Monday, May 8, 2017
Find photos of commencement, page 7
IDS Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com
Chief diversity officer resigns Martin A. McCrory returning to Kelley, to be replaced by John Nieto-Phillips From IDS reports
YULIN YU | IDS
Two graduates, Stephanie Planet, left, and Christopher Cary, attend the morning commencement ceremony Saturday.
The final step Undergraduate commencement speakers focus on truth and emotion By Michael Williams mdw8@indiana.edu | @Mike_D_Wills
6,913 undergraduate students, part of a graduating class ranging in age from 19 to 72 and coming to IU campuses across the state from 133 countries, were officially awarded their degrees Saturday. University President Michael McRobbie led the afternoon commencement ceremony for IU Bloomington, relocated to the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall after weather was forecasted to threaten the planned outdoor ceremony at Memorial Stadium. “You have learned how to learn, and how to inhabit the life of the mind,” McRob-
bie said. “Our ceremony is but brief compared with the years of diligent effort that these candidates have invested in their education.” McRobbie’s opening remarks also included a moment of silence for IU students who died during their time at IU but would have graduated with the 2017 class. IU Alumnus Douglas Van Houweling was then awarded an honorary degree in recognition of his work on internet technologies. “While Dr. Houweling was teaching at the University of Michigan in the mid1980s, he began making the first of his many contributions to shaping the internet
as we know it today,” said IU Vice President for IT Bradley C. Wheeler. Anne-Marie Slaughter, current CEO of New America and former dean of Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International affairs, served as commencement speaker. “She is a foreign policy expert and a champion of women’s issues,” President McRobbie said. “As the Chief Executive Officer of New America, she is focusing on renewing the country in the age of the internet.” Slaughter addressed the changing SEE GRADUATION, PAGE 2
IU has announced a new associate vice president for the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs following the current Vice President, Martin A. McCrory’s, announcement of resignation Tuesday, May 2. Current Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity John Nieto-Phillips will be taking over for McCrory on May 15, according to a May 2 IU press release. Nieto-Phillips will also assume McCrory’s current roles as IU Bloomington’s chief diversity officer and vice provost for educational inclusion and diversity. McCrory will resume his faculty position at the Kelley School of Business following his resignation. McCrory, who has been vice provost and associate vice president for the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs since spring of 2013, saw the office through a time of growth and development. “I am truly honored to have worked alongside Martin as his leadership spearheaded a number of transformative initiatives that have created amazing new pathways for IU students,” said James Wimbush, vice president for diversity, equity and multicultural affairs and dean of the University Graduate School, in a release. “Martin has been an invaluable colleague who has left a powerful legacy that will benefit students for generations to come.” Among his accomplishments during his tenure, McCrory oversaw the increase of funding for both 21st Century Scholars and Group SEE DIVERSITY, PAGE 3
BASEBALL
Hoosiers win fourth straight series, sweep Xavier at home By Andrew Hussey aphussey@indiana.edu | @thehussnetwork
The fifth inning came and went. Squandering a major opportunity to do damage against Xavier in game two of the weekend series, IU left the bases loaded and the game within reach for the Musketeers. From that moment on, the series flipped for the Hoosiers. In the next 11 innings of baseball, IU’s bats exploded and the team scored 21 runs, helping them sweep Xavier and take their fourth straight series. In the first game of the series, IU beat Xavier 1-0 in a pitcher’s duel. IU’s one run in the game came on a solo home run by senior infielder Tony Butler in the third inning. Sophomore pitcher Jonathan Stiever pitched a gem for the Hoosiers, going seven and two-thirds innings, giving up only five hits and no runs.
“He was dominant today. He threw six full innings and 70 pitches, but it feels like he barely threw a ball all day.” Chris Lemonis, IU baseball manager
In game two of the series, IU got out to an early 4-2 lead, but missed an opportunity to extend its lead in the fifth inning, leaving the bases loaded. “Definitely glad to get a second chance there,” sophomore infielder Matt Lloyd said. “Leaving base runners on is huge momentum for the other team. So, it was nice to be able to shut them down and come back out and get another opportunity to score.” The Hoosiers scored four runs in the sixth inning and ended up SEE BASEBALL, PAGE 3
REBECCA MEHLING | IDS
Senior Craig Dedelow prepares to bat for IU on Sunday in their game against Xavier. The Hoosiers defeated the Musketeers 11-7.
Report suggests Blackmon Jr. will hire agent, leave IU By Andrew Hussey aphussey@indiana.edu | @thehussnetwork
Guard James Blackmon Jr., who has just completed his junior year, appears to be done at IU after a report was released Sunday morning indicating he would hire an agent ahead of the NBA Draft. Blackmon had previously entered his name into the NBA Draft, but had not hired an agent. Saturday, according to Blackmon’s Twitter, he participated in undergraduate commencement. However, Blackmon was not on a list of IU athletes eligible to
graduate in May or August released by the University in a press release. According to a Sunday morning report by Jon Rothstein, writing for FanRag Sports, Blackmon will hire an agent and remain in the NBA Draft. This report was confirmed by CBS Sports. However, according to IU basketball spokesperson JD Campbell, Blackmon has not yet made a final decision. Blackmon averaged 17.0 points per game last season and led the team with 91 made three-pointers. He was named to the Third Team All-Big Ten by the media and was one of 10 finalists for the
Jerry West Award, which is given to the best shooting guard in the country. In his three seasons at IU, Blackmon shot 41.5-percent from three and currently ranks 31st on the all-time scoring list for IU. Several former players have hired agents for the draft after this academic year. Sophomore forward OG Anunoby was the first Hoosier to sign with an agent, and a few weeks later sophomore Thomas Bryant joined him in signing. Junior guard Rob Johnson also has entered the draft, but has not
signed with an agent. Once a player signs with an agent, he is ineligible to return to school. Two weeks ago, IU Coach Archie Miller said he was prepared for those players to test the NBA waters. “I think all four guys now that the semester’s getting ready to end are all getting ready to dive into the NBA process, which is all of them have received feedback from the advisory committee,” Miller said in a press conference two weeks ago. “They all understand where they’re at.” Neither Blackmon nor Johnson
was invited to the NBA Combine. Blackmon participated in spring workouts with the team and Miller had effusive praise for Blackmon. “James Blackmon’s probably the best shooter I’ve ever been around, just in terms of what we were able to accomplish with him in three weeks and watching him workout in our framework and watching him shoot and do some of the things that he did, and looking at his numbers,” Miller said. “Probably best numbers I’ve seen in my time doing some of the stuff that we were doing.”