I N D I A N A D A I LY S T U D E N T | F R I D AY, F E B . 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 | I D S N E W S . C O M
Culture center director named
IDS
By Carley Lanich clanich@indiana.edu | @carleylanich
Monica Green has been appointed as the new director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. Green, who is currently the director of the Hanover College Haq Center for Cross Cultural Education, will begin her new position at IU on March 14, according to an IU press release. Having received her bachelor of arts degree from Vanderbilt University and her master of science degree in higher educa- Monica tion administration Green from Mississippi College, Green is also currently the associate director of Student Life for Multicultural Affairs and the director of the Benjamin Templeton Scholarship Program at Hanover. Yolanda Treviño, assistant vice president for strategy, planning and assessment in the IU Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs, said she is thrilled Green accepted the position. “She was quickly identified as a top candidate by the search and screen committee, chaired by Christina Wright-Fields, because of her leadership and robust set of accomplishments,” Treviño said in the release. “I know she will build a rapport with students, connect with faculty and staff, reach out to the alumni and build collaborations with the community.” The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center contributes to the educational, cultural and psychosocial development of students in contexts of racial and social justice with the help of University partners. As the director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, Green will be responsible for “advancing the University’s strategic plan and commitment to student success” through managing projects, SEE DIRECTOR, PAGE 6
Brown County hatchet assault investigated further by FBI
TAE-GYUN KIM | IDS
Julie Bryant, center, helps Cole Chambers, left, and Amber Hoene during a reading class Thursday at Fairview Elementary School. Fairview received F ratings for three consecutive years, but the school earned a C rating due to last year’s ISTEP scores.
Stepping Up Intervention programs at Fairview Elementary helped the school jump from an F school to a C school in this year’s ratings based on ISTEP test scores. By Cody Thompson Comthomp@indiana.edu | @CodyMichael3
In Julie Bryant’s classroom at Fairview Elementary School, a poster with a countdown to this year’s ISTEP test was stapled next to the periodic table of elements, literary genres and motivational posters. “The Countdown Begins!! 3 Days Until ISTEP,” it read Wednesday afternoon. Bryant was new at Fairview Elementary last year after transferring from Indianapolis Public Schools. She has a reputation for being stern at the school, but she said she does so to help students succeed. Before last year, Fairview received three consecutive F ratings, but through a new principal and teachers like Bryant who target problem areas among students, the school was able to earn a C
Samantha Schmidt
the 2017-2018 year, is currently in legislation. If passed, the bill could have major effects on the ways students are tested. Hunter entered an F-rated school with a goal of improving learning through many different strategies. One of those strategies was implementing intervention programs to target specific issues students were facing. These intervention programs work as a supplement to the students’ classwork. Students would have 90 minutes of in-class reading and 30 minutes of intervention, Hunter said. These interventions seek to close gaps and discrepancies on test scores between Fairview and other schools within the district and the state, Hunter said. SEE FAIRVIEW, PAGE 6
Nagasaki Dirt leaves home for music scene By James Freeborn jrfreebo@indiana.edu | @J_Freeborn
From IDS reports
The FBI is investigating last week’s hatchet attack in Nashville, Indiana, against a Chinese foreign exchange student to determine if the assault was a hate crime. Zhang Yue, an 18-year-old Chinese exchange student at Brown County High School, was struck in the back with a hatchet in downtown Nashville the afternoon of Feb. 18 and was treated for serious injuries. Police have arrested Dana Ericson, 59, on charges of battery with a deadly weapon, Dana aggravated battery Ericson resulting in serious permanent disfigurement and attempted murder. He is being held at the Brown County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. Depending on the outcome of the FBI’s civil rights investigation, Ericson could face a federal charge of a civil rights violation in addition to his other charges, FBI spokesperson Catherine Burton said. A crime can be considered a hate crime when it involves an added element of bias based on race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or other factors, according to the FBI’s website. “The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence and will ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair, thorough and impartial manner,” Burton said in a statement. Since the case is an ongoing FBI investigation, Burton said she could not provide any further details. Yue is now recovering from her injuries. She was treated at Columbus Regional Hospital and was released by 11 p.m. that Thursday night, according to police.
rating after last year’s ISTEP testing. Bryant has mixed views on the grading scale for schools. “It’s a double-edged sword,” she said. “I think that we need something to make schools accountable, because if we don’t make schools accountable nothing gets better. Yet, I think too much emphasis is placed on one test — that’s what I have a problem with.” One way for schools to earn points is through showing improvement in different test sections. Fairview improved immensely in test scores last school year, principal Justin Hunter said. The bottom 25 percent and the top 75 percent of Fairview’s student population have shown growth in many academic testing areas, Hunter said. House Bill 1395, which will implement a 22-member committee to consider replacements to the ISTEP test in
Dwight Harmon said he came up with his stage name while watching anime. He goes by Nagasaki Dirt and regularly performs hip-hop music in Bloomington. He’ll perform again Friday at the Velvet Onion, a local house. Harmon said he first heard about the Japanese town of Nagasaki, one of the sites of nuclear bombing in World War II, while watching the anime show “Samurai Champloo.” After viewing a separate documentary about how the soil in Nagasaki still radiates nuclear energy,
he said he was inspired to become Nagasaki Dirt. “It’s black and radiant, like me,” he said. The 20-year-old said he recently left his family and job in Indianapolis to further his music career in Bloomington. “I dropped everything for music,” Harmon said. At home, he often performed at Indianapolis’ Fountain Square, he said. But his opportunist nature made him want to break into the Bloomington music scene as well, especially because there aren’t a lot of hip-hop SEE NAGASAKI DIRT, PAGE 6
TAE-GYUN KIM | IDS
Dwight Harmon, stage name Nagasaki Dirt is a local rapper originally from Indianapolis. He got the name from a Japanese anime “Samurai Champloo.” He wants to expand rap culture in Bloomington.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Second half effort pushes Hoosiers past Illini in away victory By Grace Palmieri gpalmier@indiana.edu | @grace_palmieri
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — IU Coach Tom Crean was looking for two things from his players Thursday night. “Our focus had to be defense and rebounding,” he said. “Anybody that played eight minutes or more got a rebound in this game.” Those were the keys in the absence of sophomore guard Robert Johnson, who has been one of IU’s best defensive players this season. The result was a 20-rebound advantage and dominant 74-47 win against Illinois in Champaign. Though the Hoosiers beat the Illini by 34 just more than a month ago in Bloomington, this time they needed a second half to do it. After finding themselves down by one at the break, the Hoosiers
IU 74, ILLINOIS 47 Points Ferrell, 27 Rebounds Bryant, 8 Assists Ferrell, 5
outscored the Illini 47-19 in the second half behind 27 points from Yogi Ferrell. The senior guard scored 19 of those in the second half on 5-of10 from beyond the arc. IU got off to a shaky start to open the game, missing shots and turning the ball over, but was dominant in almost every category after the break. It started with IU going down low to freshman center Thomas Bryant, who scored the first seven points of the second half — just as he did five days ago against Purdue. HALEY WARD | IDS
Senior guard Yogi Ferrell shoots a 3-point shot during the game against Illinois on SEE HOOSIERS, PAGE 6 Thursday at the State Farm Center in Champaign. The Hoosiers won 74-47.