Mirror - Vol. 32, No. 27 - April 26, 2007

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WEEK OF APRIL 26,2007
Vol. 32, Iss. 27 - 20 pages
FREE - Take One MIRROR WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM
The independent student newspaper
of Fairfield University
VirginiaTech Shooting Advances Discussion ofFairfield Security
BY TOM CLEARY
James Fitzpatrick, assistant vice
president of Student Affairs, tried to
log onto the Virginia Tech Web site
moments after hearing about the first
shootings on its campus on April 16.
Fitzpatrick could not log on, as the
amount of people trying to do the same
thing caused the Web site to crash.
Fitzpatrick instantly realized that
if a similar incident had occurred at
Fairfield, it would have been difficult
to spread the news, a particular prob-lem
being that the school's plan calls
for the posting of an announcement
online.
Now, after the tragic events at
Virginia Tech, where 33 people were
killed, Fitzpatrick and the Fairfield
administration are looking to improve
the University's plan for handling
emergency situations.
"The University has had an on-going
effort to develop emergency
FITZPATRICK
plans; this isn't
something we
started last week,"
said Director of
Public Safety Todd
Pelazza. "There are
very specific plans
on dealing with
crises, man-made
and natural."
Fitzpatrick
said it is necessary to have a plan
for dealing with any situation that
arises.
"The Virginia Tech situation was
a unique incident," said Fitzpatrick.
"Because it [Fairfield] is a smaller
campus, it is easier to alert people."
Fairfield is looking to create a
new emergency alert system and plans
to have something in place by the end
of the semester, Fitzpatrick said.
The two options that are being
considered are a campus-wide alarm
system, similar to those used in the
Midwest to issue tornado warnings
or a reverse 9/11 system, which will
send text or voicemail messages to
students' and faculty members' cell
phones, Fitzpatrick added.
A secondary computer server is
also being considered to prevent the
Web site from crashing.
The University has had experi-ence
dealing with a crisis in the past.
In 2002 former student Patrick Arbelo
claimed to have a bomb in Canisius
Hall. He held 23 hostages, who were
all later released unharmed. Fairfield
administrators evacuated Canisius
Hall and alerted Fairfield police, Con-necticut
State Police and eventually
the FBI.
"That situation was handled quite
well," said Dean of Students Thomas
Pellegrino. "The University did a good
job responding to these issues."
Fairfield currently operates with
a nationally-recognized method of
dealing with incidents, according to
Pelazza. If an incident occurs, the
local law enforcement or fire depart-ment
takes control, with the campus
administration contributing to the
decision-making process.
Pelazza offered advice to Fairfield
students about handling such situa-tions.
"If an incident does occur and you
are not directly involved, call your
parents and let them know you are
OK, so communication centers don't
get flooded with calls," he said.
Many Fairfield students said they
feel secure on campus. However, the
events at Virginia Tech made some re-evaluate
their position on security.
"I feel completely safe. I have
never really felt unsafe," said Gary
McGovern '10. "Public Safety seems
to do a good job. I had never really
thought about it before, but after I
SEE "CAMPUS" ON P. 3
INSIDE:
AFTERMATH OF
VIRGINIATECH
TRAGEDY:
EFFECTS FELT
AT FAIRFIELD,
P. 3
CONSTITUTION-AL
RELEVANCE
IN CURRENT
NEWS, P. 8
QUESTION OF
THE WEEK:
DoYou
FEEL SAFE AT
FAIRFIELD?
P. 15
p
Bill McBain /The Mirror
This isn't your mother's wedding: Bridal party goes gothic for the senior Mock Wedding. For the full story, see p. 2.
Taylor Resigns After 20 Years at Fairfield
BY CHRISTOPHER HALISKOE
Ric Taylor, associate vice presi-dent
for campus planning and opera-tions,
has worked at Fairfield for 20
years, although he never anticipated
a lengthy stay.
Taylor recently decided to step
down. His resignation will be effective
at the end of the academic year.
"With the University now em-barking
on a long-term facilities plan
to support the strategic vision, the time
is appropriate for new leadership to
take the helm, bringing new ideas and
creativity to the campus's develop-ment,"
said Taylor.
Taylor mananges all aspects of
Fairfield's physical plant form the day
to day activities to major projects.
"I was hired to supervise construc-tion
of the Quick Center and Chapel
and I assumed I would move on once
they were completed. But one project
blended into the next," said Taylor.
In addition to the Egan Chapel of
St. Ignatius Loyola and the Regina A.
Quick Center for the Arts, Taylor has
a long list of accomplishments.
"Seeing Fairfield develop into
the institution it is today has been ex-tremely
exciting," said Taylor. "The
people with whom I have worked over
the years will be what I miss most."
Taylor has aided in the construc-tion
and the renovations of the Apart-ment
Village, the DiMenna-Nyselius
Library, the Rudolph F. Bannow
Science Center, the John A. Barone
Campus Center, the Aloysius P. Kel-ley,
S.J. Center, the Dolan Campus
complex and the combined heat and
power facility that is currently under
construction.
Taylor said that, during his two
decades of work, some of his person-
TAYLOR
al and professional
goals were put on
hold.
"The timing
will enable me to
take advantage of
opportunities that
have presented
themselves and,
hopefully, realize
my desire to flee the long New England
winters," he said.
Bill Lucas, vice president for Fi-nance
and Administration has worked
closely with Taylor and said Taylor's
efforts have been vital to campus
planning.
"Ric Taylor has tirelessly devoted
two decades of his life to the institution
and the critically important areas of
facilities development and operation,
SEE "TAYLOR" ON P. 6
New Leading Man
for Lady Stags
BY CHRIS SIMMONS
FRAGER
Last Wednesday, Fairfield announced the hiring
of a new head women's basketball coach.
Joe Frager, who led Southern Connecticut State
University (SCSU) to the Division II 2007 National
Championship last season with a 34-2 record, ac-cepted
the job and will become the fifth coach in the
program's history.
Despite his success at
SCSU, Frager decided the op-portunity
at Fairfield was too
good to pass up.
"At the conclusion of the
interview process, driving off
the Fairfield University campus,
and after having come in contact
with so many people throughout
the course of the day, it was very
apparent to me that Fairfield
University was a special place and I desperately
wanted to be a part of Fairfield University," said
Frager in his opening remarks at his introductory
press conference on April 18.
He will replace Dianne Nolan, who guided the
Stags for 28 years before stepping aside in March.
The past year, the women's record was 15-16, entering
them into the semifinals of the MAAC tournament.
"There is a strong desire to win here, I sensed
that from the very moment I stepped on campus," he
said. "And if I did not believe that there was a com-mitment
to excellence here from top to bottom, then
I would not be standing here today."
Frager has been successful at both of his previous
coaching positions. At Seymour High School, he won
208 games while only losing 58, all while winning
three state championships. He then moved to SCSU
where he went 189-83, earned a national champion-ship
and was the recipient of the Molton/Women's
D-II National Coach of the Year Award.
"You don't try to recreate step for step everything
that you've done in previous coaching. But there are
certain core philosophies that have been really good
and worked in both high school and at the college
level," said Frager. "We want to guard, take care of
the ball, take high percentage shots, and cultivate a
group of people that don't respond well to losing."
SEE "FRAGER" ON P. 6
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