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(01/19/06 5:00am)
College life is often portrayed as an "Animal House" of beer swigs and panty raids in between exam days, which results in wild-eyed freshmen roaming about campus in search of so-called thrills. But in between bouts of party hopping and furniture smashing, many IU students have discovered the inspiration and stimulation of college life in Bloomington.\nHere are 10 campus wonders you might want to explore before stumbling into the "real world" with a college degree in hand. Are you IU experienced?\n10. A Skip, Hop And Jump Through the "Old Crescent"\nLace your shoes, pocket your camera and grab your partner for a do-si-do steeped in more than 100 years of IU folklore. From the Sample Gates to the Herman B Wells sculpture, to the Rose Well House to the Adam and Eve statue, students can meander along the bricked trails slicing and dicing Dunn Woods on the western-most fringe of campus. Kirkwood Observatory's 12- inch refracting telescope also provides students an opportunity to glare into space Wednesday nights throughout most of the school year. The "Old Crescent" is meant as a "place of inspiration for the achievement of mind." \n9. Clubs, Drugs and Samurai Swords\nSkim through the A-Z Big List on the IU-Bloomington Web site, www.iub.edu/biglist/, to find a group before you don the cap and gown. From the Kendo Club, for those interested in learning the ancient art of Japanese sword-fighting or to the Citizens Alliance for the Legalization of Marijuana, students have ample opportunity to learn in and out of the classroom. Outdoor exploration clubs and tons of culturally diverse groups are available for participation, as are organizations for the sexually adventurous. \nHeadspace, which provides, "a forum for discussion and education for adults who share an interest in safe, sane and consensual exploration of bondage, discipline and sado-masochism," also provides an avenue for student expression.\n8. Wet Your Whistle and Climb Tall Buildings\nMost of the list focuses on activities throughout our almost dry-campus. But for those who enjoy the occasional cocktail, IU traditions abound in bars surrounding University property. "Sink the Biz," a drinking game involving beer and buckets which can be found at Nick's English Hut, 423 E. Kirkwood Ave., is a big hit with Hoosier students. The festivity was voted the best bar game in Bloomington by IDS Weekend readers in 2005. Or if special spirited drinks are your fancy, Upstairs Pub, 430 E. Kirkwood Ave., serves up a big, blue, sweet-tasting "Adios Mother Fucker," aka an "AMF," for the brave of heart. Another infamous alcoholic drink, the Hairy Bear, served at Bear's Place, 1316 E. Third St., will "make you want to climb tall buildings," according to its Web site. For those of you who can't handle that much booze, give the Hairy Beaver a taste.\n7. A Treasure Chest of Priceless Documents \n"The main reason to come to our library is you can see wonderful things that you can't see anywhere else in the world," says Becky Cape, head of reference and public services at the Lilly Library, IU's repository for rare books and manuscripts. The library is widely accessible to students and offers about 400,000 books and 6.5 million manuscripts, ranging from a 1455 pressing of the Gutenberg Bible to an Oscar award. The IU Art Museum also features rare and world-renowned works ready for your viewing pleasure. Both the Lilly Library and the IU Art Museum are free.\n6. Take a Tour of The Kinsey Institute\nFill your head with the sexually explicit art and exhibits at IU's world-renown and controversial Kinsey Institute for Sex Research, founded by biologist Dr. Alfred Kinsey in 1947. The Kinsey Institute promotes "interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender and reproduction." Students interested in learning about the sexual anatomy, functions and behaviors that make us human beings can schedule a one hour tour of the institute, library and exhibition room by calling 855-7686 or by visiting www.kinseyinstitute.org. The Kinsey Institute is located on the third floor of Morrison Hall on East Third Street.\n5. Travel Back to Your Roots\nWhether it's breathing fresh air, wading in water or hugging a tree, students can migrate back to their roots in a number of local forests and waterways. Besides Bloomington's 18 city parks and Monroe County's 1,902 acres of park-like land, students can venture to Monroe Reservoir's 10,750 acres of man-made lake for a quick dip. Students can also make the trip to Griffy Lake for a canoeing or a row boat ride. Indiana State Forester John Seifert says students can seek the great outdoors "if for nothing else, to get away from other people." The Hoosier National Forest, Morgan-Monroe State Forest and Lake Lemon provide more than 40,000 acres of forest to hike and camp.\n4. Attend a Theatrical Spectacle\nStudents wishing to dazzle their dates or improve their worldview can purchase tickets for a show at the IU Auditorium, IU Department of Theatre & Drama or the Musical Arts Center. Performances at the IU Auditorium have included Les Miserables, comedian Bill Cosby and former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The Thomas Hart Benton "Century of Progress" 1933 Chicago World Fair mural, which documents the history of Indiana, also graces the walls of the auditorium. IU's world-renowned opera program also performs several operas throughout the school year. Interested students can visit the MAC box office or call 855-7433 to purchase tickets.\n3. Frolic in Dunn Meadow\nBefore you graduate make sure to waste part of a spring, summer or fall day in Dunn Meadow. Take advantage of some of the green space IU's former, and still beloved President Herman B Wells fought to protect for students. Toss a Frisbee with a friend, throw down a blanket and take a nap or even stage a demonstration or concert. Even if enjoying the meadow means sacrificing a class or two on a sunny day, go for it. Skipping work for a day in the meadow probably won't be an option after the flip of your tassel. \n2. Making-Out in the Herman B Wells Library "Stacks" \nIf you're ever stuck at the library for another late-night cramming session and your spirit begins to fluster, then the "Make-Out in the Stacks" Facebook group is intended for you. "You know you thought about it ... you've probably even done it," the group description of 46 members as of Jan. 13 stated. "Meet some others who are just like you ... new people to have sex in the stacks with." For students whose bare-all attitude in between shelves of musty books is still new, then the Facebook group "I Would Totally Have Sex in the Library" is for you. More than 1,813 members have identified themselves as getting "turned-on in the stacks." \n1. Take a Bath in Showalter Fountain\nWading in Showalter Fountain is a classic senior tradition for students to wet their feet before entering into the world of responsibility. "We find a lot of seniors going in the fountain during warm days of April, as graduation nears," Dean of Students Richard McKaig says. "We don't see much of it graduation day, however, when mother and grandmother are nearby, waiting to go somewhere." IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger says officers usually just ask students to get out of the fountain if caught, as long as students aren't creating damage, disturbance and there are no other aggravating circumstances. So to be on the safe side, stick to the calm cooling waters of the senior swimming hole and stay off the sculptures.
(01/19/06 2:46am)
College life is often portrayed as an "Animal House" of beer swigs and panty raids in between exam days, which results in wild-eyed freshmen roaming about campus in search of so-called thrills. But in between bouts of party hopping and furniture smashing, many IU students have discovered the inspiration and stimulation of college life in Bloomington.\nHere are 10 campus wonders you might want to explore before stumbling into the "real world" with a college degree in hand. Are you IU experienced?\n10. A Skip, Hop And Jump Through the "Old Crescent"\nLace your shoes, pocket your camera and grab your partner for a do-si-do steeped in more than 100 years of IU folklore. From the Sample Gates to the Herman B Wells sculpture, to the Rose Well House to the Adam and Eve statue, students can meander along the bricked trails slicing and dicing Dunn Woods on the western-most fringe of campus. Kirkwood Observatory's 12- inch refracting telescope also provides students an opportunity to glare into space Wednesday nights throughout most of the school year. The "Old Crescent" is meant as a "place of inspiration for the achievement of mind." \n9. Clubs, Drugs and Samurai Swords\nSkim through the A-Z Big List on the IU-Bloomington Web site, www.iub.edu/biglist/, to find a group before you don the cap and gown. From the Kendo Club, for those interested in learning the ancient art of Japanese sword-fighting or to the Citizens Alliance for the Legalization of Marijuana, students have ample opportunity to learn in and out of the classroom. Outdoor exploration clubs and tons of culturally diverse groups are available for participation, as are organizations for the sexually adventurous. \nHeadspace, which provides, "a forum for discussion and education for adults who share an interest in safe, sane and consensual exploration of bondage, discipline and sado-masochism," also provides an avenue for student expression.\n8. Wet Your Whistle and Climb Tall Buildings\nMost of the list focuses on activities throughout our almost dry-campus. But for those who enjoy the occasional cocktail, IU traditions abound in bars surrounding University property. "Sink the Biz," a drinking game involving beer and buckets which can be found at Nick's English Hut, 423 E. Kirkwood Ave., is a big hit with Hoosier students. The festivity was voted the best bar game in Bloomington by IDS Weekend readers in 2005. Or if special spirited drinks are your fancy, Upstairs Pub, 430 E. Kirkwood Ave., serves up a big, blue, sweet-tasting "Adios Mother Fucker," aka an "AMF," for the brave of heart. Another infamous alcoholic drink, the Hairy Bear, served at Bear's Place, 1316 E. Third St., will "make you want to climb tall buildings," according to its Web site. For those of you who can't handle that much booze, give the Hairy Beaver a taste.\n7. A Treasure Chest of Priceless Documents \n"The main reason to come to our library is you can see wonderful things that you can't see anywhere else in the world," says Becky Cape, head of reference and public services at the Lilly Library, IU's repository for rare books and manuscripts. The library is widely accessible to students and offers about 400,000 books and 6.5 million manuscripts, ranging from a 1455 pressing of the Gutenberg Bible to an Oscar award. The IU Art Museum also features rare and world-renowned works ready for your viewing pleasure. Both the Lilly Library and the IU Art Museum are free.\n6. Take a Tour of The Kinsey Institute\nFill your head with the sexually explicit art and exhibits at IU's world-renown and controversial Kinsey Institute for Sex Research, founded by biologist Dr. Alfred Kinsey in 1947. The Kinsey Institute promotes "interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender and reproduction." Students interested in learning about the sexual anatomy, functions and behaviors that make us human beings can schedule a one hour tour of the institute, library and exhibition room by calling 855-7686 or by visiting www.kinseyinstitute.org. The Kinsey Institute is located on the third floor of Morrison Hall on East Third Street.\n5. Travel Back to Your Roots\nWhether it's breathing fresh air, wading in water or hugging a tree, students can migrate back to their roots in a number of local forests and waterways. Besides Bloomington's 18 city parks and Monroe County's 1,902 acres of park-like land, students can venture to Monroe Reservoir's 10,750 acres of man-made lake for a quick dip. Students can also make the trip to Griffy Lake for a canoeing or a row boat ride. Indiana State Forester John Seifert says students can seek the great outdoors "if for nothing else, to get away from other people." The Hoosier National Forest, Morgan-Monroe State Forest and Lake Lemon provide more than 40,000 acres of forest to hike and camp.\n4. Attend a Theatrical Spectacle\nStudents wishing to dazzle their dates or improve their worldview can purchase tickets for a show at the IU Auditorium, IU Department of Theatre & Drama or the Musical Arts Center. Performances at the IU Auditorium have included Les Miserables, comedian Bill Cosby and former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The Thomas Hart Benton "Century of Progress" 1933 Chicago World Fair mural, which documents the history of Indiana, also graces the walls of the auditorium. IU's world-renowned opera program also performs several operas throughout the school year. Interested students can visit the MAC box office or call 855-7433 to purchase tickets.\n3. Frolic in Dunn Meadow\nBefore you graduate make sure to waste part of a spring, summer or fall day in Dunn Meadow. Take advantage of some of the green space IU's former, and still beloved President Herman B Wells fought to protect for students. Toss a Frisbee with a friend, throw down a blanket and take a nap or even stage a demonstration or concert. Even if enjoying the meadow means sacrificing a class or two on a sunny day, go for it. Skipping work for a day in the meadow probably won't be an option after the flip of your tassel. \n2. Making-Out in the Herman B Wells Library "Stacks" \nIf you're ever stuck at the library for another late-night cramming session and your spirit begins to fluster, then the "Make-Out in the Stacks" Facebook group is intended for you. "You know you thought about it ... you've probably even done it," the group description of 46 members as of Jan. 13 stated. "Meet some others who are just like you ... new people to have sex in the stacks with." For students whose bare-all attitude in between shelves of musty books is still new, then the Facebook group "I Would Totally Have Sex in the Library" is for you. More than 1,813 members have identified themselves as getting "turned-on in the stacks." \n1. Take a Bath in Showalter Fountain\nWading in Showalter Fountain is a classic senior tradition for students to wet their feet before entering into the world of responsibility. "We find a lot of seniors going in the fountain during warm days of April, as graduation nears," Dean of Students Richard McKaig says. "We don't see much of it graduation day, however, when mother and grandmother are nearby, waiting to go somewhere." IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger says officers usually just ask students to get out of the fountain if caught, as long as students aren't creating damage, disturbance and there are no other aggravating circumstances. So to be on the safe side, stick to the calm cooling waters of the senior swimming hole and stay off the sculptures.
(12/02/05 2:03pm)
Thirty different holiday plays, featuring everything from a gun-toting Santa Claus to God paying a humorous house call, opened Thursday night at the Bloomington Playwrights Project, 107 W. Ninth St.\nThis year's Ballot Box Blizzard, which is an annual fundraiser for the BPP, is themed "Holidazed and Confused," and will entertain theatergoers with an eclectic mix of 30, three-minute long performances, according to a release. \nThemes for the short acts range from the boredom of Bedford wives to the commercialization of Christmas, and include comedies as well as more dramatic pieces.\nPrizes for the best plays will be awarded at the series' end, and placing will be determined by audience votes. Each ticket holder is entitled to one vote toward his or her favorite play of the night, but additional votes may be purchased for $1 each.\n"We have some new writers to the BPP, and some new actors also," Producer Rachael Himsel said in a statement. "I think that their enthusiasm for having a play produced for the first time, or for being onstage at the BPP for the first time, is contagious. Everyone working on the show is putting a lot of energy into making this a great night."\nOpening night came after about three weeks of rehearsal, which presented challenges to directors and cast members alike because of the variety and amount of plays being performed, said Annie Toft, who is directing nine of the plays amidst a busy class schedule. Directing nine short plays as opposed to one lengthy performance changes both casting and expectations when putting on a production, she said.\n"In one 90-minute play, if there are four different roles, you can cast them all specifically," Toft said. "When they are performing in several plays, which have so many different roles, you have to get people to do things that are different."\nActors often have to switch between characters and costumes in only two minutes, which can cause problems, she said.\n"You sometimes have someone slip and say a line from a different play while in character," Toft said.\nShe added her skilled cast, however, was more than ready for the job at hand.\n"Fortunately, a lot of these actors are very versatile, and you can cast them in a way that's unconventional," she said. "Three of the plays being performed were winners last year, and that's part of the adventure. It makes the show different and sometimes in ways the writer might not have even intended"
(11/29/05 11:26pm)
An Indianapolis police officer and former IU Police Department cop was shot in the face by a suspected drug dealer during Thanksgiving break.\nOfficer Mike Antonelli was shot in the face Nov. 20 during a struggle with a suspected drug dealer, causing the loss of his right eye. Just after 10 p.m. he made a traffic stop for an illegal turn, which resulted in a struggle after the driver got out of the car, according to an Indianapolis Police Department press release. During the struggle, the suspect, 26-year-old Kenya Wright, allegedly fired five shots, one of which struck the two-and-a-half year IPD veteran. U.S. Marshals captured Wright two days later as he was allegedly trying to start a drug operation.\nReports stating Antonelli will return to the force and continue serving Indianapolis don't surprise IUPD Officer Tom Kuhlenschmidt, one of Antonelli's partners at IUPD and a fellow cadet during his time at the academy. \n"If he could have he would have been back the next day, he was just that type of guy," Kuhlenschmidt said. "This was what he wanted to do, and he is good at what he does."\nAntonelli was determined to be a police officer throughout his time at IU and worked his way from IUPD cadet, to a full-time IUPD officer, to his dream job as a police officer in Indianapolis, said IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger. \n"He was a very good officer," Minger said. \nHis former partner agreed.\n"He was the first one of us who would really want to go out and find something," Kuhlenschmidt said. "He was really physically active and had a good head on his shoulders. A lot of being a police officer is having common sense and figuring out what the next step is, and it came naturally to him."\nAntonelli was released from the hospital Monday. Antonelli, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, received a visit from former IU quarterback and current Steeler Antwaan Randle El, in town for the Colts game Monday night.\nHeroic actions aren't anything new for the former IUPD officer, as he was honored by the American Heart Association for saving a man whose heart had stopped at the IU Physical Plant, according to an April 5, 2004 article in the Indiana Daily Student.\nAntonelli administered CPR after finding employee Allen Clouthier unconscious, not breathing and without a pulse after responding to a call Feb. 7, 2003. Fellow officer Chris Dutton and Antonelli then used an Automatic External Defibrillator to shock Clouthier's heart and continued CPR until paramedics arrived, saving the man's life.\n"We went through the academy together," Kuhlenschmidt said. "He was born to be a cop; he was always really focused"
(11/17/05 7:24pm)
After receiving a record $40.6 million donation, the IU School of Music has been renamed the Jacobs School of Music. \nThe donation, from David and Barbara Jacobs, is the largest single gift given by individuals to IU and, nationally, the biggest donation to a music school at a public university. University officials will make the announcement at a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. today at the Musical Arts Center auditorium, said Ryan Piurek, an IU spokesman. \nDavid Jacobs Jr., son of Barbara and David, will be at the event as well as IU President Adam Herbert.\n"It was really an amazing gesture on the part of the family," said Gwyn Richards, dean of the music school. "There are no restrictions on what we can do with the money, and that doesn't happen very often. They just wanted us to use it in the best interest of the school." \nThe school plans to use $20 million for graduate student fellowship endowments, $10 million for undergraduate scholarship endowments and will establish three new endowed faculty positions, according to a release. New positions within the school will include the Dean Charles H. Webb Chair in Music, the Henry A. Upper Chair in Music and the David H. Jacobs Chair in Music. IU will also match some of the funds, providing even more scholarship money, Richards said.\nDistributing the money will be the responsibility of the financial aid office within the Jacobs School of Music. The money will be invested, and profits made from funds will be endowed to those chosen for scholarships and fellowships, Richards said. \nHe said the school decided to earmark most of the funds for endowment scholarships because of a goal to provide all deserving students with an education from the highly-ranked program. \n"This extraordinary gift will add even greater luster to one of Indiana University's brightest jewels," Herbert said in a statement. "We are profoundly grateful to Barbara and David Jacobs for their generosity, which will enable our School of Music to attain even higher levels of excellence in performance, scholarship and creative activity." \nThe gift was just one of many contributions the Jacobs family has provided for the music school and the University through the years, Richards said. The late David Jacobs earned a bachelor's degree in business at IU in 1947, and he went on to spark the revitalization of downtown Cleveland. Between 1986 and 2000, he and his brother Richard owned the Cleveland Indians for about 15 years, according to a release. Jacobs Field, where the Indians currently play, also bears the family name. \nBarbara, a 1948 IU graduate, has been instrumental in creating endowed faculty positions throughout the University, according to a release. Barbara and David Jr. were not available for comment at press time.\nAlthough the school now officially will be called the Jacobs School of Music, an official naming ceremony will take place in late February, Piurek said. \n"As a former student of Indiana University School of Music, I have observed many great triumphs of the school over the past 30 years," David Jr. said in a statement. "I hope that my mother's gift will ensure that the excellence for which the school is known will continue long into the future. Nothing would be more gratifying to me than to know that talented and deserving young musicians will be able to pursue a superb musical education because my mother cared"
(11/11/05 5:26am)
University plans to move the archival Hoagy Carmichael Room from Morrison Hall to the Indiana Memorial Union are raising criticisms from some faculty and graduate students.\nThe space in Morrison Hall would be converted into a new biology lab, while artifacts ranging from the original sheet music for "Star Dust," Carmichael's most famous hit, to a cartoon representing him in "The Flintstones" would be displayed in a newly built room at the IMU, said Neil Theobald, IU Bloomington vice chancellor for budget and administration.\nThe room is currently used for a variety of ethnomusicology programs, as well as a museum and archive for scholars and those interested in Carmichael.\nTheobald said IU hoped to prominently display the work of one of the University's most distinguished alumni, while freeing much needed space for a new lab. In the next two years, IU will offer two new science majors, in biotechnology and human biology, which necessitates a new lab for science programs already crunched for space and time, he said. Near the end of the month, Theobald said he will meet with the family, and any move would depend on their approval.\n"If we don't get a new lab, we would, in the short-term, have to squeeze two pounds of flour into a one-pound bag," Theobald said. He said such a schedule could only last for one or two years.\nSome faculty and graduate students disagree with the plan, stating artifacts as brittle and fragile as old sheet music need the current climate-controlled atmosphere provided in the current space. Many of the most treasured Carmichael relics, including an Academy Award, are currently stored in the room, which is open to students upon request. They are part of about 3,500 articles donated by Carmichael's sons to the University following his death in 1981. Graduate student June Tomastick said she disagreed with the plan because of the room's importance to the ethnomusicology program and its value as a museum. Meanwhile, others argued against the plan on grounds of preservation.\n"They didn't show they had a good plan, thus it would shut down a tribute to one of Indiana's greatest icons," said Bob Stoll, professor emeritus at the IU School of Music. Stoll directed the Singing Hoosiers for more than 30 years while teaching and conducting at IU, and has performed many of the Indiana legend's tunes, he added.\nAlthough a room at the IMU might ease access to important pieces of history, the strong archival standards of the current room would need to be replicated if the artifacts are moved, Stoll said.\nHe said preservation of the items was part of the reason the Carmichaels donated the artifacts to the University.\nSuzanne Mudge, librarian of the IU Archives of Traditional Music, which plays a central role in the operation of the room, declined comment. IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said he has yet to discuss the issue with other administrators.\nThe room will be in full swing today, as performers will play Carmichael originals at noon in an annual celebration of his Nov. 22 birthday. The event is free to the public.
(11/10/05 5:19am)
Sigma Nu and former IU student Chase Coslett have reached an out-of-court settlement agreement for an alleged 2003 hazing incident at the fraternity. The terms of the deal were not disclosed in court documents and Greg Meyer, Coslett's attorney, could not be reached by press time.\nCoslett will soon file documents in Monroe County Circuit Court to have his lawsuit against the fraternity dismissed because a settlement has been reached, according to a letter from The Mediation Group LLC to the court filed Nov. 1. The Mediation Group is the Indianapolis-area company that helped the fraternity and the former Sigma Nu pledge come to the agreement.\nThe lawsuit, filed Feb. 9, sought compensation for an injury to Coslett's hand, which occurred when he was allegedly thrown into a pile of trash containing broken glass during a hazing incident Feb. 13, 2003, at Sigma Nu, according to a Feb. 15 article in the Indiana Daily Student.\nIn the lawsuit, Coslett said he is still suffering pain from the injury, which caused him to miss his second semester at IU. He has since transferred to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville because he received threats of physical violence from fraternity members, he said. \nThe suit named the national Sigma Nu fraternity, the Sigma Nu Alumni Association and the IU chapter of Sigma Nu, 1015 N. Jordan Ave., as defendants. Leaders of the fraternity at the time and David Pulse, who allegedly threw Coslett in the pile of garbage and broken glass, were also defendants. Pulse was not a member of the fraternity at the time of the incident but had been invited back and was paid for his participation in the hazing incident, deemed "hell night," according to the article.\nCoslett alleged "hell night" began when he and fellow pledges were taken into the fraternity's basement and interrogated by current members. When Coslett answered a question incorrectly, he was picked up by his feet and dunked head first into a bucket of ice water for several seconds, he said. \nAccording to the suit, after he was dunked several times, he answered another question incorrectly. In response, he was picked up by the neck and slammed into a chair by Pulse, the suit alleged. Coslett was then allegedly picked up and thrown into a pile of trash containing broken glass, causing his right hand to bleed. At first, brothers refused to take Coslett to the hospital and after finally consenting, instructed him to lie about the injury, \naccording to the suit.\nCurrent Sigma Nu President Jacob Welshans directed all comments to Brad Beacham, the executive director of Sigma Nu Fraternity Inc. Beacham was out of town Wednesday and could not be reached for comment about the settlement by press time.
(11/10/05 5:00am)
Nick's English Hut successfully defended its Best of Bloomington "Best Bar" title again this year. Students showed their devotion to the traditional favorite, which has been serving the city since 1926 in a variety of capacities. \nThe bar, which began as a simple sandwich shop about 80 years ago, holds a special place in Hoosiers' hearts, from alumni to current students. Students flock to the bar for nightlife, drinking games, food and its traditional atmosphere. From a student's ode to the bar posted on the wall to pool tables to games of "Sink the Biz," Nick's offers a little something for everyone, students said. \n"People come because of our tradition, our staff and our food," said Nick's Manager Mike Hall. "Basically they come for a good time ... It's the place to go, I think people really like the ambience." \nSenior Adam Kintz said he goes to Nick's about once a week, and because it sets itself apart from other bars with the different scenes it offers.\n"It's probably the size of the crowd -- you can go there when it's packed and have a fun time, but its also great to go to on off nights, when there's a more laid-back atmosphere," Kintz said. \nFood also brings the diverse crowd of students, alumni and Bloomington residents to the old confines, Hall said. \n"For students, I think it's really the pizza, strombolis and burgers that bring them in," he said. The kitchen also serves up their famous jambalaya and steaks, in the four bars and eating areas.\nEven those laboring behind the hot grills to cook those famous burgers said they enjoy the friendly, traditional atmosphere Nick's has to offer.\n"Working there was great, when you get your work done, they don't bug you ... There're not some big corporate restaurant," said senior Joe Higginbotham, who used to work as a cook at Nick's until he got too busy with school. "I had a more demanding schedule, but for the most part they try to accommodate you. Plus I got free food in the kitchen, one meal for every shift."
(11/10/05 2:22am)
Nick's English Hut successfully defended its Best of Bloomington "Best Bar" title again this year. Students showed their devotion to the traditional favorite, which has been serving the city since 1926 in a variety of capacities. \nThe bar, which began as a simple sandwich shop about 80 years ago, holds a special place in Hoosiers' hearts, from alumni to current students. Students flock to the bar for nightlife, drinking games, food and its traditional atmosphere. From a student's ode to the bar posted on the wall to pool tables to games of "Sink the Biz," Nick's offers a little something for everyone, students said. \n"People come because of our tradition, our staff and our food," said Nick's Manager Mike Hall. "Basically they come for a good time ... It's the place to go, I think people really like the ambience." \nSenior Adam Kintz said he goes to Nick's about once a week, and because it sets itself apart from other bars with the different scenes it offers.\n"It's probably the size of the crowd -- you can go there when it's packed and have a fun time, but its also great to go to on off nights, when there's a more laid-back atmosphere," Kintz said. \nFood also brings the diverse crowd of students, alumni and Bloomington residents to the old confines, Hall said. \n"For students, I think it's really the pizza, strombolis and burgers that bring them in," he said. The kitchen also serves up their famous jambalaya and steaks, in the four bars and eating areas.\nEven those laboring behind the hot grills to cook those famous burgers said they enjoy the friendly, traditional atmosphere Nick's has to offer.\n"Working there was great, when you get your work done, they don't bug you ... There're not some big corporate restaurant," said senior Joe Higginbotham, who used to work as a cook at Nick's until he got too busy with school. "I had a more demanding schedule, but for the most part they try to accommodate you. Plus I got free food in the kitchen, one meal for every shift."
(11/02/05 5:00am)
An excuse about a faulty alarm clock, a common alibi among students for showing up late, results in more than a reduced grade for the cadets in the IU Police Department academy.\n"We have them give lectures on how an alarm clock functions," said IUPD Training Lt. Greg Butler. \nCadets often supplement their 10-minute presentations with PowerPoint slides with diagrams to demonstrate the potential perils of clocks, including power surges and hitting the snooze button, he added. \n"Once they have to do something like that, they usually aren't late a second time," Butler said. \nMost IU professors said they've seen their share of students unexpectedly afflicted with stomachaches, massive motherboard meltdowns and sometimes disproportionate numbers of deaths in the family. More than 70 percent of these mini-disasters are probably made up, according to a survey of students performed by Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University, who studies procrastination. \nThe students surveyed usually invented explanations after procrastination prevented them from hitting the books, Ferrari said. Both sexes procrastinate academically with the same frequency, and those that put things off for another day are more likely to receive lower grades and make excuses to wriggle out of tests. One positive thing about academic procrastinators, he found, was they were often very intelligent. After all, it takes a certain amount of creativity to cook up all those excuses. \nTaffy-like truth stretching, ranging from "I slept late" to more elaborate excuses, seems to happen frequently at IU, according to a small-scale survey of faculty and students.\n"A buddy of mine who's Catholic filed a document to get out of a test for Yom Kippur," said sophomore David Goldberg. "Also, I don't want to incriminate anyone, but a friend of mine knows somebody who knows somebody that can get doctor notes."\nGoldberg added he doesn't personally partake in excuse-making. In fact, he's taken every college test on time, but he had some advice to offer procrastinators. \n"I'd say to be creative. Make sure your story makes sense," Goldberg said. "You don't want to wear a cross when you take in the document to have Yom Kippur off."\nAnother student uses his boss and fiancee as outs when he's in a time crunch.\n"The best one I've had experience with is saying 'work ran late; I blame it on the boss,'" said senior John Frank, who works at the Indiana Memorial Union Back Alley bowling alley. "I just got engaged, so that works too, saying I had to go up to Indy to take care of things my fiancee actually takes care of." \nAs due dates approach, most students blame technology, alarm clocks and deaths in the family. \n"It's standard for me to get hard drive excuses. A lot of people blame problems on technology," said graduate student Megan Savage, who teaches a freshman discussion group. "They don't realize I'm not that much older than them. I'm in the age of technology, too. I know hard drives don't just blow up ... It's 'the dog ate my homework' of this age."\nShe added she very rarely accepts technology excuses, which also include e-mails that are sent and mysteriously don't arrive to her inbox. \nOther professors cited relative deaths as a commonly used excuse. Although some are obviously legitimate, the number sometimes seems too high.\n"I don't recall particularly wild excuses," said IU Political Science Professor Russell Hanson. "Though instructors are puzzled by claims about the insolvency of Social Security, given the mortality rate of grandparents as reported by students in the middle of the semester and again at the end."\nIn his study, Ferrari found 90 percent of professors at the three schools surveyed accepted the students' excuses without requesting proof. Students are more likely to lie to young, more lenient instructors, especially if they're female, he said. Professors should be understanding, but he recommended they ask for proof of the sudden mishap.\n"I'm not saying they should be overly rigid, but professors need to be flexible, not spineless," Ferrari said.\nCurbing the flow of late papers and make-up tests is simple, said a few professors who don't get frequent excuses from students.\n"To be honest, I don't get many excuses," said English professor Susan Gubar. "On the first day, I tell the students I won't accept late papers or makeup exams. Then I have them repeat it over and over, like a mantra."\nHanson said he also makes his policy of accepting little late work clear at the beginning of the semester. This prevents an inbox full of excuses.\n"I don't accept late papers or assignments for which there was considerable advance warning; it's up to students to leave themselves a cushion in case of last minute emergencies," he said. "Missed exams usually can't be made up until students provide documentation of illness, death in the family or other catastrophic events -- where 'catastrophic' is a matter of discretion on the part of the instructor"
(10/28/05 4:39am)
President Bush "reluctantly" accepted the withdrawal of Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers Thursday, according to Associated Press reports. The White House said Miers withdrew because of senators' demands to see internal documents related to her role as counsel to the president. \n"It is clear that senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House -- disclosures that would undermine a president's ability to receive candid counsel," Bush said in a statement from the White House Web site.\nPolitics played a larger role, however, as Miers came under fire from conservatives and liberals alike, according to Associated Press reports. Republicans control 55 of the 100 they were surprised at the withdrawal and thought it was due largely to pressure from both sides of the political spectrum. Bush has promised to quickly nominate his third Supreme Court pick in seven weeks, which could be the beginning of a nasty political fight, professors said.\n"I guess I was surprised because there had not been a lot of rumors, as there often are in these situations, about her withdrawal," said IU law professor Joseph Hoffmann. "This leads me to believe it was her own personal decision, rather than the administration's."\nIU law professor Charles Geyh said he was also surprised by the withdrawal. \n"President Bush has stuck by his nominations for various offices, so I was surprised," he said. "The problem with the nomination was primarily with Bush's political base."\nQuestions from conservatives about Miers' commitment to ideals and accusations of cronyism and a lack of qualifications by Democrats probably contributed heavily to her decision to withdraw, both professors said.\n"There's no doubt the nomination was in trouble. If I were in that position, it would make sense to think seriously about withdrawing," Hoffman said. "There was definitely the possibility of being dragged through some pretty ugly confirmation hearings."\nBush has said he wants to nominate a woman to Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's post, so U.S. Court of Appeals Judges Edith Jones, Priscilla Owen or Janice Rogers Brown could be possibilities, Geyh said. Emilio Garza, a Hispanic U.S. Court of Appeals judge, is another plausible choice for the position, but the president might surprise everyone with his next nomination, he added.\n"He might say to hell with all of you and choose a luminary white male," Geyh said. "It's safe to say that there's now a risk of all hell breaking loose. He's being pressured to appoint an ideological conservative, which could cause the Democrats to start a brouhaha."\nHoffmann agreed, saying Bush has two options to get his third nomination through the Senate -- an ideologically conservative candidate or a candidate who is relatively uncommitted but has better qualifications than Miers. \n"Either way, you're going to blunt one part of the opposition that came out against Miers," he said. "(Bush) has to jump either one way or the other. I hope the president will give us someone with ramped up qualifications, not ideology"
(10/28/05 4:36am)
Mayor Mark Kruzan poked fun at County Commissioner Joyce Poling's short stature at the first-ever state of the community address at Fountain Square Ballroom Thursday night.\n"I'm a Democrat, she's a Republican ... I'm 5-foot-12 and she's ..." Kruzan said, drawing laughs from the crowd. Poling, meanwhile bragged about the county government's victory in a blood drive against city employees.\nThe back-and-forth banter between the two government leaders symbolized the relationship between their respective governments. Although the county and city squabble like siblings about certain issues, they come together to help each other for the betterment of the community, both leaders said.\n"There are natural frictions between the city and county government, but sibling rivalry doesn't prevent us from being a happy family," Kruzan said.\nThe two governments came together Thursday night for the address, which highlighted collaborative efforts between city and county departments to save money, strengthen emergency preparedness and improve the economic viability of the community. \nPoling and Kruzan spoke from separate podiums in front of the festive, standing-room only crowd. A cake the shape of Monroe County was served following the event. With the festivities came the announcement of two new committees that will include members from both governments. One of the newly formed committees will look into opportunities for both the county and city to save money by making cooperative purchases of items such as vehicles.\nThe second committee will focus on the public health and safety of the community. The first result of the effort will be a panel about the bird flu in the coming month, Poling said.\n"My job is to worry about the risks to the community at large -- to worry about your worries," she said.\nBoth governments are also focusing time and money to improve the economic vitality of Monroe County. Part of those efforts is turning technologies developed in the area into businesses to provide quality jobs for residents. IU and the Crane naval base develop technologies that could be commercialized, which would bring tax dollars and jobs into the community, Poling said. \nMany collaborative efforts are already in full swing, saving city and county taxpayers money, Poling and Kruzan said. Examples of these improved efficiencies include working together to prepare economic and development packages, sharing a dispatch center to field emergency calls and even combining the sheriff and city police tests to save money, according to a release handed out at the address.\n"City issues and county issues are, in fact, community issues," Poling said.
(10/24/05 4:20am)
Beer-drinking enthusiasts sprinted up the escalator, hurriedly grabbed their tasting cups and burst through the doors Friday night at the Bloomington Convention Center with Christmas morning-like smiles. Big Red Liquor's annual Beer Fest had begun. \n"I've wanted to come since I heard about it," said IU senior Todd Berry, one of the first tasters to run into the room. "It's the chance to try 300 beers, and I'll be damned if I pass it up."\nInside, 300 beers sat packaged in cans, kegs and bottles of every shape and size. Colors and consistencies of the drinks were as diverse as the packaging, from the bubbly orange alcoholic energy drink Sparks to the dark Pilgrim's Dole brewed by the New Holland Brewing Co. National breweries such as Budweiser and Miller -- along with smaller "craft" breweries -- were represented in force.\nEvery souvenir Big Red glass, filled with beers tasting of coffee and apricots, was topped off in the name of charity. All proceeds from the two-day event, including the $20 to $30 entrance fees and money raised through raffle tickets, will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington, said Rob Williamson, promotions director for Big Red Liquors. Beer distributors and breweries brought their wares to Bloomington for free, in the name of both charity and marketing, Williamson said.\n"That's one of the main reasons they're doing it, to market beers to graduate students and seniors," Williamson said. "We carry most of these beers at Big Red, and that's how we have the connections to bring these beers here."\nDistributors used table space to dole out promotional giveaways as well as beer. Blue Foster's T-shirts, flashing red-light Moosehead buttons and piles of key chain bottle-openers were given to eager recipients. Smaller breweries handed out paper coasters featuring names of their beers.\n"It's always a lot of fun coming here," said Ken Price, the head brewer at the Oaken Barrel Brewing Co. in Indianapolis. "It's a great marketing opportunity, a great opportunity to share our beer with responsible young beer drinkers ... It's an absolutely great event to display draft beer."\nFred Bueltmann, director of sales and marketing for the New Holland Brewing Co., said marketing was also a reason he made the trip to the festival.\n"The biggest thing about these festivals is supporting people who are bringing out good beer," Bueltmann said, while fielding requests for beer. "Meeting our drinkers face-to-face is invaluable. We can watch people's faces when they try our beer and see what they like, see what they respond to."\nThe event provided what many distributors and brewers considered an essential marketing opportunity. It was also an essential opportunity to raise money for day-to-day operations for the Boys and Girls Club, as each year the festival brings in between $10,000 to $12,000, said Lee Karras, president of the charity's board.
(10/21/05 6:08am)
Journalists have both hailed and criticized New York Times reporter Judith Miller, who was jailed for 85 days for refusing to reveal a confidential source to a federal grand jury. Miller was subpoened by the grand jury to reveal the source because the source allegedly leaked the name of an undercover CIA agent to a member of the media, according to Associated Press Reports. \nDue to recent jailings of journalists like Miller, the right to protect confidential sources has been a hot topic in journalism. This is why a member of the IU chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists jumped at the opportunity to hear Miller speak at SPJ's national convention in Las Vegas, which began Sunday and wrapped up Tuesday at the Aladdin Resort and Casino.\n"I had questions about how both she and the New York Times handled the situation, but now I think she was a very intelligent person who got caught up in a huge event, and she's still going through it," said David Adams, the IU chapter's adviser, Indiana Daily Student publisher and the president of the Student Press Law Center for Journalists. "I think some of the things she did aren't necessarily right or wrong, she just had to go through them."\nMiller was also presented with the SPJ's First Amendment Award at the conference.\nAlthough Miller's career has been criticized by some journalists, she earned the award because of her defense of press rights, said IU SPJ chapter President and IDS Copy Chief Christina Galoozis, who also attended the convention.\n"While a lot of people don't agree with the way she has built her career - and I'm not saying I do - this was an award for standing up for the rights of journalists," Galoozis said. "I thoroughly support her receiving this award." \nThe right to protect confidential sources is essential to inform the public about goings on in the government, especially with an administration that encourages avoidance of the press, Adams said. \n"It's in the public's behalf to have this qualified privilege," he said. "It's not just to allow reporters to be above the law."\nJournalists from around the nation discussed topics, including challenges to free speech, pressures put on campus media and rights to access prisons, according to the conference schedule.\nGaloozis said the experience was valuable because she got to talk to professional journalists about real ethical issues they confront while reporting and making editing decisions.\nOne highlight of the national conferences was accepting the SPJ's College Newspaper of the Year Award for 2004 on behalf of the IDS, she added.
(10/19/05 4:50am)
Young Trucking Inc. is suing two student athletes involved in a March 2005 crash with one of their vehicles. \nThe accident involved James Bailey, an IU football player, and Jamey Chapman, an IU women's basketball player, whose SUV collided with a Young Trucking dump truck on Ind. State Road 45. The accident occurred when Bailey and Chapman's SUV pulled out from a private driveway and collided with the truck, which was heading east on 10th Street. \nBailey and Chapman were both hospitalized as a result of injuries in the crash, according to a March 28 Indiana Daily Student article. Clarence Hamm, the driver of the dump truck, was treated and released that day.\nBoth Bailey and Chapman have been named as defendants in the suit, which is asking for $75,000 in financial damages. But Young Trucking Inc. is planning to drop one of the defendants from the suit as soon as the driver of the SUV is determined, said Edward McCrea, the attorney representing the company.\nUnder Indiana law, the driver must be named in the civil suit to recover damages, but the intention of the lawsuit is to recover damages from Bailey or Chapman's insurance company, McCrea said. Lawsuits cannot directly name the insurance company as defendants, he said.\nThe $75,000 the trucking company is asking for includes payment for the diminished value of the dump truck, the loss of the load of stone the truck was carrying, as well as lost profits and overtime incurred as a result of the accident.\n"This is for the property damages only," McCrea said. "The insurance carrier for the defendant refused to agree to what we thought was a reasonable settlement ... We were hoping to resolve this without filing a lawsuit."\nHe added he wasn't sure when hearings for the lawsuit will begin, but hopes they will start soon.\nBailey's attorney, Scott Kyrouac, has filed court documents claiming Bailey was not the driver of the SUV and shouldn't have been named in the suit.
(10/14/05 5:46am)
Fuzzy bar-hopping memories from this weekend might sharpen come mid-\nNovember. \nA film crew is rolling into three Bloomington bars Saturday night to film students "partying" for a DVD called "The Top 10 Party Schools," which will be sold online in about a month, said Jessica Morgan, a producer for Dancing Toad Productions, the Manhattan-based company producing the feature.\n"We have camera crews traveling to 11 schools to take video of students partying," Morgan said. "We picked the schools based on a gazillion lists. We used the Princeton Review, Playboy and talked to a bunch of students we know to decide which schools to go to."\nCamera crews will be rolling tape at the Jungle Room, the Bluebird Nightclub earlier in the night and Kilroy's on Kirkwood after midnight to "see who parties the hardest," Morgan said. She added the bars were picked based on student feedback.\nCopies of the DVD will be distributed via the Web site www.partyschools.com, and should be ready for sale by mid-November or early December, Morgan said.\nShe said her production company is taking out newspaper ads and advertising through airways at schools across the nation, while also using students to spread the word to show at the bars.\nJunior Janelle Nickelson said she'll be hitting the drinking establishments with the group as a production assistant. She was recruited for the job by a supervisor at her current internship at B97, a popular local radio station.\n"He said they were filming this Saturday, and were looking for someone to help out who's 21 and knows the bar scene," Nickelson said. \nHer duties will include having camera-hungry Hoosiers fill out consent forms and helping recruit party-people to get in front of the camera. She said Morgan also asked her to encourage people to show, although the bars are taking care of a lot of the promotion. \n"I hope that they (students) make IU look good, not trashy," Nickelson said. "I want to buy this DVD and go, 'Heck yeah, this is my school.' I hope people aren't trashy and just making out in front of the camera."\nMorgan said the DVD is not a "Girls Gone Wild" clone, but a "party video" featuring "college kids partying."\n"At first I suggested they probably want to go to Nick's, because it's such a cool place, but she said any place you think is kind of low-key, we want off the list," Nickelson said. "I think I know she is looking for kind of 'sex sells' more then people cheersing their beers"
(10/12/05 5:19am)
American University President Benjamin Ladner was fired Monday night for allegedly misusing travel funds and spending school capital on private parties. \nAnd Adams State College President Richard A. Wueste was fired for alleged financial mismanagement Friday, according to Chronicle of Higher Education reports.\nBut allegations of financial mismanagement and gross expenditures of essential travel money for things other than University business won't happen at IU because of financial oversight procedures and a dedication to staying within budget, said IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre. \n"We have pretty strict policies on how University money is spent," MacIntyre said. "The president is very careful to ensure he and his staff adhere to the University policies."\nEach department or office allocates a certain chunk of its budget to travel expenses, all of which are reviewed by the respective heads of department. Vice President Judy Palmer's office then reviews these expenses to make sure all allocations of money follow University policy, MacIntyre said. \nPalmer was out of town and unavailable for comment by press time.\nIU also might bring in an internal auditor if there were questions about expense accounts, he added. Written sections of IU policy outline exactly what University faculty and staff will be reimbursed for when traveling. The code also defines a chain of approvals University travelers must obtain before they can hop on a plane, train or automobile on IU's dollar.\n"Everything is reviewed," MacIntyre said. "The University keeps tight controls on spending. Part of it is because we always have a fairly tight budget, so everyone from the president on down is very careful when they're spending."\nTravel expenses for the 2003-04 year were a $30.3 million chunk of the multi-billion dollar IU budget, a rise of 10.3 percent from the previous academic year, according to IU financial reports. Travel is an important aspect for faculty, researchers and top administrators, including IU President Adam Herbert, MacIntyre said.\n"A lot of professors go to seminars, conferences, research trips and to Washington for research grants," he said. "President Herbert attends a number of academic organization meetings, including the American Association of Universities... He also travels to meet with donors interested in making large donations who have questions, and lectures at other universities. He probably travels about once or twice a month"
(10/07/05 5:02am)
IU President Adam Herbert announced a new presidential post Thursday, according to IU officials. \nMaynard S. Thompson, a mathematics professor with IU administration experience, was named the senior counselor to the president. Thompson will be responsible for advising the president on a wide range of academic matters at all IU campuses, including policy development, and he will serve as a liaison to faculty organizations.\n"I am both delighted and deeply appreciative that Maynard Thompson has agreed to serve the University as senior counselor to the president," Herbert said in a statement. "I know how much he has enjoyed teaching on a full-time basis and recognize that his acceptance of this assignment is a major sacrifice."\nThompson began his career at IU in 1962 as a member of the mathematics faculty. He has held several administrative leadership positions, including department chairman, associate dean of the graduate school, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, dean of budgetary administration and vice chancellor.\n"President Herbert has said on a number of occasions that maintaining academic excellence is a big priority," said IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre. "He wanted someone full-time, in his office, working on just those academic issues. It's a full-time job, so he's gone to someone with a lot of experience at IU and in academic areas. That person will not only advise in policy but will be a liaison to the faculty."\nThompson currently earns $169,000 a year, according to the IU financial management services Web site. His new salary could not be obtained by press time.\nMacIntyre said Thompson's duties will also include representing Herbert at meetings that don't fit into the president's schedule.\n"There are a lot of faculty meetings Herbert would like to attend, but it isn't possible. Now he will have a representative there," MacIntyre said. "There are a lot of issues the president wants to dig into, and now he will have the opportunity to do it"
(09/30/05 4:21am)
IU researchers will soon make full use of precise digital instruments that produce massive volumes of information, enabling more accurate pictures of the stars and important genome research with the potential to affect cancer research.\nThe National Science Foundation announced Tuesday it is providing IU with a $1.72 million grant to build a data capacitor, which will temporarily store massive amounts of data waiting to be analyzed by supercomputers, according to a release. \nThe storage apparatus, which will be built by IU technicians, is experimental and will be operational for the spring semester, said Craig Stewart, the IU associate vice president of research and academic computing and the IU chief operations officer of pervasive technology labs.\n"It's really a new idea," Stewart said. "To the best of my knowledge, there's nothing else like it. That's one of the reasons we got the grant. It's an interesting, new idea, and we have the ability to make it."\nCurrently, the size of data sets analyzed by IU's supercomputer depends on how much storage space the computer contains, according to the release. This limits data collected from devices such as telescopes, capable of producing up to one billion pixels. The capacitor will enable transfers of giant data chunks into a supercomputer, saving researchers time and enabling more information to be recorded, Stewart said. \n"The data capacitor will make a considerable impact on researchers in the life sciences, where data management challenges are particularly severe, but researchers of many disciplines will be better able to draw from their data the information and meaning it contains," Michael McRobbie, IU vice president for research, said in a release. "New insights are sure to result from the ability of scientists to better analyze larger data sets than can be feasibly manipulated today."\nHaixu Tang, adjunct professor of informatics and adjunct assistant of computer science, is one of more than a dozen IU researchers who will benefit from the stronger computer muscle. The capacitor will enable him to collaborate with biology professors to research the evolution behind duplicated sections of the human genome. \n"It's very important for our research because most of it relies on computer capacity," Tang said. \nThe astronomy department is also waiting for the data capacitor to be brought into action, according to the release.\n"Indiana University is a partner on the WIYN Telescope in Kitt Peak, Ariz. The observatory there is building a digital camera that will capture more than one billion pixels per image," astronomy professor Catherine Pilachowski said in a statement. "Formerly, processing and serving this kind of data wasn't plausible. The data capacitor is the perfect tool. It's what we needed. It puts us in the big league of institutions that are defining the future of science."\nThe data capacitor will also enable more IU participation in the TeraGrid, an NSF project attempting to create a nationwide cyber-infrastructure of supercomputers for scientific research, Stewart said.
(09/21/05 5:37am)
Supreme Court Justice Nominee John Roberts has refused to tell the public what he thinks about abortion, which is exactly what makes him a great judge, said IU Law Professor Joseph Hoffman. Hoffman, who, like Roberts is a former clerk for the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, said he is so in favor of Roberts that he is writing an opinion column to submit to major publications. \n"The nature of judging is special from other decision making," Hoffman said. "They have to suppress their gut instincts and rule from precedents, the rule of law."\nHoffman and IU Law Professor Craig Bradley, another former Rehnquist clerk, led a discussion at The Federalist Club's "Lawyers at the Lion" meeting Tuesday night. Both professors spoke to about 35 law students and others who gathered at the Irish Lion, 212 W. Kirkwood Ave., for debate, pints of dark imports and steaming mutton pies.\n"I've gotten to know him pretty well from cocktail parties over the years," Bradley said. "He's a very fine guy, a very nice guy and is extremely well qualified for the Court. It actually surprised me that Mr. Bush would pick someone this good."\nBradley predicted Roberts wouldn't overturn Roe v. Wade, the famous 1973 Supreme Court ruling on abortion, because of his respect for precedents. \nThe confirmation hearings, filled with talk about which way Roberts will rule on hot button issues from abortion to gay rights, are missing the point, Hoffman said. They turn the issue into a "Hatfield vs. McCoy feud," which missed the point of electing a judicious Supreme Court judge such as Roberts, he said. Hoffman predicted Roberts will be a moderate judge who respects precedent and the opinions of other judges.\n"He's not a bomb-thrower. He cares about other people's points of view," Hoffman said. "In the hearings, we learned exactly what we wanted to learn about Roberts. He's judicious ... Bush stepped up in picking Roberts. He picked someone who was going to be a judicial conservative, not an injudicial conservative."\nDiscussion shifted from the wisdom of selecting a Chief Justice Roberts to their experiences as clerks for the late Chief Justice Rehnquist. Both professors painted a picture of a legal genius and great man, who had a very ordinary family life and a passion for competition.\n"He liked to bet with the other justices, over lots of things, such as how deep snow was going to fall in the courtyard," Hoffman said.\nLaw students interested in how to score such a coveted position after law school asked about both professors' interviews with Rehnquist for the job. Hoffman recalled a red-eye flight from Seattle to Washington, D.C., in which he dreamed of swishing a free throw on the "highest court in the land" to score a clerkship. The "highest court in the land" is a basketball court on the top floor of the Supreme Court building.\nHoffman's interview with Rehnquist went terribly, he said, but afterward a clerk took Hoffman on a tour of the Supreme Court building. Upon reaching the basketball court, he took a shot, swished it and told the clerk about his dream. Two days later, Hoffman said he got a call that he received the job.\nYears later, he found out the clerk had told Rehnquist about Hoffman's dream, and how he sunk the shot.