Dear Editor:

Why Fr. Wildes and Dr. Harris would try to deceive Loyola’s students, faculty, and Board about Loyola’s financial situation I do not know. I can even think their motives are good.

Their facts and their way of proceeding could not be more wrong, however, or more destructive to the University we love.

First, on finances. The supposed nine million dollar deficit for next year, even if it were to happen, would be less than 3% of one year’s interest from Loyola’s $325,000,000 endowment.

As University Senate Chair a few years ago, and therefore present at Board Meetings, Board members thought it a small matter to go, for a year or so, from using the usual 5% interest on the endowment to 8%. There is your nine million “deficit” for next year.

Further on finances, Fr. Wildes announced to the University Senate in December a proposed $200,000,000 Capital Campaign to strengthen the endowment. Why is that suddenly not mentioned at all?

Fr. Wildes and Dr. Harris, both new to Loyola, generously went to major cities last Fall, Post-Katrina, to raise funds from alumni who lived there. They were only able to raise a few million.

The faculty are now back, who have taught alumni, some as far back as 35 years ago. We have offered to contact individually the alumni we have taught, and, hopefully, influenced for the good. However, we need access to Loyola’s alumni directory of names and addresses, something not at all private or confidential.

Many alumni, I am sure, would want personal contact with Post-Katrina Loyola and from faculty whom they know. And I believe they would be generous; but there has been no folow-up from the Administration on the faculty’s offer.

In addition, as so many colleges and universities helped our students Post-Katrina, I am sure they would want to help Loyola faculty, and the whole University now. I have asked Fr. Wildes, and he thought it a good idea, for him to contact the nation’s colleges and universities and ask them to inform Loyola of one semester or one year openings they may have, from sabbaticals, etc.

Loyola faculty, in limited numbers, could apply for these brief opennings, save Loyola those faculty salaries, from the time way, and give faculty some welcome post-Katrina time away. Again, no follow-up from the Administration.

The fewer student admits so far for next year is deceptive. The Dean of Admissions told the faculty, in the presence of Fr. Wildes and Dr. Harris, that the U.S. Mail lost all–yes,all–of the thousands of mailed applications by Admissions. The whole process had to be done again, and, of course, later. So the completed forms are all coming in later, many now online.

Loyola had become the Jesuit University with the third highest admit score of its applicants in the U.S., including Georgetown, Boston College, etc. To temporarilly go to fifth or sixth, out of 15 plus Jesuit Universities, as wewere, with quite successful graduates, for a few years, to have enough students to maintain a full range of Programs, is a small accomodation to make to keep Loyola whole.

An unfortunately disturbing matter now. The radical dropping of Programs and almost total restructuring of the Unversity was done without faculty or student input. Even the faculty Fr. Wildes asked the Senate to elect to his restructuring Task Force were kept in the dark, by Fr. Wildes himself, about the new configuration of Loyola, and about the dropped Programs. I do not understand, and neither do the faculty involved.

In addition, Fr. Wildes promissed to faculty and students all of April for the SGA, University Senate, etc., to respond to whatever changes were proposed. Those 30 days became 10 days, April 10-19, and over the Easter Break. There is no way, and on last minute notice, that any group could have more than one meeting.

Therefore, there is no time given by the Administration for thoughtful, organized response to the radical changes proposed, including the discontinuing of many of our most excellent Programs, e.g., large and successful parts of Communications, and Programs necessary for Post-Katrina New Orleans, e.g., elementary and secondary Education.

A Town Hall Meeting, a Blog, and emails can’t show organized, reflective responses. Is that intentional? You judge.

Do I think there should be no Program Review? Of course not. There must be a Post-Katrina Review. But it should be substantial and reflective. Even Dr. Harris said a normal review is at least 12 months, not the present 3 month “review.

It should begin this coming Fall, after the hurricane season and accurate knowledge of freshmen enrollment. It should not be done in secret, with no possibility for reflective response. Its conclusions should not be announced at a time to scare away the next freshman class, nor so late that students can’t transfer if needed.

In other words, it should not done as the present Review has.

What should happen to the present Program Review? It should be withdrawn immediately, and/or vehemently opposed immediately, as both grossly ill-advised and ill-timed. The May Board of Trustees should be given it merely as a Report, not to be acted on, but as only some thoughts to consider next year when a real Review can be done.

I have been present at discussions and decisions on the Board of Trustees. This can be done.

Vernon Gregson, Ph.D., J.D.Professor, former Chair, Reigious StudiesFormer Chair, Loyola University SenateFormer Faculty Representative, Loyola Board of Trustees