The Griffin: volume 65, issue 04 - Sept. 30, 1994

              Wolniewicz and Senior Week Committee Chair Anita Santiago recommended a Friday ceremony at the Aud to Levey as an "initial reaction." However, Wolniewicz stated, "It should be the seniors' decision...it's their graduation." Dan Shea, a senior, said, 'The day doesn't really matter to me.. .the Aud is best so I can invite my family." familiarity. A Friday Aud ceremony "rushes Senior Week a lot", Wolniewicz continued, and would mean that the Baccalaureate Mass and the graduation ceremonies themselves would be held on the same day. by Charity Vogel Griffin News Editor Canisius football player Aaron Fix broke two NCAA records and seven school records Saturday. See related articles, pages 11 and 12. Photo by JOE BONGI, Jr. banned on campus by Heather R. Williams Griffin News Editor  "In addition, rollerblades consistently leave dark skid marks Rollerblading is no longer allowed in campus buildings, according to a memo from Patricia A. Rissmeyer, dean of students. Rissmeyer reported that she had received "about five complaints" regarding students rollerbladingin hallways. While presenting the new policy to the Undergraduate Student Association (USA) student senate, Rissmeyer broke down the complaints into three categories: interrupting academics, causing damage to the physical facilities, and inflicting injuries. In her memo, Rissmeyer explained, "Rollerblading has been reported to disturb classroom activity."I made the decision based on the Student Code of Conduct, and the Student Code of Conduct is behind the decision," stated Rissmeyer. Her memo elaborates, "Actions which interfere with academic activity, which cause damage to College property and which have the potential to harm students, are prohibited by the Student Code of Conduct. Rollerblading inside classroom buildings has been reported to violate the Code of Conduct in all of these ways. As a result, effective immediately, rollerblading is prohibited in all buildings on the Canisius College campus." and have been reported to nick the linoleum and tile. Finally, a student on rollerbladea collided with, and injured, another student." "We have families and have children here. It won't do any good for us; it's just for the benefit of the College." - Ruby Hubbard Hamlin Park Neighborhood Association Miller acknowledged that there has been "some negative reaction" to the plan, but he claims that the effect on residents would be minimal. According to Miller, the expansion of Eastwood would only cover the first 150 yards of the street. from two sides. The Preservation Coalition is looking into the possibility of declaring the site a landmark of the city, and a study of the building will be done to determine if it is of "historical merit" or "architectural merit." Residents of the area surrounding the rectory have also raised protests to the plan. Much of the opposition stems from the fact that the new entrance to the College would mean the widening of Eastwood Ave. to allow for traffic in two directions. "Enough traffic comes in and out- we don't need it any wider," said Ruby Hubbard of the Hamlin Park Association. "We have families and have children here. It won't do any good for us; it's just for the benefit of the College." Hubbard cited increased traffic and parking as problems central to the plan. She said that residents of the street fought 15 years for the oneway direction of Eastwood and called the proposed change "dangerous." "There's a complicated process now under way," Miller said. The College needs to get the City of Buffalo's permission, a zoning variance, and a demolition permit to proceed. The building would be destroyed by implosion at some point during the school year, if the red tape can be cleared. The College faces resistance to the demolition According to Miller, Canisius plans to demolish the rectory as soon as possible and install a parking lot until the proposed "main entrance" can be erected. The Preservation Coalition of Erie County and the Hamlin Park Association, a resident's group, have lodged protests against the College's plans. "The rectory property is exactly where we would like the main entrance to campus," said Dr. Thomas E. Miller, vice president for Student Affairs. "The rectory has no function...we have no need for it." Canisius' officials have hit a snag in their efforts to implement the Master Space Plan on Eastwood Ave. by demolishing the St. Vincent de Paul rectory building. Indoor rollerblading The Canisius College class of 1995 faces a change of dates or venue for this year's commencement exercises, which had been scheduled for May 20, 1995 at Memorial Auditorium in downtown Buffalo. According to Lillian M. Levey, vice president and assistant to the president, the College received notification this week that the Aud will be unavailable for use on the reserved date of May 20. Due to a possible playoff game for the Sabres on that date and because of the team's television contracts, the College has been notified that an alternate date must be selected. The Aud would be available to Canisius on Friday, May 19, for an evening ceremony. Levey stated that the College is also looking into the possibility of using the Buffalo Convention Center as a site for graduation on Saturday, May 20. "You couldn't have the same number of people there," Levey said. The Convention Center would only hold about 6000 people, including the gradu- Neighborhood protests proposed demolition of St. Vincent's rectory ates. The Aud, the traditional location of Canisius' commencement ceremony, can accomodate an unlimited number of family members and guests. Another factor in the final decision on the ceremony will be the availability of speakers and honorary guests. A similar scheduling problem occurred two years ago, when the class of 1993 was forced to change the date of commencement because of the Sabres playoff bid. Canisius did not involve students in the decision to change the date in that year. The College is soliciting the opinions of seniors regarding the commencement ceremony changes. Levey spoke to Theresa Wolniewicz, president of the Undergraduate Student Association, about the problem, and the matter was presented to the student senate at the Tuesday, Sept. 27 meeting* 'The big issue here is what's more important, the place or the time," Wolniewicz said. She claimed that the Aud is the location of choice for the event, because of its seating capacity and Peace Corps The G riiyin Serving the Canisius Community Since 1933 (see page 11) Records have been "Fixed" (see page 7) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1994 Records in a Fix... VOLUME LXV, NUMBER 4 Sabres force College to change 1995 Commencement date Friday evening ceremony proposed by Charity Vogel Griffin News Editor According to Levey, the College will be finalizing its decision on the ceremony within the week. The senate will pass a resolution calling for a Friday, May 19, 1995 evening graduation ceremony at their meeting next Tuesday."I'd rather have it on Friday because you can invite more people. Plus, I can't see anyone getting upset at getting told 'your graduation's a day early'", agreed Nicole Graci. More "nerds" than ever (see page 2)