Interfaith Prayer Center expands
Amy Windhorst
Campus News Editor
A space for interfaith prayer is being allocated in Gallagher Student Center for the fall 2008 semester.
As a collaborative effort of a variety of organizations on campus—including the Student Government Association, Student Life, Physical Plant, Romero Center, Peace and Justice, Campus Ministry, Women’s Center and Interfaith students—the project will finally come to fruition as construction begins this summer. “It is a great example of what can be accomplished when different groups can work together,” said SGA President Maggie Meyer.
The permanent prayer space will be located on the second floor of Gallagher and will inhabit the area currently occupied by Project Search. Project Search, a program which aids disabled students, will be relocated to another space on campus. The exact location is still under consideration.
Open 24 hours a day, the interfaith center will provide a place for both personal and group prayer. The space is intended to be religiously neutral, and will supply storage for any necessary religious articles.
The idea of a permanent interfaith prayer space was first conceptualized during a discussion between Xavier’s interfaith students and Campus Ministry in fall 2006. One of these students, Brad Seligmann, has been with the project from the beginning.
“I see this as a first step for all diversity on campus,” said Seligmann. “Xavier has been all about supporting diversity, and that means spiritual support as well.”
Seligmann referenced several universities, including Loyola University and Gonzaga University who provide multiple prayer centers for students of different faith backgrounds. He would like to see Xavier expand similiarly.
SGA first became involved with the project in spring 2007, when a student survey showed that a prayer space was in demand. The new student administration took interest in the project and initiated conversations with various leaders on campus, including Campus Ministry’s Joe Shadle, Student Life’s Kathleen Simons and Seligmann.
SGA offered temporary solutions to students while the permanent space was still in discussion.
The Romero Center was able to provide an area for Muslim worship during the month of Ramadan. Additionally, SGA provided a shuttle service to off-campus faith centers during Jewish and Muslim holidays.
Scheduling and maintenance of the center is still to be determined, as well as other logistical factors. For now, management looks to be a joint venture between all shareholding groups.
Physical Plant plans to convert the space in Gallagher this summer. The project is anticipated to cost around $15,000, as has been set aside by SGA. The center will be operational and open to students this fall.
No price on printing
Michelle Rosmarin
Contributing Writer
Jessica Thimons
Student Sarah Besl will continue to be able to print without paying.
At this time there are no plans to charge students to print documents on campus computers.
Campus print release stations currently display a 10 cent cost for printing documents, but do not actually require payment.
Doug Hanson of Discovery Services said that this is a result of the software used for the print release stations. The company that created this software also does pay print, explaining the cost display.
Currently, printing costs are covered by a student technology fee. “We want to continue this for as long as possible,” said Hanson.
A pay print system would only be implemented if printing costs exceeded what was already covered in the technology fee. Charging for prints is one way to conserve resources used for printing.
“Another option is what we have in place now where students release their print jobs once they get to the printer itself, but are not charged. This reduces the number of materials that are printed but never retrieved,” said Alison Morgan, a librarian and assistant director of the Information Resource Center.
Professor Profile: Dr. Aaron Szymkowiak
Michelle Rosmarin
Contributing Writer
Dr. Aaron Szymkowiak is an assistant professor in the Philosophy department. His love for philosophy and Cincinnati makes Xavier the perfect place.
What colleges did you attend?
I went to Pennsylvania State University for my B.A. in philosophy and M.A. in political science. I went to Boston University for my Ph.D. in philosophy.
What classes do you teach?
I teach Introductory Ethics, Social Contract Theory, the Scottish Enlightenment, Natural Law and International Relations and Markets and Morals. In the coming years, I’ll probably be doing a Hobbes seminar and perhaps something on Kant as well.
What’s your favorite subject to teach?
I especially like teaching anything historical with direct political, legal or moral implications for the present. This does not necessarily mean thinkers with whom I am in agreement (and in fact, it usually does not). I enjoy discussing current affairs with my students, and I like it when they have strong opinions.
I have focused in my own work and my classes on morals and politics, though I find myself increasingly fascinated by aesthetics. Perhaps this is inevitable when a person teaches the Scots.
What is your favorite thing about Xavier?
That’s easy: the people, especially the students and my colleagues in the philosophy department.
How about your least favorite thing about Xavier?
There’s really not much to dislike. Perhaps it feels a bit physically isolated for being a city campus.
Which famous person would you most like to meet?
I had to think about this one for a while. I’ll go with Pope Benedict.
If you weren’t teaching what would you like to be doing?
Had my life taken a different path, I think I could also have been happy with a career in science, law or perhaps even music.
What is the best job you can get with a philosophy degree?
I suppose that depends on whether you intend to do philosophy or not. If the answer is yes, then this is the best job–I think, perhaps more than any other field, teaching is inseparable with philosophy. In my case, I think I knew fairly early that an academic career was right.
On the other hand, there are people who benefit greatly from studying philosophy, though they never intend to become professors. Philosophy is an excellent preparation for a future in law or public service, and can also provide a good foundation for countless other careers.
Technical training will tend to become obsolete quickly – this is never true of the intellectual depth and flexibility that rigorous study of the liberal arts provides.
What music do you have on your iPod?
Some of my students know that the appropriate answer for me is “have you got a few days to talk”? At the moment, a fair amount of jazz, generally from the 50s-to-early-70s. (Mingus, Miles and Gil, Sun Ra… there’s no such thing as a bad Art Blakey album); some krautrock (Amon Duul, Can); classic glam, postpunk...
I think I could listen to albums like “Script of the Bridge.” “Spirit of Eden,” or “Scott 4” thousands of times and not grow tired of them.
This is a fun question, but allow me to interject a thought: there is a good analogy to be made between looking at popular contemporary arts like music and cinema, and viewing philosophy historically, as we tend to do here at Xavier. To “get” music, you’ve got to know something about its history. This often means challenging received views of things, and opening debates over supposedly “settled” matters. Why is “Sgt. Pepper” considered the model, iconic 60s pop record? There may be a superior case to be drawn for “Forever Changes” or “Odyssey and Oracle”. There are numberless instances of criminally overlooked talents.
We ought to ask similar questions of more serious matters. The fact that few people accept some view at present–that it has “lost,” so to speak–does not make it unworthy of consideration....
We might still want to stick with our previous view, but now we understand ourselves more fully. A deep historical perspective allows us to appreciate nobility, goodness and beauty more effectively in the present. Back to the iPod: among very recent music, I’m very impressed by Sun Kil Moon’s “April” and Tindersticks’ “The Hungry Saw.”
Why did you decide to study philosophy?
I found it the most challenging thing I could study, and it touched upon everything else that interested me, be it politics, science, art or religion.
If you were a food what would you be?
Is “a fine ale” a permissible answer?
Do you have any advice for your students?
College should be simultaneously very serious and very fun. For most people, this is the one period in life with freedom to grow through exposure to new things. Take advantage of this…in your professors, you have a group of people on hand ready and willing to assist you.
Is there anything else you’d like your students to know about you?
I live in Mariemont with my wife and two children. Cincinnati is most definitely home.
Police Notes
April 1, 12:10 a.m.– Campus Police were asked to escort a disorderly subject out of Cintas Center.
April 5, 12:52 a.m.– Upon investigating a loud noise complaint in the Village, Campus Police detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the room and subsequently confiscated contraband and paraphernalia.
April 5, 1:15 a.m.– Campus Police assisted Residence Life with two disorderly students in Husman Hall. Several containers of alcohol were confiscated from the students’ rooms.
April 5, 9:46 p.m.– Campus Police discovered that the park gate lock was missing from the Victory Family Park.
April 6, 3:10 a.m.– Campus Police were flagged down by a subject requesting a ride to the hospital. It was determined that the subject had several outstanding warrants and was turned over to Cincinnati Police.
Police Note of the Week
April 1, 2:20 p.m.– A student in Brockman Hall reported the theft of a laptop and cell phone from his unlocked room. It was later reported that the items were returned by a subject “wanting to teach a lesson” to the student about leaving his or her room unlocked.
Meghan Berneking
Campus News Editor
E/RS lecture
Robin Wright will lecture on “The Future of the Middle East: Dreams and Shadows” at 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 13 in the Schiff Family Conference Center. Wright is diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Post and author of “Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East” (2008). Her reflections are based on decades of reporting in two dozen countries and draw from first-hand interviews.
Wright’s lecture is co-sponsored by Xavier University’s Ethics/Religion and Society Program and the American Jewish Committee.
Argentine concert
Voices of Solidarity, Spanish Club and the Student Organization of Latinos are hosting Argentine singer Chany Suarez at 7 p.m. on April 14 in the Gallagher Theatre. Chany Suarez is well-known for her tango and social justice-themed songs. Admission is $5 and will count as a Spanish cultural event. Please direct any questions to Irene Hodgson, professor of Modern Languages, at hodgson@xavier.edu.
BSA nominations
BSA Board of Elections will be facilitating an open nomination session for each of the executive officers at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 in Kelley Auditorium. Nominations will ONLY be accepted at this meeting, although you do not have to be in attendance to be nominated. If you have any questions, please contact Jordan Olinger, chair of BSA Board of Elections Committee at olingerjs@xavier.edu or 404-422-3270.
ThomasFest lecture
The Philosophy Department announces the 50th Annual ThomasFest Lecture at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 17 in the Conaton Board Room. Rev. David V. Meconi, S.J., assistant professor of theology at St. Louis University, will speak on “Traveling without Moving: Love as Ecstatic Union in Plotinus, Augustine and Dante.” The lecture and reception are free and open to the public. Contact Linda Loomis at x3821, or email loomis@xavier.edu for more information.
Arabic I
The department of modern languages announces that Arabic 101 Beginning Arabic I, is available for the fall 2008 semester. Please contact Dr. David Knutson at knutson@xavier.edu, or call x4240 with any questions.
Charity event
Adventures for Wish Kids will host the 3rd Annual Charity Stripe Challenge presented by Xavier University’s Athletic Department. The event will take place from 4-8 p.m., Friday, April 18 in Cintas Center Auxiliary Gym. All proceeds will benefit local children with life-threatening illnesses. Participants get pledges for the number of foul shots made in 10 minutes of shooting. For more information, call 232-5104 or contact Becky Jackson at x3389.
Theology lecture
The Theology and Animals class will begin an investigation on the issue of sexual assault with a short lecture entitled “Women as Animals” by Dr. Elizabeth Farians. All interested students are welcome to attend at 4:15 p.m. today, Wednesday, April 9 at 4:15 p.m. in the Honor’s Villa.
Senior board
Senior Board is currently accepting applications to be on the board for the 2008-2009 school year. All currently enrolled students can apply to be on board. The application can be found under the Senior Board group on the portal. Applications will be due Friday, April 11 at the Welcome Desk in GSC. Contact Katie Campbell at campbellk1@xavier.edu or at 614-325-0709.
