Los Angeles Loyolan February 6th 2018

Page 1

E. OM . H ICE UR YO R VO S. W U YO R NE U YO

W W W. L A L O Y O L A N . C O M

SP

Los Angeles LOYOLAN

LIF E

Febru ar y

2018 7,

RTS +A

TS OR

The

EST. 1921

Two students talk on writing and producing their own music. Page 13

V O LU M E

96

Student Amanda Sadis talks about her experience as a Clippers dancer. Page 18

| ISSUE

19

Black History Month celebrated Events aim to educate the students on the contributions of the black community. Kayan Tara

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

February marks the beginning of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the achievements and contributions of African Americans in the United States. LMU celebrates the historical and cultural contributions of black people through a wide array of educational and entertaining events throughout the month of February. The LMU Black History Month committee chose the theme “Blacks in the Struggle” for the 2018 Black History Month. According to Nathan J. Sessoms, the director at the Office of Black Student Services (OBSS), this has been one of the most collaborative years of Black History Month, with events hosted by and involving several different departments on campus. According to Stefan Bradley, the chair of African American studies, the content and topics discussed during Black History Month are not new. The month provides an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and administrators to reflect on the “travails and triumphs of black people while keeping an eye to the future,” Bradley said. “I believe wholeheartedly that this month makes America shine brighter as a nation,” Bradley said. “At this moment, when people of African descent are being ridiculed for their stances on justice or for merely being from a particular country

or continent, LMU can take advantage of the opportunity to escape ignorance and combat hate by engaging in Black History Month.” The celebration began Feb. 1 with a Black History Month Kickoff in Lawton Plaza. Tonight, Feb. 7, an interview with Amanda Seales from HBO’s “Insecure” will be hosted by OBSS and Maine Entertainment in the Living Room. The Department of African American Studies is hosting National Book Award Winner Dr. Ibram Kendi on Feb. 8, at 6 p.m., at the Ahmanson Auditorium in University Hall. It is co-sponsored by BCLA Office of the Dean and Vice President of Intercultural Affairs. Faculty were also integral in the committee and will participate in events throughout the month, according to Jennifer Williams, a professor of African American studies. Other upcoming events include a celebration of Cuban Art and Culture during Family Weekend, Feb. 10 and 11, as well as the Sweet Potato Pie Social on Feb. 15 between 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in Malone 112. Williams will be facilitating a talkback about the Afrofuturism of Black Panther after the Black Panther Movie screening, which will take place at Cinemark at the Howard Hughes Center at 7:05 p.m. Buses to transport students to the movie screening will leave Hannon Field at 6 p.m. The date, time and place for the talkback is still being determined, according to Williams. Black History Month was first celebrated nationally in 1976, according to Williams. It grew from “Negro History Week,” created in 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History

Jason Munoz | Loyolan

See Black History | Page 3

Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts, Bryant Alexander, performed at Hidden Heroes.

Contingent Faculty Network on campus Adjunct faculty have worked to make their presence and contributions known on campus. Sami Leung

Interim News Editor @LALoyolan

Emily Sullivan | Loyolan

DREAM Call-in event encourages activism ASLMU hosted a booth on Thursday, Feb. 2 in Lawton Plaza from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and encouraged students, faculty and staff to call their legislatures in support of the DREAM Act. Printed scripts and phone numbers were provided to facilitate the calls. For every individual that called, a free donut or slice of pizza was offered. This event was a part of a national effort on behalf of many Jesuit universities across the nation to advocate on behalf of the DREAM Act. There was also a form letter offered by the Ignatian Solidarity Network in support of the DREAMERs. This letter can be edited and automatically sent to congressional representatives. ASLMU hosted LMU’s involvement in this day as part of their continuous effort to support the dreamers.

LMU’s teaching faculty population is made up of full- and part-time faculty members. Full-time positions teach about four courses per semester and are tenured or are on the tenure track. Adjunct or contingent faculty teach around two courses a semester and include positions such as lecturer and teaching professors. There are currently 445 active part-time faculty, 39 visiting professors and 15 postdoctoral teaching fellows employed at LMU. The term active part-time faculty refers to faculty who are currently teaching or have taught within the past 12 months, according to Thomas Poon, executive vice president and provost. “Our contingent faculty are important colleagues and members of our university community who generously contribute their many talents to the education of our students and to the betterment of LMU,” said Poon. “They represent a full spectrum of academic disciplines and specialties. I know that all of our contingent colleagues are committed to providing the best education possible for LMU students and consistently report that they enjoy working with our students.” A networking a support group called the LMU Contingent Faculty Network, formed

in 2012, aims to facilitate communication between contingent faculty and fulltime faculty. They also want to encourage dialogue about the role of contingent faculty on campus. According to the CFN website, contingent faculty teach a majority of core undergraduate and graduate courses but aren’t included in the governance of faculty. This network was approached by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in 2013. SEIU is an organization that has worked to unionize part-time faculty in other locations such as Washington, D.C. and Boston. Contingent faculty at LMU were given the option to vote to unionize, but after policy changes by the University, they voted against unionizing. Part-time faculty are eligible for health benefits — medical, dental and vision — when they have taught at least six units for two consecutive semesters and are scheduled to teach at least six units in the third semester. Professor Lee Greenberg, a lecturer in the theology department, has been a professor for 15 years and was one of the leaders of the adjunct union movement on campus in 2013. When asked about how adjunct faculty are treated now, he said he believes that they “are treated better than at many other universities, but it is still very far from fair in the absolute sense.” “My lack of publishing is the primary thing that has held me back from being truly competitive for these positions,” said Greenberg. “But it is a vicious circle, once someone accepts a position as an See Adjunct | Page 3


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.