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Lime Scooters go sour
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NJCPA General Excellence Award
DEC 5 | 2019 WWW.KUTOWER.COM
TH E I N DEPEN D EN T VOI C E O F KE AN U N IV E R S IT Y
Kean faculty joins other state colleges picketing for fair contract By Erin McGuinness
were in attendance at the picketing as their job security is not guaranteed. Passing drivers honked horns in support as “To be able to hire and retain a quality members of the Kean Federation of Teachers workforce that best serves our students picketed across Morris Ave on Nov. 20 needs; faculty and staff need to have a strong Public colleges throughout the state took contract protecting and enhancing our working part in a “Day of Action” to urge the state of conditions, that in turn protects and enhances NJ to push forward contracts that outline our student’s learning conditions,” Castiglione fair pay increases for tenured faculty, job said. security for lecturers and fair pay for adjunct While tenured faculty have a contract with professors. Full time faculty, professional staff, the university ensuring their job security, a and librarians share statewide contract a contract that is outlines yearly negotiated between pay increases and the state of NJ and benefits. the statewide union, There are about the Council of New 160 tenured proJersey State College fessors and about Locals. They have 30 who are tenureworked without a track at Kean. The contract for over 150 university employs days. about one thousand “Our working adjunct professors conditions are and about 150 fullstudent learning time lecturers who conditions,” read are not tenure-track, signs held in gloved Castiglione said. hands. “Fair Contract In the United Now.” States, there are The KTF had two more full time nonmain points for tenure track, partpicketing, said KFT time, and graduate President James employees teaching Castiglione. They college courses then want fair pay for there are tenured employees at all levels and tenure-track Photo by Erin McGuinness and fair treatment KFT President James Castiglione leads march across employees, according for the contingent Morris Ave. to data collected colleagues that state by the American colleges are relying Association of heavily on. U n i v e r s i t y P ro Tenured faculty at fessors. the picketing stood in “Faculty on solidarity with their contingent appointadjunct co-workers, ments are typically who are subject to a paid only for the different contract. hours they spend Few non-tenured in the classroom,” faculty, lecturers and according to the Photo by Erin McGuinness adjunct employees Members of the KFT and their allies picket at the AAUP. “While they
“Our working conditions are student learning conditions.”
main entrance of Kean University.
Photo by Erin McGuinness
Members of the KFT and their allies picket on the corner of Green Lane and Morris Ave.
Former Obama adviser tells Kean students to believe By Craig Epstein A former key adviser to President Barack Obama expressed to a packed audience at Kean University that young people have the tools to galvanize and create change. Speaking in the STEM Auditorium on Nov. 21 as part of Kean’s Distinguished Lecture Series, David Axelrod urged young people to play a significant role in politics. “You’re the ones who have to take that torch and take that next step,” Axelrod said. “Whatever it is that you are concerned about, whether it’s the climate, social justice, or inequality, you have the opportunity and
Photo by Kean University Twitter
David Axelrod lecturing about the evolving media and political landscape.
“You’re the ones who have to take that torch and take that next step” Photo by Kean University Twitter
David Axelrod addressing a group of students/faculty prior to the event.
the tools to make an enormous difference. You can do that work and my fervent hope is that you will and we’ll all be in your debt for doing so.” Axelrod takes great pride that Obama was able to galvanize young voters and they not only seemed to believe in him, but also in society’s ability to advance. According to pewresearch.org, Obama garnered 66 percent of the youth vote (age 18-29) in the 2008 election, compared to Senator John McCain’s 31 percent. This trend of youthful optimism continued in the 2012 election against Republican nominee Mitt Romney when Obama easily won the youth vote nationally, 67 percent to 30 percent, according to Politico. Axelrod began his career as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune before joining the campaign of U.S. Senator Paul Simon. It wasn’t until 1992 that he first met Obama through Bettylu Saltzman who firmly believed that he could one day become the first African American president in U.S. history. “I met Obama and he was thoroughly impressive as you’d expect,” Axelrod said. “He had been the editor of the Harvard Law Review and he came back to run a voter registration drive.” After listening to him speak, Axelrod knew that there was something special about the young Chicagoan.
“He took a job teaching Constitutional law as an instructor at the University of Chicago, but as he spoke he talked about his desire to serve the community, be somebody, and be about something larger than himself,” Axelrod said. “And I realized as he spoke this guy could have written his ticket at any law firm, any corporation in America, and set himself up for life.” Axelrod went on to discuss the many different experiences he had with Obama, one of which included how he came upon the slogan “Yes we can.” “We were doing our first ad for Obama in the Senate race, it was a biographical edit that told his story and the improbable story of his life and what he had been able to accomplish in public life,” Axelrod said. “And at the end of it, it ended with ‘now they say we can’t change Washington, well I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message to say yes we can.’” While Obama initially felt that the phrase might have been “too corny,” Axelrod loved the line and felt a huge sense of relief when Michelle Obama ensured him that it wasn’t. “I thought it encapsulated everything that we’re trying to communicate,” Axelrod said. “It’s not about him, it’s about us and it’s about what we can do together and it’s affirmative and it’s positive and makes that whole case.” Something that Axelrod cherishes is that continued on page 5
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STEM academic adviser charges discrimination about losing job during cancer treatment By Siobhan Donaldson A longtime Educational Opportunity adviser for the Science and Technology programs alleges that she was let go after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and went on medical leave, according to a complaint filed with the New Jersey Supreme Court. Elis Sosa, who began working at the university two decades ago, is charging the university with age discrimination, disability discrimination and violating New Jersey’s anti-discriminatory laws. “Kean’s decision not to renew Sosa’s contract,” said the complaint. “constituted retaliation for requesting medical leave, disability discrimination and age discrimination.” Sosa also alleges that she was replaced by a younger, non-disabled, worker after she left
her position. The Exceptional Educational Opportunities (EEO)/Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program provides access to higher education for educationally and financially disadvantaged students, as defined by the State of New Jersey, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, Educational Opportunity Fund. The complaint alleges that in 2018, Sosa submitted a reappointment application as required in her position every fiveyears. . The application included letters of recommendation from both of her supervisors at Kean as well as letters from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Johnson & Johnson and the University of South Florida. It alleges that in March of 2018, Sosa provided notice to Kean for medical leave to
undergo cancer treatment for four months. Later that March, Sosa was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan. In May, during her leave, she received a letter from President Dawood Farahi stating that Kean was not renewing her contract. Sosa’s final day at the university was June 30. Sosa is represented by John Messina Esq. who is a partner of the law firm Berkowitz, Lichtstein, Kuritsky, Giasullo & Gross, LLC. Sosa’s case was filed Nov 1, and has been given a track assignment. The case has been given a discovery time of 450 days, as is expected for cases identified under the civil rights category in the New Jersey court system. “Kean University does not comment on personnel matters or pending litigation,” said Margaret McCorry, Kean’s Director of
Media Relations, In January, Kean settled a lawsuit about age discrimination at the Equal Opportunity Center. William DeGarcia was the interim director for the Equal Opportunity Center at Kean in 2009 when he was allegedly given the directive from President Farahi to “‘restructure, streamline and clean house” at EEO/EOF.’ DeGarcia alleged that in 2012, he was passed over twice by a search committee for a permanent Director’s position at the Equal Opportunity Center. The person who was chosen for the position was under 40 and held no executive experience. DeGarcia received $375,000 from the university in his settlement, with terms that all claims of discrimination were neither proven nor denied.
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December, 2019
Kean named one of the top Kean TV Joins Public Access Television 100 colleges with rising By Tasha Dowbachuk KeanTV, a student-produced program, has become a part of Union Township’s Channel 34 Public Access Television. The process of getting the program on the air of local television was led by the adviser of KeanTV, Professor Gina Gili in the School of Communication, Media & Journalism. KeanTV is
week, called “Senior Year,” which is a greenscreen with interactive virtual sets. Gili said that this is a very exciting opportunity to the students involved in the film and media program. “We value students being able to learn how to produce television shows in our studio, to help them gain the confidence to work for networks and have some experience” Gili said. Beba Zilkic, president of KeanTV,
Photo Courtesy of KeanTV program
The official logo of the production program, KeanTV.
“Our class has their own creative energy, and luckily our ideas were accepted by Union TV34”
Photo Courtesy of Beba Zilkic
The production crew working diligently on crafting content for KeanTV.
composed of students and volunteers fulfilling assignments in COMM 3913 TV Studio Production and COMM 3603 Advanced TV Studio Production. Channel 34 provides students with the experience of releasing original entertainment and informational content through the video production program. The objective of KeanTV is creating connections to the outside community while building communication skills for students, said Gili. Union Township’s Channel 34 agreed to air KeanTV segments twice daily from 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The pulse of content creation comes to life in the studio where students collaborate as graphic designers, scriptwriters, and editors. The only challenge rests in releasing content on time while keeping the quality the best it can be, Gili said. “This semester, we worked on one segment where we released 11 episodes to Union TV34,” Gili said. The program will broadcast a new segment on Union TV34 every
felt that it was “nerve wracking” directing the pilot episode of Senior Year, while being the first in setting the foundation and organization in her process. “Our class has their own creative energy, and luckily our ideas were accepted by Union TV34,” Zilkic said. “Without changing too much, we were able to be a part of public access television.” Zilkic said that the program’s upcoming event, Social Media Summit, will present a night of conversation and content creation from the university’s notable social media influencers inside the STEM auditorium on Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m. “Our KeanTV Social Media Summit is going to broadcast on Union TV34,” Zilkic said. With the program’s latest achievement, she considers the crew more than a program and values them as family. “It makes me very proud that we became apart of UnionTV34 and I feel like we deserve it,” Zilkic said.
application rates
By Salimah McCullough
2019, compared to 5,718 in Fall 2014 said Karen Smith, Vice President of University Kean University is among the top 100 Relations via email. colleges in the United States that has She further explained that enrollment had high growth in application numbers, services work together with University according to 24/7 Wall Street, “a financial Relations to conduct high school outreach news and opinion company” that aggregates to widen the marketing of Kean University. and republishes content from major news “[Together they] conduct outreach across sites. the region that is reinforced by a multiAccording to an article on the universitychannel marketing approach to ensure sponsored Kean news page, posted on prospective students learn the benefits of November 6, the number of students pursuing a degree at the most affordable applying to Kean increased by more than 47 comprehensive university in the state,” percent between the fall semester of 2012 Smith said. and the fall semester of 2017. Smith attributes Kean’s application The report from 24/7 Wall Street comes growth to the “university’s expanded from a collection of data collected from the marketing and communications efforts National Center for Education Statistics along with increased high school visits, as (NCES), “Colleges Where Applications are well as Kean’s participation in The Common Skyrocketing.” Each institution sends in Application, which began in Fall 2015.” data regarding its admissions statistics. “Freshman applications have increased by According to Tom Snyder, the director of over 65 percent during 2014- 2019,” Smith annual reports and information staff from the NCES, the data is reported through said. “As Kean’s reputation for its worldeach individual institution and put into the class academic programs, robust student system on NCES to calculate the statistics. support services, and affordable tuition has There is a separate data collection system for grown in New Jersey and beyond.” the institutions called the College Navigator. Along with Kean University, there were six The college navigator is “a consumer tool, other New Jersey universities that made the not data management or collection system,” top 100 list. Ranking at 85 was Monmouth S y n d e r University explained. that saw a “The data 51 percent in our College application Navigator increase web site is w i t h i n reported by five years. the individual Following was institutions Seton Hall to us,” Snyder University said. “After ranking at the data 61 with a 64 has been p e r c ent reported and increase, reviewed, Photo by Salimah McCullough New Jersey then we Chart showing the application growth for NJ Colleges that made the Institute of load in the top 100 list. Te c h n o l o g y appropriate ranked at data into the College 45 with a 72 Navigator p e r c e n t website.” increase, Based on R u t g e r s the article University from 24/7 Camden Wall Street, ranked at the data that 16 with a 99 Photo by The National Center for Education Statistics was collected p e r c e n t Actual and projected undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting from the postsecondary institutions, by sex, Fall 2000 through 2028. increase, N C E S S t e v e n s reviewed fiveInstitute of year changes between the years 2012-2017 Technology ranked at number 12 with a in the number of applications submitted 104 percent increase and Rowan University to nearly 600 four year post-secondary ranking at number 11 with a 105 percent institutions to identify the 100 colleges increase in applications. where applications climbed the most. Statistics have shown that undergraduate Kean ranked at number 98 with a 47 enrollment in America’s colleges and percent application increase within five universities has fallen for eight consecutive years from 2012-2017. The collected years. According to the National Student data from NCES shows that Kean has an Clearinghouse, enrollment decreases have acceptance rate of 82 percent and there continued. Enrollment for the spring 2019 were 8,851 applications between 2017 and semester was down 300,000 all across 2018 bringing the total Kean enrollment to America. This has been a growing trend 13,725. since fall 2017 when there was a 7 percent In total there were 9,540 incoming freshmen applications to Kean for Fall decrease from the total enrollment in 2010.
Wenzhou-Kean approved to offer graduate programs By Zoe Strozewski
said in an article on Kean News, the university’s online newsletter. Wenzhou-Kean University has been According to the Kean website, there approved to launch 11 graduate-level are currently about 2,400 students programs, according to the Kean enrolled at Wenzhou-Kean. Students website. from both the Union and Wenzhou Kean’s sister campus in China schools are given the opportunity to was previously only allowed to offer attend school at the other campus at no additional charge during their time at Kean. The 11 approved programs are Accounting (M.S.), Architecture (M.Arch.), Biotechnolog y Science (M.S.), Computer Information Systems (M.S.), Educational Administration (M.A.), Global Business (MBA), Instruction and Curriculum (M.A.), Photo by Courtesy of Kean News P s y c h o l o g y (M.A.), Wenzhou-Kean University will start offering graduate programs fall 2020. Combined School and Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.), undergraduate-level programs. Counseling and Supervision (Ph.D.) “This is an amazing start to the and Educational Leadership (Ed.D.). second phase of the development of An article on Kean News stated that Wenzhou-Kean University as a global the Ministry of Education in China world-class university in China,” Kean granted the approval for the new University President Dawood Farahi graduate-level programs and allocated
20 million renminbi, a Chinese currency, to recruit faculty over the next five years. Faculty recruitment technically falls under China, as the employment of faculty was transferred over to the Chinese government in July despite protest from the Kean Federation of Teachers, the union that represents Kean faculty. However, Kean spokeswoman Karen Smith said that while China has the authority to oversee faculty and approve new programs at WenzhouKean, the development of those programs is still under the control of Kean itself. “Kean University has full academic control of all of our programs administered at Wenzhou-Kean University, including establishing curriculum, course outcomes and degree requirements,” Smith said. “The Ministry of Education in China grants approval to launch new academic offerings at international collaborative universities such as WKU. We are excited to move forward in offering these world-class graduate
programs at WKU.” A representative from the Middle States Association’s Commission on Higher Education confirmed that although it is not yet included in the list of accreditation actions in Kean’s profile, the new graduatelevel programs have been granted accreditation. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a non-profit organization that evaluates and grants accreditation to schools in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States, including New Jersey. The organization’s Commission on Higher Education is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and specializes in colleges and universities. It also grants accreditation to schools that provide distance education, such as Wenzhou-Kean. Some of the new programs are on track to be offered as soon as fall 2020. Admission requirements for these programs will mirror the admission requirements for Kean’s Nathan Weiss Graduate College, according to Kean News.
December, 2019
Lime Scooters Turn Sour
Photo by Emily Robles
Lime Scooters can be unlocked for $1 with an additional charge of 20 cents per minute.
“Riders must park scooters in designated bike rack areas on campus, and they may not ride on campus walkways, including Cougar Walk, or on the grounds.”
By Emily Robles Lime Scooters may be all over campus – just don’t ride them. This semester, Lime Scooters cruised to Kean University, brought to us by Lime Micromobility, a
company that issues e-scooters and bikes for people to rent in cities and other universities. To use the Lime Scooters, students must use their official app to locate scooters via GPS and each scooter cost $1 to unlock and 20 cents per minute to ride. According to the Kean University press release, “Riders must park scooters in designated bike rack areas on campus, and they may not ride on campus walkways, including Cougar Walk, or on the grounds.” The university stated that these strict rules are due to safety reasons. Despite the company’s objective to provide “smart mobility for the modern world,” according to the Lime website, some Kean students have said that the scooters are a confusing addition to campus. The scooters were officially brought to campus on Nov. 1 as well as being a part of a six month trial period in the city of Elizabeth. Two weeks after the campus introduction, an email sent by Kean University’s Public Safety and Police stated that the use of e-scooters on campus grounds were prohibited and students may be fined $50 if they are caught riding them. Some students said they didn’t receive the email and weren’t aware of this, but due to recent events, the Lime Scooters will officially be taken off campus. On Nov. 21, it was reported that a 16-year-old boy in Elizabeth was riding a lime scooter when he got struck by a tow
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truck at around 8 p.m. on Elizabeth Ave, according to the article on nj.com. The teen boy died of his injuries from the incident. In an interview with the New York Times, Mayor Chris Bollwage said that The City Council will discuss possible changes to the Lime Scooter program to make it safer or even possible termination of the program. The meeting was held on Nov. 26 and it was decided that the city of Elizabeth will no longer be running their Lime Scooter program. Before the event of the boy dying, students had said that the public safety email confused them and questioned if the scooters were beneficial to the campus. “I’m not a fan of the scooters,” said Communications major Jack Ciarrocca. “All of a sudden they’re everywhere and they are so dangerous.” “I think it’s a cool idea, but at the same time makes no sense,” said John Montanez, a senior and a Communications major. “Everything on this campus is walkable, so it makes no sense to have them.” According to an article on abc7ny.com, the Lime company had 48 hours to remove their scooters from the city Elizabeth, which also included the scooters on Kean University’s campus. Students are reminded that if they choose to ride their own personal e-scooter, to not ride them on campus grounds and be aware of traffic laws.
A new soap opera enters the spotlight at Kean Photo by David Janes
Logo for soap opera.
Photo by David Janes
David Janes to direct, write, and produce a soap opera called INTENTIONS.
By Lena Zhu David Janes, senior majoring in Media and Film, loved television at a young age. “I’ve loved television since I was a child. I traded my cartoons for weekly appointments of 24, Prison Break, Homeland, Alias, and soap operas when I was only eight years old,” Janes remembers. “The continuing story unfolding week after week or day after day packed with twists and cliffhangers, as well as watching live.” Growing up with television, Janes always knew that he wanted to one day work in television and film as a TV writer, director, producer or all three. Now a senior, he is able to make his dreams a reality with creating a soap opera in his final months at Kean. Titled INTENTIONS, the show is a twist on soap operas by adding a murder mystery component with a strong female lead as its protagonist. “She’s perceived as a modern-day Nancy Drew, P.I., but to me, she’s our college version of Olivia Pope, modelled after Scandal’s main character. While we have an important social issue at the forefront,
we’re also entertaining with a few soapy mysterious twists and turns.” There will be a total of five episodes and each episode will have a varied length regarding time. Due to his hectic schedule, Janes barely has enough time to take a breath. But, Janes has a positive outlook and takes it week by week. “I have to say some weeks balance out more than others and some don’t,” Janes said. “I don’t think about it as much, I just try to lay out a plan going into each week and some weeks as far as filming I do plan ahead but I take it week by week.” Since he knows that directing, producing, and writing episodic television is what he wants to do after he graduates, he is motivated to stay on top of it all. Dabbling in episodic writing, especially a soap opera, helps him to pay homage to the shows he’s loved as a kid. “In many ways, this is a passion project for me, a tribute, a paying of homage to TV, specifically soap operas, a genre that often gets looked down on. [There’s] a level of
Photo by David Janes
Episode scripts for INTENTIONS.
stigma attached to it, and I wanted to change all of that,” Janes said. “To me, soap isn’t a dirty word or a genre that’s cheesy or terrible. Soap opera is an American institution and very much part of the cultural zeitgeist that dominates television today.” Janes firmly believes that writing a capstone article would not be the same since it does not “capture the creativity that goes into creating a show from scratch.” Although he’s had to take on many roles in the process of creating the INTENTIONS soap opera, he’s become very grateful for the opportunity. “To me, it was important to run this show very much like a regular television show writers room,” Janes said. “We’re a closeknit writing group, from the Starbucks in the library to a classroom board. We talk about the story, how to break the long-
“In many ways, this is a passion project for me. A tribute, a paying of homage to TV, specifically soap operas, a genre that often gets looked down on.”
story into episodes, where we want to go, where do we want to end, and from there we write a detailed breakdown outline, and then write the episodes.” As a senior at Kean, he gives one piece of advice to every creative student. “Go create, write, produce, try as much as you can and throw yourself into it. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing,” Janes said. “It’s so beneficial throwing yourself into a project versus not doing anything because of experience, honing in on your craft. Don’t let anyone stop or tell you can’t create. If you have a story, go pick up a camera.” INTENTIONS is set to be released February 2020.
Rwandan Genocide survivor Kizito Kalima shares his journey By Lena Zhu Kizito Kalima’s arms were tied behind his back – with a pistol to his head – as his Hutu captors led him to a slaughter house where all the other Tutsi villagers in Rwanda were. Then he laid eyes on a small red Nissan. The Hutu killers opened the trunk, threw his mother inside and drove off. “They took my mom and she was killed and dumped into a mass grave,” Kalima said. “That was the last time I saw her.” Kalima, the founder of the Peace Center for Forgiveness and Reconciliation, recounted his story as a fourteen-year-old boy trying to survive the Rwandan Genocide to a group in the Graduate Lounge at East Campus on Nov. 21.
Photo by Lena Zhu
Kizito and Liliana Kalima.
The Peace Center for Forgiveness and Reconciliation, an organization Kalima founded, has the purpose to “come together and spread the message of forgiveness which leads to genuine reconciliation and long-lasting peace,” according to his website, ChooseToForgive.org. Their programs revolve around teaching youths the benefits of peace while working with mentors. As the last born of his family, he remembered when the plane with the Hutu president was shot down, killing everyone on board. “When we heard the news, of course, most of us who were oppressed were kinda excited,” Kalima said. “ I was excited, not because he had died, but because I felt like he was the cause of my suffering. I felt like,
‘Ok, no more curfews for all of us. No more oppression. We are going to live in peace!’” However, his excitement was short-lived. When he told his mother the news, she told him “any time a leader of this country dies, we [Tutsi people] pay the price.” He would learn that his mother was right a few days later on the back porch of his house. He heard a loud noise, then a banging, and then people jumping over the fence. He turned around to see where the noise originated and saw Hutus carrying an AK-47. “I took off. I just ran. Jumped over the fence and ran across the street,” Kalima said. “When I was hiding, I saw my house burning. Everything was up in flames. My neighbours, anyone who was a Tutsi, or anyone who was continued on page 6
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December, 2019
The Learning Commons presents its first Kean Talk By Tiye Bracy On Thursday, Nov. 21 during college hour, the Learning Commons presented the first Kean Talk. This year’s Kean Talk was a “Ted-talkstyle presentation featuring seniors, who shared what they wish they knew when Photo by Charles Bivona they were first-year students,” Daniel Solomon from Learning and Tutoring support talks about according to the flyer. retaining knowledge. The librarians collectively Photo by Charles Bivona initiated the idea of Kean Talk Tiye Bracy from the Writing Center talks about last semester. Their initial goal networking. was to get students engaged and acquainted with the Learning Commons. “What I wish I knew as a “They are just coming into campus and we want them to freshman was how to get get involved with the learning involved.” commons,” said a support staff member. Photo by Charles Bivona Michelle Fabio, the new The promotion flyer of Kean Talk. Writing Center Director, In my talk, I emphasized the asked if I would be interested in being to freshmen, I explained. In addition, locations of the career and tutoring a presenter. My topic was student students should feel comfortable to go services, Miron Student Center, engagement at Kean University. As a to advisors, deans, and professors in Writing Center, public speaking lab, second-semester junior, I wanted to their department for guidance. study cubicles, computer and printing provide first-year students the GUIDE Daniel Salamon, who was the other areas. to the essential resources available to presenter, agreed. What I wish I knew as a freshman was students. “Students should participate, raise how to get involved. It’s important for So, I created a powerpoint outlining your hand, and talk in class,” advised incoming students to know how to get what the learning commons has to Salamon. “When you have a project, engaged on campus. Events like Meet offer: clubs, internships, and chances start it early and find a way to make to connect and network with others. the Greeks and Kean Day are viable
it something that you will actually benefit learning about.” Then he told the audience what he wished he knew as a freshman. “How useful all the skills or bits of information that were presented to me would be down the road,” he said before shifting his focus to mindfully learning information that can be used in future employment. “When we split our attention in a learning environment like that, we miss the opportunity to really engage and build those bridges in our mind.” It was an honor to participate in the first Kean Talk and to represent the Learning Commons. This opportunity allowed me to help students transition to college life by showing them how to be an engaged student. “Kean Talks give the seniors a chance to pass on their academic wisdom to incoming freshmen while also giving them a chance to practice public speaking--a valuable skill in today’s job market,” Academic Specialist Charles Bivona said. “Kean Talks are valuable and should be a recurring event.” Kean Talk is in the works for the semesters to come. However, no official meetings are in place as of yet. “We’re thinking about bringing it back in the future,” said two librarians who asked not to be named.
Rap Group U.O tells Kean students College Hour mural: it is possible to balance your Kean depicted by the brush music creativity and education “It was just layer upon layer of paint and colors and By Wynter Aiken
probably mistakes too.”
artistry out into the world to be judged and critiqued is stressful and can bring about a dilemma, choosing to pursue music over education. “Music and school definitely clash. Sometimes I get caught with trying to pass math but also wanting to get a verse out, then I have to go to the studio later on and homework is put on hold until then,” Daniel Grubbs aka B!G said, rapper of U.O. “ You never know what’s going to happen with school or your music, have a plan X, Y or Z. Whatever works for you.”
Life throws hurdles from every direction that can become overwhelming especially when your creativity is on the line. But, for rising rap group U.O, aka Unidentified Objects, they make time to balance their passion for music and are determined to not let anything stop them from making their unidentified talent be known. “All of us are in the same mindset which is to share our creativity but everyone has different priorities and plans like school. When I first started getting into music, I saw that as Plan A, but Plan B which is school is what I relied on,” Devon Miranda aka Debo The Director said, videographer, rapper, and dancer of U.O “If something ever happened for my music or creativity to dwindle then at least I had school as a back-up.” Whether that Photo courtesy of Kenny Jean means touring with U.O official logo. an artist project, releasing music on Soundcloud, or working behind the scenes because during the day is filled with 2-3 classes, one would love nothing more than to (at some Photo courtesy of Kenny Jean point) ditch the Devon Miranda aka Debo The Director, full class schedule videographer, rapper, and dancer of U.O. for a career in music. Freshman and music major Kenya Silas knows firsthand how the idea of dropping everything can be tempting but all it takes is the right motivation to keep you from straying the path that’s right for you. “Being creative doesn’t really overpower me going to class at all. Luckily all my music classes work hand in hand,” Photo courtesy of Kenny Jean Photo courtesy of Kenny Jean Silas said. “For Daniel Grubbs aka B!G, rapper of U.O. Kenny Jean aka KDubs, rapper of U.O. instance, one thing that you’re currently learning about can It would be easier to leave education be brought up in another class easily. behind and reach for the stars but Dr. I’ve been singing since I was 3 years Anthony Scelba, professor and Director old so I always felt that I was built for of the Kean University Concert Artist music.” Program, believes that with the right The idea of making a living off of steps, one can easily balance both music production is putting one’s continued on page 7
Photo by Alexander Valdes
A collaborative effort between the Theatre and Fine Arts Conservatories.
By Alexander Valdes
to get it over a projector, but the projector was small so we had to move it further back and then we just traced over it. Mind you, it was still a rough sketch so we didn’t have a clear edge of every single figure and every building in the background, the rest was improvisational,” said Ramos. “It was just layer upon layer of paint and colors and probably mistakes too.” The mural offers a slice of life and helps depict what the university is like. Whether it’s students walking about and conversing or sitting under trees or by the clock tower, it incorporates many students of different ethnicities and really portrays the wide range of diversity inside of Kean. Ramos also offered his ideas about what the mural represents to the students of Kean that would look upon it and provided his experience with it. “It’s titled ‘College Hour,’ so I would think around this time it shows what Kean students do. It’s basically just students walking out of their classes and enjoying their one hour before their 4:30 p.m. class starts and they’re probably just sitting around and talking,” said Ramos. “The process of it was just fun; of course we had a time limit. We had to rush it up a bit but we had fun. We joked around during the whole painting process and I feel like as I saw other people paint their parts to it, I learned a little from each of them.”
Inside of Wilkins Theatre lies a mural, a collaborative piece between the students of the Kean University Theatre Conservatory and the Fine Arts Conservatory. Titled “College Hour,” the mural was set up within Wilkin’s Theatre’s main entrance and is an artistic interpretation of the Seurat painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of la Grande Jatte.” The artists behind the piece are members of the Fine Arts Conservatory, which includes Brandon Bravo, Tino Cook, Mark Anthony Edquiban, Candace Gely, Marielena Guthrie, Kyle Jorgenson, Mary Clare King, Joanna Lopez, Eric Miele, Jerson Ramos, Timothy Rivera, Cheyonne Thompson and Leslie Ann Torres. The leading artist behind the project, Brandon Bravo, went into detail as to why the Fine Arts Conservatory decided to take up the challenge of creating the mural. “The reason why we did this was to unite Vaughn-Eames together because we never really had that before. We wanted to put ourselves out there to show the campus that we actually have talented artists here, so we just wanted to show that we have a voice,” said Bravo. “That’s why when we got the invitation to help out in the theatre, we were like ‘yeah totally we’ll do it,’ just to show that we’re here.” Jerson Ramos, a senior and Fine Arts major, talked about the creative process behind the piece and the amount of effort that all of the artists put into the piece. “It kind of started out as a sketch, it was a really Photo by Alexander Valdes rough sketch and we had (Left to Right) Tino Cook, Lesly Ann Torres, and Jerson Ramos.
December, 2019
Science with a little cheese: Seasons of Light show By Kelly Contreras
the early 2000s, the planetarium received The annual Seasons an upgrade to a fully of Light show, open digital system. to the students and “We've been really community, has come able to elevate or to Kean yet again astronomy programs. to brighten up the The planetarium has season. Academic been around for lecturer at the School 25-30 years used in o f E nv iron me nta l various capacities a nd S u s t ain a bi li t y for the campus Sciences, producer community,” said of Seasons of Light, Heyniger. Professor Heyniger Seasons of Light likes to refer to it as, was started by a Photo by School of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences “science with a little grant that made it Seasons of Light flyer. cheese.” possible to upgrade “The purpose of the system. The this event is multiplanetarium is also f a c e t e d ,” said used to enhance Heyniger. “It is to curriculum and initiate this holiday classes with this season, to educate the digitized system. campus that there is a The School of planetarium and we'd Environmental like to do shows for a Campus Community and Sustainability and to also educate Sciences occasionally about the sciences.” partners with the Photo by Kelly Contreras Seasons of Light is Biology Club, and a show which touches A moment from the Seasons of Light show at least every year on the traditions of where many stars are visible in the planetarium. once with the Kean different cultures and University Earth takes its audience Science Club. “Take a few minutes on a journey via “I’m expecting very to show something astronomy. enthusiastic turn The constellations out for the series of cool and lighthearted” are shown in the shows this upcoming planetarium f a l l ,” said along with some Heyniger. “Take explanations a few minutes to into why show something seasons occur, cool and lightwhat happens hearted, it’s a to the sun as nice way to step we go through back to celebrate seasons, roots the season.” of tradition, etc. T he show is Many people being held the are not aware Photo by Kelly Contreras following days that Kean has The students who attended the Seasons of Light show. during college a planetarium. hour, 3:30-4:15 According to pm, in the Science Building C-330: Heyniger, the planetarium was initially built in the 80s to complement the ■ November 25 astronomy program. ■ December 2 It was used throughout the 90s for astronomy shows and star ■ December 5 programs that would be offered ■ December 9 periodically throughout the year. In
Former Obama adviser tells Kean students to believe continued from cover
Police Blotter for November By Breanna Palzer November 1 ■ ■
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Student was taken from Vaughn Ames parking lot to St Barnabas Hospital after having negative reaction to new medication Injured athlete taken to St Barnabas hospital from Jim Hynes Stadium
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Item suspected to contain marijuana was confiscated Group of students broke out into a fight at Harwood arena Fire alarm went off due to burnt food in the UC Hall Disruptive student asked to leave computer lab in UC Hall Student was reported missing
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Dog with no tags or identification was handed over to animal control Students stuck inside elevator in Hutchinson Hall and exited when doors randomly opened Harassment of a student when male purposely walked in front of student and hit student with his shoulder Found Chase debit card Found wallet Found Wallet Found black apple phone Background check was done on a candidate Employees were being harassed by exemployee in Lobby of campus police Found laptop, Apple Macbook pro Found grey notebook and $12
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Responded to a noise complaint in UC Hall, complaint was handed over to housing Report of a potential gas leak, nothing was found Female received call where she gave her personal information as to avoid problems from caller Found olive green backpack
November 7th, 2019
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A backpack and laptop was stolen from resident Car accident where vehicle #1 struck vehicle #2 while trying to pull into parking space in Vaughn Ames parking lot Found NJ Driver’s license Resident student was assaulted by guest in sozio hall Female student became loud and angry when asked to turn down her music in Library. She was asked to leave the floor and be quieter. Fire alarm set off in Freshman by hair dryer Found District of Columbia ID card Found Washington DC ID Found Iphone and ID Room searched in Freshman hall. Nothing found along with no odor of marijuana False fire alarm in Bartlett hall
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Possible harassment in sozio hall. None of the parties involved wanted to file a complaint Resident feeling unsafe due to roommate allegedly owning handgun Fire alarm set off in Freshman hall due to burnt cooking Found black Google cell phone
November 9 Photo by Ian Alfano
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Various students taking a group picture with David Axelrod.
winning elections, and that he was going to make his time in office count,” Axelrod said. “My book is called ‘Believer’ and my belief is not in him, although it’s clear that I have a deep belief in him, my belief is in this system of ours. And so in these dark days when our institutions are being tested, let us fight for them so we continue to have institutions that function and tools that allow us to perfect our union.”
society is crucial to understand,” Dibrova said. “It seems and feels like politics don’t work for the common good anymore. The hatred between young people is constantly escalating and those are such sad and hurtful dynamics we’re witnessing today.” Axelrod touched upon many different aspects of his political career, including how he became interested in politics. “John F. Kennedy was coming to continued on page 6
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Member from another agency asked about previous professor that posed a threat Student’s doctor called saying that student’s suitmate has a weapon in suite. Weapon was found but with no bullets
Vehicle with expired registration was towed from Vaughn Ames parking lot Found apple watch Found gift card Found investor’s bank/visa debit card
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Female was approached with job opportunity multiple times but never received any proper information about it Female collapsed in and unable to stand. She was transported to Trinitas Hospital Students car door was scratched Found wallet and keys
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Male was transported to Trinitas Hospital for evaluation Welfare check done on student. Student was found and needed no assistance Female received threats about leaving a sorority
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As a Graduate Assistant for the Human Rights Institute, Valeria Dibrova also agreed with a lot of the sentiments that Axelrod shared and feels that the bitter divide in political viewpoints today is damaging to the United States as a whole. “Without a doubt, I believe the point that David Axelrod made about the split in our
NJ Driver’s License was found Suspicious writing found in bathroom of CAS building, paper with writing on it was thrown away Purse was found Wallet was picked up from Miron Student Center Unregistered vehicle was towed from East Campus parking lot
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he was able to be a part of the first African American elected to the Oval Office. He feels that this achievement symbolized the progress that the U.S. had made. “The president has a certain chair that he sits in when you’re having these meetings and above him was the portrait of George Washington,” Axelrod said. “I always loved the image of George Washington, who had slaves, and Barack Obama sitting in George Washington’s chair as a symbol of the progress that we’ve made.” More than anything else, Axelrod said he is grateful for the time that he got to spend with Obama and holds a firm belief in the U.S. political system. “I feel really blessed to have had an opportunity to work for a president who understood his responsibilities, that there were things even more important than
THE TOWER 5
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Subject reported being hacked and supplied videos to support his claim Damage was done to a car following parking dispute Found NJ Driver’s license Green bag containing multiple pens found Fire alarm in Quad was set off due to steam being released from pipes Report of possible fight, everything turned out to be fine, it was just a verbal disagreement Found NJ Driver’s License
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Employee was fired and would not leave the area Female had seizure and denied any further medical help Found black Galaxy Samsung S8 Found NJ Driver’s license Found NJ Driver’s license Found NJ Driver’s license
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Found Airpods Found Invicta watch Found nintendo switch controller Found wallet Found Debit card Found shop rite card
6 THE TOWER
December, 2019
Rwandan Genocide survivor Kizito Kalima shares his journey
Department of Communication Kean University Center for Academic Success 1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083 Telephone: (908) 737-0470; Fax: (908) 737-0465 Email: thetower@kean.edu; www.kutower.com
continued from page 3
against the government at powerful that I felt like I was shot. I fell down too,” that time, his or her house Kalima said. would be up in smoke.” Caught by killer dogs His neighbourhood was and brought back to the completely destroyed. slaughterhouse, he saw Kalima compared his the Hutus take his mother neighbourhood to that of away and dumped into a the aftermath of Hurricane mass grave. Katrina. His parents were This time, in the gone. He didn’t know slaughterhouse, he was what to do. Ultimately, he placed with other kids. decided he would be safer He was the eldest and in his father’s friend’s had to assume the leader house, whom he knew and position. Since the guards grew up with since he was on the outside were ten. “drunk, high, and falling “I decided that I would asleep,” they all ran from leave my town and go to the back entrance. Here, it another place which was Photo by Gunneett Malhi was every man for himself. almost 20 miles away to Left to right: Kizito Kalima, Lena Zhu, and Liliana Kalima. Kalima ran into the the guy who my dad raised swamps to hide out until who grew up in the Hutu tribe,” said Kalima. the war was over. He hid in the swamp for “I reached his house at one in the morning. almost three months before the rebels from When I got there, I realized that he was the other side of the country were able to happy to see me. He said, ‘Stay here and I rescue him. will take care of you. I will protect you and After being saved, reality sunk in. He had see what’s going on.’” no place to go. No family to take care of him. Unfortunately, word spread that Kalima, a He didn’t have anything at all. He moved Tutsi, was in his Hutu Brother’s home. They around from foster place to foster place. He threatened to burn down the house with was angry and upset. him inside because his Brother had refused “I would sit outside, waiting for my to let him go. They decided to escape early parents to come. Because I was still in this the next morning when the river between big denial. I thought that my mom would his house and the next would be at low tide. show up somewhere,” Kalima said. “I knew “Between my house and his house was this that my mom was taken away.” small river with a narrow bridge,” Kalima His only relief from his reality was said. “This bridge was taken over by the basketball. He played in different countries killers. In the morning, we crossed the river, and eventually, someone offered money for and a mob of 50 [Hutu] people got us.” him to play in the United States. Kalima Kalima felt like he was going to die. They shook his head. He didn’t want the money. placed him in front of a mass grave. Getting He wanted a place to stay and an education. ready, one of the Hutu killers swung the As a result, they moved him to Chicago. machete at his head. Kalima saw it and During high school, he had an ankle injury dodged as much as he could. The tip of the
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: CRAIG EPSTEIN NEWS EDITOR: ERIN MCGUINNESS FEATURES EDITOR: LENA ZHU SPORTS EDITOR: STEVEN MERRILL ONLINE EDITOR: KELLY CONTRERAS ONLINE EDITOR: W YNTER AIKEN SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: SALIMAH MCCULLOUGH
REPORTERS
“I realized that everyone who became someone who changed the world has forgiven his or her abusers.”
TIYE BRACY
BREANNA PALZER
SIOBHAN DONALDSON
EMILY ROBLES
TASHA DOWBACHUK
TAHJEE’ SHAW
DAVID JANES
STEPHEN STROM
DE’VON MITCHELL
ZOE STROZEWSKI
JULIEN NEALS
ALEXANDER VALDES
OPINION PIECES AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Tower welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor from any source. Such material should be submitted to thetower@kean.edu or left at The Tower’s offices. To verify sources of written material, submissions must include the writer’s name and contact information. Students should include their class (sophomore, graduate, etc.) and major. Faculty and staff should include campus title or position. On request, names may be withheld from publication if The Tower staff determines there is a legitimate reason to do so, but no anonymous letters will be accepted for publication. The Tower reserves the right to edit, and refuse publication of any submission.
Photo by Lena Zhu
Flyer for Rwandan Genocide event.
machete had scraped the side of his forehead and cracked his skull open. With blood gushing from his head, he passed out. “When I woke up, I tried to move, but I couldn’t. I found out they have broken my ankles and taken my jacket,” Kalima said. “I only had a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved shirt. I decided to just go. While I was moving, I got caught.” They took him to another butcher house the next day. “We were lined up. Do you know how you’re lined up for your food when you go to the cafeteria? It was like that. Then you get chopped up. Something terrified me when I saw someone get chopped up with a chainsaw. And I was like ‘ok, I’m done. This is enough for me.’ I had a bloody face, a broken ankle, no shoes, cold, and I saw people get chopped off with a chainsaw.” He decided to make a run for it. At this point, they were in his old neighbourhood. He knew the back alleys and took off running. Eventually, he reached a church after having been denied sanctuary with his mother’s friend’s house. He stayed there for a couple of days until he heard a voice on a loudspeaker, telling him the war was over and for everyone to come out of hiding. It was the mayor, but it turned out to be a trick to lure remaining Tutsis into a slaughterhouse. Surrounded by the killers with machetes in their hand, Kalima decided to run and break away from them. Knowing his limited options, he wanted to die by a bullet wound – something quick and painless. Sure enough, as he and a few others ran up the hill, the Hutus started shooting. “They shot a young kid to my left side. He dropped. The impact of the bullet was so
and was unable to play basketball. He graduated high school and went to the University of Indiana. Kalima fell into a deep depression afterwards. One day, he had a severe panic attack while driving. After having a talk with the nurse about sharing his genocide story to the world, he realized, after some hesitation, that retelling his story was a good way to manage his PTSD. “I realized I was being held hostage by these people who killed my family, who raped my sisters, who almost chopped my head off...that was causing all of this anger and anxiety,” Kalima said. Kalima knew that he had a good life in the United States and holding onto the anger of his past would only ruin that for him. So, he decided to let it go. “I realized that everyone who became someone who changed the world has forgiven his or her abusers,” said Kalima. His forgiveness did not happen overnight, however. It took about three years. The biggest change he had noticed was his migraines (from his PTSD and anxiety) had lessened from seven per week to three per week to none. Nowadays, Kalima practices forgiveness and repeats a mantra. “Every day I say, ‘I am going to be positive. I am not going to be angry. I am not going to be feared. No one can pull me down.’” said Kalima. “I define PTSD as People Trying to Slow me Down.” His last piece of advice for the audience was, “You don’t have to be a super genius. You don’t have to be Superwoman or Superman. You don’t have to be incredibly wealthy to change the world. You just need to be a human being.”
Former Obama adviser tells Kean students to believe continued from page 5
Stuyvesant Town, it was October 27, 1960, and he was actually campaigning in New York City,” Axelrod said. “A Democrat actually campaigning 12 days before an election in New York, but New York was very competitive, and he was running against Richard Nixon.” Axelrod spoke of his great admiration for Kennedy and that to this day, his words still resonate with the Manhattan native. “Part of what he said was ‘I’m not here running on the platform that says if you elect me everything will be easy,’ Axelrod described. “‘Being an American citizen in the 1960s is a hazardous occupation filled with peril, but also hope and this election will determine which path we take and the underlying message.’” Axelrod found himself working for Robert Kennedy where he learned many valuable lessons.
“He said ‘the future is not a gift, it’s an achievement,’” Axelrod described. “‘And through the tools that democracy affords us, we try and achieve a better future.’” Prior to the event, Axelrod spoke to a group of aspiring journalists as well as political science and public relations majors. Ranging from his first encounter with Obama to the fact that he is the son of a Ukrainian immigrant, Axelrod feels that while it is an easy time to lose faith in politics, he still believes that it is the young people who play a significant role. “Several times he mentioned that he loved working with young people, and I found that very insightful because some professionals tend to disregard young people,” said Tyshiana Johnson, a Communication/Public Relations major. “I enjoyed listening to an individual who was a part of an amazing part of American history.”
Kean faculty joins other state colleges picketing for fair contract continued from cover
may be excellent teachers, they are not given adequate institutional support for time spent meeting with students, evaluating student work, and class planning and preparation.” Donna Chiera, President of the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey and a graduate of Kean, joined in on the Morris Ave protest. AFTNJ represents all nine state colleges. “We want to make sure that the lowest paid employees of these institutions get a fairer and
stronger pay check so that they can continue to live in New Jersey,” Chiera said. On Nov. 22, the union and state settled on a tentative four-year contract for adjunct professors that includes a pay increase per credit. The contract for full time faculty, professional staff, and librarians will not be discussed further until the next negotiation scheduled for Dec 13.
December, 2019
THE TOWER 7
Many college students suffer from sleep deprivation By Dr. Josh Palgi and Dr. Amanda Rodrigues Not getting the proper amount of sleep can result in sleep deprivation, which affects mood, has long-term health consequences, and negatively affects academic performance in students. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that college students are not getting nearly enough sleep which is vital to their academic success. Among the reasons for their changes in sleeping patterns, are increased part time working hours, pulling allnighters to finish a paper or cram for an exam, or watching television during bed time hours. Research conducted on 10,000 college students across the country found that the average amount of sleep varied from state to state. Some of the best sleep for college students was found in Colorado, with the average amount of sleep per night for college students at 7.3 hours. The worst sleep for college students was found in Kentucky and Mississippi, coming in at an average of just 5.9 hours of sleep nightly. In our home state of NJ, our college students averaged 6.3 hours of sleep, still below what is considered healthy amounts. Additionally, this study also reported that females tend to sleep an average of half an hour to a full hour less than males. The reported sleep totals in all 50 states did not meet the 8 hours of nightly sleep that is recommended by health practitioners and researchers. Lawrence Epstein, MD, medical director of sleep health centers, says that sleep deprivation affects not only whether a student can stay awake in class but how they perform. In addition, new research shows that students getting adequate amounts of sleep perform better on memory and motor tasks then those students deprived of sleep. A healthy amount of sleep is vital for a brain plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt to new information. If we don’t sleep enough we are unable to process what we’ve learned during the day and we have more trouble remembering it in the future. This was put to the test. In one experiment, two groups of students were studied. One group was given a full eight hours of sleep, while the other was sleep deprived. The next day, both groups were given MRI scans while they tried to learn a list of new facts while pictures were taken of their brain activity. The group with sleep deprivation had a 40% deficit of learning the material. This is the difference between a student passing an exam with an A vs a student failing it all together. Another area of importance found in this study, was the group who had eight hours of sleep had tons of learning activity in the area of their brain called the hippocampus. The group with sleep deprivation group had no activity at all in the same area. Consider this the next time you consider cramming for an exam. If you stay up and don’t get enough sleep trying to remember all of this information, the science shows it will not work.
New Jersey college students averaged 6.3 hours of sleep. Photo by Praba_Tuty, licensed under CC PDM 1.0
Sleep deprivation is a widespread problem among college students.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine provides this list to help students create positive sleep habits, foster better sleep, and support those who may be struggling with sleep issues: 1. Go to bed early enough to have the opportunity for 8 hours of sleep. 2. If you have trouble falling asleep get out of bed and do something else, such as read, until you feel sleepy again and then return back to bed. 3. Don’t study, watch TV, or talk on the phone while in bed. Only use your bed for sleep. 4. If you take a nap, keep it brief, less than an hour and before 3 pm. 5. It is best to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, weekdays and weekends. 6. Sleep in a cool room, research has shown a room between 65-68 degrees promotes better quality sleep while also making it easier to fall asleep. 7. Dim the lights in the evening and at night so your body starts releasing melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. 8. Take time to “wind down” before going to bed. Get away from the computer, turn the TV and cell phone off, and relax quietly for 15 to 30 minutes prior to getting in bed. Getting enough sleep is just as important as other vital elements of good health, such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and practicing good dental hygiene. In short sleep is a basic comfort of a healthy lifestyle, but just like purchasing healthy foods, taking an after-dinner walk or flossing your teeth, getting adequate sleep requires time and discipline. Remember, sleep serves re-energizes the body cells, clear waste from the brain and support learning and memory. For students to be working at peak performance, sleep can’t be a maybe, but rather a must be! Palgi and Rodrigues are professors in the Department of Health and Human Performance
SOTA holds senior prom By Lena Zhu On Friday, Oct. 18, Kean University’s Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) hosted a Classic Hollywood themed older adult prom. The prom was located at the East Campus Graduate Lounge and catered to people from surrounding senior centers. SOTA members served dinner, danced, and lead some fun games for the senior attendees.
Photo by Kean Student Occupational Therapy Association
Photo by Kean Student Occupational Therapy Association
Bottom row: Left to right: Michaeline Commarato,, Anita Keegan, Dianna Jolicoeur, Betty Lynch. Back Row: Left to right: Cy Massar, Marge Turner, Joanne Russo, Allen Collins, Bob Commarato.
Photo by Kean Student Occupational Therapy Association
Photo by Kean Student Occupational Therapy Association
Rap Group U.O tells Kean students it is possible to balance your music creativity and education continued from page 4
without clashing. “What we offer our students is a pathway to that knowledge and skill. Real quality in music is born of decades of training, study, and hard work that built the craft. Creativity springs from craft,” Scelba said. “The Kean students who come to realize that, leave us with a direction toward success in music and life” Composing a career that “Take a leap fits into everyday life is challenging, and for music artists-fitting their creativity into a busy school schedule is even more tiresome. One has to find their identity as a student and find their color as an artist. U.Os music is composed of many colors – soulful, raw and filled with emotions that get
you hyped and in the mood. Anyone, student or not, want their music to reach ears across the spectrum because one never knows what the message of the music will do for others. “I just try to fit any mood and vibe that you’re feeling into the music. We put in deep messages so anyone can understand and relate,” Kenny Jean
obstacles get in the way,” Miranda continued. “Time is very important so put your mind to it and balance your time for your creativity.” Mixing with many different people is a great way to discover new music, ways of thinking and creating, and generally, in the creative industries, it comes a lot down to who one knows, no matter how
but would suggest that the more tools and skills one has, the more likely one is to succeed. “As Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine wrote, ‘Art isn’t easy.’ You have to really love the work, the effort. It’s something you live and breathe,” Halper said. “You can get your work out there, the issue now is disting uishing yourself in this of faith to reach your goal, find your color and vibe because people will listen.” massive and highly populated ecosystem.” aka KDubs said, rapper of U.O “Take talented or skilled the artist is. One is If you wish to know more about Kean a leap of faith to reach your goal, find bound to meet many like-minded and University’s Music Department and your color and vibe because people will different people, each with their own rap group Unidentified Objects, visit listen.” story. Professor Matthew Halper of https://www.kean.edu/academics/ “Our music is not the typical rap, Kean’s School of Fine and Performing programs/music and https://www. people have to search for what they Arts thinks that it is possible to succeed want and as U.O, we don’t want to let in the arts without formal education, instagram.com/therealu.o/
December, 2019
SPORTS
8 THE TOWER
Kean now offering Sport & Event Management major By Steven Merrill Kean University is now offering a Sport & Event Management major option in Recreation Administration. The program launched this fall and focuses on event planning, facility operations, management, and marketing. A 2.5 GPA in the major required courses is needed for graduation along with receiving a C or better in the 48 major credits. “This is a major that should definitely excite people, especially in the athletic world,” Kean’s Assistant Director of Recreation, Intramurals, Facilities & Event Management Jason Sgaramella said. “A lot of kids are interested in college-level of events management.” A Sport & Event Management Degree can lead to a career as a sports official, athletic coach/scout, athletic director, facility manager, sports information manager, as well as other manager positions involving sports and recreation. Required courses include Introduction to Sport and Event Management, Foundations of Recreation and Leisure, Programming in Recreation, Sport & Event, Recreation & Leisure Services Management, Inclusive Recreation in a Diverse Society, Facility Design and Operation in Recreation, Sport & Event, Leadership and Group Development, and Legal Aspects of Recreation, Sport & Event. As someone who has done a job in this field for a long time, Sgaramella offered simple
advice for students aspiring to major in Sport & Event Management at Kean. “Expect the unexpected,” Sgaramella said. “It’s a lot of work, but really it’s a lot of fun.” With Kean having a Sport & Event Management major option, Sgaramella thinks the interest level will be high on campus. “This is perfect for kids that are involved with athletics on campus that have Photo by Steven Merrill Photo by Steven Merrill played before or play Sport & Event Management guide sheet. currently and want to Sport & Event Management flyer. do something on the gonna work a football game but you have to business side of it,” said Sgaramella. “They can still be apart of the game on the sidelines get there four hours prior.” putting the operations together.” A minor in the program has not been made Other aspects of a job in event management available yet, though it is in the works for specifically at Kean include determining where future semesters. the teams go when they arrive for a game, field maintenance, design plans for weight rooms, For more information, contact Dr. Kim who and redoing the floor at Harwood Arena. is the Program Coordinator at kyoungkim@ “Events management is a lot of hours,” said kean.edu or visit his office in Hennings Hall Sgaramella. “They’re not set hours, so you room 434. have to be ready for that. You think you’re
“This is a major that should definitely excite people, especially in the athletic world”
Women’s Volleyball Team falls short in NJAC semi-finals after strong season By Stephen Strom It was a tremendous season for the Women’s volleyball program after their season ended in the semi-final round of the NJAC tournament against Rowan. The Cougars finished 26-9, had an AllAmerican and will bring a ton of positives into next season. The All-American selectee was junior Zoe Strozewski. Strozewski was also named 2019 NJAC Player of the Year and a firstteam selection after totaling 445.0 points, 376 kills and 118 blocks over 33 matches. She’s now the fourth All-American in Kean’s program history. “It’s a huge honor to be named an All-American and to the all-conference team. There’s been so many unbelievably talented players in this conference and to be apart of it is something truly special,” said Strozewski. Strozewski wasn’t the only one taking home hardware this year. Freshman Sedona Gaard was named NJAC Rookie of the Year as the Kean University women’s volleyball team had four girls selected to the All-Conference squads. Senior’s Jesse Larkin and Brianna Calvano were named
to the second team while senior Kortnee Nelson was listed as an honorable mention. “I appreciate the NJAC recognizing mine and my teammates’ hard work and dedication throughout the season,” said Larkin. “This is something I’ll never take for granted.” With every great team, the reflection of the team’s success lies within its head coach. For the Women’s volleyball team Head Coach Don Perkins creates the perfect environment. Perkins wrapped up another successful season in his 11th season with the Cougars. “Coach Don is not only supportive and helpful on the volleyball court, but he is also the same way off the court,” said Calvano. “It goes beyond volleyball with him and that’s something unique nowadays.” Strozewski added on to that by saying how great a job Perkins did of creating an environment for the team that’s both supportive and challenging. Next year, Strozwewski will be returning but Kean will lose Larkin and Calvano. “I think the biggest thing the team needs to improve on is consistency,” said Strozwewski. “When we played our best, I
Photo by Kean Athletics
Kean University Cougars gather around in team photo.
By Tahjee’ Shaw Kean’s field hockey team had a very successful season, winning 17 games in a row at one point. Leslie LaFronz, the head coach of the Cougars, was very happy and impressed
by the team’s accomplishments. “The camaraderie and commitment are all ingredients to a successful season.” said LaFronz. On August 31, Kean University defeated Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. 3-0.This was their first win of the
Photo by Kean Athletics
Reynoso and Mann with their respective NJAC awards.
Photo by Kean Athletics
Cougars take group picture celebrating their win streak.
“The camaraderie and commitment are all ingredients to a successful season.”
Photo by Larry Levanti
2019 Kean Women’s volleyball team.
think there were very few teams that we couldn’t compete with. We’re gonna have a great offseason and build off this year.”
“When we played our best, I think there were very few teams that we couldn’t compete with” Photo by Larry Levanti
Kean Women’s volleyball poses with silly faces.
season. Junior Mellisa Way was the star of the game as she tallied a hat trick. Alongside her, freshman Peyton Mann assisted on two goals and sophomore Ja’Carra Jackson, assisted on the other. Way and Mann started the game off with two goals within the first 13 minutes Since then, they have won numerous amounts of games this season. Their most standout being against Centenary University where the Cougars won the game 11-0. Way had five points in the game with two goals and one assist. Freshman Bethany Garcia tallied two goals for the Cougars. The latest in the win streak came against Ramapo College in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The score was 4-1, leading to Kean’s next big win within their consecutive flow of victory. Senior Rachel Mills was one of the leaders for the game with one goal, three shots, and two assists. Way also lead the game with six shots, two goals, and one assist. Both Way and Mills connected on the games first two first half goals, which lead the Cougars to a 2-0 lead by halftime. Kean University Cougars defeated Endicott University on Nov. 16 with a 3-1 victory This lead the team advancement towards the 3rd round and Quarterfinals of NJCAA. The team however, bowed out of the NCAA tournament after their loss to Millbury University. Jackson had two shots and one goal in the 4-1 loss, leading to her sixth goal of the season. The team also made it to the semifinals in the NJAC tournament, in which they were defeated by Rowan University 4-2.
Senior Jenna Patrone had seven shots and one goal in that game. Kean University’s Cougars achieved wins and won many awards not only as a team, but individually as well. Freshman goalkeeper Belly Reynaso was named The New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the week on Oct. 6. Reynoso and Mann were named to final NJAC Weekly Awards on Nov. 18. Reynoso being named the final New Jersey Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, while Peyton Mann being tabbed the final NJAC Rookie of the Week. “We finished the season ranked ninth in the country and made it all the way to the Elite Eight in the NCAA National Championship, the farthest any New Jersey team made it this fall,” said LaFronz. “We compiled a 19-4 record and had several individual accomplishments along the way. We had four First Team All NJAC Players; Jenna Patrone, Melissa Way, Erin Donnelly and Belly Reynoso plus Taylor Hutchins received Honorable Mention honors. Belly Reynoso also made NJAC Rookie of the Year as she had a stellar year in the cage for the Cougars. And Way tied the school record for most goals in a season with 28.” LaFronz had additional comments on the teams success. “Our players worked extremely hard throughout the season,” said LaFronz. “But more importantly than that, they worked year round in the weight room, doing plyos in the spring and playing in tournaments in the off season.”