■ Attorney General Janet Reno ordered a ■ U.S. officials may have been mistaken when they preliminary investigation into whether or not Thursday thought they discovered compounds revealing the Vice President Gore lied to investigators production of chemical weapons in Sudan. about contributions. AUGUST 27, News * 3 News • 6 1998 O b s e r v e r The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s VOL XXXI1 NO. 4 WWW.ND.EDU/-OBSERVER Cavanaugh STUDENT SENATE fall victim is Kirk addresses summer improvements By TIM LOGAN “It lets Assistant News Editor people ‘optimistic’ know th at Topics ranged from the statue of St. Ed they assume By TO M ENRIGHT to commencement speakers as Vice President for S tudent Affairs Bill Kirk certain News Writer addressed the Student Senate last night. risk s in certain Former Cavanaugh Hall resident Kirk focused primarily on residence hall activities. and 1998 alumna Katie McCoyd, renovations, Saferide expansion and T ra n s p o r­ who fell down an elevator shaft cable access in dorm rooms. ta tio n is shortly before graduation last "1 don’t know of any halls scheduled inherently spring, has recovered and begun [for renovation] in the next year,” said risky.” her career at DC systems. Kirk, who noted that the two-summer McCoyd fell about 30 feet down restoration of Morrissey Hall was more said Kirk. H e the shaft after trying to jump out of extensive and more costly than had been a c k n o w l­ the elevator, which stopped five anticipated. The project used up a large feet above the second floor. As she portion of the money which is allocated edged that the waiver tried to climb out backwards, she each year for major residence hall reno­ w ould not swung under the car into the shaft. vations. hold up in After landing in the basement, While Kirk was unable to specify which McCoyd was transported to St. dorm would be renovated next, he did a court of law if the Joseph Hospital and later to Loyola point out that all are continuously main­ University University Medical Center in tained. w as at Chicago for more care. She suf­ “A lot of renovation in residence halls fault in an fered a broken pelvis and under­ we don't see. Other than things working accident. went surgery. the way they should be, you wouldn’t With the The story, which was first pub­ know about them," he said. recent lished in the senior issue of The Kirk also told the Senate that laundry installation Observer last May, reported that machines were installed in Keenan and of cab le The Observer/Kevin Dalum Notre Dame officials were unsure Stanford halls over the summer, and that he expected machines would be installed television Student Body Vice President Andrea Selak explained plans by the Office of whether she would be able to the President to expand Saferide and improve student-faculty relations at last during Christmas break in one of the four in d o rm attend graduation. McCoyd recov­ night’s Student Senate meeting. ro o m s at ered enough to attend the ceremo­ m en’s dorms that still lack service. Saint ny but had to walk with crutches Kirk thanked student leaders for their Several years ago, University adminis­ Mary’s, several senators questioned for the next 10 weeks. She must work on expanding Saferide service to trators considered the addition of cable, whether similar service would come to still attend physical therapy three Thursday nights, and pointed out that the but decided against it because of the cost. waiver which students signed at enroll­ Notre Dame. “It was clearly an expensive proposi- times a week. “If they have it, why can’t we? We have "Things are going well," she ment is primarily intended to give w arn­ ing and inform them of what responsibili­ a lot more money than they do,” asked said. “I’m optimistic." see SENATE / page 4 ties they bear in using the service. Morrissey senator Ryan Constantini. NEWS ANALYSIS C aught on ta p e ... Cease-fire halts Irish violence By BRIDGET O’CONNOR ty," said Deane, who pointed occurred on the heels of the Associate News Editor ________________ out that car bombing violence Northern Ireland Peace is not only atrocious but arbi­ Agreement which was signed In response to the tragic car trary. this spring. The historic agree­ bombing in Omagh, Northern The Continuity I.R.A. is now ment was approved by the Ireland which killed 28 people, the only order which has yet to majority of voters in both the Irish National Liberation call for a cease-fire. British Northern Ireland and Army (INLA) announced a Deane did not think the fail­ the Irish Republic but left many cease-fire. That announcement ure of the Continuity I.R.A. to wondering what effect it could came just minutes before a join the other groups would really have. national, inter-denom- “The treaty was inational moment of always a pretty frail silence was planned in affair,” said Deane. He memory of the victims. N THE AFTERMATH OF THE OMAGH felt that the bombings Another group, the ‘IIBOMBING THERE WERE TWO WAYS TO GO did nothing to weaken Real I.R.A., claimed the treaty, as it was responsibility for the ... M a y b e [ it ] w il l b e t h e l a s t o f t h a t lacking real strength attack, but joined the TRAVESTY.’ from the start. INLA in the decision to “Right now th ere is stop the violence. such a disgust at the “In the afterm ath of S e a m u s D e a n e carnage at Omagh," he the Omagh bombing, Kuougii Ciiaiii in liusii Studiesnoted. This disgust there were two ways has led to a mandate to go,” said Professor Seamus detract from the impact of their to get a resolution to the three Deane, the Keough Chair in movement. decades of violence. Deane felt Irish Studies. He explained “I think the Continuity I.R.A. that the bomb served to that the loyalists could either has probably lost so much strengthen Gerry Adams and decide to kill in revenge and political power and has become the Sinn Fein political party, as perpetuate the violence or that so isolated that they are politi­ they are now much more the groups could decide to call cally weakened to the point of securely embedded in the a cease fire and work for perdition,” he explained. Northern Irish scene. This The Observer/Kevin Dalum The bombing, which was the strength has put David Trimble Television crews from WXYZ Detroit filmed Notre Dame juniors as peace. they waited in line to buy football tickets. The footage will be aired “Maybe the Omagh bomb will deadliest single sectarian assault in 29 years of violence, in Detroit to preview the Notre Dame v. Michigan sea so n opener. be the last kind of that traves­ see IRELAND / page 4 page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Thursday,August 27, 1998 INSIDE COLUMN The Rush utside the Dome Compiled from U-Wire reports The starved and exhausted crowd pulsed like a single being; eyes weary and hands State attorney general combats use of ‘date rape’ drug outstretched they called to the guards for mercy. Distraught voices hovered above the STATE COLLEGE, Penn. were on respirators for several days Current state law does not prohibit filthy crush of bodies? Because of the growing popularity of and were in near-death condition, the possession, manufacture or distrib­ words of anguish rising GHB as both a recreational and “date Conrad added. ution of GHB. If the petition is at each passing hour: rape” drug, the state attorney general “The incidents at Penn State were approved, GHB would be classified as “Let us in! Please, let us is taking action. two of the more serious ones,” Fisher a Schedule I controlled substance, in!” Attorney General Mike Fisher has said. along with heroin and several other- A scene from revolu­ petitioned to make GHB illegal in drugs, Petito said. tionary France or cold- Pennsylvania after two Penn State stu­ “It is a drug that has been abused war Russia, perhaps? dents were admitted to the hospital and can have dangerous conse­ Try the student foot­ with life-threatening symptoms in July. IT IS A DRUG THAT HAS BEEN quences. We need to take steps to ball season ticket line. Heather MacKenzie GHB, which can be m ade at home make sure it's made illegal,” Fisher i [ a b u s e d a n d c a n h a v e d a n ­ Yesterday. Assistant Managing Editor and stands for Gamma-Hydroxybut said. If you have been a yric Acid, is often used recreationally g e r o u s CONSEQUENCES. W E NEED GHB was banned by the Food and slacker like me for the past couple of years because it can cause euphoria. But the TO TAKE STEPS TO MAKE SURE IT’S Drug Administration in 1990 after a and haven’t experienced the joy of buying exact dosage to reach euphoria with­ determination that the drug had no football tickets for yourself and about 47 of out risking death is unclear, said MADE ILLEGAL.’ medicinal uses, Petito said. your closest friends, let me summarize. You Barbara Petito, deputy press secretary So far this year, there have been 17 find the people in your group whom you like for Fisher.