Physics gravitating toward Loyola once again

Sometime in the near future, rocket scientists will once again be able to proudly declare they graduated from Loyola University with an undergraduate degree in physics.

University administrators have decided to re-instate the major after having suspended it as a stipulation of the “Pathways” restructuring plan last spring.

“We’re very happy and relieved,” said Martin McHugh, chairman and associate professor of the physics department. “Ever since we got suspended, we were working with administrators to get it back.”

According to McHugh, the cut reduced the total number of students majoring in physics from 26 in Fall 2005 to five, currently. Because the major had been suspended, no new physics majors declared in the 2006-07 school year and no freshmen from the class of 2010 had the ability to opt to major in physics.

“The (students) who stuck with us are now certain they’ll get their degrees, and now we can accept new students into the department,” he added.

McHugh feels that the major had been suspended primarily because the administration deemed its enrollment was low.

“But we never really understood how suspending it was supposed to help our enrollment,” he said.

New Broadway bench a memorial to Fucich

A new bench on the Broadway campus has been put in place as a memorial to Trent Fucich, the Loyola student who died last spring of meningitis he contracted in his Cabra Hall dorm room.

A joint effort between the Cabra Residential Council and Phi Kappa Psi, Fucich’s fraternity, resulted in a memorial ceremony for Fucich on Feb. 21. Following Mass in the chapel, the memorial dedication ceremony was held on the Broadway Campus.

“The memorial service was a positive and happy reminder of Trent’s life,” said Cabra senior resident assistant Christina Edwards, religious studies senior. A group of about 40 people gathered for the memorial; Trent’s grandmother cooked gumbo. The bench, which is to serve as a permanent memorial in Trent’s honor, has been placed under a savannah holly tree.

The bench faces the tree and a stone plaque adorns its base with the engraving, “In Loving Memory Trent Wise Fucich / Live Ever, Die Never / Dedicated February 2007 / Cabra Hall Phi Kappa Psi.”

According to Phi Kappa Psi president and sociology senior Gene Hernandez, “The bench is a place where his brothers, friends and random students can sit in seclusion to simply enjoy the scenery.”