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% [?]

Campus Kitchen volunteers pose for a group picture after preparing meals. These volunteers passed the 100,000 meal mark at this session. The program uses leftover food on campus to feed others ranging from school children to the elderly. Campus Kitchen runs Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Straz cafeteria. (Photo by Matt Dixon)

From left: Colleen Fiocchi and Jacki Adrians, freshmen in the College of Buisness Administration, help sort tomatoes for meals as part of Campus Kitchen, Monday, April 19.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

The Democratic Party received $62,681 in financial support from Marquette employees between 2004 and 2010 according to the online database Opensecrets.org. Out of 58 total Marquette contributors, 74 percent donated to the Democratic Party in support of presidential and congressional candidates as well as Democratic support groups. Only 13 Marquette employees supported the Republican Party, donating $7,549, according to Fundrace 2008 by the Huffington Post and Opensecrets.org.

Other Jesuit institutions such as Loyola University in Chicago, Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif., Fordham University in the Bronx, and Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA, followed a similar pattern as Marquette.

Several students reacted to the presented information with a casual, “that’s unsurprising,” or “what else is new?”

According to John McAdams, associate professor in the political science department, a university’s title does not determine or influence a faculty member’s ideology, but rather academia.

“Liberals are like ducks in water in academia,” McAdams said.

Out of 42 Loyola employees, 40 contributed to the Democratic Party candidate, donating $29,419 total. Forty Santa Clara employees donated to the Democratic Party out of 44 total contributors. They contributed a total of $34,747 to the Democratic candidate; the four Republicans donated $1,455. Of the Boston College employees 104 of them financially supported the Democratic Party and donated $77,247, while five Republicans donated $5,257, according to Fundrace2008.

John Curran, professor of English, connected the high percentage of Democratic supporters to the dismay most feel toward the development of the Republican Party over time.

“Constructive elements of the Republican Party have been suppressed and many of us in the middle are quite dismayed,” Curran said.

Timothy Olsen, manager of communication in Marquette’s Office of Marketing and Communication, clarified that Marquette employees’ political contributions are individual and do not represent the university.
Curran saw a relationship between academia and liberalism 15 years ago during the political correctness movement. Curran said there was a weeding out of people that did not agree with far left politics.

“I don’t see that anymore,” Curran said.

McAdams does, however, see a difficulty for conservatives in academia.

“Conservatives often self select out because they view academia as hostile territory,” McAdams said.

Claire Schrantz, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, noticed most of her conservative teachers were “hush hush” about their ideology because liberalism is in the majority. McAdams pointed out that students face fierce indoctrination in some classes and a hesitation to share opinions in opposition to their professor.

Schrantz recalled an incident in English class when her professor brought up the issue of healthcare. She described the teacher’s remarks toward the conservative approach to healthcare as “sarcastic and condescending.”

“It kind of offended me, that’s unprofessional,” Schrantz said, “I just didn’t participate that day.”

McAdams authors a blog, called Marquette Warrior (which is not affiliated with The Warrior student newspaper) about left-wing influence and indoctrination on campus.

“In the School of Education, students are explicitly taught that they should use the classroom to indoctrinate their students in liberal and left wing political activism,” McAdams said.

The Marquette Warrior blog brings awareness to such indoctrination and publicizes students’ experiences with intolerant left-wing faculty.

In 2006, a philosophy professor suggested a student apologize for sharing a cop’s perspective of arrests involving minorities. The professor found the student’s comments “offensive to the diverse group in the room.”
Curran relies “on the professionalism of [his] colleagues” to separate political ideology from the classroom and encourages his undergraduate students to think for themselves. “Students are sacred. They should not feel menaced in my class,” Curran said.

Curran credits Marquette University’s commitment to cura personalis, which means caring and respecting each person in mind, body and spirit, and while doing so, upholding the commitment to the wider world. “I feel like my opinions are respected overall,” Schrantz said, “there were just some instances with one teacher that were offensive and unprofessional.”

by Heather Ronaldson
heather.ronaldson@mu.edu

Popularity: 3% [?]

Recent graduates will soon have another weapon in their arsenal of social media networking tools—T-shirts. Hire Me Tee, Inc offers self branding apparel in the form of long and short sleeve shirts for men and women to advertise a technical skill, recent degree, religious background and even ethnicity to a potential employer.

Photo courtesy of Hire me Tee, and Andrej Bula

“It’s essentially a mini-resume meant to facilitate discussion and networking,” said CEO and founder Andrej Bula, who was a recruiter for Fortune 500 Companies for fifteen years before starting Hire Me Tee. Bula said his experience in recruiting has “I know what’s effective and not effective,” he said. “The objective is to help people find jobs through self-branding.”

The company launched in December, 2009, in New Jersey and already Bula said business has exceeded projections. Since the launch, the company has marketing campaign that has kept sales steady.

“I think it’s a novel idea and initially the reaction was that is was not something that was embraced initially it took them a few months to adjust According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70% of all jobs are found through networking, a fact Hire Me Tee notes in the marketing of its product as a “quasi walking billboard, promoting ones self to the public, and allowing for networking in a friendly, fun, and relaxed manner.”

Bula said the challenging economic climate makes apparel an During this difficult employment climate, I believe it is important that Marquette students be aware of this ‘out of the box’ method of meeting new contacts, networking, and expanding their client base. Job seekers are often recognized and rewarded with this type of creativity; ultimately, a Hire Me(trademark) t-shirt may lead to an employment opportunity through a method that is friendly and fun.

Apparel that promotes a job seeker’s alma mater is in the works for Hire Me Tee in addition to shirts that meant to connect college alumni each other.

“Schools are a huge drawing factor of how people are attracted to other people for positions,” he said. “They’re building a market brand in a marketplace in the form of a commonality like Marquette University.”

Shirts can be purchased online at http://www.hiremetee.com/ and range in price from $21.95 for the T-shirts to $33.95 for sweatshirts

by Katelyn Ferral
katelyn.ferral@mu.edu

Popularity: 2% [?]

Over the last year Sodexo, the corporation responsible for the food and beverage services on Marquette’s campus, has come under pressure from the student body. Students are unsatisfied with a number of aspects of Sodexo’s services including prices, quality, and transparency of operations.

This dissatisfaction climaxed with the Marquette University Student Government’s senate voting to terminate the university’s contract with the multinational corporation. This decision is ultimately left to the Marquette administrators, but the student voice carries weight. A full semester later Sodexo is still at Marquette, though they did begin to make some changes to the way they operate some of their major dining halls already, starting this spring semester. Furthermore, Sodexo hosted a widely publicized open forum recently to allow students a chance to voice their concerns.

Food quality and menu options have been a major concern of students for quite some time. With a fairly decent number of students having special dietary and nutritional needs this has been a major concern. Many students are alarmed at the high levels of sodium and carbohydrates in many of the foods, especially at McCormick Hall’s dining facility which serves a majority of students.

“Shouldn’t nutrition be a main priority here at Marquette?” asked one concerned student during the forum, “How are milkshakes all day, every day a healthy choice?”, when asking about the new diner theme being designed for Mashuda Hall.

At the forum, Sodexo gave a brief presentation describing their currently planned solutions to improve dining in the coming years.Some of these solutions addressed the problem by assuring that they would be working to incorporate more local produce and dairy products in their facilities. Sodexo representatives reminded students that primary growing seasons are generally during the summer when students are not on campus.

Many students are concerned with available options for those who have special dietary needs, especially those with a vegetarian diet or those who need gluten-free foods. “I’m a vegetarian and I’ve found that most of the time the best meal I can get is a grilled cheese sandwich, sometimes that’s all I can find for two meals a day,” said a student who preferred to remain anonymous. Some have found that if they can call ahead by about an hour or so they can have a meal specially prepared for them by the dining staff. Of course, on a college student’s schedule that is not always convenient.

Another major issue is the mandatory policy that underclassmen purchase a meal plan. This raises the concern of where the discrepancy between the cost per meal paid by students and the cost of one plate of food that they receive. When asked for specific facts and allocations of money, Sodexo seemed unable to answer students on where exactly their money was going by percentage in certain areas of the budget.

“I’m very concerned where my money is going, I’d like to see the prices go down per meal. I’d like to see what it costs, per meal, I want to see what we’re actually paying,” said Brian Graf, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Former MUSG president and College of Arts and Sciences senior said he was pleased that Sodexo was continuing to work with students in order to better their services provided. It was also an opportunity for Sodexo to renew the faith of the students that they were working to fit their needs. They stressed the need for time to make big changes happen.

“The changes that have come about in the last few years have come from meetings very much like this. They have been built on the student feedback that we have been getting. We encourage students to continue to provide input,” said Dan Auger, general manager of Sodexo at Marquette.

Jordan Reff, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore and Schroeder Hall resident was very pleased, “I think it’s great that they are trying to work with the students because those are the people they are serving.”

Graf participated in a small meeting with some of the same Sodexo employees and other students that lived in McCormick Hall last year and says that good things have come from it already. “Last year I was in a small group meeting with students and Sodexo. We discussed what was then current dining hall availabilities and food quality. The things that came up were good and bad, what we liked and disliked. We proposed new ideas and by this year they had changed or made better the ideas that we had discussed. As far as I can see they are interested in changing when students ask them to. We realized that not everything can change so quickly, however, but they make the effort to change as fast as they can.”

In light of the concerns raised last semester Sodexo made changes regarding their service hours and quality, especially at McCormick Hall and Cafe Italiana at Schroeder. Some of the changes included extending the serving hours at the various sections of McCormick such as the international grill and sandwich station. Cafe Italiana’s hours of operation were extended to every night of the week as well. Many students noted this change at the semester.

“I noticed a definite change at the beginning of the semester. There are also more limited time offers which are great, for instance tonight I got a mean plate of nachos at the AMU,” said Matthew Schulz, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration.

John Heflin, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore, is still waiting for more. While he was not at the forum, he was disheartened to hear that Sodexo did not provide facts and figures when it came to using students’ money.

“Yes, they have made noticeable changes, but there’s still a long way to go. The results we see are still less than acceptable. I commend them for their efforts at trying to make the conditions more acceptable, but I challenge them to do better.”

Sodexo indicated certain benchmarks that they want to meet by the years 2010, 2012, and 2015. Students should continue to provide feedback via the means provided them on Marquette’s campus.

by Joseph DeFelice
joseph.defelice@mu.edu

Popularity: 2% [?]

Last weekend Chicago played host to the annual rugby All-Star tournament for the Midwest. Wisconsin, which is perennially seen as the powerhouse of the tournament, was one of just eight teams that participated in the tournament hosted by the Local Area Union (LAU). This year Marquette was well represented in the tournament, sending four players to the All-Star tournament which tied for most amongst any college in Wisconsin.

The four players represent the depth of Marquette’s club team. Seniors Adam Kreutter, Austin Ryan, Kevin Ryan and Vince Kelly each played for the Wisconsin All-Star team with most of them having earned multiple selections. Austin and Adam were selected for their third consecutive selection while Kevin earned his second selection. This is especially impressive considering that just four years ago Marquette’s club team did not have anyone represent the Golden Eagles in Chicago.

The tournament is broken down into two tiers each containing four teams. The first tier is comprised of the top four teams from the Midwest as determined from the previous year’s tournament, with the second tier containing the remaining four teams. The winner of the first tier is deemed champion of the Midwest while the loser of both games is forced to swap places with the victor of the second tier.

Wisconsin entered this year’s tournament as the reigning champion, and found itself sitting pretty with a number one seed. Wisconsin’s dominance has been so prevalent that it has assumed a dynasty-esque appearance over the past decade so expectations were high for this year’s team. Combine that with the fact that Marquette’s four reps were seniors, it isn’t hard to see how bad they wanted to win another championship. Wisconsin has proved their run as a dynasty by winning four of the past five Midwest All-Star tournaments and this year showed no reason why they should not repeat.

Wisconsin opened their weekend slate Saturday afternoon against arch-rival Minnesota and looked to score an early win from a hated opponent. Unfortunately, after a tough fought out game Wisconsin fell 25-17 in a heart wrenching loss. After a big team dinner and plenty of sleep, the Wisconsin all-stars followed on Sunday and pounded Iowa 29-0 in a game that was never close. Kreutter summed up the feeling saying, “Before this year we had won four of five, so definitely we wanted to defend our title, we just weren’t able to.”

Next year’s all-star team will go down as the number three seed and once again will be faced to match up with the second seeded Minnesota once again which fell in the championship to Ohio. Since Iowa was unable to score a victory they will be sent to the second tier and forced to play their way back to the top tier.

Although all fours reps from Marquette were seniors, it has not lowered expectations for more players being invited by the Wisconsin team in the coming years. When asked whether Marquette is expected to send anyone next year, the assistant captain, Austin Ryan simply replied, “Definitely! We had thirteen guys tryout this year and almost all of them could easily be on the team next year.”

Kreutter, a senior in the College of Engineering, completely agreed saying that, “Marquette’s team is filled with all-star caliber talent and the fact that four of us made the team shows the depth of the entire team not just the individual players.”

Although MU’s involvement in the tournament is extraordinary, each of the players noted the importance of moving past simply a Marquette affiliation and identifying themselves as the Wisconsin team. Ryan claimed that it was actually one of the best parts of the tournament, because “the ability to build camaraderie across the state and allows us to compete with others across the Midwest that take rugby seriously.”

The ability to play alongside some of the best players in the state, not to mention the Midwest, means that rivalries with other schools are temporarily forgotten in favor of the ability to represent this great state. Kreutter remembered a specific instance about which he said “I really could not stand this one guy from Wisconsin-Whitewater whenever we played them, but once I played with him my opinion quickly changed and we became great teammates.”

The importance of cohesion is shared by Ryan who lamented that “At this tournament, individuals do not win games, which was why we lost our first game. A lack of team cohesion is one of the biggest weaknesses a team can have.

Wisconsin is a team that specifically focuses on team cohesion, making the loss due to individualistic play that much harder to swallow. After they trimmed down the original 70 Wisconsin all-star hopefuls to the final 25, they have two scrimmages that focus largely on cohesion. This cohesion has proved invaluable for the players under the system as many have their play elevated to a whole new level. Two-time all-star Kevin Ryan recalled what his first selection did for his game saying, “After playing at a higher level, it gives a perspective of where you are, and allows you to elevate your own expectations. This improvement is hard to see at a local level.”

The exposure to some of the best talent is also the direct result of the ability to play under some of the best coaches in the Midwest. The rugby players’ performance also provides a great opportunity to showcase their skills allowing them potentially to play for the Midwest team. Austin Ryan performance warranted an invite to the Midwest Developmental game a great accomplishment. The depth of Wisconsin has been continually proven by past players as over the past 5 years; three guys have gone on to play for the All-American team.

Regardless of the outcome in Chicago, all four players agreed that it was an incredible experience. Hopefully
the recent past will prove true next year as Marquette hopes to once again send more players to represent Wisconsin in the 2011 All-Star game.

by Joe Beres
anthony.beres@mu.edu

Popularity: 2% [?]

Dear Marquette,

Congrats you made it through another school year. In the school year of 2009-2010 we enjoyed a year that caused each of us to take a deep breath & realize nothing burned down (yet). During the year we sipped just a few more cups of Brew coffee, incurred just a few more hours of lost sleep, learned just a little more, shared just a few more drinks with our friends, spent just a little more money (tuition did go up), and just spent another year finding ourselves. Whether you are graduating or just surviving another semester let this article be a send off for all, a space to state all the lessons we take away from our college experience.

Handshake after handshake, we continuously have introduced ourselves to hundreds of people. At the end of the day a few of those people have stuck and made an impact on our lives both small and large. We found people who would help us study and we found those who would just YouTube video after video with us and sing Miley. We found people would who would wait outside in the cold before basketball games with us and those who stayed up all night with us just to talk about life. We met people who drove us crazy and showed us who we didn’t want to be, and met those who inspired us to want to be a better person. We found friends who would drive us to Kopps for custard and others would prefer to run to the lake instead. We found people who would drink with us until all became blurry and those who would stay in on a Saturday to watch a movie. We found those who would be there unconditionally for us and those who came and went. We found those who would walk to church with us and those who would go on a beer run with us. No matter what we searching for or needed, chances are we could find someone here.

Somewhere amongst the people we meet, we became someone and a part of something. At times it was not being afraid to keeping dancing or playing intramural volleyball–even if the score is never quite in our team’s favor. Maybe it was taking a chance and trying something you never dreamt of doing such as being part of a Fraternity or Sorority. Maybe it was just doing what you were already passionate about. At college we all have a chance to be a part of something greater. We are Fanatics and Big Brothers. We are RAs and Senators. Some of us are Athletes and others are Midnight Runners. We are people at with Active Minds and people looking to Clean Up Hunger. Here we are a part of something—we are Marquette.

And after you are done meeting all these different people and doing all those things, don’t forget to set your alarm and go to class in the morning. In between everything it’s hard to remember we came to learn. We learned the slope of supply curves & demands curves. We learned how to handle ad-campaigns, how to act, and how to speak. We learned differential equations, how to brew beer in chemistry labs, and learned how to wire circuits. At times we take that knowledge and just let it flourish, fully prepared to use it in the real world. Other times we bury it, acknowledge it, and move on. Hey its college, we can’t learn it all but at least we are learning something daily.

Chances are whatever we learned, some classes had phenomenal professors who helped you discover areas you would excel in and chances are some classes had professors who should consider moving to another profession. Good or bad they still taught us and that’s what we are here for. Each helped us add a little more to our learning process and refine it. From Day 1 freshman year until now we are always refining that process. We will use this process daily for the rest of our lives. Whether we use it to keep ourselves entertained or help further our academic and professional careers everything we learned, attempted to learn, failed to learn, and have yet to learn is helping us forge our future.

College makes us find ourselves. It enables us to ask the tough questions. What do I want in life? What do I want to do? Will I be happy? Should I be worried or unworried for tomorrow, for next week, or for what comes next? What will my impact be on Marquette, my friends, or my career after I leave this place? What am I capable of? We continually get to ask and ask and ask ourselves these questions. Perhaps the best part of college is that every day we can slightly change our answer and just keep defining and redefining ourselves.

College gives us a chance to keep meeting, keep learning, at times to keep drinking. It allows us to just keep being ourselves because we all need time before we get to the next step. So take your time because after we leave this place we will all just long to be back–longing to be back drinking beer, sitting in class, sipping coffee, paying tuition (ok maybe not that part), and just asking ourselves what the future holds for us. No matter what you learned in college just don’t forget to set an alarm, because tomorrow will come too soon.

By: Andrew Sinclair
andrew.sinclair@marquette.edu

Popularity: 3% [?]

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% [?]

The Best Place tavern, located at 901 W. Juneau Ave. in the Historic Pabst Brewery, is set to open Sunday, May 2. As part of the former Pabst corporate offices and visitor’s center, the German-style Blue Ribbon Hall, Captain’s Courtyard, guest center and King’s Courtyard, the new pub will accommodate 50-60 people.

The hall within the Best Place Tavern is decorated with Edgar Miller’s 1944, one-hundredth anniversary fresco paintings of the Pabst Brewing Company history and brewing process along the ceiling’s perimeter. German sayings painted on walls along with the two courtyards, enclosed by hand blown-glass windows with stained glass mosaics, brings patrons back in time to a 19th century German tavern atmosphere.

The bar area showcases the building’s history with a sign-in book dating back to 1942, with signatures from members of the 1953 Boston Red Socks team. Marquette and UWM alumnus Jim Haertel, who bought and renovated Best Place, confirmed its historical authenticity, “The rooms have the same tables and chairs – same everything,” he said.

Marquette business student Caro Seiler, 24, who is helping Haertel prepare for the tavern’s opening, called Best Place a “historical treasure in Milwaukee.” As a German native, Seiler said Best Place reminds her of pubs in southern Germany.

“The United States is a young country, and I think Best Place is unique in its oldness,” Seiler said.

When Haertel, a Milwaukee-based financial and real estate consultant, pursued the purchase of the Pabst property in the late ‘90s, he quickly found that the only way he could buy Best Place was to buy the entire brewery for $11 million. After two and a half years of legal negotiations, Haertel signed a contract with a $50,000 down payment on Sept. 11, 2001, at 9:30 a.m.

Haertel explained his excitement of that morning, the morning he was to make his real estate dreams come true. But it was that morning that he found an empty office, and later a conference room of shocked faces staring at the attacked towers of the World Trade Center on the television screen.

The woman sitting nearby urged him not to sign the agreement, fearing the effects of the twin tower tragedy. Thinking to himself, “I’m not giving into the terrorists,” Haertel signed the contract.

With loves for real estate and beer, Haertel explained the success of his investment: “Now I found my passion – historical real estate related to beer.”

Looking back at his experiences at Marquette, where he received an executive Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Haertel said his Marquette education taught him to “follow your passion and success will come. Then give back.”

As the pub’s sternewirt – German for “star host,” a combination of the phrases “star brewer” and “brewer host” – Haertel gives tours in Best Place, one of the 23 of the 28 Pabst buildings he saved. He also leases Blue Ribbon Hall for group events.

A variety of memorabilia recovered from the Pabst Brewery can be purchased at Best Place’s Vintage Gift Shop, including “original stock certificates, mirrors, artwork, promotional materials, vintage postcards, and other collectable items such as coasters, beer buckets, bottle crowns,” according to the Best Place Web site.

by Melanie Pawlyszyn
melanie.pawlyszyn@mu.edu

Popularity: 3% [?]