Freshman class nears record

By Alex Downes-Borowski
Cardinal Staff

Students who returned to Saint Mary’s University this fall may have noticed that the campus is more crowded than years past. At 399 students, the incoming freshman class is the second largest SMU has seen, partially due to increased efforts from staff.
Read more... The freshman enrollment is 6 percent higher than last year. There is a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,350 students.

Director of Admission Karen Sullivan believes the increase in admission can partly be based on their tremendous staff in the Admissions Office and the specific goals they set. Their approach towards recruiting was to focus on each student and their family individually.

Sullivan also gives credit to the Communication and Marketing Office and their efforts to make SMU more visible. Because more students use the Internet for researching schools, Sullivan feels that the SMU website played a huge role in creating interest among prospective students.

Sullivan explained that community also played a key role in recruiting students. Junior Erin O’Keefe agreed by saying, “When I was looking at schools, I felt accepted at SMU. I really liked the welcoming atmosphere.”

SMU has adjusted to accommodate the increased number of students. One of the biggest changes on campus has been the re-opening of Saint Yon’s Hall. Yon’s is the current home of the music department, but it now shares its halls with two floors of students. Tim Gossen, dean of students, said there are only about 14 open beds on campus. This doesn’t include the second floor of Yon’s, which is currently closed.

If admission continues to rise over the next few years, the university will be ready to accommodate the growing numbers of students. Some options include opening the second floor of Yon’s Hall, moving staff offices, and remodeling or downsizing rooms in current halls.

There are also more cars on campus this year. One might think this may become a bigger issue in the coming months as we approach the snow emergency season; however, Jerrie Seibert, director of campus safety, is confident that the current parking system with its voicemail and e-mail notifications will be enough to efficiently notify students of snow emergency alerts. For students who ride bikes, 12 new racks have been added to various spots around campus.

The number of international students has doubled this year. There are 47 international students representing more than 17 countries.

Many people seem excited about the increased enrollment. The general consensus is that it can only have positive effects for the whole SMU community.

Breathalyzer can prove innocence

By Amanda Klingberg
Cardinal Staff

This year at Saint Mary’s University if a student under the age of 21 is found in or around a location where alcohol is present, they have the right, within an hour of the filed disciplinary report, to go to Campus Safety and request a breathalyzer test. If the results are negative, that particular student is able to avoid the disciplinary sanctions that would typically go along with underage drinking at SMU.
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The university makes it clear that alcohol is only permitted to those students who are over the legal drinking age of 21, and only within the privacy of Villages or in confined rooms in certain residence halls. In residence halls such as Hillside, Skemp, Vlazny, Saint Edward’s and Saint Benilde’s, there is azero-tolerance alcohol policy.

Part of SMU’s alcohol policy also includes the fact that the resident of any room is held responsible for guests and for the decisions those guests make, including the possession of alcohol. In many cases, all of the alcohol will be confiscated.

If a student under the age of 21 is found in a location where alcohol is present and chooses not to take the breathalyzer test, or the results of the test are positive, disciplinary action will take place. The first offense includes, but is not limited to, a meeting with the appropriate staff and judiciary members, notification of parents, an informative alcohol class, fines, and community service. Dependent upon the seriousness of the violation, a major offense could result in expulsion from the campus or the involvement of law enforcement.

“It’s nice that students are not assumed to be breaking policy. SMU is using its resources well,” said Lucas Kaplan, an SMU sophomore.

Prior to the new policy, students under the age of 21 found in an area where alcohol consumption was taking place may have been sentenced to these disciplinary actions regardless of whether or not they were drinking.

“I think [the new policy is] fair,” said freshman Brittany Kubik. With the new policy, students like Kubik can be with of-age students while those students are consuming alcohol, without worrying about being accused of drinking in the process.

Kayci Landeen, another freshman under the age of 21, agrees and claims that she could see herself in a similar situation in the future.

Some students feel a downside to this policy is that students under 21 may be less careful and cautious about the situations they place themselves in because they are not as worried about getting caught and facing consequences.

Br. Bob takes post at Bethlehem U.

By Lindsay Dickson
Editor-in-Chief

Brother Robert J. Smith, FSC, said goodbye to his friends and colleagues at Saint Mary’s University last month. Brother Bob has since assumed duties of vice president for academic affairs at Bethlehem University of the Holy Land, a Lasallian university in Palestine.

“As a Brother, I want to be open to needs that other Lasallian schools face. There’s a need and I was asked,” Brother Bob said.
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He considered this offer for a few months before announcing it to SMU. While at SMU, Brother Bob was a professor in the theology department and was also director of Christ the Teacher Institute of Education in Nairobi, Kenya. Most recently, he was the vice president for mission and the director of Center for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.

Bethlehem University was co-founded by the Vatican and the Christian Brothers in 1973. With approximately 2,600 undergraduates, the university is 70 percent Muslim and 30 percent Catholic. Brother Bob explained that the university is in Palestine, an occupied territory. There are checkpoints manned by Israeli soldiers and the school was closed from 2000-2003 due to violence. “There are irresolvable issues there. Some parts of the world have it more difficult than others,” he explained. “Our campus shows effects of rockets, bullets and teargas.”

Before leaving SMU, Smith explained that he feels psychologically and mentally prepared for this new journey. “Being in Africa five years ago gave me good practice,” said Brother Bob. “But the preparation has been laid over the past 20 years.”

Brother Bob said, “Everything I am has been shaped by my experiences [at SMU]. I now have a keener sense of mission.” He described the awareness for and understanding of Lasallian and Catholic identity, education for justice, and respect for a diverse world he saw while at SMU. He plans to take that knowledge of mission and will continue to address what it means to say one is Catholic and Lasallian. Brother Bob explained that he will miss the people, mission and identity at SMU. He said that his time has been satisfying and rewarding and that “it’s not about buildings and programs. It’s about the people.”

“His leadership will surely be missed. He was a mentor to all of us in all things Lasallian. He embodied the spirit of the Christian Brothers,” said Bob Fisher, director of annual giving.

“In addition to thanking Brother Robert for his long-time commitment to this university, I know I speak for the entire community in offering our support and prayers to him as he begins a very challenging assignment in a turbulent area of the world,” said Jeffrey Highland, Ph.D., university provost and vice president for the college.

Renovated ball fields and pavillion to be completed

By Alex Downes-Borowski
Cardinal Staff

This summer, Saint Mary’s University made additions to the Winona campus. The softball and baseball fields were renovated, along with an addition of a pavilion. The fields will be ready for competition in the spring of 2009.
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The pavilion began as a gift from the class of 2004 and was originally supposed to be located near the bonfire pit along the path to the New Village. However, with the addition of the softball and baseball fields, it was decided that the pavilion would be better utilized in-between the two fields. The fields and pavilion are located just across the parking lot of the Toner Student Center and can be seen while entering the campus.

The university began construction on the two fields in mid-May. Several years ago, the state of the old fields became a safety issue. The new fields are special as they are sand-based, which allow for proper drainage. It features an irrigation system that allows for up to 12 inches of rain an hour and yet can still maintain playable conditions. “It’s the Cadillac of baseball fields,” said Al Joswick, maintenance’s trades department supervisor. Joswick spent a large portion of his summer on-site supervising the project.

Starting from below the ground, there are trenches 25 to 30 feet apart that take water to an irrigation pipe. Above that, there are 3 to 4 inches of sand, followed by 7 to 10 inches of sand and peat. The sand, a special blend of different sizes of angular grains, had to be sent to New York for pH level and size analysis. The grass is a mix of bluegrass and perennial rye. The construction of the field required the use of GPS/Laser guided systems.

According to Nikki Fennern, athletic director, the multiple layers and root system actually filter the water as it is irrigated, resulting in cleaner excess water.

When the pavilion is completed, it will have a column-supported roof as well as tables for picnic dining. Bob Fisher, director of annual giving, served as an advisor for the committee of 20 students that worked on the gift. “The pavilion will be a great asset to the newly renovated outdoor athletic facilities,” he said. “I believe our students, faculty and staff will all be able to enjoy this new gathering space on campus.”

The university plans on utilizing the space for many activities, including events for alumni.

Follow the yellow brick road

By Kaylin Martin
Cardinal Staff

Brother Frederick C. Mueller, FSC, a leader in the Lasallian community, spoke to the undergraduate class at Saint Mary’s annual convocation on Sept. 11.

Using a combination of quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, personalities of “The Wizard of Oz,” and real life Lasallian stories, Brother Frederick was able to captivate the audience and present four areas of challenge in which students can spread their wings: scholarship, character, leadership and service.

“He modeled all that we hope to be the hallmark of a Saint Mary’s education,” said Mary Fox, Ph.D., a professor at Saint Mary’s. “Lasallian values, the development of ‘critical consciousness,’ passion for ‘simple, clear, direct, action’ as means of ‘living what you believe,’ scholarship as a way of ‘making meaning out of chaos,’ and most important of all, a sense of each person’s unique God-given destiny.”
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Brother Frederick began by telling a story of an eagle who grew up with chickens, thought he was a chicken, and died a chicken; an eagle that never thought he could be anything but what his surroundings would let him. He asked SMU students to take themselves out of their surroundings and away from other people’s expectations in order to “soar like an eagle.”

Using the Scarecrow from the “Wizard of Oz” as an example, Br. Frederick warned against being a mirrored thinker. Scholarship is not accumulated information, but the process of logic and using imagination, he said, and one must have the ability to look at life and culture and be able to think independently.

“The first challenge is to use your mind,” said Brother Frederick. He added that one must develop a critical consciousness to be a scholar and to be a true Lasallian.

Brother Frederick presented his second challenge, quoting Emerson: “Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.” The Tin Man found a heart and defended what he believed in, even when his tears threatened further rusting, he said.

You need to live what you believe in, said Bother Frederick, to be an eagle, to be a Lasallian.

“Fear always springs from ignorance,” said Br. Frederick. He challenged students to be like the Courageous Lion and have hope; one person can make a difference.

“Would you dare look danger eye-to-eye,” Brother Frederick said, “and still hope to be a leader?”

He addressed the last of his challenges using Dorothy, the most prominent character in “The Wizard of Oz,” as a person of service. She is on a quest to go home, find out who she is, and spread her wings, said Brother Frederick, though she puts her deepest desires aside and helps her friends. Through her serving, he explained, Dorothy finds her dreams and reaches for the rainbow.

“We must come home to our deepest selves by serving as wounded healers,” said Brother Frederick.

He concluded his address with words of encouragement to the student body. “You are eagles; you are young Lasallians,” said Brother Frederick, “May you ever believe more deeply in your lives, to hope, to heal. You are this world’s best hope. You are this world’s only hope.”

President named by Dec.

By Julie Jergenson
Undergraduate Representative, Presidential Search Committee

Each year brings change to the Saint Mary’s University community. This year, especially, the university must prepare for a new chapter in SMU history: the appointment of our next president.
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Since Brother Chancellor Louis DeThomasis, FSC, Ph.D., assumed the duties of president, members of the Presidential Search Committee have been hard at work developing a list of challenges and opportunities for the university as well as qualifications for SMU’s new leader.

Aiding in this task is Allen Koenig, Ph.D., of R.H. Perry and Associates, a search firm that will help to focus and refine the search. Many had the opportunity to meet with Koenig when he visited the campuses to collect community input for the search profile.

The search committee has appreciated the strong turnout at these public meetings, as the opinions provided the reinforcement needed to construct a strong profile that will attract an individual prepared to meet the needs of the SMU community.

There have been some questions from the community regarding the committee’s need to keep this search confidential. Some may recall that question and answer sessions with the finalists were held during the last search. The reason that the search committee has chosen to omit those sessions and to keep this search confidential is so that it will be able to find higher caliber best-suited for this position.

Candidates who are sitting presidents at other universities may be unwilling to apply if they believe that they will not be protected from backlash in their current community. The goal of the committee is to draw finalists from a large pool of possible candidates, and a confidential search is the only way to draw the most qualified people.

To give everyone an idea about how soon these events will all come to pass, here is the general timeline. In early November, the search committee will select semi-finalists from the candidate pool. By mid-November, these semi-finalists will have completed an interview process and the search committee will select the finalists. In December, the search committee and the Board of Trustees will interview the finalists again and, shortly after, the board will select the next president.

If all goes as planned, the next president will be announced before this Christmas and will assume the duties of the presidency in time for the 2008-09 academic year.

For more information and updates on the Presidential Search, please visit the Office of the President at www.smumn.edu.

SMU senior continues healing process

By Candice Norrell
Sports Editor

On Saturday, July 28, at 3:20 in the morning, Saint Mary’s University senior Christina Marie Pickford, 21, was struck by a train near Sioux Street in Winona. She was flown to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse where she remained in the Intensive Care Unit for three weeks, in a coma, leaving family and friends in prayer.
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Kelly Pickford (’05), Christy’s older sister, opened a CaringBridge website through Gundersen Lutheran to update those interested in following Christy’s progress.

“I decided to set this up when a nurse here at the hospital referenced this site,” Kelly said on the website. “I took one look and thought this would be a great way to send Christy our love ... from all over. Please use this site to send her your love. She needs as much as she can get.”

Christy opened her eyes on Saturday, Aug. 25, and five days later was transported by ambulance to Bethesda Rehabilitation Facility in Saint Paul, Minn.

“Now that she is … at Bethesda, she is going through regular therapy. She is still opening those eyes of hers periodically, but her other movements are still sporadic,” Kelly said of her sister, who is currently in the respiratory rehabilitation center.

Community members can access the website and leave a note of support for Christy and her family at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/christypickford.

Café changes

By Candice Norrell
Sports Editor

New students as well as sophomores on campus will never know how beautiful Cotter Hall once was before it burned to the ground on June 12, 2006. But hopefully they have at least heard of the house that was located between La Salle and Hoffman halls.
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To help commemorate the beautiful brick house, built in 1876-77, I went to Chris Kendall, vice president of student development, early last year with the idea of either building a coffee shop where Cotter Hall once stood or changing the name of Main Street Café, located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall, to Cotter Café. After talking to a few more people, Kendall was able to get the name and look changed over the summer.

To read about the history of Cotter Hall, students may visit www.smumn.edu/sitepages/pid2331.php.

Bookstore changes

By Alli Hill
Cardinal Staff

Over the summer, the Saint Mary’s University bookstore made the decision to discontinue charging to student accounts.
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In the past, students were allowed to charge items from the bookstore to their tuition accounts. Students were then able to add those charges to their minimum monthly balance.

Cindy Marek, vice president of financial affairs, said, “We learned last year that there were almost no Barnes and Nobles-operated bookstores in the country using this type of charge system. The internal charging created more difficulties in collecting from students and was inefficient.”

Even though this causes a discomfort for returning students, the bookstore is trying to render this problem.

“We were disappointed to see it discontinued, but we support Saint Mary’s decision with the student charging system,” said Donna White, bookstore manager. “We have instituted the parent/student card to give the students another option.” This card acts as a gift card for parents to ensure that students have some disposable income.

Volunteer efforts near 1,500 hours

By Betsy Baertlein
Features Editor

During the weekend of Sept. 8-9, 314 Saint Mary’s University students volunteered for flood relief, contributing a total of 1,479 hours of service. This was part of a kickoff for relief efforts sponsored by SMU Volunteer Services.
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Students went to the towns of Minnesota City, Houston, Stockton, and Rushford to help with tasks such as light construction, yard work, tree removal, mucking, power washing, clothes folding, and river cleanup.

Although SMU immediately responded to the flood by housing the Red Cross shelter on campus and sending out faculty and staff just two days after the flood, this was one of the first opportunities for students to get involved. SMU worked with Winona County and agencies such as the Mississippi River Center and Edina Realty to send aid where the need was greatest.

However, much more still needs to be done, said Katie LaPlant, director of student activities and volunteer services, who estimates that relief efforts will continue for at least two years. Right now, said LaPlant, people are waiting for their houses to dry out, and only after this happens can the real construction begin. For the next two to three months, there will be volunteer opportunities for students to help with the cleaning and gutting of homes. If students would like to be involved in upcoming relief efforts, they can go to www.smumn.edu/floodhelp to fill out a form. LaPlant said that “there is no better way to carry out the Lasallian charism than empowering community and bringing hope to those who feel hopeless.” With the continued efforts of SMU students, said LaPlant, this mission will be realized.

SMU rocks for relief

Habitat and Catholic Charities to benefit

By Emilie Fisch
Cardinal Staff

Rockin’ for Relief, a benefit concert for victims of the flood in Southeastern Minnesota, was held on Sept. 7. All Winona community members were invited to attend this benefit.
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The event was co-sponsored by Volunteer Services and Campus Ministry. Admission was $5 for students and $10 for adults, which covered the cost of food as well as live entertainment and games. Among the bands that played were SMU alumnus Adam Stasica; SMU campus band Bookreader; The Monday Saga, featuring SMU alumnus Brandon Mathieus; and SMU alumnus Mike Munson.

Another large part of the fundraiser was a live auction which raised $1,087. Combined with the money from admission and donations, Rockin’ for Relief raised a total of $5,398.78 total. Proceeds went to Habitat for Humanity and Catholic Charities.

There are other ways students can help with flood relief efforts. Several volunteer groups from SMU have helped on weekends, and more opportunities will be offered in the future. Students interested in volunteering can contact Katie LaPlant in Volunteer Services.

Flooded with loss: one victim's story

By Theresa Breault
Cardinal Staff

For those affected by the floods in Southeastern Minnesota, the possibility of a life-changing disaster was far from their minds.

Such was the case of Saint Mary’s University freshman Kasey Warnke, who lived in Stockton, Minn.
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Rains started to pour Aug.18, 2007, and Warnke’s entire home, from her basement to the top floor of her house, was soon flooded.

When the time came for Warnke to move in to SMU, the only possessions she had here were a pair of shoes, a pair of flip flops, and a half-full garbage bag with the only clothes she could salvage. Everything else was lost with the rest of her home.

Weeks later, Warnke still has not been able to get over the initial shock of such a disaster. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet that I have no house to go home to. I have no baby pictures to show my own kids anymore. I have nothing,” said Warnke.

Through the tragedy, however, organizations that have responded to victims’ cries. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has supplied the Warnke family with $26,000 in flood relief. Although it doesn’t even come close to compensating for the loss of their home or the two cars that were destroyed along with it, it will be used to help get them back on their feet.

SMU has also been doing a great deal to help out with victims such as Warnke. Rockin’ for Relief raised nearly $5,400 for flood victims. Two-hundred athletes, along with an additional 112 other students from SMU, have volunteered their time to aid in the clean-up of towns affected.

Although this will never make up for all of the losses suffered, we can only hope that, in the end, it will help brighten these very dark times.

Hot off the Prez: J. Freeman

By John Freeman
Student Senate President

“Welcome back! I hope you had a great summer,” what a cliché. It’s the middle of September already; can you believe it? How about: “Welcome to windy Winona and the crazy Minnesota weather that comes with it.”

I hope that everyone is as excited for the school year as I am; it should be a great year. To make sure that you enjoy your year, here is some advice that I would have found helpful when I was in your shoes.
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Freshmen, enjoy the simplicity of your general education classes and the fact that it takes 30 seconds to get to the café. Also keep in mind that you have four years with your classmates, so try not to step on too many toes.

Sophomores, this is your year to step it up and take leadership positions in the clubs and organizations you joined last year. You know the ropes now, so there are no excuses.

Juniors, I wish you the best of luck; this is the year that you find a balance between work and play.

Seniors, we have an entire year of college left; let’s not worry about the “real world” quite yet.

Let’s all have a great year and appreciate and enjoy everything that the year has to offer.

An American adventure, international style

By Jakub Szymanski
Cardinal Staff

You may ask why I am writing about international students. I write because I believe that every student at Saint Mary’s University is their own breed of international student, either because of the distance from home, different cultural background, or simply because they feel alone and alienated.
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Diversity in the student body is an important factor in providing education to all students because we have the opportunity to learn from different experiences, beliefs and perspectives. These differences challenge stereotyped preconceptions and encourage critical thinking – essential skills of an educated person.

I believe that SMU and its students are extremely lucky to be a second home for students from over 10 different nationalities. Those international students may have different ages, backgrounds, cultures, or religions. They may come here to improve their English or get their master’s degree, but they all have one thing in common.They are people in transition who decided to live in a foreign academic setting to realize their educational objectives, away from friends, families and relatives.

For most of them, the first weeks are a phase of excitement when they are discovering a new place and new people. However, after a couple of weeks, they start to feel frustration, boredom and homesickness. Can you imagine coming to a college with only 70 pounds of luggage, and the thought of not seeing home for the next couple of months? How would you feel if you had to spend Thanksgiving or Easter several thousand miles away from your family, sitting in your dorm over break? What about leaving a girlfriend or boyfriend that you dated for the last couple of years? A long-distance relationship is extremely hard to maintain.

For me , the transition from the European way of life into the American one was a long and exhausting process. College education in the United States is different from a European university. Homework, in-class discussions, presentations, essays, and pop quizzes are not a part of the academic routine in Europe. Both systems have their positive and negative aspects, but I believe that most students from Europe and Asia find the American education system less rigid and friendlier. Add differences in culture, language, or even food to that and you will have a feeling of it means to be an international student.

From a personal aspect, I regret that it took me two years to adjust to a new environment. To avoid the mistakes I made because of my fears, freshmen and returning students should get involved in the huge variety of activities at SMU. We can build a friendly environment and a safe community, which helps us appreciate that we are all uniquely different.

Cardinal writer reports from Galway, Ireland

By Laura Andrews
Cardinal Staff

Hundreds of miles away across the Atlantic Ocean, in Galway, Ireland, I am still the same person that I was on the Saint Mary’s University campus. Although, I can now say that I have experienced three wonderful weeks of the Irish culture and am thirsty to learn more each day.
Read more... It is difficult to describe how being abroad has enriched my life, both socially and academically.

I am the only student from Saint Mary’s to study in Galway and didn’t know a soul when I arrived.

Fortunately, I met several other international students, three of whom are my roommates, and have very quickly become comfortable in my new surroundings. It has been very comforting to have others who share the same challenges of navigating both life in Galway and the very different aspects of college life in Ireland.

Luckily, the Irish are almost always glad to help and are eager to learn about visitors and their experiences in Galway. For the Irish, the pubs are the most social places where there is usually traditional Irish music and dancing and plenty of “interesting” characters. I am sure that I will long remember their unique culture as experienced through pub life.

Academically, I am taking an Irish studies class and am thrilled to be in the country that I am studying. I feel that being in Ireland while studying its literature and history makes me genuinely more interested in the subjects. It also inspires me to want to know more.

I am living five minutes from the ocean with a view of mountains right outside my window. I have fallen in love with Ireland and am soaking in everything that I can before it’s all a memory or simply reduced to digital photos.

Of course there are a few things that Galway is missing: my closest friends, my family and my Saint Mary’s community. And for this reason, I will say goodbye to Ireland at the end of the semester with excitement to see those that I miss. But I will most certainly return to Ireland again and again.

Act of free speech or offensive display

By Amy Kalina
Copy Editor

September 11 is a day when Americans unite to remember those lost in the terrorist attacks six years ago.

It is a day to remember the attacks, not to engage in attacks of our own.

On that date this year, a display set up by Saint Mary’s University students, apparently on behalf of College Republicans, stirred up controversy on campus.
Read more...The display, located outside of Hendrickson, was probably meant as a memorial to those who have lost their lives in Iraq. The flags exhibited in the turnaround represent the American death toll, one that keeps climbing as the war continues.

However, banners that accompanied the flags were removed because of their discriminatory message and their political affiliation.

But don’t we have the right to voice our views, regardless of whether it is in accordance with popular opinion? One might argue that on such a patriotic day, we should especially be engaging in the rights granted to us as citizens. It is true that the First Amendment grants each of us the freedom of speech. However, if we as citizens have the “right” to do something, does that make it okay? I am choosing to exercise another constitutional privilege, freedom of the press, to share my views on the flaws of this less-than-patriotic display.

Any marketing or public relations student will tell you that an essential part of sending an effective message is knowing your audience. The audience of SMU is one that values its sense of community. The error behind displaying a political banner is easy to explain. To exhibit a particular political message on campus, especially in such a prominent location, is to suggest that SMU itself is affiliated with that party. Such an affiliation would be unethical.

Another flaw in the message was its blatant targeting of a particular religious group. Though a Catholic university, SMU welcomes members of all faith traditions. To attack a specific group, especially one represented by fellow students, can be seen as a promotional act of discrimination. By targeting a part of our community, regardless of its size, one threatens our unity. It is important for everyone’s voice to be heard, but there is a difference between what is allowed and what is appropriate.

Regardless of its flaws, the ideas behind the display were perhaps honorable. The flags continue to grace the turnaround to serve as a reminder of our American heritage.

Here are some important numbers to

keep in mind as we remember those who have lost their lives:
*Total American deaths in Iraq since March 19, 2003: 3,776
*Number of non-American coalition deaths: 299
*Estimated Iraqi civilian deaths: 75,000
*American casualties on Sept. 11, 2001: 2,646
*Non-American casualties on Sept. 11, 2001: 327
(Courtesy of CNN.com)

Just as we have a social responsibility to treat one another with dignity and respect, we have a responsibility to ourselves to be aware of propaganda, analyze the messages that bombard us, and filter those that are potentially harmful. As students, we know the importance of critical analysis. Make your beliefs your own, and base them on substance rather than display.

What is Peace and Justice?

By Mary Gleich
Guest Writer

No, we’re not just a group of hippies. We are a diverse group of Saint Mary’s University students who promote a genuine servant community dedicated to the works of peace, justice and reverence for life. We strive to take effective action against injustice and foster life-long seekers of justice.
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As textbook as all that may sound, we are a casual group that meets weekly to discuss anything and everything having to do with Peace and Justice, both here at SMU and worldwide.

We work in a four-week cycle focusing on one Catholic Social Teaching (CST) every semester. The CSTs are broad topics describing the Catholic responsibility to justice in our world. The cycle will include round-table discussions, activities, field trips, movies and maybe even a few potlucks!

BIG EVENTS:
Common Threads Clothing sale Oct. 25-27. When you’re home for October break, bring old clothes back to school with you.

Our trip to WHINSEC or Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (formerly known as SOA or The School of the Americas) is Nov. 16-18. WHINSEC has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, commando and psychological warfare, and interrogation tactics.

These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage war against educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and justice workers. (courtesy of www.soaw.com)

There will be an informational meeting Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. in Room B. The deadline for the WHINSEC rally registration is Oct. 10. Contact Mary Gleich, Laura Holupchinski, Andrew Rath, Glenna Krzyzanowski or Andy Pass.

A new year, a new look

By Lindsay Dickson
Editor-in-Chief

Renovated baseball fields. New furniture. Rearranged offices. Electric trucks. A pavilion in-the-works. It’s time for the Cardinal newspaper to stay up-to-date with all of these upgrades on campus.
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Hopefully you noticed that the paper you’re reading right now is a different format from previous years. Many students suggested that we change the paper to a tabloid-style so that it’s easier to read while sitting at a desk or walking down the hall. Well, we listened to you!

Different from the past, the paper will not be distributed in individual P.O. boxes. We’d like to stay in stride with the green surge on campus and save as much paper as we can. Instead, we will notify you of an upcoming edition via a campus-wide publication, the Early Bird. This will provide featured photos, main headlines, and a general idea of what you can read in the next issue of the paper.

Finally, the Cardinal is online! Stories and photos featured in the print version of the paper will be posted on a Cardinal blog. The Cardinal staff urges you to check out the website at www.smumn.edu/cardinal and comment on stories. The purpose of the blog is to provide a more interactive, up-to-date source for campus news. Our goal is to make the blog a part of your normal Internet routine.

If you have any questions or comments about the paper, contact the staff at P.O. box 36 or cardinal@smumn.edu.

Ultimate Frisbee club forming

By Jessica Paulsen
Cardinal Staff

“A [Saint] Mary’s Ultimate Frisbee (MUT) club is being formed on campus,” said Eric Duffy, junior.

Duffy is one of three SMU students who started the club. They wanted to form the club because they feel Ultimate Frisbee is an open, honest and fun game and it also gives students another way to get involved on campus.
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The club is not official because the student senate has yet to vote on the issue. Duffy said he has been in contact with members of the Student Senate Executive Board. The members think that the senate will most likely approve the request.

Many students feel Ultimate Frisbee is fun because it is a competitive, taxing sport, explained Duffy. It emphasizes sportsmanship because there are no referees and players are expected to be honest. Ultimate Frisbee pushes “this thing they call spirit of the game...every team’s going to be open and honest,” said Duffy.

Most of the players in the club are freshmen, many of whom played on high school Ultimate Frisbee teams and have some experience. All members are expected to make practice three times a week. “I respect and understand that they have other things going on, and school comes first,” Duffy said. He’s also had to work practices around the times intramural teams play because they both use Saint Joe’s field.

They have heard many positive reactions from people about the club. Many were excited to play, but others are just happy to attend. Many consider Ultimate Frisbee is considered to be a good spectator sport because it is easy to follow the game and learn the rules.

People like Ultimate Frisbee because it is fun “watching people work the disc around, pass even when guarded, and make unbelievable catches,” said Duffy, and it is about “all the players that have been coming out. They’ve been amazing and they’re really committed” to the game.

Their first scrimmage is Sept. 23 against Winona State University.

Cardinal faithful show their true colors

By Eric Lear
Sports Editor

Every morning I do what most people do. I hit the snooze button on my alarm about five times, shower, brush my teeth, eat breakfast, and put a shirt on. A few weeks ago I did just that, and the shirt I put on happened to be a purple shirt that said “Winona State.” I didn’t think anything of it, but many of my classmates did. I had over 10 comments in regards to my shirt on campus that morning and one via text message before noon.
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I consider myself very involved in the Saint Mary’s University community, and most of my involvement has something to do with the world of sports. One former SMU student even referred to me as “Mr. Cardinal” due to my involvement on campus and near endless, yet unsuccessful, efforts to have him stay in Cardinal Country.

I sometimes wear shirts of other colleges and no one said much, except for the occasional Duke fan I run into. However, chances are that when you see me, I am sporting some sort of SMU apparel. I may just have more SMU shirts than the campus bookstore. As a matter of fact, since I strolled onto campus a shade over three years ago, I have accumulated enough SMU shirts and sweatshirts to wear a different SMU top everyday for over two months. Shocking and somewhat pathetic, yes I know.

I was initially frustrated by the constant grief given to me that day. I argued that WSU is not our rival, but just another school in this college town. Historically, it has been rare for us to give the Division II school across the street much athletic competition. One SMU senior put it very well by saying that SMU only competes with WSU for “real estate.” Please don’t get me wrong, I would absolutely love for us to beat the pants off the “purple people-eaters,” on Nov. 17, for obvious personal affiliations. Nothing would please me more then to put a blemish on their record and put that sour taste back in their mouths from when their record-setting winning streak came to an end in the National Championship last season.

The more grief I got, the happier I actually became. You would be hard pressed to find someone who wants to see SMU succeed at sports more than “Mr. Cardinal” himself, and here I am wearing a shirt of our cross-town foes? I now see what upset those who confronted me, and I like it. I have criticized SMU students in the past for lacking pride in being a Cardinal and I was quite pleased to see such a response.

Some of you might know that I do some TV work at HBC Channel 25 broadcasting WSU basketball games, which is how I got the infamous purple shirt in the first place. I often wear my SMU gear when I broadcast at WSU and I love the grief I get for rocking the SMU red on the purple side of town. It is a matter of pride, and you guys have proven me wrong and showed me that you have a great deal of pride in being Cardinals. So if you see someone on campus, as one SMU coach put it, “wearing the wrong shade of red,” go ahead and give them a hard time and instill your Cardinal pride in them.

Let’s take it to the Warriors this year and make them our competitors no matter what sport it may be, and let’s paint this town the right shade of red.