With the addition of three new projects, bringing their total to 14, the members of Loyola University Community Action Program plan to keep active this academic year.
Loyola’s drive to be a more sustainable campus propelled the creation for a new bicycle rental program called “Iggy Bikes,” according to Chad Carson, sociology junior and LUCAP co-chairman. This rental program is geared toward promoting cycling as a means of transportation that does not negatively affect the environment.
Another program that is new to LUCAP is the new tutoring project, which will primarily serve the Loyola community. Students will be mentoring and tutoring in basic subjects the children of Loyola’s Dining Services and WFF staff members. This program has not started yet, since its still being developed, according to Carson.
Even though it has not started yet, it is the one Carson said he cannot wait to see.
“I’m really excited about the possibility for the on campus tutoring for employees kids,” he said. “It really gives us a chance to interact with our Loyola community in a different way than we have before.”
Also new to the organization is going to be working with the Forum for Equality, an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.
“Gay rights are human rights,” Carson said. “We want to ensure that every person has the equal rights of our society. It’s just another extension of our human rights work.”
As to membership, LUCAP has a different way of evaluating it than other campus organizations.
“That is defined in LUCAP by anyone who has ever done a service project with us, so we don’t keep exact figures,” he said.
One way they measure membership is by comparing an activity’s turnout to that of previous years.
“As far as Into the Streets, the freshmen service project, members were pretty similar to last year,” he said. “Almost one-hundred.”
Another way they measure involvement is by the amount of people who attend their meetings. Carson said their first meeting had more people than they could actually fit in the Magis Lounge.
“The big deal with us is keeping retention, keeping people involved in all the projects,” Carson said.
In an effort to do this, they did something differently this year. At the meeting, project leaders introduced themselves and talked about their individual projects.
“We wanted to make sure that, for the first meeting, they knew when they were going out for their projects,” he said.
Carson already knows the direction he wants to see LUCAP go.
“We want to increase the amount of service we’re doing, but also work on reflection,” he said. “We have to look at the broader social issues that we encounter when we go and do service.”
LUCAP will once again host their annual protest of the School of the Americas. This is one of the activities that requires travel, since it is in Fort Benning, Ga.
Another project is an alternative spring break trip. This trip will not require travel, since they will stay in New Orleans. For this LUCAP will be teaming up with University Ministry.
“It’s going to be like a New Orleans immersion, so we stay here to do service,” he said. “There’s plenty of work to do here.”
Eduardo Gonzalez can be reached at [email protected]
