Published since 1915 by the students
of Xavier University
Published since 1915 by the students
of Xavier University
Kelly Shaw
Campus News Editor
Sept. 15 begins Hispanic heritage month and marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries. Xavier will be recognizing the importance of this month through the first annual Equity and Excellence Lecture Series.
The lecture series, a collaborative effort from many different departments on campus, will feature Dr. Aida Giachello, director of the Midwest Latino Health Care Center in Chicago. Dr. Giachello’s topic of discussion will be the healthcare disparities affecting the U.S. Latino communities.
“The lecture will highlight the fact that equity and excellence are pursued across campus,” said Cheryl Nunez, Xavier’s vice provost for diversity. “It’s important for us as a university committed to excellence to respect national observances like Hispanic heritage month.”
Today in the U.S., Latinos suffer disproportionately to the rest of society. For example, more than 35 million U.S. Hispanics are three times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to suffer from diabetes and more likely to suffer from asthma and hypertension.
The main reason for the disparities, however, is simply the ignorance of caregivers. Many healthcare officials are unaware of cultural practices in Hispanic communities and do not discuss relevant questions with their Hispanic patients.
Dr. Giachello’s Latino healthcare center promotes culturally competent practice among health service providers. She believes that it takes an understanding of the history and culture of the community one is serving in order to best communicate with patients. The center prides itself on being a model for engaging community leaders to assess needs rather than bringing in “experts” from outside.
Along with running the health care center, Dr. Giachello is an associate professor of social work at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She was also featured in TIME magazine in 2005 as one of the nation’s top 25 most influential Hispanics.
After the lecture, there will be a question and answer session for the audience to ask Dr. Giachello their own questions. Nunez also hopes that questions will be asked regarding the current event of immigration and if it, too, is affecting healthcare in Latino communities.
“We all know how important social justice is to the Xavier community,” said Nunez. “Really, this is just a way to give it a showcase.”
Kelly Shaw
Campus News Editor
One of Xavier’s claims to fame is its love of basketball, but varsity athletes are not the only people who get to enjoy playing the game.
Next Tuesday, the Student Activities Council will host a three-on-three basketball tournament to any three-student-team who wants to play.
There will be a men’s tournament as well as a separate co-ed tournament, and both will take place on the outside courts behind the Commons.
The tradition of this tournament has been long enjoyed at Xavier. Last year, more than 50 people competed in the fun and also had the chance to win a cash prize.
Since all contestants’ entry proceeds go to the winner, SAC does not yet know how much the winners will receive at the end of all of the games. Along with the cash prize, the winners will be given T-shirts adorned with their team name.
“One of the main reasons to host the tournament is just to draw people’s attention to the outdoor courts, but also just to give everyone a chance to play,” said Michael Todd, sophomore member of SAC.
This tournament is part of a new program from SAC called the “Best of the X” series which will feature different competitions in the future.
As the title of the series suggests, “Whoever wins this can say they are the best [three-on-three team] at Xavier,” said Todd.
All students are encourgaed by SAC to come watch the tournament, even if they are not participating in the games.
Press Release
Derek Walcott, winner of the 1992 Nobel Prize for Literature, will speak at Xavier University at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 8 at the Schiff Family Conference Center located in Cintas Center on the university campus. This event is free and open to the public.
Walcott will speak on “The Impact of Globalization on Caribbean Life and Culture.” His presentation is part of Xavier University’s 2006-07 Ethics/Religion & Society (E/RS) lecture series.
Walcott has published five books of plays, including Dream on Monkey Mountain and Other Plays, which won the Obie Award for distinguished foreign plays. Walcott’s poems have appeared in The New Yorker, The Kenyon Review, The New York Review of Books, The Nation, London Magazine, Antaeus and other periodicals. He has published ten books of poetry, including Collected Poems 1948-1984, which won the 1986 Los Angeles Times book prize for poetry.
Xavier Players will also present a collection of Walcott’s work titled “Derek Walcott: Caribbean Blend” October 5-8. It will be a collection of scenes and poetry combined with storytelling, singing, dancing and the rhythms of calypso and richly metaphorical verse and prose. The performance will look at the conflict between the heritage of European and West Indian culture.
The theme for this year’s E/RS lecture series is “Responding Ethically to a Changing World Community.” Speakers will address leadership issues on this topic. The program format leads to informal discussion after the presentation.
The purpose of the Ethics/Religion and Society Program is to encourage ethical and/or religious analysis of socially significant issues.
Sept. 6, 12:33 p.m.—An officer responded to the bookstore’s hold-up alarm. The staff confirmed that it was a false alarm.
Sept. 7, 6:43 p.m.—A student living in the 900 block of Dana Ave. reported that their house had been broken into and that their bike was stolen from the basement.
Sept. 8, 10:25 p.m.—Three students were observed drinking in the O’Connor Sports Center parking lot. All three were cited for underage consumption.
Police Note of the Week
Sept. 9, 2:00 p.m.—A student reported receiving a sexually explicit email from their student neighbor. Residence Life was informed and will deal with the matter.
Kelly Shaw 
Campus News Editor
Are you interested in community service opportunities? Then join the X-Action group for their first meeting of the year at 8 p.m. today in Albers Hall, room 323. Come learn about volunteer possibilities in the area through STAR, Saturday Morning Service, Community Action Day and Evanston—XCEL! Free pizza will be provided. Email Sara Thomas at xaction@xavier.edu for more information.
¡Fiesta!
It’s time for Latin Dance 2006! At 8:15 p.m. on Friday, the event will start off with free salsa lessons to prepare you for the main dancing that starts at 9:00 p.m., all in Cintas Center. There will be a live band as well as food and refreshments. Pick up your tickets from the Romero Center for $3 or pay $5 at the door. Proceeds will go to the Measles Project, an immunization initiative in Africa.
Delta Sigma Pi
The Delta Sigma Pi, Xavier’s only professional business fraternity, is inviting all freshmen, sophomores and first semester juniors in the Williams College of Business to join them at 9:30 p.m. on Monday in Hailstones Hall, room 2 for a chance to meet the chapter. Pizza will be provided. Contact Karlie at winnettka@xavier.edu with questions.
Stargazers
The department of physics will be hosting the first of its monthly opportunities for members of the Xavier community to visit the campus observatory at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday in Linder Hall, room 205. Come look through Xavier’s telescopes and see what’s up in the evening sky. See Prof. Richard Hamilton for more information.
Ken Lowe
Lowe founded and launched HGTV in 1994, revamped the Food Network and is now President and CEO of the E.W. Scripps Co. This month, he will be speaking at Xavier as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series. All are welcome to hear his talk, “Power to the Consumer: Media in the Digital Age.” The talk begins at noon on Sept. 20 in the Duff Banquet Center. R.S.V.P. to wcbevents@xavier.edu by Friday to reserve a seat.