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(06/20/05 1:10am)
In its second annual public performance at the Indiana Memorial Union on Friday, IU's Camp S.O.U.L. showcased the talent and discipline of high school-aged youths from across Indiana.\nThe camp, which stands for "Students Obtaining Unique musical Levels," is a week-long program that teaches a group of roughly 30 students the history and culture of African American music through instruction, practice and performance. In addition to providing musical instruction, the camp seeks to encourage high school students to attend college by exposing them to the college lifestyle. Attendants of the camp are also treated to several concerts throughout the week, in order to introduce them to various musical genres. \nTyron Cooper, director of Camp S.O.U.L., helped create the camp at the suggestion of Mary Tourner, director of IU Community and School partnerships, which funds the program. \n"I've always wanted to create a musical camp, and Mary Tourner came here and asked if I wanted to help," he said. "I already had a roadmap, I just needed some type of support." \nAccording to the camp's mission statement, the goal of Camp S.O.U.L. is to "create a unique musical environment centered in African American traditions by promoting unity, professionalism, discipline, self-respect, cultural awareness and academic excellence that allows every student the opportunity to form a plan of action that will make their dreams and goals a reality." \nCooper also hopes students will gain practical knowledge from the camp. \n"It provides a sense of discipline to students, so they can apply it to their own lives when they leave Camp S.O.U.L.," he said.\nOne of the ways the camp reaches this goal is through a list of ten rights students are required to memorize and recite on command. These rights encourage students to "think analytically at all times," "challenge stereotypical images" of themselves, "help someone who is less fortunate" and "attend any college or university" of their choice. \nDavid and Jacquelyn Mack came all the way from Georgia for their granddaughter Darrica McDowell's performance in Camp S.O.U.L. \n"The kids are really excited about the things they've been doing all week," David Mack said. "It was marvelous." Students in the group sang and performed a range of instruments, including drums, keyboards, guitars and brass instruments. The hour-long performance integrated many musical genres, from the jazz and blues to gospel and soul. \nCooper said he found one aspect of the camp most gratifying. \n"To watch these students grow up ... to instill so much information into their minds and watch them soak it up and immediately apply it, not just to music but to their daily lives, is so rewarding," he said. \nJames Jordan, an 18-year-old student from Gary, joined Camp S.O.U.L. for its second annual performance and camp. After attending many of IU's Community and School Partnership camps during his childhood, Jordan is now planning to attend IU in the fall as a business major. \n"I always used to say I wouldn't go to IU, but I started coming here in 7th grade for Pathfinders, and I like this environment," he said. "And Professor Cooper is here to help me on my way." \nWillie Robinson, a 17-year-old high school student also from Gary, said attending the camp has also made him consider coming to college here at IU. But he said he has learned one lesson in particular at Camp S.O.U.L. he won't forget. \n"Working with my section really just taught me to hold onto the groove," he said. "You don't move from the groove"
(06/16/05 12:45am)
The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education has selected IU as one of the 2005 recipients for excellence in fundraising for the third time in the past seven years. \nThe award program, which looks at educational institutes nation-wide, uses voluntary data collected by the Council for Aid to Education for a minimum of three years. IU is one of only six in the category of Public Research/Doctorial Institutions to win the CASE-Wealth ID Award for Overall Fund-raising performance. IU also received the award in 1999 and again in 2000. \n"If you get the award once in a decade, it's a fantastic thing," said Curt Simic, president of the IU Foundation. "When you get it three times in seven years, it's phenomenal." \nAccording to CASE's Web site, www.case.org, winners are chosen by a panel of volunteer judges who look at a variety of factors, including the patterns of growth in overall support as well as among alumni donors, breadth in program areas, type of institution and factors contributing to the total amount of support. \nSimic said because CASE analyzes growth in private support over time, IU must continuously outdo itself in order to be considered for the award. \n"They measure you against yourself in terms of sustained performance, not just in dollars, but in number of donors, diversity of donors and comprehensiveness of the program," he said. "So what it does is confirm the fact that we at IU really have a fine development program, and have had over time." \nIn 1994 IU raised $43.9 million in gifts. With the addition of non-governmental research grants awarded to faculty members, the total was $106 million. The numbers that were looked at for this year's award, from 2004, saw fundraising totals grow to $106 million in gifts and $248 million including faculty grants. \nBecause the data evaluated includes only private donations and gifts, Simic said the work that goes into fundraising is a shared effort among faculty, chancellors, deans and development officers. \nAlthough Simic credits the sustained efforts of the program over many years as the reason for the award, he notes that several events in 2004 may have contributed to the win. \n"I think there are two things that have gone into this latest recognition," he said. "One is the enormous success of the IUPUI campaign, in which we raised ($1.39 billion), and the second is that we're in the early stages of an endowment campaign for the Bloomington campus... Those numbers are starting to add up and our expectation is that it'll be over a billion"
(06/16/05 12:43am)
During the upcoming annual Cream and Crimson weekend, the IU Alumni Association will honor five former students with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, the highest honor an alumni can receive. \nThe recipients, Mildred Morgan Ball, Judith Asmus O'Bannon, Clarence H. Doninger, Jeri Taylor and Charles H. Webb will join 274 alumni who have been honored since the award's creation in 1953, according to an IU media press release. Past recipients include musicians Hoagy Carmichael and Joshua Bell, broadcaster Jane Pauley and former president Herman B Wells. \nAccording to Ken Beckley, president and CEO of the Alumni Association, recipients are chosen based upon contributions made to a profession, community, the University or a combination of the three.\n"I can't think of an honor that would be more highly thought of by alumni," Beckley said. "The fact that the University that gave them their start is recognizing them for what they've done in a lifetime means a great deal ... Many of these recipients did not start out with a lot of money, and they've worked throughout their lives and achieved fame of some sort." \nMildred Morgan Ball, an inductee of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, has been making an impact on women's athletics since her graduation from IU in 1960 with a degree in physical science. In addition to teaching for 17 years in East Chicago, Ball served as assistant commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association for 20 years. \nBall is the recipient of a list of over 30 awards for her service to women's athletics, including awards from the NAACP and the Indiana Association of Athletic Officials. \n"I didn't go looking for them, they just happened along the way," she said. "I'm honored to be recognized by Indiana University, a place that helped to shape my life, to help me become a better person." \nJudith Asmus O'Bannon graduated with a BA in social work from IU in 1957 and has made a name for herself not only as a former First Lady of Indiana, but also as a dedicated volunteer and activist. After speaking at IU's 2004 commencement, O'Bannon was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. O'Bannon hosted the WFYI television series, Communities Building Community, in an effort to encourage strengthening of communities throughout Indiana. In a more global effort, O'Bannon led delegations to South Africa and Russia to assist in community-building issues. \nClarence H. Doninger has been passionately involved with IU since earning both his bachelor's degree in business and law degree at the school. After serving the university in numerous positions, including President of IU Men's club of Indianapolis, chairman of the IU Alumni Association, national president of the Varsity Club Board of Directors and IU athletic director, Doninger maintains his devotion to IU by serving on the IU Foundation Board of Directors.\nJeri Taylor, who obtained her BA in English from IU in 1959, has successfully made a name for herself in the entertainment industry as a writer, producer and director. Taylor has come a long way since her days as a student, when she a member of the IU Radio and TV department. According to www.imdb.com, Taylor wrote multiple episodes of the television series "Star Trek: Next Generation", Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager". She has also written scripts for television series such as "Magnum, P.I.", "The Incredible Hulk" and "Little House on the Prairie". In addition, Taylor has served as executive producer for numerous projects and has even dabbled in directing, including an episode for the 1970's show "Quincy". \nCharles H. Webb earned his doctorate from IU in 1964 for piano performance, and has since honored the school with his legacy and skill, serving as assistant dean of the music school from 1964 to 1973 and dean of the school of music from 1973 to 1997. In March of 2004, Colin Powell appointed Webb to the Department of State Advisory Committee on Cultural Diplomacy to advance the utilization of American arts overseas. Webb has also received a "Living Legend" award from the Indiana Historical Society and the President's medal for excellence from IU.
(06/09/05 2:21am)
A ranking recently published by the London-based Financial Times placed the Kelley School of Business's custom executive education program as 29th in the world and 13th among U.S. programs. \nThe rankings, which have been published for the past seven years, evaluated the programs based on surveys completed by 445 clients of custom programs. \nLesli Gordon, custom relationship manager for the executive education program, said because the rankings are the direct result of customer feedback, they accurately reflect the quality of IU's program. \n"The rankings show that we provide world-class executive education that produces a high level of customer satisfaction," she said. \nInterim dean of the Kelley School of Business, Dan Smith, also said he believes the ranking is a true reflection of the program's merit. \n"Our client firms are consistently delighted with the quality of our work," he said. "The recent Financial Times ranking further confirms the quality of the programs we deliver." \nThe executive education program, which was ranked 16th in a 2003 survey conducted by Business Week, provides general management programs and courses for the public as well as customized programs for client companies. According to the program's Web site, www.kep.indiana.edu, previous clients include world-famous companies such as Microsoft, Rolls-Royce, Old National Bancorp and 3M. \nRanked 46 in the Financial Time's 2003 ratings and unranked in last year's survey, the executive education program scored higher this year for a number of reasons, according to Gordon. One of the key successes of the year, she said, was the program's relationship with global giant 3M, the company responsible for Post-It products, Scotch tape and many other well-known brands. \n"We had a great year of custom programs with several clients, 3M in particular," she said. "We ran a program with them almost once a month for the entire year, which is huge. You just don't do that very often." \nSmith also credits the disparity in rankings to some recent developments in the program. \n"In the last year or two, we have stepped up our efforts in the executive education arena," he said. "We appointed Professor Tom Lenz to head our executive program's operations. He and his staff have made a host of changes that are recently beginning to bear fruit." \nOther U.S.-based institutions ranked in the survey include Northwestern, Duke, Stanford and Columbia universities. Only schools which produced at least $2 million in business from custom or open programs were considered in the ranking. \nAccording to the executive education program's Web site, the most important asset the program has to offer is a high level of individual attention. \n"Every company has a unique set of environmental variables and organizational characteristics. Consequently, efforts to link education to business performance must be true to the reality individuals face within their respective divisions, business units, or departments," the site reads. \nSmith said this approach is what sets IU's program apart from other schools. \n"We are highly committed to listening to what our client firms need and going the extra mile to meet their needs and exceed their expectations," he said. "Our faculty and executive development staff go out of their way to ensure that our programs are truly world-class"
(06/02/05 12:48am)
We all know how plants grow. You put a seed in the dirt, you water the dirt for a while, and with a little bit of sunshine and patience you get a plant. \nOf course, it's a little more complicated than that. \nBut for a process that seems so simple, a great deal of mystery surrounds the biological process of plant growth.\nIU researchers Mark Estelle, Nihal Dharmasiri and Sunethra Dharmasiri have solved a large part of the puzzle by unlocking some of the mystery surrounding the hormone auxin, which has been known to play an important role in the growth of plants for many years. \nCharles Darwin began research on plant growth in 1880 by writing a book entitled "The Power of Movement in Plants," according to www.plant-hormones.info. Darwin began his research after observing that grass seemed to grow toward its source of sunlight. Since then, auxin, which takes its name from the Greek word for "to grow," has been identified as an important component of plant growth and is known to be responsible for several plant functions, including the upward growth of stems and the downward growth of roots. But little was known about how the substance worked to create these results. \nEstelle, who teaches a course in genetics at IU, set out to understand the nature of auxin nearly 20 years ago. \n"We've known that auxin exists since the 1930s, so this is a very old problem in plant biology," he said. "People have been trying to understand this for decades."\nEstelle said the key to understanding how auxin works was identifying auxin's receptor. \n"What we've learned recently is that auxin works through a protein which is called TIR1," he said. "TIR1 functions as the receptor for auxin, so plant hormones work in a way that at least, generally, is similar to animal hormones: they interact with a receptor. And so the recent discovery is what that receptor is."\nEstelle said he and his colleagues performed experiments on Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant more commonly known as thale cress. They identified the receptor by showing that radioactively-labeled auxin binds to TIR1; in simpler terms, the researchers highlighted auxin in order to trace it and discover where it binds. \nAlthough the results are only now being published, Estelle said the culmination of their research began last spring. \n"We were really, really excited," he said. "These kind of discoveries often occur over a period of months, but I guess it was about a year ago when Nihal (Dharmasiri) obtained the results which suggested that TIR1 really was the receptor. It takes some months for all these things to happen." \nDharmasiri is a post-doctoral research associate who has worked with Estelle for nearly six years, along with his wife, Sunethra. He said the TIR1 receptor is part of a protein complex, known as an SCF complex, that exists in many other organisms. Because the findings show that an SCF complex can be controlled by a regulatory molecule, Dharamasiri said he expects the influence of the results to be considerable. \n"This will have a tremendous impact not only on plant research, but on other areas such as health research," he said. "There will be many practical applications down the road ... knowing how plants recognize auxin could be useful in controlling the plant growth we desire. This finding will have an impact on the herbicide industry too." \nThe discovery of auxin's receptor is an important turning point in the science of plants, but Dharmasiri said his interest in the research was motivated by scientific curiosity rather than personal or professional distinction. \n"If you devote yourself to a task, do it for the sake of the task, not for the personal gain or fame," he said. "That's when you can look back at what you've achieved and be happy that you've done something important. "\nWhile the full impact of these findings remains to be seen, Estelle said he does not consider this a stopping point for research on plant growth. \n"It's an important landmark," he said. "But there are still many questions that remain to be answered"
(05/26/05 2:18am)
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the hottest of them all?\nAs it turns out, it might be that guy sitting next to you in biology class. \nLast year, CosmoGIRL! posed the question "Who's the hottest guy you know?" to readers around the nation. After several months of nominations and voting, CosmoGIRL! narrowed down the pool of contestants to 12 finalists. \nTwo students with ties to IU, alumni Noah Gold and future IU medical student Jim Hamblin, ranked in the top twelve. \nGold, who graduated in 2004 with a degree in sports marketing, said this kind of publicity is new to him. \n"This is definitely a first for me," he said. "I don't think I ever thought I'd be in something like this." \nGold was nominated by long-time friend Teal Cannaday, who also attended IU her freshman year of college. Cannaday said she and Gold met at summer camp when they were 15 and have been good friends since. \n"He's a genuinely very good, honest person, and he's very sweet, caring, and he's cute... but he doesn't know it," she said. "He's just so down to earth." \nAlthough Cannaday said she thinks Gold has a good shot at winning, she was surprised by the response her nomination generated. \n"I just thought, 'Why not?'" she said. "I didn't even think anything would happen from it, and then it turned into this huge thing... now I'm telling everyone in my office to vote for him. It's fun." \nWhile Gold remains hopeful that he can win the competition, he jokes that he isn't so sure the contest is going to help him out with the ladies. \n"They don't even put your number down, so how am I supposed to get dates out of it?" he said. "But who knows, maybe I'll meet my dream girl from being on this. You can only hope." \nJim Hamblin, who was also voted in the top 12, graduated from Wake Forest College with a degree in biology. Hamblin, originally from northwest Indiana, will soon attend medical school at the Indianapolis campus of IU. "I wanted to be back home, closer to my family," Hamblin said. "And it's a great school." \nHamblin was nominated by his sister, Lauren, who is a junior at IU majoring in English. According to www.cosmogirl.com, Lauren nominated her brother for several reasons. \n"Jim is extremely caring for the ones he loves," she said. "He has an incredibly amount of creativity and ambition and he's definitely one of the most witty people you will ever meet." \nHamblin said he is unsure about his chances at winning, although he jokes about the functional advantages to being ranked first. \n"I don't think it's likely I'll win," he said. "But my main motivation to win would be so I could write 'Hottest guy in America' on my resume." \nAs of last Tuesday, the public can vote online at the CosmoGIRL! Web site on a daily basis to narrow down the twelve finalists to one winner. Every week the votes will be counted and two contestants will be eliminated until the final winner is announced on July 5. The winner and the person who nominated him will each receive a $1,000 prize.
(05/06/05 2:57am)
With graduation upon us, college students who previously found themselves wondering "Chinese food or pizza?" or "Should I go out to the bars or stay in and study?" find themselves faced with a terrifying, new set of questions.\n"What do I do now?"\n"Where do I go?"\n"What do I want to do with my life?"\nSome students are still pursuing dreams they had before setting foot at IU, while others spent their college careers crafting different types of dreams. Regardless of their vision, IU students who spent the last four years sharing a life in Bloomington are now headed in numerous, sprawling directions. \nPublic affairs management major Eileen Johnson, who will be serving as an aircraft maintenance officer in Tucson, Ariz. next fall, said it took her several years at college to decide she wanted to join the Air Force. \n"I'm actually a Navy brat, so I come from a very strong military background, but I didn't realize I wanted to do it until my sophomore year of college," she said. "I was at a doctor's appointment on an Air Force base, and I just thought it'd be really interesting to do it myself. It just kind of hit me. I guess it was hard to explain. I just went with it." \nJohnson said her decision had very little to do with money or location. \n"I chose it because it looked the most appealing to me and it sounded like the most challenging," she said. "I like to be in the action and this is designed so that you're definitely in the action. I've never been to Arizona, so I'm excited to go to a new place." \nFor Telecommunications major Alex Yang, however, the best way to move beyond college is to stay exactly where he is. \nGuitarist for a Bloomington-based band, The Driving Force, Yang said he plans on staying in Bloomington to practice for an upcoming tour. How long he stays in town and where he eventually ends up all depends on the success of their record, which will be released in June by Winedark/Universal records, Yang said. \n"Some of the members of the band are still in school and the plan was for them to finish up, but chances are we can't do that because we have a record coming out," Yang said. "We have to invest a lot of time into this. Touring is going to be weeks and months on the road. It's going to be a big change." \nAlthough Yang's current situation was unexpected, the guitarist said he knew what he wanted to do with his life long before coming to college. \n"I knew it was what I wanted to do. It was just one of those feelings," he said. \nWhen Yang graduates Saturday, he said his experience at IU will have amounted to much more than receiving an education.\n"What I'm hoping I'm about to do is exactly what I've always imagined, and I think education was just a backseat for me," he said. \nBusiness major Sagar Desai's career path has always been a little more clear-cut. \n"I always knew I wanted to go into business and that's why right off the bat I chose business as a major and stuck with it," Desai said. \nAfter working in Old Navy and Banana Republic stores, which are owned by Gap Inc., Desai said he knew he loved the company. Desai, who also "wanted to live somewhere warm," found the perfect career when he was offered a job with Gap Inc. in San Francisco, Calif. He is among 4 percent of surveyed business students who will head out West upon graduation.\n"I love retail, I love the clothes and I wanted to be with Gap," Desai said. "But being in California was also a part of the decision." \nFrench and Italian major Roman Teller decided to head east after graduation. Really far east. \n"In the fall I leave for France, where I'll be teaching English in an elementary school for the academic year," he said. \nTeller, who had long hoped to move to Europe or Africa to teach English, said the opportunity was perfect for him for a number of reasons.\n"It involves foreign languages, travel, education, working with children and it kind of embodies everything I wanted to do," he said. "It's a great stepping stone to other endeavors, on an international scale." \nWhile 29 percent of students surveyed by the undergraduate career services of the business school said they were staying in Indiana and 46 percent said they were moving elsewhere in the Midwest, Teller said he is excited to move far from where he started. \n"A lot of times people graduate and they end up going to their home town, so I see this as the best opportunity to get out right away to travel the globe and contribute what I have to offer to the world," Teller said. \nSome students, however, have grown up in an area they always want to call home. Business major Michael Eizenga, who recently accepted a job working as a commercial real estate broker in his hometown Chicago. Eizenga said his decision was made on a professional, rather than personal, level. \n"In real estate you really have to know your market, and having grown up there pretty much all of my life, I feel comfortable moving back," he said. "I had job offers in other cities, but right away I narrowed it down to the ones in Chicago."\nAlthough Eizenga hopes his intimate knowledge of the city will provide him with a professional edge, he said there are other advantages to returning home. \n"Being comfortable in an area makes the transition to the real world a lot easier," Eizenga said. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(04/27/05 5:36am)
Among the plethora of remedies available to students suffering the pain of final exams -- coffee, Red Bull, caffeine pills, ginkgo biloba -- exists a healthier choice for students attempting to cram three months worth of knowledge into five double-spaced pages. The Campus Writing Program, which provides services such as Writing Tutorial Services, is available to both students and faculty through the end of the semester. \nFounded 15 years ago, the program consists of two professional staff members and 39 student tutors and has tutorial service locations in Ballantine Hall and the Herman B Wells Main Library, as well as Briscoe, Forest and Teter Quads. \nStudents using the program's free tutorial service can chat one-on-one with a tutor about concerns they have with their papers. Although tutors do not proofread papers for errors or mark mistakes, they do provide verbal assistance with paper organization and grammar. \nSenior Megan Schutz, who used the writing tutorial services her freshman year, said writing a paper during finals week is even more difficult than usual. \n"You're worrying about four tests all at the same time," Schutz said. "It's super-stressful." \nLaura Plummer, director of the Campus Writing Program, said the service sees a definite increase in traffic during finals. \n"Although use patterns fluctuate each year, a general trend is that the writing tutorial services sees the greatest number of students in the weeks around midterms and during the last two weeks of classes," she said.\nStudents are not the only ones who feel the burden of finals week. Journalism instructor Nancy Metz said finals week can be equally as stressful for faculty who have to grade student work. \n"Depending on the teaching load and type of final, it is stressful," Metz said. "You have a lot of work to do and a limited amount of time to do it. It's sort of the same pressure that students feel to get work done." \nIn addition to tutorial services for students, the Campus Writing Program provides faculty with a number of resources, including consultation, training and grants. \n"At the onset of the semester, the CWP does a lot of work with groups of new AIs," Plummer said. "We talk about how to establish grading criteria and how to comment effectively and efficiently on student work. We also talk about what goes into designing a clear and productive writing assignment." \nAccording to the Campus \nWriting Program Web site, \nwww.indiana.edu/~cwp, the program offers up to five grants of $1,500 every summer to faculty who "design undergraduate courses that use writing in innovative and fruitful ways."\nIn addition to providing grants, Plummer said the program also provides in-classroom presentations for teachers who want to emphasize the importance of writing well. \n"I probably do about 15 to 20 such sessions in classes to talk about how to integrate sources well and correctly and how to avoid plagiarism," she said. \nPerhaps more important to faculty during finals week, however, is the fact that the program can aid professors and instructors in setting up a criteria for grading papers correctly and efficiently. \n"This work often takes the form of 'norming' sessions, where we meet with the professor and his or her graders and discuss a particular set of papers, establish a grading scale and identify benchmark papers that illustrate the general criteria for a particular grade," Plummer said. "We also often talk about commenting and how to mark sentence-level and grammatical errors while grading."\nAlthough faculty often contact the Campus Writing Program earlier in the semester, Plummer urges anyone struggling under the pressure of finals to contact the program for a "norming" session. \n"Those faculty who are staring at a large set of papers are welcome to call," Plummer said. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(04/11/05 6:04am)
In meetings Thursday and Friday, the Board of Publications for the Indiana Daily Student and the Arbutus yearbook named junior Adam Aasen fall editor in chief, senior Gavin Lesnick summer IDS editor in chief, and sophomore Katie Farrer editor in chief for the 2005-06 edition of the Arbutus. All three candidates ran unopposed.\nAasen, who is the current sports editor, said in his application he hopes to increase the appeal of the IDS by finding "a balance between the reader-friendliness of USA Today and in-depth content of The New York Times."\n"My plan is to build something that'll be here after I leave," Aasen said. \nUnder past editors, the IDS has garnered a number of awards, including a Silver Crown for the fall of 2003 under Editor in Chief Cory Schouten and a Gold Crown for the spring of 2004 under Adam VanOsdol. The paper was also named Online Publication of the Year, Print Advertising Publication of the Year and Division I Newspaper by the Indiana Collegiate Press Association for 2005. \nAasen said in his application that he plans to continue the IDS's tradition of success.\n"We've achieved greatness in the past," Aasen said. "We can do it again."\nA self-proclaimed "journalism nerd," Aasen has performed a number of duties at the IDS over the past three years, including staff writer, campus editor, managing editor and Weekend editor in chief. Current editor in chief Josh Sanburn said Aasen's ambition has earned him the necessary skills to perform the duties of editor in chief. \n"I knew he would be editor in chief a long time ago, just because of the way that I saw him work and the way he always took on new desks and new challenges," Sanburn said. "This semester he wanted to tackle the sports desk, which was a desk he had never even worked for ... and he's done an amazing job at it, too."\nIDS and Arbutus Publisher David Adams agrees that Aasen's personality and experience at the paper more than qualifies him for the job. \n"I think Adam has been training for this job since the first day he came into the IDS newsroom his freshman year," Adams said. "He's a team builder and a person with great personal enthusiasm that will take the paper to even higher levels of achievement and service. He can make decisions and move forward and his peers respect him for those qualities."\nLesnick, who will begin as editor in chief in May, stressed the importance of diversity at the IDS and encouraged students from all backgrounds to become involved. \n"I want anyone who's ever had an interest in journalism to stop by and give us a try," he said. "I want this to be a place where people from all walks of life can come and share their diversity." \nUtilizing his experience in a number of positions at the IDS, including daytime Web editor, sports editor and staff writer, Lesnick said he hopes to further the efficiency of the paper's Web site, www.idsnews.com, by decreasing load time and posting daily news updates during the summer. Adams, who is also a member of the Board of Publications, said Lesnick's plans for the Web reflect a beneficial understanding of current trends. \n"Traditional print media are going through a change in which more readers are turning to their news on the Web, and Gavin has a wonderful grasp on how the print and electronic editions of the IDS can work together to increase the reach of the IDS in serving more readers," Adams said. \nSanburn agrees that Lesnick's knowledge of the Web will further the newspaper's reach.\n"He has a great knowledge of the Web ... and that's exactly what you need for a summer staff, because when you're publishing only on Monday and Thursdays, news isn't going to happen only on a Sunday and Wednesday night," he said. "It's going to happen all week, and utilizing the Web during the summer is probably the most important thing you can do."\nNext year's Arbutus Editor in Chief Katie Farrer has earned the respect of her peers, said current editor in chief Theresa Schwartz. \n"She's incredibly organized and on time with everything," Schwartz said. "She has been the single most consistent staff member for the past two years, and I wouldn't have picked anyone else to be editor." \nFarrer, who has worked as a staff photographer on the yearbook as well as people and organizations editor, said her first priority as editor is to increase marketing for the Arbutus.\nIn spite of winning ICPA Division I Yearbook of the Year for 2005, Farrer said the yearbook receives little recognition among students.\n"The hardest part will be getting student interest in the book and getting the name out there, because it's been kind of neglected," she said. \nAdams said Farrer's ambition couldn't have come at a better time. \n"She had an outstanding application and came in with a lot of ideas to reconnect the Arbutus with our campus in terms of coverage and yearbook sales," he said. "I think she's going to be a dynamic editor for the yearbook at a time when we really need it."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(03/22/05 4:44am)
When graduate student Andrew Tucker became president of IU's chapter of the International Tuba Euphonium Association, he was entrusted with a very serious responsibility: coffee and donuts. \n"We have basically one huge fund-raiser that we do, and that's selling donuts and coffee," Tucker said. "Recently we've gotten a little more into the healthy perspective, with the whole granola bar thing, but the donuts and coffee are a huge tradition. I was told when I took over this position not to mess with it." \nAlthough many students might recognize the members of the William Bell chapter of the ITEA from their weekly early morning fund-raisers, few people are aware of the key role Bloomington has played in the history of the tuba. \nThe ITEA, which has about 3,000 members nationwide, is the brain-child of former IU professor of music Harvey Phillips, who also organized the Bloomington chapter of the organization. \n"We appreciate what Mr. Phillips has done, not only in setting up the chapter, but in bringing the tuba to the forefront and getting people to appreciate it as an instrument, not just something in a polka band," Tucker said. "We owe him a lot for that." \nLaunched in 1973, the Bloomington chapter of ITEA now has about 25 members. With the money raised from donut sales, as well as a sponsorship from Phillips, the organization provides a scholarship and plays host to guest performers and instructors from around the world, including renowned tuba player Oystein Baadsvik. \nProfessor of music Daniel Perantoni said Bloomington, which hosted the first international tuba and euphonium symposium in 1973, is a leader in this field. \n"The whole country has been following the example of the organization that we have here," Perantoni said. \nIn addition to providing guest performers, the organization performs several at annual events -- "Octubafest," which takes place in October, and "Tuba Christmas," which was performed in more than 215 cities worldwide last December. \nPhillips said he helped create the ITEA with several goals in mind. \n"We started the organization with the same high-minded purpose that any organization starts with, which is to serve its members, as well as to generate a public audience for the instruments ... and to give a new sense of pride and commitment to the young people who play these instruments," Phillips said. \nPhillips is not the first influential tuba player to make his home in Bloomington. Perantoni says that William Bell, for whom the organization is named, had a major influence on IU's music program. \n"He was the first professor of tuba at IU and came from the New York Philharmonic," Perantoni said. "He was a leader in the field, one of the great players of all time. When he took the job here at IU, it was the start of a great tuba program that we carry on today." \nAnd although the School of Music might be demanding, graduate student Tucker said the organization isn't all work -- the students also organize basketball games and play for intramural hockey teams. \n"We have social activities, we have barbecues, and we get to know each other, because the school of music here is such an intense environment that sometimes you need a break," Tucker said. "There is a life outside of music." \n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(03/07/05 4:28am)
IU held its 185th birthday bash in Assembly Hall Sunday in a ceremony honoring students, faculty and staff.\nThe ceremony, also known as Founders Day, paid tribute to IU's rich past, reflected on the accomplishments of the present and speculated on the future of the University. IU President Adam Herbert, who presided over the ceremony, emphasized the role of democracy and diversity at IU. \n"Indiana University students and faculty are no longer of a privileged race, gender or class," he said. "The doors of this University are open to all students who thirst for knowledge." \nAfter opening with a prayer from Rev. Linda C. Johnson and music from the IU Brass Quintet, Herbert took center stage to welcome the audience and make opening remarks. \n"Since its founding in 1820, Indiana University has been a place of learning, a place of liberty," Herbert said. "The IU spirit is, at its heart, a strong impulse to help others ... this spirit of compassion extends across the University."\nHerbert's remarks were followed by an awards ceremony, announced by IU-Bloomington Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, to honor faculty members. \nIUB professors Miriam Fried and Violette Verdy of the School of Music and Michael Lynch of the biology department were recognized as distinguished professors -- the highest academic appointment at IU. Additional awards were given to faculty from the IUB, IU-South Bend and IU-South East campuses.\nGros Louis reflected on the achievements of these professors and staff. \n"We believe this University is home to some of the best teachers in the country -- indeed, in the world," he said. \nAfter honoring the faculty, Gros Louis recited a poem by Wallace Stevens, "The Man with the Blue Guitar." Gros Louis addressed IU students and challenged them to further themselves and society by learning how to bring about change. \n"Our job as scholars and yours as students is to change things as they are," he said. "Who will be your hero?"\nFollowing Gros Louis's remarks, student awards were introduced by Sarah King, a senior majoring in journalism and political science, who received the Elvis J. Stahr Distinguished Senior award. \n"Academic accomplishment is about learning from our frustrations and failures, as well as our successes," King said. "We have distinguished ourselves as engaged and focused students."\nOther recognized students included senior Rebecca Homkes, recipient of the Herman B Wells Senior Recognition Award, and students Jennifer Colanese, Tina Nabatchi, Mikael Rinne, Brian Starks and Snea Thinsan for the John H. Edwards Fellowship awards. \nStudents with a GPA of 3.5 or higher were also brought on stage to receive certificates honoring their academic accomplishments.\nSenior Alison Wilcox, who attended previous years, thought the ceremony was worthwhile. \n"I really think it's a good experience for students who deserve it to go," she said. "The speeches were really good."\nWilcox's mother, Paulette Wilcox, agreed. \n"They do a very nice job," she said. "They keep it a nice length, and I think it's very meaningful for the students."\nThe ceremony closed with a rendition of "Hail to Old IU" and another musical performance by the IU Brass Quintet. \nAlthough the ceremony honored the University's progress during the past 185 years, Herbert's remarks expressed his belief that the best is yet to come.\n"We are moving towards an even more brilliant future," he said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(03/01/05 4:21am)
Students who spend countless hours avoiding homework on http://thefacebook.com now have a more productive Web-surfing option -- rather than adding "friends" to their lists, students will be able to add companies. \nEduardo Saverin, co-founder of Thefacebook, teamed with a handful of students from Harvard, Dartmouth and Boston universities to create www.joboozle.com, a Web site devoted to connecting students with potential employers. \nKwame Osseo-Asare, president of university and media relations for Joboozle, said the site's main goal is to make job searching less intimidating for students. \n"We don't want people to be stressed," he said. "Searching for a job should be somewhat fun and engaging." Although the Web sites are not affiliated, Joboozle's setup is aesthetically similar to Thefacebook, allowing students to create a profile that includes a photo, job experience and personal information. Students can find contact information, workplace descriptions and employee descriptions for more than 2,600 companies, which are broken down by category. \nAdditionally, academic information for all students at each university is anonymously compiled and graphed so students can see where they stand compared with fellow classmates. \nOsseo-Asare said there are many aspects of the site that set it apart from rivals such as www.monster.com. \n"You can go on the Web site, look up past interns and say, 'OK, these three people were interns. I have an interview coming up, and I can talk to them to discuss the interview process,'" he said. "You can see the average GPA for students who get internships at certain companies, and you can see where you stand." \nThe Web site, which is a combination of the words "job" and "bamboozle," was launched two weeks ago, although it has been in the works for almost six months. The creators paid for the site "out of pocket" to keep it free for both students and companies. \n"Advertising helps to fray the cost, but it's definitely kind of expensive," Osseo-Asare said. \nAlthough the goal of the site is to make the interview process more personal than typical recruiting procedures, Mike Burdick, an Edwards Jones investment representative who recruits students in person, said the Internet has limitations. \n"From my point of view, meeting face-to-face provides better insight into a candidate's character and potential than a blurb off of the Internet," Burdick said. \nThe site also features student forums, which allow students to read and make posts regarding interview tips, networking, résumé tips, job offers, etiquette and career fairs. Joboozle is open to 65 schools, and Osseo-Asare expects to see that number, as well as the features of the site, expand.\n"It'd be great to see this as one of the premier recruiting sites for companies in the United States," he said. "We hope to see a lot of growth." \nJunior Jon Levey, executive vice president of the Business Careers in Entertainment Club, which helps IU students obtain jobs and internships, encourages students to take advantage of Joboozle. \n"The hardest part of getting a job is getting your foot in the door," he said. "I know some students have trouble networking, and if this will help those students, I think it's a great way to do so ... I'm definitely going to look into it." \n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(02/21/05 6:30am)
In a Friday teleconference with IU's regional campuses, a group of IU administrators discussed a variety of upcoming legislation, including tuition rates, federal funding and human cloning. \nOne preliminary bill discussed would require the University to set and guarantee tuition prices for a four-year term, allowing students to accurately determine the cost of their education in their first semester. Some mandatory fees, such as technology and course-related costs, would be included in this rate.\nWhile this might sound helpful to parents and students, Larry MacIntyre, director of media relations for IU, said it would be difficult to ensure tuition rates if the government could not guarantee funding. \n"Our trustees have always been very concerned about keeping IU affordable. But right now, we do have some concerns about the four-year tuition plan," MacIntyre said. "Without knowing the level of state support that we're going to have over the next four years, it's almost impossible to determine a tuition level we can guarantee."\nBut MacIntyre said he is hopeful a compromise will be reached. \n"The legislatures are always willing to listen to our concerns," he said. \nFunding, on both the state and federal level, ranked as the top priority at the meeting.\n"Right now, it looks like we're not going to get much more from the state than we did last year," MacIntyre said. \nFederal funding, however, might be a different story.\nTom Healy, IU vice president for government relations, spent two days in Washington, D.C., to discuss financial support with congressional staff. The list of funding priorities for the upcoming year, which included the IU campus bus service, computer-fraud prevention and neutron radiography at the IU Cyclotron Facility, totaled $19.3 million. \n"As you can see, this is a very aggressive proposal," Healy said. \nAlthough IU received a little under $4 million in federal funding last year, Healy is optimistic about the request. \n"I think we'll get more this year," he said. "The projects have a lot of merit, and we've tried to tie them into areas where funding will be available." \nHealy will accompany IU President Adam Herbert to Washington, D.C. in the next four to six weeks to discuss funding with congressional staff. \nOn the state level, the trustees discussed proposed Senate bill 0268, authored by Sen. Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis, which would make human cloning a felony. \nThe bill, still in early drafts, currently states that it "prohibits the state, a state educational institution or a political subdivision of the state from using resources to knowingly participate in human cloning activities."\nMacIntyre said the bill will not hinder the University's research. \n"That bill is being looked at very closely by the IU School of Medicine, and Dr. (Craig) Brater, dean of school of medicine, has suggested that with certain changes, we'd be able to support the bill," MacIntyre said. \nAdditional bills discussed included an initiative to make 70 courses transferable between Ivy Tech and Indiana and Purdue universities. Currently there are about 40 courses that directly transfer from IU to Ivy Tech. \n"They want to make it possible for people to spend up to their first two years there and then transfer to an IU campus," MacIntyre said. "There's been a legislative push for sometime, and it's pretty clear that the legislature will not allow us to delay action on that."\nWhile the University is working hard to procure funding and shape legislation, Healy said it is too early to tell what effect the proposed bills will have on the next school year. \n"If this is the Superbowl, we're still in the first quarter," he said. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(02/11/05 4:48am)
This summer IU students interested in studying abroad will have a chance to learn about the history of ancient Israel personally.\nThere's just one catch: They may get a little dirty. \n"This is not a traditional classroom setting," said Kathleen Sideli, associate dean of international programs and director of overseas study.\nThe three-week program, which will take place in the middle of June to early July, is part of an archaeological dig at Tel Beth Shemesh, an ancient city mentioned several times in the Bible. \nThe program is being offered for the first time in three years after being shut down due to peace conflicts in Israel.\nSteven Weitzman, director of IU's Jewish Studies Program, created the program in 1995. Weitzman said the decision to discontinue the program made sense.\n"It was a very scary and unpredictable time, but obviously the situation is very different today," he said. "We feel now that it's reasonable to give students an option." \nSideli said she agrees that it is time for students to take advantage of the experience. \n"We believe that the specific arrangements of this program are worth the risk of going if students would like to do so," she said.\nStudents will stay in a kibbutz, a collective farm, away from densely populated cities, which reduces the risk of terrorist activities. After digging from about 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the afternoon, students will analyze their findings and attend historical lectures in the evening. \nProgram Director Stephen Katz, associate professor of near Eastern languages and cultures, who will accompany the students on the dig, said the students will make many hands-on discoveries. \n"They usually find pottery," Katz said. "But if it's something earth-shattering, the world will hear." \nWeitzman said while the experience is valuable for students interested in archaeology and anthropology, everyone can benefit from the trip. \n"It's just a tremendous intellectual adventure," he said. "They're recovering things that haven't been seen by human eyes in 3,000 years." \nAlthough undergraduate and graduate students of all majors are welcome to apply, a minimum of a 3.0 GPA is required for eligibility, according to the IU Overseas Study Web site. No knowledge of Hebrew is required and students will earn three credit hours for the course.\nKatz warns students that the dig also requires patience.\n"It's demanding ... you can work at a leisurely pace, but you have to be able to stay hunched over in temperatures in the 80s or higher," he said.\nOnce the objects are found, students will be taught how to determine the age of pottery pieces and work on assembly.\n"There's a mental challenge as well," Katz said. "It's a very fancy jigsaw puzzle." \nIn addition to participating in the dig, students will take two weekend trips to Galilee and Negev, which are included in the cost of the program. \nThe application deadline for the program is Feb. 18. Students may also apply for scholarships awarded by the Dorot Foundation.\nKatz remains hopeful the program will be offered in many years to come.\n"I think the program will continue ... it's in the best interest of both societies," he said. "I guess I'm an optimist."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(02/08/05 4:47am)
Every Thursday night, a group of about thirty students gather on campus and tackle a fear greater than death -- public speaking. \nAt 7:30 p.m. in SPEA 278, the IU chapter of Toastmasters meets on a weekly basis to discuss the news, tell jokes, give speeches and get to know each other. \n"Good evening, this is Toastmasters," Ed Yin, vice president of membership, said as he opened the meeting. "If you're in the wrong room -- get the hell out."\nCommitted to improving oral communication, Toastmasters is a world-wide organization with clubs in more than 90 countries, according to the organization's Web site. Sponsored by the Kelley School of Business, the club is one of five chapters in Bloomington alone. \n"We have alumni ranging from senators to CEOs," said Kaz Hussain, president of the Toastmasters of Indiana University. "This is more like a speaking society than a club." \nToastmasters is open to everyone, however, and an interest in public speaking is not required. \n"We try to keep it relaxed," said Hussain. "It helps people get through something that can be difficult." \nFocused on providing practical application, Toastmasters of Indiana University helps students prepare to answer on-the-spot interview questions by working on improvisation. \n"Recruiters see Toastmasters on your resume and they get excited," said Hussain. \nVice President Emily Davis encourages students of all majors to attend a meeting. \n"A lot of people have a hard time speaking in public," Davis said. "I think it's really important to practice in a comfortable setting." \nEach meeting lasts about an hour, and members tell jokes and give speeches about anything and everything -- last week's discussions included iPods, last year's Super Bowl halftime show, proper use of the word "über" and the theft of historical landmarks. \nFirst-timer Affia Dhaduk, a senior, had no trouble participating in the discussions. \n"I've known about Toastmasters since middle school," Dhaduk said. "I'm just at a point now where I want to get really good at public speaking, because I'm going through the interview process." \nTo help students improve their speaking skills, members offer evaluations and constructive criticism to each speaker. In addition, every time a speaker says "uhh" or "umm," a coin is dropped in a jar to remind members to avoid these conversational crutches. \nHussain says the atmosphere is supportive rather than critical. \n"We're here for a purpose, but we like to have fun," he said. \nThose interested can attend a meeting free of cost, and membership to the organization is $39 each semester for new members and $23 for old; these fees pay for a manual that outlines a sequence of speeches. After giving 10 speeches, a speaker is given the title "competent toastmaster." \nCamaraderie is also an essential component of the club. \n"We're pretty close as a group," said Hussain. "We go out to dinner. We're friends outside of the organization." \nWhether for the companionship or the skills, Davis believes there's something in it for everyone. \n"If you can get up there and sell yourself, you can sell anything," she said. \n-- Contact Staff Writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.
(11/10/04 5:34am)
The building at 1127 Atwater Ave. looks like any other student house. An old front porch leads into a small living room, and creaky wooden stairs lead to the bedrooms and bathroom on the upper level. \nBut this isn't just any other students' house -- it's the school of social work. \n"When I go to parties and people ask 'What's your major,' I tell them social work, and they're always like, 'What? Sociology?'" said freshman Jana Gillespie.\nThe School of Social Work has been around for a long time -- more than 90 years -- but with a graduating class size of approximately 25 students a year, few people know about the program.\n"When I first came here 13 years ago, we weren't even on the official IU map," said Katharine Byers, director of the social work program and co-director of the Institute for Family and Social Responsibility. \n"We're small, we're a little bit off campus, and it's not a profession that's well-known by the public in general," she said.\nAs one of the 442 Bachelor of Social Work programs in the country, the program provides students with hands-on learning, including two supervised internships and the support and attention of a small school. \n"Students go through our classes in cohorts," Byers said, "so there's a real strong bond that forms among our students, and they end up being, obviously, very good friends with each other."\nAlthough many students are directed to the program through advisers, some students come into the program through personal encounters with social work. \n"A number of people have had some direct experience, either through their family or themselves, with social work," Byers said. \n"Other people come into college thinking, 'Well I want to help people in some way, I want to make a difference,' and they find their way to us," she said. \nWhatever the incentive of a student, the School of Social Work offers an introductory course on the major, Introduction to Social Work, which is open to anyone interested in the program. \nThe class focuses on exploring various types of jobs in social work and exposing the challenges, sacrifices and rewards involved in the profession. \n"I think it appeals to people who want to be passionate about what they do," said Professor Carlene Quinn. \nBut getting into the program can be difficult, as the school is very selective. \n"We turn away more people than we take in," Quinn said. \nMaggie McKittrick, a junior taking an introductory social work class, thinks that the entrance into the school is about more than a high grade point average.\n"It's really selective, and it's not based on grades alone," McKittrick said. "It's based on things like volunteering experience and class attendance, too." \nFor students interested in making a personal and social impact on the community, the hard work can be worth it. \n"A colleague of mine in Indianapolis once said that social work is a profession with an attitude," Byers said. "We have a very strong code of ethics that makes the promotion of social justice very much a part of who we are as professionals, and so we tend to be people who are committed to a variety of social justice issues."\n-- Contact staff writer Hannah Lodge at hjlodge@indiana.edu.