/ ^ V T H E O bserver The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Marys VOLUME 4 4 : ISSUE 4 FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM ND, SMC recognized in rankings Student U.S. News & World Report College placed in top 100 U.S. News & World Report arrested, ranks University No. 20 of America's Best Colleges charged By ROBERT SINGER National Universities rankings By ASHLEY CHARNLEY Assistant News Editor Saint Mary’s Editor Notre Dame fell two spots from No. 18 1. Harvard University Saint Mary’s College cracked U.S. with rape to No. 20 in U.S. News & World Report’s News & World Report’s top 100 on 2010 ranking of the top universities in 1. Princeton University their list of 2010 America’s Best Observer Staff Report the nation released on Aug. 20. Colleges. Harvard and Princeton tied for first, 3. Yale University For the third year in a row, the A Notre Dame junior was while Yale took third. The ranking College has been named one of the arrested on campus placed the California Institute of nation’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges, Wednesday and charged with Technology, Massachusetts Institute of according to an Aug. 20 press release. felony rape in connection with Technology, Stanford University and the “It is wonderful to be nationally rec­ a February 2009 incident, University of Pennsylvania in a four-way 20. University of Notre Dame ognized for the academic excellence according to campus security tie for fourth. at Saint Mary’s College,” President logs and local media reports. Notre Dame dropped two spots this Carol Ann Mooney said in the release. The student was arrested in year because it received lower peer Saint Mary’s was ranked 97th out or near his dormitory, Knott assessment ratings from other universi­ of 249 schools across the country. Hall, according to Notre Dame ties, which account for 25 percent of the Students are excited about the rank- Security Police (NDSP) crime logs, during the 3 p.m. hour Wednesday. According to see RANK/page 8 see SMC/page 8 reports, the student was a member of the Notre Dame swim team, but is not cur­ rently listed on the roster. The student was released from the St. Joseph County Innovation Park to open in October Jail after posting $5,000 bond, according to a WNDU University seeks to expand its research impactbring commercial enterprises to South Bendreport. , The South Bend Tribune Innovation Park will concen­ reported Thursday the felony By JO H N TIERNEY trate on “the step beyond rape charges were filed on News Writer research,” as companies will Aug. 19 by the St. Joseph develop practical uses for County Prosecutor’s Office Innovation Park, a product research performed by profes­ after police were called to development facility launched sors and students at the investigate a case on Feb. 23 by the University, seeks to University. in Knott Hall. connect the private sector Faculty members and grad­ According to the charges with the research arm of uate students are currently filed by the prosecutor’s Notre Dame, according to approaching Brenner with office, a partially-dressed Park President and Chief ideas for new businesses, he woman was found sleeping on Executive Officer David said. Many of the future the floor in the men’s resi­ Brenner. clients of Innovation Park will dence hall wearing a shirt After breaking ground last be companies from the outside belonging to the accused stu­ September, the Park is sched­ that are “looking to engage dent. uled to open Oct. 23. with the University,” Brenner When police questioned the The businesses that will said. student, he told officers the occupy the Park’s offices will A relationship with the two had been at a party, DAN JACOBS/The Observer “help take innovative ideas ... University is critical for com- “hooked up” and had sex, Innovation Park, pictured above, will officially open on Oct. 23. The to viable commercial enter­ Park seeks to turn University research into business ventures. prise,” Brenner said. Work at see PARK/page 6 see RAPE/page 6 Undergrads reflect on first week of classes b e .” graduation with some easier By JIM FERLMANN She said her schedule is electives.” News Writer centered on requirements. Christina McClain, a senior “I’m taking four Business English major, said her first As the school year kicks requirements and Italian and week of classes started off off, some students report Theology, which is a require­ w ell. tough classes while others m en t to o .” “Senior Seminar is a little enjoy the relatively easy Some students said they try daunting, but other than workload during the first to take advantage of the light that, everything else is w eek. workload to get acclimated good,” she said. Catherine Russell, a sopho­ to their classes. Anthony Conklin, a junior more, said the first week of “During introductory week, English major, said he classes went great. you just take it easy and get always tries to strike a bal­ “I have a few teachers that your feet w et,” said Ryan ance between electives and I already really like. I’m a Ripp, a senior Finance major. requirements when forming new Business major, so it’s “An easy second semester his schedule like a new world for me,” she would be ideal, because four “I have five required elec­ said. “There are some class­ of the five classes I’m taking tives in my major along with TOM LA/The Observer es that are a lot harder than now are requirements. Students walk to and from class Thursday near South Quad I thought they were going to Hopefully I can cruise into see CLASSES/page 8 during the first week of classes. INSIDE t o d a y ’s PAPER B1 Block Party Saturday page 4 ♦ Running backs preview page 28 ♦ ->500) Days of Summer review page 15 ♦ Viewpoint page 10 page 2 The Observer ♦ PAGE 2 Friday, August 28, 2009 In s id e C olu m n Question of the Day: If you co u ld b e a n y S e sa m e S treet c h aracter , w h o w o uld you b e ? Don't envy ND seniors <r When I was a freshman here, I was kind of jealous of the seniors. They didn’t have to worry about awkward Frosh-0 events, finding Stefanie Shelagh Christina Caitlin Ascherl Emily Ehrman Alyssa Pinon their classrooms, or making Schwab O’Brien Smotherman friends. Their lives seemed so much more together than mine. sophomore Freshman Freshman Sophomore Senior Senior Now that I’ve reached senior Le Mans Regina Regina Regina Holy Cross Holy Cross year, I’m starting to rethink that. Not much has really changed. Despite my best efforts, I still 7 would be “I would be Big “I would be “I would be “I would be 7 would be Bert have really poor time management Snufalufagus Bird because I Cookie Monster Grover because Kermitt because and Ernie skills—which because I am explains why I’m just because.“ have always because I LOVE he is a loveable it’s not easy Irena Zajickova trying to write wanted to be to eat!” monster. ” being green!” being white and this column, fin­ tall!” n erdy!” ish up another Observer article, News and do 66 pages Production of reading for Editor class today all at the same time. Rather than worrying about mak­ ing friends, I now worry about not In B r ie f seeing the ones that live off-cam­ pus (luckily, until they learn how to The film “Summer Hours” shop for groceries and master the will be shown today at 6:30 use of their shiny new ovens, it p.m. at The DeBartolo appears I’ll be seeing my friends Performing Arts Center. just as much as before, because Tickets are available online at they still come to the dining hall for performingarts.nd.edu or by every single meal). calling the Ticket Office at I still don’t pay attention to 574-631-2800. where my classes are, or which classes I’m even going to. Notre Dame Women’s Yesterday, not only did I go to the Volleyball will play Denver wrong classroom, I went to the today at 7 p.m. in the Joyce wrong building. Center Fieldhouse as part of a Instead of worrying about what three day invitational. For my major will be, now I’m worry­ ticket information, call 574- ing that all my major changes have 631-7356. pushed my GPA too low for me to get into law school. Notre Dame Women’s Professors still can’t pronounce Soccer will play Loyola- my last name. Actually, some still Chicago today at 7:30 p.m. at can’t even pronounce my first Alumni Field. For ticket infor­ nam e. mation, call 574-631-7356. I also still lose my ID all the time. I recently dropped it into a chair in Shakespeare at Notre Dame LaFortune and couldn’t get it out. I will present “Twelfth Night” don’t even understand how that ANDREW WEBER/The Observer One of the lesser known works of art on campus is staff member Daniel Crossen’s today, Saturday and Sunday happens. 1967 Corvette Sting Ray. at 8 p.m. at the DeBartolo And I definitely still make poor Performing Arts Center. life choices. But now I make them Performances will continue at bars instead of at dorm parties. through August 30. Tickets So yeah, it’s just like freshman are $12-35.