Twenty-person classrooms aren’t going anywhere, according to the Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., university president, and Micah White, Creighton Students Union president.

In a Fireside Chat held Tuesday beside the Skutt Student Center fireplace, Schlegel and White agreed that the community feeling that draws so many students to campus will continue to exist.

“Our message to the faculty and staff on the strategic planning committee is that we enjoy the small undergraduate community at Creighton University,” White said. “We enjoy 20-person classes. We enjoy knowing our professors.”

Schlegel expanded on that concept with some numbers. There are only 12 more freshmen this year than in 2007, and he wants it to stay that way.

“We have a commitment to retain 3,800 to 4,000 undergraduates,” he said.

The future of Creighton was not the only subject discussed in the chat.

Topics ranged from Billy Blue’s Alumni Grill, recycling and smoking, to the parking issue, construction around campus and student housing.

The first topic breached was that of Billy Blue’s and the Harper Center. Schlegel said the negative press surrounding the center before its opening will die down once people become accustomed to the on-campus restaurant.

The larger discussion about the eatery revolved around the usage of meal plans and dining dollars.

“There’s no meal exchange at Billy Blue’s to maintain a high quality of food,” White said. “They have to maintain the prices in order to do this.”

Talking about the Harper Center in general, Schlegel encouraged students to explore the building in order to find a way to fit it into their campus use, especially the lounges on the third and fourth floors and the fitness center.

“The entry level is designed for the ‘wow’ factor with new students,” he said. “But that’s not the primary focus of the building. Once we get things worked out, it will be a very inviting opportunity for all students.”

On recycling, White said she hopes to continue educating the student body about the program through single-stream, as well as expanding it physically on campus.

Currently the program is used in all residence halls, the Harper Center and the Wareham Building.

“We’re looking into No. 1 moving it quickly to the other buildings as soon as possible, and No. 2 making sure students, faculty and staff are aware of this,” White said.

The smoking ban, making its debut this semester, also received discussion. This is designed to be a learning year without many punishments for those violating the policy, Schlegel said.

“Upfront, we want to teach each other, we want to learn from each other,” he said. “It’s a trauma for folks who are used to smoking.”

White sees the ban needing three years to fully take effect.

Last year only two freshmen marked that they were smokers on the residence life form, White said, which indicates that most students begin smoking in college.

“We need a three-year cycle to get a community of a new group of students who haven’t started smoking yet,” she said.

And what did the pair have to say about the parking situation on campus?

“It will remain in the eye of the beholder,” Schlegel said. “There’s lots of parking out there if you’re willing to walk a few blocks.”

Schlegel did concede that on-campus parking is “artificially confined because of construction” in the area and hopes once these projects are completed the issue will lessen.

Speaking of construction, the two confessed to having little authority over the situation. The project is federally mandated and running six weeks behind schedule because of weather in July and August.

Not only is the noise bothering students living in Opus and Davis Halls, but the construction itself is also holding up work on the Ryan Center, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009.

Also relating to construction is the plan to reorganize student housing in upcoming years. Having sophomores live in Heider Hall with married students is not a long-term plan, White said.

She added that “the housing committee sees residence halls popping up in the near future.”

Schlegel envisions freshmen housing remaining in a contained area in the middle of campus, with sophomores located mainly around McGloin Hall and upperclassmen in Opus and Davis.

He also noted that the campus will never be able to house all undergraduate students.

Before closing the chat, Schlegel took a few minutes to touch on the fall election. He mentioned the possibility of helping to bring Republican presidential nominee John McCain to the Omaha area. Schlegel went on to encourage all students in attendance to vote on Nov. 4, whether in person or by absentee ballot, and to push their friends to vote as well.

“The results will be historical,” Schlegel said, “no matter what they are.”