What do Georgetown, Boston College and Notre Dame have in common? These are the three Catholic Universities that University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild said in his State of the University address in November that Marquette needs do more to compete with. A large reason that Marquette needs to play catch-up is that the three schools listed above are heralded as major graduate research universities.

In the spirit of improving the academic standing of Marquette, one would think that the administration would make every effort to narrow the perceived gap between Marquette and these schools. However, the recent decision to convert the Abbotsford apartment building from graduate to undergraduate housing is symptomatic of where graduate students lie among the University's priorities.

There is no question that undergraduate housing is a major issue at Marquette. However, to solve the problem by kicking graduate students out of the Abbotsford demonstrates that grad students are being shoved aside in favor of undergrads. What does it say when the University makes graduate students move out of their apartments to make way for incoming freshmen? What does it say when grads are left to choose between sharing Carmel, Gilman or Campus Town Apartments with rowdy undergraduates or living off campus?

This treatment of graduate students can be seen on a larger scale throughout the university. The most visible grad students on campus are those who are teaching assistants. While the T.A.'s on campus are dedicated to educating their undergraduate students, it seems odd that so many are serving undergrads rather than participating in groundbreaking research — the mark of major doctoral programs.

This is said not to take away the progress the University has made with its doctoral programs in fields such as history, English, theology and philosophy. However, if one were to simply thumb through this spring's Schedule of Classes, they would find out that there are no doctoral level offerings this semester in important fields like physics, economics and finance.

If Marquette wants to attract the best and brightest students and professors, or if they want to be considered in the same breath as the holy trinity of American Catholic universities, then there needs to be a greater commitment to the graduate students of this university. Making sure they don't get kicked out of their apartments would simply be a start. Over the next several years, the university needs to expand its graduate programs, start major research programs and lay the groundwork to get the grants necessary to fund such programs.

This kind of groundwork would lay a solid foundation for the future of the university's graduate-level programs, and would propel Marquette into the top tier of Catholic education in the United States.

As it stands right now, Marquette is an undergraduate university that tries to disguise itself with a limited commitment to graduate programs. The University needs to show the same overall dedication to its graduate programs and students as it does to its incoming students. Let's start by finding them their own place to live.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Feb. 1 2005.