----- - -----~---~-- ---------------------------------------.. THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 40: ISSUE 66 FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2007 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Jenkins says ND mission is global in nature that that I think is wholly core mission of Notr-e Dame" Trip significant to unhelpful, and it's insulting to and key to his presidency. the people of Uganda," he said There was also, of course, University and key Thursday. the purpose that is probably to presidency Jenkins arrived in Uganda most associated with the week­ two weeks ago, accompanied long trip - meeting the peo­ by Executive Assistant to the ple of Nindye, who Notre Dame By MADDIE HANNA President Frances Shavers, will work with through the News Writer Associate Vice President for Millennium Villages Project, Marketing Communication founded by Columbia University President Father Todd Woodward, Notre Dame University's Jeffrey Sachs. John Jenkins didn't go to Millennium Development "[Uganda] is a poor country, Uganda just to help people. Initiative (NDMDI) Director education is less than what it First. he went to learn - Father Bob Dowd, NDMDI should be, diseases that are and while he sees aiding a Assistant Director Tim Lyden, easily preventable people die country that faces tremendous Africana Studies department from in large numbers," challenges as both an opportu­ chair Richard Pierce and soph­ Jenkins said, "and the sense of nity and an obligation, he says omore Tess Bone. justice and fairness - but also it takes a certain approach. The trip was significant in a the sense of Christian charity "It is very important not to number of ways, Jenkins said. - requires that, in the way come to a place like Uganda Besides the desire to explore that we can, we strive to help with a condescending attitude, another culture, there was the people ... to rise out of poverty that, you know, 'We're going to goal to connect with the uni­ enough to have a dignified Observer File Photo help you get back up' -there's versal Church- two ideas that Since his inauguration in Sept. 2005, University President Father John a sort of hidden arrogance in Jenkins called "central to the see MISSION/page 8 Jenkins has traveled frequently, including his recent trip to Uganda. Report on Catholic schools optimistic Early action people from Notre Dame and applicants By KAITLYNN RIELY around the country, including Assistant News Editor educators, administrators, invest­ • ment specialists and leaders in In response to declining enroll­ other fields. Increase ments at Catholic primary and The task force began meeting in secondary schools, the Notre September 2005 when University Dame Task Force on Catholic President Father John Jenkins 1,340 accepted for Education has produced a report commissioned the study in that outlines a strategic plan to response to the United States 2011 class out of 3,812 strengthen Catholic schools. Catholic Conference of Bishops Task force chair Rev. Timothy (USCCB) 2005 pastoral statement, By ROHAN ANAND Scully, who directs Notre Dame's "Renewing Our Commitment to News Writer Institute for Educational Catholic Elementary and Initiatives, said the report is opti­ Secondary Schools in the Third Christmas arrived early for mistic about the future of the Millennium." approxiinately 1,340 high school world's largest private school sys­ The bishops' statement said seniors worldwide who applied to tem. Catholic education is "the respon­ join the Notre Dame class of 2011. "We're bullish about Catholic sibility of the entire community." These individuals were among the schools," Scully said. As the leading Catholic university 35 percent of candidates selected The report, entitled "Making in the United States, "Notre Dame from a pool of 3,812 applications God Known, Loved, and Served: not only has a responsibility, but considered for Early Action The Future of Catholic Primary also an enormous opportunity" to Admission by the Office of I and Secondary Schools in the continue the tradition of Catholic Undergraduate Admissions this The ACE Program has helped improve many Catholic schools, United States," was produced by a winter. according to Father Timothy Scully. committee of approximately 50 see TASK/page 4 Prospects who received their acceptance letters early, like Tanner Ryan of Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, were elated to receive notilication a few months earlier than their Presidential campaigns heat up -with debate regular decision counterparts. "Though I was anxious to Ferriera, who served as pres­ receive my decision letter, I was By KATIE KOHLER ident of her sophomore class, relieved to know I was accepted News Writer wants to reposition herself at somewhere great with plenty of the helm of the student body. time to decide," he said. The three tickets for Saint "Being [sophomore class] Under Notre Dame's non-bind­ Mary's student body president president was so gratifying," ing Early Action admissions pro­ tried to win over voters she said. "I am really looking cedure, high school seniors must Thursday evening in their frrst forward to the opportunity to submit a completed application to campaign debate, fielding ques­ lead the whole student body in the University by Nov. 1, and can tions ranging from campaign the future." expect a notification of either promises to diversity. The Kimberly Hodges-Kelly admit, defer, or deny by Dec. 1. Interaction between the can­ Payne ticket also spotlighted 1,575 applications- or 41 per­ didates remained amicable as prior directive roles. Hodges, cent of the pool - were denied they responded to inquiries who boasts leadership roles in admission, and 680 were deferred from both moderator Christin a variety of student government to the regular decision round. Molnar and the nearly 50 stu­ and diversity groups and activi­ Students admitted under Early depts present for the debate at ties, recognized that being stu­ Action have until May 1 to notify Noble Family Dining Hall. dent body president is a multi­ the University if they plan to The first ticket to speak, jun­ tasking role. attend or not. ior presidential candidate "I have always been involved The Undergraduate Admissions Colleen Ferreira and her run­ and made an effort to be a committee was shocked to see the ning mate, sophomore Jenny leader in different groups," she KELLY HIGGINSfThe Observer surge in applications, 1,200 more Antonelli, highlighted their Juniors Annie Davis and Courtney Kennedy answer questions during leadership roles on campus. see DEBATE/page 4 the student body presidential and vice presidential debate Thursday. see ACTION/page 9 page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Friday, January 19, 2007 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do YOU BUY YOUR BOOKS FROM THE BOOKSTORE? WHY OR WHY NOT? Weather vvonders Whenever I can't think of something to say, I usually turn to talking about the weather. It's a fallback, a last­ ditch effort to salvage a dying conver­ Tom Susdorf Gordon Farmer Bill Westfall Tres Studer James Spitalere Carl MacMichael sation. Usually. sophomore senior junior junior sophomore junior Here, however, off campus Alumni Fisher off campus Morrissey Siegfried I'm going to begin Jennifer Metz (and end) by dis­ cussing the "Yes, because "No, I prefer to "Yes, because "Yes, because I "Yes, and "No: because I weather. News I'm going to Production {Veterans make bids." I'm too lazy to can charge it to everyone else's like money." admit it: I am not Editor Association] go to half. com my student books too!" a huge fan of pays for it and I put it on account and snow. I like to look at it from inside my student my house while sitting comfortably anyway. save valuable toasty under a blanket, drinking hot account cash." chocolate. I try to avoid personally anyway. interacting with snow, or other forms of precipitation, as much as humanly possible. The inconvenient truth is that however much I try to avoid it, snow happens. Except this year. When I returned to my lovely home state of New Jersey, IN BRIEF usually bombarded with snow by mid­ January, I was greeted by the sun and The Snite Museum is host­ downright balmy temperatures. ing a new exhibit of 290 pho­ I didn't wear a coat. I didn't wear tos taken during the Vietnam my new sweaters. I didn't wear the War by photojournalists who scarves I knitted in attempt to pass died in the violence. The the hoUJ;s of the afternoon I spent exhibit, titled "Requiem," will doing absolutely nothing. be on display at the museum And I really didn't care. from Jan. 4 until March 4. It was fifty, sixty, seventy degrees! Admission is free. When it hit seventy-four, my friends and I piled into my car, rolled the The Notre Dame Track and windows down and drove down the Field Indoor Opener will be shore. At times it was a little too chilly held today at 5:30 p.m. at the to sit on the beach, and the ocean was Loftus Sports Center. most definitely frigid. It may have been a little ridiculous in retrospect, The film "Marie Antoinette" but we couldn't resist. And we directed by Sofia Coppola will weren't the only ones - the beach be shown tonight at 7 and 10 was surprisingly full that afternoon. in The Browning Cinema of It was, after all, the middle of The DeBartolo Performing January, not a prime beach-going Arts Center. Tickets are six time. dollars for the general public I began to get a little uneasy about artd three for students. The this unseasonable weather near the film will also be shown end of break. We did get some rain DUSTIN MENNELLA!The Observer Saturday at 10 p.m.