Pope to Visit Campus, Speak at Pryz on April 17

By: Ben Newell (Co-Editor of The Tower Newspaper)

Pope Benedict XVI will speak in the Pryzbyla Center on April 17. He will also visit the John Paul II Cultural Center and the Basilica.

His address will follow a meeting at the White House, another meeting at the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception with all U.S. Bishops and a public Mass at the new Washington Nationals Stadium in southeast Washington, D.C.

The pope, who was born Joseph Ratzinger in 1927, will speak in the Pryzbyla Great Room in front of an audience of educational representatives and specialists from every diocese in the United States. At this time the exact number of representatives is unavailable. Presidents from every Catholic university will also be invited. There is no information available on whether or not students will be invited.

Benedict will meet leaders from many faiths at the John Paul II Cultural Center, hold mass at the Nationals Stadium on the banks of the Anacostia River and speak at the University on the same day.

Rev. David O’Connell, president of the University, is convening a committee to deal with the logistics of the papal visit. All final decisions regarding the visit will be made by O’Connell, according to Victor Nakas, associate vice president for Public Affairs.

Benedict will arrive in the District on the afternoon of April 15 for his first visit to the United States since becoming pope in 2005.

As a head of state, Benedict will be escorted by Secret Service agents as well as his personal security detail. Students should not expect a visit similar to John Paul II’s 1979 trip, when the Holy See came face to face with groups of students and shook their hands. In 1981, a gunman attempted to assassinate John Paul II, leading to increased security measures. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 also contributed to security increases surrounding the pope.

Students may not be invited to the Pryzbla Center address, as the Great Room holds a maximum of about 1,000 people and interest in attending the event will likely be high.

The Mass at Nationals Stadium is a public event. Tickets to the public will be available for free to several area dioceses. Information on how to obtain them is not available at this point.

Archbishop of Washington Donald W. Wuerl called the visit “a grace-filled blessing for the Church of Washington” on the website of the archdioceses.

“The eyes of the world are going to be on the pope’s every move,” added Nakas. While the pope is at the University, the eyes of the world will also be on the campus.

The University is not in session on the day of the visit in celebration of Founder’s Day, which is normally celebrated on April 10. Rumors of the pope’s visit started up when the day off was pushed back one week.

O’Connell was not available for comment on the visit. Public Affairs said he will release a letter with more details about the visit at a later date.

See the original article here on The Tower Newspaper Website.

SRB To Miss Thanksgiving Deadline

The Student Representation Board will not meet their Thanksgiving goal for having a draft of a new structure for student government.

Bill Jonas, director of University Center, Student Programs and Events said that there is no "drop dead date" for the official document. Steady progress has been made by the Student Representation Board in creating a new structure for student government, said Jonas, Wednesday night at an SRB meeting.

SRB reviewed a proposal given to them by a Cardinal Student Association member for the Allocation Process of the Student Activity Fee for student organizations next year.

The proposal covers activity-by-activity funding and addresses issues including student organization allocation eligibility requirements, a formal allocation process to obtain funds and a set of guides for the usage of the student activity fee. A student fee allocation board will attempt to be a student government committee that will manage the student activity fee.

Other topics discussed included allocation of funds between varsity and club sports, mandatory spending and rolling budgets and how SRB is in the process of writing the preamble for the undergraduate constitution.

Chad Kee, associate director of Student Leadership and Programs was present at this meeting as well.

Servi Advocatique For Student Nurses

A new group at the University, Servi Advocatique is a student nurse fellowship comprised of students from the Nursing School.

Louis E. D'Onofrio, Kelsey Flynn, Joannie Solomon and Christine Roper are the four leaders of the fellowship who were individually chosen by Father Bob. "Servi Adovocatique," which means Servant Advocate, is a Student Nursing Fellowship that is unique and special in that it was started because of interest from students. "It is a group open to all nursing students here at CUA," said Flynn, a sophomore."

Modeled after Campus Ministry's RENEW groups, Servi Advocatique meets weekly and discusses how the Sunday Gospel relates to aspects within the nursing field. Solomon said, "The group is meant to help us grow as nurses and as Catholics, because sometimes it seems like the two are at odds with one another."

The leaders hope Servi Advocatique will aid them once thet are in the professional health care field. Flynn said, "The group allows nursing students to share clinical and classroom experiences to help each other grow in the knowledge about the nursing field." Roper added, "The health care setting provides many obstacles and challenges. We will be better prepared to be servants and advocates for our patients now and in the future."

Servi Advocatique was an idea formed last year and was helped organized by Sister Mary Elizabeth O'Brien. "We are trying to convey the message that spirituality is such an integral part of nursing. Every encounter with a patient, (as Sister Mary Elizabeth O'Brien, who helped us to begin the group, reminds us) can be a spiritual encounter. As students at the Catholic University of America, we are blessed to be able to see our Catholic faith as being even further a part of this profession," said Solomon.

CC Teams Finish Fall

Nearing the end of their seasons, the Catholic men's and women's cross country teams placed sixteenth and ninth at the first NCAA Regionals in Newport News last Saturday, respectively. The men's season ended at Regionals, while the women advanced one runner to the NCAA Championship tomorrow.

Much of the success of the women's team is due to senior Alys Cheatle, placing above any other Catholic runner to qualify for the NCAA Championships, a feat that has not been achieved at Catholic for 16 years.

"I didn't think it'd happen. I lost a bet with a teammate about making All-Regionals (which consists of the top 35 runners) and I didn't think that I'd do that", said Cheatle.

This season was interesting for Cheatle, considering she initially was not going to run in her final year at Catholic. "I quit the team this summer. I wasn't going to do it. I think that took the pressure off. I think that's why I ran so much better than before." Cheatle said.

With a time of 23:58, Cheatle placed 13th overall at Newport News, VA.

"There wasn't anything to lose. I was doing this for me. I'm going and I'm glad to be out there." Cheatle said.

Cheatle is the first runner since 1991 to receive an invitation to compete in the NCAA Championships. "I think it was probably the best I've ever run. I'm going to go into it [the Championship] with same mentality." Cheatle said.

Tomorrow, Cheatle will make her final stop in Northfield, Minnesota for the NCAA finals.

Rugby Completes Fall Season, Look to Spring

The men's rugby team has had a successful season this year. They finished the regular season with a record of 4-1. The Cardinals defeated Mount St. Mary's in the quarterfinals of the Potomac Rugby Union tournament before losing to Georgetown in the semifinals. Against Loyola (Baltimore) the Cards smashed the D-I team, 33-14 in a Consolidation Match on November 10th. By winning, the Cardinals clinched a spot in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union championships in the spring.

"The men have played strong, tough and skilled rugby all season," said coach Bill Kiniry. "I'm proud of their efforts both on and off the field."

In their last fall season, seniors Steve Frey and Joe Gilfoil were named players of the match against American University earlier this year.

The women's team concluded their season, wrapping up their regular pool play with a record of 2-1, outscoring opponents 47-19 in the process. The women also finished with a fourth seed in the Potomac Rugby Union.

"In the six years that I have coached the team, I have never seen a team with such great talent and potential," said coach Gabe Ortiz. "I wouldn't be surprised to see the team in the PRU Championship next fall."

Currently, the Cards are undergoing some changes within their faculty as well as drastic changes to their program this year. Ortiz stepped down as head coach and Catholic named Cristina de Guzman to succeed him. In addition, a new policy is now being enforced, stating if one does not participate in practice, one will not be permitted to play in the game.

"She's really motivated and really wants to get us on track," said sophomore AnnaMarie DiLeo. "The team has progressed from a purely socially fun team to a dedicated, hardworking, competitive team."

Ranked No. 4 in the Potomac Rugby Union, the team was excited to participate in the PRU 23 All-Star tryouts held last Sunday.

"I think she'll take our team to a different level," said senior captain Jessey Newman. "I think she's a good fit for the team and I look forward to her sharing her knowledge of the game with us."

Newman praised Ortiz for his leadership over the years.

"He's taught many players that have come and gone, both men and women, and he's devoted his time and energy without asking anything in return from the team except to 'give it your all,'" she stated. "He will be missed. Wherever he goes he will always have a part of the team with him, literally."

Charles Coffman contributed to this story.

Ice Hockey On Streak

Last weekend, Catholic's ice hockey team took out Dickinson College, 6-4 and Mount Saint Mary's, 10-3, giving them a 5-1-1 record in the Mason-Dixon American Collegiate Hockey Association.

On Friday against Dickinson College (3-3, MDCHA),

Endowment Still Low, But Up 450 Percent Over Past Decade

The University's endowment has grown more than 450 percent over the past ten years to $220 million, but remains significantly lower than other comparable universities. Ten years ago the endowment was less than $40 million.

"The University is in solid shape financially: the endowment is doing well, it's growing," said James Brennan, University provost. "Compared to some of the other institutions it may be small, but on the other hand, we are a fairly small institution."

Endowment funds are an accumulation of donations that live in perpetuity. At the University, the interest generated from the principle on the fund is used to support needs such as annual operating support, scholarship support, support for capital construction projects, support for athletics, support for academic initiatives, faculty research and other initiatives at the University, according to Robert Sullivan, vice president for University development.

The Development Office also works with the Office of Finance & Administration in determining how endowment funds are placed into the operating budget, according to Sullivan.

The interest generated from the principle of the endowed funds can be placed into the operating budget. However, the manager of the funds must use the money for any specific purposes agreed upon between the donor and the University.

In 2006, the University's endowment, $191.893 million, was $165.4 million less than Fordham University, a private Jesuit college in New York and was $127.3 million less than American University's, according to statistics from the National Association of College and Business Officers. The University's endowment ranked 242 nationwide.

"Catholic University got a relatively late start in terms of a comprehensive fund raising operation," said Michael Catell, executive director of University Development. "It's going to take us a lot longer to get on par with institutions of our size and scope."

Other factors that have contributed to the gap between the University's endowment and other universities include difference in alumni relations and the nature of the alumni base.

The Development Office solicits gifts from alumni, parents, friends, foundations and corporations annually in a variety of ways: personal face-to-face solicitation by a development officer or by a volunteer; by the telemarketing firm employed to conduct phone solicitation; and direct mail appeals.

The alumni giving rate at the University was 12 percent for the last fiscal year, according to the most recently audited reports. The alumni giving rate, not the total amount given, has a direct impact on the US News and World Reports rankings of the best colleges in America, in which the University ranks 122. The alumni giving rate is important because it's a sign of alumni investment in the institution, according to Catell.

The University is not far off the national average for alumni participation for religiously and non-religiously affiliated institutions which is about 20 percent, Catell said.

Another source of donations the University receives is about $7 million for an annual collection by the U.S. Conference of Bishops. These funds are not included with the endowment funds, and are used directly for student financial aid.

Organizations or individuals who are engaged to practices that are contrary to the University's Catholic identity are unlikely to be allowed to donate money to the University, according to Catell. However, Catell said that situation is unlikely to occur because the University would not ask for donations from those individuals or organizations.

Trying to improve its endowment, the University is making an effort to increase strategic communications with its constituency, continuing to manage the endowed funds well and being more deliberate about the purposes of what the funds are needed for, according to Catell.

Professors Paid $12K Less Than Nat. Average

Average professorial salaries at the University have remained lower than other universities in Washington, D.C. despite efforts by the University over the past four years to address the concerns of professors and administrators.

The University is at a disadvantage when hiring professors, even though starting salaries are competitive, said James Brennan, University provost.

"I think when you look at the total salary of all of the people that work on the faculty, it's lower than the national average for institutions like this, but if you look at entering salary, we're not that far low," said Brennan. "I think we're fairly comparable."

Full University professors on average make $94,600, strict salary not including fringe benefits, which ranks in the 29th percentile among doctoral institutions nationwide and is nearly $12,000 less than the national average, according to data collected at American Association of University Professors confirmed by The Tower. By comparison, American University pays $127,400, Georgetown University pays $139,900 and Howard University pays $94,065.

At $69,700, average salaries for associate professors rank in the 31st percentile and are about $6,600 under the national average among doctoral institutions. Average salaries for assistant professors, $61,400, rank in the 37th percentile; professors in that status make approximately $4,300 less than the national average.

"We have closed the gap somewhat; there's still a gap but it's not as big as it was," said Barry Yatt, architecture professor and chairman of the Academic Senate's Committee on Faculty Economic Welfare. "The University has made an effort in the past four years now to make sure that faculty salaries have risen five percent every year and they've met that target," he added. "But other universities are also raising their wages: if we raise by five percent, we may only be closing the gap by a percent or two."

Average salaries at the University for full professors have increased by 16 percent since 2003-2004, which is comparable to the other doctoral institutions in the district. Full professor salaries have increased 14 percent at AU, 16 percent at GWU, 17 percent at Georgetown and five percent at Howard during that time period. Average salaries nationwide among doctoral institutions have risen 11 percent.

"The gap between us and our local competitors is much greater than us and the general population of competitors," said Ernest Zampelli, a business and economics professor who was the vice chairman for a task force that researched faculty compensation concerns in 2004. "That's a significant issue. We are closing the gap, but are we closing the gap fast enough? I don't really think so." The gap is more apparent as the University competes with neighboring schools for potential faculty members interested in D.C., Zampelli said.

The administration's efforts to remedy the situation has helped, said John K. White, a politics professor. However, he added, "The continued low salaries coupled with the very high cost of living in the area, especially housing costs, make it very difficult for faculty. It has become virtually impossible for faculty to find affordable housing close to campus. This is discouraging to say the least."

"For junior professors, assistant professors in particular and for adjuncts, it's got to be really difficult [to live in D.C]," said Yatt. "The president recognizes that it's an issue. He's the one that put the committee together five years ago to develop recommendations on this." That committee recommended salary increases of at least five percent until the wage gap was closed.

"Over the last 30 years, the University has dug a hole for itself and allowed faculty compensation to erode over time relative to peer institutions," said Kevin Forbes, chairman of the business and economics department. "I think it was probably just an inadvertent lack of attention. The University was going though its financial ups and downs as it always does, and they never stepped back and said we need a plan to fix this."

Forbes said he is more comfortable today than he did five years ago with regard to faculty compensation. The University made competitive offers to the last two hires in his department, he said.

"We can't fix it overnight," said Forbes. "Five years ago a plan was put into place, and hopefully [the administration] will stay the course and not just say we've solved the problem, because obviously they haven't solved the problem. Progress has been made but more still needs to be done if the University wants to remain competitive."

The compensation work of the Committee on Faculty Economic Welfare has been put on hold for a few months while the provost and Julie Englund, vice president for Finance and Administration, run an in-depth study into professorial salaries by rank and discipline compared to different groupings of institutions.(The committee is continuing to pursue items on their agenda, according to Yatt.) Their study is expected to be completed in January, according to Brennan. The University will then submit a plan for the next three to four years, Brennan said.

The University president and provost are committed to raising salaries, but the biggest question is where the money is going to come from to increase salaries, said Yatt. Sixty percent of the University's over $180 million operating budget, which does not include approximately $50 million in endowment funds and grants, goes to funding salaries, wages and fringe benefits, according to the 2006-2007 annual report.

Money for increasing salaries will come in part from a rise in enrollment, mostly at the graduate level, because the number of undergraduates is constrained by housing limitations, according to Brennan, who does not see the undergraduate population increasing by more than 400 over the next five years. Dormitories in South Campus will be razed as newer buildings are completed, keeping the number of available dorm rooms consistent.

The University is targeting people in the workforce, mostly in the federal government, who are looking to increase their education in order to raise tuition revenues at the graduate level, said Brennan.

The money generated from the development of South Campus is being immediately reinvested in the construction of Opus Hall, said Brennan. There are no plans for development of the land west of Harewood Road, which belongs to the University. "The land west of Harewood is more of an investment in the future," Brennan said.

Another source of revenue that can be used to aid the increase salaries is the University's growing endowment, and grant for research. The University's endowment, money donated to the University whose interest can be used for specific purposes, is over $220 million.

Brennan said that some of the increases in revenue would also be used for improvements in recreational facilities and the libraries on campus.

"We have an incredibly devoted committed and talented faculty," said Brennan. Furthermore, he stated, that the University is very fortunate because the professors remain at the University for reasons other than just salary.

"At the core of any university is not the building. The core of any institution is the faculty," said Forbes. "That's why the students come: because they want to be taught by people who are pushing back the frontiers of knowledge. It's not the technology, it's the faculty. You don't want to disinvest in the faculty."

WCUA Back On-Air

The University's radio station is returning to the air after a semester long recess. Broadcasts will begin on Monday.

WCUA purchased new technology in order to have a more efficient broadcast that the entire student body could hear. The station may be accessed on their website, wcua.cua.edu, with Windows Media Player.

Over the years, the station has struggled to build a steady audience. It also dealt with issues concerning school funding.

The University stopped funding the station in the 1980s, making it difficult and expensive to maintain a steady broadcast for that time, according to WCUA general manager Mike Flynn, a junior media studies major. More recently, because the station did not have advanced computers, it was difficult to stream their audio to the rest of campus. This is no longer an issue.

"The word out there is that the radio station has been on and off and it's true," said Flynn. "But this time we'll actually be on and stay on." School funding is no longer a large problem because of the new technology, in addition to the small amount of school funding they now receive, according to Flynn. "With the new computer, we have everything we need."

The shows broadcasted on WCUA will range from gossip talk shows and sports commentary to music broadcasts, which will include techno and classic rock. This semester, twelve to fifteen shows are set to stream every week. Next semester, there will be a steady schedule of weekly shows.

Students are able to have their own shows on WCUA and because there is currently no definite schedule, it is possible to plan a time to broadcast.

There are about 30 people involved with the station and most of them are DJs.

"If you wanted an hour long show a week, you could have it," Flynn said. He looks forward to as much student involvement as possible and is looking to student organizations to begin their own shows.

"We're trying to get the word out that we're back," said Flynn. "We're back for real this time." The first scheduled show is Monday night, live at 4:00 P.M.

"Listen" Hits Close to Home

"Listen," written by CUA Graduate Student Meg Schadl and directed by Gregg Henry, is the new play at the Callen Theater this weekend. It offers something missing a little in the CUA community: a mirror.

The heroine Ruby (Rachel Holt), and her best friend Mandy (Brianna Letourneau) quickly make the audience comfortable. They work too hard, they struggle to make their fashionable ends meet, and the universe is thwarting their attempts to find a well-deserved fairy tale, themes familiar to the average CUA undergrad (or at least the females). The difference is that Ruby has recently started receiving messages from a very loud and satanic sounding social conscious reminding her that there is more to life than her own small existence.

What begins as a mere voice begins to present physical manifestations of the world's problems, but in tangible shapes that Ruby recognizes and initially respects- Darfur (Elizabeth Sibley) wearing an Armani suit shows up at her office all glamour and poise, Alley (Whalen J. Laurence) the well-dressed homeless personification, and the almost poignant Cami (Heather VanderWielen) representing children lost in the world-wide sex trade. The causes follow Ruby until they take over her whole being, sabotaging her work, her sleep, and most terrifyingly, a new courtship with John (Matt Dewberry), who, despite his Peter Pan complex, has potential for the romantic Ruby. Ruby is driven from her ignorant bliss to a state of pure obsession of saving the world. She befriends the homeless Vietnam vet, writes letters, and adopts a whale. But she is quickly disillusioned, proving that anyone can make a difference, but not if one spreads oneself so thin that they make no difference at all. And there is the other mirror for the CUA student. Ruby is forced to choose between her two extremes, but regardless of her choice, the causes are secure knowing that they do not survive on one person alone.

Schadl's writing resonates throughout with a poignant intensity. Ruby's sense of entitlement, Mandy's rejection of the homeless, and John's perpetual mediocrity will have more than one upper-middle-class-suburban-East-Coaster, squirming from the familiarity of it all. I know I did. But Schadl, more than this, shows her range: from the fantastically flirtatious first meeting between John and Ruby to Ruby's climactic plea for help, she writes powerfully but overall familiarly.

Complementing her writing is the technical staff behind the show. Lewis Folden's set is effectively simple, Andrew Cissna's lights are understated yet spot on;: it took three scenes to notice that they reality of the subway scenes came from the flickering lights. Elisheba Ittoop's sound is excellent. From enterances to the sounds of heels clicking on the sidewalk, to Ruby's frightening conscious, or my particular favorite, the familiar strains of an ironically placed recent pop hit, the sound complements the action perfectly as well.

The intimacy of the black-box theater serves the cast of "Listen" well. Holt hits a range of emotions, yet even at her most calm, this woman is clearly affected by an underlying turmoil that never seems contrived. Letouneau could be any graduate of CUA and provides some of the most entertaining moments of the show. The men of the show- Hicks, Dewberry, and Laurence are outstanding: earnest, flirtatious, domineering-each man portrays a fully formed character and each excels. It is a strong cast that nearly always puts everything onto the stage with powerful results, even if they are just dressing the scene with major PDA in the corner. In the end, everyone has their role and all deliver varying degrees of good performances.

Technically, visually and artistically, "Listen" is a good show. You may not leave happy, or lifted up, or even entirely hopeful, but you will leave with a wry smile and an acute self-awareness, better for having invested in your time. And that is what you deserve.

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