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(01/11/05 5:21am)
Compiled by Karen Green\nThe destination is decided, the plane tickets are purchased and the bags are packed. The only thing missing is the music. Whether the chosen mode of transportation is by plane or several hours in a car, music doesn't just fight boredom; it's an important part of any vacation experience.\nThe music playing in the background acts as a soundtrack for memories and also serves as a reminder of certain moments. With that in mind, a few Weekend staffers chipped in to put together the ultimate spring break playlist for those travelers who don't have the time to do it themselves. We also included a few songs to avoid.
(11/18/04 5:00am)
Celebrities have always been at the top of the American social structure. Since the advent of the entertainment industry, people with the ability to entertain have been rewarded with fame and fortune. Whether they are famous for their acting abilities, their musical talent or their artistic aptitudes, creative contributions to society are in such high demand that the American people are willing to pay millions of dollars a year to be entertained.\nHowever, in recent years, it seems that America has become bored with talent. Instead of focusing the attention on creativity, we have become obsessed with people who have excelled at nothing but wasting space. These people are famous for, well, I guess nobody really knows exactly what they're famous for.\nParis Hilton has made a career out of America's obsession with useless people. Originally famous for being the daughter of hotel chain owner Rick Hilton, who is famous for being wealthy, she has made several failed attempts at creativity. From writing to acting to starring in her very own porno, Hilton has repeatedly proven that she has absolutely nothing to offer. We hate her, but by hating her we only add fuel to her fame.\nShe and her sidekick, Nicole Ritchie (who appears to have something badly broken in her face), made their mark on the blink-and-you'll-miss-it trend of reality TV with "The Simple Life." Reality television, the invention responsible for most of today's useless celebrities, has spawned its own category. "American Idol" offered a record label to Clay Aiken and forced all of us to hear show choir singing on the radio. Aiken's uselessness, however, pales in comparison to that of William Hung, who became a celebrity for his lack of talent. Numerous marriage-based reality TV shows helped countless women with no skills achieve their dreams of being in Playboy centerfolds. Reality TV became a contest within a contest: who could extend their 15 minutes of fame by being the biggest jackass? \nWhile these "famous for being famous" celebrities are trendier than ever today, they have actually been around for decades. Perhaps the oldest form is the celebrity who has based a career on being obnoxious. Roseanne, a pioneer in the field, garnered public attention for numerous annoying stunts, including her godawful, off-key rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" in 1990, which she topped off by grabbing her crotch and spitting. Her disgraceful display led to public outrage, but the fact that people, including me, are still talking about it suggests just how successful it was as a publicity technique. It also proves that this breed of celebrity is particularly gifted when it comes to getting noticed.\nAlso included in this category is the infamous Carrot Top. His few attempts at movies failed miserably, and most people can agree that he is not funny, and yet he continues to be a recognizable figure in pop culture. He has made a career out of being bad at his job.\nRosie O'Donnell, the original professional lesbian, blazed the trail for other celebrities who have gained notoriety based solely on their sexual orientation. The five hosts of the popular HGTV show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" became famous for making over men who lacked fashion sense. Of course, America accepted that they were qualified to do so because, hey, they're gay. They must have impeccable fashion sense. They also managed to set back the gay rights movement with their "metrosexual" revolution by making it popular for men to "dress gay."\nPerhaps the most disturbing category is celebrities who are famous simply because they're completely insane. America watched Anna Nicole Smith, once famous for being a gold digger, as she slowly killed herself with bon bons and barbiturates on "The Anna Nicole Smith Show." Instead of having her committed, we morbidly awaited the "Anna Nicole Overdose Special." Sadly, she recently exchanged depressants for over-the-counter speed and became the spokesmodel for the diet pill, "Trim Spa."\nThe question is: why does America continue to allow these people a spot in the limelight? Is it that we're relieved to know that there are people in the world who can be so successful at wasting space? Or do we simply keep them around for the humor factor?\nLike most celebrities, people who are famous for being famous are actually nothing without an audience. They complain about us for watching them while they shout, "Look at me! Look at me!" In response, we tell them to go away while we continue to watch. It's a vicious cycle that can only be stopped if we just refuse to pay attention. \nThen again, that probably sounds a little hypocritical coming from me.
(11/18/04 2:35am)
Celebrities have always been at the top of the American social structure. Since the advent of the entertainment industry, people with the ability to entertain have been rewarded with fame and fortune. Whether they are famous for their acting abilities, their musical talent or their artistic aptitudes, creative contributions to society are in such high demand that the American people are willing to pay millions of dollars a year to be entertained.\nHowever, in recent years, it seems that America has become bored with talent. Instead of focusing the attention on creativity, we have become obsessed with people who have excelled at nothing but wasting space. These people are famous for, well, I guess nobody really knows exactly what they're famous for.\nParis Hilton has made a career out of America's obsession with useless people. Originally famous for being the daughter of hotel chain owner Rick Hilton, who is famous for being wealthy, she has made several failed attempts at creativity. From writing to acting to starring in her very own porno, Hilton has repeatedly proven that she has absolutely nothing to offer. We hate her, but by hating her we only add fuel to her fame.\nShe and her sidekick, Nicole Ritchie (who appears to have something badly broken in her face), made their mark on the blink-and-you'll-miss-it trend of reality TV with "The Simple Life." Reality television, the invention responsible for most of today's useless celebrities, has spawned its own category. "American Idol" offered a record label to Clay Aiken and forced all of us to hear show choir singing on the radio. Aiken's uselessness, however, pales in comparison to that of William Hung, who became a celebrity for his lack of talent. Numerous marriage-based reality TV shows helped countless women with no skills achieve their dreams of being in Playboy centerfolds. Reality TV became a contest within a contest: who could extend their 15 minutes of fame by being the biggest jackass? \nWhile these "famous for being famous" celebrities are trendier than ever today, they have actually been around for decades. Perhaps the oldest form is the celebrity who has based a career on being obnoxious. Roseanne, a pioneer in the field, garnered public attention for numerous annoying stunts, including her godawful, off-key rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" in 1990, which she topped off by grabbing her crotch and spitting. Her disgraceful display led to public outrage, but the fact that people, including me, are still talking about it suggests just how successful it was as a publicity technique. It also proves that this breed of celebrity is particularly gifted when it comes to getting noticed.\nAlso included in this category is the infamous Carrot Top. His few attempts at movies failed miserably, and most people can agree that he is not funny, and yet he continues to be a recognizable figure in pop culture. He has made a career out of being bad at his job.\nRosie O'Donnell, the original professional lesbian, blazed the trail for other celebrities who have gained notoriety based solely on their sexual orientation. The five hosts of the popular HGTV show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" became famous for making over men who lacked fashion sense. Of course, America accepted that they were qualified to do so because, hey, they're gay. They must have impeccable fashion sense. They also managed to set back the gay rights movement with their "metrosexual" revolution by making it popular for men to "dress gay."\nPerhaps the most disturbing category is celebrities who are famous simply because they're completely insane. America watched Anna Nicole Smith, once famous for being a gold digger, as she slowly killed herself with bon bons and barbiturates on "The Anna Nicole Smith Show." Instead of having her committed, we morbidly awaited the "Anna Nicole Overdose Special." Sadly, she recently exchanged depressants for over-the-counter speed and became the spokesmodel for the diet pill, "Trim Spa."\nThe question is: why does America continue to allow these people a spot in the limelight? Is it that we're relieved to know that there are people in the world who can be so successful at wasting space? Or do we simply keep them around for the humor factor?\nLike most celebrities, people who are famous for being famous are actually nothing without an audience. They complain about us for watching them while they shout, "Look at me! Look at me!" In response, we tell them to go away while we continue to watch. It's a vicious cycle that can only be stopped if we just refuse to pay attention. \nThen again, that probably sounds a little hypocritical coming from me.
(10/21/04 4:29pm)
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have done it again. To the delight of their fans, they've managed to piss everyone off in just under two hours.\nThis time, the focus is the war on terrorism. With a cast of puppets inspired by the 1960s TV show "Thunderbirds," the writing team that brought us "South Park" ruthlessly assaults politics, pop culture and big-budget action films in "Team America: World Police."\nThe film centers on Team America, an elite police force designed to protect the U.S. from terrorism. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is planning a massive terrorist attack unless Team America can prevent it. Complicating their battle is a coalition of anti-war Hollywood actors (the Film Actor's Guild or F.A.G.) led by a puppet version of Alec Baldwin.\nGary Johnston, a gifted Broadway star, is drafted to join the team and use his acting abilities to pose as a terrorist and funnel information from the enemy to Team America. The film follows Gary on his journey from average American to anti-terrorism hero. He faces all of the triumphs and pitfalls of the classic action hero, including a love affair, battling the realization of his responsibility and finally coming to terms with it.\nThe cinematography is deliberately crude, but it's obvious that the film was quite an undertaking. Against the backdrop of elaborate sets that recreate simpler versions of some of the world's most important cities (including Paris, Cairo and New York City) and landmarks (the Eiffel Tower, Times Square and the Great Pyramids), the marionettes display all of the elements of an action film -- fighting, blowing stuff up and even fornicating.\nThe marionettes -- more than 250 of them rumored to cost as much as $20,000 each -- appear primitive, but are actually incredible. With their simple facial expressions and movements, the puppets are able to convey all of the emotions and actions necessary for the film, even displaying better abilities than many of today's A-list actors. \nWith the hassle of actual special effects out of the way (it's much easier to blow up small-scale recreations of cities than it is to pretend to blow up life-sized cities), the film is free to focus more on the strength of its storyline and the wit of the writers. Filled with brilliant references to current events, including F.A.G., patriotic country music and, of course, the war on terror, the film pulls off a seamless combination of political and pop culture satire.\nPerhaps the most underrated element of Parker and Stone's films is the music. "Team America's" soundtrack contains more than 10 original songs written and performed by Trey Parker. Some of the film's funniest moments are in these songs, which include "Everyone Has AIDS," the patriotic "America, Fuck Yeah!," and "Montage," a nod to true "South Park" fans originally from the "Asspen" episode.\n"Team America" delivers intelligent humor in true "South Park" form, culminating in an amazingly clever, albeit vulgar, moral. The result is an ingenious satire that doesn't just entertain its viewers-- it enlightens them.
(10/21/04 4:00am)
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have done it again. To the delight of their fans, they've managed to piss everyone off in just under two hours.\nThis time, the focus is the war on terrorism. With a cast of puppets inspired by the 1960s TV show "Thunderbirds," the writing team that brought us "South Park" ruthlessly assaults politics, pop culture and big-budget action films in "Team America: World Police."\nThe film centers on Team America, an elite police force designed to protect the U.S. from terrorism. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is planning a massive terrorist attack unless Team America can prevent it. Complicating their battle is a coalition of anti-war Hollywood actors (the Film Actor's Guild or F.A.G.) led by a puppet version of Alec Baldwin.\nGary Johnston, a gifted Broadway star, is drafted to join the team and use his acting abilities to pose as a terrorist and funnel information from the enemy to Team America. The film follows Gary on his journey from average American to anti-terrorism hero. He faces all of the triumphs and pitfalls of the classic action hero, including a love affair, battling the realization of his responsibility and finally coming to terms with it.\nThe cinematography is deliberately crude, but it's obvious that the film was quite an undertaking. Against the backdrop of elaborate sets that recreate simpler versions of some of the world's most important cities (including Paris, Cairo and New York City) and landmarks (the Eiffel Tower, Times Square and the Great Pyramids), the marionettes display all of the elements of an action film -- fighting, blowing stuff up and even fornicating.\nThe marionettes -- more than 250 of them rumored to cost as much as $20,000 each -- appear primitive, but are actually incredible. With their simple facial expressions and movements, the puppets are able to convey all of the emotions and actions necessary for the film, even displaying better abilities than many of today's A-list actors. \nWith the hassle of actual special effects out of the way (it's much easier to blow up small-scale recreations of cities than it is to pretend to blow up life-sized cities), the film is free to focus more on the strength of its storyline and the wit of the writers. Filled with brilliant references to current events, including F.A.G., patriotic country music and, of course, the war on terror, the film pulls off a seamless combination of political and pop culture satire.\nPerhaps the most underrated element of Parker and Stone's films is the music. "Team America's" soundtrack contains more than 10 original songs written and performed by Trey Parker. Some of the film's funniest moments are in these songs, which include "Everyone Has AIDS," the patriotic "America, Fuck Yeah!," and "Montage," a nod to true "South Park" fans originally from the "Asspen" episode.\n"Team America" delivers intelligent humor in true "South Park" form, culminating in an amazingly clever, albeit vulgar, moral. The result is an ingenious satire that doesn't just entertain its viewers-- it enlightens them.
(10/14/04 4:00am)
Matt Stone and Trey Parker have been shocking America with their unique blend of socio-political satire and potty humor since the premiere of "South Park" in 1997.
(10/13/04 6:46pm)
Matt Stone and Trey Parker have been shocking America with their unique blend of socio-political satire and potty humor since the premiere of "South Park" in 1997.
(10/07/04 3:10pm)
In the past two months, I've experienced the wonder of digital cable. It's been particularly addictive after living without it for the entirety of last year. And with cable, I've been exposed to numerous channels devoted to single arbitrary genres. There's a channel for made-for-TV movies (Lifetime Movie Network), one for decorating and makeovers (HGTV) and even one dedicated to the least respected genre of daytime television -- the soap opera.\nMy first experience with "Soap Net" was Saturday afternoon, when I came home to find my roommate entrenched in a marathon of "Melrose Place." At first I was cynical, but she talked me into watching an episode with her. Eight hours later, I realized that I had completely lost track of time and unintentionally wasted an entire Saturday afternoon on the first season of "Melrose Place." The final insult was realizing that I had unintentionally formed an addiction.\nI had never been into "Melrose Place," which is probably a good thing considering I was eight years old when the series premiered. I was busy doing what eight year olds do, not sitting in front of a television zoning out to smut. But now that I'm an adult, I've realized the value of smut. And I've also realized that life would be infinitely more exciting if I lived in an early '90s melodrama.\nFor starters, I could count on being introduced to a diverse demographic of people. My clique would be formed not based on similar interests or activities, but on the pulling together of all ethnicities, races and sexual orientations. Each one of my friends would represent a piece of American culture.\nLiving in an early '90s melodrama would take the guesswork out of deciphering my feelings on various events, as I could count on the ever-present soundtrack of my life to inform me of what to feel. An intense electric guitar riff would signal that I had just seen something dramatic or life-changing, and I would respond appropriately with shock or anger. A soft, tinkling piano would inform me that something touching or sentimental had just happened, so I would know to shed a tear or two. Sexy electric guitar accompanied by drums would let me know that something smutty was about to occur. I would respond to this by immediately disrobing -- especially if I was in an elevator or someplace equally absurd for such activities.\nTime would never be a concern if I lived in an early '90s drama. Unimportant events would merely be discussed later as if they had happened without suffering the annoyance of living through them. They could also be summed up quickly by employing the handy montage device. All of life's most boring daily occurrences -- running errands, going to class, working -- could be taken care of painlessly all within the duration of a generic early '90s rock song. Imagine passing through an entire uneventful day in a matter of minutes all to the upbeat tune of a Toad the Wet Sprocket song.\nIf I lived in an early '90s melodrama, every conversation would be concise and interesting. I would never again listen for 20 minutes as someone told a boring story or recounted a trip to the post office with a complete lack of humor. Stories that weren't worth telling simply wouldn't be told, and all of the unnecessary details would be deleted from events that were worth being recounted. \nOf course, the more I thought about life in "Melrose Place," the more I thought about its downside. All of these perks would come with a price.\nThe concepts of monogamy and loyalty would be completely unheard of. I would have to understand that my husband, boyfriend and/or ex-boyfriends would inevitably have sex with every one of my friends, co-workers and probably my sisters, too. Of course, I would have to act shocked each time I found out, following the cue of the dramatic electric guitar. I would also have to accept that we would all continue to be friends. The good news, however, is any awkwardness or discomfort with the situation would be resolved in a matter of episodes and never spoken of again. \nI would also have to accept that sometimes people would just disappear from my life. They, too, would never be spoken of again. If someone moved out of town -- friends, neighbors, even family members -- then the tearful goodbye accompanied by soft piano music would be the last I ever heard from them -- unless, of course, they made a brief appearance in my life to improve ratings.\nLucky for me, I can live vicariously through the cast of "Melrose Place" and experience all of the excitement of soap opera life without suffering its pitfalls. And after spending a day with "Melrose Place," I've realized for the first time that the misery and misfortune of other people can make for damn good TV.
(10/07/04 4:00am)
In the past two months, I've experienced the wonder of digital cable. It's been particularly addictive after living without it for the entirety of last year. And with cable, I've been exposed to numerous channels devoted to single arbitrary genres. There's a channel for made-for-TV movies (Lifetime Movie Network), one for decorating and makeovers (HGTV) and even one dedicated to the least respected genre of daytime television -- the soap opera.\nMy first experience with "Soap Net" was Saturday afternoon, when I came home to find my roommate entrenched in a marathon of "Melrose Place." At first I was cynical, but she talked me into watching an episode with her. Eight hours later, I realized that I had completely lost track of time and unintentionally wasted an entire Saturday afternoon on the first season of "Melrose Place." The final insult was realizing that I had unintentionally formed an addiction.\nI had never been into "Melrose Place," which is probably a good thing considering I was eight years old when the series premiered. I was busy doing what eight year olds do, not sitting in front of a television zoning out to smut. But now that I'm an adult, I've realized the value of smut. And I've also realized that life would be infinitely more exciting if I lived in an early '90s melodrama.\nFor starters, I could count on being introduced to a diverse demographic of people. My clique would be formed not based on similar interests or activities, but on the pulling together of all ethnicities, races and sexual orientations. Each one of my friends would represent a piece of American culture.\nLiving in an early '90s melodrama would take the guesswork out of deciphering my feelings on various events, as I could count on the ever-present soundtrack of my life to inform me of what to feel. An intense electric guitar riff would signal that I had just seen something dramatic or life-changing, and I would respond appropriately with shock or anger. A soft, tinkling piano would inform me that something touching or sentimental had just happened, so I would know to shed a tear or two. Sexy electric guitar accompanied by drums would let me know that something smutty was about to occur. I would respond to this by immediately disrobing -- especially if I was in an elevator or someplace equally absurd for such activities.\nTime would never be a concern if I lived in an early '90s drama. Unimportant events would merely be discussed later as if they had happened without suffering the annoyance of living through them. They could also be summed up quickly by employing the handy montage device. All of life's most boring daily occurrences -- running errands, going to class, working -- could be taken care of painlessly all within the duration of a generic early '90s rock song. Imagine passing through an entire uneventful day in a matter of minutes all to the upbeat tune of a Toad the Wet Sprocket song.\nIf I lived in an early '90s melodrama, every conversation would be concise and interesting. I would never again listen for 20 minutes as someone told a boring story or recounted a trip to the post office with a complete lack of humor. Stories that weren't worth telling simply wouldn't be told, and all of the unnecessary details would be deleted from events that were worth being recounted. \nOf course, the more I thought about life in "Melrose Place," the more I thought about its downside. All of these perks would come with a price.\nThe concepts of monogamy and loyalty would be completely unheard of. I would have to understand that my husband, boyfriend and/or ex-boyfriends would inevitably have sex with every one of my friends, co-workers and probably my sisters, too. Of course, I would have to act shocked each time I found out, following the cue of the dramatic electric guitar. I would also have to accept that we would all continue to be friends. The good news, however, is any awkwardness or discomfort with the situation would be resolved in a matter of episodes and never spoken of again. \nI would also have to accept that sometimes people would just disappear from my life. They, too, would never be spoken of again. If someone moved out of town -- friends, neighbors, even family members -- then the tearful goodbye accompanied by soft piano music would be the last I ever heard from them -- unless, of course, they made a brief appearance in my life to improve ratings.\nLucky for me, I can live vicariously through the cast of "Melrose Place" and experience all of the excitement of soap opera life without suffering its pitfalls. And after spending a day with "Melrose Place," I've realized for the first time that the misery and misfortune of other people can make for damn good TV.
(08/05/04 1:29am)
With the fall semester less than a month away, the campus is beginning its transformation from the slow summer months to the fast-paced excitement that comes with the end of August.\nPerhaps the busiest facet of campus this time of year is Residential Programs and Services. With thousands of new and returning students moving into residence halls, RPS has a lot to do.\nRPS Director Bob Weith said staff training is a huge part of preparing for the fall.\n"We have three days of training with professionals, a week with graduate students and another week with 200 RAs and floor presidents," Weith said.\nWeith said RPS is busy preparing for students all summer, working on basic maintenance and projects that can only be done once the residence halls are empty.\n"(Summer) is the only time we can do that without getting in the way of residents or residents getting in the way of us," Weith said.\nEvery summer hundreds of dorm rooms are repainted and recarpeted in preparation for new residents. Weith said outdoor renovation has been particularly important this summer, including concrete being laid in front of Foster and blacktopping done all over campus.\nRPS has also been renovating Briscoe Quad this summer,\n"They've been doing some major renovation in one of the Briscoe dining areas so it can be used for program space for underrepresented groups," Weith said.\nPreparation for move-in day is also on the top of the agenda, Weith said.\n"We've just come out of six or seven weeks of orientation, working with new students and parents," Weith said. "Now we can get back to preparing the buildings, preparing our staff and trying to set up the most welcoming environment we can."\nFor Recreational Sports, preparation mostly involves student staff members as well. \n"We're the second-largest employer on campus, so a huge part is hiring and training people," said Kimberly Ruff, who handles marketing for Recreational Sports.\nDirector of Informal Sports and Aquatics Emily Ward said the student staff must be completely trained and ready when the fall semester starts.\n"Generally the end of July through August is the time that everybody does their hiring and training because we need to be fully staffed when all the students come back," Ward said. "When all the students come back they come into the facility en masse."\nWard said training can be a difficult undertaking because RecSports has so many student employees working in many different areas.\n"We hire students for 18 different types of jobs, so we're looking at 400 kids that are being trained for 18 different types of jobs," Ward said.\nAlthough hiring and training new staff is the biggest part of preparation, Ward said there are many things that need to be done before RecSports is ready to serve the students.\nWard said August is when the staff checks equipment to ensure that everything is running correctly. Repairs must be made before the rush of students in the fall. \n"Our goal is when the semester starts, the facilities are ready to go and we're fully staffed," Ward said.\n-- Contact Campus Editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.
(07/29/04 6:48am)
In the wake of a 2.5 percent pay increase for IU support staff, several top IU administrators received pay increases July 1, bringing a record number of salaries above the $200,000 mark. \nBill Stephan, vice president for university relations and corporate partnerships, told The Associated Press that market factors played a significant role in the pay increases. Stephan said a big factor was staying competitive with offers from other universities and the private sector.\n"We work aggressively to try to retain and attract high-performing faculty in a competitive marketplace," Stephan said.\nThe raises were part of an annual budget that was approved by the IU board of trustees.\nTrustees President Frederick Eichhorn said there are many reasons for the pay increases.\n"The reasons are various," Eichhorn said. "One would be the cost of living. The second reason would be a merit basis for the increase."\nHe also said that while it appears that the raises were given to most high positions, they were considered and awarded on an individual basis.\n"The individuals are looked at by the deans of the schools and by the various supervisors," Eichhorn said. "They make overall recommendations to the board of trustees, which we then allot to individuals."\nAccording to The Associated Press, 32 administrators will now make over $200,000, up from 25 administrators during the 2003-04 school year.\nIU President Adam Herbert is currently the highest paid employee on the Bloomington campus. The recent pay increase brought his salary to $345,050. Vice President of Administration and Chief Administrative Officer and Athletics Director Terry Clapacs' salary was increased to $300,900 from $295,800. Dan Dalton, professor and former dean of the Kelley School of Business, now earns $292,738, an increase from $284,184. Ken Gros Louis, interim chancellor and senior vice president for academic affairs, now makes $270,000. Figures on previous salaries of President Herbert and Chancellor Gros Louis were unavailable.\nTrustee Patrick Shoulders said the money for the pay increases is being paid for by the same funds as all other budget considerations.\n"The money for the raises, just like any of the expenditures, comes from governmental funding, governmental contracts and tuition," Shoulders said.\nPeter Kaczmarczyk, executive board member with the Communications Workers of America local, the union that represents clerical and technical workers, said the decision to give raises to members of faculty is understandable.\n"I think faculty members deserve to be well paid and I don't have a problem with that," Kaczmarczyk said.\nHowever, Kaczmarczyk said it is frustrating to see so much money tied up in administrative salaries when the workers he represents are also in need of higher increases.\n"It's frustrating to see so much money at the top when we have to struggle so hard to get decent wages at the bottom," Kaczmarczyk said.\nRandy Pardue, president of Local 832 of the American Federation of State, which represents IU's service workers, said he agrees.\n"In a time of budget cuts and strict rationing, it is unfortunate to see double-figure pay increases for some positions in the administration," Pardue said.\nSupport staff workers also received raises July 1, but to a lesser degree. According to the Associated Press, 841 full-time employees of the support staff currently make less than $25,000. That number has decreased by 250 since last year as a result of $650 pay increases to the lowest-paid workers at IU, a decision made by Herbert.\nKaczmarczyk said these administrative raises will be given close consideration as union workers approach the next fiscal year.\n"We'll may pay more attention to those figures next year when we're pushing for a salary raise for the support staff," Kaczmarczyk said.\n-- Contact Campus Editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu .
(07/22/04 2:43am)
For the first time in seven years, IU will be welcoming fewer students in the fall than projected.\nVice Chancellor of Enrollment Services Don Hossler said the projected enrollment number was based on the number of new students last year.\n"Our last year's class was around 6,750, and that was our enrollment target for this coming year," Hossler said.\nHossler said the exact number of new students coming to IU in the fall will not be known until after the census, which happens in the second week of classes, but they are now expecting 6,500 students.\nAlthough it is unclear why enrollment has decreased, Hossler said there are a number of hypotheses being considered, including recruitment programs by other schools and the economy.\n"Even though the economy is turning around, three or four years of bad economy can make parents more hesitant to pay out-of-state tuition," Hossler said.\nThe University will have a better idea of the cause of the decreased enrollment after the fall semester starts, when new students arrive and their characteristics are evaluated.\nHossler said the effects of a decrease in enrollment should not be devastating. He said some of the effects may be positive.\n"There will be fewer students and that affects revenue a little," Hossler said. "It will mean some classes will be easier to get into."\nLower enrollment could also mean less state funding next year.\nHossler said while enrollment has decreased this year, it still demonstrates an overall increase in enrollment that has taken place over the last decade.\n"We've ranged between 6,550 and 7,000 over the past few years, so this is a decrease but not a drastic one," Hossler said. "Eight years ago it was about 6,000."\nUntil the decrease's cause is known, Hossler said it will be difficult to determine what the University will do to counteract it.\n"We will be looking at what happened to try to make sure it doesn't happen again," Hossler said.\nTrustee Sue Talbot said she agrees that it is too early to panic about the decreased enrollment.\n"If there is a decrease, of course it will have some fiscal impact on our budget," Talbot said. "But it's too early to speculate what the effects will be."\n-- Contact Campus Editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.
(07/12/04 1:54am)
Two new alumni will join the IU board of trustees in August after being appointed by Gov. Joe Kernan Thursday.\nJeffrey Cohen and Clarence Boone will serve three-year terms as trustees. They will attend their first meeting in Indianapolis Aug. 18 and 19.\nThe two appointees will replace Trustees Stephen Backer and Peter Obremskey, who were Boone, who earned his bachelor's degree from IU in 1953 and graduated from the IU medical school in 1956, is a retired physician from Gary. Boone is a former president of the IU Alumni Association and winner of the Distinguished Alumni Service Award.\nRecently re-elected board member Sue Talbot said Boone's background in the medical field will offer much insight.\n"It's interesting that (Boone) is the first physician appointment since Dr. Joe Black," Talbot said. "I think it's great to have a diversity of disciplines on the board."\nBoone is also the second black trustee nominated to the board and will join Cora Breckenridge, the first black trustee. Boone co-founded the Neal-Marshall Alumni Club and has served as its president.\nBoone is the third member of the board to have served as president of the Alumni Association. Talbot and Trustee Patrick Shoulders also held the position.\n"The three of us have devoted a great deal of volunteer hours to the University," Talbot said.\nCohen graduated from the Kelley School of Business in 1986 and law school in 1989. He is currently working as managing director with McDonald Investments.\nCohen said he makes frequent trips to campus to attend basketball and football games. Cohen also played IU tennis for four years.\n"I'm a big supporter of IU sports," he said.\nCohen said he is excited to be involved in IU affairs again.\n"I love it," he said. "I was a four-year athlete, a business school grad, a law school grad and now I'll be involved this way."\nTalbot said Cohen is more than qualified for a position as a trustee.\n"His qualifications seem very appropriate for the board," Talbot said.\nTalbot said although she looks forward to working with the new members, the presence of Backer and Obremskey will be missed.\n"We will really miss the wisdom of Stephen Backer and Pete Obremskey," Talbot said. "They have been champions in volunteering. They each served six years and they have made significant contributions."\n-- Contact Campus Editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.
(07/12/04 1:16am)
The Weatherly wing in Ashton Quad has been vacant this summer, but a recent agreement with Kappa Sigma fraternity will have the building full again in the fall.\n"(The fraternity) approached us about the possibility of living as groups in our residence hall," said Patrick Connors, executive director of Residential Programs and Services. "We decided that we would use Weatherly for that."\nRPS stresses that the situation with Kappa Sigma will be temporary. The fraternity's members that choose to live in Weatherly will be there for only one year and they will be treated like any other on-campus resident, following the same rules and regulations.\n"It was my understanding that there was a fraternity that was going to be homeless," Moore said. "They needed a place to stay until their house was built. Some of the members of the chapter are going to come and live with us. They'll be living with us just like any other resident would be. The fact that they are members of a fraternity is incidental."\nMichael Moore, associate director of Ashton, said Weatherly's closing is part of a bigger plan that has been in effect for several years.\n"For a while we've been working on trying to do a campus rebuilding project to improve our residence halls," Moore said.\nWeatherly, a residence hall that caters specifically to students over 21 has been slated to close for years.\n"For the last couple of years Ashton-Weatherly has been targeted as a building that we wouldn't be housing students in anymore," Moore said.\nConnors said the plan is to demolish Weatherly and build newer facilities in its place.\nStudents living in Weatherly were notified as early as last year that the building would be closed and members of the Weatherly community would be moved to Ashton-Stemple, Moore said.\n"Any time we plan we always have to keep students in mind," Moore said.\nHowever, it could be months before Weatherly's fate has been decided.\n"We actually had one conversation with the trustees at the April meeting about our plans and they asked us to do a little more in-depth analysis and come back to them in the fall," Connors said.\nKappa Sigma's members would have a resident assistant in Weatherly, Moore said.\n"We're going to hire an R.A. who is a member of the chapter to serve as an R.A. in that building," Moore said.\nKappa Sigma President Lev Wismer said the idea to move the fraternity into Weatherly was based on continuing unity within the fraternity, despite the construction of a new house. The new house will be built on North Jordan Avenue -- they currently reside on the North Jordan extension. \n"We wanted to have the opportunity to have a large group living together so we can better continue our experience as a fraternity," Wismer said.\nWismer said only 40 members will be taking the opportunity to continue to live as a community, and the remaining members of Kappa Sigma will be living off campus until their new house is complete.\nConnors said this isn't the first time a fraternity has moved into a residence hall. As recently as four years ago, members of Alpha Omega Pi sorority resided in dorms together under similar circumstances.\n"It's an opportunity for them to keep their chapter in one location as a group, but all residence hall rules apply to them," Connors said. "They're treated just like other students."\n-- Contact Campus Editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.
(07/08/04 8:40pm)
Gabriel Benman, a 20-year-old senior, died at Bloomington Hospital Wednesday night after a basketball game at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.\nMonroe County Coroner David Toumey said the preliminary investigation suggests that the cause of death was an "apparent cardiac event."\nA witness called 911 when Benman collapsed at HPER, said Lt. Jerry Minger of the IU Police Department. The call was made at 6:40 p.m.\nWhen IUPD arrived, Benman was unconscious, Minger said.\n"His pulse was weak and his breathing was shallow so they put him in what's called a recovery position. He started to go into very labored breathing and his pulse was nonexistent so they began CPR," Minger said.\nBenman never regained consciousness, Minger said.\nBenman was taken to Bloomington Hospital where he was pronouced dead on arrival at 8:06 p.m., said Toumey.\nCheck Monday's edition of the IDS for the full story.
(07/08/04 8:37pm)
Gabriel Benman, a 20-year-old senior, died at Bloomington Hospital Wednesday \nnight after a basketball game at the School of Health, Physical Education and \nRecreation.\nMonroe County Coroner David Toumey said the preliminary investigation suggests \nthat the cause of death was an "apparent cardiac event."\nA witness called 911 when Benman collapsed at HPER, said Lt. Jerry Minger of \nthe IU Police Department. The call was made at 6:40 p.m.\nWhen IUPD arrived, Benman was unconscious, Minger said.\n"His pulse was weak and his breathing was shallow so they put him in what's \ncalled a recovery position. He started to go into very labored breathing and \nhis pulse was nonexistent so they began CPR," Minger said.\nBenman never regained consciousness, Minger said.\nBenman was taken to Bloomington Hospital where he was pronouced dead on arrival \nat 8:06 p.m., said Toumey.\nCheck Monday's edition of the IDS for the full story.
(07/08/04 1:08am)
After devoting 33 years of his life to teaching, professor William J. Rowland died June 27.\nA full professor in biology, Rowland had a special interest in marine biology. It was his academic work that sent him to Sweden to work on a research project. He died of a massive heart attack there at the age of 60.\nHis daughter, Marijke Rowland, said the project was almost completed. \n"He specialized in the study of stickleback fish, and he was doing research on the wild population (in Sweden) with a graduate student. It was a 6-week project and he had less than a week left to be there," Marijke said.\nHis family members and colleagues said Rowland possessed a rare blend of teaching and researching abilities.\nMarijke said it was his numerous qualities that made him a great teacher and father.\n"My father was a curious, intelligent and hardworking man who instilled those qualities in everyone around him from his family to his students," Marijke said.\nElizabeth Raff, chair of the biology department and a colleague and friend of Rowland, said he viewed teaching and researching as hand-in-hand.\n"Bill was one of those people where research and teaching are one," Raff said. "He was deeply connected with (both)."\nIt was his devotion to combining research with teaching that led him to become active in the Research Experiences for Undergraduate Program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. The program offers opportunities for minority students to do research with noted faculty members.\nRowland was directly responsible for securing the three grants the program has received since its inception nine years ago.\n"He's been there from the very beginning," said Linda Summers, who worked with him on the program. "There have been three grants, each one has been three years long, and the last one (he wrote) was used as a model proposal. They offered him more money than he asked for."\nRowland was not just important to the funding of the program, but also to its students.\nTeresa Dzieweczynski, a doctorate student who worked with Rowland for five years, said his presence was greatly missed in his lab.\n"We're all kind of wandering around like orphans," Dzieweczynski said. "He played a vital role here. He made it like a family and there's a big hole here now. And it's a loss to the department, too. He was the main ethologist on the staff and a lot of students and faculty members came to him all the time with questions."\nA memorial service will be held at noon Friday at the Day Funeral Home, 4150 E. Third St. Friends, family and colleagues will meet afterward from 4 to 7 p.m. for a reception at the Tudor Room in the Indiana Memorial Union.\n-- Contact Campus Editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.
(06/24/04 2:01pm)
The parking lot west of Memorial Stadium, usually vacant in the summer months, has been transformed into a colorful array of sights, sounds and tastes this week. \nThe 46th annual Fun Frolic has come to Bloomington.\nIU students and Bloomington residents have been enjoying the festival since Friday. Traditional carnival activities are offered, including rides, games and food.\nFun Frolic is a collaboration between Big Brothers and Big Sisters of South Central Indiana and IU Day Care. The two organizations will split a portion of the proceeds between various causes.\n"We kind of share the portion that we get," said Tom Hargis, development director for Big Brothers Big Sisters. "Last year it was around $28,000, and then we split that 60/40. Sixty (goes) to IU Daycare and 40 (goes) to Big Brothers Big Sisters." \nTim Dunnuck, coordinator for Child Care Services at IU Day Care, said the money allotted to IU Day Care will go to extra items needed that are not included in the budget.\n"The IU-Bloomington portion is divided five ways among our five child care centers, and then the directors and parents of each of those centers make the decision on how to spend that money," Dunnuck said. "Normally it's for items that are not included in the regular budget. They might buy something for their playground or new learning materials."\nBecause the festival is held to raise money for children, Fun Frolic is intended to be a fun, family event, Hargis said.\n"An event like this is for the entire family," Hargis said. "It's a family-friendly event, and parents and kids can go out and have a good time."\nMost nights the festivities begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are 75 cents individually or $15 for 24 tickets. However, tonight and Saturday feature special promotions.\nTonight will be "2-for-1 Free Ride" night, and for each paying participant, a friend will ride free.\nSaturday will be Bloomington residents' last chance to attend Fun Frolic, and from 3 to 7 p.m., participants can ride unlimited rides with one $12 bracelet.\nThe Fun Frolic has become a big part of Bloomington history. It has made an appearance every year since 1957 and become a linking force between the Bloomington community and IU.\nIt hasn't always been affiliated with child care, though. The festival was once sponsored by IU staff, Dunnuck said.\n"For years it was sponsored by the IU-Bloomington staff council, which was an organization which represented all of the support staff on campus," Dunnuck said. "When the support staff became unionized, the staff council disbanded. So they were looking for a new sponsor, one from campus and one from the community."\nBig Brothers Big Sisters and IU Day Care have sponsored it as a joint effort since then.\nDunnuck and Hargis agree that the collaboration makes sense because both organizations benefit local youth.\n"The partnership works because both (programs) are dedicated to offering the best service to children and their families, and we're both kind of serving the entire family," Hargis said.\nThe Fun Frolic will be in Bloomington until Saturday. \nThe event will be a great chance for members of the Bloomington community and IU staff, faculty and students to mingle, Hargis said.\n"It's a nice town-and-gown collaboration," Hargis said.\n-- Contact campus editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.
(05/24/04 2:33am)
Temperatures in campus buildings have been rising due to the renovation of IU's cooling system, said Mark Menefee, assistant director of utilities at the IU Physical Plant.\nThe renovation process began in January and is expected to end in July with the replacement of two "chillers," which reduce the water temperature used in air conditioning systems.\n"The chillers cool water down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit ... and we pump that water out to campus to the buildings. That water is used in the air handlers to cool the buildings," Menefee said.\nAs part of the installation process, two of the remaining chillers were shut down, which has led to reduced capacity.\n"We've got a couple of chillers that share common systems with the ones we're replacing and that has caused us to have to shut down some chillers for a limited amount of time. We therefore have reduced capacity," Menefee said. "This is unseasonably warm weather and it's causing us some problems."\nHe said the campus needs around 20,000 tons of cooling. \n"Right now we're trying to serve that load with 8,000 tons," Menefee said. "So it's less than half of what we would need."\nMenefee said a typical house can be cooled using three tons. However, the system has not been running at full capacity for years.\n"Before the renovation we had about 13,000 tons of cooling," Menefee said. "We expect in mid-July to put chillers 1 and 2 in service, which will increase our capacity to around 16,000 tons."\nHowever, conditions in buildings on campus could improve this week. Menefee said an additional 2,500 tons will be available as early as today.\nWhile running under reduced capacity, Menefee said buildings were prioritized for cooling.\n"We have prioritized the list of buildings on campus and the animal facilities and the research facilities are being taken care of as the highest priority," Menefee said. "There are just over 60 buildings on campus that are served by the central chilled water system and we are having to rotate cooling. So we will shut off cooling for an hour in order to try to serve all the buildings at once with a limited capacity."\nWith high priority placed on animal and research facilities, buildings with heavy student traffic such as the HPER and the dorms have been warmer than usual.\nJunior Briana Braun has cut down her usual workout routine at the HPER due to excess heat.\n"I used to run about two miles around the track at the HPER, but it's just too hot there," she said. "I've been running outside instead because I can't handle being in that building."\nStudents taking summer classes in Ballantine Hall have also noticed the rising temperatures.\nJunior Paul Bryant said while classrooms have been warm, it hasn't interfered with his classwork.\n"It does get hot in the classrooms, but we just crack a window and it's usually fine," Bryant said.\nHowever, the heat has led to complaints from other students in his classes.\n"It always bothers my classmates so they ask if we can open a window when it gets unbearable for them," Bryant said.\n-- Contact campus editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu .
(05/20/04 1:10am)
The IU Police Department is investigating the distribution of fliers on campus that could be related to anti-Semitism.\nIUPD was notified that a slow-moving vehicle was depositing the fliers which said, "IU Hates East Coast Jews," at a variety of locations on campus, said IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger.\nIUPD investigated the report and discovered 266 of the fliers. Minger said they were found on Seventh Street, the Indiana Memorial Union circle, north of Ballantine Hall, west of the School of Music buildings and on Jordan Avenue.\nBecause of the ambiguous nature of the fliers, it is unclear if they were distributed as an act of anti-Semitism or protest, Minger said.\n"That message could have meant that a group of people who considered themselves East Coast Jews felt that IU hated them, or it could be someone against East Coast Jews," Minger said.\nThe fliers were most likely distributed to gain attention, said IUPD Sgt. Chad Bennett. "They knew it would cause some sort of a scene," he said.\nPhillip Sherman, former vice president of the Student Leadership Committee at Helene G. Simon Hillel Center, said student reaction to this incident depends on the nature of the fliers.\n"If this is anti-Semitic and this is related to the incidents that happened toward the end of school, then I think that IU needs to look into what's going on and really crack down on it," Sherman said. "For two things to happen within a month of eaih other, (it's an indication that) something is going on and it needs to be dealt with immediately."\nIf the fliers were made by a group of Jewish students who feel that they targets of discrimination against, Sherman said they should find a less radical way to be heard.\n"They should approach the Hillel Center if they are feeling uncomfortable," Sherman said. "I think it's very important they come to Hillel and share the way that they're feeling in a way that's reasonable so that we at Hillel can deal with it in a manner that's respectful to everyone. It's perfectly fine for them to voice their opinions but they should find a more reasonable way to handle it."\nThis incident comes three weeks after anti-Semitic vandalism on a Jewish student's sport utility vehicle. A swastika and the word "Jew" were spray-painted on the student's car. No one has been charged in the case.\nMinger said there is no reason to believe that the events are related.\n"They were two different modes of communication," he said. "The ambiguity in the flier didn't lend itself to be related to anything. There were no similarities at all."\n-- Contact campus editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.
