Signal Issue: Fall 2012, Issue 1

Class of 2016 begins entrance into College

College announces members of 2012 Hall of Fame class See Sports page 24

See news page 2

College unveils new Education Building Vol. CXXXVII, No. 1

By Brandon Gould News Editor

What was merely a vision in May 2010 has now become tangible with the new Education Building operational for the fall 2012 semester.

The new building — which will be the School of Education’s new home, replacing the outdated Forcina Hall — is 72,000 square feet and has 20 classrooms. These rooms include: typical classrooms, a tiered classroom, a computer classroom, an Early Childhood Model Classroom, an Elementary Model Classroom, a Science Education Research Classroom and a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Classroom. The building also has a tiered, 165-seat auditorium and one seminar room.

The idea for the $33.5 million structure started back in 2001 when the Education Building was included in the Conceptual Campus Facilities Master Plan Framework and the planning began about half a decade ago, according to Matthew Golden, associate vice president for Communications and College Relations.

“The programming began more than five years ago, when the College’s facilities master plan was updated,” Golden said in an email.

“At that time consultants met with many campus constituents, including vice presidents, the provost, deans, faculty, staff and students to develop program requirements for all facilities included in the master plan.

“The program developed for the education building during that master-planning process was a starting point for the design, which began in January 2010 and involved the dean, chairs, faculty, staff and students,” Golden continued. “Working with consultants, this group updated and refined the program.”

Of the 20 classrooms, 16 are standard “smart classrooms.” A smart classroom has technology built into it and is the new standard at the College, according to Golden.

The ceiling-mounted projector and projection screen can be operated by wall switches or at the lectern. The lectern houses the computer, which is connected to the projector. The lighting controls allow the professor to turn off the lights at the front of the room when the white board in use, or turn that row of lights off when the projection screen is in use. The

Ashley Long / Photo Editor

After two years of construction, the Education Building will open its doors. white boards are interactive, meaning that they electronically record what is written on them.

“The devices in the other rooms have been tailored for unique requirements,” Golden said.

The building was designed by Environetics Design, Inc. and constructed by

Campus welcomes Class of 2016

Freshmen ring in the 2012 fall semester

By Jamie Primeau Editor-in-Chief

Venturing into the unknown and pursuing challenges were two themes in Monday morning’s convocation ceremony, in which the freshmen officially became members of the College community.

August 29, 2012

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Prominent voices — including representation from faculty, alumni and the student body — shared anecdotes and advice with the Class of 2016.

President R. Barbara Gitenstein gave the group a warm welcome in the Recreation Center by beginning with an overview of the College’s history,

Janika Berridge / Photo Assistant

The College community celebrates the school’s freshman class.

including its five name changes.

“While there have been many substantive changes over the years, institutional core commitments to excellence and service have remained constant,” Gitenstein said. “These values are not, however, a simple formula.

Rather they are points for discussion and challenge.”

She spoke of how the school prizes diversity and how it is through understanding and appreciating different viewpoints that the community continues to learn and grow.

“As you participate in shaping our college community, you must continue to challenge yourself and challenge others to perform in all arenas in an exemplary fashion. You owe that to one another. You owe that to your families. You owe that to yourselves,” she said.

Cynthia Curtis, president of the Faculty Senate, offered insight on behalf of the College’s faculty.

She pointed out how people habitually surround themselves with friends who view the world in the same way, but that it is equally important to branch beyond that comfort. see FRESHMEN page 2

Dobco Inc. It was designed to meet LEED Silver standards, but will not be certified in order to save money on the certification fees, according to Golden. see EDUCATION page 3

Campus gets updated

By Brandon Gould News Editor

Over the past summer, the College gave itself a facelift, bringing several buildings and its pipes system up to date.

The main attraction of the summer was the completion of the new Education Building, but the College’s pipes system as well as Centennial, Decker, Travers, Wolfe and Cromwell Halls also went under construction to improve their current condition before the fall 2012 semester.

The College’s Steam and Sanitary Pipes Replacement project is currently under construction on the ABE lawn and Metzger Drive and is designed to “replace major building components and utility infrastructure based on expected life spans of equipment, materials and systems,” according to Matthew Golden, associate vice president for Communications and College Relations.

“The steam line developed a condensate leak, which allows treated water to be discharged into the storm water system,” Golden told The Signal. “This condition is not permitted by regulatory agencies and must be corrected. Without the steam system, there would not be heat or hot water.”

Golden explained that one of the biggest factors the College took into account was the exception that the addition of the new Education Building would add more waste to sections of pipe that were already considered to be inadequate.

“The sanitary pipe system carries waste from sinks, showers and toilets to the treatment facility,” Golden said. “The College recently investigated the underground sanitary pipe system and found that the pipe serving Centennial is undersized based on the flow rates and slope of the pipe.”

Centennial Hall saw numerous renovations over the summer as a part of the College’s asset renewal plan, similar to the recently completed Decker Hall renovations. The College expects the renovations to Centennial to be completed over two summers, which will allow the school to avoid taking the building off-line for a year, according to Golden.

Golden shared that the College reviewed last year’s student petition with Residential Education and addressed some “cosmetic issues, but the focus of this project is on asset renewal needs of major building systems related to life safety, environmental controls and building envelope.” see UPDATES page 3

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 5 Opinions / Page 7 Editorial / Page 9 Features / Page 11 Arts & Entertainment / Page 13 Fun Stuff / Page 19 Sports / Page 24 Learn how to avoid the New artwork adds culture Fall Rat preview The Signal ‘Feared 15’ to the College Get the scoop on bands Discover ways to avoid Take a look outside the Education coming to campus those unwanted pounds.

Building to see it for yourself! @TCNJsignal See A&E Page 13 See Features page 11 See News page 3

2016 comes highly touted Freshmen / Convocation page 2 The Signal August 29, 2012

New class bodes impressive statistics

By Andrew Miller Staff Writer

The number of applications the College has received has risen over the past six years by close to 20 percent, according to the Office of Admissions.

Approximately 10,300 prospective students applied for the 2012-2013 academic year — a record number of applications — and 4,751 of them were accepted, representing a 46 percent acceptance rate. Out of those accepted students, 1,389 matriculated to the College.

A typical admitted student will have been in the top 10 percent of his or her high school class and enrolled in rigorous honors or advanced placement classes, according to Gracia Monetero, the director of admissions at the College.

Fifty percent of the students admitted had SAT scores ranging from 1210-1380 for math and verbal (the writing section score did not weigh heavily in the admissions process).

The number of applications to the College has risen steadily over the past six years with the exception of applications for the 2009-2010 academic year. The number of students that applied dropped by about 400, relative to the number of students that applied in the previous academic year.

Despite the record number of applications in the 2012-2013 year, the acceptance rate has remained somewhat consistent, vacillating between 42 percent (2008) and 47 percent (2010).

Ironically, according to data supplied by the admissions office and subsequent analysis by

The Signal, while the number of acceptances has climbed by about 16 percent since 2006, the number of matriculations to the College has not come close to matching that increase. In 2007, 1,303 students matriculated. In 2012, 1,389 students enrolled, representing a mere six percent increase in enrollment.

Additionally, the enrollment rate — that is, the percentage of accepted students that matriculate to the College — has marginally decreased over the past six years. For the 2006-2007 academic year, the enrollment rate was a little over 32 percent.

For the current academic year, the percentage has dropped to about 29 percent.

Despite the slight decrease in enrollment rate, the College believes that it has admitted a strong class.

“They have leaders and athletes, musicians and artists,” Montero said. “They were accepted not only on their academic accomplishments but also on their leadership and service accomplishments.”

Members of the class of 2016 have visited 107 countries and speak a combined 44 languages.

Certain students’ accomplishments warrant special recognition.

One freshman attended the World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain. World Youth Day is an international convention designed to celebrate the Catholic faith, but it is open to all religious youths.

One freshman participated in the junior Olympics for sailing. Another completed 6,000 hours of documented community service.

A student created an anti-bullying public service announcement for the state of N.J.

continued from page 1

“Challenge your own assumptions about the world,” Curtis said. “Attend a lecture by someone you disagree with politically or morally. Take a class which makes you nervous in a field you know nothing about. Talk to students radically different from you.

In this way, you will truly learn.”

On behalf of the Alumni Association, its president William Cahill (’05 and ’09 graduate) shared song lyrics he found appropriate for the occasion.

Quoting Natasha Bedingfield, Cahill said: “I am unwritten / Can’t read my mind / I’m undefined … Today is where your book begins / The rest is still unwritten.”

When he experienced convocation 11 years ago for the first time, Cahill related his experience to a blank page and encouraged the new class to make the most of it.

Cahill then did his part in putting a face to the College’s newest freshman class, presenting the Class of 2016 with a banner to be hung in the Brower Student Center.

After Cahill’s presentation, Student Government President Christina Kopka took the stage and spoke about the lessons that she recently learned while studying in Spain over this past summer.

“Spending time in another country allows you to redefine who you are and opens your eyes to a better version of the world that can’t be captured by even National Geographic and the Discovery Channel,” Kopka said.

While abroad, she decided to explore the unknown by climbing Mulhacén, the highest mountain on the Iberian peninsula.

Halfway through her journey, she realized if she wanted to reach the top, she could not turn back and that the only way to go was up, despite obstacles like crumbling rocks and a frigid temperature.

Turning that experience into advice, Kopka said, “Always remember it doesn’t matter how you get there and it doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there, so long as you continue to climb.”

College’s newly finished Education Building really shines

Ashley Long / Photo Editor

After moving out of Forcina Hall, the School of Education has found a new home. Two years after ground was initially broken, what began as a dream has become a reality. The Education Café (top right) will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The café will take meal plan points and also take part in meal equivalency, according to Matthew Golden.

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 3

Updates / Fixing Education / New café opens Centennial Hall continued from page 1

continued from page 1

The Centennial Hall renovations project, according to Golden, was completed prior to students moving in and includes: new flooring in the hallways, fresh paint on walls and ceilings throughout the building, new furniture — including beds, bunk ladders, dressers, desks and desk chairs — and a new spray-applied coating on the tile walls in the bathrooms.

A small renovation of the lower level lakeside showers will take place during the summer of 2013.

Centennial also underwent a roof replacement during the summer along with Decker, Travis and Wolfe Halls.

The Cromwell renovations project started in May 2012 and is expected to be completed prior to the fall 2013 semester, according to Golden. The focus of the project is to “replace aging plumbing fixtures and piping infrastructure” and will also include new finishes throughout the building’s rooms, lounges, entrance and lobby.

Thalia Ortiz / Production Manager

After complaints from students, the College made the bathrooms in Centennial a priority this summer.

“The College can get the same environmental and energy-saving benefits without spending additional money for the actual certification,” Golden said. “For this type of project, the additional fees would likely cost between $60,000 and $70,000. In keeping with our constant goal of minimizing unnecessary costs to the College and helping keep tuition and fees low for our students, we chose to forego buying the certification but are happy to know we have built to LEED silver standards.”

LEED standards are often thought of as addressing energy efficiency, which it does, but another aspect of this design is occupant comfort, Golden said.

“The design addresses occupant comfort through indoor air quality (IAQ) measures, including increased ventilation, lowemitting materials and an IAQ plan during construction,” Golden told The Signal in an email. “Daylighting of space and views to the exterior were another important component of the design.”

Energy-efficient features include motionactivated lighting and a chilled beam system with heat recovery wheels and heat pipe technology. This chilled beam system pretreats the air to reduce the amount of cooling and heating needed to condition the building, Golden explained.

The system provides free pre-cooling and

also reheats air to the air handling unit.

The reduction in primary airflow allows the amount of electricity used to be reduced, according to Golden.

There will be a café in the building, which will be open to serve day and evening students. Meal equivalency will apply in the Education Café, as will meal plan points.

The Education Café will be open from Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., as well as on Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Golden said (see photo on page 2).

The total cost of all the ins and outs of the new state-of-the-art building will be covered by a bond issued in 2010, according to Golden.

“The bonds were issued as combination of tax-exempt and taxable Build America Bonds,” Golden said. “The Build America Bonds were part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. (The College) will receive an annual cash subsidy of approximately $1.0 million or 35 percent of the interest payment from the United States Treasury to offset the annual debt service payments on these bonds.”

The building structure consists of steel and concrete, the exterior is made of brick and cast stone, the flat roof is ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and the sloped roof is synthetic slate. There will also be a piece of aluminum artwork outside of the new Education Building, which was created by Tom Nussbasum (see article below).

Artist creates piece that all students can enjoy

By Stephanie Petit Staff Writer Despite the controversy following the installation of the Pixels on campus a few years ago, artist Tom Nussbaum was up for the challenge of creating an art piece outside the new Education Building.

Nussbaum won a contest held by the College over two years ago by submitting his proposal for a large sculpture featuring images of figures working, climbing ladders and using tools. Images of the College’s mascot, the lion, and an owl are found along with many elaborate patterns.

“The sculpture is a metaphor for the activities of the College, of the school of education,” Nussbaum said. “It symbolizes the teachers and the students who will be teachers all working together to build their community and education.”

There is a lot of symbolism in the piece, but Nussbaum tries to make the piece open for interpretation.

“When I do my work I really think about how people are going to spend time with the work and how people are going to see it every day,” the artist said. “I wanted to have some depth of meaning so you don’t just look at it once and understand it immediately. The more time you spend with it, the more things you see.”

The sculpture, entitled “Building Up,” stands 22 feet tall and is constructed of 1-inch thick anodized aluminum. According to Nussbaum, the cost of the work was about $130,000 and it took about two year of part-time work to finish.

“The sculpture is complete, but the project is not complete,” Nussbaum said.

To finish the art piece, benches will be installed around the edge of the circle where the sculpture stands and on those benches are going be stainless steel plaques Nussbaum designed that will describe the sculpture. There is also going to be a website, designed and built by students, where descriptions of

the different patterns and images in the sculpture are explained.

Nussbaum explained that the patterns found on the sculpture come from American quilts. In the history of American quilt making, many patterns can be traced back to people’s country of origin.

“To make a long story short, in the United States, all these patterns got mixed up together and a lot of American quilts contain these patterns from all these different sources,” he said. “So the whole thing is kind of a metaphor for the American way of life, which becomes a great melting pot that is the American culture.”

Nussbaum found that this relates to the School of Education because as students become teachers, they go all over the country for work.

The artwork is designed to be accessible to the wide range of viewers on the campus including students, faculty and staff as well as visitors. Special thought was also given to make this an art work for people who have visual and physical impairments.

“It was challenging for me to make a visual art that people who are visually impaired can experience,” Nussbaum said of the project.

The patterns on the sculpture are meant to be touched and the plaques explaining the sculpture will have Braille on them. There is also a bell at the top of the sculpture so visually impaired people can recognize just how large the piece is.

According to his official website, Nussbaum’s work includes drawings, prints and sculptures which have been exhibited throughout the U.S. and Japan. He has created site-specific commissions for many public plazas, train stations, schools, hospitals and environmental centers.

The artist also travels to many colleges around the country doing lectures about works and his life as an artist.

“I talk to students about what it’s like to try to make a living as an artist

and what the reality of an artist’s life is and how I’ve done that over the years,” Nussbaum said.

And as for our Pixels? Nussbaum likes the work and finds the idea behind them — how pixels are very small parts that make up images — an interesting

idea and way to think about art.

“People’s response to art work is very personal so I can understand how there can be different opinions,” he said. “I think that there’s lots of different kind of art and I think it’s really important to keep an open mind and try to look with curiosity.”

Ashley Long / Photo Editor

Nussbaum likes to leave the meaning of his art to be interpreted by others.

page 4 The Signal August 29, 2012

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 5

Nation & W rld

17 Afghani partygoers beheaded by insurgents KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Insurgents beheaded 17 people at a party in a Taliban-controlled area, and an Afghan soldier killed two U.S. troops, bringing the two-day death toll Monday to about 30.

Near-daily attacks by militants and increasingly frequent deadly violence against NATO troops by their Afghan allies highlight an embarrassing failure of Western policy: After nearly 12 years of military intervention, the country is not pacified.

The beheadings occurred in southern Helmand, the same province where more than 100 insurgents attacked an Afghan army checkpoint and killed 10 soldiers.

Analysts say that a public worn down by a war that began just a month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks no longer cares about Afghanistan, and that the war has slipped off the radar screens and is now considered by many to be over.

“Choosing to ignore problems is rarely a good way to solve them,” said Chaynes, who spent nearly a decade in Afghanistan and served as an adviser to the U.S. military.

Most of the problems are likely to surface in Helmand and the south, where most of the surge troops will be removed as part of a drawdown that will reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan from a peak of nearly 103,000 last year to about 68,000 in October. Other nations, including Britain, are also drawing down in the south, and nearly all foreign military forces are to leave the country by the end of 2014.

The forces are to be replaced by Afghan army and police units, but many have questioned the effectiveness of a force that has high desertion rates, is often poorly

AP Photo

Afghan President Hamid Karzai displays a pen that belonged to former Afghanistan King Shah Amanullah Khan. disciplined, and is supposed to reach a high of about 350,000 at the end of the year.

Another growing concern is the loyalty of the Afghan troops that the U.S. has spent more than $22 billion to train in recent years.

Insider attacks have been a problem for the U.S.-led military coalition for years, but they recently have become a crisis.

There have been at least 33 such attacks so far this year, killing 42 coalition members, mostly Americans. Last year, there were 21 attacks, killing 35; and in 2010 there were 11 attacks with 20 deaths.

The chief spokesman for NATO forces in the country said coalition forces were not pulling back from collaborating with the Afghans because of the attacks.

“We are not going to reduce the close relationship with our Afghan partners,” Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz told reporters in the capital.

The Taliban have controlled large parts of Musa Qala, a district encompassing more than 100 villages,

since 2001. They enforce the same strict interpretation of Islamic law that was imposed during Taliban rule of Afghanistan from 1996-2001.

U.S. Marines have battled the Taliban since they arrived in the region about two years ago. Although U.S. and foreign forces made significant gains in the south, insurgents still wield significant power in the area, and it is expected to increase as the Marines and other forces withdraw.

As a consequence, many Afghans and international observers have expressed concerns the Taliban will try to re-impose strict Islamic justice.

Under the Taliban, all music and film was banned as un-Islamic, and women were barred from leaving their homes without a male relative as an escort.

Another sign that the Taliban may be returning in strength is the attack that killed 10 Afghan soldiers. The attack occurred late Sunday at a checkpoint in Helmand’s Washir district, said provincial spokesman Daoud Ahmadi.

GOP installs debt clock TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — As Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus gaveled the party’s convention to order Monday, he also set in motion a debt clock, a theatrical flourish designed to remind Americans just how rapidly the government’s tide of red ink is mounting under President Barack Obama.

It may also be an unintended reminder that the GOP’s presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, has yet to say in any detail what he would do about it.

The clock Priebus started on Monday is totaling debt the government accumulates during the convention.

A second debt clock, which started running earlier, displays the total national debt, which now stands at $15.9 trillion.

Priebus vowed that on Romney’s first day in office, the new president would “take immediate action to cut federal spending and bring the debt under control.”

So far in the campaign, Romney has promised to cut income tax rates across the board, including for the wealthiest households.

He says he would pay for

Capitol City Report

Governor Chris Christie is slated to be the keynote speaker at the Republican national convention on Tuesday night.

According to an anonymous Democratic county chairman, Newark mayor, Cory Booker, is considering running for Governor in 2013.

Governor Christie denied allegations brought by a New York Post article that he didn’t want to be Mit Romney’s running mate because he didn’t want to be attached to a loosing enterprise. He did, however, comment that he thinks Romney should show a more human side.

Senator Menendez’s challenger, New Jersey Senator Joe Kyrillos, aired his first campaign advertisement titled “I am Joe.” All information from AP

Quick Bits A recent study in New Zealand found that marijuana dependency before age 18 caused a decline in IQ score. However, the same drop was not found in those that began using marijuana after age 18.

The current owner of Michael Vick’s old home, the one where he kept dogs for fighting, is now charged with animal cruelty.

The new owner has been using the compound as a sanctuary for previously abused dogs and is shocked at being charged.

Police have not commented.

AP Photo

Chairman of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus announces the display of the debt ticker. the cuts by eliminating unspecified deductions, but many like the break for home mortgage interest are so popular that it is hard to see how he would keep the tax reductions from adding to the red ink.

He wants to boost Pentagon spending - another move that would make the debt problem worse. He also promises to protect current Social Security and Medicare recipients from cuts.

Romney says he would reduce the deficit by capping federal spending - now at 23.5 percent of U.S. economy - at 20 percent by the end

of his first term in January 2017. But to make that math work would require deeper cuts in federal programs than Congress is likely to go along with.

With defense spending off limits, such reductions could mean slashing health care for the poor and disabled and huge cuts to programs like homeland security, air traffic control, law enforcement, food inspection, national parks and highways.

Throughout nearly a year of campaigning, Romney has avoided saying what he’d cut.

The Roman Catholic archbishop-elect of San Francisco apologized Monday for his weekend arrest on suspicion of drunken driving. Legal experts said it was unlikely to derail his promotion.

Apple won a billion dollar lawsuit against Samsung over patent infringment on smartphones and tablets. Samsung filed a countersuit, but it was dropped.

A man from Montana was killed while trying to create a fake bigfoot sighting. He was hit by two cars on a highway while wearing a military style Ghillie suit. Authorities found out about his intentions from interviews with his friends.

President Obama declared a state of emergency in Louisiana because of the impending hurricanes.

All information from AP

page 6 The Signal August, 29 2012

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 7

Opinions The Signal says ...

Stop: vomiting in communal bathrooms, ignoring presidential election updates, wearing lanyards (freshmen) Caution: traveling in packs, drinking the jungle juice, trying to find parking right before class Go: figure out who to vote for, make friends with Larry, get in line early for Meal Equiv

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Election spotlight: Paul Ryan We asked the College Republicans and College Democrats to share their opinions about Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s recent vice president pick, Congressman Paul Ryan.

Hope and change in Romney/Ryan By the College Republicans

Almost four years ago, on Aug. 29, 2008, John McCain named his choice for vice president: Sarah Palin. Palin had been governor of Alaska for less than two years prior to her selection to join John McCain on the Republican ticket for president. Palin was selected to be a “game changer,” and that is exactly what she became. Yes, Palin rallied the Republican base, but simultaneously pushed moderates towards now President Barack Obama. Her lack of experience and general perception has been recognized as a major reason for the failure of the Republican bid in 2008.

Four years later, that choice still hangs over the Republican Party, but the presumptive Republican nominee for president, Mitt Romney, has been given the opportunity to reestablish the qualities of a Republican vice president by selecting an educated, experienced and wellvetted candidate to join him. On Aug. 11, 2012, Romney did just that by selecting Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Congressman Ryan, a father of three, has served in the United States House of Representatives since 1999. He quickly made a name for himself as a “budget wiz,” climbing the rigid leadership structure in the House to become the youngest chair of the House Budget Committee in history.

Democrats will undoubtedly attempt to define Ryan as a radical conservative who does not have

a serious vision for the future, but that could not be further from the truth. Congressman Ryan is responsible for one of the few passed budgets in either house of Congress. Ryan’s budget has also received bipartisan support in the Senate through the Congressman’s work with Democratic Senator Rob Wyden. His budget proposal reins in spending, reforms inefficient entitlement programs and simplifies the complex American tax system. Under Ryan’s “path to prosperity” roughly $16 trillion in U.S. debt disappears by 2030, more than $700 billion is returned to Medicare through the repeal of Obamacare and social security is reformed to ensure the program’s solvency for future generations. As the Democrats go on the offensive against the Ryan budget they should be reminded that the Congressman’s budget passed the house and was narrowly defeated in the Senate while President Obama’s proposed budget failed in the Senate by a shocking 99-0 vote.

Republicans have not been the only ones speaking of Ryan’s incredible résumé and understanding of our nation’s financial crisis.

Former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and co-chair of President Obama’s Deficit Commission, Erskin Bowles is among those praising the congressman’s efforts. In a recent public appearance at the University of North Carolina, Mr. Bowles called Ryan’s budget “a sensible, straightforward and serious budget.”

He goes on in his speech to define Ryan using words such as “honest,” “amazing” and “sincere.”

I doubt we will see this characterization in the President’s ads through November.

Mitt Romney made a bold choice, the perfect choice. Paul Ryan understands the problems we face as a nation, and he has a serious plan to solve them. In the coming months we should all look forward to hearing from the ticket that truly represents “hope and change”: Romney/Ryan.

Ryan: a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

By Michael R. Griffith for the College Democrats

Mitt Romney changed GOP tactics this election cycle. Instead of picking a vice presidential nominee who is a Washington outsider, he chose the ultimate Washington insider, someone who’s spent his entire post-college career involved with D.C. politics: Paul Ryan. Ryan hails from Wisconsin, was elected to Congress in 1998, became the chair for the House budgetary committee in 2011 and has been considered a “policy wonk” by conservative colleagues and the Tea Party.

Ryan claims to be a “fiscal conservative” and a “deficit hawk,” preaching that he will make the tough choices to lead our country out of debt, but don’t believe the hype. Ryan is just another cut taxes, cut services, increase defense spending, increase the deficit Republican.

Ryan voted for the Bush tax cuts, Troubled Asset Relief Program and

AP Photo

Paul Ryan: not a good choice for college students.

AP Photo

‘Budget Wiz’ Paul Ryan proposes a ‘path to prosperity.’

the auto bail-out, strange moves for such a “deficit hawk,” whose recent budget proposals have been as astoundingly cruel to the old and poor as they are generous to the wealthy.

I’m not sure if Ryan is a wolf in sheep’s clothing or if he is blissfully unaware of the damage his budgets would cause to millions of Americans.

Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman called his budget “simultaneously ridiculous and heartless,” while the Congressional Budget Office projects that “over the next decade the plan would lead to bigger deficits and more debt than current law.”

This is not a vision for American fiscal sustainability, but another one of the Republicans’ irresponsible budget policies that raised the deficit and helped lead the country into its current state. These are policies that hurt Americans who need the most assistance: our poor, our elderly and ourselves.

What policies would directly affect us? To begin with, Ryan wants to cut Pell grants by $170 billion over the next 10 years, causing over one million students to lose their Pell grants entirely during this time.

According to an article by Joy Resmovits, Ryan wants to “allow the interest rate for federally subsidized Stafford loans to double (and) end student loan interest subsidies for those still in school.” If you’re one of the students that depend on both Pell grants and loans, well, good luck with that.

The list of problems with Paul Ryan continues: He’s an environmental nightmare, his social conservatism is astounding (his track record for women and LGBT rights are incredibly poor), his foreign policy experience is minimal, he voted to make the Patriot Act permanent, he has been a major force of gridlock in Congress and what he wants to do to millions of children, disabled and elderly on Medicare and Medicaid is shameful.

Do I think he was a good political choice for Romney? Maybe.

Ryan should help Romney gain support with that extreme conservative base. Do I think Ryan would be a good choice for our nation? For the love of America, no.

THE SIGNAL WANTS YOU! Send your 2012 election opinions to fitzpa28@tcnj.edu!

page 8 The Signal August 29, 2012

WE ARE ALL THE REASON WHY This past year, TCNJ received an unprecedented number of applications (10,294) for admission. We hosted more visitors to our campus than ever before. We enrolled one of the most accomplished classes in history … a class that features: A 16% increase in out-of-state students Over 500 students who earned a TCNJ merit scholarship 381 students who were presidents of high school organizations Students who speak a combined 44 languages and have visited 107 countries A 52% participation rate in high school varsity athletics Simply put, the Admissions Office couldn ’t have done it without each and every member of our faculty, staff and student body. Visiting families consistently emphasize in their evaluations how much they value their contacts with the TCNJ community, whether it ’s chatting up a professor in the hallway or getting directions from a student or staff member while wandering the campus.

Every interaction a family has while on our campus impacts their enrollment decision … we are ALL the reason why our students choose TCNJ. Bringing in the Class of 2017 has already begun! Aside from our weekday Daily Tour Visits (most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from September-December), we hope you will keep our three weekend Lions Day Open House dates on your radar (9/22, 10/14, 11/17). Thousands of students will visit our campus on these dates and will benefit greatly from your insights and your enthusiasm.

Each and every one of us is a part of this effort, each and every day …

Thank you for your help and continued support!

— — The Office of Undergraduate Admissions

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 9

Editorial Finding your place For anyone out there who is unhappy with their current social situation, I have one suggestion — join a club.

I’m not trying to sound like your freshman ambassador or your CA or your mother. I know they all insist that you get involved. If you are currently very happy just going to class and hanging out with your friends, awesome. I love that too, I just wanted more.

It sucks to not be able to find a group you click with on campus. I, like many College freshmen, mainly bonded with kids on my floor. That’s where 90 percent of my friends came from and it was a pretty awesome year, but I was even happier once I found some clubs where I felt like I belonged.

I tried out seven student organizations and found two that have really defined my time at the College. Here’s some advice I have if you think it’s time for you to join a club.

Go to the Activities Fair

Kate Stronczer / Staff Photographer

Whether you want to play music for CUB Rat (like these fellows from Café Under the Stars), participate in an intramural sport or write for The Signal, there is an activity for everyone.

Quotes of the Week

The Weekly Poll: How do you feel about getting involved this year?

Seems obvious, right? Well, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s true. There are dozens of organizations lined up trying to recruit you. Let them. Talk to them and find out what they are all about and what their people are like. It’s a great way (and really the only way) to take a wide view of all of the organizations on campus, meet their members and find out how to get involve if you are interested.

• I already have everything I’m looking for in my social life at the College.

The activities fair is on Wednesday, Sept. 5 on the path from the Library to the Stud from 12 to 3 p.m.

• I feel pretty good about what I’ve got going on, but I’m always open to new things.

Jump right into the club

• All I want to do is write for The Signal.

After sticking your neck out and talking to people at the activities fair, it’s important that you capitalize on that move while clubs are still in active recruiting mode. If you find a club that sounds great to you, and they tell you about a meeting or an event, go. Take your friends if it will make it easier on you, but make sure you go. Then, involve yourself.

Don’t overstep your boundaries, but take advantage of any opportunities to work with and talk to people.

Let your guard down and talk So you’ve gotten yourself to a meeting for an organization that you really like, great. Don’t waste that effort by clamming up and avoiding everybody you don’t know. Especially in the wake of the activities fair, make small talk.

You’re not going to become friends with everyone you meet, but it really can’t hurt to try. The worst thing that could happen is a moment of awkwardness if you try to talk to someone and it goes nowhere. The best thing that could happen is you meet a great new person and become involved in a great new organization.

Every time you try a new thing, that could be something that you end up loving. So keep trying new things and keep finding things that you love.

– Brendan McGrath, Managing 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.

• I can’t wait to get involved in a new organization and meet new people.

cast your vote @ tcnjsignal.net !

tcnjsignal.net Telephone:

Production Rm - (609) 771-2424 Business Office - (609) 771-2499 Fax: (609) 771-3433 Email: signal@tcnj.edu Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu

Editorial Staff Jamie Primeau Editor-in-Chief primeau2@tcnj.edu Brendan McGrath Managing Editor mcgrat28@tcnj.edu Brandon Gould News Editor gould9@tcnj.edu Chris Molicki Sports Editor molickc1@tcnj.edu Amy Reynolds Features Editor reynola1@tcnj.edu Tom Ciccone Arts & Entertainment Editor ciccont2@tcnj.edu Shaun Fitzpatrick Opinions Editor fitzpa28@tcnj.edu Ashley Long Photo Editor longa1@tcnj.edu

Mailing Address:

The Signal c/o Brower Student Center The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718

Thalia Ortiz Production Manager Chris Rightmire Nation & World Editor Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant Chris Rightmire News Assistant Janika Berridge Matthew Mance Vicki Wang Photo Assistants Emilie Lounsberry Advisor Business Staff Dan Lisi Business/Ad Manager

“It doesn’t matter how you get there and it doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there, so long as you continue to climb.”

— Student Government President Christina Kopka

“It’s the icing on the cake that she works here and devotes so much of her life to the athletic program.”

— field hockey coach Sharon Pfluger speaking of Hall of Fame inductee Robin Selbst

“I wanted to have some depth of meaning so you don’t just look at it once and understand it immediately. The more time you spend with it, the more things you see.”

— artist Tom Nussbaum

page 10 The Signal August 29, 2012

Change Your Life Save Many Lives Volunteer tutors needed Basic high school topics Only 2 hours per week Monday - Friday 8:30-10:00 and 1:00-3:00 West Trenton Prisons “Prison is the worst place that anybody would ever want to go. It’s not something I would wish on my enemy. While I was in prison, I considered my life over. Being there, we know all too well that without an education, it’s going to be impossible to make it anywhere in life.”

Walter Fortson, ex-offender, college student and winner of the Truman Scholarship

Prison Volunteer Tutoring Interested?

Attend an Information Session September 4, 6, and 7 - 11:30 am September 5, 1:00 pm Social Science Building 234 Questions? cpoe@tcnj.edu 609-771-2477 cpoe.pages.tcnj.edu

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

Center for Prison Outreach and Education

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

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 11

Features

Five ways to fend off the feared 15

By Ruchi Shah Columnist

Autumn is the season of falling leaves and falling into routine — you want to start it off right. You’ve just arrived on campus, and in addition to the academic anxieties on your mind, you may be concerned with your physical fitness. You most likely fall into one of two categories: you’ve spent days indoors, studying for your summer class with a big bowl of ice cream by your side, or you have done the season justice and are concerned with maintaining that beach bod. Either way, here are five ways to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Be active!

Inactivity is the greatest proponent of weight gain and sheer unhealthiness. Whether you fancy the great outdoors or prefer the great indoors, the College really does have options for everyone.

and cardiovascular equipment.

For the sake of convenience, 30-minute reservations need to be made for cardio equipment.

Packer also has free personal trainers at your disposal. You can simply sign up at the front desk and receive up to three one-hour sessions. The aquatic center has a great pool, so assign yourself a number of laps to do each day and you’ve got a great cardio workout. The calendar of when there’s open swim is posted on the College’s website.

1. For the nature enthusiasts

The College has a built in running track — a 1.9 mile loop around campus. Since our school is nestled between two lakes and a small stretch of forestry, you have the most scenic route for your morning or evening run. If you’re not a seasoned runner, the entire loop may seem a bit intimidating, but be ambitious.

Start out small, maybe half of a mile a day, and make running an everyday ritual. You’ll work up to those 1.9 miles in no time.

2. T/W Fitness = Totally worthwhile fitness If you’re more inclined to engage in fun, theme workouts, then the T/W Fitness Center is for you. Located between Travers and Wolfe Halls, it offers an assortment of activities that will make you smile while you sweat — a shocking combination, I know. From yoga to booty beat workouts,

Campus Style

By Victoria Moorhouse & Carly Koziol Columnists As we bid adieu to the waning days of summer, there’s no doubt that we’ll miss the endless freedom, sunkissed skin, late night hoorahs and the lightness of a fresh, colorful summer wardrobe. But the record heat of July may have clouded some of fashion’s better judgment. As we dump the sand out of our suitcases to make room for fall cardigans and jeans, we also gratefully kiss goodbye some of summer’s fashion faux pas.

1. Cork wedges With a little height and ease of walking, wedges are definitely a boardwalk blessing. But when every heel is composed of cork, we start to miss the stiletto. While cork wedges are a summer staple, it’s also clunky, chunky and thick and doesn’t fulfill much of a woman’s desire for tiny feet. Sometimes a cork just better belongs on top of a wine bottle.

each is led by a certified instructor and you can find the perfect class for you. The fall schedule is up, so check it out.

3. Don’t pack on the pounds.

Head to Packer Packer Hall houses both the PEC (Physical Enhancement Center) and an aquatic center.

The PEC offers free weights, resistance training equipment

Get down and dirty with your diet Along with exercise, you also need to be mindful of what you’re eating. Making these simple changes to your diet can make all the difference.

4. Go topless Sure, you like to put additional toppings on your meals at Eickhoff to add extra zest, but

have you considered the consequences of those extra calories?

Forgo the sour cream on your burrito, nix the Parmesan atop your pasta and let your salad be au naturel (no dressing). Furthermore, mayonnaise is not a sandwich must. Ketchup and mustard can be tasty substitute condiments.

5. F comes before G only in the alphabet — Choose grilled over fried Always go for the grilled items instead of the fried. Frying causes foods to absorb fat, as opposed to grilling which results in a reduced fat content.

If you’re craving chicken, opt for the grilled chicken breast at Eick’s C-Street Grill instead of the chicken tenders at the Lion’s Den and T-Dubs. On that note, try your best to limit your visits to T-Dubs. Late night dining contributes significantly to weight gain and T-Dubs’s infamous odor alone should be indicative of the health concerns it presents.

Farewell to summer’s fashion faux pas

2. Hair feathers Hair feathers are a bump up from the fabulously famous hair wraps of the ’90s. Yes, they are ethereal and carefree, but believe it or not, feathers don’t grow from the scalps of humans. Until we can confidently jump off any height singing R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” without wanting a giant thud before the next lyric, let’s keep feathers on earrings and headbands and not hot glued into our hair.

3. Frayed T-shirts The summer climate is more than an excuse to show a little skin. Lift the hemlines. Bare a bikini, midriff is allowed.

Shirts that look like they made their way through a lawnmower — not so much.

This teeny-bopper trend that made its way across the Jersey boardwalks this summer could have used a good seamstress. Hopefully next year there will be more cleancut crop tops and less messy dressing.

4. The sheer shopper How many times have you seen that

girl shopping in Target who clearly came from the beach? She has on her see-through cover-up dress and matching bikini, confidently pushing her cart while getting excited about the possibility of the male in aisle five checking out her butt. The sheer cover-up is not an outfit, unless you’re aiming for the modest stripper look.

5. The male capri To all the males this past summer who wore shorts covering your knees — nothing is more irking than a handsome guy ruined by awkwardly long shorts. Are you trying out for a Young Jeezy music video, or are your knees cold? Shorts that fall just above the knee, please.

6. The jort peep show Homemade high-waisted denim shorts went from trendy in 2011 to a staple in 2012. It’s a great way to recycle jeans, but not when you cut them so short your cheeks slip out. Cheeky bottoms at the

Sarongboutique.com

Be sure to avoid the sheer top as summer fades into fall. beach: yes. Cheeky bottoms at Starbucks: no, you slutty hipster, you.

Although the summer sun is cooling, summer style is still in full swing. Enjoy prancing around in minimalistic clothing while the heat still bathes campus. Keep those tags on your sweater and get every last use out of that bikini top by day/ bandeau by night. But please be kind and cover your behind.

Choosing the perfect college activites

By Sara Stammer Columnist

College is supposed to be the best time of every young adult’s life, a newfound freedom away from home. But what are we supposed to do with all the extra time not consumed by countless hours of studying and working?

With the amount of clubs and organizations on campus, it may take awhile to discover the perfect niche that you are desperately seeking. The Student Organization Activities Fair spares no effort in trying to entice new members, but at times can be a tad overwhelming and leaves a lot to be desired.

I certainly don’t want to stand in a loud, crowded room trying to read a poster or flip through a scrapbook only to, more times than not, not hear back from those long email lists I signed up for with mild enthusiasm.

With all of the options college brings, wouldn’t it just be easier if someone gave a firsthand look into campus organizations?

I have decided to challenge this problem by dedicating my time to trying out and showcasing various organizations and events on campus in the hopes of providing information and assistance for prospective members.

According to the National Survey of Student Engagement, student success in college is directly linked to student involvement. They base their research on

a variety of criteria, but the bottom line is the more involved students are at their institutions, the more invested they will be in other aspects of work and life.

Personalize your experience at the College. Try something new, or better yet, allow me to try something new for you! Have an organization? Belong to a club? Email me at stammes1@tcnj.edu and tell me who is having the event, where the event is going to be held, when it is going to happen, what is going to happen, why I should come and anything else you think I should know.

Together we can connect The College of New Jersey community with one organization at a time, shining a little well-deserved light on our school’s student activities.

page 12 The Signal August 29, 2012

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 13

Arts & Entertainment Rat welcomes indie frontmen fan of The Dear Hunter or you just want to hear what they sound like, this will be one of the best shows of the fall season. Brooklyn-based indie rock group A Great Big Pile of Leaves will also be performing, bringing their fresh, original sound to the College.

Bridging the gap

By Matthew Jannetti WTSR Music Director Yeasayer “Fragrant World”

• Towards the end of October, the Rat will host a large bill where pop punk rockers Daytrader will headline with Bright and Early and local band Life Without a Jacket.

Tumblr

Former The Academy Is... frontman William Beckett will perform at the College this Friday.

By Tom Ciccone Arts & Entertainment Editor

• Indie pop outfit Twenty One Pilots will be coming to the Rat on Friday, Nov. 9. Boasting a growing following, Pilots will definitely be an act to check out if for no other reason than to see what they’re all about. Indie rockers Young Statues will be the supporting act, making for a great night of music.

• On Friday, Nov. 30, Transit will perform with supporting act Coming Clean. Transit’s poppy sound is chock-full of off-beat riffs and original melodies and will likely put on a performance as interesting as their compositions.

• The Menzingers are also coming to the Rat Tuesday, Dec. 4. Their aggressive sound has shades of early Brand New songs. Plus they toured with local N.J. heroes, The Gaslight Anthem, only adding to their credibility as a band that plays to be noticed when they perform live.

There’s nothing better than discovering great music in a live setting. This year the Rathskeller is bringing some exciting acts to the College.

• This Friday, the former frontman of The Academy Is..., William Beckett, will be coming to the Rat. He has been associated with various other successful pop punk acts like Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco!.

The Academy Is... broke up less than a year ago over creative differences. Beckett will be showing off his new material and might even play some Academy songs, so this is definitely a show to see.

There are still many more acts that will be coming to the Rat this year. For more information go to tcnjcub.com.

• On Friday, Sept. 14, pop funk-rockers Bad Rabbits are coming to the College. They have a tight sound and have been gaining lots of popularity throughout 2011, as one of the breakout acts on the Vans Warped Tour.

They’re actually planning on releasing two albums sometime this year, which makes this is a perfect time to see this truly talented group perform at the College. Alumni band The Constant will be opening for Bad Rabbits, just another reason to head over to the Rat Tuesday, Sept. 4 and support live music.

• Tuesday, Oct. 2 The Dear Hunter’s frontman Casey Crescenzo will be coming to the Rat to perform an acoustic set.

The Dear Hunter is widely considered one of the leaders of the indie rock movement into more progressive and experimental ideas.

Crescenzo is an intense performer with an impressive voice capable of both sultry melodies and vocal-chord cracking screams. If you’re a

google.com

Casey Crescenzo will perform an acoustic set at the College on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

cdn.stereogum.com

Yeasayer’s last album, “Odd Blood,” was acclaimed by critics and considered one of the best albums of 2010. For the past two years, Yeasayer has faced the trying task of producing a follow-up.

“Fragrant World” is a good album, but it’s quite different from its predecessor. “Odd Blood” was full of accessible, infectious songs like “Madder Red,” “Ambling Alp” and “O.N.E.” This time around the tracks are more experimental. Songs like “Fingers Never Bleed” and “Reagan’s Skeleton” do recall some of the instant gratification of “Odd Blood,” but most have a more dark and drawn out sound.

“Fragrant World” lacks that standout track — however, it makes up for it by being consistent and producing an album full of solid tracks that are quite enjoyable. In that way, it surpasses “Odd Blood,” which seemed to drag a lot during its second half.

Yeasayer albums will always be a point of contention among fans, however, since they like to change up their style between releases.

They started with a ghostly, fuzzy, more rocklike debut album, “All Hour Cymbals,” before moving to the upbeat “Odd Blood.” “Fragrant World” is more of a compromise between the first two albums. So in the end, for fans, it all comes down to preferences.

Focus tracks: “Elephant King,” “Marathon Runner” and “Up In The Mountains”

Student bands and rapper rock out Brower

Matthew Mance / Photo Assistant

Retji closes out the show with his own brand of hip-hop.

By Tom Ciccone Arts & Entertainment Editor Sunday, Aug. 26 was a busy move-in day for many of the

College’s students, but as the sun started to set, local student bands took the stage at the Brower Student Center patio and played original music.

The Dundees?, former winners

of the College’s Battle of the Bands competition, opened up the bill, playing their own brand of pop punk.

With catchy hooks and frenzied energy, The Dundees? powered through their set, showing off their repertoire of original material. The maturity behind their compositions was surprising.

After all, most pop-punk bands have plenty of energy but fail to translate it into multiple strong songs. The Dundees? pulled this task off.

The band consists of singer and guitarist Dan Gibson, bassist Matt Prestin, junior mathematics major Matt Leyton on lead guitar and junior history major Andre Johansen on drums. Plus, their name is based off of NBC’s “The Office.” How cool is that?

As more students showed up to watch the music, Gianna’s Sweet Debut took the stage. Consisting of senior early childhood education major Chase Destierro on lead vocals and guitar, junior

Kate Stronczer / Staff Photographer

Gianna’s Sweet Debut show off their pop-rock sound. interactive multimedia major and Signal Photo Assistant Matthew Mance on piano, Dylan Paetzold on bass guitar and LJ Dosono on drums, Gianna’s Sweet Debut have a slightly darker take on the pop-rock genre.

However, their sound is still varied. While their lyrics carry a weighty, angst-ridden motif, they experiment with the possibilities of every song. The band will be performing at the Rat on

Friday, Sept. 21 alongside This Condition and headlining act The Dangerous Summer.

Hip-hop artist and sophomore digital arts major Philip Dakum, a.k.a. “Retji,” then closed out the show.

With unique rhymes and an original sound, Retji definitely ended the night of music in style. Be sure to check out his mixtape which will be released on Sept. 17.

page 14 The Signal August 29, 2012

FRESHMAN SPECIAL COUPON

$5 off

any order of $10 or more!

Phone: (609) 434-1188

That means a large pizza for $5.50!

Delivered to any of the freshman dorms courtesy of Mamma Flora’s.

Valid 8/28/12 through 9/4/12

Text “Mamma” to 91944 for special and freebies!

googleimages

TCNJ’s one and only campus newspaper, The Signal is holding an interest session!

Come find out what all of the fuss is about on...

Wednesday, Sept. 5 Brower Student Center Basement

8:30 PM

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 15

Need new music for the semester?

Let’s recap some of summer’s best tracks

By Tom Ciccone Arts & Entertainment Editor

“Newgate” Toxie

Summer heat only starts to fade as the first week of classes at the College begins. Nothing helps getting back into the groove of class lectures and writing papers like a new playlist of some of summer’s best tracks.

“76” Roc Marciano

Marciano isn’t like many other rappers. He spits with beats other wordsmiths wouldn’t be able to pull off. The retro vibe of this airy track is a nice change of pace from the many hip hop releases that sound more like club music than real rap.

“Built For This” Method Man/ Freddie Gibs/ StreetLife

“Ball of Fire” The Orb

“He’s in Stock” Twerps

With a deep bass line, ethereal keyboards and serious spitting, this soundtrack cut for the upcoming martial arts blockbuster “The Man with the Iron Fists” will thump your car speakers or fill your headphones just the same.

Your typical college student probably enjoys listening to reggae and dubstep, but rarely are the two genres mixed well. Orb’s new LP “The Observer in the Star House” was just released yesterday (Aug. 28), so if you like this track, buy the album. If anything, this is great music for long study sessions.

This punkish Aussie group seems to write its songs specifically for driving. Twerps are catchy though, and what they lose in simplicity they gain with their attitude. “He’s in Stock” is a nice song to wake up to while zombie-walking to your a.m.

“Country Queen” Night Moves Minneapolis’s Night Moves should be a welcoming band to someone not fully cognizant of the army of reverb-drenched psych pop outfits that are emerging in the new decade. “Country Queen” defies the conventions surrounding this group simply by being a finely written pop song with superb production values.

“Between Friends” Flying Lotus The annual Adult Swim Singles Program (adultswim.com) delivers unique tracks for free every summer. This hip hop track from legendary producer Steven Ellison has a sedated vibe with tenacious lyrics.

The retro sound crackles through the speakers like vinyl. This is just another example of great hip hop that doesn’t resort to radio clichés and lazy rhymes.

Lo-fi pop melodies, melancholy lyrics and heavy, distorted bass lines. Toxie is like a modern Joy Division with a female lead vocalist. “Newgate” is a dark and addictive tune with a killer arrangement and lots of replay value.

“Lamia” Yamantaka//Sonic Titan It’s no big secret that modern rock music is becoming increasingly progressive, inventive and drenched with reverb and psychedelia. But Canadians Yamantaka//Sonic Titan make sure through all the craziness, melody emerges. However, Yamantaka does translate to summoning the buddhist spirit of wisdom, and this group shows no sign of letting up their cerebral nature.

‘The Campaign’ will entertain but still falls short

AP Photo

‘The Campaign’ focuses on the comedic values of its believable yet ridiculous characters while attempting to comment on many of today’s current political topics.

By Brendan McGrath Managing Editor Some people reflexively dislike politicians. Whether it’s an aura of self interest, incompetence or dishonesty, they get turned off from the people who they do (or don’t) elect to represent them. This seems like a popular attitude right now, as Congress suffers from an all-time low approval rating.

“The Campaign” takes this frustration and channels it into a North Carolina

congressional race.

There is a lot of comedic promise here. Zack Galifianakis challenges an incumbent Will Ferrell in a tense political campaign. Jason Sudeikis plays Ferrell’s trusted advisor and friend. John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd are incredibly rich and up to no good.

It seems like there are enough great pieces to put together a powerfully hilarious movie, and for the first 30 or 40 minutes, it looks like that might be where we’re going. Everyone is on

point with their characters. The plot is thick enough to be intriguing without dragging the comedy down. There are a few scenes that provide belly-aching laughs. Then it drops off. The story loses its flavor and tries to double dip on jokes that it has already used.

Don’t get me wrong. If you are a fan of Ferrell or Galifianakis, and can tolerate some disappointment in the second half, “The Campaign” is definitely worth seeing. It has some outstandingly funny moments and it even deals with a fairly deep theme of corruption that may resonate with more politically aware members of the audience. However, at some point the story does get old.

This movie takes on a number of issues that are present in the current political climate. From debates that feature candidates who won’t actually answer policy questions to damning attack ads, the movie cuts at the issues that are often used to cast politicians as a whole in a bad light. The plot is even based off of the sinister dealings of a pair of greedy billionaires who control politics with money, the Motch brothers (Google “Koch brothers” for reference on this allusion).

The casting of Ferrell and Galifianakis might seem obvious for these roles, but they really do perfect their characters.

With a better script, they could have made this an election year classic.

Ferrell is Cam Brady — a loud, proud, scandal-laden incumbent entrenched in his congressional seat. He comes fully equipped with a back story about what inspired him to enter politics (at age 10), but has since come to embody the negative stereotype of a politician whose main goal at all times is to remain a politician.

Galifianakis plays Marty Huggins, a man so soft and weird that only he could own this role. Huggins challenges Brady and provides most of the great comedy in this movie as his soft persona is hardened through the campaign. A dinner table scene where he tells his two adolescent sons to air out any secrets they have is a good enough reason to see this movie, even if you wait until it hits Netflix.

Unfortunately, the story doesn’t hold up. Aykroyd and Lithgow aren’t given any real material. Ferrell and Galifianakis start strong and seem ready to continue providing laughs, but are left without the tools to do so. I give this movie three out of five popcorns for a few impressive scenes and a great performance from its stars.

Do you like music and art? Do you like to write? If so, why aren’t you writing for The Signal?

We’re always looking for writers, so if you want to be a correspondent, just send an email to ciccont2@tcnj.edu!

page 16 The Signal August 29, 2012

TCNJ STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES asKS… do you know about our services?

Services provided Include:

•

•

• • •

Assessment, diagnosis & treatment of your medical condition or injury

Curriculum required physical exams (fees may be incurred)

Vaccinations (fees may be incurred)

Laboratory tests (ie, blood work)

Women’s Health Care on Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment through our collaborative agreement with Planned Parenthood of Mercer County

Making an Appointment:

•

•

•

Cost of Services at Student Health Services:

•

•

•

Student Health Services is available and FREE to all currently enrolled TCNJ students during the 15 weeks of each semester.

Students who have the Student Health Insurance (SHIP) Plan receive laboratory tests, x-­‐rays and medications without charge (within their plan limits).

Students who do not have the Student Health Insurance (SHIP) plan receive a bill for laboratory tests, x-­‐rays and medications according to their private insurance plan coverage limits.

Upcoming Events:

Hours of Operation:

• Tb testing clinics: (cost $5.00) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30am-­‐6:00pm (evening hours)

Thursday and Friday 8:30am-­‐4:00pm

Tues. Sept. 4, 2012 3:30-­‐5:00pm –Loser Hall, Rm 19

Tues. Sept. 18, 2012 3:30-­‐5:00pm –Loser Hall, Rm 4

Visit the Online Scheduling system at www.tcnj.edu/healthservices

to schedule your appointment or call (609) 771-­‐2483

• Flu Vaccine Clinics: (cost $15)

If you or a friend are experiencing a medical emergency, you should

October 17th 1-­‐3pm Loser Hall 106 call 9-­‐1-­‐1 from an on campus/TCNJ phone or (609) 771-­‐2345 from your cell phone

October 19th 11a-­‐1p Loser Hall 106

ALWAYS BRING YOUR MEDICAL INSURANCE CARD AND PRESCRIPTION INSURANCE CARD TO ANY APPOINTMENT AT STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES

Politics Forum – fall 2012 Please join us!

Bring your students, colleagues, and friends!

Thursdays, 11:30-12:30 pm Room 223, Social Science Bldg (unless noted otherwise!)

Do you like taking pictures?

Monday, Sept.17 (Constitution Day): Reed Gusciora (Poli.Sci. & NJ State Gov.), “Queer Eye for the Civil Rights Guy: Making the 14th Amendment Relevant Today” [Library Auditorium]

Thursday, Sept. 27: Terry Epperson and John Oliver (TCNJ library), “Too Hot to Not Touch: Using Wikipedia Editing Assignments to Foster Information Literacy and Deep Disciplinary Engagement” Thurs., Oct. 11: Marilyn Kendrix (Uni. of New Haven), “The Intersection of Systemic Racism, Mass Incarceration and Poverty in the United States” Thurs., Oct. 18: Gregory Thielker (Art & Art Hist.), "India in Flux: Drawing along the Grand Trunk Road" Thurs., Nov. 8: Lee Ann Riccardi (Art & Art Hist.), "Conquering Emperors and Defeated Barbarians: Visual Propaganda in Ancient Rome" Thurs., Nov. 15: Elisabeth Borland (Soc. & Anthro.), “Age Composition and Generational Dynamics in Social Movements: Lessons from the Feminist Movement in Buenos Aires, Argentina"

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E-mail our photo editor Ashley Long! longa1@tcnj.edu

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 17

Field hockey thinking champs again Field Hockey

By Brandon Gould News Editor

Head coach Sharon Pfluger has always seen the talent in senior defender Camille Passucci and she now believes the rest of the country will too.

Passucci was the glue that held the ship together for the College last year on its way to a National Championship, contributing on both ends of the field. This year, she will lead the Lions as one of five seniors on a quest to repeat last year’s glory.

“She’s really become an outstanding field hockey player,” Pfluger said. “She works very hard, is an excellent leader and is demanding of the other kids. So, even though she was in the limelight (last year), now she will be even more so I think.”

Passucci, who led the Lions with 43 points last year, will be the center piece of a senior class that also includes forward Caitlyn Jenkins, defender Christy Wham, defender Meredith Jeffries and forward/midfielder Cassandra Martin.

Pfluger knows there’s a lot to miss from last year’s squad, but she expects this year’s senior class, along with sophomores Lauren Pigott and Victoria Martin, to set the tone for a team

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

New seniors will step up.

attempting to be the first team at the College to repeat as National Champions since 1996.

“I expect those girls to pace the team,” Pfluger said. “I think that’s the biggest thing

(when you lose seniors), they say, ‘Okay, it’s our turn.’ So as long as they step up and take that leadership role, that will be a good direction for us.”

The Lions head into the season ranked as the No. 1 team in the 2012 Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III Preseason Poll, but Pfluger said her team doesn’t feel any added pressure.

“I don’t think it’s any greater challenge this year than in years past because we, as a coaching staff, have high expectations and the players have high expectations,” Pfluger said. “We want to meet those expectations and we work so hard to reach those expectations.”

The Lions lost a lot of talent with the graduation of forwards Leigh Mitchell and Kathleen Notos, defenders Alex Okuniewicz and Jessica Persicketti and goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz.

However, a rash of injuries early last season gave the younger girls plenty of opportunities to play and the “kids got a lot of experience,” according to Pfluger.

Two players that the Lions hope continue developing are sophomore forwards Erin Waller and Erin Healy. Waller ended an impressive freshmen campaign (29 points) with two goals and an assist in the National Champi-

onship game — a 3-1 victory over Middlebury College — while Healy collected a few starts herself and provided valuable minutes of the bench.

The Lions will also benefit from the comebacks of junior forward Sarah Cummings, sophomore defender Marissa Pennypacker and Victoria Martin — all of whom went down with season-ending injuries last year.

The biggest question mark to start this season may be in the cage where sophomore Amanda Krause looks to replace Syciarz. Pfluger said that Krause was a “very good” high school goalie, but that she got even better last year and her small sample size — almost 60 minutes of play without surrendering a goal — in 2011 is encouraging heading into this season.

The bar has been set high for the Lions, who come into the season on a 14-game winning streak, but right now, the Lions are just working day-by-day to piece together what their starting lineup will look like when the season opens against Stevens Institute of Technology on Aug. 31, according to Pfluger.

“We work through that in each session,” Pfluger said. “Where is the right combination, where is the natural chemistry between players? It’s always a challenge, but they do what we ask of them and we are just hoping to bring

Men’s Soccer

Men’s soccer poised to get over the hump

By Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant

Predicted to finish ninth in a conference of 10 by the official NJAC preseason poll, the men’s soccer team has the opportunity to turn some heads by leaving behind a disappointing 2011 campaign and reclaiming past success under 18-year head coach George Nazario this season.

Six unfortunate one-goal losses doomed the College last fall in what ended up as a 5-8-4 season, with the Lions scoring 1.65 goals per game but allowing 1.94 — up from 1.42 of the year before, when they reached the NJAC title game.

Yet the Lions, who will be without seven graduated players from last year’s roster, will be getting a welcome addition to the team with the return of 2010 leading scorer Ray Nelan.

Nelan missed most of last season due to injury after scoring seven goals through 13 games in 2010, and the Lions’

playoff hopes improve significantly if the fifth-year senior can recover the form he displayed two years ago.

Joining Nelan in the attack will be senior midfielder Ryan Shaw (4 goals, 3 assists last season), junior midfielder Sean Casey (2g, 5a), and senior spark plug Taylor Gregory (3, 3a), who came off the bench for the Lions in 10 of his 16 appearances last fall.

Also returning will be most of the team’s defensive unit, including senior defenders Vince McEnroe and Sean Cunneen, who helped contribute to both of the Lions’ shutouts last season. McEnroe was an all-NJAC Honorable Mention in 2010, when he also picked up five assists.

Right behind the defense and in between the goalposts for the Lions will be returning seniors Matt Frederick (1.39 goals against average) and Aaron Utman (1.85), who each earned a shutout last season.

A shutout would help the Lions make some noise this Friday, when they open the season with a tough road test against

Drew University at 7 p.m., and they face Western Connecticut University on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Returning players have made improvements.

Football

Football team solely focused on NJAC title

Lions ready to prove doubters wrong and win big

By Chris Molicki Sports Editor The Lions are coming off a very strong season in which they finished 7-3 and fourth overall in the NJAC. This year, they have been picked a spot lower at fifth place by a vote of the

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The defense will again be strong.

league’s nine head coaches, something they will use as motivation.

“We feel like we had a great team last year and had a real chance at winning the conference,” said junior linebacker Nick Bricker. “We came up just short in a few games, so we know that we have to work even harder to get to our ultimate goal, which is the NJAC championship.”

Bricker, who will anchor the team’s stellar defense, was selected as a Second Team All-American by D3football. com after last season. He led the NJAC in forced fumbles with five, was second in fumble recoveries with four and put together a team high 112 tackles.

“Being named an all-American was a huge honor,” Bricker said. “It was a great feeling to be recognized for the work you put in. I also have to give recognition to my teammates because without them I would not be where I am today.”

As a team, the defensive unit was a strength all year, giving up an average of 15.3 points as well as 10 points or

less in four of its games. However, there are some players that will be missed.

Defensive back Shawn Brown was a leader both on and off the field last season. He came up with several crucial plays within his 56 tackles and teamhigh five interceptions.

“A player like Shawn is going to be tough to replace,” Bricker explained.

“He had that playmaking ability that is extremely valuable to the team.”

Linebacker Michael Lambert and defensive lineman John Kinzel are also departing along with their combined 113 tackles.

On the offensive side of the ball, the College will be losing their two biggest playmakers in quarterback Jay Donoghue and running back Joe Falco. Donoghue passed for 1673 yards and eight touchdowns to go along with his 680 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Falco ran for 697 yards and five touchdowns and also caught 30 passes for 238 yards and another score.

Taking Donoghue’s place at the

helm will be senior quarterback Zach Friedrich. He’ll be helped by his two senior wide receivers Matt Rosati and Brian Mills.

Once again, the defense should be what the team leans on behind Bricker and senior linebacker Greg Burns. The squad that gave the Lions their bite last year plans to roar for an encore.

“We as a team expect each returning starter to step up and take a leadership role so that the younger guys have something to follow,” Bricker said. There is not one specific player that will help us get to our goal, but an overall joined effort of each and every player.”

A season like last year’s is something to build on, and the Lions hope to carry over some momentum from the previous campaign. If they’re able to do so, they have a great chance to climb the ladder in the NJAC. They want to reach their ultimate goal, which is the what anyone would expect.

“Simply put, our goal as a team is to win an NJAC championship,” Bricker said.

page 18 The Signal August 29, 2012

STUDENT RECREATION CENTER HOURS (FALL SEMESTER ONLY) CHECK MONTHLY CALENDAR POSTED AT FRONT DESK OF THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER AND ON LINE FOR ANY UPDATED CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE

(OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL, RACQUETBALL, AND TENNIS) SATURDAY

2:00PM-6:00PM-OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL AND TENNIS RACQUETBALL-2:00PM-6:00PM

SUNDAY

2:00PM-6:00PM-OPEN RECREATION TENNIS AND BASKETBALL RACQUETBALL-2:00PM-6:00PM

MONDAY

10:00AM-4:00PM-OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL AND TENNIS 4:00-6:30-BASKETBALL AND RACQUETBALL (INTRAMURALS-7:00PM-11:00PM) 10:00AM-7:00PM-RACQUETBALL

TUESDAY

10:00AM-5:00PM-OPEN RECREATION TENNIS AND BASKETBALL 5:00PM-10:00PM-OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL OR STUDENT ACTIVITIES SPECIAL EVENT REQUESTS RACQUETBALL-10:00AM-10:00PM

WEDNESDAY

10:00AM-4:00PM-OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL AND TENNIS 4:00-6:30-BASKETBALL AND RACQUETBALL (INTRAMURALS 7:00PM-11:00PM) RACQUETBALL-10:00AM-7:00PM

THURSDAY

10:00AM-5:00PM-OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL AND TENNIS 5:00PM-10:00PM-OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL OR STUDENT ACTIVITES SPECIAL EVENTS REQUESTS RACQUETBALL-10:00AM-10:00PM

FRIDAY

10:00AM-4:00PM-OPEN RECREACTION BASKETBALL AND TENNIS 4:00PM-8:00PM-OPEN RECREATION BASKETBALL RACQUETBALL-10:00AM-8:00PM

PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT CENTER (LOCATED ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN PACKER HALL) CHECK THE MONTHLY CALENDAR POSTED IN THE PEC AND AT THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER AND ON LINE FOR ANY UPDATED CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE.

SATURDAY

12:00PM-6:00PM

SUNDAY

12:00PM-6:00PM

MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FRIDAY

7:00AM-8:00PM

*CLOSED LABOR DAY WEEKEND*

7:00AM-10:00PM

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 19

Fun Stuff

The most exciting thing to happen this past summer was obviously Snoop Dogg changing his name to Snoop Lion. But what if he made himself a different animal? Cut out Snoop’s face and pick a new animal!

I’m making a new song with Dinosaur Jr.!

I’ve done mixes with DJ Zebra, but this is nuts!

Snoopasaurus Rex

Snoop Zebra Bitches love dolphins!

I loved working with Elephant Man!

Snoop Dolphin

Kangaroo Jack steals my song, I’ll steal his body!

Snoop Elephant

Screw California Gurls, I wanna see your peacock!

Snooparoo

Snoop Peacock

Sudoku

page 20 The Signal August 29, 2012

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4 6

August 29, 2012 The Signal page 21

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Peter Fiorilla “The Ref”

Brendan McGrath Managing Editor

Chris Molicki Sports Editor

Brandon Gould News Editor

In the first edition of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Peter Fiorilla, challenges Sports Editor Chris Molicki, News Editor Brandon Gould and Managing Editor Brendan McGrath to answer questions about the biggest winner in the wild NBA offseason, if Bobby Valentine should be blamed for the terribly underachieving Red Sox and whether the Philadelphia Eagles can finally attain their “Dream Team” status.

PF:Brandon gets 3 points for going on the road less traveled and reminding everyone the best team in basketball last year added Ray Allen, Brendan gets 2 for pointing out the odds are good the Lakers will be able to re-sign Howard to a long-term deal and Chris gets 1 for saying Howard and Nash will complement each other as well as Kobe.

AP Photo

1. The last time an issue of The Signal came out, Jeremy Lin was a Knick, Andre Iguodala was a 76er, Andrew Bynum was a Laker and Dwight Howard was almost everyone’s least favorite basketball player.

Only one of these things is still true, as it’s been an extremely eventful few months in basketball. Which NBA team comes out on top as the biggest winner of the offseason?

CM: I know it’s the cliché answer, but I’d have to say the Los Angeles Lakers made out the best this offseason. They picked up what will probably be the NBA’s most potent pick and roll combination in Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. While Nash is old, he’s still an amazing point guard. If he could bring the Suns to the brink of the playoffs, imagine what he could do with the Lakers. Howard is an upgrade at center and the best in the league, and will be the kind of compliment to Kobe that Shaq was. By playing next to Pau Gasol, they will clean up all of the boards. The best part about all of this is that the Lakers were able to bring in star players without compromising the fact that this is Kobe’s team. He’s still the best player and primary scorer. Nash will run the point and Howard will play down low, but these guys can do a lot without scoring. By adding them and keeping Kobe happy, the Lakers were huge winners.

BG: There have been a bunch of moves this offseason in the NBA, but I think the biggest winners coming out of the summer are the Miami Heat. The Lakers made some power moves, no question about it. But when the best team in the league adds one of the best shooters of all time, that’s a winning formula. Allen has dealt with injuries and his age has shown, but he’s just a piece of the puzzle in Miami.

The Heat also added Rashard Lewis, which will only help make things easier by giving the team a deeper bench. The Lakers can add all the Dwight Howards and Steve Nashs that they want, but in the end, they’re still chasing the Heat.

BM: The Lakers are, hands down, the biggest winner. They will risk losing him at the end of this season, sure, but they need to win now. The team is ancient. Kobe is 34, Gasol is 32 and Nash is 38. Adding Howard makes them (sorry LeBron), the favorite to win the title next year. If the key players stay healthy, there will only be two teams that even stand a chance of beating them, Oklahoma City and Miami, and even they will have to get very lucky. Plus, after this season, L.A. will be in a great position to re-sign him. With Brooklyn’s payroll tied up and the long-term Dallas situation looking bleaker than what’s happening in L.A., there’s a good chance Howard will sign with L.A. despite the aging team that will be surrounding him.

2. It’s been (another) season to forget for the injury-riddled Red Sox, who have failed to contend for a playoff wild card berth, let alone the AL East title. It’s being reported that many Red Sox players have no faith in manager Bobby Valentine, and Valentine himself has publicly taken the blame for Boston’s record. Should the Red Sox fire Valentine or give him more time to get his clubhouse in order?

CM: It’s unfortunate that head coaches are always the scapegoats for failure, and this is the case here. While injuries aren’t an excuse, the Red Sox have had a grand total of 32 (!) injuries to players on their roster this season. Asking Valentine to make success with nothing is ridiculous. Their play on the field should not be completely blamed on him. The other issue is the fact that he hasn’t gotten along with many players or coaches. The problem is, during the Terry Francona regime, Boston players were essentially allowed to do whatever they wanted. It’s hard to expect these same players to transition so quickly into Valentine’s no nonsense style of managing.

In fact, I think that eventually, that style will work. The Red Sox front office has to make some moves and get rid of players who think they have free reign to do anything. However, the move they should not make is to fire Valentine. He’s shown in the past he can manage (2000 Mets), and he certainly deserves at the very least one more year.

BG: Bobby Valentine and the Red Sox never really seemed like a good couple to me. It’s like watching a hot chick walk down the street on the arm of someone like Kevin Smith — it just doesn’t make sense. The Red Sox had a pretty good team last year before their collapse, but that team is being imploded. Kevin Youkilis was traded for basically nothing and now Adrian Gonzalez has been shipped out in order to get rid of Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett. I’ve heard that things may get worse before they get better, but it’s hard to see big picture here with so much negativity surrounding this team. With all these trades in the bag though, I say it’s only fair to let the man who started this mess try and clean it up.

BM: This isn’t Valentine’s fault. There is a cancer going around that clubhouse. Valentine

Terry Francona, whatever ever opinion you may have of him, won two World Series with the Sox and by last season seemed to have lost all control of the team. The Red Sox were right to hire Valentine, and if they’re serious about trying to fix this thing they need to take a step that is rarely seen in this era of high salaries — “fire” some players. The team knows better than anyone on the outside, but there are surely some players in the clubhouse who are not allowing for a cooperative atmosphere. Find the top perpetrators and get the best deal you can to send them away. Then make the rest fall in line. Players went to ownership regarding Valentine. Are you kidding me? Tell them to do their job. If Valentine’s authority is being undermined by those above him, he shouldn’t get shafted as a result.

PF: Chris gets 3 points for noting the Red Sox have suffered through 32 (32!) injuries this season, Brendan gets 2 points for saying the players and general manager are more at fault than Valentine for the disorderly atmosphere around Fenway and Brandon gets 1 point for saying the Red Sox should give “the man who started this mess” some more time to mend the situation.

3. What to make of the Philadelphia Eagles?

They are a perennial hype machine, but haven’t won a playoff game since 2008. In 2011 the “Dream Team” failed to keep five fourth-quarter leads, could not keep fragile QB Michael Vick on the field, and ultimately missed the playoffs after a 4-8 start. The NFC East title is there for the taking, but can the Eagles take advantage?

CM: This is a tough prediction to make because there are two other very talented teams in the NFC East (New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys). Being a Cowboys fan, I find it hard to expect them to come out on top with the way the team has been in recent years. They certainly have the talent, but I’m not buying that pick until I see results. The Giants will certainly be a threat because they are the defending champs, but I expect the Eagles to take home the title. Philly won its last four games of the season and started looking like a dream team.

If Michael Vick can stay healthy, he’s the most dynamic quarterback in the league and has lightning fast options to bomb it to in DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. They have one of the best running backs in the NFL in LeSean McCoy. Their defense is filled with playmakers like Jason Babin and Nnamdi Asomugha.

But the biggest factor is their offseason. As if the steal of DeMeco Ryans for essentially nothing wasn’t enough, they drafted perfectly by adding Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks and Vinny Curry to their defense. Now with a nice blend of coverage and pass rushing to go with their explosive offense, the Eagles look to be the real deal. Again. Although this time, I

have a feeling they’ll live up to the hype.

BG: Vince Young doomed the Eagles last year when he called them the “Dream Team” and that is why backup quarterbacks should just keep their mouths shut. This year, the Eagles have been able to fly somewhat under the radar with the New York Giants returning as defending Super Bowl Champions. The Eagles came on strong at the end of last season and that should be able to carry over to this year. With a healthy Michael — fingers crossed — Shaddy McCoy doing his thing and DeSean Jackson focused, the offense should be able to deliver.

The defense looks to be improved, especially after the Eagles addressed their linebacker situation in the offseason (DeMeco Ryans, Mychal Kendircks), and they’ll still be able to get after the QB. If the things click, the Eagles could be starring an 11-5 season in the face.

AP Photo

BM: The Eagles have a fair shot — that is if Vick remains healthy for at least 12-14 games.

Being that the Redskins only really have a shot if RGIII tears apart the league (I love him, but I don’t see this happening yet), let’s call this a three-team race. Now as much as I would like to see everyone on the Giant’s fall flat (except Cruz, who is on my fantasy team), I think you should expect a 10 or 11 win season out of them. At least. The Cowboys on the other hand are a wild card. Maybe they’ll be able to get their act together and make a push for the division, but they just seem so good at not ever getting their act together. So, the Eagles have a shot. If Vick stays healthy and their defense stops making penalties in critical situations, then I could see them living up to the “dream team” expectations, or at least come much closer to those expectations then they were able to last year.

PF: Chris gets 3 points for noting an already-explosive offense will be getting more help from a previously shaky defense, Brendan gets 2 points for saying “(the Cowboys are) so good at not ever getting their act together” and Brandon gets 1 point for predicting an 11-5 season from the Eagles.

Chris wins Around the Dorm, 7 - 6 - 5.

AP Photo

has been successful at managing players’ attitudes in the past, but he was brought into a situation that is beyond control. Don’t forget that

page 22 The Signal August 29, 2012

Try something new this semester and write for The Signal!

We’re always looking for writers in our News, Arts and Entertainment, Features and Sports sections.

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...Psst, you also get pizza.

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August 29, 2012 The Signal page 23

LIONS ROUNDUP Weekly Predictions Notre Dame vs. Navy

Dodgers vs.

Diamondbacks

D.C. United vs.

N.Y. Red Bulls

Liverpool vs. Arsenal

Chris Molicki (0-0)

L i o n of The Week Ray Nelan

Peter Fiorilla (0-0)

Men’s Soccer

Brandon Gould (0-0) Brendan McGrath (0-0)

Ray Nelan, a senior forward for the men’s soccer team, led the Lions in goals scored (7) and points earned (14) in 2010 but was unable to contribute for most of last season due to injury. Nelan’s return to health will help the Lions in their playoff push this upcoming season, which starts Friday at Drew University.

Last Year’s Football Stats

—Peter Fiorilla, Sports Assistant

This Week in Sports Football Aug. 31 vs. Ursinus College, 7:30 p.m.

Last Year’s Field Hockey Stats

Field Hockey Aug. 31 @Stevens Institute, 5 p.m.

Men’s Soccer Aug. 31 @ Drew University, 7 p.m.

Sep. 1 vs. Western Connecticut University, 3 p.m.

Women’s Soccer Aug. 31 vs. University of Rochester, 5 p.m.

Sep. 1 vs. Skidmore College, 3 p.m.

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Trivia Question

Women’s Tennis Aug. 31 @ Rutgers-Newark, 4 p.m.

Sep. 1 vs. Kean University, 11 a.m.

Notre Dame will take on Navy in their 85th all-time meeting this Saturday. The annual match-up represents one of the most consistent and time honored rivalries in college sports, but also one of the most lopsided: Notre Dame holds a 71-12-1 lead in the series.

What year does Notre Dame’s win streak date back to?

Men’s Cross Country Sep. 1 vs. Blue/Gold Classic (Rosedale Park), 9 a.m.

AP Photo

Women’s Cross Country Sep. 1 vs. Blue/Gold Classic (Rosedale Park), 9 a.m.

Signal

Sports

Past Lions honored with immortality

2012 Hall of Fame class prepares to be inducted

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Carl Jones (’87) is an inductee for football.

By Brandon Gould News Editor

The College will induct its 2012 Hall of Fame class on Friday, Oct. 19, in the Brower Student Center, welcoming six individuals and two teams of distinction on the evening before Homecoming.

The event’s committee members voted to enshrine Carl Jones ’87 (football), Marie Whalen ’90 (field hockey/lacrosse), Howard Forman ’91 (baseball) and Robin Selbst ’96 (field hockey/softball/lacrosse).

Meanwhile, the veterans committee selected Steve Libro ’65 (football) and Fred Surgent ’64 (gymnastics/ soccer/track and field).

Joining these six individuals will be the 1985 women’s lacrosse team, which won a National Championship, and the 1963 football team.

Jones filled many roles on the Lions’ defense during his tenure and ended his career with a program record 274 career tackles.

Whalen was a member of four teams that won national titles during her time with the field hockey and lacrosse programs. Whalen shined as a freshman for the field hockey team, making the all-tournament team on the Lions’ way to the 1985 National Championship, according to head coach Sharon Pfluger.

“She was just a really steady sweeper for us and made the all-tournament team as a freshman,” Pfluger said. “It was a loaded team and Marie just slipped right in there.”

Forman’s claim to fame at the College is his 18 career complete games — a program record. The right-hander posted a 26-4 career record and racked up All-America honors in 1991, a year in which the Lions finished second in the Division III College World Series, and 1992.

Selbst is one of the crown jewels in the 2012 class, earning a Hall of Fame spot after excelling in field hockey, softball and lacrosse during her time as an athlete

at the College. She is the only Division III athlete on record to win a title in three different sports, according to the College’s athletic website.

“Robin is a great athlete,” Pfluger said of her former player and current colleague. “I don’t think (her selection) was even questionable, whether it was in field hockey or softball.”

After playing for Pfluger in both field hockey and lacrosse, Selbst became a coach on her staff and is currently a full-time assistant for both programs.

“It’s the icing on the cake that she works here and devotes so much of her life to the athletic program,” Pfluger said. “It’s not often that someone that works here is inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

“I’m really happy that she is able to share this not only with her field hockey and softball families, but also with her colleagues here at the College.”

Libro was a two-way football player for the Lions in his day and was also a member of the 1963 team, a squad that held their opponents to seven points or less in seven of eight games during a 7-1 season.

Surgent, like Selbst, also participated in three sports during his time at the College. The tri-athlete made his biggest impact in gymnastics, helping the program climb to varsity status, but also participated in soccer and thrived as a pole vaulter for the track and field team.

The 1985 women’s lacrosse team won the first Division III women’s lacrosse national title under head coach Melissa Magee with a 7-4 win over Ursinus College.

For more information about the event, contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at (609) 771- 2598.

Women’s soccer on top NFL season is wide open

Hopes for another stellar season

By Christine Onorato Correspondent The women’s soccer team is back on the field and ready to go. After finishing last season strongly with 13 wins, the Lions are looking forward to another captivating season.

They have already been selected as the favorite in the NJAC preseason poll, after having captured this championship title three times before. The Lions are followed by Montclair State University, Rowan University and Richard Stockton College, respectively.

The Lions will be going for their 22nd straight advancement into the NCAA Division III Tournament, and they feel like this is going to be another season for the record books.

“We have a lot of great returning players as well as some very talented new freshman,” said sophomore forward Korrie Harkins. “I think our team already has some great chemistry and that combined with talent and hard work, I believe we will be able to reach our goal.”

The College has a lot to live up to, but they are known to pack the best defense into one team and use it to halt the other team. Out of those 13 wins in 2011, 11 were brutal shutouts.

The new freshmen joining the Lions are

Lions’ Lineup August 29, 2012

I n s i d e

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Another title is within reach.

looking to have bright futures as well. The upperclassmen on the team seem to be taking these freshmen under their wings and are teaching them what being a Lion is all about.

“We have a lot of depth on our team and new girls are able to successfully step into those positions,” said senior forward Brenna Rubino. “We also have many shining freshman joining the family that will undoubtedly continue to help our team improve.”

After watching the U. S. women’s soccer team grab the gold in the Olympics this past summer, the Lions will receive plenty of support all the way to what they hope is their 4th consecutive conference championship and onto the national championship.

By Chris Molicki Sports Editor

In recent memory, nothing has been more important in sports than getting hot at the right time. Just ask last year’s champions: the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants and Los Angeles Kings. All three were huge underdogs, but ran the table in the postseason and rode momentum to a title.

With the NFL season approaching, I have a feeling this one will be as exciting as ever. There are just so many teams with the ability to catch fire and win a title that truly anything can happen. There are the obvious contenders.

The New York Giants, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans wouldn’t really shock anyone if they won the Super Bowl. That being said, here are some dark horse teams that have a real shot to win it all.

The Detroit Lions are looking to make the leap this year. While their defense still needs improvement, the Matthew StaffordCalvin Johnson connection is the type of home run play that will make sure no one sleeps on them.

Their rivals, the Chicago Bears, have

made some upgrades. Adding Brandon Marshall to pair with Jay Cutler, as well as Michael Bush, Chicago will have a top offense to go with its always-solid defense.

Everyone’s waiting to see how Peyton Manning’s neck holds up, but what if he doesn’t miss a beat? The Denver Broncos would then look like a favorite.

Staying in the AFC West, it’s always hard to count out the San Diego Chargers. Despite the fact that they seem to always underachieve, they have a ton of talent, and now a completely healthy Phillip Rivers.

If the Dallas Cowboys can minimize their mistakes, they could be dangerous. Tony Romo runs a highpowered offense and new defensive talent make the Cowboys deadly.

Matt Ryan’s breakout year may final happen since he’s throwing to Roddy White and Julio Jones. If it happens, there’s no reason the Atlanta Falcons can’t match up with the division rivals Saints.

The point is, there’s just so much depth in NFL teams this year. Not all of them are created equal, but they all have at least an outside shot of having a glorious winter.

That’s why I suggest you watch football this year every single week. Although you should be doing that already.

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