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(02/03/11 4:49am)
Living off-campus means introducing a new man or woman into your life — your landlord. Though stereotypes abound about the character of landlords — a balding man in a wife beater shirt, holding a broom comes to mind — every homeowner renting houses to college students is different, and it’s your responsibility to figure out how to interact with your particular breed.
As should be expected, some landlords will have reservations about renting their house to you. More than likely, though, if they are renting their house to college students, they expect you to trash it to some degree, so if something breaks, make sure you have a valid, non-alcohol related explanation. They are also less likely to respond to your calls because, after all, you are just some punk kid playing house. Be persistent. Make sure you have your landlord’s number accessible to call when there is a problem. There will be problems.
Perhaps worse than a grumpy or overly suspicious landlord is the smooth talking landlord, the kind that look like the Brawny paper towel man incarnate. Don’t be fooled! He’s not the young, hip guy who “gets” you and your housemates’ quest for independence. Renting his house to you is a business, and you just fell for the used car salesman charm, with no way out.
When dealing with the Brawny paper towel man, don’t allow yourself to be acquiesced by his seemingly laidback,
amiable demeanor. Laidback translates to no washing machine for a month. Nice means you won’t be able to yell at him when you have no washing machine for a month. Be assertive but not too aggressive.
If you call your landlord with a particular grievance, make sure you brainstorm how you are going broach the subject and what possible solutions you will discuss. Makedemands, but be crafty in concealing it. It’s always a mistake to skip saying “hello” and instead greet with “We don’t have hot water. I need a shower NOW.” But also avoid allowing a problem to go unresolved because your landlord convinced you there was no problem via his telecommunication slyness.
Establish a workable relationship with your landlord, whether they are of the broom wielding or smooth talking variety. Be — or pretend to be — patient and respectful when discussing matters involving the house, but also assure that you are representing your and your housemates’ welfare at all times. Familiarize yourself with the New Jersey Tenant’s Rights, so that you aren’t just some punk kid, but an educated punk kid.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(02/01/11 2:33am)
With the advantage of retrospect, crimes can be unraveled, criminals explained and tragedies lamented for the passed opportunity to predict and prevent.
Following the shootings in Tucson, Ariz. on Jan. 8, which killed six people and injured eight others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, according to The Associated Press, news organizations scrutinized the life of the suspected shooter for signs. Accounts from former classmates surfaced — he’d laughed at inappropriate times, had outbursts in class, made a video called “Genocide School’ and was considered an extreme nihilist — the signs were seemingly there.
Yet Jared Lee Loughner’s actions were not predicted, which has drawn attention to the response of his former school, Pima Community College, and, on a grander scale, every school’s role in identifying potentially dangerous students.
According to Marc Celentana, director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the College has its own system in place for detecting students in distress. Anyone, inside or outside the campus community, can fill out a Student of Concern Reporting Form, available on the College’s website. “Signs of Distress,” also provided on the website, include physical, emotional/behavioral and classroom behavior, like weight gain or loss, unwarranted anger and inappropriate laughter, respectively.
The form, Celentana said, is designed as a “low threshold” option for reporting what may just be a “gut feeling.” As many members of the campus community aren’t experts at identifying mental illness or substance abuse, Celentana said the form is intended to yield precautionary “false positives.”
Magda Manetas, assistant vice president for Student Affairs and acting dean of students, evaluates the “Student of Concern” forms and investigates the veracity of statements. Manetas then will consult the Behavioral Assessment and Response Team (BART) — a group of eight campus offices that convenes bi-weekly to discuss potential “students of concern” — to determine further courses of action, Celentana said.
According to the College’s website, BART was established in July 2008 with the passage of the Involuntary Withdrawal for Health or Safety Reasons Policy.
The criteria for “involuntary withdrawal,” according to the College’s website, requires that the student must serve as a “significant harm to the health or safety of the student or others” or represent an “unreasonable impediment to lawful educational process or activity for apparent medical or mental health reason of the student.” Celentana said that students may be involuntarily removed from campus on an interim basis, when a student presents an immediate threat.
“It (the removal) serves to protect the student in distress, the community potentially at risk, while at the same time balancing, the civil rights of the student,” he said.
Following immediate removal, the circumstances of the withdrawal are evaluated further to determine if the student’s removal will be permanent. Off-campus psychiatric evaluation and the determination of the validity of threat that initiated the interim withdrawal, factor into the assessment, Celentana said.
In the last two years, Celentana said BART reviewed approximately 75 to 80 Student of Concern forms. Of this number, only five met the criteria for interim involuntary withdrawal.
With only four full-time clinicians — which amounts to about one clinician for every 1,500 students at the College — Celentana said that CAPS isn’t equipped to follow-up with every student struggling with mental illness issues that has sought help. Students are treated on an “outpatient” basis.
“We try to do it as protecting the privacy of the students … not becoming so intrusive like we’re Big Brother … The intention is to privately apply assistance where appropriate and take swift action … otherwise we become caretakers,” he said. “The College is not a psychiatric facility. It’s an academic institution, so as an academic institution we’re trying to foster a level of independence.”
According to Manetas, the shootings in Tucson won’t likely inspire change in the College’s current policy regarding students in distress.
“What those terrible events and the ensuing national conversation have shown us is that (the College) was very wise to establish the policy and BART — a policy and assessment/response body similar to that established by many colleges and universities in the wake of the tragedy at Virginia Tech,” Manetas said in an e-mail.
As to whether tragedy can be predicted by monitoring the behavior of those around you, Celentana said such situations aren’t that simple, but it’s always better to be cautious.
“I think there’s a knee-jerk reaction to create simplicity out of complexity … but I think the reality is, it’s multifaceted,” he said. “… Always be alert and aware. Don’t disregard your instinct, your intuition.”
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(02/01/11 2:17am)
College students are notorious for a deficient cash flow. Luckily, most schools have eliminated the physical concept of money with the ID. With a magical swipe, students — turned points billionaires — are fed and merrily throw away receipts.
Oh, to be young again.
Living off-campus introduces an unfortunate reality of the grown-up world, where money isn’t stored on a plastic, awkward freshman version of you, via mommy and daddy. Once outside the bubble of dormitory living, horrible considerations — like paying for electrciity, heating, Internet and (gasp) television — emerge as something you actually have to think about.
Before moving into your humble abode, delegate responsibility for bill payments. By electing someone to be in charge of each bill, the stress of paying bills on time is minimized considerably. If everyone has just one bill to take care of, the transition into the real world won’t seem as daunting. Invest in some post-it notes or a dry-erase board to keep track of payment due dates and who has or hasn’t paid their share.
Depending on your individual situation, opening a checking account just for house expenses may prove beneficial. That way, bills can be paid with one check and the person responsible for payments doesn’t have to worry about getting reimbursed from that one deadbeat housemate (guilty). Personally, I am partial to the assorted Muppet checks. Be wary, though, of the fact that opening a checking account requires one person to attach their name and information to the activities of the account, so bouncing checks can be detrimental to that person’s credit score. Keep up with bank statements, and make sure housemates contribute to the account in a timely fashion.
Now, I’m not much of a television junkie. I limit myself to essentially [adult swim] and absolutely nothing appearing on MTV. My housemates and I decided upon anInternet and cable package because it seemed fiscally responsible, and there is no real reason for a landline. There are infinite companies and packages eager to get Snooki in your living room, so make sure you thoroughly research your options.
Aside from rent, heat will likely be your most oppressive expense, and it will only get worse as the winter months progress. Instead of creating a power-wasting fluctuation in temperatures — as result of heat Nazis (guilty) cranking the thermostat down — decide upon a relative and reasonable temperature to maintain. Result? Less secret thermostat battles, and ultimately kinder financially.
Being a bill-paying “adult” is frightening, but can ultimately be less expensive than living on-campus — if orchestrated wisely.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu
(01/21/11 10:50pm)
Dear readers,
This year I made the decision to live off-campus for the first time in my college career. As you may later infer, it’s been interesting so far. The Signal is introducing this Residential Year Experience (RYE) column to share some advice acquired from my lovely and frustrating experiences last semester. Enjoy.
So you’ve made the decision to move off-campus. You found/coerced friends to find a house to serve as your off-campus haven. You’ve visited an array of houses, rooting out the formerly all-boy houses because they smell of more than cooties. You’ve found a not-so-racist landlord. You sign the lease. You’re congratulating yourself for being such a grown-up. No more cafeteria food. No more Community Advisors, flashing IDs and no signing in friends/strangers. Freedom.
At first you and your housemates coexist with a Brady Bunch harmony. You insist, then they insist; everyone’s grinning and sharing and laughing.
Then the honeymoon ends.
And it’s more than likely that what begins the end is something you hadn’t even considered to be an issue — food. How can something so basic be cause for chaos? You and your housemates aren’t barbarians, after all. You can share.
False. You are and you can’t.
Food boundaries are something that need to be established immediately in your house. What are you willing to share versus what should everyone keep their grimy paws off of? Make it known. Certain things like butter, eggs, spices, salad dressings, milk, coffee and condiments are easily shared, as long as you rotate who buys each. Keep record of who buys what to avoid confrontation.
In the beginning, I know it is tempting to take a “what’s mine is yours” attitude, especially if you like the people you are living with — which, if you don’t, you have another species of problems — but ultimately, it’s best to be realistic. Eventually, someone isn’t going to share as much as someone else, and problems will ensue. Or you’ll sit through lab dreaming of a meal you will make when you get home, only to find that someone ate a crucial ingredient, so it’s spaghetti, again. People do crazy things when an avocado goes missing.
You are paying for groceries. This is REAL money, not end of semester, ready to burn points, and you can’t afford to feed everyone. Label your food or introduce a color-coordinated sticker system. Though it may seem a little hostile at first, eventually you may not have to label things, and people will ask before they take. It’s considerably more difficult to sneak food with red sharpie warning of a certain name’s pending wrath.
For those of you moving off-campus next year, get your future housemates together and talk about how you will handle the food situation. Don’t pretend you have a Sesame Street sense of sharing — this is everyday food, not splitting a snack at lunch.
Ward off creating martyrs and mooches by clearly defining what’s acceptable. It’s always better to discuss potential and occurring issues with your housemates — food-related and otherwise — to avoid creating a not-so-civil war over a granola bar.
Have your own off-campus stories? Have questions you want addressed in this column? Contact Katie Brenzel at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(01/21/11 10:38pm)
Faced with the task of reflecting on the cultural climate of the past year, it isn’t easy to definitively enumerate the best and worst. Sure enough, the Macgrubers can be separated from the Inceptions, but what exactly defines this year from the ghosts of various Mall cops past? Here are a few cultural enigmas that characterized 2010:
Television : Men lack aptitude, sustain network virility
What makes a show good? Is it a group of high school singing prodigies? A team of geniuses dissecting the criminal brain in one hour? Well it isn’t Charlie Sheen. Yet, he’s one of the highest paid television “actors” and “Two and a Half Men” is on it’s eighth season on CBS. Sheen, wearing cargo shorts and a bowling t-shirt, essentially plays himself, though somehow his womanizing ways are endearing, not headline worthy in the sitcom format. Remember Jonathan Cryer as Duckie in “Pretty in Pink”? Well don’t because the Duckie you love is dead. Cryer’s son in the show, the baby-faced half-man, Jake (Angus Jones), isn’t cute anymore (if he ever was) and makes the “adult-situations” of the show even more uncomfortable than before. Listen CBS, canned laughter can no longer coerce audiences to think that this show is funny.
Film : Facebook has officially taken over, more than 500 million people like this
In October, “The Social Network,” directed by David Fincher, delivered an unfamiliar side of Facebook. A movie about Facebook? Has the website inundated our generation’s psyche to such a degree that we crave to know everything about it? For better or worse, absolutely. The somewhat dark presentation of the site’s advent and founder, Mark Zuckerberg, made it an acceptable representation of what could have easily devolved into the stereotypical teen movie. Previews made the quality of the film somewhat ambiguous, as Zuckerberg is played by—the Michael Cera that wasn’t—Jesse Eisenberg, accompanied by unfamiliar faces and the flashy presence of Justin Timberlake. Yet, all contribute to what is a surprisingly powerful film.
Music: Willow Smith, you want me to do what?
Aside from my surprise that Enrique Iglesias is still alive, let alone still making music, with the release of his ninth studio album — that’s right, nine— “Euphoria” in July, nothing has dumbfounded me as much as Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair.”
To be fair, the ten year old will likely develop what are already pretty impressive pipes. However, the fact that her song has gone viral defies logic. The high-pitched, repeated battle cry of the song is mentally infectious — as in a disease that infects and doesn’t leave. It’s the herpes of pop songs.
Sure she’s young. Her daddy is also Will Smith. Many applaud the fact that the song lacks innuendo and the video is tasteful —seemingly supporting that Hollywood has yet to corrupt young Willow— but it’s annoying. And guess what, Willow? I’ve tried whipping my hair, and I’m just not feeling it.
YouTube : Proof that people still watch the news, run and tell that
Antoine Dodson’s statement on July 29 to a news crew changed what — in any other context— would’ve been treated as a serious warning: “Hide your kids, hide your wife, hide your husband, cause they rapin’ everybody up in here.” Yet, thanks to his delivery, YouTube and the proliferation of auto tune, Dodson is forever a comic figure. It’s a twisted time when an attempted rape can be made into an iTunes hit, homeboy.
(12/09/10 4:12am)
Campus Police Lawsuit
The next step in a lawsuit involving six Campus Police officers has been postponed.
In the case Lorenzo Shockley, Wayne Evans and Armond Harris v. The College of New Jersey, Raymond Scully, Matthew Mastrisimone and Kevin McCullough, the motion for summary judgment scheduled for Dec. 2 has been delayed indefinitely, according to Darlene Duffy, secretary to Judge Darlene Pereksta, who is overseeing the case. The decision will decide whether or not enough evidence exists for the case to go to trial in Mercer County Superior Court.
Officer Shockley and Security Officers Evans and Harris filed a civil lawsuit driven by allegations of race-based discrimination. The suit was filed in June 2008 against the College, Sergeant Raymond Scully and Officers Mastrisimone and McCullough.
New Technology
Thanks to a new electronic finger-printing device, background investigations on campus are literally a snapshot away.
The device, which was installed on Nov. 9 at the College, enables Campus Police to send photographs, fingerprints and other information of individuals brought in for indictable offences to the state and federal government, according to Chief John Collins.
Campus Police is one of six state college police departments to receive the technology via a $25,831 grant from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, Collins said.
Due to the uniform live scan system the device uses, facial recognition provides instantaneous hits if the person photographed and fingerprinted is wanted.
According to Collins, the department is excited to work with the new technology.
“Anytime you get a new technology, cops are happy,” he said.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(11/17/10 9:06pm)
With accusations and denials of discrimination on the table, the next step for the College may be the civil courthouse.
Three black Campus Police officers filed a complaint with the College against three of their white counterparts in 2007 with allegations of race-based discrimination. Now the College is facing civil action.
The next phase of the lawsuit against the College is looming — a pre-trial decision that will determine if enough evidence exists for a trial. The ongoing lawsuit involving six members of Campus Police and the College awaits a decision regarding a motion for summary judgment filed in the Mercer County Superior Court by the College — which will determine whether the case goes to trial or is thrown out. The ruling on the pre-trial motion is scheduled for Dec. 2, according to Darlene Duffy, secretary to Judge Darlene Pereksta, who will deliver the decision. If the motion isn’t granted, the trial is scheduled for Jan. 10.
When contacted for individual comment, all parties involved declined. Stacy Schuster, executive director of College Relations, said, “The College is precluded from commenting on pending litigation.” Collins also said he was unable to discuss the case. The following information is taken from depositions and investigative reports by the College.
The College looks into allegations
The allegations of race-based discrimination fueled an investigation by the College — within the 60 days required by the state — consisting of a number of interviews with other officers. The conclusion was that “some form of racial discrimination had occurred,” according to a deposition by Vivian Fernandez, associate vice-president for Human Resources, which targeted Security Officers Wayne Evans and Armond Harris, and Police Officer Lorenzo Shockley — the only black members of the department.
Sgt. Raymond Scully and Officers Matthew Mastrosimone and Kevin McCullough received letters notifying them of pending discipline on Dec. 20, 2007, according to the letter of Final Notice of Disciplinary Action dated March 27, 2008. Scully faced a six-day suspension while Mastrosimone and McCullough were suspended for two days. The three appealed the suspensions but were denied.
Working with the ‘A-team’
The allegations against Scully, Mastrosimone and McCullough stem from a number of incidents according to the testimony of Shockley, Evans and Harris. Accusations range from giving the plaintiffs cold shoulder to using “racially charged nicknames,” according to their testimonies.
Officer James Lopez said in court depositions that the accused officers referred to themselves as the “A-team,” when the campus police department was still organized by squads. The “A-team” “worked with each other and no one else unless it was an overtime event or overtime position,” he said. According to Chief John Collins, this system changed when he instituted a rotating system in the spring of 2008, shortly after he began working for Campus Police.
“It gave me a chance to send the message that everyone has to work with everyone else,” he said.
According to the Discrimination Complaint Investigation Report compiled by the Office of Human Resources, Lopez witnessed the accused “imitating and mocking Security Officer Evans’ accent.” He testified that the three officers referred to Evans and Harris as “useless.” Lopez also said that the squad would particularly scrutinize Shockley’s reports, critiquing the reports to point out spelling mistakes and mock his work.
Evans said in court depositions that Lopez informed him that the squad referred to him and a former officer as “Crocket and Tubbs” — an apparent reference to “Miami Vice” — and “Salt and pepper.” Human Resources interviews with Lopez also indicated that he had overheard the squad refer to Evans, Shockley and Harris as “shadows” and “chocolate chips.” During field training around June 2007, according to the Office of Human Resources report, Lopez said he witnessed the following exchange:
Scully: “I didn’t see the shadows tonight, have you?”
McCullough: “I haven’t seen the shadows.”
Mastrisimone: “I haven’t seen the shadows either.”
Scully: “Let’s keep looking.”
Despite other officers’ witnessing derogatory language, the plaintiffs never heard it directly, they said in depositions — a fact cited for the College’s motion for summary judgment.
Scully, Mastrosimone and Harris all “categorically denied the use of derogatory terminology,” according to the Human Resources report. Following the suspension of the three officers, no further instances of discrimination occurred after the investigation and temporary separation, according to depositions of Harris, Evans and Shockley.
Other incidents
In addition to indirectly learning of “racially charged nicknames and slurs,” a number of incidents have been presented as evidence of disparate treatment. Shockley said in his deposition that he was assigned to foot patrol — which he said is more demanding than car patrol — more often than his fellow officers. However, in the brief in support of the College’s motion for summary judgment, Paula Dow, New Jersey attorney general, cited Shockley’s admission to falling asleep in his patrol car on numerous occasions as justification for repetitive foot patrol assignments. Interviews with Scully in the Office of Human Resources report suggest that Evans and Harris changed their attitudes toward the squad after Scully wrote him up for the incident.
Evans said in depositions that Scully scolded him in front of staff members for having a key to a fire alarm box “in order to belittle (him).” In another instance, according to Evans’ testimony, Scully loudly told Evans and Harris that they could not go on break simultaneously, though the two were just going to grab their raincoats.
According to Harris’ depositions, Mastrosimone lied on a police blotter by writing that Harris had neglected his duties by refusing to escort a student during a lightning storm. Harris said Evans was originally scheduled to perform the escort, and Harris asked to have the student stay inside or have a “rolling escort” escort the student.
Another voice
Sgt. Marcie Montalvo also testified in the Human Resources report that she’d witnessed Scully and McCullough refer to the plaintiffs as “useless,” and has heard Scully say he “doesn’t like those frickin shadows.”
When asked by lawyer Mark Pfeffer, who is representing the plaintiffs, during her deposition if she thought conditions have improved, she said interaction between the officers involved has been minimal.
“I wouldn’t say better. I mean, you can still sense that there is tension in the air,” she said.
Allegations of offensive remarks aimed at Montalvo also surfaced during these interviews. Lopez said, according to the report, that the squad complained that Montalvo’s military status — she is in the military reserve — makes her a liability and that she doesn’t deserve the position. Lopez said he heard members of the squad imitating Montalvo using a “high pitch voice,” saying things such as “I’m a stupid person, stupid female.” The report also indicates that Officer John Turner heard McCullough refer to Montalvo as an “administrative whore.” The respondents deny making any deprecative comments involving Montalvo.
All six members of Campus Police involved in the case remain employed by the College.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
This article has been revised with the following correction:
On November 17, The Signal published "College motions to end Campus Police lawsuit," attributing depositions to Lt. James Lopez. The quotes are actually attributed to Officer James Lopez. We regret the error.
(11/04/10 2:07am)
Before the play began, a sense of division was well established in the Don Evans Black Box Theatre. The audience was separated on both sides of the stage, preemptively initiating the theme of opposition, the “us vs. them” mentality that dominates “Twelve Angry Jurors” — adapted with male and female actors from the teleplay “Twelve Angry Men” — by Reginald Rose.
All College Theatre’s take on the production succeeded in creating a mounting, often overwhelming, tension that engulfed the audience. The gray color scheme of the set and symmetrical seating of the jurors made for a stagnant atmosphere. This remained constant, as all action played out in the single room, heightening the claustrophobic sense and anxiety of the actors.
Shaquita Johnson, freshman Spanish and early childhood education major played the outspoken Juror Eight, who defies the majority and compels her fellow jury members to examine themselves for any “reasonable doubt” of the guilt of a young boy charged for his father’s murder. Johnson presented a calm, yet passionate demeanor, standing out as the most rational of the jurors. She carried herself with deliberate poise, delivering a commanding presence, despite her position as the one who stands alone for a majority of Act I.
The jurors alternated erupting with fits of anger, though few as violently as Juror Three, played by John Eldis, junior psychology major. The juror’s fury culminated in the final
scene of Act I, as Eldis lunged at Johnson, whose response, aided by the sudden blackout, was as fierce as Eldis was frightening. Eldis captured his character’s motive in supporting a guilty verdict, conveying his sympathy for the dead father and bias against the accused son. Though somewhat of a caricature of the typical, short-tempered bread-winner, Eldis’s explosive temper seemed natural as he expressed the juror’s rage in his relationship with his own son.
Shayna Stemmer, freshman elementary education major, as Juror Ten, delivered a high-pitched rage that was a bit harsh, but appropriate to her role, though her volume and tone, at times, fluctuated incongruously with the emotion her words expressed. Other characters, such as Juror Twelve, played by Jaclyn Trippe, freshman English and secondary education major, and Juror Eleven, played by Mark Smith, senior communication studies major, also dealt with potentially cumbersome accents, which they maintained throughout.
Sam Paternostro, junior communication studies major, offered comic relief as Juror Seven — rattling off baseball references and New York slang as second nature — playing a cartoonish Rat Pack wannabe, complete with a fedora. Justin Mancini, junior English major, as Juror Four, portrayed the polar persona, a stiff, methodical man who reminds the jurors repeatedly of the facts. His expressionless, carefully calculated movements made for humorous interactions with the other jurors.
Though the play is technically set in a New York City Juror’s Room in 1968, the dynamics of the characters and relevancy of the conflict — the possibility of an innocent person being unjustly convicted due to prejudice and circumstance — made the drama come to life. It’s a story that can be applied to any time — perhaps suggested by the vague character identifiers — and warns against the many sources of hatred.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(10/27/10 6:07pm)
Springing from towering storybooks, characters of classic fairy tales began their own interwoven tales of dysfunction. Familiar faces emerged from the forest of pages, presenting adventures that oscillated between moments of tragedy and joy, and inspired terror with their realistic undertones.
The Lyric Theatre’s production of “Into the Woods” on the Kendall Hall Mainstage on Friday, Oct. 22, captured the spirit of original tales, such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Repunzel. The fairy tale medley adds its own moral agenda — of course, what’s a fairy tale without one? — warning against the drastic consequences of parents’ actions on their children.
The Lyric Theatre embraced the unrealistic nature of the play with a forest of stacked books and a sky of suspended, open books, allowing fog and shadows of tree branches to suggest the setting. Though a less literal interpretation of the “woods,” it seemed fitting that these characters should scale, explore and become disoriented in a forest of their own stories. Actors ran off-stage — and sometimes even sang within inches of audience member’s faces — not just breaking the fourth wall, but demolishing it. Kendall became a grim playground perfect to play out the triumphs and tragedies of these characters.
Despite jarring technical difficulties that distorted the recording of the giantess’s voice, as well as painful missed microphone cues, leaving many talented voices subdued — but luckily audible — actors adapted to conditions that could otherwise prove disastrous. During Act II, when the giantess demands Jack, the recording went silent and panic settled on the faces of the cast. Conor Greene, sophomore Spanish and communication studies major, as the Steward, broke the silence by asking the giantess to repeat herself, a hilarious and relieving save.
Laura Grant, junior music education major, as the Witch perfected the hag demeanor, complete with nasally sighs and a hunched waddle. Though she impressed during her explanatory “Beans” rap, it was during “Lament” in Act II that Grant showcased the range and ability of her voice.
Doubling as the Narrator and Mysterious Man, a combination that proved hilarious when a strategic blackout enabled him to comment on his own death, Ian Highcock, senior music performance major, commanded the role as the Narrator with a booming, yet slightly condescending tone, an essential quality for his omniscient character.
The Baker, played by Sergio Hernandez, junior vocal performance major, and the Baker’s wife, played by Nicole Cascione, junior music education major, were thoroughly convincing in creating a husband and wife dynamic. Cascione’s expressions really brought her character to life, which she carried into her singing, especially during “Moments in the woods.” Though Natalie Pica, sophomore vocal music education major, as Cinderella adopted a more reserved, choral demeanor throughout, the persona worked in favor of her regal character.
The other royalty of the play proved excessively charming. Raymond McCue, senior Spanish and secondary education major, as Cinderella’s prince, and Nicholas Dogas, senior music education major, as Repunzel’s prince, were hysterical. Combining an inflated, condescending tones of voice with somewhat dainty, faux-suave swaggers, the two brothers beautifully mocked the prince charming standard.
Joseph Tible, sophomore civil engineer major, as Jack was the perfect picture of dopey innocence, delivered with wide-eyed enthusiasm and devotion to his pet cow. Kasandra King, sophomore secondary education and history major, as Little Red Ridinghood, adopted a slightly annoying, yet feisty attitude, communicating the girl’s age and character. Her domineering presence served as a comical contrast to that of Jack.
The Lyric Theatre’s production, which was sponsored by the Department of Music, ran four performances, Oct. 21-24.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(10/14/10 12:36am)
As the U.S. emerges from its longest recession since World War II, the College’s theme for the year, “Hard Times,” encourages students and faculty to examine the societal and personal implications in the wake of national crisis. Keynote speaker Susan Orlean weighed in on the subject on Community Learning Day on Wednesday Oct. 6 on the Kendall Hall Mainstage.
Orlean, a staff writer for The New Yorker and author of four books, including “The Orchid Thief,” the inspiration for the movie, “Adaptation,” starring Nicholas Cage and directed by Spike Jonze, described the cyclical nature of “hard times.” According to Orlean, society is in constant flux between prosperity and depravation. Survivors — both literally and psychologically— of periods deemed deprived, however, develop a resilience and unexpected optimism.
“(Hard times) seem to create people who are extraordinary,” Orlean said.
Orlean encountered a number of “extraordinary” characters while interviewing veterans of the Great Depression generation for her current novel. She identified these individuals during her lecture as the “midwives of the world we live in now,” who’ve allowed hardship to shape, rather than destroy their lives.
Though recessions historically have a recurring presence in society, Orlean said not all “hard times” are created equal.
“There’s something about our hard times that will never compare to the hard times of the Great Depression,” she said.
Fascination with film and the creation of an alternative reality, a “better reality,” Orlean said, reigned supreme in the years of the Great Depression. Heroes of the screen emerged from unforeseen sources, such as Rin Tin Tin — another subject of Orlean’s work-in-progress — a heroic German Shepherd, who, Orlean suggested, was revered more than any human actors would be today. While images of foreign locations — including Canada — were seen as exoctic, she said this form of escape would fail to charm today’s audiences.
“You can Google Earth a snowflake in Alaska,” she said.
This summer, the required reading for incoming freshmen was Nathanael West’s “The Day of the Locust,” which depicts the alienation of many involved in the movie industry during the Great Depression. As much of the country eagerly reads about the missteps of Lindsey Lohan, it’s difficult to imagine a time when the private lives of Hollywood’s early starlets were largely hidden from the public.
“While Nathanael West may have been a downer, I don’t think he was exaggerating in portraying it,” Orlean said.
She also drew from her father’s experience during the Great Depression and the strength he found from his survived struggles. She commented on his wallet, which was enlarged and deformed from containing every credit card available — as a symbol of the success that sprung from the ashes of the Depression.
Following her campus address to a sparse audience, Orlean was joined by Nancy Lasher, assistant business professor, and Robert McGreevy, assistant history professor, for a panel and story telling session in the Library Auditorium. While McGreevy provided historical context, Lasher shared stories about her father, who owned a company that manufactured parachutes during World War II.
The Committee for Cultural and Intellectual Community sponsors a number of events related to the year theme. Beginning Oct. 27, an exhibit featuring sculptures by artist Willie Cole will address “Hard Times.”
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/29/10 5:18pm)
Six women, all from different periods of history, are seated at a table reminiscent of depictions of the Last Supper. Everyone is talking; everyone is actively drinking wine. The stage is deluged in crimson, and the “fourth wall,” separating stage from audience, was severed from when the lights first revealed the chaotic picture.
This is the opening scene of “Top Girls.”
Shakespeare ’70 opened its production of Caryl Churchill’s “Top Girls,” on Thursday Sept. 23 in the Don Evans Black Box Theatre. The company’s interpretation featured students, alumni and other veterans of the stage. Though the play’s nonlinear format and multifaceted characters would prove challenging to any seasoned actor, and there were a few initial hiccups in line delivery, the company captured the spirit of the play brilliantly. The opening scene, in which the dinner guests engage in conversations that interrupt each other, overlap and occur simultaneously, established the cast’s mastery of the work, as they maintained the rhythm and timing necessary to preserve the momentum of the moment.
The characters in this scene are a mélange of different women, ranging from an image of female strength in the form of Joan of Arc to the subservient Griselda. The only constant character is Marlene, whose memories fuel the conflicting action of the play.
Janet Quartatone, a 1982 College alumna, played Marlene, a woman married to her career who is conflicted by her decisions. Though independent, she can’t entirely accept her detachment from those who depend on her.
“I’m happy where I’ve gone, but I’m not at peace with it,” Quartatone said of her character’s mentality. Though the dinner in the beginning is a celebration of her success, the nature of her memories reveal regret in separating herself from any family ties. Her relationship with her sister, Joyce, played by Laurie Hardy, is in ruins, and her relationship with her daughter Angie, who was raised as Joyce’s child, is nonexistent.
The final scene between Joyce and Marlene is incredibly powerful, accomplished by both actors’ ability to simultaneously express their character’s pain, lingering love for each other and the insurmountable years of resentment between them. Joyce and Angie, played by 2010 alumna Heather Duncan, created a dysfunctional dynamic through their outrageous, yet believable, hostile interactions. Duncan communicated Angie’s sociopathic tendencies clearly, as she seeks her aunt, but really her mother, Marlene’s approval and plots to kill Joyce.
The other actors reappear throughout the show, assuming roles of other players in Marlene’s life.
“It gives interesting parallels to the characters we play later,” said senior philosophy major Sarah Stryker, who doubled as Pope Joan and later, Shona. Joan, dressed as the Pope, disguises herself as a man, while Shona, a girl barely in her twenties, falsely boasts of experience in a job interview.
“They (Shona and Joan) both desire something they’re not,” she said.
Liz So, junior women and gender studies major, played Lady Nijo, a former concubine to a Japanese emperor and later Kit, a young girl, innocent to any of the horrors experienced by her former character. So as Nijo admits her endured abuse as simply a product of the time, she drinks more wine and begins to unravel before the audience. So made this gradual breakdown apparent as she progressively lost her former poise and control.
Patient Griselda, a character from “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer, is the image of obedience, played by Emily West. Her character Jeanine is similar in her willingness to abide by her husband’s wishes, but it is as her final role as Nell that she repels any conventional concepts of femininity. Her body language, as well as her costume, signals this difference in attitude, as she is no longer a frail, graceful “damsel.”
Jessica Null was hysterical as Dull Gret, who is depicted in the Pieter Brueghel painting, “Dulle Geit (Mad Meg).” She barely says a word prior to giving a heated description of her battles in Hell, but attempts to steal items from the set, and gives one-word responses usually involving food, throughout. Null as Win, however, is a working woman who seeks thrills in her personal life, including affairs with married men.
Susan Fowler as Isabella Bird, Louise and Mrs. Kidd was overbearing. Though very different, each attempts to maintain control in their sphere of power; Isabella dominates conversation, Louis in her work environment and Mrs. Kidd in her home.
While the play addresses the roles of women — perceived and actual — in society, director Brian Bara, 1987 College alumnus, said the show is at heart a commentary on the responsibility of those with ability.
“I really think it is a play about social responsibility,” Bara said. “It’s up to the top girls and boys to help.”
Shakespeare ’70 will be performing the show at 8 p.m. Sept. 30, Oct.1 and Oct. 2.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/29/10 4:43pm)
It’s easy to distract yourself at a computer. Facebook, e-mail, MySpace, fmylife.com, mylifeisaverage.com or one of the several free blogging forums available — whatever the technological vice— it inevitably eats up the precious time you claim you don’t have.
Mine is “The Daily Wh.at.” The tumblr. hosted blog features an array of daily posts, including videos, cartoons, photographs, etc. Most post titles contain the phrase, “of the day,” such as “Video of the Day” or “So This is Happening of the Day,” while others get more specific like, “Crazyass Christine O’Donnell Thing of the Day.”
The multi-media hub is the mecca of Internet treasures, re-blogging gold for those who actively “tumble.” The site revels in the out-of-ordinary; it is a gallery for the strange, miscellaneous, hysterical and at times, unbelievable. Since many posts consist of something someone somewhere thought was funny, you are likely to encounter something that resonates — or spend hours scrolling until you do.
Many of the posts are fan submissions, such as the recent post featuring two College students, Matty Daley, senior English major, and Bobby Canciello, sophomore interactive multimedia major, in a “So This is Happening of the Day” post for setting a new world record for longest continuous kiss.
While the site suits my need for comedic relief and procrastination without social interaction, I think there is something profound about “The Daily Wh.at.” By collecting media from numerous sources — a variety of testaments to what we think is interesting, funny, etc. — the site is a micro representation of our culture. Whether it be major or minor news from one corner of the world, or a cartoon depiction of obese Disney Princesses, the site’s posts, to an extent, are an active commentary on this generation’s personalities. It also connects followers, no matter where they are from, with the common theme that extraordinary, or just plain bizarre things exist everywhere.
It may be that the site isn’t as pervasive as I suspect, but it at the least functions on a personal level — if only to supply the comforting notion that somewhere, someone shares my sense of humor.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/22/10 4:21pm)
Stationed on opposite ends of the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building are two exhibits that both challenge convention and explore the creative capacity of space.
Space Invaders, a senior thesis exhibit, features the work of seven students, who contributed and combined different media and mediums to form a comprehensive address of designated space.
In the East Student Studio, the seven works are contained in the typical format expected of an art gallery — each piece is presented as a separate entity, defined by wall space and comfortable distances. The room, in comparison with its polar opposite — both in location in the building and in spirit — gives off a reserved, dignified yet nearly empty aura. There’s too much space. It’s sister exhibit, located in West Student Studio, however, violates the carefully constructed boundaries of the first exhibit. The works overlap, span the entire room and even in some cases, play off each other.
Katie Rossiter, fine arts major, resurrected a project originally created for her advance sculpture class and last year’s 4X4 exhibit. “String Theory,” which at first was intended to encourage viewers to interact with the piece, then made as “unapproachable as possible” for the 4x4 show, Rossiter said, now is used to invade everyone else’s work. In East Studio, the piece is a kaleidoscopic pattern in the corner of the room, achieved by the weaving of black string into randomly created patterns, she said. Though the process is “random,” the work appears to be carefully planned, as a mass of triangles that give the illusion of being three-dimensional. “String Theory,” expands into the other pieces in West Studio, like a spider web with ambition to ensnare the entire room.
Many of the pieces invaded the others in a similar manner. “Temporary Remnants” by Jessica Hauk, fine arts major, scattered magnified outlines of her thumbprint, made of sand and dirt, on the floor of the exhibit. The piece is intended to be affected by passerby, and within just a few minutes of the gallery’s opening, a few patrons had already accidentally stepped on a few of the finger- prints.
“It’s a temporary form of graffiti,” Hauk said. “It slowly gets rubbed back into the earth.” In East, just the stencil used to create the fingerprints is on display, encouraging no interaction.
Though “Oxideous,” by Spencer Denauski, senior digital arts major, consisted of an encased iPod and headphones in East, the 15-minute mix of distorted metal and electronica music filled West from speakers.
“Recursion” presented perhaps the most interesting contrast. In East, the piece used programming language called “processing” and OpenGL, graphics hardware, to project an infinitely looping image of whatever passes in front of the wall facing the set-up laptop. According to creator Katie McFarland, digital arts major, the piece senses the lightness and darkness around it, producing a pixilated image on the wall. The piece imitates the effect of mirror recursion, when two mirrors facing each other produce a seemingly infinite row of mirrors.
“It bridges audio and visual space,” she said.
The work here, however, is merely interacting with itself. In West, the work projects images based on the sound accompanying “Catastrophic Plight,” which is the sound of blood flowing in and out of the heart.
Ranna Chaudry, fine arts major, said her two graphs in West, represented by lines of string sewn onto a grid, show the magnitudes of the earthquakes in Haiti. Tied to one of the graphs is a syringe, which Chaudry said “represents hope for people who lost their lives.” The piece in East studio, which doesn’t interact with the other works, is a graph depicting an echocardiograph of someone dying.
Fine arts major Christine Rutowski’s “Repose” featured a small, framed sketch in East of a young woman asleep, which transformed into a larger charcoal depiction, unframed of the same girl in West. The piece achieves a more powerful sense of innocence and relaxation, as if the girl’s dress and limbs could span the entire exhibit.
“When you go up to it, you’re overwhelmed,” Chaudry said. ”It’s very tranquil, and very innocent.”
While digital arts major Kimberly McCauley’s “Seaside Heights” didn’t seem to interact with other works, it challenges preconceived notions in a different way. The series of eight pictures — four in each room — depict one of New Jersey’s popular locales during the winter, when “it’s completely dead,” McCauley said. The pictures, which show the location in the morning and night at in East and West studios, respectively, are a reaction to the misconceptions presented by MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”
“I wanted to show that it’s not like that,” she said. “It can be a really beautiful place.”
Space Invaders runs until Sept. 25.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/16/10 8:58pm)
Professor-student relations are sometimes strained. But if you’ve ever gotten the sense that a professor knows your true opinion of them, it may be because they do.
Students may want to be wary of what they send to their classmates via the SOCS e-mail link — at least in the subject line. According to Patricia Pasinski, assistant to the vice president of Information Technology and Services, when e-mails are exchanged through SOCS between classmates, a professor can see the subject of the e-mail, time stamp and the recipient of the e-mail, whether or not they are marked as recipients.
Another feature of the SOCS module is a course log, which records a student’s entry into different sections of the system. This enables professors to take note of which students view certain documents posted on the resource page, when and how often, or if at all.
English professor Felicia Steele said the module helps professors identify reasons why a student is struggling in her class.
“It’s a tool for faculty to help students, not monitor them,” she said. “If I have a student who is failing my class and I can tell that she has never done any of the readings, or never even accessed SOCS, I have a better sense of what help she might need.”
E-mail is considered the preferred mode of communication at the College, especially through the Zimbra Collaboration Suite. This system also isn’t strictly confidential.
According to the Computing Access Agreement, which enrolled students must comply with to use the College’s network and computing services, “there are no facilities provided by the College systems for sending and receiving confidential messages and files.” The agreement also stipulates that system administrators or other College employees can “access user files in the normal course of their employment when necessary to protect the integrity of computer systems or the rights or property of the College.”
Shawn Sivy, director of Networking and Technical Services, said in an e-mail that the “normal course of their employment” includes “investigating and resolving problems reported by clients,” including SPAM or phishing reports. System administrators, he said, do not routinely monitor account files.
The Information Technology Email Investigation guidelines state that student accounts “may be accessed for technical reasons without the knowledge of the owner.” Information Technology, however, does not conduct investigations unless requested by other offices, such as Campus Police, Student Life or Human Resources, according to the guidelines.
“If there is misconduct issue, the College administration may request that e-mail and files be reviewed,” Sivy said. “On rare occasions, system administrators may need to spot-check e-mails/files in accounts after a system issue in order to determine the extent of damage.”
Students living off-campus aren’t exactly exempt from the agreement, either.
“The College only has access to off-campus computer activity when it intersects with the College’s network and systems unless a court order is obtained,” Sivy said.
Tracing e-mail forums, such as Yahoo! or Gmail is more difficult, but not impossible. Typically, legal documentation is required.
The agreement lists a slew of actions that qualify as “misuse” of the College’s online resources. In the event the College receives a subpoena from law enforcement or an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request, it must provide copies of e-mails or files.
Last semester, an article appearing in The Chronicle of Higher Education brought widespread misuse to the College’s attention. The College addressed rampant use of the file-sharing program, DC++, which violated copyright laws by connecting computers on the campus network and enabling students to download movies and music from neighboring computers.
Though the program has the potential for legal use in sharing non-copyright material, Sivy said this was not the case at the College. According to Pasinski, there were 29 copyright infractions last year. Sivy said “network architecture changes were put into place to mitigate the use of DC++ on the College’s network” over the summer.
The Computing Access Agreement can be found on the College’s website at tcnj.edu/~it/procedures/computeraccess.html.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/16/10 7:08pm)
Emerging from occasional appearances on MTV’s former ’90s show starring the idiotic duo, Daria Morgendorffer was granted her own show, transcending the “Diarrhea, cha cha cha” jingle that Beavis and Butthead tended to sing with her appearance. Heh, heh.
As a barely ’80s baby, ’90s toddler, I had to cultivate my appreciation for Daria later in life. Despite the bans on crude cartoons — of the “Ren and Stimpy” and “Beavis and Butthead” variety — in my house growing up, I couldn’t have possibly understood the genius of the show in my yet to be fully developed
social awkwardness. It wasn’t until freshman year of college that we were reunited.
Whether her appeal was due in part to the desperate nostalgia leads several of my peers to return to their pre-teen roots — often in the form of Pokémon paraphernalia — I found in her unavoidably relatable qualities. She’s sarcastic. She’s passive-aggressive. She sports combat boots. Needless to say, I was won over.
She’s technically a social outcast, but it’s only because she’s more conscious of the ignorance and superficiality of everyone around her. She brandishes wit as her only defense in a population of predominantly shallow and often idiotic people. As she aptly explains in the first episode of season one, when she is forced to take a course to boost her self-esteem: “I don’t have low self-esteem. I just have low esteem for everybody else.”
My hero.
In addition to her fabulously grunge style, monotone wit and overall alternativeness, or as Quinn would say it, “alternivteevness” — all preceding the advent of the modern day hipster — the contrast between characters is the root of its hilarity. On one end of the spectrum are Daria and Jane, the sometimes morbid, but perceptive duo, who never fail to deliver sardonic quips when the situation calls for relief from the ridiculous characters. The other end of this caricatured social compass? Everyone else.
Mr. and Mrs. Morgendorff are the perfect exaggerated parents, perceived presumably from a teenager’s perspective. Mrs. Morgendorff acts as the over zealous, demanding mother, accompanied by her overly oblivious, painfully dorky husband. Quinn fills the role of the insufferably popular, ditzy younger sister. The show capitalizes on stereotypes, especially in establishing the dynamics of the students and teachers of Longdale High. After all, what depiction of high school is complete without the conceited, beautiful cheerleader and her dopey, but attractive football star boyfriend?
As the series matured, Daria was occasionally plagued by momentary insecurity. Dimensions were added to her relationships with her family that detracted from the usually satiric interaction and teetered into the melodramatic. The show ran its course on MTV for five seasons, ending in 2002, coinciding with Daria’s graduation from high school. The series enjoyed a short-lived revival on The N but has since been retired. Though MTV has decided to resurrect the show where Daria got her start, similar plans for her series have yet to be announced, much to my relief. To try to recreate her attitude and her primitive, but brilliant ’90s persona would be a crime.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/16/10 6:17pm)
Laughter, applause, pop-punk chords and devoted fans were in high supply Friday, Sept. 10 in the Rathskeller with the arrival of former bassist of Cute is What We Aim For and current member of Nocturnal Me, Dave Melillo. He performed his solo efforts as part of the College Union Board’s “Notable and Priceless: An evening with Dave Melillo.”
With a repertoire of his solo pieces on hand, Melillo welcomed requests from the crowd, encouraging seasoned followers to demand favorites. Many of the songs reflected a different period of Melillo’s life, originating from a younger, perhaps more immature version of the songwriter.
“This song’s about getting drunk and getting laid,” he said, prefacing his performance of “Vatican Roulette,” from his 2006 EP, “Talk is Cheap.”
Melillo said his latest songs produce a more substantive foundation, rather than relying solely on “raw emotion.”
“As much as I was trying, and just going for it, I was trying to replicate bands I was listening to,” he said. “It’s (now) a more focused effort.”
His reliance on his musical muses, such as Dashboard Confessional, whose influence is unmistakable in Melillo’s lyrics and delivery, seems to prevail still.
“I rip off songs. It’s not something I’m ashamed of,” he told the crowd.
Accompanying originals such as “Knights of the Island Counter,” “Sam’s Song” (part 1 and 2), “This is 2005,” “Do You Believe” and “Read Between the Lines,” Melillo played a variety of covers such as The Starting Line’s “Best of Me” and blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again?” Though he attempted but failed to successfully fulfill many of the audience’s requests for covers, Melillo’s confidence never wavered.
Melillo said he prefers soloist projects to group efforts.
“It’s really great being in band, and it’s already a success … I don’t think building up a band from the ground up is fun, unless you’re in high school,” he said.
As someone who is familiar with several aspects of the musical process, including recording, producing, songwriting and performing, Melillo said getting “other people involved is extraneous.”
Throughout the night, Melillo encouraged audience participation.
The audience was composed of both committed and casual fans, some who’ve been following Melillo’s work since his start. Jessica Moran, freshman business major, said she saw Cute is What We Aim
For 10 times in concert. When she saw the promotional posters for the event, she was extremely excited.
“(Melillo’s) got a beautiful voice…he’s not afraid to sing about emotion, and he’s funny too,” she said.
While it was Melillo’s first time at the College, a veteran performer preceded his act. John Dutton, a 2008 graduate of the College, introduced his mellow acoustic musings at the beginning of the night. Though the sound system of the venue often caused his guitar to overpower his appropriately soft voice, Dutton’s John Mayer-esque sound produced equally catchy and laid-back originals.
Dutton has opened for known names such as Melody Gardot and Saves The Day. Friday’s performance was his fourth show in four days in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area, he said. He is currently waiting for the release of his new six-song EP within the next month, entitled “Reasons to Stay.”
“I’m very proud of it,” he said of his latest project.
Dutton was a regular student performer at the College but said Friday was his first time returning to the Rat since graduation.
“It’s kind of nostalgic,” he said.
The show attracted an impressive crowd, much to the joy of Jill Polak, coordinator of the event and senior journalism major.
“I’m a little bit surprised because we’re competing with ourselves,” she said, referring to CUB’s concurrent organization of Duff Goldman’s appearance on campus. “I’m also not surprised because (Melillo) has a large following from New Jersey and he’s super cute.”
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/01/10 6:08pm)
If you’re mourning the end of summer and the return of your dependency on Eickhoff meals, an array of activities planned this semester may help the transition. Freshmen: you’ll learn. Be, or pretend to be, social at a number of shows in the Rathskeller, judge your peers’ musical abilities or lack thereof, or become a patron of the Don Evans Black Box Theatre.
Many organizations on campus host a variety of activities throughout the semester, but be sure to stay informed. Check bulletin boards, the College Union Board box office or follow large crowds — except those led by students walking backward. You don’t want to be “that guy” who missed the snake charmer Nooner.
Brought to you by the College Union Board
It’s free and it involves cake.
Confectionary creator and decorator, Duff Goldman, will give students an inside look into his creations, which are featured on the Food Network show, “Ace of Cakes.” Duff’s band …soihadto … will also play in the Brower Student Center Atrium the day of the show.
What: Ace of Cakes lecture
Where: Kendall Hall
When: Friday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m.
What: …soihadto … performance
Where: Student Center Atrium
When: Friday, Sept. 10, Lunch time
Move over Michael, here comes another Black.
He’s loud. He’s angry. He’s coming here. Comedy Central funny man Lewis Black will have a new place to rant in October — the Kendall Mainstage. Tickets cost $5 each with a limit of two tickets per College ID. Visit tcnjcub.com for ticket selling dates.
What: Lewis Black Comedy Show
Where: Kendall Hall
When: Oct. 10, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
CUB also holds a number of shows in the Rat throughout the semester, multiple bus trips, as well as a film series in Brower Student Center and the Travers and Wolfe Lounge. For shows, bus trips and film series movies and dates, check out tcnjcub.com.
Brought to you by Ink
Ink highlights student and professional talent with its student reading series and its visiting writer series, leading up to a culmination of both with its festival of student art, The Goods.
What: Visiting Writer Series with Aimee Bender
Where: Library Auditorium
When: Oct. 14, 8 p.m.
What: Student Reading Series
Where: Library Auditorium
When: Oct. 14 and Nov. 18, 8 p.m.
What: Halloween Coffeehouse
Where: Bliss Lounge
When: Oct. 28, 7 p.m.
What: Visiting Writer Series with Stephen Burt
Where: Library Auditorium
When: 4:30 p.m.
What: The Goods
Where: Rat
When: Dec. 4, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Brought to you by All College Theatre
Love theater? Love food? How about murder? ACT continues a campus favorite, its Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, beginning April 13. Dates and times are subject to change. Be sure to look for posters or visit tcnj.edu/~act/ for ticket sale information and show locations.
What: “Twelve Angry Jurors”
Where: Don Evans Black Box Theatre
When: Oct. 27-29, 8 p.m. and Oct. 30, 2 p.m.
What: “Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre”
Where: Brower Student Center
When: Dec. 3 and 4, 8 p.m.
What: “Bug”
Where: Don Evans Black Box Theatre
When: Feb. 23-25, 8 p.m. and Feb. 26, 2 p.m.
What: “An Evening of Shorts”
Where: Don Evans Black Box Theatre
When: April 13-15, 8 p.m. and April 16, 2 p.m.
Brought to you by the Art Department
The artist of “Pixels,” Willie Cole, will display his work in the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building in a showing open to the public. Meet the man behind the balls at the reception of his work on Nov. 18, from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Art and Interactive Multimedia building.
What: Willie Cole Exhibit
Where: Art and Interactive Multimedia Building
When: Oct. 27 to Dec. 8
Brought to you by WTSR
WTSR will hold three coffeehouses this semester
featuring students, as well as alumni.
What: Decaf: an unplugged coffeehouse
Where: Alumni Grove
When: Sept. 2, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Oct. 7, 8:30 p.m. and Nov. 4, 8:30 p.m.
Brought to you by TCNJ Musical Theatre
What: Broadway Night
Where: Library Auditorium
When: Oct 29, 8 p.m. and Oct 30, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Brought to you by TCNJ Lyric Theater
What: “Into the Woods”
Where: Kendall Hall Main Stage
When: Oct. 21-23, 8 p.m. and Oct. 23, 8 p.m.
Also be sure to check the College calendar and posters for additional events by these and other organizations.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/01/10 5:35pm)
He may no longer be a teen heartthrob, but Leonardo DiCaprio still knows how to find his way into audiences’ dreams.
In “Inception,” DiCaprio is Dom Cobb, an international fugitive and master of dream invasion, whose talents are coveted and conversant in the world of corporate espionage. Cobb and his point man, Arthur, played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, invade the human mind when its most vulnerable — while asleep — to siphon secrets from the dreamer’s subconscious.
After Cobb and Arthur fail a mission to infiltrate the mind of a powerful businessman, Saito, played by Ken Watanabe, they are challenged by Saito to reverse their well-crafted art by creating an idea in the mind of the dreamer, a practice known as inception. The dreamer is Robert Fischer, played by Cillian Murphy, heir to Saito’s business rival. The idea? To relinquish his inheritance and allow his father’s empire to fall.
Offered a chance to return home to his children a free man, Cobb recruits a dream architect, Ariadne, played by Ellen Page, and an identity forger, Eames, played by Tom Hardy, to delve into three layers of the subconscious, battling Cobbs inner demons the entire way.
True to his reputation, Christopher Nolan delivered moviegoers with a twisted thriller this summer easily superseding its box office counterparts as top seller in its first weekend in July. “Inception” bore the anticipated action-packed scenes expected of the same director of “The Dark Knight” and “Memento,” yet managed to counteract any violence with its pervasion of purpose — any explosion or shot fired was in service to the plot.
The film is crafted from a number of philosophies, which is perhaps why it occasionally falters in consistency. Inception dives too deep into the layers of its creation, and at times, seems to forget its foundations. Discrepancies arise in the effects of the layers of dreams on the others. While the gravity of the first dream level affects that of the second, resulting in an airborne Joseph Gordon Levitt, the third level merely experiences an avalanche. Though the conditions of the shallower dream levels affect the other levels less and less as the team dives deeper into the subconscious, Saito’s wound sustained in the first level appears worse in the third level. Though he is initially in better shape in the second level, he is reduced to crawling on all fours in the third. This is a minor slip. What’s more distracting is how little the movie addresses the implications of its mission to alter Fischer’s life. By laying the groundwork for Fischer, the team essentially creates a reality for him that perhaps is as far from the truth as possible — one in which his estranged father cared for him more than he was ever able to express while actually alive. After the team leads him in the right direction, Fischer convinces himself that his father would have wanted him to give up his legacy.
The immorality of this — of possibly destroying a man’s life — is barely discussed to an appropriate degree. No team member seems to struggle with this fact, even the newest additions. As Cobb reiterates throughout the movie, an idea can “grow to define or destroy you,” but Fischer’s fate is left ambiguous. The magnitude of their actions merits more than a brief acknowledgement.
Though not without its faults, “Inception” leaves a profound impression. You may not go as far as questioning reality when leaving the theater (though, pretty close), but you’ll certainly question everything
during the film. The boundaries between reality and subconscious blur throughout the movie, which is due in part to the presence of Cobb’s wife, Mal, played by Marion Cotillard. Though she is merely imagined, her presence is all too real. Her character heralds back to the femme fatale archetype introduced in “Shutter Island,” with Dolores, Teddy Daniel’s wife, who is the cause for Teddy’s insanity and guilt. In both films, the “ghost” of his mentally unstable wife challenges Leonardo DiCaprio’s character. The similar dynamics make for interesting parallels, though Cotillard’s character has a stronger presence. Martin Scorsese and Nolan use the image of woman as a cause for the protagonist’s downfall, Nolan with a more literal interpretation of the seductress archetype, as Mal attempts to lure Cobb into accepting his subconscious as reality.
Accompanying the multi-faceted plot is the film’s stunning setting — a true product of imagination. “Inception” stays true to its dreamlike nature with a world of pop-up book landscapes that collapse and materialize at the architect’s whim. Don’t let yourself get too invested in the film’s intricacies because — spoiler alert — its ending is as cruel as it is genius.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(09/01/10 4:38pm)
Lions’ Emergency Medical Services (EMS) returns to campus for its 12th year of service, after nearly shutting down last semester. Scott Sferra, billing manager for Student Financial Services, will serve as the organization’s new supervisor.
Sferra served as a co-advisor to the organization with Holly Heller for the past four years, he said in an e-mail. He is a certified and practicing emergency medical technician (EMT) with 16 years of experience.
“When I heard there was a chance that Lions’ EMS was going to disband, I decided I wanted to step up as a potential supervisor because of the needed and valuable service they provide to the campus,” he said.
Lions’ EMS announced it would shutdown last March as a result of Heller’s resignation. Heller said she stepped down because the organization required a supervisor, whose responsibilities supersede that of an advisor—the supervisor must be an EMT.
According to Regina Cummings, Lions’ EMS interim chief and a 2007 alumna working on her second degree as a nursing major, Sferra was identified as a candidate for the supervisor position at the end of May. The organization was reinstituted during the summer as a result.
Lions’ EMS is funded by the College, not the Student Finance Board (SFB), a change that occurred in 2009. According to James Norfleet, vice president for student affairs, funding for a part-time supervisor was included in the College’s budget, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in July. Norfleet appointed Sferra following discussions about the importance of the organization and need for a trained EMT supervisor.
“We are extremely fortunate to have Lions’ EMS on campus … LEMS also provides a great learning experience for students. They gain real-life medical experience and hone their leadership skills while helping others and serving our community. It’s hard to imagine (the College) without them,” Norfleet said.
Due to budgetary circumstances, the supervisor needed to be a current employee of the college, Cummings said, making the search for Heller’s replacement a difficult task, as very few individuals on campus met the criteria of the position. While Cummings said Heller is a registered nurse and incredibly knowledgeable, the growth of the group — which currently consists of approximately 80 members — demanded someone with EMT experience, primarily for legality purposes.
“As we continued to grow, the demand of the advisement grew as well,” she said. As a six-year member of Lions’ EMS, Cummings said the organization is an integral part of the College.
“We definitely fulfill a need on campus,” she said. “I definitely think it would be a disservice to disband us.”
The group starts the necessary care for patients before outside ambulances arrive, Cummings said, though 50 percent of its patients end up not having to be transported. The organization’s response time is typically less than five minutes, she said. The importance of its rapid response time heralds to the group’s inauguration, on Sept. 1, 1998, after a College faculty member suffered a cardiac issue on campus.
For incidents that happen outside health service’s hours, Lions’ EMS is able to provide pre-hospital emergency care.
When news spread that the organization was in danger of being shut down, members of the campus community voiced concern. The organization submitted a letter and proposal to the vice president of student affairs last April, resulting in an effort to preserve the organization.
“It showed that we were a presence that would be missed,” Cummings said.
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.
(04/27/10 6:44pm)
It’s easy. Endless movies, music and television shows downloaded in minutes to your computer, free of charge. Problem? It’s illegal, and the College is taking action. In an e-mail to the campus community, Nadine Stern, vice president for Information Technology and Enrollment Services, announced potential consequences awaiting users of the popular file sharing software, Direct Connect (DC++). Students discovered using the program might face “disciplinary action by the College and substantial financial liability to the copyright owners,” the e-mail warned.
The program, which has disappeared from Facebook, enabled students to access files on other hard drives connected to the local network. Allen Bowen, manager of information technology security, said DC++ runs on a server component that acts as a directory that indicates other computers connected to the local network. A majority of the computers connected to the network were found to be student residents.
According to Bowen, an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education detailing the widespread use of DC++ at the College inspired action. An anonymous senior at the College reported in the article that one third of students on campus are engaged in DC++. Matthew Golden, executive director of public relations and communication, said that because DC++ is not administered or monitored by the College, the number of students using it is unknown.
“That interview made it clear that DC++ is being used in ways that are in violation of both copyright law and campus policy,” Golden said in an e-mail. “We, therefore, needed to take action at this time.” Golden said on a first offense, a student’s account will be blocked by IT until the student has a case conference and can prove to IT that he or she has removed the files. The student may also receive an official warning. Repeated or more serious offenses, he said, may result in probationary status.
In addition to violating copyright law, the file-sharing program restricts the total available bandwidth, which could potentially cause other peer-to-peer applications on the Internet unusable, Stern said in the e-mail. In an effort to comply with the Higher Education Opportunity Act regarding “peer-to-peer file sharing on campus networks” violating copyright law, according to the College’s compliance page on its website, information technology (IT) is working to route out DC++ on campus.
“We have several mechanisms to detect (DC++) use … We have put in additional technical controls enforcing the computer access agreement,” Bowen said. He declined to elaborate on the specific mechanisms. Golden said no student files on personal machines or resources provided by IT have been involved.
Many students aren’t happy about the program’s disappearance. A junior history major at the College and avid former DC++ user, who asked to remain anonymous, said he has deleted the software for fear of legal consequence. He said the program has potential for legal uses, such as sharing projects and information with peers.
“I don’t think they should shut down the whole program just because some people are breaking the law,” he said. “I was operating under the assumption that people have the legal rights to it … at least that’s what I’ll say.”
Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.