Fr. Wild's State of the University Address

[JSwarriors08]

Father Bob is great.  He married my parents, and my mother had him as a THEO prof when she was here.  I've had some good conversations with the man and though he doesn't remember anyones' names, he's certainly got a respectable vision for MU's future, and I've always felt he was engaging and respectful.  I certainly haven't felt he was condescending in any way.

[GGGG]

My guess is that that "other Jesuit university" was Saint Louis U. They give out more financial aid, but it's a more expensive school. E.g., they offer a $1000 "discount" to any Catholic high school grad, which MU doesnt do, but SLU's more than $2000 more per year.

2008-2009 Tuition at SLU: $30,300
"                       " at MU: $27,720

Over 4 years, that's almost $12,000 more. They'd better give out more aid.

It is.  And I should have phrased it differently.  Marquette is his most expensive option.  SLU gave more to the point that the final price is less than MU.

[bs4173]

Gotcha. Good luck with the decision! Can't go wrong at either place.

[TheGym]

It is.  And I should have phrased it differently.  Marquette is his most expensive option.  SLU gave more to the point that the final price is less than MU.

I think you will find that is the case, SLU had an endowment of about $900 million as of this summer while MU was about $300 million.  SLU also automatically give $3,000 if you graduate from a Jesuit HS while I believe MU only gives $1,000. 

We are having the same issue, but I think the ultimate decision will be MU in our case.  Either school is a fine school.

[Marquette Gyros]

sure was.

And it may have been Pasquarelli's ridiculous phrase "second-year veteran" that Sherman aped in her article, which may have seemed a bit too coincidental to a student who happened to skip econ that Tuesday morning to read ESPN.com and the Tribune back-to-back in the DS lab.

He then may have realized that she basically copied Lenny's entire article word for word.

This all may have happened. 

[Tribby]

Father Bob is great.  He married my parents, and my mother had him as a THEO prof when she was here.  I've had some good conversations with the man and though he doesn't remember anyones' names, he's certainly got a respectable vision for MU's future, and I've always felt he was engaging and respectful.  I certainly haven't felt he was condescending in any way.

I guess it's possible I caught him on five different bad days... or maybe it's a public persona vs. behind-closed-doors thing. Whatever, he's a good leader for the university, so that's the important thing.

[GGGG]

Gotcha. Good luck with the decision! Can't go wrong at either place.

Thanks...but he's not going either place.  :-)  He's going to Butler.

[legacy]

I personally have a bone to pick with the university administration, and I suppose Father Wild as an extension of that.  The presence of Dan Macguire on the theology department faculty is horrendous.  He is pro-abortion rights, pro-gay marriage, pro-euthanasia, and holds other stances that directly contradict Church teaching.  Of course, I know plenty of Catholics and plenty of Marquette students, alumni, faculty hold similar views.  Still, it is hypocritical for the university to be so heavy handed and high and mighty with an imaginary offense against Native Americans ("Warriors"), and then be so wishy-washy, do-what-thou-will on true moral principles like the right to life.

[GGGG]

I personally have a bone to pick with the university administration, and I suppose Father Wild as an extension of that.  The presence of Dan Macguire on the theology department faculty is horrendous.  He is pro-abortion rights, pro-gay marriage, pro-euthanasia, and holds other stances that directly contradict Church teaching.  Of course, I know plenty of Catholics and plenty of Marquette students, alumni, faculty hold similar views.  Still, it is hypocritical for the university to be so heavy handed and high and mighty with an imaginary offense against Native Americans ("Warriors"), and then be so wishy-washy, do-what-thou-will on true moral principles like the right to life.

1. A University's faculty should represent all sides of a debate regardless of its religious affiliation.

2. He's got tenure.  If you start firing faculty members with tenure, you will fail to get good faculty members to come to your institution.

[rocky_warrior]

I personally have a bone to pick with the university administration...stances that directly contradict Church teaching.

I should just walk away from this post - but I can't.  The first part of your post makes it sound like you only want to be surrounded by like minded individuals.  Should Marquette also stop accepting non-Catholic students, and especially non-Christian students?  Does it irk you to have such heathens surrounding you?

Or....

It is hypocritical for the university to be so heavy handed and high and mighty with an imaginary offense against Native Americans ("Warriors"), and then be so wishy-washy, do-what-thou-will on true moral principles like the right to life.

...is it just the Warriors decision that bugs you?  If they kept the Warriors name, you would be ok with contradicting opinions?

I know a *lot* here would like to have the Warriors name back (or rather, never changed it at all).  However, your argument makes you sound extremely shallow.

The Jesuits are dedicated to education - and fortunately that doesn't just mean they shove their religious beliefs down people's throats (many times to the dismay of the Catholic Church).  Of course the Jesuit education includes spirituality, but in general the Jesuits have assembled some of the best educators around, regardless of their beliefs.  Take those people away, and the Marquette education wouldn't be worth as much.

Just my opinion.

[LON]

If the Native American connotation is so negative, why is there a Native American in the boat paddling Fr. Marquette?

It always puzzled me.

[Chili]

If the Native American connotation is so negative, why is there a Native American in the boat paddling Fr. Marquette?

It always puzzled me.

Because Fr. Marquette was paddled my Native Americans while in the area. Go check out the archives at MU - huge Native American and Catholic Indian Missionary section.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Gotcha. Good luck with the decision! Can't go wrong at either place.

As probably one of the few people on this board who has gone to MU and SLU (MU '06, SLU Law '10), I can say this is not the case.

1.) SLU's campus bureaucracy makes Marquette's look efficient. I've been here a year and a half and if I have an issue it is still a minor miracle when I can call someone up with a question and they would KNOW WHO WOULD KNOW, much less that they know themselves.

2.) St. Louis is a fine city, but it's no Milwaukee. The downtown scene is completely dead. You need a car to go anywhere, and all the bars close at 1 AM. A handful close at 3, but they are few and far between. The scene immediately around SLU's campus falls off into ghetto even faster than MU's.

3.) Also, while MU had a nice mix of kids from Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, and then the rest spread nationally, SLU is essentially like a big high school. The overwhelming majority of students here (especially at the undergrad level) are either from St. Louis, or from nowheresville, Missouri, and as such, think that St. Louis really is a big city. Many people hang out with their friends from high school during and after college. In fact, "Where'd you go to high school?" is a stereotypical StL question that will instantly sum you up religiously, socially, economically, ethnically, etc. It is asked with disturbing regularity, and I've always found it a tad provincial.

4.) There is little if any semblance of campus/school pride as on MU's campus. For a big SLU "rivalry" away game against Dayton, there were MAYBE 30 people at their equivalent of the Annex. This is not helped by a SLU team that is astonishingly bad.

All in all, if it comes down to anyone picking between SLU and Marquette, I'm certain they'll get a fine degree from SLU, but they'll get a great education from Marquette.

[legacy]

I should just walk away from this post - but I can't.  The first part of your post makes it sound like you only want to be surrounded by like minded individuals.  Should Marquette also stop accepting non-Catholic students, and especially non-Christian students?  Does it irk you to have such heathens surrounding you?

No need to worry about not walking away from the post.  It's admittedly off topic from the website, but I'm not some hyperemotional guy who is going to freak out on you.   The answer to all three of your quetsion above is no.  It doesn't bother me at all, and (presumably) like you I think of diversity as a positive part of a college experience.

Or....

...is it just the Warriors decision that bugs you?  If they kept the Warriors name, you would be ok with contradicting opinions?

I know a *lot* here would like to have the Warriors name back (or rather, never changed it at all).  However, your argument makes you sound extremely shallow.

The Warriors decision itself is fairly minor -- I feel strongly about it in a sport fan sense -- but not in any deep sense.  What I feel more strongly about is what I feel are badly misplaced priorities.  I would much rather the university take a strong stand on things that are important, and I believe the right to life is as important as any.

The Jesuits are dedicated to education - and fortunately that doesn't just mean they shove their religious beliefs down people's throats (many times to the dismay of the Catholic Church).  Of course the Jesuit education includes spirituality, but in general the Jesuits have assembled some of the best educators around, regardless of their beliefs.  Take those people away, and the Marquette education wouldn't be worth as much.

Just my opinion.

I am a professor at a secular university, so I agree with you that a diversity of opinions is important to university life.  The theology department is a special case in my opinion.  Parents send their kids to Marquette and students come to Marquette to get a "Catholic" education.  I think is simple truth in advertising for the theology department to be wholly Catholic.  The fact is that while almost every undergraduate would know that the Church teaches that abortion is wrong, for example, when a professor of theology speaks otherwise -- and speaks with authority of being a professor at a Catholic school -- it creates a very mixed message. 

I think that people understand this intuitively.  If instead, Professor Macguire were an avowed racial supremacist and published and taught this, I think the university would respond very differently.  No one would appreciate the value of having this diversity, and the university would take a strong stand.  I would appreciate such a stand (and it would be politically easy, since no one likes racial supremacy).  Not all stands are easy.  I would appreciate it if the university, when they decided to take a stand against popular opinion, would do so for something important like the rights of the unborn rather than something stupid like the name of a mascot.

[bs4173]

  Parents send their kids to Marquette and students come to Marquette to get a "Catholic" education.  I think is simple truth in advertising for the theology department to be wholly Catholic.  The fact is that while almost every undergraduate would know that the Church teaches that abortion is wrong, for example, when a professor of theology speaks otherwise -- and speaks with authority of being a professor at a Catholic school -- it creates a very mixed message. 

Agree with absolutely everything you say except for this, for two reasons.

1. We have Theology classes. Theology is the 'study of the existence or attributes of a god or gods, or more generally the study of religion or spirituality' (lifted from Wikipedia, which cites a book, so it's "legit"). THEO1 at MU looks at the Judeo-Christian tradition of theology. I had a British Anglican pastor as my THEO1 professor, Dr. Hill, considered one of MU's finest. He does not teach the Catholic view of theology...he teaches the Judeo-Christian view. In much the same way, Dr. MacGuire does not teach a Catholic class. He teaches "Moral Theology," and the entire POINT of his class is to challenge the WAY we view theological and dogmatic decisions regarding morality, etc. If you can't do that at a Catholic university, you shouldn't be doing it elsewhere.

2. We do OFFER Catholic Theology...heck, we offer a CT MAJOR. Dr MacGuire does not teach 'Catholic Theology.'

MU clearly delineates the two: http://www.marquette.edu/theology/majorandminor.shtml

That said, MacGuire's a bit of a pompous jerk. That's why he should be fired, hahah

[mu_hilltopper]

  Parents send their kids to Marquette and students come to Marquette to get a "Catholic" education. 

Disagree.  Mine did not.  I imagine the x% of other non-Catholic students would also disagree.  (I think x is around 40%.)

[pbiflyer]

Disagree.  Mine did not.  I imagine the x% of other non-Catholic students would also disagree.  (I think x is around 40%.)

I just went for the cheap beer. Oh and the block parties. And the basketball games. And the Grill concerts. And Mugrack on the road. But mostly the beer.

[Brewtown Andy]

4.) There is little if any semblance of campus/school pride as on MU's campus. For a big SLU "rivalry" away game against Dayton, there were MAYBE 30 people at their equivalent of the Annex. This is not helped by a SLU team that is astonishingly bad.

It's also not helped by SLU not being any good since Larry Hughes left or by Dayton & Xavier being their closest geographic conference rivals.

[MilWarrior]

Back to Fr. Wild. Only had one experience with him and it was awesome. Held the door for him walking out of the AMU and held a conversation with him for at least 5 minutes while walking to class. Talked about the weather, basketball, and the endowment. Very pleasant experience. He's doing great things for MU and if there were any unpleasant encounters with him I would think encounters like mine would outnumber them by a significant margin. And I think we should take the religion debate to the Superbar.

[GGGG]

I am a professor at a secular university, so I agree with you that a diversity of opinions is important to university life.  The theology department is a special case in my opinion.  Parents send their kids to Marquette and students come to Marquette to get a "Catholic" education.  I think is simple truth in advertising for the theology department to be wholly Catholic.  The fact is that while almost every undergraduate would know that the Church teaches that abortion is wrong, for example, when a professor of theology speaks otherwise -- and speaks with authority of being a professor at a Catholic school -- it creates a very mixed message. 

Hogwash.  I am not a Catholic.  I attended MU mainly because it was a larger school in a big city.  However, I understood that theology courses were going to be part of the deal when I attended school.  I was actually very surprised when I realized that the theology courses were not along the lines of "this is Catholic theology and this is what you should believe."  I had theology courses taught not only by Jesuits, but by a Lutheran minister and an Orthodox monk.  I actually know someone who it getting their doctorate in theology at MU who is Jewish!

Being given a diversity of intellectual opinions, even in the theology department, makes one a better educated person.  That is the primary goal of Marquette University - not the conversion of people to a single line of thinking.

[reinko]

I am a professor at a secular university, so I agree with you that a diversity of opinions is important to university life.  The theology department is a special case in my opinion.  Parents send their kids to Marquette and students come to Marquette to get a "Catholic" education.  I think is simple truth in advertising for the theology department to be wholly Catholic.  The fact is that while almost every undergraduate would know that the Church teaches that abortion is wrong, for example, when a professor of theology speaks otherwise -- and speaks with authority of being a professor at a Catholic school -- it creates a very mixed message. 

Agreed.  I call shenenigans.  Catholic universites are not bible schools.  Places you are describing are schools like Bob Jones University and BYU.  And sending mixed messages?  For the most part these are 18-24 year old adults, they should be receiving mixed messages.  Young people should receive diverse opinions so then they can decide and make their own informed decisions.  And have you read Marquette's mission statement lately?  It's doesn't say, Catholicism is right, learn it!

OUR MISSION is the search for truth, the discovery and sharing of knowledge, the fostering of personal and professional excellence, the promotion of a life of faith, and the development of leadership expressed in service to others. All this we pursue for the greater glory of God and the common benefit of the human community.

If I may ask, where and what are you a professor of?

[StillAWarrior]

And sending mixed messages?  For the most part these are 18-24 year old adults, they should be receiving mixed messages.  Young people should receive diverse opinions so then they can decide and make their own informed decisions. 

If only this was the practice at most universities.

[GGGG]

If only this was the practice at most universities.

It is.

[Hards Alumni]

No need to worry about not walking away from the post.  It's admittedly off topic from the website, but I'm not some hyperemotional guy who is going to freak out on you.   The answer to all three of your quetsion above is no.  It doesn't bother me at all, and (presumably) like you I think of diversity as a positive part of a college experience.

Or....

The Warriors decision itself is fairly minor -- I feel strongly about it in a sport fan sense -- but not in any deep sense.  What I feel more strongly about is what I feel are badly misplaced priorities.  I would much rather the university take a strong stand on things that are important, and I believe the right to life is as important as any.

I am a professor at a secular university, so I agree with you that a diversity of opinions is important to university life.  The theology department is a special case in my opinion.  Parents send their kids to Marquette and students come to Marquette to get a "Catholic" education.  I think is simple truth in advertising for the theology department to be wholly Catholic.  The fact is that while almost every undergraduate would know that the Church teaches that abortion is wrong, for example, when a professor of theology speaks otherwise -- and speaks with authority of being a professor at a Catholic school -- it creates a very mixed message. 

I think that people understand this intuitively.  If instead, Professor Macguire were an avowed racial supremacist and published and taught this, I think the university would respond very differently.  No one would appreciate the value of having this diversity, and the university would take a strong stand.  I would appreciate such a stand (and it would be politically easy, since no one likes racial supremacy).  Not all stands are easy.  I would appreciate it if the university, when they decided to take a stand against popular opinion, would do so for something important like the rights of the unborn rather than something stupid like the name of a mascot.

showed you where you went wrong.

Also, I'm not Catholic, and I'm probably more Agnostic than anything (yes, I realize it is a cop out)... and I went to MU and LOVED that they didn't force me to believe, instead, they allowed me to make decisions for myself... Which in the long run will have a much more positive impact on their students/alumni than YOU MUST BELIEVE THIS OR YOU AREN'T WITH US mentality.

Comparing the Warriors name change (I am right there with you, probably along with 90% of this board) to the employment of a liberal faculty member is more akin to comparing apples to oranges.

[StillAWarrior]

It is.

Unfortunately, viewpoint diversity is lacking in many universities.