The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Volume 45: Issue 94 thursday, february 23, 2012 Ndsmcobserver.com SENATE Group passes resolution to amend clause Members ask University to add sexual orientation to Notre Dame’s nondiscrimination clause By MARISA IATI and businesses. News Writer “Now we’re behind the times, basically, among peer institu- Student Senate passed a reso- tions, regardless of whether lution Wednesday requesting they’re universities or what- the University add “sexual ori- ever,” Baugh said. “Remember entation” to the nondiscrimina- that this applies not just to stu- tion clause and publicly address dents, but to faculty and staff.” why the phrase is not currently Student body vice president included. and president-elect Brett Ro- The group also discussed res- cheleau said the Board of Trust- taurant contacts in the LaFor- ees ultimately decides what is tune Student Center. included in the nondiscrimi- The resolution to amend nation clause. He said he will the nondiscrimination clause share Senate’s opinion when the passed with 18 votes in favor Board meets in May. and one opposed. Six members Rocheleau also said if Campus of Senate abstained from vot- Life Council passes a similar ing. resolution, the Vice President Third-year law student Ste- for Student Affairs is required ven Baugh told Senate that to respond to it. Notre Dame’s exclusion of “sex- Baugh said there is currently ual orientation” from its non- no legal action a student could PAT COVENEY/The Observer discrimination clause makes it In 2010, demonstrators asked University President Fr. John Jenkins to add “sexual orientation” an anomaly among universities see CLAUSE/page 3 to the nondiscrimination clause. Senate passed a resolution Wednesday requesting the addition. Notre Dame to create new research facility in local park By MARY KATE NELSON press release, ND LEEF is in stream, pond and wetland News Writer part of a larger initiative at ecosystems, as well as on dry Notre Dame called the Envi- land. The facility will also Notre Dame and St. Joseph ronmental Change Initiative feature advanced technology County Parks launched a new (ND-ECI). One of the goals of available to researchers. partnership last week to cre- ND-ECI, the release stated, is “We can test the research ate an environmental re- to monitor the effects of cli- we do in the field in a con- search and education facility mate change, land use and trolled environment,” Tank at St. Patrick’s County Park. invasive species in different said. Plans to build the Notre ecosystems — specifically wa- The facility will use cut- Dame Linked Experimental ter resources. ting-edge sensor technology Ecosystem Facility (ND LEEF) ND LEEF Director Jennifer so students and researchers at St. Patrick’s County Park Tank said the new facility will can monitor experiments in were finalized Feb. 14. allow researchers and stu- According to a University dents to study these effects see ND LEEF/page 5 ELISA DE CASTRO | Observer Graphic Professor talks about Students create flash mob By ANNA BOARINI beauty, globalization News Writer On Wednesday night, diners at By KEELIN McGEE ucts — particularly whiteness North Dining Hall were treated News Writer creams. to a special surprise when they “After traveling back to In- swiped in around 6:30 p.m. — a Globalization influences beau- dia on my summer and winter piece of live performance poetry. ty consciousness throughout the breaks, I started noticing the As a way to promote the Si- world, Sonalini Sapra, assistant daily media bombardment of lent Disco event at Legends this professor of political science and whiteness creams,” Sapra said. Saturday, senior Britt Burgeson, women’s studies at Saint Mary’s “In India, fairness or whiteness who is on the marketing team for College, said. equates with beauty and every- the nightclub, decided to coordi- Sapra conducted an educa- thing good in society.” nate her own version of the Mp3 tional workshop titled “Global- The obsession with lightening Experiment. ization and Beauty: Prevalence skin tone has been prevalent in “The Mp3 [Experiment] is a of Whiteness Creams and Cos- India for a long time, Sapra said, flash mob of sorts,” she said. “It’s metic Surgery” as part of Love but has blown up in recent years. a 21st century happening.” Your Body Week on Wednesday. Many women and some men use The Mp3 Experiment is the She said she became interest- these whiteness creams to ap- brainchild of Improv Every- ed in the globalization of beauty pear a few shades lighter in the where, a New York City-based after returning home to her na- advertised four to six weeks. prank group. Staged yearly in ASHLEY DACY/ The Observer tive country, India, and seeing Notre Dame students participate in a flash mob in North Dining the frequent use of beauty prod- see BEAUTY/page 5 see MP3/page 5 Hall on Wednesday to promote the Silent Disco at Legends. INSIDE TODAY’S PAPER SGA approves new constitutions page 3 u Viewpoint page 8 u Matt Costa preview page 10 u Men’s basketball beats West Virginia page 20 page 2 | ndsmcobserver.com The Observer u DAY-TO-DAY Thursday, February 23, 2012 QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT IS YOUR LENTEN RESOLUTION? www.ndsmcobserver.com P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Douglas Farmer Managing Editor Business Manager Sarah Mervosh Jeff Liptak Asst. Managing Editor: Adriana Pratt Asst. Managing Editor: Chris Masoud Carla Celio Nikki Charter Jessica Puricelli Jordie Wasserman Nancy Joyce News Editor: Sam Stryker Viewpoint Editor: Meghan Thomassen freshman freshman sophomore freshman sophomore Sports Editor: Allan Joseph Holy Cross McCandless Walsh McCandless Welsh Family Scene Editor: Maija Gustin Saint Mary’s Editor: Caitlin E. Housley “Meats and “Snacking “Chocolate.” “Candy and “Diet coke.” Photo Editor: Pat Coveney sweets.” between meals.” pop.” Graphics Editor: Brandon Keelean Advertising Manager: Katherine Lukas Ad Design Manager: Amanda Jonovski Controller: Jason Taulman Systems Administrator: William Heineman Office Manager & General Info (574) 631-7471 Fax Have an idea for Question of the Day? Email [email protected] (574) 631-6927 Advertising (574) 631-6900 [email protected] Editor-in-Chief (574) 631-4542 [email protected] IN BRIEF Managing Editor (574) 631-4542 [email protected] Student Government will Assistant Managing Editors be giving out free fitness (574) 631-4541 [email protected], [email protected] bars at Rolfs Recreation- Business Office al Center and the Rockne (574) 631-5313 Memorial Gym from 4 to 6 News Desk p.m. today as part of Body (574) 631-5323 [email protected] Image Week 2012. Viewpoint Desk (574) 631-5303 [email protected] There will be an opening Sports Desk reception for the exhibit (574) 631-4543 [email protected] titled, “Second Wind: New Scene Desk Work by Second-Year MFA (574) 631-4540 [email protected] Students,” at 5:30 p.m. to- Saint Mary’s Desk night at the Isis Gallery in [email protected] O’Shaughnessy Hall. The Photo Desk exhibit will stand until (574) 631-8767 [email protected] March 25. Systems & Web Administrators (574) 631-8839 There will be a reading by Japanese poet Hiromi Policies Ito titled, “The Maltreat- The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the ment of Meaning: Poetry University of Notre Dame du Lac and Saint Mary’s and the Poetics of Identi- College. Editorial content, including advertisements, ty,” at 6:30 p.m. tonight in is not governed by policies of the administration of PAT COVENEY / The Observer Rooms 210 to 214 of McK- either institution. The Observer reserves the right to Junior guard Joey Brooks celebrates with fans after Notre Dame’s 71-44 victory over enna Hall. Ito’s work deals refuse advertisements based on content. the Mountaineers of West Virginia on Wednesday night. Notre Dame has now won a with issues of the feminine The news is reported as accurately and objectively program record nine straight Big East games. body, sexuality and moth- as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion erhood, making her the of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing most prominent voice of Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the women’s poetry boom. the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. OFFBEAT There will be a screen- Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The ing of the film titled, “How free expression of all opinions through letters is Commuter bus driver passengers were able to len J. Brannin, his 34-year- to Die in Oregon,” at 7 p.m. encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and stabbed with pen get the knife away from old daughter, Amy M. tonight in the DeBartolo must include contact information. KENNESAW, Ga. — Geor- the woman, but police say Brannin and her 18-year- Performing Arts Center. gia authorities say a com- she grabbed a pen from old son, Austin J. Brannin, The film’s director, Peter Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed muter bus driver is recov- the bus driver’s pocket and were arrested Thursday. Richardson, is scheduled to Editor-in-Chief Douglas Farmer. ering after being stabbed stabbed him several times. Another relative, 18-year- to appear in person as well. Post Office Information repeatedly with a pen when The bus driver’s condi- old Tyler W. Cannon, was he tried to break up a fight tion was not immediately also arrested. There will be a perfor- The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except between passengers that known.