Parisian Nights
Read about a Signal editor’s experiences abroad in Paris! See Features page 13 tcnjsignal.net
New Music year Resolutions Check out 2012’s upcoming album releases, newest artists, best tracks and hottest bands! See A&E page 15
The College of New Jersey Student Newspaper since 1885
January 18, 2012
No. 1
Vol. CXXXVI.
Campus Town construction underway By Tom Ciccone News Editor
After having been under consideration for several years, construction for the new Campus Town project has finally begun. Parking lots 14 and 15 were cleared over the break. The project is still in its planning stage, but is beginning the process of constructing and relocating various facilities, according to Stacey Schuster, executive director of college relations. The Bonner Center, Municipal Land Use Center and the ROTC facilities will be permanently moved to Holman Hall. The Campus Town project is a construction of retail stores and housing facilities for students of the College as well as community members to enjoy. “What we’re doing is mixed use development,” said Schuster. “Essentially it will allow the College to build something we’d otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to build.” The project comes out of a partnership between the College and PRC Group, a private company. The Economic Development Authority has yet to approve this partnership. The area known as Campus Town will comprise of
retail stores on the first floors of the newly constructed buildings, with second floors being relegated to student housing. Of the 300,000 total square feet that Campus Town will cover, there will be 220,000 square feet of student housing facilities, with the remaining 80,000 square feet for retail shops. College officials believe the project will not only be a great source for more housing spaces, but will also help integrate the Ewing community into the College’s campus. “We think this is going to be a great way to merge the community and the College. We’re really excited,” Schuster said. Plans for Campus Town are still unfinished, yet some basic building specifications have been finalized. “Some things have been set in stone, such as building materials,” said Schuster. “We want all of the buildings to be built the same way we would build a college dorm.” As the first stages of construction for Campus Town begin, certain related changes have occurred within the College administration. In an email sent out over the break by President of the College R. Barbara Gitenstein, it was announced that Vice President for Student Affairs Jim Norfleet is assuming “a new role focusing on important features in
the implementation of the Campus Town project.” Currently Norfleet is in charge of submitting the partnership with PRC to the Economic Development Authority, said Schuster. His new role will be involved in dealing with “student housing and contracts,” according to Gitenstein’s email. The email also said that a new interim vice president for Student Affairs will be picked during the Spring semester to replace Norfleet. “Jim (Norfleet) really makes sure that we have all the information we need in dealing with this public private partnership with PRC (Group),” said Schuster. Gitenstein also announced in her email that Vice President for Advancement Matt Golden has requested a replacement for his position and a modification of his duties. Golden will reassume the lead role in the College’s communications and public relations initiatives while still contributing “in other externally related responsibilities.” Associate Vice President for Development Pete Manetas has agreed to serve as Interim Vice President for Advancement in replacement of Golden, and the email also noted that Phil Tumminia will be continuing to provide consultation related to the College’s fundraising efforts for Campus Town.
Man arrested for car thefts By Tom Ciccone News Editor
Photo courtesy of Gary Kehoe
Volunteers give day of service
By Gary Kehoe Signal Contributor
Braving the cold, a quickly-formed community of over 200 volunteers — 50 representing the College — commemorated the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. early Monday morning. The TCNJ Bonner Foundation, along with Jersey Cares and the Corporation of National Community Service, visited Trenton Central High School for a special day of service. see KING page 5
Where does it all go? Find out what the College does with your tuition fees. See News page 3
Trenton Police arrested a man in December who was found driving a Honda Civic that had previously been reported missing by a student at the College, according to an email sent out around 2 p.m. on Dec. 14 by Campus Police Services. Tommy Lee Walker, Jr. was arrested on Saturday, Dec. 10 when found operating a white 1999 Honda Civic that was reported missing on Dec. 5, the email said. When arrested, Walker was found in possession of several “dealer master keys.” He was charged with receiving stolen property and motor vehicle master keys, police said in the email. Walker has a history of arrests for car thefts, having been sentenced to imprisonment at the Bucks County Department of Corrections in Pa. Walker has served time for five separate counts of knowingly receiving stolen property and one count of unlawful weapons possession, according to a New Jersey offenders report on Walker. He was released on parole from the Bucks County DOC on Oct. 27 2011. Two weeks later he was arrested again, operating a stolen Honda Civic. Campus Police believe there is “likely a connection between the theft of this vehicle and others that have been stolen from campus,” according to the email. “Since his arrest we have had no car thefts on campus,” said John Collins, chief of Campus Police.
Photo courtesy of Campus Police Services
Walker was found in possession of “master keys” and a stolen car.
While they do not anticipate him being released in the near future, Campus Police issued a letter barring Walker from the College and have instructed their officers that he will be arrested immediately upon returning to campus. Campus Police ask that if anyone sees Walker on campus in the future, they contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345. According to the 2010 Crime and Fire Safety Report, there was an increase in car thefts on the College’s campus for 2011, spiking from zero in 2010 to five in 2011. This is the largest amount of car thefts since 2008, where 14 instances of car theft occurred on the College’s campus.
Track teams trample competition Men’s and Women’s track compete against D-I schools, finish in top ten. See Sports page 17
INSIDE Nation & World Editorial Opinions Features Arts & Entertainment Sports Fun Stuff
7 9 11 13 15 17 12
page 2 The Signal January 18, 2012
Project P.R.I.D.E.
Ever wonder what life is like in a prison? January 24, 2012
Join us for a discussion of prison life in America. Project P.R.I.D.E brings us four inmates to speak candidly about their life prior to prison and life inside prison. Presentations will be followed by discussion with the audience. Representatives from TCNJ’s Center for Prison Outreach and Education and Teach for America will discuss how students can volunteer to tutor and make a difference.
8 P.M. Mildred & Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall Project P.R.I.D.E. is a prison education program coordinated by The New Jersey Department of Corrections to spread awareness of the prison system and promote responsible citizenship.
Sponsored by The School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Teach for America, Academic Affairs, and The Center for Prison Outreach and Education, a collaborative project between the History Department and the Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement
January 18, 2012 The Signal page 3
Six years later, students still help Katrina recovery By Randolph Portugal Staff Writer (The writer of this article traveled with the Bonner Center to New Orleans.) After Hurricane Katrina, the College’s Bonner Center for Community and Civic Engagement made it its mission to go down to Louisiana and give back to the citizens of New Orleans. Dozens of Bonner scholars embarked on their fifth annual service trip — from Jan. 5 to Jan. 15 — to do what they do best, volunteering and giving back to their community. Brittany Aydelott, a 2009 Bonner alumna, who is now a senior program coordinator of the Center’s education division, explained the center’s devotion to helping the city. “After the storm hit, the organization immediately saw the need to help out and seeing how people needed help and wanted to do service, it made sense for us to do what was right and help out as much as possible,” said Aydelott, who has been going to New Orleans every year since she was a freshman in 2006.
“My family, particularly more so my grandmother, was always doing service, especially after retiring, and my mom and dad followed in her footsteps and started to volunteer,” Aydelott said. “Since then, they led almost anything I’ve done whether it was Girl Scouts or sports teams. It was through them that I saw the value of giving back.” Leading lives similarly to Aydelott, most Bonners agreed that going to New Orleans and participating in the relief efforts was something that had to happen. Every year they made it their mission to help rebuild and restore the lives of New Orleans citizens. Together, Bonner students provided various services like rehabilitating and rebuilding homes, assisting in food banks and homeless shelters and promoting volunteerism overall in New Orleans. “It is a great disappointment and embarrassment that a nation which claims to be one of the most powerful in the globe has the audacity to be heartless and leave behind its own citizens who live in conditions so close to that of a third world country,” said Adrian K. Cohn, an Americorp member and consistent volunteer for New Orleans.
Although the hurricane itself has passed, many people are suffering physically, economically and mentally. While the Bonners toured around the lower and upper ninth ward, they saw the resonating devastation of 2005’s hurricane. Dozens of vacant lots were empty and trashed where houses used to be. The foundation and porch steps were the only things left standing from houses that were completely destroyed, while damaged houses still carry the infamous mark of Federal Emergency Management Agency’s marking system. All that was left was a desolate area occupied by a small group of people living in solitude. “There’s no way we couldn’t come down here” said junior criminology major and Bonner Scholar Tommy Mladenetz. “Seeing as this is my third time here, I believe that the whole point of the trip is to expand the perspective of college students and have them gain more experiences and skills while serving and giving back.” This was the Bonner Center’s biggest trip, practically doubling its size count from 22 students to 39. “New Orleans still needs help and
we will continue to help until they don’t need us anymore,” Aydelott said. “Throughout most of the school year, we are always trying to help out our local community but it is important to see that there are places out there that need just as much help.”
Photo courtesy of Randolph Portugal
Bonner scholars discovered New Orleans streets still flooded from Hurricane Katrina six years ago.
Free protection after identity theft threat
By Kelly Johnson News Editor
Students and some alumni of the College began the new year with a letter regarding a small security breach in which their personal informtion could have been exposed. According to the letter sent out by the College, a student applied for a “Senior Nursing Library Assistant” position using the On-Campus Student Employment System and accidentally accessed the personal information of 12 other students who applied for the job. The accessed information included the names, dates of birth, social security numbers and addresses of the applicants. The student who discovered the mistake immediately reported it, and the glitch was promptly repaired, according to Vice President of Administration Curt Heuring. Although the information of only 12 students was
accessed in the incident, the student employment system held 12,827 records and was discovered to have had the vulnerability, according to executive director of college relations Stacy Schuster. The records dated back to 2002, so some alumni were included as well. As detailed in the letter mailed out by Heuring on Dec. 19, the College is now offering a complimentary oneyear membership of Experian’s ProtectMyID Alert to those students whose records could have been comprised and received a letter. The letter also informed students that the College and New Jersey State Police have found no evidence suggesting that any information has been taken from the system or databases. Those who wish to activate their membership can visit the website provided and follow a brief three-step process or call the number given in the letter to enroll. The complimentary membership includes a free credit report copy that will be monitored daily for 50
leading indicators of identity theft and alert the user of any suspicious activity; identity theft resolution, where an agent walks victims of identity theft through the resolution process and finally, a $1 million insurance policy to cover costs such as lost wages and unauthorized electronic fund transfers. A membership with ProtectMyID costs $15.95 per month and $191.40 per year for users. The complimentary 12-month membership will be of no charge to students. Because there is no billing information, however, the membership will not be automatically renewed after one year, according to an Experian’s customer service representative. The company will send a notification to the students 30 days prior to the expiration of their membership through email. The College will be covering the cost of the credit monitoring system, according to Schuster.
Are you making the most of your tuition money? By Andrew Miller Nation & World Editor Have you ever wondered what your tuition money actually pays for? Each student’s tuition is broken down into separate fees under “account inquiry” in PAWS. This lists the prices of various fees, such as the student access fee and the computing access fee, but what does it all mean? The majority of tuition goes toward construction and maintenance on campus, while the second most expensive fee, the student service fee, funds student services like the health center and the campus fitness centers, although not all students participate in athletics or intramurals. The computing access fee covers oncampus use of computers, particularly internet access. According to the College website, on-campus internet use has significantly increased throughout the past couple of years. The student activity fee, on the other hand, is collected by the Student Finance Board (SFB). SFB allocates this money to student organizations at the College in order for them to hold events throughout the semester. Similar to the service fee, not everyone attends events on campus, but everyone pays for them. The student center fee is the same cost as the activity fee, but this funds the maintenance and operations of Brower Student Center. The $10 ID fee covers the cost of students’ ID cards, and the College prefers to operate a one-card program where all students will only be issued one identification card. If an ID is lost, a $25 replacement fee is required. All of this information is provided in the tuition and fees archive on the College website under “Student Financial Services.”
Type of fee
Amount
General Service Fee
Student Service Fee
Computing Access Fee
Student Activity Fee
Student Center Fee
ID Fee
$1,274.00
Purpose Funds construction/ maintenance of campus buildings
$334.50
Funds services such as athletics and fitness centers
$205.50
Funds computing infrastructure throughout campus
$127.50
SFB allocates funds towards campus events and clubs
$127.50
$10
Funds the operations and maintenance of the student center Supports the cost of operating the College’s one-card program
page 4 The Signal January 18, 2012
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January 18, 2012 The Signal page 5
King / Community volunteers give day of service continued from page 1
Photos courtesy of Gary Kehoe
The Bonner Program continued its active role in the community by painting murals around Trenton Central, a deserving member of the Trenton Abbott District. “The Bonner program has ‘adopted’ Trenton Central and a nearby K-8 school. We help on a regular basis and events are open to all,” said Paula Figueroa-Vega, associate director of the Bonner Center. Much of the morning’s ceremonies were a service of their own, as reverends dear to the community, notably Reverend Toby Sanders, joined mayor Tony F. Mack and Central’s principal Marc Maurice in welcoming volunteers with their own expression of the day’s meaning. “If you see a turtle up in a tree, rest assured somebody put it there,” said Mack, highlighting the necessity for a unified vision of improvement. Sanders urged the volunteers to remember the symbolism of their actions. “Recognize the power of the spirit of what you do, the substance,” Sanders said. “It is not some shallow symbolism, but a deep one.” Answering this same calling for good which summoned and ultimately re-claimed Dr. King, the volunteers this Monday morning showed Trenton Central and the state of New Jersey the substance of their citizenship.
Graduate now head of Obama campaign By Kelly Johnson News Editor
The College can now add another name to its list of notable alumni as 2004 graduate Jackie Cornell-Bechelli will be taking the reigns of President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign in N.J. Cornell-Bechelli was announced as the head of the campaign on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Cornell-Bechelli started her new position on Monday, Jan. 9. She announced that she is “honored and humbled and really excited” about the job, according to an article on nj.com. Cornell-Bechelli is also currently the legislative and political director of New Jersey Citizen Action, the state’s largest liberal watchdog group. According to her website, Cornell-Bechelli focuses on health care, labor, budget and telecommunications legislation in her position with the group. She has also had some prior experience in aiding Obama’s campaign as she served as state director of Organizing for America. The group is a community organized program and was founded after the President’s 2008 campaign. Prior to serving these positions, Cornell-Bechelli also spent seven years working with Planned Parenthood. She has a special interest in federal health care reform, receiving the Evanoff-Shuchter Award for Organizing in 2009 for her efforts. Cornell-Bechelli graduated from Rahway High School in 2000 and graduated from the College in 2004 with a B.A. in English and women’s and gender studies. During her time at the College, she was a member of Women in Learning and Leadership and currently serves on its advisory council. She is also the founder and director of the New Leaders Council of New Jersey, an entrepreneurial leadership program. She currently resides in Ewing Township with her husband and her “unwieldy pile of cookbooks,” as she describes on her website.
AP Photo
Jackie Cornell-Bechelli, 28, was recently made head of President Obama’s re-election campaign for N.J. She graduated from the College in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and women’s and gender studies, and is still an active member of W.I.L.L.
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page 6 The Signal January 18, 2012
January 18, 2012 The Signal page 7
Nation & W rld
Union threatens oil production shutdown in Nigeria LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — A major union threatened Thursday to stop the beating heart of Nigeria’s economy— crude oil production— as part of a nationwide strike and protests gripping Africa’s most populous nation. World oil prices climbed on the news. Nigeria is the fifth-largest oil exporter to the U.S., and a shutdown would force American refineries to replace 630,000 barrels per day of crude. The union’s ability to enforce a shutdown, beginning Sunday, across the swamps of Nigeria’s southern delta to its massive offshore oil fields, remains in question. But the threat of a strike caused jitters on global oil markets as traders worldwide worried about supply. Nigeria has been paralyzed by a strike that began Monday after President Goodluck Jonathan’s government abandoned subsidies that kept gasoline prices low. Overnight, prices at the pump more than doubled, from $1.70 per gallon (45 cents per liter) to at least $3.50 per gallon (94 cents per liter). The costs of food and transportation also doubled in a nation where most people live on less than $2 a day. Anger over losing one of the few benefits average Nigerians see from being an oil-rich country, as well as disgust over government corruption, have led to demonstrations across this nation of 160 million people and violence that has killed at least 10 people. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, which represents about 20,000 workers, said it would be forced to “apply the bitter option” of closing down all oil and gas production if the government refused to
AP Photo
A man with a sign saying ‘Go Jonathan or die like Gadafi’ protested the removal of a fuel subsidy by the government in Lagos, Nigeria.
reinstate the gasoline subsidies. Union president Babatunde Ogun said if fields are shut down, it could take six months to a year to restart them. “We ... believe that if everything comes to a standstill, the government will budge,” Ogun told reporters in Lagos. Petrol dollars dominate Nigeria’s economy and represent the majority of its government revenues. Ogun also said a natural gas shutdown would turn off the nation’s power grid, which is already in shambles. Negotiations between labor and the government ended Monday after the country’s president partially restored subsidies that keep gasoline prices low, though it took soldiers deployed in the streets to stop demonstrations in Africa’s most populous nation. So far, Nigeria’s oil industry has not
News Bits
A biotechnology company announced it has developed a machine to decode an individual’s DNA in a day for $1,000, a long-sought price goal for making the genome useful for medical care. The $1,000 target has long been cited as a key step toward making the technique practical for doctors to use to help their patients, such as for revealing vulnerabilities to certain diseases or tailoring medical treatment. The now jailed captain of the cruise ship that capsized off Tuscany made an unauthorized deviation from the programmed course. This blunder led to the ship’s deadly crash against a reef, the ship’s Italian owner said Monday. Fighting crime is a 24-hour job, but Detroit police stations will be sticking to business hours. The department is rolling out a plan to close precincts and district headquarters to the public after 4 p.m. It’s an effort to put more officers on patrol without adding to the city’s $200 million budget deficit. U.S. officials say the latest intelligence community take on the war in Afghanistan concludes that the Taliban remains committed to taking back Afghanistan by force and may only be paying lip service to nascent peace talks with NATO. Courtesy of the Associated Press
felt the effects of the national strike. Many of its operations are automated, both for efficiency and to avoid having staff work in the Niger Delta’s maze of creeks, where criminal gangs and militants target workers for high-dollar kidnappings. Foreign companies also run large offshore fields, far from the chaos of growing demonstrations across the country. Shipments from offshore platforms move immediately to market. But if something breaks, if the pressure in the wells fluctuate, or if countless other problems occur that cause an automatic system shutdown, there would not be anyone there to get production running again. When pressed about how the threatened shutdown could affect the automated parts of the industry, Ogun did not offer an answer.
Most oil firms, including the dominant Royal Dutch Shell PLC, say they are monitoring the situation. Kenneth Arnold, an independent petroleum consultant and former Shell engineer, said it “would be very easy to shut down” Nigeria’s oil fields. Bringing in replacement workers to run the fields raises dangers, he said. “It may not be safe to stay there,” Arnold said. “In Nigeria, people get killed in the oil fields. There are local bad guys who want a share of the action.” Other companies with subsidiaries in Nigeria include Chevron Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp., Italy’s Eni SpA and French firm Total SA, which operate in tandem with the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. Levi Ajuonoma, a spokesman for the state-run oil firm, said it had not adjusted its production and shipping forecasts over the strike. It will take time for Nigeria’s government coffers to feel the impact of the lost revenue, as oil and natural gas cargoes go out months ahead. That means, at least in the short term, supply to the U.S. would not be affected. However, a shutdown could impact futures oil prices on global stock markets—potentially raising the cost of gasoline for U.S. consumers. Global oil prices rose when militants began several years of attacks on oil companies and crude oil pipelines in 2006. “As long as Nigeria’s government is selling crude ... the impact to them will not be that significant,” University of Ibadan economics professor Adeola Adenikinju said. “The fiscal nerve center of the economy has not really been touched.”
Power plants main global warming culprits WASHINGTON (AP) — The most detailed data yet on emissions of heat-trapping gases show that U.S. power plants are responsible for the bulk of the pollution blamed for global warming. Power plants released 72 percent of the greenhouse gases reported to the Environmental Protection Agency for 2010, according to information released Wednesday that was the first catalog of global warming pollution by facility. The data include more than 6,700 of the largest industrial sources of greenhouse gases, or about 80 percent of total U.S. emissions. According to an Associated Press analysis of the data, 20 mostly coalfired power plants in 15 states account for the top-releasing facilities. Gina McCarthy, the top air official at the EPA, said the database marked “a major milestone” in the agency’s work to address climate change. She said it would help industry, states and the federal government identify ways to reduce greenhouse gases. The Obama administration plans to regulate emissions of heat-trapping gases under existing law. A proposed regulation to address pollution from new power plants could be released as early as this month. Eventually, the EPA will have to tackle facilities already in operation. The largest emitters will be the first in line. The largest greenhouse gas polluter in the nation in 2010, according to the EPA’s data, was the Scherer power plant in Juliette, Ga., owned by Southern Company. That coal-fired power
AP Photo
Power plants released 72 percent of the greenhouse gases in 2010, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. plant reported releasing nearly 23 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, in 2010. Two other power plants owned by Southern were the second- and third-largest polluters nationally: the Bowen plant in Cartersville, Ga. and the James H. Miller Jr. power plant in Quinton, Ala. The plants are some of the largest coal-fired power plants in the country. American Electric Power, another large coal-fired power producer, has three power plants in the top 20. They are in Rockport, Ind., Cheshire, Ohio and St. Albans, W. Va. “This is just another way to identify the largest coal-fired power plants in the country,” said AEP spokesman Pat Hemlepp. “We always assumed we would be No. 1 in greenhouse gas emissions or No. 2 behind Southern Co. AEP and Southern are the two largest consumers of coal.”
Both companies are testing technology to capture carbon dioxide from power plants and pump it underground for storage. But to date, no one has proven that is possible for a commercial-sized power plant. The other states with high-polluting power plants are Texas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wyoming, North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky. Refineries were the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, with 5.7 percent of the reported total. The top states in greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and from refineries were Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and Indiana. Congress required industries to report their greenhouse gas emissions as part of a 2008 spending bill. Until now, the agency has estimated greenhouse gas emissions by industry sector.
page 8 The Signal January 18, 2012
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January 18, 2012 The Signal page 9
Editorial
2012? End of the world New beginnings A recurring theme in some of the stories from this week’s issue is the topic of New Year’s resolutions, or starting the semester with a fresh start. For this reason, The Signal’s editorial staff came up with some goals of its own. Feel free to follow in our footsteps! … Although I’ve never made a New Year’s resolution, I have decided to make a new semester’s resolution. This semester I plan to procrastinate less, cut myself AP Photo some slack and schedule in some time to relax. I hope The Signal’s editors are feeling optimistic about the new year and prepare to to eliminate as much stress from my life as possible make it a great one by creating their own list of resolutions. and not sweat the small stuff. – Kelly Johnson, News Editor
The Weekly Poll:
My New Year’s resolution is to somehow get ready for the “real world” before I graduate in May. It’s a pretty scary world out there, and I’ve got to get myself ready to leave the cozy comfort of the College and get into the whole adulthood thing. – Alex Wolfe, Sports Editor Here are my New Year resolutions: to read a book every two weeks, to do community service and to have no resolutions next year. – Andrew Miller, Nation & World Editor My New Year’s resolution is to not succumb to peer pressure and engage, reluctantly, in eating contests courtesy of our Managing Editor. I also plan to preserve my points and not blow through 150 in the first month back. On a more serious note, I want to achieve all of the goals I have set out for myself this semester. It’s going to take a lot of work and effort, but well worth it in the end. – Julia Corbett, Arts & Entertainment Editor Since I’m graduating this May, I made a resolution to figure out what I want to do with the next phase of my life. I have yet to accomplish this. – Brianna Gunter, Editor-in-Chief I’d like to stay focused this semester by creating goals for myself and pursuing them. At the same time, I want to make time for things I enjoy and get the most out of college while I still can. How am I already a junior?! – Jamie Primeau, Managing Editor My New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking cigarettes. I also want to exercise more and start hiking again. I would also like to go to a Yankees baseball game with my dad. – Tom Ciccone, News Editor I say buck the trend. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions; I take time to seriously consider who I am and who I want to be. Don’t randomly go to the gym or eat only salads for two weeks, that’s cliché. Instead, figure out what you want and take realistic steps to get there, that’s what I’m going to do. – Brendan McGrath, Features Editor
Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo and Sports editors and the Business Manager, unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.
What’s your New Year’s resolution? • Stress less. • FInd a new hobby. • Exercise more. • I don’t make resolutions. • Oops! Too late, I already broke mine.
cast your vote @ tcnjsignal.net !
Quotes of the Week
“If you see a turtle up in a tree, rest assured somebody put it there.” — Mayor of Trenton Tony F. Mack, on the necessity of sharing a vision for improvement
Previous poll’s results How do you deal with finals? • • • • •
Stay organized with a to-do list. 30% I freak out. 27% Study ‘til I can’t study no more. 18% Spend time with friends. 18% Hit up the gym. 7%
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— Senior point guard Katie Occhipinti, speaking of Coach Dawn Henderson’s 400th career victory
Mailing Address:
The Signal c/o Brower Student Center The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718
Editorial Staff Brianna Gunter Editor-in-Chief gunter2@tcnj.edu Jamie Primeau Managing Editor primeau2@tcnj.edu Tom Ciccone News Editor tomcasey@live.com Kelly Johnson News Editor johns244@tcnj.edu Alex Wolfe Sports Editor wolfea1@tcnj.edu Brendan McGrath Features Editor mcgrat28@tcnj.edu Julia Corbett Arts & Entertainment Editor corbetj3@tcnj.edu Frank Orlich Opinions Editor orlichf1@tcnj.edu
“The atmosphere after a big win is always celebratory. But celebrating after this one was extra special.”
Ashley Long Photo Editor longa1@tcnj.edu Sydnee Weinbaum Production Manager Andrew Miller Nation & World Editor Melissa Easaw Copy Editor Chris Molicki Sports Assistant Emilie Lounsberry Advisor Business Staff Dan Lisi Business/Ad Manager Natalie Schiavi Business Assitant
“We think this is going to be a great way to merge the community and the College.” — Executive director of college relations Stacey Schuster, on Campus Town
“We knew we were the underdogs and used that to motivate us even more.” —Junior swimmer Mike Caputo
page 10 The Signal January 18, 2012
January 18, 2012 The Signal page 11
Opinions The Signal says ... Stop: wishing it was still break, going to bed so late, texting while driving, spending all your time on Facebook. Caution: working doors in Eickhoff (finally!), classes starting again, NFL playoffs heating up. Go: watch the second-best Sunday of the NFL season, tell stories about winter break, pick up your textbooks, p l a y Te m p le Run, hit the books early in the semester.
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N.J. police salaries highest in the union By Frank Orlich My small town of Mahwah has a few things of note. We have two baseball fields up the road from my house and a locallyowned farm across the street. A few gas stations, a couple places to get bagels or coffee in the morning, and of course, like any town in N.J., plenty of “N.Y. Pizza” and diners. What we don’t have is crime. Let me rephrase that. We don’t have a lot of crime. Of course, any town has some crime. Some people speed, roll through reds, get into accidents. Every now and then, someone gets into an accident or an underage party where minors are drinking gets broken up. These things are not crimes as much as they are disturbances. Most are unintentional, many do not violate my feeling of safety, and almost all cannot be prevented — no matter how many cops are on the payroll. It strikes me as odd then, that N.J. has the highest paid police in the country, and my own Bergen County has the highest paid cops in the highest paid state. The median salary for the state, meaning half make more half make less, was $90,672. Over 30 percent made six figures. Most of them came from Bergen County, which boasted a median salary of $109,700. The largest median pay for a town came in at $134,132 in Rochelle Park, where 19 cops patrol a 1 square mile borough. While rich, suburban counties had the highest paid cops, poor, urban cities found disparagingly less in their pay checks. Newark, the state’s largest city, had a median salary of $90,160. Camden, usually considered one of the most violent cities in the country, was at $79,656. The difference in crime rate between these suburban areas and larger cities is astonishing. The crime rate is usually about nine times higher, while the violent crime rate is over 100 times higher. And salary is just the tip of the iceberg in overvaluing our cops. A police officer making $100,000 per year may cost a town twice that when benefits and pension payments are considered. Overtime adds to the problem, by allowing officers to make extra for attending court hearings, working holidays, or covering for a sick officer. Depending upon location, officers around the state will bring in and additional $5,000 to $10,000 per year. Additionally, due to a 2000 law, police officers can retire after 20 years on the force regardless of age. After 20 years, retiring officers get at least 50
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With a dismal economic climate and looming budget cuts many N.J. voters begin to wonder if they can afford to continue paying high police salaries. percent of their base salary but no health benefits. After 25 years, they get at least 65 percent and health benefits. Perhaps in 2000, this was somewhat acceptable. But during this economic climate, it’s simply unaffordable. Where else, in any job in any field, can you retire before 50 and still collect more than half of your salary? After years of high property taxes and the ongoing recession, many residents are beginning to question if they can afford paying such a high salary simply to write parking tickets. However, police are backed by a strong union that wields a tremendous amount of political influence. They have deep pockets, and campaign checks speak a powerful message in government. It’s tough to determine what a fair rate of pay is for an officer, for the same reason we struggle with teacher salariesthere are no statistics to prove they are doing a good job. Does a good crime rate of strong test scores necessarily indicate good performance, or rather smart students or obedient citizens? So it comes down to a simple PR game — who can make people believe they deserve the salary? And it is in this fact cops have a strong advantage. People consider the risk of dying on the job, and can’t bring themselves to attack the very
people who protect us. However, the buck has to stop here. We cannot continue to allow cops to steamroll over elected officials in Trenton, and win every benefit debate or budget disagreement. Six figures in salary and a pension plan before 50 are simply unaffordable. And at a time when everyone is suffering, isn’t it only fair police officers in the highest paid county, in the highest paid state, share some of that burden? Many times when I drive home on a late night, I can make out the thin sketch of a police car parked in the lot of the baseball field just up the road from my house. The field comes right after a bend, where the speed slows from 40 to 25, making it prime real estate to nail unsuspecting drivers. A few weeks ago, late at night, I saw the cop handing a ticket to a guy he pulled over. “That sucks,” my friend in the passenger seat said. And while he thought about how bad it would be to get pulled over after 1 in the morning, all I could think about was his six figure salary, the endless stream of benefits and overtime, and the idea that I’d start paying this guy’s pension at 49 until I retire somewhere in my 60s. “You don’t even know the half of it,” I responded as I turned onto my street.
Wasn’t your New Year’s resolution to express your opinion? Bring in the New Year right, and send your opinions to Orlichf1@tcnj.edu! AP Photo
AP Photo
page 12 The Signal January 18, 2012
Get back into the swing of things!
google.com
And write for The Signal!
Smaller-Than-Usual Fun Stuff Things that are smaller than usual:
Urban Dictionary Word Match (Yeah, another one.) Didn’t like the last one? Too bad! It’s back!
Bagel Bites
“Little people”
Cocktail weenies
Mini staplers
___ Ninja sex
a. Having noiseless sex (no squeaking springs or vocals) while one or more people are passed out in the same room.
___ Dick Cheney ___ Joe Sixpack
b. A verb indicating an action whereby someone looks out for their own interest regardless of the consequences, and then later if it becomes an issue either disappears or changes the subject (usually by banging the war drum so loud that nothing else can be heard).
___ Rawr
c. Average American moron, IQ 60, drinking beer, watching baseball and CNN and believe everything his President says.
___ Lollercaust ___ Feminist Clown cars
Miniature giraffes
Mini bikes
Teacup pigs
d. A word that means “I Love You” in dinosaur. e. Comedy on a massive scale; Laughter that leaves six million dead. f. Someone who believes the radical notion that women are people.
___ iPerbole
g. The hype surrounding any product Apple unveils.
___ Brain boner
h. Something that strikes a chord in someone’s thinking, creating a spur of “enlightenment” and stimulation in knowledge, especially in subjects like philosophy & logic.
January 18, 2012 The Signal page 13
Features
Eyes light up as Paris rings in a new year By Julia Corbett Arts & Entertainment Editor
People fall in love in Paris. I fell in love with the city a while ago. Going abroad at any point in the year can be a fulfilling experience. However, Christmastime and New Year’s in Paris are even more enchanting and rewarding. During the holidays, Paris is beautifully decorated with little markets. The feminine city is dotted with vendors in small white huts selling soaps, jewelry, bags and other goodies. The markets are scattered throughout the city with locations including the Champs-Elysées, Saint-Germaindes-prés, Sacre-Coeur and along the Seine, adjacent to the Eiffel Tower. One of the most breathtaking moments during my time in Paris was watching the Eiffel Tower glisten — as it does at the top of every hour come nightfall — with those markets sprinkled about. It was a magical, illuminated landscape. On New Year’s Eve, while tourists gather on the Champs-Elysées, many others ring in the New Year, along with Parisians, by watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle. Though this occurs nightly and it is simple in comparison to celebrations in New York, London and Dubai (where fireworks
Julia Corbett / Arts & Entertainment Editor
Though Paris has specialty markets during the holiday season, its streets are full of shops and food sources year-round.
shoot out of the world’s tallest building) it was easily the best New Year’s display I have ever witnessed. What I liked best about the city is its charm. I enjoyed the local areas where I got a chance to people-watch and truly experience Parisian life. Paris is nothing short of an extraordinary city, a place where beauty, history, modernity and tradition collide. A cobble-
stoned side street, home to more than a couple of bakeries, may act as an offshoot to a major boulevard full of intricately uniform Haussmann buildings. A café lunch rendezvous with friends and family appeared to be the daily norm. In terms of food shopping, fresh food items from the boulangerie-patisserie (bread and pastry shop), fromagerie (cheese shop), épicerie (fish market) and boucherie
(butcher’s) were preferred over mass-produced products. The women were beautifully dressed in basic dresses, skirts and shirts, decorated in attractive coats, beautiful leather boots and exceptional scarves. The men were equally handsome in fine leather shoes and peacoats. The metro was easy to figure out and a few rides could bring you from one delightful nook of the city, perhaps rue Mouffetard with its shops, cafes and restaurants, to a historical spot, like the Marais, to the hilly Montmartre where Sacre Coeur looks out onto the city. Even going outside of the Ile-de-France, to Normandy and beyond, is exciting. The grass even looked greener, at least to me. From the way that I put it, I hope it is very easy to understand why you can fall in love with this place — Owen Wilson’s character had it right in “Midnight in Paris.” Sadly, my trip had to come to a halting stop eventually. As I was exiting the airport after a nine-hour flight, I was hit with such a scathing, awakening, blistering wind that could only knock reality right back into of me. Despite this undesired “welcome back” to N.J., I was still assured that every time I leave France, I know I’ll be back.
Islands at the College — who knew? It’s about a new you, By Brianna Gunter Editor-in-Chief
Lake Sylva and Lake Ceva sit quietly on the northern edges of campus, and even in warm weather there are often no more than a few people nearby. These lakes were once hubs of activity, however, and much of this was due to a handful of small islands on Lake Sylva. Anyone can see that there are no islands on either lake today, so what happened? The lakes were constructed in the early 1920s from two branches of the Shabakunk creek on what used to be fields, according to the book “The Land Along the Shabakunks” by Robert Reeder Green. Five islands were also formed at this time (one from an old earthen dam and the others simply from excess soil and rock), along with three arched timber bridges connecting a few of them to the mainland. Another bridge was set between two of the longer islands, making it possible for people to walk almost all the way across the lake. When the College moved to Ewing in 1931, the lakes were
part of the new campus’ main attractions. Various photos from the Seal, the College yearbook, show students from that time boating on both lakes, walking (and lounging) on the bridges and attending events on the islands. One of the islands was owned by Phi Alpha Delta and was marked with the fraternity’s letters in maroon paint on three large boulders. According to the fraternity’s website, Roscoe L. West — the College’s president at the time — gave the island to the organization in 1939. The website also says that a dock was constructed, and on mornings before class the brothers of the fraternity would row out to the island to perform calisthenics. Other events, such as parties and new member initiations, were also held on the island. Various Seal photos show the island decorated for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. At the time a few other organizations, some of which are no longer active at the College, also claimed campus properties as their own. According to PhiAD
The Seal 1985
The often disregarded Lake Sylva on the edge of campus once bustled with heavily visited islands.
not another new year
By Samantha Sorin Columnist
alumni advisor Michael Levy, at least two more organizations besides PhiAD had islands on Lake Selva and two other claimed some of the bridges. Each organization was responsible for maintaining its claimed property. All of this activity on the lakes came to a halt in the late 1980s. A Signal article from Oct. 4, 1988, explained that then-College President Harold W. Eickhoff had authorized a restoration project that began June of that year. This involved the drainage of Lake Sylva so that debris and silt built-up could be removed, and also so that flooding issues could be corrected. Nevertheless, Green’s book shows that by this point a couple of the islands at the northern end of the lake had already been connected to the mainland, as a result of lowering water levels and the land beneath the bridges being built up (therefore, the northern banks of Lake Sylva are actually made up of former islands). According to Levy, the dredging of Lake Sylva was also meant to create more land for the newly purchased Green Lane fields. Unfortunately for the remaining islands on the lake, this meant digging them out so that more water could be contained. By the completion of the restoration project in January 1989, all of Lake Sylva’s islands had vanished.
My avid weight-lifting and gym rat friends always seem to get frustrated this time of year. This is because there is typically a surge of hopeful newbies that flood the gym in January. Though these novices hog the elliptical, steal the best bench press and take the prized gym locker, my friends remain calm; they know that by the end of January, more than half of these people won’t be returning — but why? Sadly, it is because new gym goers — and resolutions made for the new year — fizzle out. New Year’s resolutions are not a panacea for quitting smoking, dieting or exercising. The idea that people must set new resolutions each year makes it seem as though the past year was not nearly good enough and new goals must continually be made. And though growth should always come as a welcome change, New Year’s resolutions are thrust upon people at the same time each year — whether they are ready to make the change or not. If you say that you have had your “last cigarette” on Dec. 31, what is stopping you from calling the cigarette you sneak out to the car on Jan. 1 “the last cigarette?” Or Jan. 16? Suddenly you have a cigarette in March and it makes you so disgruntled about your latest resolution that you give up on it entirely. It is quite unlikely that the entire population is ready to make its personal changes all on the same day. Recognizing that you can make a change at any time takes
a lot of pressure off the resolutions you make at the beginning of the year. Find comfort in the fact that a person can turn a new leaf at any time, whether it is the first of the year or a random humid day in August. For a resolution to be carried out, you must have commitment — an actual desire to achieve the goal. If you quit smoking for someone else, you won’t be without cigarettes for long. Any change you make has to be for yourself. Also, once you find the real reason you are setting goals, it is a lot easier to stick to them. For example, if your goal is to go to the gym regularly, why is that your resolution? If the answer is that you want to be proud of the way you look, maybe the goal here is not to go to the gym regularly, but to work on your self-esteem. Furthermore, the physical act of going to the gym is the catalyst for your goal — an increase in your self-confidence. Finally, if you have the desire and commitment to do something — do it. Don’t give up on it because you had a few bad days, and don’t wait for January either. It is never too early or too late to make a change. Though the New Year is a great marker to see how much progress you have made, sometimes this leads to disappointment and discouragement. If you jump in wholeheartedly with both feet, with the knowledge that you have the power to start and stop at any time, you will find that New Year’s resolutions can become the new month’s, new week’s or even new day’s resolutions.
page 14 The Signal January 18, 2012
Cubes, where the Greeks go
Campus Style
By Igor Ponomarev Columnist
Sporty, bold styles shine bright in the new year By Victoria Moorhouse Columnist Everyone wants to start off the new year with a bang, so the dawning of 2012 is the prime time to make an upgrade or expand your personal style. Most resolutions crumble within the first couple of weeks and it’ll be easy to resort back to the same “college hoodie” ensemble after a week’s worth of 8 a.m. classes. With this year’s trends, you won’t want to slip back into the rut of sweatpants. It’s a fresh semester, so here’s to a new year in the fashion department. • Out with the Old - At least some of it anyway. If you haven’t worn last year’s trendy jumpsuit for over nine months, it’s time to toss it. Chances are, you won’t wear it again. A clean closet lets you concentrate on the pieces that truly define your personal style. So donate the unworn and make more room for your Black Friday purchases. • Sportswear Without the Sweat - There’s no pain to this fashion gain. One of the biggest spring trends dawning the runways is sporty inspired clothing with light flexible fabrics. Pairing a structured, detailed zip-up or athletic-inspired pullover with a white tee, jeans and flats is a way to give off a low-maintenance vibe without looking lazy. Top designers like Lacoste and Rag & Bone displayed these looks in their 2012 spring collections. • Play with Pastels - Although January doesn’t exactly scream spring, clothing retailers set their stores up for it. This year, try to incorporate more delicate, ethereal pastels into your clothing color palate. Light pinks, yellows and greens are great to pair with neutral winter clothing. Think about a bowl of light and airy sherbet for inspiration. • Time to Shine - This year, give yourself time to plan out what you will wear. Clothes that look cute on hangers sometimes don’t do your body much justice. The night before, try on your outfit and lay out your clothes for the next day. Just like most skills, successful styling takes practice and time. • Take a Risk - There isn’t a bigger fashion mistake than dressing head-to-toe in risk. Trends are meant to be dabbled in. If the
style.com
Take a chance with a new style, like this sporty Lacoste outfit.
trend is 1920s inspired clothing and you’re walking down the street as a flapper, you missed the mark. Pair trends with classic, timeless pieces. • Make Some Goals - If you are a fan of ultra-feminine fashion like lace and florals, but are too intimidated to try it out, don’t be. Everyone has to experiment to figure out what he or she is most comfortable in, what defines them, and how to wear it. Make yourself a goal of wearing one thing outside your comfort zone a week. If you feel good wearing it, you may be more inclined to show off similar styles more regularly. • Be Bold - Bold florals and prints are a great way to instantly add pizzazz to any ensemble. Many high fashion designers’ spring collections are centered around larger-than-life prints. Thanks to affordable retailers like Urban Outfitters and Forever21, those on a college budget can play around with the trend as well. When striving for this look, start with a statement piece like a pencil skirt. Center your outfit around that piece, using simple tops, blazers and tights to help enhance it. Anthropologie sells clothing based off of artists’ photography. It’s a simple way to say a whole lot. By keeping this New Year’s resolution intact, you’ll be well on your way to a more stylish semester.
Regardless of how familiar you may be with the College’s Greek Life system, it is nearly impossible to deny that the Greek portion of the student body tends to dominate certain on-campus locations. With approximately 14 percent of undergraduate students involved in the school’s 27 Greek organizations, their presence is felt througout the campus. Anyone who spent the last couple of weeks of the fall semester studying diligently in the library can attest that the third floor is filled by various members of Greek life. Likewise, those surfboard shaped tables in Eickhoff tend to fill up with brothers and sisters donning their letters and colors (referred to as standards) during usual dining hours. Of course, this pales in comparison to the lunchtime gathering of the Greeks, known simply as “cubes.” The Brower Student Center comes to life during peak lunch hours, seeing heavy foot traffic, constant table stands, live performances and the like, but nothing is more overwhelming than the body of students consuming the various retro-styled, tacky couches in the atrium. To passersby, this may seem just like the spot where every student takes their afternoon lunch break between classes. Cubes, aren’t just a location, but a daily event — a modern day watering hole for an entire community of Greeks. Interestingly enough, many Greeks that call this their midday rest stop don’t even know the origin of the name “cubes” — specifically how it is used and why it refers to what is now a collection of rounded, oddly colored and patterned couches
and coffee tables. A few years ago, before the cubes we know today, the student center held a very different image. Instead of curvy couches, there were blocky, wooden benches stretched across the brick wall that separates the cubes from the food court, the inner seating was a similar blocky wooden design containing maroon cushions and, most curiously of all, small trees sprouted between the various cubes, separating each section from the next. I was around for a few semesters of the old cubes. I vaguely recall Delta Phi Epsilon to one side, Delta Zeta to another, Phi Kappa Tau behind the trees in their own horseshoe shaped set of couches and various other organizations grouped around, claiming their own spots. I’m not exactly sure how long the tradition of “going to cubes” has been around this campus, but from what I’ve gathered not a single student, here, can remember the College without them. Cubes are not just about eating — students can be found doing homework, promoting their planned philanthropic programs or more likely socializing and letting off some steam from their morning classes. Each day brings its own wave of students that have free time, as well as the usual stragglers that spend their evenings and Wednesday afternoons in their beloved cubes. The number of regulars has even prompted the school to arrange entertainment in the form of local bands, comedians and sometimes game shows, most of which, the cube patrons would agree, only disrupt the mellow atmosphere. It’s difficult to explain the occurrence, but that’s what makes it one of the longest traditions in the College’s culture.
Tim Lee / Staff Photographer
Over the years Greek organizations have become accustomed to inhabiting cubes during meal equiv as a rest stop and meeting place.
In ‘Restaurant Week’ Jersey gets the best of both worlds By Katie Occhipinti Columnist
Phillies or Yankees? Eagles or Giants? Philadelphia or New York City? The College is smack-dab in the middle of two of the best cities on the map. Which city is the most deserving of the title “The City” is
something that the student body may never agree on, but we can agree that either way, traveling north or south can lead to an epic night out. This month each city offers an added incentive to make the trip, a unique opportunity to dine at the finest, best restaurants that would normally be way out of budget.
AP Photo
Some of the world’s best food will be on display in New York (above) and Philadelphia during Restaurant Week.
Restaurant Week has become a tradition in both cities, only occurring a handful of weeks out of the year. The 100+ restaurants that partake in the event create a fixed-price menu consisting of three courses: a first course, an entrée and a dessert. Typically there will be two or three options for each course. Restaurant week price regardless of what you eat or where you order is set at $25 for lunch and $35 for dinner. The fixed price menus can already be found online. This year the event will take place in Philadelphia during the weeks of Jan. 22-27 and Jan. 29Feb. 3. In New York City, it will take place on Jan. 16-Feb. 10 (Monday - Friday). The featured restaurants are not just your average restaurants, but some of the best that appear in magazines. Many are run by renowned chefs and are visited
by famous athletes and celebrities. What other opportunity may you have to eat at the Food Network’s Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill in NYC? At Mesa Grill start your meal off with a sweet potato soup, move on to Sixteen Spice Chicken and finish up with coconut bread pudding, normally a $55 value for the set price of $35. In Philadelphia eat seasonal American cooking featuring local ingredients at Supper. The New York Times highlighted Supper for the way it “perfectly captures the spirit of Philadelphia dinning.” Enjoy the four courses featured on their fixed-price menu, which would run upwards of $50 any other week out of the year.
Don’t be intimidated to enjoy some fine dining on a budget. Dress to impress and follow a few simple tips for nailing a successful restaurant week. First, make reservations early — everyone and their moms are eager to take advantage of this opportunity, and the best restaurants fill up first. Second, hit the web for the complete list of restaurants that are taking part. Stalk their website, menus and read what other people are saying about them. Be very selective with your restaurant choice. Take into account location, atmosphere and course options. Lastly, know what is included in the fixed price menu and what is not to avoid any additional charges or up sells on things such as bottled water.
Arts & Entertainment
January 18, 2012 The Signal page 15
The 2012 music forecast offers upcoming artists and albums By Tom Ciccone News Editor
There are a number of great New Year’s resolutions to make in 2012, but exercising more, getting better grades and quitting that nasty habit do not have to be your only ones. Instead, try listening to more music. The year 2011 was a great year in popular music and 2012 looks to even better. With new bands, artists, releases and even genres to look forward to this year, take a look at this year’s music forecast for some fresh ideas that you and your iPod will enjoy! New Releases Nirvana: Live at the Paramount: Classic rock is going strong in 2012. If you’re a Nirvana fan, you can enjoy this newly issued live recording of the band performing at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre, which was around the same time “Nevermind” was released. Rick Ross: Rich Forever: Lil Wayne might be in retirement,
The Lights Go Out,” garnered attention and is still available for free download. Mixing pop with dubstep and dance, “Bombs and Bottles” is expected to be a groundbreaking electronic artist for 2012. His new album will be out later this year.
bombsandbottles.com, rickrossdeeperthanrap.com, theshins.com
Grimes: Canadian singer-songwriter Claire Boucher is the
New releases from artists both old and new are heart and soul behind Grimes. Using dark synths and reverb necessities in your music collection this year. drenched vocals, Boucher is an amazing singer to pay but that doesn’t mean hip-hop won’t see some explosive new LPs in 2012. Ross’ new album “Rich Forever” has been getting a lot of positive attention from critics since its release. Featuring a host of new material with a litany of lyrical barrages, Ross may just put out one of his strongest records yet. 2012 Artist Spotlight Bombs and Bottles: One of NYC’s most talented DJs, Bombs and Battles had a great 2011, dropping his first EP “Tonight.” His aggressive electronic single “When
attention to for 2012. Her mysterious electronic sound has a retro 80s feel. “Oblivion” and “Genesis,” off her recently released EP, are available for free online. Her full-length LP “Visions” will be out in February. 2012 Best Track (so far…) The Shins “Simple Song:” A lot has happened in music since The Shins took a break from releasing new material back in 2007. “Simple Song” is a polished hit from The Shins with a fresh sound and a new attitude. The song can be heard for free online. A new EP will also be out later this year.
The Signal Choice Awards: What 2011 films made the cut? We are in the midst of award season, so what better way to celebrate than to highlight the best movies of 2011? Even if these films don’t get nominated for an Academy Award, The Signal staff is giving them the recognition they deserve. Always the bridesmaid…
is hilarious throughout the film with her awkward demeanor and crazy antics as she fights for the attention of the bride. The scenarios and situations are refreshingly different, and there is an appropriate balance of seriousness and humor, but the funny parts will have you in tears and continue throughout the film. And never the bride
By Kelly Johnson News Editor Although going to the theater has become a rare treat because of the prices, one movie this past year was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a while, and it was worth every penny — “Bridesmaids.” Kristen Wiig, also known for her performances on “Saturday Night Live” and her cameos in movies like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” plays the maid of honor and
imperfect, and audiences applauded instead of being appalled. Its storyline focusing on friendship adds heart to the humor. Not only was Kristen Wiig hilarious, but she also was one of the writers — further proving this movie’s girl power. And as usual, producer Judd Apatow didn’t disappoint. A “first class” finish By Alex Wolfe Sports Editor
By Jamie Primeau Managing Editor Finally: a female-centric movie that wasn’t automatically dismissed as just another chick flick. In fact, “Bridesmaids” redefines the phrase “chick flick” — where instead of being sappy, tears fall from your eyes out of laughter. The women characters were gross and
I want to say “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,” was my favorite, but I have to put that in second. “X-Men: First Class” takes first place. “HP” was great, and definitely a fitting end to the series, but “X-Men” was phenomenal. Just when you think a movie series might be washed up, it tosses you a gem like that with an intriguing story that really ties up the loose ends from the rest of the movies. Contagiously good By Brendan McGrath Features Editor
AP Photos
Movies like ‘Bridesmaids,’ ‘The Help’ and other notable flicks are receiving praise throughout the industry during this award season.
In “Contagion,” a highly contagious virus begins to wipe out large chunk of the world’s population. This movie passed the tragedy of individual
deaths and focuses on the crippling effect that an epidemic would have on our highly interdependent and fragile society. “Contagion” is definitely worth seeing, as it gets its message across in a gripping and fast-paced manner. A drive to “help” By Julia Corbett Arts & Entertainment Editor As far as my “go-see-list” is concerned, “The Help” was at the bottom. Only now do I realize it really shouldn’t have been. “The Help” was easily one of the best movies I saw all year. The movie takes place in 1960s Mississippi, depicting segregation and the treatment of maids working for upper-crust families. You get wrapped up in aspiring journalist/novelist Skeeter’s (Emma Stone) life as if it were your own, and you feel like you personally know Aibileen and Minny — Skeeter’s main maid interviewees. The movie is honest, touching and at times a bit gritty. Going along with this gritty theme, “Drive” was also an exceptional 2011 film. Ryan Gosling gives nothing short of a phenomenal performance as his character’s love for a girl changes the course, quite literally, of his life.
Who hangs with Mindy Kaling outside ‘The Office?’ By Jamie Primeau Managing Editor
As a Christmas gift, my older sister surprised me with “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)” by Mindy Kaling, better known as Kelly Kapoor on “The Office.” I didn’t know whether I should be offended by the title (how’d she know that thought has crossed my mind on several occasions?), but I must admit it’s the best book I’ve read all year. Considering 2012 just started, this may not be saying much. However, the fact that it frequently made me laugh out loud does say a lot, and I would suggest it to everyone looking for a goodhearted read. Kaling’s tone makes you feel like she’s a charming, chatty friend speaking to you directly. Three words to describe this author are
humble, humorous and honest — sometimes verging on TMI in certain stories. The book is a series of essays and lists, complete with some semi-embarrassing, old photos scattered throughout. It’s broken up into categories, which include reflections on her adolescence, time in New York, Hollywood adventures and romance. Kaling is not quiet about her quirks, which include having twisted revenge fantasies run through her head as she exercises and what makes her cry. Familiar with her boy-crazy, ditzy character Kelly, I wasn’t surprised that Kaling is funny in real life. What I didn’t know beforehand is that she’s an Emmy-nominated writer for the show, and she graduated from Dartmouth College. Her big break came when she created a comedic sketch with
blogs.kcls.org
Kaling gets personal in her humorous autobiography.
her friend where they dressed and acted like Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, appropriately called “Matt & Ben.” Not only does she share her journey to fame, but also her experience of learning to embrace her inner dork and love her flaws. She focuses on the futility of trying to mold one’s self to fit society’s standards — sharing
Do you find yourself anecdotes of a chubby childhood wishing that you wrote for and difficulty fitting into designer The Signal? dresses. Kaling emphasizes the importance of friendship, offering rules like: “I will take care of your kids if you die” and “I must be 100 percent honest about how you look, goshen.edu but gentle,” explaining “I owe it to you to give feedback like a cattle Do you describe yourself as prod: painful but quick.” artsy or entertaining? She doesn’t claim to be anything she’s not — with a chapter straightforwardly titled “I Am Not Well, you don’t have to be an Athlete,” which may just be the to write for A&E. most relatable thing I’ve ever read. In the first chapter she provides But you should be alternative titles to her book: interested in covering “Harry Potter Secret Book #8” and “So You’ve Just Finished Chelsea events and interviewing the occasional famous person. Handler’s Book, Now What?” Even if she had chosen one of these deceptively clever titles, a Contact Julia! person wouldn’t be disappointed. corbetj3@tcnj.edu The heartfelt humor within the pages makes it a must-read.
page 16 The Signal January 18, 2012
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The College of New Jersey Student Newspaper since 1885
January 18, 2012
No. Â 1
Vol. Â CXXXVI.
Campus Town construction underway By Tom Ciccone News Editor
UHWDLO VWRUHV RQ WKH Ă€UVW Ă RRUV RI WKH QHZO\ FRQVWUXFWHG EXLOGLQJV ZLWK VHFRQG Ă RRUV EHLQJ UHOHJDWHG WR VWXGHQW housing. After having been under consideration for several Of the 300,000 total square feet that Campus Town years, construction for the new Campus Town project will cover, there will be 220,000 square feet of student KDV Ă€QDOO\ EHJXQ 3DUNLQJ ORWV DQG ZHUH FOHDUHG housing facilities, with the remaining 80,000 square feet over the break. for retail shops. The project is still in its planning stage, but is &ROOHJH RIĂ€FLDOV EHOLHYH WKH SURMHFW ZLOO QRW RQO\ EH beginning the process of constructing and relocating a great source for more housing spaces, but will also various facilities, according to Stacey Schuster, help integrate the Ewing community into the College’s executive director of college relations. campus. The Bonner Center, Municipal Land Use Center “We think this is going to be a great way to merge and the ROTC facilities will be permanently moved to the community and the College. We’re really excited,â€? Holman Hall. Schuster said. The Campus Town project is a construction of retail 3ODQV IRU &DPSXV 7RZQ DUH VWLOO XQĂ€QLVKHG \HW VRPH stores and housing facilities for students of the College EDVLF EXLOGLQJ VSHFLĂ€FDWLRQV KDYH EHHQ Ă€QDOL]HG as well as community members to enjoy. “Some things have been set in stone, such as building “What we’re doing is mixed use development,â€? said materials,â€? said Schuster. “We want all of the buildings Schuster. “Essentially it will allow the College to build to be built the same way we would build a college dorm.â€? something we’d otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to $V WKH Ă€UVW VWDJHV RI FRQVWUXFWLRQ IRU &DPSXV 7RZQ build.â€? begin, certain related changes have occurred within the The project comes out of a partnership between College administration. the College and PRC Group, a private company. The In an email sent out over the break by President of Economic Development Authority has yet to approve the College R. Barbara Gitenstein, it was announced this partnership. WKDW 9LFH 3UHVLGHQW IRU 6WXGHQW $IIDLUV -LP 1RUĂ HHW LV The area known as Campus Town will comprise of assuming “a new role focusing on important features in
the implementation of the Campus Town project.â€? &XUUHQWO\ 1RUĂ HHW LV LQ FKDUJH RI VXEPLWWLQJ WKH partnership with PRC to the Economic Development Authority, said Schuster. His new role will be involved in dealing with “student housing and contracts,â€? according to Gitenstein’s email. The email also said that a new interim vice president for Student Affairs will be picked during the Spring VHPHVWHU WR UHSODFH 1RUĂ HHW ´-LP 1RUĂ HHW UHDOO\ PDNHV VXUH WKDW ZH KDYH DOO WKH information we need in dealing with this public private SDUWQHUVKLS ZLWK 35& *URXS Âľ VDLG 6FKXVWHU Gitenstein also announced in her email that Vice President for Advancement Matt Golden has requested D UHSODFHPHQW IRU KLV SRVLWLRQ DQG D PRGLĂ€FDWLRQ RI KLV duties. Golden will reassume the lead role in the College’s communications and public relations initiatives while still contributing “in other externally related responsibilities.â€? Associate Vice President for Development Pete Manetas has agreed to serve as Interim Vice President for Advancement in replacement of Golden, and the email also noted that Phil Tumminia will be continuing to provide consultation related to the College’s fundraising efforts for Campus Town.
Man arrested for car thefts By Tom Ciccone News Editor
Photo courtesy of Gary Kehoe
Volunteers give day of service By Gary Kehoe Signal Contributor Braving the cold, a quickly-formed community of over 200 volunteers — 50 representing the College — commemorated the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. early Monday morning. The TCNJ Bonner Foundation, along with Jersey Cares and the Corporation of National Community Service, visited Trenton Central High School for a special day of service. see KING page 5
Where  does  it  all  go?  Find  out  what  the  College  does  with  your  tuition  fees.  See  News  page  3
Trenton Police arrested a man in December who was found driving a Honda Civic that had previously been reported missing by a student at the College, according to an email sent out around 2 p.m. on Dec. 14 by Campus Police Services. Tommy Lee Walker, Jr. was arrested on Saturday, Dec. 10 when found operating a white 1999 Honda Civic that was reported missing on Dec. 5, the email said. When arrested, Walker was found in possession of several “dealer master keys.â€? He was charged with receiving stolen property and motor vehicle master keys, police said in the email. Walker has a history of arrests for car thefts, having been sentenced to imprisonment at the Bucks County Department of Corrections in Pa. :DONHU KDV VHUYHG WLPH IRU Ă€YH separate counts of knowingly receiving stolen property and one count of unlawful weapons possession, according to a New Jersey offenders report on Walker. He was released on parole from the Bucks County DOC on Oct. 27 2011. Two weeks later he was arrested again, operating a stolen Honda Civic. Campus Police believe there is “likely a connection between the theft of this vehicle and others that have been stolen from campus,â€? according to the email. “Since his arrest we have had no car thefts on campus,â€? said John Collins, chief of Campus Police.
Photo courtesy of Campus Police Services
Walker was found in possession of “master keysâ€? and a stolen car. While they do not anticipate him being released in the near future, Campus Police issued a letter barring Walker from the &ROOHJH DQG KDYH LQVWUXFWHG WKHLU RIĂ€FHUV that he will be arrested immediately upon returning to campus. Campus Police ask that if anyone sees Walker on campus in the future, they contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345. According to the 2010 Crime and Fire Safety Report, there was an increase in car thefts on the College’s campus for VSLNLQJ IURP ]HUR LQ WR Ă€YH in 2011. This is the largest amount of car thefts since 2008, where 14 instances of car theft occurred on the College’s campus.
Track  teams  trample  competition Men’s  and  Women’s  track  compete  against  ' , VFKRROV ¿QLVK LQ WRS WHQ  See  Sports  page  17
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January 18, 2012 The Signal page 17 Track and Field
Track makes its mark vs. D-I schools By Chris Molicki Sports Assistant
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The men and women placed top-10.
The College’s men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams both got the new semester off to a good start by placing well in the “Saturday Night at the Armory I” event at the 168th St. Armory in New York, N.Y. The event had 21 teams attending, including competitive Division I schools like Connecticut, St. John’s, Rutgers and Princeton. In a field with as high of a quality as this, the Lions did a nice job of letting their presence be known. “The competition was very high at the meet, but this usually only helps our team,” said senior Shaun McGeever. “The (College’s) team is full of many talented athletes, so big competition can lead to some great results. Sure, anyone can feel a bit nervous being the only Division III runner or jumper in the event, but with a little confidence, there’s nothing stopping us from competing on the same level.” For the men, the College had some top 10 finishes that were headlined by senior
Christopher Medina who placed third in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.01 seconds, and 10th in the 200-meter dash, racing to an ECAC qualifying time of 22.53 seconds. Junior Alex Brown grabbed fifth place in the 500 meters with a time of 1:05.39. McGeever also grabbed 10th in the mile, running a 4:18.40, another ECAC qualifying time. Other top finishers included freshmen Louis Fisher and James O’Connor, who ran an 8.80 and a 9.26 for 11th and 13th place respectively in the 60-meter hurdles. “I was very pleased with my performance and qualifying time,” McGeever said. “This is the first time that I have qualified for ECAC’s as an individual. It is definitely a relief to have qualified this early in the season, because now I can focus on other events with my teammates like the distance medley relay.” The women managed to keep up with the big dogs by having some top finishes as well, being the top Division III runners in certain events. In the 1,000 meter, senior Katie Nestor was the first Division III runner to cross the finish line as she came in third
overall with a time of 3:00.26. Freshman Liz Johnson was right behind her as the second D-III runner to complete the race, coming in fifth at 3:01.80. The College scored in other events as well. Freshman Melinda Rothman was eighth in the pole vault by clearing 2.90 meters. Sophomore Anginelle Alabanza pushed to be the top Division III runner in the mile, finishing in ninth place with a time of 5:22.51. In the 500 meters, the top two Division III runners were both Lions as sophomore Emily Kulcyk and freshman Katelyn Ary were 11th and 12th with times of 1:19.95 and 1:21.01, respectively. Overall, the men finished eighth with 13 points and the women came in 11th with 10.5 points, both impressive when the level of competition is taken into account. “This is definitely the best track season I have had here at TCNJ, and I am excited to see where it can take me and what I can do,” McGeever said. The College’s track and field teams will be back in action on Friday when they travel to Haverford College.
Cheap Seats
Men’s Basketball
Lions lose six straight Get ready for a wild ride By Alex Wolfe Sports Editor
Lions Roadrunners Lions Cougars
59 80 37 44
The new year has not been kind to the men’s basketball team, as the Lions have lost six straight games since the calendar turned over. Most recently the team lost a NJAC contest against Ramapo College, where it had the lead entering the second half but was floored by a strong run from the Roadrunners. The team had led by nine at the half, but a strong 13-0 run by the Roadrunners changed the tide of the game for the worse for the Lions. Sophomore guard Matt Rista led the team in the game, finishing with 11 points and two assists for the game. The team played smart basketball in the first half, only turning the ball over twice and limiting the Roadrunners to 22 shot attempts for the half. Unfortunately, the script was flipped in the second half when Ramapo took off on their run. The team’s recent struggles can partially be attributed to the team’s productive forward/center, freshman Kyle Cancillieri, recently quitting the team.
Cancillieri gave the team a muchneeded boost in the middle, where he was averaging close to 10 points and 10 rebounds per game. Cancillieri had won the NJAC Rookie of the Week three weeks running before leaving the team. The team will take the floor again tonight against Rutgers University-Camden as they look to get back on track.
AP Photo
The NFL playoffs are taking off.
By Alex Wolfe Sports Editor
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The team has struggled recently.
As a St. Louis Rams fan, it’s safe to say that I was pretty disappointed with this year’s NFL regular season. My team sucked, the 49ers (who a good friend of mine is a fan of) took off, and I was generally disinterested with all things non-fantasy football as far as the season was concerned. Even the storylines were kind of boring. Tebowmania was fun, but other than that, there weren’t really too many things in the NFL that gripped me this year. Yeah, the Packers almost went undefeated. There’s always one. The NFC East, which is normally so
entertaining, fell flat on its face when all of the teams decided to be barely better than average. The Jets didn’t make the playoffs. What kind of playoffs is it without the Jets mouthing off constantly? But the past couple of weeks, all of that has changed. The playoffs have been absolutely phenomenal this year. The blowouts haven’t been that prevalent, and the tight games have been pretty common. Who would’ve seen the Denver Tebows beating the Pittsburgh Steelers? I know I didn’t. I kept wanting to believe they could win, but I couldn’t even talk myself into that concept. And then it happened. This week we were treated to the spectactle that was the Saints-49ers showdown. I hate that it wasn’t the Rams in that situation, coming out of the NFC West, but damn, that was quite possibly the best playoff game I have seen in the last five years. I was rooted to my seat for every play. The coolest part is, I think the best is yet to come. RavensPatriots? Giants-49ers? Bring it on. Although I do find myself missing the Jets this year, particularly Bart Scott. Why is that? Well, it’s because I … can’t wait!
Swimming and Diving
Both swim teams drop, lose undefeated records By Mike Pietroforte Staff Writer
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Both teams lost their undefeated records this week.
The College’s swimming and diving teams returned from a week of training in Aruba to compete in a tri-meet at West Chester University last weekend. Both the men’s and women’s teams were 5-0 coming into the competition, ranked seventh and 10th, respectively, in Division III, as they squared off against Johns Hopkins University and the hosting Golden Rams. “We knew going in that West Chester and Johns Hopkins are both very strong and talented teams,” junior Mike Caputo said, “We trained real hard over winter break both at TCNJ and in Aruba, and made sure we stayed mentally tough throughout the training and heading into the meet. We knew we were the underdogs and used that to motivate us even more.” The women fell to fourth-ranked Johns Hopkins and West Chester University with scores of 131-239 and 107-251, ending their streak of 17 consecutive victories in dual meets. Senior Laura Pierce posted outstanding finishes in the de-
feat, taking first in the women’s 100-yard butterfly (57.18), in the women’s 50-yard freestyle (24.34) and in the women’s 100-yard butterfly (53.07). The College also dominated the women’s three-meter diving event with junior Danica Roskos finishing first and sophomore Sabrina Lucchesi finishing second with final scores of 282.23 and 275.93, respectively. The men’s team took a tough loss at the hands of Johns Hopkins Unversity, losing 97-253, but fought a tight battle against West Chester University and came out the victor, with a final score of 188-180. Senior T.J. Burns compiled a strong day, finishing first in the men’s three-meter diving event with a score of 335.55, and second in the men’s one-meter diving with a final score of 310.05. The men also did well in the relays, finishing second in the 200-yard medley, the 200-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relays. “We have to stay focused going forward and not get ahead of ourselves,” junior Adam Schneider said. “We have a tough schedule to finish out the season.” The College will return to the water on Saturday, Jan. 21 against William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J.
page 18 The Signal January 18, 2012
4 6
LIONS
AROUND THE
DORM 5 3
Alex Wolfe “The Ref”
Chris Molicki Sports Assistant
Brandon Gould Staff Writer
Mike Pietroforte Staff Writer
In the first Around the Dorm of the spring semester, the “Ref,” Alex Wolfe, challenges Sports Assistant Chris Molicki, Staff Writer Brandon Gould and Staff Writer Mike Pietroforte to answer questions about whether Tim Tebow has a future in Denver, if the 49ers are a legit Super Bowl contender, and whether the New York Knicks can get their acts together this season. five games. Tebow just doesn’t fit the mold of QBs that lead successful teams. Out of all the quarterbacks with postseason statistics, Tebow is the only one to have a completion percentage under 50 percent, with 40.4 percent. Unless Tim Tebow makes some serious adjustments to his passing game, the Broncos would benefit from starting a real QB. AW: Brandon gets 3, because Tebow really did seem to bring a winning mindset to the Broncos, which can’t be overlooked. Chris gets 2, because that Pats game was called terribly by the Bronco coaches. Mike gets 1, because I think Tebow deserves a little bit more time.
AP Photo
1. Tim Tebow just got his ass handed to him by the Patriots, and he didn’t look good at all during it. How many more seasons do you give him as the Broncos starter? CM: Tebow should be the Denver starting QB for at least the next few seasons. It really annoys me how in the world we live in, people’s entire perspective of a player can change completely in a week. Tebow just shredded the Steelers last week, and now people are calling for his head after a loss to the Patriots that really wasn’t his fault. The game plan didn’t let him throw enough and called for too many option plays which weren’t working. The offensive line didn’t give him any time. And Brady was Brady, not letting the Broncos in the game. Many people forget how Tebow transformed this team and the success he had. It’s a shame that this is still even a question. He really isn’t that bad of a quarterback, and a full offseason, especially with John Elway, will do him wonders. The organization owes him a few more years at the very least. BG: The Broncos really looked like a sad bunch in the beginning of this season and then Tebowmania erupted. He didn’t look great doing it, but Tebow was winning games. The defense and the Broncos’ kicker — I pray to you Matt Prater — deserve credit as well, but you can’t help but be impressed at how Tebow rallied the troops. He needs to continue to develop, there’s no doubt about that, but at the same time he didn’t have much to work with on offense. John Elway, who seems to be coming around on Tebow, needs to transfer his Hall of Fame ability on the field into the front office and get the man some serviceable weapons — (cough) tight end (cough). All in all, I think Tebow’s bought himself at least the next two seasons to prove what he can do. MP: I wouldn’t give Tim Tebow another full season as the Broncos starter. As you can tell from the Broncos’ quarterback shuffling this season, a lot of change can happen in only a few weeks. The Broncos doubted Tebow from the beginning, starting the season with him as their third-string QB. After five weeks, they made him their starter over Kyle Orton. Although Tebow had success early on, teams seemed to figure him out near the end of the season. In his last five games, Tebow threw only three TDs, compared to four INTs, and posted a dismal 63.5 quarterback rating. An argument most people make for Tebow is that he keeps the Broncos in games because he doesn’t turn the ball over, but this is far from true. In addition to his four INTs, Tebow fumbled the ball six times in his last
2. The 49ers pulled a surprising and dramatic upset against the Saints. Will they be able to work their magic straight to the Super Bowl? CM: The 49ers really surprised me. I didn’t expect them to be able to pull off the upset, but their defense looked absolutely dominant and their physical play had me fearing for Darren Sproles’ life. They proved my notion wrong, that this is a passing league and a dominant quarterback will beat a dominant defense (even though Alex Smith looked pretty good). With what I saw, they can absolutely do that to get to the Super Bowl. If they can harass Drew Brees and the Saints’ all-pro offensive line, they can certainly do that to Eli Manning and the Giants. The 49ers are playing a scary style of football that is based on brutalizing the opponent. The Giants’ pass rush should make it a close game, but I think it would be hard to bet against the Niners with the way they’re playing. If they make it to the Super Bowl, I think they have a good shot to win it all. Jim Harbaugh would be gunning for revenge against his brother John, and we all know how Brady does against intense pressure like the Niners bring. It looks like the magic is alive and well by the bay. BG: I wouldn’t call it magical more than I think I’d refer it as fortunate. The 49ers were impressive as they worked their way down the field to beat the Saints, but it never should have come down to that. The Niners jumped out to a 17-0 lead, while the Saints continued to find new ways to turn the ball over. The Niners’ offense just couldn’t find a way to put the Saints away. Some credit there does go to the Saints for shutting down everything the Niners had on offense, except for tight end Vernon Davis — I’m still at a loss to explain why Gregg Williams didn’t double cover him down the stretch. The win was a quality win nonetheless, but does anyone really expect the Niners to force the New York Giants to
turn the ball over five times? Exactly. MP: What surprised me the most in the 49ers’ victory was that their offense actually showed up to play. Alex Smith showed that he can man the helm, throwing the ball 42 times and completing almost 60 percent of those passes. With their already dominant defense, if the Niners can accompany that with a simply competent offense, they become a very scary team. While the defense didn’t exactly shut down Drew Brees and the Saints, they dominated the turnover margin, by recovering three fumbles and snagging two interceptions. In the playoffs, the teams that win the turnover battle usually win the game. The 49ers have already shown that they can beat good teams. During the regular season they posted victories against the Eagles, Lions, Steelers, and Giants. While I wouldn’t call them favorites against the Patriots or the Ravens, the 49ers have shown that they are not a team to be overlooked and that they can compete with explosive offenses like that of the New Orleans Saints. Look for the Niners as a serious upset pick. AW: Mike gets 3, because the offense is the real X-factor for the Niners. Chris gets 2 because the defense proved they can hang with good offenses. Brandon gets 1 because the team IS a number 2 seed and shouldn’t be that overlooked. 3. My Knicks are in trouble, experiencing some early season issues. Obviously I think (hope) they can rebound, but what do you set their ceiling at? CM: The Knicks are an interesting case. They seem to have been playing worse with Carmello Anthony, even though he has clearly been their best player. The Knicks have two huge problems: defense and shot selection. They really don’t play defense, and the only way to completely change that is if they fire Mike D’Antoni. And how many times have you seen Toney Douglas or Iman Shumpert jack up a stupid three without even passing the ball? Better shot selection and guard play is something they need to work on and I think it will get better. Once Baron Davis gets healthy and Shumpert gets more experience, the team will receive a huge boost. With how weak the Eastern Conference is, the Knicks shouldn’t be in danger of missing the playoffs. However, because of their defensive woes, I can’t see them finishing any higher than third in the conference. They are in a different class than the Heat and the Bulls. There need to be some changes in the coaching and philosophy of the team if they truly want to be thinking championship. BG: The Knicks have the pieces there to make some noise. The combination of forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stou-
Brandon wins the first AtD of 2012, 7 - 6 - 5.
“And that’s how it’s done. #winning.” — Brandon
AP Photo
AP Photo
demire would make any team relevant. Center Tyson Chandler will provide some serious value if he continues to go along his near double-double pace and play adequate defense. However, the X-factor and the thing that will determine the Knicks’ ceiling will be the play of their guards. Rookie shooting guard Iman Shumpert has been pretty good to this point in the season, but the Knicks are going to need someone to step up and play the point. Someone between Toney Douglas, Baron Davis or Mike Bibby has to step up and take hold of this job. With that said, even at their current record, the Knicks are in line to make the playoffs. I don’t think the Knicks can hang with the Chicage Bulls or the Miami Heat, but they’re 5-2 against teams in the Eastern Conference right now and that’s a good sign heading forward. MP: Although they have had their share of stumbles so far this season (losing to the Raptors and the Bobcats on consecutive nights?!), I think the Knicks still have a very high ceiling. By adding a defensive centerpiece like Tyson Chandler to a Mike D’Antoni team that will consistently put up significant scoring, the Knicks have built a competitor. In the weak Eastern Conference, led by young and unproven teams like the 76ers and the Pacers, the Knicks should not be thrown into panic mode this early in the season. Without a doubt the Knicks are a playoff team, and when you have two dominant scorers like Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, as well as a strong defensive presence in the paint, which Chandler brings, it’s difficult to count them out of any series. Give the Knicks some time to gel as a unit, and you’ll find that when the games become a little more important, the veteran stars will show up to play. AW: Brandon gets 3 for bringing up the guard play and its importance on the Knicks’ success. Mike gets 2 for pointing out the general weakness of the East. Chris gets 1, because I love the argument on shot selection, but the Knicks are actually doing pretty well defensively this year, in the top half of the league in scoring defense and turnovers while playing their fast tempo.
January 18, 2012 The Signal page 19
LIONS ROUNDUP Lion of the Week
This Week’s Picks Chris Molicki
AFC NFC Championship Championship
Lakers vs. Heat
Nuggets vs. Knicks
Dawn Henderson
Alex Wolfe
Basketball
Brandon Gould
Dawn Henderson, head coach of the women’s basketball team, earned her 400th win as a head coach on Saturday as the Lady Lions defeated Ramapo College. Henderson became only the 28th head coach to reach 400 wins in Division III women’s basketball history. She has had seven 20 win seasons and made the NCAA tournament eight times.
Joe Caputo
Men’s Basketball
—Chris Molicki, Sports Assistant
This Week In Sports Men’s Basketball Jan. 18 vs. Rutgers University-Camden, 8 p.m. Jan. 20 vs. Hunter College, 7 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
Jan. 21 @ New Jersey City University, 7 p.m. Women’s Basketball Jan. 18 vs. Rutgers University-Camden, 6 p.m.
Jan 21. @ New Jersey City University, 5 p.m.
Trivia Question
Jan 24. @ Catholic University, 6 p.m. Track and Field Jan. 20 @ Haverford College
In what was one of the wildest playoff games in recent memory, the San Francisco 49ers capped off a scoring frenzy by beating the New Orleans Saints in the final seconds and advancing to the NFC championship game. If the 49ers make it to the Super Bowl, they will be the 11th different team in the past 11 years to represent the NFC in the big game. Who are the five NFC teams who have not reached the Super Bowl in the past decade?
Swimming and Diving Jan. 21 @ William Paterson University, 1 p.m. Wrestling Jan. 21 @ Messiah College Open, 10 a.m. AP Photo
Signal
Sports
Henderson notches 400th career win By Brandon Gould Staff Writer
Lions Roadrunners
55 45
Just a few days after their comeback effort against Kean University fell short, the women’s basketball team was able to secure head coach Dawn Henderson’s 400th career victory. The Lions were hoping that their game against the Cougars on Wednesday, Jan. 11, would seal the deal, but Henderson’s milestone victory had to wait until the weekend when the Lions defeated Ramapo College by a score of 55-45. “The atmosphere after a big win is always celebratory,” senior point guard Katie Occhipinti said. “But celebrating after this one was extra special.” With the victory over the Roadrunners, Henderson became the 28th head coach in NCAA Division III women’s basketball history to reach the 400-win mark. “We all feel really lucky to be a part of such a great achievement,” Occhipinti said. “Our team has a really special bond and Coach told us in the locker room that she was really happy to have shared it with this group.” On top of Henderson’s accomplishment, the Lions improved their record to 11-5 by anchoring down and playing shutdown defense. The Lions recorded two stretches in the first half where they held the Roadrunners scoreless for over four minutes. The Lions stout defensive effort — they only allowed 17 points in the first half — had a direct effect on offensive
momentum as well, according to Occhipinti. “This was one of our best defense games,” Occhipinti, who led the team with four steals, said. “We all were on the same page, being vocal and moving as a unit. And we know that when our defense is good it spills over into running a good offense.” The Lions saw three shooters reach double-digits — senior guard Jessica Imhof and senior forward Kelsey Kutch recoding 12 points each — with senior guard/forward Hannah Tait leading the team with 16 points, most of which came from behind the arc. “Hannah is a tough player to guard because she can score from anywhere,” Occhipinti said. “Time and time again she has
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Henderson has led the team to an 11-5 record this year.
kick started our offensive with a crucial three pointer.” The Lions’ play against the Roadrunners was a carryover from an earlier loss in the week to Kean University, according to Occhipiniti. The Lions and Cougars traded baskets back and forth for the majority of the first half until the Cougars started to pull away as halftime neared. That point differential continued to stand pat for the most part as well in the second half, until the Lions made a push late in the game. Trailing 57-45 with only 2:52 left in the game, the Lions started to claw their way back. Over the next couple of minutes, the Lions defense would hold the Cougars to a single point, while the offense racked up 10. Down by a mere three points with 34 seconds, the Lions were able to collect a defensive rebound after freshman guard/ forward AnnaRose Pierce failed to make a free throw for the Cougars. However, the ensuing drive down the court would not be the conclusion of a fairy-tale ending as the Lions turned the ball and the game over to the Cougars, who went on to win with a score of 60-55. “At the end of the game we had the right combination of players on the floor and we finally started playing with a sense of urgency that we lacked all game,” Occhipinti said. “But, we did not play our best team basketball and you cannot beat a good team like Kean when you’re not at your best.” The Lions will return to the court tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 18, to take on Rutgers University-Camden.
Lions finish 5-3 in two tourneys Brown wins D-III POY By Peter Fiorilla Staff Writer
The College’s wrestling team opened 2012 by competing in a pair of tough tournaments, winning five of eight dual meets at the North/ South Duals and Whitehill Duals while facing quality opposition and a plague of injuries. “Coming back from the New Year’s break we’ve gotten off to an OK start,” head coach Joe Galante said. “Seven wins is a pretty good reflection of how we’ve been competing.” The 27th-ranked Lions (7-4) first took two of three at the North/South Duals on Jan. 7, winning a dramatic 21-18 contest with United States Merchant Marine Army before splitting a pair of matches with No. 19 Messiah College and University of Scranton. The Lions clinched the victory against USMMA in the last round, when Trevor Salvatore (285) won by decision to break an 1818 tie after successful bouts by Joey DiCarlo (125), Dan Herr (135), John Palsi (141) and No. 7 John Darling (157). Against Messiah, two early injury default losses by regular contributors Herr and Brian Bollette (141) extended the Lions’ deficit to 15-0 in an eventual 31-10 loss, with wins coming from Darling and Salvatore. The Lions rebounded by pounding Scranton 42-6 in their final meet of the tournament. The College then went 3-2 at last week’s 24th-annual Budd Whitehill Duals, beating John Carroll University, Trine University and Williams College with a combined score of 85-40 but bowing out of the tournament early with losses to No. 25 University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and No. 9 York College. Highlights of the Whitehills Duals include Herr pinning No. 2 Chris Albright of York College in 1:37, P.J. Schmidt (125) winning all five of his bouts, and No. 1 Mike Denver (184)
Lions’ Lineup January 18, 2012
I n s i d e
going 4-0. The 29-16 loss to York College reflected the Lions’ injury woes, though, with two more key injury default losses bloating York’s advantage 13-point advantage by 12 points. “It’s been difficult with our injuries,” Galante said, “(and with a crowded schedule) the recovery process is definitely strained.” The Lions expect to overcome adversity in the coming weeks, including Saturday’s trip to the Messiah College Open, to achieve their season goals and remain a conference powerhouse. “This is when the tough get going,” Galante said. “All these guys are starting to realize they can compete with the best in the country and can beat them … as the season goes on and we recover from our injuries, I think we’ll continue to improve.”
All-American honored by NJSWA
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The team is now 7-4 on the year.
The New Jersey Sports Writers Association cited Shawn Brown as its Division III Player of the Year for the 2011 season. Brown will be honored this Sunday, Jan. 22, at an awards banquet at The Pines Manor in Edison, N.J. at 11:30 a.m. Brown also received AllAmerica honors from the American Football Coaches Association as the best safety in Division III football for the 2011 season. Brown had a stellar year, which included five interceptions, two sacks, and 56 total tackles en route to the Lions finishing with a 7-3 record. “Finishing off my last football season here at TCNJ couldn’t have gone much better and I am proud to have represented the Lions program,” Brown said. “I hope I have inspired my fellow teammates to strive to do their best.”
46 53 Around the Dorm page 18
Men’s basketball on a skid page 17
Both swim teams fall page 17
Track places high page 17
Cheap Seats page 17