Feb. 22, 2023 | The Reflector

Job changes in Office of Student Affairs

By Grace Lichty ONLINE EDITOR

There have been several recent organizational changes made to the University of Indianapolis Division of Student and Campus Affairs, according to an email sent by the Office of Student Affairs on Jan. 25. The roles of university staff Jessica Ward, Rev. Arionne Yvette Lynch, Robbie Williford and Steven Freck have been adjusted.

According to Freck, his previous title was the Associate Dean of Students and is now the Senior Associate Dean of Student Life and Leadership. Freck said that his new role is very similar to what it was before.

“Some additional responsibilities were added in terms of student support and things like that, but my main areas of focus are still very much focused on developing the student experience,” Freck said.

Freck said that if a student worked with him on something before, he is still the person to be in-touch with. He said that his role will not look

much different from a student-facing perspective and that the changes are more behind-the-scenes.

“We've had some turnover in our area over the past year, just with people leaving for various reasons. I think it was an opportunity for us to look at what made sense for the university to make sure that all the areas that need to be addressed are getting the attention they need. So I think that's why people's titles changed,” Freck said.

According to Ward, her previous title was the Senior Associate Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator and is now the Associate Vice President/Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator. Ward said that she is in charge of the oversight of Residence Life, all student conduct and Title IX.

Ward also said that her role is similar to her previous one. She said she now works more closely with student involvement on campus. Ward said she also works

alongside the Office of Human Resources, other various departments and other deans at the school. As for the impact of the changes of student affairs titles on students, she said the effects will be minimal.

“I think it gives us a little bit more ability to reach out and help students kind of across divisions, because students usually, if they need something, they're coming to either me, or Steven Freck or Robbie who's over ResLife,”Ward said. “So students are already funneling to us. It just gives us the ability to be able to reach a little farther to help them. But I think day-to-day students aren't going to see a difference. They still know what I do. Students are still going to come to me regardless of what my title is, [it is] the same thing with [Freck]. So as far as the day-to-day stuff, it doesn't change anything.”

According to Freck, the Office of Student Affairs is a great place for any

student or family member of a student to go and that everyone should feel welcome to reach out to anyone in the department. He said the office is here to serve students to the best of their abilities and recent changes set them up to better do so.

“We're always looking for student input,” Freck said. “So if students have something that they want to see changed, if they want a particular program, if they're nervous about something that's happening on campus, we want to partner with students, so they should feel comfortable coming and talking with us.”

According to the email from the Office of Student Affairs, Williford now serves as the Director of Residence Life and Rev. Lynch now serves as University Chaplain & Director of the Lantz Center/EIP.The university also appointed Matt Gray as the Student Affairs Logistics Coordinator and Technical Specialist. Gray is returning to the University of Indianapolis as he was previously a Residence Director and Assistant Director of Residence Life. The Office of Student Affairs remains under the leadership of Amber Smith, Vice President of Student Experience, Success and Belonging.

Ransom Place: Indianapolis' Black history

How Indianapolis' Black community was uprooted from its historic, prosperous neighborhood

By Kassandra Darnell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Downtown Indianapolis was once a thriving area for Black Hoosiers, with Ransom Place as a hub for the community, according to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Located in a six-square block surrounded by 10th Street, St. Clair Street, Paca Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Ransom Place is a historic neighborhood for the once-prominent African American community in Indianapolis. University of Indianapolis Assistant Director of the Office of Inclusion and Equity

and Title IX Investigator CariAnn Freed described Ransom Place and Indiana Avenue as Indianapolis’ own ‘Black Wall Street.’

“In Indianapolis, it [Ransom Place] was the first community that really gathered and flourished, and it was closer to downtown right off Indiana Avenue,” Freed said. “If you drive down Indiana Avenue, you'll actually see a placard of what's left of Ransom Place. And it's really just a tiny little block…. That's where Black doctors, Black lawyers, the shops, the clubs, the restaurants, all used to live on Indy [Indiana] Avenue. You see in the progression of Indianapolis history as you look in maps and things like

that; downtown used to really be where the Black people were.”

Ransom Place’s growth coincided with the establishment of Indiana Avenue, which became the central commercial and leisure district for the Black community, according to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis.

The street used to be lined by Blackowned businesses, churches, theaters and more. And while many who worked in the area worked bluecollar jobs, some residents were physicians, attorneys or even city councilmen, according to Encyclopedia of Indianapolis.

One of the most prominent residents of Indiana Avenue was

Madam C.J. Walker, who relocated her business to the avenue, employing local talent and leadership to build her business empire, according to the website New America. When she died in 1919, she was considered the wealthiest self-made woman in America—regardless of race— according to New America.

However, Black residents and business owners of Ransom Place and Indiana Avenue were eventually pushed out of the area as a result of segregation, white flight, redlining and the construction of I-65 and I-70, according to New America. UIndy Assistant Professor of Sociology Colleen Wynn said redlining comes from a federal policy that influenced how home loans were insured in the past. The Federal Housing Administration and Homeowners Loan Corporation created maps based on the ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses and jobs of residents, as well as if the neighborhoods were racially integrated.

“The people here hold whitecollar jobs, [and] they were, in those neighborhoods, primarily white,” Wynn said. “They were stable families, people that they [the FHA and HLC] believed would pay back loans. And so…they literally colored them [those areas] green on the map. So green was the neighborhoods where loans would be highly insured and guaranteed there…. If they felt like it wasn't a good place to give a loan, for a variety of reasons, they literally colored them red so that when their people went to give loans, they could look at the map and say, ‘Oh, nope, we can't guarantee a loan in that neighborhood.’”

In the 1960s, many Black residents in this area were forced from their homes when Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis systemically acquired properties to expand the university, ultimately eliminating the quality housing that was available to the Black and low-income communities, according to both Encyclopedia of Indiana and New America, respectively.

Wynn said this expansion resulted in not only a loss of housing but a loss of community as well. According to Freed,

UIndy Adjunct Professor of Business and Communication Abdul-Hakim Shabazz has put his name in the hat for the 2023 Indianapolis mayoral election. Read more about Shabazz and his background on Page 6.

who did a video project on Ransom Place, a lot of properties in the area are now IUPUI parking lots.

“That was their methodology; they would buy up these relatively cheap houses, they would demolish them all, flatten them all to the point where they were able to be a parking lot,” Freed said. “And then that would push out the next neighbor to do the same thing. At one point IUPUI was even buying moving vans to help people get out of the community faster.”

According to Wynn, these processes of redlining and the expansion of IUPUI—as well as gentrification—still greatly affect the area today, where Black and low-income residents cannot afford to live in this place that was once a home for Black excellence.

“They're starting to be pushed out by students, or I'm sure even young professionals in some of the spaces, or perhaps faculty and staff at IUPUI maybe want to live in some of those areas,” Wynn said. “Even where there are houses and neighborhoods still, it's not necessarily affordable for that community anymore and it's spreading out into the other surrounding places where people were pushed to. They're continually experiencing that, which is all tied up in some of that redlining and segregation.”

While the history of Ransom Place and Indiana Avenue is of a once bustling Black neighborhood that was uprooted by systemic racism, Wynn said it is important to acknowledge this history to prevent it from repeating.

“I think that helps us to create policies that don't push people out and make sure that we're recognizing how everyone has this stake in belonging there,” Wynn said. “It's important to know about the experiences of people who aren't necessarily like us, or who are like us who we might not know about. The history that we learn, both locally and maybe nationally in the U.S., is often told from such a white-male perspective; it's important to make sure that we're learning history where we can from people who aren't just from that perspective because their experiences of an event are likely very different.”

The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra will perform “Towards Mozart: The Making of a Master” at Ruth Lilly Performance Hall on March 1. Page 7 has all of the details behind the event.

...As far as the day-to-day stuff, it doesn't change anything."

Graphic by Arrianna Gupton

WARD

U.S. healthcare is a failure

By Olivia Cameron MANAGING EDITOR

For a country that associates itself with liberty and freedom, it is extremely hard to access necessary healthcare.The United States healthcare system is plagued by a plethora of issues that make it difficult for almost anyone to afford, or sometimes even receive, medical care.These issues have affected me personally in a number of ways over the past year.

First, it is important to identify how the healthcare system works in the U.S.According to the National Library of Medicine, “The United States primarily relies on employers to voluntarily provide health insurance coverage to their employees and dependents; government programs are confined to the elderly, the disabled, and some of the poor. These private and public health insurance programs all differ with respect to benefits covered,sources of financing,and payments to medical care providers.”To state it simply, the government

insurance for everyone. The programs that the government does provide, such as Medicare and Medicaid, are based on eligibility requirements such as age, having certain disabilities or conditions and having a low enough income, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Basically, there are limitations and barriers to being eligible for federal and state programs.

Most health insurance is provided by for-profit insurance companies, according to Today. Individuals pay the company for insurance by having a portion of the cost taken from their paycheck by their employer.These for-profit companies are mainly interested in making money and therefore look for ways to avoid covering the cost of medical care. Additionally, the U.S. pays doctors and specialists more than other countries do and healthcare administrative costs are higher. It has been reported that a significant percentage of doctors called “the time they lose to issues surrounding insurance claims and reporting clinical data a major problem,” according to CNBC. The U.S. also charges more for pharmaceuticals and medical procedures than other countries.These are all reasons why even insured people struggle to afford medical care.

I am on my mother’s insurance plan,which she receives through her employer. Because she works at a hospital, one might expect her plan to be pretty good.Well, maybe it is when compared to other insurance plans. All I know is that I do not feel covered when I receive the bills, which have seemed endless since I went to the emergency room in September of 2021. I was sitting on the couch watching television with

my husband. My abdomen started to hurt, which was not new to me. I have always had a somewhat sensitive stomach, so I did not think much of it. In a short amount of time, though, I found myself in tears from the agony. We quickly got into the car and went to urgent care. On the way there, the pain was so bad that I was going in and out of consciousness in the passenger seat. As soon as we walked into the waiting room, I fell on the floor and began to vomit. A few nurses helped me to sit up and took my vitals. They called an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I had no idea what was happening, and I was very frightened. In the ambulance, the Emergency Medical Technician did some quick tests that I can not really remember. He said it could be a number of things, including an ectopic pregnancy, but that I would be okay.

Luckily, they were able to put me in a bed almost as soon as I arrived at the hospital, but I was in unbearable pain for hours as I waited for help. Nurses came in and out to ask me questions, type things on a computer, ignore me as I begged them for medication to ease the pain and then swiftly exit to not be seen again for long intervals of time. They could not even be bothered to look at me.(According to Duke Health, “One in five women say they have felt that a health care provider has ignored or dismissed their symptoms.” Just another issue with U.S. healthcare to add to the list.) I am not exaggerating when I say that I was scared the pain would kill me. Eventually, they gave me a shot of something that made the pain go away.

MyhusbandandIdidnotleavethehospital until almost three in the morning.After hours of waiting and one ultrasound,I was told I have an ovarian cyst and a urinary tract infection and sent home with a prescription for antibiotics and pain medication.

My insurance did not cover the ambulance

Political meddling in AP course poses risks

By Seth Wall STAFF WRITER

The Advanced Placement Program is among the recent victims of political meddling. AP courses are offered by high schools across the country to “willing and academically prepared students to pursue collegelevel studies,” according to the College Board website. Its newest offering is AP African American Studies, now piloting at 60 schools and due to become available to all participating high schools within the 2024-2025 school year.

In a letter dated Jan. 12, the Florida Department of Education rejected approval of the AP African American Studies course stating that its content is “inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.” Further collaboration between the department and the College Board has stalled until the program makes “historically accurate” revisions, according to the FDE.

Political landscaping in Florida has become uniformly recognizable under the policy regime of rightwing politician Ron DeSantis. Now, in his second term as governor, DeSantis has introduced several pieces of legislation relating to educational instruction, such as House Bill

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1557—better known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

As the College Board website describes, each AP course is designed first as an outline. Individual educators or school districts build the curriculum, which is then verified by the College Board. This course is promoted as an interdisciplinary exploration of early African kingdoms, the migration as well as evolution of its peoples and customs and Black communities domestically. Additional focus is placed on the relevant histories that influence contemporary perspectives and expressions of Black society through “evidence-based learning,” according to the course description.

bill and only covered a portion of the ER bill. All in all, I owed around $5,000. And then it all happened again not even a month later. Urgent care, ambulance, hours in the hospital and $5,000 more. The antibiotics they had given me were not strong enough—which they would have known if they had tested my urine the first time I was at the ER—so the infection never went away. I left with another prescription for antibiotics and pain medication.

After all of this,I was still getting UTIs consistently. They were not bad enough to send me to the hospital again, but it was unpleasant nonetheless. I kept having to get antibiotic prescriptions from the UIndy Health and Wellness Center because they did not charge me to be tested.I began seeing a urologist after a few months of struggling. She told me that because doctors kept giving me antibiotics without looking into the problem, so much bacteria had grown in my bladder that it will likely never go away. And because taking antibiotics constantly makes your body get used to them, I should only take them from now on when I am experiencing pain. I also take supplements now for bladder health and have to do my best to stay hydrated.

Each urologist visit is about $200, with an additional $100 or more if I receive a test. The cost does not help encourage me to keep making appointments–it makes me feel guilty for seeking care. I know I should not feel that way, but it is hard not to. I feel bad for being the reason that my husband’s and my savings are being spent in large amounts.

Thankfully, I have not been having many problems as of late when it comes to my bladder health.Although,I have been dealing with a new issue concerning healthcare: access to my medication. I take Adderall Extended Release capsules to help manage my Attention Deficit Disorder.Due to an ongoing shortage of Adderall that began in October of 2022,

according to the FDA, I have been having a hard time getting my prescription.

Now, I understand why the shortage is happening and that it was not intended by the manufacturers. My problem, once again, is with insurance. Because private insurance companies make partnerships and have “preferred” healthcare providers and pharmacies, I was unable to pick up my prescription from a pharmacy that I had been able to get it at before. I was told that insurance companies will allow you to pick up the prescription one time at a non-preferred pharmacy, but they will not cover it after that one time. Adderall is a controlled substance, which means that every time I want my prescription sent to another pharmacy I have to contact my doctor.So,I had to not only find out through trial and error which pharmacies even had my pills in stock, but I also had to call my doctor and wait for the prescription to be received by the pharmacist every time I needed it sent somewhere. I ended up going several days without my medication, which caused me to struggle with schoolwork and social interactions. It should not be this hard to receive healthcare for anyone. If I am insured and struggle this much, I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for those who are uninsured and not eligible for government assistance. According to a study from The Commonwealth Fund, the U.S. healthcare system ranks last among 11 high-income countries. The report said: “A high-income person in the U.S. was more likely to report financial barriers than a low-income person in nearly all the other countries surveyed.” It is time for the U.S. to adopt universal health care,as almost all other industrialized countries have.Healthcare is a human right, and I, for one, am tired of having that right violated by greed.

The pink tax

The price war on American women

many of these book bans are the result of specific groups attempting to censor such reading materials in a manner that is discriminatory, with over 70% of these groups having developed in the past two school years. If the First Amendment to the Constitution is not upheld, if a common and honest commitment to understanding our roots and how they shape our trajectory is not defended, the fruits of our nation’s efforts will spoil before ever fully ripening. The Florida Education Association has made its opposition to DeSantis known in multiple publishings. President of the FEA and elected official Andrew Spar, said, “Our schools don’t need to go back to 1950; we need to move forward toward 2050,” according to the FEA.

Another bill that DeSantis signed into law last year was HB 7, more commonly referred to as the “Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act,” or “Stop W.O.K.E. Act.” The law does not explicitly prohibit discussions of race or gender in Florida classrooms, according to the text of the bill. There exists a threat to truth and free speech in the vagueness of the articles held in HB 7. On this basis, U.S. Northern District of Florida judge Mark E. Walker granted a preliminary injunction of the law, citing that HB 7 “unconstitutionally discriminates on the basis of viewpoint in violation of the First Amendment and is impermissibly vague in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.”

This sort of Orwellian, Big Brother architecture of law subjects a people to the whims of governing parties or members of public service. Here is yet another irony to the Republican rhetoric of protecting freedom while censoring discourse.

Suppression of the First Amendment is not limited to this one course offered by the College Board. Numerous school districts in Florida, according to the New Yorker, have removed entire libraries from student accessibility.

Nationally, there are 1,648 distinct book titles on banned lists. Stories whose principal character(s) fit LGBTQ or racially diverse profiles, together, comprise over 80% of these titles, based on tracking by PEN America. The organization of writers and publishers has determined that

African American Studies has been around since the 1960s. The design of the AP program wholly fits with the purpose and integrity of contemporary educational designs. At UIndy, the school’s mission is “to prepare its graduates for effective, responsible and articulate membership in the complex societies in which they live and serve.” Because efforts of this sort matter, we—as students, faculty and administrators—must resolve ourselves to uphold any and all pursuits given to understanding. It is for this reason that the College Board has already returned an amended curriculum to the state of Florida’s rejection—a day ahead of the start of Black History Month. Judgments as to whether the reductions to the course were excessive, sufficient or too few are likely to prompt an organizational chess match of ideology, according to Inside Higher Ed.

The updated AP African American Studies course is without former topics like Black Lives Matter, racially disparate incarceration rates and reference to materials originating from creators of content whose works are largely based on the aforementioned. This revised curriculum has sacrificed more than it should. We do not, though, live in a world of all-or-nothings.

For the sake of promoting education of and for our peers, some conditions must be placed on hold if we are to sooner overcome the failures of now. The only means of abolishing prejudice is through education. With each election cycle and each heated debate, we must arm ourselves with a willingness to find a common ground from which we all might ascend. After all, those we leave behind produce the heirs of prejudice.

By Hannah Hadley NEWS EDITOR

Simply being born a woman means that there are a variety of obstacles that often affect one’s daily life: discrimination, objectification, sexual assault, domestic violence and more. However, this constant injustice runs deeper than interpersonal and civil issues—it affects women’s financial stability and security as well.

Increased prices on goods marketed primarily towards women is called the “pink tax,” according to a 2016 report from the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee. The extent of the tax is determined by comparing the prices from goods geared towards men to those geared towards women. These items are often thought of as personal care items like razors, soap, shampoo, body wash, deodorant and more, according to Business Insider. However, according

more for products than men? Because companies know they will. This is much more than a simple issue of sexism—it is an issue regarding societal morals, corporate values and social responsibility. Women around the globe are more likely to be in poverty than men for a myriad of reasons, according to the nonprofit organization The Borgen Project. These reasons include lack of education, wage gaps, period poverty, exploitation, domestic obligations and more. Charging women more for products marketed towards them will only make the women who are struggling to make ends meet have an even harder time—even if the pink tax on an item is 50 cents more. Women already have it tough enough.

The pink tax is just one more hardship to add to women’s lives as a result of misogyny and sexism. Data from a 2019 United States Census Bureau survey revealed that there is a difference of $10,150 more in the average yearly wage of men compared to women. It is even higher in the State of Indiana at

affected by the pink tax, too.

The pink tax is absolutely ridiculous and archaic. Why should I have to pay 7% more on average (according to Forbes) than a man for essentially the same product? Well, a journal article from the International Journal of Policy Sciences and Law defines the pink tax as “profit-maximizing strategies (whether intentional or unintentional) implemented by producers based on psychology, shopping behaviour, preferences and market trends compel the sale of products marketed to female consumers” and that “goods or services employed specifically by women bear an additional value-added tax (VAT) or sales tax to the price, reducing their accessibility reducing their accessibility to less economically-advantaged individuals.”

So, why do women have to pay

$12,460. The United Nations reported in 2020 that, “Around one-third of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner…In the most extreme cases, violence against women is lethal: globally, an estimated 137 women are killed by their intimate partner or a family member every day.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics also reported that women are more likely than men to spend their time caring for children as “their main activity.”

There is no morally sound reason to charge women and girls more for basic necessities and products than men. And, if one thinks about it, women who are financially tied to men in marriages or families still have to pay the pink tax! This means that the extra cost can—and does—affect men as well.Big corporations need to consider basic human rights more than they do their profit margin; they will survive the extra cost, but women may not.

Graphic by Hannah Hadley

Graphic by Olivia Cameron

... The fruits of our nation's efforts will spoil before ever fully ripening.

Search continues for new president

By Hannah Biedess EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

University of Indianapolis Interim

President Phil Terry has been the acting president of the university since July 1, 2022. Terry said the Isaacson, Miller firm was hired to help with the search for a permanent president. The search started with hundreds of candidates and has been narrowed down to four finalists, Terry said. “We have four finalists–we're presently engaged in interviewing them again by the search committee, but now we're adding representations from faculty and from staff and then another group of trustees,” Terry said.

UIndy English Department Assistant Professor and President of the Faculty Senate Stephen Zimmerly said that Isaacson, Miller is in the top three search firms in the country and suggested that the presidential search process remain confidential for the protection of all

parties. According to UIndy’s website, there has not been an update about the presidential search since Oct. 6, 2022. Zimmerly said that there has not been anything to update the students on. Terry said that the search is confidential, so little can be disclosed.

“It's just more of an oversight than we're keeping it all super secret. And also from that standpoint, any kind of update that would have been given would just be, ‘Well, we're still looking,’” Zimmerly said.

“We not only lost our president, we lost our dean of students, we lost an athletic director, we lost a dean within the school of psychological sciences; there's a lot of leadership that the school is without and I personally have the belief that leadership starts at the top,” Chambers said.

We have four finalists— we're presently engaged in interviewing them..."

Senior psychology major Michael Chambers said he would like the committee to take as much time as necessary to find the right fit. He said the school is in a transitional period with the loss of leadership roles throughout the university.

Sophomore political science major Samuel Hunt said that it is fine that the search committee is taking their time to find a permanent president because the university currently has an acting president. Hunt said if the committee goes past the unofficial deadline of the 2023-2024 academic year to appoint a president, then he would be concerned.

“I think the biggest thing is not having someone who is fully committed as the president here [that] can't

Unique state bills introduced

Throwing stars, tenderloin sandwiches, "furries," Hoosier's history and more

By Anika Yoder FEATURE EDITOR

Throwing stars, breaded tenderloin sandwiches, furries and the Hoosier State all have one thing in common: According to the Indianapolis Star, all of these topics are up for discussion at the 2023 Indiana Congressional Session. Bills being discussed in the state congress during this year’s session are an accumulation of more unique talking points voiced by constituents and legislators, according to the Indy Star.

Senate Bill 77 discusses the legalization of the recreational use of throwing stars on certain business premises, according to the Indiana General Assembly. According to Sen. Linda Rogers, who authored the bill with Sen. Liz Brown, it is currently illegal in the state of Indiana to possess throwing stars. Rogers said legalizing throwing stars was a concern voiced by constituents and the Indiana Public Defender Council, which is a membership consisting of all Indiana public defenders, according to the IPDC. Rogers said that the bill passed through the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law committees unanimously with one amendment that individuals ages 12 through 18 years old would be required to have parental permission before using or owning throwing stars.

“I think that the bill is fairly simple,” Rogers said.“It just provides an opportunity if an establishment wants to include that type of activity, that there are at least guidelines and a framework for them to do that.”

Bills like SB 77 are seemingly frivolous, according to University of Indianapolis Associate Professor of Political Science Laura Merrifield Wilson. SB 322, which would designate the breaded tenderloin sandwich as the state sandwich according to the IGA,reflects cultural shifts and changes that are really important, Wilson said. She said there are many states that have multiple state songs that are recognized by policy. For concerns about laws like throwing stars, there are multiple states where lawmakers went through policy changes to recognize the legalizations, according to Wilson.

“There are a lot of reasons why legislators would propose bills,” Wilson said. “So sometimes it's to do a favor to constituencies, sometimes it's to represent an organization that they support, and they're doing it on behalf of an organization. Then there are also times where they legitimately believe in the policy—and it's not to say that they’re mutually exclusive; they could be

representing constituents and believe in a policy they want to see changed.”

Nationally, the average legislator will introduce between 10 to 12 bills per session and currently the Indiana General Assembly is observing over 2,100 total, according to Wilson. Many of the bills will not make it to or pass through a committee, she said.The different ideas for policy changes and lawmaking are based on concerns of constituents and only a member of the state legislature is able to propose a bill, Wilson said.

SB 1143 designates the state nickname of Indiana to officially be “The Hoosier State,” according to the Harry Hoosier Project. The bill recognizes the legacy of Harry Hoosier—the first Black Methodist preacher in the United States, according to the Harry Hoosier Project— as the state’s namesake, according to the IGA. Bills like SB 1143 and 322 serve as a form of recognition, according to Wilson. Though it is fair to have skepticism about some of these bills, she said, the bills provide special designation to an aspect of the state that is unique and prominent to the state. Two examples are the state's unofficial dessert, sugar cream pie, and the peony, the official state flower, she said.

“Like there's something we see as uniquely special and a part of us,” Wilson said. “Not that other states don't have those as part of their state flower, but it's a representation of our culture as a state.”

SB 380 is a bill encompassing various education matters that “allows a school corporation to adopt a policy concerning dress code or distractive behavior,” according to the IGA.The bill,according to the Indy Star,is built to discourage students from behavior relating to identifying as “furries.” According to the Indy Star, the bill comes as a response to unsubstantiated claims that students are acting and dressing like animals in public classrooms. Bills like SB 77 and 380 are based on constituents’ concerns, and though the bills are minor, there are also a lot of important bills being discussed, Wilson said. People are able to advocate on behalf of something they like when it comes to bill proposals. With topics like the legalization of throwing stars or state sandwiches, time taken up to propose and pass the bill is not necessarily taking up time over other important legislation, she said.

“If this is what gets people interested in seeing what the state legislature is doing, I think it's great,” Wilson said. “I also hope that it's not the only thing people believe our state legislature does because they deal with some very important and impactful issues.”

fully commit themselves to listening to all of the students' interests and understanding the best possible routes they could be taking,” Hunt said.

The university needs someone with ambition, integrity and strategic vision for the future, Terry said. Chambers said that the new president should be able to accept criticism and be humble.

“The feedback might be a little bit more harsh, but we need someone in that role who is able to accept criticism, who is able to accept feedback and understand that they should work alongside us–just like we should be working alongside them,” Chambers said.

Terry said that they hope to have someone within the next month or two.

“We're engaging essentially the entire community and discussions with these four finalists hoping that here within a month or two we may have identified and have made an agreement with a person to take this role,” Terry said.

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Graphic by Hannah Hadley

THE OFFICIAL

Spring baseball season begins

By Olivia Pastrick ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis baseball team started their spring season on Feb. 18, playing at home against the Notre Dame Falcons, according to UIndy Athletics. According to Baseball Head Coach Al Ready, this year’s team brings experience that he hopes will help them win a lot of games.

“We’re looking forward to a big season just with the sheer volume of upperclassmen and experience that we have,” Ready said.

Junior outfielder Caleb Vaughn said that the experience this team has will set them apart from the competition this season. He said that the team’s offense will be a big factor in winning games this year.

“I would say probably the biggest strength that we have right now is our offense,” Vaughn said. “Our offense is looking incredible. We brought in some guys that are going to be able to produce a lot of big hits, home runs and I think we’re going to score a lot of runs. But our defense and pitching are looking really good, too.”

Ready said that the team’s offense has been impressive in their scrimmage and practice games. Additionally, he said that the pitching staff’s impact to effect games along with a strong offense will help win games.

“We’ve really been able to put up some runs against some pretty good arms, too,” Ready said. “So, we’re looking forward to a very good offensive season. And, of course…if our pitching staff does what we think they can do, we should really [have] a good formula to win a lot of ball games here.”

According to UIndy Athletics, the team went 21-31 last season and advanced to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament, where they were defeated by Quincy University and Drury University. According to Ready, the team suffered a lot of injuries last season that led to a slow start.

“I think last year we were really bitten early by the injury bug,” Ready said. “We really got [the injuries] turned around

University

runs, helping add to

and ended up having a pretty fine season. We made the conference tournament, after a really slow start.”

Looking ahead to this season, Ready said that he hopes that the team will stay healthy, which will hopefully turn into momentum that will lead to winning games.

“If we stay healthy, there’s no reason to think that we won’t be able to string together some momentum and turn that into some W’s,” Ready said.

Vaughn said that one of the things

he is looking forward to the most for this season is being able to spend time with his teammates and have fun. He said that a big difference between last season and this upcoming season is the

dynamic between players and coaches at practice.

“I feel like we’re playing much better as a team this year,” Vaughn said. “And also, between the coaches, it’s a family. We know we’re going to get criticized by the coaches, but we take [the criticism], we try to go out and be better every day.”

Ready said that the team has been playing well together and that the environment at practice is something that is fun to be a part of.

“We have a really solid

group of guys, just really good guys overall,” Ready said. “I’m really proud of these guys, the way they’ve meshed together. And everybody’s got a smile on their face at practice, we just have a lot of fun. It’s just a fun environment to be a part of.”

The team’s first game included a three game series between the Greyhounds played at Greyhound Park. According to Ready, any updates regarding change in location will be posted to the team’s Twitter account for their games this season.

Keeping up their momentum

UIndy women’s basketball nears the final stand of the

season, aiming for the GLVC tournament

By MaKenna Maschino PHOTO EDITOR

With the 2022-2023 regular season nearing a close, the University of Indianapolis women’s basketball team is preparing to make a run in the conference tournament, according to Head Coach Marc Mitchell. As of The Reflector press time, the team, which was ranked sixth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll, according to UIndy Athletics, is currently ranked fourth in the conference, according to GLVC Sports.

Sophomore guard Elana Wells, who was named to the 2021-22 GLVC AllFreshman team, said that the team is hungry for wins this season after a tough season last year.

“We dropped a couple [games] last year that were definitely winnable for us, so I think that’s just in the back of our head all the time,” Wells said. “We are one of the top teams in the conference, and I think we’re definitely showing that right now.”

Mitchell said that he understands that he has a different coaching style and that the team has a different style of play than in the program’s past and he is not afraid to let the team show their emotions while playing.

“I know my coaching style is a lot different from what’s been here in the past and what people have seen in the past,” Mitchell said. “I show my emotions, and I don’t mind my players showing their emotions…. We want to just play hard and be entertaining as well.”

The Hounds are currently 15-11 on the season and 11-7 in conference play with two games left in the regular season, already surpassing the win total for the past two seasons winning only ten games throughout the 2021-22 season, and eleven games for the 2020-21 season, according to UIndy Athletics. Mitchell said that the reason for the team’s success this season is their work ethic.

“People always ask me, ‘What’s your secret? and I’m like [there] is no secret, you just have to work…” Mitchell said. “I just think putting in the work, the more you put in the more you get out.”

The Greyhounds have had 21 out of their 24 regular-season games with at least two, in many cases more, double-digit scorers, according to UIndy Athletics. The squad also had all 11 players that touched the court, with at least two points each for a 68-58 conference win against Quincy University on Feb. 4.

“You can’t play with a selfish mentality, you have to be selfless,” Mitchell said. “Sharing the ball, whoever has the hot hand should be getting the ball, whoever has the mismatch should be getting the ball, and we just want to play basketball in the right way.”

As the season starts to wind down the team has a goal to go far in the postseason; however, both Mitchell and Wells said that it is vital for the Greyhounds to take the remainder of the season one step at a time.

“We want to stay [focused on] one game at a time, one possession at a time,” Mitchell said. “We know where we are in the conference tournament right now, and we know where we want to end up. We know where we want to be, but none of that happens unless we take care of this next possession that we’re playing. So, each game in itself we want to win one possession at a time, we want to win enough possessions to win a game, if we win enough possessions we will win the game and if we have enough wins we’ll be right where we want to be going into the tournament.”

As for the tournament, the team does have goals to finish at the top of the conference which is well within the team’s reach. According to Mitchell, the team has already exceeded many of the goals they have set for themselves this season already, and the Hounds do not plan on slowing down on exceeding their goals anytime soon.

“I think that we have a really good shot at winning the conference championship and making it to the national championship,” Wells said, “One of my goals was just to do better than last year, and I think we’ve already done that. So, I think that just keeping our heads together, staying focused and locked in and getting ready for the championship.”

Photo contributed by Jacob Walton/UIndy Athletics

of Indianapolis baseball outfielder Caleb Vaughn steps up to the plate awaiting the next pitch from the pitcher at the mound. Vaughn finished last season with 10 home

the Greyhounds’ run total. The Greyhounds will face off against Grand Valley State University in three games coming up on Feb. 25 at their home diamond.

We have a really solid group of guys, just really good guys overall.”

Photo by MaKenna Maschino

University of Indianapolis guard Elana Wells orchestrates the offense at the top of the key for the Greyhounds. This game was one of many games played in Nicoson Hall on UIndy’s campus. Wells is currently averaging almost 10 points per game for the Greyhounds.

Photo by MaKenna Maschino

The University of Indianapolis women’s basketball team huddles up to communicate to each other the plan for the next play. The Greyhounds are currently averaging 70.2 points per game. The team’s next match-up will be coming up on Feb. 23 in St. Louis, Mo.

Preparing for incoming nationals

UIndy swimming and diving competed in the GLVC Championships with honors to both teams

By Michael Harrington BUSINESS MANAGER

The University of Indianapolis men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed at the 2023 Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships from Feb. 7-11, according to UIndy Athletics. The women’s team placed first, while the men’s team placed second to Drury University, according to UIndy Athletics.

Graduate student and women’s butterfly and freestyle swimmer Johanna Buys said that in her five years at UIndy, the team had been drawing closer to the GLVC title. This marked the first time in history the women’s team has claimed the GLVC title, according to UIndy Athletics.

“We have been close for two years in the past that I’ve been here,” Buys said. “This is my fifth year now and we had never won before… I’m very happy that we finally got it and made UIndy history.”

According to Buys, winning the GLVC championship is a sign of things to come at the end of the team’s season. Buys said the win helped build the team’s connection with one another.

“I’d say we became more like a family rather than just people on the same team,” Buys said. “We became a lot closer with each other and I think that helps us [to do] better on our relays and better on our team support which sets us up for better things in the pool as well.”

UIndy Swimming and Diving Head Coach Brent Noble said the women’s team’s win highlights how they can uphold high expectations.

“The caliber of students, athletes and

teammates is higher. The expectations are higher. The expectations they have for each other are higher,” Noble said. “Everything continues to press forward, which is what they want. They want to come here and be a part of something that is going to push them to be their best.”

According to Noble, the men’s and women’s sides are strong, but have learned that they will need to continue to push and redefine their standards toward the end of the season.

“I think both sides have realized that we need to redefine ‘good.’ We’ve had swims over the past few years that were good swims, but now the bar is higher,” said Noble. “It’s taken a minute to realize we have the capability of

setting the bar ourselves.”

Graduate student and men’s butterfly/freestyle swimmer Serge Ahadzhanian said that the team has the potential to win the NCAA championship, but will need to have a strong mentality.

“This team really has big potential to win the nationals and it’s a mental state,” said Ahadzhanian. “We have to

Competing in the ITA

be there and just support and cheer for each other.”

According to Ahadzhanian, if the men’s team continues to stay consistent, they will have a shot to win nationals.

“We have one month left,” Ahadzhanian said. “If we do the right thing in the water and outside the water, it’s all going to happen.”

Buys said winning nationals would be a highlight for both her swim career and for others. She said winning it with this team this year would be special.

According to Noble, the women’s side winning the GLVC championship sends a message of what the team needs to expect for the end of the season.

“We’ve got to be really committed to this process over this next month

so we can do the things that we really hope to do,” Noble said.

Buys said that although it is the end of her swim career at UIndy, she is excited for nationals.

“It’s the end of my swim career in the U.S.” Buys said. “I have tried to avoid thinking about it because I get emotional when I do. But I’m very excited to do it and I have no regrets staying a fifth year… Especially considering how well we’re seeded this year compared to the other teams. Right now, we’re probably top three but I know when we compete at nationals, we’re all there together and supporting each other we’re gonna want more than a second place or a third place.”

Defending their title

By Connor Mahoney SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis women’s lacrosse team brought home the NCAA Division II National Championship on May 22, 2022, according to UIndy Athletics. Months later, the title defense began on Feb. 11, 2023, with the Greyhounds winning 18-1 against Concordia University, St. Paul. Graduate student defender Kara Antonucci said the team has a hunger to compete for another championship, especially the chance to retain the title at Key Stadium.

“Our top goal is [to] win another national championship…especially [since] we’re gonna be hosting it this year,” Antonucci said. “It would be really awesome, especially for me, and I know, the older girls [too], [to] win our last games on our field.”

In her first season with the Greyhounds, Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Elaine Jones said the hunger to win is something you could see more of as the season goes on. Similarly, Jones said she has seen the competitive spirit and wants to win within the team in her quick time on the team so far.

By Lindsey Wormuth DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

As of The Reflector press time, the University of Indianapolis men’s tennis team is 8-0, according to UIndy Athletics. The team has been traveling to different schools to obtain their current undefeated record.

Playing in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) tournament this indoor season has been a large focus for the team resulting in large amounts of preparation, according to senior UIndy tennis player Tom Zeuch. They started with exhibition matches with NIS schools to prepare for the tournament. Playing against NIS schools helped the team gain confidence after winning all their matches, Zeuch said.

“It’s a better feeling than just practicing against a teammate and it is always a little bit different if you have competition,” Zeuch said. “So, we wanted to start this season with a lot of wins, which we did.”

UIndy hosted the DII ITA Indoor Team Championship from Feb. 17 to 19. According to Tennis Head Coach Malik Tabet, being able to host the ITA is a privilege, and it is good for the team, the university and the surrounding area. Last year, they were lucky enough to

host the tournament as well.

“Having those teams that we never see in this region come and also showcase their skills and to bring the top 18 teams in the country into Indianapolis, it is definitely a special thing to have,” Tabet said.

With the team having a high DII ranking going into the tournament, they had their own goals in mind putting the rankings aside, according to Tabet. They are a close team with comradery and team spirit, Tabet said.

“The joy that those kids want to spend time together and play for each other, that is a special thing to have in a team,” Tabet said. “The most special teams [that] I have had in my tennis career have always been when the teams play for each other; I see that with both programs.”

According to Tabet, the overall goals for the team are to win the conference, qualify for the sweet sixteen, and go to a national championship. The women’s side went up in the semifinals last year and the year prior the men’s were able to make it to the semifinals. This year they want to be able to reach these goals as a team, according to Tabet.

“They are sharpening the tools the way everybody is doing. They are playing with a very high confidence right now and they know what they

are capable of and they know their strengths,” Tabet said. “And it’s just a matter of going out there and playing.” Zeuch is on his last season at the university, and he said he is looking forward to ending it on a good note and leaving with a conference win, as well as a national championship.

“I am really excited but sad at the same time because it’s my last year here,” Zeuch said. “I’m a senior, I came here in 2019 and those four years went by so fast. So, I am really looking forward to ending it on a good note to leave my footprint.”

Zeuch and his doubles partner, Edgar Destouet, won the DII ITA’s Doubles last October, according to UIndy Athletics. Before the tournament, according to Zeuch their biggest strength as a doubles team is trust.

“Let’s say if I had a bad game or I don’t really feel that good and I’m making a lot of mistakes, I know that he will find a way to push me through adversity and also help me out to get myself in a better position to help out my body language,” Zeuch said. “And it’s the same thing for me, if I feel like he’s not really having a good day today then I’ll be there to tell him.”

“[The team is] all bought into wanting to defend their title and repeat as national champions. They’re committed, they work hard at practices,” Jones said. “I think they all understand that it’s going to take a lot to achieve their goal, but they all know what the goal is. And so they’re drawn together by this is, this is our end game, this is our goal. They’re working hard even from day one to achieve that.”

Jones said she has warned her team about competition wanting to defeat the champions. Therefore, the team will have to be prepared for these challenges to come.

“I’ve told them they have a target on their backs, no more than the Division I or Division III champs…” Jones said. “Everyone wants to be the one to dethrone the champions. And you have to have a really mentally tough mindset, you have to know what you’re going into…, and so when you step on that field, mentally and physically, you have to be prepared and ready to battle.”

In order to reach this point again, Antonucci said the team has focused on growing together on and off the field. Having each other’s backs has been an important key to success, according to Antonucci.

“I definitely [feel like] [we have] done everything we can to keep this team close,” Antonucci said. “And not only close on the field, [but also] off the

field, making sure everyone’s involved, no matter if you’re a freshman, or a fifth year, we’re always together… We’re trying to build a new culture, and a very positive together[ness] kind of culture.”

In addition to building the culture of the team this year, Jones said they have been working on stick skills to prepare for the season. Adjusting to new challenges and changes has been at the forefront of the season, according to Antonucci and Jones.

“I think getting them in game shape [is the most important thing]; first and foremost, stick skills, we’ve been working on that, and then shoring up our offense, defense [and] our draw positions,” Jones said. “Obviously, they lost a really talented draw taker from last year, and so who’s going to fill in that gap over 200 drawers is a lot and [they] also lost some big scorers… So adjusting to a different way the offense might have to run is something we’ve been focusing on. I think the defense is strong, obviously led by Kara [Antonucci] and Audrey [Moran] in goal, which I think is great. So, I think we’ve been focusing on every aspect of the game as best we can, starting with fitness.”

Jones said at the end of practices she asks her team about how they thought the practice went based on a scale of one to 10. If there are low numbers on how practice went, she said they try to fix those problems.

“I always check with them at the end of practice, ‘How do you think you did today? Where are we on a scale of one to 10?,’” Jones said. “If I’m hearing fives and sixes, I’m like, Well, that wasn’t good. We haven’t had [a] five. You want to be up there, I think 7.5 eights nines. That’s what we’re working towards.”

Antonucci said that she has been thankful for those involved in the program in the years she has been here. Since tasting victory in the national championship, Antonucci said she is looking forward to competing to win the championship again.

“I think it’s also great, having those older girls who would have done that [won] the championship, so we can kind of bring the younger girls with us… come along and we hopefully can all do this together,” Anontucci said. “It definitely is though once you do it you want it again because you know you can… It takes hard work and if you love the game and you have a passion for the game, putting in that hard work isn’t really hard work. It’s just doing something you love every day.”

Photo contributed by UIndy Athletics

The UIndy women’s swimming and diving team celebrates their GLVC conference championship after the meet. The Greyhounds finished the meet with 11 gold medals.

Photo contributed by UIndy Athletics

The University of Indianapolis men’s swimming and diving team poses for a photo after claiming gold in the 800 freestyle relay. The Greyhounds finished second in their meet.

Photo contributed by Jacob Walton/UIndy Athletics University of Indianapolis tennis player Tom Zeuch celebrates on the tennis court against the ninth-ranked team in the country, Hawaii Pacific University. The Greyhounds defeated the Sharks 4-2 in the UIndy Tennis Dome. This marked the teams seventh win in a row.

We have to be there and just support and cheer for each other.”

Shabazz runs for Indy mayor

University of Indianapolis Adjunct Professor Abdul-Hakim Shabazz runs for Indianapolis mayor

By Connor Mahoney SPORTS EDITOR

University of Indianapolis Adjunct

Professor Abdul-Hakim Shabazz has announced that he will be running for Indianapolis mayor in the upcoming 2023 mayoral election. Additionally, Shabazz said he will be running as a smaller Republican, like Richard Lugar, given the advantage to Democrats in Marion County. Shabazz said he developed interest in running for mayor a couple of years ago.

“I started thinking about running for mayor actually a couple of years ago during the George Floyd riots in downtown Indianapolis, and I thought city leadership just totally dropped the ball on dealing with all of that,” Shabazz said. “And I was thinking about it for a couple years. Then about maybe August of this year, or last year, I started thinking about it seriously. [I] then got a team together and spoke to a bunch of people. We did some polling, [and] I got my wife's permission to form an exploratory committee first. And that's where… I got permission to run now.” According to Shabazz, he is looking to gain the moderate voters in order to win his election. Likewise, Shabazz said that his platform will include different aspects of the public's interest.

“Three things [to focus on]: public safety, public works and public trust. Public safety needs to get there to get this crime in the city under control,” Shabazz said.

Shabazz said he has been focusing on finding a way to provide those who commit crime with the opportunity to receive education. However, the plan would be if someone commits a crime and doesn’t show for class, it can cause breaches in their probation, according to Shabazz.

“[For a] first time offender—no high school diploma, no college certificate— here's what we're going to do as part of your probation. We're going to send you to Ivy Tech, or University of Indianapolis or one of the universities here, [and] you're going to get your degree or your certificate,” Shabazz said. “Number one, it is cheaper than jail. …If you didn't

go to class, you missed some material, that'll hurt you on the test or the final. These guys don't go to class, they go to jail because you're violating your probation…. We need to be tough on crime, but also smart on crime.”

According to President of Corvano

Gerry Bailey, who has been friends with Shabazz for over 10 years, he has been looking for a change in office and feels that Shabazz is the right person for the job. Bailey said that Shabazz has a love for the city that will show if elected.

“If you take the Venn diagram of the population of Indianapolis, he lands right in the middle. He's an entrepreneur, he's part of the politics, he's part of the environment,” Bailey said. “He's a businessman himself, and so all of those things lend to where I think he could be a great mayor, and

Huber for ICI

By Mia Lehmkuhl OPINION EDITOR

Independent Colleges of Indiana has recently announced that Associate Dean for the College of Health Sciences and Chair of the School of Occupational Therapy at the University of Indianapolis Kate DeCleene Huber is a member of the third cohort of its Leadership Academy.

ICI is an organization that is “the collective voice for excellence and choice in higher education for all students,” and represents 29 private, non-profit, regionally-accredited colleges and universities, according to ICI’s website. UIndy is one of those 29. Some other universities included in the member list are Butler University, Depauw University, Franklin College, Indiana Wesleyan University and the University of Notre Dame.

program are from campuses all over the state. They are not all faculty, and from the academic side, there are people from the Student Affairs side [and] from more of the finance side, with a variety of different backgrounds. It helps provide that foundation and expanding knowledge of issues facing higher education,” Huber said.

ICI Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Laura Bridges said that Indiana’s private colleges are leaning into the future and must prepare emerging leaders at every level.

DECLEENE HUBER

“And one of the things that ICI is doing and has received support to do is work with individuals that have been identified as future leaders and bring them together for approximately one-year leadership experience, where you learn about all the different dimensions of a [higher education] institution,” Huber said.

ICI was founded in 1948 as the Associated Colleges of Indiana with the intent to serve as a fundraising organization for Indiana independent colleges, according to their “About” page. According to the ICI, the Leadership Academy, founded in 1970, specializes in the talent development needs of faculty and staff members of private college campuses. The institute selects participants who are identified by their college as someone “whose leadership will be critical to the future of the institution” according to the ICI website.

“The people who are part of the

Over the course of the year-long program, participants will gain an understanding of their college in a more holistic way “within the context of the state and federal higher education landscape” and are trained to view their institution through multiple lenses, according to ICI.

President and CEO of ICI Kurt D. Dykstra said that the institute is eager to launch its third cohort of the Leadership Academy that will extend an opportunity to even more leaders at its member institutions according to ICI news.

Huber said she hopes that what she gains out of the program will come back and benefit or help UIndy in some way, as many institutions are facing similar challenges across higher education. She said institutions working together on solutions to challenges helps with problem solving, and that the educational component of the institute can help provide a greater depth of knowledge on many different dimensions of campus.

“[The ICI] does an incredible job representing and supporting independent colleges of Indiana, from resources to education, opportunities, because in our case, private colleges sometimes are smaller. But when you bring all 29 independent colleges together, it's a much greater force …,” Huber said.

he wants to do it more than anything.”

Since he was young, he has always valued an education, Shabazz said. His time outside of the classroom has been spent working on the campaign, but he also wants to keep his running for mayor out of the classroom.

“I don't talk about mayor stuff during class,” Shabazz said. “I like to keep the walls separate now… The day after I filed I came to tell my students…, I said ‘I am running for mayor of Indianapolis.

No one talks about it here because this is for school [and] for work.’”

Bailey said that Shabazz’s involvement with education can play a large role in the impact he can make in the community, which he has already started to do on the education side.

“He's plugged into the community, he's a part of the community. He teaches at multiple schools…,” Bailey said. “He's a self-made man, he's earned his way through what he's doing as a longtime journalist. And so he really knows how to dig his fingers into what’s going on and understand what the problem is. He's well in touch with the Ten Point Coalition… He's worked closely with them. I think he has a real heart for the city, so he's there downtown all the time. I think those are his best qualities.”

Shabazz said he appreciates the fact

that at UIndy he can always look to a friend if he needs help. He hopes the UIndy community and those beyond campus will come to live in Indianapolis because they want to, not just out of obligation.

“[The] particular interests of university communities, particularly students, is [that] you come here to get a quality education. I want you to have a quality lifestyle,” Shabazz said. “Actually, I prefer you to move here after you graduate or after you travel for a little while. Come back here, settle down, raise a family, but you can't do that unless the roads are paved and the streets are safe…. So, whether you're [at] Ivy Tech, Butler [or] UIndy, I want you to come here, live here, work, play here. I want to make life as easy for you as humanly possible to do all that stuff.”

MAH Corp. rebrands as RDOOR

By Joseph S. Pete THE TIMES, MUNSTER, IND.

Feb. 17—Merchants Affordable Housing Corp., which provides affordable housing across Indiana, is rebranding as RDOOR Housing Corp. The company, which manages Woodlake Village Apartments and Concord Commons in Gary, also is relocating its headquarters to downtown Indianapolis.

The company has developed affordable apartments and other multifamily housing across Indiana since 1981. It's grown into one of the largest nonprofit suppliers of affordable housing in the Hoosier State.

"Though we are proud of our founding connection to Merchants Bank of Indiana and their continued support of our organization, as we grow in size and scope, RDOOR captures what we do and what we will be," said RDOOR President and CEO Bruce Baird. "RDOOR comes from the word ardor, meaning passion. RDOOR embodies our team's unyielding passion for improving people's lives

by increasing access to quality rental housing opportunities while building or renovating, affordable and safe homes."

RDOOR has more than 3,000 multifamily units across Indiana and is looking to expand outside the state. It has 19 properties across the state, which are often financed with low-income housing tax credits and open to lowincome households.

"We are happy to have partners such as Partners in Housing and the City of Indianapolis supporting us in our work," said RDOOR Board Chairman Walter Freihofer. "At RDOOR, we aren't bound by neighborhood geography or a specific set of services; rather, our team offers a creative, resourceful and holistic approach to support a diverse population of individuals, families and seniors, no matter their socioeconomic status."

Last year, RDOOR helped 363 households exiting homelessness in Indiana and got a $8 million grant to help more people find permanent housing across the state. It preserved more than 350 affordable housing units at risk of defaulting or converting to market rate last year.

It acquired a 40-unit senior apartment

complex on Indianapolis's west side and the 50-unit Illinois Place Apartments in Midtown Indy.

The company moved its headquarters to the former Girls Inc. office in downtown Indianapolis, where it will share an office space with Partners in Housing and be closer to many of its clients.

"It is incredible to see how far RDOOR has come in its storied history since I started it in support of my lifelong passion for enhancing and preserving affordable housing," said RDOOR Founder and Chairman Emeritus Michael F. Petrie, who also serves as Merchants Bank of Indiana director and chairman.

It will soon launch a new website, www.rdoor.org.

(c)2023 The Times (Munster, Ind.)

Visit The Times (Munster, Ind.) at www.nwitimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Photo by Erin Rostron

University of Indianapolis Adjunct Professor for the School of Business and Communication Abdul-Hakim Shabazz stands outside of Esch Hall smiling for the camera. Shabazz is an attorney, political writer and commentator and was inspired to run for mayor of Indianapolis a couple of years ago during the riots sparked by the murder of George Floyd. Shaba-

He's plugged into the community, he's part of the community..."

By Logan McInnes STAFF WRITER

The University of Indianapolis will host a Jazz Combo and Latin Jazz Funk Ensemble Concert on Mar. 1 in Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. The ensemble will be directed by Associate Adjunct Professor of Music Terence Mayhue, who has worked at the University of Indianapolis for seven years and is currently in his 25th year of teaching higher education.

“I started the Latin Jazz Funk Ensemble about three years ago. I created the class because it was something that we needed in the [music] department, and it was an outlet that we needed for our students to have a different experience,” Mayhue said. “The class

went through the curriculum process, and I became the director from the onset of it.”

As director of the Latin Jazz ensemble, Mayhue directs and rehearses the group, but also has had to collect, write and arrange the music for the group, according to Mayhue.

Since the ensemble contains different instrumentation than most ensembles, there is not a lot of existing music for the group to play, according to Mayhue.

“The combination of those two groups [Latin and Jazz Funk] came just out of necessity. We’re trying to offer more variation in a single concert,” said Mayhue. “Our jazz combo group is more bang for your buck. We can have a 45-minute concert or we can have an hour and 10-minute concert. We can do two

different groups with two different kinds of variations. I like variety. The concert will start with the jazz combo that is going to be doing some more straight jazz that is indicative of that idiom and genre.”

the recordings and making sure the stage is properly set.

“We’re still live-streaming pretty much all of our concerts, there’s one series that we don’t but we’re livestreaming this one,” Leonard said.

Assistant Professor and Director of Music Technology Brett Leonard works with the stage production for events like the Jazz Combo and Latin Jazz Funk concert. According to Leonard, his main focus during concerts is making sure all of the technical elements are working, including live sound, the sound on

“We’ll have a team of probably two people on the video crew who are doing that side of things, we’ll have somebody who is doing the audio recording and broadcast audio that’s feeding the live stream and we’ll have another person who is dealing with the live sound for the audience that’s in the house.”

According to Leonard, this concert will be high-energy because of the combined performances from the Jazz Combo group and the Latin Jazz Funk Ensemble. He said that with two groups performing, they will avoid the monotony that

sometimes exists when only one group is playing.

“Probably the most different or special aspect is that it’s a lot larger than most of our concerts. We’re really pushing kind of everything, our equipment and our staff. Everybody’s sort of pushed to the limits, which from our side is really fun because it’s kind of like the main event. For us, it’s a big, big production.”

According to Mayhue, the performers will be excited to have an opportunity to come together for this concert. He said it will also be fun for the audience because it offers variety in what they will be hearing.

“We’re doing some intense, fun stuff. It was just kind of a natural collection of the two to make it easier for everybody to come together at the same concert,” Mayhue said.

Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra performance

Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra will perform ‘Towards Mozart: The Making of a Master’

By Grace Lichty ONLINE EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis will be hosting the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra’s performance of “Towards Mozart: The Making of a Master” on Feb. 26 in Ruth Lilly

Performance Hall. According to the Founder and Vice President on the Board of Directors of the orchestra Tom Gerber, the Baroque orchestra is a chamber orchestra that specializes in playing music from the Baroque period, which is roughly about the 17th century.

Gerber said the instruments the

group uses are not modern, but instead are built as they would have been in the Baroque era. He said most instruments are replicas in this concert, but they have performed with real historical instruments in the past. The group knows a lot of information about the music they play, according to Geber, such as who

wrote it, what style it is and how it would have been played centuries before.

Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra

Board President and Principal Viola

Player Rachel Gries said the research that goes into the Baroque era creates a connection for her to the music. She said she loves being able to think about what was important to the composer in order to make the music feel more personal.

“We will read books that are written by composers and musicians at that time and [will think,] ‘What are their values? What are they looking for in the music? How are they performing it?’” Gries said. “So we try to not have our performances influenced by the music of today. We try to think, ‘What has come before that? What are the composer’s lives like? What are their standards? How do they tell us?’ Actually, there are tons of books that tell us about music and what the composers wanted, how they wanted it played.”

This is not the first time the Baroque orchestra has performed at the university, according to Gerber. Gerber used to teach in the music department at UIndy, and he said the chair of the music department took an interest in what the Baroque orchestra was doing. This led to the university music department becoming the residency sponsor for the ensemble, according to Gerber. The ensemble performed at UIndy last fall, making this their second concert of the season.

According to Gerber, the title “Towards Mozart: The Making of a Master” comes from the program looking at the influences for the young Mozart. Gerber said they will

be playing pieces from Mozart’s early years and pieces by composers from the generation of Mozart’s father. Gerber describes these composers as writing in a late Baroque, early Classical style.

The performance will be hosting Barthold Kuijken, an internationally recognized flautist, according to Gerber. Kuijken is from Belgium and specializes in Baroque music. He is the Baroque Orchestra’s artistic director and conductor with this being his 20th season appearing with the orchestra, according to Gerber.

“When [Kuijken] comes to town, it’s always exciting because…we bring in one of the top Baroque music performing specialists from Europe to lead this orchestra here,” said Gerber.

According to Gerber, this performance would appeal to many UIndy students, but especially music majors. Gerber said that there is a lot for students to learn and a lot of changes in music and instruments to recognize.

“Students will notice that the violinists don’t have any chin rests because back then the Baroque violins didn’t have chin rests. They’ll see that the cellos don’t have the pin sticking on the floor because back then the cellos didn’t yet have what we call end pins,” said Gerber. “And there will be some wind instruments in the concert as well. We’ll have two oboes playing, and they’re Baroque oboes, meaning they are the ancestors of the modern day. So they’ll get a new context, live performance instruments from an earlier time period. It’s a rather unique sound. It’s similar to modern orchestras, but also very different.”

Wit Theater experience review

By Grace Lichty ONLINE EDITOR

After hearing that Books and Brews was being replaced with an entertainment and comedy club, I was intrigued. The Wit Theater, located at 3808 Shelby St., currently houses a comedy organization called ComedySportz, which performs competitive improv. I found this very interesting, as I had never heard of improvisational comedy being played as a sport. The theater has shows on Friday and Saturday nights. They have family friendly shows, as well as 17 and older shows with more adult-oriented comedy. I attended the family friendly show on Saturday, Feb. 4th.

Immediately walking in, the venue is somewhat unfinished. This is understandable, as ComedySportz is new to the building. The first thing you see is the concession stand, which has your typical concessions food such as soft pretzels, popcorn and candy. They also serve alcohol for those 21 and older. You order at the counter, and then they bring your food to you once you sit down,

which I thought was very nice. There were about 20 folding tables around the room, which could seat anywhere from two to five people. There was a small stage with some fun elements, such as a rainbow light and design props. A few other things to note would be the speaker and TV that displayed images relating to the game the performers were playing.

I thought the actual show itself was very fun. The performers were obviously passionate and skilled in what they were doing. There were two teams of three competing against each other with a referee to mediate the competition. The show was a series of small improv games with a lot of audience engagement. One game they played was called ‘Genre Replay,’ where each team was given a movie category from the audience to act out. The players created their scene, but had to act it out in 3 different genres that were also suggested by the audience. Overall, I felt very included in the performance without feeling uncomfortable at all.

The price of tickets varies depending on whether you purchase online, which is $18, or at the door, which is $23. At first I

thought this was a little on the pricey side, but compared to other comedy shows you can find online, it is reasonable—and even arguably on the cheap side. The food is

also reasonably priced.

Overall, I would recommend the Wit Theater to University of Indianapolis students and anybody nearby who enjoys

stand up comedy. I would also suggest this show to older students, as it seems to be an environment more geared towards that group.

Graphic by Breanna Emmett

We’re doing some intense, fun stuff...”

Photo contributed by Rachel Gries

The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra rehearses in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center. They will be perform “Towards Mozart: The Making of a Master” on Feb. 26 in Ruth Lilly Performance Hall in tribute to the music that came before Mozart.

Photo by Grace Lichty

The Wit Theater stage is set up for ComedySportz’s competitive improv set. On the left is the monitor on which images relating to the games the actors play are shown. In the center of the stage is the tropy that is awarded to the winner of the competition.

LGBTQ history on campus

How the LGBTQ community has grown, become more accepted since UIndy Pride began in 1997

By Anika Yoder FEATURE EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis first recognized UIndy Pride as an official registered student organization in 1997, according to The Reflector’s Feb. 4, 1997 issue. The LGBTQ community at the university is given more support from faculty and administration, according to Director of University Events and UIndy alumni Jeffery Barnes.

In the late 90s, according to Barnes, there were not as many people “out”—or openly LGBTQ—at the university.There were not as many resources for LGBTQ students on campus at the time and students struggled with finding people to talk to about their identities, he said.

“There weren't many people out at all. There were maybe like, four or five students who were out that I'm aware of. And then only to small groups of people like to their close friends most likely,” Barnes said. “There weren't any resources for people to go to and one of my friends in particular really struggled and he just didn't really have anyone to go to. And I came out and kind of had similar issues.”

The struggles students faced being a part of the LGBTQ community prompted people to start a group that would eventually turn into UIndy Pride, Barnes said. As a founding member of UIndy Pride, which was originally founded as “The Pride” on campus, Barnes said that with not as much access to electronic advertising the group had to use flyers to advertise on bulletin boards and windows.

Senior anthropology major and CoChair for UIndy Pride Theo Saxe said that

being a part of UIndy Pride has helped with being a queer person on campus. UIndy Pride functions as a support system for people who otherwise are not able to find a space for support in other capacities on campus. In terms of areas growth for UIndy, Saxe said there is a lack of understanding and representation in some respects, particularly within the university’s staff.

“If you see a little sticker that says it's an LGBTQ safe space, that doesn't always necessarily mean that it's true.

I've had my own fair share of experiences where I'll see a sticker like that, I'm like, ‘Oh, awesome.’ And I get to the actual class and they'll say things that's really not

something you should say,” Saxe said. “I know a lot of classes that I've been in, in particular that are supposed to be about the LGBTQ community, are taught by straight people and as a queer person, you always end up having to correct them on things which feels awkward more often than not.”

Barnes said in general, LGBTQ students are more widely accepted on campus as well as faculty and staff that are out, which was not the case when he was a student. Pride members, when the organization first applied to be an RSO, would put flyers around campus that then would be defaced, according to Barnes. The success of the annual drag show at UIndy is also a large milestone for the LGBTQ community on campus, Barnes said.

“Over the years the administration changed the language in the nondiscrimination clause or statement to include LGBTQ individuals,” Barnes said. “So there's been a lot of strides like

that that have made the difference and we've come a long way.”

Barnes said that reaching beyond the university, the LGBTQ community is going through a period in history where the pendulum might be swinging against the community. Continuing education within the curriculum surrounding the LGBTQ community is important to educate the public on the needs of the community, he said.

“I think we need to continue to be strong and support each other and provide whatever educational programming we can [in order] to keep educating the public to our concerns and our needs,” Barnes said.

Looking back on the Polar Bear Run

By Michael Harrington BUSINESS MANAGER

The University of Indianapolis hosted the annual Polar Bear Run and Walk on Feb. 15 of 1997 according to a Feb 4. issue of The Reflector. According to The Reflector , the idea of the Polar Bear Run and Walk originated from former UIndy faculty member Susie Fleck and was able to become an annual event due to the high number of participants.

The first Polar Bear Run and Walk took place in 1982 and was hosted in Indianapolis, according to The Indy Polar Bear Winter Classic. The events—the 5K, the 10K and The Bear— feature runs throughout different locations in the Indianapolis area, according to the Carmel Road Racing Group.

When the event was hosted at UIndy, it offered a five-kilometer run, according to The Reflector . Now the event offers the five-kilometer run, a 10-kilometer run and The Bear, which features both distances according to the Indy Polar Bear Winter Classic. When the Feb 4. 1997 issue of The Reflector came out, 3,000 runners participated in the run and walk when it was hosted at UIndy’s campus.

This year, the 42nd Annual Polar Bear Run and Walk took place on Feb. 18th at the CityWay YMCA in downtown Indianapolis, according to The Indy Polar Bear Winter Classic. Later, the event held a post-race party at Metazoa Brewing Company to offer cash prizes for the winner of the race, according to The Indy Polar Bear Winter Classic.

According to The Reflector , the run began on a corner of Hanna and Matthews Avenue and ended at the Ruth Lily Center on campus.

Runners who wish to compete in the 15-kilometer run, The Bear, have to run both the 5K and the 10K in order to qualify, according to Indy Runners and Walkers.

In honor of The Reflector's 100 year anniversary, each issue this year has one page dedicated to looking back on past front pages and the history within them. This issue features the front page from Feb. 4, 1997.

Graphic by Breanna Emmett

I think we need to continue to be strong and support each other..."