Leaders Address Racial Discrimination Professional “Call to Action” Committees Work to Change Campus Culture, Foster Inclusion
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The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Volume 45: Issue 133 tuesday, may 1, 2012 Ndsmcobserver.com Fans support Leaders address racial discrimination professional “Call to Action” committees work to change campus culture, foster inclusion By NICOLE MICHELS soccer News Writer By MEGHAN THOMASSEN After testimonies at a March 5 News Writer town hall meeting called to ad- dress instances of racial discrim- It’s almost summer and ination revealed a widespread football season is in full swing problem of racial discrimination — for students loyal to the Eu- on campus, community leaders ropean and Mexican soccer are working to foster an environ- leagues, that is. ment that better embodies the Every week, fans gather ideal outlined in Notre Dame’s informally in the LaFortune “Spirit of Inclusion” statement. Student Center to watch their The statement asserts the favorite teams battle it out on University welcomes “all people, the big screen. The Champions regardless of color, gender, reli- Leagues are currently in their gion, ethnicity, sexual orienta- playoff stages, and for senior tion, social or economic class, Oscar Gonzalez, these crucial and nationality, for example, games could call him home to precisely because of Christ’s call- watch his local team, Tigres ing to treat others as we desire to UANL, play in the finals. be treated.” “It’s a team I’ve been fol- Senior Brittany Suggs, former lowing since I was a kid … It’s chair of the Black Student As- pretty important to me,” Gon- sociation, said everyone at Notre zalez said. Dame needs to take responsibil- ASHLEY DACY/The Observer Gonzalez said he follows all ity for the well-being of the entire African Students Association Vice President Christian Moore, Black Student Association Chair Brittany Suggs five major soccer leagues and is community. and Student Body President Emeritus Pat McCormick participate in the Town Hall Meeting on March 5. considering skipping the Com- “These problems are not just mencement ceremony for the one group’s problems … and as a groups synthesized the concerns plan of action meant to correct departments.” North American Champions member of the Notre Dame fam- voiced at the town hall meeting a campus culture in which dis- Two preliminary results of League finals if Tigres goes to ily, it is your duty to be informed into a plan of action. crimination can persist. the committees’ work have been the finals. and to take up this cause,” Suggs “We are working on a response “We shared the stories that heartening, Suggs said. “I’m a fanatic, and if they said. “We want a place that can that aligns with many of the were presented during the town “Immediately after the town make it to the finals, I will feel like home for everyone … If plans … that come from what the hall meeting … Then we also hall meeting, there was an in- surely skip [Commencement],” we are a family, it is important to student body and greater Notre shared the more general sugges- crease in reporting [instances of he said. also be attentive to the needs of Dame community presented at tions from the town hall meet- discrimination] and an increase LaFortune serves as a hub all of the other members of our the town hall meeting,” she said. ing,” Suggs said. “What we did in faculty members being avail- for the international games un- family.” Suggs said the committees con- from there was discussed more able to assist students with re- available to students through Suggs said “Call to Action” sidered stories of struggle voiced in-depth how to create responses porting,” Suggs said. “Another committees formed to address by the students at the town hall to these two sets of information see SOCCER/page 4 racial discrimination, and those meeting to form an overarching and worked with these different see ACTION/page 4 Campus Girl Scouts receive community service award By TORI CREIGHTON in a service group that works with News Writer the local Girl Scout council. Past involvement in Girl Scouts Campus Girl Scouts of Notre is not necessary to join, and men Dame and St. Mary’s received the are encouraged to participate as 2011-2012 Community Recogni- well, Pfaff said. She said tion Award from the Northern Campus Girl Scouts is a con- Indiana-Michiana Service Unit venient way for Notre Dame and last week for its service to the lo- Saint Mary’s students to connect cal area. with and serve girls in the com- Sophomore Jamie Pfaff, former munity. club president, said Campus Girl “If you’re doing community ser- Scouts filled a community need vice, you’re being a Girl Scout,” by leading Troop 00087, which Pfaff said. served girls on the west side of According to the Girl Scouts South Bend who could not be of the USA website, Campus Girl placed in other troops due to lack Scouts organizations areis present of leadership. nation-wide on college campuses. “They probably wouldn’t have The service clubs are certified been able to be in Girl Scouts with- by Girl Scouts of the USA but are out us,” she said. separate entities that exist to col- Pfaff said club members led the laborate with Girl Scout councils. troop of approximately 25 girls In her nomination letter for the from 2 to 3:30 p.m. twice a month award, Service Unit 206 Manager in Pasquerilla West Hall. and Campus Girl Scouts Liaison People often think Campus Girl Dawn Cole said Troop 00087 is Photo courtesy of Jamie Pfaff Scouts is a club for college-aged unique because it is a multi-age Campus Girl Scouts club members play a game with girls from Troop 00087 during a meeting. The Girl Scouts, Pfaff said, but mem- club recieved a Community Recognition Award from the Northern Indiana-Michiana Service Unit. bers are actually volunteers with- see SCOUTS/page 4 INSIDE TODAY’S PAPER Graduate students study texts in Italy page 4 u Viewpoint page 6 u Sweeney Todd Review page 8 u Men’s Lacrosse Big East tournament page 16 page 2 | ndsmcobserver.com The Observer u DAY-TO-DAY Tuesday, May 1, 2012 QUESTION OF THE DAY: IF FATHER JENKINS HAD A SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? www.ndsmcobserver.com P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Allan Joseph Managing Editor Business Manager Megan Doyle Jeff Liptak Asst. Managing Editor: Andrew Owens Asst. Managing Editor: Sam Stryker Madison Boyle Emily Danaher Lauren Leniart Alvin Hu Luke McNiff Drew Williams News Editor: Kristen Durbin News Editor: John Cameron sophomore freshman junior junior junior junior Viewpoint Editor: Meghan Thomassen Pasquerilla East Breen-Phillips Pasquerilla West Sorin Stanford Stanford Sports Editor: Chris Allen Scene Editor: Kevin Noonan “The power to “Mind reading “Being invisible “Teleportation.” “The ability to “I forgot what Saint Mary’s Editor: Jillian Barwick control people’s so he knows because I’ve seduce people it is called but Photo Editor: Suzanna Pratt emotions around what everyone never seen him with his eyes.” Jigglypuff has Graphics Editor: Brandon Keelean him.” at Notre Dame is around.” it.” Multimedia Editor: Sarah O’Connor thinking.” Advertising Manager: Katherine Lukas Ad Design Manager: Amanda Jonovski Controller: Jason Taulman Systems Administrator: William Heineman Office Manager & General Info Have an idea for Question of the Day? 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