The Los Angeles Loyolan, Volume 75, Issue 24 - April 9, 1997

Film The Saint canonized at the box office: Page 12 Art & Theater A Hair-raising production by Del Rey Players: Page 16 ■ Sports Baseball suffers two tight losses: Page 20 Los Angeles LOYOLAN April 9,1997 Loyola Mary Mo u n t Uni v e r s i t y Walking on Sunshine LMU Special Games celebrates 20 years of giving mentally and physically challenged athletes a Big Day of fun and games by Christelyn Russell Contributor Overcast weather couldn’t keep the smiling partici¬ pants of the 20th annual Loyola Marymount Special Games from ‘ walking on sun¬ shine” Saturday. Over 850 athletes, coaches and volunteers flocked to the event as be sketball hoops, vol¬ leyball nets, fire trucks and moon bou ices speckled the Sunken G* rdens. The d; у before the big event, со nmittee members worked nonstop to ensure the finishing touches of the day’s event. “We’re excited. We work all year around and it’s a lot of hard work,” said Joanna Airey, director of the Special Games committee. This year’s theme, “Twenty Years of Walking on Sunshine,” celebrates the anniversary of the Special Games, which was established at LMU in 1977. The program broke away from Special Olympics in 1978 in order to Games: page 6 ; SCOTT GROLLER / LOYOLAN Top: Gary Tamaki rejoices after a successful game of Mellow Yellow . Every athlete was awarded a medal for their effort in the Games. Right: Pamela Danony proudly salutes the American flag with an AFROTC member during the opening ceremonies. SCOTT GROLLER / LOYOLAN Candidates Face Off in Debates ■ Elections: Two teams of ASLMU candidates address students’ concerns; Third ticket sanc¬ tioned from debate by Mark D’Anna Assistant News Editor On Regents’ Terrace Thursday, presidential hopeful Ryan Eisberg and his running mate Nick Hutchinson squared off against incumbent J. Ruben Gonzalez and Janelle Etchepare in front of an assem¬ bled crowd at convocation hour. The third presidential ticket of Tom Arteaga and Susanna Larios were prevented from par¬ ticipating in the debate after they allegedly used ASLMU’s copy machine for their own cam¬ paign flyers, which would be violation of the elections rules. Arteaga and Larios were ‘sanc¬ tioned’ — or prevented from cam¬ paigning — for 48 hours. The first question moderator Dr. Matthew Dillon asked was how the candidates planned to improve communication between ASLMU and students. “We would like to start monthly town hall meetings so students can address what they want and need,” said Hutchinson. “We would also like to increase publicity for events we hold with a bi-month¬ ly page in the Loyolan.” Hutchinson also promised that they would not just sit back and casually collect paychecks, but rather approach the job pro¬ fessionally. ‘We don’t expect you to come to us, it’s our job to get in touch with you,” Hutchinson said. Gonzalez said that he and Etchepare plan to use the Senate and campus clubs to the best of their capabilities in order to see to it that the cam¬ pus voice will be heard. “LMU’s strength lies in the clubs and organizations. We will reach out to them and work with them in order to represent as diverse a group as possible,” Etchepare said. Each team on hand was pri¬ marily given questions in advance for which they had pre¬ pared responses. They then fielded two spontaneous ques¬ tions by Dillon and, finally, took questions from the crowd. Both sides commented on students’ lack of school spirit and ways in which they would try to improve it. Eisberg commented, “LMU is a family that deserves a rich tradition and pride.” He pre¬ sented several of his and Hutchinson’s ideas to increase spirit, including finding major headliners for the Sunset Concert, bringing back home¬ coming as well as the bygone tradition of the ‘midnight scream’ during finals week. Gonzalez commented, “We’d like to see information boxes around campus set out for stu¬ dents who commute to school and to continue working for another great turnout at next year’s Charter Ball.” Etchepare added, “We have a great track record as far as co¬ sponsoring big events. We also have a lot of experience and we Debate: page 2 - 1 , ■ - i lltei mm Ш шштшймштт SCOTT GROLLER / LOYOLAN Presidential candidate Ryan Eisberg speaks out on issues affecting students at an open debate held on Regents’ Terrace Thursday. Volume 75, No. 24 CFA Adds Animation Major by Mia Shanley News Editor For nearly 20 years, the College of Communication and Fine Arts has offered class¬ es in animation. The college announced last week that it will now will expand the program to create a unique animation major, making LMU the only Liberal Arts-based animation program for undergraduates in Southern California. “We’re really thrilled that we have been able to put this program into place,” said Dean of CFA Thomas P. Kelly. “WeYe excited about the design also — it will include all of the ele¬ ments of classic cell animation, plus computer animation, com¬ puter graphics and interactive animation. It’s the only Liberal Arts-based animation program for undergraduates in Southern California.” Until now, students took animation as a film and studio art emphasis. For current LMU students who wish to change their major to animation, the curriculum will be blended into their academic programs so that they may graduate in a traditional four-year program. Students entering next fall will also have the chance to apply for the major. The major will be also be included as a choice on the 1997-1998 LMU application for admission. “This is a fabulous opportu¬ nity for the students,” said Dr. Suzanne Frentz, associate dean of CFA. “Technology has evolved, and there are employ¬ ment opportunities to make a difference in millions of people’s lives, especially children’s.” Frentz spearheaded efforts to get the proposal approved by LMU’s Academic Program Review Committee (APRC), which consists of two faculty members from each college. Frentz, Kelly, and part-time LMU animation professors met