Rally calls for peace and unity

A peace rally was held
yesterday in honor of Cory Mitchell to promote peace and unity among SJU
students. Friends, relatives and religious leaders were present to share
their thoughts on the incident and on Mitchell’s life. The university
also took donations and distributed ribbons to raise funds on Mitchell’s
behalf. In the wake of the incident, the university has accepted the
challenge and has taken the responsibility to inform its students about
safety in order to prevent any future incidents. It is, however, the
student population that has lagged in its attempt to improve the
situation. Upon the news of Mitchell’s tragedy, students at St. John’s
appeared genuinely concerned and outraged. At the Organizational
Congress, they presented ways and means of improving campus security.
When it came to actually getting involved, though, the students were
haphazard in their efforts. Only about 200 people turned out for the
rally on the Great Lawn. The TORCH was disappointed by the apathy of the
students toward a cause that was intended to improve our community.

Softball team finds a home

The SJU softball team will
now have a permanent home. The team, which currently plays its home
games at Mitchell Field in Long Island, will have a new field located
behind the residential village. After being neglected by the university
for so long, the women will finally have a field to practice on and host
its home games. The baseball team has a new playing field, while the
softball team was left to commute to and from Long Island. The TORCH is
pleased that the university has finally allotted the team the space that
it deserves, but how efficiently will it cater to the needs of the team?
Being located behind the residence halls limits the accessibility not
only to the athletes, but also to the general public. The field, which
is located in a remote section of the campus, might cut back on
attendance figures if people can’t find it. Despite possible drawbacks,
the team is happy to finally have a home.

C.A.U.S.E. cancels
programs

C.A.U.S.E., the organization that champions those in need
is being forced to cancel several of its programs, including its Income
Tax Assistance Program, which helps students file their annual income
taxes. In the past year, C.A.U.S.E. has been forced to relocate its
offices two times. It was first removed from its offices in the trailer
behind the U.C., to Conference Room C inside the U.C. in order to make
room for the Queens Kings baseball team. Since then, it has been moved
across the hall. The university has been inconsiderate in its treatment
of C.A.U.S.E., inconveniencing this worthwhile organization due to a
lack of sufficient space. The TORCH sympathizes with C.A.U.S.E. and its
struggle to find a stable home. We urge the university to reconsider its
actions when it will affect well-intentioned organizations such as
C.A.U.S.E.