The Signal: Spring '19 No. 14

Breaking news and more at TCNJSignal.net Vol. L, No. 14

May 8, 2019

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Alumni entrepreneurs appear on ‘Shark Tank’

College hosts inauguration for 16th president

By Michelle Lampariello Former Editor-in-Chief When alumni Kevin Gabauer and Tom Armenti (’09) were students at the College, they never expected that they would one day stand before a line of sharks in the most important discussion of their professional lives.

But when there was a casting call last summer in Denver for ABC’s “Shark Tank,” the now west coast-based businessmen jumped at the chance to have world-famous investors strengthen their late-night eatery chain, Fat Shack.

Known for serving indulgent “fat sandwiches,” Fat Shack’s original Ewing location was a popular destination for students looking to treat themselves to comfort food after other on-campus dining locations would close. While the Fat Shack in Ewing closed in 2017, Gabauer and Armenti emphasized the chain’s strong ties to the College as they prepare to open their 14th location out west.

The “Shark Tank” episode will air on Sunday, May 12 at 10 p.m. on ABC. Gabauer and Armenti cannot comment on their interactions with the sharks or whether or not they received a deal until after the episode airs. However, they were able to offer insight on their experience starting a see RESTAURANT page 17

Foster addresses the crowd at her ceromony.

By Len La Rocca and Alanna Jenkins Distribution Manager and Staff Writer

Under an archway of blue and yellow balloons lead the path to the Student Recreation Center, which hosted a momentous occasion in the College’s history — where Dr. Kathryn A. Foster would be inaugurated as the 16th President of the College on May 3.

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

Faculty, students and guests filled the seats before an elegant stage with a grand podium, two screen projections and a massive blue banner that read, “For Tradition. For Tomorrow.

For TCNJ.” In a grand ceremony, the College honored Kathryn A. Foster by inaugurating her as the school’s 16th president after a year of serving as Interim College President. State

officials, delegates from other institutions and College alumni came to the podium to speak on the momentous bestowal of the College medallion.

The Wind Ensemble performed music during the precessional, while drummers marched along in a single-file entrance of student organizations, staff and delegates in their diverse gowns representing their respective colleges.

After all were seated, the ceremony began.

Susanne Svizney (‘79), the chair of the Board of Trustees, called the ceremony to order and introduced Alyse Watson (‘20), who sang the National Anthem with help from the Wind Ensemble.

“This is indeed a great day for the College,” Svizney said. “The trustees of The College of New Jersey thank you and those attending via our live webcast for joining on this special occasion in celebrating our past, present, and future.”

In attendance were former College Presidents Gitenstein and Eickhoff.

Former President Brower watched from the webcast.

“President Foster, you have already proved to us that you’re going to be a strong leader who will lead by example, who will bring energy to the campus, and you have already shown so much love for TCNJ,” Watson said. “So with sincere excitement and honor, I’d like to say, on see CEREMONY page 7

Community responds to Trenton water quality report

Trenton Water Works addresses the concerns of individuals.

By Michelle Lampariello, Elizabeth Zakaim, Miguel Gonzalez and Caleigh Carlson Signal Staff

Kate McKinley (’11) does not trust her tap water. She triple filters her drinking water and uses another

filter on her showerheads.

McKinley, an Ewing resident who was also in the running for town council last fall, started losing faith in Trenton Water Works’ — the local water filtration plant — ability to provide her with clean water after she continued to receive

INDEX: Nation & World / page 11

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Editorial / page 13

Lions’ Plate

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

violation notices in the mail, which were similar to the letters sent to the College.

The most recent letter the College received from TWW regarding any violations was in February. TWW reported that it had failed to stay under the maximum

Opinions / page 14

contaminant level for two disinfection byproducts, haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes, within one year. According to the Center for Disease Control, disinfection byproducts result when chemicals used to clean the water, such as chlorine, react with dissolved organic material in the water.

While TWW assured customers that this did not define an emergency situation and that no corrective actions, such as boiling water, were necessary, the plant mentioned that customers who are elderly, have a compromised immune system or drank water with excess levels of TTHM or HAA5 over many years may experience health complications and are at an increased risk for cancer.

Residents like McKinley found it aggravating to find out about these violations with so little accompanying information.

“I felt angry,” she said. “They notify us after high levels of anything toxic is detected and never give us any background on the potential danger of the elevated levels. You have to research that on your own.”

Features / page 17

Mystique 2019

However, TWW provided information on how it is seeking to remedy the issue. According to the report, the plant has added a second permanganate feed line used to disinfect the water and is repairing the chlorine contact basins, which will result in the better removal of organics and reduce the amount of disinfection byproducts.

TWW would not comment publicly on its violations or solution policies.

TWW’s stiffness is part of why McKinley remains skeptical of the water quality, but not just for her own sake. Her friend, who has lived in Ewing for 20 years, has had breast cancer twice in the past 10 years.

While neither can definitely say whether or not the cancer is correlated with the water quality, her friend represents those with compromised immune systems — the population whose health TWW warns might be at risk when drinking the water.

“She’s definitely at risk,” McKinley said. Her friend uses filters for most of her water see FILTER page 2

Arts & Entertainment / page 21

Sports / page 24

Softball

French toast makes for breakfast treat

Asian cultural event puts spin on Pokémon

Lions become champions for first time since 2000

See Features page 19

See A&E page 21

See Sports page 24

Filter / Local reports show water safe to drink page 2 The Signal May 8, 2019

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sources in her house and is still taking medication until doctors can safely report that she is in remission.

“She was very angry with the whole situation because of her immune system being compromised,” McKinley said.

“This would only exacerbate her condition.”

For McKinley, her friend’s circumstance only added salt to a long-festering wound. TWW’s reputation was first tainted for McKinley four years ago when she was concerned about squatters living next door.

After reaching out to the town council for help with no luck, McKinley and her neighbors decided to take matters into their own hands. They called TWW to find out about the property’s last payments and learned that the residents had been delinquent for almost two years.

“It was a battle to get TWW to come out here and turn the water off,” she said. “The squatters buried the valve in concrete and TWW eventually had to bring in an outside contractor to shut the water off at the main.”

The incident created a health hazard, which then caused the town to board up the house and prevent future squatters. However, McKinley remained dissatisfied with TWW’s negligence.

“In this case, TWW could have prevented them from being able to live there had they shut the water off when payment was first delinquent,” she said. “But no one at TWW was watching. If any other person in my neighborhood didn’t pay their water bill, it would be shut off immediately. This property, for some reason unknown to us, was treated differently.”

Because there remains such a concern surrounding the water quality in Mercer County, The Signal conducted its own water quality test and compared it to TWW’s most recent annual Consumer Confidence report.

The College also conducted its own test of the HAAs and TTHMs in October 2018 at different locations on campus, such as the Brower Student Center, Eickhoff Hall and other buildings.

The consultant group who conducted the tests at the College, Site Remediation Group, reported that the sample results did not detect any concentrations exceeding state drinking water standards.

For other measures of contaminants and disinfectants conducted by TWW, the College’s and The Signal’s own testing, see the tables below.

According to Amanda Radosti, the environmental programs specialist at the College, the results will vary between the TWW report and the SRG report in part because there are different sampling locations that are tested and because the concentrated amount that TWW tests at its plant gets distributed — and therefore less concentrated — when it reaches its large customer supply.

Similarly, TWW would report a lead violation at the specific sampling site it tested at, where levels of lead differ from the sampling sites the College tested through SRG, which explains why there is a lead violation in TWW’s report but not in the College’s.

“Typically, (TWW) will sample at the curb before its going through (a) residence so it has more to do with their own distribution center and not at a personal residence where they have (lead pipes) installed,” Radosti said.

In 2018, TWW reported a violation of lead and turbidity.

These violations occur when the plant has levels of these elements that exceed the governmentally established limits. Most of these elements are measured in parts per million or parts per billion.

Turbidity refers to the cloudiness of the water, according to the report, which can be the effect of soil runoff or river sediment. The report said that high levels of turbidity can hinder the effectiveness of disinfectants and provide a medium for microbial growth. The highest level of turbidity, found in 2017, was 1.33 nephelometric turbidity units. According to the report, 95 percent of monthly samples must be at or below 0.3 NTU. The report also said that TWW did not complete monitoring or testing for lead from

Trenton Water Works’ results compared with the College’s results.

Trenton Water Works is located at 333 Cortland Street in Trenton.

Jan. 1, 2017 until Dec. 31, 2017 and for turbidity from Sept. 1, 2017 until Nov. 30, 2017. Because of this lack of data, TWW reported that it cannot be sure of the quality of drinking water during that time period.

TWW also experienced a failure of the combined filter effluent, used to measure turbidity, on Sept. 25 2017 that went unnoticed until Nov. 2 2017. This prevented TWW from providing data on the turbidity levels at the time.

TWW would not comment on the specifics of these or any other violations, but assured residents that there was no need for action.

“There is nothing you need to do at this time,” the report reads. “You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. If a situation arises where the water is no longer safe to drink, you will be notified within 24 hours.”

TWW said in the report that it has repaired the damaged turbidimeter.

According to the 2018 report, out of the 119 samples collected in 2017 between January and June, 14 of those samples exceeded the action level for lead — 90 percent of samples were less than or equal to 17.6 ppb. The federal limit is 15 ppb.

TWW reported “corrosion of household plumbing” as the potential source for this finding.

Elizabth Zakaim / Editor-in-Chief

TWW, which gets its water supply from the Delaware River, released a pamphlet in July 2018 informing residents of this violation, the potential sources of lead and some solutions for residents to lower lead levels. According to the report, Trenton used lead in its water service lines until 1960 and in indoor plumbing until it was banned in 1986.

Up until 2014, brass fixtures, such as faucets, with eight percent of lead or less were allowed to be labeled as “lead free,” according to the report. Currently, that standard has been brought down to .25 percent of lead content.

According to the pamphlet, up until 1960 TWW used steel pipes lined with lead for water services to transport the water to customers.

“When treated water leaves TWW’s Filtration Plant, it is lead free,” the pamphlet reads. “The water mains in the street that transport water from the Filtration Plant are made mostly of iron and steel and do not add any lead to the drinking water. The lead from a home’s individual service line or plumbing effects only the tap water inside that home since water travels only one way in home plumbing.”

However, according to the 2018 report, TWW has recommended implementing corrosion control treatment and will replace at least seven percent of its lead service piping, a task for which the report said the plant has failed to provide a schedule. The plant also did not provide any documentation to the state indicating the number of lead service lines in its distribution system.

In order to reduce the negative health effects of drinking lead-contaminated water, which includes development impairment in children and kidney problems in adults, TWW recommends conducting lead tests, letting the water run for a few minutes before drinking or purchasing a water filter.

Violation notices are cause for concern for students at the College. Few students are willing to drink straight from their sink or a water fountain after campus-wide emails dated between October and February of this academic year announced the presence of haloacetic

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

acids and trihalomethanes in the water. However, the state Department of Environmental Protection maintains that there are no toxic effects that can result from drinking the water at this time.

Larry Hajna, a press officer for the NJ DEP, explained that while prolonged exposure to these chemicals is shown slightly to increase the risk of developing cancer, the trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids are not in a high enough concentration above the federal limit to pose a risk to citizens as TWW works to remedy the issue.

“In TWW’s case, they were both just slightly above the standard, so they are basically getting customers these notices to let them know there’s an issue and they’re working to resolve it,” Hajna said.

Though water that came from TWW currently exceeds federal limits for disinfection byproducts, the DEP is not urging citizens to take any precautions because the federal limits are set well below the threshold for toxicity.

“The maximum contaminant levels for these chemicals are set to be very conservative,” Hajna said. “You would have to drink water above these levels for many, many years to slightly increase your cancer risk. We don’t tell people you can’t drink the water, because you can. It’s just that over an extended period of time, for many, many years, it may slightly increase cancer risk.”

David Hunt, a professor of organic chemistry at the College, agreed with the DEP’s conclusions. He explained that while TWW should work to remove disinfection byproducts from the water in a timely manner, the water accessible to the campus community at the moment is unlikely to do any harm.

Hunt was not surprised to hear that there are trihalomethanes or haloacetic acids in the water, and stated that it is close to impossible to remove these chemicals altogether.

“Chloroform (a trihalomethane) is a known carcinogen, but that see TEST page 9

TCNJ Talks Series hosts first event

May 8, 2019 The Signal page 3

Students, experts promote mental health awareness

Harris discusses the challenges from her childhood.

By Megan Kelly Staff Writer

The Office of Leadership held the first ever lecture in the TCNJ Talks Series, titled “Making the Impossible Possible” at 6 p.m. on May 1 in the Brower Student Center Room 100.

The speakers consisted of junior psychology major Ralph Betancourt, College chemistry professor Benny Chan, senior nursing major Theresa Fineza and Assistant Director of Career Services Lynette N. Harris.

Through a variety of topics including mental health, STEM education, health and self-discovery, the four speakers fused their expertise in the first installment of the

TCNJ Talks series.

Betancourt focused on his own experiences at the College as both a leader on campus and a gay man.

He stressed the importance of having conversations with the people around oneself and being inclusive, as well as making sure that people keep an eye on their mental health.

In order to change the way mental health is perceived on campus, Betancourt has gotten involved with Student Government, Greek life and PRISM. He has even reached out to College President Kathryn Foster to spark conversations about mental health awareness.

“I said, ‘you know, I really want to create initiative to change how mental health is perceived on this

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

campus,’ and she really resonated with that,” Betancourt said in regards to his conversation with Foster.

He hopes there will be new initiatives coming in the fall semester to address the stigma surrounding mental health.

“It’s good to acknowledge yourself, that you might not be doing OK, and that’s OK.” he said. “We’re not meant to be perfect. We’re human beings. We have flaws ... It’s OK to fumble and fall sometimes.”

Chan, who spoke second, pulled from his own life experiences as well. At the College, he is committed to researching and redesigning the STEM curriculum to be more inclusive to minority

students. Chan said that he and other professors in the department have done “thousands of hours of interviews of TCNJ students on why they succeed and why they’re failing their STEM classes.”

Chan believes that social identity can be a key factor in the success of students in the STEM department.

The professors’ resulting solution is a model called the Intersectional Curricula Design, which will combine social identities — and their relationships with each other — with a STEM curriculum. Chan gave several examples of aspects relating to social identity that might be holding students back in the classroom, such as fasting during Ramadan or if the College has a completely new learning environment that some students did not experience in high school.

“Once we start playing with identities, we have to go into the concepts of intersectionality, so how do these social identities come together,” Chan said. “It allows us to bring these concepts of privilege and social oppression, systematic oppression, into our conversations of why people are doing well and why people are not doing well in our science careers.”

DiAnna Sela, a senior English and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies double major, attended the talk because she felt the topics addressed are topics the College should be made aware of.

“I believe this is really important because our school represents so many ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and we need to account for that when we are educating our students because of the fact that not everybody may have had the same access to education and resources that other people have had access to,” Sela said. “So when we think about equitable solution to

helping all students, the first step is representing them properly.”

Next up to speak was Fineza, who spoke about the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. She told a story of a gay man living in New York City who had contracted HIV and spoke of groups such as the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis.

To Fineza, the story of people coming together and working to achieve something seemingly impossible — finding a treatment or cure for HIV/ AIDS — personified the theme of the talk perfectly.

“I ask humbly that each and every one of you, once a day, try and seek out the humanity in someone that’s different from you,” Fineza said. “If we make that collective effort, who knows what kind of impossible future we can make possible for those who come after us?”

Lastly, Harris spoke about her experiences of seizing the day, first as a baby girl born three months prematurely in Camden, New Jersey, second as a student at Montclair State University — formerly Montclair State College — and third in her career at the College.

Harris told the story of her childhood and how she went to college to create a life for herself that she wanted, rather than play the victim and hold onto negative energy. Her message focused more on changing oneself from within, prioritizing self-care and finding a lesson to learn from in every day.

Harris concluded the event with a piece of advice for students finding themselves in their college careers.

“Life is a masterpiece,” Harris said. “And as we’re becoming the masters of our own destiny, life is a masterpiece when you learn to master peace.”

SG introduces bill to protect unpaid interns

By Alexandra Shapiro Columnist Meeting at the New Jersey State House in Trenton, Student Government discussed five resolutions at its general body session on April 30.

Jaclyn Corbo, a junior history major and the primary sponsor of Resolution S2019-06, “In support of the NJ Legislature Adopting Anti-Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Protections for Unpaid Interns,” introduced the bill to the general body.

The resolution encourages the New Jersey State Legislature to adopt policies for unpaid interns against anti-discrimination and sexual harassment in an effort to promote protection in the workplace. After a vote, SG passed the resolution.

The next resolution discussed was “RS2019-13: To implore The College of New Jersey to expand its commitment to voter accessibility as an institutional priority through the reevaluation of our Academic Calendar, and by providing the appropriate accommodations that enable all students to partake in election processes.”

There were three primary sponsors of the bill —

Vice President of Community Relations and junior communication studies and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies double major Rachel Smith, Head Senator of Humanities and Social Sciences and junior political science and psychology double major Owen Brady and Senator of Humanities and Social Sciences and sophomore political science major Kiana Stockwell.

SG introduced the bill, and they will further discuss it at the next meeting.

The next resolution up for debate, sponsored by Smith, was “R-S2019-14: To charge the Steering Committee with reevaluating the Undergraduate Internship Policy at the College and urge the Provost to promote accessible internship practices in regard to course-credit and fulfilling academic requirements.”

After debate by the general body, the resolution passed.

Student Government then debated on R-S2019-08, “Final Examination Scheduling Procedure for Classes in the Same Department.” The bill is in regards to the fact that students at the College do not have a say in when their final exams are held.

SG urged the scheduling team in Records and Registration to create a new final exam procedure for exams that are in the same department.

The general body insisted that the College’s scheduling team should avoid scheduling final examinations in the same department within a day apart. Instead, SG maintained that exams should be scheduled at least one week after each other. After debate, this bill was tabled indefinitely due to potential scheduling complications in holding final exams so far apart from each other.

Stockwell introduced her resolution titled, “RS019-15: To implore The College of New Jersey to review its FY 2020 appropriations in order to improve the accessibility of mental health resources on campus.”

The purpose of the resolution is to convey the feedback that the senators of Humanities and Social Sciences collected from students regarding mental health resources on campus, specifically pertaining to their knowledge and experience with Counseling and Psychological Services.

After a vote by the general body, the resolution passed.

Student Government did not discuss any governance reports or events at their meeting. Events regarding Finals Fest and the end of the semester are set to be discussed at the next meeting.

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HCM training honors late music student Education on cardiac arrest teaches people to be alert

By Lara Becker Reviews Editor Buddy Fox, a junior music performance and chemistry double major, remembered the comfort of sitting with Jason Zujkowski, who would bring bags of food to the basement of the music building to share with his friends.

There he would sit and listen. Zujkowski was a friend in every sense of the word — in his compassion and empathy for every person around him.

Zujkowski died on Nov. 9, 2018 from cardiac arrest as a result of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. He collapsed in the lobby of the same music building that he spent tireless hours perfecting his craft in.

On May 1 at 1:15 p.m. in the Phelps Hall lounge, it was time for the College to listen.

In collaboration with Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the HCM association and Campus Emergency Medical Services, Fox hosted an HCM talk and training with the intention of educating students, faculty and staff on how to prepare for instances of sudden cardiac arrest, and on HCM in general.

HCM affects one in 500 people in the general population, according to the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association. Cardiomyopathy is the generalized disease that causes abnormal palpitations of the heart.

“Hypertrophic” is one category of Cardiomyopathy, mainly causing excessive thickening of the heart. As Fox described, this caused Zujkowski severe shortness of breath, fatigue and rapid heartbeats.

“The biggest question that Jason’s

death left for us to answer was, ‘What could we have done? What can anyone do?’” Fox said.

He found the answer in Lisa Salberg, the founder and CEO of the HCMA. Salberg was diagnosed with HCM at the age of 12 and suffered a stroke at 21.

Her personal journey and the journeys of many of her family members with HCM made Salberg realize the lack of information and public knowledge of the disease.

Salberg then founded the HCMA in 1996 make people more aware of the disease and provide support for those affected by it. Since the organization’s inception, she has seen significant strides in the public knowledge and response to the disease.

“We’ve changed a lot here,” Salberg said. “We’re starting to see higher levels of referrals to a cardiologist for the EKG, for the CT scan or for whatever else they’re going to need.”

She described the main issue is the fact that many people may have lingering HCM without seeing symptoms right away or being diagnosed by a doctor correctly, which Salberg said is combated by not just education about HCMA, but also legislation.

HCMA has centers throughout the United States, having spearheaded the Student Athlete Protection Act to screen all athletes for HCM during their athletic physicals. The HCMA helped to train doctors to find specific symptoms in students.

In being prepared for a situation of cardiac arrest, Salberg emphasized calling 9-1-1 and getting an AED immediately, due to many similar situations resulting

Lara Becker / Reviews Editor

Students learn CPR and AED training in the Phelps Hall lounge.

in death when bystanders are unaware of how to react.

The presentation then turned to senior biology major Claire Drotman, an EMT and part of TCNJ EMS. She led demonstrations to help students prepare for situations where CPR and AEDs may be necessary.

“My hope is by the end of this training, if you end up in that situation, you would be able to take action to initiate something and not just wait for the EMT

to get there,” Drotman said.

She then demonstrated how to use an AED, how best to do compressions and the ins and outs of CPR. Through the knowledge that the training provided, Fox hoped students would feel confident enough to act in the case of a cardiac arrest and spread awareness of HCM. “This means vigilance,” he said.

“This means that we have to take action, to ensure the safety of our greater campus community.”

Residence halls compete in energy-saving contest Environmental Club promotes green lifestyle

By Craig Giangiulio Staff Writer Students have been buckling down to reduce energy consumption in the College’s residence halls. The Energy Saving Competition, held by the Environmental Club, is a collegewide initiative that started on April 21 and will continue through Sunday, May 12.

Energy consumption is being measured by change in kilowatt (kWh) hours per week and carbon dioxide emissions. Results are tallied each week and prizes will be raffled off to students who live in the leading residence hall. “kWh and CO2 are the two most recognized forms of energy consumption and pollution, respectively,” said Miriam Shakow, an associate professor of anthropology at the College.

Environmental protection has been a major issue within the world of politics and general well-being. Shakow said that creating the contest can help with awareness at the College.

“My hope is that an energy contest like this would be in place every semester and would comprise one small piece of TCNJ’s Climate Action Plan,

which has yet to be adopted by the College,” Shakow said.

“TCNJ can and should commit to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, or even earlier.”

Howard Reinert, a professor of biology at the College, insisted that conservation is an individual effort.

“Reducing energy use requires being aware of the choices that you can make as an individual,” Reinert said.

“Making sure to recycle products that can be recycled.

Avoiding products and containers that cannot be recycled.

Something as simple as turning off lights when you leave a room, limiting shower time, car-pooling, purchasing energy efficient products should be on everyone’s radar.”

Townhouse East is in the lead, with a -2.22 change in kWh per capita per week and a -1.19 change in equivalent pounds of CO2 emission.

Awareness of this problem on campus appears to be trending upward as students in Decker Hall, Norsworthy Hall and New Residence Hall have all reduced their usage in the last week.

“Our students are working to make these kinds of activities familiar to the student population,”

Reinart said. “Raising awareness is an important endeavor. A small number of people on this Earth consume most of the resources and generate most of the pollution.”

While conservation may pose a challenge to a busy student, the College’s environmental club has been providing simple tips for saving energy while living on campus. Taking shorter showers, using cold water to do laundry rather than hot water and unplugging appliances

when they are not in use are some of the suggestions.

“Students can save energy in many ways, including turning down heat and AC, turning off lights when leaving a room, shutting off power strips when leaving a room, limiting shower time to five to ten minutes and choosing non-meat options in Eickhoff and other dining halls,” Shakow said.

While lifestyle changes conducive to conservation are very

Students win gift cards as prizes for the competition.

important, according to Reinart there is a way Americans can make a larger impact on the systemic causes of energy waste — voting.

“The single most important thing students can do to reduce our impact on the environment is to vote,” Reinert said.

“They must vote locally and at the state and federal level for leaders who are not beholding to ‘big oil’ and who embrace green energy alternatives.”

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

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Ceremony / Campus celebrates new era continued from page 1

behalf of the staff, thank you and welcome to The College of New Jersey.”

On behalf of the academy, Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber congratulated Foster on her achievement.

“Today’s festivities celebrate jubilant new beginnings, but in many ways this is also a homecoming,” Eisgruber said.

Foster had earned her doctorate at Princeton University in public and international affairs. Eisgruber praised Foster’s research on political orders and the arrangement of local governments.

“Her research resulted in an award-winning dissertation that went on to be published by the Georgetown University Press,” Eisgruber said. “This original work established Kate as a promising academic and demonstrated her commitment to scholarship.”

Svizney then put the medallion displaying the College’s seal around Foster’s neck to wear as the College’s officially inaugurated president.

Foster then delivered her inaugural address.

“I propose to the broader community of TCNJ, campus and beyond, that we turn this challenge into an abundant opportunity to plan together,” Foster said.

Andrew Chamberlain, a

freshman special education and psychology double major, expressed his excitement for Foster’s presidency.

“It’s really exciting,” he said. “I didn’t know too much about Foster, but I kinda have an idea of what she believes in and the direction she’s taking this school.”

Foster reviewed the 164year history of the College and poked fun at the College’s six name changes.

“The College has famously had six names and a few of you are lobbying me to change (it) to a seventh,” Foster said. “Which, for the record, is not at the top of my priority list.”

Foster closed out the grand ceremony with consideration of the past, present and future.

“I can not wait to plan with you,” she said. “To explore where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.

Here’s to three tenses at once ... for tradition, for tomorrow, for TCNJ. Thank you very much.”

Following the ceremony was a campus-wide celebration to welcome the College’s new president.

Throughout the Brower Student Center were different food stations including fried ravioli, meatballs and tomato pie.

Foster had her own signature drink, the “Foster Fizz,” which consisted of sparkling lemonade to toast the occasion. There was

Foster shows her excitement for her presidency at the College.

a dessert called “Banana Foster” in honor of the newly inaugurated College president as well.

The atmosphere was upbeat with the College’s Jazz Ensemble playing various tunes from the bandstand in front of Lions’ Stadium. Attendees had the opportunity to mingle and congratulate Foster. At the entrance of

the student center were multiple students from the TCNJ Guitar Ensemble, as they played to welcome people to the event.

Several students were elated at the end of Foster’s inauguration.

Megan Blakeley, a freshman biomedical engineering major, said it was “heartwarming and exciting to welcome (Foster).”

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

Danielle Silvia, a senior communication studies major, also expressed her enthusiasm at the ceremony.

“I was so excited to be a part of a great event where the whole community came together,” she said. “I can not wait to see the amazing things that the College does in the coming years.”

Campus Police responds to Vital Signs: Protect your skin from cancer break-in at off-campus house

By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist

Student reports bike theft near Phelps Hall On May 1 at approximately 3:10 p.m., Campus Police were contacted on account of a reported theft.

The reporting student stated that his purple Diamondback 21 speed mountain bike had been stolen between 8:30 p.m. on April 30 and 9:45 a.m. on May 1, near Phelps Hall.

He stated that he noticed his bicycle was missing at approximately 9:45 a.m. on May 1, but he waited to report the bike as stolen because he believed that it would be found.

The student advised Campus Police that he did not secure his bicycle via lock and he could not recall its serial number.

He stated that the bike was fairly new and is valued at approximately $510.

The case remains open.

Email notifies campus community of attempted burglary On May 1 at approximately 6:40 a.m., an email from Chief Information Officer Sharon Blanton was sent to the campus community regarding an attempted burglary.

The email stated that earlier that morning, there had been an attempted burglary at an off-campus student house on Brandon Avenue in Ewing.

According to the email, the suspect

had attempted to gain access through the first-floor window of the residence, but was scared off by the residents. Members of the campus community were advised to keep their doors and windows secured — especially on the ground floor — and to contact police in case of any emergency.

Campus Police was not involved in this incident, according to Campus Police Sergeant Marcie Montalvo.

Student reports theft of laptop On Thursday, May 2 at approximately 12:33 p.m., Campus Police was contacted on account of a report of theft. The reporting student stated that she had left her 10-year-old Dell laptop computer in a classroom of the Education Building by accident on April 16 at approximately 3:30 p.m., after her class had ended.

She stated that she was contacted by her assistant professor at approximately 4 p.m. that day, who notified her that she had left her laptop in the classroom.

According to the student, she was unsure if her professor took the laptop to secure it for her or if the laptop would remain in the secured room.

She stated that she had returned the next day to retrieve the laptop and it was gone. According to the student, she had spoken to her professor and he stated that he had seen the laptop left it in the classroom and then proceeded to leave.

The case remains open.

Use broad specturm sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

By Anna Kellaher Columnist

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it is estimated that 20 percent Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is the most preventable risk factor. Make sure to protect yourself from the sun by using a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply every two hours.

The AAD recommends wearing hats, sunglasses and long sleeves to protect your skin from the sun. Don’t be fooled by cloudy days — up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can break through the clouds and reach your skin. Be especially careful at the beach, since water and sand can reflect

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and intensify UV rays.

While prevention is always the best option, early detection is also critical. According to the AAD, Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer. A spot on your skin may be melanoma if it follows the warning signs, known as the “ABCDEs”.

“A” stands for “asymmetry,” meaning one half of the mark is different than the other. “B” stands for “border” — if the spot welldefined or if the edges irregular or scalloped. “C” stands for “color.”

Melanoma may be different from regular marks on your skin and can be brown, black, white, red or blue. “D” stands for “diameter” — Melanoma is detected as usually greater than 6 millimeters, or the size of a pencil eraser. Lastly, “E” stands for “evolving.” Pay attention to any new spots on your skin to see if they are changing in size, shape or color.

page 8 The Signal May 8, 2019

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May 8, 2019 The Signal page 9

Test / Questionable water worries College TWW works to resolve campus concerns continued from page 2

does not mean that if there are trace amounts of chloroform that the water is bad for you,” he said. “It is possible to have trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids in the water that are well below toxic levels — it is hard to get rid of every last trace.”

Hunt believes that TWW’s disinfection by product violation is not unique to Mercer County, and should not be viewed as a threat to public health as long as TWW is working to resolve the issue.

“Anything above that normal level yet not in that toxic level is a cause for concern, but if you’re being notified by the water works that there’s an issue and they’re trying to deal with it, to me that’s acceptable. That happens in almost every municipality,” he said.

TWW has multiple options for going about reducing the level of disinfection by products in the water. Hunt posits that the company may use activated carbon treatments to help get rid of toxins.

Activated charcoal, which has gained increasing popularity in the health and beauty industries for the same reason, is known for its ability to trap toxins and remove them from an unwanted area.

By having the contaminated water travel through multiple passes of activated charcoal, Hunt proposes that TWW may be able to remove some of the trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids.

Both the DEP and Hunt said that time is one of the most important factors in arguing whether or not the disinfection by product violation can harm anyone who drinks the water.

“You probably are not going to get ill immediately, but there can be cases just like Flint,” Hunt said. “Repeated exposure to certain levels of toxins over a long period of time can cause irreparable damage.”

The Signal conducted an independent test of the water quality at the College, replicating its 2017 study, to determine the levels of contaminants including lead, pesticides, copper, iron, chlorine, nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen.

The Signal did not retest for bacteria in 2019, though in 2017 there were no measurable levels.

Both tests were conducted using water from a fountain on the second floor of Forcina Hall using a home testing kit available online. The 2019 results were similar to 2017, but there were a few differences. See the chart below for the test results.

One aspect of the water quality that The Signal examined was the hardness, which is the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium found inside the water.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, hard water is high in dissolved minerals.

The site stated that water hardness is a result of the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium. Water that is considered “hard” has higher amounts of primarily those two elements.

According to The Signal’s test, copper levels reached the federal limit, although according to the CDC, the level of copper in surface and groundwater is generally very low.

The ways that copper gets into drinking water are “either by directly contaminating well water or through corrosion of copper pipes if your water is acidic,” according to the CDC. Alkalinity refers to the capability of water to neutralize acid. Because the definition is similar to that of pH, it is important to note the difference between the two. Water pH measures the amount of hydrogen — acid ions — in the water, whereas alkalinity is a measure of the carbonate and bicarbonate levels in the water.

According to Healthline, drinking alkaline water is somewhat beneficial, but can cause some side effects, including reducing natural stomach acidity that kills bacteria and prevents pathogens from entering the bloodstream.

Too much alkalinity may also agitate the body’s normal pH balance. Alkalinity and pH levels were two contaminants for which TWW said it did not properly test last year, according to the 2018 report.

The last portion of the test was for lead and pesticides, in which the results were under the federal limit. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pesticides have the potential to contaminate drinking water supplies, as they are applied to farmlands, gardens and lawns, and “can make their way into

The College’s water quality test via SRG.

Data from SRG report courtesy of Radosti

Elizabeth Zakaim / Editor-in-Chief

The Signal’s water quality tests from 2017 and 2019.

ground water systems that feed drinking water supplies.”

TWW’s 2018 report gave pesticides “a medium susceptibility rating” in the Delaware River, but did not provide a numerical level of potential contaminant levels in the water.

The EPA also said that whether these contaminants pose a health risk depends on how toxic the pesticides are, how much is in the water and how much exposure occurs on a daily basis.

The Signal’s results in this portion of testing were at zero.

Most students at the College have taken on a cautionary approach to the drinking water.

Senior early childhood urban education and psychology dual major Serina Grasso, who lives in Hausdoerffer Hall, said she relies on her Brita filter for clean water.

“Even though I drank tap water for most of my life, I prefer to use the Brita filter for my water just to be safe,” she said.

Senior marketing and international studies double major Karley Panek, who shares an off-campus house in Ewing, added that she and her house mates do not feel safe drinking the water from tap and that they also use a Brita filter for their water.

“Of course I use it to brush my teeth, or wash my face, because I don’t think it’s overly concerning to use it,” she said. “I just prefer not to drink it.”

Seni or English and communication studies double major Hope Simiris, who is a Campus Town resident, also strays from the school’s main water source.

“I personally drink bottled water mostly, because I feel the safest drinking that,” she said.

Radosti, who drinks the tap water at the College, conducted her own “pseudo-experiment” while she water tended at the Water Bar, an art gallery exhibition that visited the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building back in February, to challenge student apprehensions about the water quality.

Visitors of the bar were encouraged to drink water from three different locations and were then asked to try to decipher where each sample was from –– the College, Philadelphia or Horsham, Pennsylvania.

According to Radosti, students came in confident that they would be able to tell which sample was from the College.

“Students would say, ‘Oh the water here is terrible. I’m gonna absolutely know which one it is,’” she said. “Nobody

got it.”

According to Radosti, the poor reputation surrounding the College’s water quality is based mostly on perception, which she was glad to help try and debunk for students.

“We don’t have the lead pipes. We don’t have the lead soldering. We don’t have the lead fixtures,” she said. “We don’t have those things that really cause concern.”

Despite those reassurances for students at the College, Ewing residents remain skeptical of TWW’s ability to provide adequate service to its customers. Many residents like McKinley feel more comfortable taking matters into their own hands.

“As a resident of Ewing, I’m angry and frustrated,” she said. “We just received another letter about a month ago, so I don’t anticipate this problem being resolved any time soon. Filters are about the only way you can deal with this, as boiling the water does nothing.”

Although she was not elected a position on the council, McKinley said that TWW was one of the main reasons why she decided to run for a position.

McKinley hopes that the new leadership at TWW, with former Trenton Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh as the new director, will eventually change its operating methods, though her expectations are low.

“The leadership change hasn’t really influenced my impression of TWW,” she said. “You have to be tough and you have to be smart. Trenton requires political brawn. If he cannot navigate that, then he won’t succeed.”

“Even though I drank tap water for most of my life, I prefer to use the Brita filter for my water just to be safe. ”

—Serina Grasso

senior early childhood urban education and psychology dual major

Fun StufF

page 10 The Signal May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019 The Signal page 11

Nation & W rld

Boeing CEO addresses public on safety concerns

YouTube

Muilenburg says the company will regain public trust.

By Ariel Steinsaltz Staff Writer

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg addressed shareholders’ concerns at the Field Museum in Chicago on April 29, following two crashes of the Boeing 737 Max jet that killed hundreds

of people, according to The Washington Post. A shareholder criticized the company for not reviewing the safety standards enough before flying the planes. “‘We don’t have to have 300plus people die every time to find out that something isn’t reliable,’” the shareholder said, according to

The Washington Post.

Muilenburg tried to assure those present that “when it comes to safety, there are no competing priorities,” and informed them that the company was working to revise the technical failures that led to the crashes, The Washington Post reported.

While accepting responsibility for improving safety standards, Muilenburg denied that the planes had been built with a flaw, and instead said that Boeing was only partially responsible for the chain of events that had led to the crashes, according to The Washington Post.

Muilenburg said Boeing had “‘gone back and confirmed again, as we do the safety analysis, the engineering analysis, that we followed exactly the steps in our design and certification processes that consistently produce safe airplanes,’” according to The Seattle Times.

Despite the planes being

certified as safe, the new flightcontrol system failed on two flights, one with Lion Air and another with Ethiopian Airlines, both due to a single faulty sensor. The failure caused the planes to nose-dive, The Seattle Times reported.

Muilenburg placed some blame with the pilots, but also said that the system would be redesigned with two sensors and make the planes much safer, according to The Seattle Times.

Family members of people who died in the crashes stood outside in the rain near Field Museum, where the meeting was held, as they held photos of their loved ones who died, according to The Washington Post.

The family members challenged the statement made by Muilenburg, as they believed Boeing should take responsibility for the oversights that caused the crashes. One relative came to the Chicago meeting all the way

from California, according to The Washington Post.

According to Reuters, reporters asked Muilenburg if he ever considered retiring. He responded, saying that he intended to lead the company through the crisis. “‘I am very focused on safety going forward,’” he told Reuters. “‘My clear intent is to continue to lead on the front of safety, quality and integrity.’”

The families standing outside were not the only people protesting the day of the conference — Reuters reported that other victims’ families held a press conference at a Chicago law firm after filing a wrongful death suit against the company.

The company still has to win back the trust of the public, which was shaken by the crashes, according to Reuters. Muilenburg said the company would win back this trust before walking away from reporters shouting questions at him.

Measles outbreak spreads across United States

By Jesse Stiller Staff Writer

Measles cases in the U.S. soared past 700 and continue to grow amidst the worst outbreak of the once-declared eradicated disease in recent memory. The New York Times reported on April 29 that there have been 700 confirmed cases of measles in the recent outbreak, which surpassed the 667 cases reported in 2014.

A map published by the New York Times shows that most of the cases originated in Kings and Queens Counties in New York, with some sporadic cases in Ocean and Monmouth Counties in New Jersey. There are also reported cases popping up in the states on the west coast and along the Mexican border.

In one example of measles-related situations, according to The New York Times, nearly 800 students and faculty at the University of California in Los Angeles were quarantined on the suspicion of contracting measles, according to The New York Times. Those in quarantine were ordered to stay home and not to ride on public transportation. Over half of the students and faculty have been deemed safe and were released from quarantine.

PBS reported that the 700-plus total so far is the highest on record since 1994, when 963 cases of measles were reported.

Forty-four of the cases were reported from people who had

contracted the disease while they were in a foreign country, potentially sparking the U.S. outbreaks.

According to CBS News, most of the measles cases were affecting unvaccinated children in ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in New York City. New York legislators announced they will propose a law that will no longer allow non-medical excuses not to have children vaccinated. “‘Immediacy of action is critical,’” said Rockland County Executive Ed Day in a recent press conference, according to CBS News.

So far this year, nine percent of people with measles have been sent to the hospital, while three percent later contracted pneumonia, according to CBS News.

“Health care providers should vaccinate persons without contraindications and without acceptable evidence of immunity to measles before travel to any country outside the United States,” the Centers for Disease Control said in a press release on April 29.

According to the press release, 71 percent of measles patients were unvaccinated, while 11 percent of those infected received a vaccination. However, as of April 29, no deaths have been attributed to the outbreak.

“Unimmunized or underimmunized subpopulations within U.S. communities are at risk for large outbreaks of long duration that are resource intensive to control.” The CDC said.

71 percent of patients are unvaccinated.

Flickr

“Recent outbreaks have been driven by misinformation about measles and MMR vaccine, which has led to undervaccination in vulnerable communities.”

The CDC reiterated that the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination is a highly effective method for minimizing outbreaks, while those who are not vaccinated and traveling outside the country are at risk.

Cyclone Fani devastates coasts of India, Bangladesh

Over a million people residing in coastal areas evacuate.

By Danielle Silvia Columnist

On Friday, May 3 at approximately 8 a.m., Cyclone Fani struck the east India coast near the Puri district in the state of Odisha, according to CBS News.

By that night, Fani struck Odisha with

Flickr

rain and wind gusts of over 125 mph.

However, the storm showed signs of weakening that same evening, according to The New York Times. Before the storm hit, India and Bangladesh evacuated over a million people residing in the coastal areas at danger. Despite the evacuation, at least 160 people were injured.

According to CNN, the death toll has reached at least seven people, most of whom died as a result of fallen trees and collapsed buildings nearby. The cyclone is equivalent to a category 4 hurricane.

Fani is the worst cyclone to affect India since a 1999 storm that killed nearly 10,000 people, CBS News reported. Police in Odisha have been capturing the storm and its disastrous effects on social media, such as Twitter, by sharing videos and photographs.

Over the course of the day on Friday, May 3, the Meteorological Department rated the storm as “‘extremely severe,’” which proposed further concern, CBS News reported. However, as the storm continued, it was later rated as “‘very severe’” and finally “‘severe,’” which emphasizes the storm’s decline over just a few hours.

Meteorologists believe that Fani could possibly be fierce because of extreme climate change across the globe. Intense storms in warm, moist areas in addition to severe dry spells may make storms much

worse, The New York Times reported.

According to CBS News, Sitanshu Kar, a spokesman for India’s national government, tweeted, “‘Extensive damage to structure of AIIMS Bhubaneswar reported due to #CycloneFani. All patients,staff, students safe.

Many water tanks have blown off, lighting poles are down, air conditioners damaged.

We have enough supplies, ready to support the state.’”

CNN reported over 4,000 shelters that have been put in place for evacuees and 56,000 officials were deployed for evacuation efforts.

The New York Times reported that road reconstruction for the district is already being planned. The Indian government also said that electricity, internet and phone lines will soon be restored in the city.

Where the storm first began, CBS News reported that India’s Ministry of Home Affairs stated that power and communication lines were no longer running. While conditions are harsh, officials are making efforts to assist in relief.

page 12 The Signal May 8, 2019

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

May

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY Wok Open

Cinco de Mayo Lunch

at The Atrium at Eickhoff

at The Atrium at Eickhoff 11am - 4pm

1

2

3

4

Last Day of Classes

Reading Day

10

11

Wok Open

at The Atrium at Eickhoff

5

6

7

The Atrium at Eickhoff

Breakfast for Dinner

The Atrium at Eickhoff 4pm - 9pm

DSC Meeting at 2pm at The Library, Room 123

at The Atrium at Eickhoff 11am - 4pm

8

9

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS!

Reading Day

12

LUNCH

The 1855 Room 11:30am - 2pm

The Atrium at Eickhoff

FINALS

13

14

15

Reading Day

16

17

18

24

25

The Atrium at Eickhoff

Reading Day

19

FINALS

20

COMMENCEMENT

21

22

23

HAVE A FUN & SAFE SUMMER! 26

27

28

29

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31

2019

May 8 2019 The Signal page 13

Editorial

College comes together in face of tragedy

It’s been a tumultuous year. As a campus, we’ve dealt with at least three incidents of racial bias, four student deaths, radical protestors and a controversy surrounding our school’s president.

That was more for me to handle in my senior year than during the rest of my time at the College combined.

It only seemed fitting that majority of these incidents happened during my time as Editor-in-Chief of the paper. This past semester has taught me a lot about working hard, being prepared and healing from wounds.

Throughout different interviews I’ve conducted with students and administrators, I can tell that the campus community has been hurting. But as spring makes its slow arrival, I can feel the same sense of rebirth happening on this campus, too.

I think what this year has taught me most is the idea that we exist for something beyond our own self-interests, and when we come together as a community to support each other, we are practicing that selflessness.

As editor of the paper, I worked with a diligent staff who understood that lesson. We put hours of work into digging into each story, each controversy and each tragedy to put together a comprehensive narrative for our community. I know I could not have done any of this without their time and help.

And, as I leave the College and begin my post-graduate career, I hope to revisit the school to find that it continues to carry out on all of the initiatives promised to its students.

I hope that we have learned that while we live in a world where we unfortunately can’t escape death and doubt and fear, we can nevertheless gather as a community and overcome those challenges.

I hope, perhaps most importantly, that I have done my best as editor to lead a select editorial staff and to serve what I recognize as beyond just myself – the beautiful community that has become my home these past four years, The College of New Jersey.

— Elizabeth Zakaim Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo, Sports, Review and Social Media editors and the Business and Production managers, unless otherwise noted.

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

Flickr

Students learn selflessness and strength by overcoming challenges as a community.

Quotes of the Week tcnjsignal.net Email: signal@tcnj.edu Telephone: Production Room (609) 771-2424 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu

Editorial Staff Garrett Cecere Editor-in-Chief-Elect cecereg1@tcnj.edu Jane Bowden Camille Furst Managing Editors-Elect bowdenj1@tcnj.edu furstc1@tcnj.edu Isabel Vega Len La Rocca News Editors-Elect vegai1@tcnj.edu laroccl2@tcnj.edu Christine Houghton Sports Editor-Elect houghtc1@tcnj.edu Viktoria Ristanovic Features Editor-Elect ristanv1@tcnj.edu Lara Becker Arts & Entertainment Editor-Elect beckerl3@tcnj.edu Richard Miller Opinions Editor-Elect miller20@tcnj.edu Liya Davidov Nation & World Editor-Elect davido11@tcnj.edu James Mercadante Reviews Editor-Elect mercadj5@tcnj.edu Jonah Malvey Project Manager-Elect malveyj1@tcnj.edu

Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Forcina Hall The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Nadir Roberts Jennifer Somers Photo Editors-Elect robertn5@tcnj.edu somersj2@tcnj.edu Madison Oxx Production Manager-Elect oxxm1@tcnj.edu Muhammad Siddiqui Web Editor-Elect siddiqm4@tcnj.edu Kalli Colacino Madison Pena Leigha Stuiso Social Media Editors-Elect colacik1@tcnj.edu penam9@tcnj.edu stuisol1@tcnj.edu Diana Solano Distribution Manager-Elect solanod1@tcnj.edu Emilie Lounsberry Adviser lounsber@tcnj.edu Mina Milinkovic Business/Ad Manager-Elect milinkm1@tcnj.edu

“(Students must find ways to ensure they are exercising self-care) in ways that are responsible and will serve you well for your whole life.”

— Kathryn Foster College President

“Dive right in - just pour everything you’ve got into it. You’re so young still so that if something doesn’t work out well you’re still well-positioned to find something else.”

— Kevin Gabauer College alumnus (‘09)

“It’s good to acknowledge yourself, that you might not be doing okay, and that’s okay. We’re not meant to be perfect. We’re human beings. We have flaws...It’s okay to fumble and fall sometimes. ” — Ralph Betancourt

Junior psychology major

page 14 The Signal May 8, 2019

Opinions

Numbers matter in putting stop to school shootings

Students protest for an end to gun violence.

By Debra Kate Schafer When it comes to looking at school shootings, numbers are important.

How many people died? How many bullets were fired? How old was the shooter? How old were the victims? How many days has it been since the last school shooting in the United States? Whatever the question may be, the numbers matter.

Ten. That is the number of years it took my mother to get pregnant with her only child.

Instagram

Twenty. That is the number of years it has been since the Columbine High School massacre, one of the deadliest school shootings in the United States.

One. There is a single year between the Columbine shooting and the day I was born.

April 20, 1999 and April 20, 2000 — a day that means a lot more to me and the world than just a birthday.

My mother did everything she could to have a child and prayed that one day she’d bring a healthy child into to the world, so I

can only imagine how happy she was when she found out that she was finally pregnant with a baby girl.

I can also imagine her fear on April 20, when she went into labor a month early and spent a majority of her time in the hospital watching the recounting of the massacre at Columbine High School that happened just one year prior She recalled telling my father, “I don’t want my daughter to grow up in a world like that one,” to which she believes he said something along the lines of, “Don’t worry about that now, It’s a new millennium.”

But two decades later, we see little change. I grew up in a world that my mother was hoping would be less violent and worrisome. I grew up with active shooter drills and classroom lock-downs. I grew up participating in marches against gun violence. I grew up with #Prayfor__ on social media.

Sandy Hook rattled me as a preteen and Parkland hit too close to home. Kids my age are afraid of going to school. Fifty years ago, kids weren’t afraid to ride their bikes across town by themselves. Now they’re afraid to step into an what’s supposed to be a safe educational facility.

Unfortunately, this past year was dubbed the worst year for school shootings.

BBC published an article on Dec. 12 that

read, “At the beginning of 2018, Education Week, ... began to track school shootings — and has since recorded 23 incidents where there were deaths or injuries. With many parts of the US having 180 school days per year, it means, on average, a shooting once every eight school days.”

In 2018, 23 incidents had some form of casualties. One shooting with casualties every eight days. That’s less than every two school weeks. Not to mention all of the damage these events do to mental health.

That’s another story altogether.

My point is, if we don’t focus in on these vital numerical aspects of the tragedies in this country, we may never be able to fully grasp their effect. Gun control is not a matter to be dealt with lightly. We need to look at all of the facts and act on what’s wrong with them in order to make sure that gun violence in schools and elsewhere diminishes along with the fear that comes with it.

It’s been 20 years since the Columbine shooting, and thing haven’t gotten better.

But I know that my generation and I will be the ones who will make a change.

It is important for us to remember April 20 as a way of figuring out what needs to change, rather than be reminded of how far we have yet to come.

Technology damages interpersonal relationships

By Victoria Giardina As social media-obsessed millennials, we have changed how romantic relationships are initiated and maintained. We have traded face-to-face dating interaction for direct messages on social media and “taking it steady” methods for hookup culture.

There has even been a trend in significant others being posted online but neglecting in-person intimacy and relationship development. We have unfortunately lost the true meaning of love.

In high school, an innumerable amount of breakups occur.

From the prom drama to going on different routes for college, high school students are primarily interested in themselves and their future goals — their next calculus exam, the application to their dream school, their last moments walking through their bustling halls.

But even when the chance of experiencing heartbreak made me hesitant to date in high school, it was during that time when I met my boyfriend.

Although we met via email through our school’s newspaper club, we approached dating in a traditional way by going on picnic dates, ice cream night-outs

and walks in the park. It was the culmination of these memories that made me appreciative of how we approached dating, and made us realize how different it is for those who’ve opted for a digital method.

According to a 2017 New York Times article, Instagram has over 800 million users worldwide who engage with the app at least once a month. An Instagram spokesperson said that out of all the users, 300 million use Instagram Stories every day.

While some people use Instagram for business and others use it for sharing photos of their kids, there are also people who use the app as a tool for match-making.

The term “sliding into the DMs” is now a primary means of meeting a romantic interest online.

My boyfriend and I established a friendship before beginning a romantic relationship, which worked out well for us.

Rather than relying solely on online communication during the relationship, we truly enjoyed going out on dates in the early stages and still cherish those face-to-face moments now.

There is something so lovely about experiencing new adventures and learning about your partner in the process

Phone addiction leads to a lack of face-to-face communication. which highlight a traditional approach to dating that most people often disregard.

Prioritizing traditional dating speaks volumes of how one may treat others. I grew up watching tons of shows and movies featuring guys opening the car door for their special someone, walking them to their door after a date, meeting their parents and making time for a phone call after a busy day.

How you treat someone is how

they will treat you in return, and while all of these descriptions may seem old-fashioned, I would not ask for anything less as a girlfriend.

A relationship is called a partnership for a reason — both people are working together, growing together and building their present and future lives together. My boyfriend invites me to be there with him for big family moments, and he is there to share these times with my family as well.

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There is a sense of comfort that both individuals are wholeheartedly loving a slow and meaningful dating experience.

Reciprocating both time and commitment is essential in a strong relationship, and I could not imagine sacrificing these time-honored beliefs and values for modern-day, casual dating.

Unplugging from electronic devices and appreciating the person you are with truly plants the seed for a flourishing relationship.

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May 8, 2019 The Signal page 15

Students share opinions around campus Should there be more awareness for gun safety in schools?

Richard Miller / Opinions Assistant

Jordyn Kowal, a sophomore nursing major

Isabel Vega / Opinions Editor

“Yes, especially at schools with an open campus, where anyone has access to the students and staff.”

Richard Miller / Opinions Assistant

Rebecca Aversa, a sophomore biology and psychology double major.

“Yes, so many people are ignorant to gun safety. Proper education about guns is important.”

“Is technology changing the dating scene?”

Richard Miller / Opinions Assistant

Jaime DiMatteo, a sophomore English and secondary education dual major.

“It’s so much easier gain information through social media. This can be a good and bad thing.”

Isabel Vega / Opinions Editor

Richard Miller / Opinions Assistant

Mia LoParo, a sophomore finance major.

“Technology definitely has impact because it’s so much easier for people to stay connected.”

The Signal’s cartoon of the week ...

The Chip: Satire Column Somehow Manages To Get Renewed For Second Season

By Tony Peroni and Vinny Cooper Correspondents When people think of satire, they usually think of all the greats: The Onion, “The Daily Show,” Fox News.

Poking fun at the news has always been a great American pastime, and the writers of The Chip are grateful to have been given the opportunity to put some of the most hair-brained content imaginable in your college newspaper.

There were times throughout The

Chip’s first season when the public must have thought, “How do they let them publish this?” or “This column is definitely going to be canceled by the end of the semester!” However, the big-wigs at The Signal’s corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley, California seemed to think otherwise.

A look inside The Chip’s office exhibits appalling living conditions that no man, woman or child should ever have to endure. The entire office was a 10x10 cubicle with no windows and the floor was lined with newspapers from Rider University’s creativelynamed newspaper, The Rider News. Ranch sunflower seeds littered the entire office space and a pile of mutilated MacBook Pros lied defeated in the corner. Broken down cases of Monster Energy drinks decorate the space as cardboard wallpaper.

There is one piece of paper with a very pixelated image of John Belushi printed out on it. This is where the writers live.

They live in a nightmare, yet they have been producing content for the students all semester...

“This is the funniest literature I’ve read since before I got into shape and became a very sexy man,” said Chris Pratt, actor in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and avid subscriber to The Chip.

“Eyyyyyyy, haha, I love The Chip” said a man in a leather coat with his hair slicked back.

“Hasta La Vista, The Chip!” said Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying farewell to the greatest satire column on campus until its return in the fall.

What started as a small, hard-working group of students with a passion for satire is about to see some big changes for Season 2.

Since The Chip has taken off in popularity since the beginning of the semester, catching the eye of billionaire investor Warren Buffet.

“These kids ... these kids know how to write satire,” exclaimed an excited and still very rich Buffet. “I’d love to invest in them to further diversify my portfolio!”

To the surprise of many, Buffet did exactly that. The billionaire agreed to invest $1.3 million into The Chip for five percent of the column’s equity.

The deal was shocking to anybody who knows anything about finance since The Chip does not make any monetary profit and never will, but the deal has left the writers at The Chip excited for the future.

DISCLAIMER: This is obviously a satirical piece and does not describe a real event.

page 16 The Signal May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019 The Signal page 17

Features

Foster offers glimpse into her personal life

tcnj.edu

The president’s favorite part of her job is the variety.

By Alexandrea Carman Correspondent Every morning, Kathryn Foster eats the same fiber packed menu for breakfast –– a banana, Grape Nuts, All Bran, Quaker Oats and raisins drowned in almond milk, and then placed in the microwave oven to cook. But that is just about the only typical part of her day.

With over 35 years of experience in public higher education, Foster was unanimously voted the 16th President of the College by the Board of Trustees in July 2018 and is now at the end of her first year.

Foster’s favorite part of her job is the variety –– every day is different, she explained during a 90-minute interview. On one night, she was going to a basketball game at the College, but on other days,she is working with alumni, talking with parents of students or sitting in on a class.

“It’s like a little city –– things are happening all of the time,” Foster said. “I exercise a lot of different muscles and I’m never bored.”

But even as a young girl, Foster was used to having hectic schedule.

Born and raised in Verona, New Jersey, Foster described her town of about 13,000 people as a place where education mattered, the scenery was pretty and there was a

great county park. As a Verona native, she believes she fits the northern New Jersey stereotype of being a fast walker and talker.

She was also the middle child and believed there was a sense that her family had flair and did fun activities, such as renting a houseboat or going on midnight tours of Patterson, New Jersey and Manhattan, New York, more specifically the nightlife in Chinatown. During college, she and her mother also did a midnight tour of Baltimore, Maryland which featured a reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.” “(My family and I) were close, happy and fun,” she said.

Growing up, Foster first thought she wanted to be a farmer, as she still loves to garden today.

Then, she thought she wanted to be an actress because she loved being in front of a crowd and often performed in plays. She later wanted to be a cartographer because she loved maps, was the family navigator and enjoyed going to places to learn more.

The College’s president was quick to say that her parents had the most influence in her life, saying she gets her analytical brain from her father, who was a mathematician, and her creative side from her mother, who was a theater actress.

Holding music and athletics close to her heart, Foster earned straight A’s and was a diligent rule follower, never willing to try things she did not do well at. As a conservative, risk-averse child, she did not pursue a course or hobby such as a language or horseback riding, which she regrets. “(I wish I had) done something and failed spectacularly,” Foster said.

In 1975, Foster studied geography at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, where was surrounded by about 2,000 undergraduates.

Exploring the neighborhoods around her, she fell in love with studying each street’s layout and wanted to be a city planner.

If she were not the College’s president, Foster said she would like to be an information designer, based on her ability to look at data and numbers and translate them into something visual, as she finds graphic designing centered around data points to be very interesting.

“I would need more computer and graphic design skills, but making Excel graphs and Power Point slides –– I can lose myself in it,” Foster said. “When I see data, I like to figure out how to tell a story. My mind would go visual immediately, and the creative and logical parts of my mind would both be put to use if I did this for a living.”

In addition to her dedication to learning, Foster was a runner for nearly 35 years and once participated in a competition in California along a course lined with redwood trees. She recalled running as being a stress reliever that taught her how to find an emotional, mental and physical balance. “(Students must find ways to ensure they are exercising selfcare) in ways that are responsible and will serve you well for your whole life,” Foster said. “I didn’t

have enough (self-care). I’m not married and have no children, so it’s easy for me to keep working. I want to be a better role model, and I love the many engagement opportunities around campus.”

While she said her strengths include having high energy, being a hard worker and having the ability to see images and have perspective, the College president also shared her weaknesses.

“I’ve had to fight against my strong critical judgmental inclination my whole life,” she said.

“I might misread people and it is a weakness as a leader and human being.”

Foster noted an recent example in giving remarks at her inauguration.

“I cannot help but think about ways I could have done (the remarks) better,” she said. “As for others, it’s simply a human matter of thinking, erroneously, that I understand where a person is coming from only to learn after closer listening and experience that I was wrong. It is that tendency I fight, although fortunately I have relaxed considerably over life.

An experience that Foster said shaped her was volunteering in the Peace Corps in Swaziland, now called Eswatini, a small country in Africa about the size of New Jersey. As a young, white woman, she was often looked down upon the patriarchal society, since the Swazi people honored elder, black men.

“This experience was profoundly formative in a positive way,” she said. “Reversing white privilege and realizing what it feels like to be a minority made me a better teacher, friend and administrator. I think I have a greater awareness and I’m grateful for the experience to know what it feels like. It has been a lifelong reflection.”

Foster noted that another lifechanging experience was when she donated her kidney to a sick friend in need in 2009.

She reminisced about the experience, explaining “how fulfilling, medically fascinating and emotionally satisfying it is to help someone at the deepest level and offering them a chance to survive.”

Foster’s diverse background and commitment as the College’s president have inspired several members of the campus community, including Assistant to the Chief of Staff Cherese Rucker and former College President Barbara Gitenstein.

“Dr. Foster is like a breath of fresh air for me,” said Rucker. “She is caring, enthusiastic, committed and passionate about TCNJ and its faculty, staff and students, as am I. She is also very intelligent and takes the necessary time and compassion to handle each situation, no matter the context. She really cares about TCNJ and I believe her dedication is evident in her words and actions.

The College screened hundreds of applicants during a rigorous search for a candidate to replace Gitenstein, who said she felt Foster had done well with taking her advice upon becoming the new president.

“My advice to President Foster when she first was named president at TCNJ was to listen to the community,” Gitenstein said.

“Surely, there are times when a senior executive needs to take a stance that is not popular, but I feel that the TCNJ community is a wise, thoughtful and caring community and usually commits itself to the right direction. From what I can tell, observing from afar, Dr. Foster has taken my advice to heart.”

Restaurant / Former students become business owners continued from page 1

successful business.

Fat Shack’s Ewing location celebrated its grand opening in February 2010. Gabauer struck a deal with a local business, RJ’s Bagels, so that after the bagel shop closed at 4 p.m., he could sell items from Fat Shack’s menu in the space from 6 p.m to as late as 4 a.m. In the beginning, he used to have to store food for the restaurant at his home on Hollowbrook Drive.

While this arrangement was unsustainable, it allowed Gabauer to open his first restaurant for only $5,000. Fat Shack quickly gained a cult following from hungry students at the College as a result of Gabauer’s marketing efforts.

“I walked through Travers and Wolfe and handed out menus just to get the word out there,” Gabauer said. “I also started a Facebook group that had a lot of members, so people would be really excited when I gave them a menu and they would tell me, ‘We’re so excited for you guys to open! I’m in your

Facebook group.’”

Today, Fat Shack’s menu includes sandwiches, burgers, wings, milkshakes, desserts and more.

Though Gabauer and Armenti decided to sell the Ewing location because the business was expanding in Colorado, Texas and Washington, they expressed how Fat Shack is closely tied to their experience as students at the College. Gabauer studied business management with a minor in marketing, while Armenti studied marketing. They were both brothers of Phi Kappa Psi, and they give credit to the connections they made within their fraternity and the School of Business that helped their business grow.

Armenti said that he is a long-time fan of “Shark Tank,” and that he hopes his experience on the show will help him expand the business across the country.

“I have watched the show ever since it came out, and I think watching it for so long has helped me learn from other people’s mistakes,” he said. “I hope that by putting ourselves out there, we are able to help Fat

Gabauer and Armenti present Fat Shack to the sharks.

Shack grow.”

Though starting a business can be scary, Gabauer and Armenti encourage students with entrepreneurial spirits to give their dreams a chance.

“Dive right in — just pour everything you’ve got into it. You’re so young still so that if something doesn’t work well, you’re still well-positioned to find something else,”

Facebook

Gabauer said.

Armenti agreed that college is an ideal time to establish at least the bare bones of a startup, since it is not essential that business owners be experts in the field as long as they are determined.

“You don’t need to know everything, because nothing can replace the will to succeed,” he said.

Fun StufF

page 18 The Signal May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019 The Signal page 19

: April ‘99

Campus Style

Alumna says keep job options open

Photo courtesy of the TCNJ Digital Archive

As graduation nears, seniors may doubt their chosen major.

Every week, Features Editor Jane Bowden hits the archives and finds old Signals that relate to current College topics and top stories.

With graduation just around the corner, seniors might have doubts as to whether they have chosen the right profession.

In an April 1999 issue of The Signal, Elizabeth Gloeggler, a College alumna and CEO of her own clothing company, Mismo, spoke to uncertain students about how their area of study in college won’t necessarily be what they do in their future career.

If the past three years have proved anything to Elizabeth Gloeggler, it’s that the career you plan for throughout college isn’t necessarily what you end up doing in the real world.

Gloeggler graduated from Trenton State College in 1996 with an early childhood education degree and a desire to make positive changes in the lives of children.

Currently 26 and holding the position of CEO at Mismo, the clothing company she started, Gloeggler emphasizes that the messages kids learn out of the classroom are just as important as the ones they learn in it.

Mismo (which means “same” in

Spanish) is a catalog clothing business for teens who wear larger sizes — mainly 14 to 24. “At Mismo, we think everyone should have the same choices as far as buying clothes,” Gloeggler said, emphasizing that currently, there are not as many choices for girls past size 14.

Gloeggler herself is big on choice. While at Trenton State, she chose to do her student teaching in Puerto Rico.

This experience had a big impact on her life, as she came to have a Rican culture and working with kids.

After graduating, she chose to volunteer for one year with Volunteer In Service To America (VISTA) — an organization that’s similar to a domestic Peace Corps.

Her work with VISTA stationed her in Boston, working with non-profit mentoring organizations like the Big Brother/Big Sister program. Working mainly with high school students, as opposed to the young age group she had been trained to work with, proved to be a happy revelation.

“They got all of my jokes,” she said. “(I thought) ‘wow, these guys are great!’”

Lions’ Plate

Left: Wear a plaid shirt with solid pants for added detail.

Right: Denim and boat shoes create the perfect summer look.

By Danielle Silvia Columnist For my final column of this semester, it has come to my attention that these fashion tips have been geared toward women. Recently, a guy friend of mine mentioned that he was struggling to find some summer fashion trends as the weather gets warmer. Although there are some gender-neutral fashion trends, some tips are fit for men for any occasion. Men’s fashion trends include the flexibility to dress up or down and hone in on certain fashion trends for nearly any occasion. For all the guys out there, this one’s for you.

1. Plaid button down shirts. Plaid is your best friend for barbeques, pool parties or any outdoor event this summer. It is a great option for men looking to spruce up their outfits, because the pattern’s colors can be easily coordinated with the rest of your look.

Look for neutral colors such as grey, black or brown that you can wear for any summer

event. A button-down shirt is casual, but can be dressed up. Pair a plaid button-down shirt with matching shoes, khakis or jeans, and a belt for the perfect summer look.

2. Boat shoes. Boat shoes are best for all seasons, but summer is a great time if you’re looking for trendy and comfortable footwear. Boat shoes add an extra touch of class to any outfit you wear, so they’re great with a button-down shirt and tie or a graphic T-shirt and shorts. Be sure to coordinate boat shoes with a scheme of colors rather than keeping your entire outfit neutral.

3. Denim pants. You can never go wrong with denim during the summer. Not only is denim stylish with any shirt, but it also portrays a relaxed summer vibe. Opt for lightcolored denim and save darker denim for the fall in order to optimize that summer mood.

Once the weather gets warmer, go for shorts and strive for a length that is suitable for your needs. Don’t get stuck in a constant sea of blue jeans — olive, gray, white and blue are great for the summer.

diner-style french toast

Left: Garnish the french toast with syrup and fruit for added flavor. Right: The sweet dish is perfect for brunch with friends.

By Shannon Deady Columnist

Here is another recipe brought to you by Trader Joe’s, with a little help from myself. In all seriousness though, my affinity for trying out new Trader Joe’s products may be nearing addictive levels, and when I saw this bread, I knew I needed to use it for one of my favorite breakfast and brunch treats — french toast.

The results were just as delicious as I had anticipated and received rave reviews from my breakfast-loving family and friends. This moist and buttery bread

Instagram

creates the type of thick french toast that looks and tastes like it’s straight out of the diner. Add-ons like powdered sugar, fresh fruit, nutella, cookie butter or classic maple syrup make this french toast absolutely irresistible and add an even more fun twist to a tasty breakfast or brunch treat.

Makes: 6 pieces of french toast Ingredients: -6 slices or about half a loaf Trader Joe’s sliced french brioche -4 large eggs

-1 -2 -2 -1

tsp cinnamon tsp cinnamon sugar tsp pure vanilla extract tbsp butter

Optional Add-Ons: -Fresh fruit -Powdered sugar -Nutella -Trader Joe’s speculoos cookie butter -Trader Joe’s pure maple syrup Directions: 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs,

Instagram

cinnamon, cinnamon sugar and vanilla extract, and stir.

2. Soak each slice of bread in well-combined mixture for about one minute on each side or until bread is heavy but not falling apart or losing consistency.

3. Melt butter on large pan or pancake skillet, and place soaked bread slices on pan. Cook on medium heat for about three minutes per side or until french toast is golden brown and egg mixture is thoroughly cooked.

4. Garnish with add-ons such as fresh fruit or maple syrup, and enjoy.

Fun StufF

page 20 The Signal May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019 The Signal page 21

Arts & Entertainment

‘Mystique of the East’ brings Pokémon to life

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

Left: A colorful Chinese dragon takes the stage in Kendall Hall. Right: Performers incorporate the cartoon into their presentation.

By Nina Brossa Staff Writer

Through the dimmed lights and opening music of this year’s Asian cultural event, Mystique of the East, entered Pokémon.

Led by the Asian American Association, the 27th annual celebration was held on April 28 at 6 p.m. in the Kendall Hall mainstage theater, where performers showcased a variety of Asian dances and music.

Every Mystique performance was tied together by a skit from a Pokémon parody, in which Team Rocket chased Ash and Pikachu through the College campus. Incorporating references to Pokémon, Vine videos and the struggles of life as a college student, each skit showcased the actors’ joy and excitement.

Eric Plowden, a sophomore interactive multimedia major who worked on the script, recognized

that not everyone would be familiar with Pokémon, but still wanted to ensure that anyone could enjoy the performances.

“We tried to make it appeal to a wider audience, while also having references so that people who are fans of the series can understand,” Plowden said.

After sophomore psychology major Maria Aliya Nasir sang the national anthem to begin the event, members of the TCNJ Chinese Yo-Yo Club displayed their skill with the toy to open the first act.

Ashley Ean, a sophomore account major who performed with the Chinese yo-yo, praised the wide range of acts that took place throughout the night.

“It’s great that there is so much diversity in the various acts,” Ean said. “There is so much care taken in the cues and in the details for them. I definitely would consider participating

again next year.”

Action-packed choreography took form in KOHESION, the College’s Korean pop dance team, which energetically performed routines of hit Korean artists like EXO, BTS and Stray Kids.

TCNJ Jiva, the College’s semi-classical Indian dance team, performed a Southern Indian dance called Sita Swayamvara while wearing colorful Indian dresses. The dance told the story of the Hindu god, Rama, who competed to win the hand of Sita, a goddess.

A traditional Chinese lion dance, which is often performed for festivals and the Chinese New Year celebration, also graced the stage. The lion initially danced to traditional Indian music, but later transitioned into Bruno Mars’ modern hit, “Uptown Funk.”

A presentation of Chinese martial arts followed the lion, featuring both hand-to-hand moves

and weapons such as a staff.

The first act then closed with Binasuan, a Filipino folk dance in which performers balance cups of water without letting them drop.

After a 15-minute intermission, the second act opened with a medley from Japanese animator and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli movies. The medley featured Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi’s beautiful scores from “Castle in the Sky,” “Porco Rosso” and “Howl’s Moving Castle.” The presentation was followed by a performance of Maglalatik, an indigenous Filipino dance that uses coconut shells.

Sophomore computer engineering major Condor Gao performed “Wu Kong,” a Chinese song that blends modern music with traditionally oriental instruments.

TCNJ Dragonflies, a group that blends traditional Chinese

dances and props with modern dance and music, performed using silk fans and silk sleeves.

The event culminated with Taiko, a traditional Japanese drum ensemble, performing a song written by College alumnus Tim Falcone (’10). Six drummers, three wearing a blue oni mask and others wearing red ones, faced each other as they played a drum war, in which they chanted while playing the instruments. They occasionally played drums on the opposite side as well, clashing their sticks together as if they were swords.

By the end of the night, audience members were appreciative of the integration of culture and Pokémon, including junior criminology Thomas Daley.

“I really like how they integrated every cultural aspect of the show into the script, but still had it be independent and retain its cultural value,” Daley said.

Breakthrough technology takes ‘Music to the Max’

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

Students present an interactive mat to play popular songs.

By Alexandra Bonano Staff Writer After a semester of hard work, students

showcased their skills in blending music and technology at the Music to the Max Demonstration, an informal concert on April 29 at 2 p.m. in Mayo Concert Hall.

Four different groups took the stage to share their projects, discussing their goals and creative processes. The students were all music or interactive multimedia majors and are in the class “Interactive Music Programming.”

“It’s a class where the students are challenged to write, in some cases, their first computer program to create interactive music systems,” said associate professor of music Teresa Nakra.

The first group created an interactive mat that is similar to the game “Dance, Dance, Revolution.” The device allows kids to play nursery rhymes and children’s songs by stepping on different symbols on a mat.

The second group presented a looptrack, which allows users to play and record a series of notes that can be repeated throughout any song, which was followed by a presentation that shed light on the four common notes that are present in many pieces of music. The group sang popular songs, such as “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5 and “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri, which contained the notes. The group used the technology to play the four notes throughout the presentation.

The fourth group developed technology that allows users to separate the notes

of a song apart and play them individually. The students also created an interactive mat that played different notes from a song, which in this case was the Mii music theme song on the Wii gaming system.

By separating the notes, the students could play the notes however they wanted depending on what order they stepped on the squares.

“In addition to the ‘Max’ software that they’ve all written, they’ve all built some sort of hardware interface that uses what’s called a ‘Makey Makey,’ which is a little circuit board,” Nakra said.

Nakra emphasized the importance of using tools like the Makey Makey to help students foster their skills while they also take advantage of nuanced software.

“We use it because it attaches to the laptop by USB and basically allows the students to be able to create sensor triggers, which allows them to perform notes in real time,” she said.

At the end of the demonstration, audience members were invited to join the groups on stage to discuss the projects and try the technology out for themselves. “(The projects) fit each of the groups very well, and who they are as people, so I thought they were all very interesting,” said junior music major Maura McFadden.

page 22 The Signal May 8, 2019

Senior fine arts majors impress at LOUD exhibit

Student designers capture the attention of visitors.

By Ariel Steinsaltz Staff Writer Twelve senior fine arts majors spearheaded the grand opening of their senior showcase, LOUD, on Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m, displaying their self-designed projects that they have been working on since January.

The annual event is open until May 24, according to Liselot van der Heijden, a professor in the fine arts department and coordinator of the event.

Miguel Gonzalez / Photo Editor

The faculty set the criteria and then left the planning up to the students, who met once a week to discuss the exhibit.

The goal is for the students to learn how to curate their own exhibitions once they leave the College.

“The goal is that the students learn from this experience, so we try to let them do as much as possible, and then we just guide them when necessary,” van der Heijden said.

Carly Englander, one of the seniors who planned the exhibition, said that the

name LOUD was picked from a long list.

The presenters wanted to draw attention to the fact that they were all women, with a throughline of feminism linking one creation to the next. The name represents using their collective voice to express themselves through their art.

Abigail Rothman showcased altered versions of the 39 signatures on the Constitution by distorting, shrinking or enlarging them. Since the historic document was signed only by white men, Rothman compared the distortions of the names to not knowing one’s rights and used her art to emphasize that people should know and assert their human rights.

Rothman’s second piece was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights translated into binary code, which she said represented being given information without having the tools to understand or decode it. Despite everyone being entitled to those rights, many do not know what they are, or even have access to the knowledge to learn about them.

Lizzie Mayer presented photography, prints and a video installation that explored themes of identity and mental health. She portrayed her own experience with her mental health disorders and the ways in which society sees them. Mayer included self-portrait photographs with an obscured camera lens to emphasize the lack of clarity in the process of mental health treatment.

Cara Giddens created a series of posters that lined the walls and advertised “bubble people” who could be bought

for 25 cents. In the center of her exhibit was a gumball machine that held colorful spheres containing tiny people. Giddens explained that the “bubble people” represent marginalized groups who are only considered valuable based on the gratification they can provide to others.

“The purpose of this piece is to start a dialogue about the commodification of people, whether it’s through culture, sexualization, objectification, that sort of thing,” Giddens said. She wanted to shed a light on the tendency to claim ownership over not just physical people but their cultures as well.

Alison Staple, a senior biology major, said that having taken some basic art classes, she had learned how hard it was to create art and was very impressed by the pieces.

The other presenters were Olivia Brand, Lauren Galuppo, Linda Magee, Carolyn Mandracchia, Danielle Rackowski, Courtney Ross, Adrienne Southrey and Emily Warakomski.

Kat Magee, a senior marketing major, came to the exhibit to see a friend’s art.

“I’m really impressed,” Magee said.

“I can see all of the hard work that’s been put into the pieces, and everything’s really beautiful.”

Seraphema Menna, a senior English major, also came to the exhibition to support her friend, who was presenting.

“It’s really exciting to have this on campus,” Menna said. “(It’s great that) all these hard-worki n gstudents express themselves into this really well put-together show,” she said.

Hulu show shatters norms of Muslim culture

Twitter

Left: Ramy and his friend Steve embark on an adventure. Right: The protagonist is transparent about his faith.

By Kailee Walsh Correspondent Hulu’s “Ramy” follows the title character as he tries to find love in the shadow of his Muslim upbringing. Unclear of his connection to his religion, Ramy lives trial and error in his faith, in his relationships and in everything he does. He’s just trying his best.

“Ramy” is a show written by and starring 28-year-old Ramy Youssef. It’s a TV show created by a stand-up comedian, but it’s not about being a stand-up comedian.

Youssef’s title character doesn’t even do comedy –– he’s a regular man living in a New Jersey home with his immigrant parents, who originate from Egypt, and his sister Dena (May Calamawy).

All 10 episodes of Ramy are streaming now and a second season is now in production, as it was recently renewed by the streaming company.

The A24-produced drama takes a different approach to comedy, making audiences laugh in places they wouldn’t expect, or even in times where they feel like they shouldn’t.

Ramy is a flawed character who inevitably causes the

people around him to grow angry with him, as audiences start to feel the same way. It is almost frustrating to see him get knocked down as many times as he picks himself back up.

His friends Ahmed (Dave Merheje) and Mo (Mohammed Amer) scold Ramy for things such as dating nonMuslim girls and being unemployed. But as much as Ramy has grown up to feel connected to his Muslim faith, he is conflicted in that he likes to drink, date multiple women and have sex.

In an interview with David Folkenflik for the WBUR radio program On Point, Youssef said he doesn’t want to make excuses for Ramy just because he gave the character his name. He wants to be as normal as any other 20-something trying to pave his way through adulthood.

“But what is remarkable about ‘Ramy’ isn’t that it significantly differs from other millennial coming-of-age stories. It’s that it doesn’t,” Youssef says in the interview.

This also applies to normalizing the Muslim-American family and man, in a world where it has been difficult to do so. The show aims to shine a light on a different, and perhaps complex view on the Muslim community. It aims to show that he and his family are just as complicated as

anyone else.

The show has a couple of episodes where the focus is taken off the main character and turned to the women in his life.

Ramy’s sister Dena is an anthropology major graduate student with her own set of issues, specifically in regards to her being a millennial Muslim woman. The show exhibits her parents treating her differently compared to Ramy because of her gender, provoking discussions about double standards.

The show is shot in a way that puts emphasis on colors to generate to generate specific emotions from audiences.

A bright blue color is at the forefront of the screen when it reflects on Ramy’s face as a child. This emulates a pleasant tone, giving viewers a warm and fuzzy feeling.

The opening scenes of each episode are cut similar to the style of FX’s “Atlanta” or HBO’s “Barry” –– they move quickly when something serious or surreal happens, which draws audiences in closer.

But what’s remarkable about this debut isn’t the cinematography, it’s in Youssef’s unique perspective on a story that’s been told before, but now in a lens that more people need to look through themselves.

M a y 8 , 2 0 1 9 T h e S i g n a l p a g e 2 3 May 8, 2019 The Signal page 23

Sports Baseball

Baseball rolls through NJAC tournament

Borup rips a hit against Ramapo.

By Miguel Gonzalez Photo Editor

After experiencing a three-game losing skid at the end of the regular season, the baseball team qualified for the fourth seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament.

The fourth-seeded Lions stormed the conference playoffs on the road as they defeated Ramapo College,

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Kean University and Rutgers University-Newark.

The team opened the tournament at Ramapo on April 30. Led by senior infielder Danny Borup’s three-hit performance, the College jumped to a 5-1 lead by the top of the second and never looked back. Meanwhile, senior pitcher Andrew Rowan tossed a complete game and limited Ramapo to only two hits.

The Lions padded the lead in the top of the seventh when junior infielder Gary Otten smacked a single and

drove in two runs to put the Lions up 8-2. Senior infielder Ryan Fischer added another run off a Ramapo throwing error. With an easy win at hand, the team shut down Ramapo to seal the deal 9-2.

Following the victory, the Lions traveled to Union, New Jersey, for a matchup against second-seeded Kean.

Similar to previous competitive games, the Lions and Kean fought to the final innings, with the College ultimately prevailing 4-2. In the first inning, the Lions loaded the bases.

With one out remaining, Fischer ripped a single and drove in two runs, putting the Lions ahead 2-0. On the mound, junior pitcher Peter Nielsen kept Kean’s bats quiet for seven innings. The Lions would also add another run in the top of the fifth.

In the top of the eighth, Kean cut the lead to 3-2 when junior infielder Mike Perone Jr. blasted a two-run home run. The Lions were quick to respond as junior catcher David Cardona III hit a home run in the bottom of the eighth. Senior pitcher Dylan Crowley then protected the Lions’ 4-2 lead to clinch the victory.

The Lions then blanked Rutgers-Newark 5-0 on Saturday, May 4. The game first started as a pitching duel between junior Michael Walley and Rutgers’ senior Casey Handley. The team broke through in the top of the seventh when Cardona III hit a sacrifice fly and gave senior outfielder Matt Giacose the chance to score.

Junior outfielder Jacob Simon then hit a single and drove two runs to give the Lions a 3-0 lead. Walley continued his dominance at the mound, striking out nine batters and surrendering just four hits. In the top of the ninth, the Lions scored two more runs and buried Rutgers-Newark with a 5-0 lead to clinch the win.

Sports

Signal

Lions win NJAC, aim for division title

Suitovsky slides into home plate.

By Malcolm Luck Staff Writer

Following three consecutive wins in the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament, the softball Lions have been crowned champions for the first time since the 2000 season. The tournament’s fourth and final match was canceled due to weather, but automatically propelled the College to the tournament win due to conference policy.

The Lions’ first opponent was Stockton University on April 30. In the previous two meetings against the team this

Lacrosse wins ninth club conference title

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

season, the College outscored Stockton by a combined tally of 15-0 dating back to their doubleader matchup on April 2.

Both offenses came out of the gate hot, scoring a run in each of the first two innings. Senior catcher Jess McGuire’s RBI sacrifice fly knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. After surrendering a run in the top half of the second frame, the College scored in the bottom half of the inning on a fielder’s choice by junior infielder Megan Mayernik to tie the score again.

While sophomore pitcher Alanna Namit struggled to command her pitches, sophomore pitcher Eliza Sweet

Track places in NJAC meet

By Christine Houghton Sports Editor The women’s lacrosse team dominated in the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship after a convincing playoff run. The Lions defeated Kean University on May 1 in a blowout 18-4 victory. They then went on to beat Rowan University in the championship match on Saturday, May 4, winning 17-2.

The score was tight in the game against Kean until just under 15 minutes into the first half. The Lions, then down by one, rallied with a 15-goal-scoring run that lasted the rest of the game, only letting Kean hit the back of the net four times. Junior attacker Alexandria Fitzpatrick scored a game high of five goals throughout both halves, increasing her season total to 59 goals.

Junior attackers Olivia Cleale and Kasey Donoghue both scored three each and graduate student midfielder Erin Harvey found the back of the net twice.

After the dominant victory, the Lions went on to play Rowan and secured the 2019 NJAC women’s lacrosse title, their ninth title in club history. Fitzpatrick was the top scorer yet again, posting up four goals and becoming the first player to pass the 60-goal mark since 2015. Senior midfielder Kathleen Jaeger also scored four goals on the day and junior attacker Allie Gorman posted three herself. Harvey rounded out the top scorers yet again with two goals, while senior goalkeeper Miranda Chrone saved 11 goals on the day to help the College secure its championship victory.

With the win, the team has clinched a playoff berth in the upcoming NCAA playoff berth as they play Colby College on Sunday, May 12.

Lions Lineup may 8, 2019

I n s i d e

stepped up for the team, providing four scoreless innings in relief.

A clutch home run from sophomore infielder Lauren Conroy in the bottom of the fifth gave the Lions a lead that they refused to surrender, as the club went on to win 3-2 and advanced to the second round.

Sweet’s dazzling performance earned her the start in the tournament’s second game, as the Lions took on Ramapo College on Friday, May 3. Sweet did not disappoint, as she hurled 4 1/3 innings while allowing no runs and striking out five batters. Senior outfielder Gaby Bennett knocked in the first two runs of the game in the fourth and sixth innings with RBI groundouts.

An RBI single from junior infielder Annalise Suitovsky and an RBI double from Conroy in the sixth and seventh innings provided insurance for Namit, who bounced back from her rough start with 2 2/3 innings in relief. She ultimately earned her second save of the year, securing a win for the Lions as they looked to top their rival, Rowan University, the next day.

Rowan, second to the Lions in NJAC standings, proved to be no match for the College either, as the Lions went on to win 5-2 on Saturday, May 4.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lions found themselves in a 2-2 tie. Suitovsky led off the inning with a double to right center. A productive out from sophomore infielder Elyse Nardozza moved her over to third with just one out in the inning, allowing Mayernik to score her on a squeeze bunt.

Sophomore outfielder Allie Immerso followed with an RBI infield single, while sophomore outfielder Katie Winchock had an RBI groundout of her own. With a comforting three-run lead in the top of the seventh, Namit closed out the game and earned her 15th win of the season.

The Lions currently await their opponent for the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament.

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Gorman sprints in the 400-meter dash.

By Jordan Washington Staff Writer

From Saturday, May 4 to Sunday, May 5, the men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship at Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey.

The women’s team, ranked 17th in the country among Division III schools, finished in second place for the meet.

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Senior Abigail Rizzo won in the heptathlon, making her the conference champion for the event. Freshman Allison Uhl won the 800-meter race with an astounding time of 2:19.32, while Freshman Emily Prendergast finished a few spots behind in third at a time of 2:23.55.

In the 5-kilometer race, the Lions finished in the top three positions.

Senior Natalie Cooper came in first with a time of 18:02.77, followed by senior Erin Holzbaur, who finished in second at 18:15.27 and senior Madeleine Tattory, who placed third with a time of 18:17.62.

In the 4x400-meter relay, the team of Uhl, fellow freshman Megan Gasnick, sophomore Shannon Lambert and junior Sam Gorman placed first for the College at 4:04.26.

Gorman saw a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash at a time of 58.29, while freshman Kassidy Mulryne won the conference championship in the high jump at 1.55 meters.

The men’s team had a third-place finish in the meet.

Sophomore Robert Abrams won the 5-kilometer event, blazing in 15:15.03.

Sophomore Daniel Pflueger finished in second in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.99.

Sophomore Anthony Lorenc took third place with a time of 11.19 in the 100-meter event. Lorenc was busy, as he also ran into a third-place finish in the 200meter race with a time of 22.56.

The triple jump event saw freshmen Jaiden Elliott take second place at 13.83 meters.

Both teams will look for another great performance on Monday, May 13 at the Swarthmore Last Chance Meet in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.