The University News (Irving, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 6, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 9, 2002 Page: 4 of 16
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4 October 9, 2002 The University News
News
Forum
CONT. FROM PAGE 1
been in the works for a while.
"It had its... embryonic beginnings two
years ago," he said.
Business deliberations
Two years ago Joseph met with presi-
dents of two universities in Lebanon and
discussed the "common reality of com-
merce" as that which either brings people
of different nations together or separates
them, establishing a need for leadership
among nations, Joseph said.
"If there's any university that should be
able to make that happen, it's the Univer-
sity of Dallas, with our global sense in
Rome and with our understanding of the
historical realities of Greek and Roman
shaping of Western society," he said.
Joseph and the board thus felt that a busi-
ness major was vety much in keeping with
this line of thought, as the liberal arts must
underpin any particular degree one may
seek at this institution, including the busi-
ness major.
Many students brought up questions re-
garding the specific method by which the
board went about deciding on the found-
ing of the major, particularly on faculty
involvement
Administrators said that an initial all-
faculty meeting was held in November for
those faculty who wished to attend. A vote
was then held June 3 with the faculty sen-
ate voting 10 - 3 in favor of the establish-
ment of the major with two abstentions
Increased Core
Questions also were raised as to whether
or not the core will be cut for business
majors and how that could affect the mis-
sion of the university.
"I came down here and became the pro-
vost to praise the core, not to bury it," Lind-
say said. "To abandon [the core] for the
sake of a few more students here or there
would be to commit suicide."
Rather than cut the core, Lindsay said,
business majors actually will take an in-
creased core, having to take three more
credit hours than other students. The three
extra credits will come via an additional
theology course titled Social Justice in The-
ology. There also will be a stronger focus
on leadership in the rest of the core. Liter-
ary Traditions IV will focus on leadership
in the novel, which Lindsay said is in line
with its current curriculum that focuses on
the hero of the novel. American civiliza-
tion II will focus on the development of
business in America. Science class require-
ments will include either environmental
science or biotechnology.
Joseph said business students will not
be different from other undergraduate stu-
dents, and the business major will actually
be very difficult.
Lindsay said, "This really is a first of its
kind business degree."
In response to concerns that the business
college will be established only to help the
university out of financial difficulties, Lind-
say cited Edmund Burke's concept of "the
happy coincidence of principle and inter-
est" from Thoughts on the Revolution in
France.
Lindsay interpreted this principle to
mean that in order to function as a univer-
sity so that it can form good people with a
liberal arts background, financial concerns
from keeping the lights on to paying pro-
fessors must be relevant.
Joseph said, "We are not disembodied
spirits. Lhe reality is if you don't deal with
[financial matters] you're not going to have
the opportunity of getting the professor in
the classroom."
Ex Corde Ecclesiae
Following business college matters,
much discussion was given to the document
Ex Corde Ecclesiae, a papal constitution
on the nature of the Catholic university re-
leased in 1990. An SG senator expressed
student concern that UD has not officially
expressed its support of the document. Jo-
seph said this information was in fact inac-
curate.
"The university is fully in compliance
with Ex Corde Ecclesiae," he said. Indi-
vidual professors in the theology depart-
ment have established agreements with the
bishop of the diocese of Dallas.
"I have in my files the signed documents
of the department of theology members
who have written to the bishop," he said.
Joseph said no necessary document ex-
ists for Catholic universities to sign to com-
ply with Ex Corde Ecclesiae.
Denise Phillips, director of campus min-
istry, also spoke on the subject.
"Long before Ex Corde was ever writ-
ten, the Church had a canon law that said
'If you teach theology, you teach Catholic
theology," she said.
During training sessions with teachers
and campus ministers and in discussions
with parents, Phillips said "I make it very
clear that the office of Campus Ministry
models its program according to the pasto-
ral ministry suggestions in Ex Corder
Phillips said she does not feel it neces-
sary for the UD campus ministry to pub-
lish public proclamations of support for Ex
Corde like universities such as the
Franciscan University of Steubenville, cited
by an SG member, because, she said,
"We're just busy doing it."
Joseph said that first a university must
be a good university; then it can become a
good Catholic university.
"Grace builds on nature," he said.
Other concerns
Other topics discussed included campus
diversity, which Zuker said admissions is
alway s working to improve, the absence of
Dr. Janet Smith and the possibility of the
campus doctor prescribing contraceptives
to students.
Regarding Smith's departure, Joseph
said she left for an opportunity to work with
seminarians and bishops, and he should
hear from her in December or January as
to her possible return. Regarding the dis-
tribution of contraceptives, Zuker said "She
[Dr. Laurie Dekat] does not and never has
prescribed contraceptives."
Approxmately 80 students attended, fill-
ing Gorman A.
Board
CONT. FROM PAGE 1
Higgins was somewhat more
reserved about the significance of
his input.
"How seriously they take [what
I say] is up to them (the board
members)," he said.
Villanueva said he found the
board members strongly encour-
aged his and Higgins' participa-
tion in meetings.
"Lhey treat me as one of their
equals when I'm in there, which
is actually quite intimidating," he
said.
Villanueva remains ambivalent,
however, about what he can report
to students regarding board pro-
ceedings and decisions.
"I don't quite know myself
what I can comment on and can't
comment on," he said.
While Higgins said after the
meeting, "I thought it was very in-
teresting," he would not comment
on what he thought should be held
in confidence.
"If there's something I think
that's germane to the faculty, I can
mention it," he said.
At last week's SG forum Presi-
dent Msg. Mlam Joseph said the
idea of letting students and faculty
have a voice in the board devel-
oped several years ago.
Last year's student body presi-
dent, Anne Johnson, wrote a let-
ter to the chairman of the board at
Joseph's encouragement request-
ing that the student body president
be allowed to sit in on board meet-
ings. After receiving the letter, the
board spent much time discussing
the matter in several subcommit-
tees.
Universities around the coun-
try have varied practices, Joseph
said. "Many universities do it, and
many universities do not do it," he
said.
Universities who do allow stu-
dents and faculty to sit on the
board do so to encourage collabo-
ration, shared responsibilities and
openness about what goes on with
the university.
Now the students
actually have
some sort of say
in the university's
future and in
decisions made
for the university.
- SG President
Mark Villanueva
"Some do not do it for that very
reason," Joseph said. "They do
not think the faculty or student
body government ought to be a
part of the inside aspect of what
the board of trustees actually deals
with."
Villanueva said these reasons
contribute to the significance of
his new responsibility.
"It's so big I can't really explain
it. Now the students actually have
some sort of say in the university's
future and in decisions made for
the university," he said.
Joseph said, "In some ways he
has a real decision to make. He
has to represent [the student body]
and yet as a member of the board
he has to have a wide and broad,
in-depth picture that these deci-
sions the board makes are long
standing."
Villanueva discussed several
possibilities with board members.
These included a meeting between
the two groups, a presentation
Villanueva could make to the
board regarding "the general feel-
ing or general status" of students,
and having students sit in on sub-
committee meetings.
If students have concerns they
would like the board to address,
Villanueva said they should ap-
proach him.
"I could either bring it up at the
next meeting or get in contact with
one of the board members and
express that concern," he said.
Villanueva said the new posi-
tion should impact future SG elec-
tions.
"So much more responsibility
has been added to the position,"
he said.
Dr. C.W. Eaker, vice chair of
Faculty Senate, said, "I'm really
excited about the opportunity it
gives the board to know about fac-
ulty concerns and student con-
cerns about the university."
Though Villanueva could not
comment on the content of last
week's the board meeting, he was
impressed by the thorough delib-
erations and the scope of topics
discussed.
"The agenda they gave me was
like a book. . .It's like a packet
you'd get in politics," he said.
The board of trustees is the le-
gal governing body of the univer-
sity that supervises the general
management of the university and
acts on all major organizational
changes. According to the UD
employee handbook, the board
acts as legal representative of the
university, develops sources of
funds, and "is responsible for the
realization of the aims and pur-
poses of the university.. . . Major
changes in university aims or pur-
poses or in the curriculum shall
be subject to the action of the
board."
The next board meeting will be
Dec. 5.
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Hendrickson, Janet. The University News (Irving, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 6, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 9, 2002, newspaper, October 9, 2002; Irving, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201555/m1/4/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Dallas.