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(03/23/07 4:00am)
This evening, the School of Fine Arts Gallery will open its doors to a vibrant exhibit, with murals and colors splashing the canvases.\nFrom 7 to 9 p.m., the SoFA Gallery will host a reception for a week-long exhibit of Bachelor of Fine Arts Painting and Digital Art. The exhibit will close on Saturday.\nTowering canvases line the walls of the painting exhibit, with portraits of people and different scenes. \nThe gallery is noisy upon entering and video plays for various pieces featured in the digital art section.\nIn the center, a rectangular body of water reflects colors and images as a fish swims about, demonstrating another element of the digital art works, allowing attendees to be interactive in the gallery.\nIn addition, the paintings of the students are available for sale, with prices ranging from $30 to $750.\nRefreshments will be served to all who attend this evening.
(03/23/07 4:00am)
In Patrick O’Meara’s words, the attendees at Thursday evening’s IU African Student Association formal benefit dinner were witnessing something “quite remarkable.”\nBenefiting the nonprofit organization Giving Back Africa, people filled the Grand Hall in the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center awaiting a dinner and educational presentation on the necessary means required to aid the Democratic Republic of Congo, the “heart of Africa.”\n“It is an extraordinary organization,” O’Meara, dean of the international programs, said in his opening remarks. “It’s a humanitarian commitment.”\nPeople came up to the booth outside the hall to donate money for the sold-out event.\nAfrican Student Association President Axelle Atchade, a sophomore, said she was pleased with how the dinner went.\n“I’ve received e-mails from people saying they are sorry they can’t attend the event but are going to donate anyway,” Atchade said. \nSponsored by the association, the dinner benefited Giving Back Africa, which provides service education to help people from Congo to improve the impoverished lifestyle many face.\nMoney raised for the organization will aim to provide opportunities for schooling and meals.\nAdjunct assistant professor Ann Marie Thomson is the co-founder of Giving Back Africa. O’Meara applauded her for her efforts.\n“You don’t need the U.S. economy of commerce to do a statistical annual breakdown to know you are doing things,” O’Meara said. “Africa tends to be overlooked. I hope (Giving Back Africa), Jim, Ann Marie and friends inspire us all to follow in the footsteps.”\nA slide show was presented to educate the packed room about Congo. About 15,000 Africans die each day of preventable or treatable disease, according to the presentation. About 3.9 million deaths have occurred since 1999.\nThe presentation addressed why there isn’t a stable government to control the nation.\nSeveral attendees came out to the event with different backgrounds and interest.\nFreshman Laura Sturm said she was generally interested in the cause. She said in the near future she would like to go to Congo.\nFor junior Laura Tuteral, her involvement in the Invisible Children organization in Uganda inspired her to come. The group also deals closely with the Congo.\nClarke Canedy, a local Bloomington community member, came to the event to support the organization and learn. \n“I don’t know a lot about it, but I hope to gain an understanding of the Congo,” he said.\nThroughout the year, the African Student Association has strived to raise awareness in all events and aspects, said Emaelaf Mesfin Alemu, educational program director.\n“Having this great life, a lot of people don’t know that donating change can provide a meals for a month for a kid down in the Congo,” Alemu said. “The effects will be \nvery big.”
(03/22/07 4:00am)
A Bloomington woman was arrested Tuesday after driving through an intersection and hitting a police car while under the influence of prescription drugs.\nMonaca L. Snyder ran into an unmarked police car that Bloomington Police Department Detective Marty Deckard was driving, BPD Detective Sgt. Jeff Canada said.\nSnyder, 40, was driving through the intersection of Second Street and Patterson Drive around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday when she drifted off Second Street and collided with Deckard’s Ford Taurus. Snyder, who was driving a silver Pontiac Grand Am, was cited with disregard for an auto signal, Canada said. The damage to both cars was moderate, he said, but did not give a monetary estimate.\nDeckard sustained an injury to his left arm and refused medical treatment at the scene, Canada said. Snyder was not hurt in the accident.\nDuring an investigation, several prescription bottles of controlled substances were found. Officers felt she was intoxicated and put her through a series of tests to evaluate if she was intoxicated on prescription drugs while driving, Canada said.
(03/22/07 4:00am)
SHELBYVILLE, Ind.--Wearing a pink jogging suit, Edna Parker sits quietly in her wheelchair. Her bony hands lay in her lap clasped together. \nHer grandson, Don Parker, sits in a rocking chair beside her. Looking up at his grandmother, he converses with her in a familiar way.\nAbout life. About anything. Until she begins to remember.\n“Do you remember when you were born, grandma?” he asks, attempting to jog her memory.\n“No,” she replies softly. \n“Oh you remember the month, I’m sure. What month were you born?”\n“April,” she replies. April 20, 1893, to be exact. \nIn a little less than a month, Edna Parker will be 114. But already at 113, she is the oldest living American. She is also the second oldest woman alive, one of 83 currently living supercentenarians – people who are 110 years old or older. \nYone Minagawa, who is from Japan, is the oldest woman alive at 114, according to the Gerontology Research Group.\nAt the Heritage House Convalescent Center in Shelbyville, where Edna Parker has been living since 1997, she is something of a celebrity.\nParker’s celebrity status is shared, as the world’s tallest woman, Sandy Allen, resides in Heritage as well. Allen stands at 7 feet 7 inches tall.\n“It’s weird because none of us thought about it,” Social Service Director Nadine Davenport said of the two women. “But then multiple phone calls about Edna were received, and I guess we do have a hot one in here. We take care of them both as best we can.”\nShe never worries. She’s always positive. And it’s her perseverance, along with the other two qualities, that Don Parker attributes to her wealth in old age.\nAnother one of Edna’s grandsons, Russell Parker, works on the IU campus as a documentation specialist for the Office of the Registrar.\nRussell Parker lived with his grandmother through his junior high and high school years, before he went away to college.\n“It was very much home. She made it a home,” Russell Parker said of living with Edna. “What I really saw in her, besides being sweet and thoughtful, was her work ethic.”\n“Early to bed, early to rise,” is a motto Russell Parker said his grandmother lives by. Edna Parker lived alone until she was 100. During that time she would wake up between 4:30 and 6:30 a.m. and “get right into it” with her daily chores. \n“Before she was in a nursing home she was always outside, working with flowers,” Don Parker said. With Edna’s upbringing and experience working on a farm, she always enjoyed the outdoors, Don Parker said.\n“Learn to do the common things uncommonly well” is an adage that Russell Parker attributes to his grandmother. \n“That is a foundation for me, and I would say she has given me a deep sense of rootedness because when I moved in with her she was in her early 80s, so there was just a steadiness and wisdom about her,” Russell Parker said. “During certain times you can really see what we were taught as kids in the book of proverbs.”\nEdna Parker frequently recites poetry, along with getting in her daily sleep, during her days at Heritage.\n“She likes to get up and go for a walk occasionally, and she loves listening to the girls play the piano,” Davenport, the social service director, said. \nWith their lucky gene inheritances, supercentenarians like Edna Parker live long and leave others, like Davenport, questioning how they can live so long.\n“Other than God, I have no clue, but it’s amazing,” she said of Edna Parker’s age. “It’s just hard for me to calculate or imagine being alive for 113 years. But we just keep thinking she is an angel and has a purpose but it hasn’t been fulfilled yet.”
(03/22/07 4:00am)
This evening the IU African Students Association is sponsoring a formal benefit dinner to raise awareness and donations for the nonprofit organization Giving Back Africa.\nGiving Back Africa is a service educational group that helps the people of the Congo and gives college students the opportunity to volunteer there.\nSophomore Axelle Atchade said she just wants people to come to the event, because it doesn’t matter who you are or whether you are from the Congo, because the heart of Africa affects everyone.\n“Congo is located in the center of Africa,” said Atchade, who is also the president of the African Students Association. “If it is in turmoil or war, it affects other countries and nations, like the resources you get, like oil, are from Africa. It’s really important to help out; it benefits worldwide and not just the Congo.”\nAtchade passionately expresses the importance of the event taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. this evening in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center aiming to bring awareness to Giving Back Africa.\nTickets will be sold at the door at a cost of $10 for students and $20 for nonstudents.\nThe goal of $3,000 in donations and ticket sales is small but necessary to help the Congo, Atchade said. \nThe event is sponsored by the African Students Association as part of an educational initiative for donations to continue awareness for the ongoing need to help the development of Africa.\n“Giving Back Africa provides more educational opportunities for students in the Congo,” Atchade said. “There is an orphanage they sponsor, and they sponsor students by having them commit two years after they graduate to service in the Congo.”\nShe also said money raised will aid the government and other necessities Congo needs.\n“The Congo has gone through a really hard time and it has caused the country to be in terrible condition,” Atchade said. “Many areas don’t have any opportunities to go to school.”\nGiving Back Africa strives to provide schooling in areas where students cannot afford education.\nAtchade said she hopes at least 150 people come to the event.\n“We are providing more awareness for Giving Back Africa and the Congo because a lot of people don’t know or hear about the Congo and that it is desperately in need,” she said. “They need all the money and donations they can get.”\nA four-course African meal will be served, so attendees will be able to learn about African life and the organization, Atchade said. \nAnn Thomson, an adjunct assistant professor at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, grew up in the Congo and helped bring the foundation of Giving Back Africa to the IU campus with her husband.\n“I feel deeply committed to keeping Africa on the radar screens – it’s easily forgotten,” Thomson said. “The Congo is one of the countries that is not in the news much. Giving Back Africa will give us the opportunity to tell our role and have our story to educate the public.”\nOne of things that will be discussed at the dinner will be Congo’s wealth and how the Congolese people could better benefit from it. \n“I hope people will come away from the event with a greater appreciation for the Congo and the people, that is most important,” Thomson said. “That is most important.”
(03/21/07 4:00am)
IU’s student-run radio station WIUX-LP may be able to remain on the FM frequency after all.\nWIUX Station Manager Zach Pollakoff said it is unknown where the station will end up on the dial, but it will be different from the current 100.3 FM station they currently have.\nIn the fall the Federal Communications Commission notified WIUX that the country station WYGB, which broadcasts out of Columbus, Ind., and also occupies the 100.3 frequency, decided to double its broadcast range, overriding the broadcast power of WIUX. IU’s station operates from a low-power signal, making the station secondary on the 100.3 frequency and by FCC law, was legally required to be “kicked off” from the frequency it shared with nearby WYGB, Pollakoff said.\nSenators Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th, recently sent a letter to the FCC’s chairman for consideration that WIUX be kept on the air, according to a news release.\nPollakoff said WIUX recently struck an agreement with Commonwealth Broadcasting in northern Kentucky, which plans to help WIUX find a new frequency.\n“The letter (from Bayh, Lugar and Hill) is assisting us in receiving the other frequency,” Pollakoff said. \nFor 40 years, WIUX had been working to raise money to gain an FM signal, Pollakoff said.\nAfter the FCC granted WIUX a license in 2005, they finally went to an FM signal on Jan. 30, 2006, for the 100.3 station.\nPollakoff said that with the help of congressmen’s statement, WIUX has been able to stay on the 100.3 frequency for the last few months.\n“It is in some ways a small victory, but the decision is still pending,” Pollakoff said.\nPollakoff affirms that broadcasts will continue, and the station will never give up their 24 hour broadcasting over the Internet at www.wiux.org. \n“We appreciate the words from Bayh, Lugar and Hill,” Pollakoff said. “I personally appreciate their support of the station and we feel supported by the University. It’s a real great feeling to have.”
(03/20/07 4:00am)
The Residence Halls Association is preparing to fight the prospect that Residential Programs and Services’ dining services might be outsourced.\nAn evaluation of RPS food services would occur at some point after the discussion of the possible IU Bookstore outsourcing, said Pat Connor, executive director of RPS. \n“I know they are still finalizing the decisions regarding Motor Pool contracting, and the IU Bookstore is still out in discussion,” Connor said. \nConnor said that talks would then arise regarding the process for food services.\nWith the potential that RPS dining services will be outsourced, the Residence Halls Association is planning to do something if this possibility becomes a reality. Although nothing is official, RHA representatives have discussed petitions, among other possibilities, said sophomore Allie Korosi, director of media relations for RHA. \n“I know they are interested as a student body taking and making a statement on the outsourcing situation,” Connor said. “And as a student government body, that is well within their privilege to take it up as an issue.”\nRHA elects and appoints the student membership of the meal plan committee, which has a large involvement in making decisions about food services, Connor said.\nIf RPS dining services are outsourced, it can affect student jobs, along with the other positions held by community members, Korosi said. \nKorosi explained that the meal plan committee is involved in a lot of dining operations and spearheaded projects such as organic options and replacing the Read Center McDonald’s with a different dining choice for next year.\n“The student influence is greatly at stake,” she said regarding the potential loss of student jobs and input on committees such as the meal plan committee.\nIn addition, Korosi said a possible effect is that on-campus dining options would be limited if outsourcing did occur. She mentioned the possibility that Read’s three dining areas could be consolidated if outsourced. \nWhile it is still uncertain what will happen with RPS dining services, Korosi said that no matter the decision, RHA will be ready to make a statement if outsourcing is the option chosen. \nDespite the concerns among students, many administrators have said that sometimes outsourcing is financially the best option. \nThe idea for outsourcing has been an ongoing discussion as IU attempts to find more money, said IU trustee William Cast. \nWhile Cast did not say whether he favored outsourcing the dining services, he said that looking for ways to save money on the operation side is the mission. \nHe said IU shouldn’t end its discussions on outsourcing. Every area where money can be saved is being looked into, Cast said.
(03/19/07 4:00am)
After spending less than a week in New Orleans, sophomore Alex Alderson already knows he will be returning in the near future and hopes to return annually.\nOver spring break, Alderson, the community service chair for his fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and his brothers, made a trip down to the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina to help in the relief efforts.\n“It was my first time going to New Orleans and I really want to make this an annual thing,” Alderson said. “So much needs to be done there. It’s a great city and I loved it. … Everybody is so nice and a bunch of volunteers had us over to their house for dinner.”\nThe fraternity came to campus in 2001, and as a smaller, lesser-known brotherhood, is currently working on community service efforts to “do something good,” Alderson said.\nBeacon of Hope was the volunteering organization working with the fraternity. \n“It just blew my mind how much destruction is still down there so long after (the hurricane) happened,” Alderson said. “It’s not really in anybody’s mind anymore, but whole neighborhoods are just wrecked and water lines have risen and receded.”\nMost of the volunteer work the fraternity aided in involved helping residential neighborhoods prepare houses for sale so money can be put back into the economy and rebuilding can continue.\nThe brothers removed rock and debris from lawns, in addition to painting over graffiti that was destroying part of the levee, said sophomore Andrew Herrick.\nHerrick and sophomore Vince Marshall, two brothers who went on the trip, plan to go back to New Orleans in the summer and continue to volunteer.\n“It’s just crazy,” Herrick said. “Some parts of the neighborhood we were in had houses that were built up beautifully, but the house next door would be overgrown with weeds with nothing done.” \nThe inconsistency in the subdivisions was one of the main things Herrick said he noticed.\n“Some people don’t have the funds to come back and rebuild their house, obviously that is a huge operation,” he said. “But so many houses in the neighborhoods had nothing done to them.” \nMarshall said lines were visible on the houses where the water had risen up to. \n“Some of the houses were completely gutted,” Marshall said. “We helped clean up the houses in the neighborhood the best we could.”
(03/19/07 4:00am)
Paul Rohwer wanted to light up a cigar when he first heard the news that IU is taking steps to open a health clinic, which will provide medical and dental care for graduate students, employees and their families.\n“I’m sending President Herbert my congratulations,” said Rohwer, moderator of the IU Graduate and Professional Student Organization.\nResearch and teaching assistants will also benefit from the clinic.\nIU’s plan is for the clinic to operate similar to the IU Health Center. While no decisions have been made about where and when the clinic will open or who will operate it, construction plans are in the works. \n“Dental coverage is a concern for most graduate students,” Rohwer said. “Graduate students with families and children will be provided general health care at a lower cost.”\nRohwer said he heard that “people are high-fiving each other,” and he said the general consensus is that the clinic is “fantastic.”\nRohwer said graduate and international students had discussed changes to University-provided insurance this year in an effort to benefit both groups. \nWith the new clinic, Rohwer feels this will benefit everyone the new clinic will cover.\nLast year, health premiums increased by about 60 percent, Rohwer said. About three-fourth of dependents of those insured were unable to be covered by the University because of the high cost, he said.\nDescribing himself as a “cheerleader” of the plan, Rohwer could not be happier with the University’s initiative to open this clinic for employees, families and graduate students. \n“Throughout the year, deans and faculty have made the University aware that it is important for recruitment and retainment,” Rohwer said of having benefits, quality medical and dental coverage.
(03/09/07 5:00am)
When Sunday morning rolls around and tired students prepare to turn their clocks ahead one hour at 2 a.m. for daylight-saving time, the bars and taverns in Indiana will stay open until 3 a.m. before springing forward.\nThe bars will remain open until 3 a.m. and then change to the appropriate daylight time.\nGov. Mitch Daniels said the bars will stay open an extra hour Sunday until 3 a.m., regardless of daylight saving time. \nThis rule allows the bars to stay open for an hour that normally would be used for business if daylight-saving time did not occur.\n“The bars can stay open the normal hours and we won’t have to shift the time,” said Brad Klopfenstein, executive director for the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association.\nKlopfenstein said business will be normal Sunday morning for all the bars. He said since bars are small businesses, an hour lost between 2 and 3 a.m. is a significant difference.\nIf the bars were to close an hour earlier than normal, about $250,000 would be lost, Klopfenstein said.\n“We think this is good for business,” he said. “It keeps the bars on the normal revenue flow.”\nKilroy’s Sports Bar manager Mike Brown said he doesn’t think daylight-saving time will affect business because “everyone knows when the bar is closing and to get the drinks before it closes.”\nJake’s Nightclub will be closed from March 9 until March 18, honoring IU’s spring-break schedule, unaffected by the daylight-saving time switch.\nJunior Brittany Tourville said she thinks this rule for the time change makes sense for the bars.\nMost people, she said, will probably be drunk, so they won’t realize daylight-saving time is in effect.\nEven though he doesn’t drink alcohol, junior Ryan Allison said he thinks people will adapt to the time change and accept it as it comes.\nAllison said that regardless of whether the bar closed early for daylight-saving time or stayed open later, people would still be aware of the closing time and be sure to grab drinks beforehand.\nFor Nick’s English Hut, the same mentality applies.\n“We don’t think much of it one way or another – it’s just the fact of daylight-saving time,” Nick’s front bartender Carey Pittman said.\n“The one night when they change gives us the same hour if there wasn’t daylight-saving time. It doesn’t affect us. Instead, it gives us the same amount of hours if there was no daylight-saving time.”
(03/08/07 5:00am)
Conversation proved to be friendly yet intriguing Wednesday in the State Room East of the Indiana Memorial Union, as Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels enjoyed lunch with 16 student leaders.\nWith silverware clattering as people ate, sophomore Rebeca Hernandez posed a question to the governor, who was sitting across the table.\nShe asked Daniels how he thought the education system needed to be improved. She said there is a lack of preparation for high-school seniors making the move to college.\n“You’re absolutely right,” Daniels said. “The system needs improvement from end to end.”\nIU Student Association President Betsy Henke and Vice President Andrew Lauck, along with president-elect W.T. Wright, also attended.\nThe Interfraternity Council, Black Student Union, OUT, Residence Halls Association and Twenty-First Century Scholars attended the lunch as well.\nDaniels welcomed the campus leaders, commending them for their leadership and saying he was happy to see the campus groups.\nStudents actively questioned Daniels about higher education, the domestic-partners benefit act and the privatization of the lottery.\n“If someone has a better idea about the lottery, then I’d say let’s hear it,” Daniels said. He said the lottery is intended to invest money in research and provide potential growth for IU funding such as scholarships.\nDaniels said higher-education standards are rising everywhere, and Indiana schools are no exception. But with the higher standards comes a higher percentage of students who enroll in a four-year university but don’t finish, Daniels said.\n“Indiana has a long, long, long way to go,” Daniels said. “I don’t think any of the schools should be satisfied with where they are.”\nSenior D’Anna Wade, president of the Black Student Union, asked Daniels if he thought incoming IU president Michael McRobbie’s goal to double minority enrollment is realistic.\nDaniels said that in addition to preparing students for the transition to college, high schools need to provide extra programs for minority students who might need it.\nSenior Kim Ruggles, president of OUT for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services, asked Daniels what he thought of the Domestic Partner Benefits Program and what will happen if it passes.\n“The passion is high, and I would hope that the folks on each side recognize the sincerity of the other party,” Daniels said. \nRuggles expressed concern for the future of IU and the GLBT program. If the plan does pass, she said, as it might prevent some students from considering IU.\n“I hope that won’t happen,” Daniels said. “The last thing this state needs is further division.”
(03/07/07 5:00am)
At a meeting Tuesday, the Bloomington Faculty Council discussed a proposal for an academic calendar year including a Labor Day holiday and a fall semester midterm recess.\nThis is the first time the council has brought this up for discussion since 1991, following a recommendation from the Council’s Calendar and Schedule Committee. Under this suggestion by BFC member William Wheeler, a midterm recess would mean the fall semester would begin a week earlier than under the current calendar. The proposed midterm recess would be inserted during the ninth week of the semester from Sunday until Tuesday, following the eighth week, during which most midterm exams are given.\nThanksgiving break and final exams would remain unchanged. The spring semester would remain the same.\nIf the proposal is approved, the first summer session would start one day earlier, but would be shortened by one day with class periods increasing by five minutes for three credit courses.\nThe second summer session would follow the same guidelines, but begin two days earlier and shorten two days as well. Both summer sessions would start during the usual weeks, and Memorial Day and July 4th would remain holidays as well.\nHowever, the break between the second summer session and the fall semester orientation and registration week would be reduced from nine to six days.\nBFC President Ted Miller said that the Bloomington campus does have calendar problems and, in the past, the calendar committee has proposed solutions to problems involving the asymmetric calendar, Labor Day and the fall break issue.\nA fall break would allow students and faculty to begin the second half of the semester refreshed, and students may feel less encouraged to leave early for Thanksgiving, Wheeler said during his presentation. \nBut with the addition of days off in the calendar, Intensive Freshman Seminars would have to begin a week earlier, and faculty and students with summer commitments, such as theater and music festivals, would be later returning to campus than under the current calendar, Wheeler said.\nMiller said that more time will be spent discussing the calendar issue and possible solutions to make progress, and the issue will be continued again at the next BFC meeting on March 20.\nThe earliest any changes could be implemented would be Fall 2008.\nIn addition, the BFC discussed the Domestic Partner Benefits Program, which was briefly mentioned during the last board of trustees meeting March 2.\nThe Indiana General Assembly is proposing an amendment to the state Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. In addition, it states that neither the Constitution or other state law should be interpreted to “require that marital status or the legal incidents of marriage be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.”\nThe BFC supports the continued provision of benefits to domestic partners of IU employees as directed by the board of trustees’ policy set Sept. 14, 2001. \nIn addition, the BFC expressed “confidence” that these benefits will continue to be voluntarily provided by IU regardless of the outcome of the state amendment.\nA unanimous vote was passed to forward to the trustees. \nAt the meeting, discussion circulated regarding research appointments and representation for non-tenure track faculty as well. \nIn addition, the BFC made a statement enthusiastically welcoming incoming President Michael McRobbie, mentioning that they are looking forward to working with him in the future.
(03/07/07 5:00am)
After nearly eight hours, only about 135 students voted in the Residence Halls Association elections at Read Center, one of the 11 residence halls where votes could be cast. \nBut at Forest Quad, the numbers were even lower, with only 10 ballots cast.\nOn Tuesday, students could vote between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. in their respective residence center for the RHA elections.\n“It’s frustrating,” said sophomore Andrew Webb, president of Forest Quad, regarding the number of voters. “But it happens. The lack of advertising affected it, and we just received information yesterday to (work at the) poll.”\nAt Read Center, election commissioners enthusiastically asked any student passing by if they had voted yet, and one passerby even commented she “didn’t know how to vote.”\nThe response from the poll commissioner was, “it’s easy, just circle!”\n“People seem willing, if you catch people’s attention,” said sophomore Greg Jackson, vice president of finance for Read, who managed the polls. “Some people knew what RHA was, but some people needed an explanation.”\nJackson said most students were willing to vote once they knew of the election.\nForest resident assistant Savanah Franklin said Read’s layout allows students to pass by the center part of the building frequently. She admitted that if she didn’t have to go to Forest’s center building, she wouldn’t, and so the lack of votes for Forest could have resulted because the poll was located there.\nAfter conversations with many students, it was clear that lack of knowledge about RHA and elections contributed to a majority of students not voting.\n“I didn’t know enough about the people running, maybe if I knew of the candidates I would’ve voted,” said freshman Amy Kerr, a Teter Quadrangle resident.\nSophomore Meg Tresenriter said “I have no idea what it is,” regarding RHA elections.\nOther students said they were too preoccupied with studies.\n“We have an organic test,” said freshman Angela Liu, a resident of Read, while sitting with friends studying. “We’re preoccupied and not familiar with the elections.” \n“The Channel 4 News Team,” ran unopposed in the executive election. Sophomore Adam Pozza, elected RHA president, received 481 yes votes, and 31 no votes. \nElected vice president of internal affairs, sophomore Luke Fields won with 476 yes votes and 35 no votes. \nSarah Colan, elected vice president of student affairs, won with 480 yes votes and 29 no votes, while fellow sophomore Dan Sloat was elected to serve as vice president of programming with 474 yes votes and 33 no votes. \nThe results will not be made official until 7 p.m. this evening, as long as nothing is contested, said junior Meg Palm, current vice president of programming for RHA.\nThe newly elected RHA executives will not take office until April 1, and the current executive board will remain in office until then. \nThe elected officials for each of the 11 residence halls for president positions will not take office until then either.\nAll residence centers voted to select a president except for Eigenmann Center, Forest Quad and McNutt Quad, because no one ran for those positions.
(03/06/07 5:00am)
During Little 500 weekend, students will have the opportunity to attend a Three 6 Mafia concert, in addition to performances by Yellowcard and O.A.R.\nThe concert, which the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity will host on April 19, will be general admission. Tickets will start off at $30, although concert chair and sophomore Jonathan Wolf said the fraternity hopes to have VIP tickets and other incentives for buying tickets ahead of time. \n“They are really hot right now,” Wolf said of the group. Wolf said that through a hometown connection, he was able to bring the Oscar-winning band to IU.\nThe hip-hop rappers from Memphis, Tenn., won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006 for the song “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” from the movie “Hustle & Flow.”\nTickets will be available to students after spring break through the fraternity, and more information will be available at www.iuaepi.net.\nA portion of proceeds from all ticket sales will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, as part of the fraternity’s spring philanthropy project, Wolf said. \n“We are bringing a new flavor to Little 5 right now with O.A.R and Yellowcard. ... We are going to bring a different genre that will boost popularity,” Wolf said. \nSocial chair and sophomore Daniel Kuniansky said that like last year, when the fraternity hosted Bubba Sparxxx, “It is going to be the same fun and energetic atmosphere.”\nSenior Kelli Lovingfoss said she thinks every year Little 500 seems to go with punk groups, which is a genre she likes. \n“It would be nice, though, to bring in rap, hip-hop or a female artist,” she said, adding that she will probably go see O.A.R.\nFreshman Meredith Lord likes Three 6 Mafia but said her musical tastes vary depending on the situation. If she goes out, she likes to listen to rap.\n“I think Three 6 Mafia is fun for Little 5, and I’ll probably go,” she said. “I feel it is a good mix, there seems to be rap and punk music.” \nWhile he ideally would like to see Incubus, freshman Adam Mendelevitz said that if people like Three 6 Mafia, they will go to the show. \n“I’m just not big on Three 6 Mafia,” he said. “Yellowcard reminds me of mall punk … if you can find it at Hot Topic, it is mall punk.”\nOn the other hand, sophomore Nicole Palmer has a different view of Three 6 Mafia.\n“I’ve heard of them, they’re a good choice,” she said. “O.A.R. and Yellowcard are good choices too. There are a lot of bands that appeal to students, so they will come out to see them.”
(03/06/07 5:00am)
The Willkie Auditorium appeared empty Monday evening, as three candidates waited in suits for students to come and ask questions about the future of the Residence Halls Association. \nBut not a single student showed up at the forum for the candidates of the only ticket running in the RHA executive elections.\nThe ticket, “Channel 4 News Team,” has four candidates, but sophomore Luke Fields, running for vice president of internal affairs, is currently studying abroad in Lima, Peru and was not present. \nVoting for RHA is today from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Students must be living in the residence halls and vote in their respective hall’s center desk, presenting an IU student ID. \nSophomore Sarah Colan, who is running for vice president of student affairs, mentioned the rise in student apathy this year, as IUSA experienced similar problems last week when only about 1,000 votes were cast for the one ticket running.\n“Next year, we will focus on improving the involvement and excitement for students to run and be excited,” Colan said.\nAdam Pozza, a sophomore running for RHA president, said that because there is only one ticket running, the ticket is going to win either way.\n“IUSA had the same problem with only 1,000 votes for their Congress when in the past they’ve had 7,000 to 8,000 votes,” Pozza said. “It’s been an interesting election season, with IUSA and RHA.” \nSophomore Daniel Sloat, running for vice president of programming, said that students shouldn’t feel that because only a certain amount of people vote then only those people care. \nThe only thing that would stop students from voting is the one-ticket ballot; students feel their votes don’t matter anyway, Pozza said.\n“Tomorrow will be different,” Pozza said Monday night. “There is only one ticket and there won’t be any competition.”\nInstead of competing against another ticket in today’s election, Colan said encouraging students to vote will be the main concern.\nShe said that the student apathy is “really strange,” and she attributes that to the new RHA constitution because of the ideas implemented. \nThis year was the first year the new construction of the constitution was in place, with the three candidates present mentioning that the RHA administration had to struggle against that. \nOne difference in the constitution is that this year, meetings included the presidents from the 11 residence halls in addition to two delegates – tripling the size of the meetings and making it difficult for names and people to be learned, Colan said.\n“We learned this year what changes to make in order for things to work next year,” Pozza said.\nPozza, Colan and Sloat acknowledged that their party announced their candidacies early, noting that because they each have had experience with RHA positions since their freshman year, the factor may have scared away others who considered running, as well.\nFor next year, the platform consists of allowing people to know support is available at the RHA level. In addition, RHA represents nearly all freshman on campus living in residence halls, “people who are so new to college, that they don’t know not how to represent themselves,” Fields said in an e-mail.\nPozza said goals will be to increase retention and quality of housing for students, along with better programming involvement for students.\n“If students are involved in active programming, it is likely that they will know this is a good place to live and like going to the activities,” Pozza said. \nThe greek system works because people enjoy the events and the atmosphere and there is a good amount of interest, Pozza said.\n“(Incoming) President (Michael) McRobbie said he wants to update to the 21st century,” Pozza said. “It is a great opportunity to work with him in the upcoming months.”\nOnce elected to their positions, the candidates hope to create more social events for people to get to know each other. Pozza said that in the summer, he plans to take the time to approach the orientation team and ask for five to 10 minutes to speak to students to get the word out about RHA. \nEven now, as president of Briscoe Quad, Pozza said he is taking the time to help a student interested in running for the president position for next year. \nSloat is currently president of Ashton, Colan is director of environmentalism, while Fields is the former president of Eigenmann.\n“We have something unique as we come from different dorms,” Sloat said.\nColan agreed, saying, “We’re different people, but we’re all very passionate.”
(03/05/07 5:00am)
Stay classy, IU.\nAt least, that’s the tag line of Channel 4 News Team – the only ticket running this year in the Residence Halls Association elections.\nMeg Palm, vice president of programming and one of the election commissioners, said student interest changes from year to year, which influences the number of tickets. Two tickets ran last year, she said.\nPalm said some people are remaining in their presidential positions for each of the Residence Halls.\nThe lack of competition reflects last week’s IU Student Association elections, when the Hoosier ticket ran unopposed.\nFrom 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, dorm-dwelling students are invited to go to their respective residence-hall centers and place votes for candidates running for the four executive RHA positions. In addition, votes are to select presidents of each of the 11 residence halls and other positions unique to each hall.\nTo vote, students must live in the residence halls. After presenting their University IDs, they can vote at their halls’ center desks.\nChannel 4 News Team, which took its name from the 2004 movie “Anchorman,” is made up of four students.\nSophomore Adam Pozza is running for president, Luke Fields for vice president of internal affairs, sophomore Sarah Colan for vice president of student affairs and sophomore Daniel Sloat for vice president of programming.\nPalm estimated about 700 to 800 students voted last year. She encourages students to vote this year. \nThe four candidates will be holding a forum at 8 p.m. today in the Willkie Auditorium to take questions from students about their platform.
(03/05/07 5:00am)
Along with Yellowcard and O.A.R. concerts during Little 500 weekend, students will have the opportunity to attend the show by Three 6 Mafia, being brought to IU by Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.\nThe concert, which will be hosted on April 19, will be general admission, with a range of ticket prices. Tickets will start off at $30, but concert chair and sophomore Jonathan Wolf said the fraternity hopes to have VIP tickets, and other incentives for buying tickets ahead of time. \n"They are really hot right now," Wolf said of the group. Wolf said that through a hometown connection, he was able to bring the Oscar-winning band to IU.\nThe hip-hop rappers from Memphis won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006 for the song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from the movie "Hustle & Flow."\nTickets will be available to students after Spring Break through the fraternity, and more information will be available at www.iuaepi.net.
(03/02/07 5:00am)
After receiving the news that IU Interim Provost Michael McRobbie will be the University’s 18th president, former IU President John Ryan extended him a warm welcome, and he said he hopes others will do the same.\n“I would be happy to tell him, advise him, that the University is filled with people – faculty, alumni, students – that want him to succeed and will help him to succeed, and he should be open to listen to them,” he said. “... I am delighted that we will have a pretty seamless transition.”\nIU law professor Fred Cate said, “Absolutely, absolutely,” when asked if he felt the trustees were correct in choosing McRobbie.\n“It was great news,” Cate said. “Not unexpected, but very welcome.”\nCate said he has worked with McRobbie on a number of matters, including technology initiatives.\nThis is the first time the trustees have selected a president from within the University since Ryan was selected in 1971.\n“McRobbie has been involved in all major actions and decisions, and one of the main advantages is that since he understands them, he can carry them forward,” Ryan said. “I am sure he will have his own ideas and visions and so he will implement them, but he will help carry forward in a very constructive way what has already been put in place.”\nIU Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, who has known McRobbie since McRobbie came to IU 10 years ago, said he has “an extraordinary list of achievements that he has accomplished.” Gros Louis added that he is impressed with what McRobbie has done in the last year as interim provost.\n“He is well-known in the state, and because of his international reputation in technology, the business leaders will be very responsive to him,” Gros Louis said.\nIU-Fort Wayne Chancellor Michael Wartell said he felt the trustees “chose the person they believe will advance IU to the greatest extent.” McRobbie will do a great job as president representing all eight campuses, he said.\nRobert B. Jones, associate vice president for life sciences at IU, said that although he doesn’t know McRobbie well, he still feels he is qualified to be president.\n“He has done some fantastic things with computer science, which is an interest to us because of the type of computer capabilities information science now has,” he said. “It is critical to the things we are trying to do in Life Sciences at the School of Medicine and IU, and McRobbie will provide great leadership.”\nIU chemistry professor Ted Widlanski said he is not surprised, as he said he thinks a lot of people thought McRobbie was the leading candidate. \n“I think they chose him because they knew him well – they worked with him,” Widlanski said. “McRobbie has excellent qualifications.” \nWidlanski said McRobbie’s intelligence and energy will benefit the presidency as he understands the campus and the needs well.\n“McRobbie knows what the problems are on this campus and the agenda that needs fixing – a huge job, because when things are ignored for a long time, fixing is not overnight,” Widlanski said. “We haven’t really had anyone that really understands the problems this campus has.”\nCate said McRobbie’s long successful track record is an admirable quality in his new presidential status. “Just look at our technology infrastructure,” Cate said.\nDr. Ora Pescovitz, CEO of Riley Hospital for Children, was the other presidential finalist. \n“There is no doubt, both would be excellent choices,” Cate said. “McRobbie is a little more seasoned. ... He has more experience in a university-wide job. There is no question that the trustees had a difficult time making a choice between the two candidates.”\nGros Louis speculates that McRobbie’s inside experience with the University made him a more hirable candidate, as he is “in the middle of things here” and knows all the campuses well because of the information and technology and University-wide research.\n“Ora is a very smart and marvelous person, but it would be a learning experience for her,” Gros Louis said, “where Michael is ready to step into the job as if it is tomorrow.”\nCate said he thinks the University will face big challenges in terms of funding and competition with other institutions, along with dealing with research and technology in a fast-paced world, but he thinks McRobbie will lead these challenges well.\n“He is bold, visionary,” Cate said. “I think, because he comes from such a information-technology background, there will be people waiting to see him demonstrate that he can address other areas.”\nCate noted that this evidence has already been seen, as the Life Science Initiative has been progressing well. \n“He is going to face challenges that every new president does,” Cate said. “He is just the man to move this institution forward.”
(03/01/07 5:00am)
The bulk of students at IU probably don't consider Bloomington an important music city. Sure, a lot of music comes through the Bluebird, they might think. And yeah, bands come and play for Little 500 every year up on the Jordan extension. The average student may even know that a student station that broadcasts on 100.3 FM (ya know, WIUX?) holds shows at the studio pretty regularly. But what every student may not realize is how important Bloomington is to the national music community. \nSo this week's Live From the BeeHive will be a brief refresher course in Bloomington's own record labels, an intro to the distribution companies and an entirely too-long string of band names that you will later Google to realize what you've been missing out on.\nSecretly Canadian, Bloomington's most prominent record label, is located on West Second Street. The label was started 11 years ago by Ben and Chris Swanson (yes, brothers and both WIUX alumni), Eric Weddle (who skipped town to start Family Vineyard Records in Lafayette, and Jonathon Cargill (who goes by JC, how cool is that?). Eleven years and more than 100 releases later, Secretly Canadian has made a name for itself. \nSecretly has an incredibly diverse catalog. Carrying local artists The Impossible Shapes, Horns of Happiness, Early Day Miners and others, Secretly caters to the Bloomington music scene. These bands collaborate on many projects and help spread the music love in the BeeHive by playing locally and assisting management at the artist community/venue, The Art Hospital. \nBut Secretly is not an exclusively local label. Swedes Jens Lekman and Frida Hyvönen both have releases on the label. Damien Jurado is from Seattle, the Danielson Famile is from the Armpit of America, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness --as dramatic as that sounds -- reside in Austin, Texas, and Catfish Haven and Magnolia Electric Co. (ex-songs: Ohia) both live in Chicago.\nSecretly Canadian poster boy of 2005 is the androgynous Antony Hegarty (Antony and the Johnsons), a British transgender singer/songwriter who scored a Mercury Music Prize in 2005 for the album I Am a Bird Now. \nAs a testament to the incestuous nature of the Bloomington music scene, Secretly Canadian's sister label, local Jagjaguwar, is owned and operated by Secretly exec Chris Swanson and pal Darius Van Arman. \nJagjaguwar is home to awesome indie acts like Black Mountain, Okkervil River, Odawas, Wilderness, Onieda, Ad Aspera Per Astra and the list goes on. Just like its sister label, Jagjaguwar does its best to be incredibly diverse, unreasonably awesome and support local hardcore.\nThis week the Swanson brothers, Van Arman and JC announced a third label, Dead Oceans. In collaboration with ex-Misra Records label manager Phil Waldorf, Dead Oceans already has a full 2007 lineup. Bishop Allen, The Dirty Projectors, Iran and Evangelicals will all release albums on the brand-spankin' new label. \nThe Swansons must have learned a lot in kindergarten. They are all about sharing. Dead Oceans shares a few old Secretly artists and along with Jagjaguwar, the three share owners, management, office space and a distribution company.\nSC Distribution, as it's called, is sort of at the middle of it all. SC distributes albums from 17 record labels from all over the country including K (The Blow), Asthmatic Kitty (Sufjan Stevens) and Orange Twin (Neutral Milk Hotel). Distribution is not a part of the business listeners often consider, but it is entirely essential to the music business. And with the list of artists SC distributes, we'd be nowhere without them.
(03/01/07 5:00am)
Last year was phenomenal for Mexican directors, what with Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth," Alfonso Cuarón's "Children of Men" and Alejandro González Iñárritu's "Babel" all ranking among 2006's top films. Iñárritu's third excellent feature in a row, after the ruthless "Amores Perros" and even more unforgiving "21 Grams," cements his status as one of the most talented directors in the business today, wielding a distinctive style of coarse realism and chronology-shifting, life-connecting narrative. \n"Babel" is a story about communication and more specifically, a fundamental lack thereof between different cultures and peoples on our planet. I kept waiting for Strother Martin to pop up and deliver his famous line from "Cool Hand Luke." Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are American tourists enduring a life-and-death situation in rural Morocco, Rinko Kikuchi is a deaf-mute Tokyo teen seeking affection in all the wrong ways with all the wrong people, and Adriana Barraza and Gael García Bernal are Mexicans eventually trapped in a desperate catch-22 with border police. \nThe true stars of "Babel," aside from cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and Iñárritu, are Kikuchi and Barraza. These women, both nominated for this year's Best Supporting Actress Oscar (which they unfortunately lost to Jennifer Hudson), give performances that will break your heart. Kikuchi gives the most emotive performance I've ever seen from a person with no audible lines, and Barraza's plight elicits chills in the film's climactic scenes. "Babel's" ultimate message seems to be that humans need to learn to communicate with one another more effectively or else, and Kikuchi and Barraza's characters are embodiments of the sadness, confusion and tragedy the lack of communication -- whether biological or mandated by law -- can render. \nThat glaring F you see for a supplements grade is there because there are no supplements on this one-disc edition, prompting the immediate questions of why and whether a more definitive edition is on the horizon. Let's assume that Iñárritu and Paramount wanted to let the film speak for itself and ignore the possibility that there was a strategic play to get the disc on shelves before Oscar night. "Babel" is the kind of expansive, emotionally exhausting work that wouldn't have needed any such help in the Best Picture race. \nIn an advertisement for British Telecom, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking once said that "mankind's greatest achievements have come about by talking and its greatest failures by not talking." Assisted by Prieto's remarkable cinematography, Iñárritu's assured direction and another fine, slow-building score by Gustavo Santaolalla, the entire cast of "Babel" bring an immediacy to their predicaments that makes this a pertinent story not just about the state of their characters, but about our world and its stubbornly incommunicative condition.