Students believe President Cole is enabling injustice. Cole says he is honoring university protocol.
By Eloise Pickering, Mark Michel
While the class of 2024 took their class photo, protesters chanted from the sidewalk: “Xavier Cole, you can’t hide. You’re supporting genocide.” The next month, the protesters marched to Loyola President Xavier Cole’s house.
These series of protests called for administrative transparency and university divestment from corporations with ties to Israel. Since the May encampment, Cole remains a target of criticism. That criticism echoes a complaint some students at his previous institution leveled against him.
See COLE, p.13
Sophia Renzi / The Maroon
PUZZLES
ACROSS
1. Total hopelessness
8. Last word said at church
12. Opposite of freeze
13. Tinkerbell
16. Country in the news for sending missiles to Israel
18. Least common denominator, abbr.
19. “___ of Worms” 1999 film
20. Take place of 22. Initials to the son of owner of Fulham
F.C and Jacksonville Jaguars
23. Title given to those who have been knighted
25. “Get ready, ___, go!”
26. Mail your packages to “200 __Salle Ct”
27. Southward by South, abbr.
29. End of an ___
31. Neither here ___ there
33. Contraction of “over”
34. “Venus as a Boy” Icelandic singer
36. Short slumber
38. Action when sad
39. Main character in Euphoria
40. Explosive device
42. Whip and ___ ___
44. Three knockdowns in a boxing round
45. Girl group that shared billboard charts with Destiny’s Child
46. Tree of ___
47. Vietnam’s ISO country code
52. Radio Corporation of America, abbr.
54. I’m turning 21 _____ old!
56. Fashion event the ___ Gala
58. Opposite of start
60. #4 Quarterback for Dallas Cowboys
61. Fans of Nicki Minaj call themselves this
63. “Come __ You Are” by Nirvana
65. Short silent video usually of dogs or cats dancing
67. Children play with this
68. Rhenium on the periodic table
69. Song by Doja Cat
72. Sound a cow makes
73. Arctic bird
74. Mermaids have this
75. Luigi counterpart
77. Additionality
78. Song by Katy Perry
79. “Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number” singer
DOWN
1. These people were recently on strike from Maine to Texas
2. Festival in Arabic
3. Initials for Sri Lanka
4. 16th letter in the roman alphabet
5. From a distance
6. Dumbledore actor
7. Initials for the state Family Guy lives in 9. Most recent hurricane that’s headed for Tampa
10. Historic span
11. Sodium chloride in periodic table terms
12. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches
14. Rest and relaxation, abbr.
15. Opposite of no 17. Within range
19. Shorten term for people who stay with their assigned sex
21. Writing utensil
23. Initials to a country neighboring Turkey
24. Short for brother
28. While I am thankful for this award… I must give my thanks to this artist
29. What happens to crewmates when they are voted out in Among Us
30. What art majors make with Down 37 32. What did that bus do to Regina George?
34. The role Down 32 played in Mean Girls
35. “She ____” by J. Cole
37. Art utensil used by creative majors
38. Position in basketball
39. You can get a free pass for this local transportation system by going to the public library
Distribution Managers Sophia Renzi Eloise Pickering
Digital
Digital Director Francisco Esteves
Video Director James Hufnagel
Video Coordinator Christopher Nesbit
Anchor Mabel Regalado-Hernandez
Social Media Coordinator Jordan Higgins
PR & DEI
Public Relations Director Julia Bueno
DEI Officer Tanesha Taylor
Contributors
Writers: Pharrell Every, Alexandra Martinez Ramos, Carmen Tonry, Samantha Guillotte, Myles McWilliams, Dominique Campbell, Ruby Neider, Lonniesha Carroll, Maggie Lewis, , Chris Maldonado, Gavin Crehan, Janssen Van De Yacht, Chiara Faircloth, Sydney Piglia, Natalie Thomas, Alexandria Partin, Anna Therapondos, Eleanor Boucher-Ferry, Kaitlyn Gress, William Shepard, James Wyrtzen, Deja Magee, Alana Thompson, Volodymyr Lukianenko, Mary Ella Hastings, Lucy Cromwell, Alyria Pierre, Lily Bordelon, Valentina Russel, Macee Fielding, Maryelle Vasquez, Elise Beck, Adriana Escobar, Christopher Pouncy, Ava Dufrene
Photographers: Rodrigo Delgado Jr., Carmen Tonry, Ryan Talley, Ashlyn Bobb Collins, Sophia Renzi, Gana Mohamed, Sophia Santos, Zoie Jones, Olivia Sanyal, Adriana Escobar, Maria Olivera Arbona
Videographers: Carmen Tonry, Jenaleyse Waterman, Daniela Martinez, James Hufnagel, Cecilia Calderin, Gana Mohamed, Macee Fielding, Mary Ella Hastings, Olivia Sanyal, Christopher Pouncy, Maria Olivera Arbona
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.
Puzzles by Max Schweikarth and Kira Phillips
HALLOWEEN FEATURE
Satanic Panic of Buddig Hall
By Lily Haggard lahaggar@my.loyno.edu
Being a century old, Loyola University is renowned for its rich history; however, a darker, unsettling story lurks beneath the surface of its halls. Room 813 in Buddig Hall has earned a reputation as the university's most haunted location, with roots in the alleged occult exorcism in 1968, unbeknownst by many students. According to an article published in 1974 by The Maroon, and according to Ghost City Tours, The Ghosts of Loyola University nterviewed students had an explanation for the hauntings: a Ouija board.
It all began with a Ouija board–a setting familiar in fictional horror films. In room 813, then freshman sisters Marie and Brenda, started using a Ouija board in the late 1960s. Occasionally, they would communicate with a ghost named Hazel, a local Creole woman, who revealed that her husband had died in prison for a crime she had committed. Hazel's stories had a strange level of credibility, since she provided particular dates and facts about her life. However, the spirit world was unpredictable, and their contact quickly became more sinister.
During one Ouija session, the sisters invited their friend Neil, who lived near-
by at Biever Hall. When Neil made fun of the spirit Hazel, the board ominously read: "Cut stomach, Kill Neil.”
The following day, according to 1894 article “Satan Visits Buddig Hall” by Vicki Salloum’s, Neil fainted in the cafeteria and was brought to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with appendicitis. Whether this was a coincidence or a hex is unknown, but it only fueled the girls' desire to continue their Ouija board experiments. They soon convinced themselves that they had invited Satan himself rather than Hazel.
To confirm they were speaking with a satanic presence, they requested the Ouija board for a sign. The girls switched out the light, and all they saw was Brenda's face with blue features and a devilish, wide grin. They sought out Reverend Harold Cohen for help in their paranormal experience, to which, according to Brenda, he “made [them] promise not to play with the Ouija anymore. But [they] walked out the office and said, ‘Let’s go see what it has to say.’”
Several weeks later at 2 a.m. Marie and Brenda awoke to their furniture shifting on its own, a poster ripped from the wall, and all of the objects on their shelves rearranged. In a state of fear, they called Father Cohen from Campus Ministry at 3:30 a.m. He arrived later that morning, and what happened next confirmed the room's haunted reputation,
according to Ghost City Tours. Father Cohen performed an exorcism in Room 813, spraying holy water on the beds and throughout the dorm while praying in Latin. The girls stood in formation with others and joined the priest in praying the "Our Father." According to them, the bewitching ceased, but many questions remained. The university's demonologist, Rev. Louis Lambert, dismissed the experiences as simple teenage imagination, while Father McGill warned Ouija boards lend to hallucinations.
However, the exorcism was not the end of the haunting of Room 813. Students have often reported odd events in Buddig Hall throughout decades, including unexplained object movements and out-of-place noises. A deep, guttural growl was purportedly captured during a 2010 séance in Buddig Hall's Room 1108 when the spirit was asked if they meant to hurt the girls during the 1968 exorcisms. Some students worry that the spirit at Buddig Hall might be something dangerous, while others think it might just be fun. The haunting of Room 813, whether real or imagined, has been ingrained in Loyola University mythology and serves as a terrifying reminder of the dangers that may occur when students' curiosity pushes them to explore the unknown.
CAMPUS
Cathy Rogers to retire
By Kloe Witt kgwitt@my.loyno.edu
Loyola’s mass communication department will say goodbye to a familiar face at the end of this academic year.
Public relations professor Cathy Rogers joined Loyola 34 years ago. Rogers has been the faculty Director at the Shawn M. Donnelley Center for Nonprofit Communications since 2021. At the end of next spring, she will farewell to the job she loves to begin a new chapter: retirement.
But the news of Rogers retirement has been hard for some students to swallow. Public relations junior B. Welch has formed a close relationship with Rogers since she transferred to Loyola last fall. The thought of entering her senior year without Rogers is something Welch said will be hard.
“It’s sad cause I know she loves us and we all love her,” Welch said. “It’s gonna be like a hole without her.”
And this feeling is mutual. Despite feeling excitement for this new chapter in her life, Rogers said there are parts she is going to miss as she says goodbye.
“I’m gonna miss students,” she said. “I’m gonna miss the interaction and the satisfaction I get from watching students mature and develop and grow professionally.”
In her time at Loyola, Rogers was able to prove success. Under her advising, the Bateman team has won multiple national first place awards against larger universities. She also won Loyola’s Dux Academics award in Jan. 2023, the highest award a faculty member can receive.
Still, Rogers said her biggest reward from her time at Loyola has been the relationship she builds with her students and watching them enter their careers.
Alum NiRey Reynolds said Rogers helped her achieve a successful career.
Following her graduation from Loyola in 2015, Reynolds first job was with Public Relations Student Society of America, which she said scouted her through the Bateman competition her senior year. Reynolds said a big factor into how she got the PRSSA job was how prepared she was for this competition, which she attributes to Rogers.
News of Rogers retirement was shocking for Reynolds. With the relationship and guidance she has from Rogers, she said it’s hard to imagine what Loyola will be without her.
“I can’t believe it. I know how many of the students' lives she’s contributed to and their academic story and history,” she said. “I can’t believe future Loyola students won’t have that.”
And Rogers is having a hard time imagining what she will be doing without teaching. Still, she’s ready to see what this next journey brings.
“I keep expecting to be really sad,” Rogers said. “I’m still just really looking forward to leaning into my curiosities.”
Alumni Association
Loyola University Alumni Association’s Alumni Graduation Award is open for applicants. According to Adria Porch, director of alumni engagement, the Alumni Graduation Award recognizes deserving graduating seniors in need of financial assistance. To be eligible a candidate must have applied for graduation and certified documented financial need by
the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Finalists will be judged based on application criteria, financial need, and individual interviews with the award committee.
The award aims to support graduates, foster a philanthropic spirit, and spark future engagement with the university as alumni. The deadline to apply is midnight on Nov. 3, 2024.
Cathy Rogers is the Shawn M. Donnelley professor for Nonprofit Communications.
at the Shawn M. Donnelley Center for Nonprofit Communications.
Director
"My awesome quote goes here."
LOCAL & WORLDVIEW
Lower Ninth Ward says goodbye to community resource
By Kloe Witt kgwitt@my.loyno.edu
New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward will be losing a piece of the neighborhood with the construction of a new grocery store.
The Fred Hampton Free Store is a community center that has served the area in the Lower Ninth Ward since the COVID-19 pandemic by hosting free events and offering free resources like haircuts, clinics, and contraceptives. Soon, however, this community center will be torn down to build a grocery store by Henry Consulting.
Although the Lower Ninth Ward is considered a food desert, many community members are not happy about this change. At a zoning meeting on Oct. 1, residents from the neighborhood and around New Orleans gathered to voice their concerns.
The main worry that community members have expressed is that this isn’t just going to be a grocery storerather a convenience store.
“People have been fighting over here for a full service grocery store for so long and continually,” Lauren Ellis, someone who has used the center in the past, said. “It's just a convenience store, and that's not the same thing.”
Like convenience stores, this building will be open 24 hours a day, have gas
pumps and electric vehicle chargers, and sell liquor.
On top of that, the store is also said to be able to fit a pharmacy. This has led community members to be concerned over how much space will be left for the grocery part of the store.
Ellis said in her time in the neighborhood, she has learned that gas stations have become a violent place - especially when alcohol is involved. Safety was a huge worry for her and others who spoke at the meeting.
They said it is especially worrying for them because the store will be next to a school.
Brandon Henry, one of the brains behind this plan, said they are not worried about the community backlash they received.
He said the store will have a larger grocery section than convenience stores and should not be confused as such.
At the rezoning meeting, however, Henry called the store a convenience store twice by mistake before correcting himself.
One thing Henry and supporters of the store mentioned during the meeting was the need to bring businesses back to the neighborhood.
Although most of those in attendance agreed, they didn’t all believe this was the right company to do that.
“A lot of folks here have been wanting
Louisiana classifies abortion pills as controlled substances
By Mary Ella Hastings mlhastin@my.loyno.edu
On Oct. 1, a Louisiana law declared reproductive care drugs Misoprostol and Mifepristone as controlled substances. These drugs are used to end pregnancies, manage miscarriages, and treat hemorrhage.
Lillian Funke is a professor in practice at the College of Nursing and Health. According to Funke, the new classification will make these drugs more complicat-
ed to access. Funke said Mifepristone is more difficult to obtain and less commonly prescribed, so Misoprostol is the main target of the law.
Misoprostol, originally for stomach ulcers, can help cause contractions in the uterine muscle. It can be used for preparing to have an intrauterine device inserted, postpartum hemorrhage, inducing labor, and treating miscarriages. According to Funke, it’s inexpensive, which she said is a good thing.
Funke said these medications do not
development and businesses to return to this neighborhood for a very long time, and I feel like they finally got someone that might do it, and that that company is gonna fall short on their basic needs of people here,” Ellis said.
Loyola sophomore James Deutsch has gone to the free store regularly for over a year now. They said they mostly have gone to attend events hosted there and were amazed by the resources they saw there for those who need it.
One thing Deutsch mentioned seeing was free Plan B in the bathroom.
Knowing this community won’t have this space to get these resources is something that upset Deutsch.
“It just makes me really fucking sad for all of the people that benefit more than me from it, from all of the aspects of the things that they offer to people who don't have the privilege to receive those things from other places,” they said.
Henry and his family are natives to the Lower Ninth. Being from such, they said they are only doing what they believe is best for the area.
“We're not some sort of plunder or cold hearted capitalist or whatever. We feel like businesses have a part of the community as well,” Henry said. “We will provide, you know, a service and goods. At the same time we are planning to be responsive to the needs of the community.”
have the same capacity for chemical dependence that typical controlled substances would.
“Neither of these substances have pharmacologically that potential,” she said.
To prescribe a controlled substance, doctors must register with the Drug Enforcement Association.
“For the Loyola community, we have a nursing school, and we have advanced practice nurses,” Funke said. “Now, [Advanced Practice Nurses] of all stripes can obtain a DEA number, but it requires more collaboration with a physician and a separate agreement with the board of pharmacy, so it is a cumbersome paperwork process.”
Funke said this process is expensive, which could limit people from accessing this drug. There will also be more waste created because the drug can’t be put back on the shelf, she said.
“ Make no mistake, scheduling this medication is not consistent with what scheduling has meant previously. Just from a pure pharmacological standpoint, it does not line up.”
Lillian Funke, Nursing professor
“The impact in smaller hospitals, stand-alone emergency rooms, and community health centers will have bigger implications,” Funke said. “In a bigger hospital, the resources are greater, and the workarounds are simpler.”
Funke said this scheduling act is unusual for the DEA.
“Make no mistake, scheduling this medication is not consistent with what scheduling has meant previously. Just from a pure pharmacological standpoint, it does not line up,” she said.
Funke believes the scheduling act and its implications should be evaluated.
“This is an interesting case of using a set of regulations that were created for one purpose for an unrelated purpose,” she said, “And it is important to consider not just the immediate impacts but also whether or not this law was passed to protect people, and if so, how does it do that?”
Residents voice their concerns at a zoning meeting on Oct. 1. Kloe Witt/The Maroon
The Free Store provides free clothes, books, household items, contraception, and hot meals. Rodrigo Delgado /The Maroon
Nightmare on Elm Drive
By Nicholas Gonzalez nbgonzal@my.loyno.edu
Last week, Netflix released Ryan Murphy’s second season of Monsters focusing on the 1989 murders of José (Javier Bardem) and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez (Chloë Sevigny) at their Beverly Hills mansion by their two sons Lyle and Erik Menendez. After the show’s release on Netflix, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story quickly rose to number one on Netflix’s streaming chart while retaining its taboo, controversial, and “must watch,” title. Unlike Murphy’s first season of Monsters, highlighting the haunting crimes of serial killer Jeffery Dahmer, the show presents the question of who the monsters are, the Menendez Brothers or their murdered parents, triggering an intense debate that has massively swarmed social media.
Thirty-five years ago, in the late hours of the night, both Lyle and Erik Menendez shot their parents, while they watched television in their den, firing a total of sixteen shots with Mossberg 12-gauge shotguns. Following the killings and the advent of police investigations, the brothers engorged in monstrous spending before their eventual arrest. . Although the arrest of the brothers was not as infamous as the OJ Simpson chase and arrest (another Ryan Murphy show for the American Crime Story series), the horrific manner of the murders and the location on Elm Street in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Los Angeles drew nationwide attention and had been deemed in the trial of the century.
During the two trials, which resulted in the life-sentencing of the brothers in 1996, accusations of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse by their parents surfaced in the hope of making the
argument that the 1989 killings were conducted out of self-defense. In addition to the events leading up to and after the killings, the show also peruses the personalities of Lyle and Erik Menendez often displaying aggressive outbursts seemingly to be influenced by a greed-induced lifestyle.
“Free the Menendez Brothers!” “Ryan Murphy, did these brothers so damn dirty?” Days following the show’s release, social media was consumed with tweets, posts, and TikTok comments presenting various opinions predominantly either expressing their fondness for the show or their strong distaste. Furthermore, viewers found the implied romantic nature of Erik and Lyle’s relationship disturbing. According to an interview with Entertainment News, Murphy defended the structure of the show, arguing the importance of displaying the story through the perspectives of the brothers, journalist Dominick Dunne (Nathan Lane), the prosecution, and defense attorney Leslie Abramson (Ari Graynor). The real-life Erik Menendez released a statement denouncing the show as a “dishonest portrayal” while referring to Ryan Murphy as “naïve.”
To this, Murphy responded: “I think it’s interesting that he’s issued a statement without having seen the show.” Murphy added, “Sixty to sixty-five percent of our show in the scripts and in the film form center around the abuse and what they claimed happened.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the presentation of facts and fiction, it is inevitable to deny the excellence of the production and acting which has introduced a three-decade-old case to a new generation.
Despite the controversy and passionate debate regarding the show, it appears to be widely agreed
upon amongst viewers that Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Lyle) and Cooper Koch (Erik) presented a masterful performance. Both Chavez and Koch, relatively two newcomers to mainstream acting, stole every scene. Javier Bardem channels a wicked José and Chlöe Sevigny portrays a cold-blooded mother, a combination that is perfectly lethal leaving the viewer devastated and nearly exhausted by the drama. The
material revealing the alleged abuse of Jose and “Kitty” Menendez can place some sensitive viewers into a two-day depression; the revolting claims swarm around the mind, particularly to viewers who have experienced trauma. The grief and deep rage evoked by the unraveling nightmare of abuse allegations throughout the course of nine episodes hold the ability to twist the viewer’s stomach.
Although Murphy is known for the use of camp, its presence is at times distracting yet the show is preserved due to Chavez and Koch’s performance and charm that draws the viewer in and holds them close. However, Murphy’s series dangerously tips on the precipice of Mommie Dearest camp and true crime. Yet, Murphy made it work…again.
By Victoria Marino vgmarino@my.loyno.edu
The Joan Didion documentary has been on my Netflix watchlist for two years now. Everytime I go to watch Sex and the City for the fourth time in a row, Didion haunts me. To be clear, I care about women’s narratives in literary spheres and have been taking every intersectional liberal arts humanities course possible since arriving at Loyola, so why has my watch history consisted of Carrie’s season two cheating scandal and Mr. Big moving to Paris? I should be reading Toni Morrison and Virginia
Woolfe (I truly am ashamed to admit that I just googled “iconic female literary figures”). Instead, I am hyper fixated on thrifting my own Manolo Blahnik heels, and analyzing the character dynamics between the four ladies of S&TC. While scrolling through my graveyard watchlist full of feminist documentaries and limited series, I couldn't help but wonder: am I a bad feminist? When I was a little girl, first discovering that people generally had a distaste for women, I noticed that feminism was associated with seriousness, RBG, power suits, and sticking it to the man. That approach is getting stale. I’m aware that this is an incredibly privileged thing to admit. The generations it took for women to enter into the workforce in an effective way is empowering and important, yet Miranda, the corporate NYC lawyer and single mother, is my least favorite character. Instead, I’m in favor of Carrie, the broke writer who complains to her computer about emotionally unavailable men for a living. Unfortunately, it’s much more fun to analyze gendered and misogynistic behavior within the trivial dating problems of fictional, albeit fabulous, characters. That being said, I pride myself on de-centering men from my life, and am even considering law school myself, yet I can’t deny the light hearted feminine space that is Sex and the City. Can both be feminism? Is there a map that can help me navigate just
how bad I should feel about finishing the sequel to the Devil Wears Prada in a week without having so much as touched a Joan Didion novel? Is feminism guilt tripping me, or am I doing it to myself? It's also important to mention that Sex and the City focuses on a very specific group of people: beautiful straight wealthy white women that can afford both rent and 3 cosmos a night in Manhattan. The framework for this series is by nature exclusionary, making it both a utopia in which the women don’t face any dire problems due to their layers of privilege, and a reminder that these spaces ignore experiences from other gender binaries, races, sexualities, and socio-economic backgrounds. Well what about the comeback series made in 2021 entitled, & Just Like That, you might ask? It’s somehow worse, I might respond. The writers discovered the word intersectionality, and then immediately tokenized any hint of diverse characters and stories. Instead of keeping the fun and the flirtatious nature of the show while adding a wider range of experiences, they turned it into a preachy & performative drama with no self awareness. To be fair, in the year 2020-2021 many forms of media were transitioning into finding ways to right the wrongs of their past, and many ended up overcompensating in an unnatural and cringey way. For example, Sex and The City had several episodes
that featured problematic content, whether that be the way they handled Samantha’s first time dating a black man, Carrie’s blatant biphobia when going out with a queer man, or even sprinkles of anti-semitic jokes when Charlotte began the transition into the Jewish faith for her husband. I can imagine why the writers would want to backpedal in such an intense way, but it doesn’t excuse poor writing.
Instead of boycotting the series that continues to have a grip on everyone who wants Sarah Jessica Parker’s closet, I instead watch and interpret it as a historical artifact. The ways that we talk about feminism have vastly changed and advanced since the early 2000s. For our mothers, Sex and The City was radically feminist because it discussed cis-het women’s sex lives and intimate experiences out in the open. My mom’s husband used to binge watch the series on cable in order to get an unabashed female perspective (he’s team Aiden, of course). Yes, they made mistakes and told exclusive stories, but it is helpful to call back to shows like this in order to understand how feminist concepts have evolved over time. That, and I am in love with Mr. Big. So sure, maybe I am a millennial Buzzfeed feminist who’s not at all well read, but I am also a historian.
Courtesy of Netflix
Funk Fest celebrates history, heritage
By Isabella Castillo ivcastil@my.loyno.edu
Funk Fest took on the French Quarter in its yearly celebration of New Orleans music. Featuring all types of funk, the festival united people in benefit of the The Louisiana Music and Heritage Experience.
The festival offered vibrant food, funky music, and a taste of what the museum would offer inside.
The Passing The Torch stage, sponsored by Loyola University New Orleans and New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, mirrored the importance of music education by featuring young music students.
From music industry legends to up-and-coming artists, Funk Fest's artists got the crowd dancing and singing throughout the weekend.
Festiival goers gather and dance around the main stage. Madelyn Guerra/The Maroon
Maddie Gartland performs on the Passing The Torch Stage. Isabella Castillo/The Maroon
The Bucktown All-Stars play on the AOS Main Stage. Madelyn Guerra/ The Maroon
Erica Falls & Vintage Soul takes on the Positive Vibrations Stage. Madelyn Guerra/ The Maroon
A woman wears butterfly wings blowing bubbles infront of the AOS Main Stage. Madelyn Guerra/The Maroon
Students promote voting, safety with jamboree
By Magnolia Birch mmbirch@my.loyno.edu
The Community Organizing class brought together students from Loyola, Tulane, Xavier, Dillard, and Southern University at New Orleans at The Broadside to promote voter registration and student safety.
The event included music by Loyola and Tulane student bands, art installations by Xavier students, and voter registration assistance from Head Count, a youth voting initiative.
The class aimed to foster “a community of care between colleges and students,” according to psychology senior Margo Weese and design junior Mimi Ryall involved in planning the event.
“I hope that this lets people feel more empowered to actually go do stuff for their community and go out and to participate more, whether civically or community-wise,” Weese said.
Professor Joe Gibbons teaches the Community Organizing course and supported students in planning this event.
“We’re trying to inspire a whole new
“ We’re at a critical place in this country where your generation wants to see something different.”
Joe Gibbons, Community organizing professor
generation of leaders, not all of the old stuff that we’ve seen,” Gibbons said.
“I think we’re at a critical place in this country where your generation wants to see something different, different from what we’ve seen in the past. You seek more diversity, you seek more inclusion,
LOCAL SNAPSHOT
Krewe of Boo creeps through the city
By Ava Dufrene acdufren@my.loyno.edu
New Orleans finds a way to party no matter the season. The Krewe of Boo parade began in 2009 as a Hurricane Katrina relief fund.
This year’s parade featured 15 floats, more than 450 riders, and 35 marching bands and costumed dance groups. The lineup followed a three-mile route through the French Quarter and the Warehouse District. Throws included Halloween-themed candy, beads, Zapp’s Voodoo chips, colorful Sharpies, and toys.
The festivities conclude with a party in the Warehouse District, where attendees were encouraged to dress in costumes and join the krewes for the Monster Mash.
you seek inspired leadership. That’s not going to happen if we continue depending on what we’ve had.”
Head Count, Third Coast Entertainment, The Borders Foundation, and NOLAxNOLA sponsored the event.
The event featured tables for various local organizations involved in social justice. The Southern Poverty Law Center table encouraged voters to vote in honor of someone who couldn’t due to being incarcerated, undocumented, or on probation or parole as part of the “I Vote In Honor Of” campaign.
“With this card, you are able to go into the voting booth and look at their name and have them in your heart and vote in honor of that person,” April Winder, a representative for the center, said.
Winder said the Broadside event represented the law center’s cause.
“We’re focusing on strengthening democracy,” Winder said. “This is a crucial and historical election.”
Dufrene/The Maroon
Performers dance through the French Quarter. Ava Dufrene /The Maroon
Jamboree crowd wave hands for one of the featured performers. Eloise Pickering /The Maroon
Attendee paints "VOTE" on a canvas the art stations. Eloise Pickering /The Maroon
Former professor and local musician Mia Borders performs at the event. Borders is the owner of sponsors Third Coast Entertainmetn and the Borders Foundation. Eloise Pickering /The Maroon
Loyola student becomes Tulane drum major
By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@my.loyno.edu
Loyola senior Willa Rudnick is a jazz studies student by day and a Tulane University Marching Band drum major by night.
Rudnick is the first Loyola student to hold this position since the band’s reestablishment in 2003.
Rudnick, who plays saxophone, joined the marching band in her freshman year before becoming a section leader for her sophomore and junior years.
Director of Tulane bands Barry Spanier said that as a freshman, Rudnick had great concentration and ability to master skills quickly, setting an example for others. As a section leader, he said, she was able to develop strategies and techniques in group dynamics and build a cohesive unit.
“She has put all of these experiences to good use as a drum major,” he said.
While it’s Rudnick’s experience that has helped her rise through the ranks, the saxophonist said she had never marched before joining Tulane’s marching band.
In high school, Rudnick was involved in pep band, where she also served as drum major for two years. While the pep band played at many sporting events, there was no marching involved. But Rudnick knew she wanted to march in college – which led her to consider Loyola when applying to colleges.
“ It feels kind of like a balancing act.”
Willa Rudnick, Loyola jazz senior, Tulane drum major
However, Rudnick said it’s not always easy to juggle both.
“It feels kind of like a balancing act,” she said.
Rudnick said she has to manage her time wisely with band rehearsals two to three times a week and football games on Saturdays.
“I'm still trying to figure that out, even after three years of doing it,” she said.
“But it helps to have other people at Loyola who are also music majors and in marching band because they understand the time constraints, and you can kind of commiserate with them.”
While Rudnick may be the first Loyola student to serve as drum major, she said 25% of the band is currently made up of Loyola students and some participating students from the University of New Orleans.
Rudnick said that everyone gets along great and ensures that everyone feels welcome no matter what school they attend.
“Equity and belonging are central to
Although Loyola does not have a marching band program, Rudnick said she was drawn to the diverse selection of music programs, such as jazz studies. Finding out she could join Tulane’s marching band gave Rudnick the opportunity to have the best of both worlds, she said.
our organizational culture, and foundational to our success,” Spanier said.
Rudnick said she appreciates meeting new people through their common interest.
“There's no way that I would have met all of the people [I’ve met] at Tulane if I wasn't in the marching band, or even people at Loyola that aren't music majors but are in the marching band, I wouldn't have met them either,” she said. “It just exposes you to a different group of people.”
Although Rudnick is no longer on the field marching alongside her peers, she said she enjoys being able to lead them.
“I do miss marching because I really enjoy playing music and getting to learn the drill and perform the show, but it is also very fun to be up in front of the band, conducting,” she said. “It's also very satisfying to help teach the band and help them learn their parts and everything, but it is a lot of responsibility.”
Rudnick said Tulane competing as a Division One athletics program also adds pressure because many of their games are televised.
However, Spanier believes that she’s been able to rise to the occasion.
“She is a very talented saxophonist, majoring in jazz at Loyola, so her understanding of musical structures is an asset for her conducting assignments,” he said. “She earned the position through talent, tremendous work ethic, and a track record of supporting her colleagues. She is a joy to work with and has raised the bar for everyone."
Upcoming matches and games
Volleyball wins six in a row
By Matthew Richards mlricha2@my.loyno.edu
The Wolf Pack volleyball team extended their winning streak to six games this weekend after defeating Southern States Athletic Conference foes Point University in straight sets and Life University three sets to one.
The streak represents a shift in the fortunes for the Pack, who started the season winning only one of their first ten games.
“It’s been nice to have this win streak,” head coach Jesse Zabal said after the game against Life. “We feel a little bit new this year, in terms of who’s on the court, but I think we’ve entered a phase now where we know who we are now as a group and we can lean on that identity more.”
The team clinched their sixth game in a row after a contest with Life that saw them drop the first set, but sweep the next three sets.
“I think we really did a good job at the service line today,” Zabal said. “The team did a really good job of hitting the zones we wanted to hit and keeping Life out of
their system, which made life a little bit easier for us defensively.”
After their difficult start to the season, Coach Zabal said it was a matter of the team making sure they trusted their skills and abilities and regained their confidence.
“I think it just took us some time to rebuild our confidence, honestly,” she said.
“It was tough to start our season with a lot of tough teams and lose the games we did, and it’s hard to not lose some confidence in those moments, regardless of who you’re playing, but I think we’re really trusting each other on the court now.”
Zabal hopes the momentum the team has now can carry them into the end of the season as they prepare for the conference and national tournaments.
“We're going to keep focusing on improving the little things the rest of the way,” she said. “Our weekly practices tend to be really focused on whoever our upcoming opponents are, but when we do focus on our side of the court, we focus on a lot of the little things, like communication, and making sure we’re good at those things. So we’ll be pushing that
in practice and ensuring that we stick to that for the rest of the year.”
The Wolf Pack will play their last home games in the Den on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26 against SSAC foes Blue Mountain Christian and Tennessee Southern before they close the regular season on the road with games against the University of Mobile (Nov. 2) and William Carey University (Nov. 9).
Jazz studies senior Willa Rudnick leads the Tulane University Marching Band at a Tulane football game. Courtesy of Willa Rudnick
Middle Blocker Amaya Bazemore prepares to serve in a game against Xavier University of Louisiana in the Den on Oct. 8, 2024. Ava Dufrene/The Maroon
Jazz studies senior Willa Rudnick conducts the Tulane University Marching Band at a Tulane football game. Courtesy of Willa Rudnick
The team huddles together before a game against Xavier University of Louisiana on Oct. 8, 2024. Ava Dufrene/ The Maroon
President Cole responds to criticism from students
from p.1
Cole was vice president of student affairs at Marquette University before coming to Loyola. Cole was a part of the administrators that filed a disciplinary report against student protesters with the Office of Student Conduct, according to Marquette conduct adviser Julissa Ventura. Marquette’s administration removed multiple students from campus leadership positions for the academic year, including student government and diversity group leaders.
Marquette students protested the administration before their new student convocation in August 2022 to urge administrative support and recognition for students of color, according to the Marquette student newspaper. The university rescheduled the event, according to an administrative statement.
“I remember Dr. Cole just kind of giving us, like a cold shoulder. He didn't really even interact with us.” Alum protester Nadxely Sanchez said. “[Administrators] weren't willing to have a conversation with us. We stayed there, and it eventually dominoed to the point where administration decided to cancel convocation.”
Ventura said Cole and Marquette’s administration did not provide support to students during or after the student conduct process, but Cole rejected those claims.
“I would deny that, as from my perspective, of course,” Cole said. “Then at Marquette, I absolutely cared for these students. We absolutely provided support for them, mental health and otherwise, academic and otherwise, support that they needed. That has been a hallmark of my work.”
In both the Marquette case and the current Palestine protests, students said they felt Cole was neglectful and absent. But for his part, Cole said those were unfair characterizations and a misunderstanding of his actions, his role in the university and the appropriate way a president should wield power.
Last October, pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protestors went head-to-head at a Freret Street protest. Cole responded at a university senate meeting in December.
“Our students fancy themselves to be activists. They will find an affinity on the blind or read something, get fired up, and go into the streets and protest.” Cole said at the meeting. “Today's students will see something and want to jump right in, and that is problematic. We want to equip our students with the best information to be safe and informed.”
Members of SDS popularized this quote through its mention at a protest held in August. Student protestors distributed a pamphlet with this quote highlighted at the new student convocation this year.
According to Cole, he supports the passion of students and their upholding
of Jesuit values through activism.
“I'm proud to see how students take up a social justice mantel. That's part of our tradition. I don't deny them that in any way, shape, or form,” Cole said.
Since October 2023, several protests have occurred on or near Loyola’s campus. According to Cole, Loyola police attend each demonstration to ensure campus operations are not affected. Otherwise, he said, student protesters have remained unbothered.
“That isn’t evidence of a no protest crackdown president, that is evidence of a president that believes in free speech and did not bother them even after they marched to my personal home. I still didn't bother. I left my own home. So these things aren't congruent,” said Cole. “So I don't accept the moniker that I'm a no protest crackdown.”
Cole said he was not involved in police removal of student protesters from Tulane’s lawn.
“In fact, that campus is Tulane’s campus. What I did is an alert to invite you back. I'll escort you back to our campus, to safety. [The encampment] was cleared by New Orleans police. In no way did I stop a protest on Tulane’s campus, the encampment.”
Cole said he believes he has shown openness, care, and compassion for the students at Loyola and Marquette.
“Even when I was writing letters to the students who were out in the encampment at Tulane last late spring in April and May, the thrust of the letter was safety, and we offered protection and safety for students to get them out of an unsafe situation,” Cole said.
Loyola junior Juleea Berthelot is the former president of Students for a Democratic Society. Berthelot requested a meeting with Cole in August to discuss conduct violations and protesters’ demands. According to Berthelot, Cole has not met with student protesters.
Emily Lousteau, executive assistant with the Office of Mission and Identity, told Berthelot she would follow up later in the semester when Cole would be available, but Berthelot did not receive another message to schedule.
Students for a Democratic Society organized a march to Cole’s house because they believed he was avoiding the conversation, Berthelot said.
“SDS doesn’t believe in change happening behind closed doors, or in this case in closed meetings. Things should be handled in public forum. What does he have to hide from?” Berthelot said.
After the Oct. 7 attack in 2023, Cole said he offered to meet with students. Cole said he has met with advisors of student protesters a couple of times to find the best way to reach the students and facilitate a conversation.
“With particularly me as feeling of rather personal focus right now, I'd have to really understand, like, what are the
ground rules of respect that's happening that allows for that to happen. Right now, the dialogue is coming from the other end of a bullhorn,” Cole said.
According to Cole, he and Student Government President Diamond Dixon plan to implement open student forums, where students can bring questions, concerns, or any topic directly to Cole and Interim Provost Maria Calzada in a controlled setting.
In a May resolution, the faculty senate requested that the administration resist disciplinary action against students involved in the encampment.
“We ask that the Administration: 1. Recognize that students engaging in off-campus protests are participating in a rich tradition of nonviolent Civil Disobedience and therefore work to ensure that students who have been arrested for their participation in these nonviolent protests are not subject to University disciplinary proceedings and penalties,” the resolution stated.
The vote for the resolution was 15 in favor versus six opposed, and it was passed along to Cole. According to Cole, senate resolutions are recommendations, and he is under no obligation to follow them. While he did review the request, Cole said he prefers to remain uninvolved in the student conduct process.
At Loyola, the students arrested in May faced charges of disorderly dis-
ruptive conduct and were put on disciplinary probation. In other words, Berthelot and their fellow protestors could no longer participate in student organizations, hold leadership positions, or study abroad.
Those arrested were also facing misdemeanor criminal charges, which were dropped on Sept. 20 of this year.
“I am not involved in the conduct processes, and there’s a reason for that,” Cole said. “If you have a president who is arbitrary and capricious, it could be a completely unjust process where you could change this one, not change that one… It's not because I won't do it. It's because I shouldn't do it as a matter of fairness to the entire integrity of the process.”
Cole said the investments of the budget are not under his control but rather under the control of the Board of Trustees. However, Cole said he would be willing to take a list of companies to the board to discuss.
“So the saying does go, ‘Disclose, divest.’ Disclose comes first,” Berthelot said. “I would love to know what we are $250 million endowed to.”
Cole explained that the budget has not been disclosed because it is a sensitive and private matter, as Loyola is a private nonprofit college, rather than out of an attempt to hide something.
“Ideally what we would do is they would disclose, and then we would look,
and if they're not [investing in corporations with ties to Israel], oh, my God, I'll shut up. I promise. I'll stop. But if you are, then we ask that, you know, politely that you divest,” Berthelot said.
Berthelot said Cole became the focal point of protests due to the influence he holds as university president.
“We have specific demands right now. If it is about a budget that he doesn't control, he needs to bring to who does, you know? He can be a conduit,” Berthelot said.
Cole said that as president of a small Catholic university in the South, he lacks the power that students claim he has over the endowment, over the war in Gaza, and over the student code of conduct and its decisions.
“As president of Loyola, I have a position of power, but I also understand how that power is wielded. I govern with a large board. I have lots of help. This is not a dictatorship. I'm not an autocrat. I'm not a king. I'm a higher ed leader that's responsible for the educational processes and formation of our students,” Cole said. “So if anyone believes that I have outsized power to affect or shift or sway what's happening in the Middle East, they would just be wrong. But I would like to sit down and help them figure out who does hold levers of power, not here in New Orleans, but in Baton Rouge and in D.C.”
Continued
Sophia Renzi/The Maroon
OPINION
Defining the Sacred: A Critique of the Chapel of St. Ignatius
By Michael Chandler machandl@my.loyno.edu
Arriving at Loyola University in 2021, I was aware of a new chapel that was soon to be built. As a Catholic student, I was very excited for this new addition to the campus due to what I felt was a lack of Catholic presence on campus.
In my time as an undergrad student, I have been involved with Catholic Studies and was granted the opportunity in the Fall of 2023 to study abroad in Rome at the leading Jesuit institution for higher education, the Pontifical Gregorian University. Here I took classes of philosophy, theology, and sacred spaces.
In my course on sacred spaces taught by Dr. Yvonne Dohna Schlobitten, who specializes in “sacred seeing,” I examined art throughout aspects of the Church and how to find the Divine in sacred spaces. It is a simple task to do this when in Rome. There are roughly 900 churches in Rome, some as grand and ornate as St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and some as modern as Church of God the Merciful Father. The church in Rome that resonated with me the most was Chiesa del Gesù. Deemed the mother church of the Society of Jesus, Chiesa del Gesù embodies the notion of Ignatian Spirituality. With its ornate artwork depicting the Holy Name of Jesus
throughout the Church, Chiesa del Gesù showcases a ceiling painting in which the gap between the world and Heaven is bridged. The depth of the painting creates a sense that the ceiling of the church is open and a gateway to the Divine. It is by the artwork and use of senses that this is a space in which we as man are able to connect to the Divine. Chiesa del Gesù is a great place of reverence and prayer.
Now one may be reading this and go, “Well, does he expect Loyola to recreate such a church as Chiesa del Gesù?” The answer to that is of course not. I don’t expect Loyola to build a structure such as Holy Name of Jesus Church either. However, it is important in the designing of a chapel or church to take into consideration the things that can lead people closer to the Divine. It is crucial that a sacred space must lead to the Divine through the senses. Rather than having to search for God in a space, we must be able to rely on images and symbols which guide our prayer.
I must say that beautiful things are occurring in the newly constructed Chapel of St. Ignatius. I have attended many masses and hours of adoration in which the Lord God is fully present in our midst. The community that gathers together at the altar is one of love and charity. However, when walking into the chapel alone, I feel a sense of abandon-
ment. The emptiness can bring a sense of desolation in which St. Ignatius fell into the cave in Manresa.
I look to the statue of my mother, Mary, who looks as though she is troubled and afraid of God’s plan of the Incarnation, instead of her common depiction as affirmed in God’s Will as Queen of Heaven. This uneasy Mary differs from the distraught Mary of the Pietà. In Michelangelo’s famous Pietà, we see a saddened Mary holding her dead Son. This depiction brings a sense of sorrow to our own spiritual understanding of Christ’s Passion in which we eventually rejoice at the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, the Mary present in the chapel does not convey the joy that comes with the Incarnation, but rather shows the fear of which Mary may have felt.
In my own times of desolation and depression, I have tended to call upon Mary’s intercession and guidance. She has played a substantial role in my spiritual growth throughout the recent years, and the statue that stands before me does not confirm the confidence that Mary surely portrays.
There are also practical critiques to be offered on the new chapel.
(1) The hard surfaces in which the chapel is made lends itself to the space becoming an echo chamber. If you were
to go to the restroom during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, in which the chapel is often silent, one can hear every sound of the door, toilet flush, and hand dryer even when the doors to the chapel are shut. This brings concerns to the confessional which is attached to the exterior wall of the chapel. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is meant to be a private confession of sins in which only the priest, yourself, and God is present and attentive. If someone utilizes the confessional, it is likely that those in the chapel are able to hear what is being said.
(2) The tabernacle to be installed is a rotating obelisk-like structure in which a large block is to be removed from the top to unlock it. This is impractical for a priest trying to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle. How must he replace the block with the Eucharist in his hand while also having to rotate the tabernacle shut?
(3) The sanctuary lamp that hangs above the tabernacle is meant to indicate whether the Blessed Sacrament resides in the tabernacle. The lamp is hung in a fashion that it is impossible to see whether it is lit from across the chapel.
(4) The Roman numerals that surround the exterior wall of the chapel are meant to act as indicators of the Stations of the Cross, however, the symbol of the cross is not present. Instead of the sta-
All of the work, none of the credit
By Andrew Vorse Lede acvorse@my.loyno.edu
In 2021, Loyola dismantled the studio arts program and merged the fine arts degree with the design degree from the School of Communication and Design. This was just the beginning of a long
term removal of the art program. I intended to double major in art history. When informed that Loyola doesn't offer all the classes for the major, I remembered Loyola’s consortium agreement with Tulane. In this agreement, a Loyola student can take the classes required for their major which Loyola doesn’t offer at Tulane. Since Tulane offers an art history major, you can take all the classes Loyola requires. But there’s a catch: you still couldn’t receive the degree. An assistant dean explained this obstacle and said it would be against policy. But if a Loyola student has the ability
to take all the courses required for a major, why wouldn’t Loyola have that major listed? When I asked around about why exactly the art history major was delisted in the first place, I received different answers, ranging from the movement of resources to the media program, and a lack of major interest. If they just need-
tions, we simply have Roman numerals on the ground.
(5) The chairs and kneelers are not ideal. The chairs scrape on the floor, causing the noise to echo throughout the chapel everytime the congregation takes their seats during the Mass. During the most reverent part of the Mass, the consecration of the bread and wine, the congregation kneels. Instead of maintaining silence during this, there is a loud commotion of kneelers being moved and shuffled around for people to kneel.
(6) Uplighting only works for museums. During Holy Hour, it is common for someone to walk along the edge of the chapel which causes a shadow to project onto the wall due to the uplighting found in the floor.
Elements of the chapel that were meant to bring simplicity and aesthetic appeal have turned into distractions. One could say that they are distracted by an ornate church, but I argue that the simplistic approach is much more distracting. I am grateful for the new chapel and its mission to bring Catholic identity to the center of Loyola’s campus, but I wish that some of these practical and spiritual elements would have been better assessed at the drawing board.
ed more applicants, they shouldn't have delisted the major from the university. Most of the Loyola faculty I’ve talked to expressed their dislike of Loyola’s movement towards only media based art. You can't have a liberal arts school without the arts, one professor said. At this point, I am unsure if even the art history minor will continue to be offered for the next class of students.
Loyola New Orleans is now just a liberal arts school where you can do all the work you want, but get none of the credit.
Sophia Maxim/The Maroon
EDITORIAL
Dear President Cole, its time to step in
The role of a university president, especially in times of social upheaval, is one of delicate balance. It's a job that demands both steady authority and an ear finely attuned to the shifting dynamics of a student body. For President Cole, the challenge has come into sharp focus as tensions rise between the administration and student protesters.
Cole, since assuming office, has made a point of positioning himself as an open and approachable leader, eager to listen and adapt. His arrival was welcomed by many who believed his promise of fairness, and he has, by many accounts, sought to foster a spirit of inclusivity. But as protests have erupted on campus — from systemic injustices to administrative decisions — Cole has found himself facing the same difficult questions that all university leaders must grapple with in moments of unrest.
The heart of the issue lies in student affairs, whose decisions, often unclear to those outside it, have become a focal point of discontentment. Student protesters have found themselves subject to disciplinary actions that may seem disproportionate to their offenses. Meanwhile, the faculty senate has asked the administration to refrain from punishing students involved in the protest.
Cole’s response has been cautious, emphasizing the importance of respecting established processes, including the independence of student affairs, while also expressing his ongoing commitment to hearing students’ voices.
In a way, Cole’s dilemma is emblematic of the broader challenge of leadership in times of unrest: how does a leader remain both a steward of institutional order and a champion of student voices, especially when those voices rise in dissent? It's a difficult tightrope to walk, and Cole, to his credit, seems aware of this.
The role of a university president is not simply to keep the peace but to foster an environment where criticism can exist, even when it is uncomfortable. Cole’s efforts to position himself as a president who listens have been well received by many, but the current moment has tested the limits of his approach. When protests erupt and the administration responds with disciplinary action, the students involved often don't feel like they are being treated fairly by the system.
And yet, there is a very real tension here that Cole must navigate. Student Affairs is designed to maintain order and ensure that the institution's policies are upheld. It exists to hold students accountable for actions that violate the
university’s code of conduct, and its independence is seen as crucial to maintaining fairness, in theory at least. Cole’s decision to not interfere is rooted in the principle that it is not his place to interfere. It is easy to see this stance as frustrating, especially for those directly affected by Student Affairs’ decisions. But it is also understandable. Cole is tasked with protecting the integrity of the university’s systems while also responding to the demands of an increasingly vocal student body. In many ways, he is caught between the institutions' need for order and the students’ desire for justice. Leadership, especially in academia, is rarely about wielding power directly. Instead, it often involves shaping the culture of the institution through influence rather than intervention. Cole’s decision to refrain from stepping into the business of student affairs isn't necessarily a refusal to act — it is a recognition of the limits of his role in preserving their independence. But that doesn’t mean he is powerless. When injustices arise within these institutions, it becomes his responsibility to ensure that all parties are treated with fairness and respect. If Cole aims to present himself as a leader deeply committed to upholding the principles of equity, this task is not optional
— it is essential.
In moments like this, it's tempting to frame the university leadership in binary terms: you either support the students or you stand behind the administration. Yet the reality is more nuanced. Cole is undoubtedly aware of the students’ frustrations and must recognize that student affairs, as it currently operates, is failing to deliver fairness. The university board of appeals remains disbanded. Appeals are being heard by administrators with obvious conflicts of interest. But instead of stepping in to address these concerns, Cole has remained overly deferential to established processes, choosing to uphold an unjust system. And even though the city of New Orleans chose not to prosecute the arrested students, the university has still chosen to levy punishment.
The protest on campus makes it clear that students are demanding the right to express their dissent without fear of unfair punitive consequences. And while student affairs plays a role in maintaining order, its actions have increasingly reflected a failure to apply fairness and consistency. Cole’s refusal to engage and reform this process — a process over which he has considerable influence — undermines his stated commitment
to justice and transparency. He has the power to reshape student affairs’ practices, and the fact he has not done so is a missed opportunity. Maintaining order cannot come at the expense of justice, and the students have made it clear that their trust in these systems is eroding. Cole must act and act decisively if he wants to restore that trust.
What Cole faces is not an uncommon dilemma for university leaders in moments of unrest: the need to balance the sometimes conflicting demands of student activism and institutional governance. In trying to maintain that balance, he risks sitting by while an unjust system operates under his watch. In the end, the students need to see that their president is not simply watching from the sidelines. They need to know that he is working to ensure that fairness is at the heart of the university’s actions. Cole’s challenge is to show that, in the midst of the university’s turbulence, he is listening—and that, in his own way, he is working to ensure that the institution he leads remains a place where justice and fairness are more than just words.
Gabrielle Korein/The Maroon
Catch up. Get ahead. Study abroad.
An accelerated two-week session
Online and experiential courses Many Loyola Core options
J-Term takes place January 2 – 11, 2025. Registration starts on November 4.
