Indiana Daily Student - Thursday, April 18, 2024

We write to you today about an urgent and pressing matter, a letter we hoped to never write.

The Indiana Daily Student, along with IU Student Television and WIUX, is under threat by our own university administration. This is not the first time an editor has written a letter about the IDS’ finances, but we believe the severity of the threats against student media warrant immediate action.

On Thursday, April 25, the IDS will stage a one-day walkout. We will not publish content on our website, and IDS staffers will not enter the newsroom. Our goal is to provide the community and the university a glimpse of a possible future without the IDS as it exists today — a future we are fighting to avoid.

The IDS’ financial struggle has been a death by a thousand cuts. Over the years, the IDS has been forced to decrease professional staff, reduce the number of papers printed weekly and abandon opportunities to make money. And every cut has hurt the IDS, eliminating learning opportunities and hindering our ability to serve the public through our reporting.

There is nothing left to cut without substantially changing the IDS. Lack of university support and funding has also stifled IUSTV and WIUX, who are fighting the same battle we are.

This semester, a new IU Media School committee aimed to find solutions for student media’s financial issues, including the IDS, IUSTV and WIUX. While we wholeheartedly support the committee, recent discussions have led us to believe the university is not interested in reinvesting in student media, as the committee recommends, and does not have the best interest of student media in mind.

It appears administrators see student media — like the rest of the university — as a business, rather than a learning lab that provides students invaluable experience and produces vital news coverage for Southern Indiana, whose contribution to the univer-

sity and community can’t be captured by a budget line. Our awards and plaques line the walls of the newsroom, shown off during tours for prospective students. Our century and a half of nationally-recognized work and our successful alumni are used as a recruiting tool to exemplify what Media School students can accomplish. If IU prides itself on its student media organizations and uses them as talking points, why won’t it properly invest in them?

Unless we take action, we could lose valued professional staff, the print paper, student pay or other valuable pieces that make the IDS thrive. We cannot produce investigations holding powerful people to account, write local features on issues Bloomington residents care about or be capable of producing the awards that this university touts as shining, tangible outcomes for its prospective students without adequate investment.

Ultimately, this becomes a press freedom issue. As every news organization pledges to do, we strive to serve our community through our work, not by making the headlines ourselves. However, given the trajectory of discussions with university officials and the paper’s future in question, we cannot remain silent. We do not know the exact timeline for this decision, but we know it’s soon and we’re running out of time.

For years, the IU administration — now under President Pamela Whitten and Provost Rahul Shrivastav — has failed to adequately support student media, regardless of which administration occupies Bryan Hall. This issue predates the current administration, but we’ve reached the breaking point now.

We have anticipated the question of “why write now before the university makes a final decision?” The truth is we fear we won’t recover from that decision.

How did we get here?

has

for years, kicked down the line by stalled discussions and administrators who have yet to accept any of Director of Student Media Jim Rodenbush’s proposed solutions.

It’s important to know that while the IDS is editorially independent — meaning the university doesn’t control or influence what we publish — financial decisions are not entirely within our control due to our auxiliary status. Applying for fundraising or grants, for example, requires university approval. Any funding model we propose, and the same goes for IUSTV and WIUX, must also be approved by IU’s administration.

Additionally, in our current funding model, the IDS receives zero dedicated annual financial support from the university. According to a report from the Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment, over 50% of surveyed student media outlets received some form of financial assistance from their universities.

The IDS generates all of our own revenue predominantly from donations and advertising. We do make around $600,000 a fiscal year, but for several years now, we have been running a deficit, and we aren’t the first editors-in-chief to write about it.

On Jan. 7, 2021, former editors-in-chief Caroline Anders and Emily Issacman published a letter explaining the IDS was running out of money. After the letter ran, the Media School and the Office of the Provost agreed to let the IDS run a deficit under the Media School for a period of three years. Our deficit has continued to pile up with no financial plan in place, reaching approximately $900,000.

On Feb. 23, 2023, former editor-in-chief Helen Rummel provided another sobering update more than halfway through this threeyear period. She wrote how, despite the looming deficit deadline, no decisions had been reached and the IDS’ financial situation continued to remain up in the air. Now, here we are in the

spring semester of 2024, and we still aren’t sure what our financial future looks like, even as the three-year deficit period is scheduled to end June 30, 2024. At the beginning of this semester, we were more optimistic about the future with the introduction of an IU Media School committee to create a funding solution for IU student media outlets including IDS, WIUX and IUSTV. This committee, as explained in a news story the IDS published April 1, was working on producing a report that would be presented to Media School Dean David Tolchinsky and then pitched to IU administration. The committee, made up of Media School faculty, alumni and the student leaders of the IDS, IUSTV and WIUX, has worked expeditiously to create a tangible and realistic plan, one that serves to benefit all of IU student media. The entirety of the committee supports the report’s recommendations — which at its core advocates for consolidation of student media under one umbrella, financial investment from the university and removal of university red tape hindering revenue generation.

Despite this encouraging report which advocates for a sustainable model for the future, budget cuts appear to remain on the table despite our plea against them. From conversations that were onthe-record, we were continually told that we should be prepared for a harsh reality about our financial future.

That’s an insulting and disrespectful refrain. The IDS has for more than a decade proposed legitimate paths forward, spanning from restructuring to the establishment of non-profit models, to begin tackling a spiraling financial situation. Each time a proposal reaches the table of university leadership, it is rejected, pushed back upon or goes unacknowledged without serious, detailed discussion about why our proposals are not satisfactory.

As proposals and solutions die, our newsroom gets smaller.

In 2008, the IDS had 11 professional staffers. Now, it has five. Even as we reduce the number of staff members, the jobs and responsibilities of former members remain. Over time, the five staff members have taken on the additional work with no added compensation. With such a reduced staff, there is not enough time in a work day to reach the IDS, WIUX and IUSTV’s potential. Our print production was also cut from five days a week to two in 2017. Now, we publish just once a week. The IDS has seen enough cuts and watched too many valued pieces of our newsroom fall away.

Where do we go from here?

To deter the university from further harming student media, the IDS is planning a walkout on Thursday, April 25. The walkout will entail a strict 24-hour period

UNITED claims IUSG popular vote victory

By Tyler Spence spencejt@iu.edu | spencejt@iu.edu

The UNITED campaign for IUSG student body president and vice president is claiming victory of the popular vote after a delayed election result. However, official results are yet to be announced, and the IUSG Supreme Court must weigh in to determine if the campaign is disqualified due to alleged election campaign violations. It is unclear which campaign finished second.

IUSG officially postponed its inauguration amid continued delays in their election results, Aidan Chism, press secretary for IUSG said. The original inauguration was scheduled for April 15 and postponed to April 25. The IUSG Supreme Court is now charged with providing a ruling on complaints that UNITED claimed on Instagram disqualifies their campaign.

The IUSG Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Campaign election violations result in a campaign receiving “points” based on the severity of the violation, according to the IUSG bylaws. The UNITED campaign claimed on Instagram they received 31 points from the election manager, significantly higher than the 10 points that subject a campaign to disqualification.

UNITED claimed on April 15 that they won the

popular vote with a 49.26% share, with a margin of victory of nearly 11%. The IDS cannot independently confirm the vote totals. IUSG Election Manager Tasneem Afdahl has not responded to multiple requests for comment. A complaint from the FUSE campaign allege the UNITED campaign violated rules by mass texting students on GroupMe. UNITED said in a statement to the IDS that mass messages in GroupMe have been used in previous elections without penalty. The IDS cannot independently confirm these claims. “In accordance with RB 3-8-5 of the IUSG Bylaws, GroupMe is not explicitly defined as a telecommunication,” the statement reads. “The majority of past campaigns dating back to 2021 have also sent GroupMe messages similar to ours and have never featured an opt-out statement. Our appeal challenges the decision of the election commission as we believe it is a clear break from precedent and an unauthorized expansion of the bylaws.”

Section RB 3-8-5 of the IUSG bylaws says campaign telecommunications refers to “an email message; a text message; or a telephone call.” The results are still officially unannounced because of slowdowns from FUSE and UNITED filing at least 17 election-related complaints against each

other to the IUSG election manager. The campaigns both alleged violations that, if proven, would disqualify each campaign from holding office, according to IUSG bylaws. IU Helene G. Simon Hillel Center President Leah Sterbcow and IUSG Congressperson Louis Gallegos each sent additional complaints regarding both campaigns’ alleged misuse of email communications.

The FUSE campaign sent a statement to the IDS regarding the delayed election results.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Election Commission and the Supreme Court for their diligent efforts in upholding the integrity of the electoral process as the FUSE campaign stands firmly with the principles of fairness and justice. The violations committed by the UNITED ticket breach telecommunication restrictions that are aimed at safeguarding student data privacy and ensuring compliance with university policy. The student body has and continues to remain at the forefront of our campaign and we thank them for their ongoing support,” FUSE said in the statement.

As the Ignite administration’s term ended April 15, IUSG bylaws say the lack of certified election results will temporarily promote Speaker of Congress Abbey Miller to student body president, given the IUSG Supreme Court does not

make a ruling before 11:59 p.m. that night.

Miller said she plans to ensure that student government is operating smoothly and will focus on the clerical tasks of the president.

A resolution to change the IUSG bylaws, which would have allowed the outgoing president Aaliyah Raji to continue her term until election results are confirmed, did not pass during the Congress’ regular meeting Monday. The resolution needed unanimous consent to fast-track out of committee but faced an objection by Chism, which sent the bill back to the oversight committee.

The IUSG Supreme Court is now tasked with considering two complaints against the UNITED campaign’s use of telecommunications. UNITED appealed the original complaints, and the Supreme Court must interpret the IUSG bylaws, namely, to determine whether messages through GroupMe count as “text messages.” There is no official timetable for the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The reasons for the other complaints vary significantly, from UNITED accusing FUSE of defacing campaign materials, by pouring water on UNITED’s campaign messages in chalk and covering UNITED’s campaign’s paintings on the bridges on Eagleson Avenue to UNITED’s unconfirmed suspicion that the FUSE campaign was spending too much money on cookies.

City releases eclipse visitor estimates for Bloomington

The city estimated 13,173 total visitors and community members watched the eclipse from parks that have been recorded so far, according to Parks and Recreation board spokesperson Julie Ramey. The actual number of visitors to Bloomington is still unknown, but low traffic and park attendance suggest lower total visitors than the city’s projections of more than 200,000 prior to the eclipse.

BPD and Bloomington Public Safety officials, who warned Bloomington residents to prepare for substantial traffic delays and potential gridlock, noted significantly less traffic than they expected. However, BPD

didn’t report any gridlock on the day of the eclipse and responded to fewer traffic crashes than they would expect on an average weekday.

Former IU student receives sentence for Capitol attack

By Madelyn Hanes mrhanes@iu.edu | @madelynrhanes

A former IU student who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol received a nine-month sentence April 10.

A jury convicted Bloomington resident Antony Vo, 31, of four misdemeanors related to the incident. His mother, who participated in the riot with Vo, was also charged.

Vo was found guilty of entering the Capitol building through a non-public entrance. He spent approximately 20 minutes taking photographs and speaking with other rioters in the rotunda and Statuary Hall. In his bio on X, formerly known as Twitter, Vo calls himself a “J6 wrongful convict” since being charged.

Vo posted on social media about his presence in the Capitol building after the riot. According to court docu-

ments, he said in a social media message “my mom and I got to storm the Capitol.”

Vo violated his pretrial release by partaking in a vigil that defendants of the Jan. 6 attack held Sept. 22, 2023, at the Freedom Corner near the Washington D.C. jail. The court chose not to detain Vo because of the violation but did impose a curfew on him while he remained in Washington D.C.

Vo was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan who has put hundreds of Capitol defendants behind bars. Chutkan stands out as the “toughest punisher” for Jan. 6 cases, according to AP News. Judge Chutkan agreed to put Former President Donald Trump’s election interference case in Washington D.C. that was set for March 4 on hold in response to Trump’s claims he is immune from the prosecution, according to AP News.

IU receives gift to establish new cancer research center

By Max Moore mjm39@iu.edu

Mike McAfee, Executive Director of Visit Bloomington, said in an email that initial projections were based in part on recorded visitor numbers from college towns in the path of totality during the 2017 total eclipse. Bloomington officials were told to prepare for the city’s population to triple in size, McAfee said.

But despite the possible overestimation of numbers, McAfee sees the eclipse events as an overall success. “We may not have seen those numbers, but we also didn’t have any safety issues or other problems,” he said in the email. “I would much rather be over-prepared than under-prepared.”

Within the halls of Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, professionals say new opportunities for important research will be available due to a donation that could potentially open new avenues for lung cancer research. The donation is a gift from Julie Wood to honor her late husband Tom Wood, who was a popular Indianapolis auto executive and Western Michigan University alumni. Wood passed away in 2010 from lung cancer and was a frequent donor to IU cancer research. The groundbreaking 20-million-dollar donation will create the new Tom and Julie Wood Center for Lung Cancer Research, opening new avenues for lung cancer research at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. The money will be distributed with 11 million dollars going to lung cancer research, seven million dollars to support recruitment of additional cancer researchers and two million dollars to support “End Lung Cancer Now,” an Indiana advocacy initiative to spread awareness about lung cancer. This donation will be transformative in providing funding for future cancer research at IU, but that does not eliminate the many challenges professionals face in their fight as it relates to lung cancer. The reality remains: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and one in 16 people will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime, according to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation.

According to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, around 238,340 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer every year, and 127,070 Americans die from lung cancer each year. The leading cause of lung cancer is smoking, making up almost 80% of all diagnoses. One of the most dangerous factors of lung cancer is the stigma surrounding it. John Turchi, a doctor at the research center, said since most people with lung cancer are smokers, many do not receive proper screenings or seek out care from fear of being labeled a “smoker.”

With this donation, the dream of eliminating and treating lung cancer becomes closer. Turchi said the gift will allow researchers to embark on more advanced methods of care.

“The center gives us the capacity and the ability to do those kind of high-risk experiments that have the potential for really high reward,” he said.

Nasser Hanna, who specializes in cancer research at IU, said the pivotal element of the Wood Family Foundation’s gift is the doctors it will bring together.

“The most important aspect is that it provides us resources to recruit researchers and to conduct high-level scientific experiments,” Hanna said.

Both doctors view the donation as something that could create new methods in the fight against cancer. With the support of The Wood Family Foundation, researchers will have greater resources to continue the fight against lung cancer and provide hope to those struggling.

By Jack Forrest, Mia Hilkowitz, Tyler Spence, Benjamin LeGrand, Isaac Perlich news@idsnews.com

The Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition began its “Three Days for a Raise” strike at 10 a.m. Wednesday outside Ballantine Hall.

During the strike graduate workers will picket outside different academic buildings for three days, and some will cease paid instructional work like teaching, grading, holding office hours and proctoring exams. Wednesday, when the strike began, is IU Day, a fundraising opportunity for the university.

The strike comes after over five years of fighting for better working conditions and higher pay. The IGWC previously went on a monthlong strike in Spring 2022, which resulted in wage increases. This year, the IGWC delivered 1,300 signed union cards and a letter to IU President Pamela Whitten, urging a union election, negotiation and a living wage minimum Jan. 17. The IGWC said in a press release this week despite multiple follow-up attempts, there was no response. The IGWC said on their website many graduate workers make $22,600 for a 10-month contract. According to a document from the Office of the Vice Provost for Finance and Administration, the minimum stipend for a 10-month graduate worker appointment is $22,000. In the press release this week, the IGWC said the living wage for a single person living in Bloomington, based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator, is $41,441.

The strike also comes after IU Bloomington faculty overwhelming passed votes of no confidence in IU President Pamela Whitten, Provost Rahul Shrivastav and Vice Provost for Faculty and Academics Carrie Docherty on Tuesday. The Indiana Daily Student will bring you live updates, scenes and news from the picket line this week.

10:30 a.m. outside Ballantine Hall

The strike has begun with passionate and urgent chants of “What's appalling? Admin stalling,” “Union now” and “Give us a raise,” echoing outside the main entrance of Ballantine Hall.

More than 50 members of the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition walk laps in front of the building, complete with signs reading “Let us vote for union recognition.” “We started a card drive, and we submitted over 1300 union cards to President Whitten in January,” IGWC Communication Chair David Garner said. “We submitted the letters several times, asking to negotiate with us and we got zero response from the administration.”

A

11:30 a.m. outside Ballantine Hall Graduate student Ann Campbell sells red, white and black shirts in front of Beck Chapel with “United we bargain, divided we beg,” printed on the front. She holds a clipboard with QR codes to donate to IGWC’s GoFundMe and pay union dues.

IGWC members hoist two banners on the steps leading to Ballantine Hall. One reads, “IU works when we do,” and the other reads, “Grads work! Unions support, protect and unite!”

Katharina Schmid-Schmidsfelden, a graduate student in the German Studies Department, said the reason for the strike is to fight for union recognition and a living wage.

Schmid-Schmidsfelden, who is from Austria, cannot work more than 20 hours a week and can only be paid by IU because of her F-1 Visa.

“Bloomington is one of the most expensive cities in Indiana,” she said. “It is very hard to make a living, especially as an international student.”

The sun that shone on the strike at the beginning is replaced by a series of dark clouds and sporadic raindrops, and the members marching in front of Ballantine has grown to north of 70

members.

1 p.m. outside Ballantine Hall

After an hour lunch break, the IGWC has returned to picketing Ballantine Hall. Chanting “Class is canceled,” a group of around 70 graduate workers blocked the East Kirkwood Avenue entrance. The coalition also has students posted at every entrance of Ballantine, asking students to not attend class in support of the strike.

“Ask your instructors why class is canceled,” one picketer said to a student walking into the hall.

Graduate student Bryce Greene continued to lead the chants on a megaphone, calling out IU President Pamela Whitten and Provost Rahul Shrivastav following the faculty vote of no confidence that passed with 93.1% Wednesday. “Can someone tell me exactly what the provost does?” Greene said. “When I say ‘Pamela,’ you say, ‘Good riddance,’” he added.

Several cars honked in support as they drove by, with drivers waving and shouting with the group. Greene addressed multiple groups of students walking by, asking if they knew why the union was on strike and continuing to ask them not to attend class.

Several students stalled outside the building, unsure of whether they could attend class or not. Students continued to trickle into the building despite the strike.

1:20 p.m.

IU Student Government expressed support for the strike in an Instagram story post featuring a photo outside of the Ballantine Hall picket.

“IUSG SUPPORTS @indianagrads!” the post reads. “The 2023-2024 Student

Body Congress passed CEA 1035 in March reaffirming our support for the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition, and their effort of seeking union recognition by the IU administration,” IUSG Press Secretary Aidan Chism said in a statement to the IDS. “IUSG as an organization supports the workers right to unionize, along with support for a union election. These policies were transmitted to the Board of Trustees in March. The post on our Instagram story is a statement of organization wide support of the Coalition.”

1:50 p.m. outside Ballantine Hall

The strikers continue to picket Ballantine Hall, accompanied by chants criticizing the administration.

Two IUPD officers spoke to some picketers, requesting they keep the staircase clear, as some of them were previously sitting on the entire staircase. The union instead left one picketer on the staircase with their largest sign, reading, “IU works when we do.”

“We’re workers united, we’ll never be defeated,” they continue to chant.

2:20 p.m. outside Ballantine Hall

The picket took a short break to take a group picture on the stairs of Ballantine. Chanting, “This is what a union looks like!” The group held up a fist in solidarity for the photo. Picketers continue to stand in front of every entrance of Ballantine, asking students to skip class in support. “Honk for the union!” graduate student Bryce Greene yells through a

pio-

retention

and since then, states from Mississippi

S.B. 1 is about outcomes, Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond), one of the bill’s authors, said. Raatz also authored Senate Bill 6, which aims to help students who’ve left third grade without passing reading assessments catch up. For students to be successful in life, he said, they need to know how to read.

As Indiana looks towards its first school year with S.B.1’s policies in place, it’s worth looking at how similar laws have played out in schools across the country.

Arizona has gone through a variety of different reading support plans. The state passed a “Move on When Reading” policy in 2010 that retains third graders who scored low on reading proficiency exams. The policy was implemented in 2013, and

ious laws to support elementary readers. These policies, especially around retention, are often controversial. Study results are complicated: Retention can be effective, but only when it’s paired with other forms of support, such as screenings and coaching. It can also lead to inequity and negative mental health impacts.

since then, has been updated to mandate dyslexia screenings in kindergarten and first grade and to add teacher training on dyslexia.

Like Indiana law, it contains some exemptions, including students in special education programs or who are learning English as a second language. Both bills are also known for their retention policies, but also include support for and ways to identify struggling students.

By 2021, Arizona fourth grade students improved their reading level on standardized tests by half a grade and the literacy test pass rate to 46% from 40% when the policy was implemented.

Terri Clark, Arizona literacy director of early literacy initiative Read on Arizona, said the reason the policy works is because it’s a comprehensive set of strategies. Students are getting reading support earlier because of improvements like literacy coaching and increased educator preparation.

“Retention is just one tool in that toolbox of policies,” Clark said. “It’s not the end. We really tried to ap-

proach it as that: retention is one tool, and almost the last tool, to help ensure students, struggling readers especially, don’t fall through the cracks.” Retaining third graders is a “gray area” in some ways, Clark said. There’s a clear short-term boost in reading skills, but it’s not clear if that effect continues — another reason she believes having multiple strategies is important. It can’t just be “retention for retention’s sake,” she said.

Karen Carney, an Ohio elementary school teacher, looks at the issue differently. Ohio’s 2012 Third Grade Reading Guarantee aimed to end “social promotion,” when third grade students are allowed to continue into fourth grade despite not passing literacy assessments. It went into effect in 2013, and it remained that way until 2023, when it was weakened in favor of parental choice. Carney worried about retention’s effect on students’ mental health. Seeing the students realize the gravity of the test, that it’s all or nothing, was disturbing, she said.

“You should never judge a child, or anyone, on one moment in time, because there’s so much more that plays into that big picture,” Carney said.

One year, her school district tried to do partial retention: “three and a half-ers,” Carney recalled. The students took all their normal fourth grade classes but went to third grade reading instruction. It yielded the worst results of all, she said.

“Everyone knew that they had failed the reading test,” Carney said. “Because there they were, with the scarlet letter on their chest.”

Raatz raised an opposing concern about mental health. If students move on without learning to read, he said, they’ll get behind. If they’re called on to read in class, they won’t be able to. That kind of persistent embarrassment can lead to behavioral issues down the road, he said. Instead of retention, Carney believes the solution should instead involve early intervention. Schools should target students for reading help in kindergarten, because by the time they get to

third grade they’re already behind.

It’s important to recognize that students come in at different levels, Carney said. She supports expanding access to preschool to help bridge that gap. Indiana’s S.B. 1 fills in some of these gaps. It includes support for second grade students, as well as funding for tutoring and summer school, which may help avoid the “scarlet letter” situation Carney described.

Additionally, the Monroe County Community School Corporation is using referendum funding from 2023 to provide affordable pre-K to community students.

There’s been pushback to retention in Indiana. The state passed changes to reading curriculum only last year, and many local parents and administrators are opposed to the bill’s provisions.

Clark, though, said she believes pushback will disappear once schools start seeing results. She hopes people will understand that retention is only one piece of the puzzle, and they’ll start to support the policy in the end.

Mon. - Fri.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 3925 Hagan St., Suite 203 812-334-0001

JanTaylorSchultz.com

I have been an eating disorder specialist since 1995, treating people with Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge eating. I understand the difficulty of dealing with an eating disorder because I have been through the recovery process myself. I see clients with all types of emotional issues, as other issues can underly eating disorder behavior. I work with clients in a safe space that is needed for healing and support, while building on client strengths and solutions. I also work with local physicians and dietitians.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The IU Board of Trustees released a statement April 16 affirming complete support for Whitten.

“At our direction and with our support, President Pamela Whitten is leading at a time in higher education where the status quo is not an option,” the statement read. The full statement can be read on their website.

Quinn Buckner, chair of the Board of Trustees, also released a statement.

“Let me be absolutely clear: President Whitten has my full support and that of every member on the Board of Trustees,” he wrote. “I have the privilege of working hand in hand with her and I regularly witness her deep integrity, compassion and commitment to IU's future. She is an extraordinary leader who is crucial to Indiana University’s success and will be serving as our president for years to come.”

presidential search process in 2020 and culminating this semester with the suspension of professor Abdulkader Sinno, the cancelation of Palestinian painter Samia Halaby’s exhibition and a dispute regarding compliance with a new Indiana law barring funds for the Kinsey Institute.

In each case, students, faculty and staff expressed concerns that the decisions jeopardized academic freedom and bypassed input from university stakeholders. Faculty signed a petition in defense of Sinno after Docherty suspended him for allegedly misrepresenting an event with a pro-Palestinian speaker on a room reservation form. The Faculty Board of Review later wrote IU had violated its policy because it bypassed a faculty hearing required by Bloomington campus policy, and while the provost implied he would support the FBR’s decision at a February BFC meeting, he declined to comment in March.

In an email to faculty April 16, Whitten wrote she intended to collaborate with faculty despite disagreements. The full text of the statement is below:

“This university and your success are deeply important to me. And after today’s vote, I write to share my reflections on how we can move forward together.

While we will not always agree, our community is made stronger by an array of viewpoints and voices—including those expressed as part of this process.

We serve at a time when trust in higher education is at record lows, and expectations for our role as an economic and cultural driver are at record highs. Our selfconcept of purpose and value often differs wildly from how we are viewed by lawmakers, civic leaders, industry and much of the general public. Such differences are not tenable forever.

There is no going back to an earlier time. Demographic changes, resulting financial realities, and political developments are only accelerating. To combat the challenges that mark this new environment, I welcome thoughtful ideas and consideration.

building on client strengths and solutions. I also work with local physicians and dietitians.

RN

Vibrant Life specializes in hormone replacement therapy and medical aesthetics. Vibrant Life is pleased to offer personlized care, employing the latest medical technology. Services include: hormone therapy, neuromodulators (botox, dysport), dermafillers, microneedling,

Against this backdrop, our trustees have charged us with making difficult but necessary decisions to ensure that IU, and IU Bloomington, as the flagship, emerges as a leader among elite research universities.

Institutions are never static. They are evolving, innovating and getting stronger, or they are stagnant and losing momentum and relevance. But we can only achieve the former if we work together, if we communicate with honesty and compromise, if we operate on the same team.

As we plan our future together, I encourage you to suggest innovative opportunities within your department, school or college to share your ideas. In turn, I pledge to listen and learn. I will weigh the guidance from faculty council and the participation of the campus community through shared governance to achieve our collective vision of a thriving campus.

The change we seek for IU Bloomington is grounded not in an inability to appreciate what is already here, but in a desire to ensure that what comes in the future can match the strength of IU’s legacy. The IU we seek in 2030 and beyond will look different in some ways than the IU we know today – not because we have diverged from our mission, but because we have met this challenging societal moment and boldly embraced our purpose—for students, for scholarship and knowledge creation, and for service to society.

Working together, we can achieve even more for this extraordinary institution. We can uphold the legacy of Herman B Wells and ensure IU thrives as an international academic leader while being a workplace that embraces respectful collaboration.”

In the weeks leading up to the vote, faculty organizers cited several controversies and an overall perception of financial mismanagement as motivating factors. However, faculty unrest has been brewing for years, beginning with a controversial

When Halaby’s art show was canceled due to unspecified security concerns, it drew condemnation from international groups and gained national news coverage. Though Halaby and her grandniece, Madison Gordon, organized a petition that received over 15,000 signatures, IU did not reinstate the exhibition.

After the Board of Trustees considered a proposal to create a nonprofit that would administer some functions of the Kinsey Institute at a meeting in November, IU community members urged the board and the IU administration to implement an accounting solution instead. Kinsey faculty and staff said the proposal came as a surprise to them and feared it would put the institute’s collections in jeopardy. Ultimately, the Board of Trustees scrapped the nonprofit plan. The IDS wrote about these disputes and other controversies in detail last week.

In a document obtained by the IDS prior to the vote, faculty organizers also alleged the university has been imposing unnecessary austerity measures on academic units. The document alleges Whitten has created an “artificial budget shortfall” which risks the health of departments that contribute to IU’s R1 status. Universities with an R1 classification have “very high research activity,” which is determined by the number of doctoral degrees and research expenditures across four “disciplinary clusters” — humanities, social sciences, STEM and “all other disciplines,” such as business, social work, public policy and education.

“Her budget centralization has significantly decreased school and departmental normal operational budgets and disincentivized faculty applications for major national grants,” the document reads. “Overall, she has contributed to destroying IU’s reputation globally and with the federal government, causing visible damage even at the level of new faculty and graduate student recruitment.” The IDS could not independently verify these claims. However, IU made $70 million in permanent budget cuts in 2021-2022 according to its annual financial report. At the end of fiscal year 2022, IU reported a net position of $5,223,795,000, an indicator of the university’s financial strength after examining assets, liabilities and deferred inflow and outflow of resources.

Understanding the power of student activism

Advait Save (he/they) is a freshman studying economics and sociology.

The 1968 Columbia University protests represent the pinnacle of student-led activism. These protests were invoked for two main reasons. First was resistance against the proposal to build a gymnasium for the university which would lead to the displacement of the local minority population of Harlem, seen as a move toward segregation. Second was a demand for the university to cut ties with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a think tank affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense — which at that time was involved in the bloody war of Vietnam. Opposition to this war was the primary reason they demanded divestment from the IDA.

After a long struggle of more than 1,000 protesters occupying university buildings and occasional scrambles with law enforcement, Columbia accepted their two main demands. They scrapped the plan to build a new gym and cut ties with the IDA. Student protests like this are a source of hope for students today tirelessly fighting for their values.

Protests in general tend to follow a basic structure. There is a reason for discontent with the status quo. An identification of a problem in the system is key for a protest to be invoked. Then an appeal is made for solving this problem by challenging the status quo. The power to change is not directly held by the people facing the problem — in a republic, this is generally through representatives who can vote on laws. This power gap is filled by disrupting the status quo to gain recognition of the appeal. Then these demands are either accepted or clamped down upon. There

are a lot of nuances to protesting, but this overview is essential in understanding protests at universities as a microcosm of a county, state or even a country. The stage of appeal or just making the dissenters’ presence felt requires a lot of organization. This organization involves hours of meetings, practicing escalations, training to deal with the police — figuring out ways to stall them and just deciding on how comfortable everyone involved is with pushing the legality of their right to protest. Legality presents an interesting aspect of confining protests to a legal and an illegal definition. I believe this is antithetical to the very nature of a protest. The pres-

ence of protesters cannot be felt without disruptions, they often involve crossing boundaries of acceptability to catch people’s eye.

College campuses provide a perfect environment to incubate a spirit of protesting. Students tend to spend most of their time on college campuses, either in classes, club meetings or just by living in on-campus housing. This sheer proximity is essential in fostering a sense of community, which is essential in organizing a protest. Students with common political values are easily accessible to each other. College students tend to be heavily politically active; this perhaps leads to politics dominating their daily conversations or at

least playing a significant role. A possible explanation could be that during transition to adulthood this demographic faces, they gain a heightened sense of civic responsibility by gaining the right to vote. College may represent a sense of freedom for an individual to build their identity as they go through this crucial phase of life. Politics has increasingly become a central part of one’s identity. Advocating for a position is best represented by protesting for that position to become reality. Participating in a collective action like a protest creates a feeling of community. This community consists of members who share similar values and trust each other.

The trust aspect of a protest is easier to achieve on a college campus. Every participating member is aware of their background, as they are college students. This background information is a commonality that helps build trust which is perhaps not possible in other public contexts.

Participating in protest also contributes to two fundamental goals of a college education is to create awareness that counters ignorance and fosters a learning environment. There must be an adequate educational process before a protest is carried out. Protesters must be fully aware of what they are fighting for. This is obvious as the strength of the idea is enough to mo-

bilize people. However, the strength of an idea is no evidence of its quality, and this is important when one tries to analyze these protests. Educating people is natural to student protests. Protests at a college level represent a confluence of education and early political mobilization that produces socially conscious citizens. The real-life policy changes like during the 1968 Columbia protests may induce build public trust in the institutions that govern them. Overall, protesting in university is something that everyone should participate in to build a good conscious self and a conscious population. ausave@iu.edu

Isabella Vesperini (she/her)

is a sophomore majoring in journalism and minoring in Italian.

When my dad told me we were moving to Bloomington 13 years ago, I immediately started crying. I panicked. I wouldn’t live in Philadelphia anymore. I’d have to make new friends. These thoughts freaked me out, and it seemed impossible to comprehend. I remember pacing around our living room, and suddenly saying, “It’s okay. This is fine. It’ll be fun.” My coping mechanisms have always confused me.

Watching our apartment empty right in front of my eyes was unsettling. It was the first time I saw my room without my dresser or toys. The space looked so much bigger than before. It wasn’t supposed to look that way. I wondered who would move in next. I still wonder who lives in our apartment on the ninth floor and what my old room is used for. Does the view look any different? Can you see any new skyscrapers that weren’t there before?

The morning we left for Bloomington, I watched the moving truck load all our boxes. I narrowed my eyes; I doubted they’d make it all the way to our new home. Would we beat them there? Where were they going before Bloomington? I also thought about the friends I was leaving behind, and how, ideally, I’d keep in touch with them — in reality, I’d probably never talk to them again.

As we loaded into our navy-blue Honda CRV – his name was Peter – for the last time in front of our apartment building, I tried not to cry. Even though I was excited to explore a new place, I didn’t want to leave Philadelphia. Over the last 8 years we’d lived here, I’d become a city girl. I loved walking through the city to school and riding the subway to summer camp with my dad. I loved going to smell the real Christmas trees by the-

Home Depot, even though our apartment didn’t allow them. I always looked forward to driving by City Hall and riding on the horse carriages.

But what I would miss most was driving into the city from the highway: The skyline was so beautiful and inspiring. I would get so much joy from watching all the skyscrapers come into view, and being able to live within that skyline seems like a faraway dream now. Driving away, I hoped I’d be able to one day come back and visit, or even live there again. I don’t remember much from the 13-hour road trip. Since we hadn’t unpacked enough to sleep at our new house in Bloomington yet, we stayed in a hotel by Texas Roadhouse and Pizza Hut, where we’d often get food.

When we drove around town, my dad would tell us to try to remember the roads as much as possible. We hadn’t gotten to the point of using Google Maps on our phones yet, so every time we needed directions, we’d print them out from the computer. I missed Philadelphia, but I was also curious to explore this new town. There were a lot of kids in my neighborhood I was shy to meet. There was also a park a few minutes away to play at. Now, 13 years later, I’m tired of living in Bloomington. Yet I’ve also come to appreciate what the town has to offer. Even though I feel as if there is little to do here, it’s safer than a big city. It’s easier to go on runs and drive around because there isn’t much traffic. I don’t feel overwhelmed here; I don’t feel as if I’m in a huge rush and need to try to go to so many places in a day like I would if I were in still in a big city. There is space to relax and breathe. Sometimes when I drive in my neighborhood, I imagine how I saw it when we first moved here. The space felt foreign, and the houses seemed to loom over me at

night. I remember how we were so excited to have our own garage; we wouldn’t need to forage around the city for parking on the street anymore. It was suddenly so much easier.

It was easier to learn how to finally learn how to ride a bike as a 17-year-old and start driving in more mellow conditions (though Bloomington drivers are still the absolute worst). Bloomington gave me the opportunity to grow up and do things I wouldn’t have otherwise done in a big city had we never moved. I was able to familiarize myself with Indiana University and find opportunities to pursue my passion in journalism. Who knows if I would’ve fallen in love with it had we not moved.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the city rush though. I miss the huge crowds and city noises. I miss the excitement and adrenaline. I miss riding the subway and unconsciously walking over 20,000 steps a day. I think the past 13 years helped me realize that I want to eventually move back to a big city. Exploring journalism in college and all the opportunities it has to offer in the country, especially in cities, makes a potential move back to Philadelphia worth it. There is so much to explore and experiment in cities after graduation. There are more stories and perspectives to investigate. There is so much there waiting for us, whether you’re a journalist, lawyer or a psychologist. College — and ironically Bloomington itself — encouraged me to dream about what lies beyond the small town of Bloomington.

And even if moving back to a city comes with paranoia and overwhelming feelings, it’s still all worth it. I love Bloomington, but if I had to choose, going back to Philadelphia would be worth it every single time.

my attention that there was a much better decision to make rather than throwing them in the bin. Companies such as Astronomers Without Borders and Eclipse Glasses USA put together their own respective initiatives to make sure those glasses see the eclipses of the future, including an upcoming annual solar eclipse in Latin America later this fall; some of the best viewing locations for this event in areas that will experience annular totality will be parts of Argentina, Chile and Easter Island. A large factor in starting these programs is to

make sure schoolchildren, specifically, get to be a part of these wonderful events, because many of them don’t have easy access to the proper tools for viewing. The easiest way to get your used glasses out of your hands is by visiting one of these collection nodes, where they will be sent, courtesy of Astronomers Without Borders, to countries across the world. Several of the drop-off locations are in Indiana — there is even one at the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology in Bloomington. Eclipse Glasses USA is another great source that

IU student shares her memories of loss

“We love you daddy.”

These words are held in a voice box that needs new batteries in a navy-blue teddy bear, laying on 20-year-old IU student Alyssa Newland’s bed in the Christian Student Fellowship house. When the voice box works you can hear three voices: Alyssa’s, her twin sister’s and their mother’s. They gave the teddy bear to her father, Ronald Eugene Harlan Jr. (JR), as a gift when she was around 6, during his fight with colon cancer.

A Superman logo marks the nose of the teddy bear. Superman became her father’s nickname while he was alive.

The teddy bear, which lived in storage until she started college, is also a reminder for Alyssa to live her life like her dad did.

The teddy bear is a reminder that Dec. 23, 2023, marked 10 years since her father’s death. The night before this anniversary, Dec. 22, 2023, which marks the last day her dad was alive 10 years ago, Alyssa spent time with her family at Assembly Hall, just like she did with her dad.

As a child, Alyssa attended IU basketball games with her dad. Now when she goes, she wears one of her dad’s hats. She wore one of the hats, a white baseball cap with a red IU symbol, cheering at a women’s basketball game with her family Dec. 22, 2023. As she walked into Assembly Hall to cheer on the Hoosiers during their match against the Bowling Green Falcons, the smell of popcorn and freshly cooked pretzels filled the air, and cream and crimson packed the stands. The stadium’s energy with the band playing and the cheerleaders performing was the same energy that she fell in love with as a child with her dad. Alyssa looked around; she was happy. Family surrounded her, and her twin sister stood by her side. As a former alto saxophone player in the IU marching band, she went over to the saxophone section to groove with them. Alyssa nodded her head, as she swayed her body forward and backward to the rhythm of the music.

•

•

•

In college, 40% of students have experienced a death of a relative or close friend by the time they are 18.

College students face unique challenges when they lose someone just before the start of college or during college, David J. Schonfeld, director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, said. Because students are transitioning from high school and being with family, to being away from family at college, Schonfeld said loss during this time can cause

students to feel isolated or guilty for leaving grieving family members. “You can feel very disconnected, from not only the supports, but also what’s happened,” he said. “You may not have been able to see the individual who died, before they died; in the same way, spend considerable time with them, or feel more guilty, you were away doing something for yourself, and your own career.” It’s common for these students to experience trauma and grief triggers. Trauma triggers happens when something reminds an individual about how the person died. Grief triggers happens when something reminds an individual of the person who died, Schonfeld said. Such triggers can cause feelings associated with the trauma or loss to temporarily come back.

“Grief triggers are pretty invasive and hard to avoid,” he said. “It can be almost anything, all it has to do is remind you of the person who died.”

If an individual loses someone significant to them at a young age, they will start to appreciate more what the loss means as they get older. People will also be constantly reminded of their secondary losses, people and things one may lose related to a death, as one gets older, Schonfeld said.

•

•

•

As Alyssa has gotten older, her father’s absence has affected her differently than it did as a child. He couldn’t be there to see her graduate high school, get accepted to IU and become an adult.

Alyssa remembers waking up in the middle of the night, around 2 or 3 a.m. Dec. 23, 2013. With her bedroom

open, she saw the hallway light was on. She heard her mom screaming, “Don’t leave us. Wake up.”

She got out of bed and walked into the hallway to see her dad laying in her mom’s lap on the living room floor.

He was on his back, unresponsive.

The first thought she had was to comfort her mom. Her twin sister, who came out of her room a few seconds later, hugged their mom.

He was diagnosed with cancer in 2002, one year before Alyssa was born. As a child she saw his pain through his mobility; at times he was in a wheelchair and used a cane to walk. Alyssa knew the pain her dad had gone through and knew if he died that day, it would be okay since he wouldn’t be in pain anymore.

“I just remember telling my dad it’s okay to leave,” Alyssa said.

It started in Alyssa’s parents’ bedroom that night.

Alyssa’s mom told her how her dad heard his name called while in bed.

He woke up in the middle of the night which wasn’t unusual, her mom, Angela Newland, said.

“I hear names, do you hear names?” Angela remembers JR saying.

She thought he was dreaming.

She got his walker and they moved into the living room. He sat in his rocker chair while she got him pain medicine.

JR’s usual pain medicines weren’t working, so Alyssa’s mom called the hospice. They told her to give him other pain medicines kept in a bag in the fridge. When that didn’t work, Alyssa’s mom called them back and they told her to give him another

dose.

At that point, Alyssa’s grandparents, her mom’s parents, came over, and her grandmother noticed how the time between each breath of JR’s increased.

Then, he stopped breathing.

He never missed church, Angela said, until that Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013, the day before he died.

“I still remember where I laid on the floor after he was gone,” she said.

They celebrated Christmas at Alyssa’s mom’s parents’ house that year. Unlike other years celebrating Christmas together, they moved all of their gifts to the grandparents’ house so they could be together to open them.

They had a celebration of life party for him between Christmas and New Years, where over 300 people showed up. Almost a year later, Alyssa and her family moved into a new house, still in Bloomington.

•

•

•

JR was always positive and fun to be around, she said. He always had a smile on his face and would make others smile.

When Alyssa was 8, she and her family went to Universal Orlando in the summer.

During their trip, they rode the water ride “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” in the Dr. Seuss section of the park.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky that day.

Alyssa was small for her age and scared of rides. Her dad calmed her nerves and sat on the outside of the seat, and she sat on the inside. He had tubes near his

white photo that’s also on Alyssa’s wall. Originally the photo was her and stepsister on Alyssa’s 17th birthday, her mom later edited it to include her dad. “Looking at that always brings a smile on my face knowing that he’s still here,” Alyssa said. “I always believe in the idea of your family is looking down on you, even if they are not here physically.”

• • •

One of her biggest waves of grief was when she was in middle school when she and her twin sister started to be in separate classes and pursue different extracurricular activities.

Her dad was not there to see her interests change and start new things like playing the alto saxophone. When she was 16, her mom remarried. Since then, she has been able to count on her stepdad, Scott Newland, to be there for her on her off days. She saw a side of her mom light up that she had not seen for years.

Since she was 10, she’s experienced a rollercoaster of grief. In freshman year, she found a community that has given her support, Christian Student Fellowship.

There is always going to be something in life that reminds you of the person you lost, Angela said. Grief is unique to each person. Losing a dad as a child is different than losing a dad as an adult, she said.

“Your friendships, grief is going to be there, your church life it’s going to be there, your party life it’s going to be there,” Angela said. “No matter what, it’s going to influence every aspect of your life, for better or for worse.”

Being in college, Alyssa has struggled with wanting to be with her family all the time. Sometimes she will go home to her mom and stepdad’s house in Bloomington and watch game shows like “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune,” her dad’s favorites. She’s had to learn not to unravel the entirety of her dad’s death when she talks to people. Her biggest fear has been forcing people away because of it.

Death is sensitive and uncomfortable topic to talk about. There is no good conversation starter for it, Scott said. “What color ribbon can I wear that says, ‘I’ve lost someone’ so people know?” Scott said.

•

•

•

kidneys and sutures at the time so he couldn’t get the bottom half of his body wet.

When they got off the ride, his khakis pants were soaked and Alyssa’s plaid shorts that matched her twin sister’s were dry. He had a smile on his face the entire time. All that mattered to him was Alyssa having fun.

Alyssa and her dad were best friends. He taught her how to have a positive outlook in life and show kindness to everyone.

As a child, Alyssa was bullied at school. It could have been kids picking on her being small or her One Direction backpack. Her favorite member was Niall Horan. But every time she came home, her dad would be there for her.

“I’ve always been his little girl,” she said. Her dad taught her to have no regrets when leaving a chapter in life and entering a new one, like Alyssa adjusting from high school to college.

• • •

On her wall in her room at Christian Student Fellowship, a housing center for IU students who want to live in a Christian community, she has photos of her and her dad. One is a photo of them at a fatherdaughter dance when she was around 5. At that time, he was at his healthiest in his fight against cancer.

The photo is a memory starting to fade in Alyssa’s mind. As she’s gotten older, it has become difficult to keep memories of him when she was that young.

To ensure he is not forgotten, Angela has present-day photos photoshopped with JR in it. One of them is a black and

As Alyssa pulled out the silver infinity necklace that holds her dad’s ashes from a wood box in her desk drawer, a picture of her and her family in San Francisco laid next to it, which now hangs above her desk. Her and her family went to San Francisco in September 2013, two months before her dad’s death. Her favorite memory of that trip is walking on the Golden Gate Bridge and her dad and uncle play-fighting along the walk.

As they walked onto the middle of the bridge, her uncle, who was pushing her dad in his wheelchair, wanted to do a trust fall with him.

So, her uncle pushed the wheelchair forward and as it fell backward, he caught it. Alyssa always thinks about the smile her dad put on her face during that trip. “What I really admire about my dad, was that no matter what he was going through, he wanted to put other people’s happiness before his own,” Alyssa said. “That’s what mattered to him, was making everyone else around him happy.” Whatever hardship she is going through, she thinks about how her dad always had a smile on his face.

Bluebird with Connor McLaren and again at the Burning Couch Festival.

6. The Rasta Pops popsicle stand is seen April 13, 2024, at WIUX Culture Shock at Dunn Meadow in Bloomington. Many attendees visited the stand for sweet treats during the festival.

7. Ed Winn raps on stage at WIUX Culture Shock on April 13, 2024, at Dunn Meadow in Bloomington. During the performance the artist interacted with the audience including them in his songs and inviting the crowd to dance with him.

8. Sophomore Ally Haire walks toward the stage before the Westhead Performance at WIUX Culture Shock on April 13, 2024, at Dunn Meadow in Bloomington. Between music sets, the crowd dispersed to visit vendors selling clothes and jewelry at the park.

9. Students browse the clothing racks at WIUX Culture Shock thrift event April 13, 2024, at Dunn Meadow in Bloomington. Clothing resale has become a major part of outdoor events at IU, with many students reselling their clothes or handmade crafts.

10. People picnic out during WIUX Culture Shock on April 13, 2024, at Dunn Meadow in Bloomington. Many people spread out blankets or set up chairs at the meadow, staying the entire day.

Alumni Nate Jackson bids for an Olympic Berth

By Aidan Pollitt adpollit@iu.edu

Nate Jackson wrestled his final match wearing the cream and crimson at the 2017 NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. Jackson capped off a storied career for the Hoosiers by defeating Illinois’ Emory Parker in the consolation Round of 12 to seal himself as an All-American. Since Jackson’s 2017 run, no Hoosier has been able to climb the podium at the NCAA Championships and call themselves an AllAmerican. His tenure at Indiana University was filled with personal accomplishments and championships, but what he has obtained is greater than just the wins. He learned profound lessons from Duane Goldman, the former head coach of Indiana wrestling.

“He’s an incredible human being, like a really good person,” Jackson told the Indiana Daily Student on Feb. 26 via Zoom. “The biggest thing that I learned from him was ‘wherever you are, be there.’” This lesson from Goldman emphasized being fully present in every situation, an initially puzzling concept for Jackson. Over time, he interpreted it as a directive to find purpose in every aspect of his life, ensuring his presence contributed positively to any environment. This meant embodying his true self consistently, whether at work or in personal relationships.

Since Jackson’s days in Indiana, he has leveraged the skills and lessons gained as a Hoosier to become one of the United States’ premiere wrestlers on the international stage. He moved to New Jersey to train and has competed at the highest level of the sport, including the 2022 World Cup, where he secured a pivotal victory in Team USA’s win over Iran.

Most recently, Jackson won a Gold Medal and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Pan American Championships in Acapulco, Mexico. He posted four victories over his opponents, registering two tech falls and two falls to prevail as champion.

“I was super grateful for USA Wrestling just giving me the opportunity to compete with the team,” Jackson said. “To be able to represent our country and be on that stage was pretty awesome”

For him, this tournament is just a steppingstone towards his future goals for this year. In winning the Pan

American Championships he qualified for the Olympic Trials where he will try to earn the right to represent the United States once more. This time at the 2024 Olympic Games. “My goal is to win an Olympic gold medal this year,” Jackson said. “I set that goal maybe a couple years ago, and it’s been something I’ve been working toward, I feel like I’m really close. This is a qualifier, and I can’t win the Olympic gold if I’m not the USA team rep. We have some of the best wrestlers in US history that are going to be in my bracket. So, it’s going to be super competitive. But I feel like God has given me the tools and I just have to trust in my preparation and trust in my team. And I think we can get it done.”

Transitioning from collegiate wrestling to the international stage is a formidable challenge, one that requires athletes to adapt to new styles, competition formats and opponents. For Jackson, this transition has been a journey of self-discovery, marked by victories and defeats.

Jackson fell agonizingly short of the opportunity to be the United States representative for the 2022 World Championships when he fell in a best-ofthree series against 2-time world champion J’den Cox. Although Jackson won the second bout, Cox cemented himself as the World Team member by defeating Jackson in the third and final bout. “You have to find ways to enjoy the climb and find meaning in the heartbreaks,” Jackson said. “I am competing all over the world and have a chance to explore the globe and learn how wrestling is represented in a multitude of cultures. The victories and defeats feel similar, but the learning environment is much expanded.” Now, Jackson turns his attention towards the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He plans to move up weight classes into the highly competitive 97 kg group.

Jackson, formerly a 92 kg wrestler, knows he faces a plethora of highly decorated foreign and domestic foes with the likes of 2016 Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder, bronze medalist J’den Cox of the United States and returning 2020 Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia.

Jackson is excited with these potential opportunities to face wrestling legends like Sadulaev, Cox and Snyder. However, his immediate focus lies on the upcoming

trials, where he aims to prepare diligently, taking each day as it comes, while maintaining faith in his abilities and trusting in the process.

“I look at it like every match in practice is the biggest match of my career,” said Jackson. “I’m trying to be an Olympic champion in the room every day, I’m trying to be an Olympic champ at home, I’m trying to be an Olympic champ ... if I’m going out for a walk.”

Most athletes competing at the highest level, like Jackson, have high levels of motivation and discipline. However, Jackson points to one unique reason that keeps him motivated despite the arduous path ahead.

“When I go out there and compete, it’s not just my win — it’s really not,” Jackson said. “It’s our win, it’s my communities win, it’s me and my families win, it’s me and my coaches win, me and my teammates win. It gives you a little bit more motivation to pick it up when you start to let your foot off the gas when you have more weight.”

Jackson’s attributes his commitment to preserving relationships as a major factor in his success. His coaches and training partners continue to give Jackson confidence, purpose and sharpen his technical abilities on the mat.

Jackson has been trained by the finest coaches in the country and has an excellent selection of training partners with similar goals. Jackson has trained with the likes of World Team member Chance Marsteller, Bellator contender Corey Anderson and the Princeton wrestling team. It would be remiss not to mention Reece Humphrey, who serves as Jackson’s primary coach and was named 2019 USA Wrestling Coach of the Year.

“He can push me mentally,” Jackson said of Humphrey. “He’s been in great places: He was a three-time world team member. He’s not afraid to drop his ego when he’s wrong and say, ‘hey I think I’m wrong here, let’s figure this out together,’ and the collaborative aspect of his coaching has made him the best freestyle wrestling coach, I think, in the world.” Jackson has been in this game a long time, and even with the help of a team behind him, the road has not always been easy. He has had to deal with injury, undergoing significant setbacks that tested both physical resilience and mental fortitude.

In Nov. 2022, just weeks before the World

Cup, Jackson sustained a debilitating injury during practice. Despite sensing the severity of the injury, he pushed through, driven by the opportunity to compete for Team USA and potentially earn a world title.

However, it was only after competing in a World Ranking Series event in Egypt, and defeating a wrestler who later became the 2023 World Champion, he discovered he had two labral tears in his shoulder. This injury not only sidelined him from competition but also required surgery in July 2023. Jackson faced a challenging road to recovery, unsure if he would be ready in time for the Olympic trials.

Through the unwavering support of his team in New Jersey, Jackson exceeded his initial recovery expectations. His journey to recovery is a testament to the resilience required to pursue excellence in the world of wrestling and underscores the harsh reality of the physical toll competitive wrestling can exact on athletes.

Beyond physical challenges, Jackson also grappled with the delicate balance between his wrestling aspirations and his role as a family man.

“Balance has always been a struggle for me,” Jackson said. “I believe the word ‘balance’ may be better replaced with ‘prioritization.’”

Jackson previously attempted to juggle personal aspirations with family responsibilities,

often finding himself overwhelmed. However, through introspection and faith, he found clarity in his priorities.

“My priority is my relationship with God,” Jackson said. “My family follows. Then, my service to others ... at the end of the day, we can’t really do it on our own. There’s nobody who’s doing everything on their own. I need those support systems. I need those relationships.”

Despite Jackson’s move to New Jersey, he continues to foster relationships and deep connections with wrestlers from the state of Indiana. Notably, he surrounds himself with individuals like Indiana alum Joe Dubuque — a twotime national champion for the Hoosiers who now serves as the head coach for Princeton University — and Humphrey, the current head NJRTC coach who was born in Indiana and won three IHSAA state championships for Lawrence North High School.

These connections between the Indiana and Princeton programs have led to an exciting yearly dual between the teams for two consecutive seasons.

“Joe Dubuque coached Angel; Angel is doing a fantastic job; Joe’s at the helm now at Princeton. I don’t see any reason why this dual won’t happen for years to come,” Jackson said. “We’re used to, as wrestlers, transitioning from being friends, and then fighting.”

The strong leadership of Indiana head coach Angel Escobedo, who led the Hoosiers to a 7-5 dual

record this season, includes multiple wins over ranked teams and victories over Princeton in their two previous duals.

“I think Coach Escobedo has done a great job at the helm,” Jackson said. “The biggest thing I’ve noticed as a fan is the uniformity in the team’s preparation for big matches. They seem consistently ready to compete hard, win or lose. That strikes me as evidence for a strong team culture dynamic.”

Jackson will continue to sharpen and build his skills as the 2024 Olympic Team Trials on April 19 and 20 approach. Reflecting on his training regimen and mental preparation for these upcoming challenges, Jackson emphasizes the crucial elements that underpin his approach to wrestling.

“The aspects of my training that are of most importance are focus, discipline and confidence,” Jackson said. “Each thing I do with my time, each thing I consume will have to go through the filter of, ’is this something that pushes me away from or draws me closer to my goal?’ Confidence is the name of the game. No matter how much you train and how prepared for the moment you are, if the moment shrinks your confidence, your probability for success falters.”

With focus, discipline and confidence as his guiding principles, Jackson is poised to tackle the challenges ahead and continue his pursuit of Olympic glory.

3,000-meter steeplechase.

On April 13, junior Camden Marshall won the men’s 800-meter run in 1:48.16.

In Muncie, the Hoosiers had a strong showing in the field events to commence the We Fly Challenge. On April 13,

in the men’s hammer throw with a distance of 65.31 meters.

Junior Tyler Reyna finished fifth with a throw of 52.22 meters.

Sophomore Alex Smith placed second in the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.39 meters.

In the women’s long

COURTESY PHOTO OF UNITED WORLD WRESTLING Indiana University Alumni Nate Jackson trains for the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games. Jackson graduated from

Indiana defeats IUPUI in last home spring game

By Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer matfuent@iu.edu | @mfr0617

The trees shook, the corner flags flapped and the Indiana men’s soccer team breezed to a victory over IUPUI on a windy April 12 night at Bill Armstrong Stadium. After three 30-minute periods, the Hoosiers came out on top 3-0.

Indiana nearly took an early lead three minutes in thanks to sophomore forward Luka Bezerra, but his shot attempt just outside the six-yard box was blocked by an IUPUI defender and his rebound deflected off the post.

The pressure sustained throughout most of the first period, but Indiana was unable to get a goal on the board, mustering up only two shots — both on the Bezerra chance. However, the Hoosiers controlled the ball for almost the entirety of the period as they held IUPUI to zero shots and zero corner kicks.

“They didn’t pose any threat, which is great,” Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley said postgame. “I thought some of our attacks, we did get around the corners [but] a little off with our final pass. Some of our intermediate play I thought was a bit sloppy at times. But overall, pleased.”

Just two and a half minutes into the second period, junior forward Sam Sarver split two defenders and was brought down in the box for a penalty. Granted the opportunity to put the Hoosiers on the board,

Sarver blasted his penalty kick over the crossbar, keeping the game a scoreless tie.

Only five minutes after the Sarver miss, Indiana broke the deadlock. After defeating his defender on the touch line, freshman midfielder Clay Murador placed a low cross into the box for freshman forward Lucas Wolthers to glance past the keeper with his left footed shot at the near post. Murador comes off a season in which he was unable to register a goal or assist but played in 16 matches as a true freshman. As displayed with the assist April 12, Yeagley hopes Murador can improve upon his freshman campaign.

“We saw Clay last year with his explosive moments,” Yeagley said. “He clearly has a different change of gear and can beat guys, but now can he work off combination? Can he be easier to play with? Can we get him to get more composure in the key moments? The ball he gave was a good one.”

As for Wolthers, redshirting his first season gives him four years of eligibility that Yeagley is eager to see unfold. “There’s signs that you see out here tonight, what Wolthers can help us [with],” Yeagley said. “He’s a big body, he likes to get in scoring positions. He’s one that, knowing with four years of eligibility, there’s a lot ahead for him.” The onslaught continued for Indiana as redshirt senior defender Andrew Goldsworthy rose above the pack to head Sarver’s free kick into the corner of the net, only minutes after coming off the bench. The goal came in the Bloomington native’s final match at Bill Armstrong Stadium as he is set to depart from the program at the end of the spring season.

“He’s been a great teammate,” Yeagley said. “He’s been a guy who’s pushed our guys all the time. I’m really happy he got this moment tonight to score in front of his family because this will be his last season with us before he heads off to his next adventure.” The third period retreated from the breakneck pace of the second, and only until the 19th minute did Indiana add to its advantage. After picking up the ball near the halfway line, Sarver sat down his defender, raced towards the net and slotted the ball past the onrushing keeper to seal the dominant display. The 3-0 scoreline reflected both a lopsided attacking and defensive display from Indiana.

corner.

MICHELLE REZSONYA | IDS Redshirt senior forward Quinten Helmer dribbles by Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis sophomore midfielder Ethan Vermillion on April 12, 2024, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. The Hoosiers defeated the Jaguars 3-0.

By Kate Hutner khutner@iu.edu

Instagram, YouTube and Tik-Tok are filled with random, somewhat entertaining videos. One of my favorites happens to be the 5-Minutes Craft videos: a YouTube channel for crafts and life hacks. The videos are mindnumbing, and most do not work. For example, there is a video posted where they “fix” someone’s broken iPhone screen with toothpaste. Even if the videos do end up working, they are absurd, and would probably be less expensive if one just bought what they needed rather than making it. Although they can be excessive and untruthful, I’ve realized I admire these creators and their content.

I found out that 5-Minute Crafts came from a 2016 Russian company called

COLUMN: Why I admire 5-minute crafts

AdMe, which focused on digital advertising and content distribution. Later that same year, it developed into TheSoul, which launched the 5-Minute Crafts YouTube channel. TheSoul apparently has 550 employees and produces 1500 videos a month. They make 1500 videos a month, meaning they need 1500 creative, unique and bizarre life-hacks and crafts. 5-Minute Crafts have a life hack for everything you could think of. There’s a hole in your wood dining table? Grab sunflower seeds and glue them in the hole, sand it down and paint it over — it looks exactly like how you would think. Blow drying your hair but it is taking forever? Set up a clothesline, pin your hair to it, and grab a fan! Most likely, your hair won’t dry, and if it does, it will look bizarre. And yes,

these are all real examples of 5-Minute Craft’s life-hacks. These crafts and lifehacks are the strangest things I come across on my social media, however I find I never skip them. I laugh at how ridiculous they are and admire how creative the creators must be. I am not sure how the work life really looks for their employees, but I have used my imagination to guess. Imagine sitting at a desk with other workers brainstorming possible crafts and life-hacks. Think of all the creativity that backs these ideas. Who would’ve thought to remove the yolk from a sunny side up egg by vacuuming it? These people think outside the box, and no, their ideas don’t often work, but I admire the creativity behind them. One of the main reasons I find the creativity behind 5-Minute Crafts so appealing is because it catches everyone’s attention. They take everyday issues that happen to people all around the world and try to solve them. I think it is interesting to see how many issues we have, and how many of them 5-Minute Crafts try to solve. These videos are also intriguing because there are so many of them. The workers for 5-Minute Crafts must be constantly thinking of new issues to cover, which must be so draining. As a student in the arts field, I know how exhausting and hard it is to try to think of multiple creative ideas and execute them the way you imagined. 5-Minute Crafts do this repeatedly, never failing to be creative. I know these crafts are used to make a lot of money off short, tightly-packed videos, but I think I will always respect 5-Minute Craft videos. They rarely work and are extremely questionable sometimes, but the creativity and dedication behind these videos captures my attention just the same.

Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) is a ministry built on Jesus Christ. We exist to help students pursue authentic faith and build intentional communities while in college. Come check out our campus house and/or any of our other various ministry opportunities.

Lutheran - Missouri Synod

Modern Buddhism

1968 N. David Baker 812-332-8972

csfindiana.org

Instagram & Facebook: @csfindiana

Episcopal (Anglican)

Canterbury Mission

719 E. Seventh St. 812-822-1335 IUCanterbury.org

facebook.com/ECMatIU

Instagram & Twitter: @ECMatIU

Sunday: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Mon., Wed., Thu.: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Tuesday: 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Fri., Sat.: By Appointment

Canterbury: Assertively open & affirming; unapologetically Christian, we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ by promoting justice, equality, peace, love and striving to be the change God wants to see in our world.

Ed Bird - Chaplain/Priest

Buddhist

Gaden KhachoeShing Monastery

2150 E. Dolan Rd. 812-334-3456 ganden.org

facebook.com/ganden.org

Dedicated to preserving the Buddha’s teachings as transmitted through the Gelukpa lineage of Tibet, for the benefit of all beings. The lineage was founded by the great Master Je Tsonghkapa in the 15th century in Tibet.

Christian Science

First Church of Christ, Scientist

2425 E. Third St. 812-332-0536 csmonitor.com bloomingtonchristianscience.com

Sunday: 10 a.m.

Wednesday: 7 p.m.

A free

Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Office

Thursday: 8 p.m., Worship Service

Ben Geiger - Lead campus minister

Joe Durnil - Associate campus minister

Stephanie Michael - Associate campus minister

Hailee Fox - Office manager

Bahá'í Faith

Society of Friends (Quaker)

Bloomington Friends Meeting

3820 E. Moores Pike 812-336-4581

bloomingtonfriendsmeeting.org

Facebook: Bloomington Friends Meeting

Sunday (in person and by Zoom) : 9:45 a.m., Hymn singing

10:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship 10:45 a.m., Sunday School (Children join in worship from 10:30-10:45) 11:30 a.m., Light Refreshments and Fellowship 12:45 p.m., Often there is a second hour activity (see website)

Wednesday (Via Zoom) : 9 a.m., Midweek Meeting for worship 9:30 a.m., Fellowship

We practice traditional Quaker worship, gathering in silence with occasional Spirit-led vocal ministry by fellow worshipers. We are an inclusive community with a rich variety of beliefs and no prescribed creed. We are actively involved in peace action, social justice causes, and environmental concerns.

Peter Burkholder - Clerk burkhold@indiana.edu

United Methodist

Jubilee

219 E. Fourth St. 812-332-6396 jubileebloomington.org facebook.com/jubileebloomington

Instagram: @jubileebloomington

Sunday: 9:30 a.m., Classic Worship 11:45 a.m., Contemporary Worship

Wednesday: 7:30 p.m., College & Young Adult Dinner

Jubilee is a Christ-centered community open and affirming to all. We gather on Wednesdays at First United Methodist (219 E. 4th St.) for free food, honest discussion, worship, and hanging out. Small groups, service projects, events (bonfires, game nights, book clubs, etc.), outreach retreats, and leadership opportunities all play a significant role in our rhythm of doing life together.

Markus Dickinson - jubilee@fumcb.org

Bahá'í Association of IU

424 S. College Mall Rd.

812-331-1863

bloomingtoninbahais.org

facebook.com/Baháí-Community-ofBloomington-Indiana-146343332130574

Instagram: @bloomingtonbahai

Sunday: 10:40 a.m., Regular Services, Devotional Meetings. Please call or contact through our website for other meetings/activities

The Bahá'í Association of IU works to share the Teachings and Principles of the Founder, Bahá'u'lláh, that promote the "Oneness of Mankind" and the Peace and Harmony of the Planet through advancing the "security, prosperity, wealth and tranquility of all peoples."

Karen Pollock Dan Enslow

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Adrianne Meier Rev. Lecia Beck

COLUMN: Tracing confessional poetry from Sylvia Plath to indie musicians

By Advait Save ausave@iu.edu

Art is the greatest form of human expression. This form of expression has been essential in vocalizing pain as a common human experience. Confessional poetry perfectly embodies this. It focuses on individual experience generally dealing with extremely personal topics like mental illness and sexuality. It highlights the rawness of pain.

In “Birth of the Tragedy,” German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche draws attention to a tension in art. This tension exists between two forces: Apollonian and Dionysian. Both energies originate from Greek Gods with Apollo representing an individualistic calm, reasoned and structured form of art while Dionysus represents a collective, deeply emotional and ecstatic form. The union of these two forces create a

distinctive art. The basis of Nietzschean philosophy is that there is indefinite suffering in the world, but humans can overcome it only if there is meaning to that suffering. Art becomes representative of that meaning. Nietzsche later goes on to suggest that Dionysus in art died as Socratic logic took over leading to the triumph of the Apollonian spirit. In modern art, Dionysus seems lost. I see a revival of the union of Apollo and Dionysus in confessional poetry. It is a genre of poetry that uses direct and structured language to express intense psychological experiences.

Sylvia Plath is a confessional poet that stands out to me. The first time I read Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” was in my sophomore year of high school. It is a poem about a dominating figure addressing her father. The dominating figure is Plath’s

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

205 E. Kirkwood Ave. 812-332-4459 fccbloomington.org

Sunday: 10 a.m.

We are an inclusive community of people who are diverse in thought and unified in spirit. We are an LGBTQIA+ welcoming and affirming congregation known for our excellent music and commitment to justice. Our worship services will not only lift your spirit, but also engage your mind. You are welcome!

Pastor Kyrmen Rea - Senior Pastor Pastor Sarah Lynne GershonStudent Associate Pastor Jan Harrington - Director of Music

Emmanuel Church

1503 W. That Rd. 812-824-2768

Emmanuelbloom.com Instagram & Facebook: @EmmanuelBloomington

Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Fellowship

Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship

Groups: Various times

Emmanuel is a multigenerational church of all types of people. Whether you are questioning faith or have followed Jesus for years, we exist to help fuel a passion for following Jesus as we gather together, grow in community, and go make disciples.

John Winders - Lead Pastor

Second Baptist Church

321 N Rogers St 812-327-1467 sbcbloomington.org

facebook.com/2ndbaptistbloomington

youtube.com/@secondbaptist churchbloomington

Sunday Service: 10 a.m., In house and on Facebook/YouTube

Sunday School: 8:45

Please come and worship with us. We are in training for reigning with Christ! Need a ride? Call our Church bus at 812-3271467 before 8 a.m. on Sunday

Rev. Dr. Bruce R. Rose - Pastor Tallie Schroeder - Secretary

Evangel Presbytery

Trinity Reformed Church

2401 S. Endwright Rd. 812-825-2684 trinityreformed.org

facebook.com/trinitychurchbloom

Email: lucas@trinityreformed.org

Sunday: 9 a.m. & 11

answer to the influence of her oppressive father by playing on the same themes of abuse that she was perhaps subjected to. “Daddy” shows a release of latent anger through its intense and derogatory language — through this we see Dionysus overpowering Apollo — a recurring theme in confessional poetry and other similar literary genres. Plath’s greatest appeal is in the expression of her struggles with depression and other mental health issues through poetry. Her literary works have helped me voice my voiceless struggles. Her ability to voice pain in its rawness without linguistic complexity explains her popularity. Her work embodies the essence of vulnerability which can be expressed on a piece of paper in a few stanzas. This tradition of confessional poetry has since changed forms. With the same direct language and vulnerable lyricism,

Independent

Lifeway Baptist Church

7821 W. State Road 46 812-876-6072 lifewaybaptistchurch.org facebook.com/lifewayellettsville

Sunday: 9 a.m., Bible Study Classes 10 a.m., Morning Service 5 p.m., Evening Service *Free transportation provided. Please call if you need a ride to church. Barnabas College Ministry: Meeting for Bible study throughout the month. Contact Rosh Dhanawade at bluhenrosh@gmail.com for more information.

Steven VonBokern - Senior Pastor Rosh Dhanawade - IU Coordinator 302-561-0108 bluhenrosh@gmail.com

United Presbyterian Church 1701 E. Second St. 812-332-1850 upcbloomington.org

Sunday worship service: 10 a.m.

Tuesday Bible Study: 6 p.m., in-person and via Zoom

A diverse and inclusive people of God determined and committed to reflect an authentic presentation of the church universal. We cherish the authority of Scripture and the elemental Presbyterian confession that that God alone is Lord of the conscience.”

Cheryl Montgomery - Reverend Benjamin Watkins, PhD - Music Director Allen Pease - Event Coordinator & Secretary

Redeemer

community on mission. Our vision is to see the gospel of Jesus Christ transform everything: our lives, our church, our city, and our world. We want to be instruments of gospel change in Bloomington and beyond.

Chris Jones - Lead Pastor

The

Bloomington Young Single Adult Branch

2411 E. Second St.

To Contact: Send message from website maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/ wards/237973

Sunday: 12:30 p.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints has four congregations in Bloomington—Three family wards and our young single adult branch for college students. This info is for the YSA Branch. Weekday religious classes at 333 S Highland Ave, Bloomington IN 47401, next to campus.

More info at churchofjesuschrist.org.

we see contemporary indie singers like Adrianne Lenker and Julien Baker carry the bastion of confessional art in the 21st century. Julien Baker is an indie rock singer from Tennessee primarily known for her role as a member of the Grammy-winning supergroup: Boygenius. Her work as a part of Boygenius is very popular and critically acclaimed. However, her solo career remains niche. Baker’s music can almost be categorized as performance poetry. This is because the role of instrumentation is limited in her songs, and she instead focuses on her lyrism. The complementary role of instrumentation is so subtle, that it is almost insignificant. To fully appreciate her music, one must carefully understand the poetry that she projects through subtle tunes. This music aptly represents the Apollonian need for structure while her poetic

lyricism represents the Dionysian emotionality. This poetry tends to follow through on the same themes as Plath’s. The song

“Sour Breath” by Baker is a beautiful representation of resignation from a seemingly toxic relationship while longing for that same relationship, highlighting the complexity of love and human relations. There is an admission of guilt and acceptance of toxicity associated with dependency and not a unidimensional release of anger in the lyrics. “Sour Breath” is a search for closure and self-reflection.

Lenker is another artist who brings a similar introspective flavor to her music. Lead vocalist and principal songwriter for indie folk band Big Thief, she has also had a successful solo career. 2024 saw the release of her album “Bright Future” which featured a beautiful indie ballad — “Sadness As A Gift.” With themes of an

Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington

2120 N. Fee Ln. 812-332-3695 uubloomington.org

facebook.com/uubloomington

Sunday: 10:15 a.m.

With open hearts and minds, we celebrate diverse beliefs and engage in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We are passionate about social justice and lifelong learning. We are an LGBTQA+ Welcoming Congregation. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, we welcome you!

Rev. Constance Grant - Lead Minister Anabel Watson - Connections Coordinator

Unity of Bloomington

4001 S. Rogers St. 812-333-2484 unityofbloomington.org facebook@UnityofBloomington

Sunday: 10:30 a.m.

Unity is a positive, practical, progressive approach to Christianity based on the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer. Unity honors the universal truths in all religions and respects each individual’s right to choose a spiritual path. Our God is Love, Our Race is Human, Our Faith is Oneness.

Doris Brinegar - Administrator Phyllis Wickliff - Music Director

Mennonite

Mennonite Fellowship of Bloomington

2420 E. Third St. 812-646-2441 bloomingtonmenno.org

facebook.com/Mennonite-Fellowship-ofBloomington-131518650277524

Sunday: 5 p.m.

A welcoming, inclusive congregation providing a place of healing and hope as we journey together in the Spirit of Christ. Gathering for worship Sundays 5 p.m. in the Roger Williams room, First United Church. As people of God's peace, we seek to embody the Kingdom of God.

John Sauder - mfbjohn@gmail.com

First United Church

2420 E. Third St. 812-332-4439

ending relationship like “Sour Breath” the song ends on a positive note of something that was never meant to be. With lyrics like “You could write me someday, and I hope you will” embodying the hope of staying in touch that comes with a recently parted relationship. Lenker’s music is often hopeful and positive with an indie folk vibe. This combined with introspective lyricism makes Lenker a dream musician for a listener that values musical poetry. Plath’s direct expression of psychological turmoil paved the way for contemporary indie musicians like Baker and Lenker. This poetic tradition epitomizes raw emotions through themes of emotional release, acceptance and vulnerability. Their voice offers a meaning of solace and love to those grappling with the complexities of human suffering.

Christ Community Church

503 S. High St. 812-332-0502

cccbloomington.org

facebook.com/christcommunitybtown

Instagram: @christcommunitybtown

Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Educational Hour 10:30 a.m., Worship Service

We are a diverse community of Christ-followers, including many IU students, faculty and staff. Together we are committed to sharing the redeeming grace and transforming truth of Jesus Christ in this college town.

Bob Whitaker - Senior Pastor Adam deWeber - Worship Pastor

Dan Waugh - Adult Ministry Pastor

Christian Student Fellowship

1968 N. David Baker

812-332-8972

csfindiana.org

Instagram & Facebook: @csfindiana

Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Office

Thursday: 8 p.m., Worship Service

Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) is a ministry built on Jesus Christ. We exist to help students pursue authentic faith and build intentional communities while in college. Come check out our campus house and/or any of our other various ministry opportunities.

Ben Geiger - Lead campus minister

Joe Durnil - Associate campus minister

Stephanie Michael - Associate campus minister

Hailee Fox - Office manager

Church of Christ

825 W. Second St.

812-332-0501

facebook.com/w2coc

Sunday: 9:30 a.m., Bible Study 10:30 a.m. & 5 p.m., Worship

Wednesday: 7 p.m., Bible Study

We use no book, but the Bible. We have no creed but His Word within its sacred pages. God is love and as such we wish to share this joy with you. The comprehensive teaching of God's Word can change you forever.

John Myers - Preacher

City Church For All Nations

1200 N. Russell Rd.

812-336-5958

citychurchbloomington.org

facebook.com/citychurchbtown

Instagram: @citychurchbtown

Sunday Service: 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.

Always check website for possible changes to service times.

City Church is a non-denominational multicultural, multigenerational church on Bloomington's east side. The Loft, our college ministry meets on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

Jessica Petersen-MutaiSenior Minister

The Burning Couch Festival celebrates local bands and businesses

By Lilly Dingman

The Burning Couch Festival kicked off at 11:30 a.m. and went until 9 p.m. Sunday at Switchyard Park. Those attending were able to listen to live music, explore many different local businesses and eat from local food vendors.

The event started in 2022 with IU student, Ahmed Al-awadi. The goal of the festival is to support local and regional up-andcoming bands and artists by bringing them together to showcase their talent.

There was a lineup of

12 different bands on the main stage and nine on the acoustic stage at the pavilion Sunday. A few of the bands that performed at this year’s event were “Six Foot Blonde,” “Wishy” and “The Matriarch.” A full list of the bands that performed can be found on the Burning Couch Festival website. The main stage was set in a large field where individuals could lounge in the grass and enjoy music or play yard games with their friends. IU sophomore Kam Shaw said despite not knowing what the event was when she went, she

enjoyed it. “Last year when I came, I had some of my upperclassmen friends ask me if I wanted to tag along, and I didn’t know what it was,” she said. “It was probably my favorite event I attended as a freshman.”

Along with the live music throughout the day, local artists were selling their own designs inside the pavilion. There, attendees explored some of the local businesses. Vendors sold homemade bags, jewelry, clothes and even homemade press-on nails. One of the small

business owners, Anna Schwartz, founder of Sustain Locally, started selling her products for the first time at The Burning Couch Festival in 2023. Since then, she has attended more music and art festivals to reach out to people interested in her products. Schwartz handcrafts each of her products, reviving them from post-consumer materials like single-use grocery bags or broken jewelry, which helps keep waste out of landfills.

“I love coming to the art festivals and getting to sell in person because I love

meeting people and talking with them,” she said. “With Sustain Locally, we really want to spread a positive message when talking about climate change.”

Local food vendors such as La Poblana Taco Truck, Pappyshack and Great White Smoke also arrived at this year’s event with numerous options for those attending the event.

Throughout the event, volunteers were there to assist the attendees as much as they could by answering questions or pointing them in the right direction. One of the volunteers at the event,

Grace Carmichael, said she enjoyed coming to these types of events and has attended many of Bloomington’s different music festivals.

“I like the fact that we’re supporting local artists and it’s just a fun way to spend time with friends,” she said.

While this year’s Burning Couch festival concluded, attendees can start to look forward to next year’s celebration of music and art. Updates and more information about the festival can be found on the Burning Couch Festival’s website and on its Instagram.

ldingman@iu.edu

OLIVIA BIANCO | IDS

Members of Six Foot Blonde perform during Burning Couch Festival on April 14, 2024, at Switchyard Park in Bloomington. The festival was put on by the Music Industry Creatives.