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(08/26/08 1:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Greek life is a staple at big colleges like IU, and students new to campus or upperclassmen looking for a new activity can learn all about it this September.For fraternities, fall recruitment or “rush,” starts at 4 p.m. Sept. 12 at a kick-off event in Dunn Meadow, in which students interested in joining a house can talk to active members.“It’s kind of the University’s formal way of introducing anyone who wants to take a look at fraternities,” said Pat O’Marro, Sigma Phi Epsilon President. Delta Kappa Epsilon President Vince Marshall said meeting guys at Dunn Meadow is important for potential members to scope out the fraternities on campus. “It gives them a feel for what the guys are like,” Marshall said. He also said he and other current members get a list of any new male students interested. Then the current members invite the new recruits to rush events.For women interested in going Greek, Women’s Formal Recruitment starts with a meeting, “Greek Opportunities for Women,” on Sept. 23. Kappa Delta Vice President of Membership Katie Snodgrass said the meeting is a chance for chapters to share information with girls interested in recruitment.“It’s like a meet-and-greet,” Snodgrass said. “It’s a positive way to promote joining a sorority and going Greek.”On Dec. 6, girls start visiting the 19 sororities on campus and finish the process when they return early from winter break for invitations to houses. Girls are invited to join a sorority at Bid Day on Jan.11. “19 Party is really fun,” said Kappa Delta President Dana Rissley. “It was not what I expected, but it was a surprise in a good way. All the houses were very welcoming.”Before 19 Party, sorority members can invite potential recruits to their houses throughout the fall. Snodgrass said one event Kappa Delta puts on is “‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Night.” Active members bring girls to the house for a night of breadsticks, soda and TV.Compared to female recruitment, fraternity recruitment is less formal, and fraternities find new members in their own ways. “For every fraternity it differs,” O’Marro said. “A lot of fraternities just recruit on rush. Rush isn’t our biggest thing.”O’Marro said Sigma Phi Epsilon has an application to fill out, which can lead to an interview and invitations to rush events. The fraternity also starts searching for recruits out of high school with a scholarship award. However a student finds a Greek house, Marshall said going Greek has many positive benefits.“It’s a great way to make new friendships,” Marshall said. “It will hopefully take me far in business and networking.”Rissley also said she is glad she chose to go through sorority recruitment.“There are 19 houses on campus so there’s something for everyone,” Rissley said. “Most people are pleasantly surprised when they go through recruitment.”
(04/24/08 3:54am)
Before students lie out in the sun, start a new job or take a vacation this summer, they must overcome one obstacle: finals week.\n“I get ridiculously stressed because the percentage of a final is so much greater in comparison to other tests,” said freshman Erica Novak. “I take a sick amount of practice tests, and I start \nstudying early.”\nSeveral events on campus might make studying easier for students worried about finals. One is a free “breakfast for dinner” at 10 p.m. Sunday in The Market in the Indiana Memorial Union, presented by the Union Board.\n“We do it every semester,” said freshman and Union Board Spirits and Traditions Director Brian Holthouse. “We think it’s a nice break for students and a nice way for them to de-stress and get ready \nfor finals.”\nThe Health Center staff members will offer anxiety screenings and relaxation sessions from 3 to 5 p.m. today in the Herman B Wells Library lobby. They will also offer free massages in the lobby from 7 to 9 p.m., according to the library’s Web site.\nFor studying options, the IMU will be open 24 hours a day from Sunday through Wednesday, said Tom Simmons, associate director of the IMU. He also said Tree Suite Rooms will be open for quiet studying.\nBut Health Center educator Kathryn Brown said there is more to doing well on finals than just studying. Students should be sure to eat enough fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products, she said. Time management is also important for a successful study plan.\n“Look at all the things you need to get done and put them on a schedule,” Brown said. “Be realistic with certain time frames you need for getting things done.”\nBut besides eating balanced meals and planning enough hours in the day, Brown said the most important tip for studying is to get enough sleep and to \navoid all-nighters. \n“When you are sleep deprived, your brain wants to go to sleep,” Brown said. “You’re going to be constantly fighting off that instinct to go to sleep. If that’s your situation, you’re not going to be able to concentrate. You’re going to find yourself reading over and over again.”\nFreshman Ryan Short said he thinks prioritizing his time is the best way for him to conquer finals week, but that also means finding time throughout the whole semester to study.\n“I try to stay to a pretty normal schedule,” Short said. “I try to study a little bit all semester and that way, by the time finals roll around, you don’t have to worry about cramming.”\nFreshman Bianca Pietrantoni said she has a similar philosophy about finals.\n“I don’t stress out too much,” Pietrantoni said. “I stress out during the semester, so I feel prepared for finals.”\nBut even though not all students prepare throughout the semester, freshman Kevin Troyer said it is the best method for surviving finals.\n“I think finals week is just a culmination of the semester so if you go to class and take good notes, a final is just another test,” Troyer said. “If you don’t know the material, you’re not going to learn it all in one five-hour cram session. I’d say the learning’s already over.”
(04/17/08 4:42am)
Bloomington’s all-woman a capella world music ensemble, Kaia, will perform its biggest show of the year this weekend.\n“Get Down, Rise Up!” will be 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the John Waldron Arts Center Auditorium. The group’s founder, Cairril Adaire, said attendees should expect an exciting production.\n“Once a year we do a big blowout show,” Adaire said. “We do our entire repertoire with small ensemble pieces, little surprises for the audience and very high energy. People walk out of it feeling energized.”\nThe concert, which is part of the Bloomington Area Arts Council Performing Arts Series, will feature a wide range of music from around the world. Adaire said the group’s repertoire, which includes world music, jazz and even Radiohead, shows how different Kaia is.\n“When you hear a capella, most people think barbershop, doo-wop or show choir,” Adaire said. “Most people tend to be the same age and they do the same type of music.”\nAdaire said she has not found any other group like Kaia.\n“We explore the entire gamut of human experience,” Adaire said. “Our shows are really fun. No one else is shameless enough to do what we do. We’ll do outrageous things and still keep it family friendly.”\nJenny Gibson, another member of Kaia, said the group rehearses every Sunday for at least two hours, and spends additional time in small ensembles. She said the hours of rehearsal are crucial because of the challenge a capella music creates.\n“You have to be really on top of your performance because the audience can tell if you make a mistake since there’s no major accompaniment,” Gibson said.\nDespite the amount of rehearsal time, Gibson said she is nervous because this is her first big show with Kaia. But she’s still looking forward to it. \n“I am very excited to do it,” Gibson said. “It should be a good time. It’s an eclectic set of music.”\nIn addition to a mix of music, Kaia also likes to include audience participation. Amy Jackson, who has been a Kaia member for two and a half years, said engaging the audience adds to the whole experience of the show.\n“We do a lot of things where the audience is invited to sing with us and teach them parts of the song,” Jackson said. “Kaia tries to create a sense of community with the audience.”\nAll Kaia shows are family friendly and Adaire said students would also enjoy the concert.\n“When students come, they have an absolute blast,” she said. \nTickets for “Get Down, Rise Up!” are available at the Sunrise Box Office or online at www.BloomingtonArts.info.
(03/28/08 3:57am)
While this year’s IU Mini Marathon and 5K will still feature dedicated runners, philanthropists and spectators, the event is receiving a makeover. \nChanges to the IU Circle of Life-sponsered races on April 5 include a modified Greek Challenge and involvement from IU football coach Bill Lynch and his team.\n“Coach Lynch will hand out awards in the end zone right before the scrimmage,” said Nathan Rollings, Circle of Life executive vice president and chief financial officer. “It will definitely help the atmosphere after the football team had such a great year. Getting them involved appeals to a different demographic.”\nThe purpose of the race is to raise money for a scholarship fund for cancer survivors called the Bill Z. Littlefield Scholarship for Survivors. The fund will release the scholarships to prospective students who have survived cancer, according to an IU press release.\nIn an effort to raise more money, the Greek Challenge was changed, Rollings said. This year, the Greek Challenge will involve fraternities and sororities competing for $5,000 and a trophy. \n“We want to raise as much money as humanly possible,” Rollings said. \nA third significant change to the race is its date. IU Circle of Life President Sean MacCauley said they moved the date to the spring to get more students involved and to take advantage of the excitement surrounding the Little 500. MacCauley said the new date has received a good response on campus, even though the time between fall and spring created a challenge.\n“We had the race in the fall, so we only had a total of three months to prepare,” he said. “We really pushed the 5K this year, and we are trying to market to students.”\nAlthough having the race in the spring gets more people involved, graduate student Sarah Paradis, who ran in the IU Mini Marathon in 2006 and 2007, said the new date hindered her training schedule.\n“I think it’s a great idea to get more participation, but it’s hard to train in the semester,” Paradis said. “I usually take the time in the summer to train. Spring is so busy with classes. I’m running the 5K this year.”\nYet, despite the lack of time, Paradis said she still wants to participate because of the sense of school spirit that comes with the races.\n“It’s cool to run on campus,” Paradis said. “There’s a feeling of pride running with other students.”\nIU Circle of Life Operations Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Shildes McCaslin also said the races are about more than just the competition. He said he chose to get involved because of the good cause.\n“It’s really about students because we’re raising money for cancer survivors to go to college,” McCaslin said. “Too often, kids take advantage of opportunities to seek an education.”\nThe mini marathon will start at 8 a.m. April 5 near Assembly Hall and the Memorial Stadium, and the 5K will begin at 8:10 a.m. To register for the races or to find more information, visit www.iumini.com.
(03/25/08 7:32am)
A predominantly older audience filled Alumni Hall on Monday night to listen to columnist William Safire. IU alumnus Michael Arnolt introduced Safire, noting Safire’s accomplishments, such as winning the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary, serving as president Richard Nixon’s speechwriter for four years and being the most widely read writer on the English language. \nWhen Safire took the stage, he said the purpose of his speech was to analyze the current political scene. He then focused on the uniqueness of this year’s presidential election.\n“This is the only three-ism campaign that I can recall,” Safire said, noting the three candidates could face racism, sexism and ageism.\nSafire said there are different factors that could change the election, such as a blooper, predicted recession or a scandal. \n“Nobody is scandal-proof,” Safire said. “A lot of guys are looking around for a hint of scandal and whoever finds it wins a Pulitzer.”\nAfter Safire summarized the upcoming election, he talked about each candidate individually. For the Democrats, Safire said Sen. Hillary Clinton “has to hang in there and do a lot better than good.” He also said he has a lot of respect for Clinton.\nAfter Clinton, Safire moved on to discuss Sen. Barack Obama. He said Obama is a fresh face to the election and that he is bringing back thoughtfulness to speeches, even though Obama’s speeches tend to be similar. \n“He has ‘that’ speech,” Safire said. “After the fourth or fifth time you see it, your lips start moving along with him.” However, Safire said later in his speech, “(Obama) is one hell of a speechwriter and speech maker.” He then compared him to John F. Kennedy.\nTo wrap up the Democratic nomination, Safire touched on the possibility of an Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama ticket. He said the likelihood of Obama becoming vice president with Clinton is more likely than Clinton becoming vice president with Obama. However, he said both options are remote.\nSafire then moved to the Republican side and said how he thought presidential candidate John McCain would run.\n“He’ll run as a man of honor and a man you can trust,” Safire said. “He’s a patriot.” \nSafire also said his predicted possibilities for McCain’s running mate, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg or Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.\nToward the end of his speech, Safire said one of the world’s biggest problems is China and its methods of dictatorship and repression. He also mentioned the war in Iraq, and noted each presidential candidate’s stance on how to end the conflict. For a finish to his speech, Safire said the 2008 election will influence history, and how citizens should take part in it.\n“This is a moment in history where we’re all going to lap it up,” Safire said. “Read about it on television. Compare the nutty blogs to the responsible blogs. This is a moment, 20 to 30 years from now, we’ll be looking at and saying, ‘this is how I voted.’”\nA question and answer session followed the speech.\nEven though Safire received response from the audience during his talk, he did not amaze every audience member.\n“It was hard to hear,” Bloomington resident Jim McLay said. “I wasn’t overly impressed. It seemed like a cobbled-together speech.” \nBut McLay said the speech included interesting tidbits.\nAnother Bloomington resident, Patricia Pizzo, said she decided to attend the speech because Safire is a well-known writer and she thought he would have interesting things to say, but Pizzo also said the speech was difficult to understand.\n“He dropped his voice at the punch line,” Pizzo said. “He may be a great speechwriter, but he is not great at delivering speeches.” \nPizzo also said she was happy Safire endorsed Obama’s good speechwriting.\nSafire’s speech was the second in the School of Journalism’s Spring Speaker Series. The next speaker will be Michael Beschloss on April 14 at the IU Auditorium.
(02/28/08 5:55am)
The president’s Oval Office desk sits under a white tent in the center of People’s Park on the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Dunn Street. A sign at the bottom tells passersby to pose behind it and take a picture. A mother and her young son examine the desk in amazement.\nWell, at least it looks an awful lot like the president’s desk. President Bush would have to wear gloves to use this one, because the desk is actually an ice carving created by sculptor Jon Michaels and his brother, Jeff Roberts, for this year’s ArtsWeek, held Feb. 20-Mar. 1. \nThe two brothers and fellow ice sculptor Stephan Koch designed the unique sculptures for this year’s politically-themed Artsweek. \n“We’re trying to go with the theme of politics, but politics is such a polarizing subject,” Koch said. “We feel our job is to introduce some levity into the theme.”\nThe demonstrations will not only show a relation between politics and art but will also attempt to draw more attention to an art form that does not normally receive much. \nFor Koch, ice sculpting is a full-time job. He runs Indiana Ice Studio, and, like many other ice sculptors, he started at a culinary arts school.\n“Ice carving is a culinary art so I moved into the ice business from there,” Koch said. “I found over time that I was more of an artist than a scientist.”\nMichaels and Roberts, the two other ice carvers involved in ArtsWeek, started a different way. Michaels said he had always been interested in art and sculpting, so he taught himself to carve ice.\n“I’ve always been an artist and I just kind of fell into it,” Michaels said. “I started carving wood and I began to work full time with ice. I did a lot of learning, reading and watching and learning off of other people.”\nMichaels taught his brother, Roberts, to carve, so Roberts now helps with his brother’s business, Ice Creations, based in Napoleon, Ohio, Michaels has been carving for seven years, while Roberts has been helping out his brother for only six months. The two said they like ice because it is easy to work with.\n“You have more leeway as far as fixing repairs or cracks,” Roberts said. “If you make an error it’s easily fixed.”\nEven though the sculptures are easily repaired, they are also easily broken. Koch said. For his competition pieces, he likes to push the limits of the ice, even though a sculpture could crash at any moment.\n“This year I did a jellyfish and the jellyfish was about 40 inches long and stood on four inches of ice and was 40 inches tall, so it all balanced on this little portion of ice,” Koch said.\nKoch said a common misconception of ice sculptures is that they melt quickly, but said they last longer than most people would guess.\n“It lasts a lot longer than you think,” Koch said. “A sculpture can last eight hours at room temperature. It’s not like an ice cream cone.”\nMichaels said he recommends an apprenticeship for anyone interested in ice sculpting to learn about the different techniques and tools involved. Koch agreed; however, he said some sculptors are hesitant to share their skills because they do not want to create more competition. He said anyone interested in ice carving should take a class at a local community college. Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne, for instance, offers an Introduction to Ice Carving class in its Hospitality Administration department.\nNo matter what route one takes to get there, Koch said a career in ice sculpting is a great one.\n“I carved some other things before, but ice is where I really have found my niche,” Koch said. “Ice sculpture is a way to create 3-D form very quickly.”
(02/05/08 6:22am)
They’ve seen her in magazines, on VH1 and in commercials for the latest iPod, but now IU students will be able to see Grammy Award-nominated singer Feist live at the IU Auditorium.\nThe Union Board and Spirit of ’68 Promotions announced Monday that Feist will performed at the 2008 Little 500 Concert at 7:30 p.m. April 11. Union Board Concerts Director Kathy Cook said Union Board is happy to have a fresh artist.\n“Her career’s really taken off this year,” Cook said. “We usually have a rock band and a rowdy concert,” but the board thought it would appeal to the tastes of those who wanted something a little different, Cook said. \nDan Coleman, president of Spirit of ’68 Promotions, said he thought Feist would be great for the Little 500 show because of her success in the last few years.\n“The Little 500 is the world’s greatest college weekend and Feist is arguably the biggest star in the world right now, so I thought it’d be a good fit,” Coleman said.\nFeist is nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, and Spin Magazine chose her as the Breakout Artist of the Year. However, Cook said Union Board based its decision on who people are listening to and what acts were available.\n“We talk to people on campus, see who people are listening to and see who’s on tour,” Cook said. “We actually decided earlier than usual. Sometimes it’s kind of a crunch.” \nCook said the singer is a departure from acts IU has had in the past, such as last year’s O.A.R., because she is not as mainstream. However, Cook said Feist could be compared to 2006’s Wilco show.\n“Wilco was a little outside the box, but was really popular and it sold out,” Cook said.\nEven though Union Board has experimented with new acts before, not all students believe Feist was the right choice. Freshman Zack Slater said he has never heard of Feist and would rather see a big name, like Green Day or the Red Hot Chili Peppers.\n“I don’t think (students) will be happy,” Slater said. “You can’t expect them to be happy with someone they don’t know.”\nFreshman Danielle Fleischman had a different reaction. She said choosing an Indie rock artist like Feist is a testament to what students are really listening to.\n“She’s a good singer and talented artist,” Fleischman said. “I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like what they’ve heard of her.”\nTickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the IU Auditorium box office, Ticketmaster locations or online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.iuauditorium.com. Tickets are $25 with an IU ID and $28 for the general public.
(01/31/08 6:49am)
With the presidential election just 10 months away, Bloomington residents are getting ready to decorate their lawns with presidential hopefuls’ yard signs. However, this year, some of the signs will feature local works of art instead of a candidate’s name.\nYour Art Here, a non-profit organization that gives Indiana artists the opportunity to show their art on public spaces, is sponsoring “Your Campaign Here.” Participants submitted art to be placed on yard signs similar to signs used for political campaigns.\n“The idea behind it is we wanted artists to make a piece of art that challenged and questioned the way in which political messages are portrayed to us,” Your Art Here co-director Brad Wicklund said. “You’ll see the national yard signs for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, even local elections mixed in with these artists’ signs and they’ll start to comment on each other.”\nThe project, which is part of Arts Week 2008, received 41 submissions.\nBoard members then chose three designs to be printed, and placed in volunteers’ yards. There will be 180 signs total, 60 of each winning design. Wicklund said they wanted the signs to have a strong message, but also be easy to read.\nThe first winning sign was a collaboration of two artists, Chiara Galimberti and Geoffrey Hing. Galimberti, an Italian native, said since she is not a U.S. citizen and therefore ineligible to vote, the contest was a chance for her to participate in the campaign.\n“Just seeing all the debate, I thought it was a strong avenue for politics without being a part of it,” Galimberti said. “I’m an outsider, but I still have strong political ideas.”\nAnother winner, Andrew Bucksbarg, said he submitted a piece because he liked the idea of putting art on conventional yard signs. His sign comes from a group of pieces on urban development he created for a previous project.\n“We usually see real estate or ‘for rent’ signs, so people have these kinds of things that come to mind when they see signs,” Bucksbarg said.\nRiva Jewell-Vitale, the third winner in the contest, said she chose to enter because she thought using yard signs was an interesting idea and liked how it imitated the actual campaign going on.\n“I hope people find my sign to be funny,” Jewell-Vitale said. “The campaign is supposed to be serious, so my sign is kind of fun.”\nSigns will be distributed during Arts Week, Feb. 20-March 1. Your Art Here will also create an interactive map of the signs’ locations on their Web site, as well as a blog where residents can leave comments about the project. For more information, visit www.yourarthere.org.
(01/29/08 3:40am)
While most IU students spend their Wednesday nights studying, hanging out with friends or catching up on their favorite TV shows, senior Sara Deckard passes the time a different way: as a line dance instructor at the Bloomington Adult Community Center.\nDeckard’s classes, Beginning and Intermediate Line Dance, are two of the classes offered this spring at the center. Run by Bloomington Parks and Recreation, the classes vary from ballroom dancing to poetry writing workshops. Deckard said they are a great way to meet people and stay in shape. \n“I danced for years and years,” Deckard said. “I knew a girl who taught here before and she graduated, so she asked me if I would be interested.”\nDeckard said the classes offer benefits for people of all ages, including college students.\n“It’s close to campus, it’s fun and it’s a good exercise,” said Deckard, who started teaching in the fall. “They’ve got a great facility, and it’s just nice to have once a week.”\nThe exercise element is a key reason for many participants to sign up, such as 19-year-old Ashley Morris, a participant in Beginning Line Dance. She and a few co-workers signed up for an opportunity to work out and learn a new talent.\n“Country line dancing’s kind of random, so we all wanted to do it,” Morris said. “It’s good exercise and a lot of good laughs. It’s nice to get everyone together. Someone showed us the brochure and we thought it was neat, so we signed up.”\nMichael Simmons, adult program specialist at the center, said classes at the center are for adults 18 and older, but the median age is between 35 and 45.\n“The classes are affordable so they are available to the whole community,” Simmons said. “They’re a great way to facilitate the sharing of information.”\nHe also said anyone seeking to learn more about Bloomington and make new friends should take advantage of the classes.\n“You take away not only skill, but also a sense of the Bloomington community,” Simmons said. \nHe said the classes are successful and often have waiting lists, but some classes still have space. Contact the cemter for more information or visit the Parks and Recreation Web site at www.bloomington.in.gov/parks.
(12/07/07 3:29am)
Where on campus can students learn to skateboard like Tony Hawk, play the guitar like a rock star or hang out with the characters from Star Wars? \nThe Kent Cooper Room in the Herman B Wells Library now features video games available for checkout.\nMonique Threatt, department head of the Kent Cooper Room, said the decision was based on current research and discussions with faculty, especially professors from the telecommunications department who believe that gaming is becoming an important topic in several educational fields. \n“They have been teaching various games for a while now,” Threatt said of the telecommunications faculty, “and the gaming is very popular at some of the library conferences that are going on.”\nThreatt said gaming is becoming one of the biggest advances in technology for higher education. \nBut besides being educational, she said the new collection also provides students with a leisure activity. \nThe collection currently includes about 10 games for X-Box 360 and Nintendo’s Wii and GameCube, including “Mario Strikers Charged,” “Resident Evil 4” and “NBA Live 06.” The library will also be adding games for PlayStation 2 in the future, she said.\n“We’re seeing that games are playing a very important role, especially for the future of technology and education,” Threatt said. “There are all these gaming groups on campus that we didn’t even know existed, so we’re really trying to support the instructors and their students, as well as leisure and entertainment.”\nSophomore Scott Gill said he believes video games can be used for both educational and \nentertainment purposes. He said that offering them at the \nlibrary shows that games are becoming an even bigger part of the culture.\n“I kind of see it as an acceptance of video games as an entertainment medium,” Gill said. “I think it’s going to be really useful for design students who are interested in going into video games and art design.”\nEven though the collection has only been available for two months, Threatt said, the student response has been positive. In fact, she said, the games are almost always checked out.\nDaniel Sanford, president of the Indiana University Gamer’s Guild, a gaming club on campus, said he believes the library has a duty to offer games. \n“It’s the library’s responsibility to offer information access in various media formats, not just books,” Sanford said. “Video games are just another aspect of it. They’re just another way to present information.”\nWith the positive feedback and various research reports affirming its educational value, Threatt said gaming will only become a bigger part of higher education in the future.\n“I don’t think gaming is going away,” she said. “Major conferences and speakers say gaming is here to stay, and it’s only going to get more advanced.”