At Cabrini College and colleges and universities across the nation there are two different types of professors – full-time and part-time. The Loquitur editorial staff believes that part-time, also called adjunct, professors deserve more money. Loquitur believes that our administration needs to reduce the number of adjuncts and increase the number of fulltime professors to benefit its students.

Tenured professors are professors who have contracts that, after seven years of probation, prevent them from being terminated without just cause and usually teach full-time. Adjunct professors are usually part-time and work elsewhere. Full-time and tenured professors also are paid more than adjuncts and have benefits, job security and pensions. These are all work conditions that adjunct faculty do not have.

At Cabrini there are 119 adjuncts teaching at the undergraduate level and 135 teaching at the graduate level. We have 70 total full-time tenured professors, 30 of whom are tenured. Adjuncts get paid around $1,900 and students pay $1,365 per course. It doesn’t take a math major to see how much the college benefits financially from hiring part-time faculty. If there are a total of 254 adjuncts teaching at Cabrini, then where is all of the money going that we pay for tuition? For example, if an adjunct is paid $3,800 for teaching two courses at $1,900 during a semester and teaches from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and prepares for eight hours on another day, that’s 14 hours of work a week.

Multiplied by 15 weeks that’s 210 hours or $9.04 per hour. At this rate they could be working a parttime job anywhere doing less work.

The number of full-time professors is dwindling.

According to The New York Times 27 percent of instructors today are full-time tenured or tenured–track professors compared to 75 percent in 1960.

The issue is part of a trend in higher education where colleges have attempted to save money by making cuts to their faculty pay rates.

Some might argue that adjuncts are just bona fide instructors and maybe that they are less credible than a full-time tenured professor. Think about all of the professors that you have had here at Cabrini.

Have some of your courses taught by adjuncts been more useful? Have they been taught better than by a tenured professor? This isn’t saying that either one is better than the other, but there are many cases where the salaries of one of the groups can be questioned.

Adjuncts are, after all, freelance teachers who are teaching classes on the side. But before we write them off think of all the good things about these professors.

Adjuncts are usually practicing in their respective field. This means that they should be up to date on the latest information, techniques and happenings in the field.

Compare this to a tenured professor whose only job is in the classroom, especially those who have been out of the field for a long time or have never had the real-life experience that adjuncts have had.

Tenured professors may have lost touch with on-the-job experience and have resorted to teaching from a textbook. An adjunct also may be able to help with networking within the industry. On the other hand, full-time faculty can be dedicated full-time to students.

We know that schools have to pay full-time professors what they are worth or they will go elsewhere. Most adjuncts receive their main income from another job and may not necessarily demand a higher salary, but they still deserve more in terms of finances, especially considering the cost of tuition.

Dr. Anne Skleder

Cabrini continued its search for the vice president and provost position on Thursday, March 11, with Chatham College’s dean, Dr. Anne Skleder.

Skleder began her visit with students by explaining why she chose to interview for the position, citing the new Justice Matters curriculum, the faith-based mission, the students and faculty and the endless possibilities, among other things.

“I believe it is important to have a strong core curriculum that everyone experiences. I want to challenge how Justice Matters unfolds on the campus,” Skleder said.

After explaining why she chose Cabrini, Skleder opened up the floor for students to express what they would like to see changed. The most popular topics discussed were the issues of retention, the honors program, the overall cost and food.

“A lot of students wonder where our money is going exactly. I know I came here as an honors student, and that has kept me here,” Katie Juliana, junior biology major, said.

Skleder listened to each student’s concerns, making note of each of them, and offering advice from her own personal experiences.

“It’s important to look at how students are counseled when they have a problem. Talking to students and understanding their perspectives is key. When you listen well, theme emerge that can make change,” Skleder said.

Student feedback wasn’t totally negative. When Skleder asked why students stayed, despite their criticisms, there were positive responses.

“I liked being a face, being a story, not just a number,” Danielle DiBartolo, sophomore psychology, social work and sociology major, said.

After the student question and answer session, Sklede thanked the focus group, and reflected on the discussion.

“When it all comes down to it, it’s about making great graduates,” she said.

As I’m writing this, it’s exactly two months away from May 16, a.k.a. G-Day, the day that my four years of poorly scheduled classes and over-involvement will come to fruition when I can walk across that stage, diploma in hand. It’s Graduation Day.

Now that it’s finally hitting me that, very soon, there won’t be a cafeteria below my feet and sweatpants won’t actually be the appropriate businesswear, I’m starting to realize how important all of my internships and jobs were. Sure, I may not have been itching to get to work to stuff envelopes or spend some quality time with the copier, but I can look back now and say that I definitely underestimated how important they were in helping me get ready to go into the–gulp–real world.

I’ll admit that, throughout college, I haven’t always been a great student. Actually, I was never really a great student. I, ashamedly, never cared about my GPA, and I’ve always been a huge procrastinator. Somehow, I’ve always kept the grant money that keeps me here by not letting my grades drop below a very generous GPA, which I won’t mention, but to me, that’s all that mattered.

A lot of people disagreed with me during my time at Cabrini, telling me I should care more about school and cautioning me that my grades were going to be bad news bears when it came to finding a job. And those warnings definitely scared me.

But instead of taking anyone’s advice, I opted to get involved with a slew of on-campus activities, and pretty much dedicated all my time to being at events and helping other students get involved, too.

During my freshman year, I got involved with CAP Board, planning events with a board of upperclassmen who intimidated me more than I ever knew. I think being on a board of juniors and seniors scared me more than my grades, but, for some reason, I stuck with it.

CAP was like my recreational drug. Once I got a taste of how much fun being involved was, I couldn’t stop signing my name to every list that got passed around. I eventually became a member of the Yearbook Club, and got involved with The Loquitur and the Alumni Board. Something about being a part of the things that actually happened at Cabrini was so much more fun to me than staying at home and studying.

This isn’t to say that everyone should be doing things my way. There were so many times that I peeked at my grades out of one squinted eye, expecting to hit a new low every time. There’s no doubt I should have cared a little, no, a lot more about what my grades were, but, in retrospect, I’ve begun to realize that all my on-campus involvement and internships got me more ready for the workplace than any test ever could have.

To date, I’ve had three internships. There are some that I’ve definitely liked more than others, but, in the end, they all taught me something. I learned more about what was required for my future career, not about the underlying themes in Shakespeare or the dates of every battle in the Civil War.

Besides that, I gained so many valuable connections and references that I never would have had otherwise. I mean, let’s face it, none of my professors were going to be thrilled at the prospect of writing me a reference.

I’m a shy person. Though, once you know me, you would never guess it. But my internships and work experience have helped me overcome my knack for starting out questions with “um…uh…I have a question…” and led me to feel more confident in my skills and in my ability to learn new things. That’s something I could never have gotten from any course or from any professor.

Now that senior year is drawing to a close, I have to wonder about the Facebook statuses of some of my friends/not friends/you-transferred-freshman-year friends. I understand needing to get good grades, but, at this point, what’s the big deal if you skip one extra class or you don’t completely go crazy over one paper?

In two months, those papers and those homework assignments are going to be reflected in our GPA, but, after May 16, who is going to care? I think students  of any age should strive to gain all the experience they can before we graduate. There are so many excellent opportunities for students to build their resume and get hands-on experience, and one day, it’s going to pay off more than your history paper. I promise.

On Friday, March 11, Lady Gaga’s  ‘Telephone” music video featuring Beyonce had its big premiere on E! News.  I must say that I was extremely taken aback after the nine minute and 32 second video was over. When I started the video on YouTube, I wasn’t too sure if I was watching the correct video. But then again, what else do you expect from Lady Gaga? She is a hot mess.

The music video for  ‘Telephone” didn’t match up to the real meaning of the song. After hearing the song over and over on Q102, I figured the song was about how bringing your phone out when you’re partying isn’t a good idea, but the music video had nothing to do with the real meaning of the song.

It has been said by Gaga herself that ‘Telephone” picks up where “Paparazzi” left off.  Who could forget that Gaga kills her boyfriend in the video then goes off to jail and she poses for a various amount of mug shots?

The music video starts out with two women guards of a jail walking Gaga to her prison cell. All the other inmates, who are women, are yelling provocative things at her, but Gaga barely flinches. The guards then strip her down into literally nothing; there is Gaga’s body for everyone to view. Some say that she did this to prove to everyone that she is truly female after a YouTube video surfaced last year that suggested otherwise.  The first minute of the video basically justified my reasoning as to why Gaga is off the wall.

If you have ever seen the movie “Kill Bill,” you would recognize that car Beyonce picks Gaga up in at the jail is the same truck that Uma Thurman borrows in “Kill Bill.” Beyonce and Gaga proceed to go on a killing spree but the director of ‘Telephone” Jonas Akerlund promises that it wasn’t trying to mock or have any similarity with “Kill Bill.”

The most bizarre part of the video is the outfits Gaga wears. She comes out of her jail cell for the first time covered in metal chains and sunglasses that are smoking. Yes, her sunglasses were made out of lit cigarettes. I had to rewind the video to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Before the song “Telephone” actually starts playing in the background, Lady Gaga definitely begins to push the envelope. This is where I was finally realized why YouTube has a warning before the video is played by the viewer.

Gaga’s outfits are out of control in the video. Aside from the cigarette sunglasses, she has Diet Coke cans as rollers in her hair, a bra and a thong on, some crazy telephone hat and an American flag outfit. Who ever comes up with these costume ideas is extremely creative but has to be just as weird as Gaga.

Music videos today are become more and more provocative. It seems that many singers aren’t afraid to do anything or wear anything for the public’s viewing. It is mind-boggling that these music video directors don’t have limitations of what can and cannot be produced. Anyone who has Internet access or cable television is able to watch these videos. What kind of image are they projecting to the younger society? This is why kids, especially younger girls, are dressing like Miley Cyrus in the “Party in the USA” video. I don’t ever remember my friends and I dressing like Britney Spears in the “Oops! I Did it Again” music video.

Now all you little monsters out there, don’t get upset with me, because I’m certainly not bashing Lady Gaga. I think her music is different and she is a very talented person. She is one of those individuals who could care less about what others think of her. I am just shocked that the “Telephone” video was actually allowed to be produced and aired on public television. To every person who has still yet to watch the “Telephone” video, grab a box of popcorn and get cozy because you are in for a trip!

When walking through Grace Hall usually around 7 p.m. this past semester, you probably heard singing voices. No, it is not the Cabrini ghost. It’s actually the Cabrini College Theatre preparing for the show that opens tonight “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

For two months, the cast and crew have been preparing themselves to put on to what we believe to be of the best shows that we have done. The show we are going to perform tonight is fun, comedic and marvelous for anyone sitting in the 90 seats that we have in the theater. Yes, I said 90 seats, even though most of you are probably saying  “You fit 90 seats in THAT theater?!” I know; I’m still trying to believe it as well, but it was done.

We have spent our nights and weekends in the theater preparing for this show. Everyone has been preparing this show and, to be honest with you, we are ready to show everyone what we are capable of. To me, the acting, the music and the singing seems fantastic. But I’m no expert in that department. I’m sure as long as I’m not singing then it will sound great!

From a stage crew member’s perspective, I can tell you this has been one of the best sets we have ever had. The crew likes to always surprise the audience with something different. For “12 Angry Jurors,” we were able to make it rain in the theater. With “Once on this Island” we had thunder in the show, and it wasn’t recorded. Those of you who have been here for the past couple of years might remember the “Laramie Project” and the turning walls that led into the scene where the reporters began their coverage of the Matthew Shepard case. It was the first and last time I hope to make it out on the stage. The stage fright gets to me and sometimes I can’t even imagine what goes through an actor’s mind before going on stage.

Since I walked into the theater as a timid freshman, I have seen this club come a long way.  I saw the walls in the back of the theater be knocked down. I’ve seen the pipes above your seats shine the light onto the stage. We have grown into more than anyone could have expected, and more than most people know. We are doing so much more than physical changes; we are a theater company who have put heart and dedication into building our home. The theater was the first place that opened their doors to me when I came in as a freshman. Ever since then, most of the people who have joined our company have become my family.

Tonight is an exciting night for all of us and even for you as an audience. When you come to the theater tonight we will be backstage or sitting by the light board and the sound board probably nervous as hell. But that doesn’t change the fact that we are so excited to be able to show you all what we have been working on.

A lot of what we have done could not have been done without Dr. Stretton, Bob Iodice, Dr. Bethany, Dr. Filling, Mike Hartmann, Joe Urbanik and Rob Stoop. This outstanding group of people have been planning this show since the summer and picking out how the set would look, how the music will sound, what the dancing would look like and even how will the lighting look. Without this group of people we probably wouldn’t have a musical to show every year.

Tonight, or any night that you come to see the show we want you to have a good time. When you walk out of the theater, we hope that you are entertained to the fullest. I know the cast, the crew and the orchestra will be having a great time watching the show for about the millionth time. So ladies and gentleman, sit back and relax, get your spelling faces on and enjoy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

Friday, March 19 is a day of celebration to honor the life of St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. The celebration is also referred to as the Feast of St. Joseph or Solemnity of Saint Joseph. March 19 always falls on a week during Lent and, according to the Canon Law, if the feast day falls on a Friday, practicing Catholics are given permission to eat meat, which is typically not allowed on Fridays during Lent.

“St. Joseph is such a role model of being behind the scenes, being steady, hard-working and a loyal person. The church honors him as a worker and that is important that holiness is not only about praying but being close to God,” Dr. Mary Laver, the director of international partnerships, said.

In New Orleans, La., the Feast of St. Joseph is a city-wide event. One tradition that many residents of New Orleans take part in is buying a small statue of St. Joseph and placing him in their yards. This is a tradition that is said to help houses on the market sell faster. Altars are built for public and private visitors who want to pay homage. After the altars are taken down, food is usually given to charity.

In Sicily, St. Joseph is known as the Patron Saint because he prevented a famine during the Middle Ages. The legend tells a story of how Sicily was in a severe drought and the people prayed to their patron saint to bring them rain. If the rain came, they told him that a large feast would be made in honor of him. The rain finally appeared and, as promised, the residents of Sicily had a large feast for St. Joseph.

“Saint Joseph was a worker himself, a carpenter, to be exact,” Laver said.

To represent the work that St. Joseph did as a carpenter, foods are traditionally served that are made with bread crumbs to represent the saw dust from a carpenter’s work. In Italy, they follow the no-meat rule during Lent, even on the feast say, allowing only meatless dishes to be served. In majority of the communities in Sicily, the Zeppole, a Sicilian pasty is always served at the feast. Just like the traditions in New Orleans, giving food to the needy is an important tradition that goes along with the day.

“I was going to have a little thank you reception for the writers of “This I Believe” on St. Josephs day and it just happens to be a quince dent. I was told to get St. Joseph cake which is apparently known as Zeppoles,” Laver said

One way to take part in St. Joseph’s day is to prepare a special meal and invite just one or two people who need the food, the welcome and the companionship.

Amaro denies trade rumors

Phillies’ star Ryan Howard is said to make over $15 million annually, while their new pitcher, Roy Halladay, will now be making $11.2 million annually.  As the Phillies started their spring training and pre season, they have come out what looks to be strong The possible Ryan Howard trade for Albert Pujols was officially distinguished as a fake. Philly fans faithful to Howard can breathe a sigh of relief as Ruben Amaro denied all possible trade rumors claiming that the reporting on this was completely false.

Beckham to miss World Cup

Super star David Beckham, who tore his left Achilles tendon Sunday, March 14 will likely miss the 2010 World Cup. Beckham was striving to be the first English player ever to participate in four World Cups.  Upon surgery on Monday, March 15 Beckham hopes for a fast recovery and nothing short of a miracle.

76ers recent woes have them on the brink of destruction

The last 10 years haven’t been easy for Philadelphia.  The 76ers have been struggling ever since they were defeated by the Lakers in the championship game of the 2000-2001 season.  With the Allen Iverson fiasco and a few coach alterations on the way, they have been barely hanging on.  Their record now stands at 23 wins and 43 losses.

This year’s 2010 indoor track season has been a time of team building after the departure of Coach  James Williams.  After Williams left, three of the team’s athletes transferred to other schools.

“It is always hard losing a coach.  Because of it we lost a few of our potential top runners on the men’s and women’s team,” Tyler Rooke, freshman education major, said.  The loss to the team included senior All-American Christiana Taylor who now competes for the Temple owls.

“A lot of people just didn’t want to run anymore, motivations and the focus of the program changed drastically.  Coach Williams was also a mentor to a lot of us and he recruited most of us,” Jaiquann Beckham, freshman business major, said.

Coach Williams, a 1999 Cabrini College graduate, led the track and field team for five seasons and enjoyed improving their success each year.  Under Williams, Cabrini had become a power house for women’s track and field and in recent years produced men and women multiple All ECAC Champions and All-Americans as well as even one NCAA Division III Champion in long jump.

The loss also included former senior, Christiana Taylor, who is now running for the Temple owls and former assistant coach to Williams Brian Shells who coach the jumpers and hurtelers.

Last year, the men’s women’s team qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championship.  Also, six members of the team got to compete in the ECAC meet,  and earned the title of being ‘‘all ECAC.’’

This year, however, has been different.  With Coach Williams gone, cross country coach, Tom O’Hora, stepped up to lead the track and field team.  The team was small in number and had few upperclassmen participants, however for some freshmen team members that proved to be not such a bad thing. “I expected a lot more upper classmen, but having said that, it gave us freshmen the opportunity to grow and mature quicker,” Rooke said.

“The structure and moral of the team changed.  We lost a lot of the enthusiasm that we had coming into what was looking like a promising and fulfilling indoor season,” Diane Gapinski, junior education major, said. “Also, the team suffered from injuries and sickness all season.”

“Overall, the team did ok, it was more or less an individual effort, I was happy on how I performed,” Quiana Volney, sophomore business major, said.

“We did well at the smaller meets, like ones at Ursinus College, but when it came to the major out of state meets, the team suffered,” Beckham said.

The Cavs are looking forward to their spring season opener at the Danny Curran Invitational in Chester, PA.

Tyler Rooke is optimistic. “We will be focusing on a new season and the weather will be nice; hopefully, times will increase because of it,” Rooke said.

Picture this: waking up bright and early, arriving at the ballpark three and a half hours before game time, coordinating and preparing routines for the fifth and seventh inning, all while having to make time for appearances in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, at events for businesses, community days and weddings.

For us, this is no ordinary routine. But for the Phillie Phanatic, this is just a walk in the ballpark.

How is there time for the Phillie Phanatic to make appearances during the on and off season while devoting his time at the Citizens Bank Ballpark? From making appearances not just in the Greater Philadelphia area, but around the world as well, the Phanatic has roughly 560-600 appearances a year.

“You name it, the Phanatic has been to about everything,” Tom Burgoyne said.

Burgoyne, who calls himself  “the best friend of the Phanatic,” has traveled everywhere from minor league to major league ballparks and has even made appearances in Japan, Australia and Europe. Burgoyne has even attended every All Star game since 1996. In his 22 years of bringing joy to the faces of Phillies fans everywhere, Burgoyne incorporates the character of the Phanatic to raise awareness in the Philadelphia area for a great cause.

Not only does the Phanatic parade around the ballpark bringing smiles to fans, but he is also part of a movement to encourage the importance of reading. Burgoyne launched the “Be a Phanatic About Reading” program to encourage kids ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade to read for 15 minutes or more a day. After they complete the program requirements, the kids fill out Phanatic-themed sheets to campaign for the mascot to visit the top 20-30 schools each year that participated in the program. The schools selected host a group reading assembly with the mascot.

When it comes to reading, Burgoyne isn’t all talk. He writes Phanatic-themed children’s books and just finished his eighth book, which comes out this spring.
“It keeps me busy a bit, but it’s all within the merchandise of the Philles and the Phanatic. I keep very busy and I enjoy writing books for children to encourage them to read,” Burgoyne said about his books.
The books can be purchased at the ballpark and, in the beginning of May, all the Barnes & Noble stores will have a special display for the books.

During game time, the Phanatic barely gets a break. The Phanatic isn’t just responsible for rehearsing routines; he has to create and coordinate them as well. Before each game, Burgoyne makes his way up to the control room, meets with the music operator and tells him exactly what he wants to do each night.

“It [game night] is a busy night, but it’s always different, and that’s what I like about the job. It’s crazy, but that’s what I like about it,” Burgoyne said.

Before Burgoyne gets suited up into the fuzzy green costume, he surveys his surroundings to get a sense of what’s going on. After he’s dressed, Burgoyne is out on the field on his red ATV, doing anything from messing with the choir singing the anthem to goofing off with whichever guest throws the first pitch. These acts are all to emphasize the comedic character of the Phanatic.

During the game, Burgoyne goes back out into the crowd, visits folks in the stands and then gets ready for his routine in the fifth inning. He has a break between his fifth inning performance and his seventh inning performance on top of the dugout.

“I could have Cabrini College dancers coming in to dance, other schools or dance groups at a time to come in, or another mascot to help out with another skit. There’s a lot of things that have to be coordinated,” Burgoyne said.
The Phanatic is preparing for the “Paint the Town Red” week, which is the last week of March. This is the fourth year for the event, and the Phanatic exchanges his typically green costume for a red one before the first home game to remind “phans” that baseball is approaching.

This year’s “Paint the Town Red” event will be especially important for the Phanatic. On March 29, the team will unveil 20 five-foot fiber glass statues of the Phanatic, all painted in different designs by various artists. These statues are going to be up all spring and summer throughout the city’s most popular tourist attractions, including the Philadelphia Zoo, Constitution Center, Liberty Bell, Love Park and more, all of which are open to the public.

The kick-off event for the “Paint the Town Red” week will be held at the Please Touch museum (Memorial Hall) and all information is posted on the Phillies Web site, Phillies.com.

Amidst his sea of responsibilities, the Phanatic still treasures his title as the most lovable mascot.

“I do feel like it has been an unbelieveable exeperience. I’ve lucked into it and it brings smiles to so many faces,”  Burgoyne said. “The best thing is to see reactions of the kids and seeing that the adults get just as excited as the kids do. By being the Phanatic, you’re bringing a lot of joy to a lot a of people and one day I’ll look back and say, ‘Wow that was an unbelievable experience!’”

West Virgina. Many may think is filled with hicks and trailer trash, but that is only the stereotype that people cast over the state. West Virginia is known for the industry known as coal mining.

There are many who do not know much about coal mining, let alone that there are two different types of coal mining that is done in the state of West Virginia.

Larry Gibson, founder of  “Keeper of the Mountains,” spoke to the Cabrini College community on Thursday, March 11 about the environmental and human rights issue of coal mining that occurs at the top of his home in West Virginia.

Gibson, who had 310 years of family history on Kayford Mountain in West Virginia located near Cabin Creek, has seen his family history destroyed.

Every day Gibson stands on top of his mountain, protecting his home from being destroyed by coal companies. Originally, there was conventional mining, when the coal miners extract the coal from the mountain by going through the mountain in a mine. But now in West Virginia, there is surface mining, also known as mountaintop removal.

Mountaintop removal is described on a pamphlet from Gibson’s Web site Ilovemountains.org as “a radical form of coal mining in which entire mountains are literally blown up. After the coal is retrieved, the earth from the mountaintop is dumped in neighboring valleys.”

Students and staff on last year’s Project Appalachia trip were able to go up with Gibson and see mountaintop removal first hand.

“The first time going up the mountain with Larry was shocking,” Joe Kimpflen, senior history and political science major, said. “When I heard Larry again, I remembered some of the emotions I originally felt.”

The Cabrini students were able to find out about this hidden crisis in West Virginia and go past what is known as “hell’s gate.” Past “hell’s gate” all the students would hear were the trucks and the beeping of the mountain just about to be blown away.

“Larry pointed out where children used to play and go to school, where birds sang, and families lived. Today, that is all gone, as Larry pointed out. It was hard to believe that the mountain was a happy place, when the entire group saw bareness. I felt like I was on another planet,” Lindsay Anderson, sophomore exercise science and health promotion major, said.

“I’m not just against Mountain Top Removal,” Gibson said. “I’m against coal mining in general. After I came back from West Virginia after being gone for 29 years I said ‘My goodness there is destruction in one of your states and none of ya’ll seem to care.’ So I got involved and I did something.”

Gibson has had over 100 death threats, has had his two dogs shot and killed and saw his family cemetery of over 300 years be bulldozed down the side of the mountain by coal miners.

Each year the coal companies lose up to 300-400 people to coal. It’s because they are breathing in the air and the dust from the coal, which causes the deadly disease known as black lung disease. People develop this disease depending on how long they have been around the coal. The carbon and silica that is in the coal is one of the big factors as to why people get black lung disease. The common symptoms are shortness of breath, obstruction of airways and severe cough. Black lung disease my cause strain on the right side of the heart eventually causing heart failure and some patients may develop emphysema.

“Since 1993 we have 550 people, 550 people to one damn industry. Who can okay that? How can that be acceptable,” Gibson said. “Last year we lost 11 miners in the country. Coal companies say that surface mining is safer then conventional mining. Last year seven out 11 of the miners were surface miners that got killed.”

But it is not just the coal miners who are breathing in this air. Everything around Gibson is poisoned. In 2003, a Programattic Environmental Impact Statement said that mountaintop removal has “buried and contaminated more than 1,200 miles of streams in Appalachia. This means that every time Gibson wants a glass of water, he can’t drink it because of the contamination. Every time Gibson wants to bathe in a proper shower, he can’t. Still Gibson stands against the coal companies refusing to let them destroy his childhood.

“I do not want to sell my culture, my history for somebody to destroy it,” Gibson said.

Gibson wanted to get through to people and let people know about mountaintop removal. He wanted to leave an impact on the students because according to Gibson he only has one chance to get through to the people.

“Larry was so honest and his emotions came through when he spoke about the issue,” Kimpflen said. “His talk was so descriptive that it was hard not to imagine the devastating effects mountaintop removal is having on the Appalachian Region.”

“What inspires me most about Larry is his determination. His passion against mountaintop removal is so strong and loud, that his voice is hard to miss. He makes one want to listen and take action,” Anderson said.

Every day, Gibson travels up to the top of Kayford Mountain with a gun nearby, a camera and a radio system to hear what the truck drivers of the coal companies say about him. He goes around to other universities and talks about what he is advocating for.

“Often times I give these talks, I try to get through to them because I simply want to get my point across,” Gibson said. “The price is too high. We now in the United States, young educated people keep hearing about third world countries. Well have you read about the third world country in your own country called Appalachia. Have you really checked in to it? For those that come to see me God bless ya, but when you come, don’t just leave. I want people to know what has been happening in the Appalachia coalfield. This is the best kept dirty secret.”

“What if it came into your backyard tomorrow? What would you do?” Gibson said. “If you don’t stand up for what you believe in, you will lose.”

In the midst of a rainy day on the East Coast, it was Mary Poppins herself that provided the spoonful of sugar for the Cabrini group in their adventure to New York City. Students, faculty and family members boarded a bus on Saturday, March 13, ready for a day in New York City and ready to experience Disney on Broadway.

“To have the ability to attend lunch, the show and dinner all in one trip was great,” Melissa Gambino, junior biology major, said.

The trip, which was offered by CAP Board, is a routine event that is offered in the fall as well as the spring. It is an event that always gains a great deal of support for the musical itself, as well as the experience of traveling to the Big Apple. Mary Poppins, the Disney musical, is performed at the New Amsterdam Theatre on West 42nd Street. It was surrounded by shops galore and countless restaurants. Within a three-block area is Times Square and the famous Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

“It is fun to go somewhere that you don’t usually get to go. Walking around the city is always an experience and going places with your friends is always a plus,” Gambino said.

Participants were given a two-hour time period before and after the matinee show at 2 p.m. This gave people the opportunity to explore the city. Unfortunately, the rain and wind prevented some of the attendees from doing what they wanted to do.

“It was a great trip, but the weather had a huge impact on what we could do outside of the musical. It’s a shame because I would have loved to do some shopping, or just see the sites,” Recklau said.

The story of Mary Poppins itself had a very long and interesting story. The stories, first written in 1934 by P.L. Travers, were a combination of life experiences and the creation of the perfect Mary Poppins. In total, four books were written all with the same recurring characters.

The film rights to these stories were held privately by Travers until Walt Disney, after 20 years, was able to create a script that Travers would approve and sign off on. The film is a corner stone of the Disney productions and is still adored by many people every day. It wasn’t until Cameron Mackintosh gained the stage rights to Marry Poppins that he teamed with the Disney Theater Productions and began to create a mixture of the stories and books with the movie and all of its songs.

Even amoungst the terrential down pour of rain, Cabrini learned that with a little bit of will power and the ability to dream, anything can happen.

photo by Danielle Alio

At an event held on March 7, at Grover Washington Middle School in the Olney section of Philadelphia, many Haitian citizens as well as Haitian-Americans gathered together for a fund-raising concert.  The event was hosted by the Haitian Community Help Center and consisted of influential speakers and leaders of the Haitian community, singers, poets and politicians who attended to show their support.

The president of the Haitian Community Help Center, Emmanuel Polection, opened the event with a speech about his hopes for Haiti’s future and the constant reminder that the disaster will not just go away.

“I’d like to take a special opportunity to remind the members of the Haitian community to remain vigilant.  We understand that when the media is no longer covering Haiti, when other things will become the center of attraction for the world, we, as Haitians, will need to stay strong and determined to continue the daily challenge as well as do our best to transform the face of our country,” Polection said.

Polection stated that the help center is setting two goals for the future.  The first goal will be an effort to send a group of volunteers to Haiti as soon as possible with the money raised from the Haitian community in Philadelphia.  The second goal will be to establish a help center in Haiti.  The help center will provide psychological help to families who fell victim to the earthquake.  Polection wants to send professionals in mental health to Haiti at least four times a year in order to train other Haitian professionals in mental health to open up the opportunity for more jobs in the country.

Some of the attendees of the event dressed in the colors of Haiti and carried their country’s flag in a parade to build the energy in the room.  The members of the audience erupted into a thunderous applause every time hope for the future of Haiti was mentioned and every time plans to help Haiti were set into place.

Performers were at the event to provide inspirational and hopeful music to the Haitian community.  Some were small bands and others were solo performances. Gospel artist Paul Polection sang a song in which the English translation of the title is “Haiti is on a Hospital Bed.” The song had the upbeat Caribbean feel with words of a very deep meaning.

Among all of the guest speakers were some religious leaders of the Haitian community in Philadelphia.  Rev. Christian Cesar, pastor of the Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church, spoke about the many who have died and the over 1 million homeless.

“It is up to you,” Cesar said. “Don’t let our country die. Let’s love one another in the body of Christ.”

Bishop Herve Vincent, pastor of a Pentecostal church in Philadelphia, said, “It’s time to get our heads together. This was a wake up call for all of us.”  Vincent emphasized the importance of joining together to build a new city for the people of Haiti since they have no place to sleep.

Vincent also expressed gratitude for what the United States has done with sending aid to Haiti.  “Don’t say that America is a bad country.  When you say that America is a bad country, you are placing a spell upon yourself.  America is a good country. Just like every country has a good and bad side. We ask you to pray for America, just like you pray for Haiti.  Love America, just like you love Haiti.  Stand for America just like you stand for Haiti because America is doing good things on our behalf,” Vincent said.

Those in attendance had in common that the disaster affected each of their lives in one way or another.  One member of the Haitian community, Yva Jean-Louis, said, “It was a disaster.  It was very very, very sad.  Many, many people died.  I lost family members.  I lost cousins.  I lost uncles.  We don’t know what is going on because it is not only in Haiti.  It’s like almost all over the world.  Like right after Haiti there was many more earthquakes not only in Haiti. So it is very devastated and we don’t know where to begin to start doing things.  We just hope that things are going to get better.  We hope everybody is okay and we keep praying.”

In closing minutes of the game, Villanova's Antonio Pena, Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes, background, try to trap Marquette's Lazar Hayward in the quarterfinals of the Big East Championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Thursday, March 11, 2010. (Ron Cortes/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT)

Ladies and gentlemen, get your brackets ready, grab a nice comfy chair and prepare to cheer on your favorite team. It’s time for March Madness.

The NCAA Tournament, also known as March Madness, kicked off Tuesday, March 16 with the play-in game at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. College basketball teams from all around the nation have battled since their season opener to earn a spot in “the big dance.”

“March Madness is definitely my favorite time of year right next to football season. My girlfriend hates when March Madness starts because I literally just sit in front of the TV until the tournament is over,” Nate Martin, sophomore accounting major, said.

Women may hate it, but for men this is one of the most exciting sporting events in the nation. Every Division I basketball team across the country fought it out during the regular season to be one of the 65 teams in the tournament. All of them are competing for one thing, NCAA dominance and the championship trophy.

“I’ll be honest. I get a little emotional when the tournament comes on. Nah, I’m just kidding but you have to root for the underdog. It’s awesome to see an unranked team come out of nowhere and knock a top-10 team right out of the tournament. Doesn’t get much better than that,” Justin Lutteroty, sophomore business and administration major, said.

A few teams that look to be dominant this year are Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse and Duke. Each of these teams, besides Duke, has been ranked No. 1 at some point during the regular season.

After beating Kansas State for the third straight time this season, Kansas University was awarded a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament as well as the overall top seed out of every team in the entire event. So a little tip for anyone making a poll: you might want to put KU in the championship or at least the Final Four.

“Villanova is going to dominate, no questions asked. I know they’ve been a little shaky starting with that loss to UConn and then Pittsburgh, but they love the big stage. Expect big things from Reynolds in this tournament,” Robert Sugg, sophomore marketing major, said.

The Final Four games are going to be played in Lucas Oil Stadium, which is the home to the Indianapolis Colts. The teams who make it this far in the tournament are only a point, a block, a missed assignment, a foul shot or a buzzer beater away from going to the biggest game in college basketball.

For all those men out there who are criticized by females who claim they are doing nothing for two weeks, hold strong, friends. Be true to your inner blue devil, wildcat, orange, jayhawk or buckeye and cheer on your team until the bitter end. Fill out that bracket with pride and know that the next two weeks are going to be awesome.

Casey Grugan. photo by Josh Weaver

Senior attackman Casey Grugan set the career points record in the Cavaliers’ win over Kenyon College on Saturday, March 13th. Grugan had 8 points in the game, with three goals and five assists to pace the Cavaliers.

Grugan now has 258 career points with 155 goals and 103 assists. Recent graduate and former teammate of Grugan, Scott Reimer had the career points record at 256 points. Reimers record was broken when Grugan had his fifth assist of the game in the fourth quarter.

Grugan also is now the second Cavalier in program history to surpass 100 assists for their career.

He also extended his consecitve goals streak to 59 games, which is a Division-III record and his consecutive points streak to 62 games, which is the longest streak in Division-III right now.

“I’m proud of him. He’s my best friend and I’m glad he did it. It shows he’s the best lacrosse player to ever play at Cabrini,” senior teammate, Paul Levine, said.

The Cavaliers put Kenyon College away early in the game when they sprinted out to a 10-0 lead. Senior attackman Steve Kapp had three goals and Ryan Sankey and Bobby Thorp had two goals each. Kenyon College took out their starting goalie after just six minutes of play when he let in four goals in the first quarter.

He was replaced by sophomore goalie Austin Anusbigian, who didn’t fare too much better against the Cavaliers.

The Kenyon Lords’ did end up with eight goals on the day, but they failed to ever make the game close after their slow start.

Junior Mike Gurenlian dominated the face offs by winning nine of 14. Also senior midfielder Paul Levine scored his first goal of the season with 3:26 to go in the fourth quarter.

“It feels relieving to get my first goal of the season, I’m glad to get it done and over with and now I’m ready to drop some more before the end of the season,” Levine said.

“The game on Saturday was a big win and put us back on the road to winning as a team again. We were able to adapt to the weather and play our game. It was not an easy win with the weather, but the players on field were able to play through the conditions and give us the early lead. We also got a lot of support from the teammates that showed mental toughness by being able to support their teammates in the bitter cold,” Ryan Sankey, sophomore midfielder, said.