Maroon

              THE MAROON A LOYOLA TRADITION SINCE 1923 • "FOR A GREATER LOYOLA" Vol. 88, NO. 10 ONLINE EDITION AT LOYOLAMAROON.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2011 Rent-A-Text program meets with approval By KRIS JOHNSON Contributing Writer In fall 2010, Loyola University offered textbook rental services at the university bookstore for the first time. Rent-A-Text is offered through Loyola's ongoing partnership with Follett Higher Education Group. According to statistics posted on the Follett site, in only its first month of availability, Follett has seen the demand for textbook rental surpass its expectations. During this semester, over 1 million textbooks were rented nationwide and student savings across Follett bookstores measure above $45 million. Follett began managing the bookstore in May 2009. Because of this, the store manager was unable to comment on the statistics of book rental here at Loyola. The press representative for Follett was also unavailable for comment. In an online survey done by Follett, students expressed value in textbook rental and found the process to be simple and the policies to be fair. In fact, the most common feedback from Loyola students and the students surveyed by the company is that there should be more textbooks available for rent. "I found that I saved some money on the few books I was able rent. But in my case, the ones 1 wish I could have rented, the most expensive ones, I couldn't," said Tyler Litt, biology junior. In past years, students have Wadner Pierre/Photo Editor Students line up at the university book store to buy or rent textbooks for the spring semester. Rental textbooks are offered to Loyola University students. Residential Life begins new application process By JASMINE BARNES Staff Writer Loyola Residential Life will open its online application for prospective Resident Assistants Jan. 10. The application can be found on the career services page of the Loyola website and will remain online for three weeks. The deadline is Jan. 21. Applicants are required to attend one of the mandatory RA informational sessions that begin . at 5 p.m. on Jan. 10 and last until 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 21. In addition to the mandatory sessions, there are optional sessions that include resume workshops, interview workshops,and a mock interview. To be a RA, students must have achieved at least a sophomore status, be a full-time student, have at least a 2.5 grade point average, and may not hold a primary leadership position in a major campus organization. "We like to see involvement, but you don't need to be a leadership extraordinaire. It's a matter of prioritizing what they want most," said Kari Stone, area director of Buddig Hall. Students who have been chosen from the application process, the group interview and the one-onone interview gain the benefits of free room and board, a 75-block meal plan that includes $500 in wolfbucks, and the tangible skills of budgeting, conflict resolution and networking. RA's are given a budget each semester to do floor programs and activities with their residents. In conflict resolution, RA's are required to help mediate disagreements that may arise on their floor. These skills were expressed to RA's during the group interview process. Performing arts senior Kerry Hayes, RA in Buddig Hall, said that the group interview had activities and questions dealing with team building and problem solving. "I became a RA for multiple reasons. It's a fantastic way to gain leadership skills, learn things about Loyola (such as) the counseling center and emergency services," said Hayes. Rachel White, music therapy sophomore and RA in Biever Hall, influenced English writing freshman Ashley Curtis to apply. "It's making a family experience. RA's are peer mediators; the head of the family. Rachel is the reason I want to be a RA," Curtis said. Jasmine Barnes can be reached at jmbarnes@loyno.edu Wadner Pierre/Photo Editor The resident assistants interact with a speaker on handling conflict. They met for their spring semester training Jan. 4. Military changes gay policy By EDUARDO GONZALEZ Contributing Writer Loyola students who participate in Tulane University's Reserve Officer Training Cadets said they do not object to the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy, which will now allows openly homosexual cadets to join. Since the cadets cannot openly speak about this issue, their identities will be kept anonymous. One cadet will be identified as Larry, the other as Jeffrey. A Tulane University ROTC official, Capt. Chris Kramer, had no comment on the issue. With the election of President Barack Obama in 2008 came many promises, one of which was repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This promise became a reality when the president signed the bill on Dec. 22. "This is a good day," Obama said. "This is a very good day." The policy that was in place until that day was a variation of the one established during President Harry Truman's administration. The "Uniform Code of Military Justice" allowed military personnel to discharge openly homosexual service members. In 1993, under President Bill Clinton's administration, the government decided to end this practice, and established "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." This policy meant an end to questions from military recruiters aimed at discovering if a potential recruit is homosexual. Obama believes this repeal grants soldiers a fundamental right and sease of relief. "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a Committee approves changes in advanced, common curriculum By RAVEN CRANE Assistant News Editor The Standing Council for Academic Planning approved the proposal for the new working common curriculum Dec. 14, 2010. The Common Curriculum Implementation Task Force is currently as of Jan. 2011 in the process of implementing the plan. The implementation of the plan is to extend over a five- year span. Other changes to the common curriculum include: three credit hours of English T123 Argumentative Writing, Philosophy I: Philosophy of the Human Person, as well as a change from Math Models three credit hours, to three credit hours of Math: Statistics, College Algebra or Calculus 2. The new common curriculum will be launched in the Academic year 2012- 2013, which will also coincide with the university's centennial celebration. Raven Crane can be reached at rscrane @ loy no .edu see POLICY, page 3 see TEXTBOOK, page 12 See page 4 for details on the Haiti prayer service to honor the earthquake anniversary MAROON DIRECTORY: CRIME WATCH, page 2 | RELIGION, page 4 | SPORTS, page 5 | LIFE & TIMES, page 8 | EDITORIAL, page 10 | NEWS TIPS: 865 3535