Maroon

              The Maroon A LOYOLA TRADITION SINCE 1923 • "FOR A GREATER LOYOLA" ONLINE EDITION AT LOYOLAMAROON.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12,2010 Vol. 87, NO. 16 STATE OF THE UNION By PRECIOUS ESIE Assistant News Editor I Unsatisfied with conditions, Sodexo employees are trying to unionize Loyola University's Sodexo workers are trying to form a union to ensure a "shield of protection" for their jobs. Sodexo, Loyola's food service provider for over 20 years, is one of the world's largest catering and facilities management companies. Not only do some employees on campus say they believe some of the company's practices are unfair, but also employees across the nation. Some American workers protested the staff policy Jan. 25 at the company's annual. general meeting in Issy-les- Moulineaux, France, a suburb of Paris. Several Loyola workers said they believe forming a union is the best option to secure their jobs and guarantee better treatment. Rob Harman, a union organizer for Service Employees International Union and former Loyola student, has been speaking to Loyola Sodexo workers about building a union since October 2009. The SEIU has members from Xavier University, Dillard University and the Recovery School District. Now, he and his team are working with Loyola and Tulane University Sodexo workers to form a union. "One of the key points (of success) is having large-scale involvement," Harman said. In order to achieve this, Harman met with various student groups from Loyola and Tulane. A major group involved is Loyola University Community Action Program. As a former member, Harman said he is not surprised by their involvement. "LUCAP stepped up right at the beginning and said they wanted to do this," he said. In November, students working on the campaign began circulating a petition in support of "the right of Sodexo employees to form a union in order to secure more equitable working conditions." "This is us being preemptive in terms of taking a stand in support of the workers," said Jamie Broussard, LUCAP cochairwoman and sociology senior. The Student Government Association has also shown support by passing a resolution, "Declaration of Support for Loyola Sodexo Employees" Feb. 2. Though the petition and the resolution heightened student awareness, Sodexo management does not believe a union is CAITLIN SULLIVAN / Assistant photo editor Residential Life changes position By CHARMAINE JACKSON Contributing Writer A new hiring process for Residential Life has been implemented that will affect current and prospective student staff members. After Residential Life conducted several informational sessions, students discovered the cost of rooming would no longer be extended to desk assistants as of next school year. Instead, desk assistants, whose primary job involves maintaining security in the residential halls and providing resources for residents, will be given an hourly wage, starting at $7.25, with the possibility of earning more, according to Craig Beebe, interim director of Residential Life. Currently, desk assistants receive the value of one-half of a double occupancy room in the building to which they are assigned, according to the Residential Life Web site. With the new policy, desk assistants will have more flexibility in housing and the numßer of hours of work, Beebe said. "Students can live on or off campus, and can work three hours a week or 20 hours a week," Beebe said. So far, the overall feedback Professors adjust to minus system By CRAIG MALVEAUX Senior Staff Writer Professors will decide whether they will use minus grades The first semester of the newly implemented minus grading system is in the books, and already Loyola's progress report shows positive feedback from the faculty. According to provost and vice president of Academic Affairs Ed Kvet, Loyola is pleased with the "more uniform grading scale" put in place last semester. He said the faculty for the most part has embraced the minus system and has already begun using it within their courses. "We had a recommendation that came from the deans but we went through all of the colleges. The faculty voted on it so my assumption is that they wouldn't have voted for it if they didn't think it was the right thing," Kvet said. "It was unanimous throughout all the colleges. It's been positive." The new grading system took effect last fall after Loyola conducted studies in search of universities with a system similar to Loyola's. Loyola was one of few universities that used plus grades without minus grades. After much consideration, Loyola decided to adopt the system most universities around the country used, allowing professors to give minus grades such as an A or B minus to balance out the plus grades. The Maroon retracts story on bookstore In the Jan. 29 issue, The Maroon ran a story about discrepancies in college bookstore prices. The Maroon's numbers have been called into question, and we can no longer stand behind our methodology. As a result, The Maroon retracts this story. see UNION, page 4 see MINUS, page 7 see RESLIFE, page 7 A WHO DAT! see sports page 5 CORRECTIONS: In the Jan. 29 issue of The Maroon, we said this ias the second year Loyola Opera Theatre has presented "Pirates of Penzance" and ran an accompanying photo. This is the first year Loyola Ipera has presented "Pirates of Penzance" and the photo was fro* "The Elixir of Love." We also said Lisa Martin teaches Stretch and Tone and Janette Cox teaches Aqua Latte. Lisa Suarez teaches the ormer, Jannette StunHtexic the latter and Lisa Martin is a sub-instructor. We at The Maroon regret these errors.  MAROON DIRECTORY: CRIME WATCH, page 2 | SPORTS, page 5 | LIFE & TIMES, page 8 | EDITORIAL, page 14 | NEWS TIPS: 865 3535