Resolution to move ROTC Review also passes
By MAUREEN REYNOLDS
News Writer
Senators introduced two resolutions at their meeting Wednesday regarding parietals and the ROTC Presidential Pass in Review.
The first resolution, passed unanimously by the Senate, dealt with extending weekday parietals from midnight to 1 a.m. The resolution stated that the reasons for extending weekday parietals are that students very often study with each other past parietals and 24-hour spaces in dorms are not conducive to studying because of the presence of televisions and other social activities.
The resolution also noted that studies show that students greatly benefit from and learn more when studying in groups rather than studying alone.
Other reasons for a parietals extension stated in the resolution are that students "have many resources in their rooms such as computers and reference materials which can be conducive to such study groups," and that these resources are more easily accessed in dorm rooms than in social spaces.
Finally, the resolution cited the fact that "approximately 80 percent of students surveyed in the 2001 `Student Survey On Parietals' favored extending parietals past midnight on weeknights."
At the meeting, it was also made clear that the main difference between this resolution and past attempts to extend parietals is that the resolution separates parietals from quiet hours. This resolution favors keeping quiet hours at their current times, combined with better enforcement, but pushing parietals back one hour to facilitate studying.
When asked about weekend parietals, Sarah Bates, Pasquerilla West Hall senator, said, "[Extending weekend parietals] is not out of the picture right now … however [the resolution extending weekday parietals] is the most important one to get through right now."
The second resolution, also passed unanimously, favors returning the ROTC Presidential Pass In Review to its original location on South Quad. The ceremony was moved to Loftus several years ago.
The resolution states that returning the ceremony to its original location would allow more of the student body to witness it, and holding the ceremony on South Quad, under the U.S. flag, provides a more "aesthetically pleasing environment than in Loftus."
Seán Williams, St. Edward's Hall senator and Army ROTC cadet, introduced the resolution and said he believes that ROTC cadets deserve a more public place to be honored.
The ceremony includes speeches by Father Edward Malloy, University president, as well as Father Theodore Hesburgh, University president emeritus. Williams described the part of the ceremony when the cadets march by the University president as being "in the tradition of when kings reviewed their troops."
"It's more enjoyable on South Quad because we're under the big American Flag and the F16s fly over. This brings us out into a more public forum," Williams said.
In other Senate news:
u Tai Romero was approved unanimously by the Senate as 2003-04 director of operations for the Student Union Board. Romero was described by Stephen Christ, Student Union Board manager, as having "valuable skills and programming experience that she will bring to the Student Union Board" in his letter of recommendation for Romero to the Senate.
All News Stories for Thursday, March 20, 2003
