Indiana Daily Student - Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024

Why print still matters in the digital age

consequences of such a decision would harm students, the community and the longterm sustainability of the IDS.

a voicemail.

He wanted to know the results of the vote, so one of our reporters called him back and delivered the news over the phone. He had one more request — did we have any articles about the county council and county commissioner races so he could determine who to vote for in the primary election?

Again, one of our reporters delivered the news to him personally, this time dropping the printed articles off at his home.

Anecdotes like these reaffirm the IDS’ role in providing important news to our community and demonstrate why the print newspaper is a critical piece of this mission.

Just a few decades ago, you could find newspaper boxes for multiple outlets across the city. One by one, these have fallen away, leaving just the IDS’ weekly edition in terms of free, widely accessible newspapers.

We are always aware of a potential future where print is cut, particularly now that the Media School is developing a plan for the IDS’ financial future — one we’re still in the dark about. Though the conventional wisdom behind print cuts is that it saves costs, the unintended

Print production at the IDS went from five days a week to two in 2017. In 2020, print was reduced to just one day a week. This past summer, the print paper was only produced once a month. The IDS is one of many professional organizations to cut print productions to combat growing financial burdens within the last few decades. Yet each print cut has been followed by a decrease in our overall page views and revenue, while the issue of the IDS’ finances remains.

For the IDS, our weekly print editions have proven to be profitable. Revenue from our display ads, posters and health and religious directories — which will all disappear if print goes away — totaled $92,546 in fiscal year 2024. Our yearly printing and circulation costs for the weekly edition were $65,305 — even after we factor in our student page designers’ wages, we end up bringing in an annual profit.

Beyond our revenue, the nationwide trend toward cutting print harms students. Many professional newspapers still print, which means students interested in page design need weekly opportunities like we have at the IDS. This opportunity is a good one, too — this September, the Associated Collegiate Press announced the IDS’ print newspaper as a nominee for the Pacemaker award for the 32nd time in the ACP’s history. The IDS has won the award 24 times, making it the second most award-winning print publication in the his tory of the ACP award. viously worked for the IDS now design

bonus

By Isaac Perlich nelsonnb@iu.edu

IU President Pamela Whitten received a $175,500 bonus from the IU Board of Trustees Sept. 13. Cathy Langham, who has served on the board since 2022, recommended the bonus, which passed with a vote of six to two, according to the Indianapolis Star.

Whitten’s annual base salary is $650,000, according to her contract, which runs through June 2026. The IU Board of Trustees gave her a $162,500 bonus in August 2023. The approval was the final item of the meeting’s agenda. Whitten has led IU since 2021, when she was inaugurated as IU’s 19th and first female president. She was selected despite not being named among the finalists during the search process.

She received a bachelor’s degree in management from Tulane University, a master’s degree in communication from the University of Kentucky and a doctoral degree in communication studies from the University of Kansas. SEE WHITTEN, PAGE 4

Bloomington's

issues burn ban

By Natalia Nelson nelsonnb@iu.edu

JACOB SPUDICH | IDS

An IDS newspaper stand is pictured in front of the Monroe County Courthouse on Sept. 18, 2024, at the corner of East Kirkwood Avenue and North Walnut Street in Bloomington. The IDS' weekly print edition has proven to bring in an annual profit for the newspaper.

Record enrollment, end to affirmative action

By Chloe Oden chloden@iu.edu | @chloeoden0

Enrollment at IU Bloomington is at an all-time high with a record number of 48,424 students enrolled this fall, according to a news release Sept. 6. This is an increase of 897 students from the 47,527 enrolled in 2023.

Across Indiana University’s campuses this fall, student enrollment is up by 2%.

9,600 freshmen began class at IU Bloomington this August. This is the second largest incoming class in history at IU. Along with record high numbers of students enrolled, the number of applications submitted for the Bloomington campus was up 25% from 2023, according to the release.

Of the students enrolled at IU this semester, 51% are out of state or international students and 49% are Indiana residents, a consistent number for three years now. Illinois, New Jersey, California and New York are the second, third, fourth and fifth most common states for students to be from.

Forty-nine countries are represented by international students at IU. 85% of students are from the United States. India, China, South Korea, Vietnam and Canada are the next most represented countries at IU this fall.

The youngest beginner student this semester is 16, and the oldest is 49. There are 48 pairs of twins, and two sets of triplets.

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ended affirmative action, the power of colleges and universities to use race

as a factor in the admissions process, which has been around since the early 1960s.

According to The Washington Post, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion: universities “may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and — at some point — (race-based admissions) must end.”

This decision came from the case Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. The Supreme Court ruled Harvard College’s admissions system “does not comply with the principles of the equal protection clause embodied in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.”

Boston University’s president said the ruling against affirmative action was “deeply concerning.” Although, according to The New York Times, “the lawsuit against Harvard focused on Asian American students, arguing that the university had penalized them by holding them to a higher standard in an effort at racial balancing.”

The argument in favor of the decision is largely based on the premise that admissions must be based on the ability of the student. Edward Blum, an anti-affirmative action activist, as quoted in The Washington Post, sees the ruling as a way of ending the “unfair” precedent that let colleges and universities factor race and ethnicity into their decision to accept or reject them.

Many schools have already seen the effects of the decision, according to The New York Times. At Amherst College in Massachusetts,

the percentage of incoming Black students in 2024 dropped from 11 to 3 percent from the previous year.

Even though the Supreme Court ruling ended “raceconscious admission programs,” according to NPR, Roberts made the clarification that “nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life.”

The university records the number of “underrepresented students of color” enrolled each year. For this data, underrepresented students are defined as students of color, excluding international students and Asian Americans.

According to IU’s Deputy Director for Media Relations, Teresa Mackin, in an email, in fall 2023, the number of underrepresented students of color at IU Bloomington was 8,062. In fall 2024, that number rose to 8,532, a 5.8% increase. Among beginner students, there was a 4.4% increase in underrepresented students of color.

As opposed to Amherst, the population of Black students at IU increased this year by 7.6% from 2023.

At IU, 61.6% of students are white, 10.3% are international students, 27.4% of students are students of color and 0.7% are unknown.

In response to the ruling, IU released a statement in 2023 stating it has realigned its policies in accordance with the decision.

“Specifically, IU will not consider race as a factor among factors for admission to undergraduate, graduate

or professional degree programs,” the statement read. “IU remains committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment that prepares students for a globally interconnected world.”

Additionally, IU clarified that following the Supreme Court decision, it has not made any changes to its pathway or scholarship programs.

In the last five years, the

number of all students of color at IU, including Hispanic, African American, Asian and American Indian student populations, increased by 43.2%. Over the last 10 years, it increased by 95.8%.

As stated previously, in 2024, students of color make up 27.4% of the student population at IU. Five years ago, they made up 21.39%, and 10 years ago, they made up 16.1% of the student population. For undergraduate students of color only, IU hit another record this year, with their numbers raising over 7% from 2023. The number of domestic students from all racial backgrounds has increased from the 2023 to 2024 fall semesters. The only decrease was the number of international students, which fell from 5,246 to 4,984.

Indiana farmers are split as lobbyists push farm bill

By Andrew Miller ami3@iu.edu | @andrew_mmiller

All over Southern Indiana, farmers have struggled this year with little rain, hurting their yields. But at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market, you wouldn’t know it. Vendors brought heaps of all kinds of farm products, from miniature honey bears to fresh peppers and Asian pears.

On virtually none of the vendor’s minds was the lack of an updated American farm bill — last passed in 2018. They’re supposed to be passed every five years, but it’s been six for a bill many industry advocates say is crucial for growers. Of those paying attention, most aren’t following the drama closely.

But many in the agricultural industry still maintain passing an updated bill is imperative for farmers. Lobbyists say the lack of updated legislation causes instability for farmers, an uncertainty that farmers can’t always weather.

The farm bill is usually passed every five years and grants funding for farms for loan programs, crop insurance, disaster assistance, conservation programs and many other initiatives. The majority of its budget goes toward the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program.

Many in the agricultural industry say the other provisions are crucial to growers, who make up a big part of Indiana’s economy. The conservation programs are voluntary, a value Farm Bureau officials repeatedly emphasized in interviews.

But Lee Jones, co-

founder of Stranger’s Hill Organics northwest of Bloomington, said the farm bill isn’t a huge priority. She said her farm is the oldest certified organic farm in Indiana, and they don’t use conventional sprays or chemical fertilizers. Jones would be struggling with this year’s limited rainfall, except for her good irrigation system.

Jones isn’t concerned about the lack of an updated farm bill. She said it “probably” wouldn’t matter one way or the other if it was passed.

“The farm bill is really mostly aimed at the mega farmers,” Jones said. “There’s very little in it for

family farms.”

Stranger’s Hill Organics doesn’t have crop insurance, which Jones said is fine because of their diverse array of produce — garlic, peppers, tomatoes and many others filled their market table.

But Chris Tempel, president of the Perry County Farm Bureau, said crop insurance is one of the most important issues the farm bill covers. To get operating loans, which farmers need to get to secure their crops at the beginning of the year, many banks require crop insurance.

Tempel is facing the same drought that Jones is — but said genetic

modifications are helping him weather it. He grows corn, soybeans and wheat, among many other crops, and holds pigs and cows at his 3,200-acre farm in southern Indiana.

Farmers often take out large loans at the beginning of the year to pay them back with a slim margin off the top for themselves after harvest. In years when droughts are worse and natural disasters strike, the safety net is crucial for farmers just to get by, he said.

It’s also crucial for when crop prices fluctuate. Since he’s close to the Ohio river, much of Tempel’s grain is exported. And global

Swastika found outside synagogue

By

Editor’s Note: This story includes mention of antisemitism.

A person left a thin wooden board with a swastika drawn on it outside of Congregation Beth Shalom on East Third Street this week. An employee first saw the board, along with two playing cards, when leaving the synagogue at 6 p.m. Tuesday and called the Bloomington Po-

lice Department, BPD Captain Ryan Pedigo said. Pedigo said surveillance footage shows the suspect walking up to the synagogue and leaving the items before walking away. BPD is reviewing nearby security footage. Beth Shalom Rabbi Noach Lawrence offered the following statement. “I can confirm that we found a piece of wood with a swastika drawn on it left outside our synagogue,” Lawrence said. “We reported the incident to the police, who

are fully investigating the incident; there is no evidence of a threat or ongoing concern; beyond that we are not commenting publicly at this time while we focus on supporting our community.”

A report from the AntiDefamation League released Jan. 10 documented a rise in antisemitism across the country in the months following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people, with 361% more antisemitic incidents occurring than in the same

timeframe in 2022-23. The report includes incidents of “antisemitic rhetoric, expressions of support for terrorism against the state of Israel and/ or anti-Zionism.”

The ADL updated its methodology after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack to

conflict along with everfluctuating demand can change prices on a whim.

Tempel is heavily involved with the Farm Bureau’s lobbying efforts, traveling to Washington, D.C. to work on convincing legislators of the legislation’s importance. The bill’s provisions were extended once last September. It will likely be extended again if not passed by Sept. 27, after which both chambers will be out of until after the election. After that, both houses are in session for under five weeks.

Tempel said while farm bill extensions are crucial, they often can’t fac-

tor in updated crop prices, weakening the safety net for farmers. He said each program of the legislation, apart from SNAP benefits, impacts farmers in Indiana. The House and Senate have less than two weeks to pass the bill before the November election. The Indiana Farm Bureau, among many other agricultural industry titans, are pushing for it to pass before the end of the year, despite some pessimism about partisan politicking due to the upcoming election.

Brantley Seifers, the Indiana Farm Bureau’s director of national government affairs, said that Indiana’s senators and congressional delegation, including the Democrats, have all been helpful and receptive to their pleas for updated legislation.

At an agriculture policy summit in July, Indiana Sen. Mike Braun said he couldn’t say whether the farm bill would be completed by the end of this year. Still, Rep. Erin Houchin, who represents much of southern Indiana including Monroe County, said in a statement to the Indiana Daily Student that she understands “the critical importance of passing the Farm Bill before the end of the year.”

“It’s imperative we pass this legislation to ensure our farmers and producers have the certainty and support they need to feed the world,” she went on to say. “I continue to encourage House leadership to bring the Farm Bill to the floor for a vote by the full House of Representatives.” But still, the bill lays stalled in both chambers, for now.

Ukrainian IU communications partner killed

By Gentry Keener gekeener@iu.edu

Dariia Bazylevych, her mother and two sisters were killed in a Russian missile attack on the night of Sept. 4 in Lviv, Ukraine. The attack killed seven people in total. She is survived by her father, who is now in intensive care because of the attack.

Bazylevych, an 18-yearold a second-year Cultural Studies student at the Ukrainian Catholic University, joined IU professor Sofiya Asher’s elementary Ukrainian language class through Zoom as often as her environment made possible.

Bazylevych lived in Kyiv, but volunteered along with other UCU students to help the IU class learn Ukrainian. The class met four times a week, but Asher asked the volunteers to come as often as they were able to.

Asher said sometimes students couldn’t join because of air strikes or other events happening in their hometown. She said Bazylevych joined over 40% of the class periods in her first of two semesters.

“There were weeks when Dariia joined every day,” Asher said.

Asher said, although she had no teaching experience, Bazylevych was incredibly

patient and helped students learn the proper grammar and slang of Ukrainian. Her classmates described her as encouraging and thoughtful.

“It’s just incredible to see someone who is still smiling despite everything that is going on in their home country,” one of her IU classmates, Nick Conrad, said.

Bazylevych dreamed of contributing to the development of Ukraine. She wanted to share Ukrainian culture and to raise awareness for her country.

UCU published an article this month sharing some of Bazylevych’s dreams and aspirations. The article included letters she had written to her scholarship donors each year.

“I am interested in the culture and history of my country, and in the future, I want to develop the culture of Ukraine and tell the whole world about it,” one letter read.

IU graduate student Nika Khomeriki was the first of Bazylevych’s classmates to find out about her death.

Khomeriki is originally from Georgia, which has been impacted by the war due to its proximity. Georgia is just diagonal of Ukraine, with only a small section of

Russia separating the two. In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia and 20% remains under Russian military occupation.

Khomeriki said at home, many people write about Ukraine.

“One of my friends had posted about this family in Ukraine that was two daughters and a mother... Dariia was very young in the photo, and I could not recognize her,” Khomeriki said. “Then I immediately recog-

nized her surname.”

Khomeriki reached out to Asher to confirm what he had seen. Asher broke the news to her students who knew Bazylevych, sending an email to share the heartbreaking information — a message Conrad was also afraid was coming.

“It’s another example of Ukraine losing its best people,” Conrad said. “I mean, Dariia was very bright, very encouraging and very positive all the time.”

Conrad was born in Kyiv and adopted by an American family when he was 15 months old. He volunteered in Poland and Ukraine in the past and is back in Poland after graduating from IU in May.

Keeping up with the news in Ukraine, Conrad said he saw a report on the messaging platform Telegram about the death of three young girls and a mother. He said when looking at the family picture, he couldn’t quite place it, but he knew he recognized the face of the young girl.

Asher’s email confirmed it for him.

Both Conrad and Asher spoke about the importance of the need for justice.

“After so long, it is easy to let the war feel far away and

untouched from our lives,” Asher said. “However, it is moments like this that show it is omnipresent. It is everywhere. It touches everyone.” Khomeriki said people follow the war on news and social media, but do not realize how close and large it really is.

“This is not just something happening across the sea. It is here in Bloomington. It is important we pay attention to it,” Asher said. “The delays of providing aid that was promised, the restrictions with which aid comes, all result in the death of 18-year-old students who spent many, many hours helping American students.” Voice of America said Bazylevych touched the lives of many students she helped and helped them better understand the situations in which Ukrainians live. Aside from helping the students improve their Ukrainian, she shared her life, passions and dreams with them. There was even a group of students who talked about meeting in Ukraine, with students like Conrad going to Poland after graduation.

“It is unbelievable that we will never be able to meet in person,” Asher said. “We feel like she is one of us.”

IU’s expressive policy compared to other schools

By Isaac Perlich iperlich@iu.edu | @isaacperlich

Over a month has passed since IU’s new expressive activity policy took effect Aug. 1, the day before the university cleared the proPalestinian encampment in Dunn Meadow and placed a fence around the meadow for repairs.

The new policy, approved by the IU Board of Trustees with a 6-3 vote in July, limits expressive activity from the hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., requires approval for temporary structures at least 10 days in advance, and prohibits camping and impeding vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

The policy was met with backlash, particularly by the ACLU of Indiana, which filed a lawsuit against the university Aug. 29 on behalf of 10 IU faculty, students, staff and a Bloomington resident.

Attendees have held vigils in recent weeks after 11 p.m. in an effort to intentionally violate the new policy.

The new policy change comes more than three months after Indiana State Police, in coordination with the IU Police Department, arrested 57 protesters in Dunn Meadow on April 25 and 27 for violating the university’s policy on temporary structures. Many protesters were charged with criminal trespass for putting up temporary structures, including tents, without prior approval. An ad hoc committee, which consisted of four administrators, created the policy one day before the start of the encampment.

The Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office later dropped all criminal trespass charges.

Other Big Ten universities faced challenges in responding to pro-Palestinian protests and encampments.

University of WisconsinMadison

The University of Wisconsin-Madison updated and renamed its existing policy Aug. 28.

The university also released an expressive activity guide, and incoming freshman and transfer students are now required to complete a free expression module, according to the Badger-Herald.

UW Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin wrote in a press release that exchanging ideas is central to the university.

“That is a key part of what a great university does, or should be doing, every day, and it is what we mean, here at UW–Madison, when we talk about fearless sifting and winnowing,” she wrote.

“That means that we will often engage with ideas and perspectives that may be new to us, and that might, in some cases, cause

us unease or discomfort.

My hope is that, as a Badger community, we approach our differences with open minds, a willingness to listen, respect for one another, and a generosity of spirit.”

The updates to the policy prohibit expressive activity within 25 feet of university entrances, restrict sound amplification, limit size of signage in buildings and restrict activity at campus areas typically used for photos.

The Daily Cardinal reported that, under the new policy, the university’s Abraham Lincoln statue cannot be blocked the week before the fall semester and week of commencement each semester.

Pro-Palestinian protesters organized a 12-day encampment at UW-Madison from April 29 to May 10. Police cleared the encampment May 1 and arrested 36 people.

The university reached an agreement with the protesters May 10 to end the encampment. The university agreed to discuss its disclosure and investment with the UW Foundation, UW-Madison’s fundraising and gift-receiving organization.

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan proposed a new disruptive activity policy after a pro-Palestinian protest interrupted the university’s honors convocation in March.

According to the Michigan Daily, around 100 protesters entered the auditorium during UM President Santa Ono’s convocation speech. Ono, along with the convocation’s attendees, left the auditorium.

Protesters also gathered outside the auditorium, holding signs and shouting chants.

“The protesters’ intrusion on one of the university’s most important academic traditions was unacceptable,” Ono wrote in a statement March 26. “It was not in keeping with our student code and our longstanding policy on freedom of speech and artistic expression.”

Ono also wrote about the next steps for the university.

“Tomorrow, we will begin seeking feedback from the university community on a draft policy governing disruption of university operations, including academic and social activities, events, gatherings and celebrations,” he wrote.

The university released a draft of the policy March 27. The draft would not allow students, staff, faculty and campus visitors to interfere with the university’s operations, such as classes, performances or proceedings.

It also would not allow anyone without legal authority to prevent or impede movement around campus.

This includes pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle traffic.

UM allowed students, faculty and staff to submit feedback on the draft.

The university wrote on April 18 it was reviewing feedback from the survey, and the policy draft was not in effect.

“Any future changes will involve a collaborative process with students, faculty and staff,” the statement read. “We will share an update in the coming months and, in the meantime, our long-standing policies will continue to be enforced.”

Pro-Palestinian students under the “Shut It Down” party won control of the university’s Central Student Government in March, according to the Michigan Daily.

The CSG then passed the “Defund, Disclose, Divest” act in April, which called for the university to defund the UM Police Department and replace it with a “non-violent, non-police response team,” disclose all investments and divest from companies which protesters accuse of profiting from the war in Gaza.

CSG is withholding funding for student groups and activities until its demands are met. The university has not responded to CSG, which last met Aug. 14.

Northwestern University

Northwestern University enacted an interim addendum to its demonstration policy in April, the Daily Northwestern reported.

“The goal of this addendum is to balance the right to peacefully demonstrate with our goal to protect our community, to avoid disruptions to instruction and to ensure University operations can continue un-

abated,” President Michael Schill wrote in an email to the Northwestern community. “The addendum makes temporary changes to how protestors can engage on our Evanston campus, including at The Rock; and the rules governing chalkings, tents and other provisions.”

The addendum came after a group of pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment at Northwestern on April 25. The encampment lasted until April 29, when the group reached an agreement with the university.

In the agreement, Northwestern promised additional support for Muslim, Middle Eastern, North African and Palestinian students and faculty. The university also promised it would be transparent with the university’s investments. Protesters agreed to take down all but one tent — the medical tent — and clear any nonNorthwestern-affiliated protesters inside the encampment.

Protesters continued to demonstrate until June 1, which was also a part of the agreement, according to the Northwestern Daily.

Northwestern will update its policies once the university’s fall semester begins Sept. 24, according to Evanston Now.

Purdue University

Purdue University adopted a statement of commitment to freedom of expression in 2015. According to the Purdue Exponent, the university placed stickers around campus with a QR code to the statement before the fall semester began Aug. 19.

Purdue spokesperson Trevor Peters told the Purdue Exponent the stickers allow the community to

read the policy themselves.

The university also issued an interim freedom of expression standard in July.

“Purdue University is committed to free and open inquiry as protected by the First Amendment and university policy,” the statement reads. “While there are narrow exceptions to the general principle of freedom of expression, fostering the ability of university members to engage in vigorous debate and deliberation in an effective and responsible manner is an essential part of the university’s educational mission.”

Pro-Palestinian protesters established an encampment on Purdue’s campus for 12 days. The university told four students in the encampment they violated Purdue’s Code of Student Conduct and would face disciplinary action, according to the Purdue Exponent. The encampment notably encountered no police, and protesters tore down the encampment May 6 and marched to the West Lafayette City Council meeting, according to the Purdue Exponent.

Protesters said the decision came from fear of administration retaliation, safety concerns and the city council meeting.

UCLA

The University of California President Michael Drake told the system’s 10 chancellors, including UCLA Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt, to clarify and reinforce expressive activity policies in a letter Aug. 19.

“Clear communication and consistent application of policies and laws are key to achieving the delicate but essential balance between free speech rights and the need to protect the safety of

our community and maintain critical University operations,” he wrote in the letter.

Drake wrote the policies should include prohibiting camping or encampments, unauthorized structures, restrictions on free movement and wearing a mask to hide identity.

He also wrote the system should consistently implement the policies, offer guidance for campus climate resources and launch an initiative to develop campus climate action plans for all UC campuses.

“Our ultimate goal is for all of our community members to feel supported in their ability to express themselves, and to pursue their studies, research, patient care, and other work on our campuses,” he wrote.

“We also want our community members to understand what’s expected of them, including a clear understanding of the principles, policies, and laws that govern our behavior on campus.”

A Pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA started April 25, which the university declared illegal and against university policy. From April 30 to May 1, counter-protesters attacked the encampment, and police arrested more than 200 people and cleared the encampment, according to the Daily Bruin.

The Daily Bruin also reported pro-Palestinian protesters occupied Dodd Hall on UCLA’s campus for several hours on May 23 before police officers cleared the building. According to the Los Angeles Times, UCLA spent $10 million on safety and

and another

for building repairs during the

security

$400,000

protests.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

Dariia Bazylevych, a Ukrainian communications partner at IU, is pictured. Bazylevych, her mother and two sisters were killed in a Russian missile attack Sept. 4, in Lviv, Ukraine.

TAYLOR SATOSKI | IDS

Hundreds of faculty, students and community members look to the other side of Indiana Avenue as arrested protesters speak into a megaphone April 29, 2024, at a rally outside Bryan Hall in Bloomington. The Bloomington chapter of the American Association of University Professors issued a press release July 7 criticizing IU’s proposed expressive activity policy.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

She served as president at Kennesaw State University from 2018-21. She also served as provost at the University of Georgia, held administrative and teaching roles at Michigan State University and taught at Purdue University.

In April, 948 of 3,246 of eligible IU Bloomington faculty passed a vote of no con-

If our fears about how it could affect our overall earning potential are correct, cutting print may even jeopardize the IDS’ ability to tell the stories that matter.

Previous editors have explained how the IDS’ financial issues cannot be solved merely by trimming the “fat,” if any exists at all. Attempts to do so in the

fidence for Whitten, Provost Rahul Shrivastav and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Carrie Docherty. The motion against Whitten passed with 93.1% of the vote.

Faculty last voted no confidence in an IU president in 2005 for then-president Adam Herbert. He announced in 2006 he would leave at the end of his contract in 2008.

The IU Board of Trustees released a statement in sup-

past have been negligible, burdened by a changing world that has thrown most media organizations into disarray. We believe IU and the Media School have a duty to fund the IDS — for the good of students, who need a learning lab to prepare them to jump into a journalism career immediately after graduating, and for the community, who depend on the IDS to fill the gaps in the local media landscape.

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port of Whitten in April.

“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.

Whitten wrote in an email to faculty following the vote she intended to collaborate with faculty despite disagreements.

“Working together, we can achieve even more for

By covering our nearly $1 million debt as originally promised, IU has shown it understands the role we play in the community. But as we await the results of the five-year plan Media School dean David Tolchinsky alluded to over the summer, we wanted to let our readers know why the print edition of the IDS is near and dear to our hearts. We also want to hear from you. If you enjoy reading the IDS’ print edition,

this extraordinary institution,” she wrote. “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.”

Faculty cited several controversies in the weeks leading up to the vote, including the suspension of professor Abdulkader Sinno, the cancelation of

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Palestinian painter Samia Halaby’s exhibition at the Eskenazi Museum of Art and a lack of transparency of funding for the Kinsey Institute. A pro-Palestinian encampment began April 25, less than one week after the no confidence vote. Indiana State Police, in coordination with the IU Police Department, arrested 57 protesters on April 25 and 27 for violating the university’s policy

on temporary structures. Many protesters were charged with criminal trespass for putting up temporary structures, including tents, without prior approval. An ad hoc committee, which consisted of four administrators, created the policy one day before the start of the encampment. IU faculty at multiple schools held resolutions calling for Whitten and Shrivastav to resign in May.

Physicians

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Optometry

Dr. Andrew Jones, Dr. Marzia Zamani, Cheyenne Brown, Megan Sipes, Milli Nally, Kenzy Hawkins, Christina Thompson

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Dr. Starr is an Indiana University Football Alum who provides pain-free experiences for all Hoosiers with IV sedation. He performs specialized oral surgery services including Wisdom Teeth Extractions, Dental Implants, Bone Grafting, and Plasma Therapy. Equipped with modern 3-D technology, he has the most up-to-date surgical skills and techniques to accomplish beautiful results with his patients. He looks forward to accomplishing beautiful results with his patients, enhancing confidence and satisfaction for all he serves.

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Health Austin C. Starr, D.D.S HOOSIER ORAL SURGEON?

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Marissa Meador, co-editor-in-chief

Jacob Spudich, co-editor-in-chief

Health Spotlight

HOOSIER ORAL SURGEON?

Leila Faraday (she/her)

is a junior studying policy analysis with minors in geography and urban planning.

Though the past few years have had no shortage of aggressive debate over the participation of transgender women in women’s sports, this summer brought a resurgence of attention to the issue. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won a match against Angela Carini of Italy at the 2024 Paris Olympics when Carini opted to pull out of the match after just 46 seconds. Misinformation immediately spread online, with many claiming Khelif was a transgender woman who had an innate biological advantage over Carini in the competition.

Carini’s choice to quit generated attention worldwide, with former President Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling sharing criticism for Khelif’s participation in the Olympics and further perpetuating the myth that Khelif is a transgender woman.

Khelif is a biological female, however rumors that she is transgender originated from an International Boxing Association (IBA) decision — for which it performed unspecified biological testing on her and other female boxers, like Taiwan’s Lin YuTing, who also competed at the 2024 Olympics. The IBA used the obscured results

LEILA’S LENS

Transphobia in sports hurts all women

of these tests to ban the two from IBA competition. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not currently recognize the IBA, due to ongoing conflicts between the organizations. I am not here to debate if biological males truly have physical advantages over biological females in sports. The science appears sound on the matter. However, allowing right-wing conspiracies that overinflate the issue of transgender participation in women’s sports and pit us against each other will only bring all women down in athletics.

Our rigid adherence to the idea of biological advantage that drives the argument for banning those assigned male at birth from participating in women’s categories has developed into controlling what all women are allowed to be.

Many elite and successful female athletes have certain biological traits that bring them closer to the advantages we assign to men — higher testosterone levels, bigger lungs and hearts, more height and greater muscle mass. At what point do we draw the line on governing bodies like the IBA testing women and making us prove our gender

IN EVELYN’S EYES

to compete? These testing procedures should cause concern for violation of our privacy and identity as women — values that are already threatened by the growing restrictions on reproductive healthcare targeted toward women.

Throw in the existence of intersex people — whose reproductive organs or other sex characteristics developed out of line with our traditional ideas of male and female — and things get really confusing. These individuals are almost all assigned a particular gender at birth at the discretion of a doctor and

Ignorance is NOT bliss: Get your facts straight

‘“You’re learning Japanese? Is it because you like anime?”

I’ve had to deal with that statement for a long time. It was always the first thing anyone said to me when I told them I was learning Japanese on my own. They immediately assumed it was because I liked anime and was a “weeaboo,” and never once did they genuinely want to know why. In case you were wondering, it’s because I love Japanese culture and thought the language looked interesting.

When writing essays for college applications, there was the question: What global issue are you most passionate about? Whenever I saw that question, I had to think for a minute, because there are many issues out there that I could write about. But I always resorted to this one: cultural ignorance. Unfortunately, cultural ignorance happens all the time. As a white person, I may not be the most qualified to speak about this issue, but I care deeply about other cultures, and I make the effort to learn about other countries and their traditions. I never like to be ignorant when it comes to this topic, and I get irritated whenever I see other people being culturally ignorant.

It baffles me how many people seemingly don’t care about learning and resort to stereotyping

groups of people and regions immediately. One of my friends told me about a situation from high school where she and her friend were out shopping, and because her friend was African American, one of the store employees was constantly watching her and making sure she didn’t steal anything. This is a prime example of a person immediately stereotyping and making someone feel hurt because of their assumptions. We literally have online access to everything imaginable, and yet people don’t even bother to use it to learn about other regions of the world.

This ignorance is most likely due to misinformation. I had to read a book over the summer for one of my classes, “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund. This book was really interesting because it opened my mind to how people view the world. Unfortunately, most of us view the world negatively, thinking that things are getting worse by the minute. I admit that I also viewed the world in the same way, thinking that everything was in a constant state of deterioration. I thought the population was only increasing and wouldn’t stop, leading to a rise in overconsumption and even less resources available. I thought that endangered species weren’t getting help and would die out forever. I thought that children weren’t getting vaccinated, leading to a spread in dis-

ease worldwide. But this book proved me wrong, and it gave me hope for the future.

Rosling believes that the media has a lot to do with people being globally misinformed. He states, “We are subjected to neverending cascades of negative news from across the world…stories about gradual improvements rarely make the front page even when they occur on a dramatic scale and impact millions of people.”

This is how people resort to stereotypes. I’m not saying the media is wrong or false, because reporting on disastrous events is important. But because of this overflow of negative news, peoples’ views of the world are inaccurate, and they never hear about all the good things happening globally.

Another reason stereotyping may happen is due to what Rosling calls the “generalization instinct.” People tend to categorize things. It’s natural, but it can be a distorting way to view the world. He says, “(Generalizing) can make us assume everything or everyone in one category is similar. And, maybe most unfortunate of all, it can make us jump to conclusions about a whole category based on a few, or even just one, unusual example.”

An example of both points is when my French teacher in high school told my class about the cultural comparison portion of the Advanced Placement exam. She explained how, before

going into the exam, we should get our facts straight about cultural differences between Francophone countries and the United States. She told us how an anonymous person, who previously took the exam, wrote, incorrectly, that African countries don’t have universities. My mouth flew open in shock when I heard this. But people genuinely think this is true. The incorrect assumption that Africa is, and will always be, a poor continent is a common stereotype. Because we regularly hear about instances of poverty in this region in media coverage, it leads to people generalizing the continent.

But, by doing a little research, you’ll find that African countries’ economies are performing tremendously well. According to the African Development Bank Group, the growth in total market value in Africa is expected to average 3.8% in 2024 and 4.2% in 2025, which is higher than the projected global averages of 2.9% and 3.2%. This continent is going to remain the second-fastest-growing region after Asia, which is incredible.

With that, I encourage you to be informed. Fact check. Avoid assumptions. Whenever my sister or I would ask our parents about something that could be researched, my dad would always say this phrase that I want you to remember: the internet is at your fingertips.

evstraus@iu.edu

possibly their parents.

Intersexuality — a characteristic of 1-2% of Americans — does not cause health problems but does often initiate “correction” on the part of the medical system to categorize people into the societally accepted divides of male and female. Should we police every individual’s biology based upon societal expectations and rules that do not always match physical reality?

Further, cisgender women — who many claim they are protecting with these decisions — are not safe from transphobic and misogynis-

tic rhetoric. Katie Ledecky and Brittney Griner, among other cisgender female athletes, have received comments, primarily on social media platforms, inquiring about the legitimacy of their womanhood or joking about their characteristics to imply they are male. When women do not look or perform how we are expected to, people have always found issue. Whether this results in restricting our access to healthcare, banning us from participating in sports or otherwise controlling the way we can live our lives, all women should feel worried about the way society has been treating transgender women and debating their eligibility to compete in sports. We cannot keep encouraging and empowering people who feel uncomfortable with tall, muscular women or women who otherwise do not fit their idea of what is acceptable for us to be. This way of thinking creates the atmosphere for organizations like the IBA to come up with arbitrary rules and standards for what a true woman is and violate our dignity in doing so. Transgender women’s participation in sports can be handled with care and compassion for all women if we refuse to accept hateful and misogynistic ideas peddled by people who only want to create division and restrict women’s livelihoods.

lfaraday@iu.edu

DANNY’S DIATRIBES

Bloomington Transit needs a change

Danny William (they/them) is a junior studying cinematic arts.

It’s a common refrain among my friends who take the city bus to campus. “Sorry I was late,” they say. “You know how the buses are.”

And after the beginning of this semester, I definitely do. I’ve recently started taking the bus to campus every day after moving farther from downtown. Since IU encourages students and staff alike to use “the existing transportation system” rather than personal vehicles, I figured I’d do my part.

Unfortunately, the existing state of Bloomington Transit (BT) has made me wish I could drive my car to campus more and more. A confusing and glitchy app, constantly late, full buses and exorbitant wait times have made my enthusiasm for riding the bus turn to frustration.

Let’s do a case study: BT’s own Campus Shuttle, the 6. Before noon, buses come to the stop directly across the street from my apartment every 20 minutes. In the afternoons, however, the service is cut in half from four buses to just two. So, while masses of hungry, tired students are trying to get off campus in the evenings, the service is halved, making it even more difficult for everyone to get home. On top of that, traffic on 10th Street makes the service even slower, so instead of coming every 40 minutes it’s more like every hour.

So, that leaves me with three options.

One: Wait for over half an hour for a bus that might just rocket past me, flashing “FULL BUS” on its screen.

Two: Get a bus that’s going to drop me off on the other side of a busy main street that I have to cross with no crosswalks.

Three: Get a roommate to pick me up, only contributing to the horrendous traffic on campus. None of these are winners. And when is the bus even coming? It’s hard to tell. BT’s live bus tracking app, SPOT ETA, consistently crashes and glitches on my phone. The app shows inaccurate arrival times and the timetables on stops are confusing. When I’m waiting in the hot September sun and squinting at my screen trying to read a glitchy app, the issues become all the more apparent. I’ve found it tough to tru-

ly rely on BT for my transportation needs, which really sucks since it’s my only option. Luckily, I have a car over the weekends, but I can’t imagine how frustrated I would be if I had no other means of running errands and seeing my friends.

BT just hasn’t progressed into the modern age. If we want to see more ridership and happier customers, something needs to change quickly. Earlier this year, BT applied for a $35 million grant from the federal government to support a new operations facility. But that grant wasn’t awarded to BT, which means that major improvements are still a long way away.

BT needs a bigger investment from federal, state and local governments. The system’s 2024 revenue saw a nearly 37% decrease from 2023 in funding from the federal government. The only way BT can improve is with more resources.

Despite the troubles, some positive changes are coming out of the agency. BT introduced BLink this summer, a microtransit system designed to help riders get around Bloomington on demand. BT can also expand their service area into places outside of Bloomington, like Ellettsville.

But a lot more still needs to be done. One microtransit service won’t fix the poor quality of the main bus routes that people rely on. BT can start with one big step forward: more buses, more frequently, particularly on routes students rely on heavily. I think anyone who has waited for upwards of half an hour in the sun for a bus can agree with this. This may seem like it would back up traffic around campus even more, but it could have the opposite effect. If fewer people are driving to campus to pick up their roommates because they can count on the bus to deliver them home in a timely fashion, maybe 10th Street won’t be a warzone in the afternoons. I have faith that Bloomington Transit can and will improve. But it needs a lot more support, both from our government and, most importantly, the community. Because frankly, all of us — students or not — need a Bloomington that’s a bit less of a nightmare to get around in.

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIETTE ALBERT

Evelyn Strauss (she/her) is a freshman studying international studies and human biology.

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIETTE ALBERT

The Lilly Library spotlights romance in new exhibit

By Lowrie McGeary lmcgeary@iu.edu

The Lilly Library is giving romance the spotlight with its new exhibit , Love in the Library, which showcases the first substantial collection of romance literature in a major American library. The collection is available to visit Aug. 19 through Feb. 15, 2025.

Diversification was key in putting together this exhibit, according to curator Rebecca Baumann. She emphasized that this collection purposefully showcases romance literature from and about marginalized people who have been historically ignored in the genre.

“There’s way more romances now with neurodivergent characters and disabled characters, and being able to read those and say, ‘yes, I deserve love, I can find love, this could be my story’ , and there’s something incredibly powerful about that,” Baumann said.

The Lilly Library bought the collection of books on display in 2021 from Rebecca Romney, author and cofounder of bookselling firm Type Punch Matrix. The Lilly Library was the first library to have been offered the collection. Baumann put some additional books in the exhibit’s display to further explore the contemporary side of the romance genre.

After purchasing Romney’s collection, Lilly Library staff spent the next few years cataloging and preparing for the exhibit. Baumann said that even unboxing the thousands of

books was a lengthy and strenuous process.

“The reason we can’t buy a big collection and then immediately display it, is the time that it takes to catalog the collection,” Baumann said. “So that’s a part of the work that goes into an exhibition that is often invisible.”

Each display highlights a sub-section of the romance genre, such as gothic, historical, young adult and sci-fi. The books lie upon crushed velvet and are protected inside glass cases with descriptions of each genre and its connection to the exhibit. Some selections include “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen and “Heartstopper” by Alice Oseman.

Through this exhibition, Baumann said she wanted to challenge the consciousness surrounding romance literature and prove that it has value within the history of books and our culture. She said that romantic literature is often not taken seriously, and it has been dismissed as frivolous or only for women, despite its immense popularity.

“It really signals to the world this is culture,” Baumann said. “This is important. This is what historians will study. This is what literary critics will study. This is how we learn things about how people lived and loved and desired in the past and today.”

Jenny Mack, museum exhibition specialist and exhibit designer for the Lilly Library, worked on the physical aspects of “Love

in the Library”. She built stands and designed tangible spaces and layouts for the displays. Mack said that the close detail and care that goes into creating the exhibit allows books to shine as pieces of art, not just words on pages.

“We really care about all aspects of the book, including the binding, the color, the way it was built,” Mack said. “It as an object, essentially.”

According to Mack, 315 visitors came to the exhibit

during the First Thursday’s festival happening outside the library on Sept. 5. She said that the best part of these big crowds was witnessing their excitement both during and after their visits.

“When I clean the cases and I get to see all the fingerprints, I see where people really got into it,” Mack said. “It’s evidence to me that people are engaged and they’re excited and they’re reading something, which is the goal, right?”

Matt Trzaskus, an IU freshman studying cinematic arts, was one of many people drawn into the exhibit during the First Thursday’s event. He said he already had an appreciation for the romance genre and even acted in an adapted stage version of “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen.

“Yeah, I definitely think it’s really cool, and I wasn’t really expecting to see something like this today,” Trzaskus said. “It’s kind of strange and weird, but

Bloomington’s LGBTQ+ community gathers for

By Lilly Luse liluse@iu.edu

Music filled Kirkwood Avenue as crowds gathered to celebrate Bloomington’s 11th annual Pridefest on Sept. 14. The street was decorated with pride flags and signs as well as dozens of local vendors and booths selling handmade arts and crafts or advertising local resources and organizations that serve Bloomington’s queer community. Local Bloomington bands such as WIND, Emma Periodt and The Matriarch performed on stage and as the sun began

to set, the main event, the drag performances, had everyone on their feet, clapping along to the set and cheering for each performer. The show was emceed by drag artist Pat Yo Weave and showcased the talents of local drag performers, such as Oliver Closeoff, Juniper Peron, Peter Von Teaser and Desiree Bouvier. Performer Verna Vendetta even performed a number parodying Bloomington’s own Ken Nunn. Artists took the stage as people gathered around, and performers would step off stage and dance on the street amongst the crowds of spectators, weaving in and

out and commanding the space.

Bloomington Pride takes place in late August or early September, when students have returned to campus after summer break. Having a city-wide celebration of Bloomington’s LGBTQ+ community can be an important outlet for new students who may not have pride festivals in their hometowns, or who are joining an accepting community for the first time, IU senior Rin Maas said.

“It’s always so touching to see specifically freshmen here who may have come from a family or an

environment that wasn’t super accepting, and they come here, and they see all of this for maybe the first time. And it’s just such a welcoming environment,” Maas said. “I think it’s really important to have that, especially in a college town where you may be getting out and exploring yourself for the first time, kind of being on your own, getting out there.”

The festival is a community affair made possible by a team of volunteers who work to keep the day safe and enjoyable for everyone.

I would absolutely come again.”

Even after the books are put away, Baumann hopes to encourage more research and collections of romance literature in the future.

“We don’t want to just buy this big collection from [Romney] and call it done,” Baumann said. “We want to be a library that is actively collecting romance, which is very challenging because there’s just so much.” The exhibit will be available to view until the

DANNY WILLIAM | IDS

Guitarist Mallory Benoit of the band “The Matriarch” plays guitar and sings for the crowd during Bloomington Pridefest on Sept. 14, 2024, in

By Halie Jasinover hjasino@iu.edu

Theatergoers listened when Blake Lively told fans to “Grab your friends, wear your florals and head out to see it” as she promoted her newest film, “It Ends With Us.” Excited at the prospect of turning their brains off and watching a predictable, yet comforting movie, audiences were surprised to say the very least.

Merriam Webster defines a romantic comedy as “a light, comic movie or other work whose plot focuses on the development of a romantic relationship.” By that standard, “It Ends With Us,” a story that features heavy themes of domestic violence, does not fit.

Stamping any film with the rom-com label is a bold claim to make. The most iconic rom-coms are the ones that can be constantly on repeat on cable, eliciting a rewatch every time. The films are heartwarming, yet humorous, and are always met with a happy ending. The marketing for the “It Ends With Us” film was lighthearted, while the story is about Lily Bloom, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. The underplaying of these triggering topics shows why we need to separate romcoms from romantic dramas.

COLUMN: The Rom-com renaissance

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

I watched Frank Capra’s 1934 “It Happened One Night,” often considered the first true romantic comedy, on Tubi last week to get a feel for the genre. I am a classic aficionado, but recently have found myself completely unable to focus. Short-form content has most definitely been ruling my life. Despite that recent inattentiveness, I found myself sucked into the pre-code era film. A familiar road-trip rom-com, filled with tropes that feel almost modern, The classic tells the story of Ellie, a wealthy socialite who has run away from her father who opposes her recent elopement. She then meets Peter, a rough reporter who agrees to help her reunite with her husband in exchange for her story. It is enemies to lovers in the truest sense. They fight all the way from Florida to New York City and of course, fall in love on the way there — a classic romantic comedy trope that has remained true ever since.

But the genre has transformed significantly since then. The golden age of Hollywood brought us formulaic tales, often featuring a musical underscore as seen in 1952’s “Singin’ in the Rain” and 1959’s “Some Like it Hot.” During the 1980s and 1990s, we saw a rise in the wittier romantic comedy, emphasizing chemistry. My all-time favorite film, the 1989 film “When Harry Met Sally,” brought the world the iconic duo of Meg Ryan (a rom-com icon) and Billy Crystal, who, when I saw him

The film “Anyone But You,” starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney, generated $170 million globally. Another rom-com, “The Idea of You,” was a streaming success with over 50 million views worldwide. Released earlier this year, “Lisa Frankenstein” has already cemented itself into cult status, mastering the ‘80s horror rom-com. These successes hint to studios that audiences are wanting more.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 7 — Review financial options with your partner. Plug a leak. Update budgets and plans. Hunt for resources. Make a lucrative mess and clean later.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 7 — Things could get romantic, despite chaos or messy situations. Abandon fairytale fantasies about your partner. Remember what’s most important and let the little stuff go.

arts and skills. It could get messy. Polish to reveal hidden beauty. Avoid controversy. Relax and chill with someone nice.

in the Broadway production of “Mr. Saturday Night,” truly left me starstruck. As the years pass, the world continues to shift. In recent years, many actors have begun to almost beg to star in a romantic comedy. Daniel Radcliffe revealed that his dream project is a rom-com with Abbott Elementary creator and star actress Quinta Brunson, a pairing that would make my entire world. In 2023, Dave Bautista commented that he’d love to be in a romcom but was never given the opportunity. Just this week,

Bautista revealed that he immediately began getting calls after his statement. Even Meg Ryan has returned to the genre with her latest film “What Happens Later.” It is a genre with continuous appeal. The interest is apparent and reflects a trend in the industry. But what does the modern romantic comedy look like? It is far more than just a chick flick. Today’s rom-coms feature increased inclusivity, showing audiences that love is for everyone. One of my personal favorites, 2018’s “Crazy Rich Asians,” which

not only centers on romantic relationships but on the complexities of cultural expectations and family. The modern rom-com shows the broad range of experiences that humans have, allowing for everyone to feel seen in the genre. Yes, love is more than just grand gestures, although Heath Ledger’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” scene from the 1999 film “10 Things I Hate About You” is my ultimate dream. Today’s rom-coms celebrate both the joy of love and the challenges that come with it.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 6 — Save money and keep a low profile. Private meditation soothes your spirit. Contemplate your next move. Clean messes and prepare for what’s ahead.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Today is an 8 — Work with your team. Offer

Anna Marie Bonds, a volunteer at the festival, shared how important it is to have Pride in Bloomington.

“Bloomington is kind of a blue dot in a big red state,” she said. “Indiana is not very gay friendly, and unless you’re living in Indianapolis, sometimes it feels like there’s not a lot of opportunities for stuff like this.”

“To have it here and with all the students here, definitely feels like it’s like making Bloomington a more welcoming place. Especially for people not from here,” Bonds said.

Earlier this year, anti-trans legislation such as Senate Enrolled Act 480 came into effect, which prohibits medical providers from providing gender-affirming health care to transgender youth.

Olivia Thurston, a pride attendee from a small town in Ohio, came from out of town to visit a friend, and said the festival felt more intimate and welcoming than some pride festivals in bigger cities.

“(It’s been) more personable compared to Indy Pride,” Thurston said. “There’s a lot more commotion than Indy pride but this is just more people our age.” Her friend, Dusty Harshey, echoed that she felt the smallness of the festival aided in its intimate community feel. She said having pride in a college town could be an important space for students who may be looking for LGBTQ+ community since coming to college. Pride is an important event for Bloomington’s LGBTQ+ community to gather in celebration.

For Maas, pride is about uplifting both your community and your sense of self.

“It’s a celebration of who you are,” Maas said.

MOVIE STILLS DATABASE

Heath Ledger sings into a microphone as Patrick Verona in “10 Things I Hate About You.” The movie released in 1999.

PHOTOS BY BRIANA PACE | IDS

Rourke earns Offensive Player of the Week

By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames

Coming off a four-touchdown performance, Indiana football sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 16 according to a Big Ten release.

Rourke guided the Hoosiers to a dominant 42-13 victory over UCLA on Sept. 14, going 25-of-33 for 307 yards alongside four touchdown passes. The Oakville, Ontario, Canada, native went nine-ofnine for 128 yards on third downs against the Bruins to secure Indiana’s first conference road win since Nov. 19, 2022.

“I thought he played really well and did a really nice

job with his eyes and was accurate,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said Sept. 16. “We did a great job protecting. We had no sacks. And, you know, (the) receivers did a nice job of separating and made some really good catches too. So I thought he played extremely well.”

Rourke connected with senior wide receiver Miles Cross six times for 90 yards and a touchdown. He also tossed a pair of touchdown passes to fifth-year receiver Ke’Shawn Williams.

Cignetti explained postgame the victory would open fans’ eyes, but that it’s just one of the games on the Hoosiers’ 12-game schedule. Rourke shares the same mindset.

“Everybody just wants to win,” Rourke said. “That’s one common goal that we have.”

29-point win is their largest

of

University Lutheran Church and LCMS U Student Center

607 E. Seventh St. 812-336-5387 indianalutheran.com facebook.com/ULutheranIU instagram.com/uluindiana

Sunday:

9:15 a.m.: Sunday Bible Class

10:30 a.m.: Sunday Divine Service

Wednesday: 7 p.m.: Wednesday Evening Service Student Center open daily: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

The LCMS home of campus ministry at IU, our mission is to serve all college students with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, located across from Dunn Meadow and the IMU. The Student Center is open daily for study, recreation, and prayer. For full schedule, visit our website.

Rev. Timothy Winterstein - Campus Pastor

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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 Latter-day 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.

United Methodist

Jubilee

219 E. Fourth St. 812-332-6396 jubileebloomington.org

American Restoration Movement

Lutheran - Missouri Synod Orthodox All Saints Orthodox Christian Church

University Lutheran Church and LCMS U Student Center

607 E. Seventh St. 812-336-5387 indianalutheran.com facebook.com/ULutheranIU instagram.com/uluindiana

Sunday: 9:15 a.m.: Sunday Bible Class

10:30 a.m.: Sunday Divine Service

Wednesday: 7 p.m.: Wednesday Evening Service

Student Center open daily: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

The LCMS home of campus ministry at IU, our mission is to serve all college students with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, located across from Dunn Meadow and the IMU. The Student Center is open daily for study, recreation, and prayer. For full schedule, visit our website.

Rev. Timothy Winterstein - Campus Pastor

Facebook: First United Methodist Church of Bloomington, IN 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, social 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

Inter-Denominational

Redeemer Community Church

111 S. Kimble Dr. 812-269-8975 redeemerbloomington.org facebook.com/RedeemerBtown

Instagram & Twitter: @RedeemerBtown

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

Redeemer is a gospel-centered 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

North Central Church of Christ

2121 N. Dunn St. 812-332-2248 nc3family.org Facebook.com/nc3family

Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., College Class

Come learn about historic Christian teaching on theology, ethics, and culture. We offer an alternative to the post-modern ideologies and teachings you often see in your lives today.

Shane Himes, PHD - Senior Minister

Science

and compassion.

(Christian Science Monitor) csmonitor.com

6004 S. Fairfax Rd. 812-824-3600 allsaintsbloomington.org webbrk1@gmail.com

Youtube video of services on website Sunday: 9 a.m.:

Hoosiers’

margin

victory over a conference opponent on the road since 2001.

Rourke is the first Hoosier to win the award since running back Stevie Scott did so Nov. 30, 2020. He is also the first IU quarterback to receive

the award since Nate Sudfeld in Week 13 of the 2015 sea-

BRIANA PACE | IDS

Pasadena, California.

Curt Cignetti validates belief in win at UCLA

By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames

PASADENA, Calif. —

“Let’s go Hoosiers,” the sea of crimson in the southeast corner of the Rose Bowl Stadium chanted.

Indiana University president Pamela Whitten clapped to the Hoosier faithful’s beat, uttering the same words.

Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson stood to Whitten’s right, with his hands in the pockets of his gray slacks.

It was 7:48 p.m. PST and Indiana football just completed its 42-13 beatdown of UCLA inside the famed stadium.

Just one minute later, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti walked toward the southeast tunnel with both arms above his head and both index fingers pointed to the sky.

On Nov. 26, 2023, Dolson announced he determined the program had lost momentum and needed a change in leadership. So he, alongside Whitten, went and hired Cignetti four days later.

“We wanted a winner,” Dolson said at Cignetti’s introductory press conference Dec. 1, 2023. “We wanted someone with some swagger, with some confidence that can really bring that to our program and help establish the identity of IU football.”

So, on Sept. 14, after the Hoosiers dominated on national television, it was like a scene out of a movie — Hoosier nation revering Cignetti for the new-look Indiana he’s established.

After three games at the helm, Dolson’s want of a “winner” is looking to have come to fruition. The Hoosiers are now 3-0, dominat-

ing their opponents by a combined margin of 150-23.

But for Cignetti, no matter the opponent and no matter the location, all victories count the same.

“It will open some eyes,” Cignetti said postgame. “Because it was on national TV, and that’s it. It’s one game. We came out here, got done what we wanted to get done.”

Cignetti preached the trek to the Rose Bowl was more of a “business trip.”

That’s all. He said it didn’t matter if they played the game in the Rose Bowl or in the parking lot.

The players viewed it the same way.

“We came in, knew what we had to do: take care of business,” sophomore rover Amare Ferrell said postgame. “It was a business trip, and we just came and did that.”

Indiana football hasn’t

always taken care of business. At least not like it did Sept. 14.

Hoosier teams of old may have been distracted by the venue and perhaps unfocused on the task. And in turn, Indiana football fans have come to expect their squad to struggle in moments like Saturday. But what the Hoosiers did on the field was the polar opposite.

Sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke delivered time and again.

First, he tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Miles Cross in the back of the endzone to take a 7-0 lead. Second, he found fifth-year senior wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams on a screen pass that resulted in a 13-yard touchdown. Now the Hoosiers led 140, but they weren’t done.

Fifth-year senior running

back Justice Ellison powered into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to give Indiana a 21-0 lead.

UCLA looked to have a chance. It scored a touchdown just before halftime and nailed a 28-yard field goal to begin the second half.

But that’s when the Hoosiers began to put the game away. On their next three possessions, they scored three touchdowns and led 42-13.

Indiana football officially introduced itself on national television like Cignetti said, but the Hoosiers view it as just another win.

“As long as we win, that’s all that matters,” Cross said.

While the Hoosiers won, another focal point of Cignetti’s vision when he arrived at Indiana was stalking complacency.

He doesn’t want any of it. It may be Indiana’s first

signature victory under Cignetti, but he wants the Hoosiers to face forward.

“They got 24 hours to enjoy it, and we’re back at the next opponent,” Cignetti said. “Can’t let complacency sneak in and all those good things. This one’s over.”

Indiana now looks ahead to its fourth game of the season, hosting the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Sept. 21. It’ll look to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2020. For now, it may be just one win through Cignetti’s and the players’ eyes. But perhaps it’s a win that could change the trajectory of Indiana football.

That’s why Dolson and Whitten hired Cignetti: to establish an identity and win games.

And according to Cignetti, nobody in the locker room is surprised they’re doing just that. Check

Society of Friends (Quaker)

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 Ave. 812-332-8972 csfindiana.org

Instagram: @csfindiana

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) exists as a Christ-centered community focused on helping students truly know Jesus Christ. Our ministry operates from an on-campus house where students can live. Reach out to schedule a tour of the house or a visit to our Thursday night worship service!

Ben Geiger - Lead Campus Minister

Stephanie Michael - Campus Minister

Joe Durnil - Associate Campus Minister

Hailee Lutz - Office Manager

City Church

1200 N. Russell Rd.

812-336-5958

citychurchbloomington.org

tiktok: @citychurchbtown

Instagram: @citychurchbtown

Sunday Service: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:45 a.m.

City Church is a multicultural church on the east side of Bloomington. We provide transportation from campus. Our college and young adult ministry meets on Tuesday nights.

David Norris - Pastor

Sacred Heart Church

615 N. Fairview St. 812-345-5239 sacredheartbloomington.org facebook.com/sacredheartbloomington

Sunday:

10:30 a.m.: Refreshments and Fellowship

10:45 a.m.: Worship Service

Tue., Wed., Thu.: Midweek Meals (Check Facebook)

Sacred Heart is a nondenominational church that seeks to follow Jesus by acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God. We strive to be a safe, inclusive community where you can bring your doubts, questions, struggles, and joys before a loving God and find true belonging. All are welcome!

Dan Caldwell

Bloomington Friends Meeting

3820 E. Moores Pike

812-336-4581

bloomingtonfriendsmeeting.org

Facebook: Bloomington Friends Meeting

Sunday (in person & Zoom) :

9:45 a.m., Hymn singing

10:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship

10:45 a.m., Sunday School

(Children join worship 10:30-10:45)

11:30 a.m., Refreshments and Fellowship

12:30 p.m., Events (see website)

Wednesday (Zoom Only) :

7 p.m., Meeting for worship for Peace Friday (Zoom Only) : 9 a.m., Meeting for worship

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 belief and no prescribed creed. We are actively involved in peace action, social justice causes, and environmental concerns.

Peter Burkholder - Clerk burkhold@indiana.edu

Episcopal (Anglican)

Canterbury Mission

719 E. Seventh St. 812-822-1335 IUCanterbury.org facebook.com/ECMatIU

Instagram & Twitter: @ECMatIU Youtube: @canterburyhouseatiu9094

Sunday: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Mon., Wed., Thu.: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday: Noon - 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

Independent Baptist

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. Student 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 Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches-USA First United Church

2420 E. Third St. 812-332-4439 firstuc.org facebook.com/firstuc

Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Worship

Monday: 10 a.m. via Zoom, Bible Study

We are an Open, Welcoming, and Affirming community of love and acceptance dedicated to welcoming the diversity of God’s beloved. We exist to empower, challenge, and encourage one another to live out Jesus’ ways (compassion, truth, and justice) authentically as human beings in community to create a better world.

Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai Senior Minister

Baptist 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 - 9:45 a.m. Bible Study: Available In House and on Zoom Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., Thursdays, Noon

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

Unitarian Universalist

Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington 2120 N. Fee Ln. 812-332-3695 uubloomington.org facebook.com/uubloomington

Sunday: 10:15 a.m., via in person or livestream We’re a multi dynamic congregation actively working towards a more just and loving world. We draw inspiration from world religions and diverse spiritual traditions. Our vision is “Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, Changing the World.” A LGBTQA+, Dementia Friendly, Welcoming Congregation to all ages and groups and a Certified Green Sanctuary. Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rose House LuMin & St. Thomas Lutheran Church

3800 E. Third St. 812-332-5252 Stlconline.org lcmiu.net

Instagram: @hoosierlumin facebook.com/LCMIU facebook.com/StThomasBloomington

Sunday: 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.

an inclusive Christian community who values the faith, gifts, and ministry of all God’s people. We seek justice, serve our neighbors, and love boldly. Rev. Adrianne Meier Rev. Lecia Beck Rev. Amanda Ghaffarian - Campus Pastor

Unity Worldwide

Unity of Bloomington A Center for Spiritual Growth

4001 S. Rogers St. text/call: 812-333-2484 unityofbloomington.org

IG: @unityofbloomington facebook@UnityofBloomington

Sunday Celebration: 10:30 a.m.

Discover a vibrant, welcoming community at Unity of Bloomington – “a positive path for spiritual living”. Our center offers a space for spiritual growth; embracing all with open arms. We proudly affirm and welcome the LGBTQ+ community, fostering love, acceptance, and inclusion. Join our loving congregation, where everyone is valued and encouraged to explore their spiritual journey. At Unity of Bloomington, all are welcome and together we thrive!

Minnassa Gabon - Spiritual Leader

Phyllis Wickliff - Music Director Reformed Protestant

Trinity Reformed Church 2401 S. Endwright Rd. 812-825-2684 trinityreformed.org lucas@trinityreformed.org facebook.com/trinitychurchbloom

Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Sunday Morning Services 7 p.m., Bible Study at the IMU

We are a Reformed Protestant church on the west side of Bloomington with lively worship on Sunday mornings and regular lunches for students after church. We love God and His Word. Please get in touch if you’d like a ride!

Jody Killingsworth - Senior Pastor Lucas Weeks - College Pastor

Indiana draws against Evansville, turns critical

By Matt Press mtpress@iu.edu | @mattpress23

The roughly minute long trek from the midfield line

to the Jerry F. Tardy Center

a little after 10 p.m. Sept. 17

didn’t look much different. Indiana men’s soccer head coach Todd Yeagley, dressed in his typical black and white Adidas compression shirt and matching shorts, strode from one end of the grass to the other under the glimmering lights of Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Gripping a can of sparkling water in his right hand, Yeagley made the march he’s made thousands of times. His steps intentional, head never peering away from the field bearing his father’s namesake, Yeagley seems tranquil.

Indiana’s 1-1 draw with the University of Evansville undoubtedly shrunk its margin for error in the upcoming stretch of Big Ten play. For some teams, that might be a daunting pressure.

But for Yeagley and the Hoosiers, pressure simply precedes winning.

“Pressure’s OK,” Yeagley said. “If you’re fortunate

enough to make the postseason, there’s always pressure. So, you just feel it earlier.”

On Sept. 13, senior forward Tommy Mihalic’s 87th-minute goal clinched a 1-0 victory over Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey. That win felt like the start of Indiana’s inevitable turnaround. A sign that, despite a 1-2-2 start through five matches, the Hoosiers would flip the switch they always seem to.

But after the Sept. 17 draw with Evansville, a team coming off three consecutive losses to Lindenwood University, Butler University and Drake University, the momentum was zapped. Despite firing 20 shots on the Purple Aces’ freshman goalkeeper Michal Mroz, just one found the back of the net.

While senior forward Sam Sarver’s 31st minute goal — his first of the season — kept Indiana safe for a long spell, there was a need for extra insurance. Junior forward Collins Oduro had a share of chances, but he fired a trio of shots just wide left of the post. Freshman forward Mi-

chael Nesci too had opportunities, but the most dangerous of his three shots was punched away by Mroz for a corner kick. None of Mihalic’s three chances were the answer, either.

In the second half, Evansville logged five of its total six shots. It only took one, a 73rd minute, worldclass strike from redshirt freshman midfielder Jacopo Fedrizzi to make Indiana’s missed opportunities sting.

“You don’t put the second or third away, that can happen,” Yeagley said. “You see it around the world, you see it in the college game, you just hope it’s not you.”

For most of the second half, the Hoosiers vied for another goal without the help of graduate forward Justin Weiss. Weiss, who missed two games with a calf injury he suffered in Indiana’s 2-0 win over Yale University on Sept. 1, played all 90 minutes against Rutgers.

He only took one shot against the Scarlet Knights, but Weiss was consistently involved in attacking combinations. Sept. 17 was no different, and after playing the entire first half, Yeagley said they tried to “save him

a little bit.”

“We thought we could get the goals — the second or third — without him,” Yeagley said.

Roughly four minutes after Evansville’s equalizer, Weiss was brought back on for Nesci. He narrowly missed a pair of shots in the waning minutes of the match, the first blocked near the goal line by Purple Aces’ freshman defender Martin Wurschmidt, and the second an outside the box attempt that whistled no more than a couple feet wide of the post.

Yeagley doesn’t believe the Hoosiers are playing at the underwhelming level their 2-2-3 record indicates. As inconsistent results and missed opportunities continue to mount, there’s a greater reliance on dominating a conference schedule packed with formidable competition.

In a week from Sept. 20, Indiana takes on No. 7 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. Four days later, it travels to Madison, Wisconsin. for a date with the No. 17 Badgers. Two weeks after that, the Hoosiers are in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to face the No. 16 Wolverines.

WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY

For Indiana’s postseason dreams to take shape, positive results in those matches will be paramount. Sound like pressure?

“Tomorrow, sun comes up, we get after it,” Yeagley said. “It’s always the same, right? I’ve seen this show before.”

Indiana dominates Ball State and wins first home game

By Will Kwiatkowski

An eventful afternoon came to its peak as Indiana field hockey celebrated its first home victory of the season. Indiana defeated Ball State University 2-0 in the Sept. 13 match dominating the second half in the victory.

Indiana’s offense came alive in the Sept. 13 match with 15 shots on goal, a season high record. The Hoosiers dominated the Cardinals’ defensive zone, consis-

tently applying pressure and finding the net twice in an early season victory. Indiana’s dominance in the match was led by graduate student back Sydney Keld and senior midfielder Maggie Carter, each scoring a goal in the Sept. 13 exhibition. Both defenses came out strong to start the game, and the trend of a quiet offensive first quarter continued for Indiana, with the score remaining 0-0 at the end of the period. The second quarter was

filled with missed opportunities as Ball State’s first offensive threat came up empty, with the Hoosiers standing strong and successfully defending the corner penalty.

In the same quarter, Indiana launched an offensive attack and found the back of the net, but the cheers were abruptly halted when the referee waved off the goal due to the ball bouncing off an Indiana player’s foot for a penalty. The first half ended with the scoreboard still reading

0-0. However, Indiana produced a dominant offensive and defensive performance, leading 9-0 in shots at halftime. Opening the half, Indiana found itself almost instantly lining up for a penalty corner attempt. The first attempt was unsuccessful, but led to another penalty corner as Ball State committed another penalty. The second attempt, like the last, bounced off Ball State for another penalty. Although this time the Hoosiers capitalized on it. A deflected

shot from senior back Yip van Wonderen found the stick of Keld, as she smoked a shot into the back of the net, giving the Hoosiers a 1-0 advantage. Indiana’s offense marched right back up field threatening to score again, but it came up short as time ran out in the third quarter.

In control of the lead entering the fourth, the Hoosiers were just fifteen minutes from closing out their first home win of the season. With 11 minutes left on the clock, Carter scored an

unassisted goal, putting the game out of reach for the Cardinals and igniting both her teammates and the Hoosier fans in attendance. As the clock wound down, Indiana continued to dominate, maintaining possession and threatening offensively. When the final horn blared, the Hoosiers erupted in celebration. Indiana will have a long break before a crucial conference matchup against Northwestern at 11 a.m. on, Sept. 22 at the Deborah Tobias Field in Bloomington.

JACOB SPUDICH | IDS

Freshman forward Easton Bogard fends off a University of Dayton defender Sept. 9, 2024, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. The Hoosiers drew the University of Evansville 1-1 on Sept. 17.