The Aquinas 2000-09-21

              http://www.scranton.edu/aquinas
Volume 73, Issue 1 The student voice of The University ofScranton September 21,2000
Ne-w dean ·.plans to
rene-w -student life
By LISA BIAGIOTTI
Aquinas News Editor
After a national search that .
pooled over thirty-five applicants
from various parts of the
country, . The
University selected
Reuban Rodriguez
as the first Dean
Student·Life.
Leadership
Orientation together with
Residence Life to coordinate the
day-to-day student experience at
the University," Bryan said.
Rodriguez has· over fifteen
years qf work experience in student
affairS. He hails from the
· University of
Central Florida, a
public school with a
studen!. population
of34,000.
Despite The
reports directly to Aquiims Photo/ MIKE DILKS
University's makeup
as a small, private
and Jesuit
school, Rodriguez
does not believe
this disparity poses
a problem.
James T. Bryan, vice-president
for student affairs.
The reorganization of Student
Affairs and the implementation
of this new position intend tci .
provide better service arid more
activities for on-campus ·students,
students in the Hill
Section and commuter students.
"The notion was to bring
COCA, Student Activities,
Student Government and
"Whether large or small,
every school is similar in that it
has a residence life program and
brings in programs for students,"
Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez brings to · the
University a wide-range of experience
from several i_nstitutions,
including Emory University in
Georgia, Whittier College in
California and'the University of
see Rodriguez, page 5
Senior in critical conditiOn.
foll_owring "\Veekend _bra-w-l-
By SUSANNA PUNTEL SHORT
Editor in Chief
A University senior remains
in critical condition following a
l!lrge fight ·at 1003 Mulberry St.,
early Saturday morning.
Justin Hull, a senior from
Hewitt, N.J., and a resident (lf
1003 Mulberry St., sustained
trauma to the head requiring
emergency brain surgery after he
was· severely beaten in a large
brawl involving University students.
At press- time, no one had
been arrested for involvement,
although the Scranton Police
Department reported that they
are actively inter\'iewing at least
thirteen individuals, including,
but not limited to, University
students.
Detective Sgt. Ronald Zory of
the SPD Criminal Investigations
Divisio~ told The Aquinas
Monday that police "cannot
release the report at this time,
because of a departmental policy
and the need to assure that noth-ing
interferes with the investiga-tion."
Zory did report that the suspect
or suspects, once arrested,
face a charge of aggravated
assault.
"The crime is classified as
aggravated assault because the
victim sustained injury requiring
extended hospitalization," Zory
said. "This is one of about five
'Every effort is being
made to identify
those responsible.~
James T. Bryan
Vice President for Student Affairs
classifications that legally define
aggravated assault."
Zory reported that the
Lackawanna County Communication
Center received an
anonymous call at 3:40 a.m.
Saturday reporting that there was
a large fight at 1003 Mulberry
St.
"Responding officers were on
the scene at 3:42 a.m.," Zory
said. "When they got to the
scene, the fight was basically
over."
Residents of the· third floor
apartment at 1003 Mulberry St.
including seniors Jason
Nacinovich of Glen Cove, N.Y.,
Keith Fitzgerald of Swarthmore,
Chris Tuleya of Cherry Hill,
N.J., Matt Snow of Rockville
Center, N.Y., Chris McCauley of
Glenolden and Matt Helmke of
Broomall met with The Aquinas
Tuesday evening. Senior Brian
Preston of Springfield is also a
housemate of Hull, but was
unable to attend the meeting.
According to the residents of
1003 Mulberry St., the fight lasted
for at least 30 minutes before
police arrived, and it involved "a
mob of about forty or fifty people."
"We were all just hanging out
in the apartment around 3 a.m.,"
McCauley said. "All of a sudden
a mob of people was trying to
get into our apartment."
"It definitely seemed planned
out," Fitzgerald said. "They
came up the back stairs and
see Brawl, page 4
.COtnpletiOri. of Brennan Hall continues despite setbacks
By MAUREEN G. CASSIDY
Aquina~ Correspondent
Brennan Hall offers an
impressive new addition to The
University's facilities. The five
story, 68,000 sq. ft. new Kania
School of Management (KSOM)
building stands on the east side
of Madison Avenue:s 300 block.
As the most technologically
sophisticated building on campus,
Brennan Hall _promises
numerous benefits to The
Univer~ity community and
regional businesses.
Named for alumnus John E.
Brennan, Brennan Hall provides
students and faculty with the
highest technological equipment
in order to integrate software·
into the curriculum.
"The new building is rich in
1 technology," reported Ronald D.
Johnson, dean of the Kania
School of Management: He
expressed a deep enthusiasm for
The _university's newest investment.
. The first two floors are comprised
of classroos and areas for
basic student use such as a quiet
study room on the first floor.
"The building has nine classrooms,
eight of which are technology
enabled," Johnson
explained. "I hope our students
will find the quiet study room to
their benefit. It is intended for
just that purpose: a quiet study
area, not a room for group project
meetings."
Each classroom contains a
principle teaching station, which
Johnson describes as the "control
center for the classroom."
The plush workstation allows
teachers to control the classroom's
lighting, display screens
and computers. Teachers will be
able to connect to The
University's video library and
access satellite television. In
anticipation of audiovisual
instruction the eight technologically
enhanced classrooms were
designed without windows.
The building possesses a selfcontained
network accessible
from each classroom seat.
"We will have the capabilities
Aquinas Photo/ MIKE DILKS
to allow students to connect their
laptops while sitting in their
seats," Johnson explained.
This will allow students to
follow lessons or type- class
see Brennan Hall, page 3