Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
C a b r i n i
C o l l e g e
Y o u S p e a k, W e L i s t e n www.theLoquitur.com
Radnor, Pa.
Vol XLVIII, Issue 15
Students resort to community colleges
Fair Trade: steps taken, long road ahead
YADIRA TOLEDO EVENTS EDITOR
YRT722@CABRINI.EDU
Fairly-traded handcrafts and gourmet foods from disadvantaged producers all over the world have become more accessible. Students on campus hope to publicize the issue and establish long-term awareness about Fair Trade. MEGHAN HURLEY
WRITING COACH/WEB EDITOR MLH722@CABRINI.EDU
Fair Trade has been at the forefront of the social justice movement for years and now Cabrini is taking note. The campus is currently trying to bring the cause to the students, faculty and staff and create long-term awareness. Cabrini is kicking off its push into fair trade with an event on Valentine’s Day. Dr. Mary Harris, assistant professor of business administration, and her finance class are spearheading the effort. They are assisted by the Athletic Department and the staff from the Dixon Center along with the help of a seminar 300 class and some of the resident assis-
tants. Catholic Relief Services is also helping to sponsor the event. Together, they are putting together a fair trade chocolate sale and a fair trade “walleyball” tournament. “Once you’re aware of an injustice you need to react. You just can’t ignore the problem,” Jackie Neary, coordinator of student-athlete wellness and head field hockey and lacrosse coach, said. Neary has been involved with the planning of the game and hopes to have more events like it in the future. This will be one of the first major Fair Trade events Cabrini has held. It is important to notice, however, what kind of involvement Fair Trade in general has on
Many children spend most of their days in small rooms sitting on a bench weaving a carpet to earn a little more than five dollars a month for their families. However, fair trade practices are working to improve the situation.
FAIR TRADE, page 3
ALL PHOTOS: CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES/MCT
CHARLIE GRUGAN/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Many Americans on the road to achieving a higher education utilize community colleges as pitstops, if not final destinations. They are places where a recent high school graduate or a secondcareer starter can receive a college education conveniently and at a fairly inexpensive tuition rate. In fact, 45 percent, nearly half, of undergraduates throughout the United States are enrolled at a community college, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. “I took a year off after graduating from high school. When I decided to go back to school, I wasn’t really ready to go to a four year college; so, I went there to prepare myself and some basic courses out of the way,” Laura Barber, senior psychology and sociology major, said. Despite the large enrollment numbers and the low tuition cost, in the past, community colleges
COLLEGES, page 3
WHAT’S INSIDE
Faculty Handbook vote leaves questions AMANDA FINNEGAN EDITOR IN CHIEF
AJF724@CABRINI.EDU
KATHERINE BRACHELLI/NEWS EDITOR
The Grace Hall board room is left empty after the Faculty Senate meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Many questions still remain unanswered about Chapter one of the Faculty Handbook and the proposed governance model.
After close to two months of waiting in limbo, faculty are left without results on the vote for new college governance. Chapter one of the Faculty Handbook, which includes a proposed governance structure, was voted on on Dec. 11, 2006. Twenty-six approved, 27 disapproved and 4 abstained. The Middle States Commission for Higher Education mandated revisions of chapter one in March 2005. In a letter to the faculty on Dec. 15 2006, Dr. Jonnie Guerra, vice president of academic affairs said, “Fifty-eight out of 62 eligible voted. Thirty votes were needed to approve the chapter.
The vote did not produce a majority either for or against the chapter.” But faculty by-laws dispute Guerra’s claim. According to Section 5.1 of the 2004 version of the Faculty Handbook, “A simple majority of a handbook quorum must agree to an affirmative vote.” Dr. Sheryl Fuller-Espie, associate professor of biology and chair of faculty senate, pointed out to Guerra that according to Robert’s Rules on Parliamentary Procedures, the widely accepted standard for voting, in fact, those voting against the handbook won. “I would recommend to Dr. Guerra that we form a ‘closure committee’ of elected faculty to
HANDBOOK, page 3
A&E Dakota Fanning Page 10
Sports Women’s Basketball Page 15