Rowan Writing Arts Events Update: Week of October 15, 2018

Rep. Norcross, Three State Lawmakers to Speak at ACE Conference
 
U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ 1st, Gloucester-Camden-Burlington) will be the keynote speaker next Tuesday, October 23 at the Fall Conference of the American Conference of Education (ACE) Women's Network of Rowan University. The session, which will include lunch, will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Eynon Ballroom of the Chamberlain Student Center. A long-time friend and supporter of Rowan, Rep. Norcross played a major role earlier this year in securing a $1.4 million research grant that’s being shared by our university and Rutgers-Camden. In addition to our local Congress member, the ACE conference will feature a panel of three state Assembly members discussing important issues in our region affecting women, families, and education. They are: Gabriela Mosquera (D-4th, Gloucester-Camden), Patricia Jones (D-5th, Gloucester-Camden), and Carol Murphy (D-7th Burlington). Admission is $15 per person and the College of Communication and Creative Arts has set aside limited funding for students to attend. Contact Jenn Courtneyfor more information. Note that the university is hoping for a large turnout so please check your calendars and, if possible, make an effort to attend this pre-Election Day event.
 
 
Get Ready! Duo Security Is Coming to a Device near You
 
You’ve most likely heard of Duo Two-Factor Authentication, the new digital security program being rolled out by Rowan’s Information, Resources, and Technology (IRT) office. It’s voluntary for now, but enrollment will be mandatory for all faculty, staff, and students in the coming months. Duo, a password verification protocol from Cisco Systems, adds a second step to the regular login process for desktops, laptops, tablets, and other devices. As the software’s marketing material says, “strong passwords are essential, but they aren't enough to protect your account. The second layer of security provided by two-factor authentication prevents unauthorized users from accessing your account, even if they know your password.” Once you are enrolled, you will sign on as usual with your Rowan Network user name and password and you then would have to verify that you are you. You do this by entering a separate code, unique for each individual login, you receive from a text message, phone call, or a hardware token. If you’d like to be a “early adaptor,” you can enroll right now by clicking here; for more information, including detailed instructions on how to enroll and use Duo, click here. (Here’s a tip: Be sure to see if your devices qualify for the 14-day pass that allows you to skip password verification for two weeks!)
 
 
Don’t Miss Homecoming (Saturday) and College Assembled (Monday)
 
There’s always something happening here in the 08028, but this is an especially busy time with week-long Homecoming festivities wrapping up and our Fall 2018 College Assembled session taking place on Monday afternoon. . . . This year’s Homecoming theme is “Rowan Goes Hollywood” and the big day is Saturday, October 20 with the College Row assemblage of booths from more than a dozen of Rowan’s top programs, schools, and colleges taking place at the Bowe Boulevard/Carpenter Street corner of campus, behind Richard Wacker Stadium. As usual, the College of Communication and Creative Arts will have some excellent swag available as well as a green screen photo booth where you can live out your dream of being a star – albeit in two dimensions. Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM will once again broadcast live from the CCCA tent and will be exchanging prizes for correct answers to trivia questions. . . . College Assembled follows just two days later, on at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, October 22, in Bozorth Hall’s King Auditorium. Dean Sandy Tweedie will bring us up to date on all that’s new and exciting in the CCCA. Stay connected and involved and don’t miss this informative biannual event.
 
 
October’s S.H.O.P. Food Drive Just Days Away
 
While we’re always accepting donations for The S.H.O.P. as part of the Writing Arts Department’s sponsorship of Rowan’s student food bank, we’re about a week away from our October department meeting. That means an empty shopping cart will be sitting in Room 200 of Victoria Hall on Wednesday, October 24 waiting to be filled with canned goods and non-perishable items for students in need. As you undoubtedly know, a recent study surprisingly and sadly showed that 48 percent of Rowan students suffer from food insecurity at some point each semester. This affliction is defined as not knowing where your next meal is coming from at least twice a week. Even more shocking, though, is that 31 percent deal with “very low” food insecurity, meaning they are hungry more days than not. We had our first department food drive in September and – earlier this week – student S.H.O.P. volunteers stopped by our offices here at The Vic to pick up a full cart and leave us another one for us to fill. This reminder, hopefully, catches you before your weekly shopping trip so you can throw a few more items in your cart that – next week – can go into our department cart. The S.H.O.P. is open to all students with a Rowan I.D. three days a week: Mondays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon, and Fridays from noon to 3 p.m.  (At left: Terri Tally, coordinator of The S.H.O.P. – Students Helping Other Profs – arranges cans on a shelf in the food bank at Room 141 in Building 5 of the Rowan Boulevard Apartments.)
 
 
Beware, Take Care, Flying Pumpkins Are In the Air
 
Halloween is almost here so it’s time for the annual Rowan University Pumpkin Chunkin’ competition – the 16th annual to be precise. The event--guaranteed to surprise, amaze, and entertain – is being held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, October 26 at the South Jersey Technology Park on the West Campus, just down Route 322, before the Route 55 interchange. The university’s student section chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) will host nearly two dozen teams from local high schools, colleges, and universities. The goal of the seven-member teams is to launch pumpkins across a field with the winners based on the longest, most accurate flight. Updated versions of medieval trebuchets, built by the teams over several months, are used to send the squash soaring skyward in this event that brings together prospective and current engineering students for fun and competition. There also will be a faculty/staff pumpkin-carving challenge, a costume contest, and food trucks. Click here to contact Rowan’s ASME chapter for more information.
 
Do you have a new publication, a reading, or any other event of interest coming up? Please let me know so I can let all our colleagues know in the weekly Rowan Writing Arts Events Update newsletter. Stop by my Victoria 521 office or email me at royek@rowan.edu to give me the 4-1-1.
 
Stephen A. Royek, M.A.
Lecturer, Writing Arts
Rowan University
2015 Rowan Medallion Award winner
     Phone: 856-906-4755
     Victoria Hall, Room 521
     Email: royek@rowan.edu