Members Pass Constitutional Overhaul

/ ^ V THE bserver OThe Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Marys VOLUME 38: ISSUE 118 THURSDAY, APRIL 1,2004 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM C ouncil o f R epresentatives Members pass constitutional overhaul article by article, “These costs already exist, and By MATT BRAMANT1 One significant point of con replacing them would be frivo Senior Staff Writer tention, however, centered on lous,” Ebersol said. “The grand the proposed renaming of the total of costs is not $9,998; it’s It came right down to the wire. Student Union Board, Notre $1,517.” With less than an hour Dame’s primary programming Flaherty defended his num remaining in their term, mem body. At previous COR meetings, bers, saying they had been thor bers of the Council of some members had expressed a oughly researched. Representatives approved the desire to change SUB’s name, “Charlie’s underestimating new student union constitution. citing incoming SUB manager this,” Flaherty said. “When it’s The document, which has been Jimmy Flaherty opposed renam all said and done, that $9,998 in the works all year, represents ing the body and saying that any number is realistic.” a complete overhaul of Notre change would require expensive He also said the costs of a Dame's student government sys investments in new signs, sta name change would divert tem, tionery and other materials. scarce funds from SUB events. Though the Wednesday Flaherty said the changes would “To throw a name change in evening meeting in LaFortune cost nearly $10,000, a figure there is really going to be a was briefly delayed because of a that outgoing SUB manager drawback to the programming,” TIM SULLIVAN/The O bserver lack of quorum, members Charlie Ebersol, who supported Brian Coughlin, left, and James Lelto discuss proposed changes approved the 50-page document the name change, disputed. see COR/page 8 to the constitution during Wednesday's COR meeting. Student leaders prepare for turnover Chavez Istvan, Bell assume White, Moran enter concludes command, work to office armed with fill administration high expectations ND visit By ANDREW THAGARD By AMANDA MICHAELS By ANNELIESE WOOLFORD Associate News Editor News Writer Senior Staff Writer Father Eduardo Chavez, a Though the almost blank Although nearly two priest from Mexico City who staff roster, empty office and months have passed since served as the postulator for brand new constitution may their election into office, the canonization of Saint seem like part of an April Sarah Catherine White and Juan Diego, concludes his Fools’ Day prank, for Adam Mary Pauline Moran have visit to Notre Dame today. Istvan and Karla Bell, this is had little time to count the Chavez, who has been no joke. days until officially becoming ordered by the cardinal of After weeks of preparation Saint Mary’s 2004-05 student Mexico City to found a and days packed full of meet body president and vice pres Catholic university there, ings and interviews, the two ident, respectively. Their wait came to Notre Dame in part will finally take office as the is over. to tour the campus and meet new student body president White and Moran acquire with University President and vice president. the positions today as the for Father Edward Malloy. His “Excited is the only word to mer administration of action-packed visit also describe what we re feeling Elizabeth Jablonski-Diehl and included presentations to right now. Well, tired might Sarah Brown concludes its theology classes and meet work too, but definitely excit term. The four women have ings to finalize the transla ed.” said Istvan. been working closely since tion of his book titled “El With approval of the new February to ensure a smooth Encuentro de la Virgin de Student Union Constitution TIM SULLIVAN/The O bserver transition not only for mem- Guadalupe y Juan Diego.” His Adam Istvan and Karla Bell, student body president and vice presi visit was arranged by Father see TURNOVER/page 4 dent, interview candidates for positions within their administration. see SMC/page 4 Virgilio Elizondo, a visiting theology professor, and the Institute for Latino Studies. “This is my first time here New team takes control and it surprised me,” Chavez said during a Thursday after 2003-04, he expressed confi noon interview with The By CLAIRE HEININGER dence in his fellow board mem Observer in which Elizondo News Editor bers — programming director helped to translate. “My Bridget Meacham, controller Jon [meeting] with Father Malloy After a year when many stu McCarthy and director of opera was wonderful.” dents equated the Student Union tions Heather Kimmings — to The proposed university, Board name with disappoint called La Universidad ment, now SUB manager Jimmy restore faith in the SUB brand. “We want to see an increased Catolico Lumen Gentium, Flaherty said that accountability presence and branding of the named after a Vatican II con to the student body will be of name,” Flaherty said. “That’s the stitution placing greater highest priority when the new problem — a lot of people don’t emphasis on the people of Board of Directors takes office associate enough of the things God as the Church, is cu r today. we do with the name. rently little more than a “That’s the first thing on our If we re a bigger name on vision. Chavez, however, said agenda - making sure we re campus, more people want to that he hopes to start classes accountable to the student body get involved.” in education, history and law and that we’re doing what they Flaherty said that student initially on the campus of a want to see,” Flaherty said. TIM SULLIVAN/The Observer Catholic high school and Despite a lack of big-name SUB officers, left to right, Bridget Meacham, Jimmy Flaherty, Jon performers on campus during see SUB/page 6 McCarthy and Heather Kimmings pose In their office Wednesday. see PRIEST/pagc 6 page 2 The Observer ♦ PAGE 2 Thursday, April 1, 2004 In sid e C olu m n Question of the Day: W h at 's the f u n n ie st p r a n k y o u ’ve played o n A pril Fo o l ’s D a y ? Hath not a Domer eyes? Some things used to be common property. It used to be that a writer could Tom Mulcrone make reference to certain great Chris Finch Dawn Parks Joe Barron Jr. Patrick Thornton S ean DITullio works of literature, and be reason- Sophomore Senior Junior Sophomore Freshman Freshman Fisher McGlinn St. Edwards Fisher Dillon Siegfried would his read- Sm edberg ers pick up on ------------------------- “Saran “In grade school, 7 convinced my “I was horn on “I woke up in “.I don ’t know, his drift, but that N ew s Wrapped [my] my friends and I grandm om I April Fool’s Day, the middle of but my brother most of them P roduction would be able to sister’s toilet convinced the was gay. She that always the night and once woke us tell the story he seat at night. ” teacher to write went to church gets a laugh. ’’ sto le m y a ll up a t was referring to. The American out fa k e to pray for me.’’ ro o m m a te ’s 5 [a.m .] by general readership knew their stuff. You can’t do that anymore. detention slips ladder. ” running around Shakespeare is not dead, but most fo r us, which we the house people have never met him. At showed to our yelling ’Fire!”’ Notre Dame alone, there are, per formed in the course of a year, parents." sometimes as many as 10 of his plays — but most students will not even see one. And in doing so, they’re not merely missing great In B r ie f drama: they’re depriving them selves of a critical library of phras es and ideas central to communica The International Women’s tion of great ideas from his day to Club presents a continuation ours. of its annual International There’s something special, when Children’s Festival today telling your colleagues or friends from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the about an opportunity which would University Village Community be disastrous to miss, to take a cue Center. from Brutus and remind them that “there is a tide.” There’s a richness Father Thomas O’Meara, of meaning in a reference like that. professor emeritus of theolo There’s only one problem — these gy, will deliver a lecture this days, no one knows what it means. afternoon titled “Karl It’s not our fault. Blame the Rahner’s Influence on Vatican schools maybe. Blame the movies. I II and U.S. Catholicism ” on don’t personally blame anybody. the occasion of the 100th But that’s not to say that it’s any anniversary of Rahner’s birth. thing but a really sad situation The lecture starts at 4:30 when students at a place like Notre p.m. in DeBartolo 209. Dame have never met some of the most famous words of one of the A panel discussion titled most famous poets in human histo “Women on and off the Career ry. Track” will take place this Now, Shakespeare certainly wrote afternoon at 4:30 p.m. in the a lot of words, and you need a doc Coleman-Morse lounge. The torate to really be familiar with m panel will include Colleen anything more than a tiny fraction TIM SULLIVAN/The O bserver Meiman, Viva Bartkus, Tricia of them.

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