THE INDEPENDENT
TO UNCOVER
NEWSPAPER SERVING
THE TRUTH
NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S
AND REPORT
AND HOLY CROSS
IT ACCURATELY
VOLUME 59, ISSUE 76 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
South Dining Hall to undergo renovations By ROSE ANDROWICH
Observer Staff Report
News Writer
The Observer’s offices will relocate to Hesburgh Library this summer after almost 30 years in the basement of South Dining Hall. The new offices will be located on the ninth floor of the library. “We are excited by the opportunity to move to a new office,” editor-in-chief Liam Kelly said. “While many Observer writers will hold fond memories of their time spent in South Dining Hall, I’m confident that
For nearly 100 years, South Dining Hall has been a hallmark of Notre Dame’s campus. The dining hall, known for its iconic Gothic architecture, will see changes over the next two years as it undergoes an extensive construction project. The exterior of the building has been undergoing a restoration throughout the spring. Renovation of the interior will begin after commencement. South Dining Hall was designed in 1927 by Ralph Adams Cram, a renowned American architect. Cram designed see RENOVATION PAGE 3
Photo Courtsey of ND Works
ND Works released an official rendering of the new serving area in South Dining Hall. Renovations are expected to be done in two years.
Professors reflect on Trump’s education policy As tensions escalate between the federal government and higher education institutions, Notre Dame has opted for a watchful, coordinated response while peer institutions such as Harvard prepare to challenge the Trump administration in court. University administration and political science faculty offered perspective on this approach to The Observer. The Trump administration’s recent actions — including threats to withdraw federal funding, investigations into diversity and inclusion initiatives and visa scrutiny affecting international students — have targeted a select group of primarily private, research-driven institutions. These moves have prompted concerns across the academic landscape regarding constitutional protections, institutional autonomy and the politicization of federal agencies.
Political science professor David Campbell, director of the Notre Dame Democracy Initiative, described the situation as “a broadside — I think I would say attack — on higher education.” Within Notre Dame’s administration, the response has been measured. “We are actively monitoring the situation in Washington and working to document the impacts thus far,” Pedro Ribeiro, vice president for public affairs and communications, wrote. “We are also coordinating with key partners, such as the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU), to underscore the value of what we do as a leading global Catholic research university, from educating future leaders to advancing human understanding through research,” Ribeiro added. Ribeiro also addressed student concerns about recent
LEADERSHIP SERIES
EDITORIAL
By MARIA CLARA LOPES CORONA Staff Writer
NEWS PAGE 4
Observer office to move to library
VIEWPOINT PAGE 5
visa-related changes affecting international students. “While privacy laws preclude us from commenting on any particular student’s immigration status, we have been in contact with all of our international students to alert them to resources available to them on campus, and we continue to monitor their situations closely,” he wrote. “Our international students and scholars and their families are important and vital members of our campus community, and we will continue working to ensure that they are welcomed and supported at Notre Dame.” Campbell noted that the universities under investigation share certain traits. “It is notable that the institutions that the Trump administration has targeted are all private institutions. They are all elite, if you want to put it that way, or highly selective admissions,” he said. “I think it’s fair to say one of the reasons why it’s those institutions that have been see TRUMP PAGE 4
‘HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER’ SCENE PAGE 7
our new office will be able to meet our needs and allow the paper to thrive for years to come.” The move was prompted by a major renovation of South Dining Hall that is scheduled to begin in May. The building has been home to the newspaper since 199 the Observer offices had been located in LaFortune Student Center until 1997. The new office will open in August just before the beginning of the school year.
ND releases common data set The Universit y of Notre Dame has published the Common Data Set (CDS) for the 2024-25 admissions cycle. This cycle saw the applications and acceptance of the Notre Dame Class of 2028, the first after the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in 2023. The CDS report features information on the enrolled classes’ demographics, academic statistics and the school’s criteria for admission. There are 56 fewer Black students in the Class of 2028 compared to the Class of 2027, a roughly 44% decrease, the largest decrease of any group. The only t wo demographic groups to see an increase in enrollment were white and Hispanic/Latino students. The Universit y enrolled seven more students in the 2024-25 cycle than the prev ious year. The student body at Notre Dame has historically been predominantly white. According to admissions staff, the Universit y has never considered race as a
standalone factor in admissions, but did employ “raceconscious” admissions up until the ruling. The Supreme Court’s decision ruled it illegal to do so, forcing many colleges to change their policies. According to the Common Data Set Initiative’s website, the purpose of publishing this information is to “improve the qualit y and accuracy of information prov ided to all involved in a student’s transition into higher education, as well as to reduce the reporting burden on data prov iders.” “Institutional Research compiles data that originates from various offices, including Admissions, Financial Aid, and the Registrar,” Adrea Hernandez, executive director of institutional research, w rote in a statement to The Obser ver. “Our processes have not changed.” “We publish the Common Data Set, as many institutions do, in an effort to be transparent about student enrollment, admissions, financial aid, and academic and extracurricular offerings,” Hernandez’s statement continued.
SOFTBALL
BASEBALL
Observer Staff Report
SPORTS PAGE 10
SPORTS PAGE 12