With the inauguration behind us, and the president settling in to his new office, Americans are excited and anxious about the new administration’s policies. We, the people, elected President Barack Obama to the United States presidency on his platform of overall change, from economic policy to foreign affairs. He has assembled an impressive administration to help him carry out his goals for the next chapter in the country’s history.
Loyola has also been implementing changes for its community. The Maroon would like to commend those responsible for the changes Loyola has seen in the last year.
WFF workers, who work hard to maintain a sanitary and attractive campus, are finally getting an increase in their wages. Dining Services offers a much wider variety of options, from pulled-pork sandwiches to Mongolian stir fry, and has taken up many new initiatives, including teaching healthy-eating habits to students. While tuition will rise next year, this is standard, and it will help pay for student affairs and professor salaries. Financial aid will increase for those who need it. The university has undergone major aesthetic changes, from the renovated Danna Student Center to innovative art all over campus. Loyola is doing its part to catch up with constantly-evolving technology, like the renovated Bobet Hall classrooms and the smart classroom in the Danna Center.
There is still more to be done, though. The mold in Buddig Hall is still a serious issue for its residents. The Orleans Room is ridiculously crowded during the window, so a to-go option should be available, and not by registering online 24-hours in advance. The flat-screen televisions lack the ability to entice students to their advertised programs, displaying rather a misuse of funds.
The university itself is not the only problem. As Lewis Baker, the writer of this week’s In My Opinion, writes, our student body is depressingly apathetic. We talk a lot of game, constantly complaining about the same issues, but few of us actually take steps to alleviate what ails us or get involved in the machinations of our university. Unless we are all going to stand up and do our part to be, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “the change we wish to see,” we will only prove ourselves to be a very sorry and lazy generation.
Loyola should learn a lesson from the new president of the United States. And, as Barack Obama said during his inaugural speech, this country will rise from the bottom not in one term, but maybe two. We understand that change will be a slow process for Loyola. Everything that has to be done cannot happen overnight. However, these concerns and ideas are all things that the university should consider in its planning. We hope that Loyola will courageously act on the part of the welfare of its entire community, not only this year but in years to come, and we hope to see even greater good in our next chapter as well.
