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(07/07/11 8:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1911, surrounded by racism and segregation, 10 men founded the first black fraternity at IU — one of the first of its kind in the country.One hundred years later, an estimated 3,000 men and their families gathered in Dunn Meadow to celebrate the fraternity’s centennial.Members of Kappa Alpha Psi, an organization which now consists of more than 700 chapters, were meeting in Indianapolis for the fraternity’s 80th Grand Chapter Meeting this week. Thousands of the members arrived by bus in Bloomington Thursday to see where it all began.“This was a matter of trying to reconnect with the founders,” said Evelyn C. Robertson Jr., a Kappa who graduated from Tennessee State in 1962. “The path they traveled was very different than the direction of the fraternity today. This was about connecting to the past, appreciating the adversity and sacrifice.”The members making the pilgrimage visited various historical sites in Bloomington — locations that make up the “Kappa Trail.”The trail included the first chapter house, a church where the founders frequently gathered and the Jordan River in Dunn Meadow.Jordan River is a significant land mark in Kappa Alpha Psi’s history, with references being made to it in Kappa songs. A plaque celebrating the fraternity was unveiled there during the pilgrimage.In addition, another plaque was unveiled on Kirkwood Avenue, as well as a bench at People’s Park.During the celebration at Dunn Meadow, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan officially declared July 7, 2011, as Kappa Alpha Psi Day in the city.“Today is a historic day itself,” Kruzan said, before recapping the adversity the fraternity has faced in its home state throughout the past century. When the fraternity celebrated its 25th anniversary, he said, Indiana still had government officials who were members of the Ku Klux Klan. When the 50th anniversary arrived, the country was still segregated.Now, as the members honor the 100 years that have passed since the founders created Kappa Alpha Psi, discrimination still exists, albeit often in a sneaky, more subtle form. “This is a time to celebrate but also a time to accept these challenges that still exist,” Kruzan said.Also during the celebration, the “Creating Inspiration Award” was given to IU and Kappa alumnus George Taliaferro, the first African American drafted by the NFL. During his time at IU, Taliaferro fought to desegregate the swimming facilities here.Kappa Alpha Psi Grand Polemarch Dwayne Murray, before presenting the award to Taliaferro, told the crowd that he had visited the first chapter house earlier and sat down on its steps. “I tried to imagine what the conversations there were like,” Murray said, “Conversations about the opportunities other students had that weren’t afforded to them, like signing up for certain classes, playing contact sports or using the same swimming pool.”IU, the fraternity and the country have come a long way in those 100 years, he said. “We’ve moved from just thinking of going to the White House to sitting down with the President of the United States and talking about change,” Murray said. “But, I tell you, my brothers, the best days are yet to come.”
(07/06/11 11:35pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When IU alumna Nancy Uslan traveled to Rwanda in 2005, she expected to just find gorillas.As part of animal expert Jack Hanna’s film crew, Uslan and the rest of the team were looking to film endangered mountain gorillas for a documentary. But at the base of Volcanoes National Park, she found something else entirely — the Kabwende Primary School. The school, like many primary schools in Rwanda, did not have electricity or running water. There was also a clear shortage of books.When Uslan returned home, she began searching for a way to help the school and the school system in Rwanda at large. By 2009, she found an outlet: the Books and Beyond Project.Since then, the project has paired IU students from the Global Village Living-Learning Center with students from TEAM Charter middle and high schools in Newark, N.J. Working together with the students in Rwanda, they create original children’s books which are annually delivered to Kabwende. “This isn’t one of those projects that goes into a country and never comes back again,” documenting team leader and writing partner Caitlin Ryan said. Ryan, an IDS reporter and a senior at IU, has been with the project since the beginning. This June, she made her second trip to visit Kabwende. She was one of four IU students to travel to Rwanda this summer as part of Books and Beyond.“I stepped off the plane and felt like I was home,” Ryan said. “It’s like I have a family there.”Madelyn Kissel, recent graduate and fund development team leader, said she felt similarly welcomed despite it being her first trip to Rwanda. Before the project members finished the trek to the school, the students had spotted the team from a distance and ran to greet them. Soon, they were surrounded by students. “That was how I met them for the first time,” Kissel said. “What should have been a 15-minute walk turned into half an hour. It was great.”While the school has improved since the project began, there are still just 29 teachers for more than 1,900 students. Some of the classrooms do not have desks, only chairs.“If a room has one light bulb, then that’s a lot of light,” Kissel said. “Comparing it to us, it’s hard to understand how they learn. But they do.”Ryan said the most significant and encouraging improvement she has seen is in the students’ and teachers’ English skills. This is an important achievement, Ryan said, because Rwanda’s government recently made English the official language for its schools. The move is an attempt by Rwanda President Paul Kagame to gain international attention for the country following the genocide it faced 18 years ago. Unfortunately, many citizens in Rwanda only speak French and there are very few resources available to change that.Ryan said when she last visited the school, the team couldn’t really speak to the headmaster without a translator. This time, he gave a speech entirely in English. “It was so encouraging,” she said. Also encouraging, Ryan said, was her favorite part of the trip: a community dialogue sponsored by the project.An important part of Books and Beyond, team members said, is making sure the project does not implement anything in which the school’s community does not have a say. The community had many ideas on how to improve the Rwanda side of the project in the years to come, Ryan said.“It was really exciting to see real community organization,” she said. “It sounds kind of geeky, but it really was democracy at its best.”
(06/30/11 12:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In September 2010, at least five U.S. teenagers committed suicide after being bullied or harassed because of their sexual orientation. Other reports put the number closer to 10, with three of those deaths occurring in Indiana.Now, new research released this week by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network suggests Indiana middle and high schools continue to be a hostile place for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.The findings are based on data collected in GLSEN’s 2009 National School Climate Survey.Ninety eight percent of the students in the survey said they heard “gay” used in a negative way, as in the phrase “that’s so gay,” and 95 percent of the students heard homophobic remarks such as “fag” or “dyke.”Thirty percent of the students reported faculty and staff members “regularly making negative remarks about someone’s gender expression” and 19 percent heard school staff make homophobic remarks.And the harassment doesn’t stop with just words, the findings suggest. Three in 10 students reported being physically harassed or assaulted because of the way they expressed their gender and one in five were physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation. Doug Bauder, the director of the IU GLBT Student Support Services Office, said the data is not surprising. “We’re making progress, but it’s not state-wide,” Bauder said. “You talk to students who come here from other places in Indiana and it’s a remarkable contrast.”Bauder said GLBT students may have a particularly hard time in some smaller towns or more religious areas. He said these communities do not need to change their religious beliefs to make the students more comfortable, however.“You have the right to think someone is going to hell,” he said. “But you don’t have a right to make someone’s life a living hell.”Bauder said the research can serve as a hard data “springboard” to start focusing on high schools, despite the office being part of a university. “We just have to get schools to start dealing with this,” he said. “There’s just so much silence in these situations. No one is an ally in these schools because they are scared as well.” Carol Fischer, producer of the local radio show BloomingOUT, which has interviewed school counselors about the issue, said she is also not surprised by the results of the study.While Bloomington, including its high schools and IU, do a good job of promoting GLBT acceptance, the same cannot be said for the whole state, Fischer said. “Bloomington is an oasis in a rather threatening, demoralizing environment,” she said. “Indiana is one of the most backwards states in regards to GLBT acceptance.” Fischer said the University can do things to help, such as putting more emphasis on GLBT issues in classes at the School of Education, but ultimately, IU can only do so much.“IU can do more to help educators be more accepting and knowledgeable, but it’s really up to school administrators to say ‘this has to stop,’” Fischer said. “Schools have to step up.”Robert Clayton, the president of the GLBT student group OUT, said he thinks the circle of responsibility should be expanded even further. “When kids see that the leaders of our state look down on homosexuality, that serves as encouragement for their own discriminatory behavior,” Clayton said. “This is definitely a social issue that needs to be addressed on the macro level before we can really solve the problem in Indiana schools.”Clayton said he believes this would cause a trickledown effect that would not only improve the environment in schools, but also the self-confidence of GLBT students. “I truly believe that when young gay boys and girls begin to feel accepted by those around them, they will become more accepting of themselves,” Clayton said.
(06/30/11 12:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In her corner office on Jordan Avenue, Associate Dean of Students Pam Freeman was surrounded by boxes Wednesday, June 29.It was her last day on the job, but she still had some packing to do and an appointment to keep — there was a colleague’s retirement party in a few hours she needed to attend.“I’m very appreciative of my time here, the positions I’ve held and the people I’ve met,” she said. “I’ve developed a real devotion to IU, despite not studying here. The message between the lines being: I have two degrees from Purdue.” After working at IU for 26 years — 11 of them as the associate dean of students — Freeman is moving on, and, this week, Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith officially named Jason Casares as Freeman’s successor.As the associate dean, Freeman was the director of student ethics, leading Student Ethics and Anti-Harassment Programs in the Division of Student Affairs — a job Casares will also inherit as Freeman’s replacement. There is a key difference, however, Freeman said. Previously, the program combined the campus judicial system, resources that enhanced multicultural understanding and a support network for victims of bias-motivated incidents and other forms of abuse. Under Casares, the programs will be divided. Casares will oversee the judicial system, which includes responding to and preventing incidents like cheating and plagiarism. Associate Dean of Students Carol McCord will handle the multicultural affairs and diversity issues.Freeman said she is going to miss the challenges that came with these two major aspects of her job.“I will really miss not having that constant stimulation, the new problems to solve, the new successes to celebrate,” she said. “I’ve also worked with a really great group of people here. I love the camaraderie and I’m really going to miss that, too.”As for Casares, he is not unfamiliar with the challenges he is inheriting.He has been an assistant dean of students in various offices at Purdue University, Texas Tech University and Ball State University. He has worked with student organizations, residence life and multicultural affairs. Currently, he is the assistant dean of students at the University of Arizona.Casares has a bachelor’s degree of science in criminal justice and sociology from Ball State. He also has two master’s degrees from Ball State — one in sociology and another in student affairs administration in higher education. In December, he will earn a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from the University of Arizona.“We look forward to working with Jason,” Goldsmith said in a press release. “He has the skills sets we were looking for in the leadership of our Student Ethics Office and will be a valued colleague on our leadership team as we move forward in the Division of Student Affairs. He has significant experience in working with students and student organizations.”Though Freeman has not spent very much time with Casares, she agreed that he seems like a good fit for the position, and that he appears enthusiastic about the job.“It’s a good thing to have new ideas,” Freeman said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for things to change, but I hope he’ll also preserve the good things. I wish him the best.”Casares will become the new associate dean of students August 1. By that time, Freeman will have been retired for a month and her office will be empty.As she finished packing, Freeman said she hopes she is remembered for one thing: fairness.“I would like people to think of me as someone who worked hard for students and someone who tried to uphold students’ rights,” Freeman said. “Students may not always have been happy with me, but I hope they can see they were treated fairly and with respect. I would like to be remembered as fair. I’d feel good about that.”
(06/26/11 11:17pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While waiting at a bus stop just across from the Indiana Memorial Union on Saturday, junior Sean O’Connell said he couldn’t help but notice how bright the sun was.“It wasn’t always this bad,” he said. “But standing here now, there’s not really a way to avoid it.”There used to be two trees at this stop, two shaded options O’Connell could pick from when he needed to hide from the summer sun. Now all that remains are two sawed-down stumps.IU lost hundreds of trees when a powerful line of storms swept through Bloomington in May. But a recent flood of donations has given the University cause to be optimistic, Vice President for Capital Projects & Facilities Tom Morrison said.“This really was a time of crisis for our trees,” Morrison said. “But things are starting to look up now.”In 2009, IU Bloomington was named a Tree Campus USA University by the Arbor Day Foundation for the number of trees on campus, as well as the careful and dedicated upkeep of them.That dedication continued in the storm’s wake, Campus Division Manager Mike Girvin said. A massive cleanup effort began immediately following the storms. Campus Division workers spent more than a month clearing away twigs, branches and damaged trees, he said. Some of the trees were completely snapped. Some had been uprooted. Others still remained standing, but were twisted like corkscrews.“We’re going to have truckload after truckload after truckload of brush and chips,” Girvin said when the cleanup began in May. But even when the bulk of the debris had been removed — the entire cleanup will likely last all summer — the campus canopy was far from perfect.Three hundred trees were now gone, and there was little money to replace them.However, in June, former IU Trustee Stephen Ferguson and his wife, Connie, donated 150 trees to the University. More donations quickly followed.“Their donation really kick started the effort,” Morrison said. “Now we’re able to not only replace the fallen trees but also grow the canopy.”While Morrison does not have an exact monetary amount, he estimates enough funds have been raised through IU alumni and friends to plant 500 trees.So far, though, just 50 of the trees have been planted, he said, as summer is not an ideal season for planting new trees. The remaining nearly 450 trees will be planted in the fall.“The generosity of IU alum has been incredible,” Morrison said. “We couldn’t be more grateful for their love for the campus and its treescape. We look forward to the fall when we can really start planting the trees in earnest.”
(06/23/11 12:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Freshmen, their parents and bowls of free candy and lanyards filled the lobby of the Herman B Wells Library on Wednesday as New Student Orientation continued to acquaint IU’s newest students with the place they will spend the next four years.Dustin Nisley, a social work intern at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services Office, said orientation not only provides a chance for new students to learn more about IU, but also a chance for campus organizations and offices to introduce themselves. “It’s important just having a presence and letting students know there’s a place they can go if they have an issue,” Nisley said. “And for freshmen, it’s great to get a feel of what campus is like.”Just one booth over, Helene G. Simon Hillel Jewish Student Center administrative assistant Melissa Silvers said it’s also a great way to get a head-start on meeting new friends.“It’s a great place to learn about different organizations on campus and meet other freshmen,” she said. Silvers recalled two freshmen meeting each other at the Hillel booth a few years ago. One was from Atlanta and the other from New York. The two became college friends after the chance encounter.“It’s just also a great place to get answers to all your questions,” she said.As an orientation program assistant, it’s Paige Babala’s job to answer many of those questions. She and the other assistants walked around the lobby Wednesday holding iPads that displayed surveys and greeting new students and their parents.“Students really do get a feel of what life is like at Indiana,” she said. “Orientation helps them get comfortable and feel safe.”While there has always been an emphasis on safety, this summer’s orientation sessions have had a stronger focus on those issues in the wake of Lauren Spierer’s disappearance in June.Some staff members and campus partners, however, have detected a certain reluctance from parents in discussing the disappearance.“Parents are aware of what’s been going on,” Babala said. “But I haven’t actually had too many questions about it. I think parents may be scared to ask.”Assistant Dean of Students Suzanne Phillips, who manned the Parents Association booth, said she also picked up on the concern, but as time passes, the concerns have become less vocal. “Questions have been coming up,” Phillips said. “We certainly had them at first, but not so much anymore. Even without the actual questions, we keep promoting safety, though, as we always have.”For some incoming freshman, like Valparaiso native Kristina Stewart, the University’s method of using orientation to calm any nerves following Lauren’s disappearance has worked. “It’s been great,” she said. “It’s interesting to see how easy it is to meet people and make friends. It’s definitely made me more comfortable about going here after what’s happened.”
(06/16/11 12:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the nearly 300 incoming freshman that arrived on IU’s campus this week for the start of New Student Orientation, Lauren Spierer’s disappearance has been a difficult topic to avoid.Headlines on the front page of newspapers around campus and downtown depict a desperate search. On lamp posts, signs pointing the way to advising stations are hung just a few inches above missing person fliers.It can be an ominous first impression for some, and it’s an impression the Office of First Year Experiences is trying to address as it welcomes IU’s newest class. “We definitely understand that new students and family members may be anxious about a lot of things as they prepare for their transition to Indiana University, and safety is no different,” Assistant Director Daniel Murphy said. “Our hope is that through participating in orientation, students will feel affirmed and confident in their choice to attend IU.”Murphy said orientation leaders have and will continue to spend time talking to groups of students about available resources on campus, as well as general safety tips. Leaders are also encouraged to share personal experiences about safety issues on campus.In addition, the IU Police Department will provide information to parents and family members at different points throughout the program. An emphasis on safety is not a new addition to orientation as the office discusses safety with the students every year. But, Murphy said, this year is unique. “While we have been planning to share information about staying safe on campus and in Bloomington since program planning began, we are definitely approaching the topic this year with an awareness and sensitivity that students and parents may be anxious about safety,” he said.As for specific concerns from parents, Murphy said the office has only received a few phone calls asking for more information about Lauren’s disappearance and safety issues on campus. More frequent, he said, have been calls from students and parents offering support for Lauren, her family and the community.At Wednesday’s First Year Experience Resource Center, support could also be seen in the form of small, light-blue ribbons pinned to the shirts of staff members and campus partners. The ribbon’s color was picked by Lauren’s mother, Charlene, Murphy said.“Our student staff members had a strong desire to show support for Lauren, but our orientation schedule did not allow us to be involved as much as we would like,” he said. “This helps keep spreading awareness, shows that one of our own is missing and we will support Lauren and her family until she is found.”Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith also spoke to the incoming freshman during orientation and will continue to do so until the program wraps up in late July. He said he has been reminding incoming students to lock their doors, travel with friends and to use public transportation.“We think Bloomington and IU is a safe place,” Goldsmith said. “But, just like if the students were staying at home, there are common sense precautions that they need to take.”
(06/12/11 11:46pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the days since IU student Lauren Spierer disappeared, the volume of the search has increased to a national level.Locally, however, the University’s response has been comparatively muted.Official campus action seemed slow at first, but Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith had actually started quietly reaching out to Lauren’s family by the end of the weekend she disappeared. On June 6, Goldsmith sent an email to faculty and staff.“As you have likely heard by now, IU student Lauren Spierer has been missing since early Friday and the Bloomington Police Department is conducting an intensive investigation with IU Police assisting in every way necessary,” Goldsmith stated.He instructed campus maintenance workers to search all campus buildings and grounds, including construction sites. “We’re looking where we can, doing anything we can to assure the family that Lauren is not on campus,” Goldsmith said.IU-Notify, the University’s emergency alert system, did not send out any messages regarding Spierer’s disappearance.Deborah Fletcher, director of IU Emergency Management and Continuity, said this was because IU-Notify is usually reserved for developing situations on the campus itself, such as severe weather, a campus shooter or a terrorist attack.The University would get the information out through other methods, she said, and a notice was sent out Monday to all student clubs and organizations through the Student Activities Office. A day later, the University’s public safety website posted a page devoted to Spierer and a banner linking to the page appeared at the top of the online student resource, OneStart. That same day, IU Provost Karen Hanson sent out an e-mail expressing her concern for the missing student.So far, the loudest campus voices have been those belonging to IU’s Helene G. Simon Hillel Center and its director, Rabbi Sue Silberberg. While the center created multiple web pages to raise awareness and funds, Silberberg helped coordinate many of the searches and offered support to Lauren’s family.Through the media, Silberberg urged anyone who might have seen Lauren between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. June 3 — the morning of her disappearance — to call the BPD.“Even if they didn’t talk to her, they need to call,” Silberberg said. “They might think something they saw is irrelevant, and it could be very relevant. I am begging them to please, please, please call. It could be the missing piece that we need.”The searches have included IU students, coaches and ROTC cadets. Members of the IU Student Association have also attended many of the searches, President Justin Kingsolver said.“We had to make sure we had a reason for whatever we were going to do,” he said. “It had to be something logical, something that would actually help.”It was eventually decided IUSA would partner with 10 other campus organizations to try and raise $20,000. Some of these organizations include the Hutton Honors College, the IU Panhellenic Association and the Union Board.The money will help buy supplies for the searches, Kingsolver said, such as water, snacks and maps. “Down the road, we’ll start thinking about more preventative things we can do,” Kingsolver said. “But that’s later. We have to focus on how we find Lauren now.”Finally, on June 9 — one week after Lauren’s disappearance — IU President Michael McRobbie released a statement echoing the community’s concern.“I have met with the parents, as has Provost Karen Hanson,” McRobbie said. “We both have pledged to them that IU will do all that we can to support them and to help find out what has happened to Lauren.”
(06/02/11 1:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last week’s powerful storms that downed hundreds of trees and spawned a tornado have left the City of Bloomington and IU facing high cleanup costs.The City of Bloomington may pay “tens of thousands of dollars, at least,” Jared Schlemmer, the city’s communications director, said. Approximately 150 trees are down on city property, which includes trees in parks and along city roads. Most of them will likely be replaced, Schlemmer said, and the city will do its best to replace them with trees of equivalent size and species. Most of the costs associated with the cleanup effort can be attributed to the price of the trees that will eventually be replaced, the cost of gas from having to run so many city trucks, and the wear and tear on the equipment being used. To give some perspective, Schlemmer said the city parks department usually replaces approximately 200 to 250 trees each year, which means that the storms last week caused almost a year’s worth of damage in a matter of days. The money to pay for the unexpected costs of storm cleanup will come from the city’s rainy day fund, Schlemmer said.The city’s approved 2011 budget states the projected amount in the fund for 2011 is more than $6 million. On campus, at least 300 trees were lost during the storm, Tom Morrison, IU vice president for Capital Projects and Facilities, said. “Our goal is to replace all of them, if not more,” Morrison said.Depending on the size of the trees, and factoring in long-term maintenance, the total cost of the project could be as much as $500,000, he said. Morrison said there already is a tree program in place, and the funding would likely come from private sources, like IU alumni. He said it was the worst storm damage the campus has seen in at least 30 years.“On an annual basis, we always have a few trees go down, but never to this scale,” he said. “This was unique.”Campus Division has been handling the removal of downed trees since last Monday, May 23, when, as a precursor to last Wednesday’s storms, dangerous weather toppled as many as 80 trees.“It’s going slow but steady,” Campus Division manager Mike Girvin said. “But we’re making progress.”Workers have been transporting the trees and branches to a parking lot near 13th Street and Fee Lane. When the lot is full, Girvin said they plan to rent a large tub grinder and turning the debris into mulch. Campus Division is stockpiling large logs and will later sell any marketable timber, he said. “We’re anticipating heavy cleanup over the next 30 days, but we’ll really be working with this all summer,” Girvin said. Morrison said the cleanup will be hard, expensive work, but that it gives the University a chance to make the campus look even better.“The storm was devastating to the landscape,” Morrison said. “But we look at it also as an opportunity.”
(05/26/11 6:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The powerful line of storms that hammered most of the Midwest and swept through Bloomington Wednesday downed many campus trees, but caused little damage to IU buildings.“The damage was almost all trees,” IU director of media relations Larry MacIntyre said. “Whole trees, but almost no structural damage.”Tenth street was littered with trees, branches and crumpled sheets of metal after the storm reportedly produced rotating winds where the street intersects with Fee Lane.A tree in front of IU Student Legal Services on Seventh Street was toppled. The building was not damaged, but IU Provost Karen Hanson ordered it closed as a precautionary measure, MacIntyre said.The only structural damage that could be confirmed, he said, was a tree causing a small amount of damage to the entrance way of Morrison Hall. Power was cut off to some buildings due to trees falling on electrical lines, but Duke Energy had already begun restoring power by Thursday morning.Students were alerted to the onslaught of dangerous weather by multiple notifications from the University’s emergency alert system, IU-Notify.The system, to the annoyance of some, sent out at least ten different alerts through e-mail and text messages. Half of those were notifying students of a tornado warning for the area, each followed by an “all clear” alert a several minutes later.“Our policy is to notify students of the tornado warning and notify them of the all clear,” said Deborah Fletcher, director of IU Emergency Management and Continuity. “Every time a new warning is issued, we issue a new message.”She said the office considered just sending out one blanket alert but, as the line of storms lasted all afternoon and into the evening, there was concern that people would just assume that IU-Notify had forgotten to send out an “all clear.”“It’s better to warn people consistently than worry about annoying them,” Fletcher said. “It’s more important to send out multiple alerts; even it might be more troublesome.”The line of storms came in the wake of another powerful storm on Monday that caused more than 10,000 power outages in Monroe County, and destroyed as many as 80 campus trees.
(03/25/11 4:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The University’s largest and oldest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender student group is facing an uphill battle against a $3,519.30 debt. OUT President Robert Clayton said some University departments have little intention of helping the group regain its footing. “Every office on campus that has supposedly been designed to facilitate the prospering of student organizations has either thrown me a bone with no real meat on it or refused to give me anything at all,” Clayton said.The trouble began last spring, before Clayton was president, when Miss Gay IU had a much smaller turnout than expected. In recent years, increasing interest in OUT’s annual drag competition caused the event to outgrow its usual venue, Alumni Hall, so organizers moved it to the IU Auditorium. But it came with a much larger price tag.The total cost for OUT to rent the Auditorium last year was $6,605. Most Miss Gay IU events in the past have earned more money than needed to pay for the new venue, Clayton said. For the competitions that did not, OUT was able to cover the leftover costs, Clayton said. But last year’s competition fell far too short, leaving the group owing $3,205.30. “What’s irritating is that there’s Alumni Hall and IU Auditorium, and then there’s nothing in between those sizes,” Clayton said. “With the outrageous prices the Auditorium charges, it makes using it completely out of reach for most student organizations.”Additionally, Clayton said he feels that because the Auditorium is partially funded by the University, it should offer discounted rates for student groups.IU Auditorium Events Manager Maria Talbert said, however, that the Auditorium’s funding comes from ticket sales, fundraising, general funds and facility rental. None of the money comes from students’ tuition dollars, she said, and the rental fees are, essentially, already discounted. “Nearly all of our uses are University-related,” she said. “We offer the same discounted rate to all of our clients, and in fact, when all costs are accounted, the Auditorium underwrites each event by approximately $3,200.”In February, Clayton met with Talbert to discuss lowering the debt and a possible payment plan, but he was unable to convince her that the amount should be reduced. “Currently, OUT owes us the balance of their expenses less the ticket revenue and deposit, and we are working with OUT to develop a mutually agreeable payment plan,” Talbert said. But despite multiple fundraising attempts that include bake sales and appealing to all the members of OUT’s email list, the money to put toward a payment plan is simply not there, Clayton said.In addition to the debt that is owed to the Auditorium, OUT owes $314 to the Indiana Memorial Union for the group’s office space. So far, none of the money has been repaid, and OUT’s account at Student Organization Accounts, which handles all student organization financing, was frozen.Though the SOA cannot comment directly on a specific student group’s finances, Executive Associate Bursar Kimberley Kercheval outlined what could lead to a freeze on an SOA account.Student organizations may have accounts frozen for issues such as a negative cash balance, consistent failure to provide required documentation or failure to meet standard SOA policies, Kercheval said in an email.“The organization is no longer considered an active SOA,” she said in the email. “Thus no financial transactions are processed and access to certain services are suspended during such a period.”These services include writing checks and receiving tax exemption provisions — two things, Clayton said, that are essential to OUT’s ability to fundraise and pay off the debt. Neither the SOA nor the IU Auditorium was able to offer a timetable of when the debts would have to be paid off or what the exact consequences would be if they remained unpaid. Making matters even more unclear is the number of departments that have some regulation about OUT’s troubles.The Office of Student Organizations and Leadership Development is a support system for student groups, organizing events like the IU Student Involvement Fair. Then there’s SOA, which, according to its website, provides “fiscal oversight and banking/bookkeeping services to student organizations.” But the actual debts owed by the group are not owed to either department. The office space that OUT owes money for is owned by the Indiana Memorial Union, Clayton said.“The IMU has been very generous in letting us hold our office space despite the fact we owe them money,” he said.Clayton said he plans on paying that part of the debt with money from his own pocket. The money owed to the Auditorium, however, is too large of a sum for the president to pay off by himself.In the last few weeks of the school year, Clayton said he will be pushing for OUT to have greater exposure again. In April, Miss Gay IU will be returning to Alumni Hall.The semester’s final days could also be OUT’s last as a full-fledged student group, Clayton said.“If we do not find a way to pay off the debt by the end of the year, there is a real possibility OUT might cease to be,” Clayton said.
(03/20/11 9:18pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Meet Doug Bauder, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services coordinator.IDS What is the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services office?BAUDER It is a resource center on GLBT issues and support services. We offer a webpage, a distribution list and a library filled with books, magazines and films. We have internship opportunities. We offer counseling services, support groups, volunteer opportunities and chances to initiate special projects like the Pride Film Festival and the GLBT Alumni Association.IDS Who is welcome to visit the GLBT office?BAUDER All GLBT students and not even just students. We have faculty, alumni, staff and parents come in here, too — gay or straight. Every once in a while we get moms and dads calling us to get information or just to say thanks.IDS Who are allies?BAUDER Allies are people who are outwardly supportive of their gay friends and family. A significant percentage of people that come in here are not gay. It’s clear to me that many students that stop by or volunteer here identify themselves as allies.It’s one of the more satisfying aspects of the office, seeing how that’s changed over the years.IDS Are there any events happening in the spring and summer visitors should keep an eye out for?BAUDER So many of our events happen spur of the moment, but we’re sponsoring fi lms at the IU Cinema. We also have two teams in the Little 500 race this year. Visitors can join our distribution list and get a monthly calendar of events. We try to do things throughout the year, too, that aren’t so much specific programs, but events that reflect current events such as helping staff sign petitions.IDS What advice do you have for visiting students and parents?BAUDER We encourage them to stop in and say “hi.” They’ll notice things are a little messy right now because of some remodeling, but we love having students drop in. Many culture centers on campus are based on the idea of being a “home away from home.” That has a special meaning to GLBT students. Even though we’re an offi ce, not a center, we’re excited that it’s becoming more homey.
(03/11/11 12:48am)
Rain
or shine, IU students and Bloomington residents enjoy Dunn Meadow for what it is —
a meadow. But throughout the past century, this meadow has been many
other things.
(12/06/10 5:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 3 inches of snow and temperatures in the low 20s, Alex Groysman, president of the Chabad House Jewish Student Center, stood on a small, makeshift stage and told the story of Hanukkah.“Stones were thrown at Jewish temples, and Jewish books were desecrated and a menorah was lit for eight days to commemorate the victory,” Groysman said. “Here we are thousands of years later. Our synagogues have had stones thrown at them, our books are desecrated and we are still here lighting the menorah.”A large crowd of students and Bloomington residents gathered beside the Chabad House on Sunday for “Lighting up Bloomington,” a menorah lighting ceremony and community celebration of Hanukkah.The event came five days into the Jewish holiday, which has been marred by recent anti-Semitic attacks on campus. In the past two weeks, eight Hebrew texts were urinated on in Herman B Wells Library restrooms and rocks were thrown at the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center and the Chabad House as well as at a Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program display case. One of those rocks now sits at the base of Chabad’s large menorah.More anti-Semitic incidents occurred as Zeta Beta Tau’s mailbox was stolen Thursday, swastikas were found on a dry erase board in McNutt Quad on Friday and the president of Congregation Beth Shalom received a suspicious jar of jam on his porch Saturday.Before the celebration began, people danced arm-in-arm in the snow and sang along to traditional Hebrew songs. A table was set with pamphlets and a bowl for donations to help repurchase the damaged books sat on a table.Rabbi and Chabad House Director Yehoshua Chincholker was the first to speak onstage, welcoming and thanking both the crowd and the community for their outpouring of support.“Hanukkah candles are lit in such a way they illuminate the entire surroundings,” Chincholker said. “Traditionally, they are lit by the door or window facing the outside so the candle not only lights the home but also lights the street.”Chincholker said a menorah’s purpose is to spread its light as far as it can, to turn darkness into light and to turn bad into good.Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan also spoke and encouraged members of the community to wear blue on Monday in support of Bloomington Jewish Solidarity Day and to remember the attacks are not what the city is about.“This is not Bloomington,” Kruzan said. “This is not something that we have any room for in our community, and I cannot tell you how sorry I am.”Kruzan then began climbing a slippery step ladder behind the menorah.“And now you may see the last thing I may ever do as mayor,” Kruzan joked. “Climb the ladder and light the menorah.”As Kruzan took out a long-reach lighter, Groysman and other members of Chabad House grabbed hold of the ladder and steadied it.Kruzan held the lighter to the center candle, or Shamash, and pulled the trigger. The lighter didn’t ignite. He tried again. And a third time. But the lighter still refused to work.Members of the crowd began stepping forward, offering their own cigarette lighters. A small pile began forming on the top step of the ladder. Kruzan and Groysman shielded the candle from the wind with their bodies and tried to light it multiple times with some of the donated lighters. They failed to even get a flame.Finally, Kruzan took the fourth lighter handed to him and again held it to the center candle. It lit.The crowd cheered and some began singing. Kruzan stepped down off the wobbly ladder. “Perseverance!” he shouted.
(12/02/10 5:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dunn Meadow is cold and white.The first snow of the season is beginning to cover the grass. In the fall, dead pine needles spread across sections of sidewalk and collect on the surface of the Jordan River, forming a layer of foliage so thick that squirrels readying for winter can safely walk on the water without sinking.In warmer months, the meadow is filled with sun bathers and students reading and studying in the shade of trees. It often plays host to games of Frisbee or intramural Gaelic hurling matches. Even now, pet owners brave the weather to walk their dogs.Rain or shine, IU students and Bloomington residents enjoy Dunn Meadow for what it is — a meadow.But, throughout the past century, it has been many other things.A RunwayIn 1911, an airplane drove across Dunn Meadow and took off into the sky. Well, almost.IU-Bloomington Chancellor Ken Gross Louis said it was the first airplane flight in Monroe County.“It crashed into an apple tree,” Louis said.A CircusIn the 1970s, ‘campus clown’ Leon Varjian ran for student government vice president on the “Birthday Party” ticket. Varjian didn’t win, but he led a march through Dunn Meadow anyway. He and his supporters danced through the meadow in clown attire, costumes and band uniforms, singing the party’s official song, “Happy Birthday.”Today, Varjian is a high school math teacher in New Jersey.A Music FestivalSmall concerts and music festivals are a common occurrence in Dunn Meadow.In 1998, a concrete stage was built to better facilitate musical performances and speakers, replacing the old wooden stage that had to be repaired or rebuilt every year. Since then, events such as WIUX’s Culture Shock have taken full advantage of the space, featuring performances by local musicians and national acts.In October 2009, Victoria’s Secret erected a massive steel stage in Dunn Meadow as part of the lingerie company’s B-Town Bash — a festival-style celebration that IU won through an online contest. The concert featured performances by artists Girl Talk and Cobra Starship and raised $5,000 dollars for the local Middle Way House.The wet, fall weather did little to curb the turnout — which turned Dunn Meadow into a muddy, grassless mess. Victoria’s Secret picked up the tab for its repairs.A SoapboxProtests, speeches and vigils — there are few causes Dunn Meadow hasn’t given a space to during the years.Even fewer, however, have resulted in as great a turnout as a former IU basketball coach’s farewell speech.On Sept. 13, 2000, about 6,000 people crowded into the meadow, its surrounding sidewalks and roofs of nearby buildings to hear Bob Knight’s address. The coach had been fired earlier that week, after he grabbed and shouted at then-freshman Kent Harvey.The quiet and peaceful crowd was a stark contrast to the riot-like atmosphere that swept across the University only days earlier. A fish from the Showalter Fountain was stolen and paraded around campus, while effigies of Harvey and then-IU President Myles Brand were burned. Police allegedly sprayed several students with chemical deterrent.During his speech, Knight took a few subtle jabs at the administration, but mostly thanked his supporters and urged students to leave Harvey alone.“Let that kid be a student,” he said. “Let that kid get on with his life. This thing — believe me — it happened a long time before that situation took place. Believe me.”A Tent CitySince the ’80s, Dunn Meadow has been home to numerous tent cities, peace camps and shanty towns.Sometimes lasting weeks or even months, these encampments were created by students and local demonstrators in reaction to world issues.In 1986, a shanty town was assembled to send a message to University officials about segregation in South Africa. At the time, students believed IU was investing in companies that supported the apartheid.Another shanty town was organized in 1988, this time as an anti-rape center. However, at the time the University started enforcing stricter rules regarding using Dunn Meadow for protests. The Assembly Grounds Committee, created after the apartheid shanty town, decided that the tents could not remain up 24 hours a day and had to be taken down at night.“If they are going to have a permanent demonstration, they need to have it permanently inhabited,” committee chair Craig Nelson said in a 1988 Indiana Daily Student article. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to permit demonstrations to become billboards.”When America became involved in the Persian Gulf War in the early ’90s, a tent city was erected that lasted two months. The protest was led by IU student Phoenix Myers, who sometimes clashed with University officials about whether the campers should be allowed to stay in the “city” overnight. Sleeping was not a form of protest, the University argued.A year later, 10 campers rebuilt the city for a one night remembrance of the two-month protest.In October 2001, the bombing of Afghanistan and rising concern about the treatment of Muslims led to the erection of another camp. This tent city was started by Bloomington local Sean Bagley.Bagley is also known as Steps, the nickname for his full spiritual name Steps for Freedom. As the winter cold and holiday breaks came and interest waned, many students gradually abandoned the camp. However, Steps stayed for eight months. There hasn’t been a peace camp in Dunn Meadow since.
(12/02/10 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior Leah Myhre was asleep in her apartment above the Chabad House Jewish Student Center when a loud thud awoke her Tuesday morning.One of four IU students living there, Myhre exited her room to find the other girls doing the same, wondering what had happened.A rock had crashed through the window, nearly striking her roommate, Maggie Williams, as she sat writing a paper. The palm-sized rock hit the wall across the room, leaving a hole in the dry wall.“It was really terrifying,” Myhre said. “It’s not something you expect is going to happen. But when we saw the rock, we all knew what had just happened because of what happened last week to the building as well as Hillel.”Five anti-Semitic attacks in Bloomington since Nov. 23 have caught IU students and city residents off guard.“It’s not an understatement to say our reaction is outrage,” Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan said. “It’s both sad and disturbing how one distinct individual can do such disturbing things to an entire community.”The criminal acts of the past week included rocks thrown through windows at Jewish organizations and through a display case at the Robert A. and Sandra B. Borns Jewish Studies Program office, as well as vandalism of Hebrew texts from the Herman B Wells Library.In the 24 hours since the attack, Myhre said she and her roommates, none of whom are Jewish, have been wary of going near windows and moving around outside the building.“It’s scary,” she said. “Someone could really get injured and without any warning.”Myhre said not only is she surprised that the vandalism happened to her apartment, but that it occurred at IU at all.“It’s hard to believe that this happened on this campus, that it happened in Bloomington,” she said. “I really hope they find the culprit so something like this doesn’t happen again.”Bloomington Safe and Civil City Director Beverly Calendar-Anderson said she finds the situation disconcerting.“The initial reaction is that we are appalled that a person or persons would terrorize people based on their religious beliefs,” Calendar-Anderson said.Though the attacks were aimed at Jewish organizations on or near the IU campus, Kruzan said they affect community members.“We’re all victimized when one person is targeted,” he said.In the aftermath of the incidents, the Bloomington and IU police departments have worked closely to find the vandals and prevent further incidents, Capt. Joe Qualters of the Bloomington Police Department said.Both Kruzan and Calendar-Anderson said Bloomington’s image as a tolerant city is not affected by incidents such as these.“When you have people do something opposite of that (Bloomington’s reputation as a tolerant place), I don’t know that it damages the reputation of the city because the majority of people appreciate diversity in all forms,” she said.Senior Alana Gardner said she was surprised and saddened after hearing about the attacks.“I’m at the Chabad House every week,” Gardner said. “It’s a second home to me. To hear that and about what’s happening everywhere else, I’m pretty shocked and disgusted.”Gardner said she is afraid of how some students will interpret the acts, particularly freshmen who don’t know IU as well.“This is not the start of a movement,” she said. “Nothing to this extent has happened while I’ve been here. I just hope people remember that this is not what IU’s about.”Sitting in Wells library, senior Dustin Bernstein said he was upset but not overly concerned after the vandalism — initially.“It was disappointing, but it was just one act,” he said. “But then I’m reading now that it’s happening again, now at Hillel, now in the library where I’m at almost every day, and it started to sink in. There are still ignorant people. There is still hatred. It really hit home. This is hatred.”Bernstein said he thinks it’s important that Bloomington’s Jewish community doesn’t let the attacks affect how they celebrate Hanukkah, which began Wednesday night.“One thing I’ve learned, in Hebrew and Sunday school, is that you should never be afraid to celebrate Hanukkah, especially now,” he said. “If you do that, then whoever is doing this, he won.”
(11/30/10 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Like eating turkey and watching football, burglaries are a holiday tradition.This year proved to be no exception with a string of burglaries during Thanksgiving break leaving at least 10 Bloomington homes with broken windows, kicked in doors and missing property.The high number of students leaving town for holiday breaks create a perfect opportunity for thieves, said Lt. David Drake of the Bloomington Police Department.“Any time students are gone for Thanksgiving or Christmas break, we usually see an increase in burglary reports when they return,” Drake said.On Saturday, a 21-year-old male returned from Thanksgiving break to his home in the 400 block of East 16th Street to find a window had been broken, Drake said.Someone had entered his home through the window and stolen five flat screen televisions, an Xbox 360, a Playstation 3, a home theater system and a MacBook. Also on Saturday, a man reported that two guitars of his were stolen — a cream-colored Fender Telecaster, valued at $1,000, and a wood-colored Epiphone acoustic.On Sunday, a 21-year-old female returned to her home on the 500 block of North Washington Street to find her front door had been forced open. Six flat screen televisions had been stolen, Drake said.That same day, another 21-year-old female also returned home to North Washington Street to find her home had been broken into. Here, six flat screen TVs were stolen, as well as an iPhone, an iPod and some watches.Drake said four more break ins were reported Sunday, resulting in stolen Xboxes, Playstations, video games, jewelry and laptops.On Monday, a 29-year-old resident who had left for the holiday on Thursday returned home to find several items missing including an Xbox and two jewelry boxes containing several pieces of jewelry. This time, entry had been gained through a window that had been inadvertently left unlocked.While there is no guaranteed way to prevent burglaries, Drake said there are many things students and Bloomington residents can do to better protect their homes and property during holidays. “If they have anything terribly valuable, they should probably take it with them,” Drake said.Another important thing to do, Drake said, is to give residences the appearance that someone is home, by leaving a light or television on. It’s also a good idea to cancel newspaper delivery services while on vacation, he said, so the papers don’t pile up on the front door step — a sure sign that nobody is home. “And make sure the drapes and blinds are pulled,” Drake said. “Make sure that the windows and doors are locked.”
(11/30/10 2:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It has been four months since massive floods hit Pakistan, leaving more than 2,000 dead and about 20 million people homeless or injured — more than the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2010 Haiti earthquake combined.Since September, student groups at IU have been orchestrating a fundraising effort to help the millions of people affected by the flooding.The Muslim Student Union teamed up with the IU Student Association to sell wrist bands, emblazoned with “IU Helps Pakistan.” In October, the two groups, along with the Pakistan Student Association, also sponsored a carnival-style fundraising event in Dunn Meadow. So far, the wrist bands, which are sold for a dollar each, have resulted in $2,500 in aid, said Rishibha Sanam Chadha, IUSA’s chief of coalitions. The outdoor event brought the total up to about $4,000. Chadha said she is pleased with the results of the effort so far.“I’m really happy,” she said. “Especially about the event in Dunn Meadow. It was super cold that day, and the turnout was as great as expected, if not better.”Junior Shaqib Habib, the MSU’s webmaster, said he is also happy with how much money is being raised. Both Chadha and Habib stressed that the fight is not yet over, however.“We’ve done quite well, but we’re not done,” Habib said. “We still have lots of wrist bands to sell.”The Pakistan Student Association has also organized some fundraisers of its own. In September, its members sold pizza in Ballantine Hall, raising $326.Earlier this month, the PSA partnered with Union Board and Hutton Honors College to sponsor a fashion show. Students modeled traditional Pakistani clothing, and all proceeds from ticket sales went to the Edhi Foundation, which will provide homes and clothing to those affected by the floods.Senior and fashion show coordinator Syma Raza said more than 200 tickets were sold.International aid for Pakistan was slow-going at first, with some saying media coverage of the flood paled in comparison to that of similar disasters.In September, as the fundraising effort was just getting off the ground, even MSU’s co-president, junior Baseer Ahmad, expressed concern over the way many Americans perceived Pakistan.“A lot of people don’t want to help Pakistan because of the negative stereotypes around it,” Ahmad said. “On top of raising money, we also need to educate people.”Four months later, Habib said he has not noticed any hesitation in donations based upon negative stereotypes. “That could be happening in other parts of the country, but I haven’t noticed it here at IU,” Habib said. In October, IUSA and its partners created a video to promote the fundraising effort. In the video, students use humor to try to dispel misconceptions about Pakistan. Habib said the video has proven to be quite popular and could be one of the reasons stereotypes have not been an issue with raising aid.“I think the video brought an awareness to IU’s campus,” Habib said. “It brought the flood closer to home.”He said the video was seen by potential sponsors, who have now donated to the cause. It was also seen by people who actually live in Pakistan.“We’ve gone international,” Habib said.
(11/22/10 5:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s been almost 17 months since Suzanne Giza has heard from her son.Frank Joseph Giza III, 25, was hitchhiking and couch-surfing across the country to music festivals when he sent his last letter to his mom in early June 2009.He had made it to Bloomington, and he said he would contact her in a couple of weeks, the letter read. As she sat in her home in Selbyville, Del., she waited for his next phone call or card or letter. But the weeks passed, and she never heard from her son. Not then, not on her birthday and not now. “I’m just sick about it,” Suzanne Giza said. “He’s not one not to call me. He’s resourceful. He’s asked to use strangers’ phones before just to call me, let me know he’s OK.”The younger Giza, or Joey, as he is called by his family, was last seen leaving a friend’s house in Bloomington in June 2009. From what his family and police can gather, he and the friend got into an argument, and Joey Giza left.Another friend said Joey was last seen walking out of town. He had left to go to the next festival on his list.But friends waiting in Tennessee never saw him, Suzanne Giza said. Those expecting his arrival at the All Good Music Festival in West Virginia were kept waiting too.Suzanne Giza said she’s worried her son is lost, that he’s fallen into a life of drugs and alcohol and can’t remember her phone number. She doesn’t like thinking of other worse possibilities. Though Bloomington Police Capt. Joe Qualters said there is no indication of foul play at this time, a horrible thought does find its way into Suzanne Giza’s mind.“I do keep thinking, ‘What if he’s dead?’” she said. “I’m so heartsick. I need to see if he’s alive.”For more than a year, Suzanne Giza and her sister have posted messages on hitchhiking and trucker forums, pleading for anyone with information to contact the Bloomington Police Department.“If anyone has seen Joey, please tell him to contact his mother,” Joey Giza’s aunt, using the username Amulet, wrote on one forum. “She is worried sick! Her greatest fear is that he ODed or came in contact with the wrong ppl.”Other friends and relatives took to posting pictures and pleas on MySpace and Facebook. So far the digital search has proven futile, Suzanne Giza said.BPD has not had much luck either.Because Joey Giza was already a transient, the case is particularly tough, Qualters said. Joey Giza left his home in Baltimore in spring 2009 with only the clothes on his back. When he went missing, Joey Giza wasn’t carrying any official forms of identification. “It can be a challenge to investigate these types of cases,” Qualters said. “People who live a somewhat transient lifestyle don’t leave the same clues as others might, such as cell phone records, credit card receipts or phone calls to family or friends.” In October, though appreciative of the police’s help so far, Suzanne Giza made the 14-hour trip from Selbyville, Del., to Bloomington to search for her son herself. While in town, she talked to people around Bloomington who may have seen her son and put up missing person fliers.The fliers show Joey Giza smiling in a tie-dye shirt, with dark, curly, shoulder-length hair and the beginnings of a scruffy beard. It’s the same photograph posted on forums and MySpace profiles online.Suzanne Giza said a homeless man recognized the picture and said her son was heading to Illinois. It’s a claim Suzanne Giza initially dismissed, until the trail led to a truck stop about 50 miles outside of Bloomington.The cashier inside said a man matching her son’s description was recently seen playing guitar with a couple of girls in the parking lot. The manager even talked to the man.She said he told the manager he was heading along Route 70 to Illinois — to a music festival. Qualters said police checked the lead but were unsuccessful in finding the man or confirming his identity. As a result, it is impossible to know if this man is really Joey Giza.Regardless, Suzanne Giza said she can’t help but be excited. Up until that moment, her mind kept telling her that her son was dead.“But now,” she said, “now, I have hope.”Anyone with information about Joey Giza’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact BPD Detective Sarah Carnes at 812-339-4477.
(11/19/10 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>An aging, gruff, retired Maj. Gen. Dennis J. Laich said he doesn’t think he looks the part of a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal advocate.“I’m an old, bald straight guy, so what the devil am I doing here?” he said, standing at a podium in the IU Maurer School of Law. “A lot of people ask me that question.”Laich spoke Thursday on why the government should repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. The event was sponsored by Indiana OUTLaw and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Repeal advocate Garrett Webb preceded Laich and spoke briefly of his own experiences with the policy. Webb, who has served as a special assistant to Senator Evan Bayh, said his life’s ambition has been to join the Coast Guard.“I am the first man in my family going back to the Revolutionary War that has not served in the military in some fashion,” Webb said. “And that’s tough for me to bear, but what would be tougher would be having to hide who I am and my identity?”When Laich approached the podium, he demonstrated his confidence in the policy soon being repealed by shaking Webb’s hand and thanking him for his future service. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” effects readiness and combat capability in the military by advocating waste, fraud and abuse, Laich said.He said about 14,000 service members have been discharged from the military with the policy. Among those 14,000 were pilots, medics, linguists, intelligence analysts, engineers and computer scientists who are critical in executing and winning wars.Furthermore, Laich said the discharges are continuing to happen in a resource scarce environment, a term used by the Pentagon when the budget is strained.“We have spent resources, man power and money to investigate, track down and administratively discharge fully qualified, critically important, combat veterans who’ve served in harm’s way,” he said. “We’ve discharged them for no other reason than their sexual orientation, which is protected in every other institution in our society. And those rights of protection are put in place, in many cases, because of the service of those 14,000 and their battle buddies.”Laich also said he believes “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is detrimental to a military unit’s cohesion and morale. “You get on the airplane to finally go home and you have sweat and bled and feared just like every other solider in your unit and you’ve done it for the past 365 days,” he said. “But you know when the wheels go down, your significant others, those people who you love more than anything else, are going to be there.”But that’s not the case for GLBT service members, he said.“They have to wait until they get in the car and go somewhere where no one can see them and get that hug, or that kiss or warm embrace that everyone else had received openly,” he said. “I have a hard time sleeping at night, knowing that’s what we do.”Laich said “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is on the verge of being repealed, that the tide has shifted with polls indicating 78 percent of Americans are against the policy. But those who support the repeal need to do more to be heard, he said.“Our problem is no longer the voice of our opponents,” he said. “It is the silence of our allies.”