CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he had a constructive meeting with the head of Google after the tech giant threatened to remove its search engine from Australia over plans to make digital platforms pay for news. Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google, initiated the online meeting with Morrison to discuss the draft laws. A Google executive told a Senate hearing last month that the company would likely make its search engine unavailable in Australia if Google and Facebook were forced to pay for Australian news. Google did not comment on the meeting. Morrison also welcomed the support of Google rival Microsoft, which has touted Australia’s proposed laws as an example for the rest of the world.
Marine biologist Sylvia Earle will deliver the 2010 Commencement address and receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree from Saint Mary’s. Author Lois Lowry will also be receiving an honorary doctor of humanities degree at the ceremony.“It will be an honor to welcome Sylvia Earle and Lois Lowry to our campus,” College President Carol Ann Mooney said in a press release.According to the release, Earle has spent over 6,000 hours underwater. The New York Times labeled her “Her Deepness.” She led the first all-female team of aquanauts in 1970 and holds the record for the deepest solo dive.In September 2009, she published the book “The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Oceans Are One,” which discusses the need to protect oceans and the work people need to do to keep them clean.“Dr. Earle is a passionate advocate for the survival of our planet,” Mooney said. “Her work to save our oceans is legendary and I know our graduates will be inspired by her dedication to this important cause.”Lowry, a young-adult fiction writer, won Newberry Medals for her books “Number the Stars” and “The Giver.” She is also author of the Anastasia Krupnik series.“The majority of our graduates probably counted Lois Lowry’s books among their favorites when they were growing up,” Mooney said. “We are delighted to be able to recognize her body of work.”Commencement will be held May 15 at noon on Le Mans Green.
This weekend, the Saint Mary’s College Residence Hall Association (RHA) will be hosting Little Sibs Weekend, which gives Saint Mary’s students a chance to show their little siblings life at the College.“Lil Sibs Weekend is a fun event which gives the younger brothers and sisters of Saint Mary’s students an opportunity to visit the campus,” Kady Shea, RHA co-advisor, said. “Siblings are given the chance to hang out and stay overnight with their older sib to get a little glimpse of college life.”Little Sibs of all ages will be attending the event. Siblings must be over the age of three and male siblings must be under the age of 12 to stay in the residence halls.“There is no better way to inspire the younger generation to pursue high academic achievement then to show them the opportunities they can have,” Leslie Robinson, co-advisor of RHA, said.Check in begins at 4 p.m. and is followed by an ice cream social for the whole family beginning at 8 p.m.Students and siblings will have breakfast between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturday in the Noble Family Dining Hall. A County Fair on the Library Green begins at noon and includes inflatables, tug of war, crafts, a petting zoo, a magician and a clown. Lunch will be served at the event.After dinner Saturday night, the movie “Barnyard” will be shown in Carroll Auditorium. The weekend ends with breakfast and Mass Sunday morning. More than 160 little Siblings are registered to attend this weekend. Event planning began in October. Saint Mary’s sophomores Catherine Moore and Andrea Firth organized the event with various members of the RHA board.“This year, we have even changed the pricing of Lil Sibs weekend so that more people can become involved,” Robinson said. “We now offer three packages at different price ranges, so that all students can have a Lil Sibs weekend that is more catered towards their needs.”
Changes to dining services at Saint Mary’s, including the merging of the Cyber Café and convenience store, have been implemented with the hope that grabbing a bite on campus will be easier and more convenient for students. When Saint Mary’s Bookstore was outsourced to Follett after Fall Break, Follett took the space originally given to the convenience store (C-store) in the Student Center and the C-Store was moved into the Cyber Café. The Café, which originally closed at 10 p.m., is now open until midnight. Students called for the change to Saint Mary’s student government last semester. “People are just getting started [studying] at 10,” first year Sarah Thompson said. “People get the munchies. So, I think it’s good that the convenience store and the Cyber Café are open later now.” Additional changes include the playing of music during dinner hours in the Saint Mary’s Noble Family Dining Hall, and the availability of hummus outside the deli, said Barry Bowles, the dining hall’s general manager. “I love the music at dinner,” first year Annie Beck said. “It’s so nice and it really boosts the mood.” Although these changes are subtle, they are significant to some students, Bowles said. “It doesn’t sound like a lot and we haven’t made any big changes, but [these changes] can make a big difference on a student’s day,” he said. According to Bowles, the main issue the kitchen staff competes with is that everyone has different tastes. It is up to his staff to find “what’s going to please the most people,” Bowles said. Asking questions and making suggestions are among the best ways for students to have a voice in what options are provided, he said. “Students ask great questions,” Bowles said. “I love to hear what students want and I’m always willing to listen.” The Saint Mary’s website also has a feedback form that students can fill out to submit comments and questions, he said. Bowles said most of the new additions to the dining hall have been made based on student opinion and suggestions, including surveys that have been e-mailed to students on multiple occasions so far this year. “I trust the Saint Mary’s students,” Bowles said. Still, some students seek bigger changes to the dining hall. Junior Madison Thatcher said she thinks the general consensus of the student body is that they “eat a lot of the same thing every day.” “I would like to see more options,” Thatcher said. Bowles said he is still searching for ways to change the dining hall. “I would love to see a Facebook page started,” Bowles said. Another possibility is the idea of being able to order and pay for off-campus delivery using Saint Mary’s student Munch Money, he said. Bowles said it is his goal to facilitate communication between students and staff to create a dining hall that will satisfy as many students as possible.
For their Environmental Studies capstone project, juniors Valerie Stacey and Taylor TenBrock have initiated a composting project at Saint Mary’s.“The idea of composting appealed to us because we are environmental studies majors and we are constantly hearing about environmental issues,” Stacey said. “A big issue that occurred to me is that the amount of food waste that gets sent to a landfill is insane, and as a college campus, we produce tremendous amounts of waste.”According to TenBrock, it took time, effort and multiple meetings to get the project up and running. The two juniors acquired a location for the pile, which is located near Saint Mary’s soccer fields. The task of taking the compost to the site is performed once per week by volunteers using a golf cart, TenBrock said.The biggest challenge to the project is raising student awareness and stimulating interest, Stacey and TenBrock said. Their goal is to turn composting into a task students do automatically, Stacey said.According to the Environmental Protection Agency, organic materials continue to be the largest component of municipal solid waste. When organic materials, such as food, are dumped into a landfill, they are compressed and decompose anaerobically, taking unnecessary years to decompose. In contrast, composted waste decomposes in an average of four months. As a result of the anaerobic process of landfill usage, methane gas is emitted. Methane is known as a more environmentally hazardous gas than carbon dioxide, and methane gas from landfills accounts for 34 percent of all methane emissions.Stacey predicts success of the composting project would result in a 25 percent reduction of waste entirely from the college.“It’s incredible because it is such a simple practice,” Stacey said.“Instead of putting food into the garbage, you put it into the earth. Instead of putting it into a landfill where it produces methane, you put it into the ground where it turns into this amazing, rich, nutrient soil that you can then use in a garden to produce more food.“It also saves you money on your garbage bill.”Every Thursday, with the help from the Environmental Studies department, dining hall staff and grounds staff, a composting bin will be placed next to the tray return where students are encouraged to toss in their unwanted fruits, vegetables, breads, egg shells and tea bags.Stacey said she sees this project having a wider impact than just Saint Mary’s,“Reducing the amount of food waste on Saint Mary’s campus could serve as a blueprint for other larger organizations and college campuses,” Stacey said.The soil produced through composting will be used to benefit Saint Mary’s Unity Garden, Holy Cross’ Unity Garden and local farmers, TenBrock said.“Cycles like this are sustainable, ensuring a source of soil for farmers to grow more food that we can consume and then give back to grow more,” Stacey said.“It just makes sense to do this.” Tags: composting, environmental studies, saint mary’s, sustainability
Theresa Flores is the founder of Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution (S.O.A.P) — an organization that puts the number for the human trafficking hotline on bars of soap.Saint Mary’s hosted Flores, an author, award winner and social worker, on Tuesday night to share her personal story as a survivor of human trafficking and discuss ways to work towards eliminating the issue in today’s society.Flores said she didn’t realize she was a survivor until she was 40-years-old, with a family and a job in social work.“I had heard about this human trafficking conference from a coworker of mine. She couldn’t attend and said I should go,” Flores said. “… Within five minutes of sitting in that seat, I realized I had found my calling. I never knew what it was called that happened to me. I had never healed.”That moment was the start of a 10-year career working to educate and empower those working to end human trafficking, Flores said. She shared her story of how she was forced into sex trade as a teenager.Flores said she was raped and blackmailed by boys from her high school for two years. Then one night, she said she was taken by several men to an underground criminal ring.“They beat me, drugged me and took me far away from home,” Flores said.Flores said the men took her to a hotel where she was auctioned off to several men all through the night. She said she awoke the next morning, sick and vulnerable, and mustered the courage to leave. “I know if I had not have left there that morning, I would not be speaking with you here tonight,” Flores said.Flores said she walked into a nearby diner and talked to an elderly waitress who asked her if she needed help. She then called the police.About 100,000 kids are being trafficked around the world, Flores said, and 3,500 kids go missing each day.“Human trafficking is the second leading crime in the world,” she said. “80 percent of victims are women, 20 percent are men and 50 percent of all victims are children.”A common misconception is that human trafficking doesn’t happen here in the United States, Flores said, or that most victims are kidnapped, like the popular movie “Taken.”“I was trafficked right in my own community,” she said. “Only 3 percent are kidnapped; 35 percent [were] trafficked because [of] a family member selling them and 62 percent [were] trafficked in the United States because they [were] tricked.”Most victims are coerced from public places like libraries, supermarkets, rest stops and truck stops, or through social media, chat-rooms and Craigslist, Flores said.“It’s happening anywhere around you. Anywhere kids are,” Flores said. “If victims are not found in the first 48 hours, it’s very likely they will become trafficked.”Many guests stayed after to ask Flores questions about her experience, her work with victims and what they can do to help. Saint Mary’s alumna Adriana Petty, who has written her own book on human trafficking, “From Price Tag to Priceless,” said she thought Flores’ presentation was moving. “I think her story is something provoking — how she was approached and how she was preyed upon and groomed, this is something that is very common,” Petty said. “[Trafficking] doesn’t start off with a frightening first encounter — it’s pretty general and non-threatening from the beginning.”Tags: human trafficking, S.O.A.P., saint mary’s, Theresa Flores
Emmet Farnan | The Observer Senior Erich Jegier goes up for a shot during a tournament game.“A lot of us practice with the women’s team — that’s why we’re called ‘The Practice Squad,’” he said. “So we play together a little bit throughout the year, but getting used to playing outside and playing against somebody we hadn’t played against before is probably the toughest part. But overall, I think we’ve done a good job of adjusting.”Building chemistry has also been an important part of his team’s success, Hunnicutt said.“They’re like brothers, pretty much,” he said. “We hang out together all the time. This has been a goal of ours — [to] win bookstore — for a while, so to be able to still be in it and compete for it is great.”Senior Conor Colpoys, captain of “Finnigan’s” — the number one seed team and two-time champion of the open bracket — said his team has had to adjust to being smaller, but overall, has been able to overcome this challenge.“We’re a little smaller than we were in the past, so rebounding has been a little tougher than it usually is, but we’re still doing a pretty good job, I think,” he said. “I think we’re doing a good job coming together at the right time so everyone is learning to play well together.”Colpoys said his team prepares for each game — even in the beginning stages of the tournament — in order to avoid upsets.“We try to turn the intensity up early on,” he said. “We make sure we don’t get upset because we’ve seen some upsets out here.”Senior Luke Dziedzic, president of the Bookstore Basketball executive board, said one of the most challenging parts of organizing the tournament was making the brackets.“It’s hard to make a 500-team bracket, and it’s just pretty tedious going through each court, each time slot,” he said.Creating the women’s bracket was particularly challenging due to the unusual number of teams in the tournament, Dziedzic said.“The women’s bracket this year had 84 teams, which, as you can imagine, is not a good number for making a bracket,” he said. “I had to Google an 84-team bracket, and then I ended up messing up and I left two teams off, so I had to add them afterwards.”The tournament helps to raise money for Jumpball, a basketball camp for kids in Jamaica, which was founded by several members of the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Jamaica.Senior Casey Baker, vice president of the Bookstore Basketball executive board, traveled with Dziedzic to volunteer at a Jumpball clinic during the summer following their freshman year at Notre Dame. Baker said visiting the camp was one of her favorite experiences during her time as a Bookstore Basketball volunteer.“I think my favorite part was actually going to Jamaica and seeing what our money goes towards, because that’s one of the things we try to improve knowledge of — where the money’s going,” she said. “It’s not just this basketball tournament that you pay for and have no clue of the impact.”Even after graduation, alumni continue to participate in Bookstore Basketball by organizing their own tournaments, junior and Bookstore Basketball executive board member Sarah Barcomb said.“Alumni groups elsewhere in the country still have their own mini versions of Bookstore Basketball sometimes, too,” she said. “And alumni donated to it and stuff. It’s something that people remember for many years.”Barcomb said she has even received messages from alumni who were planning their own Bookstore Basketball tournaments.“These people have Facebook messaged us asking questions about the tournament, because they want to do it right when they do it themselves,” she said.Overall, Dziedzic said he has enjoyed his time organizing and volunteering at the tournament.“I just really enjoy watching basketball, and being out here and helping run the tournament,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. I think I speak for all of the execs when I say we really enjoy being here day in and day out, just making sure the stuff runs smoothly.”Tags: Bookstore basketball, Bookstore Basketball 2017, open bracket, women’s bracket Over 500 teams signed up to participate in the Bookstore Basketball tournament this year. On Sunday, that number will be narrowed down to one champion after the four remaining teams compete in the Final Four Round on Friday and Sunday’s championship game.Junior Reed Hunnicutt, captain of “The Practice Squad” — the number two seed team in the open bracket — said his team has had to adjust to new opponents, but they have been able to successfully adapt.
Photo Courtesy of Nick Martinez O’Neill Hall 4A residents celebrate South Dining Hall monitor Pam Jobin’s 70th birthday with Jobin’s granddaughter. The celebration was featured on ‘Good Morning America’ and other news outlets.Jobin explained that the job in the dining hall appealed to her because it would allow her to engage with students.“I thought, ‘You know what? It’s something I would like because I’m still interacting with people,’” she said. “I like South and I love the people and I love the students and the ambiance.”As she began her new job as a monitor, Jobin said she sought to emulate the example of Lila and John Ritschard, a husband and wife who worked as monitors in South Dining Hall. Both have since passed away.“I always admired how they had such a camaraderie. They had such a relationship with the kids. Everyone knew Lila and John,” Jobin said. “She was kind of a mentor, she would always give you that talk. She was so loving and just everything.”Early on in her time as a monitor, around 2012 or 2013, Jobin “hit it off” with a then-resident of O’Neill Family Hall. That friendship eventually spawned a deep connection between Jobin and the residents of O’Neill, particularly the men of section 4A. Ever since that first friendship, Jobin said, the men of O’Neill 4A have “passed [her] down.”“His name was Matt. And he was just so funny. I’d go up to him and say, ‘Now listen. I don’t want to get upset with you,’ if they were doing anything,” she said. “But they would always — if they did do something, they never left a mess. Like I said, they just kind of passed me down.”Nick Martinez, a senior living in O’Neill 4A, has played an important role in developing the connection between Jobin and the dorm. He said Jobin has been an important part of his Notre Dame experience.“Section 4A of O’Neill is a very tight-knit community. We do everything together, including eating dinner together every day,” he said in an email. “I can distinctly remember my first dinner with 4A at SDH. Pam was working, and she was extremely excited to meet the new freshmen of 4A. Already having known the sophomores, juniors and seniors, she introduced herself to us freshmen as our ‘newly adopted Notre Dame Grandma,’ and that’s exactly what she ended up being.”Whenever the residents of 4A are at dinner, Jobin stops by their table to check in and say hello, Martinez said. She’s friends with all of them on Facebook and serves in a familial role for the group.“For a lot of us that are far away from our families, Pam fills that void,” Martinez said. “She’s there to support us, laugh with us, and even keep us in line when we need it. She truly is a part of our Notre Dame family.”For her part, Jobin said she embraces her role as “Notre Dame grandmother” to the men of O’Neill.“Sometimes you can tell when they’re quiet and they’ve got a paper. You just give that little pep talk,” she said. “But then they give me a lot of love. I get the hugs, the ‘How are you?’ and just that kind of stuff. They just treat me like they would probably their grandmother. And I always tease them. I said, ‘I can be your good grandmother, or I can be your worst nightmare grandmother.’ But they’re just cool boys. I just love them.”The bond between Jobin and the O’Neill residents often persists after the students graduate. For example, she said she will be attending the wedding of one of her “boys” in the near future.Every year, Martinez said, O’Neill 4A has celebrated Jobin’s birthday in some small way, usually gifting her a bottle of wine. However, Jobin turned 70 this year, and Martinez said 4A decided to give her a surprise celebration at SDH.“We all put money in to get her flowers, wine, cookie cake and we even all made her homemade cards,” he said. “On top of that, I contacted a friend of mine at WNDU to get Pam’s story featured on the news. With the help of Ruth [Pajor] and Karen [Reed, managers at South Dining Hall], we were able to get all of the 4A O’Neill guys, and some honorary 4A friends who adore Pam as well, in place. Pam’s daughter and granddaughter came as well. The moment she walked into the dining hall, she began to bawl tears of joy, which was awesome.”The celebration caught Jobin completely by surprise.“I had no idea,” she said. “I am not ever at a loss for words. I’m a gabby person, and I love to talk. They got me good. I just could do nothing but cry.”Martinez’s friend got the story on the local news. From there, it was picked up by ABC. Martinez said he was thrilled that Jobin was able to receive such recognition.“I could not think of someone more deserving of the attention,” he said. “She means so much to us, so we were happy that the surprise was well-received. Pam is a light in all of our lives, and we are so blessed to have her.”The birthday celebration came as Jobin prepared to temporarily step away from her post in South Dining Hall, as she will undergo knee surgery Wednesday and will probably not be back until the end of January. Jobin said she will miss the students most while she is away.“[I’m going to miss] looking at the faces and knowing their different stories … I’m going to miss the kids,” she said. “And I know they’re not kids, but to me they are kids.”Martinez said O’Neill’s dedication will not fade during Jobin’s absence.“Until she returns, we will just have to visit her at home with dinner every once in a while,” he said.As she reflected on her time thus far as a monitor, Jobin recalled one particular Friday night before a home football game on which 4A residents chanted her name in a crowded dining hall.“A lot of times on Friday night before a home football game, they’ll do this chant, ‘We love Pam! We love Pam!’” she said. “I remember they did it one time on the East side and they did it and so many adults and parents were here, and they were walking out and said, ‘You must be Pam. Boy, they sure do love you, don’t they?’ And I said, ‘I love them just as much.’ … They’re just my heart and soul. I love these kids.”Tags: dining hall monitors, Good Morning America, O’Neill Hall, South Dining Hall In 2011, after spending 24 years working at St. Michael’s Laundry, Pam Jobin decided to retire. However, the grandmother of 10 — with one great-grandchild — soon discovered that she missed work.“I was bored,” Jobin said.After a year of retirement, Jobin contacted a friend who was one of the managers of South Dining Hall (SDH). The manager was able to get Jobin a job as one of the dining hall monitors. Last week, her work as a monitor landed her and her 70th birthday celebration a feature on “Good Morning America.”
Christy Pratt replaced Bob Mundy as director of admissions, the University announced in a press release Monday.Mundy, who has had a 36-year-long career at Notre Dame, will assist Pratt with onboarding before he leaves in August, according to the release.“Bob Mundy has provided Notre Dame with a deep sense of wisdom and thoughtful caring in his 36 year career. Bob’s stature in the national community of admissions leaders and high school counselors has represented exactly the type of intelligent, thorough and spiritual approach that matches the University mission,” Don Bishop, associate vice president of enrollment management, said. Pratt has 18 years of experience in higher education, according to the release. She received a bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State University and a master’s degree from Hood College. Before coming to Notre Dame, Pratt worked in college admissions at Hood College, Frederick Community College, East Carolina University and the University of Virginia, the release said.At UVA, Pratt served as the senior associate dean for undergraduate admissions where she helped in “achieving UVA’s admissions and recruitment goals while increasing the academic and diversity profile of the first-year and transfer classes,” the release said. She also serves on national and regional councils for organizations such as the College Board, Questbridge and Posse, the release said.“Christy Pratt has established a great national presence of leadership in the field of highly selective university admissions,” Bishop said. “She is a dedicated professional who cares about students, assisting them to make informed and personally inspired choices. That sense of caring balanced with her reputation as an organizational management leader has benefited her past institutions. … Christy appreciates that Notre Dame is different, and we look forward to how she will help us make a difference in the lives of the students we seek to cultivate.”Pratt said she is “honored” to accept the position of director of admissions at the University. “Notre Dame’s commitment to faith and service along with a world-renowned education is a powerful combination for our students,” she said. “The opportunities presented for students at Notre Dame simply do not exist at other institutions and are part of what makes Notre Dame unique. I am excited to work with such a talented admissions staff and alumni network to enroll the next generation of students. We will build upon the outstanding foundation that my friend and colleague Bob Mundy has achieved over his career.”Pratt begins her tenure as director of admissions on July 8.Tags: Bob Mundy, Christy Pratt, director of admissions
Share:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) MAYVILLE – Another person has recovered from COVID-19 in Chautauqua County.County health officials during Saturday’s update reported no new cases of the virus leaving the current total of confirmed cases at 27, with three active, 21 people recovered, and three deaths related to the virus.“Sixty-two people under quarantine/isolation orders by the Public Health Director and being monitored,” said officials. “Not all of those being monitored are confirmed to have COVID-19 but have either shown symptoms, are awaiting results, or have risk factors.”In Cattaraugus County, there are a total of 29 confirmed cases of the virus, with 17 active and 12 recovered. 