In an effort to halt what they believe will be severe cuts to parts of the arts program at New Jersey City University – possibly involving cuts to the music program and others — students, parents and some teachers held a protest rally in front of the arts building on Aug. 24. At risk, the protestors believe, may be the Media Arts Department MFA Program-Integrated Media Arts Production (IMAP) at New Jersey City University (NJCU). “The NJCU administration has suspended enrollment in our program citing ‘unsustainability’ after being in existence for only one and a half years,” according to a petition students initiated this week. “The administration suspended the application before the enrollment deadline.” The administration in turn blames the failure of enrollment on the faculty of the Media Arts Department’s Inter-Media Arts Program. Students are concerned that the school may be using this as an excuse to fire a popular department chair, Dr. Min Kim. Although the conflict appears to have been escalating since the school hired a new dean to head the department, the issue came to a head in mid-August when several adjunct professors said the school notified adjunct professors that provide students with one-on-one lessons that they will receive a 50 percent cut in pay starting in September. Click here for more.
To the surprise of many –including residents, business owners, and council people—the city of Hoboken plans to remove 19 trees on Washington Street as part of the avenue’s ongoing design. The $17.5 million project, approved by an 8-1 council vote in 2016, will replace old water mains, add safety features like bump outs, and repave the pothole-covered road. According to city spokesman Juan Melli, “Three trees have been removed and 16 more are planned to be removed due to utility conflicts such as drainage improvements.” While officials voted on the plan last year, they were apparently unaware of the tree removal. Mary Ondrejka, a concerned resident, said in an email last week, “The city could never have passed that Washington Street Project with all its horrors if the public knew they were going to kill 22 healthy trees to put more concrete on our street which heats up the planet and is not good for the environment. The city has not been transparent with this issue. They did not want the public to know they were going to remove 22 trees. They figured no one would be paying attention and would quietly and systematically get rid of them…I am thoroughly disgusted with their deception.” Click here for more.
Hope for The Warriors, an organization providing care services to veterans who served after 9/11 and their families, is returning to Secaucus in September. The group will hold its seventh annual Run For The Warriors 5K at the Harmon Meadow Holiday Inn Sept. 10. Proceeds will benefit wounded service members, veterans, and their families. “Being in New Jersey has been a no-brainer, because it’s such a large community for veterans, especially with places such as Fort Dix,” said Steve Bartomioli, Hope’s senior director for sports and recreation, explaining why the group created the run in Secaucus. “The town of Secaucus has been great to us. The police come out, the mayor’s involved. It’s always been a really welcoming community.” A previously established relationship with community partners in Secaucus that had strong ties to sponsors also “made it easy for us to start there,” Bartomioli added. “One of the really important things we do is make sure the race is open to all ability levels. So participants can either run or walk in the 5K.” This is also done to keep in mind wounded service members who may not be physically able to run. Click here for more.
