52 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(02/14/06 5:24am)
While flowers, candy and jewelry are classic gestures of devotion on Valentine's Day, Ashley Groth, a student in public affairs, is out to prove she won't drain her bank account to show she cares.\nGroth is one of three members of the School of Public and Environmental Affair's Service Corps who will be selling valentine cards for $1 from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15 in the SPEA atrium. All profits will go to Area 10 Agency on Aging as part of its annual "Have-a-Heart for the Homebound" fundraiser benefiting Monroe and Owen county senior citizens.\n"I think that the overall goal is to provide help to seniors: ideally, to keep them healthy, at home and comfortable," said Abbie Hantgan, leader of AmeriCorps VISTA at Area 10.\nHantgan said SPEA students have helped with the fundraiser since 1998, typically raising $1,000 each year, which goes directly to the individuals who need it most, rather than to staff support costs. \nThis year, for the first time, Area 10 enlisted pre-school- and kindergarten-age children from Wonderlab and The Prep School to design all the valentines that will be for sale.\n"Our goal with involving the younger generation is that it became a service project that spans all age groups," Groth said. \nShe added that this project also gets the community involved because additional hearts are sold at banks and grocery stores throughout Monroe and Owen counties to further supplement Area 10 programs.\nArea 10 lacks funding for certain programs and must rely solely on volunteers and fundraising to maintain all the services that the organization offers, according to a press release.\nSome of the many services provided by Area 10 include a food bank, grocery shopping assistance and a handyman service that provides materials and volunteers for minor home repairs or to build things like wheelchair ramps in some cases.\nSPEA students who have organized the valentine sale have contributed greatly to Area 10, Hantgan said, and are currently helping to raise money for a fundraising walk called "Homeward Bound" that will be held Sunday, April 2. Groth said the walk is a community-wide project that involves about thirteen agencies in the area, including Area 10, that are dedicated to preventing homelessness.\n"The experience that we're getting is great -- it has allowed me to get my hands in a lot of different types of things and get a feel for the non profit sectors," Groth said. "It's a completely different constituency working for an organization that focuses directly on the elderly."\nHantgan said Area 10 frequently works with IU students and is always looking for young volunteers, especially those who are interested in social work. Recently, she said, students from IU's nursing school worked one-on-one with seniors to help them navigate the potentially confusing Medicare Part D Drug Plan Web site. The program helped hundreds of seniors in the area get signed up online, she said.\n"The students are so good with the computers that it really helps seniors," Hantgan said. "It's always great to do intergenerational work"
(02/06/06 5:47am)
Rafia Zakaria was born and raised in Pakistan, a country where she said men routinely kill women in the name of family or tribal honor and are rarely punished. When she moved to the United States nine years ago, Zakaria got an opportunity few Pakistani women have: the chance to speak out against such honor killings. \n"The freedom we have in the U.S. gives us the ability to talk about these practices that we probably couldn't talk about in Pakistan," Zakaria said. "Here the government can't intimidate you." \nZakaria, a doctoral student in political science, is presenting "Honor Killings in Pakistan: The Fruits and Perils of Transnational Feminism" today from 12 - 1 p.m. at the Asian Culture Center, located at 807 E. Tenth Street. An informal roundtable discussion will take place while a light lunch is served. \nAccording to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's 2005 world report, Pakistan's Interior Ministry reports about 4,000 honor killings have taken place over the last six years, while groups not affiliated with the government reported more than 1,300 in 2003. Zakaria said that because honor killing is considered a private family matter rather than a crime against the State, it often goes undocumented, and its prevalence could be underestimated. \nThe presentation is part of the Monday Table Topics that the ACC holds the first Monday of each month. Babita Upadhyay, program and administrative director of the ACC, said this is a very low-key discussion program that usually includes visiting professors and scholars or experts from IU. \n"Our mission is to educate about what is going on in the world, and this is the reality of what is going on," Upadhyay said.\nZakaria said the concept of honor killing is centered on the idea of a woman being a symbol of her family, tribe or clan honor. If a woman dishonors the family in any way, by getting pregnant out of wedlock or speaking to a man to whom she is not related, the family must eliminate the source of shame and kill the dishonorable woman. \n"If no one brings charges, these crimes go completely unpunished," Zakaria said, adding that "honor killing represents the absolute urgency in this issue; it shows a woman's life being meaningless to herself, just a symbol of her father's honor." In the end, it is a "commodification of women" in which the truth does not really matter, she said. \nOften, such honor killings are justified through Islamic doctrine, even though many religious groups and leaders have spoken out against such a relation, Zakaria said. Even so, those who commit such murders are often considered heroes and protectors of honor by the State. \nThe subject of Pakistani women's rights is very important to her, Zakaria said, especially in her work with the Asian-American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights. Working with other human rights organizations, ANAA recently pressured the Pakistani government to allow a Pakistani victim of tribe-ordered gang rape named Mukhtar Mai to come to the United States to speak out about her experience. \nZakaria said she believes "the power of global civilized society is incredible to bring about changes," just as it did for Mai, who is just one of thousands of Pakistani women who have been victimized in the name of honor. She said she hopes that her discussion can help to raise awareness and bring voices together that can influence the Pakistani government to make honor killing illegal. \n"I think that the most important thing is that when people get their voices together, the government must listen," she said, adding that it is important "to condemn the practice without condemning the culture"
(01/30/06 4:54am)
When he stumbled into a room where a Bill Clinton impersonator -- clad in leather -- was singing "She Bangs," by Ricky Martin, freshman Jonathan Levey knew he wasn't at the IU Student Television meeting he had planned to attend. Pure curiosity drove him to stay though, and he was introduced to the Business Careers in Entertainment Club. Four years have passed since that first encounter and Levey is now a senior and president of the organization.\nThe club was founded four years ago by Edward Anderson, an IU graduate who now works for Turner Network Sales, and is the fastest-growing student organization at IU, Levey said. \nTo spread the network even further, the club is holding a call-out meeting tonight at 8 p.m. in room 219 of the business school. IU alumnus Dave Weissman, who runs the music promotion company Musical Earth, will speak about his profession and how he got where he is and will answer audience questions.\nIn addition to Weissman, each of the group's eight committees -- which include television, publishing, gaming, theater, sports, radio, music and film -- will give a short presentation about their upcoming plans for the semester.\n"It's a great, informative event, and we also try to entertain, because that's what we're about," Levey said. "In the past, we have had visits from Tupac (Shakur) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (impersonators)." \nAt the heart of the group, however, is its dedication to providing its members with knowledge, experience and direct contacts to business professionals in the entertainment field, according to the BCEC Constitution. In a message on the club's Web site, Anderson writes that he created the club for students whose career aspirations stretch beyond Indiana to gather and make meaningful connections.\n"It's so competitive to get into the entertainment industry, and the more IU students we have working in the industry, the more chances to establish a network and get work in the future," Levey said.\nIn light of these goals, the club brings in guest speakers throughout the year, provides a résumé workshop, sponsors and organizes hands-on events like the King of the Court basketball tournament and a student film festival. The club also plans networking trips to major cities.\nThis year marked the third annual New York City BCEC networking trip, which allowed 36 select student ambassadors to visit 15 entertainment-related companies, such as Broadcast Music, Inc., Jive Records, Major League Baseball, NBC Universal and Time Inc. The five-day trip allowed club members to see executives at work, make connections and possibly even get summer jobs.\n"New York is kind of the mecca of the industry," said senior Sam Worobec, who went on the trip last year. "People could experience the city and get a preview of where they will be working one day, while others saw that it might not be for them."\nWhen Worobec joined the club four years ago, he said he was hoping to learn more about the business side of the music industry after hearing horror stories about artists like MC Hammer, who went from millionaire to bankrupt. As co-director of the BCEC's music committee, he now serves as a mentor for new club members and said he enjoys watching them grow as they gain more knowledge and hands-on experiences.\nAlthough his mainstay in music is business, Worobec said he is still focused on the creative aspect. It is that love of the industry as a whole that Levey said he believes drives the club and its members.\n"There is a lot of money in the entertainment industry, but the common bond is passion for what you are doing," Levey said. "If you're selling something for an entertainment company, you're selling something you love"
(01/25/06 4:52am)
Ryan Helling, a sophomore and fine arts major, knows the benefits of having an internship. Since the beginning of January, he has worked as an intern for Secretly Canadian Warehouse, a local independent record label.\n"My internship will give me a good base for networking. I get to meet a lot of people in the business world that I may enter later on in life," Helling said of his job, which also appeals directly to his love of music.\nStudents interested in having an internship of their own can also explore the range of opportunities available to them at the Career Development Center's annual Internship Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union.\n"For once in their lives, employers are coming to the students," said Nichole Williams, assistant director of the IU Career Development Center. "Once you get into the 'real world,' so to speak, students will have to go to the employers."\nAccording to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 86 percent of college students complete at least one internship. Williams said the benefits of having an internship are numerous and not having one could be a disadvantage.\n"It's a way to learn real work skills in the business world -- anything from interpersonal skills to teamwork to communication," she said. "A lot of those things can't be learned in the classroom."\nRepresentatives from 60 organizations are slated to attend and provide students with informal interviews and a wealth of information, as well as a chance to network with possible employers. Companies and organizations like Target, the American Cancer Society, Macy's, the State of Indiana, Stryker Medical and AT&T are just a few that will be present.\nSeveral media-related internships will also be showcased by companies like The Buckle, Clear Channel Communications, Fox 59 Indianapolis and WFHB-FM Community Radio in Bloomington.\nWilliams said 53 employers and 955 students attended last year's fair.\n"This is one of the most highly attended fairs on campus, both by employers and students, and we get the same employers coming back year after year," she said.\nThe Internship Fair is just one of many annual services sponsored by the CDC. In addition to advising and career counseling, the CDC provides a variety of career-related activities like the "Futures in Biology" series, "Network Nights" for various fields and majors and job fairs like "Camp Day."\nStudents can get more information about internships and a direct link to potential employers by creating an account and a default resume at www.IUcareers.com and by subscribing to the listserv option available on the Web site.
(01/11/06 4:39am)
While students were in the middle of their three-week winter break, U.S. Congress was in session approving a $7 million federal grant for IU. The money will be used to fund seven research and construction projects that will benefit IU-Bloomington students, as well as students at satellite campuses. \nOne project that will most directly influence IUB students includes a $600,000 upgrade to the parking lots located at Memorial Stadium, where three of the four campus bus routes, including the park-and-ride Stadium Express, begin.\nThe $600,000 is only a fraction of the estimated $3 million needed to fully realize the University's plans, which include repaving the Purple Lot north of the White Lot along Dunn Street and construction of two shelters, including one with restrooms for bus drivers.\nJames Hosler, director of campus bus services, said he does not know how much of the project will be able to be completed with the grant money, but he said the project will start off with one shelter and as much paving as possible. He said he hopes more money will come in to help finish the entire upgrade.\n"That area is the single largest generator for activity for the buses," Hosler said. "Twenty out of our 22 buses terminate there, and the more parking available out there, the less traffic there is in the center of campus."\nHosler said the improvements are not only important for the drivers but also for students who will have the benefit of an extended parking area in a space that can be easily plowed and maintained.\nMore than one-third of the total grant money will go to IU's Cyclotron Facility, with $1 million going toward the creation of a low-energy neutron source facility, $1.8 million for a radiation effects simulator and $1.4 million to fund research for NASA about how radiation can affect space travelers.\nThe Cyclotron specializes in the use of particle accelerators to enable various types of scientific research and development in areas concerning accelerator physics, medical physics and materials science.\nDoug Wasitis, IU's director of federal relations, said the upgrades the grants support will not only help develop IU's relationship with NASA, but will also directly benefit students.\n"(The upgrades) will allow more communication between NASA and IU, and it will fund graduate students' research," Wasitis said. "The funding will also support some research at the undergraduate level."\nOther IU campuses received funding as well. IU-South Bend received $765,000 for a pedestrian bridge, and $1 million was appropriated to the Indiana Center for Rehabilitation Sciences & Engineering Research, which IU-Purdue University Indianapolis helps operate. \nThe University had requested a total of $21.1 million from the federal government for a dozen projects in a priority list Congress evaluated in late December. Purdue University also received federal grant money but has not yet released the amount.
(01/09/06 4:59am)
Animals have always been a part of Jessie Beutel's life. When she was little, she had seven cats, two goldfish, two gerbils, two dogs, one hamster and one rabbit. As a freshman, she lived in a dorm and had to leave behind two dogs at her Fort Wayne home, but she quickly adopted a pet fish.\n"I love animals, and there's something different about a house with pets," she said. "It's more complete."\nAs a sophomore now living in an off-campus apartment, Beutel is subject to a "no pets allowed" policy. She would like to adopt a puppy, but says her lease states that "baby-sitting is strictly humans, not pets," and she and her roommates would be fined $150 per pet if they were caught.\n"We even took our fish home because we were afraid we would be fined," she said. \nWhile many students like Beutel might desire the companionship a pet can offer, the "no pets allowed" rule is present in many housing contracts, including those for IU's on-campus dorms and apartments.\nThese complications can limit students wishing to help pets hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma displaced. Dec. 15 marked the last day the Humane Society of the United States requested shelters and rescue groups across the country keep disaster victim pets, leaving many pets now available for adoption and fostering.\nAccording to the Humane Society of the United States, more than 8,000 animals were rescued from the Gulf area in the weeks following Hurricane Katrina. Although more than 2,000 owner/pet reunions have been confirmed, there are many animals still without homes.\nKatie Warrick, a sophomore who lives in a residence hall, said she wishes she could adopt cats or a small dog, but she is not allowed.\n"I don't like the no-pets rule because I feel weird without my cats. It's kind of a comfort thing," Warrick said. "I think that pets should be allowed. I wouldn't care if I had to sign something or pay an extra fee."\nAccording to IU Residence Hall and Apartment Housing Rules and Regulations, service animals and fish or crustaceans housed in 10-gallon or smaller tanks are the only animals permitted. Violations could result in University disciplinary action, cancellation of contract and payment for any cleaning, inspection or treatment that is necessary.\nMoreover, many apartment complexes impose an extra fee against students with pets or set a weight limit that excludes \ncertain dog breeds. Beutel said her step-sister, who graduated from IU last spring and still lives in the Bloomington area, pays a large fee on top of her rent to own a cat. \n"I understand where the dorms and landlords are coming from," Beutel said, "but if there are small dogs or cats that no longer have homes and the shelters are overcrowded, it could be a great solution, especially for students who live alone."\nWarrick said she believes, if possible, the University should be more lenient temporarily to provide housing for displaced animals. She said she thinks a specific dorm, certain designated floors or a limited number of rooms per floor could be offered to accommodate the animals if students were willing to sign a special contract or pay an additional fee.\n"The animals in Katrina did not ask to be left and there is no need to euthanize or ignore them," Warrick said. "If we can find good people and homes that are willing to take in animals, then it should be allowed. Different people want to help in their own ways, and I would rather take in pets."\nResidences that do allow animals can be located by selecting the "pets allowed" option at www.apartmentguide.com. Students unable to house an animal but who still want to help pets affected by natural disasters can donate money to the Humane Society of America at www.hsus.org or by volunteering at the local pet shelter.
(12/06/05 5:40am)
Senior Katie Fitzpatrick sat comfortably in a three-piece business suit as she waited to present a group project Monday. Fitzpatrick remained calm, despite the fact that four of her group members were across the Atlantic Ocean, six time zones away, in Brandenburg, Germany.\n"When I realized I would be working with the German students, I was pretty shocked and a little overwhelmed," Fitzpatrick said. She is one of 27 undergraduate student taking K317: Enterprise Resource Planning Tools with professor Dan Conway, who developed the course with Dr. Robert U. Franz in Germany. Students in the class are getting a taste of what the global business world is like through first-hand experience with their counterparts at Fachhochschule Brandenburg, a business school in former East Germany.\n"If we do this right, young people can be the ambassadors in the global business world," Conway said.\nAlthough Conway's syllabus accounted for a "disruption" in mid-November, few students predicted the disruption would come from thousands of miles away.\n"The most challenging part was working with the group from Germany with the language barrier and the time difference," said senior Jon Lechko. "It was hard to organize and get everyone on the same page."\nWhen they learned Nov. 15 that they would be merging their fictional automotive company with a corporation on another continent, students were thrown into a lifelike situation that those in the global business world know well.\n"From my point of view, this is the best possible way for students getting to see what this is like in the real world," said Amelia Maurizio, director of Global Education Alliances at SAP, a transnational technology company which makes software that runs 95 percent of Fortune 1000 companies. Although SAP is working with over 500 universities worldwide, this was the first teaching experience where students had to work across time zone, language and cultural barriers.\n"You may think you're a good communicator, but when someone doesn't speak the same language, it's a whole different ballgame," Fitzpatrick said. \nAlthough difficulties arose, Fitzpatrick said it was not as difficult as she thought it would be. She also found the experience to be extremely valuable.\n"SAP is a popular thing in the workforce right now," she said. "This has really been paying off in interviews because not a lot of schools offer it, so it has put me ahead."\nFive teams presented their merger proposals Monday via video conference with Brandenburg. They were evaluated by panelists representing General Mills, BP, John Deere and SAP software.\nEven with such advanced technology available to the students, including SAP, e-mail, e-Snips and video conferences, some problems were unavoidable. Although the German students' English was far better than the American students' German, language barriers proved problematic.\n"My English is not so good. Can you write me a letter?" asked one good-humored German student in response to a panelist's verbal question. Other German students said a glossary would be helpful to clarify some of the diction of American college students.\nMost of the groups also had trouble working around the Americans' Thanksgiving holiday, which fell right after the international teams joined. Students felt the Thanksgiving break intensified the shortness of the three week period they had to prepare their presentations.\n"(Dr. Robert U. Franz and I) could see when things were going badly, and other things where we would've been quite helpful, but we had to stop ourselves from doing that," Conway said, pointing out that problems can be the best learning tool for students.\nNext semester, Conway plans to converge his class with one in Asia, where the time zone barriers will be even greater. Along with SAP representatives, Conway hopes this class serves as a prototype for other universities wanting to offer a first-hand global business education. \n"We're just trying to change the world," Conway said. "That's all"
(12/02/05 2:54pm)
Sarah Bugden, a white junior, said she knew nothing about Kwanzaa and the African history surrounding it before she entered the Ruth N. Halls Theater Thursday night. Bugden and her friend Sherie Cooley, also a white junior, attended the pre-Kwanzaa festivities hoping to broaden their horizons and expand their knowledge of other cultures.\n"I was actually empowered by it," said Cooley. "People don't think about how much in common all these different cultures and people have."\nBugden and Cooley were among hundreds of IU students who participated in Thursday night's \npre-Kwanzaa celebration at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, joining more than 20 million people throughout the world who are expected to celebrate the pan-African holiday from Dec. 26 this year to Jan. 1 next year.\n"It was really inspiring and eye opening to think more about myself and my culture, and learn about who I am and where I came from," said sophomore Sarah Leavell.\nKwanzaa founder, Maulana Karenga, was the featured speaker and the highlight of the evening. While warming the crowd with his humor, Karenga explained the origin of Kwanzaa and described past and present struggles of African peoples.\n"The passion that he had really inspired me to take what he said to heart," Bugden said. "Kwanzaa isn't just a holiday but a lifestyle."\nOther students also felt inspired by Karenga's message about the spirit of Kwanzaa. Senior Dorian Clark, director of Bridging the Gap for Union Board, was inspired to be more proud of himself as black student. Clark felt most compelled by Karenga's discussion of the racial inequality in the educational curriculum.\n"You won't learn about African culture unless you seek it out," he said. "There are 1,300 black students out of 38,000 here, and we know how it is."\nOther students at the pre-Kwanzaa celebration entertained and expressed various aspects of African culture through song, dance and dramatic performances.\n"This is just another way to inform people," said junior Sherhara Williams, an actress in the Black Curtain group that performs social and racial pieces.\nIn addition to the traditional Kwanzaa ceremonies, including the lighting of the seven principle candles and the unifying chant of Harambee, Beverly Calender-Anderson presented two proclamations on behalf of the city of Bloomington.\nDec. 26 to Jan. 1 was proclaimed Kwanzaa Week by Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan to encourage all citizens to reflect on the seven principles and to apply them in their lives.\nCalender-Anderson also presented a proclamation written by Kruzan declaring Dec. 1 Rosa Parks Day in Bloomington. Thursday marked the 50th anniversary of Parks' refusal to give her seat to a white male on a Montgomery, Ala., bus. \nKarenga opened his speech giving libations to inspirational black people who have paved the way for racial progress. He founded Kwanzaa in 1966 as a way to reaffirm the roots of African culture, to give time to African people to come together and bond and to introduce and emphasize the importance of community and values.\nKwanzaa's seven principles, the Nguzo Saba, serve as the foundation for the holiday, including the featured principles of unity and faith.\n"Without unity, you can't begin the project," Karenga explained. "Without faith, you can't finish the project."\nDuring his lecture, Karenga stressed that Kwanzaa is not a celebration about of colors, but a celebration of good in the world. The diverse crowd of students, professors and community members proved this point.\nWilliams, who has celebrated Kwanzaa in the past with her family, said she felt Karenga's message was proactive and uplifting.\n"He is speaking to the black community, but I think all people of all colors can benefit from his message of unity," she said.
(12/01/05 6:35pm)
The inventor of a winter celebration recognized by students around the world is visiting IU to be a part of the Hoosier holidays.\nKwanzaa founder Maulana Karenga will lecture, meet with guests and sign books tonight as part of the pre-Kwanzaa celebration beginning at 6 p.m. in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre in the Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center. All events are free and open to the public. \n"He has many words of wisdom to share. He is a great scholar, a great professor and a community leader," said Oyibo Afoaku, director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.\nKarenga, a professor at California State University, Long Beach, will discuss the origin and history of Kwanzaa as well as the past and current struggles of African peoples, a topic about which he has lectured at college campuses throughout the United States and the world. \nAfoaku said she believes it is both valuable and fortunate for everyone at IU to have this opportunity to hear from the man who created such an important holiday. Although Kwanzaa is based on the first harvest celebrations of African peoples, Afoaku stresses that it's a positive and all-inclusive holiday.\n"It is a cultural celebration, not just for black people, but for all people," she said. "The seven principles are basic human values that we all share."\nKwanzaa, which Karenga founded in 1966, is based on seven essential principles of African culture, including unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, \ncooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Karenga developed these principles to serve as the heart of Kwanzaa, which is traditionally celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.\n"I am interested to know if Karenga had (in mind) the creation of a cultural celebration with which African-Americans could identify without any reservation when he created Kwanzaa," said junior Courtney Williams, president of the Black Student Union.\nWilliams points out that Kwanzaa is one of the few non-religious holidays of the season. She feels that Kwanzaa allows her to celebrate both her African and American heritages. \n"A recurring theme in discussing African-American identity and culture is that often African-American individuals do not feel wholly American because trials such as racism persist in American culture," Williams said, "but neither (do they) feel able to identify with a particular African culture."\nWilliams and Afoaku both think Kwanzaa is a holiday that can be celebrated by all people throughout the year. \nIn addition to Karenga's speech, the evening will begin with a traditional candle-lighting ceremony, with each of seven candles representing one of the Kwanzaa principles. Then attendees will be invited to sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," known as the Black National Anthem.\nStudents will perform dances and dramatic works, and the African American Choral Ensemble will sing. The celebration will continue into the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center for a soul food dinner and reception with Karenga and his wife.
(12/01/05 12:56am)
Interim IU-Bloomington Chancellor Ken Gros Louis will award six IUB staff members with his 2005 Staff Merit Awards in the next few weeks. Each winner will receive a $1,000 prize and a plaque.\n"I believe that it is very important to recognize outstanding staff because they are so critical to effective functioning of the campus," Gros Louis said.\nTwo awards are given in each of three categories, which include professional staff, service/maintenance staff and support staff. Winners are chosen by a selection committee following written nominations and an interview process.\nWinners in the professional staff category are Richard Hvale, academic advisor for the University Division, and Jane Rogan, associate director and fiscal officer, Liberal Arts & Management. Service staff winners are Vicki Conley, custodian for Residential Programs and Services, and Bernard L. Porter, journeyman/multi-craft worker for the physical plant and HVAC. Support staff winners are Candis F. Aker, accounting representative for School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation division of recreational sports, and Deborah K. Lane, clinic coordinator of counseling and educational psychology.\nLane said she felt honored to even be nominated for this award, and said it felt great to learn that she was nominated by at least one person on each floor of her four-floor office building. Aker, a purchasing supervisor for the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, credits her win to her colleagues, as well as her love of her job.\n"I take pride in my work and I want to represent this division in the best light possible," Aker said. "I enjoy what I do, and I think a lot of folks have recognized that. But it's just the way they are here. My supervisor has never failed to recognize the staff here in our office."\nHaving worked at universities for the past 25 years, Aker has most enjoyed seeing the appreciation the students have for what her department of recreational sports does. She is also excited to share the honor with her friends, colleagues and family, especially her two teenage daughters.\n"It's exciting for me to show them you can enjoy your work, and take pride in it, and be recognized for that," Aker said. \nIn the past, only three awards were given annually, but the sheer volume of nominations forced the coordinators to expand the awards to six this year. Gros Louis believes this year's winners, as well as all IU staff members, are very special and integral to the University.\n"These recipients are very worthy, but having said that, we have so many outstanding (staff) that others could have been chosen as well," Gros Louis said.\nThese annual awards honor those staff members who might normally go unnoticed in their day-to-day work. All staff members have the opportunity to be nominated by colleagues for this honor, from the janitor who cleans dorms and the adviser who helps to plan futures to the accountant who manages school finances and the landscape artist who maintains the beauty of the campus.\n"Over the years, I've been impressed that all the winners have gone out of their way -- that is, done much more than is required to perform their responsibilities," Gros Louis said.\nThe awards ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 12 in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana Memorial Union.
(11/21/05 4:34pm)
IU Student Television is on the move.\nThe student media station will transfer into a newly built, 2,000-square-foot studio in Read Center, where the staff hopes to have all equipment and furniture in by Thanksgiving break.\n"It's a big step for the organization," said senior Anthony Leong, executive director of IUSTV.\nSince its inception in 2002, IUSTV has produced all its shows from an office building in Ashton Center. Following approval last May, IUSTV staff has been looking forward to its move to Read, primarily because its old studio will soon be demolished to make way for the new $56 million Ashton Center.\nLeong expressed excitement about the move to the Read studio, which was custom-built specifically for the needs of IUSTV. Producers say they believe the new studio will provide the opportunity for greater professionalism in their work.\n"It's just showing that IUSTV is stepping up in its place at IU," said senior Matt Horwitz, producer of the TV shows "Amplified" and "Unlocked."\nThe new studio offers enhanced fiber-optic cables and computer systems, which will allow IUSTV to begin broadcasting on Bloomington cable access television through the cable operator Insight, in addition to its current campus broadcasts on Channel 2. Eventually, the new facilities will allow both channels to offer customized programming tailored to each audience's needs.\nHorwitz said the move is a big deal because it will make things easier for all shows. Joining this year's lineup of student favorites shows like "Hoosier Date" and "Rate Your Plate" are two new shows: "Home Suite Home" and "Unlocked."\nModeling its premise after MTV's "Cribs," "Home Suite Home" takes viewers on tours of creatively decorated dorm rooms, apartments and student houses.\nSenior Alicia Martin, producer of "Home Suite Home," said she is proud that this is the first IUSTV show started by a female, and she not only wants to give ideas to people decorating their own rooms but also entertain the mostly dorm-dwelling audience.\n"The content is really important," Martin said. "But to make it cool, we really try to go crazy with the editing and the camera work and the music."\nThis season's expected eight episodes will highlight creativity and personality, and will often feature themed rooms. In the future, Martin said she hopes the show will expand to include tours of sororities, fraternities and even professors' homes.\n"Unlocked" explores possible paranormal activity on campus and in the Bloomington area. It is the first show to be developed by the Program Steering Committee, a newly formed group of producers, executives and staff members who develop program ideas and evaluate their quality.\nTeaming up with IU's Department of Folklore and the Indiana Ghost Trackers, "Unlocked" investigates the Bloomington Historical Museum in its first episode, set to premiere Monday. Horwitz said he believes this show will fill a void for people wondering about Indiana's unexplained occurrences.\n"Everybody has these ghost stories," Horwitz said. "People have had experiences around campus that no one has explained."\nStudents who want their "cribs" to be part of "Home Suite Home" can find the application at www.iustv.com and e-mail it to information@iustv.com.
(11/09/05 4:35am)
The IU Civil Liberties Union will sponsor "It's My Choice," a panel discussion of women's rights, at 8:30 p.m. today in Room 209 of the Kelley School of Business. The panel will address issues of constitutionality and privacy in relation to reproductive freedom and abortion.\nJared Sloane, executive director of the IUCLU, said he hopes this discussion will get people to understand the legal and privacy issues of abortion that affect both men and women. In turn, he hopes people will be encouraged to take action. \nIn May 2004, the Food and Drug Administration denied approval of the emergency contraceptive pill, Plan B, for over-the-counter availability. It is currently only available through prescription. The recent need to replace two Supreme Court justices has also brought the discussion of women's reproductive rights to the national spotlight.\nIn light of these events, Sloane believes now is the necessary time to give attention to the idea of a woman's right to choose. \nKelly McBride, a sexuality educator and trainer from the Bloomington Planned Parenthood, will join the panel to outline recent developments and relevant information surrounding the issue of abortion. McBride has worked with IU in the past on events at the Kinsey Institute.\n"Reproductive rights are an important topic in our culture, and knowledge brings understanding," said McBride, who sites issues of access and governmental control in addition to Supreme Court changes in making this such a timely event.\nCarol McCord, assistant dean of the Office for Women's Affairs, and Nigel Pizzini, adviser for the IU Men's Coalition, will also be part of the panel. They will primarily focus on what can be done at IU and within the Bloomington community to raise awareness about reproductive rights and make a difference.\nPizzini is the founder of "No Excuse," an organization of men committed to taking responsibility for sexual awareness and supporting initiatives against sexual assault.\nThe IUCLU, an affiliate of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union, strives to protect individuals by dealing with legal issues rather than political issues.\n"(It's) what we do best: defending the rights and liberties set out in the Constitution," Sloane said.\nThe Planned Parenthood Federation of America has a similar type of goal that is more narrowly defined. According to their mission statement, "Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility." \nIn addition to the panel discussion, the IUCLU will provide sandwiches and drinks.