IDS FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014
See how graduation rates add up, page 2
INDIANA DAILY STUDENT | IDSNEWS.COM
Higgins, O’Neill accept honors FROM IDS REPORTS
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill and the president of Ireland, Michael Higgins, will be speaking at the IU commencement ceremonies this weekend. Both alumni of IU, Higgins and O’Neill have previously been sought after as commencement speaker. Kelly Kish, deputy chief of staff for the Office of the President, said the office approached Higgins and O’Neill more than two years ago, but the timing had not been suitable. Last year, though, the office was able to secure both Higgins and O’Neill for the 2014 spring ceremony. President Higgins will speak at both the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. undergraduate ceremonies Saturday and O’Neill will make his appearance at the 3 p.m. Friday ceremony. Each speaker will also be presented with a Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the ceremonies. IU President Michael McRobbie said in a press release that the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the speakers for the commencement ceremonies characterize the opportunities and achievements IU’s future graduates will soon face. “Indiana University is deeply honored to have two outstanding alumni, both recognized internationally for their long commitment to public service, addressing our graduates this spring in Bloomington,” McRobbie said. President Higgins was born in Limerick, Ireland, and raised in County Clare. According to the release, he received a Master of Arts degree in sociology from IU in 1967. Before that, he worked as a factory worker and a clerk and attended the University College Galway in Ireland and the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom,
PHOTO BY CAITLIN O’HARA | IDS
Xiaohui Gao and Zhenning Tan have their photo taken while they toss their caps at the Sample Gates. Graduates have been lining up all week for a chance to get a photo in front of the gateway to IU.
ARBUTUS FILE PHOTO
Barrister derbies were smuggled into IU Commencement by the law graduates, who flung them into the air when the school was graduated by President Stahr in 1967.
The rest is history
Since the 1830s, thousands of men and women have stepped into society, claiming an IU degree with honor. As the class of 2014 prepares for the next step, professors offer advice, welcoming them into history.
Lee H. Hamilton, Professor of Practice, IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs and former congressman
SEE HONORS, PAGE 2
“You are today surrounded by hope: from proud family, friends and faculty. We all hope you seize your opportunities, find joy in life and be filled with excitement in the journey ahead. We need your intelligence, commitment, innovation, energy, ideas. You choose the field. You choose the time. You choose the place. You choose the issue. But make the choice. “Your life will be full of opportunities and surprises — many good, some not. But we have confidence in you, because we believe you will — in the words of the Athenian oath — transmit this country better, greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to you.”
Sandy Britton, Associate Director of International Student Life
“In terms of some words of wisdom for the graduating seniors, my advice would be to look for opportunities that provide growth both professionally and personally. Networking is a great way to learn about new opportunities, especially when connections are established with alumni, and one can learn from their successes. It is important to not get discouraged if the job search does not produce the results you would like immediately. Most of all, follow your dreams and never stop working towards your goals.” SEE ADVICE, PAGE 4
Candidates decided in Monroe County primary elections BRIAN SEYMOUR briseymo@indiana.edu @briseymo
Both congressional and county candidates were elected Tuesday after the primary election was executed for Monroe County. Voters were given the opportunity for both positions to choose the candidate who best represented their political party. Incumbent Todd Young won the Republican primary for 9th
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YEARS AT A GLANCE
Here is some of what’s happened during the past four years while the class of 2014 attended IU.
District Indiana in a landslide versus candidates Kathy Lowe-Heil and Mark Jones with 79 percent of the vote Young, who has held the seat for the previous two terms, will face Democratic primary winner Bill Bailey in the general election in November. “I’m incredibly humbled by the overwhelming show of support we received from our fellow Hoosiers today,” Young said in a press release.
“I’ve served in this office under the assumption that good policy equates to good politics, and that principle has never been more evident.” Bailey could not be reached for an interview. Other notable winners included Democratic affiliated candidates Linda Robbins for county clerk and Brad Swain for county sheriff. About 30 races went uncontested. These positions either had one candidate running unopposed or
only had candidates from a single party. Some of the positions had no candidates for which to vote. Local government requires a lot of commitment with little reward, said IU political science professor Marjorie Hershey. It’s easier for people to complain to local representatives, and the representatives don’t receive high salaries, she said. She said you have to really want to be a local representative to make it worthwhile.
Hershey expects this trend to continue and observes that it occurs at the state level as well. “Only about 60 percent of the races have two candidates in the general election,” Hershey said. “In the other 40 percent there is one major party candidate running unopposed.” As of Thursday, official results had not been released by the Monroe County Government’s office, but they are expected to be released by Sunday.
» 2010 Jan. 12
Jan. 31
Feb. 20
March 12
Nov. 2
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake hits the Haitian city of Port-Au-Prince.
IU women’s basketball team upsets No. 4 Ohio State.
Alpha Kappa Alpha finishes second in the national Sprite Step-off competition.
Dean of College of Arts and Sciences Bennett Bertenthal steps down at the request of the University.
Republican Todd Young wins the 9th Congressional District seat, defeating democratic incumbent Baron Hill after five nonconsecutive terms. MCCSC referendum is passed.