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(01/31/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The National Football League, like any other billion dollar industry, should not be exempt from taxes. When most people think of a nonprofit organization, organizations such as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity or other groups that work in the name of the public interest come to mind. What usually doesn’t is America’s football league. But unbeknownst to most people, the National Football League is indeed considered a nonprofit. The logic behind this is that the NFL promotes the benefit of football. The NFL takes its revenue and divides it among the teams in the league, therefore technically not making a profit. Even so, there are major problems with the NFL’s nonprofit status. For starters, it grants the league immunity from taxes on the money that it brings in. This exemption is despite the fact that the NFL brought in more than $9 billion in revenue last year, according to Forbes magazine. But the main issue isn’t that the league is making an insane amount of money. It’s the fact they are using their status to take advantage of taxpayers. Even people who are not fans of football have contributed tax dollars toward the construction of new stadiums for this “nonprofit” organization. Cities like Indianapolis have bent over backward to pander to the NFL in the name of increasing business. Recently, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., proposed a bill called the PRO Sports Act, which would take away the tax exemption from professional sports leagues. It would also take away their ability to use taxpayers’ money for obscene new facilities built on the backs of taxpayers. The Editorial Board absolutely endorses the proposal.More importantly, this new bill wouldn’t be the death sentence for the NFL that many of the bill’s opponents are preaching. For example, the Major League Baseball declined its own nonprofit status but is still going strong because of support from its fans that continues to translate into dollars. Right now, the NFL’s fan base is so loyal that they are willing to pay taxes to supply their favorite teams with fancy stadiums. If the NFL was required to pay taxes, teams might have to raise ticket prices. But if fans are willing to give tax money to the league, the Editorial Board believes fans would be willing to pay for the increase in price. It’s also important to remember the NFL is not the only stakeholder in this matter. It affects communities. Under the current conditions, tax money that isn’t being raised because of the league’s nonprofit status could be providing critical services to some of its biggest supporters in the community that need assistance the most. What this boils down to is also the increasingly visible face of corporate greed. The league could easily carry on as a successful organization without taking taxpayer money, and even more so, it could and should give back to the fans that have supported it so passionately for decades. In recent years, many have come to unjustly demonize those most in need in our country. They’ve been labeled leeches on our society that shouldn’t be helped if they can’t help themselves. Ironically enough, the biggest leeches of all may be those you watch on Sunday making millions while still asking for help from taxpayers. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/29/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>People find many different ways to honor Martin Luther King every January. Some choose to volunteer all day, or various other acts of good will.Arizona State University’s Fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon chose to celebrate by throwing an “MLK Blackout” party, complete with party favors mocking African American stereotypes including watermelon cups and oversized basketball jerseys. Once Anderson Cooper and other people in the news media got hold of Instagram pictures documenting the event, the backlash was wild.Such willful ignorance should not still be so rampant in our society. Punishment should be doled out for those insensitive and immature enough to participate.As for rampant ignorance, IU doesn’t have much room to talk.Last year one of IU’s own sororities was also caught on camera attending anoffensive homeless-themed party.ASU’s offense is worse considering the timing. It takes a special kind of ignorance to throw a party that is supposedly in honor of a great humanitarian, and at the same time make that party so completely insulting to him and his message.You just can’t compress an entire race and culture into a theme without being offensive.You will always end up stereotyping.Even if, consciously, the person with the watermelon cup in their hand knows that they aren’t giving a fair and true depiction of the race they are impersonating, face it: they are still holding a watermelon cup.They, at the very least, thought it was an honest enough representation that people would recognize it and laugh — and that is racist.Racism is a bigger and more complex problem than just making people see that one race is not the sum of its stereotypes.This is why we chose to believe this fraternity is more ignorant than evil.We believe the fraternity did mean to celebrate MLK Day — the problem is that they failed to understand that dressing up in everything short of blackface demeans an entire race and culture and dehumanizes them.By doing so, you objectify and offend the very group you think you are celebrating.It is this dehumanization and representation of African Americans that Martin Luther King Jr. fought so hard against.The Editorial Board believes stopping future embarrassments like this depends solely on our ability to address this ignorance.We need to be more aware of the extent that racism still exists, even where we least expect it, and learn how to recognize it before we have theme parties about it.This brings us to our second concern: punishment.Obviously, the only way to stop this from happening in the future is through education.This is why kicking them out of school is probably not the best option.Perhaps enrollment in some classes focused on diversity in society will help them debunk their misconceptions about a group of people they clearly don’t understand.Their true punishment, however, will be the media demerit that will follow them for the rest of the Internet’s life.Because of the media saturated society we live in these pictures, and the news attention they received, are going to haunt these kids — from when they look for jobs, to when their blind date tries to Google them.That punishment is probably the most effective way they will learn.opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/28/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thomas Reilly Jr., chairman of the IU Board of Trustees, is a super funny guy.When two student leaders came before him expressing concern, claiming that student members of committees don’t have enough time to familiarize themselves with the committee’s work and affect change before their term ends, his response was to crack a joke.“That’s part of our strategy to deal with you,” he said. Reilly’s board might be chuckling. The Editorial Board is not.The fact it occurs to Reilly to make such a comment — joke or otherwise — is the perfect example of what’s so wrong at this University.Reilly went on, like any good paternalist speaking to his disenfranchised charges, to admit the trustees “exist to educate students,” and therefore, need strong sources of student input.He’s wrong.Reilly was first appointed to the Board of Trustees by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2005. In total, six of IU’s nine trustees are appointed by the state’s governor, including one student trustee. The other three are elected by alumni. Current students never vote for a trustee. Not once.The IU Board of Trustees does not exist to educate students under its current structure. It exists to satisfy the governor and the alumni. The extent to which the board exists to educate students is only the extent to which those otherwise-occupied constituencies demand it.That’s why student input on committees, the kind Reilly shrugged off with a joke, is so vital to our existence as members of this community.It’s why IU Student Association President Jose Mitjavila’s administration’s initial failure to fill seven of those positions is so egregious.The student affairs subcommittee of the Bloomington Faculty Council went more than two months without a single student member. The responsibility to fill that position was Mitjavila’s. Unlike the Graduate and Professional Student Organization, which opens committee appointment to all its constituents, IUSA precedent is to appoint only members of the current administration’s staff to committees. That means no matter how you voted in the last IUSA election, only the winning executive ticket will ever have any meaningful interaction with University issues.Provost Lauren Robel said in Friday’s IDS investigation article this isn’t a problem she or Dean of Students Harold Goldsmith or the Trustees should be responsible for solving. This is just another case of the epidemic of disdain for the average student at this University. Its chief academic officer and the dean charged with student welfare don’t feel responsible for ensuring that students have any seat at the table, let alone a seat representative of the fact that this University exists mainly for their benefit.That’s your student government’s responsibility, and if your student government is systematically hobbled by the very process it’s supposed to be participating in, well, that’s just part of their strategy to deal with it.This University’s function is to educate students, even Reilly and his trustees ostensibly agree to that fact. But if that’s the case, why are students and student governors scrambling to keep up with an administration that is working on a schedule and pace so harshly dissonant from their own? If student input is so valuable and important, shouldn’t it be the other way around? It should be the administration and trustees bending over backwards to ensure students are able to attend committee meetings. They should be developing orientation programs designed to make student committee members effective contributors as quickly as possible.Pairing new student appointees with a veteran committee member would be a start.This year, demand real, tangible change from your student government. Demand that committee positions be filled quickly with students genuinely interested in the issues the committees deal with. Make it a major campaign issue.The provost, the deans, the trustees — they’ve already made it clear they’re not going to listen to our voices unless we work for it, unless you push for it, unless you make your voice so loud and important they can’t function without listening to it. They say there’s a student government system in place for you to be heard. That system is broken. The problem is they have no incentive to fix it.Force that to change. Because our apathy and inertia are a part of their strategy to deal with us.It’s time we developed a strategy to deal with them.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/27/14 5:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The shooting at Purdue University once again brought the discussion of school safety and gun control into the public sphere. So far in 2014, there have been seven school shootings in the United States, in Tennessee, Connecticut, New Mexico, Indiana, South Carolina and two in Pennsylvania. With this shocking number of school shootings in one month alone, IU students are reassessing just how safe we feel on our own campus. During the shooting at Purdue, professors were reported to have joked about the incident or ignored it completely. Some professors propped doors open instead of shutting doors like they’re supposed to do. Meanwhile, Purdue ALERT, the West Lafayette school’s equivalent to IU Notify, told students to resume normal daily operations only an hour after the shooting had occurred. At this point, the shooter had been arrested, but police scanners were still reporting more shooters may have been involved. The Editorial Board is concerned that the problems with Purdue ALERT could potentially happen at IU, with equal or greater effect. We feel it’s pertinent for the administration to learn from the aftermath of the Purdue shooting and do everything within its power to continue building tangible, effective safety protocols. This academic year at IU, we’ve had three incidents considered major enough to warrant the use of IU Notify — the stabbing at Tulip Tree, the Polar Vortex and the robbery at the IU Credit Union. Some of us on the Editorial Board don’t see IU Notify as operating at its optimal performance. Notifications about a stabbing in Tulip Tree are wanted and needed, but are ultimately useless if you receive them up to an hour after the incident has been solved. The administration has articulated that IU Notify isn’t as prepared to handle a large-scale emergency as it should be. During the bank robbery at the IU Credit Union earlier this month, the system crashed, failing to alert thousands of students and faculty about the situation. Since the Tulip Tree stabbing in October, the administration has admitted the system has been flawed. They hired programmers to fix the problem in December, two months after the problem was discovered. A staggering four months after the problem was discovered, it still isn’t fixed and won’t be for another three months. IU Notify must be fixed, constantly monitored and updated as soon as possible. The consequences of a severe incident happening at the hands of a person like Ryder Pickens — the IU student recently arrested for allegedly attempting to create a bomb — and the system failing at the same time could be catastrophic. The last thing we need during the confusion and chaos of a campus emergency is to have students receiving alerts and warnings late or not receiving notifications at all. Students and faculty want to feel safe here on campus. And the University owes it to us to make that happen.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/24/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU President Michael McRobbie withdrew the University from the American Studies Association, which calls itself “the nation’s oldest and largest association devoted to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and history.” McRobbie withdrew the University in response to the ASA’s endorsement of a boycott of Israeli institutions. Participants in the boycott are protesting Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, focusing especially on their academic and political oppression by the State of Israel. President McRobbie went on to explain that he believes the boycott is “ill-conceived” and would limit academic freedom.The Editorial Board disagrees and categorically condemns IU’s withdrawal from the American Studies Association. The idea that the ASA boycott is “ill-conceived” is itself inaccurate. The boycott is, in fact, part of a global human rights movement to protest Israel’s shameful treatment of Palestinians. To say that supporting this boycott is in effect supporting a limit on academic freedom is absurd. According to the ASA’s website, the resolution in favor of the boycott “is in solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom and it aspires to enlarge that freedom for all, including Palestinians.” The Editorial Board is not protesting the fact that President McRobbie spoke against this boycott on behalf of all members of the IU community . In fact, as president of the university, it’s his job to act as a voice for the unified campus. Yes, we lament the fact that McRobbie rejected the ASA’s boycott. But more importantly, we condemn the president’s further step to leave the ASA altogether. Only five other institutions withdrew from the ASA as a result of the boycott, out of about 4,000 total members.Perhaps IU’s president rejects the idea of boycotting altogether. Or perhaps the administration is afraid to call out Israel for its atrocious violations of Palestinians’ human rights. Regardless, the Editorial Board joins the voices of those that suspect the backlash against the ASA is happening because it is one of the few groups willing to touch an issue so toxic that many refuse to even discuss it. We believe that just because it is politically sensitive to shine a spotlight on what has been occurring in the Middle East for more than half a century does not merit IU’s withdrawal from a prestigious American institution. Instead of joining that discussion, IU has in effect run away from it. Herman B Wells built an iconic legacy on acceptance, inclusion and the protection of academic freedom. Unfortunately the University’s recent decision runs counter to all of that. If President McRobbie is genuinely concerned about preserving academic freedom and free speech, he would not have closed IU’s doors to a group that is one the few actively working to preserve it, Palestinians included.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/24/14 12:01am)
Illustrated by Aldea Sullivan
(01/23/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Six feet of marijuana plant is difficult to hide, that much is clear. Less clear are the implications from a drug bust on campus that later found itself in court. Those who live in the IU dormitories are subject to all the rules and regulations in the A to Z Guide to Residence Hall & Furnished Apartment Living, provided to each of us living on campus at the beginning of the year.But some of the implications from Medlock v. Trustees of Indiana University, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals case, may have chilling consequences.Medlock lived in Willkie during spring 2011. As part of a health and safetyinspection conducted by the Resident Leadership Specialists in Willkie, the inspectors discovered marijuana related paraphernalia lying in plain view.This is especially puzzling as Medlock had a full week’s notice to dispose of theincriminating evidence.The specialists contacted IUPD. Officer Christopher King responded to the summons and positively identified the cannabis paraphernalia. Further inspection by the specialists revealed a six-foot marijuana plant, upon which Officer King again concurred in their judgment.Based on this evidence, a warrant was issued for Medlock’s arrest.Medlock was suspended from the University for one year, after which he could reapply. He did, and was readmitted. However, he sought expungement of the arrest and expulsion from his record.He claimed his Fourth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights had been violated, as he was supposedly subject to an unreasonable search and was not given a hearing before he was expelled.The U.S. Seventh District Court of Appeals wound up with the case and issued a decision on Dec. 31, 2013.Judge Posner claimed the magnitude of the violations were so large IU was justified in taking “immediate remedial action if its commitment to its rules ... was not to be questioned.”In other words, IU had to suspend Medlock immediately if the University wanted to maintain its reputable standing.Medlock’s Fourth Amendment claim is also rather shocking in its boldness,arguing the search itself was unconstitutional. But as he agreed to live in a dormitory, he accepted the right of IU to search his room given the terms as listed in the A to Z Guide. Thus, Judge Posner contended, IU simply held Medlock to his contract.The Editorial Board holds this is a fair argument, but the more troubling issue at hand is Judge Posner’s view of the Fourth Amendment, and Title 42 of the U.S. Code Section 1983.Also known as the Exclusionary Rule, it states evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment can be used in noncriminal proceedings.This could set a troubling precedent, for those who are busted under evidence found not in accordance with the A to Z Guide or with the Fourth Amendment could be expelled.Independently, the case also serves as reminder of the disruptive nature of outdated marijuana policy, and more importantly, its consequences on the students of IU.With its power to conduct warrantless searches in campus housing reaffirmed, the University should continue to articulate the strict perimeters of when it will use this authority.And though the scope of the violation in Medlock leaves little room for interpretation, the ability of IU’s judicial system to punish may serve as a harbinger for those who may be on the fence with their violations. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter@IDS_Opinion.
(01/21/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As college students, most of us can agree that getting a college degree is important. Most of us can also agree that getting more people through college should be a major goal of United States policy. After all, the world’s most advanced countries — including Japan, Korea and Israel — have more college graduates than the U.S.In 2008, President Obama was elected, openly telling the American people that he would make America the world leader in college graduates. Five years later, we’ve slipped from 12th to 14th in the world. For the past three years, Obama has been forced to play defense, having to stop the Republican-controlled House of Representatives from slashing student aid or raising loan rates. From halting bills in the Senate to passing executive orders, Obama’s done everything possible to maintain the status quo. Unfortunately, the status quo is nothing short of dismal. Since Obama can’t get a comprehensive education bill through the House, he called upon the nation’s universities to open more opportunities for low-income students. Unfortunately, the President’s request has no political or legal bite.It’s an empty request. Since no policy is in place, Obama is depending on universities to let more poor students attend college for cheap or for free. The Editorial Board believes expensive college costs are a substantial part of the quagmire that’s pulling low-income Americans even further down. We also believe the politicians in Washington, D.C., could do more for their constituents than ask for a favor really, really nicely. Currently, we face a national deficit — a lack of jobs, both for college graduates and for non-graduates. And at this point, many of us have to ask if a college degree is even worth the time or money. The best way to make college degrees worth anything is to create sustainable jobs that allow citizens of any income to better themselves. The President can ask universities to allow anyone and everyone to attend all he wants, but that’s not going to make college degrees worth anything. The Editorial Board wants the government to work to get low-income students into universities where they can study degree-demanding fields, such as chemistry, engineering or economics. We also want the government to work with states to create long-lasting, sustainable apprenticeships and job training programs. Instead of condemning people born into unfortunate circumstances to squander time away at a minimum wage job at a fast-food restaurant, we can offer them something better. Phlebotomists, construction workers and pharmaceutical assistants are all examples of jobs that are possible through job training programs. We understand that the President’s gesture was well-intended. He and his wife’s journey to Ivy League degrees is both impressive and powerful.But there isn’t a point to getting students to college if our country can’t provide them a career after the journey.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @IDS_Opinion
(01/21/14 2:55am)
Illustration by Rose Harding
(01/17/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>During the holiday season, an estimated 70 million credit and debit cards were compromised when Target databases were hacked.The numbers, expiration dates, customer names, pins and embed codes were stolen. Target attempted to mitigate the damage with a 10 percent discount the weekend before Christmas.Not surprisingly, the company still reported its fourth quarter sales down 2.5 percent instead of the previously predicted flat sales.The exposure was far-reaching. IU students reported problems up and down the holiday season. Some are even having trouble paying tuition with frozen accounts and backed up cards. Really, this could not have come at a worse time.Many banks, rather than choosing to wait, just issued new cards regardless of whether or not the card information was vulnerable.That’s how bad it was.It speaks, again, to the fact that the consumer must be the smart one. Information, no matter how secure, is easily leaked if the hacker is smart enough.It also speaks to the known but largely unappreciated fact that massive industries do not have time to cater to individuals.The customer must be the smart one. And even though companies should protect the security of their clientele, each consumer is still a monetary number valued by his or her participation in the economic survival of the store.But this isn’t just exclusive to massive, conglomerate chains.Some Bloomington stores have had trouble keeping their servers secure, and student information was leaked.Even though we can generally trust where we shop or drink, we can not afford to be careless. And something must be done to protect the consumer. With the amount of identity and credit theft in America, it seems that banks are more stockpiles for hackers than they are secure places to save money.And it’s especially important that students be aware of these issues.Students tend to be big shoppers, despite the stereotype that they are poor, eat ramen and only drink cheap vodka.They use Target’s grocery section and frequently go shopping on Kirkwood.Sorority sisters buy outfits for formals, and independents outfit their houses for parties.Students are active members of the Bloomington economy, though many remain largely unaware of the unexpected dangers of shopping.We once were a society that ran entirely on cash that could easily be stolen, but it seems the plastic in our wallets is just the same. Except now it’s not a stickup in a dark alley — it’s the massive hacking of our information from the stores we love to frequent. Let’s hope this will all boil down to one big lesson on the pitfalls of a digital market and no one will suffer serious consequences.But there are pitfalls, and as students leave Bloomington and enter the global market and global economy, they most definitely need to be aware of them.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Opinion Desk on Twitter @ids_opinion
(01/16/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Most people have probably never heard of Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL), but recently he’s been receiving both love and contempt from the gay community and the liberal media. Before we begin, the Editorial Board must get a few things straight.Schock, who represents the 18th Congressional District of Illinois, is gorgeous. We’re talking about a ripped body that was featured on the cover of Men’s Health magazine. And with perfectly combed hair and a fashion sense that makes J.Crew models jealous, we can’t ignore Schock’s genetic talent.Unfortunately, Congressman Schock has one glaring flaw — he’s one of the most homophobic Representatives in the U.S. House. Schock has voted against the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask don’t tell” policy, doesn’t support the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act and has advocated for a federal ban on gay marriage. Recently, the Congressman has faced a particularly large influx of rumors about his sexuality. Schock, who is not married and not currently dating anyone, has become a target of openly gay journalist Itay Hod. Hod claims that Schock was caught showering with his male friend. Yet these claims have not been confirmed at this time. We at the Editorial Board hold our field in a very high regard. And we feel it’s the duty of journalists to make claims that they can back up with evidence. These unsubstantiated claims discredit journalists and journalism as a profession. Still, Hod’s claims have reignited a debate in the gay community on the ethical perimeters of outing closeted conservative politicians, especially when they hold such anti-gay voting records such as the one Congressman Schock holds.In 2011 Indiana state Representative Phil Hinkle, a conservative anti-gay politician who voted in favor of Indiana’s proposed ban on same-sex marriage, ended his own career when it was revealed Hinkle had solicited a young man on Craigslist and offered him up to $140 if the young man showed Hinkle “a really good time.” The revelation was supported by emails obtained by the Indianapolis Star. And just like that, a hypocritical politician that did his part to deny people like him their rights was ousted from the Statehouse. We don’t know if Congressman Schock is gay or straight. We don’t know if he showers with his friends for fun or to conserve water. And, unfortunately, Hod has not presented any concrete evidence to prove anything. Instead, Hod has used arguably offensive stereotypes about gay men to back up his claims about Schock’s sexual orientation. If Schock is in fact gay and continues his despicable voting record against the LGBT community, then Congressman Shock deserves whatever public shaming may come from denying rights to a group he may actually belong to. But until a smoking gun, such as the one that ended Hinkle’s career, can be presented, rumors will be just that — rumors. We believe that Congressman Schock, gay or straight, should be able to expect that journalists will use facts when accusing him of something. Hod has not done that. But when someone does, the media will no doubt be ready. Because no one likes a hypocrite, even if they look impeccable. — Follow the Editorial Board on Twitter @IDS_Opinion.
(01/15/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For students who live on campus past freshman year, finding a roommate can be stressful. Many of your friends are moving off campus and, oftentimes, you’re forced to go random because you aren’t allowed to room with your friend of the opposite sex. And, let’s be honest, going random is about as fun as playing Russian Roulette. Thankfully, IU, in collaboration with the student-led Residence Halls Association, is taking a tremendous leap to fixing this problem by allowing upperclassmen to room with people of the opposite sex. The new policy will only affect those who specifically request an opposite sex roommate and who live in Union Street Center, Willkie Quad or Collins Center Hillcrest Apartments. The Editorial Board feels this is a step in the right direction to fix a problem that the University has struggled with for several years. Just last semester, Campus Pride, a nonprofit organization, dropped IU from its list of Top 25 LGBT-Friendly Schools. Campus Pride said the University had been lacking in helping transgender students. The Residence Halls Association, a body made up of the presidents and representatives from each on-campus residence center, has pushed for this change for three years. The issue, they say, wasn’t due to the personal feelings or convictions of the faculty, but because of logistical issues. We believe this change will better the college experience for all students, but especially for LGBT individuals. It’s understandable that gay, lesbian or transgender students would feel uncomfortable rooming with somebody of the same sex. Straight or cisgender individuals will benefit from the change as well.They will receive the option of rooming with friends, regardless of their gender. In dorms such as Union Street Center, the demand for gender-blind housing has been particularly high due to the apartment-style layout of the rooms. IU is moving forward in what has become a national trend. The Harvard College Democrats released a statement in support of gender-blind housing at Harvard.“The proper role of the college is not to determine with whom students may or may not live, but rather to empower its students to make their own decisions responsibly,” the statement said. Other universities, such as Ohio University, Brown University, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania and Oberlin College allow gender-neutral living arrangements on their campuses.There are three things Hoosiers brag about more than anything — our basketball team, our beautiful campus and our progressive and accepting atmosphere. Until now, the University has made transgender students, among other groups, choose between staying on campus and being uncomfortable or moving off campus to feel accepted. We feel the University was right to open gender-blind housing. The Residence Halls Association and IU faculty have done a great thing on behalf of the students of this University. And it’s about damn time. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board at @IDS_Opinion
(01/13/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Colorado and Washington may have legal marijuana today, but getting blazed on campus will still land students in trouble.Universities in both states have opted to leave their drug policies unchanged after the new law. Organizations that receive federal funding have to comply with federal law, and most college students are still too young to legally use marijuana under the new law anyway.But for many students, the restrictions don’t stop there. Colorado College students aren’t allowed to use marijuana no matter where they are, on or off campus. Jill Tiefenthaler, president of the small, private school in Colorado Springs said the use of marijuana conflicts with the school’s mission to provide “the finest liberal arts education in the country.”Ignoring for a moment that someone just claimed marijuana and words like “liberal” and “arts” are incompatible, we don’t think this is all that bad.Colleges and universities put restrictions on what we’re allowed to do while we’re here all the time, even when those things are legal under state and federal law. In addition to drugs, use of cigarettes, alcohol — even technically “indecent” behavior — are all subject to certain restrictions and disciplinary actions by the university should those restrictions be ignored. The Indiana University Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities prohibits drug use both on and off campus. Students with certain types of financial aid can also lose it if caught using drugs.Other universities in the state, like Anderson University, have broad codes of conduct that prohibit drug use and apply to students’ behavior no matter where they are until they no longer attend that university. Students who choose to enroll at universities like Anderson or Colorado College probably know how restrictive these schools’ drug policies are when they do so. There’s a difference between the force of a policy’s rhetoric and its force in action.Alcohol isn’t allowed in IU dorm rooms, and that policy has obviously not prevented instances of bunk bed inebriation.The bottom line is most college students in states like Colorado and Washington that legalize recreational use of marijuana are too young to legally possess it anyway. Many will probably still smoke on campus or off, breaking all kinds of rules. Most of them will probably still get away with it.But for the students who don’t, the repercussions of outdated, punitive policy will still be felt and will likely and unnecessarily disrupt their college careers. Colleges pride themselves as institutions always on the vanguard of society. With the victories in Washington and Colorado, it’s clear society’s attitude about cannabis are quickly changing. It’s time for colleges to get with the times as well. — opinion@idsnews.com
(01/10/14 3:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While most of campus is still hazily coming back to life, one group of IU students has hit the ground running — potential new members of IU sororities. Today marks the kickoff of formal recruitment for the sororities of IU’s Panhellenic Council. Sunday Tollefson, a consultant specializing on sorority rush, describes recruitment as “speed dating meets interviewing meets beauty pageant meets upscale academic summer camp, complete with a counselor.”Social clubs are selective by nature. But admittance into IU’s sorority system in particular isn’t just selective, it’s cutthroat. In 2011, about half of the 1,718 women that went through rush received bids in existing chapters.As they stand today, sororities provide an unmatched social network and an emphasis on giving back that seek to produce better women. Unfortunately within both pop culture and in today’s greek system, the role of a sorority woman has been defined in narrow terms.As a natural remnant of its historical origins, greek life is a heavily gendered system. Women have been relegated to a position of keeping in mind at all times how their choices might affect their relations with fraternities.Much like in the rest of society, women in sororities are taught to be competitors for the attention of men. The Editorial Board believes sororities have the potential to change that. Sororities are in a compelling position — despite the historical disadvantage to women, as institutions today they hold significant influence on our campus and the greek system. Despite the heavy sexism in greek life, men in fraternities still aim to be in the good graces of female greeks since anything else defeats the social aspect of men’s social fraternities. Sororities can and should use this sway to change the status quo by systematically stamping out corrosive attitudes in the greek system instead of being accessories to it. Fraternities that disrespect, demean or otherwise create a toxic environment for women should be stigmatized and held accountable through one of the more forceful means: peer rejection. Even more importantly, sororities should encourage an environment where ambition and vocal independence of thought is encouraged. For too long the public consciousness derided sororities as breeding grounds for anti-intellectualism and in short the bimbo stereotype some are all too willing to embrace. Poise, femininity, intellectualism and outspokenness are not mutually exclusive. The best traits that sororities demonstrate — sensitivity, charity, unity and sisterhood — should be used to empower women in a society that is increasingly hostile towards them. It’s time for sorority women to become aware of and exercise all the potential they have to make the University and the greek system a better place. Because after all, why just be put on a pedestal when you can sit on a throne?
(12/12/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Notre Dame has filed a lawsuit, along with several other institutions, opposing portions of the new health care laws that require them to provide health insurance that covers birth control.At first this seems harsh. Yet another tantrum by a big and influential religious sect — entirely unnecessary and only a means of stopping progress.But Notre Dame is a private, Catholic institution. They are not associated with anything other than the Church and have only themselves to answer to. They have different priorities than public organizations.From the beginning, the Catholic Church stated that if Obamacare and the new health care laws forced them to provide health insurance covering birth control and abortions, they would shut down their facilities. This is not just about women’s rights or sexual repression and oppression. It’s about the morality of the new healthcare law.For the Church, birth control and abortions are sinful because they terminate potential human life. In providing health insurance that covers these medications and procedures, the Church is placing itself in a state of mortal sin.This is about protecting their own. Quite literally, they do not want to endanger the immortal souls of their Catholic workers.The Church will not impose these doctrines on any other institution, but its hand is an influential one in our society.If the Church shuts down its programs, more than just Notre Dame will be lost.St. Francis and St. Vincent hospitals, Catholic adoptive services, charities, homeless shelters, schools — all gone.Thought this is not nearly as extreme, it’s a step in this direction. And they gave fair warning.Still, a large percentage of Catholics wish that the Church would waver. It will not.However, the Church and many Catholics do agree the health reforms are charitable and helpful. Many Catholics support Obamacare because they believe it will bring much needed change and aid.Many Catholics also wish this would stop being such a big deal. It’s just one hang-up. But it’s a major, philosophical one. There needs to be a compromise, and soon. The Catholic Church is a major institution; if it is forced to comply with regulations that go directly against its doctrines it will withdraw affected programs from the public sphere.Notre Dame’s lawsuit is only the first of many. And the consequences could be much worse. For the Church, this is not a political or civil argument. This is a moral one. And it needs to be addressed. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Opinion Desk on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(12/09/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Graduation is approaching, and most seniors are thinking, “What am I going to do with my future?”People have been wondering the same thing about the city of Indianapolis for decades.While the city does not have the same hit-and-miss advisors we have, a new strategic plan called Velocity makes improvements in amenities as well as commercial and residential life attainable.Many of us saw the city go from Indianapolis to Indianapol-Oz for Super Bowl XLVI, but that progress is not the endzone by any means.Especially in the past 30 years, Indianapolis has improved downtown livability and increased job opportunities, and these efforts culminated in last week’s ranking as the nation’s best downtown by Livability.com.With Velocity, the city has goals varying in length from 18 months to five years, which makes the plan all the more realistic.Eighteen-month goals include enhancing programming in public spaces, creating free Wi-Fi zones and initiating a two-week Indianapolis Arts festival.Long-term goals to be completed in the next five years include improving bike-infrastructure, creating greenways to connect neighborhoods and IU-Purdue University Indianapolis with downtown, and creating a micro-grant fund for innovative start-ups.Passage of the panhandling ordinance is another goal of the plan, and though we have been critical of Indianapolis’ methods of dealing with homelessness in the past, we are glad to see this point is balanced by an increase in availability and improvements to public housing.Such wide-ranging goals in this horizontal approach to improve Indianapolis give the Editorial Board a rare opportunity to actually praise something happening in our state.Most of these tactics, short-term and long-term, share the theme of attracting millennials to the area and actively fighting the “Brain Drain” Indiana public officials so often bemoan.Currently, our generation makes up about 36 percent of the workforce across the country, but this should increase to 50 percent by the end of the decade.If Indianapolis wants sustainable businesses to come to the area, then this is exactly the target market it should attract.Funding specifics have not yet been released by Downtown Indianapolis Inc., but seeing as the plan includes input from leaders in city government, local business, community organizations, neighborhood groups and more than 3,000 individuals, it is likely that these goals will have plenty of local support.Attaining these goals will bolster Indianapolis’ already-healthy resume in attracting millennials. The six square miles of the city’s downtown district already support more than 200 retail shops as well as hundreds of restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues, museums and parks.If you’re graduating soon with no idea what to do, check out Indianapolis. This city certainly knows how to make progress.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Opinion Desk on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(12/05/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Editorial Board has received some alarming news.It’s the kind of news that makes your hope for the future, if not your faith in humanity, decline drastically. The cinnamon challenge, where someone tries to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon in fewer than 60 seconds, is still a thing.At least that’s what Carmel Clay Schools seems to think. To battle this horrific trend of spice abuse, the school system has finally decided to let parents in the loop.Because it’s not like this has been going on for almost two years now.Carmel staged a meeting for parents to learn about current trends and slang popular among children nowadays. Jim Ginder, health education specialist for the Hamilton County Health Department, was present at the meeting.He shared with parents the potential dangers of some trends ranging from the cinnamon challenge to zombie cucumbers, which is a code name for a hallucinogen.Now we’re all learning together.Carmel isn’t the only school system looking to educate on more than just academic topics.Ten miles away, Noblesville West Middle School is trying to raise awareness of bullying. Through the “Majority” program, they encourage bystanders to become “upstanders” by standing up for bullied children.But where most programs focus on preventing bullying, Noblesville is concentrating on intervention.Brandie Oliver, assistant professor at Butler University, has developed a program for a student after he or she has been “identified” as a bully or victim.So what is the key to intervening with bullying? Changing the terminology. Instead of calling a bullied child a “victim,” he or she is referred to as a “target.”And those who bully aren’t a “bully” but a “bullier,” or “a student who has exhibited bullying behavior.”That’s an unnecessary mouthful, but if it works, it works.Our big question is why aren’t the parents being included in this campaign? Why not create just one big Introduction to Anti-Bulling and Teen Trends for Parents and Guardians 101? It seems that if you’re going to bring parents in to teach them about Jimson Weed, then you could at least mention efforts to curb bullying. Studies find that a child’s home environment influences his or her behavior as a bully.If parents are included in these efforts to stop the act, the programs could become more successful.And in the long run, they’d make middle and high school much less miserable.Both school corporations are doing good through their efforts.It would simply be more effective if all school systems, not just Carmel and Noblesville, combined efforts to protect kids in all aspects. And someone should tell the parents about Urban Dictionary.It may traumatize them at first, but anything to keep the children safe. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Opinion Desk on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(12/03/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sixty percent of students don’t bother working with their academic advisers, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement. But after reflecting on our own advising experiences, we can’t really blame the students who went to one awful advising appointment and decided never to do that again.Though 75 percent of students reported their adviser was readily available, and they were happy with the services they received, bad advising experiences still offer a valid excuse not to go. Some students are welcomed by a knowledgeable adviser who has taken the time to find out what the student is truly interested in and actively helps the student find the best plan for his or her upcoming semester and future.Unfortunately, other students find themselves more confused after talking with an adviser that is inexperienced, apathetic, overloaded by more than one major or just simply incompetent.Advisers should be experts in their field who can guide students through the University bureaucracy toward great classes, possible internships and what to do after graduation.This can be difficult when advisers are tasked with helping students from three totally unrelated fields, a situation that currently exists at IU.Furthermore, if a student becomes uninterested in his or her major, an adviser is really their only resource for finding a new area of study. The risk could be far greater if you don’t attend any advising appointment at all — unless you regularly attend appointments with an incompetent adviser who neglects to tell you until your last semester that you actually need a few more classes to graduate.We’ve all heard countless horror stories of students who had to attend college longer and pay for another semester just because they were unaware of a specific requirement or didn’t take a certain course.Some of them actually had regular advising appointments. Luckily, IU understands that sometimes making it to an advising appointment just isn’t doable or desirable.The University provides tools through OneStart’s Student Center, like the Academic Planner and the Academic Advising Report, which allow you to plan by your selected major(s) requirements and determine which you have yet to fulfill.But these tools are sometimes out of date or wrong for certain majors, so even the most self-sufficient students can be led astray.Personal preparation and competent academic advising are needed in concert to successfully navigate college.Students and advisers should both work on improving the experience.Advisers should be willing and capable to learn about the student and his or her specific needs.Students should do some research before their appointment and have at least a vague idea of some classes or a direction they want to head. Some people do struggle with their advisers, but the overwhelming majority reported positive experiences.Don’t let the horror stories deter you.You might have to try out a few advisers before you find the best one for you or you might spend a little more time hashing out all your qualms with one that doesn’t quite grasp what it is you want, but in the end, these meetings are worth it.Advisers are there to hold our hands and make sure we get through our college requirements as unscathed as possible.The advising system needs changes, but until that’s accomplished on both sides of the advising spectrum, the adviser and the student need to work together to ensure success.— opinion@indiana.eduFollow the Opinion Desk on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(12/02/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thanksgiving isn’t the sexiest holiday — overeating tends to lead to post-meal naps more than post-meal nookie.The holiday break is known for the decidedly unsexy “Turkey dump” phenomenon, in which college freshmen break up with their high school sweethearts. Our condolences and congratulations to the newly single among you. But in light of a recent Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction study, we couldn’t be more thankful for the decidedly tame nature of the Thanksgiving holiday.According to the study, people are using condoms, but they’re not using them correctly.Men and women reported the following problems: putting the condom on backward and having to flip it over, putting the condom on after starting sex, not leaving space at the tip of the condom, using a condom without lubricant, taking the condom off before finishing, having different kinds of sex using the same condom, having the condom slip off or having the condom break.All in all, it wasn’t an impressive showing, as most respondents in the study participated in some type of ill-advised condom behavior.Just so everyone knows, every box of condoms includes instructions on how to put on a condom. It will tell you to pinch the tip of the condom and roll it down to the base of the penis. There should be an air pocket at the tip, which will prevent breaking.If you put the condom on upside down, do not flip it and act like everything is fine. It is not fine. You have just put anything that was on your penis — including STDs and pre-ejaculate — on the outside of the condom, which will touch your partner’s orifices. Get a new condom.You should also get a new condom in between different sex acts. Just think about it for too long. If you are still in the mood, use a new condom.Finally, the condom only works if you use it the whole time.Other safe sex myths: “Just the tip” isn’t real. No, you’re just having weird, unprotected sex.Perfect execution of the pull-out method still carries a 4-percent risk of pregnancy, it is almost impossible to ensure you do it correctly every time and it doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections. Use a different, better method.Birth control pills work only if you take them every day. Forgetting and then taking three in a day is not how baby making is prevented.She can still get pregnant if she was on top, if she was on her period or if you were in a hot tub. Stop it.If you’re having sex with someone who has the same parts as you, don’t hop off the safe sex train. Even though no one’s going to get pregnant, STIs still exist. Everyone should get tested regularly, especially if you have multiple partners. Planned Parenthood, Positive Link and the IU Health Center all offer STI testing.Condoms can be confusing, which is why the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is currently funding research on how to make a thinner, stronger, easier-to-put-on, better fitting condom.The future will be better — but for now, we have to learn how to work with what we’ve got.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Opinion Desk on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(11/21/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s a scenario with which many of us are familiar.You go to college because that’s how you get a job. But hundreds of thousands of dollars and half a degree later, you’re told no, to get a job you have to go to college and get an internship. All the internships you can find are unpaid. If you need the internship to count for college credit, you’re actually paying to work. That is if you can afford it on top of existing college loans.So if you can’t afford to pay to work in college, you’re deemed undeserving of work after you graduate.That is the catch-22 many college students find themselves in, and it’s the reason interns across the country have been suing for pay. Internships are actually invaluable for job training. Colleges don’t do it. Unless you’re in the business school, it’s likely you’ve only taken one “career development” class, which focused on how to get a job, not how to keep one.And since employees no longer stay with one company for 50 years and then retire, employers are reluctant to invest in training programs. Why should they when you’ll take what you learned to a competitor in five years? So unpaid internships emerged as a sort of happy medium — college students get job training, and employers get free labor.Everyone wins — except those students not privileged enough to be able to work for free. In the current system, valuing internship experience in the hiring process often means valuing privilege. Students who can afford to work for free have relevant experience and connections, while students who can’t afford it have a résumé full of food services and retail jobs that don’t seem to carry quite as much weight.It seems unreasonable to expect low-income students to shoulder more debt and more responsibilities to get half as far as those who can rely on mom and dad to foot the bill.Colleges and universities aren’t completely blameless.Requiring more professional skills classes could help those who can’t afford internships get the training they need.There are some scholarships available for students who otherwise couldn’t intern.Expanding these, especially those offered through the University, would make graduates more impressive and improve the school’s reputation.But employers must make changes, too.The solution is simple: if a company can’t afford to pay its interns, or at least subsidize their living costs, that company can’t afford to have an internship program. Paying interns will probably save companies money in the long run if the trend of unpaid interns suing their employers continues.The legal fees and ill repute aren’t worth it. Interns are working. You should pay them for it. After all, there’s a word for unpaid labor.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Opinion Desk on Twitter @ids_opinion.
