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(02/26/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In such a jaded world, the Editorial Board is glad to take whatever good news it can find. Consider Indiana Senate Bill 276, which plans to introduce an amendment to the Indiana Code to change standards of core curriculum from requiring “Fine arts, including music and art”, to “Fine arts, including art and music, including music ensembles”. We support this change as it specifically delineates the inclusion of music ensembles. Whereas the previous text was rather ambiguous — not requiring the use of music ensembles like choirs, bands or orchestras — we believe active participation in music complements education well.If passed, SB 276 will amend the Indiana State Code section 20-30-5, which is the mandatory curriculum required by the State of Indiana for all schools within the state. As a result, schools would be compelled to offer or require participation in performing ensembles. The link between music and educational development by now is common knowledge, and playing an instrument or learning how to sing can deliver tangible benefits to students.Not that this should be the sole reason for learning about music, as it is a key part of our culture and our history. But there is nothing wrong with promoting music, even if Indianapolis wishes to see an improvement in test scores because of this change.There are problems with this top-down approach, however. Not all districts in Indiana have the ability or student enrollment to justify having an orchestra, a choir or a band, and not providing additional funding could prove prohibitive for those schools. Additionally, there are concerns about certain students feeling left out and behind those who have natural talents for music. However, we hold that these criticisms are severely misguided. Though a traditional choir or orchestra may be difficult for a small school, non-traditional ensembles or chamber groups could provide distinct experiences that would not be possible with a larger ensemble.As to the question of the inherent segregation based on skill that ensembles promote, we believe that this is no different than the inherent separation in athletic ability in sports.There are freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams in high school for a reason — to provide much more specific instruction tailored to the aggregate skill level of the group as a whole. This scheme also allows for a sense of advancement and progression as the athlete advances to the top level. The same principle applies to music ensembles. Basic skills are taught to the lower orchestras, while the repertoire and skills taught increase as the player moves up to more advanced ensembles.Far from being exclusionary, these different ensembles can prove motivating for those that want to pursue their chosen discipline.Though there are some flaws in the approach, the Editorial Board applauds SB 276 as a positive step towards improving Indiana’s schools and creating well-rounded students versed in an expansive curriculum. In an age where the arts seem to be increasingly under fire, this is welcome news indeed.opinion@idsnews.com @ids_opinion
(02/25/14 1:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>We get it. You’re busy. You’re tired. And you have plenty to worry about it. The last thing on your mind is the IU Campus Strategic Campus Plan. The name alone is likely to put the uninitiated to sleep. But the Strategic Plan shouldn’t just be relegated to pillow talk. It’s going to affect you. The Editorial Board cut through the static, facilitated by the fabulous reporting of the IDS News team, to bring you answers to questions you were too embarrassed to ask of the 21-page document you totally read. Here’s what you need to know. So, like, what is it? The IU Campus Strategic Campus Plan is the fancy name of what amounts to a blueprint, which IU will aim to follow leading up to the University’s 200th birthday.Think of it as IU’s goals and dreams written on paper, except these goals and dreams also involve thousands of people, millions of dollars and the future of a world-class institution we happen to attend.Keep in mind, however, the Strategic Plan lays outs IU’s priorities in broad terms.So it’s more of what the administration wants to do rather than how they’re going to do it. Who or what decides these priorities? The Provost, chief academic officer of the Bloomington campus, commissioned a super committee made of more than 167 faculty members, administrators and other faceless campus leaders you’ve probably never met.The super committee — broken into smaller subcommittees focused on undergraduate education, graduate education, diversity, research, faculty recruitment, international initiatives and other special projects coded with the word initiative at the end of their names. But seriously, why should I care? This year we’ve hit on the subject of a lack of student input in University decisions, including how our student government has been unable or unwilling to voice legitimate student concerns.It’s safe to say most IU students don’t feel they have a seat at the table, because, most of the time, we don’t. But the main reason you should care about the Strategic Plan is this is one of the few, rare instances where the administration actually does want to hear want you have to say.This is why the Provost put the draft of the Strategic Plan up for public comment.If you want to voice your dissatisfaction with parking, tuition, the bottleneck at the Kelley crosswalk, relations between the University and greek life, etc., this is the time to speak up. So what does it say? In all its 21-page glory, it likely doesn’t say enough.But for the average undergraduate student, the plan does outline the administration’s nonbinding priorities for us, including financial needs, making the Honors College a hub of interdisciplinary academics, increasing the number of underrepresented students at IU and getting the many schools on campus to collaborate for interdisciplinary study. Other grand foci include shortening the time it takes to complete a PhD, increasing research in emerging fields, mixing up tenure, a shift to making IU as international as possible and other smaller projects.Now, if it sounds like a snoozefest, we don’t blame you.The administrative jargon and the rhetorical devices don’t make it the most exciting read, but it has real-life consequences that will shape what our University looks like in coming years. So take 15 minutes out of your day, check out the proposal at plan.indiana.edu, and make your voice heard.— opinion@idsnews.com Follow the Editorial Boardon Twitter @ids_opinion
(02/24/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In a move that has raised some eyebrows, one enterprising Girl Scout decided to open up shop outside of a medical marijuana dispensary last week.With her mother’s permission, 13-year-old Danielle Lei of San Francisco set up a small booth of the signature Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Samoas across from the Green Cross. Within two hours, Danielle sold more than 117 boxes — nearly a box a minute — making the idea a most profitable venture.Though the Editorial Board is impressed with this young girl’s innovation and willingness to think outside the cookie box, we acknowledge the issue is slightly more complicated than pure sales.At the end of the day, the issue is whether children selling baked goods in front of marijuana dispensaries is justified, in one way or another.First, it calls into question the attitudes behind the whole cookie-selling tradition. The money raised goes to charities, the Girl Scouts organization and the troop itself, and the competition doesn’t have a reputation of being cutthroat. Critics of Danielle’s method have asked why she maintains such a dollars-first approach to a normally fun-oriented fundraiser.The Editorial Board acknowledges this, but instead believes we should encourage entrepreneurial girls interested in more than just playing with dolls.Second, the situation brings a child close — metaphorically and literally — to the ongoing debate about marijuana prohibition in America.The Editorial Board, like many of Danielle’s other critics, is hesitant to deem the idea of children spending regular time outside of dispensaries as a-OK.However, barring her from such an activity sends the message loud and clear to the world that marijuana use, both medical and recreational, is immoral and wrong. Similarly, we believe those calling her earned dollars “drug money” lack a fundamental knowledge of term.In such a case, ventures such as Baked! of Bloomington would be veritable cartels.This is the same logic that Danielle’s mom, Carol, maintains. While some are questioning her parenting practices, Carol believes selling cookies in front of the dispensery is not only a great opportunity for business, but also one for talking to her daughter about different types of drug use.She makes it a point to regularly take out both of her daughters to varying areas of San Francisco to sell the cookies in an attempt to teach them about all walks of life. She also makes sure to stay with them at all times so they’re safe.The mother organization itself, the Girl Scouts of America, has been oddly quiet during the whole ordeal. Their branch in Colorado posted an unofficial tweet lambasting the idea, but the official headquarters remains silent and has not touched the individual case.This in itself might suggest a quiet support for their newfound young businesswoman, as Girl Scouts headquarters are normally quick to publicly acknowledge something perceived as an issue.Though the Editorial Board is concerned for the safety of children when drugs are brought into the equation, however distantly, we ultimately commend Danielle for her creativity and tenacity in her cookie selling.We believe that her obvious affinity for business should be encouraged in an often male-dominated profession.Empowering young women to achieve their dreams is what Girl Scouts is all about, and Danielle represents the best of it.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(02/21/14 1:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Every year, the Union Board campaigns to bring big names to perform at the annual Little 500 concert, and each year we get our hopes up for something epic. This year's prospects are no different, from the totally exciting (Ke$ha!) to the totally ridiculous (Pitbull?). The Editorial Board came together to rank the potential Little 500 concerts from awesome but unlikely, pretty good and more likely, mildly offensive, and completely out of the question. Kanye WestThe chances Yeezus brings the good word to IU? Slim to none. Because, let’s be honest, we aren’t good enough for Kanye. After all, he is God. Ke$haWe can all just agree this would be the absolute best Little Five concert ever. Like, actually ever. Ke$ha embodies everything the week of Little Five stands for — debauchery, sleaze, glitter, skimpy clothing and all-American fun. We implore you, Union Board, make this happen. We’ll never complain about Sublime again. DrakeSure, he’ll always be Jimmy from “Degrassi: The Next Generation” to us. But Drake’s become one of the best rappers in the game with four hit albums and countless chart-topping singles, so it’s highly unlikely we’re going to get him for Little Five. A$AP Rockey“Fuckin’ Problems” was one of the best songs we heard in 2013, and it would be a fucking problem if we didn’t get A$AP for Little Five this year. He isn’t huge enough to turn down performing in Assembly Hall, so this one might actually be in he cards for us. Here’s hoping. Vampire WeekendThe foursome has played in Bloomington before, so making an appearance for Little Five isn’t out of the question. But hot off the success of their most critically adored album, “Modern Vampires of the City,” they might be a little too busy to make a stop in Hoosier Nation.Frank Ocean“Channel Orange” was one of the most critically-acclaimed albums of 2012. Which was why it was exciting when rumors of a Frank Ocean Little Five concert started swirling ... last year. It would still be pretty cool this year, but the buzz has died down. Childish GambinoNow that Donald Glover isn’t busy starring in “Community,” he’s got plenty of time to perform at this year’s Little Five concert. But, to be honest, he wouldn’t be all that exciting. The hipsters would rejoice, but that rest of us might want to stay home instead. Icona PopWe don’t care, we love it! We could all go crazy if the Swedish dance duo graced Assembly Hall with its presence for Little Five. But we’re not sure they have any other songs to play besides that one we all know. At least it would be one wild 2 1/2 minute ride. Lana Del ReyYes, Lana Del Rey is the distant beauty pageant queen pop music needed. Her sultry low voice and blank stare would make for a distinctive Little Five concert experience, but it’s not like anyone turns up for Lana Del Rey. Lana Del Rey at Lollapalooza? Yes. Lana Del Rey at Little Five? Not so much.John MayerMayer’s dude-with-a-guitar-and-feelings mantra has no place at Little Five. His songs are boring and they haven’t been relevant since the mid-2000s. If by some curse of the gods we get saddled with Mayer, maybe he’ll at least bring his girlfriend, Katy Perry. Now there’s a girl who could put on a Little Five concert. fun.Oh, please no. Fun’s Broadway-style pop and groan-inducing anthems have no place at this year’s Little Five festivities. If we have to hear “We Are Young” or “Carry On” one more time, we’re going to lose it. PitbullThis would just be a joke.Nobody wants Pitbull for Little Five, and if they do, they should be expelled from IU. Pitbull is allowed to come only if Ke$ha performs and she needs him for “Timber.” Where's Iggy?It’s depressing to think no one on Union Board suggested Iggy Azalea, that rapping Barbie from Down Under, for the Little Five concert. Azalea could wipe the floor with Nicki Minaj, one of 2011’s Little Five performers. If you haven’t heard of her, YouTube “Pu$$y” or “Work” right now. We’ll be surprised if you don’t petition Union Board to get Azalea here immediately.
(02/20/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Russian President Vladimir Putin and his friends in the Kremlin are unperturbed by their attention-grabbing expenditures in their most lavish pet project yet.The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi will reportedly cost $50 billion after all is said and done. This sum would make these Games the most expensive in history, exceeding the $44 billion for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and more than four times the original budget of $12 billion.But far from the smooth and jaw-droppingly spectacular rollout of Beijing, journalists and athletes arriving in Sochi last week were treated to a rash of problems and a torrent of embarrassing pictures flowing out through Twitter via “#sochiproblems.”The Editorial Board believes when all factors are considered, we are within our rights to look at what happened in Sochi and ask both Russia and the International Olympic Committee what went wrong.The Twitter pictures have no doubt resulted in many chuckles, and journalists who have endured long flights want to have a hot shower and a warm bed. But when they are being confronted with dirty water or no shower curtains, they have the right to complain.Call it first world problems or not, this is a simple construction failure, especially when these are supposed to be expensive, state-of-the-art hotels.But if preparing for the largest event in the world and massive overspending cannot clean up a rather sleepy costal town, then the lead-up to the Games has been an unmitigated disaster.In an article in the Wall Street Journal, Jean-Claude Killy, who is the head of the coordination committee of the IOC, said the developers of the hotels and sporting venues had concentrated first on the arenas, but were lagging on the hotels. The hotel situation is not the only concern. High costs have plagued the construction of not only the Olympic venues, but the creation of the infrastructure itself. There are stories of the $9.4 billion road and rail link as well as the $228 million ski jump.Additional security concerns also might have played a role in inflating the budget. Putin’s larger hopes that Sochi will one day become a ski destination rivaling that of Aspen or Chamonix should be tempered when journalists give this seaside town all of their coverage instead of focusing on the unusual stains on the bed.No Olympiad is ever problem-free and even one as cheap as London had its concerns that later proved to be unfounded. But when a country hails it’s playing host to the Winter Olympics with such pomp and fanfare and claims that “Sochi is going to become a new world-class resort for the new Russia,” the press should not shy away from speaking its mind.Even if the problems are indeed of the first-world variety.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ IDS_Opinion.
(02/19/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Independent of the mutual admiration between IU Student Association and the Editorial Board, we’re proud to announce we believe IUSA has finally done something historic for the student body. The proposed lounge in the IMU is a daring and innovative idea that clearly won’t have any negative consequences in the future and totally tackles the most pressing issues for IU students. In the spirit of innovation, the Editorial Board would like to suggest several other proposals we believe will help just as much as IUSA’s proposed lounge. 1. Since IUSA would like more access to alcohol for students – because obviously there aren’t enough places to drink in Bloomington – the Editorial Board would like to suggest IUSA also install a Big Red Liquors. Many students move off-campus in order to have easier access to booze. The clear solution would be to have a Big Red Liquors in the heart of campus so you can pound a Natty Ice here and there between classes. 2. IUSA’s proposed lounge should offer several beer pong tables, kegs, pledge rides and strategically-placed, IUSA-branded buckets for those who become a little too enthusiastic with IUSA’s revolutionary idea. Other favors might even include the boxed water the administration purchased last semester that is currently festering in their offices.3. Since many people move off-campus in order to escape the pressures of school, why not also bring some entertainment to the IMU? The Editorial Board proposes IUSA bring Bloomington staple Night Moves to the Union. Sure, some may say we don’t need a trashy strip club on campus. But this way, students can connect with professors while also listening to “Gas Pedal” and making it rain. Our campus is desperately in need of such a facility. And IUSA should take decisive action on this issue as well. 4. One of IUSA’s main complaints against the current social areas in the IMU is that “Starbucks is nice, but a lot of people just study there, and you can’t really have a drink with your friends.” The Editorial Board proposes IUSA also add a spacious area filled with tables for an atmosphere conducive to conversation. Soft jazz music should play over an intercom system. For convenience, there should be a certain well-known coffee business serving caffeinated beverages. These factors have been proven to stimulate warm, friendly conversation. However, studying will not be allowed in this conversation-and-drinking-only space. Because that would be completely ridiculous on a college campus.5. Last, but definitely not least, the Editorial Board proposes that the Union leave its holiday decorations up all year — because the Editorial Board just really likes the lights.
(02/18/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Instead of the Indiana General Assembly obsessing about whether or not gay people can get civil unions, it’s a miracle that the legislature is actually fighting for the rights of Hoosiers. Currently, there are bills in the Indiana Statehouse that would limit the powers police have over citizens. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution grants citizens the right to be free from illegal search and seizure of property. However, cellphones and other electronic devices, such as tablets and personal computers, are exempt from the Fourth Amendment. In Indiana, for example, a woman was arrested for being involved in the sale of methamphetamine. The police searched the suspect’s phone without obtaining a warrant or her permission. The presiding judge, the Honorable Richard Posner, argued searching cellphone records was not invasive and is comparable to reading through an address book. Posner also argued a cell phone can potentially be remotely disabled or erased so the case had a sense of urgency, which is exempt from the Fourth Amendment.Currently, the same precedent is being applied to people who are pulled over for texting and driving. Since cellphone data is easily erased, they are often seized and searched in cases where drivers are suspected of texting behind the wheel, which is a crime in Indiana.Pieces of legislation in the Indiana General Assembly would require Indiana police to obtain a court warrant before they wiretap, search or seize a phone or other electronic device. They would also limit the use of aerial drones in Indiana. The Editorial Board fully supports the efforts being made to guarantee the rights of Hoosiers that are afforded to us by the Constitution. While we don’t advocate for texting and driving, of course, we believe we should be better protected from the police in cases where we’re suspected of committing a crime that involves our cellphones. We don’t want police snooping through data, seeing our embarrassing selfies or our pathetically low score on Flappy Bird. Because, let’s admit it, phones aren’t just used for calling or texting anymore. They can take photos or videos, some of which aren’t as PG as we’d like an arresting officer to see. And following the scandal involving Eric Snowden, the whistleblower who revealed the extent to which the National Security Agency could collect data about private citizens, this legislation is needed. We may not be able to amend the Patriot Act, but we can control what Indiana police do in Indiana. And while drones aren’t often used in Indiana, they have been discussed before by state police agencies. Whenever they are used, however, the Editorial Board wants them to be regulated. We don’t want to always feel like we’re being watched when we walk to class. None of these pieces of legislation have been brought to a full vote in either the House or Senate as of now — most are being debated in committees in both chambers. When they do get brought to the floor, we want them to be passed. It’s time Hoosiers are actually given rights by our Statehouse. And this is a step in the right direction. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @IDS_Opinion.
(02/17/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There has been a perceived turn in the gay rights tide lately, and the Editorial Board couldn’t be more for it. Several legal occurrences in the past few weeks reflect growing acceptance and equality. Kentucky, a southern conservative state that is usually about 10 years behind anything trendy — especially legislation — has begun to chip away at its marriage law. A federal judge declared Kentucky must recognize gay marriages that were legally performed in other states. This is not exactly legalization of gay marriage, but it is closer than Kentucky has ever been, and honestly, it’s surprising for the red state. A pleasant surprise. Overturning anti-gay legislation in conservative states has been a trend for the judicial branch lately. A federal judge in Virginia ruled the state’s same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional, and relevant rulings have been made in Oklahoma and Utah recently as well. Another big step for equality was made with California’s Republican congressman Carl DeMaio releasing a campaign ad featuring his partner. This is a big step not only for Republicans, who need to once and for all abandon their losing anti-gay tirade, but also for equality in politics in general. Campaigns often feature a politician’s home life as a sign of family values and stability. Through their marriages and families, politicians try to show the voters they have the same morals and social values as them. This ad shows the public that having a gay partner is just as stable as having a straight one. A core family and morals aren’t at risk in a gay family. Though sexuality and home life probably should not be the reason someone gets elected, the truth about politics is that personal lives become public. This campaign opens the way for a party to begin seeing gay Americans as equal. The sports and entertainment industries have also made leaps for gay equality with NFL Player Michael Sam’s announcement that he is gay. While some sportscasters claimed this would severely affect his draft chances, the response from his fellow NFL players was pretty widely supportive. Most tweets from fellow players contained messages of pride and respect, with declarations of nonchalance about any players’ sexuality — all that matters is how you play. This is a leap forward in the same vein as DeMaio’s campaign commercial. It’s past time for America to stop treating same-sex couples like abnormalities. Sexuality does not affect a person’s ability to succeed in their chosen profession, and both of these examples show this to the public. Even the forces of intolerance are on the retreat. A proposed and thinly-veiled Jim Crow-esque bill that would have allowed Kansas businesses and government employees to refuse services to gay couples on the basis of religious freedom looks bound to fail in the Kansas senate. Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle stated, “A strong majority of my members support laws that define traditional marriage ... However my members also don’t condone discrimination.” Time and time again, equality for same-sex couples gets closer and closer, and though we still have a long way to go, it’s pretty obvious by now the American public is tired of moving backwards. Marriage equality is gaining speed all over the country, and more and more public figures are coming out and making stands for equality. Someday, the discrimination against gay people will be an embarrassing phase of our past, and those who continue siding with it today will prove to be on the wrong side of history tomorrow.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion
(02/14/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hold down the fort. Batten down the hatches. Prepare the cannons, because moms in America have declared war. The targets are an unlikely bunch — Girl Scouts. The young, green-vested cookie peddlers have recently come under fire for their alleged support of abortion activists and sex education. Though representatives from Girl Scouts of America have apologized and maintained a staunchly apolitical position, several pro-life groups are continuing to call for a nationwide boycott of buying Girl Scout cookies.But this grudge isn’t new. Nay, the wound runs deep. A battle against Girl Scouts has waged for nearly ten years, ever since one fateful day in 2004 when a local branch in Waco, Texas, began supporting a summer sex-ed seminar, Nobody’s Fool. Deemed “pornographic” and an “assault on Christian morality,” the program ignited a hostile reaction from mothers in the area who, in turn, banded together with local politician and pro-life activist John Pisciotta. Together, they formed a group that sought to bring Girl Scouts’ alleged morality crimes into the public spotlight. The second strike occurred when the same branch decided to honor a Planned Parenthood manager as a “Woman of Distinction” for her outstanding service to the community.The final and most recent straw, oddly enough, was neither a problematic accolade nor a questionable sponsorship, but two seemingly innocuous posts on social media. The official Girl Scouts of America Twitter merely retweeted a link from the Huffington Post listing the top influential women of the year, which happened to contain an image of women’s health activist Sen. Wendy Davis. A day later, they made a similarly fateful mistake on Facebook — another prefabricated list of influential women containing United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius sparked outrage within a small community of pro-lifers. Though the Editorial Board recognizes the importance of maintaining a “family friendly” environment in groups focused toward young people, we believe CookieCott 2014 and those behind it are deeply misguided in their decision to push their agenda onto an organization that has already publicly apologized and denied involvement.Although one could argue that Girl Scouts’ most recent moves were calculated choices that convey some degree of support for hot topics, we believe their refusal to wholly and publicly embrace conservatism is the most distressing issue for these fringe groups. Girl Scouts is based on the premise of creating an atmosphere in which girls can feel confident and exhibit strength in whatever path they choose. By pandering to a small fraction of dissatisfied extremists, this honorable institution would be going against all the values it instills.These boycotters are focused solely on a non-issue, while ignoring the incredible things Girl Scouts does for communities and young women. They are one of the main advocates of women in STEM careers, creating after-school programs with FIRST Robotics to get girls interested in the sciences.Similarly, they have a long history of partnership with NASA, which has introduced many young women to the male-dominated field of astrophysics.Finally, and most ironically, this boycott succeeds in doing what it is actively trying to prevent — bringing “adult issues” into a kid-oriented environment. By taking something as inoffensive as the annual Girl Scout cookie sale and politicizing it to fit an anti-abortion, abstinence-only agenda, these mothers and their politician mouthpieces have unwittingly brought the discourse of sexuality and women’s health into their own homes. The children they are fighting so valiantly to shelter are now faced with tough questions with equally tough answers, possibly at ages not conducive to total understanding.To those boycotting, we implore you to put down your torches and pitchforks, and pick up a delicious box of Thin Mints. Who knows — one chocolaty bite could totally change your perspective.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Boardon Twitter @ids_opinion.
(02/12/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On February 4, 2014, millions of people tuned in to the live debate staged between popular scientist and entertainer Bill Nye the Science Guy and well-known creationist Ken Ham. Though a general consensus of the perceived winner would probably turn up in Nye’s favor, the Editorial Board believes this widely-publicized event was severely misguided in its occurrence in the first place.For starters, nothing was achieved in the discourse by either Nye or Ham. Nye certainly didn’t start viewing creationism as a viable model in modern society on the spot, and Ham admitted that he would flat-out refuse to believe anything but his model of the “young Earth” (6,000 years of age, precisely), even in the face of irrefutable evidence. Neither took into account the many variations of their systems of belief, and both danced around the question of a marriage between science and religion, which is an idea many Americans with faith have come to share in light of recent scientific discoveries. Even worse, Nye’s scattered anecdotes and Ham’s hardline beliefs did little more than talk over each other, resulting in a garbled synthesis of arguments we’ve all already heard before.The discussion was a rather thinly veiled bid for publicity for the two aging entertainment figures, simultaneously making quite the pretty penny for Ham. The debate itself took place in Ham’s famous Creationism Museum, and was a ticketed event that sold out to more than 900 happy museum-goers. After all the lights, cameras and ticket sales, perhaps Ham will have enough money to fund his old pet project — a massive theme park dedicated to explaining the scientific historicity of Noah’s Ark.Nye’s motives behind his decision to fly to Kentucky for the showdown are less clear. One can imagine, with restraint, two different explanations. Either he has become a publicity hound after his fall from the PBS spotlight, or he was rather naïve in his eagerness to defend his reputation as a firebrand for science. The whole issue also serves as a somewhat chilling reminder to us that Indiana still indirectly funds creationism programs within the state through the use of the voucher program, which allows independent schools with unambiguously Christian agendas to participate and teach intelligent design. While the Editorial Board staunchly defends everyone’s right to believe what they choose, we maintain that students, especially young students, have the right to hear the most scientifically accurate information of the day while in such a formative stage in their development.All in all, it was an uncomfortable 150 minutes for everyone involved. Nye awkwardly referred to the decidedly unreceptive audience as “his Kentucky friends.” Ham used the Bible to disprove Darwin’s notoriously discredited concepts of high and low races, while failing to acknowledge its use in justifying centuries of slavery.Neither side seemed particularly appealing. Though in its conception the idea of the debate might have seemed like an earnest, plausible opportunity for both sides to intellectually duke it out, we believe that in its execution, everybody lost that night.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(02/11/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington wants some inspiration for new shops downtown. Here’s what would make B-Town shopping heavenly.Trader Joe’sLet’s be real, Trade Joe’s is a necessity. Sure, we’ve got our organic, tofu, flaxseed and soy protein fixes covered with Bloomingfoods, but it’s just not the same. Trader Joe’s is a friendly, coy, nautically-themed grocery store that’s too good to pass up. It’s subtle about being organic — their food doesn’t try to taste like twigs. We’re caught between Indianapolis and Louisville for the closest TJ’s. Come on, B-Town, we’ve got to get in on this.CostcoYou think you don’t need a 10-gallon jar of pickles in your life, but you do. True, Bloomington already has a Sam’s Club. But imagine a big, picturesque Costco right on Kirkwood — it would be a thing of beauty. Costco is convenient, but most of all, it embodies the United States. You can enter a Costco with a handful of money and come out with Jay Gatsby’s life. The store sells bulk food, furniture, jewelry, electronics and more all for prices that will have you filling up their giant shopping carts in a heartbeat. Don’t tell us you’re not sold.Williams-SonomaNow most of these have been pretty damn bougie, but Williams-Sonoma is straight up bourgeoisie. It’s classy, beautiful, exhilarating and all about cooking good food. You can get pans that make bundts from castles to Stars of David, and they have Star Wars cookie cutters. We need this in our lives. Bloomington is foodie-central and a GLBTQ haven, so we know a Williams Sonoma would do well right on the square.J. CrewIt just isn’t fair that Bloomington residents have to drive all the way to Edinburgh to shop at the nearest J. Crew store, and that’s only a factory outlet. How else are we supposed to buy our high-priced plaid button ups and colored chinos? There isn’t another place in Hoosier Nation to purchase vaguely nautical-inspired sweater cardigans or pastel country party dresses. So we implore you, Bloomington. Grant us a wood-paneled, overpriced J. Crew. We’re aching to explore the children’s section, imagining how we’re going to dress our future, upper-middle-class offspring. Whole Foods MarketIs anyone else just sick of shopping at Kroger? I mean, sure we have Bloomingfoods. But their stores tend to be cramped, and they are hardly known for their variety. Whole Foods is like a regular-sized grocery store, but, you know, beautifully organic and full of free sample stations. Plus, they don’t allow any artificial flavors, artificial colorings or high fructose corn syrup in the products they carry. IKEAYou can imagine the killing an IKEA would make in a college town like Bloomington. The hordes of freshmen moving here would flock to the gloriously inexpensive Swedish furniture store to furnish their dorms. Not to mention the upperclassmen looking to fill their homes and apartments. IKEA is Hoosiers’ only hope of making our living quarters as modern and space efficient as possible. Not to mention the endless fun that would come from spending an otherwise boring Sunday trouncing around the mock kitchen and living rooms. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion
(02/10/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Running for office takes ideas.Ultimately, however, it is up to voters to decide what ideas they believe in and want to see implemented by voting for those with the best ones into office. Or so we’d like to think.Recently the IU Student Association seemed to finally do something right.Last week this publication reported that IUSA proposed amendments to the Indiana Lifeline Law on Jan. 22 that expand the language to apply to victims of sexual assault and other crimes, as well as situations involving underage drinking.The Editorial Board genuinely welcomes this legislative push to afford more protection to students, especially those that might be victims of sexual assault while under the influence of alcohol.Still, this new push also raises several questions.During last year’s election, the other major executive ticket — Hoosiers 4 Solutions — had this very same proposed amendment to the Lifeline Law as one of its central promises in its campaign platform. Meanwhile YOUniversity, the ticket in office now, dismissed efforts to lobby the legislature for this amendment, instead opting for action at the University level, with such pressing issues as bringing handles back to tailgates and the proposed “pub” in the Union — both of which have failed to materialize. Long after the election, Sen. Jim Merritt independently proposed expanding the Lifeline Law to cover medical emergencies around October 2013. Missing, however, was any mention of coverage for victims of sexual assault.During this time the original architect of the Hoosiers 4 Solutions platform contacted Merritt’s office to suggest the inclusion of the amendment in his proposed legislation, which the senator seemingly acted upon and had included by Jan. 12. IUSA contacted Merritt about the issue back in March despite deeming it a waste of the time during the election season. IUSA, however, did not officially introduce the amendments to the Lifeline Law until Jan. 22, after the amendment was already included in the proposed legislation. Though we celebrate the additions to the Lifeline as a significant and overdue step in increasing student safety on our campus, the Editorial Board cannot overlook this last minute change of heart by IUSA at a time when it has accomplished so little and its time in office rapidly continues to dwindle.As tuition payers, we must keep our student government accountable and demand results. We currently pay IUSA’s top executives $3,000 each in salaries.Most importantly, if we’re paying student leaders such a substantial amount of Student Fee funds, we should expect ideas and proposals from those elected — not from the defeated ticket that offered to enact those same proposals at no cost to the student body.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(02/07/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When the Seahawks beat the 49ers and secured their place in the Super Bowl line-up, cornerback Richard Sherman made headlines during an on-field post-game interview with Erin Andrews when he hollered into the camera.According to social media, television and radio, Sherman “acted like a thug.” It’s important to note that Sherman is black.And it is the perfect example of how we need to always be wary of the mainstream media.He was asked later about his behavior during an interview on ESPN. Not surprisingly, he said that he was excited — and for all intents and purposes called the reporters out on their racist implications of his background and demeanor. Yes, Sherman is huge, as are most football players. He stands a head taller than Andrews, his biceps are covered in tattoos and he has dreadlocks.Out of context, someone could assume he was from the streets, mean and a brute.But Sherman is a Stanford-educated man from Compton who has had an extremely successful career in the NFL. Now, he’s famous for “being unruly” after a game. We don’t want to say it’s racist, but we’re going to say it’s racist.It’s ridiculous that even after all the progress we’ve made, Americans are still scared of a black man acting “uppity,” as one reporter put it, with all the backwards implications therein.He’d just won a ticket to the Superbowl. He’s allowed to be excited about it. And, as Jon Stewart said, there are bigger fish to fry.The same news outlets that accused Sherman of violence spun around and called Rob Ford, the controversial mayor of Toronto who is currently under investigation, the man we all love.We don’t love Rob Ford. He’s accused of violent felonies, mismanagement and cover ups. But because he’s a white mayor who makes tongue-in-cheek statements about his sex life and his position in politics, he is allowed a pass. Meanwhile, the black football player who intelligently defended himself and apologized for any inappropriate behavior is burned at the stake.We can argue back and forth all day about semantics and motivations, but at the end of the day one thing does not change — Sherman is black, and that was the thing the media could not get past.The irresponsibility is appalling. The implied racism, and acceptance of racism, is more so.We must always be wary of what the media says and how it portrays people. It’s a shame, but it’s true.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(02/06/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Being a college athlete is hard. Intense workouts, long road trips and high pressure to perform are just a few of the things student-athletes are forced to deal with in addition to their studies. Some argue that because college athletes work so hard and bring in revenue for their school, they should be paid for their work. But it isn’t work. Athletics are an extracurricular activity as part of school. Although being an athlete may seem like a job, it isn’t until someone reaches the professional level — something that is not at all guaranteed to happen.Which brings up another point. Many universities are failing their student-athletes academically by letting them coast through GPA-boosting but academically unbeneficial coursework. Sometimes these classes aren’t even real. A CNN article revealed student-athletes at the University of North Carolina were taking fake college classes to stay eligible.CNN began its investigation when UNC researcher Mary Willingham found some student-athletes were reading at an elementary school level and “could not even read well enough to follow news coverage about themselves,” the article said.It should be noted most of these student-athletes at UNC played football or basketball, the two most revenue-generating college sports. This isn’t a coincidence. These athletes are valued most because of the obscene amount of money they bring in for their universities. With this in mind, let’s return to the argument about college basketball and football players being paid.Student-athletes are paid, in a way, for all the money they make for their school. This isn’t true for all college sports. But in the case of popular ones like football and basketball, many of these players receive full-ride scholarships. The ones that are not granted full-rides are still given scholarships, and these are quite substantial. A college education is arguably the greatest payment. It should provide security for the future. But in the case of student-athletes, this is not necessarily true. Student-athletes taking cushy — or in the case of UNC, fake — classes are not being prepared for the world after sports like they deserve to be. A person whom cannot even read at a middle school level upon graduating college is not prepared for the real world. Many of these student-athletes expect to have a career in the pros, where a quality education is not required. But this isn’t likely to happen.According to one study by Business Insider, 1.7 percent of college football players make it to the NFL, and only 1.2 percent of college men’s basketball players make it to the NBA.IU recently conducted a study that revealed playing Division I athletics could have an adverse effect on someone’s mental and physical health later in life, according to an article in the Herald-Times.The most important argument here is not about paying or not paying college athletes. It’s about colleges failing the athletes they supposedly value so much. The Editorial Board calls for a reevaluation of college athletics. College sports are not jobs, so universities need to stop treating them like jobs. An education comes first. Ironically, the institutions that are supposed to educate us receive much of their funding from the very student-athletes they are not educating sufficiently. Follow the Editorial Board on Twitter @IDS_Opinion.
(02/04/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Homelessness in Bloomington continues to be a serious problem. After winter break, an IU student discovered a member of Bloomington’s homeless population had been living in her home.This person, likely having no place to go and facing the extreme cold temperatures of the winter vortex, found shelter in one of the city’s many houses that sit alone while we enjoyed the holiday with our families in warm homes.This break-in isn’t the first, and it likely won’t be the last of its kind. Still, the break-in to the student’s residence is a situation none of us would want to deal with, and likely a scary one at that.The incident is another symptom in chronic illness that is homelessness in Bloomington.Many of us have become desensitized to those most in need. Walking down Kirkwood Avenue and seeing panhandlers asking for money can be an eye-sore for the picture-perfect college town that is our city.But these are real people. It’s a reality. And it’s one few have addressed, and even fewer know how to potentially solve.The city is home to several shelters and a significant volunteer base. Yet we find these resources are sometimes not helping those who need them the most.To be allowed to stay in some of these shelters, those seeking refuge must have no prior convictions nor a history of alcohol or drug abuse.Unfortunately, due to the nature of living and surviving in the streets, many do have a history of run ins with the law. Many also suffer from substance abuse problems.With these barriers in place, it’s no wonder some members of the homeless population resort to squatting during the winter months in unoccupied housing.The Editorial Board highly recommends these restrictions be revisited.More importantly, Indiana — in conjunction with Bloomington — needs to provide more accessible assistance to the homeless.This means not just providing them a place to avoid the cold for a night, but also offering help with addiction and mental illness. We encourage service-oriented and philanthropic organizations on our campus to look at homelessness in our city as a major issue in need of their immediate assistance.If we want to help others, starting in our own backyard would be a great start. So far — despite discussing this issue year after year — the problem continues and likely won’t going away any time soon. It is dangerous to allow the issue to fester.In the instance reported, squatting hurt no one.Let’s not wait until it does.Follow the Editorial Board on Twitter@ids_opinion.
(02/03/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Greek life at IU generally draws two opinions from the student population — you love it, or you hate it.With men’s spring recruitment kicking off today, those viewpoints are likely to be cemented once the process concludes for greek hopefuls. More than 5,000 students are involved in 65 different greek-related organizations. It’s pretty unavoidable around campus. Most students form an opinion on the system one way or another, and usually the viewpoints are pretty black and white. If you’re in it, you support it. If you’re not, well, you don’t.The non-greek population on campus has less than positive things to say about fraternities in particular. Although there are many instances in which judgments are made off of cold hard facts and personal experiences, many of the stories spread about the greek system can be pinned to a small percentage of fraternities and sororities, making the criticism a blanket judgment.Yes, fraternities get a bad rap for supporting an “eat, sleep, drink” lifestyle. But it’s also important to keep in mind IU’s greek system presents more than that. Students involved in a fraternity or sorority consistently earn higher GPAs than non-greek undergraduate students. In 2011, the average sorority and fraternity GPA was a 3.2, compared to a non-greek undergraduate average GPA of a 3.1. In addition to scholarship, the greek system at IU focuses on involvement in philanthropy and volunteer work. Thousands of dollars are raised annually by the sororities and fraternities on IU’s campus to support charitable causes. Zeta Tau Alpha in particular raises almost $200,000 each year for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s an honest evaluation of what is commonly overlooked when analyzing fraternities. However, while fraternities do plenty of good, some also display severe issues in their culture that can’t be overlooked by how much money is raised at IU’s Dance Marathon. Hazing, cultural insensitivity, increased risk of sexual assault, sexism, a tacit belligerence toward progressive ideology, homophobia and a childish contempt for the larger non-greek population are all reasons many have a negative view of fraternities, even if it’s just a small pool that actually has a hand in this.Though some may say it is questionable to use any sort of all-encompassing criticism of greek life — since so much varies from chapter to chapter — the fact is that these things do happen in at least one chapter on our campus. And one chapter is one too much. If the greek system itself can’t or won’t keep them accountable, we will. Becoming a part of greek life is a personal choice, and deciding either way isn’t right or wrong. But being greek is a privilege, not a right. Any group that hampers progress on our campus will continue to hear from the Editorial Board.Still, we must keep in mind that even though there are unpleasant frat boys and rude sorority girls, there are also unpleasant and rude people across campus who don’t wear greek letters. Most importantly, there are fraternities and sororities that are actively leading the way in making the greek system a safer and more inclusive space. And they should know they have the Editorial Board’s unilateral and continuing support in doing so. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/31/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The National Football League, like any other billion dollar industry, should not be exempt from taxes. When most people think of a nonprofit organization, organizations such as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity or other groups that work in the name of the public interest come to mind. What usually doesn’t is America’s football league. But unbeknownst to most people, the National Football League is indeed considered a nonprofit. The logic behind this is that the NFL promotes the benefit of football. The NFL takes its revenue and divides it among the teams in the league, therefore technically not making a profit. Even so, there are major problems with the NFL’s nonprofit status. For starters, it grants the league immunity from taxes on the money that it brings in. This exemption is despite the fact that the NFL brought in more than $9 billion in revenue last year, according to Forbes magazine. But the main issue isn’t that the league is making an insane amount of money. It’s the fact they are using their status to take advantage of taxpayers. Even people who are not fans of football have contributed tax dollars toward the construction of new stadiums for this “nonprofit” organization. Cities like Indianapolis have bent over backward to pander to the NFL in the name of increasing business. Recently, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., proposed a bill called the PRO Sports Act, which would take away the tax exemption from professional sports leagues. It would also take away their ability to use taxpayers’ money for obscene new facilities built on the backs of taxpayers. The Editorial Board absolutely endorses the proposal.More importantly, this new bill wouldn’t be the death sentence for the NFL that many of the bill’s opponents are preaching. For example, the Major League Baseball declined its own nonprofit status but is still going strong because of support from its fans that continues to translate into dollars. Right now, the NFL’s fan base is so loyal that they are willing to pay taxes to supply their favorite teams with fancy stadiums. If the NFL was required to pay taxes, teams might have to raise ticket prices. But if fans are willing to give tax money to the league, the Editorial Board believes fans would be willing to pay for the increase in price. It’s also important to remember the NFL is not the only stakeholder in this matter. It affects communities. Under the current conditions, tax money that isn’t being raised because of the league’s nonprofit status could be providing critical services to some of its biggest supporters in the community that need assistance the most. What this boils down to is also the increasingly visible face of corporate greed. The league could easily carry on as a successful organization without taking taxpayer money, and even more so, it could and should give back to the fans that have supported it so passionately for decades. In recent years, many have come to unjustly demonize those most in need in our country. They’ve been labeled leeches on our society that shouldn’t be helped if they can’t help themselves. Ironically enough, the biggest leeches of all may be those you watch on Sunday making millions while still asking for help from taxpayers. — opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/29/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>People find many different ways to honor Martin Luther King every January. Some choose to volunteer all day, or various other acts of good will.Arizona State University’s Fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon chose to celebrate by throwing an “MLK Blackout” party, complete with party favors mocking African American stereotypes including watermelon cups and oversized basketball jerseys. Once Anderson Cooper and other people in the news media got hold of Instagram pictures documenting the event, the backlash was wild.Such willful ignorance should not still be so rampant in our society. Punishment should be doled out for those insensitive and immature enough to participate.As for rampant ignorance, IU doesn’t have much room to talk.Last year one of IU’s own sororities was also caught on camera attending anoffensive homeless-themed party.ASU’s offense is worse considering the timing. It takes a special kind of ignorance to throw a party that is supposedly in honor of a great humanitarian, and at the same time make that party so completely insulting to him and his message.You just can’t compress an entire race and culture into a theme without being offensive.You will always end up stereotyping.Even if, consciously, the person with the watermelon cup in their hand knows that they aren’t giving a fair and true depiction of the race they are impersonating, face it: they are still holding a watermelon cup.They, at the very least, thought it was an honest enough representation that people would recognize it and laugh — and that is racist.Racism is a bigger and more complex problem than just making people see that one race is not the sum of its stereotypes.This is why we chose to believe this fraternity is more ignorant than evil.We believe the fraternity did mean to celebrate MLK Day — the problem is that they failed to understand that dressing up in everything short of blackface demeans an entire race and culture and dehumanizes them.By doing so, you objectify and offend the very group you think you are celebrating.It is this dehumanization and representation of African Americans that Martin Luther King Jr. fought so hard against.The Editorial Board believes stopping future embarrassments like this depends solely on our ability to address this ignorance.We need to be more aware of the extent that racism still exists, even where we least expect it, and learn how to recognize it before we have theme parties about it.This brings us to our second concern: punishment.Obviously, the only way to stop this from happening in the future is through education.This is why kicking them out of school is probably not the best option.Perhaps enrollment in some classes focused on diversity in society will help them debunk their misconceptions about a group of people they clearly don’t understand.Their true punishment, however, will be the media demerit that will follow them for the rest of the Internet’s life.Because of the media saturated society we live in these pictures, and the news attention they received, are going to haunt these kids — from when they look for jobs, to when their blind date tries to Google them.That punishment is probably the most effective way they will learn.opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/28/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thomas Reilly Jr., chairman of the IU Board of Trustees, is a super funny guy.When two student leaders came before him expressing concern, claiming that student members of committees don’t have enough time to familiarize themselves with the committee’s work and affect change before their term ends, his response was to crack a joke.“That’s part of our strategy to deal with you,” he said. Reilly’s board might be chuckling. The Editorial Board is not.The fact it occurs to Reilly to make such a comment — joke or otherwise — is the perfect example of what’s so wrong at this University.Reilly went on, like any good paternalist speaking to his disenfranchised charges, to admit the trustees “exist to educate students,” and therefore, need strong sources of student input.He’s wrong.Reilly was first appointed to the Board of Trustees by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2005. In total, six of IU’s nine trustees are appointed by the state’s governor, including one student trustee. The other three are elected by alumni. Current students never vote for a trustee. Not once.The IU Board of Trustees does not exist to educate students under its current structure. It exists to satisfy the governor and the alumni. The extent to which the board exists to educate students is only the extent to which those otherwise-occupied constituencies demand it.That’s why student input on committees, the kind Reilly shrugged off with a joke, is so vital to our existence as members of this community.It’s why IU Student Association President Jose Mitjavila’s administration’s initial failure to fill seven of those positions is so egregious.The student affairs subcommittee of the Bloomington Faculty Council went more than two months without a single student member. The responsibility to fill that position was Mitjavila’s. Unlike the Graduate and Professional Student Organization, which opens committee appointment to all its constituents, IUSA precedent is to appoint only members of the current administration’s staff to committees. That means no matter how you voted in the last IUSA election, only the winning executive ticket will ever have any meaningful interaction with University issues.Provost Lauren Robel said in Friday’s IDS investigation article this isn’t a problem she or Dean of Students Harold Goldsmith or the Trustees should be responsible for solving. This is just another case of the epidemic of disdain for the average student at this University. Its chief academic officer and the dean charged with student welfare don’t feel responsible for ensuring that students have any seat at the table, let alone a seat representative of the fact that this University exists mainly for their benefit.That’s your student government’s responsibility, and if your student government is systematically hobbled by the very process it’s supposed to be participating in, well, that’s just part of their strategy to deal with it.This University’s function is to educate students, even Reilly and his trustees ostensibly agree to that fact. But if that’s the case, why are students and student governors scrambling to keep up with an administration that is working on a schedule and pace so harshly dissonant from their own? If student input is so valuable and important, shouldn’t it be the other way around? It should be the administration and trustees bending over backwards to ensure students are able to attend committee meetings. They should be developing orientation programs designed to make student committee members effective contributors as quickly as possible.Pairing new student appointees with a veteran committee member would be a start.This year, demand real, tangible change from your student government. Demand that committee positions be filled quickly with students genuinely interested in the issues the committees deal with. Make it a major campaign issue.The provost, the deans, the trustees — they’ve already made it clear they’re not going to listen to our voices unless we work for it, unless you push for it, unless you make your voice so loud and important they can’t function without listening to it. They say there’s a student government system in place for you to be heard. That system is broken. The problem is they have no incentive to fix it.Force that to change. Because our apathy and inertia are a part of their strategy to deal with us.It’s time we developed a strategy to deal with them.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.
(01/27/14 5:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The shooting at Purdue University once again brought the discussion of school safety and gun control into the public sphere. So far in 2014, there have been seven school shootings in the United States, in Tennessee, Connecticut, New Mexico, Indiana, South Carolina and two in Pennsylvania. With this shocking number of school shootings in one month alone, IU students are reassessing just how safe we feel on our own campus. During the shooting at Purdue, professors were reported to have joked about the incident or ignored it completely. Some professors propped doors open instead of shutting doors like they’re supposed to do. Meanwhile, Purdue ALERT, the West Lafayette school’s equivalent to IU Notify, told students to resume normal daily operations only an hour after the shooting had occurred. At this point, the shooter had been arrested, but police scanners were still reporting more shooters may have been involved. The Editorial Board is concerned that the problems with Purdue ALERT could potentially happen at IU, with equal or greater effect. We feel it’s pertinent for the administration to learn from the aftermath of the Purdue shooting and do everything within its power to continue building tangible, effective safety protocols. This academic year at IU, we’ve had three incidents considered major enough to warrant the use of IU Notify — the stabbing at Tulip Tree, the Polar Vortex and the robbery at the IU Credit Union. Some of us on the Editorial Board don’t see IU Notify as operating at its optimal performance. Notifications about a stabbing in Tulip Tree are wanted and needed, but are ultimately useless if you receive them up to an hour after the incident has been solved. The administration has articulated that IU Notify isn’t as prepared to handle a large-scale emergency as it should be. During the bank robbery at the IU Credit Union earlier this month, the system crashed, failing to alert thousands of students and faculty about the situation. Since the Tulip Tree stabbing in October, the administration has admitted the system has been flawed. They hired programmers to fix the problem in December, two months after the problem was discovered. A staggering four months after the problem was discovered, it still isn’t fixed and won’t be for another three months. IU Notify must be fixed, constantly monitored and updated as soon as possible. The consequences of a severe incident happening at the hands of a person like Ryder Pickens — the IU student recently arrested for allegedly attempting to create a bomb — and the system failing at the same time could be catastrophic. The last thing we need during the confusion and chaos of a campus emergency is to have students receiving alerts and warnings late or not receiving notifications at all. Students and faculty want to feel safe here on campus. And the University owes it to us to make that happen.— opinion@idsnews.comFollow the Editorial Board on Twitter @ids_opinion.