With the Fall semester coming to a close, we are excited to share our December 2018 newsletter. Below, you will find an introduction from our Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, Sean O. Stallings. Additionally, you can find information from the Athletics Department, Student Health Services, and the College's Health and Wellness team. You can also review some resources if you are a first time college parent/family member and learn about a Human Osteology and Forensic Anthropology course. Finally, we have also included important winter closing information, on-campus housing application details and a list of important dates and deadlines for your reference.
Wishing you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season.
Susie Orecchio, MA, NCC
Director of Administration & Operations, Student Affairs
Coordinator of Parent & Family Programs
Introduction from the Vice President
for Student Affairs
Dear Parent and Family Members,
It has been a difficult time here at The College of New Jersey recently. Our campus has been met with a variety of challenges that has tested the strength of our community. Some of you may have learned about recent reports of a terrible automobile accident that critically injured several TCNJ students with one, sophomore Michael Sot, succumbing to his injuries. This tragedy is on the heels of a campus disturbance when three students were victims of racially biased comments by other students which occurred a week after the death of another student, Jason Zujkowski, from what are believed to be natural causes.
When campus communities are struck with tragedy, it is amazing how they come together in a fortified manner in support for one another. The College of New Jersey is no different. In fact, it is amazing to see through all of these tragedies and the many other challenges students have faced this semester, our community has been there and supported one another. Whether it was a community standing up for inclusion of all or coming together in a vigil for victims, I am so proud of our students and the purity of their hearts.
To continue to be a beacon of support for our students as the semester winds down and the stress and anxiety ratchet upwards due to finals, we are offering a host of support of postvention counseling, academic support, and follow through with the student conduct code. We are actively engaging all levels our community in the restorative efforts. I ask that you encourage your students to take advantage of their opportunity to get involved, have their voice heard, and heal from what has been an incredibly difficult semester for many.
Sean O. Stallings
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS:
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Eickhoff Hall 107
609-771-2247
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
TCNJ Campus Police
Contact Campus Police by dialing 911 from any campus phone or 609-771-2345 from a cell phone.
NJ Hopeline (24/7) 1-855-654-6735
Dean of Students
Brower Student Center, Suite 220
609-771-2273
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30p.m.
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2018 TCNJ Parent & Family Day! For those who attended, please share any feedback on the day's events by filling out our feedback survey if you have not done so already. To see photos from the event, check out our Parent and Family Day webpage.
Mark your calendar! We are already looking forward to a day of fun on campus with our TCNJ families on Saturday, September 21st, 2019!
Health and Wellness Newsletter By TCNJ's Health and Wellness Portfolio
TCNJ's Health and Wellness portfolio launched a newsletter initiative last year and has been continuing it ever since. This newsletter can provide you with useful information about the departments, programs, and initiatives taking place at the College that focus on the health and wellness of your student(s). You can view the latest newsletter here.
Mental Health and Wellness Infographic By TCNJ's Health and Wellness Portfolio
Is your student unsure of where to turn for mental health resources on campus? Use this helpful infographic to see what department they should connect with!
First Time College Parent/Family Member?
If so, we have articles on our website focused on transitioning to college for parents and families. You can find articles and resources on our website here.
Faculty Corner By Jared Beatrice
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Stories from the Skeletons: Human Osteology and Forensic Anthropology
Students and faculty who happened to glance into room 324 of the Social Sciences Building on Tuesdays and Fridays this semester might have done a double take. Walking by at the right moment, one might have witnessed groups of students huddled around skulls, measuring long bones, or perhaps staring intently at a set of ribs or pelvic bones. Unusual sights like these are, in fact, routine in the world of forensic anthropology, which involves the application of principles from anthropology and human skeletal biology to the identification of human remains. Students in ANT 361, Human Osteology and Forensic Anthropology, participate in hands-on learning activities that give them a sense for what it is like to be called upon by law enforcement or a medical examiner’s office to assist in a death investigation.
Students who enroll in the course often have ideas of what they are getting themselves into. Forensic anthropology has exploded in popularity, due partly to the FOX TV series Bones, which features the adventures of fictional forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan. However, students learning the detailed anatomy of the human skeleton quickly realize that practicing forensic anthropology in reality requires lengthy, specialized training and patience that do not make for great television! Laboratory tasks require them to learn every bone in the body—their anatomical features, aspects of their growth and development, and how to identify and side (right or left) them individually. Next, students learn how to apply their knowledge of the human skeleton to forensic casework involving human identification. Each week, they are presented with portions of skeletons on which they must apply anthropological methods used to estimate biological parameters such as sex, ancestry, age at death, and stature. Beyond generating a biological profile, students spend time understanding how skeletal trauma, pathology, and individualizing features allow anthropologists to identify skeletonized human remains and assist in reconstructing the circumstances surrounding death.
Laboratory activities are designed so that students are doing anthropology, which makes graded assignments less intimidating and even enjoyable. For example, students learn forensic archaeology field techniques by conducting a mock search and recovery of skeletal remains (casts, not real!) that I scatter throughout a field on campus. For the course’s final laboratory project, I present groups of students with a real human skeleton that they have not yet seen and ask them to complete a skeletal analysis and generate a mock forensic anthropology case report similar to one that would be submitted to a medicolegal authority.
To enrich the course and highlight different applications of forensic anthropology, I also regularly invite regional practitioners to guest lecture in their areas of expertise. This semester, students learned about skeletal trauma analysis and personal identification from two forensic anthropologists at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner. They also had the chance to interact with a forensic archaeologist who led efforts to recover human remains following the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001, and whose recent work with historic burials in New York City was featured on the PBS TV series Secrets of the Dead.
Whether or not students enter the course familiar with forensic anthropology, they leave with an appreciation for human biological variation and a better understanding of how anthropology can be used to solve real-world problems.
TCNJ Student Health Services By Janice Vermeychuk, NP
Director, Student Health Services
A Message from Student Health Services
As our campus enters the cold & flu season, we ask parents and family to ensure that their student is vaccinated against the flu. Due to the close living and learning environment of a college campus, college students are at increased risk for contracting and spreading the flu. The flu is not just a bad cold; it can be a serious illness. Students miss classes, assignments, projects, student teaching, club events, trips, and sports for a week or more. Some students develop complications from the flu and need hospitalization.
Some facts about the flu vaccine:
The flu vaccine is not 100% effective – no vaccine is. However annual flu vaccination reduces the chance of getting the flu. Flu vaccination can also reduce the severity of illness in a person who gets the flu.
Having a high vaccination rate in a community reduces the number of circulating flu viruses.
Annual flu vaccination is needed because effectiveness wanes and flu viruses change year-to-year.
The vaccine takes 2 weeks to begin working.
Flu vaccine does NOT cause the flu.
Some people may experience a sore arm or muscle aches a few hours after their flu shot, for up to 1-2 days – but this is normal. Tylenol® or Advil® provides good relief.
Flu vaccination is readily available in the community at most doctor’s offices, pharmacies, clinics, and health departments. Flu vaccination is also available in Student Health Services for $20 (free to students enrolled in the TCNJ student health insurance plan).
We thank those students, parents and family members who have already received their flu vaccination this fall. Bravo!
Some of you may have heard on N.J. news that QuickChek stores closed their pharmacies this month. This includes the QuickChek Pharmacy on Pennington Road that has been filling prescriptions for many of our students and delivering them to campus for the past 12 years. Patient records at QuickChek Pharmacy will be transferred to CVS Pharmacy, and QuickChek will notify patients of this arrangement. Patients who have refills available on their prescription medicine can transfer their prescription to another pharmacy other than CVS – simply call your local CVS Pharmacy and request it.
Beginning November 19, 2018, The Robbins Pharmacy, located at 2108 Pennington Road (one mile from campus, next to the 7-Eleven store), will provide prescription delivery to campus, Monday through Friday, during the fall and spring semesters when the College is open. Students who opt for this service pick up their prescription in Student Health Services, 107 Eickhoff Hall. For details, go to https://health.tcnj.edu/prescription-medicine/.
PARENTS: Please provide your college student with current prescription insurance information (provide them with a card, a copy of the card, or a photo of the card on their phone). Student Health Services will fax this information to The Robbins Pharmacy. Many students want to use their prescription insurance but have no information with them at school and are not able to get in touch with their parents before the delivery time. It can rather unpleasant for them. So please make sure they are prepared.
In addition to The Robbins Pharmacy, which is one-mile from campus, other pharmacies such asCVS, Walgreens, andRite Aidare about a 2 mile drive.
Winter Closing Information By the Department of Residential Education & Housing
Residence halls will close for winter break onTuesday, December 18, 2018 at 8:00pm, and reopen Sunday, January 27, 2019 at noon. Residents are expected to vacate the halls 24 hours after their last exam or by the closing date, whichever comes first. Please remind your student to take all valuable possessions home for the break, including electronics, jewelry, passports, medication, etc. and also to pack appropriately, as staff will not be available to let people back into their rooms before the halls reopen.
If your student is moving into a new room in the Spring, please vacate the Fall room completely by the hall closing date. Any possessions left behind after closing will be discarded as the room is prepared for a new Spring resident.
Students will be emailed a notice with a closing check list, tips, dining hall times, and other important information for finals week in early December, and this information will also be posted on our website.
Housing Application Information By the Department of Residential Education & Housing
TCNJ on-campus* housing applications for the 2019-2020 academic year will be available starting on December 3, 2018! Applying is as easy as 1-2-3:
1. Students may log in toMy Housing. 2. Click on the academic year 19-20 application.
3. Fill out the required information and sign the housing contract.
Please note that students will be required to sign their contract upfront for their application to be considered complete. The contract is a binding agreement for the entire 2019-2020 academic year. If your student signs the contract but wishes to cancel the application, he/she/they may do so by Sunday, February 10, 2019 without penalty. All contract termination requests received after this date will be processed in accordance to thecontract release policyand may be subject to thecancellation and refund schedule.
Last year, everyone who applied on time received a time slot. It is anticipated that if your student applies by the application deadline (Sunday, February 10, 2019) that he/she/they will also receive a time slot!
Housing applications for the 2019-2020 academic year will be open: 12/3/2018- 2/10/2019
Deadline to cancel the 2019-2020 housing contract without penalty: 2/10/2019
Sophomore room selection: 3/4/2019
Junior/Senior room selection: 3/5/2019
Deadline to cancel the 2019-2020 housing contract for any reason: 3/11/2019 (Please note thatcancellation requestsreceived between 2/10/2019 and 3/11/2019 will be assessed a $250 fee)
Home for the Holidays A Survival Guide for College Students and Parents By Dr. Mark J. Forest
AVP for Health and Wellness, Director of CAPS
The holidays can be a stressful time for families, especially when students return home from college. Dr. Mark J. Forest, AVP for Health and Wellness and Director of TCNJ’s Counseling and Psychological Services, offers guidance on keeping the peace during the holiday season and recognizing signs of mental unrest within your student. Check it out here.
TCNJ Athletics Fall Recap By TCNJ Sports Information
Barry Beal, Norm Yacko, and Evan Shomo
Football – TCNJ first year student-athletes captured seven NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week awards, a new conference record. Quarterback Dave Jachera won four of those weekly awards on his way to being named NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Lions won three of their final four games, and eight TCNJ players earned All-NJAC honors.
Men’s Soccer – Nick Sample was named New Jersey Athletic Conference Pat Baldiserra Midfielder of the Year. Sample was also named COSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-District and First Team All-NJAC. Ryan Vazquez was named Second Team All-NJAC, while Joerg Jauk and Michael Maltese earned All-NJAC Honorable Mentions.
Women’s Soccer – TCNJ won its 18th New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship. The Lions also made their 28th consecutive NCAA Championship Tournament appearance, where they picked up two wins to advance to the sectional round. Taylor Nolan was named COSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-District. Nolan and Faith Eichenour were named First Team All-NJAC.
Men’s Tennis – The Lions completed a successful fall season capped by a pair of first year student-athletes, Matthew Michibata and Justin Wain, each advancing to the quarterfinals in singles play of the ITA Regional Tournament.
Women’s Tennis – Seven athletes earned 10 All-NJAC honors highlighted by first year Liya Davidov sweeping NJAC Player and Rookie of the Year. The team continued the NCAA’s longest active conference winning streak with a 6-0 record extending the run to 36 consecutive years. Davidov led the Lions at the ITA Regional Tournament advancing to the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles play. Senior Alyssa Baldi recorded her 100th career victory.
Field Hockey – The Lions advanced to the regional finals for the fourth time in five years. The team was ranked as high as No. 3 in the NFHCA poll and was inside the top seven in the rankings every week during the season. Sidney Padilla, Jackie Schwartz, Kayla Peterson, Cayla Andrews, and Tori Tiefenthaler earned First-Team All-NJAC Honors, and Lauren Cammarata was named NJAC Rookie of the Year.
Men’s Cross Country – TCNJ won its 29th New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship in program history. Justin Lindsey was named NJAC Coach of the Year, while Nick Falk and Pelle Nogueira were named First Team All-NJAC. William Mayhew, Robert Abrams, Quinn Wasko, and Luke Prothero earned Second Team All-NJAC honors.
Women’s Cross Country – TCNJ won its 32nd New Jersey Athletic Conference championship in program history. Natalie Cooper earned NCAA All-American honors for the second consecutive year, and she had the highest finish at the NCAA Championship for TCNJ in 20 years. Justin Lindsey was named NJAC Coach of the Year.
Significant Dates and Deadlines
Housing applications for the 2019-2020 academic year will be open: 12/3/18- 2/10/19. Last year, all students who applied on time were able to select a space on campus.
Exam Period: 12/11/18-12/18/18
Residence Halls close for winter break: 12/18/18, 8pm
Residence Halls reopen for the spring semester: 1/27/19, 12pm
First Day of Spring Classes: Monday, 1/28/19
Spring Semester Course Add/Drop Deadline: 2/5/19
Last day to apply for May, August, and December 2019 and January 2020 graduations without a $35 late fee: 2/21/19
Last day to submit change of major forms for Fall 2019 registration: 3/1/19
Residence Halls close for spring break: Friday, 3/15/19, 8pm
Residence Halls reopen: Sunday, 3/24/19, 2pm
Residence Halls close for the spring semester: 5/21/19, 8pm
Advancing Your Student's Education By Susan Hydro
Director of Graduate and Advancing Education
Learning is a continuous process, spanning educational levels and bridging seasons. Whether you are a working professional, current college student, or even a high school student, The College of New Jersey enables you to advance your education.
Is your student looking for a way to get ahead or graduate early?Summer and WinterSessions might be the path to pursue and registration is open now!
Does your student have a sibling at home seeking apre-college program? TCNJ offers residential and non-residential, credit and non-credit options!
A Legacy at The College of New Jersey is an alumna/alumnus or current student who is the grandchild, child, or sibling of another TCNJ alumna/alumnus or current student. The Office of Alumni Affairs hosts special events for Legacy families throughout the year. Please let us know if you are a TCNJ Legacy family by clicking here to fill out our survey.
Should You Pay For College with A Home Equity Loan? By Spencer Savings Bank
As Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz best stated - “There’s No Place Like Home”! All families know that and probably couldn’t agree more. But, they also know promoting independence once college is over is important. They want the best for their children and want to ensure they do not have so much debt that moving back in after graduation is their only option. Paying for the rising costs of your child’s undergraduate and/or graduate education can be challenging, to say the least. But know that, if you are looking to borrow some extra money, a Home Equity Loan may be a good option as it can be one of the least expensive ways to borrow for college. Interest rates have been low these past several years. You may want to consider it.
What is a home equity loan?
In simple terms, if your home is worth more than you owe on it, then you have equity. To calculate your equity, you'll need to know the market value of your home. This value is typically determined by a licensed appraiser. Your equity is the difference between this value and the amount of money that you still owe on it, for example the outstanding balance of mortgage you may have received to purchase the property. A home equity loan allows you to borrow against a percentage of that equity. In general, lenders will lend up to 80% of the value of the property minus the first mortgage balance.
What are the benefits of using a Home Equity loan to pay for college?
The main benefit of using a home equity loan to pay for college is that you can often get a better interest rate than you would other loans. (This is especially true if you have good credit.) They are typically less expensive to obtain versus other types of loans. The funds from a home equity loan are also very accessible and provide immediate liquidity for funding needs. Spencer provides quick approvals - usually 10 business days or less.
What types of Home Equity financing are available?
There are two main types of home equity loans - a fixed-rate loan and a variable rate home equity line of credit. With a fixed-rate loan, your rate and payment will not change during the term of the loan. The funds you are approved for will be given to you in one lump sum. Getting a fixed-rate loan provides stability, predictability and easy budgeting as you’ll know your exact monthly payments with no surprises. And, there are no annual fees and minimal other fees associated with these loans.
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is different in two major ways: (1) the rate is variable and thus can change up or down during the life of the line, and (2) you draw funds from the line at times of your own choosing, only paying interest on the amount you need to use immediately. The HELOC is revolving credit meaning whatever you pay back in principal becomes available to use again.
Think a Home Equity Loan is Right for You? Take the Next Step
If you’re looking to add to your toolkit of education paying options, know that a Home Equity loan is a great option and that you can count on the knowledge and experience of our Home Equity Professionals to help you choose the plan that works for you. Visit our Financial Center in Campus Town, or any of our 21 locations, for more information. You can also access our website or call us at (800) 363-8115 to speak with a banking professional today and learn more.
