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(04/02/09 4:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dean of students candidate Pete Goldsmith fielded questions Wednesday at the Wells-Metz Theatre, promoting greater communication as a path to a better university. Goldsmith, the current vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Kent State University and the second candidate to visit IU, started with an introduction and a recap of his history in higher education and his time as a student at IU.“IU turned out to be a great experience,” Goldsmith said. “It challenged me to be more developed and more skilled.”After his introduction, the audience of mainly faculty and staff spent almost an hour asking Goldsmith questions regarding student access to administrators, student advocacy and dealing with budget issues.But one of the night’s most popular topics was Goldsmith’s plan to deal with alcohol on campus.“I think anyone who works in student affairs more than a day and a half deals with alcohol,” Goldsmith said.He also said the larger issues with alcohol are the vandalism and violence it contributes to, so confronting excess and helping students is key. Goldsmith said he supports the University’s current campus alcohol policies. Another topic that raised a lot of questions was Goldsmith’s experience with greek systems. He said he has dealt with them through most of his career, and if he gets the position, he would like to have strong communication between the University and its chapters.“We should have that talk about what it means to be a greek in the 21st century,” Goldsmith said.Senior Cameron Pulaski attended Monday and Wednesday’s forums for the first two dean candidates. He said he was impressed with Goldsmith’s experience with greek life and thought Goldsmith had more knowledge about it than Frank Sanchez, the first candidate.“Goldsmith has more experience dealing with greek organizations, and that’s a very prominent issue,” Pulaski said.In addition to greek life, the discussion also touched upon IU’s tobacco ban, Goldsmith’s experience with campus disasters and increasing graduation rates. He said it is crucial for student affairs administrators to put their efforts into a freshman’s first taste of college life.“The first six weeks are critical,” Goldsmith said. “Most students will decide if they are going to stay or leave in six weeks.”Tara Slaughter, a graduate student, attended both forums and said Sanchez appeared to have more energy than Goldsmith. There might be more of a “generation gap” with Goldsmith, she said, adding that “Sanchez had more connection with students.”Slaughter also said she has been going to the candidates’ open forums because of the importance of the dean of students and what he or she represents.“The division of student affairs serves students on levels students don’t even realize,” Slaughter said. “There are services students don’t take advantage of until they need them.”
(04/01/09 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The second candidate for the dean of students position will attend an open forum to introduce himself to the IU family.IU alumnus Pete Goldsmith currently works as the vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, a position he has held since 2003. Students can meet Goldsmith at 5 p.m. today in the Wells-Metz Theatre. Goldsmith received his undergraduate degree from IU in 1968 and also completed his doctorate in education at IU in 1975.He said being a former student attracted him to the position.“It makes the job very exciting to think about,” Goldsmith said.To brush up on his current IU events, Goldsmith said he prepared for his visit by looking at the campus Web site and reading the Indiana Daily Student. He said he has many memories of his time as an undergraduate, including attending Little 500. However, one of the most memorable was the start of his freshman year.“I flew into campus, because I was coming from Maryland, and my luggage didn’t arrive,” Goldsmith said. “For the first days of orientation, I just had the clothes off my back. That was my introduction to IU.”At Kent State, Goldsmith oversees 14 units, such as the dean of students and the admissions and financial aid offices. Goldsmith has worked in student affairs at six universities since the 1970s. He said he has committed his career to the field because he likes to contribute to the “student experience.”“I really like working with students,” Goldsmith said. “I really like helping students be successful.”
(03/30/09 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As March Madness dwindles to the Final Four, so does the search for the next vice provost for student affairs and dean of students.The search committee has narrowed the field to four candidates, one of whom will replace current Dean of Students Dick McKaig, who will retire at the end of the year. Each candidate will visit campus during the next two weeks to meet with students, faculty and other members of the IU community.Hutton Honors College Dean Matthew Auer is the chairman of the search committee. He said the candidates have many meetings planned in each of their 36-hour visits.“There are so many different constituents this dean will want to meet,” Auer said.In addition to talking to administrators and student leaders, four open forums will give the candidates the chance to introduce themselves to and answer questions from students.The forums will be discussion-based, Auer said, and a reception will follow each one.Auer said students have been the focus of the search. He said they will have more opportunities than faculty members to meet the applicants and that the search committee has five student representatives.“I can’t remember a search committee that had this many students on it,” Auer said.The search started in November 2008, and Auer said the committee is essentially finished with its job. The final decision is up to Provost Karen Hanson.Interfraternity Council President Colin Nabity, a junior, said he plans to attend the meeting between student leaders and each of the four candidates. He said the discussions will offer the chance to learn about who will replace McKaig.“This is obviously one of the most pivotal times in IU history,” Nabity said. “McKaig’s been around forever. He’s been one of our biggest advocates.”Nabity said McKaig is approachable and “does not run the campus from behind the desk.”Panhellenic Association President Annie Raeder, junior, said she hopes the new dean has similar qualities.“Our relationship with Dean McKaig is really good,” Raeder said. “We can call him up any time. We want to make sure we can open those lines of communication with the new dean.”Meet the candidatesFRANK SANCHEZCurrent Position: Associate vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Colorado DenverWhen to meet him: 5 p.m. today at the Whittenberger AuditoriumPETE GOLDSMITHCurrent position: Vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Kent State University in Kent, OhioWhen to meet him: 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Wells-Metz Theatre LORI REESORCurrent position: Associate vice provost for student success at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan.When to meet her: 5 p.m. April 6 at the Whittenberger AuditoriumGENEVA WALKER-JOHNSONCurrent position: Dean of students and chief student affairs officer at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.When to meet her: 5 p.m. April 8 at the Maurer School of Law, room 123
(03/26/09 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There was no Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest or call-in voting, but Campus Super Star’s competition at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater gave the audience a taste of American Idol.The Helene G. Simon Hillel Center presented its semifinals for the Campus Super Star singing competition Wednesday. Out of 27 performers, 10 singers got one step closer to winning the grand prize of $5,000 at the finals April 19 at the Madame Walker Theater in Indianapolis.The show, which is one of Hillel’s major fundraisers, attracted the majority of its contestants from IU, but others came from schools across Indiana such as Ball State University and Anderson University, including Anderson senior Erica Clampitt.Clampitt, who sang “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson, drove two hours to Bloomington to perform.“There are a lot of talented singers here,” she said before the show. “I feel confident in myself, so I think I have a good shot, but it’s going to be a tough competition.”Emcee Sam Alex from radio station WBWB 97 FM opened the competition and introduced the four judges: Jenn Cristy, a singer and songwriter; Ron Katz, who trained with members of the Metropolitan Opera; Sheila Stephen, a radio personality for Hoosier Country 105.1 FM; and Glenn Gass, who teaches about the history of rock and roll at IU.Like American Idol, the judges commented after every contestant, complimenting them and giving constructive criticism. Audience member and sophomore Francesca Cimino said she thought the judges could have been more harsh.“I’m kind of a cynic,” Cimino said. “I kind of wish the judges gave more criticism. I thought they were all being too nice.”Hillel Assistant Director Leah Aft, who coordinated the event, said the competition started in 2004 to promote the Hillel Center.“We were thinking of something to get our name out there and kind of get to know Indiana on a level of just here at IU,” Aft said.Aft also said she advertised to different campuses, then had auditions in February in Bloomington and in March in Indianapolis.Before the show started, Aft said she thought she would be nervous about the show going well, but she felt confident after seeing the rehearsal Wednesday.“The whole practice round run-through was phenomenal,” Aft said.Another performer, senior Linzi Robinson, said she heard about the contest through a friend. She received positive responses from the judges, even though her performance was her first time in front of a large audience.“I’ve done a little open mics, like three or four, but this is a whole different ball game,” Robinson said.Robinson said she enjoyed rehearsing and meeting the other contestants. She also said there were two things she would do before she performed.“I’m going to do a prayer and make sure I put my lip gloss on,” Robinson said.
(03/23/09 3:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Those close to former IU trustee Stephen Backer knew him as an expert in education, a good listener and a beloved father.Following his death March 15 at age 63 after a bout with cancer, friends and former colleagues said those are among the qualities they will miss most.Backer lived in Carmel, Ind., with his wife and three of his children and was the Carmel Clay school board president.Carmel Superintendent Barbara Underwood said not everyone knew about Backer’s illness, so to some, his death came as a shock.“He was a very well-known, involved individual,” Underwood said.In Carmel, Backer was an attorney for his firm, Backer and Backer, in addition to his school board role. Underwood said he served 15,000 kids, including three of his own.“He immersed himself in the district,” Underwood said.Backer became president of the school board in 1994 but left the position when he was appointed to the IU board of trustees in 1998.Current trustee Sue Talbot served on the board with Backer from 2001 to 2004. She kept in touch with Backer’s family, and they exchanged Christmas cards every year. Talbot said she remembers Backer as a beloved father.“He was a very devoted family man,” Talbot said. “He really cared about the institution of family.”On the board, Talbot said Backer had a good business mind, in addition to knowledge of education.“Steve was very well-versed in education,” Talbot said. “He had a real passion for all ages.”Steve Ferguson, current IU board of trustees president, worked with Backer on the board from 1998 to 2004. He said Backer, who received both undergraduate and law degrees from IU, made decisions with the school and its students in mind.“He was always very concerned that the board function in a way that was appropriate for a board role but also addressed that the needs and future of the University were always at the forefront,” Ferguson said.Backer ended his two terms as a trustee in 2004 and returned to the Carmel school board in 2006.Underwood said the experience Backer gained as an IU trustee contributed to the Carmel board’s quality.“He had very, very strong leadership on our board,” Underwood said. “He brought a high level of knowledge not all school boards have.”Current IU trustee Pat Shoulders said it will be difficult for the Carmel school board to replace Backer’s aptitude for all levels of education.He also said he remembers Backer as a dedicated, well-prepared trustee – and a true Hoosier fan.“He had a particular interest in the school of education and IU athletics, and he was certainly not shy about his opinion,” Shoulders said.According to Backer’s obituary, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and the Student Athletic Board. He continued to support IU football and basketball in his adult life.Backer also liked to stay up-to-date with issues at IU, Ferguson said. Even though Backer was no longer a member of the IU board of trustees, he would still call Ferguson and make plans to have lunch to discuss IU.“The University lost a real supporter and friend,” Ferguson said.
(03/11/09 4:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Cheryl Underwood had never opened a restaurant before, but in 2007 she opened her jazz club, Jazz at the Station, because she liked music.Her customers liked music, too, which created the problem.Jazz at the Station will close Saturday because the restaurant did not receive enough turnaround, and the business model was not profitable, Underwood said.“I went into it to break even,” she said. “I didn’t intend on losing my life savings in it, which is essentially what I did.”The North Walnut Street club’s shutdown comes within three weeks of the closing of another restaurant featuring live jazz, Tutto Bene, 213 S. Rogers St.Underwood said Jazz at the Station “lost money like crazy” because customers often stayed to listen to music without buying food or drinks and because performers lacked music business knowledge.“They’re very concerned with their performance,” Underwood said. “Beyond their performance, they don’t have any idea of what’s going on to keep the business going.”A night of live music was expensive, Underwood said. Customers paid a $5 cover charge, which went directly to the musician. She then had to pay for sound technicians, among other expenses. When she did not have a planned group, she often paid a solo pianist to play.She also said the cover charge turned some customers away, and some people were turned off by live music playing while they ate dinner.Underwood will now rely on her other job in real estate as her main source of income. Marci Widen, co-owner and creative director of Tutto Bene, which closed Feb. 28, said she was sad to see her business close because restaurants with live music are unique in a college town.“We were one of the few places that was not a sports bar or beer hangout,” Widen said.Even though Bloomington is losing two jazz venues, Jacobs School of Music Distinguished Professor and Jazz Studies Department Chair David Baker said jazz is a resilient art form. But while small clubs come in and out, losing both places is still a blow to arts in Bloomington, he said.“I think it’s a loss not only to the jazz community, but also to the supporters of the arts in general,” said Baker, who performs jazz regularly at Bear’s Place and was named an Indiana Living Legend by the Indiana Historical Society in 2001.Baker said he is more worried that local venues closing could create a snowball effect, and funding for public broadcasting could decrease. He said he is worried about WFIU and WTIU because the community would lose not only jazz, but other kinds of music as well.“It’s a much more depressing thought – NPR would be put out of business,” Baker said.But even with the slow economy, one place in Bloomington has kept a jazz series going for almost 20 years. David Miller, the director and host of Thursday’s Jazz Fables at Bear’s Place, 1316 E. Third St., started the series in September 1989.He said he is a promoter and thus does not have to support the restaurant financially, leading to the series’ success.“We’ve only been doing it once a week, so we don’t have to keep Bear’s Place going on its own,” Miller said.He also said Bear’s Place has a variety of entertainment throughout the week in addition to jazz, such as karaoke, comedy and a film series, that keeps customers coming back.“With Jazz at the Station trying to do three nights in a row of live jazz, that’s probably more than this market can support,” Miller said.Monika Herzig, who played regularly at Jazz at the Station and also founded Jazz from Bloomington, an organization that promotes the genre locally, said she is confident the music has a future in Bloomington.“I’ve been here since 1991 and have seen different places crop up,” Herzig said.But for local venues to survive, Herzig said Bloomington residents have to pitch in.“We have to go out and support local venues,” Herzig said. “That will be the best support they can have.”
(03/09/09 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU-Bloomington places 13th in the nation for the number of international students on campus, but for sophomore Jordan Jacobs, a top 20 ranking is not enough.This attitude prompted him to write the International Student Body Diversity Petition, which advocates more representation of undergraduate international students from overlooked countries such as Iraq and Rwanda.“I recognize there are a lot of countries in the world that could use help,” Jacobs said. “I thought about how can I, as an undergraduate student, help. I realized there are incredible opportunities here at this kind of university.”The petition calls only for more undergraduate international students. Currently, the majority of such students come from East Asia: 612 from South Korea, 238 from India and 181 from Hong Kong, according to the International Student and Scholar Statistical Reports.IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said the University has concentrated its efforts in East Asia because of relations between it, Indiana and the United States.“Indiana and the U.S. are going to have a lot more economic ties and cultural dealings with those countries,” MacIntyre said.But in Jacobs’ petition, for which he and a few other students started collecting signatures Friday outside Ballantine Hall and the Herman B Wells Library, he wrote he does not want a decrease in the number of undergraduate international students from Asia. Instead, he said he wants to increase the representation from countries that currently have no international students at IU.There are no undergraduate students from Somalia, Nicaragua or Haiti, and Jacobs said he wants to see those zeroes become ones or twos.“There’s so much opportunity for these individuals to come here to find themselves and hopefully their future leadership potential,” Jacobs said.But MacIntyre said there is a reason for the greater number of international students from East Asia. IU President Michael McRobbie visits China and South Korea regularly, MacIntyre said, and is expected to visit India. During McRobbie’s November 2008 trip to South Korea, he set up partnerships with research universities in the area.“We cannot ignore the major impact those countries have,” MacIntyre said. “That’s where the need is.”One of the petition’s objectives, which Jacobs posted on a Facebook group for the cause, requests a meeting between McRobbie and student leaders to discuss “underrepresentation.”But MacIntyre said that while he understands Jacobs’ right to petition, he thinks Jacobs should have gone through student organizations that are set up to address needs with the administration, such as the IU Student Association.“I think perhaps this young man should have started out at IUSA to see what could be done through existing channels,” MacIntyre said. “That’s what IUSA exists for.”But Jacobs said the petition was his idea and is not represented by a student organization, and added that he has contacted IUSA President Luke Fields, Vice President for International Affairs Patrick O’Meara and Associate Vice President for International Services Christopher Viers. He has also met with Dean of Students Dick McKaig.To publicize, Jacobs created a blog for people without Facebook accounts and handed out fliers.Sophomore Brent Freburg, who is helping Jacobs with the petition, said it has been well-received so far and he thinks students notice some countries are underrepresented on campus.“People have recognized it at IU, and hopefully that will make our job simpler,” Freburg said.Jacobs said he has goals for the petition such as getting 8,000 to 10,000 signatures in March and doubling the number in April.With the signatures, Jacobs plans to apply for a monetary award from the Clinton Global Initiative University, started by former President Bill Clinton in 2007, which is offering $200,000 to “support innovative and sustainable student” action, according to the organization’s Web site.Jacobs said though he is happy with the University’s current number of undergraduate international students, he thinks representation could be better.“Indiana University has done a very good job getting international students,” Jacobs said. “However, there’s still room to improve, There’s room to take it to the next level and perfect the international student exchange program.”
(03/06/09 5:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As IU prepares to say goodbye to Dean of Students Dick McKaig, the search committee for the new dean is working to find his replacement.The committee, chaired by Hutton Honors College Dean Matthew Auer, is in the middle stages of the search process. Committee members are making cuts to the applicant pool but have not yet created a list of finalists.“As you move forward, you are interviewing candidates, and eventually we narrow down to a final group,” Auer said. “We’re not at that point. The plan would be to have a group of finalists come and visit before the semester ends.”The search began in November 2008, and Auer said the committee created an advertisement that ran in various higher education administration publications such as The Chronicle of Higher Education to publicize the nationwide search. The committee also has a search consultant.Auer said the details of those who applied are confidential because of the applicants’ current job security, but the next step will be to submit a list of finalists to IU Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson.“Our goal is to have someone starting in the summer and have them ready to go when the new semester begins in the fall,” Auer said.Before the final choice is made, Auer said there will be opportunities for students to meet the finalists, but he cannot say what the venues for that will be.Those conversations with students will be a preview of the new dean’s job. University Chancellor Ken Gros Louis said dedication to student activities and interest in students are the most important qualities needed, along with accessibility and a sense of humor.Gros Louis said McKaig did a lot more.“He may have been asked the same question 10 times by students, but he always answered it like he was hearing it for the first time,” Gros Louis said.McKaig said the job is to be an advocate for students, establish close connections with them and be visible on campus, but he also said he doesn’t know what his follower will have to deal with.“I don’t know what the challenges of 2011 and 2012 will be, so they just need to be a person capable and competent of dealing with those challenges as they come along,” McKaig said.Auer said McKaig is a legendary dean, so even a candidate with years of experience in student affairs might not measure up. But he added that it would be unfair to seek a McKaig carbon copy.“What they have to be is the next effective dean of students and vice provost for student affairs,” Auer said. “They may have their own style, they may have their own priorities – but the key thing is, they’ve got to be really effective and do a good job.”
(03/04/09 3:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington Faculty Council met Tuesday at the Indiana Memorial Union for its fourth meeting of the semester. One of the most discussed issues was a resolution presented to the council by Nicholas Clark, president of the IU Graduate and Professional Student Organization, and Brian Horne, a member of the Student Academic Appointee Affairs Committee within the BFC. The proposal was a recommendation to the administration to be more lenient about fees graduate students have to pay if they change their course schedule within the first week of classes.Currently, if a graduate student drops one class for another within the first week, they lose a portion of tuition fees paid.“There were very few students who could afford those fees,” Clark said.Clark also said he has received many testimonials from graduate students saying their classes were canceled in the first week of the semester or syllabi were not ready, leaving them no time to judge the quality of the class and professor and avoid the penalty.Members of the BFC had mixed reactions about the resolution, and many had questions. Registrar Roland Cote fielded some concerns and voiced his opinion about the resolution.“One of the fears I have is the principles are good, but they’re also broadly applicable,” Cote said. The resolution is not supposed to apply to undergraduates, law students and MBA students.The BFC suggested Clark should revise the resolution.The meeting also consisted of a resolution on intellectual property policy revenue distribution, and it finished with a discussion on changes to the BFC Constitution.The next BFC meeting is March 24.
(02/26/09 5:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For sophomore Rachel Morris, getting an A is the only option. And she’s not the only college student who feels this way. Results from a recent study from the University of California-Irvine reported that one-third of students expect a B just for going to lectures, and 40 percent think a B is appropriate for finishing reading assignments.“In high school, it instills a notion in you that you’ve got to get an A to get in anywhere,” Morris said. “IU’s GPA standards have heightened as well, so you have to get an A to get by.”The feeling of entitlement to good grades has not always been the case in higher education. Jon Dilts, an associate professor in the IU School of Journalism, said when he was in school, a C was the average grade.“In the ’60s and ’70s, a C would have been just fine,” Dilts said. “Most students would have said, ‘Hey that’s good,’ but I do think it’s changed.”Dilts said one factor could be the minimum grade point average requirement for a degree.For example, students in IU’s College of Arts and Sciences, Kelley School of Business and School of Informatics must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher to graduate, according to the schools’ online bulletins. A 2.0 is equivalent to a C average.The IU Jacobs School of Music has an even higher expectation, with a 2.5 GPA needed for a bachelor’s degree.“Universities expect students to do better than they used to,” Dilts said. “They don’t think poor students should graduate.”He also said he has noticed a change in faculty philosophy during his 25 years of teaching because professors now put more energy into helping students attain a desired grade.“I feel a responsibility to make the C students A and B students,” Dilts said. “Not by raising their grades, but by encouraging them to do the kinds of things that go beyond the minimum they have to do in class.”Justin Rawlins, a Ph.D. candidate and associate instructor in Communication and Culture and American Studies, said he doesn’t feel institutional pressure on professors to give better grades. He thinks students’ high expectations stem from what they shell out to go to school.“It seems like that is due to a belief that one invests money in a university education and they’re due something for paying all that money,” Rawlins said.He said he understands why students might feel a sense of entitlement, but writing a check should not guarantee an A.“I understand that on a very basic level, but that doesn’t get to the heart of what an education is about,” Rawlins said. “It’s about hard work, and sometimes you don’t do so well.”But determining how to do well on assignments is something sophomore Mark Hoff finds difficult, because each professor has his or her own standards.“I think it’s kind of unfair because the expectation is unless you do a poor job, you shouldn’t be getting a C, and some teachers view that as a decent grade,” Hoff said. “Different classes have different standards. Looking at a grade, you’re supposed to have an idea of what kind of work you did, and it doesn’t always match.”Rawlins said students and professors sometimes have different ideas of what is excellent work, but the process of grading is not flawless.“Professors are human – they’re not perfect,” Rawlins said. “It’s very difficult to sometimes quantify someone. We’re trained to think about these things and how we might do that, but we’re still human.”Morris said each teacher has different views of a good grade, but most professors want students to succeed.“I had a class where my professor thought a C was average and pretty much everybody in the class got a C,” Morris said. “I feel like that was an exception, though. Most other professors think kids are striving for an A, so we’re going to try and work towards getting everybody an A.”
(02/19/09 5:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The board of trustees will discuss at a meeting today at IU-Southeast in New Albany the University’s Master Plan, a blueprint for IU’s architectural future. Trustee Bill Cast called the Master Plan, which is an overview for construction for the Bloomington and IU-Purdue University Indianapolis campuses for the next 20 years, one of the most important items on the trustee agenda. The plan will serve as an outline for future projects, such as where to keep green space and regulations for buildings. “The purpose of the Master Plan is to be certain you have enough chilled water, electricity, walking distances and that overall the campus is really an arboretum,” said Cast, who is the chair of the Facilities Committee.The plan also identifies possible building sights, traffic patterns and other infrastructure factors. Cast said the plan is important to prevent future building problems.“It should save money in the long run,” Cast said. “It’s expensive to make mistakes.”President of the Board Steve Ferguson also said the Master Plan is crucial in the long run, but for the short term, talk of the budget – including an expected decrease in state funding – will be an essential topic.He said IU has already taken steps to deal with a budget cut in the current fiscal year and also to plan for the next year.“The board has been looking at various scenarios,” Ferguson said. “If we expect certain revenue levels, here are the adjustments we have to make.”But Ferguson said Indiana is in better financial shape compared to other states, and he said the state and the University have addressed budget problems well.“The University has been run on very sound financial grounds,” Ferguson said.The meeting, which is open to the public, has a full agenda, but Cast said attendees to the trustees meeting might think nothing goes on because approvals happen very quickly.“It’s the committee work in between that really takes all the time,” Cast said.The board is also scheduled to hear more about the future of the name of the Wildermuth Intramural Center during a presentation from Terry Clapacs, head of the All University Committee on Names.The committee recommended renaming the building the William L. Garrett-Ora L. Wildermith Fieldhouse. But at a meeting in November, the trustees suggested the committee reconsider, and Trustee Patrick Shoulders presented a compromise: Keep the Wildermuth name and rename the Student Recreational Sports Center after Garrett. During winter break, the committee affirmed its earlier recommendation to rename the Wildermuth Center.
(02/18/09 4:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington Faculty Council passed a resolution Tuesday stating it regrets the Kelley School of Business’ decision to honor former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace with the position of Poling Chair. The resolution expresses the council’s “regret that Gen. Pace was brought to campus in a way that was offensive to the gay and lesbian community, and urges all campus administrators to be sensitive to minority concerns when awarding university honors.”In a 2007 interview with the Chicago Tribune, Pace said he believed “homosexual acts” were “immoral.”Council President Herb Terry said 19 members voted for the resolution and 15 voted against. He also said many council members at the meeting did not vote.“The members of the faculty council are very heterogeneous, so I think many of them had very different reasons for voting for it to pass,” Terry said.The resolution will now be sent to campus administrators, but Terry said he is unsure of the impact it will have.The decision came after a debate between council members. Before the vote, various council members brought up questions about the purpose of the resolution to Alex Tanford, the chair of the Diversity and Affirmative Action Committee, which drafted the resolution.Most of the council members who spoke out about the resolution were against it. One member of the Diversity and Affirmative Action Committee, Michael Morrone, said he has opposed the resolution from the beginning.“One of the big problems with this resolution is that there are so many interpretations,” Morrone said.The council also discussed a memorandum submitted by the Kelley School of Business that asked for the withdrawal of the resolution. But after about an hour of back-and-forth questioning, the council moved to end discussion and vote on the resolution.Brian Horne, a member of the council and an associate professor of voice in the Jacobs School of Music, said he was glad the Diversity and Affirmative Action Committee rewrote the resolution, but he said he still wished the resolution had not passed because it could create a “chilling effect.”“The Kelley School was so spanked by this, so punished by this, I believe that anybody in the future will back away – not most certainly from anybody with this controversial viewpoint, but any controversial viewpoint – because they don’t want to be scrutinized by this body in that way,” Horne said. “That’s not what a university should do.”But Terry, who said his field of research is self-expression, said he did not think the resolution will have that impact. He said he voted to pass the resolution because of how it was written.“If I believed that this resolution would have any chilling effect on the invitation of people to come to campus ... or for the University to give them a minor honor like the Poling Chair, then I would have voted against it,” Terry said. “But I don’t think it will have that effect based on the resolution.”
(02/17/09 10:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At Tuesday’s meeting, the Bloomington Faculty Council passed the resolution regarding Gen. Peter Pace and the honor of Poling Chair granted to him by the Kelley School of Business. The resolution expresses the council’s “regret that Gen. Pace was brought to campus in a way that was offensive to the gay and lesbian community, and urges all campus administrators to be sensitive to minority concerns when awarding university honors.”BFC President Herb Terry said 19 members voted for the resolution and 15 voted against it. He also said many people did not vote, but also did not abstain. The resolution will now be sent to campus administrators.
(02/17/09 4:00pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>We all become artists when we dress in the morning. We use our clothes as expression, giving meaning to what we drape on our bodies.Whether you’re reminiscent of classical art in a three-piece suit or a modern expressionist in pink heels and shutter shades, remember: Perception is everything.With a flair for the sartorial, student fashion designer Lauren Ison chooses a casual look for two student models, and the director of IU’s student Fashion Design + Culture Group, Deborah Christiansen, offers her interpretation.Ison is a senior fashion design student working on her senior project inspired by the transformation of Norma Jeane into Marilyn Monroe, showing March 7 in the Willkie Auditorium.Chantsler Underwood (left) is a senior majoring in journalism who has modeled for Finish Line and plans to sign with NEXT Model Management in New York after graduation.“He’s athletic, and he’s actually a model, but he’s always on the go and always moving,” Ison says, “so I wanted him to feel like himself.”Underwood says the combination of classy and comfortable clothing is something he’d wear.“I’m always on the go, so I could just slip these on if I’m in a rush,” he says. “I’d still feel comfortable, but it’s a chic, classic look.”Also dressed by Ison is Justine Carlotta (right), a sophomore majoring in creative writing. She is the editor-in-chief of the newsletter for the IU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and is a 2009 Union Board director.“Justine has an outgoing personality, and she’s really outspoken, so I wanted to bring in bright colors,” Ison says. “With the hat and the jewelry, I just wanted to make it real trendy and classic, and maybe turn a few heads when she walks past.”The accessories and colors are bold but wearable, Carlotta says. “It’s eccentric with the purple and the yellow contrasting each other,” she says. “And the boots are always fun since everyone’s wearing boots right now. If I was going out, I would definitely wear this.”
(02/17/09 4:00pm)
Getting ready to pack your life into boxes ... again? Moving is never easy on your back, but there is a way to make it easier on the environment. Here’s how to go green and save some.
(02/17/09 4:00pm)
We all become artists when we dress in the morning. We use our clothes as expression, giving meaning to what we drape on our bodies.
(02/17/09 5:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s been almost two years since former Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace’s quote against homosexual acts appeared in the Chicago Tribune, but its controversy is still part of the public dialogue at IU.The Bloomington Faculty Council will meet today to take action on a resolution “expressing its regret Gen. Pace was brought to campus in a way that was offensive to the gay and lesbian community.”The Diversity and Affirmative Action Committee, a committee within the council, wrote the resolution because the Kelley School of Business granted Pace the position of Poling Chair despite his personal views that homosexual acts are immoral.Alex Tanford, the committee chair, said the purpose of the resolution is to recognize how giving the award to Pace was offensive to the homosexual community, and that the resolution is an iconic response to the Kelley School’s choice.“One fights symbolism with symbolism,” Tanford said. “What they did was symbolically very offensive.”Tanford compared the Kelley School’s act of honoring Pace as equivalent to awarding a leader of the Ku Klux Klan, and that no one on campus would think that was appropriate.Gays constitute “the most discriminated minority on campus and in the country,” Tanford said. “Somebody said gay is the new black.”The resolution has received mixed feedback from members of the council, and Tanford said he cannot predict how the council will vote.Regardless of whether the resolution passes, Kelley School Dean Dan Smith said in an e-mail that the school honored Pace because of his leadership experience, not because of his personal ideas.“I am somewhat surprised that people want to focus on General Pace’s religion-based beliefs, beliefs he is entitled to hold,” Smith said. “It is my understanding that the chief criterion for honoring a faculty member or invited speaker is his or her professional credentials.”But for Dan Sloat, IU Student Association vice president and an undergraduate member of the council, the controversy over Pace has an impact extending beyond the gay and lesbian community.Sloat is also a Kelley student, and he said the dialogue about Pace could affect how the campus views the business school.“Through my time here, I’ve noticed there are some pretty clear divides between Kelley and non-Kelley students,” Sloat said. “Kelley School students kind of have a reputation for being cool and aloof, and just kind of this attitude that we’re better than everyone else on campus.”Sloat said continued conversation about Pace could widen this divide.“Every time there’s something that comes up that really highlights that Kelley versus non-Kelley dynamic, I feel it hurts the University as a whole,” Sloat said. “It shows in some ways we have biases within our own community.”Despite the controversy, Smith said Pace will still be an asset to all IU students, not just Kelley students, in his future visits.“People are focusing on last fall’s visit by General Pace,” Smith said in an e-mail. “They are completely overlooking the fact that he will be here multiple times in the future and that we can find ways to have a wider audience at IU engage with him.”
(02/16/09 5:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Over the sounds of Indiana Avenue traffic, Peter Kaczmarczyk voiced the “plight” of IU support staff: a need for better wages. The Communications Workers of America 4730, a union representing many IU employees, held a press conference Friday at the Sample Gates pushing for higher raises for the upcoming fiscal year.However, IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said the University cannot promise anything in the ongoing economic recession. Kaczmarczyk, the president of CWA 4730, read a prepared statement while IU employees stood behind him with signs that read “Our families need your support” and “Support livable wages before buildings.”“For years, staff salaries have slipped further and further behind inflation,” Kaczmarczyk said in his speech. “IU support staff have not received a raise larger than inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, since 2002.”Kaczmarczyk also recognized the poor economy, but said IU is financially better off than its peers. The University just needs to decide the best way to spend its money, he said.When Kaczmarczyk finished, two employees told their stories about how IU’s current wages are not enough to sustain a decent living in bad economic times and asked for support for their families.“It’s not a livable wage,” said Bryce Smedley, one of the employees who spoke at the conference. “I struggle every day trying to pay the bills.” While Smedley said he thinks the support staff is sometimes invisible, he believes they could get their raises with the help of the University and Bloomington community.The other speaker, Cheryl Haium, said she also finds it hard to live on her current paycheck. She said she wishes IU would spend more money on people instead of buildings. “The buildings may have to be there, but the people are the foundation,” Haium said.But while the union members publicized they want IU to spend its money on wages before buildings, MacIntyre said the two come from separate funding.Construction money is considered capital money, which comes from two main sources: the state and private donors. MacIntyre said the funding has to go toward buildings.“We couldn’t redirect that money,” MacIntyre said. “That would be illegal. The donors would stop giving us money.”MacIntyre also said IU is not “flush with money,” as Kaczmarczyk put it in his statement.Salaries come out of the operating budget, which comes from state funding and tuition from students, but the operating budget already took a $5 million cut from the original budget. For the next fiscal year, Gov. Mitch Daniels is recommending a $20 million reduction, but the University will not know how much it will receive until the end of April. Since the University expects a drop in state allocations, MacIntyre said IU President Michael McRobbie is trying to reduce costs and minimize tuition increases by implementing decisions such as an administrative salary freeze and a committee to look at more cost-effective health care.“The president is doing everything he can to protect faculty and protect staff, especially those in the lower pay grades, from being affected by these times,” MacIntyre said. “At this point it’s really too early to predict what we’re going to do or what we may be able to do.”Despite economic woes, union leader Kaczmarczyk said he remains cautiously optimistic, and his organization will continue to advertise its cause.“We needed to step up now and say staff need real raises, and we can’t afford a pay freeze or small raise,” Kaczmarczyk said. “We just thought if we don’t start speaking up now, it may be too late.”
(02/13/09 6:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The union for the IU-Bloomington support staff held a press conference at noon Friday at the Sample Gates to publicize the plight for salary raises. Union leader Peter Kaczmarczyk read a prepared speech voicing the group's concerns."Staff salaries have slipped further and further behind inflation," Kaczmarczyk said.He later said, "It's not just a matter of falling behind. It's a matter of falling off."Kaczmarczyk noted the bad economic times but said IU is in better financial state than other institutions. He said IU has the money and simply needs to decide how to spend it."Wages before buildings, no ifs, ands or buts," Kaczmarczyk said.Two other support staff members, Cheryl Haium and Bryce Smedley, spoke, while employees stood behind them holding signs that read "our families need your support" and "wages before buildings."
(02/13/09 5:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With rising health care costs and a mission not to increase educational fees, IU President Michael McRobbie announced Wednesday he organized a committee to find methods of making employee health care more cost-effective. “This is one of a number of actions he’s taking to cut administrative costs and expenses in ways that will not affect IU’s educational costs,” said IU Spokesman Larry MacIntyre. Thomas Inui, the president and CEO of the Regenstrief Institute, Inc. and associate dean of health care research at the IU School of Medicine, will chair the committee, which includes a variety of faculty members and administrators from multiple IU campuses. “They were chosen for their expertise in various aspects in health care and delivery in health care excellence,” MacIntyre said. McRobbie said health care costs have increased from 8 to 12 percent over the last few years, according to an IU press release. MacIntyre said the committee will have to find innovative ways to keep the quality of the current health care program despite cost cuts. MacIntyre also said he does not know what ideas the committee will come up with, but McRobbie wants to have some answers in the next six months.“That’s their challenge,” MacIntyre said. “President McRobbie does not want to cut services and quality of the program. He wants to find more efficient ways for these services.”
