Observer the
The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Wednesday, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY August 9, 27,2010 2004
Volume 44 : Issue 89
ndsmcobserver.com
Soler, Bell to lead student body for 2010-11 Election marks first time sophomores take top student gov’t offices By SARAH MERVOSH Assistant News Editor
Sophomores Catherine Soler and Andrew Bell became the first all-sophomore ticket to win the election for student body president and vice president when they received 54.6 percent of the vote Monday, Judicial Council president Ian Secviar said. Soler and Bell defeated juniors Eras Noel and Julian Corona and freshmen Peter Ledet and Gabe Alvare in the election. “As far as I know, [Soler and Bell] are the first sophomores to win,” Secviar said. “Our records show that two sophomores have never won going back to the year 2000.” Secviar also said it was unusual for the ticket to win without a BLAIR CHEMIDLIN | Observer Graphic
PAT COVENEY/The Observer
Student body president-elect Catherine Soler, left, and vice president-elect Andrew Bell debate in LaFortune Student Center Wednesday.
see ELECTION/page 9
Mendoza hosts Ethics Week Retired ND American By MEGAN HEMLER News Writer
In an effort to encourage discussion of ethical matters among students and faculty, the Mendoza College of Business launched its 13th annual Ethics Week Monday, focusing this year on the issue of abortion. This year marks the first time that the week’s events are related to a single theme — an idea that was born out of the controversy surrounding the
decision to invite President Barack Obama as the Commencement speaker for 2009, event organizer Ken Milani, a professor of accounting, said. “What happened in May was confrontation,” Milani said. “Then eventually reasonable voices started talking and agreed to disagree respectfully. We wanted to keep the conversation going.” Milani said Ethics Week began as a way to honor Notre Dame management professor
Studies professor dies
John Houck, a strong advocate for business ethics education. Houck died in 1996. “A number of people involved in ethics at Notre Dame got together to determine what could be done,” Milani said. “The first Ethics Week was held two years later.” The series takes place in February each year, a conscious decision by the organizers. “We do ethics here 24/7, but we specifically schedule around
Christman founded publishing course for students Observer Staff Report
Retired Notre Dame American Studies professor Elizabeth Christman died Thursday. She was 96. Christman served as an editorial research officer for the U.S. Navy during World Wa r II a n d worked for a New York literChristman a r y agency before joining the Notre Dame faculty in 1976. When working for the agency Harold Ober Associates, Christman associated with well-known writers such as Wi l l i a m Faulkner, Pearl Buck and J.D. Salinger. Christman read the Salinger’s novel “Catcher in the Rye” when it was still a manuscript. But her vocation was teaching, so she obtained masters and doctoral d e g r e e s f r o m N e w Yo r k University in order to teach
see ETHICS/page 6
Conference to examine identity By EMILY SCHRANK News Writer
The Edith Stein Project, sponsored by the Identity Project of Notre Dame, will return to campus for a fifth year, initiating an honest discussion on human identity and relationships. This year’s conference, scheduled to take place this weekend in McKenna Hall, is titled “No Man is an Island: Creature, Culture and Community.” JoAnna Roman, co-chair of
Observer file photo
see EDITH/page 6
Panelists discuss identity issues at the 2009 Edith Stein Conference. This year’s conference takes place this weekend.
INSIDE
TODAY’S PAPER
CLC examines du Lac page 3
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Women’s basketball preview page 24
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at DePauw University and then at Notre Dame. A t t h e U n i v e r s i t y, s h e designed and taught a publishing course in which students would seek out manuscripts, sign a contract with the author and go through the steps of editing, producing and selling the books. She also wrote short stor i e s , n o v e l s a n d p o e t r y. During the 1978 summer Commencement address, she delivered her speech in verse — the only Notre Dame Commencement speaker to do so. Several of her novels, such as “A Nice Italian Girl” and “Ruined for Life,” are published. A memorial Mass will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Church in Webster Groves, Mo. The University is in the process of planning a memorial Mass on campus in honor of Christman. Contributions in Christman’s honor may be made to Friends of Kids with Cancer at 530 Maryville Centre Drive, Ste. LL5, St. Louis Mo.
Review of Los Campesinos! new CD page 14
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Viewpoint page 10