THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's VOLUME 38: ISSUE 8 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2003 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Sorin College loses three RAs University Training schedule conflicts prioritizes result in termination diversity Dame's RA orientation and By MEGHANNE DOWNES the engineering-MBA pro­ News Edicor gram orientation. Craig By SHEILA FLYNN was released as an HA News Writer During resident assistant orientation, Sorin Hall lost when it became apparent that his conflict between Notre Dame, often criticized for half its HA staff due to its mostly-white student body, is a conflicts the HAs had with the orientations could not vocal supporter of affirmative their training schedule. be resolved and he opted action and would like to reach an Doug Pope and BJ Craig to attend the MBA orienta­ ethnic minority population of' 25 both had academic-related tion. Notre Dame's engi­ percent within the next few commitments which would neering-MBA program years, said assistant provost for have forced them to miss allows select students to admissions Dan Saracino. part of their multiple-day receive a bachelor's and "Our ollicial stance is wc'rn 100 orientation. Craig and master's degree in five percent supportive of' aflirmative Pope both said they had years. action," Saracino said. signed contracts that stat­ Pope said he learned of The University has been ed they were committed to his conflict with RA orien­ extremely vocal about its support attending all of the train­ tation over the summer for affirmative action within the ing sessions. and tried repeatedly to last year. during which the The University's policy convince officials in the University of Michigan's admis­ on RA training is not flexi­ Office of Student Affairs to sions process was challenged in ble and requires RAs to allow him to make up the court for adding a significant attend the entire orienta­ three sessions he would number of points in the admis­ tion, said Bill Kirk. associ­ miss to attend a scholar­ sions process to students solely ate vice president for ship interview. because they were ethnic minori­ Student Affairs, and can­ Pope's interview was for ties. Notre Dame signed a friend­ not be rescheduled for a a $25,000 scholarship to of-the-court brief with about 37 previously scheduled attend graduate school in other universities in support of event. either Great Britain or Michigan's policies. KENNNThe Observer Ireland and was scheduled "Even if there wasn't, however. Doug Pope, a former Sorln RA, moved to Turtle Creek after he Craig said was scheduled affrrmative action as an executive was fired as an RA for missing training sessions. to attend both Notre see RA/ page 6 order that was established in 1964, we would still be totally committed to affirmative action, whatever you would call it," Saracino said. "We are 100 percent in favor of Judge Michigan lottery irks students diversity in the broad sense. whether it's ethnic. socioeconom­ ic, geographic - all of those limits gam.e types of diversity. "Our commitment is to try to bring to this campus the brightest and the most diverse student parking body that we can." Saracino said the University does not compromise admissions By ANDREW THAGARD standards for percentages and k<istant News Ediwr diversity. He said about 80 per­ cent of applicants are fully The St. Joseph Circuit Court equipped to handle Notre Dame issued an injunction Tuesday academically, and the admitted against eight residents of students- ethnic minorities. ath­ Wooded Estates, prohibiting letes. legacies included - arc them from charging fans to chosen from that qualified per­ park vehicles on their property centage. during Notre Dame home foot­ "Look at the figures this year," ball games. he said. "We have the most According to the injunction, diverse class in our history; at the such behavior qualifies as com­ same time, we have the most mercial activity on residential ANDY KENNNThe Observer academically talented class in our property, violating Section 21-8 Students crowd outside Reekers on Wednesday, waiting to enter the lottery for tickets to history." of the city code. along with sec­ the Michigan game. More than half left without raffle tickets. He said, however. that Notre lion 21-99 that mandates sur­ Dame undeniably gives special facing requirements for parked "This year due to the irreg­ fraud as individuals who consideration to specific groups cars. The decision to park vehi­ By MEGHANNE DOWNES ularities and illegality of past were not students and SUB of applicants, and the University cles, according to some resi­ News Editor years, and the fact that staff members obtained tick- does not apologize for it. dents of Wooded Estates, also under state ets. Ebersol con­ The children of alumni, for constituted a safety issue. Over 1,500 students waited tributed this example, comprise 23 percent of' "We focused on this neigh­ law a lot­ outside Reekers Wednesday tery is con­ "/ take responsibility partly to the Notre Dame's student body. borhood in particular because afternoon to obtain a ticket method of using Saracino said admissions coun­ I the residents] thought the sidered for the errors that for the Michigan football gambling, occurred, but we phone books to selors give legacy applicants an quality of life and property val­ ticket lottery; however, only extra "nudge" in the admissions ues were decreasing," said we had to track individuals 700 students left with lottery operate moved forward from who obtained process, but only if they are Ann-Carol Nash, assistant city tickets. equally qualified with the other attorney. "They were also con­ under dif­ last year with lottery tickets. Citing Indiana state law ferent and accommodating more The system applicants. Such a family tradi­ cerned about safety." and NCAA regulations, tion, he said, ensures the continu­ According to Nash. the city stricter reg­ people." used Wednesday Charlie Ebersol, Student ulations," involved swiping ation of the Notre Dame family began an aggressive campaign Union Board President. said atmosphere. and also keeps the two years ago to educate resi­ Ebersol ID cards the SUB sponsored event was University's tinances stable. dents that it was against the said. Charlie Ebersol through a read­ forced to shut down at 6 p.m. In previ­ SUB president er and then Notre Dame enjoys the highest law to charge fans to park on rate of alumni giving in the their lawns. Neighbors of some Indiana state law prevented ous years, manually imput- SUB from holding the lottery the ticket see PARKING/page 4 for more than three hours. lotteries were plagued with see LOTTERY/page 6 see DIVERSITY/page 4 page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Thursday, September 4, 2003 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: How DO YOU THINK NORTH DINING HALL COMPARES TO SOUTH? Deja vu Just when you didn't think it could get any worse, it did. I'm referring, of course, to the lot­ tery for Michigan football tickets that took place Wednesday at Recker's. Bill Hessert John Mesler Michael French Eric Hess Emmett Kearney Newman Kepner Some of you may remember I Senior Freshman Freshman Sophomore Sophomore Sophomore tried in vain to Off-campus Knott Hall Knott Hall O'Neill Hall O'Neill Hall O'Neill Hall acquire tickets to the Florida State game through the "!would "! think it is a "What was the "!never go "Other than the "It sucks." University last venture to say lot better than old set-up there." make your own year. For those who don't, I North Dining last year." line?" pizza thing they rounded up And Th rd Hall has got nothing. " friends' ID cards rew aga surpassed and collected as many lottery tick­ Assistant South Dining ets as possible for News Editor Hall." the chance to see the Irish play in Tallahassee, Fla. Unfortunately, I was among the several thousand Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross students who entered the lottery for the 150 tick­ IN BRIEF ets and didn't win. I also pulled an all-nighter in the basement of Irish Fighting for St. Jude, a LaFortune in a vain attempt to get service club that raises money my hands on two of the half dozen for the St. Jude Children's unclaimed tickets several days later. Hospital in Memphis, Tenn .. I made it inside Florida State's will sponsor a Krispy Kreme Doak Campbell Stadium to see the donut sale on Friday, Sept. 5. Irish defeat the 'Noles last year, but The sale begins at 8:15a.m. I got in on a Florida State student outside of DeBartolo Hall. ticket. I was annoyed last year by the Elvira Kurt, a comedian who small number of tickets available to has performed on Comedy students. Notre Dame receives sev­ Central, will perform at 7 p.m. eral thousand tickets to football today at Carroll Auditorium on away games. The fact that they offer Saint Mary's campus. The event a measly 150 to students, the heart is sponsored by the Student and soul of the Irish's fan base, just Activities Board. didn't seem right. This year, I'm still upset at the The Notre Dame Right to number of tickets that the University Life club will sponsor free food provides for students. What makes and music today at the me even madder, however, is the Fieldhouse Mall. Festivities system used for distributing this start at 4 p.m. grossly inadequate amount. I waited for over an hour in a line Dillon Hall will host their that stretched outside of Recker's ANDY KENNNThe Observer annual football pep rally today.