— STAFF EDITORIAL —
Stagnant system
Over the past few months, we’ve gained a lot of respect for Xavier’s Student Government Association. We’ve begun to fully appreciate how much time and effort those involved in the organization put into their work, and we honestly admire that.
We’ve gained so much respect for SGA that we’ve actually starting defending the organization when we hear students attack it. We think the student body has a lot of negative perceptions about SGA that are unfair. So we’ve been trying to correct these perceptions as much as possible.
However, after these elections, defending SGA is going to be a lot tougher than it was three weeks ago.
It seems like the events that occurred over the past two weeks reinforced many of the negative perceptions the student body has of Xavier University:
“People in SGA are just in it for the résumé line.”
“The election is just a popularity contest.”
“SGA doesn’t represent the students.” How do you argue that people in SGA aren’t in it for the résumé building when we just had an election where people fought tooth and nail over fancy titles?
How do you argue that the election isn’t just a popularity contest when the major part of candidates’ campaigns is to hand out free stuff?
How do you argue that SGA represents the students when only 9 percent—9 percent!—of the student body voted for the victorious executive ticket?
We’re concerned. SGA didn’t enjoy the best perception in the student body before this electoral fiasco. But what does “the average student” think about SGA now?
We think this situation is completely salvageable, but that SGA should reevaluate their relationship with the student body. Instead of trying to “serve” the student body, maybe SGA should try to “facilitate” the student body.
Let us be absolutely clear about this. Few students on this campus work harder to make Xavier a better place than the students who serve on SGA. We are in no way questioning their effort or competency.
We’re questioning the system.
Isn’t there something wrong with a system that turns kind, decent and caring individuals into political monsters who resort to slimy campaign tactics during election week?
It seems like there is a massive of pressure on those students who serve on SGA. And if they keep trying to “serve” over 6,000 students, we don’t see this pressure dissipating anytime soon.
So instead of “serving” the students, try providing more students more opportunities to get involved in the campus community. For instance, we know that there are plenty of students who are concerned with Sodexho’s service at Xavier. Perhaps instead of sending a few senators to tackle the issue, senators should be in charge of generating petitions and organizing other concerned students.
Maybe the best way to serve the students is to help mobilize them.
Now, more than ever, SGA needs to be accessible to the student body.
Are you addicted to sports? A quiz
Andrew Chestnut
Editorial Columnist
You may (or may not) be asking yourself, “Do I care too much about sports?” Take Andrew Chestnut’s short quiz to find out.
1. The best TV sports commentator is...
Who cares? (1 point)
John Madden, because he makes it so easy to understand what is happening. (-1 point)
Gus Johnson. (5 points)
John Madden, because making fun of him is one of my pastimes. (7 points)
2. If asked what the Patriot League is, I would respond...
An NCAA Conference (4)
A group of Revolutionary War reenactors (-3)
3. ___ sounds like something I’m most likely to ask:
“So, who’s bringing Bend It Like Beckham tonight?” (0)
“Now, where did LeBron James go to college?” (1)
“How long has the dropped third strike rule been in effect?” (4)
“What do you mean you won’t give me Shaun Alexander for Larry Fitzgerald? Are you crazy? What if I throw in Dallas’ defense?” (8)
4. I would die to see a ___ in person
Superbowl (1)
Notre Dame football game (3)
Duke/UNC game (4)
Packers home game (5)
Bill Belichick press-conference blow-up (20)
Spice Girls concert (-10)
5. If I had $100 million, I would...
Travel to various sports venues around the country (3)
Buy Barry Bond’s homerun-record-breaking baseball and let people vote on what I should do with it (8)
What are you talking about in the previous question? (-2)
Buy an NFL team (6)
Buy an English Premier League team (14)
6. The most underrated sports movie is...
“White Men Can’t Jump” (1)
“Brian’s Song” (7)
“Miracle” (4)
“Bill Durham” (8)
“Love and Basketball” (-30)
7. Which of the following adjectives have you used to describe what you just witnessed during a sporting event?
Cool (1)
Awesome (1)
Unexpected (2)
Old-school (3)
Favre-like (4)
AND ONE!!! (5)
Dominique-Wilkins-esque (8)
Condemnable (10)
Solipsistic (18)
8. In my opinion, Xavier needs...
A football team (2)
Basketball tailgating (8)
A less apathetic student section (3)
A better mascot (-5)
9. At Xavier basketball games, I wear:
A blue shirt (3)
A light-purple/brown shirt (4)
Whatever I have on (-17)
Very itchy blue paint (20)
10. I would pick ____ to be my Godfather:
Archie Manning (4)
Woody Paige (10)
Andy Dick (-22)
Dick Vitale (30)
Bonuses...
One point for each time you've YouTubed Dennis Green’s “We let ‘em off the hook!” press-conference tirade
For being Mike Pierce, 50 points
Less than 35: I guess it comes as no surprise to you that you aren’t completely, and probably not remotely, interested in sports. Congratulations on making it to the end of what must have been a terribly boring and confusing quiz.
35-80: You are semi-interested, and possibly almost addicted, to sports, but you’ve still got some work to do before you go stumping the Schwab or anything.
80-200: You are officially addicted to sports*. You probably make playoff predictions before the season starts, are a member of several fantasy leagues and your two best friends are Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser. And that’s just how you like it.
200+: Please get help.
*Not a medically-approved diagnosis
Cupid’s costly curse
Mfreke Akpaninye
Editorial Columnist
Hey everyone! I know it’s been awhile, but hopefully you had a good Valentine’s Day. Mine was pleasant, but in the days approaching the holiday I noticed a pretty amazing phenomenon: that Valentine’s Day is sexually biased.
In other words, Valentine’s Day is enjoyed more specifically by girls than guys. I know—crazy.
If you watched any Valentine’s Day commercials on television, all the gifts were given by males and the recipients were always females. I saw one Kay Jewelers commercial where a husband gives his wife a box of jewelry and they of course kiss while a little boy watches. Then the boy goes to his room and makes a fake box of “Kay Jewelry” and gives it to his little girl crush. He too gets a kiss.
I’m not saying that it isn’t right to show your love on Valentine’s Day, but it needs to be more balanced. In that commercial, I remember it saying that the price ranged between $499.99 and $6,500. $6,500.00!!! I know the saying that you can’t buy love, but that’s got to be false. If guys made homemade cards every year, there would be a lot of singles. I’m sorry ladies, but if I go out and spend $6,500 on you, I’d better get something more than a kiss. I’m not talking about sex either because I don’t think sex is even worth that much. I wouldn’t pay $6,500 to have sex with Angelina Jolie.
I think that both people should get something nice. Why can’t the commercials show the opposite thing? Why can’t a girl go out and buy chocolates and jewelry for her man and then get a kiss back in return? I know “bling-bling” was popular back in the day but I am pretty sure it is still a nice gift for guys.
Another thing I have to point out is how some girls buy lingerie and underwear for Valentine’s Day to wear for their lovers and think that’s a good enough gift. But what if your boyfriend or significant other bought some Valentine’s boxers with hearts and arrows to wear for you as a gift and that’s all they got you? You’d be a bit upset. That is like your boyfriend buying you a football for Valentine’s Day. You would be pissed.
I feel that a gift is something that is supposed to be used by the person receiving the gift, not the giver (Of course with the lingerie example, one could argue that the guys is probably just using the girl for what he wants, so maybe the gift is fair after all).
In no way am I saying I hate Valentine’s Day, but changes need to be made in the kinds of gifts that are exchanged.
Ladies, sometimes guys want to be taken out and bought nice things.
So, next Valentine’s Day, try to get something for your man that costs the same or close to something you would want.
— STAFF EDITORIAL —
Safety concerns
With the recent shootings around the country, I am concerned with the safety of Xavier’s campus. This is a weapon-free campus, which is wonderful. To further enhance security we are also not allowed to carry any fake weapons, like toy guns or swords. But recently I have noticed a student carrying a fake lightsaber around. Who is to say this is not real? This makes me doubt the security of campus, if they can carry around a fake lightsaber, then who is going to stop someone from carrying around a fake gun? Then who is to know that the gun is fake? I am just as afraid of getting shot as I am of getting my limbs hacked off by a lightsaber.
Michael Lanner | 2010
Let them play
The intramural season is about to draw to a close, and I am a bit disappointed. I am not trying to make intramurals look bad, but there are some things that I found disappointing. My basketball, outdoor soccer and football teams were scheduled to play three games this season. Older Xavier students have said that they played more games in past years. My indoor soccer team experienced a different cutback. We were supposed to play 20 minute halves, but they were cut to 15 minutes, a significant change in playing time. I understand that we have to work around the schedules of O’Connor and the personnel needed to run the program and that we have limited resources for the program, but I would like to see the number of games increase.
Also, I’m concerned about the officiating in intramural games. I don’t expect all correct calls to be made since students are officiating, but I do think games would go more smoothly if players could assist the officials in some way, maybe by being honest and by making calls that the referees miss. I appreciate the referees’ time and efforts, and I think we can make their jobs easier and more effective.
Robert Marchi | 2011
Unnecessary Additions
I would like to start by saying that in no way am I knocking our wonderful newly renovated library. But I would like to bring some attention to the oversized and unnecessary professor lounge.
Professors aren’t spending their free time in the library. Do you think that they need a room that can seat 50 people? (Exaggeration just for effect) But really? We have new plasma TVs, less seating and a HUGE area that never gets used! I think we have a wonderful library and it offers amazing resources to aid in our learning. But really? It’s hard enough to come up with tuition money; I hate to see it put to waste.
Tom Skiba | 2008
Abstinance in not the only choice
Is it a ridiculous notion to believe the insistence on abstinence brings more harm than good to our community? I’ve been in the Catholic school system all my life and have suffered through countless misleading lessons championing the merits of abstinence based on the motto, “The safest sex is no sex.” What a dubious argument!
Condoms and other forms of contraception are preventative measures meant to decrease the likelihood of pregnancy and the spread of STDs. No, they are not 100 percent effective, but they serve a valuable public health need and are by no means dangerous. My seatbelt doesn’t guarantee my safety in a car accident. I guess I shouldn’t wear that either.
Abstinence programs have their failure rates too. A Northern Kentucky study showed 61 percent of college students that signed virginity pledges broke them. The current presidential administration attributes recent declines in teen pregnancies to the increased funding of abstinence education, a nearly billion-dollar initiative. However, researchers at Columbia University and the Guttmacher Institute attribute 86 percent of the decline to a greater and more effective use of contraceptives. Besides, where would Jesus be if abstinence worked 100 percent of the time? God works in mysterious ways.
Catholic values obviously play an enormous role at Xavier. I am not trying to discredit or even discourage them. I am only advocating the presentation of the whole truth. Contraception is a necessary public health need and it is absurd to assume that just because I am handed a condom, I’m more inclined to become a sexual deviant.
Richard Head | 2010
An Open Letter to the Commuter of the Month
Many of you have no doubt noticed the prestigious parking spot in front of Kuhlman Hall reserved for the Commuter of the Month. Apparently the Commuter of the Month is held in such high regard here at Xavier that his or her parking spot is one spot closer than that of the Vice President. However, have any of you readers actually seen this elusive Commuter of the Month? Or have any of you commuters been able to apply for this position? Do you apply to be the Commuter of the Month, or are you hand-picked by a secretive council of Jesuits? Why isn’t a picture of the Commuter of the Month posted on the MYXU Portal along with the ‘Person of the Week?’ These are questions that no one I have talked to at Xavier seems to know.
Because of these inconsistencies I have come to the conclusion that may shock some of you out there: there is no Commuter of the Month. Maybe a Xavier official came up with the idea, had a sign made and forgot the whole affair. Maybe the person in charge of choosing the Commuter of the Month died and was never replaced. Any way you look at it, it seems that the Commuter of the Month exists only in our hearts and minds.
If I am wrong in this conclusion and you do exist, elusive Commuter of the Month, please contact me. I am extremely curious to find out who you are and how you were chosen for such an impressive honor. Your story needs to be told. In addition, I have a confession to make: I’ve been parking in your spot all the time. Mostly just at night, since I figure if you do exist you’ve already commuted back to your home by then. Are you OK with that? Can I have the spot when you don’t need it? Can we be friends?
P.S. To the Vice President, is it cool if I park in your spot sometimes at night and on weekends? Because I do. I mean, you shouldn’t work too late anyway, it’s bad for you. You work hard and deserve to be at home spending quality time with your family on nights and weekends.
P.P.S. To the Parking Enforcement, please don’t ticket my car.
Nick Clark | 2010
Ask the experts: Dr. Oliver Birckhead
Question: Why isn’t the Health Center open on weekends?
This is purely because of expense, and what we would have to do to staff the Health Center on the weekends.
If, for example, we extended the hours to Saturday, we would have to hire people just to work on that day, since the rest of our staff is already full time.
As such, we would have to raise the Student Health and Counseling Fee, which we haven’t raised for two years because we’re trying to be an inflation fighter on behalf of the students.
Most doctors’ offices aren’t open all the time anyway, save some pediatricians and other huge practices.
Another thing to look at is that at Xavier, we have more physician hours than most chools our size, including an on board consulting psychologist and a gynecologist.
ther schools are able to have more physician hours when they have medical schools on campus.
If students need to get in contact with a physician after-hours, they may call campus police, who will then contact the physician, who can let the students know about self care-options to tide them over until the Health Center reopens on Monday.
Matt Kroeger
"So It Goes" by Matt Kroeger
Katherine Monasterio
Op-Ed Editor
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