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(11/14/12 4:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Matt Wilkinson doubled over in mock pain as Girls Fight Back speaker Bree Swartz demonstrated a knee jab to his groin.Swartz proceeded to pretend knee Wilkinson in the face and elbow strike his spine. “That, my friends, is the bad-ass ballet,” Swartz said to the audience Tuesday evening in the Indiana Memorial Union Whittenberger Auditoritum. Union Board, Gamma Phi Omega and Residential Programs and Services sponsored the Girls Fight Back event.Wilkinson, Union Board director of campus and community engagement, said he was glad to be a dummy for the demonstration and helped plan the event because it is “a good program to empower girls on campus and teach them to live without fear.”Girls Fight Back is a 90-minute presentation aiming to educate girls about personal safety and self-defense. Erin Weed, an Eastern Illinois University graduate, founded GFB after her sorority sister Shannon McNamara died in a break-and-enter assault near the campuson June 12, 2001. After McNamara died, Weed decided to become certified in several self-defense systems and began teaching others the skills. From there, Girls Fight Back evolved. Since 2001, 1 million women nationwide have heard the presentation.“Traveling around, I’ve learned two things,” said Swartz, an Indiana native. “One, everyone has a story and two, no one’s talking about it.”With a picture of Chuck Norris behind her on the projection screen, Swartz explained to the crowd how GFB could help them to become their own “best protector.” “By the end of today, everyone single one of you will know how to take off your pumps and beat someone with it,” she said.Swartz explained the importance of listening to one’s intuition and being a bad victim, making it difficult for an assailant to attack you. She also stressed the importance of being more aware in scenarios where alcohol is present. “We need to up the ante a little bit if we decide to be in situations where alcohol is involved,” she said. “Become best friends with your drink. I don’t care if it’s apple juice or gin and juice.” She brought the audience to their feet to learn self-defense moves from palm jabs to the nose to a booty strike. Swartz also shared her favorite weapons to use during an attack — her keys and her cell phone.The audience laughed at Swartz’s frequent jokes, but also understood the gravity of her message.“It kind of gives you insight as to what you can do as a female,” sophomore Lexi Strafford said. “It was empowering to know what we are capable off.” Freshman Tali Navaaro also said she felt better educated after the presentation.“I do feel powerful,” Navaaro said. “I definitely learned a lot of basic moves, nothing complicated.” True to her word, Swartz taught the audience to use their high-heels as a self defense weapon. The audience moaned as she explained how to jab the heel in an attackers eye and “jiggle it around.”“There is nothing more dangerous than an angry woman,” Swartz said.
(11/12/12 4:16pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nine-time Grammy winner John Legend will perform an acoustic solo show at 8 p.m. Dec. 7 at the IU Auditorium.The event is presented by Union Board.Tickets will be available at 10 a.m. Wednesday for $35, $45 and $55. A limited number of VIP tickets, including a meet-and-greet with Legend, will be sold for $100.Students can buy tickets at iuauditorium.com, IU Auditorium box office and all Ticketmaster locations. At the IU Auditorium Box Office, a lottery will be conducted to determine customers’ places in line beginning at 9 a.m.According to a press release, John Roger Stephens, a Springfield, Ohio native, began his musical career playing back up piano for Lauryn Hill. Afterward, the R&B/Soul singer collaborated with new artist Kanye West and changed his stage name to John Legend.He released his debut album “Get Lifted,” which was certified Gold and won three Grammys. His next two albums, “Once Again” and “Evolver,” won another three Grammys combined. In 2010, he collaborated with tahe hip-hop group The Roots for “Wake Up!,” an album that won yet another three Grammys.Recently, Legend has appeared as a judge on the ABC reality show Duets and is signed to West’s G.O.O.D. Music label. This past year, Legend toured with British soul band Sade and began working on his next album, “Love in the Future.” The performance planned for IU will preview this upcoming album, which Legend calls “the best album of my career so far,” according to a press release.Union Board is conducting a video contest to win VIP tickets to the event. Entrants will create a video, up to a minute long, detailing why they should win the tickets and meet-and-greet with Legend. Videos should be posted on Facebook, tagging the John Legend Concert event page. The video with the most likes will be the winner, and the contestant will be featured on IU Student Television.
(11/12/12 4:43am)
Union Board election
(11/12/12 4:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Less than a week after national and local elections, IU students will vote in an election even closer to campus. Union Board, the largest student programming organization on campus, will have its annual election for directorship positions starting at 8 p.m. today and lasting until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Students can vote online at go.iu.edu/6dQ or in person in the Indiana Memorial Union East Lounge.Union Board President AJ O’Reilly, a senior, emphasized the importance of voting in the election.“Realistically, your vote will dictate who is on board, and that’s the first step to getting the programs you want,” O’Reilly said. “All of our funds come from every single person on campus, and we want each person’s opinion to be heard.”The Union Board budget is funded by $8.56 of every student’s annual activity fees.Union Board programs have ranged from a public conversation with political consultant Karl Rove and former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs this year, to a concert by Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj in 2011.Currently, the board consists of 13 committee directors and three executive officers, in addition to the president and two vice presidents.On the ballot, the student body will also decide whether to ratify changes to the Union Board Constitution, which proposes changing the number of executive positions from three to four. Other changes include permanently moving election dates to before Thanksgiving, adding more people to the selection committee and a statement about non-discrimination.Sixteen of the 21 candidates on the ballot will be chosen to the board of directors. Eight will be elected by the student vote, and the other eight will be selected by a group of student leaders Nov. 30.The 16 individuals selected to the board will then be trained and go on a retreat, where the new leaders will discuss which committees to create.“The point of Union Board is to program for the needs of the campus,” said Brad Domash, Union Board director of public relations and marketing. “Based on past boards and what they discuss, they pick out what the different committees are.”Internal elections for the proposed committee and executive positions will then occur.The board will make the official switch Jan. 19.“I hope the new board can continue reaching out to everyone on campus,” Domash said. “We just hope that Union Board continues to be part of the vibrant social life at IU.”
(11/05/12 4:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Twenty-one colorful international displays, a multitude of languages and the poignant aroma of freshly made ethnic foods greeted visitors at the sixth annual IU World’s Fare on Friday in the IU Auditorium.The event began in the lobby where the international associations set up their booths, and the quartet Brazil Pandeiro played a mixture of traditional and contemporary Brazilian music.Each attendee received a ticket that could be punched for eight food samples of their choice.Sami Alsalmi, an Intensive English Program student representing the Saudi Arabia Student Club, served saleeg. The rice and beef dish is the most popular food in his country, he said.He saw the event as an opportunity not only to share his culture but to learn about others.“As a Saudi, I don’t know about Japan, Korea,” Alsalmi said. ”I would like to learn about other countries.” Graduate student Anthony Ross also enjoyed the educational opportunity.“It’s a great way to see world cultures and get introduced to their cuisine,” Ross said. He tried a wide selection of samples, from Chinese braised tofu to Thai iced tea. “The dishes were all very unique in their flavor,” he said.The Office of International Services and Union Board collaborated to host the World’s Fare. It was the fare’s first time in the new venue. For the last five years it was in the Indiana Memorial Union. “Every year I feel good about how we bring the international groups together,” said Sandy Britton, OIS associate director for student life. “They put a lot of effort into showcasing their cultures.”IMU Catering provided the food. Damian Esposito, executive chef of IMU Catering, worked the event for the fourth time. “It’s a lot of ethnic food, and we don’t usually get that many requests for ethnic food, at least not in this volume, from 21 different countries for 2,000 people.” Esposito said.Before the event, each student organization presented three or four recipes, and Esposito helped select one from each organization to create a balanced menu. IMU Catering included drinks for the first time this year, such as Indian mango lassi and Kazakh tea.Drawing the crowd away from the food and toward the international associations’ performances on the auditorium stage was difficult, said emcee Daniel Whitmer, OIS associate director of sponsored students. “I don’t know whose idea it was to bring food here, but it seems people are enjoying it,” he said to the crowd.He first announced the four winners of the international photo contest and proceeded to present the eight performances by IU international student organizations.Bloomington resident Kyunghee Mun, who moved to the U.S. from South Korea 14 years ago, clapped and laughed throughout the show. “It’s hilarious,” she said. “I love the emcee.” Her favorite performance was by the Indonesian Student Association, which featured a live band and a medley of traditional folksongs. One student ran across the stage waving the Indonesian flag.“It represented their culture,” Mun said. “It was very patriotic.”The first-place performance award went to the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, which presented a graceful traditional dance. The female performers danced with bright-pink fans and wore light-blue costumes that glowed under the stage lights.Second place was shared by the Indonesian Student Association and the Malaysian Student Association, while third place was awarded to the African Student Association.Awards for the best displays were also given. The Uzbek Student Association won the first-place award, though this was its first year at the event.“I was proud to be part of it for the first time,” said Mahmuda Saydumaroua, graduate student and vice president of the Uzbek association. “That’s why it was amazing to win.”The event brought together the IU campus, international students, faculty and the Bloomington community.“To be able to share culture and friendship together truly is a great privilege, isn’t it?” Whitmer said.
(11/04/12 11:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Somewhere amidst a muddle of leases and landlords, you are trying to figure out the logistics of renting. Here are a few tips from Randall Frykberg, director of IU’s Student Legal Services, to consider before you get the keys to your new home.Do take pictures of your property before you move in.Inspect the area thoroughly and note any defects. The strongest cases Student Legal Services receives are those with visual evidence, Frykberg said.“If a defect seems important (windows, door locks, bugs), don’t accept the keys unless your landlord fixes it,” he said. Do pick your roommates carefully. “It’s not a Friday night hookup, it’s more like a marriage,” Frykberg said. “It’s important to live with someone cool but, more importantly, someone you are comfortable paying bills with.” Remember, you could end up paying their share of the rent if your lease includes a “joint and several liability” clause. Do purchase renter’s insuranceRenter’s insurance protects your belongings in case of fire, flood, theft and other disasters. Frykberg said renter’s insurance is especially important for students with valuable possessions, such as expensive computers, televisions, cameras or other electronics. It is easy to add renter’s insurance onto your parents’ homeowner’s insurance for about $15 to $20 a month. Your car insurance provider can also easily add renter’s insurance to your policy.Do contact Student Legal Services or the Housing and Neighborhood Development department if you have questions.Student Legal Services, located at 703 E. Seventh St., offers legal services paid for by your Student Activity Fee.Bloomington’s Housing and Neighborhood Development Department investigates rental complaints for violations of the Property Maintenance Code. The department’s website describes necessary steps in filing a rental complaint at bloomington.in.gov/hand.Do know your rights as a tenant. Though most of your rights are specific to your lease, the government also mandates certain standards. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability. Bloomington Property Maintenance Code requires all residential renting units meet specific qualifications including:• A heating unit that reaches 65 degrees• Working plumbing• Sound structure and lockable doors• Sufficient light and ventilation• Fire protection systems and exits For the complete list visit bloomington.in.gov.Don’t allow friends to engage in illegal activities on your property.As the Student Legal Services website says, “You did a bad deed, hosting friends and their weed.” Keep in mind you can be held accountable for any illegal activities you permit.Don’t give your landlord a reason to report you.Your landlord, or your neighbors, can report you for a variety of city violations. These include noise , trash and yard maintenance. Your landlord might require you sign a list of house rules covering pets, quiet hours and so forth. If you break them, you can be evicted. Clauses on your lease might allow your landlord to evict you for certain criminal violations. These include “use and/or sale of illegal drugs, serving alcohol to a minor and even consumption of alcohol by a minor,” according to Student Legal Services.Don’t sign your lease until you have read it carefully. You are agreeing to a binding contract with your landlord.
(11/03/12 8:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In a dark Ballantine Hall classroom, with a backdrop of painted banners declaring “Strike” and “All Prisoners are Political,” about 60 protesters listened to the recorded voice of a prison inmate Friday night.“Uhuru Sasa,” the voice said. “That means ‘freedom now’ in Swahili.”The students and community members gathered to promote awareness of education cuts in Indiana prisons.The event, called “Shake the Cage: Free Show to Support Indiana Prisoners,” was attended by groups such as Student Power IU and Decarcerate Monroe County, a group that challenges the local justice system.“Shake the Cage” consisted of three live performances from local bands and speeches from individuals. The recorded phone call with the prisoner marked the first portion of the event.Tom, a student who helped organize the prisoner recording portion of the event, described the speaker as a long term inmate and activist from an Indiana prison. He did not provide a last name.Tom mentioned the importance of preserving the speaker’s anonymity, as many prison activists are punished if discovered. They are often placed in isolation units, for up to 23 hours in one day, Tom said. “When I first came here in 1999, higher education gave me a feeling of empowerment,” the prisoner said.Much like the funding cuts universities are experiencing, prison education and other prisoner services have been sacrificed due to financial restrictions, the prisoner said.These cuts have eliminated GED-granting programs and have restricted college classes, contact visitation and access to mail. The cuts have also limited prisoner showers from seven to three days per week, senior and former IDS opinion columnist Aidan Crane said.Crane said the cuts are depriving prisoners of basic rights to education to better themselves.News of the protest spread mainly via word of mouth, and the event’s purpose was outlined on a website called shitisonlygettingworse.blogspot.com.“Educational programs are almost nonexistent,” the prisoner said. “It’s making the environment a lot worse.”The protesters used the space in Ballantine without permission, keeping the door open with a duct tape wedge. The protesters also broke other University rules, Crane said, including using amplified sound equipment and being there after hours.“That itself is sort of a statement that the rules are restrictive,” Crane said. “They don’t run our lives and control our political expression.”The group was striving to express their view rather than create a disturbance.“Nothing destructive,” Crane said. “It’s just a concert.”Three police officers arrived at the event at 10 p.m., leaving shortly thereafter without making arrests.The event lasted until about 11 p.m. and included performances from the bands Ratón and The Underhills.Singer Crescent Ulmer gave the final performance of the night, playing guitar and singing four original songs. Between songs, she spoke about how her brother was shot by police officers in 2005.“My dad also spent some time in jail in his youth, and it definitely made him a different person,” Ulmer said.She sang an original song titled “Futility.”“The whole premise of the song is fighting against the futility in our lives,” she said. “Working with prisoners behind bars and the futility they’re fighting as well. It’s pretty awesome.”The prisoner on the recording talked about students’ ability to build relationships with struggling prisoners. He encouraged community members to write prisoners letters or make them phone calls.As both a student and someone with friends who are currently in prison, Tom said he appreciated the importance of the protest.“There’s lots of prisoners in the inside that are drawing inspiration from student struggles in the same way that we are drawing inspiration from them,” Tom said.
(11/02/12 3:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the semester winds down, the following IU Residential Programs and Services deadlines approach.Resident Assistant and CommUNITY Educator position applicationsStudents interested in applying to be a resident assistant or CommUNITY Educator for the 2013-14 school year must attend one of eight information sessions to learn more about the positions. For the complete list of dates and locations as well as more information about the selection process and eligibility, visit rps.indiana.edu.Online applications are due Dec. 4.Thanksgiving break housingThanksgiving break begins 10 a.m. Nov. 17. Residence halls closing for break will reopen 8 a.m. Nov. 25. There will be no desk, mail or food service during the break. Residents of Ashton Center, Briscoe Quad, Collins Living Learning Center, Eigenmann Hall, Forest Quad, Foster Quad, McNutt Quad, Read Center, Teter Quad and Wright Quad planning to stay in a dorm during Thanksgiving break must make a reservation by 5 p.m. Nov. 9. Students will receive a confirmation no later than Nov. 16, and a $50 nonrefundable reservation fee will be billed to their bursar account. To make a reservation, visit go.iu.edu/Cz.Residents of Willkie Quad, Mason Hall, Union Street Center and Hillcrest Apartments can stay during Thanksgiving break, according to housing contracts. RPS requests students inform the center desk of their plan to stay for safety reasons. Residents of the Banta, Bicknell, Hepburn, Nutt, Campus View, Evermann, Redbud, Tulip Tree, Third and Union and University apartments can remain in their housing during break and do not need to contact the center desk.Spring semester housing changesCurrent RPS residents wanting to change their housing for the spring semester can file a room change request from Nov. 5-16. Request forms will be available at all center desks.Students will be notified about the outcome of their request by Nov. 27 and must move to their new housing before semester break begins Dec. 15.— Megan Jula
(10/31/12 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three miniature Batman impersonators ran down the sidewalk of North Jordan Avenue, their capes flapping behind them in the wind.Breathless, they arrived at their destination in front of Sigma Delta Tau. “Trick or treat!” they shouted in unison, reaching tiny masked hands into orange plastic pumpkins filled with candy.These Bruce Wayne alter egos were only a few of the Bloomington trick-or-treaters who came for IU’s seventh annual Safe Halloween.The event was organized by the Panhellenic Association in collaboration with the Interfraternity Council, Multi-Cultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council. Erika Piquero, event coordinator and vice president of community involvement for IU’s Panhellenic Association, said she was happy with the turnout from both Bloomington families and greek members. Fifty-nine greek chapters came to the houses located on the North Jordan extension to hand out candy.Piquero worked for more than a month to plan the four-council event, which she viewed as an important partnership between the greek and local communities.“This is a really exciting event for the Bloomington community,” Piquero said. “It’s a fun and safe way for the Bloomington youth to engage with the greek community.”The trick-or-treating began at Alpha Delta Pi and Alpha Xi Delta, and continued up the extension.The IU Police Department blocked off both ends of the Jordan extension and helped the trick-or-treaters cross the street.Despite the cold weather, the costumed sorority and fraternity members were enthusiastic. Shouts of “Happy Halloween” could be heard up and down the street. Four greek members dressed as the Teletubbies danced to music blaring from the sorority houses.Lindsay Jansen, president of Delta Zeta, worked the event for the second time. “Everyone’s pretty excited to be out here,” Jansen said. “It’s great to see the greek community come together, and the kids are adorable.”Four-year-old Ava and 7-year-old Kaitie Robertson came dressed as kittens, bundled up in coats and Hello Kitty hats. “She’s the momma cat,” Kaitie said, pointing to her mom, Heidi Robertson. It was their second year coming to the event, Heidi Robertson, said. “The girls enjoy it,” Heidi said. “It’s a safe environment. They do a good job of controlling the cars and everyone is friendly, and the Halloween costumes aren’t too scary.” That is important, because Ava said she loves everything about Halloween “except the scary stuff.” “I just love the candy,” her sister Kaitie said.At the end of the night, the pair of kittens displayed their stash. With her bag filled with treats, Ava announced her plans for the rest of the evening. “My feet can’t walk anymore,” Ava said. “I just want to eat my candy.”
(10/26/12 3:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With a rainbow flag flying overhead at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services office, Seri Stoppenhagen described her desire to form a chapter of Gamma Rho Lambda at IU. Though Gamma Rho Lambda has been referred to as the first lesbian sorority, the national organization strives to welcome all members, regardless of sexual orientation.“We probably aren’t your typical sorority girls,” Stoppenhagen said. “We thought ‘How cool would it be to make a sorority that is all-inclusive, anyone can join?’” When Stoppenhagen and her girlfriend, Jessica Ventimiglia, transferred to IU earlier this year, they knew they wanted to become involved on campus. Both girls said they liked the philanthropic and social aspects of greek life. Stoppenhagen contacted the Gamma Rho Lambda director of expansion, who sent her a long to-do list. Ventimiglia was up for the challenge. They had the first callout meeting Oct. 8 at the GLBT SSS office and are compiling a petition for the national Gamma Rho Lambda council to approve. They currently have 25-30 interested members on the petition. Freshman Katie Pfannmoeller said she is excited to be part of Gamma Rho Lambda. She enjoys the LGBT community support that was not present in her small hometown. If the petition is approved, the group is required to spend two semesters as a colony before forming an official chapter.“We could be a colony as early as spring semester,” Ventimiglia said.Doug Bauder, office coordinator for GLBT SSS, said he is impressed with the ambition of Stoppenhagen and Ventimiglia.Bauder said he has noticed growing acceptance on campus since the office opened in 1994.He compared the interest in Gamma Rho Lambda to the formation of an IU chapter of Sigma Phi Beta, a fraternity welcoming all sexual orientations. The year-old fraternity chapter understands the struggle of forming a new greek chapter. Sigma Phi Beta was the first greek organization to cater specifically to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied population at IU, Jeremy O’Neal,the fraternity’s treasurer, said in an email.“Before Sigma Phi Beta was a chapter here at IU, the GLBTA community never had a true supportive greek organization,” O’Neal said. O’Neal said the response of the greek community to Sigma Phi Beta was welcoming, and he believes the response to Gamma Rho Lambda will be similar. University Assistant Director of Greek Life Michael Goodman has the same viewpoint. He emphasized the universal aspects of greek life.“Regardless of sexual orientation, people want to feel like they have a community of friends around them,” Goodman said. “This is the special thing about fraternities and sororities – the sense of community that is built within.” He said there is still a stigma about openly gay or lesbian individuals in fraternities and sororities, but he believes the climate is improving. “As a community, we must do better about incorporating a more inclusive environment for all students,” Goodman said. Stoppenhagen said the goal of Gamma Rho Lambda should be to provide a friendly atmosphere for all members. She said she would rather downplay the sexual orientation aspect and focus on inclusion.“We want everyone involved,” Stoppenhagen said. “We don’t want to be just the ‘lesbian sorority.’”
(10/26/12 2:06am)
Jessica Ventimiglia, left, and Seri Stoppenhagen sit beneath the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services flag at the center. The pair is working to start a chapter of all-inclusive sorority Gamma Rho Lambda at IU.
(10/26/12 2:06am)
Jessica Ventimiglia, left, and Seri Stoppenhagen sit beneath the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services flag at the center. The pair is working to start a chapter of all-inclusive sorority Gamma Rho Lambda at IU.
(10/03/12 2:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While many instructors ban social media during class, IU professor Anas Alahmed requires students to have Facebook open during his “New Media and the Arab Spring” course, taught out of the School of Journalism. “Please go to your Facebook account,” Alahmed said to 12 students sitting at Apple computers. “Go to the page ‘We are all Khaled Said.’ You must like the page.” The class uses social media to understand the impact of new media platforms during the Arab Spring revolution. All screens turned the familiar Facebook blue and white as students of Alahamed’s class scrolled though the page to find posts during the revolution. “You can see how many people like the page and statuses,” Alahmed said. “You can see how many people shared it.” According to the syllabus for the class, every student is required to have a Facebook and Twitter account in an effort to take social media from entertainment to professional purposes, Alahmed said.Professor Mark Deuze, professor in the Department of Telecommunications,teaches T101 “Media Life,” said the decision to use social media in the classroom, if done correctly, builds upon what students are already naturally doing. “Any kind of education starts with communication,” he said. “Social media are communication tools, and can thusly be used in teaching contexts.”The class has a twitter account, @t101medialife used to communicate between Deuze, six AI’s and the 400 students in the class. A Sept. 17 tweet said, “special announcement for #t101medialife: tomorrow, in lecture, we will reveal how many people at IU made love this week, and what they did.” Students replied to the tweet with their opinions. One student linked a parody video about using the Internet for pornography.“It’s definitely unique, at least from the other classes that I’m taking,” sophomore Harry Wagner said. “It’s cool that the students can interact with the instructor and AI’s through Twitter.”Deuze said using social media allows him to capture the attention of his students.“Some professors maintain an illusion of total engagement on the part of students during their lectures,” he said. “I am more willing to accept that we are always processing multiple streams of information, never succeeding in focusing on any one thing for more than 10 to 20 minutes or so. I use social media, video and audio to bridge the gaps in between attention spans.”