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Volume 55, Issue 42 | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Senate tackles election petitions Student senate discussed signatures required for student government elections By MARIA LUISA PAUL News Writer
The Notre Dame student senate convened Wednesday evening during an agenda-rich meeting. As the night progressed, this student government branch approved two orders, debated procedures pertaining to the forthcoming student body presidential race and culminated with the distribution of sweaters described by senior student body vice president Sarah Galbenski. Once Baumer Hall senator, first-year Daniel Schermerhorn, delivered the opening prayer, the chamber unanimously voted to suspend vacancy elections in Keough and Johnson Family Halls, as vice-presidential
candidate, Patton Meacham, and senatorial hopeful, Eliza Smith, were running unopposed in their respective dorms. The issue of officials vacating their positions is one that the pandemic has brought upon since last semester. Newlyinstituted Judicial Council President, junior Thomas Davis, said the “difficult” and unprecedented semester had encumbered office-holders in different ways. “Last year when people signed up for the role of senator or president, etcetera, no one knew what to expect once we got to this point,” Davis said. “So we have to respect if people see SENATE PAGE 3
Observer Staff Report
MARIA LUISA PAUL | The Observer
The student senate convened in person Wednesday evening to discuss petitions for the upcoming student body president elections.
SMC alumna speaks on Black excellence in politics By EMMA GONZALEZ News Writer
During a virtual conversation with the Saint Mary’s community Thursday evening titled “Black Excellence in Politics” 1995 alumna Dr. Felicia Brabec discussed her role in the fight for racial equity.
Brabec, currently a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, is also a practicing clinical psychologist. Despite her deep commitment to student government during her time at Saint Mary’s, Brabec said she never saw herself running for a government position as a career move. “I am here [in this position]
College freezes costs
because the residents have entrusted me to be their voice,” she said. Prompted by executive director for the office of Inclusion and Equity Redgina Hill, Brabec spoke of the difficulties and dangers of removing race from politics. She warned see POLITICS PAGE 5
Saint Mary’s vice president for strategy and finance Dana Strait announced tuition costs for the 2021-2022 academic year in an email Thursday. Changes to cost of attendance were given close consideration due to external factors brought upon due to the pandemic, such as financial stress on families and upgraded technology for remote learning, according to the email. see COSTS PAGE 4
Voyeur reported to NDPD Observer Staff Report Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 11.
An incident of voyeurism was reported to the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) Thursday afternoon in a North Quad men’s residence hall.
According to an email sent out to the Notre Dame community, the complainant was in a bathroom stall when he noticed “a cell phone being placed over the stall dividers from an adjacent stall.” The complainant was not able to provide a description of the individual with the cell phone.
BAVO creates ‘Belles Supporting Belles’ group The Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO) has begun a new initiative w ith its expansion to form an additional organization called Belles Supporting Belles (BSB). BAVO strives to help cultivate a culture free from interpersonal v iolence through education, training, support and advocacy, cochair of the organization’s education and outreach committee, senior Meghan McNamara said. Students,
such as McNamara, have had the opportunit y to be involved in the mission of this office in the past. But, now they have the opportunit y to be involved in a new way. Prev iously, students were a part of BAVO committees which were connected directly w ith BAVO itself. The Student Adv isor y Committee — which includes McNamara and junior Emily Karalus, co-chair of the events and campaigns committee — has taken this student component of BAVO and created an official and
separate organization. Both Karalus and McNamara emphasized that no ser v ices w ill be taken away as a result of this new development. The main change is that as an official student organization, BSB now has more financial freedom and the opportunit y to work w ith other on-campus organizations, Karalus said. “Our material w ithin our events w ill not be as censored as it was when we were working as a department,” McNamara said. BSB w ill still be overseen by BAVO director Liz
Coulston, who students can expect to see attending and involved w ith most events, Karalus said. BSB w ill be led by the current Student Adv isor y Committee. Positions such as president, v ice president and secretaries are likely to be members of this committee but have yet to be decided. The name was proposed by a current committee member and voted upon by the entire organization, McNamara said. “As Belles, we work to support ever yone on
campus so students feel safe and heard,” McNamara said. “[The name] Belles Supporting Belles embodied our club the best.” Karalus said BSB has a number of events planned for the coming weeks including “An Evening w ith Debbie Riddle” Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. v ia Zoom — during which a conversation about stalking and v iolence prevention w ill take place. Additional opportunities include selfdefense classes and a group v iew ing of the documentar y
NEWS PAGE 4
ViEWPOINT PAGE 8
SCENE PAGE 9
ND MEN BASKETBALL PAGE 16
HOCKEY PAGE 16
By JULIA ZUSI News Writer
see BELLES PAGE 5