A Loyola Tradition Since 1923
The BUTT N Collector -T.M. Daniel
“For a greater Loyola”
Vol.91, No.14
Check out part one of our new serial fiction
www.LoyolaMaroon.com
Friday, January 25, 2013
FALSE REPORT Loyola catches and corrects error given to
Biology professor accepts Dux Academicus
U.S. News and World Report
By HASANI GRAYSON Senior Staff Writer Loyola has caught and corrected an error it made when reporting the average dollar amount borrowed by a four-year student at its university to the U.S. News and World Report. The average student at Loyola graduates with $22,713.56 in students loans, according to Cathy Simoneaux, interim director of the office of financial aid and scholarships. In its original report, Loyola reported a drastically lowered dollar amount borrowed by the average four-year student. The mistake ran in the Oct. 2012 issue of U.S. News and World Report and was caught by Loyola the next month. “We then immediately reported it to U.S. News. They modified our information on their website and we have not heard back from them since that time,” Lydia Voigt, senior vice provost of academic
affairs said. Voigt added that they resolved their issue with U.S. News and World Report before reports of Tulane’s false data surfaced. Cathy Simoneaux said the confusion was caused by a switch made in the 2010-2011 academic year to a new mainframe in the financial aid office. “The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid migrated all operations from a legacy mainframe system to PowerFAIDS during the 20102011 academic year,” she said. “The original average aggregate loan calculations reported did not correctly reflect loans processed on the legacy system.” Simoneaux said that another challenge to calculating the average amount borrowed is not including the loans taken out by students while attending other institutions. “This means adjusting the aggregate loan amounts borrowed
for all transfer students to pull out loans borrowed at their prior schools,” Simoneaux said. Simoneaux also said that the average amount borrowed does not apply for students who take more than four years to get their undergraduate degree. Despite having the reported number increase considerably after the error was corrected, Loyola students still don’t borrow as much as students at other universities, according to the Project on Student Loan Debt, cited in Simoneaux’s email. Twothirds of college graduates in 2011 borrowed an average of $ 26,000 over four years, according to the Project on Student Loan Debt. Kenna Ellis contributed to this report and can be reached at kmellis@loyno.edu Hasani Grayson can be reached at hkgrayso@loyno.edu
On Dec. 27, the Times-Picayune reported that Tulane University had sent false data to the U.S. News and World Report. Tulane misreported admission test scores and the number of applications received to its business school for a period of at least two years. The U.S. News and World Report is still investigating the matter to see if the false numbers will have any impact on the business school that is currently ranked 43rd in the country. Tulane has said they are unsure how the erroneous data got reported, but the data presumably improved the school’s rankings with the U.S. News and World Report. Tulane has turned to the help of an independent firm to aid in the search to find the source of the incorrect data. Dean of Tulane’s Freeman Business School, Ira Solomon, said in a statement, “We deeply regret that this occurred,” and added that “the checks and balances will provide assurance that this will not happen again.”
Mentoring program created for first-generation students By HANNAH IANNAZZO Staff Writer Students, faculty and staff have come together to mentor about 45 first-generation, firstyear students through a program called First in the Pack. First in the Pack was started by Elizabeth Rainey, director of retention and student success, and Roberta Kaskel, director of the Career Development Center, to help first-generation, first-year college students transition from high school to college. Rainey and Kaskel also asked Amy Boyle, associate director of Residential Life; Christina Neilson, area director of Buddig Hall; and Jill Boatright, assistant director of the Career Development Center, to help in the development of the program. According to Rainey, the idea for the program came from Laura Murphy, assistant professor of English. Murphy approached Rainey with the request for a program specializing in helping first-generation college students. Murphy said this program has been the brainchild of an idea
HANNAH IANNAZZO/The Maroon
Alicia Bourque, director of the University Counseling Center and Health Services, meets with her peer mentee and other faculty, staff and peer mentors at the monthly dialogue that was held for First in the Pack on Jan. 17. The monthly dialogue was the first of four for First in the Pack.
By HASANI GRAYSON Senior Staff Writer In an announcement that caught her by surprise, professor of biological sciences, Patricia Dorn was awarded the Dux Academicus Award on Jan. 11. The award winner is decided upon by a committee of faculty, students, and alumni, and is announced every January at the President’s Convocation. “It recognizes one faculty member a year as a leader of the community and for excellence in research, Patricia Dorn teaching and Professor of service,” Dorn biological said. “I'm very sciences appreciative to be recognized by my colleagues.” Dorn said even though she knew she had been nominated for the award, she didn't expect the honor since there were other professors who she thought would have been worthy. One of the things she said impressed the voters was her overall approach to teaching. “I tried to do a lot of engaged learning,” she said. “Lots of studies have shown that students who are actively engaged in the learning process learn more.” One of the unique ways in which she engaged her students was through her student-assisted research in the field of biology. “I do a lot of work in Central America and I take students with me and we go to Guatemala,” she said. “We work on trying to stop the transmission of this really devastating disease called Chagas disease.” Dorn explained that insects called kissing bugs spread the disease to people who live in villages across Guatemala, but also noted that they have been found in New Orleans and other parts of the southern United States. With all the research she has done, Dorn said she is even more proud of what her students have done after leaving her classroom. One of her students helped saved the life of one of the main designers behind the Monroe Hall renovations. “He was suffering from a lung infection and one of my
see FIRST, page 12
CITY
see DUX, page 3
page 4 RELIGION
page 9
EDITORIAL
“ Green Light New Orleans starts new program
See Page 6
President attends National Prayer Service
page 10
New Orleans is many things, but it is not a permanent Mardi Gras
INDEX Crime Watch City Life & Times Sports Puzzles Religion Editorial Opinion
ONLINE 2 4 5 7 8 9 10 11
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