/ ^ V THE O b s e r v e r The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Marys VOLUME 38 : ISSUE 113 THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2004 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM NCA reevaluates University accreditation RIAA Committee visits campus, conducts 10-year evaluation continues vide feedback. By JOE TROMBELLO Any university that wishes to file-sharing Assistant News Editor receive federal funding for stu­ dent financial aid or faculty Sixteen representatives from grants must be formally accred­ lawsuits the North Central Association ited. The NCA, an organization have descended on-campus this which accredits over 800 institu­ week to re-accredit the tions in the North-Central United Notre Dame OIT University — a process that States, conducts the accredita­ occurs once every 10 years— tion process on five criteria, officials say they and members have been meet­ including such stipulations that ing with numerous on-campus the university must have a SOFIA BALLON/The Observer are receiving more constituencies at McKenna Mall A member of the North Central Association, right, and stu­ to gather information and pro­ see NCA/page 9 dent Saleem Ismail attend the open student meeting. take-down notices By SCOTT BRODFUEHRER Senior Staff Writer C o uncil o f R e p s S tu d ent S enate The Recording Industry Association of America announced it is filing a new Constitution Members discuss GSA resolution wave of lawsuits against computer users illegally sharing copyrighted music, deadline By AMANDA MICHAELS including 89 individuals at News Writer 21 universities. While none of the individuals sued attend approaching The student government Notre Dame, officials here term may be winding down are concerned the RIAA towards the April 1st tran­ could sue a student in the future. By MATT BRAMANTI sition, but the Student Senate is showing no indi­ RIAA p resident Cary Senior Staff Writer cation of it, as was wit­ Sherman said in an online press conference that college With the March 31 deadline for nessed by Wednesday’s one hour and fifteen-minute campuses are an attractive student government’s new consti­ place for illegal file sharing tution rapidly approaching, stu­ meeting that dealt with, among other issues, a reso­ because of free and unlimit­ dent union leaders said they are lution 'concerning Senate ed bandwidth. optimistic that the changes will “Obviously, college students be finalized in time. support of the Gay/Straight Alliance. are a big part of the prob­ “We’ll get it done,” student Senior Joe Dickmann took lem, and therefore it was body president Jeremy Lao said. the open podium represent­ only a question of time ’We’ve been working day and ing the Gay/Straight before university users night." would be named as defen­ I ,ao commended the progress Alliance (GSA), an organiza­ tion representing students dants,” Sherman said. "And of members of the Council of of all sexual orientations we hope that it will send a Representatives, the body that is that was denied club status message to students across charged with revamping the 10- under the name of United in the country that this activity year-old constitution. Diversity by the Office of is illegal and that engaging “The committee has come a Student Activities on March [ini it can have conse­ long way.” Lao said. “We know 4th. Dickmann presented an quences.” what we want to create and open letter addressed to the Sherman said the RIAA we’re just coming to an agree­ administration and mem­ filed lawsuits against 532 ment about it.” bers of the Office of Student illegal file sharers and the He said that agreement has Activities and endorsed by average number of files been assembled more rapidly as the Senate Committees on sh ared by each was 837. of late, due to frequent COR Diversity Affairs and Universities with users being working sessions. Gender Issues that detailed sued include Georgetown, Vice president Emily Chin like­ concerns about the status Indiana, Michigan, Stanford, wise praised the council’s work. USC and Villanova, among “Even though COR has been a denial and its implications. TIM SULLIVAN/The O bserver Dickmann said the only others. The RIAA has sued a Student body president Jeremy Lao enjoys a light moment sec COR/page 4 during Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting. see SENATE/page 11 see O IT/page 10 ND professors note unique nature of Iraq War Editor's Note: This the fourth eral lasts. The crossroads in an five-partHnn-nnrt Qnrineseries ovnmininn examining rnarhorlreached inin militnrvmilitary tnrhnnlnffvtechnology issues in the Iraq War. marks the Iraq War as differ­ ent not only from wars before By KATE GALES 2003, but also proves that it will be unique from future News Writer conflicts. Notre Dame political science Smart missiles have professors offered a variety of replaced muskets and atomic analyses on the Iraq War but bombs and a “coalition of the agreed on one thing — the willing” has taken the place of battle that began one year ago a truly global battle. Conflict in the Middle East was truly Agence France Presse in Iraq has been full of firsts A U.S. Army tank secures a street In Baghdad’s Shiite neighborhood of Kazemlya. Notre Dame and, according to experts, sev­ see IRAQ/page 11 professors said that a variety of factors have made the Iraq War different from others. page 2 The Observer ♦ PAGE 2 Thursday, March 25, 2004 In sid e C olum n Question of the Day: W hat h a s be en your l e a st favorite c l a s s at N D a n d w h y? Coming home I’m home — but don’t tell my mom I said that. A couple of weeks ago, I let it slip; I explained to my mom that I Bonnie Gonzalez Chris Henschen Matt Dvorsky Meredith Sweeney Tim Chlon Ting Nl had to make a quick run back to S o p h o m o re J u n io r S o p h o m o re J u n io r F resh m a n F resh m a n my house . , because I forgot Loughery P angborn O ff-C am pus S ta n fo r d L ew is S ie g frie d F arley my coat. It took ------------------------- me a second to S p o rts “Physics. All I “Penmanship, “Freshmen “Physics. It is “Spanish. Que “Calculus. It’s realize why she P roduction just torture. ” ridiculo!” math, need I sounded so dis­ remember is because I hate chemistry. Bring appointed after I penguins. ’’ pens, men and another laser say more?’’ had recounted such a minor detail ships.’’ pointer for a of my day. All mothers like to believe they good time. ” provide their children with the one and only home they’ll ever know. But when I arrived on cam­ pus this fall and moved into my dorm, I really felt as if I was returning to my second home. Call me the classic Legacy. Yes, I was a Notre Dame cheer­ leader for Halloween. Our family In B r ie f visited campus at least once a year if not more. The only kind of football in our house was Irish Join the Knights of football. My dad featured great M i l Columbus in commemorating Notre Dame legends in my bed­ the Day of the Unborn Child time stories. I was raised Notre on the feast of the Dame. Annunciation with a rosary Over break, I explained to my following today’s 5 p.m. mass friends that I couldn’t understand at the Basilica of the Sacred why anyone would choose to apply Heart. anywhere else. They, of course, smiled and agreed, knowing that I The Irish Inquisition is had always dreamt of attending sponsoring an informational Notre Dame. meeting tonight in the Foster The last week in March marks Room on the third floor of the time that Notre Dame-hope- LaFortune. The meeting will fuls receive news of their accept­ take place from 5 to 6 p.m. ance. Each of them brings dreams for the future and a genuine love The film 21 Grams will be for the school. shown in the Carey Little time has passed since we Auditorium of the Hesburgh were in the same position. About Library tonight from 7 to 9 this time, we each found our day­ p.m. The event is free. dreams centering around Notre Dame and acceptance. We had Author Patricia Stacey will heard of the overwhelming masses present a lecture on Autism of prospective students who had entitled “Opening the Heart applied and also of those who had TIM SULLIVANZThe O bserver and Mind of a Child been waitlisted or rejected. At Students register at the last minute for the Bookstore Basketball tournament at Threatened with Autism. ” LaFortune Wednesday. Registration for the women’s tournament is still continuing, that time, many would have given The event will take place anything for a spot in the fresh­ and registration for the men’s tournament ended Wednesday. tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in men class. DeBartolo Hall 101. Too often this year, I’ve found myself stuck in a rut. I forget that Theology professor Bill I’m not just going to school — I’m O ffbeat Matthison will present a lec­ going to Notre Dame. But all it ture tonight entitled takes is a walk past the Dome or a Restaurant employee Safety spokesman John Blue Springs, was being “Sexuality and Your Faith” quick Grotto run to remind me spits In cop’s burger Francis.