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(10/22/08 12:00pm)
Six students were arrested for supplying alcohol to minors and five others were issued summonses for underage drinking early Thursday morning when Ewing police were dispatched to a house on the 1600 block of Pennington Road. The house, nicknamed "The Hole," is owned by the Sigma Pi fraternity.
According to police reports, an anonymous caller alerted them to a party at the house around 1:50 a.m. Thursday. When police arrived, there were six people outside, loud music coming from the house and several red cups on the lawn and driveway, reports said.
According to reports, "the house had several kegs of beer and red plastic cups all over the floor. There were holes in the walls and the floors were wet."
Five students were turned over to Campus Police and escorted back to campus, where they were issued summonses for underage drinking.
No one admitted to providing alcohol, so six other students were arrested and brought to Ewing headquarters, reports said. Two of the six students were also issued township violations for litter and noise, according to police.
Although the house was off-campus, College officials said they will be investigating the incident.
"(The College) can and will take action when behavior off-campus does not meet our community standards. What has been alleged to have taken place is certainly a violation of (the College's) standards," Matthew Golden, executive director of Public Relations and Communications, said. "We will address this incident through the campus judicial process, and we will continue working with the local community to facilitate positive relations between local residents and students residing off-campus."
As of press time, Dave Conner, assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority programs, was on vacation and had not yet met with Lynette Harris, director of Community Standards, to discuss the incident.
"We're still investigating," Harris said. "We're working with the Campus and Ewing Police."
Tim Asher, director of Student Activities and Leadership Development, said if judicial action is taken, individuals named in the incident would be dealt with through the College's judicial process, while the fraternity as a whole would be handled through the Inter-Greek Council (IGC).
Sigma Pi officials stressed the organization's positive contributions to the community, including sponsoring a local Little League team.
"It doesn't get any more local community service than that," said Peter LaGregor, president of the Sigma Pi Alumni Association. "We never had any problems with the township."
"As an organization we have always had (the) purpose to serve our campus and community in ways that will better our world," Christopher Snel, Sigma Pi president, said in a statement. "It is a shame that people rarely recognize the accomplishments that many organizations on this campus have achieved."
The house was donated to the fraternity by Donald Cox, a Ewing councilman and brother of Temple's Sigma Pi chapter who serves as the fraternity's adviser. The 12-bedroom house, which is not a rental, has been owned by the fraternity since the chapter's inception in 2000. The house's upkeep is funded by dues and alumni contributions, LaGregor said.
He added that the organization has contributed thousands of dollars to the house's upkeep. The house's nickname originates from when the house was first bought, and the kitchen could be seen from the top floor through a hole in the floor, according to LaGregor.
"It's in better condition every month than the months prior," he said.
Although LaGregor was not in attendance Thursday morning, he believes there were only about 15 to 20 people at the house.
"It was not a party," LaGregor said. "There were a handful of people there."
He has since reached out to IGC.
"We certainly want to get to the bottom of this," LaGregor said. "It's frustrating."
Megan DeMarco can be reached at demarco5@tcnj.edu.
(08/27/08 12:00pm)
From concerts and a voter registration drive to a human regurgitator, campus leaders are working hard to bring exciting events to campus this semester.
Student Government Association (SGA) Executive President Dan Scapardine said SGA's priorities this year include a voter registration drive, co-sponsorships with clubs on campus and having a "stronger presence on campus," in addition to SGA's regular events such as Finals Fest.
"This year we have a lot of things exciting things to look forward to," he said.
Leo Acevedo, executive director of the Student Finance Board (SFB), said SFB is planning more events this year, financed by the increase in the Student Activities Fee.
"Since we have so much more money to work with this year, we're hoping to have a lot more events," Acevedo said.
Katerina Gkionis, director of College Union Board (CUB), said CUB has several events planned, including a breakdance show and a human regurgitator - someone who swallows and regurgitates objects - for Halloween.
"We have a lot of good stuff going on," she said. "We pretty much have September booked. It's going to be a good year."
(04/30/08 12:00pm)
A student was charged with underage consumption of alcoholic beverages on April 16 at 1:30 a.m.
An officer observed the student lying down on the ground behind a parked vehicle.
The officer observed another student trying to help her up.
When the officer asked if everyone was OK, the intoxicated student said she was "OK" and "just wanted to go to bed."
The officer observed she smelled like alcohol and her eyes were bloodshot and glassy.
She appeared to be disoriented and confused when asked why she was lying on the ground.
Two officers escorted the students to the Spiritual Center, where Lions' EMS came to evaluate her.
She was unable to provide her birthday, location and what building she was in.
She also vomited multiple times into a large garbage can and had to be assisted into a seating position.
She said she had one shot of alcohol and drank "a couple of beers and some shots at some party."
She was transported off-campus for further evaluation.
There is no further information at this time.
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Two students were found urinating in Lot 6 on April 19 at 2:20 a.m.
The officer asked them to proceed over to the patrol vehicle, where they were asked if they had been drinking.
They said they drank seven to 10 beers at an off-campus house.
They were both escorted to Wolfe Hall to be evaluated.
They were both issued summonses for underage consumption of alcoholic beverages and public urination.
There is no further information at this time.
(04/30/08 12:00pm)
The Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) Jewish fraternity was voted a pre-active status chapter at the College through a 22-4 vote on April 23.
Dave Conner, assistant director of Fraternities and Sororities, said recognition of AEPi is the first attempted expansion of the Greek community using a combined expansion policy of the Inter-Greek Council (IGC) and the office of Student Activities and Leadership Development that was implemented in January.
"The AEPi interest group has cooperated with my office and the College over the past two semesters to pursue the proper procedures for recognition as a fraternal organization," Conner said. "I would like to officially welcome AEPi to (the College) and look forward to working with them to ensure their success here at the College."
Conner said AEPi will remain pre-active for at least one calendar year. If all of the IGC policies are followed after one year, a vote to recognize the organization as an active status chapter will be held.
Max Marshall, president of the fraternity in spring 2007 when they were denied campus recognition, said Conner has been receptive to the organization.
"Recognition at the College has been our ultimate goal since the founding of our chapter," Marshall said. "Dave Conner has been . very helpful throughout our dialogue with IGC."
Scott Schwartz, the current AEPi president and president for next semester, said IGC's attitude has been "tremendously better" than last year.
Brian Gross, president in fall 2007, said the attitude of other campus organizations has improved.
"The attitudes of every organization we speak to has turned into a friendly one," Gross said. "We hope to participate in activities with every organization, and that will be our goal for the next semester."
Marshall said he believes the four organizations who voted against them probably felt competition for attracting members.
"However, since we generally appeal to a unique demographic, the existence of AEPi is likely to draw more focus to the Greek community rather than constrict the applicant pool for existing organizations," he said.
Marshall said their number one priority will be proving that they deserve to be part of the campus community.
"We will be able to officially hold events on campus including philanthropies and athletics, and we plan to make the best of this new opportunity to engage the (the College) community," Marshall said.
"We are so elated to be recognized on campus and we have to thank the IGC and Dave Conner for all their support," Gross said. "The goal of the IGC is to make the best Greek system possible, and we hope to contribute a lot to this lofty goal."
(04/23/08 12:00pm)
A driver's side mirror was knocked off a car on the top level of Lot 9 between Tuesday, April 15, and Wednesday, April 16.
The victim met with a Campus Police officer at 6:35 p.m. on April 16 and said when he returned to his car he observed the driver's side mirror was broken off.
The mirror appeared to have been kicked off or struck with an unknown object.
The frame was found on the other side of the dividing wall.
There is no further information at this time.
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At 1:45 p.m. on April 16 a report of criminal mischief was filed on the fourth floor of Lot 9.
The victim said the rearview side mirror on her vehicle was broken off.
She said it was not damaged when she parked it at 2:15 a.m. on the 16th. She said a friend saw the damage and notified her.
There are no suspects or witnesses at this time.
There is no further information at this time.
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On April 16, a student reported that she had parked her car in Lot 9 on the top level on April 14.
She said when she returned to her car on April 16, she saw the driver's side mirror was broken off.
She filed a report with Campus Police at 1:35 a.m.
There is no further information at this time.
(04/16/08 12:00pm)
When Jaclyn Pryzbylkowski met Amber Ramsey on the first day of freshman year, she immediately thought, "This person is going to make a change."
"She was just one of those people," Pryzbylkowski, who graduated from the College in December, said.
A brilliant, independent and talented student, Ramsey entered the College in 2003 as a women's and gender studies major.
Pryzbylkowski added that Ramsey struck her as someone "who would write a book or just be so socially active or speak out against oppression."
Despite the potential Ramsey showed, she developed a drug addiction and was reported missing in February 2006, according to Trenton Police. Her body was found in Trenton on Aug. 1, 2006.
According to the Mercer County Medical Examiner Office, Ramsey died on approximately Dec. 29, 2005 of a "probable drug overdose."
The Ramsey family was not notified about Amber's death until March 2008.
"Everyone's upset about how society treats junkies as nothing," Pryzbylkowski said. "She was just forgotten."
Amber
Jenna McBride, a senior at Tyler school of Art and Ramsey's best friend from Ewing High School, said Ramsey always stood out. McBride and Ramsey met in fifth grade and became close friends in 10th grade when they had English together.
"She was unbelievably talented," McBride said. "She could just choose any random thing and be good at it."
McBride added that Ramsey started writing a book in high school and had an elaborate vocabulary, which sometimes made other people uncomfortable.
"Some people just didn't get her," McBride said. "People are boring and can't handle a fun personality."
Pryzbylkowski said Ramsey was an extraordinary writer and artist and was extremely passionate about women's and gender studies.
Jessi Boston, who met Ramsey when she was a freshman at the College and Ramsey was a senior, said Ramsey was always creating.
"She was always writing or producing or making something," she said.
Ramsey came to the College on a Bill Gates scholarship, which is awarded to outstanding minority students with financial need.
In addition to her talent and intelligence, Pryzbylkowski said Ramsey "just lived her life caring about other people and making a difference in their lives."
"She would have talked to you without even knowing you," she said.
Pryzbylkowski said Ramsey was not afraid of societal norms, adding that she was someone who was "breaking down all social barriers."
McBride agreed.
"She always had an opinion about everything and wasn't afraid to tell people her opinion," she said.
Boston said she had a contagious personality.
"She was just a really strong inspiring person," she said. "Everybody knew her on campus at one point."
"She touched my life in a dramatic way," Pryzbylkowski said.
"She wanted out"
McBride said she and Ramsey stayed in touch freshman year, but she noticed that Ramsey changed that summer.
"She definitely changed a lot," she said. "She just seemed really kind of jaded."
Pryzbylkowski said when Ramsey started using drugs, she wanted to get help but didn't know where to go.
"She was battling things," Pryzbylkowski said. "She wanted out of it so bad. She wanted the help."
Pryzbylkowski said at times Ramsey was suicidal, but did not know where to go on campus.
"There's not enough resources on campus," she said. "In those times there's nowhere to turn and I wish (the College) did promote that."
According to Pryzbylkowski, drug use is not something talked about at the College.
"You never hear about drugs on campus," she said.
Pryzbylkowski said Ramsey checked into several different rehab facilities.
"Drug addiction is such a hush-hush thing," she said. "It's really a major issue."
Friends expressed anger at the Trenton Police for waiting so long to notify the Ramsey family.
"I don't understand it," McBride said. "I don't think somebody forgot about it. I think there was an intentional mistake here."
Boston said students started posting on Amber's Myspace and Facebook pages "RIP Amber" after she went missing in 2006, but there was still no confirmation from the police.
"It made me very angry that we were all in the dark for so long about what happened," she said.
Response from the College
Pryzbylkowski said she is unhappy with the response from the College.
"A dear member on our campus to a lot of people passed away," she said. "Why hasn't there been an e-mail about it?"
Matthew Golden, executive director of Public Affairs, said e-mails are only sent out in certain cases.
"We generally send out e-mails regarding losses in our community if it's a current member of our community or retired staff," he said.
Golden did say, however, that a memorial will be held with Ramsey's family.
"Whenever we have the unfortunate occurrence of a student death we reach out to the family," he said.
Pryzbylkowski said she has yet to see the effects on campus.
"There's no recognition of it," she said.
Pryzbylkowski said this summer she wants to look into starting a charity for young people struggling with drug addiction, while McBride said she would like to see a scholarship set up through the school in Ramsey's name.
"For her to be remembered, that's all I want," Pryzbylkowski said. "She deserves to be recognized on campus and she is not."
The most prevalent drug
Experts at the College have offered several different routes for students seeking help for friends with addictions.
They all agree, however, that the most prevalent drug used on campus is alcohol. Thus, most of the programming and education held by the College is largely targeted at alcohol use.
"Alcohol is the larger, greater challenge but that does not mean there isn't ... substance (abuse)," Joe Hadge, coordinator of the Alcohol and Drug Education Program (ADEP), said. "The vast majority of issues are alcohol-based."
Hadge said that during a Core Survey conducted in 2006, 86 percent of students said they would prefer not to have drugs available at parties they attend.
The survey showed that 9 percent of students said they had used an illegal drug other than marijuana in the past year.
Hadge said about 20 percent of students don't drink at all. In the survey, 85 percent of students said they had consumed alcohol in the past year.
Larry Gage, associate director of Psychological Counseling Services (PCS), said that although alcohol and nicotine are much more common problems, drug use has a stigma surrounding it.
"There's a little bit of hysteria when it comes to heroine and cocaine," he said.
He added that when planning programming and education on campus, PCS tries to plan according to the numbers, not the hysteria.
"We try to have perspective," he said. "(We try) to be balanced with the information provided."
Hadge agreed that there is a stigma surrounding drug use.
"One of the most important things we have to get around is the stigma," he said. "I still think it's out there."
Increasing trends of drug use
Despite the prevalence of alcohol, Hadge and Gage admitted increasing trends of drug use on campus.
Gage said in the past year or so abuse of prescription drugs has increased. He mentioned drugs like Vicodin, Adderall, Ritalin and Xanax, drugs usually used to treat attention deficit disorder, as alternates for caffeine that students sometimes use.
He said marijuana use is a growing problem as well.
"We have seen pot interfere with a lot of people's lives," Gage said. "It's come as a greater concern to us lately."
Gage estimated that about 15 percent of cases dealt with in PCS include drug use of some kind.
According to Gage, in a highly competitive environment like the College, students sometimes create more pressure for themselves. He also said alcohol and drug use among students is usually connected to something else going on in the student's life.
Gage said PCS counselors try to "look at the bigger picture" when students identify their drug problems.
Hadge said drug use on college campuses is not uncommon.
"You have addiction on top of a college culture," he said. "It's not something that's a phenomenon."
Student resources
Hadge said students should go to ADEP or use PCS as a resource.
To receive counseling students must fill out a counseling request form.
Gage said that at the beginning of the semester students will receive a prompt response. At this point in the semester, he said, there are about 15 students waiting for their first appointments.
"It's a couple of weeks before we can see somebody," he said.
Hadge said ADEP is focused on education, prevention and training, specifically teaching students how to recognize a problem.
Another resource for students is the Clinic, located in Forcina Hall. Hadge said the Clinic is geared toward the Mercer County community and is not a typical resource most colleges have.
According to its Web site, "The Clinic is an outpatient center that offers supervised counseling and family therapy serving Mercer County and surrounding communities."
If a student does not check him or herself into counseling, a friend or significant other might reach out to Friends Helping Friends, a program in which friends are taught how to approach the situation and reach out to someone with a drug abuse problem, Gage said.
He said this is more common than drug addicts requesting self-help.
"It's rare that someone will come in and say 'I have a drug problem. I need to quit,'" he said.
Helping Others by Providing Encouragement (HOPE) is another resource for students seeking support with substance abuse issues, according to Mark Woodford, chair of the department of Counselor Education and chair of the Commission on the Prevention of Alcohol Abuse.
"This program (is) an essential piece to help students who are in recovery from addiction, as well (as) those who may need support in deciding if recovery is for them," Woodford said.
He said a student mentor from HOPE can speak with students who think they need help or students who identify friends as having drug or alcohol problems. Woodford said the mentor would help connect students with support groups or counseling.
Hadge said the key aspects to combating drug use are education, treatment and enforcement.
Gage encouraged students to speak up if they think a friend might have a drug problem. He said ideally, everyone would feel comfortable raising the alarm and seeking help.
Hadge agreed.
"Each and every member of the campus community can be a resource for one another," he said. "It's a message that takes an entire community."
Pryzbylkowski said she wished Ramsey had the help she needed.
"It could have been so different if she had the proper help," Pryzbylkowski said. "She wanted so much to get out of this."
(04/16/08 12:00pm)
On April 5 at 9:30 a.m. a student reported to Campus Police that his Nintendo Wii gaming console, remote and a video game were stolen from his room in Wolfe Hall.
The victim said he last saw the property at 4 p.m. on April 4 and first realized it was missing at 3 p.m. on April 5.
He said at various times the room was unsecured and unoccupied. The console was not attached to anything fixed in the room.
The victim checked with his friends to see if any of them had borrowed it without his knowledge, but none of his friends said they had it.
The total value of the property stolen was $250.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student's clothes were stolen from the Townhouses East laundry room on April 4 between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The student told Campus Police that he was in the laundry room washing four shirts described as extra-large white T-shirts with gold and blue across the front.
He said he put the shirts in a dryer and went back to his room to sleep. When he returned, the shirts were missing.
Each shirt is worth $10, totaling $40.
There is no further information at this time.
(04/09/08 12:00pm)
A resident of Travers Hall was charged with underage consumption when Campus Police received a call that a student was vomiting in a men's bathroom in Travers Hall on March 28 at 2:15 a.m.
When a Campus Police officer arrived, the student was leaning against the wall outside the bathroom looking confused.
The student told Campus Police he was feeling nauseous from eating earlier in the day.
When the officer asked him if he had been drinking, he said he didn't think so.
Another Campus Police officer arrived and they went to the student's room where he was lying on his bed. He said he drank four to five shots of rum between midnight and 1 a.m.
Lions' EMS was called to evaluate him and he was issued a summons.
There is no further information at this time.
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A minor was charged with underage possession of alcohol at 2:55 a.m. on March 26 when a Campus Police officer found her doubled over in the rear passenger seat of a car, about to vomit.
She was conscious and smelled like alcohol.
She told Campus Police that she had three to four beers at an off-campus party. Lions' EMS arrived and treated her.
There is no further information at this time.
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At 4:50 p.m. on April 1 a Campus Police officer was dispatched to Packer Hall on report of a fight.
The victim told the officer that the suspect began to shove him for no apparent reason. He said he did not provoke him and had no idea why he would do such a thing. The victim said the suspect then ran through Packer Hall and out the exit doors adjacent to Lot 17.
Later in the evening, the suspect spoke with the Campus Police officer and said he "had words" with the other student and they began to yell at each other in Packer Hall. He said they began to "push and shove" each other but could not remember who was the initial aggressor.
He said he thought they were involved in a mutual shoving match.
Neither party pressed charges or wished to sign a complaint against the other.
There is no further information at this time.
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A laptop was stolen in Centennial Hall on April 1 between 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m.
The victim said he left his room for approximately 45 minutes and when he returned his laptop and power cord were gone. He thought he locked the room but wasn't completely sure. He said his laptop was in a drawer.
The stolen items were worth $2,500.
There is no further information at this time.
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A victim reported that his car cover was stolen in Lot 6 on March 27 at 1 p.m.
The student said he had parked his car in Lot 6 with the car cover on it and that someone had taken the cover between 3:30 p.m. on March 24 and 1 p.m. on March 26.
There is no further information at this time.
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The windshield of a College- issued car was broken between 6:30 p.m. on March 25 and 7:30 a.m. on March 26.
A Campus Police officer was dispatched to Travers Hall where the officer met with a Wolfe Hall repairman, who said he left the vehicle parked in Lot 8.
When he returned at 7:30 he found that the windshield had been broken.
The officer found a large rock next to the vehicle that was possibly used to break the windshield.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student's wallet was stolen from Holman Hall on March 20 at 1 p.m.
The student said she was in class in the darkroom and left her bag unattended for a few minutes.
The student said when she came back her wallet had been removed from the bag. Her wallet was black leather, valued at $250, and had $160 in cash in it.
There is no further information at this time.
(04/09/08 12:00pm)
The College Democrats are making a revival.
Their president, Alex Berger, said the group went under a few years ago due to lack of interest. He said when he first came on campus as a freshman earlier this year, he wondered where the College Democrats were.
Now, Berger says the group has about 15 to 20 members and will continue growing.
"It seems like it's either apathetic or Republican," Berger said. "We're trying to be the opposite end of that."
One of its first activities as a club was to hold a mock Democratic primary last Thursday.
Barack Obama won the mock primary with 352 votes, beating Hillary Clinton's 157. Berger said that at times there was even a line to vote in Brower Student Center.
"A lot of people missed our presence on campus," he said. "They were interested to see."
He said it is in the College Democrats' constitution that the club can declare whom the College officially endorses in the Democratic primary.
Later this month, a coronation ceremony will be held by the Democrats to officially declare Obama the College's Democratic candidate of choice.
Berger said the group will also put on voter registration drives with the College Republicans and possibly a debate.
Terence Grado, president of the College Republicans, said hia group is fine with the College Democrats coming back to campus and would be willing to work with them.
"They will certainly help facilitate political discussion at (the College,)" Grado said. "While our parties don't agree on every issue, we have much more in common with them than some of the more radical political organizations already present."
The College Democrats will also be holding a "Why be a Democrat?" campaign explaining the values and views of the party and recruiting members.
He said they have also been working with the Progressive Student Alliance.
Berger said that although many people have expressed interest in the club, there have been some negative reactions. He said that during the primary the group was called "Communists" twice and other people have taken a "what's the point?" attitude.
"My group has been frustrated," Berger said. "There's such, such, such apathy."
(04/02/08 12:00pm)
Someone carved the word "nigger" into a wall in a Travers Hall elevator on Wednesday, March 19.
A Travers office staff member told Campus Police that she noticed it at 11:30 a.m. and submitted an online work order to have it removed.
The officer removed a piece of paper taped to the wall to cover the word and observed it carved into the wood on the wall.
There are no suspects or further information at this time.
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In a seperate incident, criminal mischief was reported in Travers Hall on March 21 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. when the word "nigger" was found written on the wall by a building attendant.
The building attendant reported it to the Travers Residence Hall Director, who called Facilities to have the word painted over.
A sign was placed over the word to hide it temporarily.
When Campus Police officers went to photograph the word, Facilities had painted over it.
There is no further information at this time.
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A bag was stolen from the Packer Hall locker room on March 19 at 8:40 p.m.
A student told Campus Police that he put his backpack and belongings in a locker in Packer Hall.
When he returned to his locker the bag and belongings were missing. A search of the area for the bag yielded no results.
He also said he searched the area prior to alerting Campus Police and found nothing.
The stolen items amounted to $343.
There is no further information at this time.
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A theft was reported in Green Hall on March 24.
The incident took place between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
The victim said that before arriving at work in Green Hall she dropped her child off at school.
She thought she left her purse at the school and went back to see if staff there had recovered the purse, but it was not there.
She then thought she had it with her when she arrived at work and placed it on a desk, but it was not there.
She said there was a period of time where everyone in the office was at a meeting and the doors to the office suite were not locked.
She was advised to call Campus Police if she located the purse.
The items stolen amounted to $105.
There is no further information at this time.
(03/26/08 12:00pm)
A student's GetIt card was stolen and was used to make purchases totaling $197.10.
The card was stolen between Feb. 29 and March 2. The victim said she last used her card on Feb. 29 to enter Eickhoff Hall. She said she thought the card had fallen out of her pocket after entering the building and she did not use the card for the rest of the weekend.
She checked her account March 5 and noticed three purchases she did not make from the C-Store.
She reported the thefts immediately to Dining Services and deactivated her card online. She was issued a new card.
There is no further information at this time.
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Another GetIt card was stolen on March 5. The victim told Campus Police she used her card on March 5 at 2 p.m. at Centennial Hall. She said she thought her card fell out of her pocket during a half hour period between leaving Centennial Hall and entering Decker Hall.
She said she immediately retraced her steps but could not find the card and tried to deactivated it online.
She saw that her card was used on three different occasions without her permission or knowledge to purchase items from the C-Store and the Travers/Wolfe Dining Hall, totaling $98.28.
She was issued a new card.
There is no further information at this time.
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A buffer was stolen from the first floor of Decker Hall on March 11 between 2:30 and 2:45 p.m.
The victim was buffing the floors with the stolen buffer. At 2:30 he left the area to begin cleaning in preparation for the end of the day. When he returned, he noticed that it was gone.
He said the only other person with him was a fellow worker, who said she had not seen the buffer.
A supervisor told Campus Police he had searched Decker and Cromwell halls for the buffer and could not find the item.
The high-speed buffer was worth $1,400.
There is no further information at this time.
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On March 11 at 7:40 a.m., criminal mischief was reported in the Roscoe L. West Library.
An investigation revealed that one window was broken on the first floor with an unknown object.
Facilities was called to have the window repaired.
There is no further information at this time.
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Criminal mischief was reported in Cromwell Hall on Feb. 22 at 1:15 a.m.
A Community Advisor (CA) met with a Campus Police officer and said he and another CA noticed that the carpets had been cut with a sharp object.
The officer noticed several rugs in the building appeared to have been cut.
An incident report was filed.
There is no further information at this time.
(03/19/08 12:00pm)
When an unexpected 322 students signed up, the senior class council officially declared the return of Senior Week.
Nicole Kasian, senior class secretary, said the 322 met the number of students the class council anticipated signing up.
"We are so happy and proud of our senior class," she said. "Our senior class came through and together we were all able to bring back Senior Week."
Kasian said she thinks students realized that if Senior Week was canceled again this year, it might be canceled for the next several years.
"If it did not succeed this year, there was a very strong chance it could be lost for a long time," she said. "I think our senior class recognized that a chapter of their lives was coming to a close and they wanted to share their last few days as undergrads together."
Last year, not enough seniors bought tickets for the event because of a change in the alcohol policy, causing Senior Week to be canceled.
The alcohol policy this year is the same as last year's; no alcohol will be allowed in the towers. However, the council tried to change everything else, creating new Senior Week traditions.
Kasian said seniors who have signed up have offered positive feedback and seem excited about the week.
"We have an amazing class," she said. "Each event seems to bring different levels of excitement to different people. We are really excited about the week."
Senior Week will include a Senior Gala, trips to Great Adventure and KatManDu, a Lakeside picnic and a toast in the Science Complex led by College President R. Barbara Gitenstein.
The council recently announced that the mystery speaker at the event will be Henry Winkler.
Kasian said students seem excited about Winkler's speech.
"He was on 'Oprah' not that long ago, and he just seems like a really funny, nice and intelligent man," she said. "I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say to us."
(03/19/08 12:00pm)
A student found urinating in the hallway of Travers Hall was charged with consuming alcoholic beverages underage on March 5 at 3:35 a.m.
A Community Advisor (CA) in Travers told Campus Police officers that at 3:15 she heard what sounded like water splashing in the hallway when she was in her room with the door slightly open.
When she entered the hallway, she saw the student squatting in the hallway with her pants down, urinating on the floor. When the CA asked if the student was OK, she said "Yes" and went into a room.
Outside of the room was a large puddle of liquid that smelled like urine. Lions' EMS and the Assistant Residence Director came to assist the student, who said she consumed four beers and did not remember having urinated in the hallway.
She was transported off campus and was issued a summons for consuming alcoholic beverages underage.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student found a mysterious substance on her car in Lot 6 when she returned from Spring break on March 16. A Campus Police officer found residue of an unknown substance on the rear window, roof and rear passenger side of the vehicle.
The damage occurred sometime between 5 a.m. on March 3 and 1:20 p.m. on March 16.
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A student had seven pairs of jeans taken from the Travers Hall laundry room when she overslept and left her load of jeans in the dryer at 3 a.m. on March 7.
The student said she put two loads of laundry in the washer, one of jeans and the other of miscellaneous clothing. When she returned to the laundry room at 7 a.m. her miscellaneous clothes were there, but her jeans, valued at $20 each, were missing.
The CA on duty advised her to wait for someone to return the jeans. When no one returned them, she went to every laundry room in the building and still did not find them.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student's iPod nano and a set of headphones were stolen from his room on March 6.
The student said the accused was in his room at 1 a.m. helping him with math homework. The student told the officer he noticed the accused walking in the hall with an iPod nano. When the student asked him if they were his, the accused said no.
The student told the accused that those were the same items missing from his room. The accused said the headphones were his girlfriend's and the iPod was his.
The student then contacted the Residence Director, and both students went down to her office to discuss the incident.
At this time, the accused pulled out another iPod and said it was his mistake. He never checked his other pocket in his jacket to see he had two iPods.
The items were then returned to the student.
There is no further information at this time.
(03/05/08 12:00pm)
On Saturday, March 1 at 3 a.m. a student was charged with underage consumption of alcoholic beverages when a Campus Police officer pulled over a car with headlight damage.
The officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the passenger compartment. When the passenger and driver exited the vehicle the officer noticed a smell of alcohol coming from the passenger. The passenger said he had consumed three to five beers.
He was then escorted to Wolfe Hall to be examined by Lions' EMS. He was determined to be medically fit to remain on campus and was released.
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On Saturday, March 1 at 1:30 a.m. a student was charged with underage consumption of alcoholic beverages when Campus Police conducted a motor vehicle stop for a violation.
The officers observed a student sitting on the curb at the Norsworthy Circle who had a strong odor of alcohol coming from him, as did fellow students with him.
The students were escorted to the Spiritual Center to be evaluated by Lions' EMS. The students said they had consumed several beers at an off-campus location. It was determined that they could stay on campus.
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An uncooperative and intoxicated male was charged with underage consumption of alcoholic beverages at Wolfe Hall at 1:55 a.m. on Feb. 23. The responding officer arrived at Wolfe Hall and observed the student standing at the security desk with a beer in his pocket.
The student had an odor of alcohol coming from him and had bloodshot and droopy eyes. He said there was beer in the bottle and he had been at an off-campus party that night.
(02/27/08 12:00pm)
A resident of Wolfe Hall was charged with the underage consumption of alcoholic beverages after he was found urinating on another student's bed while she was in it.
On Feb. 17 at 8:35 a.m. Campus Police officers were dispatched to Wolfe, where a resident said she returned to her room from using the bathroom and saw the accused urinating on the lower bed-bunk while her roommate was in it.
When Campus Police arrived the accused was gone. They woke up the sleeping student to prevent her from moving into the urine on her bed.
The residents of the room told the officers the student's room number and the officers went to the room and asked to speak to the accused student. When he came into the hallway, the officers noticed he had bloodshot eyes and an odor of alcohol eminating from his person. He said he was at an off-campus fraternity party where he drank beer from a keg.
He said he did not remember coming back to his room or how he got there. He said he had just left his room to urinate but could not remember if he had gotten to the men's bathroom. Lions' EMS evaluated him and decided he could stay on campus.
There is no further information at this time.
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On Friday, Feb. 22, at 2:50 a.m. a group of students was charged with possession of controlled dangerous substances on the fourth level of Lot 9 when Campus Police officers saw two students smoking a glass pipe while investigating reports of throwing snowballs.
The officers approached the students smoking the glass pipe and ordered them to place the pipe on the ground. The officers smelled a strong odor in the area believed to be burnt marijuana. It was also emanating from their clothes and breath and the accused had glassy and watery red eyes.
The officer placed them under arrest for possession of a controlled dangerous substance believed to be marijuana less than 50 grams and being under the influence of a substance believed to be marijuana.
The officers handcuffed the accused students and transported them to headquarters where they were read their Miranda rights.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student was charged with underage consumption of alcohol on Feb. 23 in Kendall Hall at 7:55 p.m. Campus Police officers observed an Asian male assisting a white male out of Kendall's exit. After exiting onto the steps facing Quimby's Prairie the officers stopped the students.
One of the students had vomit on his pants and his body smelled of alcohol. He was incoherent, his eyes were bloodshot and he could not keep his balance. He said he consumed two to three 40 oz. beers in his on-campus residence and purchased the beers with fraudulent identification, which he said was in his room.
He said he vomited inside Kendall Hall's auditorium and was exiting when the other male found him and assisted him out of the building. He was transported to Capital Health System, Mercer Campus at 9:20 p.m.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student's Xbox 360 was stolen from his room in Decker Hall on Feb. 23 between 2 a.m. and noon. The victim said he was sleeping in his room, which was closed but not locked. He said he thought his friends had borrowed it but his friends said it was not borrowed and must be missing.
He said no other belongings were stolen from his room. A search of the area returned no results. No arrests have been made.
There is no further information at this time.
(02/20/08 12:00pm)
A report of harassment was filed in Cromwell Hall on Feb. 8 at 1:30 a.m. The victims told Campus Police officers that a group of students were in the hallway of their room and placed wet cereal under their door. The suspects then banged loudly on their door and ran away.
The victims said the harassment has been happening since last semester.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student in Norsworthy Hall was charged with underage possession of alcoholic beverages on Feb. 9 at 1:30 a.m. when Campus Police found him unresponsive in his bed while investigating a fire alarm.
The fire alarm had been going on for about 20 minutes but the student did not wake up until an officer yelled multiple times and then shook his bed. The student had difficulty answering questions and following directions and told Lions' EMS that he had "three, four or six beers." It was determined that he could stay on campus.
There is no further information at this time.
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A student was charged with underage possession/consumption of alcoholic beverages on Feb. 10 at 12:05 a.m in Lot 9.
An officer noticed a student was being carried across the parking lot by another student and was unable to stand without falling over. The officer approached the individuals and noticed that one of the students had dirt spots on his pants and shirt cuffs. The student said he had not fallen but was crawling on the ground at a party. The student who could not stand had a strong odor of alcohol emanating from him.
He was asked to sit on the curb until medical assistance arrived. He said he consumed about five beers. He was then transported to a hospital.
There is no further information at this time.
(02/20/08 12:00pm)
Jessie Barnes, senior history major, suffered a rare daytime attack from a raccoon on Wednesday, Feb. 13, when opening the trunk of his car on the second level of Lot 6 as the normally nocturnal critter sank its teeth into his ankle.
Barnes said the animal ran out from under a nearby car around noon while he and his girlfriend were standing in the parking lot.
"As I was opening my trunk the raccoon ran out from underneath a nearby parked car, jumped on my leg, and started to bite me in the left ankle," he said. "I was able to kick the raccoon off my leg and it ran under my car."
Barnes said he immediately drove to a hospital in Trenton while his girlfriend called Campus Police. He was treated for rabies and will return to the hospital three more times within the next month for rabies shots.
Ewing Animal Control and Campus Police were unable to locate the animal and check if it had rabies.
A campus-wide e-mail was sent out on Thursday warning students to exercise every precaution and encouraging them to call Campus Police immediately if the raccoon was seen again.
According to Ewing Animal Control officer Maryann Weltch, the raccoon could be living in the garage or it could have been looking for food.
She said mating season has started and it is a possibility that the raccoon could have been protecting its babies.
She said raccoons are scared of humans and advised students not to approach any animals.
"Be very careful," she said. "Keep walking away."
According to the campus-wide e-mail, "Members of the campus community are urged to exercise every precaution. It is advisable to move away and not approach any wild animal on campus."
(02/20/08 12:00pm)
Creating a Web site for local immigrants to e-mail their families at home, integrating a leadership workshop for inner-city kids with a college basketball game and teaching Trenton elementary school students how to create a business plan are just a few examples of the work some students at the College are doing to improve their community.
For its emphasis on community service, the College was named to the federal President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction last week. The College is the only New Jersey institution to receive this award, the highest federal recognition for community service.
According to Pat Donohue, director of the Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement, the College received the award for the integration of the Bonner Community Scholars program with the community engaged learning program for freshmen.
"We utilized one group of student leaders, the Bonner scholars, to help us identify the issues of interest to the freshmen and to mobilize them," Donohue said. "We were developing the leadership skills for one group of students while they mobilized others to learn more about their community and have a positive impact."
One aspect of the College's community service program that may have qualified it for the award is integrating first seminar program (FSP) classes with community service projects.
In the FSP "Living in a Virtual World," for example, students created a Web site for residents of Trenton service organization El Centro, on South Broad street in Trenton.
The Web site allows users who are immigrants or have families in Latin and South America to e-mail them.
Roberto Hernandez, director of El Centro, said the Web site will help residents save money on long-distance phone calls as well as keep them connected with their hometowns.
"Without the students we wouldn't be able to fully run some of the mentoring programs we run for our youth," Hernandez said. "They're phenomenal in their dedication and their respect that they have for the clients."
Hernandez said students help out by driving vans, teaching English as a Second Language courses and mentoring the youth in the program.
"This partnership has been wonderful," he said. "It's a win-win for everyone."
Todd Stoner, a senior at the College and Bonner scholar, agreed.
"We are connecting what we do in the community in the classrooms," he said. "That is the ultimate goal."
Stoner, a political science major, is currently researching what policies the Trenton municipal government has in regard to the homeless. He said he hopes to come back and work for the Bonner Center after he graduates.
"The problems in Trenton are grave," he said.
Another community service opportunity for freshmen and Bonner scholars integrates basketball with leadership and mentorship. Donohue said the College athletic department gets involved, bringing students from Trenton to the campus for a basketball workout run by a coach, as well as homework help and a leadership workshop put on by students. They later all attend a men's basketball game together.
"(The College) is an institution that really puts its values that we have as a public institution into action," Donohue said. "We really try to put together a series of experiences so our students graduate as engaged and active citizens."
(02/13/08 12:00pm)
Senior Week is back this year, and although the alcohol policy from last year has not changed, everything else from past Senior Weeks has.
"It's a new program that will help us leave our legacy," senior class vice president Brad Henriksen said. "It's not like the old Senior Weeks."
Senior Week this year has four goals: unity, closure, celebration and legacy.
"The stigma of the week is completely different," Henriksen said.
On the first night, May 13, seniors will participate in reverse PlayFair. While most students at the College attend PlayFair during Welcome Week to meet fellow freshmen, this PlayFair will give seniors the opportunity to see friends as well as meet classmates.
"It'll ... form unity right off the bat," senior class secretary Nicole Kasian said.
Other highlights of the week include a "mystery" speaker that the council cannot yet disclose, a lakeside picnic that will probably feature boats on one of the lakes and a big luau at KatManDu in Trenton.
On the last night, students will participate in a new tradition. They will assemble around the Science Complex fountain, which will be turned on, and College President R. Barbara Gitenstein will lead them in a champagne toast.
After the toast, seniors will walk in a processional to Eickhoff Hall for their "senior gala," a semi-formal dance.
The council members said Eickhoff will be set up with a dance floor and a formal dinner will be served. Henriksen said Eickhoff will not be recognizable as the usual dining hall.
Other events planned are a trip to Great Adventure, a pig roast and a trip to Jenk's Night Club in Point Pleasant.
Alcohol is still not allowed in Travers/Wolfe halls but will be served at various events throughout the week in moderation, such as at the pig roast and the senior gala.
"We've really stacked this program to appeal to so many different people," senior class treasurer Karen Robinson said.
Robinson said the council has worked hard with Jim Norfleet, vice president for Student Affairs, and Magda Manetas, vice president for Student Services. She said that despite last year's problems with lack of ticket sales, the administration, including Gitenstein, has been very receptive to reinstating Senior Week.
"They've definitely been so supportive throughout," she said.
Registration starts on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Tickets will be $185 each and will include everything except extra meals and drinks throughout the week.
Registration information will be available through the Senior Week Web site, tcnj.edu/~seniorwk.
The Student Finance Board (SFB) allocated $5,600 at its Feb. 6 meeting to go toward the program.
Henriksen said although SFB did not fully allocate their request, the council is extremely grateful for the support of the board.
That amount will be supplemented by funding from Alumni Affairs as well as through fundraising by the senior class council.
"We have a lot of confidence in our program," she said.
Council members said they were motivated to try to resurrect Senior Week after last year's failure.
"We wanted to have a Senior Week," Robinson said. "We've done this not just for ourselves but our entire class."
"We really just want to focus on new traditions," Henriksen said. "This is the last chance we're going to have to be together at some of the places we remember."
(02/13/08 12:00pm)
At 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 30 Campus Police officers were at the Townhouses Complex for a fire drill when a student did not evacuate her room because she was intoxicated. The student was brought outside by a housing assistant and then brought into the lounge to be treated by Lions' EMS.
The student admitted she was drinking alcoholic beverages earlier in the evening. Her breath and body smelled of alcohol and she swayed and staggered when she tried to walk.
She was transferred to a hospital and issued a summons for minors possessing alcoholic beverages.
There is no further information at this time.
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A suspicious man was reported harassing a male student in the Townhouses Complex at 3:50 p.m. on Jan. 30. The male victim told Campus Police that the suspect, a white male, knocked on the door of the townhouse and a female student who also lives in the townhouse answered the door.
The male suspect told the female student he had formerly worked for the College in Holman Hall as a tutor for English and Spanish. He said he was looking for a male student that he was supposed to tutor but he was not sure he had the right address and would have to call his wife to check. The female student told him there were two males in the building and led him to the door on the first floor. She then returned to her room on the third floor.
The male victim said he heard a knock on his first-floor door and when he answered it the suspect asked if he needed any tutoring in Spanish, saying he used to be an adjunct professor in Holman Hall. The student said he did not need any tutoring.
The suspect then asked him, "Do you like guys?" and grabbed his chest. The male student pushed him away and said he was calling the police. The suspect fled and a search for him in the area returned no results.
There is no further information at this time.
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An injured intoxicated male was found at 2:25 a.m. on Feb. 2 at Wolfe Hall. Campus Police arrived at Wolfe to find the student sitting in a chair, conscious with a two-inch laceration down his left elbow. The cut stopped bleeding but the student had bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech and appeared light-headed.
He said he did not remember where or how he was injured and that he had about seven shots between 11 p.m. and midnight on Feb. 1. He said he thought he was at the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity house but wasn't sure.
He was escorted to a hospital and was issued a summons for underage possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages in a public place.
There is no further information at this time.