The committee in charge of the annual event reached the decision to end the tradition after deliberating over its success this year. Since its first year, fewer organizations have participated and the total funds raised have significantly decreased. This past year, Relay raised $28,255, falling just short of its goal of $30,000.

Board members in charge of organizing Relay concluded that students simply weren’t energized by the event anymore, partly because it happened to fall on the same weekend as several other campus-wide events such as the Manresa retreat and beginning of Greek week.

This hasty decision to quit the event was a mistake. Committee members should have considered hosting the event earlier in the month or even in the semester to avoid scheduling conflicts. Also, although the event has raised significantly less money since its first year, it is important to keep in mind that $28,255 is still a lot of money and will undoubtedly benefit cancer research.

The Relay for Life committee should refocus its energy on finding ways to increase student participation again instead of simply throwing in the towel. Support from the community outside of JCU may be the revitalization that the event needs.

The committee should create a member position whose primary responsibility is to reach out to spread awareness in local neighborhoods, schools and churches. This could be the most important factor in improving Relay for Life’s success.

Scholars will be allowed to pursue the degree of their choice, and then spend their fifth year at the University studying in the Boler School of Business. The idea was modeled after other programs offered to students pursuing law school, medical school, nursing school and similar professional areas. JCU administrators also hope that it will attract more prospective students to the University.

The program offers many benefits to high school seniors looking to enroll, including a special faculty advisor to keep them on track for their undergraduate degrees, career development sessions and internship opportunities. Also, it provides positive motivation to high school students and encourages the furthering of education.

JCU administrators should look into developing similar programs for students pursuing Master’s degrees in areas besides business. For example, students should also be given the opportunity to complete their fifth year in the College of Arts and Sciences as well.

The commercial features an FBI-trained forensic artist and several female volunteers. The forensic artist sits down with one participant at a time and asks her to describe herself. After he is finished drawing the initial set of portraits, a second batch of volunteers are called in one by one. These participants were directed beforehand to get to know one of the women who had just been sketched, and as they sat down with the artist, were asked to also describe their partner.

After the sketches were complete, they were placed side-by-side, and the volunteers were allowed to see them. They all found that the first sketch, the one they had described of themselves, featured a significantly less attractive and inaccurate portrait of themselves. The second sketch, which their partners had described, more closely resembled their true appearances and were more beautiful.

The objective of the experiment was to show how women are generally their own worst critics when it comes to their physical appearances. They are especially prone to seeing themselves in a more negative light than others. In this way, the commercial had an overall positive message, and based on the reactions of audiences, had a deeply emotional impact.

However, there were a few criticisms about the commercial. Several people noted that a majority of the participants in the experiment were thin and Caucasian, and only a few were of minority races. Furthermore, the qualities used to describe the women in an attractive light were mainly
“thin,” “young,” “narrow chin” and “bright blue eyes.”

These descriptions clearly exclude certain women from being considered naturally beautiful. In other words, women who are older, overweight or wrinkled were indirectly called out as ugly.

The real problem lies in the fact that so many women were deeply moved by this commercial. The reason for this emotional reaction is that physical beauty has become a key component in one’s happiness.

Instead of focusing on the surface qualities that make a person aesthetically beautiful, companies like Dove should promote the ideal that attractiveness does not determine the worth of a person. Beauty is fleeting, and it is more important to develop internal qualities such as acceptance and compassion, which are lasting.

The Gamma Phi Beta International Headquarters also issued a statement which declared John Carroll’s Zeta Omicron chapter on probation. Other details about the incident have remained exclusive to those in the sorority.

The national leadership’s firm stand on this issue reflects positively on Greek life as a whole. The Panhellenic Council should also be commended for its support and guidance. It is important that upperclassmen leaders in all Greek organizations emphasize the importance of responsible socializing. While it is a shame that Gamma Phi Beta cannot participate in Greek Week, it is necessary that all people, not just those in sororities and fraternities, understand that their actions have consequences.

Members of Gamma Phi Beta should take advantage of this situation to further build their core values of love, labor, learning and loyalty, as well as strengthen their presence on campus.

John Carroll’s administration and students should be supportive of all of the sorority’s members, and understand that although the actions of a few may result in consequences for all, it does not indicate the overall character of all of the women in the group.

Other Greek organizations on campus should use this opportunity to educate all of their members on the risks and potential repercussions of irresponsible socializing.

Over 20 children attended the festivities last Saturday, which included dancing, bowling, painting and playing cornhole. The event, formerly called Project H.O.P.E., was renamed  and organized by the Arrupe Scholars Class of 2015 and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity in memory of Danielle Rose, a sophomore Arrupe Scholar who passed away earlier this school year.

This program was the best possible way to honor the memory of Danie Rose. It displayed the tremendous community of support at John Carroll as well as the University’s strong commitment to service.

It is important that the parents of the children with Down’s Syndrome, as well as others in surrounding communities, recognize this dedication to service, which will strengthen the University’s image as a Jesuit school.

Furthermore, the program was beneficial because it provided a safe space for children to have fun and engage with others. It gave student organizations a chance to act out their mission statements and serve as positive role models.

These accounts have various themes ranging from anonymous campus crushes, compliments or hook-up sightings. While many of these accounts are entertaining, some of them have a very damaging potential.

The creativity behind parody accounts is encouraged. More light-hearted entertainment or confidence-boosting encouragement is needed. However, students must seriously consider the effect their posts will have on other students, as well as the overall tone of their accounts. Students who have created outwardly negative accounts should take immediate action to either change the tone or delete the account.

Twitter accounts like “JCUpassouts,” “JCU Makeout” and the deleted “JCU Hot or Not” comment on personal situations and have the potential to damage a person’s reputation. Tweets on these subjects can damage a person’s self esteem by evaluating them superficially. When pictures are posted without a person’s permission, the situation becomes increasingly complicated and violates a person’s privacy. Though students should be cautious and aware of what they do in public, having these accounts can exacerbate a person’s mistakes. Such accounts can only have negative consequences.

Many of the parody accounts are light hearted and entertaining. “JCU Compliments” and “JCU Advice” are encouraging to students, which is very positive and necessary. Other accounts like “JCU Crushes” and “JCU Probz” receive mixed reviews but the content of these accounts is harmless. These simply serve as entertainment, and their creativity is commendable.

Instead of reducing the number of home delivery days, The Plain Dealer should instead cut back on the number of papers sold in news stands. This allows for the continued convenience of home delivery to subscribers, who are more likely to read the paper on a daily basis, yet also allows for enough cuts.

The Plain Dealer will also be partnering with a new company, The Northeast Ohio Media Group, which will be responsible for revitalizing the digital media aspects of the company. This will be a positive addition, because devoting more attention to the newest medium of news will strengthen an already strong newspaper.

These changes are a result of recent concerns about society’s transition from print to electronic media. Company executives feel that updating the Cleveland.com website as well as offering a free, enhanced e-edition of the newspaper online will better meet the needs of its subscribers.

The employee cuts and delivery changes have sparked some backlash from Plain Dealer subscribers. These cuts are indeed unfortunate, yet necessary in times of financial difficulty. Furthermore, the company should be commended for addressing the recent shift to electronic media and working to accommodate the interests of its subscribers.

These proposals were prompted by a survey of the student body that  indicated an overwhelming desire for curriculum changes. The addition of linked courses was suggested to allow faculty members to teach more in their areas of expertise. Although these changes are still mostly hypothetical, the director of the core curriculum is optimistic about the proposal being accepted.

Reducing the required number of core credits will definitely benefit the student body by allowing them to take more courses specific to their majors. Core requirements cause students to divert their time and energy to burdensome classes and away from their major, which are more important to them personally.  Subjects like philosophy are definitely important to the development of the mind, but for students majoring in completely unrelated fields, requiring three courses is unnecessary and potentially detrimental.

The linked courses would also be beneficial to both students and faculty by illustrating how one topic intersects with many fields of study. However, linked courses should not be counted as two separate three-credit courses. Instead, each course should be counted as two credits, so that each segment will total four credits earned.

Changes have not yet been finalized; they will need to go through a voting process by the faculty and administration before being officially adopted. The date of completion for these changes is still unknown, as some aspects require further discussion. However, it is projected that the faculty will reach a decision soon.

The newly elected pontiff chose the name Pope Francis, in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi and his devotion to the poor. Pope Francis has a track record of living simply, denying many of the extravagances that came with his position as Archbishop of Buenos Aires and now, the papacy. These things show his devotion to the poor and less fortunate. Combined with his commitment to the Jesuit mission, it is likely that the Church will place greater emphasis on social justice in the coming years.

Church leaders are often viewed on a lofty pedestal, distanced from the most impoverished Catholics. With the refreshing focus of Pope Francis, Catholics of all backgrounds all over the world can feel a closer link to the Church leaders and bigger part of the Church body.

Some were surprised at Pope Francis’ age of 76, expecting that a younger cardinal would be elected to the position. It is yet to be seen how Pope Francis will connect with the youth. This is a very important issue since the youth will shape the future of  the Church.

Although it is important for the pope to adhere to the Church’s stance on controversial issues, it is also imperative that the Church adapts to increasingly important topics in this day and age.  Pope Francis must find a way to engage all Catholics, especially the youth, so as to unify all Church members and embrace changing times. Church authorities should hold discussion forums to educate people more precisely on the Church’s position on various topics and clarify the reasoning behind some Church doctrine.

During the event, they showed a documentary highlighting the life and anxieties of a 12-year-old model. It also presented other themes, including the dangers of certain beauty products and strategies behind beauty campaigns.

After the documentary, a panel of experts answered questions from the audience and discussed the effects of beauty campaigns on young people, as well as the increasing prevalence of eating disorders among teens and young adults.

It is critical for John Carroll, as well as other institutions, to address this issue, since it can directly affect a significant number of students in the JCU community. The University should definitely direct more attention to this issue in the near future by holding more forums that offer community, safety and confidentiality.

The Student Health Center should get involved by giving medical attention to those in need and making sure that students know who they can talk to about anxieties, especially the University Counseling Center, RAs and fellow peers.

Friends also have the responsibility to address the issue if they suspect a friend has a disorder. Furthermore, each individual must move away from the hyper-sexualized culture that promotes such a superficial image of beauty and  view the media from a more critical perspective. This includes discussing it openly and honestly, as well as acknowledging that it affects both men and women equally.

The flash mobs were, in fact, an international movement, and John Carroll joined the program through the Violence Prevention and Action Center as well as the JCU Dance Ensemble. The purpose was to unite with one billion others across the world on Valentine’s Day through dance.

Students also coordinated the “Sex Signals” event last week, which addressed relationship violence among teens and college students. Both events were mainly organized by student organizations with the interest of promoting awareness in the John Carroll community.

The support from the administration for both events evidences their genuine commitment to the issue, bringing all around success.

The issue of domestic violence must be addressed thoroughly, and victims should know that John Carroll is a safe campus where they can feel free to share their experiences in a therapeutic setting. These organizations were successful in doing such, because their methods were both engaging and informative.

Students should look to these events as examples of how to highlight similar issues.

Not counting room and board or additional student fees, the tuition for a full-time undergraduate student is now $32,130. Next year, this will increase 3.9 percent to reach $33,330. With the addition of Student Activity, technology and health and wellness fees, the grand total will be $34,480.

This is not the first tuition increase John Carroll students have seen recently. Rates increased 4.8 percent in each of the previous two academic years. The University’s vice president for finance, Rich Mausser, attributed these tuition changes to maintenance, health care and keeping the IT infrastructure up-to-date. Another main component is also staying relatively consistent with the tuition rates of other schools similar to John Carroll.

Since cost is a major factor for prospective students in determining where to go to school, the University should focus on finding ways to accommodate students’ financial needs. Perhaps there is truly no way to prevent tuition rates from rising, but if that is the case, then the University must maintain a standard of fairness by also increasing students’ scholarships at a similar pace.

This would be the best option in meeting the University’s financial needs while still making education here affordable for both current and future students. Since John Carroll is putting a great deal of effort into increasing freshman enrollment rates in upcoming years, the financial board should be able to allow extra dollars to be added to students’ scholarships to help them get the best education at the best price possible.

The completion of the housing application by current sophomores and juniors does not guarantee on-campus housing next year. Housing will be primarily reserved for rising sophomores and incoming freshman to fulfill the two-year on-campus residency requirement. All students on campus are required to live with a person of the same graduation year.

If no housing is available by the time rising juniors and seniors are scheduled to select housing, they will be placed on a waiting list and will be provided with information about off-campus housing options.

Room and board prices have also gone up. Further, prices for each respective residence hall are being differentiated based on room-type and amenities.

The difference in price for each respective residence hall should have been made apparent to students before the selection process. The extensive number of conditions to which students must comply makes housing selection increasingly difficult. Students should have been given a much earlier warning about these restrictions, because now most have been left with very little time to prepare to meet these regulations.

In the future, Res Life should make sure to have enough accommodations for all students planning to live on campus before making such drastic changes.

Smith and Roche began teaching at JCU in the fall of 2011 through the Gerard Manley Hopkins Professorship in British Literature. Typically, visiting professors under this professorship stay for a period ranging from less than a semester to an academic year. Smith and Roche have stayed the longest of any Hopkins professor at JCU to date.

Despite the students’ sincere efforts to secure more years of teaching, the English department does not anticipate extending the stay of the professors. Scheduling is cited as a main issue in extending Smith and Roche’s appointment.

It is understood that this visiting professorship program cannot be extended. However, since students have had such a positive experience with these professors, hiring them as adjunct faculty should be considered down the road. Furthermore, an extensive evaluation of the current professors should take place to ensure that students have the opportunity to learn from the best possible professors.

One of the programs allows students to contribute their unwanted, gently used clothes to the Clothes Closet, an on-campus store for used clothing. Students have the option of exchanging a donated item for another in the store. Some students have chosen to donate clothing free of exchange, though.

The Clothes Closet exchange program enables students to obtain new clothes free of cost. This is very beneficial to students who need new clothes but can’t afford them. It also contributes to campus sustainability by reusing unwanted clothing instead of throwing them away and constantly consuming new products.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit that implements tax reductions and wage supplements to low-and-moderate income families. The EITC Coalition has recruited John Carroll students, alumni, and staff. Members of the John Carroll community will help prepare the taxes of low-income families.

Both of these projects exemplify John Carroll’s commitment to community service. The EITC Coalition and The Clothes Closet provide goods and services to those in need. Those who have participated in these projects are commended for their actions. Increased opportunities to participate in service on campus might cause even more students to engage in helping the community.

Since the beginning of the semester, proper heating has been an issue in nearly all of the dorm buildings, bringing dissatisfaction among students.

Students have reported extremely cold temperatures despite having the heat turned all the way up in some rooms of Murphy, Campion and Sutowski halls. Other students in Hamlin have complained of excessive heat.

Residence Life and the Facilities departments claim the extreme temperatures, blocked radiators or partially open windows could be to blame. Facilities advises students to check for these problems in dorm rooms. The department stated that it is working to resolve the consistent distribution of heat in all dorms.

If students continue to experience heating problems, the resident assistant should be informed and a work order should be put in to the facilities department so any mechanical problems can be remedied. In light of rapidly changing weather, it is important that Facilities is diligent and responds quickly to these orders.

Students complained of unclean beverage machines and long food lines. Others hoped that the dining hall hours would be extended to accomodate those with busy schedules. Students also want transferrable meal swipes to other locations within the dining service, like the Inn Between.

JCU Dining said that repairs to the beverage machines are in progress. All grievances about  cleanliness or other needs that students have should be brought to the dining hall managers.

There are not currently any plans in the works for extending dining hall hours or increasing meal swipe flexibility. However, doing so would benefit many students and John Carroll including student athletes.

Many students have a wealth of meal swipes left at the end of the semester, yet they run out of plus points, which are capable of being used at Einstein Bros. Bagels, the Inn Between and The Cubby. Making meal swipe usage more flexible or extending the dining hall hours would ensure that students get the most out of their meal plans. The dining service should strongly consider changing the dining hall hours and making meal swipes universal. Doing so would enable students to get the most for their money and provide incentive for students who live off campus to buy a commuter meal plan.

The increased diversity of incoming classes will improve the culture of the campus community in and out of the classroom, bringing perspectives from all backgrounds to the table.

The decrease in enrollment is not a problem specific to JCU; but, the University must be sure to remain one of the most attractive options to prospective students by maintaining high quality programs, opportunities and facilities, despite a possible decrease in tuition income.

The University says it is working to obtain students through other sources, like transfers and international students. Furthermore, it is commendable that the University has heightened its marketing efforts to high school juniors and seniors, which is already proving increased interest in the University.

The decrease in high school graduates reflects negatively on the education system of the state. The catalysts for this decrease in graduation numbers must be found and remedied before the problems worsen.

I’ve had those random moments in the past when I was suddenly struck with the meaning of life, and although I usually forget about it within the next couple of hours, this grand moment of clarification has stuck in my brain since that day. I realized that making simple responsibilities be my biggest goals for the year would not give me the fulfillment I am looking for in the prime years of my life. I’m sure most people have heard the famous saying, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Well, my new resolution is to change that saying into, “It’s better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all.” This essentially means welcoming every opportunity for growth with open arms, even the frightening or unexpected ones.

How do I apply that mantra to my life? Well, I am currently making plans to study abroad next spring. I have always fantasized about living in cities like London, Paris and Rome. However, as a Spanish minor, I logically concluded that spending a semester in a predominantly Spanish-speaking country would make the most sense. I have also always had a fascination with South America, and when I learned about an exchange program in Cali, Colombia, I made a pretty snap decision that that’s where I want to go.

When I mentioned this idea to my dad, though, the first question he asked was, “Colombia? Like, Colombia, South America?” His skepticism was written all over his face. When I looked at my mom for reassurance, I could see her imagining all of the horribly dangerous situations I could get myself into in a country like Colombia, which is not exactly the place to skip down the street alone at night. Then, when my sister started crying because she realized I would be gone for an entire four months, I started to doubt my plans. I considered the reality of living without my family, friends, familiar locations or even the comfort of my native language. There would be no sense of familiarity or security, at least initially.

Not 20 minutes into pitching the idea to my parents, I had pretty much changed my mind about the whole thing. That is, until I hopped onto Facebook and saw a quote by Neale Donald Walsch that my aunt had posted. The quote was, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” This, in my opinion, is a great perspective for anyone to have. I mean, I like to think I’m an adventurous person, but how far am I really willing to go? Trying a new dish in a new restaurant is pretty far from trying out a semester in a foreign country.

Thinking back to my dissatisfaction with my New Year’s resolutions forced me to consider that now is the time to push out of my comfort zone and take new opportunities head on. Not all of these opportunities have to be as bold as choosing to spend a semester in Colombia, but the point is to recognize that allowing fear to hold you back from trying new things is only going to result in a lifetime of regrets. My fear of missing the beauty of life is now much greater than my fear of failing or the fear of the unknown. So, I now encourage others to take this into consideration and ask yourselves: are you willing to take that step out of your comfort zone into the rest of the world?

According to the JCU website, RAs currently receive full room and board, a stipend of roughly $30 every two weeks, a 10 percent discount at the JCU Bookstore and a free resident parking permit.

Despite suspicions that these cuts are being made because of the Murphy Hall renovations, Res Life insisted that this is not the case and that RA compensation is being changed to match that of local universities like Baldwin Wallace University and Case Western Reserve University.

The change is expected to affect the number of applications for next year. Some current RAs said they will be forced to leave their positions due to these pay cuts.

These changes are certainly discouraging to students who seek the benefits of being a resident assistant, which requires not only a great deal of work but also an overall higher standard of behavior and leadership. Being a resident assistant is a full-time job, and RAs are a vital resource to the student body and the entire University. Insufficient incentive to hold the position might result in an insufficient number of RAs.

Resident assistants are still being compensated generously. Nevertheless, these sudden changes are forcing some students to leave their positions because they can no longer afford to live on campus. Before more changes like this are made in the future, Residence Life should discuss the matter with current RAs in an open-forum setting.

I have a very limited skill set, but one of the few things in which I’ve acquired a moderate level of mastery is bipedal travel. The bodies of organisms are the true all-terrain vehicles of the world. No matter the obstacle or the weather, chances are a person can get through it. When you’re cranking your defroster, downshifting to keep your vehicle under control, don’t be surprised if you see me bopping along at a comparatively slow, but steady cadence anywhere or anytime.

With this ability comes a substantial amount of freedom of geographical mobility. A person on foot does not have to respect the barriers of pavement. Exercising my natural given right to go wherever my feet can take me has cultivated my spirit to have a generous level of respect and sense of stewardship for all the places to which I enjoy carrying myself.

Yet, those who choose to limit their explorative capabilities seem to have a lack of respect for we who do not. If they had their way, we would probably be detained in boxes like they are. Our fun would be restricted and never transcend the limitations which they imposed upon themselves.

This Monday, my teammates and I were on a training run in a Beachwood neighborhood. A gate lay blocking the path of any cars wishing to breech the community limits. Our feet were not restricted by the limits of that gate so we went through it. An angry Judi Dench look-alike drove by us with her car, indignantly telling us to get off this private property and eventually calling the police. After a few word exchanges, we left and carried about our business elsewhere. Of course, the land was private and the laws side with Judi Wench. However, we were not disrupting a thing, only using a prime mile-long loop.

To my knowledge, in no Native American language does there exist a word or phrase for owning a piece of the Earth. The landing of the Puritans in the 1600s brought such a concept to the continent. The indigenous peoples struggled to fully grasp this idea. Many conflicts ensued, carrying into the successive centuries, peaking with the Indian Wars of the 19th century.

Though not nearly as extreme, I find similarities in the relationship between the Native Americans and immigrant populations. The lands of the western tribes were desirable to lay railroad track and farm; both are destructive activities, stripping the land of its natural characteristics and imposing the idea of private ownership upon the native cultures who thrived on this land for hundreds or thousands of years. These tribal nomads (not restricted by geographical place) did so by respecting the bountiful sphere which sustained them; the relationship was reciprocal.

We are all citizens of the Earth. The Earth is not ours, we are the Earth’s. Recognition of this fact obligates respect and stewardship for the land we use and share; such is required for survival. Those who revel in the empowering sensations of unrestricted exploration are more likely to feel responsible for sustaining the things which sustain their happiness. Those pretentious  folk, feeling entitled to a private plot of ground, seem to indirectly promote disrespect for all pieces of the planet. When there is a shared responsibility for something, there is increased incentive to maintain it. Losing grasp of this is a huge contributor to the environmental problems we face today.

When we are not respectful of those with whom we are jointly responsible for the most fundamental source of our life, how then can we best care for the only home we have within  lightyears?

The views expressed in this letter call out students and the University for disrespecting the residents of University Heights, giving insight into the reasons why the relationship between JCU and the City in which it resides has frequently been on the rocks.

The letter describes Kane’s nightly observations on the weekends for over a decade, where students have been loud, negligent and shown complete disregard for the residents’ right to nighttime peace in their homes. Student have shown disrespect to the point of urinating on lawns.

Residents of University Heights must realize that the city was built around the University. Due to this fact, inevitably, there will be student foot traffic at all hours of the day and night. With this comes the risk of some noise. A past issue between the City and the University dealt with the stadium lights and the times they were allowed to be on at night. Issues like these come with the nature of a university. If residents have qualms with such things, they need to reconsider their choice to live here.

University Heights is a college town, but this does not excuse the disruptive actions of students. Everyone has the right to roam the streets as they please, but such great indiscretions as the ones students have been accused of are not excusable.

Students of JCU must realize their actions reflect on the entire student body, good or bad. John Carroll participates in a lot of community service and charitable work which is quite admirable. Yet, if the impression given to those in closest proximity to  JCU, our neighbors, is so disrespectful and negative, the good deeds of others are overshadowed in the eyes of citizens of University Heights, by the acts of delinquency. This only worsens the relationship between the City and the University.  Can students blame the City for viewing us negatively if students urinate on their lawns?

To improve this relationship, students must be considerate of the houses and the people in them which they pass to and from wherever their destination may be on a given night. Extreme noise and desecration of the lawns of the city is unacceptable. UH residents must also understand the unavoidable conditions of a university town. Young adults are going to be around and they are going to converse. Just as students must respect our neighbors, residents must understand that college students are allowed to be out at night, and minor breaks in the silence of late night hours comes with the territory.

Baldwin Wallace charges $65 a semester and $130 for a year-long pass, while JCU charges $175 per semester and $325 for the year.

BW has 1,700 parking spots, while there are 1,541 spots at JCU. All students who apply for a permit receive one. The University’s capacity to provide parking for all who want it is the reason the prices are so high, according to the JCU parking coordinator.

A difference of 159 parking spots shouldn’t make that much of a difference in price. Such a price difference would make sense if JCU’s capacity was substantially lower.

Meanwhile, it’s fitting that the money from tickets and parking passes goes toward parking lot maintenance. However, JCU should take a few pages out of BW’s book. Some money from parking fines and pass purchases should be set aside for student scholarships, like at Baldwin Wallace. Also, BW exhibits a university’s ability to provide more parking than at JCU for a smaller cost, so we should too.

The actions of the OSA have greatly affected the activities of the suspended organizations. Although it is the student leaders’ responsibility to fulfill the given requirements, the punishment handed down to these organizations is unfair and excessive.

The organizations affected, including Rhapsody Blue, Kappa Alpha Theta and Seeds of Hope, may not apply for reinstatement until December, provided that they submit a letter of intent to Student Union’s vice president for student organizations and complete their LoboLink profile.

Suspended organizations have also been banned from reserving rooms on campus, holding events and requesting vans or funds from the Student Organizations Budget Board. They also cannot advertise or post announcements.

If they want to continue attracting members, scheduling programming and participating in a vibrant campus environment, organizations need to meet the deadline.

The Office of Student Activities, which administrates LoboLink, needed to more clearly advertise both the deadline and consequences for failure to meet it. Student organization leaders may not have realized that the repercussions for failing to update their LoboLink profiles were so severe. In addition, students may need more education on how to use the new website. As several presidents have expressed, they would have corrected the issues with their profiles had they known what the problems were.

Suspension of student organizations does not make for a lively and diverse campus community. Students and administrators can both do their part to make sure this doesn’t impact students in the future.

Women’s and gender issues are important topics in the world in which we live. Offering these new focuses of studies will allow those wishing to continue work and research in these areas to pursue their interests. Hopefully, this will help societal attitudes and realities to increase social equality.

It will also give others the opportunity and atmosphere to be more informed about social injustices and challenge social realities, in accordance with the Jesuit mantra of being “men and women for others.”

Adding this new program to the curriculum adds JCU to the growing list of prestigious universities that offer similar focuses of study. It also makes a name for the University as one that promotes social justice and an understanding of diversity.

Even though this program is a great addition to the curriculum of the University, the timeliness of its integration could be better. Students who are currently juniors or seniors will most likely not be able to complete a major or minor in this area of study within their remaining semesters. However, this complication is probably unavoidable. No matter when the major or minor was added to the curriculum, someone would be getting the short end of the stick.

Students who are interested in the major or minor but would be unable to complete the studies in time should still take as many classes within the program as possible, allowing them to gain knowledge of the subject.