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A nationwide epidemic

By The Observer · Sunday, March 6, 2011

I've noticed a few articles in The Observer these past few days concerning the non-athlete shirt and there were a few issues I feel compelled to address.

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The MR degree

By The Observer · Sunday, March 6, 2011

The Viewpoints "The anti-MRS" (Mar. 1) and "MRS degree is alive and well" (Mar. 3) have both left me furious. It is the 21st century! What happened to gender equality, Title IX, the Equal Pay Act? Why is the MRS degree getting all the attention while the male equivalent MR degree remains on the sidelines? It is time that we raised the level of public discourse to the point where women's and men's issues are both discussed civilly. It is time that we recognized the MR degree as every bit as prestigious as the MRS degree.

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The topic of all topics

By The Observer · Sunday, March 6, 2011

In pondering the next Notre Dame issue I would tackle for this week's column, I could not help but realize that I had yet to enlighten the campus on my thoughts concerning the ultimate topic at Notre Dame — gender relations. Now, there are several facets of this topic that I could touch upon — freshman-year relationships, the supposed hook up culture, long-distance relationships, the incorrect definition many have of a feminist, the incessant need for a relationship versus the incessant need to avoid relationships, the hypocrisy with which many men treat women and so on. But if I have learned one thing from my professors here, it is to be concise and narrowly focused when writing.

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Please be courteous

By The Observer · Sunday, March 6, 2011

The last few days at lunch have been frustrating for me in one way: I haven't found a Chicago Tribune anywhere. Not at 11 a.m. and not at 1:30 p.m. Only last week there were a good four or more sitting in the return tray!

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Thank you

By The Observer · Thursday, March 3, 2011

When we use this space to talk about our work at The Observer, there's a tendency to focus on the nuances, if not the nuisances, that make the publication of a daily college newspaper a unique challenge.

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Return the respect

By The Observer · Thursday, March 3, 2011

I want to believe that you wrote in with good intentions, but I found your letter to the editor ("Let's be fair," Mar. 3), far more condescending than helpful. In your letter you explain that Saint Mary's students do your "premier university" a disservice when we equate the two schools, as "Notre Dame students have performed simply extraordinary feats in academics, community service, athletics and other areas." Claiming this as a point of distinction between our two schools is as inaccurate as it is intellectually dishonest. The women of Saint Mary's College have also accomplished "extraordinary feats," and we continue to carry over this tradition of excellence into our college years and beyond.

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Let's be real

By The Observer · Thursday, March 3, 2011

When I announced that I would be attending Saint Mary's, I was surprisingly often met with the response, "Isn't that the imposter Notre Dame?" Simply put, Saint Mary's is not Notre Dame nor should it be. The schools are indeed similar in their use of brick and their goal to achieve education of the mind without sacrifice of the heart. However, they offer vastly different academic opportunities with one school's style and efforts not inherently being better than the other's.

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Why can't we be friends?

By The Observer · Thursday, March 3, 2011

Let me assure you ("Let's be fair," Mar. 3), that if you were attempting to write an article that does not slight "the intelligence or effort" of Saint Mary's women you have failed miserably. Here at Saint Mary's we hold the same values and work just as hard if not harder than our neighbor across the street. Saint Mary's women equate the two schools because the schools are extremely similar. To say that I belong in a different league than you is demeaning and incredibly wrong. Just because you go to Notre Dame does not mean that you are any better than me. You don't know me and it's obvious you don't anything about the women here at Saint Mary's. When you arrogantly refer to Saint Mary's as the Fighting Illini and Notre Dame as the Chicago Bulls you are overlooking just how similar our learning institutions actually are. What you fail to realize is that we are in the exact same league; in fact we should be on the exact same team. I love both Notre Dame and Saint Mary's and I am proud of our historical connection. Only once everyone starts to accept the fact that both learning institutions are incredible prestigious can we all move forward.

The Observer

The freedom to be an ideological hypocrite

By The Observer · Thursday, March 3, 2011

The U.S. Supreme Court this week handed down an almost unanimous landmark ruling in Snyder v. Phelps. The 8-1 decision upheld, as First Amendment protected public discourse, a small church's hate-filled shouts and picketing at the funeral of a Marine killed in Iraq in 2006. The Westboro Baptist Church's leader, Fred Phelps, led many protests in which he and followers sullied funerals of fallen warriors with signs like "You're going to hell" — a perverse hypocritical religious profession that death in war is God's way of punishing the U.S. tolerance of homosexuality. It is difficult to find even the most ardent advocates of free speech who are delighted that the court approved such a classless ploy as protesting at private military funerals. The venomous tactics Phelps, a so-called church pastor, employs reeks with hypocrisy in the face of the overriding Christian tenet of love.

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Implications of the "non-athlete" shirt

By The Observer · Thursday, March 3, 2011

I agree with both of your viewpoints ("Non-athlete shirts a reminder," Mar. 1) and ("Prejudice runs deeper," Mar. 2). The isolation and pain that stirs inside of you when people assume you are at Notre Dame only because you are an athlete is something that you do not share alone. It is a terrible feeling and it disrespects both your intelligence and hard work. Alex, you make a great point noting that most of our society is not accustomed to seeing African-Americans as intelligent. Looking at the media and in the news, most positive images of African-Americans are either of those in sports or entertainment.

The Observer

Let's be fair

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

In a conversation with his girlfriend in "The Social Network," Mark Zuckerberg sums up the opinion held by many Notre Dame students: "You don't have to study because you go to BU" (substitute Saint Mary's here for Boston University). Notre Dame-Saint Mary's relations have seemingly always been strained, and mostly because of condescending remarks and attitudes like these from Notre Dame students. The recently addressed stereotype of the "MRS degree" does not help Saint Mary's students feel less slighted, and neither does the assumption that Saint Mary's girls are not challenged academically. It's called higher learning for a reason, and it is unfair for us to believe that substandard scholarship exists across the street.

The Observer

MRS degree is alive and well

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

As someone with friends coming from a long line of women who earned, and were awarded, the prestigious MRS degree from the University of Notre Dame, I am offended by the comments made in the Viewpoint "Anti-MRS Degree" by a woman of Saint Mary's. I respectfully disagree that there is no longer a MRS degree. In fact, the top reason for my choosing to attend Notre Dame was the 54/46 percent ratio (according to US News and World Report) of men to women, and definitely not that I would receive superior education and develop a comprehensive business network upon graduation. I applied because the ratio increases the chances of earning an MRS degree. Now, as a woman of Notre Dame accepted on my own merit, I am indignant to the statement that no MRS degree exists. Without an MRS degree available, I, and many of my female peers, would not continue to subject ourselves to the grueling coursework, and hurtful comments about Notre Dame girls being ugly and prude if there were not some other benefit. The only reason I go to class, or even shave my legs in the winter, is to find a nice, smart Notre Dame man to make me his wife. There is such a thing as an MRS degree. If you go to Saint Mary's, you are clearly going about earning it the wrong way –– Notre Dame obviously accepts men and women. So, I beg of you, why would I want a job when I can find a man to take care of me? What kind of job can you even get as a woman with a major in IT Management, like the one I am pursuing? Men make more money than women in the same job position anyway, so why try? You know this is true; it is also the reason I never leave my room without make-up or in sweats. You know what, Notre Dame men? Give me an MRS degree. I'll make you a sandwich, and I'll make it happily.

The Observer

Revive the organ

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I would like to sincerely thank Suzanna Pratt for her photo essay on the organs housed in the Debartolo Performing Arts Center ("Keying In: The Reyes Organ and Choral Hall," March 1). The organs, especially the Fritts organ, are absolutely magnificent instruments that are so easily overlooked. Being an organist myself, I know firsthand how much the art of the organ is dying out. Churches all over the country and the world are tearing out their organs because of financial issues (they are very expensive to maintain), wanting more contemporary music, or simply that their organists are literally dying out. Ask anyone on the street (or in our case, quad) to describe an organist and they will most likely tell you that they think of a little, old, blue-haired lady hunched over the bench plunking out each hymn. There are so few young organists, which to me is a horrible shame. Notre Dame only has a small number of undergrad organists, let alone organ majors. So I ask all of you to go at least once in your career here at Notre Dame and attend an organ concert at DPAC. Sitting and looking at the magnificent woodwork while listening to the shear power of the sound that is produced from the Fritts organ is sure to give anyone a new appreciation for a dying art. And to all of my fellow organists, I ask you to keep up the good work and thank you for your dedication. I especially want to extend a thank you to Prof. Cramer for his enthusiasm, dedication, and direction to all of us who have had the honor of studying with him.

The Observer

Could you give it away?

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Guess what is extra-late this year, but will be here in six days? No, not Spring, silly; that's still more than two weeks away … if we're lucky. Mar, 9, Ash Wednesday, begins one of my favorite (call me crazy) times of the year: Lent. I think I enjoy Lent each year because of its stripped-down, no-nonsense, focus-on-the-basics sensibilities. It feels to me like a season that knows its own purpose, that refuses to be sidetracked by unnecessary diversions from the reason for its existence: the opportunity to prepare us all for Easter, for celebrating the reason for our existence.

The Observer

Thank you, anonymous boy

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Tuesday evening, I experienced a random act of kindness. Trying to join a friend to eat at the North Dining Hall, I accidentally brought an expired CoEx meal ticket. Preparing to sadly part ways with my friend, a guy who was leaving the dining hall overheard my dilemma and kindly gave up one of his meal swipes for me. In shock, I did not even think to thank this stranger for his unnecessary act until he was walking away. I'm embarrassed that I didn't react sooner and give him the thanks he deserves. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the incident since. It reminded me how much one random act of kindness can shed some light and change one's perspective. You never know when someone is in need of a sign of compassion to make it through the day. Especially with the upcoming Facebook event of "A Day of Peace," we all need a little reminder to pay it forward and spread some hope. So thank you again, anonymous boy, for your thoughtfulness that made my day. Pass it on.

The Observer

The Duke of Baseball

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

After my first column two months ago, a hero of mine and former sports editor of the Los Angeles Times complimented me for my effort.

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Notre Dame, Hike, Hike, Hike

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I don't know if you read the paper the other day, but once again tuition rates at our fine school have gone up 3.8 percent, or more simply it is now $2,180 more expensive to get the same education you bought last year. This is a downward trend from a 5.9 percent increase in 2008-09, and 4.4 percent increase in 2009-10. In fact, the price of my senior year is going to be 13.1 percent more expensive than the price of my freshman year, a net increase totaling $6,125. If I were to pay the freshman year rate, my total tuition with on-campus living would be $186,720. With the increases over time, I actually pay $199,085, a total increase of $12,365 over four years. Taking into account an annual inflation rate of 1 to 2 percent in recent years, this is a vast overcharge for what is supposed to be a non-profit institution.

The Observer

Don't assume

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Holden ("Non-athlete shirts," Mar. 1) and Alex ("Prejudice runs deeper," Mar. 2),

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