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(03/27/06 7:39am)
As President George W. Bush entered the Murat Centre, both protesters and supporters were visible outside the facility. Eight members of IU College Republicans came with posters reading "IU College Republicans love Bush" and a life-size cardboard cut-out of the president.\n"Our goal was just to welcome him to the community and let him know there are supporters," said Dave White, IUCR's political director, who coordinated the trip.\nWhite said protesters challenged them with remarks, but the group didn't answer back.\n"That's not what we were there for," he said.\nIUCR Chairman Shane Kennedy, a junior business major, volunteered at the event at the last minute. He rushed to Indianapolis after a 10 a.m. business presentation and took on ushering duties at the fundraiser. He got to participate in the $1,000-per-plate luncheon and shake the president's hand after the speech. Kennedy served in the Army on the border of Turkey and Iraq at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom and said Bush's comments on the war touched him the most.\n"I was honored to be in the presence of the president of the United States," he said. "It was probably one of the coolest things I've ever experienced."\nBefore he arrived at the Murat Centre to speak at Rep. Mike Sodrel's re-election campaign fundraiser, Bush recognized the former adviser of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity's IU chapter. The moment he stepped off Air Force One, Bush presented the President's Volunteer Service Award to Marvin Bardo in recognition of the more than 100 hours Bardo has spent serving the Indianapolis community. Bardo served IU's chapter from 1999 to 2003 and also co-founded the Kappa league, an extension of the local fraternity chapter that serves as a mentoring program for high school males, stresses post-secondary education and encourages students to be community leaders, according to a press release from the White House. \nBardo graduated from the University of Southern Illinois and now works for the Indiana State Department of Health. He said he was excited and honored to be receiving the award.\n"I'm overjoyed," he said in a phone interview Friday. "It feels good to be recognized for something you don't expect to be recognized for"
(03/24/06 5:18am)
President George W. Bush will be appearing Friday at U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel's fundraiser in Indianapolis. \nSodrel's Chief of Staff Cam Savage said the event could bring in $500,000 for the congressman's campaign through the sales of its minimum $1,000 charge per ticket.\nThe National Republican Congressional Committee and Sodrel's staff hope the president's appearance, which Savage said has been "in the works for a few weeks," will help give Sodrel, R-9th District, the edge in this fall's election. Sodrel is expected to run against former Democratic Rep. Baron Hill, who beat Sodrel in the 2002 election. Sodrel became the only Republican to beat a Democrat incumbent in 2004 when he ousted Hill from office in the tight election, and Sodrel's staff and the NRCC are expecting this year's race to be competitive.\n"The president's appearance on behalf of the congressman sends a strong signal that the congressman not only has a close working relationship with House leadership, but with the administration, and it's one of the reasons why the congressman has been such an effective representative for his constituents in the 9th District," said Ed Patru, spokesman for the NRCC. "Congressman Sodrel will have all the support from the NRCC he needs to ensure a successful campaign, and we certainly intend to remind voters in the 9th District why they threw Baron Hill out of office."\nBush is expected to speak about several national and international issues for about 40 minutes, Savage said. Sodrel is expected to speak briefly.\nWhen asked about the effectiveness of Bush's appearance in support of a candidate in a state where, according to polls, the president's popularity is declining, Savage said he thinks the president will still greatly help Sodrel's campaign.\n"Bush has won two landslide elections in Indiana, so he is still very popular here," he said.\nBut not all residents would agree with Savage. Eight community members carrying 80 letters concerning Bush's proposed budget cuts gathered Thursday at Seminary Square to begin a march to Sodrel's Bloomington office. People directly affected by Bush's proposal to cut funding for services such as Social Security, Medicare and student loans wrote the letters. The group hopes the letters will help persuade Sodrel to vote against the proposed budget cuts.\n"The budget is helping the richest 1 percent of Americans," said Liz Rosdeitcher, a rally participant. "It just seems illogical and unethical."\nWhen the protesters reached Sodrel's office, a staff member greeted them and accepted the letters, but they couldn't see Sodrel himself. The group, however, wasn't disappointed.\n"I know each of those (eight) people represents at least 50 to 100 people who feel the same way," Rosdeitcher said.\nThe Bloomington rally was one of several nationwide demonstrations Thursday encouraged by the 3.5 million-member Internet activist group MoveOn.org, said Erica Seiffert, a volunteer for the group who planned the local event. Seiffert said she planned the rally in a week and collected the letters in just two days.\nSavage said Sodrel gets thousands of letters and e-mails each day and encourages constituents to be active in their government. Savage also said that Bush's budget proposals are not binding, and that Congress will be the one to set the budget.\n"Now is a perfectly appropriate time for people to contact us about (how they feel) because (the budget) is not a decision that has already been made," he said. "It'll be made in the coming weeks when Congress tries to establish a budget resolution for the coming year."\nRegardless, Seiffert and Rosdeitcher are hopeful that Sodrel will take the letters into consideration and are confident that their rally was effective.\n"You've got eight people standing out there in the cold reading letters, holding flags and signs and walking down major streets in town to a representative's office to give him 80 letters," she said. "I think that sends a message"
(03/21/06 5:50am)
Assistant Athletic Director Chuck Crabb announced that IU has decided to end the pom squad, which was part of the IU cheerleading program, in an e-mail sent to current and prospective IU pom squad members.\nAccording to the e-mail, IU's "senior Athletics Administration members" and IU cheerleading coach Julie Clements had several discussions about "what works, what can be refined and what can be better presented in a manner to rally fan support for the Indiana University Athletics teams and to complement the game day experience." Crabb said in his e-mail that the decision was difficult to reach, but they had to "weigh what was best" for IU sports. \nThe 14-member pom squad performs routines at halftimes of basketball and football games as well as cheerleading and dance competitions. \nIU Athletics Media Relations Director Pete Rhoda said he did not know the specifics of the decision. Crabb was not available for comment by press time. \nThe cheerleading program will still be selecting both a co-ed Cream squad and aCrimson squad, and Crabb encouraged those interested to continue participating in try-outs for those squads. He also suggested that students look into IU's other dance programs like the RedSteppers, who perform with the Marching Hundred at football games, InMotion Dance Company and the African American Dance Company.\nCurrent and former pom squad members, however, are outraged at the athletics department's decision. The athletics department had been considering scrapping the program for about a year, 2005 IU graduate and pom squad alumna Angela Beltchenko said. But at the beginning of the school year, IU fired the squad's coach for reasons unknown to the squad, she said. The head cheerleading coach informed the squad that this would be a "make it or break it" year, said Beltchenko, who was upset by the lack of support given to the squad.\n"It was a lot of pressure to put on the girls because they were coaching themselves for about two months and had to work on their own," she said. "As a coach, your job is to help your team succeed and I feel like the cheer program and administration just didn't support the girls this year the way that she should have."\nSophomore pom squad member Devon Goudge said the squad members were particularly upset because no one told them in person or explained the decision. All the members received the e-mail Thursday before spring break that said the program had been cut. Goudge said she was also frustrated about the "make it or break it" philosophy for the season.\n"We were never really sure what that statement meant," Goudge said. "We just tried our best. We cheered at the games and placed 10th at nationals in the hip-hop category. We just did what we were asked, but apparently we didn't do something right."\nGoudge said the squad is still unsure why the program was cut and that officials have yet to offer any explanation or provide a time to make themselves available to answer questions. Goudge said fundraising could be a factor in the decision, but that it most likely isn't the biggest issue since the squad covers most of its expenses through fundraising.\nThe squad and its supporters won't let the program go without a fight, though. Two days ago, Goudge started an online petition to save the squad, which currently has more than 400 signatures and is getting more by the minute. Goudge said the point of the petition is not to bash the squad's coaching, but rather to convince the athletics department that the squad is important to IU's spirit and that it's "not a copy of the cheerleading squad."\nThe pom squad has also created a "Bring Back the IU Pom Squad!" Facebook group that contains a link to the petition and a portion of the letter Crabb sent.\nGoudge has been contacting the coaches of other Big Ten pom squads and has received support from four so far, including Minnesota, whose squad placed first at nationals this year. She said she hopes their support will show IU that the pom squad has a place among the top teams in the nation.\nCurrently the squad is looking for any support it can get, Beltchenko and Goudge said. The members are meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Alpha Omicron Pi sorority to think of ways to gain support. They are also encouraging students to sign the petition at www.petitiononline.com.\nBeltchenko and Goudge both expressed the disappointment felt by the squad's members and their concern that the elimination of the pom squad, which was established in the early 1960s, will break strong IU spirit traditions.\n"The support for IU athletics has already decreased a lot with everything that has happened in the last year," Goudge said. "To cut a spirit program is probably one of the worst decisions the administration could have made at this time"
(03/08/06 4:28am)
Every year, tennis players look forward to spring, which brings the bright, contrasting greens of the courts and fresh yellow ball fuzz floating through the air as the rhythmic thuds and pings of rallies echo across the park. \nBut this spring, Bloomington tennis enthusiasts have something else to get excited about.\nMick Renneisen, director of Bloomington City Parks and Recreation, and City Councilman David Sabbagh announced at the end of February that the United States Tennis Association and the National Recreation and Park Association named Bloomington a 2006 Tennis in the Park Community. This means that the community will be eligible for resources and grants from the two organizations to improve its tennis programs and facilities.\n"I hope it reinforces that tennis is a viable, recreational opportunity and that we have a lot of enthusiasts in Bloomington," Renneisen said. "We want to encourage their participation, even if it's just casual,"\nRenneisen said the Parks and Recreation Department will try to use its Tennis in the Park designation to focus on refurbishing and maintaining court facilities. The department maintains 21 courts around the city, and its first project is to raise an estimated $50,000 to replace the lighting at the Winslow Sports Complex courts. \nThe benefits, however, might not be immediate, said John Turnbull, the department's sports director, who applied for the Tennis in the Park designation during the winter. Turnbull said he filled out the application for the Category 1 level of the program, meaning the community could receive at most $2,500 to help with the cost of refurbishing. He said that they should know if they have received funding from the USTA by the end of the summer.\n"We just want to maintain our current facilities and continue to provide facilities for the people of Bloomington to use recreationally and competitively as well," said Dee Tuttle, sports staff associate for the Parks and Recreation Department.\nEach year, the city offers beginning and advanced classes for both adults and youth, as well as private and semi-private lessons, from May through September. The city also holds an annual adult tournament each summer. Tuttle estimated that about 100 participants entered last year's tournament and said participation in all tennis programs has been growing.\n"Participation numbers over the last three years have increased," she said. "There are trends in every sport, and we happen to be on the upswing again, which is great because tennis is a lifetime sport."\nTennis in the Park is designed to help parks and recreation agencies maintain and improve facilities and programming and, last year, provided $124,000 in cash grants, according to the NRPA Web site. Renneisen said he is hopeful that membership in the program will help tennis become less of a "cyclical" sport in the community and encourage people to get involved in the city's programs.\n"I think there are only so many sports-related activities people can do for their entire lives, (but) tennis is one of them," he said. "We see players who are 70 and 80 on our courts. It keeps them healthy, it keeps them fit and socially engaged and gets them outdoors. A lot of other sports tend to not be options for us as we age. You can't play football when you're 80"
(03/06/06 6:29am)
Bloomington Hospital announced Friday that eight of its patients who underwent anterior cervical fusion surgery -- an operation that relieves pressure on nerves and the spinal cord -- might have received infected tissue. \nAt the end of 2005, Regeneration Technologies, Inc. informed Bloomington Hospital that some of the tissue the company received through Biomedical Tissue Services, Ltd. that was distributed to the hospital might not have been properly screened for infectious diseases such as syphilis, hepatitis and HIV. \nThe hospital responded to the warning by reviewing the records of the 115 patients who underwent anterior cervical fusion surgery between September 2004 and August 2005. The operation fuses together vertebrae in the upper spine. Medtronic, one of RTI's distributors, sent the hospital identification numbers for all the tissue it used, and the hospital had to cross-reference all of those numbers with patient records to determine who might be affected, said Sharon Ormstedt, administrative director of surgical services for the hospital.\n"We were obviously very concerned and we started the process of going through records to see which patients are affected and how we can help them through this," she said.\nThough the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control suspect the risk for the transmission of infectious disease from the tissue is low, the FDA recommended that patients be tested, according to a press release sent Friday. Bloomington Hospital is now offering free blood tests to those who might be at risk. Medtronic will cover lab costs associated with patient testing.\nOrmstedt emphasized that there is "a very slim possibility" that one of the eight patients will be infected, but if a problem arises, the hospital will be ready.\n"The hospital will provide testing and work closely with Medtronic," she said. "They'll tell us what steps to take next."\nBloomington Hospital is not the only hospital affected by the recall of tissues from BTS, which is now closed and subject to federal investigation. RTI is only one of the company's five distributors, and Medtronic alone had to recall more than 13,000 pieces of tissue it had distributed. \nMany hospitals all over the country will have to handle the situation, according to the press release. The FDA has not yet received any reports of patients becoming ill from the recalled tissue.\nDespite the recall, Ormstedt said in the press release that Bloomington Hospital will continue to use tissue from RTI in the future.\n"RTI is a highly reputable firm, and we continue to use (its) products," she said. "They, like us, were unsuspecting victims of the BTS activity"
(03/03/06 4:49am)
Today all nine Bloomington Transit bus routes will be free to the public as part of Bloomington's "First Fridays," a program in which several downtown businesses offer special deals on the first Friday of every month to encourage people to explore the city. BT has been offering this promotion the first Friday of every month since October.\n"We try to have free days, so people can feel comfortable riding the bus," said Kristi Ross, customer service manager for BT. "We used to do free week, and it was the first week of the fall semester. This year we wanted to do something a little different." \nWhen BT employees learned about "First Fridays," they were excited about the idea of encouraging people to go out around town and soon joined the program, which is sponsored by Downtown Bloomington Inc.\n"We just thought it was a nice fit from the beginning," Ross said.\nBT will continue to offer free rides on the first Friday of the month through May and will then decide whether to continue the promotion for the rest of 2006, Ross said.\nBuses will run today starting at 6:10 a.m. until about 12:30 a.m. For complete schedules and route information, visit www.bloomingtontransit.com.
(02/09/06 7:22am)
For thousands of Shiite Muslims around the world, today is a day of mourning and recognition of peace and human rights. It is the sacred observance of Ashoura, which commemorates a saint who was killed because he refused to follow a tyrant leader. \nThis year, senior Mohammed Mahdi and his sister Hajira have decided to help educate students about the meaning of the occasion and its significance by handing out fliers with information about Ashoura on campus. \nDr. Abrar Mahdi, their father and former president of the Midwest Association of Shia Organized Muslims, encouraged them to share the historical occasion with the campus.\n"We believe the message is one of human rights and dignity and justice," said 24-year-old Hajira Mahdi, a graduate of Mount Holyoke College. "We use that message to try to overcome the oppression that's going on right now."\nAround 80 A.D., Imam Hussain and his followers entered into a 10-day battle with Yazid, the ruler of the Middle East at the time, and his troops, according to the pair's fliers. Yazid, who killed anyone who didn't follow him, wanted to kill Hussain because he refused accept Yazid as the ruler. Yazid's army of 30,000 battled approximately 72 of Hussain's followers, who were mostly young people and women. Hussain had to watch as his wife and children were slain, but he maintained peace and dignity, and was eventually stoned and speared to death, according to the flier. Because of this, the siblings said his story lives on as one of both sadness and dignity.\n"It's sad on one hand, but liberating for us as human beings," Hajira Mahdi said. "It's liberating and inspiring for us to uphold human rights and peace and justice."\nThis month, which Muslims call Muharram, is the first of their new year, and the first 10 days of the month are dedicated to Ashoura. This is because Hussain's followers battled Yazid's troops for 10 days. Shiites go to a mosque each day during this time, and the imam, the equivalent of a priest, tells Hussain's story. After prayer, they gather, eat food and talk about the occasion. \nAshoura is widely celebrated in larger cities like New York and Chicago, where Shiites march through the streets carrying banners and distributing literature on the topic, the Mahdis said. The Mahdis' mosque in their hometown of Chicago welcomes between 800 and 900 Shiite to its Ashoura worship service each year, they said. Mohammed Mahdi said that in the four years he has been at IU, no one on campus has extensively recognized Ashoura or educated students about it. He said this is probably because most Muslim students on campus are Sunnis, and the Bloomington mosque is a Sunni mosque. Some Sunnis recognize the Ashoura, but most don't know much about it, the siblings said.\nShiite and Sunni Muslims have different traditions during Muharram, said senior Adnan Riaz, a Sunni Muslim. Shiites see the month as a time to mourn Hussain's suffering, while some Sunnis make a special effort to give during the month because the lives of the great-grandchildren of their leader, Muhammad, were lost, he said. Muslims split into the Shiite and Sunni groups after the death of Muhammad because they chose to follow different leaders. \nBut the Mahdis said Ashoura is something all people can learn from.\n"We encourage everyone to join us in our message," Hajira Mahdi said. "Rulers all over the world, not just in the Middle East, are trying to suppress people's rights. That's why it's important now to remember that it's hard to stand up for justice, but that's what ultimately prevails -- the truth and people's dignity and freedom"
(01/23/06 5:49am)
By Carrie Ritchie\nccritchi@indiana.edu\nOn Christmas day, Gayle Cook unwrapped a special gift from her husband, Bill. It was a $3 million check for her to give to the Monroe County Historical Society, an organization she has spent years of her life developing with other community members who share her appreciation of history.\n"She said this was what Santa brought her, and she wanted to share her Christmas gift with us," said Rachel Peden McCarty, president of MCHS and a longtime friend of Cook's. "We're elated. This is the best thing that could happen to us."\nMcCarty said the MCHS had set a goal to raise $30,000 this year for its Founder's Endowment, which covers the society's operating expenses of running its museum, genealogy library and gift shop, and Cook had promised to match the $30,000 if the society could raise it. Because the members met their goal, McCarty was expecting a check, but not one of such a large amount.\n"We had no idea she'd match it and put so many zeros on the end," McCarty said. \nOnly McCarty and MCHS Treasurer David Musgrave knew the amount of the endowment before representatives from Cook Group Inc. -- Bill Cook's Bloomington-based global medical technology distribution company -- presented the check to the historical society Thursday.\nThe group has yet to decide where the money will go. McCarty said the group will hold a special "dream session" at its next board meeting so members can discuss how they think the money should be distributed. Improving exhibits and strengthening a relationship with the community through outreach and advertising will be among the society's goals, she said.\n"The dreams are endless," McCarty said. "I think we'll just do whatever we can to uphold our mission statement, (which is) to collect, preserve, research, interpret and exhibit genealogy, history and artifacts of Monroe County."\nAbove all, McCarty said she is excited because the endowment ensures that the society, which has only one full-time employee, won't have to "close (its) doors" or "offer less." She also hopes this gift will inspire others to volunteer.\n"If you can't give money, give time," she said. "Join us in preserving and showcasing our history."\nCook herself has volunteered at the MCHS for decades. She was one of the members who worked to move the museum and library to its current location on Sixth Street 25 years ago and now serves on the society's advisory board, McCarty said. \nThough Cook has donated both time and money to the MCHS, this is its largest donation yet to the MCHS.\n"We're blessed to have people like the Cooks in this community," Musgrave said.\nDavid McCarty, Cook Group Inc.'s director of public relations, said while the Cooks like to donate to local projects, the company is also active in philanthropy worldwide.\n"The Cook organization around the world is committed to community involvement and giving back to the communities that support the organization," he said.\nFor the MCHS community, the Cook endowment came during a milestone for the organization. This year marks the society's 100th birthday and the museum and library's 25th birthday.\nOn behalf of MCHS, McCarty described the past few weeks.\n"What a way to celebrate a birthday," she said.\nMcCarty said the MCHS had set a goal to raise $30,000 this year for its Founder's Endowment, which covers the society's operating expenses of running its museum, genealogy library and gift shop, and Cook had promised to match the $30,000 if the society could raise it. Because the members met their goal, McCarty was expecting a check, but not one of such a large amount.\n"We had no idea she'd match it and put so many zeros on the end," McCarty said. \nOnly McCarty and MCHS Treasurer David Musgrave knew the amount of the endowment before representatives from Cook Group Inc. -- Bill Cook's Bloomington-based global medical technology distribution company -- presented the check to the historical society Thursday.\nThe group has yet to decide where the money will go. McCarty said the group will hold a special "dream session" at its next board meeting so members can discuss how they think the money should be distributed. Improving exhibits and strengthening a relationship with the community through outreach and advertising will be among the society's goals, she said.\n"The dreams are endless," McCarty said. "I think we'll just do whatever we can to uphold our mission statement, (which is) to collect, preserve, research, interpret and exhibit genealogy, history and artifacts of Monroe County."\nAbove all, McCarty said she is excited because the endowment ensures that the society, which has only one full-time employee, won't have to "close (its) doors" or "offer less." She also hopes this gift will inspire others to volunteer.\n"If you can't give money, give time," she said. "Join us in preserving and showcasing our history."\nCook herself has volunteered at the MCHS for decades. She was one of the members who worked to move the museum and library to its current location on Sixth Street 25 years ago and now serves on the society's advisory board, McCarty said. \nThough Cook has donated both time and money to the MCHS, this is its largest donation yet to the MCHS.\n"We're blessed to have people like the Cooks in this community," Musgrave said.\nDavid McCarty, Cook Group Inc.'s director of public relations, said while the Cooks like to donate to local projects, the company is also active in philanthropy worldwide.\n"The Cook organization around the world is committed to community involvement and giving back to the communities that support the organization," he said.\nFor the MCHS community, the Cook endowment came during a milestone for the organization. This year marks the society's 100th birthday and the museum and library's 25th birthday.\nOn behalf of MCHS, McCarty described the past few weeks.\n"What a way to celebrate a birthday," she said.
(01/13/06 4:48am)
A group of concerned Bloomington residents is showing there is no distance too far to travel to help neighbors in need -- even if the neighbors are three states away.\nA collection of various supplies for the Hurricane Katrina relief effort will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Bryan Park parking lot off of Woodlawn Avenue.\nThe group of Bloomington friends organized the collection and is receiving help from Pastors for Peace, a humanitarian aid group based in New York, and Common Ground, a group based in Louisiana that has given lists of supplies needed in the devastated areas. This will be the Bloomington group's third shipment to the relief effort.\n"We all need one another and we need to help each other," said Arthur Stein, one of the residents who organized the collection.\nThe group wants to collect a variety of cleaning and construction supplies. Bleach, tools and blankets are among some of the most-needed items. Toys, games and recreational equipment for children will also be collected. The drive is not collecting clothing.\nStein said the group needs construction and cleaning supplies the most because the next phase of the relief process is to rebuild homes and medical centers that were destroyed by Katrina. Stein and his group are also asking area medical facilities to donate pharmaceuticals and equipment. They have already received support from one hospital.\n"Everything is crucial because even though it has been months since this has happened, they're still in need of everything," Stein said. "There are many lives that have to be put back into order."\nPeople are also encouraged to give money donations to cover the cost of gas and vehicle maintenance during the 800-mile trip to New Orleans.\nStein said he and his friends wanted the project to be a "community effort" and encouraged students and residents to donate anything they could live without.\n"If students just have a sleeping bag or portable radio or tools ... even an extra blanket or stuffed animal in their dorm room. If they have anything they feel they can offer without taking away from their needs, it can be brought to the park," he said.\nNed Powell, a Bloomington resident and founder of Solidarity Truckers, a trucking project that carries supplies to areas in need, will be delivering the supplies. He said he enjoys this line of work because he works with people who take action to make a difference and emphasized the importance of continuing to support the Katrina effort.\n"People think that it has dropped off the radar screen, but it's not resolved," he said.\nSince his company is based in Bloomington, he said he has high hopes for Saturday's supply collection.\n"I know the spirit and how Bloomington responds to these things," he said. "I would hope to be overwhelmed."\nFor more information, e-mail Stein at astein52@yahoo.com or contact him by phone at 331-9749.
(12/12/05 6:24am)
As the next 10 years go by, Residential Programs and Services and the Residence Halls Association plan to have more suites and apartments available for students to live in on campus.\nRPS is considering several projects for the future, said director Pat Connor. The projects will mainly focus on the renovation of existing facilities, but could involve constructing new ones. At this point, however, RPS is not planning to change the overall capacity of the residential system.\nRPS would like to develop apartment-style housing in each of the residential neighborhoods, he said. These units would be designed to provide better housing options for returning students, particularly juniors and seniors.\nRPS officials also want to improve housing for younger students. They are considering changing the configuration of Briscoe and Forest quads so they will have suites that would accommodate up to four students. \n"This will provide better housing options for first- and second-year students and reduce the number of students housed in those facilities," Connor said.\nIn addition, Connor promised RPS will equip all undergraduate residences with the newest technology and will make "on-going improvements, particularly aimed at adding elements of privacy when possible." \nRPS might also renovate or replace some of the on-campus apartment buildings on the northeast side of campus, he said. These facilities house mostly graduate and doctoral students and students with young families.\nThe renovation of Ashton Center, which has been the most talked about project recently, is still the subject of "on-going" discussion, and Connor is unsure of when the IU board of trustees will decide to take action on it.\nRHA President Owen Sutkowski would like it to go through, however. He and other RHA members will be discussing the project more in-depth soon.\nSutkowski also wants to see more "civic engagement" from students in the residence halls during the next 10 years. The Community Leadership Development Centers in the residence halls have grown a lot in the past few years and he wants them to have an even bigger influence on campus.\n"It's one of those (programs) that will be awesome," he said.\nNo matter what happens, Sutkowski hopes that students will always be the first priority in any changes.\n"In the next 10 years, I want (IU) to meet students' changing needs and wants," he said.
(12/02/05 2:05pm)
The Residence Halls Association and Council for Environmental Stewardship have teamed up to bring students another way to conserve waste. \nAfter the holiday break, the organizations will be selling green Nalgene bottles with the "I give a sh*t" logo in hopes that students will refill them in campus dining areas, as well as at Dagwood's and all Bloomington McDonald's locations, which are also participating in the project. \nIf the 500 bottles that the groups initially ordered are sold and used appropriately, they will cut paper cup usage per day by at least 250 cups, said Andrea Webster, RHA's director of environmentalism and co-creator of the program. Students will also benefit because they will receive discounts on water, sodas and iced tea at the participating vendors when they use their bottles.\nRHA, CFES and the individual residence halls pooled their funds to cover the project's $1,500 upfront cost, Webster said. They've set the cost at $2 per bottle for students who live in the residence centers and $3 for other students. Students will be offered the services only if they purchase these specific bottles, not use the ones they own already. Student organizations will be able to order them in larger numbers through the RHA Web site. All of the proceeds will go back into buying more bottles, Webster said.\n"We plan to continue this project into next year and the years to come, selling more bottles as we go, which will increase the amount of waste reduction," she said.\nWebster and CFES Coordinator Kassia Perpich have been working on the program since the summer, Webster said. After initial brainstorming, Webster sought Residential Programs and Services' approval, then went to the members of RHA's Presidents Council and Board of Environmental management to "refine" the program. \nThe students looked at many bottle prototypes and eventually selected the 28-ounce green Nalgene bottles because they are easy to refill and rinse, she said. The only concerns students had involved mixing the tastes of the different drinks and spreading germs when refilling the bottles.\nWebster said that Nalgene bottles do not retain tastes as long as they are rinsed with hot water between refills. She also said the organizations considered health concerns carefully, but came to the conclusion that "germs are transferred every day and this is not something that can be completely eliminated." The groups think germ contamination will be kept to a minimum since drink dispensers are cleaned regularly at all of the vendors.\nWebster originally hoped to sell the bottles immediately after Thanksgiving break, but problems with shipping forced her to push the commencement of sales to the second week of the spring semester. RHA will be selling the bottles from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Gresham and Wright food courts. There will also be stands at Eigenmann Hall and Read and Collins Living-Learning centers, she said.\nWhen RHA President Owen Sutkowski presented the program at a meeting of the Dean's Advisory Board, an organization composed of the presidents of most campus student organizations and other student leaders seemed interested in buying the bottles. He said he went to the meeting with 25 to 30 forms about the program and left the meeting empty-handed.
(12/01/05 12:56am)
Thirteen residence hall residents and two Residence Hall Association advisers started the Thanksgiving holiday early so they could attend the annual Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls Conference Nov. 18 to 20 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. \nThe group rocked out with other students from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario, and left an impression on their peers during the rock star-themed leadership event. They came home with one of the three awards and honorable mentions for the other two.\nIU won the Commitment to Diversity of the Year award and received an honorable mention in both the National Residence Hall Honorary Chapter of the Year award and Student of the Year award categories. \nAdam Wiszowaty, a vice president of RHA and conference delegate, was pleased that IU did so well at the conference. He and a few other students and advisers spent months preparing for the conference and writing the eight 30-page bids that entitled them to be considered for the awards. This was the first year IU bid for any of the awards, and he thought it was an honor to win the Commitment to Diversity of the Year award.\nThis particular award is "given to a school, which shows a year-long commitment to awareness and education of diversity issues," according to the GLACURH constitution.\nWiszowaty said IU certainly meets these criteria.\n"While the campus might not be incredibly diverse, there are an amazing amount of initiatives in place, from the CUE program to CultureFest to the Commission on Multicultural Understanding and all the student groups on campus," he said.\nIU nominated junior Andrea Webster, RHA's director of environmentalism, for Student of the Year. Wiszowaty said she was nominated particularly because of her commitment to the recycling program in the residence halls and to a Nalgene bottle project that is scheduled to begin next semester.\n"She has just taken environmentalism in the residence halls to an entirely new level," he said.\nIU's chapter of the NRHH, a national honor society for residence hall leaders that encompasses regional branches like GLACURH, received the Chapter of the Year honorable mention probably because of IU's growth within the NRHH and because of NRHH and RHA's growing presence on campus, Wiszowaty said. \nRHA Adviser Sarah Nagy said receiving this kind of recognition is important for many reasons.\n"First, it provides recognition to students who have worked hard and served the residence hall community," she said. "Second, it reinforces that our residence halls are vibrant communities and that our students are involved and care about their communities. Third, the awards also allow IU (students) to share what they are doing with other schools."\nIn addition to benefiting from recognition, IU's delegates benefited from the opportunity to learn more about residence hall leadership and to meet other residence hall leaders at the conference, Nagy said.\nFreshman Anthony Smith, a first-time delegate, said he spent most of his time learning about the "intricate role" residence halls play in students' lives and left feeling motivated to do more.\n"Going on this conference has inspired me to heighten my involvement within RHA and the University," he said. "My hope is that I can be as influential and effective as my predecessors and that I can make my mark on Indiana University"
(11/28/05 3:53pm)
After students complained about no longer being able to see their meal point balances on the displays of the new residence center cash registers, Residential Programs and Services has taken measures to improve the accessibility of students' remaining meal points.\nThough students still can't view their meal point balances on the registers' displays, dining area staff members have been better educated to find that information for students, said Bob Tegeler, an associate director of dining services for RPS. \nAfter the publication of a Sept. 7 Indiana Daily Student article concerning this problem, Tegeler said he went to the residence centers to make sure the meal point balances were showing up on the cashiers' screens. He said he also made sure the cashiers knew where to look for the balances on the screen so they could inform students of their balances.\n"We looked at it from a personnel perspective and did a better job of training," he said. "I just had to re-educate people."\nSophomore Ashley Dress, a resident of Teter Quad, said she still has to ask cashiers for her balance, an inconvenience she said might have contributed to the fact that she ran out of meal points weeks before Thanksgiving break.\n"I always have to ask them what my balance is, which has gotten me into trouble this year," she said. "Last year, I was able to look up at the screen and see how many points I had left. If I had seen that they were getting so low, I would have gone online and seen if I was going to be getting any more installments."\nTegeler said students are also allowed to look at the cashiers' screens or request a receipt in order to check their balances. Students can now check their balances online from a link on the RPS home page as well. \nTegeler said the Web site is "live," meaning it keeps an up-to-date record of students' transactions. In the past, the information on the site was one day old. So far, it seems to be helping students keep track of their points, and RPS has received no negative feedback, Tegeler said.\n"One of the student presidents told me that it's better than Facebook, so I think that's good," he said.\nRPS is still looking for ways to improve the site, however, and Tegeler said he welcomes students to e-mail RPS with questions or suggestions. Students should contact the directors via e-mail at hallsdin@indiana.edu.
(11/07/05 6:03am)
Junior Dave Rooda was sitting outside on the balcony of his fraternity around 3:30 a.m. Sunday when a friend from Bloomfield, a town about a half-hour south of Bloomington, called him to tell him to be careful and seek shelter immediately if he was out. Rooda's friend had been out on the roads fighting to get home through the storms that hit most of southern Indiana and had seen a tree completely uprooted by strong winds, he said. \nA few minutes later, Rooda watched as strong winds and blowing rain caused cars on Third Street to slow to a crawl. \nLike many, Rooda was surprised by the tornado that hit Evansville. The tornado and the storms that followed caused IU's campus, along with much of the surrounding area, to take special safety precautions.\nStudents at McNutt, Briscoe and Foster quads followed the standard tornado safety procedure of going into interior areas of the building to avoid flying glass.\n"The protocol during tornadoes is to get away from windows," said Marge Schrag, one of Residential Programs and Services' associate directors of Residential Operations Administration. "The actual buildings should be able to withstand tornadoes. We make them go into interior quarters and shut their doors."\nThough the residence halls don't have actual tornado drills, all residence center staff members are trained in the safety measures that should be taken in the event of a tornado, Schrag said. She said they have access to weather radios and are told to instruct residents to go to the designated "safe areas" in each dorm any time there is a tornado warning.\nA residential assistant on freshman Kyle Mitchell's floor awakened the residents and ushered them to safety in the bathrooms until the tornado warning expired. Mitchell, a resident of McNutt, said the RA "seemed to do a good job alerting everyone as quickly as possible ... and took the situation seriously."\nMitchell said the only disorienting factor in the situation was that the tornado hit around 2 a.m. Sunday.\n"It was a complete shock because I never really thought about dealing with a tornado in the middle of the night at the dorms," he said. "The fact that it was during the night really threw everyone off."\nNo matter what the situation, students can find safety information located in all campus buildings, said Ken Long, an assistant director for IU's Office of Risk Management.\nLong said the office makes Emergency Action Plans for each area on campus. Each plan is designed with a certain building in mind, and maps showing exits and "safe areas" are posted in each campus building. The safety procedures are also available on the Office of Risk Management's Web site, along with sound clips of the different siren wails used by the county. \nLong advises students to know the building they're in, meaning they should look at the signs and learn the "safe areas" and exits. \n"I would always recommend everyone should play the 'What if?' game," he said. "Ask yourself what you're going to do if something occurs, whether it's at home, in class buildings or when you're out. Learn the plans of the buildings you're in"
(11/03/05 5:34am)
Almost a week after the Meal Plan Committee finalized its list of students' top choices of restaurants to fill the space McDonald's currently occupies in Read Center, Residential Programs and Services executives involved in the project have started working to deliver the food students want.\nThey are currently contemplating expanding the list and are planning to do more research into which restaurants other campuses have, said RPS Executive Director Pat Connor. Afterwards, they will begin preparing the Request for Proposal, which will be given to the restaurants on the list. \nThe original list of restaurants the Meal Plan Committee suggested to RPS was relatively short, containing only Wendy's, Arby's and McDonald's.\n"I thought there would be a longer list," said Sandra Fowler, the director of dining services. "There obviously had been a lot of discussion, and the students had focused on what foods and services were important to them."\nThough the students had their specific favorites, RPS still wants to consider other options as well.\n"We will probably make a few suggestions for additions to the list so that a better overall picture can be made of the possibilities," said Errol Huffman, the business consultant for RPS Dining Services.\nRPS plans to start drafting the Request for Proposal with the help of the IU Purchasing Department at the beginning of the new semester. It will also seek the help of the IU Legal Counsel, since IU will technically be the contracted party. \nThe Request for Proposal, however, will not contain any actual contract terms; it will simply allude to "a set of basic global variables," such as the cost, speed, quality and healthfulness of the food served, Huffman said. All of these variables were determined by the student feedback the Meal Plan Committee received when they were compiling their list of restaurants.\nAfter the selected restaurants review the Request for Proposal, they will have a certain number of days to make a bid. RPS will complete a "thorough review" of the companies' proposals and start to select a restaurant, Fowler said.\nRPS will not choose a restaurant without student approval, however.\n"The responses from vendors will open up a whole new discussion, including questions from students and staff," Huffman said. "The administration, with feedback from the students, will sort through the proposals until an appropriate fit is found."\nConnor said he hoped the entire process could be finished by the end of 2006.
(10/31/05 5:56am)
Students still want to spend their meal points on hamburgers and fries.\nThe Meal Plan Committee reviewed student feedback at its Friday meeting and discovered students' top choices for a restaurant at Read are Wendy's, Arby's or McDonald's, which currently occupies the spot.\nGovernors from each residence center collected student feedback by asking residents for their opinions of what qualities they wanted in a restaurant and the specific names of restaurants they wanted. Meal Plan Committee members also talked to any students who wanted to share their thoughts.\n"I think the list is representative of the desires of our residents," said Matt Jarson, president of Foster Quad and a Meal Plan Committee member. "Nothing is on there that wasn't mentioned in our meetings and interactions with residents."\nAlthough there has been controversy surrounding the return of McDonald's, Meal Plan Committee Chairman Sam Scarpino was not surprised that McDonald's made the list, despite differing opinions.\n"It didn't surprise me just because having a recognized brand is really important to students," he said. "A lot of people like McDonald's and like that kind of food."\nStudents also felt strongly about the other two restaurants. Wendy's was popular because of the variety of items on its menu, which offers unique favorites like chili and baked potatoes. Students liked the idea of Arby's because it has roast beef choices, breakfast items, different kinds of fries and jamocha shakes, said meeting participants. \n"We are moving towards a better quality (of food), I think," Jarson said. \nBoth students and committee members tossed aside the idea of a Subway when they realized the presence of other sandwich restaurants like Dagwood's and Jimmy John's that are close to campus and deliver, as well as the on-campus sub shop Stacks, Scarpino said.\nNo matter which restaurant RPS chooses, dining services representatives still want RPS to own the franchise. This issue was briefly addressed at Friday's meeting, and Sandra Fowler, director of dining services, said she didn't think it would be hard to find other franchises that would let RPS run a franchise, even though McDonald's has refused to franchise to RPS. \nThe next step in the process is for RPS officials to review the list of restaurants the Meal Plan Committee recommended and write a Request for Proposal, which will take approximately six weeks to two months, Fowler said at the meeting. They will then bid the contract out to the companies and they will have around 90 days to respond. Fowler said RPS hopes to make its final selection by March.
(10/28/05 5:17am)
The Golden Arches have one last chance to don Read Center.\nAlthough Residential Programs and Services will not pursue a new contract with McDonald's at this time, the food chain might still have an opportunity to keep its spot on campus.\nThis afternoon, the IU Meal Plan Committee will meet to compile student feedback and create a list of which food chains it will recommend to allow to bid on a contract for the Read Center location currently occupied by McDonald's.\nFor McDonald's to stay on campus, it will have to start from the beginning of the process. It will first have to be on the list of recommendations, then make a bid in 90 days and be approved by RPS.\nBut the student and RPS representatives who make up the Meal Plan Committee say the recommendation will be driven primarily by student feedback. \n"If (student) interest is in a sub sandwich place, obviously McDonald's wouldn't be a part of that list," said Sam Scarpino, the chairman of the Meal Plan Committee and a vice president of the Residence Halls Association.\nBarring any "roadblocks in the discussion," the committee hopes to have the list finished in one meeting, Scarpino said. The committee will then give the list to RPS officials to consider as they bid out the contract. Companies will then have 90 days to respond with an offer, Scarpino said.\nThe presidents of each residence hall have been receiving student feedback for weeks and have reported that students seem to want a restaurant with a "variety of menu, long hours, cheap prices and quick service," according to Anna Saraceno, president of Collins Living-Learning Center. Saraceno thinks many of the students she has talked to like the idea of keeping McDonald's because it meets these criteria and because it's "well-established and reliable." Students at Wright Quad feel the same way, Scarpino said.\nOther residence hall presidents, however, have not received the same feedback. \n"I think that students who have been here for a while want to see something new and coming from a freshman residence hall, I have to admit that (those) students are (also) for the most part looking for something new," said Matt Jarson, president of Foster Quad.\nRyan Laughner, president of Read Center, had McDonald's representatives speak to his board of governors, and noticed the same type of feedback. He said the governors wanted something more "healthy and balanced" and considered a variety of things from Boston Market to Mexican food.\n"It's not that we hate McDonald's, it's that we want to see what other options are out there," he said.\nLaughner also said that he's certain McDonald's will at least have the opportunity to place a bid on a new contract.\nScarpino said he's unsure what will happen when they create the list.\n"From the impression I'm getting, the majority of students are looking for something different ... but there's still student interest in McDonald's," he said. "It wouldn't surprise me if the list was formulated so McDonald's could still bid on it"
(10/25/05 4:38am)
For the fifth consecutive year, IU students will have the opportunity to learn about sexual issues college students face through an entertaining and informational show performed by an improvisational comedy group.\n"Sex Signals," a two-man show about dating, sex and acquaintance rape, will be performed at 7 p.m. tonight in the Willkie Auditorium and again at 9 p.m. in the Whittenburger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union. Admission is free, and the first 25 guests at each show will receive the "got consent?" T-shirts that were designed to promote the event. \nDuring the show, the players act out common scenes from bars and parties and show both the male and female perceptions of the signals they are sending that might lead to sexual assault, said Adam Wiszowaty, vice president of programming for the Residence Halls Association and one of the coordinators of the event.\nWiszowaty said the main goal of the program is to make students aware of these issues and show them what they might not be noticing in everyday social settings.\n"Sexual assault and rape are serious issues that we face on this campus everyday," he said. "In order to decrease the occurrence (of these crimes), it is necessary to first educate students about what they are. This program is not a professor just telling you facts but instead shows real life situations that we experience every week." \nWiszowaty also said the program has been very successful in the past. Last year, the two performances combined attracted about 500 students. He attributed the program's impact on students to the actors' efforts in involving the audience in the skits.\n"They ask for pick-up lines and for the common male and female perspective of what's going on in a situation," he said. "When the issue of sexual assault is addressed, the men first see the issue from their perspective, and then they see it as though the female were their sister or their best friend."\nRHA has helped coordinate the program for several years, and this year it is co-sponsoring the event with the Interfraternity Council and the IU Bookstore. Representatives from the Sexual Assault Crisis Service and Office of Women's Affairs will also be at the event to answer questions and talk to attendees.\n"Sometimes people attending the program have experienced a sexual assault, and (emotions) get triggered for them during the program," said Debbie Melloan-Ruiz, a counselor at Sexual Assault Crisis Service. "I'll be on hand to talk to them and lend support."\nMelloan-Ruiz also encouraged students to come to the program and enjoy the unique experience it gives students.\n"I hope that there's a large turnout," she said. "This is an opportunity for students to be entertained but also to learn about issues that affect everyone"
(10/20/05 5:09am)
Almost a month after Eugenie Scott, the director of the National Center for Science Education, gave a speech supporting evolution and refuting "intelligent design," Walter Bradley, an emeritus professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A&M, will give a speech titled, "Is there scientific evidence for an intelligent creator of the universe?" at 8 p.m. tonight in Alumni Hall.\n"The basic thesis of this talk is that a lot of what we've learned about nature in the last half of the 20th century does not seem to be explainable in terms of the laws of nature," Bradley said.\nHe also said his speech will provide evidence that there is rational reason to believe in God.\nRegardless of the fact that Bradley does plan to present such evidence, and that two Christian organizations -- Campus Crusade for Christ and the Graduate Intervarsity Fellowship (GradIV) -- are co-sponsoring the event, his speech will be "non-biased," said Dave Fladung, staff member of the Campus Crusade for Christ. Fladung said Bradley will simply present information and let his listeners use the evidence to form their own opinions. He will also give listeners the opportunity to ask him any questions they might have. \nBradley has spoke about intelligent design at several universities, including Harvard and Princeton, and this will be his third time speaking at IU.\nFladung said he is expecting a large turnout, especially after Scott's speech.\n"There's definitely interest in it," he said. "More people are interested in creation and where they came from."\nSteven Bradley, Bradley's son and a member of GradIV, said his father uses actual principles of anthropology and thermodynamics to validate intelligent design, which is the belief that even the simplest life forms on Earth are too complex to develop spontaneously without some type of creator.\nSteven Bradley stressed that this issue is something that involves everyone, not just biologists or Christians. He said intelligent design has received attention from around the world lately, most notably from the Dalai Lama, who discussed some aspects of it in his new book, "The Universe in a Single Atom."\n"It's not just a science versus Christian fundamentalist issue," Steven Bradley said. "(Scott's speech) made it seem very one-sided ... that evolution is proven, and there's nothing to discuss. I think students should be given the opportunity to look at the evidence and decide for themselves."\nSophomore Ty Childers, a member of Campus Crusade for Christ, is anticipating the opportunity to do just that.\n"I'm looking forward to hearing another perspective and seeing how science backs up my faith," he said.\nChilders hopes other students will attend and share their opinions and questions as well.\n"As students, we have a lot of questions that we think about all the time," he said. "By going and listening to him, you might get a different viewpoint and be encouraged to dig deeper and question why we're here and if there's really more to this life than what it seems."\n-- Staff writer Audrie Garrison contributed to this story.
(10/17/05 4:49am)
The McDonald's Corporation's presentation Friday clarified some issues concerning the expiration of the McDonald's contract in the spring of 2007 but also brought new concerns to Residential Programs and Services directors and the Meal Plan Committee. \nConsequently the committee decided to postpone voting on whether or not to recommend that RPS renew the contract until its Oct. 28 meeting so that it can gather more feedback from students. \nRPS had wanted to become a franchise owner if it decided to renegotiate the contract, mainly because it would benefit the University financially. McDonald's representatives, however, told RPS they would not allow it to become a franchise owner because RPS's primary interest would be IU students and not McDonald's, and because they only allow individuals to be franchise owners. They also said that they ask a lot out of franchise owners, including a 25 percent investment and a minimum of one year of participation in a training program. \n"It made me nervous that they said our first interest would have to be McDonald's," said Sam Scarpino, the chairman of the Meal Plan Committee and a vice president of the Residence Hall \nAssociation.\nMcDonald's representatives clarified some of the \nUniversity's questions, including those about health concerns, by discussing McDonald's community involvement, variety of menu options and the fact that it encourages consumers to have a "Balanced Active Lifestyle" by listing nutrition facts, displaying health brochures and offering alternative healthier menu options. \nIf the contract would be renegotiated, McDonald's representatives said that they want to try to offer grilled chicken items and a fuller menu. Because this would require more grill space, they would need to expand the facility in Read, which would be an approximately $145,000 investment for McDonald's.\nIn a lengthy discussion following the presentation, the Meal Plan Committee decided it needed more feedback from students in order to make a vote. Though everyone involved with the committee agreed they were neither trying to push McDonald's out nor keep it, they were still concerned about McDonald's primary interests in itself and the terms that would be renegotiated if the contract were renewed. They emphasized that students have to be the first priority of any dining option.\nMcDonald's Corp. would want to renew the contract for another 10 years, whereas other food chains may be willing to renew every three to five years. A shorter contract may be more beneficial to both RPS and students since no one can guarantee students would want the same restaurant for another 10 years. \nScarpino noted that financial concerns should be considered as well. The committee discussed the fact RPS receives only 10 percent of every meal point dollar spent at McDonald's, yet approximately 12 percent of every meal point dollar spent at each dining facility on campus, including McDonald's, goes to the overhead cost of running all of the dining facilities. Thus, RPS essentially loses 2 percent from every McDonald's meal point sale.\nThe committee is also unsure the facility in Read could be expanded. Scarpino suggested it would be best to consider which restaurants could offer the broadest menu in the space that is available, which would require more research into available options and students' opinions.\nResidence hall presidents will make lists of what qualities students want in a restaurant, such as types of food offered, as well as lists of actual restaurant suggestions and present each list at Wednesday's Presidents' Council meeting. At the next Meal Plan Committee meeting, members of the committee will look at the lists and vote on which restaurants to pursue.\nScarpino said he is unsure what they will find out from students, but once again emphasized the importance of student feedback.\n"I don't have any idea what we're going to hear until we hear it," he said. "That's why it's so important to get student response -- to know what students want"