Maroon

              THE MAROON ESTABLISHED 1923 VOL. 74 NO. 19 Loyola University New Orleans FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1996 New deans chosen for Law School and City College By JENNIFER LEVASSEUR News Editor Both City College and the Law School will be under new leadership for the 1996- 97 academic year. John Makdisi, a former dean of the University of Tulsa College of Law, will become dean of the Law School on July I, and Marcel Dumestre, who is presently the interim dean of City College, will become dean of City College on Aug. 1. Reaction within the colleges to these choices appears favorable. Marcel Garsaud, Law School interim dean, said that he is excited about the decision to name Makdisi the new Law School dean. "I'm delighted with it, that's for sure. He is extremely well qualified, and 1 won't have to do it anymore." James Klebba, law professor, also said that he supported Makdisi as the new dean. He said that he believes Makdisi's record of proven experience and excellent scholarship will aid him in serving as a successful dean of the college. Makdisi was a dean at Tulsa for three years. He taught at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law where he served as associate dean. He has conducted doctoral research in Egypt and France. He has also served as an inspector for the American Bar Association six times since 1988. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College, his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania and his S.J.D. from Harvard Law School. Makdisi could not be reached for comment. Dumestre said he is very enthusiastic about his new position, especially after serving as interim dean this year. His position this year felt like "a ninemonth interview," he said. He said he believes that his strength in "interpersonal communication," his ability to promote the college and his knowledge of the university and the image it upholds will enable him serve effectively as dean. He also said that his knowledge of distance education, which includes the graduate program in the Institute of Ministry and the undergraduate program in the off-campus learning program which offers nursing and criminal justice degrees, will be valuable in his new position. Dumestre's experience as interim dean this year makes him ideal for the position of. dean, said Stamos Karamouzis, assistant professor in City College. "I'm very pleased. He has proven he has the leadership skills needed for the position," he said. Computers stolen from SGA and UPB By JENNIFER LEVASSEUR News Editor Loyola recently assessed its lack of computers on campus because the university seems to be falling below the amount available at comparative schools. Because-of theft, Loyola has just fallen two more behind. Two computers, one belonging to the Student Government Association and one from the University Programming Board office, were reported stolen on March 11. The dates of their disappearances are unclear. The theft probably occurred between March 9 and March 10, said Roger Pinac. Public Safety investigator. The UPB Power Macintosh is estimated to be worth $2,000; the SGA computer was a Macintosh Classic II over four or five years old, and the value could not be estimated. There was no evidence of forced entry, and both of the offices were locked, Pinac said. The thefts were probably committed by someone who had access to the offices, he said. Two people have keys to the SGA office, while four have keys to the UPB, Pinac said. This does not include the number of master keys which can open the offices. Pinac said that while he does not believe that a student took the computers, he does believe the individual responsible for the thefts is within the university, because the computers were located in Legal drinking age debate rages on By SARAH WALKER Staff writer Like a ping-pong ball, the drinking age keeps bouncing back and forth between 18 and 21. On March 8, the Louisiana Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional for the state to enforce a drinking age of 21. Most bars and clubs throughout New Orleans were ecstatic with the reversal of the 1995 decision which closed the "Louisiana loophole." The loophole maintained that it was legal to sell to 18 to 20-year-olds, while it was illegal for 18 to 20-year-olds to purchase alcohol. Closing this loophole made the legal drinking age 21. The court's decision, which narrowly passed on a 4-3 vote, will not go into effect until after State Attorney General Richard leyoub asks the state Supreme Court to reconsider its decision. The state is allowed 14 days to ask the high court to rethink its decision. During this time, the challenged law will remain in effect, maintaining the legal drinking age at 21. The court can either reject the state's proposal or reconsider. If it is held in suspension, the decision will be made pending the outcome of a second trial. The Supreme Court decided that because 18 is the age at which an individual is considered an adult who can vote and be drafted to fight in a war. Therefore it is unconstitutional to deny that person the right to buy alcohol. One of the Supreme Court's arguments against the 21-year-old drinking age is that it is arbitrary because there are more alcohol-related driving fatalities among the 21 to 23 age group. Darryl Derbigny, a clinical professor at the Law School, said he agrees with the State Supreme Court's decision. "Responsible drinking is not confined to those older than 21," Derbigny said. The financial and economic repercussions are ones to consider, he said. "I believe those considerations should not prime the rights of our citizens who happen to fall in the 18 to 21 age category. This includes the right to drink responsibly." There have been mixed opinions on By AMBER SHIELDS Rick Foote, a 20-year-old student from Austin, Texas, drinks a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's bar. Multicultural programs tested at Marymount By STEPHEN STUART Managing Editor Loyola Marymount University sits atop a bluff overlooking Los Angeles, a diverse city which has been the center of racial unrest and violence. The university is also in a state expected by the U.S. Census Bureau to have one of the biggest expansions of Latino and Asian populations over the next 25-50 years, according to a March 14 Times-Picayune article. In this context. Loyola Marymount has sought to expand its multicultural environment with a required multicultural class and its department of Student Development Services, which works with different cultures on campus. But members of the university have questioned whether or not Loyola Marymount, through these and other programs, is promoting multiculturalism in the right manner. For example, some feel that the class provides essential knowledge of the major American cultures, while others say that the course neglects the reality of the cultures' roles in American history. Regarding Student Development Services, a department which in some people's opinions has overextended itself at times, the university has formed a committee to examine the effectiveness of SDS 20 years after its creation. Minority undergraduate students make up 44 percent of Loyola Marymount's campus as compared with Loyola New Orleans' total of 25 percent. See COMPUTER, Pg. 3 See DRINK, Pg. 5 See LOYOLA, Pg 4 P" /% Riot in Irian Jaya Jfeff Freeport-McMoßan faces new problems in Indonesia. Pg. 5 The Maroon is now on-line. Send your questions, comments or letters to: maroon@beta.loyno.edu Out with Bang hgh