Loyola Neighborhood News: Lake Shore Campus - V3, I1

In September, Loyola’s president, Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., will begin a new and important job within the Society of Jesus.

As the newly appointed Secretary for Higher Education for the Jesuits worldwide, Father Garanzini will be responsible for promoting Jesuit identity and mission around the world, creating networks of research and common action among Jesuit institutions, and developing means of sharing Jesuit instruction with those who have limited access to education. He will spend significantly more time in Rome, Italy.

In order to assist him with two full-time jobs on two continents, the upper administration was reorganized and streamlined to better manage the university’s day-to-day operations. The divisions of Capital Planning and Facilities were merged under the leadership of Sr. Vice President Wayne Magdziarz. This change connects the two areas of campus planning, one which does all pre-construction conceptualizing, neighborhood planning, and government approvals; and the other, facilities/maintenance, which takes plans through construction and handles routine management.

The department of community relations is still represented by the same great team but has grown to include the area of capital planning represented by associate vice president, Jennifer Clark. Now called the Department of Campus-Community Planning, the staff is enabled to plan more collaboratively for the future of the shared campus-community.

“This structure would not have been possible ten years ago,” said Clark, “because the neighbors didn’t trust Loyola to be transparent about planning and to involve the neighborhood in the creation of its own future.”

According to Clark, community perception has changed dramatically during Father Garanzini’s tenure. A 2011 survey sent by Loyola to over 10,500 people representing students, faculty, staff, alumni, neighbors, business owners, nonprofit organizations and elected officials revealed that 75% of respondents agreed that Loyola should play a leadership role in community development. 64% agreed that Loyola is in tune with the needs and issues of the community and 63% agreed that Loyola contributes to the advancement of community goals.

The new structure allows for a more direct pipeline between residents and future campus development. 
“The hyphen between the words campus and community is very deliberate.” said Clark, “It means that as a community we are no longer in an ‘us vs. them’ mode.”