Maroon

              THE MAROON Loyola University New Orleans VOL. 82, NO. 20 FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2004 MAROON.LOYNO.EDU Alleged Tri Phis up for expulsion By Christina Chvala Staff writer Being forced to simulate oral sex on a cucumber, eat Spam, drink alcohol and eat one's own vomit are among allegations of hazing brought against Tri Phi, according to an interview Wednesday with a former pledge who wishes to remain anonymous due to safety concerns. The claims of hazing, most serious among seven charges of disciplinary misconduct, led to an administrative meeting for 24 alleged members, and all face possible expulsion from the university. But because Tri Phi is not a recognized or supported campus organization, it cannot be tried as an organizational group. The women will have a group meeting before the Board of Review, but it will judge each woman individually, meaning it is possible to have some women found culpable and others not culpable. If found culpable, disciplinary action for each individual would range from a minimum of suspension to a maximum of expulsion, according to three alleged members of Tri Phi sorority who wish to remain anonymous. Jessica Retan, a sociology sophomore who claims to be a former Tri Phi member, responded to the accusations by questioning the mental stability of the two former pledges. Alleged members of the off-campus sorority met with Vicki McNeil, associate vice president of Student Affairs, Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. According to McNeil, it was considered an informational meeting to review Loyola's disciplinarian process as described in Loyola's student handbook. It was not a legal hearing, but many of the accused women expressed frustration. "They were using all legal terms, but they claimed it wasn't a legal hearing," Adrianne Golias said. Golias is a sociology sophomore and one of the 24 women facing discipline. Each member was allowed to bring one adviser to the meeting, but it had to be either a parent or a faculty member. The adviser, according to McNeil, could accompany the women for support and advice, but only the women were allowed to speak. No attorney was IT'S A RUNOFF By Lan Bui Assistant news editor After an overnight delay in returns from this week's elections, Hayes and Mills will vie for president, while Clarke and Johnson are left to compete for VP The Student Government Association will be holding runoff elections next week, after announcing the much-anticipated results of its initial elections. SGA presidential candidates Martina Mills, communications junior and congressperson-at-large, and Mary Hayes, psychology junior and senior congressperson-at-large, will face off for the executive branch's top spot. SGA vice-presidential candidates, Michelle Clarke, communications sophomore and Arts and Sciences president, and Johmyrin Johnson, chemistry junior and Arts and Sciences representative, will also participate in a final runoff election. The candidates were scheduled to make their last attempts to secure students' votes during yesterday's runoff debate. The runoff election will be held next Monday and Tuesday with STAFF PHOTO BY ANN HERMES Psychology junior and SGA Bresidential hopeful Mary ayes looks over the incomplete election returns with political science sophomore Kayte Rossi. Whoa, like totally sweet... STAFF PHOTO BY ANN HERMES Joao Amos roars through a halfpipe set up in the Peace Quad during Friday's "Battle of the Bands." The event pitted six Loyola bands against each other on a stage outside the Danna Center. Dead Sea Scrolls speaker notes ancient culture's waterworks By Thomas Slack Staff writer Archaeological Institute lecture highlights life in early desert community The Qumran community may have been destroyed almost two millennia ago. but the notes involving Qumran and the famous Dead Sea Scrolls that tell about the community structures and its people have only recently been made public. In a presentation sponsored by Loyola University and the New Orleans Society of The Archaeological Institute of America, Jodi Magness, Ph.D.. gave a lecture Tuesday evening in Nunemaker Auditorium about the people of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Her lecture, which spanned a two-hour period, gave over 120 students and faculty a chance to see what life was like in Qumran Campus meets university presidential candidates By Joe Rosemeyer News Editor Students and faculty are starting to consider which man they want to be the next president of Loyola after both candidates held Open House sessions in an effort to interact with the campus. The Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., held his informational session March 18 in Nunemaker Auditorium Former university president Bernard Knoth left many at the school thinking about "national preeminence," and Wildes says he sees Loyola as a "a great place that wants to be even greater." Communications junior and SGA presidential hopeful Martina Mills said she was pleased with what she perceived as an "openness in his leadership approach. "It is still important for the university president to be accepting of students and student beliefs, even when those beliefs conflict with Church doctrine and the president's mission," Mills said. "Father Kevin Wildes seemed open to the university community and the practices we already have in place." LSCE's first debate tackles gay marriage By Kelly Brown Contributing writer Culture critic, former judge among speakers on same-sex unions Arguments about gay marriage have come to the forefront of American political discussion, and on Loyola's campus students and professionals fought it out over civil liberties and religious sanctity last Thursday night. The Loyola Society for Civic Engagement sponsored the debate, which included guest speakers Michael Bronski and Darrell White. "It's not just a gay rights issue, but a basic social justice issue," Bronski said. He is a noted culture critic and author of "The Pleasure Principle: Sex, Backlash, and the Struggle for Gay Freedom." Retired Baton Rouge City Court judge Darrell White defended marriage as a union between a man and a woman. "If there is no procreative context to my marriage, if it doesn't necessarily have to be about sex, then what's to stop me from marrying my dog? Or my horse? Or my fishing buddies?" White asked. Bronski noted some 1,400 economic and legal benefits given to heterosexual married couples that are currently being denied to gay couples. He said that America must create a legal system that serves everyone rather than just the "Now, no one has ever explained sexual orientation fully to me. Can I be oriented towards my dog?" — DARREL WHITE FORMER BATON ROUGE JUDGE, defending marriage as an exclusive right to a male/female couple. STAFF PHOTO BY PAMELA HOWARD Former Baton Rouge Judge Darrell White argues his point, while sociology sophomore and LSCE member Jacob Stuebing looks on. See ELECTIONS, Page 3 See TRI PHI, Page 3 See SCROLLS, Page 3 See CANDIDATES, Page 3 See DEBATE, Page 2 FORECAST SPORTS £ The Ml-Around Man of Loyolas Athletic Department page 4 S!=*. BRETT SIMPSON - - what's EDITORIALS* Incirlo WhWen in doubt, l^10® blame Osama EiZZI! \ y {K i page 6 band calendar. 9 iP 2. life&times 9