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(04/14/09 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>An increase in human bodies donated to science in recent years has caused the Indiana Anatomical Education Board to ask that an amendment be added to Senate Bill 218. The amendment would allow Indiana to share the surplus of cadavers with other states.“The simple fact is apparently we don’t need as many as we have,” said Gordon Coppoc, assistant dean and director of the IU School of Medicine–Lafayette.The Indiana Anatomical Education Board, run by the IU School of Medicine, distributes cadavers to all institutions of higher learning in Indiana, said David Burr, chairman of the Anatomical Education Board. Right now, he said, the board is restricted to only distributing the cadavers to institutions in Indiana.“There are other states, like New York, who routinely have shortages,” Burr said. “We want to be able to help them out.”The increase in donations might have occurred for two reasons, Burr said. The primary reason is the change in the board’s program allowing people to donate directly instead of going through a local funeral director. Funeral directors could previously charge families of the deceased, he said.“Now people can donate with no expenses to them or their families,” he said.When the economy goes bad, donations go up, Burr said. People who do not have money to pay for a funeral choose to donate their bodies to science instead.Cadavers are used in medical education courses statewide, said Jim Walker, a professor of anatomy in Purdue’s Basic Medical Sciences program. At Purdue, cadavers are used in undergraduate programs and summer programs for high school students as well, he said.After the cadavers have been used in the classroom, they are returned to Indianapolis, where they are cremated individually, Burr said. They are placed in an urn and returned to their families or buried in a communal plot at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, he said.Schools that have a shortage of cadavers are forced to seek them from other states or turn to other teaching methods, Burr said. One method is prosection, where a cadaver is dissected prior to instructional use and shown to a class.“We have the feeling here in Indiana that it is really important for students to have experience with actual human bodies,” Burr said. “None of the other methods can replace the experience students have with a cadaver.”Students learn skills by working on a cadaver that they cannot learn through computer demonstrations, Burr said. Students have to work together in groups over the cadaver. They also tend to treat the cadaver as their first patient, he said.“It instills values we’d like them to have when they become doctors,” Burr said.Walker said there is no comparison between dissecting a cadaver and learning from a computer. The amount of time it takes to dissect is time spent better understanding the cadaver and all of its parts, he said.“The last thing I’d want to do is go to a doctor who learned from a computer screen,” Walker said.
(04/09/09 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There is not a single moment when senior Lindsay Swisher, president of Alpha Kappa Psi, walks through the Kelley School of Business and doesn’t know anyone.Alpha Kappa Psi is an academic fraternity on campus for students interested in business, Swisher said. The organization, like other academic fraternities at IU, focuses on professional development, community service and “brotherhood” activities.“I walk into the lobby of the business school at any hour of the day and see a huge group of our members,” she said.Some academic fraternities – such as Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting fraternity – focus more on the professional aspects of their organization.Senior Scott Raichilson, president of Beta Alpha Psi, said he thinks the fraternity bridges the gap between academics and the real world.Raichilson said he is also a member of a social fraternity, and the two are completely different.“The accounting fraternity is focused on the professional aspect,” he said. “Basically, you won’t see us going out to bars and partying. The social aspects aren’t nearly as strong.”Alpha Chi Sigma, the chemistry fraternity, arranges a research symposium every semester with professors from the chemistry department who talk about research opportunities, said junior Krestina Johnson, vice master alchemist for the fraternity.Swisher said Alpha Kappa Psi plans resume workshops and speaker events for members of the fraternity to attend.“The professional aspect is an enormous bonus,” she said. “Along with it comes a community or built-in network. Members have a constant support system at IU.”Alpha Chi Sigma tries to get younger students involved in chemistry by volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club and at elementary schools around Bloomington, Johnson said.“One week was bubbles, and we used a solution to make bubbles bounce on your hand,” Johnson said. “We always make sure there’s something edible.”Members of Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity, are required to volunteer 30 hours each semester, said Laura Sargent, vice president of communications for the fraternity.One project the fraternity participated in was volunteering at an exotic feline rescue center, Sargent said. The center is home to 200 big cats for which people could no longer care or that became too dangerous for their owners.Sargent said the experience was interesting because members were only an arm’s length away from the animals.Johnson said the social aspects of the organization help in volunteering.“You make friends while promoting the cause,” she said.Similar to social fraternities, some academic fraternities hold a two-week-long rush process at the beginning of each semester. Both Alpha Kappa Psi and Alpha Chi Sigma plan events for pledges to attend to get information about the fraternities. At the end of the process, pledges are interviewed before being accepted.Alpha Chi Sigma accepts a quarter of the students rushing, Johnson said. Last semester, 70 or 80 students rushed, and 25 were accepted.Alpha Kappa Psi does not have a quota, Swisher said. Fraternity members are chosen based on their quality as applicants.Members of academic fraternities join the organizations for a number of reasons.Johnson said she thinks most people in the academic fraternity have a common goal in the end, and the organization aims to help with that goal.“A lot of students get involved because of the professional aspect,” Swisher said. “From the extended standpoint, it seems like profession is our main focus, but the community that we build helps us become professional.”
(04/07/09 4:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the fourth annual IU Circle of Life Mini Marathon, organizers of the event wanted to make the race more of an all-day experience, said Nate Rollings, co-president of Circle of Life.The mini marathon on Saturday offered new events for runners to participate in this year, such as a pasta dinner and a rock-climbing wall.“We tried to make it a better experience for the runners instead of them just coming to run and go home,” Rollings said. “Any perks we can give the runners will mean more runners next year.”Organizers made changes to the 13.1-mile course as well, Rollings said. The new course incorporates more of the campus and fewer hills.“We wanted to show off what IU’s all about,” said Sean MacCauley, co-president of Circle of Life. “We tried to include more of the scenery the campus has to offer.”Matthew Berman, co-president of Circle of Life, said he spoke to a participant who uses the mini marathon to train for the Boston Marathon. She told Berman she found the new course more challenging, but it will help her in other races.Rollings said more than 2,000 runners participated in this year’s marathon. The numbers have not yet been finalized for exactly how many people participated or how much money was raised.“A lot of people register last minute,” he said. “It’s hard to forecast. Around 40 percent register on race day.”Berman said based on registration, the total amount raised will be near $34,000.Money raised at the marathon goes directly into an endowment at the IU Foundation, MacCauley said. Board members at the Foundation review applications of cancer survivors and choose the recipient, he said. The scholarship allows the recipient to attend any of the eight IU campuses.This year’s recipient was freshman Lucas Connor, who gave a speech before the race, Rollings said.MacCauley said he has yet to receive any complaints about the event.“I usually have a complaint or two from runners,” he said.The organization has become better at putting on the race and running the marathon more smoothly, MacCauley said.In the future, MacCauley said, Circle of Life hopes to spread to other colleges.“We, as university students, understand what a wonderful gift a college education can be,” Berman said. “We would like to help bring this opportunity to young cancer survivors, regardless of where they wish to attend school.”
(03/27/09 4:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Operation Smile Student Association at IU will put on the Miles for Smiles Fun Walk to raise money for Operation Smile, a nationwide charity that funds facial reconstructive surgeries for children.The walk will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Dunn Meadow. The event will include a mile-long walk with interactive games and snacks afterward, said senior and events coordinator Cheryl Steiman.The Miles for Smiles Fun Walk is the first walk the group has planned since its formation three years ago, said junior Whitney Rittmann, vice president of the association. With this walk, the group hopes to establish a base for further years, she said.“We’re excited about the walk because it’s our first big event,” said junior Nichole Shoup, president of the association. “We want it to get the word out on our organization.”Though the event is geared toward children, the group would like to see students come out to help the cause, Steiman said.“Anyone can come,” she said. “It’s not like you have to be this tall to come.”Participants will be charged $10 to take part in the walk, Steiman said. Proceeds from the event will go directly to Operation Smile.“Donations are appreciated,” she said. “We’re hoping some participants ... would like to go above the baseline price.”Each facial surgery through Operation Smile is $240, Steiman said. The group hopes to raise enough money this year to donate 10 operations.Rittmann said the group is trying to raise awareness not only on campus but also in the Bloomington community.“We think the walk will be an opportunity for children of the community to learn about volunteering at an early age,” she said.The group advertised for the event in restaurants, elementary schools and other places around Bloomington, Steiman said. “We were walking around the Union posting things,” she said. “And they were just melting in with other fliers.”Rittmann said she is optimistic for a decent turnout and hopes many of the members of the organization will participate.There are roughly 200 to 300 members in the organization, Shoup said, but only 100 have been active throughout the organization’s existence.The first 100 participants to come to the walk will receive free T-shirts, Steiman said.“We’d like to say 100 people will come,” she said. “But I couldn’t even begin to guess the number. I’m a little nervous about the rain, but I know the Bloomington community really supports organizations like ours.”
(03/26/09 4:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students paused on their way to class as Ed Vasquez, a member of Indiana Students Against War, yelled into a megaphone in protest of the ongoing U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.“We must pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan now,” Vazquez said. “What’s going on in Iraq is illegal. The longer we stay, the more instability they will have.”At Wednesday’s demonstration, members of ISAW met beneath the red clock between Ballantine Hall and Woodburn Hall and marched to the Sample Gates. But, to organizers’ dismay, this year’s protest didn’t draw the crowds it has in previous years. About 10 students turned out, a smattering of those who participated last year, said junior Walker Rhea.There were a number of reasons why fewer people showed up for the demonstration, he said. The Bloomington Peace Action Coalition, another anti-war group, had a separate protest last week and is putting on a benefit concert tonight. Members from this group comprised a majority of the protestors participating in the march in past years, Rhea said.Another reason the march gathered less support was the election of President Barack Obama, he said.“When Obama won he said he would change the foreign policy,” he said. “Students think that they have done enough by showing support for Obama to not participate in activism.”Graduate student Sandrine Catris said she was afraid students might not have heard about the event.“We didn’t advertise as much for the protest as we did for the teachings,” she said.Rhea, Catris and other members of ISAW held signs demonstrating their views about the war. The signs said, “End the U.S. occupation of Iraq,” “Out of Iraq now” and “War is Terrorism.”Rhea said he would not normally phrase his views in the statement “War is Terrorism.” He said the distinction between what is considered “terrorism” is based on political perspectives.“People cannot fight terrorism by becoming a terrorist,” Catris said.Though he is not a part of ISAW, junior Robert Neal came to participate in the protest. He said the idea of killing anyone for any reason does not make sense to him.“It’s 2009,” he said. “It’s time to evolve our ideas on peace.”Neal said instead of fighting for freedom, he believes in democratic debate.“Open debate, compromise, that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “People shouldn’t be arrogant. They should just listen. But it’s human tendency to want to fight.”A few students passing the demonstration yelled at the protestors. While Vasquez voiced his opinions through the megaphone, Neal said, he was not yelling about how other people’s opinions are wrong the way some students did.One student approached the group, said he was in the military, and debated with members of ISAW before they began the march. Neal said he did not agree with most of the student’s argument.“He said basketball is basketball and war is war,” Neal said. “That doesn’t make any sense. War isn’t a sport.”Rhea said the underlying issue he is concerned with is not how troops are being treated.“War is illegal,” he said. “Gaining land through war is illegal. Occupation is what I’m protesting.”During the march from the clock to the gates, Vasquez continued to yell through the megaphone.“We must take to the streets now to protest this,” he said. “We cannot lead normal lives as long as Iraqis live in misery.”
(03/24/09 3:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Myles Brand, IU president emeritus and current NCAA president, will receive an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree during the IU Honors Convocation on Sunday.Brand served as IU’s 16th President from 1994 to 2002. Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, who worked under Brand as vice president, said Brand left his mark on the University with the nation’s first School of Informatics.“I think he did a lot of things in his years as president,” he said. “But his most lasting impact was the creation of a new school.”Louis said another of Brand’s major accomplishments was the creation of Strategic Directions. Faculties from all campuses were invited to submit proposals to the committee, who would then recommend which proposals should be funded.“A couple of the proposals still continue on campuses because of their success,” Louis said. “That was another lasting legacy.”Louis said honorary degrees are given to three or four people a year at Founders Day and Commencement ceremonies. The degrees are awarded to people with ties to the University who are well-known nationally as well as people who are known locally.“It is a significant honor to get honorary degrees from any University,” Louis said.Sunday’s ceremony is part of the Founders Day celebration to honor students in the honors colleges at all IU campuses, Louis said. Students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or higher will be recognized at the event.Louis said he worked very closely with Brand during his years as president, speaking with him almost every day. He said Brand told him once at a conference in Washington he never learned to read phonetically. Brand learned words as full words.“Myles always had trouble with multi-syllable words,” Louis said.During a speech in which Brand was to say the word “improvisation,” Louis said he could not say the word and after a few tries continued with his speech. Later that week when Brand gave the same speech, he changed the word.“He improvised the word improvisation,” Louis said.Shortly before Christmas, Louis said he received an e-mail from Brand saying he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Since the diagnosis, Brand has been undergoing treatment for the disease.“It’s a very challenging cancer,” Louis said.Despite the current obstacles Brand is facing, he will attend the ceremony where IU President Michael McRobbie will present him with the award.IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said the reason McRobbie is presenting the degree to Brand now is because Brand is held in very high esteem and there has been a desire to do something that would reflect both that esteem and his accomplishments at IU.MacIntyre said McRobbie has known Brand since Brand hired him in 1997.“They had a long and close relationship,” he said. “McRobbie is very well aware of the high regard people at IU have for Myles Brand and he felt it was a good time to do something to show IU’s appreciation for all that he has done.”
(03/13/09 4:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Coca-Cola’s contract to exclusively sell products on campus expires June 30, and leaders for IU’s No Sweat! group continued efforts March 12 to prevent an agreement renewal.No Sweat!, an IU organization aimed at ending sweatshop practices, is vying to ensure a new contract with Coca-Cola never goes through, said Amit Srivastava, coordinator of India Resource Center and director of Global Resistance.With the debate about the contract ongoing, No Sweat! asked Srivastava to speak to students about the “unethical” practices of Coca-Cola in India.“IU is a university of ethical institutions,” said Cole Wehrle, liaison for No Sweat! “We have to uphold a standard of values.”Six years ago, the India Resource Center decided to take its message national after the center said Coca-Cola would not take them seriously. Since then, Srivastava has spoken at more than 100 universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Norway in an attempt to get students to apply pressure on Coca-Cola.The two main issues which with the center is concerned, Srivastava said, are the Coca-Cola plants located in areas already experiencing water shortages and the factories that polluted the scarce water available.Criticisms of the multinational corporation aren’t new and have found particular footing within many university communities. Despite allegations against company officials of union-busting, irresponsible resource management and employee mistreatment at production facilities around the world, executives have maintained that their practices are socially just. But for many students, including members of No Sweat!, these claims seem false. “A year after they began operations, villages began experiencing severe water shortages,” Srivastava said.He said the factories use the same groundwater resources people of the surrounding communities use in everyday life. When the factories first opened, the company used nine liters of water to make one liter of beverage. The other eight liters, Srivastava said, were turned into waste water, which the factories emptied into surrounding fields.Government agencies tested the water after the problems were brought to their attention and found the water had been contaminated with pollutants that could be traced back to the Coca-Cola factories, Srivastava said.“Seventy percent of individuals living in India make their living in agriculture,” he said. “Poisoning the water and soil destroys lives and communities across India.”Srivastava said 30 to 40 percent of crop yields dropped since the opening of the Coca-Cola factories in some villages, and children are taken out of school to walk five or six miles each day to get water.Through the efforts of the India Resource Center, two problematic factories have already been shut down, Srivastava said. The center hopes to further shut down five of the existing 49 factories in India. “Our efforts have worked significantly,” he said. “More than 20 universities have taken action.”Srivastava said when the University of Michigan canceled its contract with Coca-Cola, the company agreed to a third-party assessment of its factories in India. When the assessment came out in 2008, Coca-Cola was more shocked with the finding than the center was, he said.The assessment investigated six of the factories in India and concluded Coca-Cola operated without regard to the communities where the plants are located, Srivastava said. The assessment said Coca-Cola did not abide by all environmental laws and did not meet its own company standards in any of the investigated factories.Wehrle said members of No Sweat! hope to use students as leverage to put Coca-Cola in position to change its behavior by ceasing IU’s business with the company.“We’re using that as our bartering chip,” Wehrle said.After petitioning President Michael McRobbie on the issue, the investigation was turned over to the Anti-Sweatshop Advisory Committee, Wehrle said. Through its investigations, the committee found the practices of the Coca-Cola Company to be beyond unacceptable.The committee, comprised of IU students, faculty and staff, focuses on making sure IU’s licensing code of conduct is imposed, Wehrle said. The code of conduct requires all companies using IU’s label to ensure workers’ basic rights.“Companies using IU’s label have to have ethical business practices,” Wehrle said. “We hope in the long-term for companies to adhere to standard civil rights.”Srivastava said there are now five active campaigns across India that have made it clear that Coca-Cola’s needs for water and the communities’ needs for water cannot coexist.“If anyone knows anything about water, its farmers,” he said. “For many of these farmers, this is a fight for their lives.”
(03/12/09 2:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In celebration of the Bloomington Area Arts Council’s 35th birthday, Bloomington resident Robert Stumpf played bagpipes outside of the John Waldron Art Center Wednesday at A Leprechaun’s Birthday. The birthday party was one of 35 events the council will put on this year. The goal of the events is to provide exposure for the council and to invite people to enjoy what the art center has to offer, said Ashley Fisher, president of the council’s board of trustees. “The Art Center showcases everything from fine art to performing art,” she said.Another goal of the events is to raise at least $350,000 by the last celebration in September, Fisher said. The money donated to the council will help pay for the operation of the art center, provide grants and endow performance positions, she said.Sophomore Kaylee Spivey, the “Leprechaun” whose pretend birthday was being celebrated, said she thought the party was great.“I was born in 1492 and ever since have been on the run,” she said.Spivey said she does not usually have birthday parties, and when she does, they only consist of a few leprechaun friends and family.“It’s a great turnout,” she said. “There are at least 50 people. I’m very excited.”The council received help from many members of the community in putting on A Leprechaun’s Birthday. Children from Harmony School helped with the rainbow of balloons that lined the main staircase, Fisher said.Stumpf also said he volunteered his services as a member of the Bloomington Fire Department’s bag and pipe band. The band was developed last year with the help of a grant provided by the council for equipment and outfits for the members.Shelly Ritter, a Bloomington resident and member of the council, said she attended the event to support the art community. As a local artist, Ritter said she wants to sponsor all the activities at the art center in promoting the arts.Staff members of the council and the art center also showed their support by attending the event.Karri Basford, the council’s financial manager, said she thought the celebration was beautiful. “The party promotes everything St. Patrick’s Day,” she said. “It’s a great representation.”
(03/11/09 4:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Graduate school does not guarantee students a job after graduation, but it does open up more opportunities, said seventh-year graduate student Jorge Aguilar-Sanchez.Aguilar-Sanchez will graduate in July with two Ph.D.s and two masters degrees. Already well into the job hunt, he said the first two stages of the search went well for him.“But about 10 percent of job postings get canceled,” he said. “And interviews don’t guarantee you getting a job.”Erik Medina, director of graduate career services at the Kelley School of Business, said the typical job-recruiting season between October and November this year was less fruitful across the board for MBA programs.“The economy is bad everywhere,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”The Kelley School wants to create the best opportunities for students to find a job, Medina said. The school participates with 30 other universities in sharing information on students’ performance in the job market and the schools’ methods of student outreach.“We’re doing relatively well compared to those schools,” Medina said. “Much of the stuff we’re doing is helping, but there’s no Holy Grail out there.”During periods of economic decline, it is common to find students flocking to MBA programs, Medina said.In the Graduate Enrollment and Degrees: 1997-2007 report by the Council of Graduate Schools, the nation saw a 3 percent increase in total graduate enrollment.Dave Daleke, the assistant dean for academic affairs at the University Graduate School, said he thinks it is too soon to tell why there has been an increase in students choosing to attend graduate school. The school has not asked incoming students whether they are attending school due to the economy, he said.Valerie Cross, a second-year graduate student, said she would like to earn a Ph.D. after finishing her masters degree.“Because of the way the economy is right now, it might be better to do it now than later,” she said.Third-year graduate student Jared Patten said he thinks having a Ph.D. is helpful to teach at the university level.“With a Ph.D., you can get a job with a greater degree of job security,” he said.Paloma Fernandez Sanchez, a fourth-year graduate student, said while attending graduate school does not guarantee a student his or her dream job, it does guarantee a job in a better position than those who did not earn a Ph.D.With a higher number of job-seekers, employers have more control over whom they hire today, Medina said, and can pick whomever they want.Medina said the two key factors on which students should focus in the job search are having a plan and building a network.“It takes a lot for students to feel engaged in the process,” he said. “They have to keep enthusiasm and move themselves forward.”Ryan Hallows, a third-year graduate student, said he has hope that the economy will change for the better before he graduates.“I haven’t heard of anyone who hasn’t found a job,” he said. “It’s just taking longer.”Hallows is studying for a Ph.D. in humanities and hopes to become a professor. The rush of students to graduate school because of the economy is job security, he said, because the influx of students will open up new teaching positions.Patten said he is still optimistic about his future job search after graduation. “I think it will be better by then,” he said. “And I hope it will be better by then.”
(03/11/09 3:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In celebration of the Bloomington Area Arts Council’s 35th birthday, the council has planned 35 “unbirthday” parties between January and September, said Steve Pierson, office manager for the council. The next party, “A Leprechaun’s Birthday,” will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the John Waldron Art Center. The idea for the unbirthday parties came from the animated movie “Alice in Wonderland,” said Rob Hanrahan, development director for the Arts Council. The first unbirthday party in January involved the release of 3,500 balloons down the art center’s main staircase, Hanrahan said. The balloons rushed down the staircase to the bottom where people could play in them.Besides parties open to the general public once a month, special luncheons are also considered unbirthday celebrations, Hanrahan said. With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, “A Leprechaun’s Birthday” was the perfect choice, Hanrahan said. “Who would ever think a leprechaun had a birthday?” he said. After working for Disney, Hanrahan said he always looks for the unexpected. Instead of predictably choosing to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Hanrahan said he wanted to put on a celebration that would catch the community’s attention. A fire truck and a bagpipe musician will greet guests at the entrance of the celebration, Hanrahan said. Inside the art center, refreshments and music will be provided, Pierson said, as well as an appearance by the guest of honor.Whoever catches a leprechaun will receive a pot of gold, Hanrahan said, but attendees of the event are asked not to capture the leprechaun.“Because it’s the leprechaun’s birthday, we promised no one would chase him,” Hanrahan said. Every unbirthday party has a cake, Pierson said, and the leprechaun’s cake will be shaped like a pot of gold. At the official birthday party in September, the goal is to have a 35-tiered cake, Hanrahan said. “I believe 39 feet, four inches is the Guinness World Record,” he said. “We’re shooting to go over that.”The unbirthday parties are a way to unite people and celebrate all the Arts Council has done for the community, Hanrahan said. He also said he thinks the celebrations will grow with each party. More than 50 guests have already confirmed their attendance to the leprechaun’s birthday, he said. The art center does not require party-goers to register or R.S.V.P. to attend.
(03/06/09 4:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Seven Collins freshmen will perform musical numbers, magic acts and experimental art pieces during Mr. Collins, the residence center’s first-ever male pageant.The event will take place at 8 p.m. Friday in the Collins Coffee House in the Edmonson building.The pageant originated as a project sophomore Matt Starr was assigned in a Collins class. All residents of Collins Living-Learning Center are required to take a “Q-class” in which they create a project on getting involved, Starr said.“It’s a competition for everyone in the class to have the best project,” said freshman Marianna Eble, co-director of the pageant. “This is going to blow everyone else’s out of the water.” Starr said he believes like everyone at Collins is different in his or her own way. Through the pageant, he said he hopes to change the image of Collins and show off the contestants to other “Collinsites” and the rest of IU.“I want to steer away from the hippie persona,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve met any hippies here.”The pageant will begin with an introduction video and an opening dance number, Starr said. “There’s also going to be a chocolate fountain,” he said. “It’s crucial.”Participants of the pageant will partake in three rounds: talent, dress and question-and-answer. For the dress portion, each male member will display an outfit that represents his personality, Starr said. The talents of the contestants are very diverse, Eble said. “They range from musical numbers to tests of physical merit,” she said. Contestants such as freshmen Jeff Ubelhor and Ronak Shah will be performing musical numbers, while freshman Evan Voss will be performing a magic act while singing a Killers’ song.Shah said he came up with the idea for his musical piece last summer after a serious fly problem in his house. “The story is inspired by the struggle against the flies,” he said.After writing the lyrics for the number, Shah said he put music to them to convey what the words could not. Local Collins celebrities have been chosen to judge the pageant, Starr said. There will be six judges, with two judges’ votes combined for a total of five votes. The judges include Ellen Dwyer, director of Collins LLC; Yara Cluver, associate director of academics, publications and art; Sarah Eaton, assistant director of finances, admissions, programming and alumni; Madeline Wolfe, Starr’s “Q-class” professor; Debbie the lunch lady and a Collins resident who dresses as Indiana Jones every day. Cluver and Eaton share the combined vote.“I compare them to the two old men in the Muppet show that sit in the balcony and comment on everything,” Starr said.A guest celebrity will crown the winner of the pageant after the judges have made their final decision, Starr said. The celebrity will remain a mystery until the crowning of Mr. Collins.Starr said he hopes the event takes place annually, with a Mr. Collins one semester and a Miss Collins the other. If the event is a hit at Collins, Starr said he would like to spread the pageant campus-wide and invite other residence centers to participate, with a final round including the winners of each center’s pageant. “I’m sure there are a lot of hidden talents in other dorms,” he said. “There are endless possibilities.”
(03/02/09 3:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A spotlight shone on visiting IU theater department professor Ken Weitzman as he told the story of his own son’s birthday and a man, Norman Morrison, who set himself aflame outside of the Pentagon in Washington in 1965. “When my wife was pregnant with my first child, I heard about Norman Morrison,” Weitzman said. “He’s haunted me ever since.”“Fire in the Garden,” a play written and performed by Weitzman, was showcased Thursday and Saturday at the John Waldron Arts Center as a part of Bloomington’s annual ArtsWeek festival.The play traces Weitzman’s investigation into the life of Norman Morrison and tells the story of Weitzman’s first year as a father, connecting the two narratives in the last scene.Todd Helt, a Bloomington resident, said a lot of the scenes about parenthood were lost on him. “I didn’t really care for the transitions,” he said. “He did a good job tying it together in the end. The transitions got stronger near the end.”Weitzman first read about Morrison in a book on the Vietnam War. After exhausting all of his protesting efforts, Morrison set himself on fire with his 1-year-old daughter in his arms as a final demonstration in the garden below Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara’s window. Emily, Morrison’s daughter, survived the incident unscathed. All information in the play about Morrison was factual, Weitzman said, but the information about his own life was only semi-autobiographical.“Fire in the Garden” was performed as a monologue, where Weitzman sat in the middle of the stage and told his story.“It’s very much in the mold of Spalding Gray,” he said. Along with Weitzman was one other actor, IU graduate student Lilia Vassileva, who filled in the monologue with quotes and other bits of dialogue.Weitzman said he prefers not to perform anymore, but because of the personal content of the play, it made sense for him to do it.Weitzman said he thought the shows went over well.“I think people found it both humorous and compelling,” he said. “I don’t think it will be necessarily taken as offensive or anything like that.”Senior Chase Storbeck said the play was moving and seemed very personal.“I liked the intimacy of it,” he said. “It took something everyone could relate to and put a personal view on it.”Bloomington resident Doriet Berkowitz said she thought Weitzman told his story well. “It was a reading, but he was performing it quite well,” she said.Berkowitz said she thinks the play brought up the question of a play’s use.“The play was an offering for his child,” she said. “And it’s a way to make us think of what our immediate problems are and what also happens when we leave the theater.”
(02/27/09 5:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU ranked 11th in Total Voluntary Support among all U.S. colleges and universities for the 2008 fiscal year, according to an annual survey conducted by the Council for Aid to Education. With $408.62 million collected in gifts, IU moved up to second in the Big Ten and third among public universities.Last year, IU ranked 19th nationally, seventh against all public universities and fourth in the Big Ten, said Barbara Coffman, executive director for strategic planning and communications at the IU Foundation.“IU had a near- record year in non-governmental grants and a record year at Riley Hospital,” Gene Tempel, president of IU Foundation, said.These record numbers are reflected in the 47 percent increase in IU’s Total Voluntary Support from fiscal 2007 to fiscal 2008, which marks the largest growth of any school in the top 20. The 2008 fiscal year, which ended July 30, closed before the worst of the recent decline in the stock market took place, said IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre.“The increase reflects IU’s operations in more normal economic times,” MacIntyre said. “We can’t expect to do as well next year due to the recession.”Funds included in the Total Voluntary Support comprise private sector grants and non-governmental research grants given to an institution, Coffman said. For IU, that includes gifts to the IU Foundation, gifts to Riley Hospital and non-governmental research grants.The survey, which includes about 1,000 universities, has listed IU in the top 20 for 17 of the last 19 years, Coffman said. Three significant gifts helped IU achieve higher rankings for the 2008 fiscal year. The Lilly Endowment gave two large gifts: one of $44 million to the IU Jacobs School of Music and one of $25 million to the IU Maurer School of Law, Coffman said.The third, a $77 million estate gift, was made by Jesse and Beulah Cox to be used for scholarships, Coffman said. The Coxes attended IU-Bloomington while working their way through school and requested the scholarships be awarded to students also working to pay for their own educations, Tempel said. “They believed in what that work experience taught them,” he said. Two-thirds of the gift is reserved for Bloomington students, and the other third is reserved for IU-Purdue University Indianapolis students, Coffman said. The gift created the largest scholarship program at IU-Bloomington and IUPUI for students working to attend school, Tempel said.Funds from voluntary support go into preparing students for the future, and, in turn, students affect the larger community, Tempel said.“When you’re ranked nationally like this, it attracts students and faculty,” he said. “It gives people confidence that the institution is well regarded.” Tempel said he thinks the survey helps institutions ask questions about how they can improve.“People want to know how they benchmark themselves compared to other institutions,” Tempel said.MacIntyre said IU alumni and friends support the University. “There are so many people that love IU and are willing to donate to the school,” he said. “IU enjoys a high level of support, and that’s the single most significant thing you can take from this report.”
(02/27/09 4:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Residential Programs and Services Libraries: Music, Movies and More has implemented fines for late returns since its inception, but many students, including freshman Tilman Nadolski, thought otherwise.“I didn’t know they had fines,” Nadolski said. “I thought it was a Netflix deal where you get it and return it at your leisure. I’ve had movies out since the first semester.”The RPS Libraries and Residence Hall Association decided upon the fines in the 2003-04 year as a structure that is used across the RPS Libraries system, said Shawn Wilson, manager of RPS Libraries. But, some students weren’t aware of the fines.“Fines are assessed by the RPS Libraries, as is the standard procedure for any library system,” he said.According to the RPS Web site, for every day a video, CD, DVD, CD-ROM or video game is returned late, a $2 fine is charged until fines reach their maximum limit of $26. The first overdue notice is sent to the patron on the seventh day past the due date, and a second notice is sent on the 14th day.An item is considered lost after the 30th day of non-return. Previous charges will be removed and replaced with a processing fee of $15 and a lost item fee of $50.If lost items are returned in good condition, the lost item fee is removed and the maximum fee of $26 is reinstated along with a $5 billing fee.Additional fees of $5 are charged for damaged or missing circulation cases or items returned to the wrong library.All fines are charged to students’ library circulation accounts and then transferred to their bursar accounts.“Fines are assessed to ensure items are returned to the center for use by all patrons,” Wilson said. “They also support the ongoing operations of the RPS Libraries.”Information about fines is posted at the centers and on the RPS Web site, he said.Although information on the fine policies is made available, students are still unaware of the charges for late return of items.Like Nadolski, sophomore Ben Kober did not know about the fines.“I never got fined, I guess,” he said. “There weren’t any signs that I know of in the Forest one.”Students have various opinions as to why they like and dislike the fines.Freshman Joel Glon visits the libraries frequently. Though he sees why RPS charges fines, he does not like them.“I suppose they’re effective in getting movies in on time,” he said. “But I definitely think they’re too expensive.”Friends of freshman Nina Kovalenko often complained to her about the fines.“They think returning the movies on time is a hassle,” she said.Freshman Laura Walter rents items from the Music, Movies and More libraries once a week and has never returned an item late.“I think the fines are fair because I hate when movies aren’t there,” she said. “It’s nice to know they’ll be back soon.”
(02/24/09 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students will now have easier access to their health records because of a new system the IU Health Center has implemented.The IU Health Center, in collaboration with the Fort Wayne-based NoMoreClipboard.com, introduced Monday online personal health record accounts available for students to create.“The primary concept behind the personal health records is to give students a place to compile all medical records,” said Jeff Donnell, vice president of NoMoreClipboard.com.Previously, students had to show up early for appointments at the Health Center and fill out medical history forms, Donnell said. “Our student population is extremely Web-savvy, and filling out patient registration forms in a clinic waiting room might strike them as antiquated and inefficient,” IU Health Center Associate Director Pete Grogg said in a news release.The previous system was less than ideal, he said, because students often did not have the requested information available at the time of the appointment.“The personal health records will have the ability to track certain health measures like blood pressure and to store information like preferred hospitals and emergency contacts,” Donnell said. “Students can also include past medical records on paper that they want stored.”In addition to better communication between students and Health Center professionals, the center will be saving money in the long run, Donnell said. “We made it very affordable for the Health Center,” he said. “This way they won’t be prescribing wrong medications, and they will save money.”The new system will cost the center 25 cents for every student who fills out a personal health record, Donnell said.Students can find the link to fill out their personal health records at the Health Center page on OneStart, Donnell said. A link on the page takes students to a Web site that guides them through the step-by-step process at no cost.With most communication done over the Internet today, Donnell said the new online health records will be more convenient for students.“The Health Center is more likely to get forms more complete, accurate and legible with the new system,” he said.Senior Christine Malzfeldt said she thinks the personal health records are a good idea.“It’s more convenient,” she said. “I use the computer for pretty much everything – banking, classes, almost everything.”Graduate student Phoebe Elefante said she has some concerns about the records.“It’s a good idea out of convenience,” she said. “But anonymity is important. Permission to who can see it other than me is the biggest concern.”The Health Center chose to make the personal records available as a way to get it up and running for the spring semester, Donnell said. Next year’s incoming freshman class will be required to fill out the form. “We can collect the information before they even show up for class,” he said. “And after graduating they can still take it with them.”Donnell said he thinks the personal health records will get off to a slow start, but they will have a high adoption for future classes.“The Health Center launched online appointment requests earlier this year,” he said. “There was no promotion, and already 30 percent of students are requesting appointments that way. I believe a lot of students will hear about this and find it is a much more convenient approach.”
(02/19/09 5:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Founding director of the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center Dr. Stephen Douglass Williams died Sunday of the very disease to which he devoted his life’s work. Diagnosed with melanoma in the summer of 2006, Williams died at age 62. A memorial service in his honor is scheduled for Friday.“He was a pleasant, happy gentleman who loved to play golf and talk politics,” said Marietta Moore, the genitourinary oncology nurse coordinator at the IU Simon Cancer Center. “It’s hard to describe someone who was as good as he was. He just had a love for life.”Though he was born in Shelbyville, Ind., Williams grew up in Bedford, according to the IU Simon Cancer Center Web site. After graduating from DePauw University, Williams entered the IU School of Medicine in 1967. He completed his oncology fellowship and his residency at the IU Medical Center in Indianapolis. In 1978, Williams became the first appointed oncologist at the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center.“He was sort of a full-time Hoosier,” said Dr. George Sledge, professor of medicine at the IU Simon Cancer Center and a colleague of Williams.Williams’ clinical interests included testicular cancer and ovarian germ cell tumors, for which he received national recognition for his extensive research.At the 2008 dedication of the expanded IU Simon Cancer Center, Williams was awarded IU’s highest faculty honor, the President’s Medal for Excellence, according to the Web site. More recently, Williams was presented with the Sagamore of the Wabash, awarded by Gov. Mitch Daniels on Jan. 12.The Sagamore of the Wabash is one of the highest awards the governor can give, Moore said. Along with the award, Williams received a football signed by Tony Dungy, though Dungy was not able to personally give the football to Williams because he retired the same day the award was presented.“I never thought of him in terms of awards,” Sledge said. “The biggest thing he did in essence was cure cancer. That’s the real award he won.”The IU Simon Cancer Center, which is considered one of Williams’ greatest accomplishments, did not exist before he started working on it, Sledge said.“In essence, he put together the Simon Cancer Center,” he said. “It’s his greatest legacy.”Mike Etzkorn, a patient of Williams, said Williams basically saved his life. “I was an unusual case since I didn’t respond to the first round of chemotherapy,” Etzkorn said. “He had the ability to pull other doctors to my case. Though I was a patient, I also considered myself a friend.”Outside of work, Williams loved to cook, said Judy Kennedy, Williams’ secretary.“He was just a giant,” Moore said. “His death is a devastating blow to most of his patients.”Williams is survived by his wife, Kathryn, and two children, Thomas and Caroline, according to the Web site.“More than anyone else, Stephen was loved by his colleagues,” Sledge said. “He’s one of the most wonderful human beings his colleagues have ever met.”
(02/17/09 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington campus Web site has not been significantly updated since its launch in 2002.With the inadequate technology in mind, the Office of the Provost has decided it is time to revamp the Web site, said Thom Atkinson, campus web manager.“The technology upon which it is based is going on seven years old,” he said. “We want to bring it up to current standards.”The project of reconstructing the site was put off due to ongoing administrative changes, Atkinson said. Now that IU has a stable administrative environment, the project can proceed.“The administration has a good feeling for what the goals and priorities are for the institution,” Atkinson said.When the Web site was first introduced, it was the sole way of communicating with the administration, Atkinson said. With new ways of interaction, people are continually looking for information apart from the campus Web site.To find out what students, alumni and prospective students are looking for from the Web site, a visitor’s feedback survey has been posted on the site’s home page. The survey will remain available until Feb. 27.“The survey determines what we need to incorporate into the new campus Web site,” Atkinson said.Junior Eric de la Rosa said he visits the site at least five times a week. “The search bar is really helpful,” he said. “Everything is relatively simple.”Michelle Hackman, a fifth-year graduate student, is also a frequent visitor of the site.“Sometimes I have trouble finding what I need,” she said. “I think there should be more direct links for the libraries, for example, so you don’t have to dig through the search items.”The design team has no idea what the final product will look like, Atkinson said.“It’s going to be based upon ideas from the graphic designer,” he said. “The ideas will be reviewed and evaluated and responded to by the official Campus Web site Advisory Committee.”The committee will review what visitors have said and compare their responses to the ideas developed by the graphic designer, Atkinson said.A firm timeline for the project should be available by next week, Atkinson said. He said he wants the Web site up by fall 2009.“Everyone wants it to happen sooner rather than later,” he said. “We want to deliver the project in a timely manner, but we want it to be as good as it can be. We’re going to take our time to deliver a quality project.”
(02/09/09 5:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the economy down and state unemployment rising, students are questioning the availability of summer internships even as University career counselors say the experience is as vital as ever.Indiana’s unemployment rose to 8.2 percent in December, up from 7.1 percent in November, mirroring national unemployment trends.Crystal Smith, senior assistant director of University and Internal Relations at the Career Development Center and Arts & Sciences Career Services, recently attended an internship symposium where Richard Bottner, president and CEO of Intern Bridge, Inc., was the keynote speaker. At the symposium, Bottner said according to his research, the amount of internship opportunities does not appear to be declining, Smith said.“In actuality, internships are becoming even more of a significant part in how employers recruit full-time talent,” she said.But while internships are significant, sophomore Loretta Olker said she thinks they will be harder to find in certain fields, such as business and journalism.“I’m worried about finding an internship,” she said. “I think companies are cutting back due to lack of money. If they cut back on internships, then they don’t have to cut full-time employees.”Freshman Kyle Tosh said he thinks companies and employers are going to reach out to college students because they can bring new and fresh ideas.“It’s important for companies to stay on the edge,” he said.According to a 2005 survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers on average reported more than three out of five college hires had internship experience.“Internships can lead to full-time jobs, a better understanding of your ‘next step’ career goals or a set of new contacts and skills,” Smith said.Many resources are available for students to find internship opportunities. The Career Development Center provides sources such as its Web site, www.IUcareers.com, internship and career fairs and local community service employers. Kelley School of Business students can also seek help in finding an internship at the office of Undergraduate Career Services.Internship-rating Web sites have become a popular tool for students as well. Internshipratings.com, a Web site developed by Boston University students Lauren Grunstein and Stephanie Gurtman, allows students to rate, research and compare internships in various industries across the United States. Since its launch in 2007, the Web site has accumulated 900 members, 675 ratings and 475 companies, including XM Satellite Radio, ABC, MTV, AOL and Mullen Communications.Besides providing students with a way to rate and find internships, the Web site offers an interactive career advice column featuring articles from career service professionals. The categories include industry-specific advice, intern tips, office life and personal internship experience.“Obtaining an internship is a great way to gain valuable skills and put what you have learned in the classroom to use in the working world,” Smith said, adding that “it is imperative for students to be focused, directed and connected in order to acquire a meaningful internship before graduation.”
(02/09/09 3:45am)
Balloons marked the entrance of the eight participating galleries for the first Gallery Walk of the year on Feb. 6.
(02/09/09 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With graffiti-inspired paintings and a love of art, IU freshmen Rafael Cronin and Grant Myers arrived in Bloomington’s art scene with the opening of their first collaborative exhibit. The show, titled “Urban Scrawls,” premiered at the Bellevue Gallery during the Gallery Walk on Feb. 6 and will remain on display until March 28.“Bellevue is a great place for young and emerging artists,” Cronin said. “It’s a good place to get in the scene and get things going.” Cronin and Myer, cousins who grew up in the Blooomington area, have been interested in drawing and painting their whole lives, Cronin said. “Right now I’m more into mixed media and fine arts,” Myer said.Both artists said they are new to the graffiti style. Myer first experimented in the form three years ago, while Cronin began toying with it eight months ago. “We’re Renaissance men,” Cronin said. “We like to dip and dabble in everything. A lot of my art is original or remixed from other artists.” The exhibited works consisted of paintings on canvas or music records. One of Cronin’s works, “A Pig’s Thoughts,” showed a pig’s head dreaming of bacon. A couple of Myer’s works featured R2-D2 from the Star Wars series.The interest in Cronin and Myer’s work did not begin at the exhibit. While working on their artwork in Collins Living-Learning Center, students asked the artists to make special pieces for their homes and dorms, Cronin said. Myer said the show seemed like a success. Many of the paintings had already sold halfway through the reception, including “A Pig’s Thoughts” and Myer’s R2-D2 painting. “It’s fascinating to hear the audience’s response,” Myer said.The Bellevue Gallery caters to the young, student part of the Bloomington community. It has a fun, funky and fresh atmosphere, Cronin said. Joanne Shank, a member of the Bellevue Gallery co-op, said the gallery encourages up-and-coming artists. “They need a venue of their own where they can be expressive,” she said. “That’s where creativity starts.”