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(12/01/04 12:00pm)
Two days of cultural festivities culminated in a Black Student Union (BSU) sponsored- performance on Nov. 16 by Step Afrika, a dance and step team that specializes in combining modern hip-hop and traditional African movements.
The performance, which took place in the Kendall Hall main theater, featured Zakiya Harris, Aisha Lord, Darrius Gourdine, Paul Woodruff, Jason Nious and Brian McCollum, members of the team who have different backgrounds and career goals, but a shared love of stepping.
Stepping is a form of dancing that African-American fraternities and sororities have made popular.
"Cultural Day is an annual event for the Black Student Union (BSU), but has typically only been a one-day event in the student center atrium with a steel band, African dance performance, a DJ, student organization performances and a soul food buffet," Shannon McCray, junior criminology and justice studies major and BSU president, said. "This year, we decided to expand the program by adding another day of events and the Step Afrika performance seemed like a fitting way to complement the program."
Step Afrika was created by Brian Williams, who learned the popular dance form while a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Howard University. He originally saw people performing the South African gumboot dance, which originated among miners who would create beats and rhythms by hitting their boots.
The men began learning the dances and, eventually, the group branched out to become a performing and touring troop.
"When we (invited Step Afrika), the hope was that it would be for a variety of sectors within our institution. The stepping, for example, might appeal to Greeks from all circles; the dance, the history and education, we hoped to appeal to faculty, staff and members of the local and regional community as well as our students," Paul Harris, senior political science major and BSU trustee, said. "Overall we hoped that the entertainment this group would provide coupled with education would appeal to a wide cross-section of classes within our institution."
Harris's hopes appeared to come true as Kendall Hall was filled with people of all different races and backgrounds who came to celebrate this unique form of dance. Ten students were even brought onstage to learn a type of step dance with Woodruff, master drummer.
After a few minutes of learning and practicing the steps, Woodruff introduced them to the audience as the first College of New Jersey Step Team.
With the volunteers still onstage, the members of Step Afrika came onstage dressed in traditional African tribal wear as they played drums, danced and sang to the delight of the audience.
Later in the program, one member of Step Afrika read a poem he had written while one female performed a mix of elements of ballet, lyrical and jazz. According to the author of the poem, he had written it in response to questions from past audiences about whether or not the members of Step Afrika can actually dance or if they only know stepping.
But despite their abilities in other forms of dance, their stepping was the highlight of the performance, as they were very skilled and constantly in sync with each other.
"I had heard many great reviews about Step Afrika and I feel their performance lived up to all of our expectations," McCray said.
According to Zakiya Harris, who auditioned for Step Afrika in November 2002, the group practices at least 20 hours a month and twice a week if possible.
The group is on the road very often, traveling to such places as Africa, Amsterdam, London and throughout America, performing at colleges, elementary schools and major venues. In addition, they also have jobs outside of dancing.
Harris also said that the group had rotating members, but now, many have jobs and some of the women are pregnant, so there are only six people in the actual touring group while there are 22 people overall in Step Afrika.
Lord is one member with other commitments with which to contend. She has been part of Step Afrika for four years but took time off to study to be a physical therapist.
Despite her new title as Dr., she still loves the experience of traveling and performing. "(I love) to interact with the world," she said. "I love to perform and travel."
Woodruff shares a similar sentiment. "I like learning different cultural dances," he said. "(I like being) able to study, learn, comprehend and ultimately display the dances."
Step Afrika's performance at the College proved successful with the audience who delighted in the group's rich brand of humor mixed with unique stepping and other dancing.
"It was a very receptive audience," Lord said. "That makes it memorable for us."
(11/17/04 12:00pm)
Two girls walked into the Recreation Center on Nov. 9, their faces and shirts shining with glitter and marker. They were there to attend the Kevin Lyttle Dance Party, sponsored by the College Union Board (CUB), featuring none other than hip-hop/R&B sensation Kevin Lyttle.
Meredith Brazinski, freshman biology major, showed off the front of her shirt, which said "We" while the back said "Turn."
Brazinski's friend Brittany Denitzio, freshman English and elementary education major, showed off her shirt as well, which had a heart on the front and said, "The" on the back.
According to Brazinski and Denitzio, a third friend was supposed to wear a shirt with "KL" on the front and "On" on the back, but she was unable to attend. When standing together, the front of their shirts would spell "We heart Kevin Lyttle," while their backs would spell out his hit song "Turn me on."
"We love Kevin Lyttle," Brazinski said, showing the "K" and "L" on both her and Denitzio's cheeks.
The concert, in addition to featuing Lyttle, also included the music of the Webster Hall DJs and rapper Mr. Cheeks with guest star BabyDoll.
"CUB has wanted to bring a hip-hop/R&B/rap artist for some time and has had trouble," Stefan Hayden, senior graphic arts major and coordinator for the event, said. "We felt that Kevin Lyttle was the best option to promote a dance party who is current as well as in the price range of (the College)."
Despite poor attendance and a lack of dancing at the concert, those who did attend said they enjoyed themselves as they cheered for the acts onstage and spent time with their friends.
"Many (were) concerned about either not knowing his name or only knowing his one song," Hayden said. "(But) CUB acknowledges that Kevin Lyttle's CD is a solid dance album."
Lyttle took the stage at the end of the night, playing several songs from his debut album "Kevin Lyttle" and getting the crowd hyped with his unique blend of Caribbean soca, American R&B and Jamaican dancehall. He describes his sound of soca as being a mixture of soul and calypso with the added American R&B.
Throughout his 45-minute set, he danced around the stage and encouraged the crowd to sing along with him. In the end, he invited several girls onstage to dance with him and organized a contest, allowing the audience to choose which girl performed the best.
"(I am) happy to have an album and one song," Lyttle said. "I like the vibe of touching people in a special way."
Lyttle, who came from a poor family, has been singing since he was a little boy. As an only child, his parents encouraged him to follow his dream and make his career happen.
His dream has taken shape and, in addition to his enormous success and a No. 1 hit overseas, his self-titled album with songs he co-wrote is now making a big splash in the states as well.
The concert began with the Webster Hall DJs playing club songs for the crowd, including Usher's "Yeah" and Nina Skye's "Move Your Body."
Concertgoers were also treated to free tee-shirts, glow sticks and other prizes from the DJs.
Following this opening, Mr. Cheeks of the Lost Boyz came onstage with older songs as well as ones from his new rap album "Ladies and Ghettomen." His set featured his DJ, Big Rap, who kept the crowd involved in the performance and who also spins for Hot 97 in New York City. Big Rap will release his own album in January.
Mr. Cheeks began performing in Virginia in 1991 with the Lost Boyz before releasing a solo album in 2001. After the success of his first album and single "Lights, Camera, Action!" he released his second disc this year.
"Whenever a mic was around, I wanted to get the mic," he said. "I'm in love with the music."
He included a few songs with BabyDoll in his set. BabyDoll, who has a self-titled album available, met Mr. Cheeks a few years ago in Miami and began working with him after already becoming a fan of his work.
"I love to express myself this way," she said. "I can write songs and I can sing."
BabyDoll said she was thrilled to be performing at the College as she prefers performing at schools, where it seems there is a great deal more energy than in other venues.
Overall, the main acts were a success and those in attendance enjoyed themselves.
"The concert was something to do on Tuesday night and I like (Lyttle's) music," Dan Beckelman, freshman open options major in the School of Culture and Society said.
"I came to have a good time and because I like to dance," Karen Frustaci, freshman business major, said
(11/10/04 12:00pm)
There is something good cooking in the Deep South and it isn't fried chicken - it's Marc Broussard, a singer and songwriter extraordinaire who is finally finding success in the music world.
Broussard's second CD, "Carencro," released on Aug. 3, is a cross between pop, rock and soul, as it mixes these styles together to create a beautiful blend of rich melodies and lyrics for spending an evening with friends or a romantic evening with that special someone. Broussard becomes, as he says on his Web site, "a white boy singing soul music."
All the songs are visions of a star-crossed lover trying to find his soul mate, searching for that one person. And although this may sound highly clich?d, the theme matches his soulful, sweet voice, which has the tone of Gavin DeGraw.
Broussard, who penned all 11 songs on his second album, grew up in Carencro, La., which the album is named for. He began playing guitar at age five with his father, Hall of Fame guitarist Ted Broussard, and sang in church.
Broussard finds his influences from such artists as Brian McKnight, Stevie Wonder and even Dave Matthews. Broussard plays acoustic guitar on most of his songs, adding to his credibility as a multi-talented artist.
Probably one of the best songs on the album is "Lonely Night in Georgia," which begins with a country pop feel and boasts some western-inspired lyrics about a man driving through the countryside, the wind in his hair, waiting for his love.
Listeners can almost see him in his car with the top down as Broussard sings, "Stoplights turn into skylines /And my mind turns to you / Two hundred miles behind / Off to this roadside dive /Wondering how this cup of coffee's gonna see me through / But this has been our story, same sad song / Ever since the day, the day you came along."
The imagery makes the song come alive and provides visuals for those who enjoy listening to music at 4 a.m. while trying to write a paper due that morning.
One song that has gotten its share of radio play, is "Where You Are," a pop-driven song about being with that special someone. It is an uptempo melody that does not preach about having to work to make love last, but instead invokes images of different areas of the country as one man travels everywhere while just wanting to be with the one he loves.
With powerful lyrics, Broussard proclaims, "I've stood alone in New York City / I watched the sunset in L.A. / I ride for miles and miles and end up getting nowhere / But I've never felt this way." The listener almost finds himself on a cross-country trip in a search to find the place to settle down with his soul mate.
In this generation, when artists write their own songs, they tend to infuse them with so much rhyme, that they begin to sound like a Dr.
Seuss book. Broussard, on the other hand, takes the rhyme and makes it more complex, hidden within the lyrics, so that listeners can almost miss it, making him sound more as though he's singing from the heart, rather than reading from a child's novel.
Between the writing, strumming, singing and his musical roots, Broussard proves he has the musical savvy and ability to go far in his career. His music can be in the background or setting the mood for a romantic evening, but no matter what the circumstance, this CD is definitely a worthwhile purchase.
(11/04/04 12:00pm)
Christopher Turner, senior economics and statistics major, proved a perfect memory can be useful for more than test-taking when he participated in the USA Memory Championships and won third place. The win landed him a spot on the Oct. 22 episode of "The Jane Pauley Show," which featured a program on improving memory.
Dr. Gary Small, a world-renowned memory expert and author of "The Memory Prescription," was the main guest on the show and explained his theories and steps for increasing memory. He created a 14-step program that begins with an assessment of memory and, after multiple exercises and work, finds significant changes in brain activity, indicating better memory.
Turner has a few strategies of his own that help him remember names. He uses such techniques as memorizing a distinctive characteristic of a person's face and breaking a name into parts.
"A great example is Frank Felberbaum, who showed me this technique," he said. "Felberbaum can break into Fel 'fall,' ber 'beer' and baum 'bomb.' I do the same with his first name. Frank is 'a hot dog' and then make this all into a story in my mind. If I picked Frank's nose I would picture beer bombs falling onto his nose while he eats a hot dog."
Turner put these techniques into use on the show when he learned the names of all the audience members on the left side of the studio. In the middle of the episode, he was asked to rattle off the names in order correctly, a feat he accomplished while providing both first and last names.
As he explained on the episode, to remember the name Hawkins, he simply imagined a hawk landing on the woman's head. Turner then said that the woman was sitting next to someone named Elena. He therefore imagined the woman with the hawk was leaning towards the woman next to her.
Turner got involved with the Memory Championships when Frank Felberbaum, who was working on improving memory, began attending Turner's high school and founded a memory club. In February of that year, Turner was a contestant in the Memory Championships and has been competing ever since.
The Championships take place in New York City and are comprised of five events. The first entails memorizing 99 names and faces in 15 minutes, the second involves memorizing 500 random words in 15 minutes, the third involves memorizing 400 numbers in five minutes, the fourth requires the recitation of a complete poem and the last entails taking five minutes to memorize a deck of cards.
"I had never worked really hard at mastering the techniques and had never finished higher than third place but, for this year, I put in a little extra work and ended up coming in third place which surprised me," Turner said.
Greg Tufaro, associate producer for the episode of "The Jane Pauley Show," said he and the other producers came upon Turner's name while doing research for the episode. "Through our research on the Web and through multiple news sources, we came upon the USA Memory Championships and learned that Chris was one of its youngest participants," he said.
Turner, who also held the U.S. record for two years for memorizing 104 words in five minutes in the Memory Olympics, was very excited when he was approached to appear on "The Jane Pauley Show."
"It is hard enough to keep focus during the competition but to try and keep focused during live TV (is harder)," he said. "(But) it was one of the best experiences I've ever had."
Also on the show, a few audience members tried Small's plan and all reported changes in their memory capabilities.
"The primary portion of our show was to follow two women through the program to see if, in fact, their memories could improve so quickly," Tufaro said. "As a fun twist to the show, we wanted to see just how far memory techniques could go in improving one's memory."
(11/04/04 12:00pm)
Election 2004 is officially over, but a chance to poke fun at both candidates is always welcome even after the final decision has been made. To take advantage of this opportunity, look no further than jibjab.com, a Web site that features two cartoons that humiliate and mock both President George Bush and Sen. John Kerry but fully entertain the viewer.
The first, entitled "This Land," is performed by the two candidates to the tune of "This Land is Your Land" and features them ridiculing everything for which they stand. The second is called, "Good to be in D.C!" and includes such figures as John Edwards, Dick Cheney and even Governor James E. McGreevey in a parody about who will be accepted into the White House.
Though neither animation professes to support a specific candidate, each is highly amusing and worth the time it takes to load just to watch Kerry tout his three purple hearts as most important and to see both candidates play the flute as the song ends.
Despite other more racy moments in these songs, both cartoons prove hilarious and are the perfect thing to watch to end the insanity that was Election 2004.
(10/20/04 12:00pm)
It is rare to find a movie with the cuteness to attract and entertain children and enough pop culture references to keep teenagers and adults laughing through its entire 90 minutes. But DreamWorks has done it with "Shark Tale," a movie about a fish aptly called the Shark Slayer.
"Shark Tale" tells its story much like the highly successful "Shrek," also created by DreamWorks. Both animated films use cultural humor and big-name stars' voices to follow the adventures of talking animals as they get into and out of trouble while discovering something about life.
And while it may be considered simply a knockoff of "Shrek" and Disney's highly popular "Finding Nemo," "Shark Tale" succeeds in capturing and keeping its audience.
The animated film centers on Oscar, voiced by Will Smith, who is a fish who cannot seem to keep himself out of trouble. He owes his boss Sykes, played by Martin Scorsese, a lot of money but loses it in a bet.
Oscar is then taken away from his home, humorously portrayed as an undersea Times Square, and brought to a remote spot in the ocean where he will be left to die.
In another part of the ocean, the shark Lino, voiced by Robert DeNiro and basically the mafia-esque boss of the sharks, is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his son Lenny (Jack Black) does not want to kill fish. Lenny's brother Frankie (Michael Imperioli) takes him out to show him how to kill fish, but, when they meet up with Oscar, Lenny refuses to eat him.
To make a long story short, Frankie is killed by a falling anchor and Oscar takes credit for it, leading to his new title as the Shark Slayer. He makes a deal with Lenny to pretend to kill him, thus cementing his reputation as fearless against the sharks and allowing Lenny to disappear without bringing any more shame to the shark family.
With his new title, Oscar begins to live the life he has always dreamed of - with popularity and power - while Lenny can be who he wants to be without anyone judging him.
Smith is the voice of smart-aleck Oscar, who can charm his way out of anything. This role takes him back to his days as "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," living as the guy from the hood in the affluent neighborhood of former presidents and stars when he moves in with his rich uncle. Smith reverts to being the womanizer and funny man, or fish in this case, who uses jokes to gain the affections of others.
Angelina Jolie stars as Lola, the seductive fish who only goes after Oscar after she finds out about his status as the Shark Slayer. Jolie seems to take well to empowered and provocative female roles, judging by her other parts in such movies as "Tomb Raider" and "Gone in 60 Seconds." She has the attitude required to make her character come alive as the woman fish only interested in what will benefit her.
Robert DeNiro takes on the role he has played in movies like "Analyze This" and "Analyze That" as the mafia tough guy. DeNiro plays the character with the trademark voice and all the jokes and commanding attitudes for which the mafia is famously stereotyped.
Finally, Renee Zellwegger fits as Oscar's best friend, Angie. Her sweet, high-pitched voice gives the fish the innocent appeal that is needed to portray the character with her unrequited love for Oscar.
In the vein of "Shrek," "Shark Tale" possesses its own collection of pop culture references that add to the humor of the movie. From the seemingly minor details of a reporter named Katie Current to the bigger idea of Oscar being called the Shark Slayer, a name which can be attributed to the popular T.V. show, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the movie keeps its audience guessing and laughing the entire time.
Probably the most obvious pop culture reference comes from Lenny's family, the powerful sharks that resemble the mafia. Lino, or Don Lino as he is often called, is the "mob" boss and commands the sharks, deciding who is on their side and who must be "whacked," something he decides must happen to Oscar, the Shark Slayer who kills his son Frankie.
This smart and playful comedy is definitely worth the time and money - if not for the story, then just for the humor.
(10/13/04 12:00pm)
Adam Richman walked to the microphone and looked out over the crowd. He began strumming his guitar as people noticed him quietly standing on stage.
"I'm gonna play some music now," he said, opening his Oct. 8 performance at the Rat. "I hope that's okay."
Richman performed at the College Union Board (CUB) sponsored event for a full crowd of students, joking with them about french fries and percentages between songs.
He began with "Baby I've Changed" and played music from his previous albums, "Two" and "Patience and Science," and from his soon-to-be re-released version of the second album on his new label, Or Music, a division of Sony Music. After the concert, he signed autographs and took pictures with delighted fans.
Overall, Richman was pleased with his performance and the audience's reaction and is ready and willing to return to the College. "I thought everyone was very cool," he said. "Sometimes when I make fun of an audience for not responding, it's because I ask for it and everyone here is the coolest."
The show marked Richman's third visit to the College and his second time performing at the Rat. His first show was in Kendall Hall, where he performed as the opener for Art Alexakis of Everclear.
Richman said he finds definite differences between playing in an intimate setting like the Rat versus a bigger venue such as Kendall Hall. "When you're in Kendall or a theater like that, you're attempting to connect with the audience," he said. "And in a place like the Rat, as long as people are listening to you ... that feels great because you can totally communicate with people. But it's fun to come out onto a stage like Kendall."
In keeping with the vein of intimacy with the audience, Richman spent much of the night walking around the Rat and even enjoyed a chicken cheese steak for dinner. He said one of his favorite pre-concert rituals is to drink a lot of water, a practice he put into effect before this recent performance.
This marked Richman's first time as the sole performer with his own opening act. "When you're opening, there's already an audience there, but you assume some sort of validation automatically by just being able to be on the stage," he said. "You feel accepted immediately."
Richman had nothing but praise for his opening act, John Dutton, a freshman math and secondary education major. "I love having an opener ... especially when you're going to a school and the opener is a student - they bring an audience with them and I love an opportunity to play for different people," Richman said. "And also it takes a lot of pressure off having someone else warm up the audience ... and John was fantastic."
Dutton began playing guitar when he was eight-years-old, gaining inspiration from his father and the movie "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure," and he began singing in high school.
"Singing and songwriting have been my most enjoyable, therapeutic and entertaining hobby to date," Dutton said. "I can honestly say that no matter what I end up doing, music will always be there, whether I'm on a stage at a show or playing in my spare time to make myself feel happy."
Dutton, whose band Day's Nearly Over has performed in various coffee shops, got involved in the Welcome Week Talent Show and Open Mic Night and, from there, was noticed by CUB, who asked him to perform as Richman's opener.
"I have been a fan of Adam's for about a year now and the crazy part about the show was that I was not just another musician opening for one, but I was also a fan opening up for one of his favorite artists," he said.
Dutton writes his own songs about events and incidents in his life. At the concert, he performed these as well as cover songs from artists including John Mayer.
Richman, who writes his own songs, performed a few covers, including "Barely Breathing" by Duncan Sheik. The audience was delighted when he also played a few songs not on either one of his albums, including one from "The Patience EP," a short version of his album "Patience and Science" and warm-up for his soon to be re-released full length edition of the CD.
"I thought his talks between songs were just as entertaining as his songs," Eve Roytshteyn, sophomore interactive multimedia major, said. "He had a good connection with the audience."
With a new band and record label, Richman is looking forward to touring with his band and doing the "club thing," as he calls it. He is excited to have the energy of other band members on the stage and to soon have his songs played on the radio.
After three years of playing in colleges, however, Richman is not ready to stop performing for this audience. "I don't want to play at old folks homes, they might not like my whore song," he teased. "I'm the same age as everybody in college, I can't really relate to anybody else as well."
(10/06/04 12:00pm)
He performed last year as the opening act for an already established artist. Then he returned as one-half of the "Night of Openers" in the Rat. And now Adam Richman is back in his own concert for the students at the College.
Richman began his career at the tender age of 12, when he began recording himself with computers. By then, he had already begun playing guitar and piano.
He began pursuing his musical career after one year at George Washington University. After creating an acoustic debut album, Richman dropped out of school to pursue music professionally, touring different colleges and performing for small audiences.
"Fortunately, there is barely an instance in the creative world that requires a degree," he said.
Richman has since established himself on the college scene, playing at schools including the College, where he will make his third appearance on Oct. 8 in the Rat at 5 p.m. He has found many fans, especially with the release of his second album, "Patience and Science," with its mix of rock and pop songs.
In response to why he enjoys playing at colleges, he simply replied, "The joy of a cafeteria raid after every performance." Richman began his career as a solo artist, performing with only his voice and an acoustic guitar. He has since graduated to having a full band back him up and being signed with Or Music, a division of Sony Music.
With 12 tracks, "Patience and Science," which will be re-released in early 2005 from Or Music, is a collection of songs written by Richman, each one with a different message about relationships and life in general. Richman claims not to want to be confined to any one musical category and with his rock undertone and expert use of bass and drums in his songs, he has clearly mastered his alternative sound.
The album tells a story, beginning with Richman desiring the attention and love of a girl. As the songs continue, he experiences the loneliness of losing her, but by the end, has learned to let go and wait for the right person to come along.
Probably one of the best songs on the album is the first track "Mary-Anne," about a girl who is too caught up in the Hollywood lifestyle. Despite the smart lyrics, it seems the one line that everyone always remembers is in the chorus as Richman sings, "Mary-Anne, you're such a whore." Although this can be taken with the usual nasty connotation, blending the statement with Richman's other words about the drugs and parties actually makes it work.
"You have to love any songwriter that can incorporate calling his ex-girlfriend a whore and make it sound as good as he does," Michelle Dunlap, sophomore history and secondary education major and fan of Richman's music, said.
Richman said he wants people to smile "because it sounds like a feeling that makes them smile, or it says something that they relate to and that makes them smile. I'm just trying to change each person's world the way music changes my world everyday."
Dunlap has been a fan since Richman's performance as the opener last January. "I love the live solo performances that he's given at the school so far, and I really want to see him perform with his new band," she said. "Based on what he writes on his Web site, he's excited about it, and I really want to see how they all work together on stage."
Richman's unwillingness to settle for listening to any one type of music is reflected in his songs. Although he used to dismiss country and hip-hop as not being among his musical tastes, he now is open to anything. "Someone thinks it's worth hearing - sometimes it feels like we are so starved for good stuff - how can we afford to miss something because we didn't let it in?" he asked.
(09/29/04 12:00pm)
The 56th Annual Emmy Awards came and went, leaving a lasting memory of the same nominees, the same winners and Elaine Stritch's brassy comment while accepting her award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety, Musical or Comedy Show, "Look at the company I'm in. And I'm so glad none of them won."
The Emmys, broadcast live on Sept. 19 on ABC, were hosted by Gary Shandling, star of the late "The Larry Sanders Show."
Despite comedic disappointments from Shandling, probably one of the funniest jokes of the evening was the political ad from "The Daily Show" about George Washington, brought on by the debates over George Bush's and John Kerry's Vietnam War records. In this parody, actors dressed in 1700s attire negated everything we know to be true about our first president. As one "soldier" pointed out while looking at a picture of Washington crossing the Delaware River, "Look at him standing up in the boat. Who stands up in a boat? That's just bad boatmanship."
Normally, viewers can predict the winners of the Emmys with their eyes closed - "The Sopranos" and "The West Wing" among others with one miniseries ruling its categories. This pattern continued in 2004 except for the "The West Wing." Although the political drama did win one award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for Allison Janney, the Emmys pretty much proceeded like clockwork. "The Sopranos," with 20 nominations, took home four awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, an award which, surprisingly, despit the show's 89 nominations over the past six years, it has never won before.
"Angels in America" won most of the major miniseries awards, including Outstanding Actor, Al Pacino and Outstanding Actress, Meryl Streep.
The big surprises of the night were from several of the "underdog" shows, including "Arrested Development" and "Deadwood," which took home five and two awards, respectively. "Arrested Development" even snagged the coveted Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy, won last year by "Everybody Loves Raymond."
Other significant awards included Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series going to Kelsey Grammar for "Frasier," signifying the final time he can be nominated in this category due to the show's ending this past May.
Also winning for a departed show was Sarah Jessica Parker, who received the Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for "Sex and the City."
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" won two awards, including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy show.
Probably the most surprising and sincere moment came during the presentation of the Outstanding Reality Competition Show award, which went to "The Amazing Race." Unbeknownst to those in attendance and those watching at home, two "regular" people were blindfolded, fitted with headphones and taken to the Emmys where they would present the award. Their expressions were priceless and, despite the huge and very real surprise, they managed to regain some composure and present the award with Shandling.
And, while the Emmys were enjoyable with their usual mix of too-long speeches and political jokes, they were also disappointing and repetitive because of the fact that one show can be nominated more than once in a category. For example, was there really a need for "The Sopranos" to be nominated four times in the category for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series? And, by the same token, why was "Angels in America" nominated four times for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie?
I understand that some shows are simply that good and therefore may deserve the multiple nominations, but this forces other outstanding shows not to be recognized. "Deadwood" didn't even have a chance to win the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Emmy, for example.
Despite this flaw, the 56th Annual Emmy Awards were a success and a great night to celebrate the past year of television, or at least the few shows considered to be the best.
(09/22/04 12:00pm)
Now that you have settled back into the rhythm of school, it is time to add one more thing to your busy schedule - your favorite television show.
The new season has officially begun and with it comes new shows and returning favorites. So pick up that remote and grab a bowl of popcorn because it's time to choose a show.
Among the returning favorites are a slew of dramas, comedies and the all-too constant reality shows. The first is the WB fan- favorite "Gilmore Girls," which premiered on Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. The drama about a young mother Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and her college-age daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) enters its fifth season with trouble between Lorelai and her maybe-one-day boyfriend Luke (Scott Patterson). Rory will supposedly find a new man at Yale, but no matter what, "Gilmore Girls" promises to maintain its grip on the dramedy genre, creating scripts that test the mother/daughter relationship among others.
The "disturbingly perfect" drama "Nip/Tuck," which is in the throes of its second season at 10 p.m. on FX, is also on Tuesday nights. The drama stars Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon, who are two plastic surgeons - one who makes the mistakes (McMahon) and one who cleans them up (Walsh). Though I will admit I have never actually watched an episode of the show, from what I have read, it looks like a combination of plastic surgery, family and sex which create a drama so intense that, well, I assume it won't make you want that new nose.
Following in the dramatic vein is "The O.C.," which, despite its popularity, will not be returning to prime time until Nov. 4, when it moves to Thursday nights at 8 p.m. According to creator Josh Schwartz in an interview for "Entertainment Weekly," the show will be more about the characters' lives this year rather than the constant melodrama that pervaded its last season. The show will pick up three months after the season finale, with everyone right where they left off. New love interests will make their way to "The O.C." and, all in all, the characters will continue leading their drama-filled lives in style.
The comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond" began its ninth and final season on Sept. 20. The 16-episode final season will bring back old guests and continue with the show's usual brand of familial comedy that caused people to rally for another season. Phil Rosenthal, the creator, reported to "Entertainment Weekly" that he was ready to wrap the show last season but finally agreed with star Ray Romano to entertain one more season of the hit comedy. According to Rosenthal, he plans to use the same final script he wrote for the show last year. We will be the judges of whether this final season was worth it.
For those looking for true comedy in a talk show format, look no further than "Chappelle's Show" on Comedy Central. Dave Chappelle uses his own brand of comedy in sketches, political and pop culture humor and other pieces. The show is entering its third season and will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. I haven't seen any episodes of this show either, but in reading synopses, I can tell that despite how funny Chappelle may be, his sketches can get somewhat racy and would not be recommended for those uncomfortable with racial and other jokes.
We would, of course, be remiss without mentioning the king of reality television, the man who coined the phrase "You're fired" - Donald Trump and his hit show, "The Apprentice." After the success of its first season and the boardroom trials, the reality show returns for its second season with 18 new players, all vying to be Trump's new employee. As viewers try to figure out Trump and who he will dismiss each week, he will be waiting to crown the next Bill Rancic.
As these shows return to the airwaves, there are several new programs waiting to be the "next big thing."
Perhaps the new show with the most critical attention is "Joey," the "Friends" spinoff starring Matt LeBlanc. Filmed on the same stage as the "Friends" franchise, the comedy takes Joey Tribbiani (LeBlanc) to Hollywood where, with the help of his sister Gina (Drea de Matteo), nephew Michael (Paulo Costanzo) and agent (Jennifer Coolidge), he will try to make it big as an actor. NBC is putting a great deal of faith into this show, placing it in the "Friends" timeslot, and, so far, the show is living up to its expectations. I watched the series premiere and, I have to say, it was good to watch LeBlanc reprising his trademark stupidity as Joey. If lines such as Joey's "I'm name" when reading the cue card on an entertainment show are any indication, this spin-off will beat the old tired saying that "spin-offs never last."
"Hawaii" is a new show that premiered on NBC on Sept. 1. The basic premise is cops catching criminals in sunny, gorgeous Hawaii. I don't know about anyone else, but this sounds like an attempt to bank on the CSI franchise and appeal to those who want to visit warmer climates - not exactly the stuff of which hits are made. With its big-name cast comprised of Eric Balfour from "24" and "Six Feet Under," Ivan Sergei from "Crossing Jordan" and Michael Biehn of "The Terminator," this show looks to me to be a showcase for the actors rather than an actual hit in the making.
Probably the show I'm most looking forward to is the new ABC drama "Lost," which debuts tonight, Sept. 22. The show from "Felicity" and "Alias" mastermind J.J. Abrams chronicles the lives of 14 strangers who are stranded somewhere between Australia and America after their plane goes down. "Lost" combines sci-fi, medicine and romance to create a very complex show. According to "Entertainment Weekly," Abrams is looking to make viewers become invested in the characters, a feat he will accomplish with his team of writers, including David Fury, who penned several episodes of the critically acclaimed "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." I urge everyone to watch and, if the premise and writers don't turn you onto it, check out the cast list including "Lord of the Rings" actor Dominic Monaghan and "Party of Five" star Matthew Fox.
Also on Wednesday nights is ABC's "Wife Swap," dubbed the most promising reality show by "Entertainment Weekly." It takes two families and switches the wives, providing family members an opportunity to realize how hard it would be to live without their entire clan. The first episode, airing Sept. 29, features an heiress to a color-copier fortune switching places with a mom in rural New Jersey. Although I am not a fan of reality television and probably will not be tuning in, the good thing about this premise is that the end result is not a cash prize, but rather a greater realization of how much everyone loves and appreciates their family (of course I don't know why it takes a television show to realize this, but, hey, all in the name of reality TV).
Many of the shows being touted this year are the new dramas on the WB. The network has taken several losses this past year and is trying to regain its key teenage audience with some new shows filled with their usual brand of angst and romance ? la "Dawson's Creek." The first, and possibly the most critically discussed, is "Jack and Bobby," which premiered on Sept. 12. The premise centers on two brothers, one of which will become president of the United States in 2041. The first episode was supposed to reveal which brother would have this special honor, but between the actual present-day action and the flashes forward to 2049 with reflections on his presidency, the real content is lost. The show is mainly about two brothers trying to survive high school with their pot-smoking mom. Although it looks to be somewhat interesting, it is confusing watching the switches between present day and the future. Although if that means the show is more than just mindless nonsense, maybe everyone should tune in.
As for the network itself, it will take some time to determine whether the WB's new crop of dramas and comedies, including such shows as "Commando Nanny" and "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show," can make the cut and help the network rise from below average ratings to a more secure place among the television viewers.
And so ends another overview of some of this season's hottest new and returning shows. Time to prepare the TiVO, purchase a copy of TV Guide and prepare for another year of good and bad television viewing.
(09/15/04 12:00pm)
As far back as I can remember - which translates to last year - the music review page has featured mostly rock and other popular music CDs. This time, we thought we'd change things up a bit and bring a little culture with a nice old-fashioned musical and a review of the critically acclaimed soundtrack to the Broadway play "Footloose."
The Broadway play was adapted from the 1984 movie, "Footloose" starring Kevin Bacon. It opened on Broadway in 1998 and starred Jeremy Kushnier as the lead, Ren McCormack. The story follows Ren's move from Chicago to the small town of Bomont where dancing is outlawed.
The Broadway play was nominated for four Tony awards, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and Best Choreography.
Despite the fact that the show is not on Broadway anymore, the soundtrack still lives on with its lyrics by Dean Pitchford and music by Tom Snow.
I recently saw the play performed at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City for Broadway on the Boardwalk and, having never seen the play before, I was struck by the musical numbers, all featured on the original Broadway cast CD.
The CD opens with the first track, "Footloose/On any Sunday." It is an upbeat track about work and life in general. Many people have probably heard the main lyrics, which state, "Been working so hard/I'm punching my card/Eight hours for what?/Oh tell me what I got." The song continues with its anthem to less work and more fun, something everyone would love.
It's the perfect song to dance to with its rock and roll beat before the song begins its transition to a more pop-oriented tune as Ren moves to Bomont and spends his first Sunday there in church with the rest of the town.
Probably my favorite track is number four, "Somebody's Eyes," in which the girls inform Ren that the town is so small that all secrets get around. With its very even drumbeats and low melodies, it maintains somewhat of an eerie feel. Probably the creepiest words are "You've got no disguise/From somebody's eyes." Take some time to think about that and how hard it would be to accept that somebody is always watching.
And this musical is not complete without its very own song for the women, "Holding Out for a Hero." This song, which was not actually written for the play, is sung by the female leads and is a very catchy piece about looking for that perfect guy. As the lyrics say, "Somewhere after midnight ... /Somewhere just beyond my reach/There's someone reaching back for me." The words and music just make you want to get up and dance with that special guy or girl (provided, of course, he or she has been found).
The soundtrack is filled with mostly up-tempo beats with a few songs reaching out to the spiritual side of its listeners as the Reverend, who has a great deal of power in the town of Bomont, sings softly about trying to raise his daughter right.
The CD boasts a beautiful love song, "Almost Paradise," which also was not written specifically for the play. Its soft melody is the perfect fit for the two main characters to declare their love. It uses the soft sounds of the piano and the triangle to create a romantic atmosphere for the characters and the listener.
Another gem is the hilarious "Mama says (You can't back down)." In it, Ren's friend convinces him to go through with the plan to bring back dancing by providing advice he heard from his mother. Who hasn't heard the advice, "Don't use a toaster while standing in the shower" or "Don't hold your breath for longer than an hour?"
The character sings in a western accent and the instruments, including a piano, give the song a real saloon-like feel. Of course, watching the actor sing it while wearing a cowboy hat, jeans and a flannel shirt can help add to this perspective.
All in all, this CD is definitely worth buying although I do recommend seeing the play first. There is a great deal of spoken exposition throughout the songs, but they make more sense once you know the story. The CD booklet does provide a full synopsis, so those who have not seen the play but want the music can follow that.
The CD has a wonderful mix of ballads and up-tempo beats telling the story of a young man who decides to help his new town by bringing back dancing. And, as they say in the title song, "Tonight I gotta cut loose/Footloose!"
"Footloose"
Cast Recording
Q Records, 1998
4 stars
(04/07/04 12:00pm)
Despite expressions of opposition from students and faculty about the new Carte Blanche meal plan, it will be instituted for the 2004-05 year.
The new dining plan offers freshmen and sophomores three different options.
The basic idea of the meal plan is that students will not have to pay each time they enter Eickhoff Hall.
Students will present their IDs when entering the dining hall, simply to allow Sodexho workers to keep track of who enters and what plan they have. In this way, Sodexho will be able to monitor the traffic flow of students, allowing food to be prepared in accordance with the times most people enter the dining hall.
The largest plan, Plan A, will allow students to visit Eickhoff at any time during the day. It will also include $400 in Carte Blanche points that can be used at any dining location on campus, besides Eickhoff.
The overall cost for this plan, as of now, is $1,456 for the fall semester and $1,344 for the spring semester.
Plan B, which will probably cost $1,352 in the fall and $1,248 in the spring, also allows students to dine in Eickhoff at any time during the day. It will allocate $250 to be used in other dining locations around campus.
Finally, the smallest plan allows students to dine anytime between 11 a.m. and closing time. This plan includes $150 for other dining locations and will tentatively cost $1,178.32 in the fall semester and $1,087.68 in the spring semester.
Students with the smallest meal plan will be denied access to the dining hall before 11 a. m. unless they pay the $7 entrance fee.
In addition, the extra money being given for dining locations besides Eickhoff Hall can also be used to treat family and friends who are not part of the campus community.
Many students worry that this meal plan will prevent them from taking food out of the building. However, certain foods, such as fruit and sandwiches, will be permitted to be carried out of the dining hall.
In addition, students will be able to carry out food that they have already begun to eat.
Plates of food, however, will have to be finished in Eickhoff.
(03/31/04 12:00pm)
Many students have recently been complaining about the lack of service when trying to access the Internet and other resources on the network.
For some time now, students have been struggling to use the Internet, finding it often will either shut down unexpectedly or refuse to start up altogether.
"At random times our Internet connection just gets interrupted," Daphride Exum?, freshman psychology major, said.
According to Craig Blaha, associate director of Information Policy, Security and Web Development, the problem stems from a virus that has infected many campus machines.
The overall attacks are called denial of service attacks. The technical definition of this is an incident in which the user of a network is deprived of service normally provided on a network. The attack usually functions as a loss of a particular service, such as e-mail.
"These attacks are sporadic and consume our available bandwidth, making it difficult or impossible to access the Internet," he said. The causes of the viruses seem to be illegal software and programs downloaded onto student computers, as well as certain Web sites that contain attachments downloaded from e-mail sources.
Blaha said that at first, the infections caused a great deal of traffic on the network, which overwhelmed software. Once the infected software was removed, it became obvious that the machines were still causing problems with the Internet.
Although there are explanations for the Internet troubles around campus, students worry about how their schoolwork will be affected.
"If the Internet is not going to work, the school shouldn't rely on it as its main way to communicate with students," Anne Giordano, freshman fine arts major,
said. "Student Online Courseware System (SOCS), The Electronic Student Services (TESS), e-mail, everything vital involves the Internet."
Students have also attempted to call Information Technology (IT) to try and find ways of fixing their computers.
"The message for Information Technology's voicemail asks if you're a professor or student. Then they proceed to tell you about a Web site that they have if you need help on something," Exum? said. "But the problem is that if you have no Internet, the Web site doesn't help you."
At this point, infected machines are being removed from the server. However, indications of an infected machine do not come immediately and it therefore takes time for IT to learn of the different problems.
An e-mail from IT was sent to students, explaining the situation with the computers. According to the e-mail, computers with infections will be denied access to the network and will not be allowed back on until students can prove that the machines have been cleaned.
The e-mail also says that the College will require all students to install anti-virus software on their computers next year in order to access the network. It will be downloaded as part of the Res.net application and will be completely free.
"I don't think it's unreasonable to expect students to purchase anti-virus software because it's something that will protect their computers as well as the network," Giordano said. "But if they're going to offer a program for free, that's even better."
According to Blaha, the majority of infected computers have been found in Travers and Wolfe Halls. Over 50 students have been contacted about viruses and, as of now, they have been removed. The computers that originally had the problems have been fixed as well.
Despite these repairs, new computers are continuously found infected with the viruses.
Blaha said there are several ways to protect the system, including installing anti-virus software, avoiding questionable Web sites which may download "spyware" (technology to gather information about a person or an organization without them knowing), not opening attachments from unknown sources and not downloading or sharing illegal files or software.
"Viruses and worms are an ongoing reality, and the important thing to point out is the network is a collective resource," Blaha said.
(02/11/04 12:00pm)
As the spring semester inches toward the halfway mark, the time has come for students to begin preparing for next year's housing assignments.
In the middle of February, the lottery process will begin for freshmen, sophomores and juniors. Freshmen are guaranteed housing for the coming year, but upperclassmen must face the fact
that there is only a certain number of rooms available for them.
A number of steps encompass the process of getting housing on campus. First, the student must pay a deposit for housing.
Following this, he or she will sign a contract guaranteeing residency on campus for the coming year. The student will then be assigned a lottery number and can sign up for a room at a specified hour.
A computer program randomly assigns the lottery numbers by class and gender. The actual lottery usually takes place during the first two weeks in April.
In projecting how many spaces are needed for sophomore housing, and thus how high the lottery should go, Residence Life looks at previous retention rates of freshmen.
To accommodate more people, a first lottery is performed followed by a second after it is determined how many spots remain.
As of now, there are about 500 spots open for junior and senior housing.
Although these may not seem like promising odds, John Stafford, director of residence life, encourages everyone who wants to try for housing this year to do so. In the Fall 2004 semester, the new apartments will open, ensuring more available spots for students.
"We will have more beds for upperclassmen on campus than usual," he said.
Similarly, he said that most wait-listed people usually get housing.
For students who fear they will not be among the 500 receiving housing, there are different opportunities on campus that
provide guaranteed housing. Such organizations are those that contribute some kind of service to the students. These include managerial positions, Residence Hall Association (RHA) members, ambassadors, as well as board members of certain clubs.
These students are put to the top of the list in the lottery and definitely receive housing.
Each year, the Lion's Athletic Pride holds a raffle for the lottery, allowing students the chance to win high lottery numbers and therefore have earlier opportunities and more choices when signing up for housing.
"The Athletic Department donates a housing slot to (the Lion's Athletic Pride) as the prize and they conduct the raffle in an attempt to get more students out to different athletic events," Kevin McHugh, director of athletics, said.
Diane Yee, president of the Lion's Athletic Pride, said that during four different sporting events, tickets are raffled off.
At the first two athletic events, swimming on Jan. 28 and women's basketball on Feb. 7, three tickets were given out to each attendee.
Two tickets were handed out to each student in attendance at a wrestling match on Feb. 8 and one ticket will be provided for every person at the men's basketball game on Feb. 14. The raffle will be held at the end of that game.
Stafford puts great emphasis on the fact that no exceptions can be made for students who do not turn their deposits in on time. "The big thing for students is when the information comes out, pay attention," he said.
This year, Stafford hopes to put together some groups to discuss the lottery process and determine if any changes need to be made.
This way, students can give feedback on the level of ease with which the lottery is handled.
"It's (the student's) lottery, we just run it," he said.
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
The College's viewbook, the Prospectus, received two awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), in its annual District II Accolades Awards program.
CASE is a national organization that works with professionals dealing in alumni relations, communication, development, enrollment and marketing. Among other goals, the organization promotes institutions to prospective students.
In the individual photography category, Baltimore freelance photographer John Davis won a gold award, or first place, out of a total of 15 entries, for three separate photos in the Prospectus.
The viewbook itself won a bronze award in the category of student recruitment publication. This category contained 33 entries.
"(It) is gratifying for me that the hard work that went into the development of the viewbook was recognized by the judges, many of whom work at our peer institutions," Cindy Friedman, director of Marking and Publications said.
The College viewbook is sent to potential students each year. It is put together by Friedman, Lisa Angeloni, dean of Admissions, the Office of College and Community Relations and the Office of Admission.
This year, it was created by The North Charles Street Design Organization located in Baltimore, Maryland.
Friedman and Angeloni met with the company for over a year, working with them on the viewbook. While the company sometimes made suggestions concerning layout and other aspects of the book, Friedman and Angeloni still possessed control over it, giving the company direction in the production process.
"(They are) one of the best in the country for marketing publication design," Angeloni said.
Although Angeloni is very proud of the award and the recognition given to the College, she knows that there is always room for improvement.
"You always have to keep wondering what you could do better," she said.
The North Charles Street Design Organization also designed the College logo, the shield, to which many students have objected.
It is questionable as to whether these awards will change people's minds about the logo.
"I do not think the awards will change student opinion towards the logo, since obviously the logo will not change," Jenna Scisco, freshman biology major, said. "However, I do feel that people may recognize the company it-
self in a more positive light."
Friedman shares a similar sentiment, believing the awards probably will not "affect anyone's opinion about the logo."
Awards in the aforementioned categories and others will be given out during a District II meeting on Feb. 9 in Philadelphia.
(11/18/03 12:00pm)
Sodexho sampled its Carte Blanche program in Eickhoff Dining Hall last week. The program offers better values and choices, according to Seve Hugg, district marketing specialist for Sodexho. It's also easier because student do not have to montior their accounts, he added.
The trial program ran Tuesday, Nov. 11 and Wednesday, Nov. 12.
Students paid a flat fee for either the specific meal or for multiple dining sessions when they entered Eickhoff Hall.
Students sampled the "All-You-Care-To-Eat-Service," choosing from salads, deli sandwiches, prepared meals, pizzas, cultural foods and desserts.
It is undecided whether or not the Carte Blanche program will be instituted at the College because financial issues are under negotiations.
According to Hugg and General Manager John Higgens, the program, if adopted, would feature a few different plans that students may choose from.
Some will include breakfast, while others will not.
Before the fall semester, students would pay a set amount for a meal plan. Then, when they entered Eickhoff, they would not have to pay for any food. Students must swipe their cards to prove they have purchased a plan.
Once inside, students can take whatever food they want and continue going back into the dining area for more.
Under the current a la carte plan, students receive a certain portion of food from the available stations.
With the Carte Blanche program, students could ask for less or more than a regular serving or mix different foods to sample a variety of meals.
Students cannot take food out of Eickhoff. But, if a student has begun eating something and wishes to take the rest out of the dining hall, he or she would be welcome to do that.
The program would be geared toward freshmen and sophomores who remain on campus most of the time. Juniors and seniors would not have to participate, unless they want to.
Students who do not participate in the Carte Blanche program can pay as they enter Eickhoff.
They would pay a set price, but would still be able to take advantage of the buffet options.
The normal a la carte plan would also be available in all other dining spots on campus, including T/W, the Brower Food Court and the Rathskellar.
Students had both positive and negative reactions to the program.
Kevin Tierney, freshman biology major, said the benefits are "More food, less money."
Jenn Kaplan, freshman math secondary education major, said, "It's good for people who want to try a lot of food and don't want to risk paying for something they don't like."
Bethany Shifrin, freshman Spanish and elementary education major said the buffet style would interfere with a studen's goal to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
"Having a buffet rather than a la carte dining will lead to students overeating and wasting food," Shifrin said.
"Many students are trying to stay fit by balancing exercise and healthy eating, but a buffet system would make people feel like they have to eat all that money's worth."
Jennifer Csontos, registered dietitian, was present during the sample days of the program. She said many students may overeat, initially, but after a few days students should resume their eating habits.
Although students may be allowed to take more food, Csontos also said they can choose more nutritional meals, such as salads, without having to worry about how much they must pay.
Hugg said, if instituted, the program would be a success.
(11/11/03 12:00pm)
Even though the reorganization of the Student Life Office was to be completed in October, College President R. Barbara Gitenstein said the plan will be to address staff and student input.
According to Mary-Elaine Perry, vice president for Student Life, the plan should be implemented in January, after staff members assume their new positions during winter break.
Student Life is in the final stages of fine-tuning and reviewing positions after changing job descriptions and having Human Resources evaluate and categorize the positions.
"I anticipate that the work will be completed soon, but at this time of the year, I felt it would be less disruptive for both students and staff to wait until the end of the semester before making these changes," Perry said.
This past summer, the College began to plan for the reorganization of Student Life.
It grouped many departments together and shifted positions.
Many staff members were moved to different departments and given new responsibilities, which altered the division of organizations on campus.
Perry said she wants to provide professional growth so supervisors will find more opportunities at the College and be inclined to stay at the school.
They also try to constantly improve services to benefit student needs.
"The core goals of the reorganization were to provide better services to more students on the campus within our current financial resources and to respond to the professional development goals and interests of the staff currently in the Student Life division," Gitenstein said.
Many students, however, were upset by the reorganization, because the administration made the decisions without their input.
Several students came together to discuss why the changes were being made and to offer suggestions.
Students were concerned because many organization advisors were moved without prior knowledge.
Students were worried they would not be able to interact with their mentors who would move to new positions.
For example, the Student Government Association, (SGA) lost its advisors, Student Organizations Coordinator Kevin Maldonado and Director of Campus Life Wanda Anderson.
The decision to move Anderson worried many students who feared she would not be as accessible to them as she had been.
She has, however, become a student advocate, a position students are happy with.
Christina Puglia, SGA president, is confident the new advisor Magda Manetas, assistant dean of Student Life, will do a good job with SGA.
Puglia and several other students met with Gitenstein and Perry to voice concerns.
Everyone was pleased with the outcome.
"It all turned out really well," Puglia said. "They listened to the concerns that we had and implemented some changes that we think will benefit the students."
After the meeting with Gitenstein and Perry, Puglia feels more reassured that the College would seek student feedback in the future.
"I think that the administration recognized the fact that students need to be brought into the discussion," Puglia said.
As of now, the changes are being reviewed by members of the Human Resources Office.
(10/28/03 12:00pm)
Many students at the College have been confused by news of President R. Barbara Gitenstein's salary raise in the wake of recent budget cuts.
The newest figure is $220,000 annually, which is an increase more than 10 percent from last year.
Gitenstein declined to comment because the decision to raise her salary came from the Board of Trustees after careful observation of her performance at the College.
Pat Rado, chair of the Board of Trustees, said Gitenstein's raise was based on her leadership in working with the state and other colleagues concerning the proposed budget and other economic situations in the past several years, Rado said. Gitenstein has contributed very positively to the College community.
Gitenstein's salary is less than the earnings of other College presidents in the area. For example, according to Steve Manas of the Rutgers Media Relations, Rutgers University President Richard L. McCormick earns $525,000 annually. This is a rise of about $300,000 from the previous president and more than double what Gitenstein earns.
Former Rider University President J. Barton Luedeke earned less than Gitenstein. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, the most recent statistics from 2000-2001 indicate his salary was $216,667.
Although budgets are handled differently at Rider University because it is a private school, this figure almost equals Gitenstein's pay.
The current president of Rider, Mordechai Rozanski, has a salary that is unknown, because the information is not available to the public at this time.
Faculty members at Rider could not be reached for comment.
Some students complain that Gitenstein's salary increase was signed by the Board of Trustees in early July.
The original budget proposed by Gov. James E. McGreevey instituted a cut of 12 percent for public colleges and universities in New Jersey.
Other cuts affected the Outstanding Scholars Recruitment Program, which provides funds to top students if
they attend school in state, as well as other grant programs.
As a result, the College reduced funding for some academic programs. None of these limitations included cuts to safety and welfare costs for students and faculty.
Knowledge of these budget battles caused many students to question the benefits of the president's salary raise.
"I think the school should investigate the funds that they have to make sure that they're being put to good use," Jessica Gill, sophomore English major, said.
McGreevey altered the budget on July 1, restoring some funding to the College.
After the revision of the budget was put into place, the Board of Trustees met to determine monetary changes, settling on several slight increases in tuition, and room and board for students, according to a news bulletin posted on the College's Web site on July 7.
Despite this relief after the difficult budget season, tuition and other costs increased to accommodate all programs and amenities provided by the College.
"I personally like (Gitenstein)," Diane Yee, junior management major, said. "But at this time it's not like we have extra money to be giving anyone a raise. She should take one for the team and allocate the money where it's needed more."
On the other hand, however, Rado said the figures have not risen extensively for next year's tuition.
"(Gitenstein's leadership) allowed us to hold tuition and fee increases below what they otherwise would have been," Rado said.
Additional information from tcnj.edu
(09/23/03 12:00pm)
Many air conditioners in New Residence Hall (New Res.) haven't been working since the beginning of the semester.
According to Joe Sullivan, director of facilities, there are several problems, such as clogged filters.
In some rooms, the valance system, the pipe that pumps the chilled water, leaks.
The air conditioning in New Res. is a passive system, which means that there are no other means for circulating the air.
When windows are open in the rooms, the fresh air that comes in causes the air flow to slow, especially when it's hot or humid outside.
It also takes several days for the system to become cool once it is turned on.
Dawn Conover, junior law and justice major, has lived in New Res. for two years.
Last year, she called Building Services because her air conditioner was dripping.
Workers placed insulation tape on the unit and said it would work. When it didn't, she called again, but Building Services never showed up.
"When you touch (the air conditioner), it's cold, but it's not producing cold air and the room is still hot," Conover said.
Conover brought the air conditioning problem to the Student Government Association (SGA), hoping the organization would be able to do something.
SGA members said that there was nothing they could do and that the problem is in the hands of the facilities.
Megan Long, sophomore elementary education and psychology major, had her air conditioning repaired, but it took several calls before Building Services arrived.
After five calls, and two trips to her room to work on it, the air conditioner was fixed.
"It's working now, but it's dripping all over my roommate's desk," she said. "I called and they haven't given us any consideration.
Vincent Meli, senior graphic design major, and Dennis Boyle, senior communication studies major, have had no problems with Building Services.
They called about their non-working air conditioner on a Thursday. The problem was fixed on Friday.
According to Building Services, it is often difficult to fix all the problems with the air conditioners before the semester begins.
This summer, no one was living in New Res Hall and many of the problems were not discovered until the semester began.
(09/16/03 12:00pm)
Pet permits are no longer necessary for on-campus students.
Residence Life cancelled the requirement after repeated problems.
According to Residence Life rules, the only pets allowed in the residence halls are those that can be kept in a 10-gallon glass tank, at most.
These include fish, turtles, hamsters, mice, gerbils, small guinea pig, iguanas, lizards and hermit crabs.
Before, the College required students to obtain permits to keep a pet in their rooms.
The permit was placed on the tank where it could be seen by the Community Advisor (CA), should he or she come to inspect a student's room.
If the permit could not be found, the student was required to remove the pet from the campus.
Kelly Wilson, junior English secondary education major, brought her hamster to the College last year.
The permit was an agreement that she would care for it properly.
Wilson said, however, that the regulations were never enforced.
"A Guide To Residence Living" gives students permission to have pets.
The policy also required extra unnecessary paperwork if an illegal pet was found.
"It seemed silly because if (students) are allowed to have the pet, why have the permit?" John Stafford, director of Residence Life, said.
Stafford also said that many students did not put the permit on the tank. Because of this, CAs were unable to find evidence of the student having registered the pet.
Several students who previously took their chances with unregistered pets are happy about the change.
"I used to have to sneak around when playing with my pet Stewie," Jeff Wang, senior biology major, said. "I would have to turn out the lights or hide under my covers. Now, without pet permits, I can even play with him in broad daylight (although he's sensitive to the sun.)"
Gina Brown, freshman psychology major, owns a beta fish which she keeps in a tank in her residence hall room.
"I think it's better that they got rid of (the permit) because it's a hassle," Brown said.
"Most people aren't going to bring anything that's not dorm-room safe because they don't want to take care of it," Brown added.
Wilson said she is happy that she did not have to go through the hassle of filling out the paperwork for her hamster this year.
However, she said the permit could have proved useful.
"If they were going to check on the animal, it would be good, but since they don't, (the permit is) not necessary," she said.
Certain animals remain restricted.
These pets include cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, snakes and birds.
The only students who may keep pets on campus other than the ones mentioned in the handbook, are those with seeing-eye dogs.
According to Stafford, students with medical needs are dealt with separately to meet their individual necessities.
Other restrictions for students with pets say that students may not bring wire cages into the residence halls.
These are deemed unsanitary and unsafe. Instead, the animal must remain in its glass tank at all times except during cleaning of the cage.
Students with illegal pets must remove them immediately.