A White (Castle) Christmas Justin Mancini reviews ‘A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas.’ See A&E page 17
tcnjsignal.net
Baklava down the block
Mikonos Restaurant on Scotch Road could become a pillar of local Greek cuisine. See Features page 11
The College of New Jersey Student Newspaper since 1885
November 9, 2011
No. 10
Vol. CXXXV.
Fiocco v. TCNJ court date set By Matt Huston Editor-in-Chief
The first trial date in the court dispute between the College and the parents of John Fiocco Jr. has been rescheduled to Feb. 6, according to Dawn Ritter, civil division manager of the Mercer County Superior Court. The
trial was originally scheduled to begin Monday, Nov. 7. Judge Pedro Jimenez has not yet issued a decision on the College’s Oct. 21 motion for summary judgment, Ritter said on Monday. A decision in favor of the College would end the case without a trial.
Chemical odor sends employee to the hospital By Adrienne Slaght Correspondent
Tim Lee / Staff Photographer
Freshman psychology major Vicki Wang blows up a balloon during the College’s Improv Everywhere-sponsored ‘MP3 Experiment.’ Read the story on page 15.
SafeConnect issues frustrate users By Tom Ciccone Nation & World Editor
SafeConnect, mandatory software for all students and faculty wishing to connect to the Internet on the College’s campus, garners an average of two to three complaints per week, according to IT personnel. Campus users have complained of being unable to log on, experiencing slowed Internet and needing to download the software a number of times. Faculty members have also voiced complaints about difficulties with downloading files from the Internet, IT personnel said. According to a Res.net student employee who asked to remain anonymous, the problems usually do not have to do with
SafeConnect but with the person’s computer, as inconsistencies in the computer’s internal files will require them to download SafeConnect a number of times. On the College’s website, SafeConnect is referred to as a Network Access Control device designed “to help prevent a computer from becoming a victim of virus, spyware, spam, or trojans, and also from spreading such malware.” Senior communication studies major Audrey Hix said she has had problems accessing the Internet because SafeConnect continued to tell her she didn’t have updated virus protection. “I use the school’s antivirus program, Sophos, and am always getting messages that it is out of date and I have to update it,” Hix said in an email interview. “I took my
Illustration by Brittany Mastrostefano
computer to (Res.net) to get the virus protection upgraded, but (SafeConnect) still sporadically blocks me from using the school’s wireless and tells me my computer is ‘quarantined.’” After dealing with continuous SafeConnect problems, Hix said, “I think it’s a pain … It’s just another annoying step between opening my browser and doing what I want to do.” An office assistant in the Social Sciences Building who asked not to be named said she had problems downloading outside extensions from the Internet and believed the SafeConnect system was preventing the downloads from succeeding. Res.net staff said they have no such problems with their own computers using SafeConnect and maintain that the problems stem from the individuals’ computers and not from SafeConnect itself. “Every issue that is brought to IT’s attention is taken seriously,” said Alan Bowen, manager of IT security. When asked if there were any plans to assess or upgrade SafeConnect’s system, he declined to comment. The IT and Res.net offices are located in the basement of Green Hall. IT handles phone support and Res.net staff are certified to help with Internet problems.
An employee from the College was taken to the hospital on Oct. 18 after inhaling a chemical odor that entered Armstrong Hall as the result of a roof replacement project. According to Stacy Schuster, executive director of College Relations, “all the proper precautions were taken with regard to closing off intakes from HVAC units, but the odor from the adhesive apparently still entered the building. The work was immediately stopped and the building was aired out.” Senior engineering major Louie Hernandez said he was “unaware of the situation,” but suspected something when he noticed large fans placed in Armstrong’s hallways. The adhesive released into the building was rated low-VOC, short for Volatile Organic Compound, which is expected to release a minimal level of gases, according to Schuster. The name of the individual has not been released. Schuster said that she is unaware of any lawsuits being filed in relation to this incident.
Tom O’Dell / Photo Editor
Construction takes place on Armstrong Hall’s roof.
Professor researches treatment for Alzheimer’s By Melisa Easaw Staff Writer
Chemistry as Applied to Drug Discovery: A Sampling of Projects in the Hunt Lab,” centered College chemistry professor on two of his research topics: David Hunt is engaging multiple myeloma and in research that could Alzheimer’s disease. change lives. “To date, every Hunt sounded off compound that has shown on his research in this promise (in the treatment semester’s Colloquium of Alzheimer’s) has for the Recognition of failed in clinical trials,” HUNT Faculty Research and Hunt said, stressing the Creative Activity on Wednesday, importance of Alzheimer’s research. Nov. 2 in the Library Auditorium. According to Hunt, multiple Hunt’s talk, titled “Organic mechanisms are involved in the
Lions with gills
development and progression of Alzheimer’s. Specifically, the disease is made up of “six pathways that combine for toxic neuronal damage,” including excessive production of APP (amyloid precursor protein) and reduced glucose metabolism in the brain, he explained. “We need to formulate drugs that target all six pathways,” he said. Treatments for Alzheimer’s are a part of Hunt’s research. The pharmaceutical industry is starting to create drugs that penetrate
Bendable Poseable
the blood-brain barrier, which helps protect the brain, Hunt said. Hunt noted the irony: “The thing that protects the brain makes brain diseases difficult to treat.” Hunt’s research in the field deals with using natural antioxidants, including ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), which protect the body against oxidative damage, to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The other antioxidants he is researching are reservatrol, a plant compound found on the skin of red grapes, and lipoic acid, a
fatty acid found in human cells and in small amounts in certain foods like spinach and broccoli. Hunt’s hypothesis is: “Is it possible to (join) an antioxidant to another antioxidant to use as a transport system to the brain?” Hunt said that this research is promising. “First-pass testing indicates that these compounds are actually penetrating nerve cells and getting where they need to go,” he said.
Slammin’ poetry
Both swim teams went 3-0 on Columnist Samantha Sorin talks yoga and sex. consecutive days last week.
Jive Poetic and student poets shared slam poetry.
See Sports page 19
See A&E page 15
See Features page 13
see LAB page 3
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