Presidents address issues

The Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., university president, and Eric Nitz, Creighton Students Union president, answer questions submitted by students in lieu of the biannual Fireside Chat.

By KATIE RYAN
News Editor

Instead of the usual Skutt Student Center chairs and fireplace back-drop, the presidents of Creighton sat on living room furniture in the president’s office on the second floor of the Administration Building.

The presidents, one dressed in the priestly blacks and white collar with a tweed overcoat and the other in a red polo, tan flip-flops and blue jeans, addressed the questions and concerns of the Creighton student body.

Arts & Sciences senior and Creighton Students Union President Eric Nitz, and University President the Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., met with The Creightonian in lieu of the Fireside Chat. The chat, a biannual event where students, faculty and staff can voice questions and concerns, was canceled due to scheduling conflicts.

Instead of asking the presidents in person, students e-mailed their questions.

Parking problems still persist even with the new parking garages, the e-mails said.

Parking is superior to what it was, Schlegel said, but the city parking meters have added to the frustration of many commuters. However, the meters are out of the university’s control.

Some student ideas included increasing the time between classes to allow incoming students time to park after the students done with class moved their cars, banning freshmen from having cars and building a parking lot farther away for on-campus students. The presidents considered the suggestions.

“Anything is possible in terms of conversation,” Schlegel said.

Nitz said CSU is working on legislation regarding the parking meter issue, and students can bring any concerns about parking to CSU.

Another concern was diversity. Schlegel said Creighton is doing well with recruiting minority students as well as faculty and staff, but could always do better.

Nitz said CSU has done a better job promoting the diversity events already on campus. CSU will host “Creighton in Common,” which will take suggestions for diversity-based programs.

Arts & Sciences senior Kee-Ju Hong critiqued the diversity programs because although cultural dance, food and art is interesting, he said he would rather learn about issues about underrepresented populations today.

Most diversity programs do a good job of addressing those issues, Nitz said. The Creighton University African American Student Association, for example, has a Soul Food banquet every year. The participants learn the significance of the food as well as the traditions of African-American culture.

Schlegel said gender equality is an important issue to him and the university. When Schlegel became Creighton president in 2000, no women served on his cabinet. Now, three of the eight members are female.

“I want my women to graduate from here to be comfortable in the workplace and have leadership skills that they can pursue whatever they want to do,” he said. “I’m very, very committed to that.”

Overall, the ongoing presidential theme was that the university is doing well, but there is work to be done. Schlegel said Creighton may not be perfect in terms of parking spaces, minority population or justice issues, but the university is working on it.