The Diocese of Camden, a catholic church located on Market street, reached a multi-million dollar settlement in February of this year amid sexual abuse allegations. 

The abuse allegations came after the state of New Jersey changed the statute of limitations for sexual abuse allegations. In 2019 Governor Phil Murphy signed bill S477/A3648, which allows minors who were sexually abused to file civil suits up to their 55th birthday, which considerably extends the statute of limitations. 

Following this change, survivors of abuse from the Diocese of Camden have filed civil suits despite now being well into adulthood. 

Some of the survivors have spoken out with various news channels, one of which being Andrew Napoli who said to CBS news, “I’m going to end up dead if I don’t start addressing, you know, the trauma of my life.” Napoli also expressed in his statement that being a part of the committee that negotiated the $180 million dollar for the 300 survivors has contributed to the healing process. 

The Diocese of Camden disclosed a clergy list to the public which lists 56 of the priests and deacons that were involved with the Diocese of Camden and were accused of sexual abuse and misconduct with minors. 

Although the settlement wasn’t reached until early this year, the list was originally published in 2019, around the time that the allegations first came out. Most members on the list are now deceased, and those who are not have been removed from the ministry. 

When asked if he thinks financial settlements are appropriate in these situations, or if jail time would be more suitable, Julien Moral a student at Rutgers Camden says, “I would say that for religious establishments, a monetary settlement isn’t justifiable. I think what the institution practices and preaches should be reflected in their actions. And so I would say jail time would be applicable for something like this. I think that if you are a safe haven for a lot of people, you should be held accountable and not be able to buy your way out of trouble.” 

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After receiving a donation of $430,000 from power broker George Norcross and NFI CEO Sidney Brown, The Camden County Police Department purchased two new drones to add to an already existing group of seven. 

Julien Moral, a Rutgers Camden student says, “I think police departments should be funded by the government. I don’t think that there should be private entities donating to the police department. I think it’s a federal issue.” 

Also, on the idea that these types of donations could be better used elsewhere in the community, Moral says, “I would definitely say that, especially here in Camden, there’s a lot of things that need improving and surveillance isn’t one of them.”

The CCPD, which has the largest drone program in South Jersey, suggested the purchase and use of the drones is all in the name of safety. The CCPD stated in a January 6th press release, “We’ve been able to capture offenders fleeing from the scene as well because when a call comes out, you click a button and the drone gets there within seconds.” The drones appear to be a means of fast response to crime in the city. 

When asked how they feel about the police department using this type of technology, Moral says, “I am, maybe in the minority here, but I’m vehemently opposed to surveillance of this type of drone surveillance, or whatever they’re using it for.
I don’t think it’s necessary, and I would say that it creates more problems than it solves.”

The CCPD stated they want people to know the drones will be used to surveil the city, and they will be used to aid the police department in active investigations. 

As a Rutgers student, Moral said, “I would say that it feels closer to a 1984 situation than feeling safe on our campus, but who am I to say?”

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When asked how they feel about the protests in Philadelphia, Ryan Harris, a student at Rutgers Camden, said, “I think that it’s disgusting that ICE is in Philly. I think that it’s clearly targeting places where the election was more in favor of Kamala Harris instead of Donald Trump, and I think that that’s the administration’s goal is to scare the people that voted more democratically.”

In recent months, shootings involving federal immigration officers have drawn national attention leading to a rise in protests. After two shootings were documented on video in the state of Minnesota, reports circulated suggesting that Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, could be a future location for federal immigration activity. 

In light of this, Philadelphia’s Sheriff Rochelle Bilal sent a warning to ICE agents in a press release saying, “If any of them want to come in this city and commit a crime, you will not be able to hide.” 

Along with the sheriff’s warning, Philadelphia residents and the Black Lion Party for International Solidarity (BLP) have publicly stated their opposition to ICE operations in the city. In recent weeks, residents and the BLP have organized rallies, strikes, and protests aimed at community mobilization and mutual support.

In the first week of January, Philadelphia residents held vigils for Renee Good, a Minneapolis resident who was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer, according to video footage. In the weeks that followed, they continued to organize in support of Minnesota residents and to call for ICE to refrain from operating in Philadelphia.

On Monday, January 26, to protest ICE activity and policies, hundreds of Philly residents gathered in front of city hall. Right around this same time, Chairman of BLP, Paul Birdsong, officially announced the new name of the organization, formerly the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, and that the group began additional community outreach efforts during this period.

Via a collaborative social media post on Instagram @chairmanpaulbirdsong, @yoskiip, and @revolutionary_by_nature shared information directing individuals in need of food, groceries, or baby formula to 2123 Gratz St, Philadelphia, PA 19121.

In most of Chairman Paul’s other social media posts, he starts his videos by saying, “All power to the people.” This phrase has appeared frequently in messaging connected to recent protests and community events.

When asked if they believe that the protests will be beneficial, Harris says, “I think that the protests, while they’re in good faith, I don’t know if they’re going to do anything, because what we need to be doing is calling our legislators. Otherwise, change will not happen. They will not listen to you unless you harass them, which is unfortunate, but the way that it is right now.”

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The Secret Society of Poetry is a literary publication started by Rutgers–Camden Graduate, Sophia Westfall, that allows people from any background to have the opportunity to get their work published, via contests and online submissions. 

According to The Secret Society of Poetry’s website they accept poetry submissions, short stories, essays, non-fiction, open-letter, research, photography, and artwork. If you do have the opportunity to get your work published, there is a space on their website to read publications, or there is a shop to buy a limited edition paperback that includes the publications of that year. 

In addition to having the opportunity to get your work published, The Secret Society of Poetry also provides an editorial internship opportunity. 

When interviewing Noah Roberts, a social media intern for The Secret Society of Poetry, and a student at Rutgers–Camden, he explains, “There’s only one intern for social media per semester, and it’s a one month long internship.” 

Regarding the internship, The Secret Society of Poetry’s website says the internship is unpaid, but allows for remote and flexible hours and requires no previous experience. Some of the responsibilities that are included in the internship program, according to the website, are maintenance of the instagram account, frequently posting pictures or reels, and sometimes editing short stories or poetry submissions. 

When asked what benefits or experience someone can gain from this opportunity, Roberts says, “Personally for me, I like the experience I gained from communication via social media, kind of understanding the landscape for other social media careers. And communications too, I guess specifically you have the advantage of having access to a publishing site, and then you just have access to a lot of other students’ pieces that I’ve noticed are really good.” 

The website makes things quite simple to fill out an interest form for the internship opportunity, or to submit your work to them. Learn more here.

Our Editor-in-Chief has been employed by The Secret Society of Poetry.

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Amid the government shutdown, millions of Americans have been questioning how they’re going to feed themselves and their families after Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” was passed and SNAP benefits have faced severe cuts and restrictions. Currently, SNAP has been reinstated following the reopening of the U.S. government, but some benefits have been delayed, decreased, or are no longer accessible due to new regulations. 

According to ABC News, “Nearly 42 million Americans, including low income families and vulnerable households, rely on SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to help pay for groceries or other household essentials.” 

ABC News also shared that, “Under the mega bill, the upper age limit for those who need to meet work requirements was raised from age 54 to 64 for the first time for able bodied adults without dependents.” 

These new regulations brought down by the Trump administration will leave millions of Americans without the benefits needed to feed their families. In light of this, many people are forced to rely on local food banks, or food pantries. 

When asked what this could mean for food pantries moving forward, Jilliane Jaugan, VP and community outreach chair for Cooking For Camden, and a current sophomore in nursing at Rutgers Camden says, “SNAP benefits are essential for many people to buy groceries and be able to eat. It is heartbreaking that this federal program has been cut resulting in many people not knowing when their next meal is and increasing food insecurity.  Due to these cuts, I do think more people will be relying on food banks.  However, these food banks have also faced a huge blow due to the Emergency Food Assistance Program budget being cut this year. With the influx of people relying on food banks and budget cuts, food banks are also facing uncertainty with their sustainability. I do hope with the current media focus on food banks/pantries, that other corporations, organizations, institutions, and even individuals are inspired to give back to their local communities by donating monetary or food donations or simply spreading awareness.” 

These cuts to food assistance programs, and the reliance on food banks comes at such a dire time for the people who utilize them, especially considering that grocery prices are higher than ever, meaning it may be harder in the coming months for people to donate extra food to local food pantries. 

When asked how they feel about the current cuts to SNAP, Camryn Champion, a student at Rutgers Camden says, “I feel like it’s so unfair and also evil to take away benefits given to millions of struggling citizens that were helping them survive.” 

Many Americans feel the same, so much so, that it has led to some democratic led states to take action. 

The Hill says, “Democratic officials in 21 states and Washington D.C., sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday, alleging that it is “arbitrarily” excluding many lawful permanent residents from receiving food assistance benefits.” 

The response from democratic officials is the start of what could be lengthy pushback in the following months as more people begin to face food insecurity. 

When asked if anyone at Cooking For Camden has voiced their concerns about SNAP being cut, Jaugan says, “As Cooking for Camden, our main mission is to serve those in Camden who might not have easy access to hot, nutritious meals. I firmly believe that food is a right and not a privilege and no one should be denied that no matter their life circumstances. These past months, we have discussed how SNAP benefits are being cut and to expect an influx of guests to come in during our lunch services and to be prepared. We have noticed the number of guests increasing a lot and we are running out of food quicker these past few services. Just like food banks and pantries, funding and budgeting is a big concern for our organization as we often fund our services and purchase the food. We are currently searching for ways to gain funding and grants to ensure we can keep our services running for the many guests we serve every week! Although, as a student organization, we feel that we do not have a lot of power to make huge changes like reinstate SNAP benefits or provide millions of funding for these food programs, we continue to try to make little changes in the community by providing at least one hot meal and being a place of consistent support for the people we serve weekly!” 

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Budget cuts under the Trump administration have left several important offices with little to no staff members. One of the departments that suffered immensely under the new presidential administration is the Department of Education. According to an article from ABC News, “Officials shuttered seven of the 12 regional offices of the agency’s Office for Civil Rights, leaving a skeleton staff to investigate thousands of complaints filed each year, according to attorneys and advocates for the disabled.”

Within the Department of Education, offices that ensure protections for students with disabilities are one of many that have been on the receiving end of all of the major budget cuts that Trump and his cabinet have signed off on. 

The Office of Civil Rights, or OCR, falls under the Department of Education and its purpose is to ensure equal access to education for students with disabilities across the country. Similar to the OCR, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), is also under the Department of Education and serves people with disabilities and their families across the United States. Since Trump took office in January of this year, both of these offices have lost nearly all of their staff members, with the exception of a few officials.

A freshman at Rutgers Camden, Dejia Robert, says in response to Trump’s budget cuts to the Education Department, “I feel like it really reflects his principles, and it shows he only cares about the rich and powerful, and he doesn’t really care about everyday people. He’s really only focused on one demographic, and he’s taking away from one demographic to support another, and in doing that he’s keeping the rich, rich. Overall, I feel that it’s wrong.” This is a sentiment that has been voiced by many across the country since Trump took office and began gutting federal departments and offices, like the Office of Civil Rights. 

On a more local level, Rutgers–Camden’s Office of Disability Services is there to ensure that students on campus will always have resources to turn to for accommodations and accessibility, despite the current unease due to the political climate in the United States. 

When asked about how the layoffs could affect accessibility for students moving forward, Dr. Vanessa LaFreda, a coordinator for the Office of Disability Services, says, “The first thing that comes to my mind is really trying to enforce the ADA to ensure accommodations are available to students. I know a lot of students and families really rely on the Office of Disability Services and the Office of Civil Rights, who are essentially responsible for enforcing ADA accommodations.” The Office of Disability Services, located in offices 133-135 of the Paul Robeson Library, can help students at Rutgers Camden with their accommodation needs via scheduled appointments. 

When asked about any plans they may have in place for students with disabilities at Rutgers–Camden, on the off chance the campus feels the effects of these lay offs, Erin Leuthold, the director for the Office of Disability Services, remarks, “Technically the scope of our work is equal access to education, and because of the relationship with students and trust that they place in our office we help prepare them as a student, while also preparing them for what comes next, like workplace accommodations, how to advocate for yourself, and how to prepare students with as much information as possible in order to make decisions.” 

Not only is the Office of Disability Services at Rutgers Camden there to help students with their needs, but their offices are also there to help prepare students with disabilities for their future. 

 Lastly, Dr. LaFreda adds, “While all of this is happening at the federal level, the Office of Disability Services at Rutgers Camden is actually larger than it has ever been, and we are still dedicated to student disability access.”

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For a few nights in September, the Philadelphia Student Press Association (PSPA) was featured on the PECO sign in center city Philadelphia. 

The PSPA is a new collaborative organization to help strengthen the voices of Philadelphia’s young, student journalists. The organization includes student-run newspapers from nine colleges and universities in Philadelphia, and the surrounding areas, including: Rutgers Camden, Haverford, Drexel, LeSalle, Villanova, Saint Joseph’s, Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, and Rowan. The non-profit organization has grown significantly since its inception, and across the colleges and universities it includes, there are 100+ student journalists in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area.

Jackson Juzang, a senior at Haverford College majoring in English, is the founder of this non-profit organization. When asked about the inspiration for creating the PSPA, Jackson remarked, “I took on the challenge of creating an umbrella organization to be able to connect with other student-run newspapers in the city, and it also stemmed from Haverford’s lack of resources for student journalists.” 

According to the PSPA website, it highlights why young voices, and resources for them are so important, “By uniting student publications, we are not only amplifying student voices but also strengthening Philadelphia’s press as a whole. Together, student journalists can tell bigger stories, reach wider audiences, and carry forward the city’s tradition of bold, independent reporting.” The PSPA is dedicated to finding the best resources for young, student journalists and providing the greater Philadelphia area with good reporting. 

When asked about what type of reporting she would like to see from The Gleaner and the other student newspapers in the PSPA, Melina Zevallos, a senior at Rutgers Camden, remarked, “The most relevant topics would be opportunities, or events, happening in the Philadelphia area that students may be interested in.” This coincides with college students’ increasing need for internship opportunities, and the interest in pop culture or community events happening in the area. 

The PSPA has already gotten involved in some events in the Philadelphia area, specifically pertaining to college students. During mid September, the PSPA had a table at this year’s college fest, which is a welcome weekend for students who are attending college in the Philadelphia area. 

On a final note, when asked about the long term goals of the PSPA, Jackson Juzang said, “I’m focused on sustainability. If there’s any student newspapers that need to be revitalized, my goal is to bring them back. Widener and Lincoln University are a few that come to mind. I also want to create a pipeline with as many professionals as possible to create internship opportunities for student journalists in a constraining job market for Gen Z, and build individual and collective relationships with student newsrooms all over the greater Philly region. Then reallocate funding to Philly newsrooms so they don’t have to worry about administrative or alumni support.” 

Resourceshttps://www.phillystudentpress.org/post/_test

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In February of 2025, approximately 1,000 National Park Service employees received termination notices. These layoffs continue to affect both the parks and former employees today. The terminated staff members not only lost their jobs but some who were living in park housing now face homelessness.

The impact of these layoffs extends to areas near Rutgers University. Philadelphia’s Independence National Historic Park, just eight minutes from Rutgers University Camden, was among the affected parks. According to reporting by Isaac Avilucea, this park—which hosted about 2.6 million visitors last year—lost two employees. Additionally, pending job applications have been rescinded, further straining the park’s already limited resources.

With reduced staffing, remaining employees face increased workloads. Parks may need to reduce operating hours, close certain exhibits or tour sites, and staff continue working under the threat of future job cuts.

Park officials at Independence National Historic Park expect to learn soon whether more positions will be eliminated, potentially forcing further reductions in services. This timing is particularly challenging as the park prepares for its 250th anniversary celebration next year, with resource limitations potentially delaying planned events and preparations.

Visitors will likely notice the effects of these cuts. Avilucea reports that “Pennsylvanians should expect more closures or reduced hours at some state parks, fewer ranger-led programming and dirtier bathrooms.”

National park services are asking the public for patience and understanding during this period of limited resources. Ways to support the parks include practicing “leave no trace” principles, planning visits efficiently, and cleaning up after oneself.

Links to works cited:

Philly’s Independence Park hit by national park layoffs 

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