Wrestling
Swift Love Columnist Eric Osborn explores the pop star’s intriguing romances
First-year heavyweight comes through in the clutch
Page 10
Page 6
February 14, 2013 — Vol. 91, Issue 9
In the cards
Black History Month: Why February?
Student Union president explains rationale behind the Punch Card program by NICK JOOS
executive editor
Black leaders initially sought just 1 week in February to celebrate their historical contributions by EST MUNGAI
special to the lorian
Black History Month has rolled around again, but it’s not unheard of for people, black and white, to roll their eyes at the month-long celebration. Utterances ranging from “Why did they make it during the shortest month of the year?” to “When is White History Month?” can be heard. Perhaps some background would answer those questions. Black History Month can trace its roots to 1926, when Carter G. Woodson, a black scholar and historian, and other prominent black leaders, proclaimed the second week of February to be “Negro History Week.” Why the second week? Because it’s the week marking the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The idea behind the initiative was to celebrate blacks’ achievements throughout history, eventually integrating their stories into the overall U.S. narrative of history. Woodson’s hope was that, eventually, the week would no longer be necessary when there no longer was a historical divide drawn along color lines. It rapidly grew in popularity across the country as many cities and states proclaimed it a holiday. In 1970, the Black United Students at Kent State University in Kent, OH, expanded the weeklong celebration to the month of February. In 1976, the 50th anniversary of “Negro History Week,” the U.S. government declared February to be Black History Month. So yes, the shortest month of the year initially was chosen by blacks as the month to celebrate black history. And at first not even the whole month, just a week. However, it then follows to ask: Why are we still celebrating it if it was supposed to be phased out? But the logical response to that is to ask another question: How often would we be learning about the accomplishments of blacks in our classrooms and curriculums if there wasn’t a Black History Month? And if we’re honest with ourselves, the answer is “rarely.”
continued on page 3
photo by NICK JOOS
Renovations are paving the way for a Papa John’s franchise to open in the Pub. The grand opening is scheduled for March 1, and students will be able to purchase pizzas, bread and cheese sticks, and chicken wings.
Pub will be a pub yet again R
by NICK JOOS
executive editor
umors swirling around campus have been confirmed. The Pub is undergoing several menu renovations, and the one students are most curious about is true: Alcohol is back. More details have yet to be announced, but as of Tuesday, Loras officials reportedly were in the final stages of garnering a liquor license, enabling it to sell alcohol in the Pub once again. After a 10-year absence, beer and wine reportedly will be made available from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The date of first sale is unknown, pending the acquisition of a liquor license. Serving rules for alcohol still are being combed out, but “there will be a limit,” according to Susi DuBois, director of Campus Dining. Nonetheless, she did not express concerns about student conduct once alcohol is made available. “Students are responsible and know how to manage,” she said. In addition to a new range of beverages, the Mexican food stand, which also has served as a pizza stand, is being dismantled in favor of a national chain to take its place. Papa John’s, as the large sign currently in the Pub indicates, is coming soon. The stand, opening March 1, will serve 8-
inch pizzas, Parmesan breadsticks, cheese sticks and wings. According to DuBois, prices for all food items will be comparable to Papa John’s products elsewhere. Loras is fortunate to land a national brand, but DuBois said it isn’t the only college of its size to host the pizza magnate. “Aramark works with Papa John’s and other national accounts, and Loras fit the mold Papa John’s was looking for,” DuBois said. Loras will not need to hire any outside employees or new employees to run the pizza stand. Instead, they are training people from within to make the pizzas. Papa John’s makes its money by creating made-from-scratch pizzas with never-frozen dough and fresh toppings, something Loras students can definitely appreciate. Samples will be handed out upon Papa John’s grand opening, which is scheduled for March 1. Despite Papa John’s delivery capabilities, deliveries will not be made to the residence halls.
Last semester, the Campus Pride Committee introduced the Punch Card system in an effort to increase student participation for various events. The committee worked to highlight various types of events and spread two “punch events” for each type of event throughout the semester. For example, four basketball games are on the docket, two men’s games and two women’s games. According to Daniel Thole, Student Union president, the committee wanted to spread out the events. “The reason it is limited is so we can spread (the punches) out fairly,” Thole said. “So, that one event doesn’t get more attention than the others.” Initially, some students were disappointed with the lack of venues offered as Punch Card events. Some also were disappointed to see many fine-arts activities, such as music and art, left off as well. Again, there was a reason. According to Thole, some of the concerts charged admission, and the Pride Committee does not make events with a cost “punch events.” Thole said he thinks it would be unfair to make people pay an admission to receive a punch. Also, the punch schedule is made well in advance of the given semester, making it impossible to include events that are scheduled midway through the semester. “The committee needs things that are established before the semester starts,” Thole said. “There was a J-term that requested to have a Punch Card event for something they were hosting, but the semester was already filled up. They asked too late.” Thole says having class events on the list is a slippery slope. For now, they’ll stick with school-sponsored events. “I feel if one class project is added, the others need to be visited as well. I feel like a line needs to be drawn somewhere,” he said. This semester, there will be band and choir concerts in the schedule. New events on campus, such as lacrosse competition and CAB events, also will become punch events. The next punch event is Saturday, when the basketball teams travel across town to UD to take on the Spartans.
Student Union president sets ambitious agenda Greetings Loras Students! As you know by now, the world did not actually end on Dec. 22, and that means God has blessed us with another semester at the greatest school on Earth. I hope you all had a great break, and the fact that you’re reading this must mean you made it back OK. I would also like to extend a welcome to all new students this semester! First of all, I would like to thank all of you for a great first semester. This has already been the most productive year I remember in terms of student action, and we are only halfway in! I would like to thank you for being committed to this school and the Duhawk pride that comes
with it. Many of you have been supporting the different events going on around campus in abundance, and the numbers keep increasing. The Student Senate Campus Pride Committee, chaired by Chelsea McCarraher, has done a fantastic job with the Punch Card events, and I strongly encourage you to keep your eyes open for them and try to attend as many as possible and get your prizes. My plan as your leader this semester is to make it the most productive semester a group of students has ever had at Loras. We are going to be hosting our first annual Rock Bowl Run 5K, which
starts and ends in the Rock Bowl, and I encourage all of you to sign up to run or help. This will take place on April 27, so mark your calendars. This 5K is directly funding our big Beautify Loras event this spring. If all goes according to plan, you will see new signs in front of Keane Hall, Hoffmann Hall and the ACC, you will see a new and improved landscaping project between the ACC and Smyth Hall, and you will see nicer hangout areas in front of the residence halls. These are tasks that no student body has attempted to tackle in one year, but we are no ordinary students. Please spread the word and ask how you can get involved.
As you may know, there is quite a buzz going around about hopefully getting the day off after Easter break. Right now, we are working on gathering as much information as possible, and we encourage your comments and opinions. Good luck to everybody involved in extracurricular activities this spring, and good luck to everybody in the classroom. Let’s represent Loras with dignity and keep showing the world how much better we are than them. Let’s have a great semester, Duhawks!
—Daniel Thole (’13), Student Union president