O'Donoghue explains ticket policy
By FINN PRESSLY
Assistant News Editor
In the wake of Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman's visit to campus Tuesday, Notre Dame's Student Senate discussed the heckling incident that took place during his speech, as well as concerns that many students were unable to secure tickets for the event.
"It's a shame that…the lead story was that [Lieberman] was interrupted by a heckler," said Ryan Becker, Zahm Hall senator. "I thought it was an awesome event. I think [Lieberman] is a great role model for anyone going into government."
Student body president Brian O'Donoghue also discussed the incident, clarifying for the Senate that the senior responsible for the interruption was not doing so on behalf of Right to Life, the Progressive Student Alliance or any other University-affiliated club or society.
"That person was a single individual speaking alone," said O'Donoghue.
Senators also voiced complaints from the students about the lack of availability of tickets, which were distributed on Sunday evening in LaFortune. Tickets sold out within 10minutes, causing some to question why a larger venue was not selected.
"We set the ticket policy that way [because] it was within 24 hours of students getting back to campus," O'Donoghue said, also noting that a raffle would have been used had there been more time.
"We know it wasn't an ideal system. The Lieberman camp chose Washington Hall, so we had no control over that," said O'Donoghue.
In other Senate news:
u Dillon senator Brendan Dowdall expressed his disappointment that the smaller, "50¢" candles had been removed from the Grotto, along with their wrought-iron candelabras.
"It's very upsetting," Dowdall said.
O'Donoghue explained that the candles were removed following concerns about fire safety.
"The Grotto caught on fire at the beginning of [Fall] Break, and the Fire Chief said those things have to go," O'Donoghue said, expressing doubt about their return in the near future.
Larger, $2 candles still remain, and according to O'Donoghue, Campus Ministry will allow students to make 50¢ donations – or a larger donation, if they choose – for the larger candles.
u Career Center director Lee Svete spoke to the Senate about the continuing expansion of the center, encouraging all students to visit – especially those unsure of their future career paths.
With a staff of 16 operating on the first two floors of Flanner Hall, the Career Center has recently undergone an aggressive campaign to increase alumni mentoring. In recent years, the number of alumni mentors has increased from zero to 700.
"I think we'll continue to get the resources we need to be successful," Svete said. "We're diversifying, and if [there is something that] we don't know, our alumni will help us out."
Pasquerilla East senator Nikki McCord said that as a former science pre-professional major, she noticed a lack of internships in the science fields.
Svete responded that the Career Center was aware of this need, and that the center was currently in the process of increasing contacts with alumni working in those areas. Svete also noted that the center was planning its first career fair aimed specifically at science-related jobs, tentatively scheduled for next spring.
u The recent Senate resolution to bring a mailbox back to the LaFortune Student Center was met with reservations from the local postal authorities, according to Becker, who spoke with Notre Dame postmaster Mike Walsh.
Becker said that Walsh initially opposed the idea because mailboxes in LaFortune were not used enough. The last mailbox was removed from the student center four years ago.
"I said, `It's the student center, and there should be a mailbox there.' He said he needed a legitimate reason, so I said again, `It's the student center,'" Becker said.
Becker also referred to an existing stamp machine, located outside the Copy Shop. "You can buy stamps to put on the letters, but you can't mail them, but he didn't think that was very good either."
Becker later said that much of the confusion stemmed from the fact that the resolution was approved without first consulting Walsh. Becker announced to the Senate that he remains optimistic about seeing a mailbox in LaFortune in the near future.
All News Stories for Thursday, October 26, 2000
