Opinion by Ben Dickison, Sports Editor

I’m alarmed at and skeptical of the absolute lack of effort in some of the endeavors our university allegedly wants to address. 

I am not condemning the administration for exploring expansion into empty spaces in the Jesuit education market and am an adamant proponent of our biggest leap of faith yet: opening an osteopathic medical school. Xavier is a place a student seeks out because they want to be part of something not found anywhere else. Creating a Jesuit osteopathic medical school noses us ahead of our most symmetrically structured competitors: Midwestern Jesuit institutions with Big East athletics such as Marquette and Creighton. 

The changes we make should translate to investment in becoming a pioneer in higher education in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. 

On Sept. 18, Xavier’s Student Government approved LGBTQ+ Alliance’s request to become a University-Affiliated Organization, meaning the university is obligated to financially support Alliance via the student activity fee pool. This codification of the valued presence of an LGBTQ+ organization on a Jesuit campus truly expands Xavier to become inclusive to groups that have traditionally felt marginalized in similar communities. 

Unfortunately, some pursuits of the university, confirmed as possibilities by members of the administration team, seem to be aiming towards placing Xavier in national headlines. These moves may bring publicity, but do they really fulfill Jesuit values? 

For example, Vice President for Institutional Strategy and Director of Athletics Greg Christopher called the possibility of adding a football team “a model of using sports teams to boost enrollment.” He also publicly stated the interest of following a model similar to the Pioneer League, which does not permit football programs to award scholarships. I am not suggesting we invest a quarter-million dollars in Quidditch, but with the amount of debt and investment in other ventures Xavier has made, football could not be funded at a level that would improve the financial health of the university. 

For example, according to an article in its student paper, Big East counterpart Villanova University spent $6.6 million on football in 2016, while generating under $1 million in gross revenue from gridiron events. The Wildcats conquered the bracket the same year, winning a men’s basketball national championship and aiding the university in generating about $11 million in revenue, while only spending $9.5 million. In a year where the signature program of the university, men’s basketball, won a national championship, the athletic department lost around $20 million. 

Xavier does not have an on-campus football stadium, a practice facility and adequate locker room, nor training facilities to realistically support a competitive football program.

The only sport at Xavier that turns a profit — men’s basketball — has never won a national title, nor even advanced to the Final Four. The addition of football would take investment opportunities away from more academically exceptional yet underprivileged students. 

The average cost to attend Xavier, according to the United States Department of Education, is $31,462 after aid. According to the New York Times, only 2.7% percent of students come from families that make less than $20,000 annually. Some readers may think this is a number that protects the “prestigious” reputation of Xavier. However, at a Jesuit institution, the definition of prestige should be identifying talented people, regardless of socioeconomic status, to give students space to change our world for the better. Scholarships for those who deserve to be at Xavier but simply cannot afford it is actually rooted in justice and love. 

Xavier could also advance funding to further the social missions it claims to pursue. By consolidating Xavier Police (XUPD) with the Norwood Police Department, Xavier could save on many expenses, such as officer salaries, facility costs, utilities for Flynn Hall and patrol cars. As valuable as the incredible staff of XUPD is, according to their own crime log for 2023, over half of XUPD responses have been in assistance of other departments. As much as I genuinely love the relationships I’ve formed with each and every XUPD officer I’ve encountered, it could be beneficial to allow one or two XUPD officers to focus solely on campus issues while working for Norwood PD, and to have the rest of the force join Norwood PD to serve the surrounding communities. 

Additionally, the Digital Innovation, Film and Television (DIFT) program could become housed in Flynn Hall as opposed to the current location within Brockman that was initially meant to house the program until its own building could be constructed. 

Additional programs that would establish an intersection between “More Xavier” and an improved Xavier would be committing to a more efficient recycling program and expanding the existing amount of bins on campus that separate plastic and paper. 

Furthermore, providing an expanded selection of ramps would show a desire by the university to optimize the experience of all who visit and reside on campus. 

At this point, as we approach the 200th anniversary of our university, a time when there will be fewer college-aged students than ever before, the investments of time and treasure need to be intentionally geared towards making us THE university that cares for the whole person in every person.