Down and out In honor of Justin Brumbaugh Movie critic Jefferey Irish says Chris Organizers of a Knott Hall basketball tourney Thursday Roc/c’s new comedy film “Down to hope remember a former resident this year by Earth"goes down the tubes. urging campus-wide participation in the event. FEBRUARY 22, Scene ♦ page 12 News ♦ page 3 2 0 0 1 O b s e r v e r The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s VOL XXXIV NO. 93 HTTPy/OBSERVER.ND.EDU Community Learning Center celebrates grand opening the CLC, which pairs aspiring entrepreneurs in By BRIGID SWEENEY the community with an undergraduate or MBA News Writer student mentor. University President Father Edward Malloy The Robinson Community Learning Center emphasized life-long learning in his remarks to (CLC) will provide a forum for learning and build­ the crowd. ing bridges with the South Bend community, said “One is never too young to learn, just as one is speakers on hand for the center’s grand opening never too old to do so,” he said. “This center will Wednesday. bring together people who deserve a warm con­ “It is important to focus not on the negative text in which their God-given talents can be aspects of an area, but the positives,” said developed, whether they be small babes or post­ Indiana third district Congressman Tim Roemer retirement.” as he addressed community members and CLC In order to help fulfill the center’s mission of staff. “This will be a place of new energy, light encouraging cooperative learning within the and hope.” community, over $500,000 was spent on renova­ The center offers services geared toward all tions and new equipment. The computer lab age groups, ranging from tutoring and music boasts 21 new computers connected to the Notre lessons for grade school students to health Dame server, complete with wireless Internet. SARAH FUCHSZThe Observer screenings and Internet classes. The Gigot Center Center director Jay Caponigro stressed the sig- Padre Don McNeill (center) and others from Notre Dame for Entepreneurial Studies also sponsors the joined Northeast Neighborhood residents in grand opening Northeast Neighborhood Business Incubator at see CENTER/page 4 celebrations at the Community Learning Center Wednesday. Just call her Madame President S t u d e n t S en a te Norton prepares to accept d Members consider as Notre Dame s first female student body president election deadline, By JASON McFARLEY parietals measure Associate News Editor By LAURA ROMPF A memory: It is a cold February Assistant News Editor night in the days prior to Notre Dame’s 2001 student body presi­ dential election. The Student Senate extended this year’s dead­ In between leading Student line for the election of class officers from March Senate meetings, studying and 1 to March 3 Wednesday at the request of John running an ambitious campaign Bauters, Judicial Council’s vice president of elec­ for student body president, tions. Brooke Norton makes her way Bauters said candidates would not have ade­ from her third-floor Walsh Hall quate time to campaign, and the Judicial Council room to the nearby Grotto. She would have a difficult time compiling ballots if lights a candle, and amid thought­ the elections had to completed by Thursday. ful prayer and reflection, the cur­ If the deadline was extended, he said, the pri­ rent student body vice president, mary election for class officers would be held considers the University’s name­ Wednesday with a run-off on Friday. sake — Notre Dame du Lac, trans­ Carroll senator Jessie Flores said the senate lated “our lady of the lake.” could amend the constitution if the election “I was thinking about Mary as bylaws were changed first. Flores asked to pass the patron of our school,” she an amendment which allows the senate to said. “I kept wondering if the time change bylaws after petitions are handed out, was right for a woman to take the but only with a 3/4 vote. top leadership role at Mary’s uni­ “This is a temporary solution to the problem,” versity.” Flores said. “We have a situation we didn’t have The answer came just days later the foresight for ... We must handle this with — and some three decades after efficiency and practicality. ” the University first admitted After passing the amendment which allowed women — when Norton was elect­ the senate to change election bylaws, the senate ed Notre Dame’s first female stu­ unanimously extended the deadline. The class dent body president. officer elections will be held next Wednesday Norton and running mate Brian and Friday. Moscona emerged as the clear Sorin Hall senator Kevin Berchou and St. leader in a six-way primary race Edward’s Hall senator Seth Whetzel informed on Feb. 12, and on Friday the pair the senate that a referendum on extending pari- captured 56 percent of run-off etals would also be included in next week’s elec­ election votes, defeating the Ryan tions. The referendum asks whether to make parietals later than 12 a.m. on weeknights and Becker-Nikki McCord ticket. TONY FLOYD/The Observer Norton’s victory makes her the earlier than 10 a.m. in the mornings. Brooke Norton, student body president-elect, said there is a lot of pres­ “There were many different groups working on first vice president to win the sure involved in being the University’s first female student body presi­ presidency since Dennis Etienne the parietals issue and this is the culmination of dent. Norton and running mate Brian Moscona assume office April 1. succeeded to the post of president communication between these different offices,” Whetzel said. “A lot of work has been down and in 1973. ties with current duties, it may Student Reactions And while her election signals hopefully changes are on the horizon.” also mark the beginning of chal­ Students are generally pleased Student body vice president Brooke Norton the end of what Norton admits lenges for her over mixed student was an exhausting balancing act expectations and personal reser­ see NORTON/page 6 see SENATE/page 4 of juggling campaign responsibili­ vations. Z page 2 The Observer ♦ INSIDE Thursday, February 22, 2001 In sid e C o l u m n T h is W e e k o n C a m p u s Thank you... Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday ♦ Theatre: “The Winter’s ♦ Meeting: Saint Mary’s ♦ Event: “Feistang Filipino ♦ Concert: Notre Dame Tale,” 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees, VII,” 7 p.m., Stepan Center Collegiate Choir, 8 p.m., My mom is a firm believer that angels enter our lives to help us wade through rough waters. I Washington Hall Stapleton Lounge ♦ Theatre: “Twelve Angry Basilica of the Sacred never took her seriously, until now. ♦ Lecture: “Santos: ♦ Film: “Remember the This weekend was hell. I found myself in the all Men,” 8 p.m., Moreau Heart too familiar surroundings of Saint Joe’s ER. Yesterday and Today,” Titans,” 7 p.m., Carroll Seminary Auditorium ♦ Tournament: 3rd Annual The majority of the ordeal remains a blur. I was hooked Charles Carillo, 7:30 p.m., Auditorium Justin Brumbaugh up to machines and dealing Snite Museum with a mixture of other Memorial Tournament, drugs and professionals. But 8 a.m., Stepan Center out of the haze, one young man went from being anoth­ er passing face to someone whom I knew by name — just because he took the time OUTSIDE THE DOME Compiled from U-Wire reports to care. This was a person who Kelly Hager wasn’t being paid and more Fraternity return to LSU stirs controversy than likely was nameless to others in the high paced ER. Copy Editor BATON ROUGE, La. arrived at the party, the fraternity He was there because he As Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers wrote words such as “pros­ wanted to be, and it is he to recruits new members to restart the titute” and “whore” on their faces whom I attribute my current chapter at Louisiana State and led them down a hall covered in hospital discharge status. But unfortunately, his University, some students are con­ pictures from pornographic maga­ shift ended before I was discharged, leaving me cerned the old chapter’s ways will zines. unable to thank him. resurface, damaging the reputation “It is absolutely astounding to me To the young man who left worrying about all of the greek community and the uni­ that such a thing happened, but it the bad things he witnessed that evening: know versity. did,” she said. that the world is a better place because you take However, other students believe McMorris said a 1994 attendant of the time to volunteer. Realize that you will be a the fraternity earned the right to the annual barnyard party con­ great doctor because you take the time to care. start fresh with a new group of firmed that writing on women’s To the young man who stole a sticker for me, recruits and a more dedicated faces and cruelty to animals are tra­ thank you. Sometimes stickers offer a relief to pain national chapter. ditional parts of the party. that no other drug can claim. The university suspended the fra­ Sara McMorris, a student staff Karon Kristensen, Panhellenic To the young man who offered my worried bud­ ternity’s recognition as a student member at the Women’s Center, adviser, said these stories are not dies candy and coloring books as they waited in organization in March 1998 after said a freshman sorority member true. the waiting room, thank you.