MU student response to the WLB zoning board anti MAC Vote
This is from Matt Losey... a member of the Monmouth university track team, MSAAC, and Peer
leader program.
In the form of a letter to the Asbury Park Press editor he wrote this in response to the town voting down the MAAC center.
The Press, he was told, deemed it too long to publish (it is pretty long).
But, in my opinion, it is heart felt, thoroughly thought out, and very well done, and the blog seems a perfect place to run it in full.
And, you can feel the frustration oozing from the MU community as you read...
Where is the MAAC?
I am a junior at Monmouth University. I am member of the Track and Field team, President of the Student Athlete Peer Leader Program, and a member of MSAAC (Monmouth Student Athlete Advisory Committee).
After the December 14th vote for the MAAC was voted down, several hundred student athletes, along with coaches and administrators were absolutely devastated to hear that we had lost the long battle. I say “battle” because I feel that this is only the beginning. I had to reassure my teammates, and fellow student-athletes that this was by no means the end of the MAAC. I always get questions about it, like “What is wrong with the community?” or “Why don’t they want this? Community members would attend games, right?” and I don’t know what to say to them because I would think West Long Branch and the surrounding communities would surely be interested in supporting the school and student-athletes who have supported you and been part of this community for so many years.
For three years I’ve been volunteering to the community through Monmouth University. This is not something new; the University has always had a long-standing tradition of encouraging students to volunteer their time and talents to the community. Whether it’s taking time from studying for finals to join Santa to hand out toys that we purchased with personal funds to the children of the Schroth school; or giving a mother with twin five year olds a $120 gift certificate to Target (when all she asked for was bed sheets for her sons because she was moving out of a shelter into an apartment) or going to the local schools and reading books with Shadow the Hawk; or talking to your children about making the correct choices as well as the discipline it takes on and off the playing field to become an established student-athlete at a fine institution such as Monmouth.
As the student population has grown, we have been able to do more of these activities, and we work hard to be positive role models for the children in this area.
Monmouth University has been a good neighbor since our inception; making our facilities available to the community for camps, games, and practices. We offer camps and clinics where our student-athletes and coaches will help your children improve their athletic skills.
These are all activities that your children have and will benefit from, and remember for the rest of their lives.
It seems to me that Monmouth understands that the future lies with your children. The University understands that in order to be successful and grow as individuals and citizens, children of all ages need encouragement and leadership. You may not understand why student-athletes need a place to practice their sports and participate in athletic competition, but it’s not just a game for us it’s a learning experience.
Athletics teaches so much, from teamwork to time management and so much more. As a group Monmouth University student-athletes have one of the highest GPA’s on campus, which would tell me it benefits us not only on the playing field, but in the classroom, and in the office as well.
It is upsetting to me that the community is so divided on this issue when it can benefit so many. A community is supposed to represent togetherness and I just didn’t see it at the meetings I’ve attended. Where I come from in upstate New York, people gladly lend a hand and make sacrifices to help out another person or group; Its called compromise, and some members of the community are so concerned with trivial things, like signs and speed bumps that I have to wonder what your real reason for not wanting the MAAC is?
It certainly can’t be a slight increase in traffic, because if you were an active member of this community you would have gone to the Gridiron Classic and saw 5000 spectators (which is more than the capacity of the MAAC) in the stands cheering on the football team. You can’t say you didn’t know about the game, because for a week there were banners all over town streets, articles in the paper and the game was televised.
And the day of the event, disruption to the community was minimal.
After attending several meetings, the biggest complaint I heard was about traffic. From what I understand we would only have a few events each year where the MAAC would be full, and the school would work with the local police to move traffic out of campus quickly on these days. Is an extra 15 minutes of traffic on maybe a dozen days a year enough to deny your local university the chance to provide a facility that everyone in the community can be proud of and enjoy?
Our gym looks something like a high school gym, an outdated high school gym at that. Right now we are a successful Division I athletics program that has facilities that are embarrassing, over crowded and falling apart. The recent women’s basketball game I attended had to be stopped due to water leaking from the ceiling. The leak had to be fixed before the game was allowed to continue.
During the winter season my track teammates and I have no choice but to shovel off our track so we have a place to practice.
All winter our gym is in use from 6am to 10pm every day. It would be wonderful to practice on an indoor track. I’m sure members of the community would enjoy having a place to walk when it’s cold out as well.
The MAAC is a bit of a myth around campus now. For at least five years the students have been eagerly awaiting the MAAC. Sadly, it’s become an on going joke. People make comments like “Boy it’s raining out, wish we could practice in the MAAC today?” or “Well maybe our grandchildren will see the MAAC?”
I would like to thank all those who have supported Monmouth University over the years, and most recently over the MAAC controversy. I hope that you will continue to support us as you have in the past, and “When” the MAAC is built as I hope someday it will be, you will be sitting in the stands next to Monmouth alumni watching a game or two.
And for those who don’t support us, I understand your concerns and I respect them. However, I ask you as a member of this community to have faith in the University that they have taken the proper steps to insure your concerns are dealt with.
I look forward to watching an athletic event with you at the MAAC in the future.
Matthew Losey
Student-Athlete Peer Leader Program
leader program.
In the form of a letter to the Asbury Park Press editor he wrote this in response to the town voting down the MAAC center.
The Press, he was told, deemed it too long to publish (it is pretty long).
But, in my opinion, it is heart felt, thoroughly thought out, and very well done, and the blog seems a perfect place to run it in full.
And, you can feel the frustration oozing from the MU community as you read...
Where is the MAAC?
I am a junior at Monmouth University. I am member of the Track and Field team, President of the Student Athlete Peer Leader Program, and a member of MSAAC (Monmouth Student Athlete Advisory Committee).
After the December 14th vote for the MAAC was voted down, several hundred student athletes, along with coaches and administrators were absolutely devastated to hear that we had lost the long battle. I say “battle” because I feel that this is only the beginning. I had to reassure my teammates, and fellow student-athletes that this was by no means the end of the MAAC. I always get questions about it, like “What is wrong with the community?” or “Why don’t they want this? Community members would attend games, right?” and I don’t know what to say to them because I would think West Long Branch and the surrounding communities would surely be interested in supporting the school and student-athletes who have supported you and been part of this community for so many years.
For three years I’ve been volunteering to the community through Monmouth University. This is not something new; the University has always had a long-standing tradition of encouraging students to volunteer their time and talents to the community. Whether it’s taking time from studying for finals to join Santa to hand out toys that we purchased with personal funds to the children of the Schroth school; or giving a mother with twin five year olds a $120 gift certificate to Target (when all she asked for was bed sheets for her sons because she was moving out of a shelter into an apartment) or going to the local schools and reading books with Shadow the Hawk; or talking to your children about making the correct choices as well as the discipline it takes on and off the playing field to become an established student-athlete at a fine institution such as Monmouth.
As the student population has grown, we have been able to do more of these activities, and we work hard to be positive role models for the children in this area.
Monmouth University has been a good neighbor since our inception; making our facilities available to the community for camps, games, and practices. We offer camps and clinics where our student-athletes and coaches will help your children improve their athletic skills.
These are all activities that your children have and will benefit from, and remember for the rest of their lives.
It seems to me that Monmouth understands that the future lies with your children. The University understands that in order to be successful and grow as individuals and citizens, children of all ages need encouragement and leadership. You may not understand why student-athletes need a place to practice their sports and participate in athletic competition, but it’s not just a game for us it’s a learning experience.
Athletics teaches so much, from teamwork to time management and so much more. As a group Monmouth University student-athletes have one of the highest GPA’s on campus, which would tell me it benefits us not only on the playing field, but in the classroom, and in the office as well.
It is upsetting to me that the community is so divided on this issue when it can benefit so many. A community is supposed to represent togetherness and I just didn’t see it at the meetings I’ve attended. Where I come from in upstate New York, people gladly lend a hand and make sacrifices to help out another person or group; Its called compromise, and some members of the community are so concerned with trivial things, like signs and speed bumps that I have to wonder what your real reason for not wanting the MAAC is?
It certainly can’t be a slight increase in traffic, because if you were an active member of this community you would have gone to the Gridiron Classic and saw 5000 spectators (which is more than the capacity of the MAAC) in the stands cheering on the football team. You can’t say you didn’t know about the game, because for a week there were banners all over town streets, articles in the paper and the game was televised.
And the day of the event, disruption to the community was minimal.
After attending several meetings, the biggest complaint I heard was about traffic. From what I understand we would only have a few events each year where the MAAC would be full, and the school would work with the local police to move traffic out of campus quickly on these days. Is an extra 15 minutes of traffic on maybe a dozen days a year enough to deny your local university the chance to provide a facility that everyone in the community can be proud of and enjoy?
Our gym looks something like a high school gym, an outdated high school gym at that. Right now we are a successful Division I athletics program that has facilities that are embarrassing, over crowded and falling apart. The recent women’s basketball game I attended had to be stopped due to water leaking from the ceiling. The leak had to be fixed before the game was allowed to continue.
During the winter season my track teammates and I have no choice but to shovel off our track so we have a place to practice.
All winter our gym is in use from 6am to 10pm every day. It would be wonderful to practice on an indoor track. I’m sure members of the community would enjoy having a place to walk when it’s cold out as well.
The MAAC is a bit of a myth around campus now. For at least five years the students have been eagerly awaiting the MAAC. Sadly, it’s become an on going joke. People make comments like “Boy it’s raining out, wish we could practice in the MAAC today?” or “Well maybe our grandchildren will see the MAAC?”
I would like to thank all those who have supported Monmouth University over the years, and most recently over the MAAC controversy. I hope that you will continue to support us as you have in the past, and “When” the MAAC is built as I hope someday it will be, you will be sitting in the stands next to Monmouth alumni watching a game or two.
And for those who don’t support us, I understand your concerns and I respect them. However, I ask you as a member of this community to have faith in the University that they have taken the proper steps to insure your concerns are dealt with.
I look forward to watching an athletic event with you at the MAAC in the future.
Matthew Losey
Student-Athlete Peer Leader Program
posted by Tony Graham at 11:17 PM
7 Comments:
Matt,
Nice job. My thoughts - would be for you to first - trim it down a little..I think you have to do that..
But, from there, send copies to ALL the governing bodies of WLB from the mayor, to the Boro Council, to the Zoning Board members, etc.,
Perhaps something of a mass mailing to residents living within say 4-5 blocks of the school, and try to make them aware how the students feel.
Good luck!
Also, a copy should certainly run in the OUTLOOK.
Matt,
This is a great start for the student population. You must gather the students and protest this ruling. It may be as much as not using WLB for your goods and services. I know that each spring the students and campus community do the "big event" where we clean up yards and do community service in WLB. I suggest the students discontinue this practice and help the folks in Long Branch. I'm sure they would be more than happy. This is a very serious matter and the student body has to see it as such. I know that some people see college students as nothing more that beer drinking partiers, but this is an opportunity to show just what you are all made of. Stand up and let your voices be heard. You may have to get some of your fellow students off their butts to take action and realize that sometimes you have to stand up for something or fall for anything. It may be true that for some of the students, they may never get an opportunity to see the MACC as a "student", but how nice will it to as an "alum" and say, "I stood up and helped get this building approved."
Your comment - I suggest the students discontinue this practice and help the folks in Long Branch.
From me: I think you gain more with love than spite.
Continue the community work in WLB..
BUT
Bring along a copy of Matt's letter or a similar plea and make personal appeals to the residents and to their common sense.
I would think many residents of WLB are in favor or neutral when it comes to the MAAC.
In my opinion this whole matter is being driven locally by a short sighted few in power and by their political and or personal motivations.
Tony,
Can MU students speak at the board meeting Thursday? Perhaps Matt can get some friends rounded up and chime in there.
How about non-WLB residents -- can they attend and speak?
Not totally sure ..but will check on this later today when I see our reporter..Carol..at work..I will let you know..
I was going to suggest this anyway..an impassioned talk by Matt or someone like him with a few friends (not rowdy) showing up for support and applause .... etc.
Just checked with a news editor. He believes public comment is accepted at some point in the evening. GO FOR IT!
Why doesn't the WLB mayor stand up and face the issues with the MAAC? When will she come out from behind the Zooning Board Members she appointed? She has told many of the WLB voters "vote for me and I will stop Monmouth GROWTH" Yes Tony its a small group of small mined people that are pushing the buttons.Its a shame that she gets away with this type of Government after the last Mayor waits to go to jail.
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