SGA plans to improve student life
Megan Jocobs
Staff Writer
This year Student Government Assoiciation (SGA), strives to promote solidarity through working together with various groups on and off campus in order to create a better college experience for Xavier students.
SGA President Maggie Meyer strongly believes that with the help of various groups on campus, more can be achieved than if these clubs and organizations work separately.
“One of my personal goals this year,” said Meyer, “is that the SGA, including SAC, Senate and the executives, becomes more of a collaborator in the sense that we are authentically representing and advocating on behalf of the student population here at Xavier.”
Due to this unification, changes have already occurred for the betterment of the Xavier Campus and the Student Government has plans for many more.
One of the main goals of SGA has already become a reality.
A new ramp leading up to the Dorothy Day House and to the Campus Ministry house was made possible due to the unified efforts of Peace and Justice Programs, administrators and involved students who saw the need for such a ramp.
With these results, students can hope to continue to work towards building more handicapped-accessibile buildings around campus in the future.
Other necessary changes to the University include a SafeZone, which provides an open and understanding place for homosexuals on campus, made possible by groups such as Res Life, Xavier Alliance, SGA and Campus Ministry, “Dead Days” or study days before exams and the opportunity to use All-Card to pay for off-campus meals.
SGA, in collaboration with web services, has also made it possible for students to find out about classes and clubs quickly and easily by improving the Xavier Portal website.
They have also been working on Club Day on the mall, to be held Monday, September 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Another club related service SGA is providing is a mandatory workshop that “guides club and organization leaders through various processes, offers leadership tips and introduces the establishment of club websites,” added Meyer.
This is all an effort to make clubs more available to students who want to become involved with the university.
“All of these various projects are ones which would not have happened without SGA and could not have happened with only SGA,” said Meyer.
Projects also include providing trainers at the O’Connor fitness center and shuttles to Newport on the Levee.
This fall there will also be a “Beach Bash BBQ Block Party” and outdoor concerts by Chinua Hawk and Chris Cauley on September 17.
Faith-inspired projects, including an interfaith prayer space is in the works as well as a Spirit Celebration on Sunday, September 9.
Although the SGA has received positive feedback for the majority of their projects, not all have been well received.
For example, some critics have nicknamed the new sand volleyball courts the “litter box” for the many cats roaming around campus.
Despite the occasional questionable project, the SGA has tried to work to create and improve social opportunities on campus so that more students can become part of the Xavier community.
Furthermore, they have strived to promote awareness and tolerance of the diversity on campus.
Only a week into the 2007-2008 school year and SGA is already working to solve problems and improve campus life for Xavier students.
New fines imposed for drinking games, underage consumption
Katie Rosenbaum
Campus News Editor
Students caught playing drinking games in on campus residences now face additional fines and sanctions in addition to the ones imposed for underage drinking.
“Drinking games do not promote the Xavier community,” commented Director of Residence Life, Lori Lambert.
“Drinking games often target new or novice drinkers” and encourage “excessive drinking” to the point a person may become sick or hospitalized and in extreme cases may lead todeath.
While beer bongs, beer pong and games like quarters and flip cup are obviously drinking games, card games are more questionable.
A student will not get charged with a separate drinking game violation just for playing cards while drinking, but card games that directly involve drinking will be considered a violation.
Card games will have to be dealt with on a case by case basis, depending on what an RA sees when he or she enters a room.
According to the Xavier Handbook, “It is the responsibility of all members of the Residence Life staff to enforce policies and regulations, ensuring a safe and positive living environment.”
Xavier Res Life reviews the policy every summer to see if they are working. They decided that because of the excessive drinking and potential consequences that result from drinking games, they would impose a minimum sanction of a $100 fine, parental notification and an educational sanction for a first time drinking game offense.
A second offense of drinking games play results in a $150 fine, Residence Life probation, a meeting with the Director of Residence Life, parental notification and an alcohol assessment.
This is in addition to the first time sanction of underage drinking of a written warning, a $25 dollar fine and/or educational sanction. For a second offense the fine goes up to $50, parents will be notified of the violation and the student will face educational sanctions and/or community service.
This amounts to at least a $125 fine, parental notification and an educational sanction for a first time offender who is underage.
Furthermore, these violations remains on a student’s record for all four years at Xavier.
Lambert stressed that these violations may have bigger consequences than just here at Xavier.
“Decisions that you make this Friday night could affect your future. Make good decisions now. This will help you in the future,” said Lambert.
More and more employers, graduate and professional schools and landlords are requesting information on students regarding disciplinary action and violations that occur at Xavier.
Res Life hopes that this new policy regarding drinking games will help encourage student responsibility and promote safety.
It is their hope that students may not choose to participate in a game if they know the double sanctions that may occur when partaking in drinking games in the residence halls.
Xavier adopts policy to protect students
Katie Rosenbaum
Campus News Editor
In order to better protect Xavier students and promote a community where all feel comfortable and welcomed, Xavier has adopted a new harassment policy.
Xavier previously has had a policy regarding sexual harassment but now the policy includes different forms of harassment.
All Xavier students, faculty and employees are held accountable to respect the rights of all other students, faculty and employees regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, etc.
No harassment of any kind is acceptable at Xavier.
According to the Harassment Code and Accountability Procedure, harassment may include “any intentional, willful or malicious abuse, mocking or disparaging of a person or persons, actions or expressions that might cause or contribute to violent situations, unwelcome physical touch, physical, verbal or written threats or incidents of sexual harassment.”
These threats or harassment may “affect their educational performance or living or working environment at Xavier.”
Thus Xavier provides a way to help students report these situations in order to begin to resolve the problem.
Dr. Luther Smith, Dean of Students, headed the committee that updated the Xavier harassment policy over a four year period.
This committee created and instituted the “over-arching policy” that now exists.
The procedure for handling harassment charges between students is found in the Xavier Handbook.
Both parties meet with Smith who acts as the Senior Student Advocate.
Smith gathers evidence that is presented at the University Disciplinary Hearing.
While Smith himself does not prosecute the case, he is able to review the hearing and make the final decision of whether the harasser is guilty and what disciplinary action he or she will face from Xavier.
In cases of sexual assault, Smith advises the victim of their options, but ultimately the choice is the victim’s as to what, if any legal action outside of Xavier he or she will take against the person or people accused of sexual assault.
Smith wants to help those students whose harassment cases “go unnoticed.”
He continued, “We do not want students to leave Xavier because they felt uncomfortable” due harassment by any student or employee of Xavier.
Getting to know the resident Jesuits on campus
Matthew Finger
Managing Editor
There are four men whom you will undoubtedly come in contact with on a regular basis, one in Husman, Kuhlman, Buenger and the Commons. But who are they?
Mostly, they are friends. But they are also mentors, resources and spiritual leaders.
Sadly, most students on campus know very little about their resident Jesuits.
This week we are concluding our profiling of our Jesuit neighbors because everyone should get to know them.
Joseph Wagner, S.J.
Buenger Hall
Unfortunately (for us) Fr. Wagner is on sabbatical for the semester at Michigan State University, but once he returns he will resume his role as spiritual leader and resident friend in Buenger Hall.
A native of Erie, Pennsylvania, Fr. Wagner graduated from Cathedral Preparatory School.
From Erie he made his way to MIT where he received a degree in mathematics in 1986.
He continued his education, earning a Masters degree in mathematics from Wisconsin – Madison in 1988 and a Masters in Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.
He also received a Ph. D. in Mathematics Education from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003.
Fr. Wagner first taught at Xavier from 1992 to 1995 in the Math and Computer Science department, during which time he lived in Brockman Hall.
Eight years later, after an extended stay at Berkeley, Fr. Wagner returned to Xavier and Brockman in 2003.
Two years later he moved into Buenger Hall and has been the resident Jesuit there since.
Currently, Fr. Wagner teaches in the Math and CS department and is involved in Campus Ministry and the Approach Retreats.
Becoming a Jesuit has allowed Fr. Wagner to fulfill his desires to be a minister, a teacher and an academic.
He enjoys living in Buenger, though he has not been as visible in the dorms as much as he would like.
He urges his Buenger residents not to hide in their rooms.
“It’s very easy to hide in Buenger, but not a good idea,” said Wagner.
Also, he encourages students to drop by (once he has returned) to introduce themselves and to talk.
He has two pieces of advice for new students. The first is to give people who may be hard to live with a chance.
Fr. Wagner believes that “the problem is often not that they’re difficult to live with, but that they’re just different from the way you’re used to.”
He also believes that students should maintain moderation.
“Don’t over-work or over-stress yourself, but don’t over-party or over-experiment with your increasing independence either,” advises Fr. Wagner.
Albert Bischoff, S.J.
Husman Hall
xavier.edu
Father B is often found greeting students with a "Hello Saint" around campus.
As he is commonly known, Fr. “B” is the resident Jesuit in Husman Hall.
Born right here in Cincinnati, Fr. B is the model of a Xavier education.
After graduating from St. Xavier High School, he received a BA in philosophy and a Masters in both history and education.
Fr. B briefly attended the University of Cincinnati Teacher’s College (which we won’t hold against him).
After a year of teaching in the Brown County public school system, at the age of 23, Fr. B decided that his calling was the priesthood.
For 23 years, Fr. B was a priest in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, before becoming a Jesuit.
Bischoff decided to become a Jesuit because “It felt like home.”
He added that the Jesuits gave him a calling; he wanted to meet good people outside of the parish, people who would talk to, question and challenge him.
He found that with the Jesuits (and with you students).
Fr. B has been living in the dorms for 18 years: five in Kuhlman Hall and 13 in Husman Hall, where he currently resides.
“Living in the dorms is a great gift,” believes Fr. B.
He also added that living in the dorms is “like having a lot of kids, but you don’t have to pay their bills.”
He has taught theology at Xavier, and is currently involved in Campus Ministry and retreat work.
On Sundays at 4 p.m., Father B can be found presiding over the student mass.
The best advice Fr. B can give to new students is to: “Throw your heart into it,” and “let go of high school.”
He believes that college is “a one time marvelous experience, don’t blow it,” which he says with a warm smile on his face.
Police Notes
May 3, 10:31 a.m.—Two University of Cincinnati students were found in the abandoned Zumbiel Packing building and were cited for trespassing and disorderly conduct.
May 22, 11:14 p.m.—A non-student was arrested in the Village parking lot for stealing a wallet out of an unlocked car.
June 20, 1:39 a.m.—A Campus Police officer was injured in an automobile accident at Dana Avenue and Victory Parkway. The police cruiser was totaled and the officer is still in physical therapy.
July 5, 2:44 p.m.—Campus Police was informed that the University had received a suspicious package from an individual in Houston, Texas. An investigation revealed that there was no relationship between the author and Xavier University and that many other institutions had received similar packages.
July 11, 2:01 p.m.—An employee in the Schmidt Fieldhouse reported that their car keys had been stolen from their unlocked office and that their car was subsequently stolen from the parking lot.
July 13, 5:45 a.m.—Campus Police received a report that the portrait of Mrs. Hinkle near the west entrance of Hinkle Hall had been defaced with profanities.
July 15, 12:13 a.m.—While officers investigated complaints of a house party on the 3700 block of Ledgwood Avenue, a student urinated on a police cruiser. The student was cited with disorderly conduct and possession of an open container.
July 16, 10:40 p.m.—A student reported that their locked mountain bike was stolen from the bike rack in front of the library.
July 26, 12:33 a.m.—A non-student used the emergency phone in the Joseph Hall parking lot to call for help after being assaulted on Dana Avenue by three subjects.
August 11, 2:45 a.m.—Campus Police and Cincinnati Police investigated a report of two students robbed at knifepoint while walking on Dana Avenue near the connector with Herald Avenue. One subject was later apprehended and identified by the victims.
Police Note of the Summer
August 20, 3:40 a.m.—A Campus Police officer discovered a loaded nine-millimeter handgun on the sidewalk near the police station in Flynn Hall.
Katie Rosenbaum
Campus News Editors
Soccer Party
Xavier Men’s Soccer team will be hosting a pre-season party at 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 30 in front of the main entrance to Cintas Center. There will be free food and drinks provided by both the team and X-treme fans. For more information, contact johnsone2@xavier.edu or call (513) 745-3378.
Registration Deadline
The deadline for late registration or class changes for full time classes is Sunday, September 2. Changes can be made on the portal or through the Office of the Registrar. For more information contact xuregi@xavier.edu or call (513) 745-3941.
Building a Legacy
The Peer Leadership Team’s Advancing Leaders Series will host a seminar called ‘Building a Legacy’ at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4 in the Clocktower Lounge on the third floor of the GSC. This seminar is designed to help student leaders build a legacy for the future of their club or organization. ‘Building a Legacy’ will be presented by Kimberlie Goldsberry, Executive Director of Student Involvement and Leadership. For more information contact busamla@xavier.edu or call (513) 745-4879.
Welcome Back BBQ
The International Stude Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Sigma Gamma Chapter, Gentlemen Organized for Achievement and Leadership and Ladies with Emphasis on Achievement and Distinction are hosting a welcome-back barbecue on Saturday, September 1, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information contact: burtonck@xavier.edu, elliscn@xavier.edu, Allen-Tunsila@xavier.edu.
