Meal Plan Controversy

Learning Communities

         High school is winding down and Loyola University is just beyond the horizon.  There are lots of adventures waiting for you, so why not go through them with people who are just like you?
       
         It's not too late to join a Living-Learning Community at Loyola, so make sure to jump on it.  Not only do residents in learning communities feel right at home, but they are more connected to the university because of all the activities the communities participate in.
       

Wellness Learning Community

          Loyola Currently has 6 learning community options:
                        - Greenhouse
                        - International Learning Community
                        - Leadership Learning Community
                        - Multicultural Learning Community
                        - Service and Faith Learning Community
                        - Wellness Learning Community
Housing for the learning communities has not been finalized yet, but that information will be available soon.
       
         If that isn't enough, did you know that students in Learning Communities on average have higher GPAs than students who don't?  A lot of fun and good grades are the perfect recipe for success in college.

Check Out

          The 2012-2013 school year is sadly coming to an end, and that means that it’s time to move out. With final exams and last minute projects galore, this time of year can be really stressful.
       
          To avoid a lot of the hassle, make sure to have open communication with your roommates. If there is a mess, pointing fingers at the end will result in both roommates paying a fine. Make sure to finalize who cleans what, and who takes ownership of what damage.
       
          If you need an extended stay (up till May 12th) you have until 4 pm on April 23rd to sign up for that. For everyone else, the last day to sign up for check out is April 29th. Failure to do so will result in a $100 fine.
       
          Make sure that you are on time to your appointment. If you show up more than 10 minutes late to check out, you will be fined $100. If you are overwhelmed by the large number of things that you have to do before you move out, don’t be. Here are 8 steps to simplifying the check-out process.

Baumhart Hotel

This is a satirical news broadcast I did about the Baumhart Hotel.  This school year is the first time that non Loyola students will be able to stay in Baumhart Hall during the school year.  Please let me know what you think about the idea below.

Meal Plan Controversy

          Everyone knows that college costs increase as time goes on, but few could foresee the exorbitant rise in meal plan prices.

         Under the current reform, the 2 year cost for food at Loyola will be over $8000, and it is expected to rise to over $9000 dollar over a 2 year span in the coming years. 

         This represents a 12% increase in meal plan costs for Freshman and a 150% increase in meal plan costs for sophomores who no longer have the $685 declining balance option.  

         Numerous students protested last Friday afternoon at the quad on the Lake Shore Campus.  Despite the protest and talks with Loyola University administration, no immediate changes seem likely. 

          Because of the strong attendance and support for the cause, there will likely be another protest.  Contact Shay Collins at bcollins5@luc.edu if you want to get involved with the cause.  

Photo by: campusdish.com

Fire in Baumhart

Baumhart Hall

       Though there were no physical injuries, the grease fire in Baumhart Hall last week did a lot of damage.  Residents in floors 10 through 13 in the Water Tower Campus’ Baumhart Hall will have to be relocated.

       
       Authorities suspect that the fire occurred around 2 a.m. during a cooking incident.  The female residents did not know how to utilize a fire extinguisher, and added water to the fire, making it worse.  They eventually pulled the fire alarm which activated the sprinklers.

       
     It was the sprinklers, not the fire, which created most of the damage.  Residents within floors 10-13 will be relocated to other residence halls for the time being.  Currently, it appears unlikely that they will receive compensation for any goods that were damaged. 

     The university is optimistic that the relocated residents will be able to move into their dorms soon.  However, there is a strong possibility that they will spend the rest of the semester in their new locations.    



Fire photo by: www.cbs19.tv
Baumhart phot by: Loyola University Chicago Alumni Newsletter

The End of an Era

Lake Shore Dining Hall

            Despite bringing hope for a new and exciting future, the new    Damon student center also marks the end of a historic era.  The student center will arrive in one week, and end the reign of Lake Shore Dining.

            Lake Shore Dining has been an integral part of student life on the Lake Shore Campus since 1969.  Friday, March 29 will be the last day that students will have access to the dining hall and Rambler Room. 

Rambler Room

   

         The Damon dining hall will open on April 1^st to accommodate for student meal plans because of the closing of the former two dining services.  Students on Lake Shore Campus will have to use Simpson dining hall during the two days in between.  Access to the rest of the student center will be restricted until April 3, when the student center formally opens.   

            There are festivities planned for all of Wednesday, the opening day of the student center.  There are only 4 days until closing, so make sure that you pay your homage to the dining hall and rambler room as soon as you can.

Photos by: campusdish.com

  

Radio Podcast Assignment

Baumhart Hotel

Baumhart Hall

            Floors five through eight in the Water Tower Campus’ Baumhart Hall will operate as a hotel.  The standard rate for guests is $285.18 per night for a full apartment.  Single bedrooms can also be rented for a rate of $157.14 per night. 

            There is no limit for the duration of the stay for non-Loyola visitors.  Long-term stays have a lower per night rate than short-term stays. 

            Visitors’ rooms have the same amenities as those in Loyola students.  Visitors also have access to the laundry room in Baumhart as well as all the other facilities provided to students.  Room cleaning and linen exchange is available to those residing for longer than a week. 

            To place your reservation, visit http://lodging.luc.edu/.



Photo by: Loyola University Chicago Alumni Newsletter 

The Arm of a Champion

I initially made this movie for my Comm 135 class, but I didn't use one of the techniques properly so it's just for fun now.  It's pretty funny: enjoy

Off-Campus Housing

Lakeside Edgewater Apartments

         Are you worried about all the stress that comes with being an upperclassman?  Don’t let housing be one of your burdens.  If you are not planning on staying on campus, make sure to attend the Off-Campus Housing Fair. 

          The fair is on Tuesday March 19 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the main lobby of the Centennial Forum Student Center.  The event is open to all students.

Loyola owned Apartments

          Lots of information will be available such as managing rent expenses, transportation, cooking, and more.  Several landlords will also be in attendance to answer questions about their rental properties.  Additionally, students will get an opportunity to speak with managers of Loyola owned apartments

         To maximize the opportunity of the event, students should bring questions to ask the landlords in addition to their IDs. 

          If you have any questions regarding the event, you can contact Akeya Peterson at apeterson5@luc.edu.  We hope to see you all there.  

Edgewater photo by: walkscore.com 

Loyola Apartment photo by: movingoffcampus.com 

Project Three: Video News Story

This video is about the construction/renovations that are going on inside and near the residence halls.  Opinions regarding the construction are given by a Loyola faculty member and student.

Residence Hall Association Elections

 

           Do you have a lot of great ideas about making the dorms better?  Will nobody listen to your brilliance?  If you answered yes to either question, fear no more. 

          The Loyola University Residence Hall Associaiton executive board elections are coming up.  The RHA is 100 percent student run and has made incredible progress on improving the community. 

          If you want to make a positive impact, fill out an application and get nominated.  You can also nominate a friend if you think that they would be the perfect fit. 

There are seven different positions, so there should be no problem finding the perfect position for you:

-       President

-       Vice President

-       National Communications Coordinator

-       Finance Coordinator

-       Program Coordinator (2)

-       External Affairs Coordinator

         Last year’s game at the Joe was a huge success, so it should be exciting to see what ideas come next.

         If you have any questions, make sure to contact RHA@luc.edu.




Picture is from Loyola University Chicago Res Life

Tour of Residence Halls

This is walking tour of the residence halls on the Lake Shore Campus at Loyola University Chicago. Check out some of the hotspots that aren't residence halls on the tour.




View Tour of Residence Halls in a larger map

Loyola Residents in Winter

LeMoyne Hall residents, Rebecca May, 20 and Julia Murphey, 20, enjoy the winter at Loyola University Chicago. 

Preview of Baumhart Hall

Baumhart Hall

          Are you having trouble deciding on a place to live next year?  The Water Tower Campus’ Baumhart Hall might be the perfect fit.

          One of the advantages is location.  Many upperclassmen find that most of their classes are downtown and taking the shuttle between campuses can be a real hassle.  Baumhart is the perfect solution to public transportation woes. 

          Baumhart residents have no dining worries as the Terry Food Court is conveniently located on the second floor.  Residents can then burn off their meals at the state-of-the-art fitness center on the 4^th floor. 

          If you can’t stand small living quarters, fear no more.  Baumhart Hall’s apartment style rooms have more than enough space to fit everybody (figuratively speaking of course).   

          To find out more about Baumhart, stop by at the residence hall’s open house on Thursday, February 14 or Friday, February 15.  You can also go on a tour to check out the rooms yourself.  

Photo By: Loyola University Chicago Alumni Newsletter

Maroon and Gold's Green Dorm

San Francisco Hall February 2 2013

The great Max Goof once said, “College is the beginning to rest of our lives.”  One of the first decisions that incoming freshman make in their new lives is deciding on housing.  If you are going to start fresh, might as well be a pioneer. 

Loyola is opening a brand new freshman dorm, San Francisco Hall, for the 2013-2014 school year. This is going to be the first freshman dorm to integrate living and learning sustainability. 

The green technology within the residence hall will enable students to monitor their energy consumption and visualize how their choices impact the environment. 

Residents will be divided into “neighborhoods” and their electricity, heat, and water consumption will be tracked.  The neighborhoods will compete throughout the year to see which is the most efficient. 

Completed Greenhouse

San Francisco students also have the luxury of being connected to the new Greenhouse.  The Greenhouse will produce the food served in the café at the bottom of the beginning.  The Greenhouse and café are open to both residential and nonresidential students. 

The housing application for the Fall 2013/Spring 2014 calendar year will be available on Monday February 4.        


Greenhouse photo: luc.edu/reslife