President Tania Tetlow awarded law professor Isabel Medina the Dux Academicus award and spoke about the financial future of the university for her second convocation on Jan. 18

The Dux Academicus is one of the highest awards to be given in Loyola’s academia. Medina joined the law school faculty in 1991.

Medina thanked her students upon receiving the award.

“They provide a continual challenge and a continual source of energy and, for that, I thank them,” Medina said.

Tetlow addressed the challenge of the university’s financial situation with energy and analogies.

Though Tetlow said that the university is still in a fragile place, she said, “This year we balanced the budget through the skin of our teeth.”

The president said she understood how frustrated faculty and staff have been and how much they love Loyola. She commended faculty and staff for the current position the university is in.

“This feels like both a marathon and a sprint,” Tetlow said.

The president said the university has to continue to watch its expenses, operate frugally, find creative ways to raise more revenue and practice the Jesuit principle of detachment. The president asked for patience as Loyola focuses on how to make things more efficient.

“We have to earn our way out of SACS probation,” Tetlow said.

She talked about ways to earn this such as the resurrection of City College. Tetlow also noted things that had already been implemented since a brainstorming meeting she had with around 100 faculty and staff members before the holidays.

These changes include taking the hiring process online, creating a culture of gratitude until the university can afford to award merit-based pay and welcoming back catfish Fridays.

President Tetlow ended her remarks with another analogy comparing Loyola to the Saints.

“I would like to get used to winning again,” Tetlow said, “We need to get our mojo back.”