NEWSWIRE
THE XAVIER UNIVERSITY
P u b l i s h e d s i n c e 1915 b y t h e s t u d e n t s o f X a v i e r Un i v e r s i t y
92nd year, issue 12
GOLD MEDAL GROUNDS
PHOTOS COURTESY PROFESSIONAL GROUNDS MANAGEMENT SOCIETY
Xavier has received the national 2006 Grand Award from the
Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) as No. 1 in the
country for urban university landscaping. “Many people have put
a lot of hard work into making this campus a beautiful place,” said
Walter Bonvell, Xavier grounds foreman who has worked here for
the past 25 years.“Everyone in Physical Plant plays a part—the 12 full-
time groundskeepers, the three to five seasonal groundskeepers, the
electricians who do the lighting, the carpenters who build ornamental
fencing, the plumbers who repair our irrigation systems and the
administrators who support our efforts.”
Discussing abortion alternatives
COLLEEN BOTT
Contributing Writer
Sally Winn, vice president of
Feminists for Life, will be the
featured moderator at the preg-
nancy resources forum to be held
on Wednesday, Nov. 15. The forum
is sponsored by Xavier’s Students
for Life Club and will be held at 7
p.m. in Cintas Center, conference
room five.
Feminists for Life is an organi-
zation that works to reduce abor-
tions by looking at the root causes
and supporting alternative and
practical options.
“Rather than just acting retro-
spectively, we feel that we should
be pro-active in creating solutions
to the root causes of abortions,” said
senior Anne Feczko, Co-President
of Students for Life. “Women can
feel they really do have the choice
to carry their pregnancies to term
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and to be both students and par-
ents.”
“Both traditional and non-tradi-
tional students become pregnant on
our campus every year,” she said.
“Many more begin their academic
careers as parents. Xavier needs to
respond to the unique needs of this
population in order to wholly fulfill
their mission statement.”
“I believe that pregnant and
parenting students’ needs are over-
looked at Xavier,” said Xavier
alumna Jenny Komos. “We do not
have resources to help them make
important decisions, such as regard-
ing how to continue their education
while parenting. Several students
think they have no other option
than to discontinue their college
education or even to terminate their
pregnancies because any resources
that do exist are not made known
to them.
Inside the ’Wire…
• Xavier makes progress yet still struggles with sexual diversity: Op-Ed, page 5
• Go inside the huddle with Xavier club football’s starting QB: Sports, page 6
• Why pity is underrated and what you can do to receive it: Calendar City, page 8
R E S
Campus News: Voices of protest p. 3
week of NOVEMBER 15, 2006
Xavier student indicted
on rape charges
RYAN’S PUB WORKER RELEASED ON BOND
MATTHEW FINGER
Op-Ed Editor
Xavier University senior Mi-
chael “Yates” Walker was released
on $250,000 bond Tuesday evening
after being indicted on three counts
of sexual misconduct and two
charges of rape. Walker could face
up to 35 years in jail if convicted.
Walker, a 27-year-old resident
of Norwood, is formally accused
of the Oct. 12 rape of two Xavier
University freshmen girls. Ac-
cording to the Assistant Hamilton
County Prosecutor Seth Tieger,
Walker invited the two women to
his off-campus apartment where he
proceeded to serve alcohol to the
Advocates provide 24 hour personal support
ANN TASSONE
Managing Editor
Xavier University is always
striving to maintain a climate of
respect. The belief that education
leads to empowerment runs through
campus. New programs are con-
stantly being considered in order to
better the school community. The
Xavier Advocates Program is one
way in which Xavier continues its
quest for progress.
The Xavier Advocate Program
exists to provide confidential sup-
port, information and advocacy to
any member of the Xavier commu-
nity who has been affected by any
kind of harassment, discrimination,
relationship violence, sexual as-
sault or stalking. An advocate is
available 24 hours a day to provide
support and information to sur-
vivors and the friends and family
of survivors. All information is
confidential.
The Advocate Program be-
gan in 2003 when two faculty
members in Xavier’s Gender and
Diversity Studies Program, Dr.
Carolyn Jenkins from the social
work department and Dr. Christine
Anderson from the history depart-
ment, heard stories of sexual and
racial harassment from students in
their classes.
“These stories were especially
troubling because students did not
seem to feel they could trust the
university to deal with harassment
effectively,” said Anderson.
Jenkins and Anderson reported
these experiences to Provost Roger
I P S A L O Q U I T U R
Op-Ed: Getting to the core of the matter p. 4
Sports: Both basketballs start season 1-0 p. 6
Diversions: We watch movie- it nice p. 8
www.xavier.edu/newswire
minors until they lost conscious- Xavier. He is also employed by
ness. One of the women reported Ryan’s Pub, located in the Galla-
waking up naked the next morning, gher Student Center.
unable to recall the previous night. This story comes in the wake of
The second woman suspected noth- another alleged raping on Xavier’s
ing, and accompanied Walker on a campus which involved men’s
date the following evening where basketball player and Manhattan
Walker attacked her again. University transfer student C.J.
As is the case with many inci- Anderson.
dents of rape, the women did not file When asked to comment, a
any report at first. It was not until Xavier senior who chose to remain
they discussed the situation togeth- anonymous said that, “It’s really
er and realized what had transpired scary to imagine something like
that they went to the police. this happening at Xavier. We’re
Walker was previously in the such a small campus that it’s hard
82nd Airborne of the United States to picture someone you might know
Army, and had just returned to or have met committing such a
finish his undergraduate career at crime.”
Anyone who wishes to con-
sult an advocate can call the
confidential hotline at 513-
872-9259. Tell the operator
that you are calling for a Xavier
Advocate.
Anyone who wishes to ar-
range for advocate to call them
can call the Xavier Police at
Carolyn Jenkins 513-745-1000 or contact the Christine Anderson
Office or Residence Life or a Resident Advisor.
Questions can be directed to Dr. Jenkins at 513-745-3242 or Dr.
Anderson at 513-745-4246. PHOTOS COURTESY XU.EDU
Fortin and requested university sup- forensic techniques used by nurses
port to ensure proactive responses in cases of sexual assault. All ad-
to harassment and assault and to re- vocates are debriefed by Jenkins
store confidence that the university
lives up to its values. This resulted
after each case.
An advocate can provide anyone
in the formation of the Advocate with emotional support, assistance
Program. in identifying options, help explain-
Jenkins currently trains advo- ing processes such as reporting,
cates for the program. Jenkins and university disciplinary procedures,
Anderson both assist in student mat- obtaining a forensic exam, accom-
ters and act as advocates for matters paniment to the hospital, police,
involving faculty and staff. etc., assistance in developing a
Three doctoral students from safety plan, referrals to campus and
the psychology department have community resources and follow-
received special training and are up support and advocacy.
available 24 hours a day, seven days The Xavier Advocate Program
a week to take calls from students also has a 24-hour confidential
about any kind of racial, sexual hotline. “This was the idea of a
or sexual orientation harassment member of the Xavier Board of
or sexual assault. There are also Trustees who pointed out that most
trained faculty and staff advocates large businesses have 24-hour hot-
available for any situations that af- lines for employees to make anony-
fect university employees. mous complaints without fear of
Each advocate has received reprisal,” explained Jenkins. “The
intense training. They meet with advocate is the only person in any
Xavier, Cincinnati and Norwood instance of harassment or assault
police and also visit University whose only concern is to empower
Hospital to become acquainted with the survivor.”