Women speak out on their feelings about Have a Great Break! not being able to hold the highest leadership Wednesday T h is is the last issue o f The Observer fo r the semes­ roles in the church. ter. T he next issue w ill be Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1999. DECEMBER 9, In Focus • 6-7 G ood luck w ith finals and enjoy the holiday season. 1998 O B S E R VER The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint M ary’s VOL XXXII NO. 65 W W W .ND.EDU/~OBSERVER Fa c u l t y S e n a t e Senate votes ‘yes’ to Big Ten academic resolution By DEREK BETCHER University of ally themselves with Notre Assistant News Editor Chicago. The mem­ Joining the Big 10’s Academic Alliance: Dame to lobby for its inclusion. bers cooperate on The Committee on Institutional Cooperation The report and the debate Big Ten membership for Notre research and other revealed that the goal of Dame came one step closer last academic programs, The Faculty Senate Resolution improving Notre Dame’s gradu­ night when the Faculty Senate and the senate ate school surfaced as the pri­ recommended that the report labels the CIC Whereas, there are a number of resolutions of real apademic benefits mary reason to support the University join the conference’s “easily the most for the library, graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty, move into the CIC. The report academic consortium, the important intellectu­ and the university as a whole, by the belonging to the Committee noted that 15-20 percent of all al force in the Conference on Institutional on Institutional Cooperation; American Ph D degrees are Cooperation (CIO. Midwest and one of conferred by CIC members. The group voted 25-4 during the most significant i ^ “The greatest potential bene­ last night’s meeting to approve a in the country." Whereas, the University of Notre Dame seeks to strengthen its fits would bo for our graduate formal resolution advocating the A report explain­ research capability in graduate education; programs because that’s where change. The resolution will be ing the faculty’s rea­ the CIC’s strengths are," sent to Notre Dame's officers soning accompanies Whereas, the potential academic liabilities to membership in the Sterling said. “It gives us an and its Board of Trustees for the resolution and its opportunity to accelerate their final consideration. explicit recommen­ Committee on Institutional Cooperation appear relatively small; improving our graduate pro­ "If we could join the CIC w ith­ dation that Notre § ■ ' : : " grams and research." out joining the Big Ten. we Dame try to join the Be it resolved that the Faculty Senate recommends to the officers Increasing ties with the would do it tomorrow. We can't CIC. of the University and the Board of Trustees that we enter into nation’s leading research facul­ “The basis for the do that because the two are cou­ negotiations to become a member of the Committee on Institutional ty and graduate students is pled," explained committee resolution comes another reason to join the CIC, chairman Greg Sterling, the res­ from the I academic Coopei ation. The 0bseiver/Mark Higgins Sterling continued. olution’s sponsor. affairs] committee’s “The sustained interaction of Although technically only an attempt to look at work with Notre Dame to the CIC arc. top faculty would be healthy in indirect result, CIC membership the relationship between Notre improve its academic reputa­ “It makes an extraordinary the long run for our institution," represents Notre Dame perhaps Dame and the members of the tion, supporters argued. For difference. [Membership] would he said. the greatest benefit to joining CIC," Sterling said. “We do very example, one of the most impor­ certainly affect our academic The report also addressed two Big Ten athletics and would not well when comparing under­ tant credentials of a research reputation,” Sterling said. common objections to Big Ten occur without joining the con­ graduate programs. We do not university is membership in the The AAU extends membership membership. First, it asserted ference. fare well when graduate pro­ Association of American by invitation only, and propo­ CIC membership would not The 12-member CIC includes grams are considered.” Universities (AAU). Notre Dame nents of conference membership the 11 Big Ten schools and the CIC allies could share and net- is not a member, all members of argued the CIC members could see BIG TEN / page 4 ■ N e w s A n a l y s is Oft Cftristmas tree, oft Cfiristmas tree GSU president: T.A.’s will not form union, but voice concerns By TIM LOGAN gross income for health insurance. Other Assistant News Editor issues tackled by the GSU recently include Us beginning on-campus housing and day care for gradu­ Hundreds of University of California teach­ ate students with families. / to look a lot The focus of the strike in the University ing assistants returned to work Monday, like Christmas. ending a week-long strike over their right to of California system was on the right of grad­ unionize and engage in collective bargaining. uate student employees to unionize in order As Labor disputes such as this reflect a grow­ to better negotiate standard working condi­ temperatures ing concern about the role of graduate stu­ tions and compensation. The work stoppage, dent employees at a university, and while which is now in a 45-day cooling-off period, drop and a there is no likelihood of unionization or a was widely supported by graduate student white strike at Notre Dame in the near future, this organizations across the nation. concern exists here as “They are aiming to Christmas well. accomplish what a lot of seems more “We have a really schools have already d o n ’t see [unionization ] likely, good working relation­ accomplished through ship with the Graduate IIHAPPENING. I DON’T THINK good working relation­ holiday School ... we’re usually ships,” Graham said. The GRAD STUDENTS FEEL THE NEED decorations pretty well listened to," right of graduate students said Graduate Student FOR IT.’ to unionize was also sup­ like this Union president ported by the American Christmas tree Marybeth Graham, Association of University who observed that M a r y b e t h G r a h a m Professors. in LaFortune Notre Dame’s T.A.’s Gr a d u a t e S t u d e n t U n io n P r e s id e n t One major point of con­ are beginning are relatively satisfied. tention in the strike is the to seem less “I don’t see [unioniza­ status of T.A.’s as teach­ tion] happening. I don’t think grad students ers and as students. Opponents of unioniza­ out of place on feel the need for it. The frustration and dis­ tion in California fear that the relationship campus. satisfaction [that exist in California] isn’t between union members and their faculty being voiced here." advisers could be strained. Supporters hope There are a number of T.A. concerns to use their collective bargaining strength to which the GSU has negotiated w itlr the codify T.A. rights and responsibilities and administration in recent years, however. One prevent exploitation on behalf of those same main problem has been health insurance advisers. costs. Another issue brought up in the debate “That’s where a lot of our advocacy and relates to the learning experience of gradu­ negotiation comes in,” Graham said, noting ate student teachers. that under the current system, a T.A. with a The Observer/Dan Feighrey family can pay as much as one-third of their see GSU / page 4 page 2 The Observer • IN S ID E Wednesday, December 9, 1998 ■ In sid e Co lu m n All we like Outside the Dome X) Compiled from U-Wire reports sheep Confident in alcohol policies, BU refuses to sign pact This is the time of year when it is really BOSTON, Mass. Coalition, an advocacy group that hard to find a parking Boston University did not join 24 helped draft the pact, said she was not place. Boston-area colleges and universities disappointed BU did not sign, adding The malls are overrun in signing a pact Monday to establish that she hoped the university w ill con­ with frantic shoppers new guidelines for combating under­ tinue to offer support and make rec­ who know that there are age drinking on campus. ommendations to the committee. only 16 days, six hours, Though BU administrators played a The agreement, which eight minutes and 47 major role in drafting the agreement, Northeastern President Richard seconds of gift-buying Heather Mackenzie Dean o f Students Herb Ross said it Freeland called the most comprehen­ time left before the would be hypocritical to sign on to it sive effort of its kind in the country, is Assistant Managing Christmas holiday clos­ because the university’s drinking the result of three years of discussion E d ito r first-year residence halls — policies es the stores. Airports guidelines are already more compre­ by state officials, law enforcement administrators say are already being are infested with hensive than the terms outlined in the officers and school administrators exceeded at BU. inclement weather delays and disgruntled pas­ pact. about ways to effectively combat the University officials nonetheless sengers, grocery stores open new check-out “The bottom line is that the stan­ growing popularity of binge drinking applauded the deal as an important lanes to accommodate the rush on 37-pound dards are still less than what we have on campus.