The  Rutgers New Brunswick chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi has been permanently banned from campus following an investigation into the hazing-related electrocution of a 19-year old student, which left him in critical condition. 

Just after midnight on October 14, 2025, Middlesex County police were called to the fraternity house on 106 College Avenue in New Brunswick for an unresponsive 19-year-old, who had come into contact with exposed electrical wires. The student was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he was reportedly still being treated for over a month after the incident. 

An inspection of the fraternity house was conducted in September 2025, which noted a series of 19 open violations including safety issues such as obstructed exits and non-functioning carbon monoxide detectors and fire alarms. 

In response to the incident, Rutgers University released a statement reading, “Rutgers-New Brunswick remains deeply concerned about the serious incident involving one of our students…University leadership is in close contact with the student’s family, offering support during this difficult time. We hope for his full recovery.”

The investigation revealed that hazing was involved in the incident, which prompted the national organization to step in.  In responding to the allegations, Alpha Sigma Phi’s national organization made the decision to permanently ban the university’s chapter from campus, effectively shuttering the College Avenue house’s doors. ​​Alpha Sigma Phi is no longer registered on the university’s student organization list.

President and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi International, Gordy Heminger, voiced support for the student, saying, “any member involved, directly or indirectly, will be permanently expelled. We will continue to fully cooperate with the University and criminal investigations and hope the students involved face the maximum penalties allowed.”

While Rutgers-Camden does have a significant Greek life presence, there is no Alpha Sigma Phi chapter on campus. However, the recent events call into question the role that fraternities have on college campuses at all. 

According to Diego Mendoza, a graduate student at Rutgers-Camden, “when I heard about what happened in New Brunswick I was absolutely shocked. I just felt sick.” Mendoza goes on to say that, “while I think fraternities can be a good way for students to uplift one another, if they aren’t doing that, then I don’t see the point of having them on campus. Once a fraternity is causing any harm to students, it’s time for that fraternity to go”

As of mid-November, there were no updates from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office about the investigation into the fraternity. The 19 year-old student is reportedly still in the hospital, but out of critical condition, and continuing to progress in his treatment.

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For those looking for a creative and affordable way to celebrate the holiday season, the Philadelphia Opera’s 2025/2026 season is in full swing, and more affordable than one may think.

With the  past decade experiencing decreasing attendance rates for Opera Philadelphia, the organization, under General Director and President Anthony Rother Costanzo, knew that something needed to change in order to fill seats at the opera. The solution? To decrease the cost of attendance to $11. According to the official website, “All tickets start at $11, and you have the option to select a higher amount ranging from $20 to $250, as well as the standard price. Every dollar you spend over $11 helps support other operagoers and the work we present on stage.”

Since beginning the pay what you can campaign, Opera Philadelphia’s sales have increased by more than 25% compared to past seasons. Not only are more people attending the opera, but a wider range of people were able to attend as well, including first-time opera goers. After seeing the success of the campaign, Opera Philadelphia has decided to continue the pay what you can model into the 2025-2026 season. 

In a country where the arts are increasingly losing funding and costs of attendance are on the rise, Opera Philadelphia is offering an opportunity for those in the area to broaden their horizons and experience a new artform in an affordable manner. 

Students in the Philadelphia area can take advantage of the discounted tickets for the holiday season and experience a new form of art. Now, instead of tickets costing upwards of $150 per person, a family of five would be able to attend the opera for just $55. 

Philadelphia resident Sam Crouth, who has never been to the opera before, thinks that $11 tickets, “are a cool opportunity to be exposed to a new form of art that I wouldn’t normally see, especially since opera is normally really expensive.”

This December, Opera Philadelphia is showing The Seasons,  followed by Complications in Sue in February. Both shows have availability, with tickets starting at $11. According to the website, any amount paid above $11 will contribute to supporting the pay what you can campaign, as well as the production cost of the shows. 

For those looking for a family-friendly activity this holiday season, Costanzo shares:  “Parents: we’ve discovered the $11 tickets are a lot cheaper than a babysitter. So bring your kids!”

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AI talent studio, Xicoia, sparked global outcry at the Zurich Film Festival this past September when they announced their newest AI-generated “actor,” Tilly Norwood, is set to be signed to a major talent agency. Tilly Norwood is a computer-generated, non-human “actor” who was developed using the likeness of real-life actors, without permission or compensation. The creator of Tilly Norwood expressed interest in making Norwood “the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman,” although there would be no need to compensate the actor, since it is a computer program and not a real human.

Norwood was met with swift criticism from major actors and actresses, as well as from the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG–AFTRA), who commented: “To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation. It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion, and, from what we’ve seen, audiences aren’t interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience. It doesn’t solve any “problem” — it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”

Proponents of Tilly Norwood and other AI actors see potential in AI actors in cutting production costs, particularly a decrease in the amount studios and producers must pay human actors.  However, following the negative pushback, the creators released a statement via Norwood’s Instagram account, retracting their initial message that Norwood could become a mega-star. Instead, stating that Norwood is “not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work.” As of October 19, Tilly Norwood’s Instagram account has nearly 65 thousand followers, with a bio that reads “You’ll either get it or pretend you don’t. I’m a creation. #aiart.”

With the rise of AI in the arts, what does this mean in a university context? The official Rutgers AI policy requires that “students make sure that all submitted coursework is the student’s own and created without the aid of impermissible technologies, materials, or collaborations.” Is there a future in which AI actors become permissible technologies, and how would this impact the university’s ability to evaluate performance-based projects?

In the eyes of Damon Bonetti, a Lecturer of Theater at Rutgers-Camden and the director of the fall production of The Seagull, “Theater’s not safe. I would say in the university, AI is not a concern for the work we’re doing on Seagull, but it’s a concern for the actors once they graduate. It’s a future concern. There used to be a time where regular actors would book commercials, now every other commercial has a recognizable star in it; it’s the same with theater. It becomes hard for younger actors to establish a foothold, and I think AI is not going to help with that.”

While AI usage is not yet affecting the work of the theater department in the classroom, it is affecting the work of the film department and digital media. The rise of AI usage in script writing as well as digital effects will undoubtedly seep into the classroom, as students learn to navigate the new technology at their disposal. 

Robert Emmons, the Undergraduate Coordinator of the Visual, Media, and Performing Arts department at Rutgers-Camden and a filmmaker, explains, “Personally, I don’t think it’s a preventable practice. We need to figure out what this means as film goers and filmmakers…Of course, we would love to think that the essence of humanity cannot be replaced, but I honestly can’t answer that. And as film goers, we need to demonstrate that.”

As both filmgoers and filmmakers, students will have to decide their stance on AI-generated materials inside and outside the classroom. Robert Emmons, however, urges students to reflect on their own beliefs about art: “making art, I don’t think, is supposed to come as easily as writing a prompt into a computer.”

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Back-to-school season is in full swing, which means it’s time to enjoy the multitude of community events and exhibitions around the Camden area. Rutgers-Camden is able to offer discounted tickets for events in the Camden and Philadelphia areas by partnering with multiple organizations whose focus is discounted community events. Through these various programs and collaborations, students at Rutgers-Camden have access to multiple community events and institutions in the South Jersey and Philadelphia areas for a discounted rate.

When asked why it’s important that Rutgers-Camden continue to provide these resources, Mustafah Sabuur, Program Coordinator for the Office of Student Involvement says “Why not give students the ability to just enjoy something you might not always think about doing. It’s an opportunity to explore things you might not have otherwise.”

For Students looking for completely free access to museums in the area, the Rutgers-Camden Library offers students free museum passes that work at ten museums in the area, including the PENN Museum and the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. Passes are first-come, first serve at the library help desk, and they are valid for a total of seven days. Students can find the full list of institutions on the Rutgers-Camden library website. 

Another way to get discounted tickets for the surrounding area is through Rutgers-Camden’s partnership with TicketsAtWork. To take advantage of these discounts, students go through a brief process of creating an account with their affiliated Rutgers email account. Once signed up, students will have access to Adventure Aquarium in Camden, Concerts, Movies, Sporting Events, and online stores. The Adventure Aquarium is open from 10 A.M.- 4 P.M. on the weekdays and from 9:30 A.M.- 5 P.M. on the weekends. Students are also able to get discounts for Philadelphia sports teams, as well as select concerts via TicketsAtWork when they sign up for an account with their Rutgers email. 

Rutgers-Camden is also partnered with CampusPhilly, which offers discounted rates to museums and events in the Philadelphia area, such as The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the African American Museum in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Museum of Art will be the only stop in the United States for the traveling exhibit Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100, which will run from November 8, 2025 until February 16, 2026. The African American Museum in Philadelphia will be showing Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design exhibit starting November 1, 2025. The exhibit will showcase the Oscar-winner’s designs and personal history.

In addition to the various perks that come with being a Rutgers-Camden student, students have ideas for other events/community institutions that they would like access to. Matt Fallon, a graduate student at Rutgers-Camden, would “like access to the Philadelphia public library; that would be pretty awesome.” While there is no current partnership with the Philadelphia or Camden public library, the Paul Robeson Library on campus offers a wide range of books and services, and is open daily. Another graduate student, Madeline Lay, thinks that “Rutgers’ free and discounted admission to museums and local attractions allows students to take their learning outside the classroom. It’s also an incredible opportunity to take part in the local community and everything it has to offer.”

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