While the new master plan is still in its drafting stages, some members of the crowd at its unveiling expressed concern about how it’s going to be executed.

“Plans are done. Our suggestions haven’t mattered. I don’t feel as though they’ve included students,” said Khadijha Rogers, president of the Black Student Union.

“Diversity was a big part of our discussion last time, but nothing was brought up from the meeting. Today’s presentation wasn’t for the student body.”

Brian Dirden, mass communication sophomore and work-study employee for the Center for Intercultural Understanding, is a part of the Steering Committee, which is comprised of more than 20 faculty members and students who met with the architects last spring. He said he wishes the students were involved with the whole master plan.

“I’m really curious about where the CIU moves, especially considering that right now it’s such a symbolic place,” Dirden said.

“We haven’t had meetings in forever since we changed architects the first time, so I have no idea what is going on with the Danna Center.”

Philosophy assistant professor Joseph Berendzen said he believes the master plan is too conservative and will homogenize the campus.

“I would like to see Loyola show some intellectual expansiveness, and guts, frankly, with the master plan,” he said.

“Can’t we do something more interesting than cladding every building on campus in red brick in a hidebound attempt to mimic the older buildings on campus? Why shouldn’t we aim for a successful challenging contemporary design?”

Berendzen said the plan leaves him with a disturbing impression.

“Consider this – it has a bunch of buildings that all look vaguely the same, linked together by second-floor arcades, and attached to a massive parking garage,” he said.

“That sounds, to me, more like the description of a shopping mall than a college campus.”

– Rosie Dao