The Signal: Spring '16 No. 1

Breaking news, blogs and more at TCNJSignal.net.

Vol. XLIV, No. 1

Hoverboards banned from College dorms

January 27, 2016

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Stud renovations still on track

By Ellie Schuckman News Editor A new year often brings new technological advances, and 2015 brought us the hoverboard. A seemingly slick device that made the future a reality, the boards soon wreaked havoc with safety concerns and are now banned from residence halls at the College.

“Due to potential fire and safety concerns, all hoverboards are prohibited from use, possession or storage in all college residence halls effective immediately,” read the Friday, Jan. 8, email sent to students by Director of Risk Management Brian Webb and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Sean O. Stallings.

Students were further warned that if a hoverboard or similar device is found in a residence hall, they will be asked to remove it from campus. Anyone who received or purchased a device over the break is not permitted to bring it to campus.

The College joins a long list of other schools placing a ban on the devices, citing safety concerns, partially prompted by several cases of the boards spontaneously combusting, either while in use or while simply charging. The U.S. Consumer Product see HOVER page 2

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Traditions is to be the first completed project in the Brower Student Center.

By Alyssa Sanford Web Editor

After a full semester of renovations to the Brower Student Center, which permanently eliminated a popular dining option and forced student organizations to relocate their respective office spaces, exciting changes are on the horizon.

Curt Heuring, the vice president for Administration who is involved in campus planning, and Sodexo General Manager

Patrice Mendes both confirmed that a new restaurant called Traditions will open in a few weeks in the Brower Student Center.

“The restaurant takes over the space previously occupied by the bookstore... (and will offer a view of the) Social Sciences (Building) and Music Building quadrangle,” Heuring said.

Traditions is a new on-campus dining option where students can use points to pay for food. According to Mendes, “meal equivalency will be honored at this

location as it was in the Rat,” which they hope will break up the long lines at the Lions Den and the Library Cafe during those hours.

For students who are still mourning the permanent closure of the Rat, Traditions’ menu “will incorporate several favorites from the Rat,” Mendes said. In addition, the menu will boast “some new and exciting creations from our celebrity chef consultant, Carl Ruiz.”

Ruiz owns Marie’s Italian Specialties, a deli that also serves up classic Italian recipes, located in Chatham Township, N.J., that was featured on a 2013 episode of Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” Ruiz also recently appeared on an episode of Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” on Sunday, Jan. 3.

“Over the last six weeks, the kitchen and servery had extensive work completed and are very close to operational,” Mendes said. “The flooring for the dining room, the stage and new windows for the dining room have been installed.”

William Rudeau, director of Campus Construction, said that distressed tiles were recently installed, and showed off reclaimed walnut wood paneling that will accent the walls in the restaurant and the Brower Student Center.

The stage, which is reminiscent of the stage for student performances in the Rat, is still under construction, but the sound see STUD page 3

Campus Town transforms over break Volunteers have Piccolo Pronto opens in time for the semester alternative break in

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Piccolo Pronto opens its doors on Friday, Jan. 22.

By Chelsea LoCascio News Editor

returning home last semester, Verizon Wireless was opening its doors to the public. Since then, Campus Town as a whole has made a few more changes.

After Verizon opened in December, Piccolo Pronto — the College’s fast food version of Piccolo Trattoria — welcomed customers on Friday, Jan. 22, in time for the start of the new semester.

Following Piccolo Pronto, other businesses are lining up to open within the next couple of months. According to PRC Group’s Director of University Campus Development Greg Lentine, who is heading the Campus Town project, Panera Bread is scheduled to open its doors by the end of February, just before Mexican Mariachi Grill, set to open late February or early March.

Other eateries include Yummy Sushi, with construction expected to finish in March, and Brickwall Tavern and Dining Room, expected to open in August, according to Lentine. Polished Nails Salon is set to open sometime before the end of the spring semester.

With new restaurants opening up in such a close proximity to campus itself, some wonder if coveted meal plan points will be accepted to purchase food outside of the College. According to Patrice Mendes, Sodexo’s general manager, since Campus Town and the College are separate entities, an agreement to let students use their meal plan points at these

As students were finishing their finals, packing up and

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 5

Follow us at...

The Signal @tcnjsignal

Editorial / Page 6

New Orleans

By Elizabeth Zakaim Correspondent Junior psychology major Megan Vantslot spent part of her winter break cleaning bullets and heroin needles out of a bathtub in New Orleans, La., a city that is still trying to recover from the devastating Hurricane Katrina that tore it apart over 10 years ago. Vantslot is a member of the College’s Alternative Break Club (ABC). She is just one of the many students that volunteered over break rebuilding and repairing homes in New Orleans.

Vantslot participated in the New Orleans trip for the first time this year, although ABC has been running the trip for over seven years. This year, the students traveled down to New Orleans on Saturday, Jan. 9, and returned home on Sunday, Jan. 17.

Although the trip lasted for eight days, only five days were spent volunteering. The other three days were allocated for traveling between New Orleans and New Jersey.

see TOWN page 3 Opinions / Page 7

Features / Page 11

see ABC page 11

Arts & Entertainment / Page 14

Sports / Page 24

LeaderShape Students attend leadership conference

‘The Force Awakens’ Classic franchise returns with its newest sequel

Swimming Lions beat Johns Hopkins in crucial meet

See Features page 11

See A&E page 14

See Sports page 24

page 2 The Signal January 27, 2016

Hover / Spontaneous combustions cause ban on boards

AP Photo

Manufacturing of the hoverboards is under investigation over safety concerns. continued from page 1 Safety Commission (CPSC) has launched an investigation into over 40 fires caused by the devices, according to a USA Today article from Friday, Jan. 22. In addition, there have been at least “70 ER-related

injuries” from the hoverboards, according to the commission.

Most recently, the commission announced an expansion to its investigation that will look into falls and injuries potentially based on faulty designs in the boards, according to a CNN article from Tuesday, Jan. 21.

College spokesman Dave Muha stressed that the school reached the decision to ban the boards “independently,” and based solely on safety concerns. He also noted that the ban is specific to residence halls and that the “Department of Facilities and Administrative Services collaborated with Residential Education and Housing to implement changes to the terms of the College’s housing contract,” thus penalizing individuals should a board be found in a their dorm room.

Amid the outcry from many, Amazon — a key retail source for the boards — is now offering full refunds to anyone who bought the device from its site. The CPSC praised the decision and hopes that other retailers and manufacturers do the same, according to the same CNN article. In a statement released on Wednesday, Jan. 20,

by CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye, a suspension of online sales of hoverboards was called until the commission’s investigation

is complete.

Some may blame misuse of the device as reason for injury, but Kaye warns that safety measures, including keeping a fire extinguisher nearby, must be in place regardless of what is playing a factor in the string of injuries.

“At first glance, it is easy to believe the risk of falling off a hoverboard is an obvious one and to dismiss those injuries as user inexperience or error,” he said in the statement. “However, I am concerned, for example, that the current designs of these products might not take fully into consideration the different weights of different users.”

Some at the College believe the ban is beneficial and warranted.

“Anything known to spontaneously combust probably shouldn’t be in a dorm,” sophomore accounting major Matt O’Dea said. “(However), I don’t own or plan on owning a hoverboard.”

College professor named ‘Exceptional Master Leader’

By Tom Ballard Opinions Editor

One of the College’s professors was recently named an “Exceptional Master Leader” by Exchange magazine, receiving one of the 49 awards that the publication gives out on an international level.

Blythe Hinitz, professor of elementary early childhood education, was honored with the title in the November/December issue of the magazine. In total, 49 early childhood education professionals from around the world were named as Exceptional Master Leaders and 38 as Master Leaders.

Exchange, a bimonthly publication with the intention to “continue the search and support for leadership in (early childhood education),” gave Hinitz the title, according to the magazine’s website.

The review team selected the Master Leaders based on leadership, roles played in an impactful early childhood care career, possession of a deep knowledge base of early childhood research and the spirit they have to work collaboratively and tackle difficult objectives. Exceptional Master Leaders were selected from 10 countries, including the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and Israel.

Hinitz, who has been at the College since the 1970s, said that she consistently reflects on her foundational experiences in order to move ahead, according to a TCNJ Today article from Wednesday, Dec. 9.

“One of the things I am most proud of, that I am sure contributed to my receiving this honor, is that in the 1970s, I headed the TCNJ day care management minor,” Hinitz said in the same article. “This was an innovative program open to all majors on the campus that included seven required courses in the schools of education, nursing and business.”

Hinitz is noted as a strong supporter of the Head Start Program, a federal program that aids low-income areas and families with early childhood education, as well as nutrition and health services. She even played a role in bringing together the College and the Head Start Program.

“One of my initial responsibilities was supervising the Head Start Program and representing the College on the local (Community Action Partnership) Board,” Hinitz told TCNJ Today. “I am proud that the symbiotic relationship between the College and the Head Start programs was maintained for 40 years.”

As a professor, Hinitz said she tries to maintain communications with students both past and present.

“When my students graduate I still look for opportunities for them,” Hinitz said. “I try (to stay in touch).”

In addition to being a professor of education, Hinitz is also an education historian who has worked with the Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum, OMEP (the World Organization for Early Childhood Education), the Expert Advisory Group to the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention, the International Standing Conference on the History of Education and other

professional organizations, according to her profile on Exchange’s website.

Despite her expansive résumé, Hinitz said that most of her writings and works focus on diversity and equity in education.

“I have encouraged many adult learners to return to academia,” Hinitz said in her Exchange profile. “In my courses and writing, I focus on diversity and equity issues, integrating culture, bilingualism and gender into content and pedagogy. I will continue this work.”

According to Exchange’s website, the magazine introduced the Exchange Leadership Initiative (ELI) in 2014 with “the intention to explore strategies for making leadership more visible in the field of early care and education.” After establishing ELI, the magazine began reviewing applications and letters of recommendations submitted for each candidate.

Hinitz said she was encouraged to apply for the award by one of her publishers after a career in early childhood education that expands back into the 1960s.

“I’ve always feel that I’ve done my part in teaching… (and I believe) that education can hold it’s own… early childhood education in particular,” Hinitz said.

In 2012, Hinitz received the title of Distinguished Professor from the secretary of Higher Education of the State of New Jersey and the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. She also currently serves as the president of Phi Kappa Phi, the College’s honor society for distinguished scholarly achievement, a post that she has held since July 2014.

Phi Alpha Theta attends Biennial Convention in Orlando

By Chelsea LoCascio News Editor

Eight members of the history honor society Phi Alpha Theta (PAT) attended the Biennial Convention at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Hotel in Orlando, Fla., from Wednesday, Jan. 6, to Sunday, Jan. 10.

Hosted by the University of South Florida’s chapter of the honor society, the national conference was broken into 90-minute panels composed of a faculty moderator and three students presenting their original work, according to senior history secondary education major Linda Chamesian, copresident of PAT. With topics ranging from economic history to women’s rights, the presentations were 15 minutes each and followed by a Q&A, Chamesian said.

“It was an amazing opportunity to be exposed to historical research that was conducted by students across the nation,” said senior history secondary education major Joseph McQuoid, co-president of PAT. “What’s both empowering and humbling about history is that there’s no way to know it all, so being able to meet with a large group of others where each person knows so much about one specific subject really helps you learn about

events and subjects you may have known very little about.”

Also in attendance was Cynthia Paces, the history department chair and faculty advisor to PAT, who was there to support her students. “(She) was a great mentor throughout the entire conference. She not only attended each of our panels, but commented as an active audience member during the presentations, showing great support for us and our fellow panelists as well,” Chamesian said.

When Paces and the students were not at the conference, they took advantage of their proximity to Walt Disney World.

“It was not only a fun experience to bond within our own chapter, but it was a great opportunity to meet other students from all over the country outside of an academic environment to share our experiences and ideas about non-historical topics,” said McQuoid of being in Orlando. He also encourages others to participate in the experience of attending the convention.

During their time in Florida, the College’s chapter was not one to be ignored as other students and professors regularly complimented them for their work, McQuoid said.

“The national executive board of Phi Alpha Theta definitely took note of our chapter’s presence at the convention,” Chamesian

Photo courtesy of Linda Chamesian

Members of the honor society are acknowledged for their dedication. said. “The board was impressed with our chapter’s attendance at the convention and also from the work we had done this past fall semester. We were active on social media and they loved to see students involved and excited for Phi Alpha Theta events.”

According to Chamesian, an Instagram picture of their visit to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on their final day in Florida prompted an email from Graydon A. Tunstall, the executive director of Phi Alpha Theta at the University of South Florida.

“I would like to take a moment to say thanks to you and your fellow PAT members who attended the conference and posted the terrific and creative photos

on Instagram. Your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated and you definitely set the bar high for our other chapters,” Tunstall wrote in an email to Chamesian.

Though the College’s chapter was not awarded for their efforts in 2015, they intend to apply for “Chapter of the Year” in 2016, Chamesian said. However, to her it is not about winning awards, but rather what the students learned during their time at the conference.

“The conference was definitely an unforgettable experience, one that combined a love for history and the magic of Disney,” Chamesian said. “A pairing that might be overlooked by some, but appreciated by others.”

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 3

Stud / New dining option comes to Student Center

Left: Traditions’s kitchen is getting ready for its February opening. Right: The Brower Student Center undergoes major renovations. continued from page 1 system is mostly installed, Rudeau said.

Because construction is still underway for Traditions, it is tentatively scheduled to open on Monday, Feb. 29, according to Mendes.

“We’re working out some equipment delivery logistics and other last-minute challenges, so the actual opening date is uncertain at this point in time,” Heuring said.

The second phase of construction, according to Rudeau, will include the installation of restrooms and a skylight lounge complete with furniture.

Both Heuring and Mendes confirmed that the existing dining options in the Brower Student Center will be updated in the near future.

“Traditions is the first step in new dining options in the Brower Student Center,” Heuring said. “The second phase will include a new servery” that will update the existing space in the Lions’ Den in time for the Fall 2016 semester.

Once Traditions is fully operational, the Lions’ Den and the Fresh Pride Cafe will undergo renovations this summer, Mendes said.

“The Fresh Pride Cafe will continue to highlight Mindful menu items with the addition of a large salad bar. The food court will be expanded to ease traffic flow and will offer sushi,” Mendes said.

In addition, the Lions’ Den will offer “a noodle bowl concept, sandwich concepts, pizza and pasta concepts, fresh burgers” and more, according to Mendes.

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

As for the rest of the building, the project is still in phase one, according to Heuring. This phase includes the construction of Traditions as well as offices on the second floor. The steel frames are scheduled to be installed during the week of Monday, Jan. 25.

“The multi-purpose room addition foundations are completed,” Heuring said.

In the midst of the extensive renovations to the Brower Student Center, and various buildings around campus, Traditions is being opened for good reason, according to Mendes.

“The renovation was staged to allow students to enjoy the food court while Traditions was completed and then to allow students access to the completed Traditions restaurant when the food court undergoes renovation for a Fall 2016 opening,” Mendes said.

Two students receive scholarship to study abroad Gilman grants opportunity to travel without worry

By Ellie Schuckman News Editor Two students at the College were recently honored with Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships, enabling them to study abroad at destinations of their choice.

Junior finance major Ting Yang and sophomore health and exercise science major Sami Karmeh received the awards for the current Spring 2016 semester and are studying abroad in China and Australia, respectively.

“It is very valuable to me that I won (the) Gilman scholarship to study abroad,” Karmeh said.

“Gilman represents an outstanding example of how there are opportunities for students to achieve their goal of going abroad.”

Karmeh won a $4,500 grant to study abroad at the College’s

exchange program at the University of Newcastle in Australia, taking mostly liberal learning classes. Karmeh, who first heard about the Gilman scholarship from the College’s study abroad office, said he found out he won the scholarship after receiving a congratulatory email from the dean of his department. He then checked his personal email and discovered he was, in fact, a recipient of the scholarship.

“This experience will show me how medicine is practiced in other parts of the world,” Karmeh said in a TCNJ Today article from Thursday, Dec. 17.

Yang, who was unable to be reached for comment, was granted an $8,000 Critical Need Language Award to help fund her semester at Peking University in Beijing, China, according to

the same article. Enrolled in the Advanced Chinese Studies program, her classes will be taught in Mandarin.

According to the Gilman scholarship website, only a select few are awarded the $8,000 grant, which is given strictly to those “studying a critical need language while abroad in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken.” During the 2013-14 academic year, only 60 Critical Need Language Awards were given, according to the site.

“The Gilman Scholarship is an important award from the federal government to promote wider participation in academic study abroad programs throughout the United States,” Senior International Officer and Director of Global Engagement Jon Stauff said.

“The Gilman program removes the biggest obstacle between these students and a study abroad experience — adequate finances. TCNJ already allows its financial aid and scholarship packages to support a number of study abroad programs throughout the world, but the Gilman Scholarship opens additional options to students and goes a long way toward replacing lost income from part-time jobs and those extra expenses associated with study abroad.”

The scholarship, named after former U.S. House of Representative Ben Gilman, is offered every semester and aimed at relieving some of the financial burden of studying abroad. To apply, students must be in good academic standing and be collecting a Pell Grant — a federal program that provides grants to low-income

undergraduate students.

According to Stauff, on average, one to two students from the College have won Gilman scholarships each semester over the past five years to make for a 50 percent acceptance rate for students at the College — higher than the national average.

“Study abroad provides students not only with rich academic experiences in classrooms abroad, but also a variety of life experiences — meeting people from other countries and working together with them toward shared goals, learning how to get from point A to point B in another language or culture and discovering a lot about oneself in the process — all of which may be transferred to senior capstone assignments, first jobs, graduate schools and life in general,” Stauff said.

Town / Businesses see decrease in sales over break

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

According to Lentine, Panera Bread will open at the end of February.

continued from page 1

restaurants will not be made.

Since students currently comprise the majority of customers at Campus Town, the businesses that set up shop before this

semester, like RedBerry Frozen Yogurt and Barnes & Noble, saw a noticeable decrease in business during the winter break, according to Lentine. However, as he pointed out, the former sells cold food that is not as favorable in the winter and

the latter targets students by selling the College’s merchandise and textbooks.

“We believe that when (more) businesses open up, there will be more people (from outside the College) coming in,” Lentine said.

The low attendance rate by those living in the surrounding community, however, is due to a lack of advertising targeting those living outside of the College’s campus, said Lentine. According to Campus Town’s website, although the PRC Group is in charge of construction and management, Lentine said they intend to do some general marketing for Campus Town, but the individual businesses are in charge of their own advertising.

According to Lentine, another major change students should look out for is new parking regulations. As of Monday, Feb. 1, students will not be allowed to park in the spaces assigned for Campus Town retail customers only.

“If students park there, they will be ticketed and towed,” Lentine said. “If they buy a (frozen) yogurt and (then) go to class, then they aren’t a retail customer.”

“We believe that when (more) businesses open up, there will be more people... coming in.”

— Greg Lentine

PRC Group’s Director of University Campus Development According to Lentine, Campus Town residents who have signed up for parking and have decals are only permitted to park in their assigned lots.

page 4 The Signal January 27, 2016

Fun Stuff

Because Retta is coming...

to “Parks & Recreation” memes!

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 5

Nation & W rld Recap: Biggest stories over Winter Break Winter Storm Jonas, El Chapo, ISIS and more

By Jennifer Goetz Nation & World Editor

Here’s a look back on some of the most talked-about topics from the nation and world 2016 so far.

El Chapo: The known drug lord managed to escape from maximum security prison through a mirrored tunnel last summer, the New York Times reported, but on Friday, Jan. 8, he was finally recaptured in a gunfight.

Istanbul Explosion: A popular tourist area in Istanbul was attacked on Tuesday, Jan. 12, when an ISIS suicide bomber killed 10 people, CNN reported. This attack was similar to the other terrorist attacks in the recent months, such as in Paris, Beirut, Lebanon, Mali and Eygpt, the New York Times, reported. Bustling, populous places are becoming the norm for attacks such as this to occur.

The Powerball Hype: The New York Times reported that people had a greater chance of being struck by lightning than of winning the $1.6 billion lottery. Three winners have claimed the Powerball after

it was announced on Wednesday, Jan 13, CNN reported.

Presidential race: Debates on both the Democratic and Republican sides have taken place over the past few weeks.

The polls released by CNN on Monday, Jan. 25, reveal that Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders has 46 percent of the poll, while Hillary Clinton has 44 percent. For the GOP, Donald Trump is in the lead with 31 percent and is followed by Senator Ted Cruz at 26 percent, according to the same CNN poll. The Iowa Caucus will be on Monday, Feb. 1, according to the Washington Post.

Water Crisis in Michican: According to the New York Times, thousands of people were exposed to water contaminated with lead. In response, President Barack Obama issued a state of emergency.

The Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case: CNN reported that the Supreme Court will soon listen to a case that could make a difference about whether or not unions will be treated the same way as corportations.

Mourners place flowers at the site of the Istanbul terrorist attacks.

AP Photo

Winter cleanup continues as the east coast recovers from Jonas.

According to CNN, public school teachers in Northern California stepped forward to go protest paying dues to unions when they don’t agree with them.

Union dues are not allowed in 25 states, and this decision could help eradicate mandatory union dues entirely, according to CNN. The unions maintain, however, that the money they are receiving is not for political purposes and mainly are benefitting all of the employees, whether they belong to the union or not.

Stock Market concerns: CNN reported that Dow dropped around 565 points Wednesday, Jan. 20. In 2016, the S&P 500 has fallen to 9 percent and the Dow has already dropped 1,658 points. The reason the Dow plunged on Jan. 20, is because of of the drop in crude oil prices. According to CNN, crude oil prices dropped below “27 dollars a gallon.” CNN reported that despite the concern, the stock market closed after losing just 247 points.

Detroit Teachers on Strike: Teachers

AP Photo

made a statement by staging “walkouts” in protest of Detroit’s public schools conditions, according to CNN. The public schools went to court to put a halt to the sick outs, but as of Thursday, Jan. 21, the judged ruled in favor of the teachers, CNN reported.

Zika virus: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued a warning for pregnant women who plan on traveling to avoid countries that have had known cases of the Zika virus, according to CNN. This mosquito-born virus, according to CNN, has proven to cause birth defects.

Blizzard of 2016: Winter Storm Jonas slammed the east coast after a relatively warm winter. It left thousands without power and caused coastal flooding, reported the New York Times.

According to CNN, at least 27 weather-related deaths were attributed to this storm. Schools across the east coast were canceled on Monday, Jan. 25, but CNN reported that for residents in the Washington, D.C. area, it will be another few days before the snow is fully removed.

US swaps prisoners with Iran in deal Five Americans and seven Iranians freed

Rezaian celebrates his new freedom.

AP Photo

By Tom Ballard Opinions Editor

For 544 days, the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was detained by Iranian authorities since his arrest in July 2014. Rezaian was one of four Americans

released by the government of Iran on Saturday, Jan. 16, according to the Washington Post.

In exchange for the release of the four Americans, the U.S. released seven prisoners — one Iranian and six with dual citizenship with the U.S. and Iran, CNN reported.

In the move, which President Barack Obama called a “one-time gesture,” the seven men were allegedly involved in exporting products and services to Iran that were in violation of the economic sanctions in place against the Middle East country. The goods exported included electronic components and satellite services to Marine navigation and military equipment.

According to NBC News, in addition to Rezaian, the other U.S. prisoners being held and then released by the Islamic republic included Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine who had been imprisoned since 2011 while visiting the country to see his grandmother, and Saeed Abedini, an American-Iranian Christian pastor who was born in Iran and lived in Idaho before he was convicted in an Iranian court in 2013 for “undermining national security.” Hekmati’s crime was establishing Christian churches in Iran.

The fourth American released was Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, ABC News reported.

Khosravi-Roodsari, whose imprisonment was not publicly reported until after his release, chose to stay in the Islamic republic after his release. According to an email ABC News received from a senior administrative official, “When it comes to Roodsari, privacy

considerations preclude (the administration) from offering any more details.”

The Washington Post reported that the exchange came after Iran and the six world powers — the U.S., China, Germany, France, Russia and the U.K.— led by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, implemented an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

“This evening, we are really reminded once again of diplomacy’s power to tackle significant challenges,” Kerry said, according to the Washington Post. “We have approached this challenge with the firm belief that exhausting diplomacy before choosing war is an imperative. And we believe that today marks the benefits of that choice.”

The deal implemented on Saturday, Jan. 16, between the six world powers and Iran ended years of economic sanctions that were crippling the Iranian economy in return for the verified dismantlement of much of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

The prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Iran, which was not official in the agreement, came days after Iran released 10 U.S. sailors that were captured as a result of “poor navigation, failed communications equipment and a stalled engine” according to the Wall Street Journal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed support for the day’s events and posted on Twitter that “it’s now time for all — especially Muslim nations — to join hands and rid the world of violent extremism. Iran is ready.”

page 6 The Signal January 27, 2016

Editorial

Earth isn’t just our planet, it is also our home

Is global warming real?

Yes. However, I dislike the term “global warming” because although climate change is real, it occurs in both extreme directions — extreme hot and extreme cold temperatures.

Recently, we experienced abnormal weather sporadically over the course of our “winter” break. On Christmas Day, there was an average temperature at the College of 63 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the website Weather Underground. Meanwhile, we finally received sufficient snowfall this past weekend when snow storm Jonas ran up the coast.

Nonetheless, New Jersey was not the only place where the effects of climate change have been noticed. Last Wednesday, scientists reported that 2015 was the hottest year recorded in history, according to the New York Times.

While one might consider my first two examples anecdotal and one may even call my citation of the New York Times article an exaggeration, I believe that these are pieces of factual evidence that prove climate change is a reality.

I also believe that while climate change might be reality, its process is not too late to stop because we have not yet reached Earth’s pollution point of no return. However, the Earth is in the hands of mankind and we have two options.

The first option is that we continue to power our daily lives with fossil fuels. Although this option may sound feasible (especially with plummeting gas prices), if we choose — and I emphasize that this is a choice — to continue to use this source of energy, the exploitation of fossil fuels will ultimately lead to the destruction of our planet and the extinction of mankind.

I understand this is quite the scary thought, but I promise you, the second option is the happy ending: We begin to use alternative energy sources and we save our planet before it is too late. Switching to alternative energy sources will be an extremely expensive process, but is it not worth that cost for our home?

Please take your time thinking about that question, but do not take too much time, because this will likely be our generation’s decision to make.

Earth is not only our planet, it is also our home. Is our home worth it?

— Sean Reis Production Manager

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.

AP Photo

After an unseasonably warm break, Winter Storm Jonas slammed the East Coast of the US, serving as evidence of Earth’s dramatically changing climate.

Quotes of the Week tcnjsignal.net Email: signal@tcnj.edu Telephone: Production Room (609) 771-2424 Business Office (609) 771-2499 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu

Editorial Staff Colleen Murphy Editor-in-Chief murphc16@tcnj.edu Sydney Shaw Managing Editor shaws4@tcnj.edu Ellie Schuckman Chelsea LoCascio News Editors schucke1@tcnj.edu locascc1@tcnj.edu Michael Battista Jessica Ganga Sports Editors battism3@tcnj.edu gangaj1@tcnj.edu Elise Schoening Features Editor schoene1@tcnj.edu Kimberly Ilkowski Arts & Entertainment Editor ilkowsk1@tcnj.edu Thomas Ballard Opinions Editor ballart1@tcnj.edu Kim Iannarone Photo Editor iannark1@tcnj.edu

Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Forcina Hall The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Jennifer Goetz Nation & World Editor goetzj1@tcnj.edu Jackie Delaney Review Editor delanej2@tcnj.edu Sean Reis Production Manager reiss2@tcnj.edu Alyssa Sanford Web Editor sanfora1@tcnj.edu Andrew Street Connor Smith Social Media Editors streeta1@tcnj.edu smithc57@tcnj.edu

Emilie Lounsberry Advisor lounsber@tcnj.edu Ricky Zhao Business/Ad Manager zhaof1@tcnj.edu

“There’s a phrase — ‘New Orleans grabs you by the heart and never let’s go’ — and there really is no better way to describe it.”

— Jennifer Pagliaro, Junior special education major

“To me, the most exciting thing this season has been watching the team chemistry grow into this bond that we have now. It has really helped keep the fun and the focus in practice and the energy and excitement at the meets.”

— Jennifer Harnett, women’s swim team head coach

“We believe that when (more) businesses open up, there will be more people (from outside the College) coming in.”

— Greg Lentine, PRC Group’s director of University Campus Development

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 7

Opinions

The Iowa caucuses: An irrelevant sideshow

By Tom Ballard Opinions Editor

Iowa: When one enters the name of the 29th U.S. state into a search engine, the results will most likely be made up of the state government’s official website, maps showing the Midwestern state’s geographical location, some pretty pictures of the state’s cities and universities, something corn-related and, most predominantly, news articles about the recent polls and speeches coming out right before the Iowa caucuses. Despite the massive press attention that the caucuses garner, one thing about the event should be made clear: It’s an irrelevant political sideshow that bares little importance on the outcome of the presidential election.

The Hawkeye State has the esteemed position of being the first state in the country to hold elections for both the Democratic and Republican parties’ nominations for president of the United States. A caucus, unlike traditional primaries like the ones that take place here in New Jersey, do not occur throughout the entire day, but usually at an established meeting time in the evening at public places such as churches and school gymnasiums. Although the procedures and layout of the caucuses vary between the two parties, caucuses like Iowa’s are less formal voting events that allows the supporters of a certain candidate to convince undecided party voters to support their candidate.

Besides for making C-Span incredibly more watchable, the caucuses lack any

real relevance, in retrospect, to whom each respective party will nominate.

According to Republican National Committee’s (RNC) website, the GOP allocates 30 delegates to represent Iowa, and its choices for the presidential nomination, at the party’s national convention being held in Cleveland, Ohio, in July. That’s a mere 1.2 percent of the 2,472 delegates that will be attending the convention. The number of delegates awarded in the Monday, Feb. 1, Caucus pales in comparison to the one on Tuesday, March 1, referred to as “Super Tuesday.” On that day, according to the RNC’s website, 12 states hold their primaries or caucuses, distributing a total of 632 delegates. That’s roughly 25.5 percent of the delegates voting in the convention that are distributed in a single day.

In the past two election cycles, Iowa has proven to be unreliable in predicting who would move on to accept the GOP’s nomination. The evangelical-supported candidates, Rick Santorum, former senator from Pennsylvania, and Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, won the state in 2012 and 2008, respectively, while the more moderate candidates, Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, and John McCain, senator from Arizona, won the GOP nomination in 2012 and 2008, respectively.

Iowa has, however, been more successful in picking the Democratic presidential candidate. According to the Des Moines Register, then-Illinois Senator Barack Obama won the state in 2008 and current Secretary of

State John Kerry won in 2004. Both moved on to win the Democratic nomination in the respective years. Despite history, the year is now 2016 and the 52 Iowa Democrats are an even more insufficient delegation compared to their GOP counterparts. The 52 Democrats make up only 1.1 percent of the 4,768 total delegates voting in the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July, according to the Democratic National Committee. Also, a more competitive national race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders means that earlier voting states, like Iowa and New Hampshire, may have less sway on influencing who becomes the next Democratic presidential nominee.

This competition comes from recent polling, according to Real Clear Politics, a Chicago-based polling data aggregator that collects data from several prominent

polling institutions in the country, shows the margins between Clinton and Sanders closing in, even at the national level. If these margins continue to tighten-up, later voting states, which usually draw little attention due to the fact that the party’s apparent nominee has typically secured a majority of the total delegates before the states casts their ballots, may be in the position to decide who becomes the Democratic nominee.

On Monday, Feb. 1, the country will witness the first elections for the 2016 presidential nominations of both parties.

Even with the media hype surrounding the event, I can’t help but remember what former U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman told CBS News in 2012: “They pick corn in Iowa… and (they) pick presidents… in New Hampshire.” In terms of the past couple of Republican presidential primaries, it’s a pretty accurate statement.

Rick Santorum won the 2012 GOP Iowa caucuses by 42 votes.

AP Photo

New Year’s resolutions: Endless broken promises

People should pursue obtainable goals to kick off 2016

AP Photo

At the start of the new year, people commit to better their lives.

By Niki Taneja

When the new year is rung in, the tradition is to kiss that special someone you’ve had your eye on all night and set some cliché goal for yourself on which you never actually follow through. We make these resolutions in hopes to add some positivity to the start of our year and to motivate ourselves for the better. “New Year, New Me” is what most hope to accomplish with these resolutions, but what seems to happen is a case of disappointment

by the time March comes around.

The most common trend is the “I’m going to start going to the gym.” I’m a victim of that fallout, as I used to set this infamous goal for myself. I would start off strong by working towards my goal every day. But as mid-January came along, I began to slow down and tell myself, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

Tomorrow turned into the day after tomorrow and before I knew it, the entire month had gone by.

The point of new year’s resolutions are to learn from the

mistakes of the past year and improve for the current one.

Starting off the new year with a goal you know that will never be followed through on shows no positivity. We begin the year with a false sense of optimism and soon enough, we realize that our goals were not realistic.

Society does a lot of comparing and we tend not to realize what is manageable for our lifestyles.

Just because someone is able to take five units of classes doesn’t mean everyone else can. Some people work, or have athletic commitments while going to school. We can’t keep basing our standards off of others’ standards.

We become hard on ourselves and feel that we are not good enough.

This completely negates the point of a New Year’s resolution.

At the same time, challenging yourself is a good thing. It helps you step out of your comfort zone and build self-confidence by discovering that you are able to accomplish

something you may have never imagined possible.

Nowadays, people tend to set those goals because it’s the “thing” to do and because of that, the resolutions don’t hold a substantial amount of meaning. The point of setting a New Year’s resolution is to try something new and be a little courageous and challenge yourself, but if the challenge

is unrealistic then you will ultimately fail.

Maybe next year, we can all set some realistic goals, causing the negativity to end and bring some positivity with accomplishing something new. This new year, we should stop comparing and letting disappointment control us. Because isn’t the idea of a new year to bring some new happiness and adventure into our lives?

AP Photo

Many people attempt to exercising more as a resolution.

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.

page 8 The Signal January 27, 2016

Students share opinions around campus Do you plan on voting? Are New Year’s resolutions good?

“I do... I think most of (the candidates) are not too good but there are some that are all right.”

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

“They’re a fun thing to do... it all depends on the person.”

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

Joshua Gergich, freshman mathematics major

D.J. Kleinbard, sophomore marketing major

“Yes... I haven’t really been keeping up with the debates... I don’t think (some of the candidates are) taking it as serious as they should.”

“(Resolutions are) some things (that) people want to do... but (many resolutions) break through by February.”

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

Monyae Wade, sophomore psychology major

Steven Fano, sophomore graphic design major

The Signal asks...

Was Winter Break too long?

Joshua: I think it should have been longer.

D.J.: Yes, I think it was too long.

Steven: It’s fine how it is.

Monyae: Yeah, I don’t like long breaks because then I get out of the groove of things.

Rob Birnbohm / Cartoonist

After a Winter Break that lasted for over five weeks, students at the College struggle to come back.

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 9

College should consider cutting Winter Break Increasing Summer Break would be more beneficical

weeks of winter break, but the College wasn’t expecting us back until Sunday, Jan. 24, while the majority of my home friends started class a week or two earlier.

I hate not knowing what’s next, not having a busy schedule and rolling out of bed in the afternoon only to ask myself, “Gee, what am I going to do today?”

I’d rather be super busy than super bored. I’d rather be outlining a textbook than walking around my house or driving around my town trying to find something to do. During the semester, at least at the end of the day, I could look back and tell myself all that I accomplished something. But over winter break, I wasn’t productive.

I’m sure I’m not the only person at the College that feels this way.

The College’s calendar is already planned out for the next couple of years and I’ll have long been graduated before this could be put into action, but perhaps a shorter break could be considered. Most of my high school friends had a month-long break this winter while I was home for an extra two weeks.

By Kelly Corbett

Looking back at the almost six-week winter hiatus that we had in order to recover from the semester grind, the nights of little sleep and the mornings of too much caffeine with far too many pages still left to read, I guess it was a nice, stress-free break. Unlike during the semester, I didn’t have any urges to throw my textbook out the window or take a nap at 2 p.m., for I wasn’t sleepdeprived or trying to avoid responsibilities. I functioned more like a human being and less like a confused college student trying to get her life together every morning before her 11 a.m class. Yet, despite all the positive aspects of a long winter break, I can’t help but feel like it was just too ridiculously long.

O.K., I know what you’re thinking: Is this chick really complaining about time off from school? Is she that nerdy? Is she that weird? Yes, yes and yes. But let me elaborate. This winter break, I saw some old high

school friends, I celebrated the holidays with my family and I was able to shorten my never-ending to-do list that always seems to duplicate during the semester. But basically, that’s ALL I did over winter break.

I wouldn’t consider it an accomplishment to finish a whole TV series on Netflix or fall asleep at 4 a.m. every morning over break. I felt like an unemployed 35 year old who was living on a strict diet of pizza, Christmas candies and hot chocolate. All mail, phone calls or inquiries for me could be directed to the blanket and pillow fort built on my bed.

While winter break is supposed to be a “recharge session,” I was at 100 percent by the beginning of January and these extra few weeks didn’t benefit me in any way.

It’s not like I could find a job for just six weeks, especially since most retail stores hire seasonal employees whose employment ends after the holidays. Anyway, jobs and internships are usually tasks I take on in the summer. I was ready to dive headfirst into spring semester after just three

“The College’s calendar is already planned out for the next couple of years and I’ll have long been graduated before this could be put into action, but perhaps a shorter break could be considered.”

Is the winter session at the College the cause for the delay? I’d like to know what causes this exceptionally long recess. A shorter winter break could ultimately result in a longer summer break, which is when I feel most college students, like myself, are able to work at part-time jobs and take on internships. But for now, I shall excuse myself because, as I’m writing this, it’s still winter break and I’m going to watch another episode on Netflix.

Wings - Buffalo, Honey BBQ, Teriyaki & Garlic Parmesan

Large Pizza with 10 Jumbo Wings

20 for $17.00 50 for $38.00 100 for $70.00

$17.95

609-434-1188

609-434-1188

Your local stop for Super Bowl parties and other fantastic catering!

We welcome fundraisers for all campus organizations!

Offers valid through Super Bowl Sunday!

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

The Education Building is covered in snow as students move back to campus to begin the semester.

page 10 The Signal January 27, 2016

off-site GRADUATE PROGRAMS

ESL COURSE OFFERINGS IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY Do you have an interest in teaching or traveling overseas?

Take graduate courses in education this summer in Istanbul!

COURSES:

DETAILS:

BENEFITS:

SESSION I: JULY 11 - 19 ESLM 578: Theory/Practice in ESL

Location: Istanbul Bilgi University, www.bilgi.edu.tr

• Earn graduate credit and gain

Tuition: $1,440 per course

• Mentor and tutor Turkish high school students at host site’s College Prep Academy.

SESSION II: JULY 21 - 29 ESLM 587: Curriculum Methods for Multilingual Populations

Program Fee: $1,350 includes accommodation for 22 nights, 45 meals, airport transportation and three (3) cultural excursions.

field experience.

• Accelerated, in-person courses, offered in a condensed, 7-day format.

Information Session: Thursday, February 11th at 5:00pm (Social Sciences, Room 331)

Sun

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

PROGRAM CALENDAR: JULY 2016 Arrive in Istanbul

10

11 TESL Theory & Practice

12 TESL Theory & Practice

13 TESL Theory & Practice

14 TESL Theory & Practice

15 TESL Theory & Practice

16

17

18 TESL Theory & Practice

19 TESL Theory & Practice

20

21 TESL Curriculum Methods

22 TESL Curriculum Methods

23

24

25 TESL Curriculum Methods

26 TESL Curriculum Methods

27 TESL Curriculum Methods

28 TESL Curriculum Methods

29 TESL Curriculum Methods

30

31

1

AUGUST

Depart Istanbul

2

For more info visit offsitegrad.tcnj.edu 7 SITES • ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 11

Features

ABC / Rebuilding continues in New Orleans Volunteer work still needed 10 years later

Photos courtesy of Tim Laux and Megan Vantslot

Left: Students of the College work to repair homes damaged by Katrina. Right: Vantslot and her team are tasked with gutting the ‘crack house.’ continued from page 1 Vantslot and her volunteer group spent the week working on “a very worndown house that was actually a hotspot for squatters,” she said.

“A few women walking down the street even thanked us for cleaning out the ‘crack house,’” Vantslot said. “It was clear to me that this place housed a lot of brokenness over the past few years after Katrina. Gutting the house was the first step in rebuilding and transforming it into a place for families to rent for cheap so they would be able to get back on their feet after a lot of bad luck with Katrina.”

Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005. New Orleans was hit hard by the storm and is still recovering over

a decade later. Though about half the city lies above sea level, its average elevation is about six feet below and is completely surrounded by water. As such, nearly 80 percent of the city was underwater after the storm, according to CNN. “It was shocking to me how many houses in the town are still looking so desolate,” Vantslot said. “I learned that the neighborhoods that were hit the hardest used to be bustling, and seeing them now with still many houses incomplete or not present at all was very hard.”

Junior special education major Jennifer Pagliaro has been involved in ABC since 2014 and now serves as its vice president.

“Our club was founded on the belief that we will not stop going to New Orleans until it is completely rebuilt,” Pagliaro said.

“That belief has been something our executive board has held very close to our hearts, and so the majority of our trips are taken to New Orleans.”

ABC works with Project Homecoming, a volunteer organization in New Orleans that provides housing and volunteer work for the students. Project Homecoming helps those who lost their homes in Katrina buy land to rebuild.

“The people I have met in New Orleans are some of the most positive, compassionate and caring people. I have worked on homes where homeowners have stopped by and cooked lunch for all 30 people on the worksite,” Pagliaro said. “The people in New Orleans are amazing and continuing to go down there is a no-brainer when you see how

appreciative and grateful everyone is for volunteer work.”

The club’s fundraising keeps the trip at a low cost. Students who fundraise the most are invited to come on the weeklong trip, Pagliaro said. This year marked Pagliaro’s fifth trip to New Orleans through ABC. “There’s a phrase — ‘New Orleans grabs you by the heart and never let’s go’ — and there really is no better way to describe it,” said Pagliaro, who worked on demolishing a house that had not been touched since the hurricane. “Ten years later and still that house had not been worked on. A lot of the time, people say to me ‘Why are you still going down there? Isn’t the work done?’ and as hard as it is to believe, it’s not.”

LeaderShape pushes students out of comfort zone

By Frank Festa Staff Writer

How you spend the time between the fall and spring semesters is completely up to you. Most students at the College probably did one of three things: gained some experience interning, caught up on credits with a winter class or bingewatched Netflix’s new series, “Making a Murder.” A group of 59 students, however, chose to spend some of their time in a different way — at the College’s second annual LeaderShape Conference, held at The Golden Inn located in Avalon, N.J. LeaderShape, which ran from Sunday, Jan. 10, to Saturday, Jan. 16, is a national program intended to help college students reflect on their own experiences and refine their leadership abilities. Despite garnering national acclaim, LeaderShape has successfully kept the conference shrouded in mystery.

“I knew very little going in.

They’re pretty secretive about major details,” junior English major Natessa Mallalieu said.

Students are encouraged to apply for the program in the fall

semester, but are deprived of any real disclosure on what the conference will actually entail until they are accepted.

The conference was organized by the College’s Director of Leadership, Avani Rana, who stuck to her guns and refused to say much about the application process and selectivity. But Rana did say the basis of candidacy evaluations revolved around students’ answers to

three questions.

“I can’t say exactly what we ask students in their applications.

But, generally, I can say that they’re intended to show us how the student would change the world if they could,” Rana said.

Over the course of six chilly days spent in the wrong time of the year to be at the Jersey Shore, the 59 students at LeaderShape bonded over their shared vision of creating a better tomorrow.

Days built upon one another, with each one carrying a different theme than the last. The various exercises and challenges presented had the same end goal in mind: illustrating the importance of leadership and instilling its key attributes.

Being a leader of integrity, according to LeaderShape’s teachings, doesn’t necessarily mean impersonating successful leaders. What works for some may

Photo courtesy of Ryan Laux

The annual leadership conference takes place at The Golden Inn in Avalon, NJ.

not work for others. The conference has prided itself on promoting a “healthy disregard of the impossible.” Through this experience, many of those involved are jumping out of their seats to sing its praises.

Freshman philosophy major Eashwayne Haughton explained that “Leadershape means going against the grain. It opened the participants’ eyes. We left with a clear and concise vision of our role in creating the future.”

The students return to the College this semester prepared and eager to make a difference, with most encouraging those on the fence to get involved in the program, which will return next winter break. While it may not be clear what exactly occurred in Avalon, N.J., earlier this month, what is clear is that the secret is part of the fun and the mysterious conference left a lasting mark on all who attended.

“I walked away knowing that I gained not only new details about myself and my leadership style, but an insight into the incredibly passionate, communityminded and driven student leaders that make up (the College),” Mallalieu said.

page 12 The Signal January 27, 2016

: Feb. ‘10

Campus Town in the talks

Campus Style

By Jordan Koziol Columnist Lazy girls, rejoice. We can finally kiss sweatpants goodbye in lieu of a trend that is just as comfortable, yet a million times more chic than its mediocre competitor. Say hello to athleisure, the art of wearing stylish gym ensembles for everyday occasions.

Elise Schoening / Features Editor

The Campus Town Project is unvieled to students and staff in 2010.

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

As students return to campus this week, they will be pleasantly surprised to find that Campus Town is finally starting to live up to its name. The Italian restaurant, Piccolo Pronto, opened its doors for business on Friday, Jan. 22 and Panera is slated to open next month. It has taken almost six years for the Campus Town Project to come together.

The project plans were first unveiled to the college community back in March 2010.

Curt Heuring, vice president for Facilities Management, Construction and Campus Safety gave a preliminary presentation to the Student Government Association (SGA) on Dec. 2, 2009 regarding the progress of a longtime College initiative: The Campus Town Project (CTP).

According to the College’s Web site, the town will potentially include restaurants, retail stores, a book store and a health club on Pennington Road owned by the College.

“No one else has seen what I’m about to show you,” an excited Heuring told the SGA general body. “The College has been thinking about the CTP long before I came here (in 2006).”

After state legislators passed the New Jersey Economic Stimulus Act in July 2009, higher education institutions like the College secured an 18-month window to create a feasibility study and architectural blueprint for an on-campus

extension project built in conjunction with funds provided by a private property development company.

“The New Jersey Higher Education Partnership Act allows the College to partner with private developers to fund the building of College facilities, retail housing, and anything that addresses College needs,” Heuring said. “This law allows us to build a Campus Town.”

In fall 2007, the College entered into a preliminary discussion with a property site on Carlton Avenue, but found that because of wetlands in the area, the grounds were unstable and therefore focus shifted to the land the College owns on Pennington Road. The law prohibits encroachment upon privately owned property surrounding the development parameters.

“There is a need here for retail restaurants and everything else,” Heuring said.

“Since we don’t own both sides of the street, we have created a new small scale urban center street between Nestor Street and Pennington Road for retail and three to four story buildings with housing.”

“The CTP is consistent with support of the President’s commitment to green development and creating an environment where people can walk (to retail),” Heuring said of the College’s environment promise. “It’s a good thing for campus’s carbon footprint.”

Celebritease

AP Photo

If you’re reading this, it means you survived Winter Storm Jonas. It also means you survived the influx of Jonas Brothers-related memes that came with it. As your timelines flooded with “Burning Up” jokes and hopes that this would spark a reunion tour, the brothers got in on the action, as well. Joe Jonas posted a picture

The workout pants: Cropped or floorlength, black or two-toned, the options are endless. A thrifty tip: check eBay or Marshall’s before heading to a retailer. You can often find brand-name pairs for a fraction of the price. Check out the following: Adidas Originals trefoil leggings, Nike Element thermal dri-fit running tights or American Apparel two-toned yoga pants.

Flickr.com

Kate Hudson sports her new brand of athletic wear.

The sneaker that’s almost too cool to work out in: If you’ve been on Instagram or Pinterest lately, you’ve probably seen the influx of Kanye West’s Yeezy Boost 350s.

Skip the $1,000 tab and try one of the following: Nike Roshe Runs, Nike Theas (a monochrome leather sneaker, how cool?) or Michael Jordan Eclipses. The MJ sneakers are actually boys’ shoes, but a quick glance at a size conversion chart will be well worth the style (and savings)!

The athletic layers: For the finishing touch, layer the top half. Pair a men’s Champion crewneck sweatshirt, a Nike jumper sweatshirt or a sporty quarterzip under a textured wool, large-lapel trench coat in black or gray. For extra insulation, bundle up in an earth-toned blanket scarf.

AP Photo

The style is also great for workouts.

Inspired? One quick “athleisure” query will render an entire collection of these outfits, worn by models Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner. Add a stylish, city-chic vibe to your favorite athletic look (skier, ballerina, runner, yogi) and go! Who knows — you might just find yourself wandering to the Campus Town Gym!

: It’s raining memes

Winter Storm Jonas leaves snow and memes in its wake.

By Mackenzie Cutruzzula Columnist

One part Sporty Spice, one part city slicker, this look is just as appropriate for strutting around campus as it is for running on the treadmill. In the midst of this bizarre winter, have fun layering these pieces for a sleek, modern take on the comfy campus outfit. See below for some great starter pieces to create a kick-butt (or kick-box) outfit.

on Instagram of himself photoshopped as Elsa from “Frozen” with the caption, “Here I come.” His older brother Kevin also jumped on the “Frozen” bandwagon, posting a picture of himself photoshopped as the beloved snowman Olaf.

Hopefully, the memes and all of the people you follow on social media posting their best throwbacks to the blizzard of ’96 melt away faster than all of this snow will. In the meantime, you’ll

probably be seeing even more Joe Jonas as his band gears up to make an appearance in “Grease LIVE.” Jonas’s band will be making a cameo as Johnny Casino and the Gamblers. The television event will take place on Sunday, Jan. 31, and will star Julianne Hough as Sandy and Aaron Tveit as Danny. The star-studded cast also features Vanessa Hudgens, Keke Palmer, Carly Rae Jepson and cameos from Boyz II Men and Mario Lopez.

If you weren’t born to hand jive, don’t fret — “Game of Thrones” has news to keep you excited. HBO released three teasers asking fans to pledge allegiance to House Stark, Lannister or Targaryen. The 25-second videos give clues to what’s in store this season for each of the families through the work of voice-over, but in true “Game of Thrones” fashion, there are no real indicators of who is talking or what is being talked about. It seems as though the Lannisters have

vengeance on their minds, Daenerys Targaryen’s followers are losing faith and one of the Starks wants to take Winterfell back. That’s just my way of interpreting the cryptic messages that HBO released earlier in the week. We’ll find out when season six premieres on Sunday, April 24.

I can’t wait to find out if Jon Snow has risen from the dead, but for the non-believers out there, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have proven to the world that anyone (or any relationship) can rise from the dead. After being spotted vacationing in Australia together, the couple is reportedly engaged again. Cyrus was seen wearing her engagement ring while arriving at John F. Kennedy Airport after her visit Down Under, and sources claim Cyrus has recently moved into the Hemsworth residence in Malibu, Fla. Although the couple has not officially confirmed the

engagement, I can’t help but wonder — will the sparkly and erratic single Cyrus who the world has come to know get toned down or does Hemsworth support the racy outfits and alien-like Instagrams?

In other news, although One Direction is on hiatus now, bandmember Louis Tomlinson won’t be getting much of a break. His son with stylist Briana Jungwirth was born Friday, Jan. 22, and Tomlinson reported on Twitter that the baby is “healthy and pretty amazing.”

The new mom and dad are close friends, but Tomlinson has also been linked to actress Danielle Campbell as recently as New Year’s Eve. This year will certainly be a year of change for the boy band member, but this an exciting time. I hope you’re still sticking to your new year’s resolutions, but if you aren’t, don’t worry — you’re not alone. I broke my promise to stop watching so much Netflix, too.

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 13

Student travels to Tanzania for volunteer work the dala, I would walk about 20 minutes through the province of Sanawari until I reached the school.”

While in Tanzania, Perri worked as a teacher’s assistant at the Charity School, where he taught local children everything from English, math and science to how to play different types of sports. On his

Photo courtesy of Gregorio Perri

Perri teaches elementary students at the Charity School every weekday.

By Nicole DeStefano Correspondent Most college students ring in the New Year in a similar way — with a night of celebration surrounded by friends and family. This was certainly not the case for senior management major Gregorio Perri, who arrived in Tanzania, Africa, on New Year’s Eve and kicked off the new year with volunteer work 7,000 miles away from home.

Perri left his comfort zone and familiar faces behind as he headed to Tanzania. The trip, which lasted 17 days, was put together by New Zealand-based volunteer organization, International Volunteer HQ. It was Perri’s desire to make the most of his last break before graduating from the College in May 2016 that motivated him to join the volunteer trip.

“I chose to take this leap of faith because I am about to graduate and enter the working world,” Perri said. “Before that happens, I wanted to travel, volunteer and ultimately make a difference by doing something completely different

from the norm.”

When Perri arrived in Tanzania, the weather was hot and dry, around 85 degrees Fahrenheit each day. He stayed in the northern region of the country at a volunteer house in the city of Arusha.

His weekdays were spent teaching at a local elementary school. Every Monday through Friday, Perri would wake up at 7:30 a.m. to eat a breakfast consisting of a hardboiled egg, fried dough and a cup of tea. He then would leave the volunteer house to begin his trip to the province of Sanawar, where the school was located. This daily trip through Arusha consisted of uneven dirt roads congested with countless livestock. The streets were lined with banana, mango and avocado trees.

“I would then walk to the street and catch two dalas — equivalent to a taxi in America, but a lot more uncomfortable — until I reached the stop for the Charity School,” Perri said. He explained that he was often squished among roughly 20 people in the dala and sometimes had to sit on a stranger’s lap. “After getting off

Want to be on the other side of this paper?

volunteers were welcomed by the children with open arms and gleaming smiles.

“As I spent time with these kids, I began to learn why they welcomed (the volunteers) as such,” Perri said. “Many of them have tough households and they look at us volunteers as close friends, older siblings or even as family who support them. Seeing those bright, shining While the time spent with the children laughing, dancing and singing greatly impacted Perri, so did Mosses Mollel, a founder and manager of the Charity School, which opened in 2010 with only 20 students registered. With Mollel’s care and management, the school has since expanded to teach over 100 students. According to Perri, Mollel dreams of further expanding

the elementary school to provide additional classes for middle and high school-aged students in the area.

“Mosses is an innovative, bright, diligent, hard-working man who knows no limits,” Perri said. “He has had the strongest impact on me and my perspective of the world.”

After school, Perri would explore the town of Arusha with the other volunteers.

Here, they would visit supermarkets and cafes and, of course, take advantage of the limited Wi-Fi access whenever possible.

On the weekends, the volunteers found themselves discovering the beauty of Tanzania. Perri’s favorite adventure was the trip to Moshi. He visited crystal clear hot springs, made coffee at a coffee plantation, tried the local tribe’s famous Banana Beer and ended the trip by going to the Ndoro Waterfalls.

“This was a life-changing experience,” Perri said. “Being immersed in a completely different culture really opened my eyes. Words cannot express the impact this adventure has had on me. I recommend taking that leap of faith and doing something outside of the box. You won’t regret it!”

Photo courtesy of Gregorio Perri

The Charity School is located in the northern region of Tanzania.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF POSITIONS AVAILABLE!

page 14 The Signal January 27, 2016

Arts & Entertainment

‘Star Wars’ awakens new generation of fans ‘The Force’ launches moviegoers into a frenzy

By Sean Reis Production Manager Warning: This review contains spoilers. If you have not yet seen “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” do not read this review.

“There’s been an awakening.

Have you felt it?”

I have not only felt it, but since its release, I have seen “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” three times. Yes, it was

that awesome! The movie was easily one of the best of the holiday season.

The reason why is simple: Disney Studios and director J.J. Abrams did an absolutely amazing job keeping the new film close to the franchise’s roots.

Although the movie was produced with the expensive special effects of today, it still felt like the original trilogy. From the recognizable transitions to

AP Photo

Rey and Finn run from an attack by the First Order.

the classic characters, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” just felt right.

The original, fan-favorite characters were present throughout the film, but enough time was dedicated to all of the new characters as well. It felt as though Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) were passing the lightsaber to the new characters.

These characters were very well-written and cast, with one small exception — Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. Driver had by far one of the best performances as one of the most well-written characters, but my only small complaint is that he looks nothing like the son of Han and Leia.

Despite the poor casting choice, Driver’s performance as Kylo Ren was as excellent as the writing behind the actual character. The character development for Kylo Ren is as deep as the gashes in his helmet which, like every other part of his character, has a meaning behind it. Driver’s performance was stellar throughout the film, from his childish tantrums to

Driver plays the brooding villian, Kylo Ren.

the murder of his father.

Shining light on the good guys, the New Resistance characters — Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), alongside the cute and lovable droid, BB-8 — have a chemistry rarely seen in Hollywood. This is a bold statement, but the last time I saw a cast with this much chemistry was in the “Harry

Youtube.com

Potter” franchise.

With this cast under Abrams’s wing, I have faith that Disney will not let “Star Wars” die.

“Episode VII” was an easy nine out of 10 and I cannot wait for “Episode VIII,” which has unfortunately been pushed back to December 2018. Hopefully “Rogue Squadron” will satisfy my “Star Wars” withdrawal next year.

In memoriam: Alan Rickman & David Bowie

By Michael Battista Sports Editor On Thursday, Jan. 14, actor Alan Rickman passed away at the age of 69 after a private six-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was known as a hard, and sometimes evil, potions professor, a brilliant bank robber and a brutal sheriff who’d stop at nothing to apprehend a thief. Of course, he starred in a plethora of other roles.

But most of all, Rickman was an actor with an ability to bring a certain flair to any role he played, no matter how varied.

Rickman, born in the Acton area of London, England, was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA). After graduating in 1974, he began a theatrical career that included working with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company and was eventually invited to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival. Even after performing in productions such as “The Tempest” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” Rickman claimed he disliked his time with the group, saying he wished younger actors could have more time to develop.

His breakout role as Le Vicomte de Valmontin in the 1985 production of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” earned him nominations for both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. Rickman was then given his first big screen role in the film “Die Hard.” He played the terrorist Hans Gruber, opposite Bruce Willis’s hero cop character, John McClane.

The performance, which he did for low pay, earned Rickman critical acclaim and his character has been listed in the American Film Institute’s “100 years… 100 Heroes & Villains” list at number 46 for the

top 50 villains of all time.

In a career that spanned over three decades, playing both memorable villains and romantic roles, Rickman’s most famous role came as the broody Professor Severus Snape in the “Harry Potter” film series. Author J.K. Rowling insisted on having Rickman for the part. So that he could better understand his character, Rowling actually told him a bit about Snape’s hidden past that wouldn’t be revealed to viewers until much later in the series.

“I didn’t really understand at first,” Rickman said in an interview on the Biography website. “It was information she hadn’t told anyone else, not even her sister, but it gave me what I needed to take on Snape.”

For his portrayal of the well-known character, Rickman once again garnered critical acclaim. The icy, sarcastic and humorless professor became a favorite for “Harry Potter” fans, no matter on which side he was believed to be.

Rickman lived a private life, marrying his longtime girlfriend Rima Horton in a quiet ceremony in 2012. He strived to help actors around the world by becoming an honorary president of the International Performer’s Aid Trust, which helps fight poverty around the world. In 1993, he was elected to the RADA council, acting as a vice chair, and in 2015, he joined the council’s Developmental Board.

Whether he was giving it his all on screen or helping the talent of tomorrow, Rickman’s impact on both the film and theatre industry is immeasurable. Finding the right words for a goodbye is far too difficult, but perhaps John McClane’s final line to Hans Gruber says it best.

“Happy trails, Hans.”

By Kimberly Ilkowski Arts & Entertainment Editor When someone so full of life passes away, it’s hard to fully wrap your mind around the fact that they’re truly gone.

When news broke of legendary English rock singer David Bowie’s passing on Sunday, Jan. 10, it was met with disbelief that such a transcending spirit would no longer be gracing us with his art — especially after his latest album “Blackstar” was released just two days prior on the singer’s 69th birthday.

Bowie had been privately battling liver cancer over the last 18 months and according to a Wednesday, Jan. 13, Daily Telegraph article, “Bowie’s final record was a carefully-orchestrated farewell to his fans, his producer has confirmed.”

It’s no surprise that a man who released 25 albums in a career spanning nearly 50 years would transform his impending death into his final, and perhaps one of his finest, performances.

Fans turned out in droves to honor the

late singer following the news of Bowie’s passing, with celebrations of his life and music popping up in London, New York, Los Angeles and everywhere in between.

Bowie’s unrivaled exuberance and taste for the extraordinary were captured by fans as they dressed up as the different personas he experimented with throughout his career. Many donned the famous red lightening bolt down their faces as Bowie did on his “Aladdin Sane” album cover.

Bowie helped shape the world around him with his progressive performances and knack for pushing the boundaries of what people are comfortable with.

To talk about his impact on music is to also acknowledge his profound role in his listeners’ lives, helping fans find the confidence to be who they are.

In true, otherworldly Bowie fashion, a constellation in the shape of a lightening bolt was named in his honor, according to a Monday, Jan. 18, article in The Guardian.

Perhaps the Starman is finally home.

Bowie’s live performances captivate audience members.

AP Photo

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 15

Fiscal recession film falls ‘Short’

By Brett Sanders Staff Writer “The Big Short” is one of the first major films to revolve around the 2008 financial collapse that led to a dark recession. The movie tells the story of three sets of people betting against the stock market with the hopes of reaping capital gains. It all sounds good — except that it would result in millions of people being unemployed and homeless. Unfortunately, this is not the only dilemma of the film, as it lacks many traits that make it a movie worth spending money on.

Director Adam McKay, best known for “Step Brothers,” “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights,” steps out of his comfort zone to a non-comedic subject. The results are lackluster.

“The Big Short” tries to be a documentary, comedy and drama at the same time, often resulting with the mise-en-scene as a cluster of genres, leaving the viewer overwhelmed. The film cuts to famous celebrities explaining advanced economic and finance theories that helped what cause the financial collapse. Although this is comedic at first, it gets old quickly. Even worse, the characters do not do a good job of explaining the complex material. Without knowledge of advanced finance theories, it is often hard to understand what the characters are talking about.

The cast is one of the saving graces of the film. Starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt, “The Big Short” carries a fun ensemble that is recognizable to many viewers. That being said, the screenplay is ultimately the problem. The performers are not given the opportunity to shine, as the written script is simply translated into actors saying lines without any emotion. Bale, who many consider to be one of the greatest actors alive,

This week, Nick Landolfi, WTSR assistant music director, highlights some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into their weekly rotation.

Carell takes on a more serious role alongside Gosling.

is introduced and then sits behind a computer staring at numbers for the majority of his time on screen. Pitt, who also serves as a producer on the film, has a mere cameo and mostly just mutters his lines for comedic effect. It is a shame to see the film underutilizing these talents.

The film focuses more of the action on Carell and Gosling. Last year, Carell was nominated for an Oscar for this role in “Foxcatcher,” showing the world that he can also successfully portray serious characters.

Carell is praised again this year, as many find it interesting and fun to see him in a more dramatic role. The performance itself is average, only critically recognized because it is a different role for someone who comes from a comedic background. Gosling brings the most fun to the screen, portraying an over-the-top Wall Street trader. His lines are quick-witted and entertaining. Finn

AP Photo

Wittrock, John Magaro, Marisa Tomei and Melissa Leo have minor parts, but the attention is focused on Carell and Gosling for the majority of the film, making everyone else easily forgettable.

It is important for viewers to understand the focus of “The Big Short.” The film suggests that society should learn from its mistakes — the mistake in this case being the act of lending money to anyone who asks for it, which caused a global recession and financial collapse. While the film should be applauded for bringing these concepts to light, only viewers within the niche market of business and finance will find the movie to be fully entertaining. Unfortunately, others may find the length of the film and constant finance-jargon dull and boring.

Hopefully other directors will bring the financial crisis to light in future films that are informative as well as thrilling.

Good Luck Spaceman Balancing classes and music

Photo courtesy of Good Luck Spaceman

The band juggles academics and writing music throughout the semester.

By Sean Reis Production Manager

As college students, one of the most difficult skills to attain is time management. Now, on top of classes, clubs and social events, imagine being in a band. Balancing these various obligations is second-nature to Jake Rubin, Danny Galli, Kyle Newins, Mikey Rosen and Mike Laudenbach ­— three junior communication studies majors, one junior general humanities major (Galli) and one junior English and philosophy double major (Laudenbach) at the College.

Together, these five students

make up the alternative unit Good Luck Spaceman, with Rubin on vocals and guitar, Galli on guitar, Newins on bass, Rosen on drums and Laudenbach on synth.

Rubin, Newins and Rosen met while attending school at Freehold High School in Freehold, N.J., while Galli and Laudenbach attended Colts Neck High School in the neighboring town of Colts Neck, N.J. At the time, both groups had been working on music separately.

“It seemed like a logical decision to just form one big group,” Newins told The Signal.

Inspired by bands like Twin

Peaks and Radiohead, Good Luck Spaceman was born — an alt-rock band with classic and psychedelic elements.

Nonetheless, since their arrival at the College, the members’ music careers have changed.

“It’s definitely difficult sometimes, but we try to treat both (music and school) as seriously as we can,” Newins said. “We don’t want to fail out of school, obviously, but we also want our music to be taken as seriously as possible, which takes a lot of work. The tough part is finding the balance, but we pull it off well enough, I think.”

As college students by day

and musicians by night, the men in Good Luck Spaceman do all they can to make it work, practicing as often as possible at their off-campus house.

Good Luck Spaceman plays shows throughout the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area and have also released its own original music, including the 2015 EP, “Come Here It’s Quick,” as well as other singles. The band is currently working on its follow-up EP release.

Rubin described “Come Here It’s Quick” as “our first attempt at our sound,” explaining that although the band’s next EP would be of a similar nature, its “sound is a lot more blended and cohesive.”

And that is what music is all about as an art. Yes, singular tracks can be art as well, but when creating an album or an EP, that cohesive flow from song to song is an important yet seemingly forgotten art. “(Music) works in conjunction with all of the other arts,” Rubin said. “When making music, you learn a lot about yourself and the people around you.

If you can tap into your emotions while doing so, or evoke certain feelings in the listener, then you know you have your hands on a piece of art.”

Band: Cage The Elephant Album: “Tell Me I’m Pretty” Hailing From: Bowling Green, Ky. Genre: Indie Surf Rock Label: RCA Cage The Elephant have had a great run so far. They claimed the spotlight early and haven’t let go, all the while producing one of the most popular alternative albums of the decade with “Melophobia.” When the announcement that “Tell Me I’m Pretty” was getting released, many were excited while others were skeptical. This album definitely packs a punch. You can totally hear a tighter, better produced album than what they’ve put out before thanks to producer Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The blues seeps through this album but keeps that psych-rock edge that Cage The Elephant has been known for. This album resides as an expansion of what they’ve been working towards their whole career.

Must Hear: “Mess Around,” Cry Baby,” “Trouble,” “Sweetie Little Jean” and “Punchin’ Bag”

Band: Grimes Album: “Art Angels” Hailing From: Vancouver, Canada Genre: Artsy Synth Pop Label: 4AD Records Grimes is a Canadian artist who is changing the way people understand pop music. More than that, she’s an insightful songwriter who weaves meaning behind everything she does and leaves a lasting effect. This album furthers these ideas with flying, crazy fun colors. Grimes embodies the new wave of indie electronica that has been permeating music for a few years now. Songs like “California” are catchy and pretty straightforward melodically while other songs like “Venus Fly,” featuring the insane Janelle Monae, incorporates some industrial rave house. Then you have songs like “Kill Vs. Maim” where you can gear a satirical K-pop cheerleader ripping it up in the 90s.

Must Hear: “California,” “Flesh Without Blood,” “Kill V. Maim,” “Artangels” and “Venus Fly (feat. Janelle Monae)”

page 16 The Signal January 27, 2016

Fun Stuff

DJ Khaled’s Major Keys To SUCCESS

“Major : Have good relationships.

Keep your face clean out there.”

“Cocoa butter is the .”

“The is never fold.”

“The to success is to have a hammock.”

“The

“It’s not an easy road, but give thanks to the road.”

AP Photo

is: Don’t entertain they. Keep they away from you and tell they to bow down and kneel.”

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 17

The Awards Forecast: 2016 Oscar nominations Academy faces backlash over whitewashed awards

Haynes is snubbed for his direction in ‘Carol.’

By Jonathan Edmondson Columnist

I’ve been paying close attention to the Academy Awards for the past five years and no matter what films are nominated, there is always one thing you can count on — people being disappointed.

This year’s biggest disappointment doesn’t come from a single film or performer being overlooked — although there are plenty of grumblings about those things, too — but from the Best Actor/Actress race being whitewashed for a second

AP Photo

year in a row.

Last year, after nominations were announced, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite began floating around social media. A year later, the hashtag is back again.

Not a single person of color was nominated for an acting award.

Media outlets have taken notice. Following the nominations announcement on Thursday, Jan. 14, many publications rolled out articles about the lack of diversity and the general frustration with Academy members.

Regardless, the 2016 Oscar nominations are bracing to be

a stiff competition between seasoned actors and newbies alike. It is one of the most exciting, wide-open races in recent history.

I’ll dive deeper into each of the major categories in the weeks to come. But for now, let’s focus on the biggest snubs.

Best Supporting Actress — Jane Fonda, “Youth” — Fonda, at age 78, is a force to be reckoned with in the Italian film, which also stars Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel. In her role as Brenda, Fonda only appears in the film in one scene. But in those precious few minutes, Fonda proves why she’s still one of the greatest actresses of our generation. She’s commanding, fierce and utterly captivating. While the women nominated may have had more to do, Fonda arguably made the biggest impact of any supporting actress this film season.

Best Director — Todd Haynes, “Carol” — While the film itself received six nominations, director Haynes was severely snubbed here. His masterful camera work helps frame the haunting love story at the core of the film. Performances from Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett help to anchor the film (and thankfully, they were included in the nominations list),

‘5th Wave’ packs a punch

By Kayla Whittle Staff Writer

Alien invasions. Families separated.

An apocalyptic world. Hearing these descriptions might bring to mind any of the terrible (or terribly entertaining) scifi novels. Aliens just aren’t as scary as they once were to audiences. But “The 5th Wave” is packed with enough action and suspense to scare even the most skeptical readers.

The hit young adult novel by Rick Yancy, “The 5th Wave,” is the first in a trilogy about life on Earth after five waves of an alien invasion. The first wave takes out all technology — electricity, phones and cars included. The second wave sets off a tsunami that affects all continents. The third wave starts a plague and in the fourth wave, aliens arrive on Earth. But they don’t look like the kind of space monsters you might picture when you think of alien invasions. The aliens can look and act human — they could even be your best friend. No one can trust anyone else when they may secretly be an alien willing to betray and kill them.

“The 5th Wave” begins after most of this devastation, when humanity is struggling to regroup and survive long enough to understand what the invaders may try to throw at them next. As soon as the book begins, it never pauses for a breath. The main character, Cassie, spends the novel traveling through alien-occupied territory searching for her brother, Sammy.

As the story unfolds, it is revealed that he was taken by the aliens for unknown purposes and more sinister pieces of the plot fall into place. Cassie needs to decide who can be trusted to help her reach her brother before it is too late.

The book is so intense that you’ll find

yourself questioning every person and situation that comes up and it’s easy to see why all of the characters are so paranoid.

You’ll identify with them as you navigate the plot twists and try to come out on top.

It’s impossible to guess what could happen next — and there are two books that take place after this first installment. With great characters and a better plot to support them, anything is possible.

Recent plans to adapt the series into a film triology is a smart and sure-to-be successful idea. “The 5th Wave” reads like it could be a movie — the writing is so well-done that the characters and scenes, battles included, can easily be visualized. As with any young adult bookto-movie adaptation, it seems like it will be up to the support or denouncement of the fans to determine whether “The 5th Wave” will be a lasting phenomenon.

Flickr.com

Aliens take over Earth in ‘Wave.’

but Haynes is the fearless leader taking genius risks that push “Carol” to new heights.

Best Supporting Actor — Jacob Tremblay, “Room” — At age nine, Tremblay has proven he is a star. As Jack Newsome, the young actor gives one of the rawest and most intimate performances of the season.

Newsome spends the first five years of his life in one room with only a skylight (due to the fact that his mother, played by Oscar nominee Brie Larson, has been held in captivity for

the last seven years). He has grown fond of the room, as it is the only reality he knows. But (spoiler alert) when he plays along with his mother’s plan and has to fake being dead in order to be removed from the room, it is impossible not to be completely captivated by this young actor’s performance.

When he sees the world outside of those four walls for the first time, it’s simply one of the most magical moments ever captured on camera. This snub is truly one that hurts.

Fonda shines in her supporting role in ‘Youth.’

AP Photo

page 18 The Signal January 27, 2016

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 19

Sports

Strong freshman class propels Lions Track and Field

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Lions keep up the pace.

By George Tatoris Staff Writer

For freshman athletes, college sports means going beyond what they’ve ever achieved.

“It is a lot different from high school, and I feel myself pushing a lot more in practice,” freshman Noah Osterhus said.

Osterhus is in his first year of indoor track and field at the College and despite the challenges, he’s already become comfortable as a Lion.

At the Villanova Open, hosted Friday, Jan. 8, Osterhus won the 800-meter event with a rocket-fast time of 1:55.87 against a slew of Division I opponents.

Just a week later at the Ramapo Invitational on Friday, Jan. 15, Osterhus ran the

500-meter for his first time in a competition and posted the fifth-fastest time at the College since 2000. His 1:05.27 finish landed him in second place.

“I always go for the win, and although I was disappointed I didn’t (win), it’s all about getting better for the championship part of the season,” Osterhus said.

Osterhus is just a sliver of the talented freshman class that played a key role in the success of track and field so far this season.

“This freshmen class is one of, if not the strongest, freshman class we’ve brought in since I’ve started coaching here,” head coach Justin Lindsey said.

That freshmen talent led the women’s team to first place at the Ramapo Invitational with 91 points — ahead of second-place Ramapo’s 82.5 points — and the men’s team to second place with 79.5 points, behind Rowan with 124 points.

Before the Invitational, the Lions had impressive showings at both the Villanova Open the week before and the Metro Holiday Season Opener in early December.

As the area welcomed a winter storm and scores of students trod onto campus to start their semester this weekend, the track team competed at the Princeton Open on Sunday night, which was delayed a day due to the weather.

The icy roads prevented some teams from attending, but competition was still fierce.

Sophomore Allison Fournier, senior Joy Spriggs and freshmen Kathleen Jaeger and Erin Holzbaur joined forces in the 4x400 meter relay to post the fastest time in the nation

in Division III (D-III) this season, already putting them in contention for nationals.

Spriggs also took third in the 400-meter, with a time of 59.30. In the 200-meter dash, sophomore Danielle Celestin took fourth with a time of 27.27.

On the men’s team, sophomore Andrew McNutt won the triple jump. With a distance of 46’-10.25,” McNutt landed the fourth longest jump in D-III this season, and the second longest in the College’s history.

With teams missing, both the men’s 800-meter and the 3,000-meter races were reduced to an all-Lion roster. Osterhus won the 800-meter with a time of 1:56.64 and senior Scott Savage won the 3,000-meter with a time of 8:47.34.

Junior Brandon Mazzarella and freshman Daniel Brennan finished the one-mile run in tandem — Mazzarella took second with a time of 4:27.65 and Brennan was nine seconds behind with a finish of 4:36.50. There were only four contestants in the race.

Mazzarella said his time was slower than he wanted, but it was a good “learning experience” that will “hopefully reshape (his) mindset for future races.”

At the Villanova Open earlier this month, another freshman, Madison Heft, landed in fourth after clearing 10’6” in the pole vault, the third-best height in the history of the indoor women’s team at the College.

The Ramapo Invitational saw two freshmen make fast times in the one-mile run.

Erin Holzbaur finished second with a time of 5:10.21 — a personal best — and Madeleine Tattory finished fifth with a time of 5:19.29.

“It felt great to run my PR this early in the season and I’m looking forward to continuing to better it,” Holzbaur said.

Like Osterhus, Holzbaur also had to adjust to demands of the track season.

In cross country, she ran the 6K — more than three miles altogether — meaning she had to quicken her pace to do well in the one-mile event.

Runners need a “different mindset” when racing the one-mile, she said.

At the same meet, Jaeger finished third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:20.71.

The fastest Lion on the track that day was senior Kristen Randolph, who blew past her competition in the 500-meter to take first with a time of 1:20.30.

At Ramapo, the College got a whiff of what their conference has to offer this year.

“The Armory meet allowed us preview our conference competition and our team stacked up well next to them,” Holzbaur said.

The men’s team’s second-place win at the Ramapo meet was reinforced by a victory in the 4x400 relay. Senior Laron Day, freshman Kamal Williams, sophomore Daniel Lynch and Osterhus pooled their skills to finish at 3:22.65.

With the freshmen running so well, things are looking hopeful for indoor track.

“They are running much faster than we could’ve hoped and a lot of them have been PRing so it’s keeping them hungry and motivated in training,” Mazzarella said.

“It’s a very young team and the leadership by the upperclassmen have been the key to this continued success,” Lindsey said.

Several close wins push Lions up in standings Team turns season around over Winter Break Women’s Basketball

By Anthony Caruso Staff Writer

The College’s women’s basketball team had a 7-2 record during the break, turning their season around after a rough, six loss start and now stand at 9-8.

Currently, the team stands at 5-5 within the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), which ties them with the Kean University Cougars for fifth place.

This past weekend’s games with Montclair State University was postponed due to Winter Storm Jonas and is set to be rescheduled in early February in Packer Hall.

On Wednesday, Dec. 16, the College defeated the Delaware Valley Aggies, 62-54, in Doylestown, Penn. Senior guard Angelica Esposito lead the Lions with 17 points, with eight coming from the foul line in the close game.

There were three lead changes and the game was tied four times.

The Lions led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter with 4:13 left in the game.

After Christmas, the College played in the City University of New York (CUNY) Coaches vs.

Cancer Tournament in New York

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Sophomore forward Nikki Schott goes for a layup.

City, falling to Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham on Sunday, Dec. 29, 59-56. Sophomore guard Cindy Napolitano scored 11 points, helping her team advance to the championship game against LehMan College on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

There were five lead changes in this game and it was tied three times. The Lions led by as many as nine points in the first quarter with 1:42 left in the game.

In the championship game, the Lions defeated the Lightning, 65-48,

to win the tournament.

There was only one lead change in the game. The College led by as many as 30 points in the third quarter with 2:47 left.

In their first game after the new year, the women’s team won, 62-53, at Ramapo College on Sunday, Jan. 6, reaching .500 for the first time this season. Esposito led the team with 22 points against the Roadrunners.

There were three lead changes in the game, and the Lions led with

56 seconds in the third quarter by 13 points.

Three days later, the team was back on the road at New Jersey City University in Jersey City.

They defeated the home team in a 63-37 rout. Esposito had 15 points in the game.

On Monday, Jan. 11, the College continued its win streak with a 64-59 win over Stevens Institute of Technology. This game went into overtime, after Esposito sunk both of her last second foul shots to tie the

game at 51. But in a nail-biting matchup, the Lions outscored the Ducks, 13-8, to secure the win.

Esposito led the team with 23 points. There were two lead changes and the College had a six point lead with 1:39 in the first quarter.

Two days later, the College won its seventh straight game with a 63-57 win over Kean University.

Juniors, guard Kim Dana and forward Katy Amato, led the team with 13 points.

There was only one lead change in the game, and the College led by as much as 15 points with 3:21 in the second quarter.

On Saturday, Jan. 16, the Lions lost their first game since early December, falling, 62-54, to the William Paterson Pioneers.

Esposito led the team with 14 points. The College had a threepoint lead with 1:10 left in the first half. The game only had one lead change.

Then, on Wednesday, Jan. 20, Rutgers-Camden swept the season series against the Lions. Esposito and sophomore forward Nikki Schott had 12 points.

The game was tied three times and the College led by four points at 7:44 in the first quarter.

page 20 The Signal January 27, 2016 Cheap Seats

Cavaliers need organization in second half LeBron James’s ‘love’ letter to fans holds true

James is possibly to blame for Cleveland’s failure to win the title.

By Matthew Ajaj Staff Writer

On July 11, 2014, LeBron James wrote a lovely homecoming letter to the city of Cleveland to announce his re-signing with his old Cavalier team. In this letter, he blatantly stated that he could not promise a championship for the city. He recognized the team’s youth and inexperience by stating, “My patience will get tested. I know that. I’m going into a situation with a young team and a new coach.”

This Cavs squad was nothing like his Miami Heat team, where he had reached four NBA Finals in four years and won

AP Photo

two championships with the help of fellow superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Nonetheless, James affirmed that he was up for the challenge in Cleveland, seeing himself as a “mentor” and “excited to lead some these talented young guys.”

He would work his hardest to try to bring a championship to the city by building upon the team’s youth. There was a plan in place.

A year and a half later, James’s love letter is showing a significant amount of wear. After drafting Andrew Wiggins as the number one overall pick in the 2014 draft just two weeks prior to James’s signing, on Aug. 23, he was traded — along with former number

one pick Anthony Bennett and a Cleveland 2015 first-round draft pick — for three-time All-Star Kevin Love.

Wiggins would later be named 2015’s NBA Rookie of the Year. During the 2014-2015 season, the Cavs would send off Dion Waiters — who James specifically mentioned in his letter as a young player he looked forward to helping improve — in a trade, acquiring J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert in return. Two days later, Cleveland would send two firstround draft picks to the Denver Nuggets for 28-year-old center Timofey Mozgov.

On Friday, Jan. 22, after just a season and a half, head coach David Blatt was fired, despite his team reaching the NBA Finals in his first year and leading the Eastern Conference halfway through this year. The news came just four days after the Cavs received a 34-point deficit drubbing from the re-signing champion Warriors. Blatt was replaced by assistant Tyronn Lue. In November of 2015, Ric Bucher, a NBA senior writer for BleacherReport. com, wrote an article detailing LeBron’s ultimate “power play” as the team’s superstar player, coach and general manager. Bucher relays Cavs General Manager (GM) David Griffin’s concession that James “is the most powerful person in the organization aside from owner Dan Gilbert.” Bucher, who has covered the NBA since 1992, also cites James’s influence in acquiring Smith, Shumpert and Mozgov, along with forcing the organization’s hand in signing Thompson to such a ludicrous contract.

Although James and the Cavs organization have publicly denied the superstar’s

excessive influence, it’s clear that the team has made crucial management mistakes regardless of who is making them.

As a unit, this team does not gel. James is still the best player in the league and Kyrie Irving is a superstar point guard — the two work well together. However, Love, Smith and Mozgov are offense-oriented players who need the ball in their hands to do well and Thompson is just a rebounder. The Cavs do not have an inside defensive stalwart or a role-player who can shoot from the outside or (besides James) a guy who can move the ball around effectively to set up his teammates for the score. To put it bluntly, the Cavs are an incomplete team with too many parts that fill the same function.

Owner Dan Gilbert and GM Griffin have to share some of the blame as well, as they have been too quick to concede their power to their superstar, allowing James to essentially become the team’s manager/ coach/player a la Jackie Moon in Will Ferrell’s basketball comedy, “Semi-Pro.” In his 2014 homecoming letter, James declared, “We’re not ready right now.

No way.” He promised to improve and build upon a young Cavs team with much patience. However, it’s clear that he has tried to assemble a team that is built to win immediately while sacrificing its future success. The ink is fading fast on James’s letter from just a year and a half ago and with the Cleveland Cavaliers not showing the progress and poise of a championship contender, it appears that GM James might just be mismanaging his team out of a title.

Men’s Basketball

Lions gain burst of motivation during season

By Otto Gomez Staff Writer

During Winter Break, while most of the players’ classmates and peers were home relaxing and preparing themselves for the tough spring semester, the College’s men’s basketball team kept very busy. Having played 12 games since the beginning of December, the team has been all around the state playing different NJAC opponents, including a game against John Jay College of New York.

They will round out the month of January with a home game against Stockton University on Wednesday, Jan. 27, and a game against Rutgers-Newark on Saturday, Jan. 30. So far, the team sits at a strong 11-6 overall record, while being 6-4 in NJAC play, placing them fifth in the conference standings.

Starting on Tuesday, Dec. 1, the Lions fell to Skidmore College by a score of 69-57. A late first half run by the Thoroughbreds proved too much of a lead to come back from — even with a strong performance by the team’s captains, junior guard Eric Klacik and sophomore guard Eric Murdock, Jr., who scored 20 and 17 points, respectively. The next day, the team was able to bounce back in a strong way by defeating Stockton University, 76-70, led by sophomore forward Elias Bermudez’s

10 and 12 double-double.

Next on the schedule was the season’s first matchup against Rutgers-Newark, a very closely contested game that came down to the last minutes, resulting in a 76-70 Lions’ loss.

This game motivated the Lions, as it led to a three game winning streak against Rowan University and John Jay College on Wednesday, Dec. 9, and Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham Monday, Jan. 4.

Freshman forward Jordan Glover played a role in each game, averaging almost 12 points a game and being a huge presence on defense.

Glover came into the College with huge expectations and he has found, along with the rest of the team, that he fits in perfectly.

“I just come out every game with the thought of winning a national championship,” Glover said.

“I play my role and I try to motivate my teammates around me to keep striving for that one goal. I take open shots when I have them and I try my best to grab every rebound. The coaching staff around me gives me a lot of confidence to guard some of the best wings in the NJAC and they have made me feel at home here at TCNJ.” To begin the second half of the season, the Lions started a stretch of four consecutive games against fellow NJAC opponents. The team came out of the stretch at an even

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Eric Mudock, Jr. shines on court to help the Lions rack up wins.

2-2, with wins against New Jersey City University and Kean University and loses against Ramapo College and William Paterson University. One constant, however, was the strong play of Murdock, who consistently put up big all-around numbers throughout the game. It’s clear that it is his team and that they will go as far as he takes them, for he controls the ball, the pace and the perimeter at all times.

Just in time for the beginning of classes, the Lions have regrouped and won their last two games by an average of almost 22 points per game. In their 23-point victory against Baruch College,

the Lions had four players in double-digit scoring. Two days later, in a 20-point blowout against Rutgers-Camden, the Lions saw some great things from unexpected players. Junior and guard Nick Alaimo and freshman Kevin Bloodgood, both guards contributed 16 and 18 points, respectively. This is a strong sign for the team, now certain that players other than Murdock, and Glover can contribute to victories.

With the season’s end in sight, the goal is clear for the team and that is to make the NJAC playoffs. All the players, including Glover, know that they must

make improvements and give maximum effort as they hunt down a playoff spot.

“Our coaches want us to come out and play smarter than our opponents,” Glover said. “We prepare for every game like it’s a championship game and our coaches tells us to play every game like it’s our last. Coach Goldsmith is a one of kind and he knows what it takes to win as a player and as a coach.”

The Lions face Stockton University at home on Wednesday, Jan. 27, their second game in a nine consecutive matchup streak against fellow NJAC opponents.

4 6

LIONS

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 21

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Mathew Ajaj “The Ref”

Sydney Shaw

Matt Bowker

Managing Editor

Staff Writer

Jessica Ganga Sports Editor

In this week’s edition of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Matthew Ajaj, asks our panel of experts three questions: Should the MLB introduce a salary cap? What NBA team will surge in the second half of the season and which new NFC East coach is primed for success soonest?

1. With MLB teams throwing money at non-superstar talents like Jason Heyward and Justin Upton, is it time for pro baseball to incorporate a salary cap?

Matt: No, MLB will not implement a salary cap anytime soon. It’s not like the fairness of the game depends on a salary cap. All of the best teams build through the draft rather than throw money at free agents. Last year’s World Series teams — the Mets, and the Royals in particular — are small market teams that prove winning is possible without breaking the bank. Even the Yankees, who have long been known to outbid any team, have cut back on spending in recent years. Money like Heyward and Upton received should only be spent to add that final piece that will put the team over the top, as is the case with the Cubs, who gave Heyward a boatload of money. He’s still young and is a complete, five-tool player on who the Cubs rightfully splurged.

Sydney: Two years ago, Heyward and Upton were the Braves’s corner outfielders. Today, it costs almost $317 million to employ the both

AP Photo

of them. MLB has a number of price controls in place right now. There is no obligation to pay more than the minimum until a player qualifies for it. That means being eligible for salary arbitration, hard slots in the draft and the MLB luxury tax. These systems of control clearly aren’t enough, though, especially considering free agents’ salaries. The easiest way to fix a

roster is to snag a free agent, so it’s mind boggling that they’re paid so heavily. Let’s look at Heyward and Upton individually. Heyward is an elite defender and a talented base-runner.

Upton is a more-than-decent hitter and was a tremendous improvement to the Tigers lineup.

But ultimately, they aren’t worth such a high cost. It’s time for a salary cap.

Jessica: Having a salary cap would be beneficial for MLB. It’s been shown that teams who spend heavily, like the St. Louis Cardinals who spend upward of $130 million, end up in the playoffs and often make it to the World Series. In the past few years, the only teams that have competed in the World Series have been teams that have a high payroll.

Teams that can afford better players just keep stacking the deck and it doesn’t give any other teams a chance to make it the World Series when they are up against these teams. Another issue is that, at this point, players expect that they can get a high salary if they’re worth it.

This leads to players that are basically playing for money. When Robinson Cano left the New York Yankees to sign with Seattle Mariners it was clear that the $240 million deal was the number one reason he chose to leave. It goes to show that many players are not as worried about the wins and successes in their careers as they are concerned with their salary. With a cap, it could put more focus on the players and not on the dollar signs that come with them.

Sydney gets 3 points for mentioning the system’s faults. Jessica gets 2 points for talking about players’ intentions and Matt gets 1 point since the Yanks haven’t won with cutting back.

AP Photo

2. The NBA season is halfway over. Which teams do you expect to surge or slump in the second half?

Matt: The Heat currently sit in fifth-place in the dreadful Eastern Conference, and are only three games back of the second seed. The Cavaliers will have the top spot locked up, but

after that, the conference is a mess. With experienced leaders like Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh leading the way, the Heat have the veteran playoff experience needed to make that late season push. With the emergence of center Hasan Whiteside as a great third option, the Heat have multiple ways to beat teams. Look

for them to make a surge for a top-three seed.

Sydney: The top of this year’s Western Conference is a bloodbath. In any other year, the Oklahoma City Thunder would coast in the regular season to a No. 1 seed. Now they’re going to have to play through the end and will struggle down the stretch. A team that relies so heavily on its two stars, the oft-injured Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, can’t expect to keep up the Olympic pace required in the West this year. With the red-hot L.A. Clippers right behind them, I expect the Thunder to drop down to that fourth seed. Meanwhile, it’s easy to see the team directly ahead of the Thunder in the standings, the San Antonio Spurs, enjoy a second-half surge that propels Gregg Popovich’s well-oiled machine into first place. This team knows how to grind out wins better than anyone. Some nights it’s the tried-and-true triumvirate of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili carrying the team and in other games, it’s low-profile players like Jonathon Simmons

and MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard. This is a roster built for a full season.

Jessica: In my opinion, the Golden State Warriors are definitely the team to watch. They’ve been successful so far this season, entering the second half with a record of 40-4. They recently fell into a slump, but with the return of Stephen Curry, the Warriors are back on track to how they began the season. Their defense is unstoppable. With Andrew Bogut stepping up to help, the defense is one of the best in the league. They are able to move the ball around the court and have had games where they’ve garnered over 30 assists, something that is one of their goals each time they play. On the other end, the L.A. Lakers continue to disappoint and with a 9-36 record leading into the second half of the season, things don’t look like they will get better. They have games where they may have a chance to take home a “W,” but seem to fall short. The Lakers need to step it up if they want a chance in the playoffs.

Sydney gets 3 points for in-depth analyses. Matt and Jessica each get 2 points for predicting the Heat to get hot and the Warriors to get hotter, respectively.

3. New NFC East coaches Ben McAdoo and Doug Pederson have tough tasks ahead, but who has the better chance of leading their team to a division title next season?

Matt: I would give the nod to Pederson and the Eagles. Former head coach Chip Kelly gutted the roster of talented players, but the Eagles are better positioned than the Giants, who had the worst defense in the NFL last year. One or two players in the draft cannot fix that defense, and with coordinate Steve Spagnuolo returning, it shouldn’t be much better. The Eagles were equally terrible, but coordinator Bill Davis is gone and a new 4-3 scheme has been implemented, which much better suits the team’s personnel. Both offenses are comparable now that Kelly is gone and Pederson will tinker his system to the team’s strengths.

For these reasons, give me the Eagles.

Sydney: I’d have to put my money on McAdoo. He has what Pederson wants — defensive coordinator Spagnuolo. While the Eagles don’t necessarily need Spagnuolo to succeed, the blow of rejection puts the new coach at a disadvantage before next season even begins.

On top of that, Pederson was likely a fallback

choice for the Eagles in the first place, who were interested in McAdoo and perhaps even prepared to offer the position to him before he was snagged by the Giants. McAdoo has been with the Giants since 2014 so he’s familiar with the team. That familiarity should give him an edge over Pederson, who served as the Eagles offensive quality control coach for a few years. He’s been with the Chiefs since 2013, so he’ll definitely need a refresher.

Jessica: Honestly, both coaches have a tough road ahead of them. Pederson is going to have a tough time with the Eagles since he is essentially rebuilding the team. Last year, former Head Coach Kelly tailored the Eagles to what he had wanted after being appointed head of Player Personnel. Kelly had such an idiosyncratic system when it came to coaching the team. This will make using the players Kelly chose difficult in Pederson’s system.

On the other hand, McAdoo was the offensive coordinator for the Giants and he made their offense look good during the past couple of years. The expectations will be lower for Pederson, but at the same time people will want to see if he can make the Eagles a winning team.

Matt mentions the disparity between the teams’ defenses, Sydney acknowledges the Eagles settling and Jessica talks about the coaches’ future troubles. Each get 2 points.

Sydney wins Around the Dorm 8-6-5.

AP Photo

page 22 The Signal January 27, 2016

Did you know that The Signal is active on social media?

Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on breaking news: @tcnjsignal

Like us on Facebook to find out about campus events: /TCNJSignal

Follow us on Instagram for more! Stay tuned for upcoming Q&A’s with Signal editors! @tcnjsignal

January 27, 2016 The Signal page 23 Cheap Seats

John Scott shines as a true All-Star

A joke becomes a positive reality for player

By Michael Battista Sports Editor

Between Tuesday, Dec. 1, and Friday, Jan. 1, National Hockey League (NHL) fans were able to vote online for one player in each of the four divisions to make it to the All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, Jan. 31, in Nashville, Tenn. The players who received the most votes were named team captains for their respective divisions.

The players chosen were league legend Jaromir Jagr of the Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division, current Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division, the newest member of the 500 career goals club Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals in the Metropolitan Division and John Scott of the Arizona Coyotes in the Pacific Division, who has a grand total of five NHL goals under his belt. So, how could this have happened?

Shortly after the voting began, the #VoteJohnScott hashtag started to make its rounds on Twitter.

Scott, an enforcer, played for an already mediocre team and fans thought it would be fun to try to

vote him in.

The votes kept flooding in, wave after wave, and Scott was in first place in the Pacific Division.

Things got interesting when Scott was traded to the Montreal Canadians, an Atlantic Division team, and was then sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL). Reports then surfaced that both the Coyotes and the NHL approached Scott asking him to decline his position in the All-Star Game, which he refused.

The team claims the trade was fully business-minded, but the sliminess and coldness of the situation was definitely evident to NHL fans when they heard the news.

The 33-year-old Canadian is expecting twins with his wife soon and already has two children. His children were the reason he did this — to give them the experience of being at AllStar Weekend.

“They’re excited for it — probably more excited than I am,” Scott said in an interview with “Puck Daddy,” Yahoo Sports’s NHL blog. “It’ll be one of those ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experiences.”

Now they may need to pack their things and move because of a trade that many think was just to

The 2016 All-Star Game looks to be more newsworthy than past ones.

solve the All-Star Game issue.

But this story has a happy ending, which might turn out even better than originally planned.

The NHL released a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 19, saying that Scott will in fact be allowed to play in the All-Star Game and serve as captain for the Pacific Division team.

Many players around the NHL have started to root for Scott and want to see him succeed. From start to finish, his

positive outlook throughout the entire ordeal has won over many, including some of the fans who scoffed at the idea of him playing.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy said he wants the place to go nuts.

“I hope the building goes crazy for him,” he told the Pitsburg Post-Gazette. “I hope that he scores many goals. I hope his team wins. I hope he raises the All-Star Cup… You root for a guy

AP Photo

like that, who has been very positive through a tough situation.”

Only time will tell how this story ends. Even though Scott will be representing the Phoenix Coyotes, a team that has no other representation at the event, he had a potential idea. In an interview with Canadian sports talk show host Bob McCown, Scott quipped that if allowed, he would wear a St. John’s Icecaps jersey because “that’s who I’m with now.”

Swimming

Wrestling

Wrestling / Keep in stride Swim / Success continues continued from page 24 coming weeks.

“Any time you wrestle a team that’s top ranked in the country, you’re going to get good effort,” Galante said. “We definitely want to get them back.”

Following their humbling defeat, the Lions returned to their dominating fashion with a 34-3 victory over the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and a 32-6 victory over Centenary College.

The NWCA also ranked Herring and Budzek among the top five wrestlers in the nation, at 165 and 141, respectively.

The combined efforts of the junior and the sophomore have helped put the team in a position to win.

The key for this young squad is to avoid complacency and never underestimate their opponents.

The College’s wrestling team will look to top the METRO New England Duals in Bristol, R.I., on Saturday, Jan. 30.

Still ranked tenth in the National poll, the College will have a lot to prove in

the ensuing weeks. After rematches with Messiah and Williams colleges, the Lions will look forward to the Messiah College Open to avenge their loss on their rival’s home turf.

The NCAA East Regionals will be hosted by Washington & Lee University beginning on Saturday, Feb. 27. The Lions will look to storm their way to the top with their eyes on the NCAA Division III Championship on Friday, March 11.

“We want to be top five team in the country,” Galante said. “We want to have All-Americans and Academic AllAmericans. I want them to have strong character. a positive attitude and commitment to what they’re doing.”

The Lions have come so far since their early 5-0 start. The young squad has dealt with adversity and the Lions are ready to prove themselves on the long road ahead.”

The Lions have come so far since their early 5-0 start. The young squad has dealt with adversity and the Lions are ready to prove themselves on the long road ahead.

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions remain strong during the long break.

Teams look to meet goals

continued from page 24 session and activities this year to break things up and keep it fun.”

Along with the Invitational, the women competed in a meet against the Stevens Institute of Technology on Wednesday, Jan. 20. The women once again worked their hardest in the water, but came out of the meet with a 146-116 loss. Strollo had a busy meet, placing first in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke with times of 1:00.26 and 2:08.12, respectively.

The men also competed against Stevens and dominated the meet with a 158.5-102.5 win against the Ducks, but it was their win 163-124.5 against Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday, Jan. 6, that has helped the team remain motivated for the end of the season.

“The win against Hopkins is a great motivator and also provides direct feedback for all the hard work and preparation the team has put in,” head coach Brian Bishop said.

At the time of the meet, the Lions were ranked ninth in the NCAA and Hopkins was ranked fourth. Skoog got the first win of the meet for the Lions in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 53.70. Once again, Shangle had another impressive meet with a win in the 100-yard breaststroke with an NCAA B-cut time of 56.45.

The men’s team is looking ahead, keeping their goals of making it to the NCAA Championships in sight.

“Our whole season is designed to peak for the Conference Championships and then again for the NCAA Championships,” Bishop said. “Our focus at the conference is more on qualifying swimmers

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Harnett attributes wins to chemistry.

for NCAA’s than on winning the meet, however, winning the meet is certainly the next priority.”

Harnett has also kept the women motivated, with their goals being the Metropolitan Conference Championships (METS).

With the to-be-determined meet against Rowan University, the NJAC champions will be determined and then the women will focus on preparation for the METS. Harnett has been really proud of all the hard work her swimmers have put into each meet and cannot wait to see where it will take them.

“To me, the most exciting thing this season has been watching the team chemistry grow into this bond that we have now,” Harnett said. “It has really helped keep the fun and the focus in practice and the energy and excitement at the meets. With that kind of commitment to each other and the program, I’m excited to see where it will bring them.”

Signal

Sports

Wrestling heats up season with wins

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Left: Steven Schneider helps the Lions secure a win. Right: The wrestling team has successful matches over break.

By Connor Smith Social Media Editor

Not even winter break could cool down the wrestling team, as the Lions surged to a 13-1 record for the first time since the 201011 season. The College sits at 10th place of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll, while a rematch with sixthranked Messiah College looms in the distance on Saturday, Feb. 6.

“Our motto is ‘Lion strong,’ and I’d say we’re living up to it,” coach Joe Galante said.

“We’re trying to get better every day. I expected them all to do well and they are.”

The Lions entered the break following a fifth-place showing at the New Standard Invitational, returning to action on Sunday, Jan. 3, with a 46-3 rout of Hunter College. The same day, the wrestling team continued their

dominating efforts by dismantling Trinity College, 48-4.

Juniors Nick Herring (165) and Dan Wojtaszek (184) led the charge with a combined total of four wins by fall during their matches, while 2015 All-American Antonio Mancella returned to action by outscoring his opponents, 27-1.

Mancella is putting together an impressive senior season. However, the Lions’ strength lies in their consistency from top to bottom.

Senior Doug Hamman boasts an overall record of 16-1 at 174, while sophomore Ryan Budzek gives the College hope to continue its winning ways with an impressive 20-2 overall record at 141.

“Budzek has done a nice job,” Galante said. “He’s got a lot of wrestling ahead of him, and I look forward to seeing what happens in March.”

The team’s mettle was put to the test in the Budd Whitehill Duals on Friday, Jan. 8, through Saturday, Jan. 9, when the Lions stormed past Rochester Institute of Technology, 36-6, and Thiel College, 45-2.

The Lions demonstrated their strength, registering six pins and a technical fall, carving their path toward a semifinal berth.

Both Wesleyan and Williams colleges proved to be better matches for the Lions, who were able to get two “Ws” in the win column, going on to win, 25-12 and 24-1, respectively, against the schools.

Following their semifinal match with Wesleyan College, the Lions were engaged in a fierce battle with nationally-ranked Messiah College.

“It was a good feeling,” Galante said. “We wanted to get to the finals, and we did.”

Down an early technical fall, sophomore

James Goldschmidt flipped the switch on the Falcons by scoring an impressive technical fall of his own.

After the Lions clawed their way to a slim 15-8 lead, the Falcons surged back, handing the team a heartbreaking loss in the finals, cutting their undefeated streak short at 11-1. Although disappointed in their final match, the Lions clinched their best finish in the Budd Whitehill Duals since 2011.

“We’ll get to see Messiah again in a couple weeks,” Galante said. “We’ll look to straighten that loss out.”

The Lions must fight an uphill battle if they want to pass Messiah College in the rankings, yet there will be a number of opportunities for Galante’s squad in the see WRESTLING page 23

Swimming makes waves over Winter Break

By Jessica Ganga Sports Editor

While College students were keeping warm during the sixweek long break, the men’s and women’s swimming teams were hard at work in the pool finishing up the last of their meets for the first half of the season.

Both teams have one goal in mind: to make it to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships.

Before the break began, the men’s and women’s teams competed in the Lions Invitational, a three-day trials and finals meet hosted by the College that spanned from Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6.

The men’s team, who at the time was ranked eighth in the nation, earned second place at the invitational, racking up 1,200 points with seven event wins.

Along with the wins, the men’s team was able to post 12 NCAA

Lions’ Lineup January 27, 2016

I n s i d e

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions swim past Johns Hopkins University in a crucial meet.

Provisional Cuts. There were great performances all around, as the men had numerous top three finishes and took home the top spot in all five relays.

Junior Scott Vitabile, senior James Shangle and freshmen Alex Skoog and Logan Barnes were among many Lions who had

notable performances, with all of the men posting NCAA Provisional Cut times. In the men’s 1,650-yard freestyle, Barnes swam into first with a Provisional Cut time of 16:10.59. Barnes also took home first place in the men’s 400-yard Individual Medley with a Provisional Cut time of 4:04.32.

Shangle had an impressive day, not only winning both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events with Provisional Cut times of 55.07 and 2:00.85, but also breaking the College’s record for the 100-yard breaststoke that was previously set by Myles O’Connor in 2009.

The women’s team was equally

successful in the Invitational, taking home first place with 1,126 points and, like the men, had dominating performances in the water. Sophomore Marta Lawler had a strong weekend. She finished the women’s 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:26.47, which was only four seconds faster than her second place opponent. Junior Brenna Strollo also had success, placing first in the 200-yard backstroke final with a time of 2:09.06.

According to head coach Jennifer Harnett, the team’s successes are also due to the chemistry between the women, something that has been a key for the entire season so far and that they continued to strengthen during the break.

“We trained really hard over winter break,” Harnett said. “Five weeks is a long time to be on campus practicing twice a day.

We added in some team building see SWIM page 23

46 53 Around the Dorm page 21

Track & Field page 19

Women’s Basketball page 19

Men’s Basketball Page 20