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Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 96 • Issue 19 • March 16, 2018

THE MAROON FOR A GREATER LOYOLA

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STAFF Graphic Designer: Hayley Hynes Executive Producer for Maroon Minute: Amy Ngo Assistant Producer for Maroon Minute: Miles Rouen Social Media Producer: Samuel Lucio Assistant Editors: John Casey, Will Ingram Staff Writers: Alena Cover, Rose Wagner, Melody Bigelow, Cody Downey, Richard Simmerman, Tyler Wann, Monica Ruiz, Emma Gilheany, Payton Whittaker, Diana Carmona

IN MAGAZ

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Sexual Battery St. Charles Ave. & Cherokee St.

March 7

8:22p.m.

Theft 6400 Block of Freret St.

March 8

1:47p.m.

Auto Theft 2300 Block of Blk Wirth Ave.

March 8

11:27p.m.

Sexual Battery 7800 Block of Blk Freret St.

March 12

Drug Violations 6300 Block of St. Charles Ave.

March 12

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Theft 5700 Block of S. Claiborne Ave.

March 13

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news

March 16, 2018 The Maroon

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Pi Kappa Phi members pedal for philanthropy

By Cody Downey cadowney@my.loyno.edu

Pi Kappa Phi continues their cycle of philanthropy and fundraising through various events, many of which take place over the summer.

This year, Loyola’s Pi Kappa Phi’s Jared Chan, chemistry sophomore, and Bryant Istre, political science junior, are strapping on their helmets to participate in Gear Up Florida.

Ever since 1997, the fraternity Pi Kappa Phi has participated in Gear Up Florida, a fundraiser that raises money to help benefit people with disabilities, with over 300 members participating.

Gear Up Florida is a part of The Ability Experience, Pi Kappa Phi’s philanthropy. For the event, participants take an 800-mile bike ride over the course of two weeks. The ride will start off on the shores of Miami and finish off at the state capitol in Tallahassee, Florida. Along with the bike ride, there are “friendship visits” where the cyclists will visit centers that work with people with disabilities.

Each year, the team of cyclists raises over $80,000 with each individual raising $2,500 to benefit people with disabilities.

Chan is excited to be involved in Gear Up Florida because of his prior experience with similar events. Last summer, Chan participated in Journey of Hope, another event sponsored by The Ability Experience. For Journey of Hope, Chan biked fromSeattle, Washington to Washington D.C. on a 4,330-mile route over the course of 10 weeks.

Jared Chan, left, and Bryant Istre, right, pose together with a bicycle, dressed to represent their fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, and the nonprofit The Ability Experience. They will be cycling across the state of Florida this summer with other members of the fraternity to raise money and awareness for the nonprofit.

JACOB MEYER/ The Maroon.

Chan said the experience was very enlightening and called it the best summer of his life.

“I learned so much about myself and was humbled by the impact we made on various communities of people living with disabilities,” Chan said.

Due to this experience, Chan jumped at the chance of participat-

ing in something similar, which led him to Gear Up Florida. Chan said the opportunity is an honor and a privilege.

“It is actively committing to pushing oneself to their physical limits, to gain an understanding of how people with disabilities push themselves every day of their lives,” he said.

Chan also hopes to be a leader for some of the newcomers to both cycling and service. As a veteran to this kind of event, he wants to provide a sense of professionalism for everyone involved.

“While I aim to continue to grow as a servant-leader myself, I’m also expecting to help create a safe cycling environment on the roads, and

Project Magis makes progress on initiatives

By Erin Snodgrass and Madison McLoughlin eesnod@my.loyno.edu mmmcloug@my.loyno.edu

Project Magis has been making headway with the initiatives to improve the Loyola community and university as a whole since being initiated in August.

After years of financial hardship, enrollment problems and accumulated debt, David Borofsky, interim provost, and 153 university staff and faculty spent the summer creating key initiatives and workstreams for Project Magis. Project Magis is a strategic planning process that hopes to bring the university to a place of financial stability.

Borofsky held a faculty and staff town hall meeting in August, where monetary specifics of Project Magis were discussed, as well as workstreams: plans which are meant to help cut costs and improve efficiency.

“Planning has never been a problem here. It has been the implementation. We will implement this plan, and it isn’t going to be easy,” Borofsky said at the town hall meeting.

Over the course of this academic year, the administration has been meeting weekly to discuss the project. Steps have been taken to involve more faculty and students, including having current students text potential students about attending Loyola in the future, according to Borofsky.

“We’re working on involving and

continuing to involve more people,” Borofsky said.

According to Borofsky, the board, with the help of the Mackenzie Financial Planning Group, set financial targets for the university through 2021. According to these targets, in the fall of 2019, the university will have an additional $20.9 million in revenue and there will be no draw from the endowment in the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

When Borofsky spoke in August, he was joined by John Head, vice president of management enrollment; Cissy Petty, vice president of student affairs; Maria Calzada, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Laura Frerichs, vice president for marketing and communications.

Each workstream leader presented a presentation slide featuring some key initiatives their workstream would focus on.

“We’re starting to make some progress,” Borofsky said in March.

“We’re meeting the goals in retention and admissions, but we’re not quite there for online yet.”

Head spoke about enrollment goals and plans to raise admissions.

The workstreams’ initiatives include focusing on international students, transfer students and domestic first-year enrollment for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 fall semesters. Head mentioned that Project Magis has allowed for university funds to create a new position on his team. A new transfer recruiter joined Loyola on Sept. 5. Head also spoke about efforts to increase international en-

rollment from places such as Vietnam, China and South America.

One of the initiatives the admissions workstream is working on the fall 2017 enrollment yield.

“Our admissions for fall of 2018 is trending seven percent ahead of last fall which was our biggest class since 2012 or 2013,” Borofsky said.

If all of those admitted students attend Loyola in the fall, it will be the largest class the university has ever had, according to Borofsky.

Petty introduced the initiatives that are part of the workstream which aims to improve university retention rates. The five initiatives are success coaching, centralized advising, a university success course, focusing on at risk populations and cumulative impact.

“We will touch 600 first-year students and have one-on-one coaching with them,” Petty said about the success coaching initiative.

The university success course will emphasize oral, written and communicative skills, as well as consent, alcohol and drugs, and mental health. Petty stressed that a sense of belonging is the thing that keeps students happy and at Loyola.

As part of this workstream, Petty also said that two new positions have been created to help Elizabeth Rainey, director of retention and student success.

According to Petty, retention goals have been set for the next three years, at 82 percent in 2018, 84 percent in 2019 and 88 percent in 2020. Petty admitted the goals are-

aggressive, but stated she believes the goals can be accomplished with the help of everyone on campus.

“Put your arms around the campus, put your arms around the students, and I think we will see the success,” Petty said.

The retention rate for spring 2018 is up to 94 percent according to Borofsky, which is the second highest retention rate Loyola has had in the last seven years.

Another initiative featured workstream—faculty productivity and academic enhancement—was introduced by Calzada.

Calzada admitted that in previous years she was very worried about Loyola’s financial future. Project Magis has reassured her. The key initiatives include new programs, summer school, intercessions, faculty stipends, Blackboard improvement, improving faculty course loads and faculty buyouts.

New online courses that last eight weeks have been initiated for the spring semester. As of now, there are 23 courses, but admissions hopes to have the numbers up to the mid-thirties by the end of the week, according to Borofsky.

Frerichs then spoke about the marketing workstream, which includes initiatives that will aid in sharing Loyola and Project Magis success stories, supporting other workstream initiatives, promoting faculty experts, creating a strong alumni database, managing social media and prioritizing university rankings.

serve as an example for client interaction at friendship visits,” Chan said.

Istre, a newcomer, is also excited for the event because of his desire to help others and the challenges that it will bring.

“I’ve always tried to find new ways to serve others and better myself, and this event gives me the opportunity to do so,” Istre said.

To Istre, The Ability Experiencemeans providing a way to lift up people with disabilities without putting them down.

“The events put on by our philanthropy focus on the promotion of the abilities of all people, rather than focusing on what they can’t do,” Istre said.

The event also serves as a milestone for Istre personally. Since his recruitment during his freshman year, Istre has been interested in participating in an event such as Gear Up Florida.

“Signing up, training and preparing for this event is a great personal victory,” Istre said. “I get to take on a challenge I once only dreamed of having the courage to do.”

Along with wanting to make a difference through this event, Istre hopes that his participation will teach the people he encounters about people with disabilities.

“I hope that those on campus and in the communities I visit will be a little bit more aware of what people with disabilities are capable of,” Istre said.

UPCOMING EVENTS 2018 Irish Channel St. Patricks Day Parade (3/17) Description: The green holiday is celebrated New Orleans style on Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m. The route begins on Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas, turns down Magazine Street towards Downtown and Finishes after turning right on Jackson Avenue. Throws include flowers, beads, kisses, cabbage and more.

Price: Free

A Tennessee Williams Double Bill (3/21-4/1) Description: Loyola University New Orleans is hosting two performances in the Marquette Theatre as part of the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival. “And Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens” is directed by Ricky Graham and “The Two-Character Play” is directed by Austin Pendleton. The plays will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Price: $8 with student ID

Moonball Week (4/3-4/7) Description: Loyola’s Gamma Pi Beta is putting on their annual philantrophy week. Tuesday is Blaze Pizza Night. On Wednesday, there will be a Stong Women Board. On Thursday, there will be a bake sale nd on Friday, there will be a Moonball kickball tournament and raffle.

Price: Prices vary

WORLDVIEW Sisters focus on family in U.S. Senate race

March 16, 2018 The Maroon

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Women’s History Month serves as a reminder of progress

By Vanessa Alvarado vnalvara@my.loyno.edu @vanessanalva

Bess Baria, environmental studies sophomore, (left) and her sister Merrit Baria, marketing and psychology double major, (right) scroll through Facebook family photos March 7, 2018, in their off-campus apartment. Their father, David Baria announced his candidacy for the midterm U.S. Senate election in Mississippi in November. BRIAN WOLLITZ/ The Maroon.

By Brian Wollitz & Seán Brennan bawollit@my.loyno.edu, shbrenna@my.loyno.edu @brian_wollitz, @SheaunBrennan

The U.S. Senate elections in Mississippi may be far away for New Orleanians, but for sisters Merritt Baria and Bess Baria, the action is much closer to home.

Their father, David Baria, has been a member of the Mississippi State Legislature since 2008 and serves as the Democratic House Minority Leader in the Mississippi House of Representatives.

On Feb. 28, he announced his candidacy for the midterm U.S. Senate election this November, challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Roger Wicker for his seat.

“Campaigning is always hard and raising money is always hard, especially as a Democrat in Mississippi,” Merritt Baria said.

Merritt, a marketing and psychology double major, was her father’s campaign manager for his 2015 re-election win in the state Senate.

David Baria represents Mississippi’s 122nd District from their hometown of Bay St. Louis in Hancock County.

“I called people, double-checked with people about signs, scheduled campaign events, did social media and merged Facebook pages,” Merritt Baria said. “I streamlined his social media, started boosting some of his posts, that kind of stuff, so that helped out with his social media presence.”

Bess Baria, an environmental studies sophomore, leaves anything involving a computer to her sister.

“That’s more Merritt’s expertise,” Bess Baria said. “She’s better with the technical aspects of actually marketing and organizing.”

Bess Baria, on the other hand, takes a more hands-on approach.

“I help with the fundraisers, I hand out the t-shirts, I go door to door and hand out flyers and talk to people about the foundations of his

platform,” Bess Baria said.

Bess notes the amount of dedication that it takes to get the word out about a Senate campaign.

“It’s like a non-stop job,” Bess Baria said. “It needs to be done constantly. He would literally canvas the entire county. You can’t do that in all of Mississippi, but I promise he’ll try. So I’ll be knocking on a lot of doors.”

David Baria, an attorney by trade, was first elected to the state Senate in 2007 after campaigning with a focus on post-Hurricane Katrina insurance policies, according to his daughters.

David Baria was then elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 2012 and his party selected him as House Minority Leader in 2016. David Baria was the second Democrat and fifth candidate to announce their campaign for incumbent Sen. Roger Wicker’s seat.

Though the midterm election is eight months away, the Baria family has already started planning for the challenges of campaigning in a historically Republican state.

“People are ready to see new senators,” Merritt Baria said. “I don’t know if they’re ready for a new party, but we’ve had the same two guys in the Senate for decades.”

Still, she said there’s already been feedback like an online comment calling her father a “DACA-loving gun grabber,” referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, after he announced his campaign as a “moderate Democrat.”

“I’m anticipating more of that in the future,” Merritt Baria said.

“It’s hard sometimes when people hate you right off the bat,” Bess Baria said.

David Baria would be Mississippi’s first Democratic senator since John C. Stennis’ 41-year tenure ended in 1989.

Experts, however, think that the current national political climate

In this March 10, 2015 file photograph, Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, speaks at the well in House chambers at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File).

could potentially help a Democratic nominee win in a solidly red state.

“Midterm elections see a swing against the party of the president, and there’s two factors that impact that,” said Sean Cain, associate professor of political science. “One is the popularity of the president, and the other is the state of the economy.”

Last week, longtime Republican Sen. Thad Cochran announced that he will step down in April due to health issues, leaving both of Mississippi’s seats in the U.S. Senate vacant in the fall.

The special election for Cochran’s seat will be a “jungle primary” in which all candidates run together regardless of party affiliation. If no candidate receives over half the vote, there will be a runoff election between the top two candidates in December, according to Cain.

If David Baria chooses to run for Cochran’s vacancy instead of challenging Wicker, name recognition

will be crucial, according to Cain.

“Running for office is not a small deal, especially if you want to win,” Cain said. “It’s a full commitment from the family. It’s a 24/7 marathon toward the finish line of constantly talking to voters, constantly talking to community leaders, talking to people who can donate money, asking them to donate, begging them to donate — so it’s tough on the candidate and their family.”

Regardless of which race he chooses, Merritt Baria hopes that her father will use what she learned in one of her favorite courses at Loyola, “Deviance and Social Change.”

“Americans today are actually more alike and agree on more issues than they ever have in the past,” Merritt Baria said. “If you can break through peoples’ barriers of ‘I’m a Republican’ and ‘I’m a Democrat’ and actually get the message across, I think that will be really beneficial.”

The month of March marks Women’s History Month, which began being nationally celebrated in 1981.

However, it was never intended to last a month– it was made to last only a week. In 1987, it was developed into an entire month.

Patricia Boyett, director of the Women’s Resource Center which puts on the Feminist Festival, emphasized the importance in today’s society of celebrating women’s history not just every March, but yearround.

“I think particularly since the last election, people see that there’s really a need for feminism and see that we have not reached a place of equality yet,” Boyett said.

Boyett believes that Women’s History Month has evolved since its inception nearly four decades ago, but she also believes that some factors have held the movement back.

“In some ways, women are better off than they were in the 1980s. But in other ways, I think there was this complacency that happened and this belief that we were doing better than we were,” Boyett said.

With the recent surge of movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp, Boyett thinks society’s attitude toward feminism has shifted in the right direction.

“I do think people are recognizing how important it is, and maybe we’ve taken some things for granted, and so I think that’s scared some people into saying ‘we’ve really got to pay attention,’” Boyett said.

Loyola University celebrates the month with its annual Feminist Festival on campus. The festival holds events such as art workshops, panels, discussions and special performances to celebrate gender equality.

One of the events was an exhibition of “Celebration of Afro-Colombian Traditions in Art” by Antonia Zennaro. Her art portrays Afro-Indigenous women from Bahía Solano, Colombia who have extraordinary singing abilities.

Zennaro’s art represents what happens when women are silenced.

Their singing turns into mourning because of the violence in their communities, violence that plagues many other women all over the world.

“It brings knowledge to their reality through generation to generation,” Zennaro said.

In her presentation, Zennaro related her art to the subject of women’s rights in America.

“In America, it’s a big issue too, the silencing and losing their value,” she said, referring to the everyday life of women in the U.S. Zennaro also touched on how art can empower women. “Value empowers. The value comes back as other people begin to see them. The steps are tiny,” she said.

This year’s Women’s History Month has focused not only on women’s rights, but also LGBTQ rights and racial equality. Boyett wants people to remember that feminism is intersectional and affects all groups.

“It’s all tied together if you believe in civil rights for all people. If I only care about my rights, then all I really care about is power, not about equal rights,” Boyett said.

THE MAROON

March 16, 2018

C R O S S W O R D

Across

1. Smallest chess piece 5. Intl. alliance with a phonetic alphabet 9. Test for fit 14. Where to find Columbus 15. Surrounded by 16. Like a wolfman 17. Made it possible (for) 20. Bit of campaign ugliness 21. In a jittery way 22. Food storage cover 24. Big pic from a small neg.

25. Reason for “Fahrenheit 451” fires 31. Yr.’s dozen 34. Smoothie berry 35. Pet store cry 36. Resell exorbitantly, as tickets 38. Iowa crop 39. Extreme fear 41. First website page 42. Last Greek letter 44. Lucy’s sitcom partner 45. Neighborhood 46. Stark in “Game of Thrones” 47. Achieved desired results 50. Math basics: Abbr.

51. Tweeter’s titter 52. White ursine critter 58. Hand prettifiers 62. It’s designed to elicit a certain answer ... or where the end of 17-, 25- and 47-Across may be found 64. Dickens’ Drood 65. Garage goop 66. Opponent 67. Hit __: ran into trouble 68. Wise, as advice 69. Twice-monthly 7-Down

Down

1. Seasoned senators, say 2. “If I may say something ... “ 3. Edith, to Archie 4. Teacher’s “Shh!” 5. “Uh-uh” 6. Confirmation from the congregation 7. Ocean phenomenon 8. Reason for a diaper change 9. Big crowds 10. Phantom’s rival, in “The

Phantom of the Opera” 11. Pet store cries 12. Baseball’s Hershiser 13. Big Apple address letters 18. Chicago paper, for short 19. Toaster __ 23. Dilapidated joint 25. Breakfast partner of 55-Down 26. “__, all ye faithful ... “ 27. Rowed 28. Verify, as totals 29. Octet plus one 30. “If only” 31. New Zealand native 32. Early Mesoamerican 33. “Bark, Bowser!”

37. Phony 40. Sky over Paris 43. Loving and devoted, as fans 48. Library vol. ID 49. Gobbling guys?

50. Gymnast Comaneci 52. Ardent request 53. Voluminous syn. and etym. sources 54. Mowed expanse 55. See 25-Down 56. Water color 57. Ladder step 59. 29-Down count 60. Kappa preceder 61. Barbershop sound 63. Barely make, with “out”

SUDOKU

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Life &Times

March 16, 2018 THE MAROON

Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife

Festivalgoers crowd at Buku Music + Art Project in anticipation for artists such as Bonobo, Isaiah Rashad and A Day to Remember on Friday, March 9, 2018. Buku opened to 17,500 attendees and featured a complete redesign of the festival space at Mardi Gras World. ANGELO IMBRAGUGLIO / The Maroon.

Despite setbacks, Buku festival triumphs

By Caleb Beck cmbeck@loyno.edu @eclecticprawn

On March 9, Buku opened its gates for the weekend to 17,500 attendees - 3,000 more than in previous years. This spike in festivalgoers was met by a complete redesign of the grounds that moved the main stage to a larger location, added a new stage and VIP viewing areas, and generally kept crowds from slowing to a halt from stage to stage.

The festival sold out completely Saturday evening.

Dean Gura, artist coordinator and craft vendor from Gainesville, Florida, has been attending Buku since 2015 and said that the festival stayed intimate in spite of the expansion.

“I love the setup there. How close they fit everything together makes for an interactive experience and tight-knit community. It’s one of my favorite city festivals for it’s unique crowd energy,” Gura said.

Sonically, the festival hosted a range of genres and performances often just a stage over from one another. A Day to Remember’s

pop-punk anthems were front and center, Green Velvet’s house tunes slinked darkly by the Mississippi River and Flatbush Zombies’ hiphop packed audiences not long after.

This year was met with a few artist cancellations. Famous Dex, Ski Mask the Slump God and Lil Uzi Vert didn’t show up for their time slots. Migos arrived late and played a condensed set.

In a message displayed on the Power Plant stage after Lil Uzi Vert’s cancellation, Buku’s public relations representative stated portions of

the popular rapper’s pre-paid fees would be donated to Upbeat Academy Foundation, a local music education program for impoverished youth.

Jaimie Villar, a music industry senior and marketing intern for Buku, found the cancellations disappointing, but said they were handled with grace.

“It was pretty rude on their end to cancel day-of-show with no warning, and I felt bad for the people that had come just to see them. I felt that the artists that subbed in, like Gryffin for Lil Uzi Vert, made the best of

Local brewery supports community, crawfish and environment

By Kaylie Saidin kesaidin@loyno.edu

Weekly crawfish boils at a local brewery are promoting both the New Orleans community and Southeastern Louisiana coastal restoration.

On Thursday, March 8, Urban South Brewery threw a crawfish boil sponsored by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana complete with live music. The event was one of the brewery’s weekly boils where hot crawfish and fixings are served from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday.

Known for their local brews such as Holy Roller and Cabana Boy, Urban South Brewery hosts community-driven events in their 8,000-square-foot taproom on Tchoupitoulas Street.

For the event, Urban South Brew-

ery partnered with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana to support coastal restoration efforts. The coalition promotes oyster shell recycling. After shucking an oyster, the shell is saved and placed back in the oyster beds, encouraging more oyster growth.

All of Urban South Brewery’s crawfish are boiled on-site each week by the taproom manager, Evan Troxell. Troxell runs his own crawfish boiling service, Gulf Coast Crawfish Company.

“Their idea is that if you increase the amount of oyster beds, you’ll increase the amount of shoreline, and you’re going to stop the loss of shoreline here in Louisiana. They’re raising awesome awareness. If we can take these shells and put them back into the Gulf instead of a landfill, it’ll really help propagate the oyster beds,” Troxell said.

This week, Urban South paired up with the environmental organization in their community event.

“The weekly crawfish boil here has grown and grown. Tonight we did a donation – 50 cents per tray as a direct donation to the CRCL (Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana), and $1 per pint as a donation too. I couldn’t tell you an exact number, but we probably raised $600, $700 for the organization to help them with what they do,” Troxell said.

Abby Perkins, a Loyola graduate, works in public relations at Urban South Brewery. Perkins described the event as a “shellebration.”

“The most exciting part about working in craft beer is that it becomes a community hub. A lot of what we’re doing at Urban South isn’t just a bar to go and have a drink, it’s a place to bring your family, come with friends. It’s a really

good community space locally,” Perkins said.

Urban South Brewery is celebrating their second anniversary as a brewery at the end of the month on March 31.

Alex Flores, an employee, described the brewery’s dedication to their customers and to New Orleans.

“Even batch to batch, we tweak and change our beers. Without the customer, we don’t have anybody.

I think that’s what New Orleans is anyway: the sounding board of dis-logic I guess, where nothing really makes sense but it’s all really harmonious. If it’s not right, it’s not going to happen, but people seem to love it and we’re making a lot of good beer. But only because people keep telling us what we’re doing well and what we could be doing better,” Flores said.

the situation,” Villar said.

Favorite performances from attendees quoted after the festival closed included Bonobo, Isaiah Rashad, A Day to Remember and Virtual Self’s first live performance.

At the end of its seventh year, Buku retains its small city festival atmosphere while preparing itself for future large-scale crowds and performances, cementing its unique place on the national festival circuit.

UPCOMING EVENTS 3rd Friday Crawfish On the Quad (3/16) Description: The Department of Student Involvement is hosting a crawfish boil this afternoon from 3p.m. to 6p.m. There will be snoballs and live music.

Price: 4$ platters of crawfish Location: Peace Quad

2018 St. Patrick’s Day Parade (3/17) Description: This annual parade party will take place this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the Irish Channel. St. There is a mass open to the public at Mary’s Assumption Church prior to the parade.

Price: Free Location: Irish Channel

March 16, 2018 THE MAROON

ELECTION GUIDE

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Q&A with the executive candidates Rebekah Vensel is a music industry junior who is running for SGA president. She has previously served as a SGA senator. Her running mate is Brianna Daniel-Harkins, who is a history pre-law senior. Daniel-Harkins also served as an SGA senator. They hope to foster the needs and wants of the students.

QUESTIONS:

President: Rebekah Vensel

Vice President: Brianna Daniel-Harkins

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR INITIATIVES FOR THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR? A: YOUR SGA After spending a year involved in SGA ourselves, we’ve become intimately familiar with the programs and initiatives SGA engages with. We want to capitalize on our knowledge to help us identify gaps in our programming so that we can better fulfill the needs of our student body.

Hand in Hand with Faculty/

Administration.

We’ve spent the past year developing strong relationships with faculty, staff, and administration who know us as members of SGA. We plan to utilize our already existing relationships with administration to help constituents get what they want since we have already passed legislation each of us are proud of.

Honesty in our Rhetoric Too many times Students face brick walls when they are trying to accomplish something on campus or obtain more in-

formation. There is a need for more transparency for these students to be able to engage with the campus in ways that best suit there own needs.

WE WANT YOU We Want You is tackling the same goal as number 2, but in a different way. We want to give students an opportunity to access SGA and know what SGA is in case they want to take charge of its benefits. It is also providing them with a streamlined communication to connect with us without jumping through hoops.

Sierra Ambrose is a political science junior who is running for SGA president. She has not previously held a position in SGA. Her running mate is Joann Cassama, who is a biology sophomore. Cassama has also never held a position in SGA. They hope to use a fresh perspective to make change.

QUESTIONS:

President: Sierra Ambrose

Vice President: Joann Cassama

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR INITIATIVES FOR THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR? A: Community engagement This initiative promotes community engagement through collective action. By partnering with organizations across campus, we plan to provide incentives that focus on community building with an emphasis on bridging the gap between the Loyola and New Orleans community. We plan to implement service as a

requirement for SGA representatives to engage with the community around us.

Diversity and Inclusion Our student government should be reflective of our student body. We plan to establish a board of student organizers to meet monthly with administrators and faculty. We plan to hold administrators accountable to student needs while also providing a platform in which every student has a voice.

Health and Wellness We want to transcend the

discussion of mental health and overall well-being by giving our campus tools to protect and educate students.

This initiative will partner with community based organizations that provide resources as well as improving on campus resources.

Terran Lumpkin is a psychology junior who is running for SGA president. She has previously served on the University Programming Board. Her running mate is Bryant Istre, who is a political science junior. Istre served on First Year Council and the University Programming Board. They aim to improve resources for the student body as a whole.

QUESTIONS: Q: WHAT ARE YOUR INITIATIVES FOR THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR?

President: Terran Lumpkin

Vice President: Bryant Istre

A: Professional Development Our key outcome for this initiative would be Loyola students being more prepared to enter life after college. The various major programs on campus have differing levels of professional development; Our long-term goal is for every student at Loyola to leave with a product, a portfolio of accomplishments and the skills necessary to compete and succeed in the job market. A short term goal would be to drive more traffic towards the career center, and make sure that students are aware of the resources already in place to help prepare them for life

after college.

Mental Health

Student Wellness/Involvement

Two of our key outcomes for this initiative would be to reduce sexual assault on campus and to let the administration know that increasing our counseling resources is a priority. A year ago, the wait times for the counseling center often were around two weeks; if Loyola continues to take in larger classes, it will require an expansion of our university’s capacity to meet our student’s mental health needs.

College campuses are often flashpoints for sexual assault, our efforts would focus on working with local businesses and bars to ensure that they’re doing everything they can to protect our students, and by improving our ability to understand the numbers themselves.

This initiative would focus on increasing the cooperation and communication between organizations with similar goals, and on projects that improve student experience. (a specific would be the addition of feminine hygiene product vending machines in campus bathrooms).

City Immersion The previous administration had an initiative that focused on getting students informed about underused resources on campus, our initiative would focus on informing them about the city, whether it be in regards to potential internships, or in regards to various festivals that New Orleans has to offer.

March 16, 2018 THE MAROON

ELECTION GUIDE

8

Our Questions Their Answers

March 16, 2018 THE MAROON

9

ELECTION GUIDE

We surveyed the candidates to learn about their experience and opinions on SGA yes no

Position Key:

President Vice President Senator at Large College of Music & Fine Arts College of Business College of Arts & Sciences

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no comment

Q

A

VENSEL

DANIEL-HARKINS AMBROSE CASSAMA LUMPKIN ISTRE SIMMERMAN RICHARDSON WILLIAMS PRADO LAWS REICH LAPORTE LAUDUN CALDWELL

Have you held a previous position with the SGA?

Do you think SGA has been upholding its responsibility in being the voice of the student body?

Should SGA Senators be allowed to communicate directly with the media without permission from or going through other members of SGA?

Has SGA adequately responded to commuter needs?

Do you think the current budget allocation process has been efficient in meeting student needs?

Do you live on campus?

Do you plan to run for higher office?

Should Loyola be a sanctuary campus? (meaning that Loyola would refuse to allow federal agents to remove undocumented students from campus without a warrant )

10

ELECTION GUIDE

Meet the Senators

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March 16, 2018 THE MAROON

ECTI

ON

What impact do you plan on making on SGA?

KRISTEN WILLIAMS

FREEDOM RICHARDSON

RICHARD SIMMERMAN

LAURA PRADO

JACOB LAWS

Major: Biology

Major: Political Science

Major: Political Science

Major: Music Industry Studies

Year: Junior

Year: Sophomore

Year: Freshman

Major: Popular and Commercial Music

Senator at Large

Year: Junior

College of Music and Fine Arts

Senator at Large

Senator at Large

College of Music and Fine Arts This past year as senator, I am proud to have already been a part of such an impactful senate. I worked on my own initiatives such as adding outdoor study spaces including the new picnic tables as well as other initiatives spearheaded by various senators. I believe our small school has much more to accomplish to create an even more inclusive and diverse campus with students who are proud to be a part of the pack. I plan to leave my impact by working on the retention rate, improving on-campus facilities, increasing student involvement, and creating more school spirit specifically for athletic events. The retention rate at Loyola can definitely use improvement. It is SGA’s job as leaders on campus to recognize the needs of the students and to help them enjoy Loyola. If an enjoyable campus environment is available, the retention rate should see positive effects. I also see a need for updates and additions in the facilities on campus. Attending Loyola is for the education firstly, therefore our students need clean and updated facilities to create the best environment possible. I feel as though students should not only attend Loyola but rather to experience Loyola.

One of the easiest way to experience Loyola is to get involved on campus and see all that our university has to offer. I want to encourage students to get involved as soon as possible and as much as possible. Finally, increasing school spirit can change the atmosphere of Loyola to be vibrant and inclusive. Having exciting events and encouraging students to attend athletic events can overall enhance the community.

The following candidates did not respond to survey questions:

LIZA WHITFIELD Major: History Year: Sophomore Senator at Large

SAMANTHA SANCHEZ Major: Criminology Year: Freshman College of Arts and Sciences TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES ANSWERS. GO TO LOYOLAMAROON. COM

Year: Senior

The impact and policies I intend to champion in SGA first and foremost, begins with tackling issues of inclusion for commuter students through financial or resource incentives. Secondly, enshrining stronger measures of transparency in SGA by introducing a public record keeping system that records votes, votes cast, and procedural information as to the status of the bill being debated. Along with this added fix, is the need for a more recognizable and personalized relationship between members of the student body and SGA. Finally, extending the arm of the Career Development Center to integrate alumnists into the process of advising and enhancing students’ success in the College of Arts & Sciences.

SGA is the backbone of the Loyola student body. Its responsible for serving as the direct voice of the students to the university, and to do that in an efficient fashion, it must become more transparent, more active and more persistent when it comes to issues. I will bring a fresh face with positive energy and new ideas to SGA. In terms of issues, I will advocate for focus on enhanced women’s resources such as vending machines available across campus containing feminine hygiene products, and better utilization of spaces such as Satchimo’s Lounge.

This semester’s SGA killed it! So many areas and aspects were improved and the events were so fun!

I dare to say that so many people noticed the hard work of their team, and we appreciate that. Next semester I would ultimately want to keep that up! I want to work hard to make happen the incentives of other Senators. I would like for all peers to see in SGA not only another student organization, but an efficient, trustworthy point of contact so that each and every voice can have the chance to always be heard.

I hope to add another perspective to the senate so that not only the students in my college are represented, but the entire student body as well.

SAM REICH

NOAH LAPORTE

KLOE’ LAUDUN

OMARI CALDWELL

Major: Marketing

Major: Chemistry Forensic Science

Major: Biology Year: Freshman

Major: History International Studies

Year: Freshman

College of Arts and Sciences

Year: Freshman

Year: Junior College of Business Specifically for the college of business, one of the things that i want to work on is better communication between our administration and our students. We recently got a new dean and associate dean and the students were not notified of that, which i think is silly to say the least. I’d really like to make students more aware changes like that, that’s kind of my top priority, just across the university in general, not just the college of business, although that will be my top priority. Besides that, there are smaller things that I’d like to work on. For instance, there’s a courtyard between Miller Hall and the library that not a lot of people know about and it’s kind of not being utilized to it’s full potential so I think we can kind of increase the amount of study spaces that we have on campus with that courtyard specifically.

College of Arts and Sciences I just want everybody’s voice to be heard so I plan to communicate with my fellow students a lot.

College of Arts and Sciences With SGA, I want to make an impact by being a great advocate for students’ needs and to promote a safer environment on and off-campus.

For SGA, I want to connect them more with the student body. As a small university we can create community that is interconnected and supportive. With this in mind, I want to reach out and have people in the College of Arts and Sciences know all their senators. I also want people to feel that they have the ability to reach out to their representatives.

The senators of each college should promote a stronger sense of community.

March 16, 2018

The Maroon

We’re Looking for a few good candidates for

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Listen to what past editors have said about the job: “Being Maroon editor is high-glamour, high octane stuff! Nothing beats the power of steering an ultra-eager, rockilicious staff to purple mountains majesty! I mean WOW! I laughed, I cried, I dropped two classes!”

— Hank Stuever, TV Critic, e Washington Post; 1993, 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing runner up; Maroon Editor-in-Chief, Fall 1987 “It was the best of times, and it was the best of times.”

— Liz Scott Monaghan, columnist and feature writer, New Orleans Magazine; Maroon Editor-in-Chief, 1963-64 “To quote the great journalist I.F. Stone, ”I’m having so much fun I should be arrested.”

— Mike Wilson, reporter, e New York Times; Maroon Editor-in-Chief, 1991-92 “ere were times I asked myself if it was all worth it. But not on Friday. On Friday, I knew it was worth it.”

— Michael Giusti, Loyola University Driector of Student Media; Maroon Editor-in-Chief, 1999-2000 “Make sure you pick agood copy editer.”

— Nick Reimann, Maroon Editor-in-Chief, 2017

Applications are available in CM328 today e position of editor-in-chief is open to any full-time Loyola student. As the chief student editor of e Maroon, candidates must possess proven leadership ability, above-average competence in writing, reporting and editing; and an intimate understanding of journalistic practices, including legal and ethical standards.

11

SPORTS

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March 16, 2018 The Maroon

Havoc the Wolf steps into the spotlight

Rugby is a Duhé family tradition

By Jill Oddo jmoddo@my.loyno.edu

By JC Canicosa jccanico@my.loyno.edu

@jill_oddo

There is secrecy and intrigue when it comes to Loyola’s furry mascot.

Havoc the Wolf is portrayed by a member of the student body who gets the crowds excited for games in The Den, welcomes students on tours and gets a laugh or two out of anyone that comes in contact with them.

The identity of Havoc is a mystery until the student graduates, giving a sense of wonder to those who are a part of the Wolf Pack community.

Havoc has not always been Loyola’s mascot.

The original mascot was not a student in a wolf suit, but an actual live wolf cub. However, in 1928, the football team rejected the mascot after a tough season.

In 1932, the cub grew into a full grown wolf and accompanied Wolf Pack fans to sporting events. But the changes to Loyola’s mascot weren’t over. For a brief period of time, “ferocious” cocker spaniel puppies replaced the wolf, according to the Monroe Library website.

Further changes to the mascot came in 1966 when the university once again adopted a real Canadian wolf cub as their mascot. After a Loyola cheerleader held a naming contest, the name Fang was given to the school’s newest wolf cub.

However, Fang’s time at Loyola was short-lived. After two years at Loyola, he was donated to the Audubon Zoo. In 2006, Havoc was named by the Pack Pride Committee and became the mascot Loyola knows now.

Courtnie Prather, assistant athletic director, spoke with Havoc on our behalf to preserve the student’s

@_JCcanicosa

Havoc the Wolf has served as Loyola’s mascot since 2006 after a re-branding by the Loyola New Orleans Athletic department. Loyola has featured a wolf mascot, either live and costumed student, since 1928. CRISTIAN ORELLANA/The Maroon.

identity and give insight as to who Loyola’s mascot really is.

“It is awesome to have the privilege of representing Loyola in its rawest animated form,” Havoc said.

Havoc the Wolf is the character students and athletes associate with the most at sports events and on-campus activities.

“Students live hectic and stressful lives. As Havoc, I have the opportunity, in a nonverbal and fascinating way, to break down those barriers with people and do anything within my paw-powers to get a laugh or a smile,” Havoc said.

Being the mascot of the Wolf Pack comes with the perks of interacting with the community.

“My favorite part about being Havoc is the interaction with peo-

ple. It is a new challenge every day, a different setting with different groups of people,” Havoc said.

Havoc loves being able to let loose and let that inner goofy child out.

“The simple action of genuinely connecting with everybody around me is what makes being Havoc one of the best decisions I have made at Loyola,” Havoc said.

Not only do Loyola students love Havoc, but when children get to see them, Havoc automatically becomes the life of the party, according to the student in the suit.

Havoc’s funniest experience was at a women’s basketball game where 400 elementary students were invited. In order to keep the children invested in the game, Havoc started

the wave and went back-and-forth high-fiving children during every break.

During a high-five, one of the students ended up with Havoc’s paw.

All the students erupted in laughter and spent the rest of the game trying to determine Havoc’s identity and gender.

“It was hilariously embarrassing, but I could not make a sound,” Havoc said.

It takes a special Loyola student to take on the important job of being Loyola’s mascot and making it the best that it can be, according to Havoc.

“As Havoc, you have the opportunity to leave your paw print at every event that comes along,” Havoc said.

Dodson leads the Wolf Pack by example

By Sam Lucio salucio2@my.loyno.edu @_samlucio

Loyola’s student-athletes spend countless hours pushing their bodies to the limit in their quests to grow faster and stronger. For the track and field team, the student-athletes aren’t the only ones pushing themselves.

Nick Dodson, track and field head coach, made a promise to his team: whatever workout he makes his team do, he will do it with them.

Dodson, who is in his second year of coaching at Loyola, said that he understands how difficult working out can be for his athletes. That is why he wanted to set an example. “[The team] really can’t complain when the head coach is doing the same workout,” Dodson said.

Dodson said that he went into this season with a different approach and has focused on building trust and motivating his team.

Dodson also had his own personal goals for working out with the team.

“I want to feel young for a long time, so I continue to find ways to maximize my potential,” Dodson said.

Usually, it is the coach that holds the team accountable for their performance but this year, the team holds Dodson to the same standards that they are held to.

“I can’t back off because if I go in there and start (working out), then I have to finish,” he said.

Dodson said that the results of this new approach have put the Wolf Pack ahead of their competition as compared to last season.

Leah Banks, mass communication junior, said that Dodson working out with the team is much more important than most athletes initially realize.

“Some coaches don’t want to engage with their athletes and they just watch,” Banks said. “(Dodson) working out and practicing with us makes everything more fun and inspiring.”

Trey Alford, finance freshman, also stressed the impact of having a coach like Dodson leading the team.

“Having a coach who’s with you and participating in the reps is invaluable,” Alford said. “You can’t help but emulate his passion and work ethic.”

Dodson strives to promote team building and unity within his team not only in the weight room but at

Track and field head coach Nick Dodson lifts his personal best 260 pounds in the power clean this year. In his second year as coach, Dodson has made it his goal to workout with his athletes and foster a family culture. NICK DODSON/Courtesy.

the breakfast table as well.

“I have breakfast with the kids every morning just to sit down and talk about how class is going and how life’s going,” Dodson said.

Alford said that he has never had a coach willing to work with a team the way that Dodson does.

“With (Dodson), you always have an encouraging voice in your ear and that makes it a lot easier to build a team bond with him,” Alford said.

Dodson said that activities such

as working out and eating together as a team have brought the athletes much closer to one another.

Through bonding over bacon and eggs and bench presses, Dodson has had the chance to grow and be involved with his team outside of their sport.

“When we’re all tired and hurting together it brings us closer,” Dodson said.

A sport is always a family affair. A father passes down his love and passion for the game to his sons and an older sibling does the same to their younger brothers and sisters. Sports can captivate an entire family, much like rugby did with the Duhé family.

When they were children, Vincent Duhé, history senior, and his brother Lester Duhé III, A’17, fell in love with rugby while attending their father’s practices and matches.

Their father, Lester Duhé Jr., played rugby in college at Louisiana State University and continued playing with the Old Boys rugby team after graduation.

His sons shared the same love for the physical and demanding sport, and they both played rugby for their high school team at Brother Martin High School and then, just like their father, they took their talents to the college level.

“I got offered to play rugby at Loyola, and I couldn’t pass up the deal,” Lester Duhé said. “Then, I finally got to recruit my brother when I was a freshman and he was a senior in high school, and when he came that was really special.”

Once the elder brother recruited the younger one, they were overjoyed to continue the family tradition of playing college rugby.

“I was excited to start playing in college especially, with my older brother, and also to be a part of a good group of guys that were here when I first joined the team,” Vincent Duhé said.

Lester Duhé recalls how special it was for him to have the chance to play on the field with Vincent Duhé as a member of the Wolf Pack.

“I remember that first time that we were both on the field,” Lester Duhé said. “We bumped chests and said ‘what up, brother’. It was just a special feeling, being able to play with my brother at the same university.”

Not only were the brothers a part of the sport, but their mother was too. Sonya Duhé, director of the School of Mass Communication, also has ties to Loyola rugby.

“My mom is the faculty adviser to the program,” Vincent Duhé said.

“So I guess you could say it was a family affair.”

Sonya became the sports adviser in 2013 when Lester Duhé began his Loyola rugby career, and she has experienced a mixture of concern and joy when seeing her sons compete.

“I’m worried sick the whole time because of injuries, but when you’re a mom, you have to learn to enjoy those things because they make them happy, they make you happy,” Sonya said.

With Lester Duhé now graduated, Vincent Duhé remains the only family member still playing rugby at Loyola as the team’s captain.

Although Lester Duhé lives in Lafayette, Louisiana, he still roots for his younger brother.

“The young players and his teammates really look up to [Vincent].

He’s a competitor, a great rugby player, a great person, and I think with him as the rugby captain, they can go very far, because he is one the best rugby players that I have ever played with,” he said.

March 16, 2018

The Maroon

13

EDITORIAL

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March 16, 2018 THE MAROON

ENDORSEMENTS

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The majority opinion of our editorial board

The Loyola Maroon editorial board makes the following recommendation for the student government association election:

ECT I ON

HOWLS & GROWLS HOWL to competitive elections GROWL to backtracking HOWL to Planet Vulcan GROWL to a “space force” HOWL to the Southern Hemisphere because it needs love GROWL to that smell of fish food HOWL to grilled cheese sandwiches Have a howl or growl? Tweet us at @loyola_maroon to be featured each Friday!

EDITORIAL BOARD Sidney Holmes

Editor-in-Chief

Paulina Picciano

Managing Editor for Print

Erin Snodgrass

Managing Editor for Electronic Properties

Amy Ngo

Maroon Minute Executive Producer

Hayley Hynes

Design Chief

Osama Ayyad

Photo Editor

Madison McLoughlin Kaylie Saidin Paulina Picciano Miles Rouen Andres Fuentes

News Editor

Life & Times Editor Wolf Editor Worldview Editor Editorial Editor

Katelyn Fecteau

Opinion Editor

Andrew Lang JC Canicosa Cristian Orellana Anderson Leal

Vice President Brianna Daniel-Harkins

SGA presidential endorsement At a time when Loyola is dealing with tight budget issues, trying to implement new diversity measures and soon replacing one of the longest serving presidents in university history, it is critical that the student body have a strong and active voice that university administrators will hear when making key decisions.

Rebekah Vensel will be that voice.

Vensel has a good relationship with Interim Provost David Borofsky and has spoken on behalf of the student body on critical issues in the past, such as when schedule changes were proposed that would have reduced the length of the semester.

Vensel is active in student government, where she currently serves as a senator along with Daniel-Harkins, her running mate.

In that role, Vensel has seen what

works and what doesn’t work in student government. Her experience will help in that she will have a mild learning curve, already having the knowledge of student government in place that will allow her to improve on the accomplishments of the current president.

Vensel has been specific about the changes she’d like to see, which she has outlined in her several initiatives for the next year, which include creating a position for a director of Dance Marathon and making SGA more visible by having the first senate meeting in the Peace Quad.

She has shown good judgment in her choice of vice presidential running mate, Brianna Daniel-Harkins.

Daniel-Harkins also has an impressive record of getting things done on campus through her excellent relationship with admin-

istration, which she used to help organize the Bagels with Borofsky event last semester, a chance for students to speak face-to-face with the interim provost and a chance Daniel-Harkins used to lobby for continued funding for the classical studies department.

She is active outside of SGA as well, serving as president of Delta Gamma. Daniel-Harkins has shown great ability in being able to balance this role with her time in SGA, making her a strong choice to be vice president and the next leader of the senate.

This choice of Daniel-Harkins as running mate, experience in student government and a successful history of representing students in administrative decisions make Vensel the right choice for SGA president.

Sports Editor

Nick Reimann Rose Wagner

President Rebekah Vensel

Copy Editor Copy Editor Senior Staff Writer Senior Staff Photographer Director of Public Relations

EDITORIAL POLICY The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University.

Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board.

The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola.

Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication.

Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Email us your letters — letter@ loyno.edu.

Submissions may also be made online at www.loyolamaroon.com.

Advice for our future president When The Maroon editorial board met with each of the three tickets on Wednesday, March 14, one thing was clear: whoever our next president is has to have the passion for the job.

All candidates showed they want the position and want to help the student body.

That’s a great start, but success will take more than just passion.

That’s why we also took the opportunity on Wednesday to discuss what we’d like to see in the next president. So to whoever ends up winning, here is our editorial board’s advice for you to have a successful term.

At the top of the list is that you must have a good relationship with administration and have knowledge of critical university issues.

On the flip side, you must be skeptical, not allowing your close re-

lationships with administrators to blind you when they make the wrong decisions.

And on the same note, if you are currently in SGA, apply that same rule to your own organization. Being a part of it may make you miss a problem that someone outside of the organization would clearly notice.

Remain aware of your organization. Do not consider it a club — it is not. Like any form of government, a club mentality will lead to exclusion, not drawing people in.

It’s fine to be friends with those in SGA, but keep in mind that you represent ALL students. Don’t get too laid back.

SGA could do better by putting more effort into addressing commuter student needs. This is one of the largest groups on campus — comprising over half the student

body — yet one of the least represented in SGA. Don’t refer to this community as “the commuters” — it is not a niche. There are more of them than residents. Do not forget.

Hopefully you’ll be able to follow this advice, while succeeding as the voice of the student body.

And that’s our last point— remember that you are a voice. You do not accomplish something, we all do.

We are Loyola, a community that cares for each other and listens to each other’s opinions as we move forward making tough decisions.

So from The Maroon to our future president — we wish you all the best for a successful term and hope we will all work for a greater Loyola.

OPINION

March 16, 2018 The Maroon

15

If sga could do anything for you, what would you want?

blane mader philosophy pre-law senior bamader@my.loyno. edu

“I would love if SGA could fully fund my law school adventure next year.”

isaac worley popular and commercial music junior Benjamin Weil and Blane Mader share an emotional moment in the SGA office on April 6, 2017 as they become the new president and vice president of SGA. Weil and Mader fulfilled all six initiatives they promised during their 2017-2018 term. TRISTAN EMMONS/ The Maroon.

SGA president reflects on promises Ben weil Music industries Senior bnweil@my.loyno. edu

There are six pieces of paper taped on the wall above my desk — each listing a different initiative for this school year. Every day, I come into the office, I sit down and I look up. I ask myself the same question over and over — “What are we going to do today to change Loyola?”

Seeing the beautiful, unique, diverse faces of our campus as I walk through the Danna Center is my motivation to get up in the morning and answer that question.

When Blane and I were first elected, there was a brief sigh of relief before the inevitable real work started.

Our names were announced on the Wednesday before spring break and I immediately left for the airport to board a flight to London to visit my brother who was studying abroad.

I couldn’t stop smiling. Blane and I had just spent months secretly preparing for the campaign — followed by two and a half weeks of non-stop, no-sleep hard work which culminated at the moment where the flight attendant walked over to me and said, “Sir, would you like some complimentary wine or beer to go with your meal tonight?” We had just won the election. Who wouldn’t indulge?

I remember being told that I would be so busy as president that I wouldn’t be able to accomplish all of the initiatives on our six-point plan.

At some point, I started to believe what they were saying. I told Abigail, our then recently appointed chief of staff, who replied, “No, you will accomplish these goals. You have to. This is what you promised to the entire student body.” It shook me to

my core. I knew we could do it, but I had started to doubt myself. After that day, I framed my upcoming year in office as one big promise — a promise that I and my amazing cabinet were going to keep.

That summer, our SGA cabinet flew to Washington, D.C. to attend a conference for student leaders of Jesuit colleges. During our stay at Georgetown, everything possible went wrong, but that didn’t stop us from loving it. Megan Bourg, our director of programming, had no working air conditioning in her room. Our director of communications, Koren Lewis, got so lost that she asked Georgetown students for directions and then asked why they were carrying two full bags of red Solo Cups and pingpong balls (we knew the answer). The sessions were educational and being introduced to other student government presidents motivated me. To see this inspiring group of people from all across the U.S. fighting for their students, I knew I wanted to do the same. After any hiccup on our trip, we laughed together as one big cabinet family, and I realized these were the people who were going to change Loyola. I wrote ideas down for each of them and, instead of enjoying the weeks left of summer break, I planned and planned to make sure that our promise would be fulfilled.

As the school year started, I took being president very seriously. At times, probably a little too seriously. It was a real job that made my classes seem more like a part-time internship. I loved my classes but wanted to invest myself in this experience doing everything I could to make a difference. We started with our “Find Your Loyola” initiative, where SGA promoted three fun Wolf Pack facts and programs that typically go unnoticed. I knew the initiative was a success when Kelsey Stelly came up to me and said, “My mom saw SGA’s post on Facebook and sent it to me! I didn’t know that

I could get my graduate test reimbursed!” That was one of the coolest feelings.

At the same time, we began to make progress through our diversity initiative, which was based on giving underrepresented groups a seat at the table. We started the Loyola Student Leadership Council, comprised of students from all areas of campus who report on issues such as diversity, and other ways for Loyola to grow. I met with Dr. Anderson of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion who helped frame questions to ask the university presidential candidates, as I became the student voice on the search committee. We also co-programmed a viewing of Moonlight with the Multicultural Leadership Council and the Black Student Union, while the senate chartered countless diversity-based student organizations, including the Hispanic Music Appreciation club and Krewe Du Jew. In November, Abigail, chief of staff, wrote a grant proposal for Coca-Cola to donate recycling bins for every floor of the residential halls, and we were one of 11 chosen from 800 submissions nationwide. Our push to go green was amplified by using executive funds to bring solar panel study benches to our green spaces. None of this would’ve been possible without many meetings, long nights writing proposals and practicing how to swing over votes on faculty boards. It was my job to prove that our initiatives were what students wanted and needed. It was all so much, and yet, so much fun.

No matter how much you do, nothing fully prepares you for the roller coaster of the job.

This semester, Blane and I met with the Student Success Center to see if the university could encourage professors to make greater use of Blackboard to keep students updated on their grades. To our surprise, the university had been investing in software to make Blackboard more accessible to faculty. In addition,

Student Success, along with the Career Center, helped us negotiate to bring a GRE test prep course to campus for students applying to graduate school. We fully funded 12 students to take the course, a goal we set during the campaign. Finally, we wrapped up our initiatives by pushing to support our student-athletes and teams — creating themed game days with prizes for bringing friends along.

Blane and I couldn’t have spent so much time working hard on our promise if it wasn’t for cabinet members like Megan, who planned the classic SGA events such as Crawfish in the Quad and SNEAUX, and Corina Lopez, chief justice, who continued SGA’s commitment to finding and discussing social justice issues on campus while creating ways to talk about them as a community. I am so lucky to have had such an exceptional team.

Today, I come into the office, sit down and look up. It’s almost time to take our plans down from the wall.

In two weeks, we will announce the next SGA administration and, just like a year ago, I will be flying abroad — this time to visit my amazing girlfriend Marilyn in Scotland. I smile because not only did we finish the promise, but we added to the blueprint created by hundreds of SGA administrations before us and are passing on something truly special to the next one. Placed by my laptop is a stack of photo albums filled with Maroon clippings, news releases and plans from years of past administrations. Every so often, I sift through them and think about how we are now a part of this incredibly rich history. It has been the greatest honor serving as your student government president. I could not be more excited to hear the voices of the next set of student leaders. For one of the last times as president, I’ll sign off on this letter the only way we know how — with one, loud “Go Pack!”

isworley@my.loyno.edu

“Making parking easier for commuters.”

claire mclaughlin music industries senior cnmclaug@my.loyno.edu

“Let students donate extra Wolf Bucks.”

chelsea degner mass communication and philosophy sophomore cmdegner@my.loyno.edu

“Make Satchmo’s a bar again.”

madeline read theatre and philosophy junior ltmcbrid@my.loyno.edu

“Make more of an effort to alert students of potential dangers on campus, whether it be sexual violence, drug related or assault.”

laci mcbride sociology and mass communication junior ltmcbrid@my.loyno.edu

“Make book vouchers for school books.”

For suggestions on next week’s question, email letter@loyno.edu.

March 16, 2018

THE MAROON

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