On February 5th, Rutgers–Camden Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis addressed the university community regarding recent Executive Orders coming from President Donald J. Trump. The main focus was on cuts to federal funding and DEI. However, during the open forum portion, students and staff raised concerns regarding divestment from Israel, financial aid, the status of International students, and gender affirmation.

The Town Hall was called following reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sightings on campus the preceding Friday. The rumors were quickly put to rest by RUPD and the Rutgers–Camden Student Governing Association (RUCSGA) and proven to be false. 

Student Government President Kimberly Lugo was among the first to take the floor for the open forum, stating that the rumors of ICE raids on campus “spiked a lot of fear in our student population.[The SGA] quickly found out that those were rumors, [and] talked with executive leadership to confirm that they were rumors. And then, after that, we posted on our Instagram and spoke with student leaders to confirm that they were rumors.” Lugo followed up by asking for clarification on the University’s plans and policies on working and cooperating with ICE. Chancellor Tillis responded by calling Acting Police Chief Matthew Gulbsy to the floor, who said about Immigration Enforcement, “We don’t share any services. We don’t share any facilities. We do not give access to any non-public facing information that’s on the Internet already. So that’s the directive that we’re working on…It’s an ever changing environment, not only daily, but almost hourly in some cases. And I think that our offices will continue information through the proper channels with the community.”

Another student asked about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programming cuts, asking whether or not DEI programming and the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE) would remain in place. Tillis responded that “There is no intention to undo the services through DICE that we provide for our students. I can’t say it any clearer.” Tillis followed that, saying “[Here at] Rutgers University, particularly Rutgers University of Camden, we have a responsibility to make sure that our campus is inclusive, that our campus is inviting, and that every student on this campus feels that he, she, or they have a place.”

Subsequent students asked about financial aid concerns, to which Chancellor Tillis replied that there will be no changes to the current financial aid situation until there is an act of Congress that requires it change. 

Another student raised concerns about divestment from Israel and the weapons industry, to which Tillis explained that he is not a member of the Board of Governors, and has no say in the matter. He also illustrated how “academia works as a business” and how that impacts how universities handle funds and investments.

Chancellor Tillis also invited a staff member from the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistance Project to speak, and she said that their “attorney is available to meet with any student at Rutgers who has an immigration concern. If they’re undocumented, if they have a temporary status like DACA, TPS, or other concern…they can reach out to our office.”

Towards the end of the Town Hall, a University-wide email was sent out to all staff, faculty and students regarding a new website that was put up to help members of the Rutgers community track Federal Government actions and their impacts. That website can be found here.

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Image Credit: OSDFA

On Thursday, November 21, the Rutgers University–Camden Office of Scholar Development and Fellowship Advising (OSDFA) hosted a presentation and discussion with representatives from Fulbright Taiwan and members of the Rutgers–Camden academic community to discuss furthering academic relations between Taiwan and Rutgers–Camden. 

Facilitated by OSDFA Director Laura Collins, the discussion mainly centered on a presentation by Lisa Lin, the Program Director for Academic Exchange and Language Learning for Fulbright Taiwan. Lin made the case that Taiwan is a perfect location for either a long or short-term study abroad program because it introduces US students to Asia, from the heart of Asia, saying that the program teaches students “transcultural communication abilit[ies] [for] a globalized society.” 

There are a variety of types of opportunities for students in Taiwan through Fulbright, including Masters Programs, which are open to students pursuing their second Masters, as well as those pursuing their first. There are a variety of Masters’s degree programs that are taught in English available through Fulbright Taiwan with full scholarships, including Asia-Pacific studies, Australasian studies, Biodiversity, Brand and Fashion Management, Creative Industries Design, Global Health, International Communications, International Human Resources, Development, Mind, Brain and Consciousness, Political Economy, and Semiconductor Technology. A wide array or degrees are also taught in Mandarin and Chinese. A key aspect of the program is that all research conducted through Fulbright Taiwan-accredited universities is publishable. Additionally, students can pursue a variety of research opportunities, as well as English Teaching Assistantships (ETAs). However, and this is unique to Taiwan, students who are interested in teaching English can also apply to be Debate Coaches. 

About OSDFA

The OSDFA is open to all current Rutgers–Camden students and alumni and provides a valuable set of skills and knowledge for students looking to pursue degrees and opportunities beyond Undergraduate, including Graduate and Post-Graduate degrees, fellowships, and non-degree research opportunities. A major part of their concentration is on opportunities abroad, such as the Fulbright program, which funds students from all over the world to study outside of their home country. After 35 years of no Rutgers–Camden students receiving the grant, OSDFA helped three separate students from 2020 to 2024 receive the award, and, since their founding, have helped a total of 26 students apply for the grant, including 5 for Graduate Degrees, 12 for research, and 9 for English Teaching Assistantships. They also aid students who are applying for other grants, such as the Gilman scholarship, as well as for US-based scholarships, fellowships, and research opportunities. 

The OSDFA helps students one-on-one primarily through online appointments, which can be made by going to their website: https://camden.rutgers.edu/osdfa

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UNITE HERE Local 274 is one of the top unions in Philadelphia and the top food service union in the city, representing 4,000 workers in the private sector (hotels, stadiums, universities, and cafeterias) and an additional 2,200 working in the public sector for Philadelphia’s public school system, according to their website. 

One of their top employers, Aramark, reported an $18 billion revenue in 2023 and sells food and drinks at the stadiums for a premium, with some alcoholic beverages costing up to $18. Despite this, their lowest-paid staff members make as low as $10 an hour. A combination of this and other factors, such as healthcare, prompted the union to call a strike beginning on September 23rd. 

“Striking is typically thought of as the highest form of collective action,” says Rutgers University–Camden Professor of Philosophy, Austin Rooney. In his view, it’s the final step in the bargaining process–“you’ve attempted to negotiate in good faith, you’ve attempted to demonstrate to management that you have the power and the resources to negotiate what you consider to be a fair contract, and that your demands need to be met.” Rooney has personal experience with striking and organized labor–he serves as the vice president of the adjunct faculty union at Rutgers–Camden, and was involved in their strike in the Spring of 2023 and the subsequent contract negotiation process.

One of the greatest aims of a strike is to prove the “value of […] labor…and raising awareness” for the cause, Rooney says. In some cases, when good faith negotiation fails, it becomes essential to “withhold labor” and go on strike. The success of a strike depends on a variety of factors, according to Rooney. Sympathy from the public is one such factor, as unions have to consider if “the local community [will] view th[e] strike symapathetically,” and even if the press will cover the strike in a sympathetic manner. On the government side, it is also important to consider how “the legislature will view th[e] strike.” In this regard, it is important for unions to get the timing of their strikes just right and to try to control the narrative around said strikes–as Rooney points out, “there are certainly strikes that just end with the Union being decimated, and so its certainly not something that should be taken lightly.” Since striking is the last step, “you have to [count] your paces all the way there,” and focus on getting it right.

In videos released by UNITE HERE Local 274 on their website and social media channels, workers outline the issues that are prompting them to strike–over and over again they emphasize the need for healthcare benefits and competitive, living wages. It is in the contract negotiation process that things such as that get sorted out, Rooney says. “Both management and labor will have to name a lead negotiator, and that person […] is responsible for scheduling negotiation dates, and they […] go from there in terms of the agenda, and of what that they can achieve.” Often, the process is centered around wage negotiation, but a common strategy “is to deal with the little stuff first.” This can be anything from working hours to working conditions, and things like healthcare come into play then as well. The negotiation process can take a long time, as can strikes–the Rutgers Faculty were on strike for five days, and the Aramark workers for four, but some strikes can last weeks.

Union leadership has called the strike off temporarily in (slightly overblown) anticipation of a Philadelphia Phillies postseason and has not reinstated it. Still, their website warns members to be on the lookout–saying, “A strike could be called at any time!”

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Story and photo by Sadie Fiore

“I want my walls to walk.”

This was the sentiment shared by Margery Amdur, the artist behind Stedman Gallery’s Spring installation, Seams to be Constructed. The installation, which ran from January 16 to April 13, was a constant work in progress, and intentionally so–part of the artistic process was its constant changes.

During a pre-reception talk about her process and inspiration, Amdur, who is also a member of the Fine Arts faculty at Rutgers–Camden, said that “I never made clothes, my mother never made clothes, we went to a seamstress and the dressmaker, but I always had the desire to make and work with my hands, but I didn’t know how.” This desire was shown throughout the exhibit, which consisted of a variety of sewn objects, including clothing-like items and textiles. 

Amdur said that her art is often, “a stand-in for the body,” and that “the body is implied.” Her expression was evident in the repeated motif of the crinoline or hoop skirt, an 18th and 19th century undergarment worn by women to support their large and restrictive skirts, as well as the twisting wire sculptures throughout the exhibit, which seemed to echo the shapes of the human body.

“It was sort of a Martha Stewart way of working, but then it became, [that] I had to break the rules.” Amdur continued. She accomplished this by using unconventional artistic materials and mediums–wire, computer-generated designs screen printed onto fabric, and, most notably, makeup sponges, which she uses to create three dimensional pieces that resemble mushrooms and fungi. 

The closing reception was well attended, and the crowd consisted of students, some of which were Amdurs, as well as other artists, school administrators and faculty, all of whom expressed their admiration, with one faculty member expressing how wonderful the exhibit was in an educational sense, for the students who saw and interacted with it. 

Up next in the Stedman Gallery: The Department of Visual Media and Performing Arts (VMPA) will be showing the class of 2024 Senior Thesis show, showcasing the work of students in the fields of Animation, Graphic Design, Painting/Drawing, Sculpture and Intermedia opening May 1, with a reception on May 11 at 5pm. More information can be found at https://vmpa.camden.rutgers.edu

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Image credit: Rutgers University–Camden Athletics

By Kendall Lafferty and Sadie Fiore

This month the Scarlet Raptors softball team got deep into NJAC play currently holding a 5-11 NJAC record and a 14-22 overall record. The team split in their conference opener against New Jersey City University. On Saturday, April 6th, the Raptors split with Montclair State University and quickly had to prepare to play Ramapo College the next day. Unfortunately, the Raptors lost both games against Ramapo. On Tuesday, April 9th, the Raptors split with The College of New Jersey, and then again split with Kean University on Saturday, April 13th, where they also celebrated their senior day. This was the first time the Raptors took a win from Kean University since 2016. On Tuesday, April 16, the Raptors lost both games to Stockton University. The Raptors then had two non-conference games against Catholic University, losing both. On Saturday, April 20th, the Scarlet Raptors split with William Patterson University. On April 23, the Raptors played nationally ranked Rowan University and lost both games. The Raptors play another non-conference game against Neuman University on Thursday, April 25th, and have their last regular season game against Rutgers-Newark on Saturday, April 27th. 

The Scarlet Raptors Baseball team also got deep into their NJAC season with a 7-6 NJAC record and a 23-12 overall record. On April 5th and 7th the Raptors played The College of New Jersey, winning one, and losing one. On Saturday, April 6th, the Raptors had a doubleheader against Kean University winning both. On April 9th, the Raptors lost an out-of-conference game against Keystone College. On April 11th and 12th, the Raptors played Rowan University losing both days. On April 13th, the Raptors took both games from Rutgers-Newark. Then on Tuesday, they played Alvernia University and celebrated their senior night with a win. On April 18th and 19th, the baseball team played Stockton University, losing both games. On Saturday, April 20th the Raptors took a win in their first game against Ramapo College, but unfortunately lost their second game. On Monday, April 22 the team played another out-of-conference game against Wilson College in which they won. The Raptors have their last NJAC games on April 25th and 26th against Montclair State University and a doubleheader against William Patterson University on April 27th.

Women’s tennis went to the NJAC semi-finals for the fourth year. The team, however, lost to top ranked TCNJ 5-0. However, sophomore co-captain Katie Moore received All-NJAC honors in women singles, making this the second year that she has been honored by the NJAC.

The golf team performed well at the RCSJ Roadrunner Invitational, coming in second with 315 to Stockton University’s 313. On Saturday, April 27, the team will compete in the United East Conference Championships, at the Philmont Country Club in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania.

Track and Field athlete Alexis Marini has been having herself a month! The senior competed in the hammer throw at the Penn Relays, making her the only Division III athlete to do so, and she finished 13th with a distance of 49.65 meters. Earlier in the month, she competed at the Paul Donahue Invitationals, where she finished third of twenty-five, while also throwing her longest distance of the season. The mens 4×100 team will also be competing at the Penn Relays later today.

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Photo credit: Rutgers University–Camden Athletics

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, the competition season for Rutgers–Camden’s Women’s Tennis team is just beginning. In the tennis world, women have “[shown] that whatever a man can do, a woman can do as well,” sophomore Ashton Sirko says. However, Sirko, a sophomore business major, is quick to highlight that “in athletics, a lot of things still have not really changed for women, […] there’s still a lot of challenges that women face in this world.” However, she highlights the importance of women in tennis, saying that “women have had a very large impact on sports, especially tennis,” going on to emphasize how women have changed the world of tennis. She cites tennis legend Serena Williams as an example, saying that “she’s really set amazing standards [for] women and amazing goals for all women, […] not only tennis players to look up to and strive to be.” 

The importance of having women in sports for young athletes to look up to was highlighted by all three players interviewed. Indeed, all three emphasized how women in their lives have impacted their game and their love of the sport. Freshman Alyssa Peacock comes from a tennis family–her grandfather, John O’Grady, was ranked 21 in the world during his tennis career, and she says that her mother, who also played, “inspired me to play tennis and I [also] wanted to, you know, carry on the tradition.” Sirko was also inspired by a female family member to play, but in her case it was her great-aunt who encouraged her parents to put her in tennis, and co-captain Katie Moore was inspired by her mother, saying that she didn’t always enjoy the sport but “I grew to love it a lot,” and is now not only a player, but also a coach.

Moore’s greatest hurdle in athletics has been getting others to take her seriously, saying “when I coach a boys tennis team, they may not [think] young girl is as intelligent as a male coach, or something along those lines, but once I start coaching, they’re like “dang, okay she knows what shes talking about”. This struggle to be taken as seriously as their male counterparts was shared by her teammates–Peacock says “we’re kind of pushed to the sides sometimes, when it comes to sports–like oh we don’t get paid as much, we don’t get shown as much in media, and I think that needs to change because we are just as great as men.” She thinks for a moment, laughs and continues “[we’re] even better, in my opinion.”

Balancing life as an athlete and student is tough, sophomore nursing major Moore says, and shouts out Assistant Director of Athletics, Haley Shinn. Moore highlights Shinn’s importance to the team, and Rutgers–Camden athletics as a whole, saying that she “works with us to get uniforms right because it is different having a male coach and being a [female] athlete, because they may not know that these are too short or these aren’t flattering or this and that, so it’s nice to be able to have that resource where I do have someone to go to and […] they make us feel heard and [are] accommodating to the things that we need as women in sports.”

Sirko is also involved with the Rutgers–Camden Athletics Administration–as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which finds her “sit[ting] in on a lot of different meetings” and having her voice heard on policies and rules within the university that impact student-athletes. 

Peacock says that being a female athlete is “difficult, because of all of the backlash that women face in general, but it’s also an empowering thing to be able to play with other like minded women on the court.” Moore echoes this sentiment, saying “it can feel very rewarding. I have a lot on my plate–I’m very, very busy, but being able to come out here with some of my closest friends and just have a lot of fun, travel together, and just make memories […] it can be really rewarding.”

Sirko also emphasizes how important it is to be around other female athletes, contrasting her experience on the tennis team with her experience as a golfer in high school, saying “that, as women we can do a lot of amazing things, but there’s still a lot that could be done to really make things fair and equal for women.”

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Image credit: Rutgers University–Camden Athletics

By Kendall Lafferty and Sadie Fiore

This month, the Rutgers Camden softball team started their season in Davenport Florida where they played 10 games in just 8 days.  The Raptors came home with 4 wins and 6 losses.  The Raptors jumped right into their season at home, as they had a six-game week playing Alvernia University, Albright College, and New Paltz.  On Tuesday, March 19th, the Raptor split with Alvernia (0-2, 2-1), on Thursday, March 21st they swept Albright College (8-0, 7-3), on Friday, March 22 they lost both games to New Paltz (0-4, 4-11).  On March 26th the Raptors swept Gwynedd Mercy University (3-2, 1-0).  The team has their conference opener against New Jersey City University on Saturday, March 30th.  

The Rutgers Camden Baseball team also traveled to Florida over spring break, but they started their season at home in Camden.  The Raptors went into spring break with a 5-3 record, and racked up 6 wins in Florida with just one loss, bringing their record to 11-4.  On Sunday, March 24th, the Raptors lost to Ursinus College (2-3), and then came back and beat them on Monday, March 25th (10-1).  On Tuesday, March 26th, the team beat Swarthmore College (8-5).  The Raptors baseball team also has their conference opener on Saturday, March 30th with a doubleheader against New Jersey City University.   

Spring tennis for both men and women started on March 2nd, but the first few matches for both got postponed or canceled due to weather. On March 23, both teams opened their season by competing at The College of New Jersey, and both lost 9-0 to the 35th ranked NCAA Division III tennis powerhouse. Of the women’s team, sophomore co-captains Katie Moore and Ashton Sirko each got a point in their singles matches, as did freshman Bella Martinez. On the men’s team, senior Edward McWilliams Jr. and freshman John Brady got a shared doubles point, and Brady also earned the team’s sole singles point.

Mens Golf also began their 2024 season this week, at the Lebanon Valley Invitational, finishing 9th out of 17, and shooting 334. Sophomore Reid Walker led the team, placing 14th out of the 88 golfers competing, and scoring 79. He was followed by freshman Aidan Riley who tied for 33rd, Pearce Lee, who placed 40th, freshman Santino Leone, who placed 51st, and sophomore Walter Pierce who finished 87th.

Outdoor track began Saturday, March 23 at the Oscar Moore Open hosted by Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. Senior Alexis Marini led the Scarlet Raptors, placing 5th in the women’s hammer throw, throwing 50.47m and 4th in the women’s discus throw, throwing 37.81m. 

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^{Image from Rutgers University-Camden website}

By Kendall Lafferty and Sadie Fiore

2/14/24: The Rutgers–Camden men’s basketball team fell short of a playoff spot, falling 84-78 to New Jersey City University at home in Camden. Sophomore Raptor Cameron Downs led the team in points with 18, followed by juniors Eric Benjamin and Jordany Pierre with 12 and 11 points, respectively. This loss comes after a winning season, in which the team put up a total of 1,819 points, while their opponents put up a combined 1,828 points. Rather notably, the Rutgers–Camden Men’s Basketball program has never made the playoffs (with exception for the Covid seasons of 2020-21 and 2021-22 when every team in the conference was granted a playoff berth) in its 40+ year history, so even coming this close is exciting, and it is easy to be optimistic about their next season.  

The Rutgers–Camden women’s basketball team also ended their season on February 14, with a 100-50 loss to New Jersey City University. They too fell short of a playoff spot, putting up a total of 1,259 points on the season with their opponents putting up a total of 1,923. However, several players lived up to their scoring potential, with senior Razirah Blocker reaching 1,114 points, with 438 of those coming from this season, making her tied for 13th most points in RUC women’s basketball history, and two other Raptors, Taja Brown and Jania Pitts, each cracking 200+ points. 

On February 3rd, sophomore Walter Pierce finished 9th of 16 in the men’s pentathlon, and in the process, set a program record with 2,435 points while competing at the Frank Colden Invitational at Ursinus College. This record was previously broken exactly five years ago at the same meet. On February 19th, the Raptors competed in the NJAC Championships, finishing seventh in a field of nine programs. Alexis Marini produced six points by finishing third out of 17, and added another four points finishing fifth out of 19 in shot put. For the men, Oluwamayowakun Ojutalayo produced six points, three from finishing sixth of eight in the finals of the 60-meter dash and hitting a new personal record of 7.02. Ojutalayo obtained three more points for the Raptors, by finishing 6th in the 200-meter dash. Ojutalayo was joined by sophomore Nadir Paige, and freshmen Robert Bayard and Hector Diaz who scored a combined five points to finish fourth out of eight teams in the men’s 4×200. Sophomore Maurice Obanor picked up two points by coming in seventh of 14 in the high jump, while also reaching a personal record of 1.78 meters.

Looking ahead: Softball and baseball season is upon us! The Rutgers–Camden baseball team is projected to finish 8th in the conference according to a poll done by the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Coaches Conference and will be taking on Division III baseball programs from around the Tri-State area in an attempt to have their second consecutive winning season.

The softball team is also projected to finish 8th, but has potential to place higher thanks to a combination of pitching depth and fresh roster players. Their first game of the season takes place on March 9th, in Florida. 

Raptor tennis will also begin in March as both the mens and womens teams take on Wilkes University away on March 2nd.

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