l THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 38: ISSUE 85 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2004 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Board responds positively to Lao's report Topics include drunk driving, social responsibility and programming fund or "that girl" in regard in-depth and multi­ sue this," Corker said. By SHELIA FLYNN to excessive consump­ faceted. Building upon the administration's News Writer tion of alcohol. "This is only a transi­ emphasis on responsibility, Student body "Students on campus tional student govern­ vice president Emily Chin then addressed Members of the Board of Trustees would benefit from ment, but this initiative the Board concerning social responsibility responded to a student government report knowing what their is a first from student at Notre Dame. She outlined student gov­ Thursday with positive enthusiasm and a limits are," Corker government," said ernment's role in the Church in Africa round of applause, congratulating student said. "I don't think stu­ Father Mark Poorman, conference and showed a short video of body president Jeremy Lao and his team dents are cognizant of vice president for stu- Notre Dame students, including herself, for their accomplishments and their that." Lao Poorman dent affairs. visiting Nigeria as part of the conference. efforts to address Board criticisms given Lao and his team The other Board "Americans don't really see the true, in October. emphasized - and included in their members expressed approval and also other side" of Africa, Chin said, citing the Chief of staff Patrick Corker began the report - that the campaign promotes voiced additional suggestions, such as continent's "hospitality," "beauty" and presentation, outlining student govern­ responsible drinking and in no way tries cooperative planning with Notre Dame "rich culture." She stressed student gov­ ment's alcohol responsibility campaign. to impose abstinence from alcohol upon Security/Police and other bodies. Several ernment's commitment to social responsi­ lie said the effort will include the distribu­ students. Instead, their initiative focuses members also expressed concerns about bility and said she hopes for increased tion of blood alcohol content cards, speak­ on collaboration with local establish­ ensuring the continuity of such an alcohol awareness on campus and continued par­ ers and a drunk driving simulator ments, cab companies and other institu­ responsibility program from year to year ticipation in events such as the Africa con­ machine during the week before spring tions to ensure designated driving and within student government. ference. break, and an advertising campaign responsible behavior. "I can't imagine that there would be an encouraging students not to be "that guy" The Board applauded the plan, which is administration that wouldn't want to pur- see REPORT/page 4 Campus Ministry gets creative with retreats Housing first one, which took place last By MATTHEW SMEDBERG October, included a pig roast - News Writer but it is still geared towards surveys developing the spiritual life of It begins at Freshman each participant. Students who Orientation, with posters on res­ attended the retreat spoke very sent out idence hall bulletin boards highly of the experience. advertising the Freshman "It was an awesome experi­ Retreat. It continues with the ence," said junior DJ DiDonna. Students e-mailed Notre Dame Encounter and the "There was a good blend of spir­ Sophomore Road Trip. If you are ituality and time to be alone, to surveys about future a senior, man, woman, Asian, pray, to relax. It was great to black, Latino, MBA student, gay, have the leaders give talks of on-campus housing lesbian or bisexual, Campus about what it means to be a Ministry has a retreat for you. man in the Church today, to By MEGHANNE DOWNES Campus Ministries offers have a chance to think about News Editor retreats throughout the year vocations, not necessarily as a attracting about 3,200 students, priest, but just as a man. It was Within the next two weeks, the or more than a third of the a very refreshing experience." Office of Student Affairs will be e­ undergraduate population. Each Russeau said that student m ailing 1,000 undergraduate retreat is unique, according to response coming out of retreats students a survey about the Father Kevin Russeau, director is overwhelmingly positive. He future of residential life at Notre of freshman retreats. Russeau said that freshmen wish that Photo courtesy of Vito Giovingo Dame. said that the retreats do not their retreat could be longer, Participants act out a skit during a recent Notre Dame The survey is the product of contain a set format, though while seniors attending their Encounter. The retreats attract students throughout the year. several months of discussion by a certain elements appear in all, first retreat wish they had done committee for the future of resi­ such as presentations by the one sooner. Nevertheless, there concentrate on doctrinal issues, who is serious about deepening dential life, which consists of retreat director and his or her is a certain amount of salesman­ but on relationship." their relationship with God, administrators, faculty members assistant leaders, as well as ice­ ship involved in getting students In the retreats he has led, stu­ whether Catholic or not, a Notre and students. The results of the breakers and small group dis­ to sign up. Russeau said that his dents whom he knew were not Dame retreat is ideal. survey will be used when design­ cussions. colleagues have had to essen­ Catholic "asked some of the best "Not every student will go on a ing and renovating residence The retreats vary widely in tially reinvent the women's questions;' out of all students; he retreat," said Russeau. halls. length, size and scope. A fresh­ retreat, because so few students has had non-Catholics as lead­ "However, we like to think of Ann Firth, committee member man retreat, offered six times a signed up for it in previous years ers and presenters. those who do as acting as a kind and executive assistant to the year, lasts 26 hours and can that several had to be cancelled. DiDonna said that, coming of 'leaven' for the campus. We vice president of student affairs, accommodate up to 90 partici­ Students from all religious from a Catholic high school, he hope that they will be better s.aid the committee is dreaming pants. The Man's Weekend, backgrounds are invited to par­ had been to many retreats equipped to make good deci­ big and these result<> will be cru­ Campus Ministry's newest offer­ ticipate, he said. before, but the voluntary nature sions." cial in determining the nature of ing, lasts nearly two days. "While the spirituality we offer of Notre Dame retreats meant the four proposed residential The Man's Weekend is a in retreats is unavoidably that "a different crowd" partici­ Contact Matthew Smedberg at complexes that were outlined in unique event in many ways. The Christian in nature, we do not pated. He said that, for someone [email protected] the University's most recent 10- year plan. The committee, which formed as a result of this plan, has discussed several options such as co-educational housing, senior apartments and suite style Events planned for Black History Month living. Firth said the University also ment for the Department of targeted toward a student audi­ next installment of the depart­ intends to significantly renovate By ANNA GELHAUS African and African-American ence. ment's co-sponsored lecture residential halls within the next News Writer Studies. "We have a lot of activities series Race in the Americas will 10 years once funding is avail­ Lee said that his department spread out through February occur Wednesday. Jose able. A variety of cultural events, has decided to schedule the into March and even April," Saldivar, a professor of English Committee members said the including lectures, readings and events differently this year, said Lee. "We are trying to and Ethnic Studies at the survey is a pro-active approach a film series, will occur spreading them out throughout attract students and [thus our University of California, Berkley by the University to gauge stu­ throughout the semester to cel­ the semester rather than con­ events are] very student will present a lecture entitled dent opinion and to lend credibil­ ebrate Black History Month, centrating them only in focused." "Border Fillers." ity to future plans. said Keith Lee, the assistant February. In addition, Lee said As an example of the kinds of director for program develop- that the planned activities are events that will take place, the see HISTORY/page 3 see SURVEY/page 3 -,..-,- -·1·4tf'\ , ' r r ' ' ' ( ( . page 2 The Obs'erver +PAGE 2 Friday, February 6, 2004 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT REALITY TV SHOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON TV? Why me? My aunt has been diagnosed with bone cancer. Her youngest child is four years old. What did she do to Adam Kaufmann Patrick Ross Paul Critser Kevin Boyle Brian Viloria Katie Taylor deserve this? I have weekly dinner Senior Senior Junior Junior Junior Junior with a group of elderly Holy Cross off-campus off-campus O'Neill off-campus off-campus Regina Hall sisters who are in the late stages Katie Knorr of Alzheimer's ..Celebrity .. The Flu!fer. " "Survivor: Gary, "Bring back "I just thought "True life: I go disease. What did Deathmatch. ,, Indiana . ., Man versus of this, Seven to to an all-girl's they do to ll deserve this? I 1 ustrator Beast.·· eight school., listen to a lecture people living in by Jimmy Dunne, a house and whose business lost a third of its employees in the Sept.