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(08/28/18 2:48am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Editor-in-Chief
The College’s participation in the Student Health Insurance Plan provided by Aetna Student Health for the 2018-2019 academic year has changed the way students will receive coverage if they choose to purchase health insurance from the College.
All students at the College are required to have health insurance, whether they purchase it from the school or remain covered under a parent or guardian’s plan. Last year, students who purchased health insurance from the College were covered under UnitedHealthcare. Despite the switch from United to Aetna this academic year, coverage remains the same for all full-time students, with one key difference — their insurance is now accepted at InFocus Urgent Care in Campus Town.
InFocus does not accept United health insurance, which put a financial burden on students who purchased their insurance from the College and then received treatment at the urgent care for injuries and illnesses including cold and flu viruses, STDs, broken bones, trauma and intoxication-related medical issues. InFocus also provides specialty treatments including travel vaccines, sports physicals and medication-assisted opioid dependency treatment.
The health insurance students purchased from the College for this academic year now covers any of these treatments, a luxury not afforded to students who purchased insurance from the College last academic year.
“They should be able to use their health insurance to receive any services at the urgent care,” said Dr. Seeta Arjun, head doctor and owner of InFocus.
For part-time students, who are not eligible to purchase health insurance through the College from neither United nor Aetna, as well as full-time students who are using their parents’ insurance, their experience at InFocus remains unchanged. However, those who receive coverage through the College’s new Aetna plan will now no longer have to face the hefty copay that once burdened students who purchased United insurance from the College, making the urgent care in Campus Town a more viable option for students seeking medical attention.
“Previously we were not in network with United, but now that they switched over to Aetna it will make it much easier to take care of the student population,” said Scott Perrine, InFocus’ Director of Corporate Development.
Students who purchase insurance from the College will still be responsible for a copay if they receive care at InFocus, but the cost has become much more manageable now that the College is participating with a plan that is also accepted by the urgent care, as students will no longer have to pay the full fee for their visit.
Perrine and Arjun estimate that within the next 30-60 days, they will be able to determine if the College’s switch from United to Aetna has made an impact on the number of students who choose to receive treatment at InFocus.
(07/09/18 12:19am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Editor-in-Chief
As the clock struck midnight on July 1, the campus community experienced a change far more significant than flipping to the next page on the calendar — the date marked the end of former College President R. Barbara Gitenstein’s time as the school’s leader and the beginning of College President Kathryn Foster’s tenure.
As her presidency came to a close, an emotional Gitenstein prepared her Green Hall office for Foster’s arrival. Students, faculty and community members took to social media to wish her well in retirement and thank her for all she has done for the College in her nearly 20 years as president.
“I will miss the daily interaction with the students, faculty and staff,” Gitenstein told The Signal. “TCNJ really is a remarkable community.”
The campus community was happy to welcome Foster when she arrived on campus on Monday, July 2 with a full agenda. Well wishes poured in as her first few days in office were documented on Facebook and Twitter, where she was pictured having her ID picture taken, setting up her office and even enjoying a scoop of ice cream from the local hotspot Halo Farms.
“July is a perfect time to start a new position in higher education,” Foster told The Signal. “The campus tends to be quiet, which gives me a chance to orient myself and start the months-long process of meeting people, deepening my knowledge of the college and asking a lot of questions.”
During her first week in office, Foster placed an emphasis on familiarizing herself with the campus and the students, faculty and staff who bring it to life. She is eager to form strong connections with campus community members similar to those that Gitenstein took pride in.
“The most appealing prospect for my summer is getting to know the TCNJ constituents, both on and off campus and exploring its places,” Foster said. “My list of people to meet in the summer includes employees in all the year-round units — Admissions, Libraries, Building Services and so forth — and the many groups beyond campus, including neighbors, elected officials, alumni, businesses and board members.”
While Foster enters a whirlwind of introductions, new challenges and projects to attend to, Gitenstein has been relieved of her presidential responsibilities for the first time in almost two decades. In addition to spending more time with her family, Gitenstein is excited to focus on new initiatives in higher education.
“I also look forward to continuing to engage as a consultant on issues that challenge higher education today,” Gitenstein said. “I hope that I will be able to invest more time in volunteer activities in areas that I believe are important to the future of our country.”
As she discovers her favorite on-campus locations, reads Jennine Capó Crucet’s “Make Your Home Among Strangers” along with the freshman class as part of the College’s summer reading program and introduces herself to campus constituents, Foster is working to establish a strong foundation for her time as president of the College.
“It’s a journey of a million miles, but I have embarked to get to know you all through your activities and input,” she told The Signal. “Already students have responded kindly to my introductory email and weighed in on Facebook, so my journey of a million miles is officially launched.”
(04/24/18 6:19am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
A single microphone was placed atop the steps leading to Green Hall’s main entrance, with a buzzing crowd of campus community members below waiting to speak and listen. The building’s long hallways extending past the central clock tower were reminiscent of outstretched arms in a supportive embrace as the upbeat background music was lowered, and several speakers prepared to discuss their personal interpretation of the phrase, “When they go low, we go high.”
The growing crowd sought to foster a sense of inclusion in the face of discrimination for marginalized students, but they were not the only group hoping to draw attention that afternoon. On the other side of Green Hall, members of the Philadelphia chapter of the radical religious group Bible Believers returned to campus less than a week after their first appearance this semester to remind students to “stay on the straight and narrow — emphasis on the straight.”
The College’s Administration was notified on April 17 that the Bible Believers, who previously spewed insults about homosexuals, women and Muslims during a heated on campus demonstration on April 12, planned to return on April 18, according to a campus-wide email from Angela Chong, interim vice president for Student Affairs, and Jackie Taylor, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
Instead of providing the Bible Believers an audience, the College’s Division of Student Affairs, in conjunction with Student Government, hosted a celebration of diversity called “When They Go Low, We Go High” on Quimby’s Prairie at noon on April 18.
Representatives from several student organizations, as well as College President R. Barbara Gitenstein, discussed the importance of maintaining a supportive on-campus environment that does not stand for hateful speech.
“Any impulse to objectify, deride, fear, debase someone who is different from you — we live in a time where that kind of impulse has become normalized,” Gitenstein said. “It is our obligation as members of a community that not merely tolerates, but embraces and celebrates diversity and inclusion, to stand firm against that kind of impulse.”
Joseph Ballesteros, a junior nursing major, represented TCNJ Barkada, a Filipino cultural organization at the College. He explained that he was not present for the Bible Believers’ initial demonstration, but gained an understanding of what happened through social media. He initially disagreed with how students interacted with the Bible Believers on April 12, but later changed his stance.
“When I first thought of the quote ‘When they go low, we go high,’ I thought ignoring them would be the best choice — I thought just walking by them would be the best idea,” Ballesteros said. “But after seeing everybody consolidate and support each other, I realized that I could say that only because I wasn’t there, only because I wasn’t being attacked, only because if I was there as a heterosexual male who is Christian, I wouldn’t feel attacked by their words.”
Andrew Fenwick, a senior political science major and president of PRISM, shared his candid thoughts on the importance of inclusivity.
“This past week, PRISM has had a rough week,” he said. “We have experienced ignorance, and it has made us question if this is a safe place on campus — but after seeing this today, I can say that this is a supportive campus.”
After a moment of silence, the microphone was opened to any audience member who wanted to share their thoughts. As students continued to discuss countering intolerance with inclusivity, SG and Student Affairs unrolled a large banner for attendees and passersby to sign with a message of encouragement.
“Please walk away today with the intent to actively, not passively, identify how you can contribute to building a more inclusive community,” said Rosie Driscoll, a senior history and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies double major. “Challenge yourself and your friends to understand, identify and confront your biases, and educate themselves when they don’t understand a community or a social issue.”
(04/17/18 7:36am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
Despite a late start and a few technical difficulties, three student musicians showcased their vocal and instrumental talents at Student Soloist Night, hosted by the College Union Board in the Traditions Lounge on April 10.
Freshman psychology major Jake Condon kicked off the night with an acoustic rendition of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, followed by Elliot Smith’s “Say Yes.” Condon worked hard to make his voice heard above his strumming, as his microphone failed to pick up his vocals. The microphone did carry the sound of his acoustic guitar, which became the focal point of his performance.
As Condon strummed the final chords of “Say Yes,” several members of the intimate crowd that gathered in the lounge cheered in appreciation of Condon’s choice of songs. But just as the crowd celebrated his indie selections, Condon shook up his set.
“This song is actually by a lesser-known band — Coldplay,” Condon said sarcastically. “So if you know it, please sing along.”
Several audience members obliged, including one Traditions waitress, as Condon enthusiastically sang Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida,” accompanied again by his acoustic guitar.
After switching back to lesser-known music with Eddie Vedder’s “Society,” Condon followed up with another popular rock song — “No Surprises” by Radiohead.
“I don’t care what anybody says, Radiohead is the best band ever,” Condon said, before concluding his set with Oasis’ “Wonderwall.”
Ethan Crasto, a senior statistics major, performed several original songs, as well as some covers, accompanied by his keyboard.
In his first untitled original, Crasto made the audience question technology’s role in society with lyrics like “will people become obsolete?”
Continuing the theme of critiquing the “talking heads” on TV and those who choose to “document everything” on social media, Crasto covered Ed Sheeran’s “What Do I Know?” which had several audience members nodding and singing along to the familiar beat.
The same Traditions waitress who appreciated Condon’s selection returned, exclaiming “I know this song! I don’t know the lyrics, but I know it.”
Crasto then performed another untitled original, though this piece was a love song with lyrics like “When I’m with you, you always take my breath away” and “There isn’t a thing I won’t do to get you back.”
Though Crasto occasionally stumbled and apologized to the audience with an “oh geez, Louise,” the supportive crowd was quick to cheer back, saying “It’s OK!”
As Crasto covered Kesha’s “Praying,” he stopped abruptly.
“I don’t know the rest of the lyrics,” he said. “Classic rock songs that I actually know? Let’s try that.”
Crasto then confidently sang “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey before providing the audience with his last original of the night — an emotional ballad about getting ghosted. He then concluded his set with John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
Seizing the opportunity of an open microphone and a captive audience as CUB members prepared the stage for the final soloist, the Traditions waitress returned to the lounge. She dashed up to the microphone and sang the hook of “My Neck, My Back” by Khia Shamone to the audience’s amusement before she ran off, consumed by laughter with a coworker who caught the incident on Snapchat.
Chris Moncado, a senior communication studies major, finished off the night with a series of original pieces, including upbeat rock songs like “Reciprocate” and “Stay a While.”
With plenty of ups and downs in volume and pace, Moncado kept the audience on their toes during his high-energy set. His electric guitar created an edgier vibe than that of the previous two soloists.
Moncado’s fast strumming built tension in his songs that made the audience eager for the chorus. As he chanted “Lies! Lies! Lies!” during his final song, several audience members chanted back “Salt! Salt! Salt,” in humourous support.
As Moncado strummed his final notes, the small crowd applauded loudly, not only for his electrifying performance, but for the hard work and talent of all three soloists.
(04/13/18 2:39am)
By Michelle Lampariello and Elizabeth Zakaim
Managing Editor and News Editor
Waving gay and transgender pride flags, handmade signs, and for some women, their own shirts, students rallied together to show representatives from the conservative religious group Bible Believers that the College community will not tolerate hateful speech.
Amid the uproarious crowd and bobbing signs, the familiar piano intro to “Imagine” by John Lennon blasted through two amplifiers sitting outside the entrance of Eickhoff Hall. The students who brought the speakers and music wanted to stress the idea of unity in the face of conflict.
“We don’t need to separate ourselves based on ideologies like the ones we’re focusing on here,” said Nicholas Falk, a freshman English and education double major. “We can instead come together and just realize that we’re all one people, all one humanity.”
As the crowd in Alumni Grove grew denser on Thursday, April 12, representatives from the religious group occupied a patch of grass between the library and Eickhoff Hall to preach about their disapproval of feminists, Muslims, homosexuals, witches, liars, drunks, “porno freaks,” masturbators and the Pope.
Two men — Pastor Aden and preacher James Ross — as well as a teenager and a young boy, all of whom are active members of the Bible Believers, held up signs that argued their points even when their voices were drowned out by students’ chants, which consisted of synchronized screaming of everything from “peace and love” to “fuck you.”
Some signs focused on the Bible Believers’ anti-feminist platform, reading “feminists are whores,” “women belong in the kitchen” and “feminists are pedophiles.” Others focused on the group’s general religious principles, such as “there is a way that seems unto a man but in the end leads to DEATH,” “Jesus waterboards pedophiles,” “true love warns” and “your truth is relative to God.”
Ross did the majority of communication with students, and expressed his disdain for feminism on campus.
“This campus is infested with semen eaters,” Ross said.
Coincidentally, the Muslim Students’ Association was holding a bake sale in Alumni Grove to raise money to sponsor an orphan prior to the Bible Believers’ arrival. When the Bible Believers arrived around noon making anti-Muslim comments and holding up signs that read “Jesus or hellfire,” MSA members held up their bake sale sign in peaceful protest of the religious group.
“We got here before they did, so we saw them come onto campus,” said Amaly Elmenshawy, a sophomore elementary education and history double major and MSA’s public relations chair. "Campus Police came up to us with the school’s administration and said, ‘They have a permit. We can’t do anything about them (because) we’re a public campus. We stand by you — we want you to know that we don’t personally don’t support this.’”
Elmenshawy explained that several Campus Police officers and College faculty members purchased goods from MSA’s bake sale to show their support for the organization. One professor brought her class to the protest, handed MSA $60, and told them that it should cover any items her students want from the bake sale. Elmenshawy and other MSA members were particularly grateful for the professor’s donation, knowing that the $60 was more than enough
to cover the purchases of approximately 10 students.
The College was made aware that morning that the Bible Believers were planning an on-campus protest at noon to preach the gospel. While the group’s message was not consistent with the College’s values, the Bible Believers were allowed to protest in accordance with the “Use of Campus Property” policy and the First Amendment, according to an email sent out by Angela Chong, the vice president of student affairs.
As the Bible Believers’ anti-feminist rhetoric escalated, both male and female students began to shout back at Ross, offended by his insistence that “women belong in the kitchen.”
“Ladies, keep your legs closed until marriage,” Ross said to the women in the crowd.
One female student removed her shirt in defiance of Ross’ comments. She argued with Ross and Pastor Aden, who proudly sported a hat that read “Repent Whore.” The student then calmly lay down on the grass in front of the Bible Believers, and was joined minutes later by several other female students who had also removed their shirts.
“I’m on the e-board of Women in Learning and Leadership, and in our group chat someone said that there was a hateful protest going on outside of Eick, so I basically ran out and he was calling all of us whores,” said Ava Oakley, a sophomore women’s, gender and sexuality studies and early childhood education double major. “So me and three of my friends ran out, took our shirts off and stood in front of them.”
Some students remained at the fringes of the protest, while others stood up against the barricades Campus Police had put up, arguing loudly with the Bible Believers.
Ross, originally from California, said he was proud to preach at the College.
“(God) wants you to stop sinning,” Ross said.
Ross believes that committing sins such as having sex outside of marriage, drinking or masturbating would land students a spot in hell for violating God’s holy rules. His main message to students was to “stop sinning and obey Jesus.”
While he did not expect any particular reaction from students, he was satisfied having spent the time spreading his message.
“If you’re still masturbating and trying to get them to God it’s not gonna work,” Ross said. “God sees what you’re doing and he’s telling you to stop.”
The College was just one stop of many for the Bible Believers, according to Ross. They held a similar protest at Princeton University two weeks ago.
The Bible Believers also protested at Montclair State University in March.
Catriona Leary, a freshman political science major, asked if she could have a short moment of Ross’ time to express her perspective on his statements.
“I just want you to think about what you’re doing,” Leary said. “I’m not telling you to change what you’re doing, or change your ways or lose your faith … but I really want you to just sit and think how you’re helping people, how you’re hurting people and if this is beneficial.”
Leary also asked Ross to think about whether or not God or Jesus would would appreciate his preaching.
Pastor Aden, who is from Philadelphia, said he has been participating in similar demonstrations for about three or four years.
“We don’t want people to go to hell — we love people,” Pastor Aden said.
Pastor Aden explained that he is present and vocal at these protests because he loves sinners.
“It’s called tough love,” he said. “Many of these kids’ parents should have spanked them because a lot of them are having sex before marriage. A lot of them are on antidepressants. A lot of them could not be police officers. They’re out of shape — it’s not good. The bible says your body’s a temple, the Holy Ghost.”
Pastor Aden hoped his protesting would inspire students to find Jesus.
“They might start to read the Bible — that’s my prayer,” he said.
Pastor Aden did not want to continue to be interviewed by a female, and proceeded to defer all further questions to his wife.
“You can email my wife with more questions,” he said. “My wife talks to the women, I talk to the men, OK?”
Most students grew livid hearing the Bible Believers use sexist, homophobic and anti-feminist slurs.
“I thought this shit only happens on TV,” said Jeff Macias, a sophomore art education major. “I know they’re just doing this to piss people off — y’all have nothing else better to do with your lives.” Macias said he took a selfie in front of the signs the protesters were holding up and captioned his photo, “I’m going to hell and I’m proud.”
Brian Peng, a freshman english secondary education major, held up a gay pride flag in defiance of the Bible Believers.
“It really must get tiring to hate so many people in your life,” Peng said. “I feel sorry for them.”
Peng handed over a plastic megaphone to his friend next to him, who then screamed, “TCNJ loves gays,” amidst the shouts of the bubbling crowd.
In an attempt to drown out the Bible Believers with music, Phi Mu Alpha brothers Ryan Price, a senior music education major, and Paul Brodhead, a sophomore computer engineering major, brought their trombones to the protest.
“We like playing music outside, and fuck this guy,” Price said. “We’re just trying to lighten the mood here and get people thinking about other things. You can’t be angry when you listen to music.”
Chris Blakeley, president of Student Government and a junior civil engineering major, acknowledged that the Bible Believers had a right to share their views under the protection of the First Amendment, but was concerned about the impact the demonstrators’ words would have on students.
“My main goal is to make sure that everything is peaceful and there’s no throwing anything or causing any problems and we’re following the practices that we have in place as a College,” Blakeley said. “It’s exciting to see the community really rallying behind and being supportive of other members of our community, and I think that’s what we should focus on rather than all of the hate and negativity coming from the presenting group on campus.”
Several professors joined the crowd of passionate students. Most remained on the outskirts of the protest, observing as students surrounded the Bible Believers to contradict their arguments in loud disagreements.
“We can make the argument that free speech is free speech, but at the same time we also have to be mindful of the effect of certain speech on us,” said Winnifred Brown-Glaude, a professor of African-American studies and sociology. “Does this kind of speech align with our values as a college community? If you want to make those kinds of remarks, do it in a park someplace. These views are antithetical to a college community — that’s not who we are, so why would we allow this kind of speech in this place?”
Brown-Glaude felt that the Bible Believers’ decision to bring children with them to the demonstration was concerning.
“It’s one thing for an adult to place himself in this situation, but to subject children to it is highly problematic,” she said. “There should be a child welfare representative here for no other reason but for the children.”
Students agreed with Brown-Glaude, as the presence of children inspired a “free those kids” chant within the crowd.
More than two hours after the demonstration began, at approximately 2:15 p.m., the Bible Believers were escorted away from the premises by police. Pastor Aden switched out his “Repent Whore” cap for one that said “I (love) haters” as the Bible Believers packed up their posters, which prompted a “Where’s the love?” chant from students.
“Go crash your fucking car,” one student yelled as the Bible Believers were ushered into police cars that promptly drove away down the sidewalk leading to Roscoe West Hall.
(04/03/18 2:54am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
With a packed schedule and a stressed out, overwhelmed mindset to match, it can be hard to remember to make time for your family as a college student. As homework and extracurricular activities pile up, it can be tempting to sneak in an extra 20 minutes of sleep instead of calling home. While it’s healthy, and encouraged, to make new friends in college who become like a second family to you, it’s even more important to not forget your real family as you enjoy life at the College.
Before I started my freshman year, I worried about how I would handle living away from my family. I was the kid who cried myself sick during overnight field trips and had to be picked up early — how would I last for weeks away from my parents and sister?
But as I adjusted to life as a college student and grew closer to my new friends, I began to see how fortunate I was to have a family that supported me the way mine did. Their unwavering encouragement was not necessarily better, but different from the support that I received from my friends. My family’s unconditional love shone through every text, call or care package I received from them, especially on days when I was feeling particularly homesick.
I cringed when they stuck articles that I wrote or deans lists that I made to our fridge, but then I smiled. I realized that even if I wasn’t physically right there with them, they were just as proud of me. While friends are a crucial part of our lives and support systems, we must remember that our families love us in a way that no one else can.
You don’t need to come home from college every weekend to make time for your family. You don’t need to call every day, nor do you need to immediately respond to every text. You just need to respect and show love to the people who loved you before you ever made a friend.
Make the most out of the time you have together over breaks from school — take a sibling out for lunch, spend some time with your grandparents or help your parents make dinner. When you are at school, reach out and catch up when you can, but understand that your family knows how busy you are with the delicate balance of school, sleep and a social life. They don’t expect to hear from you constantly — they just want to make sure you’re doing well and that you didn’t forget about them.
Most of us would not be able to celebrate our successes today without acknowledging the help we received along the way from our family members. There is nothing to be ashamed about when it comes to making time for and keeping in touch with the people who love you most.
(03/27/18 6:22pm)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
The Board of Trustees announced its unanimous selection of the College’s new president-elect on Tuesday, March 27 — Kathryn Foster, an accomplished scholar and educator, will return to her home state to serve as the College’s 16th president on July 1.
Foster, a Verona, New Jersey native, is currently the president of the University of Maine at Farmington. Before her tenure at UMF began in 2012, Foster spent 18 years at the University at Buffalo, serving as the director of the school’s Regional Institute, chair of the Department of Urban and Regional planning and as the associate chair for undergraduate education and director of undergraduate studies.
While Foster is excited to return to her home state, and mentioned her affinity for New Jersey “at least three times in the cover letter,” she made it clear to the large crowd gathered in the Brower Student Center Room 225 East that the College’s location is not the only factor that drew her to the school.
“If all I wanted was to come back to New Jersey after many years away, I could’ve done that any time,” Foster said. “It took this opportunity at this magnificent institution to tug at me, to yank at me actually, to apply for the only position I have wanted or sought since assuming my current presidency in Maine.”
Foster cites the College’s reputation and values that align with her own as primary factors in her decision to apply for the position.
“TCNJ is eminent, it is accomplished, it is a place of academic excellence, it is a place where the values of the school resonate with me, about engagement, about inclusivity, about integrity, about self-reflection,” Foster said in an interview with The Signal.
Presidential Search Committee Chair Susanne Svizeny (’79) expressed her confidence in Foster’s leadership skills, and how Foster’s values, including the support of shared governance, played a large role in her success in the presidential search.
“We knew the charge was hard to find the right person that really could take TCNJ to that next level, and we believe and we are very confident in her capabilities,” Svizeny said.
Foster will remain UMF’s sitting president until her tenure at the College begins after current President R. Barbara Gitenstein retires on June 30. Foster explained that she does not want to infringe upon Gitenstein’s last few months in office, but plans to help make the transition as smooth as possible.
“We have talked about having some regular conversations to make sure that the pass of the baton, which sounds easy but it is really an event that requires some skill in athletics as well as in presidential transitions, that that pass of the baton is as smooth as it could be so that the school is continuing to advance, and we don’t lose any momentum and I am apprised of the issues that I need to be aware of,” Foster told The Signal.
The campus community is excited to see what Foster will do as president.
“She brings a tremendous amount of energy, and I think she will be a tremendous asset going forward to this institution,” said Jorge A. Caballero, chair of the Board. “I think it puts us on a path not only continuing the tremendous growth that President Gitenstein has done over the last 19 years, but also take us to the next level.”
Foster admires the impressive legacy Gitenstein leaves behind. She has studied some of Gitenstein’s initiatives and accomplishments during her tenure at the College to learn more about the school and how to effectively serve as its leader. She appreciates that Gitenstein strives for quality and excellence to give students the flair of a private school at a public institution, and that Gitenstein works to ensure that the College’s reputation matches reality.
As Foster grows more familiar with prominent campus issues, one sticks out to her — diversity and inclusion. Foster served in the U.S. Peace Corps from 1987 to 1989 in Swaziland, a landlocked African nation, before the end of Apartheid, and she believes this experience helped her to become a better and more understanding teacher, administrator and president.
“I experienced what it was like for two years to live as a young white woman in a nation where those things did not count for much, those were not categories if you will, categories of who you are that were important and that were respected,” Foster told The Signal. “It was an important learning experience for me and it was an important set of emotions and feelings to have about what is it like to be in a place where people make decisions about you, stereotype you, decide what you’re worth, essentially because of who you are and what you look like.”
Foster explained that while this is only her personal story, she feels that her experience in Swaziland has made her a proponent of “authentic inclusion,” and the idea that a diverse community is stronger than a homogenized one.
Students were happy to discover during Foster’s introductory speech to the campus community that she is an approachable leader with student-centered values.
“I’m excited to see what she does. She seems like someone who’s really relaxed and wants to hear what the students think and listen to our voices,” said Morgan Fligel, a junior finance major.
Gitenstein, who is well-liked by students and faculty members, will be missed by the campus community. However, students are hopeful that they will form a similarly fond relationship with Foster.
“I’m obviously going to miss the Git, but I’m looking forward to what (Foster) can bring to our campus in the future,” said Diana Da Silva, a freshman public health major.
Foster ended her address with an anecdote about her interview process for the job. She explained that after her flight was cancelled and her luggage went missing, she had no choice but to attend the final round of “speed dating” interviews with College constituents clad in a sweatshirt. She was embarrassed, and knew that “candidates who wear sweatshirts to the final interview typically do not get the job,” but decided to meet with Search Committee members, alumni, students, faculty, staff, union leaders, foundation leaders and Gitenstein regardless of her wardrobe.
“You do what you can, you do it in a sweatshirt, you call on some inner resilience and you show them that you can take a punch,” Foster said.
While the importance of resilience is certainly a lesson learned from Foster’s decision, she wanted to leave campus community members with a different message.
“The fact that I am standing here, that I got the job after all, says far less about me than it does about you,” Foster said. “Only a college with the confidence, character, kindheartedness and touch of craziness would look past the sweatshirt and intrust me with this astounding privilege and responsibility … I cannot think of a more honorable, meaningful or joyful way to spend the coming years of my life. Together we will do great things, and I cannot wait to get started. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and go Lions!”
(03/20/18 10:02am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
Nearly one year after Campus Town’s InFocus Urgent Care announced its decision to offer counseling services, and just over six months after the practice celebrated its grand opening, only one thing is missing from the bustling health care center students are thankful to have as a medical resource — the long-awaited, much-debated mental health care component.
At the close of the fall 2016 semester, the College announced its decision to close the TCNJ Clinic, creating a need for an affordable, long-term mental health care option on campus, especially for students who may have difficulty finding transportation to an off-campus practice.
InFocus recognized this need, and after having multiple discussions with the College, agreed to establish a counseling center in Campus Town in a separate building from the main Urgent Care.
This counseling center, named Cavi, intends to provide services that cannot be offered by the College’s Counseling and Psychological Services, which focuses on short-term care — counseling that generally lasts a semester or less. While CAPS remains the primary mental health care option for students, it does not provide long-term counseling, which is sought by many students.
Angry about social justice issues, including the College’s decision to close the Clinic, members of the TCNJ Committee on Unity staged a sit-in in Green Hall in April 2017. Some TCU members felt that closing the Clinic — an affordable counseling option for community members — reflected a toxic relationship between the College and the neighboring city of Trenton, New Jersey.
The protesters were not in favor of opening a practice in Campus Town to address the need for long-term counseling, as they recognized that this counseling center would be more expensive, and perhaps be more complicated for patients who have issues with obtaining health insurance coverage.
With tensions high, the decision to close the TCNJ Clinic was suspended on May 10, after College President R. Barbara Gitenstein announced that a thorough review of the Clinic would be conducted to assess its efficacy as a resource not only for patients, but for graduate interns who used the Clinic as a means of gaining real-world experience.
While on-campus mental health resources were evaluated and shifted during the spring and fall 2017 semesters, there was no indication that Cavi was affected by any changes made to the Clinic.
No announcement was made to the campus community with an update on the counseling center’s status, despite InFocus’ publicized grand opening celebration in September.
As other Campus Town eateries, stores and salons open their doors to new customers, Cavi’s doors remain closed, and the practice is yet to have its first patient.
“There was a conversation between the doctor of the Urgent Care and the College to see if they could bring counseling there,” said Greg Lentine, a director of university campus development for the Campus Town developer, PRC. “Now I know Cavi went and they were hiring licensed therapists — they had some good people that they were bringing in. I don’t know whatever happened between the conversations with the College and with the practice.”
Lentine has not received any updates on Cavi’s status, but he is not concerned about when the practice will open.
“They’re paying rent, so it’s not a (big) deal. We would go in and I’d talk to the Urgent Care doctor all the time, I just never asked her ‘hey you know when are you opening that up,’” Lentine said.
After several attempts to contact her, Dr. Seeta Arjun, the head doctor and owner of InFocus Urgent Care, could not be reached for comment.
While Arjun had multiple discussions with the College about opening a counseling center in Campus Town, Mark Forest, director of CAPS, explained that nothing agreed upon at these spring 2017 discussions was “written in steel.”
“Nothing was sort of promised per se — they kind of quickly asserted that in addition to the medical component of Urgent Care, they recognized they might be able to offer some counseling services as well, and in consultation with us they probably got more information that a significant number of students that come to CAPS are really looking for more long-term counseling and that we have struggled on-and-off for several years with trying to connect people with community providers for a variety of different reasons,” Forest said.
Forest explained that some students struggle to obtain care from community providers due to transportation issues. This problem is particularly common for first-year students, who are not allowed to keep a car on campus. While a first-year student who needs to leave campus on a regular basis for medical or mental health appointments can get special permission to bring their car to the College, Forest feels that transportation remains a barrier for several students seeking long-term care.
“TCNJ is sort of plopped in the middle of a suburb, which is quite different than a college that’s sort of in a small city or near a city where there might be more resources available,” Forest said. “There are limited numbers of community providers very local to the College, and then simply some students just don’t have transportation.”
As of last spring, InFocus and the College came to the mutual understanding that opening a counseling center would be a “win-win” situation, according to Forest. The College needed a facility on or close to campus for students who need long-term assistance, and InFocus would be able to provide that care. However, Forest has not received any substantial update on Cavi’s progress.
“We’re always looking for convenient, longer term kind of referral options for our students. We’re still hoping that will happen at some point — we just don’t have a clear timeframe,” Forest said.
Students also value an emphasis on long-term care that CAPS does not provide. While students are generally satisfied with CAPS’ services, some are concerned about what happens to students who need treatment for more than one semester.
“On campus counseling with a longer treatment plan and more counselors seems to be the best solution,” said Matthew Bird, a junior psychology and communication studies double major.
Though many campus community members eagerly anticipate Cavi’s opening, students still have access to long-term mental health care resources that are in close proximity to campus that are independent from Cavi.
The Clinic is currently back up and running in its old space in Forcina Hall, but these services will soon be relocated to a facility on or close to campus following the College’s Oct. 31 decision to provide services previously offered at the TCNJ Clinic at a newly established Center for Integrated Wellness.
The new center for health and wellness will be a long-term mental health care resource, but will also include wellness components such as yoga sessions or resources for students with learning disabilities.
Carole Kenner, dean of the School of Nursing, and Suzanne McCotter, dean of the School of Education, are co-chairs of a task force that is responsible for incorporating the Clinic’s offerings into the new center, and plan to continue student employment opportunities similar to what was offered at the Clinic.
While the TCNJ Clinic gave graduate students studying counseling a chance to gain experience, McCotter and Kenner hope to provide employment opportunities for public health and nursing students as well at the new center.
On Feb. 7, Forest informed the Student Government that the College’s Office of Health and Wellness had enhanced its capability to refer students to appropriate places for long-term treatment.
Mental health services are a priority for the College, especially with high rates of depression and anxiety on campus. The College’s depression rate currently matches the national average at 32.8 percent. However, the chronic anxiety rate at the College is 56.4 percent, with the national average being more than two percent lower. Forest explained that depression used to be the top mental health problem on campuses, but currently, anxiety is the most widespread issue for students across the U.S.
CAPS’ short-term model, which uses a skill-based program focused on mood management and interpersonal relationships, is similar to the mental health care model used in other colleges and universities throughout the country, as most schools also provide short-term care services.
What sets the College apart from other institutions of higher education is its use of a collaborative model, according to Forest. The College’s Community Counseling Collaborative, located on the fourth floor of Forcina Hall, has external clinicians who see students individually. Each clinician comes in for a few days each week, giving students a chance to speak with a professional on a long-term basis without having to leave campus.
Clinicians involved with the CCC have to be licensed and have prior experience working with college students. They also must have a relationship with insurance companies or charge patients on a reasonable sliding scale.
Initially, students were referred to receive long-term care at the CCC through CAPS, but as more clinicians become involved, their contact information will become available online so that students do not need to go through CAPS to schedule an appointment with a CCC clinician.
Forest hopes that the CCC’s on-campus location will eliminate the transportation barrier some students face, and that the CCC’s night and weekend hours will make the program a convenient option for long-term care.
While Cavi’s status remains a mystery, students have multiple options for both long and short-term care through CAPS and the CCC, as well as the Center for Integrated Wellness, which is set to open in the near future in a facility on or close to campus.
(02/27/18 5:55am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
In an effort to capitalize on children’s love for a classic slapstick routine, Sony’s “Peter Rabbit” was right on target — if the target was showing young children a textbook example of how to bully someone with a food allergy.
During a scene in which Peter Rabbit and his animal companions are attacking their enemy Mr. McGregor, the animals throw blackberries at him, knowing that he is allergic to the fruit. A berry lands in his mouth, and he begins to have an allergic reaction. McGregor then reaches for his EpiPen, and injects himself to alleviate his symptoms.
As an anaphylaxis survivor who is often anxious about how having a food allergy affects my health and safety, I am appalled.
I am baffled that after rounds of editing and testing, a scene that promotes endangering others, makes light of a life-threatening condition and depicts a scenario that can be deeply upsetting for children with allergies made it into the final version of the film.
I don’t need my personal experiences to know how serious anaphylaxis is. It seems like common sense to respect the dangers of a condition that has the power to close your throat and stop your heart. But for the team behind “Peter Rabbit,” allergies aren’t serious — they’re comical.
“Peter Rabbit” normalizes food allergy bullying, which one out of three kids with a food allergy experiences, according to Food Allergy Research & Education.
After a petition brought bullying concerns to Sony’s attention, the company issued an apology. However, any film advertised as a children’s comedy that makes some of its target audience anxious to go to school the next day needs more than an apology.
Instead of profiting off of the “comedic” allergic reaction scene, Sony should donate some of the film’s proceeds to FARE. These funds could be used for campaigns to prevent future bullying incidents, allow affordable access to epinephrine auto-injectors or contribute to research for a cure.
The argument that what happened to McGregor in the scene is excusable because he was able to quickly self-medicate is rooted in the misconception that an EpiPen is a magic wand that can stop any reaction — it can’t.
Even if epinephrine truly was an all-powerful antidote, the scene is still offensive to anyone who relies on the hormone to have some semblance of security.
Maintaining constant access to epinephrine is annoying enough for an adult, but for a young child, the idea of constantly carrying medicine that needs to be injected, not swallowed, in case of an emergency can be frightening and upsetting.
As some children sat in the theater with their EpiPen’s tucked safely in their mothers’ purses inches away, I can imagine their anxiety as McGregor struggles and has to inject himself with epinephrine to survive. Most young children burst into tears at the thought of getting a flu shot, never mind a needle with a looming presence in their daily lives in case of emergencies.
A children’s movie is supposed to be lighthearted and family friendly, and not include content that mocks a certain condition or disability. Would the blackberry scene have made it to theaters if Peter Rabbit and his friends were preying on an intellectual or physical disability of McGregor’s?
People with food allergies live relatively “normal” lives compared to other people with conditions that classify as disabilities, but just because allergies are not obvious does not mean they shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Children with allergies can’t be as carefree as their peers. They are constantly reading labels, or bringing food to a guardian to be checked for them. They will never be able to eat at certain restaurants, and will never know what some foods taste like. These children always have to pay close attention to their surroundings, and ensure that no one is touching or getting too close to them with an allergen.
These children are trained to protect themselves from the moment they receive a diagnosis. In some ways, they will not be able to have “normal” childhoods. But for a few hours, these children should be able to watch a movie that doesn’t mock their reality.
Anaphylaxis and allergies are seldom portrayed in a manner that is not offensive. Even some of my favorite shows, like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Parks and Recreation,” joke about allergic reactions — but these shows are marketed to adults, who should hopefully be able to recognize the gravity of allergies in real life.
Children who see “Peter Rabbit” may not understand that allergies are not to be joked about or ignored. Sony is welcoming the possibility of an increase in food allergy bullying by showing children an example of “the good guys” taking part in such reckless behavior.
People with allergies are not victims — we are survivors who live every day knowing that even if we do everything right, our kryptonite may still find its way onto our skin or into our mouths. Both adults and children with allergies deserve to be respected, or at the very least, deserve to go to the movies without seeing our biggest fear used to make people laugh.
Students share opinions around campus
“How does the media affect children?”
"Media can point kids in a specific direction of thinking, so they can't develop their own thoughts."
"Representation matters. If a child can relate to a character or actor, it can build their confidence."
(02/22/18 4:24pm)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
Various social movements, campaigns and trends on campus throughout the years have strained the College’s relationship with diversity and promotion of inclusion. From last year’s Trenton Hall controversy to this year’s rumblings about transgender bathroom rights, students have made it clear that while we have come a long way when it comes to tolerance and acceptance of all, the College still has a great deal of progress to make.
Don Trahan Jr. joined the campus community in September 2017 as the College’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Since the start of his tenure here, Trahan has put multiple efforts into motion to create an environment that breeds diversity and inclusivity.
Through the Office of Student Diversity, Trahan plans to launch a campus-wide diversity summit on April 9 to educate the campus community about acceptance of people and groups different from how they personally identify.
The Office of Student Diversity is also developing a social media campaign titled #IAmTCNJ, which Trahan hopes will encourage students to post content that celebrates individuality and diversity.
Trahan has also created opportunities for students to share their thoughts on inclusivity at the College in a series of forums titled “Critical Conversations.”
Trahan believes that providing students with the chance to have raw, unfiltered discussions about difficult and often emotional topics will create a more tolerant culture on campus.
“Critical Conversations has provided students with a brave space to ‘be,’ which I believe has definitely impacted their voice at TCNJ,” Trahan said. “I am confident that our campus will continue to learn how to approach difficult discourse and abandon the binary mindset of right and wrong.”
Trahan’s primary concern is ensuring that students who belong to groups that are often marginalized feel as though they are equally as empowered to succeed as any other student at the College.
Lucy Brice, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and a junior finance major, recognizes the challenges of leading an organization that advocates for a minority population.
“Being a historically black organization on a predominately white institution there is often a lack of knowledge amongst many within the campus community regarding the legacy, impact and relevance of our sorority and the Unified Greek Council,” Brice said.
While college campuses tend to be progressive and tolerant environments, the sheer numbers make Trahan’s inclusivity goals more challenging.
A 2015 survey of the College’s student body recorded that only 10 percent of students identify as Hispanic, and only six percent of students identify as African-American or Black, according to collegeportraits.org.
The College’s vision statement makes it clear that the school aims to “serve as a national exemplar of public higher education, and we will do this while being committed to accessibility and affordability.”
In its mission statement, the College says that it “empowers its diverse students, staff and faculty to sustain and enhance their communities both locally and globally.”
But the College’s relationship with the local community, specifically the neighboring city of Trenton, has lately been a controversial subject.
In the fall 2016 semester, the TCNJ Committee on Unity, a self-proclaimed social justice organization, cropped up on campus. By the following spring, the committee engaged in a sit-in to protest the former namesake of Trenton Hall, Paul Loser and the proposed closure of the TCNJ Clinic.
Even after Loser Hall was renamed, students organized a peaceful protest during Homecoming 2017 outside Trenton Hall. As students knelt on the ground with their fists quietly raised in the air, a message was sent to campus officials that efforts to establish a better relationship with Trenton and encourage inclusion needed to continue even after immediate problems were solved.
Several student organizations seek to minimize this marginalization and give students a chance to feel comfortable enough to express themselves in an inclusive environment. Multicultural Greek organizations like Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, as well as the Black Student Union and the College’s NAACP chapter, seek to give students who belong to minority groups a chance to celebrate their culture and advocate for social justice issues.
“We also are politically active and try to raise awareness about politics with events regarding elections, voter registration and absentee ballots,” said Vanessa Fiore, current president and founder of the College’s NAACP chapter and a senior international studies major. “I would say our overall goal on campus is to create a campus that is inclusive of different people and politically aware of what is happening in the country.”
Fiore believes that political advocacy is a key element of the organization that allows it to improve students’ college experiences. She also explained that students often misunderstand NAACP’s mission — to support all groups of people, not just African-Americans.
“We face difficulty with management because many people think that we are the same as BSU, but we are much more politically active than BSU, and not specific to one group of people,” Fiore said. “Many people think they are unwelcome in the organization, until we talk to them. It does help that we have a diverse executive board to help show people that we represent multiple groups.”
Fiore considers NAACP’s cultural appreciation events, like its upcoming Melting Pot Talent Show, to be just as important as political advocacy.
“Our campus chapter strives to make sure people know that our organization is for everyone,” Fiore said. “We try to do this with events that (raise) awareness about certain groups.”
Trahan has combined the resources of the College’s Office of Student Diversity with its Office of Institutional Diversity to conduct professional development training sessions for the campus community, as well as local residents.
Brice and the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha are happy to see the College’s progress in its efforts to honor the school’s relationship with Trenton and celebrate diversity on campus.
“The renaming of Loser Hall to Trenton Hall, the formation of the Advisory Commission on Social Justice, continuous critical conversations, sustained dialogues sessions and the plethora of culturally based student organizations and clubs on campus all attest to TCNJ’s efforts to promote diversity and foster inclusion for all students on campus,” Brice said.
Trahan acknowledged that the College still has room to grow in its promotion of an inclusive atmosphere, but is proud of all that students, faculty, staff and community members have done to foster a sense of pride in diversity at the College.
“My goal is to continue moving our campus forward, with diversity and inclusion being embedded across all facets of the institution,” Trahan said.
(02/13/18 8:37am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
The Presidential Search Committee has narrowed its selection of candidates to serve as the College’s next president to a small group of finalists, according to a campus-wide email from Presidential Search Committee Chair Susanne Svizeny (’79) sent on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
While information about the candidates’ identities remains confidential, Svizeny told The Signal that “they are thoughtful, successful leaders.”
The College is proud to have a relatively open selection process for the presidential search. Svizeny encourages members of the campus community to make their voices heard as the committee continues to interview the final candidates.
Other institutions for higher education opt for a closed process to maintain confidentiality of the candidates, but Svizeny assured campus stakeholders that they can still have a role in the selection process without the committee revealing the identities of the candidates.
“Please be assured that we are identifying these opportunities for members of our community, beyond the search committee membership, to be engaged in the next stage of candidate evaluation,” Svizeny said. “These individuals will help to shape the consideration of the finalists, while still meeting the privacy wishes of our distinguished group.”
The committee is on track to recommend a final candidate to the Board of Trustees by the end of the spring 2018 semester before current President R. Barbara Gitenstein retires in June.
Svizeny is confident in the committee’s ability to not only select a candidate on schedule, but to select the most fitting candidate from the small pool of finalists.
“Please know that everyone in the community had the opportunity to provide feedback to the profile that was used through the search process by the committee and our consultants in developing the pool,” Svizeny told The Signal. “The committee has broad representation across the campus and was careful to rely on this community input in its vetting of the candidate pool?.”
After a rigorous vetting process, the committee is pleased with the group of finalists that has emerged.
“I can tell you that the committee is thrilled with the quality and caliber of the candidates,” Svizeny said.
(02/13/18 12:02am)
By Michelle Lampariello
Managing Editor
After only one year on campus, Beta Theta Pi has proven to be a productive philanthropic and social organization as the College’s newest fraternity.
Beta’s colony at the College began in the fall of 2016, when its original 24 founding fathers felt as though greek life on campus was missing the kind of brotherhood that Beta offers. With 47 active members at the start of this semester, Beta is eager to recruit new brothers in spring 2018.
“Being a fall founding father, to me, meant setting the sails for the future of a brotherhood, whether that future is 5 years or 500 years,” said Kevin Hurler, a senior physics major.
For the fall 2017 semester, Beta earned an average term GPA of 3.342 — the highest out of all fraternities on campus. The seven members who joined Beta last fall earned an average GPA of 3.25, displaying the organization’s commitment to maintaining academic excellence.
Bryant Fiesta, Beta’s colony development coordinator, taught the founding fathers about the fraternity’s history and values, and helped them prepare to run a chapter. Fiesta ceased his involvement shortly after these lessons, leaving Beta on its own to develop an identity at the College.
Matt Pollock, a sophomore health and exercise science major and Beta’s vice president of recruitment, recognized that this was a daunting task for the new brotherhood.
“A year ago, we were just individuals unprepared about how to expand Beta’s mission, Pollock said. “We were worried about developing a colony and getting recruits.”
Many people watching the organization develop wondered how will Beta planned to expand its presence on campus.
Beta began to integrate itself into traditional campus activities for greek organizations at the College, like having a philanthropy week. During the spring 2017 semester, Beta supported Doctors Without Borders. This semester, Beta will be promoting the Make-A-Wish Foundation during its second philanthropy week.
“My goal is to find new ways to engage with the campus and the community in a fun and constructive way,” said Nate Gambrill, current president of Beta and a sophomore marketing major. “I’m glad I have the chance to build a brotherhood that other worthy men can enjoy for many years in the future.”
The brothers are no strangers to community service — they have visited the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, participated in a walk for multiple sclerosis in the spring of 2017 and helped organize a Trenton thrift shop.
By and large, the Beta brothers have achieved substantial growth in their expansion both as a fraternity and as individual members. Former fraternity president and senior biomedical engineering major Alec Paterno placed third in the race to be the College’s 2017 Homecoming King, and Chris Blakeley, a junior civil engineering major and member of Beta, currently serves as president of Student Government.
Beta’s founding fathers hope to create an example for future brothers as the fraternity prepares to enter its second year at the College.
(11/28/17 2:32am)
By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
For young girls and women considering a career in the sciences, the Women in STEM panel, comprised of three female students who study science and one chemistry professor at the College, made one thing clear: Women belong in STEM.
The Women in STEM panel, held on Nov. 15 in the Library Auditorium, is part of an effort to reduce the male-dominated stigma around the science industry. The panel was organized by senior psychology majors Kalyani Parwatkar and Desi Baleva, senior finance major Paul Bitterly, senior women's, gender and sexuality studies major Kelsey Fama and senior early childhood education and psychology double major Aimee Sandoval.
The event began with a round of Kahoot!, a game in which participants can vote in polls using their smartphones, to gauge the audience’s awareness of women’s involvement in STEM on campus. The results indicated that several female audience members felt uneasy taking STEM classes at the College.
Panelists addressed this uneasiness while discussing their professional journeys thus far, and some of the obstacles they have faced as women.
“Once I got into the workplace, I realized that there was definitely a gender bias that existed,” said Stephanie Sen, a chemistry professor at the College. “It has a lot to do with how when you’re a woman, the expectation is that you’re a nurturing individual — you’re somebody who will maybe not take a leadership role and instead maybe take a supportive role, and that is probably the most difficult thing to deal with in STEM.”
Christina Vassalo, a junior iSTEM and elementary education double major, suggested that this gender bias is rooted in how children are raised.
“Getting children at a young age to be immersed in STEM, and not separating the boys to the sandpit and the girls to a garden, having them be equal with the toys and the lessons and what you’re choosing to teach them — I hope I can help foster that sense of equality in STEM,” Vassalo said.
Student panelists acknowledged that while they have not experienced much adversity at the College, they are prepared to encounter gender-based challenges in the workforce.
Archana Menon, a senior biology major, addressed her goal to become a surgeon, and how the male-dominated field of surgery may pose challenges for her as a woman.
“I want to become a surgeon, and I feel like that is the most discriminated field a doctor could go into in terms of men and women because you don’t really see a lot of female surgeons,” Menon said. “Surgery has always been a passion of mine, and I’m a little anxious about meeting those obstacles, but I really think that I would be able to overcome them just because of how much I want it.”
Cristina Nardini, a senior psychology major, offered advice to young girls seeking careers in the sciences.
“You’re a new generation,” Nardini said. “You don’t need to follow suit with everything that has been going on. You can be those doctors. You can be those engineers. You can be those professors that have a crazy amount of publications.”
After the panelists spoke, the audience played another game of Kahoot!. In contrast to the first game, the majority of the predominantly female audience indicated that they feel confident about getting involved and taking STEM classes at the College.
This change was perhaps due to a concept stressed by all of the panelists — women can, and should, identify as scientists and set career goals in STEM.
“I don’t just want to be a doctor,” Menon said. “I want to revolutionize something, somehow. I want to innovate, because that’s who I am. I’m a scientist.”
(11/28/17 2:16am)
By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
Ellen Friedman, an English professor at the College, has been working since 1985 to combat the complications that come with passing on the memories of others by conducting interviews with family members.
These oral testimonies, intertwined with Friedman’s own words and thoughts, are the core of Friedman’s family memoir “The Seven, A Family Holocaust Story.”
In a book discussion and reading hosted by the College’s English department, Friedman spoke about her writing process and read a section of the memoir to a full audience in the Library Auditorium on Nov. 14.
“My family memoir, ‘The Seven,’ is an account of Holocaust survivors in their own words, as well as the post-memory effects they have had on the generations that followed them,” Friedman said.
In her family memoir, Friedman provides an account of Polish Jews who survived World War II in the Soviet Union — a population that Friedman feels is underrepresented in literature.
“(Polish Jews) contribute to Holocaust cultural memory, but also they then connect in a cosmopolitan way to the memories of millions of refugees and exiles going through these experiences right now,” Friedman said.
Friedman acknowledged how support from the College aided her writing process.
“TCNJ has supported this project for the many years it took to get it done,” Friedman said. “During that span of time, I went from chairing the women’s and gender studies — now women’s, gender and sexuality studies — to returning to the English department, where beginning with Jean Graham (associate chair and professor of English), the English chairs have been very generous with department time and money.”
Friedman thanked the College’s administration for all of the travel grants, student and graduate researchers, hardware and software she has received, as well as the College’s librarians for the research they conducted on her behalf.
“I have had the benefit of an institution that has been very gracious to me,” Friedman said.
Friedman read the second section of the book, titled “Joseph,” to the audience. Joseph was a Jewish relative of Friedman’s who left Warsaw in 1939 for the Soviet Union.
“When I was 12, Joseph, the eldest of the three brothers in this story, grabbed my ass,” Friedman read. “I told my parents and they talked to him, and he denied having meant anything. After that, he stayed away from me, didn’t talk to me directly until I interviewed him for this book.”
Friedman detailed Joseph’s experiences during the German invasion of Poland, and how Joseph was later drafted to the Russian labor front.
“‘Before mine eyes I didn’t even know what happened,’” Friedman read from her interview with Joseph on the German invasion. “‘A lot of soldiers were killed right when they were running into the ditches. The shooting came from both sides, so a lot of us got killed, and meanwhile we were always going more to the east.’”
Students in Friedman’s capstone class, Postmemory and the Holocaust, were eager to hear Friedman’s comments on her memoir.
“I think it’ll be interesting to hear from her to see what she has to say about it in this sort of setting as opposed to what she would say in the classroom or what the book actually says,” said Emily Miller, a junior English major.
Hope Sirimis, a junior English major, agreed.
“I’m excited to have this conversation outside of the classroom and see how we can continue discussion about her book in class and see how it relates to the material we’ve been discussing throughout the year,” Sirimis said.
Friedman wrapped up the session by taking questions from the audience. When asked about how younger generations can shed light on historical family narratives, Friedman stressed the importance of communicating with older generations.
“I think it’s so important because that’s where the personal history is, and that’s where the inherited history comes from,” Friedman said. “I think it’s really important for your own sense of identity to know that history of your family.”
(11/07/17 12:03am)
By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
The College announced its plans to establish a new center for health and wellness on Tuesday, Oct. 31. The center will provide services previously offered at TCNJ Clinic.
“The creation of this center expands the clinical experience and scope of training for students across a range of programs in Education, Nursing, Health and Exercise Science,” said College President R. Barbara Gitenstein in a press release. “It also will emphasize a holistic approach to wellness that recognizes the relationship between mind and body.”
The center will provide education, health and wellness resources to students and community members. Counseling previously conducted at TCNJ Clinic will take place at the new center.
In order to determine both short- and long-term goals for the center, there will be a task force created by Provost Jacqueline Taylor, which will be chaired by Suzanne McCotter, the dean of the School of Education, and Carole Kenner, the dean of the School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science. The task force is also responsible for creating a plan to incrementally incorporate functions of the TCNJ Clinic into the new center, and is expected to analyze what can be accomplished for the spring 2018 semester and the following academic year.
The decision to incorporate TCNJ Clinic’s work into a new health and wellness center follows a self-assessment from the clinic, and reviews by the Department of Counselor Education and outside consultants. The reviews were to determine how effectively the clinic served not only the counseling needs of students and community members, but the demand for graduate students to gain counseling experience.
“The review process, which included input from internal and external stakeholders, provided insight into how we could restructure the services and academic experiences offered to ensure the highest possible quality,” Gitenstein said in the press release. “TCNJ will continue to be a leader in wellness and health promotion through practice, education and community service.”
Gitenstein believes that the new center will support undergraduate students and community members seeking mental health services, as well as graduate students seeking experience in the counseling field, through an integrative approach on both the mind and body.
“By focusing on the whole person, the services will support wellness,” Gitenstein said in a campus-wide email announcing the decision to establish the center. “Services will be available for students, faculty, staff and community members and the center will provide both a space for faculty practice and clinical experience for TCNJ undergraduate and graduate students.”
Students agree that an integrative, holistic approach to physical and mental health is an appropriate method to support wellness on campus.
“I don’t think that some people realize how important these resources are to students on campus, especially last semester when there was talk of taking the clinic away,” said Dominique Pisani, a sophomore psychology major. “There is definitely a stigma surrounding psychology. … From what I know, I think (the new center) is a good idea to build it up and make it a better place for students and other people to be able to comfortably go when they need help.”
(10/30/17 10:27pm)
By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
The College’s Board of Trustees met on Oct. 24, to discuss an array of items pertaining to the campus community.
College President R. Barbara Gitenstein reiterated the major initiatives she discussed in a meeting with with The Signal on Oct. 11. She hopes to tackle these initiatives in her final year as the College’s president, which includes implementing recommendations made by the Advisory Commission on Social Justice: Race and Educational Attainment.
The commission released five recommendations to alleviate social injustice at the College on Sept. 5, including changing the name of Paul Loser Hall to Trenton Hall.
Gitenstein plans to continue the implementation of the commission’s recommendations by holding a recruitment event for high school students from Trenton and Ewing, New Jersey, which will include an opportunity for scholarship money to be raised for local high school students, and enhance welcoming programs at the College for high school students from Trenton and Ewing.
Gitenstein also seeks to establish a history gallery in Trenton Hall that depicts the College’s relationship with the city and create a visibility campaign to highlight the resources the College offers to the local community. There will also be a comprehensive inventory of programs and initiatives that have been previously established to enhance the relationship between Trenton and Ewing.
The president’s second major initiative is to raise at least $7 million for the College through the 18.19.20 fundraising campaign.
In addition to encouraging the campus community to contribute to the campaign on Thursday, Nov. 2, the College’s third annual Day of Giving, Gitenstein plans to visit alumni across the country. Gitenstein is scheduled to attend an alumni event in Denver on Saturday, Nov. 4. Potential visits to Florida, California and Arizona are currently being planned.
Gitenstein said she has launched an initiative to work toward “positioning the College for the future with opinion leaders in the legislature.”
The president has scheduled meetings with the gubernatorial candidates and “likely leaders” of the New Jersey Assembly and Senate to discuss issues that she feels are relevant to the College, and to “put in stronger terms an appreciation of just how special The College of New Jersey is,” according to Gitenstein.
Gitenstein’s final major initiative is to advocate for national issues, specifically Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
Gitenstein has been working with the American Council on Education and the New Jersey Chamber of Congress to support DACA in addition to efforts made by on-campus organizations.
“We saw a number of activities on the campus, including the Faculty Senate passing a resolution in support of DACA and the Student Government did as well,” Gitenstein said.
Following the president’s report, Chair of the Board of Trustees Jorge Caballero initiated a discussion on renovating the president’s residence at 110 Murphy Drive in Pennington, New Jersey.
Last renovated in 1999, the property has been used to host a variety of large gatherings during Gitenstein’s tenure, though the home was only built to handle residential use.
“Its systems, meaning water and sewer, are really intended for residential use, and we have put those systems to their fullest test,” Caballero said.
Caballero explained the importance of renovating the property as the College transitions to a new president.
“As we continue through this leadership transition, the board thought that it was appropriate that some action be taken to take a look at that facility as we prepare for the next president of TCNJ,” Caballero said. “While we believe that it’s really important to have a facility and a home that the president can use for a gathering place, one of the things that we would be expecting on a go-forward basis is that… the larger gatherings take place (on campus) to ensure that the systems in that facility continue to be viable.”
The board’s Executive Committee passed a resolution to extend Gitenstein’s contract through June 30, 2018. Gitenstein’s contract was due to expire on Dec. 31, but the board moved to extend her contract through to when she is due to retire at the end of the academic year.
The Outgoing Transition Committee announced that there will be an invitation gala on March 17 to celebrate Gitenstein’s tenure. There will also be a portrait painted of Gitenstein and a naming opportunity for a building. An on-campus reception to celebrate Gitenstein’s service to the College is being planned for May 2018, according to Committee Chair Robert Altman.
As the trustee liaison to the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities, Altman discussed the impact of Montclair State University being redesignated as a research university on funding for other New Jersey colleges and universities.
A task force of three trustees and three presidents, including Gitenstein, has been established to make recommendations to the association on how to function best on a reduced budget.
John Donohue, trustee member of the TCNJ Foundation, announced that the Alumni Association will be restructured to encourage more alumni engagement, such as mentoring and lecturing students.
“The association will continue to support the work of the College, as it relates primarily to social events and recruiting alumni members to work with the College,” Donohue said.
The Alumni Association also plans to contribute to the Trenton State College Gardens, a proposed re-landscaped area of campus adjacent to Roscoe West Hall, Forcina Hall and the new STEM Building. The TSC Gardens will include signs to commemorate each name that the College has had since 1855.
(10/22/17 7:24pm)
By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
Student Government held a confirmation hearing for its first deputy speaker, accepted nominations for a new parliamentarian, passed two bills and discussed two resolutions at its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
Brittany Cruz, a junior communication studies major, was confirmed as SG’s deputy speaker after a vote. Cruz previously served as a senator for the School of Arts and Communication.
“I did great work advocating for (Arts and Communication students), we got a whole bunch of things, and I feel like now I want to transition into advocating for general members,” Cruz said.
SG is searching for a new parliamentarian, who will be responsible for upholding all rules and procedures established by SG at all meetings. Nominations for the position were taken at the Oct. 18 meeting, and speeches and voting are scheduled to occur at the meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 25.
Suchir Govindarajan, a freshman economics major, presented a resolution condemning the exclusion of transgender people from the military.
“The Student Government of The College of New Jersey acknowledges that the current Reserve Officers Training Program does not discriminate against applicants or volunteers based on gender identity — only on leadership, athletic or scholarly abilities,” according to the resolution.
The resolution, which will be debated and voted on at SG’s Oct. 25 meeting, seeks to ensure that the College’s ROTC program remains open to people of all gender identities, regardless of national policies.
Alvin Tran, a sophomore psychology major, presented a second resolution seeking to bring back the mints from the 2016-17 academic year to campus dining locations.
“The Student Government of The College of New Jersey recognizes that students have expressed discontent in the new mints at campus dining locations that have replaced the mints provided previously to the 2017-2018 academic year,” the resolution states.
The larger, individually wrapped mints were removed for the 2017-18 school year due to litter concerns. After conducting a survey, Tran found that out of 265 responses, 85 percent of students prefer the old mints as opposed to the new, smaller mints that are dispensed from canisters at campus dining locations.
“There is a clear consensus in terms of what students want in these dining services for these mints specifically, and this is the most formal way of conveying student opinion,” Tran said of the resolution.
The resolution will be debated and voted on at SG’s Oct. 25 meeting.
Two bills were also passed at the Oct. 18 meeting. The first bill adds a responsibility for the executive president to follow SG’s strategic plan. The second bill clarifies responsibilities of the cabinet and stipulates that cabinet members must attend both general body and cabinet meetings.
Elizabeth Bapasola, vice president for student affairs and SG’s adviser, announced that there is an SG scholarship now available to students involved in SG. Any associated or elected SG member is eligible to apply for the scholarship, with the exception of SG members who receive a monetary stipend.
“This is something that past student governments have fundraised for, and now it is an endowed scholarship that we give out annually,” Bapasola said.
During governance reports, SG discussed efforts to modernize the College’s technology, including making improvements to PAWS and moving the College’s data to the cloud instead of storing it in servers in the basement of Green Hall.
SG also discussed potentially moving the student feedback period from the end of the semester to the middle of the semester to get a higher response rate. SG acknowledged that if students could see their professors make changes to their classes during the second half of the semester based on student feedback, then they may be more likely to complete the feedback form on PAWS.
(10/17/17 12:01am)
By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
Campus stakeholders and New Jersey lawmakers, including Gov. Chris Christie, celebrated the opening of the College’s new STEM Building with a ceremonial ribbon cutting on Thursday, Oct. 12.
The biomedical engineering, computer science and mechanical engineering departments will call the new STEM Building home. Students and faculty will be able to take advantage of the state-of-the-art equipment that the spacious facility has to offer, including multiple research suites and laboratories in addition to study spaces and a student commons.
“As an engineering student, I know I speak on behalf of all of my colleagues when I say that I am super excited, and we all are super excited, to have this new facility for the addition of new technology and space to become innovative engineers and scientists,” said Chris Blakeley, a junior civil engineering major and executive president of Student Government. “These new facilities not only allow for the departments within the schools of engineering and science to grow, but the growth within the TCNJ community and the state of New Jersey.”
College President R. Barbara Gitenstein emphasized the importance of preparing students for careers in the sciences.
“The facilities where we stand today will help the College prepare a new generation of TCNJ graduates for the demands of the STEM economy, and our students are well worth this investment,” Gitenstein said. “Investment in the success of such outstanding students and the programs in which they study will boost TCNJ’s capacity to prepare individuals for the state’s critically important health science platform, as well as the broader STEM needs of the knowledge economy.”
Christie agreed with Gitenstein’s statement and stressed the importance of preparing students for the STEM-based job market.
“More than 11 percent of job growth will happen in the STEM occupations alone by 2025,” Christie said. “If we put our children and our young people in the position to have the skills they need, they are going to be able to get a great paying job, which will help them to support their family moving forward.”
Christie feels that it is imperative for high school graduates in New Jersey to continue higher education in their home state. He believes that facilities such as the College’s new STEM Building are critical in keeping New Jersey’s top students within the state.
“This is so important to be able to invest and grow our colleges and universities so that students have the opportunity to stay here at home and not have to leave the state,” Christie said. “That brain drain is something that New Jersey really can’t afford, especially in this technological economy.”
When concluding his speech at the ribbon cutting, Christie commented on Gitenstein wrapping up her tenure as president of the College after nearly 20 years.
“While I’m happy that we’re leaving together, I’m sorry that she’s leaving at all,” Christie said.
“Pick wisely as you move forward, because the selections that you make I think will in large measure determine the direction of this institution. This president has placed it on an extraordinary course, and I hope that you will be able to continue it.”
The building’s construction would not have been possible without support from the state.
“This 115,000-square-foot addition to our campus was made possible by an unprecedented investment from the state, including $40 million from the Building Our Future Bond Act, and $6 million from the Higher Education Facilities Trust Fund,” Gitenstein said.
The new facility houses the Computer Science Faculty-Student Collaborative Research Suite, as well as the High-Performance Scientific Computing Cluster. The research suite will “accommodate a wide array of research areas including computer imaging, networking and security, machine learning, grid computing and computational journalism, and human-computer interaction,” according to the College’s website.
The computing cluster will be used for faculty and student research and will string together approximately 300 servers. Computer science students look forward to taking advantage to the new building’s state-of-the-art technology, as well as enjoy its modern and open aesthetic.
“I’m looking forward to the new environment,” said Babette Chao, a sophomore computer engineering major. “The fresh look of the classrooms makes learning feel more welcoming. There are also new equipments that are more updated and more relevant to the modern industry, so it makes projects and labs easier and hopefully faster.”
The building’s Mechanical Engineering Design Studio allows students to turn their design concepts into validated final products. In addition to serving as a research lab for faculty and students, the design studio includes equipment for making prototypes, testing materials and conducting systems validations.
“I think it can benefit the entire campus. All of the manufacturing capabilities are enhanced,” said Lisa Grega, a mechanical engineering professor at the College.
Grega mentioned that the School of Engineering is happy to no longer be confined to Armstrong Hall. She is grateful that faculty and students can now take advantage of the STEM Building’s innovative technology and numerous study spaces throughout the facility.
Freshman biomedical engineering major Sarah Fontana echoed Grega’s sentiment.
“All of the equipment is brand new and state of the art, and it’s what the professors want because they all got to choose,” Fontana said. “I also like the extra study space to come to, sometimes when the library gets crowded it’s nice to come here. Armstrong isn’t about to pop anymore — I can actually walk down the hallway now.”
The new facility also features a Biomedical Engineering Research Suite and Robotics Laboratory.
The Robotics Laboratory will allow students to research and learn about hardware design, while the research suite “features biosafety level 2 facilities that allow for sophisticated experiments in support of research thrusts in areas such as neural engineering and prosthetics, tissue engineering, physiological control systems, and hemocompatibility,” according to the College’s website.
Construction of the new STEM Building marks the completion of phase one of the College’s $75 million STEM Complex project. Phase two will be comprised of renovations to the College’s previously existing Science Complex, including the biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics buildings. Phase three will include renovations to Armstrong Hall. EYP Architecture & Engineering is responsible for phases one and two of the project, according to the College’s website.
College leadership is grateful for opportunity to have state-of-the-art technology and research opportunities available to students.
“These facilities provide cross-disciplinary spaces that offer to faculty and students new and enriched opportunities for exploration, knowledge, skill development and research,” said Jorge Caballero, chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees. “We are truly grateful for the bipartisan support that made this possible, and also thankful to the citizens of New Jersey for supporting this investment.”
(10/03/17 3:59am)
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76-jcUSq0uc[/embed]
By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
A sold-out crowd greeted “Drake and Josh” star Josh Peck, as students wondered which of his iconic catchphrases the child actor-turned movie and YouTube star would drop, from “Hug me brotha!” to “The cooliest!”
But when Peck walked on stage to greet the audience, he led with one more tailored to students at the College.
“Allow me to start by saying ‘Fuck Rider,’ am I right?” Peck said as he took the stage.
Before Peck could be met with deafening cheers as he began his lecture, a line of shivering students stretched from the main entrance of Kendall Hall to the library on Saturday, Sept. 30.
While about 830 students were granted the chance to see Peck, several hundred were turned away due to the unexpected demand of College Union Board’s annual Fall Lecture.
“I got on line at 6:50 (p.m.) and waited online until 7:50 (p.m.) before they turned us away, so I waited an hour for nothing,” said Melissa Weiss, a sophomore elementary education and mathematics double major. “I probably should’ve shown up earlier if I wanted to get in, so it’s definitely on me for missing the show, but I was still disappointed.”
For students who were fortunate enough to get a seat in the theater, Peck provided a night of laughter and nostalgia, accompanied by moderator Max Falvey, a junior communication studies major and CUB live event coordinator.
Before Falvey could begin to interview him, Peck noticed a peculiar figure in the audience: a large Oprah cutout poster.
Crafted by sophomore civil engineering major Jacob Hardin, the Oprah poster is comprised of a laminated image of talk show host Oprah Winfrey attached to a piece of posterboard Hardin found in trash from Eickhoff Hall. Hardin hoped to catch Peck’s attention with the cutout by referencing Peck’s “Drake and Josh” character Josh Nichols’ love for Oprah.
“I went online to find a life-size cutout, but it was like $70 and too expensive for a college student,” Hardin explained to The Signal. “So I started a GoFundMe, and my friend gave me five bucks to make this.”
Peck, amused by Hardin’s creation, signed the cutout and even invited Hardin on stage so that they could simultaneously kiss the cutout on the cheek.
During the lecture, Peck balanced discussion of his current YouTube vlog work and recent marriage to cinematographer Paige O’Brien with sharing memories of “Drake and Josh” and other childhood favorites of the audience.
Over the summer, Peck began producing weekly vlogs on YouTube as a way to reach fans in a different setting opposed to television and movies.
“I think the best part is that you don’t have to ask for permission,” Peck said in an interview with The Signal. “You can go straight to your audience, and you can create and curate exactly what you want to deliver to them.”
While Peck appreciates being able to reach his audience without any barriers, he acknowledged that the process has led to him developing a thicker skin.
“Being able to go straight to your audience is something that I’ve grown to love, and it’s awesome as long as I don’t read the comments,” he said with a laugh.
Peck joked about the popularity his wife has gained with his viewers on YouTube.
“She’s just the best, and I’m super lucky,” Peck shared with The Signal. “I appreciate that she’s in my vlogs because people love her. People are like ‘have her do the vlogs, you suck!’”
Peck shared the story of how he met his wife with the audience.
“We met at a Halloween party, it was six years ago,” he said. “We were really super vain and we both weren’t wearing costumes. We kept making eye contact from across the room, but I didn’t have the guts to go up and talk to her.”
During his lecture, Peck gave a piece of relationship advice to the audience: “You can’t say the wrong thing to the right person.”
Peck and O’Brien, with help from a mutual friend, eventually ended up having a conversation that night. After six years together, the couple got married in June 2017.
“I’m super stoked that she agreed to marry me, and that it seems like it’s going well. I don’t think she wants to divorce me quite yet. We’re going strong,” Peck told The Signal.
Discussion of Peck’s wedding prompted a “hard-hitting” question from an audience member: why was Peck’s “Drake and Josh” co-star Drake Bell not invited to the wedding?
“We’re just brothers, and we fight like brothers, and that’s the best I can describe it,” Peck said. “It’s all good, and we’ve had our ups and downs, but it’s always just been love between us, and it’s love now.”
Peck shared his favorite “Drake and Josh” memories with the audience. When asked for his favorite moment on set, he exclaimed “Are you callin’ me a liar? I ain’t callin’ you a truther!”
As the audience cheered for his rendition of the iconic “Drake and Josh” line, Peck saw an opportunity to discuss the show’s timelessness.
“We made this show many years ago, and it’s completely stood the test of time. When we were making it, we just had an incredible time in every moment, and that was so special,” he said.
Throughout the lecture, Peck made several efforts to bond with Falvey. The pair even knelt on stage together as Peck gave Falvey a pep talk, encouraging him to continue doing a good job as moderator.
“You’re gorgeous, you little ginger snap,” Peck said to Falvey as the audience laughed and applauded.
Peck discussed his mother’s role in the success of his career. He explained during his lecture that as a single mother, she did everything in her power to ensure her son’s well-being and happiness.
“My mom always says when people say ‘you know, you moved out to California to help Josh with his career, did you know that he would have success with “Drake and Josh” and what not?’ And she was like, I just supported my kid in something that he loved and gave him confidence. I didn’t know that it would turn into a career, but I knew that he got so much self-esteem from it,’” Peck explained to The Signal.
Despite the light-hearted nature of Peck’s interaction with the audience, he offered the crowd valuable advice for achieving success in acting and comedy.
“If you wake up and all you want to do is this, then you have to go full speed ahead,” Peck said. “Everyone has a different trajectory, so how long can you stay at it and stay sharp and be ready for when that opportunity results itself, when it’s your time?”
(09/26/17 10:10pm)
By Brielle Bryan
Opinions Editor
Masturbator caught outside Campus Town Fitness Center
On Sept. 12, at approximately 6:10 p.m., Campus Police were dispatched to the N.J. Transit bus stop on Metzger Drive in front of the Campus Town Fitness Center. The caller reported to College Dispatch that there was a male wearing a cap and a backpack in front of the Campus Town Fitness Center who appeared to be touching himself inappropriately, police said.
Upon arrival, one of the Campus Police officers approached the male, who matched the caller’s description, and detained him for questioning. Another officer at the scene entered the Campus Town Fitness Center to speak to the caller and was approached by a student, according to police reports. The student stated that he was with another student on the gym floor when they observed the male suspect sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, appearing to be touching his genital area inappropriately, Campus Police said. Both students identified the male suspect detained by Campus Police as the one they witnessed doing the indecent act.
After speaking to the witnesses, a Campus Police officer spoke to the male suspect who was detained, Campus Police said. The male suspect identified himself as a Sodexo employee. In speaking with the suspect, Campus Police noticed that his language and behavior was that of a person who was associated with cognitive conditions, police said.
Campus Police explained to the male suspect why the police were called to respond and speak with him. The male suspect became upset immediately and stated that he did not mean to bother anyone. The male suspect stated that he only wanted to see the females exercising in the gym, according to police reports. The male suspect was advised on why his behavior was inappropriate and that he would be charged and released to next of kin for transport to his residence.
The male suspect was taken to Campus Police Headquarters and was issued a summons for lewdness, Campus Police said. The male suspect’s father was contacted, and he was asked to go to Campus Police Headquarters to pick up his son and transport him home. The male suspect’s father responded to Campus Police Headquarters and confirmed to Campus Police that his son did in fact have cognitive conditions.
Bike bandit targets the townhouses
On Sept. 14, at 3:20 p.m., a Campus Police officer was dispatched to Campus Police Headquarters to take a report of a theft. Upon arrival, the officer met with a female student who stated that her Huffy dark blue men’s mountain bicycle with a bag rack on the rear fender was taken from her residence at Townhouse East, Campus Police said. The female student stated that the bicycle was locked to the wooden bench in front of her unit, and she showed the officer the broken lock.
The female student last saw her bicycle at 8:45 p.m. on Sept. 13, and noticed it missing the following morning at 9 a.m. on Sept. 14, police said. The female student stated that the bicycle’s tires were cracked from age, but it could still be ridden. The female student valued the bicycle at $100, Campus Police said. The female student was advised to contact Campus Police if any new information were to become available.
Chase for purse runs $150 short
On Sept. 14, at 4:25 p.m., a female student arrived at Campus Police Headquarters to report a theft. The female student stated she had class in the Social Sciences building at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 14., police said. The student said that her pocketbook was on the floor, between her legs, during class. After finishing class at 10:40 a.m., the student forgot her pocketbook in the room. A student in the next class found the female student’s pocketbook and gave it to their professor, Campus Police said. At 10:52 a.m., the female student stated that she received an email from her professor stating that she had been given the female student’s pocketbook by the professor who taught the next class.
The female student said she went to her professor’s office at 4 p.m. to retrieve her pocketbook, and the professor who taught the class after hers was in the office. The professor stated that the female student’s professor left the pocketbook in the main office on the first floor, police said. The female student went to the office, which was occupied by several employees. According to police reports, the female student stated that the employees said, “It’s all good. You got all your stuff back.”
When the female student checked her pocketbook, she realized that all of her money was gone. The estimated cash amount was approximately $150, Campus Police said. No other items were taken from her pocketbook. The female student was advised to contact Campus Police if any new information were to arise.
Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at (609)- 771 2345.