news

Saint Mary’s offers new religion course titled Queer Theology

By Cora Haddad · Friday, Sept. 30, 2022

During the 2021-22 academic year, professors Jessica Coblentz and Daniel Horan O.F.M proposed a new course to the Saint Mary’s College curriculum committee, entitled Queer Theology. The course Queer Theology, co-taught by Professors Coblentz and Horan, started its first half, Queer Theology I, this semester at Saint Mary’s, and will continue next semester with Queer Theology II. Coblentz and Horan spoke on the circumstances of its creation, emphasizing its intentionality to address a call for discussion within the Saint Mary’s community.

PFAS chemicals found in school uniforms

By Matthew Broder · Friday, Sept. 30, 2022

A recent study involving the work of Notre Dame researchers found high levels of dangerous chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in children’s school uniforms sold across North America.

Tri-Campus Thursday: Black Images talent show to showcase Black arts and culture

By Angela Mathew · Friday, Sept. 30, 2022

The Black Cultural Arts Council (BCAC) will put on Black Images, a talent show, Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Washington Hall.

Mendoza drops 24 credits in core curriculum to make room for electives

By Alysa Guffey · Friday, Sept. 30, 2022

Flexibility is the name of the game for current first-year and future business majors at Notre Dame.

Federal interest rate increases by 0.75 percent

By Kelsey Quint · Friday, Sept. 30, 2022

During their meetings on Sept. 20-21, the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC), a branch of the Federal Reserve System (Fed), raised the target range for the federal funds rate by 0.75 percentage points to a range of 3.00% to 3.25%.

Senate passes resolutions calling for UHS self-scheduling, subsidies for RecSports passes

By Liam Kelly · Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022

The Notre Dame student senate passed resolutions Wednesday aimed at making recreational passes more affordable and improving the accessibility of University Health Services (UHS).

Saint Mary’s introduces digital and public humanities minor

By Chancelor Gordon · Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022

Saint Mary’s introduced the new digital and public humanities minor this fall. The digital and public humanities minor is an interdisciplinary, hands-on field of study that aims to highlight the real-world applications of the humanities field.

Leading architects speak on restoration of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris

By Kathryn Muchnick · Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022

The French architects Philippe Villeneuve and Rémi Fromont, who are in charge of rebuilding the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de París following the fire that ravaged it in 2019, spoke about the reconstruction in the Walsh Family Hall of Architecture on Tuesday.

Student Diversity Board celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

By Liam Price · Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022

The Student Diversity Board (SDB) at Saint Mary’s is acknowledging Hispanic Heritage Month for the third year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by spotlighting diverse Latin American countries once a week at tables in the Saint Mary’s student center.

University drops science-business major

By Emma Duffy · Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022

The science-business major, an interdisciplinary program that included aspects of the curricula from both the Mendoza College of Business and the College of Science, will no longer be available to those who have not already declared the major beginning in fall 2023.

Students reflect on campus vaping culture in wake of multistate Juul settlement

By Matthew Broder · Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022

On September 16, Juul Labs, the company behind the Juul e-cigarette, agreed to pay a sum of nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation launched by 33 states, including Indiana. The investigation, launched in early 2020, called into question the marketing and sales of the brand's e-cigarette products, including whether the company targeted youths and made misleading claims about the nicotine content of their devices. According to a statement, the investigation found that Juul knowingly marketed its products to teenagers with launch parties, product giveaways and ads and social media posts using young-looking models. The sum will be paid out over a period of six to ten years.

Police investigating two reports of sexual assault connected to off-campus party

By Observer Staff Report · Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022

The St. Joseph County Police Department is investigating two instances of sexual assault reported last weekend, according to an email from the Saint Mary’s campus safety department.

Flaherty Hall hosts first color run to benefit breast cancer research

By Claire Reid · Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022

Runners on South Quad on Saturday morning will turn pink for a cause at Flaherty Hall’s color run, the Flaherty Fights 5K.

Grant to help provide pre-college programming for underserved high school students

By Colleen Farrell · Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022

The Notre Dame office of pre-college programming has received a grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc, a private charitable organization based in Indianapolis. The funding provided by this grant will go towards providing pre-college programming for teens from underserved high schools in Indiana.

Chinese department celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival

By Caroline Collins · Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022

The Chinese department and the department of East Asian Languages and Cultures celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, in the LaFortune ballroom Sunday, Sept. 26. The celebration featured student performances, traditional decorations and Chinese food.

Sr. Helen Prejean discusses wrongful convictions, death penalty

By Gracie Eppler · Monday, Sept. 26, 2022

On Friday, Sr. Helen Prejean participated in a fireside chat hosted by the Notre Dame Law School Exoneration Justice Clinic and the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights. The fireside chat was moderated by dean and professor of law G. Marcus Cole in the Eck Visitors’ Center.

'Afro-Latinx Poetry Now' to feature six visiting poets

By Liam Price · Monday, Sept. 26, 2022

Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies (ILS) and the Initiative on Race and Resilience will present "Afro-Latinx Poetry Now" on Tuesday and Wednesday, featuring six Afro-Latino visiting poets who will appear both publicly for talks in McKenna Hall and privately in selected Notre Dame classrooms.

Notre Dame, Saint Mary's student governments build community in beach volleyball match

By Cathy Doherty · Monday, Sept. 26, 2022

For the first time ever, the Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame student governments went head-to-head in a beach volleyball game.

NDPD announces use of bodycams, new ND Safe app

By Isa Sheikh · Friday, Sept. 23, 2022

The Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) announced this month that its sworn officers are now wearing body cameras. The department also released the ND Safe app with multiple resources, including one-touch calls to Notre Dame police, St. Joseph County’s 911 center and non-emergency assistance, as well as resources to share location with NDPD or one’s friends.

Tri-Campus Thursday: ‘Latinx Heritage month’ events celebrate diversity within the community

By Angela Mathew · Friday, Sept. 23, 2022

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to celebrate the cultures of Americans whose ancestors hail from Mexico, the Caribbean, Spain and Central and South America.