Letters to the editor

No 'mandatory' Arrupe placements in future

Marcos Moreno offers the frightening prospect that Arrupe placements may soon become mandatory [Opinion, Sept. 29]. Evoking his experience with high school community-service requirements, it is easy to see why he is so concerned. Imagine having to defer studying for a tough midterm because one has to pass out towels at the YMCA!

However, his warning is based on three misconceptions.

1. Community-based learning is not the same as mandatory community service. While community-based placements are required in some courses, they are no more mandatory than textbooks.

2. Community-based learning requires careful integration with course work. Arrupe placements are designed to support course learning objectives. Not every placement is perfect, but Arrupe staff does its best to maximize learning value.

3. No one is seriously advocating making Arrupe placements mandatory. Since only 20 percent of student body had an Arrupe placement last year, making it mandatory is cost-prohibitive. Add to that the problems of accommodating students' already crowded course schedules, and in working with the additional instructors that would be required to bring student participation to 100 percent, and we're talking about a monumental undertaking.

Don't spend your time preparing to speak out against mandatory Arrupe placements; study for that tough midterm instead.

Dennis Moberg

Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education