In an open letter to Father Wild and Provost Pauly today, Marquette Theology Professor Dr. Dan Maguire called on Marquette’s president to “…shoulder all the blame and make your already given notice of resignation effective immediately.” Maguire said Wild’s successor should then re-invite Dr. Jodi O’Brien to be Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Maguire said if O’Brien were to re-accept, she would “be the most warmly received dean in the history of this great university.”

In the letter, Maguire said the university’s decision to take back the offer to O’Brien was “the worst decision made at Marquette in decades” and warned that the controversy could jeopardize future College Arts and Sciences dean searches.

“…Future candidates could feel compromised for stepping in when a previous candidate was discriminated against and embarrassed,” Maguire said.  “It would seem as if they saw the treatment of Dr. O’Brien as a matter of no moment.”

Maguire’s letter comes after a student protest on Thursday drew national media attention to the decision to rescind O’Brien’s offer. The university said in a statement Thursday that the decision to take back the offer was not about O’Brien’s sexuality, which Wild affirmed during his comments at the Pere Marquette faculty dinner that night.

“I want to say it strongly, clearly and directly, what this decision is not about: it is not about sexual identity, that is important to say,” Wild said. “If we were approaching matters this way it’s not only illegal, it’s against our Catholic faith.”

According to the letter, Maguire said Wild based his decision “on an interpretation of what was or what was not compatible with Catholic teaching,” and charged Wild with failing to consult faculty experts on Catholic moral teaching.

“The Theology Department is one of the major theologates in North America, just a few yards away from your offices,” Maguire said. “You ignored them as you also ignored teachers of ethics in the Philosophy department and professors in Sociology, Dr. O’Brien’s field.”

Maguire said rescinding O’Brien’s offer will have long-term implications for Marquette, and in the letter that “much of the damage” Wild has caused, “is beyond repair.” However, he said, “…confession of sins and reparation are central to Catholic spirituality.”

The debate over the decision has raised questions of the level of academic freedom on camps, and Maguire said Saturday that limiting academic freedom would have a “chilling effect on the whole university.”

“If only conservative views—or only liberal views—on debatable matters are deemed legitimate, we cease being a university where, as Cardinal Newman said, many minds may compete freely together.”

The entire letter can be read below:

May 8, 2010

To: Robert Wild, S.J., President, Marquette University

John Pauly, Provost, Marquette University

When I came to Marquette 40 years ago I was told Marquette supported academic freedom.  I believe that and acted on that assurance and was tenured and promoted to the highest rank.  That is the Marquette I know.  That is the Marquette I respect, and that is the Marquette I have just seen demeaned and betrayed.

The decision by a handful of administrators  to break the oral contract with Dr. O’Brien  a decision that broke all the canons of collegiality, was the worst decision made at Marquette in decades.  In one act you managed to insult Dr. O’Brien, the Marquette faculty and student body, and the Jesuit Seattle University.  You based your decision on an interpretation of what was or what was not compatible with Catholic teaching.  However, you did not consult the faculty experts on Catholic moral teaching on this campus.  The Theology Department is one of the major theologates in North America, just a few yards away from your offices. You ignored them as you also ignored teachers of ethics in the Philosophy department and professors in Sociology, Dr. O’Brien’s field..

Much of the damage you caused is beyond repair and will hover over this university for years….. but not all of it. Confession of sins and reparation are central to Catholic spirituality.

A Lesson from History

A similar breach of contract occurred in 1999 when Fr. Charles Curran was invited to give the annual Pere Marquette Lecture.  When the then chair of the Theology Department learned that the invitation had been made and accepted, he contacted Dr. Curran and withdrew the invitation because of Fr. Curran’s liberal views.  The Theology Department, led by Michael Fahey, S.J., protested vigorously and Fr. Curran was re-invited.  He was gracious enough to accept.

Solution

As to the disastrous disinvitation of Dr. O’Brien: all blame may not reside with the president of Marquette, but the “buck stops” on your desk, Fr. Wild..  You should shoulder all the blame and make your already given notice of resignation effective immediately.  Your pro tem successor should then re-invite Dr. Jodi O’Brien to be Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

If she accepts, and it would be a supreme act of generosity for her to do so,  I can guarantee this: Dr. Jodi O’Brien will be the most warmly received dean in the history of this great university.

Professor Daniel C. Maguire

Theology Department

daniel.maguire@marquette.edu

Popularity: 5% [?]

Nearly 100 students marched on the Alumni Memorial Union Thursday to protest a decision by Father Wild to rescind an offer of deanship for the College of Arts and Sciences to  Jodi O’Brien who is currently a sociology professor at Seattle University. After a two-year vetting process the Arts and Sciences search committee extended an offer to O’Brien, but took it back earlier this week after what protestors said was “pressure” from  donors and Board of Trustee members.

O’Brien was the top choice for the Arts and Sciences selection committee, who last year had to begin their search again after they did not receive enough qualified applicants. Marquette confirmed the decision to take back O’Brien’s offer through a university statement Thursday afternoon.  ”This personnel decision was not about sexual orientation,” according to the statement. The university admits to “certain oversights in the search process,” and also expressed regret at the initial offer  to O’Brien. ” As a result of this search, the university will revise some aspects of the search process,” according to the statement.

Students expressed their outrage at the decision Thursday when a group of students marched down Wisconsin Avenue, then brought the protest into the rotunda in the AMU. Protest organizer and doctoral candidate in the philosophy department, Margaret Steele  addressed the crowd and said “we are here, we are committed to standing up for dignity of all persons in the community.”

After moving inside the union, protesters began shouting “shame on you,” and chanting, “we are here for education, not for your discrimination.” Student signs read “MU cannot serve both God and money,” “Academic freedom is for sale,”   “Since when is discrimination a Catholic value?” and “Fr. Wild is this your legacy?”

Students  started to dance and jump when Philosophy Professor Dr. Nancy Snow,  addressed the crowd. She read some prepared remarks and talked about her history with Marquette as a proud alumnus. Snow attended Marquette for undergraduate and graduate study and said she has had “the honor of working here.” She announced that O’Brien will “not be coming as dean,” but emphasized that Father Wild is “a good man.”

Snow circulated an e-mail Thursday afternoon encouraging students to express their disappointment with the decision, and was recieved warmly by students when she addressed her own sexuality.  ”I am a proud out lesbian,” she said.  Snow said she was recently promoted to full professor in the philosophy department and joked, “I hope that offer is not rescinded.” She then read  Marquette’s statement on diversity, “Marquette seeks to become a diverse community dedicated to the promotion of justice.” She went on to say each member of the MU community is taught to celebrate differences, “this call to action is integral to the tradition we share.”

Snow went on to say O’Brien’s writings are  ”unobjectionable pieces of sociological scholarship that contain vignettes of lesbian sex, that are then analyzed for the purpose of sociological study.” She said in an e-mail that she suspects detractors of O’Brien’s work to be  ”donors, and that Fr. Wild fears losing their support.”

Addition excerpts from Snow’s e-mail include:

“Good morning, everyone. As many of you know, I’ve been involved with discussions with Fr. Wild and Dr. Pauly over the last few days regarding the possible withdrawal of the offer to Jodi O’Brien. Dr. Pauly is clearly in favor of Dr. O’Brien. Fr. Wild believes he must withdraw the contract. Apparently, much of the issue centers on concerns that she will not be able to represent the Church’s position, and will need to spend an inordinate amount of time defending herself from detractors, thereby compromising her ability to perform her duties as Dean. Much of the controversy centers on publications she wrote in the late 1990’s. I’ve read both of these (available online) and find them unobjectionable pieces of sociological scholarship that contain vignettes of lesbian sex, that are then analyzed for the purpose of sociological study.”

In an e-mail from the university sent out to Arts and Sciences faculty, admitted to offering the position to O’Brien prematurely.

“Some of the concerns identified in the process should have had more careful scrutiny. After examining the cumulative published records of the candidates, particularly as they relate to Catholic mission and identity, subsequent discussion raised issues that had not been fully addressed earlier. We did make an offer to one of the two finalists; in retrospect that was done prematurely…This decision was not based on any candidate’s personal background nor does the decision in any way challenge a faculty member’s freedom to write in his or her area of scholarly expertise.”

The e-mail affirmed that Jeanne Hossenlopp will remain the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, until Provost John Pauly names her successor.

Popularity: 13% [?]

The NCAA finals might be over but Marquette students are preparing for their own set of finals. With papers, readings, constant studying and late nights in Raynor Memorial Library coming soon, students will be doing all they can to pass their finals and classes with flying colors. For some, that includes taking stimulants, or “performance enhancers” to study.

Typically prescribed for attention-deficit and learning disorders, stimulants like Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin are increasingly becoming the tool of choice for students looking to meet deadlines and get the best grades possible.

“I only take it when I really need to get something done, maybe the day before a paper,” said a male freshman student in the College of Business Administration, who agreed to speak to The Warrior on the condition of anonymity.

The student said this semester was the first he tried “performance enhancers” to help him study, and said he buys whatever types of stimulant pills he can from students who have prescriptions.

He said although he mainly uses the drug to study, he occasionally uses it recreationally as well.

“I know people who are way more into it than I am. I have done it recreationally, to party too, but not all the time,” he said.

While the student said he usually buys one pill at a time, around high-stress times of the year, like midterms or finals, the demand for pills goes up—and so do prices.

“Normally the price (for a pill) is about three or four dollars, but around midterms or finals, they’ll jack up the price and it’ll be about eight.” Despite price increases around peak test times, the student said he considers the transaction a good deal.

“It’s really pretty cheap,” he said. “If I can crank out a whole night of homework for four, six, or eight bucks, it’s totally worth it for me.” The student said he has taken one or more stimulant pills seven times this semester and estimates he has spent more than 50 dollars on the drugs.

While the student said the use of performance enhancers is widespread at Marquette, he doesn’t consider the abuse of drugs like Adderall, Ritalin or Concerta academically dishonest.

“No one is talking about it, but it seems anybody can get a prescription,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a problem;  academically dishonest, no. If people want it, they can get it.”

Stimulants used by students to study such as Adderall are in the amphetamines family, while others such as Concerta, and Ritalin are in the ethylphenidate family. Both groups are known for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Adderall is typically prescribed to children and adults who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is seen as a stimulant for the brain by controlling impulses and regulating behavior and attention. It influences the availability of neurotransmitters in the brain, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Classified by the FDA as a Schedule II drug due to its high potential for abuse and severe psychological or physical dependency, it is still currently accepted for medical use. The Schedule II drug category consists of opium, cocaine, methadone, amphetamines, and methamphetamines.

Abuse among students who do have a prescription for drugs like Adderall and Concerta does exist, and often involves a student manipulating the prescription in order to deal to those without one. One underclassman male student in the College of Communication who requested anonymity said he routinely re-fills his Concerta prescription for his Dyslexia and ADHD so he can sell his pills non-prescribed students.

“I don’t think of it as a big deal,” he said. “People know I have the resources to get it.” The student said he often checks up with customers to see how well the stimulant worked and has between ten and fifteen freshman friends and clients. Students who approach him for pills often have “the voice in their head that tells them to get something done, ‘or else,’’ he said. “(They think) this medicine can help me get it all done.”

He said he has also seen some purchase Concerta because “they like how they feel when they’re on it” especially when taken at parties.

Although “performance enhancers” like Concerta do not improve intelligence, the student said it does, “enhance your drive to get it all done.”

During times where he has taken the pill to study, he has experienced a loss of appetite, is unsociable, very focused and quiet. He advises students who buy from him to take the drug to study and while they are taking the test as well.

“It’s an association thing,” he said. Studying with stimulants does occur at Marquette and continues to be a growing trend with college students across the country.The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in an April 2009 report found of the 28,027 full-time college students between the ages of 18 and 22 surveyed they were twice as likely to use the amphetamine drug Adderall without prescription as those who had not been in college at all or were only part-time students. In 2008, the study found that full-time college students who had used Adderall non medically “were almost three times more likely to use marijuana, eight times more likely to use cocaine, eight times more likely to use tranquilizers non medically, and five times more likely to use pain relievers non medically.”

Although many students do not think using of stimulants to study is illegal, if students are caught, there are legal penalties.

“We get involved when it comes to finding people in possession of a controlled substance without a prescription,” said Officer Richard Lopez of the Milwaukee Police Department. According to Lopez, arrests and criminal charges for possession are the big things when it comes to non-prescribed drugs. According to Wisconsin state laws, those convicted of simple possession can receive a sentence under state law of drug treatment rather than jail time, and probation may be available to first-time offenders for more serious offenses. In addition, for Wisconsin, possessors can be fined between $1000 and $10,000, with the average jail time being between six months to three and a half years. There is also a mandatory driver’s license suspension for a minimum of six months and a maximum of five years for all drug offenses.

In addition to legal ramifications of abusing the pills, there are also some severe health ones as well. The FDA finds that non-prescribed, illegal use of Adderall can result in “rapid heartbeat palpitations, increased blood pressure, restlessness, insomnia, seizures, depression, headache and stroke,” with long term affects including liver problems and addiction. Students, who use Adderall without a prescription, may need to take central nervous system depressants such as pain relievers or tranquilizers to counteract the stimulant effects of Adderall.

Prolonged levels of a high attention span that occur when stimulants are taken repeatedly can
result in a ‘speed crash’. A speed crash, in medical terms follows the high level of energy originally felt, and leaves the person feeling nauseous, irritable, depressed or extremely exhausted. The FDA has found that those who take the drug for actual medical purposes have fewer side effects.

In addition, the NSDUH, found that nearly 90 percent of non-presciption full-time college students who used Adderall in the past month were also binge alcohol users.

More than half were heavy alcohol users. A 23-year- old female graduate student at Marquette who also agreed to speak to The Warrior on the condition of anonymity, said many students in her program also use performance enhancing drugs like Adderall. While she said she does not use the drug, the students she knows who take it do not have a prescription.. Usually using it the night before an exam, students who use them tell her their ability to study and retain information is increased.

“A normal person can study for five hours and absorb a certain amount of material, but if you’re on Adderall and study those same five hours, it’s the most intense five hours of your life…it just gives you that edge, that intense ability to concentrate for more extended periods of time.”

With academic programs where students are ranked creating a particularly competitive situation many students feel the need to do whatever they need to do to get the best grades possible to get the highest rank.

“It’s not that people are proud of it, they just do what they need to do to get the grade,” said the student.

by Marissa Evans and Katelyn Ferral
marissa evans@mu.edu

Popularity: 4% [?]

WASHINGON, D.C.–In a bold move those on the left are calling inspiring and those on the right are calling Bolshevik, Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he will become the 23rd president of Marquette
University. Coming off a huge health insurance reform victory, Obama announced he will assume the role formerly held by Father Robert A. Wild, S.J. in July, 2011 during a joint, closed door meeting between his
cabinet and Marquette’s Board of Trustees.

As White House aides quietly muffled Vice President Joe Biden’s expletive-filled whispers of joy, Obama assured the Marquette community and the rest of the country during a live broadcast statement that he plans
to remain president of the United States while at the same time managing the university.

Obama promptly left the podium after his speech, but Senior White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stepped up to make some additional, unsolicited remarks.

“Heck, Barack practically put the ‘liberal’ in liberal arts, why shouldn’t he try his hand at managing a liberal arts university?” Gibbs said.

“As we all know, the president just has vision up the wazoo, so all of us here at the White House are confident he can lower tuition, raise GPAs, blow Marquette’s endowment through the roof and secure at least one celebrity transfer student to increase the school’s overall visibility.”

Gibbs noted that Obama is personally hoping for Justin Bieber to attend the school, but said nothing has been confirmed at this point. Additional forms of federal programming will be introduced and catered to Marquette including a “Fist-bumps for F’s” program, a Making Your Hook-up Affordable program and a bailout of the College of Communication Student Media boondoggle, to name a few.

The announcement unleashed a firestorm of controversy and media frenzy across the country. Tension from the announcement remains high throughout the Midwest, but particularly in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, which remains sharply divided along racial, political and religious lines.

“There’s just so much here, we reporters don’t even know where to begin,” said Tina Klapp, WTMJ 4’s chief White House correspondent. “I mean, half the city is beyond themselves, experiencing a sort of Baracknirvana,
while the other half is borderline suicidal/preparing to hide relatives from gas chambers and death panels.”

The question surrounding the Constitutional legitimacy of the president managing both the entire nation and a private, religiously affiliated university has been the chief talking point for pundits on both sides of the aisle.

“We as citizens have to ask, when will this monster that is the federal government and the executive stop pillaging our livelihoods and slaughtering our Founding Father’s legacy for this nation?” Tom Mason, chairman of the Tea Party of Milwaukee said.

Mason said he is in the process of organizing a beer dump in Lake Michigan in protest of the announcement.
“I think it’s outrageous that Marquette is standing for this, but Marquette doesn’t run Milwaukee, and as a citizen of this city, I won’t stand for it,” he said. “If lobbying the Pope proves ineffective and dumping massive amounts of Natty Light into Lake Michigan doesn’t work, I’ll be forced to move to Texas, to work for the succession movement there.”

Called on by members of his party to defend his honor and the liberal tradition of federal expansion, Obama sat down for a one-on-one interview with The Warrior to clear up the misconceptions about his new
position.

“The accusation that this is some sort of federal power play, is just ridiculous,” Obama said. “I’ve been thinking for some time that something like this would probably be a smart, more lateral career move,
but the timing just wasn’t right. But then when I heard about the position opening up at Marquette, I just knew I had to jump.”

Obama said the vetting process for the position was a bit more strenuous than the Democratic primaries in 2008, but said knowing that he is furthering the work of St. Ignatius of Loyola makes every heart
palpitation, sweat bullet and bit of uncertainty worth it.

“You think Bill O’Reilly looks scary? Enter Fr. Wild’s “No Spin Zone” and you’ll never be the same,” he said.

Marquette’s Presidential Search Committee said several things attracted them to Obama, but even above his devastatingly good looks, killer charm, brilliant oratorical skills, and national foreign policy expertise, the president’s biggest selling point was his superhuman fundraising abilities.

“The days of Harvard’s lead in endowment funds ends today,” said Chester Malone, chairman of
Marquette’s Board of Trustees. “We’ve got the master of fundraising now, suckas.”

Malone said the Board of Trustees plan to work with Obama to create a new “Fundraising Czar” and social media infrastructure, to incentivize Marquette students, alumni, faculty and staff to donate, or “tithe” at least 10 percent of their income to the school.

“At the very least, Obama will make donating to Marquette look super cool,” Malone said. “We’re planning on having him sign as much Marquette paraphernalia as possible, to auction off on eBay at ridiculously high prices.”

DISCLAIMER: This article is for The Warrior’s April Fool’s Edition. This story does not accurately portray real events.

Popularity: 2% [?]

The man is wearing white Nike’s, track pants and a puffy, black coat. He is African American, with missing teeth and a graying goatee. He is warm, friendly and articulate; Many others would be bitter in his position. Like nearly 50 percent of black men in Milwaukee, the man lost his job and hasn’t been able to find his footing since. The man said he is a resident of Milwaukee Rescue Mission, an enormous operation located just on the edge of the Marquette campus.

He used to be a forklift operator at the General Mills plant on Lincoln. When they began downsizing, he was let go. He moved in with his son and grandchil­dren but said he “didn’t like being a burden.” When his unemployment benefits ran out, he decided to strike out on his own. Four months later, he still can’t find a job. He’s been trying to pick up small labor jobs, here and there, and last week he made $35 for picking up shingles. He refuses to become a panhandler, hustling for cans or for cigarettes.

“A lot of people think that because you’re in a homeless shelter that you’re just a drug addict,” he said. “You would be surprised at the intelligence in there. You got people in there with degrees… But, a lot of them just lost their families, or houses or jobs.”

When asked whether he felt the stigma of being homeless, the man stares at the sidewalk.

“It’s kind of bad that we are right by those college apartments,” he said look­ing up. “We can tell the college kids feel…threatened. Some of the guys might say something to the girls, but we’re not going to bother nobody.”

MARQUETTE’S JESUIT NEIGHBOR
by Stephanie Beecher
stephanie.beecher@mu.edu

The Milwaukee Rescue Mission, at 830 N. 19th Street, is the largest homeless organization in Milwau­kee. The building nearly takes up an entire city block, with separate wings for men, women and their children. Marquette’s O’Donnell hall faces the shelter’s Southside, but the two worlds sitting on Nine­teenth Street couldn’t be more different. Where the two institutions find similarity, however, is through the Jesuit tradition.

The Milwaukee Rescue Mission is a faith-based nonprofit working to restore the lives of the poor and displaced. Funded entirely by donors, more than 300 people sleep in its dorms on any given night. But, the center is much more than a homeless shelter, it is also an inner-city school, resource center and church. Their mission is clear: “transform lives through the love of Jesus Christ.”

The Milwaukee Rescue Mission was created by a group of Christian businessmen in 1893. Back then the center only served alcoholic and homeless men. Today, the center operates out of the old Wells Middle School building, which once also operated as “normal” school, educat­ing college professors who taught around the city. It has also expanded its services to include a Christian elementary school, Crosstrainers Academy (K-5th grade), and a women and children’s sector. The or­ganization employs more than 100 full and part-time staff members, and relies on nearly 900 volunteers for extra support. Several of their volunteers are Marquette students.

Ben Parmon is the assistant volunteer coordinator. He said while the center offers emergency services, such as shelter and food, the center’s goal is to help residents reach sustainable stability. To reach this goal, the center offers residents long-term and transitional living programs – LifeSkills and the FOCUS programs for men; New Life and the Fresh Start programs for women. Each program provides individu­als with shelter and food, but also services like debt repayment, budgeting, job search skills and ministry. When participating in one of the transitional programs, FOCUS or Fresh Start, residents receive their own rooms. By agreeing to the terms of the program a profession of faith is required. While this may seem unfair or controversial, the center’s staff believes it is necessary.

“Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life,” Parmon said. “While there are physical needs, we feel such a need to share the spiritual side. These people can’t make a permanent change without a personal relationship with God.”

While a profession of faith isn’t required to receive services like shelter or clothing, participation in Christian-oriented activities is. In order to receive meals, for instance, men must attend a church service. A chapel is located within the center.

“Chapel service is daily for men before lunch and dinner,” said Courtney Wiher, the facility’s grant writer. “Mothers with children have chapel and worship together weekly, and are encouraged Sundays to find a church outside of the facility.”

SUSTAINABLE STABILITY

Parmon explains that all of the residents are encouraged to find resources outside of Milwaukee Rescue Mission to deter any long-term dependence on the organization. “We really want to help them become independent in the long run,” Parmon said of the residents.

As simple as that may sound, Parmon said independence is a difficult trait to teach. Many of the residents are dealing with severe physical and emotional issues such as drug and alcohol addiction, broken or non-existent familial bonds, domestic violence and poverty. The shelter’s counselors, ministers, mentors and case managers work tenaciously to address these problems, Parmon said.

On a tour, Parmon shows off the facility’s many wings. The center is very clean and spacious. Although, residents mill about in the corridors or in recreational areas, The Warrior was not permitted to speak or photograph them. Parmon said this is to ensure the resident’s privacy. Colorful murals and inspirational quotes fill several of the center’s walls, and the rooms are all furnished with matching furniture. Nearly all the furniture is donated, Parmon said.

“We’re blessed,” he said. “We really try not to buy anything, unless we really, really have to.” This includes all of the resident’s clothing, toiletries, food and supplies, he said.

In Joy House, the women’s side of the facility, mothers begin their stay with a two-week instructional program. The classes teach parenting skills, nutrition, job search skills and Christian values. While mothers are learning the children are brought to a vibrant, childcare center, complete with games, books, arts and crafts supplies and toys. Parmon said it is important to make children feel safe and secure while they endure the pains of homelessness. Childcare volunteers are required to stay for months at a time, in order to ensure some sense of stability for the children, he said.

The women’s classes can last up to eight tedious hours a day, but the center feels this step is crucial for success.

“A lot of these women don’t even have a productive paradigm,” he said while showing off the women’s library. “They don’t have self-respect, or know how to discipline their children without hurting them.” According to Wiher, more than 40 percent of the women at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission have fled an abusive situation.

The women come to the sun-lit library to read or to search for jobs. Above the library’s entrance a woodcarving reads: “The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With One Step,” fitting encouragement for overwhelmed mothers. The inscription was discovered a few years ago when, after renovators tore down old dry wall, the quote and row upon row of wall bookshelves were revealed.

NOT THE HILTON

In the bedrooms, four beds and dressers sit against pale blue walls. The bedroom is empty, but Parmon said when the women and children are in for the night, it can get “intense.” Every resident is allowed to bring their belongings, which, along with bustling families, can create chaos. The women and children share a bathroom with other families.

“We always tell people ‘This is not the Hilton,’” Parmon joked.

In Safe Harbor, the men’s division, the rooms are filled with rows of bunk beds. They have a beautiful library with exposed timbers and brick and a day room, too. It is filled with games, books and computers. In an overflow room, men sit in plastic chairs. Parmon explains that the room is used for sleeping when the shelter is overcrowded.

“When you have that many people, you have to institutionalize it or it could crumble,” Parmon said.
Starting at 5:15 a.m. residents are awakened out of bed. From there, they go about their routines, eating breakfast, gathering their laundry, attending service, meeting with counselors, and searching for jobs. The residents are not allowed to be in the bedrooms during the day. Parmon said this is to ensure that they “don’t sleep all day and get out in the community.” While all residents must abide by an evening curfew, they are free to leave the shelter during the day.

When asked about those with drug addictions, Parmon notes that residents are drug tested in long-term programs. The center does their best to keep drugs and alcohol out of the facility, but Parmon points out:

“As long as the person is not harming themselves or others…” the center looks the other way. As “the hands and feet of Jesus Christ,” Parmon said the center’s staff members merely hope to reach all residents, and share the good news.

Popularity: 2% [?]

African Americans students make up 6 percent of the student population at Marquette, less than half the percentage of African Americans that reside in the greater metropolitan community that surrounds campus. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce reported in 2008 that African Americans comprise 16 percent of the city’s population.

Though students of color enroll each year at Marquette, their experiences have come with a variety of triumphs, tribulations and a unique perspective about what life at Milwaukee’s Catholic, Jesuit university has meant for them. For admissions, recruiting African Americans to come to Marquette is an intricate process. The admission staff targets students at both a local and state level. “The local level is the main target with the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) being the hot target,” Latrice Harris-Collins, admission counselor for Marquette’s Multicultural Community Outreach said. “With the Milwaukee schools being our main feeder schools they are selected based off academic rigor,” she said. “It’s not about throwing out t-shirts but getting them ready and telling them to put in the work now.” Besides informing students about the type of coursework needed, and Marquette’s average standardized test scores, the admissions office also aims to prepare students for the reality of a college workload.

“In admissions we work to create opportunities for students to get on cam¬pus and with current students we take them back as Marquette ambassadors to talk to high school students minus the sugar, they have more credibility than we do,” Harris-Collins said. Recruitment efforts in the local area has offered much success for the admissions office with more and more African American students applying. “Showing up in high schools has been most beneficial way for my Milwaukee feeder schools such as Rufus King and Riverside. I talk about application mistakes, quality essays, and making themselves a person over an ID number” said Harris-Collins. Although Harris-Collins said more students of color are applying, a 2009 MPS Research report showed that of the 13,257 students graduating between 2005-2007, only 121 MPS students (2 percent of them) enrolled at Marquette. In terms of recruitment publications and brochures, Collins-Harris said there is no specific one targeted at African American students. “We have a Multicultural Recruitment Committee; we get to give feedback about the publications. Though we have wonderful publications, we know they’re effective, sometimes appearance is everything; if they don’t look like students we’re recruiting, we make it clear,” said Harris-Collins. “Looking at the fall brochures I’ve seen students I recruit with more natural shots being included, we don’t create a separate publication.”

While more and more African Americans are coming to Marquette each year, the cost is still the biggest factor to their decision to attend. One particular program for students is the Equal Opportunity Program (EOP). Originally designed to assist black males, the program now assists students from a variety of nationalities. The EOP primarily focuses on helping finance the education of first generation college students. With 3.7 percent of students in EOP, Marquette is one of the only schools that can provide this type of program to offset costs, Marquette undergraduate admissions office reports. While the program is designed for multicultural students, the EOP does not turn students away based on race. “We never want our white or Asian students to feel they are not qualified because of their race,”said Collins-Harris. “If for example a student is white and fits the financial background EOP aims to help, than we encourage them to apply.”

Regardless of the lower enrollment numbers, African American students from the Milwaukee area and around the country still come to Marquette. However, attending Marquette has had it ups and downs. “For cultural sensitivity it can be quite annoying and frustrating to encounter ignorant and in¬sensitive individuals at an institution of higher learning,” Ewune Ewane, College of Arts and Sciences senior and Black Student Council president said. “It is also angering; one student after learning of my African ancestry, opted to greet me by saying “hakuna matata” from the Lion King.” Dealing with stereotypes has also been a unique experience for students. “On my dorm floor people often asked me to teach them to dance or thought I knew the lyrics to any rap song and after I got into a disagreement with my roommates everyone was scared of me,” Ewane said. Some African American students say they have been asked on occasion if they were on the basketball team. “Since I was tall people would automatically assume I was on the basket-ball team, but those things don’t phase me, as I know if it can happen here it can happen anywhere,” Anthony Nutting, a junior in the College of Communication said. “You have to represent yourself well; sometimes people might think I am not qualified to be here but I take it as a challenge, I like to prove people wrong, and I think I do a pretty good job of doing that.”

For many African American students they have experienced being one of few if not the only African American in their class. “In my English class I was the only black person in there and I remember sitting in the front with everyone staring at me,” said Sarah Bowen a sophomore in the College of Education. Bowen explained a similar experience in another class where she spoke up during a group presentation. “Afterwards people were telling me that I was such a good presenter, they seemed surprised. I took the compliment but are we not all supposed to be good presenters?”

Sometimes students have wondered about the amount of African Americans in their particular area of study. According to the 2009 Marquette Undergraduate Profile, 6.7 percent of the College of Arts and Sciences students are African American. “I don’t know anyone else in the chemistry department who is black,” said Maurice Sharpe a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. “It hasn’t played that much of a role in my experience so far, I went to Marquette University High School, I know what it’s like,” Sharpe said. “All I do is focus on getting my work done; everyone forms study groups but I have my own goals and make the most of things. I know that Marquette has problems with diversity but you can’t downplay the experience; I’m not sure if other colleges have the kind of equipment in the chemistry department that we do or professors that are world renowned.”

Despite an increase in the overall level of diversity at Marquette, some students feel that while the university is making an effort, more could be done on the students’ end. “While I don’t think the university has enough diversity I know they put in a conscious effort, and I feel like African Americans could meet them halfway,” said Ash¬ton Sago, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore. “The university knows what we look like but they don’t know what we like, we need to push harder by getting more people of color in office, as students we need to tell them what we want.” Students are also sympathetic to the fact that Marquette is not the easiest school to get into. “Diversity here could be better but I know people are doing a great effort to get more students of color to come here,” said College of Health Sciences senior Terrell Freeman. “It’s not like Marquette is the easiest school to get into, and its not a school that African Americans think they can get into or would want to go to. I visited campus three times on a tour and I wasn’t sold on the diversity, but I love what Marquette has to offer and since I’m from here I get to be closer to my relatives.”

Although the 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) around the country are a popular option for African American students, many said they feel a Marquette experience has given them a more realistic worldview.

“There are pros and cons to go¬ing to Marquette and an HBCU,” said Sago. “The fact is that there are six per-cent here and that the real world is not all black, our bosses, our colleagues, in the future may not always be black. I gave myself an extra push to come here so that I would not be afraid to face what the real world looks like.” While there are not many African Americans around campus students of color also feel that being at Marquette can be a mixture of pride and struggle. “Whenever times get bad I think about the people in my family that can’t read and our history of being slaves, and how there was a time we were banned from going to school,” Simone Smith, a sophomore in the College of Communication. “People fought so hard for me to go this school, I feel I should be taking advantage of this opportunity.”

Overall African Americans at Marquette emphasize that while a minority group on campus they simply want to be treated with a level of respect and open-mindedness. “I would like people to know that we are equal and we come in peace (I know I sound like an alien),” said College of Arts and Sciences senior Zach Grandberry. “It is already hard to live in a world where everything is not attainable, but for others they can achieve anything. I just want to be respected and treated as a person and not grouped or categorized because of my race and culture.”

Popularity: 2% [?]

Cut. Snip. Tie.

One day a year, students gather to make blankets to keep the less fortunate warm during the cold winter months. They have realized many children huddle for warmth to try to escape the harsh winters at shelters across Milwaukee. In a city where wind chills make the temperature seem well below zero, and babies and children shiver in the cold, blankets are accepted into welcome arms.

Feel the Warmth is an independent event sponsored by Midnight Run and Campus Ministry. One day a year, students gather together to make fleece tie blankets to donate to charity. Last year the event raised nearly
$3,000 and 80 students participated, tying more than 150 blankets.

Rachel Longawa, a junior in the College of Health Sciences, started Feel the Warmth at her high school. When she came to Marquette, she told her friends Cindy Park and Andrew Sinclair about it. After some brainstorming, the trio decided to create the event on campus.

“I think this event is great because these blankets are truly needed,” Longawa said. “ Everyone likes to have a warm blanket around during the winter in Milwaukee, especially for his or her child. It’s also a great event that brings a lot of people together to work towards something special.”

Cindy Park, a junior in the College of Business, said she became involved with Feel the Warmth when she lived with Longawa. She said she was blown away by the idea, and she would like it to be a program that continues
long after they graduate. She said it has helped her to realize all that she has. “We all take for granted the amenities we are able to have as Marquette students,” she said. “We don’t think about something as simple as a blanket.” Longawa said the event was successful last year, but had humble beginnings.

“Right now we have an E-board with three people: Andy Sinclair, Cindy Park and myself,” she said.
This year, there are plans to make the event bigger.

The blankets made this year are for babies and children, she said. The blankets are going to be donated to expecting mothers through Milwaukee Pregnancy Help Center and to infants and children who are in the Pediatric Special Care Unit at Milwaukee’s Center for Independence.

The Milwaukee Pregnancy Help Center uses the blankets in a care package they give to women near their due date. The Milwaukee Center for Independence uses the blankets in the medical unit where low-income families bring their children who are in need of constant care. Since the center is run off of government funds, they need as many supplies as possible donated. “Many of the families who use both centers have a very low income,” Longawa said.

The group hopes to make more than 200 blankets at Feel the Warmth in January, 50 blankets more than last year. Since the last event was held on the Friday before finals in an attempt to capture the Christmas spirit, the group is expecting more people at its new date in January. The groups hopes to attract at least 200 students to this year’s event, spreading the word on Facebook and by word-of-mouth. It doesn’t take much to make a blanket, but Longawa said Feel the Warmth needs all the manpower they can get. They also take donations, which the group uses to buy fleece and scissors.

“In order to make baby blankets, you need two pieces of one yard fleece,” Longawa said.

“You place the pieces on top of each other, cut strips along the entire perimeter, and tie the two pieces together. It doesn’t take very long when you have four people working on one blanket.”
According to Park, it only takes five minutes to make a blanket with four people working on it.
Longawa says they’re planning more fundraising events for next semester.

“We have a chili night planned for Thursday, January 21 that will help raise more funds. There will also be a t-shirt sale and an event at Qdoba.

The big event, blanket-making day, will be next semester on January 30 at 1:00 p.m. in the AMU.”
Park adds that if students donate just five minutes of their time, they can make one blanket to contribute. She said it’s fun to get together with other students to help make a difference. Audrey Wayne, a sophomore in the College of Communication, said she went to Feel the Warmth last year because she heard it was a good program.

“It was a great opportunity and you can take as much time as you want to keep people warm during the holiday season,” she said. “I had a lot of fun, it was a nice, relaxed atmosphere and it was nice to meet other people who like to help out.”

by Victoria Caswell
victoria.caswell@mu.edu

Popularity: 1% [?]

Proselytizing is generally understood to be the act of converting one to a specific religion or belief. Marquette has had an evolving policy on the issue, but now uniformly bans active proselytizing by any University affiliated individuals or organizations.

“Accept Jesus, save yourself from the hell you deserve.” The shouts rise above the noise of traffic on Wisconsin Avenue as “Good News” pamphlets are extended to hurried students on their way to class.

Know what proselytism is? If not, you do know. You’ve just experienced it.

Proselytizing is generally understood to be the act of converting one to a specific religion or belief. Marquette has had an evolving policy on the issue, but now uniformly bans active proselytizing by any University affiliated individuals or organizations.

Dr. Christopher Miller, Vice President for Student Affairs said the policy is “more of an operational, logistical piece…it’s not a single entity, it’s a broad based policy.”

The Office of Student Development (OSD) updated the Religious Activities Policy last year, adding the phrase, “and their activities,” to its description of protocol regarding religious event approval.

The inclusion of “activities” in the scope of the University’s proselytizing policy has been felt by evangelical Christian student groups on campus, who say that since the change, OSD has restricted many of their outreach events. One student organization, the non-denominational Christian group, Campus Crusade for Christ was also asked to change their mission statement and re-submit their constitution.

Campus Crusade was asked to remove phrases from its purpose statement that Dr. Jon Dooley Senior Associate Dean of Student Development said, “could appear to contradict the University’s Religious Activities Policy” including, “winning, to lead others to personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior” and the organization’s mission as “turn[ing] lost students into Christ centered laborers.”

Michael Waller, a junior in the College of Engineering who runs Campus Crusade’s Men’s Ministry and is on the organization’s core leadership team said this year there has been an increase in OSD and Campus Ministry restrictions and stipulations to their outreach events.

“We have engaged in outreach/evangelism activities in the past which have never clashed with MU’s proselytizing policy before…even though these policies have always been here, they have never been enforced as they are this year,” Waller said.

Dooley said the addition to the Religious Activities Policy did not represent a change in how the policy was implemented, but rather just clarified the existing expectations that were in practice. “No changes were made in how those events were reviewed or approved, it was simply an addition to help organization leaders,” Dooley said.

Student Development does consult and collaborate with Campus Ministry regarding the University proselytizing policy and approval of religious events, but Campus Ministry declined to comment on their role in the implementation of the policy.

Although OSD says there has been no change in the approval process of religious events, other campus Christian groups say they are experiencing a tightening in event rules as well.

Matthew Gerhard, a senior in the College of Engineering and president of the non-denominational student group, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Marquette said that although his organization was not required to resubmit their constitution, OSD and Campus Ministry are “enforcing their rules and regulations much more strictly than ever before.”

Gerhard said earlier in the semester OSD cracked down on a survey the group was distributing because it was interpreted as proselytizing and therefore “unacceptable.”

“They had us redo the survey and make it completely anonymous and we weren’t allowed to talk to anyone taking the survey. They said this had mostly to do with survey policy,” Gerhard said.

While activities such as “personal witnessing, Scripture study, worship, discussion, faith sharing” are appropriate, they “cannot be done for the purpose of converting others,” Dooley said. “The goal of “winning” people for Christ or “changing” or “converting” them is proselytizing and is contrary to the Religious Activities Policy,” he said.

Both Waller and Gerhard agree that Marquette’s ban on proselytizing through the Religious Activities policy is too restrictive. “Personally I think Marquette’s proselytizing policy does go too far in curbing student’s religious freedom on campus. Christians are commanded by God to spread the gospel in both word and action,” Waller said.

“I think what OSD is comfortable with in terms of evangelism is to allow students to come to us and then we can say what we want to say; they don’t want us going to students and saying what we want to say,” Gerhard said. “They want a very passive form of evangelism.”

The Definition Debate

The University’s evolving definition and classification of proselytism has been a contentious issue at Marquette for decades with much of the debate has focused on Marquette’s Catholic identity and obligation as a Catholic institution.

The current Religious Activities Policy currently provides two definitions for proselytizing:

1. “the University does not allow any other individual or organization to actively proselytize its members…That is, no individual or organization can coerce or pressure others or misrepresent themselves,”

2. “No individual or organization…may hold activities on campus the specific purpose of which is to proselytize, that is to make converts of members of the university community to another church or religious affiliation.”

The University’s classification of proselytism has been debated in years past and remains a point of contention for student groups like Campus Crusade and InterVarsity.

“Not only does Marquette’s policy on proselytizing curb students’ freedom, but it also is difficult to understand exactly how they define proselytizing,” Waller said. “In one sentence they refer to proselytizing as coercion and pressure while in another it is referred to as making converts of a person, which are two very different things.”

Dr. Christopher Wolfe, Marquette Professor Emeritus of Political Science and current co-director of the Ralph McInerny Center for Thomistic Studies, said the policy is well-intentioned, but not very coherent or precise.

Wolfe said that while he agrees with the University’s prohibition of coercion or misrepresentation of any kind, the policy goes too far in equating all proselytism with any effort to convert others – “even, apparently, if there is no coercion or pressure or misrepresentation,” Wolfe said.

“…Isn’t it an obligation of all Christians to help others come freely to see the truth of Christianity as they understand it?  I think the answer is clearly ‘yes,’” Wolfe said.

Wolfe also disputed the policy back in 1988 when changes were made by Campus Ministry to restrict proselytism that did not include coercion or misrepresentation. In a 1988 memo to then Director of Campus Ministry, Fr. David Haschka, Wolfe disputed the University’s across the board ban on proselytism, writing, “I think a bald prohibition of proselytism would be incompatible with the Catholic, Christian and Jesuit character of Marquette.”

In his letter, Wolfe cites the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on Religious Liberty, stating that the Declaration “asserts the right of religious communities ‘not to be prevented from publicly teaching and bearing witness to their beliefs by the spoken or written word.’” The Declaration also indicates that there are reasonable limits that should be considered.

Dooley said that Marquette does support the Declaration on Religious Liberty and that the University is committed to the quest for truth, “which implies the need for investigation, conversation, and dialogue,” Dooley said. “Religious questions are part of that search and part of students’ development of a religious identity.”

But for Wolfe, Marquette’s definition of proselytizing and Religious Activities Policy remains muddled.

“I think what has happened is twofold.  First, people have rightly become more sensitive about coercion, pressure, misrepresentation, and harassment.  That’s good.  But, second, many people have come to adopt a position of religious indifferentism:  it doesn’t matter what you believe, but only that you are sincere. That is a deep misunderstanding of Christianity,” Wolfe said, “Sincerity is good, but believing the real truth matters.”

Popularity: 4% [?]

The Resident Assistant position remains one of the most sought after and highest paying jobs on campus. RAs receive free room and board, a $1000 cash stipend and professional development. Many people apply for the job because of positive experiences with their own RAs. Others want the high compensation or a boost on the résumé.
Marquette RAs work for the Office of Residence Life, called ORL in RA lingo. ORL hires RAs based on their individual and group interviews, letters of recommendation, and grade evaluations. Often ORL hires only one-third of the applicants, making the position one of the most competitive on campus. “From the time we begin the interview process for RA candidates, we concentrate on helping them understand the responsibilities of the position,” Dr. Jim McMahon, Assistant Vice President and Dean of Residence Life said.
RAs play a major role in the implementation of programs and policies, according to ORL’s Web site. Many of ORL’s policies, however, are unpopular with students. These include visitation hours, opposite sex overnight policy, and alcohol regulations. Some policies like quite hour restrictions are more appreciated by residents. “Quiet hours are the only way that I get any sleep at night. Otherwise the people next door to me would never turn their music down,” Laura Dowd, a sophomore in the College of Business, and Schroeder Hall resident said.
Like their residents, RAs praise and condemn various policies too. “Upon taking the job you understand it is more important for you to follow the policies even if you don’t completely agree. RAs sign a contract saying they will follow all policies. An RA shouldn’t take the position if he can’t completely follow ORL policies,” said Ryan Samz, a former O’Donnell RA and current Teach For America teacher in New Orleans. “Do I wish I could share a beer with some friends? Yes. Do I understand why it’s important that we don’t allow underage drinking? Yes,” another RA said.
Both students and RAs said they sometimes feel antagonized by the rules in their residence halls, though for different reasons. A common gripe among freshmen and sophomores is that their RAs are “out to get them.” Others suggest that their RAs handle policy violations inconsistently. “A friend of mine was allowed to throw her alcohol away rather than being written up,” Becca Levernier, a sophomore in the College of Business and Schroeder resident said. Levernier added that the opposite sex overnight policy is enforced differently from RA to RA.
Some RAs maintain that their residents do not understand the purpose of the policies they must enforce. Others say their residents do not realize that an RA’s job is on the line if he or she fails to document a violation. For these reasons, trying to maintain open relationships while living with residents becomes difficult, Andrew Glaser, a senior in the College of Business and former O’Donnell RA said. Upholding seemingly unfair policies makes RAs the bad guys and “puts us at odds with our residents,” he said. The RAs and McMahon agreed that enforcing rules in the community RAs personally are a part of is a unique and challenging aspect of the job.
The RA position is demanding in several ways: academically, professionally, socially and emotionally. While there were many responses from former RAs as to what type of person it takes to succeed in the position, the common theme between them all was an emotionally mature one. As an RA, you are not only responsible for yourself, but you are also responsible to up to 30 other people. Says one former RA, “at times you are carrying a burden for other people, and it can become really heavy.” Adds former McCormick and O’Donnell RA Frank Karioris, who is now the Operations Coordinator of Housing Services at the Illinois Institte of Technology. “As college students, we are not necessarily prepared for things we are presented.”
Besides having their disciplinary duties, an RA must “take a sincere interest in the welfare of his/her fellow students,” according to ORL’s website. However, ORL does not do nearly enough to help RAs with this emotional burden, said many RAs, including Alex Elliott a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences and a former Cobeen RA. “We have to maintain confidentiality, and our hall directors are often busy,” Elliott said. Though there are many resources in place to help RAs deal with this extra emotional burden, many former RAs said they are not always used or advertised by the residence hall directors or ORL. The former RA adds “the system is there, but it’s not used as it should be.”
Dr. McMahon disagrees. “We do intensive training, some of which includes simulations of very real issues that they are likely to encounter, and a great deal of which introduces them to the support services that are in place to assist them in their work. This includes the Counseling Center, Health Services, Campus Ministry and Public Safety,” he said.
To further help RAs deal with many of the emotional challenges involved in the position, Elliott suggests that RAs be required to have mandatory meetings with their hall ministers. Although hall ministers live in every residence hall, she said they are often too busy to provide emotional support for RAs. Other improvements proposed by former RAs include more compensation, staff development, and discussion of the issues RAs face.
Although former RAs agree that application materials do not – and realistically cannot – provide an accurate picture of what RA life is really like, Dr. McMahon said ORL does their best to ensure that RAs are well equipped to handle the requirements. “I understand that we cannot prepare staff for all of what they may encounter, so we look to hire candidates who demonstrate positive leadership, good judgment and decision-making skills so that they will utilize the tools that we provide to respond well to situations and issues that arise,” he said.
Despite ORL’s efforts to prepare students, some former RAs said that they received inadequate preparation to help others with their emotional crises. “The first year is really the training for the second year,” said Amber Erickson, a former Cobeen RA and Arts and Sciences graduate. “RA training lacks quality social counseling training,” added Remington Tonar, a former Schroeder RA and current graduate student at Loyola in Chicago. “While the University would like to restrict formal counseling and mentoring duties to the Counseling Center, much of what an RA deals with, especially with freshmen, is related to counseling and mentoring their residents. I personally know many students who feel their RAs were ill-equipped to handle their own emotional and social isolation needs.”
But given the burdens of the job do many RAs come back? Many said they return because of close relationships with their staff members. “The best aspect of the job is learning and growing with your staff and residents,” Samz said, adding “I loved my staff and wouldn’t have traded it for anything else during my tenure at MU.” Former RAs say the relationships they form with their staffs are some of the strongest they have ever had. “I developed wonderful relationships with my staff members and cannot even count the number of good memories I have with them,” said Erickson. Another former RA says her mostly negative experience was worth it because “I wouldn’t have met my best friends if I hadn’t been an RA.”
This benefit may be due in part to ORL’s focus on teamwork. “Teamwork is stressed during all of the training programs, during weekly staff meetings, and in a Peer Facilitation class. These relationships are often cited as among the most rewarding part of being an RA,” McMahon said. Though this is not the case for everyone, it is a major perk in a position where you’re liable to spend breaks, holidays, and basketball games in an empty building rather than with your family or friends.
Other RAs stressed that the relationships developed with residents are the best part of the job. Though it is sometimes forgotten by RAs themselves exactly what the purpose of being a resident assistant is, the residents should be the main focus of the job. “The best aspect of the RA job was the residents,” said Glaser. Tonar added, “The RA position is rewarding in many aspects, but primarily for the opportunity to help younger students through the myriad of collegiate experiences that we all face year after year. As a fellow student, the RA is given this unique opportunity to counsel and guide his or her residents on their journey.”
The professional development is another large draw. While being an RA alone isn’t enough to engender job prospects, the position does supplement the Marquette educational experience. One hall director agreed that the experience of a Marquette RA is one that helps develop maturity, dedication and character. “It is easy for me to tell the difference between students who have served in leadership positions such as the RA role from those who have not, just by their outlook and professionalism,” he said.
Generally, what offset the emotional burdens and possible social and academic pitfalls were the financial support, the lasting relationships with staff members, and resident interactions.
What can be improved about the RA experience? Perhaps there should be a more realistic representation of the challenges applicants will face if selected. Perhaps mandatory meetings with hall ministers are key. Or maybe it would take a reminder to RAs that they do not need to always share those burdens. Says the former hall director, “One of the common missteps of RAs is to let their residents’ emotional burdens become their own. It is something that is talked about during training and throughout the year, and in some ways a testament to our RAs on how much they care about our students. At the same time it is important to remind staff that they are responsible to their residents, but not responsible for them.”
“This is an on-going concern for us at Marquette,” McMahon said. “Students today arrive on campus with a fair amount of emotional baggage. Most of our RA’s choose this job because they care about others, are empathic and want to help wherever they can. A good counselor knows how to help others without taking on their burdens, but this can be difficult for RA’s. That is why we stress how to refer troubled students to the various support services across campus.” He stressed that ORL continually strives to help RAs through referral services, Hall Director development, and an RA class in which RAs can come together and discuss their issues with professional staff.
The RA position undeniably produces headaches and hassles, but a large majority of current and former RAs said the overall experience was worth the troubles. “I don’t want to lie and say it was amazing all the time. It’s tiring. It’s stressful. It’s a lot of work,” Erickson said, “but I felt like I made a difference for some people.”
One would be hard-pressed to find a perfect job on or off campus. The RA position is no exception. Though he finds the entire experience worth it, “the loss of social life, terrible working hours and no privacy almost made it not so,” Glaser said.
Because of its scope, complexity, and requirements, the resident assistant position is probably never going to be summarily presented in all its full detail. The experience of a Marquette resident assistant varies as widely as the experience of a Marquette student. It is important for residents and their RAs not to forget that an RA is still, and foremost, a student. Trying to maintain a healthy balance of being a student, employee, friend, and enforcer is a tough test.
As a former RA himself, McMahon outlined the best aspect of the job. “What I find most rewarding is the large number of RAs who report that being in that role was the most challenging and rewarding student experience that they had ever had. And once in the work world, they realize the importance of the training and experience they had as an RA.” And Karioris puts it best when he says, “RAs are still growing into what they want to become and the RA position can be such a monumental change that whether they know that or not, the impact the job

Popularity: 7% [?]

Concrete canoe? Is this a joke? Concrete doesn’t float.

Yes it does, and it doesn’t just float because it’s in the shape of a canoe. Engineering students here at Marquette University and 13 other schools in the Midwest build canoes out of special concrete and race them as part of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Great Lakes Conference, an annual civil engineering student competition.

The concrete canoe team consists of about 20 civil engineering students who work throughout the school year in order to complete a canoe to enter in the competition. The team members are all part of the ASCE. ASCE oversees the competition by providing guidelines, some funding and the final judging. The competition rotates between host schools each year; this year Notre Dame was the host.

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Work began long before the team was cruising through the water in their green canoe.

As early as September the team was already preparing for the April competition. The team started with the basics. They had to build a stand to hold the mold for the canoe, the mold which is made out of large Styrofoam blocks and a plastic tent to control the humidity when putting the concrete into the mold.

While the majority of the team went to work building these necessary pieces, Steven Graziano, a senior civil engineering student, began designing the concrete mix. White portland cement, fly ash, slag and silica fumes make up the cement portion of the mixture. The aggregate of the canoe is mostly composed of glass beads and recycled concrete. The mix also contained water and shreds of fiberglass as reinforcement as well as chemical admixtures, powders and fluids that help control the workability of the concrete.

“It’s one of the most exotic mixes I’ve ever seen,” said David Newman, laboratory manager for civil and environmental engineering and technical advisor to the team. “That’s just not done; you don’t make buildings or roads out of that stuff. That’s strictly for this and there aren’t really any guidelines written on how to design that.”

The only guideline for the mix was that it had to contain at least 25 percent recycled materials. This year’s team decided to adopt the motto “It’s not easy being green,” and used 100 percent recycled materials for their mix. The rest of the mix was open-ended and was devised with technical ability and creativity.

“The technical ability that students leave here with is essentially a given,” said Dr. James Crovetti, ASCE faculty advisor for the team. “It’s really what can they do to work with other people and get outside their box of comfort, and to be able to look at a problem from different perspectives, then find a solution and not get frustrated by the challenges in front of them.”

While Graziano did most of the technical heavy lifting, he did not do it alone. “There were a lot of times where I would go to Dave and we’d run into some sort of road block and together… we would put our heads together and figure out something.”

In the beginning of February, the team poured the canoe. While Graziano and a group of students finished measuring all of the components of the mix in the lab, project manager Patrick Carruthers a senior civil engineering student and another group of students were waiting in a room in the basement of Cramer Hall with the mold. The first bucket of concrete made its way over and the team started putting concrete in the mold inside the hot steamy plastic tent while the smell of concrete and sweat filled the air.

The tent kept the level of humidity high, which gave the team more working time with the concrete. Hours and a few buckets of concrete later the canoe sat in the mold, complete with fiberglass reinforcement between two layers of concrete. But it was nowhere near finished.

The canoe still needed to cure for several weeks, before the next steps could take place, which included water-grinding the inside and outside of the canoe to make it smooth as well as sealing it to keep it from absorbing more water.

After four weeks, disaster struck. When the team attempted to remove the canoe from the mold, it cracked in half. The canoe had bonded to the mold and was not able to shrink while it cured. The reinforcement also had ripped.

“It was like getting punched in the stomach,” said Graziano. With the competition less than four weeks away, the team had suffered a big blow but remained committed.
“We were going with or without something,” said Patricia Fleming, a junior civil engineering student and ASCE Marquette Chapter president.

The team knew what they had to do. “We sat there, talked about how it sucked, and then we were like: What do we have to do to get a new one?” said Carruthers. Fortunately, a few dedicated members: Adrianna Stanley, a senior civil engineering student, Ryan Chapman, a junior civil engineering student and Graziano were able to repair and put the mold back together over spring break so the team could pour a new canoe when everyone returned.

“All-in-all, it was something that needed to be done and we accepted that,” said Chapman.

With less than two weeks until the competition the team poured their second canoe, giving them only a week for it to cure and a few days to finish the water grinding and sealing. Four days before heading to Notre Dame the canoe slipped right out of the mold without cracking. This time the team had switched reinforcements as well as lined the mold with plastic wrap to prevent any bonding issues.

With the final coat of sealer still drying, the team loaded the canoe into a trailer on a Thursday afternoon and departed for Notre Dame. Every bump the trailer went over on the three and a half hour drive could have caused the canoe to crack, but it made it in one piece.

Early next morning the team headed to St. Mary’s Lake on the Notre Dame campus. The sun wasn’t quite up yet; it was cold and clouds were looming overhead. The team unloaded the canoe and placed it on its stand while the other teams started to trickle in and do the same.

With temperatures in the mid-30s and gusts of wind blowing across the lake, the team carried the canoe into the water for the first time. It floated.

The team started filling the canoe with water as part of their first test. The first test is the swamp test, where the canoe must be fully submerged and then float to the surface. The team took their hands off the canoe and it started to float. The team cheered, emptied the water out of the canoe, hauled it out and tried to stay warm until their first race.

After all the teams had gone through the swamp test and had their canoes judged for specifications, the races began. The first race was the women’s slalom/endurance race. In this time-trial race the participants had to weave through a set of buoys and then paddle around a far buoy and cross the finish line. The Marquette team helped Fleming, Stanley and Kaleianuene Akaka, a senior civil engineering student into the canoe. The team was excited to see the canoe move on the water for the first time. Ready and in position, the girls raised their paddles and were through the finish line in five minutes and eight seconds placing fourth. At the end of the day, the Marquette team took seventh overall in the races. However, the competition did not end there. The races were worth only a small portion in the overall canoe competition, which included a design report, a presentation as well as the canoe itself.

The conference also includes other competitions such as manila folder bridge, concrete golf, wastewater treatment, a mystery competition, technical paper report and a steel bridge competition.
On Saturday morning and afternoon, the team participated in manila folder bridge as well the wastewater treatment, technical paper and mystery competitions. Carruthers and Graziano also gave their presentation on the canoe. The judges were impressed with the fact that the team was able to use 100 percent recycled materials as well the fact that they were able to come together as a team to construct a new canoe in such a short amount of time.

Saturday was the final banquet when all the teams gathered for dinner. As the final results and awards were announced, everyone on the team was taken by surprise. The Marquette team had placed third in the concrete canoe competition, less than 5 points away from University of Wisconsin-Madison, who has dominated the competition in the past, and often competes in nationals.

“It was an insane feeling. Being there at the banquet and hearing our name called for third place, all of us were in shock,” said Fleming. The team took fourth overall as well as first in concrete golf and second for Stanley’s technical paper.

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