Xavier Newswire 8-19-15

Page 1

NEWSWIRE The Xavier

Published by the students of Xavier University since 1915 Fiat justitia, ruat coelum

August 19, 2015

Volume D Issue 1

Alter Hall opens its doors

BY TATUM HUNTER Editor-in-Chief Alter Hall is open for use after a 15-month, $18 million renovation. The academic building closed after the spring 2013 semester ZKHQ XQLYHUVLW\ RIĂ€FLDOV GHFLGHG the structure was outdated. Classes will be held in Alter during the fall 2015 semester. Alter doubled the available classroom space on campus when LW Ă€UVW RSHQHG LQ DQG WKH university dealt with widespread classroom shortages during Alter’s reconstruction since the hall had long housed most humanities courses. Classes were moved into formerly non-academic spaces around campus, including Flynn Hall and Cintas Center. The new Alter Hall has four Ă RRUV FODVVURRPV D FRPSXWHU lab, seven project work rooms, a QHZ +RQRUV ORXQJH DQG Ă€YH RIĂ€FHV LQFOXGLQJ WKH RIĂ€FH RI WKH dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Xavier faculty celebrated Alter’s opening Monday with a kick-off ceremony and retreat. Faculty members received a tour of the building and an orientation to its new features. “Some of you endured teach-

ing classes use the gardens in less-thanto conduct labs ideal spaces,â€? and research. said Janice “We all have Walker, dean to work to of the College make it hapof Arts and pen,â€? Smythe Sciences, said regarding when she adthe aggressive dressed the energy and wacrowd at the ter use targets event. “Thank for the buildyou for your ing, adding that patience and the building persistence.â€? can stand as Provost a symbol for and chief ac“hope in chalademic oflenging times.â€? Ă€FHU 6FRWW The acaChadwick said demic spaces the new buildin the building ing will give are multifuncfaculty more Newswire photo by Mac Shroeder tional and allow opportunities President Fr. Michael Graham speaks to faculty at Alter Hall opening event. IRU Ă H[LEOH XVH to enrich the by teachers and fessor in the history department. lives of students. Alter was built to LEED gold students. “The most important thing standards and is projected to have ´<RX ZRQ¡W Ă€QG GHVNV DQG (Alter Hall) symbolizes is belief half the energy and water use of FKDLUV EROWHG WR WKH Ă RRU DQG in us. We will touch students’ other campus buildings. Its de- pointed dutifully toward the lives in this space,â€? Chadwick sign incorporates natural light front of the room, where we said. DQG D UHĂ HFWLYH URRI WR UHGXFH WHDFKHUV FDQ SRQWLĂ€FDWH DV WKH The revamped Alter Hall is energy use and heat retention. sole holders of knowledge,â€? said WKH Ă€UVW EXLOGLQJ SURMHFW RQ The St. Ignatius Steps outside the Stephen Yandell, a professor in campus for which sustainability building feature a rain and bog the English department. was a priority from the beginning garden that captures rainwater ,Q WKH SDVW Ă€YH \HDUV WKH XQLof the planning process, accord- from the roof and reduces storm versity has increased gross square ing to Kathleen Smythe, a pro- water runoff. Various classes will feet on campus by 25 percent

— adding Smith Hall, Conaton Learning Commons, Fenwick Place residential and dining facilities and a Central Utility Plant — and admitted larger incoming classes each year. The university announced in June its plans to invest $25 million in renovations to the Cintas Center basketball arena. 7KLV UDSLG H[SDQVLRQ FRPbined with a sustained budget GHĂ€FLW KDV SURPSWHG VWXGHQW and faculty concern regarding the university’s commitment to academics and social justice in the wake of accelerated growth. Last year, a committee of faculty and administrators devised a new Core curriculum with reduced requirements in an atWHPSW WR Ă€QG D EHWWHU Ă€W IRU WKH university moving forward. “Just as the Core revision was a response to these concerns, the (Alter Hall) building is the second part of that response,â€? said university president Michael Graham, adding that the building will serve as a central hub for Core curriculum courses. “We have a new building for a new Core,â€? Graham said, “That highlights the importance of the Core. This building is all about student-faculty collaboration around student learning.â€?

BY REGINA WRIGHT Staff Writer Actress and speaker Laverne &R[ LV FRPLQJ WR ;DYLHU DV SDUW of the Student Activities Council (SAC) speaker series Powerful Women. &R[ SOD\V 6RSKLD %XUVHW RQ 1HWĂ L[¡V ´2UDQJH LV WKH 1HZ %ODFN Âľ $V D VXFFHVVIXO DFWUHVV and a transgender woman of colRU &R[ XVHV KHU FDUHHU DQG KHU activism to draw attention to issues of race and gender. The Powerful Women series aims to depart from the tradiWLRQDO ZKLWH PDOH Ă€JXUHV RIWHQ associated with campus speaking engagements, according to SAC intersections committee chair -DFN %DLQEULGJH The series will feature another speaker during the fall 2015 semester and two more GXULQJ WKH VSULQJ VHPHVWHU These speakers have yet to be

%DLQEULGJH VDLG KH H[SHFWV we think it’s important for people determined. The intersections commitee mostly positive feedback from to hear Laverne’s message.â€? Dustin Lewis, associate diGHFLGHG WKDW &R[ LV WKH SHUIHFW the campus community. UHFWRU RI WKH 2IĂ€FH RI speaker to kick off the seStudent Involvement, said ULHV %DLQEULGJH VDLG WKDW &R[¡V SUHVHQFH RQ FDP“We wanted someone pus will highlight the need who’s not just a celebrity, for continued conversation who’s got something deepsurrounding race, gender er and richer to offer,â€? he and intersectionality. said, adding that speakers “Xavier’s ability to bring with pop culture ties but a speaker who is breaking deeper messages have been barriers and changing hearts popular with Xavier stuand minds across the coundents in the past. WU\ LV DQ LQFUHGLEOH H[SHUL&R[¡V OHFWXUH WLWOHG ence for our student body “Ain’t I A Woman,â€? is based and our campus,â€? Lewis on the famous speech given said. “Laverne speaks to the by Sojourner Truth in 1851 heart of social justice and at the Women’s Convention cultural identity – how we LQ $NURQ 2KLR 7UXWK¡V can work together as men VSHHFK FRQWUDVWHG KHU H[and women for and with perience as a woman with others, showing compassociety’s view that she was sion and giving respect for not equal to other (nameother people while honorO\ ZKLWH ZRPHQ &R[ ing the dignity and worth of HFKRHV WKLV H[DPLQDWLRQ every individual. This is the RI KRZ VRFLHW\ GHĂ€QHV 3KRWR FRXUWHV\ RI WKH 2IĂ€FH RI 6WXGHQW ,QYROYHPHQW heart of Jesuit education.â€? womanhood. Lewis said he believes :KLOH &R[ GRHV VSHDN Laverne Cox, an actress and activist, will give a RI ´2UDQJH LV WKH 1HZ lecture titled “Ain’t I A Womanâ€? Sept. 15 at Xavier. the lecture will be enriching “We know that it’s a Jesuit for all attendees, regardless of %ODFNÂľ DV D YHKLFOH WKURXJK which she could bring awareness Catholic campus, and a trans indi- their racial and gender identities. “She talks about the struggle to the issues faced by the trans vidual may raise some eyebrows,â€? community and women of color, he said. “People may want infor- WR Ă€QG ZKR \RX DUH DV D SHUVRQ the show is not the focus of her mation about why we’re doing to claim your identities for yourWKLV DQG ZH XQGHUVWDQG WKDW %XW self, to allow yourself to share in lecture.

meaningful and transformative H[SHULHQFHV ZLWK WKRVH DURXQG \RX DQG WKHQ WR Ă€QG VHOI DFFHStance and to love yourself for who you are,â€? Lewis said. 7KH 2IĂ€FH RI 6WXGHQW Involvement will host various activities and events in conjunction with the lecture; these events will be announced in coming days. The Center for Diversity & Inclusion will host a conversation following the lecture to continue the dialogue about the intersections of race and gender. “An Evening with Laverne &R[Âľ LV KRVWHG E\ 6$& DQG co-sponsored by the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Title IX, the Gender and Women’s Studies program, Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice and /*%74 $OOLDQFH The event is open to Xavier students, faculty and staff. There ZLOO EH IUHH VWXGHQW WLFNHWV available for pickup at 3 p.m. on Friday Sept. 11. in Gallagher Student Center. Students will be able to pick up two tickets per All Card, and only one All Card will be permitted per student. 2QH KXQGUHG WLFNHWV DUH DYDLOable for faculty and staff by HPDLOLQJ VDF#[DYLHU HGX Edited by Tatum Hunter

Laverne Cox to speak at Xavier

Š2015

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