1999 Vol.67, No.13 Xavierite

              The Xavierite
A night at the movies
A review of the movie and music of "Go"
Page 6
Vol. 67, No. 13
The student newspaper of Saint Xavier University
Softball Champs
Lady Cougars earn first place
Page 12
Friday, April 30, 1999
Retiring Mercy Sister honored
Campus lake named after Sister Marion Johnson
By Rosemary Mazurowski
News Editor
The rain stopped and the sun
even tried to peak out and shine
down on Saint Xavier University
on Wednesday, April 28 at noon, as
the lake between Regina and Pacelli
Halls was dedicated as "Lake
Marion" in honor of Sister Marion
Johnson, R.S.M.
After 35 years of service to
the University's science department
Sister Marion is retiring. She won't
be far from SXU though. At the
dedication she said that she will
still be available for her students.
"My heart is still here," said Sister
Marion. This shows her lasting
dedication to her career and her
desire to still be involved in the
live's of her students.
Speaking to the large crowd
that filled the banks of Lake Marion,
Stanley Boyer, biology department
professor, spoke about his colleague 
and his friend. He said that
she will be missed when she leaves.
Sister Marion's passion, energy and
ability to excite students will be
Sister Marion's
passion, energy
and her ability to
excite students
will be missed
by all.
missed by all. "She leaves a hard
place to fill," said Boyer.
Boyer also said the dedication was 
"a fitting tribute to a friend
and colleague who has had an in-
credibly productive career."
Sister Marion spoke of her
fond memories of the lake. She
used the lake as a site for workshops 
with her classes throughout
her years of teaching at SXU.
She expressed concern
about the lake and it's possible
deterioration as pollution seeps
into it.
Sister Marion was very
pleased by the number of faculty,
students, friends and family who
came out for the dedication c
eremony. She is overwhelmed by
the amount of people who have
contributed to Lake Marion over
the years.
The dedication of Lake
Marion also shows the University's
commitment to the preservation
of the lake for the enjoyment of
future generations of student as
SXU.


SXU says goodbye to Johnson
By Rosemary Mazurowski
News Editor
Kim Johnson, managing director 
of student life, will be leaving 
the University at the end of this
semester. Johnson will be pursing
a career at Lewis University as
director of alumni services.
Today marks her seven year
anniversary with the University.
Throughout her career here she has
provided service and leadership to
the SXU community.
Jim O'Donnell, co-director
of WXAV said that Johnson is not
turning her back on SXU, she just
has an offer she can not refuse.
"She still has so many friends here,
you'll still see her on campus,"
said O'Donnell. He went on to say
that he is most impressed with the
relationship she has built with 
students. O'Donnell said that he
"Never met anyone who gives so
much and expects nothing in return."
Student Isabel Moncebaiz
said, "Kim Johnson was a very 
dedicated woman to Saint Xavier 
University and the Student Activities
Board. Without her we would have
accomplished nothing. She will be
missed by all."
"Kim Johnson was very active in the 
University and the community. 
To a a lot of people she
was more than just a supervisor or
employee, she was a friend. Her
presence will be missed greatly,"
shared student Ed Bryant.
Student Karyn Horn said,
"Kim was a great person to work
with, She had a great relationship
with the students and faculty at
SXU. Lewis University is very
lucky."
Lee Cruz of the Career and
Personal Development Center did
his undergraduate studies at Lewis
with Johnson. "Kim has always
had a major impact on student's
lives from an academic and social
perspective." He went on to add,
"when she left Lewis to come here,
I knew Saint Xavier was getting a
steal. Lewis is getting a true gift.
Patricia Hergenrother, early
child education major, said "Kim
is a very warm and cheerful 
person." "When my mom was sick
and in the hospital she was there
for me. I consider her more of a
friend than staff."
A fitting memorial...
Xavierite photos/Andrew Dunning
A pear tree was planted between the lake and baseball field honoring the
late Professor JoAnne Fleming Warner. Faculty, staff and students witnessed
the ceremony as memories of Warner were shared and a prayer was offered
by Father Niblick. The tree represents Warner's importance to the Saint
Xavier community and to her love of nature. A temporary plaque was
attached to the tree. A more permanent plaque will be installed this summer.
Faculty, students discuss U.S. military action
Group fills Andrew Conference Center for debate on NATO intervention
By Andrew Dunning
Sports Editor
Students and faculty gathered April 22
in the Andrew Conference Center for "Crisis
in Kosovo," a faculty panel discussion. The
debate, moderated by senior history major
Joseph O'Neill, featured faculty from the
departments of History and Political Science, 
Philosophy and Campus Ministries.
Topics discussed included the right of nations 
to invade sovereign states, the effectiveness 
of bombing and the morality of
modern combat. More than twenty students
and staff were on hand to participate in the
debate.
According to David Appel, assistant
professor of history and political science, an
international community is emerging to 
replace traditional definitions of nationality.
"Today, sovereignty is being eroded as a
general concept," Appel said, "Suggesting
that people outside of a country can go in and
make sure the rights of those people are
adhered to." Appel pointed to the creation of
the European Union as an example of how
countries are becoming part of what he calls
a supranational organization. "To think of
the idea of sovereignty as absolute creates a
difficulty in taking seriously the notion of
humanity," he said.
Appel reminded the
panel that after the
first World War, 
European nations were
content to deal only
with national concerns.   
However,
such a complacent
stance created further human rights 
violations, eventually leading to the second World War. Appel,
said that NATO involvement was justified to
alleviate abuses. "The horrendous nature of
the massacre in Kosovo has to be a starting
point for our involvement," he added.
"Even if we accept
the most rigorous
definition of sovereignty,
you still must
defend intervention."
Moreover, Thomas Thorp, assistant
professor of philosophy, agreed that NATO's
bombing of Yugoslavia was necessary to
end ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. "What we
have here is a horrific, perverse civil war,"
Thorp said. "Initially, these people have been
invaded by their own
country." Thorp argued 
that the traditional 
definition of a
civil war is invalid
while describing the
conflicts in Kosovo
because the Yugoslavian 
Serbs are attempting to remove
the Albanians, rather
than assert authority
over them. Thorp also claims that human
rights are more important than geopolitical
distinctions. "Even if we accept the most
rigorous definition of sovereignty, you still
must defend intervention," he said. "Sover
eignty implies certain rights and responsibilities."
However, not all the panelists agreed.
"It is intelligent to accept the possibility that
NATO can use military power for human
rights," reasoned Peter Kirstein, professor of
history and political science, "One could 
argue there is a moral law toward intervention.
.. But this (war) fails both."
According to Kirstein, the United States
and its allies have failed to develop and 
execute a proper strategy for bringing peace to
Yugoslavia. He argued that military bombing
will only lead to ground troops, and the United
States cannot justify such a move under 
international scrutiny.
"I see many many similarities with
Vietnam," Kirstein said. "One of the problems 
with Vietnam was that many perceived
that the war was not a vital interest to the U.S.
Rather, this was a civil war."
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