Nationals suspend Beta fraternity

At 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning, following hours of deliberation, the national foundation of Beta Theta Pi fraternity decided to suspend and disband its IU chapter's charter. \nCiting a "number of risk management incidents" during the past several years involving IU's Pi chapter, Tom Olver, the foundation's associate director of communications, said a committee of administrative officials, staff, general chapter officers and Pi chapter alumni found the chapter "too large a liability" to remain on campus. \nRepeated alcohol and pledge violations brought Pi chapter conduct into question before the National Foundation, Olver said. The chapter was permitted to argue its case before a committee of peers from other collegiate chapters across the country. This committee agreed IU's chapter should be examined more closely by the national organization.\nDean of Students, Richard McKaig pledges the University's support of the Foundation's decision.\n"We certainly expect national fraternities to support our decisions as a University," McKaig said. "It's a matter of partnership based on mutual trust and respect." \nMcKaig said Beta has violated University hazing and alcohol policies four times in the past four years. One case involved hazing, and the other three were alcohol-related. Beta would have also faced two pending charges when the school year began this year, one involving hazing and the other concerning alcohol.\nThe chapter continues to face a pending lawsuit in which three fraternity members allegedly chased and beat Columbia University student Michael Kirk after a January party at the house, located at 919 E. 10th Street. \nThe lawsuit, filed in Monroe Circuit Court, primarily named Beta members Dustin D. Harrington and Carl R. Conedera as defendants. The suit also targets Beta Theta Pi\'s national foundation, the Pi chapter at IU and three other fraternity members accused in the assault. \nBrandon M. Kitkowski, a third defendant cited, was arrested and later charged with Class C felony battery, according to IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger.\nPi chapter officers were unable to be reached for comment Wednesday.\nThe IU Greek system has suffered similar blows within the past few years, including the suspension of Sigma Alpha Mu and Theta Chi. McKaig expressed disappointment upon learning of Beta's suspension, which "can't help but reflect" on the Greek system.\n"We wish we would have heard that (Pi) chapter won the outstanding chapter in the nation, which would reflect positively on the Greek system and the University," McKaig said. "In this case we have another men's chapter that simply is not meeting standards of the University."\nPi chapter's charter has now been placed in the hands of the general fraternity with the intention of returning to campus in "suitable time," Olver said.\nWhile he would not speculate how long specifically Beta will be off-campus, Olver said Pi chapter alumni met with Foundation Director Stephen Backer in Indianapolis Tuesday night to discuss the duration of Beta's time off-campus. \nHe also noted the chapter's charter has not been revoked, meaning the chapter could re-colonize in the future.\nBeta's national standards for re-colonization follow a specific policy developed in 1997 by the Foundation. Deemed the "metaprinciple initiative," the process is a "way of bringing chapters back in line with the founding principles and obligations of the fraternity," Olver said. Beta now boasts 34 fully partnered chapters across the United States. All re-colonizations follow this process. \n"It's somewhat difficult to speculate as to when Pi chapter will be expected to return to campus," Olver said. "The chapter was founded in 1845 and has an enormous and wonderful tradition and history, and a number of dedicated alumni want to be involved with re-colonization."\nOlver said he expected the University's cooperation in the process as well. \nTypically, Greek organizations seeking re-colonization live off-campus for two to four years, McKaig said. The chapter then files to return to campus and recruits new pledge classes. McKaig indicated such re-colonizations on the IU campus have generally been successful.\nMembers now in the fraternity will assume alumni status. Beta's spring pledge class will not be initiated, Olver said.\n"It's unfortunate, but current pledges will not be able to benefit from the ceremony of initiation due to the actions of their predecessors," Olver said.

Singing the song of quality

As a high school senior, Nora Colwell was lured to IU by the prestige of the School of Music. Colwell, now a senior studying music education, wanted a place where she could receive comprehensive, competitive musical training without sacrificing experience on a large Big Ten campus. She wanted to meet new people, students with interests and majors different from her own.\nBut she wanted personal attention. And Colwell found it within the 1,650-student School of Music, where she said individualized instruction has been instrumental in developing her skills as both performer and teacher. Her drill sections range between 15 and 20 students.\n"In order to make sure I'm grasping the concepts being taught, I need someone to observe my work and correct my mistakes as they happen," Colwell said. "It\'s all about finding your weakness -- with a small class, an A.I. is available to give personal attention to every student."\nThe downside to that great strength, Colwell said, is a tightening budget, which particularly effects students in the School of Music. She said she's personally observed the effects of budget cuts in the School throughout the past four years.\nMany materials and facilities are worn-down, and most pianos in practice rooms are past their prime, Colwell said. Additionally, she said stands, chairs, mirrors and new audio equipment are needed in the music buildings.\nThe discrepancy arises because of the campuswide system of routing dollars through administrative and instructional units. Since 1990, IU has allocated spending between schools and departments utilizing a system of Responsibility Centered Management, in which each school's income is contingent upon the number of credit hours it generates. Departments with high enrollments fared nicely, garnering large percentages of budget allocations. Smaller schools found themselves in deficit.\nThe School of Music is one such example. In December 1999, the School was facing a deficit of nearly $2 million. Former School of Music Dean David Woods told the IDS in 1999 this deficit resulted from faculty salary increases. He said any budget system would have created similar results.\nThe School has found itself in a somewhat unique financial situation this year -- it's facing a surplus, the first in recent years. The extra funds will be applied to the standing deficit, and School of Music Dean Gwyn Richards indicated he expects to obliterate a "good margin" of that debt by the fall semester.\nRichards said the School of Music operates on the philosophy that every student should be vulnerable in a learning environment. Allowing students to "put it on the line" through performing evokes a reaction from the instructor and allows teachers to address a student's individual needs.\nIn addition to private, one-to-one instruction, students within a particular specialization or major assemble once a week to perform in a group setting, a situation Richards deemed a "perfect combination" of individualized and group experiences. The School of Music prides itself on personal attention, and Richards said it will not deviate from that structure.\nBut personalized instruction often equates to higher costs.\n"This is the most expensive type of instruction," Richards said. "You don't get the economy of scale that larger departments and schools can utilize."\nThe School charges fees for individual lessons as a method of undermining costs. But that revenue did not keep up with increasing tuition this year, Richards said.\nAn obvious solution might be to increase enrollment within the School. But to maintain quality, Richards said, the School of Music cannot raise enrollment figures to more than 1,700 students. In fall 1997, enrollment peaked at just more than 1,700, and faculty and administrators realized the number was too great. It compromised the entire notion of personalized instruction and attention.\n"We have to be careful to admit only the best students," Richards said. "Students turn over more quickly than staff or faculty, and we have to attend to the quality of their education. If we don't, we'll quickly lose our reputation."\nInstead, the School has created courses for nonmajors designed to be taught at a larger scale. These classes include topics like the history of rock and roll or the Beatles, and the comparatively larger class size allows the "economy of scale" to work with the School of Music.\nState legislative officials reported IU's share of state appropriations for higher education grew at a mere 2 percent annually throughout the 1990s -- not fast enough to meet the needs of the School of Music. State appropriations account for 54 percent of the budget, while tuition accounts for 41.5 percent.\nBut the School doesn't depend entirely upon state appropriations to survive. \n"RCM is only a state appropriations tool for the distribution of funds," Richards said. "Any system has pluses and minuses, and RCM is no more than a tool."\nThe area from which Richards expects maximum growth is the private sector. Endowed chairs and professorships have the "single most direct impact on the operating budget" of the School, according to the School of Music Web site. Such programs as the University Faculty Endowment Matching Program provide stable sources of income that continue from year to year. Generally, it takes a minimum of $1 million to establish a chair, and $500,000 to establish a professorship.\nThe School has seen a marked increase in the number of endowed chairs during the past few years, said Viola Roth of the School of Music Office of Development.\n"In order to maintain the level of quality both in faculty and students, we have to have the funding," Roth said. "Fortunately, the private sector is responding."\nWhile the School is certainly not "out of the woods" yet, Roth said she believes the private sector will continue to understand and appreciate the advantages a small music school affords in the context of a larger university.\n"We're not just a conservatory," Roth said. "This is Juilliard with brains"

GLBT a 'safe haven' for students

It stands quietly on Seventh Street, mere feet from the Union, unassuming and modest. \nTo a passersby, it seems like any other administration building. Yet a quick glance at the sign welcoming visitors to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender offices belies that assumption. This is no ordinary campus office.\nIt's a place where men and women can go, regardless of their sexuality, to find a safe haven from the pressures of the University -- and from real life.\nThe group's director, Doug Bauder, has emerged as a priceless resource for countless men and women struggling with their sexuality. \nEquipped with considerable training in pastoral and clinical counseling, Bauder equates confronting one\'s sexuality with deeply significant spiritual questions.\n\"Students struggling with the state of their sexuality are essentially asking life\'s ultimate questions,\" he said. \"They\'re wondering what their families will think, yes, but most importantly, they\'re attempting to determine whether they can integrate their new lifestyle with their religious beliefs. And I believe they can do that. They don\'t have to throw it all away.\"\nOpportunities exist to ease the transition involved in coming out. OUT, the GLBT\'s student union, offers numerous support services, such as the Anti-Harassment Team, a personal support staff that counsels victims of harassment on a one-on-one basis, as well as events such as Miss Gay IU and Lesbopalooza, which took place Oct. 14 in Woodlawn Field. OUT sponsors the Safe Zone program, which designates automobile stickers representing the denouncement of all harassment and intolerance. \nAdditional programs target those involved in the greek system. Lambda 10 \"works to heighten the visibility of gay, lesbian and bisexual members of the college fraternity by serving as a clearinghouse for resources and educational materials related to sexual orientation in the fraternity and sorority experience,\" according to the group\'s Web site.\nStephanie Burnett, a graduate student involved in the Peer Support Program, said the peer supporter listens to the student\'s concerns, provides resources and, more often than not, can relate some common experiences and emotions.\n\"It\'s amazing how powerful sharing a common experience can be when a student is coming out. Often, a student will not know anybody else who identifies as gay or lesbian, so meeting another person and hearing that they too went through similar experiences can be very therapeutic,\" Burnett said. \"The program is a confidential place for a student in the process of coming out to talk to someone who has been there before. It\'s a discreet first step to let a student know that he or she is not alone."

Alumna gets her shot with Regis

IU alumna Becky Wallihan made her television debut Tuesday night, schmoozing with Regis Philbin as a contestant on the ABC primetime quiz show "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire."\nAnd while she didn't walk away a million dollars richer, the 22-year-old Wallihan was awarded $64,000 in cash prizes. She had used all her lifelines by the $64,000 question and quit the game when she declined to answer a question about the book "Naked Lunch." \nWallihan claims she's always enjoyed watching the program but was "never the kind of person who turned it on every night -- if I have nothing else to do then I might turn it on." But when the show announced it would be holding open auditions in Indianapolis in April, she decided to give it a try.\nThe first stage of the process consisted of a written test to be completed in 12 minutes. Those who pass this stage are granted a short interview, according to the ABC Web site. From those interviewed, 10 to 20 contestants are chosen from each city holding auditions. \nWallihan was one of the chosen few. \nA former IU tennis standout and Wells Scholar, Wallihan says she feels her undergraduate studies in biochemistry and physics prepared her well for medical school at IUPUI. \n"Classes were great -- most of the time," Wallihan said. "IU has some of the best professors, and they helped me prepare for the future."\nIt's a future rich in prospects. Wallihan is serving as a summer intern for Lilly Pharmeceuticals in Indianapolis. Upon graduation from medical school, she plans to possibly enter the field of radiology.\nAccording to Scott Sanders, director of the Wells Scholars Program, Wallihan was "very quiet" and dedicated tremendously to tennis. \n"I\'m not really sure why they chose me," Wallihan admitted. "I think that they are looking for more minorities and women, and they are trying get more young people, so all of that could\'ve had something to do with it."\nSix weeks after learning she'd been chosen, the show's producers contacted Wallihan and set her up with a taping date. They flew her and her boyfriend to New York -- "a lot of fun," she said.\nThe taping spanned two hours, Wallihan said, but she had to be at the studio all day. Upon arrival, she consulted briefly with other contestants and the associate producers. \nContestants then went on-set and practiced "fast-finger questions" to acclimate themselves to operating the console. Following that session, contestants were presented with a legal briefing. They then retired to dressing rooms to "have makeup caked on" their faces, Willihan said. \nThe biggest surprise? The set.\n"It's smaller than it looks on TV," Wallihan said. "It is actually kind of intimate and I could make contact with some members of the audience."\nShe said she decided before the show aired she wouldn't answer any question worth more than $32,000 she couldn't answer.\nShe walked away at $64,000, satisfied. \n"I decided to walk away at $64,000 because when you\'re in med school, with loans and everything, that\'s a lot of money and can make a serious dent in my debt," Wallihan said.

Walda steps down as President

For eight years, John Walda has presided over the IU Board of Trustees as president. \nThat's eight years of meetings, of debates, of juggling a successful law career with the unignorable demands a Big Ten institution presents. Eight years of visibility, of scrutiny, of praise by friends and foes, by alumni and students. \nThey're years rich in accomplishment and progress. Since his appointment by former governor Evan Bayh in 1990, the Fort Wayne, Ind. attorney has fought to consolidate IU's hospitals with Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. He's served as president of the IU Alumni Association and on the board of directors of the IU Foundation. He's worked to bolster the quality of public education while approving the lowest possible tuition increases. \nHe's a man colleagues respect, a man with a legacy of strong leadership and remarkable integrity. In an issued statement, President Myles Brand deems IU "most fortunate" to Walda's service to the university throughout the past decade.\nBut after eight years, Walda is stepping down.\nThough he'll continue serving the Board as a trustee, Walda feels his position as chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based Association of Governing Boards conflicts with his ability to continue as president. \nA nominating committee met last Wednesday to decide who will step in to fill Walda's position. Trustee Jim Morris and vice president Fred Eichhorn were nominated for president and vice-president, respectively.\nEichhorn had expressed interest in Walda's position but said Friday he was pleased with the committee's decision. \nWalda served with Eichhorn on a committee commissioned by Brand last year to investigate allegations surrounding former men's basketball coach Bob Knight. Throughout the proceedings, Walda stressed the importance of "full and fair review."\nThe appointment of Walda and Eichhorn, both attorneys with strong ties to the University, was met with serious scrutiny throughout the IU community. Brand, however, claimed he chose the two men based on their "impeccable credentials" and "experience appropriate to (the) task."\nTrustee Stephen Backer served on the nominating committee and says Morris is "eminently qualified" for the position of president.\nMorris, chairman and chief executive officer of IWC Resources Corporation, has also served as president of Lilly Endowment and treasurer of the United States Olympic committee. He is also founding director of the Indiana Sports Corporation and was appointed by former president George Bush to serve on the Commission for Environment of the Americas. \nHe has served the Board of Trustees since his 1996 election by IU alumni. He is one of three trustees elected through alumni votes. \n"He is very well-known and respected locally, statewide and nationally," Backer said. "There was unanimous consent -- no dissension whatsoever."\nMorris has also served as chairman of the trustees' finance committee. He has been awarded the IU Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Award, the President's Medal of Excellence and Beta Gamma Sigma. \nBacker will present the nominated slate at the Board of Trustees meeting in August. According to new bylaws drafted in June, the nominating committee must present the slate of officers 10 days before the meeting. Nominations may also be accepted from the floor at the meeting. \nBacker pledged his support behind the man he describes as "warm and open."\n"I think at this point, while I can't speak for all the trustees, there is a sense that everyone's unanimously behind Jim," Backer claimed. "He is absolutely outstanding; he loves the University and has worked tirelessly for it. He wants to see it strive for excellence, as we all do"

Pain at the pump: Gas prices dismay customers

All sophomore Brad Mundy wanted to do was get on the road.\nThe South Bend native had loaded his father's Ford Expedition and prepared to head up State Road 37 to Indianapolis. He'd bought a cup of coffee and loaded his CD changer, ready to make the three hour trip home. All he needed was gas.\nSo he pulled into the Shell station at the corner of Third Street and College Mall Road, inserted his credit card and began filling the Expedition's tank.\nHe watched incredulously as the numbers began inching upward. Twenty dollars. Thirty. Thirty-five. The nozzle finally stopped at $39.45.\n"This is ridiculous," he said. "I know this is an SUV, but my God."\nWhen Mundy pulled into South Bend, he said, he was hit with gas prices approximately twenty cents cheaper.\nMundy isn't alone; in fact, despite a recent reprise in gas prices, consumers are increasingly discouraged by the nation's oil crisis, which has many Bloomington residents resorting to bicycle and pedestrian travel.\n"I just walk to class and stuff," sophomore Paul LeVasseur said, noting the "hassle" involved in filling up his Mercedes SUV regularly. "It's just so much easier to walk or catch the bus."\nThe fluctuations have incensed others however, provoking Bloomington resident Noble C. Reynolds to compose a letter to the editor of The Herald-Times in which he cited "price fixing" by cohorts in the gasoline industry as a reason for the ever-changing prices.\nIn late June, Bloomington Marathon station owner Bruce Brummett was selling unleaded gas at $1.369 per gallon. Prices have continued to fall, with Marathon, Bigfoot and Amoco subsidiaries selling regular unleaded at an average of $1.276 per gallon.\nBob Page, general manager of the South Walnut Avenue Bigfoot gas and convenience store, said price fluctuation doesn't really affect his store's revenue. Bigfoot relies primarily on in-store sales for profit.\n"It's really funny -- even though gas is so high, it doesn't stop people from driving," Page said. "It affects sales, of course, but people are still getting in their cars and driving places."\nThe decrease does often create problems for retailers, however, who buy gas at a set wholesale price. As pump prices fall, gas must be sold quickly or retailers run the risk of cutting costs to below the wholesale price. As a result, rural stations generating low-volume sales are often hardest hit.\nBut a media spokesman for Bigfoot in Indianapolis claimed lower pump prices often signify lower credit card fees for retailers. As a result, dealers often glean a greater profit margin.\nBut the market is volatile, Page said. \n"We have no idea how to predict how prices will rise or fall," he said. "It's just a numbers game, and people are going to have to buy gas to get where they're going"

The reality of sexuality

Sex sells.\nTurn on any television set and flip to MTV. Vocal groups sashay across soundstages, scantily clad in skintight vinyl. Sunbathing veejays pick at the strings of triangle bikini tops, desperately trying to report the very latest breaking music news while optimizing maximum cleavage effects.\nU.S. Surgeon General David Satcher knows sex sells.\nHe knows the image of so-called "healthy sexuality" the American media instill in the minds of impressionable adolescents. \nAnd he wants to do something to stop it.\nSatcher unveiled "The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior" in late June, a project aimed at increasing awareness while implementing intervention efforts. Families will be targeted specifically, as will professionals dealing with sexual issues.\nAdditionally, Satcher strives to improve access to sexually-related health care services and eliminate social and economic bias in providing those services.\nCampus officials share some of the surgeon general's goals, but many are divided on the proper method of educating university students on matters of sexual health. But, they have agreed to expand on programs already implemented on-campus to facilitate a sexual dialogue that's broader in scope.\nExecutive Director of the Kinsey Institute John Bancroft feels the surgeon general's plan acknowledges the difficulties in increasing sexual awareness while inciting a broad dialogue on a variety of social levels.\n"I have no problem in encouraging young people to abstain from sexual intercourse until they are mature enough to handle it responsibly," Bancroft said, noting the "awesome responsibility" of raising a child, an issue he feels any individual of the age of fertility must tackle. "But I have problems in advocating abstinence from all types of sexual activity, including masturbation, until marriage."\nMasturbation, Bancroft said, allows adolescents to responsibly explore their own sexuality. Ways also exist, he added, to enjoy sexual intimacy without the exchange of bodily fluids.\n"I would prefer young people to learn to be sexual in stages, not button it all up until they've walked down the aisle," Bancroft said. "I do not want to see young people getting married because they want to be sexually active."\nAgreement on family involvement\nA key plank to Satcher's plan includes education at the family level, an inclusion Bancroft deemed crucial.\nFrequently, Bancroft said, the "abstinence-only" mantra is drilled into children through a combination of family, school and religious issues. \nJolene, a coordinator for Indianapolis-based herpes support group IndyHelp who wished not to be identified by her full name, said while abstinence works theoretically, the notion often fails in practical applications.\n"People need more sexual education than what is available now," she said. "Even with more sexual education, be it from the schools, church or home, many people still feel invincible and thinks this kind of thing would never happen to them."\nIndyHelp exists to further the sort of education lauded by Satcher -- allowing a forum for individuals of all ages diagnosed with herpes to discuss personal and health issues. Jolene said her personal goal in meeting and assisting individuals is to let them know the disease doesn't mark an end to dreams or goals. Patients with herpes are capable of maintaining healthy sexual relationships and having children as well.\nMore than abstinence\nWhile the surgeon general's report includes encouraging the delay of sexual activity, it aims to educate a broader mass of people across generations about sexual responsibility.\nSatcher included strategies geared toward parents, emphasizing their role as their children's "primary educators" in sexuality. But, because families address such issues using a myriad of differing methods, school education is also a vital component.\n"The important aim is to get people across the board to discuss what they believe to be responsible sexual behavior and to look for the common ground on which we can all build our plans and hopes for the future," Bancroft said. "It has been our impression all along, that although there are pressure groups on both ends of the political spectrum who make their views only too well known, there is a large and mainly silent majority of people many or most of whom would not have difficulty in reaching consensus."\nThe surgeon general's approach is geared toward that constituency. Bancroft feels the broad definition of "responsible sexuality" inherent in the plan is "broad and sensible," allowing greater understanding among larger, more diverse groups. But, he stressed, the process must not end with Satcher's plan. Bancroft feels the initiative marks the beginning of an ongoing effort to increase awareness of sexual health.\n"Dr Satcher wants to set in motion a process which will run and run," Bancroft said. "(That) involves our talking, debating, disagreeing and agreeing about what is responsible sexual behavior and sexual health, across the age span."\nSatcher's report said the exchange of information concerning sexual health should cover a wide range of topics and should "continue through the life span."\nThose topics include recognition of sexuality in everyday life, the value and benefits of abstinence, though not necessarily until marriage, and awareness concerning protection against STDs and unintended pregnancy.\nSTD stigmas\nJolene, coordinator for the herpes support group, also indicated many stigmas exist related to sexually transmitted diseases. Physicians, she said, often treat patients with herpes as a "dirty person who deserved it." As a result, Jolene said, many patients become clinically depressed or seclude themselves from the outside world.\n"Physicians need to understand the emotional side of herpes and other STDs and not be judgmental of us," Jolene said. "The problem is that for the stigma to end, faces of herpes survivors need to be shown, but people are afraid of doing so because of the stigma - it's quite the Catch 22!"\nMisconceptions exist, Bancroft said, concerning the definition of a responsible sexual person. Until adults can define that for themselves, he said, teenagers should not be expected to be capable of sexual responsibility.\n"Families are a crucial source of guidance and support, but many families need guidance and support in order to fulfill that obligation," Bancroft said. "And for that families need other responsible adults in their communities they can turn to for advice."\nSexual wellness on campus\nAnne Reese, Director of Health and Wellness Education at the IU Health Center, said many services exist to allow students to explore issues of sexual health at will. In addition to the Center's Web site, students may also take advantage of the Health Center's Women's Center as well as STD and pregnancy screening tests at a notably reduced cost.\nAdditionally, Reese noted, students are ensured full confidentiality in screenings. The charges appear on a student's bursar bill as "Health Center charges." Nowhere are the specific tests detailed or the results released.\nThe Health Center also provides information sessions to classes and in residence halls, as well as to clubs and organizations on campus. \nReese said many incoming students, especially those from Indiana high schools, where sexual education is not mandated, enter IU ready to explore their sexual identity unequipped with the information necessary to facilitate that exploration.\n"Students are getting their information from the media, and that generally shows on-the-edge sexuality," Reese said. "It's almost like we're not allowed to talk about healthy sexual functions, but we can watch anything we want on Jerry Springer about exploitative sex. When it comes to discussing positive sex, there's just nothing out there"

A sheriff's deputy helps a construction worker free Megan Hise from a tree in Brown's Woods late Friday morning. Hise and Hannah Jones snuck behind police lines and locked themselves to a tree on the 50-acre site, which is slated for development. They were both arrested on charges of trespassing and resisting law enforcement during the police raid.

Protesters question arrests, imminent construction

At 5 a.m. Friday, they came out in droves, a single cause uniting their raised voices. By 11 a.m. they toted bullhorns and cameras, their demonstration peaceful yet persistent. \nYoung and old alike they gathered, offering encouragement and support as the sun beat down unforgivingly at high noon. One fair-haired toddler moved aimlessly about, pausing occasionally to add a high-pitched protest to the melee. \nAnd at nearly 1 p.m., they watched as state police drove two of their own away in handcuffs. Police forcibly removed Ruth Hannah and Megan Hise from their position of protest, locked around a tree in the woods surrounding the Basswood apartment complex off S.R. 37., further fueling the crowd's angry cries. \nThey compose part of what a protester who identified himself as "Truth" terms a "large network of people dedicated to saving the earth." They gathered Friday to protest the development of the woods near Basswood for additional apartment complexes. \n"This is an injustice to me as a citizen of this city," claimed Bloomington native and IU student Myra Swoape. "Bloomington doesn't want this."\nSwoape, whose parents are environmental activists, claims she was raised to embrace nature, to support and give back to the earth. The message developers are sending to the community, she said, is that they "just don't care."\nTo overpower that message, Swoape said, Bloomington needs a plan and a mayor who respects green space. \n"I want my offspring to have trees and air to breathe," she said. "This is a time of crisis -- I'd say we have 20 years to get everything back together."\nLisa Hopwood, a friend of Swoape's and an IU student, said the privately owned land is considered to have the largest concentration of sinkholes in the city. She doesn't want to be responsible for "fixing their (developers') mistakes" if the building's foundations begin to crumble, she said. \nTruth deemed the development a continuation of the "urban sprawl" threatening to envelop Bloomington. He arrived at the tree-sitting at 6 a.m. \nHe thinks older, vacant buildings in town should be razed to make room for projects such as the Canterbury development. Homes in older, more run-down areas should be renovated, he said, before constructing totally new facilities. \n"This doesn't need to happen," Truth said. "This is a beautiful shaded area -- but profit is coming before people and the earth."\nHopwood agreed. \n"Money won out over the environment," she said. "We're paying taxes so they don't have to pay interest on their land"

A legend leaves

When Herman B Wells built the IU Auditorium, the venue was the largest of its kind west of the Alleghenies.\nYet Wells wasn't thinking of how to finance construction, of how the building would bolster the thriving School of Music. His thoughts centered on what he considered created the university community: the students. \nHe wanted to bring world-renowned performers to a sleepy town in the Indiana foothills. He wanted to pique students' interests in theatre, in opera and classical music. In short, he told colleague Ken Gros Louis, he wanted to bring the world to Indiana University. \nIt's a lesson that's stuck with Gros Louis as he ascended the University ranks to assume the office of Chancellor, a position he's relinquishing now, at 65. And though twenty-two years have passed -- twenty-two years of forging partnerships, of interacting with students and faculty, of progress and compromise -- the legacy of Herman B Wells continues to influence Gros Louis with each decision he faces. \n"What was unique about Herman Wells was his ability to understand that everyone at the University contributed to its success," Gros Louis said. "He was as friendly with janitors and food service people as he was with the most senior faculty."\nSuch personal interaction defined what Gros Louis termed Wells' "breadth of humanity." During his tenure as president and chancellor, Wells established a network of professional and personal relationships dedicated to making IU seem smaller and more accessible -- a goal to which Gros Louis claims he committed himself during his years as chancellor.\nOn his "Welcome to Bloomington" Web site, Gros Louis alludes to the University's serene atmosphere, to the pristine treasures he claims "make this place feel like college ought to feel." Yet neither the Musical Arts Center nor the Lilly Library, neither the Mathers Museum nor the Art Museum, truly define IU as a community, he said.\nRather, it's the tremendous rapport between students and faculty; it's the free exchange of ideas and opportunity for dialogue between great minds. This relationship, Gros Louis maintains, fosters the feeling of a smaller, more accessible learning community.\n"Public universities in America are one of the wonders of the western world in that they aspire to be accessible to all who want to learn about themselves and the world in which they live," Gros Louis said. "We are not a trade school and I don't think anyone coming here should put at the top of his or her list thinking about the job they'll get after graduation. While that's important, our hope at the top of the list is finding out as much as they can about themselves and the world."\nHe said he feels IU should be accessible to any student in the state of Indiana wishing to attend, and expressed concern as to whether IU's financial policies will be able to compensate for tuition increases. \nGros Louis came to IU in 1963 as an assistant professor of English and Comparative Literature. Shortly thereafter, in 1965, he was "sucked into" administration with his appointment as associate chair of Comparative Literature. In 1970, he assumed the position of associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and from 1973 to 1978 her served as chair of the English department.\nIn 1978, Gros Louis was appointed dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He became chancellor in 1980, a position he held until this year.\nFormer trustee Ray Richardson said Gros Louis's impact on the University is best expressed in the accreditation review by the North Central Association this year, in which Gros Louis is described as "what personally holds the University together."\nProfessor of Psychology and Bloomington Faculty Council president James Sherman described Gros Louis as "witty, efficient and humane."\nSherman worked with Gros Louis extensively this year through the Faculty Council. He said Gros Louis shares the values of Herman B Wells and has added his own touch in very tangible ways.\n"What distinguishes IU from other public universities is the fact that IU affords love and attachment," Sherman said. "A large part of the reason for this is the history and traditions of IU. Both Herman and Ken were absolutely committed first and foremost to the main mission of the University -- its academic mission."\nGros Louis upheld these traditions, Sherman said, by living them. By simultaneously focusing on the past and future of the University, Gros Louis expressed his understanding of the need to preserve conventions while maintaining progress.\n"He also brought us all together because we all knew that he always had the well-being of IU at heart," Sherman said. "We could trust that all his decisions and judgments were geared toward maintaining and improving the academic quality of the University."\nGros Louis has also bridged innumerable gaps between faculty, students and administrators during his time on campus, said Sherman. Above all, Sherman claimed, Gros Louis was a "faculty member at heart."\nThat commitment, said professor of journalism and associate director of the Wells Scholars Program Charlene Brown, allowed Gros Louis to connect to members of the IU community at every level. Students, faculty and administrators thought of him as a friend foremost, Brown said.\nYet when students begin flooding campus this fall, Gros Louis won't be watching the leaves change from his usual position before his office window. He said he plans to spend the coming year "not too much in sight" traveling with his wife. Once successor Sharon Brehm has settled in, Gros Louis will return once again to his passion: teaching.\nThat passion has served as an inspiration for scores of faculty members, including Brown herself.\n"I love his love of his field -- literature, especially poetry," she said. "Although he prepares carefully for every event and responsibility, writes his speeches months in advance, he can recite a cherished poem spontaneously for the moment at hand. How wonderful to care so much about one's field -- and to be able and willing to share that passion."\nDistinguished Professor of English and Wells Scholars Program director Scott Sanders said commitment to educating eager minds established strong bonds of trust between administrators, faculty and students. Throughout his years as chancellor, Sanders said, Gros Louis never lost his original zeal for teaching.\n"He has exemplified fidelity to place and purpose in a time when many people find it hard to believe in institutions," Sanders concluded. "And he has done all of this with rare generosity and good spirits."\nBut one might suggest Gros Louis is remembered most for his compassion.\nSherman cited the chancellor's support for improved staff salaries and his fight to preserve academic freedom as several such examples.\nSanders spoke to the similarities between Wells and Gros Louis as well, citing the two men's range of intellectual interests, rapport with faculty and "wizardry as administrators and absolute integrity." \nSanders deemed Gros Louis the "benign grandfather" of the Wells Scholars Program, of which Sanders is director. Gros Louis was present throughout each stage of development of the prestigious program, which awards full tuition, room and board and study abroad to motivated, incoming scholars each year.\nThe proposal was met initially by skepticism from both Wells himself and an assortment of faculty members, Sanders said. But he credits Gros Louis with assuaging those apprehensions.\nGros Louis also appointed the program's first director, Professor of German Studies Breon Mitchell, and teaches seminars for senior Wells Scholars.\nWells and Gros Louis share what Brown terms a "genuine, personal interest in and commitment to the well being of each member of the IU community; an appreciation of the importance of education in a democracy; a delightful wit; an inclination to laugh at themselves; and a commitment to excellence, which they encouraged and cherished." This dedication, Brown claims, markedly enriched the overall university environment. \nAs he turns the final pages of an illustrious administrative career, Gros Louis will pause to think, to consider. He'll reflect on moments of triumph. His thoughts will pause as he thinks upon the scores of successful IU graduates scattered across the globe. He'll think of the classes of Wells Scholars he welcomed to campus year after year as they began their careers as IU students.\nYet time and again, he'll think of the small things, of the encounters seemingly insignificant to a neutral bystander. Those one-on-one relationships and experiences, he says, have made his twenty-two years rewarding.\n"Every time I was able to help someone or get to know someone a little better or have someone thank me for whatever I might have done for them confirmed that I had made the right career choice," he said. "As I have said on other occasions, it's almost embarrassing to have been paid for doing something that was so enjoyable"

Candidates look to future

Welker focuses on athletic improvement\nDavid Dan Welker thinks today's morals "aren't what they should be." \nThe 1963 graduate of the Kelley School of Business has examined the profiles of members of the IU Board of Trustees, and he thinks it consists of "too many lawyers and not enough businessmen." \nAnd if elected to the Board, he plans to increase awareness of the sort of values and ethics with which he's been raised, with which he's reared his own children. \nA main concern, he said, is rebuilding the IU football program. An experienced football player, coach and referee, Welker believes he can use his sports expertise to improve recruiting efforts. \n"It's pretty simple, really," Welker, CEO of David Dan's Stores in Fort Wayne, Ind., said. "It's about getting back to better recruiting and sticking to the old rules."\nThe trustees, he said, lack the business and sports knowledge necessary to hire coaches and deal with agents. He says these are necessary skills to effectively manage top-notch athletic programs. He acknowledges his lack of legal experience. Yet Welker, former owner of the Fort Wayne Komets hockey team, thinks he can bring a solid understanding of sports and sports psychology to the table. \nHe says he's heard tailgating -- an activity he deems a "student's right" -- has been banned at IU. If elected, he wants to lift that ban.\nWelker specifically mentioned his disapproval of President Brand's comments in January at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., in which he pledged to "de-emphasize" IU athletics. \n"I realize teaching kids is important," Welker said, "but looking back on my college experiences, if a coach shows up at an event, more kids are likely to come than if a favorite teacher were there."\nWelker also said many alumni he's talked with have indicated they'd like to see changes in administration. He's pledged to try and initiate such changes, and claims he's been met with considerable support.\n"Basically, everyone wants a different president," Welker said. "I don't know Myles Brand personally, but when I heard the concerns of the people, I came right out and said I'd help change the administration."\nHe said he feels the Kelley School of Business and the School of Music have been declining somewhat during the past few years and aims to restore those programs to their previous caliber.\nWelker said he's been receiving overwhelming support from all over the country and believes his strong morals and Christian foundation allow him to identify with many types of people.\n"I've had a lot of experiences in life, but I've learned from my mistakes, too," Welker said. "I don't quit, and maybe that's my best virtue."\nGiaquinta cites retention as key issue\nMark Giaquinta said he understands the precarious position of a public university.\nHe knows state-funded institutions must "keep the doors open" to a diverse blend of students. He realizes budgets are limited. \nAnd while he believes IU has made considerable efforts to increase student and faculty retention, he said the road ahead is long. \n"We can't really separate quality academics into distinct parts," Giaquinta said. "To me it's all inextricably bound. Retaining top students and faculty is all part of the same issue."\nTo achieve this end, Giaquinta claims academic standards must be maintained to attract both groups. Whereas private universities can afford to pick and choose, to establish a mission and adhere closely to that vision, public universities are faced with the contradictory goal of increasing accessibility and attracting the nation's most gifted graduating seniors. \n"There's real competition among institutions of higher learning to get top students," Giaquinta said. "Universities are beginning to see themselves as selling a product, and these kids are able to pick and choose." \nTo compete, IU must make certain standards in admissions and in the classroom do not neglect retention standards for both faculty and students, groups Giaquinta feels are intertwined.\nHe cited newspaper articles within the past year detailing the "exodus of much of IU's top faculty" as warning signs. The solution, he claimed, is to include faculty in the administrative process.\n"We've got to go to them and say, 'OK, why are your colleagues leaving?' he said. "If it's salary, go to the legislature. At this point, it's essential to really begin encouraging a very active dialogue with faculty to spot these kinds of warning signs before and not after the decision to leave is made."\nLoss of faculty sends a message to graduating seniors investigating schools, Giaquinta said. IU's position in university ranking systems factor in as well. He said that while he realizes ratings systems are often "numbers games," IU's position as a middle-tier institution is "unacceptable."\n"I do think Board members need to resist the urge to micro-manage the University," Giaquinta,\na 1979 graduate of the School of Law, said. "We're not there for that."\nGiaquinta has served on numerous boards, including the Fort Wayne Common Council, the St. Joseph Hospital Board and state bar association committees, and said he's "always fought for principles"

Orientation programs now in full swing

Some walk timidly into Jordan Hall, eyes widening at the lecture hall's size. They dart furtive glances at the leaders dancing wildly in the front of the room, at the girl or boy next to them. They're sizing everything up, and they're not sure what they think yet. \nOthers swagger, rolling their eyes at the sounds of Digital Underground's "The Humpty Dance" blaring from the sound system. Yet one look into their eyes belies their false confidence. \nThey're incoming freshmen, prepped to begin day one of a rigorous 48-hour immersion program designed to introduce them to their home for the next four years. And most are, simply, terrified.\nYet orientation leader Khlya Barnes smiles, and it's infectious. Slowly, the lips of the timid turn up. The overconfident swagger is immediately forgotten.\n"Hey, welcome to IU!" she exclaims, running a hand absently over her shock of closely-cropped bright blonde hair. "Yeah, where you from? I'm from a little place called the region..."\nThe flow of words is seemingly endless. As student after student packs into the crowded room, Barnes never lets up.\n"It's all about getting them in here and getting them excited about coming to IU," Barnes said. "A lot of them are kind of nervous, and it's my job to make them feel secure about coming here."\nIt's a typical reaction when visiting a campus of IU's size for the first time, according to Orientation Programs Student Coordinator Lucas Calhoun. He says most freshmen feel overwhelmed on the first day of the program. Many are visibly nervous, often making them appear disinterested or even overconfident. However, Calhoun said the enthusiasm of most incoming students is a great source of motivation for orientation leaders.\n"We make it a constant goal to make each freshmen feel connected to their new environment," Calhoun said. "Generally in a student group it does take awhile for the incoming freshmen to open up. This is okay because once that line of awkwardness is crossed great discussions take place."\nAccording to Melanie Payne, associate director of Orientation Programs, about 300 students flood campus per two-day session. Two schedules run concurrently during the sessions to allow greater interaction between students. \nStudents begin each day of the program, armed with a temporary meal card and orientation guide, with breakfast in Wright Quad. A typical schedule includes discussions on careers and placement, placement exams, group and individual advising and open houses at various locations throughout campus, according to the Office of Orientation Programs website. Students are invited to talk to IU students and professors in open forums as well. They also receive their CampusAccess cards and register for classes. \n"It's been a long day," said Stephanie Horstketter, an incoming student from Evansville, Ind. "I really didn't know what to expect -- and still don't -- but it's good to meet people from all over the country. And the leaders are crazy."\nThose leaders were chosen, Calhoun said, through a very selective, three-round process. This year over 200 applications were submitted for 27 available positions. The leaders were selected by a body composed of Office of Admissions staff, residence hall managers, auditorium staff, student services staff and graduate supervisors. \nThe result, Calhoun said, is a staff dedicated to upholding the "groundbreaking" standards established by the format of the program. \n"This year has been amazing," Calhoun said. "Our staff has a tremendous dynamic and it shows in front of our program participants. The professional staff involved in all aspects of our program have been influential as well. So the combination of the student and professional staff members has made programming better than we could have hoped for."\nDuring that programming, the diverse staff provides students with a different blend of perspectives concerning IU and the opportunities it fosters.\n"Incoming freshmen need every aspect of the program to be able to understand Indiana University," Calhoun said. "When a student leaves Bloomington to return home until August, we want them to be knowledgeable and proud of their decision to come to IU"

Candidates discuss IU's vision

Talbot stresses technology, communication\nIn an era where the hustle of everyday life becomes increasingly complicated by the emergence of new technologies, many people become discouraged. They eschew new developments; they shun e-mail and the Internet in favor of more traditional modes of communication. Yet Board of Trustees candidate Sue Hays Talbot has vowed to ride with the times. \nThe former Director of Alumni Education Programs and National Teacher of the Year has established a platform focused on student and faculty retention and the constant monitoring of existing degree programs, all the while maintaining a fierce dedication to the adaptation of new technologies for communication between alumni, administrators, faculty and students. \nIn fact, Talbot says a few young alumni have indicated they'll pledge their support to those candidates with computer proficiency. She says her communication via e-mail with more than 200 alumni in six weeks has allowed her to more accurately depict what alumni envision for the University, providing what she terms a "forum for dialogue with IU degree holders."\nShe added that electronic communication allows her to break down geographic barriers. Through e-mail, she can communicate with alum nationwide. \n"The disconnect between the University and our alumni is painful," Talbot said. "We want to be informed and to cherish the celebrations with one another. We also choose to work together when IU\'s image is tarnished."\nTalbot also maintains a personal Web site, which contains her full platform, as well as a biography, links and a polling section in which interested individuals can submit concerns about various issues. \nShe stresses dedication to upholding and improving upon the tradition of excellence she feels is definitive of the University. But change must be implemented to ensure such progress, Talbot says. \n"My doctorate education and background as a teacher, policymaker and IU employee brings a unique resource to the Board," Talbot said in her campaign platform. "I understand the importance of scholarship and research in a university environment and how they relate to the economic success of our state. I know we must continue to improve upon our legacy -- this means change."\nTalbot received the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce's Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2000, a testament to her reputation and dedication to the Bloomington community and IU campus. \nAnd it's a reputation rich with accomplishment. Talbot received degrees in elementary education from IU in 1966 and 1971 and in administration in 1992. She went on to serve as president of the School of Education Alumni and the IU Alumni Association and as a Women's Affairs adviser. She serves the Community Foundation Board and was special assistant for education to former Governor Robert D. Orr. \nTalbot has been honored with the Gertrude Rich Award and the School of Education Alumnus Award. She is also founding director of Hoosiers for Higher Education, a grassroots organization designed to work with legislative bodies concerning higher education spending. \n"I am not against anything or anyone at IU," Talbot said. "Rather, I am for whatever it takes to help Indiana University remain the world class institution it has become. In order to insure this reputation and to increase our image in areas needed, we need to work carefully on planning for the future. As alumni communicate their perceptions with us, we can continue to move forward aggressively and systematically."\nSmith wants to redefine University's goals\nNina Clevenger Smith thinks IU needs a mission.\nTo effectively compete with other institutions of higher learning in the state, Big Ten and even internationally, she says IU must decide what sort of University it wants to be.\nTo successfully lobby proposed initiatives, Smith feels proposals must fit into some sort of framework, into guidelines established through consensus.\nIf elected to the IU Board of Trustees, Smith, vice president and associate medical director of American United Life, hopes to help prepare that set of goals. \n"We need to decide what we are as a university," Smith said. "A lot of times when new initiatives are proposed, our gut reaction is, 'Hey, that sounds good, let's do that.' But we need to consider where those proposals fit into our overall plan."\nThat's where Smith feels IU lacks direction. \n"While IU does have a wonderful strategic charter, we don't really know where it's taking us," Smith claimed. "Different sorts of institutions require different focuses and different commitments. I don't see that IU has really decided what it wants to be."\nA clear mission allows administrators and trustees to set goals and determine whether they fit into the University's vision, Smith said. Crucial components to establishing a mission statement are commitments to education and research development. \nSmith added that IU must continue to expand upon what she deems a major strength of the College of Arts and Sciences -- its ability to truly educate students to think independently of technology.\n"We can never forget one of our duties is not just to teach for today but to educate minds to be intelligent and capable of reasoning," she said. "We must equip students with the ability to evaluate knowledge. That's the true basis for education."\nAnother one of Smith's chief concerns involves the budgetary process. She said the trustees must work more closely with the administration to develop efforts devoted to creating a responsible budget. \n"We must form a budget richer in those areas which fulfill our mission," Smith said. "To say the University is run like a business is not a dirty word. It's run like a good business, not a cold and uncaring one, and the bottom line is not money returning to stockholders but knowledge imparted to students."\nSmith believes she can help both develop that clear vision and set forth the sorts of financial and departmental changes necessary to facilitate it. A 1970 graduate of the IU School of Medicine, Smith is a member of the Alumni Club, Well House Society and Hoosier Hundred. She has served as president of the American Academy of Insurance Medicine, president of the Harold W. McMillen Center for Health Education and president of the Indiana affiliate of the American Diabetes Association.\n"It's time for a fresh idea, for a dog nipping at heels," Smith said. "I don't have all the answers ... but I think I can add a more diverse perspective"

A living legend

He's been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and three Grammy awards.\nHe's a member of the Jazz Education Hall of Fame, and Down Beat magazine recognized him for lifetime achievement. \nAnd now the Indiana Historical Society has bestowed its highest honor, the title of "living legend," upon David Baker, paying homage to one of the finest jazz musicians and instructors to roam the hills of central Indiana. \nYet it doesn't seem to faze Baker, who describes himself as a "teacher first."\nIn fact, every time he climbs the three stairs to the tiny stage in the back room of local pub Bear's Place to perform in their Jazz Fables series, he's not thinking of himself. He's smiling at his wife, flautist and Jazz Fables regular Lida Baker, as she lends a solo line to a Miles Davis standard. He's tapping his foot appreciatively in syncopation with the beat as only trained musicians can. Cello and bow in hand, he's smiling modestly, tweaking with sound equipment and tuning strings.\nIt was no different Thursday evening, when he appeared with an assembly of local musicians to pay tribute to late trombone legend and former teacher and mentor J.J. Johnson. Performing an assortment of classic jazz tunes co-arranged by Johnson and Miles Davis to a standing room-only crowd, Baker joined old friends and mentors "Pookie" Johnson and Jimmie Coe on that old familiar stage. \n"I grew up in Indy around those guys," Baker said. "It's always a joy to play with them; it's always gratifying."\nAn Indianapolis native, Baker began performing in the big bands of Maynard Ferguson, Lionel Hampton, Quincy Jones and Stan Kenton and in the George Russell Seminal Sextet in the 1940s and '50s. He began composing and arranging around that time, studying with such masters as Russell, John Lewis, Gunther Schuller and William Russo and establishing a technique fellow faculty members now describe as "brilliant" and "captivatingly precise."\nHe returned to IU to earn a degree in music education in 1953 and a master's in 1954. Following more than ten years of travel throughout the Midwest filling various teaching positions, he migrated back to Bloomington in the mid-sixties, a more seasoned musician and composer. \nBaker began teaching at the IU School of Music in 1966, at a time when the Indianapolis jazz scene was jumping and frequent jam sessions on the IU fraternity scene were commonplace. But the School itself offered no degree program in jazz studies, though jazz ensembles of which Baker himself was a part repeatedly received high honors in statewide competitions. \nThroughout the 1960s, more and more jazz ensembles began emerging on the Bloomington music beat, and in 1967, Baker was named chair of the fledgling jazz program, with instructions to design a degree-granting program in the study of jazz performance.\nThus the IU Jazz Studies program was born in 1968. At that conjecture, it was one of few jazz preparatory curricula in the country. In the 33 years since, Baker has had the chance to nurture his program, to watch it evolve. Attracting talented students internationally, the Jazz Studies department has established a level of excellence unparalleled in many comparable institutions.\nIt works, Baker claims, because of a clear focus and commitment to keeping with the changing responsibilities of musicians.\n"We're looking toward technology and the marketplace to see what kind of music people will listen to," Baker said. "It's about keeping your ear to the ground."\nThe University and surrounding community offer considerable support vital to the program's success as well, he added. \nBaker has also worked considerably to blur the lines traditionally drawn between classical and jazz performance study. In fact, he was one of the first local musicians to introduce stringed instrument in an acoustically driven jazz and swing playing environment.\nBaker picked up the cello in 1961 after a car accident rendered him unable to continue studying trombone, what he terms his "first love." Though he initially tried his hand at piano following the accident, it didn't take long to realize that wasn't the instrument for him.\nThe cello, he said, stands apart from traditional jazz instruments. Its rich folk history allows tremendous versatility. In addition, it allows him greater teaching opportunities, indeed his greatest passion. \n"Of all the things I do, teaching is the centerpiece of my existence," Baker said. "I enjoy working with people -- especially young people -- and this is so rewarding."\nIn fact, it's largely because of such contributions to the School of Music and the University as a whole that the Historical Society chose to honor Baker this year in its third annual presentation of the award. \nAccording to Eadie Barrie, development officer for the Society, the selection process is "very unique." A committee composed of staff and community leaders decide both a thematic basis for selection and an estimated number of candidates desired. \nThe award's 1998 inception coincided with the grand opening of the Society's headquarters in Indianapolis. That year, candidates were chosen by public ballot, according to media liaison Ellen Gullett. Thirteen Legends were honored that year. Last year, only one Legend was honored -- IU graduate and violin virtuoso Joshua Bell. \nThis year, the committee opted to name between five and seven candidates that have exhibited a dedication to either education or philanthropy or both. To ensure a fair representation statewide, the committee took into consideration geographic location as well, Barrie said. \nBaker's strong commitment to teaching exemplified the sort of criteria the committee was looking for, Gullett said. At the Living Legends Gala July 27, he will stand among such fellow "legends" as cartoonist Jim Davis to accept the honor.\n"It's always an honor to receive these kinds of things," Baker said. "I kind of said jokingly when I heard that I'd much rather be a living legend than another kind. I'm in very distinguished company and feel wonderfully blessed to be included among them."\nThe Indiana Historical Society will honor David Baker at the third annual Living Legends Gala on July 27. Tickets are $250 each and can be ordered by calling (317)-234-1313.

Candidates vie for position on board of trustees

Moss hails technology, affordability for students\nAttorney Jerry Moss comes to the Board of Trustees race well equipped with years of experience on various community and campus boards and foundations. \nThe 1958 graduate of the Kelley School of Business, who later moved on to receive his degree from the IU School of Law, currently serves as managing partner for the Indianapolis-based firm Bingham, Summers, Welsh and Spillman. \nHe has served on the IU Foundation board and the board of visitors at the IU School of Law. He has also served as president of both the IU Alumni Association and IU Varsity Club. The School of Law awarded him with its Distinguished Service Award as well.\nHis efforts have served the Indianapolis area as well; Moss has been president of the Washington Township School Foundation and served on the boards of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Bar Foundation.\nHe feels three major issues facing the university are fiscal responsibility, affordability and retention and technological advancements. \nTo achieve the first goal, Moss said it's necessary to educate voters on the need for significant funding allocations toward higher education.\n"We must focus on fiscal responsibility to assure maximum return for available monies... to stimulate greater legislative awareness and action," Moss said. \nRetention is also a key fixture of Moss\' platform, a goal he intends to realize through maintain "the highest level of technology at all campuses as well as the highest quality staff." By building a learning environment in which teachers are rewarded for their research and instruction efforts, both faculty and students are encouraged to keep learning.\nHe feels trustees factor into the equation by forming close working relationships with the "total university community," consisting of students, faculty, alumni and staff, and recognizing inherent problems and providing possible solutions. \nTrustees also provide vision, Moss said. By establishing goals and standards, trustees can assist in providing the best possible education with the least financial burden. \n"My total IU experience as a student and an alumnus provide me with an understanding and appreciation for our tradition of excellence," Moss said. "We are not, however, without our concerns. I am deeply devoted to IU, and am prepared to work diligently to move our school forward."\nRichardson cites freshman retention as key issue\nIncumbent candidate Ray Richardson is prepared to defend his position on the Board of Trustees in the upcoming 2001-2002 election. Richardson has served on the Board for nearly ten years, and believes the results of his efforts have established him as a premier candidate for this year's race.\n"It\'s easy to become frustrated when trying to make changes, because before trustees implement changes, they are customarily submitted to the unwieldy faculty governance system for approval," Richardson said. "I\'ve learned to work with this system and get significant results — to solve problems that others just talk about."\nA 1962 IU graduate, Richardson has served on the University Policies Committee, Finance Committee, Strategic Directions Steering Committee, Bloomington Student Senate and on the board of the IU Alumni Association. He has also served the Indiana House of Representatives from 1966 to 1990 and was formerly the volunteer division chairman for fund drives by the American Heart Association. He also participates in American Cancer Society and United Way activities and is co-founder of a homeless shelter.\nA highlight of Richardson's career includes the creation of the Trustees Teaching Award, which recognizes IU's most outstanding faculty with monetary awards and grants. Most awards are based on excellence in research, Richardson said.\nHe also focused attention on monitoring faculty course loads, allowing all professors and assistant instructors to teach a fair proportion of classes. Additionally, a post-tenure review system has been implemented on the Bloomington campus designed to examine and assist faculty who fail to meet research and teaching expectations, Richardson said.\nRichardson said he plans to expand on programs already instated during his tenure on the Board and developed in cooperation with the Bloomington Faculty Council. Such initiatives include easier facilitation of transferring credits between IU campuses and establishing a training program enabling associate instructors to better teach undergraduate courses. \nHe believes a key plank of his platform includes the establishment of freshman retention programs on IU campuses with low graduation rates. Though Richardson acknowledges the Bloomington campus has an "excellent" graduation rate, these programs, which consist of supplemental instruction, tutors, academic communities, mentor programs and more in-depth academic advising, allow campuses with poor graduation rates to better retain underclassmen. \n"On all IU campuses outside of Bloomington the graduation rate is so low that we owe it to the students to help more of them get degrees," Richardson claimed. \nRichardson also believes faculty retention is a key to the well-being of all campuses. \n"While my efforts have gone primarily towards improving undergraduate teaching, the reputation of the Bloomington campus depends primarily on the research efforts of the faculty," he said. "The faculty, like students, must be retained, and since money is one of the important ingredients in doing that, it is important to make sure that funding is sufficient."\nShumate says faculty important for success\nAttorney and 1967 IU graduate Michael J. Shumate has come out of his retirement in Aspen, Colo. to assume his place in the board of trustees race. Stressing the importance of faculty, partnerships and diversity, Shumate feels he can devote his full attention to implementing successful programs to enrich those areas if elected.\nShumate was involved in the Sigma Chi fraternity while at IU and was president of his senior class. After graduation, Shumate attended the University of Virginia Law School, earning his J.D. in 1970. Still, he continued to serve the University on the board at the Kinsey Institute and the IU accounting department in the Kelley School of Business. He is now involved in the Indianapolis IU Alumni Club and has taught at IUPUI as well.\nShumate's legal career includes serving as administrative partner and on the management committee in the New York and Los Angeles offices of Jones Day Reavis and Pogue. He was also formerly the chairperson of the Indianapolis Human Rights Commission and belongs to the Indiana CPA Society and the Indiana, California and New York bar associations.\nShumate believes faculty are "the most important component of the university." The implications of that statement, he contends, means IU must attract and retain first-rate faculty by offering adequate financial compensation. He lauds open communication between faculty and administrators as crucial components as well.\nPartnerships are of additional importance, Shumate continued. \n"IU should develop more partnerships with outside entities such as the Indiana Genomics Initiative," he said. "Such partnerships assist IU to raise important funding; adapt its research to private-sector needs; stay abreast of new technologies and marketplace demands; and attract top faculty."\nAttracting and retaining students is also one of Shumate's primary goals. \n"Retention of students, especially in the crucial freshman year, is essential to ensure a broad base of diverse students," he said. \nIf elected, Shumate would work to develop inclusive programs designed to facilitate diversity on all IU campuses. Success in such programs has "unlimited benefits," he claimed. \n"Trustees have important fiduciary responsibilities to a number of constituencies, all of whom strive to enhance It's global reputation," Shumate said on the IU Alumni Association's Web site. "Trustees must provide the vision and leadership in this quest in an open, fair manner and remain accessible to their various constituencies"

Painting celebrates life of Behrman

Barbara Richards remembers distinctly the instant she learned of Jill Behrman's disappearance. \nIt was the middle of the night, and Richards, wife of School of Music dean Gwyn Richards, recalls being jarred by a radio report detailing the disappearance of a young bicyclist. \nShe remembers thinking how horrible it would be, how tragic, for a parent to face such uncertainty, such irreparable heartache. \nYet it was only when the announcer disclosed the victim's name -- a name now recognizable to virtually any Bloomington resident -- that Richards realized the gravity of the situation.\nThat name was Jill Behrman. Daughter of Eric and Marilyn Behrman, sister of Brian and member of Megan Richards's confirmation class at First United Methodist Church, Jill was many things to many people. To the Richards family, she was one of their "stair-step kids," part of the foursome comprising the Richards and Behrman families' flock. \n"I remember thinking, 'Oh no, not Jill--not our Jill,'" Richards said. \nA COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT\nYet Barbera Richards remembers more the events immediately surrounding May 31, 2000.\nShe reflects on the kindness and enthusiasm of a community, of a city she said "joined hands" to orchestrate search efforts.\nShe remembers the yards and yards of yellow ribbon used initially to link her house to the Behrman\'s, inches and feet of ribbon later used to symbolize Bloomington's commitment to bringing a young woman home. \nShe thinks of the balloon launch orchestrated by her daughter Megan, in which hundreds of balloons with Jill's flier attached were released into the Bloomington skies. \nRichards wanted to do more, however. When presented with an oil pastel painting created by croatian/canadian artist Rajka Kupesic, she was intrigued by the use of color and motion, by the Old World passion with which Kupesic created images. She simply had to meet her, she said.\nKupesic, whose son Boris attends the School of Music under Dean Richards, traveled to the States the following summer, in the midst of the search for Jill. Richards recalls sitting around the kitchen table with Kupesic and detailing the events surrounding Behrman's mysterious disappearance. \nThe story spoke to Kupesic as painter and parent alike, and suddenly Richards knew how she could contribute to what Eric Behrman terms a "celebration of her spirit."\n"I asked what the process would be to commission a painting," Richards said. "She told me, but she made sure to say she only painted happy scenes. That's when I knew I wanted to commission a work that would reflect the support of the community that loved her, not the community that took her away."\nThe result, completed in January 2001 and unveiled yesterday at a wine and cheese reception at the IU Foundation, is a celebration of the things and people comprising the Bloomington community. The Behrman's church stands in the background, accompanied by scenes of Farmer's Market and the Sample Gates, a symbol of the university. Families and children play in the foreground along with musicians and characters attired in academic garb. Throughout the painting fly yellow balloons, though Kupesic knew nothing of the balloon launch prior to completing the work.\nAnd in the center stands Jill with her bicycle, the only recognizable character in the image. She faces the viewer whereas the others turn slightly away, and she's smiling. She's a portrait of vigor, of a zest for life and enthusiasm for well-being. \nAnd to Richards, there are no accidents in life.\n"Reika was the right one," she said. "She made the melody of youth transcend our pain."\nPAYING HOMAGE\nShortly before spring break this year, Eric Behrman was called to meet IU Foundation director Curt Simic at the Foundation. He had no idea why.\nWhen he arrived at Showalter House, he was shown a copy of the commissioned work, and was, simply, "overwhelmed." He loved the use of color and the style with which the painting was created. \nMost of all, he loved the way Kupesic depicted his daughter, a woman he said loved working out and was dedicated to her job at the Student Recreational Sports Center--even if she was cleaning the floor mats. \n"Jill saw things she thought others should see," he said. "She was never afraid of hard work."\nShe proved that through her dedication to cycling. The summer before her freshman year, Jill rode from Bloomington to Atlantic City with local cycling group DeCycles, and she wanted to train for the Little 500 race her sophomore year. \n"When she rode, she wasn't just out there for a leisurely ride. She rode fast," Behrman said. \nAnd though he'll never truly achieve closure, he says he's seeking resolution, at least -- the knowledge that some answers are out there to the seemingly endless stream of questions he and his wife face. \n"Obviously, our big concern is finding her," he said. "But also as a parent, if these kinds of things go unresolved, it could happen again -- and I'd hate to see that."\nYet he, too, retains hope.\n"I'd like to see her walk through the door someday and say, "Hey, Dad,'" he says softly, dropping his eyes. "She was a fun-loving girl."\nProceeds from sales of the painting will be added to the growing Jill Behrman Emerging Leader Scholarship to be offered through the Division of Recreational Sports. \n"Jill loved sports, and she enjoyed giving her best," Behrman said. "This scholarship embodies that spirit."\nA MOTHER'S GRIEF\nDuring the opening reception preceding the painting's disclosure, Marilyn Behrman appeared composed. \nShe drifted through the standing room-only crowd smiling assuredly, stopping to greet an old friend here, a longtime colleague there. Everyone, it seemed, knew this mother of two and sympathized with her plight, a struggle she's endured for over a year now.\nYet when Marilyn Behrman assumed a position behind the podium to add her concluding remarks and offer thanks, her demeanor quieted noticeably. Voice rich in emotion, she admitted she must work every day to accept what may have happened to her daughter. She said she knows it's all right to be sad, yet she considers herself "blessed with support."\nShe encouraged the audience to take time to cultivate relationships, because somewhere, somehow, she's able to find hope in the past year's struggles. Since Jill's disappearance, she said, she's noticed changes in the ways people prioritize their lives, evidenced through gifts of love, kindness, concern and prayers offered by members of the Bloomington community and throughout the country. \nThe painting, she said, was an especially touching gesture.\n"It reminds us that there is innocence in youth, despite the uncertainties life brings us," Behrman claimed. "That richness in life brings hope."\nLooking steadily at the faces of friends, of coworkers, of devoted searchers, her voice clear and strong, Behrman thanked them with words combining at once the complex multitude of emotions only a mother in her situation might utter.\n"I am overwhelmed by your presence, but no longer surprised," she concluded. "Jill is a very special person, and I'll always hold her in my heart, if not in my arms"

Animal rights group protests fast food chain

In the fight for humane treatment of animals now being waged in the food industry by left-wing animal rights organizations, children are becoming prime targets. \nThey grow up with Ronald McDonald and his Playplace, with chocolate Frosty and the Filet-o-Fish, with the signature Burger King cardboard crown.\nNow PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has capitalized upon those simple souvenirs of childhood. \nThe Norfolk, Va.-based animal rights organization has begun distributing blood-drenched crowns to children frequenting Burger Kings throughout the U.S. and Canada. The spikes on the mock crowns impale pigs and chickens in a dramatic attempt to increase awareness of cruel animal treatment by the major franchise, which directs more than $400 million to advertising geared toward children, according to PETA media liaison and Vegan Campaign coordinator Bruce Friedrich.\n"Fatty 'Big Kids' meals are turning kids into whoppers,\" said Friedrich. "The average American child eats five hamburgers a week, but most kids would probably lose their lunch if they knew about the animal suffering that goes into making Burger King\'s meals." \nPETA has garnered celebrity support as well in efforts to incite similar protests against the fast-food chain. Famed actors and longtime PETA supporters Richard Pryor and Alec Baldwin have joined the campaign, sending letters to franchise owners requesting they comply with minimum animal welfare standards in preparing their food items. \nIn doing so, Burger King would also agree to follow the lead of the McDonald's chain, which refused last year to purchase animal products from suppliers which skin and dismember live animals. Such suppliers have also faced accusations including chopping the beaks off hens and starving birds for weeks at a time to incite another laying cycle.\n"PETA wants Burger King to commit to at least the minimal animal welfare standards recently adopted by its chief competitor, McDonald\'s," Friedrich said. "Burger King is sticking by the pathetic 'industry standards,' which don\'t consider animal welfare at all."\nIn an April 2 news release, however, Burger King expressed its endorsement for guidelines for the humane treatment of animals, including those of the American Meat Institute (AMI) Good Management Practices for Animal Handling and Stunning for cattle and swine; the United Egg Producers (UEP) Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg Laying Flocks; and the National Chicken Council (NCC) Animal Welfare Guidelines for broiler chickens.\nIn addition, the company formed the Animal Well-Being Advisory Council, comprised of experts in the fields of agricultural and veterinary medicine and designed to assist in endorsing those guidelines.\n"Endorsing these guidelines forms the foundation for our Animal Well-Being program as we move forward," said Tulin Tuzel, senior vice president, research and development and Chief Technology Officer of Burger King Corporation. \"The next step, working in concert with our Advisory Council, will be to identify specific provisions within these guidelines which should be enhanced or qualified and to adopt procedures for implementation and verification.\"\nPETA's rebuttal claimed the corporation's claims were "duplicitous," saying Burger King must physically react to violations of industry guidelines.

Beta fraternity under investigation

One of IU's oldest Greek organizations suffered a legal blow last week when an Indianapolis man filed suit against the fraternity and several of its members. \nBeta Theta Pi faces a lawsuit stemming from a January 2000 incident in which five fraternity members allegedly chased a party-goer to a campus residence hall and beat him. \nColumbia University student Michael Kirk, 20, alleges fraternity members chased him from a party at the house, located at 919 E. 10th Street, to McNutt Quad, the location of the reported assault. IU Police Department arrived at the scene at 1:30 am Jan. 16 to find Kirk unconscious. He suffered injuries to his face and head, according to a police report. \nCiting the report, IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger said Kirk appeared to have been struck in the face. His left eye swollen shut and head bleeding, he was unconscious but breathing, Minger said. Because he had an irregular heartbeat the paramedics wanted to take him to the hospital for further observation.\nSeveral fraternity members told police they chased Kirk after he threw a rock through a fraternity window. \nThe lawsuit, filed in Monroe Circuit Court, primarily named Dustin D. Harrington and Carl R. Conodera as defendants. The suit also targets Beta Theta Pi's national foundation, the Pi chapter at IU and three other fraternity members accused in the assault. \nBrandon M. Kitkowski, a third defendant cited, was arrested and later charged with Class C felony battery, according to IUPD records. Harrington and Kitkowski were arrested the night of the altercation, and Condera was arrested in early February, also charged with class C battery. \nStephen Becker, administrative secretary for Beta's National Foundation in Oxford, Ohio, said the case is under review by the organization's legal advisers. The foundation's insurance agents have been working with Kirk's family throughout the case's progression, and the Pi chapter was placed on probation following the national organization's review of the event. \nBecker declined to comment further concerning the status of the case but placed his support behind the IU chapter. \n"The Pi chapter at IU has a long-standing history of tradition, with many prominent alumni going on to do great things," Becker said. "Like any fraternity at a large campus, it's challenged with the same issues that challenge all Greek organizations of its kind." \nDean of Students Richard McKaig said Beta was placed on campus probation as well as social restrictions for the 2000-2001 academic year and, consequently, was not permitted to participate in homecoming or IU Sing. They could also not be the host of parties or participate in sponsored social events.\nBut upon review prior to spring break by the Greek judicial board, administrators decided to allow the fraternity to participate in Little 500. \nMcKaig cited the use of alcohol as a primary factor in Beta's punishment, an issue familiar to all IU's men's fraternities. He cited a similar alcohol-related incident at Theta Chi fraternity in February, where freshman Seth Korona died, as an example.\n"It's an issue we've all had to deal with," McKaig said. "When alcohol is served at a party, it's a problem waiting to happen, and we've certainly had problems. I know fraternities are taking steps to address these issues, but I think we all would like to see quicker progress"

Group educates in Kenya

While most students his age were spending the waning May afternoons lounging in the sun, junior Kunal Desai was boarding a plane to Jambo, Kenya, preparing to spend a summer in which he'd forget himself to better help others. \nWhile his contemporaries face the world around 11 a.m., Desai wakes daily at 7 a.m. to begin teaching at a tiny Kenyan preschool. For three hours a day, his patience is tested, his spirit tried. Yet for Desai, it's all worth it as his students serenade him with traditional Swahili songs.\nDesai is part of Outreach Kenya Development Volunteers, an assembly of students and faculty dedicated to assisting Inter-Community Development Involvement, a grassroots Kenyan non-governmental organization. Volunteers arrive in Africa in mid-May and work closely with residents of the Western Province of Kenya to implement community development projects throughout the summer.\nThe group is the brainchild of IU alum Hank Selke, who realized the need to organize a group that could work closely with a non-governmental organization in Kenya after spending a summer there as part of an HIV/AIDS education program. But the road to creating such a group proved rocky indeed: due to limited funds, interested students were unable to afford the expensive start-up fees associated with existing as an independent nonprofit organization. \nWith the help of fellow IU student Philip Roesselar, Selke's dreams finally achieved fruition in late 1999 when Outreach Kenya was founded as an IU student organization.\nBut that status places restrictions on the sort of work Outreach Kenya is able to perform. Operating with it what directors Beth Messersmith and Martine Miller termed a "shoe-string budget" renders Outreach Kenya incapable of raising funds necessary to implement new programs. But financial setbacks have not deterred OKDV's diligent volunteer efforts, which begin annually in September with fundraising and member education sessions and conclude with the actual field experience the following summer.\nThrough firsthand experiences in Kenya, group volunteers witness the "corruption and greed that can inhibit progress," according to the group's Web site. Because of these circumstances, OKDV assumes a markedly different stance: working not from the top, but working with and educating the "common people," -- those not usually reached.\nThat's where Desai's interest was piqued. A biochemistry major with his sights on medical school, Desai claims he's had a longtime interest in AIDS education. He found his niche within OKDV in the HIV/AIDS education program.\nMale-dominated politics and a struggling health care system characterize the Western Province, which remains largely uneducated concerning sexually transmitted diseases and the AIDS epidemic. Desai, who is currently in Kenya and communicates to family and friends via satellite computer, said the general population believes AIDS can be transmitted through mosquitoes and that an infected individual can rid himself of the virus by passing it to as many people as possible. Additionally, he said, doctors in Kenyan hospitals do not identify the virus as HIV or AIDS; instead, the disease is attributed to witchcraft or sorcery.\nOKDV and ICODEI teams aim to eradicate such ignorance by presenting educational programs in schools, churches, community centers, bars, night clubs, and women's groups. Volunteers also lead discussions on STDs and AIDS, including its origin, transmission and prevention, and offer question and answer sessions.\nThe group also sponsors programs designed to introduce modern agricultural practices and overturn the use of chemicals in food preparation. The group is now building a library in the Western Province and also sponsors a nursery school. \nAdditional programs include trash clean-up days and micro-enterprise development efforts to encourage economic independence for women. Money-management courses are also offered.\nThe group's efforts extend far beyond the African continent, as well. Outreach Kenya has, and continues to, impact students and administrators alike on the IU campus. \n"I have found the activities of the Outreach Kenya Development Volunteers to be quite extraordinary," said outgoing Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis. "The two leaders of the volunteer group are deeply committed to helping the people of Western Kenya and have demonstrated that by spending summers there, collecting books for Kenyans, and sending materials as they have collected them from a variety of organizations in the community."\nThe group so deeply impacted Gros Louis, that he alluded to its achievements in his 1999 Commencement address. He also obtained a laptop computer for them to use in Kenya. \n"In brief, anyone who speaks to the leaders of this organization could not help but be positively moved by what it is they are attempting to do," he said.

Controversial study says homosexuality is 'a choice'

When Chris Mandeville was 24, he made a confession.\nFollowing his college graduation, the LaPorte, Ind., native found "home" at a church in Chicago. \nShortly thereafter, he divulged the secret of his homosexual feelings to a Christian counselor.\nThat counselor referred him to Overcomers, an "ex-gay ministry" designed to assist individuals in resolving homosexual tendencies. \nThough cynical at the outset, Mandeville regularly attended weekly meetings of the group. Encouraging participants to develop "normal" relationships with men and establish support groups to hinder them from "acting out," or engaging in homosexual relationships, Overcomer's leaders lauded the ability of prayer, fellowship and the Holy Spirit to modify homosexual behavior. \n"I went hoping it would help me resolve these feeling once and for all so I could move on with my life," he said.\nBut six months later, something changed. Realizing he didn't really conform to the group's teachings, Mandeville left.\n"I just realized after several months and then talking to people who were OK with being gay that this group really didn\'t make sense," he recalls. "It was really a relief to leave." \nChris' story is not unique. Each year, thousands of gays and lesbians turn to such forms of "conversion therapy" to help "overcome" homosexual tendencies.\nNow, a controversial study claiming homosexuals can choose to turn straight has sparked a heated national debate between right-wing religious groups and gay rights activists. Conducted by Columbia University professor Dr. Robert Spitzer and presented at last week's American Psychiactric Association meeting, the study traced more than 200 men and women's sexual behavior during a 12 to 14-year period. \nSpitzer reported at the study's conclusion that 66 percent of men and 44 percent of women achieved "heterosexual functioning," through "prayer, therapy and mentoring relationships."\n"Heterosexual functioning" is characterized by being in a sustained, loving heterosexual relationship within the past year, getting enough satisfaction from the emotional relationship with their partner to rate at least seven on a 10-point scale, having satisfying heterosexual sex at least monthly and never or rarely thinking of somebody of the same sex while having heterosexual sex. \nHomosexual advocacy groups such as the Human Rights Campaign have taken a firm position against the study's findings, deeming them "unscientific" and "profoundly biased." The HRC and other groups like it have condemned Spitzer's personal views on homosexuality and his alleged ties to right-wing political organizations as detrimental to the study's credibility. \n"The so-called study is snake oil packaged as science," Tim McFeeler, political director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, told the Human Rights Campaign Tuesday. \nThe HRC also decries the study for being based in the "Christian right."\n"The Christian right has claimed for years that sexual orientation is a mutable characteristic -- but only when it comes to homosexuality," the HRC stated in a 1999 dissertation entitled "Mission Impossible: Why Reparative Therapy and Ex-Hate Ministries Fail."\nGay rights groups have also derided the study as statistically inaccurate, claiming the subjects were "hand-selected." According to the HRC, only 17 percent on the men and 55 percent of women tested said they were "entirely heterosexual" following five years of treatment. The HRC also warns against the psychological aspects associated with conversion therapy.\nAccording to clinical studies conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, individuals seeking conversion therapy can do so as a result of homophobic social biases. The report suggests that gay men and lesbians who are able to accept their orientation positively are better adjusted than those who attempt to "change" their sexuality. \nThe APA publicly condemned the practice in 1998, stating conversion therapy fails to recognize alternative approaches to dealing with social stigmas against homosexuals.\nThe HRC study went on to claim religious political organizations utilize the issue of homosexuality to attract benefactors. It cited the use of political advertisements featuring "converted heterosexuals" subsidized by religious groups as an example.\nIn one such advertisement, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott compares homosexuals to alcoholics, kleptomaniacs and sex addicts. \nThe HRC further attacked Spitzer's study, claiming 43 percent of the subjects were recommended by ex-gay ministries.\nManipulation lies at the root of such organizations, said Doug Bauder, coordinator of student services in IU's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Office.\n"We all want what's best for our kids, but it's a misunderstanding, a control thing," Bauder said. "That often stems from a family's conservative religious background, and those family and religious ties run very deep."\nIt's an experience to which Bauder himself can relate.\n"With prayer, reading and conversation with others I began to hear God's voice telling me, 'Doug, I'm not expecting you to change, I'm just expecting you to live your life honestly, authentically and responsibly.'" \nFor Bauder, living within those parameters means maintaining healthy relationships and behaviors. He believes sexual orientation exists separate of the freedom to modify those behaviors, and to change that integral part of a person's composition would prove destructive and dangerous.\nBut for others such as Mandeville, positive benefits can surface from involvement in such groups.\n"It helped me learn about myself and decide what I really believe," he said. "I don't think it was the most safe, productive way to do this, but it worked for me. I still had a hard time coming to terms with it even after I left, but I knew that an ex-gay ministry wasn\'t for me. "\nBauder maintains other, healthier alternatives exist to conversion therapy, however. \n"If people are unhappy with their lives, there can be ways to assist in that," Bauder said. "But this is about an attempt to change a person's nature."\nMandeville agrees. "Like a lot of other people I\'ve talked to, I think you can change behavior, but not who you are," he said. "The mind is very powerful and we can convince ourselves of almost anything we want to. If a person really believes they have changed and they are happy, then fine. But I believe we are whole and perfect as we are. There\'s nothing to fix."\nCourage International, a Roman Catholic ministry aimed at assisting individuals in overcoming homosexual tendencies, discourages labels such as "gay" and "lesbian," claiming such generalizations lead people to believe they are locked into a specific sexual preference. The group claims some people, especially young adults, are "able to further their psychosexual development with spiritual and psychological aid," according to the group's Web site.\nThe group further defines such labels as "reductionist" methods of referring to individuals. Courage claims all people are "first and foremost children of God," and referring to them as gay or lesbian implies an unchaste lifestyle.\nThe National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality adheres to such perceptions, stating social and psychological factors may influence sexually curious young adults by encouraging labeling. \nThe keys to change, NARTH asserts, are "desire, persistence, and a willingness to investigate the conscious and unconscious conflicts from which the condition originated." While NARTH acknowledges change might come slowly, they claim clients gradually "grow into" their heterosexual potential.