WEEK IN REVIEW: Laurels and Darts | October 19, 2018
TED IS TERRIFIC
TEDxRutgers, a local subset of the larger TED organization, which in short aims to promote “ideas worth spreading,” holds multiple events each year that allow students and faculty to convey to the Rutgers community and beyond their brilliant ideas — which, as a university community, we experience no shortage of. We laurel TEDxRutgers for giving the Rutgers community a platform to spread its own influential ideas and experiences, as well as listening to those of others.
CONSTRAINTS ON VICTIMS
A recent accusation of sexual harassment has brought to light Rutgers’ abhorrent two-year constraint on investigating allegations of sexual misconduct after the claims went uninvestigated. While the policy is consistent with New Jersey’s sexual harassment law, Rowan, Montclair State, Kean, The College of New Jersey, Ramapo, New Jersey City University and William Paterson are among the many New Jersey schools that do not place any time limitation on sexual harassment complaints, according to NJ Advance Media. We dart the existence of such a policy.
EASY EATING
A new Rutgers Dining Services initiative has begun this fall. Rutgers food options that accept RU Express, such as Kilmer’s Market, the Livingston Starbucks, the Douglass Cafe and the Cook Cafe, among others, are now offering online ordering for pickup. Online ordering can be done through the Places to Eat webpage from Dining Services as well as through a feature on the Rutgers app. We laurel Rutgers Dining Services for this new initiative that will make students’ lives more convenient.
HATE IN NJ
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the amount of hate groups in the United States has increased for the third consecutive year. The number, as of February, stands at 954 active hate organizations, with 17 in New Jersey alone. Hate speech is not protected by the inalienable right to freedom of speech. At the University, this growth can often be felt. We dart the increasing number of hate groups.
END THE EPIDEMIC
With the aim of helping to fight the current opioid epidemic, a new Addiction Medicine Fellowship, appointed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), has been implemented at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (RNJMS). Once a physician completes the program, they will be certified to prescribe Buprenorphine, which is a drug that helps treat opioid abuse disorder. Drugs like Buprenorphine coupled with counseling and behavioral therapies have been found to be very effective in treating addiction promoting recovery. We laurel RNJMS for their efforts in fighting the opioid crisis.
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
An allegation of rape has recently been levied against Albert J. Alvarez, a senior staff member of Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D-N.J.) administration. Katie Brennan, the alleged victim, said she had reached out to Murphy's team about the allegations three times. The first in December, the second time in March and the third time in June when Brennan emailed Murphy and his wife. After the second time, a Murphy administrator suggested Alvarez leave his job. Nothing further happened. Alvarez has officially resigned after The Wall Street Journal contacted him about the allegations on Oct. 2. We dart the length of the process and the inaction along the way.
The Daily Targum's editorials represent the views of the majority of the 150th editorial board. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.
