THE- The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's VOLUME 43: ISSUE 110 THURSDAY. MARCH 26.2009 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Reish gives last State of Union address Coalition condetnns Impro-vement of student body-student gov't. relations emphasized Obama's invitation By MADELINE BUCKLEY "In response to the University's By MADELINE BUCKLEY News Editor decision, we pledge ourselves to News Editor acts of witness that will be char­ acterized by respect. prayerful­ Student body president Bob A coalition of student groups ness, outspoken fidelity to the Reish said improving the relation­ formed an ad hoc committee to Church and true conr:em for the ship between students and their "lead student response" in con­ good of our University," the state­ representatives in student govern­ demning the University's invita­ ment said of the coalition's pur­ ment was a central focus and an tion to President Barack Obama pose. accomplishment of his term in to deliver Notre Dame's 2009 Although outside religious and ollice during his final State of the Commencement address, pro-life groups have been out­ Student Union address to Student according to a press release. spoken against the University, Senate Wednesday. The coalition - including this coalition is the first formal Reish will step down from his Notre Dame Right to Life, Notre student response. position on April 1, and student Dame College Republicans, the But several Facebook groups body president-elect Grant Schmidt Irish Rover student newspaper have sprung up with the purpose will fill the role. and six other campus groups - of garnering support for Jenkins' Although the student body presi­ created a Web site, decision. The largest group, titled dent generally delivers the final ndresponse.com, and released a "We will be honored to have State of the Student Union in formal statement Wednnsday President Obama at Notre February, Reish said he preferred ALLISON AMBROSEffhe Observer denouncing University President Dame," claims 3,453 members Student body president Bob Reish gestures during his last Fr. John Jenkin's choice of speak­ see UNION/page 4 state of the student union address. er. see PROTEST/page 4 Author explains hwnans' relation to God Econ prof as many ways as there are us," By JOHN TIERNEY he said. dies at 73 News Writer The personal nature of religion manifests itself in the blending of By AARON STEINER Human beings cannot be Christianity with traditional Igbo News Writer understood without understand­ religion. according to Achebe, ing their relationship with God, who added a Christian eonclu­ Charles Craypo, professor emeritus according to Igbo novelist and sion to a traditional prayer. of economics at Notre Dame, died poet Chinua Achebe, who deliv­ "It's something that is happen­ Sunday, March 22. He was 73. A pri­ ered his second lecture of a ing in Nigeria in the Igbo lan­ vate memorial service was held on three-part series titled "The Igbo guage," Achebe said. "Some peo­ March 24. and their Perception of God, , pie don't like it-they think their Craypo was the former chair of the Human Beings and Creation" religions and their prayers department of economics and the Wednesday. should stand apart." first director of the Higgins Labor "Chi [the creator] gives each "But there's no point in making Studies one of us a meaning," Achebe, rules," Achebe continued. "It's Program on the author of the 1958 novel people who make prayers." campus. 'Things Fall Apart," said. The primary Igbo deity, Current It is impossible to generalize Chukwu, whose name literally department AP the relationship between God means "Great Creator," is the chair Professor Novelist and poet Chinua Achebe speaks about lgbo tribe's and humans, according to Jennifer understanding of human beings on Wednesday. Achebe. "God reveals himself in see AUTHOR/page 4 Warlick called Craypo's death "an enormous loss for the department." Campus sponsors 'PostSecret,' Irish style "He was a wonderful role model," Warlick said. "He walks the talk in terms of working for social justice. In Anonymous messages of students' troubles to be displayed for mental health awareness particular he worked very hard for the rights of working people." A native of Jackson, Mich., Craypo Sophomore Class Council, the NAMI's mental health mission. whole, and decided to try to By LIZ O'DONNELL joined the Notre Dame faculty in Psychology Club and the Although the event targeted start one here. 1978 as an associate professor of eco­ News Writer Senate Social Concerns students living on campus, stu­ "NAMI is a national group nomics. After leaving to teach at ·Committee also helped with dents living off campus were with state and local chapters," Cornell University in 1982, he If you have checked your sponsorship duties. welcome to participate in the Howard said. "It is an impor­ returned to Notre Dame in 1984 mailbox lately, you probably "This was a way for student's event. tant organization, often refer­ when he became the department received a postcard blank on to get the word out and share Howard said his fellow enced by top political figures. chair. one side except for the words their stores of not just mental organizers were hopeful that According to NAMI's Web In 1993, he became the director of . "Write it down ... " illness, but anything that's students would share their site, the group is "the nation's the Higgins Labor Studies Program, These postcards were part of been on their mind," Howard personal struggles to help build largest grassroots organization which supports research. teaching, Notre Dame's first "PostSecret" said. a stronger sense of c_ommunity for people with mental illness discussion and publication on political event: Students have the The postcards were filled and a better support system. and their families. Founded in theory oflabor and the economy. opportunity to mail secrets or with thoughts ranging from "If they don't have support in 1979, NAMI has affiliates in Frank Connolly, a professor of personal troubles to be pub­ concern over a mental illness the community, dealing with every state and in more than mathematics and longtime friend of lished anonymously. to worries about friends to issues for many students is 1,100 local communities across Craypo's, said that Craypo "never for­ Spencer Howard, a co­ feelings of panic. challenging," Howard said. the country." got where he came from." founder of Notre Dame's chap­ The event had to go through "People will want to talk about The mission of the Notre "He had a real sense of loyalty to ter of the National Alliance on a series of SAO activities as it, and others will be able to Dame chapter is to work the blue collar people of Michigan Mental Illness (NAMI) that well as print off over 6,000 learn more about it." toward ending the stigma that he grew up with, and in his work helped to sponsor the event, postcards and fliers to publi­ NAMl-ND was co-founded directed at mental illness on he tried to work for them." Connolly said the group's goal was to cize the event. this year by Howard and Katie campus through alliance, said. raise awareness and advocate Dorm mailboxes were stuffed Dunn. Howard said he read a advocacy and awareness. "He tried always to remind people for better mental health. with the postcards, along with New York Times article in 2006 The College Democrats, the a blue slip of paper describing about the organization as a see SECRETS/page 4 see CRAYPO/page 4 page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Thursday, March 26, 2009 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHO WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER? Magna Cafeteria There are many unwritten rules in life -no one should have to tell you, you just know. Correction - most people know, I Josh Espinoza Andy Hills Jon Rivard Larissa Nez guess, because from time to time sophomore freshman freshman sophomore these rules .do get broken. So let's get the unwritten rules Knott Hall Carroll Hall Carroll Hall Pangborn of one relevant location down in writing, where they can be bro­ "Ironman. ,, "Merlin.,, "Matthew "Flava Flav. ,, ken so often -the dining hall. 1. Do not ever, ever stop or step McConaughey, backwards in the dining hall. no homo.'' This rule mostly applies during Michael Bryan peak hours, but really all the Associate time. Common Sports Editor sense says that when everyone is carrying a tray in front of Have an idea for Question of the Day? E-mail [email protected] them, and you move backwards, you're probably going to hit someone's tray. Then if the per­ son behind you doesn't have cat­ IN BRIEF like reflexes, food and silverware will go flying, and it creates a sit­ uation more awkward than A lecture hosted by the watching American Pie with your Theology department titled grandparents. "The lgbo and their 2. Do not talk on your cell Perception of God, Human phone and try and get food at the Beings and Creation," will same time. Judging from every take place today at 7:30 p.m. time I've seen this attempted, it in the Jordan Auditorium of is not possible. You need a hand Mendoza College of Business. for your tray and a hand to get Nigerian novelist and poet any food, so I'm having a hard Chinua Achebe will deliver time where this secret phone the Third Biennial Blessed hand is supposed to come from. Pope John XXIII Lecture Anyways, no one in line behind Series in Theology and you should be subjected to your Culture.