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SEPTEMBER 4, 2012 | VOL. 14 #4
The Invisible Man Burel Edmael’s been cleaning up after FAU students for 16 years — and he’s still smiling. By Dylan Bouscher
P 24
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The Staff
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September 4, 2012 IN THIS ISSUE
4.
8.
The top five reasons to go to this year’s Safety Fair. by Regina Kaza
The opening of FAU’s Green Market, put on by Mission Green. By Christine Capozziello
12.
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR - Elena Medina
Former FAU baseball standout Mike Albaladejo was suspended for 50 games by Major League Baseball. Why he’ll come back stronger.
BUSINESS MANAGER - James Shackelford
By Rolando Rosa
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Ryan Cortes MANAGING EDITOR - Regina Kaza ART DIRECTOR - Phaedra Blaize
16.
FAU football unveils its new uniforms as they walk through the Rat’s Mouth. By Michelle Friswell
WEB EDITOR - Andrew Alvino COPY DESK CHIEF - Michael Chandeck NEWS EDITOR - Dylan Bouscher SPORTS EDITOR - Rolando Rosa PHOTO EDITOR - Michelle Friswell CRIME EDITOR- Monica Ruiz SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER - Christine Capozziello COPY EDITOR- Jessica Cohn-Kleinberg, Amanda Rubio GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Chase Kennedy STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Melissa Landolfa, Lamise Mansur, Ryan Murphy CONTRIBUTORS
COVER
Emily Mitchell-Cetti ADVISERS Dan Sweeney Michael Koretzky COVER - Photo by Ryan Murphy
8. The Invisible Man
Photo by Ryan Murphy
Burel Edmael’s been cleaning up after FAU students for over a decade, and he still loves his job. Find out why. BY DYLAN BOUSCHER
777 Glades Road Student Union, Room 214 Boca Raton, FL 33431 561.297.2960
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FEATURES
SAFETY FIRST:
30 days about being careful and how to have fun doing it
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By Regina Kaza Students should bring their bikes and expired pills to Safety Month this year. All September long, students can learn how to drink alcohol safely, get rid of their old prescription drugs at the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office “Operation Pill Drop,” and much more. And they can do all of it at this year’s Safety Fair, which its organizers say is the biggest event happening all month. This year’s theme is “Look Up - Look Down - Look All Around,” which focuses on pedestrian safety. Over 60 tables will crowd the Breezeway on Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. with vendors teaching students about staying safe on and off campus. And even though over 2,000 showed up last year, this is the only Safety Fair that has all of these events, according to Environmental Health and Safety Director Tom Bradley.
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Free stuff: There’s free food and drinks, but getting them is going to take some work. “We provide a free lunch and a T-shirt for those who complete their ‘Passport to Safety,’” Bradley said. That passport is a pamphlet students can get at any of the fair’s 60 tables and have it stamped at each one by a vendor. Student Health Services Director Cathie Wallace says some tables will have displays about sun safety, dating and relationship health, STI prevention and texting and driving. “When their passport is fully stamped,” Bradley said, “they can proceed to the free food and T-shirt tables.” But there are some freebies you can get with no strings attached. Housing and Residential Life will be giving away safety whistles, yellow rain ponchos and key chains. Those, and flashing reflector lights, go hand-in-hand with this year’s theme. “Every year there are themes to the activities and programs,” Director of Housing and Residential Life Jill Eckardt said. “This year we are focusing on pedestrian safety.”
Theme parks have simulators, so does FAU: The fair isn’t only about pamphlets and free condoms — there are rides too. Eckardt has worked with the Safety Fair since it first started five years ago. In the past, students have been able to put out flames with a fire extinguisher, escape smoke filled rooms, and walk through hurricane demonstrations. This year, students can sit in a Roll-Over Simulator (which looks like the front half of a pickup truck) and flip upside down as they would in a serious car crash. Florida Highway Patrol is bringing this simulator along with one called the Seat Belt Convincer. “We are bringing back the Florida Highway Patrol’s Seatbelt Convincer, which was a success in previous years,” Bradley said. Students can ride down a cart as if they were in a car going 8 mph and learn how a seatbelt works when the cart abruptly stops. “The Seatbelt Convincer and the Roll-Over Simulator are fun and active ways to demonstrate how your car seat belt may save your life in a rollover car accident,” Wallace said.
Page designed by Elena Medina
Top five reasons to visit the Boca Safety Fair this year:
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It’s the biggest one: FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is hosting a fair Sept. 18, but it’s smaller than Boca’s.
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Winner, Winner, GoPro Dinner: This year FAU is having a safety video contest. The prize is a camera worth around $200.
There will be other activities for Safety Month on the Davie and Jupiter campuses, like Club FAU in Jupiter where students can hang out in a nightlife atmosphere without the alcohol. Davie will have events like body mass index testing and blood pressure checks, but no fair. Harbor Branch’s fair will have the same crash simulators as Boca and beer goggle demonstrations to teach students about DUIs, but not 60 tables worth of safety information. Last year, many of these events were on the Treasure Coast campus. Since it closed this summer due to state budget cuts, they will all be on the Boca campus. “The annual Boca campus Safety Fair has continued to attract about 2,000 people, mostly students, each year,” Bradley said. “We expect similar numbers this year.”
FAU faculty, staff, students and organizations can submit a video to the Environmental Health and Safety Department and win a GoPro video camera donated by Force-E Scuba Center of Boca Raton. The video must be safety related and 3 minutes or less and the winner’s video will be posted on the FAU EH&S YouTube site. The deadline is Sept. 21 at 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.fau.edu/safetymonth/ video-contest or email Tom Bradley at tbradley@ fau.edu.
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You’ll learn something new: It’s not all fun and games, you’ll learn something too. Even if you’re just getting your “Passport to Safety” stamped for the free lunch, there are lots of things to learn. “I think you can see by the wide variety of events and activities on the Safety Month web site that there is something of interest for everyone,” Bradley said. “The key is for students and employees to take advantage of the events and activities.” And although there haven’t been studies on how much students learn from Safety Month, FAU Police Chief Charles Lowe sees a difference. “We do see an increase in students registering their bicycles, taking advantage of the book stamp program, and registering for [Rape Aggression Defense] classes,” he said. “I believe these are signs that the program has an impact.” Check out more Safety Month stories in the UP each week of September.
Events worth going to: 9/6 Club FAU: Everything you get in the club atmosphere, without the alcohol, Jupiter, 7 p.m.
9/11: Free BMI analysis and Blood Pressure Testing, Davie, 9 a.m.
9/12:
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Rape Aggression Defense
Workshop and Sexual Assault Protection Workshop: Learn self defense against sexual predators, Jupiter, 3 p.m.
9/18:
Harbor Branch Safety Fair, Harbor
Reduce stress by: Using good time management for study, work, family and friends and recreation
Listen to your favorite music Try yoga or meditation Dance Exercise regularly
“
FAU Police Chief Charles Lowe: The best advice for students is to be aware of your surroundings and assume responsibility for your safety and the safety of your possessions. Some examples might be: don’t leave valuables visible in your vehicle, lock your room door, use a lock if you put things in a locker, and lock up your bicycle.
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Environmental Health and Safety Director Tom Bradley: Number one, and a theme for this year’s Boca Campus activities, would be ‘Do not text while walking, skateboarding or bicycling.’ Distracted pedestrians, skateboarders and bicyclists can be severely injured themselves or even worse, they can injure someone else. So, look up, look down and look all around to avoid accidents and injuries.
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Student Health Services Director Cathie Wallace:
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In celebration of Safety Month, FAU’s safety pros have some advice for how to stay protected this school year:
“
TuTTi Tuesdays!
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
Branch, 10 a.m.
www.TFYogurT.com Find us on Facebook and Twitter:
Tutti Frutti of East Boca
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9/20 Stolen!: Program that shows how easy it is to get your stuff stolen out of a dorm, Jupiter, 5 p.m.
For a full list of events, visit: www.fau.edu/safetymonth/
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O rganic
FEATURES
opening F
Grand opening of FAU’s weekly green market
Photos by Christine Capozziello
AU held its first Green Market on Thursday, Aug. 30 on the southwest side of the FAU football stadium. FAU President Mary Jane Saunders and Student Body President Robert Huffman attended to cut the ribbon. Local vendors set up rows of white tents, selling everything from handmade jewelry to gluten-free cupcakes. You can visit the market every Thursday of the fall semester from 4 to 8 p.m., featuring organic food and outdoor activities. Together, Saunders and Huffman cut the ribbon to signal the opening of the Green Market.
Scan to see more of photos from the Green Market
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
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Page designed by Chase Kennedy
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RSVP to: Noreen Payne by September 12th 561-245-9302 or Noreen.payne@nmfn.com Appetizers and Refreshments will be Provided Space is Limited Professional Attire Suggested
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Samples of shea butter at the Shea Experience tent.
“The president and I decided we would have a Green Market by the end of the year, even if it was just the two of us selling tomatoes,� Vice President of Facilities, Tom Donaudy, said during his speech on Aug. 30.
Handmade jewelry by Antonio Falla laid out on display.
Hailey Gomes, a sophomore education major, and Maryem Bendaoud, a sophomore music performance major, smell bowls of loose leaf tea at the Trend Tea booth.
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FAU 7 Wagner 3 Friday, Aug. 31 Photos By Michelle Friswell (unless otherwise noted) Photo editor
Quarterback Stephen Curtis started the game and went 4-10 for 37 yards before being pulled for Graham Wilbert.
Senior linebacker David Hinds helps keep his team motivated throughout the game.
Offensive lineman DeAndre Williams gazed at the Jumbotron after the game to take in the highlights.
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Quarterback Graham Wilbert went 10-13 for 126 yards and one touchdown.
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Former coach Howard Schnellenberger pumps up the fraternity crowd at the Rat’s Mouth tailgating area before the home opener against Wagner. Photo by Ryan Murphy.
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Sept 4, 2012
Michael Precourt, a freshman multimedia studies major and SAA member, voices support for the Owls in the second half of the home opener against Wagner. Photo by Ryan Murphy.
A member of the Marching Owls looks to the screen during the final moments of FAU football’s opening game against Wagner. Photo by Ryan Murphy.
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The reaction
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Despite a sparse crowd, the announced attendance was 14,510. Some students showed up early enough to take in the National Anthem and cheered the Owls on to their first victory of the season.
Former Student Government President Ayden Maher was front row during the National Anthem with his friends.
Student Government President Robert Huffman also sat front row during the game with fellow students from SG.
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FAU President Mary Jane Saunders stood on the sidelines as the close game was decided late.
Students and fans were energized from the very beginning of the game.
New coach Carl Pelini led his team to a victory, and a first win for himself as a head coach.
upressonline.com
Scan here to read our coverage of FAU’s season opener and Sept. 4, 2012 see more photos
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OPINION
Time to
REBOUND Why Mike Albaladejo will bounce back from a failed drug test By Rolando Rosa Sports Editor
Photos by Michelle Friswell Photo Editor
I
Mike Albaladejo was suspended 50 games for using Jack3d, a banned stimulant in the Minors and Major League Baseball.
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t could have been worse. Much worse. That’s the immediate conclusion I reached after reading on Baseball America that former Owls second baseman/ catcher Mike Albaladejo was suspended by Major League Baseball for using a stimulant with a name (methylhexaneamine) almost as long as his ban (50 games). It could have been steroids or HGH (human growth hormone) or any performance enhancing drug that seems to be the rage in the big leagues these days. The Associated Press reports that inseason HGH testing could start as early as next season for the MLB. The stimulant, Jack3d, the same one Albaladejo showed me in the locker room one day during last season, is a pre-workout supplement he picked up at GNC. That’s not to marginalize the blunder he made. Fifty games, no matter the reason, is still a significant loss of playing time. Albaladejo (signed by the Washington Nationals) is back in town, working out on campus
trying to fight through the setback. He pauses for a couple seconds and explains the situation. “It was shocking to me when I found out because I don’t take any performance enhancing drugs. It was more of an excessive amount of caffeine,” he said. “When people hear you’re out for 50 games, they’re quick to think it’s steroids or HGH.”
The reaction
That’s exactly what his father suspected when he first heard the news. “The first thing people think about when they read something like this is steroids,” Neftali Albaladejo said. “And I can’t blame them, because when he told me, that’s the first thing that came to my mind with all the crap that’s going on, on TV with the MLB players.” Neftali is a former standout high school baseball player in Connecticut, but he’s a dad first, and with that came understandable shame. “At first, as a father, I was disappointed. It was upsetting,” he said. “But I was relieved it wasn’t something that was illegal or steroids or anything like that.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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Mike Albaladejo led the Owls with a .358 batting average last season.
Albaladejo was sad to let his family down (his father told me they received a lot of phone calls from family and friends about the incident), but was quick to point out he wasn’t trying to cheat the system. “I was never taking either one of those,” Albaladejo said of steroids or HGH. “I was never taking anything to enhance my performance.”
Mr. Versatility
At FAU, his performance didn’t require enhancement. He may be only 5-foot-7, but Albaladejo was the leader of the team, the voice and glue of two-time conference champions. He switched from his natural position of catcher to second base without complaint, helping the Owls capture the regular season conference title in 2012. His teammates were in total disbelief when they heard the news. “You don’t expect that ever. I know he’s already a little bummed, but I’m always here for Mike,” close friend and former teammate Alex Hudak said. “Hopefully when he comes back from suspension he’ll be the same player and get better from it.” “I heard all it had in it was the equivalent to drinking a bunch of coffee. I was surprised,” R.J. Alvarez said. “I didn’t expect anything like that. When I heard about it I was like ‘oh man.’”
What is methyllexaneamine?
According to the Resource Exchange Center, “Methylhexaneamine is a weak stimulant that was first trademarked under the name ‘Forthane’ by Eli Lilly in April of 1971 as a nasal decongestant. The trademark has long expired, but Methylhexaneamine
has continued to grow in popularity over the years.” The site lists Jack3d as the most popular methylhexaneamine product on the market. The amount of caffeine is what caused the positive score. “Which is the same thing if I were to drink an energy drink before a drug test and you would fail,” Albaladejo explained. “Before I was signed, you were allowed to take it in college.”
Redemption
Professional sports are all about survival, sometimes at any cost. When you’re 5-foot7, 170 pounds, gaining an unfair competitive advantage against men much larger would be a tempting thing to do. Albaladejo has always battled the odds of stature, but this is a man who made an honest mistake and will grow from it. “I take it as a learning experience from here on out and move forward. I have support from my family and friends,” Albaladejo said. “They know the type of ballplayer that I am, that I work hard.” John McCormack, his former coach at FAU, says he’s already spoken to Albaladejo multiple times since the incident. “He knows what he has to do and the Nationals told him to come back when your suspension is over,” McCormack said. McCormack says this is the first time any of his players have been suspended by the majors in his three years as FAU’s coach, but he’s quick to mention Albaladejo accomplished something special for a man of his size. “There’s a lot of guys that play college baseball that are too short or don’t throw hard enough that the pro guys don’t give an opportunity to,” McCormack said. “I was CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
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Last season, the Sun Belt regular season champions were raided by the MLB in the draft and free agency. Junior R.J. Alvarez (L.A. Angels), senior Ryan Garton (Tampa Bay Rays) and junior Kyle Newton (Colorado Rockies) were drafted. Seniors Mike Albaladejo (Washington Nationals) and Alex Hudak (Kansas City Royals) were signed as free agents. After one game, Newton decided to quit. In that game, he was drilled in the face by the ball. Newton ended up missing a few weeks and series at the start of the season. He started one last game then retired immediately after. Not even his old ball coach could convince him to stay on the diamond. “I tried to talk him out of it and he was sure in his convictions,” FAU head baseball coach John McCormack said. “I certainly support him. I told him ‘whatever you need.’” No matter how special it is to be in the minors, McCormack wants his players to stay humble and appreciate the good times from college. “I tried to explain to these guys that going to play professional baseball is not a validation of your career,” McCormack said. “It’s the next step but it’s not the validation of it. Be excited about what you accomplished here.”
Mike Albaladejo Alex Hudak Gulf Coast League (Washington Nationals)
Burlington Royals (Kansas City Royals)
5’7 170 pounds Catcher Stats: 13 games played 11 hits/47 at-bats .234 batting average 4 RBI’s 2 stolen bases
5’11 200 pounds Outfielder Stats: 31 games played 29 hits/103 at-bats .282 batting average 1 home run 10 RBI’s 11 Base-on-Balls
R.J. Alvarez
Ryan Garton
6’1 180 pounds Right-handed pitcher Stats: 21 games played 2-2 record 24.3 innings pitched 3.70 ERA 34 strikeouts/10 walks
5’11 170 pounds Right-handed pitcher Stats: 18 games played 3-0 record 23.7 innings pitched 1.90 ERA 26 strikeouts/7 walks 6 saves
Cedar Rapids Kernels (LA Angels)
Kyle Newton
Grand Junction Rockies (Colorado Rockies) 5’11 185 pounds Third baseman Stats: (Retired after one game)
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Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay Rays)
Mike Albaladejo with his father Neftali after a Nationals game this summer. Photo courtesey of Neftali Albaladejo
happy Mike did. There are guys that go through life and never get that opportunity but Mike did.”
The transition
From the increase in game speed, to big leaguers coming down to buy him and his teammates lunch, Albaladejo says life on the road as a minor leaguer is nothing like he expected. It’s something so aweinspiring, he says you have to find out first-hand for yourself. “You don’t really know how it is until you actually experience it,” Albaladejo said. “At first it was a little bit of a culture shock. The game is a little bit faster.” And his college pals are on separate sides of the country, from Burlington to Boca. Making friends isn’t hard for a public communications major, though — especially not a bilingual one. “I’m cool with everybody. It’s a little different from college. You still play for a team, but not as much as in college. There’s a lot of Dominicans and Spanish guys,” Albaladejo said of the clubhouse. “The only difference is there’s a big language barrier with Spanish and English. But for me, I’m in the middle, I speak both languages, so I mix well with everybody.”
The road ahead
As for now, all Albaladejo can do is serve his suspension and prepare for next season’s spring training. He’s wasting no time with his plan
to come back stronger. “Get in the weight room. That’s what I’m doing,” Albaladejo said of his offseason curriculum. “Training, speed training and playing baseball is basically what I’m going to be doing this whole time. This offseason I’m going to try to gain some weight, healthy weight, and get on an eating program that the strength coach from the Nationals sent us.” If Albaladejo should take anything from this temporary vacation from baseball, it’s that he has to be extremely careful with what he puts in his body. This isn’t a seasoned veteran who’ll get numerous chances to redeem himself. This is a rookie minor leaguer scratching and clawing to get called up. Albaladejo needs to continue to work for the goal he’s always had since he first laced up his cleats. Getting signed by the Nationals after three long weeks of waiting and sharing an emotional moment with his dad is nice, but there’s no reason the two can’t embrace for the ultimate dream — Mike Albaladejo, starting big league catcher. “It felt great. All my life I’ve always had to overcome adversity. A lot of people saying you can’t do this, you can’t do that, just because of your height,” Albaladejo said. “It felt great to think they said I couldn’t go D-1, I went D-1. I couldn’t be a starter, but I was. You can’t play pro ball, but I just got signed. It felt great to quiet all the haters.” Don’t stop now, Mike.
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FEATURES
Every morning at 8 a.m. Burel Edmael arrives at the Student Union to clean for the nearly 1,500 students who use the facility daily.
The invisible man Meet Burel Edmael: janitorial extraordinaire, multilinguist, family man. By Dylan Bouscher Photos by Ryan Murphy
B
urel Edmael sweeps the floors you step on, scrubs the stalls you crap in, and wipes the tables you eat at — but he never stops smiling. Behind that smile is a man who has spent the last 16 years waking up at 6:30 a.m. every Monday through Friday. Edmael drives to work from his house in Delray Beach before some students turn in for the night and before others wake up for class. He clocks in at the Student Union at 8 a.m. sharp, wearing his signature blue polo, slacks and loafers. And as students start pouring into the Student Union for the day, he inspects every table, tile and toilet still dirty from the day before. This week, the biggest mess Edmael cleaned wasn’t left by any FAU
student, it was the mess from tropical storm Isaac. It was Tuesday, Aug. 28, when Edmael picked up the palm fronds scattered across the university after Isaac forced FAU to close Monday. In the middle of cleaning up, Edmael was called over to the Owl Card Center, next to the FAU merchandise shop on the first floor of the Studen Union. A tile fell from the ceiling of the center, caving to the heavy rains which pounded the roof the day before — then another tile — and another after that. “I came in Tuesday and half the ceiling was gone,” Richard Hue, a senior criminal justice major says. Hue works at the center, registering new students and replacing lost cards. “I like Burel [Edmael], he’s very enthusiastic, never looks upset … just gets her done,” Hue says.
Edmael picked up the wet tiles from where they’d fallen, then swept and mopped the floor and went back to restoring the outside of the union. Before stepping back outside, however, Edmael stopped to fist bump junior philosophy major Patricio Coicou. “I don’t think he knew I was Haitian, so one day I was talking to him, he spoke Creole, I answered,” Coicou says. “Now we bump fists in the hallway occasionally and go our way.” Coicou works at the front desk in the Student Union, but Edmael fist bumps dozens of students daily, accompanying it with a giant grin and a “Hey brotha!” When the palm fronds were piled up and hauled off, Edmael performed upkeep around one of his favorite areas on campus: the Live Oak CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
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1,500
Students in the Student Union:
U asked for it and now U have it... A SITE FOR U Campus events, resources, discounts and anything else U need.
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Floors vacuumed:
30 Floors swept:
Windows wiped:
20 Floors mopped:
30
Trash bags
changed in a shift:
20-30
19 19
Mirrors cleaned:
Bathrooms cleaned:
BY THE NUMBERS Burel Edmael cleans more in a day than most FAU students will clean in their entire lives. Here’s a breakdown of his daily tasks by the numbers: 26
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Sources: Tony Maschetti, custodial supervisor and Larry Faerman, Student Union director. CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
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Edmael cleans 30 windows and 19 mirrors on an average day according to Tony Maschetti, custodial supervisor and Larry Faerman, Student Union director.
Pavilion. The building is four conference rooms wide, tucked between the north end of the Student Union and Parking Garage I. He spent the rest of his morning clearing the leaves, spanish moss and debris from the walkways around Live Oak with a leafblower. “If it has to be done, we do it,” Edmael says. “The thing you do everyday, you’re happy to do it.” Outside the conference rooms is an area littered with white tables and seats, which are shaded by the patio umbrellas and the branches stretching out from the southern oak tree in the middle of the courtyard. “It’s quiet over there,” he says. When his lunch break comes, Edmael prefers to sit alone at one of the tables. His meal of choice is spaghetti, rice and meat. And although he usually eats alone, his coworkers are also his friends. “Anybody likes working with him,” Yolene Joseph says. She works alongside Edmael as the evening custodian. “He makes me fat because he brings me lots
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of mangos. He likes to give.” Joseph clocks in at 2:30 p.m., during the turnover from the lunch rush, while Edmael finishes up and clocks out by 4:30 p.m. And Edmael has never clocked out an hour earlier than that in the 16 years he’s worked at FAU. “They’ve never cut my hours,” Edmael says. He thanks Larry Faerman for that, the Student Union director and Edmael’s boss. “When they want to cut my schedule, he takes care of me. He’s always there to help, he’s a good man.” The feeling is mutual. “There’s nothing he would not do if you asked, and do it with a smile,” Faerman says. “As a leader, you take care of the people who are happy.”
Origins
It started in the Housing Department. Edmael, his current supervisor Tony Moschetti, and Faerman all started working at FAU in the Housing Department. Sometime in the mid1990’s, the university decided to
outsource its maintenance and custodial services departments in the Student Union. This is where Edmael entered. He came to America in 1994 and found work at Jantrex, the company FAU hired to keep the university clean. Edmael was born and raised in Anseà-Veau, Haiti. He eventually moved to Port-au-Prince, where he became a language teacher for knowing how to speak Creole, French, Spanish and English. Being multilingual came in handy when he left Haiti for Paris. “It’s easier to get paperwork over there,” Edmael says. Then he got a visa and came over to America. After two years of working with the cleaning company Jantrex on visa, he applied for an open custodial position at FAU. He started out in the Housing Department, cleaning the University Village Apartments (UVA) at the end of each semester. Of all the places Edmael has cleaned on campus, the interiors of the UVA dorms remain the filthiest, according to him. The challenge was cleaning over
528 dorms — each full of garbage collected over the semester — in the two week break between semesters. “We only cleaned when they moved out,” he says. When Faerman started working as a housing coordinator in 1999, he lived in the same UVA dorms Edmael considered the dirtiest on campus. Faerman recalled walking into one trashed dorm at the end of a semester and being awestruck by a ceiling fixture. “There were beer bottle caps stuck to the popcorn ceiling in the living room,” Faerman says. “The students who lived in the apartments went there too ... academics wasn’t their priority.” Then in 2003, Tony Moschetti started working alongside Edmael as a custodian in the Housing Department. Moschetti is now Edmael’s supervisor, who reports to Faerman. “We got into it together,” Moschetti says. He became the custodial supervisor for housing, overseeing Edmael and the rest of the custodial crew. Then Faerman moved into the Algonquin dorms and, soon after, moved up from housing coordinator to assistant director of the department. But in 2005, the director of the Student Union, Brian Keintz, stopped outsourcing the custodial and maintenance services. This paved the way for Edmael, Moschetti and Faerman to transfer out of housing to their current positions in the Student Union. Because the Student Union had no custodial services department, Keintz brought Moschetti over from the housing department to be the Student Union’s custodial supervisor. “We didn’t have a program, so I started it,” Moschetti says. Within a year, Moschetti brought Edmael over to the Student Union from housing, where they were reunited as custodial supervisor and custodian. Then in 2010, Faerman went from being the assistant director of housing to being the assistant director of the Student Union. A year later Faerman upressonline.com
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was promoted to director. “It was a reunion of sorts,” Faerman says. In his 16 years at FAU, Edmael applied for one other job — within the university’s maintenance department — didn’t get it and didn’t mind. “I’m happy to be here, nobody gives you a hard time. It feels like I’m at my house.” But Edmael doesn’t have thousands of students floating in and out of his house everyday. “We’re like a family here,” Edmael says. “We take care of the students. Without students we don’t have a job.”
Family
It was Saturday, Aug. 19, and Edmael, Faerman, Moschetti and other Student Union staff were tossing a football at Quiet Waters Park. The three were at a picnic for students and staff who work in the Sudent Union. “We’re gonna make it a yearly thing,” Mark Anthony says. Anthony is the maintenance supervisor of the Student Union. But Faerman makes it seem like the picnic has been an annual tradition for years. “I think back to our housing days, we did a family picnic,” Faerman says. “Everybody showed up real casual and [Edmael] had his kids dressed as if it was a very formal event. It was our first time meeting his family.” This showed Faerman that Edmael took as much pride in his family as he does in his work. “We were playing field games and having ice cream eating contests,” Faerman says. Where other families wouldn’t let their kids participate, Faerman remembered Edmael’s kids playing with the rest of them because their father told them not to worry. “That’s the definition of who he is: a workman, a family man, dedicated to each of those causes,” Faerman says. Faerman and Edmael met in the housing department before either of them were married with children. “He knew me before my wife, so he’s met my family as it has grown,” Faerman says. “Similarly, I’ve met his kids on occasion as they were born and grown as well.” Edmael married his wife in 2003, a year after starting at FAU. Edmael’s son is 11 years old and his daughter is 6 years old. Edmael has high expectations that his children will be attending their orientation as FAU students at the Live Oak Pavillion. When his son was ready to take his first communion last May, Edmael reserved the Live Oak conference rooms to host the reception. But that’s not the only rite of passage Edmael expects to see his son complete at FAU. “The best part is the graduation. I love to see all the students,” Edmael says. “How they’ll dress up and if they find jobs.” “One day I can see my son [graduating],” Edmael says. “Same goes for my daughter.” Maybe that’s why he’s always smiling.
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An honest day’s work Here’s a short list of tasks Burel Edmael completes daily: • Clean the exterior areas of Student Union, including the Live Oak Pavilion, Student Activities Conference Center, and Center Market Place. • Ensure that all trash has been collected from the Student Union including the Live Oak Pavilion and Student Activities Conference Center. • Ensure that all restrooms are cleaned and fully supplied • Check for water leaks and inoperable faucets. • Ensure that all stairwells are clear and cleaned. • Ensure that all elevators are swept and mopped. • Ensure loading dock is clear and clean. • Check recycling bins. • Monitor carpets in all facilities for gum, stains in the carpet, and vacuum as necessary. • Wash and clean trash cans and walls as needed. • Check on all windows and glass mirrors and cleaning as necessary. • Clean outside and inside tables and surfaces as necessary. • Monitor, clean and dispose of trash in offices.
“If it has to be done, we do it. The thing you do everyday, you’re happy to do it,” Edmael says. Sources: Tony Maschetti, custodial supervisor and Larry Faerman, Student Union director.
Owls,
O
n behalf of Student Government, welcome back to campus! Whether you are stepping onto campus for the first time or heading into your last year, this looks to be another exciting year at Florida Atlantic University. With improving academics and safety, a growing athletic tradition, and a student life filled with opportunities, it is truly a great time to be an Owl! Student Government’s mission this year is to increase awareness of our student-involvement opportunities, improve programs and transparency, promote financial efficiency and always advocate for the best interest of the students. There are several initiatives that Student Government sponsors and we are very excited about our involvement in them. They include: The Fall Bonfire, the new Rat’s Mouth Tailgating location, the lobbying trip to Tallahassee, the new GPS tracking system for our shuttle buses, and many more exciting projects that are completely led and funded by the students. I encourage you to join the SG Unit; this is a new initiative SG has launched. We are seeking eager students who are looking to further their leadership and development in Student Government. As always, if you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or complaints, please stop by the Student Government office in each of our Campus Student Unions or stop us on campus and we will be more than willing to sit down and talk with you. We look forward to serving you this upcoming year. Proudly Florida Atlantic,
Robert Huffman Student Body President
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