351 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/08/06 10:56pm)
Whether students stay in town, in state, in the country or travel abroad, come March 17, they'll be sure to find green beer wherever they go.\nSince St. Patrick's Day falls during spring break, students will have the ability to go anywhere throughout the Midwest or the world to celebrate the Irish holiday. But no matter what a student's travel plans or economic situation, St. Patrick's Day celebrations will be easy to come by. \nIt's convenient for students that one of the America's most popular St. Patrick's Day destinations sits only a four-hour drive away. Chicago may be the "Second City," but it parties harder than any in the middle of March. \nIn fact, Chicago's St. Patrick's Day celebration is so big, they don't have just one parade; rather they have two parades to commemorate the holiday.\n"Probably the biggest thing [this year] is it's bigger," says James Sullivan, general chairman of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee in Chicago. \nThe fact that it is free should be attractive to college students, he says.\n"That kind of sets off the whole week of crazy Irish celebration," he says.\nThe first parade kicks off from the intersection of Balbo and Columbus Drive in Chicago at noon, March 11. The route continues north on Columbus Drive, where there will be a viewing stand set-up in front of Buckingham Fountain.\nBefore the parade begins, the St. Patrick's Parade Committee will dye the Chicago River green, as they do every year. Planners say the best place to view the changing colors of the river is from the upper-level bridges on Michigan Avenue or Columbus Drive \nThe parade will also feature the 2006 St. Patrick's Day Queen, whose name, ironically, is Kelly Green, the same name given to the bright color of a four-leaf clover or a leprechaun's "get-up." \nIf the first parade isn't enough, the Irish are in luck, round two of parade madness starts Sunday for the South Side Irish Parade.\nThe South Side Irish's festivities begin at 8:30 a.m. with traditional Irish music and dance followed by a 9 a.m. Mass at the St. Cajetan Parish. \nAfter Mass, the parade begins from 103rd Street and Western Avenue at noon and will run throughout the South Side of Chicago.\nSo with everything going on in the Windy City, why would someone stay in the Hoosier State for St. Patrick's Day?\n"That's a hard one," says Kimberly Harms, associate director of media relations for the Indianapolis Conventions and Visitors Association.\n"That's a tough one, really," concurres Tosha Dougherty, communications coordinator for the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention and Visitors Bureau. \nBut Harms says "mileage, convenience, affordability and more of a quaint setting" would be good reason to lure people from Chicago to Indianapolis. \n"College budgets don't lend themselves to some of the costs you'll find in Chicago," Harms says in an e-mail.\nIn fact, there are plenty of events throughout St. Patrick's Day to keep people of all ages entertained in Indianapolis. The events begin at 6:50 a.m., March 17 when Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson is expected to dye the canal green. \nAt 7 a.m., registration begins for the "Shamrock Run and Walk," sponsored by the Indy Sports Federation. Runners will compete on a five-mile course, and walkers will compete on a five-kilometer course. The run begins at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 9:15 a.m.\nAt 11:30 a.m., Indy's St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at the intersection of North and Pennsylvania Avenue. The parade is also sponsored by the Indy Sports Federation.\nLive music begins at 5 p.m. with the "Shamrock and Roll," sponsored by an Irish restaurant Claddagh. It will feature a tent and serve food, beer and a small amount of Irish beverages. Though bands don't start playing till the evening, the tent doors open at 10 a.m.\nIf a trip to Indianapolis is still out of a spring break budget, there are plenty of things to do in Bloomington, Dougherty says. \n"There are a lot of things going on as far as the party scene," Dougherty says. "They always have great St. Patrick's Day celebrations."\nFrom the bars on Kirkwood to the Irish Lion, Dougherty stresses that Bloomington has a "small town feel" not evident in Chicago or Indianapolis. \nAnd it is convenient for college students. \n"It's obviously cheaper to stay in town than to travel," she says. "If economics are a concern, that might be one reason to stay in town."\nFor some, however, economics are not a major concern, as many will be traveling to some of the warmer climates the United States has to offer.\nIn Daytona Beach, Fla., a popular spring break destination, the green beer "will be cheap," says Frank DeMarchi, director of Black Crow Media events division.\nWKRO "The Kro," a Daytona Beach country station owned by Black Crow Media, is sponsoring Daytona Beach's own "Shamrock and Roll," a pub crawl throughout downtown Daytona Beach.\nThe "Shamrock and Roll," which starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 3 a.m., will feature live bands, bagpipers, traditional Irish dance groups, and Irish food. DeMarchi says the atmosphere is just as great as the party itself. \n"It's a very beautiful historic downtown," he says. "It attracts a real diversity of people," including college students from all over the United States and Canada. \nThough St. Patrick's Day is not as popular in the south as it is in the north, DeMarchi says Daytona Beach attracts people from all over Florida to celebrate. \nWhile U.S. cities work hard to replicate an Irish St. Patrick's Day celebration, there is no place like Dublin, Ireland for celebrating the biggest Irish holiday of the year. \nWhile Chicago needs two days to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Dublin needs five to celebrate what planners call "Ireland's National Festival."\nThe St. Patrick's festival in Dublin features theater, concerts, carnivals and comedy and will host over 4,000 performers and 1.5 million spectators. St. Patrick's "Festival" planners are so confident about their program their Web site www.stpatricksday.ie claims "St. Patrick would be very proud."\nWhether you're traveling overseas, down south for the ocean and sand, migrating around the midwest or hanging out in B-town, St. Patrick's Day celebrations are not that far or few between.
(03/08/06 5:34am)
Without a permanent home, hopes for an active boxing club this school year have been KO'd.\nIn a letter to club members, co-founder Jamie Kleinschmidt said he had hoped to find a permanent location for a boxing ring on campus. But Kleinschmidt wrote that his optimism was "misplaced." \nIn an interview, Kleinschmidt blamed the Division of Recreational Sports for the inability to locate a permanent ring location. \n"We were under the assumption the school was going to help us find a place to put up a ring," Kleinschmidt said. "It became obvious that they weren't. We'd ask them questions, and they'd say they're working on it. They never really wanted to tell us 'no.'"\nBut Josh Downing, assistant director for club sports, said the inability to find a permanent location arises from a lack of space, not a lack of will. \n"There's definitely a misunderstanding," Downing said. "We wish we could help them, but this is an issue that faces every single club."\nDowning said Kleinschmidt and co-founder Charles Benson were informed early in the club's formation that space would be an issue. \n"It was just obvious they weren't providing as much help as we needed," Kleinschmidt said. "We think there should have been more cooperation."\nClub adviser and University Chancellor Ken Gros Louis has suggested several locations the club could set up a ring off campus, something Downing said many clubs do successfully. \nIn his letter to club members, Kleinschmidt asked everyone to look around the community to find a location.\n"I'm calling on every club member to help the IU Boxing Club find a permanent home," Kleinschmidt wrote. "Whether this space is located off campus or on campus through an avenue we have not tried does not matter. I'm asking every person who wants boxing to become a fixture at this fine institution to help in our goal to find space."\nThe club has contacted various establishments in Bloomington, but Kleinschmidt said many are concerned about insurance costs associated with housing a boxing club. \nAlso Kleinschmidt, Gros Louis and Downing admit it is in the club's best interest to remain on campus. \n"I think it would be a lot easier for people to get to it on campus," Gros Louis said. \nHe added most clubs recruit the majority of their members as freshmen, and since most freshmen live on campus it would be difficult for them to attend club practices off campus. \nDowning agreed, saying the club will struggle with membership if practices are held off campus. \nBut it is more important to have an off-campus club rather than no club at all, Gros Louis said. \nApproved in mid-October, the club's practices focused on conditioning and have been canceled because Kleinschmidt did not want to continue conditioning without the prospect of stepping into a ring. \nThe lack of space has also put the club's charity event, "Punch Out Poverty," in jeopardy.
(03/08/06 5:33am)
The U.S. Supreme Court's Monday ruling upholding the Solomon Amendment did not surprise members of the IU community. \nThe high court's unanimous decision jeopardizes federal funding universities receive if they do not allow government-sponsored military recruiters on their campuses.\nIU law professor Dan Conkle said the Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, representing law schools, did not have much of a case against the U.S. Department of Defense. \n"I thought from the beginning that the First Amendment argument by the law schools was a stretch," Conkle said. "There's no attempt here to squelch the law schools' speech."\nFAIR argued law schools should not be forced to associate or promote organizations whose views they do not share, saying it would violate the law schools' First Amendment rights. The military enforces a "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays, which many believe is discriminatory.\nConkle added that law schools still have the right to petition, thus protecting their free speech -- a point Chief Justice John Roberts noted in the decision. \nThe Solomon Amendment, passed in 1996, forced the IU law school to exempt the military in its nondiscrimination policy. \nGay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Service Coordinator Doug Bauder said in an e-mail he is more concerned with the policy than the Solomon Amendment. He said his feelings on the issue were best summed up in the lead editorial in Tuesday's Washington Post, which commended the Supreme Court for not finding the Solomon Amendment unconstitutional but criticized the military for continuing to enforce its "don't ask, don't tell" policy.\nIU law professor Pat Baude said he did not believe FAIR's argument was as hopeless as some of his colleagues had hinted because the Solomon Amendment was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. \n"It wasn't chasing a fantasy," Baude said.\nBut he conceded FAIR's case was doomed in oral arguments the Supreme Court heard in December.\n"The Constitution gives Congress the power to raise armies," Baude said. "The Constitution makes Congress, not the Yale Law School, raise armies.\n"It was a clever argument," Baude said, "but it wasn't powerful." \nIU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said he was not sure if officials held a discussion about what the University would do if the Solomon Amendment was ruled unconstitutional.\nThe University allows military recruiters on campus and has a Reserve Officer Training Corps program, MacIntyre said. \nCraig Bradley, IU law professor, said FAIR's case was shaky. \n"I tend to think legal about these cases rather than political," he said. \nBradley predicted FAIR would lose its argument, according to a December Indiana Daily Student article.
(03/06/06 5:13am)
Students at the IU Latino Leadership Conference mixed theater, art and poetry in attempts to become better leaders.\nMore than 200 students from around Indiana participated in the seventh annual conference Saturday, which the Latino Enhancement Cooperative and IU's La Casa Latino Cultural Center, sponsored. Saturday's conference, "Visions to Reality: In the Palm of Your Hand" taught students leadership skills and encouraged students to attend college.\nLillian Casillas, director of La Casa, said about half the students at the conference were from Indiana colleges, like Purdue, Hanover College and other IU campuses. The other half were from Indiana high schools, some as far as South Bend. \nSavino Rivera, vice president of LEC, said the conference was a success. \nThe highlight of the day came shortly before 1 p.m. when poet Oveous Maximus performed for the crowd in the Kelley School of Business. \nA native of New York City, Maximus performed about 10 poems, including one he read on "Showtime at the Apollo," an NBC show featuring acts performing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.Y.\nHis poems addressed topics like gender equality, turning 30, love, life in New York City and his Latino heritage. \n"How are we supposed to be equal when everywhere we look we're being depicted by little animals, like Speedy Gonzales and the Taco Bell chihuahua?" Maximus said when performing one of his poems. \nBetween pieces, Maximus shared intimate parts of his life, including his brother's suicide, and encouraged the audience to attend college. \n"The education I received helps me in the way I express myself," said Maximus, who earned two B.A.s, one in sociology and another in graphic design. "It opened a lot of doors for me. It taught me how to speak. It taught me how to be professional."\nRivera said he was "blown away" by Maximus' performance. \n"It's hard to put into words," he said. "A lot of the topics that he covered are hushed by our society, and he just put them all out there."\nIn addition to Maximus' performance, the conference held three workshops throughout the day, each with three different segments that students could attend. \n"The majority of the workshops were very hands-on," Rivera said. "Overall, I know they went great." \nHigh school senior Claudia Montes, from Northwest High School in Indianapolis, said she was glad to hear it's never too late to apply for scholarships. \n"They answered a lot of questions about college," said Montes, who will enroll at Ivy Tech in the fall with plans of transferring to IU in the future. "It's been really helpful."\nThough Montes' school did not organize a trip to the conference, she said she thought it would be important enough to gather a group of students to attend. La Plaza, an Indianapolis social organization, assisted Montes's efforts.
(03/03/06 4:42am)
The winningest coach in IU women's basketball history was found dead Tuesday morning from what authorities called an "apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound."\nOfficers from the Walton County Sheriff's Office found Jim Izard dead in the bathroom of his Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., home after responding to a call from his wife, Sarah Warner. Izard was 57 years old.\nIzard coached the women's team from 1989 to 2000, compiling a 188-159 record in 12 years at IU.\nAccording to a responding officer's report, Izard told his wife he was going to take a nap before she left the house at 9 a.m. When she returned, she did not check on him because she believed he was sleeping.\nWarner was home for an hour before finding Izard in the bathroom. She called authorities at 11:33 a.m.\nWhen officers arrived, they pronounced Izard dead at the scene.\nThe Medical Examiner's Office in Pensacola, Fla., conducted an autopsy Wednesday, and Donna Shank, public information officer with the Walton County Sheriff's Office, said the investigation is still open. \n"We're very saddened with Jim's death," said Pete Rhoda, director of IU athletics media relations. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."\nWhile at IU, Izard led the Hoosiers to nine winning seasons, two NCAA tournament appearances and a second-place finish in the Women's National Invitation Tournament in his final year of coaching at IU. He coached his wife Sarah from 1995-1998. \n"He was very intense about basketball," said Wendy Poppy, who worked with Izard for 10 years as the team's head athletic trainer. "He was intense about winning. He very much loved the sport."\nPoppy said Izard was "very easy to work with" and said they had a good working relationship.\n"He was always interested in their academic success," Poppy said of Izard's concern for his players.\nSheri Washel, former IU associate sports information director, agreed with Poppy, saying Izard was intense about his No. 1 love.\n"But at the same time he was a \nperson when he got off the court. He liked to have a lot of fun," she said.\nIzard liked to golf and "hang out with the guys," she said.\n"He also carried that over with the team," Washel said. "When all was said and done, when we were all on the road, he was a very kind and generous man."\nBut Izard was not always easy to deal with. From a sports information standpoint, Washel said she had some difficult times with the coach.\n"But the difficult times never out shadowed the good times," Washel said. "It just always seemed like the staff and the coaches, we always felt like we were family. To this day I consider him as family."\nIzard started his coaching career at Livingston University, now the University of West Alabama, in Livingston, Ala. He then moved to DePaul University in Chicago for four years and was named North Star Conference Coach of the Year in 1987. The following year, Izard took DePaul to a WNIT championship with an 83-55 victory over Purdue in the title game.\nFormer IU Athletics Director Clarence Doninger released Izard in March 2000 before hiring Kathi Bennett. Izard filed a lawsuit against Doninger, stating in the lawsuit Doninger wanted a younger, female head coach, according to an Oct. 3, 2000, Indiana Daily Student article.\nThe parties reached a $76,775 settlement in February 2002.\nAfter IU, Izard coached Berry College from 2001 to January 2005, when he resigned, citing personal reasons.\nIzard was not coaching at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife.
(03/03/06 4:32am)
Savino Rivera hopes he can teach Indiana's Latinos that the future is "in the palm of their hand." \nAs vice president of the Latino Enhancement Cooperative, Rivera has helped plan the Latino Leadership Conference, which runs Saturday at the Kelley School of Business. "Visions to Reality: In the Palm of Your Hand" is the theme of this year's conference, and Rivera said he hopes students can take the message to heart.\n"It's very inspiring in that there's a large Latino community aspiring to come to Indiana University," he said.\nMore than 200 people, about 100 from Indiana colleges and 100 from Indiana high schools, have registered for the seventh annual conference, which is sponsored by LEC and La Casa Latino Cultural Center. Students will travel from as far as South Bend to attend the conference.\nLEC member Rebeca Hernandez said she believes the large turnout is a sign of progress for Indiana. \n"I think that that means the future for Latino students is a positive one," Hernandez said.\nThe event begins at 8 a.m. with registration in Room 109 of the Kelley School of Business. The conference features three workshops throughout the day -- one in the morning and two in the afternoon. Each workshop has three sessions that participants can attend.\nThe conference also features a speech by poet lyricist Oveous Maximus, who once appeared at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.Y.\n"It's a way of introducing the arts as well," said La Casa Director Lillian Casillas of Maximus' speech. \nShe said his speech will offer "another way of leadership and another way of activism."\nCasillas said she's excited about the conference because it will benefit both college and high school students.\n"From the high school perspective, they get exposed to different things," she said. "From the college perspective, it gives them a chance to give back to the community. It gives them an opportunity for their own professional development."\nShe said the high school students view the college students as role models, a role that Rivera relishes. \n"It inspires me more," Rivera said. "It reassures me that I am doing the right thing -- that I am making something of myself."\nPeople interested in attending the conference can sign up at registration Saturday morning.
(02/24/06 5:03am)
It was a scene straight out of an IU athletics marketing poster. \nIU football coach Terry Hoeppner, clad in an IU track jacket, track pants and a red IU hat, walked toward the sideline at Assembly Hall. Only this time, he was not trying to get his audience to buy tickets. Instead, Hoeppner discussed leadership qualities in his "Building the Team" speech, sponsored by the Council for Advancing Student Leadership. \nFrom his choice of literature to his 19 years of coaching at Miami University (Ohio), Hoeppner's 40-minute speech engaged an audience of about 100 people, with whom he was often playful. \nHe opened by telling audience members they, like he, did not have to remove their hats. \n"I had a little cosmetic surgery a couple weeks ago," he joked during the speech, in reference to brain surgery he underwent at the end of December.\nToward the end of his speech, Hoeppner again joked that he needed to finish because he had yet to eat dinner. \nThough filled with moments of laughter, his speech rarely strayed from the message. \n"You are a product of the books you read and the people you meet," he said during the speech.\nAnd he reads a lot of books. During the speech, Hoeppner named and described some of the books that have taught him about leadership.\n"If we win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl, I'm writing a book," he said during the speech. \nHis main point was teaching everyone to "do the best you can with what you're doing right now." \nBut he stressed that being a leader involves more than drawing up a game plan and calling timeouts. \n"Sometimes it's pretty lonely at the top, just so you know," he told the audience. \nHe then read a poem to the audience he said helps him deal with difficult situations. The poem reads "Bullfight critics row on row, crowd the plaza. But there's only one that knows. He's the guy that's in the ring, fighting the bull."\n"I think it's so applicable to the sport, whether it's (IU basketball coach) Mike Davis, me or any high-profile college coach," Hoeppner said in an interview after the speech. "Everybody has their opinion; there's only one that really knows."\nBut Hoeppner's wife, Jane, might have a good idea what it's like to fight in the bullring, saying it's often hard to keep up with her husband. Hoeppner's wife said last year he held 83 speaking engagements. \n"He always does well," she said of her husband's speech. "He's got a story to tell, and he has a real heart for the students."\nKim Valenta, president of CASL, said she appreciated having someone like Hoeppner participate in its speaker series. \n"It's great for us to have someone from the athletics department," she said.\nHer enthusiasm with the speech might only be outdone by Hoeppner himself.\n"Any chance I get to talk to our students, I don't care if it's two or 2,000, I always enjoy it," he said.
(02/20/06 4:18am)
While some were willing to risk the snowy roads and sidewalks leading to the Indiana Memorial Union, most people thought the trip might be too much of a gamble. \nOnly about 75 people showed up for the Indiana Poker Showdown Saturday morning, much less than the 200 to 300 participants that planners had hoped for, but Antonio Garcia, the event's planner, said he is pleased with the amount of money the event raised. \nThe event, which planners called "the biggest charity poker event in southern Indiana," raised more than $3,600 dollars for the Cigar Family Charity Foundation, an organization that assists families in the Dominican Republic with housing, water and health and educational services. Garcia had hoped the event would raise $5,000 for the charity, but, given the turnout, he said he was pleased. \n"We were really shocked that that many people showed up," Garcia said. "I think the weather had a tremendous effect with (the turnout)."\nThe event was sponsored by the Latino Graduate Student Association. Garcia serves as the LGSA's secretary. \nOther LGSA members thought the event was a success. \n"I thought it was good," said LGSA member Rachel Gonzalez during the event. "We've been very busy."\nDuring the tournament, participants were allowed a $25 re-buy to continue playing and a chance to add on more poker chips for $20, $30 and $50. Garcia said he thinks the funds raised from the re-buys and add-ons helped combat the low turnout. \nSophomore Jonathan Morvay is one player who bought more chips after one of his competitors "got lucky."\n"I played it very well," he said. "This guy called me with a very crappy hand."\nMorvay was also a competitor who wasn't deterred by the weather.\n"I didn't even know it was snowing already," he said. \nFor future events, Garcia said he hopes the setup of the tournament will compel players to return and persuade others to compete.\n"We tried to set up a professional-style tournament so they get a sense of what it's like to be in a casino," Garcia said.\nGarcia and other officials patrolled the grounds of the tournament, making sure it ran smoothly. Garcia also controlled a clock that informed players how many people were in the tournament, how many chips were still in play and how long they had until their bets had to increase. \n"Most of them have been pretty impressed with the way we put it together," Garcia said. \nBut Morvay thought the setup was "weird" because some competitors were allowed to re-buy and add on.\n"I play a lot of poker," he said. "I didn't know if I wanted to (play in the tournament) because it's a $25 buy-in, but you can't actually win money," he said.
(02/17/06 5:19am)
THE FAVORITE: STEVE ALFORD | IOWA\nFueled by Davis' suggestion that IU fans need "one of their own" two days after the Hoosiers lost to Iowa, the Hawkeyes' basketball coach tops the growing list of potential replacements. Alford, a native of Franklin, Ind., and former Indiana Mr. Basketball, led IU to its last NCAA Championship in 1987. In his seventh season in Iowa City, Alford's team is currently in first place in the Big Ten. Though Alford's name has been widely mentioned, the coach said he is centered on this season with the Hawkeyes. "My complete focus and efforts are to help my team win a Big Ten Championship," Alford said in a statement. "That's my only concern." \nTHE LIKELY CANDIDATES: DAN DAKICH | BGSU\nLike Alford, Dakich is a former IU player but has only coached one winning season in the past four years at Bowling Green State University. Dakich was a player and coach under Bob Knight, leaving many hoping Dakich could bring back some of The General's spark. \nRICK MAJERUS | ESPN\nNow an analyst for ESPN, Majerus knows what it takes to coach a powerhouse. Majerus was brilliant in 14 years at the University of Utah, but health concerns forced him to back out of a contract with the University of Southern California in 2004 without coaching a game. \nTOM CREAN | MARQUETTE\nCrean proved he is able to transition from a mid-major to a large conference by leading Marquette to a 17-8 record in its first season in the Big East. Crean's biggest victory this year came when his Golden Eagles knocked off then-No. 2 Connecticut with a 94-79 home win.\nTHE LONG SHOT: DANE FIFE | IPFW\nA player under both Knight and Davis, and Davis' former staffer, Fife is the head coach of IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne. In his first season, Fife's squad has a 7-17 record thus far, equaling last year's win total, with four games left to play. The Mastadons' biggest victory came in Terre Haute with a win over Indiana State University, a team IU lost to in December. "I made a commitment here at IPFW," Fife said in a phone interview. "I don't think, at this point in my career, I am prepared for the Indiana job. I wouldn't expect Mr. Greenspan to call me"
(02/16/06 5:23am)
An event modeled after the World Series of Poker is one its planners hope will benefit the world. \nAll proceeds from the upcoming Indiana Poker Showdown will go toward the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, an organization that assists families in the Dominican Republic with housing, water and health and educational services. \nThe tournament, which planners call "the biggest charity poker tournament in southern Indiana," starts 10 a.m. Saturday at the Indiana Memorial Union. \nOrganizers from the Latino Graduate Student Association, the event's sponsor, expect between 200 and 300 participants. Some players will travel from as far as Chicago and Atlanta, said Antonio Garcia, the event's coordinator and LGSA's secretary. \nThe top 10 winners in the main draw will receive prize packages, including cigars, flasks, watches, casino and golf gift certificates and poker sets. Additionally, the best five women in the main draw will earn prizes, including a Victoria's Secret gift certificate, tanning spa gift certificates and jewelry. \nAll participants will receive a gift bag, and they will be eligible to receive giveaways like an IU basketball jersey. Most prizes were donated. \nThough LGSA boasts the event will draw some top poker talent from around the area, members stress the field will include "novice recreational players." \n"You don't have to be a poker player to play the game," said LGSA member Yamir Gonzalez.\nThe entry fee is $25 for students and $35 for nonstudents. Garcia encourages all interested participants to sign up between 8 and 10 a.m. the day of the tournament. \nGarcia said he hopes the event will raise $5,000 for the CFCF.\n"But we'll be happy if we get more," he said. \nLillian Casillas, director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center, said events like the poker tournament help unify the Latino community. \n"It's making us realize that we have a responsibility worldwide," she said. \nFor more information on the Indiana Poker Showdown, visit the Web site at www.geocities.com/inpokershowdown.
(02/14/06 5:21am)
Following its most successful season in school history, the IU field hockey team will be rewarded with a "state of the art" outdoor facility set to open this fall.\nOn Feb. 3, the IU board of trustees approved a $1.5 million plan to build a field hockey field with a synthetic playing surface and an adjacent soccer practice field with a natural grass surface. The fields will be located between the IU outdoor swimming pool and St. Paul's Catholic Center.\nThe plan includes fencing, a scoreboard, safety nets and an irrigation and drainage system for the soccer field.\nThe athletics department will fund the project, but it has not announced when construction will begin, who will contract the field or what surface will be installed.\nField hockey coach Amy Robertson said the new facility will not just be beneficial to the players competing on it.\n"We are thrilled to see this project moving forward this year and we anticipate that this will help us greatly in attracting the nation's top recruits in field hockey," she said in a statement.\nReturning all-league selection junior Morgan Miller said she is excited about the new field.\n"Being a part of the first senior class to play in it will no doubt be an honor," Miller said. "The field will aid in the future success of IU field hockey."\nPlans for a new facility have been in the works for a while. IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan announced at an Oct. 18 Bloomington Faculty Council meeting his intention to build a field hockey facility.\nThe team previously played home matches indoors in the nine-year-old John Mellencamp Pavilion.\nLast season, the team finished No. 9 nationally in the year-end rankings following its first ever NCAA tournament appearance. The team also captured four all-league selections including Kayla Bashore, Big Ten Player of the Year and first team All-American selection. \nGreenspan said he hopes the new facility will contribute to the team's success.\n"Our field hockey team has made considerable progress in its six-year history and this field should help its continued success," Greenspan said in a statement.\nConstruction recently finished on renovations to Bill Armstrong Stadium and Robert C. Haugh Track Circle of Champions, projects that also cost more than $1 million, according to the IU University Architects Office Web Site. \n-- Staff writer Allie Townsend contributed to this report.
(02/10/06 4:52am)
As soon as his name was called, Angelo Perez strutted toward the center of the floor, took off his brown jacket and whipped it over his right shoulder. The overhead lights reflected off his gelled mohawk as he pulled bright red flowers out of his back pocket. Perez confidently posed as the emcee read a short biography about him, in hopes it would inspire someone to shell out some cash. Once the emcee finished and the music faded, the bidding began.\nPerez was one of many men and women up for auction at the third annual "Love Don't Cost a Thing" date auction, sponsored by Latinos Unidos and the Filipino Student Association. The event was held Thursday night in the Indiana Memorial Union Gallery. \nWhile Perez enjoyed the spotlight during his introduction, the freshman was not so confident when he stood in the middle of the room and the emcees searched for bidders.\n"I was kind of nervous when it was quiet for a long time," he said. "I just went up there to have fun."\nSophomore Veronica Ramos, Perez's highest bidder, said she was impressed with his act. \n"It kicked ass," Ramos said, tightly holding her new red flowers. \nRamos said she was proud to win the auction for her friend Perez, but she was also happy the money would go to a good cause. \nThe $21 Ramos paid for Perez will be split between Latinos Unidos, the Filipino Student Association and the Bloomington Soup Kitchen.\nPerez wasn't the only potential date with a case of stage fright. \nFreshman Melissa Decal was also jittery when her name was called, even though she had participated in a date auction before.\n"I didn't know what to do," she said. "This dude taught me how to dance, but I didn't do that. If you just look at the people you know, (the nervousness) eases."\nAlso nervous was her winning bidder and friend Jordan Frey. \n"It's a little awkward because you're being put on the spot," the sophomore said about making a bid. "I had no idea what to expect, and for a while, there we were, stuck in the front row."\nFrey paid $15 for a date with Decal. \nElizabeth Trevino, Latinos Unidos' president, said she hopes the event raises more than the $430 raised last year. \n"Our Latino community on campus is really small, and we don't get as much money as we'd like to," Trevino said. \nFriday night, all of the couples will have their dates at a party for the daters at El Norteno. The event is open to the public with a $1 donation or a canned good.
(02/09/06 5:00am)
Imagine Sally Dent making her rounds as jewelry department head at Hobby Lobby, 1275 S. College Mall Rd., on Feb. 13. One by one she sees men of all ages enter the store and become immediately drawn to Hobby Lobby's Valentine's Day display, which sits at the front of the store. There are the typical gifts: the flowers, the teddy bears, the culinary treats and the perfume. \n"A lot of guys will head over to our floral department and will try to pick out what gift goes with what flower," Dent says.\nBut now and then she sees men aimlessly roaming the store trying to create a gift unlike any sold in a standard department store. One man is looking to make a collage. Another, a painting. \nDent says projects like these are "quick second projects" that don't cost a lot of money.\n"They don't want to do the same standard thing," she says. "I don't know if they actually care more, or if it's their first Valentine's and they don't want to get dumped."\nWhether attempting to avoid the pain of a break-up, or take the relationship to the mythical "next level," there are plenty of Valentine's Day gifts both men and women can give that defy convention and show their significant other the relationship is not just a "fling." \nOne inexpensive gift is writing that special someone a poem. Shakespeare and Robert Frost don't have to be the only ones able to make magic with quill and scroll. The Internet can give anyone, including Vanilla Ice, the ability to rhyme words.\nOne Web site, www.rhymezone.com, has 88 rhymes for the word love and 13 words for baby. \nJust imagine: "I want you to know what I feel is love. I think that you were sent from above. On this day, you should know, baby. I would still be with you if you gave me rabies." The possibilities are endless.\nBut why stop there? Take that poem to the next level with some music or rhythm. Web sites like www.chordfind.com can teach people without any musical talent basic guitar chords to help write a song. Now, anyone can be Celine Dion or Neil Diamond. \nThe Internet can teach people many other talents, like massage. The Web Site www.aboutmassage.com provides a list of techniques one can use to alleviate stress on joints and pressure points.\nAdd a few candles, some scented oil and voila, a romantic massage.\nPlus, massages are appropriate any day of the year, making this a gift that keeps on giving.\nBut if one lacks lyrical talent or hand-eye coordination, arts and crafts stores contain a plethora of inexpensive options for Valentine's Day. \nImmortalizing memories in a photo album or a collage provides a certain amount of sentimentalism which is appropriate for Valentine's Day. \nA nice photo album can cost as little as $5 and poster board can be purchased for less than $1.\nOr one could make their elementary school teacher proud and make a Valentine's Day card out of construction paper at minimal costs.\n"It shows that they are definitely more creative," Dent says about creating a valentine.\nWhile photo albums, collages and cards are nice in their own right, elements of the three can be combined to create a scrapbook or a scrapbook page as a Valentine's Day gift. \nScrapbook pages can commemorate first dates, special occasions or even the most boring times.\n"People generally scrapbook the day to day events, but people start out with the very big events," says Sharon Follendorf, owner of Bloomin' Scrapbooks & Stamps, 223 S. Pete Ellis Dr.\nBut don't fear, even the most inexperienced person can create a sentimental scrapbook.\n"You can tell as soon as they walk in that they're clueless," Follendorf says. "They walk in the door with a dazed look in their eyes." \nFor such occasions, Bloomin' Scrapbooks & Stamps offers scrapbooking classes with schedules available online at www.bloominscrapbooks.com.\nBut if one does not have enough time to take a class or two, Follendorf says she can assist people when they walk in the store. For best results one should bring in pictures that would be appropriate for a Valentine's Day gift. Follendorf says this helps them "color-coordinate."\nThe amount of time or money spent on a scrapbook page depends on the person creating it.\n"It's a creative aspect, like painting," Follendorf says. "It could take one person 10 minutes; it could take one person six hours."\nBut that shouldn't deter people from scrapbooking.\n"It's more personal, and it's longer lasting," she says. "The flowers will fade, the candy will be eaten, but the scrapbook will last forever."\nFreshmen Megan Traxinger and Erin Perryman can appreciate the thought of a handmade Valentine's Day gift even more than expensive jewelry or clothes.\n"If you just get a typical present, you think, 'Oh, great. I got what everybody else got'," Traxinger says.\nPerryman suggests making a gift is as beneficial for the giver as it is the recipient. \n"It's like a shared relationship," she says. "It's a shared bond they would have."\nPerryman says a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift is a CD full of sentimental songs to both members of the relationship. \nSometimes being creative can pleasantly surprise the recipient of a gift. That was the case for sophomore Andrew Maitlen. \n"It kind of caught me off guard because usually the guys go more all out on Valentine's Day," Maitlen says in reference to a collage box he received.\nBut being creative on Valentine's Day has its risks if people fail to devote the appropriate amount of time and effort to a creative gift. Would one rather receive a failed creative gift or a stand-by like jewelry or chocolate?\n"That's tough," Traxinger says.\n"If they failed miserably, probably the jewelry," Perryman says.\nBut Maitlen disagrees.\n"That just sucks, but you kind of laugh it up," he says. "I guess it makes a nice story. It's more the stuff that screws up that keeps a relationship going than the stuff that goes right"
(02/08/06 11:14pm)
Imagine Sally Dent making her rounds as jewelry department head at Hobby Lobby, 1275 S. College Mall Rd., on Feb. 13. One by one she sees men of all ages enter the store and become immediately drawn to Hobby Lobby's Valentine's Day display, which sits at the front of the store. There are the typical gifts: the flowers, the teddy bears, the culinary treats and the perfume. \n"A lot of guys will head over to our floral department and will try to pick out what gift goes with what flower," Dent says.\nBut now and then she sees men aimlessly roaming the store trying to create a gift unlike any sold in a standard department store. One man is looking to make a collage. Another, a painting. \nDent says projects like these are "quick second projects" that don't cost a lot of money.\n"They don't want to do the same standard thing," she says. "I don't know if they actually care more, or if it's their first Valentine's and they don't want to get dumped."\nWhether attempting to avoid the pain of a break-up, or take the relationship to the mythical "next level," there are plenty of Valentine's Day gifts both men and women can give that defy convention and show their significant other the relationship is not just a "fling." \nOne inexpensive gift is writing that special someone a poem. Shakespeare and Robert Frost don't have to be the only ones able to make magic with quill and scroll. The Internet can give anyone, including Vanilla Ice, the ability to rhyme words.\nOne Web site, www.rhymezone.com, has 88 rhymes for the word love and 13 words for baby. \nJust imagine: "I want you to know what I feel is love. I think that you were sent from above. On this day, you should know, baby. I would still be with you if you gave me rabies." The possibilities are endless.\nBut why stop there? Take that poem to the next level with some music or rhythm. Web sites like www.chordfind.com can teach people without any musical talent basic guitar chords to help write a song. Now, anyone can be Celine Dion or Neil Diamond. \nThe Internet can teach people many other talents, like massage. The Web Site www.aboutmassage.com provides a list of techniques one can use to alleviate stress on joints and pressure points.\nAdd a few candles, some scented oil and voila, a romantic massage.\nPlus, massages are appropriate any day of the year, making this a gift that keeps on giving.\nBut if one lacks lyrical talent or hand-eye coordination, arts and crafts stores contain a plethora of inexpensive options for Valentine's Day. \nImmortalizing memories in a photo album or a collage provides a certain amount of sentimentalism which is appropriate for Valentine's Day. \nA nice photo album can cost as little as $5 and poster board can be purchased for less than $1.\nOr one could make their elementary school teacher proud and make a Valentine's Day card out of construction paper at minimal costs.\n"It shows that they are definitely more creative," Dent says about creating a valentine.\nWhile photo albums, collages and cards are nice in their own right, elements of the three can be combined to create a scrapbook or a scrapbook page as a Valentine's Day gift. \nScrapbook pages can commemorate first dates, special occasions or even the most boring times.\n"People generally scrapbook the day to day events, but people start out with the very big events," says Sharon Follendorf, owner of Bloomin' Scrapbooks & Stamps, 223 S. Pete Ellis Dr.\nBut don't fear, even the most inexperienced person can create a sentimental scrapbook.\n"You can tell as soon as they walk in that they're clueless," Follendorf says. "They walk in the door with a dazed look in their eyes." \nFor such occasions, Bloomin' Scrapbooks & Stamps offers scrapbooking classes with schedules available online at www.bloominscrapbooks.com.\nBut if one does not have enough time to take a class or two, Follendorf says she can assist people when they walk in the store. For best results one should bring in pictures that would be appropriate for a Valentine's Day gift. Follendorf says this helps them "color-coordinate."\nThe amount of time or money spent on a scrapbook page depends on the person creating it.\n"It's a creative aspect, like painting," Follendorf says. "It could take one person 10 minutes; it could take one person six hours."\nBut that shouldn't deter people from scrapbooking.\n"It's more personal, and it's longer lasting," she says. "The flowers will fade, the candy will be eaten, but the scrapbook will last forever."\nFreshmen Megan Traxinger and Erin Perryman can appreciate the thought of a handmade Valentine's Day gift even more than expensive jewelry or clothes.\n"If you just get a typical present, you think, 'Oh, great. I got what everybody else got'," Traxinger says.\nPerryman suggests making a gift is as beneficial for the giver as it is the recipient. \n"It's like a shared relationship," she says. "It's a shared bond they would have."\nPerryman says a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift is a CD full of sentimental songs to both members of the relationship. \nSometimes being creative can pleasantly surprise the recipient of a gift. That was the case for sophomore Andrew Maitlen. \n"It kind of caught me off guard because usually the guys go more all out on Valentine's Day," Maitlen says in reference to a collage box he received.\nBut being creative on Valentine's Day has its risks if people fail to devote the appropriate amount of time and effort to a creative gift. Would one rather receive a failed creative gift or a stand-by like jewelry or chocolate?\n"That's tough," Traxinger says.\n"If they failed miserably, probably the jewelry," Perryman says.\nBut Maitlen disagrees.\n"That just sucks, but you kind of laugh it up," he says. "I guess it makes a nice story. It's more the stuff that screws up that keeps a relationship going than the stuff that goes right"
(02/08/06 5:24am)
Toward the end of his speech, Brandon Wilson's voice trembled as he slowly switched the microphone from one hand to the other. His audience, which had earlier been vocal and enthusiastic in participation, was silent. Wilson painfully recalled one moment when he was the victim of hate.\nHe was an officer of a national organization while in high school, traveling with other officers in a car through rural Alabama. The group was deciding what to listen to after grabbing a quick bite to eat. \nAt first it was jazz. Wilson thought the music was making him sleepy, but he wanted to be a courteous rider and did not say anything. Then, a member of the group complained it was making her sleepy and requested it be changed. So the driver, the president of the organization, changed the station to heavy metal. Again, Wilson didn't appreciate the music, but he did not say anything. Finding the heavy metal unpleasing, the driver changed the music again to a hip-hop station.\n"'Man, I know nobody in this car wants to listen to this nigger music,'" Wilson recalled the driver saying.\nWilson was frozen. He waited a few seconds, which he said seemed like hours, and quietly contemplated something articulate to say to the driver. Wilson placed his hands on the driver's head rest and moved close to his ear, making sure the driver would hear him. \nFinally Wilson had something to say. \n"I opened my mouth to speak, and nothing came out," Wilson said. \nTo this day, he remembers that moment. It haunts him, it scares him and it motivates him to be an activist. \n"My hope is that everyone who hears my story of victimization can make instances of hate and bias more real to them," Wilson said in an interview after the speech. \nWilson now tours the country with the Southern Poverty Law Center presenting "10 Ways to Fight Hate on Campus," a program he helped create. \nWhile presenting the program at IU, Wilson recalled his painful moment to an audience of about 50 people in the Whittenberger Auditorium Tuesday night, hoping he will help inspire people to become activists as he visits each campus. \n"By the way, I just had some dust in my eye," said Eric Love, jokingly excusing his teary eyes and flushed face as he took the microphone from Wilson at the end of his speech. \n"Hate and hate crimes are damaging," Love, director of diversity education, said in an interview. "They hurt people. I'm compassionate of anyone who has been a victim of a hate crime."\nThroughout the speech, Wilson used personal accounts, national examples and audience participation to create a definition for hate and to figure out how it can be stopped. \nHe stressed students can take steps to end hate, but they are often apathetic.\n"Wherever there is an inkling of apathy on any campus or any community, hate is soon to follow," Wilson said during his speech.\nSenior Melinda Dorsey made a pledge to herself after listening to Wilson's speech, vowing to be more cautious with what she says.\n"He said we've all been perpetrators of hate," Dorsey said. \nFor Wilson, that helps ease the pain of revisiting his painful memories. \n"The therapy I get is knowing one person in the room is going to walk away more prepared to be an activist," he said. "It's symbolic of me passing the torch"
(02/07/06 5:31am)
Some will be scared. Some will be offended. But Brandon Wilson believes all cultures and ethnicities will benefit if they "step out of their box."\nWilson, a speaker for the Southern Poverty Law Center, will present "Ten Ways to Fight Hate on Campus" at 7 p.m. tonight at the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union. \n"We are thrilled to have someone from the Southern Poverty Law Center here to do this nationally recognized program," said Eric Love, IU's director of diversity education. \nTen Ways to Fight Hate on Campus, a program founded by Wilson, will focus on changing university administrators' and students' thoughts about social equality.\n"Sometimes you have to uproot people who benefit from social injustice from their comfort zones," Wilson said. \nHe said it is scary for his audiences to hear the truth about a variety of social issues, from race relations to sexual preference.\n"I think that every person has the ability to do good and the ability to show respect," he said. "Any person can be the victim of oppression. The challenge is getting all people to realize they sit in seats of privilege sometimes. Then, people become more apt to work with one another."\nFounded in 1971, the SPLC is a nonprofit civil rights firm centered in Montgomery, Ala. \nA graduate of Auburn University, Wilson was working in student affairs at his alma mater when a photograph of white students with their faces painted black and others dressed in Ku Klux Klan garb motivated him to take action. His work led to the creation of the Center for Diversity and Race Relations at Auburn in 2002.\nSince then, Wilson's work prompted the building of resource centers at the University of Alabama and Idaho State University and a $1.5 million financial aid initiative at the California Institute of the Arts.\nHe also lobbied the NCAA to ban Native American mascots, which has been a controversial move for the athletics association.\n"I never thought about the reaction more than I thought about what was morally right to do," he said. "I think offense happens and conflict happens, but I think it's good."\nThe event is sponsored by the Commission on Multicultural Understanding, the Office of Diversity Education and the Union Board.\n"(Wilson's) background, his experience, his enthusiasm and his commitment make this one of the best events of the year," Love said. "I encourage everyone -- faculty, staff, students, administrators -- to come to 'Ten Ways to Fight Hate on Campus.'"\nImmediately following the speech, a leadership and diversity information fair will be held in State Room East at the IMU.
(01/30/06 5:34am)
Students at two- and four-year universities might be able to earn degrees, but the knowledge they gain at college is not enough to be successful in the global marketplace, according to a report issued last week by the American Institutes for Research. \nFewer than half the graduates from four-year universities are proficient in prose and document literacy (used to comprehend newspaper articles and job applications) and quantitative literacy (used when balancing checkbooks and calculating tips), according to the report. Of the two-year university counterparts, one-quarter of them were rated proficient in all three categories.\n"The surprisingly weak quantitative literacy ability of many college graduates is troubling," study director Stéphane Baldi said in a statement. "A knowledgeable work force is vital to cope with the increasing demands of the global marketplace."\nLarry Mikulecky, professor of education at IU and former director of the Center for Innovation in Assessment, said a report like AIR's is a "temperature-taking test" of "who can do what."\n"Well, we've got all these people who passed; did they learn anything?" Mikulecky asked. "That's a reasonable question to ask.\n"I think Indiana University and every other college should be asking itself, 'What can our graduates do and what can't our graduates do?' That's pretty spooky stuff because you have to start dealing with issues that most people paying for tuition and most people teaching are uncomfortable with."\nThe study, "The National Survey of America's College Students," reported that new graduates outperform previous graduates in prose and document literacy. Yet, the study found no difference between the quantitative literacy of today's graduates and previous graduates. Quantitative literacy is characterized as "meaning (graduates) are unable to estimate if their car has enough gasoline to get to the next gas station or calculate the total cost of ordering office supplies," according to the report.\nThe survey polled more than 1,800 graduates from 80 random two- and four-year public and private universities. Each student was graded on a four-part scale in each category: below basic, basic, intermediate and proficient. \nNearly 20 percent of four-year graduates had only basic skills in quantitative literacy; 5 percent had only basic skills in document literacy; and 6 percent had only basic skills in prose, according to the report.\nOne explanation Mikulecky has for the test scores is the increasing number of college students.\n"We've got a larger percentage of people going to college now than graduated from high school in World War II," he said. "I have no doubt that that plays some role."\nAnother possibility is that students can graduate from a two- or four-year university without taking very challenging courses.\n"It is possible to graduate from most institutions without taking many difficult courses," Mikulecky wrote in an e-mail. "Students who select this route, or are allowed to select it, don't do as well as those who take challenging courses."\nExecutive Associate Dean for the School of Education Peter Kloosterman said he was not familiar with AIR's report, but he said he questions whether the survey addressed actual skills taught in college.\n"When you look at calculus and you look at technology, there's not a real connection with those things," Kloosterman said. "Certainly we want to do everything we can to improve the math and language skills, but we have to be sure we know what we are measuring."\nKloosterman has been teaching at IU since 1984 and, if anything, he said he has noticed higher proficiency with his students.\n"But part of that is because you have to pass basic skills tests in order to take education courses," he said. "So the (students) that were weak in the 1980s are no longer able to take education courses." \nAIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization based in Washington that conducts behavioral and social science research.
(01/19/06 5:31am)
Lillian Casillas planned an entire evening to discuss Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, a Latino activist credited with strengthening the Chicano movement in the 1960s and 1970s. But there was one slight mishap: Nobody showed up. \nThis isn't the first time it has happened, either. Casillas, director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center, said, while attendance is usually steady for their weekly activities, once or twice a year she will plan an event and no one will attend. \n"It is kind of disheartening when you put up a program and nobody shows up," she said. "Especially when you feel very strongly about a certain subject, it makes you feel like, 'Oh, I guess Latino activism isn't that important.'"\nCasillas can cite two causes for the lack of attendance -- an abundance of activities already taking place on campus and a general disinterestedness on part of the students. \n"Folks just don't take advantages of (the different programs at IU)," she said. "I hope that (students) are really taking advantage of what they have at college. This is a time to expose themselves to new things. They need to get their full investment."\nCasillas' biggest concern is that the students who usually attend La Casa's events are the same students every week. \n"Often, you're preaching to the choir," she said. "It's 'How do you reach that person that you're not in their radar?' I think that's the challenge."\nBut La Casa isn't the only organization that battles attendance problems from time to time, said Eric Love, director of diversity education. \n"All of the culture centers offer excellent programming throughout the year and it's a shame when there are so many different activities going on around the same time that students can't benefit from everything," Love said. "I think it's a shame that students missed out. I am disappointed because I know how hard Lillian (Casillas) and La Casa work to put on their programs, as all the cultural centers do."\nCasillas doesn't believe her preparation for the program was wasted as she will be able to use the material in future programs. She is often invited to present to classes, and she will be able to use her material there, as well.\nCasillas was especially excited about her presentation on Gonzales because she believes many people are unaware that there are Latino activists. \nGonzales founded "Crusade for Justice," an urban civil rights and cultural movement. He had even worked with Martin Luther King Jr., which is why Casillas thought the presentation was fitting for this week. Love also thought the program was important for celebrating ethnic differences.\n"I felt the program that La Casa did this evening was appropriate for this week especially in the spirit of diversity and the achievements of all of our citizens," Love said. "There is much to learn from the Latino civil rights movement. The Latino community has had fantastic leaders who have really made a difference, not just for Latinos, but throughout the country. Especially since Corky Gonzales worked with Dr. King, it's really important for us to know."\nThe presentation was part of La Casa's "Platicas" series, which takes place once a month on Wednesdays. During the Wednesdays when the Platicas series is not running, La Casa hosts a series of other events, ranging from movie viewings to cooking classes.
(01/11/06 5:39am)
When Mike Crowe, director of IU facilities, began his search for large clocks to place on campus, he wanted to make sure the clocks would help students get to class on time. Giving those students a soundtrack was an added bonus.\nInstead of playing the traditional "Westminster chimes" at 15-minute intervals, the red, four-faced electronic clocks now play full songs at the beginning of every hour. Currently there are two clocks -- one outside of Woodburn Hall and another outside the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, and both were made by the Verdin Company of Cincinnati.\nShortly after Thanksgiving, Crowe approached Mark Ramsey, assistant University landscape architect, and suggested the clocks chime holiday songs at the top of every hour, in addition to the traditional chimes during the other 15-minute intervals. \n"I guess maybe I knew that (the clocks could play songs), and the others didn't," Crowe said.\nRamsey looked at the more than 100 songs the clock could play and sent a 20-song holiday \nplaylist to Director of Landscape Architecture Mia Williams for approval. \nCurrently, the clocks are rotating between 10 songs on a playlist called "Songs for a Stormy Day." Those songs include "Somewhere over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz" and jazz favorite, "Stormy Weather."\nThe clocks have the ability to program new songs, and when the University adds two additional clocks, which it hopes to do by next year, all four clocks will be programmed to play "Indiana, Our Indiana," the IU fight song. \nThe new clocks will be installed in the Arboretum and on Third Street.\nThe clocks were purchased with the help of the classes of 1941, 1942, 1976 and the IU Foundation and fulfill a campaign promise from the IU Student Association of 2000-2001.\nCrowe originally met with members of IUSA in the summer of 2000.\n"Clocks that chimed were discussed at that time," he said, but it was not a criterion for their purchase. \nThough it has been less than a month since the clocks started playing songs, Ramsey said he has already received some feedback. \n"It's all been positive," Ramsey said. "I went out in person to hear them chime before Christmas, and I heard a group of students going on and on about them"
(01/06/06 5:21am)
IU football coach Terry Hoeppner's physicians expect him to make a full recovery after a Dec. 27, 2005, surgery that removed a tumor from the right side of his brain. \nHoeppner experienced headaches Dec. 24, 2005, while in Cleveland watching quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who Hoepnner coached at Miami of Ohio, lead the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Browns. Hoeppner returned to Bloomington Dec. 26, 2005, and underwent neurological tests that revealed the tumor.\nHoeppner's surgery was performed at Bloomington \nHospital. \n"The prognosis for recovery is great," Hoeppner said in a statement. "And I just want to thank my wife, Jane, my wonderful family, my incredible friends, the amazing doctors who treated me and, especially, the good Lord."\nThe recent death of James Dungy, son of Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, has caused many coaches to reflect on their priorities, and Hoeppner said during a radio interview with IU sports commentator Don Fischer that the tumor "puts things in perspective."\n"We had plans for Christmas with the family, but as I tell the team all the time, 'Have a plan, work the plan and plan for the unexpected,'" Hoeppner said in the radio interview.\nIU Athletics Spokesman Pete Rhoda said he did not know if Hoeppner's tumor was cancerous.\nHoeppner has not spoken to any IU players since his surgery, according to the Jan. 2 news release, and players were not available for comment by press time. \n"I want the team to know I'll be back," Hoeppner said in the radio interview.\nIU Athletics Sports Medicine Director Dr. Larry Rink said Hoeppner's surgery was successful and the coach suffered no neurological defects.\n"It was hard to keep him in the hospital even a couple days after surgery," Rink said in a statement.\nWhile it is uncertain when Hoeppner, in the midst of his first recruiting season, will return to work, he said his staff will complete recruiting and lead winter practices.\n"All of our sincere thoughts are for (Hoeppner's) complete and expected return to health," Greenspan said in a statement. "(Hoeppner) is an amazing guy with a positive outlook, strong focus and competitive juices. We're looking forward to having him back in the weeks ahead"