Maroon

              THE LOYOLA MAROON Vol. 73 No. 11 • November 19,1993- • Loyola University New Orleans, LA 70118* Greek integration plan over, little progress made By Tina Bergeron Managing Editor Time has run out on an affirmative action plan requiring Greek organizations to integrate, but questions about the plan's success and the future of the committee that created it remain. A 1988 affirmative action plan by the Greek Life Committee required organizations to actively pursue racial integration that would reflect the ethnic diversity of Loyola without quotas. The plan also called for Greeks to make public their non-discriminatory policies. "Positive results are e xpec led to be measurable within the next five years with annual evaluation and revision as necessary," the plan states. But five and a half years after the plan's implementation, minority numbers are still low. Some associated with the Greek system are looking back on what happened during the plan's five-year framework, and what the future of affirmative action is for Loyola's Greek system. Membership figures for 1993, provided by the Student Activities Office, indicate that no traditionally white sorority currently has a black member. Comparing membership statistics from a 1987 Maroon article with 1993 statistics, traditionally white fraternities have shown some improvement in recruiting minority students. In 1987, both Alpha Delta Gamma and Sigma Phi Epsilon had one black member. ADG currendy has no black members, and Sig Ep has two. Phi Kappa Psi, which arrived on campus in 1988, currendy has three black members. Both fraternities and sororities have initiated more Hispanic members. A total of 14 Hispanic students are in fraternities this year, as compared to 10 in 1990. Likewise, sororities have increased Hispanic membership from 7 in 1990 to 13 this year. Membership figures also indicate that no whites, Hispanics or other minorities are members of traditionally black sororities or fraternities , except Delta Sigma Theta, which has one white Tulane student in its city-wide chapter. Tim Bamett, director of the Danna Center and adviser to the Interfratemity Council, said that no Greek Life Committee has met since he arrived at Loyola in 1992. The plan states that the Greek Life Committee, consisting of the two representatives of each Greek organization, selected advisers and Student Activities personnel, "continue to function as an advisory and evaluative entity to determine the effectiveness of the plan..." Former Danna Center director and IFC adviser Charles "Dusty" Miller said in April 1992 that the committee disbanded after conceiving the 1988 affirmative action plan. Miller said that affirmative action was one of 14 aspects of Greek life included in a report on Greek life accepted during the 1990-91 school year, but was no longer reviewed separately. Barnett said he believes that a lack of minority participation in rush has hindered efforts for significant improvements in the numbers of minorities in Greek organizations. He said that peer pressure within the minority community is a factor in the lack of minorities rushing, and that a minority student's deci- Heavy metal—Eric Johnson, an artist who visited campus for art week, prepares an Iron mold near the Danna Center/Photo by Amy Pr lllgrlnl UBC considering students' tuition ideas By Chris Bonura News Editor The University Budget Committee is expected to vote on next year's budget, which includes a 5 to7percent increase, on Dec 6. The committee sent the budget to a steering committee after Student Government Association President Erika Schwarz, first-year law student, told ÜBC members of student reaction to the proposed increase. "I think they are going to take the students' proposals and suggestions very seriously in the steering committee," the Rev. Joseph Currie, S.J., dean of campus ministry and ÜBC member, said. SGA Special Operations Director Jeff Rogers, first-year law student, who sits with Schwarz on the ÜBC, said he'snot so sure that what Schwarz proposed will have much effect "They were listening to us and they were happy to hear something coming from the students, but I don't know how much weight they gave it," Rogers said. Schwarz and Rogers presented an alternative to the 6.73 percent increase Schwarz says the ÜBC was leaning towards. The 6.73 percent increase would raise tuition to $ 11,100 a year. Schwarz proposed a 4 percent tuition increase, which would raise tuition to $10,800. The SGA proposal would raise faculty salaries a minimum of 3 percent. It also suggests that the ÜBC reallocate money budgeted for Physical Plant and program initiatives. The budget based on a 6.73 percent tuition increase would provide a S percent increase in salaries. Schwarz said that the university should make more of an effort to retain students. "We spend a lot of money recruiting ... and we'll bend over backwards to get students to come to the university," she said. "But, for the most part, we don't do enough to keep them here," she said. The Salary Issue Dr. Daniel Sheridan, religious studies professor and ÜBC member, said that the university is falling behind in faculty salaries and faculty maintenance. According to Sheridan, students at last week's SGA tuition forum who complained that service didn't increase with tuition were missing the point. "If we don't have the increase, we're going to fall back," he said. Schwarz thinks that the salary increases should be equivalent to the cost of living increase, which she said was between 3 to 4 percent Schwarz added that students also have to deal with increased cost of living. Sheridan said that if you average in the year that there was no salary increase, then a 3 to 4 percent salary increase does not fully compensate for cost of living increases. Physical Plant Schwarz said that funds allocated to the physical plant fund and programs initiatives fund should be reallocated to faculty salaries. Sheridan said that he thought the money allocated for Physical Plant and programs initiatives was necessary, for exactly the same reason that Schwarz said they are unnecessary—they weren't funded last year. "If we had money left over in the past, then we would keep up the university like we should," he said. "But we could be putting in $1,000,000 into that line [plant fund] and it would be money well spent." Currie agreed that Physical Plant needs the money. "It's a problem; you can't let the buildings deteriorate," he said. Tuition Fund Schwarz said that the ÜBC should set up a fund to offset tuition increases. She says that extra funds should not be redistributed to departments, but See Greek Integration, pg. 3 See Tuition, pg. 4 lINSIDp This Week MLj Statehood Status? Students react to Puerto Rican voters' decision to continue commonwealth status. Pg. 3 Fab Five Five atheletes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during Saturday's game. Pg. 5 Let's Dance The ballet concert performed by Loyola's Society of Dance opens tonight in Roussel Hall. Pg.9 The Maroon will not publish next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Publication will resume on Dec. 3.