VALENTINES DAY PERSONAL ADS make IT perSonaL! FREE ❤ See page 2 The Tower www.kean.edu/~thetower Kean University’s stUDENT NEWSPAPER Volume 9 • Issue 7 Jan. 28-Feb. 10, 2009 OBAMA BEGINS! Kean Embraces Obama’s Inaugural BY DAWN M. PHILLIPS was, he replied: “Perfect.” Dr. Baker wasn’t the only person from s Dr. Bailey Baker of Kean Univer- Kean who was able to witness the event. Asity watched the inauguration from Some students boarded buses to attend. Union Station in Washington, D.C., he Back at Kean, the University Center could not help but be overwhelmed. was the place to be to watch the Inaugu- “A rush came over me,” the Department ral address. From 11:00am until the early of Communication professor said. “I broke evening, the cafeteria, student lounge, down in tears. The spirit of Martin Luther and lobby were filled with students who King’s birthday on January 19th, and watched the TV screens with live coverage now Obama’s inauguration on the 20th is of the event. what got me. I had a feeling of hope and As he was sworn in, students, faculty, of expectation.” and staff cheered and applauded in his With tears of joy and smiles on faces of all races, Jan.20 was an historic day for many. Dressed in a navy blue suit, and a “I hAd A feeling Of hOpE and Photo by Dawn M. Phillips STUDENTS WATCH THE OBAMA INAUGURATION IN THE UC ON JANUARY 20. red tie, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United Of ExpEctAtION”—Dr. BailEy BakEr States of America, the nation’s first Afri- can-American president. honor. Some laughed and snickered as According to CNN, 8,000 police, 10,000 Obama thanked Bush for “his service to Money 101, the College Edition National guards, 1,000 FBI agents, the our nation as well as the generosity and Secret Service, Homeland Security, The cooperation he has shown throughout BY ROBERT M. PEREIRA A minimum of 10 percent of your monthly National Park service, and the United this transition.” income should be put away. According to States Capitol police attended to ensure Many students stuck around to watch U.S. employers slashed more than Lamb, there are three levels of savings: that everything went accordingly. the parade which begun around 2:30pm 500,000 jobs in November, the biggest emergency fund, short term goals, and Millions of people watched from the along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washing- decline in over 30 years. Economists pre- long term goals. National Mall, on the steps of the Lincoln ton D.C. dict 2009 will be as rough as 2008, if not Memorial, at the United States Capitol When asked how he felt after watching worse. Some economists predict that the building, and all over Washington, D.C. as the inauguration, Kirk Blackwell, a junior economy could lose as many jobs in the EvEry tIME yOu Apply fOr new President Obama—the man with a psychology major said,” I feel good about first six months of 2009 as it did in all of A StOrE crEdIt cArd, yOur white mother and a black father from Ke- this; it couldn’t be on a better day. Martin 2008. Nearly 2 million jobs have been lost nya—showed the world that times have Luther King’s birthday was yesterday, this since the start of the recession last year. pErSONAl INfOrMAtION IS definitely changed. is a big movement and I can’t wait to see With the bad economy serving as a Dr. Baker said he took the train to what happens.” backdrop, Trina Lamb, vice president of At rISk. the event and met with friends who had Many community tables were set up Primerica Financial Services, recently gave tickets, but entrance was still based on in the University Center lobby. Among a presentation to Kean students sponsored “It’s not how much you make, it’s what a first come-first serve basis and when them was a Rock the Vote table. Gray T- by the College of Business and Public Ad- you’re doing with it that counts,” said he arrived early morning Tuesday, he shirts with Obama’s face and the “Rolling ministration that offered students some Lamb. found people had already been waiting on Stones” etched along the side were on sale secrets to financial success. By investing $25 a week at 10 percent line three hours. He then returned for $15. “The great thing about money is money beginning at age 22 by the time you are to Union Station where thousands cel- Emily Zemlansky, a UCC staff member makes money,” said Lamb. age 57, you would have approximately ebrated together as they watched on video said,” Faculty, staff, and students have She explained the importance of bud- $1.6 million. screens as Obama was sworn into office. been purchasing many of the t-shirts. A geting and investing. You must begin sav- Credit cards are the enemy. In 2008, 1.8 He described the mood as jubilant and portion of the proceeds will go to the “Rock ing now in order to see the benefits later. million people filed (Continued on page 4) inspirational. When asked how the day the Vote” campaign.” (Continued on page 4) INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER: What was your New Year’s resolution, and are you keeping it? BY KELLEY PENNISI Dana Doyle Beth Lugra Talaya Simpson Jennifer Lantier “My New Year’s resolution is to get “My New Year’s resolution was to lose “My New Year’s resolution is to try “My New Year’s Resolution is to try and good grades and keep them up. I got 10 pounds. I have been trying to go and stay positive throughout the entire be healthy and have more energy. I good grades last semester.” the gym as much as I can.” year.” have kept up with it so far.” Parked Cars Out 2 Newark’s Ironbound District 6 What Exactly Are Vitamins? 10 Eating Well in Union 3 Editorial & Anger Management 8 Horoscope & Crossword 10 Music Review 4 Smoking in Public Places 9 Women’s & Men’s Basketball 12 2 January 28, 2009 | The Tower Kean Neighbors Kick Out Parked Cars BY CARLOS M REYNOSA the residents may have back fired because decided to park their cars on Irvington However, there was very little the Hill- the residents have to pay a fee to be per- Avenue and Wilder Street. Most students side Police department could do to dis- Don’t even think about parking your car mitted to park their own cars in front of found this convenient because the East courage students because no ordinance in the neighborhood next to the recently their own houses. Campus shuttle is available to drive them was in place to restrict on-street park- reopened East Campus. “Unfortunately because these streets to the Main Campus or they can simply ing. Following complaints, the police sent After receiving countless complaints walk to East Campus with no troubles. out a survey about whether Hillside and circulating a survey amonf residents, However, as a result, of the students’ ac- should adopt an ordinance that permits the Hillside Township Council adopted an CarS wIthOut A pErmit fAcE tions, the residents of the neighborhoods parking in the area to only residents and ordinance on Jan. 8 prohibiting parking then faced the same problem that Kean their guests of non-resident cars in the neighborhood A $25 fINE. students faced, which was where could “We received many complaints from the near the campus. Students were greeted they park their cars? residents of Wilder street and Irvington with the news last week when they arrived are now permit parking, we have to inflict Some residents were forced to drive Avenue about the over flow of parking on Wilder and Irvington Avenues and saw these laws,” said one Hillside police officer, around their own neighborhood for hours caused by the Kean University students signs banning parking . “From Monday through Friday we will be looking for a parking spot because the so we sent a survey, in which the majority Cars without a permit face a $25 fine, checking cars that are parked on Wilder students had not taken spaces in front rule in favor of to have permit parking,” whether the owner of the car is from a Street and Irvington Avenue for permits.” of their homes. Some residents reported said an officer with the Hillside Police. Kean University student or a resident of Last semester, with the reopening of passing their own houses several times be- the neighborhood. However the efforts of the renovated East Campus, students had fore finding a parking spot. Enrollment: A Quick Look at the Numbers PICK UP THE TOWER AT THESE LOCATIONS: BY JILL JOHNSON Though it appears that the Spring num- way, and now students and faculty are • Administration Building, bers are far behind Spring 2008, Stephen watching enrollment, curious about what First floor lobby Students and faculty received e-mails Hudik, Kean spokesman, said the current will happen. As students were still regis- over the winter break about student en- numbers are compared to the final regis- tering for and dropping classes, the final • Bruce Hall, rollment for the Spring 2009 semester, tration numbers in Spring 2008, calcu- enrollment numbers are not available. The First Floor Lounge along with comparisons to the Spring lated after the registration and the drop/ last day to register, add a class or drop a 2008 student enrollment. Students and add period closed.