A Day to Celebrate

By Mark Piper

Today is March 17, better known as St. Patrick’s Day in these parts. Today is a day that many members of the SXU community celebrate, almost or more seriously than Christmas Day.

As the Irish and-want-to-be-Irish celebrate their luck, eyes that smile, and regale rebel songs with a pint or two, it seems there is another reason for the SXU community celebrate (Irish and non-Irish alike).

On Monday March 15, President-Designate Christine Wiseman, J.D., had a meet and greet with SXU students. The hour and-one-half long event began at 2:30 in the Butler Reception Room and was attended by more than 220 people, according to Campus Life.

Dozens of pizza’s were provided to attendees, and students from all walks of life, walked right in and engaged Saint Xavier’s next captain at the helm. The overall atmosphere was festive, positive and down-right celebratory.

Wiseman, began by asking students what’s important to them and what issues they’re having. She said she had to ask students because she wanted to know what issues there were, and what the culture is like at Saint Xavier. One student asked if Financial Aid and Advising could be moved back to Warde and out of O’Grady. Wiseman responded that she is looking into moving at least some offices back into Warde.

After about 45 minutes of milling around with other students, Vice-President John Pelrine was told to find me in the crowd of students by Wiseman because she wanted to talk to me. I got to her, as about two dozen students were circled around her listening to what she was saying when she told me that, “We (SGA) need to meet on a regular basis. I’m making you responsible for that. These issues cannot wait and we need to have better communication.” She continued on that there needs to be regular meetings with students and SGA so that large issues or problems in the student body, do not build up or fester and so that they could even be prevented. Most students looked on with a blank stare, as these were comments that most of us were not accustomed to for the last few years.

Later on, I presented Wiseman with a welcome-bag on behalf of SGA and the student body. She received an SXU jacket, official homecoming shirt and the Eight Core Values inscribed on rocks. Students were certainly celebrating with her, and for her. It can be best summed up by one of the students who talked to Wiseman: “It’s a new day at Saint Xavier.”

Mark Piper is a senior political science major with a minor in pastoral ministry. He is from Stoughton, WI and is president of the Student Government Association. Consideration for the student bloggers is provided by Saint Xavier University.