THIS WEEK'S EVENTS AND DEADLINES

UPCOMING EVENTS

ETC.

Top News

Get Important Information About Summer Courses

It's not too late to register for Summer Sessions at Loyola! Visit the Summer Sessions Website for information about session dates and a list of available courses.

If you want to take summer classes at a college or university other than Loyola, please note that certain restrictions apply. Review these policies taken from the Undergraduate Studies Catalog:

Summer Study
Undergraduate students are limited to a total of 12 hours of study at other colleges and universities after they matriculate to Loyola. This includes those who matriculate as freshmen or as transfer students. Transfer students who transferred in with 60 or more hours may not take additional courses elsewhere.

Students may receive prior approval for taking more than 12 hours from another institution when they have been approved to participate in a Loyola-sponsored study abroad program.

Prior permission is required. Students must obtain permission to take a course at another institution prior to enrolling in it. Prior permission will be granted by advisors or the dean, chairperson or program director as outlined below.

Students who wish to take courses during the summer session are encouraged to take courses offered through Loyola's Summer Sessions.

Prior permission may be granted to take a course at another institution only if a comparable course is not offered during Loyola's Summer Sessions. Financial reasons alone (e.g., a course is less expensive than at Loyola) are not sufficient for approval.

An academic advisor may approve courses to fulfill elective credits. A dean, chairperson or program director may approve courses to fulfill major/minor requirements or electives within major/minor requirements.

For more information, read the Undergraduate Studies Catalog.

Address Climate Change During Earth Hour

Participate in Earth Hour, an international statement on climate change, on March 29 from 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. The Loyola community will join with people across the globe who are committed to conserving energy. During Earth Hour, Loyola will power down select areas on campus that will not impact safety, such as fans and lighting. We encourage you to turn off lights, televisions, computers and other electronics during Earth Hour. Visit the Earth Hour Website to learn more, or contact Gina Lettiere at: glettie@luc.edu.

Find Out About CTA Brown Line Renovations

Beginning March 30, Phase 2 of the CTA's Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project will commence on the southbound platforms at Belmont and Fullerton. Track 2, on which the southbound Red Line usually operates, will not be in use during this time. Instead, southbound Red Line trains will share Track 1 with the southbound Brown Line and Purple Line Express. This will result in fewer trains, longer travel times and slower boarding, especially during the morning rush period. To help reduce crowding, the CTA plans to:

• Operate eight-car trains instead of six-car trains on the Brown Line.
• Provide additional service on several southbound bus routes.
• Reopen the Diversey and Southport stations.

Get more information about the expansion project and a list of travel tips at the CTA Website.

Vote for the 2007 - 2008 Damen Awards

Cast your vote for the 2007 - 2008 Damen Awards by March 31 at midnight. Named for Loyola's founder, Arnold Damen, S.J., the awards honor full-time undergraduate students and student organizations that are committed to Jesuit ideals and are sources of inspiration and leadership to the Loyola community. All undergraduate students are eligible to vote in the Damen Awards. Check your Loyola e-mail account for your voting ballot. If you have questions about the Damen Awards, e-mail: damenawards@luc.edu.

This Week's Events and Deadlines

Join the Binge Nation Team

Apply to be part of Loyola's Binge Nation team and help develop an interactive Website that includes articles, blogs, forums and videos focusing on binge drinking among students. The purpose of the site is not to demonize alcohol, but to create a place for open and honest discussions about student drinking. Get more information and download an application online. All applications are due March 28.

Stay Awake at the Water Tower Late-Nighter

Attend the Water Tower Late-Nighter on March 28 from 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. in the Terry Student Center. Enjoy free food, Guitar Hero, Wii, ping-pong, pool and bingo. Raffle drawings will be held and numerous prizes will be given away. For more information, contact Rachel Costello at: rcoste1@luc.edu.

Connect with the Campus Activity Network

Go to a Campus Activity Network meeting on March 31 at 7 p.m. in the Simpson Multipurpose Room. Discuss budget procedures, learn how to make room reservations, and meet faculty and staff members who are available to help your student organizations. Free food will be provided at the event. For more information, contact Dan Kleinman at: dklein2@luc.edu.

Consider Running for a Student Government Office

Attend an information session about upcoming Unified Student Government Association (USGA) elections on March 31 at 9 p.m. in the USGA office, located in Centennial Forum Student Union (CFSU), Room LL-42T. USGA will elect a president, vice president, chief financial officer, chief communications officer, chief justice and 28 senate representatives this spring. Interested candidates must also pick up an election packet, available at the CFSU Information Desk, Terry Student Center and USGA office. For more information, call: 773.508.3750; e-mail: usga@luc.edu; or visit the USGA Website.

Attend a Speaker Panel on Credit

Go to a School of Business speaker panel, "The Credit Crisis: Limited Access and Unlimited Liabilities," on April 1 from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. in Rubloff Auditorium. Participants in the panel include:

• Ben Armstrong, CFA, William Blair
• David Marshall, Senior Vice President, Financial Markets Group, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
• Joseph Rizzi, Senior Investment Strategist, CapGen Financial

Participate in Relay for Life

Sign up for Loyola's Fourth Annual Relay for Life, which will be held April 18 - 19. Participants organize a team of walkers or runners and raise money for cancer research. Register online by April 1. To learn more, e-mail: cac@luc.edu.

Go to the SAC Community Meeting

Get the complete results of the socially responsible investing (SRI) survey that was recently completed at Loyola and discuss your views on the issues presented at the first community meeting of the Shareholder Advocacy Committee (SAC). The meeting will be held on April 3 from 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. in the Quinlan Life Sciences Auditorium. Light refreshments will be served. To learn more, e-mail: loyolaSAC@luc.edu.

Meet with the Women's Garden Cyclers

Go to a presentation given by the Women's Garden Cyclers on April 3 from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. in the Crown Center Auditorium. The Garden Cyclers are three friends who embarked on a three-month-long bike tour from Washington, D.C., to Montreal, Canada, and back again. Along the way, they made a documentary about food-producing garden projects. The presentation will feature a preview of the documentary and information about sustainable agriculture and urban initiatives. For more information, e-mail: oxfamluc@gmail.com.

Create a Critter with LUPB

Make your own stuffed animal at the Create a Critter workshop on April 4 from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. in CFSU. Sponsored by Loyola University Programming Board (LUPB), this free event will feature stuffed giraffes, polar bears, zebras, pandas, turtles, cows, tigers and more. There is a limit of one critter per person. To learn more, contact Nigel Vilches at: nvilche@luc.edu.

Become a Wellness Advocate

Join the Wellness Advocates and serve as a peer educator that talks with students about alcohol, tobacco, nutrition, stress, sexual health, emotional wellness/mental health and more. The Wellness Advocate program is ideal if you're interested in health and wellness issues, or are considering a health-related career. Submit an application and one letter of recommendation to Alissa Eischens in the Wellness Center by April 4. Download an application at the Wellness Center's Website.

Contribute to Loyola's Literary Magazine

Submit your creative work by April 4 for possible publication in Diminuendo, Loyola's literary magazine. Short stories, essays, poetry, photography, fine art and other creative work may be submitted. Diminuendo is published on a quarterly basis and is printed in black and white. The final issue of the year, "Afterglow," is part of a year-long series titled "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll and Afterglow." Submissions can be e-mailed to: diminuendoluc@hotmail.com; or dropped off in Mertz Hall, LL29. For more information, e-mail: bkidman@luc.edu.

Upcoming Events

Watch the King Corn Documentary

View a screening of the documentary film King Corn on April 7 from 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in Finnegan Auditorium. Co-filmmaker Ian Cheney will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the film, which is about two friends, one acre of corn and the subsidized crop that drives the fast-food nation. For more information, contact Gina Lettiere at: glettie@luc.edu.

Celebrate the International Pursuits of Graduate Students

Learn about international endeavors at Loyola at a special event on April 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the Quinlan Life Sciences Building, Room 142. Discover the accomplishments of Loyola graduate students while enjoying great food, festive cultural performances and student presentations. This event is sponsored by the Graduate School and the Office for International Programs. To learn more, call: 773.508.3396; or e-mail: gradschool@luc.edu.

Prepare for the Senior Send-Off

Members of the Class of 2008 are invited to participate in Senior Send-Off events, which begin April 15. Senior Send-Off activities give graduating students a chance to relax, have fun, network and transition to be young alumni. Scheduled events include a Chicago Cubs baseball game, a trip to the Second City improv comedy club, a dinner cruise on the Spirit of Chicago and more. Ticket packages for all events will go on sale April 1 in CFSU and at the Terry Student Center. View a complete event schedule and ticket information at the Senior Send-Off Website.

Check Out the Graduate Student Research Symposium

Go to an interdisciplinary research symposium for graduate students and alumni on April 12 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Crown Center Auditorium and Lobby. The symposium is organized around two themes: public health and the urban environment. Graduate students and alumni will present their work in the form of an oral presentation or poster. The event will also feature lunch and a panel discussion on career awareness after graduate school. To RSVP for the symposium, e-mail the Graduate School Advisory Council at: gsacluc@gmail.com. Learn more at the research symposium's Website.

Win a Trip to the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing

Enter the Initiating Mutual Understanding Through Student Exchange (IMUSE) 2008 China in My Eyes Competition to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Beijing Olympic Games this summer. Submit a 500 - 1,000 word essay or a photograph that illustrates the topic "China in My Eyes: What China Means to Me." Six winners will be chosen, and 10 runner-ups will receive a limited edition Beijing Olympic Games collectible. All entries must be submitted by April 15. Get more information and find out how to submit entries at the IMUSE 2008 Website. Also, check out the competition's official Facebook group.

Apply to the National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference

Attend the National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference, which will be held in Seattle, Washington, from July 30 - August 3. The theme of the conference is "Love, Justice, Community," and it will give you an opportunity to build community within the Jesuit network, share ideas for success and deepen your understanding of leadership. Workshops are organized into five tracks, which address the needs of each leadership function area: governance, programming, community living, service and spirituality, and cultural diversity.

To apply, you must have completed at least one year at Loyola by July 31 and remain at Loyola for at least one additional undergraduate year. Preference will be given to students who will remain at Loyola for two or more years. All conferences expenses will be paid. Finalists may be required to participate in an interview to complete the selection process.

All applications are due April 18 at 5 p.m. For more information or to download an application, contact Jack McLean at: 773.508.3912; e-mail: jmclean@luc.edu; visit the Student Affairs Website; or stop in CFSU, Room 101. You can also learn more at the official conference Website.

Nominate Candidates for the Catholic College Students Symposium

Submit nominations for the Catholic College Students Symposium: Building a World of Hope and a Community for Peace, which will be held in New York City May 18 - 23. The purpose of the symposium is to engage faith-filled college students in the work of creating a more just world. Two Loyola undergraduates will be chosen to participate, and they will be housed at the Cardinal Spellman Retreat House in Riverdale, New York. Lodging, meals and airfare will be provided. Nominations may be submitted by faculty, staff and students. Self-nominations will be accepted. All nominees must complete an application and may be required to participate in an interview. Nominations are due April 18 at 5 p.m. For more information or to submit a nomination, contact Jack McLean at: 773.508.3912; fax: 773.508.3895; or e-mail: jmclean@luc.edu. Learn more about the symposium at the Student Affairs Website.

Discover Opportunities with the Institute of Pastoral Studies

Go to the Institute of Pastoral Studies (IPS) open house on April 19 from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in Beane Hall. Connect with IPS staff and learn about various opportunities in ministry-related careers. Register for the event at the IPS Website (click on "Visit Us"). For more information, contact Ryan Hoffmann at: 312.915.7484; or e-mail: rhoffm4@luc.edu.

Learn About Education and Diversity

Attend a presentation about education and diversity on April 24 at 3 p.m. in Beane Hall. Mark Enberg, Associate Professor in the School of Education, will present his research project titled "The Educational Benefits of Diversity: Advancing a Social Justice Agenda for Research and Practice." Related to a Michigan affirmative action case, the project focuses on ways to capture and understand social justice outcomes and discover pedagogical and curricular ways to achieve them. The presentation also covers the Intergroup Dialogue Method, which helps students learn how to talk about and discuss issues about social identity. For more information, contact the School of Education at: 312.915.6800.

Share Your Ideas at a Technology Focus Group

Go to a focus group about students and technology on April 24 from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. in the Information Commons, Room 230. Discuss your perceptions and experiences with technology at Loyola and help develop ways to enhance the university's technology in the future. Pizza and refreshments will be served, and you'll receive specialty gift items for participating. Registration is required by April 18. For more information or to register, contact Bruce Montes, Director of Academic Technology Services, at: 773.508.7601; or e-mail: bmontes@luc.edu.

Register for the Women's Leadership Conference

Sign up for the Women's Leadership Conference, which will be held on May 3 at the Water Tower Campus. Sponsored by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) and the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership, this one-day conference will feature a keynote speaker, State Representative Julie Hamos, and a diverse group of notable female leaders in Chicago representing various industries. The conference will also focus on the rules of networking among women leaders and teach participants how to shift their careers toward a leadership position.

This year's conference will also introduce a new SCPS program, Certificate in Women's Leadership, which is targeted at mid- to upper-level professional women aiming to enhance their careers by building a solid foundation in the theories and practical applications of ethical leadership.

Learn more and register for the conference online; or call: 312.915.6501. A registration fee of $45 will be assessed to current Loyola students with I.D. and $95 to the general public.

Go to the Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Conference

Attend the Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Network National Conference, which will be held at Fordham University in New York City June 20 - 22. Loyola will provide full scholarships for up to five students to attend this conference, which is themed "Engaging Students in Humanitarian Action." Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis, and early applications are strongly encouraged. Preference will be given to current sophomores and juniors, but seniors will be considered if others do not apply. All applications are due on May 6 and can be e-mailed to Jack McLean at: jmclean@luc.edu; or dropped off in CFSU, Room 101. To download an application, visit the Student Affairs Website. For more information about the conference, call: 773.508.3912; or visit the official conference Website.

ETC.

Complete a Library Survey

Take part in a survey about Loyola's new libraries Website. The survey will be available March 31 - April 14. You can access the survey online. Note that if you click on the survey link before March 31, you will see a message asking you to try again later.

For the latest information about Loyola's libraries, check out the library blog.

Think Twice Before Getting a Fake I.D.

If you're under the age of 21, you may be tempted to get a fake I.D. Here's some information that may discourage you:

• Possessing a fake I.D. is a felony crime in Illinois. If you get caught with a fake I.D., you may lose your drivers license for up to 18 months. You'll also be considered a high-risk driver by insurance companies, which will send your insurance premiums through the roof. If you have to go to court, you'll be responsible for hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars in fines and legal fees.
• Protect your reputation. Ever since September 11, 2001, the Federal Government has taken a much harsher stance on fake I.D.s. If you get caught with a fake I.D., you may be placed on other government watch lists for illegal activities and put your privacy at risk.
• Consider the potential consequences for other people. If you get caught using someone else's I.D., not only will you be punished, but the person the I.D. belongs to may get in trouble, too. How happy will your older sister be if she loses her license because you got busted using her I.D.?
• Think about where fake I.D.s come from. You may consider buying a fake I.D. so you can go out and drink, but the person you buy it from may also provide false identification for people running identity theft scams or looking to purchase illegal firearms.
• Look to the future. Being convicted of possessing a fake I.D. can screw up the rest of your life. Felony convictions of any kind can prevent you from obtaining a law license or becoming a teacher. Every time you apply for a job, you'll have to check "Yes" for the question that asks if you've ever been convicted of a felony.

Read Life at Loyola Blogs

Life at Loyola This Week:

• Julie Foubert meets Lisa Ling.
• Jake Giles serves tea and cookies.
• Michelle Leahy confesses to house-robbing.
• Jay Mathur's parents visit him in Italy.
• Zach Waickman and STEP: Biodiesel are up to 25 gallons a week.

Life at Loyola Quote of the Week:

"With my shopping bag I walked up and down the halls of the Leahy-house and pictured everything I saw in my dorm-room. Would this fit? Does this match my decor? Wouldn't that be tasty at 12:30 am? It's kind of like online-shopping in the convenience of your own home with do-it-yourself shipping and handling!"

- Michelle Leahy, on a "shopping spree"

Contact Us

Loyola Focus is a weekly newsletter distributed to students by e-mail on Fridays when school is in session. You can also read Loyola Focus online.

The submission deadline for Loyola Focus is every Wednesday at 12 p.m. All submissions are subject to review. To submit an item, e-mail: loyolafocus@luc.com.

If you need help with student services, start at the Hub. For information about student organizations, contact Student Activities.