John Carroll University Carroll Collected The aC rroll News Student 2-19-2009 The aC rroll News- Vol. 85, No. 15 John Carroll University Follow this and additional works at: http://collected.jcu.edu/carrollnews Recommended Citation John Carroll University, "The aC rroll News- Vol. 85, No. 15" (2009). The Carroll News. 793. http://collected.jcu.edu/carrollnews/793 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student at Carroll Collected. It has been accepted for inclusion in The aC rroll News by an authorized administrator of Carroll Collected. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Celebrity status Living simply JCU has welcomed numerous Students commit to a year celebrities over the years, p. 10 of living in solidarity, p. 3 THE ARROLL EWS Thursday,C February 19, 2009 Serving John Carroll University SinceN 1925 Vol. 85, No. 15 Crumbling relationships Cleaning staff Shaker Heights condo owners sue JCU over a cut back deteriorating wall; JCU sues back Cassandra Larson Staff Reporter Max Flessner, Projects Editor SSC Service Solutions released ten of The latest source of tension between John Carroll University and its neighborhood is not its 61 workers on Feb. 16, a move that how late the lights are on in Shula Stadium, nor is it drunken students loudly stumbling will save the University an estimated home at night — it’s a brick wall. $275,000 per year. The Fairmount West Condominium Owners Association is suing JCU for a “We started to discuss the custodial deteriorating wall on the property line between University-owned condos cuts in early January,” said Carol Dietz, at 20201 North Park Blvd., and the Fairmount Condos next door in associate vice president of facilities. “It Shaker Heights. has been a long process.” The condo owners claim the wall is structurally unsound, The SSC Service Solutions is separate unsightly and decreasing property values. They believe from John Carroll University and its em- the University has been uncooperative and not taken re- ployees are part of the Service Employee sponsibility to fix the wall. They’ve taken JCU to International Union. Cuyahoga County Court to make sure it does. These workers will be the first called But the University’s General Counsel Maria back or asked to fill-in or do part-time Alfaro-Lopez maintains the wall is not on the work, according to Dietz. University’s property and a countersuit has been “John Carroll has had a contract with filed against the Fairmount West Condominium this company for several years,” Dietz Association for the cost the school has incurred said. “The workers that were let go will in attorney’s fees. be receiving union compensation for 30 She says JCU has done everything it could to days after the initial lay-off.” resolve the issue, and she was surprised in De- JCU spends approximately $1,680,000 cember of 2007 when she learned of the suit. per year for janitorial services. The re- Alfaro-Lopez said, “We were trying to re- duction will reduce expenses by about solve the issue quickly and effectively, but once 16 percent. they went to court we felt like we had to defend Making cuts to the maintenance and custodial staff is just one solution for the Photo by The wall causing concern to Fairmount West Condominium Association Andrew Rafferty Please see WALL, p. 3 school to save money. The JCU Budget Committee has proposed several ideas for cost-saving initiatives, such as energy conservation and the immediate destruc- tion of the Bohannon Science Center, which would save them money in the A concert with a cause long term. The recent management of student Jenny Friedman Who: Sam Brenner and Peter Niro printing is also a new effort to decrease Staff Reporter What: spending. A benefit concert In order to compensate for the smaller On Friday night, the musical tal- Where: Donahue Auditorium custodial staff, all of the buildings on cam- ents of seniors Sam Brenner and Peter When: pus were surveyed to see where alterations Niro will join together to celebrate the Friday at 9:30 p.m. could be made. life of a lost friend at The Concert for Why: Lindsay Matthews “Custodial cuts were made where it Lindsay. seemed appropriate,” said Dietz. Lindsay Matthews, the sister of Scholarship Fund The faculty and staff offices are hit John Carroll University senior Scotty the hardest by the change. Before the cut, Matthews and 2007 graduate Mark offices were cleaned five days a week. As Matthews, passed away this November of Monday, they will only be maintained in a tragic accident where she was hit once a week by the custodial staff. by a tractor-trailer. The release of employees will also “Lindsay was passionate about impact the RecPlex, Grasselli Library everything that she did, and was one of and Don Shula Stadium. Cleaning hours the most caring people I know. She was in both the Rec Plex and Grasselli Library beautiful inside and out,” said Scotty will be reduced by 50 percent, and by 33 Matthews. percent in the stadium. However, several of these modifica- The idea for this tribute came from tions will take place in the summer months JCU senior Rose Petitti, who originally when the majority of students are not on Please see CONCERT, p. 2 Please see CLEANING, p. 2 Photo by Mike Spinelli Features 10 Inside this issue Index Sports 13 Overcoming odds Campus 2 Editorial 17 Tyler Kirsch rehabs knee injury Obama signs Arts & Life 6 Op/Ed 18 and contributes to JCU basket- stimulus bill, p. 8 World News 8 Classifieds 20 ball’s impressive record, p. 15 2 Campus February 19, 2009 www.jcunews.com The Carroll News Campus Briefs JCU awarded $25,000 grant Meredith Yagelski signed to be easily accessible and Staff Reporter simple to complete. What is the Mandel Foundation? JCU and Cleveland The committee decided that the John Carroll University has been application will be located online The Mandel Foundation was established in Cleveland, Ohio. Clinic partnership named the recipient of a $25,000 and will be distributed through the Its mission is to help provide outstanding leadership for the grant given by the Mandel Founda- daily FSA and All-Stu e-mail. The nonprofit world. The Cleveland Clinic and John tion of Cleveland. committee will evaluate the appli- Carroll University’s Graduate This grant will go toward events cant based on needs expressed in Studies program are partnering and programs that will help improve the application. The Foundation supports leadership education programs to offer teachers a “health arts” conversation on topics of inclusive- One of the main objectives of in its own institutions and at selected universities and curriculum. Any certified teach- ness and respect for others. the application is to make sure the organizations. ers seeking credit for professional JCU President, the Rev. Robert group has some clear way of assess- development or licensure renewal Niehoff made the announcement ing how successful or unsuccessful on Feb. 3, informing the University Areas of priority at the Foundation are: Leadership, Management are eligible to participate in the their event goes. community of the news. of Nonprofits, Higher Education, Jewish Education & Continuity, Cleveland Clinic’s “eXpressions” “The main purpose is to have Niehoff has chosen five members classroom-based programs and meaningful conversations on the and Urban Neighborhood Renewal. of the JCU community to comprise receive graduate credit from John inclusion of all communities. John the committee that will allocate and Carroll University wants to help Carroll University. distribute the grant money. improve conversation between -compiled from http://sps.mli.org.il/MandelFoundation/Mission.htm Registration for the spring se- Jonathan Smith, executive assis- different groups of people,” said mester is now open and closes Feb. tant to the president, will be chairing Lacueva. just groups of people are welcome to velop our cultural competencies – so 27. For more information contact this committee. All types of groups on campus help spark ideas,” said Smith. that there is mutual understanding Mark Storz at (216) 397-4284 or Committee members include are welcome to apply for grant The committee is very open to and respect,” said Bowen. [email protected]. Mark McCarthy, vice president for money. Although certain groups all ideas expressed in the applica- The application process will be- student affairs; Lauren Bowen, pro- are being targeted, the committee tion. However, innovative and cre- gin within the next few weeks. The fessor of political science; Graciela welcomes anyone to apply. Between ative ideas are the main objectives. committee hopes they will be able Lacueva, professor of physics; and Opportunity for eight to ten grants will be awarded They are also looking to impact to start giving grants out by the end Brittany Daugherty, a JCU junior. amounts ranging from $150 to the students and surrounding com- of the semester. They anticipate that At their first meeting on Feb. 9, credit in China $4,000. munities. these programs will be underway by the committee discussed the appli- “We hope that a number of ideas “We are hoping that via these the end of the semester, however, it cation process for those programs Any students who are interested will come from the students. We grants we will take additional steps seems more likely for things to start interested in grant money. in studying abroad are eligible want to focus it toward residence to foster a climate of inclusion at at the beginning of this coming fall The application has been de- to travel to China this summer. life. However, any student or even JCU and more specifically will de- semester.