missing with the first two, the next three were on target, but all saved by Schlupp, including the last one, a spectacular diving save to keep the game at 1-0 and give Schlupp her fourth shutout of the season.

The Lions will now travel to Lexington, V.A., to face Middlebury College in the semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 22. With a win there, they could possibly face Salisbury University in the final – the only team that bested the Lions – for possible revenge. With a win against Salisbury, the Lions would win their first NCAA Championship since 2011.

“Being with this group of girls is incredible,” Hatch said. “We want to win it again for those girls that are seniors, who won it all as freshman. I think we have a good chance of bringing it back home.”

Contributions from Anthony Caruso

Women’s soccer off to second NCAA round

By Michael Battista Staff Writer Following their NJAC loss, the Lions traveled up to Geneva, N.Y., to compete in their 24th NCAA tournament. The team was able to win the first round game against Allegheny, 3-0, on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Senior Christine Levering said in these kind of games, every team needs to play with everything it has.

“Since its ‘if you lose you’re out,’ it makes every team come out like it could be their last,” she said. “The playoffs can be anyone’s game depending on who wants it more.”

The Lions played with this kind of mentality, as they came out swinging in the first half. Freshman Jessica Goldman was able to cross a free kick to Levering early on in the game and create a scoring opportunity, putting the Lions on top at 15:38.

The Lions continued to push against the Gator’s defense, getting past them and taking shots again and again.

It wasn’t too long before something finally gave once again, as Levering was able to beat two defenders and blast in another goal, giving the Lions a commanding lead at 32:21.

Lions’ Lineup November 19, 2014

I n s i d e

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Freshman Jessica Goldman scores the game-winner in overtime.

It wasn’t only the offense that was putting on a dominant display. The defense was able to keep the Gators to only two shots in the entire first half, compared to the Lions nine.

Once the first half ended, Allegheny picked itself up and started to push back hard against the college in the second.

In the first 15 minutes of the half, the Gators were able to take more shots than they were able to in the entire first.

However, the Lions were able to keep them back long enough for Levering to finish off a hat trick off a cross at the top of the box from sophomore Sarah Marion at 54:43.

The Gators continued to push, taking six shots to the Lions’ three, but Levering says this was all because of the team’s play style.

“I think in the second half we had the lead 2-0, so we were playing more defensively as opposed to the first half,” she said.

“I feel like Allegheny had more energy coming out in the second half, but we were able to hold them off and get the win.”

Goalie Kendra Griffith, who had a total of four saves in the game, said the defense did a great job in keeping the Gator’s back.

“Allegheny definitely had their chances, and they were decent chances,” she said.

“Our team did a great job keeping their aggressive nature to a minimum and controlling any situations that became dangerous.”

With that, the team was able to get past Allegheny in the first round and look toward the next day’s game on Sunday, Nov. 16, against William Smith College. Levering looked at it as another challenge.

“I think I have to come out just as strong as I did today because William Smith is not going to let us walk over them,” she said.

The Herons battled the Lion’s through two halves and two overtimes before the College was able to take the win, 2-0.

The first half was back and forth, each team having bursts in each other’s zone that showed how talented its offense was ­— both in terms of outmaneuvering the opposing defense and being able to work together with few mistakes as a unit.

see NCAA page 20

46 53 Around the Dorm page 17

XC finishes strong page 20

Hockey splits weekend page 21

Women’s basketball wins Page 16