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(02/22/06 12:00pm)
Last July, Elizabeth Paul took over as interim vice president for Student Life. Now, the search for her replacement is coming to an end.
The candidates James M. Norfleet, Tom Jackson and James Rollo are the last three the College will consider for the position.
The College put out a national advertisement for the position. A search consultant handled the r?sum?s the College received, and then passed them along to a committee for review.
After the candidates' references were checked, they came in for a round of preliminary interviews.
On Thursday, the last of the three candidates, Norfleet, was interviewed. The committee will now review the candidates again and make their final recommendation. College President R. Barbara Gitenstein will make the ultimate decision.
The candidates represent a diverse array of backgrounds and talents. They come from as far as Texas and Florida and as near as New York state.
Norfleet described himself as having a "genuine enthusiasm for interacting with students, high energy and (an) ability to combine seriousness of purpose with an enduring sense of humor."
He was the associate dean of Nyack College in New York as well as the resident supervision of the office of Residential Life and Housing at Pace University.
Norfleet has volunteered for the Friendship Baptist Church, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Salvation Army, among other organizations.
Jackson, who is a captain and executive state officer of the Texas State Guard, was the vice president for Student Affairs at Texas A&M University. He was also the assistant director of Resident Life at St. Mary's University in San Antonio.
Jackson, who said that his "hobbies include flying," is a volunteer pilot for the Angels of Flight Texas. He was a member of the Texas National Guard and has volunteered for the Lion's Club International and the Big/Little Brothers and Sisters Program, as well as other groups.
Most of Rollo's job experience comes from the time he spent at the University of Florida, where he served as interim vice president for Student Affairs and associate dean of students.
In addition, Rollo was a counselor at the North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center (NFETC), a maximum-security mental hospital. Rollo helped facilitate group therapy and develop treatment plans at the hospital.
He also worked at the Interface Runaway shelter, where he was responsible for "individual, group and family counseling in both long term and crisis situations."
Rollo was a member of the board of directors of the Girls Club of Alachua County, a United Way agency.
According to Paul, the new vice president for Student Life will be in charge of the offices of Campus Wellness, Campus Activities, Athletics, Conference and Meeting Services, Auxiliary Services, Residential and Community Development, Civic Leadership Development and Community Standards.
Paul said that the main goal of the position is to "support the development of students and to enhance the quality of life in our campus community."
(02/15/06 12:00pm)
I once described my interest in politics as morbid. I compared politics to a car crash - the gruesome kind that stack up rubber neckers for miles.
Now, I will describe politics as a carnival of ridiculousness.
I call your attention to the Senate Judiciary Committee's questioning of Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez in regard to the president's possibly illegal wiretapping, carried out by the National Security Agency (NSA). I will avoid the issue itself for now. There was far too much hilarity offered at the hearing to waste space worrying about wiretapping.
The best one-liner of the evening goes to Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).
The committee had been in session for some hours. Gonzales was never sworn in because, obviously, a thing like taking an oath to tell the truth is a supreme waste of time. (The above comment, I would add, is not cynical in the least, as soon will be apparent).
Leahy began questioning Gonzalez. Mr. Attorney General regurgitated the same answers he had been using all day, as expected.
But suddenly, (and here comes the punch line) Leahy became my hero, at least temporarily. I'll relate the events exactly and let you discover the true depth of the hilarity for yourself.
From the transcript of the hearing:
LEAHY: OK, well, let me ask you (Gonzales) this, then . If the president believed the (wiretapping) program was necessary and legally justified, why did he shut it down?
GONZALES: Sir, you're asking me about the operations of the program.
LEAHY: Of course, I'm sorry, Mr. Attorney General, I forgot you can't answer any questions that might be relevant to this.
(LAUGHTER)
There. Did you catch that? Better yet: the laughter was actually included in the transcript. That Patrick Leahy. He's a funny, funny man.
In light of this, I now propose that we remove every politician from his or her post and mandate that they all live together on a Big Brother-style reality show.
Think of it! The comedic implications are beyond imagining. These guys can't even figure out whether or not to swear in the Attorney General. Just picture them trying to divvy up chores. You could spend an entire episode watching them argue about who should get which bedroom.
Episode 1: Leahy vs. Gonzales. One-on-one. No scripts. No quorum calls.
Hell, I'd watch it.
(02/15/06 12:00pm)
In recent weeks, The Signal received letters from students concerned by what they feel are dangerous or ineffective fire safety policies and procedures at the College.
According to a letter that Michael Millspaugh, senior interactive multimedia major, wrote for the Jan. 25 issue, fire alarms did not go off in the Travers/Wolfe Dining Hall during a fire drill.
In addition, students eating in the dining hall were not notified that they had to leave the building until about 15 minutes after the drill had already begun. He wrote that they found the closest exit, located downstairs in Wolfe Hall, was broken, and had to leave the building through the main exit on the first floor.
In the letter, Millspaugh asked, "Isn't there something very wrong with a system that trains students not to use the fire exits provided?"
The source of the problems listed in Millspaugh's letter stemmed from a tripped fuse, according to Matt Golden, director of Communications and Media Relations.
Golden also explained that the sliding doors in Wolfe Hall were under repair on the day of the fire drill. "A sign had been posted on that door requesting that people use an adjacent door," Golden said, "but the door in question actually could have been used."
In addition to the Travers/Wolfe Dining Hall, the fire alarms on floors six through 10 did not go off during the scheduled fire drill, which took place at 7 p.m. on Jan. 19.
Campus Police notified the electrical foreman when the alarms failed. The foreman then contacted Simplex, the contractor for fire alarm maintenance.
Michael Robbins, acting assistant director of Residential and Community Development, said that the alarms were fixed by approximately 1 a.m. on Jan. 20.
Between the time when the alarms failed and when they were fixed, community advisors (CAs) patrolled the floors without working fire alarms until they were fixed, acting, as Robbins said, like "human fire alarms."
Another complaint letter about fire safety was published on Feb. 1. In it, Michael Wargo, sophomore communication studies major, claimed that chairs were stacked in front of a fire exit in Eickhoff Dining Hall.
Steve Hugg, director of Marketing and Business Development for Dining Services at the College, did not know about the blocked fire exit in Eickhoff Dining Hall prior to reading about it in Wargo's letter.
"(Dining Services) will review this with our staff to ensure that no fire exit doors are blocked," Hugg wrote in an e-mail. "Dining Services takes the safety of our customers and employees very seriously and works with the College to make sure our locations are safe."
Despite these assurances, Millspaugh believes that changes need to be made. "(Students) should be taught how to react to a fire in the safest way," he said.
Regardless of these incidents, most students say that they feel safe at the College.
"I can rely on my own ability to escape," Joe Cerminaro, freshman nursing major, said. "But I'd be concerned for someone with a disability."
Many students agree that fire drills are not taken seriously at the College.
"Nobody expects a fire to happen," Valerie Perez, sophomore accounting major, said.
Perez said that many people don't even bother to leave the building during a fire drill. She believes that students need more motivation to leave during the drills.
Kelly Dougherty, freshman criminology and justice studies major, agreed, saying, "There are so many (fire drills). I don't take them seriously anymore."
(02/08/06 12:00pm)
The Student Government Association's (SGA) "Little Black Book" arrived only two weeks ago, later than both the organization and students would have liked.
Work on the directory began in April, when Annelise Catanzaro was elected SGA president. As president, Catanzaro was responsible for gathering all the necessary background information needed for the book.
An initial delay in the completion of the book came as a result of SGA's work to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The act requires SGA to give students until October to take their name and phone number off the list for the directory.
"(SGA) had to be especially careful to abide by these rules," Catanzaro said. "Last year's administration accidentally included students' residence hall locations." This is illegal, according to FERPA.
After compiling the necessary information for the directory, Catanzaro said that SGA had nothing to do with the books until the finished product was delivered.
"The books were delivered in December, and then Mailing & Receiving at (the College) didn't contact me until the second week of December," Catanzaro said.
SGA was unable to store the books in Campus Activities when they were delivered because the area was being repainted and re-carpeted. Finals added an extra complication because they tied up students who may have helped deliver the books.
"(SGA's Little Black Book) is definitely something my organization would use," Marissa Eckrote, junior health and exercise science major and member of the Future Alumni Association, said.
Like many organizations at the College, the Future Alumni Association relies on sending e-mails to contact members.
The Rugby Club relies on students' extension numbers rather than their e-mail addresses.
Callan Wright, president of the women's rugby club and junior international business major, said that the Little Black Book is important to her group because it relies on extension numbers to contact members.
Wright added that she thinks the Little Black Book is a good resource for incoming freshmen who are just settling into college life.
Kristen Roensch, junior marketing major and member of Delta Zeta sorority, said that her organization relies on the Little Black Book for its opporunity for advertisement. Roensch said that the number of new members the group received this school year was lower than in past. She suggested that this may have been because they were unable to reach incoming freshmen.
Despite these concerns, individual students seem less worried about the delay. Catanzaro said she was not contacted by any students or organizations concerning the Little Black Book.
"It's nice to have," Kelly Mitchell, freshman nursing major, said. "But I didn't think it was supposed to come out any earlier than it did."
Catanzaro offered her "sincere apologies to any organization or individual that could have used the black books last semester."
She said she will recommend to the SGA that the Administration & Finance Committee find a faster publishing company, but added that, "given our legal restrictions, the earliest any future administration can deliver the books is in mid-November."
(02/01/06 12:00pm)
At Wednesday's Dining Services Committee meeting, students questioned Sodexho representatives about broken dishwashers, poor food selection and issues with the dining services staff.
The dishwashers in Eickhoff Dining Hall had broken before the semester break. Students, many of whom had assumed the machines would be fixed by the start of the Spring semester, expressed frustration that this was not the case.
Leo Inglima, Student Government Association (SGA) dining services liaison, said that students were upset about the replacement of silverware with plastic, paper and Styrofoam.
Matt Hower, director of resident dining, said that the repairs made on the machines during the semester break had "triggered some more items to go bad."
John Higgins, general manager, also admitted that "Fall was a nightmare for (Sodexho)," indicating the frequent problems the company had with the dishwashers.
When asked how much money had been put into fixing the machines, Higgins said that since September 2005, the company had spent about $8,000 on repairs, $6,000 of which had been spent during the semester break.
Despite the problems, students and Sodexho representatives agreed that there had been a "drastic difference" in the cleanliness of silverware on the days it had been available this semester.
Many students had written to complain about food selection. Students wanted Eickhoff Dining Hall to include chicken tenders, more vegetarian options and an extended breakfast period.
Sodexho representatives explained that chicken tenders are simply too expensive to be included in Eickhoff as an "all-you-can-eat" food item. They also said that every food station in Eickhoff should include at least one vegetarian option.
In response to the request to move the end of breakfast from 11 a.m. to noon, Higgins dismissed the idea, saying "there has to be a cutoff."
Besides the actual food itself, students also brought up the issue of long waits in Eickhoff.
Higgins explained that Sodexho does its best to accommodate the volume of students Eickhoff gets, which amounts to about 9,000 meals a day, while still trying to serve the food as fresh as possible. Some foods, he said, can not be prepared ahead of time.
Hower added that the first few weeks of the semester are always busier than the rest of the semester. He said that the volume of students eating on campus, particularly on the weekends, "should drop off."
Student complaints also included concerns about the staff in the dining halls.
In particular, students felt uncomfortable about having staff members come by to clean tables while they are still eating.
Sodexho representatives said that while they understand this concern, they have to find a way to balance cleaning and serving food, since they are open continuously until 8 p.m.
Also discussed at the meeting was the harsh lighting in Eickhoff, the interaction of Sodexho managers with students eating in Eickhoff and raising the $4.75 allowed by the meal equivalency plan to $5.00.
In addition, plans for opening a caf? were briefly mentioned, though no specific details about the project were discussed.
In the coming months, Inglima and Hower will visit other colleges to compare them with the dining services program at the College. They plan to look at schools using Sodexho as well as those using other companies.
Sodexho also discussed some of its contests and programs.
The Lion's Apprentice was correlated by Sodexho and the School of Business at the College. It will mimic the television reality show "The Apprentice." Six teams of four students each will compete against each other to create a theme for the dining hall.
Battle of the Brains will challenge students and staff to create a "brain food." The contest is still being coordinated. As of the meeting, Sodexho had not received any e-mails from students willing to participate yet and suspect that this may be because most students may not know about the competition.
Finally, Sodexho will honor Black History Month this February with a themed meal. They hope to work with interested students and the Black Student Union (BSU) to organize the event.
Sodexho will continue to hold committee meetings throughout the semester that are open to all students. Complaints can be e-mailed to Sodexho ahead of time via their Web site, tcnjdining.com.
(01/25/06 12:00pm)
I thought I'd start the semester off with a little humor.
A man goes on the Internet. He posts something annoying. He posts it under a user name. Then he goes to jail.
The unfortunate thing is that this is no joke.
On Jan. 5, President Bush signed a bill that assigns serious repercussions, including fines and up to two years in jail, to people who anonymously "annoy" other people on the Internet.
This should be hilarious. Who gets to decide what is or is not annoying?
The basic idea of punishing people for saying what they want to on the Internet, a hub of information that connects not just the nation but the entire world, is ridiculous.
But, when considered in conjunction with the Bush administration's past policies, some of which trampled blatantly on the statutes of the constitution, it is deeply disturbing.
There was the disastrous Patriot Act, which allows the government to do almost anything it wants in the name of fighting terrorism.
Recently, it was revealed that the National Security Agency has been spying on innocent American citizens, listening in on cell phone conversations. Moreover, they've been doing this without a warrant.
The First Amendment has been a favorite target of this administration. It states: "Congress shall make no law . abridging the freedom of speech."
Anyone who has studied under the legendary Bob Cole, professor of journalism at the College, knows that the First Amendment isn't supposed to protect popular or acceptable speech. It protects unpopular speech. It protects, presumably, annoying speech.
This is not about politics. I harshly shun partisanship. Rather, this is about the constitution. This is about common sense.
How can a president get away with disregarding the founding principles of our country? How can we as a people let him take from us the very things that allowed our nation to become great in the first place? How can we tear down the statutes of our democracy and then pretend to promote democracy in the Middle East?
Democracy is not about everyone agreeing and holding hands around a campfire. It's about debating and finding the best possible solution from a wide range of opinions. Civilization will go on, even if everyone doesn't agree. It's OK to annoy someone. It's OK to disagree.
This semester, be careful what you say and who you say it to. If you want to protect your identity on the Internet, use the words "middle" or "east" in a cell phone conversation or have an opinion, I reluctantly advise you to think twice.
Information from - msnbc.msn.com/id/10592932, law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html, news.com.com/Create+an+e-annoyance,+go+to+jail/2010-1028_3-6022491.html, ioerror.us/2006/01/09/go-to-jail-for-being-annoying-online
(11/30/05 12:00pm)
"War does not lead to peace. It leads to more war. The cycle has to be broken somehow," Anita Anantharam, assistant professor of women's and gender studies, said Nov. 14, when she gave a lecture about feminism in South Asian countries.
She told students about "women's fight to be sovereign bodies," particularly in India and Pakistan.
The issue started in the 1600s with the creation of the East India Company, she said. The company was designed by the British to conduct trade with India.
Eventually, however, the British realized that they could profit even more by slowly taking control of India, she said.
Anantharam told the audience how the British claimed that the "Indians needed to be civilized." She said they outlawed Indian practices and took over sections of the country from corrupt Indian rulers or Indian rulers with no biological heir.
Eventually, the educated class in India was speaking English, which resulted in their being treated as "interpreters" between the masses of India and the British ruling them, Anantharam said.
She noted that in the 19th and 20th centuries, Mahatma Gandhi urged the Indian people to reclaim their country through non-violence, in addition to calling for the Indian people to "reject English and turn inward instead." He also encouraged them to speak Hindi, Anantharam said.
She discussed the oral tradition of women, passing on poetry and stories, that often become a way to spread political messages through metaphors to the masses. This allowed women to retain their social identity while speaking out on the issues, Anantharam said.
This, to Anantharam, is what was so important about poetry. She said that in America, people tend to think of activism as protesting out in the streets. But to women in South Asia, poetry is just as effective a tool.
She provided the example of "The Cloud Messenger," a poem in which Fahmida Riaz, a Pakistani Urdu poet, uses metaphors to write about sensuality, a topic that would be more difficult to talk about bluntly.
Anantharam said that Americans tend to "get obsessed about things like the veil. (We) don't look at other issues - land rights, health care, food." She argued that such issues were more important to South Asian women than the veil.
After the lecture, a question-and-answer period soon developed into an open, conversational discussion on issues ranging from feminism to Buddhism to politics.
Janice Ogin, senior physics major, said after the discussion that she had been unfamiliar with many of the topics discussed in the lecture and was surprised "that there were female leaders in India."
Heema Tambakuwala, sophomore nursing and women's and gender studies major, and also the organizer of the event, said, "I think (Anantharam) got her point across. (It was) very informative.
Saadia Hussain, junior communication studies major, agreed, calling the lecture "enlightening." Hussain said that many of the issues Anantharam spoke about are "not emphasized enough."
Anantharam said that there is still a lot of work for feminists to do in South Asia and elsewhere. "We could become much more active as a community here," she said, encouraging students to start taking action in political issues like the war in Iraq.
(11/16/05 12:00pm)
All good things, and even some things not so good, come in moderation.
Take, for example, politics.
While it may seem like the country is split definitively between Democrats and Republicans, the truth is that many people do not affiliate with any political party.
According to the New Jersey office of the Attorney General, for the past eight elections, decidedly more undeclared voters have been registered to vote than Republicans or Democrats. The number of registered, but undeclared, voters in New Jersey has been well over 50 percent for the past eight years.
In contrast, the number of registered Democrats has been around 25 percent and the number of registered Republicans has hovered just under 20 percent.
There is a terrible rumor seeping into the ideology of this country, a rumor that threatens the very principles of democracy.
According to this rumor, that 50-plus percent majority does not exist, cannot exist, do not go to the polls, do not have a voice.
This is simply not true.
The numbers listed above are stark opposition to this idea that only people on the political extremes care enough to cast a ballot.
The recent gubernatorial election epitomized this. While the loudest voices were from the far right and left, the majority of voters, those in the middle, were left wondering if they should even bother voting at all.
I remember a conversation I had with my mother only a few days before the election. I pointed out that both Jon Corzine and Doug Forrester were "corrupt bastards."
She agreed but added, "(The fine people of New Jersey) could vote for an independent or something. There are a lot of undeclared voters."
This idea of somewhat political beliefs beyond party lines applies in the U.S. Senate as well, believe it or not.
A few months ago, President Bush nominated several judges.
Of course, there was some bickering among Democrats and Republicans in the Senate concerning the nominations.
The Democrats threatened to filibuster to delay legislation in order to stop the judges from being nominated.
The Republicans, in retaliation, threatened to use a "nuclear option," which means t hey would change the rules so that nobody could filibuster judicial nominees anymore.
Fourteen senators, seven Democrats and seven Republicans, came together during the tension and made a deal that prevented the "nuclear option" and allowed some of Bush's nominees to become judges.
These senators have become known as the "gang of 14," a group of 14 "centrist" senators.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), a member of the "gang of 14," recently appeared on Larry King Live.
During the interview, a caller asked, "Senator McCain, . there are many, many people in the United States that are not extreme Republicans or extreme Democrats, and we are not being . represented. What should we do?"
The caller expressed a valid concern. While people like this caller and over 50 percent of registered voters in New Jersey are in the majority, it often seems like they are outnumbered, or, rather, out-screamed.
McCain's advice was blunt.
"Get active, get involved," he said.
"Centrists," "moderates," and "undeclared voters" can be just as active and loud as those on the political extremes.
Just because your opinion is not far to the left or right, does not mean that you do not have an opinion.
Undeclared voters, your vocal cords are just as good as the Republicans' and Democrats' are; McCain was right.
The reason those in the political center are ignored is because we don't speak up.
The gubernatorial election is over, but the midterm election is right around the corner. Republicans and Democrats are already beginning to prepare.
There is no reason why undeclared voters should not prepare as well. Demand candidates who appeal to the middle, rather than the extremes.
Stand up for the morals and ideas you value. Join the debate. Shake your fist at the political world. Moon the Senate. Do something. You are the majority.
Information from - state.nj.us, cnn.com, transcripts.cnn.com
(11/16/05 12:00pm)
As Jess Row read the last line of his short story, "A World in Flames," the audience remained silent, quite literally speechless. Row quietly thanked the audience, who had been raptly attentive throughout the entire reading.
"I enjoy (readings) and they're a little nerve wracking," Row said at his reading on Nov. 9. Despite this admission, his reading left an impression on the audience.
"His voice was soothing," Lisa Kozempel, senior English major, said.
Joe Walsh, senior English major, called the reading "an intimate gathering."
Row, who was invited to the College as part of the 'ink' Visiting Writers Series (VWS), chose to only read the one story.
The story's plot began simply, detailing a young woman's unusual visit to Thailand. Gradually, it delved into serious issues such as religion, war and poverty.
"It's fun to read," Row said. "It's dramatic. (The story has) a cliffhanger ending."
The audience seemed to agree. While Row read, the audience was silent and, during the reception afterward, many students and professors stayed to talk with Row and buy copies of his book, "The Train to Lo Wu."
"(Row) goes really deep into the characters," Melissa Kvidahl, junior English major, who helped organize the reading, said.
Kvidahl said that Row's writing tends to focus on characters and the ways they deal with loneliness.
Maggie Murphy, a senior English major who worked on publicity for the event, considered the reading a success. She called Row's book "an interesting read."
Row was emphatic in praising the College and the students who had organized the reading. He said that he was "struck by how closely connected the students are. I was impressed by the whole community."
"(Row) is different from other authors (who have come to the College)," Bethany Allinder, senior English major and 'ink' vice-president, said after the reading.
She was referring to the sharp contrast between Row and author Jonathan Ames, who had visited the College as part of VWS only a few weeks before.
"(Ames) was a performer," Tim Hinton, junior English major who helped organize the event, said. "(Row) is a writer."
Melanie Weiss, junior English major, who helped run the event, admitted that Row was a bit less appealing to a general audience than Ames had been, but said, "Our job is not to bring in the most marketable writers. Our job is to showcase those who are making an impact in the literary world and to introduce our campus to new styles and perspectives."
Row has been featured in numerous publications including The Best Short Stories of 2001, The Best Short Stories of 2003, The Kyoto Journal, The Harvard Review and Slate Magazine.
Aside from being an author, Row is also a professor of English and creative writing at Montclair State University, as well as a dharma teacher.
The next installment of VWS will take place Dec. 7. It will feature Robyn Art, author of "Degrees of Being There" and "No Longer a Blonde."
(11/02/05 12:00pm)
America is changing - and fast. With the advent of new technology and the melting pot theory, the country is becoming new and improved for the future.
"This country is turning into a bilingual country," Hugo Balta, news director for WNJU Telemundo, a Spanish language television station, said.
"The future is really, really great," Ibra Morales, president of the Telemundo station group, said. "It's really exciting."
Hispanics are now the largest minority group in America, Morales said. "The Mexican influence is very strong," he said. "The landscape (of America) is changing."
This, according to Janice Selinger, deputy executive director of production at New Jersey Network (NJN) and adjunct professor at the College, was why she wanted to expose her students to that aspect of the media. "You have to reach that audience," she said.
Balta and Morales were part of a lecture on Oct. 19, organized by Selinger. The lecture was part of her class, Cable and Broadcasting in America, but interested students and faculty not enrolled in the class were also invited to attend.
Balta and Morales stressed the importance of the growing Hispanic population. "Hispanics are moving all over the country," Morales said. "(They) are not afraid to move wherever they can find a better lifestyle."
It is this search for a better lifestyle that has led to a rise in the Hispanic population in America. Hispanics now represent 14 percent of the population, which translates to over 41.8 million people, according to Morales. Morales estimated that there may be as many as 50 million Hispanics in the United States because many are not counted in the census.
Balta pointed out that this audience has a large impact on the stories he chooses for the news programs aired on WNJU Telemundo.
He said that choosing stories "relevant to (his) audience" was crucial in deciding what to air. "Always know your client," he said.
"(Hispanics) love both cultures, but we are very proud to speak Spanish," Morales said. He demonstrated the differences between Telemundo stations.
One striking difference is "novelas," Spanish language soap operas that only run about 150 episodes. Morales laughed while talking about them but admitted, "We love novelas."
A more important difference is between that which is broadcast on American nightly news programs and Telemundo's "Noticiero Telemundo."
"English networks completely exclude the Hispanic world," Morales said. Telemundo, in contrast, has regional bureaus and independent reporters in several different countries.
The speakers came not only to inform the students, but also to encourage them to discover what aspect of communications and media they want to work in.
Morales was enthusiastic about internships and praised them as a great starting points for students.
"You're doing the right thing by being here," Balta said. "Make the most of it."
"(Morales) is certainly inspiring," Tom Antus, senior communication studies major, said. "(He) helped me instill faith in myself as I look to enter the field in the next few months."
Antus added that the only negative aspect was that more students didn't show up to take advantage of "such a rare opportunity to have such a significant person in a field willing to speak with students."
Selinger said her goal in scheduling the lecture was to "mix it up a little bit."
"I think (the students) really liked it," she said.
"In my opinion, there is no better advice to take than from those we aspire to be," Lauren Wanko, junior communications studies major, said.
(11/02/05 12:00pm)
Jason Price, junior music education major, watched the news reports about New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, and he decided to do something about the tragedy.
Amidst the excitement of fall break, students and professors gathered Friday, Oct. 21, for a jazz concert to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Joe Stellino, junior music education major, called the concert a "really good cause." He performed on piano, guitar and vocals.
"I like helping people out," Price, who organized and performed in the concert, said. "I'm always around for people."
The concert raised $530 in donations to be sent to the Salvation Army.
"I didn't know what to expect," Vanessa Hernandez, senior secondary education/history major, said. "But I liked it a lot."
Retrograde, a jazz ensemble at the College, performed songs like "I Get a Kick Out of You," "These Are the Days" and "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?"
Price, the drummer for the ensemble, called jazz music "a tradition in New Orleans."
"It's easy going," AJ Falisi, junior music education major and the group's saxophonist, said. "People would rather listen to jazz music than classical music."
At the conclusion of the concert, the band was given a standing ovation. In return, they treated the audience to an encore.
Craig Stanton, junior music education major and cellist for Retrograde, said that when Price proposed the benefit concert, he thought it was a "great idea."
The concert was sponsored by the music department at the College. Music majors volunteered as donation collectors and ushers.
"A lot of us care about what's been going on in New Orleans," Greg Marsh, junior music education major and volunteer usher, said. "(The concert allowed people) to sit down and have a good time."
Dave Herman, junior communications major, said, "I thought it was excellent. Jazz is my kind of music. I'm really glad that Retrograde came out to play and support victims of Hurricane Katrina."
"I really enjoyed it," Dick Thayer, adjunct professor of mathematics, said. "It was very well done."
Retrograde was joined by vocalist Shana Baty, junior business major, and trumpet player Gary Feinberg, assistant professor of music.
"It was all organized by (Retrograde)," Feinberg said. "They give a lot of themselves." He called the benefit "a spirit of making music" and "an honorable cause."
The decision to play jazz music at the benefit seemed fitting. "(Jazz) is such a part of New Orleans," Baty said. She chose to wear and look the part with her hair flipped over one eye as she mimicked the singing style of artists like Billie Holiday.
For Retrograde, the decision to play jazz also had a lot to do with personal taste.
"(Jazz) is our outlet," Baty said.
Overall, Price admitted that the crowd could have been bigger "but what we got is great."
Retrograde will be performing again Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Princeton Presbyterian Church. This time, they will be part of a concert to raise funds for the Trenton Community Music School.
- For ticket information, e-mail pianoKES@gmail.com.
(11/02/05 12:00pm)
In a supreme mockery of intellectualism, Democrats and Republicans gathered on the lawn in front of Loser Hall on Oct. 18 for a grand shouting match.
The two sides screamed at each other from opposite ends of the lawn for over an hour.
Police officers ringed the square, ensuring that the demonstrators stayed a reasonable distance from one another.
The battle was over who should act as New Jersey's governor - Democrat Jon Corzine or Republican Doug Forrester. Shockingly enough, the shouting match did little to settle the issue. It did, however, create a terrible racket. There is a fundamental problem with this sort of demonstration. Namely, the problem of partisanship.
On a small scale, it has already divided the College. There are clubs for campus Democrats and Republicans. There are public shouting matches that have to be monitored by the police.
On a larger scale, partisanship has torn a rift between "red" states and "blue" states.
Take, for example, the U.S. Senate. They're so busy fighting each other that they can't get a damn thing done. According to The Washington Post, "The list of stalled legislation is long, on issues ranging from energy and welfare to compensation for asbestos victims and curbs on medical malpractice lawsuits and other forms of civil litigation."
No one is surprised by how these senators vote anymore. They almost invariably vote along party lines.
Look at the example of Republican Senator George Voinovich from Ohio.
A while back, President Bush had nominated a man named John Bolton to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Bolton was infamous for being pushy, undiplomatic and rude.
His qualifications were not even an issue.
The Republicans voted for him (supporting the president's choice) and the Democrats voted against him (opposing the president's choice).
Voinovich, however, voted against the rest of his party. He was a Republican, but despite this he voted against Bolton's nomination. In a tearful speech, Voinovich begged the Senate to carefully consider the Bolton nomination.
"I know some of my friends say, 'Let it go, George, it's going to work out,'" he said. "I don't want to take the risk. I came back (to the Senate) and ran for a second term because I'm worried about my kids and my grandchildren. And I just hope my colleagues will take the time and before they get to this well, do some serious thinking about whether or not we should send John Bolton to the United Nations."
For having the gall to present a thought-out, carefully considered opinion, Voinovich was rewarded with being labeled a traitor.
"Shame on Senator Voinovich," Melanie Morgan, co-chair of Move America Forward, said.
Move America Forward, according to its Web site, is an "organization committed to supporting America's efforts to defeat terrorism and supporting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces."
Move America Forward ran television ads admonishing Voinovich for not only having a mind of his own, but (gasp!) using it.
"We are going to put our resources into putting the heat on Senator Voinovich until he sees the light. Standing up for American interests at the U.N. is urgent, and further delays only aid those who merrily wear the 'Blame America First' label," Morgan said.
Why is it that this man should endure public embarrassment because he had an opinion? It doesn't matter if he's an ass or an elephant, he has a right to think. Voinovich is nothing short of a hero. When he crossed party lines, he fought America's great modern disease.
In a Senate that can't get anything done because of partisanship, he made a decision based on facts.
Partisanship does not have to be a permanent fixture of American government.
We can decide to change it. We can decide, first and foremost, neither to encourage nor create it on any level.
My fellow students - get off of your asses. Don't allow partisanship just because it's always been this way. It doesn't work.
The government has been reduced to squabbling children. They are an embarrassment to the citizens they represent.
George Washington said in his farewell address, "Let me now . warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally."
He was president of a country that did not have formal political parties.
Perhaps Washington was on to something.
Information from - cnsnews.com, washingtonpost.com, yale.edu, moveamericaforward.org
(10/19/05 12:00pm)
As part of Community Learning Day, Donald Lovett, associate professor of biology, helped coordinate "The Evolution, Creationism and Intelligent Design Conflict in Public Schools: Understanding the Issues from Historical, Scientific and Sociological Perspectives" panel.
The goal of the panel, according to Lovett, was "to get civil discussion where you did not need to attack the other side." Unfortunately, no "other side" was present at the panel to represent the views of those in favor of intelligent design.
The event featured a three-person panel consisting of Lovett, Eugene Cohen, a former professor at the College in the department of sociology and anthropology, and William Behre, interim dean for the School of Education.
The panel was primarily concerned with the theory of evolution. This theory, made famous by biologist Charles Darwin. It suggests that changes occured gradually within species by a process of natural selection. According to evolution, slight changes to primal apes may have resulted in the modern man.
It is this concept that has sparked fierce debate. According to Cohen, Darwin's proposal of a primate ancestor has widened the divide between evolutionists and those who believe in intelligent design, the concept that certain features of the universe and of living things exhibit the characteristics of a product resulting from an intelligent cause or agent, not an unguided process such as natural selection.
The problem, Behre said, goes beyond science. He stressed that teachers have to be aware of where they are teaching and in what context. "You have to teach what they say to teach," he said.
Behre also said that there is a difference between banning the teaching of evolution in public schools and removing intelligent design from a science course. "It is subtle but different," he said. "There is no rule that says that I can't say (that intelligent design is possible)."
Cohen agreed, saying that the difference is that intelligent design may violate the separation of church and state. In pursuit of "civil discussion," the issue was opened to members of the audience.
Stephen DeRose, freshman biology and psychology major, challenged the theory of evolution. He quoted Michael Behe, author of "Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution," saying that in order for organisms to develop to where they are today, change would have had to happen far quicker than evolutionary theory suggests. DeRose called this theory "debilitating for evolution."
Lovett said he thought the panel was a success, adding that it was an opportunity for people to see the issue from a different point of view.
Students attending the panel seemed to agree.
"I liked how they opened it up for anyone," Emily Barranco, sophomore philosophy major, said.
Nora Beirne, sophomore English major, was even more emphatic. "When I heard that (Cohen) was doing this I had to show up," she said, adding that when she was a student in Cohen's class, people who were not in the course would come to hear him lecture.
Scott Blair, sophomore history major, said that the panel was "a little one-sided."
"If you feel it's not balanced, I agree," Lovett said. However, he pointed out that those in favor of intelligent design were invited to speak as part of the panel.
Danielle Dalafave, associate professor of physics, said in an e-mail, "I was asked to participate in the panel only about four weeks ago. This would have been ample time to prepare had I not broken my right hand a few days prior (to being asked to participate)."
Matt Esposito, senior history education major, was also invited by Lovett to speak on behalf of intelligent design. Lovett said that he assumed Esposito would be interested because he had written about the subject last year in the Opinions section of The Signal.
"I was invited to be a part of the panel and I declined because when I talked to (Dalafave) we determined that we didn't have enough time," Esposito said.
He pointed out that while Lovett has been teaching biology for years, he is only a student. Esposito also said that when two sides with "conflicting scientific reasoning" or "ideologies" come together, there is bound to be debate.
For those disappointed by the lack of support for intelligent design at the panel, there is still hope for a debate in the future. "I hope to participate in a more balanced panel on this subject at any time this or next semester," Dalafave wrote.