Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 94 • Issue 19 • February 26, 2016
THE MAROON FOR A GREATER LOYOLA
Newman named new interim chief diversity officer
KRISTEN STEWART / The Maroon
Liv Newman, new interim chief diversity officer, works on her plans for the upcoming semester. After promising to find a chief diversity officer by May 30, the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, has given Newman the interim position, but will continue the national search.
The administration has recently appointed the new interim chief diversity officer to work on the strategic plan to increase diversity on campus By Kristen Stewart knstewar@loyno.edu @kstewart818
After a three-month long search, Loyola has hired a chief diversity officer for students to use as an additional resource in matters regarding diversity. In November of last semester, the Black Collegiates of Loyno sent a petition to the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, with a list of demands. One of the demands was to hire a chief diversity officer that was available for students of color to confide in and use as an additional resource. The Affirmative Action and Diversity Committee began a search in December and hired Liv Newman, sociology instructor, as the interim
chief diversity officer, a decision announced in a campus-wide email from Wildes. Since she was young, Newman has been exposed to different forms of diversity. With a white American mother, a black American father, a Puerto Rican step-father, and many other friends and family from across the spectrum, Newman plans to use her experiences with diversity to help shape her new position. “The story of my life from the very beginning has been about experiencing diverse environments. I believe that being with those not like ourselves provides us with the ability to connect to people in a deep and sincere way and life enriching experiences,” Newman said. Newman holds a doctorate degree in sociology and has worked at Loyola for 14 years, teaching various
sociology courses that involve race, gender and other elements of diversity. “My professional work as an educator and sociologist has allowed me to understand better the mechanisms by which oppression manifests and reproduces itself in our society at the individual, institutional, and societal levels,” Newman said. A’Niya Robinson, political science senior and SGA Representative for the Affirmative Action and Diversity Committee, supports Newman as interim CDO due to her experiences with the university and diversity. “Her entire academic research is centered around diversity, so she understands the issues the students of color are facing. She also has a large network of resources that are pursuing the same goals as we are, with regards to inclusion and com-
munity,” Robinson said, “Plus, she has been at the university for quite some time, so there's a familiarity there.” Some of the many tasks that Newman will have the opportunity to complete include observing the Loyola community, gathering data, and working with the other New Orleans universities. “I want to gain a comprehensive understanding of the experiences that diverse populations have at Loyola, what they need to feel fully included in the life of the university, and strategize ways to meet those needs,” Newman said. Sawyer Joseph, psychology premed junior and co-president of the Black Student Union, believes that Newman taking the interim CDO position is a positive addition to Loyola’s community.
“I think that having a CDO is a great advancement for organizations on Loyola's campus, especially for organizations that deal with diversity because we now have someone who we can turn to who is knowledgeable in matters that are important to us,” Joseph said. Newman’s official start date is yet to be determined, however she is most excited to work closely with the students and faculty from all around campus. “Loyola students are brilliant, energetic, and committed to social justice: all qualities that invigorate me personally and my professional life. I welcome the opportunity to work with the people who make Loyola a special place. What could be a better job than supporting those who are the life of this university,” Newman said.
SGA proposes new amendments for its constitution By Emily Branan embranan@loyno.edu @embranan
The Student Government Association is considering altering the structure of their branches by proposing an amendment to disband the judicial branch. This amendment was proposed at the senate meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 17, along with three other amendments to the constitution. According to Courtney Williams, SGA adviser, the tension within the organization would be resolved if the court of review was disbanded.
"In order to keep our mission true ,they thought separating the branches would help. It confused the branches in SGA to have the justices inside SGA,” Williams said. Natalie Paul, SGA executive vice president, said the Student Justice Board, which falls under the Office of Student Conduct, was created this year and will start to handle lower-level conduct cases. "It was felt in previous years that SGA was becoming a punishing body," Paul said. The three other amendments to the constitution included making first-year council into an executive
standing committee, eliminating the college president position on the senate, and to get rid of the title of commissioner of elections. Paul said making the first-year council into an executive standing committee would mean it would essentially become a branch of SGA. Paul said she created it last semester because she wanted to give freshmen a chance to explore the different branches of the organization before they had to decide which branch to join. She said the first semester is for "feeling it out" and starting in the spring, freshmen are able to sit in on
meetings, but can't vote in them. She said she hopes this process will allow freshmen to have a better understanding of how SGA works and to be better prepared to be a voting member during their sophomore years. Another amendment being proposed was to eliminate the position of college presidents in the senate. Paul said the in the last three years, the college president has not been an effective position. "We've had a very small senate and the position of the college president wasn't really being utilized," Paul said.
The amendments making the first-year council an executive standing committee, the elimination of both college president and the title of election commissioner all passed during the meeting on Feb. 17, but the proposal to disband the court of review did not. These amendments will be on the ballot for the spring election for the students to vote on. The election will take place on March 16-17.
Anna Knapp contributed to this report