• •'> • . ."'News ' ' • Features Arts ^ Papal Document Targeting Making Out at the Met Americanos; New Exhibit Explores Catholic Colleges and Universities Revised Page 10 Latino life Page 3 Page 15 The bserver November 3, 1999 THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER VOLUME XVIII, issue 4 US Department Education HEOP Assistant Director Dies of Cancer FAFSA Forms By Brian Cuthbert and wouldn't turn anyone away." HEOP officials declined further com- By David Cauldwell Eric Johnson, Assistant Director of ment on the outcome of this charge. HEOP (Higher Education "Eric made it a point not to burden The United States Department of Opportunity Program), died October people with his illness. He would come Education is recalling this year's Free 10 of cancer. He was 53 years old. to work and do his job, and wouldn't let Application for Federal Student Aid Johnson, FCLC '82, worked for the any personal problems affect his (FAFSA) forms already sent to col- last 17 years at HEOP. He was diag- work," said HEOP counselor, Maria leges because of errors found on the nosed with cancer in 1996, according Aponte. "He was a very quiet and dig- applications, according to Karen to HEOP student worker,, Samantha nified person who played a big role in Freeman, Communications Director Gonsalves, FCLC '01. "Eric had a many students' lives. Eric,, was always for the Student Financial Assistance great relationship with the students," very concerned about them." Program for the Department of said Gonsalves. "He was like a friend Eric was a student in the HEOP pro- Education with a great sense of humor, even a gram at FCLC and became a coun- Eric Johnson, Assistant Director of hEOP father figure at times, keeping the stu- selor in his senior year. After gradua- dents in check. The office just isn't as tion, he accepted a full-time position at "Eric was a man who always warm without him. We all miss him." HEOP, staying for the next 17 years. encouraged his students to go after Last March, Johnson was charged "Whenever anyone would ask him and do what they believed to be right," with making threatening phone calls why he stayed, he said, 'It's payback said Kerri Maguire, FCLC '01. "He to the Long Island home of Officer time. I have to give back to HEOP,'" wouldn't let you slide through. Any Sean Carroll, who was involved in the said Elena Vranich, HEOP Director. person that knew him was lucky." fatal shooting of Amadou Diallo. In the HEOP office, counselors There was a Mass in Johnson's Many students in the HEOP office recounted how HEOP applicant honor at the FCLC chapel on Monday, remembered his generosity. "There's Norma Augenblick, FCLC '91, casual- October 18, which was well attended nothing bad you can say about him," ly mentioned wanting to read a certain by students and colleagues, according said Alison Ibarrondo, FCLC '00, recall- John Steinbeck novel during an inter- to Vranich. At the present moment ing how Johnson had offered her his view with Johnson. Shortly after- there have been no plans made to fill camera and a loan to take a photogra- wards, she received the novel in the Johnson's position, she added. phy class she couldn't afford at the mail. On the inside cover Johnson had Johnson is survived by two sisters Students fill out forms time. "He was always there for the stu- written, "Dear Norma, Welcome to and a brother, as well as nieces, at Financial Aid Office dents. He always had the right answer Fordham University." nephews, and other relatives. • The FAFSA forms are used to apply for federal student grants, work-study programs and loans, according to the Complete USG Election Results Announced Education Department. The errors on the forms are on the By Marisa Flores class, serving on various committees, tors. According to Tarabokia, instruction pages pertaining to where and attending general USG assembly Butsuhara has made significant contri- applicants should fill out certain finan- This year's position lineup for meetings. They must also work in butions to USG after being in office for cial information. The directions FCLC's United Student Government USG's office for one hour a week. only a couple of weeks. instruct applicants to fill in specific ' (USG) was completed when Freshman Senators automatically sit on USG's Fellow Freshman Senator Mitch information in the wrong places on the Senate election results were budget committee and are appointed Malanti said that his primary focus is application, according to Freeman. announced October 9. Results for to university-wide committees such as to ensure that the concerns of the Out of the 35 million forms the upperclassmen Senate and USG execu- the College Council, the Arts and freshman class are consistently pre- Education Department needs to dis- tive offices were announced last spring. Science Council, and the Core sented at USG meetings, to university tribute, It had already printed 3.5 mil- Serving on USG's executive board Curriculum Council. committees, and to the administration. lion FAFSA forms and sent them to 59 this year are Danielle Tarabokia, .To run for Senate, each candidate "I encourage any freshman who is schools. The errors were discovered FCLC'OO, as President; Melissa was required to fill out an application having difficulties or problems with on October 15. The Education Matesic, FCLC '01, as Vice President; and submit it to USG's current execu- Fordham to come to me," said Department notified the schools on Brian Beckin, FCLC '00, as non-tradi- tive board. Once the student's applica- Malanti. October 18 and has already managed tional President; Matt. Mclntyre, tion packet was approved, each candi- Both freshman senators said they to retrieve 3.4 million forms, accord- FCLC '01, as Secretary, and Katy date received a $25 stipend to use for planned to be actively involved in USG ing to Freeman. Hcinrich, FCLC '00, as Treasurer, his or her campaign. and other clubs throughout their four "No student will be harmed by this According to Matesic, USG Senators Moiia Butsuhara and Mitch years at Fordham. recall," says (continued on page 2) are responsible for representing their Malanti are the new freshman sena- (continued on page 2) News November 3,1999 Crime Blotter FAFSA Forms Recalled (continued from page l) By Mary Anne Feeney Freeman. "It will in no way affect stu- Angela Van Dekker, did not return are accurate, the Department asked dents' financial aid." The earliest that The Observer's telephone calls. its own student interns to fill out the Wednesday, October 6, 8 a.m. students can submit FAFSA forms is High schools would not be affected corrected forms. The interns found McMahon Hall - A student ^cov- January 1. by the recall since they do not receive the new forms satisfactory. ered that the clothes he/she was Most of the remaining misprinted FAFSA forms until after In addition, on the corrected washing in the 14th floor laundry forms are likely to be still in the mail Thanksgiving, according to Brenda FAFSA forms, the PO box number has room were missing. The student and will be destroyed by the schools Poznanski, guidance counselor at changed. If a student sends one of the had left his/her clothes In Hie laun- when they receive them, says Pinkerton .Academy in Derry, NH. inaccurate forms, it will be immediate- dry room from 10:1.5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Freeman. However, the department Had the recall come later in the year, ly recognized since it will arrive at a The clothes have not yet been estimates that there are still 100,000 however, it would have caused many different address, according to recovered. misprinted forms unaccounted for. inconveniences for high school Freeman. She says that those forms Saturday, October 9,12:30 ajtn. Freeman does not believe that seniors applying for financial aid, she would then be given careful treatment. Lowfcnstein Building — A broken Fordham was one of the schools that said. "It would certainly muck up the The recall of FAFSA forms will cost glass panel was discovered on the received the misprinted forms. The wheel for us a bit" the US Department of Education third floor. The panel wasdamaged head of the Financial Aid office at The education department is cur- $480,000, says Freeman. from the inside and has beea Xincoln Center, Barbara Wakie, rently producing new, corrected appli- "The lesson out of all of this," repaired, The vandal has not beea refused to comment. The Director of cations, according to Freeman. In an Freeman says, "is that we need to test caught Financial Aid for both campuses, effort to be sure that the new forms our product before distributing it" • •fiida& October 15, Lowenstein Boildfttg —• A member of Marriott Pood Services discovered property .missing Irom his/her office, USG Election Results (continued from page 1) ' Security investigated the situatloa . andlpund probable cause to believe Sophomore Senators, Margaret about USG matters will be a great help Major topics on USG's agenda this a Fordham employee, who worked Pesce and Joe Muller say they consid- to all of us in USG," said Tarabokia. falj include reversing polices regard- a sub-contractor of Marriott, er USG to be a unified institution "She is motivated toward change and ing paying for computef^print-outs in the missing property, The whose goal is to work together to pro- extremely dedicated to listening to the the library and computer room, orga- employee was escorted off the pose ideas and address existing eon- student body's needs." nizing a Multicultural Orientation on premises and banned Irom cerns in Fordham.