The Signal: Sping '13, No. 1

Page 1

New College Provost & v.P. Taylor

Skyelar Ettin brings the basketball team to victory

see News page 3

See Sports page 28

Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 1

January 23, 2013

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Campus Town demolition pending state, B&N

Photo courtesy of the Department of Communications, Marketing, and Brand Management

Campus Town’s building plans are seen above. The projected view from Metzger Drive is on top, and the view from Pennington Road is on bottom. By Brendan McGrath Editor-in-Chief

This semester, the College expects to break ground on Campus Town, continue to progress on the Underground Steam and Sanitary Pipe Project, complete renovations to Cromwell Hall, and set up a number of projects for work this summer. If all goes according to plan, demolition of the area Campus Town is set to occupy will be completed this semester. The developer of the project, PRC Group, has submitted demolition documents to the state for review and approval, according to Matthew Golden, associate vice president for Communications, Marketing, and Brand Management at the College.

PRC’s financing for the project depends on the College’s finalizing of an agreement with Barnes & Noble to have them occupy Campus Town as the anchor store. PRC still projects that Campus Town will be completed and available for occupancy by fall 2014, but it will not be completed for the Special Olympics the preceding summer, according to Golden. The trenches outside of Centennial Hall and the Power House, resulting from the Underground Steam and Sanitary Pipe Project, have been backfilled. The manhole work near Centennial and Lake Sylva is being finished, but the College is waiting on additional piping to be delivered before it can complete similar work between Norsworthy Hall and the lake, according to Golden. Currently, the College expects all of the

new steam piping to be tied into the existing system in May. Also by the end of May, the Cromwell Hall renovation is expected to be completed. Among other improvements, the College is working on installing copper pipes into new bathrooms and painting the interior walls. The replacement of Cromwell’s roof is 75 percent complete and will be finished in about a month, according to Golden. In addition, the Brower Student Center’s Roof and Envelope Project is underway and will continue through the summer, during which the skylight will be replaced. In the summer, modifications will also be made to the air supply ductwork in Packer Hall, while Centennial will receive shower upgrades and Norsworthy will receive window upgrades.

New cameras on campus Nineteen and elected

Ten-year project for security

By Katie O’Dell Review Editor

The College approved funding for the installation of new security cameras during the 2012-2013 school year, according to the Fiscal Year 2013 Operating Budget. Documents found on the College’s website sought construction workers to install cameras in the Power Plant, the Brower Student Center and the exterior of the Metzger Garage. Associate vice president for Communications, Marketing, and Brand Management at the College Matthew Golden confirmed these locations, adding that the cameras would “aim to capture critical infrastructure and public space on campus” and already exist in recently constructed buildings including the Library, the apartments, the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building and the new Education Building. Images picked up by the cameras will be monitored by Campus Police. The camera project is in its second year, according to Golden, who stated that the initiative began as the result of the 2008-2009 security audit. “Rapidly changing technology, campus security issues at other campuses and the College’s recently revised Critical Incident Plan each added to the impetus for a security audit,”

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 7 The Signal @TCNJsignal

he explained, noting that the audit and subsequent construction were not precipitated by any particular incident. Maintenance costs for the cameras will be covered by the Brower Student Center, housing, and Education & General funds. Golden estimates that maintenance costs for the cameras currently total about $24,000 and will jump to a projected $90,650 annually once the ten-year project is complete. see CAMERAS page 4

Lianna Lazur / Photo Editor

Security cameras will become an increasingly common sight on campus.

Editorial / Page 9

Opinions / Page 11

By Natalie Kouba News Editor

Doctors from across the country told Brandon Pugh that he would never speak. They told his parents that there was no chance he would ever leave home. They said he would have to live with his parents for the rest of his life or be institutionalized. In fact, when he was six years old, he had still not uttered his first words and had the comprehension level of a oneand-a-half year old. Just over seven years later, at age 14, Pugh was living by himself in his own apartment just outside Buenos Aires, buying groceries, riding his motor scooter, and volunteering to teach English in Argentina. Pugh, a sophomore political science major, is an avid volunteer in his hometown of Moorsetown, N.J., as well as abroad. Most recently, he gained attention for becoming the youngest elected member of the Moorsetown Board of Education from a pool of eight candidates. “It is really a foreign idea for people that are this young to run,” Pugh explained, winning his ticket at 19 years old. “There is a statistic in the United States, specifically for New Jersey though, that only two

Features / Page 13

Photo Courtesy of Brandon Pugh

Sophomore Brandon Pugh.

percent of elected officials are under 35. So it is a pretty small minority. Under 20 is almost non-existent.” During the campaign in October, Pugh, along with his treasurer and chairman, knocked on over 6,000 doors, printed ads in newspapers, see PUGH page 13

Arts & Entertainment / Page 15

Sports / Page 28

Club Hub Alternative Break Club goes the distance

Trenton Airport Frontier brings cheap flights across the country

And the winner is ... Read an early Oscar prediction

See Features page 13

See News page 4

See A&E page 15


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January 23, 2013 The Signal page 3

The College gets two new faculty members By Emma Colton Web Editor

Between the flurry of fall semester finals, and the time of decompression during winter break, the College was busy appointing two new additions to its faculty. The College has named Jacqueline Taylor as the new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, and Jeffrey Passe as the dean of the School of Education. Taylor comes to the College from Chicago’s DePaul University. There, she held different leadership positions, including that of the founding dean of the College of Communication. Her thirty-plus years of experience in the world of academia gave her an advantage over the other candidates and the experience creates a valuable knowledge base that is applicable to her position at the College. Provost and vice president of

academic affairs is a position that cuts across a wide array of responsibilities, most notably economic and academic. According to the College’s webpage, which is devoted to outlining the duties of the provost and vice president of academic affairs, Taylor will be expected to supervise budgets, build on existing business models, and reflect on new methods to boost academic revenue. She will report directly to the College’s president, R. Barbara Gitenstein, and will serve in the president’s cabinet. In addition, Taylor’s new position anticipates that she will help promote the College’s reputation on a more national level. This leadership role will synthesize the role of publicly communicating the College’s current success along with building future academic success. One of Taylor’s first duties as incoming provost was to Skype-

interview candidates for the position of dean of the School of Education. Taylor’s choice was the second winter break addition to the College’s faculty, Jeffrey Passe. Passe was selected as the new dean and will begin his position in July of this year. Passe will taker over for Mark Kiselica, who was serving as interim dean after succeeding Bill Behre who was promoted to the Assistant vice president of the College’s Advancement Office. Most recently, Passe was a professor and the chair of Towson University’s Department of Secondary Education. He holds his Ph.D., which is in curriculum and instruction, from the University of Florida. A devoted scholarly writer, Passe has had many articles and a few books published, many of which deal with social studies and teaching elementary and middle-school aged students.

tcnj.edu

Jacqueline Taylor, the College’s new provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.

Surviving parental loss, one semester at a time Students band together to find a rare connection By Emma Colton Web Editor

One morning, senior technology and pre-engineering education major Bianca Sims woke up with the strangest urge, the urge to hunt down a copy of Moby Dick. She knew there was a copy tucked away somewhere in her Newark, home, and she needed to find it. Sims’s mind reached back to a time when she was eight years old. Her father, Larry Bludson, knew that he didn’t have much time left before cancer claimed his life. He didn’t want to pass without leaving his daughter a tangible memorial of his love for her. So, while little Sims was in her room, her father explained to her that he was always going to love her. In that moment, he grabbed some white electrical tape and wrote-out the word “love” on Sims’s brown bedroom walls. Shortly after his death, the electrical tape was taken off the walls, and delicately placed inside a copy of “Moby Dick.” Years later, Sims searched for the book, not knowing exactly why until she rediscovered one of her father’s last examples of affection stuck between the pages of the treasured novel. “It just hit me, that memory I had forgotten, there it was in the book,” Sims said. Now, Sims, 22, still struggles with the gap her father left. However, college and a support system of other suffering young adults has helped ease her pain. Across the country, college campuses have established parental loss counseling groups, support groups and even non-profit organizations. These support systems act as refuges for students who want to grieve with other young people. Carol Evangelisto, is a licensed professional counselor at the College’s Counseling and Psychological Services, also known as CAPS, and she runs the on-campus parental loss group. “Off-time death, it, it doesn’t fit in our scheme, in our knowledge of the world,” Evangelisto said about the impact a parental death has on a young person. “And, so

Photo courtesy of Amy Soltes

Amy Soltes (center) with her mom, Karen, (left) and her younger sister, Sarah (right).

when you’re young, and your parent dies, it’s not supposed to happen at that age. They’re supposed to get old, and you’re supposed to get old with them.” Ms. Evangelisto has been working as a counselor at the College for 21 years, and the pain of students not being able to see their parents turn old and gray is an issue near and dear to her heart. Evangelisto is able to relate to the students who come into her office in Eickhoff Hall, and break down to a puddle over the fact that one minute they were able to call up their mom or dad and tell them the happenings of their day, and the next minute, one of their parents is gone. The students are left confused and aching for answers in an already confusing time in their life. Evangelisto, herself, lost her mother at 13, and her father when she was 27. “It all helps me do this work,” Evangelisto said about how the deaths of her parents have influenced her abilities to connect with grieving students. Amy Soltes, senior accounting major, also participates in the parental loss group on campus. Her mother died of breast cancer last February when Soltes was 21 years old. “When I was little, and she first got diagnosed, she had to take Tamoxifen to prevent it from coming back,” Soltes recounted in the College’s student center. “She had to take it for six years, and she like showed me the bottle, and was telling me about it to help me understand.” Soltes continued the story, waving her hands to express that telling a six year old that her mother would be taking cancer treatment pills for the next six years, was basically explaining a life-sentence of pill-popping. “So, when I was 12, I came downstairs for breakfast, and I have this pill bottle thrown at my head,” Soltes said, half giggling. “I’m like, ‘what was that for?’.” Soltes smiled as she recounted the groggy morning in middle school. Her mother had thrown the pill bottle at her head to show her daughter that the cancer treatment was completed. The threat of death and losing her mom was erased from Soltes’ mind, for that moment, at least. “When she got sick again, it was tough, because we all thought it was done,” Soltes said. Soltes explained that even though friends and family are great to have as a support system, if they haven’t been through that type of pain, they’re not going to be able to help as much as a parental loss group. Friends will give hugs, and awkward sympathetic smiles, but there will always be that disconnect, explained Soltes. People who don’t know exactly what to say, don’t want to offend, so they won’t say much about the loss or the pain. Or, according to Soltes, sometimes when she explains her loss to friends, she has to comfort them because they feel so bad about the loss. Soltes described that in a support group a person doesn’t have to explain the pain or worry about the judgement. In a college support group, everyone is the same age and has similar life circumstances in addition to their common loss. In a support group crying is accepted and expected. “We call it a really exclusive club. You have to pay a really high price to get into it. And you’re inducted into it involuntarily. That’s what we call it,” Soltes joked about the uncontrollable eliteness of being a member in the support group. What most people don’t know if they haven’t experienced pain, according to both Sims and Soltes, is that even though a parent may no longer be physically there, they are still present in their child’s mind. “My mom is almost like my conscience,” Soltes explained. “When you’re little, your parents are teaching you. Even though I consider myself a fairly responsible adult, I still have my mom’s voice in my head. Especially when it comes to like, studying for my finals.” Sims even recounted of how she still talks to her father, and how she still wants answers to questions that have been nagging her. “I’m trying to get some feedback, maybe about changing my major, or dealing with friends,” Sims said. “If something pops in my head, it’s from him. So, he’s still right there in mind, helping me along.”


page 4 The Signal January 23, 2013

Frontier flies from Trenton-Mercer Airport New local hub for aerial transportation

By Christopher Rightmire News Editor

Whether your destination of choice is Disney World, Mardi Gras or the Super Bowl, flying there just became more convenient and less expensive. Frontier Airlines has been aggressively expanding its low-priced flights from the TrentonMercer Airport. The airport will also serve as their east coast hub. By April, Frontier will offer nonstop flights to Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, New Orleans, Orlando, Raleigh/Durham and Tampa. All of these flights have early promotional prices of under $80. The airline hopes this variety of tourist destinations will differentiate it from the 13 other Trenton-Mercer based airlines that have gone out of business since 1983. The Trenton-Mercer Airport is a sevenminute drive from the College’s campus, located off Exit 2 on Interstate 95. The airport opened in 1929 and is one of three New Jersey airports that offers

commercial flights. Frontier is currently the only commercial airline that uses the airport following the collapse of Streamline Air in September. One of the airport’s most alluring amenities is its free 600-spot parking lot. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Frontier’s senior vice president Daniel Shurz said Frontier picked Trenton because 2.5 million people live closer to the airport than any other commercial airport. He added that in the Northeast, “there is a relative paucity of low-cost, low-fare carrier service.” Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes displayed enthusiasm with the expansion in his Jan. 17 State of the County address. He expressed optimism that the incoming flights will further bolster tourism dollars. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Frontier Airlines hopes to make $1.15 million in yearly revenue off of Trenton. For the College’s students, this is an exciting development. “Having this low-priced airline so close presents a lot of travel opportunities for college students on a budget. I am personally interested in the prospect of a

AP Photo

Heavy expansion of airline gives lower rates and more destinations.

Mardi Gras trip,” senior marketing major Keith Knutzen said. To help attract new customers, Frontier Airlines is offering a series of giveaways. Residents of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware can enter at trentonsweepstakes. flyfrontier.com. One winner will be chosen

weekly to receive a free roundtrip ticket for any flight out of Trenton-Mercer Airport. The monthly prizes include roundtrip tickets to different locations and accommodations. The grand prize winner will receive round-trip tickets out of Trenton-Mercer Airport for a year.

Cameras / A safer campus Hazy spelling bee Funds for cameras installation continued from page 1 Of this, an estimated $5,600 would come from the Brower Student Center fund, $32,550 from the Education & General fund and $52,500 from housing fees. While students were supportive of additional security cameras in the parking garages, some felt that they were not necessary in other locations. “I would like to see security cameras installed in and around the parking garages, but don’t see them being necessary in the student center,” said

senior digital art major Sam Prowse, who added that she “generally feels very safe on campus.” Senior computer science major Laurence Agina concurred. “In general, I don’t think they are necessary. TCNJ is a relatively safe and quiet campus. That being said, cameras in parking garages would be useful to provide additional evidence when instances of vandalism, theft or collision are reported,” he said. “Other than that, putting them in other places, like the student center, would be overkill and have a ‘big brother’ sort of feel to it.”

By Natalie Kouba News Editor

A water leak was reported to Campus Police on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 4 a.m. When police arrived they noticed a pool of water was leaking from under the door of a dorm room. Police heard the shower running and knocked on the door. They opened the door for an emergency welfare check and yelled into the bathroom, but there was no response. Police said they pulled back the shower curtain and saw a nude student lying on the shower floor in a fetal position with vomit next to his face. The police officer yelled at him to wake up, but the student was unresponsive. He opened his eyes when the officer tapped on his feet. When asked for his name, the student responded, “Bad cop.” Police turned off the shower, assisted the student to sit upright, and handed him a towel. The student, according to police, smelled strongly of alcohol, had red and glossy eyes, and said he drank vodka. Police asked the student a series of questions, to which the student had difficulty responding. When asked what city he was from, the student answered, “Five,” and when asked if he knew where he was, the student said he was at the police officer’s house. Lions’ EMS arrived at the scene and the student was transported to Capital Health of Hopewell. The student was issued a summons for underage drinking. … Campus Police were dispatched to Decker Hall on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 2:40 a.m. on report of an intoxicated student. Upon arrival, police met the student, who was conscious and sitting in a chair. Lions’ EMS were already at the scene and informed police that they were treating him. The student was on the floor, unconscious when Lions’ EMS arrived. Although the student reportedly smelled of alcohol, he would not say how much he drank, and then denied drinking anything. The student was unable to spell his last name, his speech was slow and slurred, and his eyes were bloodshot. When attempting to spell his last name, he kept forgetting an “L.” He was unable to keep his balance during the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, failing to perform the test. He swayed from side to side as he attempted to collect his belonging from the lounge. The student was transported to Capital Health Hopewell and issued a summons for underage drinking. …

Lianna Lazur / Photo Editor

Security cameras already exist in some locations on campus, such as the Library, and will soon be found in others, including parking garages.

While performing a routine building check of the Facilities Building at 2:50 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13, Campus Police observed two male students sitting on a bench on the south side of Lake Sylva. According to campus police, the students lit an object which appeared to be a pipe, multiple times. Police approached the students on foot, and reported faintly smelling “burnt marijuana.” When one of the students saw the officer approaching, he placed something in his shirt pocket. The students had two glass pipes with residue in them, as well as a 1.5” x 2” bag with “green, hard vegetation,” which police believed to be hashish marijuana. Police found another bag by the students’ feet. They were arrested, searched and transported to the TCNJ Police Department for possession of a controlled dangerous substance and drug paraphernalia. There is no further information at this time.


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 5

Winter and summer term successes and shortcomings By Natalie Kouba News Editor

While for many students the biggest decision faced during the first week of winter break was whether to unpack their books from first semester or catch up on “Breaking Bad” on Netflix, there were a good number of students who were mentally in “study mode” while preparing for a winter course with the College’s winter session program. Over this year’s winter term, 180 students enrolled in classes that met in January and ran just shy of two-and-a-half weeks. According to the TCNJ Winter Session website, there were 19 different courses, ranging from Japanese-American Experiences in California to Principles of Macroeconomics, on campus. Although the winter session was initiated in the 2011-2012 school year and is still pretty new, it has proven to be quite successful. “Student enrollment has grown,” said William Behre, interim vice provost at the College. “Course evaluations that are completed by both faculty and students suggest that, in general, both groups believe that the courses are worthwhile.” According to Behre, the registration almost doubled from last year’s session. “Some students were transferring in courses that they took elsewhere between semesters,” Behre said. “We decided to offer some courses here to see if there was interest.” Taylor Dickinson, senior elementary education and Math/Science/Technology double major, has participated in summer sessions for the past three years. Dickinson said she benefited from the summer sessions. At the end of the spring semesters at the College, she was still in “school mode,” which made it easier to make a smooth transfer into another semester.

Dickinson took an education course in Philadelphia, which she also enjoyed. From these experiences, Dickinson learned of different possibilities for career paths using her major. “Learning about professions that are related to science education but do not necessarily involve being in a classroom, such as educators at a zoo, the Liberty Science Center or in similar settings, opened the door to new ideas that I would have never considered otherwise” Dickinson said. Junior Brandon Schiff took a summer course to help lighten the demanding schedule of a mechanical engineering major. While in retrospect he was happy he took Thermodynamics I over the summer so he could concentrate solely on that class, he thought he should have just taken it at a community college instead. “A summer class at my community college was $350 and it fills the same requirement that I could’ve taken at TCNJ,” Schiff said. However, Talha Cheema, a senior biology major, thought the courses at the College were more valuable than those at a community college. “My advisors and professors told me that it looks better for medical schools,” Cheema said. One course unit for the winter session costs $1591.72 for in-state students, while the summer session costs $1901.68 per unit. It was not only the cost of the program Schiff did not like, but also who was selected as an instructor. Schiff said his instructor, Shih Yu Lu, was not faculty at the College. “With summer session you usually would get someone who doesn’t normally teach. And that makes it annoying cause my professor never taught before and was kinda boring,” Schiff explained. “He said he

Photo Courtesy of Matt Reynolds

Reynolds and his new friends embrace British culture in England. worked at some engineering company but was asked to teach the class. If I remember right there was a different teacher, then (Lu) replaced him before the classes started.” Emma Colton, freshman journalism major and Signal Web Editor, on the other hand, participated in a winter session this year and thought her instructor was exactly cut out for the job. “(Marla Jaksch) was very thorough and took full advantage of technology to supplement the class,” Colton said. Although most of her class was online, she found that her professor taught the material well. “Our office works with department chairs to determine what courses should be offered and which faculty would be appropriate to teach,” Behre said on selecting instructors. Another aspect of the summer and winter sessions is the opportunity to study abroad. Both Cheema and Matt Reynolds, a senior English secondary education major, have taken advantage of study abroad in the summer and winter sessions.

Cheema spent two weeks in the Galapagos studying the natural history, in what he described as “the best two weeks of his life.” The summer session gave him the opportunity to study abroad without stressing about fitting it into a typical semester. Reynolds recently returned from the London and Stratford-upon-Avon program, studying British theatre. “At first, it was really awkward because the 15 of us were split into cliques because we didn’t know each other, ” Reynolds said. “By the end, we were all going out at night together and acting as if we had known each other all throughout college.” However, the trip was pricey. “This trip was crazy expensive. That being said, I would have paid more than what I did to get this experience,” Reynolds said. Overall, students seem to have found the extra semesters beneficial. From the College’s point of view, the next step is determining whether or not to make the winter program a permanent option.


page 6 The Signal January 23, 2013

Get involved!

NEW

Volunteer your time and energy to help ReNEW JERSEY. Join busloads of students, faculty and staff this spring as they help heal the shore by cleaning-up and rebuilding our state. 15 busloads of 42 volunteers each. Buses depart TCNJ at 8am from the BSC and return to campus at approximately 5:30pm.Volunteers receive a free bag breakfast and bag lunch. Dates/Capacity

• One bus per day: Saturday February 2, 9, 16, 23, and March 2. • Two buses per day, possibly to different locations: Saturdays, March 23 & 30, and April 6, 13, & 20, 2013. (Note: March 30,is during Easter weekend)

Registration Procedures

• Volunteers MUST BE currently enrolled TCNJ students, faculty, or staff. • Volunteer registration must be completed in person, on a first come, first served basis. No seats may be reserved for friends, teammates, organization members, etc. • Registration begins Monday, January 28 and Tuesday, January 29 at 9am – 5pm in BSC 202 (if space is still available, January 30 – February 1, in the BSC atrium) . • To provide all students the opportunity to participate, volunteers are asked to register for only one date on Monday, January 28 or Tuesday, January 29. Remaining seats will be available for registration, January 30 – February 1. • A refundable, $10 cash deposit per person is required at the time of registration. Deposits will be refunded at the time of bus boarding. • Individuals as well as student organizations, athletic teams, and residence hall floors are encouraged to sign-up and participate together. Feel free to invite your advisor, coach, or residence director.

Volunteer Day

JERSEY

• Volunteers receive brief safety training each Saturday morning immediately prior to departure. • Duties range from shoveling sand and street clean-ups to debris removal and installing sheet rock, plus many more options. Students choose from several tasks services they feel comfortable performing.

The TCNJ “Here for Home” Hurricane Sandy Relief Committee thanks you for choosing to volunteer. Funding for the “Here for Home” bus trips is provided by The Office of the President, The Office of Student Activities, TCNJ Dining Services, TCNJ “Here for Home” Relief Committee and the Student Finance Board. Another great way to show your support is to purchase a TCNJ designed, ReNEW JERSEY t-shirt available at the College Bookstore in the BSC. The shirts are $14.99 each. All proceeds will be donated to Hurricane Sandy relief. You may shop in-store or on-line at tcnj.bncollege.com. For further information on TCNJ’s “Here for Home” initiatives, contact the Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement at: 609.771.2548 or visit: http://hereforhome.pages.tcnj.edu


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 7

Nation & W rld Around the World: ALGERIA

Terrorist leader out for money BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Moktar Belmoktar is known abroad as the man who orchestrated the abduction of scores of foreigners last week at a BPoperated plant in the remote, eastern corner of Algeria, in a raid that led to many of their deaths. In the Sahara at least up until this week he was, ironically, known as the more pragmatic and less brutal of the commanders of an increasingly successful offshoot of al-Qaida. The question now is has he evolved into an international terrorist every bit as violent as his rivals, or did the Algeria operation go very differently than he intended? Belmoktar, an Algerian in his 40s known in Pentagon circles as “MBM,” just split off from al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, to start his own franchise. Over the past decade, AQIM has kidnapped dozens of foreigners, including diplomats, aid workers, field doctors and tourists. Although Belmoktar’s hostages are forced to endure months of privation and live with the constant threat of execution, those who have dealt directly with him say his cell has never executed a captive, according to hostage negotiators, a courier sent to collect proof-of-life videos, senior diplomats, and security experts interviewed for this article. The notable exception was the 2011 kidnapping of two French nationals from a bar in the capital of Niger, both of whom were killed when the French military tried to rescue them. It’s unclear if the two died from friendly fire, or were executed

AP Photo

During a four-day hostage crisis in Algeria, more than 80 people have been reported dead, which includes three U.S. Citizens. by their captors in a situation that closely mirrors the chain of events in Algeria, where combat helicopters strafed the compound in an effort to liberate the hostages, killing both kidnappers and victims. Belmoktar prefers to trade his hostages for money, experts have said, and global intelligence unit Stratfor says he can get an estimated $3 million per European captive. The money allowed him to build one of the best-financed cells of al-Qaida. It may explain how he was able to strike out on his own six weeks ago to create “The Masked Brigade,” whose inaugural attack was launched inside Algeria. “MBM is more along the lines of, how do I negotiate and put extra

money in my pocket?” says Rudolph Atallah, the former head of counterterrorism for Africa at the Pentagon, who has spent years tracking the terror network in this Sahelian country. “The others are purists.” Belmoktar claims he trained in Afghanistan in the 1990s, including in one of Osama Bin Laden’s camps. Research by the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation claims Belmoktar became the conduit between the core al-Qaida and AQIM. No one will ever know what would have happened if Algeria or other governments agreed to negotiate. Instead, the Algerians sent in helicopters, pounding the compound, and in the bloodbath that ensued.

Hugo Chávez

Capital city report

U.S. Congress: House lawmakers voted 241-180 earlier this week to approve $50.5 billion in aid for states pummeled by Hurricane Sandy. All but one of the no votes came from Republicans who said the legislation was too expensive and should be offset by spending cuts elsewhere. Gov. Christie on NRA Ad: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says it is “reprehensible” for the National Rifle Association to run an ad bringing President Barack Obama’s daughters into the gun-control debate. The ad accused the president of being a hypocrite for allowing his daughters to be protected by armed Secret Service agents but not embracing armed guards for schools. N.J. Governor’s Office: Gov. Christie announced FEMA has approved a $1.5 million project to reimburse Lavallette for emergency protective measures necessitated by Superstorm Sandy.

All information from AP

Ralliers against gun control

By Caitlin Flynn Correspondent

In October of 2012, Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, won a decisive 10-point victory over his most promising challenger since he came to power in 1998. A promoter of a socialist revolution in South America, Chávez has become a controversial and divisive figure in the region. Chávez’s proponents claim that his economic policies, including the nationalism of Venezuela’s oil revenue, have helped the poor, which make up a majority of the population. His opponents have blamed his and his party’s policies for the rapidly growing deficit and inflation. For the U.S., his re-election means six more years of his influence in South America. Over the last 14 years, he has been an outspoken critic of Western policies and has aligned himself with many anti-Capitalist leaders in countries such as Russia, Cuba and Iran. MOST RECENT: Chávez received medical treatment for pelvic cancer at the end of 2012. Since he was still in debilitating condition, he was not inaugurated on Jan. 10 and has received an indefinite pardon from presidential duties. Opponents are adamant on pushing National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello into the position should Chávez not recover within 30 days.

AP Photo

Ralliers in Montana carry signs with pro-gun statements on Jan. 19, 2013.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Gun advocates — some with rifles slung across shoulders or pistols holstered at the hip — have rallied peacefully in state capitals nationwide against President Barack Obama’s sweeping federal gun-control proposals. Summoned via social media for the “Guns Across America” event, participants gathered Saturday for protests large and small against stricter limits sought on firearms. Only a few dozen turned out in South Dakota and a few hundred in Boise, Idaho. Some 2,000 turned out in New York and large crowds also rallied in Connecticut, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington state. The rallies came on a day in which accidental shootings at gun shows in North Carolina, Indiana and Ohio left five people hurt. The wounded included two bystanders hit by shotgun pellets after a 12-gauge shotgun discharged at a show in Raleigh, N.C., as the owner unzipped its case for a law officer to check at a security entrance, authorities said. A retired deputy there also suffered a slight hand injury.

About 800 people gathered for the “Guns Across America” event in Austin, Texas, as speakers took to the microphone under a giant Texas flag stamped with one word: “Independent.” “The thing that so angers me, and I think so angers you, is that this president is using children as a human shield to advance a very liberal agenda that will do nothing to protect them,” said state Rep. Steve Toth, referencing last month’s elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn. Obama recently announced the guncontrol proposals in the wake of a Connecticut elementary school shooting that killed 20 first-graders and six educators last month. Toth, a first-term Republican lawmaker from The Woodlands outside Houston, has introduced legislation to ban within Texas any future federal limits on assault weapons or high-capacity magazines, though such a measure would violate the U.S. Constitution. In Arizona, Oregon and Utah, some came with holstered handguns or rifles on their backs. One man in Phoenix dressed as a Revolutionary War Minuteman, completing his outfit with an antique long rifle and a sign reading: “Tyrants Beware - 1776.” “We’re out here because this country has some very wise founding fathers and they knew they were being oppressed when they were a British colony,” said another man at the Phoenix rally, Eric Cashman. “Had they not had their firearms ... to stand up against the British, we’d still be a British colony.”


page 8 The Signal January 23, 2013


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 9

Editorial

Fighting for the right

A flight to California can have the same effects as the hour or so drive back to campus for a college student. Late classes and later nights mixed with scheduling anomalies, like no Wednesday classes, can put the College’s students in a completely different time zone than their surrounding community members. This scheduling difference, along with poor communication, causes a terrible strain between the College’s students and the Ewing community. This tension has led Ewing residents, police and policy makers to implement well-intentioned, but sometimes ineffective, strategies to quiet off-campus students’ late-night Photo Courtesy of Jess Pirrera noise. Examples range from a makeshift October protest against off-campus college students to inconsistent and The scheduling difference between College students and other members of the random police crackdowns. Instead of protesting students’ Ewing community creates tension among neighbors. lifestyles from a far, why not enter the campus and start a dialogue with not only the administration, but also student leaders? Instead of going out-of-the-way to target college houses and students 10 percent of the time, why not constantly maintain a fair vigilance against the specific disrupWhat is your main goal for the tive individuals that cause problems? upcoming semester? While some of the community’s reactions do more harm • Focus solely on getting good grades. than good, the fact can’t be denied that Ewing residents have a • Become more involved with clubs and activities point. It is unfair to expect Ewing community members, who “We bring out on campus. aren’t on college time, to put up with consistent late-night • Join a fraternity or sorority. the best in each noise, especially during weekdays. • Somehow manage classes, clubs, work and a So far, the only thing that the College’s students have conother every social life. tributed to the tension is negligence. Instead of looking for a day at practice solution, the trend has been to fall back on lazy arguments, cast your vote @ tcnjsignal.net ! and are very such as maintaining that the College’s contributions to the community far outweigh the disruptions caused by a few outsupportive of of-control parties, or that there are more pressing criminal each other. matters than underage drinking in the Ewing-Trenton area. While those arguments may have an echo of truth, they We have really don’t take away from the problem at hand, which is very real. strong leaders. We are currently being trained to be global citizens, the leaders of tomorrow and all that stuff that looks good on college They lead by pamphlets. In fact, the College’s mission statement reads, tcnjsignal.net example and “The College will be a national exemplar in the education of Telephone: Mailing Address: help out as those who seek to sustain and advance the communities in Production Rm - (609) 771-2424 The Signal Business Office - (609) 771-2499 c/o Brower Student Center which they live.” Feeble excuses don’t fit that bill. much as they The College of New Jersey Fax: (609) 771-3433 In our own backyard we are faced with a problem that will P.O. Box 7718 Email: signal@tcnj.edu can.” Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu challenge our diplomacy and communication skills, but it is — freshman Peter a challenge that I have faith we can master. No student is Okoh, men’s track willing to give up late-night functions all together, but I don’t Editorial Staff and field think that the Ewing community is asking us to do that. The Brendan McGrath Emma Colton mayor of Ewing, Bert Steinmann, commented in a September Editor-in-Chief Web Editor NJ.com article, “I am not saying not to have fun (but to) be mcgrat28@tcnj.edu Katie O’Dell Amy Reynolds Review Editor responsible in having your fun.” Managing Editor Peter Fiorilla What our neighbors are asking us to do is to treat them with “This trip reynola1@tcnj.edu Sports Assistant respect and to understand their situation. If we unite to take Christopher Rightmire Brian Kempf was crazy Natalie Kouba Features Assistant certain steps like using sober drivers for every party, keepNews Editors expensive. That ing noise levels down and communicating with neighbors, I rightmc1@tcnj.edu Janika Berridge believe we can earn some respect and trust of our own. Even kouban1@tcnj.edu Vicki Wang being said, I Chris Molicki Photo Assistants though we may be in a different time zone than our neighbors, Sports Editor would have we still speak the same language. molickc1@tcnj.edu Emilie Lounsberry

The Weekly Poll:

– Chris Rightmire, News Editor

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 and Sports editors and the Business Manager, 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.

Shuan Fitzpatrick Features Editor fitzpa28@tcnj.edu Thalia Ortiz Arts & Entertainment Editor ortizt1@tcnj.edu Tom Kozlowski Opinions Editor kozlowt1@tcnj.edu Lianna Lazur Photo Editor lazurl1@tcnj.edu Colleen Murphy Production Manager Jack Meyers Nation & World Editor

Advisor

Business Staff Dan Lisi Business/Ad Manager

Quotes of the Week

paid more than what I did to get this experience.”

— senior Matt Reynolds, referring to the Winter Session trip to London


page 10 The Signal January 23, 2013

Classifieds Country Club Apartments www.clubtcnj.com

Premier Off-Campus Complex 1.9 from Campus Fully Furnished / Fire Pits / BBQ Hangouts / Wireless Everywhere / Full Kitchens / Private Bedrooms Roommate Matching Free Month with AD Dedicated to the Students of TCNJ

You have the

RIGHT TO KNOW How are public school teachers trained? The National Council on Teacher Quality asked TCNJ to participate in a review of the nation’s teacher preparation programs.

TCNJ refused

Help us do what your school would not.

nctq.org/righttoknow Politics Forum – spring 2013 1/31 - Vicky Triponey (Interim V.P. Student Affairs) , “The Evolution of an Ethical Stand: Lessons from Inside Higher Education” Business school basement lounge

2/14 - Michael Robertson (Eng.), “Whatever Happened to Utopia?” 223 Social Science Bldg

2/21 - Jarret Crawford (Psych): “The Social and Psychological Roots of Political Intolerance in the United States” 223 Social Science Bldg

3/21 (5:30 pm) – Neve Gordon (Poli.Sci., BGU-Israel), “Securitizing Human Rights: Lawfare and the Attack on Rights Work in Israel/Palestine” Library Auditorium (5:30-7:00pm)

3/28 – Lynn Gazley (Soc/Ant) , “Our Particular Patients: Local Politics and International HIV Research in Thailand” 223 Social Science Bldg

4/11: Lisa Ortiz (Eng), "Overwriting the Dictator: Women's Autobiographical Literature in 20th Century Latin America"

We want YOU to write for us. Find us in the basement of the Brower Student Center every Sunday night at 6:00. Learn more about the opportunities you have to write and take pictures for the The Signal.

223 Social Science Bldg All events take place at 11:30am-12:30pm, except for the 3/21 event which is at 5:30-7:00 pm.

Please join us! Bring your students, colleagues, and friends!

Email us at signal@tcnj.edu with any questions or for more information.


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 11

Opinions The Signal says ...

The NRA: guns, jerks and spiel

By Tom Kozlowski Opinions Editor

Stop: It’s finally on our doorstep. The time spent avoiding even the thought of gun control has caught up with us, not in some intellectual giving evolution of momentum, but in bullets and numbers, in calamity as guns to commonplace. For just as we left school, another one fell victim to a beyond imagination. Beyond our glamorization of guns, past your crazy scenario our most frightening “what-ifs;” but it’s the “what-if’s” that have shown ninthus what must be done. And I’ll be damned if I allow the NRA to hold our logic at gunpoint. grade Their position is lopsidedly simple: the unrestricted, patriotic freedom to lay your hands on firearms. Any grade, any power. As extreme as the English pro-gun position is, many blow the anti-gun advocates out of proportion teacher, too, a problem all on its own. They blast the anti-gun advocates for they don’t believe in, the elimination of all guns whatsoever. For avoiding what the NRA and its ilk, conspiracy and misunderstanding are almost as the dangerous as the guns they tout. But there is no police state takeover. There are no political games being played on the graves of Newtown’s conversations victims. There are merely those trying to make a difference and those too about gun control, narrow-minded to get out of Dylan’s proverbial road. Fortunately, President Obama’s gun control plan has refocused some reblogging old of the debate. It’s about time, too. Mass shootings are hardly a black joke where hands should spring up, palms out, shouting “too memes for all your comedy soon, too soon.” Yet they do, and that must be changed. As does our friends to see inability to properly discuss this plan. are some considerations: we do not have unlimited freedom. That’s Caution: asking a bigHere one, I might add. We’re prohibited from yelling “fire” in a crowded Lance Armstrong theater. We have to buy car insurance, and we’re penalized from driving that car too fast on a highway. One of those already violates the sacrosanct First for cycling advice, Amendment — so when did your Second Amendment become Old Testament law? Mine is subject to limitations like everything else. A “well regulated” not giving Anne militia and the government responsibility to protect is citizens automatically Hathaway an nullify that argument, no matter how loud you can yell “freedom” over the Grand Canyon. Oscar Now here’s a question: when have you (or a phone-a-friend Go: define “debt buddy) benefited from owning an assault rifle? To hunt with a ceiling” for the Tea Party, celebrate the fall of the Patriots

Policies

The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via e-mail to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office. Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 300 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs. The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or e-mail us at signal@tcnj.edu.

AP Photo

‘The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.’ Janitors? They’re okay, I guess.

semi-automatic AK-47 is a long shot; to prevent crimes with, more importantly, it is undocumented. I don’t dispute the legitimacy of carry-conceal laws. What I do know is that every reported case has occurred with a handgun or shotgun. If you support taking highpowered, large magazine weapons from the hands of the mentally ill, then perhaps we should start by taking them from the public. After all, we’re the ones who least need or use them. I asked my hard-right neighbor an easy question the other day. “Would you pass Obama’s gun control measures if you thought they would save one life?” She said no. I asked again. “Let me remind you that the measures include mental healthcare reform, school safety funding, and a director for the ATF.” Again, she said no. She thought I wanted the government to control our lives. Such thinking will never make us safer, only more paranoid. This is a debate flooded by emotion, partisanship reigns. And a tact Obama gun plan is only a brief antiseptic. But assess your options again. To potentially reduce 36,000 gun crimes a year or watch them persist — the NRA may have the guns, but the brains aren’t so easily acquired.

‘Tired meme is tired’ culture

AP Photo

Not sure if hilarious or just mindlessly quoting same Internet meme again.

By Alexis McLaughlin I’m sure anyone with eyes and a working ethernet cable knows the reference eluded to in my title: the whole “adjective-noun-isadjective” meme that sprouted up God knows

“I SWEAR, THERE’LL BE MORE ISSUES IN MY SECOND TERM TO COMPLAIN ABOUT.”

EMAIL KOZLOWT1@TCNJ.EDU

how long ago in some Reddit, Memebase, 4chan kind of place. And I’m certain I’m not the only one thinking along these lines — that this meme, like so many others, has long been sucked of any humor, originality, tolerability, or anything that would permit its continued use in our cultural vernacular. The shameful thing of it is, most of these memes were wildly funny, when they came out! A clever caption paired with a rib-ticklingly fitting picture: it’s concise comedy! You can’t beat that. Well, actually, you can. In fact, the whole world seems to be clubbing the life out of these poor, memed babes through their incessant, unprovoked use of every internet quip imaginable. I can’t tell you how many ulcers I’ve formed listening to potentially good punchlines devolve into trite meme plug-ins, how raw my intestinal lining has

grown at the use of “Yo, dawg, I heard you like so-and-so, so I put a so-and-so in your so-and-so so you can do stuff while you do stuff.” It’s really annoying. But seriously, can we just stop clinging on to any catchy phrase that finds its way through a few websites? Are we that void of creativity that we can’t make our own jokes? It is the worst conceivable sensation when merriment is being had, then all of a sudden, somebody makes a quick, sometimes well-placed reference to a meme, and in seconds, the whole group is chiming in with “ALL the ‘whatever-noun-the-first-friendjust-said’!” and “troloLOLOLOLO,” while you just sit there wondering when comedy became as recyclable as soda cans. So wake up, every Internet-wielding person. Parroting a phrase that isn’t your own doesn’t make you funny — at least, not for long. It makes you un-innovative, me pissed, and this article all the more relevant.


page 12 The Signal January 23, 2013

Change Your Life ● Save Many Lives Volunteer tutors needed Basic high school topics Only 2 hours per week Monday - Friday 8:30-10:30 and 12:30-2:30 West Trenton Prison “Prison is the worst place that anybody would ever want to go. It’s not something I would wish on my enemy. While I was in prison, I considered my life over. Being there, we know all too well that without an education, it’s going to be impossible to make it anywhere in life.” Walter Fortson, ex-offender, college student and winner of the Truman Scholarship

Prison ● Volunteer ●Tutoring Interested? Attend an Information Session January 28, 29,31, February 1 11:30 am January 30, 12:30 pm Social Science Building 234 Questions? cpoe@tcnj.edu ● 609-771-2477

“I have learned valuable lessons from the inmates, tested out my teaching skills, and have used my experience to help me gain a job.” - Kaity, TCNJ tutor “Very focused on their work and it gives me hope they will be able to improve themselves.” —Greg, TCNJ tutor “Very friendly and polite. Our conversations were quite insightful and I learned that to err is human.” - Ruchi, TCNJ tutor “Each person has their own story and unique personality; they are not just a criminal.” – Jessica, TCNJ tutor

Center for Prison Outreach and Education

A collaboraƟve project between the History Department and the Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement.


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 13

Features

Pugh / Young politician and volunteer

Photo Courtesy of Brandon J. Pugh

Pugh worked for Gov. Christie and has volunteered at home and abroad. continued from page 1 created a website and set up four to five talk shows. He never saw his age as a barrier. Instead, he believes it might have been a great help for him.

“I think a majority of the people saw it as being a positive, because they were like, ‘Well you are not too far removed from the schools, so you know what works, what doesn’t work and you know what our students need going forward,’” Pugh said. Going door to door, there were some Moorsetown residents who thought he was joking, but most people in his town knew that Pugh was quite serious, just by knowing his character. The pool of candidates was larger than normal, Pugh said. At one point, three of the candidates pulled their campaign efforts together, running on one ticket against him. “Traditionally it’s really small, like four people for three slots, or three for three. But I think a lot of people saw my age and thought, ‘Well if he can do it, I can do it. I have a Ph.D., I have an M.D., a J.D., whatever it may be. I’ll throw my name in.” Pugh’s victory was not a long shot. Although he was the youngest candidate, he was by no means under-qualified for the job. In addition to his four months of volunteering in Argentina, Pugh has been working with Gov. Chris Christie for a year

and a half, where he began working in the Office of Volunteerism, handling relations with youth and the college population and visiting all the colleges in the state. The other aspect of Pugh’s involvement with the Office of Volunteerism is coordinating all non-governmental organizations, such as The Red Cross and Salvation Army. “When we hit Hurricane Irene, there was a big gap. There was nobody that was going to coordinate for the disaster. So I kind of got pushed into that direction,” Pugh said. Last week, he returned from a business trip in New Mexico at the explosives range by New Mexico Tech. Pugh serves as an instructor for Homeland Security and teaches their incident management courses and explosives response courses to local police officers and sheriff’s departments. Pugh’s latest project is writing a bill which is now in the Senate and Assembly, hoping to be passed. The bill would establish a New Jersey Advisory Council on Youth and Collegiate Affairs. “I have realized that there is not a lot of opportunities for people under 18, especially college students, to really have

their voices heard,” Pugh said. “It will form a council where people from all over the state’s colleges and high schools will serve on it. So any law that’s affecting us, it will have to go through this group.” His interest in governmental affairs began in high school, where he began attending board meetings as a freshman in high school. He was curious to know who his teachers’ and principal’s bosses were, where the money came from, and how the district was run outside of the classroom. Even though his difficult childhood had led him to a handicapped program at an early age, he gained more independence in middle school, spent time volunteering abroad and locally with the police department, and was taking AP courses by his freshman year of high school. “I think ultimately what got me elected was, people know me in town, knowing that I was the person that anytime anything needed to be done, I would be more than willing to help out. And I think people knowing me thought that I would be a good addition to the school board and I think that is ultimately why they elected me,” Pugh said.

TW Fitness Center moves to the Rec Center By Samantha Sorin Columnist

The TraversWolfe Fitness Center is officially moving to a new space in the Recreation Center. If the biggest thing you took away from the previous sentence is that there was a “TraversWolfe Fitness Center” in the first place, I encourage you to read on. The TraversWolfe Fitness Center was previously located in the TW Link and provided TCNJ students with free yoga, Zumba, kickboxing and aerobics classes. Although very convenient for freshmen who merely had to walk downstairs to get their sweat on, making the trek down memory lane to the Towers is not a favorite

for many upper classmen. In fact, it is a long way off from a lot of the buildings students normally use. Also, many upperclassmen live off campus, and therefore their IDs do not allow them to swipe into the Towers. Finally, the Towers don’t exactly scream “fitness” when you think of them, unlike Packer Hall and the Rec Center. Thus, we have picked up and moved. There are almost 20 hours of classes offered at the new and improved fitness center, and no matter how often you come, all classes are free for students. As a broke college student myself, I do not want to pay for anything if I don’t have to. Instead of going to a gym and taking classes, there are classes right on campus that are walking

distance from academic classes. It doesn’t matter if you are a fitness enthusiast or just jumped on the New Year’s resolution bandwagon, you can find a class that is suitable for your needs. Mats, jump ropes, weights and any equipment needed for classes are already in the fitness center — all you need to do is show up. Also, all teachers are CPR certified and are certified in their respective fields as well. Classes will start on Jan. 28 and run all semester. If you would like to get updates about the new fitness center, cancellations, substitute teachers or have any questions about the facility, feel free to email the fitness center account at twfitnesscenter@gmail.com. You can also visit the fitness center’s Facebook page at ‘TW Fitness Center.’ So if you are looking to

Samantha Sorin / Columnist

With a new location and a new schedule, the Fitness Center will be open for business. spice up your normal gym routine, take a yoga class for the first time or realized the “freshman 15” is

creeping up on you during your junior year, take a walk over to the Recreation Center.

College club does hard work in the Big Easy

By Sara Stammer Columnist

By the time each semester comes to a close, most students at the College look forward to their well-deserved break, a little bit of time to do nothing and not feel guilty about it. However, this break, like many in

the past, Alternative Break Club members selflessly gave up nine days to help others in New Orleans. Not seeking any recognition, these individuals count down the days until they get their chance to make a difference. On Jan. 5, 105 students in ABC took the 20-hour, 1,270-mile road trip down south. “Due to the frequent nature of our trips

Photo Courtesy of Gretchen Conway

Alternative Break Club members volunteered in New Orleans over winter break and will return throughout the year.

to NOLA, we have now built relationships with people there, and the trip is more than just a service trip. To many it is a trip to see familiar faces, reunite with homeowners that they helped bring back home and a trip to explore a city with a rich, unique culture,” said Billy Freyberger, president of ABC and senior finance and psychology double major. Started on campus in 2008, ABC continues to grow. This summer members look forward to their second ever summer trip in addition to their regular winter and spring trips. Working on average from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., only taking a 45-minute lunch break, roughly a third of the participants work on rebuilding a home, while others volunteer at a senior citizen home, environmental organizations or various community service projects, such as a community garden and rescue horse ranch. However, the work does not start or stop in New Orleans. With a $28,000 tab to cover, ABC spends a great deal of time fundraising for the trip. One vital organization that aids ABC in fundraising is Terhune Orchards,

where members work every weekend in the fall, raising thousands of dollars. Other means of fundraising consist of selling merchandise, hosting restaurant fundraisers and working the loop bus. During the Superbowl, Project Homecoming, the organization ABC works with, will be highlighted, specifically showcasing Consuela’s house, a site ABC worked at last spring. Also in the spring, ABC typically holds a New Orleans-themed dinner to raise awareness of the club and share experiences in order to create an atmosphere for people to reunite with others who went on the trip. “(Members of ABC) truly know how to make the most of the opportunities presented to them, and make the most of their college breaks,” Freyberger said. “Without their time and contributions, the club would not exist. Without them we would not be able to make the impact that we have throughout the years.”


2/28/13

2/28/13

2/28/13

2/28/13

Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day Specials

COMING SOON!

Text “Mamma” to 91944 for VIP specials and freebies!

page 14 The Signal January 23, 2013

TCNJ STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES asKS… do you know about our services? Services provided Include: •

• • •

Assessment, diagnosis & treatment of your medical condition or injury Curriculum required physical exams (fees may be incurred) Vaccinations (fees may be incurred) Laboratory tests (ie, blood work) Women’s Health Care on Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment through our collaborative agreement with Planned Parenthood of Mercer County

Making an Appointment:

Cost of Services at Student Health Services:

Student Health Services is available and FREE to all currently enrolled TCNJ students during the 15 weeks of each semester. Students who have the Student Health Insurance (SHIP) Plan receive laboratory tests, x-­‐rays and medications without charge (within their plan limits). Students who do not have the Student Health Insurance (SHIP) plan receive a bill for laboratory tests, x-­‐rays and medications according to their private insurance plan coverage limits.

Upcoming Events:

Hours of Operation: • Tb testing clinics: (cost $5.00) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30am-­‐6:00pm (evening hours) Thursday and Friday 8:30am-­‐4:00pm Tues. January 29th 3:30-­‐5:00pm –Loser Hall, Rm 106 Visit the Online Scheduling system at www.tcnj.edu/healthservices to schedule your appointment or call (609) 771-­‐2483 • Flu Vaccine available at QuickChek Pharmacy Call to schedule an appointment at 609-­‐883-­‐5724 If you or a friend are experiencing a medical emergency, you should call 9-­‐1-­‐1 from an on campus/TCNJ phone or (609) 771-­‐2345 from your cell phone ALWAYS BRING YOUR MEDICAL INSURANCE CARD AND PRESCRIPTION INSURANCE CARD TO ALL APPOINTMENTS AT STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 15

Arts & Entertainment

Globes set the bar for award season

AP Photo

This year’s Golden Globes winners, such as Jennifer Lawrence, leave everybody talking. By Thalia Ortiz Arts & Entertainment Editor The 70th annual Golden Globes, which aired live on Sunday, Jan. 13, were anything but dissapointing. The star-studded evening kicked off with hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who successfully kept guests on their toes with endless jokes that poked

fun at some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Despite the wide range of nominees, the biggest winners of the night were “Les Misérables” and “Argo.” “Les Misérables” earned awards for Best Musical, Best Supporting Actress (Anne Hathaway) and Best Actor (Hugh Jackman). It was a bittersweet win for the director of “Argo,” Ben Afleck,

because, although he took home the award for Best Director and Best Drama, he stands a slim chance at taking home a major award at the upcoming Oscars. Normally, if a movie receives an Oscar nomination for Best Picture as well as a separate nomination for its director, it nearly always takes home the prize for Best Picture. Unfortunately for Afleck, he did not receive a directing nomination for the Oscars. Despite Afleck’s domination at the Globes, the Oscars may not be as favorable Surprisingly, Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” lost six out of its seven nominations this year and only took home the award for Best Actor in the title role for Daniel DayLewis’s performance. The award show also took time to honor the musical contributions of top artists like Adele, who won her first Golden Globe for Best Original Song, Skyfall, in the

latest James Bond flick. One of the most talked about events of the night was Jodie Foster’s acceptance speech after winning the Cecil B. Demille lifetime achievement award. Foster used her time on stage to address several questions about her personal life, such as her sexuality. While she did not explicitly use the words gay or lesbian in her speech, her orientation was confirmed by the shout out in gratitude that she made to her former partner and movie producer, Cydney Bernar. Foster took time to reflect upon her accomplished career and announced that she may be retiring this year. In spite of the major changes taking place in Foster’s life, her speech served to show that she welcomes this next phase of her life with open arms. Sadly, one of Hollywood’s leading actresses, Meryl Streep,

was noticeably absent at the Globes this year due to the flu. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her role in “Hope Springs.” However, the “Hunger Games” actress Jennifer Lawrence took home the award for her performance in “Silver Linings Playbook” and made a slight dig at Streep when she read the award plaque and asked, “What does it say? I beat Meryl!” After receiving some backlash for the comment, Lawrence went on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and said that she meant it jokingly and did not intend for it to be an insult to Streep. Overall, it seems like the Hollywood Foreign Press association was fair and thoughtful with their distribution of awards this year. The Golden Globes were a great beginning to what may very well be a promising award season.

Who will take the gold at the Oscars? By Tom Kozlowski Opinions Editor

In my lifetime, I’ve never seen a more divisive year for Oscar competition than 2013’s reeling lineup (and I’ve lived as long as Betty White). Safe bets for Best Picture can usually be dropped on a standout film. Here, we have several. An ear to the door of the Academy board room will hear them leaning toward a few overdue winners, the Chosen Ones. Instead, we’ve been handed a nail-biter. Of course, it’s my responsibility to throw my hat into the ring. Like other film

AP Photo

Talented nominees make for a close race at the Academy Awards.

fans, I make predictions as a challenge of expected results — first to be pretentiously pleased when I’m right, then in letterwriting rage when the Academy doesn’t take my advice. After all, they’re to blame for my sunken gambles. The Oscars may be a nail-biter, but I can still bite the hand that feeds. So, in preparation for that magical night that I haven’t been invited to yet again, here’s a guide to who should win in my film-fandom fantasy. Always start with the category that you can’t possibly fail. This year’s Best Foreign Film is practically in the arms of French slowburner “Amour,” a movie already spoonfed success by critics domestic and afar. Its well-deserving 85-year-old actress Emmanuelle Riva can turn your attention away from her age and directly into her sadness. Hence, an accomplishment from the French who usually inspire resentment more than anything. From here on out, though, the Oscars

descend into guesswork Hunger Games; an 85-year-old geriatric and a six year old girl grapple over a Best Actress statue, while their contenders — young, attractive women like Jennifer Lawrence — woo the academy with their charm. Despite six-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis’s overwhelming performance in “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” the Academy tosses aside young actors for later use. More reasons to hate the Academy. Instead, take a chance on Emmanuelle Riva. The age factor is ever in her favor. Fans of “Les Misérables” are desperate to see Hugh Jackman sing his way towards an Oscar. That may have been possible if this had been another year (like 1832, maybe). But in 1865, Abraham Lincoln helped pass the 13th Amendment. Or rather, Daniel Day-Lewis did. His down-to-earth embodiment of America’s Civil War president is so textured that you forget the date outside your theater, a mighty reincarnation of a historical figure you’ll never study with the same eyes. Day-Lewis is Lincoln, and expectedly,

he’s the Best Actor winner. Now the final blow. In the past decade, nine out of 10 Best Pictures have also hoisted up a Best Director with them. It’s not hard to couple the two together. It is difficult to pick which one, though. Such an exceptional repertoire of movies in a single year puts a safe guess in limbo. But, when in doubt, narrow your choices down to “Argo” and “Lincoln,” straightforward, crafty and elegantly designed. If loan sharks demand an answer at gunpoint though take “Lincoln.” Steven Spielberg is a Hollywood heavyweight that tends to steal the show. In the event that I rig the Oscars, expect to see Quentin Tarantino and “Django Unchained’ claim every award, even some Grammy’s. The Academy, in its closed door smog, begs to differ: take my predictions and you’re bound to maintain some minimum respect the morning after. That or you’ll have a plausible explanation for why you lost so much money on an old dead white dude from the 1800s.

Warrior offers dance-worthy party anthems By Katherine Burke Correspondent

The genius that showed us the unadulterated symbolism of man-unicorns has produced a new album, and basements of frat boys everywhere could not be more excited. After all, who could forget the tonal patterns and pure poetry of hits such as “TiK ToK” or “Blow”? Ke$ha’s hidden allusions to pop culture classics like “A Clockwork Orange” or the Beatles (as with the animated sequence in “Your Love is my Drug”) prove her to be more than a young woman with a passion for glitter and reclaimed clothes from dumpsters. On her new album, Warrior, Ke$ha proves yet again why she is a guilty pleasure for most, if not all, of us. With 12 tracks on the general disk and 16 on the deluxe edition, Warrior shows serious growth from the carefree, brushing-with-a-bottle-of-jack persona in her earlier albums.

In general, Warrior has received positive reviews from critics. However, most listeners will only be able to recognize the single that has emerged from the disk, the musical interpretation of that ever popular hashtag, YOLO. “Die Young” has become an anthem for partiers everywhere, with the opening chords able to elicit a rousing chorus from all corners of the room. It is also Ke$ha’s eighth top-10 hit. Often a guilty pleasure during everyday life, Ke$ha allows everyone to make the most of the night … (go ahead and finish the lyrics. I’m sure you know them). Used as both a pickup line (“what a shame that you came here with someone”) and an excuse for nights best left forgotten, “Die Young” has become a pseudo-anthem for students everywhere. Not to be outdone, “Gold Trans Am” from the extended cut of Warrior proves yet again that Ke$ha knows what sells, be it imbibing alcoholic beverages or engaging in the act of coitus.

Though many write her off as another teen sensation, Warrior has proven Ke$ha will have a place in dimly lit basements for longer than anyone would have expected.

AP Photo

Pop superstar Ke$ha proves she’s here to stay with her latest album.


page 16 The Signal January 23, 2013


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 17

Silver screen success for ‘Les Misérables’

AP Photos

Hathaway and Jackman steal the show in the hit ‘Les Misérables’ movie adaptation. With an all-star cast that delivered a stellar performance, the musical will be a fierce contender at the Oscars in February. The film has earned a total of eight nominations, including Best Picture. By Megan Whalen Correspondent

Ever since its Broadway opening in 1987, “Les Misérables” enormous fan base has yearned for a film adaptation of the epic musical. We have found our answer in Tom Hooper’s latest work. The dream cast is lead by Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, a convict who escapes parole. Jackman is exceptional and his performance left me convinced that no other actor could have done quite as well as he in such a beloved role. If Jackman is the king of the film, Anne Hathaway is certainly the queen. Exceeding my personal expectations of her acting and singing abilities, Hathaway blew me away with her interpretation of Fantine. “I Dreamed A Dream” left the audience reaching for tissues with raw and intense emotion ringing through every note. The fact that her mother portrayed the character on Broadway in 1984 is even more of a testament to how seriously Hathaway took her interpretation of the role, and it pays off in a big way. The ever-quirky Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha

Baron Cohen were standouts as the Thénardiers. The two have proven in past roles that they are masters at making unlovable characters somehow lovable, and their roles in this film are no exception. Completely neglected in past film adaptations, Eponine Thenadier finally has her moment. The much-loved character is expertly portrayed by Samantha Barks, who has played the lovelorn Eponine on the London stage as well as in the 25th Anniversary production. Her performance is at once a contrast to Hollywood techniques and a lovely companion to them as her freshness and green quality add to her performance. However, it seems Hooper took some cues from past directors, who chose to cut the part. Eponine’s swan song, “A Little Fall of Rain” is trimmed down quite unnecessarily, which was a disappointment. Despite its critical acclaim, which has earned it several Oscar nominations, the film has left critics with plenty to complain about. Instead of recording the songs and having actors lip-sync while filming, Hooper chose to have his actors sing live for every take. Although risky, the live singing adds to the music’s depth

and intense emotion. The songs become more about the emotion than the singing technique of the actors, which is fitting, as it would be strange for a character like Jean Valjean to suddenly break into operatic song whilst in an intense state of sadness. And although Russell Crowe would have benefited from a few more voice lessons, Hooper’s risk seems to have paid off, as the cast members give startlingly emotional performances. The transitions from speech to singing were often awkward and somewhat sloppily done throughout the movie. There is rarely any indication that a song is approaching until the actors are already immersed in it, which made for a kind of fumbling that did not do the film or the songs any favors. However, any complaints are immediately overshadowed by the sheer epic quality of this film, which succeeds in maintaining “Les Misérables’” legacy of being at once utterly devastating and overpoweringly triumphant. In a sea of film adaptations of the novel, which have been adequate at best, Hooper presents the musical “Les Miserables” in the epic, colorful way the story deserves. This moving, Oscar-worthy musical is an epic journey not to be missed.

‘Portlandia’ offers postmodern television fun By Brian Kempf Features Assistant “Portlandia,” which airs on IFC on Fridays at 10 p.m., begins by asking a loaded question: “Do you remember the 90s?” Starring “Saturday Night Live” cast member Fred Armisen and SleaterKinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein, “Portlandia” explores — and makes fun of — what some would call “hipster nonsense” and what others would call their way of life. Above all, “Portlandia” is a portrait of Portland, Oregon — not quite a caricature, yet not a photograph, either. Portland is a city known for being “hip,” drawing in coolness in the same way that Times Square attracts clueless tourists. As Brownstein’s character posits,

“It’s like Portland’s almost an alternative universe. It’s like Gore won, the Bush administration never happened.” Indeed, the very first episode of the sketch show features a feminist bookstore, a couple visiting an organic farm, and an adult hide-and-seek league. “Portlandia” is absurd, there is no other way about it. To the uninitiated, the show is nothing more than a sort of hipster “Seinfeld”. To an extent, this is true, but this shouldn’t undermine what in reality is an incisive — and often hilarious — social commentary. Whether it is poking fun at yuppies trying to “out-read” each other, or getting hooked on “Battlestar Galatica,” or running out of bags at a grocery store, or our “spoiler alert” culture, the detritus and minutiae of our 21st century dreamscape are magnified so we can all sit back and have a good laugh about it.

The city of Portland, Fred and Carrie are simply the media by which our postmodern culture are presented, tongue firmly planted in cheek. The show makes efficient use of guest stars and cameos. Kyle MacLachlan of “Twin Peaks” and “Sex in the City” is the mayor. The actual mayor of Portland is his assistant. Aubrey Plaza and Steve Buscemi make hilarious appearances, as do Aimee Mann, Sarah McLachlan, Jim Gaffigan, Jeff Goldblum and Jack White. The show is in sketch format, though broken up so as to add pace to the storylines. “Portlandia” is a playful kitten compared to the more formulaic, fat-cat sitcoms that choke our airwaves. The show is a satire of our society, not a product of it. By holding up a mirror to life as we

AP Photo

There’s more to the IFC network’s popular satire, ‘Portlandia,’ than meets the eye.

know it, we can either laugh at it or see our reflection and quickly turn away.

The poetic versatility of Dunn’s ‘Here and Now’

AP Photos

Dunn’s latest collection of poems presents the themes of romance and sexuality. By Alicia Cuomo Correspondent

In an interview with Richard Edwards, poet Stephen Dunn responded to a question concerning the realness of his pieces, saying, “My poems are real, and now and then speak with some persuasion to strangers, or at least some of my mail tells me so … I’d like my imagination, for a little while, to become theirs.”

Dunn’s most recent publication, “Here and Now,” certainly shares shamelessly with the reader. “Here and Now” is surprisingly self-conscious — a beautiful gathering of the complex psyche behind privilege, marriage and a girl in a brazen neon tank top. This is the Pulitzer Prize winner’s sixteenth collection of poems, and his ability to play with the fine lines between intimacy and façade, romance and the habitual is masterful. In “The Imagined,” Dunn questions, “and if you come to realize the imagined woman/ can only satisfy your imagination, whereas/ the real woman with all her limitations/ can often make you feel good, how, in spite/ of knowing this, does the imagined woman/ keep getting into your bedroom, and joining you/ at dinner, why is it that you always bring her along/ on vacations when the real woman is shopping/ or figuring the best way to the museum?” Here, and at the heart of “Here and Now,” is the dichotomy of the public and private self. We dress up to please and say all the right things to woo, marry and perpetuate the cycle of life, but this skin is always

separate from our thoughts, expectations and, for lack of a better word, soul. Again and again, Dunn writes about the blemishes of sexuality and daily living. In “Lessons,” he speaks of walking on eggshells while chasing tail during the bra-burning sexual revolution in “Promiscuity,” a man spies on his neighbors with binoculars, and in “Don’t Do That,” the narrator hugs a glass of Johnnie Walker Red and undresses women with his eyes. The aforementioned piece, “Promiscuity,” begins “When the neighbor’s drapes are open/I’m not like the kind of man/ who refuses to put down his binoculars/ so that their steamy, good time/can remain his as well. No/I’m exactly that kind of man/ wary of anyone who’d turn away.” The honesty Dunn constructs is a universe of flirtation, wine and entertainment with a delicate core. We do not always love our lovers, and we are not always sober. Sometimes we are even fools. Ultimately, he says, all we can ask is, “Be sweet to me, world.”


page 18 The Signal January 23, 2013

Study Abroad Fair

Interested in studying abroad in Maymester, Summer, or Fall 2013?

Wed., Feb. 6, 2013 11 am - 2 pm Social Science Bldg. Atrium

Come to the Study Abroad Fair! Speak with study abroad partners, TCNJ faculty leaders, and returned students to explore different program options. Find the program that fits your schedule and area of study.

For more information, go to: http://www.tcnj.edu/global

TCNJ Faculty-led Study Abroad

LIT 370

Summer 2013

Study in England this Summer! Literary Landscapes in England (Harlaxton)

Magic of Archival Research in Cornwall

Live in a castle, follow the footsteps of Harry Potter and Anne Boleyn, bring literature and history to life! Program includes a weekend in Scotland, two nights in London, tours of Tudor English castles, dungeons, and a river cruise down the Thames. One independent travel weekend––visit Paris, Ireland, or the White Cliffs of Dover.

Travel back in time to the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, have a class in Merlin’s Cave, walk in medieval Druid forests, and conduct archival research in the Museum of Witchcraft. You will live in an English bed and breakfast, eat delicious full Cornish breakfasts, and visit some of the most beautiful sites in the world.

For more info & to apply: http:// www.tcnj.edu/harlaxton

Deadli ne: 02.22.2 013

For more info & to apply: http:// www.tcnj.edu/cornwall

Visit our website: http://www.tcnj.edu/global


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 19

College scores win for Bishop’s 200th Swimming & Diving

By Andrew Grossman Staff Writer This past Saturday proved to be a big day for the Lions, as both the men and women conquered William Paterson University by scores of 171-100 and 194-84, respectively. This was no typical victory, however, as it marked the 200th win for the men’s head coach, Brian Bishop. “It’s not a win for me, but a win for the program and that’s the way I look at it,” the 24-year veteran said. “Since 1989, when I first started with the team, we’ve had tremendous athletes come through and this is a great win for them, a great win for The College of New Jersey, and I am just glad to be part of it.” As for the men’s team, they’re just happy to swim under Bishop’s guidance. Sophomore Mark Marsella had a career day and gives much credit to his coach. “(Bishop) just told me to stay loose and to not swim robotically, so that’s what I did and it worked,” Marsella said. With the time of 10:26.24 in the 1000yard free, Marsella earned a collegiate best, which was good enough for a first place finish. In the 500-yard free, he placed second

behind fellow sophomore Dennis Hall-App. “It felt really cool to have done well on the day he had his 200th win,” Marsella said. “(It is special) because he really cares about our program and always puts us first, so it’s humbling.” As for the other events, a trio of the College’s freshmen also dominated the 200yard free, with Joseph Dunn, James Shangle and Frederick McDonald taking the top three spots, respectively. Sophomore William LaPorta also had big results, winning the 100-yard breast in 1:07.39 and 200-yard breast in 2:00.84. As for Bishop, he was quite pleased with the team’s progress. “We had a big meet last weekend and a couple next weekend so we put some guys in who usually don’t do the events and they performed really well,” he said. The women also had excellent times as they extended their undefeated record to 5-0. Leading the Lady Lions was senior Jenny Zavoda, who won both the 100-yard free in 55.16 and the 1000 free with the time of 11:19.86. Behind her for second and third place in the 1000 free were junior Amy Schurer and freshman Lauren Rothstein with respective times of 11:46.13 and 11:54.43.

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Head coach Brian Bishop gets his 200th career win as the College topples William Paterson.

Senior Samantha Parlow also had a great day for the women’s squad, taking first place in both the 50-yard free and 500-yard free. In the 50 free, she dominated the pool with the time of 25.46. Following that performance, she finished with another impressive time of 5:26.60 in the 500 free. As for the diving team, senior Danica Roskos once again swept in both of her events. She racked up scores of 301.55 in the one-me-

ter and 296.50 in the three-meter competition. With the Lady Lions in complete control over the Pioneers, their main focus now turns over to next week against Rowan University and Stevens Institute of Technology. “I am very proud of everyone because they all did well today,” Zavoda said. “I hope that we stay undefeated, but (both) are definitely worthy adversaries so I look forward (to that matchup).”

Wrestling

Ranked schools tame the Lions’ roar By Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant

Participating in a pair of tournaments that featured similarly high levels of competition, the wrestling team won four of nine matches to stay above .500 heading into the busiest part of the season. The 23rd-ranked Lions (6-5) outscored their opponents 183168 overall in January, defeating McDaniel College in the North/ South Duals on Jan. 5 and collecting a trio of wins over Trine University, the United States Coast Guard Academy and John Carroll University at the Budd White Duals a week later. “I thought winter break was very

good for the team,” senior John Darling said. “We trained very hard and had some very tough matches. The biggest achievement over break was coming closer as a team.” Tough matches were a common theme, as the Lions’top-heavy schedule, including matchups with national powers No. 4 SUNY Cortland and No. 9 Ithaca, brought three defeats by five or less points versus ranked programs, two coming against Metropolitan Conference rival and No. 21-ranked York College. “York is a tough in-conference team who we battle with year in and year out,” Darling said. “Both matches were very close and the second match finished in a tie, but we lost on criteria (the

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions muscle up.

secondary tiebreaker).” The Spartans played the role of spoilers early at the North/ South Duals by earning a 21-20 victory, while a 17-16 (43-42) result in favor of York at the Budd

White Duals kept the Lions out of the semifinals and pushed them into the consolation bracket. “What we can take from that loss is that every individual point scored counts towards the team score and every wrestler on the team needs to be aware of that,” Darling said. Success in a few weight classes was plentiful, though, as individual point-scoring was amplified at 125 and 165 pounds. Darling went undefeated for 41 points and freshman Kevin Churchill (125) had 33 with a 7-2 record as the duo combined for 39 percent of the team’s points over the nine games. Junior Brian Broderick (184, 197) went 5-0 at the Budd White Duals, including four wins by fall, for 23

points while staying undefeated in dual meet action this season. “Broderick is a great wrestler,” Darling said. “There is nothing flashy about his style, he is just strong in every position. He always helps our team with bonus points.” Antonio Mancella (165, 174) also picked up four wins to improve to 12-8 in all competitions, while Zach Zottollo (174) added another three wins to bring his season total to 13. The Lions withdrew from the Metropolitan Conference Duals, slated for Jan. 19, when it was changed to a non-championship event, and will next be in action Wednesday, Jan. 23 against the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Packer Hall.

Cheap Seats

Manti Te’o becomes latest fraud story in sports Regardless of who’s at fault, we’ve all been duped

AP Photo

The expression on Te’o’s face says it all. By Chris Molicki Sports Editor

For many people in our culture, sports are more than just games. Sports is something that’s bigger than ourselves. Sports are something we can hold onto during tough times, and something that can pull us out of

those times. Sports has been nothing short of magical for the world in so many ways, and we rely on it more than it makes sense to. We love it. We believe in it. We trust it. But sometimes, every once in a blue moon, sports betray us. That’s exactly what happened in the hoax of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o’s girlfriend. Te’o began an online relationship with a girl named Lennay Kekua. The two had supposedly never met, but were still in love. Unfortunately, Kekua came down with cancer and eventually passed away, leaving Te’o heartbroken and at a loss. His grandmother had also died. Instead of taking time to cope with his loss, Te’o responded by playing inspired football, racking up tackles, interceptions and many end of the year awards. The Fighting Irish defense was unstoppable behind him. They went undefeated and made it to the national championship, while Te’o was the runner up for the Heisman and had the nation on his side. Everyone loved his story. It was truly

heartwarming to see Te’o channel the deaths of his loved ones into top-notch football play. Until it came out that Lennay Kekua did not die, because she never existed. Just like that, the nation was turned upside down. How could someone do this? How could they make up the death of a fake girlfriend to gain publicity, or fill whatever other motives a person has? Instantly, the nation had become disgusted with Te’o. The linebacker claims that he was innocent and had no idea, saying he was embarrassed and duped like the rest of us. But things just don’t seem to add up. First of all, a story in the South Bend Tribune, an Indiana newspaper, vividly depicted the first meeting between Te’o and Kekua after a football game. Since Te’o never actually met her because she was fake, why wouldn’t he have claimed that the story was wrong? Also, it’s hard to believe that he could go through a long relationship without meeting her. Te’o claims that meetings between him and Kekua in his native Hawaii always

seemed to fall through, so you would think he’d start to get suspicious. Finally, if the whole thing was truly a hoax, why did Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the man behind it all, go to such great lengths to prank Te’o? There just seems to be no motivation for a lie that elaborate. If you ask me, I think Te’o is guilty and that he was doing this all for publicity. Many reports have come out from Notre Dame teammates that Te’o loved attention and that he continued to talk about Kekua, even when he found out it was a hoax back in late December. But despite whether he was in on it or not, we, as sports fans, were all fooled. Right on the heels of finding out that cancer hero Lance Armstrong was a fraud, the sports world kicked us all when we were down and exposed another special story as a fake. It’s a shame this has happened and that people have to resort to these tactics. But the biggest shame now is how the public will react to inspiring sports stories. Sports heroes will need to regain our trust as fans. Whether that’s even fully possible remains to be seen.


page 20 The Signal January 23, 2013

James Galea I Hate Rabbits Tour Australia’s #1 Magician January 24 @ 8:30pm Brower Student Center 202

Sponsored by the Brower Student Center


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 21

Lions Fantasy World Nothin’ But Net

Some very important things happened in the sports world over Winter Break. Lance Armstrong had a little chat with Oprah. Alabama won the national championship. Manti Te’o had a fake girlfriend who died, and he knew about, or maybe didn’t, or maybe she was real. The Harbough brothers made it to the Super Bowl to play each other (I guess the 49ers and Ravens did too). The NBA All-Star starters were announced. But somehow among all those things the most important sports story was buried. You know which story I’m talking about, right? The one where an athlete was named by many as the greatest champion his country has ever seen. The one where a man overcame all the odds, all the naysayers, and all the pressure from his opposition to reclaim the title he’d lost the year before. That’s right, Phil Taylor won his 16th World Darts Championship this year. Yes, Darts. Yes, that silly little game drunk people play in bars. Yes, they do use that dartboard. Yes, they do show the matches on TV (in Europe, that is). I’m not making any of this up, you can Google it. Actually, do that, it’s pretty amazing. You see, as it turns out, dart-throwing is big over in Europe, and its popularity is growing by the year. People make a big deal out of the players, and it’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen in sports. Needless to say, I watched the Finals with bated breath, and couldn’t look away. You see, the whole thing is one big spectacle. There is one little dart board set up on a platform, where the players stand maybe five feet away to throw. Behind them is a packed stadium bursting with thousands of drunken, screaming fans. For the Championship match, complete with analysis before, during and afterwards, the two finalists walked in through the crowd, two short middle-aged men in different stages of balding, with corporate sponsors on their shirts and a gorgeous woman on each arm. I want to emphasize at this point that these men would be throwing darts at a tiny board no one past the third row could probably make out. The two proceeded to do just that. I didn’t entirely understand the game they were playing, as they never aimed for the bulls-eye and the announcers never explained. The announcers did, however, talk about how the opponents were attacking each other, which is like saying golfers intimidate and pummel their opponents with powerful two-foot putts. It was a seesaw battle, in which Taylor’s opponent, Michael van Gerwen, took what seemed to be a big lead of four sets to two, in a match to seven sets. The sets had nothing to do with one another, yet the announcers kept mentioning momentum in between sets. I enjoyed these announcers. In the end, Taylor walked away after the match the champion for a record 16th time, holding a check for 200,000 pounds. For throwing darts. I love sports.

By Mike Herold Fantasy Guy

League Standings

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Moves Made This Month: Team Allen:

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*All Standings are accurate as of 6 p.m. Mon, Jan. 21

Dropped DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Larry Sanders Added Jose Calderon, Tiago Splitter, Eric Gordon, Wesley Matthews

Team Matos:

Dropped Mo Williams, Michael Beasley Added Gordon Hayward, Ersan Ilyasova

Team Molloy:

Dropped Wesley Matthews, Andray Blatche, Tayshaun Prince Added Jared Dudley, Jordan Crawford, Ed Davis

Team Friedman:

Dropped Jason Thompson Added Amar’e Stoudemire

Team Vazquez:

Dropped Jameer Nelson Added Al-Farouq Aminu

Signal Squad:

Dropped Jonas Valenciunas, Ben Gordon Added Jameer Nelson, Larry Sanders

Team Caputo:

Dropped Gordon Hayward, Byron Mullens, Luke Ridnour, Andrew Bynum, Carl Landry Added Nene, Emeka Okafor, John Wall, Bradley Beal, Amir Johnson

Good Moves, or Bad?

AP Photo

Based mostly on injuries and players coming off of injuries (along with rotations for more playing time available), Team Allen has definitely made smart moves. No wonder he’s in first place. Team Matos traded from unreliable players with the potential for big games to more solid and steady players who won’t surprise often. Probably the right call. Team Molloy’s moves don’t look very exciting, mostly because they aren’t... Team Friedman took a chance on Amar’e, in the hope that he’ll return to being the star he has been for most of his career. We’ll see how that plays out, but from a fantasy standpoint I like it. For Team Vazquez, Nelson is the better player on a bad team, not the best move overall. For Signal Squad, those were a couple of good moves for Molicki, he upgraded both times. Too bad the Sports Editor is so far from first place... Team Caputo made mostly just moves to increase games played, but the additions of Wall and Nene were good moves, even though Caputo now has four players from the Wizards.

IHereMay Be Wrong, But... are the moves I would make in Fantasy Basketball this week: Add: Anyone on the Clippers. That entire roster has been putting together an incredible season, and even when Chris Paul has been hurt they’ve been playing great. Great team ball means good stats across the board. I should also say DeMarcus Cousins here, his last few weeks have been phenomenal.

Look Out For: Tyson Chandler, Tim Duncan, James Harden. All three probably felt that they should be starters in the All-Star game, and with cases to be made for each. Snubbed All-Star level players tend to show off a little, so any or all of these guys could have some huge games over the next few weeks. Chandler is especially dangerous, if not for the new frontcourt rule he’d surely be starting.

Drop: The two biggest injury names, Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao. Both are great fantasy players when healthy, but Love is out for at least a month and Varejao is out for the rest of the season. Maybe if someone doesn’t pay attention you could trade them Varejao for someone decent, but that wouldn’t be very nice, would it?

Be Cautious Of: Monta Ellis is known for his high-scoring, but that’s been backfiring recently with something of a shooting slump and he’s been putting up some lousy fantasy numbers. Also, anyone on the Lakers except Kobe Bryant, that team is too much of a disaster right now to be depended on for fantasy numbers. Bryant may even be wearing down having to do everything on offense and defense, but you’d be crazy to doubt Kobe.


page 22 The Signal January 23, 2013

Graduate Studies

TCNJ | Leads the Way It’s your move.

Find out more by visiting www.tcnj.edu/tcnjgrad Or call 609.771.2300


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 23

Lions take top times into start of semester Winter Track & Field

By Julie Kayzerman Staff Writer

Kicking off the winter 2013 season on a strong note, the men’s and women’s track and field teams have proven to be on top of their game. Placing third at the NYU Challenge on Jan. 19, the women’s team was the top Divison III team at the meet with a total of 63 points. The men’s team took sixth at the meet with a total of 46 points and several ECAC qualifying marks. “We bring out the best in each other every day at practice and are very supportive of each other,” freshman Peter Okoh said. “We have really strong leaders on the team. They lead by example and help out as much as they can.” Okoh, who took seventh in the 60meter dash at NYU, started off his first season with the Lions with two qualifying times for the ECAC’s at the New York Road Runners Night at the Armory I on Jan. 12. Okoh qualified with a time of 7.08 seconds in the 60-meter dash and in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.80. “I had a decent opener but there’s definitely more room for improvement,” Okoh said. “Right now I’m looking to stay healthy throughout the season and compete as much as I can at a high level and remain one of the top sprinters in the conference.” Head coach Phil Jennings was excited with the success of the freshman. “(Okoh) has had tremendous growth over the past few months as an athlete, both with his dedication to the sport and training as well as his understanding of

what it will take to get him to the next level,” Jennings said. “He is off to a great start, particularly for a freshman.” Men’s senior captain Steven D’Aiutolo also had a terrific showing last Saturday night, winning the triple jump with an ECAC qualifying mark of 47.24 ft. In addition, the women’s team took the top two spots in the triple jump last Saturday night. Freshman Courtney Paciulli qualified for the ECAC’s after winning the event with a distance of 36.12 feet. Junior Erica Roberts took second with a distance of 35.13 feet. The women’s team continued its success in the high jump when junior Brigit Roemer took second with a height of 5.4 feet, qualifying her for ECAC’s. Roemer is currently ranked fifth in the nation in the triple jump. The men’s team has also proven to be a strong force in the field. Senior Julio Alorro placed third in pole vault last Saturday night and started off the season with a height of 15 feet, finishing second at the Armory. “I’m definitely happy that I cleared 15 feet in my first indoor meet of the season, but it’s far from where I want to be,” Alorro said. “I definitely want to keep clearing higher heights as the season progresses.” “Julio has big plans for this season after finishing off his junior year with a 12th-place finish at outdoor NCAA’s and is off to a very good start,” Jennings said. Sophomore Liz Johnson also had an ECAC qualifying time, finishing fifth in the 1,000-meter race with an impressive time of 3:04.46. The women’s 4x400-meter relay team kicked off their season at Princeton Univer-

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

D’Aiutolo jumps to new heights.

sity at the New Year Invitational on Dec. 9 with an ECAC qualifying mark of 4:02.00. The team consisted of sophomore Michelle Cascio, junior Emily Kulcyk, senior Brielle Doremus and sophomore Katelyn Ary. Ary has been continuously performing well for the Lions this season after just returning from knee surgery. “With the help of the athletic trainers and coaches, I have been able to return to competition after my knee surgery with times equal to or faster than this point last year,” said Ary. “I have to limit my practices to once or twice a week, which is frustrating, but I have been putting in the hard work and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.” Following the pattern of reaching ECAC

qualifying times, senior Alex Brown and freshman Laron Day each qualified for the ECAC in the 500-meter. Brown finished fifth with a time of 1:06.61 and Day finished seventh with a mark of 1:06.98. Freshman hurdler Zachary Errichetti has enjoyed being a part of the men’s track and field team and being led by the upperclassmen thus far in his first season with the Lions. “Joining the team as a freshman has been one of the most humbling experiences,” Errichetti said. “The level of athleticism, intensity and commitment of every member of this team is astonishing. Being a member of this team has been difficult, and doesn’t look as if it will let up anytime soon, but it has been worth every minute.” The team will return to action Thursday, Jan. 24 for the Haverford College Invitational. They look to get back in the swing of things as the semester starts up. “Our training as a team has been limited over the past few weeks since dorms aren’t open yet, and that puts us at a disadvantage to many other schools that are welcome back early to campus to train and compete,” Jennings said. “Moreover, school starts about a week later than last year, so there is even more time before we can train as a group. We’ve also had a fair amount of sickness recently with a number of people having been sidelined by the flu and it seems to take a couple of weeks for the more severe cases to see true recovery. As a result of all of these factors, I expect that the team as a whole will improve significantly from week to week in this early part of the season.”

Cheap Seats

Lesson to the NFL: Time to get physical Harbowl clash ushers in a new era for football By Chris Molicki Sports Editor

They say the hardest thing to do is make it to the Super Bowl after you made it the year before. A repeat is almost unheard of. So how hard is it to make it after you barely missed it? Is it easy? Certainly not. But Jim and John Harbaugh showed how you can take that negative and turn it into a positive. Only one Harbaugh can win, but they proved they have a special coaching talent in their blood. Getting so close to the Super Bowl and falling short is difficult. As a result, you can either mope and be down on yourself, or commit to doing anything and everything it takes to get back. John Harbaugh was able to instill this into his players. After many playoff appearances coming up short, he broke the barrier and has gotten his team to the promised land. But not without help. Joe Flacco, a quarterback who was scrutinized by just about everyone outside of Maryland, has been on fire this postseason. He’s passed for 843 yards and eight touchdowns with zero interceptions, while outdueling Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the process. And let’s not forget Ray Lewis. The future hall of famer has come back from a torn triceps to pile up 44 tackles in his last ride. The emotion and heart Lewis plays with has not only elevated his own performance, but also that of his teammates. He’s a true leader who makes his teammates better and brings the intangibles that every team wants. The Ravens’ defense has been feared for the past decade, but injuries changed that this year. In the playoffs, however, the Baltimore defense has stepped up. That was most notable against the Patriots, who saw two Brady interceptions and only 13 points — zero in the second half. Now, onto Jim Harbaugh and his San Francisco 49ers. In his first year as a head coach, Jim turned the Niners into a legitimate contender. The defense and Frank Gore have always been constant, but Jim was faced with a decision midway through the season. Should he stick with Alex Smith who brought them to the championship game, or take a leap of faith and go with Colin Kaepernick, who may

be the missing peace to bringing them to a Super Bowl? I think he made the right decision. Kaepernick has become a unique dual-threat quarterback in just his first as a starter. He doesn’t turn the ball over like Michael Vick. He protects himself unlike Robert Griffin III. He can run faster than Cam Newton. But what’s most impressive is how he passed the ball against the Falcons when the team needed him to, down 17-0. Smith couldn’t do that. He was just a game manager. Kaepernick is a force of nature. Linebacker Patrick Willis shouldn’t be overlooked either. He’s the heart of the 49ers’ defense, and their equivalent to Lewis, only not as vocal. His attitude affects his teammates and his play on the field does the talking. What’s the most impressive of the way the Harbaughs have made it to the Super Bowl is just how heartbreaking their losses were in last year’s championship games.

Everyone remembers Lee Evans’s drop, Billy Cundiff’s miss and Kyle Williams’s muffed punts. To be literally a mistake away from glory is a tough pill to swallow. The Harbaughs swallowed it, moved on and got better. While there can only be one winner, it’s important to realize the new culture that the Harbaughs have brought to the NFL. They’ve returned to the smash mouth and physical style of play. They’ve used motivational tactics to get the most out of their players. But the biggest thing with them, like Lewis, is their heart. The sheer will to win has brought success to the Harbaugh family. It’s a mindset that they have instilled in their players and it has translated into results. In the passing league NFL these days, everyone says you need a top-five quarterback to win a Super Bowl. But there won’t be one in the Super Bowl, so is there a new strategy to follow? Is it get a Harbaugh? Sorry, they’re both taken.

AP Photo

Jim and John Harbaugh have been excellent motivators for their Super Bowl-bound teams.


page 24 The Signal January 23, 2013


4 6

January 23, 2013 The Signal page 25

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Chris Molicki “The Ref”

Joe Caputo Correspondent

Mike Herold Staff Writer

Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer

In the first Spring 2013 matchup for Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Chris Molicki, challenges correspondent Joe Caputo and staff writers Mike Herold and Chrissy Onorato to answer questions about who are the favorites to make it to the Stanley Cup, whether or not Manti Te’o was in on the fake girlfriend hoax, and which team is currently the nation’s best in college basketball. year the Vancouver Canucks led the NHL in winning percentage, but I think the Flyers and the Kings will be at the top this season. Joe gets 3 points for mentioning how good the Penguins were without Crosby. Mike gets 2 points for pointing out how a team with a good playoff track record has an advantage. Chrissy gets 1 point for talking about the leadership of Claude Giroux.

AP Photo

1. The NHL season has finally begun. Who are your favorites in each conference to make it to the Stanley Cup? JC: With a shortened season in the NHL, it may be wise to pick teams that are bringing back the majority of their players. New acquisitions may struggle with the lack of an offseason and preparation time as we saw in the NFL a year ago. My bet to win the Western Conference is the Los Angeles Kings. Despite being the No. 8 seed last season, the Kings bring back almost the exact same squad, including one of the best goalies in the league, Jonathan Quick. They tore through the playoffs last season, and were road beasts in the process, with their only loss coming in New Jersey in the Stanley Cup Finals. Hot team, same roster and virtually no offseason, the Kings will be the team to beat in the West. In the East, I think the Pittsburgh Penguins will bounce back this year. Although they did earn the No. 4 seed last season, they were a first round exit and were mightily let down by awful goaltending by Marc-Andre Fleury, who gave up almost two more goals per game in the series than he has averaged in his career. But that could be just a string of bad games. It is very encouraging that Pittsburgh was able to post a good record with Crosby banged up for most of the year last season, and will have him back in full force. Their tough division should make them battle tested as well. MH: In the East, I view the New Jersey Devils as the type of team that doesn’t make a lot of noise in the regular season, won’t be on a lot of contender lists for most of the year, but will know how to turn it on come playoff time, like the Spurs in the NBA or the Giants in the NFL. They made it to the Cup last season, and I think they’ll do it again, probably coming from a lower seed. In the West, I’ll go with the San Jose Sharks as something of a wild card pick. They’re a team with a bunch of aging talent (and a strong defense), and the players might view this as something of a last chance to go the distance. They also haven’t had too much turnover (especially for a lockout year), so the chemistry should be there. I think veteran teams with chemistry do the best in shortened seasons (the Mavs in ‘11), so they’re my pick. CO: For this long anticipated 2013 NHL season, I feel like it’s going to be one to remember. For the Eastern Conference, I have to pick the Philadelphia Flyers. With Claude Giroux as the new Flyer’s captain, the team will be under expert leadership and look promising for the playoffs. And with names like Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell, the Flyers look to be very strong. As for the Western Conference, I have to pick the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings have a lot of exFlyers, like Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, who were all crucial to Philadelphia when they were with them. Last

2. News broke that the deceased girlfriend of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o never actually existed. More facts need to surface, so the jury is up in the air about whether or not Te’o is innocent or part of the scandal. Do you think he was duped or did he do this for publicity? JC: After witnessing how much Manti Te’o was idolized throughout the season for being an all-star player and individual, it’s hard to imagine that he could have come up with a wild story like this one. However, the facts just do not seem to add up. I find it hard to believe that he was completely duped on this story. For one, if his side of the story was true, this would mean that he had never met his girlfriend, yet was devastated upon finding out about her death. Although all deaths are devastating, especially to young individuals, how much could he have actually cared for a woman that he had never met in his life? Secondly, evidence and Te’o’s story shows that he knew he had been duped well before we (the media) found out, saying that he found out about the hoax back in December. Why didn’t he come clean about the matter then? And finally, new stories are coming out now saying that Te’o was still talking about his deceased girlfriend with ESPN after he reportedly found out about the hoax in December, when he received a call from the same number and voice that he associated with her. I understand that Te’o and Notre Dame could have possibly just been trying to save him from massive humiliation, but keeping details secret about a story that made him so famous does not seem to make sense.

AP Photo

MH: I think Te’o was duped, and here’s why: There was no positive outcome from this for him. He already had the whole sympathy angle and amazing story of battling through tough times thing going from his dying grandmother, which was the only possible benefit a fake dead girlfriend could have. Why risk your reputation and draft stock pulling a hoax that will only get you slightly more of what you’re already going to get? I think Te’o was duped in the same way that little girls are duped by creepy pedos online, only he didn’t have Chris Hansen to protect him. The only strange part is that the star of the Notre Dame Football team didn’t have a real girlfriend. Plus, if he was duped, you open the door for wild conspiracy theories, like Nick Saban setting up the whole thing to distract the Irish right before the title

game, which would mean Saban had predicted that Notre Dame would be undefeated in the regular season, and is an evil psychic. That’s a much better story than Te’o being in on it, and makes as much sense. CO: Pertaining to the Manti Te’o scandal, I personally would like to think he had nothing to do with this controversy. After watching him speak in various interviews, I don’t know how some people could say he was behind it. His facial expressions and tears were clearly signs that he was duped. I know that celebrities are just like ordinary people, willing to do anything to get into the public light and get their names on television. However, faking someone’s death and going through an elaborate scheme, such as the one Te’o was charged with, does not seem like something a college football player would need to do to get attention. Still, it is a strange situation all around and more information needs to come out pertaining to the death of Lennay Kekua. I personally think the media has played up this controversy like they always do and things have gotten way out of proportion. More facts need to come out before reporting is done, sparing Te’o and anyone else involved future condemnation. Joe gets 3 points for pointing out how Te’o apparently still talked about his deceased girlfriend after finding out it was a hoax. Chrissy gets 2 points for talking about how Te’o’s emotions have seemed rather genuine. Mike gets 1 point for saying that Te’o didn’t need this publicity because he already had it after his grandmother died. 3. We’re getting closer and closer to March as college basketball is heating up. With no more undefeated teams, out of all of the oneloss teams, who do you think is the best in the nation? JC: My Louisville Cardinals were the only team last season that I did not find any red sharpie over after the NCAA Tournament, and it would be very difficult to turn away from them now. I love teams with experience, and hate freshmen. Seeing how well Louisville played last year (probably gave Kentucky their best game) and how experienced they now are, it is going to be hard to pick against them. This team has experienced both ends of the spectrum. Virtually the same team that was ousted by No. 13 seed Morehead State two years ago, and virtually the same team that made a Final Four run last year. They know what it takes to get there and they have the talent it takes as well. Russ Smith gets my vote for National Player of the Year this year. The guy is an absolute stud, both offensively and defensively, and can score in a hurry. He’s always a threat for a fast break bucket and can outrun anyone. Put him together with one of the best point guards in the nation in Peyton Siva, and one of the best shot-blocker/rebounders in Gorgui Dieng, and

you have the recipe for any National Champion in recent memory. The only slight worry I have with the Cards is their three-point shooting, but look out for Luke Hancock. After a slow start to the season, he seems to be catching fire of late, he was huge in their victory over Missouri and could provide an excellent spark off the bench for the remainder of the season. MH: I’m going to be boring this time and pick Duke. Now, I’m not a Dukey by any stretch, but right now they look to me like the best team. They had one lousy game against N. C. State, but overall they’ve put together a very impressive season, including an important win over Louisville. They play more as a defensive team than an offensive one, typically holding their opposition to under 70 points a game (only two teams have cracked 75). The main reason I like them is because they have, almost indisputably, the best coach in college basketball right now, and at the collegiate level, the coach is a much more important factor than in the NBA. As long as Coach K is at the helm down in Durham, I think Duke is the best.

AP Photo

CO: With March Madness quickly approaching, it is a really tough call to say now who has the best chance to win the championship. Though no one has an undefeated record anymore, there are still many teams with only one loss. I would have to pick Louisville (15-1) as the best in the nation right now. They are ranked first in the both polls. Though they do not have the best record (other schools have a 16-1 record), they have been playing consistently and the team works well together. Players Kevin Ware, Peyton Siva and Russ Smith have led the team to their top position in the Big East Conference. Louisville has some tough games coming up going into March, but if they keep playing the way they have all season, I think they could make it to the end. Their two games with Syracuse are going to be crucial in the coming weeks. Joe gets 3 points for saying that Louisville has all the pieces to make a national championship run. Mike gets 2 points for pointing out that Duke has Coach K and a great defense. Chrissy gets 1 point for talking about Louisville being at the top and staying there.

Joe wins Around the Dorm, 9-5-4


page 26 The Signal January 23, 2013

TCNJ Faculty-led Study Abroad

Summer 2013 Application deadline: February 15, 2013

Rome, Italy

This 3-week course, taught entirely in the Eternal City, investigates the relationship between art and the aesthetic, political, social, and religious forces that shaped Rome during the reigns of the ancient Caesars and the Popes of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Includes excursions to the Bay of Naples and Pompeii, as well as special access to major monuments of architecture, painting, and sculptures. Faculty leaders: Dr. Lois Fichner-Rathus & Dr. Lee Ann Riccardi For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.tcnj.edu/rome

Madrid, Spain

Study in Madrid, one of the world’s most cosmopolitan and vibrant cities. Travel through Spanish art, architecture and history in guided tours to historic sites. Visit some of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the world: Toledo, Segovia and Avila – designed as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO. Live in the international dormitory, Casa do Brasil, located on the Universidad Complutense campus. Experience the real Spanish lifestyle by meeting native students eager to converse and socialize with Americans. Faculty leaders: Dr. Teresa San Pedro & Dr. Deborah Compte For more information and to apply, visit http://www.tcnj.edu/summer-in-madrid

London, England

The TCNJ Summer in London program this year focuses upon a fascinating exploration of art history, art practice, and the basic principles of chemistry in a variety of London museums, galleries, and public gardens. Students will look at current and past practices in art and explore how the two relate. Faculty leaders: Prof. Elizabeth Mackie & Prof. Lynn Bradley For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.tcnj.edu/summer-in-london

European Union

Study Business in Heidelberg, Germany & Vichy, France

Learn about the global business environment with a focus on doing business in the European Union through a three-week study tour of France and Germany. Faculty leader: Dr. Susanna Monseau For more information and to apply, visit: http://www. tcnj.edu/eu


January 23, 2013 The Signal page 27

Lions Roundup STUDENT ATHLETE OF

Men’s Swimming & wins Diving: Bishop's

THE WEEK

Coach Bishop’s wins by year

12 12 10 10 8 8

66

Bishop's wins

4 4

'89 '91 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12

After more than 24 years in charge of the men’s swimming and diving team, coach Brian Bishop won his 200th game last week against William Paterson. His teams hold a winning percentage of 82 percent and have earned 15 MET

Wrestling: Winter Break Wins by Weight Class

285 197 184 174 165 157 149 141 133 125

Skyelar Ettin, junior forward for the men’s basketball team, put up a game-high 25 points in the Lions’ 85-73 win over Kean University last week to propel them to a season sweep over their conference rivals. Ettin has nearly doubled his points per game average from last year, going from 6.4 to a team-high 12.1, and is shooting 43.9 percent from the field overall.

This Week In Sports Average: four wins

Men’s Basketball:

Basketball points per game leaders

Emmanuel

Emmanuel Matlock Matlock, Guard

Wrestling (6-5) Jan. 23 vs. United States Merchant Marine Academy, 7 p.m. Jan. 25 vs. Centennary College, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 @ Messiah Open, 10 a.m. Swimming & Diving Jan. 26 @ Rowan University, 2 p.m. Jan. 27 vs. Stevens Institute of Technology, 2 p.m.

Alex Fox, Forward Alex Fox Matthew Rista Matt Rista, Guard

Jayson Skyelar Ettin Jonhson, Guard Skyelar Jayson Johnson Ettin, Forward 00

22

44

66

8 8

Team average: 62.2 points per game

10 10 12 12 14

This week’s picks from the staff Pro Bowl

Grizzlies vs. Nets

Rangers S.D. State vs. vs. Bruins New Mexico

Chris Molicki Peter Fiorilla Brendan McGrath Andrew Grossman Sports editor Chris Molicki attempts to defend his title.

Signal Trivia

?

This is the number of goals Martin Brodeur has scored in his NHL career.

?

Men’s Basketball

Scored 25 points in win over Kean

2 2 0 0

Skyelar Ettin

Track and Field Jan. 24 @ Haverford College Invitational, TBA Men’s Basketball (5-12, 3-8) Jan. 23 @ Richard Stockton College, 8 p.m. Jan. 26 vs. Ramapo College, 3 p.m. Jan. 27 @ Princeton University, 2 p.m. Women’s Basketball (12-6, 6-3) Jan. 23 @ Richard Stockton College, 6 p.m. Jan. 26 vs. Ramapo College, 1 p.m. Last issue’s Signal Trivia Answer:

The team with the highest all-time win percentage in the NBA Finals is the San Antonio Spurs, who have gone 12-3 in their three appearances for a win percentage of 80 percent. The Spurs beat New York 4-1 in 1999, the AP Photo Nets 4-2 in 2002, and swept LBJ’s Caveliers in 2007.


Signal

Sports

Men’s team is starting to gain confidence

Lions hope to ride hot shooting into new semester By Chris Molicki Sports Editor

This past week the College split two games against conference opponents, as they were narrowly defeated by William Paterson University, but rode some hot hands on their way to a win over Kean University. The Lions (5-12, 3-8) came up just short against the Pioneers in the fleeting seconds of the ball game. With 5.7 seconds remaining, guard Bright Mensah nailed a tough shot to put William Paterson ahead, and the College was unable to counter as they lost 65-61. “It was a hard fought game that came down to the wire,” junior forward Skyelar Ettin said. “Every basket was so important, we were one stop, one play away from winning the game. In games like that, sometimes it just comes down to who made the extra effort and extra play and unfortunately with their basket at the end they came away with the game.” Doing a good job defensively in the first half, the Lions battled back and forth with the Pioneers, trading

baskets and leads. At intermission, the College walked into the locker room with a 36-33 halftime lead. The second half was even closer than the first, with both squads going shot for shot and not giving up enough ground for anyone to build a big lead. With four minutes remaining, Ettin turned a sloppy pass from sophomore guard Emmanuel Matlock into a spectacular save, thus leading to a basket by junior guard Matt Rista. “As Manny passed me the ball, I saw Matt streaking down the court, so I just tried to stay inbounds and get it to Matt,” Ettin said. “Luckily it worked out.” The exchange of points continued until Mensah’s shot left the College with no answer. Junior forward Alex Fox led the Lions with 13 points, three rebounds and four steals. Matlock, who has been improving, had an all-around solid game with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Ettin also chipped in with 12 points and Rista had 10 to go with his five boards. Beating Kean was crucial in keeping the College in the playoff

hunt. The Lions were on fire, connecting on over 60 percent of their looks and draining 10 three-pointers in an 85-73 win. This was an exciting game to watch for many reasons. First off, in the game’s first 11 minutes, the College hit 12 of 16 shots (75 percent), including five of six long balls. This was all part of a 22-2 run that built the team a big lead and showed just how effective the Lions are when they’re running on all cylinders. Despite the Cougars attempt to get back into the game, they were no match for the College. Whenever it seemed that Kean was getting back into it, the Lions would fire back. This was especially evident when a Kean dunk that gave the team momentum was countered with two three pointers by Rista. Rista had a huge game with 19 points, but he wasn’t the only one. Ettin led all scorers with 25 points and six rebounds and Fox had 20 points of his own. The trio had 64 of the College’s 85 points for the game (75 percent). “It was very good to see those guys knock down shots,” head coach

Kelly Williams said. “I have been waiting for those three guys to have a great shooting night together on the same night. All of their shots came in the flow of the offense, which was encouraging that we were sharing the ball. Our team is so unselfish, that we do not care who scores.” Over the break, the Lions went 2-3. They picked up wins over Western Connecticut State University and Montclair State University. They lost to Rutgers-Newark University, FDU-Florham University and New Jersey City University. “We struggled a little bit during the first half of the season, but the good thing about the NJAC is that we play everyone twice so we know we just have to bounce back to give ourselves a chance to make the playoffs,” Ettin said. “We have improved each game and are a different team coming into the remainder of the season, so we just need to do the small things and turn our season around.” The Lions will return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 23 on the road against Richard Stockton College. They will look to build off of these

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Rista scores two of his 19 points over Kean.

close losses and start converting them into wins. “It was a much needed win on Saturday for us,” Williams said. “We are to make a run for the playoffs, so we know that we have to continue to win our home games for the rest of season and get a couple road wins over the next couple weeks to ensure a playoff berth.”

College starting to catch fire in the winter Women come out of break with winning record By Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer

While the rest of the College community was sleeping in, overeating and relaxing at their homes throughout December and January, the women’s basketball team was busy with their unrelenting schedule during the break. With games resuming on Dec. 29, the Lions went quickly to work, securing a 7351 win over Apprentice School and resuming their season with a bang. With five wins and four losses, the Lions (12-6, 6-3) battled hard and remain at the top of their game. During the past week, the College played three games, the first against Moravian College on Monday, Jan. 14. The College battled to a 60-53 win, over a school with only one prior loss. With the Lions remaining in charge throughout the entire game, things got tight in the final minutes, with the Lions leading 35-32. However, sophomore guard Kelly Coughlin provided the team with a threepointer and sophomore forward Jessica Goldbach followed with a field goal to secure the lead. The Greyhounds then pulled up close again with a score of 49-47, but Goldbach sent a shot from behind the three-

Lions’ Lineup January 23, 2013

I n s i d e

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions’ impressive work ethic helps them stay focused.

point arc and pulled the lead away again. Coughlin and senior center/forward Candace Vigo led the team with 12 points each for the Lions, while Goldbach broke double digits. The second game of the week came against William Paterson University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game, but unfortunately the Lions fell in a 59-45 loss. Coming off of their high from their win against Moravian,

they were disappointed with their play in the first half of the game. Only six minutes into the game, their opponents climbed to a 17-2 lead and the Lions could not come back. The Pioneers were able to collect 26 rebounds, opposed to the Lions’ 17. Had the College been able to capitalize on more, they might have had different results, but the Pioneers were too dominant. Although the Lions did score more than

the Pioneers in the second half, 26-20, they could not close the gap. Despite a hard loss, the Lions fought hard and were led by junior forward/center Liz West with a total of 13 points, followed by junior guard Tiffany DeTulio and Vigo. The final game of the week was more satisfying for the Lions, coming as a 49-37 victory over Kean University. The Lions scored an easy seven points as soon as the game began, and the shots kept coming from there. With the lead alternating between teams consistently throughout the game, it was a nailbiter, but came down to stellar Lion play. DeTulio had another great game with 12 points, while West provided six with six rebounds. Goldbach had a career high 12 rebounds. “We feel pretty confident that if we play our game and focus on what we need to do, good things will happen for us,” junior guard Kelly Roddy said. “Different people have been stepping up every game and that is great to see.” The 27th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day has been set for Jan. 26 and will take place in Packer Hall. This is a chance for young players to come out and meet the Lions and watch as they take on Ramapo College.

46 53 Around the Dorm page 25

Te’o Cheap Seats page 19

Track starts off fast page 19

Bishop wins 200 page 19


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