Maroon

              THE MAROON "For a Greater Loyola ESTABLISHED 1923 VOL. 76 NO. 19 Loyola University New Orleans FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1998 Knipfing defends removal of BSU executive board By LARRY GRAHAM Assistant Life & Times Editor For second time in history, Knipfing fires an e-board An altercation between two members of the Black Student Union on Feb. 16 led to Vincent Knipfing, vice president of Student Affairs, firing the organization's executive board. Former BSU president Nathan Woods, communications senior, said Veronica Marrero, communications freshman, and Ryan Holmes, music education sophomore, became involved in a heated argument. Members of the BSU became concerned enough to call Public Safety. A report was filed that implied criminal charges would be brought against Holmes for assaulting Marrero, but Woods said Holmes never struck Marrero. About two weeks later, Knipfing fired the organization's e-board. "He did what he felt he had to do ... I do, however feel that if it had been another organization, it wouldn't have gone like that," Holmes said. This was not the first time Knipfing had intervened in the actions of a student organization. More than 20 years ago, he removed the executive board of the Student Government Association. Knipfing said this was the only other time that a student organization was deemed incapable of fulfilling its responsibilities. "It (SGA) became a dysfunctional organization and it turned into some racial overtones and I just felt it got out of hand. And I wanted to stop it before it became any worse, so I shut them down," Knipfing said. "The BSU is like any other organization. It has its ups and downs. Some years they're real strong with really good leadership," Knipfing said. "We just want to make sure as much as we can that we will have a group in there that understands how to work with conflict, how to resolve conflict." CHANGING OF THE GUARD By ELIZABETH STUART Editorial Editor PRESIDENTIAL PLATFORM J.T. HANNAN To give the Student Bar Association a block grant so the Student Government Association can more effectively appropriate money to law school organizations. To convene a year-long study on Loyola's parking situation. To institute a Debate During the Window program to increase student awareness of campus issues. VICE PRESIDENTIAL PLATFORMS BECKY DAYRIES "Committment, constituency, congress." To strengthen the Student Government Association and promote greater personal contact between congress members and their constituents. To inform students of SGA's decisions. ERIC DELGADO "Opening Doors for '98-'99." To reduce student apathy through effective programming and a stronger athletic program. To meet one-on-one with congress members. To increase understanding between students and administrators. ALLAN PERALES To work closely with the University Programing Board to sponsor better events tor students. To implement an automated message service to inform students of activities with the community. To raise money to eliminate speed bumps in the West Road Garage. Hannan unchallenged in race for SGA president Candidates for Student Government Association president and vice president have found themselves discussing issues of tuition increases, budget reform and student representation on university committees. Besides these issues the SGA executive candidates are also debating the campus parking problem, student apathy and SGA commitments. Loyola will choose between three candidates for the SGA vice president's position on March 25 and 26. The vice president handles issues concerning budget allocations to student organizations, student organization chartering and congressional commitment fulfillment. The three vice presidential candidates are Becky Dayries, psychology junior, Eric Delgado, international business and management junior; and Allan Perales, music performance sophomore. Dayries is the SGA director of special operations and was arts and sciences representative before that. She said she wants to stress "constituency, communications and congress." She plans to work with individual congress members to increase discussion at meetings. In order to motivate congress to fulfill more of its committments, Dayries intends to work with the individual congress member and come up with ideas that are important to that member, she said. In order to increase student awareness of SGA decisions, Dayries hopes to post the SGA meetings minutes on its Web site. Throughout the past year, SGA has chartered over eight clubs. Dayries plans to confront the controversy that SGA has become a "rubber stamp" in organization chartering by increasing discussion on the proposed organization's worth in the meeting when the organization comes before congress to be chartered. Budget allocations to the student Staff photos by SARAH BARNETT Final candidates make visits to campus By MICHAEL GIUSTI News Editor The final trio of dean candidates met with Loyola's students and faculty on campus in the past two weeks. Finnie Murray, Frank Scully and David Sachsman all presented ideas on how they would improve the College of Arts and Sciences. Murray, biology chairman at Ohio University, said he would like to empower students and faculty with the resources to research and examine their individual field of study but still keep them focused on their role at Loyola. "I want to make sure Loyola keeps students centered wherever it goes. That is what an institution of higher education is about," he said. Student evaluations of faculty are essential, he said. "I think they (evaluations) should be universal and should be something that's done every course Arts and sciences dean candidate Frank Scully visits with Loyola students in the Bobet Living Room. Staff photo by PIERCE PRESLEY SGA ousts director of finance By ELIZABETH STUART Editorial Editor Dickson had too little time to dedicate to position Patrick Dickson has a little more free lime on his hands. He was fired from his position as Student Government Association director of finance last week. Dickson, finance and accounting junior, said he didn't have enough time to commit to his job and he couldn't meet his office hours. He also said he and SGA Vice President Huy Vu, economics and international business senior, had different methods of handling SGA's financial records. Both Dickson and SGA President Kevin Casey, biology/pre-med senior, said the change was mutual. "It was a very professional layoff," Dickson said. "Kevin handled himself very Loyola's green history reflects tension, apathy By SARAH SPARKS Managing Editor It's rare that on a Friday evening anybody would want to stay on Loyola's campus. But on March 13 nearly 225 students and faculty packed Room 114 of Miller Hall to discuss what has become a favorite topic of many on campus. When the room could hold no more, listeners spilled into the hall outside, ears cocked to hear the softspoken man at the front of the lecture hall —Thomas Berry. eco-theologian and author of The Dream of Earth. The crowd's focus and enthusiasm stood in contrast to critics who have complained of apathy and cynicism on campus. The environment has become a hot topic at Loyola. Only two years ago, the controversy surrounding the Freeport-McMoßan endowed environmental communications chair lit a firestorm of protests from around the nation. I-ast fall, administrators received criticism from See SGA. Pg.3 See BSU, Pg. 3 See RACE, Pg. 3 See DEAN, Pg. 4 See GREEN, Pg. 5 m NEWS Jn r'eans R°°m looks for | ways to prevent theft. 'jpi SPORTS Lacrosse keeps spring W eltib sports going. SNSEM Page 8 a I ||H| Loyola extends helping hand to local school.