THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 39: ISSUE 66 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2004 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM NDSP warns of increased theft during finals their studies. dents were shocked to find their By KATIE PERRY "We see more theft at the end apartments had been robbed News Writer of the semester because some over winter break. The string of criminals are opportunists," break-ins left some students With final exams rapidly Johnson said. "They take advan­ without their video game sys­ approaching, Noire Dame stu­ tage of how busy students are tems, laptop computers and dents strive for an inerease in and how they can be distracted DVDs. their grade point average while preparing for final exams, the In an effort to prevent similar Notre Dame Security Police aims holidays and travel home." robberies at off-campus housing for a decrease in campus crime. In addition, the memo cau­ complexes, NDSP has offered In a memo posted on its web­ tioned students to be especially secured storage for those stu­ site, NDSP warned students of vigilant of their belongings in the dents who do not reside on the heightened criminal activity library, study areas around cam­ Notre Dame campus. According prior to, during and after finals pus and dining halls, as these to NDSP, valuables will be placed week. According to NDSP have been prime locations for in a storage room that will be Assistant Director Phillip theft in past years. both locked and alarmed for the Johnson, instances of theft and Thefts occurring over winter entire duration of break. Off­ robbery are more frequent at .break are often more serious campus students are also invited this time of year because crimi­ than those before and through­ to thwart any potential robberies Observer File Photo nals tend to capitalize on stu­ out final exams. Last year, a Several College Park apartments were ransacked last year over dents' increased immersion in number of College Park resi- see THEFTI page 4 winter break. Turtle Creek to get face-lift Saint Mary's study New owners to invest in apartment upgrades day trial continues dent of the Board of Governance, By KELLY MEEHAN said. "Considering the amount of News Writer work students have in the last two weeks of each semester, I think In an effort to help students the study day offers a little relief relax and prepare for finals, Saint for students." Mary's will continue to observe its The purpose of the day is to study day by not holding classes allow students time to prepare Friday. their notes, study or simply relax The first study day was imple­ prior to the onslaught of final mented for the 2003 fall semester examinations. Concern over how after many years of student gov­ productive students actually were ernment campaigning. Two years on the study day originally led to ago, the Academic Affairs commit­ questions over its continuation. DUSTIN MANNELLA/The Observer tee approved a proposal to give Students were invited to take a Turtle Creek Apartments, a popular off-campus housing option for Notre Dame and Saint students the Friday before finals survey at the conclusion of the Mary's students, will undergo renovations including landscaping, re-carpeting and re-fencing. ofl'. 2003-04 school year to indicate On the study day, professors are their feelings about the study day, AIMCO, the largest apart­ Communities Division of prohibited from holding a manda­ and how they took advantage of By KATE ANTONACCI ment management group in AIMCO, said. "AIMCO really tory class session. There are their time out of class. Survey News Writer the country, took ownership gets involved in the commu­ reports of teachers holding review results are currently being evalu­ of the property two weeks nities where it has apart­ sessions on this day, but none ated by both the administration The Turtle Creek Apart­ ago and has already made ments, so we want to get have been confirmed as mandato- and the student government, and ments will be undergoing plans to improve the popular involved in the South Bend ry class sessions. , should be available soon. major changes after the student housing complex. community as well." "Saint Mary's was in the minori­ "It is my belief that the study Apartment Investment and "We are here to serve the The complex, located to the ty in the fact that it did not have a days will continue in the future," Management Company Notre Dame community," east of Notre Dame, was study day, compared to other , student body president Sarah (AIMCO) purchased it for Randy Fein, executive vice institutions of higher learning," $11.8 million. president of the University see SALE/page 4 Mary Pauline Moran, vice presi- see STUDY/page 4 Racism, sexism addressed in second SMC identity foru111 "Having a targeted group and negative representation [is a good By NICOLE ZOOK being able to speak candidly about thing]." News Writer the issues of the shirt and diversi­ First-year student Alexandria ty, and how our student body Zakrzewski attended the forum in Saint Mary's Board of understands these issues [is an effort to "find out about what Governance sponsored a second important to] how the student the feelings are on the image of Identity Forum Tuesday evening body can implement ideas in the Saint Mary's." in Regina Hall in hopes of deter­ future to be more proactive and "I hadn't gone to the first one, so mining what a Saint Mary's implement change on campus." coming to the second I was look­ woman really is. The shirt, sold during Pride ing to find an image that could be The forum turned out to be an Week earlier in the semester, has used when I go out, go home or intimate meeting of minds as 11 spurred protest on campus. Kelly visit new places,' she said. "People BOG members and students met said the forums are meant to facil­ will say, 'What is Saint Mary's,' to discuss such issues as racism, itate better student understanding and I want to be able to answer." sexism and the definition of the "of what the protesters were try­ Zakrzewski said she felt the Saint Mary's student. ing to say and SAB's response." forum was very successful, and Katie Kelly, BOG Women's "The SAB members did not hopes that it will help the student Issues commissioner, organized intend [the shirt] to be racist or body work tlrrough problems such the event. sexist or classist," she said. "At the as sexism, racism and class issues. KELLY HIGGINS/The Observer "I think it was very successful at same time people who are think­ "I think that it will help us find a Students discuss the image of Saint Mary's women at an iden­ this point with the dynamics of the ing more critically on the shirt and tity forum Tuesday. issues on campus," Kelly said. seeing how critically it would be a see FORUM/page 4 r--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~-- - page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Wednesday, December 8, 2004 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: ALL / WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS ••. ? In the arllls ofMorpheus It has beconw a pattern. By the end of the semester, as the dark days descend on us and the work piles up, I turn nocturnal. My most Alan Rodriguez Lauren Armstrong Charlie Horn Regina Muscarello Diana Valenzuela Steve Fabian productive hours are between sophomore sophomore freshman sophomore sophomore sophomore midnight and four in the Claire Kelley Keough Farley Dillon Badin McGlinn Stanford morning. Over the years, '11 new "Your "A good football "A trip to Ohio.,, "Chris "An error-free I have learned Photo Editor , roommate. coach., Scaperlanda or Question of the not to right this ,, inevitable shift to be Korean. , Day. in my sleeping schedule because by rncognizing and yielding to my insomnia at night, I get the most work accomplished. And there are othnr benPI"its - I am allowed a daytinw nap, and I have fantastic dreams. Because my sleep cyeles are intnrwoven into my longer periods of consciousness I often remember my dreams. And these dreams have bneome inereasingly realis­ IN BRIEF tic. I find mysnlf questioning whether an event really happened or if I imagined it. I am slipping Unchained Melodies will slowly into a dual existence- the present their winter concert one that I create, and the one I tonight from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. must interpret. in the Morrissey Manor chapel. Embarking on this existential A $1 donation is requested to way of life has sharpened my per­ benefit the Center for the ception of reality. I pay more Homeless. attention to little things- the f"lower sitting nnxt to my keyboard The Center for Social at thn LaFortune computer duster, Concerns will host a fundrais­ thn declaration of love inscribed in ing dinner to benefit the a library carrel on the eighth women and children of f"loor. and the person who returns Cambodia tonight from 6:30 to my lost II> - because these are 9 p.m. in the Coleman-Morse the subjects of the fragments of student lounge. mnmory that will resurface later in a drnam. The Notre Dame Collegium My mind has a life of its own Musicum will present a even arter my nyes shut and I am Christmas concert tonight temporarily disengaged from the from 8 to 9 p.m. in the Reyes physical world. Organ and Choral Hall of the Yet lucid dreams, or dreams in DeBartolo Performing Arts which you know you are dream­ Center.