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(04/11/07 12:00pm)
Bassam Haddad, executive producer of "Arabs and Terrorism," welcomed comments and criticism after playing his controversial film for faculty and students Thursday night.
The film, which focuses on terrorism, includes an interview with the secretary general of Hezbollah, a political and military organization based in Lebanon that is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. Haddad, who narrates the film, also spoke with the Israeli Deputy of Defense and a prominent Egyptian journalist, among others.
"Arabs and Terrorism" consists of three 45-minute segments focusing on different aspects of terrorism. Part one is about the definition of terrorism, part two is on state terrorism and part three is on the difference between terrorism and resistance. The overarching theme of the video is a "basic definition of terrorism," according to Haddad.
Haddad, who funded the project with his own credit card, said, "Any political line you see (in the film) is ours. There were no outside hands."
Haddad criticized American media for only showing only three sterotypes of Middle Easterners instead of what he called the "fourth sector" - Middle Easterners opposed to the regime under which they live, an Islamist state and a U.S.-made state. Instead, Haddad said, the media shows Islamist fanatics or those who support U.S. policies.
He said news stations like CNN make no distinction between al-Qaida, which is a primarily militaristic terrorist organization, and Hamas and Hezbollah, which are only partially military but also offer social welfare.
"What we are getting (via mainstream media) in terms of the other side is not what the other side really is," Haddad said.
Haddad made the controversial claim that groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, whom he spoke with face-to-face in the video, are too often reduced to their military aspects. The social welfare these groups provide is overlooked, Haddad said.
Haddad criticized Israel for its campaign against Hezbollah in the summer. According to Haddad, 35 percent of the Lebanese population is connected to Hezbollah. Therefore, he said, to remove Hezbollah, Israel would have to remove 35 percent of the Lebanese people.
Because of the controversial nature of many of the claims Haddad and his crew make in the video, they have often received criticism.
Haddad said he is sometimes told there are not enough Europeans in the film. "Nine out of 10 of them are Europeans," he said. "They're just not all white."
For the movie, Haddad and his crew interviewed hundreds of people around the world, from government officials to average citizens.
Haddad said the experience taught him that people all over the world "are very alike."
Haddad, who was born in Damascus, said he had a little trouble getting into Israel. Once in the country, he said, he was able to interview Israeli governmental officials and go into the Knesset, Israel's equivalent of Congress.
"We just couldn't believe we were in the Knesset," he said. "That level of openness we do not have here (in America)."
Haddad said this openness may be because "the Israelis know what is happening, they live it and they're more realistic about it." In contrast, Haddad was not able to interview U.S. officials, who would not talk to the press in 2005 when the War on Terror started to become unpopular.
"We live at a time when the words 'Islam' and 'Arab' automatically generate a lot of fear, a lot of hostility," Lillian Farhat, professor of Arabic at the College, said. Therefore, she said, she appreciated that Haddad's film went deeper into the background information behind the conflict.
Haddad said that was part of his goal. He said he wanted to present the other side and that while doing this he tried not to let his own opinion misrepresent those who disagreed with him.
However, Haddad added that "we do have a view" and that he does not believe that absolute objectivity is possible.
Dan Smith, senior history major, agreed with Farhat. Though he came to the lecture for his modern Middle East class, Smith, who has seen one of Haddad's films previously, said he probably would have attended anyway.
"(In mainstream media) we really only do see the rioting and the protests," he said. "We don't get the impression of how small of a minority (extremists) really are."
(04/11/07 12:00pm)
This week some students decided to take up a petition against the Master Building Plan the College presented on March 28. Most of these students are involved in intramural and club sports and are upset that the plan overlooks athletic and recreational facilities.
However, there are more problems with the College's building plan.
The plan (if everything goes smoothly) calls for construction to continue until the year 2021, 14 years from now. I'm skeptical that the College will finish by 2021. Instead, it seems this plan will continue the school's legacy of perpetual construction (see: Green Hall, Metzger Drive Apartments, etc.).
But even assuming the plan goes perfectly, the state of the campus won't be much improved in 2021.
The field between Decker and New Residence halls where people flock to on warm days will be gone, replaced with another dorm. The tennis courts will also be moved to accommodate a new dorm. Even fewer upperclassmen will get housing on campus as class size is set to increase while housing for upperclassmen remains exactly the same as today.
This plan is short-sighted. While I understand the need to be frugal, saving money while creating new problems isn't going to solve the College's financial issues.
What happens 14 years from now when the already crumbling Bliss Hall is even worse than it is today? What happens 14 years from now when significantly fewer upperclassmen can get housing on campus?
While it's encouraging to see some students taking up a petition against a plan that seems flawed even at first glance, I'm pessimistic about the possibility for change. If more students don't get involved, the administration will be able to safely ignore concerns looming 14 years down the road, just the same as Gov. Jon S. Corzine was able to ignore our concerns when he slashed funding last year.
Unless a significant portion of the student and faculty population takes notice and speaks up, this plan will go forward entirely unchanged. Let's not perpetuate yet again the apathy we're becoming infamous for.
(04/04/07 12:00pm)
The College's open forum on its Master Building Plan outlined building initiatives scheduled to last until 2021. The plans included renovating Travers and Wolfe halls, demolishing Centennial and Norsworthy halls, and constructing a new art building.
Lynda Rothermel, campus architect, said there are multiple stages involved in the Master Building Plan.
Rothermel said the process started by forming committees, comprised of students, faculty and administrators, to discuss the project. The steering committees and working groups for both branches of the plan worked with ikon.5 Architects, the consultants on the project, to determine how the College would be reshaped. Next, Rothermel said, the committees ordered their priorities.
Sophomore year housing "is our first priority," Rothermel said. She added that next is first year housing.
Residentially, Rothermel said the plan is to "increase the number of beds on campus," particularly for first and second-year students.
As of now, the plan schedules completion of the Metzger Drive apartments for 2009 and renovation of Decker Hall for 2010. Additionally, the committee plans to renovate the Towers in 2013 and 2014 and renovate Cromwell in 2017.
Academically, the plan is more extensive. Renovation of the Roscoe L. West Library is scheduled for 2008, along with demolition of the Forcina wing.
The plan calls for renovation of science labs in 2016 and renovation of Kendall in 2021.
"The master plan is not complete and we're looking for feedback," Curt Heuring, vice president of Facilities Management, Construction and Safety, said. "The best master plans are flexible."
Rothermel and Heuring presented the plan on both Thursday and Friday last week and invited students and faculty to attend.
However, some present at the forum disagreed with aspects of the plan.
"I guess I'm just failing to see how this plan involves students in a co-curricular way," Tim Asher, associate director of Student Activities, said.
In particular, Asher was concerned with why Brower Student Center did not seem to be included in the plan.
He cited the broken window in the ceiling of the building, as well as the broken elevator and broken restrooms. According to Asher, in the 30th year of the building's history, he was told he was not allowed to use the term "anniversary" because it would give the impression that the building is old.
"The student center is a dump," Janice Verneychuk, associate director of Health Services, said, echoing Asher's concern. "I feel like I'm in my unfinished basement. It's really shameful."
"The (student center) has some budgetary constraints," Heuring said in response. "It'd be a waste to spend the limited money we have on something that's not a priority."
He added that the committee is trying to be careful in deciding how to spend its limited funds. Money for the projects, according to Rothermel, is coming from capital reserves, a capital campaign and state and College bonds.
"We're asking for patience," Heuring said.
Dave Icenhower, associate athletic director, was concerned the building projects did not include space for recreation.
The plan includes relocating the tennis courts to accommodate a new residential building in their place and placing a dorm on the field between New Residence and Decker.
Icenhower said there is little recreation on campus and therefore "(students) are just going to sit in their dorms and drink."
Heuring pointed out that $10 million was recently spent for a new soccer stadium and softball field. He assured Icenhower that "what is not touched by the master plan" will be addressed with an asset renewal plan.
Verneychuck was also concerned about the lack of air conditioning. According to her, 10 percent of students have asthma and another 50 percent have seasonal allergies.
Rothermel said the cost for air conditioning would be "exorbitant" and that many who claim to have allergies cannot produce a doctor's note.
Dan Croft, professor of history, said when the Forcina wing is demolished, it will remove several lecture halls. "(The lecture halls) are the worst possible space available," he said. "The person who designed (them) should be shot." However, he added, the spaces are used regularly. Getting rid of them even temporarily is a bad idea, Croft said.
Rothermel said that was considered. She said originally the plan called for removing those rooms for eight years but that now the plan has reduced that to three years before new lecture rooms are built.
In the end, she said, "It's all about the amount of funding. Every building we build is funding we can't use somewhere else."
Some members of the faculty have since responded to the construction plan with a petition.
(03/28/07 12:00pm)
T.J. Sullivan, who has spoken to more than 1 million students throughout his career, came to the College last week to teach students how to confront the "idiot" in their organization. Though the program was open to the entire campus, the message focused primarily on Greek life.
"There will always be someone in your chapter who drives you nuts," Sullivan, who is still a member of Phi Kappa Phi, said.
According to Rachel Yarin, vice president of programming for Inter-Greek Council (IGC), the wxrkshop was one of three that students currently pledging a Greek organization must attend.
Sullivan started by inviting the audience to picture the biggest idiot in their life, then shout the person's first name and "You're an idiot!"
"Wouldn't it be great if we could start our fraternity and sorority meetings like this?" he added.
In the talk, Sullivan focused on the answers he commonly receives to a question he asks at every school he visits: What would a member of a fraternity or sorority have to do to piss off the rest of the chapter?
Sullivan said answers range from "drunk driving" to moving in on another chapter member's boyfriend or girlfriend.
One answer Sullivan said he hears a lot is public urination. A second is hazing.
"I sincerely hope you're not putting up with that stupid shit," he said. "But if you are, I hope you change it when you're in (the organization)."
Sullivan said after one of his presentations he went to an Applebee's where he met a sorority on a "penis hunt." He said the pledges in the sorority were told that they were not allowed back into the chapter until they got pictures of 10 penises.
"I couldn't decide which was more pathetic," he said, "that a sorority thought this was an appropriate new member activity or that they were looking for penises in Applebee's."
Sullivan encouraged students to stop behavior they thought was hurtful within their organizations. He said it is easy to be a bystander and allow fellow members of organizations to do stupid things and "this is what screws us (Greek organizations) up."
Sullivan outlined certain steps students could take to confront harmful behavior.
First, he said, it is important to determine which person within a group is the right person to confront the situation. Second, the person should find a neutral environment in which to confront someone.
"Everybody has something they gain by acting stupid," he said.
Yarin is not new to IGC but said the program taught her "new ways of working out problems without causing bad relations."
The whole campus was invited to the program. IGC used e-mails and posters to encourage non-IGC organizations to attend, according to Yarin.
(03/28/07 12:00pm)
The Pulse, which is scheduled to debut today, is a new Web poll designed by the Student Government Association's (SGA) Student Services committee. The poll will target issues at the College and allow students to respond to SGA with their thoughts and opinions.
Chris Rindosh, vice president of Student Services, has already started collecting ideas for poll questions from members of SGA. Some possibilities include, "Do you feel safer on campus with the 24-hour swipe?" "How do you feel about the number of washing machines and dryers in the residence halls?" and "Would you go to a 24/7 cafeteria?"
SGA has been working on The Pulse for almost a semester. According to Rindosh, the idea for the poll came toward the end of the fall semester. Since then, Rindosh and his committee have worked with the administration and Matthew Winkel, Web designer for the College.
According to Stephanie Cwynar, sophomore class treasurer and member of the Student Services committee, the idea for The Pulse came from the "Campus Outreach Surveys" the Student Services committee conducts each week. Questions in the surveys range from dining services issues to problems in residential buildings and are a way for the committee to get feedback from students.
"However," Cwynar said via e-mail, "we did not have a way for students to physically see what SGA was doing to solve their problems or (for) students to see what concerns their fellow classmates had." This, she said, was where the idea for the poll came from.
According to Rindosh, the poll will be located on the "For Students" page of the College's Web site.
The Signal was given access to a prototype of The Pulse on March 23, prior to the poll's official debut. According to this prototype, The Pulse will consist of a standard poll as well as a "What's happening in your world?" section and a "Say Anything!" section.
"What's happening in your world?" will feature brief summaries of news related to the poll question, according to Rindosh. "Say Anything!" will offer students the chance to type responses, questions and comments.
Rindosh said he hopes to attach this "Say Anything!" box to the poll itself, allowing students to respond to the poll question directly. He said all comments will be read by SGA members and if students provide contact information, SGA will respond to them. The purpose of this, Rindosh said, is to make the poll "as interactive as possible."
As of press time, the committee members did not have a strict plan they intended to follow in regard to how often to change the poll question. Rindosh said if there is an issue students seem particularly interested in, the poll could feature that question for two or three weeks.
"The questions are not just going to be random things," Jennifer Hill, senator of Culture and Society and a member of the committee, said via e-mail. "They will be about things that are important at (the College)."
Hill is also designing the layout of the poll's Web page.
"Although the purpose of SGA is to represent the student body, all too often many students believe their opinions don't matter," she said. "Even worse, that what they say can't change anything. The Pulse will change that."
"Ideally, I'd like to see every single student take part in this," Rindosh said.
He said that one of his goals with the poll is to create more effective communication between the administration and students. Rindosh called this lack of communication one of the biggest problems on campus. He pointed out that as of now the administration primarily uses mass e-mails to communicate with students. However, these e-mails are often deleted instantly by students.
Rindosh hopes The Pulse will change that by being "easy, quick and interesting."
According to Rindosh, the responses SGA receives from students may be posted on The Pulse Web site.
"The Pulse is going to be a lot more than just a poll. It's going to give students the opportunity to type feedback and get actual responses from real SGA members," Cwynar said.
According to Rindosh, all the responses SGA receives from the poll will be forwarded to the appropriate committee in SGA. For example, if a student comments on meal equivalency in Brower Student Center, the comment will be forwarded to the Dining Services Committee of SGA and responded to by those committee members.
The software used to create the poll is made by WebPasties and costs $8 a month to use. Rindosh said that for now he is paying this monthly fee and will get reimbursed by SGA.
Cwynar said if the poll becomes popular, SGA has plans to add additional features, such as dates for upcoming SGA events and fun polls such as "What is your favorite movie?"
"Overall, students should really get excited about The Pulse," Cwynar said. "It has the potential to increase the amount of feedback that SGA gets from students, which will allow for SGA to better advocate for the students at (the College)."
(02/28/07 12:00pm)
The Senior Class Council recently announced that ticket prices for this year's Senior Week have gone down. However, the event still faces problems, including continued disparity between students' wishes and the College administration's policy.
The cost of a ticket for Senior Week has already been addressed by the Senior Class Council and the administration.
The Senior Class Council, which is comprised of Mollie Seiferas, president, Blair Gumnic, vice president, Gabe Alonso, treasurer, and Christie Pirro, secretary, responded to questions from The Signal via a joint e-mail.
"We had originally anticipated the Senior Week ticket to be $230," they said in the e-mail. "We can now officially say that we have been able to lower the final price for Senior Week to $185 per person."
According to Jim Norfleet, vice president of Student Life, a meeting between himself, the Senior Class Council and Magda Manetas, director of Student Life, resulted in a finalized Senior Week budget.
"We worked hard to make Senior Week as affordable as possible and we're thrilled that the ticket price will be well under $200," Norfleet said.
They accomplished this by removing the "lackluster Great Adventure trip (for) a more enticing full-day trip to New York City followed by a luau at KatManDu, which dramatically lowered our costs."
The council further lowered the price of tickets by selling them in conjunction with the Seal and the office of Student Life.
"For students purchasing a Senior Week ticket and yearbook, the total cost will be $215," they said, "meaning the cost of Senior Week is reduced to $155 per person plus a $60 yearbook."
Due to administration help with printing costs, the staff of the Seal is optimistic that the yearbook will definitely be published this year.
"I am sure (the yearbook) will be published because my staff and I are continuing to publicize the book and create it," Audrey Levine, the Seal's editor-in-chief, said. "There have been no discussions in my meetings with my staff or Student Life of canceling it."
Many in the administration are still not satisfied with past policy regarding Senior Week.
Sean Stallings, associate director of Residential and Community Development, said that a "realignment" of Senior Week would be beneficial to have the event stay true to College policy.
Stallings said that Senior Week policy should remain in line with normal residence hall policies and should not be relaxed.
"Excessive drinking has been a major problem that has caused increased hospital transports and numerous incidents of vandalism and other student misconduct," Norfleet said.
However, Norfleet added that "students who are at least 21 may choose to drink responsibly at Senior Week events held in venues other than Travers and Wolfe (halls)."
Senior Week organizers may face problems outside of drinking.
According to Stallings, professional staff, which primarily includes Residence Directors (RDs), will have to work without pay during Senior Week.
"Most of the (RDs) are on a 10-month contract and due to the academic calendar this year they will be off contract when Senior Week occurs," Stallings said. He added that this is the first time this situation has arisen since Senior Week first began.
"That could be a big problem," Stallings said.
For some students, these changes come too late.
"When it was rumored that it was going to be really expensive and they were going to search our luggage (for alcohol), a lot of people made other plans," Chris Mecoli, senior chemistry major, said.
"They're desperate for people to go (to Senior Week)," Melissa Kvidahl, senior English and women's and gender studies major, said.
- Additional reporting by
Myles Ma, News Editor
(02/28/07 12:00pm)
M. Nathaniel Barnes, Liberian Ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, spoke at the College on the topic of globalization on Feb. 26. Barnes presented globalization as a "double-edged sword" providing distinct costs and benefits for Liberia. Barnes also discussed Liberian plans for addressing globalization, as well as the need for international involvement in the economic reconstruction of Liberia.
"Globalization can often facilitate disaster," Barnes said.
Barnes cited the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, as well as the loss of national autonomy often caused by the involvement of multinational corporations, among the potential "disasters" caused by globalization.
Liberia is faced with a national debt of $3.7 billion, with 80 percent of Liberian households subsisting below the poverty line. Barnes explained these financial problems are "the consequence of a vicious cycle" of violence and corrupt government.
Barnes said involvement in the global economy is necessary for economic growth in Liberia. Having taken the potential detriments of greater globalization into consideration, Barnes has developed a five-step formula to strengthen war-torn and economically troubled Liberia.
Barnes said Liberia must undergo a period of "national introspection" or "national soul-searching." Barnes explained that Liberia must identify its own national priorities in addition to fostering a stronger sense of national identity.
"Globalization can often facilitate disaster," Barnes said.
Barnes also touted the need for improvement within Liberia's education system.
"Education must become a national priority or even a national obsession," Barnes said.
War in Liberia, carried out by child soldiers, has left a generation of 20 to 30-year-old Liberians who are illiterate and uneducated. Barnes said through a 10-year program of vocational education and emotional rehabilitation, Liberia will obtain a valuable skilled labor pool, enabling the nation to participate in the global economy.
Barnes presented the need for the creation of a system of government that is both equitable and representative of the entire Liberian population. Barnes noted the need for new expectations for its elected officials to counteract corruption, as well as the need for equal protection under Liberian law.
The final two components of the formula for strengthening Liberia include the establishment of long-term diplomatic relationships and the creation of a clear plan for the Liberian future. Barnes said the plan must take into consideration the obtainment of potential international allies, the capacity for economic growth generated by the Liberian workforce and the capabilities of Liberian national resources.
"Things may appear to get worse before they get better," Barnes said.
One problem Liberia faces is obtaining funding needed to implement the five-step formula. The new Liberian education system is funded largely by charitable organizations. Barnes said it is in the interest of wealthier nations to financially fortify Liberia and other struggling nations as part of a unified international coalition. Barnes suggested this is a better alternative than erecting physical barriers between nations.
(02/14/07 12:00pm)
In a meeting with Environmental Programs Specialist Amanda Radosti, Water Watch questioned the College's paper recycling efforts.
Members of Water Watch, an environmental group on campus, asked Radosti and Brian Webb, manager of Risk, Occupational Safety and Environmental Services, whether paper recycling on campus is as environmentally friendly as it could be.
"I still don't know where recycling is," Dave Weinstein, a member of Water Watch, said.
Weinstein said that to recycle paper, he usually takes it to the library. "Just about everyone isn't going to hold on to their paper and bring it to the library," he said.
Weinstein suggested that the College increase the efficiency of its recycling program to save money.
According to Radosti, the College spends just under $300,000 annually on trash removal.
Valentina Cordero, another member of Water Watch, said that part of the difficulty with recycling on campus could stem from the many different colors of bags used.
Clear bags are meant for recyclables, Cordero said. Because the College no longer provides bags to certain dorms, students tend to use any bag they have rather than buying clear bags.
Valentina asked if Community Advisors (CAs) could enforce the use of clear bags for recycling.
Webb said that his department only has the power to present CAs with information on the recycling situation "so they're aware of the proper procedures."
Webb said his department is "in conversation now" with the office of Residence Life to add recycling training to the CA summer training schedule.
Water Watch members proposed, along with better informing CAs, that signs be posted explaining proper recycling procedures and that every recycling container be labeled clearly with a sticker.
Webb and Radosti both agreed that they would investigate ways to produce signs for dorms that could explain recycling procedures visually for residents.
(01/31/07 12:00pm)
Students from the College joined hundreds of thousands of anti-war protesters in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Jan. 27 for a massive demonstration and march.
John Leschak, treasurer of the Progressive Student Alliance (PSA), helped organize transportation for students. The 27 students from the College and 22 activists from the surrounding area, most of whom were part of the Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA), traveled to Washington.
Dave Weinstein, president of PSA, estimated that 100,000 people attended the rally, including students from the College, University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University.
"The theme of the march was an immediate end to the war in Iraq," Weinstein said.
Kari Osmond, vice president of Vox (Voices for Planned Parenthood), heard about the rally through Vox's e-mail account.
"I got involved with this rally because I think this is a very important message to be sending to Congress," Osmond said. "They are supposed to represent our concerns as the people of this country, (and) with that they need to understand that the continuation of the war is not on our agenda and therefore it should not be on theirs."
"Personally, I think the war in Iraq was and continues to be a huge mistake," Weinstein said. "I think that much of the unrest in Iraq is caused by the continued presence of American military forces and private contracting companies, which are rebuilding Iraq, doing jobs that the unemployed people of Iraq should be doing."
Students who attended the rally had to help pay for the cost of the bus. PSA requested Student Finance Board funding but were too late to receive money before the winter break.
"I had known about this march months in advance and had been networking with Reverend Bob Moore from CFPA to get a bus to come to (the College)," Leschak said. "In addition, I applied for and received a $300 grant from Campus Progress (an organization dedicated to strengthening progressive voices on college campuses) to help pay for the bus."
(01/31/07 12:00pm)
The College is mourning the passing of John Mosher, adjunct professor in the department of mathematics.
Students who expected to take class with Mosher were shocked to learn of his death.
"I remember that he told that he was 51 and in the best shape of his life," Brittany Addeo, sophomore elementary education/sociology major, said. "I think that's why I was so shocked when I received the e-mail (about his death)."
"(Mosher's) been a part of this community for a long time," Matt Golden, director of Communications and Media Relations, said.
Mosher had a way of making students feel at ease.
"I'm not a math person at all and I was pretty nervous about taking Professor Mosher's class. When he actually walked in and introduced himself, I remember feeling like the ice was broken," Trish Tevington, sophomore sociology major, said. "I can't remember exactly what he said, but somehow the way he conducted himself reassured me that he was going to be a good teacher and was generally just a nice guy."
According to an e-mail the College sent on Jan. 26 announcing Mosher's death, he had "earned both bachelor's and master's degrees at the College in 1976 and 1978, respectively."
Mosher, who also worked as a teacher at Willingboro Township High School, has served as an adjunct since 1984.
Aigli Papantonopoulou, chair of the mathematics and statistics department, said that Mosher was very active within the mathematics department. "He was very accommodating," she said. Papantonopoulou remembered Mosher's willingness to teach any class the department needed him for, even during the summer.
Balvir Singh, senior secondary education/mathematics major, worked with Mosher during one summer as a tutor for his class.
"From my experiences with him, he was a very soft and well-spoken guy," Singh said. "He was very casual and cared about his students."
"The students liked him," Jane Levandusky, a secretary in the mathematics department who knew Mosher well, said. "He always got good evaluations."
According to Levandusky, Mosher's family has decided to keep his funeral private. Levandusky said that there could be a memorial service in the future, however.
Levandusky described Mosher as well-liked and honest, even about private matters such as his homosexuality.
"He wasn't shy about (his sexuality)," Levandusky said laughing. "We loved him here - both secretaries (in the mathematics department). He was just an alright good guy."
Mosher also wasn't shy about telling his students that he had both diabetes and HIV, according to Addeo.
"He was always very cheerful and considering the way he described his health circumstances, I think that is also admirable," Tevington said.
Michael Ionnone, professor of mathematics and statistics, knew Mosher both when he was a student at Trenton State College in the 1970s and when he returned as an adjunct professor in the 1980s.
Ionnone served as the mathematics and statistics department chair for several years while Mosher taught here.
"During his 20-plus years as an adjunct, I was always appreciative of the dedication he gave to our students," Ionnone said. "He was always well-prepared for his courses and was dedicated in his efforts to assist students to develop a full conceptual understanding of the course content."
(01/31/07 12:00pm)
While most students were enjoying a break from classes, Michael Strom and Dan Beckelman met with New Jersey legislators to lobby for the restoration of state funding to the College.
Strom, vice president of Legal and Governmental Affairs for the Student Government Association (SGA), and Beckelman, SGA senator at-Large, met with five legislators, located in North Jersey.
Their work during winter break is part of an SGA project to lobby to state legislators for higher education funding
Strom and Beckelman called the meetings successful.
"Our lobbying was immensely successful, with almost all legislators being on board or at least desiring a second meeting," Beckelman said.
Beckelman described his meetings with two legislators. Assemblyman Louis Manzo, though a Democrat, "is almost totally opposed to (Gov. Jon S. Corzine) and was passionate about restoring aid," Beckelman said. Assemblyman Vincent Prieto said he could sympathize because he had a daughter in college.
"If we had met with one legislator, or a handful, our efforts would have been completely in vain," Strom said. "As we stand right now, however, we have reached a significant percentage of legislators, we have established our voice and we have created a foundation for eliciting change."
However, Strom said, "For this upcoming year, unfortunately, I feel that another cut is inevitable, as this seems to be the mood Corzine is projecting."
Last year, Corzine's budget cuts cost the College over $8 million. This year, Strom and Beckelman are putting a face to the students affected by the cuts to sway legislators.
"Regardless of what they say . the legislators are given faces behind the numbers they decide upon, and they will remember that when voting comes," Strom said.
"(Corzine) probably will start worrying more about re-election in 2007 . and therefore will likely not make unpopular cuts," Beckelman said.
Strom called for students to get active and participate in lobbying efforts.
"There simply hasn't been enough noise to change the mood that cutting higher education allocation is easy and fine," he said. "Crucial to the success (of the lobbying), especially in the short term, is that students . start speaking out more to legislators and joining us in our endeavors."
Strom and his Legal and Governmental Affairs committee have scheduled additional meetings with legislators, one of which took place on Jan. 29. Students interested in joining him should e-mail strom2@tcnj.edu for more information.
(01/24/07 12:00pm)
At the College Board of Trustees' Dec. 19 meeting, the board approved money to pay for an appearance by comedian George Carlin and outlined recent efforts to restore state funding for higher education.
In its report to the board, the Finance and Investment Committee approved money for, among other things, a performance by comedian George Carlin as part of Celebration of the Arts. Funding for Carlin will come from ticket sales and the Student Finance Board, in addition to the College.
Two weeks prior to the meeting, College President R. Barbara Gitenstein met with New Jersey State Treasurer Bradley Abelow.
Gitenstein said that at the meeting Abelow expressed a desire to make next year's budget less challenging. However, Abelow also said that the state is "not out of the woods at all" in terms of its budget crisis.
Every state legislator from a district in which students from the College live received letters. Each individual letter asked for support in the College's effort to restore state funding.
According to Gitenstein, over half of the legislators contacted gave "quotations of support" in news releases.
Additionally, alumni donations are 75 percent ahead of where alumni donations were at this time last year.
(12/06/06 12:00pm)
SGA tackles state budget cuts
On Dec. 5 and 6, the Student Government Association (SGA) is presenting "The Ramifications of Higher Education Budget Cuts on the Economic Environment of New Jersey" in science complex room P101 at 8 p.m.
It was created by the Legal and Governmental Affairs Committee of SGA and outlines the effects of state budget cuts on the College.
Michael Strom, vice president of Legal and Governmental Affairs, said the presentation "is very important . for the College and encouraging activism."
AIDS Awareness Week
AIDS Awareness Week is coming to the College this week in honor of national AIDS Awareness day.
Events planned by PRISM include The Silent Epidemic and HIV/AIDS benefit night.
For The Silent Epidemic, members of PRISM and NOW will wear red outside of the student center to raise awareness about AIDS. The HIV/AIDS benefit night is an open mic being held in the Rathskeller. Admission is $3, and proceeds will go to the Philadelphia AIDS Walk Fund.
TCNJ Holiday
The 18th annual TCNJ Holiday will begin at 8 p.m. on Dec. 7 on the steps of Green Hall with a "celebration of cultural and religious holidays," according to a press release on the College's Web site.
(12/06/06 12:00pm)
The dishwasher in Eickhoff Hall is in need of repair, but the process has been stalled because of the high cost of replacing the worn down machine.
In the Student Government Association (SGA) column of the Nov. 29 Signal, Meagan Terry, dining services liaison, said the 14-year-old dishwasher has been broken for two weeks. In the article, Terry said the total cost of replacing the dishwasher is $75,000, but with added installation costs, that price is close to $500,000.
Terry said in an e-mail that part of the reason for the added costs is the price of renovation for the room the dishwasher is in. According to Terry, the room has a bad drainage system. Because of this, both the floor of the room and the ceiling of the room under it need to be replaced.
Terry added that the walls need to be either replaced or repaired.
"In general, there are always costs of installing a new piece of large equipment besides the cost of the equipment itself," Steve Hugg, director of Marketing and Business Development for Sodexho, said.
Toni Pusak, assistant director of Auxiliary Services, said the renovations were included in a project plan submitted to the College.
Pusak said proposed projects are submitted for review, prioritized and put on a list of pending projects.
She said replacing the dishwasher and renovating the room the dishwasher is in is on the list of projects.
Pusak said the dishwasher in Eickhoff is the same one used when Eickhoff was built. However, she said the dishwasher is not particularly old, since dishwashers usually last about 15 to 20 years.
"(The dishwasher) has had a lot of use, especially with the Carte Blanche program," Pusak said. "It's starting to wear down."
She said if a new dishwasher were added in addition to the existing one, the room they are in would need to be expanded.
One innovation that could come from the renovations, if they occur, is a conveyor belt system.
Terry said that if the dishwasher were replaced, "(Sodexho) would want to incorporate a conveyor belt system for students where we'd put our trays on the belt and they would be carried along to the dishwasher room."
"This is something that (the College) administration . needs to be pushed by students for, since it obviously affects everyone who eats on campus," Terry said.
(12/06/06 12:00pm)
THURSDAY, 4 p.m. -- The tip about a game of hide-and-seek provided to state police by Glenn Zeitz, the lawyer for the family of John Fiocco Jr., has been contradicted by a student who says he provided the information that led Zeitz to contact investigators.
"Mainly what happened was the lawyer taking what I said, only one part of what I said, and running with it," the student, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
The student said he was contacted by Zeitz via telephone. According to the student, Zeitz asked how difficult it is to access the basement area of Wolfe Hall, and what students might do if they had access.
The student then said that while he had never heard of anyone being in the basement, "it wouldn't have shocked me if someone could have gotten in there." He suggested some reasons students might want to access the basement, including "messing around or playing games."
Zeitz asked what kind of games could be played there, and the student provided hide-and-seek as "an example of a possible game."
Capt. Al Della Fave of state police said investigators were cautious about Zeitz's tip from the beginning.
"We felt it was suspect," Della Fave said, though he added that state police felt obligated to follow up on the tip.
Della Fave said the tip has not helped in the investigation.
According to the student, on Nov. 9, a day or two after Zeitz contacted him, friends of Fiocco received an e-mail asking about a game of hide-and-seek.
On Nov. 15, a campus-wide e-mail was sent by Campus Police on behalf of state police in regard to a hide-and-seek game.
Since the e-mail, police and media outlets have searched for more details regarding the tip, but have yet to find any new information.
The student said that while answering Zeitz's questions, he mentioned that he didn't know of anyone going to the basement area of Wolfe, "but if I was sitting in class and overheard somebody with a story about the basement, it wouldn't have surprised me."
The student said he used the statement "as an example to show that somebody getting in there would not have been a huge shock to the world."
According to an article in the Nov. 17 issue of The Philadelphia Inquirer, "a student at the College . overheard another student discussing a game of hide-and-seek."
Zeitz told the Inquirer that "he had learned of the conversation about the game in the course of his private investigation."
When asked why his version of the conversation was so different from Zeitz's, the student said, "I don't know if (Zeitz) misunderstood" the information.
The Signal went to Zeitz's Haddonfield office to speak to him directly but declined to be interviewed. Additional interview requests via telephone and e-mail have been repeatedly turned down or not answered.
Though multiple people received the Nov. 9 e-mail, the student believes he is the only source on which Zeitz based the hide-and-seek tip.
"I can't prove that (Zeitz) didn't talk to (other students)," he said, "but in my opinion I'm 100 percent sure (the tip) was from me."
The student said he believes this because a day or two after his conversation with Zeitz, he was contacted by state police.
"I spoke to (state police) and (they) told me that it was what I said that caused all this," he said.
The student said he was "extremely upset" with the way his words have been interpreted by Zeitz "and further by every media in the state."
"I can't do anything," he said. "I chose to talk to (Zeitz). He took what I said and ran with it."
"He's trying to build a lawsuit," the student said.
On June 2, Zeitz filed an intent to sue the College on behalf of the Fiocco family, claiming the school could have done more to prevent Fiocco's death.
In the Inquirer article, Zeitz was quoted as saying that he was "concerned about security at the school because many students had told him that (Wolfe's) back door, which allows access to the room where the trash compactor is located, was often left open and used frequently by students."
Della Fave said that when Zeitz contacted state police with the tip, he only indicated one student as the source of the information. State police then contacted the student.
According to the student, state police called him the day after he talked to Zeitz. "They heard I was saying a game of (hide-and-seek) was going on," he said.
The student said that he then clarified for police what he had actually told Zeitz. "The state police in charge of the investigation know what I really said," the student said. He said he spoke to the lead detective for the Fiocco investigation.
Della Fave said that part of the reason police were wary of the tip was because of the thorough interviews they have conducted since Fiocco disappeared on March 25. According to Della Fave, Zeitz has been conducting his own "independent investigation" into Fiocco's disappearance. He said part of that investigation has included interviews with students already contacted by state police.
Matthew Golden, director of Communications and Media Relations, said the College was told by state police that Zeitz said "a student overheard someone talking about a game of hide-and-seek in Wolfe Hall."
Golden said the College was asked by police to send a mass e-mail about the hide-and-seek game to students. "We have been told that the e-mail is all we should do for now," he said.
-- John Fialk contributed to this story
(11/29/06 12:00pm)
Police investigating the disappearance and death of College freshman John Fiocco Jr. are looking into a lead in the case.
According to Capt. Al Della Fave of the New Jersey State Police, the department received information that a possible game of hide-and-seek may have been happening in Wolfe Hall the night Fiocco disappeared.
Despite the new information, Della Fave said "that tip has not helped much (in the investigation)."
Glenn Zeitz, the Fiocco family's lawyer, passed the tip on to Campus Police after contacting a student at the College with questions about the basement of Wolfe Hall.
Zeitz refused e-mail and telephone requests for an interview.
Matthew Golden, director of Communications and Media Relations, said that police are currently investigating the claim to see if it has any validity.
Part of the investigation, Golden said, was a mass e-mail police asked the College to send to students.
The e-mail, which was forwarded to students on Nov. 15, was sent by "Campus Police . on behalf of the New Jersey State Police." In it, students are asked for any details they may have regarding the alleged hide-and-seek game. Students with information are told to e-mail crimestoppers@tcnj.edu.
Included in the e-mail are questions regarding whether or not a game of hide-and-seek took place in or near the compactor room in Wolfe Hall at "any time prior to March 25."
Fiocco was last seen in a dorm room in Wolfe Hall early on the morning of March 25. After his body was discovered in a Tullytown, Pa., landfill, investigators began searching into his disappearance. Included in the search was an investigation of the trash chute in Wolfe Hall and dumpsters behind it.
Golden said that while the College is willing to take any other appropriate steps to aid the investigation, so far police have only requested that College officials send out the mass e-mail regarding the game of hide-and-seek.
Chris Rindosh, president of TCNJ Manhunt, a club that organizes manhunt games on campus, said that Fiocco never attended games. Rindosh added that Manhunt does not use the interior of buildings as places available to hide in.
Sgt. James Lopez of Campus Police confirmed that Campus Police is assisting in the investigation of the tip, but could not disclose further details about the tip or the student who provided it.
(11/29/06 12:00pm)
At its Nov. 15 meeting, Inter Greek Council (IGC) announced it was looking for any information IGC members had relating to an underground fraternity.
According to Pamela Mirabelli, fraternity and sorority coordinator for IGC, the underground fraternity is named Chi Beta Pi.
The fraternity is not an official member of IGC but is using Greek letters as part of its name and pledging first semester freshmen at the College. Pledging is the process by which new members join a fraternity or sorority.
Michael Levy, Student Government Association (SGA) vice president of Administration and Finance and president of Phi Alpha Delta, said the issue of the underground fraternity is one "I feel very strongly about."
Levy said the underground fraternity was brought to IGC's attention by students and the office of Student Life. According to Levy, Chi Beta Pi has been "targeting freshmen with promises of recognition from the school at some point down the road."
Levy cautioned that much of what IGC knows is based on rumors and speculation.
"We have identified some of the students that are involved with (Chi Beta Pi) and someone will be contacting them soon," Levy said.
Bryan Vale, president of IGC, said that Chi Beta Pi is not recognized by IGC.
Vale said he first heard about the underground fraternity after members of IGC came to him and told him about rumors they had heard. As of the Nov. 15 meeting, Vale said claims that the fraternity exists were "completely unsubstantiated" until he and IGC learned more.
Since the meeting, Vale has not responded to e-mail requests for further information.
Mirabelli said IGC is still "looking for any information" from its members about the underground fraternity.
According to Mirabelli, one of the problems with Chi Beta Pi is that it's pledging first semester freshmen, a practice that is not allowed by IGC.
Freshmen, Mirabelli said, can join a fraternity or sorority only after they have been at the College for at least one full semester. This "gives them time to get used to College life," Mirabelli said.
Levy said the public might not understand the ill effects a group like Chi Beta Phi could have for IGC and the Greek community.
"Underground organizations like this reflect badly on all of Greek life," Levy said.
Mirabelli could not disclose who IGC is working with to track down the group.
However, according to James Norfleet, vice president of Student Life, an e-mail was sent to Residence Life staff "asking for anyone with information about this group to contact Campus Activities."
Matthew Golden, director of Communications and Media Relations, said "the College is aware of a possible underground fraternity," and that the College is working with SGA to develop a policy for dealing with unrecognized student organizations like Chi Beta Pi.
Christine Cullen, SGA executive president, said SGA has talked to IGC about unrecognized groups on campus. One such group, Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity, participates in many of the same activities IGC-recognized organizations and is not a member of IGC, but is recognized by SGA.
(11/15/06 12:00pm)
Across the country, College-aged people voted in record numbers. However, many at the College feel that many students here did not participate in the midterm elections that took place on Nov. 7.
In the election, Democrat Robert Menendez defeated Republican challenger Tom Kean for a seat in the Senate. For the House of Representatives, Republican Jim Saxton won in the third district, Republican Christopher Smith won in the fourth district, Republican Mike Ferguson won in the seventh district and Democrat Rush Holt won in the 12th district.
According to Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization "dedicated to building political power for young people," 13 percent of voters on Nov. 7 were between the ages of 18 to 29. This represents a 20 percent increase in young voter turnout over the 2002 midterm elections, Rock the Vote's Web site said.
However, some believe that students at the College may have had relatively little to do with the increase.
"I would say this campus is very apathetic," Matthew Civiletti, treasurer of the College Democrats, said.
Civiletti added, however, that he believed "more young people voted than usual."
"Kean and Menendez were both pretty terrible candidates," Chris Geddis, one of the presidents of the College Libertarians, said. This, Geddis said, may have been a factor in why some students did not vote.
"I understand why someone would fail to vote. We were given two terrible choices," he said.
Geddis added that a third party candidate could have been an option for voters, but for many students, it may have been difficult to get home at all to vote.
Dan Beckelman, who was a Democrat last year but is now the treasurer of the College Republicans, does believe that many students voted.
"I think many students voted, and frankly and unequivocally, those who were able to and didn't should think twice before not exerting their voice again," Beckelman said.
Beckelman praised the College Republicans for their involvment in the election campaigns of Ewing Republicans Jack Ball, Faye Ball and Don Cox and said part of the reason Jack Ball and Cox won their races may have been due to student efforts.
Both the College Democrats and Republicans dealt with setbacks that may have prevented them from encouraging students on campus to vote.
Terence Grado, chairman of the College Republicans, said that while members of his organization were able to participate in off campus efforts to reach voters, they did not specifically target students on campus.
Grado said members of the College Republicans participated in the campaigns of Ewing Republicans Ball and Cox as well as Kean. Part of the effort, according to Grado, included going door-to-door in Ewing and distributing literature regarding the Ewing candidates.
"If it weren't for college kids like . the College Republicans, a lot of that vital grassroots work wouldn't have been done," Grado said.
According to Scott Blair, president of the College Democrats, members from his group also participated in election campaigns.
Though Blair said the club has been inactive for most of the year, he said he worked for the Menendez campaign.
Blair estimated that less than half of College students voted Tuesday. "My guess would be that a lot of students didn't go out and vote," Blair said.
Many who did vote felt the election sent a message to President Bush and the Republican party.
"The election was a referendum on the war. The public opinion was clear, they aren't satisfied with the war," Tom Sales, member of the College Republicans, said.
However, Sales is not confident that the Democrats will be successful now that they have taken over.
"The Democratic party has a very narrow majority and no real agenda besides indicting and mocking the president," Sales said.
(11/15/06 12:00pm)
The Ewing Township races for mayor and town council were well-known on campus because of campaign signs boldly featuring the names "Ball, Ball and Cox."
The campaign of Republicans Jack Ball, Faye Ball (no relation) and Don Cox became a target for jokes among students at the College. Of the three infamously named candidates, only one, Faye Ball, did not win the election.
"The Ball Team," as they called themselves, had their signs stolen throughout the campaign season.
The signs were posted on lawns and beside major roads in Ewing. About 1,200 signs were lost, according to Cox, newly elected Ewing Township councilman.
Cox said that while some of the signs may have been taken by students, there were also "a number of people who were caught who were adults."
Cox said that in some situations he gave signs to students. However, other times a sign that was posted seven or eight times on the same lawn would keep disappearing, according to Cox.
"I'm not upset with the college students who may have taken the signs," Jack Ball, newly elected Ewing Township mayor, said. "I hope they had fun with it."
Ball said he had heard rumors about the signs, but cautioned that he could not confirm any of them.
One of the rumors was that a "Ball, Ball and Cox" sign was spotted as far away as Australia, though Ball was clear to state that he could not confirm this.
In another instance, Ball was told that a friend's son, who attends college out of state, had one of the signs hanging on his dorm room door.
New Jersey radio station 101.5 FM used the sign on its "Dennis and Judy" show. Ball said he called in to the show, whose DJs were "having a little fun with (the sign)."
When asked why people may have taken the signs, Ball said, "I guess it was a combination of the names."
Matt Golden, director of Communications and Media Relations at the College, said that the school knew that students may have been taking the signs. According to Golden, the College received a complaint about the signs being taken down and saw a blog entry alleging that students from the College had taken the signs to their residences.
"We did alert Student Life and Campus Police to the issue," Golden said. "They are not conducting any searches for the signs, but if (the signs) are seen during regular activities, the students in possession will be questioned and could face consequences. To my knowledge, that has not been the case thus far."
When contacted, both Campus and Ewing police had no knowledge of any incidents involving the signs.
On their Web site, ballteam.org, a $100 reward was posted for information regarding the signs. According to Ball, no one came forward to provide them with information that could have helped them determine who was taking the signs.
Since the election has ended, the reward is no longer valid.
Ball took night classes at the College, and he and his wife Marcia are alumni of Trenton State College.
He called himself a mayor who "wants to work with students." Ball, who has been teaching in New Jersey for 40 years, encourages students to contact him with concerns.
(11/08/06 12:00pm)
With finals rapidly approaching, the Student Government Association (SGA) is working with the staff of the New Library on a campaign to reduce noise.
"Students are complaining about other students talking to their friends or even on their cell phones while in the library, even in a secluded area like in a corner on the fourth floor," Jen Hill, senator of Culture and Society, said.
Many of the problems have occurred on the third and fourth floors of the library, according to Hill. On these more secluded floors, "one person talking softly on their cell phone carries the noise a long way," Hill said.
Taras Pavlovsky, dean of the library, said he met with Hill and Chris Rindosh, vice chairman of Student Services, to find a solution to the problem.
The initial conclusion reached at the Oct. 13 meeting was a table tent campaign. The idea to put table tents in the library was later changed to posters to be hung in the elevators and other key locations.
Pavlovsky said he was "very hesitant" to post too many signs. He hopes that fewer signs will be able to get the message across effectively to library patrons. "Less is more," Pavlovsky said.
While the signs will be used as the primary deterrent against noise, Pavlovsky emphasized that students in the library have the right to address noise issues themselves.
Pavlovsky said that all library users should realize they can go to a library staff member and ask for help if they feel uncomfortable confronting someone about noise.
"The library has told us that they would like students to feel more comfortable saying something to a disruptive neighbor," Hill said. "(Pavlovsky) also reminded me that there are telephones on every floor, and that it is perfectly acceptable to call the front desk and ask for assistance if you don't want to confront your noisy neighbor."
Pavlovsky emphasized that it is important for students to address loud situations themselves, particularly because library usage is increasing as finals approach. According to Pavlovsky, the library sometimes sees more than 4,800 visitors in a single day during the last week of classes.
"(The library) will just get more packed," Pavlovsky said. Noise, he said, is sure to come along with the increased volume of patrons.
Besides cell phones and loud conversations, the new caf? in the library has been a source of noise. However, both Hill and Pavlovsky said that students on the first floor have shown understanding of the fact that the caf? produces noise.
Pavlovsky said that although the caf? is loud, "we knew it'd be loud."
According to Steve Hugg, director of Marketing and Business Development for Sodexho, the noise coming from the library caf? has been discussed at previous dining services meetings.
"Any noise from this area is an unfortunate side effect of a successful addition to the campus community," Hugg said. He also said that Sodexho would be willing to work with the College to reduce the noise if necessary.
Hill said the bulk of complaints SGA has heard have come from isolated incidents rather than any constant source of noise. "Many students have told me that they have had to grin and bear it; others have told me they simply walk out in disgust," she said.
The exact wording of the signs has yet to be determined, but Hill said she believes the signs will remind students to reduce noise and tell them what they can do if someone else is being loud.