So, who is in charge around here anyway?

COl\I~IENTARY

W e 1 1 folks, we're halfway there. It has been a pretty good semester, and not a bad millennium either.

tions. But what happens at this college both now and after your graduation will affect the value of your diploma.

So why am I suddenly concerned with the college's direction? The new dorm is the cause of my concern. You know, the dorm that is basically being built over a parking lot. The one that lead to an annoying lack-of-parking problem that apparently took the administration by surprise.

CHRIS NIELSEN

I think that the Loquitur has been a mixed bag this year. we· have managed to entertain and/or offend a significant portion of Cabrini's campus. On a personal note, I have made a lot of friends over at Valley Forge Military Academy. They like Loquitur a lot.

Things could be better, though. The Loquitur has the same problems this year as it has had pretty much every year I've been here. The problems are that we tend to take an issue and repeat it over and over until it's not even relevant anymore.

Let's face it, the first couple of issues this year were less a newspaper than a medium for us to bitch about the school's parking and alcohol policies. Meanwhile, some of the really big issues concerning our campus have been put on the backbumer.

One of the issues we haven't really explored is the leadership of the college. This may not seem to be that big a deal to the average four-year student, whose only communication with Cabrini after graduation will be from telemarketers asking for dona-

Well this dorm is supposed to be ready by next January, the second semester of next year. This is already behind the original time frame. Do you think that the housing lottery is interesting now? Wait till this time next year.

The director of resident life is going to have a rough time with this one. Wait a minute, we don't really have a director of resident life. Hmm, this could be interesting

Last year, the administration were Loquitur's guinea pigs. We made criticizing the president and dean of the college into an art form. This has not really been the case this year. Our bully pulpit has been much more interested in taunting Public Safety. Not that they (or anyone) is above contempt, but let's face it, they're just doing what the director of Public Safety tells them to do.

Wait a minute, we don't have a director of Public Safety. Hmm, very interesting

It took a while, but I think you can see where this article is going now. And I don't really want to write this article, because the acting dean of students, Paul, is a really nice guy who is good at his job. I hope that he will be appointed permanent dean if he is willing to keep take the title. But that should be his job, and his only job.

How many colleges do you think there are that combine two very important administrative positions into one? I've never heard of such a thing. Doesn't anybody else see that this is wrong?

I'm concerned that our college is putting too much weight on one pair of admittedly broad shoulders. This is the result of a summer that pretty much saw the core of the old student development staff leave. Again, this was an issue that we at Loquitur pretty much let drop. Does anybody really think that every student development employee just coincidentally decided to leave within a two month period? I mean, think about it.

The upcoming housing lottery is going to be one hell of a test. And there are a lot of incoming freshman to consider. Some of them are probably are expecting to live in a brand new dorm.

I think that the bottom line is that the school is right now working on three construction projects, namely Phase 2 of Founders Hall renovation, the new dorm and the entrance to the school. Plus they are also supposed to be in negotiations for a softball field somewhere. This is a time of rapid expansion for the college, and we are more in need of strong leadership that ever.

I know that qualified personnel cost money., but they are necessary for a college to succeed. More necessary than parking spots, softball fields and even ponds. All the resources of the school won't mean a thing without strong leaders to make sure that they are used properly.

Just some food for thought over break. Just remember, we at Loquitur are still paying attention.

Chris Nielsen is the perspectives editor of Loquitur. He will work on his application for the position of director of residence life over winter break.