Trustees Fire Walter, Install Interim President in Surprise Move
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“Truth, No Matter The Cost” The Torch BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER IGNITING STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE VOLUME 26.. NO.1 TORCHBCC.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 Trustees Fire Walter, Install Interim President in Surprise Move ADRIANNA CABARALLO CO-EDITOR Michael Redmond was appointed as the college’s interim president on June 27, 2017 after B. Kaye Walter was fired. Not only were the students and faculty surprised by his appointment, but Redmond O.J. Simpson To Be himself was as well. He was Released from Prison offered the job not long before the BOT meeting. pg. 2 “It happened very quickly,” Redmond said. Before this, Redmond was getting ready to settle down and retire in Delaware. That day he was planning to drive down to Delaware where he would meet his family and guests at what was planned to become his retirement home. “It was funny that night [of the BOT meeting]. My car was packed, I was on my way to Delaware where we’re planning to retire eventually. We built our retirement home down there. We had a house full of guests,” he said. Redmond is unable to break free from BCC and does not have any real desire to do so just Keeping Up with yet. He has a long and extensive history with BCC and has served Trump multiple positions at the college. pg. 4 Redmond started his Interim President Michael Redmond // Adrianna Caraballo working at Bergen Community College in 1981 as an adjunct began to wind down his career, the most of it,” Redmond said. revamping the website, making it professor. A few years later but the opportunity to be interim During his time as the more user-friendly for students. he became a lecturer and an president had emerged. president of BCC, he believes he Redmond tried to register assistant professor of Philosophy “It’s part of my philosophy can make a change in the right himself as a student and found it and Religion. in life, opportunities present way. difficult: Navigating the website, After that, his role at themselves, you don’t always “I feel like I’m doing in general, was a challenge. With the school became more have to go chasing them, they something that can make a the fall enrollment dropping, administrative. He became a just seem to arise. The only difference if I do my job well, Redmond acknowledged that dean, then the college’s first choice is to take them or not,” so in that sense, I feel pretty something had to be done. CIO, Chief Information Officer. Redmond said. lucky right now, tired but lucky,” “I said to my staff here, we He also became the college’s This advice should be taken Redmond said. have to do a better job,” he said. Executive Vice President, a to heart by students who are Redmond has a number of Although it will take time, position which no longer exists. thinking about their future, no things planned; the main goal is currently a splash page is up One of his accomplishments was matter who they are or where to put the focus on students. He and running to make navigating assisting in building West Hall. they come from. wants to raise more money for the website a little easier for In 2008 he stepped down “What I want to say to scholarships and create a year- students. from the Executive Vice students is: you’re starting long series of events for BCC’s “Tell them, we know about President postion to get back a semester, and you may be 50th anniversary. It will take a it, we’re hearing them and we’re into the classroom. He began coming to the semester with all lot of planning and effort, but he trying to do something about it,” teaching online courses and kinds of attitudes and feelings. wishes to celebrate the college. Redmond said. wrote a few textbooks for his You might be scared, you might The biggest change A Split Nation students. At that point, Redmond be unsure of yourself, but make Redmond is making is Comes Together in the Moon’s Shadow Board Removes President, Buys Out Contract pg. 3 LESHAY JONES EDITOR IN CHIEF from faculty members who and in concord,” Otis said. On June 27, the Board of did not agree with her style of After Walter’s termination, Trustees held a meeting in which management. Due to this, the Redmond was put right to work they voted to fire President B. union representatives of the and one of his first orders of Kaye Walter. The reasoning faculty passed a no-confidence business was placing a sign behind her termination is unclear vote against Walter. over the speaker button, where seeing as there was “no cause,” According to Faculty Senate one had to request admittance according to the Board. chairman, Dr. Alan Kaufman, a through the adjacent one-way- Walter, who had served as the contract with the faculty union glass door, that says “Please head of the college since 2012, had been settled amicably and come in.” said that she was “surprised” fairly. Over the past few when she found out that her The board appointed Dr. months, some notable changes contract was in danger. The Michael Redmond, a former have been made under board voted to buy out Walter’s administrator and philosophy Redmond’s administration; such contract, paying her 12 months and religion professor who has as the new Bergen website splash of salary at around $225,000. worked at the college since 1981, page that is designed to make the “The board thanks Dr. as the new interim president. navigation of the website easier Walter for all of her service The board has full confidence for students. to the college. We will begin that Dr. Redmond and the The board is on the The Life of Chester the search for a new president current administrators will push lookout for a new president that Bennington, Linkin immediately,” said chairwoman Bergen forward and beyond. will help Bergen Community of the board of trustees, Carol “We are entering an age of College continue to soar. In the Park Legend Otis, in a prepared statement. transition, and we will preserve meantime, Dr. Redmond must pg. 8 When Walter’s contract was what is and what always has help lead the college towards last renewed in May 2014, the been good about the college. To greatness. Former President B. Kaye Walter // board received a lot of backlash do that, we must work in tandem bergen.edu Anime in American Drum Corps: Culture Marching Music’s pg. 11 Major League pg. 12 2 VOLUME 26 ISSUE 1| SEPTEMBER 2017 NEWSThe Torch O.J. Simpson To Be Released from Prison PURNASREE SAHA FEATURes EDITOR Nine years ago O.J. Simpson back. was sentenced for up to 33 years of After earning an athletic scholarship, imprisonment for armed robbery, assault Simpson attended the University of South with a deadly weapon and kidnapping in Carolina from 1967 to 1968. A football Las Vegas, NV. He’s expected to go free game between USC against UCLA in 1967 on parole in early October of this year. was considered to be one of Simpson’s The former NFL star apologized greatest performances. Although he didn’t for his role in the robbery in front of a win the Heisman trophy after that season, Nevada parole board, which led to their he was in the running and eventually won decision to let Simpson go 24 years early. the Walter Camp Award. At the age of 70, Simpson is spending The following year he netted the top Heisman honors, which further rocketed his twilight years behind bars. When // Wikimedia Commons parole board Chairman Connie Bisbee him into stardom. In 1969 he was drafted accidentally said that Simpson was 90 to the Buffalo Bills, where he played started dating a young waitress named Despite the severe sentencing, Simpson years old, he laughed and said that he felt running back for eleven seasons. Nicole Brown. The two got married in had familial and community support, like it. Even though Simpson fetched an 1985--the year he was elected to the Pro stable release plans and no prior criminal After Simpson gets released from annual salary of $806,688 and was Football Hall of Fame. Later on, Nicole convictions, all of which led to his early prison around early October, he plans on considered to be the highest paid football complained to her friends and family release. During the parole hearing, returning back to his home in Florida. player of his time, he retired early due members that her new husband was a Simpson was painted as a peacemaker O.J. (Orenthal James) Simpson, who to his damaged knee. After leaving the physically abusive guy. and model prisoner. was born in 1947 in San Francisco, NFL, he moved on to become a football The two split seven years later. In He said he did not make any excuses California, nicknamed The Juice, was broadcaster and an actor. 1994, Simpson was accused of stabbing about his prior actions and apologized a professional athlete in the National Simpson’s Hollywood career began his ex-wife and her friend Ronald for the incidents that had landed him in Football League. Simpson developed with the film “Back to the Beach” (1987). Goldman. In a highly publicized trial, jail. He claimed that he never wanted to rickets when he was born and had to wear Subsequently, he starred in the trilogy Simpson was charged with the murders hurt anyone in Las Vegas; he just needed braces on his legs until he was 5.