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(03/13/14 4:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington City Council had a second reading for the approval of a Habitat for Humanity neighborhood that has faced questioning by residents living near the planned construction.Plans for the neighborhood place it in the northwest corner of Bloomington near Ernest D. Butler Park, commonly called Ninth Street Park. Council members, on behalf of residents, expressed concern about environmental safety and beauty as well as the quality of the planned homes and their effect on property values.A third reading of the development plan will take place March 26.Council members asked about the results of environmental studies of PCBs — an environmentally degrading chemical — in the planned area’s soil. Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County CEO Kerry Thomson firmly said the areas planned for construction were clear of contamination.“We have tested. There are no PCBs on site,” Thomson said. “It is clean to the standards for residential inhabitants.”Two sites, including under the railroad ties and foundations, were not yet tested but those were not areas where people would be living, she said.Other residents were concerned about how the new development would affect the view and experience on the B-line Trail. One resident during public comment called that area of the trail an “island of beauty” that deserved to be somehow preserved, even as the development progressed.“Part of the enjoyment of the woods is walking the B-line and enjoying the wooded atmosphere,” Thomson said. “The woods won’t be fenced or anything, so people can still enjoy them if they wish.” Demographics of the incoming homeowners were also discussed. Some residents said they felt low income people were more prone to move around, and were concerned about potential affects to schools in the area.Habitat for Humanity families are a spectrum of ages and backgrounds, Thomson said, but overall the homeowners would move in and stay in their new homes.“It’s our dream to end poverty for these families,” she said. “When you don’t have to think about moving, you can get involved in your community, lead scout troops, get promotions and lead a better life.”
(02/17/14 9:23pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“It’s so bad its good.”Not something you can often say about terribly made things. Movies are a strange exception.Unlike other poorly made things in the world, the terribleness of a movie can actually be a part of its charm. IU has a club dedicated to watching movies of just this type: The Terrible Movie Club.“Pretty much everyone can enjoy bad movies if they are strong enough,” says Amanda Kelly, senior and founder of the Terrible Movie Club. She and six friends enjoyed watching bad movies as a stress reliever and outlet. Since they lived in Collins Living-Learning Center, they realized it’d be easy to make it a club and share the experience with others.The group has a sort of “standard” for bad. They can’t just be painful to watch, she says. They have to be funny bad — a good mix of bad dialogue, corny effects, and general low-budget crappiness. The club has a Facebook group (“Terrible Movie Club”) and typically meets on Tuesday nights. Anyone, even those living outside of Collins, is welcome to attend. Most of the club’s communication is through the Facebook group.Here's some movies the club has watched in the past. Many of them can be found on Netflix or in their entirety on YouTube.“Rubber” — A tire has destructive telepathic powers and becomes obsessed with a woman. Featuring “Goodyear” as Robert the Tire. “Thankskilling” — “A homicidal turkey axes off college kids during break,” is what it says on IMDb, and we don’t really know a better way to describe it.“The Room” — Johnny the Banker’s life is changed when his fiancé starts seducing Mark, his best friend, for reasons no one is sure about. Maybe she got tired of Tommy Wiseau’s inexplicable accent. A bad movie classic with extreme quotability."Surf Nazis Must Die" — In the post-apocalyptic future, a woman's grandson is murdered by neo-Nazi surf punks. Naturally, gun-toting Grandma decides bloody retribution is the only way to go."Santa Clause Conquers the Martians" — Martians are sad because they don't have anyone on Mars to give their kids presents, so they kidnap Santa. Doesn't go well for them, apparently.“She’s Too Young” — A Lifetime movie of epic proportions. A woman discovers her 14-year-old daughter is having sex with multiple people, leading to an STD outbreak. Or something."Disco Worms" —This animated film about earthworms who want to make the world's greatest disco band actually has some awesome music, Amanda says. But it's still hilariously strange."Foodfight" —Charlie Sheen voices a super-sleuth dog who must unite popular brands like Chef Boyardee and Mrs. Butterworth to fight the evil Brand X. Hilary Duff was also somehow on board for this movie. "It's kind of a metaphor for Nazis," Amanda says. "And a children's movie with sexual overtones." As if the terrible 80's quality animation (it was made in 2012) wasn't enough.
(02/17/14 9:23pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“It’s so bad its good.”Not something you can often say about terribly made things. Movies are a strange exception.Unlike other poorly made things in the world, the terribleness of a movie can actually be a part of its charm. IU has a club dedicated to watching movies of just this type: The Terrible Movie Club.“Pretty much everyone can enjoy bad movies if they are strong enough,” says Amanda Kelly, senior and founder of the Terrible Movie Club. She and six friends enjoyed watching bad movies as a stress reliever and outlet. Since they lived in Collins Living-Learning Center, they realized it’d be easy to make it a club and share the experience with others.The group has a sort of “standard” for bad. They can’t just be painful to watch, she says. They have to be funny bad — a good mix of bad dialogue, corny effects, and general low-budget crappiness. The club has a Facebook group (“Terrible Movie Club”) and typically meets on Tuesday nights. Anyone, even those living outside of Collins, is welcome to attend. Most of the club’s communication is through the Facebook group.Here's some movies the club has watched in the past. Many of them can be found on Netflix or in their entirety on YouTube.“Rubber” — A tire has destructive telepathic powers and becomes obsessed with a woman. Featuring “Goodyear” as Robert the Tire. “Thankskilling” — “A homicidal turkey axes off college kids during break,” is what it says on IMDb, and we don’t really know a better way to describe it.“The Room” — Johnny the Banker’s life is changed when his fiancé starts seducing Mark, his best friend, for reasons no one is sure about. Maybe she got tired of Tommy Wiseau’s inexplicable accent. A bad movie classic with extreme quotability."Surf Nazis Must Die" — In the post-apocalyptic future, a woman's grandson is murdered by neo-Nazi surf punks. Naturally, gun-toting Grandma decides bloody retribution is the only way to go."Santa Clause Conquers the Martians" — Martians are sad because they don't have anyone on Mars to give their kids presents, so they kidnap Santa. Doesn't go well for them, apparently.“She’s Too Young” — A Lifetime movie of epic proportions. A woman discovers her 14-year-old daughter is having sex with multiple people, leading to an STD outbreak. Or something."Disco Worms" —This animated film about earthworms who want to make the world's greatest disco band actually has some awesome music, Amanda says. But it's still hilariously strange."Foodfight" —Charlie Sheen voices a super-sleuth dog who must unite popular brands like Chef Boyardee and Mrs. Butterworth to fight the evil Brand X. Hilary Duff was also somehow on board for this movie. "It's kind of a metaphor for Nazis," Amanda says. "And a children's movie with sexual overtones." As if the terrible 80's quality animation (it was made in 2012) wasn't enough.
(02/17/14 9:07pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>How do you help someone who has just heard some of the worst news of their life? It’s awkward (only because you mean well — not because you’re a terrible person) and hard and more than a little mind-boggling. Especially if that someone is your best friend, roommate ... or yourself.Whether it’s you or a friend who is confronting a difficult experience, Inside found ways to (hopefully) make the process at least a little bit easier. We spoke to Nancy Stockton, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at IU, to get some tips.Quick disclaimer: While we are some smart cookies, this article isn’t meant to replace professional help. There’s absolutely no shame in contacting CAPS or other services. Remember, every student gets two free sessions at CAPS, no questions asked — because everyone goes through hard times.General Tips Across All ScenariosBe kind to yourself. It’s extremely important to give yourself time to grieve and feel the things you are feeling, Nancy says, no matter how “big” the situation is. Go at your own pace of recovery. You are not expected to grieve like anyone else.You were rejected for a job/internshipRemember the importance of trying again and never giving up.“There are legions of stories of authors or creative people or people trying for jobs who share stories of piles of rejections before they got success,” Nancy says.Getting that dream job could take many years and many attempts — and that’s OK. Normal, even. Just make sure you get back in the saddle eventually.As the friend: In this situation, it’s important to be a shoulder to cry on if needed, Nancy says. You can also help remind them about anything positive learned from the experience, be it a botched interview or typos on an application. Because even Steve Jobs needed that friend at some point.You ended a relationship (especially if the relationship was unhealthy)If you are broken up with, you have to learn to accept that you probably did all you could have done, Nancy says. If you broke up with someone, sometimes the hardest part is getting the other person to recognize that there isn’t a chance of getting back together.As the friend: After some serious empathizing, try to help your friend see both the strengths and the weaknesses of the relationship, especially if your friend got out of an unhealthy, even abusive, relationship. Your friend may linger on the times the ex was sweet to him or her and forget to give the situation a more balanced view. A death of someone close It will hurt. Though it depends on the closeness of whoever passed away, try to find a balance between being easy on yourself and not expecting to do everything you ordinarily do.“Most of us feel better to maybe compartmentalize things a bit,” Nancy says. Ease yourself into grieving. As the friend: Honestly share that you might not know what to say, Nancy says. But make sure your friend knows that you are there to listen to them, especially since some people may have delayed reactions to the news.
(02/17/14 9:07pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>How do you help someone who has just heard some of the worst news of their life? It’s awkward (only because you mean well — not because you’re a terrible person) and hard and more than a little mind-boggling. Especially if that someone is your best friend, roommate ... or yourself.Whether it’s you or a friend who is confronting a difficult experience, Inside found ways to (hopefully) make the process at least a little bit easier. We spoke to Nancy Stockton, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at IU, to get some tips.Quick disclaimer: While we are some smart cookies, this article isn’t meant to replace professional help. There’s absolutely no shame in contacting CAPS or other services. Remember, every student gets two free sessions at CAPS, no questions asked — because everyone goes through hard times.General Tips Across All ScenariosBe kind to yourself. It’s extremely important to give yourself time to grieve and feel the things you are feeling, Nancy says, no matter how “big” the situation is. Go at your own pace of recovery. You are not expected to grieve like anyone else.You were rejected for a job/internshipRemember the importance of trying again and never giving up.“There are legions of stories of authors or creative people or people trying for jobs who share stories of piles of rejections before they got success,” Nancy says.Getting that dream job could take many years and many attempts — and that’s OK. Normal, even. Just make sure you get back in the saddle eventually.As the friend: In this situation, it’s important to be a shoulder to cry on if needed, Nancy says. You can also help remind them about anything positive learned from the experience, be it a botched interview or typos on an application. Because even Steve Jobs needed that friend at some point.You ended a relationship (especially if the relationship was unhealthy)If you are broken up with, you have to learn to accept that you probably did all you could have done, Nancy says. If you broke up with someone, sometimes the hardest part is getting the other person to recognize that there isn’t a chance of getting back together.As the friend: After some serious empathizing, try to help your friend see both the strengths and the weaknesses of the relationship, especially if your friend got out of an unhealthy, even abusive, relationship. Your friend may linger on the times the ex was sweet to him or her and forget to give the situation a more balanced view. A death of someone close It will hurt. Though it depends on the closeness of whoever passed away, try to find a balance between being easy on yourself and not expecting to do everything you ordinarily do.“Most of us feel better to maybe compartmentalize things a bit,” Nancy says. Ease yourself into grieving. As the friend: Honestly share that you might not know what to say, Nancy says. But make sure your friend knows that you are there to listen to them, especially since some people may have delayed reactions to the news.
(09/04/13 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The state and campus-wide discussion on the Lifeline Law has raised the question: When should students make the call for medical help?Dr. Diana Ebling, medical director for the IU Health Center, urged students not to judge medical emergencies for themselves. Instead, students should call on medical professionals to decide the seriousness of a health emergency.If there is any thought at all that a student might need help, Ebling said, students should call 911. “When in doubt, make the call,” she said. “There really needs to be a low index suspicion. If anyone appears they might remotely need medical attention, NEVER hesitate to call 911.”Car accidents: In situations such as car accidents, call for emergency medical help immediately, even if injuries are not immediately identifiable, according to the US National Library of Medicine. The leading cause of death for 18- to 25-year-olds is unintentional injuries, Ebling said.This includes motor vehicle accidents, alcohol poisoning and drug overdoses, among other incidents. If the individual is conscious: Watch for signs that the person is slurring speech or not acting like his or herself, Ebling said. The US National Library of Medicine also recommends seeking medical attention if the person has difficulty breathing, is injured and bleeding won’t stop, or experiences sudden, severe pain anywhere in the body.If the individual is unconscious:Emergency help should be called immediately, Ebling said. The caller should always stay with the individual who needs medical attention, until an ambulance or other responders arrive, she said.
(08/29/13 4:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Secure is now more stable and reliable, UITS representatives said.UITS recently announced a “boost” in IU Secure’s 5,000 wireless access points, the end result of a five-month, $3.2 million upgrade plan that was completed in March.“I believe that it is more stable,” said Dave Hunter, the network design engineer for the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses. “The complaints we are having now are focused on individuals as opposed to large groups of people.”The upgrade focused on strengthening and replacing the access points that already existed across campus, a “like for like” replacement process, Hunter said. Engineers sought to improve the IU Secure connection in high-density areas, such as Herman B Wells Library, as well as system scalability to make wireless better-able to handle spikes in usage.IU Secure hit peak usage during the first week of class this year, with 17,650 devices connected to IU Secure at one time. Connectivity averaged 8,505 devices in the first week of class, Hunter said.UITS is still examining wireless coverage in the residence halls, Hunter said. Since the buildings are constructed of concrete blocks, wireless signals sometimes struggle to get through. But Mark Spencer, manager of campus network engineering for Bloomington and Indianapolis, said engineers are now better equipped to handle any problems users might have.“If we do have an issue, we have much better tools to go in and diagnose whatever the issue is,” Spencer said.The upgrade did not fix all coverage gaps, Spencer said, but those coverage gaps often aren’t noticed until someone tries to use wireless in that area and contacts UITS. Classrooms are a real example of this, as students or faculty may not have tried to access wireless in those areas in the past, but need to now, he said.The upgrade has so far been considered a success, Hunter said. UITS no longer receives as many calls on the weekend to fix service, he said, and added that he hadn’t seen stability problems in the new system so far.“It doesn’t go down,” he said. “We were trying to meet certain goals, and we met most all of them.”Follow reporter Kathryn Moody on Twitter @KatMMoody.
(04/25/13 3:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Seats were filled at every table. Paintings in bright, primary colors covered the tables, a mosaic of stick people, finger swirls and geometric shapes.Senior Sarah McMahon sought to rescue students drowning in dead-week worry by giving them a chance to finger paint.The Hutton Honors College put on the “Paint out your Stress!” event Wednesday afternoon, allowing students a chance to de-stress during their studies for finals. Passionate about art, McMahon created the event so students could relax and indulge their inner artist.“I thought it was a really good program that we could do to reach everyone, regardless of level,” McMahon said. “You don’t have to be a master painter.”A senior studying neuroscience and ethnographic photography through the individualized major program, McMahon proposed the idea to the extracurricular programming committee of the Hutton Honors College. This is the event’s third semester.“We’re encouraged to put on ideas we are passionate about,” McMahon said.They’ve had a fairly high turnout all three semesters, she said.Toward the back of the room, the percussionist band Square Peg Round Hole played glass bottles, desk bells, whisks and vibes as well as miniature pianos. All four musicians are percussionists enrolled in the Jacobs School of Music, McMahon said. Wednesday marked the second time the group has played for the event.“We chose them because they are all instrumental and super chill,” she said. “Experiencing live music is more special than any recording.”Finger painting is very hands-on, McMahon said, which is why the activity is so stress-relieving.“Finger painting is typically something done as a child, so it puts you back in that childlike mentality,” she said.McMahon likes to bike, make lists and listen to music to reduce her stress. Other students at the event had a variety of tactics to keep their heads level as well.“I play a lot of video games,” Jill Moore, a freshman telecommunications major, said. “I photoshop a lot. It helps me problem solve because they are problems unrelated to what I’m doing. I feel like I accomplished something even though I didn’t.”Asra Asrar, a sophomore neuroscience major, found her new stress relief tactic over winter break.“Over Christmas break, I played the ukulele,” she said. “So now, whenever I have lots of tests coming up, I’ll play.”“Not that I really know how to play,” she said, smiling.Above all, the event reflects McMahon’s own interests and her desire to get others involved. “It’s something I can share with everybody,” McMahon said.
(04/19/13 1:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU has named Catherine Krege as its fourth presidential intern. Her internship began early this spring and focused on providing a student-driven perspective on recruitment and engagement in IU’s School of Global and International Studies, according to a press release. She will give her final presentation to President Michael McRobbie in May.“He is very interested in the student perspective,” Krege said.She’s been meeting with department heads to see what they want for their students, as well as producing surveys and holding focus groups to gather student input. She will be holding another one soon to help further determine actions to recommend to the president.“I am deeply committed to the success of the exciting new School of Global and International Studies, and I am delighted that Catherine has agreed to serve the University in this important capacity,” McRobbie said in the release. “As a student who is extremely engaged in the International Studies Department and related activities, Catherine brings to the position exceptional academic credentials and an infectious enthusiasm about the enormous possibilities the new school will present for IU students.”Krege is a sophomore from Carmel, Ind. studying international studies and Spanish and pursuing a minor in political science. This semester, she’s juggled 17 credit hours and another internship with the Political and Civic Engagement program in the College of Arts and Sciences. After finishing up her work as the presidential intern, she will leave for Australia in June for study abroad and an undetermined internship, she said. In the fall, she will be interning in Washington D.C. through the SPEA Washington Leadership program.She was recommended for the position by the College Dean Larry Singell after having worked on the Dean’s Advisory Board.“I’m really glad (SGIS) is staying in the College,” she said. “It allows for lots of perspective and is really interdisciplinary.”She noted the intense focus on culture and language the College provides, but said that SGIS is diversifying to include more than just an academic focus.“We hope to cater to newer needs,” she said. “With events like 9/11 and terrorist events happening, it’s important to have diplomats. But you also need that deep understanding of language and culture.”
(04/15/13 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>New York Times columnist David Brooks and Mills College President Alecia DeCoudreaux will speak at May commencement ceremonies.Honorary doctoral degrees will be presented to both Brooks and DeCoudreaux.“We are extremely honored that these two distinguished leaders will be addressing our graduates this spring in Bloomington,” said IU President Michael McRobbie in a press release. “David Brooks is one of the most respected political and cultural observers of our time. Alecia DeCoudreaux, an alumna of our Maurer School of Law, had a distinguished business and legal career and has combined integrity, tenacity and a keen intellect to bring important change through her community service and work, now in academia.”In addition to his work as an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, Brooks has contributed to “PBS News Hour” as an expert commentator and is a frequent contributor to NPR, The Washington Post and The New Yorker. He is also the author of three books regarding the complexity of human society and experience, according to the release.Brooks, whose son is currently enrolled at the Kelley School of Business, will address degree recipients at the graduate commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. May 3 in Assembly Hall.DeCoudreaux left her position as a senior executive at Eli Lilly and Co. to become president of Mills College in San Francisco in 2011. In 2012, the Indianapolis Business Journal named her one of the year’s most influential women.She is the first African-American female president of Mills College.“I have known Alecia for over 25 years,” Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel said in a press release. “She is a brilliant and highly pragmatic counselor, committed to leadership by example and to deep values of community service. This is richly deserved.”DeCoudreaux has had honorary and leadership roles at IU, including honorary director of the IU Foundation from 1998 to 2007. In 1998, she was inducted into the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows, the highest honor Maurer bestows upon alumni.She will speak at the undergraduate commencement ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. May 4 at Assembly Hall.— Kathryn Moody
(04/12/13 4:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Entering through side doors of Franklin Hall to avoid a crowd of IU on Strike participants, the Board of Trustees gathered Thursday afternoon to complete one of the shortest meetings of the year.Unlike last year’s April meeting in Bloomington, there were no disruptions during the three committee reports and business meeting that approved all action items on the agenda.Interim Vice President and Chief Financial Officer MaryFrances McCourt led the finance and audit committee, focusing on improving student affordability and cost of living in Bloomington.“There are so many different facets to the affordability issue, we thought it would be important to understand a deeper level that goes into these metrics,” said Todd Schmitz, executive director of university institutional reporting and research.The committee presented a graph that compared student “net price” between large research universities. The net price of IU, a calculation that determines the average tuition a student pays after financial aid, was relatively smaller than most of the other universities on the chart. While the board was pleased with the results, they encouraged McCourt and her team to gather a peer-comparison of debt per student to see how IU matches up.“I’m positive that if you only look comparably, you kid yourself,” Trustee Thomas Reilly said, warning the committee to look beyond comparisons. “It’s better to be the best, but you don’t want to be the best of a group that isn’t doing well.”McCourt also cited the financial literacy program MoneySmarts, which incoming students will be required to take next fall at all IU campuses. The program is part of the IU College Affordability initiative.“There is no university that is doing this with the numbers that we are doing it,” McCourt said.The Facilities Committee, led by the vice president for capital planning and facilities, updated the board on a number of Bloomington construction projects on track to be completed by their set date, including Forest Dining Hall, Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall and Jacobs School of Music studio building.Chair of the Board of Trustees Bill Cast noted that the University preferred to fund new buildings through endowments and use University money to renovate and refurbish buildings that already existed. The new Jacobs building and the expansion to Kelley School of Business are both funded through Lilly Endowments. The new Rose Avenue Residence Hall is funded by auxiliary revenue bonds repaid through Residential Programs and Services revenue.“With every new building comes R and R,” Cast said. “To keep our footprint smaller, we refurbish old buildings.”Morrison and his Associate Vice President John Lewis reported that phase one of the $37 million Kelley School expansion and renovation is almost complete. The final product is estimated for completion by August 2014. The committee also noted the Bloomington campus has seen a 43 percent reduction in carbon emissions in the past year due to the University’s switch from coal to natural gas.The academic affairs committee meeting was brief, with Vice President John Applegate reporting on IU cyber security and a motion to officially honor fallen IUPD Police Chief Keith Cash.During the faculty report, Bloomington Faculty Council President Carolyn Calloway emphasized the importance of the state legislature staying out of affairs directly related with faculty and staff decisions.The board agreed.“Academia and curriculum are kept best in the hands of our faculty, and there are boundaries that legislatures can not cross,” Trustee Patrick Shoulders said.During the relatively brief business meeting at the end of the day, a small number of the total protesters who chanted outside Franklin hall filed into empty seats while the remaining crowd moved to Woodburn Hall.The audience remained quiet while the board passed all action items including renovations for Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, road improvements on 17th Street and Jordan Avenue, a Wells Library sprinkler and infrastructure renovations.IU on Strike did not interrupt or disrupt the meeting, but Cast was critical of the group, noting many of the problems proposed by IU on Strike had already been recognized by the Trustees. Solutions to these issues in regard to the university have long been in the works, he said.“I don’t think the protest is very effective,” Cast said. “I thought the response of the provost was very appropriate. If you have ideas to protest, you should overcome with your ideas.”Above all, the trustees appreciated thoughtful and well-articulated student voice, not “shooting from the hip,” he added.The trustees occasionally receive fiery emails from students, and often, they will compile those emails and make a board-wide response to the issues. If a student sent a member of the board a thoughtful, articulate email, that member may respond, he said.“I would ask, ‘Well, what have you done so far?’ and usually the answer is ‘Nothing…I have no idea what’s going on,’” Cast said. “It helps to know if you had a skeleton or a framework to hang something on.”The journalism, telecommunications and communications and culture merger as well as discussion about parking financing were pushed to meetings later in the year. The committees only had partial data on both issues, Cast said, so the trustees decided to consider those action items at a later date.
(03/21/13 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>White supremacist messages reading “#WhiteGenocide” were found on campus Wednesday morning. Three separate complaints were filed from three different locations, Associate Dean of Students Carol McCord said. One of those locations was the Jordan Hall bus stop. Another was seen by the Neal-Marshall Black Cultural Center, covering up another advertisement. As of Wednesday evening, a perpetrator has not been determined.“I’m not pleased about these incidents at all,” McCord said. “But I’m pleased to see that people are stepping up, that people on campus have the courage to act and report these things.”McCord and the campus incident response teams convened to discuss how to respond to the reports Wednesday afternoon. First, they plan to contact the individuals who reported the incidents and thank them personally for speaking up. Then, they will publish a campus-wide response. They were still discussing how they would precisely respond as of Wednesday evening.“We are quite proud of our campus diversity,” McCord said. “And while there is freedom of speech on this campus, there is also no place for hateful, hurtful speech, and we would prefer people find ways to have thoughtful, heartfelt and respectful civil discussion abut differences in opinion.”McCord said the campus has faced issues with KKK flyers in the community and graffiti in residents halls in the past, but nothing on that scale concerning white supremacy has happened in recent months. The most recent wide-spread discrimination incident was the chalk graffiti about AIDS that targeted Phi Gamma Delta last month.One of the complaints about the white supremacy graffiti noted that when white supremacist messages appeared at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, at the beginning of the month, the college cancelled classes for the day and held events designed to educate people on racism and show support for their minority students.McCord said it would not be realistic or helpful for IU to make a similar move.“A one-off event on this campus will not be helpful,” she said. “Most people would not go to an educational forum and would not have an educational opportunity out of cancelling class.”The campus incident teams are part of an ongoing process to bring the community together to respond to events as they happen, she said. They seek to support individuals who have experienced bias so that members of the community know there is a resource for overcoming these events. She said the fact that people are reporting the event is a good sign.“I will tell you I do believe that there is still people who perpetrate these kinds of discrimination,” McCord said. “I have to say though that I don’t think it is a large number of people. We know more people are responding unfavorably to this than probably were involved with perpetrating it.”
(02/19/13 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A quarter of master of science in security informatics students leave the program before finishing it.These students leave because they have already found jobs.Director of the MSSI program L. Jean Camp said the job market for Internet and information security is notably expanding. Citigal, a security services program, just opened another branch in Bloomington. Last week, President Barack Obama signed an executive order calling for the strengthening of cyber security of “critical infrastructure.”But she said as an instructor, losing her students is a little frustrating. Even though students who leave halfway through the two-year program have the skills to get a job, finishing the degree would allow them more mobility in the job market, she said.“We do really try to encourage them to complete the degree,” Camp said. “It is usually only 4 more classes.”The MSSI program was approved by the trustees four years ago due to the rising demand for a skill set in information security.“It’s one thing to outsource a call center. It’s another thing to outsource your security architecture,” Camp said. “It is difficult to audit your own security.”Currently, the program has about 25 students, Camp said. All of the current first-year students have internships for this summer. Most of the internships are paid, she said, and many students are lined up with a job by the end of the summer. These jobs are well paid, according to a press release.Average median salary in the United States for a new employee with a master’s degree and no job experience is $45,000. Camp’s students are entering the job market averaging $68,000 annually for their first job, according to a press release. The National Association of Colleges and Employers just released its list of college majors with the highest salaries, and three in the top 10 were technology-based. “I graduated with my master of science in security informatics on Dec. 14, 2012, and I started my new job three days later,” former student Evan Julian said in a press release. “As I was completing my degree, I applied for several jobs all over the U.S. and in several other countries. In every case, I heard back from each company and interviewed with them all before going with Apparatus Inc. out of Indianapolis.”Another MSSI student, Michael Keel, won’t graduate until May, but he already has a job in information security with the world’s largest professional services company, PwC, according to the press release.The program is not meant solely for informatics students. It was designed so that anyone with a strong liberal arts background with some statistics experience could excel, Camp said.“Being well-rounded is such an asset when trying to deal with structural security and human interaction,” she added.Camp was unsure why there is a shortage of qualified people in the security and privacy field. In particular, she said she was shocked at the lack of women in the field.“Privacy is definitely a concern for both men and women,” she said. “There are more women in library science and HCI. I’m always surprised by that, and I’ve been a professor for longer than I admit.”
(02/11/13 5:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Members of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity have been displaced after a fire took place at the house Sunday morning.Efforts to put out the fire resulted in roof damage that has displaced fraternity members who were living in the house, 1200 N. Jordan Ave., said IU Police Department Chief Keith Cash. Interfraternity Council Vice President of Communications Sean Jordan said the fire is still being investigated, but Cash said there is no reason for IUPD to believe any suspicious activity was involved in the incident. No injuries were reported.Emergency services received a call at 10:15 a.m. concerning smoke at the house. The fire was contained to an attic area over a common room at the southeast side of the house. Roof damage occurred as firefighters worked to reach the center of the fire.The damage is forcing members of Phi Psi to move out of the house for several days while repairs are made, Cash said. “We are working closely with the chapter, their House Corporation Board and Residential Programs and Services to provide as much support to the chapter as we can,” said Michael Goodman, senior assistant director for fraternity and sorority life in IU’s Student Life and Learning office, in an email.Goodman said more details about the situation will be available in the next few days.Phi Psi’s chapter lawyer Thomas Dakich said they are currently exploring where to house the undergraduates until repairs are completed and they can safely live in the house.“We expect to figure it out in the next 24 hours,” Dakich said.
(02/11/13 12:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Members of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity have been displaced after a fire took place at the house Sunday morning.Efforts to put out the fire resulted in roof damage that has displaced fraternity members currently living in the house, 1200 N. Jordan Ave., said IU Police Department Chief Keith Cash. Interfraternity Council Vice President of Communications Sean Jordan said the fire is still being investigated, but Cash said there is no reason for IUPD to believe any suspicious activity was involved in the incident. No injuries were reported.Emergency services received a call at 10:15 a.m. concerning smoke at the house. The fire was contained to an attic area over a common room at the southeast side of the house. Roof damage occurred as firefighters worked to reach the center of the fire.Due to this damage, members of Phi Psi must be moved out of the house for several days while repairs are made, Cash said. “We are working closely with the chapter, their House Corporation Board and Residential Programs and Services to provide as much support to the chapter as we can,” said Michael Goodman, senior assistant director for fraternity and sorority life in IU’s Student Life and Learning office, in an email.Goodman said more details about the situation will be available in the next few days.Phi Psi’s chapter lawyer Thomas Dakich said they are currently exploring where to house the undergraduates until repairs are completed and they can safely live in the house.“We expect to figure it out in the next 24 hours,” Dakich said.
(02/10/13 5:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Kelley School of Business is teaming up with the American University of Mongolia to bring an MBA program for global executives to the region.Beginning in September, the program focuses on four themes: leadership, managing global resources, innovation and entrepreneurship, and applied projects.The economy of Mongolia has been predicted by the World Bank to grow exponentially for the next 15 to 20 years, said American University of Mongolia’s Director of Marketing and Development Ruth Pulaski. Much of the growth is due to the expansion of the mining industry in Mongolia, she said, though other, more typical business opportunities are also growing.“It goes across the spectrum,” Pulaski said. “Mining is a major business here, but for terms in opportunities in business, it is not just related to mining and mining support, but to retail and all other standard business opportunities in terms of financial services and audit programs.”According to the press release, the MBA curriculum seeks to build upon these opportunities by offering a blend of classes taught on the campus both in Ulaanbaatar and online. “This program was set up to respond to the need for internationally recognized degrees for Mongolian students who don’t really have that opportunity,” Pulaski said. “Many programs in Mongolia are not internationally recognized.”The program includes a one-week residency at IU-Bloomington and a one-week program at the campus in Washington, D.C. The IU residency is a required part of the degree, while the Washington residency is not compulsory, Pulaski said.The international residencies, particularly the one in Washington, give students insight to how businesses operate and how legislation is created that affects business, Pulaski added.Currently, the American University of Mongolia is home to the English Language Institute, offering courses in business English and everyday English to the general community. These programs were established to address the future academic need of the university for its Mongolian students, Pulaski said.While this program is set to begin in September, IU has had ties to Mongolia since the era of Herman B Wells.IU’s Department of Central Eurasian Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences is the only university department in the U.S. staffed with faculty specializing in Mongolian studies, including the Mongolian language, according to a press release.“It all began with Herman B Wells,” Christopher Atwood, chair of the department of central Eurasian studies, said. “We had a strong language program that dated from World War II.”Wells invited Denis Sinor to teach at IU. Sinor was a specialist in Uralic and Altaic languages, a family of languages that includes the Mongolian language, Atwood said. Later, in 1963, Wells invited a scholar of Mongolian literature, John Hangin, to teach as well. Hangin is a native of Inner Mongolia. Since his arrival, Mongolian studies have been taught continuously at IU.“We have a lot of students who do a little bit of the program,” Atwood said. He is currently teaching a class on the history of Mongolia that includes over 100 students.Interim Dean of the Kelley School of Business Idalene Kesner said that Mongolia retains a strong alumni presence due to IU’s many language programs. While the program is more suited for students living in Mongolia, IU students will also see benefits of the partnership, she said.“The real benefit for the IU student here is that many of our faculty members will be traveling to Mongolia, getting to understand more about their region, and take that learning back into our classrooms,” Kesner said.Kesner noted that due to the growing relationship between IU and the American University of Mongolia, IU may be able to facilitate student exchanges and allow students to complete their projects in the region for credit.Pulaski expressed excitement for the future between the two schools.“We are so excited and happy to have this partnership,” Pulaski said. “We have a very warm relationship established. A very good foundation has been laid for this program.”
(01/17/13 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students and faculty were given the chance to ask questions and reveal concerns to a panel of campus administrators about the move to online course evaluations, a decision that was approved last April.Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Sonya Stephens, a member of the panel, introduced the discussion, noting that the current system involving Scantron paper assessments had a number of disadvantages.“We are looking closely at the current instrument and realizing that it is not as accurate as we would have liked and that it could be improved,” Stephens said. “This is also part of the response to the student view that we don’t use them for anything.”Per the policy approved in April, all courses will require course evaluations. Each evaluation will include four “campus common questions.” Departments and schools can then add more questions as needed for their purposes. Each questionnaire will also feature four “student access questions,” which students can then see the results of online. A number of concerns were raised by both faculty and students.How will associate instructors, or AIs, be evaluated?The panel said it was difficult to come up with questions for all instructors across all departments, especially AIs, since some departments don’t rate their AIs. However, this new policy would require that they be rated.Provost Lauren Robel said they wanted to be careful concerning data from AI evaluations.“We did not want to harm AIs with public information about their first year of teaching while they are still getting on their feet,” Robel said.Will there be undue attention placed on evaluations for faculty tenure and promotion?The online course evaluations would make it easier to put the information into graphs. Some faculty members were concerned that these graphs would overpower other pieces in their dossiers used for promotion and tenure purposes.“Graphs capture what other documents cannot,” Vice Provost Tom Gieryn said. “But I don’t see evidence that undue attention is paid to course evaluations.”Students will be familiar with the first two questions present on every current evaluation: “I would rate the instructor of this course as: outstanding, etc.” and “I would rate this course as: outstanding, etc.” The new questions proposed by the items subcommittee were changed so that they are more precise and easier for students to give more nuanced and exact answers, Gieryn said.“Students had more problems with interpreting the original two questions, so we avoided them,” he said.How will the new system require students to actually do the evaluations?A student said all students have to take the paper evaluations because they are handed out in class. If the evaluations were online, instructors run the risk that students would not complete them.The panel members said this is still being worked out and that they looked at the examples of other schools. Michigan State University, which uses an online evaluation system, allows students to see their grades two days earlier if they fill out their course evaluations. Other examples include allowing students to see the results from the student access questions only if they actually fill out the evaluations, or even tangible rewards, such as being entered in a drawing for an iPad.“We have to create a culture of students who want to fill them out,” Ouimet said. “If a faculty member shows that they really care about it, students will do it.”Mobile phone capabilities have also been discussed for the online evaluations.
(01/15/13 4:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU Alumni Association will award 33 $1,000 scholarships this year through the IUAA Scholars program, according to a press release. To be eligible, a student must be a son or daughter of an IUAA member. Student leaders within the organization are also allowed to apply.IUAA Deputy Executive Director Debbie Lemon said IUAA currently has more than 60,000 members, so it is not known how many students are eligible for these scholarships.The program is entirely funded through the sales of IU vanity license plates, Lemon said. For each license plate bought through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a portion of the revenue goes straight to IUAA scholarship programs. There were 48,000 plates issued in 2012.“It’s grown considerably over the past few years,” she said.While the Indianapolis Colts or the Nature Conservancy usually top the list of most popular license plates, IU consistently remains in the top five, Lemon said, even as many other universities and organizations have begun selling license plates through the BMV.The IUAA Scholars program has existed for 19 years, Lemon said.“When the state legislature started thinking about the license plate program because other states began doing it, the University and alumni worked together to submit these requests,” Lemon said.Scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic achievement as determined by the Office of Student Enrollment Services, according to the press release. Preference is given to first-time recipients of the scholarships.The 2013 application is available online. Some named scholarships include the Charles and Jo Ann Linsmith Scholarship and Jerry Foster Memorial Scholarship. The Charles and Jo Ann Linsmith Scholarship seeks applicants who are IUAA children or grandchildren, student leaders of IUAA-sponsored organizations or student employees of IUAA. The Jerry Foster Scholarship seeks applicants who are children of any IUAA chapter leader who currently serves as an officer or board member.Two scholarships are reserved for each of the eight IU campuses. If one of the campuses does not have any applicants or any applicants who meet the criteria, then those scholarships become part of the at-large pool. Scholarships in the at-large pool can be awarded to students at any of the IU campuses and are not limited to one campus in particular. Applications are due March 29 and can be found at alumni.indiana.edu/students/scholarships/iuaa.html.
(01/15/13 4:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Voices from Uzbekistan,” an exploration of Uzbekistan culture, featured lauded Uzbek musicians and an Uzbek dancer at Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Monday evening. The event was sponsored by the Uzbek Student and Scholar Association, a relatively new organization founded in September 2011, according to the UzSSA website.“It was founded by six or seven students from Uzbekistan,” UzSSA founder Umida Khikmatillaeva said. “They are all very involved.”Uzbekistan, a country of more than 28 million people, borders Kazakhstan and Afghanistan in Central Asia.UzSSA sponsored the event to further spread awareness about their culture to the IU community. Current UzSSA President G’ulomjon Azimov said in a speech introducing the event that introducing their culture to IU was a top priority, as many people would mishear or not understand where he was from.“We don’t want that to happen again,” Azimov said, laughing.After the introduction, two award-winning Uzbek pianists studying at the Jacobs School of Music played. One pianist, Gulrukh Shakirova, played a piece she had composed called “Birth of the Universe.” Shakirova has won awards from countries all around the world, including Uzbekistan, France, the United States and Kazakhstan. Brendan Shaw, who began studying violin at the age of 3, then joined the pianists in another song.After the musicians played, IU Fullbright language-teaching assistant and “cultural ambassador” Muparrakh Musaeva performed a traditional Uzbek dance to modern music. “Dance is very important to the Uzbek nation, because we tell all of our emotions, all of our love, through the dance,” Musaeva said. “We are people who love freedom, and our dance shows that.”After her dance, Musaeva attempted to pull all the members of the audience to join her.“Only those with a pure heart can dance,” she said.Khikmatillaeva said they showcased “Voices from Uzbekistan” because the Office of International Services asked them to present their country to campus. This event represented further efforts by UzSSA to create a presence on campus after a successful presentation at the IU World’s Fare during International Education Week in November 2012. At World’s Fare, UzSSA won first place in cultural display. They also performed a play.Khikmatillaeva said this event was Nov. 2. On Nov. 26, the Uzbekistan ambassador to the U.S., IIlhom Nematov, visited the IU campus. She said she believed it was because they had drawn attention by showcasing their culture.Caroline Stokes, a freshman studying Turkish as part of the new Turkish Flagship Program, attended the event because of the cultural experience it offered.“I wanted the chance to explore other cultures in the same area (as Turkey),” Stokes said.Khikmatillaeva said all she wants is a strong presence at IU.“My dream is that our country would be represented at IU, and I’m so happy so many young students are interested,” Khikmatillaeva said.
(01/11/13 5:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Communication education at IU could undergo a massive overhaul if a proposal currently on the provost’s desk is approved by the Board of Trustees later this semester.The proposal, prepared by a faculty committee, provides for the merging of the IU School of Journalism, Department of Telecommunications and Department of Communication and Culture. According to the proposal, cinema and media studies, communications and public culture, journalism, telecommunications and emergent media arts could be part of a new school, tentatively titled the School of Communication, Media and Journalism.“Students would all major in CMJ — instead of the current departments that will be merged,” said John Lucaites, College of Arts and Sciences associate dean for arts and humanities, in an email. Additionally, students could be required to develop concentrations and specializations, which could “cut across the various departments within the school,” said Lucaites, a communication and culture professor.Administrators said students could have increased opportunities, such as a raised visibility in the job market after graduation.“It will raise the visibility of the three units,” Walter Gantz, telecommunications department chair, said. “It will also attract more students from across the nation.”The committee that created the proposal was convened after a meeting between the provost and the deans of the College and the School of Journalism. It was co-chaired by Lucaites and School of Journalism Interim Dean Michael Evans and included faculty from all three academic units.After a series of public meetings, the committee made 15 pages of recommendations.These include a reorganization of the existing academic units and the possible creation of new areas of study. It also provides for some sort of campus-wide cooperation with communication courses in other schools.The committee recommended a new location for the possible school, bringing together faculty and students currently scattered across campus.“The only problem now is it’s too small,” Evans said. “The same is true for the other two schools. We’re in desperate need of space.”The proposal calls for a new building near the IU Cinema to “reflect the evolving, changing communication and media environment.” However, Franklin Hall has been suggested as a possible home for the school, journalism associate professor Owen Johnson said in an email.Student media — including the Indiana Daily Student, Arbutus yearbook, WIUX student radio and IU Student Television — could also move to one location.“Although not discussed in the report proposal, one of the ideas that has been mentioned is to put all student media in one place,” Johnson said. “This could encourage more interaction among student media, not a bad idea in today’s media world.”An old debateThis is not the first attempt by the IU administration to consolidate communication studies in the University. Since the School of Journalism detached from the College — a process completed in the 1980s, according to the school’s website — the question has occasionally been brought up.New Academic Directions, which was commissioned by IU President Michael McRobbie with “the duty, from time to time, to ask hard questions about (IU’s) academic structures,” includes the recommendations of the second faculty committee organized to explore this option.The committee concluded “there is no reason to consider further a reorganization of communication/media studies on the Bloomington campus.”It cited the success of existing programs, a lack of financial benefits and faculty opposition.Similarly, previous attempts at reorganization during former Provost Karen Hanson’s tenure in office did not succeed.“What has been odd about the whole discussion of merger is that it has been pursued by the administration, not from the faculty,” said Johnson. “The first committee that was formed to discuss the subject found that the units in the discussion really didn’t have much in common,” he said. “So a second committee was formed by the administration, and it found a few possible points of cooperation. The committee that met last fall, the third of its kind, was basically told that it must make a proposal.”Cause for changeThe origins of this desire for a new structure are unclear.During town hall meetings with students, staff and faculty in the fall, members of the committee alluded to a rumor that the trustees became aware of some of the redundancies between the units after a family member was unable to count telecommunications courses toward a journalism degree.One problem addressed by the committee is finding a home for broadcast journalism students, who must choose between a telecommunications degree and a journalism degree.“I think it makes sense to put the schools together,” said senior telecommunications major Lauren Morton. “There will be more focus on journalism than ever before.”It is clear that the merger hasn’t been proposed to solve money, research or development problems.“All three are financially strong and productive,” Evans said. “All three are very strong, but most schools did this merger a while ago. We’re really taking advantage of opportunities.”Mixed reviewsOutside the University administration and faculty committee, the proposed merger has been cause for much debate.Town hall meetings conducted by the committee in the fall drew large crowds and often antagonistic opinions, although the currently available proposal did not exist at that time.Kaleigh Bacher, director of membership for the Beth Wood Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America said the merger could be good for public relations students. “I have no place,” she said. “I want to find a home for PR. I feel like PR is the red-headed step-child of the J-School.”Haley Nelson, a journalism student focusing on broadcast and the senior news producer for IU Student Television, said she has mixed feelings about the proposal.“I think if I were to get my major with this plan that it would allow more flexibility and skills,” she said. “But does it still maintain the high quality of journalism skills that I came to IU for?”She and other students also expressed concern about losing the century-long legacy of the School of Journalism.Johnson said he’s concerned the idea of a merger hasn’t been universally accepted, and many details are still foggy because the report is in its early stages and not yet finalized for trustee approval.“It’s almost like an arranged marriage,” he said. “Faculty members in the School of Journalism do not want to be in the College, but after the issuance of the report, individual faculty members in the College tried to suggest that of course the new unit would be in the College. This kind of distrust and backstabbing does not augur well for a new unit.”Moving forwardThe next few steps in the decision process aren’t clear, but they will involve getting the opinions of many specialists in the areas of communications, journalism and telecommunications.“Nothing is finalized,” said Elisabeth Andrews, communications specialist for the Office of the Provost. “It’s a proposal, and the faculty are responding to it. We’re gathering feedback on the report.”The next group to examine the options will be an external committee of professionals in media industries, Evans said.“They’re going to be shown the proposal and asked what they think,” he said. “Would they hire someone that graduated from the program?”Once the final reviews have been completed the proposal will come before the Board of Trustees, likely by the end of the semester.“I think it could improve in some ways, modernize the school, but with the convoluted title, it may convolute the tradition of the school,” Nelson said. “I hope that is maintained.”Michael Auslen contributed additional reporting.