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(10/11/06 3:30am)
For graduate students at IU who can't find motivation to exercise and be healthy, there are now free bagels, basketball tickets and personal training sessions at the Student Recreational Sports Center to give an incentive to work out. A new program initiated by the Graduate and Professional Student Organization is designed to get graduate students out of their normal routine and active in the areas of their life they might be neglecting. \n"Most graduate students lead hectic lives trying to balance teaching and doing coursework because it's so time-consuming," said Lily Ibarra, director of the program. "Sometimes we abandon things that maintain a balance in our lives like health, exercise, sleep and eating well, as well as things that you normally don't get to do, like reading for fun and spending time with friends and family." \nThe program, created by the GPSO's University Life Committee, is an online tally-based system. When graduate students initially sign up, they choose three activities to which they will try devote at least 10 hours to throughout the month. Each time they do an activity, which can range from walking or meditation to yoga or running, they enter it into the Web log. No documentation for activities completed is required, and the log is based on an honor system, Ibarra said. \nAfter completing 10 hours, participating graduate students receive a free bagel and are entered into a raffle to win a free personal training session or basketball, football or opera tickets. Various organizations on campus have also donated other prizes. \nSome graduate students, however, are not entirely convinced the program will work for them. \n"I've been wanting to get on a regular workout schedule. I'm not sure if an online checklist would help me do that or not, but it's certainly worth a shot," said graduate student Ryan McKinley. "We all run out of hours in a day and would like to be more active and work out, though." \nWhile the program exists primarily to encourage personal health and wellness, the GSPO hopes it can also be a social outlet for graduate students.\n"One of the things we'd really like to do is form more walking groups," said GPSO moderator Paul Rohwer. "The idea here is that people will encourage each other to continue to be healthy." \nMeeting new people outside their academic programs by exercising together will be a good thing for graduate students, Ibarra said. \nAccording to the GPSO, the health and wellness initiative will continue as long as there is money, support and interest for it. \n"We have been handing out fliers and bagels around campus to get the word out," Rohwer said. "You are getting free food and the possibility of winning free prizes for doing activities that make your life better, and we hope graduate students will see this as a good opportunity"
(10/09/06 4:00am)
A new group might provide the answer to the problems of gay men on campus who don't identify with any existing student support networks. Invisible Man, a discussion group created by IU graduate student Matt Baber and supported by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services office, plans to be an outlet for gay men who don't necessarily feel they fit into the traditional gay stereotypes. \n"The name, Invisible Man, represents the men within the larger homo/bisexual/curious community who might not be obviously nonxheterosexual to each other or to society," Baber said. "These are the guys who might not feel comfortable being gay or bi because they don't identify with, for example, pride parades and some of the values that society has traditionally assigned to homosexuals." \nThe group is loosely affiliated with the GBLTSSS office but Baber primarily organizes, facilitates and funds it. Baber said the group is geared mainly toward gay men but welcomes all men regardless of sexual orientation.\n"It's open to all male students who want to become stronger and more empowered men who want a safe place to find friends, mentors and resources that will help them understand healthy ways to integrate manhood and sexuality," he said. \nThe GLBTSSS office is working with Baber to get the word on the street about the group and encourage participation within the gay community at IU. \n"There are students out there not interested in the traditional groups that we offer," GLBTSSS Director Doug Bauder said. "There are needs not being met and folks who would really enjoy the fellowship of other men with their needs." \nBaber created Invisible Man because he said he did not feel that there was a group with the sort of resources and support that he needed to feel comfortable with his sexuality. As part of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation graduate studies program, Baber is required to do an internship. He said by applying that requirement to the organization, he saw an opportunity to create the kind of support group that he had always wished existed when he was an undergraduate. \n"(The thing) I took away from the coming-out experience was that I had to first be gay and then try to build manhood," he said. "I realized that other guys likely share my struggle to integrate manhood and sexuality in ways that our culture and communities don't often teach us to do when we don't define ourselves by our sexuality." \nIn weekly meetings, group participants will discuss a range of issues revolving around the topic of what manhood means in their daily life, and they will try to find ways to realize a strong male identity. Sexuality will be discussed but is not the only concern of the group. Rather, the group is more a way for men to become deeply connected to themselves and those around them, Baber said. \nWhile it might resemble other groups on campus, Barber said Invisible Man is unique in that it specifically addresses manhood rather than relationships. \nIn the past, the GLBTSSS office has sponsored a number of groups tailored to specific needs within the GLBT community. Organizations for transgender and gender-questioning individuals, a group for black students in the GLBT community and a group for lesbian and bisexual women are examples of some of the groups the office has created and supported. \n"We find here that students express their needs of the moment," Bauder said. "Matt (Baber) came in and talked about his experiences to us, and when he said he wanted to start Invisible Man, we were more than happy to support him"
(10/05/06 7:54pm)
Joshua Gold began forging notes to get out of school in the fourth grade. He was that guy in your X201 class who rolled into lecture once in a blue moon and called you 10 minutes before a group meeting to say he couldn't come, regrettably ("I've just been really, really sick the past semester or so"). On the eve of I-Core, he dropped out of the Kelley School of Business because, let's face it, who really has the time or energy to study while in college?\nHis resume: lifeguard, pool hand (inspired by a suggestive "Desperate Housewives" episode) and full-time New Jersey Shore beach bum (an occupation he chose during the summer he "didn't feel like working").\nOh, and owner, manager and salad preparation artist of Bloomington's novel eatery, Mixed Greens.\nThe restaurant, which opened in June 2005, serves an array of salads, wraps, smoothies and other health foods. It offers a breakfast menu and an assortment of Splenda-fied treats for those who want to indulge without the extra calories. Since opening, the restaurant has drawn health conscious students, locals and business people to its hip 10th Street and College Avenue location. It's open seven days a week, has a delivery service and on average pulls a couple hundred orders a day.\nNeedless to say, Gold is seeing the green in more places than his salad bar. \nAlthough Mixed Greens is a niche all its own, Gold is just one of the student entrepreneurs in Bloomington. Baked!, Straight2YourDoor.com and Btownmenus.com and Proof Magazine are other businesses run by ambitious students who have sacrificed their free time, social life, and school work to put all of their energy into these enterprises. \nGold, 21, would be a senior were he currently enrolled in any classes at IU. He had aspirations of starting his own restaurant for years and a heart that just wasn't in school. Growing up, his prodigious independence and natural ability as a businessman opened doors for him to make a quick dollar, selling anything from baseball cards to pool supplies. After making a stop at the Mixed Greens in his Morganville, N.J., hometown to curb a case of the munchies two summers ago, he knew it was the one he'd want to mirror his business after. \n"I was hungry and asked my mom if there was anything new in town," he says. "She told me about this place, Mixed Greens. The second I went there, I told the owner I wanted to franchise it because I knew it was the one that would work in Bloomington."\nFrom the beginning, Gold has run a one-man show. While the New Jersey Mixed Greens was his inspiration, Gold didn't just want to copy it: He wanted to expand it, make it bigger and better. He revamped the basic business plans that were handed to him and began negotiating leases with building owners in Bloomington the instant he had the basic logistics figured out. \nWith a loan from his parents (that he affirms he will be able to pay back within the next two years), he started construction for Mixed Greens last year. After getting all his ducks in a row, including picking out paint and primer and working with advertisers and researching prices, his restaurant was ready for the public. However inspiring his story may be, it wasn't an easy ride. Despite experiencing rejection from local landlords and being cast aside as an untrustworthy and inexperienced kid, he finally bought the location he's at now. \nGold reports multiple headaches. He paid twice as much as he should have for the space he owns and hears endless empty promises from different people with whom he works. He missed his spring break. He stayed in Bloomington all summer instead of going home, logging about 80 hours a week. At home he faces the mountains of paperwork he is finally whittling down now that the restaurant has been running smoothly for a few months. Other student entrepreneurs, such as Straight2yourdoor.com's Jason Moldoff, have experienced similar sacrifices. \nMoldoff, an IU alumnus, has been running the food delivery service since last year, and he says his personal sacrifices are extensive. Playing basketball, going to the gym, watching TV and frequenting Bloomington's restaurants for dinner were nothing more than happy memories. His amount of sleep and grade point average declined, and hardships with his girlfriend became the norm. \nMoldoff and student Seth Fishman modeled Straight2yourdoor.com after national companies like Takeout Taxi. Their Web site serves as the liaison between the customer and restaurants that don't traditionally deliver. With Fishman's recent resignation from the business, he is running Straight2yourdoor by himself. \n"Personally, if I found the right person I'd prefer to have a partner," he says. "But if you don't have someone as dedicated as you, it's much better to work alone." \nThere are certainly benefits to working alone. Gold says that the profit he would normally have to cut to a partner go to luxuries like flat screen TVs for the restaurant and top of the line kitchen appliances. \n"It's difficult to run a business and be a student," he says. "You'll never be able to completely run and nurture it while doing both, but you can sustain it and grow it slowly."\nWhile they are two \nseperate entities, Straight2yourdoor.com\nis teaming up with Btownmenus.com in an effort that will help both businesses.\nBtownmenus.com, created by juniors Peter Margulies and Michael Rolland, was what happened when the two friends were sick of ordering from the same places. Motivated by frustration with the lack of options and the opportunity to start something new, the pair made a phone call to a friend at Penn State who was involved in a Web site on which students could view restaurant menus and place online orders for. \n"We knew of this Web site where students could go look at menus from restaurants all over town, see what was open or closed, and then place their order online," Margulies says. "We decided that we wanted to do the same kind of thing and started talking to restaurants around town into being a part of our site." \nA year later, Margulies and Rolland are running a successful business and telling their stories to classes as guest lecturers all over campus.\nThe majority of their time is spent wheeling and dealing with the some 60 restaurants they feature on their Web site. When other students are sleeping soundly until class, Margulies says he is up every day running around town visiting clients, building and maintaining a good reputation, and as always, trying to find ways to expand. \nGaining experience is the common denominator in all of these student-run businesses. While some of these entrepreneurs might have visions of expanding their businesses or leaving them all together when a better offer arises, they have made a name for themselves by pursuing a dream and working to make it happen.\nAnd when other college students and twentysomethings are worrying about where to party or how to balance time between working out and studying, these young businessmen's concerns are keeping the wings they are delivering to clients hot, that perpetual leak in the restaurant bathroom and building a reputation among students, locals and clients. \n"I don't mind the lack of sleep," says Gold, who considers four hours of sleep average. "What sucks the most is sometimes when I get up and turn the shower on, I'm so exhausted that I pass out again, and by the time I wake up the shower has been running for two hours and there's no hot water left."\nBut when he cashes his paycheck on Friday and can add "restaurant owner" to the list of jobs and activities on his resume, a cold shower is not a bad price to pay.
(10/05/06 4:00am)
Joshua Gold began forging notes to get out of school in the fourth grade. He was that guy in your X201 class who rolled into lecture once in a blue moon and called you 10 minutes before a group meeting to say he couldn't come, regrettably ("I've just been really, really sick the past semester or so"). On the eve of I-Core, he dropped out of the Kelley School of Business because, let's face it, who really has the time or energy to study while in college?\nHis resume: lifeguard, pool hand (inspired by a suggestive "Desperate Housewives" episode) and full-time New Jersey Shore beach bum (an occupation he chose during the summer he "didn't feel like working").\nOh, and owner, manager and salad preparation artist of Bloomington's novel eatery, Mixed Greens.\nThe restaurant, which opened in June 2005, serves an array of salads, wraps, smoothies and other health foods. It offers a breakfast menu and an assortment of Splenda-fied treats for those who want to indulge without the extra calories. Since opening, the restaurant has drawn health conscious students, locals and business people to its hip 10th Street and College Avenue location. It's open seven days a week, has a delivery service and on average pulls a couple hundred orders a day.\nNeedless to say, Gold is seeing the green in more places than his salad bar. \nAlthough Mixed Greens is a niche all its own, Gold is just one of the student entrepreneurs in Bloomington. Baked!, Straight2YourDoor.com and Btownmenus.com and Proof Magazine are other businesses run by ambitious students who have sacrificed their free time, social life, and school work to put all of their energy into these enterprises. \nGold, 21, would be a senior were he currently enrolled in any classes at IU. He had aspirations of starting his own restaurant for years and a heart that just wasn't in school. Growing up, his prodigious independence and natural ability as a businessman opened doors for him to make a quick dollar, selling anything from baseball cards to pool supplies. After making a stop at the Mixed Greens in his Morganville, N.J., hometown to curb a case of the munchies two summers ago, he knew it was the one he'd want to mirror his business after. \n"I was hungry and asked my mom if there was anything new in town," he says. "She told me about this place, Mixed Greens. The second I went there, I told the owner I wanted to franchise it because I knew it was the one that would work in Bloomington."\nFrom the beginning, Gold has run a one-man show. While the New Jersey Mixed Greens was his inspiration, Gold didn't just want to copy it: He wanted to expand it, make it bigger and better. He revamped the basic business plans that were handed to him and began negotiating leases with building owners in Bloomington the instant he had the basic logistics figured out. \nWith a loan from his parents (that he affirms he will be able to pay back within the next two years), he started construction for Mixed Greens last year. After getting all his ducks in a row, including picking out paint and primer and working with advertisers and researching prices, his restaurant was ready for the public. However inspiring his story may be, it wasn't an easy ride. Despite experiencing rejection from local landlords and being cast aside as an untrustworthy and inexperienced kid, he finally bought the location he's at now. \nGold reports multiple headaches. He paid twice as much as he should have for the space he owns and hears endless empty promises from different people with whom he works. He missed his spring break. He stayed in Bloomington all summer instead of going home, logging about 80 hours a week. At home he faces the mountains of paperwork he is finally whittling down now that the restaurant has been running smoothly for a few months. Other student entrepreneurs, such as Straight2yourdoor.com's Jason Moldoff, have experienced similar sacrifices. \nMoldoff, an IU alumnus, has been running the food delivery service since last year, and he says his personal sacrifices are extensive. Playing basketball, going to the gym, watching TV and frequenting Bloomington's restaurants for dinner were nothing more than happy memories. His amount of sleep and grade point average declined, and hardships with his girlfriend became the norm. \nMoldoff and student Seth Fishman modeled Straight2yourdoor.com after national companies like Takeout Taxi. Their Web site serves as the liaison between the customer and restaurants that don't traditionally deliver. With Fishman's recent resignation from the business, he is running Straight2yourdoor by himself. \n"Personally, if I found the right person I'd prefer to have a partner," he says. "But if you don't have someone as dedicated as you, it's much better to work alone." \nThere are certainly benefits to working alone. Gold says that the profit he would normally have to cut to a partner go to luxuries like flat screen TVs for the restaurant and top of the line kitchen appliances. \n"It's difficult to run a business and be a student," he says. "You'll never be able to completely run and nurture it while doing both, but you can sustain it and grow it slowly."\nWhile they are two \nseperate entities, Straight2yourdoor.com\nis teaming up with Btownmenus.com in an effort that will help both businesses.\nBtownmenus.com, created by juniors Peter Margulies and Michael Rolland, was what happened when the two friends were sick of ordering from the same places. Motivated by frustration with the lack of options and the opportunity to start something new, the pair made a phone call to a friend at Penn State who was involved in a Web site on which students could view restaurant menus and place online orders for. \n"We knew of this Web site where students could go look at menus from restaurants all over town, see what was open or closed, and then place their order online," Margulies says. "We decided that we wanted to do the same kind of thing and started talking to restaurants around town into being a part of our site." \nA year later, Margulies and Rolland are running a successful business and telling their stories to classes as guest lecturers all over campus.\nThe majority of their time is spent wheeling and dealing with the some 60 restaurants they feature on their Web site. When other students are sleeping soundly until class, Margulies says he is up every day running around town visiting clients, building and maintaining a good reputation, and as always, trying to find ways to expand. \nGaining experience is the common denominator in all of these student-run businesses. While some of these entrepreneurs might have visions of expanding their businesses or leaving them all together when a better offer arises, they have made a name for themselves by pursuing a dream and working to make it happen.\nAnd when other college students and twentysomethings are worrying about where to party or how to balance time between working out and studying, these young businessmen's concerns are keeping the wings they are delivering to clients hot, that perpetual leak in the restaurant bathroom and building a reputation among students, locals and clients. \n"I don't mind the lack of sleep," says Gold, who considers four hours of sleep average. "What sucks the most is sometimes when I get up and turn the shower on, I'm so exhausted that I pass out again, and by the time I wake up the shower has been running for two hours and there's no hot water left."\nBut when he cashes his paycheck on Friday and can add "restaurant owner" to the list of jobs and activities on his resume, a cold shower is not a bad price to pay.
(10/04/06 4:20am)
Eight IU professors from a diverse range of academic departments were recently named Poynter Center fellows and will be meeting throughout the year to discuss "Memory, Ethics, Politics and Aesthetics" at the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions in Bloomington. \n"This is a chance, all too rare at most universities, for people from different academic disciplines to come together and discuss a topic of common interest," said recently appointed fellow, law school professor Joseph Hoffman. \nFellows meet in a seminar-like conference 10 times throughout the year to discuss reading material given to them by the Poynter Center. The fellows will read 80 to 100 pages to prepare for each meeting. Seminars will be led by Poynter Center director Richard Miller with the help of a research associate and two research assistants. \n"What ensues is an animated and sometimes spirited two-hour discussion of the readings and their relevance for our individual research projects," said history department professor Purnima Bose. \nThis year, fellows will read articles and books on the relationship between memory, ethics and politics from a variety of academic fields, including philosophy, history, sociology and literary criticism, Bose said. Readings also tackle these topics in a national context. Fellows will be examining issues in the United States, South Africa and Germany, among other countries. \n"The kinds of questions we will be discussing during the program are: When and how should we remember past traumatic events, and when, if ever, should we choose to forget such events?" Hoffman said. \nAll interested faculty members are eligible and must go through a formal application process to be selected by members of the center. Also, one member of the law school faculty can be selected for the board by the law school through a traditional but informal process. \nMost of the faculty members chosen are conducting research in a specific area that is relevant to this year's topic. One of the main goals of the meetings is to give faculty the opportunity to branch out of their respective departments and think about issues from a different standpoint. \n"We get to learn about the different perspectives that people from other disciplines bring to the subject matter," Hoffman said. "For example, I am learning a great deal about how historians, anthropologists, sociologists, philosophers and experts in cultural studies approach the subject of memory"
(09/23/06 12:25am)
Instead of racking up high cell phone bills, students' text messaging obsession could earn them an extra $200.\nResearchers in IU's School of Informatics are conducting an online survey about text messaging in an attempt to better understand users' perceptions of the technology. The survey needs a maximum of 150 participants. They must be 18 years old, own and regularly use a cell phone with text messaging capability and have sent a text message at least once. Those who qualify to participate will be automatically entered into a raffle to win a $200 gift certificate for amazon.com. \nAfter filling out background information, participants must answer questions dealing with their perception of text messaging.\n"We're trying to understand how people perceive text messaging and how that relates to their usage," said Kay Connelly, assistant professor of computer science, who designed the study.\nWhile most researchers in computer science are interested in looking at developing technologies, Connelly has made her career studying user trends of technology already in existence. \n"We want to know how cell phones integrate into your life and what's really important for users of technology like this," Connelly said.\nThis study is the first in a series of what Connelly hopes will help developers of technology better understand their users.\n"We are starting with texting but are looking broader than that," she said. \nConnelly said she hopes studies like this one will aid in the creation of consumer friendly products, like a smart-fridge that automatically updates a grocery list.
(09/21/06 1:37am)
For senior D'Anna Wade, potentially having to change the slogan on a T-shirt carries more weight than a simple phone call to the printing company. \nThe slogan "representing the 3.8%" might no longer be an accurate representation of IU's black population. Recent figures released by IU show that the number of black freshmen in this year's class is 345, down from last year's 412. This year's percentage of minority students won't be calculated until the end of 2007 school year.\nWade, president of the Black Student Union, and other black leaders on campus have expressed concern over the decline and are encouraging the University to do more.\n"The black students on this campus have a critical mass, but it's so low that the University needs to step in and do something," Wade said. "It's kind of sad that I might have to call in and get these T-shirt orders changed." \nDespite this year's declining numbers, last year marked the highest black student enrollment that IU has ever seen. \n"As a whole, you have to look at multi-year trends rather than focusing on any single year when it comes to enrollment numbers," said Dean of Students Dick McKaig. "You can get one fluctuation in one year that might be a result of whole number of variables that don't necessarily speak to a shortcoming or success of the University." \nWade and others at the BSU have made it a priority this academic year to address the administration about the issues of waning enrollment and low retention rates among black students. \nThere are already various existing programs at IU that work to promote diversity in the contexts of student recruitment and enrollment, and Wade said the BSU aims to work with the administration to create better programs to facilitate retention. The group recently authored a letter to Charlie Nelms, vice president for student development and diversity, addressing the issue and requesting an "open dialogue with Indiana University administration" to discuss the BSU's "evolving role in future retention and recruitment efforts," according to the letter. \n"About one-third of black students who come here actually graduate," said senior Jared Dawson, a member of the BSU's executive council. "That's a bigger issue than the number of students who enroll here. There are good programs for getting students here; there have to be some efforts put forward to make sure that they are graduating." \nWade theorizes that the low retention rates are directly proportional to black student involvement on campus. She said she hopes that with the help of both the administration and support from the entire campus, black students can become better connected and involved and as a result be less likely to drop out. \n"It's going to take more than just black people or just certain administrators to make this place more diverse," she said. "We all have to work together on this because it affects everyone on campus." \nThe BSU has ideas for solutions to the problems at hand beyond talking to administrators. In its recent mass meeting, members discussed taking part in mentoring programs for both IU students and high school students. They also talked about traveling to underprivileged areas in the state to talk with school boards to bring attention to the issues in higher education that black students face. \n"I know it starts with education," Dawson said. "It starts with being able to provide a dream for those minorities in these lower economic areas. You have to provide vision and inspiration for these students so they can start thinking about going to college." \nHudson-Holland Scholars Program, Groups Support Services and the Upward Bound Project are all examples of campus programs that help bring in minority students. They recruit students, provide financial aid and offer advising and support services to those in need. The Office of Academic Support and Diversity has also paved the way for more minority students to come to IU. The office has been working with the top administrators to create additional programs and initiatives that will help surge minority enrollment. Recently, Nelms presented a comprehensive set of proposals to the board of trustees that would provide opportunities for incoming minority students and others to be prepared for IU's standards, McKaig said. \nWade said despite black students making up a relatively small portion of the campus, it should remain a focus of the University to pay attention to their needs and concerns. \n"It's not just two or three students concerned; it's 2,000 students that are concerned," Wade said. "We're here. Even though we have small numbers, we have a large voice"
(09/18/06 4:06am)
In a procession 70 people strong, students and Jewish leaders paraded down Seventh Street Sunday afternoon.\nWith Hebrew music blaring in the background, four men carrying a large blue and white shawl used in Jewish weddings led the clapping and tambourine-clambering promenade from the Indiana Memorial Union to the Chabad House, a Jewish cultural center for students.\nIt had arrived.\nThe evening marked the acceptance of a 300-year-old Torah -- the holy book for Judaism -- given to the Chabad House by IU alumnus Kevin McKasson in honor of his wife's grandparents. The five sacred rolls of parchment made their journey to Bloomington all the way from Jerusalem.\n"My uncle bought this from a temple in Jerusalem where it was used after it had been rescued from the Holocaust," junior Lindsay McKasson, Kevin McKasson's niece, said. "All Torahs are handwritten, and this is a very sacred book."\nThe presence of the Tallis, a ceremonial marriage shawl, in the procession symbolizes the Torah being married to the Chabad House, Lindsay McKasson said. \nThe procession was marked as an important ceremony because it is considered a great honor to bring the Torah into a holy place, sophomore Edan Boukai said. \nBefore the procession entered the Chabad House, the leaders greeted the crowd by displaying the center's two existing Torahs alongside the new holy scrolls.\nAfter rabbis led a prayer, attendees broke out in a celebratory dance and songs of praise. Rabbis from Indianapolis who came to participate in the ceremony joined Rabbi Yehoshua Chincholker, director of the Chabad House in handing the velvet-encased Torah to sophomore Josh Lorch, a student active in the Chabad House. Cheers and a round of applause broke out after Lorch and Kevin McKasson made short dedication speeches and the Torah was placed in the wooden arc. Attendees received a good-luck charm in the form of a small piece of the velvet case that held the new Torah. \n"The Torah is so important because it is what makes us a nation. It's what makes us stick together even though we are scattered across the world," Chincholker said. "We are continuing our chain of communication to the next generation, to the students of IU, and it's not only Jewish students that this is for. Hopefully other students will be inspired as well." \nThe $17,000 Torah came from Kotel, or Jerusalem's Western Wall, the last remnant of an ancient temple where Jews go to worship, Chincholker said.\nIt will join the other two Torahs already at the Chabad House in a wooden arc where it will be taken out and studied weekly at prescribed times. The Torah will be read three times a week, but only if 10 or more Jewish men, also known as a minyan, can be assembled. Without this critical number, the Torah cannot be read. The reading is not just restricted to rabbis. Jewish male students interested in participating can do so too, Lorch said. \n"This is a really big deal, and it's the first time I've ever taken part in a ceremony like this," Lorch said. "The Torah is so important to Jewish people. Everything we do in Judaism directly or round-aboutly comes to the Torah." \nA joint reason for celebration at the Chabad House was the opening of the house's new kitchen, which tied in with the dedication of the Torah. \n"There is this idea that if your body is hungry your soul cannot have much spiritual concentration," Lorch said. \nIn the spirit of this belief, a home-cooked buffet meal that was a mixture of traditionally Jewish and American food was served at the end of the ceremony.\n"I don't participate here that much, but it's always really special when a Torah is dedicated," sophomore Ariel Bublick said. "This definitely isn't something that happens often"
(09/18/06 3:21am)
The IU Ethics Bowl is looking for students to apply to compete with the team in their annual intercollegiate tournament. Thirty-two teams from different colleges around the country take part in the event to tackle hypothetical ethical situations in a head-to-head debate.\nAll students are encouraged to apply to participate in the bowl, regardless of experience or academic background, former participant Khalil AbuGharbieh said in an e-mail. \n"Science majors don't cast this note aside; we need your insights too, as the cases we receive deal with ethical tensions from all fields of life," AbuGharbieh said.\nThe IU team works with a coach and an advisor starting in September when mock cases are released.\n"The cases are about a page long and usually deal with issues that are relevant to the current times," former ethics bowl participant Neil Shah said. "Last year we had two cases dealing with New Orleans. They give us cases that mimic what's going on in the real world but don't use real names." \nMark Wilson, coach for this year's team and a research assistant at the Poynter Center, said other topics that have been debated in the past include racial profiling in the aftermath of Sept. 11, reproductive technology, the Patriot Act and the International Criminal Court. \nGenerally speaking, the cases usually cover a broad swath of current issues in applied ethics," he said. "The environment, medicine, biotechnology, foreign and domestic policy, Supreme Court decisions -- these are among the most common sources."\nIn the months leading up to the competition, team members meet about twice a week to research and create a 10-minute argument for each of the cases, Shah said. At the Ethics Bowl a panel of judges will ask specific questions to the teams relating to the ethical and policy cases they studied. \nIn the three-part format, the primary team presents its position on the ethical issue on question. Then, the other team gets five minutes for a rebuttal, and the primary team closes with a five-minute response to the rebuttal. Roles are then reversed for the next round.\nThis year the Ethics Bowl will be different than it has been in the past in that it will be broken up into two rounds instead of just one. Teams will first compete in eight regional competitions and, if successful, will go to the final round where the 32 top teams will compete for the national title. The final round will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, in February.\nThe IU team, sponsored by the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics, finished 10th in last year's tournament and received first and second places in the 2004 and 2003 tournaments, respectively. \n"Not only is the activity a rewarding intellectual exercise, but at IU we have also have built a tradition of being a nationally competitive squad," AbuGharbie said. \nWhile some of those who participate in the bowl have past experience in debate or speech, it is not a requirement to be a member of the team. Shah, who heard about the team through his fellow Wells Scholar recipient friends, joined the team to get more exposure to ethical issues and debate.\n"Personally I thought it was really beneficial because I am a finance and economics major, and it's the whole different side of what I study, and it keeps me well-rounded," he said. "I did speech in high school, and doing ethics bowl was a really good way to continue with it"
(09/18/06 3:19am)
In celebration of the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, La Casa, the Latino Cultural Center, held a kick-off gathering Friday afternoon to relish the spirit of Hispanic history, achievements and culture.\nLa Casa's opening reception featured food, a presentation on Latino history and culture and speeches by some of IU and Bloomington's most prominent figures, as well as plenty of time for mingling. \n"This was a great and informal way of bridging the Latino communities on- and off-campus," La Casa Director Lillian Casillas said. "It was an opportunity to have some type of event that says it's the start of Hispanic Heritage Month."\nAbout 60 people visited La Casa throughout the afternoon, including Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan and IU Dean of Students Richard McKaig. Kruzan initiated the event with an opening speech in which he discussed the history and importance of Hispanics in Bloomington and declared Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 National Hispanic Heritage Month. People involved in La Casa also spoke, including Casillas and representatives from some of the 16 different Latino student organizations on campus.\nCasillas and others involved in La Casa have planned several events for the month. More than 30 educational and social events are set to take place to celebrate the culture and contributions of Hispanics, Casillas said.\n"This month is to educate people and give a background on our heritage," said sophomore Cynthia Solorzano, an employee at La Casa. \nSolorzano said the month will feature cooking classes, the Festival Latino and numerous opportunities for students to get involved in Latino organizations, including fraternities and sororities.\n"Also, if people have ideas of things they want to do, they can talk to the center, and we'll try to make it happen," Solorzano said.\nDespite its students comprising only a small percentage of IU's student population, La Casa has gained the reputation since its opening in 1973 of being a tight-knit group that is visibly active in many sectors of student life on campus, members said.\n"There is a very intact Latino community here," junior Luis Beverido said. "I actually would prefer to call it a family because that's how close we all are. La Casa is a home away from home for anyone who wants it to be."\nLa Casa frequently pairs up with other cultural centers on campus, such as the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center and the Asian Culture Center. Directors of both centers attended the event along with students from those and other cultural groups. Sara Alghani, a junior involved with the Black Student Union, came to the event to extend her support to La Casa and its Latino students.\n"I like to branch out and thought coming here would be a good opportunity," Alghani said. "Plus, whenever I come to La Casa, I have a good time."\nStudents interested in becoming involved with La Casa or those who want to pick up a National Hispanic Heritage month calendar of events can visit the center at 715 E. Seventh St.
(09/11/06 3:06am)
Black student leaders from various campus organizations devoted their Saturday to a hands-on day of activities at the fifth annual Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Student Leadership Retreat. The conference was tailored to address the "growing need" for black students to serve in leadership positions.\nConference participants spent the day listening to various speakers and engaging in workshops that focused on a range of issues from communication skills such as writing a press release to collaboration basics for working with other student-run groups. \nPodium speakers included leaders from large campus groups, predominantly black campus organizations and guest lecturers from IU and other universities. The Black Student Union had one of the largest turnouts at the conference.\n"It's very important for all students to be leaders on campus but especially black students since we represent less than 10 percent of IU," said Black Student Union Treasurer Yetunde Okunade. "As (a leader) in the BSU, this conference reminded me that there are other organizations on campus that not only acknowledge BSU but support us as well."\nWorkshops during the day involved team-building activities and discussion time for leaders to talk about their goals and problems facing their organizations and possible solutions. \n"I have worked with student groups for over 10 years, and I think if you have excellent communication and initiative you will have a good student organization," Black Culture Center Director Oyibo Afoaku said.\nIn the workshops she led, Afoaku focused on African heritage in terms of group dynamics. \n"We are all Americans here, but we still have the African characteristic of being strong in a group setting, from the times in villages to communication during slave years," she said. "It's in our history and important to understand."\nThe Social Justice League, a new group that trickled down from the Black Student Union, made its debut at the conference in hopes of garnering support from fellow students. The founding members created the group with the aim of promoting social equality to people of all races and backgrounds, said junior and group member Melody Hines.\n"Being here today I realized how being aware of different aspects of leading in an organization will be helpful in starting up the Social Justice League," Hines said. "While we are going to collaborate with the BSU and other black student groups, this group is definitely for everyone, whatever your race is."\nThe conference concluded with a keynote speech given by Patrick Lee, assistant athletic director for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Lee addressed students about acting in the spirit of leadership and public service and the importance of getting and staying involved in multicultural activities and clubs.\n"Mr. Lee's speech challenged me not only to stay involved in all of my organizations, but to put forth everything I have into every one of them," junior Jazmine Long said. "The NMBCC presented me an opportunity that I would have never had the chance to experience"
(09/08/06 3:38am)
Craving sushi, a chef salad or a 12-ounce prime rib steak but don't feel like making the drive to get it? Don't stress, you can have it all delivered straight2yourdoor.\nStraight2yourdoor.com is a Web-based delivery service that offers a distinct alternative to the standard pizza and Chinese fare that most students have grown accustomed to ordering. \n"Straight2yourdoor is really a beneficial service because it offers you something others don't," said co-creator and recent IU graduate Jason Moldoff. "We deliver from restaurants that normally do not, and the food is healthier and better quality."\nMoldoff, an IU alumnus fresh out of the Kelley School of Business, and fifth-year student Seth Fishman teamed up during their junior year to turn their vision of a different kind of delivery service into action. After getting restaurants around town hooked and designing a Web site complete with restaurant menus and easy order-and-pay services, Straight2yourdoor.com was born.\nPart of the inspiration for starting the company came from national services similar to Straight2yourdoor like Take-Out Taxi and College Bellhop.\n"We hadn't heard of anything like this in the Midwest and thought IU would be a good place to start it up," Moldoff said.\nStraight2yourdoor.com currently serves as the liaison for delivery from Colorado Steak House, Mikado, Buffalo Wild Wings, Esan Thai, Opie Taylor's, Yogi's, Truffles, El Regio and Quizno's. In the coming months, Moe's Southwest Grill and Tutto Bene are hopping on board, and Moldoff said he hopes that is just the first batch in a long line of restaurants that will join Straight2yourdoor. He also hopes to get more connected on campus.\n"I'd love to work with the (Residential Housing Association) and the dorms and do catering for fraternities and sororities next," he said. \nStraight2yourdoor is also in the process of creating group specials with restaurants like Mikado, where a group of people could order sushi entrees for about half the price they would normally cost.\n"That kind of thing would be great for places like Greek houses who don't serve house dinners on Friday and Saturday nights," he said. \nMoldoff said there is an $8 minimum for orders and a 10 percent service charge, and all payments must be made online with a credit or debit card. Tips must be included when paying online and are automatically tacked on to orders. The Web site promises delivery in 50 to 60 minutes, but Moldoff said if it's not too busy, an order from somewhere like Quizno's can get to your door in a half-hour. To ensure quality food, Straight2yourdoor's drivers keep food warm en-route by using heated bags similar to those used for pizza delivery.\n"The food really isn't that expensive," he said. "Depending on what you order, you'd spend about the same amount ordering pizza and breadsticks, but you'd get a really good meal." \nDespite averaging more than 20 orders per night in the first few weeks since it reopened for the semester and having a Facebook group 300 strong, some are still unsure about using Straight2yourdoor.com just yet.\n"If I'm going to spend the money to eat an expensive meal, I'd rather go out and have it be served to me than have it delivered," said junior Amy Freiburger.\nStill, those who have utilized the service find it an accommodating and healthy alternative to what they would normally order in.\n"I like it because it's convenient in times of laziness and illness when I don't feel like leaving the house," said junior Amber Copeland.\nA feature unique to Straight2yourdoor.com is that orders from multiple places can be made and delivered to a single location for a $1 dollar charge per additional restaurant.\n"I think that's really cool because if I want food from one place and my friends want food from another, we don't have to compromise and everyone can be happy," Copeland said.\nFor Moldoff and Fishman, Straight2yourdoor.com in Bloomington is just the beginning. They have plans of expanding to other schools in the Midwest, targeting Purdue as their next step. They also offer maid services and are looking into creating an inexpensive cleaning service for student apartments in the coming years.
(09/06/06 3:46am)
The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center will welcome new and returning students during its annual open house and reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today.\n"The purpose of the open house and reception is to invite both black and all students to visit the center," said Oyibo Afoaku, the director of the center. "There will be a lot of networking going here. Students meet and make new friends, meet some IU and community leaders face-to-face for the first time." \nWith more than 100 students expected to attend the event, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with various student groups, service offices and academic departments. Campus and community leaders will speak, and free pizza will be served at the end of the reception. Official tours are available for new students who want to acclimate themselves to the center. \nThe center's facility is equipped with both large and small rooms where student groups can hold meetings, workshops and banquets. The NMBCC's library has about 5,000 volumes and current \njournals, newspapers and magazines mainly on topics of music, culture and history as they relate to the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, said library branch coordinator Marianna Brough. \nThe NMBCC staff serves as student advocates and offers informal counseling services to those who seek it. Most of the programs and events are free, and many of them are done in collaboration with other diversity groups on campus, such as the Latino Culture Center, the Asian Culture Center and Hillel Center. One of the main goals of the center is to create a sense of community for IU students of all races to establish a "home away from home," Afoaku said. \n"I love the fact that when I come into the NMBCC, I don't have to change myself to fit anyone's standards," said student liaison DeOndray Pope. \nPope became involved with the center when he was in high school through the Spring Shadow Program offered in his community. \n"At the time I came down here, there was a huge fuss on why the NMBCC wasn't being used adequately by students of color," Pope said. "Since then, I have had the most wonderful time working with my co-workers and other student leaders to ensure that the building is being used adequately by the students that it was built for"
(09/04/06 3:14am)
The Indiana Daily Student was named the 2005 "Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper" by the Society of Professional Journalists at the SPJ Convention and National Journalism Conference held Aug. 24-27 in Chicago. \n"To win a national award for excellence three times in six years is really special," said Dave Adams, director of student media at IU. \nThe award was one of many in the SPJ's annual national Mark of Excellence competitions. After winning the SPJ's regional competition, the IDS went up against the 11 other regional winners before being named "Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper."\n"The SPJ randomly selects five dates throughout the year, and newspapers must send in the paper that corresponds with that day," Adams said. Newspapers are assessed based on overall content of news stories, feature stories, photography and design. Consistency, depth and breadth of the stories are also critiqued. \n"I was really proud of that year," said IDS fall 2005 Editor in Chief Adam Aasen. "We had a really good staff, and everyone worked really hard and had a great attitude." \nIndividual writers and photographers were also considered in the competition. Two IDS photographers, Yossi May and Aaron Bernstein, were recognized at the convention for their work. May was the national winner in sports photography for his photo "Little 500 crash." Bernstein was a national finalist in breaking news photography for "Evansville Tornado." Additionally, IDS staffer Mike Malik was selected to work on "The Working Press," the daily paper put out by the convention. \nThe SPJ is the largest professional organization of journalists in the country. It has a local chapter in Bloomington, open to students interested in future media careers in print, broadcast and online news. \n"We do the newspaper for the readers, but it's always great to get some awards," Aasen said. "It's nice to know that people outside of IU think we are doing a good job"
(09/01/06 3:30am)
The Asian Culture Center will open its doors to students today for its ninth annual welcome reception and an afternoon of free Asian food, entertainment, cultural demonstrations and information about the center.\nAsian student leaders and representatives from support offices and departments will set up information tables and talk with students about their services, said ACC director Melanie Castillo-Cullather. The ACC expects more than 100 people to attend the reception, located at 807 E. 10th St.\n"The welcome reception will allow us to introduce our center and the kinds of activities we do," Castillo-Cullather said. "We hope that those who come will leave with an e-mail address of a new friend or have learned something about the ACC."\nThe ACC is connected with 24 Asian student groups on campus and is open to students regardless of their race or heritage. The center hosts frequent small discussion groups throughout the year, in which an average of 15 to 20 people attend. The bimonthly "Who are Asian-Pacific Americans?" discussion series reviews issues and concerns in the Asian-Pacific American community. The next discussion is noon Sept. 15 at the ACC. \nDuring the monthly meeting "Over a Cup of Tea," students have the opportunity to talk to IU professors and grad students who have recently conducted research in Asia. This month's topic is "When Ho Lee: Free at Last" and is 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at the ACC.\nThe ACC usually works with an Asian student group on campus to put together a culinary demonstration where attendees can learn how to make unique fare from a different country each month. At 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at the ACC lounge, food fanatics can taste a dish from Singapore.\n"I think it's always good for students to check out an organization that they'd like to be part of," Castillo-Cullather said. "Usually the question in their minds is whether this place is a good fit. Our hope is that they find the center a comfortable place for learning and meeting new friends"
(08/30/06 5:23am)
Last Friday, IU's Latino culture center La Casa and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transsexual Student Support Services paired up to kick off the school year with their sixth annual open house.\nThe two centers, located next door to each other on Seventh Street, collaborated on their front lawns as a way for students to get to know each other and each center's staff and learn more about the programs and services that the centers offer. The event featured free lunch and ice cream, tours of both the centers and tables set up with informational brochures about upcoming La Casa and GLBT events.\nLa Casa and GLBTSSS have worked side by side since the GLBT office's opening 12 years ago. \n"We try to model collaboration," said Doug Bauder, coordinator of GLBTSSS. "We co-sponsor programs together on the intersection of issues of culture and sexual orientation and/or gender identity. We provide resources on topics of mutual concern, and, when possible, we simply socialize together."\nLillian Casillas, director of La Casa, thinks that having active Latino and GLBT centers will help increase awareness of both groups. \n"The world is diverse, and the Latino community is growing," she said. "People are going to have contact with us and GLBT people, and I think that getting to know more about both groups will increase understanding."\nThroughout the year, La Casa offers its space and resources to meetings that are too large to be held in the smaller GLBTSSS office. La Casa is equipped with a library, a kitchen, a movie room, computer labs and study areas and meeting rooms open to everyone, according to its Web site. \n"We are going by the whole concept that when you break bread together you are establishing a more meaningful relationship," Casillas said. "I want to reach out to other groups. We are here to provide support to all students."\nBoth groups provide educational and social opportunities, namely to the respective minority groups they work to serve. Educational resources come in the form of books and DVDs, panel and group discussions and occasional speakers.\nWith these and an array of other programs, such as La Casa's cooking class and GLBTSSS's weekend getaways, students have ample chance to get involved. In fact, IU was recently named one of the top campuses in the country for GLBT students because of its resources and strong community.\nMany of those who visited the open house were new students seeking to become active in the GLBT or Latino community.\n"The open house provided a chance for me to see what the (GLBT) group was all about," freshman James Sullivan said. "It was fun and relaxed and gave me a chance to meet some very friendly and inviting people. It was one of the first times I arrived on campus that I lost the nervous edge associated with not knowing anyone on campus"
(08/30/06 5:22am)
Sunday at Dunn Meadow, new and returning students were given the opportunity to learn about the diverse number of religious organizations available on campus at the 12th annual FaithFest. Fourteen groups, mostly representing Christian organizations, had members standing by and tables set up with informational brochures, poster boards and free food for those looking to get involved. \nSarah Sutter, an IU graduate actively involved in Campus Crusade for Christ, said she came to FaithFest during her freshman year to check out the different organizations. \n"I think (FaithFest) is great for students who know they want to get involved," Sutter said. "It's good to see what's out there and helps students find people like them that want to know God." \nWhile all of the participating groups have a common interest in promoting religion and faith to students, FaithFest provides an opportunity for students to gain more specific information about each organization and ways they can be active in the groups.\nAs the organizations represent a diverse number of beliefs, they also range drastically in their number of members. While most groups have an average of about 40 to 60 members, smaller groups like the one representing the Baha'i faith have a following of about 30 people, as Campus Crusade for Christ has hundreds of participants attend events and meetings weekly. \nAshley Crane of the small Christian association the Navigators said she thinks all groups that showed up for FaithFest are important for different reasons. \n"There's definitely something for everyone here," Crane said. "The reason I chose to be involved in the Navigators is because it is smaller and more intimate with a focus on one-on-one relationships, which is great for me because I need that kind of connection." \nJenese Parker of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship said she believes the integration of race and religion is important and FaithFest is a good opportunity for students to see that on campus. \n"We hold multi-ethnicity and social justice at a high value," she said. "We welcome all races and cultures, and our program is very inclusive." \nCoinciding with other Welcome Week activities, most of the attendees at the event were freshmen or new students looking to see what is available to them.\n"Some of my friends and I wanted to come here to learn about all of our options," said freshman Rachel Roper. "There are definitely a lot of small groups. Knowing about these groups gives you the option to try new things." \nMost of the groups at FaithFest hold weekly meetings, Bible studies and worship services. \n"There's a lot of opportunity to meet people and have unique experiences," Sutter said. "You can find real and meaningful community and make lifelong friends by being in an organization"
(08/25/06 4:18am)
IU was recently ranked one of the best universities in the country for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, according to The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students.\nThe Guide, written by IU alumnus Shane Windmeyer, profiled 100 colleges and universities from around the country and rated them on a 20-point scale based on their resources and programs that support GLBT students. IU's "Gay Point Average" was an 18 out of 20, making it the third-highest scoring university overall.\n "This book very clearly lays out where IU meets the criteria for a GLBT-friendly school," said Doug Bauder, coordinator of IU's GLBT Student Support Services.\nThe Guide pinpointed a supportive campus environment as IU's top strength.\nIU was also noted in the guide as being a campus where the majority of GLBT students feel safe. Much of this sentiment is the result of a supportive administration at IU that values diversity, said former OUT President Lucas Elliot. \n"I know that as a student one of the most influential supporters of the GLBT community for me has been Dean (Richard) Mckaig," he said. "He has always supported us, and that has always made me feel safer at this campus."\nThe two requirements that IU failed to meet on the Gay Point Average checklist were having a nondiscrimination statement inclusive of sexual orientation and offering GLBT housing themes to students. \nThe GLBT office is talking to the board of trustees with the help of affirmative action groups and other organizations to have a nondiscrimination statement added to IU's Student Code. \nThe University of Southern California scored a perfect 20 out of 20 on the "Gay Point Average," partially because of its gender-free restrooms and GLBT residence halls.\nWhile IU does not have an official residence hall for GLBT students, the guide cites Read and Collins Living-Learning Center as top places for GLBT students to live on campus. \nThough IU's GLBT office has one of the largest GLBT libraries in the country, members who are active on campus and in the community continue to seek out new ways to create more opportunities for students and improve the GLBT community as a whole.\n"I think IU could use a bigger GLBT support center to accommodate all of their student needs on a larger level," senior Christina Patterson said. "By getting the message out to more students and the community that diversity is something to be embraced and that the GLBT community is nothing to be feared or targeted, then I think that life on campus and in Bloomington in general could be more harmonious"
(06/15/06 12:34am)
This weekend IU alumni will flock to Bloomington to celebrate their 50-year reunion at the IU Alumni Association's annual Cream and Crimson Weekend. Attendees to the event will participate in various social functions throughout the weekend as new emeritus alumni are honored. \nApproximately 125 people from the class of 1956 are expected at the event, which is the main alumni function for the year. There are also many events scattered throughout the weekend that cover different aspects of the Alumni Association. The main social gathering will be Saturday morning, when alumni from all classes meet together for a barbecue luncheon at the DeVault Alumni Center. \n"The only reunion we do now is this one," said Al White of the Devault Alumni Center. "We used to do a 10th, 20th, but numbers were down. Now, we hold a 50th reunion every year during this weekend. The only other alumni event close to as big as this is homecoming in the fall." \nFollowing the barbecue are various meetings, such as the bi-annual Executive Council meeting where the policy making sector of the Alumni Association convenes.\n"The Executive Council consists of 85 people who decide the future of the Alumni Association, as well as new policies, programs and speakers," said Rebecca Keith, assistant to IU Alumni Association President Kenneth A. Beckley. "We decide what sort of programs go on during the year for alumni and discuss the entrance of new affiliate groups or societies that want to have representations in the association."\nMost of the constituent societies are school-based. For example, there is a School of Law and a Jacobs School of Music constituent society in which graduates of those organizations can be part of a niche group of alumni. \nThe emeritus dinner will be held Friday for those celebrating their 50th graduation anniversary. \n"Alumni become part of the emeritus club once they pass their 50th anniversary," said Karen Conrad, who is organizing the dinner.\nProfessor Emeritus Rudy Pozzatti from IU's Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts and a graduate of the class of 1976 will be a keynote speaker during the emeritus dinner and will recall his World War II experiences. After the dinner, alumni will make their way to the Class of 1956 Banquet. These events will both be held in the Indiana Memorial Union. \n"This is just one part of the Cream and Crimson Weekend," Conrad said. "Throughout the weekend alumni will be able take a tour of the campus and do other things that bring them back to IU." \nSaturday morning, participants will have the opportunity to eat breakfast with other alumni from the school which they graduated from. The College of Arts and Sciences, Kelley School of Business, School of Education and the School of Journalism will all be holding separate breakfasts. \nAnother aspect of the Cream and Crimson is The Distinguished Alumni Service Award dinner that will be held Saturday night to present awards to distinguished alumni for their continuing support of IU. \n"There are five alumni to be awarded this year," White said. "They are lifelong IU supporters, they are all graduates from Indiana University (and) they have served the University in various ways." \nThe honorees, as well as University dignitaries, friends of the University and friends of DASA recipients, will attend the dinner. It is also open to the general public. \nDuring the dinner, the names of attending alumni will be read. Both IU President Adam Herbert and IU Chancellor Ken Gros Louis are scheduled to make speeches introducing the alumni class and reminiscing on their past memories and thoughts about IU's last 50 years. \nBuckley will swear in the 1956 class as new members of the emeritus class. The DASA awards are presented last with speeches about each individual recipient's work. The dinner ends with the singing of "Hail Old IU." \n"The DASA is important because it's the highest honor that Indiana University can give to graduates who support them with their time and talent," White said.
(06/12/06 3:15am)
This summer, students, faculty and staff at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis and IU-East will no longer be able to smoke on campus as they will soon see their respective schools become tobacco and smoke free. \nBoth universities are implementing new policies that will work to further prevent smoking in and around campus. The policies will become active in August. \nIUPUI's policy bans the use or sale of any tobacco product -- including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff and cigars -- on any IUPUI owned, operated or leased property or vehicle. Likewise, at IU-East smoking will be prohibited everywhere on campus, including University vehicles and privately owned vehicles on campus. \n"Just like IU-Bloomington, we enacted a policy a few years ago that prohibited smoking within 30 feet of all campus buildings," said Karen Whitney, vice chancellor for student life and diversity at IUPUI. "This went so successfully and because IUPUI is the state's leading health and life science campus, it made sense for us to be a leader in the state and go to the next level with this policy." \nOne thing that prompted IUPUI to go smoke-free was the research done by Stephen Jay of the IU School of Medicine, who is a leading researcher on the effects of smoking. Jay's research shows that second hand smoke is the third leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. It approximated that up to 1,600 non-smoking Hoosiers die annually from exposure to second hand smoke. \n"Second hand smoke is a known major risk factor to human health in our society," Jay said. "It is a potent agent in precipitating diseases like asthma, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. It seems compelling that we show the hazards of second hand smoke in prudent campus polices to protect students and the environment." \nHe added studies have shown that exposure to second hand smoke is cumulative is known to trigger biochemical events that can eventually lead to cancer. \nBefore making the decision to go tobacco free, IUPUI compiled years of surveys conducted on thousands of students, faculty and staff via the internet and phone calls to try to ascertain the general disposition regarding the policy. An overwhelming majority of people favored the ban.\n"There isn't a big smoking problem at IUPUI, but there are a lot of people bothered by it," said IUPUI student Matt Barker. "I guess the majority of people are pushing for the right to breath fresh air." \nIU-East in Richmond is undertaking its no-smoking policy in team with both Ivy Tech and the new Reed Hospital facility, which are both located close to IU East's campus. All three institutions have decided to make the 300 acres of property they own entirely smoke-free to promote a community wide "end to smoking" campaign. \n"A long time ago we declared our buildings smoke-free and allowed smoking outside the building," said IU-East Chancellor David Fulton. "But that didn't prove to be very satisfactory because people would cluster by the outside of the buildings to smoke and people would have to walk through a cloud of smoke when they were coming and going."\nFulton said he has heard no complaints from anyone about the ban and, in fact, there was a rousing cheer when he announced the policy to the public. \n"I have regularly scheduled chats with students to discuss various issues," Fulton said. "We brought up making the campus smoke-free, and while students thought it was inconvenient they expected it to happen in the future and figured that's what was going to happen." \nIn addition to the no-smoking policy, the IU-East Center for Health Promotion will be offering a program called "Kick your Butts" to students and staff who want to quit smoking and adapt to the new policy. The 16-week support program costs $50 and includes weekly educational sessions that tackle a variety of issues that smokers might be concerned with, such as how to avoid gaining weight and exercises that will help increase lung capacity. Participants of the program will also have a weekly pulmonary function test to measure the health of their lungs. \nAs IU's regional campuses institute their new no-smoking policies, many may wonder if the Bloomington campus will join IUPUI and IU-East and go smoke-free. \nThe current smoking policy at IU-Bloomington dictates that smoking is prohibited within 30 feet of campus buildings. Vehicles owned or leased by the University are also smoke-free. This policy has been in place since 2003. The city of Bloomington also enacted a tough smoke ban throughout the city in 2003. Despite both of these policies being in place, having a smoke-free IU campus is something that most likely won't be occurring soon. \n"To my knowledge no one has discussed (a smoking ban) as a serious proposal; the issue has not been dealt with," said Larry MacIntyre, director of IU media relations. "We are aware of what other campuses are doing but this campus is different because we have many public streets and thoroughfares running through campus. The board of trustees at IU doesn't have legal authority to make smoking laws on these streets. That is the domain of the city of Bloomington."\nEven though Bloomington has taken a strong stand on maintaining a mostly smoke-free town, one area that the 2003 smoke ban did not cover were people driving in their cars on city streets or those walking on city sidewalks. Theoretically as seen on IU-East and IUPUI's new rules, these are areas that would be off limits to smokers under a campus-wide ban, which is why the policy would be harder to enforce at IU. \n"A ban on certain Bloomington city streets most likely won't happen because when the initial vote was taken in 2003 to enact the smoke-free-Bloomington policy, a few members of the board felt very strongly that it was too much force coming from the government on the people's free will to prohibit smoking in their cars and on sidewalks," said Emerson LaJoie, assistant city clerk for the city of Bloomington. \nBecause the board of trustees is not even considering the issue, MacIntyre said IU students who want to see the campus follow the lead of IUPUI and IU-East and become smoke-free should work through their student government representatives. \n"If students want this (policy) they should first discuss it at the student government level," MacIntyre said. "The student government could bring attention by bringing it to the board of trustees. We listen to our students"
