Los Angeles Loyolan
Loyola Marymount University Volume 64 Issue 11 December 10, 1986
Forum heads list of recent ' Apartheid' events
By DONNA THOMPSON,
Assistant News Editor
Much controversy has arisen at
LMU concerning Apartheid. The
week of November 24 to November 29
could easily be termed “Apartheid
Awareness Week” as a result of the
number of activities taking place on
campus concerning Apartheid and
South Africa.
An open forum to discuss LMU’s in¬
vestments in South Africa was held in
St. Robert’s Auditorium on Tuesday,
November 25. The forum was essentially
a meeting of the Faculty Senate, the Stu¬
dent Senate and representatives of the
Sullivan Social Justice Advisory Com-
*,f 4 with members of the University
community to discuss the University’s
involvement in South Africa .
i ie , i .me of the forum was whether
or not tne University should divest itself
of i s holdings in South africa. The
forum began with Moderator Fernando
Moreno presenting the present universi¬
ty holdings in South Africa. The Univer¬
sity has holdings in four mutual funds,
one of which maintains a socially blind
investment policy and three funds that
invest according to the Sullivan Prin¬
ciples, which is an affirmative action
type policy that is considered socially
responsible.
Statements by a representative from
both faculty and student Senates were
presented. Juan Mejia, representing the
student Senate, called for the forum “ to
be the first step in proving that LMU is a
Catholic University not only in name,
but in action.”
There were two speeches presented by
LMU students, on the proponent of
divestment in South Africa was Chris
Mathieu, on the opponent side was E.
Shane Wrixon-Becher. Wrixon-Becher
stressed the point that he felt divesting
was not the answer because it would hurt
black South Africans. Mathieu said that
sanctions against South Africa are
necessary and economic pressures are
the only thing the South African govern¬
ment will respond to. The only solution
“ is to make it economically no longer in
their interest to maintain apartheid.”
The course of the forum then turned to
an open discussion and may subjects
were considered.
On Monday, November 24 Trevor
Fowler of the ANC (African National
Congress) spoke in Sullivan Lounge. He
spoke on Apartheid and the future of
South africa. He explained the effects of
apartheid on the non-African popula¬
tion of South Africa and the effect of
the South African foreign policy on the
rest of Southern Africa.
A “shanty town” was erected by
LMU students in the spirit of the other
events takingplace that week. It was
built by members of the Progessive
Students Organization and other in¬
dividuals opposed to Apartheid and was
co-sponsored by the Peace Studies Club.
The shanty was similar to the dwellings
that can be found in South African
shanty towns. The structure was made
of cardboard, wood, chicken wire,
plastic, and nails. Approximatly 20
students slept in it the two nights it
stood, equiped with flash lights and
sleepfeig bags. The shanty was intended
as a mechanism to raise the awareness of
the students with regards of South
Africa. It was a reminder of what kind
of life Apartheid provides for roughly 22
million people in South Africa.
Holiday laughs help hungry
One commission down,
three going strong
By ANITA FITZGERALD,
Staff Writer
Ш
he weather was fair, with early
morning low clouds on the
Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but
that was not what weatherman Fritz
Coleman came to tell LMU students that
night. Coleman, and seven other come¬
dians from the Improv in Hollywood,
came to do a comedy show to raise
money for the group LIFE (Love is
Feeding Everyone).
The show was sponsored by the Sigma
Pi fraternity, and was the culmination of
a day-long event that centered around
food-collection for the hungry. Tables
were set up around campus where
students, faculty, and the community
could drop off canned goods that will be
distributed by LIFE to Los Angeles’
hungry.
Dennis Weaver, president and co¬
founder of the organization, opened the
show with a few words about LIFE, then
turned the show over to the comedians.
Everyone who was a part of the show
donated his time, and all the proceeds
went to LIFE.
“The purpose of the show is to get
students involved in the cause... to make
people aware of the problem,” said Don
Russell, a member of Sigma Pi and
organizer of the event. “A comedy show
is something they can participate in,
something they’ll respond to.”
For the fraternity itself, Russell add¬
ed, “The main purpose is philanthropy,
to show that Sigma Pi has more of a pur¬
pose than just partying.”
Sigma Pi became involved in LIFE
through Russell, whom LIFE contacted
last summer, and asked if they would be
interested in sponsoring such an event.
The response from the fraternity was
good, and from there the planning
began.
The organization LIFE began three
years ago to answer directly the needs of
the hungry, primarily in Los Angeles. Of
the 35.3 million hungry in the United
States, 1.3 million are in Southern
California area.
“There’s more than enough food out
there to feed everyone,” said Russell.
LIFE hopes that through positive
methods, such as this comedy show, that
‘ they’ll ^e able to lessen this.
“The good thing about LIFE is that it
is non-political and non-
denominational,” added Russell.
“That’s the problem a lot of people have
with these organizations.” But with
LIFE’S positive approach to the problem
of hunger, they are able to skirt this
issue, and meet with great success, such
as the LMU comedy show.
■
Students bring
Mozart to Murphy
By KATHY McGRATH,
News Writer
Яеп
LMU student soloists performed
in a Mozart Gala on Sunday
November 23rd in Murphy Hall. The
LMU’ Instrumental Ensemble opened
the concert with Symphony No. 24 in
В
flat major and then, for the first time in
the history of the Music Department,
student pianists had a chance to play
with an orchestra. Nancy Uelman,
David Clayter, and Irene Im each played
a movement from Mozart’s Concerto
for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in D ma¬
jor. The artists played beautifully, each
incorporating his/her own brand of sen¬
sitivity and musical grace into the piece.
After intermission, the capacity crowd
was treated to another Loyola first:
“Bastien and Bastienne,” an opera
Mozart wrote when he was twelve years
old, was performed by seven student
vocalists with orchestra. Talented tenors
John Gloudeman, Brian Martin, and
Tim McCutchan each plaved the part of
со'
r ued nrt page 2
By HUGH CURRAN,
Staff Writer
Four presidential commissions have
been established to closely examine
various aspects of student life at LMU.
The purpose of the four commissions,
initiated by ASLMU president Ron
Hodges, is to offer proposals to ad¬
ministration and faculty that will im¬
prove student life. The four commis¬
sions are academic standards, student
services, allocation of funds, and con¬
vocation.
The academic standards commission,
headed by Patty Butler, will closely ex¬
amine academic advisement, teacher
evaluations, the possible need to raise
grading standards and its opposite,
grade quotas.
“A suggestion had been made that
high grades were too easily given out.
Some faculty responded to that by put¬
ting quotas on the number of A’s and
B’s awarded. That’s going overboard.
We definitely want to get that cleaned
up,” said Hodges.
The student services commission,
headed by Thom Brennan, will focus on
such services as the bookstore, physical
plant, SAGA and the question of
whether or not campus security should
have a director.
Hodges pointed out that for the first
time a student, Hodges himself in fact,
has been placed on the committee that
will renegotiate the SAGA contract. “I
see this as another step for student
recommendations,” said Hodges.
The allocation of funds commission,
headed by Michael Ludwig, will concen¬
trate on the question of work study
funds.
Hodges said that in the past, students
would be told to work a certain number
of hours in order to receive a set amount
of payment. Sometimes, towards the
middle or end of the semester, the stu¬
dent would be informed that funds no
longer existed for work study, and the
student would be asked to continue on a
voluntary basis. Hodges expressed a
high concern for this issue.
The fourth commission, that of con¬
vocation hour, has been disbanded after
successfully having their proposals
agreed to. The commission was formed
to bring back an hour in the early after¬
noon when no classes could be scheduled
for the purpose of club meetings and
concerts. After a compromise on the ex¬
act hour, an agreement was reached with
the student and faculty senates as well as
the administration.
The new convocation hour will be bet¬
ween 12:05 P.M. and 1:05 P.M. on
Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The commissions were started two
years ago by then-ASLMU president
Chris Silva. The first year commission
examined and made proposals for the
library, the second year’s commission
investigated resident life procedures.
In the past, the president was solely
responsible for creating a commission.
When asked why these specific commit¬
tees were formed, Hodges responded
that, “These were the priorities
established at the leadership conference
by the students.”
When asked about the effectiveness of
the commissions Hodges replied, “Of
course they won’t have earth-shattering
results, but they will help to make
positive changes. The subjects we’re
dealing with affect many aspects of stu¬
dent life.”
Proposals will be submitted by the
commissions every two weeks with a
final summary to be made at the end of
the year.
Hodges encourages public suggestions
and asks that all recommendations be
submitted to Margaret O’Malley at the
ASLMU offices. ■
