0150 YEARSBS PC H OBSERVER Friday, November 19, 1993 • Vol. XXVI No. 54 NOTRE DAME-IN gg THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY’S Observer apologizes DAVID KINNEY Board decided last night that it was not Editor-in-Chief appropriate to publish it. Our decision was not based on Running a college newspaper is no whether it was hateful or harmful to easy task. With over 200 paid employ­ members of the community. Other ees and several hundred reporters, advertisements, stories or letters to the room for error is often great. editor could be considered in the same Sometimes, we drop the ball. light. Sometimes it is an editor, sometimes a We decided it was irresponsible to reporter, sometimes a manager. run the advertisement only because the There are times at any newspaper facts about the Holocaust are not in that the proper channels fall apart, and dispute. The event is considered by vir­ a decision is made at a lower level tually everyone to be an historical fact, when it should go across the desk of not a subject of debate. the editor-in-chief. We believed the author’s real premise - that the Holocaust never Yesterday was one of those times. happened - was thinly veiled by a dis­ The Observer ran an advertisement cussion of evidence. from a group calling itself the Committee for Open Debate on the But like the debate on other campus­ Holocaust. On its face, the advertise­ es, the board’s discussion was vigor­ ment argued that there is no proof that ous. One faction of the board believed Jews were gassed by Germans in the it would have been proper to run the Holocaust. But the underlying premise advertisement with an editorial of the advertisement was that the explaining our decision. The reasoning Holocaust never actually happened. was that whether or not the facts about Proper channels at The Observer proof of the Holocaust are in question, were ignored in this case, and the the advertiser has a right to express advertisement was published without those views. the knowledge or approval of the To ensure that in the future contro­ General Board. The Observer regrets versial advertisements are not pub­ this oversight and apologizes for run­ lished before they are reviewed, The ning the advertisement. Observer has examined and strength­ ened our guidelines for screening In fact, the advertisement has a long advertisements. Ultimately, the adver­ history. For two years, this group has tising manager will be responsible for submitted similar advertisements to monitoring content. college and high school newspapers Future decisions about whether to around the country. Some have decided run an advertisement deemed contro­ to run it, including The Ohio State versial will be made by the General University, the University of Michigan Board on a case-by-case basis. and Duke University. Certainly, it is Yesterday’s decision is not an indica­ within their rights legally. tion that we will begin censoring those Others, including Columbia advertisements with which we disagree University, UCLA and the University of or those we deem hateful. It is only a Virginia, have exercised their right to statement that we will not publish reject it. information — either in a story or in an The Observer/David Hungeling While the advertisement ran because advertisement — that we know to be As if we didn’t know ... of a failure in our review process, a untrue. A huge #1 on the top of Grace Hall proudly announces the new Irish ranking. It w as re-lit majority of The Observer’s General Again, we regret the oversight. after a ceremony on Monday night. Cavanaughs conversion discussed By JO H N LUCAS tors were taken into account, you where you want to be,” Associate News Editor the final decision to covert Kirk said. “We were very suc­ Cavanaugh came down to beds, cessful two years ago, and we A mixture of muted anger O’Hara said. The dorm was would like to be able to do it and concern for the future chosen to be converted because again.” FRIDAY marked last night’s closed it has the 242 beds that will be In order to begin the reloca­ 3:00 p.m. Pre-game pep rally gathering, Morris Inn patio meeting between residents of needed for females next fall. tion process, Kirk explained 4:00 p.m. Men's swimming, ND vs. Ball State, Roll's Center C a v a n a u g h Freshman John Bishop ques­ that students will soon be asked 4:30 p.m. Marching band rehearsal, Administration Building H all an d tioned the choice of Cavanaugh for their preference for a new 6:45 p.m. Band step-off for pep rally, Band Building r e p r e s e n ­ over Zahm, wondering if the dorm. Cavanaugh residents 7:00 p.m. Pep rally, Joyce Athletic & Convocation Center, Gate 10 tatives of the hall was chosen because resi­ will be placed in new dorms 7:00 p.m. W omens swimming, ND vs. Ball State, Roll's Center O ffice of dents would make “less of a with groups of their friends as 8:30 p.m. ND Glee Club Alumni Reunion Concert, Stepan Center Student fuss” ovpr conversion. space allows, he said. Affairs. “How could you not choose Several students expressed R esidents of Zahm?” he asked O’Hara. “I concern that by being put onto SATURDAY the hall were know how you’re going to an­ room pick lists by class, it will 8:10 a.m. Band rehearsal, step-off from Band Building informed on patricia O’Hara swer, but try to be honest.” be difficult to end up in the 8:30 a.m. Band rehearsal, Loftus Sports Center W e d n e s d a y “I’ve been called a lot of same sections and on the same 9:00 a.m. ND/SMC/HCC Alumni Hospitality Center, JACC evening that Cavanaugh would things here at Notre Dame- floors as their friends. 9:00 a.m. Pre-game tailgate party and grill, Morris Inn patio be converted to a female resi­ most of them unprintable,” “We understand that it is in 9:00 a.m. AA meeting, Center for Social Concerns dence effective in the fall of O’Hara replied. “But I have the best interest of the 11:00 a.m. Pom pon squad and cheerleading performance, JACC 1994. never been called scared. I University for everyone to sac­ 11:30 a.m. Glee club concert, JACC North Dome Patricia O’Hara, vice-presi­ wasn’t scared to take Zahm. ” rifice a little bit,” one resident 11:30 a.m. Mass, Sacred Heart Crypt dent for Student Affairs and While Cavanaugh and Zahm said. “But by going onto room 12:00 p.m. Shenanigan's performance, JACC North Dome William Kirk, assistant vice- are of virtually equal size, pick lists like everyone else, 12:00 p.m. Band concert, Administration Building steps president for Student Affairs, O’Hara cited staff considera­ what kind of sacrifice are they 12:45 p.m. Band step-off, Administration Building came to Cavanaugh hoping to tions as one of the deciding fac­ (other students) making?” 1:10 p.m. Band pre-game performance, Notre Dame Stadium answer questions about both tors. The University can easily Other than a promise that 1:35 p.m. Football kickoff, ND vs. Boston College, ND Stadium the reasons for conversion as relocate Cavanaugh rector the Office of Student Affairs after game Law School alumni reception, Law School lounge Father Merwyn Thomas, while would try its hardest to ac­ after game ND/SMC/HCC all-class reunion, JACC well as plans for an efficient 45 min. a.g. Vigil Mass, Basilica of the Sacred Heart relocation. it would be a larger displace­ commodate all students, During the emotional two ment for Zahm rector Father O’Hara said that special room hour meeting, O’H ara and Kirk Thomas King. pick concessions would not be SUNDAY answered a wide variety of stu­ Although the decision to con­ made. 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:30,11:00 a.m. Mass, Crypt Parish Church dent concerns ranging from the vert the dorm is final, both “A year or two from now 8:00,10:00,11:45 a.m. Mass, Basilica of the Sacred Heart motives of the University to the stressed that the cooperation of downstream, we hope that you 10:00 a.m. Mass, St. Joseph’s Chapel, Holy Cross College retirement of the Cavanaugh residents is crucial to making end up living with a circle of name. relocation efficient. your friends from Cavanaugh, Although many different fac­ “We will try our best to get see CAVANAUGH / page 6 page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Friday, November 19, 1993 INSIDE COLUMN WORLD AT A GLANCE Family, Smarter idiot box Interactive television means many things to Tradition, many people and dozens of companies are getting in the game. A sampling of test markets Cavanaugh and trials: COMPANY WHERE WHAT START SUBSCRIBERS <§ To th e m en of Cavanaugh: GTE- CenterScreen Cerritos, Calif. Near video on demand 1990 7,500 After two and a half years of living in the GTE- Main Street Cerritos, Calif., Carlsbad, News, education, travel, shopping, 1988-89 3,000 ‘Naugh, I feel that I can say Calif.; surburban Boston investment management with confidence that the three words of this head­ GTE- ImagiTrek Cerritos, Calif. Cable TV programs 1992 250 line belong together. To me the “Notre Dame supplemented by compact disc family” begins in the John Bingham dorm and the traditions Assistant Interactive Network Northern California, TV show and sports interactivity 1992 3,330 and legacy of the men Photo Editor Chicago area (end 1992) who have lived in Cavanaugh Hall typify all IT Network Denton, Texas Information, movie reviews, music Nov.