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TORCH GRAPHIC/ MICHAEL MONTIJO

WHAT’S INSIDE News......................2-5 Comics.......................9 Opinion..................6-8 Entertainment....15-17 Features.............10-11 Sports.................20-24

TECHNOLOGY

iPad? iWant?

Inferno Unveils the latest creation from Apple and whats behind all the hype ENTER RTAINMENT Pg. 16

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Last week’s poll results Are you happy with Steve Lavin as the new basketball coach?

76% Yes 24% No Check out our new poll every Wednesday “Think Outside. . .”

2

Directory

Managing Board LXXXVIII

JUSTIN THRIFT, Editor-in-Chief NELL O’CONNOR, Managing Editor MARK MCDONALD, General Manager SARA CAHILL MARRON BILL SAN ANTONIO

MICHAEL MONTIJO

News Editor

Sports Editor

Art Director

LOVELL NIMMONS

KRISTEN FARMER

SARAH LANE

Editorial Page Editor

Photo Editor

Chief Copy Editor

CAROLYN WARGULA

BRIAN LOPEZ

ELIZABETH MILLER

Features Editor

Asst. Photo Editorw Layout Editor

ADELLE PLATON

JOSÉ SILVA

Entertainment Editor Online Editor

ELLEN CAREY

Advisor

Business (718) 9906756 Advertising 990-6756 Editorial Board 990-6444

Features 990-6445 Letters 990-6445 News 990-6444 Sports 990-6444

Special thanks to Richard Rex Thomas for assisting in the design of The TORCH

Entertainment Spa Specialities Inferno dishes the details on Spa Week to snag the best treatments for cheap

Inferno Pg. 17

Features Hiding in Facebook Technology affects everyday interaction and social skills in a negative way.

Features Pg. 10

Men’s Baseball Stopped at the Gate The baseball team lost the series finale against West Virginia on Sunday in extra innings.

TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ

Admitted students take tours of the campus over the weekend. Student Ambassadors led groups of families past St. Augustine Hall and the Great Lawn which was completely in bloom.

NEWS

Sports Pg. 22

Briefs: Recap of events MENTAL HEALTH OPINION PG. 8

SARA CAHILL MARRON

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The TORCH

14 April 2010

News Editor

FOR MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: 718-990-6756 The TORCH is the official student newspaper of St. John’s University. The Torch is written, edited, designed and produced by students of the University. All contents are the sole responsibility of the editors and the editorial board and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of St. John’s University unless specifically stated.

To contact The TORCH by mail: The TORCH, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, NY 11439

The TORCH is typically published on Wednesdays, approximately 20 issues throughout the academic year. Circulation per issue is 3,500 copies distributed free on campus.

This copy of The Torch is worth $ .75.

The Debate Society competed in the 2010 U.S. Universities Debate Championship held at Regis Univeristy in Denver, Colo. this past weekend. George Fitzpatrick and Zia Durani accrued 11 points and advanced to the quarter finals where they competed against teams from Yale University and the National Champions from Claremont University. Alisha Siqueira and Shreshth Jain finished in the preliminary rounds with 11 points. Alia Bellwood and Korey Pace finished with 10 points. Each St. John’s team debated in six preliminary rounds on Friday and Saturday against teams from around the country. * * * Ryan Leslie and STJ Alum J. Cole are featured at this years Spring Concert. Held in Carnesecca Arena on April 23 at 8 p.m., the

concert is sponsored by SPB, Haraya, Fashion Club, Step Ya Game Up, RHA, Campus Activities, and Multicultural Affairs. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 14 at noon in the Campus Concierge. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. * * * T-shirts designed and created by students were hung from clotheslines on the Great Lawn on Monday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. The Student Wellness office sponsored the event in order to raise awareness of violence against women as a part of the second annual Turn Off The Violence Week. Other events included educational programming, workshops and lectures. Students requested that additional non-profit organizations particpate in the project and made an effort to involve others outside the university. According to The Clothesline Project’s Web site, there are estimated to be 500 clothesline projects nationally and internationally with 50,000 to 60,000 shirts. Turn Off the Violence Week Continues through Friday with several guest speakers and a research forum.

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Thousands raised for Relay for Life RICHARD MILLER Staff Writer Students banded together to fight cancer last Friday evening at St. John’s fifth annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life. According to Kathryn T. Hutchinson, executive director of Student Wellness, more than $56,000 was raised this year.

Students made up 144 teams, comprised of groups of friends or student organizations, walked all night in a show of solidarity. The event kicked off at 6 p.m. in Carnesecca Arena with a speech by junior Shaun Latshaw, a pre-med student and a cancer survivor.

Latshaw’s speech focused on the successfully large turnout for the walk.

“Before we even raise a dollar for Relay for Life, the conscious attending of this event is breaking down the barriers that cancer can create,” he said.

“I do have a lot of bad memories, but superseding the bad memories are the great memories. That’s kind of like what we’re doing here; we’re creating memories that are defeating what cancer is trying to build up. I think that’s awesome.”

Throughout the night, each team was required to have one member walking around the floor of the arena. During

breaks, students could watch movies in the Little Theatre, listen to music, or socialize with friends.

According to Dr. Katheryn Hutchinson, who coordinated the event, some of the money raised would be used in the community. The goal of the event was to raise money for the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“A portion of the funds raised are used right here in Queens to help folks to get treatment,” she said.

The ACS uses the money to provide free cancer screenings, as well as to pay for transportation and lodging for patients who must travel for treatment.

Hutchinson said she hoped that students would take several things away from the event.

“First, students should recognize how powerful they are to impact their community,” she said.

“They should take away the sense that they can make a difference. They should take away information. If they or someone they love should they become sick, there are resources available. And I hope that they have a good time.”

The students who participated had various explanations for the event’s popularity.

“I think that it’s a combination of the social thing and the helping-others thing,” freshman Raj Shah said. “If you

TORCH PHOTOS/KRISTEN FARMER

Relay teams danced in Carnesseca arena in between walking laps. had skin cancer and my sister had skin cancer, so it’s a good reason to raise money for cancer,” freshman Michael Fallon said.

In the past three years, St. John’s University has raised more than $150,000.

“A lot of my friends and family members have had cancer, so I’m here to support them,” Shah said. “Recently, my grandfather died, so I’m here to support him, as well.”

Students who have been to other Relay for Life walks expected the large turnout.

“I do [Relays] at my high school and they’re usually pretty packed,” Fallon said.

The turnout surprised some students who are new to the event.

“I was expecting a lot less turnout,” Shah said. “This is a lot more people than I expected.”

NATASHA VELEZ Staff Writer

submit the questions.

According to the Census Bureau official Web site, www.census.gov, an individual can expect fines of up to $100 if all questions are not completed, a $500 fine results from providing faulty information, and a $1,000 fine or one year in prison if proven you have “intent to cause inaccurate enumeration of population.”

St. John’s students had mixed feelings about filling out the census questionaire.

David Pineiro, a freshman said that the representatives were “friendly but overzealous in their approach.”

Freshman Seth Johnson said he knew that the survey was important.

“I volunteered to fill the survey out because I felt it was my responsibility,” he said.

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it was for a good cause,” freshman Zuri Foreman said.

When asked if students have been cooperative during this process, four representatives in Hollis Hall agreed that most students have been gracious with their time.

The information collected is used to determine the appointed seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and to disperse more than $400 billion in federal funds to improve the conditions of hospitals, schools, senior centers, and public transportation.

By law, it is mandatory to fill a census form out.

If a form is not filled out and returned, a census taker is assigned to come to the person’s place of residence to record and

The TORCH

Representatives from the Census Bureau encouraged students to fill out the 10 question census form by sitting in the lobbies of the residence halls on Monday.

The project, called the “Group Quarters Enumeration” is common in universities across the nation.

According to Patricia Valle, assistant regional census manager for the Queens Group Quarters Enumeration, the project is an attempt to get the census to students at universities.

“All university and college campuses around the U.S participate in this project

to ensure that every community with different living situations is accounted for,” she said.

“This includes jails, nursing homes, and colleges and universities who have a community of people living on or in these institutions.”

The project was created to ensure that residents are completing the forms accurately and submitting them on time.

Four or more representatives will be located in the lobby of each residence hall through the end of the week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

According to one representative from O’Connor Hall, 38 forms had been collected in three hours.

“I filled one out, although the representatives were a little pushy, but I knew

14 April 2010

The Census Bureau stakes out the residence halls

NEWS

can help someone get better and you can be with your friends at the same time, I think that’s a great idea to make money that way.”

Sophomore Bessie Thomas felt the event brought the University together.

“It’s a time when we can all unite and it’s for a good cause,” Thomas said. “I’m sure that each one of us has had an experience with cancer, so we can relate to it in some way.”

Senior Jeanette Arias participated in Relay for Life through her sorority, Theta Phi Alpha.

“I think all the activities [encourage students to attend]. It’s a time when all the organizations come together,” she said. “Our sorority’s goal is to raise $1,000.”

Each individual had his or her own reason for attending.

“My aunt had breast cancer, my mom

4

Are you a Mac or a PC? Fall freshman choose NELL O’CONNOR Managing Editor

For the first time, incoming freshman will have a choice which laptop the University will provide them.

According to the University’s Information Technology department, there will now be three options for students to choose from, including two styles of the typical Lenovo Thinkpads that have been offered since the laptop program began and a new MacBook option for an additional co-pay of $400.

Kenneth Mahlmeister, the executive director of User Services for IT, said that St. John’s has been evolving the laptop program since its start in 2003.

“Every year, the laptop program has evolved, every year we solicit feedback from the students in different forms, in the fall and in the spring,” he said.

Mahlmeister said that last year student feedback indicated that the Lenovo models being handed out were too heavy. Maura Woods, the associate vice president of IT, said that some of the feedback showed that students were not happy being limited to one laptop.

“Last year, we looked at three different models and asked students to test them,” she said. “They thought that the choice alone would be a better option.”

The new program allows all new students to the University to register for their laptops through UIS, selecting which package they would like. So far, according to Mahlmeister, more than 100 students have made their selections.

Woods and Mahlmeister cited feedback from the Fine Arts and Communication Arts departments as reasons for bringing in the MacBook option.

Macbooks come with programs like Garage Band, Photo Booth, and iMovie that are unique to the Apple product.

“If we’re going to offer a choice, we should offer a Mac,” said Woods. “We’ve

TORCH PHOTO/KRISTEN FARMER

St. John’s students can now choose which brand of laptop they will recieve in the fall. always had a relationship with Apple, this was a matter of expanding on that relationship.”

Another addition to the laptop program is the inclusion of the new and optional Accidental Damage Protection program, available for any student who chooses one of the two Lenovo options.

This new program allows students to pay a $49.00 one-time fee for a threeyear coverage plan against any accidental damage that may occur during usage.

If damage occurs, students with the Accidental Damage Protection program can bring their laptops to the University’s on-site Laptop Shop for repair.

Woods and Mahlmeister stressed that this will bring the cost of fixing students’ laptops, since they only have to pay the

one time fee.

“One of the issues students were having was accidents and keeping up with the maintenance,” said Woods.

“Now everything is covered.”

Students who choose the MacBook option will be covered under Apple’s AppleCare Protection plan, a warranty provided by the company. Any repairs can be made through the Laptop Shop or at Apple Retailer or authorized Repair center.

So far, IT has not made any plans to include current University students in the new program.

“Right now we’re focusing on the new students,” said Woods.

She acknowledged last year’s laptop upgrade, which allowed current

students to trade in their old laptops for a newer version and was not met with an enthusiastic response. This has prompted the department to hold off on creating a similar plan for the new options.

“We haven’t really investigated whether we can pull something off like this for the upperclassmen,” she said.

“We’ll try it this year and if it goes well, we’ll continue.”

Karen Vahey, the director of admissions, has said that there has been an active response from the incoming students, not just those who have already selected their laptops.

“The buzz is really just starting,” she said. “This makes my job much easier because it makes students more excited about coming here.”

Bread and Life shares its poetry and songs

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The TORCH

14 April 2010

NEWS

RICHARD MILLER Staff Writer

TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ

A client of Bread and Life reads original works.

Clients from Bread and Life, the food pantry and community center that St. John’s operates in Brooklyn, shared poetry and songs with STJ students Tuesday during common hour at the Writing Center.

The Common Hour event took place in the Writing Center. The artists all attend creative writing workshops that are offered every other week at the St. John’s Bread and Life shelter.

According to Associate Director Tom Philipose, the Writing Center began working with Bread and Life to give students a chance to use their writing talents to serve.

“Bread and Life came to us,” Philipose said. “We had a little bit of success with a writing program.

We have all these folks who are trained to listen to writers and help them. This is perfect.”

According to Philipose, Bread and Life is a service that uses the art of writing to connect the students to people that need help.

“We can go there [to Bread and Life], and work with folks who could use an ear,” Philipose said.

“This is what we do here with students. We can go to a place where folks really need help, maybe writing a letter to a landlord, or folks who want to know if their poetry is good.”

Several of the artists read their work and talked about the ideas behind their writing.

Eugene Carrington presented several of his poems at the event. Carrington became involved with writing at Bread and Life when he was having coffee there one morning. Currently, he publishes his own poetry review, which features his work and

the work of others.

“I was walking through the hallway and I saw a flyer that said ‘Creative Writing,’” Carrington said.

“At the time I was writing and I was pretty frustrated, because all of my stuff was getting rejected. I was able to link up with Tom [Philipose] and some of his students and they helped to polish up my poetry.”

Carrington could only see one flaw with the program.

“The only shortcoming is that the class is only one hour,” he said.

“The time is kind of limited. But on the lucky days, there are only two or three of us, and I can receive personal attention from two or three tutors.”

Carrington mentioned that his poems are about his everyday life.

“My writing focuses on a lot of my life experiences and what I see around me,” he said.

“I’m the type of poet that likes to write poems and essays about my immediate environment.”

Songwriter Karlene “Shadz” Williams also shared her work at the event. Williams became involved with Bread and Life through Carrington.

“He and I did a couple of shows together and he invited me over to St. John’s,” she said. “I’ve been working with them ever since.”

Williams said that her work contains the central theme of love.

“Without it, we don’t exist,” Williams said.

“In this world that’s full of strife, we need that.

[Spirituality is] my passion and I believe that God gave me the gift, so I’m just going with it.”

Philipose said that ideas for a similar event are already circulating.

“The students love it,” he said. “This event went great. We’re already talking about next time here.”

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Students respond to Catholic church scandal SARA CAHILL MARRON News Editor Responding to the recent controversy involving the Roman Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI, students voiced overwhelming support of St. John’s as a Catholic institution.

Students consistently described the recent sex abuse cases involving Catholic priests as “disgusting.” The New York Times ran several front-page articles as accusations of child molestation were brought to light.

Other news organizations such as the Associated Press have reported details on the growing allegations involving pedophilia within the clergy on almost a daily basis.

Junior Ronald Sarr supported St. John’s as a Catholic institution in a time when reports of sex scandals are being covered by the media.

“I don’t think it really reflects the mission of St. John’s,” he said. “The University is founded on Vincentian ideals like serving the poor and communities. In fact, I think that St. John’s would stand up for its ideals if something like this were to occur under the Church.”

In the past few months, claims of pedophilia arose in Catholic churches in Austria, the United States, Ireland, and the Pope’s native country Germany.

According to The New York Times, Father Lawrence Murphy, a priest at St. John’s School for the Deaf in St. Francis, Wisconsin, was allowed to go unpunished and without a trial after

allegedly molesting as many as 200 deaf view of the faith either.” boys. Pope Benedict XVI, then-Cardinal Przemielewska described similar Joseph Ratzinger, was one of the Vatican feelings about the nature of the officials accused of inaction during this University. time.

“I don’t really see St. John’s as Freshman Anna Przemielewska said strictly Catholic,” Przemielewska said, that she thought the cover-up was shady “It’s religious in nature but they don’t and hypocritical. impose those views on you.”

“The priests are supposed to be Basilio Monteiro, assistant professor educating and protecting these kids,” she of communications, journalism and media said. “They just studies described the keep saying, ‘those separation between are the bad ones,’ Catholicism as As m much as the situation a faith and the mu and I think that’s not being fair. It Church as iis uncomfortable, we have Catholic shouldn’t be just an institution. the priests that are “Most people are t. to speak about iit it. responsible, the able to distinguish whole Church is a the faith as opposed -Basilio Monteiro Monteiro, to the opposition part of it.”

Other students assistant professor of of the Church,” he r e s p o n d e d “The Church is commuications said. differently to the an institution run by role of the church human beings, and in the sexual-abuse all human beings are allegations. Freshman Anita Jaikaran said fragile. That does not mean they are not ultimately it doesn’t change her view of capable of doing good things.” the Catholic faith.

“As much as the situation is “It’s disgusting, I don’t think the uncomfortable, we have to speak about whole Vatican is responsible though,” it,” Monteiro said. she said. “It’s individual priests that are at Sophomore Michelle Brandner fault, but I think that the Pope should be agreed that although these allegations addressing the situation more.” are serious, the nature of St. John’s as a Both Jaikaran and Przemielewska catholic university remains intact. agreed that the charges being brought “I’ve been in Catholic school my against the Catholic Church have not whole life and this type of scandal is not affected their views about St. John’s as a necessarily new,” she said. “It’s been Catholic university. going on for years in churches around the “It doesn’t change my view of going nation but it’s never caused me to leave to a Catholic School,” Jaikaran said. “I’m the institution of the Catholic school. I’m not Catholic but it doesn’t change my still here.”

“”

The reports of priestly pedophilia themselves draw reactions from students.

“I think it’s disgusting, but I don’t blame the entire church for it,” Brandner said. “Its individuals who are truly at fault.”

The secrecy employed by the Church involved with allegations of rape and molestation has led victims and governments to allege conspiracy in the cover-up.

Francis Holland, associate professor of humanities, detailed some of the queries being raised against the Catholic Church.

“In these news articles, the faith is seen to be very much defined by the institution,” he said. “In Europe, Ireland and Germany, there’s a worldwide ripple effect; is Pope Benedict embroiled in the cover-up? Is he complicit? Should he step aside?”

Some students have heard about the reports of pedophilia within the church and are afraid to comment on the situation. One student who asked to remain anonymous was upset with the way the Church handled the situation.

“It’s disgusting, I’ve been going to Catholic school my whole life and I think priests like this shouldn’t be anywhere near children. The Church should remove them from their positions immediately when they find out something like that is going on.”

According to Professor Holland, talking about the difficult subject is potentially risky.

“I imagine a fear might be, if you raise the issue at the University level, you’re adding fuel to the fire.”

8

FLAMES OF THE TORCH: MANAGERIAL BOARD LXXXVIII JUSTIN THRIFT Editor-in-Chief

NELL O’CONNOR Managing Editor

Over the past year, I have seen Justin grow as a writer, editor and a leader of this paper. As the Editorial Page Editor, Justin has continually produced solid opinion pieces that have made an impact on the University community. Although I knew that finding my replacement for next year would be difficult, Justin’s determination and talent made him easily the most qualified person for the position. And while the role of Editor-in-Chief is extremely difficult, I know Justin is completely up to the challenge.

I don’t think anyone has climbed the ranks of the TORCH faster than Nell these past couple of months. In December, she was a staff writer. By January, she took over as News Editor. Now, she’s Managing Editor.

But her meteoric rise is definitely due to her quickly becoming one of the more capable and reliable members of the newspaper staff. She’s proven to be a quick study as well as a self-starter and shows a ton of promise as one of the leaders of the new editorial board.

torchonline.com

The TORCH

15 April 2009

OPINION

-Christina Heiser Editor-In-Chief, Emeritus

— Everton Bailey Managing Editor, Emeritus

MARK MCDONALD

SARA CAHILL MARRON

News Editor

LOVELL NIMMONS CAROLYN WARGULA Editorial Page Editor Features Editor

ADELLE PLATON Entertainment Editor

BILL SAN ANTONIO

General Manager In the current economy, it is important to have someone responsible in charge of your finances. Mark is one of the most honest people working for the TORCH, so we know we can trust him. He has brought in so many great advertisers and expanded our reach so far. A frequent contributor to our Editorials section, he is a great writer and will hopefully continue to grow and succeed here.

To be News editor requires a serious work ethic. You have to be on a constant lookout for breaking stories and prepared for just about anything. Out of all of the TORCH staff writers, Sara has consistently strived to work as hard as she can. Week after week, she has come up with her own story ideas and has always worked diligently. I have no doubt that she will excel as News Editor and continue her great work.

This year as the Editorial Page Editor, I have seen Lovell’s enthusiasm for journalism, which is truly remarkable. His unwavering dedication to learning about the TORCH and his new position makes him, in my mind, the best candidate.

Lovell’s presence in the office has already brought so much to the Editorial section, and I am excited that his abilities and integrity will be a focal point of our new editorial board.

After holding the position for two years, it was imperative to find a well qualified replacement. Since day one, Carolyn stood out from other writers because of her unwavering dedication and enthusiasm of learning.

With a brand new perspective on the section, I am 100 percent confident that she will bring the features section to a whole new level.

This semester, Adelle has brought a new energy to the entertainment section of the TORCH. She has kept the Inferno completely up-to-date, having her writers cover everything from movies to music to theater to comedy. I can always count on Adelle to have a smile on her face, even if she was working on her section late into the night. I know that Adelle will continue to do great things on the TORCH.

In the year that Bill has been in charge of the sports section of the TORCH I have seen his dedication to the St. John’s sports scene improve the quality of the section. His ambitious attitude and passion for writing is what makes him such a great leader and a valuable asset to our editorial board. Bill has developed great relationships in the Athletic Department and is the best person for the job as Sports Editor.

-Nell O’Connor Managing Editor

-Nell O’Connorr Managing Editor

-Justin Thrift Editor-in-Chief

-Patrice Bendig Features Editor, Emeritus

-Christina Heiser Editor-In-Chief Emeritus

–Justin Thrift Editor-in-Chief

KRISTEN FARMER Photo Editor

BRIAN LOPEZ Asst. Photo Editor

After working on the TORCH for the last two years, finding a replacement was making me a little paranoid.

Meeting Kristen though, and seeing her photos, made quite a bit easier. Her talent is out of this world and I have no doubt that the Torch’s photos can only get much better from here.

Coming up with a photo that can convey a single thought is an amazing talent and one that Brian very clearly possesses. His willingness to take a different approach to an otherwise mundane photo is incredible. The TORCH is lucky to have found someone with his ingenious approach to the photo department.

-Laura Amato Photo Editor, Emeritus

MICHAEL MONTIJO

Art Director

I am pleased to have enlisted Mike to take my place as Art Director. His dedication to the TORCH has shown through his meticulous and detailed, yet expressive drawings which have littered the paper this year. I am confident his skills as an artist and professionalism will help him succeed as Art Director, where he’ll continue to bring fun and interesting images and comics to the Torch.

-Laura Amato -Keri Dodge Photo Editor, Emeritus Art Director, Emeritus

Sports Editor

ELIZABETH MILLER

SARAH LANE

Layout Editor

Chief Copy Editor

Jose has grown since starting with the Torch as a staff writer during his freshman year. Two years later, and now he’s going into his second go-around as online editor. Jose is determined, creative and ambitious. He also has a lot of good ideas for the Torch beyond the weekly print edition. I feel he has only just scratched the surface to his potential.

When I first became an editor on the Torch, layout was the most difficult part of the job. Without any layout editor, I struggled to come up with interesting and new ideas every week.

This year, we found Lizzy, a pro when it comes to everything layout. Lizzy has made all of the other editors’ jobs so much easier, and I know that she will only continue to excel next year in this position.

In general, most people don’t like to copy edit, which is why I was thrilled when I received an e-mail from a mysterious sophomore named Sarah Lane who wanted to get involved at the copy desk. I thought it was joke — a sick, cruel joke. It wasn’t. Working with Sarah has been terrific.

She’s intelligent, reliable and an asset to this paper.

- Everton Bailey Managing Editor, Emeritus

-Christina Heiser Editor-In-Chief Emeritus

-Mallory Tokunaga Chief Copy Editor

JOSE SILVA Online Editor

Internet opens door to cyber-bullying

7

Trend running rampant amongst younger female demographic

Back in 2007, I remember reading a disturbing story about a 13-year-old girl from Missouri who committed suicide after being bullied online by a former friend’s mother. The woman who many have held responsible for the young girl’s death, Lori Drew, created a fake MySpace profile pretending to be an 18year-old boy, luring the young Megan Meier into a fake relationship in order to find out whether or not Meier was talking about her own daughter.

Drew then began to repeatedly taunt Meier, under the guise of “Josh Evans,” by calling her fat and telling her that the world was better off without her. These messages prompted Meier to hang herself. Although what Drew did was reprehensible, she was only convicted of three misdemeanor charges, and escaped any jail time.

This case, while extreme, really proved to me, and I’m sure to many others, just how dangerous the In-

ternet can be. The sad story of Megan Meier was only the start of a new phenomenon among teenagers across the country that is definitely quite scary—cyber-bullying.

It doesn’t come as much of a surprise though, that the Internet has become the popular arena for bullying, as most high school students and even some middle-schoolers have Facebook profiles and access to the Internet at school and at home.

With the popularity of social networking sites, it’s easy for anyone to retrieve personal information about others and use that information in harmful ways. The Internet is also becoming such a popular place for bullying because it’s much easier to taunt someone from behind a computer screen than in person.

In many cases, it’s girls who initiate the cyber-bullying. At the beginning of 2010, a 15-year-old girl named Phoebe Price from Massachusetts committed suicide after being taunted in person, and via Facebook and text-messaging. The harassment involved her relationship with a male student at her school. Price was new to town, and other students felt they could easily take advantage of her for that reason.

With movies like Mean Girls and popular TV shows like Gossip Girl, the act of bullying is glorified, and this is something that has had, and continues

to have, an influence on young girls. Although I am a fan of both this movie and TV show, I understand that they are only for entertainment purposes, but a lot of younger girls try to emulate the characters that they see on the screen.

Although cyber-bullying has become a trend among young teenagers, even college students are not above this behavior; this is something that I experienced myself earlier this semester. Back in February, some students at St. John’s posted vulgar comments about me, after disagreeing with something I had written in one of my columns. Not only were their comments disrepectful, their behavior was extremely immature for college students.

So how can cyber-bullying be stopped? If even parents, like Drew, are getting in on the act, it seems like it would be almost impossible to completely put an end to it. But since Meier’s death, many states have created laws designed to protect children from Internet harassment and humiliation.

In Missouri, for example, cyberharassment is now a felony instead of a misdemeanor, and the state also has an Internet Harassment Task Force. In Price’s case, six students at her school were charged with felonies for their bullying actions.

While increasing the charges for those that partake in cyber-bullying is

STUDENTSPARKS: MacBooks What do you think of the option for incoming freshmen to upgrade to a Macbook for $400?

It’s good because it enhances their experience.

Erin Chalmers Junior

Mohammad Saddiq Senior

Christina Heiser is a senior English major.

She can be reached at: torcheic@gmail.com

Letter to the editor To The Editor:

Daniel Bresee Class of 2013

I would like [the option]. MacBooks are better.

Tom Carmale Freshman

Pete Zhen Freshman

TO CONTRIBUTE Mail letters to: The TORCH Letters, St. John’s University, 8000 Utopia Pkwy, Jamaica, NY 11439

COMPILED BY THOMAS CARNEVALE

pressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.

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I think it’s good, but it’s pricey. I think the money could go to better improvements in academics.

Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of The TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The TORCH. Opinions ex-

The TORCH

EDITORIAL POLICY

14 April 2010

Why does a university that has a freshman retention rate of fewer than 75% and a considerably lower graduation retention rate allow its student life departments to make policies, procedures and conduct itself that ruin the good faith and affinity the students have with this institution? This may not seem like a big deal, but unfortunately this problem affects everyone from the board of trustee’s all the way down to every student who attends this school.

A university’s revenue that relies 83% from student tuition needs to make sure that it does not do anything to deplete this revenue base. A university that has always been ranked third tier in the Princeton Review college rankings mainly because of its low retention rate and poor image with the students on things as simple as residence life policies and procedures must re-think the way it does business with the students! For example; one office that stands out particularly in the

Princeton Review would be the Residence Life office. There are so many rules ranging from visitation to strict alcohol policies that are uniquely St. John’s rules that few other NYC schools have. It is ruining the advancement of the university! St. John’s is a New York City school, it has much competition out there and it is losing students to the competition!

Doing business with students in New York City requires a different type of attention than anywhere else in the world. We have different needs and more importantly wants, if the school wants to keep us it must meet both. What can you do? Discuss this article with your friends, parents and teachers.

Confront your RA or RD about the repercussions these poor rules have on the school. Write emails or letters to the university leadership. The school must see that the students are upset and want change for any!

OPINION

I’m jealous; I think it’s good.

necessary and definitely a good place to start, something needs to be done to stop the problem before it starts.

As someone who has witnessed other kids get bullied and teased throughout my years in school, I know first-hand how difficult it is to combat this issue.

Whenever one of my classmates would get teased, other students would also gang up on that student. I hate to admit it, but I would often participate in the teasing so that I could fit in and not get teased myself.

Parents and teachers need to take a more active role in combating cyberbullying. There is no easy solution since the Internet is a tricky place to monitor, but parents should definitely have an open dialogue with their children because of all of the negative media influences that may make kids more likely to become bullies.

Younger children should have their online activity monitored at home and at school, and bullies should receive some form of consequences, including having their Internet privileges taken away.

Cyber-bullying is a trend that is only going to continue to grow, and have serious consequences if a solution is not found.

Universities need to do better in addressing mental health issues PATRICE BENDIG Features Editor, Emeritus It’s common knowledge that in order to stay healthy physically, one has to take the proper measures. We go to the gym regularly, try to eat a balance diet, and when we feel like something isn’t quite right, a trip to the doctor’s office is in order.

But with all of the emphasis being placed on the importance of physical health in schools all over the country, has the importance of maintaining mental health fallen to the wayside?

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in people between the ages of 15-24. Even more startling is the fact that according to the NIH, it is estimated that 1 in 10 college students have contemplated suicide.

There are a lot of reasons why college students may face an array of mental health issues, ones that they may have never encountered before college. Major life changes occur during the four years of college, including moving away from home, breaking up with first loves, and navigating through new friendships, and career decisions.

Feelings of uncertainty can unquestionably become overwhelming, even for the most mature and organized student. It is almost impossible to not feel that way when there are such unknown factors in life, such as the insecurity of a getting a job after graduation.

It’s also the first time in many students’ lives when they are on their own for the first time and have to cope with feelings of rejection, stress,

TORCH ILLUSTRATION/MICHAEL MONTIJO

and responsibility in situations that can’t be taught.

When students finally realize that they are depressed, many aren’t sure where to turn for help. Many are afraid that if they do come forward with their feelings, there will be a stigma attached for seeking help. This is because topics of mental health are not the most popular subjects for discussion, and can be seen as taboo in many cases.

No one wants to admit that they are having trouble living everyday life because it seems like a sign of weakness, and as young adults, we’re supposed to

just suck it up and get through it.

With the six recent student suicides at Cornell University, now more than ever, universities need to stress the importance of addressing the mental health needs of students.

What needs to be improved is helping students to understand the symptoms and signs of depression, before they start to have serious problems or behaviors. Just as organizations offer health fairs monitoring people’s BMI and cholesterol, colleges should become more active in getting out the facts of mental health ailments, such as depression,

Exposure needed for smaller clubs ANTHONY O’REILLY Staff Writer We’ve all heard the saying “College is the best four years of your life; don’t let it pass you by.” While making sure to do well in your classes is very important throughout your college experience, it would be a wasted four years if you did not become an active member at your university. Though this may be the case, students need to be aware of all of the extra-curricular activities available on campus.

St. John’s provides a wide variety of clubs and activities to help serve just about every interest a student can have, and if an organization doesn’t exist, a student can certainly try to get one started. There are also a wide amount of fundraisers and athletic events held throughout the year. There is never a day where St. John’s is not having some sort of event that students can meet new people and have a good time.

However, it seems that not too many students are aware of all these events. Small events held by different clubs and organizations suffer from limited attendance. Many of them are attended by a handful of people, most of whom are responsible for organizing the event itself.

Discussion panels are held in classrooms that most of the time fail to fill every seat. Having an event planned and then see it usually fail in respect to attendance must be devastating to those who worked so hard on it.

The problem that smaller organizations such as fraternities, sororities, and other clubs face is the battle for promotion. St. John’s does a decent job promoting schoolwide events such as the recently held Relay for Life, the discussion panel on next semester’s schedule change, and the Wyclef Jean speech held in February. Fliers are posted around campus, e-mail reminders are sent,

and they are spotlighted on the front page of St. John’s web site and STJ Central. School clubs and organizations, meanwhile, don’t have this type of advantage. For the majority of them, fliers posted around campus are the only type of promotion they receive from St. John’s. Some fortunate organizations are able to have a link posted on St. John’s Central.

Several organizations have taken a proactive approach by creating Facebook and Twitter pages. Through the Internet, they are able to reach a wider range of students and get the word out. Students are more likely to check their favorite social networking web site more times a day then SJU Central.

St. John’s also has an official Facebook and Twitter page, though one problem with both sites is that the account tells people about the event only an hour before it starts (not too convenient for commuter students). Most of the time the pages are, again, focusing on school-wide events and constantly posting updates on them rather than the one that a smaller club might get.

St. John’s does have an entire listing of Campus Recreation, athletic, and academic events held on all three campuses in New York. Most students are probably unaware of this or unlikely to visit the web site to help plan out their week. There are also weekly e-mails sent out of by Campus Ministry and Student Life. Even with all of this, students still miss out on different events simply because they fail to learn about them.

Increasing the number of e-mails would only become annoying to students whose inboxes are filled with e-mails from teachers and fellow students. St. John’s has no need to fear its school-wide events failing in attendance. But for fraternities, sororities, international organizations, and school clubs, if they wish to have more participants at their upcoming events, they must find a way to make sure that the word gets out there.

anxiety, and eating disorders.

Students know that there are resources available to help people who are dealing with depression and mental health issues.

The problem is that they are not sure if they are one of these people, and what will happen to them if they choose to seek aid. By shedding light on the symptoms of mental health problems, students will no longer feel like they are abnormal or weak for feeling this way.

Like seeking help for a physical illness, mental health treatment should be accessible and understood by all college students who require it.

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TORCHCOMICS

I can’t draw Alex Reyes

Controlled Chaos Catharine Corrigan

Pam’s World

Michelle Alerte

1-800- ARMSTACO

Jonathan Roman

14 April 2010

10

Think Outside...

Features

3

Section

Social skills stunted by technology PATRICE BENDIG

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The TORCH

14 April 2010

FEATURES

Features Editor, Emeritus It is nearly impossible these days go anywhere in the United States and not witness someone attached to some sort of technology.

Americans are plugged in more than ever, with iPod headphones in their ears to block out the world around them and BlackBerries glued to their palms.

Although these gadgets seem harmless, they may be having greater impact on everyday life than most people are aware.

Since technology has ushered in a new way to communicate, everyday social skills and interactions have been affected.

In some cases, many may not know how to communicate without depending on their keypads.

Graduate student Dadiana Lopez recently worked on a research paper about the addictions of technology and found the dramatic effects they have on the generation of people between the ages of 14-24 years old to be curious.

“People are becoming more socially awkward, and they do not know how to hold conversations,” said Lopez. “Instead of calling you, they would text message.

There are no more water cooler conversations.”

Elisa Fitsum, a sophomore, admits that she relies on texting to relay much of her communication to others.

“When I don’t know someone that well, or don’t relate to them, I’d rather text them,” said Fitsum. “I only like talking to someone I have a deeper connection with, like my best friend.”

At the end of 2009, Twitter had more than 75 million users on its Web site. This is just one of the growing social networking sites that have become a regular staple in the everyday ways we communicate. It has even spilled over into the work force.

According to cnn.com, 10 percent of corporate companies have taken disciplinary actions towards employees that have violated social networking policies.

Sociology professor Dr. Judith DeSena has noticed students being immersed in their own technology, even when they are supposed to be engaging in a learning environment.

“On my walk up to my office, everybody is at a window by themselves on their machines,” said DeSena.

“On the other hand, maybe they would have been completely alone, not interacting with anyone if not on their machine.”

Social networking sites were created to keep people in touch with others to form better friendships. But in some cases, friendship may not be the key reason.

TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ

Cellphones, iPods, and social networking sites can hinder face-to-face interactions between friends.

Lopez said, “It starts like any other habit starts. On Facebook you put up a picture, people comment, and it feeds the ego. It allows people to be able to constantly communicate to feed their ego, and to feel needed.”

Like with many other habits, DeSena said, it takes realizing that one has developed this dependence in order to remedy the situation.

“When someone develops a habit, they have to come to the realization of it, and know that this is not the time for this technology,” said DeSena.

With technology not going away anytime soon, the main issue that may need to be resolved is how people use the technology and integrate it with others.

“It is going to be detrimental to students once they move onto their career,” said Lopez. “There are no conversations, since everything is electronic. Having to talk to people is going to become harder for us.”

DeSena said that social networking is a double-edged sword.

“There are benefits to technology and all of the interconnectedness,” said DeSena. “But there are also costs, if one gets so sucked in that they cannot let go.”

So is there really a way to relearn how to function in life without constantly being plugged in to some form of technology 24-7?

It seems that it is possible with a strong amount of will power and self reflection.

Lopez offers the advice to “stop the texting, take breaks. Limit the use of Facebook and all of these outlets.”

For DeSena, the etiquette of technology needs to be addressed.

“I think it really depends on what we develop as norms around this stuff, and that we need to think about appropriate uses,” she said.

“When you go into a classroom, turn them off. When you’re together with family, should your nose be in your BlackBerry?”

Portuguese language option now available LIAM LA GUERRE Staff Writer In January of 2009, professor John Macedo of the Department of Languages and Literature expanded the language courses offered by introducing Portuguese as a new language class option for students.

Continuing into its third semester since its creation, the Portuguese language class is still full with eager students of all years, and disciplines.

A native of Portugal, professor Macedo continues to head the class with the belief that “the Portuguese language is a vehicle to expand student horizons in international affairs.”

Portuguese is the eighth most spoken language in the world with more than 250 million speakers, from several continents, hailing from many countries such as Por-

tugal, Brazil and Angola.

He compares the language class as key to understanding the culture of people who speak the language fluently and says students should choose Portuguese over more popular languages because “it has a nicer sound, with a mixture between French and Spanish.”

It’s well documented that St. John’s is one of the most diverse universities in America.

The St. John’s student community derives from more than 100 countries and 42 states.

Similarly this diversity has reflected in the wide range of language courses offered as well as the establishment of the new Global Language and Cultural Center. So, whether Portuguese or any other language, professor Macedo encourages students to take the initiative and learn another language.

“It will help students understand the cultures of others and connect much eas-

ier,” he said.

Becoming multilingual can also be a huge plus in the current job market and can do wonders for one’s self-esteem.

More and more people are learning languages as the world is growing more interdependent.

“Imagine you were able to go to another country and communicate with the natives, wouldn’t that be better than having to rely on a translator,” said Macedo.

Regardless of all the benefits, there are some students who view language courses as unnecessary or distracting from major courses.

To the critics, professor Macedo said “Keep your mind and heart open, you will benefit in the long run.”

Sharing his professor’s philosophy, freshman Nick Villarreal is enrolled in the new Portuguese class.

“You are going to come across another person who speaks another language or comes from another culture

sometimes,” said Villarreal.

Senior Martin Hall is studying Portuguese and said that foreign language classes “make Americans look better.”

He said the reason is because “other countries view Americans as arrogant to other cultures.”

Professor Macedo said that he was very excited when the idea of teaching a new language to students was suggested to him.

He anticipates that in years to come the student community will further develop a likeness and affinity to Portuguese.

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The secrets of RAAZ’s success STJ’s multi cultural dance team wins the gold in inter-collegiate competition MEGAN MCENTEE Contributing Writer St. John’s all-female South Asian dance group, RAAZ (“secret” in Hindu), recently placed first in their division at PhillyFest, an inter-collegiate dance competition this semester.

PhillyFest, which was held Jan. 30 in Philadelphia, is one of the largest South Asian dance competitions in the country.

RAAZ was victorious against other top university teams, including the University of Virginia and Drexel University, in the category of Female Fusion.

RAAZ mixes a variety of dance styles including classical, Bollywood and even hip-hop. The girls work to blend Eastern and Western influences as they play on the strengths of each dancer.

“As the competitions get more competitive, we’ve had to incorporate new elements and we’ve started working on stunt moves,” said Praneeta Nagraj, a freshman who will be secretary of the group in the fall semester.

Each year RAAZ chooses a theme to base the choreography and music choices for their dance around.

This year their theme was “orchestra,” and their routine included someone dressed as a conductor and a stunt in which the group transformed into a tambourineplaying monkey.

“Having a theme is like having a thesis for your paper,” said Nagraj. She also said that the group can receive more points if they successfully blend the theme into their routine.

RAAZ, was established in 2002 by students who were looking for a way to connect with others who shared their passion for dance.

They have been exclusively female since the begin-

ning and say it’s one of the ways they stand out from other dance crews.

Tryouts for RAAZ is a highly competitive process that involves two rounds of cuts and the opportunity to show off both dance ability and choreography skills. Potential members audition in small groups and are given the chance to show how they cooperate with a team of dancers.

“

This group is a perfect example of growth, unity, culture and education. I enjoy listening to the incoming freshmen discuss their plans to audition for RAAZ and to hear of their success through g their etitions. competitions.

”

-Nashia Whittenburg ttenburg

Some girls show up with nearly 14 years of experience; others have never taken a dance class in their lives.

Precision is very important to RAAZ, and they pride themselves on how identical each performer looks onstage.

“Once the new girls start moving as one, you know they’re progressing,” said Nagraj.

In preparation for competitions such as PhillyFest, RAAZ spends time choreographing and practicing every day in whatever campus space is available.

“Our members are really dedicated and get really good at time management,” said senior Michelle Abbas, the current treasurer of RAAZ.

Abbas said that it’s difficult to coordinate everyone’s schedules but they have learned the value of time and how to balance their other obligations with their commitment to RAAZ. The thrill of competition is what drives their commitment to the group.

“When you step onto the stage and you hear a thousand people chanting for you, you have this adrenaline rush,” said Abbas. “That is our eight minutes and no one else’s.”

As a cultural organization, RAAZ regularly collaborates with other groups on campus who have similar goals.

In January, they performed at “The Fight After the Storm” event, along with PARE and the African Student Association. The dance showcase raised money for people in Taiwan and the Philippines who were affected by natural disasters in the summer of 2009.

In September they were also featured at a coffeehouse event on campus that was dubbed “Bollywood Night,” where they shared with St. John’s the art of Bollywood dancing.

RAAZ’s student activities advisor, Nashia Whittenburg, praises the hard work that RAAZ puts into their programming efforts both on and off campus.

“This group is a perfect example of growth, unity, culture and education,” said Whittenburg. “I enjoy listening to the incoming freshmen discuss their plans to audition for RAAZ, and to hear of their success through their competitions.”

She recently received a request from another university asking RAAZ to perform and said this shows how RAAZ reaches beyond St. John’s and into the community.

The next opportunity to see RAAZ in action is coming up on April 24, at “Chaahat,” the annual cultural show put on by the Indian Sub-Continent Student Organization.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Pg. 17 PHOTO COURTESY OF THE-CLASH-OF-THE-TITANS.WARNERBROS.COM

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The Inferno Clashes with the Titans

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KRAKEN!

14 April 2010

Release The

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The Clash Between Kings and Gods SAM WORTHINGTON PROVES HIMSELF BOX OFFICE-WORTHY AFTER AVATAR DAN BAILEY Staff Writer CLASH OF THE TITANS-

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE-CLASH-OF-THE-TITANS.WARNERBROS.COM

Perseus and the gods of Olympus journey to the city of Argos to fight the mortals.

The iPad Has Landed APPLE’S LATEST GADGET FLIES OFF SHELVES UPON RELEASE

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The TORCH

14 April 2010

ENTERTAINMENT

RANA ABDELHAMID Contributing Writer

L

ike a great comet heralded in a cloud of rumor, the Apple iPad has finally made its appearance.

Apple has been preparing for what could potentially be a prime mover in the world of consumer electronics. The device is a hybrid between the popular iPhone and the successful Macbook laptop.

Weighing in at 1.5 pounds, it is smaller than a magazine and can be used anywhere. The experience of the larger multitouch screen allows the user to see and do more simultaneously. Maps can be read at the size of a standard paper one, e-mails can be viewed at the same time as your inbox and there is no need to zoom in or out because one size accommodates all.

Any iPhone or iPod Touch user will have little trouble adjusting to the iPad. After fooling around with the iPad for a few minutes, consumers became comfortable managing it. Consumer reports also say that Apple has built a computer that is so simple to maneuver that anyone can pick it up and understand it immediately. It seems that the iPad is creating a new class of computers on its own.

However, the iPad does lack the staple parts of a laptop in that there are no DVD drives or USB jacks. Another downfall is the Wi-Fi plan that adds

additional expenses to purchasing the product. For example, a 16GB iPad costs $499, but with a 3G data plan, the price increases to $629. Purchasing apps from the app store will also induce charges.

The accessories for the iPad extend its capabilities. There is a keyboard dock that allows you to use a full size keyboard and a camera connector that provides a way for you to import videos and photos off your camera.

The applications have enhanced the features of the device significantly. Developers were able to snag an iPad the day of its release to test out their latest applications.

The app store has more than 150,000 applications designed for nearly every possible source of entertainment and necessity, including life-like race-car driving in the Real Racing HD app, the periodic table of the elements in The Elements app and the iBooks app, which is

gaining popularity against its Kindle competitor. There is even an app that allows you to follow the constellations in the sky at night for stargazing users.

It is hard to believe an object so thin and light can house such competence. Landscape views and built-in speakers make this gadget add to its charm. The iPad can be held in any direction and still deliver a brilliant picture with great contrast and resolution. Furthermore, it is the ideal gadget for a media junkie who spends hours each day browsing through books, email, music, videos, photos and the Web. Critics will say that Apple could have done better, but the iPad has become the pioneer in innovative technology that many competitors might attempt to emulate. The only advice any prospective buyer should take with them is bringing enough dough to cover the cost.

PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLE.COM

The iPad comes in three different sizes with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The 3G Wi-Fi plan is sold separately.

OUT OF 4 STARS

The highly anticipated action film Clash of the Titans is a clash between the good and the bad, but a must-see.

The film is directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk) and stars Avatar’s Sam Worthington as Perseus. The plot is weak and predictable, but the action sequences are very entertaining and make the movie worth seeing. Besides the fight scenes where Perseus and the humans are not fighting Medusa or some overgrown scorpion, there is not much to pay attention to.

Clash of the Titans, a remake of the 1981 film of the same name, is loosely based on the myth of Perseus, and a battle between the gods of Olympus and the humans of the Greek city, Argos.

The mortals of Argos are fed up with the terrible treatment they have been receiving from the gods, so King Acrisius declares war on the Olympians. To teach Acrisius a lesson, Zeus disguises himself as king and impregnates Acrisius’ wife. Acrisius attempts to drown his wife and her child Perseus, but Perseus is rescued by a fisherman and his family.

About 20 years later, Perseus’ family is killed by Hades and is drawn into the war between the gods and mortals. He didn’t ask to be a savior and would have preferred the lifestyle of a simple fisherman, yet such is his destiny.

In order to get revenge on Hades, Perseus must first find the one and only way to defeat the Kraken and save Andromeda, the daughter of new king Cepheus, who is being sacrificed as punishment for the misdeeds of the mortals.

The acting in this film is average and most actors appear to just be looking for a big paycheck from the $125 million budget. Worthington gives a good, but sometimes boring and one dimensional performance as the demi-god Perseus. Zeus is played by Liam Neeson, who is not given much to do in this movie other than decide if and when to punish the mortals for their rebellions. Ralph Fiennes does a decent job of playing Hades, who tries to get revenge on Zeus for tricking him into becoming god of the underworld. The acting doesn’t help or hurt the film.

The best part about Clash of the Titans is the special effects. Leterrier and his crew do an exceptional job at making the monsters that Perseus is forced to battle appear realistic. The fights between Perseus and some of the monsters are very entertaining and Leterrier doesn’t overdo it by adding lots of blood and chopped off limbs.

The only action sequence that is pretty boring is the ending between Perseus and the Kraken. For almost the entire movie, the Kraken is being built up as this huge and terrifying monster, but by the time the Kraken appears, audiences were not really impressed. Maybe if the actors stopped talking about how terrifying it is for about half the movie the climax would have been much better.

Overall, Clash of the Titans is worth a look at on the big screen.

The film does its job as an action-adventure flick, by entertaining its audiences through fights, chases, and thrills. The last recommendation is to skip the 3D experience and see it in regular 2D. It won’t make much of a difference.

Hip-hop Museum Comes To NYC MARIA YAP Contributing Writer In New York City, the birthplace of hip-hop, one thing has been missing for quite some time: a museum strictly dedicated to the genre of music that has transformed into a universal sub-culture.

The National Museum of Hip-Hop is a non-profit institution that is the first to commemorate the growth and success of hip-hop.

Conceptualized in early 2004 and recently chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, a museum organization has been formed solely for the development of NMoH. It will serve as an outlet for education and celebration through hip-hop.

The museum organization is currently planning to build the musical landmark by 149th St. and River Avenue in the South Bronx, where most hip-hop scholars would say is the “home” of hip-hop. This area of land is 170,000 square feet.

The NMoH will consist of a Hall of Fame of hip-hop pioneers and honor other artists, along with a gallery of artifacts and photos to be put on display. The contents of the museum are said to focus on the history of the genre and the sub-culture it’s created. It will feature exhibitions on the global impact of hip-hop and offer educational programs throughout the year.

Community involvement is also an integral part of the museum’s mission. Hip-hop artists have been recognized for being active within the community and the committee would like to continue this by bringing back the economical and political power of hip-hop into the communities that helped spawn it.

The sub-culture that has emerged by b-boys and b-girls, DJs, street artists and rappers will open in the summer of 2010.

Life Imitates Art in a Song

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MILEY CYRUS’ PERFORMANCE HAS AUDIENCES SAYING THAT SPARKS’ MOVIE IS THE LAST STRAW MELODY HOWARD Staff Writer THE LAST SONG-

OUT OF 4 STARS

N

icholas Sparks returns with another novelturned-film that audiences will not fall in love with. The New York Times bestselling author recently released the book The Last Song which proved to be a page turner while reading but fell apart when depicted on the big screen.

The author stuck to the original writing formula that popularized his love stories: girl has a problem, girl meets boy, boy is not girl’s usual type, girl and boy fall in love but there’s an obstacle and the two can’t be together.

He throws in a tragic event and then you get a surprise, cliché ending. However, fans still hang by Sparks’ every word.

Director Julie Anne Robinson does not do the Sparks novel justice. The movie adaptation of The Last Song is a drama based on the life of Ronnie Miller, a 17-year-old rebellious New Yorker wannabe who has lost connections with her passion of music and her father. When she is sent away to South Carolina to live with him for a summer, she is put on a journey of self-discovery, heartache, love and sad goodbyes.

The film’s main characters are Ronnie Miller (played

by Miley Cyrus), Steve Miller (played by Greg Kinnear), Jonah Miller (played by Bobby Coleman) and Will Blakelee (played by Liam Hemsworth).

While watching the movie, Sparks’ presence is felt throughout the storyline. However it’s masked by the characters’ failed acting, especially by that of Cyrus. The young actress showed promise during several emotional scenes but did not carry the viewer from each scene into

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOUCHSTONE.MOVIES.GO.COM/THELASTSONG

Miley Cyrus (left) and Liam Hemsworth (right) began a real life romance on the set of The Last Song.

the next smoothly. Instead, she was overshadowed by her father’s character in scenes where their chemistry boosted her talent. Alongside Liam Hemsworth, Cyrus does not convey a strong feeling of love as she does off-screen in her real life relationship with the up-andcoming actor. The best actor in the film was 13-year-old Bobby Coleman. He plays Cyrus’ younger brother with ease, creating comedy and real emotion when he is on screen.

Even though the movie made $16.1 million and came in fourth at the box office in its opening weekend, it was

mainly due to Cyrus’ fanbase. It seems like directors all over Hollywood want in on the Nicholas Sparks craze and have turned almost every piece of literature he writes into a film. This adaptation could have been better with a less cliché script and better actors.

People have fallen in love with Sparks’ books since the start of his career, hanging onto every character and twisted tragic plot he can come up with, but The Last Song is not worthy of its predecessors, The Notebook and A Walk To Remember, and would be better played as a DVD.

Give Yourself A Reason To Relax SPA WEEK OFFERS VARIOUS TREATMENTS FOR PRICES YOU CAN’T STRESS ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT

PATRICE BENDIG Features Editor, Emeritus

E

14 April 2010 PHOTO COURTESY OF SPAWEEK.COM

Spaweek.com deducts the price of $100-200 full treatments to $50 during the week of April 12-18. would best suit their needs.

Even if you do not have money to book a spa treatment during the spring Spa Week event, there will be another opportunity to take part in these discounted treatments in the fall, when Spa Week Media will launch their annual Fall Spa Week.

Although Spa Week only happens twice a year, Spa Week Media is active throughout the whole year, offering an array of services through their Web site. Users read articles about beauty and health topics, enter monthly contests to win cosmetics and gain tips on wedding day preparations.

To learn more about Spa Week and to book your appointment today, visit spaweek.com.

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The spa directory is listed on the Web site and shows spas from each borough, and lists the direct link to the Web site of the spa.

It is a great opportunity to unwind after a busy week and take time out for yourself. Spa treatments can also be used as gifts to others, either as an early Mother’s Day gift or a friend’s birthday present that doesn’t break the bank.

Because most of the people who participate in Spa Week are not regular spa goers, the Spa Week Web site offers a complete guide on spa etiquette and how to get the most out of the experience. There is also a handy glossary listed that explains all sorts of treatments that are offered, so users can find the exact spa feature that

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veryone would like the opportunity to be pampered for a day, regardless of his or her gender. Spa experiences are considered a luxury and usually come with a price tag that makes it difficult for the working woman (or man) to afford, especially for a college student.

Understanding that these experiences are unattainable for many people, Spa Week founder Cheryl Reid decided to make these treatments available to more clients.

In 2004, Spa Week was born. The week-long event offers reasonably-priced spa treatments for $50, instead of the usually full-price treatments available at spas around the country.

According to Spa Week’s official Web site, Reid explains that she wanted to make the spa experience accessible to everyone, instead of just the wealthy. “Bringing the spa experience to the masses was my goal,” said Reid.

“The concept was simple; full service treatments, normally costing from $100 to $200 dollars, for just $50 dollars. No longer would spa be relegated to the wealthy; it was my mission to make it an affordable part of a healthy lifestyle routine.”

From April 12-18, consumers can book particular spa treatments at participating spa centers around the country. There are currently more than 450 spa locations in 27 major cities in the U.S. participating.

By visiting the Spa Week Web site, guests can search for participating spas in their area and then book an appointment for the offered discounted treatments. These treatments range from 50-minute stone massages, to organic deep cleansing facials.

In New York City alone, there are 179 participating spas that are offering $50 treatments during Spa Week.

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Stealing a bit of the Pirates’ treasure Red Storm take last game against Seton Hall after being swept Saturday MIKE CUNNIFF Staff Writer

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The TORCH

14 April 2010

SPORTS

After scoring just two runs on six hits while getting swept by Seton Hall in a doubleheader on Saturday, the St. John’s softball team needed offense any way they could get it.

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They got it to the tune of 10 hits and four runs to help junior pitcher Kat Lawrence win her eighth game of the season in a 4-0 shutout.

Suffering from a five-game losing streak after starting 2-0 in conference play, the team’s outlook on Sunday was just to have fun.

“We came out with a goal of having fun today and playing like we know how,” said Lawrence. “It was great to see some freshman step up and have a great time on the field today.”

The Red Storm got things started in the first inning offensively as junior left fielder Chelsea Durning led off with a walk and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice by freshman second baseman Amber Curry. Durning scored on the next play when junior catcher Kacee Cox doubled down the right field line.

Durning started things off in the third inning as well with a double.

Curry then blasted a 1-2 pitch over the center field wall for her third home run of the season. The team added another run in the inning on an RBI single by senior designated hitter Shauntaine Harris.

The four runs were more than enough for Lawrence. After junior starter Linzee Sumrall walked three in the first 1 1/3 innings, Head Coach Amy Kvilhaug called on Lawrence to get out of a jam.

She came in with two on and one out in the second inning and silenced the Pirates’ bats. She got out of the second unscathed and allowed only three hits and no runs in 5 2/3 innings.

“I’m always ready to go in,” said Lawrence. “Linzee and I have a partnership that we work together and we always have each other’s back. We’re always warm and always ready to go.”

Seton Hall 4, St. John’s 0 Seton Hall pitcher Ashley Forsyth struck out five and gave up only two hits to shut out the Red Storm, 4-0 in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Sumrall took the loss for St. John’s, pitching a complete game while giving up four runs on eight hits.

Seton Hall struck first with two runs in the third inning. Third baseman Laura Canulli started things off with a single through the left side. Two batters later, right fielder Jamie Gates doubled. Sumrall then hit Nalin Bennett to load the bases and Nicole Lowenstein drove in two with a double down the left field line.

Montez and Curry recorded the only two hits for the Red Storm in the Pirates first win in Big East play.

Seton Hall 3, St. John’s 2 In the second game of their Saturday doubleheader against Seton Hall, the Red Storm rallied late but fell short 3-2.

After falling behind 3-0 and being shut out on three hits for the first five innings, the Red Storm showed signs of life in the sixth inning, aided by two errors by Seton Hall. Durning singled to lead off the inning and an error by Seton Hall pitcher Danielle Zanzalari on a bunt attempt by Curry put her on third. After Curry stole second, both of them scored three batters later when sophomore center fielder Kristi Cady reached on an error by Seton Hall second baseman Brittany Schillizzi.

St. John’s threatened to tie or win the game in the bottom of the seventh when Seton Hall pitcher Katie Stillwell walked the first two batters, but the Pirates turned to Forsyth, who closed out the game with a strikeout and double play.

TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ

Freshman second baseman Amber Curry hit her third home run of the season in the third inning Sunday against Seton Hall.

Tracking the Storm: DePaul The St. John’s softball team wraps up its five-game homestand with a doubleheader against DePaul today at Red Storm Field.

The Blue Demons come into the series winners of seven of their last nine with a 20-13 overall record.

They are tied for second in the Big East with a 4-2 conference record.

DePaul is led by senior pitcher Becca Heteniak. She has appeared in 20 games and has thrown 15 complete games, with an 11-9 record and an 1.98 ERA. Offensively, the Blue Demons

are led by senior shortstop Shea Warren and junior catcher Simone Ashkar. Warren is hitting .351 with two home runs and eight RBI in 24 games. Ashkar is hitting .267 but leads the team with six homers and 22 RBI in 33 games.

In their last series, they took two out of three from Villanova at home. They won the first matchup 6-3, but lost the second game 3-2 after allowing back-to-back home runs with two outs in the seventh inning. They won the rubber game 11-2 in five innings.

West has a point: Baseball games take too long Last week, big-league umpire Joe West blasted the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox for their slow play during their seasonopening series.

The Yanks and Sox took three hours and 21 minutes to play the rubber game of that series, which is just a bit longer than the three hours that major league games usually take. The first two games took three hours and 46 minutes and three hours and 48 minutes, respectively.

“It’s pathetic and embarrassing,” West told the Bergen Record. “They take too long to play.”

I initially dismissed West’s complaints because I’d been

going through baseball withdrawal ever since the final out of the World Series last October. I’m also a bit biased here as well—I’m one of the few people that still consider baseball to be America’s pastime.

Most people these days find baseball to be long, too long.

There’s no time limit to games, which means you’ve got to get all 27 outs—no matter how long that may take you. As a result,

games sometimes take longer than they should. If the Yankees and Red Sox had to play all night, they would. They’d have to, and no bit of complaining from Joe West could change that.

But if West thought the Yankees and Red Sox take too long, he should have been at Jack Kaiser Stadium Sunday for the final game of the St. John’s-West Virginia series.

It took 13 innings to decide a winner. The Red Storm used eight pitchers and each team had more than 15 hits and scored a combined 18 runs, trading the lead like it was an old baseball card.

Oh, yeah. The game also took four hours and 30 minutes

to complete, easily becoming the longest baseball game I’ve ever seen live.

As much as I may love watching baseball, four and a half hours is way too long for a game to be played. West is right. Baseball needs to be sped up.

The game itself doesn’t need to change, but its practices sure do. Make the managers jog to the mound for visits. Limit the number of warm-up pitches.

Don’t let the hitter step out of the batter’s box whenever he happens to call for time.

On Sunday, both teams appeared frustrated as the innings dragged and nobody could push a run across. Offen-

sive threats were plentiful, as it seemed the Red Storm and Mountaineers had runners on base every inning and the game was full of excitement—as are the heated games between the Yankees and Red Sox every year—but neither team could put an end to the game.

When West Virginia scored three runs in the top of the 13th, their entire bench erupted in cheers and there were congratulatory high-fives all around. Maybe they were just out of relief that the game would soon be over.

Everyone else sure needed a break.

Frederick jumping for shot at Olympics EVERTON BAILEY Managing Editor, Emeritus

There are very few bars set too high for Priscilla Frederick.

Since her freshman year, the St. John’s high jumper has recorded a finish no lower than 16th in the event, which includes stops to the USA Track and Field Championships, USA Junior Nationals, NCAA, Big East and ECAC championships as well as the Millrose Games.

The 5-foot-11 junior capped off the first half of this year’s season with an eighth place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships last month. The finish earned Frederick NCAA All American honors, making her the first St. John’s track athlete since 2001 to earn the status.

A week later, she began her outdoor season by clearing six feet (1.83 meters) in the high jump in a meet at the University of South Florida. The jump stands as Frederick’s personal best and, as of April 13, was ranked fourth-best in the country. Last month, she had the top spot.

“It’s been pretty exciting so far,” she said. “Being named All American was a cool and humbling experience. It shows that my hard work is paying off. And after clearing six feet, I just want to go higher and higher.”

Although she competes in other events, like the long jump and shot put, the high jump has a special appeal to Frederick.

“I think it’s such a cool event,” she said. “People underestimate the work involved because it looks like you’re just throwing yourself over a bar but it

takes a lot of skill and technique. And it’s a bit different and I’m a bit of a different kind of person so I think it fits my personality.”

In two years, she hopes to bring her skill, technique and personality to London for the Summer Olympics.

Track and Field coach Jim Hurt said he plans to have Frederick sit out next year’s outdoor season so she will be eligible to compete the following year and hopefully qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.

“She could just do the full season next year and graduate, but then she would have to find new resources and facilities to help her prepare for the Trials,” he said.

“This would give her more time to hone her skills and get ready for 2012.”

Frederick said she is confident that she will be up for the task.

“Now that I’ve seen what I can do and what I’m capable of, I’m really aiming high,” she said. “I just want to go out there and do my best.”

Hurt, who has been at St. John’s for 28 years, said he admires Frederick’s work ethic and that she is not easily intimidated by competing on a national stage. He also said the junior is a “coach’s dream” and “ranks right up there with some of the best kids who have come through this program.”

“To have someone doing as well as Priscilla, definitely sets the tone for the team and to have someone competing at such a high level, sets a great example for everyone else,” said Hurt. “When she leaves to compete in national competitions, does well and comes back, it helps raise the bar for everyone. They see her do it, it gets them believing in themselves enough to try and go attain similar success.”

TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ

Priscilla Frederick may sit out next year’s outdoor track season so she can be eligible to compete at the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials.

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Not quite enough Baseball stopped in finale after winning first two against WVU BILL SAN ANTONIO Sports Editor

With two outs in the seventh inning of Sunday’s baseball game, St. John’s pitcher Kyle Hansen handed the ball to Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer and left the game after allowing his third solo home run of the day.

WEST VIRGINIA

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14 April 2010

SPORTS

ST. JOHN’S

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He left the game with his team down 4-2 and entrusted the final innings to his bullpen and offense—albeit one that had left six runners on base to that point—and he would be sitting awhile.

Seven other pitchers would take the mound for St. John’s after Hansen, and six more innings would be played between the Red Storm and West Virginia. Once St. John’s tied the game in the eighth inning, both teams remained deadlocked before each team traded three-run eleventh innings. The Mountaineers broke through with three runs in the 13th and took down the Johnnies 10-8.

“You can’t neglect to tell them that the effort was there, but the performance wasn’t good,” Blankmeyer said. “There were opportunities to win this ballgame—like getting the ball down on the bunt, we fouled off a couple hit-and-runs, we missed a couple signs. That’s not good baseball.”

Hansen threw 6 2/3 innings and allowed solo home runs in the fifth, six, and seventh innings, striking out four and walking one.

“Outside of the couple mistakes he made,” Blankmeyer said, “I think he pitched pretty well.”

Eddie Medina, Ryan Cole and Daniel Burawa combined to throw 3

TORCH PHOTO/KRISTEN FARMER

Freshman outfielder Jeremy Baltz hit a home run and drove in three runs Friday against West Virginia.

1/3 shutout innings in relief and kept the deficit to two runs. Following an RBI double from junior third baseman Greg Hopkins in the bottom of the eighth inning, sophomore second baseman Matt Wessinger hit a soft ground ball that went through the legs of first baseman Justin McDavid and tied the game.

In the top of the 11th, sophomore Stephen Rivera relieved Burawa and gave up a one-out triple over the head of senior right fielder Jimmy Parque— who initially misread the fly ball — to Brady Wilson, who would later score on a two-run single from Dom Hayes.

Parque, however, would redeem himself at the plate in the next inning with a two-out, two-RBI double to right field that scored Panik and freshman outfielder Jeremy Baltz to tie the game.

But West Virginia took the

lead in the top of the 13th after a bases-loaded walk to McDavid and third baseman Colin Durbow put the dagger in the Red Storm on a two-run single moments later.

“We are inconsistent,” Blankmeyer said. “I guess that’s the best word right now. We swing the bats well at time and then we go into a funk and we don’t swing the bats. We just have to get better.”

St. John’s 8, West Virginia 7 St. John’s sent eight men to the plate in the third inning and scored five runs to take an early 6-3 lead Saturday, but preserving it would not be easy.

Red Storm starter Nick Cenatiempo lasted just 3 innings and allowed three runs on five hits. West Virginia cut the lead to 6-4 in the fifth when Kevin Griffin singled in McDavid, and though St. John’s extended the lead by

adding a run in the bottom of the inning, the Mountaineers would not go quietly.

West Virginia scored two runs in the top of the eighth off Sean Hagen and Burawa, but he would close the door in the ninth despite allowing a leadoff single.

St. John’s 11, West Virginia 3 The Red Storm got off to a fast start on Friday against the Mountaineers in the 11-3 series-opening win, as Bruce Kern struck out a career-high 12 batters and the team stole six bases.

Kern threw seven innings and allowed two earned runs. Baltz went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. The Red Storm broke the game open in the third, scoring four runs on two hits and three West Virginia errors. They tacked on a run in the fifth before a three-run seventh and a two-run eighth.

Stone announces 2010 Women’s Soccer schedule DYLAN KITTS Staff Writer

The St. John’s women’s soccer team announced their schedule for the upcoming 2010 season last week.

Coming off the program’s first-ever NCAA appearance last year, the Red Storm face another challenging schedule, as they participate in two out-of-state tournaments and face seven NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago.

“We’re trying to get back to last year’s success,” Head Coach Ian Stone said. “I think it’s going to be tough with so many new players coming in, but the way we look at it we really want to have a schedule of the same

standard as last year, so that way they come in the program and learn quickly.”

The Red Storm will start the season against Michigan State on Aug. 20 as part of the Texas A&M Tournament. Two days later, they face Texas A&M. North Carolina, the defending NCAA champion, is also in the tournament.

Stone sees this tournament as an opportunity to jumpstart the season, similar to the way the tournament in California did last year, when St. John’s upset then-No. 24 Southern California.

“I think that’s what started off our season on the right track last year,” Stone said.

“I think especially with such a big freshman class, I want them to see the best teams that are out there. This is a great way to start

because it will show them what we have to be like.”

The Red Storm return only four starters and will have 13 freshmen next year.

After the trip to Texas, St. John’s will travel to Harrisonburg, Va., to play in the James Madison Tournament, where the team will face James Madison and Virginia Commonwealth. The team then rounds out the non-conference schedule at the Hofstra Tournament, where they face Fordham and Rhode Island.

St. John’s kicks off the Big East regular season at Syracuse on Sept. 17, and does not play its home opener until Sept. 19 against Columbia.

“I want to really expose them to difficult situations and being on the road,” Stone said.

“What helps is the first two

of those tournaments is before school starts, so that was a great opportunity to get them that experience before it starts affecting them academically.

The other reason for me to do that was the RPI. I am conscious of that when thinking of making the NCAAs. We will have to win tough games on the road in order to have a high RPI.” The Big East schedule features away trips to Connecticut in Sept. and Notre Dame in Oct. The Red Storm have four straight home games in Oct. against Pittsburgh, West Virginia and local rivals Seton Hall and Rutgers.

“One of our reasons for success last year was that we were much better on the road than at home,” Stone said. “I want to start off that way and get that first big road win. It can

allow us to be prepared for the conference schedule.”

Although he has not been able to work out with the freshman yet, Stone remains hopeful about achieving the program’s second-straight NCAA tournament appearance.

“If [the freshmen]w are ready, then I’m pretty confident with the returning players that we’ll be good to go,” Stone said.

“I’m not looking at it as a rebuilding year. Our expectations are to make the NCAA tournament. It’s easier said than done, but I think over the years, our coaching staff and philosophies have evolved a little bit. Now that we have done it once, as far as I’m concerned, we should be doing it every year.”

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TORCH SPORTS

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Leavin’ their Mark

A gunman opened fire at a party that members of the St. John’s men’s and women’s basketball team attended in Astoria on Friday, according to the New York Daily News.

Sources for the Daily News said an argument broke out between St. John’s athletes and another group at Rack Café Billiards after one player made the hand gesture for a 3-point shot that was mistaken for a gang sign. Police sources said the alleged suspect grabbed a gun from his car and began firing upon the crowd.

One person was seriously injured during the incident and was reportedly in stable condition. No players were harmed in the shooting.

Dominic Scianna, assistant vice president of Media Relations, told the Daily News that the athletes who attended the party are cooperating with the police investigation, but St. John’s would not immediately comment on the incident. “We won’t involve ourselves until their [the police] investigation is over,” he said.

Lavin contacts Lamb

TORCH PHOTOS/LAURA AMATO

Sophomore attacker Harry Kutner scored a season-high four goals and had an assist against Providence.

Lax keeps Friars winless in second conference win

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Blowin’ in the Wind We are inconsistent.

I guess that’s the best word right now. We swing the bats well at times and then we get into a funk and we don’t swing the bats.

We just have to get better.

“

”

-baseball coach Ed Blankmeyer on his team’s performance Sunday against West Virginia.

Headin’ this Way Red Storm home games

The TORCH

Softball: Apr. 14 DePaul

12 p.m.

DePaul

2 p.m.

Baseball: Apr. 14 Hofstra Apr. 20 Princeton

3 p.m.

7 p.m.

Softball: Apr. 10 Providence

1 p.m.

torchonline.com

“This was one of those days where things just kind of lined up for us. The weather was good, it was a Big East home game, we had a chance to get back to .500,” said Head Coach Jason Miller.

“We stayed in the hunt for the conference, and in the big picture, .500 keeps us in the hunt for the postseason. We knew today was going to be a big game and it was.”

With the win, the Red Storm improved to 5-5 overall and 2-1 in Big East play, while the Friars remain winless at 0-8.

Sophomore attacker Harry Kutner led the way for St. John’s on offense, scoring a season-high four goals and an assist.

Charlie Holenstien, Tyler Novotny, Alex Lagodich and Ryan Herits each added two goals while Dillon Ayers chipped in a goal and two assists. He also added seven ground balls and caused four turnovers.

saves on the game and anchored a defense which only allowed 21 game shots.

With only a few games left, some players have been starting to look at the postseason picture, but Holenstien sees the importance of every game.

“It was huge to get our first home conference win. We have been working on our transitions and clears and improved that in practice,” said Holenstien. “I’ve been working on my stick skills and dodging as well. We are definitely getting there offensively.”

The Red Storm travels to Philadelphia Saturday for a road matchup with Villanova.

14 April 2010

After a thrilling road victory over Rutgers on April 3, the St. John’s lacrosse team used that momentum to pick up its second conference victory over Providence on Saturday 13-5.

“Offensively we got off to a great start and we shot the ball well early,” said Miller. “The riding game was big.

We kept the pressure on a lot of the time and ended up playing a lot of extra offense as a result. We were able to bump a pole up and it worked out well for us today.”

The Red Storm held Providence to below 18 clears and scored a season-high six goals in the first quarter.They also held a 14-8 advantage in faceoffs, due to the play of rookie Jordan Rothman.

On the defensive end, rookie goalkeeper Jeff Lowman got the start over senior Gavin Buckley. Lowman made seven

SPORTS

KATIE BECKMANN Staff Writer

Days after men’s basketball coach Steve Lavin added Tony Chilles to his coaching staff, he has to use the recruiting wizard’s talents.

Ronald Roberts, who signed a National Letter of Intent to play at St. John’s while Norm Roberts was still coaching the Red Storm, was granted his release by the University, according to SNY’s Adam Zagoria.

Zagoria reported that St. John’s had reached out to guard Doron Lamb of Oak Hill Academy, who is ranked in the Top 5 nationally for the class of 2010.

Zagoria reported that Lavin contacted Calvin Lamb, Doron’s father, and reached out to him and said his son “could be the one player that could get them over the hump to the NCAA Tournament.”

SPORTS 14 April 2010 | VOLUME 88, ISSUE 1 | TORCHONLINE.COM

TORCH PHOTO/ LAURA AMATO

TORCHSPORTS.WORDPRESS.COM

The Women’s Soccer team released its schedule for the 2010 season.

The Softball team won the the last game of its threegame set against Seton Hall.

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