Maroon

              THE MAROON gdgfdsf VOL. 84, NO. 2 HTTP: //M ARC )v)N. LOVN O.EDU  FRIDAY, JAN. 20, 2006 Service expected, not mandatory By Kevin Corcoran Staff writer Loyola Cares Day draws large crowd of students After consulting with experts on community service, university administrators have decided not to require students to do community service this semester in response to Hurricane Katrina. Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, said Loyola will continue to encourage and deepen its existing culture of community service. The decision has raised some eyebrows on campus this week because Tulane University is requiring its incoming freshman class to do community service in order to graduate. "We've had a long tradition of community service. This is not new to us," Wildes said. "1 want us to do what we've been doing but better." Michael Girardot, music business sophomore, supported the university's choice to keep service voluntary. Although he played at a benefit concert and was among those turned away from Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, Girardot argued freedom of choice was an integral part of the college experience. Stephen Mac Donald, music business sophomore, supported the idea of mandatory service but acknowledged that most returning students planned to do some work to help rebuild the city. "There's no pride in coming back to a destroyed city and not doing anything about it," Mac Donald said. He wasn't alone in the sentiment; last weekend when Loyola's student body mobilized on a large scale for the first time since Hurricane Katrina for community service in New Orleans. The first gathering was on Friday for Loyola University Community Action Program's Party With A Purpose, an informational gathering in the Peace Quad. On Saturday, LUCAP organized a number of volunteer programs for Loyola Cares Day. "Party with a Purpose was a success," said history junior Mandi Moore, external affairs chair of LUCAP. "Some kids were there for the pizza and beer, which is inevitable, but a lot of kids were really interested," Moore said. For Loyola Cares Day, LUCAP adviser Sister Leyla Cerda said that she had to turn away more than twenty people who showed up on Saturday to take part in the day's activities, which included Habitat for Humanity, gardening at the Arc of Greater New Orleans, an organizationorganization on mental retardation, and tutoring community schoolchildren with the CARE Project. Because of the massive interest from the student body, all the spaces had already been filled. "Ever since my freshman year I wanted to get into things like [Habitat] but, being a music major, you really don't have as much time as you wish you did," said Beth STAFF PHOTO BY ALETHIA PICCIOLA Nicole Thibodeaux, communications junior, and Ashley Christianson work on a roof for Habitat for Humanity. The Habitat event was part of Loyola Cares Day, a LUCAP-organized event focusing on service to the community. The sound of renewal Famed trumpeter Wynton Marsalis performed at McAlister Auditorium on Tulane's campus on Monday. Marsalis performed with his father and guest Irvin Mayfield. Marsalis also gave a strong speech encouraging students to get involved in the rebuilding process and to hold leaders accountable for their promises to the city of New Orleans. STAFF PHOTO BYJACK CRAFT Gros fills vacancy at Holy Name Bindewald takes over as interim dean of University Ministry By Tara Templeton Staff writer The Rev. Edwin L. Gros, S.J., dean of University Ministry for more than three years, was appointed pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church after its previous pastoi stepped down due to health problem s . Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes appointed Gros to replace the Rev. Tom Stahel, S.J., who had been pastor for almost two years. Gros' appointment started Jan. 16. Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, announced Gros' departure in an e-mail to the Loyola community on Jan. 15. "I am very grateful to Father Gros for all the work he has done in The Rev. Edwin L. Gros, S.J. Assumes duties from ailing Stahel Students celebrate MLK day; classes continue as scheduled By Naomi King Chief Staff writer Loyola students and faculty voiced opinions and frustrations Monday about the university not holding classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the lingering racial tones surrounding Hurricane Katrina and the rebuilding of New Orleans. Loyola's Black Student Union and the Center for Intercultural Understanding celebrated the civil rights leader's birthday with a rally featuring student and faculty speeches and songs, as well as some of King's less familiar writings, such as the bold, raw "Letters from a Birmingham Jail." As the only college in the city to hold classes during the national holiday, students and faculty alike had opinions on the administration's decision. Ranika Sanchez, president of BSU, said students approached her about the situation before classes began earlier this month. Some students suggested sitting out of class in protest, but the organization decided to discourage students from skipping classes, she said. "We just want to make sure it's because of Katrina, and it won't happen again," Sanchez said. Lisa Martin, director of the CIU, criticized the administration's decision to hold classes during Martin Luther King Jr. Day but not hold classes during Mardi Gras.. "Isn't it interesting we're working on a national holiday while we're taking off a local holiday for a fake king," she said. Although the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, did not address the issue of holding classes at the rally, Provost Walter Harris justified the administration's actions as being Martin Luther King Jr. See GROS, page 3 See SERVICE, page 2 See MLK, page 3 MAROON DIRECTORY: CALENDAR, page 2 • OPINION, page 4 • LIFE & TIMES, page 6 • SPORTS, page 10 A