It looks like the cannon ball finally killed Loyola-or at least his name. The Loyola Center for Campus Ministry has been changed to the Eckelkamp Center for Campus Ministry. While we mean no disrespect to [L.B. and Bonnie] Eckelkamp, we still find the choice to rename the Loyola Center appalling.

These changes were based on service. And while the Eckelkamps have performed a great deal of service, we are pretty sure that they would not be the first ones to claim that they have done more service than St. Ignatius of Loyola. Vice President for University Advancement, Tom Keefe, stated that the buildings chosen to be renamed were done so because the names were, “not as attractive” and “lack[ed] a certain imagination,” [according to the story “Buildings renamed on campus” in the Sept. 10 issue of The University News.] Does St. Ignatius really fall under these categories?

Luckily, John Kavanaugh, S.J., a professor in the philosophy department, will be speaking Monday, Oct. 5 on the importance of a Jesuit education. Now correct us if we are wrong, but we think that St. Ignatius might have had an influence on the values our University holds in such high regard. St. Ignatius deserves to be named after a building, especially Campus Ministry, because his spirituality is indoctrinated into the student body and proclaimed in Saint Louis University’s mission.

We are disappointed with whomever had an authoritative voice in changing the name of Campus Ministry. There are still other halls that have not been renamed. St Louis’ wife, Queen Marguerite, has a hall named after her, yet the founder of the Society of Jesus must be content with the parking lot neighboring the Laclede Street Bar and Grill. St. Ignatius’ humility would not question being a parking lot’s namesake, but the reason we memorialize him is so that we may walk as he did, ad mejorem Dei gloriam.

-Drew Thomas and Kevin Grillot, seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences