The Signal at The College of New Jersey: August 26, 2009

Michael Ian Black is coming

Tcnjsignal.net arrives

Read the preview of upcoming Arts & Entertainment events, like Black’s comedy and the Roxey Ballet.

The Signal has a new Web site! The staff sounds off about the change.

See Editorial page 5

See Arts & Entertainment page 10 tcnjsignal.net

The College of New Jersey Student Newspaper since 1885

August 26, 2009

No. 1.

Vol. CXXXI.

Provost grants Nagesh Rao tenure Student and peer support helps professor of English

By Kaitlin Olcott Production Manager

After months of appeals and petitions, Nagesh Rao, assistant professor of English, was recently granted reappointment and tenure.

With the recommendation of Carol M. Bresnahan, Provost and Executive Vice President, along with ample student support, the College’s Board of Trustees voted in favor of reappointment and tenure.

“I am, of course, relieved that it is over. I feel that

the decision is a vindication of my teaching and scholarship,” Rao said.

On April 15, Rao was informed that he was denied tenure.

The committee also denied Rao’s reappointment for next year.

Following the committee’s decision, Rao contended with a union grievance against the committee.

A petition was formed the week after Rao’s denial by two professors, Snehal Shingavi of the University of Texas at Austin and Helen Scott of the University

of Vermont.

The petition boasted more than 720 signatures.

Students at the College also took action in support of Rao, chalking the walkways on campus, starting facebook groups, and writing to The Signal last semester.

According to Bresnahan, the College’s Tenure and Reappointment document says that the provost issues an independent judgement after reviewing the files and

College student dies at 19 Students face three

By Randolph Portugal Staff Writer

Stephanie Mejias, an elementary education and psychology major, passed away on July 27 near her home at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J. Mejias was afflicted with a condition known as cardiac arrhythmia due to myocarditis.

Mejias suffered a cardiac abnormality which affected the rate of muscle contractions in her heart. With no signs of fatigue or symptoms of any illness, Mejias was unexpectedly taken away from the ones she loved. She was 19 and would have been a junior this year.

Brittany Brown-Webster, Mejias’ big sister in Delta Zeta, a sorority at the College, recalls the

moments she shared with her little sister.

“We only knew each other for about five months but we hit it off right away. She was always there to talk and she was quick to put people first before herself,” Brown-Webster said.

“One of the fondest memories I had of her was going over to her beach house to relax and hang out under the sun,” she said.

Her death quickly ended an opportunity for a dedicated student to help the ones she really cared for: her family, friends and the students she hoped to teach one day.

Hector Mejias, her father, recognized her drive. “She was really into her studies. She always wanted see MEJIAS page 8

see RAO page 2

percent tuition raise

By Arti Patel Staff Writer

Courtesy of the Mejias Family

Stephanie Mejias died from a cardiac abnormality.

In accordance with the state’s current tuition and fee parameters, the College Board of Trustees, during their July 7 board meeting, approved an overall three percent tuition increase for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Originally proposed by President R. Barbara Gitenstein, the three percent increase was the maximum tuition limit suggested to the Governor’s office last spring.

According to Matthew Golden, executive director of Public Relations and

Communications, the College recognizes the financial burden a raised tuition will be for students and their parents, but the increase was based on the cost of providing College students the education they are paying for.

Golden added, however, that it was held “as low as possible.”

With the state cutting higher education funding for the seventh time in the past decade and the financial strain incurred by the lack of facilities funding, a payment assistance the College has not received since 1988, has see TUITION page 3

New places to sleep and eat: Eickhoff, apartments ready

By Caroline Russomanno News Editor

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Tom O’Dell / Photo Assistant

Hausdoerffer Hall (left) is one of two new student apartment buildings now housing upperclassmen. Phase one of Eickhoff’s renovation added new deli and salad stations.

Fiocco investigators awarded State police award volunteers in missing student case.

See page 2

Professor furloughs College professors asked to take unpaid furloughs.

See page 3

Move-in day was punctuated by a new addition to Metzger drive — the new College apartments on campus are complete and currently occupied by upperclassmen.

New student apartments William Phelps Hall and William Hausdoerffer Hall were completed on budget and on schedule, according to William Rudeau, director of Campus Construction.

“They turned out excellent,” Rudeau said. “It was a great design — the architect did a great job. I think (the apartments) fit really well into the aesthetic of the rest of the campus.”

The apartments feature beds for 400 upperclassmen total, with each apartment consisting

of three single bedrooms, one double bedroom, a living room and a partial kitchen.

According to Melisa Sternberger, senior deaf education and psychology major and resident of Hausdoerffer Hall, the new apartments are satisfactory so far.

“There are a few little things that aren’t quite right though.

Room D is a little smaller than the other bedrooms,” Sternberger said. “I was the first one to sign into the apartment and I found out I had the smallest room. They’re really great though. Everything that was supposed to be there was there.”

Phelps and Hausdoerffer Halls replaced the previously constructed apartments abandoned in November 2004. The

New deans and provosts There are many new faces at the College this year.

See page 2

see CONSTRUCTION page 3

INSIDE

Editorials, Et Cetera Opinions Features Arts & Entertainment Sports

5 7 8 10 16

page 2 The Signal August 26, 2009

Rao / Professor grateful for support College profs to continued from page 1 faculty requests for reappointment.

In the case of Rao, Bresnahan issued a judgment that was different than that of the committeeʼs. Following this, Raoʼs reappointment and tenure was given final approval by the Board of Trustees during the boardʼs July meeting.

“I am thankful for the Provostʼs impartial and independent treatment of my tenure application. At the same time, I must say that I owe it all to the hundreds of academics, students, and people of conscience who spoke out in my defense. I am deeply grateful to the students at (the College) for standing by me, to colleagues who spoke out on my behalf, and to academics on other campuses who supported my appeal,” After protests, Raoʼs Rao said.

“Rao is an extremely knowledgeable and helpful professor,” Kim Shiminsky, junior English major and a student of Raoʼs, said. “Hopefully whatever tensions arose can be put aside in favor of an English department that is well-rounded

and committed to giving its students the best education possible.

I look forward to learning from Dr. Rao again this upcoming semester.”

Some students supported Rao by creating facebook groups such as “TCNJ students for Nagesh Rao” and “Defend Dr. Nagesh Raoʼs tenure and reappointment at TCNJ.” Rao holds a Ph.D. in English from Brown University and currently teaches several courses on post colonial literature and theory and has also taught various courses on British literature and Marxist theory.

Rao has also led various seminars and lectures, including one last year that addressed the on-goAbby Hocking / Photo Assistant ing conflict between Israel and Paltenure was granted. estine.

Since joining the College community in 2005, Rao has edited a book of interviews in collaboration with renowned Indonesian novelist, Pramoedya Ananta Toer. He has also published two articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, awarded both law enforcement and civilians for their efforts with the John Fiocco Jr. investigation earlier this summer. On June 25, these individuals were recognized for all the work they did in an attempt to put the case to rest for the Fiocco family.

As many members of the College community may already be aware, in March, 2006, freshman John Fiocco Jr. was reported missing to Campus Police.

A massive investigation was then launched that involved a very meticulous search of the entire campus

and surrounding area. Over a thousnad students and faculty were questioned and 100 friends and family members were contacted.

This part of the investigation lasted roughly four and a half weeks.

On April 1, 2006, the investigation led to a landfill in Tullytown, Pa. where the body of Fiocco was later found. For a total of 26 days, the search party members forced themselves to endure the perils of the landfill. Fuentes said they were surrounded by foul smells and dangerous conditions, facing all kinds of weather.

Other volunteers and officials aided the investigation by distributing food and water to those working at the site.

One of the individuals awarded, Doreen Robertson, was commended by Fuentes for her devotion to the search. Robertson is part of Mercer Countyʼs CERT (Community Emergency Response Team).

During her time involved with the Fiocco investigation, Robertson worked 12-hour shifts, and ended up using all of her vacation days. Others also gave up large amounts of their time searching the campus and later the landfill for Fiocco.

“It was great to see all the different agencies working together in this investigation,” said Robertson after receiving her award, adding that the investigation was a joint effort between the College, law enforce-

By Brianna Gunter News Editor and Roxanne Neumaier Staff Writer

ment and volunteers.

Law enforcement officials present at the award ceremony said the investigation is now considered by many to be unparalleled by any other in the state.

Although the search is over, the case is not.

Fioccoʼs parents are currently involved with a wrongful death lawsuit against the College.

During last semester, the College was issued a court order that mandated the release of all the names, addresses, and other necessary contact information of the students who wereliving in the Wolfe residence hall when Fiocco was living there.

As part of a cost-saving program mandated by Gov. Jon S. Corzineʼs administration, faculty and staff of public colleges are required to take 10 unpaid furlough days in exchange for certain benefits.

Each faculty member will be able to choose when they will take their furlough days but they must be taken prior to July 1, 2010.

“Here is an unprecedented reality to the national economic recession that is impacting every state in the nation,” Corzine said in April.

“Here in New Jersey, we have an imminent danger of being unable to balance the (fiscal year 2009) budget appropriately if we do not take the appropriate and necessary actions.”

“The AFT (American Federation of Teachers union) only recently ratified their agreement with the state, and we are working now to bring this furlough plan to implementation,” said Robert Cobb, associate director of Human Resources.

“As soon as we have it in place, the procedures will be announced to AFT employees, and will also be posted on our Web page.”

The cost-saving furlough policy, along with pay freezes, are designed to prevent layoffs. These pay freezes essentially mean that all pay raises are to be postponed. However, there will be no layoffs during this time period.

The AFT has established in their contract that if, for some reason, there are pay cuts during this period, the deal is off.

If that should occur, there will be no more pay freezes and the required furloughs.

Brianna Gunter can be reached at gunter2@tcnj.edu.

Brianna Gunter can be reached at gunter2@tcnj.edu.

Fiocco search case volunteers awarded

By Brianna Gunter News Editor

take furloughs

College administration adds to its ranks this fall

tcnj.edu

William Keep (left) and Benjamin Rifkin (right) are two of three new deans appointed to this semesterʼs staff.

By Brianna Gunter News Editor

The College is welcoming several new members to its administration this fall, including three deans.

John C. Laughton joined the College in August as the Dean of the School

of the Arts and Communication.

Laughton is the former dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Laughton holds advanced degrees from the University of Iowa as well as from the the Catholic University of America and has also done postgraduate work at the University of Texas, Boston College, Harvard University, and the Banff Center located in Canada.

William Keep became the Dean of the School of Business on June 15.

Prior to his appointment, Keep was a professor of marketing at Quinnipiac University.

In addition to this, Keep was Quinnipiacʼs associate vice president for Academic Affairs and director of Assessment for the School of Business. He holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State University and a B.A. from James Madison College, a

residential college at Michigan State University.

Benjamin Rifkin joined the College on July 1 as the Dean of the School of Culture and Society.

Rifkin comes to the College from Temple University, where he was most recently serving as the head of the Russian section in the Universityʼs Department of French, German, Italian and Slavic Languages.

Rifkin also has published several works, including one on Russian film and another on Russian literature.

Many of his other publications are also based on Russian and other slavic languages.

Rifkin has also served previously as vice dean for Undergraduate Affairs at Temple University and has held positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Middlebury College. He holds a Masters degree from Yale University and other advanced degrees from the University

of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Effective on Sept. 1, Mark Kiselica will officially be the new Vice Provost. He has been a part of the Counselor Education Department at the College since 1994 and has been a professor since 2002. Kiselica earned his doctorate from the Pennsylvania State University.

Also effective on Sept 1, Dr. Jon W. Stauff will be joining the College as Director of International and OffCampus Programs.

One of Stauff ʼs major plans for the College is to use a new grant to establish a study abroad program intended for business majors. As of right now, most programs are designed for other majors.

Stauff holds advance degrees from the College of William and Mary and SUNY at Buffalo.

Brianna Gunter can be reached at gunter2@tcnj.edu.

August 26, 2009 The Signal page 3

Construction / changes seen throughout campus continued from page 1

old apartments were eventually torn down because of water damage.

Construction started on the new apartments in Spring 2008. An open house gala at the apartments took place yesterday in order for the College community to be formally introduced to the new buildings.

Phase one of the renovation of Eickhoff Hall is also complete. There are several planned phases of construction that are due to take place over the next several years.

The middle section of the main dining area was sectioned off for most of the summer so that the flooring and plumbing could be replaced, new lights and electrical configurations could be installed and new deli equipment could be added.

Students can see that a salad bar as

well as a sandwich station have been constructed, while the main food area has remained the same.

“There are a couple little pieces that still need to be finished, but otherwise, Phase One is complete,” Rudeau said.

Finally, construction on the new Art and Interactive Multimedia Building is still underway. This building will be home to Art and Interactive Multimedia majors, and is planned to one day completely replace Holman Hall. According to Rudeau, the project is on schedule and is due to be completed this winter.

Occupancy will begin next semester in January.

Students can view the more detailed plan for campus construction on the Collegeʼs construction website at tcnj. edu/~constr.

Caroline Russomanno can be reached at Russoma4@tcnj.edu

Tom OʼDell / Photo Assistant

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Itʼs new! Students can now enjoy a relaxing atmosphere and comfortable surroundings while eating in Eickhoff (left). Upperclassmen moved in to the new apartments on Metzger Drive on Sunday (right). The Art and Interactive Multimedia building (above) will be completed this winter and will be ready for occupation in January.

Tuition / more students using payment plans to cover tuition continued from page 1 only exacerbated economic troubles for not only the students and their families who pay tuition costs, but for the institution as a whole.

“There was definitely a conscious effort on the part of the College to keep cost increases to a minimum,” said Jamie Hightower, executive director of Student Financial Services. “It is important to note that all budget adjustments were done holding to our principles to preserve the integrity and excellence of our education programs.”

Essentially, it took the combination of expenditure reductions, reallocations of resources and personal sacrifices from faculty and staff to maintain this semesterʼs minimal cost increases. Overall, the subtotal for full time undergraduate students is $6494.50 as opposed to last semesterʼs $6284.50.

Golden maintained that a myriad of uncertainties, the greatest being funding from the state itself, contribute to the assumed projection of what tuition costs may or may not reach in the future.

Golden also said that if the state would reverse

its trend in disinterest in high education, this could significantly help keep in state schoolsʼ costs down.

According to Hightower, throughout the past 10 years tuition increases have actually averaged “just under eight percent.”

If tuition costs continue to increase, the financial strain incurred by students could force the College to provide more adjustable and accommodating tuition payment plans.

This year the number of families who have signed up for the tuition payment plan provided by the College for the 2009-2010 academic year has increased.

Hightower expects to see a continued growth in the amount of students utilizing the option of a payment plan to offset the burden of high tuition costs.

“We continually review the plan options to ensure that we are offering variable options that are conducive to specific student situations,” she said.

Hightower said that by delaying the payment deadlines during the previous spring semester as

well as during the current fall semester, the College administration was being “cognizant to the specific financial challenges faced by students in an effort to be fair and manageable for all parties involved.”

This year the College has also switched to a direct lending program. This provides a guaranteed source of funding for student loans as well as the option of an income-contigent plan (for repayment) or an income-based plan (also for repayment).

The students and their families have the option of ensuring that their loan repayment amounts will always be affordable (based on what each familyʼs income allow).

While most students who choose other loan plans end up not receiving the benefits initially promised with their plan, the Direct Loan Program ensures that students will begin to receive benefits after only one year.

Students and their families can find complete records of tuition and fees (with details) via the Collegeʼs Web site. Students are able to access their personal bill on PAWS.

page 4 The Signal August 26, 2009

Nation & World

Executive Branch to investigate CIA interrogations WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration is assigning a veteran prosecutor to begin a criminal probe of CIA questioning of terror suspects during the Bush administration, and a new detainee interrogation unit is being created to be supervised by the White House, officials said Monday.

Federal prosecutor John Durham will be appointed by Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate alleged CIA abuses, said a Justice Department official, speaking only on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the matter.

Word of that decision came within minutes of the release of a newly declassified CIA document describing how interrogators threatened to kill the children of one Sept.

11 suspect and may have threatened to sexually assault the mother of another detainee.

The administration also announced Monday that all U.S. interrogators will follow the rules for detainees laid out by the Army Field Manual. That decision aims to end years of fierce debate over how rough U.S. personnel can get with terror suspects in custody.

Formation of the new interrogation unit for “highvalue” detainees does not mean the CIA is out of the business of questioning terror suspects, deputy White House press secretary Bill Burton told reporters covering the vacationing President Barack Obama on Marthaʼs Vineyard in Massachusetts.

Burton said the unit will include “all these different elements under one group” and will be located at the FBI headquarters in Washington.

The unit, to be known as the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, is to be led by an FBI official, with a deputy director from somewhere in the governmentʼs intelligence apparatus and members from across agencies.

It will be directly supervised by the White House, but senior administration officials said the unitʼs agency bosses will make operational decisions.

Officials also said that in cases where terror suspects are transferred to other countries, the U.S. will work harder to ensure they are not tortured.

Durham, the man chosen for the investigation of possible interrogation abuses of the past, is already probing the destruction of videotapes of CIA questioning. He now will examine whether CIA officers or contractors broke

AP Photo

Detainees pray at the soon-to-be-closed Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp. Guantanamo Bay and other foreign prisons have drawn criticism regarding the treatment of terrorism suspects. laws in harsh handling of suspects.

Obama campaigned vigorously against the Bush administrationʼs interrogation practices in his successful run for the presidency. He has said more recently he didnʼt particularly favor prosecuting Bush administration officials in connection with instances of prisoner abuse.

CIA Director Leon Panetta said in an e-mail message to agency employees Monday that he intends “to stand up for those officers who did what their country asked and who followed the legal guidance they were given. That is the presidentʼs position, too,” he said.

Panetta said some CIA officers have been disciplined for going beyond the methods approved for interrogations by the Bush-era Justice Department. Just one CIA employeecontractor David Passaro- has been prosecuted for detainee abuse.

“The CIA has played a vital role in the work of the task

force, and its substantive knowledge will be essential to interrogations going forward,” agency spokesman George Little said Monday.

The administration confirmed the new interrogation unit on the same day the CIA inspector general unveiled a report on Bush administration handling of suspects.

In the future, all questioning of terror suspects will fall under the rules of the Army manual. The manual prohibits forcing detainees to be naked, threatening them with military dogs, exposing them to extreme heat or cold, conducting mock executions, depriving them of food, water, or medical care, and waterboarding.

Subjecting prisoner abuse cases to a new review and possible prosecution could expose CIA employees and agency contractors to criminal prosecution for the alleged mistreatment of terror suspects in the years after the Sept.

11 attacks.

Readerʼs Digest announces bankruptcy News Bits

(AP) — Readerʼs Digest Association Inc., publisher of the iconic general interest magazine that began gracing American homes in 1922, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday as it faces falling print circulation in the Internet age and looming debt payments.

Known for its heartwarming stories about American life as other publications moved toward edgier fare, the companyʼs flagship Readerʼs Digest magazine has seen its U.S. circulation drop from a peak of more than 17 million in the 1970s to just above 8 million last year.

Magnifying the publishing worldʼs woes is an advertising slump that already has led to the closing of several highprofile magazines, including Conde Nastʼs Portfolio, Domino and Blender.

But Readerʼs Digest CEO Mary Berner has said that ad pages for the companyʼs U.S. magazines are down less than six percent through the September editions.

The publicationsʼ down-home feel instead of a high reliance on luxury and highincome tastes has an added attraction to advertisers in a recession that has hurt much of print media.

She noted that the company had several successful ventures, such as the magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray and cooking site AllRecipes.com. Berner, however, cited problems with two underperforming properties the company agreed to sell last year: Books Are Fun Ltd., a company that sells books at events and book fairs, and QSP, which assists with fundraising for schools and youth groups.

Still, weakness in ads, lower circulation and a mountain of debt created a perfect

storm that led to the prearranged bankruptcy filing of the privately held company. The filing had been expected after the company said last week it had reached an agreement with a majority of lenders.

Readerʼs Digest said the prearranged bankruptcy filing, which only affects U.S. operations, would give lenders a 92.5 percent ownership stake in exchange for lowering its indebtedness to $550 million from $2.2 billion. The filing has gotten the approval of more than 80 percent of the companyʼs senior secured lenders, critical for a quicker exit from bankruptcy protection.

The publisher expects to emerge from bankruptcy protection 45 to 90 days after the filing, which was made at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.

The company piled on debt following a $1.6 billion leveraged buyout in 2007 by investors led by Ripplewood Holdings LLC, a New York private equity firm, to take Readerʼs Digest private. In such a transaction, investors typically borrow heavily to acquire a company, betting that operations would generate enough cash to cover the debt payments.

But signs of trouble have since emerged.

In June, Readerʼs Digest magazine cut its circulation guarantee to advertisers to 5.5 million from 8 million, and lowered its frequency to 10 issues a year from 12.

In the Chapter 11 filing, the companyʼs senior secured lenders have committed $150 million in new debtor-in-possession financing that can be converted into exit financing once Readerʼs Digest leaves bankruptcy protection.

The publisher said the financing should

Scotlandʼs justice minister on Monday defended his muchcriticized decision to free the Lockerbie bomber, as the U.S. State Department said that it disagreed “passionately.”

AP Photo

In this 2005 cover provided by Readerʼs Digest magazine, the 1,000th issue of the 83-year-old mini magazine is shown. give it ample liquidity for its restructuring.

Its international operations are expected to run on existing funds from continuing operations and proceeds from the debtorin-possession financing.

All of the companyʼs board members who have served since Ripplewoodʼs acquisition have resigned, aside from Berner. Two members who recently joined will continue to serve.

Pleasantville, N.Y.-based Readerʼs Digest publishes 94 magazines and sells about 40 million books, music and video products each year.

A law enforcement official tells The Associated Press that the Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jacksonʼs death a homicide. Dr. Conrad Murray, Jacksonʼs personal physician, is the target of a manslaughter probe headed by Los Angeles police.

The Iranian-backed Shiite parties that helped propel Iraqʼs prime minister Nouri alMaliki into power three years ago dumped him Monday as their candidate for re-election.

The move set the stage for a showdown within the Shiite coalition that has dominated Iraqʼs government since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Information from AP exchange

August 26, 2009 The Signal page 5

Editorial

The Signal’s new Web site

Check out tcnjsignal.net!

As we prepare for the new semester, more than just fresh food and sealed textbooks await the Collegeʼs students. Thatʼs right, the new Signal Web site is ready and raring to go for all residents thirsting for news, but loathing the thought of inky fingers.

Our new Web site, tcnjsignal.net, is up and runVisit The Signal’s new Web site for an insider’s look on College news and more. ning with this weekʼs stories, and will soon be loaded with print articles, online-only exclusives, blogs and photo galleries.

Sports fans can check out what students are saying about Lions sports on our Signal Sports Blog.

What do you think of the College’s In addition, no more waiting for breaking news new apartment buildings, Phelps and each Wednesday, as timely articles and news briefs Hausdoerffer Halls?

“I am of course will be posted throughout the week on the siteʼs relieved that it is breaking news blog.

• Great! I wish I lived there!

Want to follow The Signal online away from our over. I feel that • They are pretty cool but too far away. site? On the site, you can find links to our Twitter the decision is and Facebook pages, as we are interactive on sev- • They suck! I miss my old dorm. a vindication of eral platforms. We look forward to hearing from • Wait … there are new apartments? my teaching and you! scholarship.”

Your campus news waits. Go check out our new cast your vote @ site!

The Weekly Poll:

tcnjsignal.net

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

tcnjsignal.net Telephone: Production Rm - (609) 771-2424 Business Office - (609) 771-2499 Fax: (609) 771-3433 E-mail: signal@tcnj.edu

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Quote of the Week

-Nagesh Rao

page 6 The Signal August 26, 2009

August 26, 2009 The Signal page 7

Opinions The Signal says ...

Stop: listening to awful music, teasing a squirrel for fun, being a square, harming people with your high fives.

Caution: Nickelback, creepy men, thieves, sandwiches without condiments, T-DUBS flooding, Arctic-like temperatures in the Townhouses.

Go: go Power Rangers, write for Opinions, have fun at LollaNoBooza, enjoy the last of summer, w a t c h “ G r e e k ,” decorate your dorm, take a dance class, hug a tree.

Policies The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors.

The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via e-mail to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office.

Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 300 words.

The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity.

All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason.

All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs.

The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or e-mail us at signal@tcnj.edu.

Exercise isn’t the key to weight loss

Welcome, Class of 2013 and welcome back, upperclassmen!

For months, we longed for the day when we moved out of our parentsʼ houses and got our freedom back at college.

Diana Bubser However, campus Opinions Editor living means campus eating, and the transition from devouring home-cooked meals to scavenging the Collegeʼs dining establishments for edible food can take a toll on even the most disciplined eater.

Most of us college students have warped common sense when it comes to health.

We develop terrible eating habits then hit the Physical Enhancement Center (PEC) treadmills and weight machines while complaining about how our love handles and beer bellies arenʼt magically melting away.

Hereʼs a shocker — exercise does not help you lose weight.

Recent studies cited in the TIME article, “Why Exercise Wonʼt Make You Thin,” show exercise does not significantly aid in dropping pounds and can actually trigger weight gain. When people work out, their self-control brain muscles are exhausted and they are more likely to feel greater entitlement to eat unhealthy foods afterward.

The role exercise plays in burning off excess weight is also grossly overexaggerated. The average 150-pound person only burns around 360 calories during a 33 minute treadmill session, an amount easily nullified by that postworkout blueberry muffin.

Muscle does burn more calories than

Signal Spotlight

fat, but not by much — a pound of muscle only burns four more calories a day than a pound of fat.

According to the article, “if you work out hard enough to convert 10 pounds of fat to muscle — a major achievement — you will only be able to eat an extra 40 calories per day, about the amount in a teaspoon of butter, before beginning to gain weight.”

Well, youʼre overweight and those postgluttony dates with the gym arenʼt helping a bit.

You could embrace the extra baggage. We live in America, land of the obese. Chances are youʼll manage to find a significant other even if you canʼt see your toes.

However, if you are serious about losing weight, itʼs time to put down the fork and think about the food youʼre heaping on your plate and filling your stomach with.

Servings are so inflated these days the average person has no idea what is healthy.

Ideally, a piece of meat should be the size of a deck of cards and a serving of pasta should be the size of a baseball.

Because most students donʼt lug cards and baseballs to Eickhoff Dining Hall, your best bet is to estimate portion size, eat slowly and stop when you feel full. Cutting out soda and late night Hassan pizza works too.

You can try eating healthier meals, but good luck on a campus where half the tolerable entrees are coated in grease and each yogurt sold in the Brower Student Center contains a whopping 27 grams of sugar.

Iʼm not advising you to give up your biweekly PEC visits. Exercise builds muscle tone, improves cardiovascular health and relieves stress. Itʼs essential to good health but shouldnʼt be relied on as a dietary tool.

If it makes you feel better, use that

nutrition.about.com

Using the treadmill wonʼt balance out unhealthy diet decisions. distorted college common sense and hit the gym or run the Metzger Drive Loop before journeying to T-DUBS with the crew for quesadillas. Just donʼt be surprised if your jeans are tighter afterwards.

Source: TIME magazine.

Diana Bubser can bubser3@tcnj.edu.

be

reached

What are you looking forward to most this semester?

“Getting closer to graduation.”

“Making friends and going on adventures.”

“Being able to use DC++.”

“Meeting a lot of people.”

—Bola Okoya, senior criminology and justice studies major

—Jessica Magliaro, junior philosophy major

—Marquita Harris, junior communication studies major

—Ryan Czepiel, freshman digital arts major

Did you embarass yourself this summer?

Tell the new Opinions Editor, Diana Bubser, about it! bubser3@tcnj.edu

facebook.com

at

page 8 The Signal August 26, 2009

Features

Mejias / Student lived helping others continued from page 1

to work with little kids and she had a knack for it,” he said.

“Children flocked to her for guidance.”

Mejias was born Aug. 12, 1989 at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, N.J. Mejias grew up valuing friendship and family.

She was also very active in her school and community. She swam for Union High School and also competed for the Cranford Gators swim team in Cranford, N.J. “Stephanie initially learned to swim from her older sister Melanie. It was hard for Stephanie at first but she eventually learned to master swimming,” said her father, Hector Mejias.

“She demonstrated that once she set her mind on anything, she would tackle it head on and successfully accomplish whatever it was that she wanted.”

Not only did she turn out to be an accomplished swimmer, she also studied and practiced karate, eventually earning a black belt.

She also participated in fundraisers with various organizations, including the Christian Youth Organization in her community.

Once she arrived at the College, Mejias continued to live an active life by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. She also joined the Delta Zeta Sorority in spring 2009.

“I couldnʼt believe how friendly and outgoing she was,” said Kaitlin Drew, Delta Zeta President. “She lit up the room with her smile. She was one of the sweetest, friendliest people I have ever come across.”

Drew said Mejias was always volunteering to go to events on campus to represent the sorority.

“You could always count on her to step up when no one else would,” Drew said. “She got along with everyone and really embodied everything you could ever want in a friend or sister.”

One of Mejiasʼ closest cousins, Tamika Diaz, saw her passion and drive. She made Deanʼs List both years at the College.

“She really enjoyed being around young children and loved teaching kids,” Diaz said. “It was something she was very passionate about and she set out to make it a career.”

Her sudden death came as a shock to everyone. However, many were quick to show their love and support.

The family received a massive response from close friends and sorority sisters during the viewing and funeral, which took place on July 30 and 31, respectively. Even people who were not available to attend the services sent their regards in any way they could.

“My daughter was amazing.

The viewing was unbelievable.

My family and I were baffled by how many people she touched,” Mejiasʼ father said.

Mejias truly impacted the people she was around.

“What I learned from this whole situation was that you never know how long you have with someone,” Webster said. “What is even more amazing is how someone as special as Stephanie can truly touch and move you in any way possible.”

Her father, Hector, learned one very important attribute from his daughter.

“Without a doubt, I learned patience from her. Iʼm a police officer and I have been doing it for several years. There were times where I had no time to

Courtesy of the Mejias family

Mejias was an optimistic person who always placed othersʼ needs before her own, committing her time and talents to organizations and events she believed in. deal with certain situations but she was there encouraging me to calm down and to keep my head up,” he said.

“Whenever finals were around the corner, she became nervous and soon enough I started giving her advice that she had been telling me all this time. I told her to relax and calm down. The only thing she could do is try her best.

But before you knew it, she came out of finals with flying colors. She aced every exam. I was very proud of her.”

Mejiasʼ family will always remember her as a peacemaker.

“She was always the one

trying to calm people down whenever situations got a little tough in the family. She was a peacemaker and had a way to bring about tranquility whenever there was turmoil ,and it always worked,” Hector Mejias said.

Stephanie was also a person who loved to show her humorous side. After attending her brotherʼs wedding, she joked, “Father … you better save up, because I want a big wedding!”

One of Mejiasʼ favorite quotes helps people remember what kind of person she really was.

“Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come.

Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.”

The College will hold a memorial for Mejias on Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. The family asks faculty and students to attend and commemorate her life. The family also plans to establish a memorial fund with the Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes (SADS) Foundation for anyone willing to contribute. The SADS Foundation can be reached at sads.org.

Engineers utilize their knowledge overseas

By Todd Petty Staff Writer

The Collegeʼs chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) are creating the blueprints for a safer and better world by working to design and implement sustainable engineering solutions for countries in need.

The creation of these “blueprints” is overseen by coPresidents Amanda Lukacs and Dan Leal, both senior civil engineering majors at the College.

“We do pro bono engineering projects in areas in need and in developing countries that need some kind of engineering project,” Lukacs said.

This past summer, 10 students traveled to Thailand for three weeks to assist a community with the implementation of a water resource project in the countryʼs Prao district.

However, before the appropriate method for a sustainable water system could be developed, an “assessment trip” was planned to determine the needs of the community, which took place over the summer in 2008.

Michael Horst, assistant professor for the department

of civil engineering, and advisor of EWB, along with three students, surveyed the property and met with local government officials.

Following the construction of a school and several dormitories by Warm Heart Worldwide, a non-profit grassroots community development organization. EWB began the construction of a water tower and distribution system in hopes of providing residents sanitary water for both irrigation and consumption.

In order to curb unnecessary energy usage, students installed a water pump powered by solar panels.

EWB representatives worked side by side with members from the local community to install a network of underground pipes connecting to a series of distribution points throughout Prao district.

Following the completion of their engineering projects, the water was tested and found to be safe. According to Lukacs, children from Prao district honored the burgeoning engineers with a thank you ceremony upon their departure.

“It was a completely gratifying feeling, the appreciation of all the people that were there,” Leal said.

“It really opens your eyes to how other people live,” Lukacs added.

When EWB students arenʼt traveling abroad, they participate in fundraising to support their projects.

EWB organized a Valentineʼs Day flower sale last year to help raise money for its trip to Thailand. This year, the organization is planning more fundraising efforts in preparation for future projects.

EWB is also funded by the Engineering Department at the College as well as donations from engineering firms and public grants.

Plans for EWBʼs next trip have yet to be decided.

“There is a possibility of a follow-up trip although we donʼt have any current project plans,” Leal said.

Lukacs and Leal encouraged students to get involved and attend meetings.

“You donʼt have to be an engineering major to get involved,” Lukacs said.

EWB meets at 1 p.m. every other Wednesday in Armstrong Hall 128. The clubʼs first meeting will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 26. For more information, contact EWB at ewb@tcnj.edu.

August 26, 2009 The Signal page 9

Note to freshmen: Donʼt commit floorcest!

By Lauren Gurry Copy Editor

As a freshman at the College, it may initially seem like a good idea to hook up with or date someone on your floor. The person is always around, and it just seems like the most convenient option. However, many freshmen learn too late that there are many drawbacks to committing what is commonly referred to as “floorcest.”

After Welcome Week, you quickly become very close with the people on your floor, because you are spending every waking moment with them. Whether you share your secrets with them or not, your floormates will come to find out all of your business. By telling just one friend who you hooked up with on the floor, the

rest of your floor will eventually know, destroying any likelihood of keeping a hook-up low-key.

Once the semester is in full swing, chances are you wonʼt keep hooking up with the same person you found interest in during Welcome Week or the beginning of the semester. A “floorcest” chain will ensue, and soon you will be able to make a web of who has hooked up with who on your floor. Not only does this seem distasteful, it is also very unhealthy.

Your floormates arenʼt usually people youʼve known your whole life, so itʼs likely you donʼt know their sexual histories, especially if the event occurs after a night of drinking. Are you really going to ask the hot person on your floor how many people theyʼve hooked up with right before youʼre about to kiss them?

It is awkward enough to run into someone you drunkenly hooked up with at a frat party, or in the elevator on your way to class, but this awkwardness is intensified

when you are stuck with the person for much longer than an elevator ride. Youʼll run into the people you commit floorcest with on the way to your room, a friendʼs room, to the shower, to do laundry … the list goes on and on. Instead of having a surging embarrassment once for a two minute elevator ride, you could turn beet red on a daily basis when you see your floorcest partner. The chances are much higher that you will run into them.

Itʼs also likely that you will share many friends with hook up partners on your floor, so if it is a continuous hook-up, itʼs possible matters could become awkward for your friends. Sometimes, “floorcest” hook ups do turn into relationships, and when the relationship goes sour, friends are often forced to choose sides. This isnʼt to say that itʼs impossible for the relationship to work out — everyone seems to have a story of a couple from their freshman floor that is still together.

Floorcest at the very least is an act you should engage in with a

Diana Bubser / Opinions Editor

Be careful about hooking up on your floor. It could lead to bad tensions between yourself and other residents. cautionary mindset. You will be spending a lot of time with your floormates over the next year and you will learn about their imperfections and quirks much faster than you would an individual you werenʼt living with.

Relationships cycle much faster than they would if you werenʼt living with your significant other.

Your honeymoon period doesnʼt last as long when youʼre con-

stantly exposed to your person of interest, but this also means that you get to know other people on a more intimate level. So, just like getting into a pool, it is best to test the waters before you jump in.

Next week, Lauren will discuss how to handle a long distance relationship in college. If you have an idea for a column, e-mail gurry2@tcnj.edu to share.

Follow The Signal on the Web! www.tcnjsignal.net www.twitter.com/tcnjsignal

www.youtube.com/tcnjsignal Jeffrey Roman / Features Editor

Pirates swarm the library

Last Thursday, Aug. 20, freshmen took a night off after moving in to participate in a scavenger hunt in the New Library. Coordinated by the library staff, students dressed in pirate garb, hunted for various clues hidden throughout the four floors of the building. Those with the most clues received the “treasure” at the end of the night.

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page 10 The Signal August 26, 2009

Arts & Entertainment

For more reviews check out tcnjsignal.net

Stellar performers make up for lack of stars

The Poor Player performed third at Café Under the Stars Sunday in the Brower Food Court.

By Katie Brenzel Arts & Entertainment Editor

As Welcome Week starts to simmer down and awkward icebreakers give way to back-to-school anxiety, fall entertainment at the College has just begun.

On Tuesday night, Café Under the Stars, hosted by the College Union Board (CUB), jump-started what appears to be a promising year for campus bands.

Though the event turned into Café Under a partially lit ceiling due to the weather, the Brower Student Center Food Court filled by the middle of the night.

New Jersey natives Pegasus Jetpack introduced songs from their album set to be released Dec. 26, including “Motel Nights” and “Unexpected.” The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Jon Irizarry, senior business and communication studies major, bassist Rick Rogers,

and drummer Pat Maloney. According to Irizarry and Rogers, the three have been playing together for three years, a fact evident in their cohesive set.

“This was our first show since recording, so there were a few slip ups,” Irizarry said on their performance.

Any mistakes went unnoticed by the audience, who seemed involved in the band’s polished sound.

While Irizarry and Rogers identified their music as psychedelic rock, traces of grunge and hard rock crept into certain songs.

The fusion of genres presented by The Poor Player translated to slight confusion on stage, not quite matching the sharpness of their predecessors.

However, what the band lacked in consistency, they more than made up for by their energy and signature style. The band’s sound is a blend of blues, soul and rock, brilliantly performed by lead vocalist and

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

guitarist Erik Romero, pianist Lisa Ball, drummer Chuck Winkler and Steve Voelker sporting a tenor sax,senior music majors, and bassist Dave Lester. The combination of the band’s clear love of performance and unconventional inclusion of the tenor sax set it apart from the other performers of the night.

Despite the initial scarcity of the crowd, Rare Candy performed an impressive set of originals and covers to the same caliber had the room been filled to capacity.

The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Huston (also Signal Nation and World Editor), his younger brother Andrew Huston on drums, and bassist Ben Cole. Some of the band’s originals included “We Tell Ourselves Stories,” “Frown” and “On a Monday.”

Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.

Entertainment forecast predicts exciting fall lineup

By Katie Brenzel Arts & Entertainment Editor

Summer is over. Accept it.

Fortunately for you culturally inclined (or those tired of Super Smash Bros. tournaments), the fall line-up of entertainment promises an exciting semester.

Who to thank: WTSR Where: Kendall Television Studio When: 8 p.m.

Like music? How about free stuff? The WTSR concert series not only provides both, but classy pink chairs are involved.

For the all-encompassing alternative rocker, New York based Viva Mayday will grace the studio Sept. 15.

The Flying Change arrives in Kendall Hall Main Stage Oct. 6, introducing songwriter Sam Jacob in what he deems “Landscape Pop,” which features a combination of artists likely to satisfy an audience with a broad range of musical interests.

For future concerts, visit wtsr.org.

Who to thank: The College Union Board (CUB) Tomorrow come to the 3 for 3 Comedy Night, featuring Ronnie Jordan, Esther Ku, and Andrew Kennedy at 8 p.m. in Kendall.

This semester CUB has a number of bus trips planned for those itching to get off campus. Locations include the Philadelphia Zoo on Aug. 30, Point Pleasant on Sept. 5, New Hope, Pa. on Sept. 27, Washington D.C. on Sept. 26 and a Phillies Bus Trip on Sept.

28. Be sure to keep a look out for posters with more details.

Like to laugh? De-stress and relax at this semester’s comedy show. Comedian Michael Ian Black from Comedy Central’s “Michael and Michael Have Issues” will perform Sept.

21.

For those looking for something beyond trick-or-treating or binge drinking, the Roxey Ballet Company will perform Dracula The Ballet in Kendall Hall in October. According to the company’s Web site, this contemporary ballet company “presents fresh, kinetic dance choreography that enables dancers to forge an interactive bond with audiences.”

Who to thank: TCNJ Musical Theatre (TMT) Where: Kendall Hall Main Stage When: Nov. 19 to the 22 TMT organizes both large and small-scale productions throughout the year. This year’s fall production is “The Wedding Singer,” which will run from Nov. 19 to the 22.

According to the TMT board, karaoke nights in Brower Student Center are planned once a month.

Be sure to look out for TMT’s annual Broadway Night sometime in October to see performances showcasing a variety of musical numbers from your favorite shows.

Who to thank: Mixed Signals Where: TBA When: Monthly A night with this improvisational comedy troupe is a great remedy for the stress of all nighters and endless study sessions. Look for postings around campus for specific dates of these free, monthly shows.

Who to thank: All College Theatre (ACT) dailynews.com Michael Ian Black performs When: TBA ACT’s first production of the year, “Creation of Sept. 21. the World,” opens the second week of October. For location and ticket details keep a look out for posters around campus.

The second production is ACT’s annual Murder Mystery. This show is a campus favorite, providing catered food and an interactive performance that will keep you guessing.

Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.

August 26, 2009 The Signal page 11

Summer 2009 retrospect: What was hot?

Cirque du Soleil makes circus sublime

AP Photo

By Laura Herzog Arts& Entertainment Assistant Seeing a sculpted man glide mere tens of feet above me wrapped in red sheets like an abstract Superman as a female singer’s voice eerily climaxed at a high falsetto — I was sold.

My eyes became glassy from staying open to soak it all in, and my cheeks ached from smiling.

This is exactly what Cirque du Soleil is all about — pushing physical limits circus, routines and uniting people in a shared sense of wonder at the sublime capabilities of the human body.

While there are many great shows, few offer the same level of awe for the audience. Although the show includes clown routines and physical comedy for children, I’d recommend leaving very small children at home until they can better appreciate the high level of avante-garde artistry. There is true genius behind it, as every seemingly minor detail in the show serves the purpose of keeping the audience eyes’ alert and entertained.

The show will please circus purists and lovers of novelty alike, with a broad array of conventional (trapeze art, tight rope walking) and nonconventional (human wheels, Chinese yo-yo, trampoline) routines. The Chinese yo-yo act, during which four adorable girls beam at the audience as they perform gravity defying stunt after stunt, all the while keeping the yo-yo spinning in perfect rhythm, will amaze even the most seasoned audience member.

It is difficult to measure the adrenaline rush one gets from knowing that the performer are only feet away from you.

Life may be a circus, but Cirque du Soleil elevates the circus to the sublime.

Mos Def and Regina Spektor impress with Youngs and Ghost rock the Bowery newest sound

By Katie Brenzel Arts & Entertainment Editor

New York City’s Bowery Ballroom, host to rising and established artists, surged with the excited reception of Jenny Owen Youngs and Jukebox the Ghost on May 27.

The cozy but crowded hall, darkened slightly by remnants of gothic architecture, was graced

by Youngs’ newest sound from her recently released album, “Transmitter Failure.”

The new album retains much of Youngs’ notable folk and indie myspace.com/jennyowenyoungs sound from her debut album, “Batten the Hatches,” but extenuates the pop undertones to a greater degree. Songs such as “Clean Break” showed a distinct deviation from her earlier work, but possessed the same vigor and raw sincerity her fans have learned to crave.

Youngs rocked originals such as “Fuck was I” and “Led to the Sea.” She proved as energetic and friendly as ever in her inter-song banter, as well as her mellow response to a few over enthused fans with a simple thumbs-up.

Ending with “Last Person,” accompanied by Jukebox the Ghost who covers the song in their vinyl split with Youngs, Youngs invited the band to do “terrible, awesome things” to the audience.

“Awesome things” translated to a performance that echoed various influences from bands including Cheap Trick, Queen, The Beatles, and a dash of David Bowie, producing a sound that defied classification.

The band from Philadelphia consists of the wide-eyed lead vocalist and keyboardist Ben Thornewill, guitarist Tommy Siegel, and drummer Jesse Kristin. Their upbeat pop-indie tunes contrasted comically with their often apocalyptic subject matter from their newly released “Let Live and Let Ghosts.”

Youngs and Jukebox shared the stage with These United States, who kick started the night with songs from their 2008 album “Crimes.”

The indie rock band hails from Washington, D.C., and consists of Jesse Elliott, Tom Hnatow, and Robby Cosenza. Their hypnotizing folk set incorporated traces of country and psychedelic sound, producing a rough but rousing performance that established the energy of the night.

Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.

The summer must sees and reads ‘Up’ dazzles but falls short The movie’s first half is wonderful – a black and white montage beautifully chronicles Carl’s childhood, courtship and marriage.

Carl’s reluctant banter with young Russell is consistently amusing, and the unveiling of his balloons floods the screen with dazzling color.

To escape the trappings of old age and to fulfill his one childhood dream, Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) uses thousands of helium balloons to lift his house off the ground and set sail for South America. He unwittingly takes 8-year-old Russell along with him, who reminds Carl of himself as a young adventurer.

But where the first half is poignant, the second half is silly. Though the computer animation remains superb, the plot unravels, taking too many twists and turns to keep the audience’s attention. In the end, however, as Carl’s grouchy exterior cracks and he inspires the young, curious Russell, we are left with a rare movie that actually appeals to people of all ages, both an entertaining and a compelling rumination on lost and new-found dreams.

‘The Hurt Locker’ shows reality of war “The Hurt Locker,” directed by former painter Kathryn Bigelow, gets inside the heads of bomb diffusion specialists in Iraq to show how addictive war can be. Mark Boal’s script, based on his research with an actual bomb squad, is more character study than war movie, with more insights than explosions.

Set in 2004, the film focuses on Sgt. James (Jeremy Renner), the new leader of an Explosive Ordinance Disposal team. The

movie centers on the idea that “war is a drug.”

James’ experience suggests that war is an addiction that leads to other addictions, such as adrenaline, egotism, and heroism. This personal understanding of James’ condition, coupled with Bigelow’s incredible camera work (sometimes frantic, other times quiet and still), gives the movie a documentary-like realism.

—Nathan Fuller ‘Brüno’ Aims to Shock If the nude wrestling scene was “Borat’s” most outrageous moment, then “Brüno” out-does it once… twice… too many times.

“Brüno” takes the absurd gags from “Borat” and escalates them as far as an R rating will allow.

“Brüno” is consistently hilarious, aided tremendously by economical editing, which brings the film to a scant 83 minutes. As a result, virtually no joke in the film falls flat.

Highlights include a failed television pilot featuring a talking penis (arguably the film’s biggest laugh) and an attempt to heal conflict in the Middle East over hummus.

Despite similarities to its sister-film, “Brüno’s” ultimate goal differs slightly from that of “Borat.” If “Borat” skewered America’s racial intolerance, then “Brüno” does the same for homophobia. The film never quite delivers its message as strongly as its predecessor, though, muddling its intent in earlier scenes.

Brüno is also a more divisive character than Cohen’s other incarnations. Where Borat gleefully disguised himself as a racist for satire, Brüno pokes and prods to incite a reaction.

Cohen’s strategies might not be as fresh as

they were three years ago, but his talents as a comedian are kind of “fantastiche.”

—Steven Avigliano Book : “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” While best-selling humorist David Sedaris can sometimes seem forced and self-important when he is at his most cynical, Sedaris truly shines in his humble “When You Are Engulfed in Flames.” This is Sedaris’ sixth collection of personal essays, in which his talents shine so brightly, they … well … burn.

I tend to judge the greatness of a book by whether it prompts me to question my life (which almost always means it makes me cry while reading it), and/or by the number of excerpts from it that I feel compelled to reread to my mother while chasing her around the kitchen. “Engulfed” did not make me cry, but it did compel me to read aloud to my mom, my sisters, and everyone else I could corner. I couldn’t help it — they say misery loves company, but when it came to Sedaris’ off-beat, insightful and sometimes downright macabre sense of humor, I found that I wanted company to laugh with, from Sedaris’ brief dalliance with external catheters, to his awkwardly “revealing” experience in the waiting room of a hospital in France.

Sedaris has the ability to milk all his life experiences, from the most awkward situations to the smallest observation, for all their comedic worth, with equal parts sarcasm and self-depreciation. “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” is testament to Sedaris’ greatest gift: to get us to see the absurdity we all hold within ourselves.

—Laura Herzog

By Melissa Virzi WTSR Assistant Music Director and Chris Payne WTSR Music Director Regina Spektor “Far”

3.5 out of 5

Die hard fans of Regina Spektor might be a tad disappointed in “Far,” her fifth album (third on a major label) especially after her last, “Begin to Hope,” contained such listener friendly gems as “Fidelity” and “On the Radio.”

You’ll find all of the elements essential to a Spektor album: piano driven melodies rooted in anti-folk, Regina’s distinct mezzo-soprano vocals, quirky lyrics and just enough emotion to make the songs more than just performed notes on a page. The production is (nearly) flawless, but when you have four experienced producers (Begin To Hope’s David Kahne, U2‘s Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee, ELO’s Jeff Lynne and poporiented Mike Elizondo) working on it, what can you expect?

Spektor starts off the album strong with the charming “The Calculation” and “Eet,” but it’s admittedly hard to keep interest until the very end. Even “Dance Anthem of the 80’s” isn’t upbeat enough to get you through the last five songs.

If you’re looking for the soft, storytelling Spektor you’ve grown to love, your best bet here is “Laughing With,” a characteristically silly and spiritual song that shows Spektor’s growth (but certainly not her maturity).

Key Tracks: “Laughing With,” “Eet” Mos Def

“The Ecstatic” 3.5 out of 5

News flash: Mos Def is a really talented dude. His 1999 debut “Black On Both Sides” remains a classic of alternative hip-hop and his NYU degree in experimental theatre has come in handy for films like “The Italian Job” and “Cadillac Records.”

His first solo record in three years is another helping of daring, culturally relevant hip-hop that’s being hailed as his best work since his debut.

“The Ecstatic” is a left-brained, staggeringly creative effort. The production of Mr. Flash and J Dilla (among others) is stellar, but Mos Def is a rapper who’s seldom a slave to his beats or a specific song structure. His flow isn’t afraid to spill over into the margins or go off on a tangent, which is complemented by his expert MC skills. Though guest spots include Talib Kweli, Madlib and Slick Rick, Mos alone is enough to carry standouts like “Supermagic” and “Casa Bey,” proving once again he’s not one to call in R&B singers to sing the hooks or other rappers to facilitate the verses.

For those disappointed in the last Common record, the newest from Most Def is certainly a refreshing remedy.

Key Tracks: “Auditorium,” “Casa Bey”

page 12 The Signal August 26, 2009

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Lion’s soccer / fall sports

August 26, 2009 The Signal page 13

By Steve Hofstetter, Adam Hofstetter, Cody Marley, Ryan Murphy, Elliot Steingart and Chris Strait

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

The Lions will look to go deep into the NCAA Division III Tournament this year.

Brett Favre went 1 for 4 in his debut with the Minnesota Vikings.

He would have had more snaps if he hadn’t retired during the second quarter.

The NFL will try to crack down on binge drinking at games during the 2009 season. In related news, Matt Leinart is retiring.

The New York Mets released Livan Hernandez. Hey, his fault for staying healthy.

Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn has made a second trip to Spain to try to learn what it will take to get Ricky Rubio. Perhaps he should start by not working for the Timberwolves.

And a Florida theme park plans to name a new high-speed ride in honor of Dale Earnhardt. Right after they name an airplane after Roberto Clemente.

Men’s Soccer

continued from page 16 for his 20th year at the helm, and with eight returning seniors ready to lead the charge, including ultra-talented forward Jamie Kunkel, the team seems to be confident.

Kunkel scored a team-high 31 points last season, comprised of 11 goals and 9 assists.

Midfielder Erin Cunliffe, another senior who produced high-octane offense, was the only other Lion to score 20-plus points in 2008. Cunliffe notched 10 goals and two assists for the squad last season. The defense should be sturdy again this season, as junior Jessica Clarke returns for her third season in net. Clarke recorded a respectable .779 save percentage, averaging less than one goal against per match.

The College’s first contest of the 2009 campaign will take place at the team Soccer Complex on Tuesday, where the team will play host to New York University in a 5 p.m. start.

The men’s soccer team’s previous season was mired down by inconsistencies that they will look to correct this year. The No. 5 seeded Lions ended last season with a 9-9-2 record, and were eliminated in the first round of the NJAC playoffs after a disappointing 1-5 loss to the No. 11 seeded William Paterson University. This postseason appearance was the third for the College in the past four years, including the 2005 season when the Lions were the NJAC champions.

Instrumental to the Lions’ hope of returning to glory in the NJAC standings is the play of returning senior forward Kevin Luber. He finished last season as the Lions’ lead scorer with 26 points on nine goals, two of which were game winners, and eight assists. Luber was named to the 2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America-adidas All-Metro Region Second Team and the NJAC All-Star First Team. The College hopes he can build upon this success and lead the team back to glory in the postseason.

— Garrett Rasko-Martinis

— Michael O’Donnell

For more of Steve Hoftstetter’s minute (or So), log on to minuteorso.com

Cross country and tennis teams ready to go Cross Country Both the men’s and women’s Cross Country teams will look to improve upon last year as they embark on another arduous season.

Last year, the men’s team ran at the

NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional Championship in St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. The College had two runners, then-sophomore TJ Bocchino and then-senior Chris Guerriero, earn All-Atlantic Region honors. This year, the team will look for its leadership from new captain, Bocchino, along with returning captain senior Brandon Rodkewitz. Returning sophomore Nick Bond expects the team to have a huge breakout season.

“This year, we’d like to show ourselves to be strong contenders at the Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University in October to all the Division 3 teams competing there that day. At the end of October we hope to win ourselves another NJAC Title,” Bond said.

Coach Phil Jennings looks for the women’s team to have another strong year after having six of their runners compete at the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships. With three of those runners graduating, the team will look to their two new captains, seniors Nicole Ullmeyer and Michelle Wallace to carry the team.

— Josh Caulfield

Tennis

Courtesy of Sports Information Desk.

Junior captain TJ Bocchino.

For the College, this upcoming tennis seasons expectations are high following NCAA tournament appearances from both the men’s and women’s team last season. The men’s tennis team finished

Chris Gifford / Staff Photographer

Senior Jackie Shtemberg returns to the court to lead the Lions. with an impressive record of 11-3 overall, and maintained an intimidating undefeated record at home. The men’s team will be returning almost every starter, including its top eight overall performers.

“They’ve brought in four very talented freshmen whose impact could potentially make an immediate positive impact on the team,” head coach Scott Dicheck said.

The women’s tennis team had an equally impressive season, tallying 16 total wins and only four losses in the regular season.

The women’s team earned an NJAC Championship with an undefeated record of 5-0 in conference play. This conference title was the Lions’ 26th consecutive NJAC win. The College remains unbeaten in conference play with 126 straight victories dating back to the 1982 season.

Both teams are expecting to have a very strong year and improve on last season’s performances.

— Robert Morris

page 14 August 26, 2009 The Signal

4 6

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Garrett Rasko-Martinis

“The Ref”

Michael O’Donnell Staff Writer

Robert Morris Sports Assistant

Bobby Olivier Managing Editor

The Around the Dorm opener will pit newcomer Robert Morris against seasoned veterans Michael O’Donnell and Bobby Olivier. New Sports Editor Garrett Rasko-Martinis will be testing the contestants with questions concerning the growing number of baseball players facing steroid allegations, Brett Favre once again opting to return to the National Football League, and the moral dilemmas surrounding Michael Vick’s reinstatement. will all be forgotten if Vick plays well.

1. Over the summer, several more Major even if it isn’t legally possible, and I too Does anyone think about Kobe Bryant League Baseball players have been ac- agree. So whoever got their ATD anand his rape charge anymore? Hardly, and cused of failing their 2003 steroid test. swers to me first wins. Bobby gets a 3 the same will happen to Vick, pending he At this point, would baseball be better off for submitting them on Friday at 11:00 plays well yet again. keeping the records sealed, or just getting a.m, Robert gets 2 for sending them five RM: We all have made mistakes in our life. hours later. Mike receives the 1 because it all out in the open?

I certainly do not condone what Vick did, the name-dropping isn’t going to stop and I will never be the Vick fan that I once unless the perpetrators are caught. was, but I do fully support him getting a 2. It’s a different summer, but it’s conclusecond chance to turn his life around. Vick sion is just the same – Brett Favre is once served his time in prison. Perhaps I am naagain coming out of retirement. Does it ive but I do like to believe that people are tarnish his legacy that he keeps mulling inherently good at heart and he is sorry for retirement, just to re-enter football a few his mistakes. Tony Dungy has fully supweeks later? ported Vick’s reinstatement and said that he believed Vick to be sincere in his regret MO: I wrote for The Signal about this last and apologies. My hat is off to Commisyear and said that when he came out of AP Photo sioner Goodell. He has done a superb job NFL and everything he has accomplished, retirement the first time and played for in cleaning up the league and once again, Favre still finds that desire to compete. the Jets, that it did not destroy his legaI strongly feel he did the right thing in alThe records speak for themselves, and cy because all he wanted to do was play AP Photo lowing Michael Vick a second chance. no matter what shenanigans Favre pulls football, and that was obviously not goBO: Let’s get something straight. Miin the future, the way he is regarded as MO: First of all, this is not baseball’s de- ing to happen in Green Bay. This time chael Vick screwed up. We know it, and an all-time great and tenacious competicision. The federal government is in pos- around, I think his legacy is slightly more will — or at least should — always he knows it. Just like any criminal, Vick tor session of these records, and it’s their tarnished. Don’t get me wrong, Favre stand.

And honestly, who doesn’t want to wants a second chance to redeem himself decision whether or not to withhold the will still be remembered as arguably one see Favre return to Lambeau Field in the after his incarceration, so give him that information. Nevertheless, baseball needs of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. dead of winter to take on a franchise he chance to shine. He’s most likely not gothe name dropping to stop. Just when the However, he may now be remembered as brought back into the spotlight so many ing to be the that missing link that makes public thinks the names are going to stop the guy who betrayed his loyal Cheesehyears ago? or breaks the Philadelphia Eagles on their coming out, another pops up. The survey eads by joining the hated Vikings, liked GRM: Mr. O’Donnell gets the 3 on this quest for a Super Bowl appearance, so let was supposed to be anonymous, and as the attention of being in the spotlight, or question.

Favre still has all the records, the guy get his snaps and get back to his each performance enhancing drug (PED) had the worst decision-making skills in but he’s destroyed the part of his legalife. Roger Goodell made the right call user surfaces, the public becomes more history. No matter how you spin it, Favre cy that labeled him a hometown hero. by letting Vick back into the league, and enthralled and wants more names. If cut has made people think about him more Bobby gets 2 for mentioning how infor the animal rights protestors, I’m sure off right now, people will eventually real- now as something other than a great quartriguing it’s going to be when Favre rethere’s plenty of other criminals commitize the releases are over, and will focus on terback and a model human being. turns to Lambeau.

Robert gets 1 point ting canine atrocities around the world. baseball once again. This is not a problem for downplaying the impact of Favre’s Go bother them. All I’m saying is give that is going to be fixed overnight. Unless flip flopping.

Vick a chance. it continues to somehow illegally leak, GRM: Robert gets the 3 here because I as has happened over the last few years, baseball would very grateful if these posi3. Michael Vick’s NFL reinstatement has completely agree that Vick did his time tive tests did not come out for the world been met with a great deal of protest by and deserves a second chance. Bobby to see. animal lovers across the country. Does gets 2 for saying the same thing, but in RM: It makes absolutely no sense to pick Vick deserve this second chance, or a less interesting way. Mike gets a 1 beand choose what players will be exposed should Roger Goodell have prohibited Vick cause no matter how good Vick does in football, the animal rights activists will the public for their use of PEDs. Baseball from playing? fans have already seen one of the greatest MO: As much as it pains me to say as a dog still hate him and you can’t compare pitchers to ever play the game in Roger lover, Michael Vick does deserve a second Kobe to Vick. Kobe’s rape allegations Clemens, and one of the greatest hitters chance. Despite the backlash the NFL and were just that, allegations, and Vick adin Manny Ramirez, both named in the rethe Eagles are experiencing for this rein- mitted to his crime. port. Lives, reputations, legacies and the statement, this is a good move by Roger integrity of the game have already been Goodell. Not only did Goodell provide a AP Photo tarnished with the release of some names. solid initial punishment of an indefinite It is now the MLB’s obligation to make all RM: Retirement is nothing new to the suspension along with his jail time, Vick the findings public and would serve in the sports fan. Athletes have retired and re- also has to wait until Week 6 at the latest best interest of fans to just try and move turned throughout the history of sports. It in order to have a shot at playing. Goodell past this dark cloud. It would be better to is a part of sports, and the business that made his mark by laying down the law, release all the names to the public so that is sports. The great Michael Jordan had not only with Vick but also with Plaxico every time a strikeout is tallied in a score- two retirements himself, Roger Clemens Burress. Goodell encouraged Burress book and a homerun is hit, baseball fans retired at least four or five times, and the to admit his guilt to the gun possession don’t have to ask themselves if the athlete hockey great Mario Lemieux also had charges, and because of this, Plax will be is clean. more than one retirement. Lance Arm- allowed to return to the NFL when he is BO: This whole “who was juicing and who strong, Muhammad Ali and George Fore- done serving his jail time. If Vick ends up wasn’t” thing is just like a band aid. Rip man are all big names who have retired reforming himself and being a positive it off, release the list and have everything and returned, and yet Favre has been la- role model in the community, that could out in the open, or leave it on and seal it beled a “prima donna” by many media mean positive publicity for the NFL. This AP Photo for good. But for God’s sake, make a deci- outlets. In a league filled with athletes Bobby opens up the season with a victory, 7-6-5 sion. This slow, painful process of learn- who have been in prison, are under house ing about various superstars and Jason arrest and have made more court appearGrimsley enhancing themselves to im- ances then Brett Favre has changed his prove their game is only hurting the MLB mind, how can we seem to be so angered and everyone associated with it. But, be- at a man who just can’t seem to step away cause there will always be leaks in one from a game that has done so much for “I’d like to announce my way or another, let’s just get it over with him, and he’s done so much for? retirement … and I’m back. and see that list. Nothing shocks anyone BO: Although Favre’s signing with the Minnesota here I come!” anymore regarding who tested positive. Vikings garnered the “sigh … really?”

The list cannot hurt the sport much more response from a good chunk of sports na— Bobby than it already has, and then we can finally tion, it does not tarnish his legacy. Sure, move on. the way Favre has gone about retiring and GRM: Robert and Bobby said they think returning has been exhausting, but I have it would be better for the list to be public, to respect that after all of his time in the

August 26, 2009 The Signal page 15

LIONS ROUNDUP Football Date 9/5/2009 9/18/2009 9/26/2009 10/2/2009 10/10/2009 10/17/2009 10/24/2009 10/31/2009 11/7/2009 11/14/2009

Date 9/1/2009 9/6/2009 9/10/2009 9/15/2009 9/19/2009 9/22/2009 9/25/2009 10/2/2009 10/6/209 10/10/2009 10/15/2009 10/17/2009 10/20/2009 10/22/2009 10/24/2009 10/27/2009 11/1/2009

Date 9/1/2009 9/5/2009 9/6/2009 9/11/2009 9/12/2009 9/16/2009 9/19/2009 9/23/2009 9/26/2009 9/30/2009 10/3/2009 10/10/2009 10/14/2009 10/17/2009 10/21/2009 10/24/2009

vs. vs. vs. @ vs. @ vs. @ @ @

Opponent

Time/Result

Buffalo State FDU - Florham Morrisville State College Kean Univeristy The College at Brockport William Paterson Montclair State U. SUNY Cortland West Conn. State. U. Rowan Universty

Noon 7 p.m.

Noon 7 p.m.

Noon 4 p.m.

2 p.m.

Noon Noon 1 p.m.

Field Hockey Opponent

Alumnae Game vs. Frostburg State U. vs. Manhattanville College vs. Eastern University vs. FDU - Florham @ Ursinus College @ William Paterson U. @ Montclair State U. vs. Johns Hopkins U. vs. Rowan University vs. Ramapo College vs. Salisbury University @ Richard Stockton College vs. Cabrini College vs. Messiah College vs. Kean University @ SUNY Cortland

Menʼs Soccer vs. @ @ @ @ vs. vs. @ vs. vs. vs. @ @ vs. @ @

Time/Result 4 p.m.

1 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:30 pm 3 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

6 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

1 p.m.

4 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

8 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

1 p.m.

Time/Result

Drew University North Carolina Wesleyan Greensboro College Albright College Arcadia University Stevens Inst. of Tech.

Kean University Rowan University Montclair State U. Rutgers Univ. - Camden Messiah College NJ City University Richard Stockton College William Paterson U. Muhlenberg College Ramapo College

7:30 p.m.

2 p.m.

Noon 6 p.m.

1 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

1 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

6 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

1 p.m.

7 p.m.

1 p.m.

7 p.m.

1 p.m.

Trivia Question

In Major League Baseball history, how many times has this feat been accomplished?

Cameron Richardson Football

Opponent

On August 23rd, Philadelphia Phillies second basemen Eric Bruntlett ended a game against the New York Mets by recording the final three outs himself (an unassisted triple play.)

Lion to Watch

Lion’s senior wide receiver Cameron Richardson was recently named a captain for the upcoming season. Last season Richardson totaled 542 yards receiving and three touchdowns for the Lions.

Richardson also received New Jersey Athletic Conference All-Conference honors last season.

Hey Lions Sports Fans!

Be sure to check out our next issue for upcoming games to watch, more stats and the answer to the trivia question!

STAT OF THE WEEK

23

Following their third consecutive NJAC championship, the field hockey team will seek their 23rd conference crown since the 1982 season. The Lions will be returning most of their team including key member Alexandria Okuniewicz, who was named last years Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Rookie of the Year.

SignalSports

Lions’ Lineup August 26, 2009

N.Y. Yankees: Is this the year?

Bombers are poised for playoff run

By Robert Morris Sports Assistant

After winning four World Series titles in a five-year period during the late 1990s, the New York Yankees are in a bit of a championship drought as they have not won a World Series since their Subway Series victory in 2000.

This past offseason, it was an all or nothing free agent shopping spree (as it often is).

The team spent a combined $423 million on the signings of first baseman Mark Teixeira and pitchers CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett. The organization had to cope with the media circus surrounding Alex Rodriguez and allegations of steroid use during spring training.

Also, the Yankees pitching staff took a major hit when they lost Chien-Ming Wang, a former 19 game winner and Cy Young runner-up pitcher.

With all the additions to the roster, and a new stadium, the same goal was obvious: to win the World Series. After a slow start, their offseason acquisitions are finally earning their

AP Photo

Young players like Robinson Cano and veterans like Derek Jeter have made the Yanks a reckonable force. pay. Sabathia is tied for the major lead league with 14 wins thus far, while Burnett is not far behind with 10 wins, and both are getting better as the season progresses.

Mark Teixeira has been stellar with both the bat and the glove and has been everything the Yankees hoped for. Teixeira is among the American League home run leaders with 31, and

is closing in on 100 runs batted in on the year. Incredibly, he has only committed one error at this point in the season, and has been the first consistent first baseman for the Bombers since Tino Martinez.

Resiliency, it would appear, is the resounding theme echoing throughout the Yankee locker room this season.

Just like with previous championship teams in New York, this current team will not sur-

render without a fight and are giving the New York faithful plenty to be excited about. After losing their first eight showdowns with the Boston Red Sox this season, the Yanks have rebounded impressively and the team is getting it together at just the right time. The Yankees are experiencing a drive the team hopes to carry deep into the playoffs and possibly into October en route to a World Series Title.

The Yankees swept Boston a few weeks ago, and just won another series at Fenway Park over the weekend. They won their first eight games following the All Star Break, and have compiled 27 wins since.

The Yankees now hold the best record in the major leagues at 78-45 and have a somewhat comfortable lead over the Red Sox in their division.

In the history of the Yankees, they’ve never blown a division lead of at least 6.5 games this late into a season. With the way the team has been playing lately, and as long as the players stay healthy, don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

Inside

46 53 Around the Dorm page 14

New soccer season page 13

Tennis teams ready to go page 13

Cross country in position page 13

What to look for in sports during the fall season Fall 2009 Previews

Football

Following a lackluster 2008 season, the Lions look to bounce back and reclaim a spot near the top of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).

Preseason rankings have the College, far removed from their 2007 NJAC crown, sitting sixth after a 4-6 campaign last year. The Lions finished last season with three consecutive home losses, the lowlight being a 42-3 routing by the rival Profs of Rowan University in their final game.

The College opens the season at home for their first three meetings, hosting Buffalo State University (1-9 in 2008), Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham (1-6 in 2008) and Morrisville State College (0-9 in 2008).

Look for seniors wide receiver Cameron Richardson, defensive back Ryan Flannery and punter Marc Zucconi — returning All-NJAC

stars — to take advantage of the less competitive early schedule.

With more than three decades of experience coaching the Lions, head coach Eric Hamilton returns to the helm, hoping that senior quarterback Chris James can continue to produce, following his 2008 season which garnered 18 total touchdowns, and lead the Lions to a successful season.

— Bobby Olivier

Field Hockey Following a heartbreaking defeat in the final minutes of the NCAA quarterfinals last season to Tufts University, the field hockey team looks to improve upon its winning ways in the 2009 season. The College has sat on top of the NJAC the past three seasons, and

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Last season’s home opener victory for the Lions after then Junior defensive back Ryan Flannery blocked a fourth-quarter field goal.

Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The field hockey team hopes to remain atop the NJAC this season. is still hunting for that elusive NCAA Division III Championship title. Last year they finished the season 16-3, including a dominant 6-0 showing in conference games.

Junior forward and midfielder Leigh Mitchell returns to the team after being named to the Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III All-America First Team last season. She led the team in scoring with 19 goals for 45 points, including two game-winners.

Sophomore midfielder and defender Alexandria Okuniewicz will return to the team after her incredible rookie season. She was second on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 34 points.

Most impressive were her timely goals as she led the team with five game-win-

ning goals. She was named the 2008 Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Rookie of the year, and looks forward to earning more honors this season.

— Garrett Rasko-Martinis

Women’s Soccer After advancing to the sectional round of the NCAA tournament last season and the semi-finals the previous season, the Lions are looking to build on that momentum in this upcoming campaign.

Head Coach Joe Russo is returning see LION’S SOCCER page 13