The University News Celebrating 90 Years as a Student Voice of Saint Louis University
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Vol. XCI No. 18
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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SGA urges SLU to halt closures Iconic coach Resolution asks administration to reconsider department changes By KRISTEN MIANO Associate News Editor
The crux of this Wednesday’s Student Government Association meeting was the passing of a resolution to urge Saint Louis University to postpone the recommendation issued by Vice President of Academic Affairs, Manoj Patankar. Patankar advised the University to close the Departments of Public Policy Studies and Family Counseling and Therapy. Pantakar made the recommendation after a review of
both departments found they did poorly in metrics put in place for the report. Opponents of the closure feel the areas addressed in the report did not provide a clear picture of the status of the departments. The input taken on the matter also raised concerns. “Students, faculty and staff were upset they were not included in the decision,” Education and Public Service Senator, Nathan Klosterman said. Complaints were raised that while the metrics addressed things like enrollment and business model,
they did not look at other areas that were in line with the University’s mission, such as a commitment to service. “These programs are not just important to the university, but also to the community,” Klosterman said, “Family Counseling and Therapy brings in families for counseling and this can be vital in a city such as St. Louis.” Vice President of Academic Affairs, Patrick Grillot said senate was not notified about the recommendation and never received a full report on the nature of the decision. “There is a concern about
how this process will be used across the university,” Grillot said, “Assessment is good. It shows how we can improve, but if this is the model that will be used, we don’t support this. I worry this decision puts margin over mission.” Graduate School Senator Andrew Sova expressed disappointment that senate was addressing the issue, as he felt they were not equipped to debate what has been a strictly administrative decision. “While it is honorable to consider this institution, this See “SGA” on Page 2
Campaign 2012: Meet the candidates SGA hopefuls gear up for February face-off Blake Exline
Alexander Salazar Limitless
Audeo
Sophomore in the School of Public Health Major: Health Management SGA Involvement: Greisedieck Senator, Residential Affairs Committee Co-Chair Extracurricular Activities: Decadence a Capella and Internal VP for Public Health Undergraduate Student Association Reason for Running: To serve students Hometown: Indianapolis, In. Fun Fact: There is a small town in Iowa called Exline - named after his great grandfathers who were the founders.
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As president, I would have the opportunity to empower not only senate, but also the SLU community to see the limitless possibilities there are if we work together.
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Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences Major: English SGA Involvement: Black Student Alliance Senator, Chair of Constitutional Review and Rules, Chair of Policy Review Extracurricular Activities: Mock Trails and Black Student Alliance Reason for Running: Students need a choice Hometown: Dallas, Texas Fun Fact: Working on being ambidexterous
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Students don’t have power, we have influence. We are here to voice our perspective. I am fearless and never silent on issues of conscience.
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Gawande calls for the courage to act in face of fear Staff Writer
On Feb. 8, the Great Issues Committee presented Dr. Atul Gawande to the SLU community to a packed house. The Wool Ballroom at the Busch Student Center was packed with students, faculty, staff and visitors to hear Gawande speak. People were crammed up against the walls and standing anywhere they could find room to hear one of the “world’s greatest thinkers” impart his wisdom. Gawande is one of the most influential speakers on healthcare reform in America, and leads the World Health Organization’s global campaign to reduce avoidable deaths and complications in surgery and the reduction of
child deaths during delivery. His presentation did not focus on his accomplishments, however. Gawande spoke on the subject of failure, the nature of human fallibility in medicine and in life, and how to learn from failure. His message revolved around the case of a 17-yearold cystic fibrosis patient, Janelle, and her attending doctor, Dr. Warwick. Cystic fibrosis is a deadly disease that damages both lung functions and the ability of the digestive tract to absorb nutrients. Doctors treating cystic fibrosis patients focus on two factors: lung function and weight to height ratio. Janelle, until this particular visit, had excellent lung function numbers for a cystic
Ryan Doan / Staff Photographer
Dr. Atul Gawande, despite his success, stressed the need to learn from failure and to have courage. fibrosis patient. Since her last visit, Janelle’s numbers had slipped down from normal to 90% and Dr. Warwick wanted to know
eration Championship, which served as a qualifier for the for World Cup. During the 1950 World Former Saint Louis Univer- Cup, Keough started three sity soccer coach, Harry Ke- games and was the captain ough passed away Tuesday of the U.S. National team Feb. 7 at the age of 84 due to against Spain in the opening natural causes after suffering round. He was also a starter from Alzheimer’s. He led the against England, where the Billikens to five NCAA cham- U.S. team upset the British pionships, half of the titles in 1-0. Many regarded England the school’s history. to be the “Harr y best in was a true the world pioneer, repat that resenting point and the finest of Harr y was a true pio- n a m e d a generation of men and neer, representing the this one of women who finest of a generation of the greatest upsets built the foundations for men and women who in soccer soccer in the built the foundation for history. He conUnited States on which we soccer in the United tinued to play for stand today,” States. the U.S. U.S. Soccer National F e d e r a t i o n -U.S. Soccer and Olympresident pic team Sunil Gulati Federation President until 1957, said. Sunil Gulati serving as Keough was born in St. Louis and captain of the 1952 and 1956 attended Cleveland High Olympic squads. He had one School. He played soccer for goal as a defender in his 19 the St. Louis Schumachers af- appearances during his eightter joining the Navy from 1945 year run on the team. His to 1948, which ignited his lone goal came against Caninternational career with the ada in a World Cup qualifier against Canada. U.S. National Soccer Team. In 1967, Keough was hired After his stint with the military during World War II, at SLU and immediately made Keough returned to St. Louis an impact. The Billikens won and was picked to play for the U.S. team at the 1949 North See “Coach” on Page 3 American Football ConfedBy JOSEPH CACCHIONE Sports Editor
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Dropping classes part of the SLU experience By PATRICK OLDS
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By PATRICK HITCHINS
Mario Coronado / The University News
Harry Keough retired as SLU’s soccer coach in 1982. He won five NCAA men’s soccer championships in his career.
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Presidential Candidate Blue Ticket
Presidential Candidate Green and Blue Ticket
passes away at 84
why. As with all teenagers, Warwick encountered resistance to his questioning See “Gawande” on Page 3
Senior Staff Writer
“Make sure to remember the deadline for dropping classes and the requirements.” That is the line pelted to students continuously the first two weeks of the semester by academic advisers. The dropping of at least one class has almost become a requirement for a degree conferral. Of course, in no way do advisers promote the dropping of any class, but they are just making the process much easier and efficient. The result, though, has reduced in dropping a class or two to an afterthought. According to SLU coordinator for scheduling and registration Matthew Gerst, the classes that are most often dropped, according to data ranging from the Fall 2010 semester to the Spring 2012 semester, are: Theology 100, English 190, Philosophy 105, Philosophy 205, Chemistry 165 and Math 120. Gerst said that these six classes are consistently the classes most often dropped by under-graduate students at SLU. Jeffrey Jansen, an academic adviser in the College of Arts and Sciences, attributes dropped classes to students underestimating things such as the course workload and difficulty and their own interest in the subject. “The main reasons that I have formulated as to why students drop classes have to
do with a class schedule that had too much of a workload, classes that students might have been interested in but realized otherwise after a week or two, or the level of difficulty of particular classes that was not expected by the student,” Jansen said. Nearly all classes on the list of classes that are most often dropped are core classes required of all SLU students. According to Jansen, the consistent availability of course classes each semester increases the likelihood of students dropping the course. “Just this semester I dropped a course because I overloaded my schedule by mistake,” senior Joseph Yancey said. “I can always retake the course I dropped See “Classes” on Page 3
Blue the Billiken Love is in the air
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