Father Malloy's presidency
In "The Pastoral Presidency of Monk Malloy," I believe one line
was left out of the sidebar table of information entitled "Measuring
Up." That would be the cost of tuition. Even with the increase
in financial aid awarded, is Notre Dame still within the reach
of the middle class where so many of my classmates came from when
I attended the University?
Russ Wyborski '83
Ann Arbor, Michigan
I was a senior faculty member in Notre Dame's College of Engineering
for 10 years, retiring in 2001. I cannot say that Father Malloy
has not stepped forward from time to time as a true leader, willing
to open himself to very vocal criticism for the sake of what he
believed the mission of the University should include. But many
important controversies that the Notre Dame family struggled with
during my time at Notre Dame received no leadership. One example
of this is the question over Notre Dame's primary goal: Should
it strive to be "a great Catholic university" or "a great university
that is Catholic"? To my knowledge, Father Malloy has never stepped
forward and unequivocally made a choice between the two options.
Steven C. Bass
Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Father Malloy has done a great job and deserves all the praise.
Unfortunately, it appears that he is being moved out because something
is wrong at the University. Something is wrong, but it started
long before Monk, and he either did not recognize the problem
or was unable to do anything about it.
It all started with Father Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, and the 1967
Land O' Lakes statement, which basically said that no bishop,
not even the pope, would interfere with academic freedom at these
Catholic institutions. Today the mandate that is required by the
Church to teach theology is being ignored. We now have academic
excellence, a place where wealthy parents can send their very
smart sons and daughters, a place where the faculty need not be
Catholic, and a place where the football team need not win. Cheer,
cheer for old academic freedom.
Tom Wich '63
Clarendon Hills, Illinois
A son's war
Tom McMahon's account of his son in harm's way in Kosovo and
Iraq ("A Family at War") is a heartrending display of parental
love. It also reveals, starkly, that the U.S. Bishops' pastoral
letter, The Challenge of Peace, and John Paul II's repeated
condemnations of the Iraq war have not penetrated American Catholic
culture. Nowhere in the piece is there any concern about the moral
legitimacy of a pre-emptive war of aggression that has taken 100,000
Iraqi lives and wounded, maimed or subjected to depleted uranium
contamination at least a million more.
William H. Slavick '49
Portland, Maine
Party invitations
I was appalled to read that the Notre Dame College Republicans
refused to support voter registration efforts that included posting
voter registration and Election Day information on South Bend
buses before the November election (Seen and Heard, winter 2004-05).
The stated rationale -- that such information might encourage
bus riders, presumed to be poor and working class, to vote and
presumably to vote for Democrats -- smacks of the voter suppression
efforts that the Republican Party has been accused of in Ohio
and Florida, among other places.
Instead of expressing confidence that their party could triumph
based on the merits of its policy positions, the College Republicans
preferred to withhold basic information about exercising one's
right to vote. They have a bright future in their party.
Tim Vercellotti '83
Durham, North Carolina
Walter Poirier
As a U.S. Peace Corps veteran, I was saddened to learn of the
plight of Walter Poirier '00 ("Into Thin Air"). When incidents
like this occur, sound organization requires that both pre-service
training and in-country support be carefully examined with an
eye toward improvement, even security. What has not changed in
the 40-plus years since I served in the Peace Corps is my opinion
of its value: the best bang for the overseas buck in the U.S.
budget then or now, thanks to a dedicated corps of volunteers.
Michael E. O'Donnell
Wise, Virginia
Although Wally Poirier graduated before I entered Notre Dame
and the hallowed halls of Zahm, from what others have said of
him I think David Devine '94 fully captured his spirit. Devine's
centering on stories was beautifully crafted. Wally will always
live on through stories; that is how we all survive. It is comforting
to know that as long as one remembers the stories and retells
them, those special people and moments that defined our existence
at Our Lady's university will never be forgotten.
Robert Hutchison '03
Saint Louis
Emil T.
I read your article ("Determination, 'Dad' helped alumna succeed")
about Lena Jefferson '90 and Dr. Emil T. Hofman with great emotion.
I have always greatly admired Dr. Hofman for his concern for his
students and all freshmen. I am reminded of these lines I once
wrote as an 18-year-old freshman:
God made the ocean,
God made the sea,
But best of all,
He made Emil T.
Paul Coppola '78
Washington, D.C.
(April 2005)
