Thursday, March 21, 1996 • Vol. XXVII No. 109 THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY'S ND honors Prejean with Laetare Student leaders to "The most pro­ focus on diversity Death penalty found moral ques­ tion of our violent Winners of the laetare Medal society," she said for the Past Ten Years in Trustees' report abolitionist's story recently, "is not what to do with the 1986 Thomas P. and Mary Elizabeth Carney, By JAMIE HEISLER inspires popular film innocent, but what chairman of the University of Notre Associate News Editor Obsrrvcr Staff Report to do about the Dame's Board of Trustees and guilty. We ask. spouse After requesting input from the student body, Sister llelen Prejean. the death 'Don't they deserve 1987 Father Theodore Hesburgh, educator a student government committee chose multieul­ penalty abolitionist whose autobiog­ to die?' But the 1988 Eunice Kennedy Shriver. humanitarian turalism as the focus of their annual report to raphy inspired the critically real question 1989 Walker Percy, novelist the Notre Dame Board of Trustees. aeclaimed film "Dead Man Walking," should be, 'Do we 1990 Sister Thea Bowman, Gospel singer and "We mean multiculturalism in the purest sense will reeeive Notre Dame's 1996 deserve to kill evangelist of the word-diverse eultures living together not l.1wtarn Mt~dal, them?"' 1991 Corinne "Lindy" Boggs, former United States just minority concerns," said Student Body aecording to As a spiritual Congresswoman President Jonathan Patrick. According to University presi­ counselor, Prejean 1992 Daniel Patrick Moynihan. United States Patrick, in relation to multiculturalism, students dent Father has accompanied Senator mentioned their concerns with a lack of focus on Edward Malloy. three men to the 1993 Donald R. Keough, chairman emeritus of different cultures, as well as certain feelings of The medal will be electric chair and Notre Dame's Board of Trustees isolation between members of diiTerent cultures. pres1-mted to witnessed their 1994 Sidney Callahan, psychologist and author These concerns were brought to the attention Prejean during deaths. And she 1995 Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Archbishop of of the committee as a result of a process started Notre Damn's 151st continues her min- Chicago early in Mareh, in which student government re­ 1996 Sister Helen Prejean, social activist commencement Prejean istry to death row quested student organizations, as well as indi­ exerdses May 19. inmates and to vic- viduals, to submit applications expressing issues "To dtHtth row residents. to the tims' families today. A founder of Cabrini Parish in New Orleans and as of concern on campus in order to form a basis families of rnurdt~r victims, and to our "Survive," a victims' advocacy group, a formation director for her religious for the report. whole sudety, her words and deeds she served as a member of the board community. She is now a high school A student government eommittee then exam­ proclaim the gospel of life in unmis­ of the National Coalition to Abolish English teacher in New Orleans. ined these applications, looking for common takable and twnn unsettling terms." the Death Penalty from 1985-95 and The Laetare Medal is named concerns among students and found multicultur­ Pn~jean traces her involvement in as its chair from 1993-95. because its recipient is announced alism to be the most prevalent. According to tlw issue of capital punishment to her ller nationwide lectures on capital annually on Laetare Sunday, the 4th Patrick, there were many other concerns pre­ rnligious community's formal pledge, punishment brought her to Notre Sunday in Lent. "Laetare," the Latin sented in the first round of applieations includ­ made puhlil: in l!JHO, to "stand on the Dame two years ago as a guest of the word for "rejoice," is the first word in ing academic concerns as well as women's side of the poor." Prejean initially students of Keenan Hall. the entrance antiphon of the Mass issues. lwsitated in agrneing to this pledge, !\ native of Baton Rouge, La., that Sunday. The medal bears the The inclusion of non-student government she said in her autobiography. Prejnan, 56, has worked and lived in Latin inscription, "Magna est veritas groups in the formation of the Board of Trustees llowever. in 1982, at the request of Louisiana all her life. The second of et prevalebit" - "Truth is mighty, report is an initiative begun this year in an a fri1-md, she began eormspondence three children in what she calls "as and its shall prevail." attempt to increase student body representation with Elmo Patrick Sonnier. a 27- solid and loving a family as one could Established at Notre Dame in 1883, before the Board of Trustees. In previous years, ytmr-old death row resident convict­ hope for," she joined the Sisters of St. the medal was conceived as an members of student government alone ap­ net of murdt~ring a tt~en-age couple. Joseph of Medaille in 1957 when she American counterpart of the Golden proached the Board with their report. i\s the date for Sonnier's execution was 1H. Rose, a papal honor which originated "Our first thought was just bringing more stu­ approaelwd, she became his close She graduated from St. Mary's prior to the 11th century. dent voices, but in the interest of making the friend and spiritual counselor, even­ Dominican College in New Orleans in The medal has been awarded conversation more productive, we decided to tually witrwssing his execution. Since 1962 and received a master's degree annually at Notre Dame to a Catholic focus around a certain topic," Patrick said . then, she has lwen equally outspoken in religious education from St. Paul's "whose genius has ennobled the arts Student government is now asking for a sec­ as an opponent of capital punishment University in Ottawa, Canada, in and sciences, illustrated the ideals of ond ro.und of applications from both campus and as an advocate for victim's 197 3. She has served as religious the Church and enriched the heritage organizations as well as individuals in order to rights. education director of St. Francis see MEDAL I page 4 see BOARD I page 6 • RESIDENCE HAll ASSOCIATION TeleFile alleviates tax SMC to elect executive board time stress for students By MAUREEN HURLEY platform include: an all-school vice president and secretary. Saint Mary'• News Editor event each semester, working respectively. Cernok is the By CORRINE DORAN "I think it's a system that ba­ to modify the lottery system for McCandless Hall representative News Writer sically is in the experimental Today, Saint Mary's College housing, spirit week throughout for HHA and also serves on stage," said Milani. "My major will nleet its IIJ%-97 Hesidence the residence halls, increasing RHA's publicity committee. As tax time quickly ap­ concern with the effort will be llall Association (Hili\) execu­ student support for athletic ac­ Fleming is the McCandless Hall proaches, Notre Dame and the things that are omitted that tive board. tivities, and working closer with president. Saint Mary's students may find costthe taxpayer." The sole ticket running is: the Board of Governance (BOG). "Nikki and !learned a lot tak­ it easier than ever to file with "If it works well it will help Nikki Milos, prnsident; Christine The ticket stresses their wide ing over as the new board," the IRS. those taxpayers and it will help Binsnnlwrger. vice president; range of experience gained on said Riesenberger. "/\lot of sit­ TeleFile, a new system that the IRS. It's a win-win situa­ M11g Ctwnok. seeretary; and Kim the Hili\ board. Currently, uations came up this year, and allows those who normally tion," Milani added. f."fmuing. treasurnr. Milos and Hiesenberger serve complete 1040-EZ forms to Those eligible to file by tele­ Major ideas from the ticket's on the Hili\ exeeutive board as see RHA I page 4 enter information by telephone phone will receive special Tele­ instead. will be available to be­ File instructions and a Personal tween 20 and 23 million Ameri­ Identification Number (PIN) Couple sponsors Dante collection cans this year. along with their regular tax The paperless system, de­ booklet. signed to ease the complica­ The PIN number serves as tions involved in paper filing the taxpayer's signature and, and to eliminate IHS inefficien­ along with his or her social se­ cies, will automatically com­ curity number. as identification pute the amount to be refunded if any questions arise concern­ or the additional tax due after ing the return. the appropriate information Because of its fairly simple from the W-2 form is entered. design, the TeleFile system "Filing taxes doesn't gel any makes sense for those people easier than this," said IHS Tax eligible to file with it, according Commissioner Margaret Milner to Milani. Hichardson. "TeleFile will not "It makes a lot of sense for a only save taxpayers time and lot of taxpayers if they fit in trouble but will also make the those parameters," Milani said. ms more efficient," she added. The TeleFile service is avail­ This is the first year the IHS able to single people with no has made such a system avail­ dependents who have taxable able, and consequently, an income of less than $50,000. The Observer/Dave Murphy analysis of its effectiveness To be eligible for the service, Dante endowment received University President Father Edward Malloy blessed a plaque depicting Dante's needs to be done after the tax a taxpayer must have previ- Divine Comedy as part of a ceremony in the library concourse honoring donators William and Katherine season, according to Account­ Devers.