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(11/15/02 4:39am)
Michael McNeely's tenure as IU athletic director lasted a mere 16 months. \nIt took 33 instances of misconduct and 16 years before Bob Knight was finally run off.\nWhat went so wrong this time around?\nIU and McNeely were just a bad fit. \nWhen McNeely was hired in March of 2001, the IDS staff editorial praised the decision, writing, "The committee that chose McNeely understands the importance of football. It understands McNeely has the background and know-how to help Cameron and the football Hoosiers climb from the Big Ten's cellar. It understands basketball will forever dominate the campus, but football needs to be more than a punchline."\nLittle more than a year later, football is still where the money is, and there are few who doubt that McNeely's decisions in that capacity -- including the hiring of Coach Gerry DiNardo and the massive renovations to Memorial Stadium -- will have a positive impact on the program.\nBut in the end, personality and politics ruled.\nPerhaps IU just wasn't ready for the changes McNeely wanted to make to keep our athletic department churning a profit. The coaching staff wasn't -- in October three members of the coaching staff, representing the IU Head Coaches Cabinet, presented a memo to McNeely outlining their concerns for the athletic department, including frustrations with management style. The Marching Hundred certainly wasn't -- many members voiced their concerns over new uniforms and changes in their routine. And certainly there were those students who weren't ready either -- many of whom voiced their complaints over issues like the change in football seating.\nAt the end of the day, the coaches and employees' lack of trust of McNeely probably sent him packing. One former employee described the athletic department's environment to The Indianapolis Star as "divisive and unhealthy." The coaches memo to McNeely described anger, distrust and frustration in the ranks stemming from the firing of four coaches in a year and a general feeling that the coaches' views weren't valued.\nMcNeely has his supporters, too. He's certainly had his successes. IU did make its best showing ever last year in the Sears Cup, a competition that measures collegiate success in all sports. Football Coach Gerry DiNardo was one of McNeely's excellent decisions. DiNardo is not only working to build our football program, but he's bringing credibility back to the student-athletes on the team by mandating academic success. \nMcNeely tried to do too much without enough support. Maybe McNeely just didn't understand who he was dealing with when he was hired. Replacing Clarence Doninger, the affable "coaches" athletic director, is a big feat, considering the years of trust he built with coaches during his tenure. Maybe he didn't fully understand the extent of IU's limited resources, and the unwillingness of many to work through considerable debt for the promise of future profit.\nIn a time when funding for the academic mission of the University is scarce, many aren't willing to take their chances on someone new.\nIt's a shame it didn't work out. Sixteen months after finally hiring an athletic director to bring us stability, IU is searching again. Good luck McNeely -- we hope your next job makes a better match.
(11/12/02 10:11pm)
Last week, U.S. Roman Catholic bishops announced their revised policy on sexual abuse by the clergy. Church leaders said they expect it to be ratified this week by bishops in Washington and passed on to the Vatican for approval.\nUnder the revised policy, priests are innocent until proven guilty and would be brought before church tribunals composed of priests trained in canon law. In accordance with canon law, these tribunals will not be public, and the accuser would likely not be allowed to attend. Victims would instead be represented by a priest designated as a "promoter of justice."\n This revised policy is a sad distortion of true due process and shows little respect to either the victims or U.S. laws. At no time has the Roman Catholic hierarchy promised to turn accusations of abuse over to law enforcement officials, instead offering victims promises of justice through the church, whose system of due process is simply a sham.\n Secret tribunals? Barring victims from attendance? Where are the necessary checks and balances for a system that has consistently covered up the abhorrent behavior of some of its priests? Allegations of child abuse are allegations of illegal behavior. No groups of priests trained under canon law are adequate to properly investigate these allegations. The Catholic Church simply cannot circumvent this nation's system of justice.\nToo many scenarios and too many questions exist under these policies that could allow for not only a cover-up of these crimes but also allow abusers to remain in the ministry. Members of the Catholic Church trust their ministry. Perhaps a victim, in loyalty and deference to the church, goes to a bishop and under counsel, decides to go through a church tribunal instead of going to the police. In secret proceedings, how can anyone, including the victim, be ensured of proper justice? How can we ensure these priests have all of the evidence or can mete out proper punishments? Will the Catholic Church only contact the authorities after their special "tribunal" has already determined clergy guilty? \nThe Catholic Church might be a self-governing body in many respects. But their so-called system of justice simply does not take precedence over the laws of the United States. To presume so not only betrays the victims of the abusers, but also mocks the members of their church and the people of the countries they inhabit.\n-- Erin Nave for the Editorial Board
(10/30/02 8:41pm)
Users of Oncourse probably notice a difference in the speed the program is running this week. UITS recently completed a hardware upgrade for the program which will allow increased storage space for users along with increased computing speed. \nWhat a great way to use student fees. \nUITS reports that 74 percent of students have logged into Oncourse more than once this semester. More and more students and professors are utilizing Oncourse for academic work. This is an improvement that will greatly benefit the majority of students. As professors are more widely using the Oncourse platform for posting grades, syllabi and class notes, more students are also relying on the software to stay up-to-date in their classes which they can access nearly anywhere at almost anytime.\nThe hardware upgrade cost $200,000. Students now pay a technology fee of $200 each semester. It is encouraging that this year's 100 percent increase in technology fees is being utilized in an area where students can see tangible results. Students should certainly appreciate UITS' quick response in upgrading the hardware -- UITS noticed the slow-down during the third week of classes -- which is allowing students to continue to utilize Oncourse for this semester's classes with increased efficiency. \nThe additional storage space will accommodate increased usage and encourage professors and students to utilize the program as much as possible. Both students and teachers benefit from the platform which allows 24-hour access to class information. Oncourse's file manager also has an easy-to-use storage space similar to CFS, and the additional hardware will allow students to continue to store files without appreciable slow-downs in the program. \nWe hope the upgrade will encourage every professor to take advantage of the benefits of Oncourse. Many outdated programs, like Post'em, still exist and are used, and students would greatly benefit from the use of one platform for classes. With the exception of a one-hour daily maintenance period from 5-6 a.m., Oncourse allows unfettered access to class information, allowing students to be able to do classwork and check grades at their convenience. \nIU has consistently been ranked among Yahoo! Internet Life Magazine's most wired universities, including last year's seventh place ranking. University technology greatly contributes to the quality of life for IU students, and the upkeep and development of Oncourse is vital to academics.
(10/23/02 10:03pm)
Last week, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of a Civil War descendant to fly the Confederate flag daily over a national Civil War cemetery in Maryland where 3,300 Confederate soldiers are buried. The Court dismissed Patrick Griffin's case without comment, upholding the appeals court decision that the Veteran's Administration rightfully restricted Confederate flag flying to Memorial Day and Confederate Memorial Day.\n We applaud the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss the case. Point Lookout cemetery in Maryland is a national cemetery, where the United States government is the custodian. In the Civil War, despite the fact members of the other side were formerly U.S. citizens, the Confederate States of America was the enemy. The appeals court ruling that the purpose of Point Lookout is to honor the buried as Americans is fair. The U.S. doesn't typically honor enemy flags, but many of our citizens did perish on both sides of that tragic war, and the Veteran's Administration shows sensitivity to these issues by allowing the Confederate flag to be flown twice a year. \nGriffin appealed the Veteran Administration's decision on the grounds that his First Amendment rights were being violated. Time, place and manner have always been grounds for first amendment restrictions and are applicable in this case. To fly the Confederate flag daily over the entire cemetery, whose custodian is the U.S. government, could be perceived by many as the government's endorsement of the Confederate States of America and its policies. The flag has always been a symbol of racial discrimination to many, and if it were flown above a public, government-funded cemetery, it would likely be misinterpreted by many. \nOne person's wish to express his personal opinion daily in a manner that could be perceived as a public endorsement infringes on the First Amendment rights of others. The assumption that all of the descendants of those buried in Point Lookout want their relatives to be buried under the representation of the Confederate flag is not only presumptive, but unconstitutional.\nNo one is restricting Griffin's individual rights to decorate the flag of his relative's grave in the manner he chooses. Every cemetery has individual rules about the size and placement of decorations, but if Griffin would like to place Confederate symbols within Point Lookout's restrictions, no one will stop him. No one is infringing on Griffin's right to have pride in Confederate veterans and what they stood for. The Veteran's Administration gives him the opportunity to display that pride in a public arena twice a year. The Supreme Court decision upholds the First Amendment rights of Griffin, the relatives of all those buried at Point Lookout and the U.S. public.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Wadie Jwaideh, professor emeritus of history and Near Eastern languages and cultures and, died last week. He was 84. \nHe founded the Near Eastern studies program at IU and was chairman of the department for 15 years. \nKnown for his love of teaching and working with students, Jwaideh was willing to work for months with students on projects, said Professor Emeritus Salih Altoma.\n"I have not met in my life a man of his depth and breadth as far as his encyclopedic knowledge," Altoma said. "What is remarkable about him is that he was more concerned with his teaching and with the training of his students than his own personal research."\nAlumnus Hussein Kadhim, assistant professor in the department of Asian and Middle Eastern languages and literatures at Dartmouth College, said Jwaideh was always willing to help students, even after he retired. \n"When I joined the program he had already retired," Kadhim said. "But he was always willing to talk to students. He would never say no to a student, undergraduate or graduate. He was very gracious."\nJwaideh received the Lieber Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1971, and was well-known throughout the world for his knowledge, especially in Kurdish studies.\n"His knowledge was absolutely extraordinary," Kadhim said. "It's practically unmatched anywhere else. His presence at IU brought great prestige to the institution."\nAs a scholar in both history and Islamic studies, Altoma said Jwaideh was a great asset to both departments.\n"Keep in mind the fact he was teaching in both Near Eastern languages and culture and the department of history," Altoma said. "After him we had no other historian to teach Islamic civilization at IU, which is a great loss."\nJwaideh began his career at IU in 1960 as a faculty member in the Asian studies program. He was charged with creating a program in Arabic studies, and in 1965 he became the first chairman of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Literatures. The annual Wadie Jwaideh Distinguished Lecture in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies is named after him.\nBloomington Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis said Jwaideh, who used to live down the street from him, was an excellent leader of the department.\n"He a very scholarly, serious person with very good contacts in the Near Eastern world, both in this country and abroad," Gros Louis said. "He was particularly well-known for being a very meticulous director of doctoral dissertations."\nJwaideh led the department until 1980. He retired in 1985 after 25 years of teaching.\nOriginally from Basrah, Iraq, Jwaideh graduated with a law degree from the University of Baghdad and worked in Iraq as a translator and legal adviser with the British and Iraqi governments. \nJwaideh moved to the United States in 1946 and worked as a translator and researcher. He earned his doctorate degree from the Maxwell Graduate School of Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 1960.\nHe was born July 1, 1916 to Elias and Miriam Narmeen Sinsar Jwaideh. He married Alice Reid in 1950. They had two children, Dara Narmeen and Layl Diane.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
U.S. News and World Report magazine ranked 12 of IU's graduate programs among the top 25 in the country in its new edition of "Best Graduate Schools 2001-2001."\nUniversity spokeswoman Susan Dillman said the University is pleased with the results, but said rankings can offer limited views of programs.\n"It's always good news to be ranked well, but it's sort of a mixed blessing," she said. "Basically, all we have is a snapshot of a lot of people's subjective view of the University, but that being said, of course we're pleased." \nIU's highest ranked graduate program was the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, which placed above Princeton University for the No. 3 spot. Harvard University and Syracuse University tied for first place.\n"The fact that we are on par with schools like Harvard and Syracuse, which are twice our age and have substantially larger private endowments, testifies, we believe, to the strength of our academic programs and the success we've had in accomplishing our mission of teaching, research and service in an increasingly competitive environment," SPEA Dean Astrid Merget said in a press release. \nThe School of Education was the University's second-highest ranked school, placing 15th. Seven of the school's nine programs were ranked in the report's top 10.\nThe Kelley School of Business' Masters of Business Administration program was ranked 20th in the nation. A number of College of Arts and Sciences programs were ranked in the top 25, including English, political science, psychology, political science, sociology and history. \nOnly five other universities had more doctoral programs ranked in the top 25. Programs in the sciences were not evaluated this year.\nIU President Myles Brand said he was proud of all of the programs recognized in the report.\n"My congratulations go out to to all of the fine programs which were recognized by U.S. News and World Report," Brand said in a press release. "We know our faculty, students and staff strive for and achieve excellence every day. It is good when others recognize that as well"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
More than 50 students, faculty and community members gathered Tuesday night in the Teter Formal Lounge to discuss an advertisement that ran in the IDS opposing reparations for descendants of slaves. \nThe advertisement, paid for by David Horowitz, ran in Friday's edition of the IDS.\nThe panel was organized by a group of concerned graduate students, said panel moderator Tyrone Simpson, a graduate student. Afro-American studies professor Audrey McCluskey, graduate student Catherine Matthews, journalism professor David Boeyink and graduate student Damon Freeman sat on the panel.\nSimpson began the discussion with a series of questions for panelists, followed by an open forum for audience members to ask questions or comment on the issue.\nBeginning with a discussion on what type of institution a student newspaper is, debate focused on the IDS' decision to run the controversial advertisement.\nMcCluskey said a student newspaper should be as diverse as its student body, and student news should reflect the views, interests and goals of that body.\n"It should open up a larger world to them," McCluskey said.\nFreeman agreed with McCluskey's definition and referred more specifically to the running of the ad in his statement.\n"One thing to talk about is providing equal coverage -- setting up a forum for pros and cons," he said. "When that access is for sale, Horowitz has the opportunity and the money to place a very visible ad. I don't have $800 to pull out of my pocket to compete with that."\nAudience member Patrick Steinkuhl, a sophomore, said the number of students who attended the forum was evidence of how many people can be united toward a cause. He suggested the students work together to take out an advertisement.\n"It would represent the fact you're all unified," Steinkuhl said. "That would be a stronger argument than having the IDS give you space."\nMatthews said the newspaper should have taken into consideration what kind of student support the advertisement had.\n"A student newspaper is designed to speak for various communities. What concerns me is that this ad wasn't driven by a student group but by a complete outsider. They took his money and printed it without thought of student support."\nShe said it didn't foster dialogue -- Horowitz placed the advertisement and left, leaving students to deal with fallout from the ad.\nBut audience member Willie Sutherland, a senior, said he thought the advertisement fostered necessary conversation about a timely topic being debated in many publications.\n"Regardless of content, it shouldn't be censored," Sutherland said.\nPanelists agreed that the issue at hand was not whether the IDS had a First Amendment right to run the ad, but debated whether the newspaper staff was responsible in its decision to publish it.\n"It was shortsighted on the part of the IDS," McCluskey said. "It's not about press freedom. No one doubts the IDS has the right to publish the ad. It's how you actually feel when you read something like that … It's an emotional reaction as well as an intellectual reaction. I can't underestimate the fact of how I felt assaulted."\nBoeyink said the ad is a sensitive issue, but the decision to run political speech is not always easy. \n"This is not an ad that contributes to a safe, informative and educational environment," Boeyink said. "But political speech isn't always so neat and so easily controlled by the journalist. We may not be comfortable with the ad, but in our society, free speech is one that we must trust that others are going to respond and give an anecdote about a public policy issue."\nJournalists can not tell Horowitz what to say, Boeyink said, and questions arise when deciding how much to control the way someone wants to present an issue.\nBoeyink said he received a suggestion from a journalist in Detroit about an alternative way the ad could have been handled. She called the ad a "teachable moment," Boeyink said, and suggested the newspaper could have taken the money received for the ad and used it to provide a full page ad for opposition who don't have the money to take out an ad themselves. \nMatthews called the decision to run the ad "irresponsible and insensitive behavior" that contributed to an atmosphere of hurt and frustration.\n"People can't talk to a commercial ad," she said. "This is a campus that has deep racial issues and a horrible history of incidents."\nDebate surrounded the assertion of many in attendance that Horowitz distorted historical facts in the advertisement.\n"You can't have open and honest debate when he distorts historically the issues," Freeman said.\nIn answer to Freeman's point, Boeyink said political speech is often biased and facts and their interpretations are not always clear cut.\n"We ought to expect as citizens in this country that debates around issues like this are going to be full of disputes about facts," Boeyink said.\nMany in the audience found fault with the manner in which the IDS dealt with responses to the advertisement, claiming there was no open debate because the IDS was not publishing letters to the editor about the topic until its Thursday edition. \nAudience member professor Milagro Sanchez said the inability of the community to immediately respond to the ad was "deplorable."\n"What appalls me is not that the ad was published," Sanchez said, "but that there was no immediate opportunity for response."\nSanchez said allowing immediate responses gives the advertisement an entirely different dynamic, and it "loses the opportunity to tilt things to one side."\nSome students expressed concern that by running the advertisement, the IDS appeared to endorse its contents.\n"I don't care about Horowitz," junior Eduardo Torres said. "But when the only newspaper I get news from takes a paid advertisement -- to me a paid advertisement is an endorsement. And then they limit what my feedback is going to be … You have to look at how your average reader is going to look at it."\nTorres suggested the IDS could have run a statement at the top of Horowitz's advertisement to convey to readers the newspaper was not endorsing the ad's contents. But the IDS did insert the statement, "This is a paid advertisement" on top of the full-page advertisement.\nOther students said the ad was an excuse to incite racial tensions, not discuss the issue of reparations. \n"(Horowitz) is using this piece as a catalyst to ignite racism," senior Cherie Wardell said. \nWardell and several other students expressed concern that some white students believe the ad is an issue with which only minorities should be concerned.\nBoeyink agreed, citing the importance of discussing the ad in a forum where the majority audience can be reached.\nIDS Publisher David Adams, an adjunct journalism professor, was present at the forum, along with several members of the newspaper's staff.\n"We wished (the advertisers) would have passed us by," Adams said. "… In the end, we're viewpoint neutral with political ads."\nThe decision to run the advertisement was made by the newspaper's student leaders, Adams said, who thought carefully for several days before making the decision.\nSimpson ended the panel after an hour and a half of discussion and said he was pleased with the discussion it fostered.\n"People are very passionate in their views," Simpson said. "Issues of race are often seen as the problem of people of color. Racism is a community issue"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The search for a permanent School of Music dean has been narrowed to four finalists -- one from within the University and three from the outside.\nInterim music school Dean Gwyn Richards, along with James Forger, Michigan State University School of Music director; Jeffrey Babcock, chief executive officer and general director of the Boston Ballet; and Jeffrey Kimpton, University of Minnesota School of Music director, have been named finalists by a search committee made up of faculty, students and staff.\nRichards replaced David Woods as dean following Woods' resignation in December 1999. Woods told the IDS that he thought it was best to leave his position because of turmoil within the school.\nEach of the four candidates have already visited the University for two days of interviews, said professor John Rommel, who co-chairs the committee. The last finalist completed his visit Wednesday.\nCandidates met with faculty, staff and students and had short meetings with Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis and Vice Chancellor and Dean for Budgetary Administration and Planning Maynard Thompson, as well as School of Music alumni and other friends of the school, Rommel said.\n"We tried to cover the gamut of constituency groups the music school has," Rommel said. \nThe search committee will meet Friday, and while no timeline has been set on the decision, Rommell said he hopes the committee will be able to make a recommendation to Gros Louis as soon as possible.\nGros Louis said he had met with the candidates for a brief informational session and will spend more time with the finalists at a later date.\nRommel said the committee is looking for a candidate who does "virtually everything." \n"I think what we're looking for is someone with great vision artistically to lead the School of Music into the future, as well as someone with a fiscal vision who can secure the future financially of the school," he said. "We're looking for people who've had experience in both of those areas, and obviously someone who has excellent relationships with students, faculty and staff -- all of the people they work with in their current positions."\nThe committee's final recommendation will be forwarded to Gros Louis, and University spokeswoman Susan Dillman said President Brand is being regularly updated on the search.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
In her first months in her new Bryan Hall office, Sharon Brehm has stood with the IU community and watched the shape of the world change. Wednesday, as she was formally installed as the new Bloomington chancellor, Brehm said the Sept. 11 attacks, though life-altering, have not changed the University's principles of education, but reaffirmed them.\nThe University plays an important role as "a living and enduring memorial of victims," Brehm said in a ceremony at the IU Auditorium, by preserving its tradition of academic freedom while teaching students to wholly participate in society.\nPerhaps the single most important lesson we have learned since Sept. 11, Brehm said, is that "we must accept, for better or for worse," a quotation from British poet John Donne:\n"No man is an island in and of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main."\nSince the attacks, Brehm said she has no doubts that perceptions among the entire University community have changed significantly.\n"We each experience the profound facts of life in our own unique and individual way," she said. "I doubt you would find a single college student in this country, or in the world, currently thinking only of how much money he or she will make after graduation." \nIU President Myles Brand introduced Brehm as a lively administrator whose "word is her bond."\nBrand said Brehm is passionately committed to academic excellence, and that she possesses a "remarkable energy."\n"Metaphorically speaking, Sharon is not just a long distance runner, but a long distance sprinter," he said. "I know she will dream new dreams and open new worlds of learning and discovery."\nDescribing herself as a student of the University, Brehm said she has studied up on IU by reaching out to every member of the campus community and reading Herman B Wells' book, "Being Lucky." \nIU Student Association President Jake Oakman said he was struck by Brehm's unwavering desire to work with students. The morning of Sept. 11, immediately following the terrorist attacks, Oakman said Brehm was on the phone, and by 1 p.m. had tracked down the whereabouts of IU students working in New York and Washington.\n"I can say with certainty she will carry on the great tradition of excellence," said Oakman, a senior. "Ohio's loss is Indiana's gain, and it is our pleasure to have her."\nBrehm emphasized three continuing goals for the University: academic excellence, diversity and partnership. Aided by a video sampling different viewpoints of individuals on campus, she addressed each of these topics.\n"Academic excellence is the hallmark of IU," Brehm said. "We live in very competitive times. No university can rest on its laurels."\nRobert Eno, president of the Bloomington Faculty Council, said many faculty knew that Brehm was right for the job the day Brand announced her appointment last spring. During that event, she was asked about her plans for IU.\n"We recognized a true colleague when she answered: 'Listen, listen, listen -- and to learn," Eno said.\nBrehm also announced the creation of a series of conversations with the chancellor, which will begin in January. Groups of individuals from around campus will be invited to these programs conducted by Brehm, and each will address a different large and basic question about life at IU. One example of these questions, Brehm said, is "What principles and values lie at the heart of this campus?"\nDiversity is one of those values, Brehm said, and it can only encourage and promote academic excellence. IU should strive to create a campus "free of prejudice and stereotypes," she said.\n"You can not learn what you already know," Brehm said.\nPartnerships, both on and off campus, will complement the ideals of excellence and diversity, she said, bringing new ideas and new opportunities to the University.\nThe range of possible partnerships is enormous, Brehm said, but it must involve continuing mutual responsibility and commitment.\n"Partnership isn't flirting, it requires commitment," she said.\nOne important partnership Brehm mentioned is with the community. Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez was one speaker who welcomed Brehm to IU.\nThe city of Bloomington has always had a good partnership with IU, Fernandez said.\n"I anticipate only good things for this community from this relationship," he said. "Optimism is high, and in my opinion, well founded."\nNo matter what happens in the world, Brehm said the University must continue to be proud of the "robust intellectual freedom of the Academy, especially during this time of great stress and anxiety.\n"Herman Wells would have expected us to rise to this occasion," Brehm said, "and I'm quite sure that we will"
(03/07/01 5:00am)
The Kelley School of Business received a $2.5 million gift from Ford Motor Co. Tuesday as part of its continued participation in Ford's College Relations Sponsor Program.\nThe gift, to be distributed over five years, will help fund the construction of a new high-tech auditorium, support recruitment and retention of faculty and students through fellowships and endow scholarships and departmental grants.\nFord Vice President and Treasurer Elizabeth Acton presented the contribution to business school Dean Dan Dalton Tuesday in Indianapolis. Acton is a 1976 business school graduate and a member of the Dean's Advisory Council. \nGeorge Vlahakis, a University spokesman, said Ford's contribution supports a long partnership with the University.\n"It's a special opportunity," he said. "It's a wonderful gift Ford has given us. It's very consistent with what the company has done in the past."\nGwynne Irvin, Ford's assistant manager for global news, said Ford has had a relationship with IU for more than a decade.\n"This year Ford Motor Co. fund decided to do more with the capital campaign," Irvin said, referring to money designated to the construction of a new auditorium. "This is part of the fund strategy to keep funding universities."\nFord's contribution will benefit every business student, Dalton said.\n"This gift will make a substantial difference to IU students and the quality of education we can offer them," he said in a press release. "The gift affects practically every area of the school, and every student will somehow benefit from Ford's generosity. As important as Ford's financial investment is the continued commitment Ford and its leadership are making to be involved in recruiting, mentoring and teaching our students and faculty."\nMore than 300 alumni work at Ford, including Acton. She serves as an executive liaison between Ford and the business school. Business graduates include former Ford Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Harold Poling, who serves on the school's advisory council.\n"Ford Motor Company and IU have been partners for many years," Acton said in a press release. "The IU Kelley School has been a tremendous source of business leaders. This investment will help the school in preparing future generations of graduates for equal, if not greater, success."\nAs a member of Ford's college relations program, the business school has a unique relationship with Ford, Irvin said.\n"Basically, an executive has usually had a relationship with the University by going there or simply through contacts," Irvin said. "That executive has a team of people who mentor some of the students; many of those students come here and do internships either at this office or other ones, which allows them a real life experience to take back."\nIrvin said the program's goal is to attract students to work at Ford.\n"It's our goal that after being here, working here and interacting with the executives and other Ford employees that we would be the employer of choice when it comes that time," she said.
(02/28/01 12:23am)
The board of trustees approved a 4 percent increase in room expenses for the 2001-02 school year at its meeting Friday. \nOnly new students will pay the increase; rates will remain the same for returning students. Meal plan prices will remain the same for all students. \nThe overall revenue increase will be 2.2 percent, which Associate Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs Bruce Jacobs said is the lowest in Big Ten universities. \n"Returning students will have room and board rate frozen," Jacobs said. "For anyone signing a new contract, the (room) rate will be 4 percent higher."\nAt the initial presentation of the rates at the trustees' January meeting, the finance and audit committee reviewed the proposal and addressed concerns. \nResidence Halls Association President Jason Dudich, a senior, accompanied Jacobs to both meetings. He said the trustees wanted to reaffirm RHA's recommendation for the increase, make sure the proposal wasn't changed and solidify the association's stance that they approved of the annual percentage increase.\n"The second time was basically the same as the first, but not as intense," Dudich said.\nHe said the association worked extensively with Residential Programs and Services on the rate increases, and that he was pleased with the outcome.\n"The 4 percent (increase) has always been done -- it's something we're always used to," Dudich said. "RHA worked with RPS on this to make sure the meal plan has some stability."\nSenior Chris Boudi, chairman of the meal plan committee, said freezing the meal plan is the best option for students.\n"It's a good thing. Students every year seem to always have points left over," Boudi said. "If there's no real reason to increase it, just leave it the same. If students run out, they always have the option of buying more. It cuts down the costs to the students"
(02/23/01 5:04am)
As a student at the University of Florida 25 years ago, Gerardo Gonzalez founded an alcohol awareness program he hoped would change students' perceptions of drinking.\nToday the BACCHUS program, which stands for Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students, has nearly 1,000 chapters nationwide. \nGonzalez, dean of the School of Education, spoke to members of Delta Tau Delta fraternity Wednesday night about BACCHUS and the importance of moderation and awareness about alcohol abuse. \nDelts President Matthew Laviolette, a junior, said having someone of Gonzalez's stature speak was important for Delts and helps promote alcohol awareness to members.\n"Having events like this and educating people on a one-on-one basis goes a long way to helping the university's plan," he said. "Once you get it in people's heads that it's the right thing to do then university policy will be much more effective."\nGonzalez said there's a perception that's still true today that anyone who is concerned about alcohol abuse and problems with excessive use of alcohol is a "prohibitionist or on some moral crusade."\nHe said he discovered many students had the same concerns he did about alcohol abuse, and that responsible alcohol use doesn't have to mean not drinking.\n"In moderation, under certain circumstances, (drinking) may be OK," he said. "Excessive drinking is not."\nBACCHUS was named after the Greek god of wine, and Gonzalez said there is an "inherent appeal" in promoting a positive message. \nWhen developing BACCHUS, Gonzalez said he looked to the principles on which the fraternity system was founded -- loyalty, commitment and student support -- as a guide.\nHe told the Delts most college students have probably experienced an unpleasant situation in which someone drank excessively, passed out and threw up. There are certain expectations in college, he said, and maybe one time you get drunk, pass out and have a hangover the next day, but are fine. Then others do it, he said, so you might start to think "it won't happen to me."\nAt the prime of life, death is so far removed, Gonzalez said.\nGonzalez's first visit to IU came after an alcohol-related incident at a greek house. He said former Dean of Students Michael Gordon asked him to create a chapter of BACCHUS after a fire in the early 1980s at a house where people had been drinking and were injured.\nHe also reminded the Delts of the recent death of freshman Seth Korona.\n"Tragically and unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident," he said, speaking about an e-mail listserv that sends him names of students across the country killed or seriously injured from alcohol-related incidents.\n"There's no greater fear a parent can have than getting that dreaded phone call saying your son or daughter was killed at the very time they are in their prime to fulfilling the promise to being the best they can be," Gonzalez said.\nThe culture of campuses has to change, he said, and the fraternity system is already helping. He cited the example of successful dry rushes at many fraternities\n"Tradition is breaking down. Culture is changing," Gonzalez said. "We have a long ways to go before policy changes become cultural changes."\nBecause of the loyalty, caring and contact members have with each other, Gonzalez said, no system is in a better position to promote change.\nGonzalez encouraged members to be aware of one another's behavior, and never to ignore another's problem. \n"Don't ever assume it will be easy," he said. "It is up to you to set the standards and the expectations."\nJunior Joe Matthews, Delts public relations representative, said he was glad to hear a message that empowered students. \n"I think Dean Gonzalez is a real plus to IU and the student body," he said.\nLaviolette said it's important for students to focus on helping one another.\n"His message of getting members of the student body to be proactive with mature management of alcohol has got to happen," Laviolette said. "The University or other officials can make rules for alcohol, but until students actually live up to those rules, they won't have any effect"
(01/23/01 7:58pm)
Six students were arrested Thursday at Delta Tau Delta fraternity, 1431 N. Jordan Ave., for alcohol-related offenses. Among those arrested was Delts President Matthew Laviolette, a junior. \nLaviolette, 20; sophomore Sarah Colaric, 19; freshman Casey Cox, 18; sophomore Kara Side, 20; and freshman Jeffrey Thompson, 19; were arrested for illegal consumption, according to Indiana Excise Police. Junior Brad Agler, 21, was arrested for furnishing alcohol to minors, police said. \nAccording to police reports, excise police saw Agler leaving a liquor store and followed him to Delts. They confronted him and the five minors at about 9:55 p.m. Lt. Jerry Minger of the IU Police Department said IUPD officers were called to assist two excise officers. \nLaviolette said there was no party at Delts at the time and confirmed police reports that excise police followed Agler to the house.\nDean of Students Richard McKaig said Delts would be subject to a hearing before a campus judicial board. He said he could not comment any further about either the organization or the individuals involved.\nLaviolette said Delts had not received any notice about judicial hearings.
(01/23/01 7:57pm)
New students living on campus will likely pay a 4 percent increase in room expenses next year, according to a preliminary rate plan presented to the board of trustees Friday. Meal plan prices would not increase under the plan, which will be voted on by the board next month.\nThe overall rate increase for new students will be 2.2 percent, which Associate Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs Bruce Jacobs said is the lowest in the Big Ten. \n"Returning students will have room and board rate frozen," Jacobs explained. "For anyone signing a new contract, the (room) rate will be 4 percent higher. If you take that 4 percent and divide it up by all students living on campus, that's how you get the number."\nIf the proposal is approved, meal plan prices will not increase.\nResidence Halls Association President Jason Dudich, a senior, said RHA worked extensively with Residential Programs and Services and he was pleased with the proposal.\n"We were happy to work with RPS to keep the rates where they are so there are no reductions in services. So (RPS) felt there would really be no reason to increase the meal plan," Dudich said, "which in turn looks very good as being the lowest increase in the Big Ten. \nThe 4 percent (increase) has always been done -- it's something we're always used to. RHA worked with RPS on this to make sure the meal plan has some stability." \nBoth Jacobs and senior Chris Boudi, National Residence Halls Honorary president and chairman of the meal plan committee, said options are being explored to ensure any increases in food prices will not result in decreased buying power for students.\n"The meal plan committee will be looking at the issue of whether or not to continue with the same vendors and the same types of contracts," Boudi said. "These contracts are coming up, and we will look to see if what they offer is the best deal for us and the students."\nBoudi said he was happy with continuing the same meal plan.\n"It's a good thing. Students every year seem to always have points left over," he said. "If there's no real reason to increase it, just leave it the same. If students run out they always have the option of buying more. It cuts down the costs to the students."\nThe board of trustees will vote on the proposal at its Feb. 23 meeting
(01/19/01 3:43pm)
The University announced this week it will raise the salaries of its 20 child care workers. IU will more than double its subsidy to its child care programs, funding an additional $90,000 a year to teachers at the day care centers. \nThe salaries of the 10 assistant teachers will be raised to a minimum of $18,700. The 10 head teachers salaries will be raised to a minimum of $20,800. Four assistant teachers who had been hourly employees will become appointed employees with full University benefits.\nWe're thrilled,said Steven Ashby, assistant professor of labor studies. I'm proud of my University. Ashby said parents first began organizing in support of raises in June, when a handful of parents realized how low the wages of their children's teachers were.\nBloomington Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis assigned Associate Vice Chancellor Bruce Jacobs to work with parents on the issue. The two groups met throughout the fall.\nThe process was pretty simple. They indicated they would like to see us work on something,Jacobs said. What they asked for was a general raise, and we are doing it in two parts.\nThe first phase of the pay increase begins now; the next part comes July 1, Jacobs said. \nAndrea Wohl, a parent, praised the University for the move.\nI think it's amazing, wonderful and reaffirms our faith that people will do the right thing,Wohl said. It was sort of a moral issue for us as parents, and we were just happy to see the University felt the same way.\nOct. 30, child-care employees, parents, students and concerned community members rallied for higher wages and benefits for these employees. The event, organized by an ad hoc committee of parents and teachers, wanted to draw attention to the low pay at the child care centers.\nWohl, one of the few parents not associated with the University, emphasized that University teachers still make less then some teachers. \nWe're extremely satisfied, but it would be greater if we could make as much money as Monroe County (teachers),Wohl said. A Monroe kindergarten teacher makes $5,000 more than a University preschool teacher. The more the teachers make, the happier they are and the happier the kids are, and that's what it's all about.\nJacobs said he was pleased with the outcome of the collaboration between parents and the administration.\nI'm glad this was able to work out, Jacobs said. I know the chancellor was very supportive of it. It was the right thing to do for everyone involved.
(01/18/01 5:11am)
A faux Nike fashion show was part of a protest Wednesday in Dunn Meadow, as members of No Sweat!, a group dedicated to ending sweatshops, joined 15 other campuses protesting working conditions in a Mexican factory that supplies Nike, Inc. with sweatshirts. \nThe day of action was organized by United Students Against Sweatshops, a national coalition of 175 student groups.\nThe Kukdong International-Mexico plant in Puebla, Mexico supplies many Nike-contracted universities, including IU, with sweatshirts bearing school logos. Allegations came to light Jan. 9 when workers went on strike to demand their own union be recognized, instead of a company union run by the factory, according to a USAS press release. The press release also alleged poor treatment of factory workers and that riot police attacked and arrested workers protesting at the factory.\nJunior Nancy Steffan, regional organizer for USAS and member of No Sweat!, said the involvement of other major campuses helped make the rally more high profile. \n"It's not that things like this don't happen around the world," Steffan said. "But this is one where we have a particular stake in it."\nNike issued a statement Jan. 16 condemning any acts of violence that might have occurred.\n"Nike deplores violence and is concerned for the safety of everyone involved in this difficult situation," the statement said. "… Nike supports the rights of workers to organize and collectively seek fair and independent resolutions to disputes such as these.. If the respective parties can negotiate peacefully, a beneficial outcome for the workers can be reached." \nNike will be conducting a full investigation into complaints about the factory's compliance with Nike's code of conduct, according to the statement.\nLast year, IU provisionally joined the Workers Rights Consortium, an organization started to ensure that University-licensed apparel is not produced in sweatshop conditions at home or abroad. \nMembers of No Sweat! met with Associate Dean of Students Damon Sims Wednesday morning to discuss possible recommendations for IU President Myles Brand through the consortium advisory committee on the Nike issue.\n"What they want to do is, as I understand it, propose to the committee that a letter be drafted that might be considered by representatives of Big Ten institutions expressing concern about those events," Sims said. "We chatted about that process and who they would give (the letter) to and what sort of chain they would have to go through"
(11/30/00 4:43pm)
Local Boy Scout troops that lost funding for failing to comply with the United Way's nondiscrimination policy have found a new source of money.\nAdvance America, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit lobbying group, sponsored a fundraiser to supplement about $17,000 that was lost when United Way dropped Bloomington's Hoosier Trails Council of the Boys Scouts of America from their annual campaign.\nAdvance America Executive Director Eric Miller said he launched "Operation Be Prepared" the week after United Way made its announcement to drop the Boy Scouts' funding.\n"I'm a former Scout, as is (former IU basketball player) Kent Benson, and I just thought it was wrong for United Way to put a political agenda ahead of helping a group who has helped hundreds of thousands of boys," Miller said. "Indiana needed somebody to lead the charge to help the Boy Scouts."\nBenson was on hand to present $18,000 this week to local Scouts.\n"The effort we have put forth is because of you all," Benson told two dozen Scouts during a troop meeting. "We want your program to continue without a wrinkle."\nThe Hoosier Trails Council includes about 13,000 Scouts in Monroe and 17 surrounding counties. Money from the Monroe County United Way accounts for less than 5 percent of the council's budget.\nMiller said the money primarily came from individual donations around Indiana.\n"People around the state and Bloomington responded affirmatively," he said. "A good amount of money came from Monroe County."\nJohn Clower, coordinator of Hoosiers for Inclusive Scouting, said some Hoosier Trails parents and volunteers would like to have their troops oppose discrimination, but council leaders have discouraged them.\n"Whatever we can do to deplete Eric Miller's coffers will make me smile," he said. "Think what else he might do with that money," Clower said.\nIf another Boy Scout troop were to have their funding pulled, or if the Monroe County United Way does not choose to reverse its decision, Miller said Advance America is prepared to do the fund-raising drive again.\nThe Associated Press contributed to this report.
(10/27/00 4:05pm)
Business was booming Wednesday night at area gas stations, as Bloomington residents filled up their tanks tax-free one last time.\nMotorists throughout Indiana are paying 5 to 6 cents more per gallon today for regular unleaded gasoline, following Thursday's lifting of the state gas tax suspension.\nSophomore Betsy Warburton was one of many looking to save some cash by making a last minute run for gas.\n"I wanted to make sure to fill up my tank while prices are still low," she said. "Hopefully prices won't be as high again as they were this summer."\nBruce Brummett, owner of two Bloomington Marathon gas stations, said Wednesday was unusually crowded.\n"(Wednesday) was a really busy day," he said. "We sold several thousand gallons more than Tuesday." \nGov. Frank O'Bannon initially suspended the gas tax July 1 after a shortage of crude oil caused gas prices to skyrocket throughout Indiana and the Midwest, said Cheryl Reed, O'Bannon's deputy press secretary.\nReed said two triggers allowed the governor to authorize the gas tax suspension.\n"Indiana was at an economic disadvantage in June," she said. "Prices in Indiana and the Midwest were disproportionately higher than the rest of country.\n"The second trigger was that we had a shortage in the supplies on hand, as well as a problem with the availability. We had a problem with a pipeline that was causing a problem getting crude oil in the Midwest. We also had a shortage of supplies."\nO'Bannon extended the suspension twice after July 1. Under a 1981 state energy law, the governor can suspend transportation regulations in energy emergencies for up to 120 days without legislative approval. Wednesday was the 120th day.\nState Senator Larry Borst, R-Indianapolis, has criticized O'Bannon's tax suspension. He said O'Bannon was using the suspension to boost his chances for re-election this fall.\nO'Bannon has denied the claim, saying he would have taken the same action earlier in his term if the same conditions had arisen.\nBefore O'Bannon suspended the tax in July, gas prices had risen as much as 50 cents in some areas in the Midwest, nearly five times the national average.\nPrices for regular unleaded gasoline in the Midwest averaged $1.559 Tuesday, and the national average was $1.551, according to U.S. Department of Energy statistics. \nBrummett said he hasn't seen any appreciable decline in business since the tax was reinstated.\nThe Associated Press contributed to this article.
(10/24/00 5:27am)
Indiana Libertarian chairman Mark Rutherford said he thinks his party's gubernatorial candidate, Andrew Horning, will offer an interesting alternative in the elections this fall from Democrats and Republicans -- a difference in opinion.\n"Often times, they have a slight disagreement on things like how much government we should spend, instead of whether we should spend the money.\n"Horning is clearly calling for less government, less government spending and more local control."\nHorning, 42, is an Indianapolis native and father of five. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1999, and is taking a second stab at a political office again this year, with running mate Mark Schreiber, a Noblesville resident. Schreiber, 52, is a business consultant.\nOne of Horning's biggest issues is a campaign to enact a "Sunset Law," which would require legislators to renew laws after they have been on the books for 10 years.\n"Some say that our lawmakers are lazy. This isn't at all true," Horning said on his Web site. "They spit out laws like machine gun bullets. And a funny thing about laws: They never go away, no matter how much trouble and money they cost us."\nHorning said all unconstitutional laws and agencies must have an expiration date -- if they serve a purpose, they will be restored.\nReformation of education is also key to Horning's platform. He said government schools are failing because more administrators are being hired since teachers can't cope with the amount of paperwork and "compromised discipline" they have been dealt.\n "We're promoting kids who, for their own benefit, should fail. We're throwing money at the most expensive schools in the world as though that will solve the problems of bureaucracy, psychobabble and social collapse," he said on his Web site. \n" I will insist upon an immediate, public and intense dialog to come to a consensus about what we must do to improve our schools."\nRutherford said Horning believes in putting control of schools back into the hands of the community, getting rid of bureaucracies and moving into a system of private schools.\n"Andrew is mindful that the Indiana constitution requires government to furnish public schools. But he wants to make sure wherever the kids go, the money follows that child," Rutherford said.\nSchreiber said he wants state-directed funding to encourage continued business growth.\nHe said he believes property tax, especially the inventory tax, is a major problem for Indiana businesses.\nMonroe County Libertarian Chairman and president of IU Libertarians Erin Hollinden said Horning sticks out in her mind as an intelligent, kind individual.\n"He is a very caring family man who home schools his own children," she said. "He has made a decision to make a personal sacrifice for his own children's education"
(10/16/00 6:44am)
General Electric gave notice last week to 870 workers at its Bloomington factory that they might be laid off just days before Christmas.\nDec. 15 will be the first of two scheduled layoffs at the plant. GE announced last December it will eliminate 1,400 of 3,200 jobs at the side-by-side refrigerator plant at 301 N. Curry Pike in two phases. \nGE spokesman Terry Dunn said the layoffs are expected to be complete by June.\nGE originally announced the cuts Sept. 9, 1999. The company said it has invested $100 million in factory upgrades in order to comply with the Clean Air Act, which will go into effect in July 2001. The act requires GE to adhere to new guidelines in producing energy-efficient refrigerators.\nAfter the layoffs, the remaining Bloomington workers will continue to manufacture high-volume, mid-priced refrigerators. Lower volume, higher-priced refrigerator production will be moved to Mexico.\nSteve Norman, president of Local 2249 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said the mood inside the plant was grim as workers received their notices.\n"There's a lot of emotion at the plant right now," Norman said. "It's finally starting to sink in."\nDunn said GE is working to reduce the number of layoffs. \n"Between early retirements, people who are being offered positions at other GE facilities and the use of temporary employees, we hope to minimize the number," Dunn said.\nNorman said he hopes the second layoff next year will be less than the 530 expected.\n"We're still producing refrigerators like crazy," Norman said. "We're working a lot of overtime and changing our lines over. There's an abundance of work. But now we have a whole group of people who have to figure out how they will save their homes and (support) their children."\nMayor John Fernandez said Bloomington will feel the loss of the GE jobs much harder than it did when Thomson Consumer Electronics closed its television factory in 1998 and cut 1,100 jobs.\n"Most of those people were able to find other jobs at a comparable wage," Fernandez said. "This time it will be tougher."\nThe Associated Press contributed to this report.