Maroon

              THE MAROON ESTABLISHED 1923 VOL. 74 NO. 17 Loyola University New Orleans FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1996 Center to search for funding By LISA WULZYN Staff writer The Women's Studies Center may not receive funding from the university next year, according to Eric Gorham, cochairman of the Women's Studies Committee. The center, which officially opened last September, is searching for funds from outside sources after estimating its 1996-97 budget at $90,000. A large portion of the $90,000 had originally been proposed to fund a fulltime director's salary, a position which has not been filled. The Women's Studies Committee has altered its request, asking for a part-time director. Mary Troy Johnston, co-chairwoman of the Women's Studies Committee, explained that aside from funding the director's salary, the budget is important for attracting speakers and initiating new programs. "We're hoping to tap into large resources from the community. A coordinator would help so much, someone whose primary objective is to provide more interesting programming," Johnston said. In addition to looking for funds from the New Orleans community, the center has petitioned Institutional Advancement to search for donations for the center. According to Joseph Mansfield, vice president of Institutional Advancement, the division will seek people interested in women's studies. Mansfield said that the center needs approximately $100,000 to run properly, in addition to the cost of the renovations in M?rcy Hall. "This program is treated like all programs. We have to reach out into the area of the Capital Campaign, which helps endow very specific programs," he said. Mansfield said that the only way the center will be able to realize its budget goal is to reduce it. "If they start by looking for the director's salary, then they will be able to go on to other programs, such as publications," he said. In addition, Mansfield said that the most beneficial way to receive money is through endowments. Interest from these endowments helps to finance the special programs. Although funding for the center has been sparse, it has received two secondhand computers from the university. THE MULTICULTURAL DEBATE By AMBER SHIELDS Loyola faces questions about diversity By PETER REICHARD Editor in Chief In the coming months, the Rev. Bernard Knoth, „vJ., will consult groups of minority students and members of the Student Government Association on whether to move forward with plans to create an office of multicultural affairs. But questions remain regarding the creation of such an office. Does Loyola have the resources? Should the university advocate the ideals of the controversial multicultural movement? Is Loyola ready for the sort of radical changes in its curriculum a multiculturalist approach might require? What exactly do we mean by that word, "multicultural?" Over the past few years, multiculluralism has stirred debates on college campuses across the nation. Many see it as the next step toward racial equality in America; by "celebrating diversity," people would come to both take pride in their own cultures and better appreciate those of others. In the university setting, this would involve changes in curricula and the creation of new administrative positions and offices to meet the specific needs of different minority groups. Proponents of multiculturalism believe that people of different ethnic backgrounds have different needs and that, in general, universities currently meet only the needs of the majority. They believe that the histories and cultures of many minority groups have been systematically marginalized in favor of the Western European perspective. According to Sonia Nieto, author of Affirming Diversity, students currently receive a limited perspective in the classroom. "Curriculum and pedagogy, rather than using the lived experiences of students as a foundation, have been based on what can be described as an alien and Widespread abuse ends distribution of excuses By LISA WULZYN Staff writer Because approximately one-third of students who visit Health Services feign illness and request notes to be excused from classes. Student Health Services has decided to eliminate the class consideration note process. Vicki McNeil, associate vice president for Student Affairs, issued the procedure change in a Jan. 16 memo to all department heads. According to the m.'mo, Student Health Services treats an average of 65 to 70 students per day, one-third of whom request a note without having a legitimate illness. One full-time nurse is on duty during the day. Physicians are available on campus 23 hours per week. McNeil wrote in a statement to The Maroon. The department does not accept appointments, and 70 students wish to be treated every day, the statement explains. Student Health Services treats approximately three times the amount that private practices treat on average every day. "Because of the challenge to treat the number of patients per day with the current staff, the medical staff was led to recommend a change in the procedure of the class consideration note," McNeil's statement reads. Some students, such as Melissa Ferguson, communications junior, who relied on the class consideration note, questioned the reason for the change in procedure. Tuition to increase by 5.8 percent for next academic year By SARAH WALKER Contributing writer Tuition continues to rise. With the 5.8 percent increase announced by the Rev. Bernard Knoth, S.J., university president, in a letter he sent to students and parents on Jan. 29, the tuition for the 1996-1997 academic year will rise from $11,776 to $12,450 for full-time undergraduate students. While the Board of Trustees approved the tuition increase, it also approved a 3.7 percent increase in the financial aid fund for the 1996-1997 academic year. In the letter, Knoth said the reason for the recent increase is to maintain "current high standards of education, to continue offering a variety of beneficial student services, and to support the condition of the campus." Robert Rowland, dean of Arts and Sciences, said he is confident that the increase is necessary for Loyola to maintain current standards and a balanced budget. Rowland, a member of the University Budget Committee, said that the committee has made progress. "We are way ahead of where we were 12 months ago." He said that the Chemistry laboratories are in dire need of improvement. The 3.7 percent increase in the financial aid fund has also been instated to help compensate for the tuition increase. No decision has been made on how much of the increase will go toward loans and how much will go toward grants and scholarships. The 5.8 percent increase will bring the 1996-1997 tuition cost to $6,225 per semester for full time undergraduate students. In the 1985-1986 academic year, tuition for full time undergraduate students was $2,414 per semester. Six years later, in the 1991-1992 academic year, it was $4,600 per semester. 1985 $2,414 1991 $4,600 1986 $2,710 1992 $4,785 1987 $3,050 1993 $5,200 1988 $3,352 1994 $5,550 1989 $3,850 1995 $5,888 1990 $4,274 19% $6,225 See RACE, Pg. 5 See HEALTH, Pg. 4 See CENTER, Pg. 4 B Punk Rock Home Stretch BBMjjFjfl Models Inc. about life on the streets UP 'tS season w' a with help from Christy,