Mirror - Vol. 02, No. 04 - May 5, 1978

              AD HOC Proposes New Alcohol Guidelines
by Marianne O'Connell
The Ad Hoc Committee of the
University Council last Tuesday
submitted a proposal to the Council
which recommends the use of dorm
councils in implementing drinking
regulation policy on campus.
Following several weeks of
discussion, the committee, formulated
for the purpose of reviewing drinking
regulations, has named dorm councils
as a major implement in the effective
organizing and controlling of floor
parties, in a hope to bring some of the
authority and control of drinking
policy back to the students.
According to the proposal, the use
of dorm councils will "allow for better
organization, reduce pressure on the
party chairman and R.A., allow for an
easier and more efficient closing
process and will implement the dorm
councils which should be a viable
means of student representation."
The committee also proposed a
standard closing time of 1:30 p.m. for
all dorm parties, in an effort to avoid
abuse of regulations. The closing time,
which calls for an additional half hour
beyond the present closing time for
parties, is "necessary in order not to
abruptly end a party in the middle,"
and the committee also cited that this
time would allow closing and clearing
OT the party while the R.A. is still on
duty.
The Ad Hoc Committee also
proposed that floor parties be allowed
to extend beyond the standard closing
time if party representatives receive
permission from Student Services,
before the party.
In requesting an additional time
period, representatives would have to
obtain written consent of two-thirds of
the dorm council, two-thirds majority
of floor or floors running the party,
and all adjacent floors, (to be obtained
through secret ballot).
The proposal requires obtained
approval at the initial conception of
the party, in an effort to protect all
students involved.
Impromptu parties under the
proposal, would require by 4:00 the
day of the party, consent of the dorm
council and the R.A. on duty that
night. Impromptu parties would be
Ifmited to 50 people, would only be
permitted on weekends, and would be
subject to the 1:30 time limit.
All complaints about on-going
parties would be taken to the dorm
council or security, and if the situation
was not resolved after first compalint
the dorm council would then have the
responsibility to close down the party
and clear the floor.
The Ad Hoc Committee's proposal
could not be voted upon last Tuesday,
because the University Council did
not have a quorum. The Council,
which will meet again today, is ex-pected
to approve the proposal.
At the time the proposal was
presented to the Council, many
members seemed excited about using
the dorm council, a body which they
felt had been relatively quiet in the
past few years, as an implement in
regulating drinking policy.
The Ad Hoc Committee, composed
of Vinnie O'Brien, FUSA President,
Mark Dorigan, Former President, John
De Nobile, Ken Purcell, Carmela
Inneo, Cigi Byron, Deans Samway and
Krell, Dr. A. Katz and Fr. Paul Carrier,
has left the topic of Oak Room
drinking policy open to further
discussion, pending information from
Mr. Fitzpatrick of the Campus Center
Office, and other involved parties.
THE
FAIRFIELD Volume 1 No. 15 May 5, 1978
FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY, FAIRFIELD, CONN. 06430 MIRROR ^. Incorporated 1977
Coughlin Gets
Roast Toast
Departing Dean James Couchlin S.J. at his farewell "Roast" held Monday
night at Ottavio's. [Photo by Tom Bisignano]
Walters Testifies Before Senate
by Tricia Weisner
Dr. Joan Walters, chairman of the
Economics Department, presented a
paper and gave a testimony on The
Conduct of Monetary Policy for the
Senate Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs in the
Senate Office Building in Washington
DC. on April 24th.
Dr. Walters' invitation was
significant in two respects - she is the
first woman economist ever to be
selected, as well as the first professor
from a small university.
For the past several years, the
Senate Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs has been
Dean Still
Question
by Helene Kansky
The new Dean of the College of Arts
and Sciences, who will succeed Dean
Couglin, has not been named to date.
Dr. Meli, chairman of the Search
Committee for the Dean of the College
of Arts and Sciences, announced that
the interviewing process will be
completed within the next ten days.
Desirable candidates will then be
recommended to Father Fitzgerald.
The Deanship was openned to
candidates within the university and
applicants nationwide.
The availability of the Dean's
position was posted on campus and
advertised in the New York Times of
March 5th, and the Chronicle of
Higher Education of March 14th.
The Search Committee also sent
letters regarding the position to Jesuit
institutions, appropriate Catholic
institutions and Ivy League and their
sister institutions.
The Search Committee established a
list of desireable qualifications to use
as guidelines in reviewing applicants
for the position. These qualifications
are listed as: an earned doctorate,
administrative experience, and Jesuit
and/or commitment to the Jesuit
tradition/humanistic tradition. Also
the candidate should be articulate,
have imagination regarding the liberal
arts, teaching experience and a
commitment to quality teaching. The
candidate should hold evidence of
scholarship/research and strength of
his/her convictions, as well as a
commitment to students and the
notions of including students in policy
making decisions.
holding Oversight Hearings twice
annually on Monetary Policy. The
Chairman of the Federal Reserve
System and several respected
economists from throughout the
country are invited to speak on past
and future monetary policy, and to
offer advice on the national economy.
This year, Dr. Walters was selected
i!
Dr. Joan Walters
to speak, along with C. William Miller,
Chairman of the Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System, and
other officials.
Forty-eight hours before they were
to present their testimony, each of the
speakers submitted one-hundred
copies of their paper to the Senate
Committee. On the day of the
hearings, each speaker presented a ten
minute summary of their argument to
the Senate Committee.
In her paper, Dr. Walters focused on
"the interaction between public
expectations, inflation, and govern-ment
policy." Her argument was that
in order to allay the uncertainty of
consumers, businessmen, and par-ticipants
in the financial markets
about the economy, Congress, the
Administration, and the Federal
Reserve Board should clarify the
government's economic goals for the
coming two years and stress their
commitment to controlling inflation.
She emphasized that it is important
for the government to decrease its
deficit, which would "restore the
public's belief in government's
willingness and ability to deal with its
own finances, and hence, with in-flation."
Dr. Walters explained the im-portance
of her testimony and paper
in the economic world. "Everything I
said was taken down," she stated.
"Our testimonies, papers, and
questions and answers will be
published by the Hearings Records
and the Congressional Records. More
attention will be given to these
documents than to an academic
journal or paper because they are seen
as universal publishings. Also, the
thinking is more up-to-date because
the records are published im-mediately,"
concluded Dr. Walters.
Dr. Walters believes the field of
economics has been gaining in-creasing
importance in recent years.
'The public is very aware of
economics, and they care terribly, but
they don't seem to fully understand
the interactions which take place
between inflation, taxation, and so on.
Economics is a great field, but there
are no simple answers, only complex
ones."
by Ned Barnett
Several hundred people gathered
Monday night to pay tribute to Rev.
James Coughlin S.J. who is preparing
to step down as Academic Dean this
summer after 16 years in office. The
Dean plans to take a teaching post
here next year.
Tony Pucillo, a junior here, con-ceived
and organized the event held
at Ottavio's Caterers on the Post Road
in Fairfield. Highlighting the Coughlin
tribute was a "roast" consisting of
humorous and affectionate speeches
delivered by 10 of the Dean's close
friends and associates. Despite
psychology professor Rev. Thomas
McCrath's opening comment that, "I
would like to say a few nice things
about the Dean, but I've thought it
over and I've decided to stay honest,"
the speeches contained only mild
jokes and almost always ended with
gushing praise.
A notable absence from those
scheduled to speak was Rev. William
C. Mclnnes S.J., University President
here previous to President Fitzgerald,
Mclnnes is currently president of the
Association of Jesuit Colleges and
Universities. Business in Washington
D.C forced Mclnnes to miss the
Coughlin roast.
Some speculation remains con-cerning
the circumstances surroun-ding
the Dean's decision to step down.
Some believe he may be resigning
under pressure or out of
dissatisfaction with polices being
pushed by President Fitzgerald.
Fr. Coughlin himself says only that,
"16 years is a long time. Everything has
to change eventually. I've been
considering resigning for over a year."
Concerning the speculation one
Jesuit faculty member said, 'The
reasons behind Coughlin's resignation
are really quite innocent. It's nothing
like the paper (The Mirror) is making it
out to be." Another high level ad-ministrator
said, "There's really
nothing behind Coughlin's resigning.
Sixteen years is a long time for any
academic dean. It's nothing like the
Gallerelli resignation which was a
much more complicated matter."
Though such speculation moves
through student and faculty circles,
the crowd at Ottavio's seemed
unaware or unbelieving of it. Anxious
to express their affection for the
Inside:
A unique section devoted to
the class of 78 features candid
photos, final reflections, a
brief history 1974 to 1978 and
a special up close look at the
major events of the last four
years: The James Taylor Case.
Section begins on page 9.
leathery, but big hearted Dean, the
crowd chattered and laughed loudly.
If anything tinged the evening it was
not suspicion, but regret. The room
faintly filled with sadness as Fr.
Coughlin rose at the night's end to
deliver the final speech. Older ad-ministrators
and faculty and long time
friends of the University seemed
visibly moved, not simply by Fr.
Coughlin's resigning, but more par-ticularly
by the passing of an era of
fantastic growth with Dean Coughlin
oversaw and represented.
Taking the podium following the
roast Coughlin said, "At times like
these you always search for words.
You want to say something profound,
but tonight the words just won't
come." He. continued that but the
absence of some very close friends, "It
was a perfect night."
He spoke briefly about the con-dition
of Fairfield when he arrived. He
recalled the University consisting of a
single building, Xavier Hall. He spoke
brightly about the building of Loyola
Hall as the University's first dormitory.
Considering the University today he
said, "fairfield is so far removed from
what it was when I came here that it is
very nearly a natural miracle."
Speaking of the Dean's office he
said, "... despite the bruises I've
received from the job, every single
year has been a joy. I look forward to
the next 16 years."
Jokes about Coughlin delivered at
Monday night's roast:
"I went in to see Fr. Coughlin
about a budget change. I told him
we needed more paper clips. I said
that I wanted to move a line in the
budget from paper clips to staples.
In his inimitable manner the Dean
replied, 'Have you thought this
out?' " — Dr. Donald Ross, Biology
Dept.
"We would like to make Fr.
Coughlin an honorary member of
the nursing faculty." She takes out
a nurse's cap. "He used to always
ask me how nurses managed to
keep these caps on." She puts cap
on Coughlin's bald head and looks
at it. "I told him they generally use
bobby pins, but since it apparently
won't work with you Father, I
brought this along." She takes out
a bottle of Elmer's Glue. —Dr.
Phyllis Porter, Dean of Nursing
"People say Coughlin is a real
straight guy. He's not. He's round."
— Fr. Thomas McGrath
"Coughlin went to get a physical
the other day. The doctor told him
hehadTB. That is, two bellies! 'But
don't be alarmed Father,' the
doctor said, 'you're not overweight,
you're just six inches too short'." —
Dr. Robert Pitt, Dean, Graduate
School of Education
"Dean Coughlin is one of the
few men I know who can take a
shower and not get his feet wet."
— Dr. Robert Pitt
"You know Dean coughlin's
been rated the best dean in the
history of the school with the
exception of two fields: ad-ministration
and academics." —
Mr. Carmen Donnarumma, Politics
Department