OUTLOOK: Exact starting date/What was the University like at that time?
PG: July 7, 2003. I came here two days after retiring from the navy. The University was always in great place with a great location. The neighborhood stayed the same and it survived the hurricane. We had an opportunity to build some things, my predecessor had the MAC on the drawing boards and they had been talking about it for ten years. They were finishing up the library renovations. I had a chance to do a few things to fill out that ground and to raise some money for the University. I would say Sam McGill, President 20 years ago, and Becky Stafford, 10 years ago, got us on a really good track to be a University, to be a Division IA program, keep enrollment up between five and six thousand. They had good ideas and I just sort of kept them going and added some new energy to good ideas.
OUTLOOK: New ideas?
PG: One thing I tried to do was, I’m a firm believer that you have a job inside the gates of the University and that’s you going to class and learning something from a professor. A University is such a center of energy and intellectual power has responsibility outside the gate and if you don’t connect these professors with the issues around you and if you don’t get the students interested in those issues, I don’t think you’re getting the full value out of the University. What I tried to do was to do more things with our talent outside the gates, to get us more involved. The side benefit of that is that you get more well known in the region, the state, the governor’s office, in congress, and around. That eventually helps enrollment and our reputation as well. That’s one new thing that I did, setting up all these new centers that we have.
OUTLOOK: Did you come in with a list of Goals/What did you do to accomplish Them?
PG: Every year, I sit down and write out a set of goals and they are sort of negotiated with the chairman of the board. For example, say I write down 10 goals. I send it in and they may say we want you to do more in this area and then we settle on it and I try to accomplish these goals. I think I’ve accomplished this each year. Certainly, there are more things you want to do like have a lot more money and a lot less expenses. You want to have each piece of land usefully filled up and I want to expand graduate education here, while leaving the undergraduate the same size, which is what I would’ve wanted to do had I stayed here longer.
During my too-short four years at Monmouth University, I think it’s safe to say that I was involved. I wanted to immerse myself in campus life; I never wanted to say, I wish I did that. However, the only organization that became a part of me was The Outlook, not only thanks to the dignified quality in which we stand for as a newspaper but mostly thanks to the committed and oddly eccentric people that call our little office home.
In being a part of The Outlook, I found what I was looking for at our University; people who were passionate about journalism but also knew how to have fun. This staff is fun, outgoing, outlandish, devoted, and perhaps most importantly, all vastly different. From this, I think that we created our own dysfunctional family, one in which sometimes wants to go at each other’s throats but deep down (sometimes really deep down) loves one another and always comes back together. Before I start tearing up thanking our Outlook babies, I want to thank some of the people who helped make this place my home from the beginning…
The Outlook Old-Timers
Gina, I will always credit you with being the one to bring me into this brilliant organization. To this day, I consider you my mentor and whenever I’ve grappled with a decision, I always know that you
are the one who can put it in perspective for me. You and I operate on the same wavelength (one that often screams at Brett) and I truly look up to you. You were the one who brought this newspaper back and held us together as a family.
Tony, my big brother of The Outlook. You are always there to mess up my hair and make dumb short jokes (what a surprise) but most importantly, you are always there for me. I always know that you have my back even when you are trying to pretend you’re such a hardass, which becomes even more evident when I somehow convince you to visit me… two hours away. (Did I say one hour? Whoops, sorry). We all know you’re a big softie Tony, give it a rest. We also all know that in the midst of all of the practical jokes, you’re a fantastic journalist and like everyone at the Asbury Park Press knows, you are destined for great things. I hope that soon enough, I can have a big-kid job like you… see you at the Wall Street Journal!
FISHER! I’ll always remember you as the one who never got sick of my stupid questions when I was just a baby and couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to work InDesign. The amount of commitment and enthusiasm you served for this paper is something that I know will follow you within your career as well. My favorite thing is when I come into the office and I see that there is a cartoon waiting for me (and my second favorite is seeing you do shots at the bar and dance with cougars).
Sandra, I couldn’t be happier that we are living together next year, even though I know that you will unfortunately be bringing around that strange boy Tony with you. I know that we are going to have loads of fun, which was evidenced by the fact you had a whole itinerary of awesome things to do (and cheap!) when we went to Wildwood over the summer.
Jowanna, I can’t believe you’re all the way in beautiful North Carolina. This little state is a lot quieter without you and a lot more boring. Your often-inappropriate jokes were always guaranteed to bring laughs to our loud office and I miss having you around to tell us about your certain “movements” and get crunked on one beer with us.
A small amount of asbestos was found behind Birch Hall this past Wednesday, April 24. The substance was quickly identified and removed when a University groundskeeper discovered it upon his rounds.
According to a memorandum sent out by the Vice President of Administrative Services, Patti Swannack, the groundskeeper immediately notified the Director of Compliance, Mel Dale.
Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral with fibrous crystals, was commonly utilized in buildings in the late nineteenth century. Professor Claire Condie, a geology adjunct, states that “Because of its resistance to heat, fire, and chemical damage, [it] was used for insulation in buildings and as [an] ingredient in a number of products, such as roofing shingles and water supply lines. Typically the asbestos is [also] mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats.”
Dale states that since the relative bans on asbestos containing material (ACM) took effect, the University has not used any in recent building materials since; which explains the asbestos finding in Howard Hall last fall.
However, there is some asbestos remaining in older buildings, said Dale, but the amount is minimal and catalogued through the school’s Asbestos Management Plan. “All the remaining amounts of asbestos are inventoried as to their current condition so as to not pose any danger to the University students and employees,” said Dale.
Condie explained that the most common form of asbestos is chrysotile, a member of a family of sheet silicates labeled as serpentine, which often grow in rocks that have an abundance of magnesium along with silica and a source of water.
Freshman Carolyn Kutz, communication major and Elmwood Hall resident, worries about the asbestos finding being so close to her home on campus. “It’s crazy that it could happen on campus, but the fact that it’s so close to where I sleep makes it a little more scary,” said Kutz. “I felt unaware and now wonder where else it could be on campus, or in a building on campus for that matter.”
It’s not a secret that asbestos health hazards are prime concerns, seeing as that all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the material is a common cause for health risks such as lung cancer, including mesothelioma, a form of cancer that takes place in the lining of the body’s internal organs.
The University’s Political Science and Sociology Club helped collect about $1,600 for the Kortney Rose Foundation with their annual 5K Fun Run/Walk on Friday, April 28 at 2:30 pm in front of Wilson Hall.
The Kortney Rose foundation was formed by secretary of the Political Science Department, Kristen Gillette. According to TheKortneyRoseFoundation.org, “[The organization] is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to raising funds to support research and education related to the treatment and cure of pediatric brain tumors.” The foundation was created to honor Kortney Rose, the daughter of Gillette, who passed away at the age of nine four months after being diagnosed with brainstem gliomain in April 2006.
Raising awareness for brain tumors, the number one cancer-related death among children under 19, is the mission of the Kortney Rose Foundation.
This year’s race was dedicated to a local child named Alex who underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. Gillette spoke to the mother of the boy a few days prior to the fun run/walk and said that she would dedicate this year’s race to him.
“We had over 100 people participate in this year’s event, which is our largest turnout ever at the University,” said Gillette. “The Kortney Rose Foundation is definitely gaining awareness with the help of University students participating in our runs.”
Students, employees, alumni, and local residents were encouraged to participate in the 5K Fun Run/Walk. The race began in front of the steps of Wilson Hall and looped around various on-campus apartments and dorms, the Multipurpose Activity Center, and surrounding local streets.
The total raised for the Kortney Rose race was near $1,600, with two of the largest sponsors being Joe Patten, Chair and Associate Professor of the Political Science Department, and Peter Reinhart, Director of the Kislak Real Estate Institute. Professor Patten donated $10 for every participant who completed the race before him.
Freshman Trever Carpenter participated in this year’s 5K. “I heard about the race from a few friends, and I was definitely interested. I did some research on the Kortney Rose Foundation and I felt that it was a great cause. I definitely wanted to help spread awareness.” Carpenter plans on participating and becoming more involved with non-profit organizations, especially the Kortney Rose Foundation, as he continues to grow at the University.
After 10 years of being President of the University, Paul G. Gaffney II will be retiring on July 31. Many feel Gaffney has accomplished much in his time here and they appreciate everything he has done for Monmouth.
“I think President Gaffney was a phenomenal leader for our university because he’s so connected to the students, faculty, and campus,” senior Kate Nawoyski said. “He really showed students that he cared about us, and I felt so comfortable being at Monmouth because of that.”
Oscar Sanchez, former Student Government Association President, said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know President Gaffney over my years on SGA. He is a president who puts the students first, is always open to listening, and has a desire to learn more about each individual beyond their student ID number.” Sanchez added, “He has been such a pleasure to work with, and his dedication to SGA is going to be a tough one to match. As a mentor, leader, and role model, President Gaffney has exceeded all expectations.”
Gaffney has seen a lot in his time here and he was able to bring new ideas to the University as well as expand on the plans made by Presidents before him.
“The University was always in great space with a great location. We had an opportunity to build some things, my predecessor had the MAC on the drawing boards and they had been talking about it for ten years,” Gaffney said. “I would say Sam McGill (President 20 years ago) and Becky Stafford (President 10 years ago) got us on a really good track to be a University, to be a Division IA program and keep enrollment up between five and six thousand. They had good ideas and I just sort of kept them going and added some new energy to good ideas.”
In his time here, the University has seen the addition of several new buildings like the Multipurpose Activity Center, Mullaney Hall, Rechnitz Hall and many more in progress. The University was able to afford these new buildings due to President Gaffney seeking out donors who were willing to help.
“He’s been quite masterful at philanthropy and fundraising,” Ed Christensen, Vice President for Information Management said. “We’ve put up a lot of buildings with a lot of fundraised money and some were built entirely from funding that was able to be set aside.”
The first one of these donors was Norma Hess, wife of Leon Hess, who President Gaffney grew close with and admired. “When you see a name like Leon Hess with gas stations all around the world, oil drilling, and he was such a great philanthropist and a great man not only in this area but internationally. I think the fact that Monmouth University attracted that kind of support is good news,” Gaffney said.
Naming the Business School after Hess is what Gaffney feels is his greatest accomplishment as President.
Under President Gaffney, the University has taken many strides from an athletic stand point, especially with the opening of the MAC in 2009.
Marilyn McNeil, Vice President and Director of Athletics, said Gaffney believed in athletics and understood what it could bring to the University. “The first time somebody hears about Monmouth is in September on a football score or soccer game so our athletes are out there sort of marketing Monmouth sooner than everybody else is. It was really important that we look good and that we play well and respectfully,” McNeil said. “Dr. Stafford was terrific, but President Gaffney really made it relevant and made it important and so I think our sense of stature here went up.”
Shane Carle, senior and captain of the track and field team, noted Gaffney’s love for athletics and enjoyed the support Gaffney showed for each athletic team. “He would come to practice every once in a while, would always shake my hand and ask how things were. He always knew what we were up to and was always there to cheer us on,” Carle said.
In addition to helping the school move forward from an athletic standpoint, people also admired the fact that Gaffney didn’t spend all day in his office. Instead he would walk around campus as often as he could, creating visibility and availability.