136 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(01/20/07 3:04am)
After being impressed by presidential candidates during the first round of interviews, the Presidential Search Committee is confident they will find the University's next leader in a reasonable timetable. \nStill, the committee continues to reach out to certain individuals who they have not yet considered for the position but who might serve as strong candidates as the inquiry continues, said IU trustee Sue Talbot. There is no deadline for submitting nominations for the position, and Talbot, the search committee's chair, said they might be conducting more first-round interviews in the "very near future." \n"We were very impressed with the depth of knowledge the (applicants) brought to the candidate sessions," Talbot said. "Even further, they all had a high regard for IU as an institution and that is very flattering."\nCandidates began meeting with the search committee Jan. 10 in Chicago where they were individually pressed about their qualifications, Talbot said. These intense interviews are for a position which has been highly touted by some University officials as reserved for someone exceptional. \nCandidates who stood out over others demonstrated how their previous experience has brought them to where they are today and the challenges they have faced previously in other leadership roles, Talbot said.\nAnd although officials have maintained throughout the search that these qualities were standard for such a high-profile and management-intensive position, some faculty have suggested the trustees are specifically looking for a new president with different leadership qualities. \nHerbert has been criticized for his management style and failure to act as the University's visible figurehead throughout his tenure, said J. Alexander Tanford recently. Tanford, an IU law professor, has served as an active voice in advocating for greater openness in the presidential search and said the search committee would likely select a candidate who displayed a different management style than Herbert.\nTalbot remains unshaken and committed to the search's processes, despite the harsh criticism. She said people such as IU Student Association Vice President Andrew Lauck, who recently spoke against the lack of student involvement, were dwelling on issues the committee had previously resolved. \n"We have had (student) input from the start," Talbot said. "(Lauck) is continuing to talk about conversations we have had in the past. But yes, we considered their suggestions, and no, we did not choose to involve them in the search process and all I can say is 'I'm sorry.'"\nDespite protests about the hushed presidential pursuit, Talbot was quick to dispel the notion that IU could face an embarrassment like the one witnessed at the University of Iowa -- a fellow president-seeking institution that also chose to cloud its search in closed-door conferences. Iowa disbanded its search in December, after narrowing the field down to a final four candidates. The decision rippled throughout academia, but Talbot insisted there was no chance the same would be seen at IU. \nEven if no new candidates emerged, Talbot said because the search committee was pleased enough with the current applicants, they would be able to select the University's next leader. \n"We learned a good lesson from watching (Iowa)," she said. "And we are all feeling for them"
(01/18/07 5:05am)
A rare glimpse of bipartisanship resounded through Congress Wednesday as the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill to cut interest rates on federally subsidized student loans.\nThe bill, which passed 356-71, aims to slash interest rates nearly in half over the next five years -- dropping them from 6.4 percent to 3.4 percent annually.\nThe bill was a part of the Democrats' first-100-day plan, where they aim to push significant legislation through Congress in hopes of bringing about rapid change.\nIf the bill passes through the Senate and is signed by President Bush, it could affect millions of low- and middle-income families nationwide.\nBut if it took effect, only a small percentage of these families would experience the plan's full benefit. Under the bill's provisions, interest rates of loans will decrease annually until 2012 starting July 1, 2007. But only within the six-month window of July 1, 2011 to Jan. 1, 2012 will rates reach their lowest point of 3.4 percent. The potential law would then expire unless renewed by Congress.\nRecently elected Democratic Congressman Baron Hill, said this is because it is tough to predict what the economic situation of the United States will look like in five years. After reviewing the economic landscape in 2012, Congress could make adjustments to the student loan interest rate and renew the provisions, he said. \n"There is still so much we can do," Hill said, referring to how this bill only covers federally subsidized loans. Subsidized loans are loans provided by the federal government, as opposed to private lenders.\nSome Republican critics of the bill said it does not go far enough in helping students pay for college, saying the root of student debt is caused by rising tuition rates.\n"It's hard to dispute the fact that this bill is helping kids," Hill said. Although the bill's passage in the House might be a small step, he said it was one in the right direction. \nThat direction, he said, will ultimately bring an increase in Pell Grants -- federal grants that do not require repayment given to needy students. In addition, Hill said eventually he wants to make it easier for students who struggle to pay a university's tuition but are not within the current need range for receiving federal aid.\nHill said he was confident that bringing about loan rate cuts for less desperate families was possible but warned that it could take more than a year.\nThe delay in expanding money-saving plans is caused by the new Congress' commitment to reducing the national debt -- which currently hovers around $8 trillion, Hill said.\nIf the bill passes, he said the banks would lose out on the deal because they will be required to pay more in fees under the proposal's provisions.\nThis comes as good news to Debbie Sibbitt, IU's director of Hoosiers for Higher Education, an advocacy group that works to secure increased funds for universities statewide. She said she hoped the government would not take money away from the education sector, creating the illusion that they were actually helping students. \nEven though much of Sibbitt's work includes advocating for funds at the state level, she said the federal move would be welcomed. And with many students receiving breaks if the bill passes, she said this should still not affect what she believes to be the state Legislature's need to allocate more funds to universities across Indiana. \nThe bill seemed popular around IU's campus Wednesday, as students surveyed in the Indiana Memorial Union said they were in support of cutting student loan rates. A bill like this could help the United States recharge its academic atmosphere, said junior Francesca Monn, adding that the country has recently been surpassed by other nations in many research areas.\nAnd for people like senior Tracie Hoppie, the bill's passage was in good faith but just a few years too late.\n"It would have helped me more five years ago," she said.
(01/17/07 3:47am)
Sixty-five minors were cited for underage drinking early Sunday morning at the Varsity Villas Apartments complex after a caller's complaint that the minors were throwing beer bottles at passers-by.\nWhen officers from the Indiana State Excise Police arrived at 464 Varsity Lane, they found between 12 and 15 minors outside the house holding beer bottles and plastic blue cups, according to an Indiana State Excise Police news release.\nIn addition to the 65 citations, one minor was also charged with false informing.\nBoth of the apartment's residents who were at the party were underage but not cited because they had not been consuming alcohol, said Officer Travis Thickstun of the State Excise Police, who was one of the officers on the scene.\nBut the investigation into the apartment's residents was still not complete, Thickstun said, and the two residents could potentially still face charges.\nThe police did not know who had thrown bottles from the apartment's balcony, but Thickstun said he did not think anybody was injured.\n"This was not the first party I have gone to where I have cited 65 people," Thickstun said, adding he has gone to several parties where more than 100 people have been cited for underage alcohol consumption.\nThe Indiana State Excise Police is the law-enforcement division of Indiana's Alcohol and Tobacco Commission. The agency works to reduce the access and availability of alcohol and tobacco to minors, according to its Web site. \nThe bust was in conjunction with the IU Police Department and the Bloomington Police Department.\nAll 65 cited are scheduled to appear in February before the Monroe Circuit Court, according to the news release.
(01/16/07 5:21pm)
On a quest to exonerate her imprisoned son, Jodie Myers says she has lost faith in the justice system she once thought was meant to protect her.\nJodie, whose son John Myers II was convicted of the May 2000 killing IU sophomore Jill Behrman, has begun publicly criticizing the processes through which her son was condemned.\nJohn Myers II was convicted last October in a case that has been decried by some as unjust. Questions of improper juror behavior arose over allegations that jury members consumed excessive amounts of alcohol during the trial.\nWith a guilty verdict found within 45 minutes of beginning deliberations in a case that Jodie Myers and others have called more complex than the near-immediate verdict would suggest, she said she has to work to prove her son's innocence because she said she knew John was incapable of murder. \nBesides the distress it causes her to have a son imprisoned because of what she calls an "unfair" investigation and trial, she has mourned a husband's death to cancer and another son's deployment to Iraq since Behrman was murdered.\n"I believe I certainly must have a special place in heaven, because I have been through hell on Earth," she said, sitting in her family's living room, where she lives with John Myers II's 11-year-old daughter.\nBut even before the indictment, she said the investigation was conducted in an unfair fashion -- one she said set out to prove her son's guilt rather than examine all the facts. When the lead investigator, Detective Rick Lang of the Indiana State Police, first came to interview her about their interest in her son as a suspect, she said Lang told her after he turned off his tape recorder, "I'll lie to get what I need."\nLang adamantly denied any wrongdoing in the case, saying it was "absolutely not true" he told her he was willing to lie.\n"She knows what the truth is herself," Lang said. "Anything she is saying would not surprise me."\nLang said that John Myers II received a fair trial and that Jodie Myers' suggestions otherwise were just a mother's attempt at protecting her son.\n"She has been trying to protect Johnny all his life," \nhe said.\n'Justice for John'\nSome might question why, if John Myers II is innocent as his mother says, did so many presume his guilt? After seven years on the case, Jodie Myers said the police, the courts and the community were simply tired of hearing and thinking about Behrman's death. Those involved were ready to move on. After investigating other suspects before her son, Lang and others just wanted to put somebody in prison -- regardless of whether they were guilty, she said. \nAnd because of his dirty track record, including charges of battery and receiving stolen property, she said he was an easy target for the authorities.\nBut Jodie Myers said her work is just beginning. About a month ago, she and her team of about 15 launched a Web site, www.justiceforjohnsite.com, which has already received about 11,000 hits. \nThe site presents arguments why they believe her son is innocent and provides a space where users can post thoughts on the case.\n"There was no proof," one visitor said, referring to the case's lack of physical evidence. \n"I just wanted you to know that I'm praying for you and I am praying for justice for John and Jill," wrote another.\nReligious messages such as Bible verses in bold lettering appear throughout the site, demonstrating Jodie Myers' faith -- something she said has been unshakable throughout the entire ordeal. \n"God allows everything to happen for a purpose," she said, "so even in pain and in the tears, I continue to rely on God and my strength comes from Him."\nA family divided \nMuch strength has been demanded from her during the past few years as she said she has watched her family crumble -- caused largely in part by a testimony against John Myers II by Jodie Myers' mother, Betty Swafford.\nAfter the trial jurors said Swafford's testimony about a November 2004 conversation she had with her grandson was a major reason they voted to convict.\n"(John) said, 'Grandma, if you just knew the things on my mind ... If the authorities knew, I'd spend the rest of my life in prison,' Swafford said under oath. "He said, 'My dad knew, and he took it to the grave with him.'"\nJodie Myers said the conversation was taken out of context. Her son, she said, was referring to numerous mistakes made throughout his life, not one specifically, as the testimony suggested. Since the statement and Swafford's estrangement from the family, Jodie Myers said the healing process with her mother has begun and she has forgiven Swafford for what she believes to be an unfair deposition.\n"It has caused a riff," Jodie Myers said. "And I don't know how that is going to heal."\nBut even beyond Swafford's testimony, Richard Swinney, who was related to John Myers II by marriage at the time of Behrman's murder, also testified against him. Swinney said the two had gone hunting together in the woods where Behrman's body was later found.\nBut Jodie Myers said Swinney lied to the court -- acknowledging this was a very serious accusation -- because she said she knew John only ever went hunting with his father.\n"(Swinney) is from a different world," Jodie Myers said, adding that "he got his 10 minutes of fame." \nIf Jodie Myers is right, and if appeals filed by the defense team are won, the question -- surely to the dismay of the Behrman family -- once again becomes: Who killed Jill Behrman?\nJodie Myers said she has her suspects but would not name them while the defense prepared to file an appeal, saying she thought Behrman's killer was under the investigators' noses.\n"I have a fear for my own safety," she said. "There are people out there who don't want the truth to come out."\nAbove all else, she vowed this case is not over. Even with a verdict wrought, she said she would fight on until her son is freed. \n"When I go out now, I go out with a different purpose," she said. "I go out to exonerate my son -- to find the truth"
(01/12/07 4:57am)
At least one IU professor said he believes that by keeping the presidential search hushed, the University's next leader could possess what he sees as some of current President Adam Herbert's same flaws.\nThe complaints, voiced by law professor J. Alexander Tanford and others over the past several months come as the Presidential Search Committee finishes interviewing candidates Friday in Chicago.\nTanford has been an active voice in speaking against the secrecy of the search, which began last June. He said that because faculty members and students had contacts at universities around the country, they could give accurate feedback on a potential candidate's management style and his leadership capability -- something he said Herbert has been criticized for during his tenure.\n"People were concerned (Herbert) has not been helpful enough in fundraising and alumni relations," Tanford said. "He was not visible enough with the legislature and not enough of a figurehead." \nHe attributed having a president with these shortcomings to the similar secrecy under which Herbert was chosen in June 2003.\nStill, Tanford said there was "zero" chance the search committee would revert on its decision of confidentiality. \n"(The Presidential Search Committee is) committed to a process of secrecy because they are convinced that qualified candidates will not come forward unless they have secrecy," he said. "In other words, it would be embarrassing professionally not to get the presidency."\nFor the next president to be successful, he said he or she should already have knowledge of the University and be familiar with some of IU's goals. There has been chatter among some faculty that Interim Provost Michael McRobbie might be best suited for the job, Tanford said. Many professors liked his management style and accessibility, he said.\nThe University has not confirmed any names of candidates.\nThe decision to keep the details of the search quiet was not made blindly, said Larry MacIntyre, IU's director of media relations. MacIntyre said that to get the widest range of applicants, the University had to assure candidates of their confidentiality.\nSome student leaders have also voiced discontent with their lack of involvement in the search process. \n"(The search committee members) probably just don't trust involving more students," said Andrew Lauck, vice president of the IU Student Association. "There has been absolutely no effort to get student involvement in the process," he said.\nIUSA will continue to be critical of the search committee's methods, Lauck said.\nMichael Renfrow, IU-Southeast's student body president, is the only student on the search committee.\nAn entirely separate Faculty Search Committee, which makes recommendations to the Presidential Search Committee, aims to make sure faculty members are involved in the process, MacIntyre said.\nThe secrecy found throughout IU's quest for a new leader comes as several other Big Ten institutions grapple with the same questions of protecting a candidate's privacy and taxpayers' right to know. The University of Iowa suspended their presidential search in December after requiring that search committee members sign a written statement of confidentiality. The search disbanded after it narrowed to four finalists.\nMacIntyre said IU's presidential search is expected to be completed by summer. If not, several of the trustees' terms, including search committee president Sue Talbot's, will expire. Talbot has said she is undecided whether she will seek re-election, citing personal reasons.
(01/11/07 5:32am)
The Monroe County Council unanimously opposed IU's proposed outsourcing plan in a letter to University officials Tuesday.\nThe letter, which was signed by all seven members of the Council, outlined their resistance to why the University should reconsider plans to contract some services including the IU Motor Pool and IU Bookstore.\n"Outsourcing the numerous jobs that have exponentially benefited Monroe County and the State of Indiana is an initiative that certainly strains the harmony that exists between Indiana University and life beyond the Sample Gates," the letter stated. \nThe educational opportunities afforded to University employees also bolstered the entire community, the letter added. \nMichael Woods, president of the Monroe County Council, said he worried that if employees worked under a private corporation, they would lose the fee courtesy -- a benefit that allows University employees and their families to attend IU at reduced rates. Even though he said he had not seen any formal corporate proposals, which have not yet been released to the public, Woods said he expected the overall pay and benefits of the employees to diminish. \nBy maintaining a "high degree of control" over contracting some of the services, Woods said the University could write clauses into potential contracts that will ensure the continuance of employee benefits.\nA snowball effect could also arise if outsourcing plans come to pass, said Sophia Travis, a Monroe County councilwoman. If one company sees IU privatizing some of its services, other companies -- likely unrelated to the University -- would follow IU's lead, she said. \n"This county council's bold stand sends a message to the labor unions in Monroe County that we support them and their livelihoods and we think it is important to protect their jobs," she said, adding that such an overt statement was highly unusual for the council. \nTalk of contracting several University services stems from years of slowing financial support for IU by the state legislature. Officials who support the proposal, including IU Trustee William Cast, have said that without finding some way to cut glut costs, the University could have trouble maintaining academic standards. Cast said the potential money saved from contracting would benefit needy humanities departments at the University. If contracting the bookstore and IU Motor Pool proved successful, Cast said the trustees would consider expanding privatizing other areas such as food services.\nThe potential money saved might only be temporary though, Travis said, calling view of some officials "shortsighted." She said that if these employees saw a decrease in wages or benefits, a greater strain would be placed on the county's social services. It could also lessen revenues from the County Option Income Tax -- a tax that varies with a county's economic state, Travis said. If this happens, she said the county could have a very difficult time meeting basic infrastructure needs. \nThe objections filed by Monroe County officials follow moves taken by other local and state officials. Those that formally opposed the proposition include, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, state Reps. Matt Pierce and Peggy Welch, both Bloomington Democrats and Senator Vi Simpson (D-Ellettsville).\nThe trustees are expected to receive a report and take action on the issue at their next business meeting, scheduled for Feb. 1 and 2 at the Bloomington campus.
(01/09/07 5:36am)
Even with the weekslong delay of a University report and objections by some local lawmakers, one IU trustee said the University needs to contract some of its services to counteract diminishing state funds.\nCurrently in consideration for outsourcing are both the IU Motor Pool and the IU Bookstore, which could both serve as experiments when considering contracting other University services in the future, said William Cast, an IU trustee. He said the trustees would make a final decision regarding the future of the two services at the board's next business meeting -- currently scheduled for Feb. 1. \nA report including recommendations from the office of Terry Clapacs, IU's vice president and chief administrative officer, was expected Dec. 22, but Larry MacIntyre, IU director of Media Relations said the office requested an additional few weeks so it could further review corporate bids for both the IU Motor Pool and the IU Bookstore. \nAbout four companies placed bids to operate the IU Motor Pool, while three took action to gain control of the bookstore, Cast said. \nSeveral local politicians, including Bloomington mayor Mark Kruzan and Democratic state representatives Matthew Pierce and Peggy Welch, and Senator Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville, have voiced opposition to the \nproposed outsourcing. \nThe three state representatives sent letters to both IU President Adam Herbert as well as the University's trustees, urging them not to contract services to private corporations. They cited fears of diminishing Bloomington's wage base if these services were outsourced, Cast said. The trustee would not call the plan "outsourcing," however, saying that the proposal was not outsourcing because all of the jobs would still be based in Bloomington.\n"I don't think it will change the wage base in Bloomington one whit," Cast said. The millions of dollars saved through contracting the bookstore and the motor pool could be used to develop the life sciences at IU -- an area that he expects will attract high-paying and technologically-advanced jobs to the area, he said. \n"Indiana University is the only Big Ten school not to have contracted bookstore services," Cast said, in a written response to the lawmakers' initial letter. The same is true coast to coast. The Stanford Bookstore, the University of Chicago bookstore and the Yale (bookstore) are not operated by their universities."\nBy developing the life sciences with the money saved, something Cast said he wanted to do, the University would also contribute some more money to the humanities -- something he said they needed to do. \nContracting university services at IU -- especially the bookstore -- is in line with a nationwide trend. \nIn the past 10 years, the number of universities choosing to contract their bookstore operations has increased by about 60 percent, according to the National Association for College Stores' Web site.\nAlong with decreasing costs, Cliff Ewert, vice president of public and campus relations for the Follett Corporation -- one of the nation's largest university bookstore contractors -- said in a November interview that many universities pursued their services because they were able to specialize in a way in-house operations could not. \nAlthough the decision has not become official yet, Cast said he was pretty sure all the trustees wanted to save the University as much money \nas possible.\n"The majority view is if we have to do this to solve financial problems, then it will pass," he said.
(01/05/07 5:03am)
While the University moves closer to choosing President Adam Herbert's successor, the IU Presidential Search Committee has chosen to interview both American and international candidates, said Sue Talbot, an IU trustee and chair of the Presidential Search Committee.\nThe 13-member committee will hold closed-door interviews for three days in Chicago beginning 6 p.m. Jan. 10, according to an IU news release.\nCommenting on why the meeting will be held in Chicago rather than Bloomington, Talbot said when the University brings candidates in from abroad, transportation to a big city is often easier.\n"Not only are we choosing the candidates, we are selling IU to these people," Talbot said. "We want to show these potential candidates how courteous we actually are."\nTalbot said finding the outstanding candidates was not particularly challenging.\n"Between the two committees, it wasn't as difficult as you might imagine when we had a very diverse pool of many, many names to narrow the candidates down," Talbot said. "It becomes quite clear, quite quickly, who the potential candidates are."\nDespite the diversity, there were definite commonalities among all the candidates the search committee chose to interview, Talbot said. \n"All of these people have had experience with research institutions," she said. "This is not an easy job or for the faint of heart. This candidate will be someone who is a strong leader in a multi-campus environment and who can continue to work toward IU's goals."\nThis is the first round of interviews in what will be at least a two-round process, Talbot said. And even though she was pleased with the potential candidates, saying they all were "strong," she said that a new candidate could emerge whom they had never before considered.\n"This is an open-ended search. There is no application deadline," the trustee said.\nRoughly an equal number of men and women will be interviewed next week, Talbot said, but she added that the University would never have selected candidates based on numbers or sex.\nThe Presidential Search Committee was formed last spring following Herbert's announcement that he will step down when his contract expires in July 2008. The committee includes several trustees, University administrators from several campuses and faculty members.\nTalbot said the search committees' hope is to have a new president selected sometime in the summer. Should that happen, Herbert has said he will step down early so the University's new leader can take office.
(01/05/07 5:03am)
Bloomington Hospital and Anthem Health Insurance failed to make New Year's resolutions this year.\nDespite ongoing talks during the holiday break, the service contract between Anthem and the hospital expired Dec. 31, meaning thousands of IU employees likely face increased medical bills.\nThe added costs are due to the newly established out-of-network patient status that will not begin until March 1 because of a state law, according to a Bloomington Hospital news release. For the next 60 days, those people holding Anthem insurance will have a grace period where they will maintain their in-network status, according to the release.\nIf an agreement is not reached after the grace period, patients carrying Anthem insurance will still be able to receive treatment from the hospital, but at much higher costs.\nIn addition to being IU's health-care provider for employees, Anthem is also the state's largest health-insurance company, and recently some of the faculty and staff who will be affected by the dispute have expressed concern about paying pricier medical bills. \nFor the past several weeks, IU officials have maintained their optimism that the two sides would reach an agreement before the contract expired. Several IU trustees and Dan Rives, IU associate vice president for administration and university human resources, have said the University has not developed a plan if a new contract is not reached within the next two months. \n"A vast majority of these types of disputes between hospitals and health-care providers all get settled at the very end," Rives said. He said he wished the situation would have been settled before the Dec. 31 deadline and hoped the dispute would be resolved "as soon as possible."\nThe IU Human Resource Services' Web site has been updated regularly throughout the break to keep interested faculty and staff up-to-date on the situation. A letter was also sent to thousands of employees Dec. 20, explaining the negotiations and laying out general guidelines for the next few months if no agreement is reached.\nAt a Dec. 8 business meeting, talks did not mention the dispute or a University response, though a discussion of health care was on the agenda.\nThis is because the University has no real push in the situation, said Larry MacIntyre, IU director of media relations. Because IU officials have not been privy to any information from the closed-door discussions between Anthem and Bloomington Hospital, MacIntyre said there was not much the University could do to respond. \nSo far, Rives said, the closest IU has come to taking sides on the issue or wielding their influence over the negotiators is "indicating to Bloomington Hospital that we sincerely hope for a resolution." He would not say whether this meant the University believed Bloomington Hospital should concede to some of the Anthem's demands.\nNegotiations are still hinged on the "financial terms" of the new contract, Jim Myers, Bloomington Hospital's CFO, said in an e-mail interview. Even after the 60-day grace period ends, the two sides will continue to talk as long as officials from Bloomington Hospital believe a fair contract can be reached, he said.\nThe dispute stems from Anthem's demands to have the ability to amend its contract with the hospital at any time, to give out hospital price information to its customers and to place restrictions on changes in services or facilities at the hospital, according to a November Bloomington Hospital press release.\nIf the 60-day grace period expires before an agreement is reached, Anthem will also no longer be considered an in-network provider at PromptCare clinics and lab services at some doctor's offices in Bloomington. In addition, the Bloomington Hospital of Orange County, the Southern Indiana Medical Group and the Continuing Care Inc. facilities will all also be affected, according to a Bloomington Hospital fact sheet.
(12/11/06 2:16pm)
Officials announced Friday that the University will cover the remaining tuition balance for incoming students who already receive aid from federal Pell Grants. \nIU President Adam Herbert and IU Interim Provost Michael McRobbie unveiled the plan at the board of trustees' regularly scheduled business meeting at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis.\nThe $1.8 million initiative aims to pick up where federal aid ends for some students, and it will affect more than 500 IU recipients of federal Pell Grants, according to an IU news release. These students will now have all tuition and fees covered by IU and will only be responsible for purchasing books and paying for living expenses, according to the University. \nTo get the aid, students must score at least 1,150 on their SATs and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA once they are at the University, according to the release. Last year, the average SAT score for incoming freshmen was 1,110, according to CollegeBoard statistics. \n"There was a big gap," said Larry MacIntyre, director of IU Media Relations. "It used to be you could receive up to $4,000 (from the government), and that didn't cover all of the costs." \nMacIntyre said these initiatives were set up for students whose parents earned too much each year to qualify for other aid opportunities but still required financial assistance.\n"You can't say IU costs too much and is not serving Indiana," he said.\nThe announcement comes in the wake of four other financial aid programs announced last month. These programs are the IU Excellence Award, the 21st Century Scholars Covenant, the Hudson-Holland Scholar supplement and the Research Scholar Program. \nAlthough all these programs do not necessarily aim to assist low-income families, they will add to the general aiding capacities of the University. It will take several years for some of these programs to take full effect, but eventually, $13 million will be added to University financial aid as a result of these programs.\n"This important initiative reflects the continuing commitment of Indiana University-Bloomington to eliminate financial barriers that prevent the enrollment of students from low-income families," Herbert said in a statement.\nFederal Pell Grants have existed for more than 30 years, but unlike some other federal financial aid programs, Pell Grants do not require repayment. For students to qualify for Pell Grants, the government examines areas such as expected family contribution, the cost of attending the institution and whether the student attends full-time. \nIU trustee Sue Talbot said the board also approved all three items up for vote on the docket: clarifying the relationship between the University president and the president of the IU Foundation, approving the board's committee priorities for 2006-07 and approving seven new members to the IU-Southeast board of advisors. \nAlthough the Dec. 31 deadline looming for Bloomington Hospital and health care provider Anthem/WellPoint to reach a new contract, Talbot said the board did not discuss the dispute during a health care update by Dan Rives, IU associate vice president for administration and University human resources.\nTalbot said Rives' presentation focused on the rising cost in health care and how IU has striven to keep costs low for employees. \n"(The dispute between Anthem and Bloomington Hospital) is just something we can't do anything about," she said. "They are still in negotiations"
(12/08/06 4:45am)
Although IU employee health care is on the docket for Friday's meeting of the IU board of trustees, officials insist the contract dispute between Anthem/WellPoint, IU's health-insurance provider, and Bloomington Hospital will not take center stage.\nThe presentation, titled "Update: Employee Health Care Program," will be given by Dan Rives, IU associate vice president for administration and University human resources, according to the meeting's agenda. The presentation is one of a number of issues to be discussed today at the trustees' regularly scheduled meeting at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis.\n"I am not anticipating talking about (the dispute)," Rives said. "I will probably only discuss it if asked."\nHe said both he and the trustees remained "optimistic" the situation would still be worked out before the Dec. 31 deadline. Therefore, he said, he did not feel it was necessary to bring up the dispute during his presentation to the trustees. Rives said the board would discuss a back-up plan in the future should the parties not reach an agreement by the deadline.\nIU officials interviewed over the past several weeks have said the University expects both sides to reach an agreement by the deadline and have not yet begun to develop alternate plans.\nFor seven months, Bloomington Hospital and Anthem -- the health-care provider for IU employees -- have been hinged in reaching an agreement for a contract renewal.\nThe contract will expire Dec. 31, and unless the two sides reach a concession, employees and students under the state's largest health-care provider will be forced to pay significantly higher "out-of-network" fees at Bloomington Hospital and PromptCare clinics, among other Bloomington-area health-care facilities. \nAlong with Rives' presentation, the trustees will be addressed by both IU President Adam Herbert and Ted Miller, president of the Bloomington Faculty Council. \nThe board is also expected to vote on several issues, including the priorities of the 2006-2007 board committees, the approval of individuals to the IU Southeast board of advisors and the ratification of the current structural relationship between the president of the IU Foundation and the University president.
(12/07/06 5:43am)
Even after the successor of IU President Adam Herbert takes office, the University will require the outgoing president to stay involved with IU, according to Herbert's contract.\nIn return for his services, the University will pay Herbert $30,000 for each of the 10 years he is required to provide IU with consulting and "advisory services." According to the agreement, Herbert cannot total more than 120 hours per year.\nWhile the contract does not put any restrictions on the minimum number of hours he is to serve, it does say Herbert is expected to act in the best interests of the University if asked. \n"(The agreement) allows us to take advantage of President Herbert's 30-plus years in education," IU trustee Patrick Shoulders said. "He's got a wealth of knowledge from his experiences that he can still share with everyone."\nHerbert will have "no formal schedule of duties or assignments," and he will be free to work without University supervision, according to the contract.\nDespite the agreement's vagueness, Shoulders said he expects Herbert to offer advice in various areas of IU's administration. Specifically, Shoulders said he expected Herbert would help to train the new president when he or she is selected.\n"There is no question the next president will require assistance from Adam Herbert," Shoulders said. "He brings to the table a wealth of knowledge in both tactical operations and strategies."\nHerbert and the University came to the agreement as part of contract negotiations in 2003 when he took control of the University from departing President Myles Brand. \nBut even with his hand still active in IU affairs -- and his bank account benefiting -- Herbert will no longer be considered an IU employee when his resignation is complete. He will be viewed as an "independent contractor" whose paycheck will come from the University's "general assets," according to the terms of his contract.\nAnd Herbert might not have to serve the full 10 years of service. The contract says both parties can agree to "shorten the term of the agreement and increase the number of hours of consulting." Even if the length is shortened, Herbert would still walk away paid in full. \nMedia-relations officials at Purdue University and Ohio State University said they did not think their schools had similar agreements. \nAt IU, keeping former presidents involved in University affairs is not uncommon. After serving in their leadership roles, four of the past six University presidents, not including Herbert, have remained active at IU as professors, chancellors or advisers. \n"Obviously, (Herbert) will be more active in the earlier years with training still going on," Shoulders said. "It's just hard to predict"
(12/06/06 5:33am)
Few outside of the IU Department of Chemistry know the government has contracted the University to develop technologies that could reliably detect roadside explosives and airborne biological threats.\nAnd that's the way David Clemmer, a chemistry professor and the project's scientific coordinator, likes it.\n"We don't like the publicity," he said as he descended the stairs into the chemistry building's basement laboratory. He said he thinks that if the project were more widely known, people could misunderstand its goals, and the researchers could be put under unnecessary scrutiny.\nClemmer said he is currently the only researcher at IU working on the $1.17 million project but said he will soon hire about five others to assist in the research, which is called Next Generation Threat Detection. The research ultimately aims to develop instruments that will detect threats in places such as airports. \nClemmer said his team would likely develop technology similar to the devices airport security employees have used for years to screen passengers for potential explosives. \nClemmer said one of the main goals of the project is to make the instrumentation more "robust" so it could withstand daily use and be more user-friendly.\n"One of the things we would like to achieve early on is reducing the number of false positives and increasing the (instrument's) sensitivity," Clemmer said. "We don't want people running for cover because of a false alarm."\nThe project is in collaboration with Purdue and the University of Illinois, while Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center, located about 40 miles southwest of Bloomington, will act as an administrator, overseeing the research and ensuring the team follows government protocol, said John Dement, the project's technology engagement officer at Crane.\n"The Midwest is a great place for analytical chemistry," Clemmer said, explaining why the government chose Big Ten universities to pursue the new technologies. \nThe threat detection research is just a sliver of the relationship Crane has developed with IU in recent years. The program is one of two major research projects taking shape with the naval base as a part of the 2007 Department of Defense appropriations.\nThe other is with the IU Cyclotron Facility, which has also been contracted by Crane to develop a free-electron laser. The facility's director, Paul Sokol, said the laser could be used to develop measures that could protect instrumentation aboard naval ships and in aircraft from the harmful effects of radiation.\nEven with the ambitious goals, Clemmer acknowledged a long road awaits him, saying it is still too early to ascertain exactly what his project could produce. He said developing instruments to detect explosives is relatively easy, but creating devices sensitive enough to detect a roadside threat is an entirely different hurdle.\n"The idea is that you have these things on the side of the vehicle that can run up and sniff (a potential explosive) before you get close enough that they can hurt you," Clemmer said. "And that is a very challenging thing."\nBoth Clemmer and Dement said even if all of the research goes according to plan, an actual device is about three years away -- if it's ever designed.\n"A lot of people assume because the money is there, the technology will hit the market," Dement said. "But there is a huge difference between what we are able to prove in the lab and what will actually work in the field."\nClemmer agreed about the challenges and said although he never envisioned working on this type of project, he said he thinks it is his duty to use this opportunity to develop potentially life-saving technology.\n"Nothing would make me happier than if we could develop a device that was being used over in Iraq tomorrow," he said. "But we're still a generation from there"
(11/30/06 10:59pm)
Amid ongoing disputes between Bloomington Hospital and the Anthem/WellPoint insurance company, IU-Bloomington employees learned Wednesday they will not be insured at the hospital beginning Jan. 1. \nThe University informed employees in a letter, saying they will no longer be considered in-network patients at Bloomington Hospital. As out-of-network patients, employees will be forced to pay increased out-of-pocket costs. \nNegotiations between Anthem and the hospital have been ongoing since April but an agreement was never reached, according to a Bloomington Hospital news release issued Nov. 3.\nHowever, Dan Rives, IU associate vice president of administration and university human resources, said he was hopeful an agreement would be reached by the Dec. 31 deadline. If the two sides come to an agreement, he said, IU employees could retain their in-network status.\nAmanda Roach, communication coordinator for Bloomington Hospital, said the hospital was also optimistic an agreement could be reached. She would not say, however, whether officials on either side had considered that thousands of staff and faculty at IU, the state's largest employer, would lose coverage at the primary hospital in Bloomington. \nIn addition to all inpatient and outpatient services at Bloomington Hospital, the Bloomington Hospital of Orange County and the Southern Indiana Medical Group will also be affected, according to a Bloomington Hospital fact sheet.
(11/30/06 2:12pm)
Though University policy prevented IU attorneys from giving doctoral student Chris Soghoian legal representation during a recent FBI investigation, Soghoian has voiced his discontent for the school's lack of support.\nSoghoian, whom the FBI was investigating because he created a fake boarding pass generator online as part of research for his dissertation, said he thinks the University should stand behind its researchers regardless of whether they are conducting research for University purposes. The Office of the University Counsel denied Soghoian's request for legal representation last month just hours before the FBI contacted him.\nUnder current IU policy, the office could not officially assist Soghoian, said Beth Cate, associate IU counsel. However, she said the counsel's office did as much as the policy would allow in advising Soghoian on where to seek legal services.\n"We had talked at lunch, and later that day the FBI contacted him," Cate said. "We discussed this issue of defense and indemnity and later he called asking where he could go for legal representation." \nShe added that she explained the University could not provide him legal protection because he did not meet the specific criteria.\nThe trustees enacted these policies for legal protection in a 1971 resolution, which specified the conditions under which the University would be obligated to provide legal aid.\nTo qualify for legal assistance, a person must pass two sets of criteria, according to the document. First, he or she must be acting as an "agent" of the University. Second, the person must have been acting "in good faith," or in actions that were considered in IU's best interests.\n"(Soghoian's) circumstances simply did not meet the threshold inquiry," Cate said, explaining that because his research was not University-sponsored or under any type of grant, he was not officially acting as an agent of IU. "We did not even make it to the second part."\nHowever, for Soghoian, this was not enough.\n"This institution has acted disgracefully," he said.\nAlthough IU might be considered one of the top universities for Informatics security research, if University officials do not protect its researchers, the University is going to have difficulties recruiting, Soghoian said.\n"If they want to share in the limelight, they need to share in the risks and costs," he said.\nEven with Soghoian's complaints, Cate said the counsel's office rarely handles this type of request. The office often receives calls from researchers requesting legal or ethical advice, she said, but it is uncommon for it to receive requests for formal legal representation.\n"This policy really only gets triggered if someone gets sued -- which is quite rare," she said. "It really does not tend to come up very much." \nIt is even less common that someone seeking assistance is denied, Cate said, adding that she could not even remember the last time this had happened.\nShe said most research institutions have incorporated similar procedures to IU's.\nIU trustee Sue Talbot said the board will soon be "readdressing" the resolution, which has been in effect for about 35 years.\nHowever, Larry MacIntyre, director of IU media relations, said he had no knowledge that the trustees would bring the policy into question anytime soon.\nAlthough the University was only able to offer Soghoian minimal assistance, it has begun taking steps to better inform researchers, especially within the School of Informatics, of their legal securities. \nIU has begun planning a program in the spring through the Office of the Dean of Faculties that will aim to better inform researchers within the School of Informatics of their opportunities for legal protection.\n"The University is making sure both faculty and students know better the legal and ethical issues that could be raised with certain types of research," Cate said. "We want to make sure they know what the limits of the University's ability to defend and indemnify are so these situations do not occur"
(11/30/06 4:56am)
Mark Winstead, manager of the Wright Place food court, gathered a few of his employees last week and suggested they update their resumes.\nThis is in the wake of further chatter among trustees that the privatization of current in-house operations could ease the University's financial burdens. Already up for private bidding are the IU Motor Pool and the IU Bookstore, and trustees said it was likely dining services would follow in the spring.\nDespite objections by some staff members who fear they will join the ranks of America's unemployed following a private takeover, the University's interest in outsourcing is among a rising trend.\nMitzi Shrum, an employee within the Wright Place food court, is worried about losing her job if IU eventually opens dining services to private bidders.\n"My job would not be in jeopardy at first," Shrum said, explaining that although a private corporation would initially want to bring in new personnel at the management level it would be impossible for them to make significant changes in the lower levels because current staff would know how to run the operation.\nShrum added she believed once new managers learned how to operate the food courts they would lay off many of the current employees in hopes of slashing the "bottom dollar." \nWinstead agreed and said he would expect new management within many of the dining services should the University outsource.\n"We had our managers meeting last week, and for the most part, we thought most of the employees would be safe," he said. "It would be us who would be replaced."\nEven beyond the planning and speculation of University officials' potential actions, both the motor pool and bookstore are accepting bids from private companies for control. If IU decides to contract with one of these corporations, it will join a growing list of universities that have chosen to privatize their on-campus bookseller.\nIU will likely receive several bids for control of the University bookstore as the Dec. 22 deadline approaches. Corporate mega-booksellers -- riding high on a tidal wave of success in the wake of a growing trend in university outsourcing -- will look to land another contract as more than 1,500 corporate-controlled university bookstores have popped up across the country, according to the National Association for College Stores' Web site.\n"We don't expect to receive any offers until Dec. 22," IU Trustee President Stephen Ferguson said. "Typically that is the way companies will handle things."\nIncreased bookstore outsourcing might still be a relatively new trend in the often-bureaucratic world of academia, but it already has had a significant impact on the way universities do business.\nJust in the past 10 years, the number of universities choosing to privatize their bookstore operations has increased by about 60 percent, according to the association's Web site.\nDespite the speedy growth, only two companies operate most private university bookstores: Barnes and Noble and the Follett Corporation. Currently, 34 percent of U.S. universities have privatized their bookstores, according to the same Web site.\nA number of reasons could account for such growth, said Cliff Ewert, vice president of public and campus relations for the Follett Corporation. He said along with reducing costs, outsourcing university bookstores has risen in popularity because the bigger corporations were able to specialize.\n"We bring expertise," he said. "The only thing we do is operate bookstores. Because of that we are able to offer a high level of service and a lot of technology. We allow universities to get back to concentrating on what they do best: academics."\nAlthough the University has allowed companies to submit proposals, Ferguson said IU is not necessarily "set in stone" on the idea of outsourcing any service. He said the University would agree to contract services such as the bookstore and dining services only after it has examined all offers.\nFerguson said any money the University saved through privatizing would go directly to IU's academics. He said some of the cash would go toward either renovating Ballantine Hall or possibly constructing a new academic building for the humanities at the University, but he also stressed it was still too early to know anything definite.\nShrum said even though outsourcing might be a good way to generate funds, the University should look at selling off the sectors that were costing the most money, unlike the bookstore and dining services, which are self-sustaining enterprises because of their costs to students.\n"We are efficient," she said. "There are so many other parts of the University that are so inefficient. They should look at outsourcing them"
(11/27/06 5:21am)
IU saw a promising first step toward snagging more state funding Nov. 20, when the Indiana Commission for Higher Education made its state budget recommendation. \nThe executive-appointed committee called for a 2.5 percent increase in state appropriations for the University in 2007-08, said J.T. Forbes, IU director of state relations. Since 2000, the annual growth has been 1.5 percent, according to a report the IU Office of Government Relations issued.\n"The good news about this recommendation is that it is trying to take a step in reversing the trend," he said, referring to the smaller budget appropriations IU has seen in recent years. \nForbes added that this is a good starting point for what will be a long project.\nHowever, once again this year, the proposed growth will fail to keep pace with the national inflation rate of 3 percent. The University was still encouraged by the recommendations because they showed an "upward trend" in funding, said Larry MacIntyre, IU director of Media Relations.\n"We've been very encouraged by everything the governor has said about higher education," he said. "We don't see this as a negative. We see this as a very positive first step." \nEven with the recommendations, the funding increase still faces a tough road ahead. Gov. Mitch Daniels will issue his recommendations when the legislative session begins early next year, Forbes said. Following the governor's proposal, both houses in the Indiana General Assembly will take up the budget proposal.\nThough Forbes said there is no way to be certain what the General Assembly will do, he said he is confident that legislators will make the necessary appropriations. \n"I think there is a strong desire by everyone at the Statehouse to invest in Indiana's economic development," he said. "But without educated residents, this becomes very difficult."\nIf the increases are reflected in next year's budget, the additional funds will be distributed throughout the University and will affect things such as "financial aid, faculty salary and all services and programs that we offer students in classes and advising," Forbes said.\nThe extra cash would be in addition to the $80 million IU President Adam Herbert requested at the Statehouse last month to further develop life sciences at the University.
(11/27/06 3:53am)
Along with a record-breaking $50 million donation announced Nov. 20 to fund new facilities to attract elite researchers, the IU Cancer Center will also receive a new name. \nNow known as the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, the title change will reflect the benefactors, Indianapolis-based real estate billionaire Melvin Simon and his wife Bren. Their endowment is the single-largest gift the center has ever received. \n"Because of their support, faculty research at the IU Cancer Center will be accelerated and expanded in their scope," said IU President Adam Herbert in a University media release. He added that this gift could result in the development of many more "life-saving" treatments. \nHalf of the donation will be used to recruit internationally accomplished researchers to the IU School of Medicine, while the other $25 million will be used to expand the center's facility, a joint project with Clarian Health, according to the release. \nTo attract new researchers, IU will incorporate an endowment plan in which it will only use interest gained from the initial $25 million, said Curt Simic, president of the IU Foundation.\n"This will give us $1.25 million per year," he said. "It will give the dean money every year to go after some real superstars."\nSimic added that the quality of new researchers was much more important than the quantity. He said the center might hire fewer than 10 new researchers in the next five years but stressed the new doctors would be the best in their fields. \nSome researchers already working at the center immediately saw what such a donation could mean. \n"Without support like this, we could not get any of the research done," said Dr. Robert Bigsby, a professor in the IU School of Medicine and member of the breast cancer research program at the cancer center. "You don't get federal funding without having already started the research, but you can't start the research until you have funding."\nHe added that most research institutions like the IU Cancer Center rely heavily on private financial support.\n"These dollars will be used to support new projects," Bigsby said. "They will help the young scientists develop new ideas."\nAlthough the Simons have had a relationship with the University for more than a decade, talks for the most recent donation began about a year ago, Simic said. \n"An important part of (the Simons') lives is giving back," Simic said. "They really truly are grateful for how successful they have become from their home base in Indiana. They wanted to do a big thing to benefit the people of central Indiana."\nBut financial "success" might be an understatement. \nMelvin Simon holds a net worth of more than $2 billion, according to Forbes List of the 400 Wealthiest Americans. He is the co-founder of the Simon Property Group, which is the largest public retail real estate company in North America, according to the company's Web site. \nAlong with their wealthy reputation, the couple also has a long tradition of giving back to IU. The Simons have been instrumental in creating the Bess Meshulam Simon Music Library and Recital Center, the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center and more recently Simon Hall, IU's new multidisciplinary life sciences building.\n"The Simons have been unusually attentive to what IU has been doing in areas of life science research and building a higher-quality cancer center," said IU Director of Media Relations Larry MacIntyre. "They are very supportive of what we are trying to do here." \nEven beyond new facilities and more esteemed researchers, members at the cancer center said they are excited about the unknown benefits the gift might provide. \n"You can't predict what research is going to lead to results and what will be translated into actual clinical applications," Bigsby said. "You just have to go for it"
(11/22/06 10:50pm)
IU saw a promising first step in attaining a greater portion of state funds Monday when the Indiana Commission for Higher Education made their state budget recommendation. \nThe executive-appointed committee called for a 2.5 percent increase in state operating appropriations in 2007-08 for the University, said J.T. Forbes, IU director of state relations. \n"The good news about this recommendation is that it is trying to take a step in reversing the trend," he said referring to the smaller budget appropriations IU has seen in recent years. \nHe added that this is a good starting point for what will be a long project. \nEven with the recommendations, the funding increase still faces a tough road. Gov. Mitch Daniels will issue his recommendations when the legislative session begins early next year, Forbes said. Following the governor's proposal, both Houses in the Indiana General Assembly will take up the budget proposal.\nAlthough Forbes said he was not positive the funding increase would occur, he added he had confidence in the legislators to work for the University. \n"I think there is a strong desire by everyone at the statehouse to invest in Indiana's economic development," he said. "But without educated residents, this becomes very difficult."\nIf the increases are reflected in next year's budget, the additional funds will be distributed throughout the University and will affect things such as "financial aid, faculty salary and all services and programs that we offer students in classes and advising," Forbes said.\nThe extra cash would be in addition to the $80 million IU President Adam Herbert requested at the statehouse last month to further develop the life sciences at the University. \n"It's hard to know what the Senate or House will say," Forbes said. "A lot of factors are still in play"
(11/22/06 2:26am)
Along with a record-breaking $50 million donation announced Monday to fund new facilities attract elite researchers, the IU Cancer Center will also be receiving a new name. \nNow known as the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, the title change will reflect the benefactors, Indianapolis-based real estate billionaire Melvin Simon and his wife Bren, of the single-largest gift the center has ever received. \n"Because of their support, faculty research at the IU Cancer Center will be accelerated and expanded in their scope," said IU President Adam Herbert in a University media release. He added that this gift could result in the development of many more "life-saving" treatments. \nHalf of the donation will be used to recruit internationally accomplished researchers to the IU School of Medicine, while the other $25 million will be used to expand the center's facility -- a joint project with Clarian Health, according to the release. \nTo attract new researchers, IU will incorporate an endowment plan where they will only use interest gained from the initial $25 million, said Curtis Simic, president of the IU Foundation.\n"This will give us $1.25 million per year," he said. "It will give the dean money every year to go after some real superstars."\nSimic added the quality of new researchers was much more important than the quantity. He said the center might hire less than 10 new researchers in the next five years, but stressed that the new doctors would be in the elite category in their fields. \nSome researchers already working at the center immediately saw what such a donation could mean. \n"Without support like this we could not get any of the research done," said Dr. Robert Bigsby, a professor in the IU School of Medicine and member of the breast cancer research program at the cancer center. "You don't get federal funding without having already started the research, but you can't start the research until you have funding."\nHe added that most research institutions, such as IU's cancer center, relies heavily on private financial support.\n"These dollars will be used to support new projects," Bigsby said. "They will help the young scientists develop new ideas."\nAlthough the Simons have had a relationship with the University for more than a decade, talks for the most recent donation began about a year ago, Simic said. \n"An important part of (the Simons') lives is giving back," Simic said. "They really, truly are grateful for how successful they have become from their home base in Indiana. They wanted to do a big thing to benefit the people of central Indiana."\nBut financial "success" might be an understatement. \nMelvin Simon holds a net worth of more than $2 billion, according to Forbes List of the 400 Wealthiest Americans. He is the co-founder of the Simon Property Group, which is the largest public retail real estate company in North America, according to the company's Web site. \nAlong with their reputation of their wealth, the couple also has a long tradition of giving back to IU. They have been instrumental in creating the Bess Meshulam Simon Music Library and Recital Center, the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center and more recently Simon Hall, IU's new multidisciplinary life sciences building.\n"The Simons have been unusually attentive to what IU has been doing in areas of life science research and building a higher quality cancer center," said Larry MacIntyre. "They are very supportive of what we are trying to do here." \nEven beyond new facilities and more esteemed researchers, members at the cancer center said they are excited about the potential benefits the gift might provide. \n"You can't predict what research is going to lead to results and what will be translated into actual clinical applications," Bigsby said. "You just have to go for it"