Police find individuals with stolen bicycle
By Raquel Sosa-SanchezColumnist
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By Raquel Sosa-SanchezColumnist
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Student reports bike theft near Phelps Hall On May 1 at approximately 3:10 p.m., Campus Police were contacted on account of a reported theft. The reporting student stated that his purple Diamondback 21 speed mountain bike had been stolen between 8:30 p.m. on April 30 and 9:45 a.m. on May 1, near Phelps Hall. He stated that he noticed his bicycle was missing at approximately 9:45 a.m. on May 1, but he waited to report the bike as stolen because he believed that it would be found. The student advised Campus Police that he did not secure his bicycle via lock and he could not recall its serial number. He stated that the bike was fairly new and is valued at approximately $510. The case remains open. Email notifies campus community of attempted burglary On May 1 at approximately 6:40 a.m., an email from Chief Information Officer Sharon Blanton was sent to the campus community regarding an attempted burglary. The email stated that earlier that morning, there had been an attempted burglary at an off-campus student house on Brandon Avenue in Ewing. According to the email, the suspect had attempted to gain access through the first-floor window of the residence, but was scared off by the residents. Members of the campus community were advised to keep their doors and windows secured — especially on the ground floor — and to contact police in case of any emergency. Campus Police was not involved in this incident, according to Campus Police Sergeant Marcie Montalvo. Student reports theft of laptop On Thursday, May 2 at approximately 12:33 p.m., Campus Police was contacted on account of a report of theft. The reporting student stated that she had left her 10-year-old Dell laptop computer in a classroom of the Education Building by accident on April 16 at approximately 3:30 p.m., after her class had ended. She stated that she was contacted by her assistant professor at approximately 4 p.m. that day, who notified her that she had left her laptop in the classroom. According to the student, she was unsure if her professor took the laptop to secure it for her or if the laptop would remain in the secured room. She stated that she had returned the next day to retrieve the laptop and it was gone. According to the student, she had spoken to her professor and he stated that he had seen the laptop left it in the classroom and then proceeded to leave. The case remains open.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist More vandalism occurs at campus memorial site On April 9 at approximately 8:18 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to a memorial wall on campus on a report of criminal mischief. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with the reporting individual. He reported that he had checked on the memorial on April 8 at approximately 8 p.m. and the memorial had been “untouched.” However, at approximately 7:54 a.m. the following morning, he had received a phone call alerting him that the memorial had been vandalized. Campus Police observed that some of the flags surrounding the memorial had been pulled up from the ground and knocked over. Two out of three of the reported signs appeared to be missing, according to the reporting individual. The only present sign was pulled up from the ground and read “Don’t make memorials to guilt trip women” on the back. The reporting individual was advised to contact Campus Police if the memorial was vandalized again. Campus Police proceeded to take pictures of the scene for evidence. The case remains open. Another report of theft in Fitness Center On April 10 at approximately 8:45 p.m., Campus Police was contacted on account of a report of theft. The student who reported the theft said that he went to the Campus Town Fitness Center to exercise earlier in the day between approximately 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. He reported that upon entering the Fitness Center, he proceeded to the men’s locker room and placed his backpack in an unsecured locker on the left-hand side of the locker room. He stated that he had placed his wallet underneath a textbook at the bottom of his backpack and then proceeded to the gym area. Upon return to the locker room at approximately 10 a.m., he had not seen any cause for suspicion. At approximately 5 p.m., the victim noticed that $35 in cash was missing from his wallet. In his account to Campus Police, the student said that he had seen a white, college-aged male in the locker room at the time he had initially arrived at approximately 9 a.m. Campus Police checked the security footage of the area, but the search yielded negative results. The case remains open. Artwork missing from IMM Building On April 11 at approximately 5 p.m., Campus Police was contacted on account of a report of stolen property. The reporting student stated that his artwork had been stolen from the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building. He said that he had last seen his artwork on April 4 at approximately 4:50 p.m. on a wall near room 102 of the building. However, at approximately 9 a.m. on April 10, the student noticed his artwork missing during one of his classes. The artwork, which is currently valued at approximately $3, was described as a oak wooden pixelated Pac-Man that measured at 12 by 18 inches. Campus Police checked on security footage of the area but it yielded negative results. The student was advised to contact Campus Police with any updates. The art piece remains missing.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Students receive court summons for marijuana possession On March 30 at approximately 8:37 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to a campus residence hall on account of suspected drug use. Upon arrival at approximately 8:40 p.m., officers immediately noticed the odor of marijuana emanating from one of the rooms in the residence hall. Campus Police proceeded to knock on the door and was met with two students, whom the officers perceived to be visibly nervous. Campus Police proceeded to question the students, asking if they had been smoking marijuana, to which one of the students responded affirmatively. The same student proceeded to state that he had a marijuana vape pen on top of the bureau inside of the room. The pen appeared to contain a brown liquid substance that appeared to be THC oil. At approximately 8:44 p.m., the student was placed under arrest and secured in handcuffs. Campus Police then proceeded to search the other student with negative results. Officers searched the room and found a glass bowl containing a black tar-like substance believed to be marijuana resin. The other student was then placed under arrest and secured in handcuffs. At approximately 8:52 p.m., Campus Police transported the suspects to its headquarters in marked patrol vehicles without incident. Upon arrival at approximately 9:08 p.m., the suspects were read the Uniform Mercer County Rights Form and both students opted not to waive their rights. Both were processed and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana under 50 grams. Upon further search while processing, Campus Police discovered fraudulent Connecticut driver’s licenses belonging to both suspects. They were then both charged with possession of false identification. The students were then given first appearance notice forms for the Superior Court of New Jersey in addition to their respective complaint summonses. Bias incident occurs in residence hall On March 31, at approximately 7:35 p.m., Campus Police responded to the third floor of a residence hall on the report of a “bias incident.” Upon arrival, officers met with faculty of the building and observed an unapproved poster that was hung on a bulletin board in the hall. The poster read, “I don’t trust something that bleeds for 30 days and doesn’t die.” A faculty member said that the poster contained information in reference to the month of March being Women’s History Month. The faculty member also said that she had received a message in a GroupMe chat of the residents on the floor that advised her of the poster prior to calling Campus Police. The student who advised the faculty member spoke with Campus Police and stated she did not know how long the poster had been there. She said that she had only just seen it while throwing out her trash. Faculty told Campus Police that a floor meeting would be held regarding the incident. Campus Police took photos of the poster and advised faculty to contact its headquarters with any updates. The case remains open. Multiple thefts occur in Fitness Center On April 2 at approximately 4 p.m., Campus Police was contacted on account of theft. The victim stated that he was using Campus Town Fitness Center facilities between 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and had left his wallet wrapped in a hoodie in an unlocked locker in the men’s locker room. He advised that when he returned at approximately 3:30 p.m., he found that $190 in cash had been taken from his wallet. He stated that he spoke with Fitness Center staff, who advised him that they were not responsible for unsecured items. On April 3 at approximately 12:15 p.m., Campus Police was contacted on account of theft of personal property in the men’s locker room of the fitness center. The student reported that between 10:45 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on April 2, someone had removed a soccer jersey from his duffel bag in the men’s locker room. He advised Campus Police that his duffel bag was in a locker and not locked. A search of the area was immediately conducted and yielded negative results. Campus Police strongly recommend that students and faculty secure their property in public spaces with key or combination locks. The case remains open. Vandalism occurs on campus On April 4 at approximately 7:50 p.m., Campus Police responded to an incident that had occurred at the “Graveyard of the Innocents” display near the large display board between the Brower Student Center and Green Hall. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with College students who advised that they were members of the TCNJ Students for Life organization and that three of the signs from their display had been vandalized. One of the students stated that another member of the organization found the signs and informed him of the incident. Upon further inspection of the vandalized signs, Campus Police observed that they appeared to have been stepped on and had coffee poured on them. The students also advised Campus Police that the metal H-shaped sign holders had been taken from the signs as well. However, none of the red or blue flags on the display had been tampered with in any way. Campus Police contacted dispatch to review security footage, which yielded no results. The case remains open.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Student hears suspicious banging on residence doors On March 29 at approximately 10:11 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Townhouses South on a report of harassment. The individual and resident contacted Campus Police and stated someone was banging loudly on her first-floor residence window facing toward the woods. She was unable to see who was banging on her door, nor could she provide a description of the suspect during the phone call. Campus police arrived on the scene at approximately 10:12 p.m. and searched the immediate area with negative results. At this time, officers advised the student and dispatch that a search of the area be conducted, but it yielded no suspicious activity. The student then stated to police that she was watching a movie when she heard a loud banging on her side window next to her bed and again on the rear window facing the woods. She stated that she felt frightened and immediately contacted Campus Police. The student was then informed that systematic patrols of the area would be conducted throughout the evening of the immediate area. She was also advised to contact the department immediately if she needed the services of the Campus Police. Faculty member reports stolen briefcase On March 28 at approximately 7:30 a.m., a faculty member reported that he believed someone had stolen his briefcase from Room 101 of Forcina Hall. The faculty member said that he was teaching a class on March 25 and brought his class to take photos at the Brower Student Center at approximately 2 p.m., leaving his briefcase unattended in Forcina Hall. At approximately 6:30 a.m. on March 26, he realized the briefcase was missing. He described the briefcase as a black computer-sized bag containing various work papers and a small plastic container containing three flash-drives. No confidential information was reported to be on the flash drives or paperwork. The faculty member stated the total value to be $60. Student reports stolen iPhone On March 26 at approximately midnight, Campus Police was contacted in regards to a student’s cell phone being stolen from the Fitness Center in Campus Town. He stated he was in the Fitness Center between 10:45 p.m. and 11 p.m. The student said he walked away and left the cell phone on the stretching mats inside the Fitness Center. When he came back, his cell phone was missing. He tried to track his cell phone by calling it, but the phone went right to voicemail. The student described his cellphone as a silver iPhone 10 with a clear case. The phone is valued at approximately $1,000. Campus Police took down the serial number of the phone and proceeded to advise the student to contact them if there was any update on the case. Reports of stolen property on the rise On March 25 at approximately 11 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Centennial Hall to meet with a student on account of theft. The student stated he went to Insomnia Cookies in Campus Town at approximately 8:30 p.m. and used cash in his wallet to pay. He then proceeded to the Fitness Center in Campus Town and was there between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. After he was done working out, he proceeded to 7-Eleven with his friend when he noticed cash was missing from his wallet. He stated that approximately $30 to $40 would have been stolen. The individual stated he left his wallet in a cubby hole inside the Fitness Center. Campus Police reported there are no cameras facing the cubby hole in the Fitness Center. As a result, there was no security footage of the alleged incident. Campus Police stressed that students should not leave any valuable personal property without properly securing it. According to Campus Police, there has been an uptick of theft in large part due to students leaving their property unattended and/or without a lock. They urge students to purchase locks and keep a more “watchful eye” on their personal property. Locker Break-in in STEM Building On March 24 at approximately 9:15 a.m., Campus Police met with a student and faculty member in the STEM Building on behalf of a report of theft. Upon arrival, officers met with the student and College professor who advised that they keep their materials in three lockers in the STEM Building. According to their account, the student opened the locker closet when she noticed that multiple items in the closet were missing. She also claimed that the lock on the locker was bent and broken. The student advised when she last met in STEM on March 6, everything had been secured inside of her locker. She also advised that only she had the keys allowing access to the locker. While examining the locker, Campus Police observed the lock, which was located on the interior of the locker door, had been broken and needed to be replaced. Campus Police advised professional staff to create a work order for the locker and to contact Access Control to obtain a stronger lock for the lockers. A few of the items missing included black electrical cords in a black trash bag, fanny packs embroidered with “Hack TCNJ 2019” in a cardboard box, custom water bottles in a cardboard box labeled with the same embroidery and a bag of Reese’s and Twix candy. Students drunk in freshman dorm On March 15 at approximately 1:07 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Travers Hall on account of a potentially intoxicated student. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with two community advisors who directed police to the intoxicated student. The male student immediately stated that he had vomited and admitted to drinking three shots of raspberry Svedka vodka. The student had vomit on his legs and he had an odor of alcohol emanating from his breath, according to Campus Police. They observed the student having trouble keeping his balance and slurring his words. At this time, another individual approached the officers. The individual proceeded to talk to the officers and denied consumption of any alcoholic beverages. Officers observed that the young man could not keep himself balanced and began to slur his words. Campus Police then performed a field sobriety test on the second individual, which he failed. He then stated that he believed he did not have “that much” to drink. Both individuals were confirmed by dispatch as students of the College and TCNJ Emergency Medical Services was alerted. TCNJ EMS then arrived on scene to evaluate the students. The two students were assessed and cleared to remain on campus. One of the young men proceeded to slur incoherent words and phrases that officers could not decipher. Both students were issued a summons for underage consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Suspicious person lurks on campus On Thursday, March 28 at approximately 2:35 a.m., Chief of Campus Police Tim Grant sent out a campus-wide alert via email regarding a suspicious individual on campus grounds. The email stated that on March 27 at approximately 10 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to the Brower Student Center on a report of a suspicious person seen by building service workers. According to Campus Police, the individual was male and lingering in the women’s restroom. The individual identified himself and said he was not a student at the College. Upon arrival, Campus Police spoke with the suspect and he proceeded to leave the premises voluntarily. At approximately 10:20 p.m. on the same night, a female student residing on the second floor of Hausdoerffer Hall reported that a suspicious male matching the description of the suspect had knocked on her door and asked if she was alone. According to the student, the individual proceeded to make flirtatious remarks and then left the premises without any incident. Upon review of the building’s security footage, Campus Police observed this individual as fitting the description of the individual reported at Brower Student Center. Campus Police advised that students should use caution when giving others access to resident halls. An officer emphasized the “potentially dangerous” consequences this incident could have resulted in. Campus Police urges anyone with information pertaining to this case to call them immediately. There is no further information reported at this time, according to Campus Police.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Intoxicated student vomits in toilet On March 6 at approximately 1:52 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Townhouses East on a report of an intoxicated female. Upon arrival, officers were met by a student and resident who escorted them to the second-floor bathroom. Campus Police met with the female student, whom they observed to be conscious and alert. She appeared to be kneeling and vomiting into a toilet. Campus Police proceeded to question the student on how much alcohol she had consumed. The student stated she had consumed several mixed drinks at an off-campus party. At approximately 2 a.m., TCNJ Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene and proceeded to evaluate the student. Professional Staff arrived shortly after to further evaluate the student. Following evaluation by TCNJ EMS, Ewing EMS arrived on the scene to transport the student to a nearby medical facility. The student was not charged or issued a summons as a result of the New Jersey 911 Lifeline Legislation Act amnesty policy and her cooperation with TCNJ EMS and Campus Police. Harassment on gaming website concerns student On March 7 at approximately 3:39 p.m., a female student met with Campus Police to file a report of harassment. The victim had told officers that she became involved in an online gaming website called Steam Gaming Platform two months ago. According to the report, she said that over the last few weeks, she had been receiving messages from another game player that were concerning to her and what she believed to be harassive in nature. She stated that the messages said phrases such as, “you are a compulsive liar,” “you belong to a site/network full of people to harass me” and “you belong to a GoFundMe to get money.” She stated that she had decided to delete the harasser from the game, to which he responded by telling her, “if you block me or don’t respond to my messages, I will kill myself.” The student then proceeded to block him from the gaming website. The student was unable to provide Campus Police with a record of the alleged messages because they had allegedly been deleted from the website. The student stated that she had started visiting a different gaming website and began to receive similar harassing messages. She told Campus Police that she believes that this is the same individual from the previous gaming website. One message she had received read, “I know your mom and dad’s name, home address and that you are a student at the College of New Jersey.” He then again proceeded to send her a message saying, “I will kill myself.” She was able to provide a copy of these messages. The student was advised not to sign into any other gaming sites for the time being. She was also advised to contact Campus Police if she received any other messages of this nature. Theft occurs without resolution On March 13 at approximately 7:40 p.m., Campus Police met with a student on account of a theft report. The student believed that her wallet was stolen, though neither the student nor Campus Police are sure of whether it was stolen in the two locations the student visited –– the Library Cafe or Forcina Hall. She advised that at approximately 4 p.m., she arrived at the Library Cafe, where she purchased food with her wallet. She then sat down at the cafe and ate her food for approximately 30 minutes. The student then proceeded to walk to Forcina Hall. She advised that she was in a room in Forcina Hall for approximately two hours and left only to use the restroom for approximately 10 minutes. The student stated that the wallet was a phone wallet that is typically attached to the back of her phone. She advised that it contained her student ID, a driver’s license and a bank debit card. She was advised by Campus Police to cancel the debit card immediately. The student told Campus Police that she had checked with the library’s circulation desk, as well as the cafe. She said that she had already retraced her steps prior to reporting the theft. Campus Police was unable to find evidence of theft after viewing security footage from the library and Library Cafe. The student was advised to contact Campus Police if she recovered any of the stolen items.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Police respond to roof access tampering On Feb. 28 at approximately 6:45 p.m., a College superintendent and project manager reported to Campus Police that the roof access door of Wolfe Hall appeared to be tampered with — the lock was jammed and the door could not be opened. At approximately 7:03 p.m., a College Access Control employee on call was contacted to address the issue. Professional Staff arrived on the scene at approximately 7:31 p.m. and reported that there was damage to the door — which appeared to be old — and said that the supervisor of Access Control had been notified. He stated that he tried to access the door with a screwdriver and was met with negative results. He believed the situation would be fine until a more permanent solution could be arranged. Campus Police arrived on scene at approximately 7:50 p.m. and observed signs of tampering to the access door. However, the door remained secured. Photographs were taken in addition to the report. The case remains open. Intoxicated student vomits several times On March 3 at approximately 1:30 a.m., a senior security officer observed two males walking near Cromwell Hall assisting their friend. The SSO determined the male who needed assistance was intoxicated and called for Campus Police. Upon arrival, Campus Police observed the male sitting on a bench near Cromwell Hall, visibly intoxicated. There were two other males who were identified on scene as residents and students at the College. The two males admitted that they were coming from an off-campus party and were trying to assist their friend back to his dorm room. When Campus Police asked the visibly intoxicated male for his license, he failed to produce one. Campus Police noted that the student’s speech was slurred. He was then asked for his date of birth, which he provided. The student then proceeded to provide another possible date of birth. Campus Police provided both dates to dispatch. Dispatch was then able to confirm the identity of the intoxicated male. The intoxicated student then proceeded to admit to Campus Police that he had consumed an unknown amount of vodka. Professional Staff and TCNJ EMS then arrived on scene to evaluate the student. While they were assessing the student, he vomited multiple times. TCNJ EMS requested for Basic Life Support ambulatory services to transport the student for further medical treatment. Ewing EMS then arrived on scene and transported the intoxicated student. He was issued a summons for underage drinking. Campus Police receives report of sex crime On March 7 at approximately 6:54 p.m., a campus-wide email alerted the College community of a report of a non-consensual sexual crime that had taken place in a residence hall on campus. The crime occurred after the parties had allegedly met through a dating app. The alleged perpetrator is not a student at the College. The email detailed precautionary measures for students to take when interacting with strangers. The case is currently under investigation, according to Campus Police.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Student discovers hate speech on keyboard in STEM On Feb. 14 at approximately 3:44 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Green Hall regarding criminal mischief. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with the assistant director of Information Technology, who reported that he was told by a professor that an unknown student had rearranged keys on a computer keyboard in one of the multiple computer labs in the STEM Building to read the words “NIGER” and “MEXICAN GOD.” Campus Police was provided a room schedule and photographs of the keyboard. Campus Police then spoke with the advising professor on the matter. The professor told them that a student pointed out the keyboard to him soon after he arrived to class at approximately 8 a.m. There are currently no suspects in this investigation. CA reports intoxicated student in Wolfe Hall On Feb. 23 at approximately 1:14 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Wolfe Hall on the report of an intoxicated person. Upon arrival, the Police discovered a female individual sitting in a chair in the lounge on a floor in Wolfe Hall. The individual was seen sitting upright, conscious and alert. A community adviser stated that she saw the individual staggering up the stairs and brought her to the Wolfe Hall lobby for evaluation. While speaking to the female individual, who was confirmed to be a student and resident of Wolfe Hall, Campus Police detected an odor of alcohol emanating from her breath. The student’s speech was slow and slurred, according to reporting officers. Campus Police asked the student if she had consumed any alcoholic beverages. The student then stated that she had consumed multiple mixed drinks. TCNJ Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene to evaluate the student. She was then cleared and allowed to return to her room. The student was issued a “B” summons for possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages in a public place or motor vehicle by a person under legal age. Campus Police discover intoxicated female in Wolfe Hall On Feb. 24 at approximately 12:15 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Wolfe Hall on the report of an intoxicated person. Upon arrival, Campus Police discovered a female student laying on the floor in front of Wolfe Hall’s rear lobby elevators. The student was accompanied by multiple other female students. Upon questioning, she was unresponsive and her speech was incomprehensible. Campus Police detected the odor of alcohol emanating from her breath, as well as vomit on her shirt, pants and the floor where she was laying. Campus Police questioned two of the accompanying students, who they stated that their unconscious friend had consumed multiple mixed drinks at an unknown off-campus house party. The CA at the scene stated she saw the female student laying on the floor and throwing up on the Wolfe Hall rear lobby elevators. The CA then proceeded to call Campus Police. TCNJ Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and evaluated the student. She was transported to a nearby medical facility for further evaluation. Campus Police did not issue a “B” summons for possession or consumption of an alcoholic beverage by person under legal age due to the level of intoxication of the student. Campus Police reported that she will be issued the summons at a later date. Intoxicated male vomits in Wolfe Hall On Feb. 24 at approximately 3:05 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to a men’s room on one of the floors of Wolfe Hall on an intoxicated persons call. Upon arrival, a male individual was seen sitting up on the floor inside the hallway doors, being evaluated by TCNJ EMS. The individual, confirmed to be a student, appeared to be alert and conscious. The student told Campus Police that he had consumed nine Bud Light beers at an off-campus location. He was initially found by a female student who stated that she found him lying on the floor outside of her room, having already vomited. The male student vomited a second time while being evaluated by TCNJ EMS. When asked if he wanted to be transported to a hospital for further evaluation, the student stated that he did not. TCNJ EMS determined that the student was able to return to his room for the evening. The student was then issued a “B” summons for possession or consumption of an alcoholic beverage by person under legal age. Theft occurs at Campus Town Fitness Center On Feb. 26 at approximately 9:15 p.m., Campus Police met with a male student who wanted to report a theft from the Campus Town Fitness Center. The student stated he arrived at the Fitness Center at approximately 7:45 p.m. and proceeded to the men’s locker room. He stated that he rolled up his wallet in his jacket and placed the items in a locker without a lock. He went back to the locker at approximately 8:45 p.m. to take his belongings from the unlocked locker. Upon exiting the Fitness Center, the student checked his wallet and found that all his cash was missing from his wallet. He reported that he had $80 in all 20-dollar bills prior to the theft. He notified the front desk attendant before leaving and proceeded to TCNJ Campus Police Headquarters to report the theft. The student advised Campus Police that nothing else was missing from his wallet. The case is currently still open for investigation.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Theft occurs on basketball court Campus Police met with a male student at Campus Police Headquarters on Feb. 15 at approximately 9:55 a.m. on account of a reported theft at the Recreation Center. According to the student, his wallet was stolen out of his pants pocket, which was on the left side of the basketball court while he was playing handball. The student reported that the theft occurred on Feb. 14 at approximately 8:40 p.m. The student described his wallet as a Grey Tumi wallet that contains cash, a driver’s license, a debit card, multiple credit cards, an NJ Transit Path Card and a rewards card. Female student loses property at T-Dubs Dining On Feb. 15 at approximately 10:13 p.m., Campus Police met with a female student at Campus Police Headquarters on account of lost property. According to the student, her wallet was either lost or stolen from T-Dubs Dining at approximately 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 14. She described it as a black leather Kate Spade wallet that contained multiple debit cards, a credit card, an identification card, multiple rewards cards and an insurance card. Guest sleeps in residence lounge On Feb. 16 at approximately 1:55 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to the lounge of a residence in Townhouses East in reference to a report of an unconscious person. Upon arrival, Campus Police observed a sleeping black male on the first-floor lounge couch. Officers proceeded to wake the individual. The individual then told Campus police that he was visiting his friend, who told him that he could sleep on the couch in the first-floor common area. The individual who called Campus Police, the community adviser who lived in the residence, reported that she came home and saw a male on the couch in the first floor common area. She then attempted to wake him up without success. She then sent out a group text message to see if the male was a guest of a housemate, but she did not get a response. The CA then proceeded to contact the CA on duty and called Campus Police. Campus Police then proceeded to the second floor of the residence and observed a long folding table with approximately 25 empty Busch and Bud Light beer cans and several 16-ounce red plastic cups. They then proceeded to knock on the door of the alleged friend of the male visitor sleeping on the couch on the first floor. One of the males in the room proceeded to open the door. Campus Police observed two males sleeping in the room. One of the individuals woke up and identified himself as a student. He was then asked by Campus Police if the male on the first floor was his friend. The student proceeded downstairs and verified that the male sleeping on the couch was his friend. The student and male visitor were then asked to produce identifications, which neither did. After several further requests, the student then proceeded to give Campus Police his driver’s licence, while the male visitor denied having identification. He then proceeded to give Campus Police his date of birth and name. Campus Police was unable to identify the male visitor after running his information through the system. Professional staff was advised of the situation and arrived to the scene shortly after. The student was advised to let his other housemates know that he was having company in the common area and that someone from Residential Life would be in contact with him in reference to the alcohol. The student was issued an underage drinking summons and was advised of his court date. He then stood up to leave the first floor. As he was walking, he said that if his guest had not been African-American, then the situation would not have happened. The Pro-staff member heard the comment and reminded the student of the Townhouse guest policy. She also told him that his comment was inappropriate and they would conducting a meeting with him soon.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist CUB funds missing from lock box The College Union Board reported a theft of $506 on Feb. 5 at approximately 8:09 p.m. The student reporting the theft was made aware of the incident on Feb. 4 by CUB’s student financial director. The theft occurred between Dec. 18 and Feb. 4, according to CUB. The cash from ticket sales is deposited in the office’s portable lock box until a general deposit is initiated. In this incident, the money was received and never deposited at the bank. Campus Police proceeded to the Brower Student Center and found that there was no evidence of tampering with the main door filing cabinet or the lock box. Campus Police took pictures of the office for reference. A list of members who have access to the cabinet was provided to Campus Police. Anyone in CUB or anyone who had access to the office could have accessed the unsecured lock box due to the lack of security procedures. Campus Police was told that faculty members and the assistant director of student activities have been made aware of the incident. New precautions have been put in place, such as a new lock box and a more secure area to prevent this incident from reoccurring. Student finds bologna on vehicle On Feb. 6 at approximately 11:10 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to TCNJ Campus Police Headquarters on a report of criminal mischief. Upon arrival, Campus Police was met by a female student who stated that a note was left on her vehicle on Feb. 2 at approximately 11:30 p.m. by another individual. The victim stated that the note was in relation to her love for the Disney brand. Campus Police questioned whether she recognized the handwriting, to which she stated she did not. The student stated that an individual with the same name that was on the note lives in her residence. However, when she asked this individual about the note, he denied having any involvement to the incident. The student also explained that on Feb. 5 at approximately 2 p.m. she arrived at her vehicle to find a piece of bologna on her windshield. Campus Police contacted the individual who went by the same name that was written on the first note. When he was questioned regarding the matter, the student denied having any involvement. There are currently no suspects in the investigation. Intoxicated student texts concern friends On Feb. 7 at approximately 1 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Travers Hall in response to an intoxicated female. Upon arrival, Campus Police spoke with two friends of the intoxicated student. They were concerned because she was drinking and came back to the room vomiting. They also received texts stating that she possibly wanted to harm herself. As Campus Police entered the room, they observed the intoxicated student sitting on her bed and vomiting into a garbage can. Campus Police then asked her how much she had been drinking, to which she replied, “four or five shots of Bacardi Rum.” She then told Campus Police on which floor where the drinking occurred. The student was then told that her friends had called because they were concerned for her safety. Professional staff then arrived on the scene where Campus Police informed them of the incident. The student agreed to go to the hospital for further evaluation and consulting due to the concerning messages she had sent. TCNJ EMS and Ewing Township EMS Squad then arrived on the scene and assumed patient care. She was transported to a nearby medical facility for further evaluation. Bathroom stall missing from Forcina On Feb. 7 at approximately 8:50 a.m., Campus Police met with a Building Services supervisor in Forcina Hall. The supervisor reported that an unknown person removed two bathroom stall doors from the men’s bathroom on the first floor of Forcina Hall. Upon investigation, Campus Police observed that one stall door was removed from the frame and that another was semi-attached by one hinge. The doors did not appear to have been forcefully removed or pulled off. Additionally, the screws used to secure the stall doors to the hinges were not at the scene. The supervisor reported that there were no work orders placed for any repairs or remodeling in the bathroom where the incident occurred. He stated that he observed the missing doors hours after his morning shift began. Overnight staff did not report the incident. The Building Services supervisor believes that the incident must have occurred after the overnight crew finished cleaning. He was then advised by Campus Police to contact TCNJ Campus Police Headquarters with any additional information that would assist in the investigation. Campus Police find missing female On Feb. 9 at approximately 2:35 a.m., Campus Police dispatch advised that a local township police department had issued a missing persons announcement for a juvenile female who was supposed to be on her way to the College. After speaking with the township’s police, Campus Police dispatch told the parents of the missing juvenile that they believed she was with her friend’s sister, a student at the College, and believed that she had been drinking alcoholic beverages that night. Campus Police then looked up the student’s information and found that she lived in New Residence Hall. They then met with pro-staff, who were updated on the situation before proceeding to the student’s room. Campus Police and pro-staff knocked on the suspected room multiple times before receiving a response. When the student answered the door, Campus Police and accompanying staff introduced themselves. The student was initially hesitant to confirm that the missing juvenile visitor was in the room, but eventually proceeded to wake her up. After observing that the student was having a difficult time attempting to wake her, Campus Police entered the room to check on her well-being. As they entered, they saw that the room was also occupied by two additional people –– one male, who was not a student, and another sleeping male. Campus Police noted a heavy odor of alcoholic beverages upon entrance, along with empty shot glasses on the ground and table. Campus Police told dispatch to call the local township’s police department to inform them that they had located the missing person. They also requested that dispatch call for an ambulance due to the presence of alcohol at the scene. Once the individual woke up, Campus Police asked her if she had been drinking and she said that she had. She believed that she had approximately four shots of vodka earlier on the evening of Feb. 8 and had stopped drinking at approximately 9 p.m. The other three individuals, one of which included the room’s occupant, were then questioned by Campus Police. Ewing Township EMS arrived on scene and Campus Police escorted them to the room. They said that they would be transporting the juvenile visitor to a nearby medical facility and did not need police to ride with them. Campus Police advised dispatch to relay information to the local township’s police department to tell the girl’s parents where to meet her. After EMS left, Campus Police asked the female student whose room it was to open her mini refrigerator where they believed there to be alcoholic beverages. The student refused to open the refrigerator. She was then issued a summons for underage consumption of alcoholic beverages. Theft occurs in Campus Town Fitness Center On Feb. 13 at approximately 3:20 p.m., Campus Police met with a College student regarding the theft of $100 from his wallet at the Campus Town Fitness Center. The student stated that at approximately 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. he entered the Fitness Center and entered the men’s locker room. Once in the locker room, he placed all of his items in the back left locker. While he was placing his items in the locker, he stated that a male entered the locker room. He then stated that this male saw the locker in which he had placed his items. He said that the male had a buzzcut, and was wearing a gray and green tank top. The student stated that when he finished his workout and went back into the locker room, he observed the locker he was using to be open, with his jacket hanging out of it. He said that a zipper on his backpack was open and that $100 in 20-dollar bills was missing from his wallet. A check of his debit and credit card accounts showed that there had been no faulty charges to his cards. Campus Police then advised the student to keep an eye on his accounts going forward. The student said that no other property was stolen.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Columnist Police issue summons for man in possession of drugs While conducting parking enforcement at Townhouse South at approximately 12:40 p.m. on Jan. 30, Campus Police observed a Pontiac driving north on the one-way sidewalk. The driver said he was picking up a calculator from a friend. At this time, Campus Police officers observed what they believed to be a marijuana cigarette in an ashtray on the center console. They then asked if it was marijuana and the individual said it was. Campus Police then asked if there was any more marijuana in the vehicle and he said there was a bag on the seat. Campus Police then radioed to dispatch the location and the registration on the vehicle and proceeded to request for backup. The individual was asked to turn off the vehicle and stay in the car. Campus Police asked for his driver’s license and he stated that it was in his backpack in the trunk. He was then asked for his name and date of birth, which he provided. Another officer arrived and Campus Police proceeded to arrest the individual. Campus Police searched him and retrieved the marijuana cigarette from the individual’s console, as well as a plastic sandwich bag containing that was believed to be marijuana and other drug paraphernalia. They transported the individual and all evidence to Campus Police Headquarters. The individual requested that his car be parked on the side of the road by Campus Police. Campus Police processed the individual and read him his Miranda Rights. Campus Police issued a complaint summons for the individual to appear in court for a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled dangerous substance under 50 grams. He was then released on his own recognizance at approximately 2 p.m. The individual was not a student of the College. Student reports missing Airpods On Jan. 31 at approximately 4:40 p.m., a female student arrived at Campus Police Headquarters to report stolen AirPods. The student stated that she was in a physics class between 9:30 a.m. and 10:50 a.m., then stopped by the chemistry lounge for 10 minutes before going to Roscoe West for tutoring. She stated she stopped by the library cafe for 45 minutes before returning to Cromwell Hall. At approximately 3 p.m., the student realized her AirPods were missing. The student had a tracking device on her AirPods and the signal led her back to the second floor Physics Lounge area, where she found her tracking device on the ledge of the white boards. The student described her AirPods as being white in a blue silicon case. She stated she received the AirPods last Christmas, and that they were valued at $160. The student was then given a report number and was instructed to contact the College Police Department with any new information. Police respond to report of unconscious student On Feb. 3 at approximately 12:15 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Travers Hall in reference to a report of a female who was unconscious. Upon arrival, Campus Police spoke to a community adviser who said that a student in one room was intoxicated. Campus Police found the student conscious upon arrival. The student informed the officers that she had consumed several shots of vodka. The student was advised that the TCNJ EMS was coming to her room so that she could be evaluated. EMS then arrived on scene to evaluate the student. After being evaluated, she was asked if she wanted to go to the hospital, to which she stated she did not want to go. She signed a refusal for further medical treatment and was advised to contact Campus Police if her condition worsened. The student was also granted the New Jersey Lifeline Legislation Amnesty Law because her friends contacted a community adviser, who then contacted Campus police. The student was not issued a summons.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Staff Writer Student pulls fire alarm at Eickhoff Hall Campus Police was dispatched to Eickhoff Hall at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Jan. 24 in response to an active fire alarm. Upon arrival, Campus Police entered the building and went to the fire alarm panel, which read, “First Floor Elevator Pull Station.” Officers found no signs of smoke or fire. After reviewing security camera footage, Campus Police discovered two males who were seen entering Eickhoff Hall and heading to the first floor near the fire alarm pull station at the approximate time that the fire alarm was sounded. The first suspect was a tall male, wearing a blue jacket with a gray hood. The second suspect was wearing black pants, a black sweatshirt and flip-flops. Campus Police reset the fire alarm and allowed the occupants of Eickhoff Hall to re-enter the building. Based on the description of the two suspects, Campus Police did not observe the suspects re-entering the building. Officers spoke with a student manager of residential operations and a residence director, who believed that the second suspect lived in the building. At approximately 12 a.m. on Jan. 25, a College security officer observed a male matching the description of the second suspect walking from Decker Hall toward Eickhoff Hall. Campus Police arrived and spoke with the male, who was identified as a student at the College. The male initially stated that he knew nothing about the fire alarm going off, but later changed his statement when Campus Police informed the him of the security footage. The male stated that he went to the entrance of Eickhoff Hall to let his friend in and specified that his friend did not inform him of his plans to pull the fire alarm. Charges were not filed against the friend of the suspect and he was classified as a witness. Campus Police arrived at the suspect’s residence and subsequently arrested him. The student was transported to Campus Police Headquarters and issued a summons for causing a false public alarm. Intoxicated student lies in own vomit Campus Police was dispatched at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 30 to the first floor gender-neutral bathroom in New Residence Hall regarding an intoxicated student. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with a male student who reported going to the first floor restroom. When he entered, he observed a male student on the bathroom floor face-down covered in vomit and breathing normally. Ewing EMS arrived and transported the student to a hospital for further evaluation. Campus Police met with the student at the hospital and reported that the student admitted to consuming several shots of vodka. The student was issued a ticket for underage consumption of alcoholic beverages.
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Staff Writer The College hosted its annual Community Learning Day, sponsored by the Cultural and Intellectual Community Council, in Kendall Hall on Sept. 26. The class of 2022 had the opportunity to engage directly with Jennine Capó Crucet, the author of this year’s assigned summer reading titled, “Make Your Home Among Strangers.” Crucet gave a keynote lecture on the book and discussed the theme of her novel and how its message relates to the class of 2022. “Make Your Home Among Strangers” is about a first generation college student, Lizet, who finds herself in unknown territory and at odds with her family when she chooses to leave home for an elite college. While Lizet, like Crucet, is the daughter of Cuban immigrants, Crucet did not base her character on herself. “I am not Lizet,” Crucet said. “It’s totally made up.” According the Miami Herald, Lizet encounters an internal struggle to help her impoverished family and advance her career at the same time. In the novel, Lizet often feels like an outsider, both in her home and at school. Her parents and siblings fail to grasp and understand her struggles at school. As a result of these struggles, she begins to view her family in a different light. While in college, Lizet becomes alienated as she attempts to integrate with privileged students and faces discrimination from her professors. In one instance, a college administrator dismisses an accusation of plagiarism based on Lizet’s minority status. Crucet uses Lizet’s situation to define the “Latino Experience” of first generation college students. She wrote the novel in order to shed light on the lack of stories about first generation college students and Latino culture. The novel is so important because it highlights experiences that many minorities feel when moving to a new place. Like Lizet, Crucet can still feel the cultural and social differences that plagued her when she moved to her new home in Nebraska. Compared to the Cuban-American lifestyle in Miami, Florida, Crucet has encountered a different reality in Nebraska while teaching as an associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “If there isn’t discomfort there isn’t opportunity for growth,” Crucet said. “First thing I did when I moved to Nebraska, I found some cows to herd.” With the new experience in mind, Crucet documented the cultural and ethnic differences between her and the Nebraska natives. Crucet noted the bias and prejudice of the ranchers and speculated on the state of race and ethnicity in the country today. In response to a question about latino integration in schools and universities, Crucet claims that immigration is not the only topic that has to be addressed concerning latinos in America. “I had to recognize that I was [at Cornell] to enrich the white person’s experience,” she said. Students such as freshman elementary education major Gabriella Son applauded Crucet’s message of latino integration in universities. “The address was incredibly powerful and resonated deeply,” she said. “I think I really needed this.” Rosie Hymerling (67’), a trustee and long time alumna of the College, praised Crucet’s courage to address vital issues among first generation college students. “These issues cannot simply be ignored,” she said. “There are just some things you cannot sweep under the rug.”
By Raquel Sosa-Sanchez Staff Writer Improvements to the east side of Roscoe West Hall, which began on June 4, are scheduled to end on Sept. 30, according to the Office of Campus Planning and Construction. The project is focused on repairing the 1968 addition to Roscoe West Hall. Repairs consist of removing existing roof membrane, the repair and replacement of insulation, and the replacement of guard rails and roof entrances, according to the Advertised Bids on the College’s website. Asbestos was used in the original roof design. Some of the improvements for the building’s roof include the removal of asbestos and the installation of synthetic roofing. When the new library was built in 2005, the Roscoe West library was closed off to students and used as a storage facility. The building has been closed off to be preserved due to its historical significance to the College, according to an interview with Director of Campus Planning and Campus Architect Lynda Rothermel with Lions Television and The Signal. The College plans to eventually use the building for admissions and alumni relations in the future, according to the interview. Forcina Hall is also undergoing similar roof repairs and fixtures within the next two years, according to the College’s website. The College has hired Settembrino Architects for the project, an architecture firm located in Red Bank, New Jersey. Settembrino has worked on the campus before with the construction and expansion of Eickhoff Hall and the College’s capital improvement projects. The College’s design manager, Mumtaz Makhdomi, and construction manager, Joe Como, have not responded to requests for comment.