42 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/02/10 5:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The [RED]EFINE and Vote Naked! tickets have campaigned, and today students in the residence halls will be offered the opportunity to vote.“I’m very excited to see who will be the new administration of executive members,” said senior Jessica Schul, current Residence Halls Association president. “They are all great individuals that I’m sure will do great things with RHA.”Eligible students can vote from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today in residence halls across campus to elect a new administration to represent student concerns in the dorms.The RHA board works closely with residence hall administrators on issues related to living in the halls, RHA adviser Sarah Nagy said.This includes a voice in formulating meal plans, determining how space will be utilized, input into learning communities and seats on the Campus Housing Advisory Committee. Schul said her year in presidency has been a good one. She said she has seen this year’s directors really take on the programming initiative to increase collaborations with other organizations and add variety to the events.One administrative organization the board works closely with is Residence Programming Services, by sitting in on meetings and representing the residents. Michael Coleman, junior and vice president of internal affairs, said one example of its influence was the energy drink controversy the board faced this year. When RPS was against adding energy drinks to the C-stores because it would put a strain on their new health codes, RHA stepped in and voiced the student’s concerns.One of the things that also brought attention to RHA was a complaint from Wright Quad representatives after the board reallocated surplus funds evenly amongst all residence halls. Wright lost the majority of its surplus funds.“We had a lot of stuff to learn,” Coleman said. “We still hope to come up with a resolution for that.”Nagy, who has been the RHA adviser for more than a decade, said she saw the outgoing board accomplish many things.“They have worked hard on issues related to the cost of education, creating collaborative relationships with other student organizations and University offices, planning and implementing programs (such as) Help Me Harlan, a Halloween dance, Advocacy Week and more to come,” she said. “They are supporting other student groups through the funding board and addressing internal issues to become more accountable and transparent.”Coleman said something else the board worked towards this year was better relationships with the resident assistants.“I believe we did a semi-good job,” he said. “I hope it continues next year. It’s such a great resource for upcoming presidents.”Schul agreed. This year’s board campaigned on the notion of having RHA and resident assistant training, but it didn’t happen due to scheduling. She said the collaborative experience is vital since the two work very closely throughout the year.“It’s so important to put platforms into effect as early as possible,” Schul said.Any student in the residence halls or who plans to live there the following year is eligible to run for an RHA board position.“I would hope whomever gets into office brings a true passion for serving students, implements programming ideas, has the willingness to hang in there when the going gets tough and takes advantage of the opportunities the organization and positions provide for learning about oneself and others,” Nagy said.
(02/23/10 5:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>More than a dozen students sat in Teter Quad’s Formal Lounge Monday to meet the candidates of the two tickets running for executive positions for the Residence Hall Association. Members of Vote Naked! and [RED]EFINE answered students questions about better programming, campus safety and condoms in the dorms in hopes of gaining support for their tickets. “I’m excited that we have eight passionate students that are dedicating their time to improve campus life for students,” RHA’s current adviser. Sarah Nagy said. “Students actually have a choice.”The tickets discussed their goals for the upcoming year. “One of our goals is to redefine what it means to be RHA so that students gain more interest,” said Katherine Lambert, [RED]EFINE’s presidential candidate. Concern over whether Vote Naked!’s controversial name made them seem unprofessional was brought up during the question-and-answer session.“Vote Naked! is empowerment,” said Marianna Eble, Vote Naked!’s presidential candidate. ”It’s about baring it all.”Freshman Taylor Miller attended the event in hopes of learning more about RHA. She said she looks forward to events like the Welcome Week concerts, something the tickets said they would work on improving. Vote Naked! promised to work closer with students in order to have them know exactly what goes on with RHA, which they say might seem elitist for those not involved in student government. Lambert disagreed. “There are no barriers,” she said as she pointed to resources like open general assembly meetings, minutes on the Web site and personal involvement with students themselves. “These things are there but there needs to be a more open line of communication,” she said. “We need to make sure students get what they need. We need to let them know about the resources they already have and are not aware of.” Both tickets agreed that better programming is vital to increasing student involvement. Students listened to the parties list events they were planning. Sophomore Melinda Kashner came to support Sasha Bannister, vice president of Student Affairs candidate on the [RED]EFINE ticket. “I knew what they are all about since I talk to Sasha, but I wanted to know what Vote Naked! was about,” she said. Vote Naked! also discussed its platform to encourage safer sex by providing condoms in the dorms. While some students thought this was a good idea, others were concerned about the liability, cost and even embarrassment of getting condoms from a vending machine in the bathroom. Currently, Collins Center is the only dorm that has a condom vending machine, something that, according to [RED]EFINE, is only possible because the Living-Learning Center budget covers the cost. Vote Naked! said it believes no dorms should be held above the others and safe sex is not embarrassing. Although this was not a topic that both tickets agreed on, both agreed that they will work hard for the students. Lambert said her motivation to improve campus life for students came from her personal experience in the dorms. “It’s about being connected to all 11, soon to be 12, resident centers,” she said.
(02/19/10 6:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Huge crates that have been sitting in the lower level of the Indiana Memorial Union are scheduled to be opened Friday, revealing a part of history many students might not be aware of. The Holocaust Memorial Museum traveling exhibit from Washington, D.C., “Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals, 1933-1945,” will be on display in the IMU until April 25.“I’m super-excited it’s finally here,” said first year Ph.D. student Phillip Schnarrs, who first heard of the exhibit from friends and contacted the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services last summer about bringing it to IU.Sophomore AJ O’Reilly, canvas director for the Union Board, which is also sponsoring the exhibit, joins Schnarrs in his excitement. O’Reilly is finishing what his predecessor started and said he looks forward to seeing student responses.“It’s going to get a lot of people talking,” he said.Doug Bauder, coordinator for the GLBT office, said he was happy to respond to Schnarrs’ request this summer. He expects this exhibit to be one of the largest the IMU has ever had. “It really shows off what we are capable of here at IU with the GLBT Student Support Services and when students like myself come to the office with ideas of what we want to have on campus that they actually happen,” Schnarrs said.“It’s not a lecture or a movie,” Bauder said. “It’s just there as a presence as we walk through the Union. I think sometimes we are too oblivious to both what is going on around us and what has happened in history.”Bauder has already learned new things as the GLBT office prepared to bring the exhibit to IU. “I had no idea that the Jewish studies program here at IU has some of the best experts on the Holocaust anywhere in the world,” he said.Bauder said he hopes students learn from what he calls passive education at its best. He pointed to history still being made today, as Uganda works with legislation that threatens to persecute openly gay people. “I want to make people aware that this kind of violence still appears today,” he said. “This exhibit is a reminder of what we need to learn from history — lessons to learn for all of us I think.”The exhibit, which was larger than anticipated, will be displayed in three floors of the IMU. “People can certainly ignore the exhibit if they want,” Bauder said. “But I hope people will read at least some of the displays. I hope the casual passerby will think ‘Why is this here? Why is this important?’ And will answer that question themselves, and if they can’t, I hope they contact the office with literature that can help them find the answers.”
(02/17/10 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A sign hanging on the wire fence on 10th Street invites students to tour the new apartment buildings on campus. The six-building complex offers students apartment-style living in a residence hall setting and the 827 rentable spaces will be completed by fall.As students walk into the tour site, two options are open to them: an empty, four-bedroom apartment on the left and a fully furnished one, similar to the one they could be living in next year on the right. The spacious area includes four bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and two bathrooms. They will be fully furnished, and each apartment will have a washer and dryer.Victor Mercado, assignment specialist, is on the scene answering questions that students may have about the new housing. He said the spaces are going fast. “Over 90 percent of the rooms are claimed,” he said. “From my estimation this morning, there are still spaces but very few.”The new buildings will have one-bedroom, two-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments. Sophomore Thea Cola said she decided to live there after being offered a position as a community manager for the complex.Her current position as a Willkie Quad floor president opened up the opportunity, and she took it. Freshman Pavan Rajam also plans to live in the complex next year.He has reserved a four-bedroom apartment and looks forward to living with his friends in a new environment. “It’s an apartment but still considered dorms,” he said. “These just aren’t as dingy. For someone without a car, it’s a great location as well.”Priority is given to current dorm residents, but all students are given the opportunity to apply.
(02/11/10 5:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“There’s work to be done.”In his speech dedicated to motivating social movement, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill encouraged attendees to become more aware of their individual responsibility towards ending social misery.Hill presented his speech, “Civil Rights Movement and Today’s Struggle for Equality”, as the keynote Black History Month speaker Wednesday presented by Union Board.Hill’s lecture discussed topics of gay rights, women’s rights and the importance of critiquing the government. He spoke about the civil rights movements of today, encouraging those who attended to realize that the struggles of today have been formulating over time.“America may not just be growing old but America might just be growing up,” Hill said.His speech covered topics such as President Obama’s election, which he said came 43 years after blacks had full emancipation.Hill said deep forms of listening are vital in forming coalitions towards change. He pointed to blogs, talk shows and the wide range of ideologies and identities.“There is no shortage of talk,” he said. “Yet we don’t listen. We need to make a commitment to listen.” Hill talked about how the same voters who asked for change and got a black president turned around and voted against gay marriage in California. He asked attendees to think about the injustices that were still being upheld. He wanted the audience to learn to listen across all differences, generational gaps and realize that “Princeton-trained philosophers” are not the only ones that have something to say. “Look for pockets of resistance,” he said. “Speak even when it appears as though America is not listening.” Erika Hall, the Union Board director of lectures, agreed. “It was very appropriate that he talked about critiquing the government,” she said. “Being active participants is our individual responsibility to make things better.” Hill said remembering was the other important factor in the movements and that somehow events don’t get molded into America’s public consciousness.“Don’t forget not so we can be prisoner to the past but so we can fully understand our progress,” he said. Sophomore Stefanne Jackson came to the event interested in what Hill thought about the progress of the U.S. in terms of civil rights movements.“I thought it was really interesting,” she said. “Minorities still have a lot of work to do and we have to be willing to put in the work.”Hill also covered the intellectual commitment that everyone has to have for today’s movements. He asked that everyone dig deeper, ask tougher questions and work harder to get to the heart of each issue.“To continue with the civil rights movement is not to wait for the media to tell us what’s important,” he said.Hill spoke about the disability that occurs with lack of unity. He pushed towards the forming of coalitions and told leaders that instead of having an ego, they should set aside the need to be in front of the camera. Behind the scenes is hard work, he said, encouraging this generation to forge alliances in order to move towards a greater good. “Also, and I know this will hurt, but get off the computer,” he said. “There is such interesting activism that can happen through Facebook. The Jena Six happened through Facebook, but there is something about leaving your house and actually being active in the movement.”
(02/10/10 5:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hip-hop intellectual Dr. Marc Lamont Hill will present “Civil Rights Movement and Today’s Struggle for Equality” at 7 p.m. today in the Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall. Hill, whose work on hip-hop culture, sexuality and politics has been featured in several publications, is the annual Black History Month speaker presented by Union BoardSophomore Erika Hall, director of lectures for Union Board, said Hill was nominated as the speaker after the board realized that he would provide a fresh perspective to the Civil Rights Movement. “We think his lecture topic is very timely and appropriate to the month,” Hall said. “A lot of people don’t know about the civil rights movement that is going on now.” Considered the youngest hip-hop intellectual of the moment, Dr. Hill lectures widely at university campuses.
(02/08/10 6:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s Phi Beta Sigma chapter is four for four.The fraternity took home the top prize at the 26th Annual Statewide Step Competition for the fourth consecutive year Saturday at the IU Auditorium. The win secures a home-floor advantage for the team in 2011’s competition.Despite inclement weather, step teams traveled to Bloomington from in- and out-of-state to compete in the competition. The show began with host Vanessa Fraction, a comedian who has appeared in several films and the comedy specials “Def Comedy Jam” and “1st Amendment Stand Up.” Senior Janis Crawford, president of IU’s chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, said she was excited to be at the step show.“We’re here to support Ohio State sisters in statewide,” she said. She said the Indianapolis chapter had also come to cheer on the team.The Ohio State team, which took second place and $1,000 prize in the sorority half of the competition, was participating for the first time. Performances from Zeta Phi Beta, Dynasty Dance Team and Alpha Phi Alpha kept the audience cheering for the three-hour show. Alpha Phi Alpha’s Central State University chapter won first place for its performance with the theme “a day in church.”After intermission, teams from two chapters of Phi Beta Sigma took the stage as they competed for their chance to be the host of next year’s event. Senior Jonathan Davenport, the IU chapter step master, admitted he was nervous before the performance. “We started practicing in November,” he said. “We heard the Indy team was really good.”Davenport, who said he enjoys the competitiveness of stepping, was relieved to win.“Time to prepare for next year,” he said. Phi Beta Sigma also used the show as an opportunity to present a scholarship and honor two women who have dedicated their work to help the community. They honored Audrey McCluskey, director of the Neal-Marshall Black Cultural Center, and Viola Taliaferro, the first African-American judge in Monroe County. “This is a kind of modern-day folk dance,” Taliaferro said. “I can’t believe this show has been going on for 26 years and I never heard of it before.” She said she enjoyed the acrobatic and synchronization of the fast, rhythmicperformances.Junior Anthony Finnell, who was the coordinator of the step show, said the performance helped raise money for service projects on campus, scholarships and the March of Dimes Foundation.“It’s good, clean fun,” Taliaferro said. “Young people all over the state of Indiana have this great opportunity to join together, network and have fun building lasting relationships.”
(02/04/10 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In an effort to raise awareness about domestic abuse in Bloomington and throughout the U.S., members of the CommUNITY Education program will be organizing “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes,” taking place in April.For those interested in participating in the organization, there is a call-out meeting at 5:30 p.m. today in the Community and Leadership Development Center of Read Clark.CommUNITY educator and junior Dylan Rudy said the charity walk will raise money for Middle Way House.“We will be walking a mile in shoes we don’t normally wear,” he said. “For example, men will wear women’s shoes during the walk.”
(01/22/10 3:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s the largest student programming organization on campus, it serves as a governing body and helps to program some of the biggest events at IU.Founded in 1909 with the purpose of uniting student organizations on campus, Union Board will be swearing in its 101st board on Saturday.“We are the first board in a century of Union Board,” said sophomore Dan Haddad, Union Board’s newest director of comedy. “It’s going to be big.”The 16 new directors, which include junior Sean Liston as president, returned from a retreat last weekend with a new mission statement.Liston said this new mission statement emphasizes the importance of diversity, creativity and the development of intellectual and personal growth as they uphold the traditions of the board.“It’s the perfect statement of who we are as a whole,” said junior Shannon Cook, the new outreach director. “It’s everything that each one of us wants to bring to the board and students.”Following in his father’s footsteps by joining Union Board his freshman year, Liston will be sworn in as the board’s president.“We try to provide programs that stimulate the intellectual and personal growth for students on campus,” Liston said.Haddad said he joined Union Board after attending a call-out meeting in September and began participating in the comedy committee. He said he enjoys the board because it is a tradition that can reach a lot of students.“There are a lot of misconceptions about what Union Board really is,” said Haddad. “Everyone is automatically in because it’s the students’ union.”Junior Clare Marshall agreed. She said she joined because she was looking for extracurricular activities that would give her experience in her journalism major. After attending last September’s call-out meeting, she joined the public relations committee. Now, as one of the board’s directors, she said she has plans.“I hope to implement one or two philanthropic events for the committee to support or become active with,” she said. “It’s important that all members feel like they are doing something.”As vice president of membership, Marshall is in charge of not just recruiting new members, but of keeping those already active interested in the organization. She said she plans to make sure that “members feel valued.”Union Board not only works with students as a whole, but also plays a big role in many organizations on campus. As a funding board, the board helps collaborate with other organizations who want to hold events for the campus that may be financially out of their reach. Haddad said the board wants to collaborate with students and create events they can both be proud of.“I want to bring people who would never see themselves working together,” Cook said.She added she is a promoter of diversity and an advocate for awareness. Her decision to become the outreach director came from the job description; the position requires a strong personality and an enthusiasm to collaborate.Cook said Union Board was founded on the idea of creating unity amongst organizations.“There are so many small organizations who work with HIV awareness,” she said. “They can come together here.”The board, which meets weekly to plan events and collaborations, encourages students and organizations to participate in the planning.“You’ll be surprised at what Union Board can do for you as a group and, more importantly, as a student,” Haddad said.
(01/15/10 4:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>African beats filled the room as Patrick Kwesi Arthur followed the rhythm, demonstrating traditional Ghanaian dance.“A Ghanaian Experience,” sponsored by Union Board on Thursday, presented Ghanaian traditions in forms of dance, food, presentation and bead-making.Junior Jasmine Starks, union board director of international and cultural events, said the event was planned as a follow-up of last semester’s “Brazilian Experience.” She said senior Lauren Hall approached her with the idea of Ghana as the next country to celebrate.Organizers asked for donations for Future for the Youth, which works with children in Ghana to empower them in rural communities.“It fit perfectly with what my committee wants to accomplish,” Starks said.Cofounder of Future for the Youth, Hall said she was inspired to help create the organization after spending six months there studying abroad. Founded in July 2008, Future for the Youth was created in response to the Ghanaian government cutting back farm subsidies. This caused a huge pull for Ghanaians to move to urban cities in hopes of more opportunities.“It’s not true,” said Talya Silver, another founder of the organization.Silver spoke to the guests about the culture of Ghana and told them more about the organization, showing photos of the Ghanaian children her organization is helping.“We started with 12 students and now there are about 60,” she said.She encouraged the audience to join the effort by donating time, items or money. Simply spreading the word was another way to help.Hall and Silver travel to Ghana about once a year, spending the rest of the time raising funds for the program. They brought items from Ghana to sell at the event, including jewelry, clothing and other traditional items.Arthur, the third and last cofounder, is traveling with them during their national campaign, which is supposed to last a few months as they travel to different locations teaching others about the organization.Junior Kailee Cooper, said she came because her major focused on African music. She enthusiastically danced with Arthur as he gave lessons.The experience has increased her interest in traveling to Ghana.“I didn’t realize there would be a cause presented,” Cooper said. “They’re organizing something really cool here.”
(01/14/10 5:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The best way to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day is to pack your bags and head to King’s home in Atlanta.At least that’s what graduate student Patrick Hale, diversity education specialist for the CommUNITY Education Program, said he believes. Sponsored by the program, the campus MLK Celebration Committee and the Office of the Provost, 52 members of the IU community, including 48 students, will travel to several colleges and landmarks in Atlanta that signify important black history.“We chose Atlanta because we felt it would be important to go to the center of the civil rights movement,” Hale said. “It seems the appropriate location.” A tradition that first began in January 2003, the Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Immersion Trip has traveled to different locations each year in hopes of teaching students more about civil rights struggles of the past and the present. “Along the way, we also hoped to inspire students to find a cause they believed and to get involved,” said Barry Magee, assistant director for Diversity Education in Residential Programs and Services.He said going to Atlanta was always an idea, but the distance caused hesitation. This year, the group will depart a day earlier and travel overnight to make the trip easier. Hale recently wrote about why historically black institutions still exist today and their importance to the community. He said he looks forward to visiting Morehouse College. “These trips give people a learning experience not found at the Indiana University campus,” Hale said. Senior Radley Alcantara, a CommUNITY Educator for Foster Quad, helped organize the trip and is also looking forward to meeting students from Morehouse, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University. The students will be taking tours of the schools and engaging in a summit that will allow them to discuss different topics. “Not just the history, but also what are we doing today or what can we do today to further civil rights movements,” Magee said.Other sites the group will visit include the African American Panoramic Experience Museum, the National Parks’ King Visitors Center, the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and the King Center, which includes King’s tomb and birth home.Magee said these trips are important in teaching students the things that are not in their history textbooks.“I think talking to the kids and seeing what their campus is like and getting a feel for their culture will be an experience,” Alcantara said. “It will definitely be different.”
(11/12/09 4:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What began last year as an effort by junior Jocelyn Solorzano to bring women together to talk has turned into a group that encourages interactions between undergraduate and graduate women – something Solorzano said she is proud of.The group calls itself Mujeres en Accion, or Women in Action.“Mujeres en Accion is a new group at La Casa designed to give women in our community a comfortable space to be ourselves and get away from the stressors of everyday life,” Solorzano said. “It’s an opportunity to relax and take care of ourselves, as well as get to spend time with each other, as women, on a regular basis.”Graduate student Sarah Fernandez has joined Solorzano, and together they plan events once a month for the group.“I really wanted to get more involved in La Casa,” Fernandez said, “and helping out with this group was both something I found really interesting and I thought was important. I think it’s something that we really need as women.”The group is different from the sororities that are already a part of the Latino community, said Lillian Casillas, director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center.“This is a more informal, fluid group,” Casillas said. “Sororities are good support groups, but they also have other goals and values that keep the women within the organization busy. This group concentrates solely on the women – their mental and personal health.”Casillas said there are some sorority members who are part of the group, and the programming happens between a graduate and undergraduate students. This year, Solorzano and Fernandez took the responsibility.All women are invited to enjoy the events. This year, Mujeres en Accion planned a movie night and a networking night between undergraduate and graduate students.For the month of November, the group has invited students to go horseback riding on Sunday.Casillas said there are plans for at least one event each month. As the group grows, she hinted toward a bigger picture.“There are graduate and undergraduate women in it now,” Casillas said. “Ideally, faculty and staff can join us, too.”
(11/03/09 5:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The smell of popcorn might have drawn the students into the Frangipani Room, but many of them were there to meet Pete Goldsmith, the Dean of Students.After a pretzel and some lemonade, students lined up to meet the dean Monday in the Indiana Memorial Union.The event was an effort from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson to introduce the dean to the students. The Division of Student Affairs also set up tables around the room to let students know about the services it offers.Assistant Dean of Students Suzanne Phillips said many students often overlook what the office offers, and she hoped they would take advantage of the services.Freshman Mychael Spencer was there to find out about Goldsmith.“I came to meet the Dean of Students,” Spencer said. “I don’t know how important it is and I think being here I can better understand.” Goldsmith walked around the room introducing himself to everyone in hopes of getting to know more about his students.He said he wanted to meet as many as possible and plans to attend several events in the future to show his support for students.“Invite me,” he asked of student organizations. “I want to find out what’s going on with students.” That is exactly why Monica Embrey was there. Embrey hopes to go to graduate school and came to represent the Beyond Coal campaign, an environmental group on campus.Andrea Robledo, from the Office of Student Organizations and Leadership Development and advisor for the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multi-Cultural Greek Council, said it is a very important thing to find out as much as you can about IU’s administration.“Students underestimate the power that they have to make things happen,” she said. “Get to know the dean, gain an understanding of what his role is to the University and the issues that affect students. Once you know, you know how to approach any changes you want to see.”
(09/11/09 4:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Twelve students share a powerful role with the ability to influence and advise President Michael McRobbie on different campus issues.These 12 students make up the Board of Aeons, which conducts research on topics concerning IU students throughout the year.“President (William Lowe) Bryan wanted an opportunity to connect students with faculty and administration,” said Kelly Kish, adviser for the board and a research specialist for the Office of the President. “He and a few faculty members devised a plan to have 12, at that point senior men, come together and form a board of advisers to the president.” Through the years changes have been made to the board since its creation in 1921. Women now serve, and although it remains primarily an upperclassmen group, several sophomores have joined the Aeons. One is on the board now.At one point, the board began working closely with the vice chancellors on the Bloomington campus. IU Chancellor Ken Gros Louis remembers the hardworking students. “I always enjoyed working with them,” he said. “They are a very important group on campus.” Gros Louis said the group represents the diverse student population including greeks, nongreeks, minorities and students who have been active in other organizations. Many students don’t know of the board’s existence, yet many of its past members have gone on and done great things, becoming famous both to the University and the world. Some of these members are Edward L. Hutton, Ernie Pyle and Thomas A. Atkins. “A lot of these folks tend to resurface in really significant ways for the University, some as donors and others as volunteers,” Kish said. The board discretely joins the student body and takes notes on what can be improved on campus. “We research about issues that affect the students and student topics,” said senior Jack McCarthy, president of the board. “We look at the issues and try to solve them.” In the past, the board has researched how to improve academic advising and technology. Students might be surprised at the amount of changes the Aeons have brought to campus. From redefining the Wells Scholars Program to supporting print release stations at the Herman B Wells Library, the Aeons have planted many seeds throughout their existence. They recommended support groups that eventually became the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services and helped support the Living Learning Centers in the residence halls. With these kinds of goals, many boards don’t get to see their impact during their undergraduate years. “We are different from those groups who impact change right away,” McCarthy said. “We might not be able to see it right away, but we have the opportunity to work with a president who has set these long term goals, and we can maybe see it down the road.”
(09/08/09 2:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Need to check the bus schedule, grades or campus events? There’s a site for that.IU Mobile launched last week. It’s a new service designed for cell phones with data plans, said Brian McGough, project manager and director of enterprise software for University Information Technology Services. The site, accessible through smart phones at the address m.iu.edu, is part of IU’s information technology plan Empowering People. It provides students with access to online information, including IU bus schedules, classified ads, an IU student directory and Oncourse. Sophomore Lauren Mosbey currently uses the Internet on her phone to check her e-mail and said she thinks this program will really benefit students. “Students always have their cell phones on them, and being able to access the information we need without a computer is useful,” she said. Freshman Dystany Riley agrees. Though new to IU, Riley spent the summer here taking classes and said it was frustrating when professors uploaded new information on Oncourse right before class. “It’s hard getting those messages when you’re not in front of a computer right before classes,” she said. “This will be easier for those professors who send last-minute information through Oncourse.” McGough hopes students take advantage of this new service and asks for feedback to improve the Web site.“We want to make sure to have as much as the students feel is necessary for a site like this,” he said. “We want to know what students want to add and what they don’t like.”
(09/02/09 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Freshman Kylie Hutchinson was a high-achieving high school senior last year. A schedule full of advanced placement classes and the cross-country team kept her busy. In her free time, she applied for scholarships. Her high test scores and strong GPA guaranteed her enough money to pay for college, with thousands left over. It’s a big reason she came to IU.“I have my year paid for,” she said. ”I even get money back for scholarships I received outside of IU.”As she begins classes at IU, many students with the same dedication to academics join her.This year’s freshman class is the most academically talented in the history of IU, said Roger Thompson, vice provost for Enrollment Management, in an interview last week.“We see more students coming in with higher GPAs and test scores than the past,” Thomspon said.Freshmen are setting the bar high for future student admissions, Thompson said. New automatic, merit-based scholarships encouraged “the best and the brightest” to consider IU, he said. New students’ average SAT scores for math and critical reading rose 29 points to 1,203 out of 1,600, according to an IU press release.High school seniors will have to be better prepared for applications and enrollment requirements, he said. This causes admissions to get more competitive, creating an incoming class with higher standards.“The 2008 and 2009 classes show strong growth in academic quality, diversity and enrollment,” Thompson said.Freshman Clarisa Ryan said IU’s communication and culture major caught her attention. When she received the Hudson and Holland scholarship, she made up her mind.Also a Hudson and Holland Scholar, Hutchinson also received one of the University’s newer scholarships, the IU Recognition Scholarship, along with the Federal Pell Grant and several scholarships from sources outside IU. When Barnard College did not offer her as much money, Hutchinson decided IU was the best choice.“I love Bloomington,” she said. “I love the people, and I love the culture. Academics are a huge part of my decision, and IU provided that as well.”
(08/31/09 3:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Pizza X’s sign at this weekend’s fall job fair read “Now hiring freaky people,” but organizations hiring anyone – freaky or otherwise – were more scarce this year than in past years.While the number of students increased 43 percent from last year to more than 2,000 students, the number of employers decreased 10 percent, said Lou Ann Hanson, associate director for administrative services at the IU Career Development Center, in an e-mail.Students were able to meet employers such as Campus Recreational Sports, Office of Admissions, Friends of Art Bookshop and several libraries around campus. Students filled out applications, listened to employers describe their job opportunities and were interviewed on the spot. For some, the experience was overwhelming. Freshman Emily Harris said the number of booths surprised her. She said she is hoping to get a job at one of the different libraries, such as the Lilly Library, the Education Library, the Monore County Public Library or others, that attended the fair.“I hear those go quick, though,” she said.Freshman Ariel Hunt joined students who were sitting at empty tables filling out applications. She was turning in an application to work with developmentally disabled people through Stone Belt. She said she was also interested in Wright Place Food Court. For some freshmen, an off-campus job can be daunting because of transportation issues. Sophomore Qeyocha Green said she has to get a job because she just got a car. “I have to pay for it,” she said. After not attending the job fair last year, she said she was surprised by the number of students. Hanson said she encouraged students who missed the fair or who want more information on job opportunities to visit the Career Development Center at 625 N. Jordan Ave. across from the Wells Library. “Career advisers answer general questions about majors or careers, critique resumes and cover letters, explain what resources are available on campus, and get students started on an internship, job and graduate school searches,” she said. Katy Kelly from the Monroe County Community School Corporation said that it had been years since they had come to the job fair and did not know what to expect. She was there to hire students who wanted to work for before- and after-school programs for elementary and middle school students. Kelly said School Age Care wanted to see what IU students had to offer and expand student involvement. They also take volunteers. “We’ve had a lot of students and its giving us a good sense of who is out there,” she said.
(02/20/09 3:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the final time, students can share a keg with Dean of Students Dick McKaig. Wright Quad is preparing for its sixth annual “Keg with Dean McKaig” event, which will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Wright Formal Lounge.The event’s main purpose is to host an open forum in which residents can get to know the dean. Wright Quad President Ben Siebert said it is a very informal setting where students can ask the dean questions. “They can ask questions about anything,” Brazeal said, “whether it be the smoking and alcohol policies or how the administration works.”“It is one of the traditions that Wright Quad really enjoys, and with it being Dean McKaig’s last year, hopefully it will be a great sendoff,” he said. Following tradition, the keg will be filled with Sprecher Root Beer Soda, and pizza will be served. Junior Shane Brazeal, a Wright Quad resident assistant who is in charge of the event, said students are trying to make it bigger this year. As it is McKaig’s last semester at IU, Brazeal encourages everyone to attend. Last year about 40 students attended the event, and both Brazeal and Siebert hope the number doubles on Saturday. McKaig also said he is looking forward to the event. “There is always a wide variety of topics discussed, and the root beer is really good,” he said. Tuition, politics and school policies have all been topics of discussion in previous years. Siebert said it is a great way to get to know more about the inner workings of the University. McKaig said he also considers the event a great opportunity to reach out to the students. McKaig has always tried to get to know IU students and is known to have spent nights in the residence halls participating in floor activities. Wright Quad’s student government thought a keg party would get more students involved, as everyone could participate.Siebert said he hopes this year students take the opportunity to get more personal and really get to know the dean before he leaves IU.“I have a lot of great memories with Dean McKaig,” he said.
(07/20/08 10:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Residential Programs and Services hopes to create a scholarship in the name of an alumnus known for his dedication to civil rights, said RPS Director of Academic Initiatives and Services Nancy Lorenz. Thomas Irving Atkins, the namesake of IU’s Atkins Living Learning Center, showed his leadership and passion for success by becoming the first black president of the IU Student Association in 1960. Atkins died last month at the age of 69 after suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a degenerative muscular disease.An Indiana native, Atkins rose far beyond the segregation that existed in his time. In Boston, he was known for being one of the most active civil-rights attorneys and was the first black candidate to be elected to the Boston City Council. He was president of the Boston chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and later served as the national organization’s lead lawyer.He was recognized by IU for his hard work after college. Along with having the Atkins Living Learning Center named after him, he received the Thomas Hennessy Award from the Residence Halls Alumni Association, an award that recognizes success in an individual’s professional or public service work; as well as an award for distinguished alumni, said Lorenz, who was also in the task force that established the Atkins Living Learning Center in 1994. Lorenz acknowledged that Atkins fought an “uphill battle all his life.” Atkins had polio as a child, grew up in segregation and suffered from sclerosis for almost 20 years.Lorenz said she saw great qualities in Atkins when he visited the center.“It was amazing how the students immediately responded to him,” she said. “That is real important. It seemed so easy for him to interact with younger students. They had a common bond immediately.”The Atkins Living Learning Center celebrates black history while promoting community service and academic success, according to the RPS Web site.Janet C. Bell, IU alumna and author of a book depicting her own life as a black woman growing up in Indiana, said she cannot believe Atkins became a student leader during a time of rigid segregation.“He must’ve been an extraordinary person,” she said. “To be able to transcend the traditional view of blacks (at the time).”Bell also gave credit to IU students, saying it’s important to know one detail about them – being open to change.“Historically and currently, the students here at IU are more open and willing to change than the institution they attend,” she said. Atkins made sure to take advantage of that.Dean of Students Dick McKaig, who said he had the pleasure of meeting Atkins once, remembers him as a very well-spoken, accomplished man.“His being elected as the first black class president at IU is a clear indication that he was a leader,” he said.IU was just the beginning for Atkins. Bell said she remembers him being a major figure in Boston as well.“I lived in Boston while he lived there,” she said. “His extraordinary qualities of leadership continued throughout his life.”Lorenz said she was astonished by Atkins’ leadership and, most importantly, his kindness.“One of his last wishes was that anyone who wished should make donations to the Thomas Atkins Living Learning Center through the IU Foundation,” she said.
(07/16/08 9:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Free Vans Warped Tour backstage passes will be given away to anyone donating blood for the American Red Cross on Friday at designated locations in Indiana and Kentucky.The promotion comes after a new law in Kentucky has taken affect, allowing 16-year-olds to donate blood. Previously, the minimum age was 17. In addition to the backstage-pass giveaway, the American Red Cross will be hosting music concerts during these specially tailored blood drives for youth. The drives, called the “Music Saves Lives Youth Explosion” will take place in several cities in Indiana and Kentucky this week. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Loni White, the Red Cross communications manager for the River Valley Region. “The Red Cross has never done this before.”The Warped Tour passes will be good for the festivals in Louisville, Ky., and Noblesville, Ind., on July 30 and 31. “We are trying to encourage youth to donate blood (this) week,” White said.” Our most reliable donors have gray hair. More youth need to get involved.”IU senior Marisol Arellano agreed.“This is a really important cause that needs more attention,” she said. “Younger generations need to realize that people of all ages need blood every day and that they can make a huge difference.”White hopes that with these special drives, youth will see how easy it is to donate. This event comes in hand with a new law in Kentucky, HB 139, that will to allow 16-year-olds to donate blood in Kentucky. According to a press release from the Red Cross, Kentucky is the 24th state “that has enacted a law or granted a variance to allow for 16-year-olds to donate blood.” Indiana already allows 16-year-olds to donate.White said the event will help reach many youth who were not able to donate before but were willing.Joshua Ramirez, a blood services coordinator’s assistant and pre-med student at IU, is glad the law has passed. “The faster the law gets approved in other states, the better,” he said. He also thinks the concerts and free tickets are a good promotional tool. Arellano agrees. Both plan to donate blood as often as they can, whether or not they are able to make it to the events this week.“I have the universal blood type, O negative, which can be given to any other blood type,” said Arellano. “I donate often because I know that I am saving lives and making a difference.”Music Saves Lives wants to help other youth see that they, too, can make a difference. “A needle prick is a small price to pay when you could be saving a life,” said Ramirez.