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Volume 61 Issue 15
Thursday, February 29, 2024
THE USD VISTA VISTA
The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Diego since 1968
The return of Mickey
USD’s beloved pasta cook back from medical leave LILI KIM ASST. NEWS EDITOR There are only a handful of USD staff members who will go down in the Torero history books as legends. They become household names, as no USD student can say they haven’t crossed paths with these campus celebrities. One of those legends is Mickey, the “pasta guy.” James McManus, better known on campus as “Mickey,” has been a cook at USD for over 30 years. Before joining the USD community, Mickey cooked throughout most of his life, beginning with cooking to pay for his education at SDSU. While he received his B.A. in English, cooking remained Mickey’s passion and led to his full time career. Today, he manages the pasta station in the Student Life Pavilion (SLP) every week night for dinner, making between 60-80 pounds of pasta every night. However, in October 2023, the pasta cook took a leave of absence to get open heart surgery. “Boy, that story is good,”
Mickey, an iconic SLP employee, has returned after recovering from open heart surgery. Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista
Non-tenure track faculty launch union CAS professors voice concerns over job security and pay
COLIN MULLANEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
See Mickey, Page 2
INSIDE ‘World at War’
ANJALI DALAL-WHELAN NEWS EDITOR In a letter to colleagues dated Feb. 14, faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at USD announced that they are organizing a union of non-tenure track (NTT) faculty, along with the Services Employees International Union (SEIU). The newly formed Organization Committee consists entirely of NTT professors: those who are contractually employed to teach courses at USD, but classified as “temporary employees” by the university. The Organization Committee launched a website, which identifies its goals to combat, “precarious positions with low pay, little job security, no meaningful academic freedom, and few opportunities for advancement.” The website also states that, “these conditions affect student learning by limiting our ability to provide quality instruction and
Mickey said about his surgery. “I had an ulcerated belly button, and my girlfriend said I had to go to the doctor. When I get there, one guy starts taking pictures [of my heart], and says I have an issue… I had no idea.” In November, Mickey underwent surgery and was given a new valve, which came from a cow’s heart. “You know how cows like to take naps? I want to take a nap right now,” he said. During his absence, the cook also dealt with knee issues and kidney stones, which lengthened his time away from the kitchen and making pasta. USD cook Danisa Araya, who has been Mickey’s partner for 20 years, explained the pasta chef’s recovery process. “After the surgery, he needed special care. I took some time off so I could help him.” Ultimately, Mickey’s love for his job and students helped him overcome his hardships. “At the hospital, he was like, ‘I really need to go back to work,’” Araya said. “He loves to be around people, and
See News, page 3
Leap year superstitions See A&C, page 4
Humanities center See Feature, page 8
Non-tenure track professors in the College of Arts and Sciences have begun the process of unionizing. Photo courtesy of Meghan Donnelly
mentorship to our students, and they hold us back from becoming fully acknowledged and included members of the campus community.” Theatre Department Lecturer Soroya Rowley signed the Organizing Committee’s
letter, appealing to fellow CAS faculty to join their unionization effort. Rowley explained the benefits of a tenured position. “A tenured position at a university is the ultimate dream for most academics, and it used to be the norm. Tenure
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ensures job security, which allows professors academic freedom in their teaching and scholarship,” Rowley stated. Rowley also explained how the ratio of tenure to NTT positions has changed over time.
See NTT union, Page 2
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Contraceptives on campus See Opinion, page 10
Basketball closes season See Sports, page 11