Mirror - Vol. 32, No. 24 - April 05, 2007

              The IRROR
Spam Jam Gets A Partner: New Event Slated for Spring Weekend
WEEK OF APRIL 5,2007
Vol. 32, Iss. 24-16 pages
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WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM
The independent student newspaper
of Fairfield University
BY JESS MITCHELL
So many traditions have been cancelled that some stu-dents
have become completely disenchanted with college
life. However, recent changes may inspire hope for fun at
Fairfield.
A barbeque exclusive to juniors and seniors will be held
on the lawn behind the three, four and five blocks of the town-houses
from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday of Spring Weekend.
The April 29 event will feature a DJ, barbeque and games
such as volleyball, bocce ball, horseshoe and a slip-n-slide.
FUSA President Hutch Williams '08 said a mechanical
bull is also a possibility, depending on the cost.
This turn of events is a result of the change that was
implemented this year, which combined Spam Jam into one
event to be held at Lessing Field. During an emergency Sen-ate
meeting, FUSA began planning what they hoped would
be an additional Sunday event to be held at the Townhouses
and provided alcohol.
Although the University will not provide alcohol for the
event, Williams said students will have more freedom to go
in and out of the townhouses and enjoy the food and music in
an atmosphere that is not alcohol-based.
"Not having alcohol is disappointing for those students
who are of age, but I think they'll have just as much fun
without it," said Williams. "The whole-set up is going to be
really good. My only concern for the event is that we get a
75-degree, sunny day."
Williams said the event can serve as a "victory party" after
the men's lacrosse game against St. Paul earlier that day.
"The townhouses are in such close proximity to the la-crosse
field and although the two events are different, both the
game and the cookout can benefit each other," he said.
Funds will be allocated from the 2008 Class Council
and the townhouse RCC and the estimated cost is $5,000,
according to Williams.
Ashlee Downing '08, IRHA member in charge of Spam
Jam, said while she is focusing mostly on Saturday's event,
Sunday's festivities will be different enough from Spam Jam
that students will attend both.
SEE "ADDITION" ON P. 5
Roped Off:
will be held
ioto Illustration by Elyse Raby/The Mirror
Highlighted area where upperclassmen event
BREAK IT DOWN IN BARONE
Elyse Raby/The Mirror
High School Hip Hop: Bridgeport high school students give dance lessons as part of Diversity Week's
programs in the lower level of the BCC. For column on Diversity Week, see "Diversify" on p. 6.
Death of Rider University Freshman
Sparks Investigation About Hazing
BY CHRISTINA STODDARD
An 18-year-old freshman at Rider University
died of alcohol poisoning last Friday after drinking
excessively at an on-campus fraternity house.
Gary DeVercelly,
a management major
from Long Beach, Ca-lif.,
was rushed from the
Phi Kappa Tau fraternity
house to the intensive
care unit early Thurs-day.
He died at 10:50
a.m. March 30 with his
parents at his side, ac-cording
to Rider News, the University's student
newspaper.
"In my four years here, we have covered a
number of deaths. Each death has touched us, but
this one was different," said Mike Caputo, execu-tive
editor of the Rider News. "This weekend the
campus was in shock. Usually in this nice weather
people are outside, but the atmosphere was just this
eerie, somber silence."
DEVERCELLY
Hundreds of students participated in a prayer
vigil on Thursday night. On Saturday there was
a memorial service held in honor of DeVercelly
in Rider's Gill Chapel, which over 400 students,
faculty, and adminitratos attended, according to
Caputo.
Caputo said that the words spoken by DeVer-celly's
father, Gary DeVercelly, Sr., were particu-larly
touching.
"I'm a stranger to Gary, but it was hard for
someone not to tear up when his father spoke,"
he said.
An autopsy conducted Saturday revealed that
DeVercelly's blood alcohol content was .426. New
Jersey law considers someone with a blood alcohol
content of .08 or above to be legally drunk.
Investigation is still underway regarding the
Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, which hosted the Wednes-day
night party, according to the Mercer County
Prosecutor's spokeswoman.
DeVercelly was a new member of the fraternity
and the prosecutor's office and the Lawrenceville
Police Department are investigating the possibility
that the death was a result of hazing.
Senior Managers May Have
To Work During Senior Week
BY STEPHANIE LAUTO
Just say the word "graduation"
in front of seniors and they'll cringe.
Mention Senior Week and positive
reactions are sure to surface.
Senior townhouse and apart-ment
managers, however, may be
on duty while their classmates get
to drink heavily on Pub Night or
dance the night away during the
semi-formal.
According to Charles Sousa,
area coordinator for Residence
Life, the townhouse and apartment
managers' contracts requires that
they work until the end of the year,
including Senior Week.
"This is something that needs
to be done and hasn't been primarily
done in the past," said Sousa, who
reminded managers of the require-ment
early last month.
But Sousa said having senior
managers work during this time,
May 14-20, is a safety precaution.
"It's not that we're trying to
bust people," Sousa said. "We don't
want to find somebody passed out in
the street. If that happens we want
SEE "TOWNHOUSE" ON P. 5
Alleged Donnelly Murderer
Held on $5 Million Bond
times and found at the scene lying
in the fetal position on the store's
floor still alive. She later died at
Bridgeport Hospital.
DiMeb and his girlfriend, Ni-cole
Pearce, were arrested two days
later in a motel in Atlantic City, N.J.
They later pleaded guilty in connec-tion
with the robbery and murder of
Thomas Renison, the manager of
J&J Jewelry, a store in Glen Head,
N. Y. DiMeo was sentenced to life in
prison, while Pearce was sentenced
to 20 years for robbery.
According to the Post, Pearce
later admitted to scouting out the
Donnellys' store the day before
the murders. She is currently in
custody at the York Correctional
Institute in Niantic awaiting trial in
Bridgeport.
Fairfield residents said the
Donnellys were very involved in
the community as well as Fairfield
University.
Kim Donnelly worked in the
finance department at the University
but left the position to help her hus-band
with the jewelry store, which
opened in 1987. Their two children,
Eric, 27, and Tara, 25, both gradu-ated
from Fairfield.
BY ALEXANDRA STEWART
Christopher DiMeo, 25, who
allegedly murdered Tim and Kim
Donnelly two years ago in their jew-elry
store on Post Road, appeared in
court on Monday and has been held
on $5 million bond, according to the
Connecticut Post.
DiMeo fought extradition on
the double murder charges but lost
the fight to remain in the New York
court system. He was driven to Con-necticut
on Friday.
DiMeo is charged with capital
felony, two counts felony murder,
two counts murder, first-degree
robbery and criminal possession of
a handgun for fatally shooting the
Donnellys on Feb. 2, 2005.
Senior Assistant State's Attor-ney
Richard Palumbo implored the
judge to hold DiMeo without bond
because of the gravity of the crimes,
the Post reported.
The judge later set the bond at
$5 million, and the case was contin-ued
to April 10.
Tim Donnelly was shot at
the back of his store and was pro-nounced
dead at the scene on Feb.
10,2005. Kim Donnelly was shot six