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(09/09/15 6:35pm)
By Colleen Murphy
Managing Editor
• A male student at another school contacted the College’s Campus Police on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 1:30 p.m.to report harassing text messages that he had received from a student at the College, according to Campus Police. The male received a text message from an unknown number asking him to send pictures of his genitalia. The student ignored the text but then received a pornographic picture from the same number, Campus Police reported. The student researched the number on Facebook and found that it belonged to a freshman at the College. The male also discovered that the student who sent the picture lives on the same floor as his ex-girlfriend, according to Campus Police. The student asked Campus Police to contact the sender and prevent further communication. At 5:40 p.m., Campus Police called the male back and said that they talked to the student at the College who had sent the picture and asked him to not contact the student again. The student was “happy” and did not want to pursue anything further, Campus Police said.
• A teal Kate Spade wallet was stolen from the Campus Town Barnes & Noble sometime between 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21, and 8 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, according to Campus Police. The manager said that she had placed her wallet on the desk and could not find it after that. She reviewed security cameras with negative results, Campus Police said. According to Campus Police, the wallet is valued at $141 and there are no suspects at this time.
• Campus Police were dispatched to Ely Hall at 12:10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, after reports that there was an intoxicated male outside the building, according to Campus Police. When police arrived at the scene, there was no one in the area. Upon entering the building, the desk assistant on duty said that a male had fallen on her while he was in the lobby and then walked away. According to Campus Police, they found the male in the second floor bathroom washing his hands. When Campus Police asked if he had been drinking, the student said, “I drank a little bit of vodka.” When asked what a little bit was, the student said, “half a cup,” according to Campus Police. TCNJ EMS arrived, provided care and evaluated the patient. When the residence director arrived and started to explain the College’s student conduct procedure, the student became upset, Campus Police said. The student was issued a summons, according to Campus Police.
• Three handicapped signs were stolen and two were attempted to be stolen outside Roscoe West between 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31, and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, according to Campus Police. A campus construction worker found that the signs were taken off their posts — one was removed by the green construction fence in front of Roscoe Hall and the other two were taken from the post at the corner of the sidewalk between Roscoe West and Centennial Hall, Campus Police said. The two signs that were attempted to be taken were at the corner of the sidewalk between Green Hall and Roscoe West. One of the two bolts that was holding the sign in was “removed and the signs were twisted in what appeared to be an attempt to free them from the second bolt on the post,” Campus Police reported. The construction worker said he would work on replacing the signs and securing them in a stronger manner. The signs’ estimated value is $150, according to Campus Police.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
(09/01/15 8:57pm)
By Colleen Murphy Managing Editor
• Two male students were seen knocking over trash cans and then running into Lot 7 at 12:20 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, according to Campus Police. The students were found near the southwest stairwell where police said they smelled an odor of alcohol emanating from the men. The students failed a sobriety test and were found to be under the influence of alcohol. The two boys were carrying five 12-ounce cans of beer (three Bud Lights and two Budweisers) and one boy had under 50 grams of marijuana, Campus Police said. The two were summoned with possession of a controlled dangerous substance of under 50 grams and drug paraphernalia and underage drinking, according to Campus Police.
• A tennis racquet was stolen from in front of Allen Hall on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 11:15 a.m., according to Campus Police. The student left his racquet outside of the building for a moment as he went to his car to get something. When he came back, he saw that the racquet was gone and could not find it in the surrounding area, Campus Police said.
• A fire extinguisher was reported missing from the first floor stairwell of Cromwell Hall, Campus Police reported. A new extinguisher was placed there the first week of August, and sometime between 3 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, and 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25, the extinguisher was stolen, Campus Police said. Its estimated worth is $75.
• Sometime between 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, and 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, a mountain bike was stolen from a bike rack in front of Cromwell Hall, according to Campus Police. The mountain bike, described as “gray and white with a little bit of pink,” is valued at $500, and the lock is estimated to be worth $20. The owner did not have the serial number, make, model or speed of the bike and could not recall the brand of the bike lock, Campus Police said.
• A student’s laptop was stolen from her backpack sometime between 10:50 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25, Campus Police said. The student used the computer during her 9 a.m. class in the Business Building, but did not use it during her next class at 11 a.m. in the same building. During that second class, the student noticed that her backpack zipper was slightly opened, but was not certain if the laptop was or wasn’t in the bag at that time. After her class ended at 12:20 p.m., the student went straight to Eickhoff Dining Hall for lunch where she said she left her backpack unattended for “a second” while she went to get a drink. She then returned to her room where she took a nap. Upon waking up, the student discovered that her laptop, valued at $500, was missing, Campus Police said.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
(05/06/15 8:57pm)
By Colleen Murphy News Editor
• Three males received underage drinking summonses on Saturday, April 25, at 1:50 a.m., according to Campus Police. The three men were attempting to gain access to the rear of Travers Hall by using an ID they had found on the ground. The three were unable to get in. Upon arrival, police smelled alcohol and saw that all three had bloodshot eyes. The boys denied drinking, but after failing a sobriety test, they admitted to drinking beer at the off-campus house of Alpha Chi Rho fraternity. Lions EMS evaluated the boys and they refused further medical attention.
• A male was attempting to gain entry into the rear of Travers Hall on Saturday, April 25, at 5:30 p.m., Campus Police said. When en route to the call, police found the boy had walked to the rear of Wolfe Hall. He had slurred speech and when asked questions, was confused and corrected himself frequently. According to Campus Police, the boy said he had consumed four to five cups of beer at an off-campus Sigma Pi party. He was summoned with underage consumption of alcohol.
• An intoxicated student was found in the Spiritual Center’s bathroom at 8:10 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, according to Campus Police. The student had his pants down to his knees and appeared dazed and confused as he swayed from side to side. He had also defecated and urinated on himself. When police asked him how old he is, he mumbled, “I’m 21.” When asked how much he had consumed, the student said he had a little beer. While being evaluated, the male vomited several times. It was later determined that he was actually 18, so he was summoned with underage consumption of alcohol, according to Campus Police.
• Four students were issued summonses for underage drinking during the Spring Concert on Saturday, April 25:
-At 8:10 p.m., a member of the security team hired for the concert brought a student to police after growing suspicious that she was intoxicated when she did not follow directions that he had given her. The girl had glassy, red eyes and was evaluated at the Lions’ EMS triage area. Because the girl was cooperative and no further medical attention was necessary, she was allowed to stay at the concert, but she decided to return to her dorm room, according to Campus Police.
-At 9 p.m., a student was assessed by Lions’ EMS and admitted to having six shots of vodka in his dorm room.
-At 9:20 p.m., a student was assessed by Lions’ EMS and admitted to having one shot of vodka while at ‘Luau,’ an off-campus party.
-At 10 p.m., a student was evaluated by Lions’ EMS and admitted to having four shots of vodka. The student was transported to Capital Health-Hopewell by Princeton EMS.
• A swipe card reader and its cover was broken from its holder near Armstrong Hall in Lot 2 on Monday, April 20, sometime between 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., according to Campus Police. The reader is still in usable condition, but it will cost an estimated $50 to replace it. There are no witnesses, Campus Police said.
• Yellow graffiti was found during Lions Day on the west wall of level four of Lot 7 on Sunday, April 26, at 10:45 a.m., Campus Police reported. One of the paintings looked like the letter ‘S,’ while the rest of the markings didn’t appear to say or depict anything in particular. A work order was requested, Campus Police said.
• A girl had her Tory Burch purse stolen from Eickhoff Dining Hall on Friday, April 24, sometime between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., according to Campus Police reports. The student went to hug a friend she had not seen in a long time, putting her bag down and forgetting it there after she left a short time later. The girl’s friends reported that after she had left, a dining hall employee had asked if the black purse belonged to any of them, and they said no. When the girl returned to look for the small purse, she checked with two managers who told her it was not returned to them or in the safe. The leather bag with a gold emblem is valued at $250, and the bag had $13 in cash in it, as well, according to Campus Police.
• A male student had his wallet stolen while he was at an event on the Travers/Wolfe Hall Lawn on Sunday, April 26. Before he went into a couple of inflatable play houses at 2:45 p.m., the boy took off his shoes and put his wallet and phone into his shoe. When he returned 15 minutes later, the wallet was missing. The boy checked with the information desk’s lost and found and there was nothing. The brown leather wallet, which was possibly a Docker’s, is valued at $15. Inside was $40 cash, a Visa card that has since been canceled, a debit card that has since been canceled, a driver’s license, an Indian Springs Golf gift card that might not have any money left on it and a $25 gift card, Campus Police said.
• A purse was taken from the Music Building’s basement hallway sometime between 7:40 p.m. and 7:50 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, according to Campus Police. A woman left her purse and another bag on the floor while she went into the dressing room to help a friend. When she returned, the bags were not there. After searching, she found the second bag in a coat room, but not the purse. The purse is valued at $30. A driver’s license, ATM bank card, a life insurance card, $3 cash and car keys were in the purse, Campus Police said.
• While at an event in front of Travers and Wolfe Halls, a student had $2,515 worth of items stolen from under a table he was volunteering at on Tuesday, April 28, according to Campus Police. A red and black North Face backpack ($100), a silver Macbook Pro ($2,200), a white JBL Bluetooth speaker box ($125), a Kabbalistic Judaism paperback book ($75) and an Incase black laptop case ($75) were taken sometime between 2 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Campus Police said.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
(04/30/15 4:48pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
• Nine college employees had their identities stolen this year, Campus Police said. The victims discovered the identity theft as they were filing their 2014 taxes and realized that someone had already filed a fraudulent tax return. It is unknown at what level this breach occurred, whether it be at the College or with the IRS, according to Campus Police.
• An underage student was found intoxicated in the first floor women’s bathroom of Centennial Hall, according to Campus Police. On Sunday, April 19, at 4:05 a.m., Campus Police met with the girl in the building’s lobby and observed that she appeared to be in “an incoherent state of mind” and had an odor of alcohol as well as bloodshot, watery eyes. Campus police asked the girl for identification, so the female led officers to her room, where she said her ID was located. On the way to the room, Campus Police saw that the girl was stumbling, unable to keep her balance. Once she entered the room, the female looked through items at the foot of her bed and then handed the police a “TCNJ binder filled with papers containing math equations” and said the item was her ID. She was instructed to sit on a wooden chair until EMS arrived. Lawrence Township EMS arrived and she was transported to Capital Health. Campus Police issued her with a summons for underage drinking.
• Sometime between Friday, April 10, at 3 p.m. and Monday, April 12, at 8 a.m., the café in the Education Building was vandalized, according to Campus Police. Pastry boxes and a phone were thrown, resulting in damage to the phone. The phone is valued at $100. It is unknown how the suspect(s) entered the cafe, Campus Police say.
• Five students were charged with underage consumption/possession of alcohol when Campus Police entered a Townhouse East lounge after a noise complaint. Upon arrival to the noise complaint on Saturday, April 18, at 12:05 a.m., Campus Police heard multiple female voices loudly singing, they said. As they entered the lobby, police observed multiple wine bottles on a table, along with red Solo cups. Campus Police asked for the students’ identification, and all those under 21 were summoned.
• An attempted theft of a bicycle from the first floor of Lot 7 was caught on camera on Friday, April 17, at 7:24 p.m., Campus Police said. The bicycle’s owner had locked the bike to a garbage can of the center stairwell on Friday, April 17, at 6 p.m. When she returned on Saturday, April 18, at 12:30 p.m., she found that her lock was damaged and the bike was moved to the other side of the trash can. After the victim had unlocked the lock, she was unable to lock it again. Campus Police reviewed camera footage that captured a male walking up to the bike, picking it up, pulling it with force and attempting to break the lock. Another camera shows that the male was in the area of five other males. The suspect is described by Campus Police as a white male of average height with a thin build, light color ball cap, chin-length brown hair, a light T-shirt, dark pants and dark sneakers.
• On Saturday, April 18, between 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., a car parked on the second level of Lot 11 was scratched on the hood and its right side, Campus Police said. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
(04/25/15 9:06pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
• Sometime between 9:20 a.m. on Monday, April 6, and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, $100 in cash and a $50 Visa gift card were stolen from a Travers Hall room, according to Campus Police. The resident had left her door unlocked and later realized that the items were missing from her wallet, which was located in her dresser drawer. The resident talked to several of her floormates, thinking one of them was playing a joke on her. When she told Residence Life staff about the missing items, they told her to report it. From a tip, Campus Police developed a suspect. Police met with one of the victim’s floormates at 9:50 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, inside his room. Police told him they were investigating a theft on the floor and transported him to police headquarters where he was questioned. The male said he didn’t take the money or the gift card and doesn’t know who did. According to Campus Police, there are no other suspects at this time.
• A black backpack with $1,214 worth of items was stolen from a Library computer lab on Saturday, April 4, between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., Campus Police reported. The backpack, which was valued at $50, had a silver iPhone 6 valued at $649, an Asus laptop valued at $400 and a graphing calculator valued at $115. Police reviewed footage retrieved from a basement security camera where they saw a man leaving the lab area and walking upstairs and then exiting the south entrance of the library. The student had also reported the stolen backpack and electronics to Lawrence Township Police. At 10:17 p.m., Lawrence Township Police called Campus Police saying they had located the suspect in his vehicle by using the “Find My iPhone” application that was connected to the victim’s tablet. The suspect fit the description of the man seen leaving the library, and he was also in possession of the backpack and its items. When back at police headquarters, the suspect said, “Man, I shouldn’t have even come here today.” He was warned not to return to campus, and if he does, he will be charged with trespassing, according to Campus Police.
• A fire door that led to a stairwell on Cromwell’s fourth floor had its window broken by physical force on Wednesday, April 15, at 9:28 p.m., according to Campus Police. Residents said they did not hear or see anything suspicious.
• Campus Police was called on Saturday, April 4, at 11:35 p.m. after a report cited two silhouettes seen inside the Campus Town construction site. The caller then saw a male climb over the fence back onto the campus, where he walked through Lot 4 toward Lot 7. All units responded to Lot 7 where the male was arrested for criminal trespassing. Police were unsuccessful with finding the second suspect. At police headquarters, police observed that the trespasser had slurred speech and a strong smell of alcohol. As a result, he was charged with underage consumption of alcohol. Police observed mud on the male’s sneakers and lower legs and, according to Campus Police, the boy said it was “probably from going through Campus Town.”
• Between 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, someone dented the rear bumper of a parked vehicle behind Eickhoff Hall, Campus Police said. The vehicle’s owner believes the employee she had disciplined for “job abandonment” and told not to return to campus until a follow-up meeting on Thursday, April 9, had done it out of spite for being reprimanded, according to Campus Police.
• Five more bags were taken from the Physical Enhancement Center on Thursday, April 2, between 2:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., according to Campus Police. A student worker found four bags in the men’s bathroom. She brought them back to the gym, and three owners approached her to retrieve the bags. All three people checked and said that their bags were picked through. One student had $40 taken from her wallet. The fourth bag was placed back in the cubby. A fifth person asked if another bag was found, but it hadn’t. One of the students told officers that incidents like this happen all the time, and Campus Police said they recommend that these thefts be reported.
• Three car magnets were stolen off a car in Lot 12 sometime between 7 a.m. on Friday, March 20, and 3 p.m. on Friday, April 3. The three magnets were of the word “Pray,” Greyhounds in a red Volkswagen and Greyhounds in a paw, and each was valued at $10.
• On Saturday, April 11, at 6:48 p.m., a resident on the fourth floor of Cromwell heard a group of about four or five males being loud in the hallway. Soon after, she heard a loud bang and then laughing. When she went out to the hallway, she saw that the glass from the hallway door was broken out. She was unable to identify the males, according to Campus Police.
• Campus Police found purple graffiti on the outside of Decker Hall and on the dumpsters behind Cromwell at 7:20 a.m. on Saturday, April 11. According to reports, a stick figure and a cat head, with the words “pussy money weed” were spray painted on one wall. The words “dick spout,” with an arrow pointing to a pipe, was found on another wall. “HOPES” and “DR DIE” were spray painted on the dumpster, according to Campus Police.
• Two males, one a visitor, were found intoxicated in a New Residence Hall room at 1 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, according to Campus Police. The first male had vomit on his clothes while the second was vomiting into the sink. The second student was cooperative and admitted to having several shots of vodka. Lions EMS evaluated the first student who went in and out of consciousness and was unable to answer all the questions. The first student shouted, “I had a lot,” when asked what he consumed and then lay down on the bed. While conscious, he was uncooperative, yelled and recited rap lyrics. When the males were told they were being transported to the hospital, the first student became combative, prompting EMS to strap him into a board restraint so he didn’t harm himself or EMS. Neither student said where he drank, Campus Police said.
• At 7:40 a.m. on Friday, April 10, a car on the fourth level of Lot 13 was found to have been sprayed with a fire extinguisher on the front hood, bumper and side of the vehicle, according to Campus Police. The extinguisher was found 10 feet from the vehicle. A second extinguisher was found 20 feet away. Campus Police said that as they drove down to the bottom level, they noticed that all the fire extinguishers on each level of that corner were missing.
(04/10/15 3:56pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
On Friday, March 27, sometime between 3 a.m. and 8:45 a.m., 19 vehicles were vandalized on levels two and three of Lot 13. According to Campus Police, the perpetrator(s) will be charged with criminal mischief and bias intimidation. The following is what was found on each of the cars:
1. “Go Hit” on rear passenger window, “LEK,” followed by a swastika, on the front passenger window and a picture of a penis drawn on the driver’s side window.
2. A heart was drawn on the rear window with “KKK” after it.
3. “Your mother” written on the rear window, followed by “is a mother fucker” written across all the windows on the passenger side.
4. A picture of a penis was drawn on the driver’s side window.
5. The words “I’m pregnant” were written on the front windshield.
6. Multiple circles were drawn on the rear window of the carwith the words “Suck a” on the rear trunk.
7. “Hello beautiful” was written across the trunk with circles drawn on the rear glass.
8. A picture of a penis on the driver’s side window and the word “dick” on the passenger right fender.
9. A picture of a penis with the words “skinny shaft long head” were written on the rear window.
10. “Vaginas rule” was across the rear window with the picture of a vagina.
11. “E=MC(Vagina)” was written on the rear window.
12. “I am a worm” was written across the rear window.
13. “Kanye” was written across the rear window with a swastika drawn across the front hood.
14. “M & M’s” was written across the passenger side window.
15. “I love eating fetuses” was written across the rear window.
16. An image which resembled male testicles was drawn on the rear bumper.
17. “Live below” was written on the driver’s window.
18. “Surprise I’m pregnant” was written on the rear window.
19. The N-word was written across the top of the rear trunk.
The Division of Student Affairs & Office of Institutional Diversity sent an email to the College community that expressed the administration’s disappointment in the vandalism.
“We know that this behavior does not reflect who we are as a community, and those who perpetrated this crime do not reflect our institutional commitment to inclusivity,” the email said. “Because we are a community who cares, this incident will serve to re-affirm our efforts to address matters of discrimination and harassment. The College will continue conversations around insuring that our campus is one where people of all backgrounds are valued and respected.”
• On Saturday, March 28, a community advisor was roving the sixth floor of Travers Hall when she heard vomiting coming from the men’s bathroom at 1:35 a.m. Lions’ EMS and Campus Police were called and the boy said he had consumed four to five shots of an unknown liquor, but most likely Svedka.
According to Campus Police, he was charged with underage possession and consumption of alcohol.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
(04/01/15 11:41pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
On Tuesday, March 17, at 1:30 p.m., Campus Police observed a male trying to get into his Chevy Impala by using an un-wrapped, white-wire clothes hanger. The man told police that he had locked his keys inside the car and was waiting for a tow truck to arrive. When the truck arrived to Lot 16 and the car door was opened, there was an immediate odor of marijuana detected from inside the vehicle, according to Campus Police. When asked if he knew anything about the smell, the man said there was one blunt in the ash tray. He gave the half-smoked blunt to the officers and was placed under arrest.
Campus Police discovered more graffiti on the fourth level of Lot 11 on Sunday, March 8. At 5:30 p.m., officers found a purple stick figure with a silver bowtie painted on its head. Upon further inspection, two more silver circles with dots in the middle of each of them were found in the same area. A request was made to the College’s Facilities Paint Shop to cover the markings, according to Campus Police.
On Wednesday, March 11, a male who matched the description of the person of interest in the recent thefts at Packer Hall was seen entering the rear of the Recreation Center without having signed in, according to Campus Police. At 4:45 p.m., police saw him playing basketball, and when asked if he had an I.D., the male said he did not. He told Campus Police that a friend had let him into the building. When Campus Police asked for the friend’s name, they conducted a search in the College’s database of the student’s alleged name but found no results. The male said he was not a student of the College and was visiting his brother. Using the name that the male provided, Campus Police could not find the brother in the database, either. The male was then placed under arrest for criminal trespassing and obstruction of the administration of the law for giving false names.
A Microsoft Surface Pro2 computer was reported missing after a student left it at The Rathskeller on Friday, March 13, between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Upon arriving home from the eatery, the student realized the computer was missing and returned to the Student Center to look for it. The student went to the Information Desk and The Rathskeller several times asking of its whereabouts before reporting it missing to police on Wednesday, March 25. The computer is valued at $450, its gray keyboard priced at $120 and a black, soft case valued at $20, according to Campus Police.
A golf cart belonging to the College was found on Ewingville Road by a resident of Ewing Township on Thursday, March 12, according to Campus Police. A fork was jammed in the ignition, turned to the ‘on’ position and left in neutral. Campus Police advised the Director of Operations for Sodexo Services of the theft. The property damage is valued at $5,000, according to Campus Police.
(03/04/15 11:00pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
• A student who went to Packer Hall’s Physical Enhancement Center had $120 stolen from her wallet on Friday, Feb. 13, between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. According to Campus Police, the student put her bag and jacket in one of the gym’s cubbies and then used the elliptical machine. When she went to collect her items, she found that her bag and wallet were missing. Unable to locate it in the immediate vicinity, she went to the first floor of Packer and found the bag left at the bottom of the stairs with its contents missing.
• A total of $345 in property was stolen from a student in the PEC on Monday, Feb. 16, between 4 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., according to Campus Police. The student put his drawstring bag, a hat and sweatshirt in one of the gym’s cubbies. When he checked the bag 15 minutes later, the bag and its contents were missing. The student later located the bag in the men’s bathroom with its items missing. A Samsung Galaxy S4 ($200), a Visa gift card ($25), an Amazon gift card ($25), a QuickChek gift card ($25), a McDonald’s gift card ($10) and $60 in cash have not been located.
• On Friday, Feb. 20, between 1:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., $30 was stolen from a backpack that was left in one of the PEC’s cubbies, according to Campus Police. The student reported his missing backpack to staff and searched the building. He found the backpack in a garbage can in the first floor men’s bathroom. All of the contents were in the bag except for $30.
• Six items and a duffel bag were stolen from the PEC on Tuesday, Feb. 24, between 11:15 a.m. and noon. The student put the bag on the floor beside the cubbies. According to Campus Police, after a 45-minute workout, the student saw that the bag was missing, along with all its contents: a black wallet ($15), a TCNJ I.D. ($10), a Visa debit card, a N.J. driver’s license ($15), a police family card ($10), a TCNJ room key with lanyard ($10). The duffel bag was valued at $5. Altogether, the property is valued at $65.
• Two female students were issued summonses for underage drinking in Travers Hall on Friday, Feb. 20, a little after 11 p.m., according to Campus Police reports. One of the girls, to whom Lions’ EMS attended, slurred her speech and had trouble standing. She was visibly intoxicated and found to have bloodshot eyes, as well as an odor of alcohol on her presence. The student said she had consumed three or four shots of tequila. She then vomited, and Ewing EMS transported her to Capital Health Medical Center-Hopewell. Her friend was also found to have slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and an odor of alcohol, but the student was not transported.
• A car in Lot 17 was left with a 12-inch scratch on the driver-side door on Thursday, Feb. 19, between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Campus Police reported. The female student told Campus Police that before parking her 2014 Honda Civic, she got into a verbal argument over a parking space with another female student who was driving a dark-colored car.
• Campus Police said they made an arrest in the display of graffiti across campus. Police first received an anonymous tip about the graffiti markings of “NEWO” and stick figures. Further investigation of the tip resulted in the development of a suspect who was then charged with criminal mischief. The paint used to cover the graffiti was estimated to cost $250. Police say the suspect, who will be going to court, did not take responsibility for all of the graffiti.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
(02/25/15 7:37pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
When most people’s electronics go off during class, it’s usually the result of a text message or Siri acting up. But for three of the College’s students, that sound equates to something much more urgent. For these students, an alert that sounds during class means that somewhere in Ewing Township, their expertise and help are needed: These firefighters must report to a scene.
Matthew Iannarone, a senior mechanical engineering major, Anthony Dell’Aquila, a senior criminology major and Michael Koons, a senior business administration major, are not only full-time students at the College but also volunteer firefighters for the Pennington Road Fire Company. Recently, the company chief, Steve Luck, honored the three with the Firefighter of the Year Award for their ability to balance their dedication to both school and firefighting.
According to Iannarone, when Luck was presenting the award, he noted that there were a lot of great firefighters from which to choose. Deciding who to give the award to was a challenge, but the College’s three students stood out from the rest.
Every firefighter that works with the three recipients thinks that they do a good job, Luck said, and when figuring out who to present with Firefighter of the Year, the work ethic of Iannarone, Dell’Aquila and Koons put them “above everybody else.”
“Basically, to get the award, you have to be involved and not shy away from anything we ask of you,” Luck said.
The three students first became involved with firefighting at their local companies before coming to the College, with Iannarone starting in 2009, Dell’Aquila in 2006 and Koons in 2010.
Dell’Aquila, who now serves as a trustee of the Pennington Road Company, has been serving Ewing since 2011, and in 2012, he served as assistant chief of EMS. Koons began his work with the Pennington company in 2012. However, Iannarone didn’t think he was going to pursue firefighting while at college, but that quickly changed.
“I sort of missed it after two months of being here, so I walked down, picked up an application and joined,” Iannarone said.
Since they first joined, the three have responded to hundreds of calls in the area.
“It seems like we’ve responded to everything,” Iannarone said. “From the routine burnt food calls to full-house fires to car accident entrapments — Ewing pretty much gets it all.”
The Pennington Road Fire Company’s district includes the College, so the three men have responded to calls that come from the College numerous times, including late-night elevator rescues and last year’s fire at the Towers.
“I’m one of the few people who can say they took a chainsaw to Travers Hall,” Iannarone said.
According to Iannarone, he easily spends 10 hours a week volunteering for the firehouse. The amount of calls vary week to week, but just last year, the company went on 600 calls to Ewing and the surrounding area.
While they admit balancing their volunteerism with schoolwork can be difficult at times, the students say they would never give up firefighting.
“I sincerely enjoy what I do as a firefighter and EMT,” Dell’Aquila said. “Helping other people in need is something that I have always had a passion for. I also enjoy the excitement that being a firefighter and EMT brings. I never know what the next call might bring me. I am also gaining very useful experience by volunteering my time.”
Iannarone agreed with Dell’Aquila’s passion for altruism.
“I like giving back, helping people,” he said. “I think I’ll volunteer probably the rest of my life.”
The dedication that each has displayed to volunteering was what earned them the Firefighter of the Year award, and Luck noted that they’re incredibly great volunteer firefighters and EMS responders.
“It’s a pleasure to have them — it’s actually a blessing to have them because volunteers are hard to come by nowadays,” Luck said.
And Luck, Iannarone and Dell’Aquila all urged those interested in volunteering for the fire company or first aid unit to contact the fire company.
“If there is any student at TCNJ who is currently a firefighter or EMT, or anyone who wishes to become one, I encourage them to contact the fire company by logging on to penningtonroad.org, calling (609)-882-9885 or coming down to the firehouse (located at 1666 Pennington Road) for a visit and to pick up an application,” Dell’Aquila said.
(02/18/15 7:34pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
The Barenaked Ladies sing in “The Big Bang Theory’s” theme song, “Our whole universe was in a hot dense state, then nearly 14 billion years ago, expansion started,” spurring evolution. Over the years, scientists have found much evidence that supports evolution. However, according to Evergreen State College biology professor Michael Zimmerman, the United States is only second to Turkey in the Western World for having the largest amount of citizens who don’t believe in evolution.
To kick-off Evolution Weekend and celebrate Charles Darwin’s birthday, Zimmerman gave the presentation, “What the Evolution/Creation Debate Can Teach Us About the Relationship Between Religion and Science,” on Friday, Feb. 13, in Roscoe West, which explored why more Americans don’t believe in evolution.
“It’s difficult to imagine that we’re educating students — that we have an educated sensory — when the basic principle of evolution is so disregarded, disrespected and misunderstood, when it is so important,” Zimmerman said. “It’s anti-intellectual.”
He pointed out, though, that the point of his discussion was not to say which belief is right, but rather to have people understand that “the scientific method is important.”
“If you throw out evolution, if you question the basic premises of what evolution is and what we know about it from the last 150 years, you’ve thrown out the core of what biology is all about,” Zimmerman said. “Studying biology without having a framework of evolution is like studying history just by memorizing dates, not having any other context. No one would do that — no meaningful progress would be made.”
The biologist also wanted the audience to walk away from the event understanding that there is a way for religion and science to coincide and that the two are actually compatible.
In an effort to do so, Zimmerman discussed the Clergy Letter Project, a campaign he started in 2004 to bring religion and science together. As of Saturday, Feb. 14, almost 13,000 Christian clergy members from around the U.S. have signed a letter stating that they want evolution to be taught in schools and “that science remain science and that religion remain religion, two very different, but complementary, forms of truth.” As one clergy member pointed out, the two have different purposes, with religion’s being to “transform hearts.”
There are three other letters on Zimmerman’s site from three other religions that explain how they believe religions and science can co-exist. The letter from America’s rabbis has 514 signatures, while 285 Unitarian Universalist and 24 Buddhist clergy members have signed their faith’s respective letters.
Ariel Moskowitz, a sophomore biology major, was surprised to hear that some religious figures and clergymen also supported the theory of evolution and said she found Zimmerman’s lecture interesting.
“I personally believe in evolution, and it was very refreshing to think about how evolution and religion can coincide,” Moskowitz said. “I always assumed you couldn’t believe in both evolution and creationism, but Zimmerman showed how they aren’t mutually exclusive.”
Zimmerman believes the intersection of religion and science and creationism and evolution is important, but what he cautioned the audience of was fundamentalist beliefs on both sides, saying those beliefs are “equally wrong and counterproductive.”
“Only by combating fundamentalism can we generate respect for religion and ensure high quality science education,” Zimmerman said, adding that he believes there is no reason for someone to have to choose between the two entities.
(02/18/15 6:52pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
Campus Police were called to a small fire in a trash can that had already been put out by a student on Tuesday, Feb. 10. At around 6:15 p.m. a student saw paper towels “glowing” in a trash can of the men’s bathroom on the first floor of the Chemistry Building. The student put water on the flames, and according to Campus Police, the fire was out and an odor of smoke lingered upon their arrival at the scene.
...
A camera bag that held a camera and other items was taken from the Spiritual Center sometime between 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, and 9 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8. A student went into the Meditation Room for a scheduled meditation session, and after 20 minutes, the student returned to her dorm, forgetting the camera bag she brought to the session underneath a chair. When the student realized her camera was missing on Sunday, she returned to the Spiritual Center and could not find it. The camera is valued at $1,020, according to Campus Police.
...
Two cymbals were stolen from the Music Building sometime between Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, and Friday, Feb. 6, according to Campus Police. The items were taken while the building was under construction, and so the room where they were stored was not secured. The first cymbal is a custom 20’’ Zildjian ping ride cymbal valued at $235. The second is a 16’’ Dream Bliss cymbal valued at $89.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.
(02/11/15 7:31pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
• A student was found standing in the woods at around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. Upon walking toward the individual, the officer detected an odor of alcohol. The student said to the officer, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry.” As the student spoke, the officer could smell alcohol on the student’s breath. The student was unable to answer what he was doing in the woods or if anyone was with him. The officer then saw a prescription container which contained a “green, leafy vegetation, believed to be marijuana.” The student was then placed under arrest. After further investigation, the officer found three cans of beer. Lions EMS evaluated the student and said that he should be transported to the hospital. Hearing this, the student became “combative and loud,” saying he didn’t want to go, leading him to be charged with disorderly persons, as well, according to Campus Police.
• A student has been the recipient of multiple phone calls from a restricted/blocked number, according to Campus Police. Between Monday, Dec. 1 and Tuesday, Dec. 9, a student received four phone calls at “inconvenient” hours from a person who disguised his or her voice. When the victim asked who the caller was, the caller said he or she was too afraid to answer due to having a crush on the victim.
• Between Tuesday, Dec. 2, and Friday, Dec. 12, a pencil case with pencils was taken from an unlocked cabinet in the Arts and Interactive Multimedia Building, Campus Police said. The case, which was valued at $10, had about 100 Artsnacks-brand colored pencils in it which were valued at $200.
• Over winter break, there were three reports of theft that involved three TVs and one stereo, according to Campus Police. On Friday, Jan. 30, a student reported that a 32’’ Vizio TV valued at $219 and a Panasonic stereo valued at $250 were taken from his room between Tuesday, Dec. 16, and Sunday, Jan. 25. The student told police that he had locked the door upon leaving campus.
On Wednesday, Jan. 28, it was reported that a TV and remote were stolen from a lounge sometime between Thursday, Dec. 18, and Saturday, Jan. 24.
A new 32’’ Samsung TV was stolen from a dorm room sometime between 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16, and 10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25. The victim said he locked the door before leaving his room.
• At 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, Campus Police found that a fire extinguisher had been used on the fourth level of lots 11 and 13. Three more empty extinguishers were found nearby, leaving behind a “yellow powder substance in the snow.”
• Campus Police found three acts of graffiti around campus over winter break. On Saturday, Dec. 13, the initials, “RG” were drawn in red paint and surrounded by a circle in parking Lot 18’s lower stairwell. With it, the initials “ED” with a face, a red skull and a blue symbol were found. The same day, a stick figure in black paint was seen on the green electrical box outside of the AIMM building. Campus Police found a similar stick figure on the lower level of Travers Hall. Then, on Thursday, Dec. 18, a stenciled house in green paint was found in the stairwell of Lots 1 and 2.
(01/28/15 7:49pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
For the 10th year in a row, the College has been included on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s “Best Values in Public Colleges” list.
This year, out of the 100 four-year colleges on the list, the College was ranked as the 23rd most valuable public college in the nation for in-state students. It was ahead of the four other New Jersey public schools included on the list: Rutgers University — New Brunswick (43rd), Ramapo College (82nd), Rowan University (85th) and Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (100th).
Kiplinger also ranked the College as the 16th best valuable public college for out-of-state students.
The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill was ranked number one for both in-state and out-of-state tuition while the University of Virginia was second in both areas.
According to Kiplinger’s website, “Unlike other college rankings, ours are based entirely on measurable criteria, such as student-faculty ratios, admission rates, on-time graduation rate, sticker price and financial aid. Neither our opinion nor anyone else’s affects the calculation.”
The company uses a formula of accounting the quality of the school as 55 percent of the total score and cost criteria as 45 percent of the ranking.
The list cites the College as having a 43 percent admission rate, as well as a 73 percent four-year graduation rate, which were both factors in the College’s ranking.
Additionally, the College was ranked as the 89th best value college in the nation. This list of 300 schools included both public and private colleges. Princeton University took the top spot on this list.
Kiplinger’s rankings came out just several months after the College was named one of the costliest public colleges in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education. In that list, which was released in July, the College was ranked the ninth most expensive state college, with a tuition rate almost twice the national average of $7,407, according to a July 6 article from The Star-Ledger.
Kiplinger factored student debt after graduation into its ranking of colleges with the best value, and students at the College can expect to have an average of $32,362 of debt.
In response to the earlier U.S. Department of Education ranking, David Muha, the vice president for communication, marketing and brand management, pointed out to The Star-Ledger that the College’s high ranking on lists like Kiplinger’s is what makes the school worth the price. His words also echo the financial and quality formula Kiplinger uses to choose its ‘Best Values’ colleges.
“With consistently strong outcomes and the fifth highest four-year graduation rate in the country among public institutions, TCNJ delivers the kind of education typically associated with highly-regarded private institutions, but at a fraction of the cost,” Muha said.
(11/21/14 8:39pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
Some recognized his voice as the title character of “American Dragon: Jake Long” while most others remembered him as Prince Zuko from “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” If it wasn’t the voice that people knew, it was the face — either as the red-mohawked Rufio, the leader of the Lost Boys from “Hook,” or Ramos, a boy from detention, from “Take the Lead.” But regardless of how they knew of him, students came to see a crowd-pleaser in the Education Building on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
Dante Basco, an actor, dancer and poet, spent some time during his talk “geeking out” over his role as the Fire Nation’s prince with the audience, some of whom were wearing “Avatar” shirts or holding Prince Zuko figurines. But Basco’s main reason for speaking to students was to discuss the lack of Asian Americans in the media and how that can be changed in the event sponsored by the Asian American Association.
Basco, a Filipino-American, has been an actor for over 30 years, and in those years, he has played all sorts of ethnicities, including Latino, Native American and a slew of Asian roles. He doesn’t consider Hollywood racist, though. Instead, he looks at it like a business that aims to fit its actors into ethnic boxes. And so, Basco was cast into roles in which he could ethnically pass off.
“We’re not really these characters,” Basco said. “We’re just a character in the storytelling.”
He did point out, however, that for every 100 roles a white person can play, there is only one an Asian can play. It is Basco’s goal to get more Asians Americans in the media because they “need to try telling more stories.”
“When you’re in (the industry) for a few decades, you start to realize, ‘Wow, it’s time for us to start to figure out what we’re going to do for this next generation (of Asian American artists),’” Basco said.
And according to Basco, it is on the Asian American community itself, not Hollywood, to help employ the next generation of its artists. In fact, Basco’s idea for a movie geared toward Asian Americans was shot down by a company because, as they put it, Asian Americans have already assimilated, meaning everything the company promotes to America’s white majority, Asians will buy.
“So why do we need to promote to them? Why spend another dollar on a community we already have?” Basco was asked.
Basco said he realized the man was right, and since then, he’s made it his mission to employ the rising generation of Asian-American artists. To do so, he created “We Own the 8th,” a conglomerate of production companies which releases new media — both traditional and digital media — on the eighth day of every month in hopes that an Asian genre will form.
“We are the arbitrators of taste for ourselves,” Basco said. “Why is it important to have a voice? Because our stories are just as important as (anybody else’s) stories. We are part of this fabric that is America and it’s on us to tell those stories. Is it (for us by us)? No, it’s by us, for all.”
Sophomore physics and secondary education double major Brianna Santangelo — a huge fan of Basco’s work, especially as Jake Long, Prince Zuko and General Iroh from “The Legend of Korra” — said it was interesting to hear his thoughts on making a system for Asian Americans.
“I honestly loved the talk,” Santangelo said. “His ideas for bringing old and new school media together are well thought-out and definitely seem like it will cause a lot of change in the entertainment industry.”
Jessica Perez, a senior applied mathematics major and the president of the Asian American Association, said that Basco was the perfect speaker to have. Not only does he regularly advocate for more Asian representation in the media, but he also appeals to a wide audience. As such, Perez believes what Basco had to say was important to hear.
“Asians are underrepresented in today’s media, and many times, when they appear in mainstream media, they are heavily stereotyped,” Perez said. “Media can greatly affect people’s perspectives on different types of people, so it’s important that there be more positive representation of Asians.”
Most of all, it seems as though Basco’s efforts to encourage more Asian Americans to enter and continue in the arts are working.
“It’s very hip to be Asian in America right now,” Basco said. “It’s happening.”
(11/12/14 5:28am)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
Two comics — Ricky Velez, one of “Comedy Central’s” Comics to Watch, and Pete Davidson, “Saturday Night Live”’s resident young person — performed at Kendall Hall on Thursday, Nov. 6, showcasing their respective talents at being hilariously crass.
Velez, a 25-year-old from Queens, N.Y., opened strongly for Davidson, starting off by explaining why he hates Europe so much.
First, he said, the people of Norway are just too good looking. Second, the people of Spain don’t try to rob people the right way.
Instead of holding you at gunpoint and demanding cash like people would do back in his borough, the gypsies of Spain will throw a plastic baby at you, hoping you’ll go to catch it, thus leaving your hands free long enough for them to take your belongings.
Velez said he wouldn’t fall for that. No, he’d chest bump that plastic baby to the floor.
Next up was Davidson, a native of Staten Island, or as he likes to call it, “New York’s abortion that lived.”
The soon-to-be 21-year-old told stories about his first semester in college. He expressed his hatred for “Frozen” and told the audience why Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Rachel McAdams all “infuriate him.”
Davidson also read from his phone some random ideas he got before the show, including making a “Huncle” magazine — a magazine for hot uncles.
After the show, some audience members tweeted their disapproval of his many of Davidson’s jokes, especially those he made about mental disabilities and those which degraded women. But he warned the crowd early on into his act that that is exactly what they should expect from him.
“I don’t do political humor. I’m your age. I’m not smart. I make fart, dick and pussy jokes. Get on the ride now,” he said
In an interview with Velez and Davidson after the show, Davidson said the advice he’d give to an aspiring comedian is to simply “do it.”
“Do what you think is funny, don’t do what you think other people think is funny,” Davidson said.
Velez also said that upcoming comedians should try and enjoy the process.
“It’s really hard to enjoy because you don’t see money for a long time, like it can get frustrating, but enjoy those broke times because those are some of the most fun,” Velez said.
Both comedians agreed that growing up in New York City helped shape their comedy.
“I think growing up in New York, you snap on each other, like they make fun of each other all the time,” Davidson said. “I think that’s why a lot of comedy is from New York, because everybody grows up with that snapping on each other.”
Davidson, who grew up watching “SNL,” is now the fourth youngest cast member the show has ever had and said he feels an accompanying pressure.
“Comparisons always freak me out because they’re like, ‘You’re the youngest since this’ and I’m like, ‘That guy’s so amazing, and I just talked about my dick.’ So it’s crazy, but I try not to think about it,” he said.
There were no comparisons to worry about during his visit to the College, though. Both New Yorkers showed off their different, fresh styles of stand-up that made for a laugh-out-loud night.
(10/29/14 10:01pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
To shed some light on the infamous case of Michael Brown — the 18-year-old who was shot six times in Ferguson, M.O. over the summer — journalist, historian and University of Connecticut history professor Jelani Cobb gave the presentation “Between Us and the World: Ferguson, United States of America and The Lynching of Michael Brown,” to a full Mayo Concert Hall on Thursday, Oct. 23.
Cobb painted a vivid picture of this summer’s shooting which has split the town of Ferguson and the country, saying that what actually angers people most about the Ferguson case stems from a deep history of race relations.
Cobb spent nine days reporting from Ferguson in August and has made three trips there altogether. In his lecture, Cobb detailed what angers the citizens of Ferguson most about this case and from where that angers stems.
The background of Ferguson revolves around the idea that when police officers fear for their lives — whether or not a subject is armed — they will protect themselves. And on Saturday, Aug. 9, police officer Darren Wilson claimed he feared for his life as he reported that Brown “punched and scratched” him as he was “pinned in his vehicle,” struggling over his gun.
Wilson fired his gun six times, killing Brown, but this account is the exact opposite of what many of the witnesses said they saw happen — Brown was apparently walking away, with his hands up — so there was no need for Wilson to fear for his life. Shooting Brown was thus unjustified.
Every night since the shooting, the streets of Ferguson have been filled with protesters. Chants of “Hands up, don’t shoot,” were displayed on news channels for the world to see, but according to Cobb, this case is so much more than just who is right and who is wrong. This case goes much deeper into African-American history.
For four and a half hours after the shooting, it was as though Brown’s body “lay behind like refuse in the afternoon heat left on display,” Cobb said. According to Cobb, this left the same sign as those 3,500 lynches in southern states between 1890 and 1920, because for the people of Ferguson, Brown’s body being left on display served as a warning — this, too, could happen to you.
For those hours that Brown’s body lay there, covered with a white sheet, Cobb said Brown went “from man to victim to metaphor.” It was the “literal, terrible truth, laying directly in front of us in the streets,” Cobb said. And the truth is that this shooting was “not an isolated incident,” according to Cobb, just an “atypical situation.”
“We’ve approached (the Ferguson area) as if it was a foreign territory,” Cobb said. “But Ferguson is part of America. Ferguson is America.”
Freshman open options major Madina Ouedraogo went to the lecture to learn more about the details of the case and to what extent it has affected not only Ferguson and the state of Missouri, but also, the nation. According to Ouedraogo, it was an extremely thought provoking and informative presentation, as well as necessary.
“Lectures like these help spread tolerance and understanding among all people,” he said. “We live in nations and a world engulfed in so much intolerance and misunderstanding. If people just took the time to stop, listen and open themselves up to the opportunity to hear different perspectives from their own, this world would be much more peaceful and united.
Ouedraogo also believes it is “essential for lectures like these to be heard” because it helps “promote tolerance and understanding instead of miscommunications, misunderstanding and violent ideologies and divisions among all people.”
(10/22/14 10:23pm)
Freshman mathematics major Sarah Sutherland was known as an “incredibly selfless” student at the College, “full of love for God and friends.” In what has become a campus tragedy, however, Sutherland passed away near her Scotch Plains home on Monday, Oct. 6.
Sutherland, who sometimes went by Sara, quickly became an active member of the campus community: She was in the math club, Black Student Union, New Jersey Christian Fellowship and the Leadership Development Program, along with being an involved member of her freshman floor.
“She was always a positive, friendly person, (and) she was always fun to be around,” said freshman nursing major Hannah Rose, one of Sutherland’s floormates. “We would go out together — she always made me laugh. She was a big addition to our floor, (and) she was very positive and (outgoing).”
Sutherland died by suicide on Monday, Oct. 6., according to an email sent to College faculty, staff and students by President R. Barbara Gitenstein on Thursday, Oct. 9.
“This tragic incident affects our campus, and we all feel a sense of loss at this time,” President R. Barbara Gitenstein wrote. “Please join me in keeping Sarah, her family, and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
A mycentraljersey.com article published on Thursday, Oct. 9, cited police saying the 18-year-old had jumped off an overpass and into a creek, which was several hundred feet from the restaurant where she had worked. Sutherland later died at University Hospital in Newark.
Sutherland had been a warm, inclusive student who liked to make sure nobody felt left out, according to freshman psychology major Lena Chickezie.
“If you knew her, you were lucky,” Chikezie said during a prayer vigil the New Jersey Christian Fellowship held for Sutherland on Wednesday, Oct. 15, which honored Sutherland.
The vigil highlighted the psychological options available to all College students in need of any assistance, including CAPS in 107 Eickhoff Hall, and services were made available to those who knew Sutherland.
“I think that everyone has been so great with us, talking about counseling and psychological services,” Rose said. “I think that the school does as much as they can, they make us very aware of the services available to us.”
Sutherland’s floor was heavily impacted by the loss of their friend and came together to mourn her after their community advisors and the school counseling services told them the news.
“(Our floor is) pretty close … We all went to dinner the night (they told us the news), it was almost 40 of us that went to Eick that night, and it was just nice to be together,” Rose said. “We have a really close floor, which makes it hard to lose someone — but it’s also nice that we all have each other, we’re going through the same thing. If I get upset, I can just go to anyone in the hall and we’re all close. We all knew her. We’re all upset about it.”
Sutherland’s family held a memorial service for her on Friday, Oct. 10, with a prayer service on Saturday, Oct. 11.
(10/10/14 10:31pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
According to an email sent to College faculty, staff and students on Thursday, Oct. 9, freshman Sarah Sutherland died Monday, Oct. 6, near her Scotch Plains home.
An article on mycentraljersey.com published on Thursday, Oct. 9, states that, according to police, the 18-year-old jumped off an overpass and into a creek, which was only several hundred feet from the restaurant where she worked. She later died at University Hospital in Newark.
"This tragic incident affects our campus, and we all feel a sense of loss at this time," President R. Barbara Gitenstein wrote in the email.
Sutherland graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in 2014 and was an employee of Snuffy's restaurant for six months, according to mycentraljersey.com.
In a comment left on Sutherland's online obituary page, the restaurant's management wrote that, "Sara was our employee, and in the short time we were blessed to have her at our establishment, she was loved. She was bright, respectful, sweet and devoted."
Visitation for Sutherland will be held at Terrill Road Bible Chapel, 535 Terrill Road in Fanwood, N.J., from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, followed by a memorial service from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
According to the online obituary page, a prayer service will be held at Terrill Road Bible Chapel on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 10 a.m., with interment following at Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, N.J.
(10/07/14 4:40pm)
By Colleen Murphy
News Editor
The construction of Campus Town promises new buildings and amenities for the future, but it has also made it possible to bring a piece of the College’s history closer to the center of campus.
Students walking through Alumni Grove have noticed the two piers that have been erected outside the library, but those are not new — in fact, they are almost 70 years old.
Originally located at the former entrance for Trenton State College on Pennington Road, which was a little farther south from the current entrance, the two piers were gifts from alumni in honor of students and alumni who served in the two World Wars.
According to David Muha, vice president for Communications, Marketing and Brand Management, the entrance where the piers once stood was called Memorial Entrance in honor of the 14 College students and alumni who lost their lives fighting in WWI and WWII.
The piers were located at the College’s Memorial Entrance for decades, even after the main entrance of the College was altered around 1965. However, according to Muha, the piers stood where the Campus Town construction site would be, necessitating their removal.
According to Muha, the moving process of the piers was a part of a larger campus sidewalk renovation project, so the exact cost of moving the piers is unclear.
The College had several ideas as to where to relocate them, according to Muha. Putting the piers in Lions Stadium was one option, but the foundations and pathways would not accommodate them. Designing them into the site of Campus Town was another possibility. Ultimately, because the piers have a strong alumni back story, “the College felt it would be more appropriate to relocate them to somewhere on the existing campus,” Muha said.
Sophomore psychology major Caitlin Nehila thinks that the location chosen for the piers was the right choice.
“I think (Alumni Grove) was a good spot because it’s right in front of the library, and because students walk by all the time,” Nehila said. “It’s a common place in the school where everybody can see it.”
At first, like many students, Nehila thought the pillars that used to stand there were knocked down and that they were rebuilding the exact same thing for the sake of decoration. However, now that Nehila knows the history behind the piers, she thinks they are welcome additions to campus and will serve as meaningful reminders to students and faculty about the College’s past.
By bringing a part of the College’s past onto the center of campus, Muha hopes it will remind students and faculty of the College’s history and how it has become the institution it is today.
“TCNJ will be 160 years old next year,” Muha said. “By preserving our history, we recognize the contributions of generations of alumni who helped to build the College and make it what it is today.”
(09/24/14 2:39pm)
First, she fell in love with the country. Then, she fell in love with the man she was tutoring. American Susan Blumberg-Kason was studying in Hong Kong when she met the love of her life in 1994. The two wound up marrying and having a son, and for five years, she tried to be the best Chinese wife she could be. But the marriage did not last, and Blumberg-Kason experienced what she called, “a love affair with China gone wrong.”
Blumberg-Kason wrote about her time as a Chinese wife, daughter-in-law and mother in her memoir, “Good Chinese Wife.” On Thursday, Sept. 18, under the sponsorship of the department of world languages and cultures, she came to the College to give a discussion on “Gender, Romance and Chinese Masculinity” and to read an excerpt from her book.
When Blumberg-Kason arrived in China, she knew about the foot binding the girls used to perform in order to reach a certain standard of beauty. She also knew that in the ’30s, women’s femininity was taken away to make the men and women appear as equals. The Chinese culture continued to change throughout the years, and when she arrived in China in the ’90s, she was surprised to see that men and women shared domestic duties.
“My American friends' fathers did not share domestic responsibilities,” Blumberg-Kason said. “Dad would come home, he'd kick off his shoes, sit in his chair, watch the news or ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ Even if Mom was working, she would have to get the kids from school, cook and clean. The gender roles (in China at the time) were not as what we think in America.”
She also pointed out that Hollywood is the only institution to teach Americans what Chinese masculinity is, which we are led to believe includes a lot of sparring.
"I saw things so differently than what I saw in Hollywood, and I feel like if I hadn't had that experience, to meet people from other cultures, my view and my life would be completely different," she said.
Immersing herself in the Chinese culture, Blumberg-Kason said she imagined she would be living there for the rest of her life. That thought was solidified when the man she loved brought up the idea of marriage.
"In China, couples traditionally date if they plan to marry — it's not like in the U.S. when people date casually until they meet someone they want to settle down with," her soon-to-be husband told her.
Blumberg-Kason was at first surprised to hear of marriage so soon.
"So this was normal — talking about dating and marriage in the same sentence,” Blumberg-Kason read from her book. “It's the first time I heard of this custom, but I trusted him. The Chinese culture was so different.”
It all happened so fast.
Blumberg-Kason was soon married and doing her best to please her husband as well as his parents.
However, she said the marriage was “emotionally abusive.”
"This whole book is about me trying to do what I thought was the Chinese way, and I didn't really know what that meant," said Blumberg-Kason, who has not been back to China in 16 years. "I tried to take the cue from him, but it was just five years of trying to figure out how to make the marriage work."
According to the author, the book’s cover, which shows an unbalanced tower of china, perfectly grasps the feeling she had while in the marriage.
"These cups or bowls are about to tip over at any point, and I'm trying to keep everything together," she said.
Looking back at the marriage that brought her into a Chinese family, Blumberg-Kason said she realizes that there are things she could have done differently, including making sure she and her husband had a more solid plan for their future and not rushing into the marriage.
But, most importantly, "Rather than just trying to be a good Chinese wife, I should have just been a wife and have my American identity," she said.