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UIndy ends partnership with College Crossing By Kim Puckett NEWS EDITOR
VOLUME 86 • ISSUE 6
• NOVEMBER 25, 2008 •
DIWALI NIGHT
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
University of Indianapolis students will no longer be able to use university scholarships or grants at College Crossing apartment complex starting with the 2009-2010 academic year. According to a statement issued by the university to College Crossing residents and students, the Financial Aid Policy Committee voted to end the use of institutional gift aid at the apartment complex. Mark Weigand, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, said the university can revert to its original policy of only using financial aid for on-campus housing because of additions to campus. “The partnership with College Crossing was a good one for the two years we had it, but it was always temporary,” Weigand said. “We really want to focus on using
> See CROSSING on page 3
Class finds make-shift gravesite By Kim Puckett NEWS EDITOR
Groups of University of Indianapolis students from an ecology class, taught by Dr. Roger Sweets, were examining headstones on Oct. 8, when one student came across something unexpected. The Biology 265 class was on a routine trip to Southport Cemetery near Bethel Memorial Church in order to do an exercise in demography, the study of births, deaths and marriages of a population when senior Ashlee McIntosh discovered the crude grave of a six-to-10 month SWEETS old fetus in the 100-year-old gravesite. “My group was working by a wooded area, writing down birth and death dates, and we were at the last gravesite in the row,” McIntosh said. “The grave was obviously freshly dug, with clean moist dirt on the top.” The group of students then noticed a rock placed on the top of the dirt. “We turned the flat rock over and on the back it said ‘Baby Wheeler, September 3, 2008’ written in black Sharpie marker,” McIntosh said. After making their discovery, the
Photos by Carolyn Harless • The Reflector
Schweta Khanna and other Indian Student Association members perform a dance during the Diwali Night celebration in Ransburg Auditorium on Nov. 12. Diwali is a traditional Indian festival, lasting five days and celebrating family and friends. The ISA sponsors Diwali Night every year commemorating Indian heritage through traditional dance, authentic food and ornate clothing.
Indian Student Association celebrates Diwali on campus By Haley Vannarsdall STAFF WRITER The University of Indianapolis celebrated Diwali, a traditional Indian five-day festival in which each day represents a different array of festivities. The night began with dancing, singing and slide shows of North, South, East and West India in Ransburg Auditorium on Nov. 12. The Diwali Festival was produced by the Indian Student Association and contained not only Indian students, but faculty as well. The much-anticipated fashion show displayed vibrant, distinctive Indian fashion. Ornate traditional Indian clothing could be seen not only on stage but also in the audience. Karen Childers, the UIndy recruitment coordinator, participated in the fashion show. “I thought the Diwali Night was a wonderful celebration and I very much enjoyed learning about the Indian
students’ culture,” Childers said, “I was honored that my daughter and I were asked to be a part of the celebration.” According to the Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India Web site (diwalifestival.org), Diwali translates to “Festival of Lights”and fireworks can be seen non-stop throughout India day and night during the festival. Perhaps the most celebrated day of the celebration is the third day, Diwali. Every house is spotlessly cleaned for Lakshmi, and lights are lit to help make a path for her arrival. Diwali is a time in which there are no enemies and everyone is united as one. Family and friends are celebrated constantly. Ritesh Nirwal, a physical therapy graduate school student has experienced Diwali in India. “You celebrate with your friends and family and cheer in the streets.” Nirwal said, “It’s really hard to miss someone you really love during Diwali.” An Indian food dinner in Schwitzer Student Center followed the Diwali celebration. Assortments of authentic dishes were prepared, although the spices were cut back for those who couldn’t handle the heat. After dinner, many students took part in dancing and performed not only Indian dancing, but also a wide variety of moves.
Photo by Carolyn Harless • The Reflector
Zeenia Irani and Shubhangi Saraj perform a dance during the Indian Student Association’s Diwali Night on Nov. 12 in Ransburg Auditorium. Diwali is a traditional Indian celebration of lights.
> See GRAVE on page 3
Target, Starbucks locations to close near campus By Micah McVicker STAFF WRITER
Photos by Sunni Sun • The Reflector
The Target location on U.S. 31 will close its doors in January 2009 due to economic difficulties. Many UIndy students will be affected by the store’s closure because of its close proximity to the university.
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Target notified the state Nov. 5 that the company intends to close its location at 3700 S. East St. The closure is scheduled to take place in January 2009. “We decided to close the store because of the long-term economic liability of this location,” said Target spokeswoman Katie Benscoter. The closure will affect 80 employees, who will either transfer to other Target stores or accept a buyout, a severance package from the company. “The employees that want to continue to work for Target at another location will receive our help in an effort to help them
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find employment from our company,” Benscoter said. Many students shop at this Target location, especially those without cars because it is within walking distance. According to Benscoter, none of the other 12 Target locations in the Indianapolis area will close. “No other closings are planned. We constantly evaluate our stores to ensure they are meeting our standards in providing a great guest experience,” Benscoter said. The Target location on U.S. 31. is not alone in closing; the Starbucks location at 3801 S. Keystone Avenue east of campus has closed. The Keystone Avenue location closed as part of the company’s transformation strategy. The location is one of 600 stores
expected to close nationally to support long-term growth. “Over the last few months, our executive and field leadership teams conducted an extensive review of our business with a goal of enhancing operating efficiency, improving customer satisfaction and ensuring long-term value for our partners, customers and shareholders,” said a Starbucks representative. The representative also said the company will attempt to take care of the former Starbucks employees. “We placed many of the affected partners into available positions at nearby Starbucks stores,” the representative said. “All affected partners, including full-time and part-time, are eligible for severance based on job title and current pay rate.”
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