With less than a month left until graduation, Montclair State still does not have a guest lined up to speak at the commencement ceremony this year.

Students are not pleased because the university’s original choice, football player Victor Cruz, is no longer speaking due to miscommunication. According to The Montclarion, Cruz never agreed to speak because the dates did not work for him.

Farhana Mukith, a junior business hospitality management major, was reflecting on how Rutgers was able to get Barack Obama, the president at the time, to speak at their graduation last year. “I definitely wouldn’t want Donald Trump to speak at commencement,” Mukith said. “How about Drake? I love him.”

Mukith was annoyed that another university so close to us was able to get such a great speaker last year, yet Montclair State can’t find anyone for this year. She hopes that next year at her graduation, the university steps up their game.

Mukith wasn’t aware that the football player was even asked to speak at this year’s commencement ceremony. She doesn’t care much for Cruz, but thinks that having options is better than having no idea who will be the speaker.

​Last year, the university selected Don Garber, Commissioner of Major League Soccer and Montclair resident, to deliver the commencement address. After Obama spoke at Rutgers, students at Montclair State have very high expectations for who will speak at future commencements.

We know that commuting to school can be hard sometimes. Parking, traffic and gas money are just some of the reasons it can be stressful. Here’s what you need to know to get ready for the semester:

1.  Remember that traffic on campus is never as bad as it is the first week. The first week of the semester is always the worst when it comes to traffic congestion, especially in the fall. Both students and faculty need time to get used to their new routines, but everything will finally settle down in a week or so.

2.  Don’t forget to leave at least 20 minutes earlier than you think you need to.
Whether you live five minutes away or an hour away, you always need to leave earlier than you think. You need to account for the time it takes to drive around CarParc for a spot, wait for shuttles and walk across campus.

3.  Remember that there are other places to park besides CarParc and Lot 60.
Look for the color codes on parking signs. Commuters can park in any yellow lot on campus. You can also check out the Parker App to see what lots have available spaces.

4.  Parking is not an excuse to miss class.
Your professors will always mention this on the first day of class. They have trouble parking sometimes, too.

5.   Don’t speed.
If you drive 40 mph in CarParc, you’ll pass all the open spots and the person behind you will get the parking spot, not you. Slowing down will also help you avoid a speeding ticket.

6.  Mark your calendar for Cans for Citations.
This program allows you to donate canned food in exchange for payment towards one parking ticket. Look out for an email each semester announcing the dates.

7.  Staying on campus between classes will save you a ton of gas money.
Plus, you won’t lose your parking spot. There are plenty of food options on campus, quiet places to study and people to hang out with.

8.  Consider public transportation as another option.
Remember that there is always the option to take buses and trains to campus for those that don’t have their own car. Montclair State University also offers a Carpool Directory for those who are looking to share rides.

These eight tips are sure to help out any first time commuters. Drive safe and enjoy your commute!

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Next week, Montclair State students will have the opportunity to vote for who will hold positions in the student government office for the 2017-2018 school year.

The Student Government Association (SGA) is a council that oversees many campus organizations. They aim to enrich students’ experiences on campus by giving them opportunities to get involved and connect with others.

Although an election like this determines important things, like where money is spent, many students are unaware about the process and candidates.

Danielle Dibenedetto, a senior biology major, said she doesn’t know anything about the election and probably won’t vote. “I’m not involved. I come to class and go home,” she said.

Many students at Montclair State University took advantage of the unusual weather today by sitting outside around campus and enjoying the warmth and the sun.

According to Weather.com, the high temperature of today was 74 degrees, which made students feel like it was spring, even though it is only February. Some people were staying active by playing frisbee in the quad, while others did homework outside rather than in their dorm or the library.

Freshman biology majors Briana Marte and Merilin Manashirov, pictured above, spent the morning sitting outside of the student center. They were casually going over notes on their computers, hanging out and peeling oranges.

“I’m going to go running outside when I get home,” said Marte, who was worried that the warm weather would be gone in a few days. She had an indoor party to attend tonight, so she wanted to make sure that she got to be outside as much as possible.

​Manashirov was already done with class for the day, but she was waiting around on campus until Marte was done with class. “I’m going to Edgewater tonight to walk around since it’s so nice,” she said.

​According to Weather.com, temperatures for tomorrow are expected to hit 63 degrees with a 60 percent chance of rain.

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