The Tower November 2014

A salute to Kean’s U.S. veterans Page 3

NOV | 2014

Kean profs’ documentary Page 6

Kean sports personalities Page 12

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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF KEAN UNIVERSITY

Kean fraternity prepares for December review

By Marco Rodriguez

(ABOVE) Logo for the Greek Senate. One of the groups in charge of handing down sanctions on organizations. Image: Kean University Website (BELOW) Sigma Theta Chi was suspended for violating Kean’s Greek New Membership Education Guidelines. Image: Cougar’sByte

Sigma Theta Chi, one of Kean University’s most wellknown fraternities, is having a difficult 2014.

The fraternity, which made headlines earlier this year after hosting an off campus party that resulted in a student getting shot, has been suspended for violating Greek New Member Education Guidelines.

Scott Snowden, Director of the Center for Leadership and Service, said the fraternity was investigated for violating the New Member Education Guidelines in January and early February of this year. Upon completion of the investigation and appeal process, the organization was sanctioned in March with a suspension, fines, and community service. The suspension is set to conclude in May 2015, but the group is up for review in December to determine their reinstatement.

The March suspension occurred a month earlier to the off campus incident where Hillside resident, Shaquan Landrum, opened fire on the fraternity’s home on Conant Street in Hillside. According to a CBSNewYork.com report, Landrum is be-

ing charged with four counts of attempted murder and is facing weapons charges.

A CBSNews report, featured on YouTube, showed that the fraternity’s house had been shut down by the local fire department after the shooting, when it was discovered that more people were living in it than originally agreed to with the landlord.

While the suspension for violating the New Member Education Guidelines and the shooting incident are unrelated, both speak to the troubled year the fraternity’s been having. Although it was determined last semester, the fraternity is now feeling the effects of their yearlong suspension.

“When organizations violate Greek life policies and procedures, sanctions need to be placed on them,” said Alex Louis, Assistant Director for Greek Affairs. “The New Member Education Guidelines govern Greek recruitment at Kean, and we take them very seriously.”

Neither Snowden or Louis commented on what the specific charge against the fraternity was, but Snowden did say that violating New Member Educacontinued on page 10

Old dorms vs. new dorms Students criticize disparity

Outsourcing affects Kean workers’ job security By nicole Brown

A view of Rogers Hall and Bartlett Hall.

By Mak Ojutiku

When Olayinka Gureje walked into his Kean University dorm for the first time this fall, he wasn’t impressed by what he saw. The curtains in his shower were dirty, trash bins were missing, and one of the two elevators in the building was broken.

“It’s almost like they don’t prepare for us living here in the summer,” Gureje said, a junior who dorms in Rogers Hall. “Something is always broken here.”

Gureje thinks the facilities of his dorm are poor when compared to the newer dorms.

“They have the top line buildings in the front and the favelas in the back,” Gureje said.

While Gureje may have not been completely serious in his comment, there are some students who share his belief that there’s a marked difference between the older dorms in the back, and the newer ones in the front.

According to Kean, there are 1734 resident students.

The residents are split into eight halls. Sozio Hall, Rogers Hall, Whiteman Hall, Bartlett Hall, Burch Hall and Dougall Hall make up the six older apartment complex styled dorms. The New Freshman Residence Hall and New Upperclassmen Residence Hall are the two newer, modern styled dorms. Some residents are saying the sleekness of the newer dorms might be coming at the expense of the older dorms.

“It’s a completely different world,” Ashley Ferreria said, a sophomore who dorms in Whiteman Hall. “Everything’s newer there and we’re left with the leftovers.”

Photo: Mak Ojutiku

Whiteman and Dougall Hall are the two older dorms typically reserved for first year students. A double occupancy suite in one of those residencies costs $4,136 a semester. A freshman willing to spend $4,994 a semester can acquire a double occupancy suite in the more modern New Freshman Residence Hall.

Two common complaints from residents of the older freshman dorms are that their rooms don’t have air conditioning units and that they don’t have any elevators unlike the other four dorms on campus.

“It’s been good so far,” Natalie Primero said on dorming at Whiteman Hall. “But it would be better if it had air conditioning.”

Another issue residents in the older dorms have is with the plumbing. Some students complained about being forced to take cold showers often, while others complained about having to go without any water at all for extended periods.

“The floor downstairs flooded like two weeks ago,” Peter Hillebrand said, a first year resident at Whiteman. “Water went into people’s rooms and the hallways and they had to shut down water here for two days, and the day after there was no hot water.”

Along with certain facilities, some residents feel the sleeker design and atmosphere of the newer dorm buildings give it an advantage of the older dorms.

“It is way nicer in New Freshman” Hillebrand said. “It just has a newer feel to it. Whiteman feels like a prison sometimes with its cinderblock walls”.

According to a representative from Kean, there are plans continued on page 10

Rumors about the immediate dismissal of 100 of Kean University’s maintenance staffer at the end of this year are circulating within the Kean community.

However, the chapter president for the International Federation of Professional and Technical engineers, Steve Pinto said, he has no knowledge of this decision.

“We have been running on a depleted workforce for several years now,” Pinto said. “Workers take great pride in their work, relationships have been built upon and we have dedicated our lives to help Kean grow.”

According to Pinto, Kean has been outsourcing the work for all maintenance staff since 2010. He added that prior to the renovation of the East Campus building in 2010; Kean’s maintenance staff worked in the building. However, after the renovation was completed Kean hired private companies to maintain the building. Also, private companies service the new resident halls, Green Lane and the STEM building.

“The university intends to try their hardest to out-source the work,” Pinto said. “It is obvious that wrenches have been thrown into the work flow.”

Pinto explained that in March 2013, the University did an assessment on the day to day operations of the maintenance staff that lasted until August of the same year. He said that after the evaluation was completed, the university met with the union representing the maintenance staff, and told them that they the university is leaning towards cost savings through outsourcing. However, Pinto said outsourcing does not save money.

“Following the assessment the university advertised that they were hiring custodial, grounds and trade workers,” Pinto said. “They probably spent about $400,000 on that assessment.” continued on page 10

Photo: Nicole Brown

2 THE TOWER

November, 2014

Asbury Park attractions revived by 3D model app

By Carmen Pineiro

Asbury Park is renowned for its classic attractions like its carousel and historic boardwalk that once drew tourists to visit.

The carousel, one of the most popular and fondest attractions, is no longer in the boardwalk after it was sold to Family Kingdom Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 1990.

Using photographs from post cards of the carousel, Kean Design professor, Edward Johnston, and professors from Monmouth University, brought the carousel back to life through image editing software to reconstruct the image into a 3D model.

“We worked very closely to the Asbury Park library,” Johnston said. “They had a great collection of old post cards.”

The project currently exists as a 3D reality channel in the Junaio augmented reality browser. Once the app is downloaded, the 3D model can be experienced at the carousel house at the boardwalk in which the carousel appears right in front of you through the app which is referred to as the on-site experience.

It can also be experienced off-site which is when the 3D model appears through the app without having to be at the carousel house.

The off-site experience works specifically with designed posters. Those posters exist as marker images, which is essentially image tracking through the same technology as QR codes. Once the channel is open, the QR code is scanned and the camera is put over the poster and surely enough a 3D image appears.

Professor Johnston and the professors from Monmouth University not only reconstructed the carousel house, but also revitalized the Palace Amusements Building which was previously on the Asbury Park boardwalk. They also reconstructed the SS Morro

Design Professor, Edward Johnston (Twitter)

Castle which beached itself in front of Convention Hall at the Asbury Park boardwalk after it caught fire.

As part of his web interactive design courses, Johnston has introduced the augmented reality channel to his students with the hopes that these reality technologies will give students another way to find creative ways to express the brand or concept students may be coming up with in class.

“The main thrust of these courses is to enable students to essentially create a portfolio website where they express several brands that they have created while being a student here in the school of design,” Johnston said.

Not originally being a New Jersey resident, Johnston took on the collaborative project with much excitement and inspiration.

“My wife is originally from New Jersey and hearing my father-in-laws stories, a lot of his childhood happened on the boardwalk and hearing these stories and from all the things that are no longer there, that was inspiration,” Johnston said.

To view photos and videos of how this augmented reality channel works and for step by step directions to experience the various 3D models, visit the Augmented Asbury Park website.

Photo: augmentedasburypark.com

One of the poster images used to see the 3D model of the carousel through the app

Kean student starts Tae Kwon Do business

By Annalise Knudson

It might seem difficult or even impossible for a college student to start their own business on top of student loans, going to school, and responsibilities at home or work, but Kevin Cancino knew he wanted to follow his dream of opening his own business when he was old enough.

Only 19 years old and a full time sophomore at Kean University, Cancino opened his own Tae Kwon Do studio.

Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art that involves combat and self-defense techniques.

Cancino has always wanted to open his own business when he started Tae Kwon Do but never had the opportunity and drive he needed until now and hopes this business will help him pay for college.

“It’s a great sport to learn because you stay physically fit and have fun,” Cancino said.

His studio is called Newark ATA, which stands for the American Tae Kwon Do Association and has been opened since Oct. 2 in Newark, New Jersey. Cancino is the sole instructor for his classes. He currently has 30 members in his classes with ages from two to 13 years old and hopes to expand to ages to three to 45 when his business becomes more well-known.

He is certified to teach Tae Kwon Do under the ATA, the most recognized organization for the sport. He was required to work 1,000 hours as an instructor and know CPR, first aid, and other health training basics.

Cancino teaches multiple classes according to each student’s age. His groups are the “Tiny Tigers,” ages three to six, the “ATA Juniors,” ages seven to nine, and the “ATA Teen and Adult,” ages 10 and over.

Classes are held three days a week for one hour and are after school for the convenience of the students. He has planned to expand to six days a week for students with busy schedules and to offer more days as options.

Cancino has attended seminars hosted by the ATA as well as competitions in Tae Kwon Do. His classes compete against other schools worldwide and travel all over the country all year round. Even three-year-old students can compete.

The competitions chosen to participate in are usually local or serve the most value in points if the team wins. This allows them to go to state competitions and possibly become world champions.

Previously he worked at Parlin ATA for one year where he was an instructor. He feels that it is a fun job where he can help people.

He started Tae Kwon Do when he was three years old because he was bullied when he was younger. He felt that this hobby would help him. He did not think he would become as serious about it as he is now. He has been practicing Tae Kwon Do for 17 years, longer than he has been in school.

Cancino pays for rent at his location and is paid through the ATA. He hopes that he can hire multiple instructors or possibly open more locations in the future and make it a family business.

At present, he is currently a Physical Therapy major as his back up plan for the future. He still wants to go to medical school and hopes to pay for it through his newly opened business and its success.

In addition he also advises other students interested in opening their own business is to start with a business plan, with realistic ideas and goals. He says it takes hard work and time to open a business and to make sure that it is an affordable plan to make, along with the help of a board of people.

Cancino has researched demographics of the location, the income of the residents, searched for loans, and estimated rent he could afford.

He advertised his business with flyers, word of mouth, and visited local schools with their per-

Photo: Kevin Cancino

Instructor Kevin Cancino (far right) with student Marissa Cafaro (far left) and CEO of ATA, Master Lucas Tae Kwon Lee.

mission. Yet he always has advice for those with plans for the future.

“Follow your dreams no matter how outrageous they may be,” Cancino said.

Fiscal Year Budget 2015 Recover. Rebuild.

Restore.

Photo: The State of New Jersey

State to increase funding for EOF program after four years

By Sade Cox

The state’s Exceptional Educational Opportunities (EEO)/Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) pro-gram, which benefits some 700 Kean University students, is expected to get an increase in aid next year after four years of flat funding.

Overall, Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed budget also puts $2.3 billion toward higher education, an increase of 7 percent.

The Education Opportunity Fund (EOF) program received an increase of $1.565 million which was added by the legislature and left intact by the governor.

“This is our first increase in years as EOF has been level funded for years. Every year EOF students and staff advocate on behalf of the program to preserve or increase funding.

This year we were finally successful in getting additional funding,” Robert Melendez said, the Director of EOF at Union County College.

Kean’s EOF program has approximately 700 students.

EOF is New Jersey’s only state supported government program serving low-income, first generation students, at the undergradu-

ate, graduate, and professional school levels.

Annually, EOF program provides access to higher education to 12,500 students through financial assistance, as well as by providing academic, career, and social development support programs.

“Through advocacy efforts of EOF students and staff, all EOF programs statewide receive a 5.26% increase for this year for EOF financial aid grants and program support,” Melendez said.

New Jersey’s EOF students rallied in Trenton in June to have the grant increase. EOF students from various universities colleges, and county colleges joined together to protest in front of the Statehouse in Trenton, to not only get more funding for EOF, and to also get legislatures to sign a bill named NJ H.E.L.P: New Jersey Higher Education Legislative Package. This package includes a budget appro-priation to expand the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) by 1.9 million, restoring the fund to its 2008 budget.

Lateefa Cox mathematical science major, senior, belongs to the EOF program and is grateful that the increase has been approved

for the EOF program.

“The increase in Equal Opportunity Funding will be assisting me in furthering my endeavors to reach my goal in graduating in May 2015. The increase in the funding will help me with tuition, pur-chasing books, and other school expenses,” Cox said. “The increase in funding will allow part-time students to become full-time students, because will ease students worrying about working to pay for their tuition, and they can become fully involved on campus.”

In 2010, Gov. Christie’s proposed budget includes an 8.7% cut of $3.6 million cut to the Educa-tional Opportunity Fund’s fiscal year 2011 Budget to the program statewide.

EOF students wrote and emailed letters to their legislative representatives in their counties, asking to oppose any pro-posed budget cuts to EOF Program. The cut would reduce the amount of funding statewide from $41.2 million to 37.5 million.

Due to complaints from the students in 2011, Gov. Christie didn’t cut the EOF budget.

According to Alan Guenther, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education in Trenton

said, “Kean University’s EOF program received $1,770,394 last year $1,792,729 this year.”

“The EOF students didn’t receive funding for the Fall 2014 academic year,” said Rosa Perez-Maldonado, Kean University’s EOF program director.

The secretary of Higher Education was asked why Kean’s EOF students didn’t receive funding for the Fall 2014 semester; Guenther said “Not true. Funding was increased. Talk to Kean’s EOF director. The campus EOF director decided how to allocate Kean’s increased funding.”

Audrey Bennerson, the statewide EOF director of New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education/EOF Program said, “Kean University did not receive a reduction in their fiscal year 2015 EOF grant allocation. The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education’s EOF Office does not determine which students will receive EOF student grant funding. That is an institutional decision.”

Currently, 12.5% of first time and full – time freshmen who enter New Jersey state colleges and uni-versities each fall are EOF students.

Jobs at risk for tenure-track Veterans adjust to professors -- again life in classroom

3 THE TOWER

November, 2014

By Rebecca Panico

Veterans’ Day ceremony held on campus Nov. 11 to honor those who served.

Photo: Patricia Lauro

By Christine Csaky

Since October of 2001, over two million American service men and women have been deployed to the Middle East. One of those soldiers is Kean business student, Ismail Bangura.

According to Marsha McCarthy of Kean Media Relations, there are 222 currently enrolled students who are also United States Veterans.

Bangura was deployed to Iraq for ten months when he was 22 years old. During that period, he was an Army Corrections Officer in a facility in Iraq. Prior to his deployment, Bangura served as a clerk in human resources.

As a soldier Bangura says that he grew as a person and learned to adapt anywhere. Since his deployment he has learned to value more basic things and peaceful times in his life.

“Appreciate the little things, the simple things and take life more seriously,” Bangura said.

Since returning home, Bangura has experienced symptoms of PTSD, including difficulty concentrating and finding a balance in his life. Bangura also found that it was difficult to adapt back to society at home in New Jersey, as people cannot relate to what he and his fellow soldiers had experienced during deployment.

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 11 to 20% of veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom now suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD can occur any time after a person experiences a trauma.

Symptoms of PTSD include: • Re-living the event or re-experiencing symptoms of the event.

• Avoiding situations that remind you of the event.

• Negative changes in beliefs and feelings.

• Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal), which includes sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating and being easily startled.

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website (www.va.gov) help is available for Veterans suffering from PTSD symptoms by contacting the Veterans Crisis Line at: 1-800-273-8255, press 1 (text 838255) or by calling the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-2738255.

On campus, the Military and Veterans Club offers unity and support for student veterans. Clara Garcia, a Kean Communication student and Operation Enduring Freedom veteran, has served as the Club President since October.

The club is a non-profit organization and has organized many fundraisers, including bake sales and a paintball event.

The club had also been tasked with organizing Kean’s Veterans Day festivities on November 11, 2014, to honor all U.S. Veterans. The tentative program schedule includes performances of Amazing Grace, God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner; the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by the Kean Day Care students; and presentations by Clara Garcia; Kean University President Dawood Farahi; and Kean Vice-President Philip Connelly.

Workshops for veterans and a luncheon are also planned events.

Together Kean and the Military and Veterans Club are working together to ease the transition from military to college. One way that Garcia would like to see the club transition new veterans is by implementing a “buddy system,” similar to the system that soldiers use in a conflict situation.

“One issue we need to deal with is that we can be called back anytime,” Garcia said.

The idea of returning to a conflict is not something that most students are forced to deal with, making a support system within the Military and Veterans Club all the more important.

The club meets every other Thursday at 3:15 pm, with its next meeting on November 13, 2014, in University Center Room 315B. It is open to all students.

Information regarding the Military and Veterans Club can be found on Facebook at: www.facebook .com/Militar yAndVe teransC lubAtKeanUniversity Or at Cougar Link: https://kean.collegiatelink.net/organization/veterans Or Kean Exchange http://keanxchange.com/content/student-voices/military-and-veterans-club-kean-university

Despite unanimous or nearly unanimous support from colleagues, 12 full-time, tenure-track professors received negative endorsements from Vice President of Academic Affairs Jeffrey Toney, effectively leading to their termination in 2015.

Three of the 12 professors are in their fifth year as tenure-track faculty, which is the year they will either be approved or denied for tenure.

Last year, six of 10 professors were denied tenure and fired in their fifth year of teaching at Kean, which led to a No-Confidence Vote by the Kean Federation of Teachers against Toney.

The vote resulted in a 96 percent disapproval rating for Toney, who is essentially the head of all academics at Kean.

Toney’s endorsements will be sent to Kean President Dawood Farahi, who could overturn Toney’s decisions if he so chooses. Last year, Farahi overturned one negative review.

Farahi’s decisions will then go to the Board of Trustees who meet on Dec. 6 in Ocean County College in Toms River The 15-member committee is the final governing body for Kean. Board members are appointed by New Jersey’s governor, with the approval of local state senators.

Tenure was created in the late 19th century to protect professors’ academic freedom to teach and research controversial subjects, but has recently come under fire as simply a way to get lifetime job security.

But Dr. James Castiglione, KFT president, contends that at Kean, it is a bit more political.

“I think the president is trying to diminish the influence of tenured faculty,” stated Castiglione. “If you don’t have tenure, they [the administration] can fire you at any time. In academia, the students should expect that their teachers are going to be doing what they believe is in the best interest of the students […] But if they don’t have tenure, how can they stand up to the administration?”

The administration, however, believes its decisions to grant tenure or fire faculty will ultimately benefit

students as well.

“Since tenure is tied to a personnel action, we cannot comment on positive or negative reviews, other than to say that our decision is reflective of what we believe is in the best interests of our students today and our students in the future,” stated Marsha McCarthy, Director of University Relations. “Our faculty are held to high standards so that the University can continue to develop and flourish.”

To receive tenure at Kean, faculty must work for five years, and pass peer and student evaluations as well as make contributions to the academic community by serving Kean in various capacities. They must also get published in peer-reviewed scholarly journals.

However, some faculty said that the specific scores of peer and student evaluations and the exact number of publications are purposely never disclosed.

“The administration will not give us in codified, written language what their standards are so they can keep shifting them,” stated Richard Katz, a professor of English. “So if you’re a good teacher they [the administration] can say, ‘Oh well, you didn’t do this.”

James Capone, a professor of business law and accounting, reported that two tenure track faculty members from his department were not recommended by Toney for retention.

“Both had the unanimous support of the School of Accounting and Finance and College of Business and Public Management’s Retention Committees,” stated Capone in an e-mail. “What does this action say about the University’s commitment to the Global Business Program? I hope that Dr. Farahi will reverse Dr. Toney’s recommendation and recommend their retention to the Board of Trustees at their December 6th meeting.”

The number of non-tenure track faculty has drastically diminished at Kean over the years. According to the Office of Institutional Records at Kean, the number of full-time faculty who are not tenure-track has increased from 12 to 93 with the ad-

Photo: Rebecca Panico

The offices of Provost Jeffrey Toney and President Dawood Farahi, located in Kean Hall’s Estabrook Wing.

vent of hiring full-time lecturers who are reappointed on an annual basis but are never considered for tenure.

The number of tenured individuals has dropped from 267 in 2010 to 234 in 2014. Kean also employs more than 1,000 adjunct professors, who are paid by the course and do not receive benefits.

Kean also has the lowest, full-time professor-to-student ratio among New Jersey’s public universities.

Kean’s ratio was nearly 44 to 1 in 2012, according to the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, while the other public universities in New Jersey had ratios ranging from 1 to 21 to 1 to 35 students.

The KFT says that handling more students gives professors less time to focus on each individual student’s needs.

The names of those up for tenure are usually not made public, and many faculty members did not want to comment on the issue either. Katz attributed the lack of conversation to fear.

“It’s a frightening environment here and I’d understand why people – especially those that are not tenured – why they wouldn’t speak out,” stated Katz. “They’re frightened. But he [Farahi] wants them frightened.

That’s the mode of control here: fear.”

Hate crime stirs campus fessor at the university mentioned that when hate crimes like this occur it is important to understand that it is a salient issue for everyone.

“My belief is that when something like this happens it is appropriate for the community to understand that this is rather complex,” Klein said.

“Especially in a university setting it is prudent that the community begin to organize by meeting and having discussions. It is important. It concerns everyone.”

Dr. Henry Kaplowitz, acting director of the Human Rights Institute, who is notorious for promoting basic human rights on campus, was also very disturbed when he heard about the incident.

“I had spoken to the student and I was extremely disturbed because a swastika for a Jewish student brings

back memories of the holocaust,” Kaplowitz said. “It was a symbol of a major genocide and all of our stuDorm room whiteboards are usudents should be aware of how that ally used to communicate trivial really is a hate crime. These are symthings such as when your next floor bols that frighten everybody and meeting is or a reminder to clean up people of good intentions because of your dorm room before inspections. the effect that they have had on parHowever, Nathaniel Sietz, seticular groups.” nior Kean student, found a rather Dr. Kaplowitz also noted on how disturbing message on Oct. 6. Two Kean University’s diversity comes to swastikas and an X were marked on play and its organizations on campus his whiteboard without a trace of like the Human Rights Institute aim who had performed this act of defato bring awareness towards these ismation. sues.

Not only has the swastika been a “Kean prides itself on being one symbol of hate since the beginning of the most diverse in the United of World War II, but this hate mesStates, top five in terms of diversity sage in particular struck fear and and both the Human rights institute confusion. Being the president of and Student Affairs have programs the New Hillel, a Jewish life group at to make students aware and proud of Kean University, these drawings bethe diversity our student body has,” came more than just a possible joke.

Kaplowitz said.

Initially flustered and Sietz also told NJJN, fearful on what to do, Sietz how he felt relieved when informed NJ Jewish News the culprit was finally that he got in contact with found but felt that it would his resident assistant and a have been nice to have had NJ state trooper who quickcampus police send a mass ly shrugged it off as just a email. It is important to let joke. He later contacted the the Kean community know vice president of student that hate crimes are not tolaffairs at Kean and the case erated. was then referred to camAlthough this crime was pus police. not committed by someone About a month after who belonged to Kean, it the incident, Sietz told the still brings the university NJJN that campus police community together and it determined through video starts the conversation of footage that the culprit was how we can communally a very drunk high school come together to create a student who was looking safe environment. for a girl he had met at a “When things like this party. Despite the culprit happen we need to ask ourbeing found, this issue still selves what we can do for brings up a lot of questions the individuals who have on what this hate crime imbeen attacked and frightplies for the Kean commuened by these symbols or by nity as a whole. other acts that occur. How Dr. Dennis Klein, the Dican we speak out and show rector of the Jewish Studies Photo: Nathaniel Sietz support,” Kaplowitz said. program and history pro- Swastika markings on student’s dorm room whiteboard

By Daris Mendez

4 THE TOWER

November, 2014

Nathan Weis Memorial holds first Cougar Color 5K Run

By Christina Collazo

The Nathan Weiss Memorial Cougar Color 5K was Kean University’s first color run, where runners who make their way through the campus will be splashed with nontoxic fluorescent-colored cornstarch at each kilometer.

“As of this week, there have been 150 sign-ups and we’re expecting an additional 100 runners. 130 students are already registered to help for this event,” Sheila Wilson said, Graduate Assistant and spokesperson of the event.

The run was hosted by Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Jeffrey Beck, on Oct. 19.

All race proceeds will support graduate student scholarships and research in the health sciences, education and other critical fields, to which Nathan Weiss had dedicated his life to.

“There have already been numerous contributions for the event by sponsors including Nathan Weiss’ Family, Student Government, Gruskin Group, Barnes and Noble Bookstore, and Gourmet Dining,” Wilson said.

The event included waves of teams that will run every minute beginning at 9 a.m.

Kean students that register in teams of five are eligible for a flat $100 registration fee. Other runners will pay the regular registration fee of $40.

All running participants were given T-shirts that have the list of the race’s sponsors.

Runners were encouraged to wear white shirts and/or costumes for prizes. Awards will be given based on the age groups of contestants, ranging from ages 10-60+.

Afterwards, students enjoyed the Fall Festival, which will consist of awards, food, music, dancing, amusements and a photo booth to record the day’s special memories.

Cougar Color 5K Run 2014 (Photos from Facebook)

Kean steps up and says it’s on us

By Kia Deadwyler

Kean University joins President Barack Obama and VicePresident Joe Biden in the recent campaign titled “It’s On Us.” Vice President of Student Affairs, Janice Murray-Laury is credited with presenting Kean to join in on the effort to raise awareness on sexual assault on college campuses.

As part of the administration’s effort to reduce sexual assault cases, the Justice Department Office on Violence Against Women will also award more than $6 million to 18 colleges with grants to develop strategic tactics for campus sexual assault prevention and response programs. The Student Organization of Kean University has created a short video in an effort to support the campaign, which can be seen on

YouTube.

The campaign is for both men and women to take a pledge to make a personal commitment to step off the sidelines and be part of the solution to campus sexual assault. The campaign’s message is for everyone who hears or witnesses something should feel accountable to the extent that they speak up to prevent it from happening. In the video students said “It’s On Us to not be a bystander”.

Launched back in September, the campaign was an initiative to create awareness to help put an end to sexual assault on college campuses. Congress passed two laws passed about sexual assault on campuses. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act or “VAWA”, which President Obama signed into law back in March which imposes new obligations on colleges and universities under its Campus Sexual Violence Act also known as the SaVE Act. NASPA, which is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of

the student affairs professional, is asking student affairs professionals to sign a pledge to stop sexual assault across the nation on campuses. A recent study conducted found that1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted during their college years. Of those assaults only a mere 12 percent were reported.

Director of the Center of Student Leadership, Scott K. Snowden Jr. has worked closely along with Murray-Laury, Dr. Andrew Lee and Kerrin Lyles to develop strategies to generate recognition from the students about the importance of the goal of the campaign.

“It’s On Us is used to make the laws that were passed regarding sexual assault on campuses more visible,” Snowden said.” The goal is to ultimately eliminate sexual assault on all campuses.”

According to Kean’s Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report in 2013, there has been one case of aggravated assault, one sexual assault case recorded as non-forcible, and five

sexual assault cases recorded as forcible. Detective Sgt. Michael Gorman of the Kean University Police Department, who was asked to be apart of the video, specializes in domestic violence cases.

“It was a good idea to be apart of the campaign because what I specialize in goes hand and hand with the campaign,” Gorman said.

The video, which was filmed a few weeks ago, has been getting attention accumulating over 240 views on YouTube. On Nov. 13 in the Greek Lounge located in the University Center, another installment for the campaign will be filmed.

Next semester, leadership students will be devising a plan for a project centered around the “No More” campaign which is not government related but correlates to the “It’s On Us” campaign. Kean is now one of the nearly 200 colleges participating in the campaign. All students are urged to take the pledge at: www.itsonus.org.

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5 THE TOWER

November, 2014

Residents complain about reduced weekend hours

By Jordan Colna

Halloween isn’t the only Friday that sees Kean University looking like a ghost town. Once the weekend hits, it seems the hours that are indicative of college students, change to those of senior citizens.

Places that shut down completely over the weekend include: the pool, the Cougar’s Den, Café Yumba, the Stem Kiosk, the CAS Kiosk, Harwood Arena, the D’Angola small gym, the East campus fitness center and the Field House weight room.

Other places have reduced hours of operations compared to the weekdays, such as the UC (University Center) cafeteria, Starbucks, the C-store, the fitness center and the New Upperclassmen Resident Hall cafeteria

On Friday afternoons, traffic leaving campus is crowded. Unofficially called a “suitcase college,” Kean residents see a lot of students who pack up their suitcases and leave for the weekend. This perhaps contributes to the various places on campus having to reduce hours. For example, on Friday’s in the Upperclassmen Resident Hall cafeteria, dinnertime changes from 4:00pm – 10:00pm to 4:00pm9:00pm.

“On Fridays nights, I have class and by then both the UC and the Cougar’s Den are closed,” Bridgette Bottinelli, a Kean resident said. “So therefore I have to go to the New Upper Resident Hall cafeteria and sometimes I don’t have time because of field hockey practice, so then I am out of luck.”

On Saturdays, the New Upper Resident Hall cafeteria is open from 10:00am –

Gym regulars want longer hours for the day. Within the facility, students as well as former alumni are attending and using the facilities on the daily.

There have been numerous complaints “I’m literally at the gym every day, even from Kean University students regarding in-between classes,” Joshua Paul, a sophothe hours of operation within the gymnamore Criminal Justice student, said. siums on campus. Students have also menAaron McMillan, a gym student worker tioned concerns about the gym facilities beand senior theatre arts major, inclined to ing too overcrowded. Both of the school’s comment. facilities, D’Angola gym weight room, and “As a worker and being a member of the the East Campus weight room, only have fitness community here at Kean University, limited amount of fitness equipment.

I do feel the weekend hours are unfair, how“The only good things I can say about ever, we must take into consideration that the gyms at Kean are the open availability there is only a small percentage of the fitall over campus,” Sheila Williams, a senior ness community on campus during those Speech Pathology major, said. “I can literalspecified hours of operation,” McMillan ly go to the gym on East Campus if the main said. gym is too packed, or if I have class located On weekdays the gym is generally open on East campus.” to about eleven hours and on Saturday it The D’Angola gym fitness room hours of is open four hours and Sunday six hours. operations can be found at the Kean UniThe exact hours can be found online on Keversity page, under Kean Athletics departanathletics.com ment. According to multiple students, the This issue is currently being talked about gymnasium hours are “too harsh,” for the on and off the campus of Kean University students that are dedicated to physical fitby students, faculty members, and also ness. Multiple students have complained alumni. The Office of Student Government that they are already paying a lot of money was asked about whether any student comfor tuition and other university fees, yet the plained or brought this matter to their atgym hours offered are too short. tention.

“There should be no reason as to why the “The hours of gym should be closed the gym never at 4pm on weekends,” seem to concern Brandon Vargas, a juthe freshman nior history major at class students, Kean University, said. however we as a “I have school and class are interwork all week, making ested in more inthe gym only available tramural sports to me on the weekbeing added to ends. So where does the facilities here that leave me; getting at Kean Universian outside memberty,” said Jazmiera ship elsewhere.”

Smothers, the At the university, freshman class students are running president. in and out the gym University Relafacilities, whether it’s tions could not be before their class, afreached for comter work, or maybe ment. even heading home One of the gym facilities on campus.

By Tim Awojobi

9:00pm, while the UC cafeteria closes at 3:00pm. On Sunday, there are even fewer options to choose from because there is only one place to grab dinner.

“I feel like there is only one place to eat,” said Brooke Roderick, a Kean resident. “and other than that, the campus is dead.”

During the weekends, the gyms and pool have different hours as well. The fitness center is open Monday through Thursday till 10:00 pm, but Friday and Saturday it closes at 4pm. On Sundays, it opens at 4:00 pm and closes at 10:00pm.

“Having the gym have inconsistent hours makes it hard to enjoy my weekends,” said Corey Dawson, who also dorms. “I feel like I have to plan my entire day based on when I go to the gym.”

The gym and pool on East Campus are open everyday except Saturday and Sun-

days. And they close early on Fridays.

“Sometimes on weekends I want to do a different exercise and I always wished the pool would be open on the weekends,” said Chelsea Mann, who commutes to Kean. “Because I go to Kean, I should have access to all of the amenities throughout the entire week. It would make my life so much easier if it were open on at least Sundays.”

Also closed on weekends are Health Services and the Counseling Center, which annoys Roderick.

“I think Health Services should be open on weekends,” Roderick said. “Last year I got really sick on a Saturday, and I live in Delaware so I couldn’t go home. Health Services was closed so I had to wait until Monday to get an appointment….I think the hours of everything should be extended. “

New food franchise coming to Kean

By Josue Hernandez

With the new Barnes & Noble bookstore, now in the new design building on Green Lane, many students are asking, what will take the old bookstore’s place in the University Center? There has been speculation that the now vacant space will become a new food place for students.

However, it hasn’t been determined what food franchise Old book store location. it will be. There have been talks with several of franchises, but there hasn’t been a finalized contract.

“We haven’t come to a decision on which franchise we will have yet,” Director of the University, Kieran Lyles said. “Whatever the new franchise will be, it will have the same food code as if they were their own restaurant outside of campus.”

Lyles hopes to have a contract finalized by the end of this semester with a certain franchise to have the new food place open by next fall semester.

“Whichever franchise comes to the best agreement with us at the University, is most likely the one we will have and hopefully have a contract finalized by the end of this semester, work through the process in the spring and have it opened by next year in the fall,” Lyles said.

Gerald Smithwrick, President of Kean’s Student Government, guarantees that the space in the University Center will in fact be a new gourmet dining for students to eat.

“We have thrown ideas left and right about various options,” Smithwrick said. “We have been asking student leaders about what we are going to do about the space and the one thing that have been asked for and stood out the most since I was a freshman, is a place where students can eat in the later hours.”

There are many franchises that have been shown as options to Kean University.

“It will still be overseen as gourmet dining like the other places here on campus; however, it will be a franchise.” Smithwrick said. “We have narrowed it down to maybe about five options to what franchise will be in that space, but we still haven’t finalized a contract with whatever franchise it will be.”

Students are excited that the empty space in the University Center will become a new dining area.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Renee Lago, a senior, said. “I like the idea because we will have more options to eat on campus and it will be a lot easier for students to get food and not wait in line as much anymore.”

With the amount of space available, students are also wondering if there will be more seats for them to sit down and eat.

“It’s a great idea that a new food place is going to be there,” Jon Cooney, a junior, said. “I hope that there will be more available seats for students to sit, especially during college hour.”

The new franchise will provide a lot more food options and is anticipated for the fall of 2015.

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November, 2014

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

6 THE TOWER

Photo: Liberty Hall Museum

The Livingston house illuminated at night.

Ghost tour serves up a spooky treat Liberty Hall continues an annual tradition

By Rebecca Panico

A sharp chill was in the air on Oct. 25 and darkness had already set in by 7 p.m. as people walked across the gravel parking lot towards the Visitor’s Center in the Liberty Hall Museum for its annual ghost tour.

About 30 people filled the seats inside as Bill Schroh, Liberty Hall’s director of museum operations, began to explain some of his paranormal experiences while working inside the Livingston House.

The house was built in 1772 and was home to New Jersey’s first elected governor, William Livingston. It was occupied by the Livingston and Kean families for nearly 240 years until 1995.

“There’s lots of mirrors in the house and sometimes when you walk up on a mirror–– you get that kind of quick thinking, kind of like you thought you saw someone from the corner of your eye,” Schroh told the crowd. “That happens quite a bit around here because there’s mirrors all over the house.”

Other staff members of the Liberty Hall Museum reported their own inexplicable experiences, such as hearing whistling from unidentifiable sources, random scents of perfume or cigar smoke, and even being pushed.

Schroh reassured the guests, however, that whatever type of supernatural entities may exist in the house, he didn’t believe them to be evil.

“There’s nothing negative here because I would’ve been pushed down the stairs a long time ago if there was,” Schroh said with a chuckle.

The experiences of the staff warranted the hiring of paranormal investigators. Sleepy Hollow Paranormal, a supernatural investigative group from Kentucky, was invited to inspect the Livingston house for ghostly activity. Their findings were shown in a slideshow for guests.

Investigators snapped photos of mysterious purple orbs of light and grey masses, which resembled an apparition of someone sitting at a dining room table.

What looked like a floating face outside a window was captured in another photo as well. When one of the investigators asked if anyone from the Livingston family was still residing in the house, an unidentifiable source was heard whispering “Caldwell” through a recorder, which is known as an electronic voice phenomena or EVP. The legend of Hannah Caldwell was explained as staff members guided guests through the Livingston House in total darkness. Lacey Bongard, a staff mem-

ber at Liberty Hall, divulged that Caldwell was killed

by British soldiers in Union, N.J. during the Revolutionary War. British soldiers believed they saw the ghost of Caldwell, whom they had murdered earlier that day, as they raided the Livingston house. What they really saw was one of the Livingston daughters in her nightgown as it was illuminated by a thunderstorm.

Although the tour takes guests through each room in the Livingston house, many of the guests had noted that the morning room in the front of the house felt different from the rest. This was the same room where the photo of a man’s face in the window was captured by investigators.

“There’s something about this room that just feels dark,” said one visitor upon entering the room.

“That became a hospital room,” Schroh explained.

“When people got ill and could no longer handle the stairs, that room became the invalid room. Maybe that’s why it felt a little bit dark.”

Although this was only the second annual ghost tour the staff has organized, it has proven to be quite successful, according to staff members. Staff members expect to hold another ghost tour next year as well.

Is Rogers Hall haunted?

By Bhriana Smith

To the residents of Rogers Hall, there is definitely such a thing as ghosts.

Located in the quad alongside Sozio Hall, Bartlett Hall and Burch Hall, the upperclassmen residence hall received its named from Laura E. Rogers, a 1920 alumni of the Newark Normal School, the original name of Kean University. The birth of Rogers Hall wasn’t until after her retirement in 1964.

Many students report that Rogers is haunted by the ghost of a former student. While there are no known records that indicate any deaths or foul play in that particular hall, there are definitely people who attest to a supernatural presence.

“I believe there’s something in Rogers,” reported a former RA, now a Kean alumnus, in Rogers Hall. “I don’t know what it is, but there’s something in there.”

Every great ghost story has its fair share of skeptics.

Current resident assistant Yomaira Gonzalez laughs off the idea of any thing being in Rogers.

“Rogers is definitely not haunted,” stated Gonzalez. “I’ve been living here for a while and I’ve never experienced anything.”

Debating this particular realm of pseudoscience often leads to unanswered questions, However, if seeing is believing and knowledge is empirical, then there are many people that don’t need scientific proof to believe that something is off about Rogers Hall. Such a fright came from a current resident who wishes to remain anonymous.

“I was sitting in this room, reading a book, when I heard the bathroom door close,” the source stated.

“My roommate was in class, and my suitemates were gone. I literally ran out of my room.”

Perhaps it could be that this supernatural being is particular about who it chooses to mess with. Perhaps it could be that it is all in everyone’s head, or that some people are just more scared than others.

Believe what you want, but the real question still remains…

Who or what haunts Rogers Hall?

Rogers Hall can be pretty eerie.

Photo: Bhriana Smith

Professors creating documentary Film about South African apartheid

By Vera Boateng

Tung, Gover and Norward in South Africa

Photo: Larry Tung

Kean Professors Larry Tung, Dr. Daniel Gover, and Dr. Josephine Norward working on a documentary about South Africa’s younh black journalists who used investigative journalism to expose inhumane living conditions and treatment of black Africans in South Africa during the apartheid regime.

The documentary, set to be titled, “Children of Drum,” is meant to preserve a rich history and to honor South Africa’s talented and daring black journalists who sacrificed their lives to expose South Africa’s injustices. The documentary includes the story of Norward’s father, the late Henry Nxumalo.

Nxumalo wrote several investigative articles for Drum Magazine during Apartheid in South Africa. Drum Magazine, is a black lifestyle magazine that started after World War II and offers updates on African entertainment and news. Because of Apartheid from 1948 to 1994, Drum focused on politics.

For one story, Nxumalo immersed himself in Johannesburg, South Africa’s central prison, to write about how prisoners were being tortured and mistreated.

“The authority of that time didn’t like that and Henry got arrested for writing the story,” Tung said.

Nxumalo was murdered in December of 1957 while investigating a story about an underground abortion clinic in South Africa that performed illegal abortions on African maids.

Tung, Gover and Norward all recently traveled to South Africa to

conduct interviews for their documentary. They were able to interview a cross-section of journalists who were influenced by the likes of Nxumalo, Can Themba and others who wrote for Drum during the 1950s and 1960s. They also interviewed family members of the various journalists.

Some of interviewees included Prosper Bailey, the son of the original publisher of the magazine, and Anton Harber, a journalism professor the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Harber was recently a speaker at Kean on October 14.

The professors said they learned a lot from making the documentary.

“What stood out for me was to learn that young journalists in South Africa viewed Henry Nxumalo’s courage in reporting as a source of inspiration to become journalists,” Norward said.

Norward wanted to share more of her father’s story and wanted the children of other Drum Magazine writers to be able to share theirs as well.

“A lot of stories that have been told about my father do not portray him the way family and friends knew him and how they remember him,” she said.

The professors hope to have screenings of the finished documentary to educate students in the U.S. and South Africa about the history of journalism in South Africa.

“We hope to enter this documentary in human rights and African film festivals one day,” Tung said.

7 THE TOWER

art

November, 2014

By Jennifer Deligne

Diane Kahlo discusses her art:

“The Disappeared Women of Juarez” closes Jan. 15 Artist Diane Kahlo made a visit to the Human Rights Institute at Kean University on Oct. 29 to talk about her current exhibit, “Las Desaparecidas de Cuidad Juárez,” (The Disappeared Women of Juárez) which will be on display until Jan. 15. The artist shared her thoughts on the subject of femicide, the killing of women due to their gender, and made clear the reasons behind doing this movement and the symbols used to portray the beauty found in the ugliness done to the women of Juárez.

Kahlo is deeply interested in the issues surrounding violence against women, not only in Mexico, but globally. The unsolved cases in Mexico surrounding the murders of over 630 women captured Kahlo’s heart and she wanted to commemorate the young girls. She believed that making a memorial for the disappeared girls and women of Juárez would bring light to a subject that needed attention and preserve the memory of the girls, both identified and unidentified.

“People would go to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington D.C. just touch the names of the people,” said Kahlo.

“It made me curious as to how we can memorialize women.”

She did just that with her “Wall of Memories,” a piece including over one-hundred small frames with painted portraits of the girls that went missing. Gold leaves were scattered in this piece, which are associated with saints. Kahlo said she incorporated these details to give these girls the heightened sense of importance they deserved.

The embroidered skulls in the exhibition had the idea of Mexico’s Dias De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday, in which people try to remember and memorialize the life that once was. Kahlo would pin the embellishments on to the Styrofoam on her own, taking 10-11 hours for each one, on her most skilled days.

music

Photo: Jennifer Deligne

Artist Diane Kahlo and her version of Lady of Guadalupe.

“I want it to be about labor,” said Kahlo.

The girls of Juárez were sometimes kidnapped after working late hours at their jobs. She wanted this display to be laborious, like the nights of the girls.

The Lady of Guadalupe painting embraces the beauty of all the girls in one figure. It is filled with symbolism and can be a welcoming image for those in its presence, especially if they lost a daughter.

“I wanted to use the eyes from one girl and the nose from another girl. The shape of another girls head,” said Kahlo.

“My fantasy is for every mother to see her daughter in the face.”

A touching subject as this one can bring grief and tears to many and Kahlo was no exception.

“There would be times I’d say ‘I can’t do it,’ but the mothers of these girls don’t get

to say that, so I had to go on,” she said.

Kahlo acknowledges that both innocent males and females are assaulted and murdered globally. But she focused on the females because they are dying simply because of their gender.

Kahlo shows the love and compassion she invested in her artwork through her visit.

She was the voice and beauty for the girls that could no longer speak for themselves.

By Roman Gerus

Musical storyteller bring laughs to Rock ‘N Joe Rock’N Joe, a café located under the Union train station near campus, lived up to its name on Nov. 1 with the unique sound and satirical lyrics of David W. Jacobsen. Jacobsen is a solo songwriter and guitarist, whose unique blend of musical story-telling creates a vibrant, playful atmosphere where humorous theatrical performances can leave an audience with a new sense of humor and a new take on how a seemingly average conversation can go terribly right.

Jacobsen was playing excerpts from his latest album “That’s Not What I Meant.” This album is just one of his eight albums. Jacobsen, who currently lives in Manhattan with his wife, has strong ties to New Jersey. He was born and raised

in Essex County and Jersey City, respectively. Jacobsen is 40 years old and has been playing guitar for more than half of his life, since 1989. He studied at the renowned Berklee College of Music. Before he became a solo artist, he played bass in several bands in the 1990s including a band he created with a friend, who studied punk rock at Harvard, called “Silent Bob.” “It was originally going to be called Corpse Cobain, but we quickly decided against that and named it after one of our favorite movie characters––Silent Bob,” said Jacobsen.

The band wanted to experiment with a new sound and attitude that diverged from traditional rock’s criticism of older generations and satirize their generation. The band started off in the fast lane, but its momentum slowed when scheduling factors and waning enthusiasm caused the band to part ways.

“It got annoying with scheduling and people not showing up and started to become a pain in the [butt] because no one wanted to play and you had to care,” said Jacobsen.

Jacobsen, being a dynamic individual, was undeterred by this setback and set out to become a solo folk artist that has enjoyed success in creating numerous albums and plays reg-

ularly in the New York City and Northeast New Jersey areas.

“I find New Jersey to be more rewarding than New York City though,” said Jacobsen, referring to New York venues’ tendency towards arrogance.

Jacobsen, however, was not always into folk and rock. His spark for music started as a searing passion for jazz.

“I wanted to be like Jaco,” said Jacobsen, referring to the late Jaco Pastorius, a jazz bass player of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Jacobsen was working his way up to become the next jazz sensation when he woke up one day and said, “I don’t like jazz or jazz people.” This sudden epiphany was spurred by his roommate who was “annoying, a little homophobic and liked jazz”. His roommate also hated Broadway and show tunes; that gave Jacobsen the perfect incentive to create his own show tunes to annoy his roommate.

Although Jacobsen admits to never finishing a single show tune, the experience gave him the inspiration to become a songwriter and create his own brand of humor and “not humor” to leave the audience with something to take away with them.

“I want to say something people can relate to, but not everything needs to be autobiographical,” said Jacobsen.

Open mic night fights violence

By Jaime Alicea III

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time where Kean students choose to acknowledge the impact of abuse on their lives.

On Oct. 22 at 8 p.m., Kean’s Cougar’s Den hosted an Open Mic Night where students shared their own personal experiences, along with the experiences of their families and communities, in the hopes that they would all stand together in support of victims of abuse.

The event gave those in support of ending domestic violence and sexual assault a David W. Jacobsen

Photo: Davidwj.com

chance to express their bodies, minds, and souls to the packed audience.

Isaiah Rivera, a poet, recited a piece he wrote called “Rebirth,” hoping that students or those who have experienced domestic violence would understand the importance of starting a new beginning, letting go of the past and moving on with the future.

Whether it was dancing, singing, playing the guitar, or reciting a poem, all performers had one goal in common: they all wanted to show their peers who they were by expressing themselves and inviting them into their artistic souls.

8 THE TOWER

November, 2014

opinion Left or Right politics: It doesn’t matter anymore

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.keantower.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: Bryan C. Kuriawa Managing Editor: Christine Mouk azis News Editor: Sonia Aquije FEATURES EDITOR: Dominique Vinas Arts & Ent. Editor: Adilene Rodriguez

By Bryan C. Kuriawa (Editor-In-Chief)

Before delving into this article, this writer would like to make a disclaimer.

The opinions expressed here are by a libertarian-leaning writer and do not reflect the collective views of section editors and individual writers at The Tower.

At a young age, we reach the point when we as citizens have the formal right to vote. In this sense, an individual feels that he or she has a part to play in the democracy our nation is.

They feel, and have been taught consistently, that their votes can make a difference.

Yet, in these upcoming midterm elections, will such votes make a difference, or is our current system of political operation stagnant?

Several months ago, an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found only 14 per-

tions. By the time this article is published, the elections will be over and representatives will once again head off to Washington. A small minority of officials governing the will and actions of a majority.

To the younger generation, of which many Kean alumni fall under, how are these modern politicians reaching out to a social media and technology-oriented demographic?

A recent article on National Review Online highlighted one such effort by the political group, Rock The Vote, entitled, “#TURNOUTFORWHAT.” This video, featuring a variety of “trendy” celebrities, intended to demonstrate the benefits of voting.

Suffice to say, anarchism may have seen a rise in Google searches, along with an increase in the sale of Vodka.

If this video alone suggests a trend, both Democratic and Republican, to

Sports Editor: Mak Ojutiku Online EditorS: Kristen Dematos Yayona Bangura Staff Photos by: Jenifer Niemi

STAFF Jamie Alicea Clifton Andrews Timothy Awojobi Vera Boateng Jonathan Bonilla Elizabeth Bracey Nicole Brown Sade Cox Jennifer Deligne Kristen Dematos Lindsey Foy Marisa Gallagher

Roman Gerus Josue Hernandez Annalise Knudson Ashley Kolawole Gerald Lima Daris Mendez Anthony Muccigrossi Jenifer Niemi Rebecca Panico Carmen Pineiro Marco Rodriguez Lauren Spain

Opinion pieces and letters to the editor

“In a nation divided on various grounds, economically, politically, and socially, one of the most common areas of agreement is over the way our nation is being run.” cent of those surveyed approved of Congress and 19 percent were in favor of the GOP. With these numbers, perhaps someone would take notice and address these concerns, right?

A Real Clear Politics poll, surveying Oct. 3 through Oct. 20, found an average of 13.5 percent approve of the government’s current conduct.

These low approval ratings embody a fact the political Left and Right in Washington have continued to ignore.

The American populace is sick of the manner in which the government is being run and continues to be handled. We don’t like the direction our nation is moving, both nationally and internationally.

In a nation divided on various grounds, economically, politically, and socially, one of the most common areas of agreement is over the way our nation is being run. To many, the modern political system, regardless of the party or politician representing them, is both out of touch and increasingly deadlocked. Nothing feels accomplished by either side of the aisle in recent years. At this point, one may recall the words of early twentieth century anarchist, Voltairine de Cleyre.

“Seek through the legislative halls of America and find, if you can, the Government.”

This brings this writer back to his earlier discussion on the subject of voting in the November midterm elec-

encourage younger voters to turn out, they will be laughed out of the arena.

Will these elections truly change any elements of our existing political system, which is proving harder to make headway on critical legislation? Considering the way everything has been preceding, the answer could be a resounding “No.” No matter which party you vote for, the question won’t be whether or not any change will result, it’s the overarching results. Neither party has much of the public’s support at heart, despite the manner politicians carry on about this subject. Does this mean there isn’t anyone in government to view favorably? There may be a few, yet for the most part, their true intentions lie with a group of politically connected interests.

True change, politically, is becoming harder and harder to find at the election booth, and it may not appear for some time. Until then, in our own voluntary fashion, we must look for ways to improve our society for the better. The political parties in government will continue in their own conceited fashion until we can create a real change that will make them take notice. For all of his faults, our 40th President, Ronald Reagan, summarized the situation quite accurately years before.

“Government is not the solution to the problem, Government is the problem.”

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.

November, 2014

Op-Ed

9 THE TOWER

University Students and political Campaigns

By Anthony n. Muccigrossi

Are you concerned with the future candidates for public office? If your answer is “yes,” then you should contribute to helping your public office candidates get elected.

Now, you might be thinking how can a college student get involved with a local, state, or federal political campaign? Surprisingly, all you need to do is call, email or stop by your chosen candidates campaign office. With a main campaign office and satellite offices around the state, you are sure to find a way to contribute your efforts to help get your chosen candidates elected to public office.

My goal is to provide you with information pertaining to volunteering on a political campaign. I am in no way attempting to persuade you to pick a particular political party. I encourage you to evaluate all candidates and make a wise choice as to which candidates you choose to volunteer for.

By volunteering on a political campaign, you will gain first-hand experience in the efforts that go into helping elect a candidate for public office. Not only will you interact with public officials, you’ll gain invaluable experiences interacting with other campaign volunteers.

In reality, a political campaign is a giant network of people who come from very diverse backgrounds.

This is a perfect opportunity to make friends and build connections with professionals and students from many different areas.

Graphic from creativecommons.org By DonkeyHotey

If you would like to work in government after you graduate, it is essential to work on a campaign. By doing so, you’re enhancing your chances of connecting with others who share the same passion. Many of the people you’ll meet may have careers in local, state, or federal government. Meeting these individuals can increase your chances of future internships and the possibility of a government related job.

Depending on your past experience with political campaigns, your tasks may include calling voters, assisting with labeling and mailing literature, walking door to door to hand out literature about the can-

didate and a variety of other tasks. Accompanying candidates and assisting at public events may also be part of your tasks while volunteering on a political campaign.

As your experience volunteering on political campaigns builds, you can also apply for paid jobs on future political campaigns. With a variety of experience and stellar references, you can even become a campaign manager.

Regardless of a paid job or a volunteer position, you can help change the future of local, state and federal politics, one campaign at a time.

The green generation

By Sonia Aquije

Among all the societal trends, one of the most prominent is activism, but the exact form of it has evolved among those in Generation Y. Some of the forms of activism displayed range from demonstration to the most common, activism through social media. However, do they really care about issues or just think it’s the “cool” thing to do? Do the young men and women have the power to change the world through activism?

Photo: Sonia Aquije

The People’s Climate March.

Living in a generation that shuns mainstream ideals and looks for a way of being disincentive, I often think, what makes my generation so great?

Do we act upon our own values or do we just fol-

low blindly what everyone else is doing? Do we, the millennial generation, just share pictures or repost them to be seen as people who are educated on social issues and want change? What does it take to be the generation known for being part of societal change instead of being described as the “Me” generation? There are social media campaigns that have launched people into becoming an “activist,” be it via Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. With one “Like” or “share” you can be seen as the most caring individual, and that’s B.S. There is only so much a “like” or “share” can do, and I applaud those individuals who organize and campaign for issues they’re passionate about. The entire concept of claiming if you “like” or “share” a picture will help a cause is a bit discouraging. Calling yourself an activist is farfetched if you haven’t fully submerged yourself into a cause. We the youth, have all the tools to organize and make a difference in the world, it’s just how we utilize them that will define us a generation.

Defining an activist is easy. It’s a person who devotes their time to make a difference in the world ranging from the environment to social justice.

But just how involved in activism is Generation Y? One of this year’s highlights of societal activism in America was The People’s March for Climate Change that I attended. And no they’re not hippies, but concerned citizens.

The Peoples Climate March was held Sept. 21, in New York, and it was all about global warming awareness. The march started from Columbus Circle to Times Square to the far West Side. And it was followed by the United Nations for a summit meeting on climate change on Tuesday, Sept.23. I didn’t plan on attending until my boyfriend mentioned it. It was a great experience to have witnessed firsthand the solidarity and commitment from the marchers. Mothers carrying their babies, children holding up signs, people chanting, but, most importantly, I saw the youth animated in making a change to save our planet.

With colorful signs ranging from: “Humans for earth”; “Don’t frack”; “Climate justice for women”; “Jobs. Justice. Clean energy”; “Nuclear energy no

thanks”; “Planet over profit” and “Occupy the future,” the march exemplified the urgency to save the planet.

There were faith, student, labor and environmental groups among the 1,000 organizations that participated. Prominent individuals such as Al Gore, the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon and celebrities Leo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo were among the attendees. The marchers’ energy emitted a sense of hope for a greener future for all; it’s all about commitment. A moment of silence was observed early afternoon, where the marchers raised their arms and then, at 1 p.m., cries erupted from the crowds. It was a wonderful sight and a very empowering moment for all.

Generation Y is environmentally educated, but can they step-up to saving our planet? I can’t call myself a full-blown environmental activist after attending this march, but I am on my way to becoming one. I have served as President of Amnesty International at Kean and I do keep myself aware of human rights issues.

Generation Y might just be the one to save our planet. According to an article by MSNBC.com, Millennials: We care more about the environment, a poll commissioned by the Clinton Global imitative and Microsoft, found that 54 percent of millennials feel they’ll make a significant contribution to better the environment, while 57 percent believe they’ll actually worsen the earth’s condition in their lifetime.

We are bombarded by green consumerist propaganda everyday, but do we actually follow through with going green? I know, I try my best to recycle and purchase the environmentally friendly products, but what will truly make a difference? It starts with each individual and our government. President Obama spoke at the U.N.’s Climate Summit and urged global leaders to answer the call for climate change. And I address millennials to confront climate change and become activists, doing more than just posting and retweeting on social media.

We are the generation that will fulfill what the green movement is all about: saving our mother earth for future generations.

breast cancer awareness is needed year-round

By Dr. Josh Palgi

Breast Cancer Awareness month is held every October, but awareness is needed year-round.

While many people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same.

Here are some facts from Susan G. Komen, American Cancer Society: *Physical activity may lower the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Regular exercise reduces estrogen levels, fights obesity, lowers insulin levels and boosts immune system cells that attack tumors.

Maintaining a healthy diet and regular physical activity are good ways to reduce your risk to breast cancer. *Age is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer. The older a woman is, the more likely she is to develop the disease.

In general, rates of breast cancer are low in women under age 40, begin to increase after age 40 and are highest in women over age 70. In the United States, 95 percent

of the women diagnosed with breast cancer each year are age 40 or older. *A diagnostic mammogram is used to evaluate a woman with a breast problem/ symptom or an abnormal finding on a screening mammogram. The diagnostic mammogram will be focused on the areas where there appear to be abnormal tissue.

It should be performed under the direct, on-site supervision of a board certified radiologist. *Most women diagnosed with breast cancer – more than 85 percent – have no family history of the disease. Having a relative with breast cancer does increase your risk. But other factors such as being overweight, alcohol use and hormone therapy after menopause impact your chances as well. * More than 2,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Men should not ignore breast lumps and should get any breast changes checked.

While you can’t change certain risk factors – like being female and having a family history of breast center – you can do a lot to help reduce your breast cancer risk

as much as possible. In a word: lifestyle.

Exercise more and eat healthier, especially if you’re overweight or obese. Limit or eliminate alcohol and quit smoking. Cancer prevention isn’t fool-proof, but being responsible about your health can go a long way.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. About 1 in 8 (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime.

In 2014, an estimated 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the US, along with 62,570 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer.

About 40,000 women in the US are expected to die in 2014 from breast cancer.

In New Jersey, about 7,000 women will likely be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and more than 1,000 will die from the disease.

Dr. Josh Palgi is a professor in the Department of Physical Education, Health & Recreation.

For both women and men, to monitor your health get recommended screening and consider lifestyle changes that could reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, including:

• • • • • •

Maintain a healthy weight Get fit Limit alcohol consumption Quit smoking Get checked Perform breast self-exams and schedule regular mammograms.

• Think Pink, and spread the message.

10 THE TOWER

November, 2014

Course scheduling still an issue By nicole Brown

The controversy about changing the upcoming spring course-scheduling grid, seemingly to address parking problems, is over -- but the issue is not dead.

David Joiner, chairperson of the Faculty Senate, said that although the administration has rescinded its proposed course scheduling changes for spring semester, work still exists” to ensure that the needs of students are met in the scheduling process.”

“That does not change the fundamental issue with both the Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 schedule that prompted the scheduling guideline revisions,” Joiner said in an email. “The most visible aspect of this for students has been parking. We have a student headcount near 15,000, and the campus has about 4,300 parking spaces. “ Joiner said Kean needs more information.

“Careful management of how many of our students are in class at any given time is important to make sure that students are able to get to class,” he said.

The Faculty Senate was slated to discuss course scheduling at a public meeting Nov. 11.

Controversy erupted in September among faculty about major changes in the spring schedule when – seemingly out of nowhere -- Joy Moskovitz, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, sent an email informing deans and department heads of three major revisions to the course schedule for the upcoming spring semester.

The email announced that Kean would no longer offer Tuesday/Thursday courses from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Instead, those course times would be replaced with a Wednesday/Friday schedule.

Additionally, no 3000 or 4000 level courses would be offered at 11 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. from Monday- Friday and only graduate courses would be scheduled during the 4:30 double periods from Monday- Thursday. Undergraduate courses would be available during the 7:30 p.m. double periods from Monday- Thursday.

The Kean Federation of Teachers, the union representing full-time faculty and professional staff, and the Faculty Senate, the governing body for academics, both held emergency discussions on Sept. 30 as a result of the email.

Faculty said the changes would be detrimental to students. Dr. Sonja Kim, an Early Childhood professor, said the changes would have a negative effect on student teachers.

“This would be a disaster for student teachers,” said Kim. “They have to work full-time in the day and then go home late at night to prepare for classes the next morning.”

Dr. Richard Katz noted that students would have to go home in-between the gaps in their course schedules, causing an inconvenience that would waste gas.

“Students following a four-year plan would be affected and the graduation rate would be impacted,” said Katz.

However, Moscovitz, who attended the senate meeting and answered questions, sent a second email to Kean’s deans and directors, informing them that the proposed changes would not happen and that the college’s existing course schedule would remain the same.

“As always, we will continue to engage with the campus community to determine the scheduling options that best meet the needs of our students and their academic goals,” said Moscovitz.

Jeffrey Toney, Vice President of Academic Affairs, said that feedback from the campus community was reviewed and will be considered in the event of any future course scheduling.

No one knows why the scheduling announcements were made; however, the first email sent stated that the college needed to evenly distribute its course offerings over the week. Faculty proposed that the changes were related to the parking situation.

Job Outsourcing

Sigma Theta Chi

(Continued from page 1)

tion Guidelines could range from handing in potential new member forms in late, to hazing. While on suspension, the group is not permitted to recruit new members, or participate in University-wide events like Kean Day, Homecoming, and Greek Olympics. Furthermore, the fraternity must continue to pay Greek Senate dues, are banned from voting in Greek Senate meetings, and must participate in mandatory educational workshops as well as community service projects.

“The entire organizational conduct process is meant to be an educational and restorative process,” Snowden said. “The fraternity will have the opportunity to present itself before a panel in December to present its corrective measures, and discuss how it has benefited the Kean University student community and how it will continue to benefit the campus community moving forward.”

Sigma Theta Chi’s president, Michael Rosche, sent a statement to The Tower, in which he expressed remorse over the incidents involving his fraternity.

“We can say, as a brotherhood, that this has been one of the hardest times we have had to face in recent memory,” Rosche

Dorm Quality

said. “We have taken these challenges as an opportunity to show our commitment to each other, our community, and the student body as a whole. Our goal as a fraternity is to gain back the trust of the University and show our positive impact in the community.”

Through food drives, cancer walks, campus clean ups, and other charity events, the fraternity is seeking to turn things around and make things right.

“This is just another chapter is our organizations 77 year history,” Rosche said.

“We would like to make a positive ending to this chapter and move forward as a brotherhood.”

If anything positive can be taken from the incidents this year, it’s that it has been a learning experience for everyone on campus.

“The one thing that I take away from all of this is that groups are paying more attention to what they’re doing,” Louis said.

“We have a close and united Greek life at Kean, so when one group gets into trouble everyone else knows about it. We hope that the group has learned from their mistakes and, together, we can move forward from this.”

(Continued from page 1)

to update Whiteman Hall’s electrical system. The school also noted that the older dorms, including Whiteman and Dougall, have received updates over the years.

“Whiteman and Dougall Halls have received several updates throughout the years including window replacement, new furnishings and student lounge renovations,” Marsha McCarthy said, the director of Kean’s media relations.

Despite the issues, most residents, including the ones who live in the older dorms say their overall dorming experience has been positive.

Some residents say there is no disparity

between the older and newer dorms.

“The only difference is New Upper is fancier and newer,” Kunle Oyeledun said, a senior who dorms in Sozio Hall. “In Sozio rooms, there’s actually a little bit more space.”

Oyeledun, who works for Residential Student Services, said that he’s enjoyed his dorming experience overall but there is some room for improvement.

“Work orders could be processed a little faster so student’s things could be fixed on time,” Oyeledun said. “If they fixed a couple things, people would enjoy campus life a little more but overall it’s pretty good.”

(Continued from page 1)

Already private companies operate many facilities on campus including Gourmet Dining, Barnes and Noble and Starbucks under a contract to Kean.

Pinto, who has also been an auto mechanic at Kean for the past 34 years, warned that there are consequences associated with the employment of private companies working on campus, including the safety of students, faculty and staff.

“You don’t know who you are hiring. You are relying on the companies to carry out security checks on these workers,” Pinto said.

“It is our interest to provide quality service at affordable pricing.”

He accused the university of mismanagement, for example he noted that last winter the $100,000 truck that the workers usually use for salting and plowing has been parked as a result of private contractors doing the job.

“It has become somewhat a hotel for rodents.” Pinto said.

Pinto said that Kean has been outsourcing without informing employees. For instance, the automotive mechanic usually worked on Police vehicles. However, he realized that the vehicles were not coming into the shop for service. He then brought the matter to the Board of Trustees and was told that the vehicles were being serviced outside the campus.

“We made an agreement to resume on campus servicing,” Pinto said. “However, if the shop does not have the equipment to

work on the vehicles then, they would seek outside sources.”

Pinto noted that the maintenance staff contract with the state for prevailing wagean increase yearly in their salaries have remained stagnant over the years.

“We did not get an increase for the first two years,” Pinto said.

Workers are worried, including Jose Laranjeira, a grounds keeper who suffered a back injury while working on campus eight months ago. He said his greatest fears are for his family and paying his mortgage, in the event that the staff will be laid- off.

“We bleed and sweat for Kean,” Laranjeira said. “At times we are doing without equipment because private contractors are using them.”

Likewise, Miryan Lora, a custodial staff who has been working at Kean for the past 19 years said that she is more concerned about taking care of her family.

“Many of us have children in school and bills to pay,” Lora said. “We have invested our all in Kean.”

Laranjeira warned Kean that its decision will affect everyone across the board including students. He hopes that Kean will reconsider outsourcing and hire more Kean’s maintenance staff to do the work.

“Students may have to pay more in tuitions to facilitate the cost of private companies,” Laranjera said. “Don’t lose the roots that make this place what it is.”

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10/28/14 10:59 AM

November, 2014

SPORTS

11 THE TOWER

Photo: Kean Athletics

Kelly Williamson, one of the 13 freshmen on the team.

Women’s soccer heads into tournament play

By Gerald Lima

The Kean womens soccer team holds a record of 10-6-2, including a six-game winning streak at the beginning of the season. “We take advantage of each training session and use it as an opportunity to work hard,” said freshmen forward Gabrielle Cucinotta.

“Everyone individually is improving themselves to better the team as a whole.” The Cougars are currently the defending, back-to-back ECAC champions, but they still look

“Everyone individually is improving themselves to better the team as a whole.”

for more each and every time they get on the field. “The atmosphere as a whole is different,” Cucinotta said. “This season we have set our goals high and with the guidance from our coach and seniors, our goals seem reachable.” The Cougars went 4-4-1 in NJAC conference play, and recently came up short in the first round of the NJAC tournament. They lost a tough 1-0 contest against Rowan University. K.C Nunez, the Cougar’s goalkeeper recorded a season-high thirteen saves in the loss. Despite that setback, the Cougars are still looking to defend their ECAC title in the upcoming tournament. The Cougars abide by its slogan “You don’t get what you wish for, you get what you work for,” as they keeping working hard to reach their goals. “We pretty much honor the saying,” said Cucinotta. “We know we have hard competition on our schedule, but our

coach has full confidence that some games we will win solely from our effort, if our skills are not enough.” The Cougars have 13 freshmen on the team, which makes up almost half of the roster this season. “Team chemistry is our big focus this year,” said Cucinotta. “Our coach has drilled it into us that team chemistry is the most important thing needed to be successful. With the new freshmen this season, we are definitely focusing on becoming one as a team.” With the season winding down, and their last few games ahead of them, the Cougars are looking to finish strong, both offensively and defensively. “Our common goal this year is consistency,”said Cucinotta. “We chose this as our one common goal because consistency is a key factor to being successful, if we don’t stay consistent we will accomplish nothing.”

Fun is the game in flag football

By Jaime Alicea III

To be truly great you have to work with trust and believe in each other. Football is America’s greatest sport, so why not give everyone the opportunity to enjoy this amazing sport.

That’s where intermural flag football comes into play. It allows every Kean student to get a group of friends and give it their all out in the football field, but most of all, it allows them to have fun.

Intermural flag football gives you the same experience of regular football, but allows you to be in a safer environment with fewer injuries. Last year’s champions, the Apex Predators, are the perfect example of a group of friends coming together, supporting each other, building chemistry and winning it all.

“Last year was amazing.” said defensive and offensive lineman Collin M. Dowling. “We were 7-1 going into the playoffs, and we had to play multiple teams that had Kean baseball players, lacrosse players and other college athletes. Being able to win with a team of non-athletes was fun.”

The boys on the Apex Predators were subjected to trash talking every week because their team did not consist of any athletes. However, in the end, they came out on top.

This year’s intramural flag football games consists of 11 teams, the current top two teams are last year’s champions, the Apex Predators, and a new up-and-coming team, named She Got A Wagon. Only three games have been played so far, and while many teams are rising up inthe ranks, some teams are still looking for their identity.

“Chemistry with your teammates is important,” said Dowling. “The fact that we all know each other and bond with each other helps us build on that chemistry. It doesn’t matter if it’s an intramural sport or a professional sport you need chemistry if you want your team to succeed at a sport.”

Intramural flag football, although very similar to regular football, is far stricter than regular football. Players must constantly watch how aggressive they play or risk being ejected, tackling is prohibited and even trying to strip the ball from an opponent is prohibited. These regulations have been made to keep the Kean intramural players safe and are regulated by Kean’s top-notch student referees.

The top four teams will make the playoffs, with the semifinals and finals being played on Nov. 23 at Alumni Stadium.

In the end, it doesn’t matter whether you’re small, big or not coordinated, the intermural flag football league was made for one thing and one thing only: for all Kean students who sign up to enjoy themselves and have fun with their friends.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s an intramural sport or a professional sport, you need chemistry if you want your team to succeed at a sport.”

Photo: Chris Gomez

Last year’s intramural champions.

SPORTS

12 THE TOWER

November, 2014

Kean student joins Richmond Raiders

By Jonathan Bonilla

Jaleel Taylor, a senior communication major, is finishing up his final semester this fall at Kean University.

On top of his dream of becoming a media broadcaster and journalist, Taylor pursues another, larger dream.

He strives to become a professional athlete with a degree.

“It was always my dream,” said Taylor. “During the mid-years of college, I thought I going to have a regular job working nine to five.”

Receiving his communications degree in May does not stop him from going forward with his career, as Taylor will be heading to Richmond, Virginia to play for the Richmond Raiders. The Raiders are a professional indoor football team. Taylor will be positioned on the offensive line with possibilities of playing on defense as well.

“I’m ready to start my life in Richmond,” said Taylor.

“If my career can take me to the Canadian league or the NFL that would be great, but I still want to have a career in broadcasting.”

The Raiders noticed Taylor through highlight tapes of him playing in a developmental league with the ASI Panthers. Taylor also tried out for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. He earned a spot on the team’s practice squad before he was released not long after.

Other than bringing a big body to the team, Taylor brings a humble and coachable attitude, along with speed, power and a deep knowledge of the game. “I don’t allow sacks on the offensive line,” said Taylor. “I don’t let anybody touch my quarterback.”

Taylor will leave for Virginia on March 12 for training Photo: Jaleel Taylor’s Instagram Jaleel Taylor playing OL for ASI Panthers. camp and will begin the season on March 29 against the Columbus Lions.

“We had a lot of good players on that team,” said Munoz. “But Jaleel was Taylor started playing football when he was six years old. He couldn’t one of the players that lead by example. He practiced as hard as everyone play in Pop Warner, so he got his start as a quarterback for a flag football and made sure everyone practiced as hard as him.” team.

Taylor then went on to play for the University of New Haven in Con“I was always the bigger kid,” chuckled Taylor. “I was 6 and they wanted necticut before he transferred to Kean. He didn’t play for Kean’s football me to play with the 9 and 10 year olds and my mother wasn’t having that.” team, but he does have a relationship with some of the coaching staff.

A large part of Taylor’s motivation, on and off the field, comes from his School and football isn’t Taylor’s only focus. Taylor juggles being a stumother. dent and a professional athlete, while also coaching for a non-profit or“She worked as hard as two parents work for kids,” said Taylor. “So when ganization known as the Jersey Heat. The Heat is a basketball team that I’m in the classroom or on the field, it’s all for her.” gives young men from the ages 14 to 17 the opportunity to travel the Taylor played football in Hillside and for Elizabeth High School, where world playing in competitions and helps them get into college with acahe was a team captain. demic and athletic scholarships.

In time, Taylor hopes to start a similar Andrew Munoz is a former teammate who was inspired by Taylor’s perprogram with football. sonality.

From Kean to WWE

By Lauren Spain

Coach Rob Irvine

Photo: Kean Athletics

Mens soccer coach earns NJAC spot in first year

By Gerald Lima

Kean University’s men’s soccer team earned a spot in the NJAC postseason with a win on Wednesday afternoon against Ramapo College (4-2), under first-year head coach Rob Irvine.

“We want to do well immediately,” Irvine said. “We are still a work in progress. The goal for this whole calendar year moving forward into the spring is to try to still change people’s habits. We are not where we need to be with that, but I realize you are not going to come in and change habits overnight. I want to get the boys where we are competing competitively and consistently. We haven’t been able to establish that yet.”

Irvine took over the men’s soccer program with the beginning of the 2014 season, succeeding Tony Ochrimenko, who coached the program for 37 years.

“Tony Ochrimenko has been a legend here,” Irvine said. “That is very impressive. The ultimate is winning a national championship and there are not many programs that can say that they have a national championship. We are fortunate to have a one and it’s something I want to push forward the work that Tony has done.”

Irvine earned his first appearance in the NJAC postseason, taking the Cougars to a record of 11-7-1 and giving them home-field

advantage.

“Practicing has been a key part in our development as a team,” sophomore Steven Osores said in an earlier interview with The Tower. It pushes us to be even better and fix our mistakes. Coach Rob constantly pushes us to compete and practice hard.”

Irvine, who got his first job at Syracuse University, has been coaching for 13 years.

“Coaching is a lifestyle,” Irvine said. “You are never off the job. The team is an extension of your family. It is something I care about and it’s a passion for me.”

Irvine says his philosophy for the men on the team is to achieve their highest expectations.

“The number one thing is to be difficult to play against,” Irvine said. “That is something you can control. Also, I’m very big on the transition side of the game. Tactics is something I push on the team to work hard for and make sure we play our hardest.”

Irvine’s reason for becoming the Cougars head coach was to push the program forward and to give himself a challenge.

“Learning creates a lot of energy for me,” Irvine said. “I’m always looking to learn from other coaches from formal and informal learning. I think you are always learning and once you’re through learning, you’re through meaning. Even when you finally have it all figured out, you still don’t have it figured out.”

Balancing being a college athlete and a full-time student is difficult enough, but for senior football player Mike Orlando, it’s just the beginning. He balances being a student, a college athlete, while also pursuing his dream of becoming a professional wrestler.

Orlando began playing football his sophomore year of high school and went on to becoming a valuable asset to Kean University’s football team’s offensive line. Football gave him an outlet and a focus, as well as the opportunity to succeed in school.

Despite playing football for so long, Orlando says that he enjoys wrestling more. He began wrestling his freshman year of high school, and with the support of his friends, family and coaches, he continues to advance with the sport.

“My dad was a fan as were my brothers too, so I kind of was born into it and it was always something that I wanted to do,” Orlando said. “When I came to college is when I decided to actually go and pursue it.”

Orlando says that even though NCAA rules make it difficult to maintain his image in the wrestling world during sea-

son, his coach, Dan Garrett, supported him throughout his journey.

“Coach always stayed on top of what I did and convinced me to take the chance and actually go and do it,” Orlando said.

Balancing school, football and a professional career is not easy for the 23-year-old.

Orlando is set to graduate in the spring of 2015 with a degree in criminal justice. However, his main focus will continue to be wrestling for a while.

“Criminal justice is kind of my backup,” Orlando said. “Believe it or not, you do need a degree to succeed in the wrestling world. It is a business and criminal justice is something I have to fall back on.”

Outside of sports, Orlando enjoys his downtime. He says he is a very calm and relaxed person and when he is not focused on sports, he’s either at the beach or spending quality time with his family.

With his use of social media outlets, he is able to keep his image in the focus of companies and potential sponsors.

Orlando plans to forward with his wrestling career after graduating. He’ll continue training with Old Time Wrestling in Atlantic City and work on establishing his independent contract.

“My dad was a fan, as were my brothers too, so I kind of was born into it and it was always something that I wanted to do.”

Orladno (standing in the ring to the left) during a match.

(Mike Orlando’s Facebook)