I OB SE R V E R Thursday, February 27, 1997 • Vol. XXX No. 100 THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY'S N STUDENT GOVERNMENT Leadership forum stresses intercampus communication Notre Dame Student Senate. tribute as well.” N D , S M C “Students at our respective Turbiak and Davis empha­ schools are fam iliar w ith each sized a relaxed atmosphere for other but are still very unaware the discussion, stressing that leaders discuss of overlapping issues,” Turbiak communication is facilitated by said. “This forum w ill be high­ a raised comfort level. common issues ly beneficial if enough people Impromptu speeches by are dedicated to it.” Turbiak, Griffin, and Notre By HEATHER MACKENZIE At the meeting, current stu­ Dame vice president Megan News W riter dent body presidents, vice- Murray and Saint Mary’s presi­ presidents, and committee dent-elect Nikki Milos, were A small but enthusiastic heads mingled with some of the followed by conversation group of Saint Mary’s and newly elected administration. regarding current issues at the Notre Dame student govern­ Matt Griffin and Erek Nass, the two schools. The lack of stu­ ment leaders met last night to Notre Dame student body pres­ dent involvement in student improve the lines of communi­ ident and vice president-elect, governm ent was raised as a cation between the two schools. discussed the idea of improved pressing problem at both This meeting established a ND/SMC relations in-depth with school. forum that will continue into Turbiak. “Students at Notre Dame do next year’s student administra­ “This forum is going to be a not realize that they have a tion. This brought to life a very positive addition to stu­ voice in government,” com­ vision of current Saint Mary’s dent government,” Griffin said. mented Mark Leen, a Notre The Observer/Kevin Dalum student body president Jen “Notre Dame can learn a lot Dame student senator. “They Notre Dame student body president-elect Matt Griffin (right) and vice Turbiak and Stacy Davis, Saint from Saint Mary’s, and I’m sure president-elect Erek Nass (center) discuss communication with Saint Mary’s representative to the we have things we can con­ Mary’s student government leaders Lara Becker, Beth Beatty and see ND/SMC / page 4 KayLynn DeCarli. 0 STUDENT SENATE Creating a facade Senate m oves closer to change By DEREK BETCHER Assistant News Editor In yesterday’s meeting, the Student Senate took major steps towards both placing a student on the Board of Trustees and amending the student gov­ ernment constitution. The senate unanimously approved a letter that will be sent to John Kaneb, chairman of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. That letter proposes the idea of a stu­ dent trustee and asks that the Student Senate be allowed to make a full presentation at the trustees’ May meeting. “We think it pretty much sums up the senti­ ments of the senate,” said judicial council presi­ dent Ryan Mclnerney. Reform committee chair Brendan Kelly followed by explaining the proposed constitutional amend­ ments which the senate will vote on at their next meeting. Reform has four targets, he said: Student Union coherence, clarifying the student government con­ stitution, creating a more effective executive cabi- The Observer/Kimm Michalik Saint Mary’s students painted masks and talked about the perception of women as part of a two-part workshop spon­ see SENATE / page 4 sored by the women’s studies and psychology departments yesterday in Moreau Hall. M orris defends U.S. N ew s rankings, slam s rivals By MICHAEL LEWIS “We look at it (Notre Dame’s standing The divisions of the “Politics” catego­ News W riter in the ratings) as one of the elements ry are “Students most nostalgic for we are concerned with,” said Assistant Reagan,” “Students most nostalgic for U.S. News and World Report’s college Dean Samuel Gaglio of the College of George McGovern,” “Most Politically ranking is the only survey that fairly Business Administration. “It would be Active,” and “Election? What and completely evaluates universities, unfair to say that it is the focus of our Election?” according to Robert Morris, its director. efforts.” In the “Schools by Type” category of That, he said, accounts for the fact In regards to how other publications Princeton Review, one of the divisions that the survey garners more attention compare with his own, Morris said, “I is “Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree- from schools than most others. think U.S. News works with schools and Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians,” In the magazine’s 1997 college rank­ uses actual data that is understood by and those results are “based on a com­ ings, Notre Dame ranked 17th in a sur­ the public to be performance indicators bination of survey questions concerning vey of 1,422 accredited four-year of the schools.” political persuasion, the use of alcohol, schools. The rankings are based on a “Gourman is a total sham,” he went marijuana and hallucinogens, the 1997 Rankings school’s performance in categories on. “Nobody has ever received a survey prevalence of religion, and the popular­ 1. Yale University ranging from the opinions of other from Gourman.” The Gourman Report ity of student government.” schools’ presidents to alumni dona­ ranked Notre Dame 19th nationally. Notre Dame did appear on a few of 2. Princeton University tions. Other publications, such as the As for Princeton Review, Morris said Princeton Review’s lists. In the 3. Harvard University Gourman Report, also put out ratings it is more of a non-academic study “Activities” category, the university is on colleges. focusing on the best party schools and number one in the “ Students Pack the 4. Duke University Closer to home, Notre Dame officials the most aesthetic schools. This survey Stadiums” division, and number four in 5. MIT say they consider these rankings as does not have an overall ranking, and “Everyone Plays Intramural Sports.” In only a part of their efforts to improve the categories’ primary focuses are 17. Notre Dame the University. non-academic. see RANK / page 8 page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Thursday, February 27, 1997 SIDE COLl 0 WORLD AT A GLANCE Thai arm y pushes refugees back to Burm a, rebel base falls The rise BANGKOK, Thailand shelter from the fighting. 200 miles Thai soldiers pushed ethnic Karen RUSSIA The numbers could not be confirmed, refugees back into Burma yesterday, but TV Channel 7 showed film of what i 200 km adding weight to rebel accusations that it said were Karen refugees being taken CHINA and fall of the Thais and Burmese are working by truck to the border and turned over together to wipe out the minority to the custody of a Burmese district group. detail , CHINA official. At least five large trucks were Planner Hall Nearly 15,000 Karen have sought being used in the operation. refuge in Thailand since Feb. 11, when The footage appeared to confirm a the Burmese m ilitary launched an report from Karen sympathizers which offensive against the Karen National said that women and children refugees During the last couple Shawn Nigg Tachilek of weeks there have Union, which has been fighting for had been taken by logging trucks from been some misconcep­ Ad Designer autonomy from the military govern­ BURMA camps in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi tions about Planner ment in Rangoon since 1949. LAOS 4 - province, south to the border in Hall and about the people who live there. Fewer than 2,500 Karen guerrillas Ratchaburi province, 60 miles west of Unfortunately, these people possess certain are struggling to survive the offensive B ay o f I Bangkok. biased views of this hallowed hall when they by 100,000 Burmese troops. A victory iRan9° t" - THAILAND Thai army officials said yesterday really do not have much of an idea of what over the Karen would give Burma con­ that only Karen men were being sent Planner is truly about. As a resident of trol of its border with Thailand for the back and a high-ranking Thai army Planner, it makes me extremely sad that first time in its history. officer, who spoke on condition of Bangkok these people have such a skewed view of Yesterday, the Burmese occupied anonymity, said the order came from existence that they would try to pin all of Htoe Kee, a Karen military command Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Chetta their petty personal shortcomings on the peo­ base about 10 miles from the Thai bor­ Thanajaro. Burmese army der. “ Because of our concern for human ple of this dorm. occupies rebel What really makes this situation doubly A Thai television station reported base rights we will accept women, children bad is that these attacks have occurred dur­ Wednesday that Thailand turned away ■ 1 and the disabled, but not men,’’ the as many as 5,000 Karens who sought officer said. ing Planner’s final year as a dorm. Have AP/Carl Fox these people no shame? Personally, it is my view that Planner is the best dorm on campus. If nothing else, it is Yeltsin axes minor aides Vatican appeals for ban on cloning definitely the most unique dorm on campus. Over the years Planner has assumed its very MOSCOW VATICAN CITY own personality that could not be recreated President Boris Yeltsin has fired his Responding to the cloning of an adult sheep in anywhere else. personal photographer and some Scotland, the Vatican newspaper appealed Wednesday Besides being home to the best dances on bodyguards, and a newspaper said for a ban on the cloning of humans, saying people have campus (except for the disastrous Planner they were sacked because of a loud the right to be born “ in a human way.’’ President Rave, but everybody is allowed one mistake), party celebrating the parliamentary Clinton has asked a bioethics advisory commission to Planner also boasts some of the most presti­ election of a Yeltsin rival.