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(04/23/19 2:03am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
National Poetry Month is a time to reflect on famous poets, such as Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes, who have highlighted important social issues in their creative works.
In an April 1998 issue of The Signal, Derek Walcott, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning poet and playwright, read his poem, “Omeros,” and spoke to students at the College about the inequalities that African-Americans face.
Those in attendance knew they were in for an intense evening of intellectual and poetic discussion. Nobel Prize-winning poet and playwright Derek Walcott spoke in Kendall Hall last Thursday.
As the chief luminary of the 1998 Writers Conference, Walcott talked about the difficulties of the African-American experience and the influence of his Caribbean ancestry on his view of American society. He also read from his recent epic poem, "Omeros," and entertained audience questions.
A literary figure of international appeal, Walcott draws on classical, European and African traditions while maintaining the roots of his Caribbean upbringing.
In his writing, Walcott makes a persistent effort to move beyond his introspection as a representative intellectual of the late 20th century into forms that explore both social relationships and society itself.
"What are the appropriate words to introduce one who needs no introduction?" Don Evans, chairman of the African-American Studies department, asked. "We have the real deal right here."
Evans introduced Walcott as the "epitome of an artist, scholar, playwright (and) teacher" whose work is central to intellectual discourse and "cannot be limited by nationality, race or style."
He also insisted that offering a mere biographical sketch of the writer would be a travesty of the man as an artist.
"This is all available on the Internet and in libraries," he said. This is only what he's done, not what he is. Walcott, Evans believes, is a citizen of the world who challenges us to know ourselves and to work for change.
Upon greeting the audience, he commented on Kendall's inability to "fill a gulf between me and you."
Walcott began the evening with a discussion of the story behind his poem "Omeros." Scratching his coarse and graying hair, he recounted a childhood memory in Africa of a canoe on which someone had painted "In God We Truust."
"Misspellings are better than the original," he said, "because they're more sincere. The care the painter had taken in adding the extra 'u' in trust was a symbol of more faith than ordinary."
He talked about the "necessary journey" African-Americans must make to connect to their roots, citing bits of African mythology to support his position. A bird called the sea swift connects the two worlds in the poem "Omeras." The sea swift represents the joining of the middle passage, taking a canoe back to Africa in an instant.
(04/16/19 12:58am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
This June, performers such as Miley Cyrus, Chance the Rapper and The Killers will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock in New York.
In an April 1996 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote about the College’s version of Woodstock, “Radiothon,” which was a two-day charity concert that featured local musicians.
Radiothon '96, a charity concert benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Trenton, was, in the tradition of Woodstock, two days of performances, auctions and a merchandise sale consisting of CDs, posters and other music memorabilia.
WTSR Radio (91.3 FM) held its 24th annual Radiothon in the Rathskeller on Wednesday, April 10 and Thursday, April 11.
Local bands performed on the stage from 1 2 to 7 p.m. each day. AKU, Triple Vig and Half Kings, all from the Trenton area, performed on Wednesday along with All Else Failed and The Diane Linkletter Experience. Headlining on Wednesday night, from 7 p.m. until midnight, were Semi-Beings, Half Hour to Go and Moped.
The local bands that performed on Thursday afternoon were Generation 7, Silkworm, Flour, Mandolin Genesis and Fats. The lineup for Thursday evening included Duochrome, Highly I and Trip 66.
In past years, Radiothon has included nationally-recognized bands as well as local talent of all musical genres. This year was no exception, and audience members commented on the "interesting" selection of music at this year's concert.
The Radiothon served many purposes: it allowed everyone to enjoy l*o days of music and fun, it gave bands some exposure and it raised rooney for a charitable cause.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonProfit organization which works in partnership with underprivileged People to improve housing. Established in 1976 to respond to the need :or belter, this organization challenges people to help renovate or wild decent homes for those who are living without adequate shelter.
As of September 1994, the Trenton chapter of Habitat for Humanity completely rebuilt six houses and as built 10 new homes in East Trenton, with new projects underway.
According to Paul Alfieri, assistant station manager of WTSR, the donation totals for Radiothon 96 are around $1,600. This total is slightly more than Radiothon received last year, and Alfieri is optimistic that even more money will be donated. He estimates that the final totals will be around $1,700- $1,800, once all the money is tallied.
"I think the organization was a lot better this year than-it was last year. The quality of the bands were a lot better," Alfieri said. Derek Roseman (Radiothon '96 coordinator) started planning in August, which allowed us to get these better bands.
(04/09/19 2:17am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
With Earth Day just around the corner, it’s important to practice eco-friendly habits such as shopping at the local thrift store, using reusable bags and avoiding plastic straws.
In an October 2003 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote about the club, Students Acting for the Environment, and its efforts to improve the College’s recycling system and promote environmental awareness.
Students Acting for the Environment (SAFE) is trying to make the College more environmentally friendly by raising campus awareness about recycling.
Many students on campus think recycling does not take place at the College, according to Lisa Civita, president of SAFE. This, however, is not the case.
Waste management at the College is handled by Midco Waste, a federally-regulated company located in New Brunswick, contracted by the office of Landscape and Ground.
"Midco removes trash, bottles and cans and cardboard and paper from the dumpsters they provide, which is sorted, recycled and/or disposed of appropriately," Brunelle Tellis, environmental programs specialist of the College, said.
However, the process of sorting the College's waste often impedes recycling.
"As far as recycling goes, black trash bags are for waste and the clear ones are supposed to be for recyclables," Civita said. "If there's even one non-recyclable item in (the clear bags), they'll throw it out with the rest of the garbage."
"As a College, we have supplied containers to make recycling easy and convenient," Tellis said. "Unfortunately, providing containers and expecting people to comply are two distinct issues."
SAFE is getting together a campaign to raise public awareness about recycling on campus, and to make sure everyone knows proper recycling procedures.
"We want people to know if you contaminate the recycling bins, you're ruining everyone's efforts," Civita said.
SAFE, also hopes to conduct a banner campaign. The banners, which will encourage students to recycle, will appear in Travers-Wolfe and Eickhoff Hall.
"We really want to get this in people's faces," Civita said.
However, even though recycling corners for bottles and cans can be pushed to students, there is no program for paper recycling in residence halls — something SAFE hopes change.
"We have a project to get paper recycling in dorms," Civita said. "We've gotten approval to put boxes in the laundry rooms, and we hope to start distributing them soon."
Despite these efforts, the College has a poor record in dealing with environmental concerns, according to SAFE.
Most noticeable is the College's continued relationship with Boise Paper Solutions.
According to Civita, SAFE campaigned for the College to sever its ties with Boise, because the company was the largest violator in terms of cutting down old growth forests.
Over the summer, Boise changed its procedures, attempting to become more ecologically friendly.
The group elicited the help of the office of Environmental Services.
"The only input, which has had little or no student support, to advance recycling efforts on campus has come from SAFE," Tellis said.
"Education and cultural change is imperative and can only be achieved with the help of organizations like SAFE.”
(04/04/19 12:00am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
When Jennifer Massa, a junior special education and English dual major, wanted to sell a few pairs of her used sneakers back in October, she had a range of options. Online resale stores such as ThredUp and Poshmark had thousands of customers nationwide, while local thrift shops like Plato’s Closet offered convenience with a 15-minute drive.
As a college student on a budget, every dollar and second mattered to Massa. It could take months for her shoes to sell online, and even then, most retailers only give back 15 to 40 percent of how much they sell, according to ThredUp and Plato’s Closet.
That was when Massa turned to tcnj-snap.
Tcnj-snap is an unofficial, student-run account on the popular multimedia messaging app, Snapchat. Students at the College often advertise club events, items they are selling and more for no charge on the account’s Snapchat story, which receives more than 4,000 views per story, according to the owner of tcnj-snap who has agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity. The owner is a College graduate, according to Massa.
In order to receive the promotion, students must message tcnj-snap via Snapchat, at which time tcnj-snap will post the advertisement on its story.
However, when Massa reached out to tcnj-snap to sell her three pairs of shoes, the organization would not post the advertisement until she paid $12 to “TCNJ M” on Venmo and claimed that the charge would be given to other clubs and organizations on campus. Without proof that the money from the charge was going back to the College, Massa was hesitant to accept.
Months later, news of tcnj-snap charging students like Massa sparked outrage across the campus, causing many to question if the platform has the right to sell promotions and if the money is being donated to the College.
“When they have the word ‘TCNJ’ in their Snapchat, a lot of people thought they were affiliated with the College, but that’s not true at all,” said Abhi Vempati, a freshman computer science major after he was charged $12 to sell an iPhone X on tcnj-snap in December.
“What’s the guarantee that the money goes back to the College?” Vempati asked.
Vempati also claimed that he learned through experience that if the student’s item does not sell after three weeks, tcnj-snap still keeps the money it charged.
“Doing that means they’ll get the guaranteed sale and they keep your money,” the computer science major said. “That’s what quite bothered me at least.”
Although news of the charges only became public in late February, senior biology and public health double major Justine Wilson said tcnj-snap’s charges are nothing new.
In February 2018, Wilson asked tcnj-snap to promote the Biology Club’s T-shirt tabling event, where the sales of the shirts were being donated to charity. However, when tcnj-snap said they would not post the advertisement unless it was paid, Wilson stopped answering.
“I didn’t ask how much, because I thought it was an abuse of their platform to charge students to advertise things,” Wilson said.
While many students followed Wilson’s footsteps in refusing to comply with the charges, others took matters into their own hands.
On March 5, a student at the College — who wished to remain anonymous — created tcnj.news on Instagram in retaliation.
“I was in the Library Cafe and overheard some girls having a conversation,” the owner of tcnj.news said. “They were saying that tcnj-snap was charging them to post about their organization’s philanthropy event. That kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Why should organizations have to charge to post about events that will help out our community? The previous owner of tcnj-snap didn't charge, so why now? On a whim, I sat down in one of the cubicles in the library and started the account.”
A week after the account was created, tcnj.news reached 1,000 followers. It receives approximately 10 requests a day from students asking to advertise on its platform. With its intention of remaining free for students, tcnj.news believes its influence on the College’s campus will only grow.
“Since we are on Instagram, the thing that makes this platform unique is that we can go on student's stories,” tcnj.news said via email. “If they have something we think would be valuable for our community to see, we shoot them a (direct message) and ask if we can post it. After all, our account was created to help out the TCNJ community.”
In response to the outrage from students like Wilson and the creation of tcnj.news, tcnj-snap posted on its story to address the outrage.
“It has come to my attention that many feel this account is not transparent enough,” tcnj-snap said via its Snapchat story. “In the next couple of days, information will be provided to show exactly where the donations have been given and to alleviate any concerns regarding where the funds are ending up. I’m sorry for any misunderstanding.”
Tcnj-snap also added that students would be able to participate in a scavenger hunt at the end of the spring semester, where those who had donated would receive free publicity on tcnj-snap and win prizes.
According to tcnj-snap, students who wanted to sell items through the account were offered a price of $3 to $5 per item, but the charges were not forced. If students accepted the deal, they would Venmo the money to “TCNJ M” and their advertisements would be promoted through tcnj-snap for three weeks. After the allotted time, the students would get their money back through Venmo if their items didn’t sell.
As far as where the money from the charges was going, tcnj-snap said via Snapchat that the profits were being donated to the College’s food pantry.
As of Monday April 1, the TCNJ Food Pantry Fund did not receive any donations through the TCNJ Foundation that would indicate that it is a contribution from tcnj-snap, according Michell Lin, assistant director for Stewardship and Donor Relations for the food pantry.
Despite tcnj-snap’s clarification, students were still questioning if tcnj-snap could be trusted.
“I think it’s great that they want to help out the community, but as of right now, (students) are just going off of their word,” tcnj.news said via email. “If they can provide proof that the money is going to important causes for the school, then that in my opinion is perfectly acceptable.”
On March 15, the College graduate and owner of tcnj-snap stepped down due to lack of time and the backlash.
Later that day, the new and current owner of tcnj-snap, a student at the College who asked to remain anonymous, made an announcement saying that students would no longer be charged.
“This is supposed to be a resource and fun, and charging students turns viewers away,” tcnj-snap said via Snapchat. “My goal for this account is to promote (events) but also be used as a resource for students to find out about things happening on campus and stay informed.”
Tcnj-snap also added that there would be changes to how the account is utilized.
“I want to make it more student friendly, so I want to incorporate funny videos at events and parties for example, and to also give info about events and parties happening on campus.”
On March 19, tcnj-snap said that the previous charges — which totaled $350 — had been donated to the College and sent a screenshot via Snapchat that showed a confirmation email from John P. Donohue, executive director of TCNJ Foundation.
Donohue could not be reached for comment.
Since the announcement of free promotions, tcnj-snap has seen a spike in student outreach.
“Some of (the students) were still scared that they would have to pay after asking, but when I said no, they were very grateful,” the new owner of tcnj-snap said.
Although students like Wilson — who said she is unsure if she will ever promote on tcnj-snap in the future — remain hesitant, Massa said she will definitely be reaching out to the platform to sell more items.
“I think it’s better this way,” Massa said. “No one should be making money off a free app unless they pay taxes.”
(04/02/19 3:03am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
This June marks four years since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage across the country.
In an April 2004 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote about same-sex couples participating in a mock wedding ceremony in an effort to promote equality. Because gay marriage hadn’t yet been legalized in all 50 states, the event drew mixed reactions of both support and uneasiness.
Four same-sex couples, all comprised of students from the College, were married in a mock wedding ceremony last Wednesday in the atrium of the Social Sciences Building.
Cameras flashed throughout the ceremony, capturing the procession of three female couples and one male couple down the aisle, their exchanges of vows and rings, and their first kisses as "husband and husband," "wife and wife."
The program, which was intended to educate about and encourage acceptance of gay marriage, attracted a supportive crowd and proceeded without any protest, contrary to expectations.
Marne Clune, sophomore business major, and Ryan Androsiglio, senior psychology and sociology major, coordinated the event to fulfill their community service program requirement as community advisors (CAs).
The Gay Union of Trenton State (GUTS) at the College cosponsored the event.
The couples joined in mock marriage were Amanda Gerson and Sylvia Lugo, Meghan Thompson and Jessie Povolo, Amber Ramsey and Amy Renx, and John Kelley and Steven Schweixer.
Ramsey and Renx, and Kelley and Schweixer are actual couples. The others volunteered to act as if they were to make a statement.
Kelley, freshman communications major, and Clune both said they expected opponents of gay marriage to attend. Any who did created no disturbance.
Clune said some flyers promoting the program had been torn down around campus and acknowledged this as a consequence of dealing with such a controversial issue.
"We are trying to shake things up a bit," Clune said. "We are looking to educate people on an issue that they might not be comfortable educating themselves on."
(03/26/19 1:00am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
In the age of the #MeToo Movement, Women’s History Month has become a time to not only honor women’s accomplishments throughout history, but to also shed light on the obstacles they face every day.
The Signal has covered different initiatives the College has taken to acknowledge women’s rights. In an April 2005 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote, “What Would You Do?: Issues Affecting Today’s Woman,” a discussion on the issues surrounding sexual harassment and abortion rights.
The Cromwell Hall main lounge housed a discussion full of fresh ideas about issues affecting women today on March 31. Approximately 30 students, both male and female, attended the lecture and discussion "What Would You Do?: Issues Affecting Today's Woman," featuring a guest speaker from Pakistan.
Anila Kamal, associate professor of psychology at the National Institute of Psychology, Centre of Excellence at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan, was the main speaker for the event.
Kamal's area of expertise lies in sexual harassment. In fact, her reason for visiting the United States is to gather data for a study on the cross-cultural comparison of sexual harassment in the United States and Pakistan. Kamal based her 45-minute presentation in a question and answer format on five myths that surround sexual harassment. These included claims that sexual harassment is easy for women to handle, women enjoy it, sexual harassment only happens to certain types of women, sexual harassment is a judge of femininity and sexual harassment will go away if ignored.
Kamal gave some background on her home country of Pakistan, where most of her study took place, before delving into the myths. She noted how the society is incredibly conservative and does not encourage male-female interaction on any level. The women are expected to stay in the home, and schools, even at the college level, are segregated by sex. Sexuality is not to be discussed and sexual harassment is almost never talked about because women cannot complain about it.
Kamal talked about dealing with sexual harassment.
"When we were younger, no one told us how to deal with sexual harassment," a girl near the front of the crowd said about the topic. "We were never given classes or advice on this."
Kamal noted that this is often the case and stressed that when you are uncomfortable, you must always have your voice heard.
Kamal discussed every portion of sexual harassment, from how to report it to how it affects everyone regardless of age. sex, race or creed.
"In most cases, when sexual harassment is ignored, it continues or gets worse," Kamal said. "You should just say no when a man does it, explain your feelings."
After Kamal 's lecture, the program moved into a group discussion of three issues that Sigma Gamma Rho and Chi Upsilon Sigma, the sororities sponsoring the event, had chosen as relevant to women today: pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the selling of a woman's eggs. Each issue was posed as a question or scenario on which the crowd had to voice their opinion on. Most discussions lasted up to 20 minutes with many heated debates occurring at once.
(03/12/19 1:29pm)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
It’s hard to imagine this institution as anything but a college, but in a February 2002 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote about rumors of the College becoming a university and why the administration said that would never happen.
Forget any rumors you might have heard — the College is not in the process of becoming a university.
"The institution doesn't want and is not seeking university status," said Jesse Rosenblum, associate vice president of College Relations.
Contrary to that, he said that the goal is to become the best undergraduate college in the state.
"College," said Rosenblum, "is a name that more fits our status."
He cited the College's mission statement, which is posted online, and states that the College "is primarily an undergraduate and residential college with targeted graduate programs."
Becoming a university means expanding the graduate programs, and Rosenblum said that the College does not foresee this happening.
Instead, the College plans a constant refining of its undergraduate programs.
Rosenblum said that the College has the facilities for this and is getting more.
"Should we be like Rutgers?" asked Rosenblum. Rutgers University, he said, spends all of its time and energy on its 100 plus graduate programs in many areas of study which have 3,000 to 5,000 students enrolled.
The College, on the other hand, has about 30 graduate study programs, as well as certificate programs, and most are related to teaching.
Rosenblum said that people tend to see university status as being better than college status. In the 1960s and 1970s, he said, parents began sending their kids more and more to universities.
The philosophy, said Rosenblum, was, "If it's big, it's better." He said that there are other respected colleges, such as The College of William and Mary in Virginia.
When fewer students attend the big universities, Rosenblum said, they are left with lots of empty classrooms and space.
In order to fill that space with more students, these universities may drop entry requirements.
The College's goal, he said, is to have a fine undergraduate program and maintain high standards. "Why should we dilute it?" asked Rosenblum.
"There is an optimum size for quality education to occur," said Rosenblum. He cited classes at Rutgers and other large universities that sit 200 students and are taught by graduate students. "Is that what we want?" asked Rosenblum. "I don't think so."
Rosenblum said that the College appeals to students because it's not Rutgers. That appeal, he said, lies in factors such as smaller class size and a quality undergraduate program.
"They choose to come here," he said. "If we went a different direction, we'd lose what we have and we would not (be) true to our mission."
The last identity alteration the College went through was in 1996, when it changed names from Trenton State College to The College of New Jersey, a move biology professor Edward Rockel described as occurring with "no forewarning."
Rosenblum said that the reason for that name change was to lessen the emphasis on just Trenton and increase the scope to all of New Jersey, since students come from all over the state and beyond.
"We're not a localized institution," said Rosenblum.
(03/05/19 4:16am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
Between balancing school, work and extracurricular activities, students might find it difficult to volunteer their time to help their neighboring communities through clubs like Habitat for Humanity and Student United Way.
However, campus-wide blood drives serve as a low-commitment way for students and faculty to give back in just a matter of minutes.
In a Feb. 1999 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote about a blood drive that collected 118 pints of blood from over 143 students and staff members.
Brave souls participated in a two-day random act of kindness — over 143 people donated blood on Monday and Tuesday last week.
Sponsored by Medical Careers, Biological Society, Tri Beta, Professional Nursing Organization of Students and Delta Phi Epsilon, the college's Blood Plan Drive collected 118 pints of blood at its Spring Blood Drive.
The Blood Plan includes participants from the entire college community — students, alumni, administrators, faculty and staff. A donation, either personally or by proxy, of one unit of blood every 18 months qualifies membership in this life-saving organization.
Members between the ages of 18 and 70 are eligible to donate blood. Seventeen-year-olds may donate if they have written parental permission. The Community Blood Council of New Jersey also allows persons older than 70 to donate as long as they meet Blood Center criteria and have been a regular donor.
The Blood Plan Drive has been a recurring blood drive on campus, serving the community since the '60s.
"I'm proud of the longevity," said Dr. Ray Fangboner, chair of the Blood Plan. "We've been here for a long time. This is a very critical time for donations. (Donors) contribute to another life."
"There's a lot of people who are Signal Photo / Liza Pate Over 143 people, including Vanessa Rodriguez (on table), donated 118 pints of blood at The Blood Plan's Spring Drive, held last Monday and Tuesday. four years they've been here. (The ill and need blood, especially in chemotherapy," said Cynthia Poynor, a registered nurse supervisor."People need platelet replacements, so the platelets they get with donors will help them so they don't bleed to death. Also, there are babies who need (blood). People are saving lives every day by donating blood."
(02/26/19 7:38am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
I thought I knew what mental disorders looked like for most of my life.
Anxiety was like what I had seen in movies –– panicked hyperventilation that could only be quenched by breathing in and out of a brown paper bag.
An eating disorder was what I had seen in TV shows –– malnourished or overweight girls pinching their sides in front of a mirror, refusing to eat even a morsel.
Depression was what I had read in books –– characters unable to crawl out of bed, eat a full meal or laugh for weeks, months or years straight.
The media told me that in order to have a mental disorder, you had to check off every visible, severe symptom. There was no scale. You were either on the brink of a mental breakdown or you were just overreacting.
However, when I started to experience symptoms of depression, anxiety and an eating disorder as a freshman in community college, what I thought I knew about mental disorders began to change.
Feelings of hopelessness and loneliness, restriction in diet, suicidal thoughts and attempts, uncontrolled anxiety attacks, self-harming behavior –– each of these, and more, were symptoms I began to experience on a regular basis for a year and a half.
But I didn’t believe there was something wrong. I was still able to maintain above-average grades, work a part-time job, be in a romantic relationship and continue to portray the assumption that I was okay –– all aspects that the media had told me people dealing with a mental disorder couldn’t do.
When people would question the scars on my wrist and ankle or wonder why I wasn’t eating full meals, I eased their concerns with lies by saying, “my dog scratched me” and “I ate earlier.” I still had days where I felt happy, and I still ate small snacks in the morning to the point where I didn’t think I was technically starving myself. I thought there was nothing wrong.
Even after I began seeing a therapist during sophomore year, I still didn’t feel like I was suffering enough that I should be seeking help. I felt that I was being overdramatic.
However, ever since I started being open about my personal struggles, I discovered the most important thing about mental health –– everyone’s feelings are valid, even if they don’t appear as severe as others.
Each of us are battling our own demons. The people you pass by on your way to class, the people you brush shoulders with in your local supermarket or even the people you only follow on social media.
While there are many people who do fit the media’s portrayal of mental disorders, there are also many people who suffer in silence, regardless of their gender, race, sexuality or social status. From those who have trouble speaking in front of a classroom to those who find it difficult to live, mental health is a scale or a spectrum of symptoms that anyone can be susceptible to. Even the happiest, most successful and most loved of people can still struggle.
This highlights the importance of treating everyone with kindness –– even the people you dislike or find annoying –– because you never know what a person is going through.
(02/26/19 3:00am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
In a February 2003 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote about an event titled, “Understanding and Helping Somebody with an Eating Disorder.” The presentation educated students on the signs of an eating disorder and how to help someone who is suffering.
While National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is only from Feb. 25 to March 1, it’s important to understand the signs of an eating disorder and be prepared to help a friend in need during all times of the year.
Students at the College learned that when it comes to eating disorders, the best weapon to use against them is early detection as stated in a presentation entitled “Understanding and Helping Somebody with an Eating Disorder."
Melinda Parisi. a counseling psychologist and director of the Eating Disorders Program at the Medical Center at Princeton, informed students that a friend or family member's early detection of the problem may save their loved one's life. "You are in a position to help make a difference, don't underestimate that," Parisi said.
This was not Parisi's first appearance at the College. Last year she gave a general eating disorder lecture as part of the "I Love My Body" campaign. According to Emily Bent, senior women's and gender studies major and member of the Bod Squad, this year the presentation was changed to meet students' needs.
"We have the same speaker as last year, but decided to change the topic to how to help someone with an eating disorder because we realized a lot of the people that came out last time were looking to help a friend," Bent said.
In order to help those in need, Parisi told students to approach the individual with compassion and support.
"Learn about eating disorders and know the warning signs before you discuss your Ways to Love Your Body concerns with your loved one. Expect anger or denial and don't feel responsible for coping with the disease alone. Multidisciplinary treatment is needed. Patients should see a doctor, therapist and nutritionist," Parisi recommended.
Parisi informed students that eating disorders affect more people than they might realize.
"Five to 10 percent of American females are thought to be struggling with an eating disorder, but this is not just a women's issue. At least one million males are also struggling with these problems," she said.
(02/19/19 3:40am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
With spring season just around the corner, students often feel inspired to clean out their closets and rearrange the decorations in their room for a change of scenery.
In a March 1998 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote that two students won The Signal’s “Cool Room Contest” after decorating their dorm with a couch and 10-foot, plastic bat.
Amy Lopez and Lois Harper think they have one of the coolest rooms at The College of New Jersey. And now, after winning The Signal's "Cool Room Contest," they have proof.
Lopez said that she entered the contest after seeing it advertised in The Signal. She remembers thinking, "Damn it, this room is pretty cool. Everybody likes it." The rest is history.
Some of the more notable features of the New Residence Hall room include a 10-foot plastic bat, a couch the roommates claim has an almost magical, sleep-inducing power and, of course, the presence of an imaginary cow.
When asked about the origin of the cow, the two girls were somewhat uncertain. However, Harper seemed to think it all went back to one night when she mistook the wind outside for a cow's "moo."
Also in the room is a poster of Harper's rendition of an angel gone bad.
The poster originally depicted a couple of angels leaning on their elbows and looking toward the sky. However, the poster was slightly damaged while being stored, and now the angel, in the words of Lopez, "looks like it's smoking a joint!"
People "call (the room) 'heaven and hell,"' Harper said. After being in the room for more than two seconds, it's not very hard to see why.
Perhaps the most interesting design aspect of the room is the inadvertent contrast between the roommates' decorating styles. Lopez's section is Gothic. There is a black cat and bat garland, as well as miniature black trees. "For me, Halloween is everyday," Lopez said.
Harpers' choice of decor is the opposite. Aside from her deformed angel poster, which blurs the line a little, her side is far lighter and happier than Lopez's.
The roommates signed up for the same room two years ago, hit it off and have lived together since. Sadly, however, this semester will mark the end of an era for one of the coolest rooms on campus.
The two roommates will be split up next year. Lopez, a senior marketing major, will live off campus, while Harper, a junior elementary education/English major, will live at home.
Needless to say, next year, the college will be a little less cool.
(02/12/19 3:15am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
During the construction of what is now the R. Barbara Gitenstein Library in Nov. of 2004, a freshman at the College noticed that the construction company’s artistic rendition of the new library failed to feature minority students in the piece. After presenting the issue to Dr. Jay Howard, the director of Equity and Diversity at the time, the artist recreated the original graphic, adding two students of color.
Since then, the College has continued to promote inclusion and diversity throughout the campus.
Last summer, Chanis Brown, freshman open options major in the school of music, walked by the library construction site on campus everyday and noticed the sign that features an artist's rendition of the new library failed to include any minority students.
Last July, Brown brought the problem to the attention of a guest speaker in her Race, Class and Gender course taught by Professor Jan Nielsen. The guest speaker was Dr. Jay Howard, director of Equity and Diversity.
After three weeks and considering all options, Howard worked with the office of Campus Planning and the sign was re-rendered to include several minority students.
After being contacted by Howard, project Manager/Architect Joan Fasulo-Harris asked the original artist to make adjustments to the sign that would include minorities.
The solution was to recreate a graphic that would fit within the frame and use adhesive to put two minority students in the front of the library, where the space had previously been empty.
Howard said the other options the College could have taken included tearing down the sign completely or simply doing nothing. According to Fasulo-Harris, the total cost of the chosen solution was approximately $800.
Katrina Wong, president of the Asian American Association at the College was surprised by the incident.
"I would be disappointed at the College if I saw the sign over the summer, since the school stressed a lot on inclusion and diversity on campus, yet they would allow such a sign to be posted," she said. It is common sense to include everyone in signs that represent the entire campus."
However, Wong did give the College some credit, saying, "The College did listen to the students' responses and changed the sign to include minorities."
"In 20 years in industry I've seen many incidents like this come up and absolutely nothing ever happens" to fix the problem, Howard said. In this case "my office has done everything we can do to address this issue of inclusion."
The office of Equity and Diversity is charged Photo courtesy of Jay Howard The sign of an artist's rendition of the completed new library project was recently given a face-lift in response to student complaints. With the responsibility of investigating Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints and creating an inclusive environment.
Inclusion, Howard said, "means to make sure that all students and faculty are a part of the fabric of the College community."
(02/05/19 2:51am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
Last week, a chilling polar vortex hit the country with below-zero temperatures, causing students to bundle up head-to-toe with every layer they own or to skip class altogether while keeping warm with hot chocolate.
On a Saturday morning in January of 2005, the College was hit with two snow storms that buried the campus in 16 inches of snow and resulted in icy roads that were too slippery to drive on. However, with the efforts of the Grounds and Landscape Maintenance Services who worked tirelessly for 23 hours straight, the College was able to safely open for classes by Monday.
By 10 a.m. Saturday morning, snow had begun falling on the greater Trenton region. In the course of the next 24 hours, between 13 and 16 inches of snow blanketed the College campus as two separate storms, the first significant ones of the season, pummeled the area.
The storms prompted acting governor Richard Codey to declare a state of emergency from 8 p.m. Saturday night to 8 a.m. Sunday morning. This gave police the authority to close roads to all non-emergency traffic.
As the storm bore down, local residents and College students alike flocked to Shop-Rite on Olden Avenue to stock up on supplies. Lines stretched far there and at Hollywood Video as people prepared to hunker down for the day.
Many students, however, opted not to risk the trip off-campus. "We both stayed in," Sabrina Sichel, junior Spanish major, said, referring to herself and friend Bethany Blundell, junior sociology major. "We refused to leave the building."
"I watched 'Pretty in Pink' and 'The Face on the Milk Carton' on TV," Blundell said, laughing. "(My roommate) and I got so bored we decided to rearrange our room."
The snow forced the postponement of all activities on campus for the weekend, as well as the closure of the Roscoe West Library on Saturday afternoon into Sunday. All dining facilities save for Eickhoff Dining Hall were closed as well.
As the worst of the storm died down on Saturday night, some students took the opportunity to go out and play in the snow. "Frolicking ensued that night," Lindsay Korwin, sophomore music major, said. "We played snow football and went snowboarding on the hill by the new chapel."
(02/05/19 2:49am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
It’s the kind of cold that taps its icy claws on your bedroom window before you’ve even unraveled from your blanket cocoon, the kind that dyes exposed skin crimson with a biting sting or the kind that transforms Hell into a frozen wasteland of forgotten springtime memories.
No, this isn’t what it feels like to live in Antarctica — it’s the polar vortex that plagued a third of the country last week and caused over 20 temperature-related deaths.
According to the National Weather Service, a polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles that regularly creates below-zero temperatures throughout the year. However, when those cold pockets of air stray farther than usual, it can affect areas as distant as Florida with abnormally frigid weather.
For the greater Trenton area, the polar vortex brought temperatures as low as 0 degrees and 10 mph winds after the National Weather Service issued a windchill advisory for the state.
On Jan. 30, Gov. Phil Murphy warned everyone to stay inside if possible.
“Take this seriously,” Murphy said on News 12. “This is a real polar vortex. If you can get inside, stay inside.”
However, for students at the College, single-digit temperatures and hours of snow flurries forced many to bundle in layers of thermal sweaters in order to survive their hike to class. Across the campus, Eskimo-like figures painted with pained expressions shuffled from building to building.
“I’m wearing, like, three layers of shirts, leggings under my jeans and two pairs of socks,” said Samantha Allen, a junior business major. “I feel like a marshmallow, but at least I’m kind of warm.”
Senior education major Sheena Kothary recalled her battle with the snow and gusts of wind as “that scene from ‘Spongebob’ where he has to deliver the pizza.”
“There were so many times when I thought I was going slip and fall in front of everyone,” Kothary said. “But luckily, my boots have a good traction, so I was able to make it to the Stud without any bumps or bruises.”
Even though they wore faux fur-lined parkas and knit hats, many students still complained that no amount of layers could prevent the cold wind from stinging their skin and seeping into their bones.
“It was so cold that my eyes started tearing up, and then my tears froze,” said Klara Bieniasz, a junior public health and international studies major.
As the polar vortex continued to cast waves of frigid temperatures until late Friday night, dozens of students decided to avoid the cold by remaining indoors to warm up with hot chocolate and fleece-lined sweatshirts.
Junior secondary math education major Ryan Thomas described his Friday night as “chill” by playing video games and watching Netflix’s “Stranger Things.”
Kothary hung out with her roommate Rujuta Patel, a junior biology major, for a “girls’ night in,” which consisted of eating loads of cheese-coated nachos and catching up on ABC’s “The Bachelor.”
“I love watching ‘The Bachelor,’ so it was really nice to stay inside and just chill for the night,” Kothary said as she heated up another batch of cheesy nachos.
“Yeah, I’d take eating nachos over walking outside in the cold any time,” Patel agreed. “I literally couldn’t feel my face this morning because it was so cold.”
Although the polar vortex caused record lows for the greater Trenton area, the bone-chilling temperatures quickly climbed back to the upper 40s this weekend as hazy skies parted, reminding students at the College that springtime is near.
“I can’t wait for spring just so I can start wearing sandals again and not have to worry about freezing my ass off,” Allen said.
“Fall and spring are my favorite seasons because it’s the perfect temperature where you’re not freezing but you’re also not dying of heat,” Kothary said excitedly. “At least spring break is only about a month away.”
(01/29/19 5:27am)
By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
In light of last semester’s car accident involving students at the College, community members have been avid in fighting against drunk driving.
In an April 2005 issue of The Signal, a reporter wrote about Bill and Muriel Elliotts’ campaign, Human Education Resource Organization, to promote designated driving after their son, John, was killed by a drunk driver. It is clear that as time has passed, the College’s efforts to combat drunk driving have continued.
Had a friend stopped the man who killed their son while driving drunk from driving on July 22, 2000, Bill and Muriel Elliott's son John would probably be alive today.
The Elliotts urged College students last Wednesday to join the HERO Campaign, an organization they created in John's memory to spread designated driver awareness.
HERO stands for Human Education Resource Officer, which was John's job at the Naval Academy he attended. HERO Campaign was launched in August of 2000. The Elliotts said they hope that the campaign will eventually reach a national level.
"We want to make sure that what happened to John will never happen to anyone else," Bill Elliott said.
As a result of the HERO Campaign, new legislation called "John's Law" has been put into effect in New Jersey. With the law, police officers are required to hold DWI offenders for eight hours and take possession of their vehicles for 12 hours.
The Elliott family came to the College in hopes that students will help promote the HERO Campaign. The Elliotts encouraged the audience to spread the word about HERO, not only on campus, but also in the surrounding community and beyond.
After explaining that the College is the first institution of higher education in New Jersey to recognize the HERO Campaign, Bill Elliott mentioned several ways in which the students can get involved and make a difference. He suggested holding a volleyball-a-thon or a non-alcoholic "Virgin Party."
"You represent the solution," Bill Elliott said.
Possibly the most surprising aspect of the event was the positive spin that was put on the devastating topic. When tears may have been expected at the event, there was a sense of hope in finding the remedy to a nationwide problem.
"We think this is a positive thing, and through John, we can send this message," Muriel Elliot said.
The Elliott family taught students that they can take action, whether it is by hanging posters, fund-raising, buying the blue "Be A Hero" bracelets for a $1 donation or by being a designated driver.
"You can make a difference by stopping a friend from driving drunk," Muriel said.
The HERO Campaign uses public service announcements, car decals and posters to spread its message. Also, it is working with local bars and the Phillies' Citizen's Bank Park in giving out free soft drinks to all designated drivers.
(11/27/18 6:12pm)
By Jane Bowden
Staff Writer
If you have ever wondered what life was like in a decade that you had only read about in your history book, the College’s new art installation “Bubble,” by Brooklyn-based artist Michael Mahalchick, strives to answer that question. His uncanny collage-style sculptures and paintings evoke feelings of introspection and wonder about life during the Post-Cold War era.
“Bubble” forces viewers to examine the items individually and reflect on the contribution that each piece of material has toward the artwork as a whole.
Mahalchick incorporates parts of discarded clothing, items from thrift stores and pieces of trash covered in a latex “skin” into his work.
“(Bubble) proposes a vision for the viewer to consider,” Mahalchick said. “We are currently in a very politically divided moment in American history, a time that asks us to consider who we are as a country and as individuals, to consider who is on the outside and who is on the inside, a time to examine the borders, who and what creates them and whether or not we can overcome them.”
Prior to being featured at the College’s art gallery, “Bubble” was displayed in House #403, the site where former President Ronald Reagan met with former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988. Prior to their meeting, Gorbachev had announced the Soviet Union’s plan to disarm and withdraw from Europe.
Another piece in “Bubble” features the soundtrack of an AM talk radio and a picture of the Freedom Towers that was photographed from the window of House #403.
“I included the photo in this iteration as a nod to the history of the work and as a symbol of the past and future,” Mahalchick said. “We cannot look to the past to find our future but only to understand our present.”
(11/13/18 5:00am)
By Jane Bowden
Staff Writer
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” “We Will Rock You,” “Another One Bites the Dust” — these are just a few songs that transform even the shyest of people into full blown stage performers.
But what is even more iconic than the songs? Queen — one of the best bands of all time.
Director Bryan Singer presents audiences with an authentic and thrilling inside view of the rise of Queen and the life of its lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury, in the biographical film, “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
The film begins with Mercury (Rami Malek) as a baggage handler at Heathrow International Airport. He then meets with Smile band (a London-based rock band considered to be a predecessor to Queen) members Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy), who are in need of a singer. After the trio join together and pick up bassist John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello), the group’s one-of-a-kind songs and onstage presence, largely led by Mercury, catapults Queen to fame.
The rest of “Bohemian Rhapsody” features iconic moments throughout Queen’s career, such as writing and recording the 1975 hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” and performing at Live Aid in 1985, which is often dubbed as the best live concert of all time.
The movie also highlights Mercury’s personal life by delving into his romantic relationship with Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton), his sexuality and his terminal battle with AIDS. However, “Bohemian Rhapsody” mainly focuses on Mercury’s creative genius and flamboyance behind writing and performing each of Queen’s hits.
The best aspect of the movie is Malek’s performance as Mercury. Rocking the singer’s famous buck teeth, Malek’s transformation from his role in USA Network’s “Mr. Robot” to Mercury is truly outstanding. From his passionate and inventive personality to his energetic performances, Malek honors Mercury’s legacy with his ability to portray each side of the singer. Many times throughout the film, it is even difficult to distinguish the actor from Mercury himself.
What makes “Bohemian Rhapsody” worth seeing in theaters is Singer’s ability to capture the vivacity behind Queen’s concerts. His filmwork makes it feel like you are watching the band perform live. Between Mercury’s dazzling costumes, multicolored lights and up-close camera angles, each scene where the band performs in front of a crowd engulfs you in the world of rock and roll.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” rocks audience members from their cushioned seats into Queen’s world of experimentive and rule-defying music.
(11/06/18 5:11am)
By Jane Bowden
Staff Writer
A phone rang in the middle of gallery 119 in the Art & Interactive Multimedia building, but no one dared to answer it to disturb the echoing silence. The sunlight flickered on and off behind the trees as it poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Then, the walls began to ooze black slime.
No, this isn’t the Hash Slinging Slasher terrorizing the College — the student exhibits of senior fine arts majors Cara Giddens and Carly Englander introduced universal themes of intrusive thoughts and long-distance relationships through thought-provoking mediums of painted clay shaped to look like black ooze and a live performance.
In her exhibit “Pervade,” Giddens captured her the concept of impulsive thoughts that come into a person’s mind suddenly when there is no trigger in their visual environment. Using white paint to cover objects found in everyday life, such as an armchair and a rug, she incorporated black clay shaped into bubbling ooze to symbolize the threatening nature of ideas.
“I want to invoke a feeling of discomfort and futility with my viewers, with a bit of humor mixed in. The entire space is just supposed to look wrong, you know?” Giddens said. “You can pick out pieces that are clearly objects that you recognize, such as the armchair, the rug, the frames … but the fact that they have been altered by the paint and ooze makes them uncanny and odd.”
Giddens’ exhibit also included other untitled art pieces, like a porcelain-white faucet leaking black clay into an overflowing bowl and dozens of picture frames covered in bubbling, black material.
“(Intrusive thoughts have) become a part of my life, and every piece in the show is a metaphor of all these weird thoughts trickling in and invading every aspect of my life. The white paint tries to claim some sort of pristine unity and is intended to cover up the ooze, but as you can see in all of the pieces, it's a useless effort.”
In the other student exhibit, “Familiarity,” Englander integrated materials with a live performance to portray the growth of her long-distance relationship with her significant other who lives in England.
Through her pieces, “Me and You,” “Kissing You That Week” and “Both of Us,” Englander highlighted a few of her intimate moments in her relationship. Included was a tapestry covered in a handwritten conversation between the pair, strips of paper that correlated with each time the two kissed within a week and two screens that continuously displayed seperate 15-minute compilation videos of their Facetime chats.
“I want viewers to connect what they see in my show to aspects of their own life,” Englander said. “Whether it is a significant other, past love or even a family member that they can attribute the same value of affection, love and effort towards. I want my work to bring up feelings of love.”
For her two-hour live performance titled, “I’ll Make Our Bed When You’re Not Here,” Englander sat upon a mattress, wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt as she planted pink hydrangeas and white mums.
During the last 20 minutes of her performance, Englander scattered the strips of paper from “Kissing You That Week” to symbolize fertilizer, and then she laid in the garden she had planted in the mattress.
“The purpose of this was to represent the different things one would need to do in order to maintain a relationship,” Englander said. “Much like taking care of a plant, a relationship will die without care. Especially when first meeting your partner, it is a rocky and unstable — similar to trying to plant flowers into a mattress. With time, patience, love and attention, life will flourish.”
(11/06/18 1:01am)
By Jane Bowden
Staff Writer
A team of six business students won first place in AT&T’s National Sales Competition in Dallas on Oct. 19.
The team beat out 30 other highly-competitive schools, winning scholarship money, professional opportunities and a $10,000 check toward the College’s School of Business.
The nationwide competition was divided into two parts. The first round of the contest was a virtual conference in late September, where the team presented a sales pitch for AT&T’s business solutions via webcam to a group of AT&T employees who acted as prospective buyers from a mock insurance company called Right Claim.
Impressing the judges with their selling skills, the team of students moved onto the second round along with 11 other colleges.
The second round of the contest included a free trip to AT&T’s global headquarters in Dallas from Oct. 18 to Oct. 20. The students then had to present their pitches at an in-person meeting, where they ultimately won the competition.
The participants included senior finance major Emily Bowen, junior marketing majors Victoria Presser and Alden Racz, sophomores Austhon Manalac, a biology major, Matthew Nisi, a marketing major, and freshman finance major Justin Figueroa. The team was led by Professor Aniefre Eddie Inyang who teaches marketing at the College.
Throughout the competition, the students were determined to win, practicing their sales pitch dozens of times before and during the week of the competition.
“I feel the strongest key to success is preparation, and my teammates and I spent quality time preparing with Professor Inyang in order to perform our best in the competition,” Racz said. “I thought we were very prepared which allowed us to relax and have fun in both rounds.”
Still, the students with various degrees of experience were surprised to rank above the rest of the competition, who were formal sales teams.
“I felt we did our absolute best, and while I was confident in our performance I did not expect to win” Bowen said. “The entire competition itself was an incredible experience –– winning was truly a bonus.
For Inyang, who started teaching at the College last year, the results of the competition only proved to be a well-deserved award for his student’s hard work.
“I’m so happy for the students,” Inyang said. “This win is a good example that bigger is not always better and hopefully will be a precursor of many more successes in other competitions in the future.”
(10/23/18 5:04pm)
By Jane Bowden
Correspondent
For many people, the name “Venom” instantly reminds them of Tobey Maguire’s 2002 Spiderman portrayal when Venom was first introduced into the live-action world. Who could forget that scene in “Spiderman 3” when Peter Parker is under Venom’s control, strutting down the street with jazz music in the background?
Director Ruben Fleischer has expounded upon the liquid alien’s character with Marvel’s long-awaited movie, “Venom.” With dark humor and thrilling visual effects comparable to “Deadpool,” the film is guaranteed to entertain a general audience, but to many Marvel-lovers’ dismay, it leaves viewers confused and unsatisfied with its rushed plot.
The film follows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy), a journalist investigating the unethical experiments of Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), the founder of the bioengineering organization, Life Foundation. While the organization is renowned for researching life-saving technology and medicine, Drake is tricking lower-class individuals desperate for money into becoming subjects for experiments with superpowered, alien organisms referred to as symbiotes.
During his investigation, Brock becomes exposed to a symbiote and his body merges with Venom, a liquid, black, monstrous alien that gifts Brock with powers.
Throughout “Venom,” Brock must learn to co-exist with the villainous alien, who has a tendency to bite people’s heads off and seeps his dark humor into Brock’s psyche. Meanwhile, Drake combines with a different symbiote named Riot, a stronger and more evil alien than Venom, and begins his plan to bring more symbiotes to Earth.
Venom reveals to Brock that the symbiotes’ intentions of living on Earth is to kill and eat the entire population of humans, and as time goes on, Brock and Venom begin to form a deep-rooted connection and Venom’s opinion of humans changes. Together, the pair eventually agree on one thing — to defeat Drake and Riot and save the planet.
Although the two-hour movie promises the audience an entertaining plot, the storytelling of “Venom” is rushed, and jumps from scene to scene without thorough explanation. As a result, it is difficult for viewers to develop a full connection with the characters other than Brock and Venom. However, Hardy’s portrayal of Brock and Venom outshines the fact that it is a less-than-perfect movie.
With his delivery of Brock’s compassionate but smart-alecky personality and Venom’s dark and outrageous tendencies, he produces authentic banter between the characters that makes movie-goers wish for more scenes with the pair.
Another factor that upped “Venom’s” quality was the animated effects used to create a realistic visual of a real-life Venom. In the comics, the alien is described as an amorphous creature with rows of razor sharp fangs, an elongated tongue and eyes that resemble those of Spiderman. On screen, Venom’s two dimensional descriptions come to life in a believable manner that keeps the audience engrossed in Marvel’s world.
“Venom” might not be the movie Marvel fanatics hoped for, but it is an entertaining and humorous way to spend a Friday night when you have nothing else to do.