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Editorial Board XC
MICHAEL E. CUNNIFF Editor-in-Chief
Illustrator’s Corner
NICOLE VALENTE Managing Editor JESSICA LISE General Manager ANTHONY O’REILLY News Editor
FLAMES OF THE TORCH
Transparency in SGI, part V
Six weeks after the Student Government, Inc. budget for the 2012/13 school year was voted on and approved in a public floor meeting and three weeks after the board promised it would be ready in a “couple weeks,” the Torch is still waiting to see it. SGI should take a lesson from the testimony of Rev. Donald J. Harrington, President of the University. Taken out of context, his dealings with Cecilia Chang were shady and borderline illicit. But
knowing all the facts paints a much more favorable picture of the president. SGI should take note, and follow his lead. That is, of course, assuming that the organization has a clear conscience when it comes to its finances. The silence on the issue suggests otherwise. And no, a “financial report,” when it comes out, is not the same as a real budget. Anything less than a full budget release implies that SGI has something to hide – if not, why not release it?
Harrington’s not the one on trial
Much has been said about Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of the University’s testimony in the Cecilia Chang trial. As first reported by the New York Daily News, Harrington took the stand on Wednesday and Thursday as a witness for the prosecution. It’s difficult to not read the testimony and see an old man who seems to have been misled and taken advantage of. He seemingly entered the University, where Chang had already been working for a decade, in the midst of this systemic manipulation and complacency regarding Chang and her work. He said that he remembers a conversation with his predecessor, Rev. Joseph T. Cahill, C.M. in which he was told “she ran her own show ... and she did it successfully and she was unique and she should be left alone to do her thing.” Chang pulled the wool over the eyes of everybody for more than 30 years. It’s a shame that Harrington fell for her charade, but it doesn’t make him a bad person, or University president. The gifts he accepted — the ones that people are most upset about — included tailored suits, expensive bottles of wine and watches. We’re not arguing that it seems excessive, and we’re certainly not arguing that it’s embarrassing for Harrington. It appears as if he ignored many of the values that his Vincentian community espouses and that, as a priest
who is supposed to receive only a $200 monthly stipend, he is a hypocrite using his power to bend the rules. However, it seems as if Harrington was put in an untenable position by Chang, who continually pressured him to take gifts from potential Asian donors so that he wouldn’t come off as rude or culturally ignorant. Put in his situation, it’s hard to say what we would have done differently. And the stopovers in Hawaii after trips to Asia were recommended and sanctioned by the Board of Trustees — also known as his bosses. Issue should be taken with them, not Harrington. Of course, there are questions that need to be answered. How did the superiors in his Vincentian community feel about these gifts he was accepting? How did these gifts he receive not violate his “vow of poverty”? Ironically, the toughest questions he should be facing all relate to his religion — not his work for the University. But his biggest defenders so far have also been those with the closest ties to the Catholic Church — meaning that he likely won’t have to answer those questions about his faith. It’s not our role to judge him on issues of faith either. But on the merits of how his relationship with Chang affected his role as President of the University, it seems clear to us that he was co-opted, not corrupt, and misled, not misleading.
TORCH ILLUSTRATION/ DANIELA CASTILLO
STUDENTSPARKS: STUDENTSPARKS: ARE YOU WHO IS WATCHING THE CECILIA CHANG? DEBATE?
Evan Dittig Freshman Katie Pruneda “I don’t know.” Freshman
Hye Soo Shin Senior Connor “I heard aboutQuinn her. I heard Junior she took out school money,
“I’m probably going to go to the gym instead.”
“I’mbut going in class, I’m to notbesure.” but I’ll definitely check out the highlights afterward.”
Cameron Harris Nicole Oliver Sophomore Junior “She’s the lady that took
Yuutoo Isohata Marc Speed Junior Junior “I think she’s a very corrupt
EDITORIAL POLICY
Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of The TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The TORCH. Opin-
ions expressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.
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