1999-12-02

              Colleceville, MN 56321

There are problems in these times, but whew! none of them are mine . . .

Official student newspaper since 1887

NoN^PRQFrr Organization Change sem

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How Earth friendly are we? Features Spread,10-ll

See how your organization did this semester Opinions, 12-13

White Christmas???

Juniors Jenny Jacquot and Conrad Stonich lounge in front of the newly decorated Sexton Commons late one night. Both campuses have been gearing up for the holiday season, with the celebration highlighted by the Christmas at St.. John's performance this weekend.

Photo by Michael Murray

Senates pass conduct bill

By Mike Weaver Editorial Staff Writer

The Good Neighbor Policy, which outlines the expectations of student behavior both on campus and off, is now in effect at both of the colleges. The Student Life Policy Committee at CSB and the Student Advisory Committee at SJU passed the bill.

According to Every Woman's Guide and the J-Booky the purpose of the new policy is for the colleges to, "educate    students    on    the

importance of living in community and understanding the obligations of civic responsibility. We expect our students to understand and accept their rights and responsibilities as members of the CSB/SJU community and as participants in the activities of surrounding communities. Therefore, students should expect to be held accountable for their behavior both on and off campus."

The policy arose following the incidents stemming from last spring's senior disorien-tation, according to Jennifer

Valorose,   vice-president   of the St. Ben's Senate (SBS).

"The Good Neighbor Policy was written because of the feeling that seniors go out and party during senior dis-orientation with the attitude that they are graduating the next day, so what can the school do?" she said. "This policy points out that participating in commencement exercises are a privilege, not a right, and should a student act unlawfully, that privilege

¦ See Policy page 7:

Double whatnmy: Students to be punished.

www.csbsju.edu/sjrecord/

Bishops' Ex Corde Ecclesiae raises concerns about academic freedom in CSB/SJU classrooms

Proposed policy would require professors to be "Committed Catholics"

Shane S. Hoefer Editorial Staff Writer

On Nov. 17, the U.S. Bishops, in Washington, DC, approved a document entitled Ex Corde Ecclesiae A n App Heat ion to the United States, that could potentially force radical change at CSB/SJU. The document has been forwarded to the Vatican for final approval by the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education.

According to Dr. Vincent Smiles, en air of the Theology Department and heavily involved with the issue, that final approval could come "almost anytime within the next few months."

Pope John Paul II wrote Ex Corde Ecclesiae, which translates as "from the heart of the church," in 1990. On one level, Ex Corde calls for a strengthening of the "Catholic identity" of Roman Catholic universities and defends their "Catholic character and identity" as well.

On another level, the application document of Ex Corde, written and approved by the U.S. Bishops, deals directly with the way these institutions commission Catholic professors of theology as well, as the way those professors teach. The document also regulates the hiring of faculty by mandating that a majority of the faculty must profess to be members of the Roman Catholic Church.

Smiles spoke about the conceivable ramifications of the document, if the Vatican were to approve it. "If the application       is       strictly

enforced, then there could be many implications. You'd have to read the document to see them for yourself. Of special concern are the provisions in Part 2, Article 4. They are seen by many, including me, as a threat to academic freedom and as undue interference by the hierarchy in the life of a university."

Part 2, Article 4, of the application document of Ex Corde, (available at http://www.nccbuscc.0rg/b ishops/excorde.htm) specifically lists several requirements for Roman Catholic universities. For one, the university            president

"should be Catholic."

For another, a majority of the board of trustees or regents        "should         be

Catholics committed to the Church."

However, the most controversial issues derive from what the document has to say about the faculty of Roman Catholic universities.

First, "The university should strive to recruit and appoint Catholics as professors so that, to the extent possible, those committed to the witness of the faith will constitute a majority of the faculty. All professors are expected to be aware of and committed to the Catholic mission and identity of their institutions/'

In short, a majority of all professors at these universities must be Catholics.

Second, according to application         document,

"Both the university and the bishops, aware of the

¦ See Church page 4:

Faculty and staff worry about possible consequences