By Christian Cullen, Staff Writer

This year has been the year of the “+x.” It’s Xavier’s new marketing campaign aimed at growing the university — physically and with enrollment. It certainly is not flying under the radar; walk anywhere on campus and you will see the promotional material for it. “More connections,” “More faith” and “More three-pointers,” line the street coming down Dana. While the university has blundered into this new advertising campaign, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of issues with it. 

There is something that the university simply cannot deny: the dissonance inherent in trying to grow. Simply put, Xavier’s reputation is that of a small liberal arts college. It is a difficult line to toe. How to grow into a bigger university while also keeping the culture of a smaller liberal arts college is a question the university must grapple with. If you seek to grow enrollment from our current status, how can you maintain the culture? 

There are other concerns about maintaining our culture with other moves the university has made. For example, the proposed football team, which while shelved in favor of the medical school, will likely still happen. The addition of the football team and at least hundreds, potentially more, undergraduates joining enrollment seems to imply a culture more akin to a bigger state school.

As addressed in a previous Newswire article, the liberal arts are currently under fire, both around the U.S. and at Xavier. Xavier has definitely become a school that leans into the STEM and business side of the academic spectrum. But the liberal arts are profoundly important and should not be left behind. I fear in this drive for “more” at Xavier, we may actually lose out. All of these perceived changes and objects of growth will need to be funded. 

I would also like to comment on the “More Faith” poster from earlier. There are two issues present: first, you cannot be advertising yourself as a Jesuit Catholic school while going against the centuries old structure of a Jesuit education. Second, what does the quote “More Faith” even mean? Do we just want a more faithful campus, or more people of a certain faith?

There is also the issue of where Xavier can physically expand. There is not an abundance of land available in Norwood. There is the Family Dollar parking lot bordering us on the side closest to Montgomery, and the neighborhoods up by Winding Way. If we are seeking to grow enrollment, it is likely that some physical changes will have to occur as well. Will these changes be made with the contribution of the Norwood community? Or will Xavier stomp over the neighborhood it resides in? 

Not only that, but what about the classrooms themselves? The rooms in Alter can fill up quite quickly, and those are some of the bigger rooms on campus. This does not even begin to address housing concerns. Sophomores have gotten pushed to University Station and off campus; if we increase the incoming freshmen classes, will there be enough space? The Caf is often packed at lunchtime and dinner, is that going to be expanded? How much of a face lift will Xavier undergo before it morphs into something entirely new to us?

Xavier is in the midst of a mid-life crisis. Hopefully, we do not end up buying a sports car. There is a culture shift going on here, and we will likely not be around to see the outcome of this shift. However, the school is changing, and I’m not entirely sure it is for the better. There are concerns about the upcoming demographic cliff (where there are fewer college aged adults that will enroll for their freshman year), but there must be a way to keep what we have. 

Xavier is a special place, and we all care for it in its current form. We come looking for the small liberal arts culture and stay for the bonds we build while here. Sure, “+x” seems here to stay, but we should consider what leaves with its arrival.