TheYoungtownEdition COUNTY COLLEGE OF MORRIS AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOL. 91, NO. 1
WENESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013
RANDOLPH, N.J.
Gold Medalist, 2012 Columbia Scholastic Press Association • First Place General Excellence, 2010 NJPA
“That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.” -Abraham Lincoln
FLU OUTBREAK Public officials warn citizens of influenza
Students react to US birth rate reaching record low MELISSA DELLACATO Acting Managing Editor
TOP PHOTO BY KHUSHBU KAPADIA; RIGHT PHOTO BY COLIN GALLAGHER
Flu outbreak hits the United States. New Jersey is also on the list with a few confirmed cases. BY KHUSHBU KAPADIA Acting Editor in Chief
Features 3 Sports 4
Commissioner, Mary O’Dowd, stands firm on the importance of getting a flu shot and practicing good hygiene habits. “Vaccination is the best protection against the flu,” Commissioner O’Dowd said. “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a flu shot. When you’re vaccinated, you protect your health and your family’s health.” The CDC states many ways in which one can help stop the spread of influenza and other diseases. “Getting vaccinated is the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease. Vaccination efforts should continue as long as influenza viruses are circulating,” states the CDC. Students who are concerned or curious about the flu or any other health issues may visit the health services office and speak to the nurse. The health services, or the nurse’s office, is located in Cohen Hall, room 266.
News 2 Roving Reporter 2
Today’s Headlines
Index
As 2013 begins, so does the flu outbreak. Many people throughout the United States have reported to have the flu. Over 40 states have several individuals suffering from the disease. The Centers for Disease Control is reporting this to be “one of the more difficult flu seasons the nation has seen in several years” and New Jersey has not been spared. Twenty deaths of people under the age of 18 have occurred since the flu season, according to CNN. So far, two children have died in New Jersey, with underlying medical conditions which made them more vulnerable. “Hospital emergency room visits by patients with flu-like symptoms in New Jersey are double the number seen at this time last year,” stated ABC News. “Flu activity is highest in central and northeast portions of New Jersey.” Good hygiene is crucial, according to Liz Hoban, County College of Morris health services coordinator. “The flu is airborne. It can get into to your body by mouth, ears, nose and any openings,” Hoban said. “The best way to avoid getting the flu is to gargle some Listerine, which would kill any flu that is trying to grow.” Hoban also suggests that drinking fluids can also help, in that it can flush out anything that might harm your system, in terms of the flu. “I haven’t seen any students that have the flu; however, you guys have only been back since a couple of days,” Hoban said. In addition, the New Jersey Department of Health, New Jersey Health and Senior Services
The overall U.S. birth rate has drastically declined and recently reached a record low, according to a study by the Pew Research Center, an organization that tracks behavioral and social trends in America. “The population of America needs to grow to give more chances to more people for career opportunities,” said Christian Grajales, a 19-year-old student at Dover Business College, a private college that prepares students for professional careers. He said he feels that the decline in the birth rate could potentially worsen the economy and further the recession. Some students at the County College of Morris disagreed. “I think it’s a good thing because nowadays people can’t afford to raise their children,” said Lauron Torsiello, a 20-year-old landscape management and design major at CCM. “This economy hasn’t been changing, so people don’t have the money.” The recent fertility decline may be linked to the current economic problems America has been facing, according to a Pew Research analysis conducted prior to the study. States with the largest economic difficulties from 2007 to 2008 were most likely to experience significant birth rate declines in the years to follow. “With the change of the economy, unfortunately, families can no longer be supported on just one salary,” said Melissa Ostrander, a 21-year-old nursing major. “People, especially women, are now focusing on receiving higher education before procreating.” Ostrander said that she sees many more women entering the work force after graduating from high school or college, and less women staying home to raise their children as they did years ago. The overall U.S. birth rate for women between the ages of 15 and 44 declined 8 percent from 2007 to 2010, according to the study. There were a total of roughly 4 million births in 2010, compared to more than 4.1 million in 1990. In 2011, the birth rate was approximately 63.2 for every 1,000 women, the lowest it has ever been since 1920. The birth rate peaked during the baby boomer years, reaching approximately 122.7 in 1957. That is almost double the birth rate of today. “So many problems have come around from the baby boomer generation that our economy is going to need some time to heal from it,” Ostrander said. The birth rate started to fall during the 1970s, but started to drastically decline after 2007. The Pew Research Center suggested that this may be because 2007 is the year that marked the beginning of the Great Recession. The overall U.S. birth rate is not the only birth rate that is rapidly declining. Contrary to popular belief, the rate of teen pregnancy is not as high as it used to be. The study shows that the birth rate among women between the ages of 15 and 19 has dropped 44 percent within the past two decades. This is a drop from approximately 533,000 births to nearly 372,000 births. The birth rate for mothers over 35 years of age has grown from 9 percent in 1990 to 14 percent in 2010. “I wasn’t expecting the teen pregnancy rate to take such a sudden decline,” said Grajales, the student from Dover Business College. “I think this is happening because of the encouragement of contraceptives and the general awareness of pregnancy in American youths.” “You can imagine that there are fewer kids getting involved in relationships,” said Sheela Kennedy, a research associate at the Minnesota Population Center, to AOL. “There’s no money to do anything, everyone’s depressed, and they’re living at home.” “We want to better [our kids’ lives] by giving them what’s needed,” Torsiello said. “But kids are expensive.”
Transferring beyond New Jersey
CCM increases opportunities for transfer students to top schools Page 2
The calender continues after Dec. 21, 2012... Students question if natural disasters will end the world Page 3
Page 2 The Youngtown Edition
BY CAROL BERMUDEZ ENAMORADO
What are you looking forward to this semester? Paolo Mongon 29 Visual Arts
NEWS
January 23, 2013
TRANSFERRING BEYOND NJ CCM increases opportunities for transfer students to top schools
“I’m looking forward to passing my classes.”
Jennifer Hulsman 19 Visual Arts “Looking forward to passing all my classes and meeting new people.”
Nicole Grahaum 20 Mathematics Education “Looking forward to finishing my associates for math and transferring to Montclair in the fall.” Amy Caprioni 19 Mathematics “Looking forward to finishing up my associates and transferring.”
Ken Baldwin 21 Liberal arts major “Passing my classes and for it to be warm out.”
Sean Moore 24 Liberal Arts “I’m looking forward to completing and sending my transfer applications as well as challenging myself in probability and statistics.”
The Youngtown Edition The Student Newspaper of the County College of Morris County College of Morris • Mail Station SCC 226 214 Center Grove Rd., Randolph, NJ 07869-2086 Phone #: (973) 328-5224 Fax #: (973) 361-4031 E-mail: youngtownedition@gmail.com Acting Editor in Chief.................................................Khushbu Kapadia Acting Managing Editor.............................Carol Bermudez Enamorado Acting Managing Editor.................................................Colin Gallagher Acting Managing Editor...................................................... Jordan Barth Acting Managing Editor..............................................Melissa Dellacato Features Editor......................................................................Kelby Clark Sports, News & Entertainment Editors...................................All Open Photography Editor..............................................................Lisa Palacio Layout Editor...................................................................................Open Copy Editor......................................................................................Open Business Manager............................................................................Open Communications Manager.......................................... Jacob Winterfield Technical Adviser...............................................................Wilma Martin
Staff: Nicole Darrah Adviser: John Soltes The Youngtown Edition is printed every other Wednesday during the fall and spring semester. Unless specified, the opinions of the editorial page are those of the editorial board. Signed letters to the editor of 250 words of fewer are welcome and should be dropped off on a disk in the Youngtown mailbox in SCC 226 or e-mailed to theyoungtownedition@yahoo.com. All students are welcome to contribute articles to The Youngtown Edition either in person or via e-mail. However, students cannot receive a byline if they belong to the organization on which they are reporting. Writers must include a telephone number where they can be reached. The deadline for submission is the Wednesday prior to the date of publication.
PHOTO BY COLIN GALLAGHER
Students can find the Office of Transfer Services at the Student Community Center, Room 118. BY CAROL BERMUDEZ ENAMORADO Acting Managing Editor
County College of Morris has often been the starting school for students. The problems of being wait listed or not getting accepted to four-year colleges are only some of the issues that students face. Students can use CCM as an opportunity to improve their grades, to understand what courses they excel in and to save money. “I was upset about CCM,” said Carlos Herrera, 19, communications major. “I didn’t care. I thought I was going to Rutgers right after here.” Herrera said he didn’t realize what CCM had to offer. The Ambassadors Club is a select group of students who work with the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Management and the Admissions office in recruitment, retention and community relations. They serve as campus tour guides and promote campus life and student involvement at CCM. “The Ambassadors Club was great in relation to my major,” said Herrera. “By being able to network in that club, I met other students and arrived at Student Government Association.” The SGA is the governing body for all students enrolled at CCM. Herrera is actively involved in the SGA and became its secretary. “I have a bigger voice and more of an influence...” said Herrera. Herrera has taken steps to further his involvement on campus. For this spring semester, he plans on being a part of Phi Theta Kappa (Alpha Kappa Kappa chapter). PTK is the national two-year college honor society that recognizes and encourages
scholarships among community college students. “I have a 3.4 GPA,” said Herrera. “By next semester, I will have the required 3.5 to get into the honor society and once you’re in you get to know everyone, then it’s how you project yourself.” The most recent event PTK held for the student body was the healthy food panel. Students wanted to bring awareness to the college to provide better food in the cafeteria along with which food is healthier for students. Herrera said he is teaming up next semester with PTK leader, Sean Moore, to produce an event for “wrongful conviction awareness day.” “It’s important to maintain a 3.5 GPA for honors society,” said Moore, 24, liberal arts major. “By the time you graduate, the baseline should be a 3.75 or higher.” Moore said he received exceptional grades during his first two semesters at CCM. Moore was fortunate enough to have a mentor that shared the same aspirations he did and stressed the importance of involvement with the school community. “I applied for a position at PTK,” said Moore. “I became an active member, and now I’m the vice president of leadership. Make a commitment to serve your school, people see you care and it leads to bigger things.” For some students, competitive schools haven’t always been a top priority. “Surprisingly, I found some of the workload at CCM difficult,” said Alexander Deitchman, 25, liberal arts/humanities major. “Before CCM, I was in the military. Now, I am motivated and interested in college.” Deitchman realized it was either “sink or swim.” He did not want to waste his money and decided to work hard for excellent
grades. He took the initiative to distinguish himself as a student and used the classroom and his professors as a platform to make himself stand out. “This put me at Northwestern,” said Deitchman. “CCM is probably one of the best schools to go to.” Deitchman said by applying himself in school he was able to consider such a competitive university, even though it never crossed his mind before. “Competitive schools involve a lot more writing and many more essays,” said Kari Hawkins, transfer coordinator at CCM. “Four-year colleges want to see beyond classroom experiences.” Hawkins said as students approach their final year or semester, she helps them with the transfer process and also encourages students to think more competitively. “After reading your essays, they should know who you are, and how you’re going to give back to their campus,” said Hawkins. She said the example you set at CCM mirrors the commitment you will bring to their campus. Students like Herrera, Moore and Dietchman have applied to competitive schools such as Cornell University, New York University, Northwestern University, Brown University and Harvard University. Transferring to these schools can be a difficult process. Hawkins, even though she is the only transfer coordinator, provides them with current and accurate transfer information that can also be found under transfer services at ccm.edu. Each of these students came to CCM with no intention of applying to competitive schools, but found opportunities on campus that have changed their lives.
January 23, 2013
FEATURES
The Youngtown Edition Page 3
And the calendar continues after Dec. 21, 2012... BY NICOLE DARRAH Contributor
Some believed the rumors were true, that the world would end on Dec. 21, 2012, but others called it a bluff. Countless people believed the end of the world was no surprise and the world would cease along with the Mayan calendar. However, there were others fighting to inform people of the real truth. “Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012,” as stated on NASA’s website. “This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.” NASA, otherwise known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has a large portion of its government website dedicated to disproving the possible 2012 theories in the media. A very thorough page titled “Beyond 2012: Why the World
Won’t End” answered many fre- theidea of 2012 being a type of quently asked questions as well hoax. “I think it’s false because as rumors that were discussed and the Mayans were not aware about broadcasted throughout the media. leap years, and they haven’t been NASA answered questions with right about anything yet,” said scientific rationale regarding mul- Kayla Lewis, a Montville Towntiple areas of inquiry surround- ship resident. “There have been ing 2012, such as an Earth-wide so many different theories about blackout between Dec. 23 and 2012 and none of them make full Dec. 25, planets threatening Earth sense.” and causing Other stuwidespread dents had difdestruction, “I don’t think anyone will really f e r e n t i a t i n g meteors, poknow when the world will end. I opinions if the lar shift theo- think it’ll happen in some type of world would ries, among end in Dehuge natural disaster.” many others. cember 2012. “I don’t Rebecca Gerardi “I defithink anyone Student at Caldwell College nitely think will really the end of the know when world is near the world will end. I think it’ll and is coming to us in full force,” happen in some type of huge said Courtney Maloney, a stunatural disaster,” said Rebecca dent at County College of Morris. Gerardi, student at Caldwell “There have been so many earthCollege. “Although with the cra- quakes, and typhoons, and tornaziness and all the disasters that does, and just so many bad natuhave been happening lately, the ral disasters destroying so many end of the world would seem areas of the world. I think they’re logical. But I just don’t think it all signs leading to the end of our time.” will end yet.” Other students agreed with A common belief of the world
ending comes significantly from the end of the Mayan calendar. The calendar is divided into three calendars: the Long Count, the Tzolkin (divine calendar), and the Haab (civil calendar). These calendars are set in recurring times and a set number of days must occur before a new cycle can begin. Each calendar works in its own way. The Haab is a 365-day calendar, which is separated into 18 months and 20 days each, with one month being only five days long. The Tzolkin, also referred to as the Sacred Round, meaning “the distribution of days,” is a 260-day calendar. It has 20 periods of 13 days each. The Long Count is an astronomical calendar that the Mayan people called the “universal cycle.” Each cycle is determined to be 2,880,000 days. The Mayans believed that at the end of the Long Count calendar, the universe would be destroyed and then recreated at the start of the next universal cycle, thus forming the world’s theories about 2012.
Attention Psychology Majors (or students interested in psychology) PSI BETA WANTS YOU! We are inviting students to join our new CCM chapter of Psi Beta, the National Honor Society in psychology for community and junior colleges. Psi Beta membership is a nationally recognized honor, an excellent addition to any college application or job resumé, and a great way to meet peers and faculty with similar interests. Requirements: Overall GPA of at least 3.25 B or higher in college psychology course Taken at least one intro psychology course 12 units of total college credit A one-time $50 membership fee Interested? Make an appointment to speak with Professor Kristin Nelson or Professor Kelly Catalano in the Psychology and Education Department by calling 973-328-5631. Visit www.psibeta.org for more information.
SPORTS
Page 4 The Youngtown Edition
January 23, 2013
Late but not lost, a saved NHL season begins
BY COLIN GALLAGHER
pelman, a student at Temple University. “Now that players are happy, they will play harder. Fewer games make each
Acting Managing Editor
After months of back-and-forth disputes and disagreements, the NHL and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) have finally reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement on Jan. 12. The terms of this 10-year agreement include: a limit of eight years on contract extensions and seven years on new contracts, a salary floor of $44 million and a salary cap of $60 million, a maximum 50-percent variance in the salaries over the course of a contract, mandatory acceptance of arbitration awards less than $3.5 million, no realignment, and an amnesty period to buy out contracts that do not fit under the salary cap. More important than all money talk, however, is that hockey is finally back. The slimmed-down 48-game regular schedule was expected to start Jan. 19 and end April 27, with playoffs to follow. “I think it’s good that it (the lockout) got settled so we can still have a season,” said Ken Kop-
one more important, which could bring additional publicity and exposure to the NHL.” When the collective bargaining agreement from the previous lockout in 2004-05 expired on Sept. 15, 2012, the owners and the players’ association failed to come to terms on a new deal the following day. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman declared a lockout on the players’ association. “The business is probably losing between $18 and $20 million a day and the players are losing between $8 and $10 million a day,” stated Bettman to the Associated Press. This lockout being resolved is best for everyone involved. The NHL can begin to generate lost revenue, the players can get back together playing hockey with their teammates and get paid the proper amount deserved, and we, the fans, can finally watch some hockey. Basketball is great to watch during the winter, but there are some nights where nothing beats a fast-paced, aggressive, awesome game of hockey. “I’m very excited that hockey is back,” said Alex Lustbader, a student at County College of Morris. “It’ll be nice to watch the Rangers again.” PHOTO BY COLIN GALLAGHER
European football outshines American soccer BY COLIN GALLAGHER Acting Managing Editor
We saw it happen with the music scene of the 70s and 80s, and now we’re seeing it with professional soccer, albeit to a much lesser extent. Walking around County College of Morris campus, anyone is far more likely to encounter someone wearing a Manchester United or Arsenal soccer jersey instead of a New York Red Bulls or Philadelphia Union jersey. Futbol, as it is called anywhere outside of the U.S., is the world’s most popular sport. Even in this country it is becoming more popular. However, this newfound popularity in America has less to do with the MLS than it does with popular top European leagues, such as The Barclays Premier League of England and La Liga of Spain. “I think this newfound American exposure to the Premier League specifically is great,” said Alex Lustbader, a student at CCM. “Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and quite frankly, one of the only sports which Americans severely lag in talent level compared to top soccer nations.” MLS games broadcast on NBC Sports Network, the most prominent network for MLS broadcasting, has been receiving average viewings of 200,000, according to Nielsen Media Research. Comparatively, Premier League games in 2011-12 had average viewers of 321,000. In late April of 2012, a pivotal league match between crosstown rivals Manchester United and Manchester City drew 1,033 viewers on a Monday afternoon, a new record. While barely a million viewers seems small, it was nearly double the previous record. This impressive growth rate is expected to translate into this season’s television success. “As an Arsenal supporter, I love that I can wake up on Saturdays and Sundays, and more likely than not, if Arsenal is playing the game will be on,” said Keenan Romain, 19, of Randolph, N.J. Why then is European football, where the games aren’t even
played in this country, more popular to watch? The answer lies in the quality of play. Simply put, MLS isn’t able to acquire the star players that European leagues are. Top quality players want to play in Europe because the talent pool there is so much greater; this in turn increases the overall quality of play in these leagues, which makes them so much more enticing to watch. A simple case study, Chelsea F.C., one of the top teams in Europe, has 18 current national team players in its first team, with many players playing for prestigious and talented nations such as Spain, Brazil and England. New York Red Bulls, one of the top teams in MLS, has only eight current national team players in its first team, most of whom play for lesser quality soccer nations such as Estonia, Australia and Norway. “I’m not the biggest fan of soccer, but watching the Premier League on the weekends is so much more exciting than watching the MLS,” said Ken Koppelman, a student at Temple University. “I’m not really sure what it is, but the games seem faster and the players seem to have more skill.”
MLS does not attract young talented stars the same way European leagues do. The salary cap, which the MLS has, limits the amount of spending for teams. Conversely, European leagues do not have a salary cap. This al-
lows rich clubs the ability to lavishly spend on players, making top players want to play for these teams in these well-established leagues. The only stars who do come to MLS are way past their prime.
Players like Thierry Henry and David Beckham have increased exposure, but it will take a while and the possible elimination of the salary cap before the quality of play even nears that of the top European leagues.