The Maroon 100 YEAR Anniversary Nov. 10, 2023 Issue

President Cole brings fresh leadership to Loyola

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THE MAROON

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Nov. 10, 2023

Illegitimi non carborundum: A Message To Dr. Cole Dear President Xavier A. Cole,

Pres. Xavier Cole stands for a picture in the horseshoe outside Marquette Hall before his inauguration. Hannah Darcey/The Maroon

BEYOND HIS PRESIDENCY Meet the man behind the mission

By Maria DiFelice mldifeli@my.loyno.edu

As we strolled around Loyola’s campus, President Xavier A. Cole, the first Black university layperson to lead Loyola, candidly shared his perspectives before his upcoming inauguration. Our conversation meandered through the lively campus scene. We strolled through the bustling academic buildings on campus, witnessed ongoing construction projects, and observed students outside—reading, laughing, and engaged in animated conversations.

It was within this dynamic setting, vibrant and diverse, that Cole shared insights into his life as both a dedicated administrator and a passionate jazz musician. The recognition he garners on campus, he explained, not only symbolizes his work's value but also underscores the importance of his role.

Beyond the boardroom and administrative responsibilities, Cole's soul resonates with the sweet sounds of jazz.

With a trombone in hand, he effortlessly conjures classic jazz pieces, from Duke Ellington to Frank Sinatra, a passion he has nurtured for two decades as a member of the Mood Swings brass band, traversing from Baltimore, Maryland to the picturesque coasts of Maine.

In the quiet moments of his personal life, he finds solace in the company of his wife, Suzanne and his dog, Mingus, named after the great jazz musician Charles Mingus, who once said, 'Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.'

Previously, his faithful companion was Dizzy DeBerry Cole, named after the leg-

endary Dizzy Gillespie, whose improvi- you're sorry and that you're going to try sations echo in the rhythms of Cole's life. to do better, and to ask for grace from the Amidst this dual life Cole shared, community to help you be better,” said “I wasn't an administrator at the time. Cole.

Furthermore, Cole's identity as a But now I'm definitely an administrator Black man deeply informs his decimore than I am a musician.”

According to Cole, it is the students sion-making process to foster diversity that keep him going. His connection and inclusivity, even as he acknowledges with the university's diverse and 'hip' (as the potential biases that might arise. He he says) community is a source of im- emphasized his commitment to hearing mense joy, as he marvels at the unique different perspectives from his faculty expressions students exhibit through and staff. He wants to make strides in their fashion and passions. As he walks getting an officer for diversity, equity, around Loyola’s campus, Cole radiates and inclusion and wants everyone to admiration for Loyola's generous and know that he has plans for the future of extraordinary students, engaging with Loyola and making it a safe and diverse them in numerous ways, but his heart place.

“I'm going to take the position from found a special resonance when one a very high stratestudent asked him to gic level and bring it join a jazz jam ses- “The success of Loyola down to the ground sion with a number of doesn't fall at the feet of and advertise for the other students. diversity director of “It was fantas- one person or one man or Equity and Inclusion tic. And it was just one person in position.” of Multicultural Afin those moments fairs for Student Afbetween talking to — Xavier A. Cole fairs, so our students young students about President of Loyola University will be better suptheir leadership, and ported,” he said. then listening to stuBeyond his presidential role, Cole dents just practicing together, honing their craft. It reminded me of why I do sees himself as an integral member of the Loyola wolf pack, offering unwavthis work,” he said.

Amidst these interactions, Cole's pri- ering support to students. He envisions mary focus remains the students and a better Loyola, united in its committheir engagement at Loyola. He voiced a ment to community, where every voice heartfelt concern about creating a more is heard.

“The success of Loyola doesn't fall inclusive environment, taking responsibility for past lapses, such as missing the at the feet of one person or one man or recognition of a minority group during one person in position. It's clear that I'm trying to help activate the best gifts and Hispanic History Month.

“I think the important thing for lead- talents in all of Loyola. So we can be sucers to do when they realize they've made cessful,” said Cole. a mistake is to admit the mistake. Say

The day has finally come when you will officially be inaugurated as Loyola University New Orleans’ 18th president.

We at The Maroon have been celebrating what you have done here during your past 5 months and as you go on to officially begin this role with the inauguration ceremony, we continue with great excitement and anticipation to see the changes you will make here.

As a Jesuit institution, and as anyone who has spent decades working at Jesuit institutions like you have, there is an understanding present in all aspects of life at these institutions, that we are at kairos: the right time, the critical time, a time for decisive action.

We understand moments that qualify as kairos – a time for action – may be far and few in between, but also that we create these moments for ourselves. It is through a Jesuit education that we learn what it means to know when to act, to know what requires action, and to know how to act.

The most important tenet of any Jesuit education is a desire to foster justice, in massive ways and in minute ways. It is a desire to do good for others. It is the simple, yet monumental idea that all we are called to do here is to love and to serve.

We, at Loyola, have not always done this. There have been times between the administration and the students, the administration and The Maroon, and The Maroon and the students where we have all fallen short in our pursuit of an exemplary level of service to one another. But we’ve kept going, and we have remained till now, and we know now that the question is: what can we do to ensure that we all remain in service to each other?

The Maroon, in remaining to a high standard of ethical and honest journalism, in presenting events factually, in running letters and opinions even when we may disagree with them, and always remembering we are here to serve the community through informing them, will continue to serve the students well.

The administration, in remaining true to an ideal of service, rather than an ideal

of funding, in centering the students and student life in everything they do, and keeping informed on student concerns, in part through The Maroon, will begin to again serve the students well.

There have been many, in the student body and The Maroon, who feel we are not cared for by the administration.

That we are all simply paychecks for an administration that continues to try to bleed us dry. But we trust that you are going to change this. At this kairos, at this moment which is perfect for decisive action, at this moment brought by fate, but also by your hard work and dedication to service, at your inauguration as the 18th president, we trust that decisive action will be taken.

Being the 18th president of a university is fortuitous. Most college students are 18 when they enter the dorm halls for the first time and make their homes here and their lives change monumentally.

We hope that as Loyola’s 18th president, you will make the monumental changes we need to see here for us students going through such changes in our lives.

As someone with two degrees in history, Dr. Cole, you must certainly understand that we must learn from the past and learn well. And some hesitancy remains on our part to celebrate anything to do with Loyola’s administration, as there have been so many issues with people in the administration in the very recent past, and these people remain advising you, Dr. Cole. Some of these people do not have the same experience in Jesuit education as you do, and they certainly do not have an ideal of service as their focus.

But we offer one piece of advice, that in order to stick true to an ideal of service, in order to remain true to the Jesuit values you’ve been educated in, and in order to serve well as Loyola University New Orleans’ 18th President: illegitimi non carborundum, Dr. Cole.

Sincerely, The Maroon For a Greater Loyola

Taylor Falgout/The Maroon

INAUGURATION SCHEDULE Friday, November 10, 2023

Inauguration Ceremony

Inauguration Reception

The Maroon 100th Anniversary

Inauguration Dinner

3 p.m.

Holy Name of Jesus Church

4:30 p.m.

Palm Court

5 p.m.

CMM 3rd Floor TICKETS REQUIRED

6:30 p.m.

The Roosevelt Hotel TICKETS REQUIRED

Nov. 10, 2023

THE MAROON

A Look into 3 Loyola’s Past Leaders Albert H. Biever, S.J. (1904-1913) Alphonse E. Otis, S.J. (1913-1919) Edward A. Cummings, S.J. (1919-1924) Francis X. Twellmeyer, S.J. (1924-1925) Florence D. Sullivan, S.J. (1925-1931) John W. Hynes, S.J.

Loyola's 17th president Tania Tetlow holds issue of The Maroon marking her presidential history in 2018. Tetlow was the university's first female layperson president.

Sidney Ovrom/The Maroon

Loyola changes charter, allows for non-Jesuit leadership

By Dajah Saul drsaul@my.loyno.edu

Tania Tetlow, the 17th president of Loyola University New Orleans, became not only the first woman to hold the position, but also the first layperson, in 2018. Since the university’s opening in 1904, the university charter stated that the president had to be a Roman Catholic male priest.

Loyola was founded by a small group of male Jesuit priests in 1847, but the change to allow laypeople to be elected university president did not happen until years later.

Loyola law professor and expert in constitutional law, Larry Moore, S.J., said the university charter had changed the strict requirements for presidency in the early 2000’s under the presidency of Bernard Knoth S.J., who served from 1995-2003. As one of the only duties of the Jesuits was amending the university charter if needed, Moore said that Knoth felt a change was needed in accordance with other Jesuit institutions.

“More and more Jesuit universities were having a lay president. If it was a layperson, that would create this vice president for mission and identity,” Moore said.

When the Jesuits founded Loyola, they possessed limited power within

the university itself. One of these powers was the ability to amend the university charter, which stands as the official legal document of Loyola, according to Moore.

Although the change to the university charter was made over two decades ago, the presidents, up until Tetlow, were still Jesuits.

Alongside Jesuit priests, since the early 2000’s, the university’s Board of Trustees have had the power to amend the university charter. The Board of Trustees meet four times a year to monitor the fulfillment of the university charter and strategic plans. In 2018, the Board of Trustees told The Maroon that the eventual instatement of a layperson as president was not out of the question.

After Loyola’s 16th president, Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J. retired, the Board of Trustees expanded the pool of acceptable candidates for the university’s presidency.

“Including non-Jesuits into the pool of candidates means that the university can widen its search to include people with the very specific talents required to successfully and sustainably lead the university,” former Interim Provost and Chief Operating Officer, David Borofsky said.

Students attending Loyola during Tetlow’s tenure can recall the multitude

of emails and interactions with the former president that made her one with the community and student body, even during the height of COVID-19.

Tetlow said being the first lay president of Loyola felt like the honor of a lifetime and also like coming home.

During Tetlow’s presidency, the diversity within incoming freshmen between 2019-2022, as well as diminishing financial strife on campus, was accomplished with the highest of statistics for the university. Along with helping the university ease out of debt, Tetlow aimed to maintain the Jesuit values of the university’s history, as she believed Loyola lives and breathes Jesuit mission.

“I’ve been raised with Jesuit values and steeped in Jesuit traditions. I was sung to sleep with Gregorian chants as a baby, and my parents had private conversations at the dinner table in Latin,” she said in 2018. “I will lead Loyola with a full understanding that Jesuit values are the core mission.”

Tetlow said the transition to lay leadership came with risk, as well as opportunity.

“I had the chance to remind our community of the Jesuit mission, not just at Christmas and Easter, but during hundreds of teachable moments, and to do it in a new voice that sometimes broke through in different ways,” she said. “It

has always been true that our mission would fade unless we lay people owned it.”

Tetlow desired to plant seeds of success during her presidency, and with her departure, wanted to ensure that they were nurtured by whomever came after her, which was exemplified by the start of the new dorm installation and the creation of more graduate programs.

After Tetlow’s departure in early 2022 and seven months of searching for the next candidate, Loyola found a candidate who was no stranger to university leadership and student affairs.

Xavier Cole, Ed. D, has been working nearly 30 years in higher education, and at Loyola, a continuation of working in Jesuit Catholic institutions. Cole became not only the second layperson president, but also the first person of color to be elected. Coming from Marquette University as their previous vice president for student affairs, the Mississippi native and musician intends to put the students and faculty at the forefront at Loyola.

With goals of community service and cleanliness around campus, President Cole strives to prioritize knowing the needs and the faces of the Loyola community.

“The goal is to really get to know our people,” Cole said. “The people are the ones who really make this experience.”

(1931-1936) Harold A. Gaudin, S.J. (1936-1939) Percy A. Roy, S.J. (1939-1945) Thomas J. Shields, S.J. (1945-1952) W. Patrick Donnelly, S.J. (1952-1961) Andrew C. Smith, S.J. (1961-1966) Homer R. Jolley, S.J. (1966-1970) Michael F. Kennelly, S.J. (1970-1974) James C. Carter, S.J. (1974-1995) Bernard P. Knoth, S.J. (1995-2003) William J. Byron, S.J. (2003-2004) (acting) Kevin Wm. Wildes, S.J. (2004-2018) Tania Tetlow (2018-2022)

Sofía Johnson/The Maroon

Justin Daffron S.J. (2022-2023) (interim)

18th President Dr. Xavier Cole (2023 - present)

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Nov 10, 2023

Loyola and The Maroon: Exceeded by None While supposedly never before advocating for the destruction of another newspaper, The Maroon’s creation was born out of the death of another paper.

Upon the Maroon’s founding a century ago, Loyola’s freshman law class found themselves threatened by the paper's founder Harold A. Dempsey’s new paper which was dedicated to a greater Loyola.

Previous to our founding, the freshman law class had maintained their own newspaper “Pep Juris” and found itself at odds with The Maroon, which was created to represent the entire school and student body rather than just the law students. And after only 3 issues, before even celebrating our one month anniversary, The Maroon reported that “Pep Juris” disbanded, and The Maroon was bestowed the distinction as Loyola’s sole newspaper.

This story, however, is not one of journalistic cannibalism and Harold A. Dempsey’s quest for power over the reporting of news on our campus.

It’s one of inclusivity. It was the law students who bowed their heads and allowed the Maroon to prevail, as reported on in the 3rd issue of the Maroon, released December 1, 1923.

A note of thanks in the issue states “Prominent individuals of the Freshman Law class met and decided that Loyola would have but one newspaper and that they would support that one to the fullest extent. This decision meant the abolition of either Pep Juris or The Maroon. Taking into consideration the concepts of both, they decided that the newspaper of their c l a s s must go and that The Maroon, the newspaper of every class in the University, must be recognized and supported as the one and only newspaper

at Loyola.”

It was The Maroon, founded in dedication to the inclusivity of everyone on campus, which prevailed with the help of Loyola’s student body, dedicated to the same goal. But it is not just our founding that we take pride in. It is our entire history. A history which began on November 15, 1923, a date which seems impossibly long ago, but in reality our history as a newspaper has been very short in the scheme of things.

But in that time frame, we’ve covered a myriad of events such as the Great Depression, World War 2, the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, the Civil Rights movement, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter how far back they reach, the effects of these events which we reported upon still linger today. We’ve covered local events with the gubernatorial turmoil of Huey Long’s tenure and his dynasty present in the state, Edwin Edward’s tenure as governor and his famous adage of “vote for the crook, it’s important,” and more recently Jeff Landry’s unfortunate election to the office. Despite all the crooks who’ve held the office, we predict Jeff’s tenure to go down as one of the worst in the state’s history.

But in all our history, we’ve maintained the basic principle that we work for a greater Loyola. We recognize that as the Jesuit university of New Orleans, a city with more history than most others and a city that’s faced more adversity than most others and come out on the other side still breathing, it follows that

we are a newspaper that in only a century maintains a history richer than most other student papers, has faced more adversity than most others and come out on the other side still breathing. As local residents say, New Orleans is a trendsetter in most regards, as most things popular in New Orleans become popular in the rest of the country later. We recognize that The Maroon is also a trendsetter.

While many student newspapers, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, remain fully digital, such as our dear friends at the Vanderbilt Hustler, we stand proud of our weekly print issue, which has remained weekly for a century. Most student newspapers don’t still maintain this workflow while also having engaging digital content to coincide. They choose one or the other, but dedicated to the decadence and excess of being in New Orleans, we say “why choose, when you can do both.”

While we remain proud of our print issue, we’re no strangers to a fully digital paper, as we were one of the first to do it, when our campus was shut down in the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.

Our newsroom fled to faraway corners of the country, but remained dedicated to serving our community by maintaining online content on our website which was almost a decade old.

While we honor our history, we must remain to look forward. We still have obstacles to overcome, worlds to win, mountains to climb, and injustices to report on one barrel of ink at a

time. We stand at a critical point in our history, when New Orleans, as it has been for centuries, is at the forefront of some of the biggest issues of our time, and we stand, as student reporters, ready to fight for justice. In reporting on our school and the city, we have remained true to a high standard of honest and ethical journalism. We remain committed to fighting corruption, shining light on injustice, and serving our community however we can.

When the newspaper we replaced, “Pep Juris,” was disbanded, the president of the freshman law class upon its dispersion spoke on the necessity of the Maroon in a speech, reported on in the third ever issue of the Maroon, released December 1, 1923.

The president said “we feel that to issue two university papers would cause friction between the various classes, that would, in the end, be detrimental to the university. We must, in the interest of Loyola, forget our personal ambitions, our personal friendships and our personal prejudices. I believe it is the ambition of every student to be loyal to Loyola and to help make Loyola the greatest university in the South, equal to any in the United States, and exceeded by none. Hence our decision. We have approximately 800 students in this university, and if each and every one will give his or her undivided support to The Maroon, we will have a publication of note.”

Continuing in the aforementioned note of thanks The Maroon dedicated to the demise of “Pep Juris,” the editorial board affirmed the promise enshrined on our paper for a century, saying “And so again we wish to thank the Freshman Law class for what they have done for The Maroon.

Their action is but the union o f two forces that label their efforts with “FOR A GREATER LOYOLA."

Taylor Falgout/The Maroon

Reflecting on a greater Loyola A century ago, in the fall of 1923, the first ever editorial of The Maroon was published, marking the inception of our beloved institution's official voice.

It carried with it a mission, one that has resonated through time and remains firmly ingrained in our hearts: "A Greater Loyola." Now serving as Editor in our 100th year I think it's fitting that we reflect on this enduring commitment as well as the evolution of our institution.

The Maroon's founders envisioned a Loyola that would claim the consideration of everyone, take its place among the foremost universities in our country, and be a source of pride to our native state, Louisiana. Their dreams have, without a doubt, come to fruition, as Loyola University stands tall today, a thriving educational hub in our vibrant city. However, as we commemorate our centennial year, it is crucial that we analyze how the landscape of journalism and our university has transformed over the past century.

Back in 1923, The Maroon embarked on its journey with a mere 12 members on its staff. Today, as we celebrate our 100th year, we are proud to say that we have grown tremendously, with over

50 dedicated students on our staff. This growth mirrors Loyola's own transformation, as we've transitioned from a small and fledgling newspaper to a prominent publication with a diverse and dynamic team.

While The Maroon's dedication to inclusivity and cooperation remains steadfast, our university has evolved. We no longer have the Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy, but in their place, we've witnessed the emergence of the College of Business, College of Music and Media, College of Nursing and Health, and City College. Our institution's horizons have expanded to accommodate diverse fields of study, embracing the ever-changing needs of society.

The Student Body's composition and interests have evolved as well. We've observed a shift in contributors to our paper, with journalism and communications students forming the core of our team. It's no surprise, given the digital age we live in, where media and communication have become pivotal aspects of our lives. While this has been a significant influence on our journey, it's important that we continue to widen our horizons. And this semester we've

strived to make great strides to fill our paper with contributors from every corner of our college, reflecting the diversity of our campus.

Our commitment to holding administrations accountable and covering essential campus and community events remains unwavering. We have adapted to the changing times by building better channels to connect with every type of student. The Maroon, in its 100th year, thrives not only as a newspaper but as a digital platform, engaging with a wider audience through various forms of media, thus ensuring that our audience is as diverse and dynamic as the topics we cover.

Today, I am proud to share that The Maroon has earned its place as the nation's best college newspaper. We've garnered numerous awards in both broadcast and print journalism, including being named the #1 collegiate paper multiple times (and now two years in a row) – by the Society of Professional Journalists. Our accomplishments speak volumes: we've secured eight Pacemakers and have been nominated for many more. Our journalists have gone on to win prestigious Pulitzers, report from

the most challenging war zones, and inform the world about the most critical issues of our time.

The Maroon has come a long way since its inception, and Loyola University has grown and adapted in remarkable ways. As we reflect on the past and look to the future, we must remember the principles that guided us through a century of progress: unity, cooperation, inclusivity, and the pursuit of A Greater Loyola. Our mission remains the same, even as the world around us transforms.

As we celebrate our 100th year, we renew our commitment to our beloved institution and continue to embody the spirit of that inaugural editorial from 1923.

Together, we shall work toward a Loyola that stands as a beacon of knowledge and journalistic excellence, remaining ever relevant in a changing world.

Yours in journalism and dedication to A Greater Loyola, Patrick T. Hamilton Editor-in-Chief

Nov. 10, 2023

THE MAROON

NOVEMBER 9, 2023

12:15 p.m. | Inaugural Missioning Mass | Holy Name of Jesus Church

3 p.m. | Inauguration Ceremony | Holy Name of Jesus Church 4:30 p.m. | Inauguration Reception | Palm Court

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THE MAROON

Catch up. Get ahead.

Study abroad.

An accelerated two-week session Online and experiential courses Many Loyola Core options Registration starts on November 13.

J-Term takes place January 2 – 12, 2024.

Nov. 10, 2023

100 YEARS

Nov. 10 , 2023

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Timeline of The Maroon's Technology

Illustration by Sofia Johnson and Sophia Maxim

The Maroon ties Loyola's community together The 60s arrived late at Loyola Michael Giusti Director of Student Media

The Maroon’s code of ethics calls for us to be a mirror and a lamp — reflecting the campus back to itself, and shining light on all aspects of the university.

That is a pretty good metaphor for how we should conduct ourselves. But there is another image I would like to suggest – a string that ties together the Loyola community.

If Loyola has one unified community narrative, it is The Maroon that has had the privilege and the duty of pulling it together. I would go so far as to say that without The Maroon, Loyola would struggle with its collective identity.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not trying to say that The Maroon always gets it right. In the end, The Maroon is made up of a community of imperfect people, most of whom are still too young to drink. While we strive to cover the entire community, we can’t always see everything that is going on.

An honest critique of our work can be that our content tends to be very Mass Communication and Journalism heavy.

That is understandable; the vast majority of Marooners over the years have come from these majors.

But just because it is understandable, doesn’t mean it is forgivable. The Maroon strives to tell the entire campus’ story. If we are missing it, it is most likely that we never knew about it, and that is on us. That is why it is imperative that The Maroon actively seeks out voices from across campus and across demographics.

The Maroon has also struggled with our own demographics over its years.

While the current staff is incredibly diverse, that doesn’t erase the fact that it took us 48 years from our founding to elect our first Black editor in chief — Le-

atrice Stevenson in 1971, and then another 44 to elect another — Nia Porter in 2015.

The Maroon is imperfect, like the community we cover. But like that community, we strive for magis — the more universal good.

In our 100 years of striving to reflect the Loyola experience, we have covered the whole spectrum of content.

Flip through our archives, and you will find stories of homecoming queens and Vietnam demonstrations. You will find reviews of glee club performances and details of protests against multinational corporations flexing their muscle against vulnerable communities. And hurricanes. So many hurricanes.

We have done well in that work. We have won some of the biggest awards in college media. We have won eight Pacemakers — the most prestigious college media award, and something that was a thing long before the heart implant.

The Society of Professional Journalists gave us The Mark of Excellence award, naming us the best college newspaper at a small school in the nation for the past two years in a row.

The College Media Advisers has named The Maroon national Newsroom of the Year.

Through all of this, I am proud to be the longest-serving adviser The Maroon has had. I started in 2006, the year before the iPhone was released.

I saw us shift from a primarily print-

based audience with a niche online element, to a primarily mobile audience, with a niche print element.

I saw us create our first social media accounts.

I oversaw the creation of our mobile app.

I introduced our video news show — an idea I admittedly stole from Loyola Marymount’s excellent newspaper, The Loyolan.

And I am honored to have played a small part in our National Edward R. Murrow award-winning podcast.

Through it all, as students came and went on to bigger and better things after graduating, the thing that stayed the same was the desire to tie together Loyola’s community. We have worked as a team late into the night every Wednesday to ensure Loyola’s story was told each week.

I don’t know what the Maroon will look like in another hundred years, much less in another decade, but I do know that if we continue to be the community’s mirror and its lamp, and we continue to work to tie together the community into a common narrative, we will truly have worked toward building a greater Loyola.

Michael Giusti has served as Maroon Adviser since 2006. As an undergraduate, he worked at The Maroon all four of his years, serving as editor in chief fall 1999 and spring 2000.

Michael Giusti sleeping on one of The Maroon's couches. The Maroon Archives 1997.

Liz Monaghan Former Maroon Faculty Advisor

I became a Marooner in 1961.

That was when newspapers still used lead type, and after a long Wednesday night editing the paper, editors would get up on Thursday morning to go to the printer’s —then Simmons Press in Gentilly — and oversee the type being pounded into page frames. We learned to read backward, so we could reach in and pull out a particular paragraph if a story ran long.

Times were changing, and we had a lot to cover. In 2012, for the university’s centennial, I recalled, “The sixties arrived late at Loyola. In 1961, we still teased our hair; we drank; we smoked cigarettes but not weed, and if we had sex we denied it.

“Roughly 75 percent of Loyola's 3000+ students were Catholic. We regularly attended daily Mass at Holy Name Church, and regularly slunk into its confessionals after a lively weekend.

Female students were called coeds.

Young men were still subject to the draft, but not while they were in school, and usually not if they were married and had a family.

“So our generation fixated on dating, exchanging high school rings, and eyeballing potential mates at fraternity parties. We were on the fast track to marriage -- and babies. I would give birth to four before I was 30 “Once married, a woman disappeared behind her husband's name.

Maroon editor Kit Harger took a job with the Loyola public relations department when she graduated. She also got married. Her picture in the staff section of the 1963 yearbook was captioned ‘Mrs. Fred Lips.’ No more Kit.” “In my second semester at Loyola, dear old Ike Eisenhower turned the country over to the heartthrob-hand-

some John F. Kennedy. He mesmerized us. And when he rode in an open-top convertible along St. Charles Avenue and right past Loyola May 4, 1962, we cut classes to line the street. We all applauded as he passed. Some women shrieked, and I was embarrassed for them. He wasn't Elvis, for God's sake.

“Six months later, I was in the office at an Underwood typewriter pounding out some gossipy story, when a Maroon staffer named Bill Murphy rushed in screaming that Kennedy had been shot. We all dropped what we were doing and huddled around the radio. It was true. The impossible had happened in America. Rosemary Ruiz, our editor, dispatched us to document Loyola's reaction in photos. We were journalists and we had a job to do.

And then the world shifted.

“The birth control pill, which had come on the market in 1960, made its way South. And Loyola students stopped being in such a hurry to get married.

Young women deflated their towering hair styles and let their hair hang long and straight; men grew unmilitary beards. Misbehaving meant getting high instead of drunk.

“But by the time all that happened, I had graduated and married.

“I read Betty Friedan's ‘The Feminine Mystique’ in an obstetrician's waiting room. At Loyola, I had learned, in addition to the importance of Christian marriage, to be a journalist. I had managed to become Maroon editor in my senior year. I loved it; thrived on it. Of course, I loved my babies even more. But now -thank you, Ms Friedan -- I decided to go for both, and took up freelance writing in addition to motherhood and wifehood.

“I gradually worked my way to writing full-time, and noticed that my fellow female writers tended to establish their careers first, then have their families.

“But things worked out well for me, doing it the way I did, and in 1993 I came back to Loyola to teach journalism, then got to be The Maroon adviser for 12 years.”

The ‘60s were long gone, but I still had The Maroon.

THE MAROON

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Nov. 10, 2023

First female Editor-in-Chief takes over during WWII

By Eloise Pickering

ewpicker@my.loyno.edu

It was a man's world in the early days of The Maroon’s publication. But when men were off fighting in World War II, women took the lead and wrote the stories the community needed to hear.

Marion Schlosser LeBon took charge in their absence, taking on the role of Editor-in-Chief, making her the first female in charge of the newsroom in 1943, almost 20 years after The Maroon’s first issue.

Just a few blocks from Loyola, LeBon grew up on State Street.

She graduated from Ursuline Academy, a Catholic all-girls school. She continued her education at Loyola University in 1940, where she pursued her interests, double majoring in Journalism and English.

LeBon found her way to The Maroon in the Fall of 1942, where she entered the newsroom as a part of the news staff.

In the midst of World War II, The Maroon saw a shift. College-aged men were called to train and serve in the U.S. military, including members of the editorial board at Loyola’s paper, as well as the Editor-in-Chief.

After just two semesters writing stories and working for the paper, LeBon stepped up. She became The Maroon’s very first female Editor-in-Chief. That was also the semester of the first all-female editorial board.

“It was something she was proud of,” said Allyson Tuttle, LeBon’s granddaughter.

After the semester ended, LeBon went back to the news staff, but not without making a long lasting impression.

Tuttle described her family to be very centered around education. Attending college was always expected of them, especially the women. LeBon set the example through her accomplishments at Loyola.

“She was always just one of these really smart people that was always fun to talk to, fun to be around,” said Tuttle.

After her graduation in 1944, LeBon was offered a scholarship for Loyola’s Law school, an opportunity given to very few women at the time, according to Tuttle.

LeBon began her career as a teacher following her marriage to Lawrence J. LeBon, Jr., whom she met in school, at the Holy Name of Jesus Church. They had four children, all of whom attended Loyola for college.

Tuttle attended Loyola’s Law school, continuing the legacy started by her influential grandmother. Tuttle also described the empowerment she felt growing up hearing LeBon’s stories about being Editor-in-Chief and her time at The Maroon.

“As a woman, you can do anything you want,” said Tuttle.

In addition to being a smart, good student, LeBon was described as charismatic.

“She was able to make everybody feel special, you know, which I think is a gift,” said Tuttle.

Furthermore, Tuttle said that it was no surprise that her grand-

Marion Schlosser LeBon (middle) sits with Beverly Garcia (left) and Doris McCutchon (right) in 1943. LeBon was the first female Editor-in-Chief of The Maroon and Garcia and McCutchon make the first female editorial board.

mother was the first female Editor-in-Chief and got the opportunities she did.

“She was always one of the sharpest people up until the very end. I mean, you could play Jeopardy with her or you could ask her for a recipe,” said Tuttle.

Beyond her time working at The Maroon, LeBon always stayed in touch with the news even into her later years, accord-

ing to her granddaughter.

In reflecting on her grandmother, Tuttle described who LeBon was outside of The Maroon and her love for education.

“She was a wonderful cook.

She was a wonderful gardener.

She and my grandfather traveled the world. They were just very adventurous, loved life, and entertained a lot,” said Tuttle. "My grandfather would invite politi-

cians over, and my grandmother would cook amazing meals for theM... They just always had a lot of fun."

Being the first female Editor-in-Chief was mentioned in LeBon’s obituary upon her passing in 2016 at the age of 92.

LeBon is still celebrated at The Maroon today, 80 years after her time as Editor-in-Chief and 100 years after the paper’s first issue.

GIUSTI: Shifting newsroom culture and building relationships Continued from page 1 “He was always very much like a go-getter in the newsroom,” Autumn said. “He was always very driven and passionate about The Maroon. It was something that he really, kind of, identified with. It was part of his identity.”

Monaghan characterized Giusti's tenure as Editor-in-Chief as one full of managerial precision, running the newsroom as a “tight ship.”

But, even so, Autumn said he had a big presence in the office during this time and in doing so, the newsroom had placed their trust in him and he worked diligently to maintain that trust.

No matter how hard maintaining that trust could’ve been, Giusti reflected on his time as a student in the newsroom with positivity and joy.

“I definitely enjoyed my time and had a lot of fun. I was the leader and led the newsroom the best I could but definitely was having a lot of fun doing it,” Giusti said.

During his junior year, Giusti changed what was the The Wolf annual yearbook to a quarterly feature magazine of the same title. This transition was something Monaghan thought was a great idea and she admired Giusti for implementing.

The Wolf had been receiving a yearly budget for its once an academic year print. But during Giusti’s time as a student, the yearbook had lost popularity and, according to Autumn, he saw this as an opportunity to expand The Maroon from more than just a newspaper but

rather to a news organization.

“He’s all about building systems. He’s very good at building systems and he saw this as a way we can become more of a publisher with multiple publications,” Autumn said And now, as advisor, this system building has continued. Instead of just two different print publications, The Maroon has expanded and created a digital footprint with an app, social media presence, and a weekly broadcast, all of which have reached new heights under Giusti’s advising.

But the ways and extent to which The Maroon shares news aren’t the only impacts Giusti has had on the organization.

Ramon Antonio Vargas was Sports Editor for The Maroon when Guisti first arrived in the fall of 2006. Immediately, he was amazed by Giusti.

“I remember that first semester, I was struck on how he would be there until we were done and how he would always be there and was always available,” he said.

“It struck me how dedicated he was.”

Vargas said Guisti came into the office and made efforts to instill a new culture, one he described as making The Maroon feel like a professional newsroom rather than a college club.

“I always admired how quickly he was able to install his culture there,” he said. “And because of that culture, I felt, one, that I was ready to belong, two, I was ready to really learn, and three, I was ready to contribute,” Vargas said.

Giusti still works to make this culture

in the office. He actively tries to make sure the newsroom is a professional space and students are gaining experience.

“One of the quick ways to make me growl is when students go ‘well when I work for a real newspaper.’ I get very angry very fast because no, you are working for a real newsroom.

Your community just happens to be a university,” Giusti said.

But Giusti couldn’t have done this on his own. Vargas said when Giusti first arrived as advisor, he struggled getting the newsroom to allow him to make efforts to improve the culture. The staff had been used to Monaghan’s running and weren’t always open to new ideas.

By Vargas’s junior year, he had become Editor-in-Chief, the second in that position since Giusti took over as advisor. And when he took this position, the culture shift of the office was able to flood in.

“He always says that he kind of felt like I was his first editor,” Vargas said. “He’s told me that I’ve helped speed along him putting in the culture he wanted to put in.”

It wasn’t just building systems and the professionalization of the office that made Giusti differ from advisors in the past.

Vargas noted Giusti was dedicated to giving the truth. He wouldn’t allow students to use being a student as an excuse to not produce the best work possible. He would critique stories and pages of the paper in order to help

students grow.

Even if this was hard to take at times, Vargas said, Giusti would also be the biggest cheerleader anytime someone would win any kind of award or produce great content.

It was with this Giusti was able to build close relationships not only with Vargas but with many of the students he has had.

Autumn noted these relationships as special. “It’s kind of awe inspiring seeing how many students that he’s touched or changed their lives,” Autumn said. “I think he just puts his relationship with the students above all else.”

And it was with that relationship and this culture where Vargas felt he gained the experience he needed.

“By listening to him and working there, I felt like I belonged in the professional world,” Vargas said.

Advisor for The Maroon is not the only position Giusti holds on campus.

He's a professor and chairman for the mass communication department. With each of these positions, however, he said none is more important to him than the work he does with student media.

“It’s really why I come to work in the morning,” Giusti said. “I joke that if Loyola were to take away every other aspect of my job except for The Maroon I’d be perfectly happy, and if Loyola kept all aspects of my job in place and took away The Maroon, I’d quit tomorrow.”

But now, Giusti has realized, after 17 years of being advisor, and four years as a student, he is closer to the end of his time

with The Maroon and Loyola than he is to the beginning.

This realization has led him to focus on preserving the office and making it more sustainable so The Maroon will carry on past him.

Doing this is the footprint in cement Giusti hopes to leave when he takes his final steps out of The Maroon office whenever the time comes.

“My legacy, I hope, is to leave a lasting and strong Maroon for generations to come,” Giusti said.

As the current editor of this paper, I want to add my own perspective on Michael Giusti's invaluable contributions: He's been the guiding force behind The Maroon for over two decades, shaping it into what it is today. As a political science major, I may not have had a traditional journalism background, but Giusti believed in me and in the potential of our team. He's the kind of leader who stays up until 1 a.m. weekly to ensure our paper is printed properly, and he defends us when it matters most. At pivotal junctures, he has faced off with university presidents and even the archbishop, a testament to his unwavering devotion to our noble cause. Giusti has not only been an advisor but a mentor, teaching us valuable life skills that extend beyond the newsroom. His legacy is a lasting and strong Maroon for generations to come. – Patrick Hamilton

100 YEARS

Nov. 10, 2023

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why: TOP 5 MAROON MEMORIES AThereason Maroon's

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We asked Maroon Alumni, and they told us some of their favorite memories of stories or assignments during their time

Maroon exposes Beggars fraternity in 1987 On April 10, 1987, The Maroon published a story exposing The Beggars fraternity for harassing and excluding Black students.

Seven years before, the fraternity had been caught not allowing students of color to pledge, even having such stated in their constitution that the fraternity was

for “white Christian males.” This was against university guidelines and they were instructed to rewrite their constitution.

However, the change in this guideline didn’t change things. The original line was still a part of the pledge years later.

But not allowing Black students

to pledge wasn’t the only racist action members of the organization would participate in. The Maroon reported Beggars students would hate-crime people of color on campus.

Eventually, the Beggars fraternity was removed from campus.

University president resigns abruptly In a story published on Oct. 10, 2003, The Maroon reported on the resignation of then university president the Rev. Bernard P. Knoth, S.J. after less than eight years in the position.

Knoth had been accused of sexual misconduct of a student in 1986, during his time as principal at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School

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in Indianapolis. After consideration, these allegations were seen as credible by the Jesuit’s Chicago Provincial Review Board.

Knoth was removed from active ministry immediately after the allegations were stated credible due to the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Due to university guidelines at the time, university presidents must be a “priest in good standing.”

This guideline and the removal from active ministry caused the university to force Knoth to resign.

He also, according to The Maroon, requested a leave of absence from the Society of Jesus.

Maroon moves online during Hurricane Katrina When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Loyola was forced to adapt. Students fled all over the nation and spent the fall 2005 semester attending different universities.

But The Maroon stayed determined to keep the university community together. With the staff

split up in different parts of the country and no way of providing the traditional print publication they had stuck to for the previous 82 years, the organization opened a website for the first time. It was open to anyone who felt they had things to say while dealing with the tragedy.

Poems, stories, images, and updates

Maroon speaks on Freeport-McMoRan's endowment In 1995, Loyola students began to question the universities involvement with FreeportMcMoRan's after word came of their involvement with environmental issues. Just a few years later, in 1992, FreeportMcMoRan had given $600,000 to fund the environmental communications chair.

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The Maroon reported over the controversy, including the protesting that occurred. This protest went on to receive national attention.

The mass reports on the protests pushed the university community to keep a closer eye on the university's involvement with corporations.

Despite the controversy, the university did take the $600,000 grant to fund a chair, Professor Robert Thomas, who is still part of the university.

Thomas told The Maroon that this controversy was what drew him to fulfill the position.

from the university were shared on this website.

This website, different from the current one The Maroon now uses, made The Maroon one of the first college newsrooms to create a digital platform.

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Maroon wins first pacemaker, more to come In 1983, The Maroon won their first Pacemaker, the highest award in collegiate journalism. It only took three more years for The Maroon to win a second Pacemaker.

Now, in 2023, The Maroon has eight.

After Hurricane Katrina, The Maroon won a pacemaker for both the online coverage they continued

to put out while displaced in the fall 2005 semester and the paper coverage once they returned in the spring.

Most recently, The Maroon won a pacemaker for an issue from late 2021 where the organization reported on mold in campus dorms following Hurricane Ida. But The Maroon hasn’t

first editorial

The commencement of anything of consequence in this material world that surrounds us is made with a certain definite object in view.

The Maroon, which makes its commencement today, has for its goal of endeavor: A Greater Loyola. A Loyola that will claim the consideration of everyone that will take its place among the foremost universities in our country and be a source of pride to her native state—Louisiana.

But this can only be accomplished through the efforts of the student body. No matter to what extent the efforts of the Faculty of Loyola University are exerted, nothing can be accomplished without cooperation of the student body. But in order to render this cooperation the student body must become one.

It is for this purpose that The Maroon makes its bow before you today.

The student body must act in unison, they must become consolidated before they can cooperate with the Faculty and thus achieve anything of consequence.

There is little doubt that every student at Loyola is willing to do their part. But that is not enough. They must be willing to unite their efforts with the efforts of others.

To further this union and to make aid in this cooperation, The Maroon lends its utmost efforts. It stands as the official organ of the Loyola Student Body. Its staff has been selected from among the students of the different departments of Loyola University. In addition to the present staff, an editor from each department, i.e., Law, Dentistry, Art and Science, and Pharmacy, will be selected.

But this does not mean that only certain students will have the privilege of contributing to the columns of this paper. If such were the case, The Maroon would not be a bonafide organ of the Loyola Student Body. No, the columns of The maroon are at all times open to contributions from any individual student of Loyola.

Editor's Note: The editorial published in 1923, which articulated the mission of "A Greater Loyola," marks a significant milestone in The Maroon's history as it was the first-ever editorial written by our publication.

This inaugural piece set the tone for our enduring commitment to fostering a sense of unity and cooperation within the Loyola community while championing the university's growth and progress. As we celebrate our centennial year, we look back at this historic editorial with gratitude for its role in shaping our journey, as we continue to uphold the principles it laid out a century ago.

[Check page 4 for the centennial editor's response to this editorial 100 years later.]

just been a finalist for print newspaper Pacemakers. Recently, the organization was named a Pacemaker finalist for their website, as well.

Pacemakers are awarded by the Associated Collegiate Press and The Maroon has been a member since 1988.

The Maroon

Natalia Silva/

Issue 12 • Vol. 101

Devoted to the interests of Loyola University

Nov. 10, 2023

Sophia Maxim/The Maroon

"To leave a lasting and strong Maroon" From Editor to Advisor: Michael Giusti has dedicated 20 years to The Maroon

By Kloe Witt kgwitt@loyno.edu @kloewitt22

Director of Student Media Michael Giusti sits in the Palm Court reading an issue of The Maroon on Nov. 8, 2023. Giusti has been with The Maroon for over 20 years. Anna Hummel/The Maroon

Each year, students walk into the glass doors of The Maroon office, eager to join the organization. And each year, students in that office say goodbye to graduating seniors who spent their time at Loyola as members of The Maroon.

But this goodbye isn’t always forever.

Current Director of Student Media at Loyola, Michael Giusti, has been part of the organization for over 20 years.

Starting his freshman year at Loyola as a staff writer in 1996, he quickly grew in the organization before eventually fulfilling the position of Editor-in-Chief his senior year.

But Giusti’s time with the organization didn’t end once he received his diploma and walked across the graduation stage.

Just six years later, he would return, not as a writer or editor, but as advisor.

Liz Scott Monaghan, previous advisor for The Maroon, recommended Giusti for this position in 2006 when she put her resignation in. She believed in him so much, she refused to quit if the university didn’t choose him as her successor.

“She wanted The Maroon to be in good hands. And she knew that he was passionate about it and that he would do good things with it,” said Autumn Cafiero Giusti, Giusti’s wife and coworker when he worked in The Maroon as an undergraduate.

This confidence Monaghan has in Giusti began while he was a student.

During that time, Monaghan said Giusti always came prepared to better himself.

He came with a lot to learn, according to Monaghan. Before coming to Loyola, Giusti had only limited experience with

broadcast journalism, which The Maroon didn’t have at that point in time.

Even with little print journalism experience, Monaghan said he continued to show up and take on stories. This always stuck with her and others in her field.

“When he was a student, you’d mark up a paper that he wrote and after he would come to you, not to challenge you, but to ask you to go over it with him so he could become a better writer,” she said.

“That impressed all of us.”

Autumn also said while working with Giusti in The Maroon, she noticed this attitude, too. She said that even as a student, Giusti always worked in any aspect he could to improve the organization.

This would show in his problem solving skills and helping students, adults, and professors in any way he could.

See GIUSTI, page 11