The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre

W hen the South Bend Common Council votes tonight on an ord inance in tended to curta il raucous student parties in neighborhoods near Notre Dame, i t w i l l m ake a s ta te ­ m ent abou t the h is to r ic a lly complex re lationship between the University and the city. University leaders have said they do not th ink an ordinance requ iring students to pre-reg­ ister off-campus parties is the best way to solve a p rob lem they acknowledge exists. Since he introduced the o rd i­ nance in July, Council member Buddy K irs its has ca lled fo r the U n ive rs ity adm in is tra tion to “ step up to the p la te ” to address actions of its students o ff campus. But U niversity leaders have sa id the present s it­ ua tio n is a chance to co llabora te w ith s tu ­ d en ts and c ity o f f i ­ cials. “ I believe there ’s cu r­ re n t ly an o p p o r tu n ity fo r us to w o rk co ns truc tive ly w ith the loca l c o m m u n ity and th e c ity to im prove the le g itim a te con­ cerns that people have — and Jenkins th e y a re le g i t im a te , ” U n iv e rs ity P re s id en t F a the r John J e n k in s to ld The Observer. “ I th in k th e re are instances w here Notre Dame students have not behaved as they should, and people feel th a t the q u a lity o f th e ir life has been not as good because o f that. ... “ I believe we can find a way to w o rk c o n s tru c tiv e ly on it w ithout ordinances.” In its earlie r form , the p ro ­ posed o rd in a n c e re q u ire d houses w ith tw o o r m ore un re la ted residen ts to apply fo r a p e rm it 10 days in advance before hosting a party w ith 25 or m ore guests w ith access to a lco h o l. Now, the Council is considering a m odi­ fied version that would create a coalition o f leaders from the city and local colleges, inc lud ­ in g N o tre Dam e and S a in t M ary ’s. While the cu rren t version of the o rd in a nce s t i l l con ta ins ru les fo r p a rty re g is tra tio n , they would not be implem ent­ ed unless the Council voted to do so in the fu ture — an action that city officials say could be necessary i f students continue to host too -row dy parties o ff campus. It would not be the firs t time the beh av io r o f N otre Dame students, o ff campus spurred action by South Bend residents and o ffic ia ls.”