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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF KEAN UNIVERSITY
PREPARING FOR NATURAL DISASTERS Page 3
Page 9
HOT
YOU’VE NEVER
HEARD OF
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HEART?
COMPOSER
SMALL BIZ BOOK
SELLER
HEALTHY
THE GREATEST
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HEALTHY TEETH
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
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THE TOWER
Volume 9 • Issue 4 November 5, 2008
New Dorms to Open Fall ‘09 By Jillian Johnson
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Kean University’s Child Care Center held a Halloween parade last week. Read about Kean’s cutest co-eds in the centerfold.
Kean Copes With The Economy By Dawn M. Phillips
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ith the economy’s wild gyrations – ranging from freezing credit markets to sinking stocks—many students at Kean University are concerned about the future. While students majoring in fields that are considered growth areas like criminal justice feel they will be less affected by the bad economy, most remain cautious even as some say they are not yet feeling any effects of the current crisis. In fact, the immediate effects on students seem to depend on their responsibilities. States Freshman, A.J. Hill: “The economy will probably hit me later, not now”. Others like Inisha Lewis, a public administration/criminal justice major, said she’s feeling the pinch.
“The economy is tricky and is making things more expensive, which pressures some college students like me to seek more employment just to keep up with the inflation,” Lewis said. Costs are up, providing a strain for all students. Within the last three months, prices at the pump were dancing between $3 and $4, leading some students to decide whether to buy gas or buy lunch (or brown bag it). Of course, food costs are up too—both dining out and at the supermarket. And the cost of education continues to rise. Finance sophomore Christele Flores is worried about Kean’s tuition, which rose this year. “I am concerned about Kean’s tuition, and how I will maintain it,” she said. Many of Kean’s students help support or are the main (Continued on page 4)
ith demand for on-campus housing among students on the rise, Kean University expects two newly equipped undergraduate residence halls now under construction to be open for occupancy next year. Currently, only 10 percent, roughly 1, 300 students who enroll at Kean live on campus in one of the six halls. Many are in triple occupancy dorms, while others who need on-campus housing have had to live in the Hilton Hotel near Liberty International Airport in Newark. The new dormitories will increase Kean’s on-campus residency to more than 2,000 students, making the resident population a much larger community that will ultimately affect the campus. In October of 2006, Maximina Rivera, director of Office of Residence Life, and Denis Castanon, associate director of residence life discussed the idea of expanding the Kean campus by adding two more residence halls. Alfonso Losada, associate director of campus planning, constructed the outline and floor plan for the new dorms. “More and more students, including those within commuting distance, want to live on campus as part of their collegiate experience,” said Stephen Hudik, spokesman for Kean. As of Spring 2007, of the total on-campus population 163 students lived at the Hilton, and 95 students stayed in triplebed suites. An additional 200 students were placed on the waiting list . Staying at the Hilton has its advantages but Cyndal Sturgill, a Junior who spent her first semester living in the Hilton, said dorm life is better. “[The new dorms will be] an improve-
ment,” said Sturgill. “I felt isolated from everything.” Those residing at the Hilton can choose whether to move into a double-bed suite that will cost $3,303 per semester or the students may wish to move into a triplebed suite, paying only $2, 805 per semester, thus saving $960. The new dorm construction began in January of 2008, and living near the construction site hasn’t always been pleasant for current residents. Students complain about the noise, and other inconveniences.
MORE STUDENTS WANT TO LIVE ON CAMPUS AS PART OF THEIR COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCE. Kean, however, is not alone in its construction boom. A recent article in The Star-Ledger documented dorm construction at state universities around New Jersey, also because of increased demand from students for more and better accommodations. Of the two dormitories rising at Kean, one is for freshmen and the other is for upperclassmen. The freshman hall will hold a capacity of 420 students and will consist of eight floors. The first floor will contain laundry services, study rooms, community kitchens, lounges with flat screen televisions, and will include a game room which will have a pool table and arcade games. Also, there will be two resident advisers on each floor to better assist the new students, Hudik said. The rooms will be 175 square feet suite-style dorms. The upperclassman dormitory will house 408 students on seven (Continued on page 4)
INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER: With everything that is going on with the economy, what are your concerns for your future?
Greg Harleston, Senior, Communications/Journalism Major
Rachel Kaelblein, Junior, Communications Major
A.J. Hill, Freshman, Criminal Justice Major
“My two main concerns are Social Security and healthcare. As the dollar keeps falling, people on top are still getting paid.”
“My concerns are if my father will lose his job, he works for AIG. Also, as a public relations major, what jobs will be available for me?”
“As far as the criminal justice field, it’s growing. My pay will be low initially, but I can work my way up. The economy hasn’t really hit me yet.”
Marianne Phiaha, Neil Tortorelli, Bernadette McBrinn, Jimmy Samay, Film Majors
“As film majors, we’re going down”.
The Tower is now on the web! Find a PDF version of The Tower at: www.kean.edu/~thetower