Indiana Statesman For ISU students. About ISU students. By ISU students.
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015
Volume 123, Issue 15
indianastatesman.com
Campus group concerned with portions of assault training Nevia Buford Reporter Indiana State University’s “It’s on Blue” training program is designed to help prevent sexual misconduct on campus, but it may have adverse effects on some members of campus. Some are concerned that the training might be harmful to sexual assault survivors. All students and employees on campus must complete the training program by Sept. 30. It focuses on the topics of sexual misconduct and ways to prevent situations before they happen. The Sexual Assault Survivors and Sup-
Veterans find funding for college Kristi Sanders News Editor
The number of students using Veterans Affairs education benefits has doubled in the past 10 years. There are about 375 students at ISU who receive VA education benefits. Not every student on campus using VA education benefits is a veteran — if a military member meets the requirements they can pass their education benefits to their dependents, meaning their spouse or children. Michael Caress, the veterans service coordinator, explains how some of these VA benefits work. “What the university gets from students using VA education benefits varies depending on the benefit the student is eligible for,” Caress said. “Some benefits pay nothing for tuition and one benefit pays 100 percent of in-state tuition.” There are seven VA education benefits. “Some benefits are paid to the university but most are paid to the student,” Caress said. Those seven benefits include the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, Montgomery GI Bill selected reserve, reserve educational assistance program, survivors and dependents educational program, child of veteran and public safety officer supplement grant program, vocational rehabilitation and employment programs and the Post 9/11 bill. “Guard and reserve members usually use Chapter 1606 and 1607 education benefits,” Caress said. “If they have been called to active duty during their time in the guard/reserve they are eligible for Chapter 33 or Post-9/11 benefit same as members of regular active duty military.” The Post-9/11 bill is a benefit that veterans can get if they served on active duty after Sept. 11, 2001. The bill provides up to 36 months of education benefits.
port group, or SASS, was created two years ago to provide sexual assault survivors with a safe place to go on campus, said Emma Leu, president of SASS. It is intended to make survivors comfortable after something has happened to them and to make sure that they are in an environment where they feel safe. While no members of the group wanted to talk about the training, Dr. Katherine Fredlund, the adviser of SASS, and Leu had their own opinions of the program. Fredlund thought the training was well-done, but she was also concerned with certain parts. She said she felt that it decreased the anonymity of a student confiding in someone on campus because that person
is then required to report the incident, even if it’s against the student’s wishes. Leu had a similar viewpoint on the matter. “The main concern is that, when a person is sexually assaulted, or anything of that nature happens, when they’re confiding in somebody and telling them that it happened, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they know what has happened,” Leu said. “So the issue that is present is the teacher having to report it when the student doesn’t know if they want to do anything about it.” Leu also saw a few positives in the training. She said she thought it would be helpful because “It will help make the campus more aware of what’s actually go-
ing on.” She said she thought being able to report anonymously was a good idea as well. Aimee Jansen-Robinson, the equal opportunity director and Title IX coordinator, said that there were ways to prevent the problems caused by a teacher having to report incidents. She said that there are individuals people can talk to if they don’t want to go to the police. “And they can report to me, the Title IX coordinator, without having to report to police,” Jansen-Robinson said. She also said the feedback will be taken into consideration when the training is evaluated.
Gun reported on campus Kristi Sanders News Editor Confusion about Indiana State University policies can lead to incidents like one that happened Monday evening in Mills Hall. A Public Safety Advisory stated, “At approximately 9:55 p.m. today (Monday), a student reported seeing a person having what appeared to be a gun in his waistband in the Mills Hall mezzanine area. It is also reported that this person was overheard saying he had a permit for the weapon and did not feel he was in violation. The possible weapon was never fully displayed nor were any threats made to anyone.” The Student Code of Conduct section 410.3.3 Offenses against Persons states what is or is not allowed on campus. Section 410.3.3.2 states, “Use or pos-
session of a weapon of any kind while on University property or in a Universityowned vehicle is prohibited, regardless of whether the user or possessor of the weapon is licensed to carry the weapon or not. This includes weapons in briefcases, purses, personal vehicles or in other personal property or effects. University sanctions will be imposed on offenders and, if appropriate, criminal charges may be filed.” Joseph Newport, the chief of police on campus, commented on the incident. “We couldn’t find him,” Newport said. “We had one person checked out but it turned out not to be him.” The suspect was wearing red shorts and a black shirt and was an African-American male. He is believed to be within the ages of 18 to 22 years old with short hair. He is around six feet tall and 175 pounds. “The entire building was checked with no results,” Newport said.
There are means for students to use to protect themselves while on campus. The Student Code prohibits all items that could be considered weapons “except personal pocket knives with folding blades less than three inches long.” Also allowed, as an exception to the rule, are “legal chemical dispensing devices, such as pepper sprays, that are sold commercially for personal protection, as long as its use is consistent with personal protection.” Though these methods of protection are available to students, taking proper precautions is often just as effective. “Walking with others is a safe practice,” Newport said. “Cities are safer when their citizens report suspicious behaviors; this college campus is no different.” Anyone with information about Monday night’s incident or the suspect involved can contact ISU PD at 812-2375555.
Allowed on campus
Not Allowed on campus
Strategies for avoiding a communication breakdown Alex Waugh Reporter Indiana State University is home to students, faculty and staff from different cultural backgrounds and nationalities. For many, English is not their first language. Yet, English is the favored vernacular among most of the world’s institutions, including Indiana State University. This means that almost everyone at Indiana State will at some point experience what is known as a communication breakdown. To those who speak English fluently, the unavoidable misunderstandings that they will incur may result in some frustration. Joshua Powers, associate vice president of Academic Affairs, suggests that this “frustration may arise as a function of the perceived challenge to both un-
derstanding and to being understood.” “It can also be rooted in the perception that the other person is not sufficiently able or willing to take the time to understand,” Powers said. Consequently, this might also cause problems with regard to one’s academic performances. Powers describes a common, intercampus scenario, when a professor is “explaining what is expected in an assignment orally, with little detail in writing, say, on the syllabus, (it) can result in heightening the chances that a non-native English-speaking student will fully grasp what is expected and that could result in a lower grade than might otherwise be received.” “A class lecture in which metaphor or similar nuanced meaning ideas are presented can also at times be misheard by a
non-native English speaking student,” Powers said. “Possibly with academic performance implications.” Nicole Bailey, Executive Director of Student Success Innovation, says that “miscommunication is inevitable” given the fast-paced world and floods of information coming at us through any number of today’s electronic media, even face-toface conversation. “We are better connected to one another than at any other point in history,” she said. “But that does come with the inherent problem of miscommunication.” “As people, we feel the need to be understood, and when someone misreads or mishears us, it is frustrating,” Bailey said. Bailey also noted that the multiculturalism that exists in our world also involves different forms of respective etiquette
when communicating verbally. “It is important for us to not only understand one another’s languages, but the norms that come with them,” she said. “The best way to do this is to simply ask questions.” “English is arguably the most difficult language to learn,” Joshua Powers said. “And patience with non-native speaking students (or staff) reduces frustration and increases learning and respect for one another.” The best method of achieving lucid communication is clarifying and being patient. If the person that you are speaking to seems abrupt or unpleasant, perhaps they are being so, but it is far more likely that you are experiencing a communication breakdown. “If you receive a communication that sounds harsh or vague, ask the sender to clarify or re-
state,” said Bailey. “Preferably via another means of communication than the original message.” Joshua Powers offers counsel to students of whom English is not their primary language, by saying, “I would make it a point of introducing yourself to the instructor so she or he can get to know you as a person.” Furthermore, he said, “(The) instructor may take extra time either in or outside of class to explain concepts, assignment expectations, or assignment feedback. I would also make it a point of sitting toward the front to be sure you hear all that is said as clearly as possible and to utilize office hours as a way to get further help if needed.” Powers urged faculty and staff to deliberately enunciate and slow the pace of their speech, especially “if one tends to speak quickly or … slur (their) words.”