April 25, 2008: TOP STORY
A little controversy did not stop a large and engaged crowd from turning out to hear Star Parker speak about “Abortion in America.”
Parker is the founder and president of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education. CURE is a non-profit that weighs in on issues of race and poverty in the media, inner-city neighborhoods and public policy. She spoke from her own experiences of being on welfare and having four abortions on April 21 in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center auditorium.
The message Parker emphasized many times throughout her speech was that “abortion hurts.”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, April 25, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
April 18, 2008: TOP STORY
Conservative commentator and anti-abortion advocate Star Parker accepted an offer by St. Thomas to speak at 7 p.m. April 21 in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center auditorium, reversing a vote last month by the student life committee against bringing her to campus.
Under the invitation St. Thomas offered on Monday and Parker accepted on Tuesday, the university will pay for Parker’s speech, and she will sign a performance contract.
Every speaker or performer since Jan. 1 who was paid with St. Thomas funds has had to sign the contract, said Doug Hennes, vice president of university and government relations.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, April 18, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
April 11, 2008: TOP STORY
Students became lobbyists April 3 during Day at the Capitol, an annual event that allows grant recipients to thank their legislators for supporting the Minnesota State Grant Program and encourage them to continue that support.
Thirty-one St. Thomas students arrived at the Capitol at 10 a.m. for an initial training session. They were told how to find their legislators and what to say during the meeting. Most students were assigned the senator and representative from their home district.
Doug Hennes, vice president for university and government relations, helped organize the event and addressed everyone at the training session.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, April 11, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
April 4, 2008: TOP STORY
Barbara Manthey, an art history graduate student at St. Thomas, has been moving, cleaning and studying St. Thomas’ new collection of Asmat art for so long, it sometimes comes as a surprise when fellow students are impressed by the opportunity to be so involved with the collection.
“They were pretty amazed and excited,” Manthey said.
The collection consists of more than 1,500 pieces from the Asmats, an indigenous people from the island of New Guinea, and was donated to St. Thomas by the Crosier Fathers and Brothers. Currently the collection is being cleaned in preparation for a large exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which opens Feb. 14, 2009.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, April 4, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
March 14, 2008: TOP STORY
Senior Sarah Soucie was struggling with her faith and turned to her theology professor, Sister Katarina Schuth, for help. Soucie said she was considering converting to Catholicism. “Not only did Sister Katarina make herself available to answer my questions, she directed me to the correct people in campus ministry so I could begin the RCIA [Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults] process,” she said. Schuth “attended not only the Mass, but also the reception that the SJV [St. John Vianney] boys hosted for me after. I think my academic career would have been dramatically different had I not met Sister Katarina.”
Schuth was honored March 1 as Professor of the Year.
Schuth “is a very giving, warm person as a friend and a professor,” Soucie said. “I am not surprised she has been given this honor.”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, March 14, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
March 7, 2008: TOP STORY
Arctic explorer Will Steger, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and carbon dioxide-conscious students from across the state converged Monday afternoon for the Youth Forum on Global Warming Solutions.
The forum was the second installment of a trio of campus events on the topic of sustainability, titled “Great Conversations,” by the Rev. Dennis Dease, university president. The first event was Feb. 21 and dealt with barriers to creating a more sustainable future. The final component, titled “Taking the Next Step,” will take place on April 24 and will feature ways campus community members can get involved in creating a sustainable world, as well as posters of such members in action.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, March 7, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
Feb. 29, 2008: TOP STORY
St. Thomas will major housing changes next fall to three buildings along Grand Avenue to meet the growing needs of certain students. This decision may solve some problems facing student housing, but in the process may create more.
Two of the buildings located at 2171 and 2175 Grand Ave. are being designated solely for international student housing, while the apartments at 2151 Grand Ave. will house only sophomore students.
Aaron Macke, director of residence life, said he made the decisions based on many factors. For the international student housing, those factors included unforeseen travel delays coming into the United States, arriving mid-semester and accommodating a growing international student population.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Feb. 29, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
Feb. 22, 2008: TOP STORY
Choosing the best college is not an easy decision, but some students take comfort in the idea that transferring is an option. While academic credits may transfer, financial aid does not, and many students are left to look for a way to pay for their new schools.
As tuition continues to increase, St. Thomas students now pay $25,808 for tuition a year, according to the St. Thomas Web site. Fortunately, some students are awarded financial aid and scholarships to help cover the costs.
But for students who began their college careers elsewhere, the question of whether or not they will receive any form of aid has been unclear in the past. St. Thomas does not have a policy stating that transfer students will not receive aid.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Feb. 22, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
Feb. 15, 2008: TOP STORY
Papa Kwesi Nduom, a candidate for president of the Republic of Ghana, spoke Feb. 7 at St. Thomas to bring awareness to the issues facing his country today and the importance of continued relations between the United States and Ghana.
Though Nduom discussed why he should be the next presidentof Ghana with the crowd gathered in the Schulze Hall Auditorium, he mostly spoke about the future of Ghana and what he feels is most important for the Ghanaian people.
“Government-to-government relationship between [the United States and Ghana] is good,” Nduom said. “But what Ghanaians want is the sort of relationship that helps our people become more self-reliant and independent as much as today’s world allows any country.”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Feb. 15, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
Feb. 8, 2008: TOP STORY
Kenya was considered the peaceful nation in eastern Africa. But with the recent government unrest and violent spats in the last month, freshman Yusuf Kalif worries about his family, friends and home country.
“I was born in Somalia in the late 80s,” Kalif said. “Right after the civil war in Somalia my family and I moved to Kenya, when I was really young. Our family has lived in Kenya ever since.”
Kalif moved from Nairobi to the United States in December 2003 with three sisters and two of his three brothers. His third brother still lives in Kenya. And, although he loves living in America, Kalif said he often misses Kenya.
“Kenya is home,” Kalif said. “It felt beautiful being there with people you know, people you can relate to, people you’ve grown up with. It felt good [to live there].”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Feb. 8, 2008, (1.3 megabytes).
Dec. 14, 2007: TOP STORY
Junior Pamela Sylvestre was lying in bed at 5 a.m. on Oct. 12 when her boyfriend suddenly turned on the bedroom light, insisting he had seen someone leave the room. Noticing that the door across the hall was ajar, he entered. The room appeared to be empty. He opened the closet door and flicked on the light. A strange man stared back at him, froze for a moment, and then bolted from the room.
They quickly dialed 911, but when the St. Paul Police Department responded they were unable to locate the intruder. No one was injured and their belongings were untouched, but a month later the incident still haunts her, Sylvestre said.
“I thought we were in the safest spot ever,” she said of the off-campus residence she shares with three other St. Thomas students. “Campus is literally across the street. Now we all have at least two locks on our doors, and I still shove a chair under our door handle. It’s really freaky to have someone invade your privacy like that.”
Incidents such as this, part of an apparent increase in off-campus crime, have led some students to rethink not only their weekend plans, but also their living arrangements as well. Sylvestre said she is no exception.
“I actually have thought of coming back to campus,” she said. “Just knowing that there’s Public Safety, and doors that are locked and that it’s harder to get into … my roommate and I really considered moving back to campus next year.”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Dec. 14, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Dec. 7, 2007: TOP STORY
Nearly 200 students, faculty, staff and community members attended one of the largest State of the University forums ever on Nov. 20. The forum gave students and the administration an opportunity to talk about issues, goals and concerns that relate to the St. Thomas community.
The year’s forum, sponsored by the Undergraduate Student Government and Omicron Delta Kappa, was held in O’Shaughnessy Educational Center.
With many issues on campus this past semester, ranging from the recent hate crimes to the Archbishop Desmond Tutu controversy, emotions ran high. Many attendees interrupted the forum to disagree openly with comments made by the presenting students or administrators.
Senior Courtney Sekevitch, vice president of public relations for USG, said she believes the highly publicized issues on campus this past semester caused the attendance to rise so dramatically.
“I think that a lot of students feel almost cheated because a lot of the information we’re getting is coming from outside sources like the media and the news and the newspaper,” she said. “I think that this is really a chance to get it straight from the source.”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Dec. 7, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Nov. 16, 2007: TOP STORY
Yellow and red Public Safety alerts scatter the walls of nearly every building on the St. Thomas St. Paul campus. Public Safety, in a campus-wide e-mail, reported Oct. 26 that six incidents occurred in nine days where St. Thomas students were victims or intended victims of crime.
“There appears to be a spike in crime,” said Mike Barrett, associate director of Public Safety. “We’re concerned enough to the point that we have increased patrols in the neighborhood and hired the St. Paul Police Department.”
In the weeks since, several other crimes have occurred on and around campus. In response to the crime reports as well as reactions of concerned students, Public Safety decided to increase its patrol of the six-block radius surrounding the campus, especially during the evening and night hours, focusing on issues that have been reported. Public Safety is working with the St. Paul Police Department to create a visual deterrent in efforts to crack down on recent crime.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Nov. 16, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Nov. 9, 2007: TOP STORY
Almost 1,000 people from St. Thomas and the surrounding community gathered in Foley Plaza on Nov. 1 for the “Stop the Hate” march and rally, a response to the hate crimes in John Paul II Residence Hall on Oct. 30 and 31.
“Let us use this gathering to recommit ourselves to the values that are a part of this university,” said the Rev. Dennis Dease, university president. “I offer our sincere and lasting support to all minority students and students of color. Let us focus on building a community.”
He said the event was the largest he has seen in his 17 years as president.
The rally was the first gesture in a wave of community support for three St. Thomas students who were the victims of racist slurs and threats, which are now the subject of investigations with Public Safety, the St. Paul Police Department and the FBI.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Nov. 9, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Nov. 2, 2007: TOP STORY
St. Thomas is thinking big — half a billion dollars big.
The university is seeking $500 million in donations for its newest fundraiser and is touting a record-breaking $60 million gift from a single donor. Most of the money from the fundraiser will expand financial aid, build a new student center and overhaul existing programs and buildings.
The biggest donation so far came from board of trustees member Lee Anderson and his wife, Penny. Their $60 million gift is earmarked for the Anderson Student Center, to be built on top of Lot H at Summit and Cretin avenues, and marks the biggest donation to a college in Minnesota history.
“We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to leave something behind when we’re gone that will benefit the students in Minnesota,” Lee Anderson said at an Oct. 24 news conference announcing the gift. “The students are the core of this institution.”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Nov. 2, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Oct. 19, 2007: TOP STORY
St. Thomas has always prided its student-faculty ratio and student-centered philosophy. But with the addition of a 96-student Philosophy 115 class this semester, some faculty members and students have been left wondering why things have changed.
The large class is set up carefully to make sure students get the most out of it, said Stephen Laumakis, the professor who teaches the class in the John Roach Center auditorium.
“I engage in interaction with them, that is ask questions and I get the students to respond,” Laumakis said. “So it’s not just me coming in and talking the whole time.
“It’s obviously a different experience from me talking in front of 20, or 24, or 30 students than it is standing in front of 96 students.”
So far, the students seem to be enjoying themselves. Freshman Josh Anderson said Laumakis has a lot of energy and keeps the students laughing.
“[Laumakis] makes the class fun and interesting,” Anderson said. “I haven’t missed a class yet because I love it. It’s fun to be part of the discussions and the class as a whole.”
The idea for larger sections originated in discussions between Marisa Kelly, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Thomas Rochon, executive vice president and chief academic officer.
“We believe in individual attention and a lot of faculty-student contact at St. Thomas,” Rochon said. “But I think we haven’t understood well what that means. We act as if that means that every class will be 20 to 25 students. I think it should mean that some classes are larger, and then some classes are much, much smaller. That’s a better division of labor. If we find out that a combination of large classes and small classes is the best way to help students learn, then I’m in favor of it.”
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Oct. 19, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Oct. 12, 2007: TOP STORY
The administration on Wednesday reversed its decision not to allow Archbishop Desmond Tutu to speak on campus, said Thomas Rochon, executive vice president and chief academic officer.
“I believe this is the right decision,” Rochon said.
The Rev. Dennis Dease, university president, will invite Tutu to campus in connection with the PeaceJam event, Rochon said. As of Tuesday, the event was scheduled to be held in April at Metropolitan State University.
“From the beginning Father Dease was concerned about incivilities in political discourse,” Rochon said. “Over the last week we saw hundreds of thoughtful messages primarily in disagreement with Father Dease’s decision. We saw 1,000s of mean-spirited messages that were little more than name calling. I’m pleased that civil discourse and thoughtful reflection have carried the day.”
Tutu will be invited to speak on civil discourse and on bridging divisions in politics.
Dease’s decision last spring not to have Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tutu speak on campus drew international attention after the story broke last week in City Pages.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Oct. 12, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Oct. 5, 2007: TOP STORY
When first-year graduate student Hannah Woldum returned to her office Sept. 10 after distributing mail in Owens Science Hall, she was alarmed to see a man sitting in her chair, going through her purse.
“I was really startled, not even afraid,” Woldum said. “I was surprised at the way he acted. [I] thought he might be more forceful, wondered if it was his first time.”
After confronting him about stealing her wallet, the man pretended it came out of nowhere and left the room after a professor walked in the door.
This is just one example of how robberies around the St. Thomas area have heightened awareness for students, faculty and staff members. From WCCO re-airing a report about dorm safety to stories like Woldum’s, concern is rising for student safety, both on and off campus.
Between 2004 and 2006, one robbery and 93 burglaries occurred on the St. Paul campus; in Minneapolis, no robberies and 11 burglaries occurred, according to the 2007 Campus Security Act Report.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Oct. 5, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Sept. 28, 2007: TOP STORY
Living in the dorms as a freshman is a rite of passage for many college students. First-year students encounter a swarm of new opportunities and challenges living in these close quarters and often form tight bonds with roommates and people down the hall.
While most students are assigned a room with one or two strangers, approximately 4 percent of this year’s 1,200 freshmen share a converted study lounge with more than three other roommates.
The six women living in the study lounge on second floor Dowling Hall represent a wide variety of personality types. Lumped together in a temporary living space, the women have become good friends.
“I speak for all of us when I say we absolutely love it [here],” freshman Angie Magnuson said.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Sept. 28, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Sept. 21, 2007: TOP STORY
A diver explored the waters of the Mississippi River as he checked submerged cars for victims taken by the Interstate 35W bridge collapse. As he swam closer to the wreck, a strong current began to pull him under a concrete boulder.
“Stay calm,” he heard through his earpiece as his rope tender slowly pulled him back to safety.
The voice that guided him through this dive was Mike Barrett, assistant director of Public Safety. Barrett helped another diver through a similar situation.
“[The diver] told me that there was a car seat in the back of the car and he began to panic about possibly finding a victim,” Barrett said. “My job as a tender was to try and keep him calm.”
After six years of frequent training for the Washington County Water Recovery Unit, Barrett had no idea that on Aug. 1 he would be asked to help with one of the biggest events in Minnesota history.
“Our job that day was to find cars, identify them, see if there were any victims in the car, and then move on,” he said.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Sept. 21, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
Sept. 14, 2007: TOP STORY
St. Thomas administrators will include environmentally sound practices in new construction, academic content and the longterm planning of the university, according to the Rev. Dennis Dease, university president.
Although Dease did not mention specific plans in his announcement at the Sept. 4 academic convocation, he cited several past “creative efforts” of the university, including environmental classes and the formation of the Green Team club, and looked to future possibilities. The school’s planned aquatic center may include solar panels for power, Dease said.
“We need to examine what we are doing and what we should be doing to educate our students to these emerging realities,” Dease said, referring to care of the environment.
The school should hire architects familiar with environmental design in the Opus Corp., the firm that has built many of the school’s buildings, said Bob Douglas, coordinator of Central Receiving and Recycling.
You can download the entire issue of The Aquin, Sept. 14, 2007, (1.3 megabytes).
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