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(11/11/02 11:02pm)
For the second year in a row, Alpha Phi Alpha will reign as the IU Panhellenic Council's Chapter of the Year, while Phi Gamma Delta gained control of the title for the Interfraternity Council and Alpha Gamma Delta for the Panhellenic Association.\nThursday night, over 500 members of the greek community filled Alumni Hall at the Indiana Memorial Union to recognize the great accomplishments of their peers at the 2002 Greek Awards Ceremony. \nThe ceremony, organized by IFC, PHA, IU-PHC and the Multi-Cultural Greek Council, recognized the recipients and chapters for their hard work, leadership and commitment to their chapters and to the community. New to this year's program was the addition of four emcees as well as several new awards. \nOpening the program was a brief dance number featuring the night's emcees to "Celebrate" by Kool and the Gang. The routine was followed by a video compiled of footage from various campus activities such as Dance Marathon, intramural sports teams, Little 500 and Delta Delta Delta's candlelight vigil. \nJunior Erin White from Kappa Delta, sophomore Brian Moak from Zeta Beta Tau, senior Jason Lee from Alpha Phi Alpha and sophomore Erika Chairez from Sigma Lambda Gamma claimed the Alumni Hall stage as emcees for the event.\nFollowing the dance number and video presentation was the evening's keynote speaker, Dr. Debbye Turner, the 1990 Miss America, journalist for CBS and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Dr. Turner's speech urged attendees to "be all you can be" and to never lose focus. Turner's anecdotes, which included one about a school of fish and another about Turner and her grandmother, encouraged students to work for their best and "celebrate that they were born into excellence." \nThroughout the night, 24 different awards were handed out to members in all of the councils involved. Alpha Phi Alpha ruled the evening with seven awards, and Alpha Kappa Alpha followed with six.\nSenior Julie Lappas, the PHA vice president of Membership Development, said Thursday night's awards ceremony has been in the works since last spring, but the bulk of the work was accomplished this fall . \n"We added new awards to really recognize the additional values that are important to the greek community," Lappas said. \nThe "Challenging the Process" award, won this year by Alpha Phi, was created to recognize a chapter which challenged the status quo and worked to "think outside the box." The other new service award was the "Greek Collaboration" award, won by Kappa Delta and Alpha Kappa Alpha, was given to a chapter that collaborated with greek organizations outside their own council. \nThe extensive planning done by the committee and all of this year's new editions added to the quality of the program, Lappas said.\n"The emcees provided good transitions between the awards and made the night more spirited and fun," said Lappas. "I am so proud of all four of the emcees. They did a fabulous job entertaining everyone and engaging the audience." \nThe emcees prepared for the program for about a month, picking out all the songs and working to coordinate the event. \n"The emcees practiced twice a week for a little under a month, and we really developed quite a chemistry together," Moak said. "I thought that we as emcees helped make smooth transitions,and provided comic relief during some lulls in the ceremony. My favorite part of the event was the introduction. We did a dance, introduced ourselves and got the crowd going."\nLast night's awards were highly competitive among greek members, with the PHA Chapter of the Year award claiming closest finish between chapters. There was only a five point difference on application scoring among the top eight chapters. Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Omicron Pi tied for second place with 130 points each, but AGD edged both chapters out with a score of 131.\nOther top awards for the evening were Greek Man of the Year, given to senior Eric Butterbaugh of Pi Kappa Phi and Greek Woman of the Year, given to senior Jennifer Watters of AGD.\n"I don't really think that there are one or two big accomplishments that helped me in receiving this award, rather it was a combination of smaller, everyday experiences and decisions -- more of a way of life, than a couple of life events," Watters said.\nButterbaugh credited other members of his house with helping him receive the award.\n"Not one accomplishment that set me up for this was result of individual effort," he said. "I simply couldn't have done any of it without the support of my chapter brothers"
(10/24/02 5:38am)
Princesses, witches, ninjas and ghosts decorate the streets annually one night a year, when kids have a reason to stay up late and consume massive amounts of candy.\nAs the years progress, so do children's costumes, until middle school or high school when they are "too old" to go trick-or-treating. However, you're never too old to go trick-or-treating and celebrate Halloween, a perennial favorite among IU students.\nNow, as college students and beyond, we begin to look at what we want our costumes to be this year. Wearing mom's old black dress and a pointed hat for a witch's costume was fine at age 10, but now at age 21 or 31, that old black dress won't cut it. \nWe all have our favorite perennial costumes, but being a witch, a vampire or a ghost gets old after 20 years. Now the big decision is what to do for this year. The main trends this year include superheros, along with anything retro and anything sexy. Tony Bianchi from the Halloween Adventure Shop, located at 104 4th St. in New York City, says this year it is OK to wear whatever the heart desires.\n"There really aren't any costumes people should avoid. I mean, here in New York we have a huge parade and anything goes," Bianchi said.\nJimmy Donner of Hollywood Toys n Costumes, located at 6600 Hollywood Bvd. in Los Angeles, agrees about the anything goes, but his store won't carry any costumes pertaining to Osama bin Ladin. Although many customers have inquired about the infamous terrorist, his store refuses to keep it in stock. George\nGarcia, from Fantasy Costume Headquarters, located at 4065 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago, says his store won't carry a Saddam Hussein costume because of the same reasons regarding American patriotism.\nLocally, Sharon Hays of Rags T Ritches, located at 1809 E. 10th St., says Arabian costumes have been low-key this year.\n"We haven't pushed our Arabian or far eastern costumes this year," said Hays. "We have them, but we have not pushed them because we haven't had anyone ask for that costume. We have not rented one so far. I still think people are skittish about that and they have always been one of our best rentals."\nThe big question is now, if anything goes, how do you know what's going to be the coolest costume of the season? The consensus among costumes shops is that superheroes and retro are sure to rock the parties this year.\nGarcia's store has sold large quantities of Spiderman costumes for kids and adults. College students and adults frequenting his store have purchased numerous 70s-ish Austin Powers costumes to wear this year. The female shoppers have headed towards the Renaissance costumes, as well as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis. Garcia explains the sudden interest in Marilyn and Elvis due to the anniversaries of their deaths.\n"This year is the 40th anniversary of Marilyn's death and the 25th of Elvis," Garcia said.\nBianchi's store has sold many of the same types of costumes, but his store has had a larger contention among children-themed costumes.\n"This year Harry Potter, Star Wars, Spongebob Squarepants, as well as your classic witches, vampires and Presidents are all popular," said Bianchi. "For the ladies, they have been in here looking for Snow White and other Disney Princesses, as well as nurses, Wonderwoman, and any other sexy costumes."\nBrittany Spears costumes and anything short and sexy have been among the main interests of female shoppers at Rags T Riches.\nWhat determines the trends for Halloween? Some costume shops say movies and the news heavily affect what people will don for All Hallows Eve, but others say manufacturers determine what people wear. Movie trends can be seen in the abundance of Spiderman, Scooby Doo and Austin Powers costumes, all which were box office blockbusters over the summer. The numerous requests for Hussein, bin Ladin, Clinton and George W. Bush are all due to the intense media coverage of their actions.\n"Austin Powers is now an icon after 3 successful movies. And do you know how many vampire moves have been made?" Bianchi said. "The Statue of Liberty costumes are big this year because manufacturers are making them. It's the same with any other patriotic or military costume, like firemen."\nHow much to spend?\nMost students are in a panicked state when it comes to purchasing or creating their costume. They are not sure of how much is too much to spend and how much is too little to spend. Estimates of what students and adults should spend varied from store to store, with the general average was around the $35 mark.\nHollywood Toys n Costumes said $100 was enough for students, with the average prepackaged costume running around $39.99.\nHalloween Adventure Shop said anywhere from $10 to $500 could be spent at their store, depending on where students are wearing the costume. Bianchi says students should spend more if they are entering costume contests, but spend less if it's just for a party.\nFantasy Costume Headquarters' customers spend an average of $45 to $75 dollars, but Garcia says you can go higher or lower depending on your tastes.\nRags T Ritches has a wide variety of costumes ranging form $10 to $100, with plenty below $30. The store even has sales and clearance racks outside, with costumes as low as $1.\nDeciding to stray away from this year's most popular costumes, sophomore Brent Moore is going to spend no more than $30 on his costume.\n"I'm going to be Scuba Steve from the movie 'Big Daddy'," Moore said. "I chose it because I was watching the movie and thought that all the fine young ladies would like to see me wearing a wet suit. Plus, it's original."\nWhile choosing a costume can be a difficult task, Garcia has one piece of advice to give to those dressing up: watch the extent of the costume.\n"I think some people get too technical. They think they are going to a wedding. Instead, they should just dress up, be down-to-earth, hang loose and have a good time rather than worry about the small details of the costume," Garcia said.\nJunior Lizzie Pope is unsure about this year's costume, but she's directing her attention towards anything in her house.\n"I usually look around my house for inspiration for my costume," Pope said. "I use stuff from around the house to make my costume. Last year I was a Christmas tree because I had lots of Christmas lights lying around."\nSome of the different and wacky costumes in stock this year around the costume shop circuit include one named "All-pooped-out" with a fake rear-end and fake poo on the butt, "White Trash" which is a garbage can with the head going through the lid and Neptune and his Sea Nymph, based upon Roman mythology, at Rags T Riches. The Neptune costume uses wigs with green stringy hair, shell bracelets and necklaces and a certain type of cape the store carries.
(10/18/02 2:29pm)
In its third annual survey, SELF, a women's health and fitness magazine, has dubbed Indianapolis the second unhealthiest city, with South Bend, sixth, and Gary, 10th, following shortly thereafter.\nMeg D'incecco, from SELF magazine's public relations department, said the survey encompassed a large number of areas affecting women, but that the Indiana cities failed the survey because of the general health of the female population.\n"In this survey, we took the 200 largest metropolitan areas in the country and looked at statistics from violent crime, rapes per minute, exercise time, number of toxic sites in the area. So just in general a very, very wide range of lists that we got from an advisory board of experts," D'incecco said.\nIn the study, Gary had a low number of rape cases and relatively low alcohol consumption," D'incecco said. According to survey statistics, Gary females consumed two fewer drinks per month than the survey average. On the other hand, the average Body Mass Index (BMI) for Gary was 26.5. Anything over 25.0 is overweight, according to the Center for Disease Control.\nThe survey found that South Bend's positives were that the city has a relatively low suicide and depression rate and the city is above average for the number of health clubs for the population. On the downside, South Bend women averaged only 25 minutes of exercise per day, while the survey average was 34 minutes. Also, women's health care for the city was extremely bad, according to the survey. To determine this the magazine compared the number of people with insurance, the access women have to see a specialty doctor, the number of hospital beds in the city, the number of mental health care professionals and among other things.\nDespite such a low ranking, Indianapolis actually had very high rankings in the number of insured women and a relatively low unemployment rate. D'incecco said the latter criterion was important because jobs generally help to increase the quality of life for people.\n"When women are employed, they have income, which allows them to pay for health clubs, insurance, and they usually wind up having a greater opportunity to have and live a healthy life," said D'incecco.\nIndianapolis had a high number of smokers and high rates and statistics for sexually transmitted diseases, D'incecco said.\n"This was a very important criterion for us to look at," she said. "With this area, we wanted to make sure we let women know about these areas, so if they live there and didn't know, they would find out, be knowledgable and know they need to take more precautions to protect themselves."\nGonorrhea and syphilis rates for the city are nearly five times the national average, according to the magazine. \n"Although the number of sexually transmitted disease cases has been high in Indianapolis in the past years, the Stomp Out Syphilis program has helped to lower not only syphilis numbers, but also gonorrhea and other diseases, John Althardt from the Marion County Health Department said.\n"Several years ago, the Center for Disease Control said Indianapolis had the highest per capita STD cases in the nation," Althardt said. "What we look at is the pure numbers because those are individuals. They are not percentages or numbers, but they are individuals."\nThe program's success, Althardt said, has come from the comminties work to tackle this program. "We've gone to the neighborhoods where we know have a large number of cases, and used one-on-one contact with the residents thanks to help from the community," he said. "It takes time for the building of relationships and trust and a community wide approach. We have to have the support of the business owners and the clergy to help spread our message. We've had a multi-faceted approach, so we've been able to see our numbers come down."\nOver the past few years, Indianapolis has been touted as one of the heaviest cities in America. For 2002, Natural Health magazine named Indianapolis runner up for fattest city, while Men's Fitness put the city at tenth.\nCurrently, the national statistic of obese persons -- people with a Body Mass Index greater than or equal to 30 -- is at 20.1%, according to the Web site for the Center for Disease Control. Indiana's obesity rate for men and women combined is at 21.8%, almost two points higher than the national average.\nThe Indiana Governor's Council for Physical Fitness and Sports was created by Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon to recognize a person's dedication to fitness and to challenge people to strive for better health. The council delegates its time towards the creation and recognition of health conscious opportunities in the community.\n"We are working with several different partners that you might not think of as public health partners; the Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Management and other agencies that deal with creating an environment that encourages physical activity," said Casey McIntire, executive director of the council. "The things we are trying to do are to point out and create biking routes, use non-motorized transportation on these routes, and make sure existing sidewalks meet (standards). We want to create environments that allow people to be active and…encourage people to try to incorporate more physical activity back into their lives"
(10/11/02 4:57am)
A probable cause affidavit filed by the Bloomington Police Department Thursday claims Uriah Clouse raped a Bloomington female May 21, 2001 and then continued to harass her, eventually violating a protective order early June 2001.\nIn April 2002, investigators in the Jill Behrman case named Clouse as one of the suspects in the case. BPD Detective Marty Deckard said in an IDS article from April 2002 that "Uriah is a suspect, as are several others, based on having an alibi that doesn't stick." At the same time, Brown County Prosecutor Jim Oliver encouraged a bond motion filed April 5 to raise Clouse's bond on charges unrelated to the Behrman investigation based upon FBI information and Clouse's criminal record.\n"The (FBI) agent told me that his sources said Clouse was threatening to kill people involved in the Behrman investigation," Oliver said in a previous IDS article. No charges have been filed against Clouse in the Behrman investigation.\nBehrman disappeared May 31, 2000 while on a bicycle ride. Her bike was found later that day. This September, investigators drained a portion of Salt Creek in search of her body. Due to weather conditions, the creek investigation came to a halt. Investigators will be sending the case to the Monroe County Prosecutor Carl Salzmann by the end of the month, Deckard said.\nAccording to the probable cause affidavit, in May of 2001 Clouse struck up a relationship with the rape victim. The affidavit says that on May 21 in the early morning hours Clouse arrived at the victim's apartment where another female was also present. Later that morning, the acquaintance left, leaving Clouse and the victim alone. Minutes after the friend left, Clouse allegedly proceeded to grab the woman, eventually pinning her on the couch and raping her.\nFive days later, according to the probable cause affidavit, Clouse returned to the victim's apartment where he attempted to force himself upon her again. The victim's acquaintances deterred Clouse from any further harm on the victim.\nIt was not until after the victim knew that Clouse was incarcerated in the Brown County Jail that she came forward with her report.\nAt press time, no known date had been set for a pleading hearing in the rape allegation. If Clouse is convicted, he could receive anywhere from six to 20 years in jail.\nBut this won't be Clouse's first time through the justice system. He has a long history of charges and trials for various crimes. \nIn a Brown County court Thur-sday, Clouse was found guilty of disorderly conduct and had a hung jury on a battery charge stemming from an earlier incident where Clouse allegedly beat up another inmate at the Brown County Jail. His sentence hearing for the case is October 25, where he could receive a maximum of 180 days in jail, Oliver said.\nSince October 1993, Clouse's record includes a conviction of a delinquency petition alleging felony battery, a conviction on a rape charge which was overturned 18 months later, numerous dismissed public intoxication charges, guilty pleas for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, operating a vehicle over the legal .10 Blood Alcohol Content, resisting law enforcement and failure to carry insurance.
(10/01/02 5:47am)
After 28 months of searching for missing IU student Jill Behrman, officials on the case are preparing reports for the final stage of the investigation before turning them over to the county prosecutor.\nWithin the next several weeks, the FBI and Bloomington Police Department will turn over reports summarizing the entire investigation to Monroe County Prosecutor Carl Salzmann, BPD Detective Marty Deckard said. \nThe summary will include the analytical values of all of the physical evidence found in the investigation, as well as the results of leads and tips, Deckard said. \nThe BPD and the FBI will keep the physical evidence in their custody to forensically-analyze it. \nUntil the report is sent, Deckard said the BPD and FBI will continue to investigate leads and evidence to their fullest extent.\n"We have several leads that have come from the last episode of 'America's Most Wanted,'" Deckard said. "I have at least 40 phone calls to return since the media coverage at Salt Creek, with more calls everyday. Even today, after the weekend, I had 20 phone calls, and I have taken eight calls today regarding information on that case."\nWith large amounts of investigating still to be done, it will take time before law enforcement officials have the reports ready. Once the report is ready for the prosecutor, it will be presented by Deckard or FBI Agent Gary Dunn, Deckard said.\nAfter the presentation, the prosecutor's office will review the case, look at all the summaries, then make a determination on whether or not there is enough evidence in the case to file charges, Salzmann said.\nThe FBI's and BPD's roles in the case are not over once the report is turned over, Deckard said.\nIf necessary, both departments will further investigate any part of the case prosecutors have questions about or would like to see further investigated.\nSalzmann said his office has not been idle during the last 28 months. Since Jill's disappearance May 31, 2000, they have provided subpoena and evidence requests for the courts to get records and search warrants to help investigators.\nIn this final part of the investigation, the Behrman family will be kept informed of what is going on in the case, Salzmann said.\n"Like any victim in a felony case, we keep them reprised of what's going on," Salzmann said. "If there are any questions of them, we call them, or if they have any questions of us, they call us. We have an open-door policy."\nMarilyn Behrman, Jill's mother, said she and her family were initially focused upon finding Jill, but now they are also concerned with discovering the individuals involved in their daughter's disappearance.\nThose with information in the case should call the local FBI office at 332-9275 or the local police at 349-3325.
(09/19/02 6:09am)
Evidence found during a search of Salt Creek confirms missing IU student Jill Behrman was placed there, investigators said Wednesday.\nAt a press conference near Salt Creek, investigators said they are consulting with the IU Geological Department and with crews on site about the possibility of using ground-penetrating radar to find Behrman, who disappeared while riding her bike in May of 2000.\nInvestigators now have additional hope they will find Behrman, FBI Special Agent Gary Dunn said.\n"We found items that once again reinforce to us that Jill was placed here, and that gives us that much more encouragement that we\'re going to find what we\'re looking for," Dunn said.\nSearch crews have spent the past week draining and searching for evidence in Salt Creek. Natural conditions have stifled work as rain, mud and water seepage from the ground fed back into the creek bed.\nDunn said the 27 person Salt Creek crew spends 10 to 15 minutes removing one worker stuck in the sludge on average. Wednesday's effort saw two workers stuck in the sludge.\nBloomington Police Department Detective Marty Deckard said while parts of the creek bed are now showing, pools of water dot the 1.4-mile stretch of the creek. Workers have been concentrating on the few hundred yards south of the north dam. \n"We've exposed an area of land that has been under water for hundreds of years. I don't expect that mud to dry up any more," Deckard said. "You end up with mud up six inches above the knee, stuck and it stinks."\nThe ground-penetrating radar, which Deckard called a CAT scan for the ground, could help.\n"It will be able to layer images for us, so that it can tell us what is one inch under the ground, what is two inches and what is three inches," he said. "We are going to look at that as some type of magnetic resonance imaging, like the medical profession uses."\nManual searches by crews and search dogs will be the main methods for seeking clues and evidence for now, until the ground-penetrating radar is used, Deckard said.\nBefore the radar is used, workers will have the benefit of working with an additional 20 National Guardsmen this weekend. Starting on Friday and continuing throughout the weekend, the Guards will work along side firefighters, law enforcement and conservation officers already out at Salt Creek, said Steve "Rocky" McClain, a conservation officer who has worked with the crews since the beginning of the search. \n"Part of the excitement of the day was that we were going to get reinforcement by the end of the week, and I think we're all looking towards that due to the fact that…it's getting to the point where (the search crews are) a little fatigued and a little exhausted," McClain said.\nDunn commended the volunteer firefighters who have been out at the scene throughout the search.\n"The firemen from Bloomington and Ellettsville have been magnificent," he said. "We've had to put pumps in, take them out and put them in ad nauseum. We've done this in the evening hours when it's dark and treacherous, and these guys have done this without a whimper."\nBehrman was last seen on May 31, 2000. She left her house that Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. for a bicycle ride, but was reported missing late that night by her family. Local and federal law enforcements have been working for the past 27 months to find Behrman and also possible suspects in what has now been called a hit-and-run.\nLaw enforcement officers encourage people with information to call the Bloomington FBI office at (812) 332-9275 or the local police at (812) 349-3325.
(09/17/02 6:07am)
Crews working all day Monday to search Salt Creek discovered new evidence police say could be linked to missing IU student Jill Behrman.\nBPD Detective Marty Deckard, a member of the Jill Behrman Task Force, said investigators will forensically analyze the evidence to determine whether it has any value.\nSalt Creek was extremely muddy Monday, but work did not cease. With an initial river depth of 19 feet, the river is now down to three to three-and-a-half-feet. Crews, using large and small pumps and two dams, have drained the majority of a 1.4 mile stretch of the creek.\nCrews are concentrating on three "pools," named the Northern Pool, Middle Pool and Southern Pool, with the final pool capturing the main attention of the search effort. Efforts will be concentrated on the North pool, which is currently four to four-and-a-half-feet deep, to eliminate the majority of the water to continue the search.\nFederal, state and local law enforcement officers have spent the past week with members of state and local environmental agencies and companies. Department of Natural Resource employees have been out at the scene from before sunup to after sundown every day maintaining equipment used on the scene, such as pumps that continue to drain water, Deckard said. \nSince the creek bank was exposed, members from three different canine search and rescue units have combed the banks of the river.\nLaw enforcement officers from the Indiana State Police, IU Police Department, Bloomington Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff's Department have provided security, search members and divers. The United States Army Corps engineers brought their knowledge of the lake and lake area.\nSince Saturday, Bloomington and Ellettsville Fire Department members have helped with moving pumps and equipment and assisted other crew members.\nDeckard said he feels all the crews have given more time and effort than was expected.\n"These guys (from the fire departments) are working as volunteers. They are doing all of this on their time off. It's very moving," Deckard said.\n"Lt. Dennis Kuntz from the Department of Natural Resources has had his men and women come out not only in their dive apparatus, but coming out with their incredible expertise and knowledge of the area so they can assist us in every way.\n"Honestly, this is a heroic effort on many agency parts," he said.\nDeckard noted some of the most heroic work was done by law enforcement divers back in April and June.\n"Earlier this year, we had divers in that water. Now that the water's down and we can see what the divers had to deal with, it truly is a testament to the divers that they risked their lives in the debris-strewn, murky water," he said. "We now see fallen trees and trees from the banks of the river before the creation of Lake Monroe. It's a very treacherous environment. It's pretty amazing and honestly pretty moving to know what these guys went through to assist us."\nEric Behrman, Jill's father, says his family is very appreciative to all those involved in the search.\n"We're pleased with the dedication and the determination of the investigators. They have been the ones who have coordinated this effort, making it possible to hopefully find Jill and bring her home," Behrman said. "That's also in cooperation with a great many other people around the Bloomington community, as well as various construction and trucking companies and all the law enforcement people who have helped out in many, many ways."\nWhile almost all of the search and rescue efforts have been concentrated at Salt Creek, investigators are still receiving tips and information regarding the case because of large amounts of media coverage from newspapers and TV stations. \nDeckard explained that while most people believe their information might already be known or is unimportant, he encourages people with information to report what they know.\n"The truth of the matter is it's an active investigation, and it's like putting together a puzzle. Even though someone might feel like their information is not important, it might be the piece of the puzzle we might be looking for," he said.\nThose with information are asked to call Deckard at (812) 349-3325 or FBI Special Agent Gary Dunn at (812) 332-9275.
(09/17/02 5:05am)
Feminist artist Judy Chicago's return to the IU campus was marked Friday afternoon with a screening of the documentary "No Compromise: Lessons in Feminist Art." Some of Chicago's art has been displayed in The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, and a lithograph of one of her most famous pieces, "Butterfly Vagina Erotica," will be added to the collection.\nKinsey curator Catherine Johnson believes this piece is a great addition to the Kinsey Institute.\n"We are very pleased with this donation. Judy Chicago is one of the most important artists of the 20th century and, now, on into the 21st century because of her notability in feminist art," Johnson said. "It's what our collection needed. We've had a shortage of women's work in the past. This is a step toward improving our collection."\nChronicling Chicago's semester at IU in the fall of 1999 as an instructor for an advanced art class, the documentary film captured Chicago's abilities as a mentor, friend and creative influence.\nClass participants spent 16 weeks in an art studio focusing on art history, gender studies and philosophy. The culmination of the students' growth and progress was demonstrated in an art exhibit hosted by the IU Art Museum.\nAfter seeing the video, sophomore Adam Steer said the Chicago's work opened up a new art genre for him.\n"I'm from New York, so we have a large amount of art galleries and exhibits. Before the video, I had never really thought about feminist art," Steer said. "Now that I've seen Chicago's perspective and the way she helped her students, I would like to see more of her works."\nFollowing the screening, documentary writer, director and editor Suzanne Schwibbs, Chicago, IUB professor Peg Brand from the gender studies department, and two of Chicago's students participated in a question and answer session, where topics ranged from Chicago's role models to possible shock value contained in her art to the students' experiences during and after Chicago's course.\nChicago began creating her feminist art in the 1960s, according to "Through the Flower," her Web site.\nOver the past 40 years, Chicago has worked with California State University in Fresno and the California Institute of the Arts to develop and teach others about feminist art. Some of Chicago's most well-known pieces, such as "The Dinner Table," "Birth Project" and "The Holocaust Project" have traveled to hundreds of exhibits around the country, with "The Dinner Table" being donated to the Brooklyn Museum of Art.\nIt will be on display in the Brooklyn, New York museum from Sept. 20 until Feb. 9, 2003, and later the museum will become the piece's final resting place in 2004.\nWith paintings such as "Butterfly Vagina Erotica," "The Dinner Table," "Birth Project" and "The Holocaust Project," Chicago's art spans multiple art genres, thus helping to capture the attention of numerous art fans. While part of Chicago's publicity has come from her paintings that at times are considered scandalous or salacious, others, such as "The Dinner Table" present a hard look at female role models.\nChicago believes there is nothing wrong or salacious about her art.\n"To us women," she said, "we have images that are natural to us, but make others go 'eek!' As artists, we have to display what we feel and, as women, we have to display our needs"
(09/12/02 5:19am)
During an early autumn evening last Thursday filled with wine, music and conversation, over 150 musicians, patrons and Monroe County public welcomed Leonardo Panigada as the new conductor of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra at the Oliver Winery. \nCo-sponsored by 103.7 WFIU, IU's public radio station, the BSO fundraising event opened at 6:30 p.m. to guests with gourmet hors d'oeuvres and a plethora of Oliver wines for visitors to taste. Providing the evening's entertainment was Karl Sturbaum's Jazz Group, whose lead member, Karl Sturbaum, is a cellist for the BSO. \nWith jazz music floating in the humid, twilight air, guests browsed the tables laden with prizes for the night's raffle. Among the gifts were concert, theater and sports tickets, gift baskets, retail gift certificates, fine arts and crafts, CDs and more. The master of ceremonies for the night was George Walker, the classical music programmer for WFIU. Opening the evening with welcome remarks, Walker soon gave the microphone away to Panigada, whose thick accent gave all in attendance a hint of what is to come for the BSO concerts.\nPanigada was chosen by the BSO Board out of a final slating of six well rounded, diverse candidates. His experience and commitment to music education and outreach to young people were dutifully noted by all. Being appointed as the new Artistic Director-Conductor is a thrill for the Latin American.\n"I feel honored and thrilled," Panigada said. "I have a lot of enthusiasm for the orchestra and the music. I am honored because of the orchestra's community and it has a program that shows respect for youth talent. I see music as a history, or continuum where society has a part in it everyday. This season will be an explosion of music."\nOriginally a native of Venezuela, Panigada currently holds dual Venezuelan-Italian citizenship. His undergraduate studies were completed at the Simon Bolivar Conservatory in Caracas, Venezuela, with additional studies in Spain, Italy and France. Currently, Panigada is a doctoral student in the IU School of Music.\nOut of all the new and exciting opportunities the BSO will offer to Panigada, he is most excited about the youth outreach opportunities. \n"The most important thing I am looking forward to is that the classical music will be able to reach young people," Panigada said. "I was one of seven children and I heard classical music. Now I am here. If we can reach more young people and show to them the wonderful aspects of classical music so they will love that experience and education. Music is not only for musicians, but for understanding of life. The force inside music can change lives and is not just a concept."\nCurrently, the BSO is comprised of volunteer musicians ranging from high school students to senior citizens, as well as a "Side-by-Side" concert with Bedford-North Lawrence High School orchestra students. The concert sits one high school musician at the same music stand as a member of the symphony orchestra.\nEntering its 33rd season, the 50+ member orchestra made up solely of volunteers will open its season with "Rhythms from Spain and Latin America" on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. BSO violinist Fay Blackburn, who has played in the orchestra since 1973, is excited about the new and diverse program the BSO will offer to area residents.\n"It is all very exciting and we have high expectations of Leonardo," Blackburn said. "He seems to have a lot of command and knows what techniques to use in rehearsal. It will all show and pay off when we play the beautiful music he has chosen for us."\nGeneral Manager for the BSO, Lydia Brown Finkelstein, believes the Panigada's heritage and experience will make the orchestra more appealing to all.\n"We are really excited about his Latin American heritage. His selections are a real departure for our orchestra," Finkelstein said. "We are trying to become more of the world's culture, and this is a wonderful opportunity for us to reach out to the Monroe Country community"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Following a nationwide search, David Gallahue is the new Dean of IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Current Dean Tony Mobley steps down June 30 after 26 years of service to the school.\nChancellor Sharon Brehm commented on Gallahue's abilities and credentials for the dean position in a recent press release.\n"David has served the school and the campus exceedingly well, taking on major responsibilities for the enhancement and management of HPER," she said in the release. "At the same time, he also has served the discipline in such roles as president of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. He is held in high regard throughout the school for his strong academic focus, mentoring of younger faculty and innovative training methods."\nDean Mobley echoed Brehm's sentiments concerning his successor.\n"Dr. Gallahue was an outstanding associate dean for six years," Mobley said. "He was involved in almost every administrative aspect of (HPER). He is an internationally recognized scholar in his field. Because of his long tenure at IU, he is very familiar with the operation of the University and most of the people involved. He is eminently qualified to assume the leadership of our school."\nAfter earning his bachelor's degree from IU in 1964, Gallahue continued his education at Purdue University with a master's degree in 1967 and a doctorate of education degree from Temple in 1971.\nJoining the IU faculty as an assistant professor of kinesiology in 1970, Gallahue has since worked his way up to acting dean for academic affairs and research.\nDuring his time at IU, Gallahue served in strategic planning, faculty governance, international programs, research, tenure and promotions, administrative structure and student recruitment and retention.\nBeyond the borders of campus, Gallahue has created an impressive resume of involvement and research. Besides serving as a consultant to governing bodies of the U.S. Olympic Committee dealing with gymnastics and skiing, Gallahue's extensive credentials include a body of research comprised of children's physical activity, motor performance, childhood obesity intervention, youth sport delivery systems and children's hero choices. \nAmong Gallahue's list of credentials is an international reputation in children's physical activity and the translation of numerous textbooks.\nGallahue, in a recent press release, stated his admiration of Dean Mobley along with his future plans as Dean of HPER.\n"Being selected to serve Indiana University as the next dean of the School of HPER is indeed humbling," he said. "Retiring Dean Tony Mobley has been an outstanding leader. He brought the school to national and international prominence." \n"I will do my best to continue his legacy by striving, with my colleagues, for research and academic excellence, cultural diversity and quality service to our various constituents in promoting (HPER's unofficial) motto of 'Living Well."
(04/29/02 6:27am)
Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity working to become an active member of the greek system, was denied colonization status last week. \nCatering to the gay, bisexual and progressive male population on campus, the fraternity is open to males of any sexual orientation. So far, the fraternity has already recruited 14 members for the colony, which is seeking official IU recognition.\nBut recent votes by IU's Expansions Committee and the Inter-Fraternity Council denied Delta Lambda Phi official colonization status on the Bloomington campus.\nIn a letter sent during the weekend, Delta Lambda Phi President senior Steven P. Ary, Jr. identified the four reasons why the Expansions Committee and the IFC denied the fraternity recognition of colonization status.\nAccording to Ary's letter, the primary reason for denial was that "both councils were 'presumably' under the impression that they were voting on affiliation with the campus as a chapter rather than a colony."\nOther reasons given by the councils are that the fraternity's National Headquarters had not yet given the colony chapter status, the group does not have required insurance policies and the group has not adopted a policy that would allow the fraternity to accept particular North-American Inter-Fraternity Council (NIC) policies.\nIFC president senior Colin Godecke said the reasons given by Ary are actually recommendations for the next time the fraternity petitions to be recognized.\n"These were not necessarily reasons, but recommendations given to (Delta Lambda Phi) to help them next time they petition for recognition," Godecke said. "(The councils) felt these things were very important and that the frat should make them a priority next time they petition." \nGodecke said the main reasons for the denial was the fraternity's liability to the campus and the councils, as well as their lack of higher organizations.\n"Mainly, the reason for the refusal was their lack of liability insurance," Godecke said. "Our other concern was that they were not a part of the North-American Inter-Fraternity Council (NIC), which all of our other chapters are. (Delta Lambda Phi) has a National Headquarters, but each chapter we have has nationals and NIC affiliation and guidelines. Delta Lambda Phi doesn't have any larger organization body to fall back or rely on for policies besides their nationals."\nIn his letter, Ary argued against the concerns voiced by the councils, offering explanations as to why the fraternity should not have been denied colony recognition. For the first concern, the issue over the use of "chapter" over "colony," Ary said it was the idea of voting status which may have had a slight effect on the vote.\n"The only difference as to what the IFC might be concerned with, is that we would be a sitting member and would have no voting privileges," Ary said. "Only chapters have voting privileges. It was not a big difference, but a simple process of just changing the word would have been fine."\nThe second concern voiced by the councils was that Delta Lambda Phi is not recognized as a chapter by its nationals, but rather as a colony. Expansion Committee policies maintain that an organization must be recognized by its nationals before seeking recognition by the Expansion Committee as a colony. Ary said the fraternity not only has colony recognition by its nationals, but it shall soon have recognition as a chapter. Delta Lambda Phi went before the Expansion Committee because that organization has to approve of the colonization process.\nAccording to Ary's letter, liability insurance, one of the major concerns voiced by the IFC and Expansion Committee, will be given to the Delta Lambda Phi colony within the next two to three months. The delay in coverage for the IU colony is due to the events of Sept. 11, as explained to Ary by the national headquarters.\n"Nationals was in the process of getting the insurance, but then everything went haywire on Sept. 11. There was a jump in insurance premiums, so they had to restructure everything. We are working on getting it in the next two to three months through nationals," Ary said.\nGodecke maintains it was the risk of not having the insurance which hurt the fraternity's petition for recognition.\n"We're not wanting to risk adding another chapter that might add liability to the campus." Godecke said. "We want to add diversity, but not at the cost of adding liability to the campus and our councils."\nAlthough not recognized members of the IFC, Delta Lambda Phi was offered a position in the Fall 2002 Men's Formal Rush, which is organized by IFC. Ary declined the offer due to its false implications. Although the fraternity would be participating in a greek event, there would be a chance of misleading those involved into thinking the frat was officially a part of the greek system and IFC.\nGodecke felt that giving the colony the chance to recruit along with all IFC chapters was a fair thing to do.\nInstead of participating in Men's Formal Rush, Delta Lambda Phi will be doing its own informal recruiting through the use of flyers, IUTV and other means, Ary said.
(04/18/02 5:28am)
More than 2,400 IU students filled the Kappa Sigma fraternity parking lot Tuesday night to listen to the sounds of Of A Revolution (O.A.R), with local band Three Minute Mile opening the concert.\nBeginning their set at 5:30 p.m., Three Minute Mile played an energizing set filled with original songs and covers such as Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" to kick off Little 500 week. The band's mix of folk, rock and reggae pleased the students who spent the warm April evening beneath the stars in the Kappa Sigma lot.\nAt 7 p.m., with guitar chords echoing between the houses on North Jordan, O.A.R. began playing to an eager crowd. For nearly two hours, the band rocked the stage with its self-dubbed style of music "island vibe-roots rock." They rounded out their sets with songs like "Hey Girl," "King of the Thing" and crowd favorite, "That Was a Crazy Game of Poker."\nJunior Allison Rohrs found the night's musical talent to be a good blend of familiar tastes and uplifting music.\n"It was good that (Kappa Sigma) had a local band that everyone supports and then a big band that everyone enjoys," Rohrs said.\nSophomore Jill Lowenstein echoed Rohrs' sentiments about local and popular music.\n"The bands were very good," she said. "People know about Three Minute Mile because they play around Bloomington so much. Many people like O.A.R. and their positive music."\nWith an estimated 2,400 tickets sold, Kappa Sigma Treasurer sophomore Alan Hazzard said the house raised almost $3,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington, the chapter's philanthropy. Philanthropy chair sophomore Sam Rodin, social chair junior Trey Smith and Hazzard began working on the concert back in December. With help from Kappa Sigma alumni, the house had full security, including off-duty Bloomington Police Department and IU Police Department officers and members of the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, as well as Kappa Sigma members. \nMany of the musicians complimented the house's organization, finding it to be some of the best they have experienced.\nSenior Mike Stocksdale, guitarist for Three Minute Mile, was impressed with the night's planning and execution.\n"We've played a lot of fraternities before, but we have never seen one do this great of a job. Jason (Kotynski, senior and Three Minute Mile lead singer) and I sat in on part of the security meeting and they went over every situation and procedure."\nO.A.R. saxophonist Jerry De Pizzo found the evening to be calm, safe and enjoyable for all.\n"It was a very cool concert," he said. "There was no fighting, no craziness and everyone came together to enjoy our music from what we could see. It was a positive crowd and we try to give off a positive vibe when we play. We want the fans to leave with a positive experience."\nDuring the four hours that music radiated from the stage, the only problem Kappa Sigma had to deal with was a dehydrated audience member. An ambulance was called for the woman and the night progressed smoothly after the incident.
(04/09/02 4:31am)
For more than 10 hours Saturday, guitar chords and drum beats bounced off the walls of Foster-Jenkinson and Foster-Harper, kicking off what its creator hopes to be an annual music event.\nFoster Quad resident assistant Bobby Kline said he wanted to bring an unforgettable experience to Foster residents.\n"I had this dream at the beginning of the semester, and I worked to make it a reality," Kline, a sophomore, said. "I just wanted people to come out, hear good music, have fun and make some great memories. It was great that we could showcase local talent."\nFoster Squad Acoustic and Kline's band Colder by the Lake were two of the featured bands that have members living in Foster Quad. \nAt noon, the festivities began with The Ice Cream Men, opening "Fosterstock." Throughout the afternoon Foster Squad Acoustic, Well Fed, Frequency 12, Colder by the Lake and Sideburn Mike and the Lawsuits played on a small, makeshift stage to varying crowds of residents. \nSophomore Andy Grau, a guitarist for Colder by the Lake, was glad one of his bandmates could put such a venue together.\n"It was nervewracking, but exciting," Grau said. "I can't believe Bobby put this all together."\nCapping off the fun-filled festival was Bloomington band Three Minute Mile.\nThe almost two-hour set by the local band included such covers as Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On" and Weezer's "Undone (The Sweater Song)," original songs "Big M" and Groove Me" and unreleased material "Red-headed Girl" and "Who Knows." Originally scheduled to play for only an hour, Three Minute Mile played until 11 p.m. at the urging of fans.\nCrowds varied in size Saturday afternoon and evening, but despite cold weather, close to 75 fans and residents made their way to the stage for Three Minute Mile. Comical banter between the members of the band and the audience between songs kept the set lively and entertaining. References to cartoon shows, ex-girlfriends and good humor jests at other local bands maintained the crowd's high spirits.\nSophomore Kathy Kowalkowski, a Foster Quad resident, watched the Three Minute Mile set with her friends.\n"We were watching them from our window and had balcony seats, which were great, but we wanted to see them up close," Kowalkowski said. "I found them surprisingly enjoyable, and I think they are a band on the verge with huge potential."\nThree Minute Mile drummer senior Justin Seidenberg said he was pleased with the intimate setting.\n"It was fun, and we were able to explain our songs more to the audience," Seidenberg said. "Despite the temperature, this type of show is my favorite. The people here are the ones who really know the music."\nSenior Mike Stocksdale, guitarist for Three Minute Mile, said he did not have any problems with the set despite the cold weather.\n"I was having a good time," he said, "and halfway through the set, I forgot about the cold because the crowd was so great"
(04/08/02 5:34am)
The new Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center was host to the Asian American Association's ninth annual "Taste of Asia" on Saturday. The event allowed visitors to witness not only the distinct cultural characteristics of India, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Vietnam, but to also see an idea of "fusion" among multiple organizations. \nThe evening began at 7:30 p.m. with a show at the Jordan Avenue parking lot. The second part of the evening began a little after 8 p.m. with Asian food and drink inside the culture center.\nOpening the night was a performance of the Lion Dance, a ceremony for good fortune, by two members of the Lambda Alpha Phi fraternity. \nFusion was a theme carried out by the two final acts of the performance part of Taste of Asia. First were four women of the Indian Student Association, who performed a piece called "East Meets West Fusion." It blended elements of traditional Indian dance with modern hip-hop styles set to contemporary Indian song.\nRounding out the evening were eight members of the Filipino Student Association. Beginning their set with a traditional Filipino dance set to spoken-word narration, the performance soon escalated to a modern piece, mixing American hip-hop with spoken-word narration and fast-paced music.\nFor Asian American Association (AAA) President Chris Sinclair, who also participated in the Filipino Student Association piece, the performance was important in its education about Asians and Asian Americans.\n"One of the purposes of the AAA and the 19 organizations belonging to it is the education of people about Asians and the Asian Americans," Sinclair said. "While we wanted to show the diversity of Asian cultures, it was really important for us to show the blending of the cultures in the students' normal lives." \nSophomore Katie Kaczor said she was enthralled by Saturday's performances.\n"The costumes were amazing," she said. "The pieces were incredible. I think everybody who performed did an outstanding job despite this freezing weather."\nFive Asian Student Associations offered spectators the chance to sample up to five different dishes. The variety of foods allowed those who attended the festivities to savor their experience.\nAAA Historian Farah Jaliwala, a junior, said the event has been in planning stages since last year.\n"This is an annual event, so we have been planning it since last year, but when classes started up in January, that's when our work really began," Jaliwala said. \nSinclair was pleased with the culmination of the year of work.\n"Even though it was such a headache, when you get to share all of this, it's just great," Sinclair said. "It's just neat to have people care enough to sit down and want to watch the performances. The racial diversity here (Saturday night) really makes me proud to know they wanted to learn about Asians and Asian Americans"
(03/26/02 7:11am)
For many students, the ski slopes in Aspen, Colorado are a favorite winter and Spring Break destination, but normally students plan and go on the trip on their own. The School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation is opening a door to change by allowing students to receive three credits for the skiing experience.\nAll students are invited to take HPER E296: Basic Alpine Skiing either the second eight weeks of the Fall 2002 semester or the first eight weeks of the Spring 2003 semester. The class will be held once a week for 2 hours. Students will be required to take a trip as a class to Aspen at the end of the course, with the fall semester students traveling January 5-10 and the spring students traveling March 16-21.\nDuring the eight weeks of classroom instruction, students will have the opportunity to learn about the diverse elements which are a part of the mind, body and soul while one skis. \nBody concepts which will be addressed are conditioning for peak performance, fatigue avoidance and altitude adjustment among other things. Psychology of success, such as the identification of goals, focus and concentration and skiing awareness will all be brought up in the mind section of class. Spiritual content includes how the basic Alpine skiing course will affect a person as well as the creation and realization of the Aspen Idea, something else which will be studied in the class.\nEquipment and apparel, skills and techniques and mountain environment are all topics Professor Gerald Pugh plans to address in his course. He also plans to include the history of Aspen to help the students understand the reasons behind why this is such a revolutionary course.\n"The focus is not on teaching, but on learning for this course," Pugh said. "One of those things that occurs (in Aspen) is a life-changing experience in a setting that is majestic." \nWhen students travel to Colorado, they will have five and one-half days of instruction from teachers who are certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America. The slope instructors will educate IU students on the techniques of turns, stopping, weight shifting and skiing in general. \nStudents will be taught the very latest in modern ski technique, where they will learn how to usskis for pleasure and control. Control on varied terrains, safety and etiquette will also be addressed so students and other skiers can have the best time on the Aspen mountains. \nAt the end of the course, students can expect to be able to handle the green circle (beginner) terrain as well as some of the easier blue square (intermediate) terrain.\nDirector of the Ski and Snowboarding Schools of Aspen Weems Westfeldt hopes students will enjoy this opportunity that combines school and a vacation.\n"Our main goal is that students have a wonderful time in Aspen and that they learn how to ski," Westfeldt said. "If they do have a lot of enjoyment on the slopes, then they might realize it's just as cool of a place to go (on vacation) as the beach."\nOne of the main advantages voiced by Pugh and Westfeldt was the opportunity to skip much of the instruction given to people who have never skied before.\n"The advantage that they have is that the people who come to us without any indoor experience come to us as a blank," Westfeldt said. "What happens if they have classroom time is that they will have a quicker and deeper knowledge of what the sport entails. The belief is that they will probably cut their learning time in half because they won't have to conceptualize and learn at the same time."\nWhile the classroom portion of the course is paid for by a student's tuition, to complete the course, students must pay extra fees of lodging, food and transportation as well as a designated fee from the school in Aspen which pays for slope instruction, boots, poles, skis and a lift pass.\nFreshman Abby Zemel is looking forward to the possibility of registering for such a class.\n"I have never skied before, but the opportunity seems wonderful," Zemel said. "The course seems like it would allow me to learn more about skiing than if I went to Aspen with my family to ski. Plus, it would be cheaper"
(03/07/02 5:33am)
As patrons entered to the sounds of slap-stick gags and the familiar "D'oh!," Whittenberger Auditorium quickly filled up Tuesday night with a capacity audience anticipating an insightful evening filled with debates and discussions. Bringing up points drawing from philosophy to lackluster performance of the show itself, "Sin and Spirituality in Springfield" was an event for all.\nSenior Jonathon Lipnick, a religious studies major, opened the evening with provocative quotes and insight into the controversial issues surrounding the pop culture icon.\nProfessor of Religious Studies John McRae, voted by the Undergraduate Religious Studies Association to most likely be a "Simpsons" character in the next life time, then led a short discussion about which faculty members embody different "Simpsons" characters. Audience members contributed with a suggestion of Myles Brand as Mr. Monty Burns. \nThrough his segment, McRae demonstrated the connections between Lisa Simpson and the use of ancient religions in the show, which he also presents in his "Zen and the Problem of Irrationality" course. Using a clip from the "Dead Putting Society" episode, McRae distinctly discussed Lisa's use of Zen Buddhism from an American perspective and Chinese Taoism to train Bart for a miniature golf match.\n"While miniature golf is not one of East Asia's martial arts, it still allowed for a shallow understanding of the religions," McRae said.\nFollowing McRae's presentation, author Aeon Skoble took the podium, raising ideas about the links between philosophy, social issues and "The Simpsons." \nWhile comparing the distinctions between Sophocles, Christina Aguilera, Shakespeare and "Star Trek," Skoble delved into the realm of pop culture and its effects on the masses. Philosophy, though ancient, was something that is more easily brought to the masses through a pop culture icon, such as "Star Trek" during his childhood. \nFor many in the present day, Skoble pointed out, "The Simpsons" does just that. \nFollowing the philosophical and social aspects explored by Skoble was author Mark Pinsky, who opened his presentation by saying, "You've been patient. Now it's time for recess and dessert, depending on how you see it."\nFor Pinsky, it was a parental sense of protection that led him to screen the show for the safety of his kids. Although a leftist and child of the '60s, Pinsky admitted to his agreement with the Southern Baptists that "commercial television is of the devil," initially his reason for avoiding the show. Eventually Pinsky, with his two young children, was watching up to 11 episodes per week and was happy that his children were receiving messages about loving marriages after 10 years, which has been the case of Homer and Marge Simpson throughout the show. \nLipnick, who helped to plan the entire event, was pleased with the success of the forum.\n"I was thrilled to arrive and see the room filled to capacity," Lipnick said. "I felt this program was a great way to shake people out of their day and stir up the muck."\nMany students also agreed with the issues brought forth during the evening.\n"I am a hard-line 'Simpsons' fan, while at the same time my faith in Christianity is very strong," freshman Patrick McDaniel said. "I went in expecting to see if and how they were going to relate everything in an accurate way. (The symposium) helped me to evaluate 'The Simpsons' and other pop culture ideas in a new light"
(02/22/02 4:38am)
IU Professor of Physics Catherine Olmer has been selected as Bloomington's Woman of the Year. Her contributions in the encouragement of youth -- especially females -- are among her numerous accomplishments.\nOlmer is one of few women in the field of physics, where only four percent of the field's members are female. Olmer has been a professor since 1979 and is currently the Executive Director of WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology. WonderLab is a local hands-on science museum.\n"Thousands of girls in Bloomington have the opportunity to go where few women have gone before, due in part to the dedication, fervor and plain, hard work of Cathy Olmer," WonderLab education director Karen Stuckey said in a press release.\nOlmer's involvement in WonderLab, Girl Scouts, the Eureka Project and the IU Women in Science Program evolved from her experiences in the physics field since high school.\nOlmer became fascinated with science during childhood.\n"My parents only let me take public transportation to and from the Boston Museum of Science, and on my visits, I just spent hours upon hours there," Olmer said. "Although it was in the 1950s, I still remember it like it was just yesterday. It was that museum which helped me want to establish a science museum like WonderLab."\nIn her youth, Olmer faced the same issues as other children. She did not know what she wanted to do in life or where she wanted to go. In high school she found out an important lesson: It was possible to hate a class and a teacher but love the material. For Olmer, being exposed to this lesson early was a great influence to her future education. \nUndergraduate and graduate work provided challenging and intimidating environments for a dedicated female.\n"When I arrived at college and discovered I was the only woman in my classes and there were not any female professors, it was very intimidating," Olmer said. "It sent a message to me that if there are no other women there, then you're not meant to be there."\nThree physics professors at Boston University influenced Olmer during her undergraduate work. The professors' dedication and caring attitude toward the students helped Olmer.\n"Those were the kind of people who make me what I am today," Olmer said. "The only way to fully thank them for what they did is to do it myself."\nDuring her work as a graduate student at Yale, Olmer had a slightly easier time with her work. She was one of two female physics graduate students. \nHer position as one of the only females gave Olmer some interesting experiences.\n"It was one of my earlier exams during my work as a graduate student," Olmer said. "The professor handed out blue books to all of the men in the class but did not give one to the other female student and me. We were curious what he was doing until he reached into his briefcase and pulled out two pink books for us. I became angry.\n"That is when the adrenaline began, and I placed that into the exam. I was so thrilled when I found out I had aced it with an A+."\nSuch experiences helped Olmer through her journey in the male-dominated collegiate education system. \nIt is apparent in the lives of numerous Bloomington youth that Olmer has worked hard to share her experiences with others. One of her primary areas of involvement is WonderLab. Currently, there are two dozen hands-on exhibits, but by March 2003, Olmer and the museum's other employees will be celebrating the opening of a brand-new facility that will house more than 100 hands-on exhibits. This new facility will hold enlarged summer camp activities for Bloomington children. \nOlmer's lack of female science role models inspired her to help the Girl Scouts organize a hands-on Science Day, which started in 1995. IU has been very supportive of the program. The University has played host to the event every year and has provided personnel and rooms to help out. The day gives Girl Scouts a chance to engage in hands-on physics, chemistry, biology and environmental science activities.\nOlmer said the impact the day makes on young girls is a rewarding experience for her.\n"You know you are doing something right when a child says 'I love physics,'" Olmer said.\nOne of her biggest accomplishments at IU is the Women in Science program. The program helps make science classes more engaging for all students and encourages women to become active in the field of science.\nAs Dean of the Office for Women's Affairs, Jean Robinson has seen the impact of the Women in Science program at IU.\n"This project has been effective in helping different departments which deal with the natural and mathematical sciences figure out how to encourage more women to stay as students in the fields," Robinson said.\nOlmer now makes it a goal to ensure future generations don't have to feel alienated, as she did with an absence of female role models in the science field.\n"My main goal is to have more women say they like science and that they can do it," Olmer said. "It would be great if they entered the field, but that's not the key point. It's making sure we don't have generations and generations of mothers who tell their children they did not like science and they could not do it.\n"We need to have more children and adults who really enjoy science and don't have to be scientists"