Mirror - Vol. 12, No. 07 - October 22, 1987

              Features
A Poser's guide 6 Commentary
Computer labs unreliable 9 A&E
Star Trek's Second Generation 10
TheMIRRORv
Fairfield
Volume 12, No. 7 Our Second Decade Thursday, October 22, 1987 The Image of Fairfield
University undergoes
accreditation process
By Greg Curley
Staff Writer
Fairfield University experienced an
evaluation by the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges
(NEASC) over four days this week, from
Sunday, October 18th through
Wednesday, October 21st. The
evaluation is the main part of the process
through which the University obtains its
accreditation.
The NEASC is a non-profit,
member organization to which Fairfield
has belonged since shortly after the
University was established. Schools in
the NEASC must receive an evaluation
team, comprised of faculty and staff from
other NEASC institutions, every ten
years. The team submits a report to the
association, which is voted on,
determining whether or not the
institution deserves accreditation.
"Accreditation is crucial to any
University," stated Fr. Savage, the
Assistant Academic Vice President. It is
assurance that qaulity education is
offered. Without it, numerous problems
would arise, such as a difficulty for the
University to obtain grants.
The visiting evaluation committee
consisted of 8 members, selected on their
ability to inquire about various
dimensions of the University. In
addition, the State of Connecticut
Department of Higher Education sent an
evaluator to monitor the school.
Fairfield is chartered by the state, and the
state must assure the school's worthiness
of this charter.
Fairfield University spent over a
year in preparation for this visit,
composing a comprehensive self-study.
A ten person steering committee,
comprised of various university officials
and chaired by Fr. Thomas J. Savage,
S.J., was created. The committee
obtained detailed reports, composed by
task forces covering various dimensions
of the University. The staff of each task
force consisted of faculty and some
students, all volunteers. Each answered
questions outlined in the Accreditation
Handbook, distributed by the NEASC.
The staffs then met to discuss and debate
their responses. After these meetings a
first draft of the handbook was produced.
The University community then had an
opportunity to critique this book before
Fr. Savage compiled the final draft this
summer.
Fr. Savage compared the evaluation
process to the taking of a test, claiming,
"the best part is the year in preparation
for the team to come." He said that
compiling the self-study is like studying,
"which is what you leam from." He
summed up, "You gain the most from
preparation."
Fr. William Carr, S.J., a member of
the steering committee, noted the
importance and the benefit the University
received from compiling the self-study.
He claimed the study promoted, "internal
communication among Fairifeld students,
faculty, and administration about what
they thought of the school." Fr. Carr
further commented that he was impressed
with the study mainly because, "It
showed that Fairfield was willing to
admit that we will try to remedy the
situation."
The self-study and the evaluation
provide excellent opportunity for the
University to improve and strengthen
itself. Fr. Savage claimed that evaluators
who provide comments and suggestios
"from a colleague's point of view" are
most beneficial. The self-study
documents and examines issues which
merit critical attention. The University
can then gather these materials and build
upon them.
Dorm damage stats revealed
By Robert H. Johansen
Staff Writer
Each year, students create a great
amount of damage in the dormitories and
townhouses. According to Student
Services, last year Fairfield students
created more than $105,385 worth of
damage by accidents and vandalism. This
money must be paid by parents with the
tuition bill, at the end of the year. Last
year's amount was down from the '85/'86
year's figure of $102,869, and the 'S4f85
year figure of $99,159.
Students who share dorm rooms or
townhouses must share the bill for
damage done to their rooms unless
individual responsibility is taken. In the
dormitories, students share the bill for
their corridors and wings. According to
Mr. Rossi, Director of Housing, "What
that includes are things that are student
damaged and also anything that would be
billed to the students which would not
necessarily be intentional, but
accidental."
At the end of the year, room checks
are made. Students are encouraged to be
present for this in order to detect errors.
During these room checks, most of the
dorm damage is discovered. This damage
includes such things as broken chairs and
missing smoke alarms. Mr. Rossi said
that "the bulk of the damages are going
to come from student rooms" and would
include "things that are missing, and
things that are broken and are not
reported earlier in the year."
Not all damage done to the dorms
and townhouses can be pinpointed. This
debt for the damage must then be paid
with the tuition by parents. It is a
separate item that is included on both the
fall and spring bills.
Mr. Richard Rossi receives the work
orders to repair the damage done to the
dorms and townhouses. He receives as
many as thirty work orders each day.
The maintenance department and the
Housing department determine what is
considered student damage. Mr. Rossi is
the final arbitrator of that, and "gets the
See Damage, p. 2
Father Joseph van Beeck, S.J., speaks in the Oakroom.
(photo by Ronzoni)
Van Beek discusses
Christian Worship
By Ann Marie Puckhaber
Staff Writer
"The Christian Church is decisively
recognized by its worship," stated
Reverend Franz Josef van Beeck, S.J., in
his lecture "Risky Worship in a Pagan
World: Christian Worship in Pliny's,
Letter."
On Wednesday, October 14, Father
van Beeck, the John Cardinal Cody
Professor of Sacred Theology at Loyola
University, gave a lecture in the Campus
Center Oak Room as part of the
Bellarmine Lecture Series by
Distinguished Jesuit Scholars. The
welcome and introduction were given by
Dr. Robert Stepsis, Academic Vice
President.
Pliny was a Roman official who
wrote to the emperor, Trajan, for
instructions on how to deal with the
Christians. The letter was written in 112
A.-D. Father van Beeck described the
letter as a "vivid picture (of Christianity)
seen through the eyes of an outsider." He
said that the Christians were an urgent
problem to the Romans because
Christianity seemed to" be "contagious."
Father van Beeck's translation of Pliny's
letter and Trajan's reply were distributed
and read at the lecture.
Father van Beeck said that the focal
issue in Pliny's letter was "the worship
of Christians." Pliny knew that on a
fixed day the Christians gathered for a
community worship and a common
meal. "Liturgical worship is the heart of
the the Church," said Father van Beeck.
Although the Romans recognized that the
Christian service was harmless, Father
van Beeck said that they considered
Christianity to be a "corrupt and
extravagant foreign religion."
Whether or not the worship service
described in Pliny's letter was the
Eucharist can not be determined.
However, Father van Beeck said that
"there are no compelling reasons to
assume that it was not the Eucharist."
Many of the Christians were
executed by Pliny. Father van Beeck
explained that they were punished by
death because "the impenitent
particularity and the exclusiveness of
Christian worship were unacceptable."
The Romans were intolerant of the
Christians and the Christians refused to
be like other religions. Father van Beeck
said that the attraction to Christianity
was "virtuous living, not notoriety."
New Trustees elected
By Lynn Ann Casey
Staff Writer
On Friday, October 9th, the Board of
Trustees of Fairfield University elected
seven new members at the first half of
their four meetings this year. According
to Fr. Higgins, S.J., the Assistant to the
President, "The new board members
represent the diversity of the current
board." The board consists of nine
Jesuits, four parents of current students,
ten alumni, executives, and is comprised
of both men and women. All together,
there are 36 active Trustees and 7
Trustees Emeriti. Represented are a
variety of states including 15 from
Fairfield, 10 from New York, and four
from Massachusetts.
Two new Jesuits were elected. Fr.
Richard Curry, S.J., a Jesuit from
Philadelphia, is the Founder and Artistic
Director of the National Theatre
Workshop of the Handicapped in New
York City. Joseph Fahey, S.J. is Vice
President of Boston College. He had
previously served on the board from 1972-
1981. ■— -
Two parents of present students were
also included on the Board. James Daly,
whose daughter Julie is a freshman, is an
attorney in New York City, and Jeremy
Jacobsis, Chairman and CEO of
Delaware North Companies, Inc., whose
daughter Katie is a junior.
Dennis Dammerman, Senior Vice
President for General Electric in Fairifeld,
and another new member, has a son who
has recently graduated from Fairfield
Prep.
Also elected were an alumnus of the
Class of '67, and a General Partner for
Burr, Egan, Delage & Co. in Boston, arid
a former resident and community
volunteer in Fairfield County now
residing in Arlington VA.
The Board of Trustees is responsible
for making the major policy decisions
affecting the course of the University.
The board does such things as setting
guidelines for future policies, setting
goals for building aid resources,
recruiting and retaining Jesuits, and
faculty resource. They have the final
authority on the financial stability of the
university.
See Board, p. 3