April 13, 2001

Forum on justice continues progress

One member from the staff, faculty, administration, and student body initiated a dialogue and self-evaluation concerning justice on March 15. The Loyola Justice Forum opened with remarks from Jeff Guhin, representative of LUCAP, on the nature of justice. The forum consisted of a panel that was moderated by Nancy Anderson, professor of history. Susan Dietzel, director of the Woman's Resource Center; Laurie Joyner, professor of sociology; the Rev. Bernard Knoth, university president; and Ryan Holmes, president of the Student Government Association all reflected on questions inspired at a convention of U.S. Jesuit colleges at Santa Clara University last October. At the conference Father general Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., put forth his mission of how to serve society and pursue the ideal of justice. Each member of the Justice Forum addressed three questions inspired by the Santa Clara convention. What is your group (faculty, staff, etc.) doing for justice now? What are some obstacles your group faces in working for justice? What are some concrete goals to better enable your group to work for justice?

Knoth, the first speaker, emphasized what he called "the big picture." He spoke with conviction about the administration's mission to raise funds so students can enjoy the benefits of financial aid, and so facilities can be of the highest standard. For emphasis Knoth pointed out a few initiatives already at work within the university: the race relations task force and a grant that will institutionalize service learning. Knoth admitted that like other universities, Loyola sometimes has fallen short of its ideal of justice. He pointed out that change within an established system is slow and often encounters resistance.

Next up was Laurie Joyner who has been instrumental in the institutionalization of service learning at Loyola, and she emphasized how this will be a catalyst toward justice. Service learning will be a road that travels two ways: students and faculty become involved in the community by helping nonprofit organizations, and the community will give students the opportunity to gain experience in the "real world." Also, students will engage in scholarly research that will have immediate and very real applications.

Dietzel spoke vigorously about justice in a university system that she says is often run like a corporation. She emphasized her position as a women's issues advocate and eloquently equated this to the problem of justice in general. She pointed out the success of the on-campus organization Diversity Champions. Also from the staff side, she pointed out an example of injustice on campus. She noted that the kitchen staff in the dining hall operates without air conditioning.

Representing the student body, Holmes spoke of the responsibility of justice. He asked what is the nature of justice, then answered that it is doing what is right. Justice should be active rather than reactive, Holmes said, and "because of that, justice sometimes hurts." Self-empowerment was the keystone to Holmes reflections. As far as obstacles went, he saw timorousness as the main cause. Leaving justice to the next guy is an obstacle, thinking of the self over others, and sowing the seeds of discouragement are impediments along the path to justice, he surmised.

The forum ended on a positive note. All the panelists were beaming with examples and a desire to achieve justice. The purpose, to create a dialogue between all factions within the university and to announce that these factions will make an effort to self-evaluate themselves as they pursue justice, was met. The community anxiously awaits more dialogue as the university continues to ensure itself as a just institution.

Michael Rerick, A'02 Intern in the Offices of Public Affairs and Publications