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2010, 2011, 2012 SPJ Award-Winning Newspaper
Volume 98, Number 38
Thursday, Feburary 13, 2014
www.marquettewire.org/tribune
McCormick, O’Donnell under review Feasiblity study looks at costs of potential renovation of dorms By Matt Barbato
matthew.barbato@marquette.edu
The Office of Residence Life, the Office of the University Architect and the Office of Finance are expecting to have a feasibility study regarding McCormick and O’Donnell halls and Marquette’s campus dining options completed by the spring. The feasibility study was prompted by a visit from outside consultants in 2005, who suggested further creation of living-learning communities, the enhancement of Carpenter, Cobeen and McCabe halls, and a deeper look into the condition of McCormick. Jim McMahon, the dean of residence life at Marquette, said no conclusions are made, as the study is ongoing. “Part of this (study) is determined by how much will it cost us to do the renovation work that’s necessary.” McMahon said. “We have to decide whether it is worth putting 20 or 30 million dollars into renovating old facilities, or should we look at the prospects of building something new.”
Charlie Haas, project manager in the Office of the University Architect, said the basis behind the study is to evaluate how to keep Marquette’s residence life on-par with that of other institutions. “There’s a lot of competition for good students,” Haas said. “As a way to look at keeping ourselves at a good tier, we look at our residence halls.” The feasibility study is also examining the condition of the six dining halls on campus. McMahon said the kitchen equipment is also aging and may not be worth fixing. “We’re also looking at the feasibility of instead of replacing all this old equipment, maybe building two large dining halls at either end of the campus,” McMahon said. “When you do something new, there’s so much more you can do with it. You can build some communities in dining halls that draw some of the different residence halls.” Both McMahon and Haas said there are three central components to the feasibility study regarding McCormick and O’Donnell: the style of rooms currently available, the potential location of a new building and the financial feasibility of new projects or renovations. Haas said both halls are classified as traditional-style dorms be-
Photo by J. Matthew Serafin/matthew.serafin@marquette.edu
Built in 1967, McCormick Hall is one of two residence halls, along with O’Donnell Hall that is being considered for renovations in feasibility study set to be completed by the end of the spring semester.
cause they are double-occupancy rooms with a large community bathroom, but mentioned some trends are going away from that conventional style. “We’re trying to give students and their families different op-
tions,” Haas said. “We need to look at how we can be competitive, what kind of options we should provide and if we wanted to change our housing stock, how would we do it?” Haas said McCormick and
O’Donnell are both heading toward the end of their structural lives, and there are significant investments that need to be made to keep them relevant as residence halls. But the other half of See McCormick, Page 3
Unionization calls grow as role of adjuncts increases Non-tenured faculty receive less pay and face little job security By Kelly Meyerhofer
kelly.meyerhofer@marquette.edu
L.J. Cooper, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, is planning for a dangerous career path: working as a tenured English professor at a university. Nationally, the number of tenure-track positions is decreasing each year with an increase in contingent facribune ulty, commonly roject referred to as adjuncts, filling in the gap. Instructors in these positions experience low wages and limited job security. “I’m aware of the chances (of getting tenure), which are especially grim in the humanities department,” Cooper said in an email. “I’m very
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concerned about my future, but the intellectual freedom that accompanies an academic career is enticing to me.” Cooper’s concerns reflect a nationwide movement to improve conditions for adjunct instructors, including recent efforts to unionize part-time faculty at Marquette. WHAT DOES TENURE MEAN? Classification of professors at Marquette is a bit complicated. There are actually 14 different titles for professors that can be broken down into two categories: regular faculty and participating faculty. Regular faculty are tenured or are on a tenure track. They are full-time and are appointed to one of four ranks: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor and professor. Participating faculty are not on a tenure track, not entitled to continued reappointment and may be full
INDEX
CALENDAR...........................2 DPS REPORTS......................2 CLASSIFIEDS........................5
MARQUEE...................6 VIEWPOINTS..............8 SPORTS.......................10
or part-time. Participating faculty may be termed adjuncts, researchers, clinical instructors, visiting faculty, librarians or post-doctoral fellows, to name a few. Only 41 percent of Marquette faculty have tenure or are full-time and on the tenure track this year, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis. As stated in the Marquette handbook, “tenure is a faculty status that fosters an environment of free inquiry without regard for the need to be considered for reappointment. Tenure is reserved for regular faculty who are recognized by the university as having the capacity to make unique, significant and long-term future contributions to the educational mission of the university.” Daniel Maguire, a professor in the theology department, embraces the academic liberty afforded to him since earning tenure in 1973.
“Tenure is like a property to higher education. Critics of tenure argue the sysright,” Maguire said. “You can’t just take away a house for no tem provides no incentive to go above and beyond for students. good reason.” Brian Pratt, a sophomore in Contracts that come with tenure give instructors like Magu- the College of Engineering, described sevire the leeway eral issues ahead to take posiwith an electritions that chalcal engineering lenge traditional professor to the Catholic values tenure system, without fear of which he said allosing their jobs. lowed the profesIn 2007, for exsor to focus more ample, Maguire on research than was denounced teaching. by U.S. bishops “He was exfor his writings tremely distractin favor of abored, often didn’t tion rights and Donna Foran, inform (teaching same-sex maradjunct professor of English assistants) where riage, but that we would be did not threaten meeting and what we would be his position at Marquette. The termination process for learning that day,” Pratt said. These professors take up slots tenured professors is extensive, typically involving a full trial. that could go to more energetic The guaranteed lifetime appoint- junior professors. Critics at ment, without any real chance of See Adjuncts, Page 4 termination, presents challenges
NEWS
VIEWPOINTS
SPORTS
NASA
Fransen
Killian
Student-built satellite given the green light for launch. PAGE 3
it’s unrealistic to imagine administrators and full-time professors giving part of their salary to us.”
Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be just a holiday for romance. PAGE 8
Jamil Wilson and Todd Mayo are critical for MU’s tourney hopes. PAGE 12