r--------------------.~------------~--------~-~-.----------~--------~--~------.-------------------------------------~~~~~~------~ THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's VOLUME 40: ISSUE 120 MONDAY. APRIL 10,2006 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM ND admits 3,484 from strongest pool ever year's pool - the largest ever - said. 'That's not the norm across By KAREN LANGLEY was up 13 percent from last year, the country." Associate NeWs Editor . Saracino said. The Office of Saracino said private U.S. col­ 52% Male Undergraduate Admissions sent leges have an average yield in the If statistics on accepted appli­ acceptance letters to 3,484 stu­ 20 percent range. 48% Female cants for next year's freshman dents, and Saracino said the This year's admitted students - class are any indicator, the incom­ University hopes to enroll 1,985 who represent all 50 states and top 5.6% in class ing class of 2010 - like each students for the fall 2006 fresh­ 32 foreign countries - are on freshman class in recent years - man class. Notification letters average slightly more academical­ PRIJECTEI 1380 SAT will be the strongest academically were mailed March 30. ly qualified than last year's admit­ in Notre Dame's history. The size of incoming classes ted students. The admitted stu­ 2116 31ACT This year's selections were must remain static due to the dents' average class rank places made from a pool of applicants University's physical constraints, them in the top 4.5 percent of ElllllEI 84% Catholic who boasted academic statistics so the number of students admit­ their high school classes, and they equal to those of Notre Dame's ted each year is based on previ­ boast an average SAT score of 1:1111 23% alumni incoming freshman class nine ous years' yields - or the per­ 1398 out of a possible 1600 and children years ago, Director of Admissions centage of admitted students who an average ACT score of 32 out of 1,985 students Dan Saracino said April4. choose to attend. The yield has a possible 36. 23% ethnic minori "In the end, we think this is the ranged during the past four years Last year's admitted students 4% international academically strongest and ethni­ from 56 to 58 percent, Saracino also averaged a top 4.5 percent cally most diverse class we've said. rank and 32 ACT score, but had a ever had," he said. "If we admit them, there's a Notre Dame's class of 2010 will likely be the strongest to date aca­ With 12,800 applicants, this good chance they'll come," he see 2010/page 4 demically, according to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Rootn picks present challenges at College, University SMC students stress over Procedure differs by hall selection process, choices for Notre Dame residents By LISA GALLAGHER By PATRICK MOORE News Writer News Writer The looming stress of upcoming finals From searching for the perfect single to and pqpjects is nothing compared the deciding who would be the perfect room­ anxiety of the room selection process for mate, the intricacies of Notre Dame's many Saint Mary's students. room selection process are sending some "This is the worst part of the year," students into panic mode - while others junior Alison Golubski said. "''m hot, enjoy the luck of their great room pick. sweaty, nervous and stressed." ' Room selection within Notre Dame resi­ Golubski's sense of stress is familiar dence halls is typically based upon ran­ amongst most Saint Mary's students who domization and seniority. Many halls, made their final housing decisions in last however, add a personal touch to the week's room selection process. Upon sometimes-complicated process, which paying their $250 housing deposit fee, begins this week. students in each class are assigned a Some halls, like Dillon Hall and random lottery number that determines Morrissey Manor, receive lottery numbers their room selection order. from Notre Dame's Office of Residence "All students who have paid their Life and Housing. Others, such as Alumni housing deposit on time are entered into Hall and Carroll Hall, use an internal the computer by class year," Saint Mary's selection proces..'i. Saint Mary's students stand by a board in the leMans Hall lobby April 6 see ROOMS/page 6 discussing details of the possible rooms they could live in next year. see PICKS/page 6 Saint Mary's RAs ~d Students rebuild area homes for 2006-07 school year By MEGAN O'NEIL Senior StaffWriter LeMans Hall rumored to be Hundreds of Notre Dame and By LIZ HARTER haunted by ghosts. Saint Mary's students took part News Writer Kistka said she quickly in the annual Rebuilding changed her mind, however, Together project Saturday in a Life as a Saint Mary's resident and is now excited to live there west side South Bend neigh­ assistant intertwines dorm liv­ - especially since she will be a borhood in hopes of making ing and significant responsibili­ sophomore in a traditionally individual home improvements. ty, creating a unique living situ­ freshman section. The event, based at the ation for students who decide to "I think it'll be more benefi­ Charles Black Recreation take on the job. cial for the residents ... ·I am Center, takes place each April Shortly before spring break just one year older than them and helps low-income home­ the Saint Mary's Office of and have experienced every­ owners with necessary repairs Residence Life hired 49 RAs, thing that they will be encoun­ such as new roofing, electrical including 25 who are new to tering within the past year, and wiring and yard work. This the position. [will] be more in touch w!th year's group spread out among Freshman Pauline Kistka said what they are going through," two dozen residences in the she was nervous after being Kistka said. · area. ERIC SALES/The Observer told she would be the RA in A student paints a house in the west side of South Bend Queen's Court, a section of see RA/page 4 see REBUILD/page 3 Saturday as part of the Rebuilding Together project. I ----------------------------------------------------------------------~ ·----·-·- . I page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Monday, April I 0, 2006 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: IF YOU COULD RENAME ANY BUILDING ON CAMPUS WHAT WOULD IT BE? A tnotnent of Zen Fm!Ex dPlivered my latost hobby at about 2:15 last Wednesday- an night or nino-inch tall Chinese Elm Brooke Trudeau Caitlin Jacowski Elizabeth Johnson Hajime Sargent Kelly Fahey Michael Barrett tree. A few weeks ago I got the idea from sophomore freshman sophomore freshman sophomore junior some movie or TV LeMans Pangborn LeMans Dillon Holy Cross Keough show- I can't Peter really remember Ninneman which - to pick ''I'd rename "/ would name "Umm, any "! would change "Change ''I'd change up the art of bon- News Writer McCandless to a building library should LaFortune to LeMans to 0 'Shaughnessy" sai. 'McScandalous. ,, 'Weber Hair be re-named 'Fanstasy 'LeWomans. ,, to 'O'Shag-me- A $92 federal tax return later. and 'Hell.,,, ,,, baby.,, I'm surfing th1~ Web. after my Kingdom. Bonsai, in its modern form, dates amazing back to about two thousand years roommate, ago in China. Another two thousand ,, years before that, the Egyptians were Anna Weber. using a similar practice. Now. here I am. a 21st century American teenager from Louisville, Kentucky, trying my hand at an ancient art. Yes, art- to craft a bonsai tree is to engage in an incredibly delicate IN BRIEF and ereative process that requires patinnee, vision and know-how. Professor Wadad Kadi will Most people probably think that speak about "The Primordial bonsai trees are just "dwarf' trees Covenant and Human because of their genetics. This is History in the Qur'an" today entirely false. Bonsai come from the at 4 p.m. in 213 DeBartolo same seeds as their "normal" rela­ Hall. tives. For example, my little bonsai Chinese Elm is genetically pro­ Amy Welborn will be giving grammed to grow into a full size, 60- a lecture entitled "De-Coding f'oot tall tree. Da Vinci: The Fact Behind What keeps a bonsai from growing the Fiction of the Da Vinci to its potential is a careful regimen of Code" today at 7:30 p.m. in pruning, which must be maintained 155 DeBartolo. for the entire life of the tree. In order to obtain a spneific shape, wire is The Swing Club will spon­ used to btmd the trunk and/or sor "Open Dance Night" brandws. tonight at 8 p.m. in the But bonsai is much more than trim­ LaFortune Ballroom. ming and bending. There is also an almost mystical aesthetic to it. James Lardner will give a Tlwre are three goals which bonsai lecture on "U.S. Economic growers attempt to bring out of the Inequality and Why it tree: shen, Znn and hi, or truth, Matters" Tuesday at 7 p.m. esstmco and bPauty. No easy task, in room 127 of Hayes-Healy indeed. Hall. A Japanese cliche says the tree, its shape and the surface of the soil and ERIC SALES!The Observer Myla Leguro will speak the selected container come together Freshman Brandon Frost and Junior Johanna Sloson continue to dance after abo.ut "Women Making to express "heaven and earth in one Frost lost his grass skirt during the Tahitian performance at the Hawaiian Peace: A Philippines container." Club's Luau Saturday in the LaFortune Ballroom. Initiative" Tuesday at 4:15 Whether or not I will accomplish p.m. in room C1 03 of the that remains to be seen, as well as Hesburgh Center.