October 3, 2003

Diversity of thought celebrated

The recently formed Loyola Society for Civic Engagement is a student-run service organization designed to bring intellectual debate to campus. Through forums and debates involving Loyola community members, nationally recognized scholars, and other experts, LSCE hopes to facilitate academic discourse.

A debate titled "Peace in the Arab-Israeli Conflict: Prospects and Possibilities" is scheduled for Thursday, October 23, at 7 p.m., in Nunemaker Auditorium. Two experts will discuss the possibilities for peace in the Arab-Isreali conflict and six students will share their responses. The experts are Jonathan Adleman, Ph.D., professor of international relations at the University of Denver, and Joseph Massad, Ph.D., assistant professor of modern Arab politics at Columbia University.

Through this debate and others like it, Loyola Society for Civic Engagement hopes to educate the student body about important issues affecting the world today. LSCE plans to hold two debates each semester and eventually transcriptions of the debate and responses will be published in the newly established on-line Civil Discourse Journal. Roger White, City College associate professor and the organization's faculty adviser, expects that through intelligent and constructive disagreement "controversy can become less of a problem and more of an asset." He hopes that the newly formed bipartisan organization will create an arena for open communication and promote a "spirit of civility and tolerance."

"Loyola Society for Civil Engagement, in its simplest form," says public relations coordinator Elicia Huffaker, "involves students, faculty, and professionals in intellectual debate on a wide spectrum of issues. The LSCE targets the student body to provide them with an arena where a free market of ideas is cultured; this helps students to understand and formulate an opinion on the debated issue."

Diversity within LSCE is an outreach tool. The co-chairs include Sarah Roy, the President of the college Republicans, and Patrick Enloe, treasurer for the college Democrats. Other officers include treasurer Mirya Holman, secretary Colby Nathanson, and public relations coordinator Elicia Huffaker.

Sunday Angleton, A'04, Intern in the Offices of Public Affairs and Publications