Xavier aims to up enrollment, despite economy
Kathryn Rosenbaum
News Editor
Despite the current economic crisis, Xavier University is still hoping to increase
freshmen enrollment for the 2009-10 school year.
Xavier has set a goal of 940 freshmen students, up from the goal of 870 students
last year.
Marianne Borgmann, Director of Enrollment Communications in the Office of Admission, said that this goal was set before the economic crisis, but that Xavier is still planning to enroll 940 freshmen next year.
Currently, applications have increased about 5 percent from this time last year, from 4,281 to 4,509, as of Monday, Dec. 8.
Borgmann predicts that the Office of Admission will receive about 6,500 applications for students in the class of 2013. This includes an increased number of applications from Ohio, which she predicts is a result of the economy.
1,501 students have already been admitted this year since Xavier has changed to a rolling admission process because “students want to hear earlier.”
Decisions about acceptance are made and then are immediatley sent out, instead of waiting to deliver these decisions all at once.
However, this hasn’t altered the criteria for admission and the “quality of student hasn’t changed,” said Borgmann.
Although the country is in a recession, Borgmann and the Office of Admissions have not “seen many problems from the economy yet.”
However, she also explained that students are still in the process of narrowing down and applying to different colleges and universities, and that the financial discussion comes later, usually in January and February.
To try to offer students some aid with paying for Xavier’s tuition, there has been a moderate increase of about $1,000 to $2,000 in many of the scholarships, including the Chancellor and Trustee scholarships.
In order to try to recruit an increased number of students, the Office of Admissions is concentrating on fewer, more involved events.
They held an X-perience day in November where 1,000 people attended, the largest event that admissions has ever held.
Other local universities are also encountering an increase in the number of applications. University of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University and University of Dayton all have reported increased numbers of applications.
Applications at UC are up 2-2.5 percent compared to last year. UC and NKU are also looking to increase freshmen enrollment, while UD tries to keep their enrollment numbers constant.
XU celebrates Christmas with local children
Amy Windhorst
News Editor
Jessica Thimons
Students from Norwood View Elementary pose for a picture with Santa.
Christmas came early to nearly 125 underpriveledged children on Xavier’s campus yesterday.
The event, “A Xavier Christmas,” was hosted by the Student Involvement Office.
Committee members and volunteers collaborated with five local elementary schools to serve students in kindergarten through second grades.
At Cinatas each elementary students were paired with Xavier “buddies,” who guided them through a variety of activities along the concourse.
Some of the stations included drinks and pizza, pictures with Santa and other Christmas-themed crafts and games.
Junior Sarah Voveris, a volunteer coordinator with the Student Involvement Office, was enthusiastic about the importance of the event for both the elementary students and Xavier volunteers alike.
“For many of these children, this afternoon is the highlight of their Christmas season,” said Voveris.
“For the Xavier students who volunteer, it’s an opportunity to view Christmas through the eyes of a child. It truly allows the big and little buddies to bond over what Christmas is all about–love, joy and giving.”
Lauren Jenny, a graduate assistant of student involvement, commented on the program’s importance at Xavier.
“Xavier Christmas is an important program for our campus because it brings community service and holiday spirit to the campus,” said Jenny.
“Xavier Christmas gives students the opportunity to get involved with the children in the surrounding community and provide them with a spectacular Christmas that they will never forget or might not otherwise receive.”
Typically, the event moves to the greenspace for hot chocolate, cookies and a Christmas tree-lighting by Santa and Xavier President, Fr. Michael Graham, S.J. A live nativity was also planned. Unfortunately, inclement weather conditions caused the last portion of the event to be canceled.
owever, the children were still able to have dinner and participate in activities in the Cintas Center.
This is the third year of A Xavier Christmas. The program was initially formed by a small group of SGA senators in 2006.
During its first year, the event consisted of less than 50 children in Gallagher Student Center. The next year, Xavier Christmas moved to Cintas Center, where it continues to grow in size.
Jenny emphasized the need for the Xavier community to stay involved if the program is to further expand.
“The event would not be possible without the many Xavier students who volunteer their time,” she said.
For students interested in becoming part of the planning committee, applications will be available in the spring. Xavier Christmas also has a booth annually at Club Day on the Mall, where Xavier students can sign up to volunteer as a “buddy.”
Hebrew Union College partners with Xavier
New partnership promotes interfaith relations, establishes Jewish Studies minor
Amy Windhorst
Campus News Editor
Just weeks ago, Xavier University entered into a historic partnership with Cincinnati’s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR).
This is the first partnership of its kind between a Jesuit, Catholic University and a Reform Jewish Rabbinic Seminary.
This pioneering program will make Xavier home to the largest undergraduate Jewish Studies program at any Catholic institution of higher learning in the world.
The Macy’s Foundation is helping to fund the initiative between the two schools with a $750,000 grant.
President Fr. Michael Graham, S.J. of Xavier University and HUC-JIR President, Rabbi David Ellenson, were at the forefront of the venture. Both seemed enthusiastic about furthering the relationship between the schools.
“It is in this spirit of ecumenicism, reconciliation and hope – and with the conviction that both our Catholic and Jewish traditions require that we do the work of the Divine in this world – that an exciting and unprecedented partnership between this great Catholic university and this venerable Jewish seminary has been created,” said Ellenson.
With this historic partnership, the schools hope is to position Cincinnati as a hub of Catholic and Jewish interfaith studies. Both colleges will benefit significantly from the agreement. In accordance with the missions of both schools, the partnership will boost academic offerings at each institution.
But what does this mean for Xavier students? Those on campus should expect to see additional courses appearing in the catalogue. A committee is already being formed to oversee the interaction between the two colleges.
The first phase of the partnership will be to offer undergraduate courses in Jewish Studies, taught jointly by HUC-JIR and Xavier professors. This will allow Xavier undergraduates to obtain minors in Jewish Studies.
Xavier students will also have access to Hebrew Union College’s esteemed Klau Library and Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.
The second phase will be to integrate Xavier courses and faculty into Hebrew Union’s undergraduate and graduate offerings. This will permit students at HUC-JIR to enroll in Xavier programs such as our education and business schools.
Some of the courses being offered at HUC-JIR via Xavier will include Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, History of the Catholic Church, Comparative Ethics and Comparative Theology.
Additionally, Hebrew Union’s School of Graduate Studies is expanding to offer a new area of academic concentration in Christian Studies.
Professor Profile: Dr. Brent Blair
New partnership promotes interfaith relations, establishes Jewish Studies minor
Amy Windhorst
Campus News Editor
Dr. Brent Blair has been a professor in Xavier’s Biology Department since 2005 with a focus in the environmental and ecological areas of the department, Dr. Blair teaches Ecology for majors, Ecology and People for non-majors and the Environmental Studies seminar, not to mention a fascinating annual Tropical Biodiversity course in Costa Rica. The Newswire recently sat down with him to chat.
The Xavier Newswire: What degrees do you have?
Dr. Blair: I have a degree in Economics from Princeton University, and a Master’s
and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Michigan.
XN: What are your favorite classes to teach and why?
BB: It’s hard to say. I guess I like Ecology and Ecology and People for
different reasons. Ecology and People is a non-majors class, so there are a
lot of students who have not been exposed to environmental issues before. It’s
good to see them get excited about them. I like Ecology because I can go into
the issues with more depth.
XN: Can you talk about the study abroad course in Costa Rica?
BB: I did my research for my dissertation in Nicaragua, so I was interested
in doing a tropical course. I think it’s a good opportunity for students
to experience learning about the tropics because it’s such a different
ecosystem than Ohio.
XN: How do you like to spend your free time (or do you have any)?
BB: I guess I don’t really have any. But as far as time spent away from
school, I enjoy hanging out with my wife and 2-year-old.
XN: What’s on your iPod?
BB: I have an old, broken iPod that was recalled, but I never sent it back.
But as far as taste in music, I guess I like an eclectic mix of jazz and some
alternative rock. I guess I don’t really listen to music as much as I
used to.
XN: Do you follow any sports teams?
BB: I’m from Chicago, so I guess I would have to say the White Sox and
the Bears. And of course I’m a Musketeer fan.
XN: Why Biology?
BB: Like I said, I grew up in Chicago, so in the big city there was not a lot
of nature around. But I’ve always been interested in nature. As a kid
I was allergic to dogs and cats so I had a lot of reptiles. (He gestures to
the turtle in a tank in his office.)
XN: Does the turtle have a name?
BB: His name is Stan. He is named after my predecessor.
XN: What’s your favorite part about teaching?
BB: The interaction with students. I don’t enjoy the grading, though.
But it is exciting when a student is learning new things and discussing them.
It’s interesting to get students’ opinions. Sometimes we disagree,
but that’s OK There is learning on both sides.
XN: Why Xavier?
BB: Before I came here I was in California. I wanted to come back to the Midwest
partially because it was hard to commute to visit family, but also because I
missed the weather with the seasonal transitions. So I was excited with the
opportunity to come back to the Midwest.
XN: What’s your guilty pleasure?
BB: I really like “Lost” even though it’s kind of stupid.
I used to like “24,” but my wife says it’s too violent so
we don’t watch it anymore. I guess deep down I just want to be a tough
guy.
XN: What’s your advice to students?
BB: I get a lot of students worrying about what they are going to do with their
life or their degree. I would say that you still have a long time to discover
what you want to do with your life. I was originally an econ major and I completely
switched gears, but I did alright.
XN: Very generally, what do you feel passionate about?
BB: I guess environmental issues. More broadly, political issues. I’m
interested in environmental issues as they influence people, so social justice
things like that. I like to see how that plays out in politics.
Police Notes
Dec. 1, 6:35 p.m. – Campus Police, Cincinnati Fire and Rescue, Residence Life and Physical Plant responded to a fire alarm in Kuhlman hall. Smoke was found on the first floor, but officials were unable to locate the source. The smoke cleared up and the system was reset.
Dec. 2, 3:35 a.m. – Campus Police assisted Norwood Police with a report of students trespassing and breaking bottles on the 3900 block of Regent Avenue. The investigation is pending, and the dean of students was notified.
Dec. 3, 7:46 p.m. – Campus Police received reports that a former Xavier student recently made several unusual phone calls to the university.
Dec. 4, 5:11 p.m. – Campus Police, Cincinnati Fire and Rescue, Residence Life and Physical Plant responded to a fire alarm set off on the ground floor of Brockman hall. Aerosol spray used near the smoke detector accidentally activated the alarm. The system was reset.
Dec. 5, 2:26 a.m. – Campus Police investigated two students acting suspiciously in a vehicle on Ledgewood Avenue. One student was cited for underage consumption.
Dec. 5, 2:30 a.m. – A student reported being assaulted by an unknown subject while exiting a taxi in the C-1 lot. Residence Life was notified.
Dec. 5, 7:51 p.m. – A student reported the theft of a laptop computer from a classroom on the second floor of Elet hall.
Dec. 5, 11:38 p.m. – Campus Police investigated a loud party in the Village. Three students were cited for underage consumption.
Dec. 6, 12:54 a.m. – Campus Police investigated a student and non-student engaged in sexual activity in a parked car in Lot A. Both were cited for public indecency.
Dec. 6, 11:59 a.m. – Two students reported a minor accident in the Village lot. One student was cited for failure to produce a driver’s license.
Dec. 7, 2:02 a.m. – Three students acting suspiciously in the South Campus lot were cited for underage consumption.
Police Note of the Week
Dec. 7, 10:45 a.m. – A student reported that an unknown subject in a vehicle on University Drive attempted to convince the student to get a ride with him or her, and asked to take pictures of the student. Officers were unable to locate the subject.
