Maroon

              MAROON V 01.59, Xo. Lovola I'niwrsitv. W\v Orleans February 6. 1981 INSIDE: A tradition defiled! More of Lcs / page 3 Dancing to a degree? A professional ballet school may open in X.O. / page 5 Faculty dining lounge finally becomes reality By Andrea Canale Maroon Contributor The former Palmer Rooms in Danna Center have undergone an $84,000 transformation to become a new faculty dining room — the Senior Commons Room. Dr. James Watson, chairman of the Faculty Senate and associate professor of philosophy, said the idea for a faculty lounge has about a 10-year history. "A de facto space was set aside in the Claiborne Rooms. Then for some reason, [the idea) petered out. During renovation of Bobet several years ago, there was going to be a faculty lounge. 1 remember [space] was set aside but nothing put in it," Watson said. In April 1980 a questionnaire was given to the faculty and administration on the subject of a faculty room. The survey, conducted by Dr. Dale Williams of the history department, indicated the faculty was interested in a place to meet "informally and communicate," preferably in a private dining room. The results were taken to the University Board of Trustees by the Rev. James C. Carter, S.J., university president, Watson said. "The board allocated $75,000, but the figure is now up to $84,000-plus. The Faculty Senate did not expect that much. On the other hand, when we got into the renovation, the figure was not exorbitant," Watson said. Renovations began during the summer and the room opened Jan. 19. The room is open five days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The money allocated by the Board of Trustees came from capital funds, University Relations Director Joan Tolhurst said. She said capital funds come from fund-raising projects as well as contributions and can be used for anything other than operating expenses. Williams, head of the committee that researched the project, said the faculty room will be used as a "forum for university business." The Faculty Senate has proposed that the room be run as a club whose members consist of faculty, administrative and professional staff persons. The proposal includes a membership fee, but a figure has not been decided upon. The Faculty Senate has approved a constitution which prohibits students from using the new Senior Commons Room. However, approval of the constitution is pending before Carter. "I don't know if we'll fight the Senate's decision. But I hope to generate discussion in this to see how students feel," Buras said. Pilot Food Services Inc. is catering the room on a "break-even contract." Williams said that almost all furniture for the dining room was bought at cost. The room, decorated in light blue and burgundy, seats 52. Loyola's new Senior Commons Room — Photo by Mark Botello Campus parking woes unresolved By A lien Johnson Jr. Maroon Reporter Unlike the cost of everything else, parking fines will not increase this semester. And neither will parking spaces. "In fact, there will be about 20 fewer places due to construction projects [on campus]," Dr. Keith Jacobs, chairman of Loyola's Parking Committee, said Tuesday. "Also, there are more employees than last year and 10 times as many students as there are parking places." With current construction, Loyola has only about 445 parking spaces for 5,300 students, faculty and employees, according to information from Jacobs, Security and the personnel department.A spokeswoman for the personnel department said she wouldn't be able to comment on additional employees until figures are in next week. "Loyola has 1,336 people on its payroll," Payroll Technician Carolyn Messina said. "But that figure includes Jesuits, work/study students (336) and anybody paid through the personnel department." Currently about 4,500 students are enrolled at Loyola. "Ironically," Jacobs said, "the university is making the problem more difficult by offering the students more services. "Lectures, seminars and other activities in the Danna Center are fine but the result is a greater demand for space. If we provide services in one place," Jacobs said, "it hurts us in others." Jacobs said the Parking Committee is currently reviewing the possibility of shuttle bus runs to Loyola from Uptown Square's parking lot near the river at Broadway and Camp streets. Meanwhile, actions are still being taken against cars parked illegally on campus. Security Director John Ghio said his officers have already "booted" the cars of "a bunch" of violators. "Students who moved out of residence halls are no longer eligible to park on campus," Ghio said. Both Ghio and Jacobs said they encourage alternative means of transportation such as the streetcar, walking or bicycling. Campus menus show different food prices By Lloyd Schwed Maroon Reporter Dr. Banana's has lowered some of its prices this semester while officials at the Pub, Hardee's and the Vittler say they have raised prices on a few items to a more realistic level. Jamie Connelly, proprietor of Dr. Banana's, said last semester's prices "didn't let everyone enjoy our products. "We got some complaints last semester that our prices were too high, so we decided to make things easier for people to afford," he said. In addition to the price cuts, Connelly said Dr. Banana's is offering a new small size in certain items to accommodate more students. Beer, roast beef and Cuban sandwiches are the only items which have been affected by the Vittler and Pub price increases. "Last semester when we established the prices we tried to make it a studentpriced pub, but we were pricing ourselves into bankruptcy," Wolf Pub Manager Dan Arroyo said. "We tried to be very idealistic about it and keep it at a student level, but the bar wasn't making any money." The bar is owned and operated by the university while the Vittler food concession is owned by the New Orleans-based Moorgate Corp. Vittler General Manager Debbie Willoughby said the company lost money on roast beef sandwiches last semester. She said the rising cost of roast beef and an unrealistically low initial price eliminated any profit on the sandwiches and forced them to boost the price. "Our costs have increased at least 12 percent since September and we really haven't passed that on," Ms. See Food prices/page 2