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(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.
(04/25/02 6:05am)
Sex and drugs -- Real World style. Last night, an estimated 400 students spent two hours asking questions and receiving frank, and at times explicit, answers from two former cast members. Disclaimers posted on the doors to Alumni Hall warned all those entering the event that opinions given were not representative of the Union Board.\nPuck and Julie, members of the MTV "Real World" San Francisco and New Orleans casts respectively, covered issues like abstinence, homosexuality and drugs. Julie, a national spokesperson for abstinence, warned students about pre-marital and unsafe sex practices and their dangerous consequences.\nSex and homosexuality ruled the evening, providing the majority of the question and answer session topics. Blatantly voicing opinions, it was clear early on Julie was pro-homosexuality and Puck was against the topic. For Julie, living with Danny, a gay New Orleans cast member, completely changed both her views and her life.\n"I had naïve views about alternative sexual lifestyles coming from Wisconsin," she said. "They were changed when I met Danny because he was different, but not the gay stereotype."\nSince finding God, Puck's view have found roots in the Bible. For him, it was not his place to judge gays, since someone else is going to judge them in the end.\nQuestions surrounding Pedro, an openly gay San Francisco member who died of AIDS in 1994, and Puck's relationship found their way into the discussion. Likewise, the controversy surrounding Danny's boyfriend Paul, a gay Marine featured in the New Orleans cast with his face blurred from recognition, also was discussed. While Julie had no qualms with seeing the couple together, Puck loudly voiced his opinion against the relationship.\nOne issue students found surprising was drug use among cast members. While contracts explicitly state there is to be no drug use in and around the "Real World" house, both Puck and Julie admitted to the presence of drugs in their seasons.\n"I would go across the street to this ecosystem preservation place, run by hippies who gave me a set of keys, lock the camera guys out, then I just got stoned," Puck said. "I would drink a bunch of coffee, unlock the door, then run across the street back to the house. I had some of my best scenes after that."\nThe shocking revelation of the evening went to Danny, who smoked marijuana and then quit his habit in New Orleans. During his addiction, Danny snuck around the house avoiding cameras and crew. Besides evading the crew, microphones contained tracking devices making it hard to escape the crew. Eventually, Danny realized his habit and kicked it.\n"He wanted to stop because he didn't want this vice in his life," Julie said. " When he quit, he stopped all on his own, he couldn't talk about it, couldn't get support -- he went cold turkey because of the cameras."\nWhile Julie admitted to embarrassing moments, courtesy of microphones and a wired house, Puck admitted to his having a softer side mainly for his four-month-old son named Bogart. \nSophomore Ryan Moore felt the forum made Puck and Julie "real" people to all who attended.\n"You got to know them as people," Moore said. "I thought that if I saw them, they'd be like Brad Pitt and they'd be famous stars. It's good to know that they are real people instead. I don't think (the Union Board) could have picked better people to come tonight."\nUnion Board Director of Major Attractions sophomore Drew Goldberg agreed the two cast members represented the youth culture and issues that affect it.\n"They are representative symbols of all of us," Goldberg said. "These people epitomize us. It's fun to see what we look like on TV. They addressed homosexuality, sex and drugs which were main issues that appeared on the show"
(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"
(03/05/02 4:49am)
After thirteen seasons, it has turned into a town and family loved by millions worldwide. "The Simpsons," with its wacky antics and amusing dialogue, has highlighted numerous social issues, but through the seasons, religion has become a recurring theme. \nTonight at 7 p.m. in the Whittenberger Auditorium at the Indiana Memorial Union, Mark Pinsky, author of "The Gospel According to the Simpsons," and Aeon Skoble, author of "The Simpsons and Philosophy:The D'oh of Homer," will lead a discussion about the role religion has played in the development of the pop culture sitcom. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.\nParticipants in this free "Simposium" will be able to view a screening of "Bart Sells His Soul" from the seventh season as a prologue to the event. After an introduction by the master of ceremonies, senior Jonathan Lipnick, a student in the Department of Religious Studies and Professor of Religious Studies John McRae will make a short speech about the infiltration of "The Simpsons" into the classrooms at IU. \nPinsky and Skoble will each present their views about religion and "The Simpsons." Among the questions discussed and addressed during the night will be, "Is religion a taboo topic for comedy?", "How is God regarded in the program?" and "What does the show teach us, while making us laugh, about religion in American society?"\nMany of the organizations chose "The Simpsons" because of its appeal to a wide audience. Academic Advisor for the Department of Religious Studies Caroline Dowd-Higgins said the show is especially useful in the distribution of messages because of its appeal and syndication in Europe and Asia. Union Board committee director of Debates and Issues Matt Ranochak echoes Dowd-Higgins' ideas.\n"Something as big as 'The Simpsons' is a great medium because it does not focus on American culture or ideas," Ranochak said. "Diversity is brought to the forefront because (the show) reaches so many people. Diversity isn't overlooked (by the writers)."\nA question and answer session will follow the speeches, encouraging the audience to ask questions, speak their minds and share their perspectives about the evening. Concluding the symposium will be a screening of "Like Father, Like Clown," an episode from the third season. "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" from the second season will be screened as a bonus episode if time permits.\nThe Department of Religious Studies, the Undergraduate Religious Studies Association, Union Board, the Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program, the Jewish Studies Student Association, the Department of Communication and Culture, the Honors College, the IU Bookstore, the Hip Hop Congress and the IUB Libraries have all collaborated to sponsor the event. \nBefore and after the event, The IU Bookstore will be hosting a book sale featuring Pinsky's and Skoble's books. If time permits, an informal book signing will take place in the IMU bookstore after the symposium. A formal book signing is scheduled for noon Wednesday in the Bookstore.
(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"
(02/15/02 4:42am)
Finding host families for international students has become a lengthy and time-consuming process for some Monroe County exchange organizations. Each year, the foundation works to place between 450 and 500 students in American homes. \n"We constantly advertise to find interested families," said Mirinda Stratton of the Student Travel School Foundation Regional Office for Indiana. "We keep looking and lining up families in advance for future exchange students. It is a struggle to find people who are willing to open up their homes to an international student.\nThe Youth for Understanding International Exchange organization works year-round to recruit and select host families for international students. \n"We normally have about 3,000 students in the United States every school year, and we place all of them. We do not deny accepted students the wonderful opportunity," District office Coordinator Sandy Cox said. "We advertise year round with public service announcements, newspaper articles and presentations at schools to find families to host students."\nSTC works on placing students starting in November and work through July, before classes begin. \n Some families have concerns about housing students. Fear of the unknown and the responsibility of caring for someone else's child are among the top concerns for host parents. \n Families also worry about the relationship they will have with the student. Other concerns for some families include handling a situation incorrectly or in a manner different from the student's parents. \n Bloomington resident Claudia Scott, who is a six-time host-mother, still has the same concerns as first-time hosts when she houses students. Scott worries that exchange students will not get along well with her family. She currently hosts two international students.\n"We are a black family, so we have been concerned that (the exchange students) would not accept us," Scott said. "Lots of exchange students have a fixed idea of a black American family from what they have seen on TV. After a while, they think we are pretty cool."\nParents have no need to be intimidated by such issues, Stratton said.\n As with numerous other exchange organizations, placement of students in a family is based upon compatibility. Compatibility is determined through the informational forms the families and students fill out.\n By the time students return to their home countries at the end of the school year, many host families realize the stranger who came into their household in August was nothing more than another teenager experiencing and feeling the same things as American teenagers, Cox said.\nSecondary concerns include the monetary costs of an additional child and any health problems that may occur.\nMonetary obligations should not be a concern, Stratton said. Students participating in exchanges through these organizations study in the U.S. with full health insurance as well as personal spending money for athletic fees, school fees and other personal items. Host parents are only obliged to provide their exchange student with a room, food and emotional care.\nAfter housing an exchange student, many families cherish the experiences and knowledge they gained during their time as a host family. Scott cherishes her children from around the world.\n"I have these kids all over the world, and they still keep in contact with me," Scott said. "They contact me and tell me they use something they learned from me or my family in their life every day." \nStratton has housed several students of her own and is most surprised at how her 8-year-old son has developed. \n"We have hosted three students from Thailand, and others from Spain and France," Stratton said. "My son's Thai is pretty good, while his Spanish and French are good"
(02/08/02 4:38am)
Helen G. Simon Hillel Center Program Director Livia Hogan is a first-time, 23-year-old mother. For $1 per guess, students are able to participate in a charity baby pool where they have the chance to guess the date, sex, weight and time of the birth of her baby. \nThe participant who guesses closest to the correct date, time of birth, sex or weight of the baby is the winner of the baby pool money. Proceeds from Hogan's baby pool, sponsored through Hillel, benefit Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.\n"Baby pools are an easy way to raise money," Hogan said. "When we have something as large as the (IU) campus, it seemed like the right thing to do (to raise money for Riley)."\nRiley Schools and Association Officer Deanna Pucci is happy to hear about the center's willingness to support the children's hospital. \n"We welcome the opportunity anytime an organization wants to raise funds for the hospital. It's a win-win situation," Pucci said. \nSo far over $400 has been raised, with all donations going straight to Riley. \n"One person just gave $20. Others have donated one or two dollars and said to just give the money to Riley and not register them for the pool. It's amazing how willing people are to give, and it's such a good cause for the children," said Sheryl Rosen, who is taking over Hogan's position while she is on maternity leave.\nEvery time a student makes a donation, they are registered for a $100 Circuit City gift card.\nMembers of the Mitzvah Corps, the Hillel Center community service group, will be setting up a table in the Main Library Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the food court. Students may also drop off guesses and donations at the Hillel Center, located at 730 E. Third Street.
