The Argonaut

Notre Dame de Namur University is making budget cuts that affect faculty, a move that leaves employees concerned. So far the university has decided to trim $687,000 from the budget next year by removing the retirement plan contribution, making administrative unit cuts and rescinding the 2 percent increase to the faculty salary scale.

The gym has been the topic of many discussions over the past few years. It has been common to hear both athletes and students complain about the quality of the gym equipment. But is the NDNU gym really incapable of serving the needs of NDNU students and athletes? When compared to other facilities in the area, does NDNU meet the standards for an comparable college gymnasium? A search for the answer to this question led to some surprising findings.

By John Larsen Managing Editor Since 2007, the Faculty Development Committee has awarded several "mini-grants" to faculty members willing to participate in and teach community-based learning and research courses. According to Dr. Gretchen Wehrle, chair of the psychology/sociology department and associate director of faculty engagement for the Dorothy Stang Center, these courses involve students participating in the local community as an "extra text to the course.

You would never have guessed that NDNU produces competitive students,?since we are not considered a "top tier" school.?But,?if our experiences at the Model Arab League (MAL) are any evidence, we have just as much right to be proud of our education as those ?at other universities.

Caitlin Brown, a 22 year-old senior from Modesto, CA, was announced this years graduation commencement speaker. After maintaining a GPA at NDNU of 3.9, a minimum of 46 upper-division units earned, and outstanding writing and speaking skills, Brown was selected to do the honors out of seven other students who competed.

For students who want to be keyed in on the arts, but who don't like to stick around campus at night, there's finally a solution. The first noon presentation of NDNU's Creative Writers Series featured California-based author Michelle Richmond, author of the New York best-seller The Year of Fog and the Northern California Book Award nominated No One You Know.

First Year Experience, which all students are required to take, is once again changing. FYE was started in the Fall Semester of 2000 and its mission was to teach students "what is means to be a part of a mission driven institution," said Vince Fitzgerald, PhD, director of the FYE program.

Every student has unique needs, but a group of students found some commonality over a community dialogue hosted by NDNU's Community Psychology class on April 14. The community dialogue welcomed first generation students-students who are the first to attend college in the family, especially those from different countries-from NDNU and local high schools to discuss the specific needs of these students.

This year's annual campus beautification was held on Wednesday April , 22. Minh Vu, ASNDNU president started the project when he was a sophomore serving as ASNDNU vice president and has kept the tradition alive. This year however was the first year that it had been changed to campus and community beautification day because trees were planted in Twin Pines Park as well.

The magnificent colors, designs, and embroideries of Indian textiles are rare sights for many, but our own school campus gave us a chance to seem them all. Wiegand Gallery put on a show of these textiles from a collector named Carol Summers from March 25 to April 25.