News

Moreau welcomes new exhibits

UN troops reduce violence

SMC students to peruse Peru this fall break

Political scientist updates students on immigration

Rogers Smith, political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said in a lecture Friday that amid the government shutdown, the immigration debate in the United States stands in a similarly "gridlocked" state.   The talk, titled "Immigration and American Identity in the 21st Century," sponsored by the Constitutional Studies program, explored the notion of American civic identity with regard to immigration issues. "The controversies surrounding immigration, I've argued, are bound up with many factors - economic concerns, partisan concerns - but also with very deep concerns about what American civic identity should be in the 21st century," he said. Smith said those advocating the opposing sides to the immigration debate do so passionately to defend their conception of the United States. "Immigration is a critical battleground in a long-running and now severely polarized struggle for American identity, a struggle in which many on both sides feel they cannot lose because they'd be effectively giving up on the America in which they genuinely and profoundly believe," he said. The traditional idea of America conflicts with the country's current state, Smith said. "Our problem is that for a powerful minority of Americans, the America that is distinctly instilled [is] subliminally a predominately white, predominately Christian, predominately male-led country, and in contrast, it's still growing to figure out what the concentrated majority believe in and now comprise an America where its leaders are far more ethnically, racially, religiously and sexually diverse," he said. The notion of an all-white America originated with the Jacksonian Democrats who specified citizenship as only available for white males, Smith said. A new racial consciousness emerged after the Civil War, but it then led to immigration restrictions in racial terms, he said. "The first actual immigration restriction law is the Chinese Exclusion Act that excluded Chinese laborers but only Chinese laborers," he said. "The Chinese were singled out exclusively on grounds that they were racially unfit." Smith said the United States initiated immigration quotas based on national origins in the 1920s. "In the 1920s, we got the national ordinance quota system, which was explicitly invented as an effort to prevent racial transformation of America by assigning countries quotas that represented their nationality's share of the U.S. population toward the end of the 19th century," he said. The 1965 immigration law put a cap on immigration from Mexico, which created the illegal immigration problem the United States has today, Smith said. Now, the immigration debate has become a partisan issue, but still unites groups that would not necessarily align in other political issues, Smith said. For example, labor unions and extremely conservative politicians both agree on restricting immigration, while economic conservatives and social liberals agree on loosening restrictions, he said. Smith said the current "gridlock" on the issue of immigration reform derives from a shift in focus within the Republican Party. "In the spring and summer 2013, Republican strategists began arguing explicitly that Republicans could win in the future without catering to Latino voters," Smith said. "They took notice of the fact that according to exit polls, no Democrat has carried white voters since Lyndon Johnson in 1964." Despite a shutdown in the political debate, Smith said he is confident the new diverse conception of America will prevail. "A predominately white, predominately Christian, predominately male-led America will finally be driven off stage," Smith said. "... The question is, 'How much damage will be done to this country by the politics gridlock that began before this change comes?'"

Universitea' connects women across campuses

On Saturday, the MovimientoEstundiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) club at Notre Dame  invited women from Saint Mary's and Holy Cross to join Notre Dame women at "Universitea," a tea party discussion about the differences and stereotypes within the tri-campus community.

Arts and Letters adds new minor

The College of Arts and Letters recently announced a new cross-disciplinary minor in Philosophy, Religion and Literature (PRL), open to students of all majors      Professor Henry Weinfield of the Program of Liberal Studies will direct the new minor, which he said will replace the former Philosophy and Literature minor.

ND physicist models brain's network structure

Perhaps social media websites like Facebook are always on our minds because our brains are structured in a way similar to these ubiquitous social networks. A recently published study by Notre Dame physics professor ZoltanToroczkai on the fundamental wiring of the neurons that make up the complex structure of the brain suggests this may be the case.

ASC awards engineering professor research award

Last month, the American Chemical Society (ASC) recognized Notre Dame chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Joan Brennecke's research with the 2014 E.V. Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. The award, which Brennecke will accept at the ACS's Spring National Meeting in March, includes a $5000 cash prize and travel expenses.

Mariachi ND cha-chas to the top

It is no longer a secret that the best way to turn your campus event from siesta to fiesta is to include a performance from Mariachi ND. In its first year as an official club, Mariachi ND is drawing more attention than ever before, senior Briana Cortez, Mariachi ND president and director, said. The group has already performed at a tailgate hosted by Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS), the Snite@Nite series, the Fiesta del Sol and the NDream Immigration Celebration, Cortez said. Sophomore Maggie Schmid, Mariachi ND secretary, said Mariachi ND is and should be enjoyed for their cultural connotation and their talent. "You can celebrate a culture you grew up with or learn about a new culture," Schmid said. "We also have some very talented people in our group and everyone should want to hear them." Schmid said joining Mariachi in college has been a way to reconnect with her heritage. "I didn't necessarily grow up around it, but my mom's family loves mariachi music. [Mariachi ND] allowed me to get back to my roots," she said. "And everyone in Mariachi is like family now." Cortez said gaining club status made it easier for the group to contact and be contacted by those requesting a performance. She also said they began providing a Valentine's Day serenade service last year and have benefitted from the publicity it generated. Although this is their first year as a club, the group has been around since 1995 as a subdivision of the Coro Primavera, a Spanish-language liturgical choir for Notre Dame and Saint Mary's students, Cortez said. She said in past years the group has performed annually at the Kellogg Institute's Dia de los Muertos celebration, Latin Expressions and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Sophomore Samantha Rosas, Mariachi ND social media representative, said a future goal for the group is to play during halftime of a football game. Cortez said one of her favorite things about Mariachi ND is exposing people to Mexican culture and the mariachi tradition. "I love the people and I love the music, but I also love just walking around campus and seeing the reactions of people," she said. "They stop us to ask questions and take pictures, and it's really fun. Our club is about sharing the culture and what mariachi stands for." Cortez said she came to the University fully intending to join Mariachi ND after seeing a performance while visiting as a high school senior. "I wasn't that into mariachi before I came here. It was just always in the background growing up," she said. "I came for spring visitation weekend and saw Mariachi play. I thought it was so cool. I came as a freshman looking for this band, and was once I was in it I thought it was amazing." Cortez said the group offers new experiences both musically and socially. "It's a perfect opportunity to explore musical creativity. It's a chance for musicians to challenge themselves and expand their horizons," she said. "You also get to meet people you wouldn't otherwise meet. Every Tuesday you can come to relax and play music with your friends." Rosas said performances provide a great way to communicate a cultural heritage to those who are unfamiliar with it. "You can reach out to people who don't even understand what you're saying. The music breaks down barriers," Rosas said. Rosas said Mariachi is her favorite activity on campus because the group is like a family. "I joined freshman year looking for that sense of family that is sometimes lacking in college," she said. "The group provides this because it is centered on a love for the same type of music, a commonality that brings us together. It is my favorite thing that I'm part of that does have a sense of family."Senior Fernando Lozano, Mariachi ND librarian, said he joined the club because it represents a connection to his family, especially his grandfather. "The reason I joined Mariachi is mariachi has always been a big part of my life," Lozano said. "I wanted to stay connected to my grandpa who loved mariachi - he would have mariachi music playing all the time and sang well himself. It's also a connection with all of my family back home. We always have mariachi music at family gatherings." Lozano said the club encourages all interested musicians to join Mariachi ND. He said he recommends joining because they are very creative and experimental. "People should join us because we try a lot of new things and experiment - it's very spontaneous. We're even considering doing some covers of non-mariachi songs this year," he said.  

SMC hosts zumbathon for cancer

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, the Saint Mary's Stand Up to Cancer club held a zumbathon to raise funds for cancer research on Saturday in the Angela Athletic Facility gym.

CSC engages South Bend youth

Three years ago, Naomi Penney, former president of the Neighborhood Research Corporation (NRC) in South Bend, developed an idea that hopefully would engage youths in community building and neighborhood development.

Panel analyzes bullying on college campuses

Two Saint Mary's and Notre Dame students discussed the definition of campus bullying and how to deal with the issue in a panel titled "Addressing Bullying on Campus: Seeking Justice, Solidarity & Personal Dignity" on Friday in SpesUnica Hall. Adrienne Chockley, interim coordinator of the Justice Education program and Visiting Assistant Professor in Philosophy, said the program was designed to empower students to make a more just and peaceful community and to help foster solidarity.  "I first heard about bullying on campus last spring," Chockley said. "I teach philosophy, and in an introduction to philosophy class several students came up to me and said they had been bullied on campus ... this panel discussion comes out of my experience in the classroom with people saying they had been or knew people who had been bullied." Chockley said part of justice education is addressing and standing up for marginalized populations. "I'm committed to the well-being of this community and part of justice education is addressing marginalized populations and standing up for vulnerable and marginalized populations," she said. "So if students on our campus are being bullied, we need to stand up for them. We need to address it and fix it." Samantha Grady, a junior at Saint Mary's College, began the panel. She said in order to understand why bullying is wrong we need to understand the role of personal dignity, justice and solidarity. "Personal dignity, in my own words, is something that we all have and its not something you are given or that you receive. Its something we have just by being human, and if we understand that than it's easier to understand how we should be treated and how we should treat other people," she said. "It really ties closely to justice and justice is a response to human dignity. It's an obligation to treat others in a certain way, because we understand that they have dignity." She said she believes humans have an obligation to work together in solidarity and recognize that just because a person is not a victim in a bullying situation doesn't mean they shouldn't stand up for their peers. Christine Shiba, a Notre Dame sophomore, said it can be difficult for victims to identify they are being bullied because bullying does not always present in the way we imagine it to."Girls twist themselves into something completely different just so they can fit in with a group of girls who they think they should be friends with," she said. "That's something people don't think is bullying because we think of bullying as being kind of intense, but if you are unhappy or you're upset and you feel like you have to convince someone or persuade someone to be your friend than they're not accepting you for who you are and that's not treating yourself with the respect you have a right to." Amy Porter, a senior at Notre Dame, said in modern times social media is used to cyber-bully students. She said the Internet often gives people empowerment to say things they would not in a face-to-face conversation. "When someone is on social media, because its not face-to-face contact, there are a lot of people who are more willing to say things they would not say face to face over a text," she said. "That's become a huge issue, someone who would never say that to their face feels like they have the power to say whatever they're feeling through social media." Porter said its important to expand the definition of bullying and realize that, in reality, bullying exists in a much greater realm than what people see it as. "I think it's about expanding your definition of bullying," she said. Porter said when teaching kids about bullying, she has found they think of bullying in a physical realm instead of an emotional one. "It's all fighting, hitting, pushing into lockers, all the cliché things you hear about when you are younger," she said. She said people think there is no more bullying once they arrive at college, but the reality is the bullying transitions with us. "We think we're adults and we're more mature," Porter said, "[but] it's a whole new level of bickering and gossiping." Elizabeth Kenney, a junior at Saint Mary's, said bystanders can have a powerful role in bullying situations as well, but it can be difficult and uncomfortable because different situations call for different kinds of responses. "As a bystander you have an equally substantial role in a situation," Kenney said. "You can choose to respond actively or passively. By responding passively you ignore what's going on you ignore the situation but through that through how you ignore the situation you are allowing it to continue."The panel was presented by the Saint Mary's Justice Education Program and cosponsored by the Saint Mary's Cross Currents Program. This panel was in collaboration with the TAKE TEN program as a part of the "Voices that must be Heard" series.  

Biology club sponsors ND Vision walk

The Notre Dame Biology Club sponsored the 4th Annual Vision Walk on campus Sunday. The walk raised awareness for those suffering from retinal degeneration and collected money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, event chair Antoinette Pusateri said. "FoundationFighting Blindness is one of the largest non-profits for blindness research in the nation," she said. Pusateri said Maria Sellers, a part of the Notre Dame class of 2011, founded the 5K walk in honor of University President Emeritus Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, She said Father Hesburgh suffers from macular degeneration, a retinal disease. "When I was a freshman, I had visited him in his office, and he had told me a little bit about his disease," Sellers said. "This caused me to research blindness, and I learned about the Foundation Fighting Blindness." Sellers said she interned at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, which Foundation Fighting Blindness supports. "I was actually able to see firsthand how people were being cured, and how research and the support [of those attending the walk] really does add in us restoring vision," Sellers said. Before the walk began, local optometrists Dr. Steve Gerber and Dr. John Offerle offered a doctors' perspective on research for retinal diseases, especially research supported by the Foundation Fighting Blindness. "It is the largest source of private funds for retinal research," Gerber said. "We have people and patients right here in Michiana with these conditions." Dr. John Offerle said he encounters patients with macular degeneration on a daily basis. "When I started in practice there wasn't a lot you could do for it, and over the years incredible research has gone into developing new drugs," he said. "We've actually seen legally blind patients get to a point where they can drive now. It's pretty amazing, and we've been doing that for maybe the last 10 years." Pusateri, who also chaired the event last year, said she worked this year to increase community outreach. "My big goal with it all is to make it a community event, not just the Notre Dame community, but also the South Bend community," she said. "We reached out to a lot of the eyecare centers, and it was just so exciting to see how inspired they were to help with this cause." Pusateri said the event committee worked with local businesses and eyecare professionals in the Michiana area to gain support for the walk, which raised nearly $8,000 last year. "Local businesses gave monetary donations, as well as in-kind, donations, like gift cards, for us to raffle and auction off," she said. "It's so inspiring to see all these community members and individuals ...who have reached out to donate their time and talents." Sophomore Caitlin McCreary said she participated in the walk in honor of her brother, who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. "Part of his condition is having problems with neurons in his eyes, so I felt like his condition was connected to this, and that's why I'm here," she said.  

Students visit areas of urban poverty

The Center for Social Concerns' Urban Plunge program offers students a productive way to become involved in social issues over their winter break. Junior AleshiaFaulstich, who serves as Task Force Chair for Urban Plunge, said the program involves a 48-hour immersion experience in urban poverty. Three hundred student participants learn about urban poverty by volunteering at a variety of service organizations including soup kitchens, Catholic missions and other poverty relief charities in 40 cities across the U.S, she said. In preparation for the immersion experience, Faulstich said students take a one-credit course on the Church and social action. "The purpose of this course is for students to learn the basics of Catholic social teaching and what poverty means in an urban setting," she said. The program is followed by a meeting where students meet to reflect upon their experiences, Faulstich said. "Overall, Urban Plunge is an eye-opening experience that exposes students to a side of poverty in their hometowns they wouldn't normally see," said Faulstich. Last January sophomore Emily Belin volunteered at the Holy Family Catholic Worker House in Kansas City, Missouri as part of the Urban Plunge."The experience was as enriching for me as it was for the people I was helping," Belin said. Belin said she prepared meals and interacted with guests at the Holy Family House. "I came to realize that the guests not only needed a warm meal and a place to stay but that they also needed companionship and the feeling of belonging to a community," said Belin. Belin said her Urban Plunge experience, with its emphasis on Catholic Social Teaching, prompted her to think about the inherent dignity of all people and ways in which poverty can be combated. She said the experience motivated her to become involved in South Bend community outreach programs and apply all that she learned from Urban Plunge to her service work. Sophomore Sarah Witt volunteered in Indianapolis, at the Ronald McDonald House and a local soup kitchen called Bread and Bowl. Witt said the program helped her put a "face" to poverty and understand the needs of her community. "You can always learn the facts about homelessness, but Urban Plunge gives you the opportunity to do so much more. It gives you the opportunity to go out and interact with people affected by poverty and hear their stories" Witt said. Witt said the preparatory classes were especially helpful in allowing her to understand urban poverty and fully embrace the Urban Plunge experience. "Several speakers came to our classes to help us grasp the complexity of the issue," Witt said. "We had some speakers come in who had formerly been homeless. They talked to us about their experiences and ways that we can help fight poverty. It was really powerful." Junior Mayra Martinez said learning about urban poverty through the lens of Catholic social tradition enhanced her plunge experience working with Chicago's Southwest Organizing Project. "I got to see a side of poverty in my hometown that I didn't know was there. That type of exposure to poverty issues is really valuable," Martinez said. Faulstich said she encourages all students to apply to the program. "Being a good student is about more than just thriving in academics, its about learning how to make an impact in the world around you and contributing to the common good," she said. "Urban plunge will teach you about solidarity and you will learn a lot about yourself in the process." The application deadline for Urban Plunge is Nov. 1.  

Peace Corps veteran reflects on time in Thailand

In 1961, the senior class of St. Francis Xavier University sat in their gaps and gowns and listened to President John F. Kennedy state he was going to start an organization that would send young volunteers overseas to help other people. 

ND competes in blood drive

Notre Dame students will have an opportunity to provide a lifesaving resource while also besting a rival during next week's Notre Dame versus USC blood drive competition.

Professor analyzes Christianity and sex slavery

Student government responds to sexual assaults

CRIME ALERT: Sexual Assault Reported. 

Saint Mary's alumna serves the U.S. Virgin Islands

Editor's Note: This is the fifth story in a series featuring Notre Dame and Saint Mary's graduates serving as members of Congress. This series, titled "Trading Golden Dome for Capitol Dome," will run on Fridays. 

Journalist discusses French concept of seduction