Private Security Consulting Firm Hired to Assess University Safety

The University contracted a private security consultant firm, the Bratton Group, to assess campus safety and make recommendations for a concrete security plan in light of the recent crime spike in and around campus.

In addition, University President David M. O'Connell has appointed eight University faculty and staff members to the Presidential Taskforce on University Safety and Security led by W. Michael Hendricks, Vice President of Enrollment Management, to assist this consultant firm in their assessment of campus security.

The Bratton Group, led by former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton, was hired by the University for an undisclosed amount to assess campus security and safety and then provide analysis, according to Hendricks. This will include analysis of deployment and supervision of patrols in the Department of Public Safety, the effectiveness of various campus parameters and entries, campus security and communications technology, campus transportation, coordination with the District Metropolitan Police Department and student, faculty and staff community Safety Education. The consultant firm will prepare a report based on their findings after four weeks. It will then be presented to the Board of Trustees and then made available to the University community on the Safety First website.

In preparation for the Bratton Group's visit the week of May 1, the taskforce will meet next Wednesday. "The taskforce is charged with facilitating the safety and security audit that will be completed by [The Bratton Group] and serving as a resource to this group and the campus community. In addition we are charged with providing recommendations to the President and his council regarding safety and security initiatives," Hendricks wrote in an email to the Tower.

The taskforce will be ongoing as it will work with the University administration as a whole to implement the recommendations of the audit.

The members of the taskforce were selected based on recommendations from the President's Council, according to Hendricks. "The eight members were selected based on their areas of responsibility and professional expertise on campus along with the fact that the group needed to be small enough to be effective as a working unit yet also comprehensive and inclusive," Hendricks said.

Hendricks was selected to lead the taskforce based on his previous experience on security task forces at two other institutions as well as his participation in a comprehensive campus safety audit at Widener University before coming to the University.

"The members of the presidential task force represent a good cross section of our CUA faculty, administrators and staff. I'm grateful to them for agreeing to serve and I'm confident they will be ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work," O'Connell said in a letter to the campus community from Public Affairs.

The University faculty and staff members who are part of the committee are: Michael Green, director of planned giving, Barbara Howard, associate professor of biology, Veryl Miles, dean of the Columbus School of Law, Victor Nakas, director of public affairs, Susan Pervi, Vice President for Student Life, Kevin Petersen, director of facilities, Ralph Scherini, associate vice president for business services and Susan Weir, executive assistant to the vice president for finance and administration.

In addition to the faculty and staff taskforce, Pervi has been charged with appointing a student task force on the same issue to work directly with her and her staff in the Division of Student Life. She, in turn, will represent the student's concerns to the presidential task force.

Besides the University, the Bratton Group based in New York City has served various clients in the United States and abroad, and has conducted security studies at various universities including Brown University in Rhode Island and the City University of New York. At Brown, for example, the Bratton Group in 2002 looked at police operations on its campus and adjacent to it to develop a security plan.

The Fifth Column

I think Catholic should change its motto. Don't get me wrong: "Do it all" is a great motto, but can one do it all? I feel that we come up with a new slogan that will really give the incoming freshmen a true feel for life at Catholic. My suggestions are:
– Catholic: Where else can you get a Trailer with a view of a Cathedral.
– Just because were called Catholic doesn't mean you have to act that way.
– Catholic: Where you drink so much you'll think everyday is St. Patty's
– Catholic: Come for the Education stay for Dave's Sandwiches
– Catholic: Hey, we just got a Chick-fil-A
– Catholic: Have you seen the prices at Georgetown?
– Catholic: Brookland's Finest
– Catholic: Where real life self-defense is a 3 credit class
– Do Something..if you wake up in time or you can pull yourself away from Madden
– Catholic: They only make you go to Church twice
As you can see I've tried to sum up the Catholic experience the best I can. Suggestions are welcome. After all, who really wants to "Do it all" anyway?

– Nikolai Wajda

This is it for Fifth Column this semester. If wittiness strikes you over summer break, send your columns for next year to cuatower.forum@gmail.com

Good luck with finals everyone.

A Standard Year of Conflict

One issue has seemingly dominated the headlines this year: campus safety. This year, the crime committed against students both on and near campus has continued unabated. Victims, their friends, and the campus at large have demanded change. Following a rash of muggings, USG created and handed out a safety booklet. We applaud the proactive stance of both the student body and USG. The University administration, however, is lagging behind.

Despite the fact that the muggings have persisted since last semester, it was just this week that the President's Office announced the formation of a crime task force. And, while it is nice to see the names of the faculty and administrators on the committee, one has to wonder when they'll actually get down to work. Though we hope this task force proves helpful in curbing the crime wave against students, we're not holding our breaths. The school year is all but over. The administration should have started their taskforce before the crime problem grew to the extent it has reached today. It is our hope that, when the students return next semester, they will not encounter the dangers they've had to endure this year.

In addition, the administration has apparently contracted a high-profile security firm to assess campus security. While this seems to be a step in the right direction, let's hope that the administration carries out suggestions with all that money being spent.

Another issue that grabbed student attention this year was the controversial play "The Vagina Monologues." Barred from performing on campus, the show went on at Colonel Brooks in Brookland. The production was able to find a compromise between the University's stance and their own desire to perform the play. We applaud the cooperation between the play's producers, the Brookland community, and the students. The way Colonel Brooks opened its arms to the production shows there can be a positive relationship between the Brookland neighborhood and the campus. It was encouraging to see the campus and community rally around and support this determined group of women.

In many ways, the 2005-2006 school year was an excellent microcosm for a regular day at CUA. Start with the usual uneasiness with the surrounding community, add in a much more important focus on preserving "Church teachings" on campus, stir in alleged misuse of student funds and you've got another day at CUA. We don't think this is what they meant when they said you can "Do It All." Despite all of these mishaps, CUA has still been home these four years and as departing seniors, we wouldn't change a thing. Except calling the Loft the C-Store. Now, really.

Goodbye underclassmen!

Goodbye underclassmen!
This will be the last Tower
for the regular academic
year. Because most of us
are seniors and will be
sticking around a little longer,
we will be printing a graduation
issue on Friday, May 12. For
those of you who will already be
back home for the summer, enjoy
your break, and we'll see you in
the Fall!

-The Tower editorial board

Flaming Lips Latest Album Mixed

How do you even review a record by the Flaming Lips? Of their 12 full-length albums, the past seven have all received critical accolades and with the last two, some actual mainstream success. So how do you write an unbiased review of a band that is universally recognized as brilliant, weird and wonderfully bizarre? Easy: They disappoint you.

Their latest effort "At War With the Mystics" is by no means bad. If a different band had released this as their first album, it probably would have been relatively well-received. The Flaming Lips, unfortunately, are victims of their own genius. We have come to expect more from them. When singer Wayne Coyne announced that this album would have political protest lyrics on it, I was cautiously optimistic. This was new territory for the band, but they had made a career out of unchecked experimentation, and far be it from me to start questioning a method that had produced such fantastic results. Unfortunately, the results are mixed.

The album starts off with the infectious, catchy "Yeah Yeah Yeah Song," which contrasts with the unusually serious lyrics that ask what the listener would actually do if given the power to change anything. The message here is clear: The Flaming Lips might be talking about important issues, but that isn't going to stop them from having a blast while doing it.

The trend continues with the second track "Free Radicals," which sounds like a toned-down Daft Punk with Prince-styled vocals. "My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion" and "Vein of Stars" sound like B-Sides off of their 1999 effort "The Soft Bulletin." Not that there's anything wrong with that; "Bulletin" is quite possibly one of the most blissful records ever made. Still, it begins to underline one of the biggest problems with "Mystics:" it's all over the place. With "The Wizard Turns On." and "Pompeii Am G

University Needs Leadership

In my last two columns, I reflected on some "bricks and mortar" problems faced by the university and proposed solutions. In this column, I want to address a serious but intangible issue: our institutional culture.

Institutional culture can often influence a student's selection of school. It is one of the few things that cannot be whitewashed on a campus visit.

We are too comfortable with mediocrity. Although there are pockets of greatness, mediocrity predominates and we spend more time defending mediocrity than fixing it.

Until problems reach a crescendo, mediocre areas rarely improve. There is little pressure to improve because there is no culture of transparency. In building a house, the owners would want to know how money is being spent. Students and other constituent groups deserve to be similarly informed. The administration protects itself from criticism by communicating little more about its financial position than the minimum required by law.

That these groups are not well informed reflects the fact that the University does not seek buy-in from its constituent groups: alumni, students, tuition-paying parents, employees and the hierarchy. This, of course is no deterrent to soliciting donations from these groups. The University spends more time hitting up parents and alumni for money than it does informing them. In justice, the University owes us an explanation of its costs, especially when raising tuition.

The University's modest giving rate reflects another cultural issue: lack of an ownership culture. The American bishops own the university, but they do not effectively fundraise. Since they raise millions of dollars in their dioceses, it seems fair to argue that the bishops can do better. Similarly, we have not effectively persuaded alumni to take ownership for the University after graduation. Thus, responsibility has been shifted to tuition-paying students and parents.

These problems relate to a third cultural issue: a lack of vision and leadership. The administration has not effectively articulated a vision of where CUA is going. It is bad business to keep even the best plan proprietary. If students and faculty are not given a compelling common good to pursue, they instead pursue individual goods or stagnate, causing the University to drift like a ship with no course.

The serious issues facing the University will require the administration to change its style of leadership. For too long the model of leadership utilized has been silence and avoidance. There is more to be lost by hiding behind doors in McMahon, Leahy and Nugent and not communicating, than regularly interacting with the student body. The administration needs to be more open to constructive criticism and not always treat criticism like a frontal attack.

University Reacts to Three-Day District Crime Wave

Several University students were affected as part of a three-day crime wave that plagued the District and adjacent Prince George's County earlier this week.

From Saturday through Monday, 16 robberies and carjackings took place in Northeast D.C. and the surrounding area. Monday afternoon, three university students found themselves turning over their property in Flather lot.

Daryl Lloyd, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president said, "[Monday] was the first time I felt nervous to walk outside my residence hall when it wasn't late at night."

"I know [the Department of Public Safety] and the University are doing all they can," he added.

Lloyd said that USG continues to urge students to be proactive about their safety and are strongly encouraged to pick up a free safety booklet in the student government office located on the ground floor of the Pryzbyla Center.

J.P. Mikolajczyk, a senior philosophy major, said that while he has not made any drastic change in his daily activities, recent events have made him "slightly more aware" of his surroundings when walking around campus alone.

"This year is the worst it's been," said Mikolajczyk, "When I was a freshman, there was a mugging here or there, but not the proliferation there has been this academic year."

According to the Washington Post, a freshman and his brother were approached by a young man with an assault pistol and told to hand over their property. After two more robbers approached, the victims turned over about $90 and a cell phone.

A third student was exiting Flather Hall when he was approached by the robber with the pistol. After taking the keys to the student's Volkswagen and a silver necklace directly from his person, the three assailants fled in the student's Volkswagen and another car. The Volkswagen was found about a mile away on Hawaii Ave, NE.

The DPS crime alert identified the suspects as follows: Suspect #1: approximately 19 years old, 6'0", 170-175 lbs., black eyes, medium complexion, wearing a scarf on his head, dark coat, pants and shirt; Suspect #2: Male, 16-18 years old, light complexion, wearing a blue hat and blue shirt; Suspect #3 & #4: No additional information. Suspect vehicle was a black Jeep Liberty with Md. tags.

The students could not be identified because the police consider them witnesses.

Last Friday, a university student was assaulted at the Brookland Metro station. The victim was walking toward the escalator at about 9 p.m. when seven or eight young men approached him. He was struck in the back of the head and pushed to the ground. The victim said he was not injured and Metro Transit Police was notified and responded.

Students Commend Pope's Actions During His First Year

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his first year as pontiff Wednesday, offering thanks to God and asking pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray for him.

"On this, the first anniversary of my election as the Successor of Saint Peter, I thank the Lord for his unfailing help, and I express my gratitude to all those who have supported me by their prayers. I ask you to continue praying that, by God's grace, I may always be a gentle and firm Shepherd for Christ's flock," he said at his general audience.

Some feel that Benedict has developed a very different style. "John Paul was a showman and actor and loved playing off crowds. Benedict is humble and simple," said senior philosophy major John Paul Mitchell.

Mitchell was present in the Square last year when Benedict's election was announced. After the smoke color was indeterminate, "all waited on the bell. We eventually saw the bell sway. Before it pealed, the crowd erupted and went crazy. after the death [of John Paul II] the image of the bell was somber and sad. For the first time, it was ringing with joy."

He described the jubilation that gripped the city, "Rome had been grieving. for the first time that year, it truly was Easter in Rome."

Several issues have occupied Benedict. First among these has been the crisis of European culture stemming from decadence. Benedict has also approached Islam differently from John Paul. In August, Benedict met Muslim leaders in Cologne and directly asked them to condemn terrorism and promote religious freedom.

Consistent with his focus on the anthropological issues raised by Vatican II, he wrote his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, on Christian love and charity.

He has also hastened the pace of dialogue with the Society of St. Pius X in an attempt to mend the main post-Vatican II schism. To that effect, he has initiated discussion within the Vatican about liberalizing permission to say the Latin Mass. In recent weeks, rumors have circulated within the Vatican press corps that Benedict had signed a document about the Latin Mass; nothing has been released, however.

In this regard, Benedict has been different from John Paul. He has stopped leaks by restricting policy discussions to his inner sanctorum of advisors, in which he has included a laywoman.

This first pontificate has not been without its criticisms. Reports have said that Benedict is isolated from his subordinates in the Curia. Many holdovers from the John Paul years remain, but the cadre of Poles who held power is gone. Reports suggest that some Curial officials have been intentionally slow in translating Benedict's documents. This was particularly evident with the release of Deus Caritas Est, which was delayed until after a conference on Church charity intended to showcase it.

Students gathered in Caldwell Chapel after a holy hour on Wednesday expressed confidence in Benedict, however.

"It's been a year, wow!" said senior Mary McGlynn. "He's the strong leader we need. I feel secure in having him lead the flock," McGlynn said.

Junior David Pennington remarked, "He has been a strong advocate towards life and the dignity of the human person."

Sophomore Karen Mahowald was also optimistic. "Benedict XVI gives me a sense of hope in the Church and where she is headed," she said.

Among the tasks that Benedict is expected to continue is the reform of the Curia begun in recent weeks. It is expected that Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano will resign. This fits both with Benedict's desire to restore preeminence in the Curia to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and also to focus his pontificate on doctrine.

2005-06 Defined by Crime Spike, 'Vagina Monologues' Cancellation and Warm Weather

Rising student populations, rising tuition costs, rising crime and lowered rankings in national collegiate standings marked the 2005-2006 academic year.

Crime was a major issue that affected students both on and off campus this year. Attacks on students and their property rose sharply over the course of the year. Several carjackings, armed robberies and assaults have made victims out of students. In one weekend in March, five students were mugged, causing many to call for improvements in the way that the Department of Public Safety handles security on campus. The Metropolitan Police Department has promised to increase presence on campus, and several Brookland businesses are pushing for drastic changes out of fear of a drop-off in patronage. John Dellaporta, a musical theatre major said, "It is nice seeing police cars in McMahon [parking lot]."

Crime was not limited to non-University affiliated perpetrators. Some students have been accused of theft as several students saw their laptops stolen from their dorm rooms.

Both the University undergraduate program as well as the law school saw their U.S. News and World Report rankings decline this year. The undergraduate program dropped to the ranking of 120 among the top national universities and the lowest of all ranked Catholic national universities. The University was previously ranked 111. The Columbus School of Law saw their ranking in the U.S. News Law School rankings fall to the third tier. Mullen Library also was ranked 11th in the Princeton Review of worst college libraries. Richard F. Hassing associate professor of Philosophy said, "It would always be nice if we could have more money, so we could hire more faculty."

In the Spring semester, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) proposed a student activity fee increase of $100 annually. The resolution was intended to partially fund a new Student Activity Center, and contribute to a new USG executive board personal stipend. After removing the portion that allowed a part of the proposed increased revenues to go towards stipends, the USG suffered a defeat in the referendum prior to spring break by a margin of six percent. It is not believed that the failure to raise the student activity fee will affect the proposed Student Activity Center.

There are several new scholarships available to students this year as well. The politics, arts and sciences, drama and business and economics departments all offer individual scholarships to prospective students.

The university also responded strongly to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Over $5,000 in relief was raised, and 20 students of affected universities transferred to the University to continue their studies.

Events on campus this semester included a performance by singer Howie Day on October 4, despite controversy surrounding his 2004 disorderly conduct conviction. The show drew a crowd of 500, with 2000 tickets available. Former Democratic National Committee chair Terry Macaullife, Justice Antonin Scalia and the King of Jordan spoke on campus this year. All speeches were attended by more than 300 students, respectively.

A planned on-campus performance of the Vagina Monologues was cancelled by University President Rev. David M. O'Connell who cited an inappropriate script that was not in line with the views and mission of the University. Mike Lovell, a freshman media studies major said that the cancellation of the Vagina Monologues was "an embarrassment," while Dellaporta saw the attendance at Colonel Brooks as "an amazing accomplishment for the students."

The University sports teams saw varying success this academic year. The women's field hockey team finished the season with both All-American and Division III student athlete awards. Women's soccer also made it to NCAA finals for the first time this year.

At the outset of the year, two changes were made to student residential life. The Collegiate readership program was discontinued, as well as University's subscription to HBO. The readership program, which provides free newspapers to the student body was instituted in 2002, and has not been restarted. Jonathan Fewell, a politics major, said "I don't like that there aren't [any] more free newspapers. They're important to my studies."

The 2005-06 winter was atypically mild for the District. With only a few snowfalls that melted immediately, the University called no snow days.