A committee has began plans to construct a memorial in honor of students and professors who have died during their time at St. Edward’s University.  

“The rapid number of deaths that we have had in recent months is signaling a change,” said Father Louis Brusatti, who is in charge of a committee to procure the necessary funds and research to create the memorial. “The faculty senate has asked that we give special consideration to the development of a memorial that honors those of our faculty who have passed.”

A campus-wide construction project, the Master Plan 2015, was first approved by the university’s Board of Trustees in 2011. The plan is set to finish a complete campus-wide renovation of several residence halls, classrooms and outdoor spaces by 2015.

According to the project’s original agenda, the Master Plan 2015 did not call for a memorial of any sort to be built in honor of professors or students who had died while teaching or studying at St. Edward’s.

But the recent deaths of five longtime members of the St. Edward’s community made many think there needs to be a change.

“I think that if a professor has dedicated 20 years of life to the profession of educating students, they wholly deserve to be honored,” said senior Kimberly Valmores.

Brusatti agrees with Valmores.

“A number of universities have memorials for students and faculty who have died in the line of duty to their university,” Brusatti said.

The new Memorial Committee faces the challenge of integrating plans for the memorial into the current Master Plan 2015 for construction.

Receiving funding for a memorial is another hassle that Brusatti and the Memorial Committee are facing.

“We will have to take everything up with the Board of Trustees,” Brusatti said. “If we cannot get adequate funding, we will have to find some way of fundraising the money.”

Still, Brusatti remains optimistic. Brusatti said he has received emails from a number of people expressing interest in a memorial. 

“The willingness of alumni, students and faculty to send assistance is extraordinary,” said Brusatti. “But there is a slight debate over who we will choose to honor on the memorial, whether it be a plaque or a statue or anything.”

With the Master Plan 2015 already in progress, the committee’s only option will be to add an amendment to the proposed replacement Campus Ministry Center and prayer garden that is going to replace Mang House on the east side of campus.

“That may be the only place we can really put a memorial on such a late notice,” said Brusatti. “We just hope that we have enough time to draw up plans and talk to the architects.”

Plans for the memorial are still in the early stages and are not guaranteed. There is still no current word on what this memorial will look like, who exactly it will honor or where it will be located when it is finally finished, but Brusatti hopes to be able to honor his fellow professors as soon as he can.