45 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/04/15 11:10pm)
By Alyssa Sanford
It used to be that, for someone to become famous, they had to go through the right channels — auditioning, hiring an agent and a publicist, slowly and steadily gaining notoriety.
Now, all someone has to do to reach celebrity status is create their own YouTube channel.
The proliferation of social media has made fame — or rather, infamy — more accessible to the general public. Look at “Alex from Target,” for example. Before a teenage customer snapped a photo of the cashier and uploaded it to Twitter, he was just an average, 16-year-old Texas teenager. Within a week of his photo going viral online, he was fielding interviews from major news outlets like the New York Times and appearing on “Ellen.”
It’s easier than ever for someone to find the spotlight, through media platforms like YouTube, Twitter and Vine. Conversely, it’s harder than ever for celebrities to avoid the spotlight for the same reasons.
There are infinite examples of celebrities trying to shirk their fame, or at least hide from public scrutiny. Sia, the “Chandelier” singer who performs with her back facing the audience; Shia LaBeouf, who once donned a paper bag over his head bearing the message “#I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE”; Demi Lovato, whose struggles with an eating disorder and self-harm forced herself to step back into the shadows for a period of rehabilitation; the list goes on and on. And yet their efforts to keep a low profile often backfire.
Celebrities are nothing new. But the idea of instant fame, or the way of someone’s private life being completely eclipsed by the demands of the public, is. And it’s extremely dangerous.
We live in a world where private information is freely accessible, where hackers can seize intimate photos from Jennifer Lawrence’s iPhone and post them online for everyone to scrutinize, where breaking news of Lovato’s eating disorder becomes a public forum and allows people to make cruel comments about her appearance.
“Just because I’m a public figure, just because I’m an actress, does not mean that I asked for this,” Lawrence said in a November 2014 interview with Vanity Fair. “It does not mean that it comes with the territory.”
No wonder Sia wants to shield herself from the public eye.
While celebrities are public figures and subject to a lot of media attention, there is a fine line between free expression and an invasion of privacy.
Alex Lee, better known as “Alex from Target,” didn’t ask for attention. Fame was thrust upon him when his photo hit the internet and began wildly circulating.
“I’m kind of scared to go in public,” Lee told the New York Times in November. His sudden fame was overwhelming, unexpected and, quite simply, not always desirable. He would sometimes receive “death threats” via Twitter, and his family’s personal information, “including Social Security numbers, bank accounts and phone records,” were leaked online as well.
It’s natural for the public to latch onto a celebrity and to have a vested interest in both their public and private lives. But fame, while fleeting, is often cruel and unfairly revealing. The obsession with fame often leads to a breach of privacy and a breach of ethical conduct.
(03/04/15 10:53pm)
By Alyssa Sanford
Staff Writer
In lieu of a general body meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25, Student Government hosted an Alumni Panel event in Roscoe West Hall.
The panel addressed how their individual experiences in Student Government have shaped their career goals and also offered advice to SG members regarding networking, teamwork and applying skills from involvement in student governance.
“It’s an honor to be reinstating a Student Government Alumni Panel event,” Vice President of Advancement Sarah Drozd said. “We’re hoping that this promotes learning for our students and communication with our alumni.”
Drozd informed the panel — comprised of Sarah Ross, Class of 2009, and Kevin Drennan, Class of 2002 — of the Student Government scholarship fund to which almost all members have donated. The goal is to raise $25,000 to reach endowment level. Members have donated a total of $21,129 to date.
“I’m looking forward to the day when I can announce that we’ve reached our scholarship goal, which hopefully won’t be too far away,” Drozd said.
Heather Fehn, Class of 1994 and current chief of staff to President Barbara R. Gitenstein, as well as secretary to the Board of Trustees, served as the moderator for the panel.
Fehn was president of Student Government from 1993 to 1994.
“It was a wonderful experience for me,” she said.
Fehn also said that she never could have imagined working at the College after graduation, but she is honored to have worked here 25 years after entering as a freshman.
“I’m thrilled, and I smile every time I cross the gates on campus each morning,” Fehn said before opening the floor to the panelists.
Ross currently works at the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office in Trenton in the Criminal Justice division. She served as her class council president and a student representative for the Political Science Department. During the meeting, Ross talked about how her involvement in Student Government has shaped her leadership style.
“I think one of the things I learned the most, especially with the class council and the amount of programming that we had to do, was learning how to work together,” Ross said.
Drennan, an alumnus of the College who left after his sophomore year to pursue a career in politics, is currently the Executive Director of the New Jersey Senate Majority Office. He agreed that Student Government taught him that “as a leader, you can’t do anything alone.”
Fehn posed a series of questions to the panel, asking Ross and Drennan to share advice for finalizing career plans.
Ross told general body members to “put yourself out of your comfort zone” when looking for job opportunities and to try everything, “even if you love it or hate it.”
“Go ahead and (go to grad school). Why not?” Ross said.
But Drennan had conflicting advice and advised students,“Don’t go directly to grad school.”
Whereas Ross talked about her rewarding experiences at Rutgers-Camden School of Law immediately after graduating from the College, Drennan explained that many students fresh out of their undergraduate schools haven’t figured out how to navigate the corporate world.
“Bottom line is, there’s not one right answer,” Fehn said in conclusion. “You have to do what’s right for you.”
(02/25/15 7:38pm)
By Alyssa Sanford
Staff Writer
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) club was introduced and officially recognized before the Student Government general body on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
Jessica Glynn, vice president of Government Affairs, informed the general body that the organization has sustained itself since August 2013 and that ITE earned recognition from the national organization last spring. In order to be active on campus, ITE sought recognition from the general body.
There are currently 19 members in ITE, but as the civil engineering program doesn’t offer classes in transportation until junior year, the majority of the existing members are seniors.
Thomas M. Brennan, assistant professor of civil and transportation engineering and ITE’s faculty advisor, attended the general body meeting with two senior members of the club. They fielded questions from Student Government representatives about ITE’s funding and plans for expansion.
Members voted overwhelmingly in favor of recognition.
Glynn then introduced BS-2015-01, a bill designed to “protect the integrity of the [Student Government] organization.”
BS-2015-01 clarifies the requirements for members planning to run for president or executive vice president. In order to run, candidates must be either a general body member for two years or an elected member for one year.
The bill passed without debate.
Vice President of Advancement Sarah Drozd announced that Meet and Greet, an event to speak with prospective Student Government members, will be held on Monday, April 13, in the Alumni Grove.
Casey Dowling, vice president of Academic Affairs, reminded general body members that the Career Center is co-sponsoring a networking event in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, March 4. A total of 53 spots are available to interested students and 40 spots are currently reserved.
Later, it was announced that Equity and Diversity will hold a Multicultural Event on Thursday, March 26, in the Brower Student Center.
Senior class president Brian Garsh announced that Senior Week registration will be up and running in the next two or three weeks.
“It’s been a lot of headaches and a lot of stress,” Garsh said of efforts to coordinate Senior Week plans.
The sophomore class council revealed that president Robert Kinloch was quoted in a Philadelphia Inquirer article from Tuesday, Feb. 17, about the now-infamous T-shirts depicting David Muha, vice president of Communications, Marketing and Brand Management. T-shirts are still on sale in Eickhoff Hall.
Additionally, the freshman class council advertised its Mental Health Awareness Walk, scheduled for Friday, May 1, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It will start from Green Hall and continue around the loop.
Garsh closed the meeting by reviving an old tradition. He discovered that past Student Government bodies at the College used to compile scrapbooks to commemorate another year of governance.
“I want to start that again so we can have another tradition,” Garsh said, before asking fellow members to collect memorabilia that will allow future members of Student Government to catch a glimpse of what the 2014-15 governing body has accomplished.
(02/18/15 7:00pm)
By Alyssa Sanford
Staff Writer
T-shirts featuring Eickhoff worker Eve Cruz, a senior cooking class and a discussion about the positives and drawbacks of life at the College are just some of the highlights from the Student Government general body meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Sarah Drozd, vice president of advancement, announced that a panel of the College’s alumni will appear before the general body on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Additionally, representatives from the College’s Career Center will speak to the general body on Wednesday, Feb. 18, to “talk to us about networking and how to market yourself when we’re networking with the alumni,” Drozd said.
Drozd also mentioned that there will be a meet-and-greet prior to Student Government elections at the end of spring semester. The meet-and-greet will be held in early April to “generate a positive response” and interest in running for a Student Government position.
Casey Dowling of Academic Affairs advertised a Washington, D.C. trip that is co-sponsored by the Career Center. On Wednesday, March 4, students will take a bus to D.C. and spend the entire day networking with a variety of business contacts. Availability is limited to 50 students and the trip costs $25 per student.
Academic Affairs is also organizing mock job interviews with professors on Saturday, April 18, to provide students with the opportunity to work on their interview skills.
President of the senior class council Brian Garsh announced that the Student Finance Board has approved a cooking class that is only open to seniors. For a $5 deposit, up to 40 seniors will learn to make baked mac & cheese, roasted chicken and other recipes that students “can use after graduation.” The event will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 5 p.m. in the 1855 Dining Room and will be both a cooking demonstration and a hands-on experience.
The junior class council is holding further auditions for TCNJ’s Got Talent on Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 11, at 8:30 p.m.
Robert Kinloch, president of the sophomore class council, previewed the sale of Eve Cruz and Dave Muha T-shirts. They’ll be available for purchase online at a later date.
Kinloch also announced that Mr. 2017, an event scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, is still seeking participants. The sophomore class council needs eight people from different organizations across campus to participate.
The freshman class council is organizing a Mental Health Awareness Walk, which will be held on Friday, May 1.
During the open floor session, President Matthew Wells stressed the importance of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which is working toward eventually changing the College’s accreditation policies.
The Middle States Commission is visiting the college from Saturday, March 9, through Monday, March 11, to meet with students and faculty to discuss how the campus community feels about the College and this upcoming change to accreditation.
“I can’t put into words how important Middle States is,” Wells said. “It makes your degrees worth the money you pay for them. It makes your education valuable.”
Next, Wells called upon the senators from each school to discuss pressing issues.
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences is forming a search committee for a new permanent dean, as Dean Benjamin Rifkin is leaving the College this summer for a new position at Ithaca College. The search committee will consist of faculty, staff and students and will convene in August and work through the fall semester.
Finally, the meeting closed with a discussion about what general body members like about the College’s campus life and about what they believe needs to change.
Notable campus highlights included Sodexo worker Eve Cruz, AVP for Communications Dave Muha, the overall “community feel” and Campus Town.
General body members cited a lack of school spirit, particularly with the College’s athletic programs, as a major problem. A lack of cultural diversity on campus and in student leadership positions is also a significant issue that Student Government hopes to address.
“We want to work towards the advocacy aspect of student governing,” Wells said.
(02/11/15 7:36pm)
By Alyssa Sanford
Staff Writer
The Student Government general body meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 4, opened with a presentation about instructional design and technology.
Judi Cook, director of the College’s newly formed Task Force on Instructional Technology, transferred from Salem State University in Massachusetts and started her position as director in August of 2014. Cook, who was the chair of the Communications department, led faculty members at SSU in discussions about blended and online learning at the collegiate level.
“I realized that my colleagues were thirsty for an opportunity to share resources and to learn from each other,” Cook said.
The Task Force on Instructional Technology, formed by Jacqueline Taylor, the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, includes 28 faculty members and several students. The faculty members represent each of the schools within the College.
The task force aims to implement blended learning and online courses at the College. Because the College already uses online resources like Canvas to enrich the classroom experience, Cook is confident that students have “opportunities for improving active learning.”
Though Cook acknowledges the shift toward instructional technology is “not going to happen automatically,” the College is already testing out blended courses and exclusively online courses during summer and winter academic sessions. The task force hopes to introduce these alternatives to a traditional classroom experience in fall and spring semesters.
Later in the meeting, Vice President of Advancement Sarah Drozd announced that a $25,000 scholarship fund for current general body members of Student Government is $3,000 short of its fundraising goal. The money raised will go into an endowment fund, and $500 per year will be awarded to a general body member in order to encourage participation in the organization.
Following, Vice President of Student Services Navid Radfar announced that TCNJam, a dance-a-thon held on Saturday, Jan. 31, raised over $50,000 to end childhood cancer.
Afterward, Vice President of Academic Affairs Adam Bonanno informed the general body that the Spring Activities Fair will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the Brower Student Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and urged student organizations to set up tables to recruit new members.
Then, Vice President of Equity and Diversity Javier Nicasio unveiled “People of TCNJ,” an Instagram account modeled after the widely-followed “Humans of New York” social media account. Once a week, a student, faculty or staff member will be interviewed and profiled. Nicasio urged the general body to follow @PeopleofTCNJ on Instagram.
Before the meeting ended, the junior class council announced it will tentatively hold auditions for TCNJ’s Got Talent on Thursday, Feb. 12, and Wednesday, Feb. 18. The show will be on Wednesday, March 11.
Sophomore class president Robert Kinloch announced that popular Eick worker Eve Cruz will be featured on T-shirts in a design generated by the class of 2017. The class is also selling quarter-zip sweatshirts.
Finally, the freshman class will be holding its freshman formal late this year. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the formal was delayed until a later date. It is tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 24, or Saturday, April 25.