Maroon

              The MAROON Vol. 62, No. 18 Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 February 24,1984 Verdict is in, Dominican to close By Tammy L. Collins After months of suspense . . . It's official. St. Mary's Dominican College will close its doors for good at the end of its summer session, according to Pat Watts, Dominican Development Director. The Dominican Sisters voted 71-26 Sunday to close the 75-year-old college. There was one abstention. It was the second time the vote was taken because the first vote was deemed invalid due to a bylaw violation. The Dominican bylaws require a two-thirds majority vote to uphold the Board of Trustees' decision to close the college. The 63-42 vote, taken Saturday, was only four short of the 67 votes needed. Watts said the sisters were allowed to take the second vote because many of them were confused about the circumstances surrounding the vote. The vote to close the college was made after the drive to raise $6 million by Jan. 31 failed. Alumni, faculty, staff and students were only able to raise $600,000 in cash and pledges before the deadline. The Dominican Board of Trustees recommended last summer that the college be closed in June because deficits during the past 10 years reached nearly $1 million. The $6 million goal was necessary to keep the college open for the next five years, according to the Board. The sisters have not yet made a decision on the future of the Dominican land, according to Watts. She said the sisters could decide to open another college, keep the property or sell some or all of it to prospective buyers. "It may be some time before the sisters make a decision. They haven't had much time to look beyond the decision to close the college," she added. Loyola, the Orleans Parish School Board and Tulane yrnvmity have expressed an interest in purchasing the property. Charles Young, vice president for Institutional Advancement, said that Loyola has not received word from Domincan regarding sale of the property. He added that at this point, "There's more concern about the students of Dominican." Watts said many students are glad that the suspense is over. "I am surprised at how peaceful it is," she added. Plans are underway to help Dominican students transfer to other institutions without losing credits, Watts said. Forty colleges, including Loyola, attended a collge fair Wednesday at Dominican to begin negotiations with the students. According to Watts, Dominican officials are also checking into the possibility of transferring students' scholarships to other institutions.A placement office will also be set up to assist faculty and staff members in locating other positions. In addition to the college fair, Dominican's summer session will be longer and will offer a larger variety of courses to accomodate students who want to finish their credits at Dominican. Many students expressed an interest in transferring to Loyola, she added. Celebration in Black Marianne Henry, music junior, performs during Wednesday's segment of "Celebration in Black" in the Danna Center Main Lounge. The event, designed to celebrate Black History Month through the arts, concludes today with dramatic interpretations, music selections and dance numbers performed by students and outside entertainers. The Association for Black Faculty and Staff, Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, the Black Law Student Association, the Black Student Union and Delta Sigma Theta sorority are the sponsors. —Photo by John McC inker Young defends Loyola position on land offer By Ted Mahne The New Orleans City Planning Commission voted Feb. 15 to disallow the re-subdivision of land owned by the St. Charles Christian Church. The church wants to split the property title in order to sell the parsonage at 6200 St. Charles Ave. Loyola submitted the highest bid of $285,000 for the land after the church approached the university with the offer, but several residential associations are trying to stop the sale. According to Charles E. Young, vice president for Institutional Advancement, any further steps taken to try to divide the land remain in the church's hands. Young pointed out that the church came to Loyola and made the offer. "The instigation [of selling the property] came from the church." While the university had agreed not to initiate plans to purchase land across St. Charles Avenue, it will consider an offer if approached by a property owner. According to Young, if Loyola were to purchase the land, it would not have to be rezoned. He added that university officials have not yet discussed plans about possible uses for the land if it is acquired. Young also said that many of the residents opposed to the sale have begun to criticize the new Communications/Music Complex before it is finished. "Their criticisms are totally unfounded," Young said. "Their criticisms are totally unfounded." He added that Loyola did not make any trade-off agreements with the residential associations promising not to cross St. Charles to receive approval to build the new complex. He said {.hat the opponents of the sale are trying to turn public attention against the new building by claiming it is defacing the avenue. According to Joan G. Tolhurst, director of University Relations, the amount of space in front of the new building will be carefully landscaped. She added that there will be enough green space in front of the building to make it resemble a small park.