September 2, 2016

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Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 95 • Issue 2 • September 2, 2016

THE MAROON FOR A GREATER LOYOLA

MOLLY OLWIG / The Maroon

The Carrollton desk sits closed at 2:10 a.m. on Aug. 28. The Buddig and Carrollton desks were unguarded for part of the night of Midsummer Mardi Gras, raising concern among students living on campus.

Residential Life enacts new policies Residence hall desks have been periodically empty since classes resumed. Some credit this to new policies that lengthen shift hours for desk assistants By Haley Pegg hapegg@loyno.edu

This semester, Loyola University’s Residential Life team is making changes to its policies regarding residence hall staff hours and visitation policies for guests. Residential Life implemented a guest registration requirement for students hosting a guest for more than one night. Under the new policy, hosts are required to request written or electronic permission from a Residential Life professional staff member for any guest staying more than one consecutive night. Residents must complete the form at least 24 hours before their guest arrives. In addition to new visitation

policies, Residential Life made adjustments to its employees’ work schedules. In previous semesters, desk assistants have worked shifts in twohour increments, with the exception of the 1-5 a.m. shift. Now, each shift is a minimum of four hours. According to Amy Boyle, Residential Life Director, the policy change was due to the fact that two-hour shifts often caused mistakes, including missed or late shifts. While the residential life team enacted the policy in order to promote consistency at the building desks, the change might have an opposite effect. Several desk assistants have quit their jobs and many say the new shifts and the registration process contributed to their leaving. The

desks were frequently empty this past weekend. Boyle did not respond when asked about the vacancies nor did she provide a number of how many desk assistants are working this semester compared to previous semesters. Jack Niemeyer, advertising senior, has been a desk assistant at Loyola for over a year. Last year, he worked in Cabra Hall on Loyola's Broadway campus, and he now works in Biever Hall, the freshman residence hall. Niemeyer said the prolonged shifts make it more difficult for desk assistants to create a work schedule around their classes. “Since shifts are now four hours long, I can’t work before and after classes," Niemeyer said. "Before I was able to work 20 hours a week easily. We’re struggling to find stu-

dents who are able to work during school hours." English junior Leah Shain lives in Carrollton Hall. In response to the new registration system requirements, Shain said she believes the Residential Life team had good intentions, but that they have been ineffective because enforcement has been weak and unclear. However, she said she is not bothered that the Carrollton desk has been empty. “I understand why it’s important to have DA’s in dorms," Shain said. "I understand they’re there for our safety, but honestly, the fact that DA’s have only been at the desk half the time has only affected my ability to get toilet paper." In an email to The Maroon Aug. 28, Boyle said Residential Life

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tried to ensure the desks were fully staffed during the first weekend of the school year, but gaps remained. According to Boyle, Residential Life decided to fully staff first-year residence halls and allow inevitable gaps in upperclassmen halls. The team requested increased presence of the Loyola Police Department in the upperclassman areas to supply greater safety. "We are currently working with our desk teams to shuffle schedules and will focus coverage in each building from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night until we have trained and staffed our new employees over the next week," Boyle said in the email. "We can and should do better," she added.


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September, 2 , 2016

THE MAROON

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Armed Robbery Arabella Street/ Chestnut Street

Aug 25

2:55 a.m.

Drug Violations 6300 Block of St. Charles Avenue

Aug 25

4:21 a.m.

Sexual Assault 900 Block of Calhoun Street

Aug 25

9:42 p.m.

Vehicle Theft 1500 Block of Henry Clay Avenue

Aug 26

4:19 a.m.

Drug Violation 500 Block of Broadway Street

Aug 26

5:51 p.m.

Drug Violation 500 Block of Broadway Street

Aug 26

6:15 p.m.

Drug Violation 500 Block of Broadway Street

Aug 26

6:16 p.m.

Sexual Assault 7600 Block of Maple Street

Aug 29

2:28 a.m.

Burglary 1500 Block of Calhoun Street

Aug 30

7:09 p.m.

Assault 7500 Block of St. Charles Avenue

Aug 31

12:27 a.m.

E ST

IN MAGAZ STAFF

Assistant Editor: Caleb Beck Design Assistant: Zoë Heimbrock Social Media Coordinator: Sidney Holmes Staff Writers and Photographers: Caleb Beck, Brian Wollitz, Caroline Gonzalez, Davis Walden, Kameron Hay, Cierra Johnson, Ellen McCusker, Talia Bowles, Gabriel Garza, Taylor Ford, Maya Pescatore, Nicholas Morea Sales Manager: Carrie Ledlow Business Manager: Emily McLaney Distribution Manager: Starlight Williams

Art Director: Naasha Dotiwala Sales Representatives: Mason Chang Adviser: Michael Giusti

CONTACT US Main Office (504) 865-3535 Business Office/Advertising (504) 865-3536 Adviser’s Office (504) 865-3295 Correspondence maroon@loyno.edu Letters to the editor letter@loyno.edu Advertising ads@loyno.edu Website www.loyolamaroon.com

Twitter @loyola_maroon Facebook The Maroon @loyola_maroon Instagram Our office is in the Communications/Music Complex, Room 328. Send mail to: The Maroon, Loyola University, Campus Box 64, 6363 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118 The Maroon is published every Friday. Unless otherwise noted, all content is copyrighted by The Maroon. All rights reserved. First copy free to students, faculty and staff. Every additional copy is

$1.00. The Maroon is printed on 30 percent postconsumer recycled content.


news

September 2, 2016 The Maroon

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Despite renovations, ‘Orleans Room staples’ remain By Nick Morea nbmorea@loyno.edu

MOLLY OLWIG / The Maroon

SGA President Ellie Diaz speaks at a Wolfpack Welcome event Aug. 18 in Roussel Hall. Diaz hopes to improve communication with students this year.

SGA hopes to improve transparency By Ellen McCusker emmccusk@loyno.edu

Student Government Association President Ellie Diaz said this year the SGA hopes to improve transparency and allow first-year students to become acclimated to Loyola before first-year council elections commence. Ellie Diaz said the national leadership conference she and other members of the SGA attended this summer gave her a fresh perspective on ways to best aid the Loyola community. Diaz and SGA’s Director of Communications Jourdan Webb, advertising junior, agreed it was interesting to see the different forms of leadership among attendees of the

conference, who were also students from Jesuit institutions. The two pointed out notable differences in the strengths and circumstances of other Jesuit schools. “All of the schools have that foundation of Jesuit universities as a whole,” Diaz said. “But we saw differences as well.” For example, Diaz said Creighton University centers SGA events around their sports teams. She said this approach achieves the same goals Loyola’s executive board hopes to accomplish this year, but Loyola requires a different framework to meet community and leadership goals. The executive board also benefited from hearing how other schools connect with their students. “Getting to meet people from other Jesuit schools in the same po-

sitions helped me gain skills with social media,” Webb said. “There was a lecture on media strategies and branding that will also help to reach students at Loyola.” Improving media strategies may prove essential this school year, since Loyola publicized its Affirmative Action and Diversity Committee over the summer. SGA plans to appoint a member to the diversity board this fall semester. Media strategies could also help improve transparency issues, a longstanding goal of SGA representatives. English sophomore Casey Dawson feels optimistic about the direction in which Diaz will take SGA because of Diaz’s recognition of issues between the executive board and the student body. “Last year I read The Maroon’s

issue on the SGA elections and remember seeing that Ellie acknowledged the lack of communication with the student body,” Dawson said. Diaz’s major project this semester will be the first-year council. She plans to revamp the council’s election process by introducing firstyear students to Loyola’s and SGA’s purposes and values before throwing new students into a campaign shortly after they arrive on campus. “You should have a purpose behind what you’re doing,” Diaz said. “They will be the leaders of this campus when I leave.” SGA’s first senate meeting will take place Sept. 7 in the Audubon room (upstairs in the Danna Student Center). The deans of each academic department will be present.

Loyola cuts employment with voluntary buyouts By Haley Pegg hapegg@loyno.edu

Almost 50 Loyola employees opted to end their employment at the university this year in exchange for severance benefits through the voluntary severance program. In May, the Board of Trustees voted to fund the Voluntary Severance Package as a strategy for long-term financial savings. Loyola informed eligible participants of this opportunity June 1. The faculty and staff members who decided to take the offer were allowed to choose if they wanted to officially resign Aug. 19,

2016 or Jan. 3, 2017, the beginning of each semester of this academic year. This year, 49 Loyola employees accepted the Voluntary Severance Package. The faculty buyouts will affect existing courses, as professors who accepted the offer will no longer teach their original classes. Because of this, Loyola will cancel some courses. The university has hired adjuncts to teach courses required for certain majors. Loyola’s main reason for enacting the Voluntary Severance Package was to minimize financial costs. “Our own financial equilibrium journey will continue over the next

few years,” Marc Manganaro, university vice president and provost, said in an email. Loyola has been operating in a financial deficit in recent years. According to the Loyola Fact Book, 5,178 graduate and undergraduate students were enrolled in fall 2011. Total enrollment fell by around 700 students over the next three years, and decreasing enrollment resulted in a decline in the university’s revenue. Mass communication professor Lisa Collins commented on the effects these changes have had on remaining faculty members, students

and the university. “The long-term answer is that we need more students,” Collins said. “We need to increase our enrollment.” Valerie Andrews is one of two mass communication professors who accepted the Voluntary Severance Package. “I will miss being part of the dayto-day at Loyola, especially my work with the Donnelley Center and the students in the SMC, but I will always consider myself part of the Loyola family,” Andrews said. Andrews did not specify why she accepted the package.

Loyola University students are experiencing a newly renovated Orleans Room this school year. Daniella Alvarez, Sodexo’s marketing specialist, said Loyola Dining Services are committed to seeking out new trends in order to deliver a great dinning experience. “Over the past three years, we have honored this [commitment] by giving our food court a refresh and adding a Starbucks to our dining roster,” Alvarez said. “[We] have also added new members to our team. All of this has been an integral part of creating a new, fresh and innovative dinning program. “With all of this in motion, it was about time we gave the Orleans Room some TLC,” she added. Alvarez hopes students enjoy the cafeteria’s new look. “We hope the students love the new Orleans Room as much as we do,” she said. “A lot of thought and preparation went into the new look, but we made sure to not lose the ‘homey’ feel that our students have always enjoyed.” “It’s huge; I love the spacing,” design junior Hamzah Khan said. “It looks incredible seeing it from last year to now. It’s unreal.” Alvarez’s experience in marketing led her to explain the ideas behind the OR’s new design. “This will allow for a better flow when it comes to our events,” Alvarez said. “And will allow us to have more guest chef and cooking demo options because it will be better to display the food and culinary expertise.” Music sophomore Jack Wright noted the open feel of the new layout. “I saw some posts on Instagram and was intrigued by the concept,” Wright said. “I always appreciated the old OR, but seeing the renovations, it’s been really welcoming. I love how open everything feels.” Alvarez said despite the changes, OR classics remain. “One thing to remember is that even though you will find so many new changes, the Orleans Room staples like Josh’s pasta line and Steve’s vegetarian station haven’t gone anywhere,” Alvarez said. “Some changes we are really excited about are the new seating layout and the built-in ice cream cooler; we will now be making fresh bread every day in our new bread oven and ‘agua fresca’ options.”

news brief Mass of the Holy Spirit The annual Mass of the Holy Spirit will be held Thursday, Sept. 8 at 11:30 a.m. in Holy Name of Jesus Church. All 11 a.m. classes will be canceled. The Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J. will preside over the mass, and the Rev. Gregory Waldrop, S.J. will be the homilist.


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WORLDVIEW

September 2, 2016 The Maroon

13 cases of Zika virus confirmed in New Orleans By India Yarborough iayarbor@loyno.edu @iayarbor

The New Orleans Health Department has confirmed 13 cases of Zika virus in New Orleans, according to its Healthy Population and Planning Manager Sarah Babcock. Babcock said all confirmed cases have been travel related incidents and are being contained. According to Babcock, the department and health professionals instruct infected individuals to wear insect repellent and refrain from sexual activity. “At this point in time, we don’t believe Zika is spreading in New Orleans,” she said. “We don’t believe there is local transmission. When we find out about a case, my team acts immediately.” The health department works closely with the New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, Babcock said, to inform New Orleans residents of Zika virus, educate locals on how to decrease their risk of becoming infected and control mosquito populations in the area. These precautions reflect a comprehensive plan, released in April 2016 by the city of New Orleans, to address the growing Zika virus threat. The Condensed Zika Virus Plan aims to increase public awareness of the virus and lessen the local mosquito population through controlled measures. According to Dawn Wesson, associate professor of tropical medicine at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, two known mosquito species carry

Zika virus and both species exist in New Orleans. “As far as we know, there are only two species,” Wesson said. “They tend to be more subtropical, but one of the species is more widespread in the United States.” Wesson said Louisiana sits near the northern range of the mosquito species less common to the U.S. “In our area, we have both of the mosquito species that can transmit Zika,” she added. “There is potential for introduction and transmission of the virus in this area.” Wesson thinks Zika might not be as big of a concern in the U.S. if the virus did not cause birth defects. “If Zika didn’t cause birth defects, it would be much lower on the radar in the U.S.,” she said. Once a person is infected with Zika, the virus can be spread person to person through sexual contact or from a pregnant woman to her unborn child. “Either the pregnancy is terminated because the virus kills the fetus, or the child survives [with severe birth defects],” Wesson said. “That puts a strain on the health care system.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, common symptoms of Zika virus include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. Some additional symptoms are headache and muscle pain. The CDC states Zika symptoms may last between a few days and a week, and the virus remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. Babcock said most Zika-related concerns the NOHD receives come from tourists and visitors to New Or-

Courtesy of Jim Damaske/Tampa Bay Times via AP

An Aedes aegypti mosquito in the lab at Pinellas County Mosquito Control in Clearwater, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016. The laboratory has been studying the Aedes Aegypti mosquito that can carry the virus from locally caught specimens.

leans who want to know if the area has experienced local transmission. However, Babcock said, some New Orleanians do ask officials to inspect their property. The Mosquito Control Board would then look for any mosquito problems around the person’s home and remove standing water in which mosquitoes might reproduce. Wesson said the mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus lay eggs in containers. As cleanup from recent Louisiana floods continues, Wesson said mosquito problems may increase, but growing mosquito populations are not yet an issue. New Orleans native and Loyola

mass communication sophomore Daniel Williams said he hasn’t heard much about Zika and did not know the virus had spread to New Orleans. “I’ve heard about it on the news, and that’s really about the extent of it,” Williams said. “It’s the new disease scare.” “We’re just really encouraging everyone to wear insect repellent and remove standing water,” Babcock said. “We need the participation of everyone in New Orleans to make sure we don’t have the problems that are occurring in other parts of the world.”

Commuters react to causeway toll increases By Nick Reimann nsreiman@loyno.edu @nicksreimann

Causeway commuters are preparing to foot the bill as tolls are set to be raised from $3 to $5 for those paying cash to cross the bridge. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway officials voted in favor of the increase in a meeting on Aug. 10. In addition to the increase for those paying cash, tolls will also be increased for those who cross the bridge with a toll tag, which allows frequent commuters to prepay and avoid toll lines, from $2 to $3 per crossing. The increases, which will not take effect for several months at the earliest, are intended to be used to fund increased safety on the bridge, according to Causeway Commission General Manager Carlton Dufrechau. The two spans that make up the causeway, which largely remain in the same condition as when construction of the second span finished in 1969, contain no shoulders for commuters to pull over on. In addition, the rails have been shown to be substandard, especially on the southbound bridge, which has seen 14 vehicles go overboard since 1994, resulting in 11 fatalities. Dufrechau blames this on the era the bridge was engineered in. Dufrechau says that one out of every two vehicles that cross the bridge today are “high-profile” trucks or

other large vehicles, but when the southbound bridge was designed in the 1950s it was only intended for smaller vehicles with lower centers of gravity. With the increase in tolls, Dufrechau said his group will be able to modernize the railing. In addition, plans are in the works to address the lack of shoulders, but it will not be along the whole bridge. According to Dufrechau, adding shoulders along the entirety of the causeway would cost around $1.8 billion, and would require tolls having to be increased in excess of $20. Instead, the Causeway Commission plans to put six 672-foot shoulders along each span that would be staggered along the bridge. And while causeway officials are ready for the toll increase, many of the commuters who occupy some of the 12 million vehicles that cross the causeway each year aren’t too happy. “I think it sucks,” Kim Guardiola, owner of the Baskin-Robbins on S. Carrollton, who commutes from Mandeville every day, said. “I think it’s unfair. How long have we been paying tolls on the causeway and they haven’t given us an emergency lane, but they’ve done all that stuff on the Huey P.?” Loyola finance junior Bailey Parker, whose family lives in Mandeville, also doesn’t support the toll increase. “I’ve been going across the cause-

WORLDVIEW briefs Signal not likely caused by E.T. After news broke that Russian scientists had discovered a spike in radio signals from a star 94 light years away, the Internet became abuzz with hopes of alien contact. But astronomers are saying “not so fast.” The signal, which emitted from the direction of a star known as HD 164595, was first discovered by Russian scientists in May 2015. It was only shared with the international community recently. On Aug. 28, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) began searching the area of space near HD 164595 for similar signals. So far, they have found nothing. Astronomers say the signal is likely caused naturally, from a stellar flare, active galactic nucleus, or it may simply be radio interference from Earth. For strong evidence of intelligence, researchers at SETI say they look for a persistent signal from the same area of space that does not correspond with known interference.

First U.S. commercial flight heads to Cuba in over 50 years FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century flew out of Fort Lauderdale for the central city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War. JetBlue Flight 387 took off a few minutes late for its 72-minute journey. It opens a new era of U.S.-Cuba travel, with about 300 flights a week connecting the U.S. with an island cut off from most Americans by the 55-year-old trade embargo on Cuba and formal ban on U.S. citizens engaging in tourism on the island. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Twitter that the last commercial flight was in 1961.

Hermine heads for Florida

NICK REIMANN / The Maroon

Commuters crossing the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, seen here from the Northshore, will soon have to pay more to cross the bridge.

way for a while and only paying $3, but I don’t get why they need more from us,” Parker said. “People cross the causeway to get to school, to get to work. I don’t want to pay to get to school, you know.” And though Parker supports the idea of improving the causeway, he feels this isn’t the way to do it. “There’s got to be another way,” Parker said. But Dufrechau doesn’t think so. Dufrechau believes that raising the tolls is well worth it, and has a message for those who are critical. “What’s the value of a life?” Dufrechau said. “What’s the value of your wife or your mother or your children? Our mission, very sincerely, is to get all of our commuters back safely and timely.”

In any case, the only way improvements will be seen on the causeway is if St. Tammany and Jefferson parishes, over whose water the bridge is located, agree to bond measures that would loan the causeway money for the improvements. The Causeway Commission then plans to repay the parishes with the revenue they receive from the increased tolls. This plan may have a glitch. Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts is seeking for the toll increase, funded via the bonds, to be decided by public vote. Roberts cites the 2013 referendum on Crescent City Connection tolls as precedent for such a move. The Crescent City Connection tolls were abolished in that vote.

Residents of the Big Bend region of Florida are preparing as Tropical Storm Hermine heads toward that area. Hermine, previously Tropical Depression Nine and before that Invest 99L, has been closely watched by those living along the Gulf Coast for over a week as its track was uncertain. Damage in the affected area is expected to be minimal, as the storm quickly lifts out of the region and heads up the east coast. From there, the storm is expected to loose its tropical characteristics but may still cause bad weather for Cape Cod on Labor Day. Hermine is not expected to have any impact on Louisiana. Elsewhere, Hurricane Gaston continues to slowly weaken as it heads toward the Azores while a tropical wave just west of the Cape Verde islands bears watching as it has the potential to develop some time next week.


THE MAROON

August 26, 2016

C R O S S W O R D

ACROSS

1. Veggies in Mendel’s experiments 5. Wear away 10. Key with five sharps: Abbr. 14. Apiece 15. Name of nearly 20 French kings 16. Deceptive scheme 17. Albert/Gabor sitcom set on a farm 19. Spring flower 20. Auction unit 21. Remain firm 23. Chided 27. Slangy affirmative 28. Gives a hoot 29. Fingers in a lineup 32. Pictograph 35. Award for Tiger Woods or Roger Federer 36. Con’s early release 38. Spelling contest 39. High degree 40. 1950s RCA innovation or this puzzle’s four longest answers? 41. Hwy., e.g. 42. Stat for Cy Young 43. Compensated (for) 44. Thesaurus entry 45. Top 40 listings 47. Solidify 48. “Space Oddity” singer David 49. Raised, as horses 51. Longed (for) 53. Amphitheater 57. Jan. honoree 58. Garden of Eden exile 59. Tom Selleck police series 64. Scalp parasites 65. Prefix with mural 66. “Go back!” computer command 67. Signs, as a contract 68. __ Tots 69. Thomas Hardy heroine

DOWN

1. Pin for hanging 2. Organ associated with van Gogh 3. Crack pilot 4. Frankenstein creator 5. Make wildly happy 6. Legendary big bird 7. Belonging to us 8. Slimming-down strategy 9. Student’s composition 10. Type of shower or gown 11. Sitcom for which Candice Bergen won five Emmys 12. Most populous continent 13. In __: as a prank 18. Approving bobs 22. Israeli desert 23. Parts of acts 24. Big name in recent Cuban history 25. Drama in which Tatiana Maslany plays several clones

26. Back-and-forth talk 30. Unmanned spy plane 31. In a bad way 33. “The Dick Van Dyke Show” surname 34. Listened to, as advice 36. Pan partner 37. Old Ford model 40. They’re tried in court 44. Get in one’s reps 46. Tony winner Tammy 48. Soccer sphere 50. __ card: payment method 52. Block 53. Colombian metropolis 54. Chief Norse god 55. Bone near the radius 56. Mixed-breed dog 60. Before, poetically 61. United 62. Driller’s deg. 63. Palindromic call for help

Loyola’s Counseling Masters Program Open House RSVP to counselingdept@loyno.edu Contact: 504-864-7853

When: September 20th at 7:00 p.m. Where: Mercy Hall, Room 210

We offer courses in: • Trauma * Food will be provided • Play Therapy • School Counseling • Addiction Counseling • Couples & Family Counseling

SUDOKU

For the weekly puzzle answers, download our app!

The “It’s Not Like I’m Drunk” Cocktail 2 oz. tequila 1 oz. triple sec 1/2 ounce lime juice Salt 1 too many 1 automobile 1 missed red light 1 false sense of security 1 lowered reaction time

Combine ingredients. Shake. Have another. And another.

Never underestimate ‘just a few.’ Buzzed driving is drunk driving.

5


Life &Times

6

September 2, 2016 The Maroon

Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife

NOMA features first design exhibit

By Jamal Melancon jmmelanc@loyno.edu @Jam_M_Mel

The first exhibit on design in the city is featured at the New Orleans Museum of Art, and Loyola University students are getting involved. Daniela Marx, professor of graphic design at Loyola, has instructed this year’s entire Department of Design, all 70 students, to go visit the New Orleans Museum of Art from Sept. 7 to Sept. 9 for its exhibition “The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction.” The class she’ll be bringing is made up of mostly first years in Intro to Design, and they will go as a field trip. From simple and practical everyday objects like a Ziploc bag to the more conceptual designs of chairs and furniture, the New Orleans Museum of Art partnered with the German Vitra Design Museum to present the exhibition, which covers 100 years of design history through about 150 displayed objects. According to Marx, Loyola University students have access to free admission into the museum with a Loyola student ID. Loyola is the only college that offers a bachelor’s degree program in design in New Orleans. “I think sometimes students have a limited idea of what design is,” Marx said. Marx explained that good design and bad design can distinguish whether a product will last a while, or whether a product will just look pleasing. Students in the department study accommodating their

audiences, as well as understanding their often invisible role as designers. “The Essence of Things,” the first design show in the city of New Orleans, is more than just a survey through history. The show brings a focus on how the essence of design contains simplicity and familiarity because elements of design are all around us. NOMA’s RosaMary Curator of Decorative Art & Design, Mel Buchanan, explained that some of the installed objects are about becoming symbols themselves, and wordlessly communicating their use. She said some other designers have demonstrated the concept of reduction through inspiration from the abstraction of nature and the curves of the human body. “You see that whole range of the everyday items that are every day designed to the more artistic designs,” Buchanan said. The art exhibit on design was featured starting June 24, and it will be on the display until Sept. 11. Buchanan has guided museum goers through the exhibition during NOMA’s Wednesday noontime talks. She said pictures are particularly encouraged at this exhibition, and these 30 minute informal talks are aimed to provide programming since there are more people in the building during the day. Buchanan commented that the museum encourages guests to take pictures in this particular exhibition. She said museum goers might feel a sense of familiarity with these design objects that beckon to con-

By Davis Walden jdwalden@loyno.edu @DavisWald

JAMAL MELANCON / The Maroon

Mel Buchanan begins curating the 30 minute noontime talk on the Aug. 24 session on the exhibition “The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction.”

cepts or principals about a simpler lifestyle. “This exhibition was put together with this strong argument that from the 20th century to now, one of the driving forces behind design was to move towards getting rid of ornaments, making things simpler, abstraction [and] reduction,” Buchanan said. During Buchanan’s noontime curation, she said that the designers’ work in reduction has manifested to reach more people with the results of design processes, which can dictate a designer’s forming of more

affordable products. She explained that the idea of being a genius in design doesn’t only include sparks of creativity, but also the literal hard work that comes with shaping material for audiences. Marx echoed this sentiment. “We’re designers, so my students just want to understand concept and form and when you’re making something for your audience,” Marx said. The New Orleans Museum of Art will be concluding the exhibition on Sept. 9 with the Design Panel Program at 5:30 p.m.

“Can You Dig This” film screening advocates food justice By Caleb Beck, Davis Walden cmbeck@loyno.edu, jdwalden@loyno.edu @eclecticprawn, @DavisWald

DAVIS WALDEN/The Maroon

Rula Thabata, Krewe Leader and political science sophomore, presents the “Can You Dig This.” The film screening was required for freshmen to attend this year.

Bar Frances, Cuzco bring something new to Freret’s table

The story of four “renegade planters” in Los Angeles educated students on environmental sustainability. The freshman class of 2020 saw the award-winning documentary “Can You Dig This” in Roussell Hall Sunday, Aug. 28, to kick off the FirstYear Common Experience focal point of food and environmental justice. Premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year, “Can You Dig This” is a film that follows the stories of four gardeners in south Los Angeles who aim to transform their impoverished neighborhoods by restoring them with fresh foliage and growing their own food to sustain themselves and their impoverished neighbors. The documentary uses juxtaposition in its photography, contrasting the gritty, rust-colored streets of Compton and Watts against vibrant squash and tomato plants and all manner of lush, leafy greens. One gardener, Ron Finley, receives a citation from the city council for converting his municipal space into a hugely bountiful garden, but continues growing for the greater good of sustainability. The film uses anecdotes from these renegade planters to advocate food justice in struggling urban communities. The screening was only open to Loyola students and was required viewing for first year students as part of the First Year Experience.

Sue Mennino, organizer of the event and head of the First Year Common Experience, explained that the film was chosen to visually engage the students in the food justice theme of this year’s program. “We decided that any sort of required reading over the summer wouldn’t have the impact of a powerful documentary, and it’s exciting to start off the year this way,” Mennino said. “Can You Dig This” highlights areas of Los Angeles known as “food deserts,” which the USDA defines as parts of the country “vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods,” and then goes on to champion the activism of gardeners living within these disadvantaged pockets. Political science sophomore Rula Thabata explained that the film was especially relevant to Loyola freshman living in the city for perhaps the first time. “We live in New Orleans, and this city has a lot of food deserts, so students got to be introduced to environmental justice and how it spans things like money and socio-cultural boundaries,” Thabata said. Psychology freshman George Nicolas Rodriguez said the screening was very topical, coming after a recent call to action by Pope Francis for individuals to play an active role in sustaining their environment. “I think since we’re in such a key part in our lives where we can step up and make a difference in our world,” Rodriguez said. “Then it’s very important to be exposed to these topics.”

Bar Frances and Cuzco recently opened their doors to the public on Freret Street. Bar Frances opened over Memorial Day weekend, and Cuzco made its soft opening on July 24. Bar Frances, named after the owner’s grandmother, has a wide variety of special deals for students. The restaurant features happy hours every day of the week and offers deals of half-priced rosé and $1.50 oysters from various locations across the United States. The bar locale is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. P.J. Rosenberg, Bar Frances’ owner, said his mother taught him hospitality, and he continued the tradition by opening Bar Frances with his business partner, Mark Latter. “We have everything here in terms of a high-quality restaurant, but also a place that you can visit multiple times and not spend a lot of cash,” Rosenberg said. The diverse menu that Bar Frances offers allows customers to explore a wide variety of options. For Allison Whittinghill, Bar Frances’ manager, the menu is like a chooseyour-own adventure. “We bring classic cocktails, but have a focus on wine,” Whittinghill said. “For a college student, we can be a chill place for you to have a snack, get a glass and sit on the patio when you need a break from the coffee shop.” Split between four families, Cuzco, a new Peruvian restaurant also on Freret, offers ten dish options from Peru’s traditional recipes. Seating 25 people, Cuzco gives off an intimate atmosphere with its home cooked meals and close ties to tradition. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Monica Concha, one of Cuzco’s four owners, said they decided to open the restaurant on Freret Street to share their taste with New Orleans. “Nobody knows about Peruvian food,” Concha said. Cuzco is focusing on buying equipment necessary to make rotisserie chicken. This is a famous Peruvian dish Lucito Ampuero, a Cuzco chef and owner, wants to add to the menu. With construction around Freret Street easing up, transportation to all of Freret’s attractions will reportedly be easier than in the past. “I love going to new bars,” Amanda Alch, theatre arts junior and beer cicerone, said, “The bartenders are enthusiastic and the selection is something different from what the community has seen. It’s a fun way to unwind.”

ALLICIYIA GEORGE/The Maroon

Chef Lucito Ampuero (left) and Monica Concha (right) are two of the four owners of the Cuzco restaurant.


September 2, 2016

THE MAROON

7

New Orleans Museum of Art showcases essence of design

JAMAL MELANCON/ The Maroon

NOMA’s RosaMary Curator of Decorative Art & Design, Mel Buchanan, points to contemporary design examples in the exhibition “The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction.”

SHELTER PET & LIFE OF THE PARTY Amazing stories start in shelters and rescues. Adopt today to start yours. HAMILTON 75K+ Instagram Followers


RELIGION Mother Teresa will be canonized on Sept. 4 8

By Maya Pescatore

RELIGION BRIEFS Loyola memorializes loved ones This fall, Loyola will continue a tradition of memorializing loved ones with ornaments. Last November, Loyola’s Office of Mission and Ministry decided to create and hang “memorial ornaments” in the Peace Quad bearing the names of community members that passed away. Ken Weber, associate chaplain of liturgy and music, announced last week that the tradition will continue this fall and encouraged members of the Loyola community to submit the names of any loved ones they would like to be memorialized. Submissions are due on Sept 9.

mapescat@loyno.edu

One of the most beloved and controversial figures in Catholicism will officially become a saint this week. Widely known for her compassion for the poor and needy, as well as her devotion to God, Mother Teresa’s canonization date is set in order to honor the eve of the anniversary of her death, Sept. 5, 1997. Born Agnes Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Albania, the future nun showed early signs of loyalty and devotion to Christ from a young age. She even celebrated her birthday on the day of her baptism, Aug. 27. According to the Associated Press, at the age of 18, Agnes left her family and joined the Sisters of Loreto in hopes of one day becoming a missionary sister. There, she received the name Sister Mary Teresa. In December 1928, she traveled to India in order to begin her life of service. It was in India that she took her final profession of vows. About 20 years later, she established the Missionaries of Charity in response to a call from Jesus to serve the poor. Her work spread throughout India. “She built an empire of charity,” the Rev. Bernardo Cervellera, editor of the Vatican-affiliated missionary news agency Asia News, said In her lifetime, Mother Teresa led 4500 Missionaries of Charity sisters, dedicated 69 years to service and won 124 awards. Mother Teresa also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, three years after she visited New Orleans. “She didn’t have a plan to conquer the world. Her idea was to be obedient to God,” Cervellera told the Associated Press. Mother Teresa’s work continued even after her death in 1997. In 2002, Monica Besra was miraculously cured of a tumor located in her abdomen. A locket with a picture of Mother Teresa was placed on her abdomen, from which a light illuminated from the picture and cured her cancer. After this miracle was researched and verified by the Vatican, Mother Teresa was beatified in October 2003 by Pope John Paul II. Her second miracle, which was recognized by Pope Francis, was the healing of a Brazilian man’s various brain tumors after his loved ones prayed to her. Pope Francis declared in March that Mother Teresa would be canonized this year.

September 2, 2016 THE MAROON

Feds get more time to respond to church shooting lawsuits. CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A judge has granted the federal government more time to respond to wrongful death lawsuits in the South Carolina church shootings that claimed the lives of nine black parishioners. Fifteen lawsuits have been filed, alleging that the FBI negligently conducted a background check on 22-year-old Dylann Roof, which enabled him to buy the gun used in the June 2015 shootings at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church. Justice Department attorneys asked on Monday that a Sept. 6 deadline be extended until Oct. 14. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel granted the request on Tuesday. The government says the South Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office is no longer handling the case, which is now assigned to the Justice Department’s civil torts branch, whose attorneys need more time.

Loyola celebrates World Day of Prayer

Associated Press

Pope John Paul II, right, holds his arm around Mother Teresa as they ride in the popemobile outside the Home of the Dying in Calcutta, India in this February 1986 photo. When Pope Francis canonizes Mother Teresa on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, he’ll be honoring a nun who won admirers around the world and a Nobel Peace Prize for her joy-filled dedication to the “poorest of the poor.”

The Loyola community was expected to celebrate World Day of Prayer on Thursday, Sept. 1. Declared by Pope Francis, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation offers believers an opportunity to “renew their personal participation in this vocation as custodians of creation.” University Ministry will hold a prayer service in the Peace Quad to observe the celebration. It will be followed by a meet and greet with the Environment Program in Monroe Hall, Room 412, 12:30-1:30pm.

Wolf Pack volunteers lead music and sports clinic in Belize By Caleb Beck cmbeck@loyno.edu @calebbeckirl

Even in remote areas of Central America, the Jesuit ideals of compassion and respect for the world have been upheld thanks in part to Loyola Ignacio volunteers. This summer, 11 Loyola students and alumni accompanied University Chaplain Ted Dziak, S.J. and College of Business professor Kendra Reed in an engaging service trip to Belize, where the volunteers established both a music clinic at Delille Academy in Dangriga and a sports clinic for students of Holy Family Primary School in Hopkins village.

Kendall Cousin, A’15 was one of the Wolf Pack alumni who instructed the music clinic, and felt very accomplished seeing his fellow volunteers impact education. “I am incredibly proud of not only myself, but the rest of the team to put together a program that hasn’t been done,” Cousin said. In just one short week, Wolf Pack volunteers taught Delille Academy students how to write lyrics, arrange compositions, learn their instruments and both record and perform a song. The idea for holding a music clinic for Belizean students was born out of necessity, as the country currently has no music degree

program in any institution. Upon realizing this, Dziak and Victoria Vega, associate dean of the College of Music and Fine Arts, set up an initiative between Loyola University New Orleans and St. John’s College in Belize City to establish a music degree program by fall of 2017. The university hopes the clinic will further encourage Belizean students to pursue music in their lives. The sports clinic was also successful, with over 200 students joining in at Holy Family Primary School. The children played basketball, soccer and volleyball, culminating in a final tournament for each sport.

Dave Thomas, business junior, was taken aback by the beauty of the country, and humbled to assist the community. “The simplicity of Belize was one of my favorite parts of the country. Everybody I met was excited to learn and live, and didn’t take their lives for granted,” Thomas said. Students explained that the immersion trip was transformative, especially as alumni. Madeline Janney, A’16 noted that the lessons this experience gave her came at the perfect time. Janney has been to Belize three times now and said she considers the trips the defining experience of her time at Loyola.

“This trip was the perfect way to wrap up my undergraduate career and begin my post-graduate life. Having these experiences has helped me clarify my goals, interests and values, which is what ultimately led me to where I am now—pursuing my master’s degree in communication sciences and disorders so that I can work with children in a teaching role,” Janney said. The international immersion trip serves as an example of Jesuit ideals and dedicated mission service work that impacted the Belizean students as much as the Loyola alumni.


SPORTS

September 2, 2016 The Maroon

9

Cross country team finds new coach By Taylor Ford tcford@loyno.edu @TaylorCFord

There is a new coach and a new objective for this year’s Loyola University cross country team as they try to lay the foundation for an elite program. Between both the men’s and women’s cross country teams, Loyola University will be fielding a combined 11 athletes for the 2016 season. This lack of depth, however, has not deterred Head Coach Nick Dodson’s goals for the future of the program. “I’m looking for the individual performances because we don’t have the depth to look towards a team title realistically, but if we utilize our gifts and the way we’ve been working, we can go on in a lot of the individual stuff, and that will help build this program, because for years to come I want us to be a national power,” said Dodson. Though fielding a relatively young team, members of the men’s program appear to be confident that they will be able to improve upon the success they had last season. “We have some great new freshmen coming in along with the guys we brought back. Everyone did their summer training over the summer, which isn’t always too popular, but the work we put in is starting to show in the workouts. I’m certain that we can do better than how we did last year,” said Anthony Rizzi, environmental studies sophomore. Respectively, on the women’s side, biology junior Alma Guerra-Gonzales is confident in the

Sports briefs Volleyball splits home matches The Volleyball team hosted the University of Xavier and St. Thomas University at First NBC Court on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Loyola defeated St. Thomas 3-1 behind strong performances from Allison Hartmann and Maddie Huekels. Huekels dished out 21 assists while Hartmann recorded a career high 19 digs. The Wolf Pack were not able to sustain their success as they fell 3-1 to St. Thomas. Huekels recorded 18 assists and 10 digs in the loss to secure her second double-double of the day. Loyola split the two matches at home and improved their record to 4-5 on the season. The Wolf Pack will head to Texas on Saturday, Sept. 3 to participate in the University of St. Thomas Labor Day Tournament.

COLLEEN DULLE/ The Maroon

English sophomore Jordan Elissa and music freshman Tristin Sanders run at cross country practice Aug. 24. in Audobon Park. The team has a new coach this year.

strides her squad has made collectively in preparation for this season. “There has definitely been some major improvement from all of us. The team bonding and dedication during training has helped a lot and hopefully that leads to better times for everyone this year,” said Guerra-Gonzales. As far as the new recruits, Dodson stated that he was unable to recruit as deep of a recruiting class as he would’ve liked, due to the timing of his hiring. However, he appears to be confident in their potential to

make significant contributions to the program. “I was able to get Austin Palmore out of Atlanta on the men’s side, and I was able to get Tristin Sanders out of Nevada on the women’s side. Those were really the only two incoming freshmen I was able to get, considering when I was able to take the job. With those two I really have high expectations because they’re going to be the backbone of building this program,” said Dodson. Though the team’s first meet was initially scheduled to be the annual

Allstate Sugar Bowl/Loyola Cross Country Festival on Sept. 10, the team will now be kicking off their season at the Xavier Big City Opener in Audubon Park on Aug. 26. “I think what he’s doing for this one is good. Like he said, it has nothing to do with competition, it’s just to see where we are,” said Rizzi. Following this Crescent City showdown, Coach Dodson and his athletes should get a decent gauge of where they are as they look to put the fear of the Wolf Pack back in the hearts of every team in the SSAC.

Rickey Hill commands new cheer and dance program By Ryan Micklin rwmickli@loyno.edu @Ryanmicklin61

Courtesy of Rickey Hill

Dance and Cheer coach, Rickey Hill, pictured here. Hill will lead Loyola’s Cheer and Dance program in its inauguaral season.

Rickey Hill will be leading Loyola’s Competitive Dance and Cheerleading program in its first year of existence. Hill has over 30 years of experience within the sport according to LoyolaWolfPack.com. Hill was the Spirit Coordinator at Virginia Tech from 2004 to 2012 before being hired to take control of the program here at Loyola on July 8. “I coached at Virginia Tech until December 2012 and decided to focus more on my own camps and choreography,” said Hill. During his time at Virginia Tech, Hill constructed a program in six years that featured 63 cheerleaders and 30 dancers. Additionally, Hill led Virginia Tech’s cheerleading and dance teams to multiple National Cheer Association/National Dance Association finals in Daytona Beach, Florida. Prior to his time at Virginia Tech, Hill coached at four other universities including Southern Methodist University, James Madison University, the University of Virginia and Winthrop University. Hill led each one of these programs to the College Cheerleading and Dance National Championships. However, the highlight of Hill’s career was a Division I National Cheer Association championship in 1996 that he won while at James Madison University.

Loyola’s Director of Athletics, Brett Simpson, took strong notice of Hill’s coaching career and is excited to welcome him to Loyola. “We’re excited to have Rickey Hill lead our competitive cheer and dance teams in our inaugural season. He has a proven track record of building programs that succeed in competition and in the classroom, as well as developing student athletes for life after college. We look forward to him growing our program into one of the best in the NAIA,” said Simpson. As Hill takes over Loyola’s Cheerleading and Dance program in its inaugural year, he understands that it’s going to take time to turn this program into a national powerhouse. “We are going to start from the ground up because I believe that you have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run. It’s about assessing the talent and seeing what they have and then moving forward,” said Hill. Hill is being asked to construct a brand new program but maintains that while it’s going to be a difficult process, he is definitely up for the challenge. “I just want my dancers to be committed, to work hard and to learn more about life than cheerleading. That’s my goal. It’s the first year for the program so it’s going to be challenging but fun because it’s going to be a program that I can my put own stamp on. I am really excited.”

Kaepernick sits during national anthem

Earlier this week, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to sit during the national anthem before a preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Friday, Aug. 26. In an exclusive interview with NFL media Kaepernick had this to say: “I am not going to stand up to show pride to a flag for a country that opresses black people and people of color. There are bodies in the street and people are getting away with murder.” New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees told ESPN that he wholeheartedly disagrees with the situation. “He (Colin Kaepernick) can speak out about a very important issue. But there’s plenty of other ways that you can do that in a peaceful manner that doesn’t involve being disrespectful to the American flag. The American flag is sacred,” said Brees. Kaepernick said he will continue his protest against social injustice until he sees “significant change.”

College Football returns this weekend College football makes a much-anticipated return this weekend in what some are calling “the greatest weekend of college football ever.” This weekend’s slate of games feature plenty of marquee matchups such as: • #3 Oklahoma vs #15 Houston (Sept. 3, 12 p.m. ET, ABC) • #5 LSU vs Wisconsin (Sept. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) • #2 Clemson vs Auburn (Sept. 3, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN) • #22 UNC vs #18 Georgia (Sept. 3, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) • #1 Alabama vs #20 USC (Sept. 3, 8 p.m. ET, ABC) • #11 Ole Miss vs #4 Florida State (Sept. 5, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN)


EDITORIAL

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September 2, 2016 THE MAROON

OUR EDITORIAL

The majority opinion of our editorial board

UNIVERSITIES ARE DESIGNED TO BE OPEN,

BUT WE HAVE TO WORK TO KEEP THEM THAT WAY HOWLS & GROWLS

Universities occupy a unique social and architectural space. In a modern world that is increasingly fragmented and partitioned both figuratively and literally, universities are a beacon of openness. Today, all public spaces, national parks, airports, monuments, even places as mundane as malls, are fraught with an edifice of security that includes checked bags, closed doors and “do not enter signs.” By comparison, universities have embraced a philosophy of openness both inside and outside of the classroom. At Loyola University, our classes are spaces of free thinking, critical engagement and conversation. The green space connecting the Palm Court to Monroe Library encourages us to mix and mingle. In these open green spaces, we play music together, we throw around frisbees, we do homework and, above all, we engage with one another. Universities are designed to open themselves up to students, faculty, staff and the wider community so that campus can become a place of connection. This connection and engagement with each other and with our ideas is part of a university’s foundational mission; it is built into our campus design. This spirit of openness has been a characteristic of Loyola’s campus and the Loyola experience, but this year we feel this is in jeopardy. The new dorm policies that require advanced permission for guests staying more than one night and increase desk assistant shift times to four hours threaten Loyola’s unique position as a free and public space. While any public space must balance the need for security and order with the need for freedom of movement, we feel that these new policies do not offer significant new security protection, but rather impose cumbersome regulation. If the impetus behind these regulations lies in keeping students safe, we fail to see not only how stu-

HOWL to the intellectual discourse we missed over the summer GROWL to Uber surge pricing HOWL to Midsummer Summer Mardi Gras last weekend GROWL to aggressively hot weather HOWL to having Labor Day off GROWL to how expensive Beyoncé tickets are HOWL to finally being able to take direct flights to Cuba

EDITORIAL BOARD Colleen Dulle

Editor-in-Chief

Lauren Saizan

Managing Editor for Print

R. Gage Counts

Managing Editor for Electronic Properties

Lester Duhé

Maroon Minute Executive Producer

Naasha Dotiwala

Design Chief

Molly Olwig

Photo Editor

India Yarborough

News Editor

Jamal Melancon

Life & Times Editor

Danielle Horton

The Works Editor

Starlight Williams Nick Reimann

Wolf Editor Worldview Editor

Ryan Micklin

Sports Editor

Chasity Pugh

Religion Editor

Emily Edwards

Opinion and Editorial Editor

Paulina Picciano

Copy Editor

Hayley Hynes

Copy Editor

Haley Pegg Alliciyia George Anna Dobrowolski

Senior Staff Writer Senior Staff Photographer Illustrator

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.

NAASHA DOTIWALA / The Maroon

dent desk assistants will be able to effectively enforce these new rules without increased authority, but also how more record keeping can prevent people from breaking rules or even committing crimes. Engaging with one another in a free space means that, as students, we must place some of the onus on ourselves to act responsibly in tandem with existing university regulation, not to add new layers of bureaucracy. There must be a compromise between regulation and laxity, and as we make our home at Loyola we want to feel safe. But as students making our home here, we also want to live in a community where we feel free to come and go with each other and those we invite to our dorms. Safety and security on campus is of course the number one priority, but it is not the only priority we should consider. A university is a space of intellectual openness, but it is also a place of growth. We come to Loyola as students and become scholars, musicians, writers, athletes and artists, but beyond these intellectual and professional achievements we become adults. To succeed and live effectively in a community together, we do need regulation; we need first to feel safe if we are to feel free. But to thrive at Loyola, we need this feeling and space of openness to grow. We need a fence, but not to feel hemmed in by outrageously early quiet hours at Carrollton and times for our friends to leave. As young men and women in this transitional step from adolescence to young adulthood, we need to find a compromise to engage freely inside and outside the classroom.


OPINION

September 2, 2016 The Maroon

11 In My Opinion Students sharing their opinions on topics

Is our liberal campus racist?

Joselyn Campos English Junior jcampos@loyno.edu

The Maroon

Students demonstrate in the March for Surviors Protest, organized by two Loyola professors in 2014. Grant Higginbothom argues that students should still participate in activism.

In My Opinion Students sharing their opinions on topics

Campus activism still matters for us all grant higginbothom English Junior ghhiggin@loyno.edu

The state of on-campus social justice activism has always had a contentious relationship with dominant political conversations and social norms. The trope of college students with a passion for social justice is one pushed by American conservatism. “College students are too sensitive nowadays” is an all too familiar sentiment used in an attempt to de-legitimize the important social activism that occurs on college campuses. Comedians like Jerry Seinfeld condemn the impor-

tance of social justice activism and its so-called “political correctness” culture. But what is political correctness besides recognizing diversity and basic human rights? The right wing in this country has always pushed back against the social activism of college students, especially in regards to the anti-war and anti-racism movements. Student protests against the Vietnam War in the sixties and student affiliation with radical parties, such as the Black Panthers, are landmarks of the political landscape in the 20th century, and yet college social justice is portrayed as a nuisance rather than an incredibly influential wrench in the right-wing American quest for neo-imperialism. Movements transform and ideas do not die. The ideological descendants of past social justice movements live on in campuses around the nation. The Black Lives Matter

movement has fundamentally altered conversations and interactions that occur not only on college campuses, but in cities around the nation, thanks directly to the on-campus initiative of the movement. The online age has drastically changed the nature of social justice activism, making dialogue, or rather unproductive argument, extremely accessible. Many right wing activists have attempted to transform meaningful dialogue into their own kind of political movements, i.e. Blue Lives Matter, that presupposes the legitimacy of Black Lives Matter while simultaneously denouncing it. Interests like defending freedom of speech, a simple guise for verbal abuse that enables violent action, or religious freedom, another guise for religious dogmatism, find their places on the online and on-campus

political landscapes. The emphasis on dialogue becomes increasingly important, but how far can dialogue go when one party simply turns its back to the conversation? This is when activism becomes especially important. If activism falls on the shoulders of willing students and youth, then by all means, continue to take up arms. Activism is defined as the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. Do not let right-wing sentiments convince you that your activism is not real or that it can be ignored and shoved under the rug, allowing injustice to continue. Activism is so frequently undermined because it works. Speak up and be unafraid to call out the indecent actions of those around you, on-campus and off.

Language matters, but not that much ISAAC SEESSEL Oberlin College Student iseessel@oberlin.edu

“40+ Alternatives to Help You Stop Using Ablesist, Homophobic, and Racist Phrases,” “14 Things Never to Say to a Gay Man,” “9 Things to Never Say to Someone Who Is Gender Queer.” These types of articles, focusing on what not to say, litter my Facebook newsfeed. Within the activism scene at Oberlin College, perhaps the most liberal place in America, there is a large focus on

the language you use. This is called linguistic activism. The premise is as follows: according to postmodern philosophers, such as Derrida and Dechaussure, language does not simply describe the world, but instead shapes it. For example, the pronouns he and she do not reflect natural and unchanging gender categories of men and women, but instead creates the gender categories themselves. Men and women, for postmodern thinkers, are not self-evident categories, but are instead enforced by the language we use. In short, because we use the words he and she, the categories of male and female exist. It is not the other way around. These are all things I have learned in the classroom while at Oberlin College.

While certainly present at Loyola University, these ideas are taken to an extreme at Oberlin College. Theoretically, I agree one hundred percent with this analysis. Surely, our language shapes the world around us. As a gay man, when someone in my poor, rural Southern family tells me “I’m sure all the girls are after you,” it undoubtedly reinforces the belief that all men like women. This does sting. But is this intellectual and academic focus on language the most beneficial form of activism? In the winter of 2016, I worked with the New Orleans AIDS task force on the Transgender Health Initiative at Cresent Care. My main job was to make the intake form gender neutral, so as not to assume

someone’s gender identity. Like in the classroom setting, I was again focusing on language. Why weren’t we going and reaching out to transgender individuals on the street? Do the most marginalized individuals really care about the language we use? As a privileged, white, educated, cisgender man, I cannot completely answer this question, but my best guess is no. When a poor, black transgender woman is being beaten in Mid-City because of her gender identity, or a poor, white veteran cannot afford his next meal, the last thing on his or her mind is what words we use from the ivory tower of Oberlin–or Loyola–to describe them. Language does matter, but I believe we must re-focus our efforts and emphasis on concrete action.

I am a woman of color who is light skinned, and it has given me the social advantage to be able to participate in many conversations with individuals from different cultures. At Loyola, I’ve witnessed liberals who think they can eliminate the social hierarchy created by systematic racism simply by denying it. People with privilege need to learn that the human experience is unique, and it is possible to insult another human’s existence, whether or not it is intentional. Worse yet, because of this structure, racist speech is considered casual. No matter how strongly white liberals deny racism and its influence in our daily lives, it still exists, especially for people of color. I’ve seen “liberal” students get comfortable with the idea that they are liberal and not racist. They justify having dreads and wearing dashikis as cultural appreciation. Loyola is a social microcosm mostly dominated by white liberals. Liberals on campus begin to justify systematically racist comments and actions by the idea that they are separate from blatant bigots. They see their cultural appropriation as coming from a place of love and support instead of hatred. In classes of mine, I’ve seen students say racist things, and when confronted by a fellow student or the professor, they claim it wasn’t what they meant. The false sense of immunity I’ve observed has created an environment where liberals can use racist language. I’ve witnessed a “liberal” student ask the only Cuban individual in the room if they’ve been cooking because it smells “Cuban.” These aren’t Trump loving, forty year old white men; these are the white twenty year olds trying to make a difference. These are “liberals.” A large portion of white people don’t know how not to be racist. The student I mentioned earlier does not hate people of color, but they used language that perpetuated a stereotype because it is all that student has been exposed to. They don’t know how to not use racist language or what racist language is because the only sources of their discussions are other white liberals. As a woman of color at Loyola, I hope that these white liberals can become more comfortable with the idea of being challenged for the words they choose to say everyday. To truly challenge systemic racism, white liberals must not only speak cautiously, but they must listen to people of color; they must be open to being called out on their mistakes to learn from them. Only then can the conversation be more equal.


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The Maroon

September 2, 2016

Psychology professor dies after battle with ALS Staff Reports

The Maroon

Former psychology professors Mary Brazier and Kendall Eskine, and current professors Glenn Hymel and Lawrence Lewis, sit together in Monroe Hall in 2014. Hymel taught and hired Lewis and Brazier, who taught and hired Eskine. Brazier died in July.

Loyola University faculty member of almost 30 years, Mary Brazier, died at her home in New Orleans July 16, 2016, at the age of 60, after a battle with amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the New Orleans Advocate reported. Brazier is survived by her husband of 16 years, Kurt Patrick Ziegeler of New Orleans, her brother Robert Whiting Brazier, Jr., of Slidell, La., and a number of relatives and friends. According to The Advocate, she was predeceased by her parents Margaret Long McWaters and Robert Whiting Brazier. Born Feb. 4, 1956, Brazier attended Loyola then earned a doctorate in experimental psychology from Tulane University in 1986 and began working at Loyola that same year, the Advocate said. During her time at Loyola, Brazier served as chair of the psychology department from 1994 to 2004 and 2009 through last academic year. She was associate dean of the department 1997-98 and a psychology department professor. “I know teaching kept her going, and I am glad I was able to learn from her,” chemistry senior Rachel Dufour said. Kim Ernst, associate professor of

psychology, remembered her friend Brazier fondly in an interview with The Maroon. Brazier hired Ernst 20 years ago amid a competitive pool of applicants, and Ernst said she knew Brazier believed in her. “She could have passed me up,” Ernst said, as she had just earned her doctorate at the time. But Brazier didn’t pass her up. Instead, Brazier told Ernst that she belonged at Loyola. Ernst credited Brazier with hiring most of the current psychology faculty, which will shape her legacy at the university. She said Brazier was always willing to help students and approved programs that would benefit them. Ernst said Brazier worked closely with the team that directed the Monroe Hall renovation, ensuring that a vivarium for rat testing was installed on the third floor. She never got to see the completed project, where she and Ernst were to teach together, but students will still benefit from Brazier’s work on the vivarium, which the department continues to prepare for classes. Brazier’s family requested contributions be made to the ALS Association Louisiana-Mississippi Chapter, according to The New Orleans Advocate.

The Maroon is Hiring Columnists

come work for the biggest student-run enterprise on campus The Maroon is accepting applications for an opinion columnist for the fall semester. Send two writing examples that are opinion pieces or persuasive writing to maroon@loyno.edu

Applications are open through Sept. 10


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