Maroon

              The Maroon A LOYOLA TRADITION SINCE 1923 • "FOR A GREATER LOYOLA" Vol. 87, NO. 6 ONLINE EDITION AT LOYOLAMAROON.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010 Wildes says retention, enrollment are up By ALEX ACKEL Contributing Writer Discussing Loyola's achievements over the past year, university president the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J. noted a continual improvement in undergraduate enrollment and retention rates at the President's Convocation Jan. 15. Students, faculty and staff gathered in Nunemaker Auditorium for the annual spring convocation to hear Wildes gave his speech. In the speech, he emphasized the university's accmplishments in the area of admissions. "At this time our undergraduate applications for next year are up over 30 pcrcent," Wildes said. "And we expect to reach next year's budgeted goal of over 800 new first year students, and 125 new transfer students." Announcing that fall and spring retention rates have increased to % percent this year, Wildes extended his gratitude to the faculty and staff for their vital role in improving the university's retention. "It is important that all members of the faculty and staff continue their own engagement with students to continue to increase our retention," Wildes said. "If we are truly going to be an excellent university, we must improve our retention rates." In addition to an improvement in undergraduate enrollment and retention rates, Wildes pointed out that Loyola experienced a 14 percent increase in their rate of giving this past year. Wildes mentioned that the university should continue to expand and improve its graduate program. He also noted that the university should continue to improve its graduation retention rate, which is currently at around 80 percent. "Improving our retention graduation rates is crucial to Loyola; not only what it means in terms of revenue and support, but what it means in terms of academic reputation," Wildes said. To conquer the many challenges Loyola will face in the future, Wildes urged faculty and staff to continue to implement Loyola 2012, the university's strategic plan, and to assist in carrying out the new master plan for facilities — which was approved by the board of trustees in October. "Loyola ought to always be a place that is involved in a cycle of planning, implementation, evaluation and more planning," Wildes said. "The goal of our work is not just to have a great year this year or next year, it is to build a strong foundation for our success in the long term." Alex Ackel can be reached afackel @ loyno.edu The Great Debaters Six mayoral candidates discuss corruption at Loyola-hosted event By CRAIG MALVEAUX Senior Staff Writer While crime has consistently been a subtext in the New Orleans Mayoral election the past few years, Loyola students addressed another issue hindering the growth of New Orleans — corruption and transparency. The mayoral forum held Jan. 15 featured pre-submitted questions about ways to eliminate corruption in city government to six of die major candidates. The questions came from student organizations and New Orleans City Business readers. Several of the questions focused on ways candidates would ensure accountability on every level in their administration for themselves, their executive staff and city hall employees. The candidates were also asked about the disclosure of information to the media and community, enforcing the proper use of city contracts and how city hall employees would be held responsible for the public resources they use, including takehome fleet vehicles. While the candidates' responses to some of the questions were varied, their responses to other questions, according to political science junior and Black Student Union president Tanya Hamilton, were repetitive. For example, questions regarding the role of inspector general in the administration and the amount of information the mayor's administration would be allowed to disclose drew similar responses from the candidates. "There were a few (answers) that kind of blurred together. I have some friends who are not really politically savvy so they didn't quite understand the difference between what one candidate said compared to the next, because they were biting off each other," Hamilton said. Lee Ann Moss, political science senior and SGA senatorat-large, said she expected some answers to be similar due to the forum's topic, but that some candidates repeated answers with only small differences in their responses to avoid sounding identical to the others. "In any forum like this, it's kind of hard to be as original as possible. I think the front runners, Lt. Gov. Landrieu and John Georges, had probably the most contrasting opinions," she said. Alex Foumet, international business and religious studies junior, conservative chair for Loyola Society for Civic Engagement and The Maroon editorial editor, said the questions posed were relevant and crucial to combating corruption. "The audience and the Loyola students did a fantastic job Loyola joins efforts for Haiti University initiaites task force called Hope for Haiti By JEAN-PAUL ARGUELLO Senior Staff Writer To most who call New Orleans home, the reports of untold dead and images of devastation from Haiti reopen deep wounds. Seeing millions of people stranded in a leveled city with no food, water or worse, no way out, was like, seeing New Orleanians five years ago. This has prompted many people to inundate Robert Reed and Kurt Bindewald's offices with phone calls. It was the number of calls that motivated them to form a task force, Hope for Haiti, to pool everyone's ideas to provide both immediate and long-term aid to Haiti. "I received some calls, Kurt received some calls and we thought it would be better to get everyone who wants to be involved together," said Robert Reed, assistant vice president for Student Affairs. Each caller had a different idea. Some were connected to organizations that could help in the aid effort. Others had ideas to raise money. And many wanted to help the Haitians as volunteers. But according to Bindewald, who is Loyola's director of university ministry, Haiti is just not ready to take on the burden of housing and feeding volunteers. "The most urgent need in Haiti right now is just cash," Bindewald said. Loyola is encouraging people wishing to donate to contribute to reputable agencies such as Text for Haiti and Yele Haiti Earthquake Eund, which are both text-to-donate, nonprofitStudents question lack of late-night food By JULIA RUSSLER The Maroon Some students on Loyola's campus have voiced concerns over the change in Flambeaux's closing time from 2 a.m. to 10 p.m. Caitlin Brewster, Dining Services marketing and customer services manager, said the reason for the early closure is the new dining option that should have opened at the beginning of this semester. This option is a pizza parlor from the Mellow Mushroom franchise, that will be located in Carrollton Hall's first floor, but the planning is not on schedule. Therefore, there are currently no late-night places to eat on Loyola's campus. One option available until the Mellow Mushroom is expected to open in March is just across Freret Street. "Tulane's WOW is open until 4:00 a.m. on the weekends," Brewster said. Some students, however, are unconvinced that the opening of the Mellow Mushroom will run on time. "The new Flambeaux's opened months later than expected last semester," said music industry studies sophomore Zach Lombardo. "I'm very skeptical as to when the Mellow Mushroom will open. It's one thing to change Flambeaux's hours when the Mellow Mushroom opens, but it's another to change the hours while the new place is still under construction." Dining services led focus groups last year to discuss the food choices students would like see FORUM, page 9 see HAITI, page 9 see LATE NIGHT, page 4 LOYOLA PRESIDENT H9M BLESSES THE SAINTS See page 8 MAROON DIRECTORY: CRIME WATCH, page 2 | LIFE & TIMES, page 5 | SPORTS, page 8 | EDITORIAL, page 10 | NEWS TIPS: 865 3535