The Signal: Spring '14, No. 9

Breaking news, blogs, and more at TCNJSignal.net.

Vol. XXXX, No. 9

March 26, 2014

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Long-awaited improvements to PEC arriving

Despite rumors, growth in Greeks

By Peter Fiorilla Sports Editor

Long derided by students as a soft spot on an otherwise rock-solid campus experience, the Physical Enhancement Center is finally being supplied with much-needed funding this semester to combat the problems that have kept students away over the years.

“I’ve met a lot of students who are paying to go off campus to gyms, and I don’t think we need to be sending students off campus when we should be able to help you have that kind of stress relief (and) take care of yourself,” said Amy Hecht, the College’s new VP of Student Affairs, in an interview in January. “I think we need to do some work (on the PEC) — a lot of work.”

Despite getting a $200,000 renovation in 2011, the PEC suffers from perpetually brokendown machines, a lack of available free weights and overcrowding, which forces students to either avoid exercise or seek it elsewhere.

Some problems, such as the lack of space and the length at which machines stay broken, cannot be fixed: Enlarging the PEC is not an option, and when machines break down, the warranties on them force the College to wait for a third-party company for repairs.

Other issues, such as how the two squat racks face each other and cannot safely hold weights, can be fixed but haven’t been.

“Honestly, the TCNJ gym is a complete embarrassment,” said sophmore accounting major Michael D’Agostino, who uses the gym frequently to work out. “We shouldn’t have to spend more time waiting for equipment to use than actually working out at the gym.”

The school is pumping money into the PEC to get results, though, and it’s already paying see PEC page 3

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

About 1,400 students on campus are involved in Greek life, a huge increase from 2007’s number of 476.

By Colleen Murphy Features Editor One, two, three, four, Greek.

This is what assistant director for fraternity & sorority life Dave Conner sometimes thinks to himself when walking around campus. One out of every five students at the College is a member of one of the 29 fraternities and sororities.

“Last spring, we broke 1,200 students, so roughly 20 percent of the undergraduate population,” Conner said.

“This year, I expect that

numbers will be dramatically higher. I expect once I have all the finalized numbers, we might actually be closer to 1,400 this semester. Long story short, we’ve had a trend of growth. When I got here in 2007, we had 476 fraternity and sorority life people.”

So why the growth? We hear the news stories of hazing from around the country. In fact, at least 59 students have died in incidents involving fraternities since 2005, according to Bloomberg News, with six others getting paralyzed. The

stereotypes of the “frat bro” and the “sorority girl” are well known to several students. But still, people are joining in record numbers. Why do students at the College join Greek life?

“A lot of perception and a lot of rumor is essentially just perpetuated year after year,” Conner said. “Organizations, like people, change over time. Certainly, I don’t think we would have this many people joining and committing so much of their time and energy if it were a bad experience, or if people

were buying friends, or were all very shallow or whatever else. There has to be some deeper root piece to this.”

According to Conner, being involved with Greek life provides students the opportunity to develop their whole self by engaging in out-of-theclassroom experiences.

“I think when it’s done right, fraternity and sorority life is probably the most impactful experience a student can have in college,” Conner said. see GREEK page 11

Creating a history to identify Lauren Cronk Correspondent

Gay marriage is no recent phenomenon, according to Lillian Faderman. As a Women’s History Month guest speaker and a scholar of lesbian history and literature, Faderman spoke on Wednesday, March 19, on the significance of lesbian marriages that existed in the 19th and early 20th centuries — before the legalization of gay marriage as society understands it today.

An internationally-known scholar, Faderman is the author of eight books, two of which, “Surpassing

the Love of Men” and “Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers,” have been considered “Notable Books of the Year” by the New York Times.

As women came out to the public as lesbians in what she described as a “dangerous time,” Faderman argued that “the only way for (gays and lesbians) to survive was to hide.”

Faderman described four sources of this fear before the onset of gay civil rights: ideas imposed on homosexuals as criminals by the police force, as psychologically ill by psychologists, as sinners by the church and as unlawful by the government.

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 5 The Signal @TCNJsignal

Editorial / Page 7

Without any written record, Faderman explained, homosexuals had no history to identify themselves with.

“One way to oppress people is to deny their history,” said Ann Marie Nicolosi, chair of women’s and gender studies at the College.

In order to give lesbians a history to tie themselves to, Faderman began researching lesbian marriages of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Faderman began her research as a college professor in 1967, an era considered to be “still dangerous.” see IDENTITY page 3

Opinions / Page 9

Monica Murphy / Staff photographer

The Mixed Signals cause the audience to laugh until they cry at the annual ROCK. See more on page 15.

Features / Page 11

Arts & Entertainment / Page 15

Sports / Page 32

Swimming Team wins Nationals in two events

Fast food Making the healthy choice on-the-go

Paradise Fears Alternative pop group connects with audience

See Sports page 32

See Features page 11

See A&E page 19

page 2 The Signal March 26, 2014

Improved PRISM finds ally in SFB for funding site for schedules

By Julie Kayzerman News Editor

By Sydney Shaw News Assistant A new website created to help students plan their course schedules was presented to Student Government at the general body meeting on Wednesday, March 19.

The site, sgacademicaffairs.weebly. com, gives students a quick and easy way to access course trackers for every major offered at the College.

“We were trying to think of ways to promote different advising tools that are available for students,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Adam Bonanno said.

Users can select their school of study on the lefthand side of the page and then click on their major to download their course tracker directly to their computer.

“Students often take liberal learning classes that are redundant with courses they are already taking with their major,” Bonanno said. “So we are hoping to help eliminate that with this website.”

After the presentation, Nhi Lam was awarded Senator of the Month.

Lam, a Senator of Engineering, was described as “always volunteering and helping out.”

Later on in the meeting, Vice President of Equity and Diversity Sadia Tahir told members about “What I Be.” The project, which is co-sponsored by Circle of Compassion, runs from Sunday, March 23, to Friday, March 28.

“Photographer Steve Rosenfield is coming to campus to talk about insecurities,” Tahir said. “Then he’s going to write your insecurity on your body and take a photograph of you.”

To learn more information or sign up to participate in “What I Be,” visit the event page on Facebook.

A pair of PRISM events was unanimously funded by the Student Finance Board at its weekly board meeting on Wednesday, March 19.

SFB allocated $903.95 to hold several events for “Ally Week,” beginning on Monday, April 7.

The week plans to hold entertaining events in an effort to help students on campus to understand what it means to be an ally to the LGBTQ community.

The week will include a “Breaking the Silence” coffeehouse, a movie night screening “RENT” and awareness posters and crafts that can be seen around campus.

“I think it’s a good event,” programming director Brian Green said.

“The only thing I don’t agree with is food for the movie event because we wouldn’t do that with any other organizations.”

Members agreed with Green as they voted to fund the event

without allocating money for food during the movie, as it would be inconsistent with their previous decisions regarding other organizations asking similar requests.

In addition, PRISM was also funded with $892 to hold “Trans* Awareness Week” from Monday, April 21, to Friday, April 25.

PRISM plans to use the allocated funds to host speaker Avory Faucette, a member of the National Center for Transgender Equality who has been a successful blogger and writer.

In addition, money will fund gender-neutral signs to continue the tradition of having genderneutral bathrooms at the College throughout the week.

The College Union Board found its way back into the meeting’s agenda this week with its request for $2,675 — aimed to bring College National Poetry Slam Champion Neil Hilborn to campus for a spoken word performance.

“I kind of like that this one is on the patio and has a different

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

SFB votes to fully fund ‘Greek Fest,’ coming in April. feel to it,” operations director Sara Stammer said of the venue being held outside of the Brower Student Center.

With that, the motion to fully fund the event was passed in hopes of bringing Hilborn to campus on Tuesday, April 29, at 8 p.m.

Another larger request was also presented to the board when TCNJ Hellenic Society requested $2,408.20 for “Greek Fest.” SFB was in agreement that the event was well-planned,

as it provides a multicultural experience with a buffet of traditional Greek food alongside Greek dances and music.

The board motioned to fully fund the event within minutes.

It is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 9, at 6 p.m.

Disclaimer: Though SFB agrees to finance certain events, there is no guarantee these events will take place. The Board’s approval only makes the funds available.

Janet Yellen: high spirits, low rates

By Courtney Wirths Opinions Editor

• The Federal Reserve’s first formal policy statement with the new Chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, brought assurance that interest rates will remain low for the coming year. Yellen’s comments were not without uncertainty, however. Disagreements among committee members led the market to believe rates will rise more aggresively than originally thought.

• The teenage thriller “Divergent,” a movie based on the book series of the same name, took the top slot at the box office this past weekend.

The victory is another large move for Lions

Gate Entertainment Corp., whose previous winners, including “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games,” attracted a similar audience.

• The results of the Fed’s most recent stress test are in, and they are positive. 29 out of the 30 banks that underwent the lengthy analysis passed.

The stress test examines whether the large financial institutions have enough cash in reserve to withstand a large jolt or surprise to the economy and market. The necessity of the stress test came about following the financial meltdown of 2008.

• Apple and Comcast, technology and communications giants, are talking about teaming up to create a television streaming

service. The service would use an Apple set-top box to allow users to stream both live and on-demand programs on special treatment Comcast cables. The special cables would give users the ability to bypass congestion on the web and increase viewing speeds.

• While the low prices of natural gas over the past several years have been hurting big oil and gas companies, chemical and plastic companies have been taking advantage of the cheap fuel and used the time to expand. The cheap and abundant fuel has created something of a manufacturing renaissance in the United States for petrochemical companies. Many manufacturers of plastics, rubber resins and metals have even moved plants from countries in South America and Asia to the United States.

The poor and the poormasters: a timeless story

By Peter Fiorilla Sports Editor

Freelance writer and author Holly Metz illustrated how the social issues that bogged down Hoboken in the 1930s persist in the 21st century at the annual Alan Dawley Memorial Lecture held in the Library Auditorium on Wednesday, March 19, using research and excerpts from her award-winning book, “Killing the Poormaster: A Saga of Poverty, Corruption and Murder in the Great Depression.”

The 1930s were an “era of corruption” in Hoboken, N.J., as arsons that routinely killed poor people went unsolved, gangs were growing to achieve greater influence and the “poormaster” — a despised appointed official by the name of Harry L. Barck, who had the power to give and deny aid — largely refused to help needy people in the midst of

the Great Depression.

“The vast majority of people who were eligible for work relief did not get it,” Metz said. “(Poormasters) felt there was always work for any able-bodied man who truly wanted it. They felt that any man who didn’t work was lazy or a drunk and only had himself to blame.”

Poormasters were a holdover from colonial times, Metz explained, when it was easier to move and find a job elsewhere.

By the 1930s, they had become antiquated, yet still a frequent cause of distress for workingclass Americans. “(The poormaster) would decide if the meal client had rice or meat, if her children had sugar or milk, and the poormaster could decline aid to any person who had not lived in the region for a certain amount of time,” Metz said. “So if you have seen (Great) Depression photos of

people living on the road trying to make it out West, you are seeing people who were most likely denied public aid on arrival of their destination.”

The hated Barck eventually died at the hands of frustrated

applicant Joe Scutellaro, an unemployed father who police say stabbed Barck with a spike after the poormaster suggested Scutellaro’s wife become a prostitute before asking for aid.

“It was a big, big news story,”

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Metz investigates corruption and povery in the 1930s.

Metz said. “Part of it was that fear: if this guy gets off, all the poor people are going to go around killing relief agents.”

But the spirit of Barck and the poormasters lives on today, Metz said, as poor people continue to be on the wrong end of relief efforts from the government.

“Today, more than 46 million Americans are living below the poverty line, and yet Congress has twice voted to cut the budget for food stamps,” Metz said. “On the day of the second vote, one Congressman who has personally collected more than $3 billion for the bill on farm subsidies, argued in favor of reductions with this statement: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’

He must have known that the vast majority of food stamp recipients are children, the elderly and the disabled. I wonder, when will we rid ourselves of the poormasters, once and for all?”

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 3

PEC / Getting big in a gymnasium too small

Tom Kozlowski / News Editor

Left: Weights are haphazardly scattered around the two central squat racks. Right: The gym ushers in new equipment after much delay. continued from page 1 dividends as a small army of new equipment arrived over spring break, thanks to the $50,000 reserve fund recently added.

Among the additions are an adjustable pulley machine, a variety of dumbbells and three barbells, which have been tested with weight up to 1,000 pounds, with the latter being a much-needed fix after existing barbells were bent into banana shapes from extensive use in winter.

“In the past, I was very dissatisfied with the amount of equipment in the gym — there were dumbbells missing, broken benches, broken machines,” said Mark Hayase, a senior interactive multimedia major and powerlifter.

“However, I went to the gym recently and found out they got new

bars, new dumbbells and a new cable machine ... at least now they are making strides in replacing old, dangerous equipment.”

Another even more sizable shipment of equipment is scheduled for the summer as new items including jump ropes, benches and a deadlifting area will bring about the most significant change for oncampus gym quality in decades.

“It’s amazing what you can do if there’s funds, because you’re limited if there’s no funds. You might want to do the best things in the world, but if there’s no funds, then you have to hold your breath and hope you get the best you can,” said Dawn Henderson, the College’s associate athletic director and manager of the PEC. “I think we’re doing an OK job. My goal is to have a safe, clean operating room, and we do the best we

can with those parameters.”

What Henderson cannot purchase for the PEC is a larger space, and students will have to make do with the claustrophobic nature of the gym until a new one is added through Campus Town in 2016.

“I think that there’s certain areas that we’re addressing with this sort of influx of new equipment,” Henderson said. “I think the problem is — and we’re really looking forward to the new CampusTown gym (which is bigger) — the room is really small, and we serve a campus of 6,000 undergraduates with a small room.”

In the interim before the new gym opens, though, the tightrope Henderson and the PEC have to walk is in pleasing two different kinds of people: the serious lifters training for long-term results and casual students seeking a diversion.

“When I took over a couple of years ago, what I found is we’re never going to be able to make everyone happy, because you have so many different kindS of people who want to use the gym,” Henderson said. “Some people want to use aerobics things and ab things while other people want to powerlift, and those are two very different things.”

The new equipment, specifically the deadlifting area scheduled to arrive in summer, shows a continued attempt at appealing to both casual and hardcore gym-goers — an initiative that has been successful.

“People hate on the PEC a lot, but I never really had any problems,” said Robb Veltman, a recent College graduate and competitive powerlifter who used the PEC for two years. “Really, I think it just depends on the atmosphere people

want, I think. They let you grunt and lift heavy and use chalk (for serious lifters), but some people don’t like that. It’s not like a commercial gym at all, which I like, but I can see how some people don’t like that.”

Taking into account the recent improvements and the gym’s continued ability to cater to both kinds of lifters, the PEC is on what might be an unprecedented upward trajectory.

“I’m glad that they are making efforts to replace (and) improve the equipment, so I think that is a good sign for the PEC’s future,” Hayase said. “Overall, I have my share of complaints about the PEC, but in the time I’ve been training there, I made a lot of progress and I appreciate it for being so accessible, even if it is lacking some things I want. So I’m thankful for it.”

Identity / A history Bigotry in the bathroom of lesbian marriages

By Tom Kozlowski News Editor

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Faderman looks at lesbian history outside modern conceptions. continued from page 1

“I went off of hints,” Faderman said regarding her research.

Using archives and often censored published writing, she uncovered a series of lesbian relationships between women, such as Emily and Martha Dickinson, Evangelene Simpson and Rose Cleveland and pioneers in same-sex marriage, Anna Howard-Shaw and Lucy Anthony.

During the 1890s, many educated women decided not to marry, as they wished to pioneer careers instead. They did not wish to bear and care for children or maintain the household, but instead, found love and companionship in same-sex partnerships, Faderman said.

At a time when women were fighting

for equality in education and professionalism, unions like “Boston Marriages” — a relationship between two professional women — and “Wellesley marriages” — unrecognized same-sex marriages — were prevalent.

The word lesbian, in the 1890s, was a term often associated with lowerclass women, even sodomites, Faderman said. She explained that she does not label these women as lesbians, because it is not how they would have identified themselves.

Faderman simply uses the term as society understands it now. Many of the women involved in same-sex partnerships during past centuries did not use the term lesbian — they simply “loved whom they loved.”

On Thursday, March 13, at 9:50 a.m., Campus Police were dispatched on a criminal mischief call from the third floor men’s bathroom of the Library. According to Campus Police, upon entering, officers discovered biased writing and imagery on the wall above the urinal. It read: “Join the Gay Niggers Association of America,” with subsequent messages “(GNA)” and “WWW.GNA” underneath. Additional writings included the phrase “Jews did WTC,” followed by two more images, a Star of David and a Swastika.

Campus Police said they received the claim over Spring Break when student activity was minimal on campus, but the writing itself had not been seen the previous night.

Facilities were then called to remove the writing, according to Campus Police. ...

Two items were reported stolen from an Athletic and Recreation Center office on

Thursday, March 20. According to Campus Police, a $300 softball bat was stolen sometime back in November 2013, while more recently, a $40 black Rawlings fleece was taken between Friday, March 7, and Thursday, March 20, 2014. Both items were property of the College. ...

On Friday, March 21, at 2 a.m., a student reported that her Apple iPhone was stolen from the Library, according to Campus Police.

The student was there between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m., only realizing later that her phone was missing. The property was valued at $600 with an additional $30 case. ...

On Saturday, March 22, at 12:05 a.m., a student was reported to be heavily intoxicated while in T-Dubbs.

Campus Police said that although the student denied consuming any beverages before the incident, he was visibly swaying side-toside, slurring his speech

and having difficulty standing. The officer performed a Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test and concluded that the student was, in fact, intoxicated. Before being trasnported to Helene Fuld Hospital, the student admitted to having three beers — possibly Guinness — and possibly having “fallen down,” according to Campus Police. ...

While on patrol, Campus Police were approached by a student who reported seeing a visibly intoxicated female near the lake by the Facilities building on Saturday, March 22, at 1 a.m. The student led Campus Police to the location, where, according to Campus Police, the female in question was sitting on a bench, unresponsive and struggling to hold her head up. Soon after, she was transported to Hopewell Medical Center, Campus Police said. It was also uncovered from several other students that the female had traveled with them to an off-campus sports house where she drank approximately three vodka drinks and several beers.

page 4 The Signal March 26, 2014

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 5

Nation & W rld

Malaysian PM reports plane crashing into the ocean

By Sean Harshman Correspondent

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced on Monday, March 24, that Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 sank, according to BBC News.

Razak stated in a press conference, “It is with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.”

This new data came from Inmarsat, a British company that was hired to investigate the disappearance.

Using various methods, the company has deduced that there was no way the aircraft could have made it to land and without a doubt, it had crashed into the Indian Ocean, according to BBC News.

Inmarsat was able to localize the area where the flight could have gone using electronic signals emitted from the plane’s black box, commonly known as “pings.” The company revealed Monday that they had received pings

up to five hours after the plane went missing.

The Washington Post reported that the Malaysian government sent out notification to the families of the 227 passengers of Flight MH370 before the announcement at the press conference.

“Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived,” the text message read. “As you will hear in the next hour from Malaysia’s Prime Minister, we must now accept all evidence suggests the plane went down in the Southern Indian Ocean.”

BBC News reported that even though Inmarsat and the Malaysian government have deduced the fate of the plane, the search for wreckage continues. As of midnight on Monday, March 24, four new aircrafts have joined the search for the wreckage. After Chinese satellite spotted a large object in the Southern Corridor, China and Japan added two planes each to the search effort, which previously composed of six aircraft.

AP Photo

A relative of family aboard Malaysian Flight 370 mourns over news of the plane crashing.

Including crewmembers, there were 239 people aboard the flight, which was on its way from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur.

Mudslide in Washington destroys homes and kills eight

AP Photo

Washington officials report that 180 people are missing as a result of a fatal mudslide. Eight people were killed and 30 homes were demolished.

DARRINGTON, Wash. (AP) — The search for survivors of a deadly Washington state mudslide grew Monday to

include scores of people who are still unaccounted for, raising fears that the deep muck could have claimed many more lives

Obscure & Offbeat

AP Photo

A colossal cake at a medical center in Carson, Nevada.

Circus elephants have gone mad

Elephants escaped from a circus in St. Louis and damaged several vehicles in the process, state authorities said.

Happy birthday, Nevada!

Members of Nevada’s government celebrated the state’s sesquicentennial on Friday, March 21. First Lady Kathleen Sandoval cut the first slice of a 520-lb. birthday cake shaped like the state.

Information from AP

than the eight bodies found so far.

In a race to find loved ones, family members and neighbors used chain saws and their bare hands to pick through wreckage that was tangled by the mud into piles of filthy debris.

Authorities said they were looking for more than 100 people who had not been heard from since the disaster. They predicted that the number of missing would decline as more people are found to be safe. But the startling initial length of the list added to the anxieties two days after a mile-wide layer of soft earth crashed onto a cluster of homes at the bottom of a river valley.

“The situation is very grim,” Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said, stressing that authorities are still in rescue mode and are holding out hope. But he noted: “We have not found anyone alive on this pile since Saturday.”

About 30 houses were destroyed, and the debris blocked a mile-long stretch of state

Around the World:

highway about 55 miles northeast of Seattle.

Cory Kuntz and several volunteers worked Monday with chain saws to cut through the roof of his uncle’s house, which was swept about 150 yards from its location. Kuntz said his aunt, Linda McPherson, was killed. He and the others pulled out files, his aunt’s wallet and a box filled with pictures and slides.

“When you look at it, you just kind of go in shock, and you kind of go numb,” he said, adding that there were more people out helping Sunday. On Monday, they couldn’t get through roadblocks.

“They are all eager to get down here, but unfortunately they can’t. It just shows how tight this community is,” he said.

Doug Reuwsaat, who grew up in the area and was also helping in the search, said authorities had told people to stay away.

“We’re related to a lot of these people from around here. So that’s why we’re here,” he said.

Netherlands

Japan and US seal a nuclear deal THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A major international summit to rein in the threat of nuclear terrorism opened Monday with Japan pledging to return to the United States more than 315 kilograms (700 pounds) of weapons-grade plutonium and a supply of highly enriched uranium.

The Nuclear Security Summit is the third in a series of meetings established after a landmark 2009 speech

by President Barack Obama in which he said non-secure nuclear material presents “the most immediate and extreme threat to global security.”

American and Japanese officials announced the deal — the meeting’s first important breakthrough — at the twoday summit in The Hague, Netherlands.

“This is a very significant nuclear security pledge and activity,” U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz told reporters.

“The material will be transferred to the United States for transformation into proliferation-resistant forms.”

Japan originally received the material from the U.S. and Britain in the 1960s for use in research.

The summit focuses not on nuclear weapons but on efforts to reduce and secure nuclear material stockpiles to prevent them falling into the hands of terrorists who could potentially

AP Photo

Government officials of Japan and the US meet to discuss global nuclear security at an international summit in the Netherlands. use them to fashion a weapon.

“All our discussions today and tomorrow will focus on one question: How to prevent nuclear terrorism,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said as he opened the meeting.

The number of countries possessing such stockpiles has fallen from 39 in 2009 to 25 at the start of the Hague summit.

The summit, which hosts leaders and senior officials from 53 countries, is expected to wrap up Tuesday with a commitment to en-

act further reforms to boost nuclear security before a final summit in Washington in 2016.

Obama flew into the Netherlands on Monday morning and was attending a hastily arranged G-7 summit later in the day to discuss the West’s response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

The White House also said, in addition to the Japan deal, the United States had reached agreements with Belgium and Italy to remove highly enriched uranium and plutonium from those European allies.

page 6 The Signal March 26, 2014

the alternative break club presents

MARDI GRAS WEDNESDAY

2

nd

Month of April

8:30 in the

EVENING

Brower Student Center Food Court SAF FUNDED

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 7

Editorial Message to students: savor your youth Getting old kind of stinks, doesn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, entering the field that you’ve studied for is exciting, but that also means taking on all of the responsibilities of adulthood.

We don’t have to worry about getting crotchety just quite yet, but the days of having to pay bills on bills on bills, finding a place to live and up-keeping a house are quickly creeping up on us.

Being in college is a great time — it’s that awkward but fantastic time that you are expected to be an adult, yet it is still totally acceptable to act like a kid.

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor Looking forward and planning your future is not only im- Students should enjoy being young before they no longer can be. portant, but it is also needed. However, I think what is also very important is to appreciate the times we have now. We only have a few more years left to act like a kid and still be accepted by society, and I think the College offers us a lot of opportunities to act like the children we want to be deep down.

After all, we have the rest of our lives to be adults.

When you were in elementary school, you might have wanted your 13th birthday to get there as soon as possible: PG-13 tcnjsignal.net movies and you’ve entered your teen years. How cool. When you were a senior in high school, you might have wanted to Email: signal@tcnj.edu Mailing Address: “I’ve met a lot of get out of there as quickly as possible. Now you might want to Telephone: graduate college as soon as possible — you’re ready to start students who are Production Room The Signal living in the real world. But as the wise Ferris Bueller once (609) 771-2424 c/o Brower Student Center paying to go off told us, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look Business Office The College of New Jersey around once in a while, you could miss it.”

(609) 771-2499 campus to gyms, P.O. Box 7718 If we’re always looking forward to growing up, we’re not Ad Email: Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 and I don’t think enjoying the age we’re at now. I beg you, enjoy now while signalad@tcnj.edu you can because you’ll be wanting it back once you have to we need to be deal with adulthood all on your own. These are the inbetween years. We might legally be adults, but let’s be real, we’re all Editorial Staff Mylin Batipps sending students just actually big kids. And now is when we should be enjoying Nation & World Editor off campus when the last of our childhood.

Amy Reynolds batippm1@tcnj.edu So go ahead and watch those Disney movies. Get excited Editor-in-Chief Mike Herold we should be able about collecting all the free chotchkies you can stuff into your reynola1@tcnj.edu Fantasy Sports Editor to help you have pockets. Scream and jump when you win a gift card at BINChris Molicki heroldm1@tcnj.edu GO. Belt out your favorite songs in Eickhoff. Do it. It’s what Managing Editor Jonathan Edmondson that kind if stress your inner kid wants you to do. molickc1@tcnj.edu Review Editor

Quotes of the Week

— Colleen Murphy, Features Editor

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

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

Julie Kayzerman Tom Kozlowski News Editors kayzerj1@tcnj.edu kozlowt1@tcnj.edu Peter Fiorilla Sports Editor fiorilp1@tcnj.edu Shayna Innocenti Arts & Entertainment Editor innoces1@tcnj.edu Colleen Murphy Features Editor murphc16@tcnj.edu Courtney Wirths Opinions Editor wirthsc1@tcnj.edu Courtney Wirths Photo Editor wirthsc1@tcnj.edu

edmondj5@tcnj.edu Regina Yorkigitis Web Editor Jess Ganga Web Assistant Gabrielle Beacken Sydney Shaw News Assistants Andrew Grossman Sports Assistant Production Manager

Emilie Lounsberry Adviser Lucas Haber Business/Ad Manager

relief (and) take care of yourself. I think we need to do some work (on the PEC) — a lot of work.”

— Vice President of Student Affairs Amy Hecht.

“It honestly feels like the highest satisfaction I have personally felt. I never imagined my career ending in such a way.”

— senior swimmer Stephen Gibson after winning the 200-free and 400-free relays at nationals.

page 8 The Signal March 26, 2014

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 9

Opinions

Local poverty missing from media coverage Eye-opening experiences found at TASK

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

The media coverage for local areas like Trenton fails to focus on the problem of poverty and centers such as the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.

By Shayna Innocenti Arts & Entertainment Editor

On Tuesday, March 18, my Race, Gender and The News class taught by Professor Kim Pearson, had a field trip to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. As a collective, our goal was to speak with the staff and homeless patrons

at TASK to get their opinions of the local media coverage of poverty.

During our visit, several of the tutors and homeless patrons reiterated the notion that poverty is under-covered in the news. They said the media tends to either focus on the negative stereotypes or ignores the issue entirely.

I personally feel that the coverage of poverty is an

important issue because those who are in the poverty level or who are homeless are often not configured into statistical reports that the media releases.

According to a census conducted in October of 2013 by the U.S. bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Mercer County is 6.9 percent. This can be compared to the New Jersey unemployment rate of 8.4 percent, according to the same census.

However, the percentages, in reality, are probably lower than what is reported. Typically, the reports do not include the people who have given up looking for employment, are working multiple jobs to remain afloat or are homeless. These people have become invisible in our own county.

Amazing programs like TASK, Homefront and ArtSpace are not only trying to help those who are suffering from homelessness and poverty, but they are also trying to positively reinforce their lives by having the patrons create paintings, poetry and skits. Why isn’t the media covering this? While a couple of local organizations cover the happenings at these places, most do not.

There really are some great organizations and events that are held in Trenton, like the Gandhi Garden, in honor of helping those in need, but without local coverage they will go unnoticed. Media has such power and so much influence over what the general public pays attention to, whether the information is distributed in print or online.

Using the same journalistic practices of reporting and informing the public about local issues, like poverty, journalists have the potential to be the catalysts to great changes.

Smartphones aren’t always the smart choice

By Mike Herold Fantasy Sports Editor

We live in a world filled to the brim with technology. You know what I’m talking about — there’s a good chance you’re reading this on a smartphone, a technological advancement that was a wild dream as recently as 20 years ago. Come on, a computer that fits in the palm of your hand and also functions as a phone, plays games and lets you watch movies or TV shows that stream from websites? The future is here, and it’s

sitting right there in your fingers.

Now here’s the problem: I don’t think that the technological boom is necessarily a good thing.

Hold on, hear me out real quick before you jump to some conclusion that I’m a tech-hating spouter of nonsense.

As most of the people who know me will tell you, I don’t have a smartphone, but that isn’t necessarily because I hate technology. It has more to do with the fact that I’m broke and can’t afford one.

Not having one has let me notice some-

r

AP Photo

Individuals become more dependent on their phones with each new version companies produce.

thing important: Smartphones are making us dumber.

Not dumber in terms of IQ points or scores in class, mind you. When I say that smartphones are making us dumber, I’m referring to the way we communicate with one another, which might eventually translate to a loss in those other, more important categories of “smartness.”

See, back when we were all kids, we had to actually call each other on the phone in order to contact our friends. We had to talk to their parents, most likely, which meant we had to use actual words and some modicum of politeness. Now if we want to talk to a friend, we just send a text, likely lacking in any sort of polite wording or anything resembling proper grammar. Heck, we’ve got autocorrect if we even want to pretend to sound “smart.”

Another area of shrinking expertise is the art of the argument. Not a shouting argument, but a simple hearty discussion of different ideals and points of view.

In the past, in order to sound remotely intelligent whenever you and your peers got into one of these discussions you had to have some sort of prior knowledge about the subject. You had to think differently in order to make whatever point you wanted to make, while possibly seeing another perspective from your opposition. Now we don’t have intellectual debates, we have

AP Photo

Communication skills are being damaged by smartphones.

searching competitions.

A person does not need to remember anything, since Google is just a few finger swipes away, and no argument a college student makes is going to hit too hard against the graduate dissertation the smartphone user can pull up while sitting on the couch.

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.

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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 10 The Signal March 26, 2014

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 11

Features

Greek / Why are so many students joining?

continued from page 1 “There are opportunities to develop yourself professionally, socially, cognitively — and really I would challenge one of the ways that’s most difficult, with your peers.”

Fraternity and sorority life does not only benefit the students directly involved with it, but also the surrounding community. A year and a half ago, the College’s fraternities and sororities had over 15,000 service hours. Over the course of the past year, they also raised $100,000.

“What we typically see, especially at the College — God love(s) you, type-A, overachieving students — is not only that students are meeting whatever their national expectation is for a charity, but they’re (also) going past that,” Conner said.

Greek life can benefit the school community, as well.

“In my opinion, we find that schools with a fraternity and sorority system tend to develop more engaged and more connected students,” Conner said.

“You know, years back, the College’s going reputation was that we were this suitcase school, and I think having a fraternity or sorority system is probably a huge agent in changing that type of perception.”

Compared to other schools’

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Delta Phi Epsilon hosts ‘Scale Smashing’ as part of its Eating Disorder Awareness week in order to promote self-love and raise funds.

Greek life, Conner says the College’s is more cohesive, communicative and high-achieving.

Conner attributes a lot of this to both the cubes in the Brower Student Center and the level of autonomy given to the groups.

“Most of our organizations here at the College are winning their national awards,” Conner said. “I think students have a very high expectation of themselves, and I have very high expectations of them. Mediocracy sucks. Why be mediocre when you can be great?

I try to really push them to try new things, achieve greater outcomes,

provide a better experience to their members, because I think they can. I think they have incredibly bright members who can figure out ways to make it better, and you don’t see that at a lot of schools.”

Interestingly, not many students go into college knowing they want to join Greek life. According to Conner, 15 percent of an incoming class are “always joiners,” while 20 percent of students are “never joiners.” For the other 65 percent of students, it is gray whether they will join.

“If you think you would never want to join a fraternity,

you’d probably be our best member,” Conner said. “You’d probably find that you’re in good company. In fact, a lot of our students had no intention.”

Sophomore English and women’s and gender studies double major Erin Shannon is one of those 65 percent of students who fell into that gray area. She decided she wanted to join a sorority during her freshman year and has been a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma since last spring.

“I joined a sorority because I wanted a sisterhood,” Shannon said. “I wanted a support group

that would always be there for me, and I for them. I also wanted to meet new people.”

According to Conner, being a member of Greek life has the potential to change a person forever. Conner, a Theta Chi, considers joining the best decision of his life and still uses the fraternity’s motto of “extend the helping hand” every day.

“It finds ways to keep students connected to the school not only as undergraduates, but we find the affiliation the fraternity and sorority people have after they graduate is usually stronger than non-Greek students,” Conner said. “They not only had such an impactful experience, but there’s an organization that’s still there, that’s probably still providing the same opportunity for its members.”

Stereotypes and rumors concerning Greek life are always swirling, but Conner points out that “all these organizations were founded on very altruistic and ethical high-functioning values.”

“Just reconsider, or if nothing else, if you decide it’s not for you, don’t perpetuate what you think you know or what you’ve heard because ultimately, you might be affecting your roommate, or friend, or brother or whomever it is who’s really considering that experience — and it might be the best decision they’ve ever made,” Conner said.

How you can do fast food the right way

By Ruchi Shah Columnist

We’ve all heard about the horrors of eating fast food — what’s most convenient for your time is most inconvenient for your health. Fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt, all factors that contribute directly to obesity, which in turn gives rise to an array of other health problems. For example, McDonald’s, the devil in corporate form, has told its own employees that a typical meal, consisting of a burger, fries and soft drink, is in fact an “unhealthy choice.”

Wendy’s Baconator Double, easily the most tempting item on its menu (I mean come on, who doesn’t love double the bacon?), has absurdly excessive amounts of calories, fat and salt. When you’re trying to get the most for your buck at Taco Bell, you look to the “Why Pay More” value menu and the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito is your go-to. As it turns out, this burrito is pretty expensive — it has the greatest number of calories and highest fat content of all the items on the value menu.

Right behind campus on North Olden Avenue are all three of these fast food restaurants — McDonald’s is to the right and Wendy’s and Taco Bell are to the

AP Photo

Chipotle offers filling and healthy meals.

left. Now, I’m not asking you to give up fast food.

I, for one, completely understand its temporal and financial convenience. However, I am going to ask you to consider these healthier alternatives located a little outside the lovely suburbs of Ewing.

Chipotle This first option is a college favorite and already gives you a bang for your buck. If done right, it can be a treat for your stomach, too. Chipotle gives you the ability to customize your meal so it would be shameful not to make healthier choices. The nearest Chipotle is less than 15 minutes driving distance from campus on Route 1 in Princeton.

Burrito If you’re in the mood for a burrito, choose to order the bowl with either steak or chicken, black beans, fajita veggies, guacamole and green salsa. Opting out of the cheese and sour cream shouldn’t be surprising, but did you know the flour tortilla is just as guilty? And just for reference, the unhealthiest burrito you can get is with carnitas, cilantro-lime rice, sour cream, roasted chili corn salsa and cheese.

Salad Surprise, surprise, salads can be unhealthy, too! Your best option here is lettuce, chicken or steak, black beans, fajita vegetables and chipotle-honey vinaigrette on the side. Once again, just for reference, the worst salad includes lettuce, carnitas, pinto beans, roasted chili corn salsa, cheese and chipotle-honey vinaigrette with chips.

Panera With soups, salads and sandwiches galore, Panera immediately seems like a healthy haven. Now, now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Even though Panera was named America’s Healthiest Fast Food Restaurant,

AP Photo

Choose your meals at Panera carefully. The calories there can quickly add up. not everything on the menu lives up to this title. You still have to be sure to choose wisely.

Salad The best salad option is the half Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. Its calorie content is inversely proportional to the protein and fiber it boasts. Be sure to avoid the Steak and Blue Cheese Chopped Salad that is high in calories, fat and sodium.

Sandwich Two of the best sandwiches on Panera’s menu are the Tuna Salad on Honey Wheat and Smoked Turkey Breast on Country Bread. No need to be stingy — go ahead and get full sandwiches when ordering either of these. The worst sandwich you can order is the Full Italian Combo on Ciabatta. There’s no mystery here — it’s the three types of meat, cheese and special sauce that contribute to the high calorie count.

Soup Panera’s New England Clam Chowder is a definite no-no. However, a delicious alternative is the Low-Fat Garden Vegetable with Pesto.

page 12 The Signal March 26, 2014

The School of Science’S AnnuAl Week of Science

mArch 24 To 28 during meal equiv in the Stud STudenT cenTer ATrium 11a.m. – 1:30p.m.

Come see what school of science students have been working on!

experimenTS And demonSTrATionS!

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 13

That’s quite a list, Lindsay Fitspo: Is it good or bad?

And Oprah did not make the cut

AP Photo

What would little Hallie and Annie think?

By Johnanthony Alaimo Columnist You know, there are a lot of lists your name can end up on. For example: the FBI’s Most Wanted. Or if you’re unlucky enough, you can be on Lindsay Lohan’s alleged sex list. That’s right, the former harlot seems to have written a log of every man in Hollywood she has slept with.

Familiar names like Ashton Kutcher, Justin Timberlake and the late, great Heath Ledger have all visited

the enchanted Lindsay forest. Hey, if they wanted to be in Narnia they could have just asked for a role in the movie.

If this is true, some people are going to get pissed. Namely Oprah, who literally saved Lindsay from swimming in her own vomit by giving her a reality TV show (how ironic is it that a reality show saved this woman). Oprah currently owns Lindsay and she don’t need this shit, she has a network with a show about a family of fried chicken cooks to run!

Lady GaGa was thrown up on.

Unfortunately, I cannot take credit for doing it. Apparently, the lunatic did it as a “performance art,” which sounds like a bad course in college.

Gags has literally been gagged on, making me gag and I’m hoping she gags and I’m done. To tell the truth, I was a huge GaGa fan in high school, almost to the point that I was going to make a lyric from “Telephone” my senior year quote. Thank God I wasn’t that delusional. It is no lie that her career is not only not where it used to be, but has in fact plummeted into an abyss that I feel only Lil’ Kim knows. So say hi to Kimmy for me, baby. Because you ain’t going nowhere.

Emma Stone recently wept and for good reason. No, she didn’t break her foot. No, Andrew Garfield didn’t break up with her. She spoke to Mel B, better known as Scary Spice, during an interview in Australia. Apparently, Emma is a huge fan of the Spice Girls and honestly, who isn’t? See, GaGa, people can still hold onto fans without resorting to projectiles. Take note.

By Gabrielle Urciuoli Columnist

“Fit” seems to be slowly taking over as the new skinny as people are beginning to dish out their money on that organic-kale-antioxidant boost-green drink-thing and hot yoga instead of a burger and concert tickets. While there are people out there who are both prohealth and pro-burger, many blogs, Instagram accounts and other social media seem to be very one-sided.

The world is filled with social media hypocrites who will get annoyed at the people who insist on posting a picture of their lunch on Monday, and then post a snapshot of their own macaroni and cheese on Tuesday. The issue here is not the lunch-posting epidemic (unless, of course, you are a hungry scroller), but the fact that more and more accounts are popping up that make some feel guilty for eating that macaroni and cheese while they upload a picture of their grass-fed steak and organic brussel sprouts next to their perfectly-tanned stomach resting between a bright pink sports bra and tight Nike Pro shorts.

Like a drug, scrolling through this fitness porn has become addicting, and many have fallen prey.

“I think fitspo is a great idea for social media,” Jackie Kuczinski, a sophomore communication studies and psychology double major said. “I actually follow a lot of fitspo Instagrams to get ideas for when I want to change up my workouts or get recipes for healthy meals.”

However, others may not feel the same way.

“Looking at that would make me feel bad for taking an off-day,” said Mitch Benyon, a sophomore psychology major.

While reading health and fitness articles may have a response with some, constant pictures of “what you can look like” along

with motivational slogans are bound to make a greater amount of people lace up their Nikes.

Some see this as inspiration, while others roll their eyes at these seemingly selfcentered and overly proud lunatics. But seeing those “before and after” pictures of a complete stranger might make a dream real to someone who otherwise would not have been motivated. Something we all need to acknowledge is this fitness movement sends out a much different message than previous social Internet trends, such as “thinspo,” which often encouraged unhealthy habits.

However, at what cost are we making these better decisions? Should social media pipe down and let people enjoy their cupcakes?

Littlemissskinny.tumblr.com

Fitness inspiration is all over social media sites.

The Olympic Park had heavy environmental impact

AP Photo

The Olympic Park has heavily impacted the surrounding environment.

By Frank Saverino Columnist

Last year, as the plans to develop and construct the sites and arenas for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi were initiated, the Games’ master, Dmitry Chernyshenko, assured that Russia was “delivering the ‘Green Games’ … committed not only to protecting the environment ... but (also) dramatically enhancing the environmental situation” of the Black Sea resorts and game areas. However, looking back as the dust settles after Sochi, which the Russian government and other

Sochi marketing franchises exacted 185 billion rubbles ($51 billion) in funds to produce, the environmental effects of Russia’s Winter Games have been devastating for Imeretinsky Valley’s subtropics and ecosystem.

The construction of seven stadiums and the Olympic Villages that made up the Coastal Cluster and five Mountain Cluster resorts and complexes for slope events such as snowboarding, skiing and bobsleighing, all of which hosted over 2,000 athletes and were visited by thousands of spectators and dignitaries from around the globe, took seven years

to complete. Sochi has surpassed the record for the most expensive Olympic Games ever produced, and the toll this past Winter Games has had on the Sochi’s surrounding environment has been far from green.

Although one of Russia’s richest sites of biodiversity and rare forest grounds, 8,750 acres of Sochi National Park were torn down to make way for the Sochi Games’ construction, including a large stretch of wetlands that was formerly home to as many as 65 species of birds.

Many of the territories have seen large declines in populations of reptiles and brown bears, especially with the deterioration of the large Mzymta River.

The park’s natural source of salmon has become heavily polluted because of the railroads and tunnels that were built beside it to connect venues with Sochi’s airport. Since the preparations for the Games began in 2007, the river had been collecting the debris and chemicals from the massive Olympic Park and resort constructions — Mzymta’s entire form has been misshapen by the process.

In 2006, a Federal Code to protect Russia’s rare forest sites enacted as a way to preserve “26 percent of the

world’s last remaining forests untouched by logging.” However, in 2009, as Sochi Games’ projects progressed, the State Duma amended the code to allow the logging of rare forest species formerly protected by the Federal Code. Responding to environmental activists who were furious after the large logging projects in Sochi National park were completed and also attempting to adhere to Chernyshenko’s “Green Games” outline, Sochi projectors planted over one million trees to replace the losses due to the Games’ construction. Though a somewhat conscious gesture, the concern is still for the lost ecosystem the forests once provided.

Gretchen Bleiber, a former Olympic medalist, appalled, condemned Russia’s futile attempts to make up for the damages to Sochi National Park, saying, “The problem is that you can’t destroy an oldgrowth forest ecosystem and just rebuild it elsewhere. The biodiversity that has been lost is immeasurable. Damage in the national park has spread far beyond the natural areas that were obliterated.”

Even the Games’ own is speaking out in defense of the forests and environmental habitats that were destroyed by the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Call for Columnists

We are currently looking for dedicated writers to start a new column for the Features section. Interested in science? Know of any good places to go around here? Why not write about it? Contact murphc16@tcnj.edu with ideas!

page 14 The Signal March 26, 2014

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 15

Arts & Entertainment

Mixed Signals and improv friends ‘ROCK’

By Jonathan Edmondson Review Editor In Kendall Hall on Saturday, March 22, the College’s improvisational troupe, The Mixed Signals, hosted their annual event, “R.O.C.K.,” featuring themselves, Wells Fargeaux and professional group UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) Touring Company.

“R.O.C.K.,” which stands for Rather Outrageous Comedy Kickout, was started six years ago in order to showcase improvisational comedy, which is a growing performance.

“The idea is to bring more improv to TCNJ,” said Lindsey Nice, a senior computer science major who is a member of The Mixed Signals and president of All College Theatre, which co-sponsored

the event.

The night started with a 30-minute performance by The Mixed Signals, led by current president Jonathan Dowler, a senior history and secondary education dual major. With the aid of their infamous bell, the quick-witted troupe played multiple games that highlighted each member in a unique way.

After their set, Wells Fargeaux took the stage. This group is comprised of former members of The Mixed Signals, and on Saturday, Dan Loverro, John Eldis and Sam Paternostro performed a few games.

One crowd highlight was “HalfLife,” in which Paternostro and Loverro acted out a scene in two minutes and then did the same scene in one minute, 30 seconds and so on.

At the conclusion of their set,

The Mixed Signals came back out and both groups performed together before a short intermission.

The most impressive and interesting quality about the group is their undeniable chemistry together.

What makes a Mixed Signals show so entertaining is how much fun each member of the group is having on stage. There is never a dull moment when they are performing their hearts out on stage.

“Improv is like a very basic play,” Nice said when asked what performing this type of comedy was like. “Like, when you’re a kid you play make believe. Improv is a way to do that.”

Following intermission, three professionals from UCB performed an hour-long set that began with them interviewing a random student from the audience.

What followed was short improvisational scenes all based on the questions the student answered. To finish off their set, they took audience members’ most recent text messages and performed scenes based around them.

Overall, it was a wonderful night of comedy that led to most audience members laughing until they cried. It is clear the College’s students have a profound appreciation for this comedic art form.

“It blows my mind when I think about it,” Nice said, reflecting on her journey as a Mixed Signals member. “We literally just stand up on stage with no preparation basically and just try to do things to make an audience laugh and connect with us in any way we can, and that’s just kind of crazy to me that we can do that.”

Monica Murphy / Staff Photographer

Sophomore members shine.

‘Veronica Mars’ film pleases dedicated fans

AP Photo

‘Mars’ film supports original series’ integrity but mystery plot falls short.

By Brooke Schmidt Staff Writer

As an enthusiastic fan of the short-lived “Veronica Mars” series, I have been waiting in anticipation for the film release ever since the now wildly-infamous Kickstarter campaign reached its fundraising goal.

For those who don’t know, “Veronica Mars” was a television series that premiered in 2004 and was cancelled in 2007 after only three seasons. It followed high school

student Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell), who solved mysteries with her friend Wallace (Percy Daggs III), the biggest mystery of all being the murder of her best friend Lily Kane (Amanda Seyfriend). Ever since then, fans of the series have increased dramatically and, just last year, they funded the almost $6 million needed to create a movie.

With that said, many people who are not fans of the series complain about its lack of widespread appeal. However, this movie was made by the fans for the fans. Director Rob

Thomas had this in mind when he wrote the screenplay and all the actors were thrilled to be part of such a meaningful project. There would have been no production without the fans, and they were keenly aware of this.

The “Veronica Mars” movie takes place 10 years after the series premiere, where Veronica is about to take the BAR in New York City. However, as she is interviewing for an extremely prestigious job, she gets a call from her old flame Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), pleading with her for help. Trouble always seems to find Logan, but now he is in even more trouble than he’s ever been, for he’s been accused of murder. With Veronica’s help, they must track down the actual killer and clear Logan’s name.

The movie kept the balance of wit, mystery and heartbreak that the show was loved for. Old characters return, some of whom were announced prior and others just appear as a great surprise.

There are many great father/daughter moments between Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni) and Veronica, and there are many brooding glances between Logan and Veronica — their love is “epic” after all.

Abundant throughout the film are references to the television show and the resurrection of great relationships between Veronica and the supporting characters.

The only complaint I had with the entire film falls in the mystery plot. Somehow, Veronica comes to conclusions about the events of the murder with little evidence to support her claims. The show contained many moments of Veronica huddled over school records and chasing after leads, so whenever conclusions arose, it was feasible. However, some of Veronica’s ideas in the movie were surprising and out of left field. While it’s understandable that things probably had to be cut to make the film length manageable, I think some of her conclusions were just a bit too, “Where did that come from?” for me.

As a whole, the movie is shot beautifully and the actors fell in well with their old parts, even though it has been 10 years since the series first began. It has everything I love and remember most from the show, with a reasonable absence of some key figures or motifs.

Overall, the film is definitely worth a shot if you’ve watched the show, and if you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for?

Recital showcases passionate flute playing

By Dongyoung Kim Correspondent People say hidden gems are found in the most unexpected places. It turned out to be true on Tuesday, March 18, at the College.

When people walked into Mayo Concert Hall on Tuesday for a flute choir, a spectacular performance was not something on their minds.

But with the swift hand motion of the director signaling the start of the performance, every expectation was torn down.

“I didn’t know what to expect (initially),” said Ellen Plattman, a junior music major at the College who plays violin. “And (then) it started off really good.”

Many people in the audience seemed to have shared this thought as the volume of the

clapping was room-filling despite the small attendance.

“They are doing a really good job,” said Nicole Cinman, a flute choir alumna who graduated from the College in 2013. “I wish more people came to it.”

Due to the recent snowstorms, the original date for the performance had to be rescheduled, explaining the lack of the attendance. Yet the small attendance did not deter the members of the choir and they gave a fantastic performance that brought smiles to the audience.

The flute choir, led by the director David DiGiacobbe, flute professor at the College, opened the night with “Overture to Nabucco,” composed by Giuseppe Verdi.

“It’s a challenge with concentration and length,” DiGiacobbe said. “But I think it works really

well because the sound of flute choir is very reminiscent of organ in church.”

Using a whole family of flutes that include four different types of flutes, the flute choir created a deep and sincere sound that blended all the instruments together so well that it almost sounded like one instrument.

“There are lots of other choirs out there,” DiGiacobble said when asked about how the choir manages to produce such a sound. “But we work hard together to make sure that we breathe together and the blend is just right.”

The other reason for the choir’s excellent performance may be attributed to the experience of its musicians. With six seniors leading the group, the flute choir is able to count on their leadership and experience

that ultimately helped the group to show their true potential.

“Absolutely fantastic. They are all wonderful people,” said Chelsea Cortese, a senior music major at the College who is a member of the flute choir. “And we all are supportive of each other.”

The night continued with “Variation on a Theme by Haydn,” composed by Johannes Brahms.

This music, considered to be the toughest piece among all of the night’s performance, is originally an orchestral piece.

“I think it almost works better for the flute choir,” DiGiacobble said. “You can create all these colors and emotions.”

When the night ended with the “Finale” movement of “Suite from El Amor Brujo,” composed by Manuel de Falla, smiles appeared

on the audience’s faces as if they had found the hidden gem that they had been looking for.

“I think this was one of the best flute choir concerts we gave,” DiGiacobble said.

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

The flute choir impresses.

page 16 The Signal March 26, 2014

‘Bates Motel’ living up to the classic ‘Psycho’ March 26, 2014 The Signal page 17

Brilliantly written characters — each containing their own quirk — successfully carry ‘Bates Motel’ into its second season on A&E.

By Brett Sanders Staff Writer Horror is a funny concept. We as a society are sickened by the real examples of trepidation, yet find such pleasure in fictitious connotations of the subject in the media. “Bates Motel,” now in its second season televised on A&E, certainly meets the expectations our society holds with respect to bone-chilling entertainment.

The television show acts as a modern-day prequel to the 1960 masterpiece, “Psycho,” this time focusing in on Norman Bates in his late teen years and his mother, Norma. The plot follows the lives of this troubled family, with deaths, drugs, sex and corruption

incorporated within the seasons.

Freddie Highmore, from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” fame, portrays Norman Bates with relaxed yet exciting charisma. The real star of the show, however, is Vera Farmiga, giving the role of Norma Bates attitude, strength and emotional vulnerability that reaches new limits episode after episode. The whole cast is spot-on in their portrayal as members of an ill-fated town.

Although not the best “scary” show on television (that title belongs to “American Horror Story”), “Bates Motel” is at times compulsive, shocking and disgusting, yet always satisfying. With the reputation of “Psycho” at its fingertips, this show has a

large fan base.

It is interesting to note, again, that the show is a modern-day prequel to the original film. That is, there is excessive technology and vocabulary that viewers see and use every day. This is risky, and the risk definitely pays off. By adding the modernday slant, the television show is more fun to watch and relatable to everyday life.

The writing of the show is OK at best. Although each episode has good ideas and smart dialogue, there is barely any continuity.

Moreover, there are times when characters are written out of the show suddenly, when what the viewer wants is to learn more about said characters in the next episode. Especially with many famous guest

AP Photos

stars, it is a shame that minor characters aren’t written into the show for the long run. Still, this is a small price to pay for an otherwise great show.

The thing that makes this show really fun and entertaining is the characters. Furthermore, they are all so weird and strange that the viewer gets caught up with them as much as they get caught up in the abnormal situations they are placed in. Through terrific acting, it is easy to develop feelings for these creepy yet attracting characters.

Overall, “Bates Motel” is eerily delightful. It doesn’t bring harsh nightmares, but it may cause the viewers to lock their doors after finishing an episode.

Hipper motions to harness social media

By Kristen Lauletti Correspondent As part of the Brown Bag Series, guest speaker Tom Hipper visited the College in the Mayo Concert Hall on Friday, March 21, for “Communication During Disasters: How Social Media and Crisis Mapping Are Changing the Field.”

Tom Hipper, an alumnus of the College — as well as Penn State University and Johns Hopkins University — gave insight into just how powerful communication with the public can be in times of distress, danger or threat.

Hipper, currently the Public Health Planner at the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication at Drexel University, explained that the field of

Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) can offer valuable tools and knowledge on how to successfully deliver and share information.

“Stress can reduce the ability to process information by 80 percent,” Hipper said.

Because of this, communicating during a crisis requires a set of guidelines. Hipper outlined the six principles of CERC that are essential in relaying important messages to the public.

Not only is it important to be first, but you must also be right. This includes being honest about when you know something, but also when you don’t know something.

“I thought it was really interesting that when you’re honest, even about things that you don’t know,

it rarely creates panic. I thought it would have the opposite effect,” senior psychology major Francesca Zett said.

Hipper also discussed how it’s necessary to be credible. Examples such as the Anthrax attacks in 2001 demonstrated an effort to avoid overreactions and panic.

This, however, led to public distrust once non-credible information was given to it.

Expressing empathy is also important when communicating to people in a time of crisis to show there’s understanding of what they’re going through. Similarly, showing respect demonstrates an understanding that not all disasters are the same and therefore shouldn’t be treated as such.

A last core CERC principle is to

promote action among the people who are being communicated to.

Public action has proven to be effective in recent disasters, especially with the use of Twitter. With people receiving tweets about the D.C. Quake 30 seconds before they felt it, it truly showed how this social tool is a powerful means of communication.

With the use of crisis mapping, Hipper explains how social media can be harnessed specifically for an overall public good when the stakes are high. With the use of crowdsourcing, citizens take the active role as participants and contribute pieces of information that can build overall awareness and understanding amongst the public about a particular crisis.

“I love the idea that people can

play a more proactive role during a disaster through crisis mapping,” junior communication studies major Ashley McKenna said. “It makes them feel a part of risk decisionmaking and aiding the process.”

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Twitter has proven to be viable.

Ellie Goulding dazzles with ‘Halcyon Days’ tour

AP Photo

Goulding benefits from risky setlist.

By Jonathan Edmondson Review Editor

With her luscious blonde hair and enticing brown eyes, Ellie Goulding saunters across stage like a seasoned professional.

Her songs contain complex rhythmic arrangements and poetic lyrics, highlighting her innate musical ability and setting her

apart from her pop-star sisters.

Goulding brought her “Halcyon Days” tour to The Liacouras Center on Friday, March 14, performing a complete 20-song set, containing everything from her radio hits to her softer acoustic numbers.

A British songwriter, Goulding emerged into the American music scene with her radio-friendly tune, “Lights,” and has since gained popularity with “I Need Your Love” and “Burn.”

What makes her live performances so impressive is her range of musical styling.

She quickly went from banging on a drum to strumming an acoustic guitar, while doing impressive dance routines in between.

The show opened with “Figure 8,” a bass-heavy dance anthem that got the crowd engaged and ready for the rest of the night. The middle section of her set consisted of her slower songs, such as a beautiful acoustic arrangement of “Guns

and Horses” followed by her infamous cover of Elton John’s “Your Song.” Goulding’s voice is a unique instrument, soaring through venue with effortless ease.

Her distinctive sound allows her music to come to life in a powerful way.

Matched with her vocals are her powerful lyrics. Lines like “Why don’t you be the artist and make me out of clay?” and “You found me on a screen you sit at permanently” echo her poetic skills. It is refreshing to listen to popular music that also contains intriguing, thought-provoking lyrics. Watching a pop starlet explore the core of her musical collection with such passion and emotion is a powerful thing to witness.

After she wowed with her slower section, Goulding performed a three-song knockout: “Anything Could Happen,” “I Need Your Love” and “Lights” that energized the crowd who had just come down

from her acoustic session.

Every single person was singing and dancing along to the powerful songs, helping to make the concert feel like a kind of musical religious experience.

Perhaps the most intriguing part about the whole show was how much fun Goulding seemed to be having. She never took herself too seriously, and she was willing and able to take risks with her musical arrangements. Nothing she did seemed too rigid or planned out, which was refreshing to see from a Top-40 pop-star.

Goulding came back on stage for a bombastic encoring, including her current hit “Burn,” which kissed the crowd goodbye with the perfect mixture of sweetness and sassiness.

For this British starlet, her most alluring quality is her ability to get lost in the music and put on a fun show — something most artists have forgotten about.

page 18 The Signal March 26, 2014

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 19

Paradise Fears connects with Rat audience

Courntey Wirths / Photo Editor

Alternative band Paradise Fears brings energy to the Rat.

By Kimberly Ilkowski Staff Writer

Students had the chance to hang out with their favorite musicians in the Rathskeller on Friday,

March 21, when Paradise Fears and Pentimento performed and connected with their fans.

The first act, Pentimento, was comprised of Jeramiah Pauly on vocals and guitar, Lance Clay-

pool also on guitar, Michael Hansen on drums and Vincent Caito on bass.

Hailing from Buffalo, N.Y., the punk rock quartet played songs off their 2012 self-titled LP, the 2011 EP “Wrecked” and the recentlyreleased EP “Inside the Sea.” The band’s 10-song set included “Conscience (Consequence),” “Almost Atlantic” and “Just Friends,” which showcased Pauly’s passionate singing and Hansen’s hard, fast and loud drum playing.

They just wrapped up the year-long No Country for Old Musicians Tour with Reggie and the Full Effect, the solo project of The Get Up Kids keyboardist James Dewees, with their final tour stop at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, N.J. The band enjoyed the small, intimate atmosphere the Rat provides concertgoers and performers.

“It was a nice change of pace from the other venues we played

at recently where people are there for a specific event,” Hansen said. “Here, everyone can just hang out, eat, do homework — it’s really cool.”

The headliner of the night, Paradise Fears, gave the Rat a more upbeat energy with their alternative pop sound and acoustic guitar and piano playing.

Vocalist Samuel Miller, bassist Marcus Sand, drummer Lucas Zimmerman, guitarists Cole Andre and Jordan Merrigan and keyboardist Michael Walker performed songs off their 2013 album, “Battle Scars,” 2011 “Yours Truly” and EP “Make Them Believe.”

The band played some of their most popular songs including “Lullaby,” “More Than Lust,” “What Are You Waiting For?” and a cover of Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars.” The cover song brought back memories of the struggles of adolescence, especially middle school dances,

which were described as a “formative time” for Miller.

Throughout the evening, the band engaged the audience by cracking jokes, sharing personal anecdotes and asking questions about life at the College.

Following their cover of R. Kelly’s “Ignition Remix,” Miller quipped, “When it was time to talk about the birds and the bees I said, ‘No, Dad, I listen to R. Kelly, I got this,’” touching on the song’s suggestive lyrics.

Senior women’s and gender studies major Caitlin Bradley considers Paradise Fears to be her favorite band and was thrilled to have the chance to meet them.

“I first learned of them when they went on tour with All Time Low a few years ago,” Bradley said. “(Tonight) they played my favorite song ‘Sanctuary,’ which is like the band’s anthem.”

Check out the bands’ Facebook pages to learn more.

Rushkoff emphasizes humanity in digital age

By Kelsey Wojdyla Correspondent In a world consumed with digital media, Douglas Rushkoff is on team human. Rushkoff argued for human intervention in his talk, “Program or Be Programmed: Play, Participation and Power in a Digital Age,” in the Mayo Concert Hall on Wednesday, March 19.

Instead of living in a “read-only” society, Rushkoff encouraged students to use their “read/write capability” by being an active participant in all aspects of life.

“The only reason you’re not allowed to do something is because you can do it,” Rushkoff said.

He argued that knowing how to use computers but not how to program them is a “tragic mistake,” because once computers are capable of surpassing humanity, as

seen in the movie “Her,” people will only be needed to use them and will thus fade into the background.

“His ideas on technology’s significance to society were entertaining and insightful,” junior elementary education and psychology dual major Kristen Pizzolo said. “He really related to the college student.”

In his most recent PBS Frontline documentary, “Generation Like,” Rushkoff explored the irony of living in a world where likes are common currency. While having a personal space to express ourselves is meant to be empowering, it actually leads us to change our values and behavior to get more likes.

Thus, Rushkoff inspired students to be the drivers of their lives, not computerized passengers in a digital age.

“I do not trust Zuckerberg or Gates to take me to the nearest supermarket,” Rushkoff said.

Rather than relying on the “great minds that came up with crap like Facebook,” Rushkoff told students to employ themselves instead. Rushkoff joked that there are not many great employment opportunities out there, and urged students to use their time in college to figure out how to create rather than conform.

“It wasn’t what I was expecting,” junior elementary education and psychology dual major Paige Ennis said. “He made me want to reevaluate what I’m doing with my life, and inspired me to do what I love.”

According to Rushkoff, we live in a timeand efficiency-based culture, but digital is not time — it is creativity.

“Your real career is one app away, one idea away,” Rushkoff said.

Rushkoff is the author of several bestselling books on digital media and popular culture, including “Program or Be Programmed:

Ten Commands for a Digital Age,” “Digital Nation” and the novel “Ecstasy Club.” In addition, Rushkoff is a graphic novelist, columnist, teacher and creator of multiple awardwinning PBS Frontline documentaries.

His work focuses on the importance of remaining team human and not getting caught up in a mindless digital age.

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Rushkoff emphasizes creativity.

Recital impresses ‘Dido and Aeneas’ thrills Traditional aspects a success

By Stephanie Pilipshen Staff Writer

Gerado Aquino on trumpet and Genna Conti on percussion brought the Mayo Concert Hall to life on Sunday, March 23, with their effortless skill for their Senior Recital.

Aquino kicked off the recital with “Largo and Allegro,” a compelling piece by Giuseppe Tartini, and his strong trumpet notes danced through the concert hall.

“Gray 102” by Colin Tribby was Conti’s first piece and she played its deep, quick notes with such power and ease on the timpani.

Aquino truly displayed his mastery of the trumpet with “Sonate”

by Paul Hindemith. Although a difficult piece, “Sonate” was performed by Aquino with steadiness, strength and emotion.

On the vibraphone, Conti demonstrated elegance and talent with “Prelude No. 2” by Heitor Villa-Lobos. Conti’s music echoed through the room, and it was evident she had enchanted her audience with finesse by the

powerful applause that followed Conti’s performance.

The stage was filled with an array of instruments for Lou Harrison’s “Song of Quetzalcoatl” played by Conti, Stephani Faljean, Cory Nickerson and Kevin Whitman. Audience members were on the edge of their seats as crystal glasses were chimed and gongs were hit.

Aquino’s final performance was “Carnival of Venice” by JeanBaptiste Arban and was played with impressive dexterity. Aquino was able to keep up with his composition’s demanding fast pace with a deftness that left the crowd in cheers.

Conti played “With Sunshine in His Face” by Ben Wahlund on marimba and there was no better way to finish off the recital. Conti was agile as she skillfully maneuvered her wrists and arms in a manner that produced beautiful music.

Aquino and Conti put on such a spectacular recital that there was a standing ovation from every member of the audience.

By Courtney Kalafsky Staff Writer On Friday, March 21, the College’s Department of Music presented its second performance of Henry Purcell’s opera, “Dido and Aeneas,” in the Black Box Theatre in Kendall Hall.

The cast was composed of members of TCNJ’s Lyric Theater and Orchestra, and the opera was directed by Professor Lars Woodul and conducted by Professor Michel Galante.

The tragic story portrays love gone awry in ancient times. Dido, Queen of Carthage, falls in love with Trojan Prince Aeneas. Although they plan to marry, their happiness is shattered when the evil Sorceress tricks Aeneas into believing the god Mercury is demanding him to leave Dido and sail back to Italy. Dido is left alone and dies of a broken heart.

The talented cast of Dido and Aeneas consisted of 15 students,

all of whom were skilled vocalists.

The opera displayed their impressive ranges, as well as their ability to harmonize altogether. On alternate nights, the roles were shared between different cast members.

Those who performed as a lead on one night became a member of the chorus for the next show. This allowed for the entire cast’s talents to be shown — and all members rightly deserved their moments in the spotlight.

Another impressive aspect of the performance was the inclusion of a live orchestra.

Despite the small size of the venue, the musicians did not overpower the voices, but rather embraced and accented them. Each moment flowed perfectly into the next, with no uncomfortable or abrupt endings. This was the meticulous work of the orchestra, which set the pace for the entire show.

The opera’s stage crew created beautiful scenery that set the atmosphere of the show. The stage was

decorated with columns and stonework, creating the illusion of actually taking place in ancient times.

The backdrop was composed of four panels that rotated between scenes to display different locations, including Dido’s palace, the Sorceress’s lair and Prince Aeneas’s ship. Perfected lighting and cues accented each setting as well.

With every aspect of the show meticulously finished, the performance was well received by the audience.

“I was extremely impressed by the cast, orchestra and stage. I didn’t know that TCNJ had so many students skilled in opera! I am definitely glad that I came,” freshman English and special education dual major Caitlin Randik said.

“Dido and Aeneas” reflected the traditional aspects of the ancient cities, from the setting and costumes to the beautiful opera music.

The talented performers, orchestra and crew certainly made the night a huge success.

page 20 The Signal March 26, 2014

TCNJ’s Largest Student Run Cultural Show

$5 For TCNJ Students $10 for Non-TCNJ Students Tickets on Sale at Box Office

Facebook

Mystique 2014: Dream Disrupted

Sponsored by the Pan Asian Alliance SAF Funded

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tcnjmystique.tumblr.com

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 21

Lions Fantasy World

Nothin’ But Net

So, the first two rounds of March Madness are over. Does that mean we can return to regularly-scheduled discussions about other online basketball phenomenons, like how the fantasy playoffs have begun? No, I’m getting the sense that college hoops still rule the roost at the moment.

OK, fine, I’ll give you a compromise and talk about something that relates to both college and the pros: The 2014 NBA draft, sponsored by probably a whole bunch of people at this point!

The draft has been getting a lot of attention this year: First it was because of the prospects in it, which have been described as potentially better than the monstrous 2003 class of LeBron, Melo, Wade, Bosh and Darko (you know, the second pick). Then the talk concerned whether or not the presumptive top pick, Andrew Wiggins of the recently-eliminated Kansas, was actually better than another guy, Joel Embiid (who is injured and missed the tourney for the recently-eliminated Kansas). Of course, there has also been much talk about Jabari Parker of the eliminated in the first round Duke, who now might not even enter the draft at all.

Most of all, talk concerning the NBA draft this year has focused on tanking, and whether or not teams should be doing it. I haven’t really taken much of a stance on this before, mostly because I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the issue. While I agree that tanking is a lousy thing to do to a fanbase, I also think it is a viable strategy to improve a lackluster team, especially if that team has decent draft picks (as in, has its own and potentially another team’s) and no real hope of a championship in the current season.

So I’ve been rather quiet about it. Why break the silence now? Well, that’s because at this point in the season, the tanking playoffs are legitimately more exciting than the actual playoff race.

Don’t believe me? OK, let’s look at things out West first: We all know that the Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, Rockets, Blazers and Warriors are going to be the top six seeds in some order. We also know that whatever two teams come in at seventh and eighth are going to get stomped by OKC or San Antonio, so they don’t really matter.

But at the bottom of the West? The Jazz, Lakers and Kings are all within two games of each other, and any one of those teams could prove super-exciting with a top-three pick this year.

Here in the East it’s even better: the Atlanta Hawks have been tanking as hard as they can for weeks and still can’t pass the Knicks for that final non-playoff spot, while the Sixers have lost 24 straight and are still two full games ahead of/behind the Bucks. So, to clarify, in the East three games separate eighth and ninth, while only two are between dead-last and second-to-dead-last.

So yeah, the tanking race is more exciting at this point than the playoff push. And that means, for right now, I’m a fan of tanking. I’ve never seen a game where each team is trying to score on its own basket before, and I think that would be the most exciting finish of them all.

Tank away, you lousy teams, tank away.

By Mike Herold Fantasy Sports Editor

The Scoreboard*

(2) Off the Backboard (0-0)**

1470

(3) Love Train (0-0)

1893

(4) Team Vazquez (0-0)**

1669

(1) Fantasy Guys (0-0)

1530

(5) Team Amaral (0-0)

1420

(6) Team Molicki (0-0)

1187

Owner: Bryan Dunphy-Culp Owner: Gabe Allen

Owner: Victor Vazquez Owner: Mike Herold

Owner: Marco Amaral Owner: Chris Molicki

(7) Rasheed Wallace (0-0)

608

(8) Team Reynolds (0-0)

946

(9) Team Matos (0-0)

694

(10) Team Jha (0-0)

698

Owner: Pete Fiorilla

Owner: Amy Reynolds

Owner: Rob Matos

Owner: Ashray Jha

*Scoring represents first week of a two-week match **Playoff Game: Winner Advances to Final

Fantasy Player of the Week

AP Photo

I May Be Wrong, But...

Here’s what I would do in Fantasy Basketball this week: Add: Players on: The Suns, Clippers and Pacers. Those teams are playing the most games this week, with Phoenix playing five and LA and Indy being among the many teams going four times. Players on those teams are most valuable during the fantasy playoffs this week, where games played are often the most important category.

Be Cautious Of: Averages. While it may make sense to add players to your fantasy roster who average more fantasy points than others, at this late point in the season it matter more how many games they play and who those games are against. Sure, David Lee puts up big numbers, but this week he plays three less times than Markieff Morris, making Morris the better pick.

Drop: Players on: Golden State, Houston and Denver. While those teams usually are good for some pretty solid numbers, this week they are playing very little in comparison, with the Warriors only taking the court twice and the Rockets and Nuggets being tied with a few others for second least at three. Less play time equals less points for your team, so plan accordingly.

Look Out For: Kobe Bean Bryant. While it may seem crazy to look out for a player who will not play again this season, he’s been taking potshots galore at the Lakers organization lately, which could definitely lead to some fireworks down the line. Even when he’s not playing, an Angry Kobe is still entertaining.

AP Photo

page 22 The Signal March 26, 2014

FALL 2014 REGISTRATION APPOINTMENT PERIOD Initial Registration Period for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Tuesday, April 1 Through Friday, April 11 

Your enrollment appointment reflecting the first time you will be eligible to register for Fall 2014 semester can be accessed via your PAWS account. To view your scheduled enrollment appointment, visit the Enrollment Appointment section in the PAWS Student Center. Once eligible, students remain eligible throughout the registration period. Undergraduate Students who do not register by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 13th will be subject to a late registration fine. Graduate students have until 11:59pm on July 15th: Late Registration Fine Undergraduate: $150 Graduate: $125



The Fall 2014 Schedule of Classes is available on PAWS and can be viewed by using the Search for Classes button.



Visit the PAWS HELP website for complete information on how to log-in to PAWS, search for classes, browse the Course Catalog, view your Holds, add courses to your Shopping Cart, and register for classes: http://pawshelp.pages.tcnj.edu/



Use the Validate feature directly from your PAWS Shopping Cart to check for potential pre-requisite issues before registration! For more information on the Validate feature, visit: http://pawshelp.pages.tcnj.edu/files/2011/07/validate.pdf



Check PAWS early and frequently for Holds that will prevent you from registering. All Hold Flag information can be viewed under the Holds section in the PAWS Student Center.



Access your Academic Requirements Report on PAWS to view your degree requirements via the Advising Tools link.



Make an appointment to see your advisor to discuss your Academic Requirements Report. Your advisor’s name and email address can be located in your PAWS Student Center.



Double-check call numbers and course sections prior to your registration appointment for schedule changes and periodic updates.



Graduate Students: If you are a non-matriculant who is applying for Fall matriculation, you should not register during this timeframe. If accepted for matriculation, you will be invited to register during one of the Graduate Studies summer orientation sessions.

THE OFFICE OF RECORDS AND REGISTRATION EXTENDED HOURS DURING THIS REGISTRATION PERIOD Tuesday, April 1 through Friday, April 11 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 23 Cheap Seats

New-look Yanks can send Jeter out on top New York’s bottomless wallet to pay dividends

By Kevin Lou Staff Writer

Last October, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the $189 million luxury tax threshold was “certainly a goal” but “not a mandate.”

Had the Yankees still been playing, it might have been.

The team went above and beyond with its spending this winter, acquiring big-name free agents Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran and perhaps the most sought-after of them all in Japanese starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka.

As the Yankees say hello to these new faces, and goodbye to a cherished old one, they aim to return to the hallowed ground of October.

The signings raise just as many questions as they answer. Joe Girardi now has a very crowded outfield, consisting of Ellsbury, Beltran, Brett Gardner, Alfonso Soriano and Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro is tradable, but dividing time between the remaining four could get tough. Soriano can DH, but the team also has several older

players who will be in need of that spot.

The Ellsbury signing in particular has seemed like a bit of a panicky move in response to the knowledge that Robinson Cano was slipping away.

Ellsbury and Gardner profile as nearly the same player, with their greatest strengths being speed and defense. While being long on the aforementioned traits could be a positive, Ellsbury also has injury concerns that have already manifested in the form of a right calf injury during spring training.

The signings of McCann and Tanaka, on the other hand, were ones the Yankees needed to make.

McCann bolsters the offense at a position at which the team struggled mightily in 2013. He hit .256 with 20 HR and 57 RBI for the Braves last year, a far cry from the menial production the Yankees got from their 2013 catchers.

Tanaka was, without question, the best available free agent starting pitcher.

CC Sabathia is aging, Hiroki

AP Photo

Cashman makes major offseason signings to give New York a chance at a World Series.

Kuroda is probably near retirement and the Yankees’ farm system has been lacking, all signs that the need for quality starting pitching was and is as pressing as ever. Signing any foreign starter is a gamble, but it is hard to imagine that a guy who went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year cannot be at least a competent and reliable piece to an MLB rotation.

The anticipation as to how

these new players will perform was already enough to make the 2014 season a must-see. It is now even more of a must-see for another reason: At its conclusion, Derek Jeter is retiring.

Not much needs to be said about Jeter’s iconic status, and his many accomplishments will undoubtedly propel him to the MLB Hall of Fame one day.

Yankees fans will get to say their goodbyes as he closes out

that Hall of Fame career with one last season.

Jeter made his name and his legacy by winning championships. The 2014 Yankees, including their newest additions, have the chance to do the same.

They have the chance to send a baseball legend out on top.

If they can do that, and seize a 28th glorious October victory, that payroll will be worth every penny.

Softball

Steady softball team starts on .500 run

By Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer

This past week, the women’s softball team played hard consistently but ended up splitting the week with three wins and three losses. They remain motivated, though, and have a long season with many opportunities to take the lead.

On Monday, March 17, the Lions took on Moravian College in a two-game split, with each team walking away with a victory. In the first game, the College came out on top in a 2-1 win, beginning the season off with a strong performance.

Sophomore pitcher Ashtin Helmer took the mound for the Lions in the season opener and displayed the same dominance she had last year as a freshman. Back and ready to get the season started, Helmer was clutch and her pitching was strong.

Her teammates helped her out by scoring two runs in the second inning. Sophomore right-fielder Kristen Fitzsimmons was able to score on a double by sophomore second baseman Jackie Oram, tying the game at 1-1 after an early-game run from the Greyhounds.

Oram was then able to score on a single by sophomore left-fielder Christine Desiderio. Helmer held off their opponents as she struck out six players total and ended the game with a 2-1 score.

In the second game against Moravian that day, the Greyhounds came back with a vengeance and outscored the Lions 7-4.

After taking an early lead in the first inning, thanks to a single by senior centerfielder Lindsey Williams, the Greyhounds then scored seven consecutive runs.

The Lions then came back in the fifth inning, scoring three runs, but it wasn’t enough to overtake their opponents in the

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Kennick drives in five runs during the doubleheader against Cortland.

end. Sophomore first baseman Deanna Utter contributed with single to left field and freshman third baseman Jessica Kennick with a double to right.

Sophomore Katie Hourihan and senior Alex Carisone were on the mound for the Lions and pitched a strong game even through all the runs.

On Wednesday, March 19, the Lions took on Muhlenberg College in their third and fourth games of the week, splitting those two as well. In the first game, the Lions fell to the Mules in a 6-0 shutout.

Helmer was on the mound again for the Lions, but the Mules’ defense at the plate

was just too strong.

The Lions came close to getting some runs on the board in the third inning when Kristen Lake tripled, but with two outs already in the book, there wasn’t enough time to get her home.

After a two-run homerun and multiple hits, the Mules took over the game and never let the Lions catch back up.

However, in the second game against Muhlenberg that day, the Lions were determined to change things around. With the help of a fantastic pitching performance from Carisone, the Lions turned the tables and shut out the Mules 6-0.

Carisone pitched a complete game shutout, and with the help of an active offense, the Lions dominated. In the fifth inning, the game came alive as the College scored six runs. Senior outfielder Corinne Minicozzi, freshman second baseman Olivia Fahr and multiple other players contributed to the score, giving the Lions the boost they had been searching for the past two games.

In the last two games of the week, the Lions took on SUNY Cortland, in which another split was the result. In the first game, the Lions came out on top in a 3-1 win. Helmer was unscathed from the tough loss earlier in the week and came out and pitched another gem.

All runs for the Lions were scored in the sixth inning when senior first baseman Nicole Brodbeck began the scoring with a homerun to center field. Kennick then singled and scored freshman outfielder Nery Cerda and Lake.

In the second game, the Lions fought hard all the way through but fell in an 8-6 loss. With their opponents knocking off three homeruns in the third inning, it was a tough feat trying to come back from that.

However, Kennick brought the Lions within striking distance with her own three-run homerun, the first of her career.

In the end, though, Cortland was able to score two runs more than the Lions and the Lions had to settle for another split double-header.

“This year’s team is pretty young,” Helmer said.“We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores starting. There is a lot of talent on the field, and we just need to work together and settle in.”

This week, the Lions will take on DeSales University on Tuesday, March 25, and Ramapo College on Saturday, March 29, at the Softball field.

fun stuff

page 24 The Signal March 26, 2014

signal pets parade!

Syrus Prince

Champ

n o i t n e

Atte

at s u ad ent r g ud st

Max

Zoe

GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDENT APPRECIATION WEEK APRIL 7–11

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 Cupcakes and Conversation with Faculty, plus raffle prizes!

4–5 p.m.

Education Building, Room 110

For more information or to RSVP, see www.tcnj.edu/tcnjgrad

Bella

You don’t have to be a baseball player... ...to PITCH story ideas to The Signal!

Come to the meetings Sundays at 6 p.m.

Brower Student Center basement OR Email The Signal at signal@tcnj.edu

March 26, 2014 The Signal page 25

more fun stuff The Thought of the Week:

How do people not know how to travel to Mars?

It’s not rocket science!

Fun Facts with Morgan Freeman •The U.S. Interstate road system was designed so that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

•A Saudi Arabian woman can get a divorce if her husband doesn’t give her coffee. sounds fair.

•Most lipstick contains fish scales.

•Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn’t wear any trousers.

You know you read these in my voice.

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page 26 The Signal March 26, 2014

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March 26, 2014 The Signal page 27

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Chris Molicki “The Ref”

Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer

George Tatoris Staff Writer

Andrew Grossman

Production Manager

In this week’s Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Chris Molicki, asks our expert panel three questions: what was March Madness’s biggest surprise and disappointment through the first weekend, can guru Phil Jackson turn around the comically hopeless New York Knicks as the team’s new President of Operations, and what quarterback will be picked first at the NFL Draft?

1. The first weekend of the NCAA tournament is in the books. Who is your biggest surprise team and biggest disappointing team?

Chrissy: After the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, I would have to say Harvard was the biggest surprise. Going up against Cincinnati, it was hard to say who would come out on top, but I’m pretty sure not many people were picking Harvard. Being an Ivy League school, it’s not very well known for its basketball, but they proved their worth last weekend in a surprise victory. It was a No. 12 seed going up against a No. 5 seed, an unpredictable win for sure. However, the biggest disappointment would absolutely have to be Duke. Expected to go much further, they shocked fans and statisticians across the country. Jabari Parker definitely did not want it to end that way, and it’s still unsure as to whether or not he’ll return next year.

It’s hard to see someone have to end his time on a team in such disappointment.

Andrew: No one heard of Mercer University

before March Madness, but their win over the No. 3 Duke makes them the biggest surprise team of the tournament. With a strong senior presence, they were able to overcome all odds.

Despite allowing 17 three-point shots, Mercer was able to control the paint against Duke’s impressive roster. Keep in mind, Mercer comes from the Atlantic Sun Conference, the same one that saw Florida Gulf Coast make it into the Sweet Sixteen last year. As for the biggest disappointing team, I am not going with Duke, the apparent choice. Instead I am choosing the team that ultimately messed up my bracket, Syracuse. After a dominating first-round performance, freshman Tyler Ennis barely showed up and played sloppy against Dayton. Despite the team’s poor efforts, Ennis had two final shots at the end of the game, which would have put the Orange ahead. Needless to say, both shot attempts did not fall in.

George: As I was walking to class Friday, a mysterious wind swept over me. Something was off about it. I thought I heard something

AP Photo

unnatural behind the wind, so I strained my ear to listen. Then I heard it. The wind carried with it the million sighs uttered from the mouths of college basketball fans whose brackets had just been busted by Duke losing to Mercer. According to ESPN, 96.6 percent of eligible brackets were gone, like dust in the wind, at the end of

the game. Their frustration at witnessing a veteran team coached by one of the greatest coaches in the history of the NCAA be beaten by a team that had never been in the championships before earns Duke the coveted spot of “Most Disappointing Team (So Far)” and Mercer the spot of “Most Surprising Team (So Far).”

Andrew wins for talking about Syracuse’s sloppy play, George gets 2 points for highlighting a disappointing Coach K team, and Chrissy gets 1 point for pointing out the Ivy upsets.

2. Phil Jackson has been hired by the Knicks to turn the franchise around. Can the Zen Master get the job done? And how long will it take him to get New York to the promised land?

Chrissy: After Phil Jackson had been hired by the New York Knicks, there was hope in the air that things will turn around soon. However, I think it will take a few years before the team is brought to the “promised land.” The team needs to rebuild, and this will not happen in only one year. One of the biggest advantages of his coming to the team will be Carmelo Anthony possibly choosing to stay with the Knicks due to this change in coaching. He may not opt out of his contract now, and this will greatly help the Knicks, seeing as how essential he has been to the team. Jackson has been able to bring a brilliant mind to the NBA and will certainly be able to bring the team to the promised land soon enough. He was definitely bring an element of respect to the team and this is something that can carry them a long way.

Andrew: If anyone can turn the Knicks

around, it is the Zen Master. He has a knack for winning, whether it was with Chicago or the Lakers. And as for the Knicks, they haven’t won the title since 1973, when — you guessed it — Jackson was a player on the winning team.

That said, if New York wants to win in the short term, it all depends on if they can retain

their All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, who has the ability to opt out of his contract after the 2014 season comes to an end. If Anthony stays, there is potential to see a championship in the future, but tough roster decisions will have to be made. The Zen Master has a talent for picking up good supporting players. If he is able

AP Photo

to find players to complement Anthony, then there is no reason why the Knicks don’t have a shot at the title. If, however, Anthony leaves, I don’t see the Knicks being a true championship contender until they acquire another franchise All-Star.

George: Jackson’s success with the Knicks hinges on one factor: his relationship with owner James Dolan. The owner is the heir to a large cable company fortune and has a degree in communications from SUNY-New Paltz and has very little knowledge of basketball itself. Despite this, Dolan has a tendency of overriding decisions he doesn’t like, even if that decision is made by someone with a greater understanding for the sport than he does, like Jackson. If Dolan does as he says he’ll do and doesn’t interfere, then Jackson will be able to hire a disciple of his as a coach.

As for how long it will take Jackson to lead the Knicks into the Promised Land, only time will tell. Hopefully it won’t take as long as it took Moses — I’m not sure Jackson’s got another 40 years in him.

George wins for saying Jackson and Dolan need to get along, Chrissy gets 2 points for saying it will be a multi-year project, and Andrew gets 1 point for saying he needs to keep Carmelo.

3. The NFL Draft is coming up. Will Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles be the first QB selected?

Chrissy: Out of Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles, I believe Teddy Bridgewater will be the first caller selected in the NFL Draft because of his all-around ability on the field. Even after a disappointing show this past week in practices, missing multiple passes, I still believe he will be the top

pick. When put under pressure in the past, he has proven to get the job done and he will be able to do so in the NFL, I think all the teams are able to see that. He has great leadership potential and this is something revered in quarterbacks around the league. Although Manziel displays equally stellar play on the field, his antics off the field are sometimes less than desirable. Cockiness and arrogance seem to come in bulk with many new players, and this may

be one of his less desirables attributes. However, it’s going to come down to this handful of players, but I am projecting Bridgewater to be the first caller selected.

Andrew: Despite all this hype surrounding Johnny “Football” Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater, there is one feature that Blake Bortles has that can’t be taught: height. At 6’5,” this quarterback out of University of Central Florida has the prototypical NFL build. While there is still room for improvement for all three of the quarterbacks, all of Bortles supposed “weaknesses” — which include lack of arm strength and ball security — can be easily fixed if given the proper instruction. The other two quarterbacks both definitely have a lot of potential, but

Bortles easily has the largest upside.

George: Bortles will be the first. Manziel’s good but has a tendency to run out of the pocket that, according to some, will not translate well into the professional league, where QBs of Manziel’s size tend to stay inside the pocket to avoid the much larger defensive linemen. Also, most franchises may be hesitant to put up with Manziel’s wild behavior. Bridgewater’s chances have been hampered by his mediocre performance at pro day, which left a bad taste in many scouts’ and coaches’ mouths. That leaves Bortles. Though some cite Bortles’s poor footwork as cause for worry, these bad habits can be worked on in practice. He’s got potential.

Also his name is fun to say.

Andrew wins Around the Dorm, 7-6-5

AP Photo

Andrew wins for saying Bortles is the prototypical QB, Chrissy gets 2 points for talking about Bridgewater’s clutch play, and George gets 1 point for picking Bortles by default.

page 28 The Signal March 26, 2014

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March 26, 2014 The Signal page 29 Cheap Seats

Play-in games dilute Madness quality Boring first round needs to be eliminated

AP Photo

Albany beats Mount St. Mary’s in a first-round game no one cares about.

By Kevin Luo Staff Writer

Nothing in sports compares to March Madness, which consists of the top 68 teams in men’s college basketball competing in a single elimination tournament for one thing: the chip. It’s one of my favorite sporting events of the year, and it’s almost perfect — almost. My one big problem with the NCAA Tournament is the “first round,” the play-in games.

In 2001, the tournament expanded from 64 to 65 teams and it expanded to 68 games in 2011. This means there are four play-in games before the real games start ­— or what the NCAA calls the “second round” — in an attempt to add legitimacy to these bogus play-in games.

The NCAA tournament would actually be perfect if it was 64 teams instead of 68. No one cares about these play-in games except for the people associated with the eight teams playing. It is pretty

unfortunate some of these games couldn’t be “real” tournament games because some have been pretty solid games that had the potential to be on par with the exciting games in the “real” first round, but they won’t get much attention. The sole purpose of the NCAA continuing to expand the tournament is to get more “Big Dogs” (major conference teams) into the Big Dance. Who cares if the Big Ten gets an eighth bid or the Big 12 gets a seventh bid, but more major conference teams in the tournament means more money because these teams usually have larger followings and endowments associated with them.

Two play-in games have the bottom four “at-large teams” (usually No. 11 or No. 12 seeds) squaring off and the second two have the bottom four automatic qualifiers (No. 16 seeds) facing each other. My problem is not as much with the “at-large” play-in games because it basically means there is less debate about the “bubble,” even though I’m still not a fan of them.

My problem is more so with the bottom four automatic qualifiers having to play in a play-in game. If you are an automatic qualifier, it means you have won your conference tournament and deserve a chance to play in the real NCAA Tournament. These No. 16 seeds are usually small schools that a majority of the

country has never heard of. The NCAA is a chance they’ve earned to gain more notoriety (and money) for their school.

Two of these teams will never get that chance, because they’re not playing in a game that the nation cares about or is watching.

Even though a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in the tournament, it is destined to happen one day. Each of these teams has already earned its right to play for that chance at history. They shouldn’t need to play in another silly game. However, win or lose, these No. 16 seeds have the chance to gain a lot of new fans because No. 1 seeds are usually big name schools like Arizona or Florida with big time players so there will be a lot of eyes on their games.

March Madness would be the perfect tournament with only 64 teams.

No one cares about the play-in games. Most of the major online bracket challenges don’t even require you to pick the winners of those games. The major sports networks don’t start really covering and talking about the tournament until after the play-in games.

The expansion of the NCAA Tournament is just another mindless money grab by the NCAA. I don’t think it’s possible for the sports world to not be excited about March Madness, but I also think that the sports world will never get excited for the play-in games.

Baseball

Baseball’s offense taking care of business Lions rally for a sweep in doubleheader

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Baseball scores at least nine runs in its games against Eastern University and Muhlenberg College this week, improving to 9-4.

By George Tatoris Staff Writer

Friday featured huge upsets in the NCAA March Madness tournament, but that madness did not carry over onto the baseball diamond for the Lions (9-4).

The College soundly defeated the struggling Eastern University Eagles 10-1 at George Ackerman Park. Eastern is off to a slow start this season, posting a 2-6 record going into Friday’s game.

The Lions’ offense continued to roll on Friday, this time scoring 10 runs. After failing to score a run in the first inning, the Lions went on to score at least

one run in every inning for the rest of the game.

This forced Eastern to use five different pitchers after starter Ryan Ellison was knocked out of the game, giving up four runs in two innings pitched.

Freshman Ben Varone led the way with his three RBI. “I was looking for the fastball, and I tried to drive it deep,” Varone said about his single that scored two runners in the third inning. “You don’t see too many curveballs hitting in the nine spot.”

Senior pitcher Brendan Kelly pitched a terrific game, giving up only one run on four hits over seven innings. Kelly

pounded the strike zone and dominated hitters with his fastball while racking up seven strikeouts on the day.

“I just went out there throwing stikes and attacking the zone,” Kelly said.

Sophomore JC Rizzi stole two more bases and is a perfect seven-for-seven on the season in stolen bases.

Perhaps the highlight of the day came in the bottom of the sixth inning, when junior Michael Murray hit a monster shot over the fence in left field for his first home run of the season.

Coming off its dominating performance of Friday, March 21, the College traveled to Muhlenberg College for a

doubleheader on Saturday, March 22.

The Lions embarrassed the Mules in the first game by a score of 23-0. The 23 runs were the most runs The College has scored since the 2009 season. The shutout was the Lions’ first of the season.

Junior pitcher Connor Smith tossed his third complete game in as many starts.

The College faced a much stiffer test in the second game of the doubleheader.

Muhlenberg led going into the top of the ninth inning, when the Lions piled on four runs for a come-from-behind 9-7 victory.

The Lions will ride a four-game winning streak into the home match against Arcadia University on Tuesday, March 25.

page 30 The Signal March 26, 2014

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March 26, 2014 The Signal page 31

ports Week In Review AP Photo

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Number of wins per season Softball 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 0

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5

10

15

20

25

30

35

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Team total: 204 Alex Spark 53 Jillian Nealon 35 Jen Garavente 34 Lauren Pigott 23 Erin Waller 20 Kendal Borup 11 Lauren Karpovich 9

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

THE WEEK Stephen Gibson Men’s Swimming

Won two national titles

Senior Stephen Gibson won two national titles in the 200-freestyle relay and the 400-freestyle relay with times of 1:20.47 and 2:58.07, respectively. Gibson and his teammates were both seeded first heading into the final heat. This is the first time in Lions’ history that any relay team has won the NCAA Division III National Title.

The Horizon For

Sports Baseball March 27 @ Ursinus College, 3:30 p.m.

March 29 @ New Jersey City University (DH), 11:30 p.m.

April 1 vs. Widener University, 3:30 p.m.

Softball March 29 vs. Ramapo College (DH), 1 p.m.

April 1 vs. Richard Stockton College (DH), 3 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse March 29 vs. Gettysburg College, 1 p.m.

April 1 @ Ramapo College, 4 p.m.

This week’s picks from the staff Point leaders

(NBA) Heat

vs. Pacers

(NHL) Kings Trail Blazers vs. Blackhawks vs. Penguins

(NBA) Bulls vs. (NHL) Bruins

Track & Field March 29 Northeast Challenge

Chris Molicki 4 Andrew Grossman 3

Men’s Tennis March 29 vs. Christopher Newport University, 12 p.m.

March 30 vs. University of Rochester, 1 p.m.

Julie Kayzerman 3 Mike Herold 3

Women’s Tennis March 29 vs. Stevens Institute of Technology, 10:30 a.m.

March 30 vs. University of Rochester, 11 a.m.

Peter Fiorilla 2 Amy Reynolds 2

?

Signal Trivia

?

What country is in charge of manufacturing all of the NHL jerseys?

AP Photo

Last week’s Signal Trivia Answer:

According to Olympic Badminton rules, each birdie must have exactly 14 feathers. If it does not, then the birdie is considered to be unplayable.

Signal

Sports

Relay squad captures two freestyle titles Men make case for being program’s GOAT

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Teamwork propels the 400-free relay team to a title.

By Peter Fiorilla Sports Editor

Riding teamwork and a selfless mentality all the way to the program’s bestever finish at the NCAA Championships, the men’s swimming and diving team won national titles in the 200-free and

400-free relays, as six student-athletes etched their names in Lions lore.

In the 200-free relay, senior Philip Hawley, sophomore Joseph Dunn, junior Brett Pedersen and senior Stephen Gibson earned the title with a program-best time of 1:20.47, while senior Stephen Tarnowski, Pedersen, Dunn and Gibson took home the 400-free

championship with a time of 2:58.07.

“It honestly is the highest satisfaction I have personally ever felt,” Gibson said. “I never imagined my career ending in such a way. It is very surreal. To win one championship was overwhelming, but two is taking it to a level all its own.”

Season-long strategies paid off during the weekend, as the coaching staff — led

by NCAA Coach of the Year head coach Brian Bishop — and its focus on sprint races paid off with two titles.

“This year our training strategy was to build up an aerobic base through intense leg workouts early in the season, and transition to more race-pace and style work with less leg emphasis for the second half to let everyone’s legs recover for the championship season,” Tarnowski said.

This resulted in what was arguably the best finish in the swim program’s 25-year history, as Bishop acknowledged.

“We were more in the national mix this year than (ever before), so I think this was definitely our best year,” Bishop said.

“Winning the Coach of the Year is great, I’m humbled by it. But it’s really a reflection of our team. You can’t win a Coach of the Year award without outstanding student-athletes, and so it’s a credit to them understanding what we’re trying to do.”

The cause for the Lions’ massive relay success was their selfless approach to

what’s often an individual sport, as despite racing against teams with racers with better personal times, they came out on top when it mattered most.

“We understand that even though swimming is a very individualistic sport with little team interaction, we all depend on each other to ultimately achieve our goals,” Gibson said. “Each individual performance has its role in the team as a whole.”

That’s why the team was able to play better than the sum of its parts: Even though the College swimmers in the 50-free relay finished 18th, 20th, 22nd and 24th, they swam for each other to achieve an unbelievable result.

“Bishop says we perform well on relays because we all swim for each other,” Tarnowski said. “Another Bishop-ism is that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts. This took on literal significance for me, because after coming up a few tenths short in my individual races, I was able to finally achieve a title with the help of my team.”

That selfless mentality was exemplified by senior William Kasper, one of the five swimmers competing for a spot on the relay team all year.

Kasper ended up on the outside looking in, but showed strong support for his teammates at nationals.

The rest is history.

Lions clutch in OT upset over Gettysburg Unbeaten lacrosse team continues to roll

By Andrew Grossman Production Manager

The lacrosse team had their first real test of the season when they faced off against No. 6 Gettysburg College on Thursday, March 20. Despite trailing 10-7 with about six minutes to go, the Lions remained confident and pulled out their biggest win of the season in a hard-fought match.

“I think we had a really strong foundation as a team and I think we really had a great group of practices coming into it, so everyone was prepared,” junior attacker Ava Fitzgerald said. “We were also really prepared skill-wise, and I think we had a really positive mentality and knew what we needed to get done and accomplished.”

Junior attacker Kendal Borup continued her great start to the year after scoring four goals against the Bullets, bringing her season total to 26. Behind her —

Lions’ Lineup March 26, 2014

I n s i d e

and also having an impressive game — was Fitzgerald, who scored three goals, including the final one in overtime to put the Lions ahead 11-10.

“It was honestly exciting, but we all felt that we had to stay composed because we still had time left and we had to keep our composure on the field,” Fitzgerald said about scoring the final goal. “It was an awesome win for us, and I think it really helped propel us into the season.

We now know how we need to compete against big rivals and how we have to carry our level of game when the time comes.”

In the following game against Neumann University, the Lions had their best offensive showing of the season, scoring 18 goals in the first half, taking the victory 22-6.

“Once they scored goals, we kind of had the mentality that we had to get it back, so we knew that once again we were finding

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Senior attacker Jen Garavente helps the Lions defeat Gettysburg and Neumann.

opportunities and looking for people on the inside,” Fitzgerald said. “We were answering back to make up for the goal that they had scored (in order to) maintain our game’s lead and position.”

Next week, the team looks to extend their winning streak against Ursinus College on Tuesday, March 25, and Ramapo College on Saturday, March 29.

“Looking ahead, our main

goal is to maintain that undefeated record and to just always improve with each game,” Fitzgerald said. “(Those are the best games when) we can really learn and grow as a team.”

46 53 Around the Dorm page 27

Baseball wins two page 29

Yanks are 2014 contenders page 23

There’s too much madness page 29