Marquette University In the News

Student-led ‘Mark Up Marquette’ recognized for racial justice message
A group of students and others from the surrounding community gathered near the Alumni Memorial Union for a peaceful, student-organized protest called “Mark Up Marquette” following the murder of George Floyd. Demonstrators used colorful chalk to display racial justice messaging.

Sister Anne Arabome, associate director of the Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality, wrote a reflection titled “I can’t breathe because God can’t breathe” about George Floyd and the role of faith in overcoming adversity. “If this land is what it claims to be — of the free and of the brave — racism should no longer be allowed a place in our lives, institutions and communities,” Sister Arabome wrote. “We need to be able to breathe with both lungs no matter the color of our skin. Let's take a breath. It is our God-given right.”

Dr. Jeanne Hossenlopp, vice president for research and innovation, has been named a 2020 Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal. Hossenlopp’s award in the” Innovation” category honors her leadership and dedication in advancing the Marquette experience and inspiring future generations.

Prof. Atiba Ellis, professor of law, commented on the importance of Loving Day in the civil rights movement, but that structural racial inequities remain. Loving Day is the celebration of the 1967 United States Supreme Court decision that struck down all laws banning interracial marriages. “The courts may tell us to do different,” Ellis said. “But our structures that have been built on histories of racial segregation and racial violence are a lot slower to change.”

Dr. Erik Ugland, associate professor of digital media and performing arts in the Diederich College of Communication, discussed the rights of journalists when covering protests. Ugland said the First Amendment protects and treats anybody with a platform as a journalist, and since journalists and protesters are treated equally under the law, police can treat and detain them in a similar manner. He added police interaction only violates the First Amendment when they display an intent to suppress or prevent journalistic documentation of a protest.

Dr. Anthony Pennington-Cross, Bell Chair in Real Estate and professor of finance in the College of Business Administration, discussed how Airbnbs and hotels are struggling even as the economy reopens amid the pandemic. "For luxury chain hotels, the occupancy rate for last week was 14%,” Pennington-Cross said. “The same week a year before it was 78%,” adding that air travel also indicates problems. "The people who were in the hotels in 2019 came from, on average, about 642 miles away. Right now, it’s down to about 46 miles. So, the people in hotels and Airbnbs are driving there. They’re not flying.”

Story aired on WUWM-FM (89.7), June 9, 2020

Dr. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette University Law School Poll, spoke about President Trump’s opposition to recent surveys by various news organizations showing him trailing behind Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden. “Given the size of his margin and the consensus across polls, I think there’s pretty strong evidence that Biden holds a clear lead," Franklin said. "While it’s possible the polls are wrong, they would have to all be wrong to overstate Biden's support.”

Franklin also spoke with Channel 3000 for a June 12 story about Wisconsin’s virtual state Democratic convention.

Dr. Lowell Barrington, associate professor of political science in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, discussed the risks with which Jewish people are living. “The first is the rise of populism and xenophobia in the United States and around the world. Even when Jews are not specifically named by populist leaders, the encouragement of a culture of intolerance and blaming those who are perceived as ‘others’ is bad for any racial, ethnic or religious minority,” Barrington said. “The second process is the COVID-19 crisis, which has made people especially unsettled and fearful. Populism and xenophobia feed on people’s fears and desires to assign blame, and unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic is providing fuel for those who are pushing a populist and xenophobic message.”

Dr. Sandra Hunter, professor of exercise science in the College of Health Sciences, commented on how both functional fitness and resistance training have their place in the workout world. “Free weights and weight machines can be extremely valuable for isolating a muscle group so you can progress, through a range of motion, to build up muscle,” Hunter said. “But functional fitness allows you exercise close to what your central nervous system will ask your body to do during the actual activity.”

University using CARES Act funds to help students
Marquette was recognized as a university using Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding to provide students with emergency funds to students who are facing financial difficulties. Marquette followed the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Education to determine how it disbursed the funds to students who demonstrated the most need, particularly students who are Pell eligible.

Story appeared in the Milwaukee Business Journal, June 12, 2020

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Marquette in the news