Miniversity | Page 6
Summer Beginnings
Move In Day | Page 9
Unpacking for a New Year
Volume LXXXVII, Issue 01
With Magnitude and Direction Since 1924
Solar Decathlon: The
ENJOY House
NJIT and Rutgers’ students combine
their skills to show their might.
Balaji Sutharsanam
Contributing Writer
In an empty parking lot
behind Laurel Hall, you can
find the campus’ newest decoration, The ENJOY House.
With its concrete frame and
energy-efficient design, the
ENJOY house will be Team
B-Movie Breakdown | Page 10
Summer Hits You Can’t Miss
New Jersey’s entry into
the 2011 Solar Decathlon.
The Solar Decathlon,
which is administered by the
United States Department
of Energy, challenges collegiate teams to design solarpowered houses that are both
cost-effective and attractive.
The contestants represent Universities and Col-
leges from across the world:
Tongji University in China,
University of Calgary in
Canada, Stevens Institute
of Technology in Hoboken, The University of Tennessee and many more.
Team New Jersey, which
is comprised of members
from both The New Jersey Institute of Technology
and Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, will
present their ENJOY house
design against various other
eco-friendly and sustainable models on September
23rd, 2011 at the National
Mall in Washington, D.C.
Led by project manager
Jen Switala, a master’s student at NJIT’s College of
Architecture and Design,
Team New Jersey brings a
unique feature to the Solar Decathlon: it is the first
construction in the competition’s history to be made
entirely of pre-fabricated
concrete, which contributes
to the project’s cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
With its sleek angles
and thoughtful design, the
ENJOY house is sure put up
a fight against its competitors. The house features an
inverted-hip roof that allows
for rainwater collection and
concrete walls which require
Sudoku | Page 12
Take a Break
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
little up-keep. The home
also incorporates natural
ventilation, using wind flow
through operable windows
on the building’s south and
west faces to cool the home.
In addition to architectural fortitude, the ENJOY
house employs a strength in its
strategically placed technological additions. Solar thermal tubes and a photovoltaic
system provide the high-performing and energy efficient
improvements that judges
are sure to pay attention to.
Continued on Page 8
The Team ENJOY House standing strongly behind the residence halls and represents the joint efforts of many students across campus.
Campus Life | Page 3
Greek Life | Page 4
Newark | Page 5
Entertainment | Page 10
An Insider
Report:
HESAA
Greek Village
Begins!
Art Kitchen
Anime at a
Glance
Get an inside look into who
is really responsible for your
tuition and financial aid.
Following up on previous
stories about the status of
Greek Village, plans for the
construction of the greek village has been finalized and
you can hear about the ideas
and reasoning behind the
Gateway Project and how
it affects NJIT’s greek life.
Disappear for a moment into a
small haven that is located closeby on the streets of Newark.
Take a lovely glance back
in time as a brief recap is
explored on your views of
Japanese Animation Culture.
In this section, you can also
get an in depth look into dining at NJIT and a list of campus events to keep you occupied during this coming week.
Each moment hidden away
with delicate sweets and
warm drinks will prove
Art Kitchen to be a definite
visit for all NJIT students.
Take a break and play a good
game of sudoku or challenge
yourself to a crossword puzzle
as you read today’s comics.
Go Highlanders!
Page 2
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
The Vector
Volume LXXXVII, Issue 01
Editorial
The Vector is published weekly
during the Fall and Spring semesters by the students of New
Jersey Institute of Technology,
150 Bleeker Street, Newark,
NJ 07102. The Vector Office
is located in Room 466 of the
Campus Center.
The Vector is dedicated to the
memory of Dr. Herman A. Estrin and Roger Hernandez.
Executive Board
Editor in Chief
John Fostek
editor-in-chief@njitvector.com
Executive Editor
Romer Jed Medina
executive-editor@njitvector.
com
Managing Editor
Monica Pajdak
managing-editor@njitvector.
com
Business Manager
Lori-Ann Sciachitano
business-manager@njitvector.
com
Senior Staff
Copy Editor
A.J. Polanco
Staff
Matan Shavit
Daniel Ovale
Louis Gonzalez
Michael Nusspickel
Tiffany Demiris
Melissa Silberstang
Contributors
Danielle Judka
Philip Chen
Louise Pronstroller
Marie Zoghbi
Susan Aboelela
Andrew Mohammed
Maria E. Conneran
George Scoullos
Priyanka Rana
Carmel Pratt
Square: The New Portable Card Reader
Carmel Pratt
Contributing Writer
As the world starts to
feel the effects of technology both socially and environmentally, a new device/
application is affecting individuals financially. Square is
a revolutionary new way to
conveniently and efficiently
accept credit and debit cards.
Along with the interactive and user-friendly app, the
Square card reader gives any
owner of an Android, iPhone,
iPod touch, or iPad the accept
funds anywhere they have a
mobile device, giving them
power to not only simplify
the way they provide their
services, but also gain a huge
market of costumers. With
the unbelievably low transaction rate of just 2.75%,
Square makes money transfer cheaper, easier, and faster.
Founded in 2009 by the
creator of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, Square is headquartered in
San Francisco and is available
throughout the United States.
Called Square for its one
square inch card reader that
plugs into your device, the
application is changing the
way people not only run their
business, but run their lives.
From a technological
standpoint, the Square application and reader are not only
genius, but something that
we as students of a technology school can truly understand and appreciate. From
a logical perspective, Square
makes sense. A great idea,
paired with great talent in app
development, engineering,
and design, yield what is now
becoming the most successful new invention of our time.
Square should not only
be recognized for its greatness in advancement and improvement in technology, but
should be utilized regularly
as the new and obvious solution to business and personal
transactions. Student-run organizations, small businesses, fraternities and sororities,
sports teams, and individuals
have the opportunity to use
this exciting new development in technology, for free.
Unlike most traditional
credit card readers used by
businesses, Square does not
charge unless a transaction is
made. This means that whereas in the past, one would have
to pay monthly fees for usage
of a card machine, those extra charges are now eliminated and left for a business/
organization to profit more.
To find out more about
the Square device and application, go to squareup.com
or contact Carmel Pratt, the
New Jersey Institute of Technology campus representative
for Square at cp92@njit.edu.
Weather with Ollie: It’s Gonna Rain!
Distribution Management
Jon Kim
Christoper Fowler
Operational Advisor
Robert J. D. Moran
Faculty Advisor
Miriam Ascarelli
Deadlines
Articles or Letters
Friday prior to publication, 8
p.m.
articles@njitvector.com
Tuesday, September 6
High 70 | Low 66
Wednesday, September 7
High 73 | Low 71
Thursday, September 8
High 79 | Low 71
Friday, September 9
High 81 | Low 69
Satuday, September 10
High 82 | Low 66
Sunday, September 11
High 78 | Low 68
Ad Reservations
Two weeks prior to publication
ads@njitvector.com
Contact
vector@njitvector.com
973-596-3611
Business Office
973-596-5416
Editorial
Another
summer
session has come and gone
for those of us who are NJIT
veterans. But for freshmen,
the last summer after a year
of high school has come and
gone, and a new and exciting life awaits you! To all
the fair maidens and young
squires that have come to
join our wizened ranks, I
bid you welcome! Although
perhaps there aren’t as many
fair maidens as would seem.
NJIT, and college in
general, is the first real introduction students receive
to the real world. The many
exciting opportunities that
await, coupled with the importance of time management
made much more obvious,
give one many freedoms one
was not in control of in high
school. Studying is much
more laborious, and no one
will spoon-feed you through
your studies. This is the first
part of a new reality college
imposes on its students; although one may be swayed
to not study, commitment
to one’s work is essential.
Managing one’s time
between work and play is
perhaps the truly most difficult task set before a student.
Not that it should be the most
difficult task, but it is the easily the one that grabs most
of our attention. We want to
have fun, and we find this
urge to often at odds with the
things we know we must do.
This is why it is incredibly
important that we pick work
that we can also enjoy. Unfortunately that is not always
possible, but it is still possible no matter how difficult.
Ultimately college is
a microcosm of the real world.
We as students are steadily
approaching the world that
will become the greater part
of our lives, but are not quite
there yet. We are in a college
limbo, somewhere between
having a true job, and living
with the provided help of others. We’re not entirely living
on our own, but we act and
think more independently
than before. We have a good
view of what a workplace is
like, its politics and so on,
but we haven’t truly been
set loose in a real workplace.
College is the next
step, or hurdle, if you think
of it that way, in our path
to adulthood. We are adults
though…young adults making our choices and finding our way in life. So be
brave freshmen, and know
that you are welcome
amongst NJIT’s more seasoned and grizzled warriors!
Campus Life
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
CAMPUS LIFE
An Insider Report to the HESAA
Understanding the truth behind the
organization and what is going on.
Luis Gonzales
Contributing Writer
The Higher Education
Student Assistance Authority
(HESAA) stands as the foremost state agency in financial
aid, providing students and
families with monetary and
informational resources that
help student as they pursue
their education beyond high
school. This is the body that
reviews FAFSA, determining the kind of financial aid
package students receive.
Though I can feel the anger boiling up in all my readers as I mention Financial
Aid, let us keep prospective
on the topic at hand, HESAA.
This summer I was selected to be a part of the
HESAA Student Advisory
Board, an organizational
body comprised of various
New Jersey college students
charged with making recommendations to the agency regarding financial aid
matters affecting students.
Such a body is significant, as important decisions
regarding colligate academics
should include input from the
very people who are suppose
to benefit from it. I joined the
student advisory board because, as a student, there are
times when I feel that people
who are out of touch with the
struggles of being in college
are mortgaging my future
for their own personal gain.
Upon joining the Student
Advisory Board I could not
wait to express my thoughts
pertaining to the financial
aid process as a whole in the
state of NJ, thereby speaking up for all those students
who have had their refunds
delayed, have received insufficient aid packages, and are
finding themselves in massive debt at the age of 20!
All of my heated passion
towards HESAA, however,
was immediately subdued
when I saw firsthand that
the organization is not the
enemy, but rather the scapegoat. HESAA has little to no
control over the money relegated to college students in
NJ, as their budget is decided
upon by the state legislature,
which predetermines how
much aid students receive
based on their income level.
I was floored while at a
HESAA meeting as the committee chair read back this
year’s budget handed down
by the state. He didn’t start
lambasting the budget, or
devising ways to combat it.
Rather, the chair had more of
a defeated tone to his voice.
At that point it hit me:
these are state employees who are just doing jobs
handed down to them by the
state. The real grip is not
with HESAA, who come
off as middlemen, but with
New Jersey elected officials
(as it always seems to be).
I did, however, find my
spirits being raised from
the Student Advisory Board
meetings I attended, as HESAA seems to be an organization genuinely committed
to helping students as much
as is conceivable. HESAA
continually tries to secure as
many government loans as
they possibly can, helping
college students avoid private
loans with high interest rates.
Organization representatives also travel around
the state to various high
schools and colleges in order to give seminars on how
to apply for special grants
and scholarships as well as
money managing education.
The true purpose of the
advisory board as I see it is
make the pennies handed
down to HESAA by the state
of NJ as accessible to students as possible. Granted,
calling the funds pennies
may be a bit uncalled for
since the state of New Jersey
is ranked second in the nation
in distributing need based
grants. Unfortunately, the
state falls behind in the direct
aid it provides to colleges.
At this point, the best I
can do as a member of this
Advisory Board is to keep
my ears open to the students
and how they can be helped.
I urge everyone to submit
recommendations to HESAA
and myself about problems
with applying for financial
aid. Past Advisory Boards
were successful in getting
the FAFSA form altered so
as to be clearer to understand.
While the usual complaint of slow paper processing was something I was able
to bring up at one such meeting, it was quickly answered
by outlining a reduction in
staffers coupled with the handling the financial aid for the
entire state of NJ, which is
now including a new college.
When getting down
to the nitty-gritty, students
must seriously ask themselves what is the true grip
they have with financial aid
in New Jersey. More importantly, identify the true
source of the problem and
address it in a proper manner.
Too often do we find
the emotion driven student
whose anger drives them to
throw unwarranted accusations at the wrong people.
Once again, I am a student
who has been guilty of such
anger; after all, this is our
education we are paying for.
The key is to inquire as
to the source and how it can
be solved in the quickest way
possible, because as we all
know time is money in college.
Luis J. Gonzales is a senior
history student and can be
contacted at ljg3@njit.edu
Campus Events of the Week!
EventDateTimesLocation
International Coffee House
Tuesday, September 6
Women’s Volleyball vs. Lehigh Tuesday, September 6
SAC Hangover 2
Tuesday, September 6
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
7:00 PM
10:00 PM - 11:55 PM
Ballroom B
Athletic Center
Green
Greek “Boardwalk” Party
Greek Life Orientation
Wednesday, September 7
Wednesday, September 7
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
9:00 PM
Green
Multiple Venues
SAC Java House
Thursday, September 8
9:00 PM
Highlander Pub
Welcome Reception for
Friday, September 9
First Year Women Students
GSA Casino Night
Friday, September 9
Freshmen Weekend Pub Night Friday, September 9
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Atrium
5:00 PM - 11:00 PM
8:00 PM
Atrium
Highlander Pub
Tech GamesSaturday, September 1012:00 PMGreen
Freshmen Bowling Tournament Saturday, September 10
7:00 PM
Game Room
Freshmen Foam Party
Saturday, September 10
9:00 PM
Green
Freshmen VolleyballSunday, September 1112:00 PMGreen
Tournament and BBQ
Women’s Soccer vs. Lafayette Sunday, September 11
1:00 PM
Lubetkin Field
Men’s Soccer vs. Long Island Sunday, September 11
4:00 PM
Lubetkin Field
Freshmen Elections
Monday, September 12
Tuesday, September 13
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Campus Center Lobby
Campus Center Lobby
Page 3
NJIT Dining
Choices
Susan Aboelela
Contributing Writer
When hungry on campus, there is an assorted list
of options to choose from,
located right in the campus
center and managed by Gourmet Dining Services(GDS).
There’s the Continuous Dining Hall, Tech Café, the
C-Store, Café Spice, Taco
Bell, The Grill, Leafs and
Grains, and The Highlander Pub on the third floor.
All this may be new to
incoming freshman or transfers, but there are also quite
a few changes this fall semester that are new to us
all, which have been made
possible by student feedback on satisfaction surveys.
The first noticeable
change is longer Continuous
Dining hours, which have
been extended to 10:00 pm
Monday-Thursday and 9:00
PM Friday-Sunday. Students
taking a night class now
have time to not miss dinner.
Inside there have also
been some new changes. The
Steamed to Perfection Station has been replaced for
a Whole Grains Bar, where
you can find fresh produce
salad offerings and dressings.
The Make Your Own
Soup Station has also been
replaced. It is now the Fixin’s
& Nacho Bar. At this station
you can find a variety of toppings for burgers, hot dogs,
or custom-made nachos.
At the C-store there are
now freshly made smoothies and milk shakes. In addition, Café Spice now has an
extended menu with combo
specials including new beverages. You will also notice
significantly reduced pricing.
Changes have also been
made at Tech Café. The
Starbucks “Proudly Brew”
program is expanding the
availability of Starbucks’
beverages and food items.
You may now be able to fulfill your cravings and have
your favorite Starbucks drink.
Last but certainly not
least, no longer is cash
and flex points the only
way to purchase food!
All Gourmet Dining locations will now be accepting credit and debit cards.
NJIT welcomes everyone back to campus dining and hopes all will enjoy
these new developments.
Page 4
Greek Life
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
GREEK LIFE
NJIT Construction on Greek Village Set to Begin March 2012
The Gateway Project Plans are
beginning to bear fruit.
Andrew Mohammed
Contributing Writer
The New Jersey Institute
of Technology is beginning
its first major construction
project in years, with plans
for new student housing facilities targeted toward NJIT’s
sororities and fraternities.
Dubbed the Greek Village, this $60 million construction will be bordered by
Warren Street, Colden Street,
and Raymond Boulevard, occupying the existing parking
lot located across from Tiernan Hall and Lubetkin Field.
Construction is set to
begin in March 2012 and
will last 18 months, according to Dr. Joel Bloom, Vice
President for Academic and
Student Services and Dean
of the Albert Dorman Honors College. According to Dr.
Bloom, students can expect to
be living in the new housing
facilities by the fall of 2013.
Plans call for the construction of a 300-bed dormitory that will include dining
area, laundromat, pharmacy,
supermarket, gym, convenience store, and dining area
on the lower level of the
building; five duplexes providing space for 10 Greek organizations; and an academic building that will house
over 650 students attending
the Albert Dorman Honors
College in dormitories the
third through sixth floors.
Besides funding from
NJIT and the project developers, Greek Village and the
new residence hall will be
financed through fundraisers hosted by Greek organizations, the Albert Dorman
Honors College, and rent
and other fees paid by students living in the residences.
Because
construction
will overtake the existing
parking lot, the administration is hoping to redirect
parking to other areas belonging to NJIT. In addition the
current decks, lot 18, located
at 111 Sussex Avenue, will
be opened to accommodate
parking during construction.
The Greek Village will
be independent of the university with a private landlord allowing students to
feel free while living close
to campus; it will also feature a common place for students known as a “Green”.
Although some Greek
organizations fear that the
development of a Greek village is a way to regulate the
organizations within the university, administrators are
hoping to allay those fears
by emphasizing their hope
of cleaning up the surrounding community by building
new housing that will revitalize Greek organizations and
increase attendance at NJIT.
“There is no hostility towards the Greek Sororities and Fraternities in
any form, and houses can-
not be taken away from the
Greek organizations by the
school’s
administration,”
said Dr. Jack Gentul, Dean
of Students at the New Jersey Institute of Technology
According to Dr. Gentul, an investigation in 2008
revealed that the Greek organization facilities along
Martin Luther King Boulevard were not being properly maintained. There were
concerns that fire safety and
rodent problems within the
Greek housing would hurt
the potential for Greek life
growth at the university.
“We began to investigate the housing on MLK
and were very concerned
about the safety of our students,” said Dr. Bloom.
According to statistics
from the NJIT Campus Gateway Plan website, there was
a decline in membership of
the Greek organizations from
30 members per organization
in 1990 to only 18 members
per organization in 2006.
The plan’s objectives are
to bring the Greek life membership to levels above those
of 1990 and to enhance the
community surrounding the
university. The NJIT Campus Gateway Project, which
encompasses plans for Greek
Village, is aimed at developing a “college town” neighborhood with amenities for
students, faculty, and staff.
According to the Gateway Project Status 2010
update, The New Jersey Institute of Technology signed
the development agreement
with Jones Lang LaSalle
in December 2009. He has
completed similar projects
at the University of Houston,
George Washington University, and the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
“Jones Lang LaSalle is
one of the best developers in
the country,” says Dr. Bloom.
Future construction plans
envision:
• A deck to be built on
the current surface parking
lot of St. Michael’s Hospital on Martin Luther King.
Blvd. This project is in its
first phase and an agreement
has not yet been fully executed between the developer
and St. Michaels Hospital.
• Renovations to St. Michael’s Hospital and construction on University Park
– which is located along
Central Avenue – with plans
for retail, residential, and
academic buildings, a conference center, and a hotel.
Further balance of the
cost and revenues needed
to pay for the project will
be determined as the phases
of the NJIT Campus Gateway Plan are developed.
“Down
the
road,
it’s going to be a real
help,” says Dr. Gentul.
Andrew Mohammed can be
contacted at aam4@njit.edu
New Jersey Institute of Technology is proud to
be a sponsor of the PBS NOVA documentary
“Engineering Ground Zero,” premiering nationally
on WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7, 2011, AT 9 P.M. ET/PT.
Please check local listings and mark your calendar.
For More Information
About Greek Life
Visit NJIT.edu/GreekLife
or go to
Campus Center Room 493
Stay updated!
Stay connected!
www.pbs.org/nova
NJIT is New Jersey’s science and technology university. Our
promise is to provide NJIT graduates a competitive edge
and to conduct leading-edge applied research that will help
New Jersey and America prosper.
www.njit.edu
Newark
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
NEWARK
Page 5
A Newark Getaway Review: Art Kitchen
A little bit of Newark, a breath of Art,
and decadent food to take a break in.
The captivating sign of Art Kitchen welcomes all patrons.
Maria E. Conneran
Contributing Writer
Art Kitchen pulses with
a vintage feel and the hum
of the lunch crowd. Bold
graphic black and white
damask wallpaper envelops
the cozy, light-filled space.
The doorway is flanked
by two elevated seating areas,
which are nestled in the large
windows that look out on the
Newark skyline. Students
and business professionals
stream in around noon, ordering fresh fruit smoothies or chickpea sandwiches.
“Most of our food is
made to order” says co-owner Octavio Pires, as he sits
across from me at the long
white table in the back of the
café, which is conveniently
located just blocks from the
NJIT campus on the intersection of Halsey St and New
St. Since opening in 2008, it
has become a popular haunt
for health-conscious creative
types, including many students from Rutgers and NJIT.
Art Kitchen has unique,
healthy menu offerings and an
extensive selection of coffees,
teas and fresh juices. Many
of the employees, including
Pires, are vegetarian, and
this is reflected in the menu.
The most popular items,
in his opinion, are: The
raw juice bar ($4.45), turkey sandwich ($4.95), tuna
melt ($4.95) and the hummus ($3.75). An underrated
favorite? The vegan peanut butter cupcake ($1.50).
What makes Art Kitchen
different from Starbucks?
“Specialized,
trained
baristas,” according to Pires.
He believes that the appeal of
Art Kitchen lies in the service,
which is “young and hip.”
The café’s name is a
clever complement to Hell’s
Kitchen Lounge, another
stylish Brick City hangout
which Art Kitchen co-owner
Anthony Moraes opened
in 2007. It is located on
150 Lafayette in downtown
Newark, just a few blocks
away from Penn Station.
When asked about the
origin of their idea for an
art-centric café, Pires noted that they used to share
the space with a framing
store. Pires is also a patron
of the arts, and many of his
friends are successful artists.
Art curator Rebecca
Jampol has collaborated with
Pires and Moraes to create a
youthful but elegant atmosphere. An eclectic mix of
music, which ranges from
classic rock and roll to Indian music, drifts through
the speakers. It complements
the décor, which features
many pieces culled from
a flea market in Brooklyn.
The low menu prices keep the profit margin
tight, which, according to
Pires, is one of the challenges of operating a café
in Newark. Why Newark?
“Newark has that raw
quality that NYC will never
have again,” says employee
Samer Fouad, a 21-yearold graphic design student
at Rutgers. “NYC has become cliché,” he adds.
“We are definitely adding
more to the community.”
Although red velvet cupcakes ($1.50) are the best
sellers, Fouad favors the
lemon cupcakes. He prepared
a delicious hazelnut latte
($3.50) for me and shared a
sample of his own concoction called a “dirty chai”
($3.75): a blend of chai tea,
steamed milk, and espresso.
The Art Kitchen has gallery openings held at the café
every 6 weeks. Openings
have food, drinks, and music.
Fouad has displayed some of
his own work at Art Kitchen.
His appraisal of the cafe is
unequivocal: “Art Kitchen
is a wonderful place to work
and a wonderful place to eat.”
Art Kitchen in it’s entirety gives off a homely vibe.
Art Kitchen
61 Halsey St.
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 732-1278
Patrons enjoy an afternoon away by reading novels and eating light and delicious snacks. Hours:
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
Photos Courtesy of Maria Conneran
Page 6
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
Miniversity
Connections Miniversity
An inside look into who planned this
year’s festivities and events!
George Scoullos
Contributing Writer
Every summer, in the
months of June and July,
all incoming NJIT freshmen are required to attend
Connections
Miniversity,
NJIT’s interactive freshmen orientation program.
This summer, Connections
Miniversity, or CMV as it is
commonly abbreviated, had
over 1000 incoming freshmen attend the two day introductory college experience.
Despite the fact that
CMV is an integral part of
each student’s preface to
NJIT many people are not
aware of the purpose and
importance of the program
and the hard work it takes to
plan and execute such a successful freshmen orientation.
The CMV program begins in the fall, when the
Lead Cluster Coordinators
along with the Associate Director for Leadership, Diversity and First Year Programs begin hiring their staff
of 18 to 20 students known
as Cluster Coordinators.
The majority of the students that apply to be a Cluster
Coordinator are sophomores
that recently went through the
CMV Program their Freshman year. All others that apply tend to be students that
are actively involved in Campus Clubs such as the Student Senate and Greek Life.
Incoming freshmen get their first opportunity to take a photo with the Highlander.
This year, the Connections Miniversity staff consisted of: George Scoullos
and Stephanie Pawlak as the
Lead Cluster Coordinators,
Leanne Marano as the Lead
Office Assistant, and Meghan
Marsh as the Office Assistant.
Ashley Martins, Bernard Wyllie, Cathy Huynh,
Christian Rosa, Christina
Melo, Jeff Strangio, Kellen Naranjo, Kenneth Ford,
Kristen Hagen, Luis Sergovia, Nicholas Yacullo,
The Cluster Coordinators are dressed by their freshmen to compete in a game show that ends with an epic ninja battle of honor and pride.
Olusade Mabawonku, Prabhat Vijayan, Rocco Cerami,
Vijay Chillar, Vrunda Desai
and Zach Schaad served as
the Cluster Coordinators.
Our training begins the
last day of spring finals, and
lasts for a little over a week.
During this time, we all get
to know each other and pre-
pare for the Connections
Miniversity program itself.
The staff is broken down
into 4 primary committees
which are chaired by returning cluster coordinators.
These committees include
The Highlander planner
Committee, The Highlander Race Committee and
The Club Fair Committee.
This year the Highlander Planner committee was
chaired by Kristen Hagen.
The committee’s primary
duty was to make the Highlander Planner, a booklet with
vast amounts of information
about NJIT’s Campus Resources. A copy is given to ev-
ery incoming freshman during Connections Miniversity.
The Highlander Race
committee was chaired by
Bernard Wyllie and Christina
Melo. This committee’s responsibilities included planning all the games played during Connections Miniversity.
The Club Fair Commit-
tee was chaired by George
Scoullos. This committee
was responsible for inviting all the student organizations recognized by the
Student Senate, Greek Life
and by the University to the
Club Fair that is held during Connections Miniversity.
This gives the incom-
Freshmen watch their groupmates compete in different activities (to the left) and during lunch they play pictionary with each other (to the right).
ing freshmen a chance to
network with matriculated
students, learn about all that
NJIT Clubs have to offer
as well as encourage them
to get involved on campus.
Throughout the months
of June and July, Connections
Miniversity
hosts
five- two day freshmen orientation sessions. The staff
would arrive on campus on
Sunday’s in order to prepare
for Monday and Tuesday.
During their two days
here the incoming freshman
get the opportunity to meet
their peers, become familiar
with the campus, and have
some fun playing all the games
the Highlander Race Committee has prepared while
they learn as much information as possible about NJIT
and the college experience.
The Connections Miniversity Staff also hosts
Transfer Connections, which
is a one day session for students that have transferred
from another institution or
community college. During Transfer Connections,
many student services departments, from Financial
Aid to Public Safety come
and speak to the students.
I have been part of the
Connections
Miniversity
Program for three years, and
I have had a chance to work
with a lot of great people
and meet a lot of the incoming freshman. If you enjoy
working with others, meeting new people and are seeking a professional experience
that further connects you
to NJIT, apply to be a Connections Miniversity Cluster
Coordinator today!
Miniversity
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
Page 7
What Every Freshmen Expects from College!
Expectations, examinations, and
education. First glance at college.
Freshmen race each other in the magic carpet game to garner their team points.
Two students enjoying the club fair in style.
Danielle Judka
Contributing Writer
Freshman orientation is
important to any college in
keeping their incoming students excited for the upcoming year. Some orientations
are dull and boring, while
some are exciting and keep
the new class optimistic the
next four years of their lives.
Connections Miniversity
(CMV) is NJIT’s freshman
orientation program, but unlike other orientations, it is
a two day overnight event!
This orientation is interactive and has selected sessions in which connections
groups participate in contests to see which the best is!
After taking the grueling
and ever so annoying placement tests, freshmen are then
assigned their CMV dates
and then continue to prepare
for their stay. Upon arriving
at orientation, the students are
separated into their respective session groups, which
are led by upperclassmen
who go through the ropes
of a basic NJIT experience.
Students participate in
numerous contests such as
a banner competition, relay
race, quiz challenge, skit arrangement, and whatever
else the group leaders can
think of and plan during the
event. Most of the students
regarded the CMV experience as “full of activities that
kept you from getting bored”.
This was also a great opportunity to immerse freshmen in the diversity that
NJIT offers. One student
showed his surprise in getting
to know the cultures of his
group mates. “I didn’t realize
that so many different kinds
of people could have similar interests,” the incoming
freshmen said, “You get people from all across the radar
coming here to learn the same
things you want to learn!”
Though some students
showed how nervous they
are about coming into the
school, others expressed enthusiasm. “No pain, no gain,”
an eager student expressed
at the end of the CMV experience, “You have to work
a little to get by a little.”
Many incoming freshmen are excited to start a
new page in their lives, and
welcome new opportunities
at their doors. CMV was the
gateway that allowed these
freshmen to get a feel for
NJIT before they even begin classes! With class right
around the corner and fall
semester starting, these freshmen are up and ready to go!
Photos Courtesy of Romer Jed Medina
Groups try their best to spell out words with their bodies in a fast-paced competition.
Catching a bit of break during lunch, freshmen get to talk to upperclassmen in their major
One cluster group taking a picture to remember their experiences and each other.
The first group to accomplish the magic carpet out of all five miniversity sessions.
Page 8
Campus Life
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
Photos Courtesy of Romed Jed Medina
The ENJOY house is slowly constructed piece by piece in the early stages of construction.
ENJOY members take a small break during the unveiling of the house.
Heat is kept inside due to insulated walls.
Consistent checking and rechecking of the house ensures it’s safety and succesful construction.
The careful placing of the first wall.
Continued from front
page...
The panel of jurors includes prominent speakers
that will judge the house on
certain criteria including:
architecture,
engineering,
market appeal, communications, and affordability.
Contestants earn points
by completing certain tasks
during the course of the
competition, and the judges
will evaluate how well the
teams meet these objectives
in their respective houses.
In addition, the judges will
put to the test how formidable the energy-efficient
improvements truly are.
The ENJOY house has
been sponsored for over
$600,000 by local New
Jersey companies including the PSE&G Foundation, SKANSKA USA and
Northeast Precast L.L.C.
In addition, Team New
Jersey received a $100,000
grant from the U.S. Department
of
Energy.
The ENJOY house
is 960-ft2 and intended for
couples that retire to the Jersey Shore. Thus, the house
is accessible to people of
all ages and levels of mobility. The ENJOY house is
due to ship out towards the
end of September in order
to be reassembled in D.C.
Visit www.solardecathlon.
gov for more information on
Team New Jersey, their competitors, and the 2011 Solar
Decathlon.
Campus Life
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
Page 9
Community Connections: Connecting Students for a Lifetime
Priyanka Rana
Contributing Writer
Freshmen in the program building towers of balloons.
Students form teams for a scavenger hunt on campus.
College freshman: “I
am afraid; what will it be
like?” Community Connections will not only answer
this and other questions, it
will engage incoming freshmen with a network of peer
mentors and advisors from
different NJIT communities.
Incoming freshmen who
are part of neither the Albert
Dorman Honors College nor
the Educational Opportunity Program are enrolled in
Community
Connections,
and will be assigned a peer
mentor according to their respective majors and colleges. Peer Mentors were once
freshmen themselves, so they
can act as guides that will
facilitate the transition from
high school to NJIT. They
act as friends who will provide incoming students with
encouragement and support
they need to be successful.
Freshmen take pictures of different locations on campus.
Working together in groups, many ideas are formed.
Move-In Day!
Upperclassmen aide students and their families as they move into their dorms (top left) and the U.C. CAs welcome each students with a smile (top right)
Different organizations and members of greek life lend their time and effort into helping new students move into their respective dorm rooms.
Page 10
Entertainment
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
ENTERTAINMENT
Special B-Movie Breakdown: Hot Must-See Summer Movies
Take a break and
watch these hits.
Daniel Ovale
Staff Writer
Well howdy and welcome to a new semester of
movie fun, breakdown fans.
I can bet that for many the
summer went by too fast, so
lets take this time out for a bit
of immediate nostalgia. After
all, it hasn’t been summer for
a few hours (If we count Labor Day as the summer’s end).
What better time to reminisce
and look back at the beauty
that was the summer of 2011?
For many, Summer mean
BBQ’s, days at the beach (or
shore if you wanna roll that
way), vacations, or jobs/internships. That’s is all fine
and dandy for those summer days, but Ohh Ohhh
those Su-uh-mer Nights!
Those summer nights were
built for packing the theaters
with the family or friends
and letting the pop corn fly.
This year’s blockbuster season had the expected
failures and the unexpected
triumphs which have come
to be expected from Hollywood’s summer crop. I’ve
narrowed the summer season down to the five movies
that are certainly worth your
time, delivering a pleasant surprise. This list should
cover a wide enough range
of film types to please even
the pickiest movie go-er.
5. Fast 5 (action super hero)
Fast 5, or “5 Fast 5 Furious” as I like to call it, deserves a high 5 for breathing
new life into a tired series.
This movie settled all my
complaints with the most
resent efforts from this franchise. It is less racer/gear
head centric than the others, with little time devoted
to the hard cuts and close
up views of the racing motif
that the previous offerings
popularized. Instead it opts
for reliably action packed
fight and chase scenes, where
the consequences go beyond
loosing a race and hedge towards loosing your life. All
of this is delivered in a tight,
fast, and engaging package.
Those action movie buzz
words like “High Octane”
and “Action Packed” fit Fast
5 better than any other movie
this summer. While it seemed
the super heroes were all on
a serious trip, Fast 5 was a
breath of fresh/mindless/fun/
fast/furious air. Where some
movies mixed dealing with
the Cold War, X-Men First
Class, or WWII, Captain
America, in with their action,
Fast 5 had the good sense to
simply deliver what we really
want in a Summer block buster (T and A?), mindless fun!
Also, it is worth noting
that this movie was the only
big budget picture to offer
an ethnically diverse cast;
and yes it does get bonus
points for the Brazilian butts.
4. Super 8 (Family/Adventure)
Super 8 is super great!
If you followed my immediate nostalgia joke earlier,
but didn’t like it and are in
the mood for real nostalgia,
then Super 8 is the flick for
you. Paying homage to the
child-centric block busters
of the 1980’s, Super 8 is a
welcomed walk down memory lane. Yes, everything is
familiar, it feels sort of like
you have seen this movie before and this produces some
predictable plot points, but
really who can complain?
It is a perfectly crafted love
letter to the movies and
movie lovers of the 1980’s.
Super 8 was by far the
best family friend movie
of the summer. With its
only
competition
being
good efforts (though they
were squeals) from Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda 2
and Pixar’s Cars 2, Super
8 was easily the best kid flick.
3. Bridesmaids (Comedy)
Bridesmaids is the only
comedy of the summer to be
truly Laugh Out Loud funny.
This superbly written “chick”
flick mixes gross-out humor
with awkward moments into
the fuel for a constant laugh
machine. When I say chick
flick though, don’t expect
schmaltzy cheese, or sassy
brass. This movie is the female equivalent to The Hangover, Old School or any of the
other “frat house” comedies
of the past decade. Out of
the other summer comedies
that fit this mold, (Horrible
Bosses, The Changeup, The
Hangover 2) Bridesmaids
is clearly the summers best.
Writer/star Kirstin Wigg
is spectacular and surrounds
herself with some of the best
female comedic talent around.
Wigg has been the funniest woman on the planet for
some time now and it is pleasing to see others acknowledge her genius. The success
of this effort will hopefully
convince Hollywood to fund
more hot lady comedies and
allow other awesome ladies
to show off their lady balls.
2. Beginners (Independent)
Beginners is a beautiful
film that is as pensive and
calculated as its lead character. As Oliver, Ewan McGregor is the quintessential
Indy film male lead. Damaged, conflicted, confused,
aimless; ladies, this guy has
it all (even an adorable “talking” dog). All that’s missing is his girl, and this is
where Beginners sets itself
apart from lesser movies.
McGregor doesn’t get
an Indy pixy dream girl who
sweeps in to magically fix all
his problems. Instead he gets
the gorgeous Melanie Laurent, who plays a complex
and deep character. Her motives are true, grounded, and
understandable, as she portrays a character as complex
and deep as McGregor’s. In
fact every character is beautifully fleshed out. Christopher Plummer does an especially adorable job portraying
McGregor’s newly out-ofthe-closet elderly father.
The movie feels incredibly personal, and with a
story that stems from writer
director Mike Mills’ real life
experiences in dealing with
an un-closeted elderly father,
this is no surprise. Combined
with the beauty and honesty in the story is a delivery that perfectly personifies
the tones and messages of
the film. When it ends, with
little resolution, we come to
realize the depth and beauty
of the title as we can expect
that we are only beginners.
1. Midnight in Paris (Woody
Allen)
Allen is back in old
form in this picture that very
cleanly transports us back
and forth between present
day Paris and the Paris of the
1920’s Jazz Age. This movie
earns its spot as the number one summer movie both
because it fits the nostalgia
motif of this summer movie
breakdown, and it is a near
perfect Woody Allen film.
Owen Wilson is at his
best in the would be “Woody
Allen” role. He plays Allen
very well, with a nervous
stammer, dodging questions
with lies, and he easily replaces Larry David from
Whatever Works as my favorite Allen-esque character in a
recent Woody Allen movie.
Allen also gets strong
performances from the rest of
his cast, with many spectacular cameos of famous faces
playing some famous figures
from the 1920’s (whose mention could spark spoiler warnings). Ultimately though, this
movie is a magical exploration
of nostalgia and love in the
beautiful city of Paris. That
combination just seems prefect for a clear summer night.
.
Entertainment
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
The Need to Know Basis on Anime
A perspective on the influencing
culture of Japanese Animation.
Danielle Judka
Contributing Writer
It is hard to miss the
influence of animation in
today’s entertainment. It has
enhanced how we can visualize a story in ways a physical actor cannot. Imagine
how a group of artists can
get together, form a story,
draw it, and
bring to life
such amazing pieces;
well,
Japan’s had
that concept
down since
almost
the
1960s!
What
makes
anime
stand out
above
other
forms of
animation, such as
the rendered
animation of companies like
Pixar, is its already deep
involvement in modern
entertainment and its ability
to connect with the audience
in ways similar to a common
drama or comedy.
Though it may appear
just to have cute girls and
handsome guys in a common school setting, anime
hosts a variety of stories
and plots that may surprise
you! Genres range from cute
comedies to dark tragedies,
and everywhere in
between! Anime is
extremely open in
terms of what
you can pick
up or watch, so
it is easy to
satisfy
anyone’s
tastes!
Like any form of entertainment, there are the classics, masterpieces that America and the world have loved
for decades. Of these, we
have My Neighbor Totoro,
which portrays an ideal type
of childhood. Sailor Moon, a
very well recognized anime
that focuses on cute girls
fighting evil for the sake of
love and peace, jumpstarted
the “magical girl” concepts
commonly seen today.
Akira is a sci-fi cultclassic anime that highlights gangster motifs with
a futuristic spin, and was
revolutionary in crystallizing those characteristics
which define anime. The
well-known Gundam series
is famous for introducing
the “mecha” and space-war
genres, though it has several
different series that can appeal to almost any audience.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is
another sci-fi/ mecha classic
with a psychological feel; it
is also extremely popular and
has gone through numerous
remakes.
The more commonly
known titles are the “shonen” (action) based titles.
Dragonball Z is a cult-classic
that has become a part of
most cultures and has provided a heavy influence over
a long span of years. Despite
the fact that action titles
tend to win most audiences,
others are story based and
meant to strike at the heart or
lighten up a mood.
Courses & Private Tutoring
GMAT GRE LSAT MCAT
®
®
®
®
What you get with The Princeton Review:
Convenience
scheduling built around your hectic life,
available in person or online.
Custom Built
instruction focused on your specific
strengths and weaknesses.
Teachers
our standard is elegant in its simplicity –
we expect your teacher to be the best
you’ve ever had.
Results
higher scores, guaranteed.*
800-2Review | PrincetonReview.com
*Visit our website for guarantee details. Test names are the trademarks of their respective owners, who are
not affiliated with The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University.
“Shojo” (romantic based) or
slice-of-life titles are
also pretty popular.
Of these titles the
most well-known
are Ouran High
School Host Club,
a romantic
comedy about
a female student
stumbling
upon
a school
host club;
Baccano!,
a 1930s
based comedy about
a group
of thieves;
Durarara!!, a
new title about
gang wars in
one
city; K-ON!, a
lighthearted music
based series;
and also
many
more!
Newer
titles include Death Note, a
psychological thriller; One
Piece, a comedic piratebased action; Fairy Tail,
another comedic adventureaction series; Trigun, a wildwest based sort of anime;
Full Metal Alchemist, an
adventure based title cen-
Page 11
tered around a alchemist
and
his brother;
Tiger and
Bunny,
a new
title about
televised
superheroes
that compete to save
their city from evil;
and many more!
Is anime hard to come
by? Not if you know your
resources! Though
most titles are
found only
in Japan,
dedicated
groups are devoting themselves to
keeping people
around the world
involved in the
progression of anime
by adding English subtitles to
presently running
series.
To get a feel for
different series,
look
for online anime
subgroups
on
streaming
sites
like Hulu
or
Youtube. If
you need more information
on what anime to look for,
you can search Google for
popular titles or visit animenewsnetwork.com.
Page 12
NJIT’s Newspaper, The Vector
Sudoku Challenge
Easy!
Weekly Horoscopes of Awesomeness
Aries - (March
21-April 20)
Things
aren’t
look’n so hot for
you this week
Aries. Remember that thing you did last
week that raised a lot of eyebrows? (yeah that thing…
you know what I’m talking
about) Well, you may have
had your fun, then, but no one
around you was enjoying it,
so you’re about to get some
pretty intense blowback. The
stars say you should find
somewhere to hide for at least
two days before the blowback finds you. Preferably
hide on one of those dangerously steep cliffs that rams
typically climb on. No one’s
likely to find you there, or
have the urge to go looking.
Taurus – (April
21-May 20)
Good lord Taurus, why did you
have to eat so
much last night?
What were you thinking?
The Sun told me that’s not
very good for the digestion,
so I bet you’re gonna be in
and out of the bathroom more
often today. It’s all good
though, I’m sure you enjoyed
that meal more than anyone
knows…just don’t do it again
anytime soon. Wait a week
before the urge to be a glutton overwhelms you, or you
may find you’ll be having
your last meal way too soon!
Medium!
Challenging!
Random Thoughts
“How long does it take for a chocobo (or panda, if you
don’t know what a chocobo is) to reach adult hood? At
what age is it considered an adult? When can it start paying its own bills?”
Entertainment
Gemini – (May
21-June 20)
So the stars aren’t
being
straight
up with me this
week Gemini. But I’m gonna be straight up with you, I
promise. Things are a bit hazy
in the sky this week, but here
I go! I see…two melons…
no…wait…two kiwis. Well,
it’s definitely two of some
kind of fruit, but I can’t be
too sure. You like fruit right?
Sure you do! There’s definitely something fruity about this
week for you Gemini, so go
out there and grab some melons! (or kiwis if you prefer).
Cancer – (June
21-July 22)
Well gee Cancer,
aren’t you just
prone to heroics this week. I
mean, I know you’re a swell
person and all, but damn!
You’ve been saving so many
people recently you can’t
even count them all! Keep
at it Cancer, cause there may
be a damsel in distress one of
these days, and she’s bound to
be grateful. Whoops! I forgot
about all the lady Cancer’s
out there. But don’t worry,
the stars don’t discriminate…often. There’s bound
to be a strapping young lad
in danger for you as well.
Leo – (July
23-August 22)
For once Leo,
the stars chose to
be very specific
about you this week. Like,
this doesn’t ever happen
Leo, EVER! The stars are
telling me that you, yes you,
are bound to have a pleasure
cruise this week. And like,
it’s gonna be on a boat. ON A
BOAT LEO! Can you believe
it? I bet you’ve never been on
a boat ever. But do remember to take swimming lessons
before leaving Leo; don’t
go drowning on me now!
Virgo – (August
23-September 22)
The Maiden is
weeping this week
Virgo. Oh no, she’s not weeping because she’s sad, don’t
worry about that. She’s weeping because you Virgo’s have
made her so happy recently,
what with all your good attitudes and efforts out there.
But seriously, you’ve all
been such great people recently that you made your
starsign cry…YOU MADE
HER CRY. You are a terrible
person and need to reconsider your life because you
made such a great lady cry.
Make her stop crying! I can’t
bear to look at her anymore!
Libra – (September 23-October
22)
Everything must
be in balance.
You know this better than the
other stars Libra. Like two
wrongs don’t make a right,
and two lefts…well, almost
put you back where you started…or something like that.
Trust me I know what I’m
talking about. The stars never
lie and are always in balance.
But wait! A streaking comet
has just tipped the scales.
Best get your bookshelves in
order this week all you Libras, or the delicate balance
you have on them is bound
to come toppling down.
Scorpio – (October 23-November 21)
Games
games
games
games
games, huh Scorpio? You just love having fun,
and there’s been no other way
to go about things recently
for you. Fine then! If there’s
a board game, video game, or
some other form of entertainment enticing you this week,
go for it. See if I care…I know
the stars don’t pay any mind.
Why do you get to have all
the fun while the stars have
to hang in the sky for your
amusement? Are you even
amused by that, you funny
person you? I bet you are.
Sagittarius –
(November
22-December 21)
What if I told you
that for nine easy payments of
$5.55 you could have a great
new blender for your kitchen?
Well don’t buy into that crap
this week. You’ve already
bought enough things from
the shopping channel that
are piling up in your home.
Have you ever watched that
show “Hoarders” Sagittarius? DON’T IGNORE ME!
I know you have! The stars
are implying something here,
and it is best you take heed.
Capricorn – (December 22-January 20)
Whoa, that’s seriously awesome
for you this week.
I just looked at the stars, and
man let me tell you, there has
never been a better arrangement for good luck than that.
Just to give you an idea of
how awesome it looks, imagine if the moon had a big smiley face on it, and was made
of gold. And then all of a sudden the moon burst and the
gold turned into diamonds
that rained down on the
Earth. Um, but that wouldn’t
be so good for the tides I suppose. Just know that some
luck is bound to come your
way this week (and the moon
isn’t going to explode either; lucky break I suppose)
Aquarius – (January 21-February
19)
The trade winds
are blowing in your
favor this week. A suave and
dapper gentlemen is coming
your way this week with a
business offer that will blow
your mind. Or perhaps an offer you can’t refuse (I can’t
account for every Mafioso
out there dude). Whichever
comes your way, know that
you need to accept. This offer
of a lifetime will either make
you or break you. But if you
get the Mafioso, it’s probably
best you start packing heat.
Pisces – (February 20-March 20)
I want to say
one word to you,
just one word…
plastics.
The
stars told me to tell you
that. Hope you know what
that means, cause I don’t.