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(09/28/05 12:00pm)
When Rachel Ruggiero, senior nursing major, goes about her day on campus, fellow students and professors often stop her, greeting her with a name other than her own. But that's just a normal day in the life of Rachel and her twin sister Christina, also a student at the College.
Although Rachel expressed that this can be a cumbersome part of being twins on a college campus, she also said that it can be exciting and fun to see and hear people's reactions.
"A lot of people don't even know that I have a twin sister on campus and since Christina and I have different majors, people think we are the same person," Rachel said.
Rachel's days are made even more interesting by the fact that her younger sister, Lori, also attends the College. Lori, a sophomore civil engineering and English major, said living on campus with her sisters helped with the college transition.
"It definitely made the transition easier because it was like having a little bit of home here," Lori said.
Christina, senior biology major, said she likes having her sisters on campus.
"Having my sisters on campus allows us to become even closer," she said. "We get to see each other a lot."
Rachel said that coming to the College was her individual choice as well as Christina's.
"Christina and I applied to five of the same schools and we both ended up liking this one best," she said.
For Lori however, the fact that her sisters attend the College was a deciding factor.
"I get homesick a lot, so it is good to have them around," she said. "My parents did encourage me a little bit to go to the same school because I love to be with my family."
According to Rachel and her sisters, the positive points of having siblings on campus definitely outweigh the negative.
"It's great," Rachel said. "The fact that you know someone is always there for you no matter what, and although we have made
good friends here, it's always nice to have a sister around."
A couple of the friends Rachel talked about are Jocelyn and Jasmine Charl?n, another set of twins that actually live in the same townhouse as the Ruggieros.
Jocelyn, a senior nursing major, said living together is the best.
"It's great because you know you always have someone there for you that will support you," Jocelyn said.
For these twins, nothing comes as a surprise. According to Jasmine, a senior nursing major, the reactions they get on campus range anywhere from, "What a big surprise," to "Gosh, are you attached at the hip?" When faced with these reactions, the Charl?n twins realize how close they have become and that what others say doesn't change how they feel about one another.
"We just say that we love it, and that we are happy," Jocelyn said. "We figure that the majority of our lives, we probably won't be living together, so we should enjoy it while we can."
Besides having a familiar face to turn to on campus, the Charl?n twins said having a sister on campus also has other benefits.
"You can live with someone you are comfortable with since you have lived with them all your life," Jasmine said. "And you can share clothes and books (since we have the same major)."
In addition, having a few extra friends on campus is never a complicated task for these twins.
"We know twice as many people, and then we introduce each other to them," Jasmine said.
When it comes to having a best friend on campus, these girls are not the only siblings that have a companion nearby. Keith and Kenny Lucas, junior philosophy majors, said they are so used to being with one another that coming to college without each other was inconceivable.
"They say twins are inseparable, but me coming to the school with Keith is like going to school with my best friend," Kenny said.
Coming to college together was something the Lucas twins decided to do because of how close they are to one another, and for the advantages they felt it would give them. Kenny said the best thing about having his twin brother on campus is knowing that when he has a problem, he can always go to him for help and encouragement. Keith agreed, but added that being so close to his brother helps keep him in line.
"The best thing about having my brother on campus is that he is my best and worst critic," Keith said. "Just someone to hold me accountable. He has helped me grow as a person and intellectually."
For Keith and Kenny, the worst part of living with a sibling and, more specifically, a twin on campus is that it is difficult to establish a separate identity.
"I've become very comfortable with my relationship with Kenny," Keith said. "That alone makes it difficult for me to break out of that, to find my own friends or do my own things."
Finding an identity, however, is not a difficult task for Jonathan and Laura Cataldi. Jonathan, senior Spanish education major, and his freshman sister, Laura, health and exercise science major, both take classes at the College.
"It's cool having my sister go here," Jonathan said. "I live off campus so we really don't see each other much, but when we do, it's cool because we can hang out together."
In addition, Jonathan and Laura had very separate reasons for coming to the College. Jonathan said he came to the College because it was his first choice academically and because it was well respected for its teaching program. Laura's motive was a little different.
"I came to this school because it has one of the best lacrosse teams in the country and I wanted to play for (the College)," she said.
For Jonathan and Laura, having one another on campus serves a lot of practical and emotional needs.
"Since I'm older and came to school when she was a sophomore in high school, I didn't really see her too much," Jonathan said. "Now, if we need something, we are here for each other."
The Cataldis agree that they have not experienced any negatives attending the same college.
"So far, knock on wood, there haven't been any bad points," Jonathan said. "We don't see each other enough to really have any issues."
(09/21/05 12:00pm)
A crowd of people swarmed around Sen. John Kerry Sept. 10 when he delivered a speech at a house gathering in support of Sen. Jon Corzine, Democratic candidate for governor.
The event was held in Lawrenceville and Kerry's featured speech took place on the patio in the backyard. Among the many supporters who went to see Kerry speak were 10 members of the TCNJ College Democrats.
According to Matthew Civiletti, president of TCNJ College Democrats, the turnout for the gathering was exceptional, with approximately 70 people in attendance. Everyone who attended was in support of not only Corzine, but also the Democratic Party as a whole.
Civiletti, who said he was extremely excited to have been at the gathering, also expressed his joy in being able to meet Kerry face to face.
"It was a very inspiring moment," Civiletti said. "His speech, and meeting with him and shaking his hand."
Civiletti was not the only person who was given the chance to meet with Kerry, and some people were even able to walk away with a souvenir.
"I shook his hand and I got his autograph," Mike Skepner, secretary of the TCNJ College Democrats, said. "I've been a longtime fan of Kerry, so it was a great opportunity to get his signature."
In addition to meeting with Kerry, the members of the organization were also able to see Kerry in a different light - off of the television and up close.
Daniel Beckelman, vice president of publicity and communications for the organization, said that meeting Kerry and hearing him speak was a very exciting experience for him, not only because he agrees with Kerry on many issues, but also because he got to see Kerry off-camera.
"I learned that the senator is more personable than he was portrayed in the election," Beckelman said. "I also have a lot of respect for him to come to New Jersey and speak on behalf of Corzine."
Echoing this sentiment, Sharon Kohn, vice president of outreach for the TCNJ College Democrats, said she was ecstatic to meet Kerry, who is a political superstar in her eyes, yet in person seems so down to earth.
"I think meeting Kerry reinforced that even the most powerful people in politics are just like you and me - very personable and are concerned about the issues our nation faces," she said.
Kerry spoke on the war in Iraq, the environment and Democratic moral values, issues that gained the support of many of the members of the TCNJ College Democrats.
"He very briefly discussed the war in Iraq, he actually kind of joked about it," Kohn said. "I basically agreed on his views."
She said he also discussed immigration, which was interesting to her since it is such a hot button issue.
According to Civiletti, when Kerry spoke on moral values, he basically discussed the ways in which the Bush administration had used moral values against the Democratic Party, acting as if Democrats do not possess any moral values.
"Kerry said that Bush used moral values in his campaign as a slogan," Civiletti said. "He said that Democrats also have moral values and so Democrats should say, 'These are my values too,' and not let them think it is only Republicans who have values."
Civiletti said that in defense of this argument, Kerry explained how he had read the New Testament of the Bible because that is what Bush had based his moral values on, and that in his reading he did not find a single part that does not talk about helping the poor.
"He talked about how ridiculous it is that Republicans claim to have moral values, but still give tax cuts to the wealthy," Civiletti said.
According to Beckelman, Kerry also spoke about an active reform of the Democratic Party.
"He talked a lot about rebuilding the Democratic Party, and generally that's our goal," Beckelman said.
Although they realize the goal of rebuilding the Democratic Party will take a lot of time to carry out, members of the TCNJ College Democrats see a brighter future ahead for their party.
"It was interesting to see the different Democratic political elites talk about the direction of the Democratic Party," Skepner said. "I think we are going in the right direction, as Kerry pointed out in his speech. One by one I think we will convince the public that in 2008, the Democratic Party is the right party for America."
(09/29/04 12:00pm)
When the College's art department opened the Holman Hall doors to its "Art Faculty Exhibition" Sept. 15, the College gained a New York-like art gallery on-campus.
"All of the work in the exhibition is highly creative, technically exceptional and worthy of display in any New York gallery," Judy Masterson, art gallery director, said. "In fact, one of the people who attended the opening reception remarked that walking into the room was like being in a New York City art gallery."
According to the College's Web site, the 22 pieces displayed in the gallery make up a wide range of art, including drawings, computer graphics and animation, sculptures, paintings and ceramics.
Each of the faculty members were asked to contribute two of their recent works to the gallery. Judy Masterson, art gallery director, said there were 22 art exhibits in the gallery this year.
Masterson said she felt the artwork contributed this year was worthy of being displayed in a famous gallery because of the uniqueness and originality of each of them.
Ruane Miller, professor of art and creator of "On-Fire-Monsoon at Sunset," said the wide variety of art contributed this year was part of the reason the exhibition was such a success.
"I think this exhibit exemplifies both the wide range of media and concept and the high professional level of the work created by the art department's faculty," Miller said.
Miller's original background in art was in traditional media painting/screen painting. She said about 20 years ago she began studying the computer and using it as an artistic tool and has used the computer to create art ever since.
"Computer technology has changed and improved dramatically since then," she said. "It continues to offer exciting challenges and rewards to artists. I can't imagine not creating on the computer. And I can't imagine not creating on paper and canvas. It's the best of both worlds."
Some of the other art in the exhibit include "From Darkness to Daylight" by Ricardo Miranda Zuniga, digital artist and faculty member, "Life Catalog" by Anita Allyn, associate professor of art; "Paunch" by Hannah Fink; "Princess" and "Balance" by Craig Blaha, associate director of Information Policy, Security and Web Development for Information Technology, and "While you were Dancing" by Elizabeth Mackie, associate professor or art.
Zuniga's art uses digital and 3-D animation to show the history of Bowery New York City using several forms of art, while Allyn's is a collage of images of everything she owns in the color yellow.
According to Masterson, Michael Madigan, adjunct professor of art and creator of "Rath" and "Silence at Glendelough," draws his passion for art from his yearly visits to Ireland.
"He goes to Ireland every summer and that is the inspiration for most of his artwork," Masterson said.
Fink submitted her artwork as part of a series she has been working on involving the body.
"I started off doing the series on the interior of the body which was more traditional, on paper, flat drawings with color," Fink said. "Then, I wanted it to be more three-dimensional and so I feel like that piece and that series is more about the skin in between the inside and the outside."
Natalie Disantis, junior art education major and art gallery assistant, said she was impressed with what the faculty contributed this year. Having the professors' art on display is one of the best ways to see a professor in a different light, she said.
"I think the show came together nicely," Disantis said. "It's like getting to know (the art professors) better as people. When you get to see their work, it gives you a better idea about what they do. You usually see them in a formal setting, then you come down here and see their work. It's a neat experience."
Donna Hernandez, junior education and English major, said she also had a wonderful time looking through the art exhibits because each piece of art was distinct and unique. However, Hernandez said there was one work of art that caught her eye.
This piece was Fink's artwork, "Paunch."
"I liked this piece of art especially," Hernandez said. "It was different. I really liked the type of material the artist used to construct this piece because it felt so real when I touched it. I wanted to go over to it and touch it because I could not explain what it was. It was unusual, yet unique at the same time, and I was just drawn to it."
Other contributing artists to the exhibit include: Lois Fichner-Rathus, chairperson of the art department, Wendell Brooks, professor of art, Fanky Chak, assistant professor of art, Ken Kaplowitz, associate professor of art, Chuck McVicker, assistant professor of art, Bill Nyman, assistant professor of art, Bruce Rigby, professor of art, and Phil Sanders, associate professor of art.
"We are a diverse group of artists who share a passion for making art and teaching art," Miller said. "It's an important adjunct to our students' education to see what we create in our studios, to see us beyond our roles in the classroom and to appreciate the variety of art that is produced by its faculty."
The exhibition will be on display through Oct. 6.
(09/15/04 12:00pm)
Imagine living right upstairs, or right next door to your own office. While others are used to a long commute to get home after a long day's work, Complex Coordinator Sean Stallings lives a few steps away from his office at Townhouses West.
Stallings, like six other residence directors who work on the campus, lives on campus and does his job from home, which for him is right downstairs.
According to John Stafford, director of residence life and residential community development, and supervisor of residence directors, there are six live-in residence directors.
"Four go by the title 'residence director' and the others by 'complex coordinator,'" Stafford said.
Stallings lives in Townhouses East along with his spouse, and is in charge of the residents and policies that exist there. "We need to live on campus because some of our job expectations require us to be quickly and easily accessible," Stallings said. "Some of our responsibilities include responding to overnight crises from residential students and facilities emergencies."
According to Stallings, each residence director is given a particular building that he or she is basically in charge of and lives in that area.
Another live-in on campus, Gretchen Reyes, supervisor and assistant director to Stafford, lives in Townhouses West along with her husband and son. Stallings said it is nice to have Reyes on the campus with her son because students like the fact that someone a lot younger than them lives in the same building.
"Students find it nice when they realize there is a small child in the neighborhood," Stallings said. "They don't get that a lot."
Not only does Stallings make sure that students are supervised, he makes sure to involve himself on a professional and sometimes personal level with the residents.
"My job also includes conducting judicial meetings with students who are in violation of a policy," he said. "I'm responsible for developing programming models for students.
It includes monitoring budgets and advising hall government. I am also available anytime a student just needs to talk, that is why we have to live here, there's just so much that we do."
Part of having the residence directors live on campus and spend this much time with the students is because, as Stafford said, "research shows us that having professionals live on campus means you have more experience and more qualifications to handle significant issues that may come up."
Stafford agrees that the constant exposure of residence directors as part of the College neighborhood will better the community because residence directors are actually living on campus and so it is their community as well.
According to Stallings, the best part of his job is getting to communicate with the residents in a more efficient way. "I do enjoy it," Stallings said. "It allows me to better communicate because I feel I have a better pulse on the campus community."
Stallings said living in his apartment on campus is great because not only does he have the time to spend with residents outside of class, which gives him a better understanding of the students and their needs, but he gets to live in an apartment with all facilities included.
"We do make an honest salary and our apartment is factored into our total compensation," Stallings said. "When you think of all the amenities, which is everything we are given, you think, okay, I am living in Central Jersey in a two-bedroom apartment with electricity, I have cable TV, access to the Internet, laundry facilities - one can conceivably save about roughly $1,200 a month."
Aside from the educational and economical advantages, Stallings said he said he likes living on campus because it reminds him of his own college years.
"Absolutely, people mistake me for a student because of our position," Stallings said. "Not many students know about it; not many professionals know about it. Many think we are CA's (community advisors) because that is who they have most contact with."
Since many students are unaware that there is actually someone behind the scenes in almost all of the residence buildings on campus, Stallings agrees that it is difficult to explain to students what his job actually entails.
Another difficult part of his job, Stallings said, is the fact that his work is never-ending. "When we go home, we're still working," Stallings said. "It's very important that someone in this position has the ability to establish boundaries, otherwise their personal lives can be consumed by work."
Stafford said that although many students are unaware of their existence, having the residence directors live on campus is certainly not a new thing. Although in the past, graduate students were in charge of the residence halls. "A couple of decades ago, or shorter than that, the halls were run by graduate students," Stafford said. "It wasn't uncommon."
Stallings and the rest of the residence directors continue to work "behind the scenes," to make the college community a more enjoyable and worthwhile place for all students. In the meantime, Stallings said living on campus keeps him young. "It reminds me that there is much to learn as well as much to teach."
(10/07/03 12:00pm)
English professor Catie Rosemurgy introduced poet Mark Bibbins as "dangerous."
"So the question on all your minds must be," she said, "what is so dangerous about Mark Bibbins?"
According to Rosemurgy, Bibbins' poetry is challenging. "The predictable assurances of time and space, of a kind god in his heaven, of a noble and reliable self, of feeling at all O.K. the next day, are conspicuously missing from his poetry," Rosemurgy said.
"In his poems," she added, "everyone is a part of an endless American city in which we have become old enough to know better but not old enough to settle down." To her, that is what makes Bibbins' poetry great.
"Actually, he is a wonderful guy," Rosemurgy said, "but his poems are unsafe."
Bibbins began his reading with a poem by Alley Sheedy. "I am not a cornchip I tell her, and I'm not," Bibbins read aloud. The crowd chuckled at the poet's sarcastic wit.
He went on to recite a number of original poems from his first full-length collection, "Sky Lounge."
Bibbins lives in New York City where he teaches writing workshops at The New School. He has appeared in several journals including Poetry, Boston Review and The Yale Review.
Bibbins drew a large crowd at the Kendall Hall Black Box theater, sharing some of his greatest pieces of work, including "Fledglings," "Groupie" and "Jersey," among many others.
Bibbins said he had felt honored to have such a big audience.
"In New York, there are a lot more options," Bibbins said. "People are a little more jaded so they don't get out to the readings 'cause there are too many other things to do. Theater, movies."
Bibbins was invited to speak as a part of the Visiting Writers Series, a student-run program committed to expanding the campus literary community. As a main part of the program, nationally acclaimed authors are invited to the College to read their work and share their experiences as writers.
Many of the students involved in the program said they loved the readings and were glad they got a chance to see Bibbins express himself through his poetry.
"As a part of the Community of Writers class, it was really nice to see such a wonderful crowd come out tonight," Jennifer Rock, sophomore English major, said. "I think there was a great outcome, and I hope more students continue to share in these experiences with us because they are exhilarating and fun."
In every line of poetry that he read, Bibbins let a bit of his passion spill over into the audience, leaving everyone speechless.
"Mark Bibbins was like an M80 under water," Eric Conrad, senior English major, said.
(09/23/03 12:00pm)
When Jo Kadlecek went for a walk on the beach with her husband one day, she realized that she was walking amidst the two things she had feared most in life - the ocean and men. That is when Kadlecek decided to write about her experience, which later turned into the first chapter of her book, "Fear."
According to Kadlecek, adjunct journalism professor, "Fear" is a thematic memoir that focuses her fear of relationships and water as she faced them at various times in her life. For Kadlecek, writing the book was not just putting words on a piece of paper. It was a realization of her life.
"I think I've been 'writing' a lot of this most of my life, in that I've lived through these stories," Kadlecek said.
Kadlecek said that although this book was one of the greatest works she has ever committed herself to, it was also a very frightening experience.
"This book was both terrifying to write, and completely exhilarating because it forced me to think hard about some difficult personal issues and then find a way to tell them with the best language I could," Kadlecek said.
According to Kadlecek, writing a memoir can be one of the most challenging ordeals for a writer because the subject is usually personal and vulnerable.
"I often felt like there were some stories I didn't want to write," she said. "The doubts that rise from telling your own story, wondering if it's even worth telling, can be quite daunting."
For Kadlecek, each day she sat down to continue writing her book was either a new and exciting adventure to explore, or another obstacle she had yet to overcome.
"It changed each day," she said. "Some days, it was exciting, some days it was therapeutic, and some days, I was so sick of myself that I had to get out of the apartment."
When an interested editor had first mentioned the idea of writing a memoir to Kadlecek, one of her main concerns was that she was too young to be writing a memoir.
"When he asked, I laughed at him in response thinking, I was a journalist first. I told the stories of others," she said. However, the experiences of her own life willed her to begin writing it and after six months, her book was ready to be published.
Aside from the many questions she hopes her book will raise for individuals, Kadlecek hopes it will give fellow writers a sense of encouragement to try writing and experience different styles of writing.
"I believe the more experience writers can have in all genres, whether journalism, public relations, essays, poetry, fiction, screenplays, you name it, the stronger your writing will be," Kadlecek said.
Although "Fear" has become a significant piece of writing in Kadlecek's life, it was not the first book she has written and is certainly not her last. "Fear is about the eighth or ninth book I've written, but it's my first memoir," she said. "I've written a lot of creative non-fiction, including acting as a ghostwriter."
Currently, Kadlecek is in the process of writing a novel that is due out next year. Kadlecek feels that writing fiction is a lot more fun and less painful than a memoir.
"It's like taking a trip with some very quirky characters and having no idea where they're going to take you," Kadlecek said. "You watch and listen to them and in the process are quite entertained."
While Kadlecek's book teaches others about their individual lives as well as her own, it also serves as a tool to exhibit the meaning of writing and so, Kadlecek leaves her readers with this bit of advice.
"Writing is not just about developing the craft. It's about learning to live well and responsibly with what we've been given because then our lives - our thinking, our questions - will spill over into our writing and give our readers something to take with them," Kadlecek said.
"Fear" can be found in the required reading section of the bookstore.
(08/25/03 12:00pm)
Students at the College will no longer need to be as concerned about social security number (SSN) theft. According to Frank Cooper, director of Records and Registration at the College, students will now have a choice in protecting themselves and their identies. "You have a choice now," Cooper said. "That's what we wanted to do."
As of June 16, the College changed its identification system from using a SSN as a primary identifier to an eight-digit number called the TCNJ ID.
According to Cooper this new identification number can be easily accessed by logging on to The Electonic Student Services website (TESS) with the student's SSN and Personal Identification Number.
Once accessed, students have the option of logging on by using either their SSN or thier TCNJ IDs.
According to Cooper, there have always been concerns from different constituents at the College about using SSN as a primary identifier. There is a risk of theft or security breeches.
Cooper said that in order to ensure the protection of all identities, there would be no visible
SSN available to anyone on campus.
"Even if a student goes to an office like Records and Registrations and they cannot remember their TCNJ ID number, they can give the clerk their SSN," Cooper said. "When the clerk types the number in, the only number that will appear on the screen is the new TCNJ ID."
According to Cooper there has been an ongoing debate over which number to use as an identifier.
"The SSN is convenient, but in this day in age, it has become more important to protect identity," Cooper said.
Students, however, are not convinced that the change is the most convenient way to ensure security.
"I didn't mind putting in my SSN, it's easier to remember," Eric Cross, junior management major, said. "If you can still use it, then I don't care, but remembering a new number would be a pain in the butt."
Although this new identification system has been implemented, Cooper advises the students and faculty that the College will continue to collect SSN.
This information is essential for some federal and state business processes such as Financial Aid, government policies and required reporting.
"This is phase one of the new ID system," Cooper said. "It does not replace the SSN."
According to Cooper this change to the TCNJ ID affects only programs such as TESS, The Advising Registration and Transcript Information Exchange (ARTIE), and The Student Information System (SIS). Cooper ensures that the new ID system will only improve the services for students at the College.
"We are confident that this change will help us to continue to serve our students' needs, while ensuring the protection of your identity," Cooper said.
(08/25/03 12:00pm)
This summer was the summer from hell.
Whoever said getting an easy job for a few extra bucks was simple obviosly has never been in my shoes.
I had the worst experience working not as an itern (i.e. slave) for a big company but rather, get this, RETAIL!
I would wake up every morning at 9:00 a.m. just to rush out of my house and be at work to start my 9:30 shift.
I was cashier in a little clothing store where everywhere I turned I would be ridiculed for not speaking Spanish.
Sometimes the store would get so full that I literally would panic to the point of exhaustion.
One of the worst parts of it all were the countless hours I would be on my feet. A 10- hour day would seem like an eternity and when I went home, I could barley walk because my feet hurt from standing all day.
I was made a cashier the second day I worked, and was expected to know everything about the store and the cash register all at once.
When I made a mistake, the boss was constantly on my back.
Then one day, something happpened. I was at the register and had been working for six hours already and had not taken my break yet.
I would work till closing that night which meant another six hours. I was getting sick from not eating all day.
So, I went to my boss and asked him if I could take my break and he said that was fine.
At the time I was in the middle of putting some new clothes out on the floor. I left them on the counter until I could finish after my break. I also left a bag of hangers on the floor. I only had a half-hour for lunch anyway.
My boss became so furious that I had left these things out, that he told me to go home for the rest of the week.
I took that as his way of firing me so I called him up and quit.
Later on he called back and offered the job to me again. I accepted, not because I wanted to continue working, but because I needed the money.
I did more work than any other person there and I receive credit credit for it. Since I was the only girl working there that knew how to speak English fluently, I was responsible for the register, talking to customers, helping with the floor plans and making displays, and getting the clothes ready to be put out on the floor. All the other girls would have one of those jobs to do.
I was also the only one in the store to take any initiatve to do anything. All the other women would just wait around until the boss told them what to do.
I was pretty hurt that, of all people, I was almost fired. For the work that I did there, I should have been paid a lot more, but it was quick cash and I couldn't be without money.
Do you know what its like to do such hard work and take home a check of $300 every two weeks? It doesn't feel too good.
I would have rather worked in an office where I could sit and use my brain all day rather than the physical labor I put up with in that store.
Anyway, no matter how horrible my retail job had been, it did serve its purpose.
I made money. Also, I managed not to be a total bum for the entire summer.
It wasn't easy, it wasn't fun, but it was a paycheck.
(04/22/03 12:00pm)
As part of the efforts to close a projected multi-billion dollar gap in the states' budget for the Fiscal years (FY) '03 and '04, significant cuts in state funding of N.J. higher education institutions have been proposed for the upcoming year, beginning July 1, according to the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities Web site.
These budget cuts will impact the state colleges or universities in their ability to remain available to many constituencies and especially those students who plan to attend these colleges or universities.
Demands for a full-time residential experience at colleges in New Jersey have increased more than ever before. Because of these increases, state colleges have lost billions of dollars each year.
Estimated in 1992, with the money put in revenue for tution, room and board, and other misellaneous expenses, New Jersey has lost over $1.5 billion.
FY 2004 state budgets proposes a 12 percent cut to state colleges.
By next semester, the additional loss will be up about $12 million.
By 2004, the new budget will be approximately $35 million less than in 2003.
Over the next two years, basic state support for the nine state colleges could be reduced up to $102.6 million.
No state funding is recommended for FY 2003 Cost Of Living (COL) as well as for deferred maintanence, renovation, preservation and rehabilitation projects or construction projects.
"We are limiting many fiscal maintenance projects," Gitenstein Gitenstein, President of the college said. The reason why project buildings will not be limited is because those buildings are not funded by state funds, but rather by bonds. If the money from the bonds is not being used to finance the buildings, the school will lose that money.
Other actions taken at TCNJ will include consolidating administration and staff positions, while increasing the number of faculty positions. Also, there will be a limiting of money for travel and other personal expenses and a hold will be put on the implementation of the new student information system.
Colleges and universitities will be expected to provide the extra funds to cover tuition increases for the neediest students through a program called the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG). This program requires all coleges in the state to provide additional funding or institutional grants to those students involved between 2002 and 2003.
However, according to Barbara Gitenstein, the president of the college, while there is a slight increase in student aid, many parents and students will end up paying a lot more money.
"Because tuitions and fees have increased, the out of the pocket costs for parents and students have grown tremendously. Because of the gap between what state provides in these financial programs and the actual costs at schools," Gitenstein said.
For FY year 2003, the cost of this program is an estimated $1.6 million for all colleges or universities.
In Montclair University, for FY 2003 their appropriations budget is calculated as $5,966,000 and by FY 2004 it will decrease by almost $8,000 or 12.08% to equal $5, 237,000. Numbers for Kean start at $40,187,000 in 2003 and will be cut 11.99 percent to $34, 246,000 by fall of next year. New Jersey City University is calculated to be cut almost $4 million by 2004 from $32, 421,000.
According to Barbara Gitenstien, President of the college, while these numbers include a substantial increase in fringe benefits, these are increases that institutions did not negotiate and they are funds that cannot be used for operations.
"The increase goes direclty to the employee," Gitenstein said.
All colleges including The College of New Jersey will be experiencing an 11 to 12 percent decrease in budget for the upcoming years. TCNJ will lose $4, 532,000 in FY 2004, an 11.95% decrease from 2003. Also, additional funds for scholarships will be reduced. For instance, Funding for Higher Education Endowment Fund is expected to be eliminated along with scholarships for the Outstanding Scholars Recruitment Program, in order to save $3.5 million in the state.
Effects of State Budget Reductions
Direct State Services
FY 2004 state budget proposes a 12% ($34.6 million) cut to state colleges and universities.
FY 2003 Appropriations
FY 2004 Recommendation
Difference
Percent Change
Thomas Edison
$5,966,000
$5,237,000
-$729,000
-12.2%
Rowan University
$38,951,000
$34,246,000
-$4,705,000
-12.1%
New Jersey City University
$32,421,000
$28,535,000
-43,886,000
-12.0%
Kean University
$40,187,000
$35,387,000
-$4,800,000
-11.9%
William Paterson University
$41,103,000
$36,145,000
-$4,958,000
-12.1%
Montclair State University
$46,306,000
$40,709,000
-$5,597,000
-12.1%
The College of New Jersey
$37,920,000
$33,388,000
-$4,532,000
-12.0%
Ramapo College of New Jersey
$20,265,000
$17,790,000
-$2,475,000
-12.2%
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
$24,646,000
$21,684,000
-$2,962,000
-12.0%
State College/University Total
$287,765,000
$253,121,000
-$34,644,000
-12.0%
(04/08/03 12:00pm)
Students' voices were heard as a number of protesters gathered beside the sun dial outside of the student center last Wednesday, chanting "What do we want? Clock tower! When do we want it? Now!"
Signs reading "We Want the Clock Tower" and "Stop Wasting Our Money" were held in oppositon to the new school logo that many students claim they had been unaware of until the transformation was made.
"I never got the e-mail about it being changed. I went to check my e-mail one day, and I saw the new logo up where the old one had been," Kristen Bowers, senior technology education major, said. "That was my notification."
Robert Hedden, senior technology studies major, said his main purpose for attending the rally was to support the students since most had not been represented in the decision of the new logo.
"I only ask that you let other people know how you feel about it," David Niemierowski, graduate student in technology education said. "If you want to send a letter to President Gitenstein, go ahead and let her know. We all have an opinion."
"I think it has a lot to do with the fact that they didn't ask our permission," Doug Hill, senior technology education major, said. "A lot of schools they said have clock towers, but as David pointed out, there are more schools with the shield rather than the clock tower."
Hedden said while he believes in change, he felt more students should have been invloved in the decision.
"I think we need better student leadership on campus," Hedden said. "Our students leadership isn't currently voicing student opinions and concerns."
According to Niemierowski, the purpose of the rally was to get more students to voice their opinions about what is important to them as students at the College.
"Close to 2,000 people signed a petition against it, and although that is not the majority of the people on campus, it is a significant amount," Niemierowski said.
Many students also said they felt the new graphic identity did not represent them properly.
"That's not the logo of the school I applied to," Bowers said. "The logo is our identity and by them changing it, I don't feel the new logo represents me or the campus community."
"I think the college vastly underestimated the feeling of the campus community against the logo," Niemierowski said.
(04/01/03 12:00pm)
About 20 students and faculty members gathered in front of Green Hall last Thursday immediately following the anti-war teach-in, to be a part of the rally hosted by the Progressive Student Alliance (PSA).
All those involved held a candle to signify their stand against the war and to remember those who have died.
Mike Curry, member of PSA, said he was very happy with the turn-out at the rally.
"We weren't expecting a lot of people," Curry said. "I would have been happy if five people showed."
Signs and posters reading, "No war in Iraq," and "Start seeing Iraqi children," lay on the stairs in front of the building, as many students stood in front of the crowd to share their ideas and feelings about the war.
"We are not going to be silenced by propaganda of war," freshman PSA member Matt Richman said. "We are doing more than people sitting at home."
"Organizing on a campus and showing your existence is better than joining in a mass rally in a city because it shows people that resistance exists among your peers," Curry said.
Cynthia Paces, history professor and a member of the women's and gender studies program, congratulated the students for being a part of the rally and for helping others who are also against the war.
"This is very healing for them. Thank you for healing many people, and keep the faith," Paces said.
"It is so awesome that in PSA there are regular people who see injustices around them," Linda Hamdan, treasurer of the Islamic Society, said. "I'm so proud of them. It gives me so much comfort and support in what I believe."
Rachel Donohue, member of PSA, gave the crowd a few encouraging words. Donohue said everyone has the power to make a change and if they continue to work together, that change will be made.
"Each one of us has the ability to educate. Everyone here should stand up for what they believe," Donahue said. "Challenge what you hear. This doesn't stop here, it starts here. Go out and spread the message," she added.
Janet Gray, women's and gender studies professor, who addressed the crowd, said, "I'm up here to preach to the choir. The choir needs to be preached to. It's like your eating this incredibly nourishing meal. To be with others who feel like us, we need each other, to preach to each other."
(04/01/03 12:00pm)
A teach-in regarding the war with Iraq began last Thursday with a moment of silence in memory of those who have died during the war.
"We are deeply saddened by the deaths that have occurred . the deaths that will come," Alan Dawley, history professor, said.
Together, those in opposition to the war described their perspectives and participated by sharing songs and poetry as a means of encouragement. They linked arms and sang "We Shall Overcome."
Religious aspects as well as historical and ethical issues were addressed in the meeting, giving several students, faculty and members of student organizations the chance to express their views during the three-hour teach-in.
"We protest, because the invasion of Iraq is being carried out in our name to defend our freedom and the world's freedom, and they are not doing it in our name," John Landreau, modern language professor, said. "Protest is saying I do not consent to sending our troops to kill innocent people. This is not being done in my name."
"These are difficult times," Rev. Gabe Zeis said. "War is a horror and in Catholic religion, considered evil."
Zeis' main concern was whether or not the United States has the competent authority in this situation to declare war. Zeis questioned the decision of war with Iraq by challenging the intention of the Bush Administration and the absence of investigation of the needs or concerns of those involved in the war.
Manar Darwish, professor of modern languages and adviser of the Islamic society, explained her thoughts on the war from a Muslim perspective. Darwish said that although all people worship different things and have different ideas, many of the students in her classes think that the war is patriotic and troops should be given support. However, they rarely stop to think of where Islam stands in this war.
According to Darwish, the media has blown Islam out of proportion saying that it is in support of the war, when in fact, Islam preaches peace, not war.
"Jihad means struggle," Darwish said. "Struggle within ourselves, not struggle with war."
Shedding some humor on the event, Morton Winston, philosophy professor, explained his new meaning of "March Madness."
"We are going to ignore the U.N. to make it clear to Hussein that the U.N. cannot be ignored," Winston said. According to Winston, one of the most troubling features is that the Bush Administration sells the idea that it is necessary to remove Hussein in order to promote peace and stability.
"What if every nation on earth followed the same doctrine by invading other countries that might someday pose a threat?" Winston asked.
Hoda Rifai, sophomore member of the Muslim Students Association, spoke about the Islamic religion and the affect the war has had on it.
"As a Muslim and an American, I see a lot of injustice being done," Rifai said. According to Muhammed, you change injustice with your hands, or with your mind, but if not, with your words. I cannot change it with my hands because President Bush has already decided to go to war, but I can and will with my words tonight," she added.
"We are out here because we are patriotic. Suffering is something we have to care about," Landreau said.
(02/25/03 12:00pm)
According to Av Westin, executive of ABC News, the problem with journalism today is that men and women received their training in the last decade based on the bottom line. It seems all that the television journalism business is worried about is making money and making it fast.
"Their journalistic training has been formed by this bottom line mindset, and its very sad, I don't see it changing," Westin said.
Starting his career as a CBS radio-copy boy and later moving to 20/20 and then the ABC evening news, Westin has seen the transformation of television journalism through the years.
"I believe (television news) is on a downward spiral from which there will be no recovery," Westin said.
According to Westin, TV journalism has become more of a form of entertainment than an actual way of informing the public. News stations want to add something that will draw an audience and keep them watching. As Westin puts it, many TV journalists have gone down market, trying every tactic on the news to keep the ratings up, the public entertained and the money rolling in.
"In 1970, something very peculiar happened," Westin said. "In Sue City, a news channel received maximum ratings. It was found out that the local news was so satisfactory to the citizens that they stayed tuned in all night long."
Westin said that directly preceding this, news stations got the idea that they could make more money that way and so began to reduce the number of staffs and concentrate on making the news more appealing.
"Ratings are important," Westin said. "How do you raise ratings? Go down market. If the public likes Michael Jackson, put him on forever."
Station after station has gone down market and the bottom line or profit has trumped editorial line every time it occurred.
Westin's role as an executive is to decide what goes on the air, in what order and for how long. Westin said that at this time when all news stations were rushing down market, the only magazine company on the air was 60 Minutes. Westin said that most people favored 60 Minutes at that time.
"People would think, 'I haven't read a book all week or turned on the television, but if I watch 60 Minutes, oh, Lord! I am informed,'" Westin said.
After a while, 60 minutes had begun to move downward and not many people continued to watch it., Westin said.
"I was told to do something about it," Westin said. "I don't like to say I went down market, but I did go to entertainment. It was the first broadcast station that paid attention as news to the world of entertainment," he added.
According to Westin, it was successful, it worked and the ratings went up.
"It was indeed entertainment," Westin said. Although Westin reverted to amusing the public, he still remained grounded in what he thought was newsworthy entertainment.
"One criteria was there had to be content in the stories we did, but if we were going to get an audience to watch us, we had to give the audience candy," Westin said.
According to Westin, the best type of TV news coverage are stories. If someone can find a good story and tell it well, he or she will be a good TV journalist and will succeed in entertaining their audience.
"Find some entity you can tell about," Westin said. "I think you will find it to be useful and practical."
Westin said that the consistent problem he continues to witness in news is the inability of young men and women to put ideas together logically. Westin's advice to young journalists on this matter is, "I urge you all to read, fiction particularly, because sometimes you will be covering a story and something will be triggered in the back of your mind," Westin said. "Your job is then to put those ideas in a coherent manner so the viewer at home will walk away feeling like they learned something," he added.
"If you want to be on camera, for heaven's sake, you have to know how to write and tell me a story," Westin said. "I would clearly say go into the business. Don't let the bastards get you down. Get your training here and bring some intellect to the news."
According to Westin, as TV news continues to move in this downward position, more and more people will turn to other sources for news if they haven't already.
"As Internet penetration continues, you will see more and more people getting info off the Internet, because you don't have to sit in front of the TV or turn on the radio," Westin said.
One cannot overcome what the news has become, but no matter how bad the business becomes, if a person can look past that, the benefits are very rewarding,Westin added.