----------------------- -------------------------~ The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's VOLUME 43: ISSUE 1 SATURDAY. AUGUST 23.2008 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Freshman fencer competes in Olympics 2 attacked week competing for the United nice as the Olympic Village, but sport like fencing, so for Gerek nearOover By DAN MURPHY States fencing team in the I have a TV in my room now to be there was very special," News Writer Olympics. The San Francisco and I didn't over there, so that is Irish fencing coach Janusz native left China on Aug. 17 and nice," he said. Bednarski said. Bednarski was In the past week students spent a few hectic days packing, Meinhardt finished tenth an Olympic coach for the Polish Ridge have poured into South Bend doing interviews, and saying overall in the men's foil event, national team in the late 1970s. from all goodbye to friends before arriv­ but even making the team was "He is a great young man who around the ing on campus Thursday. a serious accomplishment. not only is a terrific athlete, but ND student, fiance world, but it "The worst part was the jet­ Meinhardt, who turned 18 less also is very intelligent," hospitalized for injuries is safe to say lag. It would get to be about than a month ago, was the Bednarski said. that none of three o'clock and I just couldn't youngest fencer in Beijing by Meinhardt first got into fenc­ them had a take it anymore. I would end up nearly five years. He has only ing when he was nine years old. By DEIRDRE KRASULA and longer- or taking about a four hour nap," been competing on the senior His piano teacher at the time JENNMETZ more inter­ Meinhardt said. level for a year and a half and happened to be married to an News Writers esting He then boarded a plan to was not expected to debut on Olympic fencer who was open­ journey than Chicago and endured the the Olympic level until the 2012 ing a gym nearby. The young A Notre Dame student and freshman Meinhardt treacherous four-hour bus ride games in London. Meinhardt gave it a try and her fiance were attacked and G e r e k to campus before fmally moving "Olympic fencers can be as quickly began racking up cham- robbed while walking from a Meinhardt. into his new room in Knott Hall. old as 35, 36, 37 years old. local restaurant to her Clover Meinhardt was in Beijing last "The dorms aren't quite as Experience is a huge factor is a see MEINHARDT/page 10 Ridge apartment Thursday night, police said. The attack, described by Captain Phil Trent of the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) as a Duncan Hall vvelcon1es its first students "strong armed robbery," took place at 10:50 p.m. in front of 1710 North Irish Way. Both Resiqent~_P.!_ill select mascot, colors, signature event for new male dorm on West Quad victims were taken to a local hospital and were released from my other dorm," he Friday. By KAITLYNN RIELY said. Silva, who was wearing Jenni Gargula, 21 was Assistant News Editor his new "Duncan Hall" T­ returning to her apartment shirt Thursday, previously from Between the Buns on Notre Dame, meet Duncan lived in St. Edward's Hall. South Bend Ave. with her I! all. Jeff Shoup, the director of fiance, Tom Chesnick, Notre The new men's residence the Office of Residence Life Dame '07, and Liz Crosby, 21, hall, which cost approxi­ and Housing added: "The when a black Jaguar pulled mately $20 million and took size of the rooms are very up alongside them. 17 months to construct, nice - just the newness and Crosby, a friend who was opened this week, taking its freshness of it." walking with the victims, told spot on West Quad next to The rooms in Duncan Hall The Observer that a white McGlinn llall. are larger than most rooms male in his early twenties The first of the 232 men in Notre Dame's other resi­ jumped out of the passenger who will live in the building dence halls, and the students seat of the car and claimed began moving in this week, who moved in early have that Chesnick owed him and the overwhelming reac­ been surprised by the size of money. Chesnick had never tion to the first dorm built on their new rooms, Shoup said. seen the attacker before. Notre Dame campus since "A lot will come unpre­ The attacker proceeded to 1997 has been positive. pared," Shoup said. "They punch Chesnick in the face Luis Silva, a senior, was will bring a lounge chair and and repeatedly beat him, playing pool in his new dorm realize they need more NICK SIMONSON I The Observer Crosby said. The driver then Thursday morning. Duncan Hall, located on West Quad, opened its doors this "It's definitely a step up see DUNCAN/page 11 week to its first residents. see ATTACK/page 9 ND admits diverse class of 2012 Swarbrick hired as By JENN METZ nevv athletic director News Editor NO'"fREDAME The Notre Dame class of 2012 skills that include communi­ has something to be proud of. By JOSEPH McMAHON cations, marketing, negotia­ The estimated 1,995 first-year CLASS OF 2012 Assistant News Editor tions, and consensus building studBnts moving onto campus at the highest level. all within this W!lek!lnd mad!l it through After an extensive search, the athletics arena." one of the toughest university 13,947 Total Applicants University president John A native of Yonkers, N.Y., admissions processes in the Jenkins named Indiana who moved with his family to country. They arc among the 26 1,995 First Year Students ~:• lawyer Jack Swarbrick Notre Bloomington, Ind., when he percent of applicants accepted Dame's 12th athletic director was a teenager, Swarbrick out of a total of 13,947, the sec­ on July 16. A member of the attended Stanford Law School ond-largest applicant pool in the Notre Dame class of 1976 and after graduating from Notre University's history. 1405 Average SAT Score an expert in sports law, Dame. He then returned to "This is a neat, exciting and Swarbrick replaced former Indiana, where he joined the talented class," Daniel Saracino, (Critical Reading & Math) athletic director Kevin White, law firm of Baker & Daniels, assistant provost for admissions, who left to take the same where he specialized in said. "They are much more than position at Duke University. sports law and forged strong just test scores." 20°/o Ethnic Minorities "I am confident that in Jack relationships with many exec­ The acceptance rate ranks up 9% Hispanic Swarbrick we have found a utives in college athletics. with the top universities in the 6% Asian superb athletic director for "He has developed numer­ country. 3% African American the University of Notre ous relationships with key "We're not trying to make Dame," Jenkins said in his leaders in college sports: the Notre Dame a Stanford, or a 1% Native American introduction of Swarbrick. "In BCS commissioners, athletic 0 estimated his career, Jack Swarbrick see FRESHMEN/page 9 SOURCE• NOTRE DAME ADMISSIONS has gained and exhibited see SWARBRICK/page 10 page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Saturday, August 23, 2008 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT IN YOUR FIRST YEAR? I ) ~ Grandpa and r George I can still remember those simple Saturday after­ noons, going over Grandma and Grandpa's house to watch the Notre Dame game with Grandpa. Ellen Jantsch Jessica Schuveiller Brett Leahy . Adam Zaabel Amanda Jonovski lle'd sit in his usual chair and I'd freshman freshman freshman freshman freshman sit on the couch. Grandma or my Aunt Paula would make us some­ Farley Farley Duncan Duncan P.E. thing to eat. I'd have a lemonade or a soda in my hand, he'd have ''I'm excited for ''I'm excited for "Getting to meet "Just being part "Finally going the remote - not to change the the women's ehannel in case things went bad for all thefun a bunch of new of the to the college the Irish, but so he eould tape the soccer team to athletic games people and Notre Dame that rve been game while eutting out the com­ win a national and meeting making a name tradition. " working for four mer<~ials. Grandpa liked to re­ Chris Hine championship. " watch the games during the week new pe·ople." for Duncan years to get " and save the spedal ~mes, like the Hall.'' into. "Snow Bowl" game against Penn Edior-in-Chief State from 1992. We'd wateh Lou nervously pick- ing the grass from the sidelines, Mark Edwards gain about four or five yards every time he ran the ball up the middle, and watch a local hero of ours, Ron Powlus, come from our home in Northeastern Pa., to quarterbaek our favorite team. ORIENTATION WEEKEND When people say, "Life was so much simpler before," they meant days like those Saturday afternoons with Grandpa. Grandpa loved Notre Dame, even though he never went there, and watching those games was his favorite thing to do in life. A part of me will always miss those Saturdays. Flash forward a few years, and I'm a high school FRESHMAN ORIEN'fKfiON SCHEDULE senior, and Grandpa, my mother's father, is in the hos­ pital. I In fought through a stroke a few years back, but SATURDAY AUG23 now this time it doesn't look good.