November 16, 2022 Issue

An ICPA Award-Winning

Ministry Delivers Meals to Maywood Read more on page 3 Ofrendas to Honor the Dead Photos on page 6 Student Races to the Finish Line Read more on page 5

editor-in-chief

Azhley Rodriguez

chief designer

Cristian Raya

designers

Arleth Arana

Jeffrey Diazleal

Edgar Vega online content manager

Chloé Cabrales

social media manager

Fernanda Arellano assignment editor

Bianca Dinkha

staff writers

Betsy Carreno Matthew Desmond Bianca Dinkha

Angel Dominguez

contributing writers

Enzo Alcedo

Danylo Biskup

Ellie Heider Anna Martucci

Advisers editorial/design adviser

Shonda Dudlicek

faculty adviser John Jenks

Online website www.dominicanstar.com www.dominicanstar.com/ starcast instagram @ the_dominican_star facebook DominicanStars twitter @ DominicanStars tiktok @ DominicanStars snapchat @ dunews001 linkin.bio linkin.bio/the_dominican_ star

About the Star

The Dominican Star, the student newspaper of Dominican University, is published twice a month. The Dominican Star is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to voice their opinions to the editor.

All letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number.

Letters should not exceed 300 words and should be emailed to domstarnews@gmail.com.

Editors reserve the right to refuse submissions that may be deemed as libelous, unethical, in poor taste or prompting legal issues.

The Star reserves the right to edit submissions for length, style and standards of good taste.

This publication presents opinions that do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, reporters, faculty or the administration of Dominican University.

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Letter From the Editor

accept it!

Hi, Friends! Welcome to the second to last issue of the fall semester!

I can’t begin to express my gratitude to the team who have worked so hard this semester to make sure we have content and stories for all our wonderful readers.

My time as the editor is sneakily coming to an end, and I refuse to

This issue is a special one, for many reasons. First, we have a lot of new journalists being published for the very first time! It absolutely warms my heart that it’s the Star that’s making it happen! I remember my first time being published. It truly is a magical moment in the life of a journalist. So, if you recognize the names of our new contributing writers and you see them on campus, go ahead and congratulate them for their reporting and beginning their journey as journalists!

Secondly, this issue’s theme for #PhotosfortheStar is

centered on what we are thankful for. Now, I don’t know about you, but Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday. The food, the friends, the family and the gratitude. It’s so heartwarming. These photos showcase people, things, or even places in our staff’s lives that they are thankful for. Keep an eye out for my three dogs! Share your photos and what you’re thankful for on your social media accounts using #PhotosfortheStar.

I encourage you to take some time to reflect and truly think about what you are thankful for. It’s been a crazy semester, I’m sure, but we’re almost coming to an end! Give

yourself a moment of peace and serenity and tap into what keeps you going every day.

Lastly, as I previously mentioned, this is our second to last issue of the semester. We only have one more issue before we finish the semester! So, thank you to our readers for their continued support. Send us story ideas and follow our social media accounts to stay updated on any new information that comes. Thanks, friends!

Azhley Rodriguez Editor-in-Chief arodriguez2@my.dom.edu

No More Evening Services At Cyber

minutes of being open but otherwise very low usage,” said Kash.

The Cyber Cafe will now be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. The café remains closed Saturdays and Sundays.

Debra Kash, the director of auxiliary services at Dominican University, says the change is due to staffing shortages, budgeting, and the lack of people coming to the café after 5 p.m.

“Due to national staffing shortages the past two years, the Cyber Café has been understaffed and during the evening hours the overall sales have been low. The staff would see an increase in the last 30

According to Kash, the decision to change the café’s hours began last spring and involved Dominican University administration and Quest Food Management Services. Student Success and Engagement leadership were also informed of the decision to include their input.

“The conversations to make changes to the Cyber Café started last spring when staffing shortages were really impacting the service and we started looking at different options to improve services,” said Kash.

Dominique Franklin, one of the café’s employees, says employees were not

included in the decision to limit the hours of operations and were informed of the decision a few weeks before the start of the semester. She says the decision has only affected them a little, by changing their schedule.

Dining services are reviewed yearly, and the current hours will remain for the rest of this academic year. There are no other definitive changes planned for the Cyber Cafe at this time, but operations are always under review to find new opportunities, says Kash.

The Cyber Cafe is a popular destination for students to eat, study, and socialize.

One student, Lewis MacPherson, says he often comes to eat at the Cyber Cafe and knows that the soccer

team often visited the café during the evening, before the change in hours. He misses the opportunity.

“It would be nice to have that option instead of the dining hall,” he said.

Another student, Ingrid Bustos, says she usually visits the Cyber Cafe during the mornings and is not affected by the change.

“It doesn’t bother me, but it must suck for residents because it’s a quick way to get food,” said Bustos.

At the dining hall, students can have dinner as late as 8 p.m. during weekdays, 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and 7:30 p.m. on Sundays.

dbiskup@my.dom.edu

Photo By: Danylo Biskup

DU Dreamers Go to DC to Support DACA

National organizations, FWD.us and PASOS Network, are sponsoring five Dream U.S. Scholars from Dominican to speak in front of Congress during I Stand with Immigrants Day of Action.

I Stand With Immigrants Day of Action is a national event that encourages individuals to advocate for Congressional support for immigrants.

The event will be held over a three-day period, Nov. 15-17, in Washington, D.C.

During this event, Dreamers from across the country will speak in front of Congress defending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and encouraging them to protect Dreamers in the U.S. and renew DACA.

Earlier this semester, Dominican’s Undocumented and Immigrant Allyance club (UIA) hosted a Beyond Borders showcase in the Social Hall, “to celebrate and exhibit creative and

intellectual work created by immigrants and children of immigrants of the Dominican University Community,” according to the event page on EngageDU.

It was for this event and for the work DU students have committed to helping Dreamers that DU was recognized by FWD.us: a national organization with a goal of influencing policymakers to enforce and create policies that promote opportunity for people of color in America.

FWD.us and PASOS Network, an organization that uses outreach to create an impact, will sponsor five DU Dream scholars to take the trip to D.C. and speak in front of Congress this week.

FWD.us is also sponsor for the “I Am An Immigrant” campaign that “leads narrative campaigns that empower immigrants and their allies to share stories and drive action that demonstrate immigration is good for our communities, economy, and country.”

According to Jacky Neri Arias, director of the Center for Cultural Liberation, FWD.us reached out to her and UIA president, senior Zuleica Oseguera Padilla, inviting members to D.C. to speak on their experience as Dreamers.

“One of the organizers of FWD.us sent me an email and in the beginning, I thought it was just an email that goes to everybody showing support for immigrants. But then it was very clear that it was a very specific invitation for Dominican students to attend the D.C. flyin because they saw how active Dominican students have been in supporting immigrants’ rights,” Neri Arias said.

Neri Arias believes this is a great opportunity for Dominican and for the students who will speak out in support of DACA in a public forum.

“We already do so much work to support undocumented students and being aware that 10 percent of our student population is undocumented, so why

wouldn’t we participate in this?” Neri Arias said.

Neri Arias was asked if any students would be comfortable sharing their stories in front of Congress. She turned to some CCL interns and UIA members who decided they would.

Padilla is among the five who will be traveling to D.C. this week. Although she’s never flown on a plane or spoken in front of Congress before, she says she’s excited but nervous about the new experience.

“I’m excited. I feel like it’s a great opportunity, and because of my status I was always kind of scared to travel out of the state, especially on a plane. But now I’ve grown the courage to speak out. I would like my story to be heard, so I’m very excited about it,” Padilla said.

Although it’s a great opportunity, Neri Arias will travel with the students to provide protection and guidance in the event that they become overwhelmed or anxious.

“Dominican is sending me so I can support the students if anything were to go wrong or there would be emotional support for them. They’re going to be sharing something very vulnerable and it could be a little bit scary so we’re doing coaching in advance, FWD.us is also training the students and sending them packets. They will also do some briefings on what is going on with DACA now, so the students know before they stand before Congress,” Neri Arias said.

Padilla says she’s mentally and emotionally preparing to stay strong and focus on getting her story out there.

“Having my mom’s support has really been on my mind to ease the nerves and knowing that my story will have some kind of impact is also giving me energy to be there and say what I have to say,” Padilla said.

Student Volunteers Help Out Maywood

Student volunteers with Dominican University’s Ministry assembled and delivered 240 meals last Tuesday for hungry people in the neighboring town of Maywood, an event ministry has done monthly for at least four years.

Six Dominican students gathered in the Social Hall to assemble the meals. Most were freshmen. Some worked with ministry, others were looking to volunteer and serve the community.

Freshman Wendy Banda Flores volunteered for an Honors Seminar requirement. “It was definitely cold but giving back to the community was a good experience,” she said.

The students quickly set up an efficient assembly line and filled 240 plastic bags with

oranges, chips, and fruit snacks. They then loaded the meals into a shuttle bus and traveled to Maywood’s Quinn Center, 1832 S. 8th Ave.

Once the students arrived, they added fresh tamales to each of the 240 bags, and then bundled them into larger family-sized bags. The tamales came from a woman-owned cooperative catering service in Maywood, Living La Fiesta.

The Quinn Center is a part of St. Eulalia Catholic Church and has served Maywood since 2011.

The Center distributes 480 meals every Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. via drive-through distribution. Dominican University contributes half the meals one Tuesday every month for the program, called Come to the Table. Maywood is a food desert, meaning residents don’t always have access to fresh,

healthy food, said Tara Segal, University Ministry director.

Before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Come to the Table was held inside the Quinn Center where Dominican students brought in meals from dining services and served them to people there.

Soup kitchen coordinator at the Quinn Center, Martha Minnich, would encourage students to grab a plate and talk with the guests. “It’s not just about the food, it’s about the sense of community, the idea that somebody talks to them, the idea that somebody notices them,” she said.

University Ministry Waters Interns for Faith Justice, Naomi Moreland and Abi Drew, led the event. “One of the reasons I was so drawn to this internship was because of how we give back to our community,

and get to have conversations with them,” Drew said.

The passion and dedication of DU’s students was put on display throughout this event. Segal suggests, Come to the Table is a

culmination of all aspects of University Ministry’s mission including faith, culture, and justice.

amartucci@my.dom.edu

Photo By: Anna Martucci

Turkey, Pie and Friendsgiving

when it was mentioned on social media. Before that, many TV shows would demonstrate the act of friends having Thanksgiving together instead of being with family.

In simple terms, Friendsgiving is getting together with friends, eating good food and being thankful for their company.

count on.

Friendsgiving is also a chance to avoid family drama during the holidays. For people who don’t get along with their family, Friendsgiving offers an opportunity to have a good and safe time around people that you enjoy being in their company for the holidays.

closest friends on a day that works for everyone. This helps give liberty to others that already have plans for the actual day of Thanksgiving. It’s also a fun way to hang out with friends. You can dedicate the day to playing games and getting to bond with each other more.

all the way!”

To me, Friendsgiving is an amazing opportunity to be with friends during the holidays. I think there is a lot of pressure with having a perfect Thanksgiving with family. When celebrating with friends, that pressure is off.

One of the more contemporary ways to celebrate Thanksgiving has recently been by celebrating Friendsgiving.

Friendsgiving started becoming more popular thanks to the new exposure on social media.

Friendsgiving first made an appearance

Some people like hosting Friendsgiving to be able to celebrate the holidays with people they would consider family.

Friendsgiving gives the invitation to show others how much you truly care for them. It’s also a good way to reevaluate the friendships you already have and think about the people you can truly

Regarding what to wear to a Friendsgiving dinner, the pressure of having to dress “fancy” is off. Anything goes, from wearing a loose-fitted dress, to wearing cozy knitted sweaters or vests. Friendsgiving is a chance to dress comfortably in your favorite clothing items.

Some perks of Friendsgiving is that you can gather all your

A couple of ideas for meals to take to Friendsgiving would be hams, pie, pasta, mashed potatoes, rolls, and my personal favorite, tamales.

When asking Fernanda Arellano, a DU student, her opinion on Friendsgiving, this is what she had to say, “small or big it’s still a nice thing because you’re considering them like family Go Friendsgiving

Overall, Friendsgiving is a new way to be able to bond with friends over the holidays and gives you a chance to eat more yummy food. I would recommend others to have their version of Friendsgiving small or big, to be able to explore new friendships and solidify the ones already made.

bcarreno@my.dom.edu

Basketball Season Kicks off with Madness

and they’re putting in the time,” White said.

Dominican’s Midnight Madness is an evening basketball event that allowed for team introductions as well as student body involvement.

This event is a yearly tradition to kick off the men’s and women’s basketball season. Freshman forward Diana Villegas’ excitement to begin the season was reciprocated throughout the team.

“I feel really really excited, there’s a big group of freshmen that just came in. We’re all really close and super excited to get on the floor and get to playing because it’s what we’ve wanted all throughout high school,” said Villegas.

Head coach for the men’s team, Mark White, and for the women’s team, Antonio Rivas, spoke briefly about their team’s response during preseason and the expectations set for the season.

“I’m excited, the guys have been working hard at practice. It’s only been four practices, but I feel like we have a good group who is focused

Rivas set the expectations for his team early on, “We have 11 freshmen and two transfers, so we are really really young. Obviously not the best year last year, but we’ve got a good group of girls that I think can compete and patience will be the biggest thing here,” Rivas said.

A key component to the basketball teams early on was the adjustment of the addition of freshmen to the roster. Rivas acknowledged the overwhelming number of freshmen on the team and how they’ve adapted so far.

“Good, it’s a big adjustment. The size of the game, the speed of the game. We’re getting in shape to start the season; we’ve had about four practices and they’ve been adjusting really well,” Rivas said.

The adjustment of freshmen Joshua West and Villegas this year has been steady. They praised the communitylike welcoming for the teams as they prepare for their first season at Dominican.

“I feel good, I feel comfortable and

welcomed by the other guys,” West said.

Villegas also complimented DU’s community in addition to the support they receive.

“Definitely the community. We’re a close-knit group and that really shows on the court, and it shows throughout the whole school,” Villegas said.

This enthusiasm carried onto the team’s reaction to the newly constructed gym floor in the Igini Sports Forum.

Rivas was thrilled with the addition of the new floor and colors.

“It’s a good addition. I think it was well needed and well deserved. I hope the men’s and women’s basketball as well as volleyball (teams) can take advantage of it,” said Rivas.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams had their seasonopening games this past week against Beloit College and Knox College.

Follow the Dominican athletics website for more information about upcoming games.

Student Runner Wins Award

Dinkha Staff Writer

Graduate student Ashley MacLean came in fifth place at the Northern Athletics Collegiate Championships (NACC), acquiring the All-Conference honor of recognition. After staying in 10th place during the first mile she quickly forged ahead, keeping her spot in fifth throughout the remainder of the race.

MacLean, described the process of training for the race and her experience out on the tracks. She mentioned how races can be nervewracking, especially the days leading up to them, however, her nerves were put at ease once she

remembered to trust her training, and to give it her all. Despite her hurting legs, they managed to make it all the way to the finish line.

MacLean mentioned her amazing support system and owed a great deal of her success to her family, boyfriend, coach, and puppy Mello. “After the race I was super excited and proud of what I had accomplished. It was extra special to share it with my parents who flew in from California to see me run, Michael, and Professor Walstra who spent a lot of time helping to coach me. It was also super fun to cheer all my teammates on as they crossed the line and see their joy as they finished,”

she said.

In addition to her rigorous morning training, MacLean spent her afternoons attending classes and her evenings completing coursework. Her busy schedule consisted of 7 a.m. runs, classes from 9-4 p.m. and homework from 6-9 p.m. Her main focus was speed work and prioritizing running on hills.

“Leading up to the race I ran 50-55 miles per week consisting of 2-3 workouts, one long run, and 2-3 easy runs each week. I am a graduate student in the MBA (master’s in business)/RD (Registered Dietitian) program and have rotations and classes all day, so I have

been training around my classes and rotations, and most of the time my training is solo because of my schedule,” said MacLean.

Running is not only just a physical competition. For MacLean, running takes a great amount of mental strength. Knowing that the race will take a toll on her physically, she chooses to embrace the pain. The feeling of success and achievement makes the long hours of training and hard work worth it.

Furthermore, MacLean emphasized the importance of staying physically ready for upcoming races. During the season she prepared her body for training by lifting weights, doing

yoga and drinking lots of protein smoothies.

This isn’t the end of MacLean’s cross-country career, however, as she plans to continue racing. “I am racing in the Midwest regional race on Saturday, November 12, with a chance at qualifying for nationals. I will also be back next year racing with DU again for my final year of cross country. I’m hoping to do some track races and longer road races in the off season as well to best prepare for next season!”

bdinkha@my.dom.edu

Esports is the New Star at DU

Afterwards, freshman Melanie Canales complimented the idea.

Dominican could see a new sport as soon as this January as the university is considering adding esports as a club sport for this spring, according to administrators.

They discussed their plans with a small group of enthusiastic students late last month.

“Gaming has become a huge outlet for myself and others, so to be given the opportunity at Dominican, a university founded on communitybased activities and passion, is a step in the right direction,” Canales said.

Competitive team

esports pits student video gamers against competitors either in person or online. This is a new wave of competition like team sports but are played in video games like Valorant, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and a variety of other games.

Esports’ popularity has skyrocketed within the last decade around the country, and colleges like

the University of Illinois have started esports clubs and competitive teams.

That popularity got Dominican interested in adding it, according to Barrington Price, vice president of Student Success and Engagement.

Price and Laura Svendsen, assistant director of Student Life fielded questions and suggestions from a small group who gathered for an informational session late last month in the Sirc.

Because esports probably will start as an intramural club. Students wanted a space that would be open to all gamers, not just competitors. They also said they liked Price’s plan for Dominican to get a room, consoles and hardware for the club, and plans on opening the discussion for students’ input on specific hardware.

Canales wants an open club space, “Creating a comfortable inclusive space for others is key to being able to adequately see success and new friendships being formed over the commonality of gaming”, she said.

Price had said earlier

that he hopes to push past the club level of play and start an official Dominican Stars Esports team to compete in the NACC (Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference). This push would require the approval and sanctioning of a division or conference at the collegiate level. Price has reached out to fellow NACC colleges in hopes of exploring the interest of universities in the future of esports.

Price shared his enthusiasm on the launch of the club, “I’m hopeful that this opportunity can build new points of community for students, I think it’s an opportunity to build excitement and encouragement…. and I am curious in learning how to create engagement opportunities for things that today’s student really care about and esports seems to be at the center of that,” Price said.

Bianca

#PhotosfortheStar: Thankfulness

DÍa de los Muertos at Dominican

The Star is asking members of the DU community to use #PhotosfortheStar on their social media platforms to capture memorable moments on campus. Share your photos on social media today! Photos by: Star Staff

The Center for Cultural Liberation, University Ministry and the Rebecca Crown Libray hosted a Dia de los Muertos ma riachi tribute on campus on Nov. 2. Altars and cultural symbols can be seen decorating the library and second floor Lewis Alcove. The mariachi paraded around campus playing music.

Photos By: Arleth Arana and Cristian Raya

Sustainability: Education and Beyond

Climate change is a personal, local, national, and global issue.

Dominican University has included lessons about sustainability and climate change in their curriculum and sophomore seminar.

Professor Mary Ellen McManus, an English Professor in the Rosary College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said that the school has had champions who have supported including environmental instruction. She points to the work of Father Richard Woods, who taught about the human connection to the environment long before people were discussing sustainability.

She also pointed out the creation of the community garden, the One Earth Film Fest, and the appointment of a sustainability coordinator. Different disciplines, as diverse as nursing and business, have recognized their role in education in this area.

Despite seeing individual support, McManus is worried about institutional support. She said that the last strategic plan, adopted five years ago,

did not include any mention of sustainability, and the new plan may not either. She thinks that “If students, faculty, and staff push for it, that it will be included in the strategic plan. That sets the priority for the institution.”

McManus said that Dominican, as a Catholic institution, should see the emphasis that the Pope has placed on these issues. Francis’s 2015 encyclical tied climate change and environmental destruction to social inequities and social justice. The question is how Dominican will implement the Pope’s challenges.

One advantage that the study of sustainability has is that it is best understood across different disciplines. McManus said that chemistry, psychology, sociology, and even literature have different and important lessons to add to the field. One drawback to including it in so many different classes, that she pointed out, is that students can start to tune out the lesson. “If students get hit over the head with the same thing…they start to get numb.”

Another way to include sustainability

education would be through the inclusion of a sustainability minor or concentration. McManus highlighted that this addition might “attract students,” especially since, in the future, there will be more jobs to help sustainability. However, she pointed out that adding a new major is difficult. “Dominican is actually in the process of trying to…reduce the number of majors… because then…majors compete for students and for resources.”

Nevertheless, McManus said that student interest would exceed the difficulties.

Even without a sustainability minor or concentration, the sophomore seminar, Life in the Natural World, continues to impact students. McManus said that the course “…helps them to understand something that they’ve been learning about…” via many different sources. She also points out that faculty from different disciplines, including English, History, and Biology, teach the course. McManus also indicated that having professors from many areas teach the course is important, because it shows that

climate change can and should be approached from many different perspectives.

Despite the evidence, there will still be climate change skeptics. McManus said that one thing she has learned about confronting skeptics “…is that you have to listen to what they say.” For example, some might be against electric cars because of the mining of lithium. Some might object to having windmills, as they kill birds. McManus said that “probably the biggest thing that people say is that “It’s going to affect jobs.” or “It’s going to affect inflation….””She said the way to confront this is to listen to opinions and try to find a solution. She also said that using the scientific method can help people judge whether the science is correct.

The Inflation Reduction Act might create jobs in the green sector. McManus said that according to an article about the effects of this act, “the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act are going to radiate throughout the economy.” The act will motivate people to adopt clean energy. However, there are people who are

against it, not just those who do not believe in climate change, but also those who profit from fossil fuels. McManus, though, thinks that “mitigating the impacts of climate change does not necessarily need to reduce jobs. It can create jobs.”

The work of young people has been important to the success of sustainability. McManus specifically points out movements led by teenagers.

She said their work is inspiring, because “they know that this is a social justice issue.” They also see a tie between climate change and other social justice issues, as they see the effect on their communities. She also mentions how people’s views of indigenous communities have changed. She says “…there’s a greater recognition…that indigenous communities are much better at stewarding the land...” She sees that action on sustainability, climate change, and social justice are always linked.

mdesmond@my.dom.edu

The story is translated in Spanish on the next page.

Calling All Podcasters and Influencers

complete with a green screen and lighting.

development of the studio.

Aspiring student podcasters, videographers and influencers now have a new place to create at the recording studio in the basement of the Rebecca Crown Library.

The studio opened this fall after two years of planning and work, according to assistant librarians Beronica Avila and Jill Bambenek, who had the idea for the studio.

The studio is opened Monday thru Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The studio has four rooms – three for audio recording and one for video recording,

Upon entrance into the studio, all of the outside noise is drowned out by silence.

Student interest in recording led to the creation of the studio, which is a spinoff of the WeatherTech Innovation Center. It is free to use for anyone at Dominican.

COVID-19 limited student and staff involvement on campus, and the library became a place of support.

“The recording studio is, in some ways, a direct response to the pandemic and the challenges it presented,” says Dominican graduate Phil Skurski, who played a critical role in the

Avila says the studio will help students “represent themselves through a digital space post-pandemic.”

The WeatherTech center, which houses technologies like 3D printing, and the studio are a “brother-sister duo,” according to Skurski. It cost $700 to build on a $2,000 budget, according to Avila.

The studios need funding for better soundproofing to record music without sound spilling into surrounding areas, but students and staff hope to be able to make those improvements soon.

Skurski wants

students to use the space to explore their curiosity, and said “libraries are not always just books… it’s also about knowledge and what that looks like for students personally.”

In the future, Skurski would like to see QR codes around the studio that link to student podcasts or their SoundCloud music.

The studio has a few simple rules for students who want to use it: complete an online orientation, use the booking system to reserve times, and no food or drink allowed inside.

Avila said she hopes to expand the studio staff, which is currently composed of part-time

student workers. She wants someone who can work with the part-time students, oversee the studio, and upgrade the design of the space.

Student James Blokell already uses the studio to create a podcast and has hopes for expansion. “I would like to see a larger video recording and editing space,” he said.

Avila likes the ideas of expansion and the QR codes, and the possibility of a radio station and a story archive.

She said she would like to see “students really own their voice and influence outside of the classroom.”

Sostenibilidad: Educación y más allá

El cambio climático es un problema personal, local, nacional y global. Dominican University ha incluido clases sobre sostenibilidad y cambio climático en su plan de estudios además de un seminario de segundo año. La profesora Mary Ellen McManus, una profesora de inglés en el Rosary College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, dijo que la universidad ha tenido el liderazgo de personas que han apoyado la inclusión de la instrucción ambiental. Ella señala el trabajo del Padre Richard Woods, quien enseñó sobre la conexión humana con el medio ambiente mucho antes de que se hablara de sostenibilidad.

También ella destacó la creación del jardín comunitario, el One Earth Film Fest, y el nombramiento de un coordinador de sostenibilidad. Diferentes disciplinas, tan diversas como la enfermería y administración de empresas, han reconocido su papel en la educación en esta área.

A pesar de reconocer el apoyo individual, McManus se preocupa por el apoyo institucional. Ella dijo que el último plan estratégico, adoptado hace cinco años, no incluía ninguna mención de sostenibilidad, y es posible que en el nuevo plan tampoco se considere. Ella piensa que “si los estudiantes, profesores y personal presionan para que se haga, se incluirá en el plan estratégico. Eso es lo que establece la prioridad para la institución”.

McManus dijo que Dominican, como

institución católica, debe poner el mismo énfasis que el Papa ha dedicado a estos temas.

La Encíclica de Francisco de 2015 vinculó el cambio climático y la destrucción ambiental a las desigualdades sociales y la justicia social.

La pregunta es cómo Dominican responderá a los desafíos que el Papa nos ha llamado a enfrentar.

Una ventaja que tiene el estudio de la sostenibilidad es que se entiende mejor a través de diferentes disciplinas.

McManus dijo que la química, la psicología, la sociología e incluso la literatura tienen maneras diferentes e importantes de enseñar en este campo. Un inconveniente de incluirlo en tantas clases diferentes, que ella señaló, es que los estudiantes pueden comenzar a desconectarse. “Si siempre se machaca lo mismo... los estudiantes se aburren”, según la profesora.

Otra forma de incluir la educación sobre sostenibilidad sería a través de la inclusión de una concentración secundaria o concentración en sostenibilidad. McManus destacó que esta adición podría “atraer a los estudiantes”, especialmente porque, en el futuro, habrá más empleos para ayudar a la sostenibilidad. Sin embargo, ella señaló que agregar una nueva especialización es difícil. “Dominican realmente está en el proceso de reducir el número de especializaciones ... porque compiten por los estudiantes y por los recursos”. Sin embargo,

McManus dijo que el interés de los estudiantes superaría las dificultades.

Incluso sin una concentración secundaria o concentración en sostenibilidad, el seminario de segundo año, Life in the Natural World, continúa impactando a los estudiantes. McManus dijo que el curso “... les ayuda a entender algo sobre lo que han estado aprendiendo...” a través de muchas fuentes diferentes. Ella también señala que el profesorado de diferentes disciplinas, incluyendo inglés, historia y biología, imparte este curso. McManus indicó que es importante contar con profesores de muchas áreas para impartir el curso, porque demuestra que el cambio climático puede y debe abordarse desde muchas perspectivas diferentes.

A pesar de la evidencia, siempre habrá personas que muestren escepticismo sobre el cambio climático. McManus dijo que una cosa que ella ha aprendido es cómo confrontar a los escépticos: “... tienes que escuchar lo que dicen”. Por ejemplo, algunos podrían estar en contra de los coches eléctricos debido a la extracción de litio. Algunos podrían objetar la instalación de molinos de viento, ya que matan a los pájaros. McManus dijo que “probablemente lo más importante que la gente dice es que las medidas de sostenibilidad ‘van a afectar los empleos’ o ‘van a afectar la inflación.... “. Ella dijo que la forma de enfrentar esto es escuchar las opiniones y tratar de encontrar

una solución conjunta. También dijo que usar el método científico puede ayudar a las personas a juzgar si la ciencia está en lo cierto.

Es posible que la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación pueda crear puestos de trabajo en el sector verde. McManus dijo que según un artículo sobre los efectos de esta ley, “las disposiciones de la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación van a irradiar en toda la economía”. La ley motivará a las personas a adoptar energías limpias. Sin embargo, hay personas que están en contra, no sólo aquellos que no creen en el cambio climático, sino también aquellos que se benefician de los combustibles fósiles. McManus, sin embargo, piensa que “mitigar los impactos del cambio climático no necesariamente tiene que reducir los empleos. Puede crear puestos de

trabajo”.

El trabajo de los jóvenes ha sido importante para el éxito de la sostenibilidad. McManus indica específicamente los movimientos liderados por adolescentes. Ella dijo que el trabajo de la juventud le inspira porque la gente joven “sabe que este es un problema de justicia social”. Ven un vínculo entre el cambio climático y otros problemas de justicia social, ya que el efecto es palpable en sus comunidades. También menciona cómo han cambiado las opiniones de las personas sobre las comunidades indígenas. Ella dice que “ hoy... se reconoce con más contundencia que las comunidades indígenas son muchos mejores con la administración de la tierra.” En definitiva, ella ve que la sostenibilidad, cambio climático y justicia social siempre están vinculadas.