Maroon

              the Maroon VOL. 82, NO. 7 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2003 MAROON.LOYNO.EDU Loyola University New Orleans Protest, controversy mark parts of Knoth's tenure By Lola Thelin and Joe Rosemeyer Staff writers The Rev. Bernard Knoth's eight-year tenure at Loyola started and ended with controversy. When Knoth arrived at Loyola in August 1995, students, faculty and administrators were embroiled in a dispute over a donation from Freeport-McMoßan, a mining and development company. Freeport-McMoßan had given the school $600,000 in 1992 to install an environmental communications chair that had, until then, gone unfilled. But some students and faculty said that Free port's questionable human rights record should preclude it as a donor to Loyola. Law professor Bill Quigley proposed a resolution to return the money to Free port, and CEO Jim Bob Moffett asked for the money back after it hadn't been used. In the end, Knoth decided not to discuss the issue and appointed a chair. Pro-life Catholics turned out in early 2002 to protest speakers who they felt promoted a prochoice agenda. The protestors claimed that Knoth was turning a blind eye to the university's Catholic affiliation by allowing National Organization for Women president Kim Gandy and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to give separate lectures in the spring semester. Protestors lined up in front of Marquette Hall and the Law School, and New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes publicly rebuked the university for inviting Gandy. Despite such controversy, Knoth's work and leadership outside Loyola have been applauded. Knoth served on the board of trustees for the United Way of Greater New Orleans and his position will be Filled by a succession. In spring 2001, Knoth's stance was the Bernard Knoth greets the crowd at his inauguration in November 1995. Knoth was the first president in Loyola history to have an official ceremony for his installation to the office. PHOTO COURTESY OF LOYOLA NORML leaders bring pot issues to campus By Grace Wilson Staff writer Organizers say club seeks political agenda, not illegal smoking Marijuana, Mary Jane, pot, herb, bud, weed — whatever the name, there may be a new "green club" coming to campus. Loyola students hoping to charter a chapter of the National Organization for Marijuana Reform Laws have already gained significant student support — more than 200 responses from e-mails and personal signatures. Phillip Dynia, chairman of the political science department, has agreed to be the adviser. According to organizers of NORML, they have received little negative feedback. "We (NORML) do no encourage or condone any illegal activity in any form," said Ben Gold, political science senior and NORML i advocate.  "What we advocate is i civil, legal reform of laws | that we believe infringe on people's rights. We are a political activist organization and not just the 'pot club."' Gold said he sees many positive outcomes to marijuana being legalized. "I see a huge opportunity to generate revenue for the state in terms of legalizing it, regulating it and taxing it," he said. "Marijuana is the number one cash crop in the United States of America, and the money goes entirely to a black market." Despite the potential revenue, a recent study of college students from the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that heavy marijuana users suffer from impaired critical skills related to memory, attention, and learning. And the study also shows that marijuana smokers are likely to inhale three times the amount of tar FIT TO SPLIT STAFF PHOTO BY GILLIAN DICKER Members of the Nicaraguan Children's Choir perform in the Peace Quad on Thursday, Oct. 16. The young performers were divided into groups of singers, instrumentalists and dancers. Public relations students host national conference By Katie Ide and Lan Bui Staff writers More than 1,000 participants expected Loyola's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America is earning national recognition for its past and current success. The people who brought Loyola the chocolate-hazelnut spread, Nutella, will host the PRSSA 2003 national conference at the Radisson Hotel downtown Oct. 24 to 28. "New Orleans is one of the best cities for public relations, because there are always exciting events taking place," said Uyen Phan, communications senior and program director of the conference committee. The national conference is the largest annual event for public relations students to interact with each other and network with professional public relations practitioners from around the country. The event has 1,000 preregistered attendees, and the turn out is expected to increase to 1,200 by Friday, Tamar Merguerditchian, communications senior and conference coordinator, said. The national conference See KNOTH, Page 3 See NORML, Page 3 See CONFERENCE, Page 3 Uptown big screen, HIH Runners r cpiuKjjq gear uppwt—* Words that fof GCAC 4k a.°v^.hdpPm . meet, r~ id*.Li P.4:Vrl2fr