An ICPA Award-Winning Newspaper
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Azhley Rodriguez
Arleth Arana
Edgar Vega
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Assignment
Azhley Rodriguez
staff
Arleth Arana Fernanda Arellano
Betsy Carreno Mattew Desmond
Azhley Rodriguez
Shonda Dudlicek
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John Jenks
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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.
To leave a voice message, call the Dominican Star 708-488-5106
Welcome back to campus friends! My name is Azhley (it’s pronounced the same as Ashley but spelled with a “Z”) and I’m the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) for the Star this fall semester! I’m currently in my last semester of senior year majoring in digital journalism and double minoring in English and social media, my pronouns are she/
her/ella, and my favorite color is purple.
I’m so excited to be in leadership this semester! I have a grocery list of ideas I hope to accomplish that I can’t wait to introduce to everyone.
To start the year off, the Star has included many new members to the team as we begin the semester, many of whom are freshman! We will be implementing a new translation section thanks to senior, Matthew Desmond, whose minor is translation. He will be including a Spanish version of his column in every issue. Page 4 has the first edition of the semester.
As EIC, I will be
working closely with our senior designer, Cristian Raya and Online Content Manager, Chloe Cabrales, to revamp the Star’s website. So, stay tuned for a new and improved site! We are also implementing a photo section to get the DU Community engaged with the paper.
#PhotosfortheStar will be featured on our social media accounts and in a page spread in print including photos from DU community members! So, if you find yourself in awe of the beauty of campus, or really love the Cyber sandwich you had that day, don’t be afraid to snap a photo and share it on your social media accounts with
Lastly, the Star’s newsroom is located in the L-Stop and has previously only been used by staff members. But this year, I’d like to invite everyone to stop by during office hours to meet the staff or just say hi! We’d love to meet you and answer any questions and welcome any story tips you might have. Office hours are MWF 12:30-2:30 in Power 121. I hope everyone has a great semester. Be kind to yourself, focus on your goals, and reach for the stars.
Azhley Rodriguez Editor-in-Chief arodriguez2@my.dom.eduabout making friends and finding your way. You also might be struggling with feelings of homesickness and loneliness. Whatever you might be feeling, there’s no doubt the next person feels the same.
With classes kicking off on Aug. 29th, there have naturally been a spew of emotions expressed among the freshmen class. Have your first two weeks been exciting and new, but also overwhelming?
If your answer was yes to all of those, you are not alone. As a freshman, it might be difficult adjusting to an entirely new environment and acclimating to college life.
You might be worried
To get the full scoop, I interviewed a few freshmen asking how their Dominican experience has been thus far. Nursing major Elisa Aviles listed several pros and cons of living at Dominican.
She emphasized the pros of being with people on campus, whether it’s to play pool and hang out in the commons or to sit down and study with someone. Elisa also brought attention to how helpful people are. For example, if someone were to drop a piece of laundry, someone else would immediately pick it up.
However, despite the
pros, there are some cons to living on campus. Elisa put stress on the fact that there is no air conditioning in the Coughlin Hall, as well as the hair that accumulates in the girls’ bathrooms. She additionally mentioned the writing on the elevator doors and how residents might get charged for it.
Elisa’s overall experience has been going well, much like international business major Stephany Vazquez. Stephany also lives on campus and really enjoys her time at Dominican.
Nevertheless, there are advantages and disadvantages to everything.
She started off on a positive note saying that dorming gives her more time for leisure activities and feels less distracted at school than she does at home. Furthermore, she
said that there are always little activities to do with friends every night, like bracelet making, pottery, etc.
The downsides Stephany brought up were the beds in the dorms. She revealed how hard and uncomfortable the mattresses are. She said that despite sleeping on a mattress topper, the beds are still unpleasant to rest on.
The consensus is that the dorm accommodations at Dominican are less than perfect. In spite of everything, their overall experience has been positive so far.
With that being said, good luck freshmen, and don’t forget to clean up your hair.
bdinkha@my.dom.edu
#PhotosfortheStar! Photos By: Bianca DinkhaLonlA longtime adjunct professor was fired after an assault on African American sociology professor Chavella Pittman during an August faculty workshop on diversity.
On Aug. 16, Pittman was leading a workshop in inclusive teaching when adjunct professor and Franciscan Sister Felicia H. Wolf “tapped” her on the forehead with her right hand, according to a police report Pittman filed with River Forest police.
According to the police report:
“Pittman stated she knelt down next to faculty member Felicia Wolf, and was attempting to review the hand written statement she made for class. Pittman stated Wolf said I don’t like talking about diversity because bringing it up is like saying I am better than diverse people. Pittman said Wolf then tapped her twice on the forehead twice with her right hand. Pittman stated the tap was loud enough for other faculty in the room to hear.
“Pittman said she told Wolf this is not okay; you cannot be doing this
and hitting me, this is an intellectual and important subject. Pittman then removed herself from the room because she wanted to keep a professional demeanor and separate herself from the situation.
“Pittman stated two other coworkers witnessed this, Linda Durack (F/W, and Sheila Bauer Gatsos (F/ W, Pittman relayed she notified her supervisor (School Dean), Chad Rohman (M/W), Pittman stated she wanted this documented only and did not want further police services at this time.”
Pittman requested no further police action be taken beyond documentation. Neither Pittman, Wolf nor witnesses responded to requests for comments.
After the incident was reported to officials, Dominican Provost Laura Niesen de Abruña terminated Wolf.
In an email to faculty on Aug. 26, she presented a formal statement with the subject reading, “Message Regarding Campus Climate,” summarizing the incident, including the debrief for faculty members her and Precious Porras, chief diversity officer, hosted
for faculty members who attended the workshop. Niesen said:
“As you know, a bedrock of our value system is that all human beings deserve equal dignity. I am going to jump right in to share my sense that we missed that mark last week. At a workshop on inclusive pedagogy, a faculty member assaulted the facilitator during a breakout session. I moved immediately to contact the victim, to interview her and witnesses, and to terminate the individual who committed the assault.
“Because the victim is a person of color, I was concerned about what this says about the climate of inclusion and belongingness on our campus. This morning, Precious Porras and I invited those who attended that workshop to join in a debrief that was facilitated by members of an outside DEI consultancy. There was unanimous support for me to make a statement to the faculty at large about this incident.
“Under my leadership, there will be zero tolerance for assault or bullying. In addition, we will not tolerate aggressive behavior of
colleagues toward one another in meetings, hallways, classrooms, or elsewhere.”
When asked for a formal interview with the Star, Niesen declined to comment. Instead, she directed the Star to Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Kubas, who provided the University’s official statement on the matter.
The statement reads:
“At the heart of Dominican University is our Catholic, Dominican tradition, which affirms that all human beings deserve equal dignity. With this guiding principle, we respond to every report of assault with urgency.
“At a recent faculty workshop on inclusive pedagogy, a part-time faculty member assaulted the facilitator during a breakout session. We took immediate action by removing the offender from the workshop and campus. A formal internal investigation began immediately, which included interviews with both the victim and witnesses. Based on the results of the investigation, the faculty member was terminated and banned from campus.
“Our concern for the victim is our priority and leads our response to this unacceptable incident. ‘Under my leadership, there is zero tolerance for assault or bullying,’ said provost Laura Niesen de Abruña. ‘We will not tolerate aggressive behavior toward one another in meetings, hallways, classrooms, or elsewhere. We need to live up to our Catholic value of making everyone on campus feel safe and welcome.’
“A hallmark of our community is a commitment to open dialogue around difficult topics. Faculty who attended the workshop in which the incident occurred were invited to join in a debrief that was facilitated by members of an outside DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consultancy. We continue to encourage productive discourse around this and other challenging issues.”
Wolf has been a faculty member at Dominican since 2005, teaching classes such as religion and conflict. The Star attempted to receive a comment from her multiple times and was unsuccessful.
arodriguez2@my.dom.edu
A copy of the official River Forest Police report.
Welcome back, Stars! I hope all of you had a great summer and are looking forward to the 2022-2023 school year. There’s no doubt that all of us are feeling something. Some of us might be looking forward to the new year, while some may be feeling nervous. Others might not feel as motivated after having about three months off. Whatever you are feeling is completely normal. Here are some tips for us all to have a great year.
First, I want to address the freshmen. Welcome to Dominican University! This is a place to learn new things, to meet new people, and to grow in a variety of ways. If you are feeling nervous about college, there are many resources to help you. One of the most important things you can do to ensure your success is to take care of your physical and mental health. You can visit the Wellness Center, in Power Hall. There have medical professionals and counselors available. The university offers health insurance if you need it.
The Academic Enrichment Center, located in Parmer Hall, is a great resource with faculty and student tutors that can help you with a variety of subjects including math, writing, and more. You can also visit your professors during office hours,
where your professor can give you one-on-one support. As you adjust to college academics, explore campus life. Go to the Involvement Fair on Sept. 13 to learn of campus events, clubs, and organizations. Many events are free and have food! Explore our beautiful campus including the Grotto and the Labyrinth, located behind Parmer Hall. This is your year to get to know our great school! Next, the sophomores. Now that you have one year of experience, use this year to take charge in your major. Talk with your academic advisor about interesting classes. Try to take classes outside of your major too, as this might spark your interest in another subject, and it could lead to you double majoring or minoring. Beyond your major, find ways to be a leader on campus. This can be
through becoming a Torch Leader or a Peer Advisor. Try to look for Community-Based learning courses, classes that connect service to the subject. Being more involved in campus and your major is a great next step to take.
You’re turn, juniors! Junior year is a busy time filled with 300-level classes. These are challenging, so consider a 100-level or 200-level class. Even if you find one that is not related to your major, the class could balance your workload. Also, try to get more involved professionally by setting up a LinkedIn or Handshake profile. Utilize the Career Center to create a resume and to apply for an internship. Now, the seniors! We’ve made it! Everything we have worked for has led us to our final year. Keep looking for internships
and job opportunities. Plan for after graduation whether that is a career or grad school. Be an example to other students. Keep motivated and finish the year strong. May 2023 will be here before you know it, so enjoy your time!
We are at the beginning of another new school year. Some are just beginning their time at Dominican, while others are in the home stretch. This year will be full of fun and challenges. If you struggle, know that there are people to help you. You will have a successful year. Always remember our school’s motto: Caritas and Veritas (Love and Truth) and the 2022-2023 school year will be a great time for all of us.
mdesmond@my.dom.edu
The story is translated in Spanish below.
¡Bienvenidos de nuevo, estudiantes! Espero que todos ustedes tuvieran un buen verano y tengan muchas ganas de empezar el año escolar de 22-23. No hay duda de que todos nosotros sentimos algo especial por este año académico. Es posible que algunos estemos emocionados sobre el año nuevo, mientras que otros puede ser que estemos nerviosos. Quizás, los demás no se sientan tan motivados después de estar tres meses sin escuela. Lo que ustedes están sintiendo es totalmente normal. Aquí les voy a dar algunos consejos para que todos nosotros tengamos un buen año.
Primero, quiero dirigirme a los estudiantes de primer año. ¡Bienvenidos a Dominican University! Este es un lugar para aprender nuevas cosas, encontrar personas nuevas y madurar. Si ustedes han sentido nerviosismo por empezar la universidad, hay muchos recursos para prestarles ayuda.
Una de las cosas más importantes que ustedes pueden hacer para asegurar su éxito es cuidar de su salud física y mental. Pueden visitar el centro de bienestar, en Power Hall. El centro tiene profesionales de salud y terapeutas disponibles. También, la universidad ofrece seguro médico si ustedes lo necesitan.
El centro de enriquecimiento académico, en el bajo de Parmer Hall, es un gran recurso con profesores y tutores, estudiantes avanzados, que pueden ayudarles con una variedad de materias, incluyedo matemáticas, composición de ensayos y escritura, lectura, química etc.También, ustedes pueden ver a sus profesores durante las horas de oficina, donde les pueden dar ayuda individual. Mientras que se ajustan a los rigores académicos de la universidad, exploren la vida del campus. Vayan a la feria de involucramiento del estudiante, el 13 de Septiembre,
para aprender de los eventos, los clubs, y las organizaciones de estudiantes que existen en el campus. ¡La majoría de los eventos son gratis y tienen comida! Exploren nuestro campus tan hermoso, incluyendo la gruta y el laberinto, detrás de Parmer Hall. ¡Este es su año para conocer nuestra gran universidad!
Ahora me dirijo en un siguiente lugar a los estudiantes de segundo año. Ustedes ya tienen experiencia, usen este año para hacerse cargo de su especialización. Hablen con su consejero académico sobre que clases son interesantes. Intente tomar clases fuera de su concentración académica, porque es posible que estas clases les inspiren a tener una segunda especialización (double-major) o una concentración secundaria (minor). Además de centrarse en su especialización, encuentren maneras de convertirse en líderes en el campus. Pueden optar por ser Torch Leader o estudiantes mentores.
Intente buscar clases que requieran salir del campus y aprender de las comunidades (community-based learning), mientras que conecta el servicio con la materia académica. Estar más involucrados en el campus y con tu especialización es su próxima gran etapa.
¡Es su turno, estudiantes de tercer año! El tercer año de la universidad es un tiempo bien ocupado porque es probable que ustedes necesiten tomar clases en el nivel trescientos. Estas clases son difíciles y presentan un desafio. Consideren añadir una clase de nivel cien o nivel doscientos. Aún cuando no tenga una conexión con su especialización, la clase puede equilibrar su carga de trabajo. También, prueben a hacer una pasantía o práctica laboral para establecer un perfil en LinkedIn o Handshake. Usen el centro de trabajo profesional para escribir su currículum (résume) y solicitar estas pasantías.
¡Ahora, los estudiantes de último año! ¡Hemos
triunfado! Todo lo que hemos trabajado nos ha llevado a nuestro año final. Continúen buscando pasantías y oportunidades prácticas de trabajo. Planifiquen para después de la graduación, ya sea para su próxima etapa de trabajo profesional o escuela de postgrado. Sean un ejemplo para otros estudiantes. Continúen estando motivados y terminen el año con mucho éxito. El Mayo del 2023 llegará antes de que nos demos cuenta, entonces disfruta del tiempo que te queda. Nosotros estamos en el comienzo de otro año nuevo académico. Algunos estudiantes sólo acaban de comenzar, mientras que otros están en la recta final. Este año estará lleno de diversión y desafíos. Si usted lucha, sepa que hay personas para ayudarle. Usted tendrá un año exitoso. Siempre recuerden el lema de nuestra escuela: Caridad y Verdad, y el año escolar de 22-23 será un tiempo magnífico para toda la comunidad de Dominican University.
To kick off the new school year, this semester Dominican officially welcomed the largest freshman class in history consisting of more than 600 students.
While the official number won’t be confirmed until the September census report, an estimated 630 students made their deposits; surpassing 2016’s class made of 497
students.
Mark Carbonara, Director of Advising and First Year Experience, said, “it’s a very exciting time to be at Dominican. Dominican is already great, and I think there is continued greatness on the horizon.”
With an overall decline in student enrollment among US colleges, Dominican University is excited for its rise in enrollment.
Carbonara credits small classes, individualized care, great location, financial aid, athletics, and the overall small school qualities to its rise in the student body.
“I think it’s sort of a perfect storm of how we got to get a whole lot of students to be here and be welcomed into the DU community... (It) says a lot about how exciting of a time it is at Dominican.”
What does this welcoming of such a large class mean to the future of Dominican and prospective students?
“It means we have to find ways to support our current students,” said Carbonara. Whether that means “if our students want to get more involved and they want more programs, then we’ll do more programs. If our students are
looking for something more specific… faculty, staff, and as the University, we will be responsive to that”
Despite this spike in students, Dominican still maintains its 15-to1 student-to-teacher ratio and is consistently working through its Academic Success Center to ensure all students receive any needed support in order to succeed.
“(We needed to) make sure we had enough faculty to teach students, we obviously hired a good amount of faculty to be able to handle all of the students,” Carbonara said.
Ultimately, Carbonara assures that relationship is at the heart of everything that is done at DU, and it will continue to be so as the school moves onto a new stage of innovation and an eager student body.
aarana@my.dom.edu
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entrance of Lewis Hall.
The decision to transform the entrance of Lewis Hall into an official Welcome Center was made once the space opened in the building after Temple moved the President’s Office to Parmer Hall.
about Dominican life, its welcomeness and its staff.
Funding for the Welcome Center will be provided by outside resources.
educator. The couple were married in Rosary Chapel 25 years ago.
Priory campus.
The Killips Welcome Center that was announced during President Glena Temple’s inauguration speech is soon to be completed by the beginning of 2023.
Before Temple’s inauguration earlier this year, she thought of the idea of creating a Welcome Center at the
“The move of the President’s Office made the space available, as this (Lewis Hall) is the ‘front door’ to our campus and the logical space to welcome visitors,” Temple said.
The concept of the Welcome Center would be to be able to give a more welcoming vibe to everyone who visits DU. Once inside the Center, there will be information available
“The majority of the cost of the Welcome Center project was funded through benefactors –and the space will be named for Cindy and Kevin Killips, who are providing generous support for the project,” Temple said.
According to the university, the couple are alumni. Kevin Killips has served on the Board of Trustee since 2004, with six years as chairman. He also led the recent Presidential Search Committee. Cindy Gizzo-Killips is a retired
In recent years, students, faculty, staff and visitors have expressed concerns over the lack of accessibility in the former entrance of Lewis Hall.
“I know this is important to address to serve our students, employees and visitors, and we will continue to move forward in making improvements as we are able to,” Temple said.
Other costs, like making the entrance to the center compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design, will be funded by money the university received from selling the former
“We hope to improve accessibility across campus, as we renovate and have the resources to do so. In these beautiful old buildings, it is a significant project and, in some spaces, it is difficult to identify solutions within the available footprint,” Temple said.
The president also expressed her excitement over the creation of the Welcome Center saying, “I was excited about this addition to Dominican because I was able to see the impact this space made at my last institution.”
bcarenno@my.dom.eduthe Priory was an ongoing topic of discussion among administration after attendance on the campus declined.
“We envisioned it to be our graduate and adult campus to help provide a distinct location and space [for the graduate program],”
University entered a sale and agreement before the official sale was made May 19.
Once the sale closed, Temple emphasized the desire to continue collaborations with Fenwick High School students and DU.
including the new Cindy and Kevin Killips Welcome Center in Lewis Hall.
Fenwick High School and Dominican University officially closed their sale and agreement on The Priory on May 19.
The Priory, Dominican’s additional campus down Division Street, was an asset to the University since it was purchased from the Dominican Friars religious order in 2002.
Before President Glena Temple was inaugurated in April, she emphasized that conversation to sell
Temple said in an interview with the Star earlier this year. “Things have moved more online, particularly in graduate classes that are less likely to hold face-to-face classes. Our need for the Priory campus has decreased significantly.”
The Priory was home to the Goedert Center for Early Childhood Education, the School of Social Work, and additional residence halls for students who lived on campus.
On Dec. 3, 2021, Fenwick High School in Oak Park and Dominican
“Dominican administrators and staff have met several times with Fenwick employees to discuss partnership opportunities. We have several ideas that are still being developed, but we are optimistic about increased collaboration with Fenwick and with Trinity (High School in River Forest),” Temple said.
According to an article in The Wednesday Journal, the Priory was sold for $7.5 million. Temple says the money from the sale will be implemented on different projects across campus,
“The proceeds from the sale of the Priory are being utilized in two primary ways,” Temple said. “First, outstanding debt associated with the property was retired and Dominican’s entire debt portfolio was restructured. The remaining proceeds
will be used to fund a number of main campus capital improvement projects which are currently being prioritized and priced. Some portions of the Killips Welcome Center at the entrance of Lewis Hall is one example (including increased accessibility).”
arodriguez2@my.dom.edu
Photo By: Betsy Carrenouniversity’s mascot from 1975 to 1979 during its days as Rosary College.”
In the past, President Glena Temple has seen the changes that come with having an animal on campus.
DU’s newest Star, Rosie Bea, is now Dominican’s unofficial furry mascot.
Rosie, a 7-monthold precious lab mix, is eager and excited to get involved on campus. Consequently, more campuses have been getting furry friends to build a bigger bond within the campus community.
When it was first announced that the DU Community would be welcoming a puppy, the official Dominican University Facebook account turned to the
DU community hoping to find the perfect name for her.
“Submit your suggestions for our Presidential Pup’s name in the comments below. We’re going to let your creativity run wild as you em“bark” on this task—but keep in mind that her name should highlight our university’s storied history,” the Facebook post said.
Some suggestions included Chocolate, Stella, Sammie for Father Sam, and others. But ultimately, Rosie Bea was chosen “in honor of the Rosary Beads, the
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“Last year, at a few events where dogs were present, we watched students and families relax, smile, and enjoy interacting with a friendly dog,” Temple said.
Temple says Rosie has been preparing to come to campus for 10 weeks in private training so she can engage well with the public. Rosie’s appearance has already been widely accepted on campus as she was seen at DU Fest and other on campus events.
“She had a wonderful time at a SOAR event meeting students this summer, and at DU Fest,” Temple said.
In addition, Temple has mentioned new job opportunities for students involving
Rosie. She hopes to hire students to assist Rosie during her office hours, ambassador duties, and most importantly pampering time.
“Rosie is very social, loves attention (particularly tummy
rubs!), and has lots of energy,” Temple said. “I hope she will bring joy to many.”
farellano@my.dom.edu bcarreno@my.dom.edu