Observer the
The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Volume 45 : Issue 29
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010
ndsmcobserver.com
Gay alumni group to present awards GALA to ND grad fights ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy in military, will be honored this week By LAURA MCCRYSTAL News Editor
Lt. Col. Fehrenbach, a 1991 Notre Dame graduate and decorated Air Force pilot, is currently fighting for his rights under the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The Gay and Lesbian Alumni of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College (GALA) will give Fehrenbach its distinguished alumni award this weekend in South Bend. Liam Dacey, GALA chair and 2004 Notre Dame graduate, said GALA created the distinguished alumni award this year to honor Notre Dame graduates who are leaders for the gay community. The group, which is not officially associated with the University, will present the award to Fehrenbach at a Saturday event. “ We t h o u g h t o f a n e w award this year as well to go along with the Tom Dooley Award,” Dacey said. “Here’s somebody who’s a war hero, who graduated from Notre Dame.” Fehrenbach graduated from Notre Dame’s Air Force ROTC. During his 19 years in
recognize SMC sister By ANNA BOARINI News Writer
as a result of investigations under the military’s “don’t a s k , d o n ’t t e l l ” p o l i c y. Resulting negotiations
As assistant vice president for Student Affairs at Saint M a r y ’s C o l l e g e , S r. M a r y Louise “M.L.” Gude, worked to foster tolerance for gay and lesbian students at Notre Dame. Gude will receive the Thomas A. D o o l e y award on Saturday for her service to the gay and lesbian community Gude of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s from Gay and Lesbian Alumni of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College (GALA). The Thomas A. Dooley award is named after a gay, former Notre Dame student who worked as a Navy doctor in Southeast Asia and contin-
see GALA/page 7
see SISTER/page 4
AP
Air Force Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, left, stands with flight nurse Margaret Witt, center, on Sept. 24., after a federal judge ruled Witt should be rehired after she was discharged. the Air Force, he was deployed six times and earned nine air medals, one of which was awarded for heroism. In August, Fehrenbach
filed a complaint and requested a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court because he believed he would be discharged from the Air Force
‘Good neighbor guide’ Puebla study abroad changed distributed off campus By KATLYN SMITH
News Writer
By JOHN CAMERON News Writer
Echoing the community relations and educational aspects of the student government’s beND campaign, Senior Class Council has concentrated on informing off-campus seniors how to throw smart and safe parties and avoid conflict with neighbors and police. In addition to a recent presentation by C.L. Lindsay, a panel with ResLife and NDSP and emails sent out by student government, senior class council has distributed “Good Neighbor Guides.” Senior Class Council president Kate Clitheroe said the pamphlets were another step in the ongoing process of helping seniors minimize the risks of socializing off-campus and improving community relations. “Most of the information we
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already tried to synthesize in emails we sent to seniors,” Clitheroe said. “Things like keeping the noise down, putting the ‘no drinking under 21’ signs ... we thought those things were pertinent.” While the guides contained a wide range of information about off-campus living in general, Clitheroe said she thinks the tips on keeping friendly relations with neighbors were especially important. “The info that was most important to seniors were the tips for having good relationships with your neighbors,” she said. “We’ve talked to the police about this. The number one reason they come to a party is not because they’re d r i v i n g b y, b u t b e c a u s e they’ve gotten a call from a neighbor.” Clitheroe said she thinks the
see GUIDE/page 3
Notre Dame students studying abroad in Puebla, Mexico, will face several changes to the program. For the past 10 years, students enrolled in classes at Puebla’s Universidad de las Americas (UDLA), but UDLA decided to terminate its exchange agreement with Notre Dame this summer. “They made a decision to become more Latin-American centric,” the Office of International Studies (OIS) Director Kathleen Opel said. “They decided that they would concentrate on Latin American students rather than North American students coming to Mexico.” Students currently abroad in Puebla are studying at UDLA until the exchange agreement concludes in December. During the Spring 2011 semester, students will enroll at the Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla (Ibero) while fall students
Photo courtesy of Julie McCaw
Senior Julie McCaw taught English to a kindergarten class during her semester abroad in Puebla, Mexico. will take classes at the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP). While both universities are Catholic institutions, UPAEP offers its own medical school for fall students. “Our fall program is heavily
designed for students in the preprofessional program, and that’s one of the reasons the program has grown so successfully,” Opel said. “We have great relationships with doctors and hospi-
see PUEBLA/page 7
Students assist Congressional campaign page 5 ◆ Socially conscious TV page 12 ◆ Men’s soccer page 24 ◆ Viewpoint page 10