Campus News and Hall Notes

January - March 2008

Mar. 30, 2008

Campus News:

This year, for the first time in school history, some courses are being taught inside residence halls. Lounges in O'Neill and McGlinn Halls are currently being used as classrooms for a variety of courses. Classes include a literature University seminar, a "Great Books" seminar, and several Portuguese courses. The lounges are only used as classrooms during mid-day hours because of a lack of teaching space. The associate provost stated: "There is tremendous demand on this campus for classes which meet anytime between 10am and 2pm on Monday through Thursday, and Notre Dame does not have enough classroom space to meet the demand."

Classes in dorms was first considered in November 2006. The McGlinn and O'Neill rectors initiated the discussion with the associate provost and several faculty members. The plan was accepted and the proposal was taken to the respective hall councils. It also received support from the Provost's Office and the Office of Student Affairs.

A benefit of teaching in dorms is the "increased integration of the campus' residential life and its academic one." The associate provost continued: "In the way that many students don't always feel comfortable walking into the office of a faculty member, many faculty members have never set foot in a residence hall." These classes break down some of these barriers and formalities and provide a place for informal conversation and intellectual dialogue.

Only a few residence halls have spaces that could be used as classrooms. This classroom idea is being implemented into the construction of Duncan Hall which will open next year. It will have specific space that can function as both a lounge and a classroom.

Campus Watch from the South Bend Tribune:

It turns out the Washington State men's basketball coach is a big fan of the Irish. He totally got a kick out of hearing the band play the Victory March. Coach Tony Bennett was reminded of watching football games when Lou Holtz paced the sidelines. He recalled the ND-Wazzu football game in 2003, when the Cougars were coached by Bill Doba, a Michiana native. Bennett also recalled his time spent in the NBA as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. At that time one of the team's assistant coaches was former Irish guard Bill Hanzlik. "He always talked a lot about Notre Dame," Hanzlik said. "That's all I heard about."

Hall Notes:

Now that all the rooms have cable, there really isn't much of an incentive to tap into a rector's line. But back in the day, cable only went to the rector and the 24-hour lounge. Well, during sophomore year we were right next to the assistant rector. We were also between the rector and the 24-hour lounge. Well, there was only one cable line and it ran between the two. It also happened to run a few feet below our Dome-side window. Myself, Dean Busack, and Jim "Sweet Baby" Zawada called 211 home and we felt the need to assess the situation. Dean did reconnaissance from the exterior. I recall Sweet B opening the window and Dean calling up for a clipboard so that he could make a sketch of the wiring. Sweet B tossed something down. I was up in my loft. He made the drop and I heard a SMACK! Zawada yelled out, "Nice catch." I inquired, "Did he catch it?" Almost instantly Sweet B groused, "Hell no." The timing and the tone were perfect. It may not seem that funny but at the time I laughed my arse off.

Mar. 23, 2008

Campus News:

More about the campus going green.

Students are pushing to make lighting changes on campus. As part of a entrepreneurial studies business plan competition, two seniors developed a business model that is currently being used to find conservation potential on campus. The model suggests the creation of a website called "Green Counts." The site will determine the energy savings for switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs. The site would provide the opportunity to purchase the bulbs directly. The plan reaches out to non-profits, community centers, and schools, offering discounted bulbs to these organizations. The model also includes the establishment of Green Counts taskforces. One of those taskforces is being conducted in Lewis Hall. A test case if currently underway to determine "how much of a financial savings [Lewis] would have by switching to these bulbs." An inventory was taken of all the light bulbs and a report is in the works.

The energy conservation projects will move forward once the director of the Office of Sustainability is selected. The Trustees recently approved different positions for the Office. The director "will build institutional learning capacities to support continuous improvement in building design and operations, landscaping, procurement, energy and water conservation, waste disposal and recycling and service provision." The purpose of the green loan fund is "to provide capital for environmental improvements in both campus buildings and operations, illustrating a long-term commitment to sustainability efforts." Projects that receive money from the loan can earn benefits and funds that can be put back into the fund to finance future initiatives.

Campus Watch by Me:

Charlie is doling out scholarship offers left and right. Two offers caught my attention. We have offered an offensive lineman from Utah and a linebacker from Hawaii. What's different about these players? They are both Mormon. I understand the Utah angle but didn't see the Hawaiian one coming. The linebacker is not just a Hawaiian in residency. His last name is Te'o and he's certainly of the islands. The Utah prospect's name also had apostrophes and is so unique I cannot possibly spell it correctly off the top of my head. Charlie has informed both that he understands they may leave for a mission and he completely understands. I wonder if Weis is informing them that we had a Muslim player in Ryan Harris and that we are open to all faiths. I hope it works because the Hawaiian 'backer is an absolute beast. But he's also a smart, respectful kid who is also very religious. Sounds like a perfect fit.

Hall Notes:

Aaaaah, St. Patrick's Day. For the first time in three years, the University did not have spring break over March 17. That takes me back to off-campus memories of St. Patrick's Day from the mid '90s. As I recall, there was a photo on the front page of The Observer of police dogs in action. I guess that party got a little out of control. I believe that was the last straw and the University went out of its way to move Spring Break over the 17th as often as it could. What does this have to do with Vermin? I don't know. I'm guessing there are some stories out there. All I know is I was picked up by a partial Vermin Bookstore team that went by the name "Five Guys That Didn't Get Busted at Lafayette" (or something like that). The Lafayette off-campus apartments were hosting the party that was later crashed by authoritative canines. I guess the Vermin were clever enough to avoid the police, hence the Bookstore name.

NDSportscenter:

The fencing team finished second at the NCAA Championships. Last year we were fourth. This year we did qualify the maximum number of fencers allowed. Of our six men and six women, we claimed two champions for women's sabre and women's epee. Second place is very respectable considering seven of our twelve fencers were freshmen.

The hockey team claimed a first round bye in the CCHA Tournament. In the second round we faced Ferris State. We were the higher seed but the Bulldogs had given us a beatdown in the regular season. This post-season series was a best of three. The Michigan school put us in the hole after a 2-1 defeat. The team bounced back with wins of 6-3 and 2-1. The series win most likelyl secured us a spot in the NCAA Tournament. But next was Miami of Ohio in the CCHA Final Four at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. We went into the game ranked #12 (they were #3) and carrying a record of 24-14-4.

The women's basketball team qualified for its 13th straight NCAA Tournament. The lady Irish received a #5 seed with their 23-8 record. Not bad considering they laid an egg in the first round of the Big East Tournament by losing to Pittsburgh. Our first round opponent was Southern Methodist University.

Mar. 16, 2008

Campus News:

The University is now taking aggressive steps to go green. The Office of Sustainability was recently established with a $2 million green loan fund. There is also an Energy and Environmental Issues committee. Numerous projects are planned and they focus on waste disposal, recycling, environmentally friendly landscaping and buildings, and water and energy conservation. About 25 buildings (40 percent of the gross square footage of campus) are currently being audited to identify potential conservation projects for the future. These buildings include the library, Flanner, the Stadium, and the Snite. These older buildings have constant volume air handling systems (example: meant to hold 200, air control for 200 whether present or not). These buildings may be renovated to variable air volume handling systems.

Lighting can be adjusted by replacing fixtures, re-ballasting, and re-lamping existing fixtures. Incandescent light bulbs could be transitioned to compact fluorescent bulbs (one-fifth the energy input). Fluorescent bulbs can last up to 10,000 hours. The average incandescent bulb runs about 750 hours. Inefficient lighting has become a national issue. Congress' Clean Energy Act of 2007 includes an item "to prohibit the sale of certain inefficient light bulbs, and require the development of a plan for increasing the use of more efficient light bulbs by consumers and businesses."

Students are taking their own steps to make lighting changes on campus. More next week on student plans to make dorm life more green.

Campus Watch by Me:

Unfortunately there has been talk about Luke Harangody possibly turning pro. These are not legitimate stories. They are merely a yarn to spin by sportswriters. Supposedly Luke was quoted as being non-commital about coming back next year. He said he had to consider his options at the end of the season and have discussions with coach and family. Well, that seems to have been smartly dismissed. It is now being said that it's a sure they that Harangody will be back next year. This comes on the heels of a recent story telling of Luke's first summer at ND. He started the summer after high school. Before his first year of college he was in summer school and playing ball with the upperclassmen. Apparently Rob Kurz was owning him. Luke had a heart-to-heart discussion with his father after a rough summer of basketball. He told his father he did not believe he had what it takes. Luke said he would be nothing more than a bench player at ND. This past Tuesday Harangody was named the Big East Player of the Year.

Hall Notes:

Part 2 of "Gravity, Thy Enemy: The Story of Pimpi Diaz Falling Out of Lofts"...

"The second one was later on in the year, we had been either to a party or some such the night before, and I was still drunk the following morning. As I was waking up and trying to make my way down the ladder, I missed everything, and once again, came crashing down. And then the third time was up in 414 when I lived with Krebs and Kloska, we didn't have carpeting down in the room, so the ladder was constantly slipping because it had nothing to hold it down on the floor. Well, one morning, I didn't look and as soon as I put my weight on the ladder, it slipped right out from under me and down I went."

Great recollections. They are funny because it wasn't me.

NDSportscenter:

Not only did Luke Harangody win the Player of the Year, but Mike Brey won Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. Luke's honor was our first since Troy Murphy in 2002 and 2003. Harangody is also the first since Murphy to lead the league in both scoring and rebounding. Luke was the Big East Player of the Week three times this year. No player could match that. Brey is the first repeat winner since Seton Hall's P.J. Carlesimo in '87-'88 and '88-'89.

Brey's squad finished with a Big East record of 14-4. It's our best conference performance ever. We finished in a tie for second but received the #3 seed in the Big East Tournament because of the tie breaker. Our fortunes changed for the better during the season when forward Zach Hillesland replaced forward Ryan Ayers in the starting lineup. We won 11 of our final 13 regular season games. Over the last two years only Georgetown and Louisville have more conference wins. The Irish played spectacular team ball this year. The squad led the nation in assists with 19.1 per game.

More basketball news: We have a second recruiting commitment. In addition to swingman Joey Brooks out of Houston, Jack Cooley of Glenview, Illinois has pledged to play for the Irish. Cooley is a 6'8", 210 lb power forward. The Scout three-star prospect attends Glenbrook South High School. Jack had offers from Illinois and Wisconsin. But both Jack and Joey are only juniors. We currently have no senior high school recruits for next year. This year's team will only lose center Rob Kurz.

Mar. 9, 2008

Campus News:

Construction on the Irish Green, a park south of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC), will resume this spring. It will hopefully be completed for the beginning of the Fall 2008 semester. Money for the project has come from an anonymous donor. The Irish Green has been planned all along as part of the 2002 Campus Plan. The plan aims to allow the University to "expand in a way that retains the character of the campus, but also does not prevent or stifle growth."

The park will contain 200 large specimen trees, a lawn, and a terrace extending from the DPAC that "will act as a place for receptions, performances, and other special events." Pathways will meander through the lawn and terrace. There will also be a monument that has yet to be designed.

The completion of the Irish Green will coincide with the beginning of the construction on the Eddy Street Commons. The University hopes the Irish Green will serve as a link between the campus and the South Bend residential community.

In other news, actor and human rights activist Martin Sheen has been awarded the University's Laetare Medal for 2008. The medal is the oldest honor bestowed on American Catholics. Sheen will receive the medal at the 163rd Commencement on May 18. Sheen, who's legal name is Roman Gerardo Antonio Estevez (Spanish father, Irish mother), is a peace activist, an abortion opponent, and a student of Catholic social teaching. Sheen's most recent television role was as the President of the United States on "The West Wing." His character was a Notre Dame graduate.

Campus Watch from The Wire:

There is an update on the football player busted for drunk driving. Tight end Will Yeatman pled guilty to reckless driving and drunken driving. The charge of criminal recklessness was dismissed. It was the most serious charge and could have carried a maximum one year in prison. If Will stays out of trouble for a year, the drunken driving charge will be dismissed. All charges are misdemeanors. The drunken driving could mean six months in prison and the reckless driving sixty days. This plea agreement also includes anywhere from one to three drug tests and attending a drunk driving victims session. Yeatman must also have ignition interlock equipment placed on his car for six months. He's got to blow to go.

Hall Notes:

I had recalled correctly. Cris "Pimpi" Diaz '96 had fallen out of the loft. Multiple times. I was going to try to shape these into a story of my own telling. But I like the way Pimpi just listed them out. Quick to the point. Quite amusing. Here goes...

"As far as the loft stories go, I can clearly remember 3 different occasions where I fell. There may have been more, but there's only three that I can remember. The first was early on Frosh year, we had built the loft in 207, and it was one of those mornings I was hurrying to get to my 8am Comp & Lit class in O'Shag (attendance taken). I was still sleepy, trying to hurry, and simply missed the ladder all together and came down with a thud. Needless to say, anybody that was in the room, as well as in the TV lounge downstairs heard me that morning."

NDSportscenter:

Trevor Laws did well at the NFL Combine. He did 35 bench reps of 225 lbs. That was behind only two other prospects out of 333. Zibby did 24 reps, good for second among defensive backs. He also ran a 4.52 - 40, which was considered solid. John Carlson did not impress with his speed or strength. But he was given a bit of a pass because he was working back from a major illness. Carlson will need to perform well at ND's Pro Day on Mar. 19. Carlson and Laws are projected as round 2 selections. Zibby is projected anywhere from 3rd to whenever.

Basketball legend Austin Carr was recently honored at halftime of a men's basketball game. Carr was recently inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame. ESPN also honored Carr by naming him the 22nd best college player of all-time. Austin still holds the NCAA tournament single game scoring record with 61 points. He is our all-time leading scorer with 2,560 points. Over Carr's 3-year varsity career, he averaged 34.6 ppg.

The men's basketball team is one of the top four teams in the Big East this year. We earned a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament. Do you know where we were ranked in the Big East pre-season poll? Ninth. We got no love. Buke Luke Harangody is getting nothing but love. He is considered the third best power forward in the country and the front-runner for the Big East Player of the Year. Expect Luke to be named an All American.

Mar. 2, 2008

Campus News:

It's no surprise that tuition costs will increase next year. During its winter meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a 4.8 percent tuition increase for the 2008-09 academic year. That will bring the total cost to $36,340. The average room and board cost will be $9,828. The grand total will be $46,168. According to administrators its the lowest percentage increase since 1960. Graduate and professional school tuition will also increase by 4.8 percent. Graduate School will cost $36,420. The Law School and the Master's of Business Administration Program will increase to $37,190.

Because of the increasing tuition costs, the University continues to expand financial aid. Over the past 18 years, financial aid has risen from $55 million to $72 million. That 13 percent increase compares to tuition increases of five to six percent. Our endowment is currently worth more than $6 billion, of which $1 to $1.5 billion is used for scholarships. We are currently in the midst of a fundraising campaign to collect $1.5 billion in donations by 2011. The campaign's largest component will be used to provide undergraduate scholarships.

Our financial aid program is unique due to its three "premier policies." First, the University does not consider one's ability to pay tuition when deciding whether or not to accept a student. Second, the University is committed to meet the full demonstrated financial need of accepted students. Third, the University allows outside scholarships to reduce the student's need to take out loans for his or her education. The University does whatever it can to make Notre Dame affordable to all those who dream of attending and are accepted. Campus Watch Contined from last week...

This would have made more sense had he been in a single, one-bedroom, but no, the Gipp wouldn't be telling this story if that were the case. Allowing for his physical desires to trump the emotional status of his hotel-mate, he proceeds to engage in a passionate "I'm only in New Orleans for an engineering trip once" festivity. They do say the party never ends. After a wonderful evening of whatever-one-might-call-it, the newly minted man, his new companion and terrified roommate stroll in for breakfast at 7:00am, exchanging warm greetings with the rest of his class. They don't call him D-Bauchery for nothing, and what happened next took a cocktail mix of aplomb and moxie the likes of which has never been seen.

He strolls inot the breakfast room holding the woman's hand and proceeds to introduce her to his professor as his cousin. Now, a lot of gnarly stuff goes on in Louisiana; however, cousin-on-cousin action is not sanctioned in the state by-laws. That's reserved for Tennessee and Arkansas. The Gipp's coy of ole du Lac is quite weathered, and a few pages are torn out, but he's fairly certain this behavior is not condoned by Our Lady. Nevertheless, atten-hut! We salute you, technologically, mathematically and scientifically adept practical problem solver.

Hall Notes:

So how many of you ever fell out of the loft back in the day? I'll have to admit I was a tad apprehensive as a freshman. I never did the top-bed-in-a-bunk-bed thing. Three feet was my max height for a night's slumber. No ladder necessary. After that first week of high sleeping I was good to go. But I still never got over the side "rail." The "rail" was maybe a whole two inches above the mattress. Yeah, that'll save you from an inadvertent rollover. Somehow all of our bodies knew how to stay up and avoid dangerous situations. Maybe it's a Catholic thing. Cut to senior year. I had a single. Fairly spacious room. I disassembled the loft and put the bed on the floor by the window on Dome side. Well, apparently my subconscious relaxed when it wasn't in the presence of a ladder. One night I rolled over and fell out of bed. Son of a.... It wasn't much of a fall. My descent was partially broken by an illegal microwave and a box of kleenex. But I totally stuck the landing.

Hopefully next weekend I can dig up a story or two about some loft falls. Yes, Pimpi, I'm talking about you.

NDSportscenter:

The women's swimming and diving team won its 12th consecutive Big East Championship. The team dominated with 767 points. Second place tallied 239.5 points. Head coach and Domer Carrie Nixon was named conference Coach of the Year. The men's swimming and diving team also won the Big East Championship. Our first place total of 820 points beat second place by 205 points. It's the team's third conference title in four years. Head coach Tim Welsh was named the Coach of the Year.

The University and ISP Sports have signed a 10-year business partnership in which ISP will become the new exclusive national rights holder for football radio broadcasts. The deal begins this fall and runs through 2017. ISP will manage, produce, and syndicate the radio network. The broadcast team has yet to be named. ISP takes over for Westwood One, which had held Irish football radio rights since 1968.

Last Sunday anywhere from 70 to 100 junior football prospects were on campus. They occupied an entire bleacher section at the Syracuse basketball game. They traveled on two Excursion charter buses. Players came from as far away as Texas. Many players were offered scholarships, but we did not yield any commitments. Yet.

Speaking of the Syracuase game, guard Kyle McAlarney set a school record with 9 three-pointers in a single game. The win extended our home winning streak. We currently have the second longest streak, behind only BYU. At halftime of the game, the 1978 Final Four team was honored. Coach Digger Phelps was on the mic and gave props to the fans and students.

Feb. 24, 2008

Campus News:

In mid-December the University finished evaluating 4,288 early admission applications. Of those, approximately 1,150, or 35 percent, were offered early admission. Those students boasted some impressive averages. The average SAT score was 1452 (on a 1600-point scale) and the average ACT score was 33 (on a 36 point scale). The average class ranking was within the top three percent.

The Admissions department expects the number of total applications to be down 3 percent from last year. Some of the early applicants were deferred to the regular decision admissions process with the majority of high school seniors. The regular process allows for a decision by Admissions in late March.

The University has done more to reach out to prospective students. Obviously there is calling and emailing but there are also chatrooms and chat times for admissions and First Year of Studies representatives to give information about things like FYS and financial aid. There are Open House programs on four different weekends. The University will host three different Spring Visitation Programs for minority students. Two Reilly Visitation Weekends will bring in the most academically-talented students. One weekend will be for science and one for engineering. The Hesburgh International Scholars program will bring in possible international students from Latin America. About 20 students will be invited with all expenses paid. They will experience being a student for two full days and stay with current international students. This is the first year for the program. Once it has been established it will be opened to other international communities.

Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:

Our candidate for Gipper Award of the Year must have certainly gone through a self-evaluative period post-trip down to the land of burnin' bourbon, unsteady levees and all things lecherously debauched. So, during some downtime on a recent engineering trip to New Orleans, the students took up a scholarly interest in Bourbon Street - the Bermuda Triangle of a city where each of the Ten Commandments posses and extra "not" (think it through, don't overtax your mental capacities).

On the third-and-final night of the trip. one of our young engineering students (a steady church-goer with a wild side, nicknamed D-Bauchery) met a fine bayou queen roaming the street. Let's call her Big Easy. As most of these stories tend to go, the seductress was 29, recently divorced, the proud owner of five Siamese cats and, as luck would have it, lived one block off Bourbon street in a little side alley she kept referring to as "Pleasure Lane." (Oh, she was a subtle one, that Big Easy.)

But our protagonist, well-instructed from the days of his youth on the dangers of going home with a stranger, especially one trying to give him such delicious candy, prudently brought her back to the hotel in which all the students, professors, and TAs were staying.

To be continued...

Hall Notes:

Winter tends to bring out the creative in the Vermin. Why walk to the dining hall when you can drive? Every weekend. All winter. That was the plan for some '97 Vermin. The trick was to get the car on campus Friday and keep it there until Sunday afternoon. Once we learned the trick of the trade we were golden.

Dean Busack owned a black, sleek Honda. I (Dan Delgado) rode shotgun and scouted traffic. The easy way on was the north gate along Douglas back by where the seminary is located. But that's not open every weekend. Luckily the gate across from St. Mary's is largely unmonitored. We passed the gate a few times to make sure the po-po weren't in the area. Duck in. Cut the lights. Pop the gate by hand and shoot the gap. Never busted. Michael Jackson would be proud. We were smooth criminals. Did you know Saturday and Sunday brunch and Saturday dinner actually taste better when you drive to SDH? True. That florida lemon cake was twice as nice and the buffalo chicken wings were extra drippy. Well worth the clandestine behavior during the chillier months.

NDSportscenter:

Four players participated in the NFL Combine. The Indianapolis event is by invite only. We were represented by tight end John Carlson, defensive lineman Trevor Laws, safety Tom Zbikowski, and center John Sullivan. Carlson has recovered from his sickness and re-gained the lost weight. He is considered the second best tight end in the draft. Trevor is projected for the third or fourth round. His heart overcomes his supposedly limited size. Zibby will most likely make a team because of his special teams abilities. His tackling and cover skills are questioned by many. It's not a deep year for centers so Sullivan doesn't face a lot of competition. If you draft him, just don't go into the shotgun.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Allan "Bud" Selig was the main speaker at our Feb. 12 Opening Night Dinner to begin our baseball season.

We landed the #1 recruit for women's soccer. Forward Melissa Henderson of Garland, Texas is considered the top high school player in the country. She has been on the U.S. Under-17 National Team. In 47 career games at Berkner High School, Melissa recorded 66 goals and 45 assists. Henderson was the only junior ever named Gatorade's women's soccer National Player of the Year.

Feb. 17, 2007

Campus News:

More than three years ago, prominent Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan was barred from entering the country to take a tenured teaching position at the University. At the end of January, a federal judge in New York ruled that the government had legitimate reasons to deny Ramadan's visa. A lawsuit had been filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that claimed the government used an unconstitutional portion of the Patriot Act to deny the work visa. Judge Paul A. Crotty of the Federal District Court in Manhattan dismissed the lawsuit. The ACLU claimed the portion of the Patriot Act denying visa to people who "endorse or espouse terrorist activity" was unconstitutional. The judge ruled the visa was revoked because Ramadan had given $1,336 to a Swiss charity later designated as a terrorist group. Ramadan claims he was unaware of any terrorist activity and solely gave the money as humanitarian aid. In a letter he claimed that "donations were made between December 1998 and July 2002, and the United States did not blacklist the charities until 2003."

Ramadan had been named the Luce professor of religion, conflict, and peace-building at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. He had initially been granted a visa after passing background checks by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department. Now he is teaching a course of Islam in the modern world at the University of Oxford in England. He is also a visiting professor at Erasmus University in the Netherlands. Some consider him a liberal Muslim scholar who has spoken for religious tolerance. Others accuse him of spreading Islamic militant ideas.

The Luce professorship has remained unfilled since Ramadan resigned in December 2004. The University will begin the search for a suitable candidate this year.

Campus Watch from the Wire:

Got some bad news about one of our football players. Tight end Will Yeatman was busted driving a car on a campus sidewalk with his headlights off. And his blood alcohol level was at 0.11. Will was arrested at 2:49 am on January 28. Yeatman, 19, was charged with a misdemeanor count of drunk driving and criminal recklessness. He was released on a $250 cash bond. Will has been suspended from athletics indefinitely. In addition to football, Yeatman also stars on the lacrosse team. He has a court date on February 25. A University punishment has yet to be announced.

Hall Notes:

I've got another Carroll winter story. It's brief and hopefully amusing...

The walk to Carroll in the winter was a tough one for non-Northerners. I'm completely blanking on this one gent's name but his Vermin nickname was "Naughty." He was a senior when I was a freshman. Naughty was always good for a laugh. As I recall he was from Texas. Winter in the Bend was rough on Naughty. He was prepared, though. He had a sizeable coat and a tight fitting stocking cap. Naughty would pull that cap as far down as he could. He'd also tuck his chin in his coat. There was barely any flesh available for the harsh elements. Well, apparently there was so small of an opening that Naughty's breath had a hard time escaping and it would go up into his eyes which were already partially covered by his cap. On one especially cold day Naughty was having a tough time getting to the dorm. I remember my Minnesota upbringing aiding me in my winter travels. I was able to pass Naughty when he begged for assistance. "Help!....My eyes are frozen shut." His exhaling was putting moisture in his eyes and hat and it was freezing. True. It made sense. I was wondering why he was walking along like Stevie Wonder.

NDSportscenter:

Charlie had a press conference this past week and announced changes within the football program. Weis will pass the play- calling to offensive coordinator Mike Haywood. Charlie will focus on being the overall head coach and oversee everything. He will continue as the quarterbacks coach and also be an assistant special teams coach. To aid in our special teams, Charlie plans to meet with Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer in the off-season. Charlie also wants to be more approachable to the players. These changes come on the heels of Weis having a heart-to-heart discussion with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Corwin Brown will still call the defensive plays and will coach the defensive backs (his specialty). New coach Jon Tenuta will aid Corwin and coach the linebackers. Brian Polian will move from the linebackers to only coaching special teams.

Three football players will also give baseball a try. Quarterback/firstbaseman Evan Sharpley is a veteran of the baseball team. He will be joined by receiver/outfielder Golden Tate and punter/pitcher Eric Maust.

We will have two junior days for high school prospects. The first will be February 24. A second will be held in March.

Two players have had their careers ended by injury. Defensive end Darrell Hand (spinal cord) and offensive tackle Bartley Webb (shoulder) are no longer with the team. They will have medical scholarships that will not count against the team total. The scholarships will require them to get campus jobs. Hand is a junior. Webb is a sophomore who never played a down. Webb hopes to get a campus job working for the football team.

Feb. 10, 2007

Campus News:

Very odd news came out of campus recently. Three dorms were mailed letters. Every resident of the dorms received the mailing. Lewis, Knott and zahm were the unlucky recipients. All letters were addressed to "Occupant" and they came from Pembina, North Dakota, a town of 642. In April 2007, the same man sent 354 letters to residents in seven different dorms at Ohio State University.

In response to the letters, Father Jenkins and Vice President for Student Affairs Father Mark Poorman sent an email dismissiing the letters as "blatant prejudice" and re-affirmed the University's stance on racism. Jenkins and Poorman said the letters "make the false and abhorrent argument that blacks are intellectually inferior to whites." The writer claims that "on average, blacks are less intelligent than whites and the reason why is genetic." The man cites books and magazine articles to support his argument. He said putting more resources into predominantly African-American schools will not result in "significant improvement" in these communities' levels of education. The man also condemns the U.S. decision to give aid to African countries.

Because of federal law, all the letters had to be delivered. It is not clear why the University was targeted.

In other news, 10 residences at Clover Ridge Apartments (formerly Campus View) and 11 at Stadium Club Condos were burglarized over winter break. Stolen items ranged from television sets to jars of change to pots and pans. Both complexes claim these are their first ever break-ins. Both places plan to hire additional security. Stadium Club had a private security detail circulating the property but the thieves were able to elude it. The complex will hire a new 24-hour security service and have a police officer living on the property.

Campus Watch from The Grapevine:

So another football recruiting season has come to an end. Once again we lost a recruit to Florida. The Gators coach is quickly showing himself to be quite the weasel. I'm pretty glad we did not obtain him to be our coach. I'll focus on one incident from this past recruiting season. And I'm not speaking of the player we lost. No, I'm referring to a player that committed to LSU. Apparently this was a top player in the state of Florida. At one time the player may have been interested in the Gators but he ultimately selected the Tigers. Well, this did not sit well with the Florida coaching staff. So here's the story...

The player in question had taken the ACT. He did not score very well. Something like 15. Well, he took the test again. This time he earned a 21. Wow. Six point jump. Not bad. Not impossible. But Florida thought something was fishy. So the Florida staff alerted the ACT to the jump. Yip. That's right. The coaches flagged the test for the ACT people. They totally ratted out the LSU recruit. They had no proof, mind you. No proof what-so-ever. They simply did not have the player as a recruit. So they snitched in a very weasel-like manner.

I prefer our coach.

Hall Notes:

Carroll in the winter is different than any other dorm. No other dorm is right on a lake. The lake calls to the Vermin. If it's frozen, they will come. Twas not uncommon to see footprints criss-crossing the southern edge of the lake. It's a much shorter distance to the library if you can cut across the lake. The best part of the footprints was that they continued. Steps began on land and then reached other land. That's good. If even I saw footprints that stopped, I would have been worried. Especially if they were mine.

I also found it interesting that often times there were two sets of footprints side by side. Individually, chances are these fellows would stick to the meandering path. But put the chaps together and suddenly a mutual challenge is thrown down. And the higher the temperatures, the more likely that alcohol is involved. If the temps are at 30 then intoxicants are most likely present. And that's why you're a wuss if you attend Duke.

NDSportscenter:

We ended up getting a 23rd recruit on Signing Day on Wednesday. Defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore originally committed to Texas A&M. A coaching change, though, opened the door for us. He had been interested in Kapron's services for a long time. He visited us recently but supposedly re-affirmed to A&M a couple of days later. Then all of a sudden he apparently de-committed again and the rumor was that he had silently chosen us. On Wednesday, Lewis-Moore sent us his National Letter of Intent. Rivals rates him at four stars. The Weatherford, Texas product is 6'4", 225 lbs and runs a 4.75 - 40.

Our Rivals average topped out at 3.96. That was the best overall average and had us with the #2 class. We passed Florida and their 22 players. We were bested only by Alabama, who has 31 players coming in next year. Scout had us with the #2 class also. This is Charlie's best class to date and the one that will put us over the top down the road. We had only 33 official visits to campus and Charlie sealed the deal with 23.

There is a coaching change to mention. Bill Lewis, 66, our defensive backs coach is retiring. He's not leaving, though. Lewis will move to a different position in the athletics community relations staff. We wasted no time in making a new hire. John Tenuta, the former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator, has come on board. Tenuta's official title is assistant head coach on defense. Tenuta became available after coach Chan Gailey was let go. Tenuta's Tech defense led the nation in sacks last year. We were near the bottom in sacks. Tech's defense was a major thorn in our side the last two years. Tenuta's schemes were highly desired by Charlie. And Corwin Brown is on board. Initially the concern was whether Tenuta would supplant Brown or be content to play second fiddle. All parties are committed to winning first and bickering never. We are set to tear it up this fall. Look out.

Feb. 3, 2008

Campus News:

The University Club is no more and last week a story made The Observer about how the donor's family felt snubbed. Robert Hayes Gore Sr. donated $350,000 in 1967 to build the club. He also donated a prized collection of beer steins and tankards that were kept at the club. Gore was not a Domer but six of his nine children attended the University.

The family felt snubbed when the University did not notify them at once about the club's planned destruction. Grandson Andrew Gore said, "The university shoed a lack of respect for its donors." The University acknowledged the misstep and through a spokesman said, "We made the mistake and didn't consult with the family in 2001." However, representatives met with the family numerous times before the club was razed. The University also sent a letter of apology to the family for not consulting them before finalizing the plans.

The steins and tankards were auctioned at a Chicago auction house. The sales raised $300,000 for scholarships for economically underprivileged children to attend Catholic schools. The items were in the club for nearly 40 years. The collection had gained significant prominence over the years. Phone and internet bids came in from around the globe. The family also won bids for a few pieces. A 26-inch tall ivory silver-gilt tankard made by Tiffany & Co. sold for $216,000 to a private bidder. The money went to the Gore Family Memorial Trust which will provide 25 scholarships a year.

Despite the complaints by the family, they were fine with the club's removal in favor of academics. The grandson stated, "Assuming the site [of the club] was the only available spot for an engineering building, no one would debate that [the demolition] was the right thing to do."

Campus Watch from The Grapevine:

So who heard the story about the inebriated ESPN anchor/ Michigan alum? Well, recently there was a roast of Mike & Mike of ESPN Radio. Apparently most everyone was pretty toasted. Not surprisingly for a Michigan alum. Anyway, Dana Jacobsen was heard saying "F*ck Notre Dame" and "F*ck Jesus." Wow. Nothing says class like a Michigan alum. ESPN came out and apologized after the story went national (even though it never made Sportscenter). Jacobsen was suspended a week. (Question: how many kegs can a Wolverine drain in a workless week?)

Oh, but the Michigan people were not done. At the ND-Michigan hockey game in Ann Arbor, the Wolverine student section was heard chanting "Dirty Catholics." Awwww, how cute. Not only has Michigan gone after West Virginia coaches, but apparently they are also going after Mountaineer hilljack behavior.

Hall Notes:

More on Carroll wintertime flashbacks...

Back in the day, we didn't have washers and dryers in our host dorm. The walk to the Rock to do laundry wasn't so bad in the spring and fall. But in the winter, the trips were reduced. Somehow my mother convinced me to have two big bags: a white one and a black one. And somehow she was able to convince me to separate white clothes and dark clothes. I found that in the wintertime the bags actually expanded and could hold more laundry. I somehow surpassed the natural density of laundry. Those bags were like black holes. And we all looked like Santa Claus when we made our way down the path and back. Thank goodness we did not wear pressed shirts and ties. As we all know, back in the day wrinkles were in style and the Vermin were on the cusp of trendsetting.

More next week.

NDSportscenter:

As of this writing we still have 22 verbal commitments. Everyone appears to be fully on board. Nothing indicates that anyone will jump ship on Signing Day on Tuesday. Prognosticators said we would lose multiple players. We lost only one. We may even snag one or two just before the big day. Two players came to visit campus this last weekend.

With 22 commitments, Scout still had us with the #1 class. Rivals had us at #2, just slightly behind Florida. According to Rivals, Florida also has 22 recruits. Florida's average is 3.86 per player while ours is 3.95. If we both have 22 players and our average is higher, how do we not have the #1 class? By the way, our Rivals average is #1 as of right now. Ohio State and USC are at 3.88.

This year South Florida's football program burst onto the scene. And now we have added them to our schedule. The Bulls will make a trip to the Bend in 2011. We do not have a scheduled game at South Florida in return. This game allows us a 7th home game during that season.

Here is some late soccer news.... Juniors Brittany Bock and Kerri Hanks were both named 1st team All Americans. Hanks registered 14 goals and 21 assists. She was 4th in the nation in scoring. Bock was also named an Academic All American. She is the third Domer to do so. Bock and Hanks are both forwards. This was the first time since 1995 that two forwards from the same program were named to the 1st Team. We have had 39 All Americans in the past 14 years. Only North Carolina has more with 44.

Jan. 27, 2008

Campus News:

Ground has broken for the new Center for Social Concerns building. The building will be four stories high and 64,000 square feet. The old center had only 11,400 square feet. The Institute for Church Life will also move into the new building. It is currently in Hesburgh Library. And 25 percent of the new building has been designated for future growth. While construction is on-going, the Center for Social Concerns will operate from the old security building. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2009.

The construction cost is $14 million. Most of the funding was donated by Michael and Sheila Geddes and Thomas and Mary Cabot. The new center will be named Geddes Hall. The new building will be on the site of the old center. BP, Farley, and Siegfried will get an earful during construction. Geddes Hall will have an auditorium, an improved student lounge, a chapel, a larger coffeehouse, increased office space for community-based research and community-based learning initiatives, and a small library space.

Benefactor Michael Geddes earned his bachelor's degree from our beloved University and also serves as a trustee on our Institute for Church Life Advisory Council. Benefactor Thomas Cabot graduated from Harvard. His youngest son, though, is a Domer. Cabot and his wife are the primary sponsors of the Center's international summer service initiative.

Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:

The completion of last week's story...

Fear struck our woman of the frontier as she realized she would be unable to out-stride one of Notre Dame's finest, let alone uphold an educated conversation due to her inebriation, adrenalination and elite edification.

Still, she decided that it would be a good time to challenge a member of the ND Special Forces team, daring this NDSPian to a good old fashioned footrace. Deft and aggressive, she took her high plain lungs to the quad and her feet ravished the lead leaving behind a trail cloaked in moral uncertainty. Run first, ask questions later.

Gipper Law: It is better to run and discover the law is faster than you, than to have never run, and forever wondered. Laura sets precedent...but she lost.

Loyal readers, you all know how this ends. The long arm of the Gestapo rocks us all, and traitors of the Lac are punished accordingly.

Laura Ingalls McFreakin' Wilder, you are a legend in your own time. A du Lac taboo, you naughty girl, but naughty is good, and ol' St. Gipp won't be placing coal in your soiled stockings this Christmas. Be bad, be very bad. We love you for it. You get respect, and a column dedicated to your shenanigans.

Hall Notes:

Here's a trip down memory lane....

The long winter walks from Carroll to the campus were intriguing. In the spring and fall, the trek was pleasant and enjoyable. The winter walk....well...for most it was merely something to be endured. Outside the season of winter, multiple trips to and from the dorm were commonplace. But during the frigid months, the trips were reduced. Pack it all up 'cause you're probably just going to campus once. That most likely meant you only had to go into the wind once. And when I say "wind" I mean the Lyons arch wind tunnel. Getting that in the grill first thing in the morning was quite the wake up call. I wasn't above walking backwards through the arch to counter the wind chill.

I distinctly recall a stint during freshman year when the wind chill was in the -50s and -60s for days at a time. The walk from Carroll to the library was brutal at that time. I had a long coat but the chill made its way through. First the feet froze. Then the ankles. By the time I made it to the library it was up to mid thigh. Made it to Touchdown Jesus just in time. The Lord is my sheperd, I shall not freeze.

More next week.

NDSportscenter:

Nose tackle Pat Kuntz is not enrolled this semester. He has left for "personal reasons." Pat hopes to return in the fall. For this spring Kuntz will be attending classes at Ivy Tech in his hometown of Indianapolis. By the fall Pat should be healed from his season ending jury. He suffered torn ligaments in his left knee and a cracked bone in his spine.

Tight end John Carlson will not be playing in the Senior Bowl because of an illness. John was sick for over a week and lost 15 pounds. Unable to gain back his weight and strength, John decided to pull out of the game and not damage his draft stock. Carlson is recovering in California where he is training with Trevor Laws and John Sullivan. All three have Athletes First as their agent.

Soccer senior forward Joseph Lapira was named first team All American for the second straight year. Lapira netted 9 goals and 10 assists this season. Senior defender Ryan Miller was honored as a second team All American. Miller was also named an Academic All American. He's the first men's soccer player to be distinguished as both in the same season.

A week ago Lapira and Miller were involved in the Major League Soccer Draft. Miller was selected in the third round, #31 overall, by the Columbus Crew. Lapira was also taken in the third round. He was drafted four picks later by Toronto FC. Huh? Why was the first team All American picked later? Probably because Lapira is looking to secure a professional contract in the more competitive European league.

Jan. 20, 2008

Campus News:

Jan. 13, 2008

Campus News:

Longtime benefactor Frank Eck has passed away. Eck, 84, passed away from complications experienced during open heart surgery. Eck, a1944 graduate, gave over $35 million to the University. Much of his earnings stemmed from being president of Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS). Eck's most recent donation was $21 million toward the Law School expansion. This 2005 donation was the fifth largest gift ever given to the University. Part of the expansion will be known as the Eck Hall of Law.

Remember the bells of the Basilica? Every night just after 10pm, a special set of bells - known as the carillon - in the 209-ft tower play 'Notre Dame, Our Mother.' The traditional playing used to mean lights out. But what's the history behind the bells?

The carillon was ordered by Father Sorin in 1856. It is one of the oldest in North America. It consists of 23 bells, each of which plays one note of the musical scale. The bell clappers are connected to a keyboard through a set of rods. When a key is pushed, a rod pulls the clapper, which strikes the bell, sounding a note. The carillon can be played either electronically or manually. When played manually, the players strike the keys - which are actually wooden pegs - with his or her fists.

The largest bell is the eight-ton base bell, or bourdon. It is over seven feet tall and is almost seven feet in diameter at its base. Because of its inordinate size and weight, were the bell swung, it would creat a force that could knock over the entire bell tower. The bell is struck externally with a special clapper while it remains stationary. It is a special bell and does not play a part in the regular repertoire of the carillon. It is only rung on great solemn occasions: solemnities of the church, ordinations, final vows, opening Mass of the school year, home football victories, etc.

Jan. 7, 2008

Campus News:

Did you ever say to yourself that the Bookstore just doesn't have enough retail space? In December, the Bookstore began renovations to add nearly 2,500 square feet of additional retail and seating space. The most noticeable changes will be made to the general books and cafe areas. The main construction should be completed by April 2008. The final carpeting and painting should be done before football in the fall.

The floor plan is changing extensively. The most complicated element will be pushing the south wall to the edge of current outdoor arcade. The arcade was originally intended as space for customer lines. However, there is enough internal space for lines so the arcade can be converted to retail space. The movement of the south wall will add 1,000 square feet. The expansion will also allow for more seating areas with comfortable sofa chairs.

The cafe will also be expanded. It will be expanded toward the ceiling-high bay windows that overlook campus. The northeast corner of the Bookstore will be expanded to include more comfortable seating, flat screen TVs, a larger magazine and periodicals section and wireless internet.

Other changes will include a book information center near the front of the store. Internet kiosks will be installed throughout the store where customers can search for books. On the second floor the student textbook section will be reorganized to increase the space by 1,500 square feet.

The renovations are being funded by the Follett Higher Education Group, which has managed the Bookstore since it opened at its new spot in 1999.

Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:

Continuation of the story from last time....

After being admitted to the E.R., the patient was asked if there was alcohol involved in his injury, to which he slurred the reply, 'Sauza Gold!' while incoherently pointing both arms up toward the heavens.

The name of the caring physician was Sweeney, but through the dense fog of semi-consciousness our patient was only able to grasp that his doctor was Irish. Thus, the patient took to addressing his caretake as 'Dr. Fitzpatrick.' The perspicacious Sweeney/Fitzpatrick gathered that the patient was intoxicated well beyond the point of feeling pain and, seizing the opportunity, popped five staples into the head of our gypsy without any anesthesia.

Gipper Law: Thou shalt recognized thy enemies - unless said enemy is armed with a staple gun.

After several hours of observation, the medical professionals decided that more than anything the drunken gypsy needed bed rest to work off the effects of revelry. Before they sent him home they wrote up an official in-patient report, which read, 'The patient, after enjoying a few alcoholic refreshments, while celebrating ND's first 1st down, leaped into a doorway causing a 3 cm laceration in the top of the patient's head. Patient occassionally drinks alcohol.'

Hall Notes:

The current Carroll rector, Rev. Jim Lewis, was recently featured in an article in Scholastic. The piece was titled 'Rectors Walk the Fine Line Between Authority and Camaraderie.' Here's the Rev. Lewis portion...

The Rev. Jim Lewis, O. Carm, Carroll rector, agrees. "Because we live with students, it really is 24-7," he says. "I joke with my friends that I have a lot of free time. I'm just never really sure when it's going to be." Lewis says that to be a good rector, one must be in continual dialogue with students, even if that means losing personal time.

"This is a very important crossroads. For many it's the first time they've lived away from home, the first time they've fallen in love," he says. "They are making decisions not only about what they want to do, but truly who they are."

Lewis also says that Notre Dame rectors play an especially important role because the dorms are so crucial to campus life. While at most state schools the majority of students move off campus after freshman year, according to the ResLife Web site about 80 percent of Notre Dame undergraduates live on campus.

"Students and alumni are more readily identified by the hall that they lived in than they are their academic major," Lewis says. Since the rectors live in the dorms with their students, a huge part of their jobs is to foster a sense of community. "The rector role has always been kind of a paternal role," he says. "People are very attached to the dorm community long after graduation."

NDSportscenter:

It's been awhile since a new recruit was announced. Now we have #22. Offensive lineman Trevor Robinson of Elkhorn, Nebraska had de-committed from Nebraska and committed to us. Robinson is 6'6', 306 lbs and is a four-star recruit. According to Scout he's our 8th top 100 verbal. Tom Lemming has him as #67 overall and our 12th top 100 recruit. Robinson's list of attributes are many: drive blocking skills, explosion, power and strength, quick off the ball, great feet and quickness, agile, aggressive, overpowering, and balance. Trevor also carries a 3.92 GPA. He plans to start college early and will be our second January enrollee. Robinson was long sought by Charlie. Trevor was 1 of 4 to be notified on the very first day of scholarship offering. He had visited campus at least six times and was the only non-commit at the football banquet (which had in attendance over a dozen commits).

The men's basketball team recently won its 25th straight home game and in doing so set a program record. Digger Phelps had been coaching when we had won 24 in a row. The team has one recruit verbally committed so far. Swingman Joey Brooks is 6'5', 200 lbs and attends Strake Jesuit College Prep in Houston. Brooks is currently a junior and is rated at 3 stars by Rivals. The two-guard considered Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Arizona State, Marquette, New Mexico, and Kansas State.

Joe Montana's son will be a freshman on campus next year. Nate Montana will walk on next year and be our third California quarterback. This past season Nate was a backup for powerhouse De La Salle High. Joe has a younger son still waiting in the wings.

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