Inside: ND Candidate Platforms, Endorsement Thursday, February 6, 1997 • Vol. XXX No. 85 THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY'S • STUDENT GOVERNMENT Student reform committee inches toward goal By HEATHER MACKENZIE 20-minute debate regarding "The representative selected was in agreement that the pres­ between the president and the News Writer whether one or two Students would naturally have an under­ ident should definitely have a senate," said Clare Deckelman, Senators should be placed on standing of how the [budget] role in the senate, but wavered a member of the committee. Last night, the reform com­ the budget committee. Mark commit.tee needs to work on what this would entail. A two-thirds majority vote of mittee attempted to come closer Leen, a senator, questioned the together," she said. Brendan Kelly, head of the the senate would render the to its goal of rewriting the stu­ proposition to have only a sin­ The reform committee, how­ reform committee, expressed opinion of the president in con­ dent government constitution. gle senate representative. ever, eventually voted to keep that "having the president at sequential. Hoffmann expres­ Amidst some discussion, the "One senator could be ganged the number at two. since they senate meetings avoids conflicts sed concerns that this left the committee clarified proposed up or could be only looking out deemed the subject unworthy of of interests with the adminis­ president in a powerless posi­ policy and organizational for his own interests," he said. any further debate. They tration." tion when faced with a majority changes. In the end, it came to But Erin Hoffmann, student decided that it did not matter if A proposal was introduced vote. "It is dangerous to have conclusions on issues ranging body treasurer, reasoned that one or two senators served on that required the president to the president do something he from the president's position in because the Student Senate the budget committee. be present at all senate meet­ doesn't want to do. He may the Student Senate to the com­ would select the representative, The committee then discussed ings as part of his position, and know better what is good for position of the budget commit­ the senator on the committee the relationship between the to serve as a non-voting mem­ the student body." tee. would have the interests of the Student Senate and the student ber of the body. "Hopefully However, Kelly expressed The meeting opened with a entire senate in mind. body president. The committee there won't be any dissension see REFORM I page 7 Last night's critical discussion on "Alcohol, Gender 'best' in education and the Notre Dame Community" sparked debate among its audience. Presenting a variety of opinions on the rea­ By SASKIA SIDENFADEN sons that Notre Dame is a binge-drinking campus, the News Writer dialogue sought to explain the effects that such behavior has on women, Outlining his second-term agenda in his fourth "Our ethnicity and gender are no protection against State of the Union address Tuesday night, President alcoholism," said Martha Cohn Spiegel, founder of the Clinton attempted to "repair the breach" of a partisan Alcohol/ Drug Action Program and Jewish Family Congress. emphasizing a mutual goal that "all Service in Los Angeles. Americans have the best education Contrary to the current perception, she pointed out in the world." that women are actually more susceptible to alcohol Contrary to his previous address­ related problems because they become intoxicated es. Clinton came on strongly, chal­ faster due to a combination of hormones and smaller lenging Congress to pass his initia­ builds. tives and proposing a comfortable "Alcohol is the most addictive drug that we know of," middle ground for the American she said. She also mentioned that with alcohol use public. comes an increase in the number of suicides. homicides "There was something vital =""""---~ and accidents. Date rape is also more common when about him," said American studies alcohol is involved. professor Robert Schmuhl. "I liked Len Hickman, a psychologist at the University the number of things he addressed and overall it was Counseling Center, spoke on the trend of college binge a very good performance. ·Like Lazarus, Bill Clinton is drinking and how that practice affects women. revived." "Binge drinking," he began, is defined as the con­ Listing his detailed 10-point plan of attack, Clinton sumption of five or more drinks for men, or "four or more focused much of his 60-minute speech on educational The Observer/Sarah O'Connor drinks for women, during one sitting." · reform. In his promise to allot over $51 billion in gov­ Psychologist Len Hickman spoke at yesterday's discussion, ernment funding to improve national standards of noting that binge drinking has strong effects on women. education, Clinton is "flying in the face of the see ALCOHOL I page 4 American Right who are proposing total local control of education," Schmuhl said. His national crusade for education standards pro­ poses national tests of science, math, and reading to 'Fat phobia' permeates society be administered by local schools. By SARAH CORKREAN News Writer 'There was something Recalling childhood bouts with parental pressure to lose vital about him ... weight, professor Amber Katherine noted that "fat pho­ and overall it was a very bia" starts in the home and continues into adulthood with the pressure women exert on themselves. good performance. Like This professor of philosophy and women's studies stated Lazarus, Bill Clinton is that as women get older, they must develop and empower --'-'"'------'""'""""" revived. ' themselves, realizing the importance of personal experi­ ences. Robert Schmuhl "By opening up to an individual, one will notice the only differences between herself and others are different expe­ "These standards are not creating big government riences. By understanding each other's differences, one bureaucracies," Schmuhl explained. "they simply will find strength in the support group and an open line of articulate what skills students should achieve." communication will evolve," Katherine said. Other proposals include a $5 billion advance to a Katherine gathered with other women faculty and stu­ $20 billion grant toward school construction over the dents yesterday for a panel luncheon in the North Wedge next 20 years. an emphasis on "character education," Room at Saint Mary's dining hall. The panel was orga­ and universal Internet access in all public schools. nized so that the women could share what it means to be Despite these positives, Clinton drew groans from a woman in today's society and how women can accept Hepublican members of Congress with his plans to their bodies and keep them healthy. create nationally accepted teaching credentials, gov­ The discussion focused on personal, psychological, and The Observer/Kimm Michalik ernment-sponsored reading programs, and skill physical experiences and the portrayal of women in grants. Nevertheless, Clinton vowed a non-partisan SMC women gathered yesterday to share common concerns advertising, and centered on promoting self-awareness in and personal stories of struggles with eating disorders. commitment to education: "Politics must stop at the nurturing oneself. schoolhouse door." In concluding her own personal story, Katherine opened Augmenting the notion that eating disorders are a politi­ In the.wake of the debate surrounding the national the wider topic of eating disorders, stating that they are cal and social disease disseminated through the mass debt, Clinton deemed the balanced budget amend­ not as uncommon as many people would like to believe. media, professor Rebecca Stoddart of the psychology ment "unnecessary and unwise." Poised to sign a bal­ She continued that millions of people have these disor­ department focused on unnatural portrayals of women in anced budget bill for the year 2002, he targeted GOP ders. and that their existence is a social, economic, politi­ advertising. cal, and community problem. see UNION I page 4 see DISORDERS I page 7 ~------------------------------------~ -----------~- page 2 The Observer· INSIDE Thursday, February 6, 1997 • INSIDE COLUMN • WORLD AT A GlANCE Xrabs and Jews unite to mourn soldier's death Air Force NEVE SHALOM, Israel certainly the only funeral attended by In a unique Israeli village where Jews dozens of Arabs - his friends and and Arabs live side-by-side, the two neighbors. Blues peoples came together Wednesday to Arab citizens of Israel - almost a fifth mourn the death of a 20-year-old Israeli of the population - are not required to This is grade school. I Mary Beth Ellis army sergeant killed in a helicopter perform army service, and few do. The am surrounded by both Accent Copy Editor crash. nationwide mourning for slain soldiers girls AND boys, all of "He joined the army and went to light usually serves only to accentuate the whom are dressed Arabs - but now he was killed and I separation between the two communi­ exactly alike. I am sitting very, very still. I am sad," said an Arab neighbor, Adnan ties. want my mommy. Mana: "We are one family. I think this But in Neve Shalom, 15, miles .west of This is my fourth week in an Air Force is our most united day." Jerusalem in the Judean foothills, Arabs ROTC class. Fourth week, third class. We Tom Kitain was buried yester.day and Jews mingled together Wednesday didn't meet the first week - class was can­ evening in a tiny hillside cemetery in outside the Kitain family's white, one­ celled due to snow, which I found to be a dis­ Neve Shalom, or "Oasis of Peace," a story house, weeping and sharing mem­ turbing indication of our military's readiness. utopian community founded two ories of the tall young man with a crin­ I don't think my classmates are comfortable decades ago to prove that Jews and kle-eyed smile and easy laugh.