328 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(02/02/05 6:12am)
For Geno Ramage, 3 a.m. comes too quickly. \nAs soon as his fiancé Evyette shakes him out of bed, there's work to be done. It's still dark when he unlocks the wooden door to his little shop on North Walnut Street, tucked between El Norteño and the Bluebird. He flicks the lights on and sees everything still in its place; the shelves lining the room are stocked with cereals, canned goods and other items. Ramage steps behind the counter that snakes around the middle of the store and hangs his coat on a hook. He plays the messages on the answering machine, gathers all the milk orders for the day and sends Donnie Edwards, his 66-year-old delivery man, out to supply customers in town with their milk and bread. At 4:30 a.m. Faris Meat Market Inc. is open for business.\n"I do more between 4:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. than I do the rest of the day," Ramage said in what he jokingly called his southern Indiana accent.\nRamage spends the rest of the morning in the meat shop, a chilly room at the back of the store that smells a bit like blood and spearmint gum. He works for hours to fill each customer's order. Ramage shaves ham and hard salami, cuts slabs of steak and puts sausage and beef through the meat grinder twice to get the best consistency. The most highly requested meat is hamburger, and Ramage said he sells an average of 350-400 pounds of ground chuck each day. He takes pride in the services he provides to his customers, especially his guarantee that all his meat is fresh and hasn't been sitting in the freezer for more than a day. \n"Everything is fresh cut to the order," Ramage said. "If you want your steak a certain thickness, we'll cut it like that. We base ourselves more on customer service than anything else." \nAnd that's the way things have always been done, a tradition that Ramage believes has helped keep the store alive for more than 80 years. In 1923, Jude Faris and his three brothers, Tommy, Vannoy and Emil, first opened the business as Faris Market. Jude's son Bud later took over and ran the store until his death in 2002. When Ramage learned that none of Bud's five children wanted to own the market, he and his father bought it and renamed it Faris Meat Market Inc. They have kept Bud's locker the same, though; his coat and hard hat are still hanging up the way he left them.\n"My dad is 69 years old, and this is the only job he's ever had," Ramage said. "He started here when he was 15. I started in 1985. So he's been here all his life, and I've been here most of mine." \nRamage's father is now on medical leave. Ramage runs the store with the help of his mother Becky, his fiancé Evyette, Donnie the delivery man, his two young sons and Delores Bell, whom they call "Aunt Lores" and most customers call "Grandma." \n"It's like a big family here," said Bell, a small-framed woman with short white hair. "I'm not related to them, but the people I work with are all great."\nBell has been working at the market as a clerk for eight years. She knows most of the customers by name when they call and by face when they walk in the door. \n"I really like the customers, and after eight years you get to know them; you just do," Bell said. "You know their names and their families. They sort of become friends." \nHilda Stubbings, a 90-year-old Bloomington resident, can attest to that. \n"I feel like they're my friends," Stubbings said in a tiny voice. "Whenever I call, they recognize me right away. They send Christmas cards out every year, and they're signed by everyone in the store. And the man that delivers, he's very dependable. Nothing stops him. He delivers through all kinds of weather." \nStubbings heard about the market's home delivery service on the radio nine years ago. She's legally blind and doesn't drive. She thought the delivery service could take care of her problems. And it has. \n"I don't know what I'd do without them. Just about every day I order from them," Stubbings said. "I usually call before 9:30 a.m., sometimes earlier because they start up very early. And I order everything. Meat, vegetables, canned goods, fruit -- they have a good variety."\nAside from their home delivery service, Ramage said the market supplies roughly 75 other businesses in town, including some fraternity and sorority houses, with meat, produce and milk. Ladyman's Café, Nick's English Hut and Café Pizzeria all have been calling on the market for more than 40 years. \nLarry Webb, owner of Café Pizzeria, said he knows the Pizzeria has been ordering from Faris Market since at least 1962, when he first started working there delivering pizzas. Webb said he still orders from the market and plans to continue for as long as he owns the Pizzeria. \n"They've brought us what we've tried to bring over to our customers, which is quality," Webb said. "We can buy meat fresh on a daily basis without having to buy it frozen a week or even a month ahead of time. And of course they've always been friendly. They're kind of like hometown neighbors."\nWebb's wife Sharon, who is in charge of the soup and sandwich kitchen at the Pizzeria, added that she likes ordering from Faris Meat Market because she knows she's ordering from a business she can depend on and trust. \n"They do their own meat cutting, and I just feel like it's a safer product," Sharon said. "Plus, it's good. It's darn right good."\nRamage said he tries to buy his supplies locally whenever he can.\n"We try to keep the money around here as much as possible, but sometimes that's not feasible," Ramage said. "We get daily deliveries of produce out of Indianapolis, and our steaks are grain-fed out of Iowa. They aren't pumped full of steroids."\nAs of now, Faris Meat Market Inc. is never open for more than eight hours a day because it and all other markets of its kind are under state inspection. Ramage said the state has a rule saying he can't produce past the eight-hour mark unless he pays the inspector $24 an hour for every hour overtime. Incurring overtime costs would not be financially smart in the long run, he said.\nBut Ramage has wanted to extend the hours of the store for years. He said he and his fiancé complained enough that the state has decided to waive the rule in their case. Beginning in February, the market will stay open until at least 6 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays.\n"Now we can stay open later and catch some of the downtown and afternoon traffic," Ramage said. "More students can order steaks, we'll cut 'em and they can pick 'em up on their way home." \nAt about 12:30 p.m., when Ramage's workday is almost through, his two sons, Steven, 10, and Sheldon, 6, run into the shop and jump on their dad. Steven puts on Bud Faris' old hard hat and grins; he wears it whenever he helps out in the meat room. But Steven said he doesn't plan to run the store when he's older. \n"I'm gonna play baseball," Steven said, "for the Yankees."\nFor Ramage, it's worth it to work during the early morning hours. Although he has seen 10 p.m. only a few times in his life, his heart, he said, has always been here at the shop. \n"This place is my life," Ramage said, gazing through his glasses at the white molded ceiling that has stayed the same all these years. "I'm working for me and the good of my family. I love being a part of the Bloomington tradition, just being here at the Faris Market doing what I do."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(02/01/05 6:14am)
Since 2000, every student who has applied for financial assistance or filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) answered a question that is being debated in Washington.\nLast Monday, an independent congressional committee recommended to Congress that the question on FAFSA forms asking students if they have been convicted of a drug crime be removed from the form, claiming it was irrelevant and deterred students from applying for aid. Problems with the question's wording have been causing controversy in Washington. A new provision has been introduced by Indiana Rep. Mark Souder to change the wording to ask only if a student has been convicted while attending a college or university. \n"I don't think it's a bad idea to remove the question," said Dean of Students Richard McKaig. "I agree with the committee. You have the average person who lives 60 to 80 years and makes one mistake when they were 16 and (might be put) in jail. At least in our society, you can have that same person can go back and receive a degree and make something of their life."\nNow with the committee's recommendations, Congress will decide on whether or not to remove the question by the end of the legislative session, said Tom Angell, director of communication for Students for Sensible Drug Policy. "The drug provision author, Rep. Souder, has said the drug provision is flawed and the enforcement is draconian," Angell said. "He wants a new proposal to include retroactivity. If a person had had a drug conviction prior to entering college, they could still be eligible. But if that person was convicted while in college, then their financial aid would be taken away."\nThe SSDP is a nonviolent, youth-oriented organization that neither encourages nor denounces the use of drugs and seeks to reduce the problems caused by drug abuse and drug policies. The organization is also committed to involving youth in the political process and promoting an honest and rational discussion of additional solutions to our nation's drug problems, according to the SSDP Web site. \nSince the question was added, it has affected more than 157,000 eligible students, according to the U.S. Department of Education.\nAngell said he's been working with his organization to remove the question since 1998 and said they are motivated because eligible students are being discouraged from applying for financial assistance. \n"The (independent congressional committee) said the question was completely irrelevant and the form could deter students from applying even if they were eligible," Angell said. "Somebody who had a drug conviction in the past may think they are ineligible, and the pure appearance of the question is deterring students from applying."\nMartin Green, press spokesman for Souder, said Souder is proposing a provision to the Higher Education Act. In 1968, Congress passed the Higher Education Act (HEA) with the purpose of expanding educational opportunities through the creation of federal grant and loan programs. Federal financial aid programs are the single largest source of student aid in the United States and provide an estimated $40 billion to 7 million students each year. Every five years, the HEA is up for reauthorization, and in 1998 Souder introduced an amendment. Green said Souder's amendment was clear and stated that if a student enrolled in a college commits an offense under federal or state law concerning the sale or use of any controlled substance, that student would be suspended from receiving their financial assistance. \n"A student in school at a university or college or community college who is convicted of drug crime while receiving financial aid can have aid suspended," Green said. "A student may resume financial assistance eligibility if they complete drug rehabilitation program and complete two unannounced drug tests."\nGreen also said the Committee on Education and the Workforce Committee will have the jurisdiction to change to nature of the drug question asked on FAFSA forms.\n"If the reauthorization bill is passed with the correction, the FAFSA form will be changed to instead ask if a student has been convicted of a drug crime while in school."\nScarlett Swerdlow, executive director of SSDP, said turning away students based on a single event does not help to sustain the drug problem in America and deters potential students from receiving an education.\n"Too many students have been turned away at the doors to higher education because of this harmful policy," Swerdlow said in a statement. "Denying education to young people caught up with drugs does nothing to help solve our nation's drug problems; it only makes them worse. Congress should immediately adopt the committee's recommendation."\nOverall, Angell is happy with the outcome of the committee's recommendation.\n"We're very pleased with committee's recommendation," Angell said. "They said what we've said for the past four years; it's irrelevant to deter an eligible student from receiving financial assistance."\nMcKaig agrees with Angell, saying that in our society, a person who makes a mistake should not be punished the rest of their life.\n"I don't think a mistake should prohibit a person from ever getting financial assistance. I think it's a good move that people can make mistakes and yet still come back and complete higher educational degrees."\n-- Contact Senior Writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(01/27/05 5:56am)
The land where popular downtown bar Kilroy's stands has a new owner: the IU Foundation. The Foundation acquired property on Kirkwood Avenue that includes Kilroy's by cashing in their option to buy the property, which they had been leasing for 15 years. The complete property they now own includes Kilroy's and a parking lot east of it, said Lynn Coyne, IU assistant vice president for Indiana University real estate. \nThe IU Foundation is a non-for-profit organization that utilizes private resources for IU.\nBarbara Coffman, director of communications for the IU Foundation said the nonprofit organization acquires land around town for the University, as opposed to the University having to deal directly with state. She said a reduced time frame and less paperwork requirements are advantages of using the IU Foundation.\n"Basically, the foundation acquires property two ways. It can receive property as a gift, or the University asks us to buy it," Coffman said. "But, if we ask the state (of Indiana) to lease or buy, it takes much longer. We'll buy a piece of property and lease it to IU and in this case, we had a lease for the (Kirkwood) property and we had to option to buy. The expired lease of 15 years was up at the first of the year -- so we took the option of buying."\nCoffman said Kilroy's extended its lease for another 2 1/2 years and no immediate changes will be made. Kilroy's continues to sublease the property as before, only under the conditions of different ownership.\n"There could be changes down the road related to Kilroy's," Coffman said. "There may be some, but that I don't know for sure."\nCoyne said plans for redeveloping the property in future years will be a main concern for the new owners.\n"Long term, there will be planning for redeveloping that is consistent with Kirkwood and Bloomington," Coyne said. "Bloomington is currently undergoing a downtown plan study."\nKilroy's General Manager Maggie Prall said the company has known about the changes for quite some time and does not think any foreseeable changes will occur in the meantime.\n"We've known for 20 years," Prall said. "As far as we know we'll remain the lessee until the building is gone; we don't foresee any changes in the immediate future."\n-- Contact Senior Writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu
(01/24/05 5:42am)
As the search to replace School of Journalism Dean Trevor Brown inches closer to a decision, faculty and students have begun expressing their expectations for whoever is chosen to replace him. \n"It will be difficult for anybody to follow Trevor," said journalism professor Betsi Grabe. "I think he's been an amazing dean and he's really put the school first, above and beyond his personal interest. That's why I think it's important that everyone affiliated with the school give whoever is chosen their full support."\nGrabe said the new dean should appreciate the diversity of the word "journalism." \n"I do think we need a little bit of guidance in development of convergence of different media," she said. "It's not that we haven't thought about it, but we need someone who understands the academe and who understands journalism as a profession in all its areas and nuances. That includes public relations and advertising."\nJunior Chris Sommerfeld agreed. He said he is not pleased with the journalism school's efforts to add public relations and advertising into the curriculum. As someone who plans on having a career in advertising, Sommerfeld said he is frustrated that nearly all the core classes deal strictly with print journalism.\n"Yes, the journalism school was founded on training students for traditional writing and reporting careers, but the media is changing," Sommerfeld said. "Students in advertising and public relations aren't being given the level and number of classes they are going to need to succeed along with their superbly prepared traditional journalist peers."\nSommerfeld said the new dean needs to help the school become a school of mass communications. When Sommerfeld was a freshman, a survey was conducted in his J110 class demonstrating that nearly half of the incoming J-school students were not interested in traditional journalism careers. Still, he said the school only offers six or so classes in public relations and advertising.\nBut that's not the only issue the new dean will have to deal with. If Gov. Mitch Daniels' budget plan goes into effect, there will be a two-year freeze on state funding for IU. Journalism professor Jack Dvorak said a major component of the new dean's job will be to keep the journalism school in good financial footing.\n"We're depending more and more on tuition dollars and outside funding for the school," Dvorak said. "Trevor has been very good at fund raising and has provided well for the environment. He gets equipment for the teaching and learning process and has done a good job of building up the school's foundation account." \nDvorak said the new dean will need to be just as good at allocating funds for the school.\nThe three candidates -- Christine Martin, Sandra Braman and Bradley Hamm -- will visit IU in the next few weeks, and students, staff and faculty will all have the chance to speak with them. Dvorak said the faculty will then vote on their top choice. The search committee will look to whom the faculty choose, and then Interim IU-Bloomington Chancellor Ken Gros Louis will make the final decision.\nGrabe said she has absolute confidence in the selection process and that she will give her support to whoever is chosen. \n"The new leader should have a vision that matches the sensibility of our school. We have the structures in place," Grabe said. "This person will just have to walk the walk."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Lindsey Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(01/19/05 6:18am)
After only one week of being sworn in as governor, Mitch Daniels delivered his first State of the State address Tuesday night to a packed Senate Chamber. During his address Daniels introduced a tax increase on the richest Hoosiers. In addition, he declared education a top priority in the coming months.\nDaniels was also quite frank concerning the severity of Indiana's economy.\n"Let me sum things up: Our state's economy is too weak, too narrowly based and too often impeded by the very state government that should be its chief advocate and promoter," Daniels said. "The state government is too expensive, too antique in its practices, too indifferent to real, provable results and in place after place after place, too slow."\nDaniels proposed many solutions, some he was reluctant to make, to ultimately overcome economic problems affecting the state -- promising to balance the budget in two years. One such proposal involves creating more small businesses that he said will hopefully keep college graduates from leaving the state. Daniels also said getting Indiana on daylight-saving time would help businesses in a cost-effective way. \n"I propose that existing local economic development funds be freed to establish new venture capital funds in each region of our state," Daniels said. " ... But the loss of Hoosier jobs is no laughing matter and any step that might help is worth trying. So, without changing anyone's time zone, and without spending a penny, I ask this body to lift this handicap from Indiana's businesses and join the national and global economy in the use of daylight-saving time."\nOne of the most important proposals Daniels announced was to reduce spending by imposing a surtax on the wealthiest Hoosiers, which would cut his two-year balanced budget promise in half.\n"Even if we do all the difficult things I just outlined, we would still run a quarter of a billion dollar budget deficit next year, and still have no real savings set aside for the next rainy day. Duty commands to finish the job, to put our house in order and do it now," Daniels said. "So tonight I propose one more step that I would rather not propose. I ask for the most fortunate among us, those citizens earning over $100,000 per year, for one year, to pay an additional 1 percent on the income they receive. With this money we will achieve a balanced budget not two years from now but in the year immediately ahead, and bring our savings account to a level near the minimum standard of prudence."\nSen. Earline Rogers (D-Gary) raised concerns regarding Daniels' proposals and questioned the governor's solutions to improving education in Indiana.\n"We stand ready to work with the governor," Rogers said. "But we would like to talk about some questions we would like to raise. Education I guess was the most surprising thing to me. I think the state of education is competitive and that Indiana was moving forward and doing well. I think Daniels saying that Indiana is not competitive when it comes to education and that is sending the wrong message." \nSen. Timothy Lanane (D-Anderson) questioned the origin of the tax cuts and was surprised by the surtax on wealthy Hoosiers.\n"What we didn't get to hear is where are the cuts going to come from; I heard Medicaid mentioned, and that's some of the most vulnerable people to be affected by cuts," Lanane said. "I was much surprised on the surtax on individuals (earning) over $100,000. Our caucus hasn't much of an appetite to raise taxes; we'll have to see more later."\nHouse Republicans praised the governor's changes and added the debate on important issues would continue into April.\nRep. Ralph Ayres (R-District 4) praised Daniels for attempting to make Indiana competitive on an economic scale.\n"I think the Governor is developing a strategy that is competitive with other states," Ayres said. "When O'Bannon and Kernan would address the issues of the state, they merely stated a problem. Tonight Daniels said the problems are so severe that he proposed a temporary tax to cut our deficit spending."\nRep. Robert Hoffman (R-District 55) was happy overall with the outcome of the governor's speech and noted almost every campaign pledge was addressed in 30 minutes.\n"I think he covered almost every campaign pledge that he promised while out on the road," Hoffman said. "Daniels said 'Here's what I said and now here's what I'm going to do about it,' I was very pleased and I think there was a great reaction."\nSpeaker of the House Brian Bosma said the debate surrounding the issues from Daniels speech, including a tax increase will be debated until the last day of session, April 29.\n"The governor is urging us to tighten our economic belts temporarily," Bosma said. "So far, we have a modest tax increase and I'm sure more details will be available as we have the next 3 months to look it over. We've got a snapshot in our pocket and we'll keep taking photos until April 29."\n-- Contact Senior Writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(01/11/05 6:11am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- The inauguration for newly sworn-in Gov. Mitch Daniels came Monday with a roar from the crowd of more than 10,000 people. Daniels pledged to continue aiming high and made a plea for publicly-funded institutions to help the areas within which they reside.\n"Our universities must also use every opportunity to help the neighbors whose tax dollars support them," Daniels said.\nWith those words, "My Man Mitch" became "My Gov. Mitch," Indiana's 49th Governor, Monday morning at the Pepsi Coliseum in Indianapolis. Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman also was sworn in during the ceremony. Daniels told Hoosiers to expect great things, but cooperation is needed.\n"It's time to raise a new barn in Indiana, a new, stronger structure to house new tools and to make possible far richer future harvests," Daniels said. "We will need the whole community to show up."\nDaniels also emphasized his desire to get to work and deliver his legislative agenda to the speaker of the House, Brian Bosma, after his inauguration. \nDaniels' legislative package includes eliminating ineffective city boards and state commissions, creating a department of agriculture, restoring public trust in government by enacting tougher ethical standards for executive branch employees, strengthening misconduct penalties for big business and improving schools for Hoosier children. \n"In the seats of honor at this ceremony are the VIPs of this weekend, people I met and came to know during my 16-month interview for the job I undertake today. They come from the largest of our cities, from the tiniest of our towns and from the rural spaces in between," Daniels said. "I love them as individuals, but I love equally the way in which they personify the qualities which, if called forth now, will surely carry us over our current difficulties and back to greatness as a state." \nDaniels also spoke about many younger Hoosiers' discouragement regarding current economic opportunities for college graduates in Indiana.\n"The young people of Indiana are watching us today, whether their classroom is tuned in or not. I know, from having met thousands of them in their schools, at their games and on the streets of their towns, that they love this state, and overwhelmingly they hope to make it their home as adults," Daniels said. "Over and over, they have told me in identical words: 'I want to stay, but?'..."\nTodd Perkins, a dairy farmer from Stroh, Ind., pop. 250, said he saw RV1 -- Daniels' mode of transportation for 16 months on his tours of Indiana counties -- driving through his small town two weeks after the late Gov. Frank O'Bannon died. Perkins was struck by Daniels' charisma after a half-hour discussion about the concerns of being a farmer in a small town.\n"I'm from a very small town, and I saw the RV going into town, so I told my son, 'Let's go meet the next governor of Indiana,'" Perkins said. "I talked to him for a half hour about my concerns. I'm a dairy farmer, so I'm worried about environmental issues. (When I talked to Mitch,) I was struck by how genuine and authentic he was, and I had always wondered about people in his position. It's time for change."\nDawn Stephenson, a resident of Monroeville, Ind., spoke about how personable Daniels was when she met him during breakfast one day in her town. \nStephenson's son was left disabled in an automobile accident. With this concern in mind, she talked to Daniels about her worries regarding disability issues and offered him a special gift.\n"He was so personable when I talked to him, he talks with his eyes. I was so impressed, and he wanted to know about me," Stephenson said. "As I left that room, I remember touching the cross pin that was on my shirt. I had been wearing it ever since I found out about my son's accident. I went back inside the restaurant and gave my cross to Mitch and told him might need it. He said he'd been given a lot of things, but he'd never been given a cross off someone's shirt. I'm so very blessed to have met Mitch and have him lead us in a new direction."\nAmong new friends were old friends, like Will Ukes, a former teacher from Westlane Middle School - known as Westlane Junior High School when Daniels attended. Ukes said he remembers Daniels as a trouble-free student. \nMike Aycok, a former classmate of Daniels' at Westlane, said the governor was "fun-loving, respectful and highly energetic."\nDaniels reiterated the need for change as a key topic Monday.\n"Let's nobody sit home. ... Every person who volunteers at a free clinic, a food bank, a nursing home, is putting a plank in place. Every young person who studies a little harder or signs up for a tougher course is driving a nail," Daniels said. "Every citizen who stops smoking, or loses a few pounds or starts managing his chronic disease with real diligence, is caulking a crack for the benefit of us all."\nNewly sworn-in Lt. Gov. Skillman, a member of the Indiana General Assembly since 1992, became the first woman elected to Senate Republican leadership. Skillman said she is excited to go back to the General Assembly and preside over the Senate. \n"I'm very excited, this is the first time I've not seen many of my colleagues in awhile," Skillman said. "I'm eager to see my old friends on both sides of the aisle."\nDaniels concluded his speech by saying it's time to get to work.\n"We know our assignment; we will spare no effort. We ask only that you join us, each in your own best way, in rebuilding an edifice of excellence in which a great Hoosier future can be housed," Daniels said. "And now if you will excuse me, I have to get to work."\n-- Contact Senior Writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(01/11/05 6:11am)
For years, students have left their homes in countries across the globe to study at IU and other universities in the United States. Because of recent legislation, IU President Adam Herbert and other university officials fear this traditionally large international student population could decline significantly.\nAt the invitation of Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., President Herbert went to Washington, D.C. last October to ask Congress to loosen its regulations for granting visas to students wishing to study in the United States. He testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, of which Lugar is the chair, that post-Sept. 11 visa procedures were causing problems for international students. \nDespite his testimony, Congress passed a major security bill just before Christmas preventing U.S. consular officials from waiving the 90-second personal appearance interviews, which became part of the visa application process after Sept. 11. \nChristopher Viers, associate dean for International Programs and director of the Office of International Services, said these mandatory interviews have resulted in bottlenecks at U.S. embassies and consulates, making it difficult for international students and scholars to travel to and from the United States. He said IU advocated allowing officials to waive the interviews in low-risk cases. Viers said an example of a low-risk case would be a current student who has been in the United States for a while with no status violations, has returned home for a visit and must apply for a new visa to return. \n"Unfortunately, the new legislation takes this discretionary authority away from consular officials and mandates an interview for all visa applicants, irrespective of their previous history with our country," Viers said. "In many countries, this means that students and scholars must now make three personal visits to the embassy to apply for a visa, often having to travel extremely long distances to do so."\nThis procedure also creates delays. Lynn Schoch, senior associate director of International Services, said embassies are overwhelmed with requests for interviews. \n"It can take a very long time just to get your five minutes with an officer," Schoch said. \nSchoch said students often have to make their requests months ahead of time, which leaves no room for last minute decisions and admissions. Some students who face the decision to put off their educations for a year opt to study elsewhere. \n"As it becomes harder and harder to be a scholar in the U.S., other countries are making it easier, so we are seeing an increasing number of students going to Australia, Canada and Great Britain," Schoch said. "I fear that the long-term effect will be to discourage international students from studying in the U.S."\nSchoch's fear may soon become a reality. This year was the first in more than a decade in which IU saw a decline in international students, said Larry MacIntyre, IU's director of media relations. There are 4,455 international students currently enrolled at all eight IU campuses combined, which represents a 4.2 percent decrease from 2003, when IU had 4,647. He said the decrease in the number of international applicants could become a potential problem for the University and other schools across the nation.\nMark Helmke, a senior staff member for Sen. Lugar's Foreign Relations Committee, said things need to change. Helmke said Sen. Lugar is working to improve the situation by holding a series of roundtable forums in D.C., which assemble representatives from universities throughout the country, senators and representatives from the Departments of State and Homeland Security. These forums aim to discuss ways to strike a fair balance between national security concerns and the preservation of international students' access to a U.S. education. Helmke said there are at least three forums scheduled for upcoming months.\n"The law is the law. We still don't want foreign terrorists to come to the U.S. disguised as students, as has happened," Helmke said. "But the U.S. wants foreign students here. We want to see a change in attitude (about the process) because right now these students are being treated as guilty until proven innocent."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(01/10/05 6:08am)
As of 11 a.m. today, Mitch Daniels officially will be Indiana's new governor. To celebrate, Daniels brought together everyone that helped him claim victory -- from his grassroots supporters to the VIPs.\nHis inauguration ceremony, which ends at 12 p.m. today, concludes after a weekend of events. Daniels extended VIP invitations to the ceremony to people of all classes whom he met along his tours of Indiana, specifying: No tuxedos allowed. The events were styled as "no frills," according to his inauguration committee. Adding to the festivities, Bloomington's own a cappella group Straight No Chaser entertained Sunday evening along with Ball State's University Singers at the Inaugural Dinner in downtown Indianapolis. \n"(A no-frills celebration) was basically one of the two things that the governor-elect told the inaugural committee from day one after election," said Marc Lotter, Daniels' press secretary. "There were to be no tuxes, and this needed to be a weekend full of events to bring in Hoosiers from across the state. The VIPs were all those special folks he met along the campaign trail." \nSunday's events included an afternoon gospel celebration on the Indiana State Fairgroundsin Pepsi Coliseum. Gospel performers Bill and Gloria Gaither and the Gaither Vocal Band, the Anderson University Chorale and Divine Revelation Church Choir from Anderson all performed at the festivities. Lotter, who attended the afternoon celebration, said the hundreds of performers did an excellent job.\n"Two hundred and thirty gospel performers were there," Lotter said. "It went very well. The Gaithers and the Divine Revelation Choir just did a phenomenal job. People were on their feet, it was great." \nLinda Goad, chairwoman of the Inaugural Committee, said inauguration weekend included something for everyone.\n"We are thrilled to be able to offer Hoosiers a sampling of some of the best homegrown talent from across our state," Goad said in a statement. "As Mitch has said from the beginning, there (is) something for everyone during inaugural weekend."\nSunday evening's celebrations included a sold-out $500 dinner and a gala for 1,500 attendees. Radio personality Tom Griswold from "The Bob and Tom Show," a local Indianapolis radio show, emceed the inaugural dinner. Several musical acts provided entertainment, including Straight No Chaser. \nThe inaugural ceremony will showcase musical performances from high school bands from across Indiana. The Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger High School Band and Evansville North High School Band are scheduled to perform. Also, as promised by Gov.-elect Daniels during the campaign, the Jasper-Newton Community Band will play at the ceremony.\nTickets to the 9,000-seat Pepsi Coliseum are sold out for today's inauguration, which is set to start at 9 a.m., with Daniels being sworn in promptly at 11 a.m.\nMembers of IU's College Republicans were in Indianapolis Sunday night to attend the dinner and will be attending the swearing-in today.\nCollege Republican and IU student Tyler Wallace said he is most looking forward to the inauguration itself because it means the start of a new administration.\n"I'm looking forward to the swearing-in because it's the beginning," said Wallace. "I think there's a lot of stuff in store, and the next four years will be good. Tomorrow is the start of that." \n-- Contact Senior Writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(12/10/04 5:32am)
Rarely do bands from out of town make an impact on the local Bloomington music scene, but recently one Dallas band has been making waves.\nThe Graham Colton Band, a group of four young musicians from Texas, is returning to Bloomington Saturday to open for Sister Hazel at the Bluebird nightclub after performing there only one week ago, Dec. 2, with Edwin McCain. This stop in Bloomington will be its fifth since first playing with Counting Crows at the IU Auditorium in October of 2002, and the members said they couldn't be more thrilled.\n"We are growing pretty fond of Bloomington and all that it has to offer," said lead singer, and band's founder, Graham Colton. "We are starting to see the same faces, which make it fun, and it makes us feel like we are among friends."\nThe band's sound combines alternative rock with strong vocals. It's led by Colton on vocals and guitar, Jordan Elder on drums, Ryan Tallent on bass and Brian "Turtle" Turton on lead guitar. \n"I was never really a fan of the Graham Colton Band before," said junior Bridget Fallen. "But the set was tight and the band was on the mark. IU's bar scene is lucky they're coming back next weekend."\nColton began his first tour outside of the Dallas area after two years at Southern Methodist University when Counting Crows asked him and his band to be part of their university tour. Although he said his early departure from college is a downside to touring, Colton jumped at the chance.\n"Touring is kind of like my college experience, and although it sounds cheesy, my band is like my fraternity," Colton said. \nHe said IU students have made visiting Bloomington lots of fun by being very friendly and taking the tight-knit band to Kilroy's on Kirkwood after their shows.\nThroughout their many visits, Bloomington has quickly become a favorite of the members of the Graham Colton Band. Colton said they enjoy meeting as many of their fans as they can after their shows. \nThe band's popularity has been growing larger on IU's campus since the highly attended Guster concert at the Phi Delta Theta house during Little 500 of last year. Senior David Rifkin coordinated the performance, and worked with the Creative Artist Agency to add the Graham Colton Band as the opening act.\n"One of the major reasons why (the band) did so well here is because their music covers a wide variety of people and they really fit the criteria of what blows up here," Rifkin said. "If someone is into hard rock they will like it and if someone is into pop they will like it too. Anybody who hears them immediately goes, 'wow they're amazing.'"\nColton said the band's sound can be compared to many other popular college rock bands such as the Wallflowers, John Mayer and Maroon 5 -- all former touring partners Colton's band.\n"We take a little piece of every band we've toured with and it has turned into our own sound," Colton said. The band members said they hope to concentrate on building up a large fan base with its new album, titled "Drive," and their Saturday performance at the Bluebird is the next step. \n"We're in for the long haul with this album," Colton said. "We hope it takes us a lot of places and to Bloomington a whole lot more." \n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Dewitte at ldewitte@indiana.edu.
(12/08/04 6:14am)
After leading the IU football team to the University's first-ever bowl appearance in the 1968 Rose Bowl, IU alumnus Harry Gonso will be tackling a different kind of position. Gonso has been appointed by Governor-elect Mitch Daniels to head his transition team as chief of staff.\nGonso met Daniels when asking the newly elected governor to work at the law firm Ice Miller. Daniels turned the firm down and eventually took an attorney position at another firm.\n"We've remained close, and I'm a true admirer and have been working intensely with him the last month," Gonso said. "I've only become more (of) a believer in his absolute ability in shaping the state for betterment."\nGonso graduated from IU-Bloomington in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and graduated from the IU School of Law in 1973 with honors. While attending IU, Gonso was an All-American football player on the 1968 football team, known as the "Cardiac Kids," and played in the Rose Bowl game against the University of Southern California and running back O.J. Simpson. \nGonso said the team's nickname reflected an enthusiasm that the players and coaches shared in last-minute wins throughout the Cinderella season. \n"It was one continuous exciting moment after another, that reference, the 'Cardiac' team, is about how we won games in the last minutes, which made it exciting, but we were truly an outstanding team," Gonso said. "No one expected we would be good. As each game rolled on, we continued to win and were almost unbeatable. It was a fairy tale story."\nGonso kept close ties with IU after graduation and served on the board of trustees for 18 years, for which he was vice president from 1988 to 1994. Former Trustee Ray Richardson served on the board with Gonso for two years.\n"Undoubtedly, Gonso was first elected to the board because of his football background," Richardson said. "But his contribution over 18 years offered as much as I've ever known. He was easy to get along with, smart and knowledgeable. It takes quite a while to get to know the workings of a university, but being on a board for 18 years will give you that knowledge."\nGonso has been practicing law since 1973 and took a position with Ice Miller in 1980. Currently Gonso is a partner at Ice Miller, where he specializes in general corporate and transaction law. Fellow colleague and attorney Richard Thrapp, who also graduated from IU School of Law, was recruited by Gonso and praised his leadership skills. \n"He was the hiring partner at the time and helped recruit me to Ice Miller," Thrapp said. "He's the kind of guy who really gets to know you. I could tell he wasn't going through a performance; he was charismatic."\nThrapp also said Gonso's experience as a quarterback helped him excel both as a leader and work as a team member.\n"He was quarterback of a team, and no one person can accomplish the objectives of an administration," Thrapp said. "Everyone has a role, and a quarterback's role is to make sure that, in any given play, everyone is doing what they need to do. His job is to make sure everyone does their job and follows the governor's lead."\nThrapp also said another qualification Gonso exudes is his talent of team-building, an idea Ice Miller stands behind.\n"One aspect the firm has is teamwork," Thrapp said. "It kind of flows from ability to understand what the other side of a particular situation wants. Harry's approach has been to find out what everyone is seeking in negotiations and for each party to reach an agreement. His whole goal is to assist clients into achieving objectives. That's why he's effective, and I think those skills will serve the governor well."\nFormer IU Interim President Gerald Bepko praised Gonso for his accomplishments at IU and said his talents will make him an excellent chief of staff. \n"Harry Gonso has been a great leader in so many different fields of interest at Indiana University," Bepko said. "Harry is very intelligent and has excellent values and works well with people, and they look up to him," Bepko said. "People who are students today or future or alums should look at Harry as a model. Harry is very genuine, honorable and an honest man. Very often, nice guys finish first."\nGonso said he valued his seven "tremendous" years at IU and has a deep devotion to the school. \n"I went to IU as a football athlete and went to IU School of Law, and I fell in love with the institution and grew to feel indebtedness and (loyalty) to Indiana University," he said.\nGonso's life thus far has encompassed many things. He said he will not forget his time at IU and is grateful for the opportunities he has had.\n"This is a new chapter of my life. Mitch needed someone he trusted to provide leadership, and I want to help higher quality people and help communicate (Daniels') message. And then who knows what I'll do after that? Obviously I miss IU."\nGonso said although he's done much in his life, some things still remain the same.\n"I'm essentially the same guy. I've developed better balance, tolerance and more diversity," Gonso said. "I tell my kids usually you've got to look for someone to be successful who has fire in their belly."\n-- Contact senior writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(11/19/04 4:16am)
Have room for more at the table?\nWith Thanksgiving approaching, students are leaving campus to return to their homes all over the country. But there are some who can't. \nBecause it's such a short break, international students often times don't have much choice but to pay $25 to stay in Eigenmann Hall during the recess. That's why for more than 50 years Bloomington Worldwide Friendship, Inc. has been helping these students find families with which to spend the holidays, and they are now seeking volunteers. \n"Given the distance associated with travel, many students who are with us from around the world are not able to be with family over the holiday," said Chris Viers, associate dean for International Programs and director of International Services. "Students enjoy the opportunity to spend time with Bloomington families while taking a break from studies and staying in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere."\nLast year, about 40 families volunteered, said Basil Wentworth, chair of BWF's Holiday Hosts Committee. But Wentworth said they need hosts now more than ever.\n"I'm desperate for community hosts," Wentworth said. "The sooner they get to me, the happier the students will be."\nStudents say they benefit from spending time with American families. \nJaromir Paril, a graduate student from the Czech Republic, has been at IU since August. Although he has studied in the United States before, he has never spent an entire school year away from home. But Paril said he plans to spend the break with his BWF family.\n"Some people can enrich or change students' lives, attitudes or future," Paril said. "The knowledge that there are people from BWF who are open to foreign cultures helps me to learn more about life here. The shared excitement of learning is the best part of being together with Americans for me."\nKimberly Ruff, public relations and committee chair of BWF, has been a host for seven years and will be hosting Paril this year. Ruff, who lived in Germany for five years and England for nine, said she always appreciated when families invited her to stay in their homes while she was overseas.\n"It gives me a lot of pleasure to do it and see they appreciate it," Ruff said. "There is nothing like opening up your house and having your family members being a part of it, too. It's really a broader kind of sharing, and it means a lot." \nRuff said the BWF's key program, however, is the Friends Program, for which they will recruit this month. For a semester, international students are matched with families or adults who are interested in having friendships with them. Students do not live with volunteers, but they meet with their new friends four to five times a semester where they often have meals together, go to plays or even take trips to Brown County. \nMany families who have participated in the Friends Program have maintained their friendships with students for many years, and have even flown overseas to be in their weddings or to visit their home countries. \n"It's a nice way to have friends all over the world," Ruff said. "It makes life more interesting and worthwhile.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(11/16/04 5:12am)
Grad student Loyal Miles remembers the shock he felt when he watched the second plane hit one of the Twin Towers on his TV screen. He knew he was watching history unfold but he recalls feeling there was no way to know in that moment what the long-term effects of Sept. 11, 2001 would be.\n"I had to balance my own personal shock of seeing something so horrible on TV with knowing it was going to have a historic effect for years to come," Miles said. "There was really no way to say in that moment what it meant, but I knew it was going to mean something big."\nThese feelings have stuck with him ever since. Miles came to IU in 2000, and has been working to earn an MFA in creative writing. As a part of the MFA program, students like Miles get the chance to teach. After instructing several creative writing classes offered through the English Department, the Wichita, Kan., native had his own idea. \nHe learned through a friend that the Collins Living-Learning Center welcomes instructors who have created their own classes to apply to have their courses offered at the LLC. So he designed a course called, "Writing Historical Fiction," in which students would use the events of 9-11 to write their stories. \nHe said he wanted students to research all angles of Sept. 11 by reading both national and international perspectives on the terrorist attacks, and also learning about the issues concerning the redevelopment of Ground Zero. But he wanted their primary preparation for writing their stories to be a field trip to New York City so they could experience the aftermath of the events as best they could. \n"They need to be there, they need to see how big the space of ground zero is," Miles said. "They need to see the buildings and the city so they'll have a deeper understanding to start from when they are writing what the events were really like."\nThe Board of Educational Programming at the LLC approved his course last year, so Miles and his students flew to NYC where they spent the past weekend trying to piece together their own conceptions of 9-11 and its aftermath. They met with Lee Ielpi, the vice president of the 9-11 Widows' and Victims' Family Association, and with Anthony Gardener, the president and founder of the World Trade Center United Family Group. Both men lost loved ones that day. Miles' students learned from them what both the people trapped in the buildings experienced during the attacks and what firefighters did in their attempts to rescue them.\nMiles and his students also visited several museums that featured 9-11 exhibitions, and, Sunday morning, they walked through Ground Zero. It was not what many of them had expected.\n"More than anything, it was just a hole," freshman Jake Ruby said. "In New York, there's so much life and to have an absence of life six acres wide and six stories deep was really awkward. It didn't seem like something like that would be possible in New York City."\nJunior Chelsea Stroup also could hardly believe what she saw. She said there were so many buildings around the site that it was hard to imagine something so big fell without doing more damage. After visiting Ground Zero, Stroup said she felt self-conscious about discussing her reactions to the site in public. While the rest of the students were talking about the visit on the subway, the Kokomo, Ind., native sat in silence.\n"I was afraid to talk to people in our group about it because I didn't know if someone sitting next to me had family or friends who were in the towers," Stroup said.\nBut Stroup was most moved after she listened to Gardener speak. She said Gardener has had arguments with members of the New York Port Authority and various politicians including New York Sen. Hillary Clinton about the redevelopment plans for Ground Zero. She said Gardener is upset about Port Authority's plans to fill in the places where the towers stood, called the footprints, with a bus depot among other things. Stroup said she feels the footprints should be preserved, not commercialized. \n"A lot of times family members like to stand on the footprints because to them it's like standing over their families' grave," Stroup said. "The Port Authority is filling them in without consulting the family members."\nBoth Stroup and Ruby, who is from New Carlisle, Ind., said they feel the trip will help them write their final stories because they have had the chance to see and experience everyday life in New York. They said they have seen the result of the attacks and also how New Yorkers have continued to live their lives after the tragedy.\nMiles said he was pleased with the trip, and knows his students will have plenty of ideas for their stories. \n"I want my students to be charged up after having this opportunity to interact with history and fiction writing about such an important topic," Miles said. "They are beginning to make sense of Sept. 11 and Ground Zero."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(11/15/04 5:13am)
As musicians set up their instruments and tuned their guitars, Mitch Rice stepped up to the microphone and spoke Saturday night to a crowd of Bloomington residents who filled the seats of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.\n"The corporate forces are not taking over here in Bloomington," Rice said in a southern drawl. "We can't let highways define our way of life. We're not going to let them pave us. Help us fight this thing."\nThe sound of many clapping hands filled the theater. \nRice was referring to Interstate 69, an interstate highway the Indiana Department of Transportation plans to construct in years ahead that would connect the south side of Indianapolis to Evansville. While numerous state government officials support the proposed plan by former Gov. Evan Bayh in 1990, there has been a flood of citizen opposition in Bloomington and neighboring communities. Thirteen bands and local musicians performed at the Buskirk-Chumley to celebrate the release of a collaborative CD titled, "Save It, Don't Pave It: Music to Save our Communities," in an effort to increase awareness of the monetary, environmental and personal consequences of I-69.\nMarc Haggerty, one of the musicians and a life-long resident of Bloomington, said he thinks he can impact people through his songs.\n"I hope my songs will reach a spiritual place in the person who hears them. I hope they will touch their hearts," Haggerty said. "It motivates people when their hearts are touched."\nOthers, like Brian Winterman, said they participated because they feel strongly for the cause.\n"I'm from Evansville. I love the fact that there are about 15 different two-lane highways I could take to get to Bloomington," he said. "I don't really care that an interstate could shave off 15 minutes of my time."\nThe effort to put this CD together began in January of 2003, said Michelle Henderson, who helped organize the event. The money made from CD sales will be used to fund Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads Inc., a grassroots organization working to protect the forests and farmlands that could be damaged by the construction of I-69. Henderson herself will be affected if the highway is built.\n"Our house was built in 1870 and is 400 feet off the center line of I-69," Henderson said. "This means our house will be destroyed. It is really sad, though, to know our house is one of hundreds of houses that will be affected, and I'm sure are all of them are very beautiful."\nHenderson said there will be many other negative consequences for the state if the highway is built. The new-terrain I-69 would cost Indiana taxpayers an estimated $1.7 billion, which she said means less money would be available for education and health care. She said taxes will also likely increase because the Indiana Department of Transportation will need adequate funding to get the job done, and the money that is supposed to go towards paving and maintaining rural roads will end up being used for the highway.\nSandra Tokarski, a member of the CARR Steering Committee, said she thinks INDOT should upgrade existing roads instead of creating the highway because it would cause far less damage to the environment. Tokarski suggested these upgrades should include putting in 8-to-10-foot shoulders, softening harsh curves and creating more passing and turn lanes to make the roads safer. She said this is a better solution than I-69.\n"The real issue is that we can't keep the roads we have in good repair, we don't need to be adding to the road system," Tokarski said. "And we can not continue to pave over farmland, not just because it is beautiful, but because it sustains us."\nSome feel differently about the issue. Joshua Claybourn, a law student at IU Purdue University-Indianapolis, said he drives on those two-lane Southern Indiana roads often. He said not only does he find them to be confusing, poorly maintained and slow, but dangerous too.\n"Consider the wasted gas and fuel, along with time and safety," Claybourn said. "On average, over the past 25 years, 10 deaths and 450 serious injuries per month have taken place on Southwestern Indiana's archaic, curvy, two-lane highway system. Thousands of IU students travel between IU and Evansville each year, and they deserve better." \n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(11/11/04 5:04am)
Along with bringing their two forms of identification, bar crawlers can bring two cans of food to Kilroy's Sports Bar tonight.\nIn collaboration with three students in the IU School of Social Work, Kilroy's Sports Bar will play host to an event benefiting the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. People who bring two canned food goods will not only save a dollar on their cover charge, but they'll also help feed the hungry of Monroe County. \nThose who choose not to participate will pay the $3 cover, and at the end of the night Kilroy's Sports will count what was made. The bar will donate half of the remaining cover charge to Hoosier Hills, an organization that collects and distributes food to needy families of various counties in southern and central Indiana.\n"Kilroy's has been an establishment in Bloomington for a long time now," said Katie Painter, event coordinator for Kilroy's Sports Bar. "We try very hard to give back to the community in every way we can. We thought this would be a good way to raise consciousness about hunger."\nHunger is an issue of mounting concern to this community and to all of Indiana. According to facts compiled by the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Monroe County has the highest poverty rate in the state, with nearly 20 percent of residents living at or below the poverty level. Similarly, Indiana has the third highest number of food stamp participants in the nation, and the number of children under 18 who are living in poverty is growing each day.\nSenior Jennifer Spalding, one of the students in the School of Social Work who organized the event, said many of the families who rely on food stamps or cash assistance find, at the end of the month, they don't have the money they need to buy groceries. Spalding said these people have no other way to eat except through the food Hoosier Hills distributes to various agencies.\n"If it wasn't for Hoosier Hills Food Bank, many of these families would go hungry and would be at risk of being torn apart," Spalding said. "This issue affects many different populations of people and it takes a community to come together to help serve those in need."\nAnd help they can. For every dollar donated to the food bank, five meals can be provided, said senior Jaclyn Siegel who worked with Spalding on the event. Agencies pay 14 cents per pound of food they receive, Siegel said, so the more people who bring canned goods Thursday, the better. \n"If you have it in your kitchen, donate it." Siegel said. "If you're going to go out and buy it, it might be nice to buy something that you yourself would eat, but we welcome anything people are willing to give."\nSiegel, Spalding and senior Cara Cellini collaborated on an assignment for their social work class, in which they were instructed to organize an event that would bring the community together. They found hunger was an important issue to address because it's a basic need of every human being. It was no accident the event was scheduled for November, Siegel said, because around the holidays people tend to be more interested in getting involved in philanthropy. All three said they hope for a big student turnout because they want to open students' eyes to a problem they may not know exists.\n"We planned this event to make students aware that there is a community outside of the campus," Spalding said. "We wanted to provide them with an opportunity to contribute to an important cause." \n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(11/09/04 6:11am)
More than 3,000 people packed the IU Auditorium Sunday night to hear the alternative rock band Incubus play live songs from both its newest album and older albums. The IU Auditorium was filled with students wanting to hear their favorite songs, and with surprise covers of R. Kelly and Prince by lead singer Brandon Boyd. Students came from as far as Ball State and Purdue universities to hear the popular band.\nBall State sophomore Matt Grey said he was really happy with the performances by the opening act, The Music, and Incubus. \n"Incubus put on an amazing performance. I enjoyed the opening band as well, they did awesome opening for such a highly respected band," Grey said. Grey also said he liked Boyd's version of Prince's song "When Doves Cry" and said he was not expecting the unusual covers.\nPurdue senior Tom Sak said he was overly impressed with the show and liked the atmosphere of the crowd.\n"They played a lot of stuff that everyone knew," Sak said. "My favorite song is 'Drive' and when they started everyone screamed and yelled, it was pretty cool. I thought they did a great job and now I want to see them again."\nIncubus covered its bases by playing songs from its latest album "Megalomaniac," as well as older songs that were familiar to the crowd. The band's first set included four of its most popular songs: "Drive," "Wish You Were Here," "Stellar" and "Nice to Know You" while the crowd sang along with the music. Sophomore Ann Boester said she liked the older songs Incubus played and was glad the band didn't just play songs from its newest album.\n"Actually I liked the older stuff better, I really like 'Make yourself' and 'Focus' and 'Stellar,' all songs they played," Boester said. "A lot of people that go to Incubus concerts know the older songs and that's what they want to hear. Overall, I liked it a lot, I thought (Boyd) mixed it up with old and new and I think it was a good show."\nBoester also said although she liked the concert, she was disappointed with the restriction of not being able to move around her seat.\n"It sucked in the Auditorium because you couldn't move around and were kept in front of your seat. I didn't like that," she said. "That is something that definitely has an effect if fans are going to go, especially when people want to be close to the stage and whether or not you have freedom to move around or stay in your seat."\nJunior Brian Kelley liked the set list and said he thought it was one of the best Incubus shows he's been to.\n"The set list was definitely one of their top shows I've seen and I've been to quite a few," Kelley said. "The drum solos, 'Stellar's' freestyle verse in the middle, and 'Pantomime' were highlights."\nCommittee Chairman for the Union Board Jeffrey Hasson said he was very pleased with the concert and that all of the hard work paid off.\n"It was phenomenal, I couldn't have asked for better show," Hasson said. "The lighting was great, and Incubus played for the longest time; The sound was good and the music was excellent. I can't explain how happy I feel right now on my committee. The entire Union Board and the committees feel so great to give something to the student body like this concert. All the time and effort we put in was great and worth it."\nIU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said he thought Incubus was happy to be in Bloomington.\n"We thought it was great show, both the opening act and Incubus. It was a really inspiring performance and Incubus was excited to be at IU," Booher said. "They had asked to come here and I think Union Board did a good job of making it work out."\nBooher said student support in the concert will help the Auditorium and other groups book bands of Incubus' caliber.\n"(The support for Incubus) makes booking shows for rock and popular music an easier job when students get behind a show and bring friends," Booher said. "The better track record we have, it's easier to book big name bands. ... To me, this semester is a turning point. We've had Nickel Creek, Howie Day and now Incubus. This helps us to continue to build history with the industry and helps us to get other shows lined up."\nBooher said the Incubus crew gave compliments to the Union Board for all of its hard work.\n"One of the greatest accomplishments IU was paid was by Incubus's tour manager who said this was the best group of students they had worked with," Booher said. "...They were also impressed with professionalism that Union Board had to make sure it was a smooth show with no problems. That was a very nice compliment."\n-- Contact senior writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(11/09/04 5:47am)
Every day he teaches, 88-year-old Henry Remak leaves his house on Maxwell Lane and walks nearly a mile to campus, cranking his weight from side to side with a large shoulder bag and a look of contentment on his face. He takes it slow, using this time to appreciate his surroundings and to chat with the people he meets.\n"I haven't driven a car since 1962," Remak said while laughing out loud. \nRemak, IU's oldest professor, usually climbs the stairs to his office on the sixth floor of Ballantine Hall. He's been teaching at IU for 66 years, and a student once told him that because of this, he has a protected status as a historical monument. \n"It's just amazing how much he knows about books, and how much insight he gives about the time period and the history," said senior Abhishek Khemka, a former student of Remak's. "The class would be about a book, but then he'd go off on a big tangent."\nFor Khemka and others, Remak's class is unique because he has so much life experience to draw from, always a personal story to tell that would add a little something to a discussion. After all, he's been around for nearly a century and has seen history unfold with his own eyes.\n"I think for the students, it's interesting to learn from a person who has lived history. I feel I can make things more alive because I can connect them to my own experiences in dramatic times," Remak said.\nThinking, he closes his eyes tightly and begins to speak of his past. Remak runs his thin hand over his head. He's nearly bald, but still has a few wisps of white hair. \nRemak was born in 1916 in Berlin amid the tumult of World War I. And although his family was German, they were of the Jewish faith, which he said became problematic. When he was a toddler, he remembers playing with his brother in a room in his house that overlooked the street below and hearing gunshots, a sound he came to regard as normal.\n"I was very used to conflict," Remak said.\nHe went to the only French high school in Berlin, which prepared him well to emigrate once Hitler came to power in 1933. Remak went to France to study for more than two years, earning the equivalent of a bachelor's degree. \nRemak sent letters all over the world in an attempt to get a job, but he said no one wanted to hire someone whom they couldn't meet face-to-face. Then, while at the University of Montpelier, in France, his luck changed. Walking down a hallway, he saw a poster on the wall from the International YMCA that said all persecuted people should have a chance to emigrate to a country where they could get a job. It said anyone who felt eligible should send an autobiography. So he did.\nThe YMCA wanted to help Remak and told him they would try and place him at a university in a free country. \n"The YMCA learned that America had fraternity and sorority houses," Remak said. "So they had a practical idea, and decided the thing to do was to get me to be invited by a fraternity."\nIU's chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu responded. The alumni invited Remak to stay with them for free. \nHe spent his first day in Bloomington finding a way to pay for his tuition. With the help of his 35 fraternity brothers, he went to William Lowe Bryan, IU's president at the time, and asked him for free tuition. Bryan, who had himself spent time in Berlin studying abroad, took a liking to Remak and granted his request.\nWith most of his major worries aside, Remak was free to explore the campus. He felt anxious when his friend took him on a tour of the campus because there were so many trees and flowers around. This sight was different from his idea of a college campus, which in Europe consists mostly of tall stone buildings. \n"I remember distinctly saying to myself that I am never going to leave this paradise," Remak said.\nBloomington has remained Remak's anchor, so that no matter where he has traveled, he has always returned to this town he calls home. \nRemak enlisted in the Merchant Marine during World War II, and he has been a visiting professor in Wisconsin, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Germany, France and India. He got his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, and in 1946, he was offered a full-time professorship at the IU-Bloomington campus, where he has taught Germanic comparative culture and comparative literature, and was among the founders of the West European Studies Program. He became the Vice Chancellor of the University in 1969, retiring from that post after five years.\nBut he didn't retire from IU entirely. The Honors College wanted him to be a member of its faculty; he is now an emeritus professor within the HC and teaches historical seminar classes.\nSenior Andrew Remak said he's very proud to be Henry Remak's grandson because of how loyal he's been to the University. He admires his grandfather's love for his students, and doesn't think his grandfather will ever want to stop teaching.\n"I don't think he's ever going to retire. I think he'll stop teaching when they kick him out, or when he can't walk or talk anymore," Andrew said.\nHenry Remak holds up a gold trophy in his hands that tend to shake. The American Comparative Literature Association sent it to him recently as an award for lifetime achievements in comparative literature, the first and only award of its kind. \n"So you see a negative thing may have positive consequences. If Hitler hadn't come to power, I may have studied in Germany and never come here to become a professor of languages and comparative cultures." Remak said. "I love teaching, I love students and I feel I've had a very lucky life."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
(11/05/04 6:07am)
Chairs slide across the tiled floor, and papers shuffle. Students clad in sweatpants, T-shirts and gym shoes shuffle into the brightly lit basement of Kappa Delta sorority, laughing and making wisecracks. The mood is light and the students greet each other with warm smiles and hugs. They are here to learn a line dance. \nNo, this is not a country line-dancing club, it is one of IU's Dance Marathon committees, and these students are the heart and soul of the marathon. They are Moralers.\nIUDM's Morale Committee is a little-known group of students that help to organize the marathon benefiting Riley Children's Hospital every year. Responsible for creating the dance that gives the marathon its name, these individuals have a very special task. \nThey are in charge of keeping up the spirit of more than 600 students for 36 hours straight.\n"We create the line dance, but we also organize games for the dancers to play during the marathon," said junior Lizzie Oldberg, a member of Delta Gamma, three-time marathoner and two-time member of Morale. "Our goal is to make sure that everyone stays up, and that everyone has fun."\nGames such as Twister, Survivor, Singled Out and Spin the Bottle are just some of the activities the Moralers have planned for this year's marathon this Friday through Sunday. But what does it take to be a Moraler?\n"It takes a very special type of person to take on this task," said junior Kyle Witham, a member of Alpha Phi sorority and a first-time Moraler. "The Moralers were what got me through the marathon last year."\nCommittee director and non-greek Kyle Dietz, a former member of the IU varsity cheerleading, describes himself as the epitome of a Moraler.\n"The personality of a Moraler is exactly like my personality," he said. \nThis is Dietz's third year with IUDM and, as the director, he is in charge of collecting donations, creating the line dance and organizing the activities of Morale. He delegates responsibilities to his committee members, but most of all, he works to inspire them to raise as much money as they can to go to Riley. \n"I love kids, and that's what it's really about," he said.\nOther Moralers take a less-organizational role, but they are inspired by the same forces Dietz described. \n"It's for the kids, and that's why I do it," said junior Andrew Meyers, a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. \nMeyers has been involved with the marathon for three years and decided to be a part of Morale because he said it looked really fun and the people have lots of energy.\nIn order to become a member of the Morale committee, the members have to go through a relatively intensive interview process. They begin by attending a chair-person call-out where they fill out an application in which they answer about six essay questions. The questions concern prior involvement at IU and what type of qualities the applicant has that exemplifies a Moraler. \nAfter the application process, the Moralers are interviewed in front of the Dance Marathon Executive Board and they are expected to dress up in a zany outfit for the interview. \nThe selection process for Morale is the most competitive of the committees.\nAs they gear up for this year's marathon, the excitement grows stronger, as does their love for IUDM and its cause. \n"Dance Marathon is my passion," Oldberg said. "I wouldn't want to be on any other committee than Morale."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay DeWitte at ldewitte@indiana.edu.
(11/05/04 5:15am)
After a year of planning and months of construction, the Weil Journalism Library located inside Ernie Pyle Hall will reopen today. \nThe newly renovated facility offers 11 Macintosh and PC units. Many of the computers are set up in a group-station arrangement to aid students and faculty members when working with each other. Wireless Internet and laptop ports are also available at similar computer stations.\n"It was obvious that we needed more group study space," Library Coordinator Linda Butler said. \nButler said, before the renovation, only one table was available for students to gather around and it was not sufficient. \nThe need for an upgrade was first introduced approximately two years ago when renovation of EP 220, the building's lecture hall, overtook three faculty offices. The new library set up has made room for several more offices on the first floor of the building, but has limited capacity for written resources.\nToday, the library houses only 10 percent of the books and journals it held before the renovation.\nPlanning for the new library began around December of last year and has now reached its completion, pending a few minor technical difficulties. Telephone lines as well as printer troubles delayed the opening until today.\nButler said students used to refer to the Journalism Library as "tired-looking" and "retro," but it is now a much more comfortable and modern atmosphere. The library is outfitted with plush couch-like chairs and plenty of work-space. \nStudents and faculty members that have seen the new library are happy with its appearance, but disappointed that it has taken so long to open.\n"It's nice-looking," Academic Advisor Lauren Kinzer said. "It is a little late though."\nButler said the comfortable appearance of the library will ensure it will be a popular spot for studying on campus, even though the amounts of books that are available suffered when the space was confined. Books will be available by request delivery, a service that swaps books between various libraries on the Bloomington campus. \nVideo tapes and journals needed for classroom activities are also available at the Journalism Library, a fact that pleases many students in need of these materials. \n"I'm glad that the library is opening because I have needed journal articles for my classes and now I will be able to get them right by all my classes," sophomore Jaclyn Kalb said.\nLibrarian Grace Jackson-Brown was unavailable for comment, but Butler said they are both very excited about the new opening and they think it will be a big hit with the students and faculty of Ernie Pyle Hall.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay DeWitte at ldewitte@indiana.edu.
(11/03/04 8:14am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Hundreds of supporters chanted 'Our Man Mitch' inside a packed Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University as they welcomed their new governor, Mitch Daniels.\nTaking the podium Tuesday night, the newly elected Governor accepted his position at the same spot where he started his campaign 16 months ago.\n"I started my campaign in the parking lot here at Hinkle Fieldhouse," Daniels said, "and there is no better place to finish it tonight." \nHundreds of volunteers, supporters and staff were on hand to cheer on their candidate and celebrate.\nNewly elected Lt. Governor Becky Skillman was also in attendance and thanked fellow Hoosier and her man Mitch.\n"I thank all volunteers. Without your support, we couldn't have done this, and my heartiest thank you to Mitch Daniels," Skillman said. "I will forever be grateful to get the opportunity to help fellow Hoosiers."\nAs soon as Daniels' victory was announced, supporters distributed hundreds of buttons with the slogan "Our Gov. Mitch."\nLisa Naville, a Daniels volunteer, jumped up and down as the crowd cheered for Daniels.\n"We're so excited he's won," Naville said. "I've been a volunteer for three months, and I worked the phone booth this weekend in Hamilton County. I think Indiana can expect incredible changes to come."\nDaniels let Hoosiers know what the next four years would be like, but also reminded people about what his campaign focused on: aiming higher.\n"To the members of the next Indiana General Assembly, congratulations on your election. Buckle up," Daniels said. "We have important work to do, big changes to bring, courageous decisions to take, working together, across all boundaries of parties and geography and philosophy. We must tackle Indiana's problems and achieve Indiana's potential in a way that brings honor to our state and progress to all 6.1 million of our fellow citizens."\nPress Secretary for the Daniels campaign Marc Lotter also said the level of support for Daniels had been building throughout the week.\n"I think Mitch was encouraged, and he felt good all day, the overall show of support was vast and was followed by a week of support," Lotter said. "I think the high amount of enthusiasm showed the grass roots support for Mitch. Volunteers were overwhelming in the amount of work, and we couldn't have gotten this far without them."\nDaniels' victory ends a 16-year Democratic rule over the governor position. Daniels said although Tuesday night was about celebration, Wednesday morning would be "time to get back to work."\n"To my fellow friends in the Indiana Republican Party, welcome back from wilderness," he said. "After 16 years, I think we're entitled to a party ... tonight, get a good rest and be ready to work starting tomorrow."\nVolunteer Lane Ralph has known Governor-Elect Daniels since 1973 and thinks he will do the best job to get Indiana back on track.\n"I think he'll be a tremendous governor to the state," Ralph said. "Bottom line: This campaign brought people from all over, especially younger voters.\nDaniels also reminded supporters his campaign wasn't only about winning but making a change for the better. \n"I want to tell you one more time what I have told you over and over for 16 months now: All that we have done, all the miles we have traveled, all the people we have visited, all the doors we have knocked on and phone calls we have made were not about something so relatively minor as winning an election," he said. \n"They were about the chance to lead a comeback for 6.1 million Hoosiers who deserve better. They were about our dreams of bringing this state, this large and diverse and too often fractured state that I have traveled and traveled, together in a way it ought to be, together in a way we'll need to be if we are going to make all of our dreams real."\n-- Contact senior writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.
(11/01/04 4:46am)
She sat, waiting for her English lecture to begin when a classmate turned around and pointed a finger at her "My Man Mitch" T-shirt. \n"I heard his daughter goes to school here," he said.\n"Yea, I heard that," she said, laughing to herself.\nA few days later, she tapped him on the shoulder and said she was that daughter.\nMaggie Daniels is like most freshmen at IU -- except her father, Mitch Daniels, is Indiana's Republican gubernatorial candidate in a race that will come to a close in a matter of days. She supports her father on campus by wearing shirts bearing his campaign slogan, participates in rallies, and even rode in the back of a red 1967 Mustang with a banner saying "Vote for my dad Mitch" in the IU Homecoming parade Friday. \nBut Maggie Daniels doesn't feel she's any different from her peers.\n"I'm just like a normal college student," she said. "I'm not the one everybody cares about. I'm just related to him. I don't broadcast it." \nShe rolls out of bed most mornings at 8 a.m. and shakes awake her roommate, who often sleeps through the alarm. She leaves Teter Quad and heads to the Kelley School of Business, where she takes classes required for her major. She devotes some evenings to being involved with both IU College Republicans and Campus Crusade for Christ. Recently, Maggie Daniels went through sorority rush because she said she thought it would be a good way to meet people at such a large university.\nLike other daughters of politicians, Daniels is mindful that her behavior could be used in a public forum against her father, but she doesn't feel her social life is inhibited. Her longtime friend and roommate, freshman Kait Behan, said they discussed this issue before coming to IU.\n"She doesn't worry about her image affecting him at all because her father doesn't expect for his family to change their lives for him," Behan said. "Her father never asks them to support whatever he does. Whenever you see them out in public, it's always because it's their choice to be there supporting him."\nThe toughest thing for Maggie Daniels, though, is hearing personal criticisms of her father either in the media or when she catches bits of people's conversations on her way to class.\n"Honestly, I have no problem with anyone who disagrees with his policies because that's the nature of politics," Maggie Daniels said, "but the really hard part is when they attack his character in ways I know are inaccurate."\nShe referred to the recent issue of Indiana Power and Light Company. Her father and other IPALCO board members voted to sell the Indiana company to Virginia-based AES, which resulted in the loss of money for many retired employees. Gov. Joe Kernan has used this issue in his campaign, running TV and newspaper ads questioning his opponent's character for his role in the sale. Maggie Daniels said this has been the worst case of "below-the-belt slander" against her father because the ads have gone beyond being attacks against his policies. \nMaggie said she's learned to tune-out these criticisms.\n"I've never been in this kind of situation before; I'm just a teenage girl," she said. "I don't have the thick skin that's required for politics. With the personal attacks that have been made, the best thing for me to do is to turn off the TV or put down the newspaper. I think sometimes people forget that we're real people just like everybody else."\nSophomore Justin Rumer, Maggie Daniels' boyfriend of two years, said he admires the way she has dealt with things.\n"I think she is handling everything surprisingly well. I think it would be really hard, especially the way the campaign's been going. It's been really dirty," Rumer said. "I've watched TV with her or been with her when she's read something negative, and she feels it's personal -- it's her father. I can't even imagine what I would do if I heard people say bad stuff about my dad."\nSometimes things get hard for Maggie Daniels, but she has her four older sisters and her parents just a phone call away.\n"When everything feels like it's crumbling, I call my mom or my dad," she said.\nWhile she has enjoyed being involved in the race, Maggie said she'll be glad when everything has cooled down. This experience has opened her eyes to the possibility to pursue politics, not as a career, she said, but more as a way to give back to society what's been handed to her. After she graduates, she plans to be in the Army Reserves.\n"I feel called to do that. It's my duty as a citizen," she said. "I've been brought up to believe that our citizenship in the U.S. is a precious gift that others have laid their lives down to defend. I want to risk my life to defend it as well."\nBut for now, Maggie Daniels is focused on school and, of course, the race.\nOn Election Day, she'll leave IU straight from class and drive to Indianapolis where she'll vote, quickly get her hair done and head to a family friend's house to wait for the precincts to be shut-down and the results to be counted. She will then go with her family to the Hinkle Fieldhouse, she said, hopefully to celebrate. Around 2 a.m., she'll drive back to IU and get up for her early morning Wednesday class.\nDaniels said she has faith in her father.\n"I'm confident, but I know whatever is meant to happen will happen," she said. "I'm very comfortable with that."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Lyon at lrlyon@indiana.edu.
