Published since 1915 by the students
of Xavier University
— STAFF EDITORIAL —
The power of X?
As a drive through the tri-state area will quickly reveal to interstate billboard watchers, Xavier has become increasingly Williams-centric. These huge, roadside ads are quick to point out the prominence of the Williams College of Business with references to various national rankings the College has received.
Most recently, the business school was named the biggest beneficiary of the latest Xavier expansion campaign “To See Great Wonders.”
This lofty title refers, according to Xavier President Fr. Dr. Michael Graham S.J., to “the students and the wonders inside them that they don’t even know about.” Paramount to bringing these secret wonders to light is a 200-million dollar campus expansion project that will create two integrated facilities, the multi-purpose Learning Commons and a new state-of-the-art building to serve the Williams College of Business.
The Learning Commons will theoretically feature one center for professional development among teachers and one for community engaged learning, and will house an Institute for Jesuit Education.
Additionally it will contain an information resource center to serve as a link between the Learning Commons and the library.
Of particular importance for the Learning Commons is an environment of spontaneous and informal learning (which is depicted by computer generated people with frenetic movements in the video tour of the Learning Commons on the university website).
Just down the Hoff Academic Quad from this multi-dimensional and broadly used facility will be the new, highly specialized business school. The sprawling, glass enclosed building, as it is depicted in campaign informational material, is a necessity according to Williams College dean Ali Malekzadeh: “For us to stay in the international market, with our top-25 MBA program, for instance, we have to have the best facilities.”
It is the impression of the Newswire, from the portrayal of the new facilities by the university, that this expansion is strongly focused on the business school, and perhaps too strongly. In keeping with the Jesuit tradition of broad, open and outward thinking, it seems counterintuitve to put so much emphasis on a single department.
The Newswire understands the role that the Williams College of Business plays in the financial well-being and development of the university as a whole; it can be likened to the revenue role the men’s basketball program plays.
Still, when the majority of undergraduate students are not directly affected by such a huge expansion of an individual and narrowly-focused department like the business school, the Newswire has to ask “At what cost?”
Basic economics lessons (not learned at the Williams College) tell us that when resources are used on one thing, they are not used on another. When huge sums of money are spent on expanding the Williams College of Business, they are not spent, for example, on expanding the English or psychology departments, or on creating a journalism department.
It is the opinion of the Newswire that the university has adopted an expansion philosophy that is too “Williams-centric,” and in doing so has unjustly emphasized the “All for one” in the famous Musketeer motto.
Making Xavier accessible
My name is Amanda Stahl. I am a junior from Maysville, KY and have been attending Xavier for one semester, aspiring to earn a degree in social work. Xavier University has been a legacy in my family for three generations.
I am writing this letter concerning persons of disabilities and their ability to get around Xavier’s campus. This issue is very important to me because I was born 12 weeks early, which caused me to have cerebral palsy.
One of the symptoms of cerebral palsy has confined me to a wheelchair for all my life. Despite this disability, I strive to improve the conditions in which persons of disability live and learn.
Although Xavier has been very helpful, my experience has nonetheless been very frustrating and difficult. The obstacles that I face are not particular to me, but confront many groups of people, including elderly visitors and alumni that have trouble navigating the campus.
I am unable to access any of the activities held in Campus Ministry or the Dorothy Day House, which puts me at a distinct disadvantage in learning outside of the classroom. The students have taken steps to move the clubs that I am involved in outside of these buildings.
However, some people with disabilities are not as outspoken as I am. Had I not been so vocal, I would be missing these valuable activities, which would hinder not only my personal growth, but also the Jesuit ideals of service that I hope to cultivate in others and in myself.
The classes for my major necessitate traveling to Cohen, and this semester, I have three classes in Cohen. The relative distance of this building from my apartment in the Commons is not so much a problem as the method of traveling there. The only ways to get to Cohen are both inconvenient and dangerous.
Cohen poses additional problems for me once I arrive. The handicapped bathrooms are not large enough for a power wheelchair, which I use, and an aide to assist me in using the restroom.
In order to fit, the door has to be opened, which prevents me from having any privacy. I have found a bathroom in Cohen that is sufficient for my needs, but it is marked for faculty use only, and I was very lucky to have found it. I recommend that it be marked as a handicapped bathroom and used accordingly.
The university offers many opportunities for students to experience learning and service through internships and other activities. This is a very good program that nurtures students and their connections to the outside world, but only if the students are able-bodied enough to participate.
When I considered applying for the summer service internship, I was discouraged from doing so because I would not be able to live with the community in Brockman Hall. Through ceaseless advocation on my behalf by Ann Dinan, Cheryl Nuñez, Residence Life, Co-Student Directors of Diversity, JJ Gregg and Charity Wayua, I am now able to apply for the program.
Someone without a disability would never have to deal with this situation; they would be encouraged, rather than discouraged, to join.
Since I have been at Xavier, the administration has been very helpful in giving me my own personal push button to automatically open the outer doors of the Commons which gives me a greater sense of independence. For this, I thank Residence Life and Physical Plant for going beyond the ADA requirements.
The Students in Justice and other service clubs expressed support through their advocacy for me and for other people with disabilities on this campus. The administration has empowered the student body to form a group, Special Needs Awareness Committee (SNAC), that helps make other students aware of people with disabilities. SNAC also initiates events that are engineered to increase the comfort level of the student body with regard to people with disabilities; we regard this as an extension of the university’s Diversity Plan objectives as outlined by Cheryl Nuñez.
This university has stated a commitment to increasing both the level of diversity and the understanding of diversity on campus. Follwing this, the Diversity Plan has objectives, such as to “foster a campus climate that is welcoming to all” and “demonstrate institutional leadership for community equity and empowerment.”
I find these two objectives are the ones that are most violated at this university, but I am encouraged by the effort put forth by the student body and the administration.
If the administration truly supports and believes in these values and objectives, I ask you to consider these goals:
1. Accessibility to Campus Ministry and the Dorothy Day House
2. Ensuring that plans for the new additions to our campus are not only ADA standard, but are also more welcoming and friendly to people with disabilities.
3. Provide faculty and staff with continued education on disability awareness and how to be prepared for a student with disabilities in the classroom.
I can see that the administration has made great strides in this area in recent years, but there is still progress that needs to be made. The members at SNAC and I are willing to lend ourselves to the continued efforts to make Xavier the best university it can be and to help promote these goals to the faculty, staff, student body and surrounding community. We all love Xavier, and this is why we continue to dedicate ourselves to making it a better and more inclusive institution for all the people who attend.
Amanda Stahl
Class of ‘08
Defining a faith
I opened the Newswire this past weekend and was surprised to see a picture of a crucifix. Intrigued by the image, I began to read the letter to the editor below. I was originally relieved that someone had echoed my own silent concerns about the missing corpus on the cross in Bellarmine Chapel.
As I read on, however, I was struck with disbelief and concern for the writer who is gravely mistaken about Catholic teaching. I wish to take this opportunity to correct the previous letter while hopefully encouraging participation in the Mass.
When Pope Gregory decided to redo the calendar, he asked the Jesuits to calculate the year and date of Christ’s birth. They came up with what we refer to 0 BC. Modern studies show that they were actually off by a few years, but that is not the point. History is divided not by the death of Jesus of Nazareth, but rather by His birth.
The Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity is apparently a big deal. The redeeming death of the Incarnate Word is also a big deal. In fact, Good Friday is the holiest day of the year for Catholics, but it doesn’t measure up to a virgin birth and God becoming flesh.
The crucifixion, as important as it is, is not the “central event of Catholicism.” The core of Catholicism is the Eucharist; the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice at the Mass and that little wafer that tastes like a stale saltine cracker, unless you go to the 10 p.m. student Mass which has ugly brown doughy stuff carefully made by students.
The Liturgy of the Word, the first part where people read from that big book, is the proclamation of the Word of God to the people.
The Word is to be made flesh in our hearts and our minds as we listen to the proclaiming of the readings and the Gospel. The homily is where the priest attempts to apply the Word to our lives, he gives us the answers to the quiz at the end.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist, the part where you get your exercise from standing and kneeling and then standing again, is really cool. During the Consecration, the first few things the priest says (“Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ”), through the Power of the Holy Spirit the bread and wine you see on the alter becomes the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
It is not a symbol, it is not “just” bread or “just” wine; The Eucharist is Jesus Christ, present before us. During the Mass “we join the angels and the saints in proclaiming” God’s glory and we are united together with all those in the Church, the living and the dead.
If that is not cool, I don’t know what is. During the Last Supper (Mt. 26:26-35, Mk. 14:22-31, Lk. 22:14-38, Jn 13-16) Christ gave us the Eucharist, the thanksgiving sacrifice for our sins. Christ dwells in us, we become “living tabernacles” and are called to spread the Light of Christ living within each one of us to all. The word “Mass” comes from the Latin verb mitto, mittere, missi, missa est, which means “to send.”
The Catholic Church considers the Mass more than a gathering for singing, eating and drinking. The Mass is a sending out of the congregation, you and me, to the world to spread the Good News and love others. Without the Cross, there would be no Christians, but without the Eucharist, the Cross would mean nothing.
Thaddeus Winker
Class of ‘10
Choosing life
Diana Barren
Copy Editor
I would consider myself an avid pro-lifer. I grew up in a Catholic family with a mother who was a pro-life speaker for the Right to Life of Cleveland. I always wanted to attend the March for Life in Washington D.C., but never could until this year. It was an experience which I will never forget and highly recommend to all.
As a copy editor for the Newswire, I read stories about Darfur, Rwanda, the war in Iraq and other world problems that people feel the need to stand up and speak out against. While these are important issues that need to be addressed, I feel that the issue of abortion deserves the same amount of attention.
There are many important facts about abortion that people may not be aware of such as the development of the fetus, the physical and psychological consequences that women may suffer as a result of an abortion and the surprising number of abortions performed annually.
Many people argue that abortions should be legal because they think the fetus is not a human being, but a blob of tissue who’s life does not begin until birth. Most abortions occur between weeks nine and 11 of pregnancy, which is when many women first realize they are pregnant.
However, there is a lot of scientific evidence that proves the fertilized egg has begun to develop into a human being.
As early as day 22, the prenatal heart begins to beat with the child’s own blood, which is often a different type than the mothers’. Weeks three and four include the formation of the spinal column and nervous system and the development of the liver, kidneys and intestines.
By week five, the baby’s eyes, legs and hands begin to develop and brain waves are detectable. The presence of the mouth and lips and the formation of the fingernails occur by week six. In the seventh and eighth weeks, the baby begins to kick and swim, every organ is in place and the baby begins to hear.
The baby continues to develop in weeks nine and 10 as teeth are formed and the baby is able to turn his or her head and frown. The baby will continue to grow and develop as weeks turn into months, and the list of facts demonstrating that this “blob of tissue” is indeed a human being is nearly endless.
Additionally, there are many negative physical effects that an abortion can have on a woman. There can be physical damage to a woman’s reproductive system, such as damage to her uterus or cervix, which can cause future reproductive problems. Women who have abortions more than double their risk of future sterility and face a 50 percent increased risk of having a tubal pregnancy with the risk increasing to 90 percent for those who have had two or more previous abortions.
Women who have had abortions are at a higher risk of having miscarriages, premature births or children with cerebral palsy. Lastly, 13 out of 17 studies in the United States showed more breast cancer among women who have had abortions.
Women may also suffer some psychological effects after having an abortion. An abortion can damage both current and future relationships and cause sexual anxiety or promiscuity. Women who have abortions are also more likely to abuse their children.
After having an abortion, women are more likely to develop eating disorders, become heavy smokers and abuse drugs and alcohol.
More than half of women reporting post abortion problems say they have contemplated suicide.
Finally, the statistics regarding the number of past abortions are alarming. There have been more than 47 million abortions since the legalization of abortion in 1973, and almost 1.3 million abortions occurred in 2002 alone. In the same year, for every 1,000 births, there were 319 abortions. In 2001, there were more than 148,000 second and third trimester abortions.
Every year, more unborn children die from abortion than Americans died in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars combined.
I believe that people need to defend those who cannot defend themselves. There are many alternatives to abortion and many places that will help women who do not receive the support they need from their families and friends.
There are also many websites such as www.nrlc.org, www.prolife.com and www.feministsforlife.com that give additional information regarding abortion. I encourage you to look at these websites and view the pictures of aborted babies to see that abortion is in fact, murder. I hope that this information was helpful and inspires you to protect the unborn.
Seven signs of the Apocalypse
Pat Stevenson
Asst. Op-Ed Editor
I. Chuck Norris guest-hosted “Hannity & Colmes” on Jan. 26
II. Sylvester Stallone is directing a movie about Edgar Allen Poe
III. Peyton Manning is about to win a Super Bowl
IV. Fergie has the third best-selling album in America
V. George W. Bush wants to reduce oil consumption
VI. The best player in the NBA is short, white and Canadian
VII. Tom Cruise has been declared the Messiah of Scientology
Med X files
James P. Konerman, M.D.
Medical Director/Physician McGrath Health & Counseling Center
Cincinnati: Famous For Graeters, Skyline and sinusitis
Sinusitis is very common in Cincinnati. It refers to inflammation of the lining of the sinus cavities.
Acute sinusitis is often preceded by a cold and sometimes dental work. It can last six to eight weeks. It can be a complication of environmental allergy flare ups--the patient complains of headache, congestion, postnasal drip and thick discolored mucous.
Sometimes there’s a cough secondary to the drainage. A patient with chronic sinusitis has more than four bouts of sinusitis a year. The sinusitis infection can lead to swelling of the small sinus passages.
This combined with increased mucous production can make it difficult to clear the infection. Changes in air pressure from flying or deep scuba diving can aggravate the sinuses.
Smoke, weather fronts and mold counts in Cincinnati are aggravating factors. Physicians use antibiotics, decongestants and steroids to treat sinusitis. Steam inhalation and sinus irrigation sometimes are helpful.
If you live in Cincinnati long enough, you’ll probably develop sinusitis at some point. If you’re suffering, seek medical assistance.
McGrath Health &
Counseling Center
(513) 745-3022
Matthew Finger 
Op-Ed Editor
Pat Stevenson
Asst. Op-Ed Editor
The Xavier Newswire
3800 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207-2129
On-campus location:
The Publications House,
3739 Ledgewood Dr.
Telephone: 513.745.3607
Advertising: 513.745.3561
Fax: 513.745.2898
www.xu.edu/newswire
