— STAFF EDITORIALS —
Tracking tenure
We’ve got to admit that we’re rather stumped by the issue of the ever increasing contingent faculty presence at Xavier.
We’ve dealt with a lot of issues this year that have reasonably simple answers (i.e. school officials shouldn’t censor the student newspaper), but this is not a simple issue at all.
We asked a few people for their opinion on the matter, some people gave boring answers, some people dodged the question and some didn’t return our phone messages.
However, Dr. Ernest Fontana had a very interesting opinion about the expansion of contingent faculty at Xavier.
“It seems to me there has been a recent inflation in the number of administrators at Xavier and a proliferation of positions that have little to do with the essential life of the university, that is teaching and scholarship. These are less public activities and often, consequently, less valued than the self-promoting business of certain administrative functionaries and their pet and often marginal projects,” said Fontana.
We tend to agree with this statement (it seems like there are more vice presidents, vice provosts and associate provosts at this university than there are students these days), but obviously, no one’s laying off any administrators anytime soon, and we don’t suggest that.
So how do you fix this problem? Is this even a problem? Quite frankly, we have no idea.
However, we do think that this issue should be given much more attention by upper-level academic officials. Every person we interviewed for this story was extremely aware of the ramifications of the current system of hiring part-time faculty and could discuss the issue at length.
We have to wonder whether Xavier’s upper-level academic officials possess the same understanding of this issue though. We have to think that if they did, the plight of contingent faculty would be more resolved than it currently is.
Perhaps these administrators who have inflated the staff ranks should take time to consider how to provide certain contingent faculty members with the job security they’ve earned.
Limited Outlook
One of this year’s new additions to Xavier University is the improved online portal, which we can all agree is a major improvement over that of previous years. It is certainly a lot easier on the eyes.
Among the changes made to the portal is a new email system from Microsoft that is substantially better than the old one, except in two very important aspects. First, students now have a much smaller storage limit in their mailbox, forcing them to delete messages more often, and in some cases, miss important emails because their mailbox has become full so fast.
Second, we are no longer able to forward our mail to another address or to our desktops, forcing us to go online and log into our account every time we want to check our email. Last year it was convenient to check our email with our personal Outlook (or Mail for Mac users). Now we no longer have that option.
Students are basically forced to use Xavier’s email system. Some professors and administrators send important communications to students exclusively through their portal email accounts, which is quite practical and reasonable. But this year it is less convenient for students to use their email system, and sometimes, like when our mailbox becomes full, it doesn’t work at all.
Though we aren’t necessarily Internet-savvy at the Newswire, we still suspect these problems are somewhat fixable. We encourage the administration to do whatever they can to return our email to the level of expediency where it once was.
Build me up, buttercup
Darren LaCour
Opinions & Editorials Editor
As many of you might know, I am highly involved with the awesome event known as Rock the Chapel, taking place at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8 in Bellarmine Chapel (and no, this is not a shameless plug...well OK, who am I kidding?).
Part of our advertising strategy was to make table-tents, those obnoxious pieces of propaganda that plague the pristine tables of the caf (drat, I ran out of p-words).
Ultimately, we did this so that people would have things to throw across the table, and so that in the morning at breakfast when you eat alone (as most people certainly do) you’d have something to read. Hearing about the event was only a perk.
On one of the three sides of these table-tents, a terrible tragedy occurred: The name of one of our sponsoring groups, Students Committed to Christ, was misspelled. At least, I’m pretty sure there’s no group of students committed to an individual or organization known as “Chrits.”
Anyway, first off I want to apologize to this group for the misrepresentation on one-third of each of the flyers which were so graciously donated by the Gallagher computer lab.
I would also like to thank the individual who brought this mistake to my attention...I think.
See, someone contacted me to inform me that the word was spelled wrong. Though I could imagine a degree of mockery in their tone, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and assumed they were being sincere.
And so, I tried calling this individual to express my thanks. Yet each time, they hung up on me and refused to say anything.
Thus, I concluded that the only reason they called me was to give me crap
that I misspelled “Christ,” which happens to be the main focus of
the event.
Why do people feel the need to bring down others when they stand for something
good?
It turns out that this really isn’t a very good example, since I believe I’ve figured out who left me the message and I’m not very upset because I really should expect such antics from him. But I can think of plenty of other examples that more accurately depict the point I’m trying to make.
Consider Dead Day last week, or any form of silent demonstration. Individuals
make the commitment not to speak for a day in order to promote awareness about
some awful abomination in our world, yet inevitably some pranksters try with
all their might to get the individual to break their vow.
What makes people want to bring others down?
Would you walk in front of Ghandi during his hunger strike waving a plate of food? Would you stand in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s face, trying to get him to hit you?
A much less altruistic example can be seem in the realm of underage drinking.
Whenever kids declare that they don’t drink, it suddenly becomes everyone else’s goal to get the non-drinkers drunk.
Why can’t we just support people for making that decision, rather than attempt to pull them into behaviors they’re making a point to avoid?
Why do we rip apart Shantytown when all they’re trying to do is support the homeless? (I’ll tell you: We’re not ripping them apart, we’re just saying how they could be better!)
Why do we “hate” the kid who sets the curve in the class?
Why is it that when people succeed, we try to bring them down?
I’ll tell you why: It’s because we don’t know how to build.
We can’t remember how to build ourselves and each other up, to offer support and encouragement.
Instead of boosting one another up to the same level, we try to level the playing field by destroying the good that others do or defaming the causes they stand for.
I’m not going to say that I’m perfect. I love making fun of kids almost as much as my former roommate does. But I think that it’s a fairly low blow to shred someone to bits because they’re trying to stand for something.
I’m not advocating for a cessation of all dialogue that isn’t “feel good.” Criticism, which abounds in the Newswire, isn’t innately bad, as long as it’s made with the ultimate aim of improvement.
So Xavier, why don’t we try and build each other up for a change? Criticism is one thing, but begging for failure is a whole different story.
Senior stresses and sorrows
Beth Hesse
Copy Editor
Senior year is a challenge–anybody that says otherwise is lying.
Even if you’re taking a 12 hour course load and spending every night at bars, you’re most likely still feeling the weight of your future bearing down on you. It is inescapable.
It wasn’t until this year that I realized just how frustrating planning life after college could be.
Like most other seniors, I get asked “What are you doing after graduation?” at least once or twice a week. I just want to scream “I don’t know!” and run away and hide.
Real life is upon us and I don’t know how ready I am to accept it. I feel the need to grab underclassmen and quote Billy Madison: “Stay here. Stay here as long as you can.”
Once you have finally come to the conclusion that being a 10th year senior is not a real possibility, you must start looking for a job or applying to graduate school.
This is extremely stressful and requires immense patience that anxious people
such as myself might have a hard time mustering up.
I apply to jobs and I wait…and wait…and wait.
I consider myself lucky if someone takes interest enough to actually inform
me that there are no job positions available. Usually I just get no response.
The most disheartening part about job searching is feeling that you have no
real job experience.
I know when I look online at sites with job opportunities, they all want people who have been in the industry for at least two years.
Where are all the entry level jobs? Do they exist anymore? Can I even get a job with a B.A.in English that I will actually enjoy and doesn’t involve selling insurance? Maybe I’ll just write term papers for high school kids.
Seniors, I know you understand where I am coming from on this. If you actually majored in something you can get a job in right after college, you still have to worry about where to start up and all the factors that go into that process; even you business majors are not immune to this worrisome time.
Underclassmen, see what you get to look forward to?
Again, stay here as long as you can!
Aside from my ramblings about how stressful senior year can be, it is also a great time.
I have a wonderful group of friends and I get to look forward to another fun basketball season.
Perhaps most importantly, I am finally able to participate in senior night at Dana’s.
College is an awesome time and to quote Billy again, “For the love of God, cherish it. You have to cherish it.”
Don’t worry seniors, we are all in the same boat.
Spend time looking for a job or filling out those pesky med school applications, but also take time to relax and have some fun.
We will be out in the real world soon enough.
— LETTERS TO THE EDITOR—
Addressing the issue
The Newswire article referencing the Student Activities Council concert production process and evolution contained a number of inaccuracies as well as misleading statements that we feel need to be addressed.
The headline hints that despite SAC’s best efforts, we were unable to procure a fall concert for this semester. SAC was willing and able to provide a fall concert, but made the conscious decision not to do so, in exchange for the possibility of more popular acts in the future. This decision was made easier because of a campus-wide survey that SAC sent out to the entire student body over the summer, indicating an overwhelming desire by Xavier students to see SAC bring bigger names on campus.
The article also indicates that one of the reasons why SAC did not book a concert this fall was because of our use of a “booking agent” as opposed to an “established concert promoter.” The middle agency company that we have used over the last two years has been tremendous and has helped SAC grow in regards to concert production. They are just as capable as any “established” promoter to book a concert. The use of a concert promoter would potentially allow the student money in the committee’s budget to go farther in procuring a more popular artist.
Lastly, some quotes in the article were not accurate (Editor’s note: See Correction on p. 2). As is often the case when the Newswire chooses to write about SAC, the reporter writing the story contacted members of the board only hours before the paper’s deadline. While no one was able to sit for an interview, an email explaining what has transpired over the semester with Special Events was sent to Newswire staff.
As members of the Student Activities Council, we would like the Xavier community to know that we are always open to feedback, both positive and negative. Most importantly, we want Xavier students to know the truth about what’s going on with SAC.
Ben Hewett | 2008
Chair, Special Events Committee Alyssa Deutsche | 2008
Chair, Student Activities Council
Flag fury
There is more to patriotism than waving a flag. And there is more to patriotism than getting upset at peace symbol in the star spangled banner. The rhetoric in the reader editorial “Disgracing the Flag” (Oct. 24) was nonsense.
Our country has serious issues to deal with right now, and getting upset about a peace sign in a flag is a vast waste of time and resources. I would ask the writer why he is not upset and offended by VA hospital conditions or lack of veteran benefits. That seems far more offensive and tangible than any symbol in the flag.
Our soldiers fight for their comrades, their families, their loved ones and our nation. The flag is the symbol of our nation, and its image holds great symbolism for all of us. But let us honor their service by commending their deeds with our actions and charity. Not cosmetic anger over a symbol.
Zak Woods | 2008
Core curiculum
I am doing everything in my power to not take science or math in college. I took a computer science class for my core math credit and I am avoiding chemistry and biology like the plague. I will admit that taking nine hours of science and six of math is perhaps more than some can handle and will force people without AP credit or dual credit from high school to take more classes than they may desire in one semester. However, I do know that it is important for me to have an understanding of those things, even if they aren’t included in my majors, to be a complete person.
That is the Jesuit idea of a liberal arts education. Jesuit education introduces students to the “good arts” such as philosophy, theology, science, mathematics, English and literature, history, social studies and fine arts, in order to educate “the whole person — mind, body and spirit.” A well rounded education is a good education.
I am not looking forward to taking the science classes (not just because the books cost an arm and a leg) and I don’t see the point of taking a class calling itself rhetoric, but I know that these classes will develop my whole personhood, eventually.
Thaddeus Winker | 2010
Tearing down borders
We, members of Xavier University’s Voices of Solidarity (VOS) organization, are writing in reaction to the immigrant raid at Koch Foods (Fairfield, Ohio), which occurred roughly two months ago.
On Aug. 28, Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided the Koch Foods factory and arrested over 160 undocumented workers. Contrary to stereotypes, these workers were not all from Mexico, but were from the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Lithuania, Peru and Senegal as well. Arrested workers had documents necessary for employment and paying taxes, though they were ineligible for benefits provided by tax money. They were cited for fraud, falsifying documents and identify theft, all illegal activities undertaken in attempts to comply with lawful hiring and taxation procedures.
People often believe that all illegal immigrants are from Mexico and that illegal immigrants do not pay taxes. These misconceptions divert attention from ideas that should be central to the discussion, such as humanity and nationality.
Fundamentally, humanity trumps nationality. Humanity is innate, whereas nationality comes from borders, which are man-made ideas. By focusing on borders instead of humanity, bystanders are able to dehumanize people and think of them as “others.”
Stripping immigrants of their humanity allows people to enforce man-made ideas without anxiety. VOS wishes to challenge others to change the discussion about immigration from a black and white, legal vs. illegal matter, to a gray area where humanity and nationality blend. To some, law should be followed simply because it is law. However, sometimes law demands that people ask, “Is this how the law should be?”
To challenge these ideas, come to VOS meetings (9 p.m. on Thursdays at the Dorothy Day House), contact the Coalition for Immigrant Rights and Dignity, write to local papers or Congress or just talk about immigration with others. There is an immigration panel and discussion at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 in the Gallagher Theater.
Grace Wallace | 2009Sammy Pettinichi | 2011
Darren LaCour
Op-Ed Editor
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