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SEPT 30 | 2020 WWW.KUTOWER.COM
TH E I N DEPEN D EN T VOI C E O F KE AN U N IV E R S IT Y
Lamont Repollet begins presidential tenure in turbulent times By Zoe Strozewski Dr. Lamont Repollet, Kean University’s newly-installed president, has taken on a leadership role at a very turbulent time, with the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for racial justice and a controversial 2020 presidential election approaching. He hopes to meet these issues with a student-centered approach and a push for equity, values that he has promoted during his 24 year education career. Previously, Repollet served as the New Jersey Commissioner of Education, appointed by Governor Phil Murphy. Repollet believes this position gave him a valuable perspective on the challenges of online learning when COVID-19 became an international issue. “During that time when schools were closed for remote instruction, I got a chance to really hear some of the concerns of a lot of educators throughout the state,” Repollet said. Those concerns included the technology divide, food insecurity and the loss of kinship that school provides outside of education, he said. “School isn’t just a place for reading, writing and arithmetic,” Repollet said. “School is a place for community where students can go in to get food, where parents can go in to get resources. We actually closed that down.” Repollet announced changes Kean would see in response to the pandemic’s challenges in his Opening Day Address on Aug. 31. Those included the CampusClear mobile application for selfchecking symptoms, revamped dining services, a contact tracing system and $1 billion in state funding directed toward counseling and mental health services. “I truly understand the depth of our collective fear and importantly the obstacles this pandemic has placed in many of our paths, but I want everyone at Kean to know that there is someone here to talk to, that there are resources here to guide and assist you,” Repollet said. “You are not alone when you are part of the Kean family.” The perils of COVID-19 have caused many schools to reevaluate if and how they can reopen. While some universities went strictly remote and others went completely face-to-
face, Kean took a phased-in approach where the first three weeks of the semester were remote, after which 22 percent of classes transition to either face-to-face or hybrid. Those classes will transition back to remote for the last three weeks of the semester.,
Union agreements may mark new era of cooperation with Kean By Zoe Strozewski Dr. Lamont Repollet, Kean’s new president, is reversing the controversial retrenchment of music faculty in what may be a new era of cooperation between the university and the
Photo by Courtesy of Kean University Instagram
Lamont Repollet became Kean’s 18th president on July 1
he said. “We wanted to make sure that come Thanksgiving break when everyone goes home, they’re not coming back to campus until the spring,” Repollet said. “That means they’re in their safest environment during probably the roughest times in regard to flu season.” Some schools, such as the University of Connecticut and University of North Carolina, began experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks upon reopening. Repollet asked for students to be responsible, safe and mindful in order to protect Kean from a similar fate. “This thing is deadly and we need to understand that we don’t want to weaponize this virus,” Repollet said. “That’s why it’s important for us to take that phased-in approach, to make sure we can get
“It is essential that we elevate student voices and empower them to build a just and equitable world.”
continued on page 6
Kean Federation of Teachers (KFT). Additionally, an area that Repollet pinpointed for needing improvement in his Aug. 31 Opening Day Address was faculty diversity. The union agreed with Repollet to hire eight new full time lecturers to better represent the diversity of the student body. In an email sent to all KFT bargaining unit members on Sept. 28, KFT President James Castiglione said that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) National President Randi Weingarten visited Kean on Sept. 24 and met with President Lamont Repollet to discuss labormanagement relations at Kean. The next day, the union and university signed three agreements that addressed issues of “mutual concern,” including saving the jobs of the vast majority of the faculty and staff who received layoff notices this past summer, the email said. “I am grateful to AFT President Randi
Weingarten for meeting with me and others at Kean as we work together to reset labormanagement relations at the University,” Repollet said. “I look forward to working cooperatively in a climate that values everyone’s contributions as we build on Kean’s success and become the next great research university in the State of New Jersey.” Besides music, information is not yet available regarding which programs the other restored faculty and staff are from. The art history faculty, who were also retrenched last year, are not included in these agreements. A separate agreement signed in August had already secured their jobs until the end of May 2021, Castiglione said. “I think this sends a great signal that instead of relying on a traditional adversarial labor management posture of contention and fighting, it shows that Dr, Repollet is a very forward thinking president,” Castiglione said. “He understands the important role that labor unions play in public colleges and universities.” The fight for the music conservatory was happening long before Repollet started his presidency, when Dr. Dawood Farahi was still in the post. The program began experiencing difficulty in the Spring 2020 semester, when popular courses in the department were cancelled and course caps were raised. The Board of Trustees later approved a resolution at its May 11 meeting to suspend a host of academic programs, including music, sustainability sciences and theatre, and lay off dozens faculty and staff. Farahi told the Board the cuts were needed in response to financial concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many considered the program eliminations an attack on the arts, and the resulting backlash generated a petition that received over 8,000 signatures as of Sept. 29 and a car protest through downtown Union titled “Caravan for Kean” on June 18. The other agreements eliminate Professional Development Days in the spring and winter for faculty, cancel time sheets that
The music program is one of the areas that will see faculty and staff restored
continued on page 3
How ‘Black Lives Matter’ Impacts Afro-Latinx Community By Cindy Lazo This past year, with the growing support for Black Lives Matter Movement, many conversations have opened up on racial discrimination – and for the Afro-Latinx community, it is a long ignored issue. An increasing number in the Afro-Latinx community are advocating for inclusion in the Black Lives Matter movement after decades of societal racism and prejudices. “The issue has been obvious to those who choose to see it,” said Ginger Curtis, a Secondary Education-TSD major., “Black Lives Matter shines a needed spotlight.” The term ‘Afro-Latinx’ refers to individuals who are from Latin American countries but have African ancestry. The Afro-Latinx community make up a quarter of U.S. Hispanics, according to a 2014 Pew Research study. “In most of Latin America, depending on where you’re at, you’ll find strongholds that are really strong on African culture and then other places that are more or less in denial on the presence of African culture and African
people,” said Dr. James Conyers, an Associate Professor and Director of Africana Studies. “Many of those places, by and large, many people do not want to identify or even talk about the presence of African people among them.” The African experience in Latin America formally dates back to the Spanish Conquistadors coming to America, especially to the United States, Conyers said. He said in areas such as Arizona and New Mexico, the Spanish brought along Africans like Estevanico ‘Little Stephen’, who is credited being the none-Native discoverer of Arizona and other places. “The Spaniards brought Africans to the New World but that-and many people don’t know this-the history of Spain itself is filled with the history of Africans,” Conyers said, noting that Spain was invaded in 711 by African Moors, who were joined later by Islamic Arab Moors. They stayed in Spain for 774 years. As the Black Lives Matter Movement continues to spread awareness on systematic and intentional racism, more Afro-Latinxs align themselves with the movement. continued on page 6
“The issue has been obvious to those who choose to see it. Black Lives Matter shines a needed spotlight”
Photo by Geya Garcia licensed under CC BY 2.0
‘Somos Afro Latinos’
2 THE TOWER
September, 2020
Kean Ocean to now hold journalism classes in Spring 2021 By Ruben Nieves
in the college journalism scene, and we applaud our many alumni who carved careers in this field” said Atkins.
The Kean Ocean campus located in Toms River has been approved to offer a journalism concentration in their communication major starting in the Spring 2021 semester. Students from the campus will have the opportunity to be involved with Kean’s school newspaper, The Tower. Kean Ocean Campus The decision to add the journalism program to the campus was approved in June 2020 by Kean Ocean and Ocean Photo by Kean Ocean Facebook County College. Kean Ocean Banner Professor Courtney Atkins of Kean Ocean gave her thoughts about The Tower now Professor Atkins, who participated as an coming to Kean Ocean. undergraduate in the college newspaper, is “The Tower is an award-winning publication excited for the students of Kean Ocean to
receive the opportunity to train as journalists through The Tower. She believes the classes of the journalism program will give the students
Lauro and Lois DeSocio lead our way to help incorporate the journalism track here at Kean Ocean” Atkins said. Lauro, the director of journalism and advisor of The Tower at Kean’s campus in Union, shared her thoughts on the new journalism courses and The Tower now being offered at Kean Ocean. “Anything that advances journalism Photo by Ocean.edu is a good thing for democracy. I’m all for it, and we are excited to be adding Kean Ocean coverage to The Tower,” Lauro said. Professor Atkins is beyond excited to have journalism courses and as well be a part of The Tower for the spring semester. “I am beyond stoked to see this opportunity come our way” said Atkins.
“I am beyond stoked to see this opportunity come our way” - Professor Courtney Atkins
the opportunity to explore the importance of ethics and the power of storytelling. “We are excited to have Professors Pat
What Have Kean Students Learned During Quarantine? By Valerie Sanabria Kean University students were supposed to return to campus on March 16, 2020 after the spring recess. Instead of returning they began remote education “to minimize the density of people on campus and reduce
and having to be in quarantine gave her time to be with her family and to help her eightyear-old daughter with remote education. “I have learned to value what I have,” said Delgado Palacios, “that is the good thing it has brought to my life.” Being in quarantine also gave Delgado
together. “I have learned to value the time I spend with my family,” said Kukla, “we do activities together, watch movies together, we appreciate what we have.” “I hated computers and the internet, the only thing I could do was type an email and send it,” Kukla said, “now I’m an expert, I
but I have to be strong because I’m a mother. My children see me as their support and also my parents family.” Katherine Pujols, who is also a Kean student majoring in marketing has used her time in quarantine to learn to edit photos, videos, and to cook. “I learned how
“What I really have learned is to persevere, never give up hope, and keep going,” said Kukla, “also to be united with my classmates and my community. Not everything has been negative, good things have also happened.” Photo by Monitoring of school teaching online., by shixart1985 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Photo by quarantine day 19, by Mario A. P. is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Little girl typing during online classes
View of the back of a woman staring at the horizon
the potential health risk from COVID-19” according to an email sent out from the vice president of academic affairs, Susan Bousquet. Marcela Delgado Palacios who is in her second semester at Kean never thought Covid-19 would reach the U.S. the way it did. “I never expected a situation like this, never,” Delgado Palacios said, “the way it spread and the elevated number of deaths, I never thought something like that could happen.” But for her the pandemic has brought negative and positive things. Losing her job
Palacios the opportunity to learn how to be calm for her eight-year-old daughter. “It has helped me to learn how to control myself and don’t get frustrated,” said Delgado Palacios, “and also show serenity in front of my children.” For Maria Kukla, a student majoring in education and Spanish, quarantine was a type of mini-vacation and a time to rest. “The first week I thought ‘well, we are staying home. Let’s rest, mini-vacation,’ ” Kukla said, “but then I was scared when it was not over soon enough.” Quarantine for Kukla has been a time to be home with her family and do activities
can share my screen and do PowerPoints and add audio to those.” With excitement Kukla explained about the technological skills she has acquired during the isolation period. Another student whose life has changed since quarantine started and has also learned valuable lessons is Rosa Huanchi Condori. The Kean University student majoring in early childhood education lost both her parents recently to Covid-19. It has not been easy for her but going through that event has taught her to be strong for her loved ones. “I never thought I would go through such a difficult situation,” said Huanchi Condori, “
to use editing programs, both for videos and photos,” Pujols said, “I learned how to cook some of my favorite meals, for example lasagna.” Most people have been in quarantine for six months already and some are worried about the future, but for Kukla the pandemic keeps teaching lessons and uniting people. “What I really have learned is to persevere, never give up hope, and keep going,” said Kukla, “also to be united with my classmates and my community. Not everything has been negative, good things have also happened.”
The Greeks met students virtually this year By Tiye Bracy
and Cougar Link. Students started to trickle in around 6:50 p.m. on the Meet the Greeks Google Doc. The document indicated all of the organizations that were attending the event and the Zoom
The Greek Senate held its first virtual Meet the Greeks event on Sept. 16. “This year, Meet the Greeks was 100% virtual using the feature of Virtual Fairs on Cougar Link,” said Graduate Intern of Greek Affairs Gabriella Lapointe. The Greek Senate is greek life which encourages members of the organization to promote and preserve their brotherhood and sisterhood. There are usually two Meet the Greeks events every academic year, one each in the fall and spring semesters. However, the Greek Senate had to follow certain rules this semester regarding events. “This year we obviously had to consider that given the typical size of our event, which is usually over 1500 people, we could not have this take place in person with the state regulations,” Lapointe said. Students were able to join the Zoom or Google Hangouts meetings of the different sororities and fraternities. The event was publicized on the @keangreeks Instagram page Lambda Tau Omega Zoom Meet Up
or Google hangout link to join the meeting. “For the students that did attend, they were able to visit all 23 organizations that were present to learn what they are all about,” Lapointe said.
During the meetings, the sororities would present a short powerpoint about the organization’s history, colors, mottos, philanthropy and other elements. The sorority of Lambda Tau Omega had a virtual meeting that encouraged people to participate with icebreakers. Participants were able to ask questions and learn more about the foundation of the sisterhood. The second meeting was with Omega Phi Chi at 8:30 p.m. on the Google Hangouts platform. The meeting was shorter, starting with a brief overview of the sorority. Both sororities had QR codes on the powerpoint for students to fill out a short contact form. The main difference this year was the number of students that attended the event compared to the event this past spring. “I think students were able to get the same experience of learning about the organizations but they were not able to have the experience and excitement of watching all the performances that take place at our typical Photo by Tiye Bracy event,” Lapointe said.
“I think students were able to get the same experience of learning about the organizations but they were not able to have the experience and excitement of watching all the performances that take place at our typical event.”
Photo by Tiye Bracy
Omega Phi Chi Google Hangouts Meet
September, 2020
THE TOWER 3
Human Rights Institute Promotes the Importance of Voting By Christian Grullon Kean’s Human Rights Institute (HRI) hosted various events promoting the importance of voting ahead of the 2020 U.S. election. The HRI looks to address voting in the United States and also addressing voter registrations with students. The events regarding voting took place throughout September. All the events were held virtually on Zoom. Lauretta Farrell, director of the HRI, said voting is fundamental to our rights as human beings. “We believe that voting is one of the most basic human rights. If you have the right to vote you can influence so much else in your life and in your community,” Farrell said. Farrell referred to a speech by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom where he pointed out state level inactivity over the Brown v. Board of Education’s Supreme Court decision that declared segregation in schools illegal. “States weren’t really going to integrate schools.” Farrell said, noting that King was quoted as saying “One of the problems that we have is that we are not out there voting." Farrell said it's important to get students on board with voter registration. “Given the challenges that we face this year,
“We believe that voting is one of the most basic human rights. If you have the right to vote you can influence so much else in your life and in your community.”
particularly with remote learning and the fact that most students who are not registered will be freshman in college, so we needed to have really more of a full-court press of pushing this voter registration initiative,” Farrell said. The Kean community has supported this initiative for voter registrations. “The entire Kean community has really
supported this and faculty from a variety of disciplines have invited our students into the classrooms to talk to their students about voter registration and to kind of walk them Photo by through the process,” Farrell said. Farrell also talked about how the resurgence of Black Lives Matter and the COVID-19 pandemic played a huge role for voting this year. “We’ve seen killings of black men and black women, but certainly more black men and unfortunately that’s nothing new,” Farrell said. “When George Floyd was murdered, it
was so graphic and with the prevalence of social media, you’d have to be living under a rock to not have heard of it or seen it. I think we all just had it, we needed to do something, we needed to get out and do something to support our community,” Farrell said. The HRI events included a Presidential Debate Party on the institute’s live Twitter feed, a Voting Scavenger Hunt, and Issues Night: Voter Suppression. These events occurred on the heels of the approaching 2020 election with the top candidates Donald Trump of the Republican Party and Joe Biden of the Democratic Party. Despite the campus recently opening up for hybrid classes from the lockdowns, all of the events were held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic and to obeying the social distancing guidelines of six feet apart.
A Smiling Heart for COVID Test! Remember, to keep your windows up! By Lenny K. Mata Cuevas Do you remember visiting the doctor’s office as a child and leaving with tears in your eyes after a nurse took blood to test God only knows what? Remember being confused and wondering why your parents were all smiley faces with the nurses and doctors after solemnly promising to visit again within the next four to six months? What about the doctors thinking they could make things better by just giving you a lollipop? Honestly, I remember. The struggle, Lollipops and all! When you grow up your parents are not supposed to take you to the Doctor’s office anymore. Therefore, no lollipops or rewards for checking on your health. It is all about self-care, self-discipline and taking a step
forward for yourself and for the people around you. Taking this idea into consideration I decided to be proactive and responsible and went to get tested for COVID-19. The virus has taken over everyone’s life and health style in a way that hand sanitizer and masks are as necessary as the keys to the cars. On Sept. 16th, 2020 I took advantage of the visible lab installed at Kean on our Union County campus. The Drive-Through [only] Test Center, opened on March 23, 2020 and to date “has administered over 43,000 tests,” according to Kean News. The facility is meant to help all county residents in need of a test, “Whether they are or not experiencing symptoms.” “It is free of charge, regardless of whether you have insurance or not,” the County of Union assures on their site. Same site, where I
Photo by Lenny Mata
Tarps at the Test Center
continued on page 6
Union agreements may mark new era of cooperation with Kean continued from page 1
the faculty have been required to fill out for years under the Farahi administration. The university also will also renegotiate 12-month lecturer agreements, and meet to negotiate financial support for attending conferences, research and similar pursuits, the email said. “Conference attendance and all of the professional development opportunities that faculty can take advantage of are likely to be a substantial source for faculty to meet their professional development expectations,”
Castiglione said. After graduation, full time faculty were required to convert their classes to a specific format created by Kean Online, which includes requirements such as discussion questions. The agreements stipulated that the university will provide deferred payments to instructors who converted classes into online courses over the summer In response to these changes, the union agreed to and rescind all litigation relating
to any issues addressed in the agreements. Under the Farahi administration, numerous grievances were filed by the KFT regarding these issues. and consented to 30 hours of professional development requirements for faculty throughout the fall and spring semesters, the email said. Castiglione believes these agreements and the collaboration they entailed bode well for labor-management relations and university success in the future.
“We have been very appreciative of the inclusive and professional manner in which he [Repollet] has engaged us, and we really believe it bodes very well for the future of the university,” Castiglione said. “It will really help vault the university into higher realms of achievement because we’re all going to be working together and seeking common ground and effective solutions to the problems that jointly confront us.”
Kean Faculty Adjusts to the Remote Classroom By Chelsey Jaipersaud The impact of the coronavirus has led to students and faculty adjusting to a new learning environment at home. Kean has developed their own restart plan where the use of Blackboard Collaborate, a learning management system, has been embedded into lesson plans and the overall structure of each course offered. Kean faculty spent the summer designing their course and planning what will work best for their students. Faculty did receive one week training to provide instruction through Blackboard, but there was no former training. Under specific directives Faculty is required to use Blackboard for live lectures, discussions and assignments. According to Kean’s Restart Plan “all courses have been converted to ensure effective instruction for remote learning and to meet quality standards established by Kean University’s School of Online Education, using the Blackboard Learning Management System”. The courses offered at Kean are each very diverse and some may not follow a typical structure. “Initially the faculty were not at all consulted about what a remote class should look like, we were basically all told this is exactly how you’re all going to do it,” Craig Donovan, President of the University Senate said. Different classes require different methods and styles of teaching. Courses such as World Literature and World History offer
Photo by Kean University Website
Kean Restart Plan
“A one size fits all is not a good solution,” Donovan said. an opening for discussion while an Organic Chemistry class may not leave much room for discussion. “A one size fits all is not a good solution,” Donovan said. Kean’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, Suzanne Bousquet, eventually put out a directive that stated how it should be up to the individual faculty to determine the best way for them to design their classes
remotely. Unfortunately, this was after faculty completed their course conversions with material that was required for the Fall semester. Professors who have more knowledge working with Blackboard and this online lifestyle have offered to assist others. Professor Marguerite Mayhall is leading a teaching and learning group for faculty interested in improving their teaching online. “What I envision is focused workshops on practical solutions and tips to teaching effectively online,” Mayhall said. This shift created a more draining environment for the faculty. Throughout the week professors are sitting at their computers for several hours teaching, answering emails, offering office hours and grading. “Zoom fatigue does exist,” Mayhall said. According to Mayhall, Faculty members are feeling exhausted mentally and physically. Remote instruction comes with distractions and learning how to work with your surroundings. Keeping yourself motivated enough to organize yourself is a priority under the circumstances many are in. Building connections between a student and professor is part of the in class experience. Professors are able to better understand and work with students who need the extra help. There is a loss of creating a community because of limitations and what works best for a remote class. “I miss seeing my students in person,” Mayhall said. The pandemic that struck this year left many having to learn and adjust to
Photo by Blackboard Website
Blackboard
everything thrown at a rapid pace. Should remote learning continue, many are hoping for Kean University and the administration to find better ways to involve the faculty and listen to their suggestions. “The problem with what we're doing this semester is a short-term issue, hopefully we can make some tweaks for the next semester,” Donovan said.
4 THE TOWER
September, 2020
What resources are available to Kean students this Fall semester?
Department of Communication Kean University Center for Academic Success 1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083 Telephone: (908) 737-0470; Fax: (908) 737-0465 Email: thetower@kean.edu; www.kutower.com
By Tiye Bracy
till 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon till 8 p.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. Even amid the Covid-19 pandemic Kean on weekends. University is offering students a variety of The new protocols for using the computer resources with some slight changes. Many labs are as follows. Each student must sanitize resources have established an online presence their hands when they enter the computer to help students virtually from their homes rooms. Students will swipe their own ID or dorm rooms. cards for less contact among other students. At the Learning Commons, students can They will be encouraged to use now reserve a study room the eprint options. The front or request a laptop through row of the computers will be an online system. Spaces, vacant to use as a walkway. dates, and times are available The Involvement Center online. You can find the links located in the MSC will be to reserve a spot or laptop on open to service student groups www.kean.edu by clicking on and assist students that want the cougar restart guide and to be involved in leadership. then academic and research They have a new virtual support. front desk feature offered Students may also go to the via Blackboard to students. Grand Study Hall on the top The hours of operation are floor of the Learning Commons Monday through Thursday without a reservation. Room noon till 8 p.m., Friday 10 115 is designated for high a.m. till 6 p.m., closed on risk students. The Learning weekends. Commons will be open The Commuter Resource from 7:30 a.m. till 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Center located in the Learning except on Wednesdays it will Commons will be open to be closed. help students virtually and Library services this semester include in person. Virtual hours are 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. writing,publicspeaking,tutoring,andresearch Monday through Friday. Students can contact support offered virtually. You can either do 908-737-5250 to get in touch for scheduling. a virtual drop in or make an appointment In person visits can be made by appointment online. The research appointments are 10 only via phone or email. minutes long. You can choose staff and The Career Services, Internships, and time slots for available appointments. The International studies will be open virtually tutoring center this semester. operating hours They can be are 8 a.m. till 8 reached during p.m. Monday the hours of 8 through Friday, a.m. till 6 p.m. 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Monday through on Saturdays, Thursday, and 8 and noon till 7 a.m. till 5 p.m. p.m. on Sundays. for appointments The hours for the on Fridays. To writing center are request a virtual 9 a.m. till 10 p.m. appointment Monday through Photo by Kean website please email Thursday, 9 a.m. Hours of operation of the eateries on campus career@kean.edu. till 6 p.m. on The on campus Fridays, 9 a.m. Shuttle service will be operating Monday till 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. till 8 p.m. through Friday from 7:15 a.m. till 10:45 p.m., on Sundays. and on Saturdays from 7:45 a.m. till 3:45 p.m. How can a student make an appointment The D’Angola Fitness Center is open for the library services? Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. till 5 “All appointments are made through p.m.. The gym will be open until November TutorTrac (tutortrac.kean.edu),” said Shelby 25 when the entire campus will be going Loza, an Academic Specialist for the writing center. back to remote learning. There are certain Each session is 45 minutes in length via guidelines to use the gym facilities. For safety Zoom. reasons, students must sign up to make a Do you like the new way of assisting 45 minute appointment via IMLeagues.com students due to Covid? under fitness. The facility will be closing in “I firmly believe that the transition to between sessions for 30 minutes for cleaning online was so smooth because online tutoring purposes. There will be temperature and was already available to students pre-COVID,” symptoms check ins for students arriving Loza said. at the gym for workouts. No lockers will be In your opinion, do you think students are permitted this Fall. Hallway bathrooms will okay with this new way of coaching? be used for changing. No refills of water, so “Initially, the transition to online tutoring bring your own filled water bottles. Students was hard for students and staff alike,” must wipe down the machines and weights she continued to say “As the weeks went after use. Face wearings are a must. by students as well as staff became more On campus dining will be offered accustomed to meeting virtually as opposed throughout the semester. Mobile ordering to face-to-face,” stated Loza. had been introduced this Fall via Boost The Miron Student Center is still open to Mobile application on androids and Iphones. students. High risk students will be allowed Food services are available via pickup. The to use the computer labs within the first application provides ordering status and hour of opening. The designated hours for completion. high risk students are 9 a.m. till 10 a.m. For availability and updates students can Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. till 11 visit the website kean.edu/dining and follow a.m. on weekends. There will be a maximum the social media pages @gourmetdiningkean of twelve students in the computer lab at a on Facebook and Instagram. time. The hours of operation are 9 a.m. till 10 Many services are provided to students p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. till on campus and virtually this semester 8 p.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. on despite the pandemic. If you would like more weekends. The New Upper Class Computer information regarding the resources that are Lab is located inside of the New Upper Class readily available to students please reference Residence Hall. A maximum of 5 students are the cougar restart guide on the Kean website. allowed at a time. This lab is open from noon
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.
“As the weeks went by students as well as staff became more accustomed to meeting virtually as opposed to face-to-face.”
EDITOR IN CHIEF: ZOE STROZEWSKI NEWS EDITOR: CINDY LAZO FEATURES EDITOR: VALERIE SANABRIA SPORTS EDITOR: STEVEN MERRILL ONLINE EDITOR/ SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: EMILY ROBLES
REPORTERS ALEJANDRO ARCOS
LESHAY JONES
DORIAN ALERTE
LAYLA LUSBY
JENNIFER BALSA
JULIEN NEALS
TIYE BRACY
RUBEN NIEVES
LENNY MATA CUEVAS
BREANNA PALZER
CHRISTIAN GRULLON
ALEXANDER VALDES
CHELSEY JAIPERSAUD
OPINION PIECES AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Kean University Students Dorm Amid COVID-19 Pandemic By Emily Robles Resident Assistant Shaikira Jackson usually hosts pizza parties and trivia nights for students to come together in the dorms, but this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she finds herself making her programs on zoom instead. This fall semester, COVID-19 has made universities across the c o u n t r y unable to have a normal school year, and Kean is no exception. Schools are forced to host online classes and limit the number of students who can be on the campus at the same time. Kean University has decided to open its dorms for students, but it will not be the same as the years prior. New rules and regulations have been placed in order to ensure a safe environment. One of these
new rules is that only two students will be allowed to live in a suite. Instead of four students in a two-bedroom suite with two students in each bedroom, suites will now house one student per bedroom, two students per suite, according to Residential S t u d e n t Services in an email sent to all students. With this new rule in place, Photo by Kean.edu this means housing has been cut by 50% at Kean U n i v e r s i t y. Along with the limited number of students living on campus, guests are no longer allowed at the residence halls. Community spaces like lounges, kitchens and computer labs are not open for use as well. Jackson, a senior at Kean University, decided to come back this semester and reclaim her Resident Assistant position. Jackson is an RA for the Upper and Bartlett
“RSS faculty and staff worked hard to make sure this semester goes smoothly and I was afraid that hard work would go to waste.”
Photo by Kean website
Kean students socially distancing outside on campus
continued on page 6
September, 2020
Diversity Speaks about Black and Brown Experiences By Leshay Jones The Pan-African Student Union in collaboration with the National Council of Negro Women held a panel where Black and Brown students opened up Pandora’s box, discussing some heavy topics. The discussion, held on Sept. 17, started off with an address from President Lamont Repollet, who encouraged students and praised Kean for its diversity. “Diversity is what we do. It is our strength. It's the equity aspect that we must build on,” Dr. Repollet said. The president was not alone in feeling there is a need for change. Four student panelists, along with an open forum, discussed their
“We started to work with the other organizations on campus and that’s when we really started to make noise. Now we are louder than ever.” experiences at Kean as the Black and Brown community. Although each of their experiences and backgrounds were different, it became very apparent they all had similar experiences when looking for clubs and events for people like them. “The presence of the Black community when I first came to Kean in 2015 was basically non-existent. For the first year, my teammates and I had no knowledge of clubs like PASU or any events that they had because they were not easy to find,” said alumnus David Patterson Jr., a former football captain. Not only is it hard to find the AfricanAmerican student body, professors of color are equally, if not harder, to come by, they said. Some students addressed their concerns with microaggressions from non-black professors. These are indirect, subtle comments or actions that discriminate against someone's race or ethnicity. “I have been at Kean a very long time, and my entire time here, I’ve only had four Black professors,” said senior Latisa Harriot, who is vice president of Top Notch. “Meanwhile, I’d have white professors commenting on how my hairstyle was different from the week before, or mixing me up with other Black students who clearly did not look the same as me.” From these student’s perspectives, they had no outlet and some of them felt alone on a campus filled with people, no matter how many friends they had. “There was a time where you really had to go out there and search for the Black organizations on campus. I didn’t have my first Black professor until my junior year and I found myself wondering why it took so long,” senior Shanice Allen said. Students like Jenell Boykins, got tired of waiting around for someone to create a space for students of color, so they took the initiative to create something for themselves. The goal was to create something for the whole community on campus. All of the Black student organizations came together and realized that there is power in numbers. “When it came to Black women on campus, we realized that we did not have that safe space, so we created it,” Boykins said, one of the Vice Presidents of the National Council of Negro Women “We started to work with the other organizations on campus and that's when we really started to make noise. Now we are louder than ever.” Dr. Repollet left the students with some encouraging words and his expectations for the University in the years to come. “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the extra,” he said. “I said diversity is our strength, but it’s what we do with that strength that defines who we are as an institution.” With a new academic year with a new president, the campus community is anxious to see what changes will be made to make the environment even more diverse and spread his vision of equity.
THE TOWER 5
OPINION Op-Ed: To my fellow students,
please, just follow the rules
By Zoe Strozewski
still fair game. Go break those rules. (That was a joke. Here’s another one: three people with COVID-19 walk into a house party. You can probably guess the ending) Another thing to consider is the financial repercussions the university will face if forced to close again. The previously mentioned University of Connecticut is already facing a $74 million budget deficit due to outbreaks on campus, and that figure could grow substantially if the school fully shuts down, according to an article published by the CT Mirror. At the end of the Spring 2020 semester,
an invincibility complex, but this isn’t something we can avoid because of our age. As we begin the fall semester, I want to Kean is not going to just get lucky and avoid impart a critical plea to my fellow students: an outbreak if students resort to their usual do not treat this semester like semesters hijinks and approach this semester like any of the past because it is the opposite of other. This school isn’t going to miraculously ordinary. The consequences of irresponsible avoid getting shut down just because we want student behavior and a COVID-19 outbreak that outcome badly enough. on campus could be devastating to the Kean What happened to UConn and the community. University of North Carolina will happen The world has seen a minor return to to us too if we don’t approach these coming normalcy, but it has already been proven months with extreme caution. that we are nowhere near ready to revisit My fellow students, if you’re not going to our way of life before COVID-19 became a do it for yourselves, do it for the professors household name. who are risking However, Kean’s their health, as well later-than-most start as their family’s, to date has given us the teach you on campus. chance to witness Do it for those the consequences with a higher risk of partying in the of severe illness COVID-19 era who will walk onto and learn from campus every day the mistakes of scared because they schools that have don’t have the luxury unsuccessfully tried of being cavalier with to reopen. their health. The University Do it for the of Connecticut, for students who live in example, recently the dorms and will quarantined a dorm lose their housing if of approximately rulebreakers decide 300 students after to play Russian their building roulette with a became a hotspot for contagious disease. COVID-19 infection, Do it for the according to an article Kean athletes published by the CT whose seasons were Post. suspended seasons The University and for the Class Photo by Courtesy of kean.edu of North Carolinaof 2020, that had Kean has instated guidelines for safely attending classes and social distancing Chapel Hill has to graduate from already topped 1000 college on a laptop cases between students and employees Kean responded to financial difficulties because a whole lot of people in this country since reopening, according to the school’s caused by the pandemic by laying off over two decided not to take a pandemic seriously. COVID-19 dashboard. Additionally, the dozen faculty and staff and fully cutting some Do it for the faculty and staff that recently university has suspended all face-to-face programs, including music, theater education lost their jobs and the students who lost classes and asked residential students to start and sustainability science. If irresponsible programs they’re passionate about due to moving back home. student behavior caused another campus COVID-19’s financial devastation.. Regardless of every precaution and safety closure, the resulting financial deficit may Lastly, do it for the students who don’t protocol that Kean has already put in place, result in even more job and program cuts. get the privilege of being on campus this this is a future that we will also face if the So much more is at stake here than a simple semester. They might be surviving on the students themselves don’t follow the rules. bout of the flu. People could lose their jobs, possibility of the Kean population avoiding This three week buffer we’ve been allotted their educational programs, their housing an outbreak so they have a chance of may be extended into the whole semester and, ultimately, their lives. returning next semester. That hope is going faster than you can shotgun a Natural Light. It’s important to note that following the to be destroyed the second students choose In many ways, the charm of college is rules does not mean students have to be themselves over the good of the entire school. ingrained in breaking the rules, especially antisocial hermits this semester. There are Only time will tell whether Kean was for the freshmen. Moving into a dorm and many ways to spend time with friends without equipped to reopen in the first place, but the living without the constant supervision of putting the entire campus community at risk. only way we have any shot at all is if everyone parents is a completely groundbreaking level That isn’t possible in overfilled dorm rooms (and I mean everyone) takes personal of independence, and I know that having the or basements that spit on the name of social responsibility. The butterfly effect is real and “traditional college experience” is something distancing. poignant. It may take one selfish act from many high schoolers look forward to. It was a long shot that Kean would open at an infected person to trigger an outbreak However, if we prioritize the “traditional any capacity this semester. Students have the powerful enough to destroy the fragile college experience” over staying safe, then rest of their lives to have fun, so it’s critical semester we’re starting. we will undoubtedly get shut down again and that we lay low for this semester and stay This issue, unlike many of the world’s won’t have a college experience period. disciplined. Hedonism and pandemics really problems, is black and white. Either we do As far as breaking rules goes, anything don’t mix well. what it takes to keep the campus open, or we outside of the COVID-19 safety protocols is Young people, me included, often have don’t. It’s that simple.
“So much more is at stake here than a simple bout of the flu. People could lose their jobs, their educational programs, their housing and, ultimately, their lives.”
COVID-19 causes changes to Kean Campus By Breanna Palzer
Photo by Breanna Palzer
Directional Stickers on floor in MSC
COVID-19 has caused many changes around the world. These changes include wearing masks when going out into public and constant hand washing. Lifestyle was not the only thing that changed. College campuses were also included in the need to adapt during these crucial times, Kean University being one of those campuses. Kean has gone through many physical changes in order to make sure everyone both attending classes on campus and those living on campus are safe. Directing traffic throughout buildings is very important during this pandemic. One of the changes Kean has made to their campus is putting stickers on all doors and floors in buildings as to guide people in and out of the buildings. There are also many signs reminding people to wash their hands and to wear a mask whenever inside and within six feet of someone else. “I think it’s helping the campus stay healthy.” Kean senior Ashley Aucupina said. “People know what doors to go in and out of now. It keeps a lot of people separated from each other, which is good” Kean is now also requiring students and campus workers to do a bi-weekly spit test, in which saliva is analyzed, to determine if they have COVID-19 and whether or not they can continue to come on campus. The testing is done every other monday between one and three in the afternoon. The tests are done every other week as so make sure no new cases have arisen and that everyone on campus is healthy. “I’m kind of glad they are deciding to do a covid-19 test every other week.” says Kean Senior, Roman Bellanger, “Even though a lot has changed on campus, I’m glad they are doing whatever they can to make sure we are all safe. I’m also glad they are making us do spit tests instead of nose swabs, I don’t think my nose could handle getting swabbed every other week” Life as a dorming student has changed as well. Dorming continued on page 7
6 THE TOWER
September, 2020
How ‘Black Lives Matter’ Impacts Afro-Latinx Community continued from page 1
“Most folks from Latin [America] are of mixed racial heritage – either part African or part indigenous. Historically, in the US context of racial classification, that would have made them non-white. As a result, many of them can relate to Black Lives Matter because they too have been victims of structural racism.” said Frank Argote-Freyre, an associate professor of Latin America history. “They can identify with someone like George Floyd because they too have been targeted as the ‘other’.” Despite the lack of representation for the Latinx community itself in the media, AfroLatinxs are more underrepresented even in the Latin media. Though famous light-skinned Latinx artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, Bad Bunny and J Balvin has been in the music industry spotlight, the list of well known Afro-Latinx stars including Cardi B, Amara La Negra, Ozuna, and Celia Cruz (who is regarded as the Queen of Salsa) have impacted the music industry all while establishing their Afro roots in their music. Telenovela programs see that their main characters are cast by light-skinned actors as the roles of house maids and gardeners are primarily portrayed by Afro-Latinxs. Major Hispanic broadcasting companies Univision and Telemundo received backlash earlier this year due to the lack of Afro-Latinx presence in their programs. So what steps should be taken within the Latinx community to take a stand against the indoctrinated racism and anti-Black sentiment? “First thing you have to do is understand what racism is, and you need to study racism and how it operates in all areas of activity,” Conyers said. “When I do classes and talk about racism, and I ask somebody, ‘What is racism?’, this is what most of the students say: this is when you don’t like somebody because of the color of their skin or their features. That’s not racism, that is prejudice. What most people do not understand, racism is far more insidious. The basic formula for racism is power plus prejudice equals racism, meaning in order to truly be a racist, as a society, individually or as a group, you must have the institutional power to enforce your prejudices on an entire group of people, even before they’re born.” Conyers explained that there are people born into a situation where you can enforce their life chances and every individual who may or may not unintentionally buy into that concept contributes something in the way through thoughts, speech and action to the racial oppression pattern, and that is how it maintains itself. Dr. Frank Argote-Freyre said that the most important action is to not allow communities of color to be divided. “There is a long history of pitting immigrants against African-Americans to ensure that neither gets a fair shake in terms of political and economic empowerment.” He said, “The communities are different but there are more commonalities than differences. To put it in a few words – Unity between communities.” Practices of ‘Blanqueamiento’, or the whitening, has been instilled (politically and/ or socially) throughout most Latin American countries with the idea that by marrying someone of a lighter skin color or of European ancestry and having children with them will ‘mejorar la raza’ (‘improves the race’) to which it still continues to this day. Conyers also points out that there are African influences that have since become central elements to Spanish and Latin American cultures. “For instance, the national dance of Puerto Rico is the Bomba, that’s African. Many people don’t know that. This influence is deep and wide.” Conyers said, “However, part of what has happened due to a host of factors-some cultural, some racial, a bunch of factorscontribute to it.”
A Smiling Heart for COVID Test! Remember, to keep your windows up! continued from page 3
booked my appointment for Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. I cannot say I was nervous, nor was I 100% relaxed. It is a short drive from home to the center but long enough to think about the possibilities of being a contagion agent. I could not stop thinking about the chances of an unwanted result. The entrance is located at Morris Avenue and as soon as I turned left into the campus an officer was waving his hands as a sign for me to slowly drive towards him. He asked for my driver’s license and confirmed whether I scheduled an appointment or not. Then, he told me to follow the arrows to the next checkpoint emphasizing “from now on keep your windows up.” At the first tarp the staff corroborates names and appointment dates. For a moment I could not listen properly to the questions and by instinct I lowered my window just a little. Loud and clear like an alarm, they reminded me “Keep your windows up!” Then a lady drew an A on the left bottom corner of my car’s front glass, I had an Aappointment and I was good to go. At the second tarp I had to wait behind some cars and I understood why when it was my turn. A gentleman approached with a sheet of paper that contained my appointment’s date and all my information. He placed it on my car’s window and asked me to read it and confirm it. He wanted to validate my address, phone number, email, and any other contact details. Then, he left the printed sheet on my windshield. On my way to the last tarp another gentleman crossed his arms over his chest as a sign to stop my car. Then, he drew a smiling heart on my window. That simple gesture calmed me and made me understand that I was doing the right thing. I was being proactive. I was caring for my health and I was caring for others. After that, it was all downhill. The last tarp was farther from the previous one. I thought that probably they were looking to have enough space and maintain proper distance from the rest of the crew. Since it was there where testing takes place. Once it was my turn a health care provider
Photo by Lenny Mata
Allied Health +Information Building at Kean University
“Keep your windows up” picked up the sheet of paper from my windshield. Again, I was asked to verify my name, address, phone number, and email. Then, she handed me an envelope which contained details on how to access my results and what to do next. After, she handed me a tissue and asked me to blow my nose, it was surprising when she said, “Please lower your window halfway, look straight, hold your breath, and count to ten”. She rolled and rolled the Q-tip into my nose and I admit it is an uncomfortable sensation, similar to when one is about to sneeze or cry. Lastly, the medical staff said, “That’s all. You can put your window up.”. I thanked her for what she did and simply like that the test was done.While driving to the exit located at the North Avenue side of campus, I thought it didn’t take more than twenty minutes. After that I was on my way home, serene and optimistic. Even though Kean University Test
Lamont Repollet begins presidential tenure in turbulent times continued from page 1
this university prepared to receive students against all odds.” that he could inspire students to do their best because we don’t want to be in a situation Repollet was unanimously approved at by creating a loving environment for them. where we are not having each other’s back.” the May 11 Board of Trustees meeting and “I’m a big believer in Maslow’s hierarchy of On top of COVID-19, Repollet has taken replaced Dr. Dawood Farahi, as president needs: food, clothing and shelter,” Repollet on a leadership role in a time of potent social of Kean on July 1. Repollet is Kean’s 18th said. “Well, I think education is in that as unrest, with Black Lives Matter protests and president and the first African-American in well. I think that in order to change your calls for racial justice seeping into many areas the post. circumstances, whoever you are, whatever part of society. He addressed this of the world you’re in, education movement as evidence that a is that necessity, especially when student-centered approach and you’re coming from a community push for equity are needed in of poverty.” education. While Repollet has only held “It is essential that we elevate his presidential role for a couple student voices and empower months, he is not new to Kean. them to build a just and equitable He received a master’s degree in world,” Repollet said in his educational administration from Opening Day Address. “It’s not Kean and served on the Board of just a conversation inside the Trustees from 2011 to 2018. ivory tower anymore. The outside Those past experiences at world is forcing this conversation Kean and appreciation for its everywhere, and at Kean we’re a diversity drove his desire to step ahead because we are already pursue the presidency when the seizing this moment.” opportunity arose, he said. Apart from constructive “I knew that this was the right Photo by Courtesy of kean.edu conversations in the classroom, place and the right fit,” Repollet he plans to build equity and Lamont Repollet gave his Opening Day Address on Aug. 31 said. “This is my opportunity and fairness through his new my time. My experiences here as a trustee have His commitment to kids in the classroom, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and built the love for Kean University and I’m still however, was born long before when he got a the President’s Leadership Council, which a part of that.” job coaching basketball at his high school, he generates advice from diverse student leaders. His first year in office is going to center on said. He also founded three pillars: safety, academic excellence and “I just fell in love with the students, the whole Division of Student Success and Retention, equity, Repollet said. Additionally, he hopes atmosphere, the teamwork, and I realized that which will provide students with support and to reinforce the acceptance that drew him to my passion was really with students,” Repollet guidance on their path to graduation. Kean. said. “Those who know me know I fight to “No matter how you are, who you are, who After completing the alternate route advance equity in all that I do,” Repollet said. you love, who you pray for means nothing program to receive his teaching certification “I am a living example of equity in motion. because at the end of the day, this university in New Jersey, he got a job in the East Orange Because of the academic excellence of my alma maters, Kean among them, I stand before you School District. There, he had the realization will see you as a student,” Repollet said.
Kean University Students Dorm Amid COVID-19 Pandemic continued from page 4
Residence Halls this semester. “I decided to continue as a Resident Assistant and live on campus because I wanted to continue working with and helping people,” said Jackson. “But also because I was happy to see Kean doing what it takes to keep residents safe and still be able to provide the opportunity for students to enjoy ResLife. Also, because I wanted to get out of my boring quarantine routine!”
Center is exclusively for patients who are driving, the county has arranged Walk-up Locations for those who can’t drive. Anyone can always contact 908-214-7107 to get in contact with Union County TeleHealth service. On campus, the Student Health Services is offering “both TeleHealth and inperson appointments during the Fall 2020 semester.” They are available to answer any “general questions about COVID-19”, as informed on the Kean website. Two days after visiting the center, I received a call from the county to tell me that my results were negative. The choice to get tested was scary, especially knowing I would not receive a lollipop or any other kind of reward after except for the smiling heart on my window and the satisfaction for being proactive. For the moment, that is all the fighting back anyone can do.
One of Jackson’s major concerns with coming back to campus was the possibility of returning home shortly after getting to campus. “RSS faculty and staff worked hard to make sure this semester goes smoothly and I was afraid that hard work would go to waste,”
Photo by Kristine Bragg
Mask Detector in Cougar Hall
said Jackson. “However, I made sure that I did my part to make sure I kept myself and others around me safe to prevent that from happening.” One of the duties of being an RA at Kean University is creating programs for students to attend to in the dorms. The programs could be game nights, cooking nights, movie nights and more for students to interact with each other, but because of COVID these programs have changed as well.
“Programs are still happening. This semester however, most programs are virtual and any Kean student can participate by joining a google meet or zoom link,” said Jackson. “Having virtual programs is fun because now students don’t have to worry about getting out of bed to participate. You can still find all RSS programs on cougar link.” Some RSS programs that are happening soon are trivia nights, organizing your schedule with your RA’s and coloring for a cause. Even though Jackson is living on campus, all her classes are virtual and will not be meeting after the first two weeks of the
SPORTS
September, 2020
THE TOWER 7
Kean Latin Rhythms has its first online meeting By Jennifer Balsa
It is safe to say that this has been one of the strangest school year kickoff for Kean University due to the inability to throw in person gatherings. From attending online cooking classes to setting up a yoga routine we have all tried to find new and creative ways to stay active and entertained during quarantine. Considering the new restricted lifestyles in order to reduce contagion during the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone has had to accommodate their hobbies inside the comfort of their home. However, this has not stopped Kean students from developing alternatives and still carrying out events to keep everyone busy and entertained. On Wednesday Sept. 16, at 7:00 pm, the new emerging club Kean Latin Rhythms had its first online meeting. The event was carried out virtually through an Instagram live from their account “@keanlatinrythms,” as well as a google meet directed by the club’s president Angelina Pizzutiello.“This is something that I have been wanting to do my whole life, dancing is my passion and I enjoy teaching to those who share the same feeling for dancing,” said Pizzutiello. The live meeting began with an introduction of the club and what the members would focus on if they decided to join.
Pizzutiello stated that she mainly focuses on teaching salsa and the semester she is able to recruit more members in order to bachata. In her previous experiences teaching dance classes, make the club grow and spread Latin rhythm all throughout she has gathered that college students are most interested in Kean University. “Let us dance our way through the semester,” those rhythms, especially those of Hispanic heritage. “I find that young people of Hispanic heritage are looking to stated Pizzutiello as she ended the meeting. connect with their roots and keep the culture alive in order to pass it onto the next generation and one of the best ways to do this is dancing,” said Pizzutiello. Throughout the meeting famous bachata and salsa songs were being played in the background in order to set the mood in accordance to the event. The event had a total of six attendees who stayed throughout the meeting. Pizzutiello had a chance to interact with the viewers through the chat bar on Instagram live and share some general information about future events for the club that they may be interested in. Since the event was open to the public, not only Kean students joined but also young individuals who were interested in learning some new moves. Pizzutiello brought up the idea of a possible in-person meeting following social distancing guidelines in the near future and said she would discuss the idea with Jonathan Lopez, who is in charge of organizing Kean Events. By the end of the meeting, the members had agreed that the meetings would repeat weekly, every Wednesday from 7:00 pm until 8:30pm. The meeting culminated with Pizzutiello teaching some basic salsa and bachata moves. She began demonstrating the basic salsa moves and also gave out a sneak peek of the moves she will teach in future Photo by Angelina Pizzutiello meetings. She hopes that throughout Kean Latin Rhythms President
“Young people of Hispanic heritage are looking to connect with their roots and keep the culture alive in order to pass it onto the next generation and one of the best ways to do this is dancing” Photo by Angelina Pizzutiello
Photo by Angelina Pizzutiello
Kean Latin Rhythms Logo
Kean University Students Dorm Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Kean Latin Rhythms Flyer
COVID-19 causes changes to Kean Campus “People know what doors to go in and out of now. It keeps a lot of people separated from each other, which is good”
continued from page 1
continued from page 5
me focus on my studies,” said freshman Kristine Bragg, who is a Mathematical Stem and Education major. “I live an hour and a half away and I have some classes in person so I was not going to make that commute everyday.” The main reason Bragg wanted to dorm this semester is because she wanted to finally get out of her house and also because a majority of her classes are face to face/hybrid. Bragg lives in the Cougar Hall dorm and has said that living on campus has been great so far and that Kean is doing everything they can to keep the students safe. Bragg said that in her dorm they even installed a mask detector. “It looks like a little tablet on the wall and it has a camera,” said Bragg. “So when you scan your ID the camera on the tablet can see if you have your mask on. It can check your temperature too.” With COVID 19 still a major concern, Bragg said she wasn’t really nervous about living on campus this semester. She has said that she trusts the university and sees that Kean is taking the right precautions to keep everybody safe.
students are now required to sign up for appointments to both use the community kitchen and the laundry room. This is done to make sure there are not too many people in one room. Dorming students are also asked to wear a mask whenever they leave their room, even if it is just to take out the trash. If they are seen without a mask they will be written up. Students living on campus are also asked not to have any guests in their room even if they live in the same building. “It really sucks that I can’t see any of my friends but at least the campus is staying safe” says Junior resident, Jason Fuentes, “All I do is literally sit in the living room with my suitemate or sit in my room. Also, all my classes are online so I only leave my room to get food and that’s about it. Life as a dorming student has gotten pretty boring.” Kean University is constantly doing whatever they can do to make sure there is no outbreak of the virus. There will most likely be more physical changes done to the campus as the story of the virus continues to form, but for now, students can find updates and COVID-19 guidelines on the Kean website.
Photo by Breanna Palzer
Directional Stickers on doors outside MSC
September, 2020
SPORTS
8 THE TOWER
New AD Williams trying to navigate Kean Athletics through pandemic By Dorian Alerte
Change has been something that the Kean University community has had to deal with over the last few months. This includes a new athletics director in Kelly Williams. Williams takes over for Matthew Caruso, who is now Vice President of Student Affairs for the university. Williams previously spent the last 25 years at his alma mater, The College of New Jersey, coaching and most recently as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics. Williams now moves from the Lions to the Cougars. “There’s so many positives that came from my experiences at TCNJ on so many levels, and that will always be close to my heart, but the reality is that right here at Kean University and the direction we can go with President Repollet, is an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down,” Williams said. Williams is no stranger to sports. He was inducted into the Ewing high school athletics hall of fame in 2008, scoring 1,218 points in his basketball playing career. He also scored just short of 1,000 points during his time as a player at TCNJ and has spent time coaching at both TCNJ and Mercer County Community College. He credits his experience as an athlete and coach as part of what has made him successful in his career. “Having those roles as a student-athlete and being a coach have given me a full understanding of the day-to-day stressors that a coach may have, as well as a student athlete,” Williams told The Tower. “I think the ability to connect with the student athletes and the coaches lets them know firsthand that ‘I
appreciate what you’re doing’ and more importantly ‘how do I make your job a little easier.” The Kean community is excited for Williams to begin his tenure as the athletics director. “I’m happy for Kelly and this tremendous opportunity to lead the Kean athletic program,” New Jersey Athletic C o n f e r e n c e commissioner Terry Small said in the official press release. “He's been a studentathlete, coach, and administrator in the NJAC, and he's personally excelled in each one of those roles. I'm also excited for Kean University, Photo by Kean Athletics because they're Kean University named Kelly Williams as the new Athletic Director getting a tremendous leader and an even the experience. And then with my competitive nature, I want better person. I have no doubt that the Cougar athletic us to be the model program in the state for a Division III program will be in good hands under Kelly's leadership." program, and more importantly in the country and I think we Sports at Kean have been put on pause at Kean University first have to do that by making sure that there’s a culture in during the Fall 2020 semester due to the ongoing Covid-19 place that is supported by the president and on down.” pandemic, but that is not derailing Williams’ vision for Kean The cougars are looking forward to Williams’ leadership Athletics. with the athletics program, with athlete development, “My first vision is to make sure that student athletes championships, and the possibility for new sports. increase their retention, as well as their graduation rate,” “More importantly, I do want to win championships and Williams stated. “That’s one thing that I was most proud of be the best team in the conference, and be nationally ranked at TCNJ and Mercer County Community College, that their moving forward,” Williams said. “I also want to look to add retention and graduation rates have always been high.”. The additional sports, based upon the needs of the university second is making sure that we have an infrastructure in place to give student athletes the opportunity, after high school within athletics so that we can build relationships around and having Kean University as a possible option for them to and off campus so that they are prepared for life after Kean University and be valuable alumni in terms of giving back to consider.”
“More importantly, I do want to win championships and be the best team in the conference, and be nationally ranked moving forward”
Coach Hutchinson talks potential season, mental health of student athletes Kean Athletics through pandemic By Ruben Nieves Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, sports all over the world have been cancelled or postponed. Six months later with sports now returning, the Kean Men’s basketball team looks forward to a potential season. Head coach Adam Hutchinson shared his thoughts on a season happening this the Winter. “There’s a chance,” said Hutchinson. “The NCAA and the athletic directors and coaches are trying to get there.”
personal and team goals for this year. “My personal goals for the possible upcoming season is for our team to make the playoffs and get a chance to win the conference tournament and also make an all-conference team,” Gunn said. With the restrictions of the pandemic, the practice facility is not open for the athletes to workout. However, the gym is open where the players can exercise while following social distancing guidelines. Gunn has shared how he has kept himself in shape during this time. “To stay in shape, I’ve been running and doing push-ups and sit-ups, along with going
shared how he wants to be more aware of somebody who suffers from any mental illness. “It made me rethink moving forward, to have better awareness of mental health issues going into the season,” he said. Hutchinson feels when speaking about the mental health of his players it will be better if he were to speak to them face to face. “My intention is to speak to them when we are able to meet in person,” he said. “I spoke to the players who are staying on campus and those who are at home and how they are managing the new normal and how they are doing.”
shared the necessary requirements in order to keep himself and his team safe and healthy for the potential season. “Be COVID free. The most current knowledge is to wear a mask, social distance, and avoid being indoors with large amounts of people” Hutchinson said. With the new freshmen players on the team, Hutchinson not having to face a similar situation asks his new players how they’ve been dealing and adjusting to this new normal. “I’ve never experienced what they’re going through right now,” said Hutchinson. “I have
“Our goals would be to have a winning record, make the conference tournament and win the NJAC”
Photo by Kean.edu
Photo by Kean Athletics.com
Kean’s Basketball Logo
2020 Kean Men’s Basketball Team
With the talks of a potential season, the season would be nine games with eight teams making the conference tournament. Hutchinson shared his expectations for his team if there were to be a season. “Our goals would be to have a winning record, make the conference tournament and win the NJAC,” Hutchinson said. Kean’s Center/Forward Mario Gunn who averaged 6.2 points and 6 rebounds during the 2019-2020 season, shared some of his
to the park,” said Gunn. Hutchinson spoke about an NCAA summit he participated in back in August about the mental health of student athletes and shared his thoughts.“I was humbled participating in it, listening to the stories told,” Hutchinson said. “I was humbled by those who spoke.” In the article by the NCAA, the summit was an opportunity to discuss the issues of mental health and to also work on finding the solution to support these student-athletes. Hutchinson
Photo by Kean Athletics.com
Kean’s Men Basketball Head Coach Adam Hutchinson
With the talks of a nine game season, Gunn shared some advice Hutchinson shared with him on how to be safe. “Coach has told me to stay safe particularly because this is a very unique situation. But it is important to follow the guidelines given to us,” Gunn said. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been new safety guidelines and social distancing rules that everyone has been told to follow to keep everyone safe. Hutchinson
been asking them questions and listening to them, and I still tell them to manage their time and make sure to talk to their professors.” Since there have been talks between the NCAA and the coaches on how to keep the players safe and how to conduct a nine game season for a potential college basketball season, Hutchinson believes the first game would start Jan. 21. Hutchinson also believes small practices can be held as early as this Fall, but a full practice could be held Jan. 7.