Jordan River Forum

Having spent nearly three decades in senior leadership positions in higher education, including 11 years as chancellor of two campuses, I know from personal experience that a certain amount of criticism (of University leadership) is normal and can be expected. I also know that criticism, when properly expressed, can lead to improvements whether in administrative matters or the work of the professoriate. While I fully respect everyone's right to be critical, I am troubled by two aspects of the current criticism directed at IU President Adam Herbert. First, the spirit of the criticism seems to me, at least, to be personal and vitriolic and does not keep in mind the notions of collegiality. Second, by focusing exclusively on the negative, the president's critics fail to acknowledge the positive things that have happened over the past two and a half years. During that time, I have teamed up with colleagues throughout the University to pursue a number of initiatives that emanated from the vision articulated by President Herbert, e.g. initiation of the Mission Differentiation Project; creation of the Office of University Planning, Institutional Research and Accountability; creation of the Hoosier Presidential Scholars Program; creation of the Presidential Incentive Awards; creation of the University's Business Diversity Program; expansion of K-12 outreach and a call for stricter admissions standards, etc. As just one member of the University's leadership team who works hard at improving the University's excellence and responsiveness, I am offended by those who argue that the University is adrift and nothing is happening. In expressing criticism about President Herbert and the state of the University, it is my hope that the discourse will be collegial, fair and honest. As for me, I will continue to do what I do every day, which is to help Indiana University become one of the best universities in the world. Charlie Nelms
Vice President for Institutional Development and Student Affairs

Don't ignore Veterans Day

Allow me to preface my comments by saying that most of the time I feel the IDS does a great job reporting stories relevant to the student body. However, I was shocked to find that Friday's edition of the IDS was, as far as I could tell, void of any story relating to Veterans Day. Indeed, veterans affect every student on this campus by providing them the rights and freedoms that we enjoy every day, including the freedom of press. Additionally, there are many IU students who have friends or relatives that are currently deployed overseas or have previously served in the military, are currently deployed, or are involved in ROTC themselves. To claim that there was any story more newsworthy or relevant to student life on Veterans Day is simply wrong. I feel that the IDS did a grave injustice to the student body and IU's proud veterans by not recognizing the sacrifices that these men and women often make to attend college and ensure that America will continue to be a beacon of freedom to all the world. The IDS owes an apology to every past or present student veteran. Stephen Meyers
Junior

Budget priorities

Neil Theobald, vice chancellor for budget and administration, is correct: a budget is about priorities. You do have to "either raise the revenue somewhere or cut expenses elsewhere" (IU looking at graduate dental plan, Monday). So, while the University did absorb the increase in the health insurance premium, the University generated revenue by charging graduate students the $92.69 Health Fee. In previous years, graduate students received a refund for this fee. While the University also dolled out, according to Chip Cutter's article, a total of $1 million in pay increases to graduate students, the University also raised the "miscellaneous fees" graduate students pay each semester that are not covered by fellowships, stipends, etc. It seems like Theobald and the rest of the committee responsible for maintaining IU's budget did an excellent job -- graduate students, though paid more, are paying more to IU than ever before and are still without basic services, like affordable dental care, that many graduate students at other Big Ten schools already receive. Amy Rubens
Graduate student

Don't boycott blood

I often wonder how many Leftists can advocate "tolerance" with a straight face, given the intolerance they display. In the Nov. 10 edition of the IDS, Zachary Lehman urged a boycott of the Red Cross because they do not accept blood from homosexual men. Lehman went so far as to say that the Red Cross should be banned from campus because of this policy. The people who would be hurt by boycotting or banning the Red Cross would be those who benefit from blood donated by IU students, faculty and staff. IU students step up year after year to donate blood so those who need it will have it. It is extremely selfish to hurt people in need because you do not agree with the Red Cross policy. To critics of the Red Cross: it is not about you. Scott Tibbs
Alumnus

New athletics budget plan

With the budget crisis still looming, our fine athletics department decided that it would be in the best interest of the University to take away 500 student seats and give them to donors. I don't understand how adding a million-dollar scoring system, with one noticeable sponsor, is going to help us get out of debt. If you want revenues to increase, push more basketball tickets. Coach Hep worked tirelessly to gain fan support, so why not make Mike Davis do the same? Look back and see how many donors this school lost when (former head coach Bob) Knight was fired. I can guarantee it is a downward trend, but maybe it's because Knight got us to the tournament every year. So if we must bribe people to donate money by giving them student seats, let's see just how much those seats are worth. You want to erase the debt? Why don't we start requiring $500 more per seat for all donors? Then let's see how many "loyal" fans we have. There are students who are willing to keep the $30 fee to sit six rows from the court while a donor complains because they got moved from row five to row six. There used to be a time when students only got six games a year. Now we get all 13 (games because student demand has decreased). Because apparently sticking students in the balcony for over half the games is going to make more students want tickets. I think those in our athletic department need to open their eyes and look at other successful programs around the country, like North Carolina, Duke and Kentucky, and realize that the students are their driving force. We are the ones standing the whole game and yelling and screaming. Sadly this will be my last year as a member of the Bloomington community, but I can't say I'll miss sitting in the balcony. So underclassmen and returning seniors, I offer you a challenge. Take a stand and demand your seats. Refuse to sit in the rafters. Demand to make opponents fear coming to Assembly Hall. Pete Lundy
Senior

Responding to Old Paths

Miss Awan's article "Hell is Coming" (Nov. 11) is somewhat miraculous itself. She argues against the Old Paths Baptist Church using the same flawed logic she claims they use. "How do they know" what they claim? she asks us in her column. Miss Awan never attempts to answer this question, but one could suppose a member of Old Paths would claim they believe it for that is what their faith teaches. Miss Awan, however, rails against the group using a much more esteemed and well-established source: herself. I do not agree with the beliefs of Old Paths Baptist Church and I regret that their children are growing up in such an intolerant environment. If Miss Awan, however, feels such a strong desire to attack the group in her column, it would be better if she did not implicitly argue against her own logic. In the end, Miss Awan's column pits unfounded arguments against unfounded arguments, only serving to continue an argument filled with hatred and misunderstanding. Zane Davis
Junior

The value of tradition

I was appalled by the uneducated views expressed by Felipe Maya in his "Sunday schooling" (Nov. 10) column regarding the Catholic Church. First, while Maya criticized the "lack of modernization" in the Church, he failed to realize that this "lack of modernization" is precisely what gives the Church its value. The fact that the Church does not change its doctrine and views at every whim of society is one of its strongest points; the Church provides solid ground for us to stand on in terms of faith and morals in the continuously changing world. Secondly, I do not understand how the mass could possibly be viewed solely as "an obligation" and not a "spiritual experience." How could hearing the word of God, receiving encouragement and guidance from a priest, and then having the privilege of a physical communion with your savior as you partake of his sacrifice for you not constitute as an awesome spiritual experience? Furthermore, every person in the religious life that I have spoken with does not consider celibacy to be a troublesome obligation, but a gift and opportunity to truly devote every ounce of their being to Christ. If priests were married, they would not be able to give all of their attention to Christ and His Church because they would also be concerned with a wife and children. The Church does not define "being gay" as a sin; homosexual acts, which twist sexuality and use it in a context outside of its life-giving purpose, are the sin. Artificial contraception is not permitted because it also separates the sexual act from its life-giving purpose and interferes with the union of man and wife. While I understand why some people have trouble accepting the Church's teachings regarding sexuality, Maya could have at least represented the Church's views accurately. Faye Parmer
Sophomore

Intelligent design is scientific

I am disappointed to see Bryan Schmidt ("Hope in Dover," Nov. 14) and previous articles discuss intelligent design by stating the same biased rhetoric. Anyone who criticizes Darwin is immediately labeled as a creationist and unscientific. ID does not try to circumvent the scientific process. It uses the same process and data as the evolutionists do. The difference in interpretation is based on presuppositions and world views. Schmidt states that "ID will never belong in the realm of science because it is not falsifiable" and cannot be disproved by designed experiments. ID's premise that life is too complicated to be a result of evolution is equally testable (or non-testable) as the big bang or "guess what happened to life 570 million years ago." It could easily be falsified if you can prove a more likely alternative based on scientific observation. The premise of ID is regularly confirmed by scientific evidence (incidentally, not limited to biology) and not falsified. Based on scientific evidence, when all other theories fail and we have another explanation-intelligence-that-fits, we have a better reason to believe ID is true rather than false. Accepting the theory of evolution in some cases requires more unsubstantiated faith than ID does. Many attempt to characterize ID as a cop out to answering tough and unresolved questions, yet it is precluding ID based on a materialistic or naturalistic world view that equally shuts down a line of inquiry. As will be the case in Kansas, ID will be labeled as nonintellectual and stonewalled behind the separation of church and state rather than being debated on the evidence, amounting to scientific and academic censorship. To quote Stephen Meyer (founder of the Discovery Institute), "let's have a new period in the history of science where we have methodological rules that actually foster the unfettered seeking of truth. Scientists should be allowed to follow the evidence wherever it leads -- even if it leads to a conclusion that makes some people uncomfortable." Brandon Sieg
Faculty member

Remembering a friend

The recent passing of Dot Pinnell has taken from the University and Bloomington communities one of the most vivacious, vibrant and personable women in recent memory. For decades, Dot was the quintessential, supportive, caring wife of W. George Pinnell, professor and dean of the School of Business and, later, executive vice president of the University and president of the IU Foundation. No one surpassed Dot in graciousness. They were a truly superb team. When George died in 1991, undaunted, Dot continued to be her energetic self, moving to Meadowood several years ago where she became an active member of that community. We at the foundation will miss her impromptu visits and abiding cheerfulness. She was one of a kind. Our sympathy goes out to her daughter, Gigi, and her grandchildren, Derick and Lindsay. Curtis R. Simic
IU Foundation president