Group discusses Celtic Chant
Student Senate had its last meeting of semester on Wednesday evening. Marisa Olsen and Louis Bertolotti, directors of the First Undergratuate Experience in Leadership (FUEL), presented their concerns about the new traditions associated with the Celtic chant during football games.According to Olsen, the freshmen on FUEL are concerned by the “negative representation” of Notre Dame when students chant expletives directed towards Zahm on national television.“The chant does not reflect well on the Catholic University and the strong tradition in faith that we have here,” Bertolotti said. “We are one family and this is something that we can change to better the University.”Olsen and Bertolotti suggested using Frosh-O as a way to change the cheer. FUEL suggests simply teaching different words to chant during the Celtic Chant to avoid cursing at football games.“This isn’t necessarily a tradition as it only began two or three years ago,” Bertolotti said. “But we most definitely want to keep it from becoming a tradition.”The group had mixed opinions about the issue at hand. Michael Wajda, co-chair of Hall President’s Council, said he was totally unaware of the chant and had never heard it been used before. Olsen and Bertolotti encouraged the group to step up and make this change happen.“We want you as student leaders to project the changes to the student body to bring us together as a family,” Bertolotti said.Senate also focused on the discussion of student safety on campus. Vidal said during his meeting with local law enforcement on Dec. 10 to discuss off campus safety, the police gave good tips for securing off campus homes during break.“We are going to post a webinar link soon so that students have the opportunity to ask the law enforcement questions live about campus safety,” Vidal said.As the meeting was the last of the semester, Senate plans to continue the 29 for 29 initiative and the discussion about campus safety during the spring semester.
If we just knew that your office was not briefed in detail about the situation of our workers in both government and private hospitals, we would have sought a private audience with you to settle these issues and made things clear and right. It was not the intention of the media forum to humiliate the administration and the IATF. The call was for the DOH and IATF to provide the HCWs a fighting chance in the war against COVID and prevent unnecessary fatalities. We bear no III will and have acted without malice towards the implementers of the law and the Bayanihan as one goal but our empty cries had to be made known somehow. Sadly, we were taken aback and surprised when you highlighted in your address to the nation last night that we are indispensable but not irreplaceable so we beg your indulgence and allow us to rectify this impression. If you closely review the virtual conference on Aug. 1, There was never a call for a revolt nor was there any threat of leaving patients on their own since our oath instructs us to first do no harm to anyone who needs our help. In this letter, we highlighted the importance of having healthy and COVID-free caregivers so we can allay anxiety and boost the morale of the frontliners when they face uncertainty and this can only be made possible if they are tested periodically. By training and our reserved nature, the likes of us are not used to giving out demands or ultimatums but if our requests and observations were taken as an assertive display of Indignation, we apologize for the way the message was taken in a negative light. Three months have passed since that time and after other requests like quarantine facilities for HCW, insurance coverage, and protection from verbal castigation and physical violence to name a few have been left unanswered, we patiently held on as soldiers in battle. These valid requests if they were granted early on would have made our harrowing experiences bearable but for some unexplained reason, it was left unheeded by the IATF and DOH. Going forward, we are glad that your office is open to suggestions and that you prioritize the safety of our health care workers. Similar to your wish, we also pray that the COVID vaccines become available sooner than later. Your quick response on this matter was highly appreciated and the additional help you have promised our ranks will go a long way but as a rejoinder, we would like to make it clear that our call for a stricter lockdown is not only to give reprieve to our tireless health workforce but mainly to assure the highest quality of care needed for the moderate to critically III patients we expect to rise in number when the health system becomes less than ideal. By our long history with the DOH, we have been supportive of the government and as a matter of fact, formed a partnership with DOH in disseminating educational materials to both the medical field and community during these past four months. Our society has also worked indirectly with LGUs and members of the ATE ever since the beginning of the campaign as a consultative body on matters of science. With you and all the Filipinos in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.