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(05/24/01 1:28am)
I'll admit it. I'm not your typical race fan. \nI don't own stock in Old Milwaukee, and I'm horribly inept with a beer bong.\nI wear Kenneth Cole heels with jeans and I'm more likely to sport a sundress on race day than the requisite airbrushed Earnhardt commemorative tee.\nBut here it is, kids. I am absolutely, positively and inconceivably enamored of racing. I've watched the Brickyard 400, the Daytona 500 and the infamous Indy races since I was old enough to send my tiny Matchbox #3 racecar flying across the living room.\nIn fact, I'm 50 percent deaf in my right ear, thanks to the countless Saturday nights spent as an impressionable young tomboy in the stands of the Haubstadt, Ind. Motor Speedway drag races. \nTake one look at me and you'd never believe it. But I'm proud to be a Southern girl, and in claiming that honor I admit my obsession.\nI will be on the infield of the Indianapolis 500 Sunday afternoon, partying with the best of them. I'll be there when Steven Tyler croons the national anthem and as the gentlemen start their engines. I'll mingle in the midst of the deliciously inebriated revelers, paying homage to an Indiana legacy and tradition no self-respecting Hoosier should deny. \nIt's been the pride of Indianapolis since 1911, when Ray Harroun won the first running at an average speed of 74.602 miles per hour. Since then, the stakes have changed; the cars have gotten bigger, faster, more aerodynamic and the speeds have reached dizzying heights. In 1990, Arie Luyendyk swept the finish line at an average speed of 185.981 mph. I get carsick driving 90 in my Toyota. Imagine trying to maintain control of a car at a speed of twice that. Qualifying speeds often exceed 225 mph. \nThe drivers have changed as well. This year, standout Sarah Fisher will start the race in the number 15 position in her run for the Borg-Warner Trophy, attributing to the ever-increasing presence of women in the sport of racing. \nYes, sport. Racing is a sport. Sure, these guys might not be considered "athletes" in the traditional sense of the word. Their bodies might not be in peak condition. But every day, they stare death in the face. Facing the mental monotony of staying alert lap after lap, they depend on a twist of machinery and metal to propel them across the finish line safely. They rely on razor-sharp instincts and reflexes to react to the slightest perceptible shift in wind direction.\nThese men and women are finely-tuned racing machines, programmed to compete, to win. Racing is at once their profession and passion. Every corner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is different, and drivers have to learn to compensate for those tiny idiosyncrasies. \nThey must maintain a constant focus on the track, on its surface, on their surroundings. They have to monitor their fuel and temperature levels; they must pay particularly close attention to traction, to tire performance. The slightest misstep or overcompensation could cost a victory -- and their lives. \nWhen the checkered flag flashes Sunday in the waning Indianapolis light, only one driver will claim the winning title. With that win, he or she will assume a coveted position in sports history and emerge a role model for countless young Indy hopefuls.\nAnd while I won't be among those starstruck few, I'll be standing on the infield in my heels and jeans, enjoying the debauchery, imbibery and celebration that defines the Indianapolis 500.
(05/21/01 2:44am)
Mark Pitman's home is warm and inviting. Modestly decorated, it's not in the most wealthy section of town. Yet Pitman is proud of his home and what it's built upon. His tone is affectionate as he describes the principles governing life in his quiet house on the south side of town: love, respect and humility. \nPitman pauses by the upright piano. His eyes graze across the framed photographs covering the top shelf as he speaks softly of a family history steeped in abusive behavior, addiction and compulsion. His breath catches and his words stop momentarily as he picks up a picture of his mother, Barbera Allen, and sister, Donnetta Adams. The women are simply posed; his sister stands confidently, smiling frankly, eyes focused on the camera's lens. His mother is seated next to her daughter, her face lined with a lifetime's joys and trials. \nThe image, captured two years ago in early 1999, belies the turmoil facing both women in their struggle with domestic violence. For Adams, it was simultaneously a fight against her abuser and an inner struggle to create distance from a man she both loved and feared. For Allen, it was a desperate attempt to protect her child. Both would struggle in vain. \nOn September 18, 1999, despite a court order forbidding him to contact Adams, James Hoard killed both women, including Adams's unborn child. He then turned the trigger on himself, closing the final chapter in a life of criminal behavior, of obsession and regret.\nIt's been a long road for Pitman. He admits he's had to grieve, to heal. He's sought therapy, he's read countless books on grieving and loss. It's been two years, yet he's beginning to move on, committing himself to advocacy of domestic violence education and legislation. This year, he's emerged as a principal resource for Bloomington's Middle Way House, drawing on personal experiences in speaking at various community events and engaging in marches and rallies. \nWhile Pitman acknowledges bureaucratic headaches often hinder women from taking the measures necessary to protect themselves from batterers, he lauds education as a primary goal in the fight to end domestic violence. Only when women are educated and encouraged to take action, without fear of redress or harm, may they begin to recover their autonomy, and in effect, themselves.\nHe lauds new legislation, recently signed by Governer Frank O'Bannon, as an example of such measures. Senate Bill 518, authored by Sen. Murray Clark, R-Indianapolis, will eliminate filing fees -- which vary from county to county and can often exceed $100 -- for victims wishing to obtain protective orders against abusers. The bill will also allow companies to file on behalf of their employees, thus alleviating at once financial burden and allowing women to feel protected while in the workplace.\nHe said such legislation would have provided women like his sister with additional options. Although Adams was personally able to pay filing fees, she repeatedly rescinded those protective orders. \nMiddle Way House Director Amy Woods worked with Adams during her stay at the women's shelter and said Adams knew that other women had filed ineffective protective orders against Hoard. Coupled with her "terrifying love" for Hoard, the ineffectiveness of those measures left Adams feeling helpless, Woods said.\nWoods cited such instances as a result of "ongoing failures of the system." If woman has even just one bad response from police in enforcing protective orders, the idea of reporting a violation seems fruitless, she said. While enforcement can in fact be performed very well, it often depends entirely on the enforcement team. \nAdams' plight is one shared by countless victims of domestic abuse. Torn between dependence and fear, these women oscillate between love and hate. They obtain protective orders repeatedly, only to rescind them as a result of violent threats. Pitman said only education will allow women to break the bonds of dependency and free themselves of abusive relationships. \n"It's easy to use the system as a scapegoat for your own weakness... when you rely on someone else for your significance and security, when that's your sole reason for living, you become a victim," Pitman said. "Donnetta didn't know she was that victim; she was just trying to survive."\nPitman and Woods aren't alone in celebrating the legislation. The overwhelming statewide consensus among shelters and crisis center is one of support.\n"It's a great program that's going to say a lot to the victims, as well as to batterers," said Kim Denton of the North Central Indiana Rural Crisis Center in Rensselear. "Someone is finally standing up for women, saying we're not going to tolerate (abuse) anymore."\nWoods said the legislation will be a powerful tool in breaking down barriers preventing women from seeking protective orders. Often, she said, women feel "twice victimized" because they must essentially pay for protection. Clark's legislation will eliminate the possibilities for determent facing victims of abuse, she said.\nCandice Perry, legal advocate at the Albion Fellows Bacon Center in Evansville, often deals with women in need of protective orders and assists with filing procedures. Although the orders are difficult to enforce, she said they are the "best first step" in getting protection. And Perry lauded the clause allowing employers to file on behalf of employees as particularly important. That option, she said, shows concern for the safety for both the victim and the work environment. \nWoods agreed, noting that often women feel a "false security" in the workplace when in fact they are often most at risk there. Clark's legislation will eliminate those myths, she said.\n"When you're in the fog, taking one step seems scary -- let alone walking through whole woods," she said. "Any barriers we can eliminate for women will allow women to better utilize the option of a protective order."\nBut Denton said the road ahead will be rough.\n"Protective orders aren't always completely effective because it is just a piece of paper," she continued, noting that her crisis center serves primarily rural couties. \nIf a man physically violates a protective order, she said the time elapsing between a 911 call and an officer's on-scene arrival is too great to prevent violent action. \nPitman agreed. \n"When an abuser is bent on contacting his mate, despite a protective order, nothing between hell and high water will keep him from doing that," he said. "A protective order will simply not work. \n"That's where education comes in; women have to stop making themselves victims."\nJennifer Ulrich, legal services advocate for Middle Way House, said while Clark's legislation is a positive step, an overwhelming need exists for additional legislation focusing on increasing penalties for violation of protective orders. Punishment standards now include up to one year in jail and minimal fines, Ulrich said. She advocates increasing the crime's categorization from a misdemeanor to a felony.\nSenator Clark said one shouldn't regard his legislation as solely concerned with facilitating access to court processes. The bill also deals with the effectiveness and enforcement of issues related to violations, he said.\n"We create generational problems in families when we don't nip this problem," Clark said. "This is one of the most significant problems in the criminal justice system, and we need to attack it."\nClark also said proposals could surface during the next legislative session doing away with all types of protective orders excepting those involving personal relationships and potential violence. In narrowing the scope for obtaining protective orders, Clark said he hopes to increase visibility on issues of domestic violence.
(05/21/01 1:24am)
The group crowding the Lincoln Room of the Lilly Library wasn't typical, to say the least. \nThe class was small, perhaps 10 people at the most, and the atmosphere relaxed and informal. Some students scrawled furiously on legal pads, while others jotted random notes and phrases on tattered napkins. A few peered at the lecturer over half-rimmed bifocals, while others still toted folding canes -- not exactly the sort of fare you'd expect to find in an IU lecture hall. \nYet they all focused their gaze upon the woman standing before them, faces fixed at rapt attention. For two hours on a lazy Saturday afternoon, they abandoned responsibilities of work, of children, of commitment, to gather at the Lilly Library to share a mutual interest of Civil War history.\nTaught by public historian Cinda May, Saturday's lecture, entitled "Never Shall I Forget the Scenes I Witnessed There: Echoes of Civil War History," is one of a series of short-term non-credit courses periodically offered by the School of Continuing Studies. Open to all adults, regardless of educational background, the courses are informally structured and allow interested adults access to renowned historians, professors and experts for a nominal fee. Subject matter spans from early Victorian literature to "Singing for Amateurs," and various trips to historic sites are offered as well. \nAccording to Ron White, director of the Bloomington Division of Continuing Studies, the program will be implementing many new noncredit courses during the fall semester. Stemming from a desire to better serve community interest, such courses will often coincide with various community events. Examples include a course on world music conducted in conjunction with the Lotus Music Festival and a course on the art collections of Herman B Wells. \nCourses in e-commerce, management skills, computer science and the architectural history of Bloomington have also been proposed for the fall semester. The sessions will be held at various locations throughout the community to be announced later in the summer. Interested individuals may direct questions concerning courses, fees and registration to the School of Continuing Studies at 855-5108.\nSaturday's course allowed participants to explore the Civil War in a local context. May, formerly Assistant Head of Public Services at the Lilly Library, focuses her research on the anti-slavery movement in Indiana and Ohio and utilized the writings of soldiers, physicians and ranking officials in various volunteer regiments throughout Indiana to present a multi-faceted view of camp life, warfare, politics and popular culture. Saturday's class was the second Continuing Studies course she has taught on the subject of Civil War history. \n"One of my favorite things has always been using artifacts to engage people in history and learning," May claimed. "I think history is much more real if people can actually see a piece and not just read or hear about it."\nAmong the artifacts presented to achieve that end were the lifemask and sculpted hands of Abraham Lincoln, created during his presidential campaign in 1860. Cast in a rich bronze, the pieces accentuated May's discussion of the struggle at Antietam. They accompanied the presentation of a list of prisoners accused of desertion at that battle, as well as programs from the dedication ceremony at Gettysburg. \nThe class also featured items from the Lilly Library's collections, including Robert E. Lee's General Order No. 9, which ordered the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, the diaries and letters of Indiana soldiers, maps, photographs, music and prints. \nParticipant Carol Banach has taken Continuing Studies courses in the past and deemed Saturday's presentation "particularly interesting." A self-proclaimed Civil War buff, Banach lauded the ability of the Continuing Studies program to present in-depth examination on a variety of subjects and noted she plans on taking similar courses in the future. \nMay said she was pleased with Saturday's turnout, noting smaller classes offer opportunities for more careful study of artifacts and documents. \n"Small groups are great," May said. "They're less formal and we can see things more closely. In a larger class, it's more difficult to actually present what the Lilly has to offer"
(05/21/01 1:21am)
Following a year of concerts, benefits and "late nights" at the Indiana Memorial Union, Union Board is winding down for the summer. The group, IU's largest student programming board, will take a decidedly more laid-back approach to summer programming.\nThe group will continue to sponsor periodic film screenings in the IMU, said Frank Klensch, last year's assistant director for "Live From Bloomington" and a member of this summer's programming board. UB will sponsor a sneak preview of an upcoming comedy, "Sidewalks in New York," May 24 in Whittenberger Auditorium. The free screening begins at 7 pm. \nTom Wailand, an academic-year Union Board director assisting on the summer board, is in charge of the annual Dunn Meadow Concert Series. The Thursday evening concerts will probably feature predominantly local acts, Wailand said. Klensch added that acts particularly featured in last year's "Live From Bloomington" benefits are under primary consideration to perform.\nDirector Andy Proctor, a senior, also indicated plans for a "Destinations" trip are in the works, though no definite dates have been set. \n"We're pretty relaxed right now," Klensch noted. "We're just trying to keep things moving, and toward the end of the summer we'll get together and start brainstorming ideas for next year's activities." \nKlensch said he predicts plans will begin to take shape for next semester's activities beginning in late July. No committees are meeting regularly because of the summer recess. But students interested in next year's activities are encouraged to voice opinions and ideas for summer programming. Additionally, call-out meetings for the various committees and duties will be conducted in late August and early September.\n"If you want to get involved, there's always the opportunity to do that on the programming level," Proctor said. Though Union Board is conducting summer board meetings with voting members only, interested individuals can become involved in summer planning by dropping by the Union Board office in the Student Activities Tower.
(05/04/01 4:21am)
The National Academy of Sciences chose to honor two IU professors at its annual meeting Tuesday with an offer for membership in the prestigious organization. Dr. Lawrence Einhorn, distinguished professor in the School of Medicine, and Elinor Ostrom, Arthur F. Bentley professor of political science, were among the 75 new members elected. \nThe Academy, a private, non-profit confederation of scientists established in 1836, is the federal government's official adviser in matters pertaining to science and technology. It is governed by a 12-member Council and consists of about 1,900 members, according to President Bruce Alberts. \n"This is one of the highest honors that any scientist can receive," said Jenny Wenger, media relations associate for NAS, said. "This the culmination of a very distinguished career."\nTen IU faculty have been recognized as members by the NAS. Einhorn and Olstrom are the only members from IU selected this year, according to George Vlahakis, manager of media relations for IU.\nOstrom, co-director of the IU Center for the Study of Institutions, came to IU in 1966 after receiving her Ph.D. in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles. She has held positions as chair of the department of Political Science and co-director of the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, and has a part-time faculty appointment to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.\nShe has also served as president of the American Political Science Association, the Public Choice Society, the Midwest Political Science Association and the International Association for the Study of Common Property. Ostrom also served on the editorial boards for numerous political publications and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1991. In 1999, she was awarded the John Skytte Prize of Sweden's Uppsala University, the first woman to do so.\nEinhorn, a medical oncologist, focuses his research on developing a chemotherapy treatment for disseminated testes cancer. His work in thwarting this strain, the most common in young men, has led to a distinct increase in cure rate, according to the IU School of Medicine.\nA distinguished IU professor since 1987, Einhorn also specializes in other types of urologic cancer, as well as lung cancer and other tumors.\nHe came to the IU School of Medicine in 1973 after receiving a bachelor's degree from IU and an M.D. from the University of Iowa. Upon completion of his residency at the IU School of Medicine, Einhorn performed hematology and oncology fellowships at the IU School of Medicine and the M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute in Houston, Texas.\nFor his research efforts, Einhorn has been awarded the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award for Cancer Research, the 1983 American Cancer Society Medal of Honor, the 1990 Karnofsky Lectureship of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the 1992 Kettering Prize for Cancer Research, subsidized through the General Motors Foundation.\nDr. Stephen D. Williams, professor of medicine at the School of Medicine and director of the IU Cancer Center, has worked with Einhorn extensively and said he believes his expertise goes far beyond research and laboratory work.\n"He, more than any other single individual, is indicative of the high degree in which we treat our patients," Williams said. "The remarkable thing about Larry is he's known and respected worldwide for his research, but he still sees a good number of patients and is a great doctor. He spends a lot more time in direct patient care than individuals outside (our department) realize"
(04/27/01 5:38am)
Fifteen minutes before noon Thursday, about 20 concerned individuals gathered at the Sample Gates to protest the April 13 publication of a controversial advertisement in the IDS. As the minutes passed, the group expanded.\nDr. Stephanie Kane, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, joined the group about 10 minutes into the demonstration. Her presence was a testament to the protesters' cry, "This is not a black issue." Kane mingled among those angered by the recent publication of conservative activist David Horowitz's ad "Ten Reasons Why Reparations for Slavery is a Bad Idea -- and Racist Too."\nThe group's demands include diversity training for IDS staff, consultation between the newspaper and IU administrators before publishing "racist material" and a public statement by IU President Myles Brand articulating the University's stance on the issue.\nDeeming the Sample Gates the "focal point of campus," graduate assistant for the Office of Multicultural Affairs Antwuan Wallace said protesters chose the the site because it "welcomes students to campus, and we want to stress the inclusion of all students." \nGraduate student Daisy Rodriguez said her primary hopes for the protest lie in deepening awareness and consciousness of issues surrounding students of color. Thursday's demonstration, she said, was not intended to "blame whites" for the advertisement or for the larger racial issues surrounding its publication. Rather, the protest was envisioned as a "form of education" aimed at improving the racial climate on campus, Rodriguez said.\n"The University has made attempts to encourage racial diversity," Wallace said, "but I'm not sure they've fully engaged all groups. This is not just a black issue -- it affects everyone."\nKane agreed, citing the publication of the Horowitz ad as a "hate speech issue." She said the IDS had a responsibility to create a space to place the ad in context -- one the paper did not fulfill. She suggested articles presenting opposing viewpoints to Horowitz could have ran alongside his content, offering a broader forum for discussion.\nAccording to material distributed by representatives of the Black Graduate Student Association, Horowitz's advertisement "attempts to make a mockery out of the issue of reparations for African-American slavery and oppression."\nFurthermore, the material said Horowitz unfairly depicted blacks as greedy and unpatriotic and "dredged up negative and ancient history."\nProtesters also condemned the ad's alleged inaccuracy, claiming that the IDS "failed to verify the facts claimed by Horowitz," according to a Black Graduate Student Association press release.\n"When whites read (such advertisements), their sense of historical reality becomes distorted," said Marlene Munn, Minority Education Associate and graduate student. \nMunn also questioned the ethical components of the IDS' decision to publish the Horowitz ad.\n"I think the IDS was really trying to put us in a reactionary stance," she said. "It failed to frame discussion around those directly affected by the material's publication."\nA majority of participants concurred with this statement, asserting the IDS should have consulted with various diversity and minority groups on campus prior to publication. \n"Far too often, people fail to consider how their actions affect underrepresented groups," picketer Eric Love, a graduate student, said. "They fail to foresee the ramifications of their actions and the uproar caused by them." \nThe IDS was also criticized for its lack of a racially balanced staff. Such homogeneity, protesters claimed, promotes a better campus environment. \n"Look at the staff," Charlie Nelms, Vice President for Student Development and Diversity, said. "Look at the points-of-view represented on the editorial board. The IDS should strive to sponsor forums for free, open debate (by recruiting) throughout the ranks, from reporters to columnists to editorial staffs."\nIDS editor in chief Brooke Ruivivar said the editorial board is open to any student employed by the newspaper, and that all students, regardless of major or race, are encouraged to apply. But she said no student may be part of the editorial staff unless he or she works for the IDS. \nIDS Publisher David Adams agreed with Ruivivar.\n"We would certainly like to have a more racially diverse staff," Adams said. "We welcome that possibility, because a more diverse staff would bring a whole different variety of life-experiences into decisions concerning what's covered."\nNelms also suggested the IDS invite nationally-renowned scholars or distinguished professors to write opinion columns presenting opposing viewpoints about reparations. Nelms said a newspaper's obligation to the public rests in analysis, not mere acceptance. Such efforts would facilitate a greater exchange of ideas and viewpoints, he said. \n"The issue is lack of acceptance," Nelms said. "The notion that Mr. Horowitz is right to be heard -- I accept that. But the bottom line is morality must always trump legality. The moral aspects (of running such an ad) must be considered, and slavery is immoral"
(04/26/01 5:41am)
With bare legs and long blond hair carelessly strewn over one shoulder, Ann Coulter looks like any other 30-something female professional. Her stance is confident, her dress simple yet sophisticated. She's the type of woman people stop to notice, to admire.\nYet appearances can be deceiving. And Coulter has proven she's much more than a pretty face.\nWhen Coulter assumes her position behind a lectern, a camera or courtroom, people stop to listen. \nTuesday night was no different, as Coulter captivated a standing-room only crowd in Woodburn Hall Room 101. Her speech, subsidized by the IU College Republicans, focused on the divided nature of the current United States Supreme Court. Upon her entrance, people in the packed lecture hall stopped conversations, allowing Coulter's rich, throaty voice to fill the air. \nA Washington, D.C.-based political analyst and attorney, Coulter has been called "the Abbie Hoffman of the Right" because of her clever, sharp attacks on liberal ideology. Her recent book, "High Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Case Against Bill Clinton," spent eight weeks atop The New York Times bestseller list in 1998. Dubbed "engaging and straightforward prose" by the Times, Coulter's analysis of Clinton's scandal-ridden administration proved a useful tool for conservative journalists calling for his resignation.\nAfter the completion of her studies at Cornell University and the University of Michigan Law School, Coulter worked as an attorney at the Center for Individual Rights, a conservative, public-interest law firm. She has served as legal counsel to Sen. Spencer Abraham, R-Mich., on the Senate Judiciary Committee and as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice.\nIn choosing justice appointees, Coulter said President George W. Bush has found himself in a precarious position. Regardless of party labels, either liberals or conservatives will doubtlessly "get the upper hand," she said. \nThe most controversial issues presented before the Court recently have resulted in 5-4 decisions, pitting justices against one another according to political ideology.\n"It's Dunkirk, not D-Day, for conservatives," Coulter said.\nFor liberals, according to Coulter, the Constitution evolves "in ways they like." Policy disputes are not, for Democrats, determined by the laws set forth in the Constitution\nIn contrast, Coulter defined conservatives as "strict constructionists." Their main concern, she said, lies in interpreting the Constitution, not adhering to whims of "left-wing rainbow groups." \nCoulter cited the Civil War amendments of the Constitution as one such example. The amendments and accompanying statutes, she said, clearly prohibit government discrimination on the basis of race. Liberals, she claimed, twist the phrase to allow discrimination "against disfavored races" in contrast to conservatives, who take that statement at face value. \nOne more "bad appointment" to the bench, Coulter said, would result in "preposterous racial discrimination according to principles of criminal law."\nCoulter also addressed free speech, noting the Supreme Court pays little attention to pornographic or blasphemous material. Rather, political speech is met with suspicion and skepticism, she said. \n"Today it's easier to pander obscenity than engage in political speech," Coulter said. "With virtually no consultation and unlimited funds, you can make videos of the 'Debbie Does Dallas' variety, yet current campaign finance laws prohibit you from exercising your right to free speech if it exceeds $2000."\nUnless Bush can "sneak another Clarence Thomas or Antonin Scalia" past the United States Senate, Americans might face more sanctions on political speech, Coulter said.\nIU College Republicans treasurer Willie Sutherland, a senior, said the Bloomington community was instrumental in orchestrating the event. The IU Student Association donated $1,500 to help bring Coulter to campus. Young America's Foundation, an outreach group of the conservative movement, provided $2,000.\nCollege Republicans raised the remaining funds. Its principal benefit, a dinner with Monroe County Republicans, brought Rep. John Hostettler (R-8th) to Bloomington and raised nearly $1,000. \nSophomore Josh Claybourn lauded Coulter's "fiery, passionate" speaking style, noting her ability to "draw a good crowd."\n"She's young, and her message is relevant," said Claybourn, College Republicans secretary. \nSutherland said he agreed. \n"She really knows how to get to the point," he said. "She's able to show why liberals are wrong, and her conservative message is just resounding"
(04/19/01 4:18am)
Recent autopsy reports indicate alcohol contributed to the death of freshman Berkley Branson Saturday. Branson was fatally injured after reportedly exiting a moving vehicle driven by Matthew Willett of Evansville.\nVanderburgh County Coroner Donald Erk said alcohol was involved in the accident, which occurred on a rural Evansville road early Saturday morning. \nHe attributed Branson's death to lacerations of the liver caused by blunt force trauma suffered when Willett's truck ran over her midsection. \nAccording to a statement by the sheriff's department to the Evansville Courier, Branson's blood-alcohol content was .26, almost three times the legal limit.\n While Erk could not disclose Branson's blood-alcohol content, he said he could not dispute the Courier's statement.\n "It's just one of those situations (in which) alcohol obviously played a part," Erk said. "The bottom line is if she hadn't been drinking, she may not have jumped out of the vehicle."\nWillett's blood-alcohol level was .08, under the legal driving limit of .10 mandated by Indiana state law. No charges have been filed against him. \n Lieutenant Stephen Bequette of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Department confirmed Branson had been drinking, but would not comment further. \n Bequette said the case will be turned over to the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office for review early next week. \n Erk said he believes some sort of charge will be filed against Willett, although the decision to do so rests upon the county prosecutor.\nVanderburgh County Prosecuting Attorney Stanley Levco could not be reached for comment.
(04/18/01 5:48am)
Editor's Note: This story corrects misinformation contained in the article, "Meeting advocates activism," in the April 4 edition of the IDS.\n"Meet here for gay sex," read the sentence scrawled across a residence hall message board. The statement offended some residents, and they sought redress. The incident was brought before the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Anti-Harassment Team, which served as an intermediary between individuals and offered plausible courses of action.\nEleven years ago, no such outlet existed. Though a similar group existed to assist in racially motivated incidents of discrimination, homosexuals on campus had virtually no means with which to report harassment. \nThe Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Anti-Harassment Team was established in January 1990 by the dean of students and the dean of women's affairs. The Gender Incidents Team was formed in the fall of 2000. \nThe teams have two purposes, according to their mission statement -- to assist and support students and to document information about incidents involving discrimination.\nThe Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Anti-Harassment Team, which meets weekly, deals with issues ranging from hate crimes to sexual harassment incidents and handles about 100 cases each semester, said Doug Bauder, coordinator of the offices of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Student Support Services. \nIt consists of faculty and staff possessing expertise in "diversity issues and conflict resolution," Bauder said. \nStudents can contact the team in a variety of ways. An incident report form can be completed and brought to the Office of Student Ethics and Anti-Harassment Programs, 705 E. Seventh St. Gender-related incidents can be addressed by calling 855-3849 or by e-mailing sexism@indiana.edu. Race-related incidents can be directed to reportit@indiana.edu or 855-4463. \nAfter an incident is brought before the team, options for action are debated while a team member contacts the individual who filed the report. The individual meets with members of the team to decide how to pursue the issue, team member Pamela Huggins said.\nPossible courses of action, according to the GLBT Web site, include mediation, educational intervention or referral to external campus offices. These offices include the campus judicial system, the Affirmative Action Office or an appropriate academic department. Students can also file academic complaints or pursue legal recompense, either through campus or community police, attorneys or the Human Rights Commission, Huggins said. \nAfter all intervention, a file is created in which results are detailed and evaluated. These files are then closed, although follow-up options remain for the individual who reported the incident.\nHuggins said that students should not be afraid to report incidents of harassment, and that case proceedings are held in confidence. \n"We want students to report in order to react conscientiously to educate offenders, support victims and, overall, make IU an inclusive and respecting community," Huggins said.\nBill Shipton, co-chairman of both teams, said the collection of data is important, even if nothing can be done about the incident.\n"We know that there are significant numbers of homosexual students on the IU campus," Shipton said. "Unfortunately, we live in a society where homophobia is real, and there needs to be a place for those students to report incidents involving discrimination and harassment.\n"Even if it's an incident where nothing can be done, it's important to collect data about incidents that occur"
(04/16/01 5:38am)
Accompanying her parents to football and basketball games, Berkley Branson fell in love with IU at a young age. \nStrolling around campus and into various buildings and sorority houses with her parents, both alumni, proved fascinating to the ambitious youngster.\nIt was an easy decision to attend IU, and she entered IU in the fall of 2000 as an education major. \nOn a recent trip home to her hometown of Evansville, the fair-haired freshman told her mother she wanted to be an English teacher. She described how she planned to challenge students; she detailed her desire to interest and engage her pupils in the works of Shakespeare. \nThe former high school soccer standout told her father, a former Little 500 rider, that she wanted to pledge a sorority so she, too, could pedal across the finish line at Bill Armstrong Stadium. \nBut those dreams were shattered early Saturday morning.\nShe was pronounced dead at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville after she reportedly exited a moving pickup truck and was crushed by its rear tires. Evansville Deputy Coroner Annie Groves told the Evansville Courier Sunday that Branson might have exited the vehicle during an argument with the driver, 19-year-old Matthew C. Willett of Evansville. \nAccording to the coroner's report, Branson and Willett had been drinking, but Willett's blood-alcohol level was beneath the state legal limit. Willett was not arrested. \nAdopted at 3 months old, Branson was her parents' only child. Her father remembered her as "always smiling, always giggling." Describing his daughter as loyal and dedicated to her family, Malcolm Branson said his daughter always knew her importance in the lives of her grandparents, and she never failed to call, write or visit them, even while at IU. \nHer days at F.J. Reitz High School in Evansville were marked by success, both in and out of the classroom. In addition to maintaining positions as senior class secretary and features editor of the school newspaper, Branson was a Student Council representative, National Honor Society member and captain of the varsity soccer team. \nJeremy Wolfe, Branson's former coach, met Sunday with members of the 2000 varsity team to discuss the tragedy. Though some players remained close to home after graduation, former teammates flew in from as far as Arizona to pay tribute to the player Wolfe called "a real motivator."\n"She was a tremendous asset for Reitz High School and our soccer program," Wolfe told the Courier Sunday. "It's hard to believe she's not here anymore."\nBranson also possessed a great love for the craft of writing, a passion shared by her mother. \n"She was an excellent writer and deep and caring person," Malcolm Branson said. "She was always thinking of ways to make people feel better about themselves."\nSophomore Andy Shoulders also spoke highly of Branson's selfless character. Though a childhood playmate of Branson, he said he hadn't seen her since their days shared on a preschool playground. Their friendship was rekindled, Shoulders said, while living in Teter Quad this year.\nDuring Shoulders' fraternity pledgeship, he said Branson would often forgo a party to sit with him while he worked at his house. \n"She had a great personality," Shoulders said. "She was always willing to put something down to help someone else. Just the fact that she would forget about partying to sit and talk and listen … I've lost a great friend, and I'm going to miss her a lot"
(04/11/01 4:39am)
Connersville, Ind., is a sleepy town. Beside a smattering of bed-and-breakfasts and the annual citywide fish fry, not much leaves the Fayette county seat, located 110 miles from Bloomington.\nThat is, until Bob Guttman.\nRecognized by his parents as "studious but fun," Guttman spent his boyhood throwing wild pitches in Little League games and traveling to his family's summer cabin on Crooked Lake, Mich. \nNow, almost half a decade later, the "Bob" has been replaced with "Robert." No longer does the baseball-crazed Little Leaguer traipse the streets of Connersville, home to 26,000 Hoosiers and the nation's first high school band.\nToday, the IU alumnus resides in a Virginia townhouse, minutes from the nation's capital and worlds away from his birthplace and the former Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity house, his Bloomington home for three years. Now, the 54-year-old Guttman fills his days grilling prominent diplomats and authorities on political and economic issues facing the European Union.\nHe returned to campus Tuesday to present an award he founded to give something back to the University he loves.\nHe said he realized how he could contribute to success in IU's international studies programs -- by sponsoring, under the financial auspices of his magazine, an essay contest awarding $500 to the best commentary on contemporary European issues. \nThe winning essay was chosen by a panel of four judges, including Guttman.\nGuttman presented the award Tuesday in the Oak Room of the Indiana Memorial Union. He also presented his new book, "Europe and the New Century: Visions of an Emerging Superpower." \nThe book focuses on the changing face of Europe and outlines Guttman's perceptions of what struggles the continent will face in coming decades.\nRoy Gardner, chancellor's professor of economics and West European studies, said Guttman's award is a testament to the strength of IU's relationship with alumni. \n"We always like validation from alumni who have gone on to successful careers in exactly what they studied at the undergraduate level," Gardner said. "Guttman is, in effect and by example, promoting confidence for success in our graduates -- and that's a valuable thing."\nAs editor in chief of the Washington, D.C.-based Europe magazine, Guttman's lifestyle clashes with the quiet days spent in his childhood home and at IU. \nSince graduating in 1968 with degrees in history and political science, Guttman's career has carried him from positions as an economist with the U.S. Department of Commerce to press secretary on Capitol Hill. Over the years, the desire to give back to his alma mater intensified, he said.\nMeanwhile, word of his accomplishments carried back to Bloomington.\nGuttman jumped at the chance to appear on campus in April 2000 as the keynote speaker for Model European Union, when asked by Andrea Ciccarelli, French and Italian department chair.\nThe homecoming proved therapeutic for the overworked editor. For two days, he immersed himself in rediscovering the University. He said the experience forced him to confront IU's influence on his professional endeavors.\nThe son of self-made entrepreneurs, Guttman could have opted to remain in Connersville to manage his family's furniture store. Part of IU's seduction stemmed from the prominence of the business school; Guttman originally envisioned a career in management or finance. But one professor changed that.\nRobert Ferrell, a distinguished professor emeritus of history, stands apart to Guttman as "considerably the greatest influence" in his interest in diplomatic affairs. The author of 50 books on American and European history, including 10 on the life of former President Harry Truman, Ferrell "demanded nothing less than excellence" from his students, a standard Guttman said he strives to uphold.\n"I did indeed hold Bob to a high standard of dedication to his studies," Ferrell said. "Yet I did so precisely because I saw in him a potential rare in undergraduates. I wanted to challenge that."\nAnd challenge he did, Guttman said. \n"Professor Ferrell took me aside and said, 'Look, business isn't for you,'" Guttman said. "He said, 'You have potential to excel in this. You just have to work for it.' So I did. I've never worked quite so hard, in fact, to prove myself." \nThe memory of that encounter never left Guttman. \nApplying the work ethic originating from his experiences at IU, he completed graduate study in international relations and economics with honors at American University in Washington, D.C. He then began working as an economist for the U.S. Department of Commerce. Throughout the 1970s, he assisted Democratic candidates with their presidential campaigns. \n"I helped George McGovern lose twice," Guttman said, laughing. "After Jimmy Carter crushed him in the polls in '76, I decided it was time to move away from any direct involvement in politics -- for a while, at least."\nHe chose to write about contemporary political issues instead. \nIn 1979, Guttman founded Political Profiles, a publishing house dedicated to the creation of a nonpartisan political magazine. A year later, Guttman's company achieved that goal. Political Profiles, an impartial journal chronicling up-and-coming politicians and candidates, premiered in 1980, selling thousands of copies across the United States\nFour years later, at the pinnacle of Profile's success, CNN offered Guttman a position as a political analyst on the weekly program "Inside Politics." He also appeared regularly as a political consultant on "Larry King Live" and had his own Saturday morning commentary on National Public Radio.\nIn 1989, with the success of Political Profiles waning, Guttman accepted Europe magazine's offer for the position of editor in chief. Regarded as the "official magazine of the European Union," Europe was looking for "someone to shed a fresh perspective on the pressing issues surrounding the European continent," according to the magazine's publisher, Willy Helin. \nGuttman has surpassed those expectations. \nIn 1992, he launched the Russian edition of Europe and began writing for the European Union magazine in Tokyo. He contributes to Europe's publications in Milan, Copenhagen, Prague, Tokyo, Berlin and Rome. \nReflecting on these successes after his homecoming last year, Guttman noted the dominant influence his undergraduate experience afforded him. \nBasing his decision to establish the award partially on dwindling interest in western Europe on college campuses, Guttman said "it's nice to see universities like IU attempting to preserve the tradition of European study. Indiana's programs influenced my career tremendously, and I'd like to think I can give back to that somehow, to perpetuate the study of European politics"
(04/11/01 4:37am)
Responding to overwhelming student and faculty interest, last month the College of Arts and Sciences decided to revise its graduation requirements for students pursuing a double degree in the College and an outside school. \nUnder the old requirements, students desiring a bachelor of arts degree in a COAS-related field of study and a bachelor of science degree in an outside school were required to complete an extra 26 hours in the College of Arts and Sciences, in addition to the required coursework for each degree. In a unanimous faculty vote, the College eliminated those 26 hours, in an effort to better facilitate students pursuing two degrees.\nLinda Smith, associate dean for undergraduate education in COAS, said the eased requirements will allow motivated students to graduate in four years with a double degree. Under the old standards, this proved nearly impossible for students wishing to obtain degrees from COAS and another school.\nBut times have changed, Smith said. "We didn't want to make it too easy to acquire a second degree," she said, "but there are many more schools and more options for students now. For many students, a double degree has the same intellectual value as a double major."\nWhile the change in requirements will primarily affect underclassmen and incoming students, Smith said upperclassmen might also benefit.\n"Juniors and seniors may examine their schedules now and find themselves closer to the double degree than they may have previously thought," she said.\nBut academic adviser Jim Brown said the change affects only students pursuing two degrees at once. Returning students who have already completed one bachelor's degree must complete the additional 26 hours to obtain their second degree.\nAccording to assistant dean Steve Sanders, the COAS advising office has been "flooded" by positive e-mails and phone calls by students about the change. This interest, Sanders said, upholds the College's decision to adopt the change. \nBrown said since the initial announcement of the change, he has dealt with an average of 3-4 students per day expressing interest in a dual degree.\n"The new standards allow students to basically finish as many degrees as they can start without requiring an arbitrary number of hours," Brown said.\nHe said business students seem to be his "No.1 customer," with music students also expressing significant interest in the program. He cited the business school's field specialization requirement, in which students must complete work in an outside field to complement their business training, as particularly useful in pursuing COAS-related interests. He said business students tend to like the breadth of a liberal arts education.\n"The nice thing about the change in requirements is it breaks down the somewhat artificial barriers between schools," Sanders said. "It moves us much closer to the reality of students being able to capitalize on the best IU has to offer, no matter what school or degree option"
(04/10/01 4:23am)
Three years ago, senior Rachel Karess lost her best friend, a man with whom she'd shared a backyard since childhood.\nDeath didn't arrive swiftly for Brett Weinstein, Karess's "first friend." Nor did it come unannounced. Instead, it wavered constantly on the horizon, posing a relentless threat for the cystic fibrosis victim.\nThat threat intensified when Weinstein discovered he needed a lung transplant. Unable to find a suitable donor, Weinstein died, having never completed college.\nShaken by the experience, Karess, a political science major, threw herself into researching organ transplants. The native of Allentown, Pa., spent countless hours studying the availability of organs in the United States, seeking an answer to her friend's seemingly unjustifiable death. \nWeinstein found she was not alone. More than 71,000 individuals are awaiting organ donations, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Fewer than half of those patients will find an appropriate match. The answer, Karess said, lies in sheer ignorance, and thus a mission surfaced -- to increase education and awareness about organ and tissue donation.\nKaress formed "Life Goes On," a student organization whose members speak at classes, greek houses, residence halls and community events. The group promotes fund-raising activities throughout Bloomington. Since its inception in August 1998, the group has ballooned from six members to a network of 15 collegiate chapters across the country.\n"I felt, firsthand, the pain of losing someone who, ultimately, died senselessly," Karess said. "If there had been an organ donor, Brett would have lived." \nThat's why, she said, she formed Life Goes On. \n"So often, people say they'd like to be donors," she said. "However, the next step is actually confronting the issue and addressing it to friends and family. Most people don't do that. Our goal is to help those people make educated decisions based on facts -- not myths."\nKaress's zeal for her cause soon caught the eye of the Children's Organ Transplant Association. Inspired by Karess's efforts on the Bloomington campus, the association asked her to help implement programs similar to Life Goes On at other college campuses. In May 1999, she joined the association's staff, designing promotional materials and delivering educational presentations. She also assisted in fund-raising efforts.\nKaress's involvement with her organization led her to pursue a certificate in nonprofit management through the American Humanics program in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. The program, which requires 180 "contact" hours working with a nonprofit organization, also includes membership in the American Humanics Student Association, of which Karess is president. \nJunior Erika Eck, vice president of Life Goes On, cited Karess as a driving force behind the organization's continuing success nationwide. \n"Rachel is a dedicated woman who has made it her personal mission to spread awareness about the crucial need for organ donors," Eck said. "Her personal loss has driven her to make a difference in the lives of others, and her friendship and leadership have helped to shape me into the person I am today, he said." \nKaress, who will graduate this spring with a certificate in nonprofit management and minors in psychology and sociology of business, said she has high hopes for the future of her organization. She has named senior Kat Kirkwood as her successor as president, a choice she said will fill her void "perfectly."\nKirkwood, whose father received a kidney transplant when she was in sixth grade, said her chief concern is consistent with that of her predecessor -- to educate. \n"I just want to continue what Rachel started -- to keep speaking to people and raising money for those who need it," Kirkwood said. "She's the leader I want to be."\nCindy Bowers, director of the American Humanics program, said she agreed with Kirkwood's assessment. \n"Rachel sets the standard and raises others to that bar," she said. "She chose to make a difference, and that gives me great hope for the future of nonprofit organizations"
(04/04/01 5:41am)
Former board of trustees member Harry Gonzo first experienced the sharp slap of sexual discrimination as an IU student in the late sixties -- only it wasn't directed at him.\nWhen the standout quarterback and Rose Bowl champion's best friend announced he was homosexual, Gonzo supported the young man's decision. But he was in the minority.\nFriends turned against the student. Faced with the gravity of the decision he'd made and the accompanying lifestyle changes, the young man felt alone and confused. No IU offices existed at that time to assist homosexual students.\nFinally, the oppression overwhelmed him. He never completed his senior year here.\nIn his opening remarks at Tuesday's National Day of Silence luncheon, keynote speaker Bloomington Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis reflected quietly on that story, told more than 10 years ago by Gonzo himself at a trustees meeting. The trustees were debating the viability of a gay and lesbian resource center at IU. Hailing the instance as representative of the need for such a center, Gros Louis lauded the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Student Services office for fostering acceptance of all types of diversity on campus.\nThe luncheon, held Tuesday in the State Room East of the Indiana Memorial Union, epitomizes such initiatives. Five years ago, GLBT started the event to bring faculty and students together to discuss how "issues of silence" affect the campus, said Doug Bauder, director of GLBT Student Support Services.\nThat mission continues to drive the event, just one part of the National Week of Protest activities on campus this week. \nSophomore Jaret Fishman said he hopes that message will garner additional support from administration and faculty in addressing student alienation issues. A CommUNITY Educator at Foster Quad and organizer of last year's luncheon, Fishman said while attributes do exist on campus facilitating acceptance of diversity, further steps must be pursued.\n"The goal of the luncheon and, essentially, of the week is to note how certain voices are silenced," said Barry Magee, assistant director of diversity education for Residential Programs and Services. "Our task now is to figure out how to, as a community, break that silence."\nFor Gros Louis, that often entails reacting softly and persistently. He said often, the most effective leaders are those who speak "quietly and appropriately," who aren't "constantly in your face." \nGros Louis championed protests of this week's sort as necessary precursors for increased awareness of campus issues.\nPam Huggins, a member of the GLBT anti-harassment team and faculty of the School of Social Work attending the event, conceded with Gros Louis. \nThe anti-harassment team, which responds to incidents of discrimination and harassment of all sorts, is one way to quietly and judiciously retaliate, she said. But the crusades cannot stop there, she claimed. Students must assume a proactive role.\n"We need to become involved in the creation of an inclusive society striving toward the elimination of oppression and discrimination," Huggins said. "Only then will we truly begin accepting one another"
(03/27/01 5:18am)
Senior Leanne Dodge is ambitious, to say the least.\nThe Bloomington native and Wells Scholar spends her days conducting trials in a cognitive science lab on campus. When she needs a break, she loses herself in a piece of music, playing her violin for hours on end. And in the evenings, she immerses herself in her duties as vice president of the IU College Libertarians.\nTo top it all, Dodge is pursuing three majors -- violin performance, cognitive science and political science.\nIn the past, students like Dodge have found it difficult to explore such a wide array of interests. But a change in graduation requirements by the College of Arts and Sciences will help in facilitating such efforts.\nThe University faculty voted this week to approve the measures. The changes are designed to "provide greater flexibility for students wishing to pursue joint degrees," according to a press release by the College. They will take effect in August 2001, and students pursuing a COAS degree will be able to adhere to either the old or new requirements.\nThe new plan grants greater range of choice in choosing elective credits outside a given course of study. Previously, elective choices were limited to an approved list of courses. Under the new system, those credits can be filled with any combination of courses from an outside school.\nThe new plan also simplifies the distribution requirements for graduation. \nCOAS students are now required to take four courses from each category -- natural and mathematical sciences, arts and humanities and social and historical studies, and one course from each area should be a topics course. The three areas are subcategorized as well. \nThe new plan eliminates the subcategories and requires students to take only one topics course.\n "Topics courses are meant to be a hard start into college study," said COAS associate dean Linda Smith. "But they ended up delaying students' entrance into their actual majors. It made it more difficult to explore different fields of study -- not a good thing."\n Smith said the change is largely in response to student concerns compiled during a semester-long study of the old program's effectiveness last fall. Sophomore Paul Musgrave echoed such sentiments.\n"The current system, which involves subcategories that artificially limit class options, does not broaden, but rather restricts, students' learning opportunities," the history and political science double major said. "If the purpose of a liberal arts education, which COAS provides, is to broaden students' horizons, then the current, ridiculously complex and limiting graduation requirements have been standing in the way of that goal."\nThe new plan allows students to pursue more than one degree simultaneously. The old requirements forced students desiring a second degree to complete an extra 26 hours in COAS outside of those required for the first degree, a stipulation Smith said has existed since the 1960s.\nDeeming the imposition "crippling" for serious students with various interests, Smith said the new plan, which eliminates this requirement totally, will better facilitate such exploration.\n"I think this is a wonderful move," Dodge said. "It will allow students to pursue varied interests without being bound so tightly by specific requirements."\nSmith said the College has been considering changing graduation requirements all year. She noted the change is especially timely with the arrival of the new chancellor.\n"It would not be an overstatement to say that a number of students found the old requirements 'student unfriendly,'" Smith said. "The goal of the new plan is not to weaken curriculum or make it easier, but to fix clunky things that weren't working before"
(03/21/01 5:08am)
The Carnegie Foundation has chosen to honor two IU associate professors as Carnegie Scholars for the upcoming year. \nCarolyn Calloway-Thomas of the Department of Communication and Culture and Dennis Rome of the Department of Afro-American Studies will represent the Bloomington campus as two of the 30 scholars. The foundation additionally recognized IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis professor Didier Bertrand.\nThe Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning sponsors the fellowships, designed to "create a community of scholars … whose work will advance the profession of teaching and deepen student learning," President Lee Shulman said.\nCandidates are chosen from a variety of fields of study, including biological sciences, communication, economics, education and teacher education, engineering, foreign languages and literature, health sciences, interdisciplinary studies, law, physics, political science and philosophy/religious studies.\nAccording to the program's application criterion, a premise of the program is that "faculty need scholarly peers in teaching as in research." Candidates are sought who are familiar with the latest developments in research and teaching methods, and who strive to foster the most engaging learning environment possible.\nIndividuals desiring consideration for the honor must submit a "tedious and painstaking" application in which a research proposal is outlined, Rome said. They are then screened through two rounds of interviews. The selected scholars are required to complete two summer residency programs. This year's group will assemble June 11 in Menlo Park, Calif., the home of the Carnegie Institute.\nCalloway-Thomas, whose research interests include African-American and intercultural communications, described the honor as "particularly sweet" because this year marks the first in which the field of communications was included as an eligible field of study.\n"I feel delighted to have been chosen as a Carnegie Scholar for the coming year," she said. She described her research goal as determining to what extent "representative illustrations," or common allusions utilized in relating course material to students, are effective in the learning process.\n"I believe that such tools -- for example, stories or anecdotes -- are instrumental in determining which students learn well and which learn poorly," she said. She will study subjects from four major institutions throughout the country as her research basis.\nCalloway-Thomas, a former Fulbright scholar and Ford postdoctoral fellow, earned a bachelor's degree and Distinguished Alumni Award from Grambling State University. She completed her master's degree at the University of Wisconsin and her post-doctoral study at IU.\nRome, also a former Fullbright scholar, said colleague and mentor Carla Howery, executive deputy director of the American Sociological Association, encouraged him to apply for the program. She lauded the Carnegie Foundation's focus on teaching and pedagogical concerns and deemed Rome's innovative methods, designed to engage students in the learning process, representative of that focus.\nHe said his project deals with the introduction of innovative teaching techniques into the classroom using computers, video cameras and other technological equipment. His research includes criminology, race and minority relations and research methods.\nRome earned his bachelor's degree from Bradley University. He completed a master's degree from Howard University and a Ph.D. from Washington State University.\n"It was a painstaking process, yes," he laughed. "But in such a competitive process, it was worth it"
(03/19/01 7:04am)
Most people accept when given the opportunity to be commemorated in stone and granite. Few decline the offer to have a building named in their honor.\n Yet Herman B Wells did exactly that. Faced with countless proposals of the sort, the former IU president and long-time University chancellor adamantly refused, choosing instead to expand on the work he'd done in IU's academic programs.\nIt was understandable that the idea of naming a scholarship in his honor was met with considerable timidity. After all, Wells had declined numerous offers to immortalize his legacy with University developments. He claimed, professor Breon Mitchell said, that his work had only begun.\nBut Wells characteristically surprised them all. \nHe accepted the suggestion with vigor and was present in 1990 to induct the first class of Wells Scholars.\n"They were nervous, yes," said Mitchell, the program's first director and one of its founding influences, of the first class. "I think, though, they knew they were part of something new, something fresh. It was a very exciting time."\nThe four-year award encompasses full tuition costs, room and board and miscellaneous fees. Scholars are also allowed a year of foreign study and a summer experience grant, both subsidized by donations to the program. It is supervised by director and distinguished professor Scott Russell Sanders.\nNever one to boast, Wells attributed his success to, as memoir's title suggests, "being lucky," and encouraged the incoming group of about 20 seniors to take full advantage of what opportunities the scholarship would offer.\nWells extended that bit of luck to me last year when I was awarded the Wells scholarship as a high school senior. Although I had applied to 10 schools, my family's financial situation severely restricted my options; I had no money reserved for college and would have to rely solely on federal aid and scholarships. Reading the program's literature detailing its terms and outlining achievements by former scholars, a cloud of anxiety descended. \nIt seemed just too good to be true.\nI met Wells during the interview process in December. Before the interview weekend, I knew little about him or his contributions to IU. But one weekend on campus changed that. His presence, it seemed, was everywhere.\nThough confined to a wheelchair, the 97-year-old's enthusiasm shattered my apprehension. He seemed genuinely thrilled to meet every potential scholar and was thoroughly interested in speaking with each of us. His feeble appearance belied his true character; shaking his hand at the final dinner reception, his firm grip and eager gaze surprised me. He simply radiated with pride for the University and what it could offer us. \nMeeting the man behind the name ultimately persuaded me to choose IU, and I can't imagine myself anywhere else today. Herman B Wells is remembered as a driving force behind the program's success, though his influence was not always directly imposed.\n"With Dr. Wells, what you saw was what you got," said former scholar James Stevens, who also worked as one of Wells's "houseboys" for two years while attending IU as an undergraduate. "The amazing thing was that what you got was a supremely gregarious, witty, interested and interesting man who rarely missed anything that passed his way. Whether he was watching a football game, or talking with a student, or listening to a string quartet or napping in the afternoon -- he tried to do it intently; he always tried to be, adamantly, 'in the moment.'"\nSince the scholarship's inception in 1990, more than 220 students have been in the program. While on campus, they serve as ambassadors to such distinguished visitors as former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev and South African playwright Athol Fugard. They build houses for Habitat for Humanity on the Honors College Alternative Spring Break. \nThe Wells Program boasts its own community service organization, launched by senior scholar Angel Cabral two years ago. Graduates often emerge as Marshall, Fulbright and Truman Scholars. They enter top-ranked law, medical and graduate programs. \nBut throughout their professional careers, their experiences with IU and the Wells Scholars Program are remembered as "inspirational," said former scholar Andrew Wang.\nNow a student at Harvard Medical School, Wang conceded with Stevens. \n"Dr. Wells made IU what it is today," Wang said. "To his students, he was simply an inspiration"
(03/08/01 5:33am)
After spending the last four years masterminding IU's information technology plan, Michael McRobbie will take a stab at doing it for the rest of the country as well.\nMcRobbie, vice president for information technology, was named this week to the National Science Foundation's computer science and engineering advisory committee. The committee works through the NSF's Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering.\nHe will serve on the advisory board for two years and continue to work in his posts at IU.\nThe NSF is an independent government agency designed to foster communication and technological advancements in science. The foundation consists of the National Science Board of 24 part-time members and a director, according to the organization's Web site. \nThe computer science directorate is one of six departments dedicated to advancing the development of policies in science-related fields. It deems its major goal as "contributing to universal, transparent and affordable participation in an information-based society," according to a press release.\nCISE Director Ruzena Bajcsy said McRobbie, a Fulbright senior fellow and Australian, was selected based on his professional record and his prior experience in dealing with the National Science Foundation. McRobbie's responsibilities to the committee will include granting funding to research programs in information science. \nThe National Science Foundation now accounts for more than 20 percent of federal support to academic institutions, Bajcsy said. \nOne of McRobbie's achievement's at IU includes a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create a computer network, TransPac, that links Pacific Rim countries with the United States.\nIt is one of several collaborative efforts IU has joined since McRobbie's 1997 appointment. IU is also one of the key players in running Internet2, a research network established by the federal government to replace parts of the original Internet.\n"Since he's been here, McRobbie has had enormous opportunities nationally and internationally to participate in a variety of technologically-related matters," said Karen Adams, executive officer for the vice president. "NSF has been able, then, to see the sort of work he does and the roles he plays here."\nMcRobbie said he is pleased to offer his expertise by serving on the board.\n"The NSF, in appointing the committee, is essentially trying to get a group that will represent a whole set field of interests," McRobbie said.\nHe said his past experience as a recipient of NSF funding gives him insight on how the organization should develop. And his IU position allows him to observe current trends in student information technology, shedding a new perspective on the field's advances, he said. \nMcRobbie said the group meets twice a year and the position will not detract from his current responsibilities at IU.
(02/19/01 5:21am)
Armed with signs declaring "Taxation = Theft" and "Help IUSA Help You," more than 40 people gathered Friday to garner support for tax-free textbooks on Indiana college campuses. The initiative is part of the IU Student Association's yearlong efforts to increase visibility for a bill now being debated in the Indiana general assembly.\nThe bill's author, State Rep. Mark Kruzan, D-Bloomington, addressed the standing-room only crowd in the Walnut Room at the Indiana Memorial Union, lauding IU's success in raising awareness for the legislation. Many people, he said, believe that textbooks are, in fact, tax-free. IU's efforts, ranging from a fall petition drive to leading a similar rally last month in Indianapolis, have proven particularly effective in increasing student interest in the bill. \n"Over 2,000 bills are introduced each year in the state house," Kruzan said. "Only a handful receive the level of visibility as this one, and much of that can be attributed to IU."\nIUSA Legislative Relations director Ben Piper, a junior, cited the bill as a "nonpartisan issue with bipartisan support transcending political ideology." The fall petition drive, he noted, gathered over 13,000 signatures from all 19 Indiana universities.\nSophomore Josh Claybourn, secretary of the College Republicans, agreed with Kruzan, noting the collective importance of the issue to all students, regardless of political affiliation. Claybourn said students must "demand fiscal responsibility" on the part of the administration.\nClaybourn also said the textbook initiative is only the first step in the fight to subsidize student costs on college campuses.\nGraduate student Erin Hollinden, vice president of the IU Libertarians, said students should be allowed to choose where their money goes. Education is vital for economic growth, she said, and initiatives of this type would help decrease the margin between the "haves" and "have-nots."\nKruzan also talked about the possible implications on the state budget should his bill pass. \nIndiana is about $800 million short over the next fiscal year, Kruzan said. While the passage of his bill would mean $20-$50 savings for undergraduates, he said students should next focus attention on the tuition increases likely to result.\n"There is a continual level of underfunding for higher education," Kruzan said. "The affordability of higher education is an issue worthy of pursuit.\n"It's an uphill battle, and it's only going to get higher"
(02/16/01 3:40pm)
Students representing three major political factions on campus will rally at 3 p.m. today in support of a proposal for tax-free textbooks in the Walnut Room of the Indiana Memorial Union.\nSponsored by the IU College Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, the rally is one in a series of efforts designed to increase awareness of State Rep. Mark Kruzan's (D-Bloomington) legislation, slated to go before the Indiana general assembly late this month.\nThe event will attempt to recruit more students in the fight for tax-free textbooks, said freshman Leanne Dodge, a Libertarian and primary coordinator of the event. Dodge maintains that, if enacted, the legislation will save college students an estimated $20-$50 per semester.\n"This is an issue that directly affects the financial well-being of every student on this campus," said junior Ben Piper, IU Student Association legislative relations director. "If students don't make a concerted effort to voice their concerns and participate in the political process, our legislators will be forced to make decisions which directly affect us without our input."\nIU College Republicans president Jim Banks, a senior, claims that while these efforts are a step in the right direction, additional steps must be taken to increase University accountability in funds management. Citing IU President Myles Brand's proposal to raise tuition, Banks contended that "the little money that we will save from tax-free textbooks will be insignificant compared to Brand's continual increases in tuition rates."\nLauding the collaborative success by the three driving political groups on campus, Banks also said "this rally is an example of all us working together, despite our political differences, toward the conservative principle of reducing the heavy tax loads, in this case on Indiana college students."\nPiper agreed with Banks. \n"I think the fact that students from each of the three major political parties have come together in support of this speaks volumes about the necessity and importance of a tax exemption on textbooks," he said.\nThe groups encourage both undergraduate and graduate students attend this afternoon's rally, featuring Kruzan as guest speaker. \n"Ending taxation of college textbooks is one small step in limiting our slavery to the state," said graduate student Erin Hollinden, IU College Libertarians vice president. "We hope everyone will do what they can to come and be part of the solution"