Kean Tower 10-15

Texting Professors?

Page 2

OCT | 2015

Sports Injuries Page 8

Toy Story Page 3

THE TOWER

WWW.KUTOWER.COM

THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF KEAN UNIVERSITY

t i m i l e h Sky’s t s ’ n a e K r fo z y o B n Dow

Stephen Gibki and Anthony Scorese want to become tag team champs Full story on page 7

1000-plus professors may not know what to do during a campus shooting

By Rebecca Panico

while the most recent Professional Development schedule from May did not list it. When The Tower spoke to professors, many were unsure if it was offered.

At an October 13 meeting for the Faculty Senate – which makes recommendations regarding faculty and student affairs to the administration – several professors admitted that they didn’t know what to do in an active shooter situation.

Of the five students The Tower spoke to, all could only surmise what to in the event of an active shooter on campus. All students interviewed by The Tower did not know the protocol was explained in the Emergency Management Quick Reference Guide online at kean.edu/ police.

“How would we know what to do?” said Peighton Bryan, 21, and a senior theater major while selling cupcakes on campus. “It might be up online but who is going to look that up?”

During the recent Faculty Senate meeting, the committee discussed having escape plans posted in each classroom and installing locks on classroom doors.

About 1000 Kean University adjuncts — part-time professors who teach the majority of classes on campus — are not paid nor required to take training for what to do in the event of an active shooter on campus.

Additionally, it is unclear if Kean’s full-time professors are required to take emergency preparedness training.

The information comes in the wake of the latest campus shootings in the United States. A shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon left 10 dead, including the gunman, in early October. Eight days later, a gunman entered Arizona’s Northern University, killing one and injuring three.

According to the former head of the adjunct union, Dr. Kate Henderson, whose contract was not renewed this year, Kean’s adjuncts are invited to take professional development workshops, though they do not attend for a number of reasons.

“For some adjuncts it is a waste of their time, especially since they do not get paid to attend as their full time counterparts,” she stated in But the issue of locks an e-mail on Oct. 14. “Second, becomes a complicated one. many adjuncts teach at other While some students and institutions, or have a full professors The Tower spoke time job causing scheduling to said they’d feel safer conflicts. Still others care for having locks, others said it their family, and the list of would create a distraction excuses goes on.” during class as late students Full-time professors, straggle in or need to use which fall 2014 data marks the bathroom. at 398, are required to take In an interview on workshops, though two Photo: Creative Commons Oct. 12 where two of university spokespersons – spokespersons Margaret McCorry and Susan A campus shooting in Oregon left 10 dead, including the gunman, Kean’s in early October. were present, Kean Police Kayne – were unsure if active Lieutenant Vincent Kearney and Acting Director of Public shooter workshops were mandatory. Some full-time Safety Ana Zsak explained that having locks on doors professors object to whether or not they’re even “paid” to would not be very effective in an active shooter situation. attend workshops, since they attend when school is not in “It might add to your perception of safety, but the actual session. amount of safety that it gives is arguable. And again, it’s According to professors, some workshops are mandatory, not the decision of anyone sitting at this table how the like sexual harassment and ethics courses, although the facilities are built or maintained,” said Kearney, later seven professors The Tower spoke to were unsure if the adding that a gunman could get past a lock with “one blast safety workshop was mandatory. with a shotgun at close range.”

A trip to the office of Professional Development – which Kearney and Zsak also explained that each active shooter organizes workshops twice a year to professors on subjects event is unique and complicated. including the active shooter class – revealed that it was no “The only thing that remains consistent about these longer in use and closed. events in the United States is that every shooter acts The closure of the office has created a “crisis” according different,” Kearny said. “The best medicine for this is not to to Dr. James Castiglione, president of the Kean Federation deal with it when the person pulls out the gun: it’s to stop of Teachers, which is a union that represents full-time them before they ever get to that point.” professors and staff.

To make an anonymous tip to Kean Police call (908) “How it’s being handled now is a great mystery to 737-4800. A new mobile phone app, called ELERTS, can everyone,” he said, adding that though the office is closed, also alert campus police to suspicious activity, though the department still exists. it’s not anonymous. To register for Campus Alerts, which Schedules posted online show that the Kean University sends text message blasts during an emergency, visit: Police Department held a workshop titled “Building kean.edu/campusalert.

Community: Wide Efficacy for Public Safety” in January,

Say cheese!

Campus police get body cams

Photo: Rebecca Panico

Kean Police Lieutenant Vincent Kearney stands with body cameras in Police Headquarters on Monday, Oct. 12, 2015.

By Nicole Brown The next time you come in contact with a Kean police officer you may want to smile and say cheese. That’s because the officer is wearing a camera. In March, Kean University became one of the first public colleges in New Jersey to equip their police officers with body cameras, according to Kean Lieutenant Vincent Kearney, support services commander for the Kean University Department of Public Safety.

Kearney said the decision to implement police body cameras was considered in the beginning of last year and was put into effect March of this year.

“There was no specific incident which prompted our decision,” said Kearney. “We found the body cameras to be quite effective in documenting the actions of both our officers and the members of the community that they contact on official business.”

Kearny said the body cameras initially cost about $15,000 which includes physical hardware such as docking stations and cloud-base storage solution.

In an email, he explained that the body camera’s internal, rechargeable battery allows eight hours of continual recordings, which is equivalent to 16 hours of standby time. Kearney also said whenever an officer leaves police headquarters he or she must have the camera powered on at all times.

When the officer hits the record button, the camera starts to record audio and video. It also includes the latest 30 seconds of video without audio prior to the record button being pressed.

As soon as the officer returns to the station, the camera is docked and the recordings are uploaded to the cloud while it charges.

“The body cameras record in all lighting conditions using natural light,” said Kearney. “The camera cannot see much more than the human eye in darkness, but the recorded view captures more than a person can focus on at one time.”

A recent research report that was conducted by the National Institute of Justice stated that police body cameras can result “in the documentation of better evidence and an increase in accountability and transparency” as it regards to an officer’s interaction with the public.

But not everyone agrees. In the public debate about body cameras some like Naiyah Cross, a Criminal Justice major, said wearing a body camera doesn’t change anything.

“Initially, I thought it was a great idea,” said Cross. “It may decrease police brutality, but they can tamper with the recordings. After all, police brutality is inevitable.”

Kearney said an officer is not able to manipulate recordings.

“The cameras cannot be directly accessed and officers have limited rights in the cloud management system for the recordings,” Kearney said.

2 THE TOWER

October, 2015

Tired of Email? How about texting professors?

By Kyle Magee How many times have you sent an email to a professor or vice versa, and it hasn’t gone through? Have you ever driven to school and checked your email and realized that your professor cancelled class at three in the morning? This is what is leading some educators to consider the idea of switching from email communication to text messaging.

Inside Higher Ed recently published an article that discusses whether or not email is the most effective way for professors to get in contact with their students. The article mentions how the quickness and simplicity of texting can be of benefit in the classroom.

Within the article, Benjamin L. Castleman, an assistant professor of education and public policy at the University of Virginia said “If we want to inform young people, if we want to promote good choices and we want to engage them in meaningful dialogue, we have a pedagogical responsibility to meet them where they’re at, so to speak,” he said.

“Right now that’s texting.”

Communication in the classroom is a crucial element to a healthy learning environment. Email in some cases, can put a strain on fluid communication.

When communicating by email, there are a number of different variables that can cause students to miss the message. With Kean’s email system for example, some cell phones cannot register the “kean.edu email,

not allowing students to get notifications sent to their phones With a system as large as a University driven email service, students can also get locked out of their accounts. All these variables contribute to some professors shifting the paradigm toward texting.

Kelly Nemeth, an adjunct communication professor at Kean, is one of the professors who has made the switch from email to text messaging her students.

“Student’s don’t often check their emails,” said Nemeth. “The first thing they do in the morning is check their texts. I’d like them to see my message that says their class is cancelled when they first wake up so they don’t drive here at 8am for no reason.” said Nemeth Professor Nemeth also has a solution to what could cause professors and students to shy away from the idea of communicating through text. Nemeth uses a software called Remind.

This software is made for teachers who wish to get in contact with their class via text, but does not share the cell phone numbers of students.

The Remind program is extremely simple to use and can be set up in a matter of minutes. This allows the convenience of text messaging, but the privacy of email.

Joseph Colabraro, a junior at Kean, feels as though text message communication for education could be beneficial.

“I wouldn’t mind as long as I gave my

Photos: Kyle Magee

consent,” said Colabraro. “People are always on their phones and that would be most convenient, it would be really useful with class cancellations too.”

Brett Bodayle, a freshman at Kean was hesitant to the idea of receiving imessages from a Professor.

“I think it’s a little weird,” said Bodayle.

“I wouldn’t want one of my teachers to be sending me emojis.”

“The first thing they do in the morning is check their texts. I’d like them to see my message that says their class is cancelled when they first wake up so they don’t drive here at 8am for no reason.”

Poetry reading highlights struggles and triumphs of immigration and culture Right before Gilda Del Risco and her family boarded a plane to leave Cuba for the United States for the first time, her brother was denied entry. Her family had no choice but to go on without him as they ventured into a new world.

As a result of Del Risco’s brother having the Cuban military age, the only way he was to be allowed entry was if their parents became U.S. citizens. So knowing littleto-no English, Del Risco wrote letters to senators, asking them to grant her parents citizenship faster and help reunite their family.

Although it worked, Del Risco had no idea that it would take 10 years before she saw her brother again. Nothing brought her more joy than anxiously waiting at the airport and watching her toddler nephew run in through the terminal doors, followed by her brother and his wife.

Years later while driving to church, Del Risco looked into the sky and saw a flock of birds flying, while one was left behind.

Seeing it as a sign of God, she was instantly reminded of her brother, and wrote a poem.

It was this poem that she recited at a poetry reading on social justice and immigration hosted by the Human Rights Institute (HRI) and the We Are You Project on Oct. 8. The event took place in the HRI’s art gallery, featuring poets like Alan Britt, Bina Sarkar Ellias, Mike Foldes and George Nelson Preston, along with Kean students and professors.

The poems ranged from experiences of happiness, loss, acceptance, struggles with identity, personal feelings about being multicultural in America and the pressures to assimilate to Eurocentric ways of living.

Del Risco, now a professor at Kean and Executive Director of Kean’s School of Curriculum and Teaching, recited her poem with the very nephew she met at the airport on that eventful day.

Kean students Helena Jones and Shawn Lawson performed poems as well. Jones recited a powerful piece called “Insomnia,” a poem about her inability to sleep after hearing about the tragic death of Sandra Bland in police custody.

“Writing really just helps me deal with my emotions,” said Jones. “I just have to get it down. It’s the only way I can deal with a situation rationally. It’s tied with social justice issues specifically about Black people.”

Lawson’s poem, called “Boarding Pass,” centered on the concept of freedom and how many people are sold the fantasy of immigrating to America without knowing

Dr. Gilda Del Risco

Photo: Yayonah Bangura

“Fly, fly little bird,” she recited in Spanish, as her nephew followed with an English translation. She related her urges for the bird she saw being left behind to fly as she wanted her own brother to fly and try his hardest to reconnect with his family.

Del Risco also spoke of the stories her foreign students would share with her about their struggles to assimilate in America and conform to Eurocentric standards.

Whether it was by changing a name from Miguel to Michael, to wanting to have blue eyes and blonde hair, the pressures to “pick a side” when being multicultural took a toll on the way some students saw themselves, and she tried to help them create a balance.

“I feel great. I’ve spent more years here than in Cuba, I love this country,” Del Risco said when asked about how she felt being Cuban-American today. “But of course, I’m Cuban and I will never deny that. I’m a real Cuban-American,” she said with a laugh.

what they are really in for.

“I like taking other people’s perspectives and stories and putting my own ideas to it on how I think things regulate in that world,” said Lawson, a spoken word artist and poet, and president of a poetry group at Kean known as Prisoners of Words.

Guests and performers were also able to view the gallery’s Latino artwork, which is on display until January 2016. The We Are You Project is also hosting a project panel discussion on Nov. 16 at 3:30 p.m.

For more information on the We Are You Project, visit their website at: www.weareyouproject.org

Kean University Department of Public Safety Police blotter 9/12/15

Police Blotter

By Yayonah Bangura

Campus Police arrested a 35-year-old Connecticut man for contempt at Alumni Stadium at midnight.

09/15/15

Weapons Charge: Campus Police arrested a 19- year-old Rahway man for unlawful possession of a weapon and a controlled dangerous substance at approximately 12 a.m. on Morris Ave. 09/19/15

A 19-year-old Newark man was arrested by Campus Police at Trotter’s Creek Bridge for possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

09/20/15

An unknown actor stole a cell phone that was left to charge at the D’Angola Gym around 6 p.m.

09/22/15

In a deliberate act, an unknown person vandalized a car at the Hennings Hall parking lot. The perpetrator keyed the victim’s car and cracked the side mirror.

09/24/15

In another act of a car being vandalized, Police reported that an unknown actor punctured a victim’s car tire on the East Campus Lot. 09/29/15

Underage drinking: An 18- year-old Staten Island man was arrested by Campus Police near the entrance to Wilkins Theatre at approximately 4:30 a.m. for the possession and consumption of alcohol. ***

Poetry performers Helena Jones and Shawn Lawson.

Photo: Yayonah Bangura

In Freshman Hall, where there’s steam, there’s fire: Public Safety personal have responded three times to the building—once on Sept.

11 and twice on Sept. 25—to fire alarms inadvertently activated by shower steam.

3 THE TOWER

October, 2015

OPINION Let’s talk: Amber Rose’s SlutWalk

By Yayonah Bangura Amber Rose wants you to know that she is not a role model. Mother, author, feminist and even former stripper, yes, but role model? Barely. However, if you’re not familiar with Rose or her celebrity status, you may be asking yourself why this even matters.

On Oct. 3, Amber Rose, former girlfriend to Kanye West and ex-wife of rapper Wiz Khalifa, led thousands of her supporters down Los Angeles’ Pershing Square in a “SlutWalk.” The walk was organized to raise awareness against slut-shaming, victimblaming, rape culture, gender inequality and sexual and domestic violence against women.

Rose’s SlutWalk was one of several since 2011, when the movement was formed by Canadian college students after a Toronto police officer suggested that “women stop dressing like sluts” in order to prevent being sexually assaulted.

Since then, Slutwalks have been held all over the world, where women march and protest in scantily clad outfits to make a statement about not deserving violence or judgment regardless of their clothing choices.

Rose’s walk did the same by providing apparel for protesters to purchase, with t-shirts that with sayings like, “My clothes are not my consent,” or “My p***y my choice,” and boyshort underwear with derogatory labels like “whore” and “slut” on the back, mocking slut-shamers by taking the namecalling upon themselves.

Because the event was advertised and broadcast on social media, many people took to networks such as Twitter to either defend or criticize Rose and her message.

Supporters said that Rose’s SlutWalk was

liberating and empowering to women who wish to be free of societal judgment, violence and labeling for their personal choices.

Some found the movement to be a positive step taken towards erasing the double standard of women being “soiled” for having a certain number of sexual partners, while men face no consequence for the same behavior.

Kean student Tre’monisha Falligan was on board with Rose’s movement.

“I don’t know why it’s more socially acceptable for a guy to talk about his conquests and the amount of women he’s slept with, but a woman can’t do the same,” said Falligan. “It’s an uncomfortable topic, but it’s something that we do need to discuss.”

She mentioned how most women today have a mandatory “three-guy” answer that they give to men who ask how many other men they’ve slept with, because they don’t want to be judged, and three sounds like the perfect number to symbolize “I’m experienced, but not promiscuous.”

But praise such as that came with twice as much backlash from all angles.

Rose provided for her family in Philadelphia as a stripper in her teen years and gained some

popularity in the industry as a music video vixen, but she technically became famous overnight for dating Kanye West, then moving on to marry and conceive a son with Wiz Khalifa.

Both men denounced her character after their relationships, calling her “nothing but a stripper,” regardless of what they shared.

Considering the fact that she has been linked to other famous men, posts provocative photos on her social networks and is comfortable with her sexuality, critics felt that Rose was not the ideal person to represent women’s rights.

Some felt as if she was using the walk for publicity, encouraging young girls to sexualize themselves and giving her doubters more reasons to ridicule her.

Others felt as if she was using the struggles of women who face violence from men to push her own agenda for women to behave “promiscuously,” despite the fact that Rose and her supporters funded the walk themselves and made nothing from it, as all the proceeds went towards aiding sexual assault and domestic v i o l e n c e survivors.

“The campaign was for the right purpose, but I feel like she could have went about it a different Photos: Amber Rose’s Instagram

Amber Rose protesting at her LA SlutWalk

way,” said Kean student Tamara Douglas.

Douglas said that upon running into articles online about the SlutWalk, she was initially uninterested because of its name and the fact that Rose was its spokesperson.

It wasn’t until she was fully informed about the effort that she began to see its positivity.

“When we hear the word ‘slut,’ we automatically give it a negative connotation, it’s off putting. Some people see the title and pass it over immediately,” said Douglas.

“Rose wants to change the perception of the word, but she could have called it something different because there’s still a way that people can take it and make fun of her. There’s no pleasing in the game of slutshame.”

Jill Hersh, a women’s studies professor at Kean, also approved of Rose’s effort, but thought that an increase in her audience would have been more beneficial.

“I think the movement and the cause would be more effective if it was able to attract more men as allies,” said Hersh. “It’s critical to any movement to have the people with the privilege and power ally with the marginalized group, to help and support them.”

Hersh suggested that Rose get a male celebrity ally who identifies as a feminist to gather support from both sides, but she stressed the importance of realizing that Rose is her own person who is making her efforts in the best way she knows how.

“My SlutWalk is 18 and over. This is for grown women. I am not raising your children,” said Rose following the Slutwalk.

“I’m not here to promote promiscuity at all. This is not about having sex with multiple people. This is about owning who you are as a person and basically you can do whatever a man can do. You have to live your life to the fullest.”

The UC becomes the MSC

By Daris Mendez The University Center was officially renamed the Miron Student Center this month after Kean alumni Diane G. Miron and her husband Bob Miron made an undisclosed donation to the university.

The money from the Miron’s donation will go to some renovations inside the student center, which include new lighting, furnishings and window treatments.

The donation will also serve as a matching gift which is an incentive for the other donors to make and increase donations to Kean according Carla Willis, Kean University Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

The Mirons did not wish to disclose the donation amount to the public said Willis.

The renaming of the student center models the previous naming of university buildings after donors, such as the Maxine Lane Center for Academic Success and Harwood Arena.

Kean University Foundation, the university’s organization which “receives, invests and administers private support for Kean University” according to their website, received a donation from the Mirons on December 8, 2014.

The Board of Trustees later passed a resolution at their May meeting to rename the student center in honor of the Miron’s donation “The Student Center is the major center of activity on any college campus. We are proud to have our names associated with such an important building on the Kean University campus,” said Diane Miron.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on October 7 to celebrate the official renaming of the student center. The Mirons, members of the Board of Trustees and Kean Student leaders were all in attendance.

Kean’s student government president Nigel Donald expressed his appreciation for the

Miron’s gift at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“I don’t know if I can express how much this means to us, the men and women of this university. We absolutely enjoy the facility every day” said Donald Joyce Galvan, a psychology and political science major, expressed that although students and the university as a whole are grateful for this donation, resources should be focus on bettering education.

“I believe that the people who donated the money dedicated it to help out in education and they comprehend that the students and the university in general is grateful. However, it is better to use even the most minimal resource to better education not change the name of a building” said Galvan Diane Goldblatt Miron is a Kean alumnus for the class of 1961. She received her degree in Education from Kean named Newark State College at the time.

The Mirons decision to donate was to show

Photo: Kean University Twitter

Ribbon cutting ceremony on October 7th

appreciation and gratitude towards Kean and the opportunities Miron received from getting her degree at the university.

The Student center was of interest to the Mirons because of the number of students who use the student center and the amount of activity that surrounds it according to Willis.

Iota Phi Theta’s generosity pushes on

By Marco Rodriguez Iota Phi Theta, a well-known fraternity at Kean that made news last semester for undertaking a project to build a family a home in Newark, is finally making strides towards making that goal a reality.

Since The Tower last reported on the fraternity’s initiative last April, the fraternity was able to get approval for their blueprints from the city of Newark.

This, according to fraternity member Tosin Oduwole, was the first step in a journey that will eventually see a single mother and her child receive a new home.

“As any home builder can tell you, the blueprint approval is the longest process in building a home,” Oduwole said. “You have to take into account the size of the land, the height allowed by the zoning board, and where the plumbing and electrical will run through the home.

That’s a task that takes lots of time and it was definitely a learning process.”

Back when the initiative made news on campus in the spring, the fraternity established a GoFundMe profile where they began raising cash donations for the project. The website reports donations of over $6,900 towards the $150,000 goal the fraternity has set towards the project.

According to Oduwole, in addition to the cash donations on GoFundMe, the brothers have raised $35,000 in services from companies that are going to donate construction services. While the goal may seem daunting, Oduwole and his brothers are not backing down from the challenge.

With the blueprints having recently received approval, the fraternity now has less than 18 months to break ground according to the guidelines established by the city of Newark.

“We aren’t scared or dismayed by large goals,” Oduwole said. “The way you do amazing things is to aim high. We will not stop the project until it is done, so there is no planning for failure.”

While the fraternity is hesitant to set an exact date as to when the 2,700 square foot prefabricated home will be done, considering construction variables like weather and zoning changes, the brothers are optimistic that if they meet their funding goal they may begin construction by late November of this year. According to Oduwole, the single mother and her son are still at the shelter in East Orange and are cooperating as they wait for construction to begin on their new home.

The fraternity has spread the news about their initiative through email

The brothers of Iota Phi Theta fraternity.

campaigns, social media, and word of mouth. Additionally, Oduwole reports that Kean University will be launching an official campus campaign to support the initiative once all of the group’s permits are approved and the brothers are given the green light to begin building.

The initiative to build the family a home came after the brothers took on an “outside of the box” approach towards community service that would bring about lasting change. The group inquired for hours and studied their options, before discovering the Valentine’s Day land sale that the city of Newark was holding back in February of this year. The sale, which offered couples of any sexual orientation a vacant lot for $1,000, was the opportunity the brothers needed for their project. Once

Photo: Tosin Oduwole

purchased, the fraternity began working alongside Sierra House, an East Orange nonprofit that helps at risk women, to find a family for the home that they will eventually build.

Oduwole and his girlfriend stepped forward to be the couple that would purchase the property on 17th street in Newark that Saturday in February of this year. Every member of the fraternity donated money, and eventually the group purchased the lot and moved on with their venture. The fraternity plans on building a two family home where one side can be rented and the other will go to the needy family. Additionally, according to Oduwole, the rent of the one unit will cover all utilities, property taxes and maintenance of the property.

4 THE TOWER

October, 2015

Suffering in silence

By Celeste Simmons There are many silent killers on a college campus. Some of the main ones you hear about are depression and suicide. There are groups on campuses that help you deal with depression, there have been articles written about it within the last couple of years, and it has been talked about on the news. People talk about depression and college students quite often, but what you don’t really hear about that much that is linked with depression and suicide are eating disorders.

A survey done in 2006 by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) found that about 20 percent or 1,000 college students of both men and women said they had or still have an eating disorder, and that number has not dropped since then.

Furthermore, that number is also 20 percent higher for elite athletes.

In an article written by Jennifer A. Smith on the NEDA website, Smith said, “When left untreated, eating disorders can lead to permanent physical damage ranging from hair loss to damage to the heart, osteoporosis and the inability to conceive. They can even result in death. In fact, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder and a suicide rate that is 50 times higher than that of the general population.”

With numbers like those, why aren’t college campuses doing more to prevent or help students with eating disorders? Why is this illness still being pushed under the rug?

“I think eating disorders are a serious issue that needs to be taken seriously because that person isn’t just physically harming themselves but mentally as well,” said Sophia White, a sophomore at Middlesex County College studying fashion merchandise and retail management. “It will only progress until they’re dysfunctional and every flaw they see and other point out will destroy them. It starts off with just wanting to lose weight but quickly spirals out of control and they don’t even see it as an issue.”

“Of course is should be taken seriously,” said Giuseppe Rizzo, a freshmen at Kean studying business management. “Eating disorders affect each victim physical as well as mentally and everyone undergoing one should seek help.”

The real question here is, is there help?

If someone here at Kean had an eating disorder, is there a place on campus for them to go for help?

The answer to that question is still

unanswered. If you search eating disorders on the Kean website it leads you to a page that takes about alcohol and substance abuse problems. There are programs you can enroll yourself in if you have a drug or alcohol problem, but this is nothing on the website specific to eating disorders. There isn’t any information on them either.

Even though there is no group for eating disorders, a sorority here at Kean is trying to make an impact on the silent illness. Delta Phi Epsilon is one of the two nationally and internationally recognized sororities here at Kean University, and one of their three philanthropies is Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). This year the way they decided to speak about ANAD is through a video.

“Every semester we have a week long period devoted to ANAD and that’s how the video came about,” said junior Brenna Stangle, Vice President of programing for Delta Phi Epsilon. The video they made was posted on totalsoroitymove.com around September 21st. The video made it there after one of the sisters from Delta “Love Yourself ” campaign by Delta Phi Epsilon Phi Epsilon submitted it and total sorority moved picked it. The video was created by Stangle, Philanthropy Fundraiser Jessica to be stick thin because there’s all different Kramer, and Historian Brenna Falzone. forms of it.”

The video is essentially the sisters of Delta Stangle is right, when you think of Phi Epsilon writing nice, uplifting things anorexia or eating disorders in general, about one another on a white board, while usually you think of an extremely thin and the person they’re writing about closes their sick looking female, but that’s not always eyes. The video is set to the very upbeat the case.

Many males have eating disorders, and self-uplifting song of “Love Myself” many physically fit looking athletes as well.

by Hailee Steinfeld, but where did the idea Eating disorders aren’t exclusive to one come from? gender or body type.

The star player on the “We’ve seen other ANAD videos and men’s basketball team could have one. The that’s kind of where we got the idea from,” girl who looks a little over weight that sits said Stangle. “With the whiteboard, I saw next to you in class could have one. You just something on Pinterest and expanded off of never know and that’s the scary part. that and made it our own version for ANAD.” Eating disorders aren’t exclusive to “It’s hard that even though I might not s t a r v i n g have it, the yourself or girl sitting purging after next to me eating either. could have it,” Binge eating said Stangle. is another “You never type of eating know what disorder.

It’s s o m e o n e ’s when you eat g o i n g large amounts through and of food in it’s something a day in an you might not uncontrollable even see, they Photos: Delta Phi Epsilon manor, it’s don’t have “Love Yourself ” campaign by Delta Phi Epsilon

Photos: Delta Phi Epsilon

usually followed by feelings of guilt and depression.

There is also a new diet fad that is associated with anorexia and bulimia, it’s called drunkorexia. Drunkoerexia is when you don’t eat for the entire day in order to be able to go out and drink as much as you want.

The idea behind it is since alcohol contains so much sugar and so many calories, if you don’t eat for the day it doesn’t matter how much you drink because you won’t be adding any extra calories to your diet. The alcohol will replace what you didn’t eat for the day.

With disorders like that out there becoming more and more popular and taking the lives of so many college students per year, you think there would be more recognition for this type of mental illness.

With more and more people speaking out like Delta Phi Epsilon hopefully that will change soon.

If you, or someone you know, suffers from any type of eating disorder please visit the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders at anad.org. They have a hotline you can call and they can connect you with support groups in your area.

Remember you’re not alone.

Other things to find in a cemetery aside from death

By Bhriana Smith If you were to tell someone that you were going on a field trip, there are bound to be a myriad of places that come to mind. A cemetery is more than most likely not on that list; however, for Dr. Norma Bowe, a tenured professor in the College of Education at Kean University, this field trip is anything but unordinary.

Dr. Bowe teaches a 3000 level course called Death in Perspective at Kean, which currently has a three year long waiting list.

Among other things, the class is designed to elucidate the concepts of death and bereavement. There isn’t a better trip to begin exploring death than a cemetery scavenger hunt.

The class was instructed to meet at the 1982 Mercedes Benz tombstone, located in the northern region of the Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, NJ. The tombstone belonged to Ray Tse Jr., who died in 1981 at the age of 15. According to Dr. Bowe, Tse had died before he was old enough to drive the car that he longed to drive, and to commemorate his death, his wealthy brother

had the car used as his tombstone.

From there, the class was instructed to engage in a scavenger hunt. We were given a myriad of things to find. From eternal love and children, to graves that were “too new”; the possibilities were endless. Prior to this trip, I had only believed that the only things that could be found in cemeteries were dead bodies and the occasional ghost.

In the beginning, the trip was eerie. I was constantly muttering “sorry” to all the graves I had stepped on as I vigorously looked for the items on my scavenger hunt list. The idea that love or anything but death and ghost could exist in a cemetery was completely irrational in my mind, but I was determined to find them.

There was a very distinct mausoleum on the far northern region of the cemetery.

On the left side of the mausoleum, was a beautiful sketching of the boardwalk in Atlantic City. On the right, I saw a beautiful eulogy to the deceased –Edith –written by her husband. It was in that moment that I had found true love in the cemetery, and then that I knew that there were so many more things to be found in cemeteries aside

from death.

There were more graves that I could count, but each one had a story. Another heartfelt one was a grave for a four-year-old boy who had passed away. His tombstone was constructed out of Legos, and the flowers that surrounded the tomb were fresh, though the grave had been there for years: another amazing citing for eternal love.

For a detailed background about Dr. Bowe, you can read the “The Death Class: A Book

about Life” by Erika Hayasaki. The book can be purchased from Barnes & Noble or online wherever the book is sold.

Photos: Bhriana Smith

Left: Angel trinkets on a Grave in the Rosedale Cemetery, Linden, NJ. Right: Child grave, Rosedale Cemetery, Linden, NJ.

Kean has Tuesdays to spare, but not enough Mondays

By Yuri Smishkewych In case you’re feeling the fall doldrums, you’re not the only one: we haven’t gotten a day off since Labor Day and won’t have one until Election Day. That’s seven weeks straight.

So who, or what for that matter, is to blame for almost two months of straight academia and being cheated of a much-needed three-day weekend this past Columbus Day? The answer: Blame a late Labor Day. “While traditionally Kean University closes on Columbus Day,” explains Kean spokeswoman Margaret McCorry, “the late Labor Day this year threw the typical schedule

off. Classes began the Tuesday before Labor Day this school year, and the University then closed on Labor Day, losing a day for Monday classes to be held.”

Although a federal and state holiday, many state universities like Kean—Rutgers and Montclair state, for example—also held classes as usual and some did not, like NJCU. By sacrificing Columbus Day the Kean community does benefit: not only do we get Election Day off (which is a state holiday and, surprisingly, not a federal holiday), but also gives us a longer winter break.

“Rather than have students return to campus for the Monday prior to winter break, Kean opted to amend the schedule so students

can benefit from having a full week off.”

Adds McCorry, who also reminds students and faculty that classes will follow a Monday schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 16. And, that there will be no Wednesday classes that day.

In case you’re confused, you’re not the only one—class scheduling is tough.

“The academic calendar is developed to ensure that all classes fulfill the state’s credit hour requirements,” Said McCorry. “It’s a complex process and the academic calendar is somewhat driven by the calendar year.”

So do not fret, Election Day is right around the corner, and the only thing needed to do that day is close to home and takes less than 15 minutes.

Photos: Yuri Smishkewych

Kean’s sign wished students and faculty a Happy Columbus Day with a reminder that classes were in session.

October, 2015

ARTS & CULTURE

5 THE TOWER

Art with a bird’s eye view on social justice

By Yuri Smishkewych Years ago, from a hotel room in Madrid’s Gran Via, artist Alvin Quiñones was inspired by the bird’s eye view of the myriad of people walking about on the streets below.

“It [the view] allows us to look at people as just “people” and not make any judgments,” explained Quiñones who is an adjunct professor at Kean.

With this premise in mind, Quiñones created a series of works that uses this unique viewpoint to depict groups of people enigmatically.

One such work by Quiñones, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is currently part of the “We Are You Project” art exhibition at the Human Rights Institute Gallery on campus. The exhibition explores the themes of social justice and immigration and features work by IberoAmerican artists from the United States and abroad.

The acrylic on wood painting is titled “Palante” and shows figures seen from above in proximity to a circular design that resembles a target. It creates an impression in the viewer’s mind of the ultimate goals that people—regardless of their origin or destination—have. The inference is wholly dependent on the observer.

What Quiñones’ painting does, along with the other artworks at the exhibit, is it opens dialogue that addresses the many present-day issues, like social justice and immigration, that are not only relevant to the Latino experience, but also to all of those that form a part of our diverse American identity.

Quiñones urges fellow Kean professors and alumni to use the art exhibit as forum where these topics can be discussed, adding “that it’s a great place for a field trip…and it’s right here on campus.”

The “We Are You Project” exhibit also features

The “We Are you Project” poster at the Human Right Institute Lobby.

work by others in the Kean community, including adjunct professor Josephine Barreiro, graphic designer Ricardo Fonseca, and alumnus Nelson Álvarez, ’08.

In addition to the exhibit, the Human Rights Institute held a poetry reading on October 8th and will be holding a film screening on November 9th. Furthermore, a guest lecture and panel discussion is scheduled to be held on November 16th. The “We Are You Project” exhibit, featuring Quiñones’ work, will be on display until January 2016.

Photos: Yuri Smishkewych

Prof. Quiñones standing next his painting, “Palante,” at the Human Rights Institute Gallery.

Exploring 100 years of childhood memories

By Rose Marie Kitchen It seems that toys come and go but the truth is toys never actually disappear instead they become vintage and unique.

The Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University has opened an exhibit to show how exciting vintage toys actually can be.

“Toys through Time: The History of American Fun” exhibit displays 100 years of toys at the Liberty Hall Museum.

The exhibit officially opened on October 5, 2015, and plans to stay open through July 2016. The exhibit runs through scheduled tour times only; Monday Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last tour leaving at 3 p.m.

The “Toys through Time: The History of American Fun” exhibit is currently open to the public, with admission prices varying depending on affiliation with the university. Adults pay $10.00, Kean University alumni are $8.00, senior citizens, college students, or children (ages 3-17) are $6.00 and Liberty Hall Museum members, Kean University students and faculty are free.

The exhibit features toys that date from the 1850s through the 1960s, and were all owned by the Kean family when they lived in Liberty Hall.

“The “Toys through Time: The History of American Fun” came about because of our large collection of toys. We have never done a toys only exhibit,” said Rachael Goldberg, collections manager at the Liberty Hall Museum. “Everyone was once a kid and had a favorite toy they grew up with. We thought this would be a great way to have our visitors’ reminiscence about their own childhood and see toys they didn’t have or ever knew were created.”

The Liberty Hall Museum is proud to announce that “Toys through Time:

Dollhouse exterior for a 1878 dollhouse.

The History of American Fun” is also featuring a display unlike any other museum in New Jersey. They are using “augmented reality” technology to enhance visitors’ experience.

“Augmented reality technology allows us to provide additional information or historical context for the toys in the exhibit,” said William Schroh, Jr., director of museum operations. “The visitor may hear a radio broadcast, view an original television commercial for the toy or see the toy in action.”

Students studying in the Robert Busch School of Design, here at Kean University, created the six augmented reality posters that are displayed throughout the exhibit. Whenever the posters are viewed, using the free app provided on a mobile device, additional content is provided. IPads are available for any person that does not have access to a mobile device when visiting the exhibit. The students that created the posters are Eric Vita, Christina Galera and Erica Whyte; under the direction of Professor Ed Johnston. Jubenal Torres, under the guidance of Dawnmarie McDermid also created the logo, exhibit text panels and the catalog.

The toys on display in the exhibit have been broken down into three major themes: boy’s toys, girl’s toys and gender neutral toys. Some of the boy’s toys include lone ranger pistols, World War II themed toys and more. Some of the girl’s toys include dollhouses, craft items and more. There are also board games on display; one of the games is Cootie and Veda the Answer Man. “We picked these toys because they were fun and different then what is offered today,” said Goldberg.

“There are several toys I’m sure our visitors will remember growing up with and would love to see again. It will also

Close-up view of the 1878 featured dollhouse.

Junior Air Raid Warden Blackout Kit featured from the 1940s.

give our school age children a view into what toys their parents and grandparents grew up playing,” said Goldberg. “We are such a technologically driven society and I hope our younger visitors will realize the different types of games that were offered, particularly before video and computer games.”

This exhibit is fun-for-all-ages and visitors can expect to see over 300 toys when they visit the museum. The toys that are on display are meant to spark conversation been the older and younger generation.

“All of these toys reflect the times in which they were made,” said Schroh.

“Through these toys, we get a glimpse into the events and cultural changes that were shaping society. We hope to inspire grandparents, parents and children to talk – about the toys, about how they played as children, and about the times in which they grew up.”

All photos Courtesy of The Liberty Hall Museum

Mr. Machine is a toy featured from 1960.

RCA Radio Sound Studio Kit featured from circa 1930

6 THE TOWER

October, 2015

OP-ED

Halloween Costumes: Traditional v. Sexy

By Annalise Knudson Halloween is just around the corner, and with Halloween comes the costumes, parties, trick-or-treaters and bundles of candy that go along with it.

For the people that prefer to buy a costume, they would be willing to spend large sums of money ranging from $19.99 up to $79.99 or higher.

Every party store that sells costumes becomes too crowded and waiting on lines to buy anything becomes an hour long process.

With every year that passes and I search party stores for a costume, I see one word that triumphs over the others. The word “sexy” or a word that is similar, has been placed in front of almost every costume for women that it has become difficult to find a traditional costume to compare it with.

Women’s costumes tend to have very little fabric covering the woman’s body, skirts that are extremely short, and are usually pictured with stockings to complete the outfit.

There is even an option to choose and search through only sexy costumes for women under the category “Specialty” on Party City’s website. But on the list for men’s “Specialty” costumes, the option for sexy costumes does not exist.

This is not meant to pick on the girls that choose to wear these costumes, because most girls tend to buy those costumes because they are cute to wear and it’s only for one night. But the problem is for the girls who don’t want to wear that type of costume.

More than half the costumes are considered “sexy” costumes, and the traditional costumes are either too modest or too expensive. Why not make an “in-between” costume for women who

want something seductive enough, but modest enough to not be considered a “sexy” costume?

Why are women still depicted as having to be sexy or seductive, even in the case of Halloween costumes?

If a girl on Halloween chooses to wear a seductive or sexy costume, vulgar words would be used against her on how she dresses too provocatively in public. But if a girl wore a more modest, traditional costume, she doesn’t dress provocatively enough and should show more skin.

I’ve come to the conclusion that women can’t win any argument, even in the case of Halloween costumes, an article of clothing that is worn for less than 24 hours.

Halloween costumes are supposed to symbolize what you want to be and what you can’t be any other day of the year. It’s hard enough to find a costume I like, but harder to find a costume that fits me the right way.

Looking through Party City’s women’s costumes, I scrolled through thin women wearing revealing costumes and wondered what it would look like on me.

To wear most of those sexy costumes requires women to be thin enough to feel comfortable in the costume. Again, costumes require either thin or plus size women to wear the costume, but completely leaves out all the women in between.

I don’t feel like that is the case with the traditional costumes because the amount of fabric differs from the sexy costumes.

Whether girls want to wear sexy costumes or traditional costumes shouldn’t matter at all because it is their choice if they want to wear it.

One thing that I think everyone can agree with is that costumes are too expensive, traditional, sexy, or unique.

THE TOWER Department of Communication Kean University Center for Academic Success 1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083 Telephone: (908) 737-0460; Fax: (908) 737-0465 Email: thetower@kean.edu; www.kutower.com

The Tower is an independent, laboratory newspaper of Kean University’s journalism option in the communication major program.

It is published monthly through the regular academic year and supported by advertising and the Department of Communication.

The Tower is not responsible for claims made by its advertisers. The Tower is a public forum and is free from censorship and advance approval of content by the university administration. The Tower staff is responsible for its content.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: ANNALISE KNUDSON CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: REBECCA PANICO NEWS EDITOR: DARIS MENDEZ FEATURES/A&E EDITOR: MARCO RODRIGUEZ ONLINE EDITORS: ANTHONY MUCCIGROSSI KRISTEN DEMATOS

SPORTS EDITOR: RYAN NORTON

STAFF JAMIE ALICEA YAYONA BANGURA NICOLE BROWN ALYSSA DAVIS JONATHAN ECCLES JOEL JOLY ROSE MARIE KITCHEN

KYLE MAGEE ANGEL OSPINA GABRIELLE GALE PRENDATT-CARTER CELESTE SIMMONS YURI SMISHKEWYCH BHRIANA SMITH

OPINION PIECES AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Tower welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor from any source. Such material should be submitted to thetower@kean.edu or left at The Tower’s offices. To verify sources of written material, submissions must include the writer’s name and contact information. Students should include their class (sophomore, graduate, etc.) and major. Faculty and staff should include campus title or position. On request, names may be withheld from publication if The Tower staff determines there is a legitimate reason to do so, but no anonymous letters will be accepted for publication. The Tower reserves the right to edit, and refuse publication of any submission.

DISPLAY AND CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Deadline for space reservations for display advertising is two weeks before the publication date. Ads submitted after that may be used on a space-available basis. All ads are run-of-the-paper unless an extra fee is collected for a paid position. Deadline for art work and copy is one week before the publication date. Classified advertising can be submitted up to the Thursday before publication as long as the payment is made at the same time. Call (908) 737-0461 or email thetower@kean.edu for a rate card.

TAKE ME HOME

TONIGHT SERIOUS DELIVERY!

TM

TO FIND THE LOCATION NEAREST YOU VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM ©2014 JIMMY JOHN’S FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

SPORTS

7 THE TOWER

October, 2015

Sky’s the limit for Kean’s Down Boyz Cousins making an impact in the world of pro wrestling

By Ryan Norton When you’re a kid, you have a pretty good idea of what type of job you’d like to have one day.

“I want to be a movie star! I want to be a football player!”

As you begin to get older, outside influences like your parents, your teachers, etc., tell you that it’s impractical to have such aspirations, since the odds of you “making it” are slim to none.

Before you know it, you’re sitting behind a desk, working the typical 9-5, all the while; you continue to daydream about the job you wished you pursued when you were a kid.

While many have abandoned those types of dreams a long time ago, 20-year-old Stephen Gibki and 21-year-old Anthony Scorese continue to pursue their lifelong dreams of becoming successful professional wrestlers.

When they’re not spending their days as full-time students at Kean, Gibki and his cousin Scorese are using their weekends to travel all across the Eastern Seaboard as a tag team known as “The Down Boyz.”

“It’s awesome to be able to team with him,” Gibki said about his cousin. “It makes it more fun. A lot of guys in the business travel to shows by themselves, but having family along side me makes it so much easier and more enjoyable.”

The duo’s dreams of wanting to make it in the wrestling business began at a very early age. Gibki recalls watching an episode of WWE’s late-night Saturday show called “Velocity” when he was about five years old, and being captivated ever since.

When the two got a little older, the tandem took their first steps in the pro wrestling world, by attending their first classes at wrestling school out on Long Island. After spending a year there, Gibki and Scorese discovered the D2W Wrestling School in Wharton, NJ, and were trained under the tutelage of Damian Adams.

“Damian Adams was an OVW (Ohio Valley

Wrestling) alumni, and OVW is where guys like John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton were trained,” Gibki said. “So my trainer’s trainer learned from the guy who trained three world champions, so we got very good training.”

As The Down Boyz, Gibki and Scorese have wrestled for 15 different wrestling promotions, and have traveled to states such as North Carolina, Ohio, and Kentucky. On October 3, the cousins wrestled internationally for the first time, wrestling for Destiny Wrestling in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

“Wrestling in front of that Canadian crowd was awesome,” an ecstatic Gibki said. “There were over 500 people there. Definitely the rowdiest crowd we’ve ever wrestled in front of.”

Entertaining fans around North America and earning their degrees aren’t the only responsibilities Gibki and Scorese have.

While the hectic schedule of going to school, wrestling, going to the gym, and working parttime jobs sounds like a tall order for most, it’s one the cousins have no problem doing week in and week out.

“We’ve been on this schedule for the past two years,” Gibki said. “This past year was the biggest struggle, but now that we’ve overcome it, it’s definitely a lot easier to do.”

As they continue to enjoy being successful in the promotions they work for, Gibki admits that he isn’t opposed to one day down the line splitting up from his cousin, and gaining experience as a singles competitor. However, Gibki’s ultimate goal is to make it to WWE with Scorese right by his side.

“We want to make it together,” Gibki said. “Our biggest dream is to make it to WrestleMania. That’s the showcase of the immortals. We hope to make it there together, then once we go on our separate paths, somehow cross again at WrestleMania.”

Until that day comes, Gibki and Scorese are happy to be able to live out their childhood dreams of getting to wrestle and entertain their adoring fans.

Photos: Facebook

Above: As The Down Boyz, Gibki and Scorese have traveled all over North America, and have won several championships.

Below: Scorese and Gibki ready themselves for a match.

Kean’s field hockey team continues their dominance

Wintersession 2016 Register now

www.middlesexcc.edu Shauna LaMaina, Katie DiCarlo, Chelsea Mann, Marissa Robinson and Courtney Richard preparing to attack.

By Joel Joly Kean University’s field hockey team is off to a great start this season, beginning with an impressive 10-0 record under head coach Leslie LaFronz. During that run, the Cougars destroyed their opponents, outscoring them 52-5. Of their first ten wins, six of them were shutouts.

Coach LaFronz spoke highly on her players that made a big impact this season.

“Senior captain Marissa Robinson is exceptional,” said LaFronz. “She was all-conference and all-region player last year. I also have Chelsea Mann, who is a first team all-conference player.”

Krista LaMaina is leading the team in scoring with 21 goals and has made a major impact offensively this season.

“She really stepped up and she is one of the top scorers in the conference, she has been very exceptional,” LaFroz said.

After winning their first ten games, the team suffered a setback, as Marissa Robinson was sidelined with an injury.

The team then lost two consecutive games without their captain.

“Marissa took a lifted ball into her finger and she had to have surgery,” LaFronz said. “We dominated both of the games we lost. I just think we need to continue to believe in ourselves and do what they’re able to do.”

After the two game losing streak, Robinson was then cleared to return to the team, but was scoreless the next game, as the Cougars lost to Montclair

Photo: Larry Levanti

State 3-1. After Marissa’s rusty start coming off her injury, the team bounced back with a win, defeating Stockton University 6-2 on October 10. Marissa scored one goal in the first half.

Sophomore Krista LaMaina led the Kean University field hockey team scoring two goals and assisted on two more for six points. Raykena Brown also led the team with two goals.

As of deadline, the field hockey team’s record stands at 12-3. This season is shaping up to be the most successful season the team has had under LaFronz.

EARN 3 CREDITS OVER THE BREAK Choose from a wide range of courses that meet December 28 - January 13 on the Edison campus.

• Earn credits toward your degree

• Complete 3 credits in 3 weeks

• Best value in the region –

tuition is only $106 per credit for Middlesex County residents.

SUCCESS STARTS HERE

Middlesex County College is a public community college in Edison, New Jersey offering 100 degree and certificate programs. Together, dedicated teaching faculty, small classes and state-of-the-art learning technologies prepare students for transfer to complete advanced degrees and for 21st century careers. Also available are contract training and numerous non-credit courses.

At Middlesex, students receive the best value available for a quality education with low tuition and fees, scholarships and financial aid programs. Day, evening, weekend and on-line courses are offered for full-time or part-time students. In addition to the main campus, there are centers in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy.

2600 Woodbridge Avenue, Edison, New Jersey

SUCCESS STARTS HERE Team captain Marissa Robinson.

Photo: Larry Levanti

#5 Wintersession Ad - Kean University 5.75x10.indd 1

10/15/15 12:23 PM

October, 2015

SPORTS

8 THE TOWER

Coach Robert Irvine continues to build a strong soccer program

By Jaime Alicea III Robert Irvine’s desire to be a successful coach has become increasingly evident. Well into his second season as the head coach of the men’s soccer team, Irvine knows the type of team that will be the most productive out on the field.

“I want to have a team that’s difficult to play against,” said Irvine.

Born in Leeds, England before leaving to Toronto, Canada at the age of 5, you could say soccer has always been a part of Head coach Robert Irvine’s life. Before being known as the head coach of the Cougars, he was known as the mid-fielder for Syracuse University who never missed a game in his four-year collegiate career. Irvine was twice named captain, playing for Syracuse and representing the Canadian U-17 national team.

He eventually graduated with a master’s degree in public administrations.

After finishing his collegiate career, Irvine played for indoor soccer teams like the Buffalo Blizzard in the National Professional Soccer League, and the Sacramento Knights in the World Indoor Soccer League. Irvine then made the transition into coaching under his former coach in Syracuse Dean Fodi, who he praises greatly for the lessons and opportunities given by him.

Opportunity struck in the form of a head coaching position at the College of the Southwest, where Irvine coached the men’s, and eventually women’s soccer team. Irvine would be named coach of the year as the head coach of both teams simultaneously.

Before coming to Kean, Irvine helped lead a strong Division I University of Pennsylvania program under the tutelage of Coach Rudy Fuller.

“I wanted to get back to Division I, and when I got the Gig at Penn, I hit a homerun learning under Fuller because of his knowledge of the game, ability to build relationships, and be very collaborative,” Irvine said.

Kean University has since seen a resurgence in the soccer program under Coach Irvine as the team went 12-8-1 in his first year running the show, while also hosting a tournament game for the first time since 2006.

“I was at a really special place at the University of Penn, but at the same time I was there for 8 years and the competitor in me needed a new challenge in my life,” Irvine stated.

The Cougars’ season this year is off to a hot start, with the team having a record of 13-2*, including being undefeated while playing on home turf.

“I believe were excelling this year because the team has more experience, more depth, and our philosophy here is that these guys need to fully invest themselves to the season and do their job,” Irvine said. “As a head coach, I believe coaching is contextual and you have to have the ability to learn many different hats and you need to wear the most appropriate hat given the context of the situation. For some guys, you need to light a fire and for others you need to be more nurturing, that’s just how coaching works.”

The team’s future looks bright as they continue their

The road to recovery for injured student athletes

By Angel Ospina “Football is like nuclear warfare.

There are no winners, only survivors, ”said the late Frank Gifford, a former pro player and Emmy-winning broadcaster. The sport he loved, which although it is often described as violent, action packed, hard-hitting and dangerous, it is still without a doubt the most popular game in our country.

Whether it is at a professional level, collegial level or even at a pop-warner level, injuries are a part of the game that schools, teams, players and parents will have to deal with as long as the game is played.

Kean University’s football team has had a number of injuries this year that have led to studentathletes being injured. The coach’s optimistic mentality, along with a great athletic training staff, have allowed them to deal with the violent injuries this beloved game opposes upon its players.

“It is going to sound a little coldhearted, but in this sport, in order to be successful, it is a next guy up mentality,” said Head Coach Daniel Garrett.

The Cougars recently lost their starting quarterback Tyler Rodriguez to a broken bone in his hand, which requires surgery to repair and will cause him to miss the rest of the season.

“It’s always hard when you lose a player due to injury. Especially when a player is playing at high level and his performance is a key contributor to the team’s success,” Garrett said.

Rodriguez, the former starting QB who broke his hand recalls his injury.

“I was running, got hit with a helmet right on my hand and flipped in the air,” said Rodriguez, whose hand was heavily bandaged.

“I knew it was (broken) as soon as I looked at it and heard it crack.”

Rodriguez broke his third metacarpal on his hand.

“In football, you hear it from the time you are in high school, you are

only a play away from becoming a starter,” said Garrett. “ We discuss the importance of accepting your role and be ready to answer the call at any time” Unfortunately one play in this sport is all it takes to ruin studentathletes hopes at a successful season.

Red-shirt junior Anthony Nyers learned that the hard way, not once but twice.

Nyers tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee in training camp in 2013 and this year suffered a partial tear in his meniscus in the same knee that was repaired.

“The first ACL injury, I was engaged with a defensive back just stepped the wrong way and I heard my knee snap,” Nyers said. “The most recent one, I went to go block a linebacker and I got my knee rolled from the side by a lineman.”

The injuries to Rodriguez and Nyers depict the gruesome side of football, as both players were able to tell how severe their injuries were immediately just by the sound of their bones snapping.

Fortunately, Kean’s Athletic Training staff is greatly trained and prepared to handle these situations from the moment they occur.

“As athletic trainers, we are trained to deal with the on-field management of a variety of injuries,” said Denise Wujciak, Keans Head Athletic Trainer.“ We not only work as a staff to make sure we are all on the same page about our emergency action plan, but we make sure to include our athletic training student, team physicians and local emergency response team so there are no questions if a medical emergency arises.”

Kean Athletics training staff ’s detailed plan is crucial in not only getting the injured players the immediate help they need as soon as the injury occurs, but also throughout the recovery process.

“Kean Athletics training is great,” Nyers said. “I worked with them

everyday and usually with the same person, where I developed relationships with them. They push you. It’s not easy, but they are very motivating and they work just as hard as I do to get me back on the field” An athlete’s road to recovery can be just as much of a grind as it is to play the sport itself.

“The mental aspect is a huge part of the process they have to get through to get back on the field,” said Wujciak. “Their mental toughness definitely helps them but it is still a long, emotional journey most of the time.”

The recovery process is an emotional journey indeed but once recovered physically, players are faced with the tough decision as to whether to put their body in danger again for the sport they love or think about the future.

When Nyers was asked if he was concerned about having bad knees when he’s older, he said, “ After the first injury no, I had tunnel vision that nobody or any health info was going to stop me from playing again. Now after multiple injuries to the same knee, my concern is to let my body heal and slow it down so I prevent having bad knees later on.”

It’s an unfortunate predicament for a 21-year-old student-athlete to have to be worried about having bad knees in the future but a predicament many who play the game are faced with.

Injury concerns are something Coach Garrett himself faces not just as the head coach, but also as a parent. “ As a parent of three sons, my boys will not play tackle football until their necks are strong enough to support the physical contact for the spine and head,” he said.

The safety of the game is an issue brought to the forefront of today’s society over the past decade.

“The fact is football is a physical sport and there can be big collisions that can have serious impact,” Garrett said.

Photos: Larry Levanti

In his two years as head coach, Irvine has a record of 25-10-2.

Under Rob Irvine, the men’s soccer team has had a resurgence, going 10-1 in the month of September.

dominance leading their conference and playing at a high level, as Coach Irvine steers the ship for a championship run, to what looks to be like another magical season. *Team records are as of deadline

Buyer Beware: Fantasy sports scandal

By Alyssa Davis Another day. another sports scandal. This time in the form of fantasy football.

Two major daily fantasy sports websites, FanDuel and DraftKings, are under scrutiny after they were accused of insider trading during week three of the National Football League.

The scandal surfaced after an employee of DraftKings, Ethan Haskell, accidentally released information prior to the finalization of each team’s lineups.It is alleged, by the New York Times who broke the story, that employees were playing in competitor leagues, for example FanDuel employees were using DraftKings, and were placing bets using information unavailable to the public.

The data showed which players were most utilized in all the lineups for DraftKings’ Millionaire Maker contest. Having this information could provide an unfair advantage.

The same week of the data leak Haskell won $350,000 using FanDuel.

Fantasy sports sites are popular among young adults so The Tower took to the Cougar Walk to get opinions on this newest discrediting sports incident.

Some were wary of daily fantasy leagues from the beginning.

“I don’t use FanDuel or DraftKings because I like to save my money,” junior Steve Gibki said. “I have a few friends who use it and they like it when they win $40 here and there but they get mad when they lose, which happens more often.”

News of the scandal didn’t shock Gibki, who is a longtime Patriots fan.

“I’m not really surprised about the scandal because to be in control of such a large sports gambling company comes with a lot of power and responsibility,” he said. “It’s an easy way for them to make money and rig the system. I’ve always felt that you’re better off just having a fantasy pool among your friends.”

Others who enjoyed using the sites were appalled by the news.

“I like the concept because you can win money by just playing for one day,” freshman Zack Hofsncheider said. “You buy players with fake money and you don’t even have to put in much money, you can play for as low as one dollar. To hear about this though (the scandal), I don’t think it’s right. Everyone should have an equal chance to win money. They’re paying to play. That’s cheating.”

DraftKings and FanDuel both released statements defending their businesses and ensuring customers of their integrity.

DraftKings stated that a “thorough investigation, including examining records of internal communications and access to our database,” had been conducted and they concluded that “this employee could not have used the information in question to make decisions about his FanDuel lineup.”

Up until this point online fantasy sports sites have been unregulated. This news break could mean implementation of stricter guidelines.