Maroon

              THE MAROON VOL 84, NO. 10 HTTP://M AftOON.LOYNO.EDU  FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2006 Financial situation fuels concern By Lindsey Netherly Staff writer The financial reality of Loyola's post-Katrina situation is creating a lot of speculation among faculty members and staff. Loyola is currently involved in a program review to evaluate and possibly suspend or eliminate academic programs. The review has been mandated by the Board of Trustees in response to an anticipated reduction in tuition revenues, but no specific financial guidelines for the review are currently available. There is also a proposal being written by the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, that will address broader university restructuring. "I am using all of the work that was done, in the past several years in student affairs and academic affairs, to set out strategic goals for the next five years to help strengthen the university. "Right now, it is in very early stage draft form, and 1 will release it to the campus in early April for public comment. Earlier, in the fall, we did a reduction of expenses in all areas of the university. We will be releasing that to the university community in April for comment as well," Wildes wrote in an e-mail. During the Tuesday meeting of the President's Task Force for Planning, Stephen Scariano, professor of math and computer science, asked Wildes for specific financial data relevant to the university restructuring. "We need to be making decisions based on data as well as qualitative issues," Scariano said. "1 don't see any vision that does not involve financial issues." Wildes replied that he did not intend to release financial data during the meeting. "I have been very public on our financial situation. I addressed it in my convocation remarks to the faculty and staff in January and in two follow up e-mails," Wildes wrote. The budget for this fiscal year is estimated to be about $120 million, with a shortfall of approximately $16 million, Rhonda Cartwright, the vice president for finance and administration, said during the meeting. Financial questions were also raised during the Standing Committee on Academic Planning | meeting, also held on Tuesday, j The SCAP met to refine the crite- Construction complete By Kevin Corcoran Staff writer I CARROLLTON RENOVATION Save a few finishing touches, the construction on Carrollton Hall is finally complete, said Robert Reed, director of Residential Life. The scaffolding surrounding the dormitory has been removed, and the noise has been silenced. "It rocks, man," said music education senior and Cabra RA Emily Cashin. "It's over!" Carrollton Hall first opened for students in 1999, but two years ago some major structural problems with the building were discovered. Soon it became clear that they would have to take apart the entire building brick by brick, at which point the school got locked into a legal battle with the building's contractor and architect. While this legal situation has yet to be resolved, 15 months ago Loyola began the long process of reworking Carrollton while the building was occupied. "Katrina, in some sense, helped that process be a little quicker," said Reed, explaining that work on the building continued through last ! semester. Because the students were not occupying the building, construction could be done on more than one floor at a time. Were it not for labor shortages caused by the hurricane, said Reed, the project might have been finished by January. When the spring semester began, the project slowed down again. Despite the housing crisis in New Orleans. Loyola was able to accommodate all the students that needed housing. Music business senior Georgia Mcßride, who has lived in Carrollton Hall for the past three years, said she was glad to finally see the Res Quad again. She said that she and her roommates were disappointed when construction consumed their building and began waking them up every morning, but they eventually got used to it helping them get out of bed in the morning. "I was unpleasantly surprised, then I got used to it, and now I am pleasantly surprised that there is not construction," said Mcßride. There were many complaints about the noise, said Robert Reed, which was understandable, considering concrete slabs were being drilled into the building, but the project is done. Reed said that he too will be glad not to have to listen to the construction any more. Said the Rev. Kevin Wildes. S.J., university president: "I'm just glad that it's over." The Residential Council is planning a party to celebrate the completion of Carrollton, said Cashin. The party is scheduled for April 10 at 4:30 p.m., and there will be music, crawfish, beer, ice cream and buttons. "No holds barred on this one." Cashin said. Kevin Corcoran can be reached at kpcorcor@loyno.edu. 1999: Carrollton Hall opens as New Residence Hall Jan. 2004: Loyola files a lawsuit against the companies that built the residence hall, citing defective design, water intrusion and humidity problems. Aug. 2004: Construction begins on the seventh floor of Carrollton Hall. The entire renovation is expected to take about 14 months. Feb. 2004: The seventh floor is completed, three months behind schedule. March 2006: Construction is completed, about four months behind schedule. SOURCE: THE MAROON ARCHIVES STAFF PHOTO BY ALETHIA PICCIOLA The Res Quad looks uncluttered for the first time since construction on Carrollton Hall began in Aug. 2004. Clean up from the construction is nearly complete, and the walkway between Buddig and Carrollton Halls is now clear. Houston housed School of Law By Jared Bailey Staff writer Despite storm, fall semester held for law students In the immediate aftermath of J Hurricane Katrina, Brian Bromberger, dean of the Loyola j School of Law, did not waste any | time in taking action. The day after Hurricane J Katrina hit New Orleans, Seth Chandler, vice dean at the I University of Houston Law Center, e-mailed Bromberger pledging to do whatever he could j to help. In the following weeks, Bromberger began piecing together an administration crew to help reassemble the School of Law and temporarily relocate it to Houston. Bromberger, along with his assistant, associate dean, chief fundraiser, financial aid officer and admissions director, worked in a spare office on the University of Houston's campus while trying j to draw out a plan. "I was determined not to let | the flag come down the pole. Loyola law school would be operating ... somehow," Bromberger said. Barbra Wilson, assistant to the dean, had evacuated to Texas and contacted Bromberger just days after the storm. "After asking if I was OK, the next thing he asked me was if I brought my working shoes," Wilson said. Bromberger continued to relay his plan to Wilson, and a few days later, she was there to help. "Initially it was very chaotic. i The University of Houston had : given us a spare office to work from, and we had no time to waste," Wilson said. The six-member crew shared a small office with two desks and one telephone. The common goal remained unanimous: "not to miss a beat." Without knowing the number of students that were going to attend, the Rev. Lawrence Moore, S.J., associate dean, faced the task of creating a class schedule. Classrooms at the University of ! Houston Law Center were booked everyday besides Friday after- J noons, Saturdays and Sundays. ; With just those three days and See PROGRAMS, page 2 See LAW, page 3 A LOYOLA TRADITION SINCE 1 923 • "FOR A GREATER LOYOLA" LIFE & TIMES Waiter gives a few tips page 6 MAROON DIRECTORY: CALENDAR, page 2 • EDITORIAL, page 4 • LIFE & TIMES, page 6 • SPORTS, page 10