Monday with “Return to Paradise” and 80S Video Pick, “Better O Ff Dead.” SEPTEMBER Irish Insider Scene • 12 14, 1998
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■ N D football fell to Michigan State. For a ■ Movie Scene reviews M att Damon’s latest, along complete wrap-up, see the insert. Monday with “Return to Paradise” and 80s video pick, “Better O ff Dead.” SEPTEMBER Irish Insider Scene • 12 14, 1998 O BSERVER The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint M ary’s VOL XXXII NO. 14 W W W .ND.EDU/~OBSERVER Women make strides in national, campus politics Professor studies women ..._________ Tradition slow to change in w o rld governm ents campus government By MAGGY TINUCCI By COLLEEN McCARTHY News W riter Assistant News Editor Women are taking important strides in establishing Andrea Selak is in a prime position to break down long-standing political power and influence, especially as gender barriers. members of parliaments and Cabinet ministers, accord As vice president of Notre Dame’s student govern ing to a recent study by Andrew Reynolds, assistant pro ment, Selak could be a likely candidate for student gov fessor of government and international studies. ernment president when elections are held in the Reynolds sees a general trend toward positive change, spring. Selak, however, could be up against stiff compe although he admits that it will take time. tition: tradition. “ It could lake up to 50 years, but eventually politics will In the 26 years since Notre Dame began admitting become more important than gender,” Reynolds said. women to the University, a female has never held the The perception needs to change to allow women to be position of student government president. seen as managers, CEOs and leaders in a patriarchal Running for president is definitely not out of the society, he explained. question, Selak said. “What happens when the wife is the political animal?” “In the past year since I was elected vice president, Reynolds asked, noting that the challenge of balancing a people have been asking me if I will run for president, career and raising the children presents an obstacle to as if it is a huge challenge to overcome,” she said. “ Now the potential political leadership of women. is the time for a woman to be elected.” Reynolds found that the number of women representa Andrew Reynolds, assistant professor of government tives in government was not related to the level of democ and international studies at Notre Dame, recently com racy in a given country. He points out that women cannot pleted a study regarding women in politics. The study rely upon government to place them in positions of power The Observer/Jeff Hsu found that women remain underrepresented in govern while conceding that it is very difficult to overcome these Lewis Hall student senator Sophie Fortin speaks up at a ment, which hinders the successful workings of govern obstacles. recent student senate meeting. Women are finding ment. “Social and cultural factors are more important than increased opportunities to represent their peers. Reynolds sees the situation regarding the lack of the level of democracy,” Reynolds said. He described that women in high positions in the Notre Dame student this can be broken down by establishing a legacy government as something that will take time to change. towards women leaders of which future women politicians can look. A high level of “ It takes time to get women elected to office and seen as equals,” Reynolds said. socioeconomic development and the electoral presence of a healthy left-wing political “Once they get more involved in politics and begin to hold offices, people will say, movement are good predictions that a high number of women will be elected. ‘Wow! It’s shocking and amazing,’ but the novelty wears off.” Reynolds’ research said that, among a total of 33,715 legislators worldwide, only 12.5 But Reynolds pointed to several factors which influence why Notre Dame has yet see S T U D Y / page • see WOMEN / page 4 Schmuhl: Disclosure of details may favor Clinton University Provost Nathan Hatch (left) speaks to the By ROBERT PAZNORIK controversy surrounding the News W riter investigation, however, public student body at the Mass release of the document was Since the release of the only viable method of Independent Council Kenneth quelling the unfounded rumors marking the formal opening Starr’s report last Friday, spec and hearsay which have ulation and controversy plagued the investigation from o f the school year. Mem bers regarding its findings have its start nearly five years ago. captivated “The Starr report is a gov o f the Liturgical, Folk and the nation. ernment document, and given Though the the interest surrounding it, it is Womens Choirs, along with long-awaited inevitable that it would be release final made widely available to the the Brass Ensemble (below) ly b rin g s public," said Robert Schmuhl, truth to the an NBC a ffilia te and head of provided music for the event. public, the the American studies depart public has ment. s ta rte d to Clinton Though most people outside question the political circle view the whether or not the graphic release of the report as the details of the report are appro worst-possible case scenario Photos by The Observer/Monica Garza priate to the investigation. for the Clinton administration, Many even argue that the sor Sc hmuhl believes that the full did details of the report should public disclosure may actually not have been made public at prove a boon to the floundering all. Democratic presidency. “It’s a private matter that “ In an odd way, it is probably should be left between the best to run the entire report president and his family," said and allow people to read it junior government major Steve rather than allowing the media Kovatis. “The details of the to do endless stories about [the report were totally unneces report’s] specific details,” he sary and have no bearing said. whatsoever on the effective Many political analysts also completion of Clinton’s presi agree that current public reac- dential term.” Others argue that given the see R E P O R T / page 4 page 2 The Observer• INSIDE Monday, September 14, 1998 0 INSIDE COLUMN •Outside the Dome The ^ Compiled from U-Wire reports Comeback Harvard bars student convicted of rape from campus CAMBRIDGE, Mass. the agreement struck by prosecutors Six months after denying charges and Elster’s attorney. “Given the Kids in the rape and assault of a Harvard facts in the case the sentence is not undergraduate woman, junior the appropriate sentence, but it is I roadtripped this weekend. Joshua Elster reversed his earlier the appropriate resolution in this Everybody says you have to do it at least pleas and accepted an agreement case,” he added. once before you graduate, so we packed the under which he w ill serve three Elster, speaking through his attor car with friends, blankets, food and drink years probation but no jail time. ney, had contended that he and the and headed east on — Elster pleaded guilty in Middlesex victim had engaged in consensual 80/90 to exit 69. We Michelle Krupa Superior Court to three counts of sex. Elster “ has realized his education, if were heading up to News Editor rape (for three different types of But Assistant District Attorney East Lansing to watch penetration), two counts of assault he seeks to follow it further, would Thomas O’Reilly told The Crimson the Fighting Irish and battery and one count of inde be at another institution [than that the prosecution had enough pound on MSU. The wishful itinerary includ cent assault and battery. Harvard], This was difficult for him strong evidence to bring the case to ed a beautifully warm, cloudless late summer Under the conditions of the sen to accept at first,’’said Elster’s trial, including pictures of a bruise day, a bountiful banquet of Subway sand tence issued by Judge Paul Chernoff, lawyer, Kenneth D’Arcy. on the victim ’s cheekbone and wiches and cold ale, and a night spent laugh the former Kirkland House resident Elster is probably the first Harvard numerous scratches on her back and ing and celebrating with good friends. is prohibited from further contact student to be charged and convicted chest, reports by doctors and nurses Well, the game didn’t quite turn out as with the victim and cannot walk on of rape, according to longtime and statements from witnesses who we’d planned. The scheduled win that was to Harvard property or enter University Harvard administrator and former saw her immediately after the inci move us toward the number-one spot in the buildings during the three years. Dean of the College John Fox Jr. dent. Sunday papers eluded the Irish players, send After that time, Elster could legally Chernoff said that settling a rape He added he does not view Elster ing a dejected message to our little posse return, pending approval by case w ithout a tria l “ makes a judge as a serious enough threat to the and many other dissapointed Irish fans. The Harvard's Administrative Board. uncomfortable” but said he accepted community to require jail time. end message was clear: Roadtripping to BC might not be so cool now that we’re number 25. 0 DUKE UNIVERSITY 0 CLEMSON UNIVERSITY But, thanks to some good friends, I didn’t have to watch the cruel trick the Spartans Police issue warrant after explosion Mother of athlete dies during game turned on the Irish Saturday night. After a beautifully warm, cloudless late The Duke University police department has requested In the midst of Saturday’s Clemson-Furman football summer day and a bountiful banquet of arrest warrants for three university students wanted in game, Rosa Adams suffered a heart attack near the south Subway sandwiches and cold ale (so far so conjunction with an explosive device that caused slight fenc of Memorial Stadium.