Legacy of Ryan White Lives On

iOBSERVER Thursday, February 5, 1998 • Vol. XXXI No. 85 THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY'S ■ Student S enate Legacy of Ryan White lives onSenate questions ( ( f^in ce Ryan’s death , my life has been dedicated to eduction and prevention efforts through the Ryan students’ mass White Foundation.” off-campus exodus Jeanne White-Ginder, speaking on her efforts for AIDS education and prevention By TIM LOGAN News Writer By SARAH H IL T Z Assistant News Editor The increasing number of students moving off cam pus was one of the major issues discussed at last In December 1984, Jeanne White-Ginder told her night’s Student Senate meeting. hemophiliac son Ryan that he had contracted AIDS from Katie Beirne informed senators about the planned a tainted blood product. Doctors believed that Ryan focus of Student Union Spring Report to the Board of would only live six more months. Trustees. The report will discuss the question, “Why Ryan’s outlook on his disease was quite simple — he are increasing numbers of Notre Dame undergradu only wanted to stay in school and live a relatively nor ates moving off campus?” mal life. However, the White’s home town of Kokomo, The report has not been finalized. The report may Ind., was not accommodating. Ryan was denied the be modified based on an upcoming Student Union chance to attend school, and the ensuing court battles Board survey of student opinions and wants, but it turned Ryan into an international celebrity and Jeanne w ill likely include suggestions for adjustments to uni into an educator of the masses. versity policies on parietals and alcohol. If public Since Ryan’s death in 1990 at the age of 18, White- opinion supports SUB, it w ill also propose a coed resi Ginder has crusaded for the rights of people with AIDS, dence option. emphasizing the need for compassion and education. In A number of past reports have called for coed resi 1990, Senators Edward Kennedy and Orin Hatch invited dence halls, and none have been successful to date. her to Washington, D C., to lobby for the Ryan White Beirne points to an increase in students moving off Comprehensive AIDS Resource Act (CARE). The bill, campus in the last 10 years, and numbers which have which passed, called for federal funding of AIDS educa “skyrocketed since the early 90s,” as reasons to con tion, research and emergency medical care. sider changes in residence life policy. Later that same year, White-Ginder, in an effort to “The report w ill focus on the effect which more peo educate young people about HIV and AIDS, began giving ple moving off has on campus life,” Beirne said. “We lectures. Her next talk will be tomorrow night in don’t think the Board of Trustees realizes how many Hesburgb Auditorium at 7 p.m. people go off, and how great the impact has been.” Tomorrow night’s audience can expect a multi-media Among the ideas discussed as possible options for presentation including clips from different movies and coed habitation included setting aside one dorm for information about The Ryan White Foundation, of which seniors who wished to live in a coed environment, or White-Ginder is president and founder, said Brian using the Morris Inn, which w ill soon be replaced Churney, program director of ideas and issues at SUB. with a new hotel, as a residence for men and women. The Ryan White Foundation seeks to educate teens Another option is to build “off-campus housing on and adolescents on issues related to HIV and AIDS. She campus” or putting apartments on the fringes of the has also recently published a book, “Weeding Out The university grounds. Tears,” an account of her life since her son’s death and “We’re not going to try and shove coed residence her efforts to cope with his death, her remarriage and down (the Board of Trustees’) throats,” said Beirne, many emotionally taxing AIDS issues. “but the more we remind them of what’s going on, on campus, the better chance we have of getting a coed Information from Keppler Associates, Inc. contributed Jeanne White-Ginder has been a driving force for AIDS option.” to this report. education and prevention since her son, Ryan, died of the Not everyone present was optimistic about the idea. disease in 1990. “It took 110 years for the university to admit women, I don’t think [co-ed residence halls] are ever going to happen,” said O’Neill senator Rajit Basu. “What’s holding it back is the tradition of our single PREAD OF THE Al DS pIDEl 1C sex, fraternity/sorority style dorms.” “If you take the co-residence angle,” predicted 1982: Officials rename it 1987: The first 1993: The World Hea th Fisher senator Chip Warden about the report, “you’re acquired immune anti-HI V drua Organization predicts 40 going to lose credibility:” defic approved million HIV cases by 2()00 ency syndrome - AIDS AZT, is Beirne herself was not optimistic about a speedy 1981: CDC coins 1996: Worldwide, 20 1984: Robert resolution of the issue. “We don’t think this is going to unusual cancers million people have Gallo 1990: Ryan White, a and infections: charismatic teen with been infected with happen in the next year or two, it may not be for 10 discovers the gay-related HIV: 4.5 million have or 20 years.” AIDS virus, hemophilia, dies of immune deficiency AIDS developed AIDS . HIV The report topic was unanimously approved by the Senate, and the document w ill be further prepared 1980 1 1990 1995 for presentation to the Board later this semester. Source: USA Today see SENATE / page 8 A * Campaign SMC to end spirit week with dance 4 H r T r a i l By LISA MAXBAUER ideal for such an occasion. “The director, Christy Heidbreder, This week, The Observer will print News W riter All-Campus Formal is one of the taught crafts in the evening. articles about all 9 tickets running for student biggest events RHA plans each LeMans will be showing its hall body president and vice president. A conspicuous line of students year,” McNulty said. “We want the spirit tonight, entertaining resi has formed near the entrance of entire week to build up to it.” dents with the music of its very Peter Cesaro/Andrea Selak the Saint Mary’s dining hall this Regina Hall has set the pace for own Hotel Pratti in the lobby. past week. These students were the rest of the week with Monday LeMans is also selling slices of ► Kevin Corrigan/Brian Doherty not congregating there for the being its designated day of spirit. Papa John’s pizza for a buck dur Michele Costello/Adrian Cuellar food. They were rushing to pur Regina Hall Council held a pool ing the concert. Tim Fitzsimons/Brian Murphy chase the last of the 1,000 avail party in the dorm. The home bas Annunciata plans to hold a able tickets for this Friday night’s ketball game was another popular senior breakfast tomorrow morn Alfonso Kennard/Walker Candelario All-Campus Formal. place to display spirit on Monday ing, encouraging residents to wear Mark Leen/Sarah Grunow The dance, “Light Up Your Life,” night as the Belles’ reigned victori Holy Cross apparel or the hall is the culmination of Saint Mary’s ous over Bethel College. color of green. ► Walter J. Poirier/Gregory E. Smith 1998 Spirit Week, sponsored by Holy Cross Hall planned a night The daily activities finally end ► Matt Tomko/Ross Kerr the Resident Hall Association of activities for Tuesday, offering with the much anticipated dance at [RHA], Each of Saint Mary’s four activities ranging from tie-dying to the Century Center. Claire Oravec, Brandon Williams/Julie Reising resident halls have devoted a day games in the basement of the RHA chairperson of the formal, SEE P. 3 FOR STORIES ABOUT towards such spirit. building. hopes to see the committee’s hard TODAY'S FEATURED CANDIDATES Kim McNulty, Regina Hall direc Wednesday witnessed work pay off Friday night. “It’s tor and RHA advisor, admitted that McCandless’ early morning bagel the week prior to the dance was and muffin breakfast while the hall see SPIRIT / page 8 page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Thursday, February 5,1998 ■ I n s id e C o l u m n Breaking the . * "V,Outside the Dome_ ................................ Compiled from U-Wire reports Pattern Harvard student testifies in Clinton scandal Thank God. We have a CAMBRIDGE, Mass. tigation. woman running for presi Kirkland House resident J. “We are trying to get to the truth dent. Caroline Self ‘99 testified before a of what would be, if proven, serious Just before the final grand jury in Washington, D C., yes charges,” he told CNN. student body president/vice terday, in the latest round of inves On NBC’s Today Show, James president elections last tigations into President Clinton’s Carville, a senior advisor to spring, 1 wrote an Inside alleged sexual peccadilloes. President Clinton, said Lewinsky Column about the fact Self worked as an intern in the visited the White House 36 times office of President Clinton’s person between April 1996 and December that a woman has never Allison Koenig held the position of stu al secretary, Betty Currie, from 1997. Associate News Editor June 1996 to December 1996. national press about her testimony Self also vindicated the much-bal- dent body president at to the grand ju ry. She also declined Notre Dame. During that time, she allegedly lyhooed White House intern pro signed for most of the packages for to discuss allegations that she gram at yesterday’s press confer I pointed out that of the 18 candidates for signed for packages.

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