Maroon

              THE MAROON ESTABLISHED 1923 VOL. 73 NO. 19 Loyola University New Orleans FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1995 Suicide, attempts rattle campus By JENNIFER JOHNSON Editor in Chief When Roma Monlezun's son Mike killed himself nearly 13 years ago, she felt a physical pain in her chest. She was shocked that her son would ever think of killing himself, let alone actually carry it out. She was angry and she was hurt. She felt the greatest pain a mother will ever experience: the lost of a child to suicide. "I did not have any notion that Mike would ever do anything. There were, quote, 'not problems."' Monlezun searched for answers to her her questions, like most people do after a suicide. With the recent suicide of Loyola freshman, Greg Northon, as well as other attempted suicides this year, this campus is also trying to answer those same questions. After Mike's death, Monlezun, associate campus minister, discovered that there were not many suicide prevention programs in New Orleans. Monlezun decided that she would start a program to teach high school students what the signs of depression are and what to do if they think someone is suicidal. Monlezun said that if you think that someone is thinking of killing herself, don't be afraid to ask her directly if that is what she is thinking. She said that it won't "drive" the person to do it. ► If you think someone la suicidal, believe in your auapicion. ► Ask the person directly if he is thinking of killing himself. Ba itiDoodivd* show cortcftfft. Oates, Kesey join in panel on political correctness By SCOTT DOUGHERTY Staff writer Authors Joyce Carol Oates, Ken Kesey, James Finn Gamer and talk-show host Armstrong Williams discussed everything from Francis Lawrence, the Rutgers University president accused of making a racist comment, to the moral implications of politically correct speech, atTulane University Monday night in the forum, "Political Correctness and the Conservative Backlash: America's Cultural Struggle." Although heated debates over Affirmative Action erupted, the group agreed political correctness inhibits freedom of speech. "I think you are defined by your character and your morals. Censorship is just like racism," Williams said. "When someone says racism, they have said absolutely nothing. We have to get to know each other on an individual level." Williams, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio show. The Right Side, said that political correctness is often rooted in assumptions people make about ethnicity. Novelist, poet and literary critic Oates called politically correct speech a form of propaganda, saying that people have to learn to compromise and not make adversaries so quickly. "As a professor, each one of us may sometimes say in the classroom some words that can ruin a whole lifetime of work. And I should be judged by that one slip of the tongue?" Oates asked, "Why can't we be more forgiving?" Williams responded to Oates' comments with, "These liberals think they know what is best for minorities, Men In Arms The Rev. Bernard Knoth, S.J., incoming university president, and Anthony Decuir, associate dean of the music school, share a laugh. Knoth spent the week on campus visiting faculty and students. By PETER REICHARD Intramural team delays playoffs with sit-in protest of call By CHRIS BONURA News Editor A lay-up, a foul and the intervention of Sean Casey, recreation sports and athletics program coordinator, in an intramural basketball game between Spankers II and the Black Law Students' Association team triggered the delay of Intramural playoffs while two appeals were heard, and while BLSA members interrupted a game by sitting on the court during a free-throw. During the arguments that followed Casey's intervention, BLSA players accused him of being biased. Some said his bias was racially motivated, Casey said. This charge was not included in either of the appeals. During a March 14 game, a BLSA player fouled a Spankers player. The two student officials on the court were paying attention to the foul and they didn't notice that the ball went through the net. According to Dan Hinkle, student referee and history junior, referees are trained to pay attention to the players when there is a hard foul because fouls often prompt fights. "Nathan [Boudreaux] and I paid attention to the players and not whether the ball went in," Hinkle said. "I assumed that the ball didn't go in because it was such a hard foul." Hinkle and Boudreaux, communications junior, decided that the Spankers would get two foul shots, whereas, if they had seen the goal, they would have given the Spankers two points for the goal and one free throw attempt. While the two student officials at the scores table, who keep the time and operate the scoreboard, were trying to motion the referees, Casey stepped down from the stands to tell the referees that the basket was good. "My intervention was based on the fact that both teams at that point were really interfering with the communication process that I think would have taken place," Casey said. Casey's intervention prompted confusion and outrage from some BLSA players, said BLSA team captain Kenneth Lester, second-year law student. Professors seek role in Multicultural Committee By NICK VACCARO Staff writer In an attempt to prompt the Multicultural Affairs Committee in its task of researching the racial climate on campus and to provide a broader base for the research, Vernon Gregson, committee member and religious studies associate professor, is proposing that a survey be distributed to the entire faculty. The Multicultural Committee itself is composed of representatives from the faculty, staff and students. From the research the committee compiles, it will make recommendations about a proposed office of multicultural affairs. Nevertheless, Gregson proposes that a questionnaire be sent to the faculty members for their feedback. He feels the entire faculty should, in some way, be involved in the committee's fact-finding mission. Committee chair and Associate Music Dean Anthony Decuir, in a letter about the committee to the University Senate, described this mission as an "examination of how Loyola is addressing multiculturalism and diversity in all aspects of campus life." "No group should be scapegoated," Gregson said. "I see every segment of Loyola responsible for making a climate that increases the number of African- American students and faculty." City College assistant professor and faculty senate member Roger White said he plans to vote in favor of Gregson's proposal, which will be considered by the See SUICIDE, Pg. 4 See COMMITTEE, Pg. 4 See P.C., Pg. 5 See BLSA, Pg. 5 Q i SGA candidates vie for support in election Two Outta Three near-perfect weekend. —__—Pg. 7 J - Phun With Fred Loyola professor ** tickles the funny bone * \ in the Wolf Pub. « Pg. 11