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(11/29/00 6:01am)
The University is looking at revamping the universal transportation plan approved by the trustees in 1999, student leaders said. The plan would have provided free bus service around Bloomington to students and added a $21.50 mandatory transportation fee to bursar bills.\nThe University's Transit Team -- composed of student leaders, professional consultants and administrators -- discovered the plan would cost students much more than was originally estimated, causing members of the team to rethink the proposal. \nOriginally, the IU Student Association and Residence Halls Association proposed to combine the Campus Bus Service with Bloomington Transit. After studying the logistics, the committee found the fee would be about $120 a year, much greater than the original proposal's $21.50 fee. Students now pay $20.83 a semester for access to Bloomington Transit buses.\nMany in IUSA and RHA who initially supported universal, prepaid access for both systems have stopped supporting the proposal since learning of the fee increase.\nThe team will decide at a Dec. 6 meeting if it wants to redraft the proposal; the IU board of trustees is expected to vote on that proposal at the beginning of next semester.\nGraduate Student Organization mediator and Transit Team member Sarah Stevens said she hopes the trustees will make a reasonable decision, even if that means leaving the current plan intact.\n"It's a ridiculous amount to have to pay," Stevens said of the proposed $120 mandatory fee. "It's just not feasible."\nStudent trustee Dean Hertzler said he understands it is not an easy task to implement a bus system all students will favor.\n"The difficulty is getting a wide-range bus system that works," Hertzler said. "It's difficult to balance the different concerns of all the students."\nStevens said the cost of a universal, prepaid system would be hefty for students to pay. She said graduate students would be particularly burdened.\n"It's an even bigger fee for graduate students to pay," Stevens said. "Because almost all of them are paying for their schooling by themselves and already have a lot of loans."\nGraduate student John Mersch, math department representative to the GSO, said he supports the way the system works now. He said if administrators asked students their opinions, they would find most are not in favor of the proposed $120 mandatory fee.\n"I was in favor of the current bus plan," Mersch said. "But (the $120 proposal) is far too much money to ask everyone to be spending."\nRHA President Jason Dudich, a senior, said more time and information are needed before a sound decision can be made.\n"We need more accurate data and better information," Dudich said. "Once we have this, then we can act on it; that's the best route to go."\nEigenmann Residents Association President Dietrich Willke, a senior, said he agrees a decision should not be made until there is more information. Willke said students need to be provided with information detailing the proposals and explaining where the mandatory funds would be going.\n"The bus plan proposals being considered affect all students," Willke said. "So, everyone needs to be well-informed about what is going on."\nStevens and Dudich said an important part of the Transit Team is being able to make an intelligent decision to present to the trustees that relies on student input.\n"We need student involvement in responding to the possible options, so that we know what they want to have happen," Dudich said.\nOne way Dudich and Stevens are encouraging students to get involved is by e-mailing transit@indiana.edu. They said this gives students a way to convey their concerns and comments regarding the new bus plan proposals.\n"We need to hear a loud student voice telling us what they want," Stevens said. "What students say will make a difference when we make our recommendation to the trustees"
(11/02/00 3:47am)
Instead of sitting in a library flipping through dusty books or searching the Internet to find jobs, students were able to meet with company representatives in person Wednesday afternoon at the Arts and Sciences Placement Office's ninth annual social service and nonprofit job fair in Alumni Hall. \nForty-two agencies participated in the job fair, up from 37 last year. \nSondra Inman, assistant director of the Arts and Sciences Placement Office, said she hopes the job fair will continue to grow each year because she sees it as being a very beneficial and informative event.\n"The employers that are here are aware and excited to share information about their fields with students," Inman said.\nThe purpose of the event, Inman said, is to bring in agencies and organizations from the public sector that aren't typically involved with on-campus recruitment.\nOne of the positive aspects of the job fair, Inman said, is that it provides students with an opportunity to talk with different representatives and get more information regarding their fields of interest.\n"It's a good way for students to network with the employers," Inman said. "All students are encouraged to take advantage of these job fairs. They've proven to be very helpful in the past."\nAbout 500 students attended the event. \n"I wanted to see what opportunities were out there," said Tara Taylor, a senior. "It was pretty helpful because I found job opportunities that I was interested in."\nThe job fair let students find information from a variety of agencies, ask questions and make contacts with agency representatives.\nStudents seemed to like the chance to interact with a representative instead of looking up information on their own or being given a pamphlet.\n"It really has a personal touch, because you get to talk with someone," said Adrian Merceron, a senior, said. "It's useful because (the representatives) are here to answer your questions."\nJohn Hassett, a national service volunteer, participated in the job fair on behalf of Elkhart EnviroCorp and stressed the importance of being able to talk one-on-one with a representative.\n"It's beneficial because it is interactive," Hassett said. "We are able to give tailored answers to tailored questions."\nHassett said the job fair was beneficial for both students and representatives.\n"We have gotten to meet a lot of the types of people we are looking for," Hassett said. "It targets and attracts the right kinds of students, those interested in more social and community oriented fields."\nThe Arts and Sciences Placement Office plans to continue sponsoring job fairs like this one, Inman said, because students seem to really benefit from them and get a lot of useful information.\n"It's a very popular event," Inman said. "It's open to all students, and it gives them the opportunity to talk with different representatives."\nFor more information visit the Arts and Sciences Placement Office on the Web at www.indiana.edu/~career/fulltime.
(10/31/00 5:44am)
The Graduate Student Organization sponsored an open forum Monday for graduate students, in which they were encouraged to voice their opinions in regard to how the IU Student Association is representing them and if that representation is effective.\nThe forum, which was attended by about 20 graduate students, provided them with the opportunity to talk with the GSO representatives directly. This was one of the main goals of the meeting.\n"The forum was very helpful; there was a wide range of opinions and suggestions," said Sarah Steven, a doctoral student and the GSO moderator. "Although I would have liked to have seen more of a turnout, it was still good."\nThe setup of the forum allowed for the students to actively participate in the discussion, bring up topics and ideas they individually had and then respond accordingly.\nGraduate students discussed everything from setting up a completely separate form of government that would better cater to their needs and concerns, to trying to work more with IUSA to keep one central student government that would represent the needs of all students more equally.\nAlthough no definitive answer was decided at this meeting, Stevens said the important thing to remember is that the GSO is there to listen to what the students want and need.\n"We are a consensus-based organization," Stevens said. "We want to know what (graduate students) feel would be effective methods to address the issues and concerns that they brought up." \nAmong these concerns and issues, students discussed the need for more to be done in providing them with better health care plans, assuring them they would have places in University housing and providing the GSO as a whole with more access to the trustees and those in position to help the GSO accomplish these goals.\nThe meeting allowed students to actively participate in the forum and offer their personal views and situations. \nErin Murphy, a first year School of Library and Information Science masters student, commented that she felt that the forum was beneficial and productive.\n"It was good for a preliminary meeting," Murphy said. "Most of the comments made a good contribution to the meeting by raising issues that had not already been thought of."\nThe meeting ran for about one and a half hours and helped GSO members get a better sense for how graduate students are feeling and what the GSO needs to work on, Stevens said.\n"We'll try to have more meetings like this," said Andrea McDowell, coordinator for the GSO. "They help us gauge the graduate student's voices (on issues and concerns)."\nOne of the main concerns expressed by many students is their lack of IUSA representation. Students expressed that they feel many times their concerns are so different than undergraduate concerns, that IUSA, who they see as being more focused on undergraduate concerns, often fails to meet their needs.\nIUSA representatives who also attended the forum said they feel that for graduate students to have a stronger voice within IUSA, they need to participate more and take the initiative to fill the IUSA seats set aside for them. (The graduate students now occupy four of the 11 seats desginated for their representation.)\nThe only problem with this, several students said, is the large time commitment that being part of IUSA takes. Students said that they do not have much of time as it is and that they feel an organization that would primarily focus on their needs, instead of also dealing with undergraduate needs, would be more effective. But students also said they are willing to work with IUSA on issues that affect both graduate and undergraduate students.\nAs for the overall turnout at the forum, GSO members -- including Stevens -- said they feel having more graduate students attend would have been more helpful.\n"I would have liked to see more (graduate students) turn out," Stevens said. "Next time we'll try to send out more information about the meeting so that everyone knows more of the details ahead of time." \nRonald Glass, a first-year graduate student, said he believes communication between the GSO and graduate students needed to be worked on to get more students to attend meetings.\n"(The GSO) need to advertise and communicate better, and then maybe they'll get a better turnout," Glass said. \nGlass added he thought the meeting was helpful overall because it allowed students to voice their opinions and concerns.\n"I was surprised by how open of a discussion it was," Glass said. "I think that it was a positive step, but there are still issues that need to be addressed."\nAs for future meetings and forums between graduate students and GSO representatives, nothing has yet been scheduled, Stevens said. But she did say the GSO is planning to make more graduate students aware of what the GSO is trying to do and keep them informed about ideas and concerns that have been voiced on the part of other graduate students in meetings like this one.
(10/30/00 6:15am)
An open meeting for all graduate and professional students will be held at 5:30 p.m. today in Ballantine Hall 330. The goal of the meeting is to have students voice their concerns and wants in regard to the future relationship between the Graduate Student Organization and IU Student Association.\nSarah Stevens, a doctoral student and the GSO moderator, said the meeting's purpose is to get a better sense of how well graduate students feel they are represented by IUSA, and to then decide if further actions are needed to be more accommodating to their needs and concerns.\nLisa Kuriscak, doctoral student and treasurer of the GSO, said the meeting will be important because it will allow the GSO to ask students questions, raise awareness and help build coalitions with other graduate student groups.\n"It's important to get students to share ideas ... and increase dialogue," Kuriscak said. "We don't have a unified voice, and in order to have that we need to know how students feel, and what they want." \nScott Witoszynski, IUSA's vice president of administration, said he is against any division of student leadership. He pointed out that together IUSA and GSO can be a stronger force.\n"We'd like to keep a central voice for student government. It would weaken both sides effectiveness if we completely split apart into two different governments," Witoszynski said. "I'd rather see more cooperation than separation."\nAll students are represented by IUSA, and Elizabeth Rytting, a graduate student and GSO representative, said the problem with this is many times there are issues that are more of a concern to graduate students than to undergraduate students. Stevens cited the high cost and lack of availability of child care, changes in family housing and health care benefits as examples. \n"We feel that the current structure of student government doesn't lend itself to graduate students," Stevens said. "We don't get a chance to voice our opinions and concerns."\nBut Witoszynski said there needs to be more communication between the IUSA and the GSO so IUSA can get a better sense of graduate students' concerns and needs.\n"The graduate students could address the issues affecting them more, but we still want to work with them and support their issues," Witoszynski said. "If they have an issue they feel needs to be addressed, and they bring it to our attention, we\'d be more than happy to work with them."\nStevens said the GSO realizes a consensus about graduate student representation is unlikely..\n"Somebody needs to work on these issues," Stevens said. "And the GSO is willing to do this, but we need to have an official status and more recognition on campus."\nWitoszynski said a main problem is several seats are empty that should be representing the graduate community.\n"They don't have all their seats filled in IUSA, and we currently have graduate positions open for them," Witoszynski said. "They could have more graduate students apply for these position." \nAlthough many issues seem to concern one group of students more than the other, Rytting said the GSO also realizes there are universal issues that affect both groups. In these situations, she said, it is important for the GSO and IUSA to work collectively, to make the best decisions.\n"There are issues, such as the bus plan, that affect both groups," Rytting said. "So, we will have to work together to do what is best."\nBut Stevens said nothing will be changed until they have a good sense of what everybody wants to have happen, if anything at all.\n"We would like to decide this fall what kind of government we want," Stevens said. "Then we want to spend about a year deciding on things like the election process and writing of a constitution"
(10/26/00 3:19am)
The Health Professions and Prelaw Information Center was honored earlier this month in a contest by the National Academic Advising Association as one of four programs nationally that exemplify the innovation, creativity and commitment needed in advising programs.\nIt received the Outstanding Institutional Advising Award Oct. 7 in Orlando Fla. John Simpson, director of the center, traveled to Florida to accept the award on behalf of the department at the NACADA national conference.\nNick Hipskind, associate dean of University Division and associate professor of speech and hearing sciences, nominated the department and encouraged it to submit the necessary information needed to be considered for the award.\nHipskind said he made the nomination because he believed the department deserved it.\n"They do an outstanding job, and they deserved the recognition," Hipskind said. \nAs for receiving the award, several of the department's employees expressed surprise, including Mac Francis, a pre-law adviser.\n"It was a shock. We really worked hard and the competition was stiff," Francis said. "It's just not something you expect."\nThe department's main goal is to help students interested in pre-professional studies, Simpson said. It does that through sponsoring several events that allow students to meet with experts from their field of interest, providing students with current information and staying in contact with students via e-mail.\n"What we are trying to do is to expose students to up-to-date information so that they know how to make the most of themselves," Simpson said.\nCarol Bart, assistant director of the center, said the job is made easier by having good students to work with.\n"I think that our big thing is personal interest in the student," Bart said. "We don't look at them as if they are generic, each one has their own strengths."\nHipskind said he believes the department is strong because of the individual attention staff members give to students.\n"Their interest in students is phenomenal," Hipskind said. "When you are in there talking to one of them, they make you feel like you are the most important person in the world."\nAnother positive aspect of the center, Francis said, is that they are able to devote their full attention to the students and their needs.\n"This is our only job," Francis said. "We are able to concentrate on doing the best job we can for the students."\nBart said the credibility of the department was only further strengthened by them receiving this award.\n"It certainly makes an impression on perspective students and parents," Bart said. "We really are a quality advising service, and recognition of this sort really reflects that"
(10/23/00 5:06am)
One-third of America's law schools will be participating in this year's Law Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in the Indiana Memorial Union's Frangipani Room. \nThe informal gathering will give students a chance to meet with representatives from 68 law schools around the country.\nJohn Simpson, director of Health Professions and the Prelaw Information Center, said IU is the only Hoosier university besides Notre Dame to give students an opportunity such as this on a large scale.\n"It's a no-cost way to talk to experts, which is an opportunity that not all students have," Simpson said.\nSenior Jennifer LoGiudice said she attended last year's Law Day and is planning on going back this year. She said it was informative and helpful.\n"It's impossible to go visit all of the law schools," LoGuidice said. "All of the schools I'm planning on applying to are going to be here."\nMac Francis, a prelaw adviser, said students are often familiar with about 10 law schools, and Law Day offers an opportunity to learn more about other schools they might not know much about.\n"There are so many great schools coming," Francis said. "Law Day exposes students to a wide range of schools."\nSimpson said Law Day has been successful before.\n"Students love it. They can finally put a face with a school," Simpson said. "It helps them learn more about the school."\nFrancis said finding a school that's comfortable is important in selecting a law school. \n"Law school can be very intense, and if you are going to be uncomfortable then it will make it that much harder," Francis said.\nA panel discussion at 9 a.m. today in the IMU State Room will feature deans of admission from law schools at George Washington University, Loyola University Chicago, Michigan and IU. Francis said they will talk about what they look for in law school applications and then take questions from the audience.\nFrancis said students should be able to get a good feel for where they might want to go after college after the panel discussion and meeting the representatives.\n"Students come out very encouraged," Francis said. "They realize that schools look for more than just good grades and a high LSAT score. Schools want an accurate picture of the applicant"