I hardly feel that because Marcus Smith’s photograph did not show his entire head (“New marketing lacks critical thinking,” Aug. 29) it means he lacks a brain or is incapable of critical thinking. I have not been a cheerleader since Junior High School. However, I would gladly wave pom-poms for Loyola University because I am proud to be a part of this Jesuit institution.

If “humanism exalts the human,” then where is the humanity in bringing up clerical abuse in response to a sweatshirt marketing campaign? Where is the “critical thinking” in suggesting that “students failing courses, boring lectures or old professional peacocks struggling over prime office space” be shown as a way to market Loyola University? Where is the “social justice” in criticizing the students in the campaign?

As a student of this school for the past two years, I can attest to being given every opportunity not to fail courses. I have enjoyed the majority of my professors’ lectures, especially the ones that do not go on excessively about themselves. As for struggles over office space, I hardly feel that it is critical information for any student. I am more interested in the dialogues with the professors who take the time to get to know their students rather than judge them. Luckily, as one of the ads says, “Loyola’s goal is to teach how to think, not what to think.”

I can’t say whether the marketing people purposely looked for three students with “great smiles and outstanding teeth.” I can say that I work hard for my outstanding grades.

I agree “our marketing must not lag behind our academic excellence.” Neither should the critical thinking of our professors. “A Jesuit University is a place for serious arguments about serious ideas.” Surely, the marketing of the sweatshirt slogans or the behind-the-scenes squabbles over office space, should not be the serious argument that a professor makes in the first issue of the school paper during the first week of the school year. I wonder how our Catholic and non-Catholic students feel about these issues?

While only half of the faces of the students are shown in the pictures, I am confident that the Jesuit education that they receive here makes them complete individuals, whether you can see it or not.

Nicole Fitz Rawlins

English writing, Senior