Spectator highlights of the 2009-2010 year

Jodi O'Brien
After Seattle University sociology professor Jodi O'Brien learned May 2 that fellow Jesuit school Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisc. rescinded its offer to her as dean of its college of arts and sciences, O'Brien gave The Spectator an exclusive interview. The Spectator ran two stories and a staff editorial on the subject in its May 12 issue.

Admissions
The Spectator began coverage in May of the class of 2014, the largest in Seattle University history. Faculty expressed concerns in the May 26 issue of The Spectator about how the university would be able to adequately accommodate an incoming class of 1,120—nearly 400 more students than the university had expected to admit. Admissions will continue to take acceptance deposits over the summer.

Haiti
When a devastating earthquake hit Haiti's capitol of Port-au-Prince Jan. 12, Seattle U's Campus Ministry's social justice minister Sean Bray had received more than 200 e-mails from students in a single day wanting to know what they could do to help. The Spectator covered "Hoops for Haiti" and a Haiti benefit concert in the months following the earthquake.

Charles Garcia and D-I
After signing with the Huskies men's basketball team but missing the admission standards for the UW, power forward Charles Garcia joined head coach Cameron Dollar at Seattle U. Dollar had recruited Garcia to UW during his time as an assistant coach there. The Spectator covered Garcia's decision March 10 to declare for the NBA draft and hire an agent, effectively ending his collegiate basketball career.

Library and Construction
The Spectator has continued coverage of the Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons project into this year. Articles and updates regarding other projects, such as the fitness center addition, the Law School Annex and the Douglas Residence hall make regular appearances in The Spectator's pages.

Bookstore Outsourcing
Several spring 2009 Spectator issues reported Seattle U was thinking of outsourcing its student bookstore. Administrative decisions regarding outsourcing were pushed back multiple times and Student protest groups against the outsourcing were formed. Consulting firm Noel-Levitz was brought in by the university to assist the decision. We reported Jan. 26 that the decision was made for the bookstore to remain independent.

Reach the editor at news@su-spectator.com